EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — If you're a Los Angeles Dodgers' fan, chances are you'll never forget where you were on October 27, 2020.
The thrill still feels fresh, the goosebumps still present, and the cheers still ongoing.
To the studio team at Spectrum SportsNet L.A., it's a memory they will never forget, and to former Dodgers' general manager Ned Colletti, it was a moment that was a long time coming.
"I do know what was going through my mind [at] that moment," Colletti said with a smile. "My kids let me know that had the Dodgers won, and they did, my career began in 1982, and I had spent 14,179 days getting to that night in October."
The night when the Dodgers took down the Tampa Bay Rays in six was the exclamation point on a season that Colletti and his cohosts, Jerry Hairston Jr., and John Hartung will always remember.
After all, the trio got to share in a little bit of the magic during one of the most unique baseball seasons.
"To be able to give so many people at home that joy of the Dodgers winning night after night and then winning the World Series was really special," Hartung said. "Especially for me being a fan of the team myself."
"There's nothing like the game of baseball, and when the game is over we really just try to provide the same energy that the players provided on [the] field," Hairston added.
All three got to watch as the Boys in Blue battled through a grueling 60 game regular season. They told the inside stories as the Dodgers fought their way back from a 3-1 deficit against the Atlanta Braves. And in October, they talked fans through as Los Angeles headed back to the World Series.
As a former player, Hairston Jr. said the season as a whole was something to be proud of.
"What stands out for me from the 2020 team is their resiliency," he explained. "For the rest of their lives, no one can tell them they hadn't won the big one."
"I know every time they hear the championships; whether it's 2045 or 2050, they will remember 2020 and the year they won."
It was and still is something to celebrate, but as the Dodgers head into the first weekend of April, it's back to business for the team and for the studio crew.
Friday afternoon will mark the first time that fans will be welcomed back to Dodger Stadium in over a year. As the studio crew got busy prepping for the big home opener, all three were confident that there would be plenty for fans to look forward to.
"I think this team on paper is better than last year's team, which is scary because this Dodgers team was loaded last year," Hartung said.
"They have more guys that can put the ball in play. They are a year older," Hairston added.
"They added Trevor Bauer, who is the reigning Cy Young winner to go along with Clayton Kershaw and the rest of the bullpen. So, this team is poised to make some serious runs at championships."
But don't get them wrong, it won't be easy. No team has won back-to-back titles since the New York Yankees back in 1998 through 2000. If there was any team to break that pattern, though, Colletti said it would be this Dodgers lineup.
"I think they have a chance to be again, not just the best in the national league, but in all of baseball," he said. "I think [fans] can expect entertainment, a high level of performance almost daily, future hall of fame players, and an iconic team."
The journey continues Friday at Dodger Stadium in the first of a three-game home series against the Nationals.