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By Steve Finley
Sports Editor 

You can bet on Betts to come through in the clutch

 

October 22, 2020

George Laase

Bryce Duke, left, of the LAFC battles for control of the ball during a recent home game at the Banc of California Stadium. LAFC plays the Galaxy on Sunday at home on Channel 7 at 12:30 p.m.

For the past five or six years the Dodgers have put together some very good teams. All they needed was a clutch and energetic player to bring out the best in the rest of their stars. That player is Mookie Betts. One announcer on Fox called Betts a six tool player which means he has an extra gear that no other player in major league baseball has.

If you are a complete baseball player then you are a five tool player which means you hit home runs and base hits, you have speed to steal bases, you have a great arm to throw out runners and you are outstanding on defense. Tool number six for Betts is his personality.

Like all championship teams you have super stars and you have stars. The Dodgers have plenty of star players that helped them reach the World Series. Cody Bellinger has been outstanding with his bat and his glove. He is finally having a great post season at the plate.

Shortstop Corey Seager is also looking like the star player the Dodgers thought he would be. He has recovered from elbow and hip surgeries the past few years and he making hard plays in the field look routine and his hitting in the Atlanta series was amazing. That's why he was named the Most Valuable Player in that series.

Don't forget the Dodgers had the best record in baseball 43-17, during the regular season. The other players that stepped up during the regular season and the playoffs are Max Muncy, Justin Turner, Kike' Hernandez, Chris Taylor, A.J. Pollock and Joc Pederson.

The Dodgers franchise has always had good pitching, dating back to their days in Brooklyn in the 1940's and early 1950's and this year is no different. Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw, Julio Urias, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, Joe Kelly, Kenley Jansen, Victor Gonzalez and Blake Treinen have gotten the job done.

Behind the plate, catchers Will Smith and Austin Barnes have played solid defense and have kept the pitchers happy. Smith has also been a pleasant surprise as a reliable designated hitter in the post season.

The coaching staff, led by manager Dave Roberts have made all of the right moves during the regular season and the post season. A good example was during game seven of the Atlanta series. He let Urias stay in the game for last three innings of the game during a tight 4-3 win. In the past he may have taken him out in the ninth. What a difference a year can make.

George Laase

Dodger shortstop, Cory Seager was the National League Championship Series Most Valuable Player.

Rams need to rebound from a disappointing 24-16 loss to the San Francisco 49ers last Sunday when the take on the surprising Chicago Bears. The Bears come into the Monday night contest with a record of 5-1. The Rams made a lot of mistakes in the 49er game.

"We always talk about not allowing the previous setback to effect the ability to move forward," said Rams head coach, Sean McVay at the Rams training camp last Monday. "Coaching isn't criticizing, it's correcting and collaborating with these guys and that's what we try to do week in and week out. We have accountability and ownership for where we can all be better coaches and players alike. We address those issues and move forward. That's what you have to do."

The Chargers also have a home game on Sunday at SoFi Stadium against the Jacksonville Jaguars at 1:25 p.m. The are coming off of a bye week and they are in last place in the tough AFC West division. Their record is 1-4 1and the Jaguars record is 1-5.

 

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