The One-Win Team
Essays on the 2022 Dodgers, who won 111 games in the regular season but just one in the postseason.
‘Put it on record’ — the words of Dave Roberts
Or "Overpromised, underdelivered, but Dave Roberts’ words are not responsible for this mess." The One-Win Team series concludes by reviewing Dave Roberts’ role in the fiasco that unfolded in San Diego. First, his now-infamous guarantee and what he said before the series started.
The $34-million (figurative) elephant in the room
Dodgers payroll thoughts whether Trevor Bauer and his contract has suspension reduced, including some suggested roster moves like trading Will Smith for Willy Adames, signing Sean Manaea, or learning to love Kevin Kiermaier.
All according to plan
Terms and conditions may apply. The One-Win Team was a generational, organizational failure. And yet...in the grand scheme, it’s all gone according to plan.
The Dodgers’ hard mode problem revisited
Or "It’s not just you, the Dodgers were scoring in ways we have not really seen before." Did the 2022 Dodgers improve with center-cut fastballs? This essay revisits the hypothesis of a Fangraphs article from July 2022 on this very subject.
The Giants’ Lament
Or "Another way to look at the 2022 Dodgers during the year." Before delving into anything controversial, it’s worth noting that the Dodgers’ mastery over the Giants in 2022 may have had an unintended consequence.
An argument for the Dodgers to non-tender Cody Bellinger
Or "In light of the NLDS failure, the Dodgers are likely to non-tender 2019 MVP Cody Bellinger." Or "In light of the NLDS failure, the Dodgers are likely to non-tender 2019 MVP Cody Bellinger." The One-Win Team did not hit much as a whole during the NLDS. We look at one such example. And on that note, it is probably time to say goodbye to Cody Bellinger.
Life is unfair, but the MLB playoff format is fine
Or "Major League Baseball should NOT adopt a President’s trophy for the best record in the league" Or "Major League Baseball should NOT adopt a President’s trophy for the best record in the league" This installment of The One-Win Team addresses the frivolous argument that the new playoff format is biased or puts the Dodgers at any sort of disadvantage.
Game over: The introduction of The One-Win Team
Or "A new series where we break down what went wrong with the 2022 Dodgers" The 2022 Los Angeles Dodgers earned a nickname that will linger in team history.