ATLANTA (AP) — Even with all their star power and deep pockets
http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-erick-aybar-jersey , all their booming hitters and ace pitchers, the Los Angeles Dodgers are
approaching three decades since their last World Series championship.They’re
making another run at that elusive title.Only this time, Manny Machado is along
for the ride.The slugging shortstop hit a three-run homer that wrapped up a 6-2
victory over the Atlanta Braves on Monday, sending Los Angeles to the NL
Championship Series for the third year in a row and fourth time in six
seasons.This is what the Dodgers had in mind when they acquired the free
agent-to-be from the lowly Baltimore Orioles back in July.They’re hoping Machado
is the one who turns Tinseltown into Titletown for the first time since
1988.“Can’t say enough about him,” Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said. “A
player of his caliber, there are so many expectations put on him.”Machado had
only three hits in a 3-1 division series victory over the Braves, but two of
them were homers. He finished with six RBIs.“We prepared ourselves to get here,”
Machado said. “We’re not going to stop till we get what we want.”Clearly,
nothing less than a World Series title will do. While the Dodgers went through
the customary celebration that follows any postseason victory — they doled out
T-shirts and caps, posed for pictures in the middle of SunTrust Park, then
doused themselves with beer in the clubhouse — the focus turned quickly to the
next round.The Dodgers will face the Brewers in the NLCS. Game 1 is Friday night
in Milwaukee.“We all know that there’s a lot more work to be done,” Roberts
said. “We have eight more wins to go.”Los Angeles spent much of the season
locked in a tight race with division rivals Colorado and Arizona, and required a
one-game playoff with the Rockies to clinch its sixth straight NL West title.“We
took a hard path to get to this point, but I do think it made us stronger and
kind of galvanized our team
Anibal Sanchez Jersey ,” Roberts said.It certainly helps to have a player of Machado’s caliber bolstering an already potent lineup. The Dodgers hit a
franchise-record 235 homers during the regular season, and added eight more in
the NLDS.“They’re a very powerful team,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said.
“It’s what they’ve done all year is hit home runs. We’re not built like that
yet.”Indeed, the Baby Braves were thoroughly overmatched in their first
postseason appearance since 2013, hitting .154 overall and scoring just eight
runs. Though the future looks bright for a team that pulled off a massive
rebuilding job much quicker than expected, Atlanta was not quite ready to
contend with a team of the Dodgers’ quality.Los Angeles had too much power, too
much depth, too much pitching.Not to mention too much Machado.“It was a great
ride,” Snitker said. “We took a huge step forward this year. We had some very
young players get a lot of great experience, both during the regular season and
the postseason. And we have some really good players coming up. I really am
excited about the future of the Atlanta Braves right now.”The Dodgers are locked
firmly in the present.This is a franchise desperate to win one more game than it
did a season ago, when the Houston Astros took Game 7 of the World Series at
Dodger Stadium.That’s why they acquired Machado.“Coming over from Baltimore
midway through the season — new ball club, new atmosphere, new teammates, new
coaching staff
Eduardo Escobar Jersey , new front office, I mean, it’s always a bit of an adjustment,” he said. “But they’ve been nothing but amazing to us, to myself and
my family. And coming here to a winning ballclub that’s been determined the
whole way since last year to get into this situation and further, I’m just
sitting here enjoying everything, enjoying the ride.”Machado wasn’t the only
in-season acquisition to play a key role in the clinching victory over the
Braves. David Freese, picked up from Pittsburgh just minutes before the trade
deadline, came through with a pinch-hit, two-run single that put the Dodgers
ahead to stay in the sixth.The MVP of St. Louis’ improbable victory in the 2011
World Series, Freese is eager to take part in another magical postseason
run.“You never know what this game is going to give you, what opportunities
arise for you,” Freese said. “You just gotta be ready.” LAS VEGAS (AP) — Seattle
Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto was released from a hospital Thursday,
hours after completing a trade from his bed during the baseball winter
meetings.He had begun feeling ill earlier in the week.The team said Dipoto was
driven to an area hospital by Mariners officials Wednesday “out of an abundance
of caution.” Dipoto made improvements into Thursday and was released later in
the day
http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-jake-odorizzi-jersey , the team said. He was expected to fly home to Seattle on Friday.No other
information was provided about his condition, though assistant GM Justin
Hollander said further tests were done.Despite being sick, the 50-year-old
Dipoto dealt Carlos Santana to Cleveland in exchange for Edwin Encarnacion on
Thursday — getting a big assist from Hollander.Hollander handled the final
logistics of the swap from Seattle’s side. He went to the hospital Wednesday
night to work out “sort of a new wrinkle” with Dipoto.“We were texting back and
forth. Some of the groundwork had been laid and then he basically handed me the
keys and said, ‘You know what I want to do roughly, just check in when you have
but go run with it.'”Hollander shared a photo of Dipoto in a hospital gown, on a
bed, giving a thumbs-up sign.“They’re still running tests, getting results. I
would assume it’s nothing serious if they’re going to let him go home, hopefully
today,” Hollander said. “He seemed to be feeling better based on what (wife)
Tamie said. He was even looking better last night than before he went in.”Dipoto
will begin his fourth full season as Seattle’s executive vice president and
general manager of baseball operations. He was hired near the end of the 2015
season and received a contract extension in July.
