Thursday, August 10, 2017
Dem Bums-2017
The Brooklyn
Dodgers were affectionately known as “Dem Bums”. They moved from
Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1957, after winning their first and only
World Series in 1955. They won the World Series 5 times after the
relocation: 1959, 1963, 1965, 1982, and 1988. It has been almost 30
years since they won the crown.
It appears
as if they are making a serious move in that direction this year
Their record, for the past 50 games is astounding. They have won 43,
and lost just 7 of those games. No team has done that in more than a
hundred years, not since the Giants did it in 1912. They lead the
National League West Division by 14 ½ games. They recently acquired
Yu Darvish, one of the top pitchers in baseball. They have several
outstanding young players.
In a recent
interview, manager Dave Roberts outlined a few other reasons why the
Dodgers are in contention. “This team has won the Division
Championship four times, without going on to win the World Series.
They are hungry, and they have a chip on their shoulders. It is a
very unselfish group of guys who want to win. We play the right way,
and we are finding ways to win games.” Roberts won a Series as a
player.
They have
the best pitching staff in baseball. They have a collective Earned
Run Average of 3.07, and have 34 Saves. The pitchers have struck out
1049 batters while only giving up 291 walks. They have the very best
pitcher in baseball, Clay Kershaw. He has won 15 games, losing only
2. Unfortunately, Kershaw is now on the disabled list, but is
expected back before the playoffs.
The Dodgers
are so far ahead of everyone else that they are gearing up for a long
post-season run. Much of their success comes from the tyeam's ability
to hit the “long ball”. Last weekend, they swept the New York
Mets. They hammered 5 home runs, en route to a 7-4 comeback victory.
It was their 32nd come-from-behind win this year.
They had the
good fortune to call up a rookie in late April who became an instant
star. Cody Bellinger, a son of former major league player Clay,
stands third in the list of home run hitters in the major leagues
with 32 dingers, trailing only Giancarlo Stanton from the Marlins and
the Yankee rookie sensation, Aaron Judge.
Justin
Turner leads the team with a .349 batting average.
Yasiel Puig
is now ready to become serious baseball player. When he first joined
the Dodgers, after leaving Cuba, he was overwhelmed with the prospect
of becoming a major league player. Puig was suspended a few times by
the Dodgers for his poor play. He stands 6' 7”, and weighs about
260 pounds. He has all the tools to be an outstanding player.
Do not be
surprised if you happen to see the Dodgers hoist the World Series
trophy in October. They seem to have all of the pieces in place.
James Hurst
August 7,
2017.
# posted by James Hurst @ 10:41 AM 
