The Los Angeles Dodgers received their tenth NL West title previously 11 seasons on Saturday with a win over the Seattle Mariners.
Successful is a well-recognized theme for the kings of the west and the staff has loads of superstars and veteran management in its ranks, together with — amongst others — Clayton Kershaw, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman, all of whom obtained All-Star nods this season and are very a lot accustumed to successful all through their careers.
However together with a large assortment of stars, it takes a great tradition to win, and Kershaw spoke about simply how necessary that’s this weekend, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.
“I can’t communicate to different clubhouses,” Kershaw stated. “However I simply know that since I’ve been right here, it’s not about one man. It by no means has been. Now we have two guys that may win MVP. We’ve obtained All-Stars all over. However the buy-in to successful the sport that day, it’s mainly so simple as that.
“Tradition is a extremely arduous factor to, like, say what tradition is within the clubhouse. As a result of it doesn’t matter what you must have good gamers to win the sport no matter how good their clubhouse is or not. However I feel on the finish of the day, there’s a humility with our superstars that trickles down and lets everyone do their jobs effectively. Mookie and Freddie take their justifiable share of the limelight and rightfully so, however they don’t mission it. They don’t ask for it. They deal with it very well. After which it permits everyone else to type of do their jobs.”
through The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya
One factor that involves thoughts instantly in terms of that buy-in is Betts’ exploits in the course of the Dodgers’ infield.
The ten-year veteran performed solely in proper discipline for eight of his first 9 seasons, earlier than accidents on the shortstop place necessitated a change.
Betts stepped in to fill that void at instances and in addition has manned second base for the primary time since 2014 this season.
He nonetheless hit pretty much as good as he’s ever had this 12 months and supplied dependable protection for a Dodgers staff that has struggled in that space at instances, turning into an NL Most Invaluable Participant candidate and one of the crucial versatile gamers within the league within the course of.
That mixed with gamers filling in for a pitching workers that’s been in flux this 12 months has helped information the Dodgers to arguably their very unlikely division title of their run of success.
The staff was languishing in third place in June, and so they completed the 12 months as grand as regular, holding a 13 and a half sport lead over the second place Arizona Diamondbacks as of Monday afternoon.
LA has Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Kershaw to thank for that along with different contributors, however their tradition actually performed a component as effectively.
Photograph Credit score: Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports activities
