If you asked anyone, they would tell you that my love for this team runs deep. I wasn’t always a baseball fan, but when I look back, this sport was weaved into my childhood. I remember collecting baseball cards for the sake of just having them. Also, as an avid watcher of “Sister, Sister”, I remember an episode featuring Jackie Robinson and that’s where the pique of my interest started. Fast forward to my first summer of college around 2006 and I’m subletting a room with a few guys. In the living room, all we had was a couch and a TV, where the only things we ever watched were baseball games. And this was the moment I fell in love with this sport. It was so intriguing, the rules felt complicated but also fun to learn; it was as if I was watching a game of chess unfold in action-form. The way pitchers felt like conductors of their own orchestra or how they would already be three steps ahead of the present time, it was witnessing a masterpiece being painted stroke by stroke. I asked my roommates if we could watch an actual game, so they took me to Dodgers’ stadium. From there, it was a wrap, and I was obsessed.
During this era, the Dodgers were far from being any heavy weight contenders and struggled through the post-season. For years, it was painful witnessing this team fall-short of victory repeatedly. But I loved baseball in general, so I allowed myself to enjoy watching other teams on their road to a World Series, hoping one day I’d get to watch my team do the same.
Over a decade later, I’m sitting by myself inside an El Torito bar and that moment finally arrived. Kike Hernandez hits a homerun and punches our ticket to the World Series since 1988. Tears start running down my face and the bartender walks over to check if I’m okay. Nodding my head yes, I closed my tab and continued my tears of joy peacefully in my car. We go on then to agonizingly watch this team fall short of a World Series title year after year. From being robbed, mocked of a shortened season dubbed as a “Mickey Mouse” ring, and finally being crowned the title in 2024, this journey has been nothing short of emotional.
Now in 2025, we enter a time of baseball where the Dodgers are stacked with a star-studded roster and probably the greatest off-season run with monumental contract signings. As a fan, I’m ecstatic! At the same time, it leaves me asking, “How did we get here?” because it wasn’t always like this.
Dial it back and I can pinpoint 2012, when the team was sold to new ownership. I’d jokingly say, it was the best outcome from that divorce. But jokes aside, it was a shift you could feel in your bones. This was the mark that the beginning of something monumental for the Los Angeles Dodgers was on the horizon.
Before the Sale: A Team on the Brink
Prior to the sale and under Frank McCourt’s ownership, the Dodgers were plagued by financial struggles, internal chaos, and fan frustration. Dodgers fans watched the team steadily decline, while the ownership seemed more interested in profits than winning. It felt like the soul of the team was being sold off piece by piece, and we were left wondering whether the glory days were gone for good.
Despite the turmoil, stars like Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp and Clayton Kershaw provided hope. But without stability, their talent was underutilized. Then came the 2012 sale—Magic Johnson, Stan Kasten, and Mark Walter. With deep pockets and a winning vision, they aimed to restore the Dodgers’ dominance.
The Turning Point: New Ownership, New Hope
The new ownership wasted no time, making blockbuster moves like acquiring Zack Greinke and the Red Sox trade that brought Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, and Josh Beckett. There was a willingness to spend and spend big. The financial flexibility of the new group allowed the team to target top-tier free agents. They brought in elite pitchers like Hyun-Jin Ryu and secured key players like Justin Turner, who would go on to become one of the faces of the franchise.
The farm system was revitalized, and the Dodgers began to stockpile young talent with an eye toward long-term success. No longer was it about short-term fixes but about creating a sustainable model for sustained excellence. Under Andrew Friedman and Dave Roberts, the team embraced analytics, revolutionizing their approach and committed to building a powerhouse.
After the Sale: The Dawn of a Dynasty
At a closer look, the Dodgers are amid what can only be described as a sports dynasty in the making. So, let’s break it down:
1. Consistent Dominance in the Regular Season: Since 2013, the Dodgers made the playoffs every year, winning eight straight division titles. I mean, we were winning 100+ games in the regular season.
2. The 2020 World Series Championship: After a nearly 32-year drought, the Dodgers finally clinched their long-awaited World Series title in 2020. It was a triumph that felt both personal and collective for every Dodgers fan. For many of us, it was the culmination of years of heartbreak, almost-there seasons, retribution, and waiting for the team to reach their awaited mountaintop. The 2020 title was symbolic of everything the new ownership had worked toward — a reward for the years of investment, smart decision-making, and the unwavering belief that the Dodgers were on the cusp of greatness.
3. Unbelievable Depth and Talent: Pull up their roster for the last several seasons and you’ll see it is brimming with talent. From the consistent excellence of Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman to the electrifying performances of young stars like Will Smith, the Dodgers are a team that can sustain success over time. And let’s not forget about their pitching staff. Although this has been one of our biggest pain-points, management has found a way to create depth and firepower that any lineup is scared to face.
Now: Entering the Dynasty Era
Shushing all the critics, the Dodgers were crowned the 2024 World Series Champions. This time, no covid, stadium packed with fans, and most importantly a full-season title. And honestly, this was the season where we did everything right. With blockbuster signings of Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, ownership made their intentions of winning very clear. Then with the trade deadlines in July and securing Tommy Edman, the Dodger’s offense was becoming undeniably unstoppable. He later proved how instrumental he was to the championship. Further, after a struggling bullpen throughout the years, 2024’s bullpen came in rock-solid. You had guys like Phillips, Treinen, Graterol coming in nearly unhittable. With injuries looming over the team, they proved their power by winning Game 3 on a bullpen game. A cheer for the ‘dawgs’ as they’ve dubbed themselves. Lastly, let’s give this man his flowers. He has been held under a microscope for years, often criticized, but Dave Roberts masterfully handled his roster and finally understood what levers to pull at the right moments. He made gutsy calls, but in the end, it paid off. With matchups playing perfectly, staying aggressive, applying pressure, and balancing rest for his players, these all added to the team’s success. Moreover, the 2024 Dodgers weren’t just a championship team – they were a statement.
Walk into our off-season and it’s probably the greatest run of contract signings. Landing a top international talent by signing Roki Sasaki, acquiring major free agents like Blake Snell and Hye-seong Kim, and securing back Teoscar Hernandez were major moves. On top of that, ownership delivered what the people wanted and gave us another season with Kike Hernandez. And that’s not even half of it; but all of it to say, these calculated offseason moves underscore the Dodgers’ commitment to sustaining their status as a powerhouse.
And as a Dodgers fan, I can’t help but feel like we’re on the cusp of something extraordinary. The pieces are in place: a deep roster, a front office that knows how to build for both the present and the future, and a fan base that has stuck by the team through thick and thin. The Dodgers have everything needed to be a force in Major League Baseball for the next decade.
But a true dynasty isn’t just about regular-season dominance; it’s about championships. Now, do I believe we have the power to turn seasons into rings? 100%. And that’s why we are here. I, Janine or J-9, through “The Ninth Inning Legacy” will be documenting the greatest stretch of Dodgers baseball in history. Living through the lean years and watching the team struggle, I know this time is different. We are just getting started and the future of this franchise is bright. A dynasty is inevitable. And the best part? We, the fans, get to enjoy every moment of it.
