ColeOnLA.com » Dodgers @ Petco, and no, they’re not dead yet

Dodgers @ Petco, and no, they’re not dead yet

No, I haven’t taken leave of my senses. And yes, I am engaging in a little wishful thinking.

But the Dodgers really are at Petco Park, beginning a three-game series with the Padres tonight at 7:05 p.m, Josh Beckett vs. Edinson Volquez. That much we can count on, independent of the admittedly clouded state of my blue-colored glassed.

I guess I’ve become less cynical in recent years. I’m not apologizing for that, certainly, and I’d rather grow with optimism than go the opposite way – not that that’s been easy with all things Dodgers these last 24 years, sans World Series.

But I’m going to miss baseball something awful from the instant the Dodgers record the final out of their season until – say it with me now – until pitchers and catchers report, and I’m dragging this out as far as humanly possible. And while I do so, I’d prefer to root for my team with the belief, however fleeting, that they have a chance to make the postseason.

Mathematically, of course, they do, and stranger things have happened. Los Angeles sits 3 ½ out of the second wild card position (and we really need a better name for it than “second wild card position”) behind St. Louis, three back in the loss column. The Cardinals are in Houston to face the the-1962-Mets-like Astros momentarily. Probably a St. Louis lead by the time you read this, but then again, perhaps not.

The Cards can go 4-4 or 3-5 in their last eight games and the Dodgers can 8-1 or 9-0 in their final nine. It’s possible. Maybe StL goes 2-6 or 1-7. That’s possible too.

Maybe L.A. clinches a tie with Milwaukee by beating the hated Giants on the final night of the season, Wednesday, October 3 at Chavez Ravine. Hey, it could happen. I’m not predicting something like that, but it could happen.

The point is, it’s not going to kill me to hold onto my dreams of another Fall Classic in the City of Dodgers, and you’ll survive yours if you follow suit. Probably.

For evidence of the effectiveness of such reverie, I dreamt of a World Series in Los Angeles in 1988, and we had one, right? I dreamt of a World Series in Los Angeles in 1981. And we had one, right? Glorious victories both.

I dreamt of a World Series in Los Angeles in 1978, 1977, 1974, 1966, 1965, 1963 and 1959, and we had one each time. Right? OK, I was too young to recall my dreams in the latter four of those years listed, but it’s a good bet that’s what was stirring around in my pointy little head pressed against the pillow, Dodgers bedding surrounding me. Bed, Bath & Beyond, no doubt.

I’m going to take a nap now, and dream of a World Series in Los Angeles in 2012 – that’s L.A., not Anaheim – and be in front of the tube by game time. We’ll see if it turns out well, and if so, we’ll worry about tomorrow’s Dodger victory and Cards defeat tomorrow.

Please follow me on Twitter @Howard_Cole

Dodgers, World Series

September 25th, 2012

592 responses

333 comments 6 people listening

Comment help
Get Livefyre

Sort: Newest | Oldest

Steve in North Hollywood 468 pts

Missed the game tonight. Went straight from work to Hollywood/LA to the Largo to have dinner and see Colin Hay (Men at Work). He's fantastic. Anyway, not dead yet, but it looks like we're gonna need to win out to have a chance. That would include taking all three from the Gs. Gonna be tough.

Dodgers @ Petco, and no, they’re not dead yet

Trackbacks

L.A. Favorites

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Archives

Categories