Brian Dozier has played nine seasons in the major leagues for four different teams. He's made the playoffs three times, made an All-Star team and won a Gold Glove. His career has been a respectable one and he's formed particularly deep ties with the Minnesota area after playing his first six and a half seasons with the Twins.
And yet when he looks back on his playing days, it'll be his one year with the Nationals that stands out the most. In an interview with MASN's Dan Kolko aired Wednesday, Dozier talked about what he missed most about the team now that he's playing against them as a member of the New York Mets.
"The team is what made it," Dozier said. "Oldest team in baseball, all the veterans, we had fun, we knew how to have fun in the locker room, outside, all that kind of stuff and it was game on in between the lines. That was really important and it goes to show you that when you're not playing baseball or whatever down the road, switching teams and all that, the relationships that you have and you build are off the charts and last year was probably the most fun I've had."
Dozier struggled at the plate for most of the year, hitting .238 with 20 home runs and 105 strikeouts over 105 games. He lost his job as the team's starting second baseman to midseason acquisition Asdrúbal Cabrera and had just seven plate appearances in the playoffs.
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But Dozier made his most important impact in the clubhouse. A fluent Spanish speaker, he helped a roster full of Latin Americans gel and feel comfortable letting their personalities flourish. With his own rendition of Pedro Capó's song "Calma" and repeated shirtless playoff celebrations, he did plenty to endear himself to Nationals fans as well.
He may have only played one season in D.C., but it was a season that he won't soon forget.
"That was fun times, man," Dozier said. "I'd do it again for anything. For another ring."
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Brian Dozier on World Series run with Nationals: Id do it again for anything originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
