If the Dodgers somehow… somehow make it into the post season, it won’t be because of Dodgers superstar sluggers Matt Kemp or Andre Ethier; and it won’t be because of recently acquired superstars Hanley Ramirez, Adrian Gonzalez or the thus far unseen Carl Crawford. No, if the Dodgers somehow manage to limp into the 2012 post season, it will be because of a quiet, polite, humble, unassuming, relatively unknown, 28-year-old Mexican kid with an infectious smile who the Dodgers were lucky enough to sign to a minor league contract last winter for a pittance.

That kid is, of course, utility infielder Luis Cruz, who isn’t making the $160 million that Kemp is making; or the $85 million that Ethier is making; or the $70 million, $154 million or $142 million that Ramirez, Gonzalez and Crawford are making respectively. No, the kid who holds the key to the Los Angeles Dodgers playing baseball beyond October 3rd is a guy who is making the MLB minimum of $480,000 – and even that is prorated for the 62 games that Cruz has appeared in thus far this season.

Realistically, of course, the Dodgers wouldn’t be where they are today were it not for the significant contributions of Kemp, Ethier, Ramirez and Gonzalez, or any of the others on the Dodgers fluid 25-man roster; but face it, while every other Dodger player has struggled offensively to even maintain their batting average, “The Cruz Missile” (as some call him) continues to improve upon his batting average almost daily and very well could finish the season with the best batting average on the team – and this doesn’t even take into account his near-flawless defense (3 errors in 204 chances for a .985 fielding percentage) at three of the toughest defensive positions on the field – third base, shortstop and second base.

Yet through it all, Cruz is absolutely grateful to be where he is. He hasn’t forgotten for one second that it has taken him a combined 12 years in the minor leagues and Mexican league to finally get his one and perhaps only shot at making it to and remaining in the big leagues; and make no mistake about it, nobody knows more than he that it could vanish in a heartbeat.

Luis Cruz is congratulated by his countryman and teammate Adrian Gonzalez after Friday night’s 8-5 win over the Cardinals. Cruz had 4 RBIs on the night capped by his 3-run home run in the 6th inning. (Video capture courtesy of Fox/Prime Ticket)

On Friday it was Cruz’s monumental 3-run home run in the bottom of the 6th inning that put the Dodgers in front of the Cardinals to stay in their eventual 8-5 win. And if that wasn’t enough, it was his clutch double in the bottom of 9th with 2 outs on a 3-2 count that drove home the tying run to even the score at 3. The speedy Elian Herrera came in to pinch run for Cruz and scored moments later on Juan Rivera’s exciting pinch hit walk-off single. The back-to-back wins have the Dodgers now tied with these same Cardinals for the final NL Wild card spot with only 14 games remaining.

Cruz’s clutch double in the bottom of the 9th in Saturday night’s game drove home the tying run. Elian Herrera pinch ran for Cruz and scored the winning run moments later on Juan Rivera’s walk-off single. (Photo credit – Garrett Nichols)

As expected, Cruz was the focus of attention by the media in the Dodgers clubhouse after both Friday and Saturday night’s exciting wins. Also as expected, Cruz gave full credit to his teammates and their never-say-die attitude for the teams recent successes while unselfishly putting his personal contributions aside.

When it comes right down to it and when the game is on the line, it isn’t Kemp, Ethier, Ramirez or Gonzalez who I want to see stepping into the batter’s box; it is Luis Cruz – the kid with the heart and the smile the size of his native Mexico and the kid with the key to the post season in his pocket.

Luis Cruz – El regalo que continúa a dar.

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The Table Setter

Andre Ethier

To be fair, it would be wrong to post this article without giving due credit and recognition to the guy who absolutely positively put the Dodgers in position to win both Friday and Saturday night’s games – Andre Ethier. On Friday night, it was Ethier’s 2-run home run in the 3rd inning to bring the Dodgers to within one run of the Cardinals after trailing 4-1. Although a three run lead is generally not considered insurmountable in the MLB, it definitely has been for the Dodgers since the All-Star break. Ethier’s home run, his 18th on the year, was clearly a momentum changer and brought life back to an otherwise dead team. And then on Saturday night with their backs firmly against the wall and and down to their final strike, Ethier laced a single to right field off Cardinals fire-throwing closer Jason Motte. Ethier was then replaced at first base by the speedy Dee Gordon, who stole second base off of Motte and arguably the game’s best catcher Yadier Molina to give a feeling of “you know, maybe…” to every Dodger fan. Gordon then scored the game-tying run moments later on Cruz’s game-saving double.

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The Man with the Golden Gun

Matt Kemp

And speaking of momentum changers and giving credit where due, I would also be remiss if I also did not acknowledge Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp. Although it was Ethier’s clutch single in the bottom of the 9th that set the table, it was Kemp’s absolutely incredible, if not impossible throw to third base in the top of the 9th inning to nail Molina on what was a sure triple off the wall. After crashing into the wall, a habit that I hope is short-lived for Kemp, he fired an absolute BB to Cruz who tagged out the sliding Molina for the first out of the inning. Had Kemp not made this web gem-quality throw, the Cardinals would have had a runner on third base with no outs in a 1-run game; a run that would most likely would have scored on one of the two subsequent ground outs that followed Molina’s should-have-been triple.

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The Man with the Golden Pen

Don Mattingly

Credit is also due to Dodgers manager Mattingly for making three of the best decisions of his short managing career when he pinch ran Dee Gordon for Ethier and Elian Herrera for Cruz. But unquestionably Mattingly’s best decision (and undoubtedly a very difficult one) was to pinch hit the .242-hitting Juan Rivera for the .271-hitting A.J. Ellis with two outs in the bottom of the 9th with Herrera on second base. While this decision might not sit well with the many A.J. Ellis fans out there, no one can argue that Ellis has been struggling mightily of late. And while there may be far fewer Juan Rivera fans out there than A.J. Ellis fans, one of Rivera’s greatest attributes is that he rarely strikes out. Mattingly’s decision become one of Dodger lore when Rivera hit his game-winning walk-off single off of the glove of Cardinals second baseman Daniel Descalso.

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The Hit

Juan Rivera

And, of course, there is Juan Rivera’s hit.