MidValleySports.Com

Steven Mercado

By Steven Mercado

The Los Angeles Dodgers were recently eliminated from the playoffs by the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 6 of the NLCS 9-0. The Cardinals will be making their second World Series appearance in three years while the Dodgers have not made it to the World Series in 25 years.

Dodgers’ top NL Cy Young candidate Clayton Kershaw gave up seven earned runs in five innings. In a win-or-go-home situation, his breakdown could not have come at a less appropriate time.

Well, at least it was a good run.

But at this point, Dodgers fans are used to saying that.

The year they go on a spending spree and buy most of their key pieces like the New York Yankees normally do, the year they finally have three aces as starting pitchers, the year they win the division and the year they started 30-42 and went on a 25-3 hot streak after the All-Star Break, they still can’t make it past the League Championship Series.

Who or what should be blamed? This is one of many questions that people are trying to answer in Dodgertown. One thing that can be blamed is the amount of injuries. Hanley Ramirez had one nagging injury after another and only played in 86 total games this season. Former National League MVP Matt Kemp played only 73 games due to several injuries, including an injured shoulder that eventually needed surgery put him out for the season.

Another person that could be blamed, which is actually a popular choice at the moment, is manager Don Mattingly. It’s quite unfortunate how quick people are to point the finger at the manager after a team chokes in the playoffs.

Here’s a thought: what if we blamed the rookie that became famous in the City of Angels due to his ridiculous hot streak? The man Dodger fans very quickly grew attached to and the man who sparked a certain mania for the team.

Yes, I’m talking about Yasiel Puig. He deserves a lot of credit for what he did for the team in the regular season. With diving plays, a cannon for an arm, and a lot of pop at the plate, the guy is a great talent. But this talent can easily disappear if it is not properly controlled.

This was seen many times during the playoffs. The fact that he loves to swing at the first pitch–which makes me want to pull my hair out–is a risk that often ends up hurting the Dodgers. In Game One against the Cardinals, the game that ended in the 13th inning, he had an opportunity in the top of the 8th with a man on base when he grounded into a fielder’s choice. A result of his impatience.

In Game Two, Puig left four men on base, including at bases-loaded opportunity. The Dodgers did not score any runs in this game and the rookie sensation struck out in all four of his at-bats. He was a no-show in Game Six, going 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.

Is he a disease that the Dodgers need to find a cure for? No. He is an animal that must be tamed. Puig is simply too wild. Once he is taught how to stay controlled, composed, and not over-excited about opportunities, he will be one of the big forces to reckon with in the MLB.

He had eight outfield assists this season, but five errors to go along with that. Whether it be Puig rushing to pick the ball up and mishandling it or seeing an opportunity to throw a guy out and letting it fly into the stands, he has to learn how to harness his baseball gifts.

This comes with coaching. This comes with maturity. This comes with hard work and dedication. There is a lot of work to be done for Puig and the Dodgers this offseason.

Steven Mercado is the sports editor of The Clause, the Azusa Pacific campus newspaper. He’s a Gladstone High School product whose roots are in basketball.