It is the game’s most consistently dominant run this century. And yet it still befuddles.
For the past 11 seasons, the Los Angeles Dodgers have reached the playoffs, 10 times by winning the National League West. They’ve strung together five seasons of at least 100 wins, claimed three NL pennants, but have only a shortened-season championship to show for it.
It is not for lack of belief.
“I don’t think there was a bad team we played on where we didn’t have expectations to be the last team standing,” says Justin Turner, the 39-year-old infielder on board for nine of those postseason excursions.