It’s a Tough Time to Be a Dodger Fan

Is it April yet? Photo: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

I miss the Dodgers. It’s only October 21st, but the final Dodger game of the 2012 season seems like it was months ago. I’ve been watching the postseason games since a night without baseball is so dull. I admit the Wild Card games, Division Series, and Championship Series have been exciting, but it still isn’t the same without my Boys in Blue in play. What’s even more tough to bear with is the continued success of our arch rivals this October. The Giants have just won Game 6 of the NLCS over the Cardinals with a score of 6-1, and I feel a little bit nauseous.

Sergo Romo’s reactions are pretty annoying. You haven’t won the World Series yet…Photo: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

It was very hard to accept that the Giants essentially ran away with the National League West division this season. I really thought it would be a tighter race, but the Dodgers just couldn’t keep pace in the second half. The Giants steadily won games behind players like Marco Scutaro and Angel Pagan, and their catcher Buster Posey had a M.V.P. caliber year while our M.V.P. Matt Kemp was sidelined during a big chunk of the season with injury. The Giants, like the Dodgers, also have excellent pitching which propelled them to the top of the division. Even though AT&T Park is extremely difficult to hit in, and the Giants didn’t hit many homeruns, their strong rotation and bullpen kept them in contention in close games. I have to ask though, Marco Scutaro? Really?

While the Dodgers’ season was finished weeks ago, the Giants were rallying back in the Division Series against Cincinnati to get to the NLCS. It was pretty remarkable I must say, and equally infuriating how the Reds choked and the Giants took advantage to win three games in a row to take the series. Baseball is such a beautifully fickle sport. The two best teams in the league, Cincinnati and Washington, were defeated by the third and fourth seeds. It just goes to show you what a different animal the postseason is from the regular season. Heroes are made in October, and miracles and heart wrenching collapses are par for the course.

What I wouldn’t give to see San Francisco suffer a crushing defeat tomorrow at the hands of St. Louis. Tomorrow in Game 7 the Cardinals will send Kyle Lohse to the mound who is already 2-0 this postseason. The Giants will counter with their ace Matt Cain who is 0-1. If any team can overcome the Giants to take the pennant it’s the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals have been playing amazingly during these past two postseasons. They know when to turn on the afterburners and win these high stakes games. The Giants will not go down easily though.

Unlikely hero Marco Scutaro scores in Game 6 of the NLCS. Photo: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The Giants have 6 World Series titles and 21 pennants. The Dodgers have 6 World Series titles and 21 pennants. St. Louis, please help us out here.

I’m not sure if I’ll be watching the game tomorrow. On one hand I’m too irritated to watch those pumpkin-colored foes possibly capture the NL Pennant, but on the other hand I don’t want to miss Buster Posey and Pablo Sandoval sulking in the dugout if they do lose. What’s a Dodger fan to do?

Either way I’m hoping the Motor City takes it all. I feel strange and somewhat dirty rooting for the Cardinals anyways.

2010 was a season that I try to block out of my memory. Let’s hope 2012 is the year of the Tiger.