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They may not have been the best team in the NL West, but there’s no doubt that the Los Angeles Dodgers have the best pregame handshake in the bigs.

For those not in the know, Rod Barajas has been cradling Dee Gordon (AKA Matt Kemp’s son — see below) before games for several weeks and so far the superstition has worked. Gordon has gotten a hit in every game they’ve done the “shake.”

Until next year, go blue.

To honor the two-time World Series champ, two-time National League Manager of the Year award winner’s incredible career, we bring you the Tommy Lasorda Audio Stew.

Mature Language Warning.

Via Unstructed

Additionally, I would have added the Dodgers because they’re my team. But unfortunately, the Dodgers haven’t been good for an entire season in twenty years.

5. 1998 Atlanta Braves

Like they did throughout most of the 90′s, the Atlanta Braves of 1998 had it all. They had impressive bats with Javy Lopez, Andres Galarraga, Chipper Jones and Andrew Jones (who was not nearly as fat and worthless as he is today as a Dodger), all with thirty or more home runs and 90 RBI each. They had aces in Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, the Braves’ Forté during the 90′s. Maddux finished with a record of 18-9 an ERA of 2.22, while Glavine went 20-6 with an ERA of 2.47, earning the veteran his second Cy Young Award.

The Braves went 106-56 on the year but managed to lose to Tony Gwynn and the San Diego Padres in the disappointing 98′ NLCS.

4. 2001 Seattle Mariners

The Mariners of 2001 started the season in first place and never wavered. They ended the season 116-46, easily winning the American League West Division Championship, breaking the 1998 Yankees‘ American League single-season record of 114 wins, and matching the MLB record for single-season wins of 116 set by the Chicago Cubs in 1906. Upon the season’s end, Ichiro won the AL MVP, AL Rookie of the Year, and one of three outfield Gold Glove Awards, becoming the first player since the 1975 Boston Red Sox’s Fred Lynn to win all three in the same season.

They didn’t have more than nine losses in any month. Their pitching was stacked as well, led by Jamie Moyer and Freddie Garcia. Moyer won 20 games on the year and Garcia 18 while posting an ERA of just 3.05. They beat everyone during the regular season, but once they got to the playoffs it was a different story.

The Mariners defeated the Indians in the ALDS but once again succumbed to the Yankees for the second year in a row in the ALCS, 4 games to 1, in a series which had been postponed due to the terrorist attacks on September 11.

3. 2004 St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals hurdled over everyone finishing the season at 105-57, the best record in baseball. They led the National League in runs, batting average and slugging percentage. The Cardinals where led by Albert Pujols’ 46 home runs and 123 RBI, and Jason Isringhausen’s 47 saves – they were ready to do what they had done in the regular season again in October.

They first defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS and then beat the Houston Astros in the NLCS. When they reached the World Series they were swept by the Boston Red Sox who broke the Curse of the Bambino by winning their first World Series in 86 years.

2. 2008 Anaheim Angels (no, not the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim)

On September 10, the Angels clinched the American League West division title, their seventh in franchise history, and became the earliest team to clinch the division in its history. Three days later, closing pitcher Francisco Rodriguez broke the single-season save record with his 58th save.

With the Boston Red Sox securing the AL Wild Card, the Angels would have to face their old foes who swept the Halos in the 2007 and 2004 division series.

In game 1, John Lackey gave up a 2 run homer to Jason Bay in the top of the sixth allowing Boston to take a lead they would not relinquish. Boston went on to win 4 games to the Angels’ 2, marking the 10th straight playoff game the Angels lost to Boston. People now refer to this as the curse of Donnie Moore.

1. 2008 Chicago Cubs

The Cubs headed into the All-Star break with the National League’s best record, while tied for the league record with eight representatives in the All-Star game, including catcher and 2008 NL Rookie of the Year, Geovany Soto . On September 14, in a game moved because of Hurricane Ike to Miller Park, Zambrano pitched a no-hitter against the Astros, and six days later the team clinched a playoff birth by beating the Cards at Wrigley.

The Boys in Blue ended the season with a 97-64 record, and were soon to face the “other” Boys in Blue – The Los Angeles Dodgers and their recent acquisition – Manny Ramirez. The heavily favored Cubs took an early lead in Game 1, but LA Dodger James Loney and his grand slam off Ryan Dempster turned the game around and gave the Dodgers momentum on the road. Chicago committed numerous critical errors and were outscored 20-6 in a Dodger sweep, which provided yet another sudden and stunning ending to what had once been looked at as a season of destiny.

LOS ANGELES – Home to the AIG bailout party, St. Regis Resort Monarch Beach in Dana Point, California will be the home to what agent Scott Boras calls his “little Popsicle stand.”

Among freezer flavors Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia, Eric Gagne, and Jason Varitek sits Boras’ big stick, Manny Ramirez who is looking for a GM with a sweet tooth and pockets padded enough to accommodate at least $25 million for each of the next 3 years plus.

After batting nearly .400 for the Dodgers in the regular season and more than .500 in the postseason, Manny secured himself the top spot at Boras’ popsicle stand, admitting “Gas is up and so am I.”

So will the Dodgers, who could potentially lose Derek Lowe, Rafael Furcal, Casey Blake, Brad Penny, Jeff Kent, Nomar Garciaparra, and Greg Maddux, make the wise move and dish out the cash for Ramirez? Or will the postseason proven Dodgers succumb to the talent they’ve relied on to secure second and third place finishes over the last 20 years with the likes of Juan Pierre and Andruw Jones who hit fewer homeruns in the regular season than Manny Ramirez did in the 2008 Dodger post-season?

With history as my guide, my prediction is that in 2009, Manny Ramirez will not wear Dodger blue, leaving me with all I’ve had to hold onto since 1988 – the Dodger blues…

I understand that baseball teams like to celebrate post-season victories, especially when playing on the road, but jesus christ, please don’t interview the guy that just got ass hammered by the entire dugout during the post-game press conference.

(above) Tiger Woods shows his Dodger support at game three of the NLCS in what sports commentators are calling the most awkward picture taken yet during the 2008 post season.

Need to know facts:
Dodgers defeat Phillies (7-2)
Phillies lead series (2-1)
Near Brawl: 3rd Inning after Shane Victorino nearly wore it on the face
Attendees: Tiger Woods, Danny DeVito

Our Thoughts: The Tiger Woods appearance was sponsored by the PGA in an effort to remind people that professional golf still exists, which to be honest, I would rather watch than see Matt Kemp wave at three pitches and strike out one more god damn time (though I admit, he did look better on Sunday).

And a few more scenes from the game:

Alyssa Milano pictured above with St. Louis Cardinal and ex Dodger Cesar Izturis.

ST LOUIS – Before the Dodgers arrived at Chavez Ravine last Thursday, they were National League West champs. And while much credit must be given to Albert Pujols and the St. Louis Cardinals (who had nothing but pride to play for) for beating the Arizona D-Bags three games out of four, they might not have been able to do it without the support of Dodger fan and MLBlogger Alyssa Milano who gave them something more to play for (a date possibly? Well, not if you look like Ron Villone).

Milano, who was in St. Louis to promote her MLB gear for women sparked the St. Louis offense in the clubhouse and in the dugout. She comments on the Dodgers success:

“We have clinched the NL West and that is glorious. Manny should be the NL MVP. We wouldn’t be where we are right now without him. And Andre Ethier had a breakout year. I am very proud of you, Andre.”

Good luck in October Dodgers. I’ll be at the Saturday and Sunday games with my birthday suit, wtf? party hat on.

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PHILADELPHIA – Despite Dodger right fielder Andre Ethier drawing five balls from Phillies starter Joe Blanton and the Dodgers going into the 9th with a one run lead, Dodger bullpen did not fail at exhibiting their unwavering dependability at blowing games when they matter most.

Home-plate umpire Jerry Layne lost track of the count and allowed Blanton an extra ball before awarding Ethier first base – an error that would prove meaningless as the game turned from unexpected to typical in the 9th inning when Jonathan Broxton blew his 6th game in just 16 opportunities.

Though Broxton was fighting for the still absent role of Dodger Closer, echos in the Chavez Ravine clubhouse sound more and more like Opener after each game the 6’4″ 290 lb Broxton leaves for the opposition’s taking.

Broxton however likes to think positive, reinforcing:

“I grew up in Augusta, GA and was a huge fan of the Master’s, I went every year. I don’t look at Sunday’s loss as a bad thing, but rather a tribute to Phil Mickelson who loses his lead every Sunday year in an year out. He got his green jacket in 2004 and again in 2006, so if I can save just two games all year, it’s been a successful year.”

Dodger insider Christopher Crosby comments:

“Since Andruw Jones‘ stint on the DL, Johnathan Broxton has assumed the role as MVP-TOT, an honor voted on every week and then awarded by skipper Joe Torre with a game ball branded with an asterisk as a tribute to Barry Bond’s record breaking homerun ball.”

The award, Most Valuable Player To Other Team, has only seen the hands of one other Dodger all season, but with the proper dedication and work ethic, GM Ned Colletti believes -

“Everyone will receive the honor at least once, that’s what we’re shooting for. We’re going to need consistency throughout the club if we want to make a serious run at beating the Colorado Rockies out of the coveted number two spot in the West.”

The Dodgers expect to lose the majority of their remaining games but hope not to fall too far behind the last place San Diego Padres who are just 20 games out of first place.

Because after all, this is Banned In Hollywood, it’s only natural that we throw a shout out to our family favorite Alyssa Milano in support of her favorite team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, despite her loyalties to the NY Mets.

If photo evidence weren’t enough, Alyssa Milano is a baseball fan through and through not just because Alyssa’s blog cogitates on baseball, nor because of her past relationships with Carl Pavano, Brad Penny and Barry Zito, or her season Dodger box tickets, but because she chose to show at Chavez Ravine with Manny dreads on head – that’s dedication, Dodger dedication. And what better way to end the week than to see the boys in blue sweep the Phil’s in four games?

Alyssa is so supportive of what the Dodgers are doing that she proposed a $10 K.M.I.L.A.F [Keep Manny In LA Fund] designed to do just that, keep Manny in LA.

Hopefully she gets this thing moving, it would be a bummer to lose Manny to Andruw Jones’ $18 Million yearly salary. Though, at that rate the Dodgers would have to pay Manny around $65 Million per year (based on Jones’ salary to performance ratio, or S2P).

Thank God Jones isn’t much of a trendsetter.

(Last 3 photos at Shea Stadium)

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