October 16th, 2019 at 8:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka I will be the first to admit that the Dodgers being eliminated from postseason play in the first round this season was, hands down, the most difficult let down for me as a lifelong Dodgers fan than any other in my many (many) years as such.
Yes, this includes that oh-so-painful 2017 Game-7 World Series loss to the Houston Astros; and yes, this includes being manhandled by the Boston Red Sox in the 2018 World Series.
Why, you ask?
Because this was, by far, the absolute best Dodgers team I had ever seen in those many (many) years as a Dodgers fan; a team that won more regular-season games than any other in franchise history – Los Angeles or Brooklyn. A team that I, like most, expected … absolutely expected to not only make it to their third consecutive World Series but to run away with it.
It didn’t happen.
Instead, the Washington Nationals, a team that was 25-33 (.431) on June 1 and finished the 2019 regular season with a National League East second-place record of 93-69 (.574) – as compared to the Dodgers franchise record-setting 106-56 (.654) – eliminated the so-called ‘best team in baseball’ in the National League Division Series in five games after they themselves beat the highly-favored Milwaukee Brewers in the October 1 Wild Card game at Nationals Park by a score of 4-3 after a dramatic eighth-inning three-run single by 20-year-old Nationals left fielder Juan Soto.
(Photo credit – Keith Birmingham)
That 2019 NLDS Game-5 loss was the single-most heartbreaking postseason loss I have ever experienced. In fact, just this past Monday, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman called it “One of the more painful losses that I can remember.”
However, even as ‘heartbreaking’ or ‘painful’ as that NLDS Game-5 loss was for the Dodgers and their fans, I can honestly say that I am grateful that I was at Dodger Stadium on that fateful night to witness it.
A bit masochistic, you say?
Perhaps. But consider this: With their complete dominance over the (yet again) heavily-favored St. Louis Cardinals in the just-concluded 2019 National League Championship Series (which they swept in four games), the Nationals are only the 13th Wild Card team to advance to the World Series (against either the Houston Astros or New York Yankees) and are vying to join the Miami Marlins (1997, 2003), Anaheim Angels (2002), Boston Red Sox (2004), Cardinals (2011) and San Francisco Giants (2014) as only the seventh Wild Card team to win it.
(Photo credit – Jeff Roberson)
In other words and regardless of how ‘heartbreaking’ and ‘painful’ the Dodgers NLDS loss to the Washington Nationals was, we may very well soon witness the greatest and unlikeliest World Series win by a Wild Card team since its inception in 1994.
Play Ball!
* * * * *
Posted in 
The Washington Nationals pitching staff has been the answer to everything. Why they beat the Dodgers in the NLDS and the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS.
It was heart breaking and unexpected to see the Dodgers not go further than the first round but as we’ve done so often in the past, we have to accept it and go on to next year.
Old Brooklyn
We didn’t lose the series because of the failure of Kershaw, Buehler and Ryu. We lost in the bullpen and not hitting in the clutch and Dave Roberts sending Kelly out for the 10th a complete headscratcher for all of us with Kj watching.
Yup.
I feel if we could’ve hit the Nats’ pitching, there would’ve not been a 10th inning. More than anything, it was the lack of hitting that cause us to lose. In my opinion.
Yes the Dodgers just cannot get it done hitting wise when one considers 64 strikeouts in only 5 games. But when all is said and done, pitching wins championships and Dodgers did score 22 runs in these 5 games while the Nats scored 21. So with anything close to the pitching the Nats had and there would have been no 10th inning in game 5 and Dodgers would have been the team waiting on the Astros and Yankeess to finish up the ALCS.
Sign Cole and lefty reliever Will Smith and it will be a successful off season. AF will have money from Freese retiring, letting Hill and Ryu go and trying to sign Martin at a discount. Also I would trade Peterson ,Stripling, Barnes, and Kiki for a right handed bat. Maybe Texas will take Kershaw if we eat some of the salary now that they’re opening the new ball park and Kershaw is from Texas. Maybe AF can work his magic. Hopefully Kenley opts out but that’s wishful thinking.
Andy slow your roll.
Clayton was 16-5 and pitched fine in game 2. Keep him for the two yrs he has left. Also Kenley could bounce back and have a great yr.
Joc P had 36-7 homers be very careful about trading that production away.
Signing Cole and Smith would be a fine off season. Don’t think it will happen.
We all know Cole and Rendon will be the most expensive and sought after free agents this year. I’d love to see Dodgers get them or one, but after kicking the tires just don’t think it will happen. The time to get Cole was a couple years ago when the Pirates traded him.
Here is a good link to 2019-2020 free agents.
https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-mlb-free-agents-by-position
Dodgers are in a GREAT SITUATION in spite of not bringing home the Championship AGAIN. In my opinion, Our GM is going to continue building just like he has been. The former hedge fund manager will continue playing the odds and the odds aren’t with huge long-term contracts.
My idea of a successful off season would be extending Bellinger, Seager and some of the still young close to free agency players to reasonable multi year contracts. Resign Hill cheaply to a one year incentive laden contract. Do get reliever Will Smith for the Smith to Smith combo. Kick the tires on RYU and Wheeler. Make a quantity for quality trade for an elite reliever. Keep Kershaw. Pick up a under the radar free agent/agents such as Billy Hamilton (to take advantage of the roster expansion with a base running specialist).
No time to panic, we are young and talented and just won 106 games.
To most a successful season would INCLUDE winning a WS…not being embarrassed in the 1st round of playoffs and getting bounced due to poor management decisions on the part of Roberts and an offense that strikes out 64 times in 5 games, blowing most scoring chances in the process.
“To most a successful season would INCLUDE winning a WS”
No argument with that! My disappointment with the Dodgers 2019 playoff performance rivals Ron’s. But, at this point I prefer to look ahead not back (And the Nationals success doesn’t make me feel any better).
At this point, the task at hand is next season and having that “successful season”. The fact that we are returning most of the same young roster that won 106 games in 2019 (with reinforcements coming) is important concerning next year. The 64 strikeouts you mentioned is a bitter memory to me at this point. Two of the biggest offenders, Bellinger and Seager should still be viewed as future cornerstones and signed to longer contracts ASAP if it makes monetary sense. Maybe I’m the only one, but I am happy to go to battle in 2020 with pretty much the same team, but hopefully improved (see my post above).
My twenties were spent cheering for the legendary Dodger infield of Garvey, Lopes, Russell and Cey. That infield played more games together than any other in MLB history and they only won ONE championship. Such is the nature of competitive professional sports. Unlike Ron, I think some of my biggest Dodger disappointments might have happened back then, but I’m not sure with the passage of time.
I’ve come to realize I’m not going to live and die with the Dodgers, I believe 100% (and Friedman said it) that the current group of players we have were 100% vested in winning the WC in 2019 and I believe these same players will come back even more determined to win it all. I’m also sure, everyone in the Dodgers organization is more disappointed with losing in 2019 than us. They are talented (evidenced by the 106 wins) and I believe will be back giving their best and that is all I need (same thing I expected from my kids) to root for the 2020 Dodgers. I’ve filed the 2019 Dodgers with the 1962, 1966, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 2017, 2018 and some other Dodger teams I’ve even compartmentalized deeper than those teams.
What if the off-season signings were Bumgarner and Will Smith? What would the fanbase think about that?
Probably won’t sell many MadBum jerseys.
#justsayin
If the Dodgers got Bummer I would cheer for him (cheering for laundry) but don’t expect me to start liking him.
Madbum is past his prime, why would we want an aging starter. I’m sure Friedman could arrange a trade for a younger quality starter.