LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers play in the second one biggest marketplace in America the place LeBron James is the most important famous person within the NBA, Matthew Stafford is a Super Bowl hero and USC trainer Lincoln Riley is worshipped.
So, how does Dodgers shortstop Trea Turner stay as nameless as a Dodger Dog seller within the stands, with the Dodgers’ analytic division producing extra consideration nowadays with their 111-victory season?
Why isn’t he a family identify?
“I don’t know, I truly don’t know,’’ Dodgers All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman says, “as a result of he does it yearly. He hits .300. He’s going to guide the league in stolen bases. He’s going to get to just about 200 hits. He’s within the playoffs yearly. He performs smartly within the playoffs yearly.’’
There’s just one clarification.
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The media.
“I believe it’s as much as you guys, you recognize,’’ Freeman says. “It’s as much as you guys to jot down about how nice he’s, as a result of he truly is superb. That’s why he’s underappreciated. I want you to jot down a tale why he’s so nice, as a result of he’s under no circumstances underappreciated through us.’’
Freeman is smiling when blaming Turner’s anonymity at the media, however he’s critical.
And unquestionably has some degree.
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You don’t see Turner plastered on the net. He’s slightly discussed on nationwide TV and radio displays.
It took a house run, a double, two RBI, a run scored, and a blinding double play for Turner to get a call for participation to the interview room Tuesday night time after the Dodgers’ 5-3 victory over the San Diego Padres in Game 1 of the National League Division Series.
Then once more, he’s a hero just about each and every night time.
“In the sport of baseball, other folks in uniform know the way nice he’s,’’ Freeman says. “It’s like everybody talks about everybody else however Trea. He’s were given Mookie Betts over right here. In Washington, he had [Stephen] Strasburg. He had [Max] Scherzer. He had Juan Soto who simply got here up.
“Like as of late, he hits a house run within the first inning, he simply runs across the bases, and is going again in. He’s no longer flipping bats. He’s no longer doing anything else to be on Instagram. He simply performs the sport the fitting manner.’’
This is a man who hit .298 with 21 homers, 100 RBI, 101 runs and 27 stolen bases. He had a major-league top 26-game hitting streak, with 4 hitting streaks of no less than 16 video games. He completed the 12 months through hitting safely in 132 of 160 video games, a Dodgers’ franchise document.
And there he used to be as soon as once more, Tuesday, sporting the Dodgers’ offense. It used to be a sport during which Mookie Betts, Freeman, Justin Turner, Trayce Thompson and Cody Bellinger have been all hitless, just for Turner to come back via along with his first-inning homer, double within the third-inning and sixth-inning double play.
“It’s nice for us to have a sport the place Mookie, Freddie and Justin do not do anything else offensively,’’ Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts says, “and to win a ball sport. It speaks to Trea having simply truly just right at-bats this night.’’
Turner is the Dodgers’ metronome, persistently doing the entirety to win video games, and get on base. He has performed in 212 video games since arriving to Los Angeles, and has produced a success in all however 34 of the video games, probably the most through any participant in all of baseball.
“He’s simply electrical available in the market, you recognize,’’ Dodgers infielder Max Muncy says. “He’s were given a handy guide a rough swing. He’s the quickest man in baseball. When you spot him each and every unmarried day, it’s beautiful particular. He’s just right. Really just right.’’
He could be probably the most quiet, unassuming famous person in baseball, with executives and scouts calling Turner some of the best 5 avid gamers within the National League.
“Man, if you happen to get to look Trea Turner play on a daily basis,’’ says 2nd baseman Gavin Lux, who lockers subsequent to Turner, “you respect the [expletive] out of him. You see how he affects the sport, on protection, baserunning, hitting, identify it.
“He shouldn’t be flying beneath the radar. In my opinion, he’s probably the most best two, 3 shortstops in baseball.’’
Perhaps sooner or later the remainder of the sector will take realize, and Turner not shall be overshadowed through one of the greatest names within the sport.
Why, even if he used to be received through the Dodgers final 12 months from the Washington Nationals in baseball’s greatest industry on the time limit, he used to be slightly discussed.
The headliner of the industry used to be Scherzer; no longer Turner.
It used to be truly no other a 12 months in the past within the postseason. There used to be a fan within the stands getting extra consideration than Turner. Of route, the fan came about to be Soto, coming to Dodger Stadium to cheer for his former teammates, Turner and Scherzer.
“I have not talked to him a lot,’’ Turner stated. “Just proper earlier than the sport, I stated, ‘What’s up actual fast.’ He stated, “Good success.’ I stated the similar.”
When they do get together, who knows, it may be more about the business of the game than anything on the field.
Turner is a free agent after the World Series, two years before Soto.
They both are going to demand big contracts, with Turner considered the marquee attraction among free-agent shortstops. He is expected to become the latest shortstop to crack the $300 million barrier, joining Francisco Lindor of the New York Mets and Fernando Tatis of the Padres.
Turner is expected to be the top free-agent target for the San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, perhaps Atlanta, and yes, the Dodgers.
Yet again, he’ll be overshadowed on the market.
New York Yankees home-run king Aaron Judge happens to be a free agent too, although Turner could wind up making more money.
For now, the Dodgers and Turner have a World Series to win.
And, if they succeed, winning their first World Series title in a full season since 1988, with Turner riding on that parade float in downtown Los Angeles, folks just may pay attention.
Follow Nightengale on Twitter: @Bnightengale
