Despite their rather disastrous performance in the MLB (Major League Baseball) playoffs, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced that Don Mattingly will be managing the team during the upcoming 2015 season, reports the L.A. Times.
This season, the L.A. yet again managed to make their way into the National League Division Series, the first stage of the playoffs. Their opponents were the St. Louis Cardinals who in fact played against the Dodgers in last year’s playoffs. The results were disappointing however. Clayton Kershaw, starter for the Dodgers and last season’s National League MVP earned 8 runs in a single frame in round 1 of the Division Series, and in round 3 allowed the Cardinals to score 7 runs in 1 inning. In the end the Cardinals moved onto the National League Championship Series 3 to 1, leaving the Dodgers to lick their wounds and prepare for 2015.
Andrew Freedman, one of the members of the board for the Dodgers however, confirmed with the LA Times that Don Mattingly will continue to lead the Dodgers throughout the 2015 season. There were rumors of whether Mattingly was going to be replaced by Joe Maddon, the manager of the Tempa Bay Rays. The rumor started because it turns out Maddon and Freedman had once worked together for the Rays. It is reported that Maddon has signed a contract with the Chicago Cubs.
The Dodgers have already begun to bring up plans for the upcoming 2015 season. Many sports columnist have expressed that the Dodgers simply must do something about their relieving pitchers. The Dodgers probably has some of the best starting pitchers in the National League; Kershaw, Greinke, and Ryu. However, these starters often lost wins because relievers would allow their opponents to score runs.
Sports Net LA (Time Warner Cable) did an interesting survey where they asked Dodgers fans about what the manager should do first to improve their team. It turns out 54 percent of fans that participated in the research expressed that the ball club needs better middle men. Apart from Kenley Janen, the closer, none of the relievers seemed to play their roles very well. It is not that the players themselves were incapable either; Bryan Wilson, Brandon League, and Chris Perez all have experience as closers. However there were so many games where a pitcher who walks out of the bull pen could not even get one man out before earning a few runs.
8 percent of participants pointed out the need for a new short stop. It is believed that the Dodgers have given up on signing a contract with their short stop Hanley Ramirez.
Meanwhile, Hyun Jin Ryu, the Dodgers’ starter has returned to Korea rest before coming back to California for spring camp. He was reported to be seen at the Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul to watch the Korean playoffs between the Masan NC Dinos and the Seoul LG Twins.
Right now, the Kansas City Royals and San Francisco Giants are playing each other in the 2014 MLB World Series. They are now tied 1 on 1. This is the first time in 12 years that a team that qualified for the playoffs via Wild Card (SF Giants) made it into the World Series.
