Commentary: Pride, heartbreak for 2022 Los Angeles Dodgers
Photo credit: Lizette Gonzalez
My family and I stand up during the seventh inning stretch at a Dodgers game this season. Unfortunately, the 2022 Dodger season tragically ended Oct. 15. I’m a huge baseball fan, an even bigger Dodgers fan, so in an effort to highlight the positives of the season, here are my top five Dodgers moments.
November 16, 2022
I got my heart broken last month. Who was the culprit? The Los Angeles Dodgers. On Oct. 15, at exactly 10:57 p.m., the Dodgers’ season ended with their loss against the San Diego Padres.
After a record-breaking season — winning 111 games out of the 162 games in the regular season — I was confident they’d make it far in the playoffs. But, no. They only managed to win one game in the postseason.
You see, my dad and I are very committed to baseball. We watched almost all 162 games; if we didn’t, the handy dandy Major League Baseball app would notify us about every Dodger score, news or roster move.
I’ll like to blame a goose for the tragic elimination of the Dodgers. A goose? Yes.
On the second game of the National League Divisional Series with the Padres, a wild goose made its way onto the field. With the arrival of the goose, the Dodgers lost the three following games.
I guess the goose wasn’t a Dodger fan.
During the game that got them eliminated, my whole family sat around the television, and my fellow Dodgers friends were on speed dial. My Dodgers-themed Halloween blanket, my Cody Bellinger jersey, my Dodgers pajama pants and my Dodgers mug were all with me. Sadly, they didn’t work their special magic.
I will be honest, they played horribly in those four games against the Padres. The defense wasn’t there. The offense was nonexistent. And sure, some managerial decisions by Dave Roberts were questionable. It was an all-around disaster.
My Twitter feed is an endless rabbit hole of who’s to blame. I mean, I’ve explained my own rationale to all my friends, even if they don’t care about baseball. But, what is done is done. In my opinion, that’s the beauty of being a sports fan.
The adrenaline of rooting for your team. The few hours that you get to completely forget about everything else around you. The highs and lows. All of this makes baseball fun. Sure, winning the World Series is every baseball fanatic’s wish, but it’s the journey, not the destination. Ha. I’m still trying to believe it myself.
In an effort to act on what I have just preached, here are my top five moments of the Dodgers’ 2022 season.
1. Trea Turner’s Iconic Slides
Dodger’s shortstop Trea Turner is known for his speed around the bases; he easily is one of the fastest players in Major League Baseball. What impressed baseball fans the most this season was his slides. A clip from a game in late August against the Philadelphia Phillies went viral because of how smooth Turner’s slide to home base was. His slides are effortless, satisfying to watch and so iconic that the Dodgers gave out sliding Turner bobbleheads.
2. Clayton Kershaw Broke Dodger History
Back to baseball statistics, one of the greatest pitchers in baseball, in my humble opinion, broke history back in April. Clayton Kershaw passed four previous Dodger players, who are in the Hall of Fame, with 2,700 strikeouts. With the 139-year history of the Dodger organization, there is no Dodger pitcher that has struck out an opposing batter more times than Kershaw to date. I personally love how this clip shows the crowd’s eruption, yet Kershaw, per usual, is still very much in grind mode.
3. Hanser Alberto’s Dugout Celebrations and Pitching Debut
Dodger player Hanser Alberto made a name for himself this season solely because he was the life of the party in the Dodger dugout every game. From congratulating his teammates after a home run or chanting when they’re at the plate, Alberto’s joy was always contagious. He even broke history by having the most pitching appearances as a position player in Major League Baseball. Alberto plays second base, which made seeing him pitch for a few nights during the season hilarious.
4. Hope for the Future of the Dodgers
A common question many Dodger fans have in their minds right now is, what is the future of the Dodgers? This offseason awaits many potential roster moves, which adds to the anticipation of what next season’s Dodger team might look like. This season though, the young talent was noticeable. Miguel Vargas and James Outman made their major league debut in the best way imaginable. During their first at-bats, Outman hit a home run, and Vargas hit a double that scored in a run. I like to think they’re a pretty good signifier of the next generation of Dodger players.
5. Dodger Legend: Jaime Jarrin
Last, but not least, this season was the last one Spanish Dodger commentator Jaime Jarrin called. During the start of our baseball passion, my dad and I would listen to Jarrin’s Spanish commentary, and his iconic calls are ones that I’ll never forget. It’s going to be weird not hearing his voice next season.
If you know a Dodger fan, give them a hug; but know that we’ll be right back to our favorite obsession as soon as the calendar strikes Feb. 24.