Okay guys let’s hear it from you. Tell us which year you believe the Dodgers fielded their best team. There are a lot of candidates out there. I know I have a couple of favorite nominees. The 1963 Dodgers. Had perhaps the best 1-2 punch as starting pitchers in Drysdale and Koufax. They won 99 games with a mediocre offense. But four of their starting pitchers won in double figures, Koufax, 25, Drysdale, 19, Podres, 14, and Miller, 10. Ron Perranoski won 16 out of the bullpen and had 21 saves. Team ERA was 2.85, best in the league.
Their best hitter was Tommy Davis, .326, he won the batting title for the second straight year, Howard led the team in homers with 28. They only hit 110 as a team and batted .251. The only rookie who was in the starting lineup was third baseman, Ken McMullen. He had 79 starts at the position. They went into the World Series with the Yankees as underdogs. But their pitching totally shut down the Yankees and the offense did just enough for them to sweep New York. After scoring 9 runs in the first two games at Yankee Stadium, the Dodgers scored only 3 in the next two at home. But Koufax and Drysdale shut down the Yankees on just 9 hits the last two games. Big D had a 3-hit shutout, and Koufax only gave up a homer to Mantle in his clinching 2-1 win. So far, still their only World Series clinching win at home.
Maybe one of the best hitting Dodger teams was the 1953 group. The 53 Brooklyn Dodgers won 105 games. the most in franchise history until the 2019 team won 106. The 2021 team matched that 106 and the 22-version won 111. What all of these teams have in common is that none of them won the World Series. Of course, in 53, that was the only post season series they had to play.
The 53 team had a team BA of .285. They scored 955 runs. They hit 208 homers, first in the league. They stole 90 bases, for a team relying on their power, that was a decent number. They had a team ERA of 4.10, third in the league. Considering the size of most ballparks in the day, that was pretty normal. They gave up 169 homers, and that was seventh in the league.
The team featured five future Hall of Famers in the starting lineup. Campy, Hodges, Reese, Robinson and Snider. Campy, 41, Snider, 42 and Hodges, 31 combined for 114 of the teams 208 homers. Furillo added 21. Campy, 142, Hodges, 122 and Snider, 126, were the big guns RBI wise. Pee Wee and Jim Gilliam stole 22 and 21 bases respectively. Five of the starters hit .300 or better with Furillo, .344 winning the batting title. At .271, Reese had the lowest BA in the starting 8. The pitchers hit .161 with a couple of homers. But two pitchers, Podres, .306 and Hughes, .286 hit well enough. Erskine had the most AB’s 101, hits, 20 and RBIs, 8. He hit .215. Wade and Preacher Roe hit the homers.
The pitching staff had 29 saves, this of course before all the specialized stats there are today. Erskine won 20 games, Meyer, 15, Loes, 14, Roe, 11 and Podres, 9. Labine won 11 out of the pen and had 7 saves. Hughes won 4 and had 9 saves, Milliken 8 with 2 saves, Wade 7 with 3 saves, Black won 6 and had 5 saves. Erskine had 3 saves to go along with his wins. The most games played by any of their bench players was 90 by Don Thompson, an outfielder. Wayne Belardi contributed 11 homers.
This team bludgeoned the opposition. They had decent pitching for the era, and they led the league in fielding percentage with a .980 mark. They made 118 errors and had 161 double plays, #1 in the league, and their catchers threw out 53% of the baserunners attempting to steal. Campy had a 54% caught stealing rate. All in all, a very good team. But they just could not beat the Yankees.
So, let us hear who you think belongs on this list. I am sure you all have your favorites. Back from Denver early.
Bad news.
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/08/river-ryan-suffers-season-ending-elbow-injury.html
I read the report on X. Sad for the kid, he was doing so well. I really believe MLB needs to dive into the causes this winter and make some changes, maybe even to the pitch clock. Ryan said he felt that might have caused some of the stiffness because you do not have time to recover. This could not have come at a worse time. Dodger staff has been snake bit this year. But you have to believe we will now see how much fight this team has in it.
I think moving the pitch clock from15 seconds to 20-25 seconds would be beneficial for everyone.
Couldn’t it be because pitchers these days are not conditioned to make more than 60 pitches per outing?
Why is it never the team’s management of these pitchers, but always some external factor?
Combination of I would think Scott. Way they are trained and the rules that make them speed up when they need a blow.
Because the pitchers say it is.
2017 for me, even though we all know the aftermath.
I did not get to see any of the the teams in the 1950’s – 1975 timeframe.
They were a very good team. Only hit .249 as a team, but they hit 221 homers. Which was 4th in the league. The 2019 Dodgers clubbed 279 HR’s Most ever in team history.
Without looking at stats, I would guess that 2019, or even 2022 were the best teams, especially with the win/loss records.
Of course, the pathetic October performances in those years should deny these team from being referred to as best ever.
Wins wise, I would agree. The 2022 team hit only .257 as a team. They hit 212 homers, which was only 4 more than the 53 team. The did score 847 runs but were still 108 runs less than the 53 team. I think that team was easily the best hitting team of all Dodger teams. The 2023 team scored 906 runs. Those are the only two teams in Dodger history to score more than 900. Here is an oddity. The 1962 Dodgers scored 842 runs and won 102 games. The 63 Dodgers score 640 runs, won 99 games and then won the World Series. Go figure.
What a bummer. Was thinking not long before Roberts had to go get him, this kid could be a difference maker come October. The injury bug sure has reared its ugly head this year. Shame
It’s hard to determine the best team in history because the game has changed so much. Stadiums, travel, specialities in pitching, expansion, etc. My first real memory of a team was the 1963 Dodgers. Perranoski, etc I was 6 so I was very much impress able.
My favorite championship team was the 1988 team. They had no business winning it. They caught lightening in a bottle like a lot of World Series Champs do like the Rangers last year.
Yes, and they beat the best team in the game in the World Series without their best player. Dodger pitchers shut them down.
What a tough break for Ryan and the Dodgers. Lets hope he does not need TJ surgery and is ready to come back in ST 2025.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, tough break. But as others have pointed out, TJ surgery is almost de rigeur for modern era pitchers.
Even if he doesn’t need it now, he will eventually.
So if Buehler is back to normal does that mean they go into playoffs with Glasnow Flarethy Yamamoto Kershaw and Buehler as ther pitching rotation and Stone snd Rivers go to the bullpen to be ready if the last two falter
No Bradley, they will only use four starters in the post season. Right now, they cannot yet count on Yamamoto. Rivers is on the IL with an elbow injury and done for the year.
My mvp at this point in the season is Teo Hernandez. At the start of the season I felt he was a strikeout machine but that has changed. He posts, he is clutch, and he is good. Idk where the Dodgers would be without him. I love him in the 2 hole.
Padres lost 7-6 to Miami. A game tying homer in the 9th was challenged and then ruled a double. Miami held on to win.
Back to back bad, worthless at bats by Ohtani with 2nd and 3rd and less than 2 out.
So far, he is NOT clutch whatsoever
very frustrating! Teo bailed him out the first time. He could have a 100rbi by now if he hit with runners in scoring position.
Avg dropped below .300. Then he triples with 2 out and the bases empty. Sure, could have used that earlier.
I predicted this a while ago. Ohtani seems to have been hitting above his weight this year. His career avg. is just .278. Last year, his best, BA was .304. He is primarily a power hitter and is batting leadoff. Crazy and a waste. Management can’t see this? He is not a clutch hitter but maybe placed lower in the lineup would get us more RBIs from him. Loves to SO.
Dodgers need him to carry them until the walking wounded return but so far he can not do it. Failing too often in key spots.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s nice to see a successful sac bunt, you don’t see it very often these days. You’d think everyone can do it, but most of the times you see someone try they screw it up.
I don’t understand with all the righties coming up Roberts goes to a lefty. Might cost them the game. Another questionable bullpen decision. Wouldn’t have mattered if the Dodgers hadn’t wasted chance after chance to score. The 700 million $ man was in the middle of that. Now I understand Banda if he is going to bring in grove. Just no urgency from Roberts.
Yes, definetely another strange Doc move bringing in Banda with the RH hitters due up.
Game tied just like that.
And now he brings in Ahmed for Kiermayr to bunt though Kiermayr executed a successful bunt couple inning ago. Ahmed promptly fouls out on his bunt attempt. Roberts is just strange.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good call on the sac bunt if only amed would have gotten it down, which brings up my last point about bunts.
So many wasted opportunities
In those situations (runner on 2nd, 1 out, you’d think Ohtani would get an automatic intentional walk.
But teams know now that he’s rather average with runners on base, so why not pitch to him!
Wouldn’t make any difference. Ohtani up 3 times with runners in scoring position with less than 2 outs and didn’t score any of them. The first 2 times with a runner on 3rd.
Banda had reverse splits. RH hitter were hitting right at .200 against him, lefties, .210. That is why he was in there.
Big win! Teo is keeping us in this thing! Ohtani not looking like he’s built for October
You mean August?!??
Ohtani owes his today’s salary to Teo
I am sure Teo would rather wait to collect that when Ohtani is being paid 68 mill a year instead of just 2.
Yeah Orel or somebody said that on one of the broadcast but I would still rather c a righty in there against righties in the 8th. Banda has really been good but not today.
When since you have been watching the game has a pitcher come in from the pen and done the job every single time? Last time I remember was when Gagne converted 88 straight saves. Set up guys usually do not do that.
Sometime this season, Teo figured a way to become a better 2-strike hitter.
Now he’s an RBI machine, and as clutch as they come.
Ohtani needs to take lessons.
Exactly
Freidman told Bowden that both Edman and Muncy will return to the Dodgers when they start their next homestand. In today’s game so far at OKC, Muncy has a single in 3 at bats, Edman walked and drove in a run with the walk. Mookie and Buehler return this week. Team is getting its heart back.
looks like it’ll be a fun next 2 (hopefully 3) months
Is it me or is Roberts one of the worst in game managers in the league? Don’t get me wrong. I like him for the most part. I think overall he is average and relies on the talent.
But seriously, the decisions he makes hurt the Dodgers. Most of the time LOL. I realize the players have to do their jobs. No doubt about it. But is there a plan? The plan is rarely executed.
I’m not being mean. I do not see other managers consistently hurt the situation more than this guy. Is he just freakishly unlucky? It’s fascinating.
He is far from being a bad manager and nowhere near the worst. Is he an in game genius? No, but he plays who he has. And right now, he is playing with a shorthand. What do you expect him to do with so many of his best players on the shelf? Was it his fault that Banda served up a 2-run homer to McCutcheon? Banda has reverse splits and RH hitters are only hitting .200 against him. He put the guy out there because he has been good. Once he takes the mound, it is all on him. His decisions do not hurt the Dodgers most of the time, if they did, he would have been fired a long time ago and he would not have a winning record as a manager. Bochy may have more wins, but in season, he is an average manager and has an under .500 career record. They won the game and guys still pick on the manager. Wins and losses are on the player’s period.
This talk of Roberts being so bad is becoming tiresome. He leads all managers with more than 1,000 games managed in win % and for many it’s just not good enough.
Very much so.
It’s not Docs fault that Banda served up an HR to Mccutcheon
It’s maddening
True that.
Well, you know what they say when you have a good organization in front of you, that you only need a monkey to run it. If it’s up to the players, many managers could do the same job as Roberts does. I see nothing exceptional in his tenure. He’s had good talent to work with and that is the FOs influence, not his.
So you just like winning games? Which is fine. If that is all you need he is definitely your guy. Otherwise he is 45-38 in the postseason with a loaded roster annually.
The guy seems cursed sometimes when he works a ball game. That’s all I am saying.
“So you just like winning games?”
Well duh.
The monkey comment should be ignored but I can’t. Dave Roberts is a graduate of UCLA. Do you know what percentage of MLB players have college degrees? 4.3%. It’s the lowest of the major sports leagues. And Dave Roberts is a member of that 4.3%. He’s a well respected well liked bright guy who runs the team exactly the way the organization wants him to run it. We’re lucky to have him.
You’re lucky to have him, not me.
I stopped reading this after a few sentences Captain Condescending. Jesus.
No plan survives first contact. Especially in baseball.
Best Dodgers team: the 1955 Brooklyn team that won their first championship beating the evil Yankees.
Two opinions from the cheap seats:
1. Teo Hernandez has been a Godsend this season both with the bat and in the dugout; yet I have no confidence that AF will resign him.
2. Dave Roberts gets too much criticism because he gets too much credit! I have no proof, but I believe that much of the moves he makes are controlled by the front office. Why else would so many of them makes no sense?
“The 1963 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball‘s (MLB) 1963 season. The 60th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff that matched the American League (AL) champion and two-time defending World Series champion New York Yankees against the National League(NL) champion Los Angeles Dodgers; the Dodgers swept the Series in four games to secure their second championship title in five years, and their third in franchise history. Dodgers starting pitchers Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, and Johnny Podres, and ace reliever Ron Perranoskicombined to give up only four runs in four games. The dominance of the Dodgers pitchers was so complete that at no point in any of the four games did the Yankees have the lead. New York was held to a .171 team batting average, the lowest ever for the Yankees in the postseason. Koufax was named the World Series Most Valuable Player”
Right out of Wikipedia
My pick for best Los Angeles Dodgers team.
One of my two. Best hitting team in Dodger history was the 53 version. Scored the most runs, had five Hall of Famers in the Starting lineup. 105 wins. But nope, they couldn’t beat the Yankees. Damn that Stengel was a genius.
A couple of those Hall of Famers I watched in LA. And a couple more on that ‘63 team. Plus a few more and two managers over the years. I feel very lucky to have been a Dodger fan this long.
Same here.
Tough choice Bear. I have to go with the 1955 Dodgers.
One thing the 1955 team did was after the third game, they led the league the rest of the season. They were tied for the lead after game three, went in front after game four, and never trailed from that point on. Started the season, 10-0, after 24 games, they were 22-2.
Loved that ’63 team. I turned 15 that summer and reveled in a season of unbelievably great pitching. Sandy was finally healthy with a superb 25-5 won-loss record and a sub 2.00 ERA. Big D won 19 though he lost 17 (he lost a lot due to lousy run support). Tommy D. won his second straight batting title and Wills hit over .300 and but had only 40 steals. Howard had 26 homers.
Then, they swept the damn Yankees in the W.S. and the pitching was almost flawless. Up to that time. I don’t think the Yankers had ever been swept. If I remember, the Reds did it to them again in ’76.
There have been many other great years. If I had been old enough to know what was going on when I was 7, I would have picked the ’55 season.
I turned 15 that June. Hondo hit 28 Woody, not 26. He was the only plus 20 guy on the team. Tommy D hit 16 after hitting 27 in 62.
Firstly, of course that 1953 team played 154 games. So 105 a better percentage than 106 wins later. For an old timer like me I go with the 1955 team. That was our first WS win