This one is easy for me, Buehler striking out Verdugo to win it all. If you watch a replay of the video, Buehler had a much different reaction than Julio Urias did in 2020. He just looked towards the Dodger dugout and flung his arms out. Urias was bent over shaking his fists. It was the culmination of a year so filled with adversity.
1. Winning the World Series and the comeback in game 5. Looked like they were going to have to come back home to win it. Then that 5th inning happened and the Yankees imploded. Still had to score 2 more in the 8th to win it. Both runs scoring on sac-fly’s.
2. Freddies walk off grand slam in game 1. Seminal moment of the series. Felt to me like they were not going to be denied right there. As big a series moment as Gibby’s blast in game 1 in 88.
3. Edman’s play in the NLCs. Tommy Edman was just unstoppable in this series. 11-27 with a homer and 11 RBI’s. Solid defensively and he just took the wind out of the Mets every chance he got. Drove in 4 in the game six clincher.
4. 4 shutouts in a five-game span, including the last 2 games of the NLDS against the Padres and games 1 and 3 of the NLCS. Bullpen game in game 4 of the LDS. Pen allowed 7 hits and walked 2 while striking out 8. In game 5, Teo and Kike went deep, and Yamamoto and four relievers held the Padres to just 2 hits and a walk. Game 1 of the LCS, Flaherty pitched maybe his best game as a Dodger. 7 2 hit shutout innings against the Mets. In game 3, Buehler pitched 4 shutout innings, and the pen did the rest.
5. Mookie’s LCS performance. Edman got the MVP, but Mookie was right there with him, hitting 2 homers and driving in 9 runs. He and Edman accounted for 20 of the 44 RBI’s LA had in the series. Also, Ohtani and Muncy setting the table. Muncy drew 11 walks in the series and Ohtani 9.
6. Ohtani’s 50-50 game. In a game the Dodgers won 20-4 against the Marlins, Shohei went 6-6 with 3 homers, 10 RBI’s and 2 stolen bases to get him to 51 of each. All of his homers were no doubt jobs.
7. Comeback against the Rockies. Rockies jumped all over Walker Buehler scoring 7 runs in 4 innings. They scored 2 more off of the bullpen and went into the 9th inning leading 9-4. The Dodgers managed to load the bases with 1 out. Jayson Heyward PH for Chris Taylor. With 2 strikes, he launched a ball down the RF line for a grand slam homer. LA managed to get 2 more runners on base with just 1 out being made and Teo came to the plate. He had a checked swing called a ball. Colorado went nuts; it looked like he did not hold up. On the next pitch he hit a ball deep to right center that cleared the high fence for a three-run homer. LA scored 7 and won the game 11-9.
8. Ohtani’s 40th homer. Ohtani already had 40 stolen bases, and he needed a homer to become LA’s first 40-40 player. On August 23rd, against the Rays, Otani came up with the bases loaded and 2 outs in a tie game. Colin Poche was the pitcher and Ohtani homered deep to right center for a walk off grand slam. It was his 40th of the year.
9. Games 2 and 3 of the final series against the Padres. After losing game 1 of the series, the Dodgers lead in the NL West was down to 2 games. Jack Flaherty and Dylan Cease were the starters. Both pitchers left after the 5th inning with the game tied at 3. The Dodgers managed to score a run without a hit in the 6th off of Estrada, and the bullpen held on for the win. The Dodgers could clinch the division by winning game 3. Buehler got the start and went 5 innings allowing only a run. Joe Musgrove kept the Dodgers off of the scoreboard through six innings. In the bottom of the sixth, LA scored 2 off of Musgrove and 3 off of Tanner Scott, they added 2 off of Hoenig in the 8th and the bullpen secured the division clinching 7-2 win.
10. Fun moment. Ohtani when he tied Dave Roberts for the most home runs by a player of Japanese descent, gifted him with a toy Porsche. When Joe Kelly had given Ohtani his # 17, he gifted Kelly’s wife with a real Porshe. To say the least, Dave was a little disappointed. Those are my favorites, let us see yours.
Sasaki will be posted by his Japanese team.
https://www.espn.co.uk/mlb/story/_/id/42280725/chiba-lotte-marines-post-japanese-star-roki-sasaki-mlb
Lets hope the Dodgers will get him.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Robert jun. trade getting obviously some steam around the rumor mill.
How about Outman, Miller ,Freeland, Cartaya for him ?
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You’ve pretty much covered the highlights Bear. It was a magical season. I only wish Ohtani had shown up in the World Series.
Sasaki, Fried, Robert Jr, Adames …. and a bullpen arm?
I wonder what Gomes and Friedman think of Robert Jr. He did not have a great year. Grade 3 hip flexor strain would do it. And I am also curious what it would take to pry Crochet away. If they are both available it would take our best prospects as the bidding would be high.
Who in our system is the one guy that is not available for trade?
Sasaki to be posted; he will be a Dodger. The boat has sailed on Robert Jr. & Crochet for the Dodgers. Sign Sasaki, Teo, Adames and a couple of relievers. Move Lux for prospects; see how Rushing looks in LF in spring training.
Fave moment of 2024 was standing at Yankee Stadium near the Dodger dugout when Buehler struck out Verdugo and seeing the team rush out of the dugout and celebrate.
Being at Freeman’s grand slam game was amazing as well, but being present to see your team win the title is the ultimate goal. I saw the Lakers beat Boston in Game 7, 2010, and now the Dodgers in Game 5, 2024. Those games will always be top 2
Mine has to be Freddies slam in game 1. Just like Gibsons hr, it felt like we already won the WS!
Buehler’s strikeout of Verdugo and shrug toward dugout.
Instead of spending $150mil or more on Adames, I’d personally LOVE to sign Ha Seong Kim to play SS. I bet he’d be way cheaper, way less years, and we’d still get him at a very young age. I think he’s an ascending player and would fit right in.
This guy is a fantastic defender and improving hitter.
Kid will look great in a Dodger uni.
I hope the Dodgers bring Buehler back. And Kike.
I have finally returned from Reno. My son had surgery to remove a large mass from his stomach. They got all of the mass, and he is home and doing fine. They still have to complete the biopsy, but they were generally positive about the outcome. The pre-tests were all negative, but we need the final results.
I am also trying to recover from two 2 ½ hour trips in a car.
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It is hard to pick over Freddie’s GS in Game 1, but for me it was Walker Buehler striking out Alex Verdugo for the WS win. The same is true for me for 1988. Gibby’s HR will always get the attention (and it should), but for me, Orel Hershiser striking out Tony Phillips to win the WS will be my favorite moment of the 1988 WS. Those two outs brought WS championships to the Dodgers. The two HR were pivotal and undoubtedly set the tone for the Series, but the K’s to win the Series will always be my favorite moments.
And I cannot forget the Julio Urias K of Willy Adames to win the 2020 World Series.
The win will always prevail for me over all of the great moments in a World Series.
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I hope to get back to writing very soon. I am currently working on the MiLB autopsies.
Bear, you seem very certain that we’ll be the ones to sign Sasaki, as are almost all of the media.
One thing to keep in mind, however, is that although his agent (Wasserman) is also Yamamoto’s agent, they also represent Darvish, with whom Sasaki is very close. I still think we’re the favorites, but I never like to bet against Preller.
Here’s a link to a very thorough article on Sasaki by Jonathan Mayo.
https://www.mlb.com/news/roki-sasaki-faq?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage
Couple of interesting reads about Sasaki:
From Baseball America (no paywall)
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/signing-roki-sasaki-could-land-team-an-extra-draft-pick/
From The Athletic ($$$)
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5900748/2024/11/07/mlb-free-agency-roki-sasaki-japan-pitcherroki-sasaki-pitching-arsenal-mlb/?source=user_shared_article
Love this T-shirt