1981 Los Angeles Dodgers (63-47)

Manager: Tommy Lasorda

After losing two World Series to the Yankees in both 1977 and 1978, Tommy Lasorda's club was hungry to get revenge on those Damn Yankees. However, the Dodgers would lose to Houston in the 1980 NL Western Division Tiebreaker game. On Opening Day against the Astros, Jerry Reuss was injured. A young pitcher named Fernando Valenzuela pitched a shutout. Every time the young Mexican would strike out a batter, the home crowd would scream. He would earn both NL Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Awards. Before a strike halted the season for two months, the Dodgers would be in first place. After the strike, the Astros would be in first place. This "two-season format" would force a best-of-5 divisional series between the Dodgers and Astros. If not for this format, then the overall record of the Cincinnati Reds would entitle them into the NLCS. In the first two contests, the Dodgers would lose both of them in Houston. Back in Los Angeles, the Dodgers would win the next three to win their first NL Western Division Title since 1978.

In the first ever International NLCS, they met the Montreal Expos in an all-pitching series. Despite the Dodgers' history of great pitchers, the Dodgers fell down 2-1 by the time game 4 rolled around. However, the series returned to Montreal with a 4th game triumph. After a rain delay, Valenzuela and Montreal's Ray Burris would duel it out. By the 9th, Burris was replaced by Steve Rogers. It would be a regret as Rogers gave up a homer to Rick Monday. This homer would give the Dodgers another National League title and their 11th World Series against the New York Yankees. Despite the Bronx Bombers winning the first two games, it set the stage for a dream matchup featuring two Rookies of the Year. In one corner, it was Valenzuela. On New York's corner, it was AL Rookie of the Year Dave Righetti, who would pitch a no-hitter two years later. However, it would be the Dodgers who get the last laugh as they won game 3 thanks to a game-winning homer from Ron Cey. A comeback would be needed again to win the 4th contest. After tying the series at 2 games apiece, the Dodgers would win game 5 thanks to homers from Pedro Guerrero and Steve Yeager. After winning game 6, Tommy Lasorda finally had his prayers answered by beating the Yanks in a World Series for the third time. As for Guerrero, Yeager, and Cey, they shared Series MVP honors.