The World Series used to be a bigger deal than it seemed this year.

I thought the Braves were returning to their glory days and might go all the way.

Nothing doing. They had the Dodgers by the throat and let them get away.

Then I figured the surprising Tampa Bay Rays were going to turn Cinderella.

No way. It came down to raw talent and the Dodgers were loaded. Before the CCP-delayed season started, they were the betting man’s darlings to go all the way.

I reluctantly began to pull for the Dodgers. They had not won the series in 32 years. The Red Sox and Astros had cheated them out of 2 championships.

A short series

Sports are a metaphor for life. This season was no exception. The virus had changed our lives, work, relations and our sports.

Many of us won’t have to tell our grandkids about it.

They lived through it, too.

The Dodgers won the World Series last week in 6 games and moments later learned that Justin Turner, their 3rd baseman and heart of the team had the virus.

Turner was asked to isolate himself. He didn’t.

He strode onto the field where his team celebrated their 3-1 victory over the Rays and joined in.

He took off his mask to pose for photos with his wife and kissed her.

On his right sat Dave Roberts, the Dodgers’ manager, who 10 years ago was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. On his left sat the World Series trophy.

If he was watching, Dr. Fauci might have fainted.

No bad boys

Using CDC protocols, the Dodgers and Rays had spent 3 weeks in Irving, Texas, bubbled from the world.

They were supposed to go from the hotel to the stadium and back and nowhere else. Security personnel roamed the grounds to ensure nobody played bad boy and violated the rules.

Over 2 months, no players had tested positive.

Then came the 8th inning when Dave Roberts learned a spit test showed Justin Turner tested positive and took him out of the game.

Only once had Turner left a game – in a blowout.

Turner’s tide turns

Justin Turner signed with the Dodgers in 2014 after the New York Mets cut him.

Jeff Passan of ESPN wrote that Turner signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers, made the team in spring training and batted .340.

He won the 3rd-base job the next season and made more than $50 million.

Turner is a hard luck story turned good. He evolved from castoff to the emotional heart of the Dodgers.

When they went down 3 games to 1 in the National League Championship Series, Turner told his team mates: “This is the chance to do something special.”

And they did – all the way to the championship.

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