Matt Levine’s instant 2013 Dodgers season recap

In a season that saw the Los Angeles Dodgers with the highest payroll in MLB history slip down to a 30-42 record to start the season. At that point, if I said that they would end up two wins away from making their first World Series since 1988 nobody would believe me. The 2013 season had many down times but also many positives.

Early in the season, injuries were a big factor in the slow start and as the Dodgers got healthy, their record improved. The emergence of Yasiel Puig sparked the teams winning. At one point, the Dodgers had an astonishing stretch of 50 games where they went 42-8, which tied an MLB record. They ended the season with a record of 92-70, winning the NL West division and clinching a playoff spot.

Of all the playoff teams, the Dodgers had the worst record at 92-70. But they met up with the NL East division winner Atlanta Braves in the NLDS and won the series in four games, and drew St. Louis in the NLCS.

The Dodgers knew the Cardinals would be a tough test. It didn’t help that the best hitter on the Dodgers, Hanley Ramirez, had his ribs broken during the first inning of game one. That one pitch defined the entire series as Ramirez was never the same hitter or fielder that he was during the second half of the year. The Dodgers would drop the series in six games leaving many disappointed after such a successful season.

Despite the series loss, the Dodgers have a lot to look forward to in the future. They played more than half the season without Matt Kemp, who is arguably the best hitter on the team when healthy, and they still were two wins away from the World Series. Much like the start of the season, injuries played a key role at the end of the season for the Dodgers. Along with Kemp being out, Hanley Ramirez had broken ribs, Andre Ethier dealt with a bruised shin and could barely run.

The Dodgers will most likely improve the roster this offseason and look to improve on a great season. Playoff failures a lot of the time, make a team hungry for more and hopefully the Dodgers come out next season looking for redemption. For example, the Lakers in 2008 were completely embarrassed in game 6 of the NBA Finals by the Boston Celtics only to come back and win the title in 2009. This season’s success will only help the Dodgers and the future looks bright for the boys in blue. And with all things considered, two wins away from the World Series is the closest the Dodgers have been to the fall classic since 1988 and is an accomplishment for a team that wasn’t projected to win anything this season. As Magic Johnson would say, Dodger Nation is back and better than ever!