Frustrated thoughts from a frustrated Dodger fan

I’ve grown up a Dodger fan. My favorite Dodger is Eric Karros. When I would go to Dodger games as a kid, most of the time it was to watch them lose. Heck, the Dodgers even had one of their worst seasons ever the year I was born, amassing a pitiful 63 and 99 record in 1992.

Why open this article this way? To articulate that I remember a time when the Dodgers weren’t good. To acknowledge that I – along with many other Dodger fans – am spoiled by their current success.

But I’ve had it with the post-season disappointments.

On paper, the Dodgers are arguably the best team in baseball right now. With 111 wins, they definitely were from a record standpoint this season.

The 3-1 series loss to the San Diego Padres over the weekend wasn’t just devastating – it was unacceptable. In theory, it should’ve never happened.

Still, I struggle to understand how the Dodgers haven’t won three, four, or five world series over the last decade.

There is 2020, sure, and I will fight tooth and nail defending its legitimacy.

But columnist Bill Plaschke made a decent point in the Los Angeles Times earlier this week when he wrote that “…the 2020 title [is] looking more deserving of an asterisk with each passing nightmare.”

I wouldn’t go so far as to put an asterisk on it, but I get it. The naysayers are loud, and the only way to get them to shut up is with a title at the end of a 162-game season.

The Dodgers had a remarkable season; it just seems a little less spectacular now.

Somethings got to give.

First, let’s talk about Dave Roberts. A lot of fans are calling for his head now, if they haven’t been already.

I get it. There’s been a lot of head scratching moments throughout the years.

I personally don’t think Roberts is the issue, at least entirely. But he does need to learn to read the room, or field rather. Keep hot pitchers in. In high leverage situations, maybe don’t just go to Yency Almonte just because that’s what the gameplan dictates. If a player is slumping, give him a chance to work out of it, but also know where to cut the leash.

Analytics are good, but they’re not the be all, end all. You have to be able to call an audible.

Secondly, the trade deadline.

The funny thing about being the team at the top is everyone is making moves to try and catch you. Don’t move yourself, eventually they’re going to catch you.

After watching the trade deadline this year and hearing talks of Juan Soto and high caliber pitchers like Luis Castillo, I was a little bummed to see the Dodgers’ biggest splash be Joey Gallo.

I like Gallo. I’d like to see him get another shot in Dodger Blue next season.

Still, we all knew he wasn’t going to be the final piece of the championship puzzle; he didn’t even end up playing in October.

The reason given for the lack of activity was that the Dodgers felt “really good” with who they had coming back – Walker Buehler, Dustin May, Blake Treinen, and Danny Duffy.

Ultimately, pitching collapsed.

It’ll always be a “what if,” but I can’t help but wonder if an extra elite arm or two at the deadline would’ve been the difference.

And finally, before I have Padre fans jump on my back, let me give some credit where it is due: “Little brother” is legitimately a good team.

Having a few friends who are Padre fans, I’ve done my fair share of trash talk. Yet in the last several seasons, I’ll admit to being nervous about the team down south. Those jitters amplified at the trade deadline when they acquired Soto, the hot-stove’s hot-ticket of the year.

Despite all the noise, the Dodgers have (usually) done pretty well to keep the Pads at bay. Unfortunately, this time around, the Padres are hot and the Dodger’s limped into a bye.

Momentum is a helluva drug.

Kudos San Diego, you took this round, and took it handedly.