The Secret to the Dodgers’ Success

An important event is upon us which will require us to make a critical decision. Who will we choose to support? Some people say it’s our Christian duty to pick the right side. While I disagree that salvation is dependent on who you cheer for, I firmly believe there is a clear choice in this race. Even if you view this contest as choosing between the lesser of two evils, one side, in my humble opinion, is a far more righteous and godly choice than the other. That is why I am writing this article to wholeheartedly endorse and encourage support for the Los Angeles Dodgers to win the 2024 World Series.

I have a deep love for our national pastime. Baseball has been instrumental in shaping me, and it continues to impact me today. I joke often about how God is a baseball fan. He created the heavens and the earth in the “big inning”, and in Ecclesiastes 12:6, we are told to remember God before the pitcher is shattered in spring training (loosely translated).

Speaking of pitchers shattered in spring, I’d like to share a remarkable story about a screwball-throwing righty on the Dodgers named Brent Honeywell, Jr. Honeywell was a highly touted minor league prospect for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2017, earning MVP honors as a starting pitcher in the MLB Futures Game. The following spring, ranked as baseball’s 11th overall prospect, Honeywell blew out his elbow. The resilient young man ultimately made the major leagues in 2021 after four arm surgeries, earning his first strikeout against a mighty opponent—this year’s ALCS MVP for the New York Yankees—Giancarlo Stanton.

Brent Honeywell in 2017 (Jeffrey Hyde - https://www.flickr.com/photos/125788546@N06/38141698336/

Three years later, Honeywell has been through the ringer. He battled injury and postings with four different organizations until being claimed off waivers by this year’s National League champs, the Dodgers.

To the eyes of a casual baseball fan (are you still reading this?), Honeywell hasn’t been much of a contributor to his team’s remarkable achievements this season. His only appearances in the postseason were in the Dodgers’ two losses to the Mets. At the time of this writing, Honeywell’s inclusion on the World Series roster is suspect at best.

Yet, in recent interviews, Honeywell’s coaches and teammates are singing his praises, calling him, “the undercover MVP” and “the most unselfish teammate you can be.” Why? Two main reasons, which coincide closely with the gospel story.

First, during the division series, Los Angeles’s superstar, Mookie Betts, was struggling offensively. Honeywell volunteered to throw Betts batting practice at game speed (extremely rare) to help Mookie get his groove back. And help, it did. Since that practice session, Betts has hit .342 with four home runs.

Second, it’s well known the Dodgers pitching staff is awfully banged up. They had no starting pitchers available after their first win of the series against the Mets. So, manager Dave Roberts decided to only use relief pitchers in game 2 of the NLCS, including Honeywell. They lost.

But Roberts’ plan backfired after the next three starting pitchers each failed to make it through four innings, and his bullpen had to do the bulk of the work in those games, too. What the Dodgers needed most in order to salvage the series was a sacrificial lamb to pitch a ton of innings while the rest of the pitching staff recovered. “I'll die on that hill any day of the week,” volunteered Honeywell.

The tattered bullpen pitcher gave the Dodgers their longest relief outing of the postseason in that game 5 loss. Meanwhile, Roberts and his crew knew this was a secret victory—the Dodgers pitchers would be rested for game 6. Thus, the legend of Honey was born, and the Dodgers cruised to a series victory, praising their unlikely savior, Brent Honeywell, Jr., who laid down his arm for his team.

I realize baseball is only a silly game, just like politics, but God uses foolish things to confound the wise (1 Cor 1:27). He wants us to “make the most of every opportunity” (Eph 5:16). Even this year’s World Series is an opportunity to recognize that God is at work while men play games. I will be cheering for the Dodgers this year, because in that team I am reminded that Jesus demonstrated perfect love by laying down his life for his friends.