Editorials

Dodgers: LA Has Been the Second Best Team in Baseball Since 2016

The Atlanta Braves knocked off the Houston Astros to win the 2021 World Series. Meaning, the Dodgers have been eliminated from the playoffs by the eventual champion or won the championship themselves every year since 2016.



Some of the Dodgers’ streak could be coincidence. Most of it speaks to the quality of the opponent required to take down LA. Only a team at their absolute peak, or a team that cheats, has been able to beat the talented Dodgers squads of the last few years.

In fact, even a team that knew every pitch that was coming still needed seven games to oust LA. That’s how good the Dodgers have been.

For the better part of half a decade, one could make the argument that the Dodgers have been, at worst, the second best team in baseball.

Related: Joc Pederson Spotted Wearing 2020 World Series Ring While Celebrating Braves Title

A wise man once said, “if you ain’t first, you’re last”. Parades aren’t held for second place. Nobody is asking for a silver medal for losing to the Cubs in 2016 or Nationals in 2019. The Red Sox were the better team in 2018, as were the Braves this postseason.

That being said, currently deflated Dodgers fans shouldn’t take sustained success for granted. Rooting for a perennial contender is a privilege, not a right. Just ask Pittsburgh Pirates fans.

Atlanta was the latest team to put into context how prolific the last six years have been for the Dodgers.

Only the best of the best, and no one else, have been able to beat the Dodgers.

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Eric Eulau

Born and raised in Ventura, not "Ven-CH-ura", California. Favorite Dodger Stadium food is the old school chocolate malt with the wooden spoon. Host of the Dodgers Nation 3 Up, 3 Down Podcast.

25 Comments

  1. That just shows the incredible amount of bad luck they have. It takes a team at their absolute peak to take them down yet that team seems to exist every year but one.

  2. The headline is not quite correct. Actually, since 2015, the Dodgers have won more games than any other team and have made the playoffs more often, That means they have been the best team even if they have only a single title to show for it. As we all know, the best team doesn’t always win. As Don noted above, sometimes it is better to be lucky than good. But the story does point out an interesting irony, that since 2016, they have lost every year, save one, to the team that would win the title.

  3. If you don’t finish as Champion you cannot claim to be the best. On paper and reality are and will remain two different measuring methods.

    1. Winning a tournament isn’t the best way to prove who the best team is and that’s what the MLB Postseason has become, a tournament. Maybe the way the Nats did it in 2019 and the Braves this year is the best way to win the World Series, i.e. lollygag for half the season and get hot late but it doesn’t prove the best team.

          1. If all teams played the same schedule then you have a point, but they don’t so to quantify that as truth is impossible, or simply wrong.

          2. Taryn, I would say that it is subjective at best. It depends upon your criteria.

      1. It doesn’t matter if you purposely lollygag for half a season or not, or whatever intentional or non-intentional ploy/plan one uses the better team is decided by who uses their assets better and WINS.

  4. Second place is just the first loser. The Dodgers should have had three trophies in the case in the last 5 years.

      1. Unfortunately it’s only OK to that heathen Manfred. Did you see that WS Trophy presentation after the game for the Braves? Even the fans at Minute Maid were booing Manfred when it was his turn to speak.

      1. I concur! What a poor excuse for a human being. He makes the human dumpster fire look like Prince Charming!

  5. If the Dodgers have been the 2nd best team in baseball since 2016, who has been the best team? Based on what, not total wins, not world series appearances, not first place finishes.

    1. There hasn’t been one based on championships. Everyone’s been a one and done so far

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