MILWAUKEE –– Dave Roberts gave an inspiring speech, while Teoscar Hernández added a humorous touch.
After the Dodgers triumphed over the Atlanta Braves in last week’s National League Division Series, they gathered around their manager to kick off the champagne celebration in the visiting clubhouse at Truist Park.
Roberts praised their teamwork and fierce competitiveness and boldly stated that “we’re smarter, we’re better and we’re tougher” than their playoff rivals.
And then, from across the room, Hernández piped up with a witty comment.
“And we’re dinosaurs!” he exclaimed.
Referring to their experience, he likened the team to Cretaceous creatures who seem to have rediscovered their October vigor.
The Dodgers’ aging roster had been a point of concern throughout the regular season and into the playoffs, with an average lineup age of 30.9 years, making them the oldest team in Major League Baseball.
Over the past two years, their seasoned players have competed in more games, and traveled more extensively, including two season-openers in Asia, than any other team.
So, it’s no surprise that they took notice of a recent comment from new Padres owner José E. Feliciano that seemed to brand them as “dinosaurs” – even if he was referring to actual fossils owned by Dodgers owner Mark Walter.
To the two-time defending champions, this remark felt like a slight.
“We’ve heard it,” said 36-year-old third baseman Max Muncy. “But you can’t focus on the outside stuff.”
Indeed, they don’t need any extra motivation as they aim for a third consecutive World Series title, preparing for the NL Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
“You focus on yourself,” Muncy added. “You prepare for the series.”
Still, discussions about their age have ignited a fire within the team.
“Los Viejitos!!!” Kiké Hernández playfully captioned a photo on Instagram, using a Spanish term for “old folks” to describe the team’s five oldest members.
Roberts also joked about their age, saying, “I like our dinosaurs. Our dinosaurs have come through in the biggest spots.”
This wasn’t the case for much of the second half of the regular season, when their offense struggled significantly. A rival scout even remarked in late August that “this is the oldest they’ve ever looked.”
However, they’ve recently found their spark again, finishing September with the fourth-most runs in the majors. During the NLDS, they outslugged the Braves with eight home runs, most hit by players aged 33 and over.
Now, they’re counting on their seasoned experience to give them the edge in the upcoming NLCS, starting with a matchup against Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski, who is just 24 years old.
“The toughest part about age is managing it during the regular season,” Roberts noted. “But once you reach the postseason sprint, the advantage goes to us regarding experience.”
Of course, Father Time is inevitable. Even Muncy has noted that there’s been “some talk” that this could be the final go for this group.
“For us, it’s about playing for each other,” he reflected. “We’ve shared so many moments together – good, bad, in between – I wouldn’t want to go through this with anyone else.”
But for now, these Dinosaur Dodgers just want to keep their momentum rolling.
With only eight wins needed to secure another World Series title, the focus on age seems minimal.
“I don’t like thinking this could be the end of our run,” Muncy commented. “I believe we still have plenty of good baseball ahead. Hopefully, we can keep this going.”
