Do the Padres have a puncher’s chance against the Dodgers?
Our MLB insiders Bob NIghtengale and Steve Gardner debate if the San Diego Padres can pull off the massive upset and take down the Dodgers in the NLDS.
USA TODAY
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers play in the second largest market in America where LeBron James is the biggest star in the NBA, Matthew Stafford is a Super Bowl hero and USC coach Lincoln Riley is worshipped.
So, how does Dodgers shortstop Trea Turner remain as anonymous as a Dodger Dog vendor in the stands, with the Dodgers’ analytic department generating more attention these days with their 111-victory season?
Why isn’t he a household name?
“I don’t know, I really don’t know,’’ Dodgers All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman says, “because he does it every year. He hits .300. He’s going to lead the league in stolen bases. He’s going to get to close to 200 hits. He’s in the playoffs every year. He plays well in the playoffs every year.’’
There’s only one explanation.
The media.
“I think it’s up to you guys, you know,’’ Freeman says. “It’s up to you guys to write about how great he is, because he really is great. That’s why he’s underappreciated. I need you to write a story why he’s so great, because he’s certainly not underappreciated by us.’’
Freeman is smiling when blaming Turner’s anonymity on the media, but he is serious.
And certainly has a point.
PLAYOFFS: Four things we learned from Division Series Game 1s
WORLD SERIES PICKS: Dodgers, Braves and Astros are favorites
You don’t see Turner plastered on the internet. He’s barely mentioned on national TV and radio shows.
It took a home run, a double, two RBI, a run scored, and a dazzling double play for Turner to get an invitation to the interview room Tuesday night after the Dodgers’ 5-3 victory over the San Diego Padres in Game 1 of the National League Division Series.
Then again, he’s a hero virtually every night.
“In the game of baseball, people in uniform know how great he is,’’ Freeman says. “It’s like everyone talks about everyone else but Trea. He’s got Mookie Betts over here. In Washington, he had [Stephen] Strasburg. He had [Max] Scherzer. He had Juan Soto who just came up.
“Like today, he hits a home run in the first inning, he just runs around the bases, and goes back in. He’s not flipping bats. He’s not doing anything to be on Instagram. He just plays the game the right way.’’
This is a guy who hit .298 with 21 homers, 100 RBI, 101 runs and 27 stolen bases. He had a major-league high 26-game hitting streak, with four hitting streaks of at least 16 games. He finished the year by hitting safely in 132 of 160 games, a Dodgers’ franchise record.
And there he was once again, Tuesday, carrying the Dodgers’ offense. It was a game in which Mookie Betts, Freeman, Justin Turner, Trayce Thompson and Cody Bellinger were all hitless, only for Turner to come through with his first-inning homer, double in the third-inning and sixth-inning double play.
“It’s great for us to have a game where Mookie, Freddie and Justin don’t do anything offensively,’’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts says, “and to win a ball game. It speaks to Trea having just really good at-bats tonight.’’
Turner is the Dodgers’ metronome, consistently doing everything to win games, and get on base. He has played in 212 games since arriving to Los Angeles, and has produced a hit in all but 34 of the games, the most by any player in all of baseball.
“He’s just electric out there, you know,’’ Dodgers infielder Max Muncy says. “He’s got a quick swing. He’s the fastest guy in baseball. When you see him every single day, it’s pretty special. He’s good. Really good.’’
He might be the most quiet, unassuming star in baseball, with executives and scouts calling Turner among the top five players in the National League.
“Man, if you get to see Trea Turner play every day,’’ says second baseman Gavin Lux, who lockers next to Turner, “you appreciate the [expletive] out of him. You see how he impacts the game, on defense, baserunning, hitting, name it.
“He shouldn’t be flying under the radar. In my opinion, he’s one of the top two, three shortstops in baseball.’’
Perhaps one day the rest of the world will take notice, and Turner no longer will be overshadowed by some of the biggest names in the game.
Why, even when he was acquired by the Dodgers last year from the Washington Nationals in baseball’s biggest trade at the deadline, he was barely mentioned.
The headliner of the trade was Scherzer; not Turner.
It was really no different a year ago in the postseason. There was a fan in the stands getting more attention than Turner. Of course, the fan happened to be Soto, coming to Dodger Stadium to cheer for his former teammates, Turner and Scherzer.
“I haven’t talked to him much,’’ Turner said. “Just right before the game, I said, ‘What’s up real quick.’ He said, “Good luck.’ I said the same.”
When they do get together, who knows, it may be more about the business of the game than anything on the field.
Turner is a free agent after the World Series, two years before Soto.
They both are going to demand big contracts, with Turner considered the marquee attraction among free-agent shortstops. He is expected to become the latest shortstop to crack the $300 million barrier, joining Francisco Lindor of the New York Mets and Fernando Tatis of the Padres.
Turner is expected to be the top free-agent target for the San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, perhaps Atlanta, and yes, the Dodgers.
Yet again, he’ll be overshadowed on the market.
New York Yankees home-run king Aaron Judge happens to be a free agent too, although Turner could wind up making more money.
For now, the Dodgers and Turner have a World Series to win.
And, if they succeed, winning their first World Series title in a full season since 1988, with Turner riding on that parade float in downtown Los Angeles, folks just may pay attention.
Follow Nightengale on Twitter: @Bnightengale
