Los Angeles Dodgers fans are still hurt that their 111-win team during the regular season couldn’t make it past the National League Division Series.
They fell against the San Diego Padres three games to one, going home much earlier than anticipated.
What many supporters fail to understand is that the playoffs are an entirely different tournament.
The things that make you win in the regular season are not necessarily the same as those that make you gain an edge in the postseason.
The playoffs invite randomness and luck to be a bigger part of the equation.
During the regular season, the best teams usually stand out sooner or later.
But that’s not necessarily true for October baseball, in which the hottest teams and those who execute better will prevail.
Regular season play gives you a ticket for the postseason, but that’s it.
Not Overreacting To Failure
Yes, much more was expected from the Dodgers, and the end of the season can be labeled as a disappointment and a failure.
But that doesn’t make the people in charge of making the decisions less capable; or bad at their jobs.
It’s very, very hard to predict what will happen in the playoffs.
Luckily, the Dodgers understand this and won’t be making any moves out of desperation or anger.
“Andrew Friedman said he doesn’t expect any changes to the coaching staff next year,” The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya tweeted.
Andrew Friedman said he doesn’t expect any changes to the coaching staff next year.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) October 18, 2022
That means Dave Roberts will not only return to his duties as manager next year, but his pitching and hitting coaches and assistants will remain the same.
It’s an important message for the critics: we believe in this project.
NEXT: The Dodgers Have A Clayton Kershaw Decision To Make