Cubs beat the Dodgers to go to the World Series

Once again the Dodgers have failed to reach the World Series. Watching the Cubs and their fans celebrate hurts. Although I have empathy for how long their organization and fan base have had to wait to reach the world series. It's still too soon after defeat for me to separate myself from the situation. But I will try not to be a hater.

The more I watched the NLCS the more I realized the Cubs were the better team. While it's hard for me to admit that it's hard to argue against. Comparing the top four starting pitchers it's obvious who has the edge. Lester, Lackey, Arrieta, and Hendricks top the foursome of Kershaw, Hill, Maeda, and Urias.

Look at the lineup I feel the same way. Outside of Seagar, Gonzalez and Turner there isn't a full time starter left. Although they're not the scariest lineup Bryant, Rizzo, Baez, and the rest are a tough group if they get going.

In the end, the Dodgers just didn't have enough quality pitching. That along with guys like Toles who aren't ready to play in an environment like the NLCS and you can see why the Cubs were, and are the favorite. Roberts was playing the analytics when he had Kike Hernandez start against Jon Lester. In game one it actually worked too. But there's a big difference between one plate appearance and consistently getting on base throughout a series. With a rotating platoon in left and right field the Dodgers never had one guy that they could depend on night after night. With Toles and Kendrick in left field defense lacked considerably. Kendrick misjudging a fly ball because he's a second baseman and Toles dropping a fly ball like a little leaguer because the moment is too big for him. With Reddick, Ethier, and Puig in right field? None of them ever had the opportunity to own the position. Reddick never got comfortable after the trade that brought him here. Puig has trouble settling down but his defense was missed. Ethier, he never had time to get in a rhythm after coming back from an injury. It all led to having many guys who are average players trying to make it to the ultimate destination for all major league players, the World Series.

While the infield is fairly solid Utley is past his prime and definitely does not qualify as a leadoff hitter in the 2016 playoffs! Add to that he also had a huge error where he dropped a ball at second base. Adrian Gonzalez has been a remarkable player for a long time and he's shown moments of greatness in the playoffs but this season you could see his prime decline take effect. Justin Turner has been the missing piece that I believe would have pushed earlier Dodger teams of Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier over the hump. It just wasn't enough this time.

The sole positive message for the future of the Dodger offense is Corey Seager. Not only did he carry the Dodgers this year on offense he also showed he could do it in the post season.I believe him and Urias are honestly the only two building blocks going forward. I love Clayton Kershaw but he'll soon be 28 years old and each post season he ends it on a negative. Although he pitched better than he usually does in the playoffs, he still failed to come through in the clutch. Instead, losing to Hendricks in game 6. I believe he can still be a solid player for the Dodgers. But he can't be the only top tier guy if the Dodgers hope to ever make it to another World Series.

The wait will now go to 29 years since I last watched the Dodgers both make it to and win a World Series. At 12 years old I thought my teams would win every year. At 40 I now know nothing is guaranteed until you see them hoist the trophy.

Congratulations Cub fans, players, and organization. Although I felt a few times a couple of your players showed arrogance, I know many Cubs fans and most have been very knowledgeable classy fans. I will be rooting for the Cubs to win the World Series against the Cleveland Indians. The Indians haven't won since about 1947 and the Cubs since about 1908! I probably won't watch much because it'll hurt too much. But I will be happy for either one when they win. I hope to one day watch my Dodgers make it to and win a World Series again in my lifetime. Until then, good luck Cubs Just like I was happy for Cleveland Cavalier fans. I will be happy for all you Cub fans that have waited more than a lifetime to celebrate a championship. Still have to go through Cleveland though. 

Isn't that something. No Cleveland team had won any championship for a long time and now the Indians have a chance to win a World Series in the same year the Cavaliers won the NBA championship. It just shows that if you're patient and support your team you will be rewarded.

2016 MLB Playoffs are about to start

Even though the MLB playoffs have already started I'm stuck in time. I've been here before. I've watched the Dodgers get as far as the National League Championship Series. Only to once again run into the St. Louis Cardinals. Well, there is no Cardinal team this time around. The Giants are in and that also scares me. Winners of 3 of the last 5 World Series I never take them lightly. When Madison Bumgarner pitches a game he usually wins. I also can't hope for the Cubs to beat the Giants because you have to be careful what you wish for. I do know that it is a very long season at 162 games to exit the playoffs without a ring after all this time. It has been since I was 12 years old in 1988 that I have seen the Dodgers in the World Series.

Here is what I believe we will know after these playoffs. Nothing bigger than answers about Clayton Kershaw. In sports you can be as successful as anyone in the regular season but unless you do it in the playoffs you have failed in the eyes of many. A great example is Dan Marino with the Dolphins. He was the first to pass for 50 touchdowns and 5000 yards but he never won a SuperBowl. He made it there once and lost to the 49ers and Joe Montana. I'm not saying it's fair just reality. Clayton Kershaw has easily been the best regular season pitcher in at least the last five years. His era is #1 and he has won several Cy Young awards. I have his autographed jersey hanging in my closet from his 2011 Cy Young. But, Madison Bumgarner has had not as impressive regular seasons but thrives in the playoffs. He has 3 World Series rings and a World Series MVP. Just letting him and the Giants in the playoffs is a mistake in my opinion. The Dodgers can only blame themselves losing three games in a row to let the Giants into the playoffs. While Clayton has been celebrating Cy Young Awards Madison is counting championships. This is the season that will go down in history as the defining moment for Clayton Kershaw.

Now for the Nationals. The Nationals have already lost three pivotal players including Stephen Strasburg and Wilson Ramos. In sports it's the next man up mantra. Nobody feels sorry for you. They are still a formidable opponent and in the playoffs anything can happen. In 1988 they had to beat the Mets in the NLCS and then also the best team in the league the Oakland A's in the World Series. As an 11 year old for most of the season I was always hopeful but even back then I was realistic. Beating the Mets was a huge hurdle and then the A's with the bash brothers seemed impossible. Orel Hershiser had to pitch amazingly in the NLCS game 7 to beat the Mets and everyone knows how he pitched in the World Series. It took his performance and as Vin Scully described it "In a year that has been so improbable the impossible has happened". Vin Scully said it best because if you look at the Dodgers starting lineup compared to the Mets or A's you would almost start laughing.

Now, here I am only three hours from the start of game one of the NLDS series against the Washington Nationals. I'm uneasy and even maybe a little grumpy. I'm on edge wondering what this chapter will read like once it's done. Will it be another short ending or a triumph that I can go back and read about and remember fondly? Once again Clayton Kershaw is pitching game 1. Game one has not been kind to the Dodgers in the NLDS. In 2014 Kershaw was 0-2 in the NLDS with a 7.82 ERA. In last years NLDS which the Dodgers lost to the eventual National League Champion Mets Kershaw was 1-1 with a 2.63 ERA. He was outpitched in game one by a very young pitcher named Jacob deGrom. deGrom was 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA in that series. Beating both Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke. In life it sometimes feels like you only have one opportunity to make it. But I guarantee you it's more. Clayton Kershaw might not have stepped up the way other Hall of Fame pitchers have in their career up until now. But he has the chance to still go down in history with the names like Orel Hershiser and Sandy Koufax. Nobody will care about the previous years if he carries the Dodgers to the championship. Will it happen? I'm anxiously waiting for it to start, and I'm going to be a wreck until it's all done.