1978 Los Angeles Dodgers | ||
---|---|---|
National League Champions National League West Champions | ||
League | National League | |
Division | West | |
Ballpark | Dodger Stadium | |
City | Los Angeles, California | |
Record | 95–67 (.586) | |
Divisional place | 1st | |
Owner | Walter O'Malley | |
President | Peter O'Malley | |
General managers | Al Campanis | |
Managers | Tommy Lasorda | |
Television | KTTV (11) | |
Radio | KABC Vin Scully, Jerry Doggett, Ross Porter XEGM Jaime Jarrín, Rudy Hoyos | |
|
The 1978 Los Angeles Dodgers season was the 89th season for the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise in Major League Baseball (MLB), their 21st season in Los Angeles, California, and their 16th season playing their home games at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles California.
The team won their second straight National League pennant and losing to the New York Yankees in the World Series again. Dodger coach Jim Gilliam died at the end of the season and his uniform number, 19, was retired by the team prior to Game 1 of the World Series; the team also wore a black memorial patch with Gilliam's number during the World Series. Unlike the previous Dodger team, no member of the team hit 30 home runs after seeing four members hit that mark the previous season (the team leader was Reggie Smith, with 29).
Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Los Angeles Dodgers | 95 | 67 | .586 | — | 54–27 | 41–40 |
Cincinnati Reds | 92 | 69 | .571 | 2½ | 49–31 | 43–38 |
San Francisco Giants | 89 | 73 | .549 | 6 | 50–31 | 39–42 |
San Diego Padres | 84 | 78 | .519 | 11 | 50–31 | 34–47 |
Houston Astros | 74 | 88 | .457 | 21 | 50–31 | 24–57 |
Atlanta Braves | 69 | 93 | .426 | 26 | 39–42 | 30–51 |
Sources: | |||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | ATL | CHC | CIN | HOU | LAD | MON | NYM | PHI | PIT | SD | SF | STL | |||||
Atlanta | — | 5–7 | 6–12 | 8–10 | 5–13 | 5–7 | 6–6 | 8–4 | 2–10 | 8–10 | 11–7 | 5–7 | |||||
Chicago | 7–5 | — | 7–5 | 6–6 | 4–8 | 7–11 | 11–7 | 4–14 | 7–11 | 7–5 | 4–8 | 15–3 | |||||
Cincinnati | 12–6 | 5–7 | — | 11–7 | 9–9 | 8–4 | 7–5 | 7–5 | 4–7 | 9–9 | 12–6 | 8–4 | |||||
Houston | 10–8 | 6–6 | 7–11 | — | 7–11 | 6–6 | 7–5 | 6–6 | 4–8 | 8–10 | 6–12 | 7–5 | |||||
Los Angeles | 13–5 | 8–4 | 9–9 | 11–7 | — | 8–4 | 7–5 | 7–5 | 7–5 | 9–9 | 11–7 | 5–7 | |||||
Montreal | 7–5 | 11–7 | 4–8 | 6–6 | 4–8 | — | 8–10 | 9–9 | 7–11 | 6–6 | 5–7 | 9–9 | |||||
New York | 6–6 | 7–11 | 5–7 | 5–7 | 5–7 | 10–8 | — | 6–12 | 7–11 | 5–7 | 3–9 | 7–11 | |||||
Philadelphia | 4-8 | 14–4 | 5–7 | 6–6 | 5–7 | 9–9 | 12–6 | — | 11–7 | 8–4 | 6–6 | 10–8 | |||||
Pittsburgh | 10–2 | 11–7 | 7–4 | 8–4 | 5–7 | 11–7 | 11–7 | 7–11 | — | 5–7 | 4–8 | 9–9 | |||||
San Diego | 10–8 | 5–7 | 9–9 | 10–8 | 9–9 | 6–6 | 7–5 | 4–8 | 7–5 | — | 8–10 | 9–3 | |||||
San Francisco | 7–11 | 8–4 | 6–12 | 12–6 | 7–11 | 7–5 | 9–3 | 6–6 | 8–4 | 10–8 | — | 9–3 | |||||
St. Louis | 7–5 | 3–15 | 4–8 | 5–7 | 7–5 | 9–9 | 11–7 | 8–10 | 9–9 | 3–9 | 3–9 | — |
1978 Los Angeles Dodgers | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Roster | |||||||||
Pitchers
| Catchers
Infielders
| Outfielders
Other batters
| Manager Coaches
|
On August 20, before a night game in New York against the New York Mets, Steve Garvey approached Don Sutton in the Dodgers' clubhouse over an article in The Washington Post in which Sutton was quoted as saying to Tom Boswell:
"All you ever hear about on our team is Steve Garvey, the all-American boy...well, the best player on this team for the past two years--and we all know it--is Reggie Smith. Reggie doesn't go out and publicize himself. He doesn't smile at the right people or say the right things. Reggie's not a façade or a Madison Avenue image. He's a real person."
Garvey and Sutton wrestled for two minutes in the clubhouse over Sutton's words and had to be pulled apart by teammates. Neither was seriously injured. Both had facial scratches and bruises and Garvey had a bloodshot left eye where it appeared a finger or thumb had been inserted by Sutton. Days later, Sutton publicly apologized for the incident, but not to Garvey personally. [6]
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
C | Steve Yeager | 94 | 228 | 44 | .193 | 4 | 23 |
1B | Steve Garvey | 162 | 639 | 202 | .316 | 21 | 113 |
2B | Davey Lopes | 151 | 587 | 163 | .278 | 17 | 58 |
3B | Ron Cey | 159 | 555 | 150 | .270 | 23 | 84 |
SS | Bill Russell | 155 | 625 | 179 | .286 | 3 | 46 |
LF | Dusty Baker | 149 | 522 | 137 | .262 | 11 | 66 |
CF | Bill North | 110 | 304 | 71 | .234 | 0 | 10 |
RF | Reggie Smith | 128 | 447 | 132 | .295 | 29 | 93 |
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rick Monday | 119 | 342 | 87 | .254 | 19 | 57 |
Lee Lacy | 103 | 245 | 64 | .261 | 13 | 40 |
Joe Ferguson | 67 | 198 | 47 | .237 | 7 | 28 |
Vic Davalillo | 75 | 77 | 24 | .312 | 1 | 11 |
Johnny Oates | 40 | 75 | 23 | .307 | 0 | 6 |
Jerry Grote | 41 | 70 | 19 | .271 | 0 | 9 |
Ted Martinez | 54 | 55 | 14 | .255 | 1 | 5 |
Manny Mota | 37 | 33 | 10 | .303 | 0 | 6 |
Glenn Burke | 16 | 19 | 4 | .211 | 0 | 2 |
Rudy Law | 11 | 12 | 3 | .250 | 0 | 1 |
Pedro Guerrero | 5 | 8 | 5 | .625 | 0 | 1 |
Joe Simpson | 10 | 5 | 2 | .400 | 0 | 1 |
Myron White | 7 | 4 | 2 | .500 | 0 | 1 |
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Don Sutton | 34 | 238.1 | 15 | 11 | 3.55 | 154 |
Burt Hooton | 32 | 236.0 | 19 | 10 | 2.71 | 104 |
Tommy John | 33 | 213.0 | 17 | 10 | 3.30 | 124 |
Doug Rau | 30 | 199.0 | 15 | 9 | 3.26 | 95 |
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rick Rhoden | 30 | 164.2 | 10 | 8 | 3.66 | 79 |
Bob Welch | 23 | 111.1 | 7 | 4 | 2.02 | 66 |
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Terry Forster | 47 | 5 | 4 | 22 | 1.93 | 46 |
Charlie Hough | 55 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 3.28 | 66 |
Lance Rautzhan | 43 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2.93 | 25 |
Bobby Castillo | 18 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 3.97 | 30 |
Mike Garman | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4.41 | 5 |
The Dodgers defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 3 games to 1 in the NLCS.
October 4, Veterans Stadium
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Los Angeles | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 13 | 1 |
Philadelphia | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 1 |
W: Bob Welch (1-0) L: Larry Christenson (0-1) SV: None | ||||||||||||
HRs: PHI– Jerry Martin (1) LAD– Steve Garvey 2 (2) Davey Lopes (1) Steve Yeager (1) |
October 5, Veterans Stadium
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Los Angeles | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 0 |
Philadelphia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
W: Tommy John (1-0) L: Dick Ruthven (0-1) SV: None | ||||||||||||
HRs: PHI– None LAD– Davey Lopes (2) |
October 6, Dodger Stadium
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Philadelphia | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 11 | 1 |
Los Angeles | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 2 |
W: Steve Carlton (1-0) L: Don Sutton (0-1) SV: None | ||||||||||||
HRs: PHI– Steve Carlton (1), Greg Luzinski (1); LAD– Steve Garvey (3) |
October 7, Dodger Stadium
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | R | H | E |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Philadelphia | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 2 |
Los Angeles | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 0 |
W: Terry Forster (1-0) L: Tug McGraw (0-1) SV: None | |||||||||||||
HRs: PHI– Greg Luzinski (2), Bake McBride (1); LAD– Ron Cey (1) Steve Garvey (4) |
The Dodgers again lost to the New York Yankees in the World Series.
AL New York Yankees (4) vs. NL Los Angeles Dodgers (2)
Tuesday, October 10, 1978, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New York | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Los Angeles | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | X | 11 | 15 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
WP: Tommy John (1–0) LP: Ed Figueroa (0–1) Home runs: NYY: Reggie Jackson (1) LAD: Dusty Baker (1), Davey Lopes 2 (2) |
Wednesday, October 11, 1978, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New York | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Los Angeles | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | X | 4 | 7 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
WP: Burt Hooton (1–0) LP: Catfish Hunter (0–1) Sv: Bob Welch (1) Home runs: NYY: None LAD: Ron Cey (1) |
Friday, October 13, 1978, at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Los Angeles | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
New York | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | X | 5 | 10 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
WP: Ron Guidry (1–0) LP: Don Sutton (0–1) Home runs: LAD: None NYY: Roy White (1) |
Saturday, October 14, 1978, at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | R | H | E | ||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Los Angeles | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
New York | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
WP: Goose Gossage (1–0) LP: Bob Welch (0–1) Home runs: LAD: Reggie Smith (1) NYY: None |
Sunday, October 15, 1978, at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Los Angeles | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
New York | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | X | 12 | 18 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
WP: Jim Beattie (1–0) LP: Burt Hooton (1–1) |
Tuesday, October 17, 1978, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New York | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 11 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Los Angeles | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
WP: Catfish Hunter (1–1) LP: Don Sutton (0–2) Home runs: NYY: Reggie Jackson (2) LAD: Davey Lopes (3) |
Level | Team | League | Manager |
---|---|---|---|
AAA | Albuquerque Dukes | Pacific Coast League | Del Crandall |
AA | San Antonio Dodgers | Texas League | Don LeJohn |
A | Lodi Dodgers | California League | Stan Wasiak |
A | Clinton Dodgers | Midwest League | Dick McLaughlin |
Rookie | Lethbridge Dodgers | Pioneer League | Jim Lefebvre |
Teams in BOLD won League Championships
The Dodgers drafted 35 players in the June draft and 12 in the January draft. Of those, seven players would eventually play in the Major Leagues.
The Dodgers did not have a first round pick this year in the June draft as their pick was given to the Pittsburgh Pirates as compensation for their signing of free agent pitcher Terry Forster. In the second round, they selected SS Clay Smith from Northwest Classen High School in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Smith played in the Dodgers farm system through 1981, hitting .271 in 277 games in the rookie leagues and class-A before he was released.
This draft netted the Dodgers two key players for their championship teams of the 1980s. They drafted Mike Marshall in the 6th round and Steve Sax in the 9th. Marshall would hit 148 homers in 11 seasons and made the All-Star team in 1984 while playing both the outfield and first base. Sax played 14 seasons (8 of them with the Dodgers) and hit .281 with 444 steals. The Dodgers starting second baseman for most of the 1980s, he was the 1982 NL Rookie of the Year and a five time All-Star.
1978 Draft Picks | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
January draft
January Secondary phase
June draft
June secondary phase
|
The 1981 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1981 season. The 78th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League (AL) champion New York Yankees and the National League (NL) champion Los Angeles Dodgers. It marked their third Series meeting in five years and was their 11th overall Series meeting. The Dodgers won the Series in six games, as the Yankees had done in the teams' prior two Series meetings, in 1977 and 1978. This was the Dodgers' first title since 1965, their first victory over the Yankees since 1963, and third overall Series win over the Yankees.
The 1978 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1978 season. The 75th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League (AL) champion New York Yankees and the National League (NL) champion Los Angeles Dodgers. In a rematch of the previous year's World Series, the Yankees won, four games to two, to repeat as champions and to win their 22nd World Series. As of 2024, it remains the most recent World Series to feature a rematch of the previous season's matchup.
The 1977 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1977 season. The 74th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League (AL) champion New York Yankees and the National League (NL) champion Los Angeles Dodgers. The Yankees defeated the Dodgers four games to two to win the franchise's 21st World Series championship, their first since 1962, and the first under the ownership of George Steinbrenner. Played from October 11 to 18, the Series was televised on ABC.
The 1974 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1974 season. The 71st edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League (AL) champion Oakland Athletics and the National League (NL) champion Los Angeles Dodgers. The Athletics won the series, four games to one; after splitting the first two in Los Angeles, Oakland swept their three home games to close it out.
The 1977 National League Championship Series was a best-of-five matchup in Major League Baseball’s 1977 postseason between the West Division champion Los Angeles Dodgers and the East Division champion Philadelphia Phillies. It was the ninth NLCS in all. The Dodgers beat the Phillies three games to one and went on to lose the 1977 World Series to the New York Yankees.
The 1978 National League Championship Series was a best-of-five matchup in Major League Baseball’s 1978 postseason between the West Division champion Los Angeles Dodgers and the East Division champion Philadelphia Phillies. It was the tenth ever NLCS and a rematch of the 1977 series between the same teams. The Dodgers beat the Phillies three games to one before they lost the World Series to the New York Yankees.
The 1983 Los Angeles Dodgers rebounded from being eliminated from the playoffs on the final day of the previous season to win their second National League West title in three years, but lost in the NLCS to the Philadelphia Phillies 3 games to 1.
The 1982 Los Angeles Dodgers was the team's 25th season in Los Angeles and their 100th overall. The Dodgers entered the season as the defending World Series champions. They would remain in contention until the final day of the regular season, when their archrivals, the San Francisco Giants, would knock them out of the National League West race, in a season that saw the Atlanta Braves reach the playoffs instead. The Dodgers finished second in the National League West at 88–74, becoming the fifth team since 1969 to miss the playoffs one year after winning the World Series. This was the final season for longtime Dodger cornerstones Steve Garvey and Ron Cey, who would move on to new teams next season. The Dodgers did welcome new second baseman Steve Sax, who won the Rookie of the Year Award.
The 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers season got off to a strong start when rookie pitcher Fernando Valenzuela pitched a shutout on opening day, starting the craze that came to be known as "Fernandomania." Fernando went on to win both the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Awards.
The 1979 Los Angeles Dodgers season was the 90th season for the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise in Major League Baseball (MLB), their 22nd season in Los Angeles, California, and their 17th season playing their home games at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles California. The team finished the season in third place in the National League West. Near the end of the season, owner Walter O'Malley died, and the ownership of the team went to his son, Peter.
The 1977 Los Angeles Dodgers season saw Tommy Lasorda in his first full season at the helm of the Dodgers, replacing longtime manager Walter Alston as manager of the team near the end of the previous season. The Dodgers won the National League West by 10 games and defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in four games in the NLCS, then lost to the New York Yankees in the World Series. This edition of the Dodgers featured the first quartet of teammates that hit 30 or more home runs: Steve Garvey with 33, Reggie Smith with 32, and Dusty Baker and Ron Cey, who both hit 30. The Dodgers duplicated this feat again 20 years later in 1997.
The 1976 Los Angeles Dodgers finished the season in second place in the National League West. The big news was when long-time manager of two decades Walter Alston resigned abruptly near the end of the season and was replaced by Tommy Lasorda who would manage the team for two decades himself.
The 1975 Los Angeles Dodgers finished in second place, 20 games behind the Cincinnati Reds in the National League West.
The 1974 Los Angeles Dodgers won the National League West by four games over the Cincinnati Reds, then beat the Pittsburgh Pirates in the NLCS before losing to the Oakland Athletics in the World Series.
The 1973 Los Angeles Dodgers finished the season in second place in the National League West with a record of 95–66.
The 1969 Los Angeles Dodgers finished in fourth place in the new National League West, eight games behind the Atlanta Braves. The Dodgers' record for 1969 was 85–77, which was nine wins better than 1968.
The 1968 Los Angeles Dodgers season was the 79th season for the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise in Major League Baseball (MLB), their 11th season in Los Angeles, California, and their 6th season playing their home games at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles California. They improved upon their 73–89 record from 1967 to a 76–86 record and finished in seventh place in the National League standings, 21 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals. After the season, the Dodgers underwent some changes among the team management when long time general manager Buzzie Bavasi resigned to take over the expansion San Diego Padres. He was replaced by team vice-president Fresco Thompson. However, Thompson was diagnosed with cancer weeks after taking the job and died in November. Al Campanis became the new general manager for the following season.
The 1966 Los Angeles Dodgers won the National League championship with a 95–67 record, but were swept by the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series.
In the 1978 Major League Baseball season, the New York Yankees defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers to win their second consecutive World Series, and 22nd overall, in a rematch of the prior season's Fall Classic. The Yankees overcame clubhouse turmoil, a mid-season managerial change, and a 14-game mid-July deficit in the American League East en route to the championship. All four teams that made the playoffs in 1977 returned for this postseason; none of the four returned to the postseason in 1979.
From 1973 to 1981, the Los Angeles Dodgers played a majority of their games with a starting infield consisting of four players: Steve Garvey at first base, Davey Lopes at second, Ron Cey at third, and Bill Russell at shortstop. Beginning on June 23, 1973, and lasting until Game 6 of the 1981 World Series, the quartet set a record in Major League Baseball for the length of time the same four players were designated as starters at those positions—eight-and-a-half years.