So where do Magic and his Los Angeles Dodgers go from here?
By Jake Misener
Magic Johnson isn’t the type of guy who is happy with an ‘almost-championship.’
Just one day after the Los Angeles Dodgers were eliminated from the National League Championship Series on Friday night, reports surfaced that the team made a Hollywood-esque contract offer to 25-year old ace Clayton Kershaw during the season that was somewhere around $300 million.
And right there is the answer to the above question. Where does the team go from here? To the free agent pool to add the top talent available and make another run at the World Series in 2014.
Who will the organization’s top target be? It seems safe to say that New York Yankees’ second baseman Robinson Cano will be on the top of the short list. As much as I like Mark Ellis, he’s not exactly the same caliber player as those around him. Adding Cano’s bat would push this team over the top next season, with one of the most star-studded lineups the game has ever seen.
It also appears safe to say that either Matt Kemp or Andre Ethier will be dealt this offseason, which could allow the team to add pitching help. Kershaw and Zack Greinke were as good as advertised in 2013 – perhaps even better than advertised – but rotation depth will be the deciding factor in whether or not this team reaches the Fall Classic in 2014.
It was a fantastic run, Dodgers fans. From being counted out by most of the baseball world to taking the whole thing by force, this club accomplished a seemingly-impossible task this season. The good news is Magic and team ownership has seemingly limitless pockets and are willing to do anything to bring a title back to the City of Angels.