We Did It!!!

So, here we are. 158 games into the season and we don’t even get to see that hair trigger, wild celebration after the final out of the clinching game. After dismantling the minor league Daddy-os last night, the Dodgers clinched this afternoon while they were driving to the Ravine. The Arizona Diamondbacks, the Blue’s yearlong nemesis, after looking like world beaters after taking apart Colorado and defeating St. Louis on Monday, collapsed in a heap of smoke and dust like an imploded obsolete hotel on the Las Vegas strip. The Los Angeles Dodgers are your 2008 National League Western Division Champions! I wrote right here in this space many times that I didn’t believe it was going to happen, but I was wrong and happily so. It did happen. They’re not a great team, but they’re good enough to win the lowly West and maybe, just maybe, good enough to win a playoff game or two.

So, how will it work? Will the starters party in the clubhouse, plastic sheeting draped over the lockers, beer and champagne flying freely, while the subs and minor league call-ups face Jake Peavy upstairs? Certainly, you’ll see a different lineup tonight. Manny will rest, as will Russell Martin. Perhaps, Casey Blake and Nomar will sit as well. Juan Pierre will play. Maddux will still probably make the start. Most likely, there will be a celebration after the game, but the spontaneity will have been doused since the clinching came at 2:30 this afternoon.

One thing that shocked me was just how bad the Snakes became down the stretch. With third baseman, Mark Reynolds setting the all time strike out record – 200 strikeouts, and so many guys not contributing enough. I felt, with a pitching staff led by likely Cy Young candidate Brandon Webb and Danny Haren, and hitters like Conor Jackson, Reynolds, Byrnes, Hudson, Young and Upton, they’d certainly pull it out over the punchless Dodgers. But a few things happened. Eric Byrnes, the Snakes colorful All Star left fielder was done for the season in late June with an injury. Orlando Hudson soon followed. Chris Young and Upton got off to horrible summers and then, the clinchers: The Dodgers acquire Manny at the July 31st trade deadline and Brandon Webb gets hit in the chest with a line drive and proceeds to stink for his next 5 starts, losing twice to the Dodgers. The Dodgers really showed them who was boss the last two series against them.

Okay, now let’s get back to reality. The Dodgers have not played a team with a winning record since August 17th. Outside of Lowe and a scuffling Billingsley, they have no starters on whom they’ve been able to truly rely all season long. They lack a middle of the batting order, unless Manny can hit 3rd, 4th and 5th, which the rules simply won’t allow. Andre Ethier has been a godsend in September and he's the closest thing they have to a power hitter outside of Manny. But Kemp, Loney, Blake and Martin have had a huge power outage. Martin has been terrible behind the plate and their bullpen, especially without Kuo, has been questionable. Even their closer situation is up in the air. So, how on earth are the Dodgers expected to beat the Cubs, Mets or Phillies in a short series? It’s gonna be tough. Clearly, guys are going to have to step up, which is entirely possible come playoff time. Also, even though he struck out on knuckle balls, Rafael Furcal’s mere presence at the plate last night in the 8th inning was inspiring. If he can come back and hit lead off in time for the playoffs, that would be huge. It’s also important that the Dodgers win at least 2 of their last 4 games. You need a little momentum going into the playoffs.

Needless to say, Dodger fans must root, root, root for the Mets. If the Brewers, who are now tied with the Mets for the Wild Card, end up taking it, the Dodgers will have to fly to Chicago to take on the Cubs in the first round at Wrigley. That would be bad. Even though Zambrano has had difficulties of late, outside of the no hitter her threw a couple of weeks ago, they still have to contend with him, Rich Harden and Ryan Dempster. And Ted Lily and Jason Marquis are no slouches. The Cubbies also have hitting throughout their lineup and the Dodgers simply do not. I just don't see the Dodgers beating Chicago in the first round. The Dodgers only hope is to face Philly or New York, both extremely flawed teams. The Mets are a game and a half back of Philly and could still take the division. The Mets have one starter worth worrying about and that’s Johann Santana. Their hitting rivals the Cubs, may even be better, but Santana can’t pitch every game. Philly has three strong pitchers in Cole Hamels, Jamie Moyer, who’s 80 years old, and Brett Myers. Myers was on a roll and was virtually unhittable for a while, but he’s once again fallen on hard times. He can be had, as could Hamels and Myers. As far as their lineup, once you get past Rollins, Utley and Howard, you have a chance to shut them down. Burrell and Werth are tough, but they make a lot of outs. The Dodgers have a reasonable chance to make it to the second round as long as they don’t have to face Chicago in the first round.

This will be only the Dodgers’ 5th post season appearance since 1988. They won the West in ’95, but were swept in 3 games by the Central Division champs, Cincinnati. They were the Wild Card team in ’96, but were swept in 3 games by the Atlanta Braves. They won the West in ’04 on a dramatic Steve Finley grand slam against the Giants (I was there) but they lost 3 of 4 to the St. Louis Cardinals – Jose Lima winning the only game – Game 3 at the Ravine. They were the Wild Card team in ’06 and were embarrassed by the Mets in 3 straight. Yes, that's right. Only one post season victory since 1988. It’s time for a little redemption. In the meantime, let’s go, Mets! And congratulations to the 2008 Los Angeles Dodgers!