Opinion of Kingman's Performance

And Now They Are Seven

2012-02-27T12:03:00.003-08:00

Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times always seems to have the scoops about the ownership situation. Here are his tweets from this morning at 9:55 and then at 10:50 AM.

Bidders advancing in #Dodgers sale: Cohen, Magic/Kasten, Hindery/Barrack, Kushner ... and at least two more.

7 #Dodgers bidders still in running: Magic/Kasten, Cohen, Hindery/Barrack, Kushner, Kroenke, Disney/Gold, Casden.

Seven remain and I have my favorite. The criteria I use to select them is quite different from most. Perhaps I’m too picky, but the ideal Dodger owner for me must be a person/s that has tons of money and be a Dodger fan. Someone that loves the franchise. A baseball man that knows who Ron Perranoski, John Roseboro, Wally Moon, Manny Mota, and Jim Brewer is. He should be able to name off all the Dodger Rookies of the year and when asked where the Dodgers finished in 1971, should be able to say they finished 2nd in the West that year one year behind the Giants. Ideally, our owner should understand Dodger history and want to build upon it. He should be someone that hates the Giants, be livid about the Mike Piazza deal and passionate about the club keeping its tradition alive. He should be willing to upgrade Dodger Stadium, strengthen the farm system, rebuild the international scouting departments and ready to spend big money to be competitive year after year. He should be passionate about returning a World Series Championship to Los Angeles. He should also familiar with Los Angeles, having SoCal roots and be understanding of the Los Angeles sports landscape.

As I see the remaining bidders, none seem to fall within the parameters that I mentioned above. Perhaps that’s why I was so keen on a wild card like Josh Macciello. One of the remaining bidders however, meet parts of my criteria, and I can live with that.

Let me start off and say that Cohen and Kushner are out and out carpetbaggers in my opinion. I’d have to be convinced otherwise, but they bring to ownership New York ties and loyalties to other franchises. They aren’t SoCal bred and neither has SoCal roots. How could they possibly be passionate about the team with the exception of the financial gains that could potentially strengthen their financial clout in the world?

Steven Cohen has partnered with Agent Arn Tellem. He has the backing of L.A. institutions Eli Broad and David Geffen. That puts his bid for me a tick above the Kuschner group that I see as a Trump family intrusion into the process.

Tom Barrack of Colonial Capital in Santa Monica and Leo Hindery (the founder of the Yankees cable channel) have teamed up. Barrak’s firm has experience in enhancing professional sports teams values overseas. His firm was able to develop shopping centers and hotels around the ballpark of the Japan Fukuoka team. We all know what the YES network has done for the Yankees value. Perhaps this partnership still being in the running is good news. I prefer them over the two previously mentioned, due to Barrack’s involvement. But honestly, what do we know about them?

The Disney/Gold group has L.A. roots, but what do they know about Dodger baseball and running a sports franchise. Early on, O’Malley was rumored to be a part of them, but it appears that is not so now. There aren’t a lot of facts known about them either that I can find.

Kroenke’s group scares me the most I believe because it appears he is willing to get into bed with McCourt and allow him to retain the lots for a potential NFL team move. Years ago,that seemed like a great idea, but alternative plans have since been made for the NFL in Los Angeles. Anything with McCourt’s stamp on it has to be looked at with a jaundiced eye.

One thing is guaranteed. If you enter in to an agreement with McCourt to continue a business relationship with him, it is only a matter of time before he goes litigious on you. It’s a given, you will be sued sooner or later. Any owner doing their due diligence in preparing for this purchase must know that they need to steer clear of that man and his entities once the sale is complete.

Local developer Alan Casden remains. Reports are that his group doesn’t have the financial muscle as the New York groups. He also has a history in a previous attempt to land the team of saying that Dodger Stadium needs to be razed. I am actually open to that option only because of McCourt’s insistence to holding on to the parking lots. It has been reported by Shaikin in the past that the new owner is required to sign a lease through 2030 to McCourt for use of the parking lots. So there is uncertainty as to where this issue stands with regard to the remaining bidders. I am in agreement with Bob Daly who said last month that anybody purchasing the team without the parking lots would be absolutely crazy. Has Casden changed his tune and decided to continue to bid for the club and pay McCourt’s BlueLandCo entity $14 million per season?

So who does that leave remaining? My personal favorite: Magic Johnson and Stan Kasten. I believe that Magic has handled the situation in the wisest fashion. He has said nothing but positives about McCourt, knowing full well that Frank is the man that will be picking the new owner. He has remained tight lipped about everything. His silence has been deafening. He did his homework and has surrounded himself with a sound baseball man and the Guggenheim group that is loaded with money. He’s a L.A. institution and he is excited to develop a winner and save the Dodgers. Magic has a history of turning troubled entities into profitable and growing businesses. Johnson understands the meaning of the Dodgers to the Los Angles landscape.

Frankly, I believe that we all need to get behind the Magic Johnson bid. MLB should be thrilled with the potential of an African American businessman, with Los Angeles ties, as the Dodgers owner. Viva Magic! I’m on board.

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Cool to see Dee Gordon hanging out with Maury Wills and Davey Lopes. Hopefully he soaks in as much information as possible. Prediction: This trio will have accumulated 2,000 stolen bags by the end of Gordon's career.

Andre with an Attitude

2012-02-25T20:47:00.002-08:00

In the few personal encounters I have had with Andre Ethier, he has been polite and friendly. He has been nothing but kind to me when talking with him and I like him, but I must say that the story out of Camelback Ranch of his arrival to camp today is disturbing.

(Link to Tony Jackson's story at ESPN Los Angeles)

What is Andre thinking? The press corp. in Los Angeles is rather tame when compared to some other Major League cities who would have run him out of town for his subpar seasons the last two years. He arrived at Spring Training with an unfriendly demeanor and total attitude. All they did was simply ask him routine questions. Real tough questions. Controversial stuff like, “How was your winter?” and “How is the knee doing?”

I don’t understand this guy sometimes. He whined last year and took his attitude to the press when he claimed the Dodgers were forcing him to play hurt. Then he got upset when they do their job, which was to simply report the story. Nobody was out to screw him over. They just told Coming in to Spring Training with an attitude isn’t the greatest way to start off the year. I would say that perhaps Ethier just had a bad day, but he has a history of being an unpredictable and ornery guy.

It’ll be interesting when the eventual inevitable comes and he signs with Boston, Philadelphia or New York. Dealing with the demanding writers back there will definitely be a wake up call for Ethier. Imagine how he’ll be treated by the Red Sox faithful when he continues to hit .220 off of left handers with a .258 OBP while drawing a salary of $12 or $13 million per year. They will crucify him. Some guys don’t realize how nice they have things until they depart.

I would suggest that someone have a chat with Ethier, but he’s no kid anymore. He’s a veteran and a seasoned all-star. He should know better and he should have learned from his past mistakes. How dare the writers say “good morning” to him?

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If Frank McCourt keeps the parking lots, and the parking lots are not under bankruptcy protection, can’t Bryan Stow and his lawyers go after that McCourt entity? The crime occurred in the lots, where there was insufficient security and lighting. Perhaps Stow’s attorneys should simply sue BlueLandCo. and abandon a suit against the Los Angeles Dodgers. BlueLand Co was the only McCourt entity that apparently is in the black and is profiting.

No Parking Lots? Then It's Time to Move

2012-02-24T11:53:00.002-08:00

If the new owner of the Dodgers is unable to purchase the parking lots along with the team and all other Dodger properties, would you be opposed to them leaving Dodger Stadium?

I absolutely love Dodger Stadium. It is heaven on earth in many respects. I know it as a magical place with so many enjoyable memories over the years. There is almost nothing as breath taking as Dodger Stadium at dusk, with the San Gabriel's in the background and mystic colors and luminescent glow as the sky transcends from blue. to orange, to purple, and then the darkness of night. But I dislike what McCourt has done so much that I’d throw that all away and approve of a move to new digs if we could rid ourselves of the man. It takes a high level of anger and loathing to get to that position in my mind, but that's where I am. If the new owner of the Dodgers is unable to purchase the parking lots along with the team, would you be opposed to them leaving Dodger Stadium?

If given a choice, which option would you select:

1 - New owner with deep pockets, but he has to remain at Dodger Stadium with McCourt owning the parking lots.

2 - New owner that builds a new downtown stadium and moves away from Dodger Stadium rather than being held hostage and have to allow McCourt to collect parking revenues.

I would go for option two. The ideal situation would be:

3 -New owner, buys the team and the parking lots who agrees to refurbish 51 year old Dodger Stadium.

Unfortunately, as evidenced by Caruso/Torre’s withdrawal yesterday, option number three appears to be off the table.

If Frank McCourt continues to collect revenues off of the Dodgers, there is a large segment of fans, (a very large segment in fact), that will have nothing to do with the team. Look at the other blogs, the venom of fans and bloggers is evident. The man is as despised as any person ever in Los Angeles. There are many that will give up the Dodgers rather than put more money into McCourt’s coffers.

Best to leave Frank McCourt with acreage of parking and an empty aging Stadium smack dab in the middle of it. If Kroneke is striking a deal to buy the team and not the lots, with visions of using McCourt to build a football stadium for his Rams in the parking lot, it'll be a big mistake. He’ll be extremely surprised at the outcry and opposition to such a maneuver.

Swap meets and used car sales may be the way of the future for that real estate. Perhaps Mr. McCourt can gets some ideas from the Wayans brothers in this "In Living Color" clip from Dodger Stadium.

How Much Playing Time Will Tony Gwynn Jr. See This Year?

2012-02-23T14:48:00.001-08:00

136 games, 340 plate appearances. That is the in game action that Tony Gwynn Jr. saw last year. His role was valuable, and often times as a late inning replacement or pinch hitter. By my count, Dan Mattingly used him in that role for 70 games last season, meaning he was written into the starting lineup only 66 times.

That’s a role Gwynn will fill again this year, unless the team is plagued with injuries, Tony most likely won’t see as much action. Why? Well there are too many outfielders: Kemp, Ethier, Sands, Rivera and then there is Hairston that can move out there in a pinch too.

Tony was valued as a defensive replacement, a role I see him continuing to play in 2012. Though his UZR reduced substantially from his lead leading numbers the year before, I certainly didn't visibly notice a deterioration in his defensive range and overall skill out there. Gwynn mostly saw action in left field where he saved a game or two with some spectacular defensive plays as recorded by Bobby Crosby at Dodgerfilms on April 29th.

Entering into last season’s 2011 campaign, all of us would have been happy with the numbers Gwynn gave us especially after awful 2010 season with the Padres:

340 PA, 37 R , 80 H, 12 2B, 6 3B, 2 HR, .256 AVG, 22/28 SB, .308 OBP

Gwynn proved to be a valuable addition not only as a defensive replacement, but as a guy that could provide speed on the base paths as a pinch runner and with the occasional pinch hit. Twenty two stolen bags at a 79% success rate was more than we ever could have expected from Gwynn, who is 29 this year. Then there are the intangible values of Tony that he brings to the clubhouse. Positives that are immeasurable and they even included Tony Sr’s presence that was helpful to such vets as Matt Kemp.

Had Gwynn delivered and convinced Prince Fielder to sign with the club, he would have been even more influential, by bringing another solid piece to the team. We had read about it this week. He certainly tried. It is no secret that their friendship influenced Fielder in seriously looking at the Dodgers. It wasn’t to be, but it was closer than we thought.

Overall - I’m happy that Gwynn as a Dodger. I think he is an ideal reserve outfielder because of his defense, speed, knowledge and presence. Last but not least, having once been a San Diego resident enduring the constant Dodger loathing from the Padre faithful, I get extra joy in knowing that it must be really hacking off Friar fans that Gwynn is thriving in Dodger blue.

Sometimes you can’t make this stuff up

2012-02-22T11:51:00.003-08:00

On the day, pitchers and catchers reported, you’d think that I’d have something interesting to say about the events in Glendale, AZ yesterday, but sometimes fate intervenes.

I was working at San Francisco Airport last night, and I stepped out into the general public area and who do I see? One of my best friends that I grew up with, my Strat-O-Matic buddy, baseball/basketball/football whatever sport was in season pal from all those years ago...about to step on an escalator heading to his flight.

“Mike, what the heck are you doing here?” I yelled in excitement. “Who are you?” he said. (Yeah, I’ve put on some lbs). “It’s me, Evan,” I answered. He had this look of bewilderment. I mean, after all, I was in full uniform, badge, gun and all. He’d never seen me in all my law enforcement officer glory. Plus, it has been about 13 years since we saw each other. But then you could see it in his eyes, the recognition kicked in. “Evan! Wow, what are the odds you’d pop up right here at this exact moment?”

Ralph Lawler and Mike Smith, Clipper Pre-Game Show at Fox Sports

I have to admit, the coincidence was quite amazing. The fact that I randomly picked that precise moment to walk out onto the main airport concourse, in that particular spot in a very large airport. Well the chances of running into him were about a million to one. Literally. But then again, now that I think about it, 15 years ago at this very same airport, I ran into his brother Clark too, so maybe its time to admit these run-ins as fate and not luck.

“Isn’t it amazing how much we look like our dads now?” he said. He was right, though I’d have to admit, he’s quite the dapper guy. Mike has actually kept his age very well and he’s looking pretty good for a guy in his late 40s. But I wasn’t going to argue that he's better looking than me. “You’ve got that right Mike,” I said. “What are you doing in town?” I should have known the answer, but I just don’t follow the NBA like I used to. “Well I was calling the Clipper game last night,” he said.

Yes, my buddy, the one from so many years ago when we were Little league age. Well he kinda made it big. At least big compared to me I should say. When I say big, I mean 6’ 10” big, National Male High School Athlete of the Year 3 Sports Star big, NCAA All American big, NBA first round pick (13th player selected) big, Boston Celtic big, European Spanish League Scoring Title Big, and finally Los Angeles Clipper Broadcaster for 8 years (Ralph Lawler’s partner of 4 years) big. And I’ll take ALL the credit too. Ask his mom, Marie...she told me so a few years back, that I got him into sports at a young age. I have a hard time believing that, knowing how competitive he and his older brother Clark were, but if she says so, who am I to argue?

A few months back I wanted to write this article. I wanted to tell the story of two boys that grew up eating, drinking, breathing all things sports. And how one of them made it big and the other got to be fairly good in his work softball league. One of them, (that would be me), just sat back and enjoyed watching his buddy from a distance as he gained fame and excelled in the game. I used to bring a transistor radio in to work and listen to his college basketball games that I could pick it up up on scratchy frequencies from the desert border outpost I worked at in the late 80‘s. I’d watch Sportscenter for glimpses of him in NBA games, even if it would be just a brief view of him sitting on the bench. His career has been watched by me from afar for years. Now I get to see him in action from the announcer's chair.

Though Mike and I haven’t remained in contact, our friendship remains after all these years. I believe if I had reached out and tried to remain in constant communication, it would have happened, but I never thought it was my place to bother a very busy guy. “He certainly deserved his space,” I thought.

Mike Smith in his BYU days

A few months ago, a reader of this blog named Jedd Parkinson, saw that I mentioned in a post that I follow BYU sports and he fired off an email to me. It turns out that he writes for a BYU Sports publication (Total Blue Sports) and the was kind enough to comp me a subscription. I gave him permission to use my Al Davis/Dodgers Connections article that I posted a few months back. I mentioned that BYU All American Basketball sensation from the 80s, Mike Smith and I knew each other from way back and I told him that perhaps one day I’d write a story about our friendship. At the time I thought it would be a good read, but I needed to seek out Mike first and get his permission to write such a piece. So, with that urging, I found time to write him a few months ago and I fired an email off to Mike because I wanted permission to tell this story.

I hoped that the email address was still good after 10+ years. And guess what? It was and he quickly answered back. He's still the same guy. No changes as far as I could tell. He cherishes that childhood we shared just as much as I. Mike told me to go ahead and write about our experiences. Then he reminisced about our days as kids, giving me even more ideas for material, even mentioning stuff I had forgotten about, such as: breaking down in my brother’s old triumph sports car on our way back from a Dodger game in El Monte near Legg Lake on the Pomona Freeway, briefly meeting Walter O’Malley at the Sunset entrance to Dodger Stadium, his strange Strat-O-Matic baseball strategies and our replacing “split cards” with a spinning wheel (a precursor to “Wheel of Fortune”) in the game. Which is something that only an experienced “Strat” player would understand. I put the idea of the post on the back burner. Waited for the appropriate moment. I told him it would be neat if we could meet up when the Clippers came to the Bay Area to play the Warriors...Oops, I kind of forgot about that mini commitment until last night.

When we were young, baseball was such a big part of our lives. Summers were spent basking in the sun on playing fields. And we had competitive games. None of this little pansy stuff. We went all out. Good old country hardball. Mike was three years younger, but he played with my age group, and he was better than us by far. We developed a ball made out of contact paper tape that worked just perfect for our back yard. The size and weight was hardball size. If you made contact and hit a window, the tape ball would rarely penetrate through glass. (We only broke one window in all those years, and it was a real wallop too). If you got plunked by a fastball, you had a nice bruise and would be black and blue. We played tape ball in my back yard for years and we had absolute wars back there. Beanball wars, base stealing, pick off plays, legit homers. It was a great fun, very competitive there’s no doubt. Since we’d fill the ball with rolls of paper and contact paper backing, there were times if you really hit it good, it would breaking into a bunch of pieces, making the intrigue of tape ball even more interesting.

When our families went together on vacation. The girls attended this music camp (violin), that Mike’s mom would teach. The boys and dads. Well we went out and played a week straight of over-the-line and good old country hardball. I think we all developed our cat like reflexes from playing ball at close distances and fielding absolute shots from less than 40-50 feet away. We experienced baseball nirvana for a week at a time on those vacations in San Diego or Lake Elsinore. And then when we’d return to our campsite where we had all pitched tents, we made a makeshift baseball diamond there too. We couldn’t get enough of it. The Stat-O-Matic baseball board game was a big part of our lives, I addressed it in a previous post back in October. LINKED HERE

Dodger games were a part of that childhood and that meant frequenting the Left Field Pavilion where it was $1.75 for kids admittance. My older brother Taylor would take us as he had just received his driver’s license. We’d rush in when the gates opened and run up and down the rows picking up batting practice home run balls. We’d lean over the bullpen wall and talk to the likes of Jim Brewer and Charlie Hough, but Mike Marshall wouldn’t acknowledge our existence. We devoured Dodger Dogs, listened intently to Vin Scully and meticulously watched every pitch of every game. We visited with Francis Freidman out in left center field where she told us stories of Dodger lore from seasons past. Heck, she was famous to us. She was a regular on Bud Furillo’s Dodger Talk on KABC. Those were special times and 1974 was a season we’d never forget as the Dodgers won the pennant.

I always sensed that Mike would make it to the highest level in sports. As he grew into adolescence, there was no doubt that he would rise to prominence. As a kid he had always made All- Star teams in every league he participated in. Basketball was the game he really excelled at, and with his enormous size and incredible shooting touch, he was recruited by all the big names: Bobby Knight, Coach K., Dean Smith. He could have written his ticket to almost any school in the nation, and they wanted him desperately. He was by far the most sought after prep athlete in Southern California in 1983.

While Mike was quarterbacking Los Altos High School to the CIF championship, he broke a lot of CIF records with that pass happy ofense. He threw 8 TD passes in one game, setting what were then CIF records for passing yardage, attempts, touchdown passes, and completions, breaking Pat Haden’s marks. And football wasn’t even his best sport. Mike had this golden arm and I’m fairly certain, had he gone the baseball route, he would have been a Randy Johnson type of pitcher. They certainly couldn’t touch him in Little League. But he steered away from baseball and basketball was the natural route for him, with his height and dominance. He always could shoot. Heck he led the NCAA in free throw percentage his senior year. An amazing volleyball player, I have no doubt that he could have made the Olympic team in that sport with his size, strength and touch.

I always felt that he Mike didn’t get a fair shake in the NBA. There are politics involved in all fields and Mike isn’t the type of guy that will make excuses, but I’ll say it. The press gave him some unjust labels in Boston when he was with the Celtics, and he got an unfair shake in the process. I don’t think he went into Boston fully understanding the rabid fan base and ruthless nature of the local media there. He decided that he needed to bulk up his slender frame with some additional weight and muscle before his first NBA campaign. That turned out to be a big mistake as Mike had difficulty adjusting to his new body size. Injuries resulted and he got off to a poor start. The press labeled him as lazy when the reality of the situation was he was just the opposite. He over did it in the weight room from too much preparation and it forced him to sit and heal at the beginning during training camp. Some reporters took his inactivity during the healing process and reported him to have a poor work ethic. By mid season though, his injuries began to subside and he got some playing time. They played him for a good stretch in his rookie year, he started in 7 consecutive games in February in March where he scored 16, 24, 21,12,16, and 11. It was a good run but coaching changes occurred and the stigma of the slow start stayed with him. Within three years he was cut and out of the NBA. So Mike took off to Europe, where he absolutely dominated the Spanish League.

Years ago, I actually lucked out and pulled Mike's only basketball card out of the first pack I bought. As I opened the pack, the first card displayed was Michael Jordan, and the second card was Mike's. Another moment of fate? What were the odds of that happening?

I’ll never forget watching him play for the Celtics, coming in to L.A., to take on Magic and the Lakers. Mike, who grew up a Laker fan, was now wearing the hated green shamrocks on his trunks. You talk about mixed feelings. I was rooting for the Lakers, but when Mike came in...I was rooting for him to do well. He didn’t see much playing time, just two minutes in fact, but at the end of the third quarter, he was inserted into the game. As seconds dwindled down at the end of the quarter, he lofted a jumper over the outstretched hand of Magic Johnson and the buzzer sounded, “swish.” Feb. 28, 1990. “Mike had really made it to the big time,” I thought. I was living my dream through him.

During that basketball off-season, my brother Taylor set up a reunion for us all at the Left Field Pavilion. I was living in San Diego at the time, so after getting off work and packing up my young kids, we drove up to L.A. and arrived later than I wanted (which would be when the gates opened), but met up with my brother and his family and Mike too. He kind of stood out. Easy to spot the near 7 footer, sitting there in the outfield seats. We told stories, laughed a lot, remembered some of the heckling we used to do of opposing players like in the old days. (i.e. "Hey Luzinski, mix in a salad now and then!). Mike even told me that when he entered through the turnstile, the ticket taker said to him, “Wow, you’re a tall one, you outta play for the Lakers.” Little did she know she was talking to a Celtic.

He told us stories of how life was in the the NBA. What it was like to have Larry Bird as a teammate. How he still was a Laker fan, even playing for the hated Celts. It was a fantastic day, and the last time I really got to sit down and chat with Mike, until I had 15 minutes with him today as he waited for his plane to be boarded. Having law enforcement privileges at the airport, I was able to accompany him all the way to his gate, just like we all used to do in the old days. It took a while for him to get through TSA, where they really put him through the ringer and confiscated his Old Spice.

We sat down and chatted. We talked about friends, our family, our parents, our kids, work, life in general. There wasn’t enough time. I told him about the Dodger Blogger tournament and mentioned some of the participants on our team, many of whom he knew. He seemed to enjoy that. I mentioned that I get a kick out of seeing him on Fox Sports all the time and that his work is great...and I really mean it. He works hard, does his homework and you can tell that he puts time into his craft.

We mentioned the hardships we had each endured in life. The unexpected turns that our years on earth take us. What it is like to grow old. His plane was boarding, and I knew he had to go. I pulled out my I-Phone and we posed for a picture. He said something funny right at that moment and I laughed, making my face a contorted mess as I snapped the photo (Oh, well).

I said, “well, I guess we’ll run into each other in another 15 years.”

“I hope it’s sooner than that Evan,” he answered.

We shook hands and I waved goodbye to my childhood friend, the kid I had spent so many hours pitching batting practice to. “I hope so too,” I thought, as I turned and went back to the terminal. I had to get back to work.

The Role of the Closer

2012-02-21T15:03:00.000-08:00

Eckersley's success as a one-inning closer changed the game

Tony LaRussa changed the game in the late 80’s when while managing the Oakland A’s, he converted Dennis Eckersley into a 9th inning closer. Prior to that time, closers would regularly take the ball as early as the 6th and 7th innings. The extreme success that the A’s had with Eckersley changed the game. The mindset of managers developed into one that created the one-inning save. Look at the closers that were at the top of the game before then. Gossage, Sutter, Fingers, Marshall, Tekulve, Lyle, Quisenberry. They all would regularly go more than one inning and at times as many as three or four.

Former Yankee closer, Sparky Lyle

The successful LaRussa experiment has resulted in creating a number of one-inning closers. Guys like Hoffman, Rivera, Percival, Wagner and Nen. Some of which are shoe-in hall of famers.

In today’s game, all teams have a 9th inning guy (the closer), and 8th inning guy, a 7th inning guy and then the lefty specialists and the righty specialists and a mop up long reliever. If there was ever to be a change for the good of the game, I would think it would be a re-thinking of the way managers handle bullpens and clutch situations in the late innings.

Let’s look at the Dodgers from 2002-2004. We all know that Eric Gagne was next to unhittable. He had what is known as the greatest run for a reliever in the history of the game. Unfortunately for us, Dodger manager Jim Tracy used Eric as all managers of this era do...by the book. Had he done things differently, he may have been able to steal a few more wins during that spectacular streak Gagne had.

A little known record that Eric Gagne set was tying Tom Seaver for most consecutive strikeouts. Seaver did it in one game (against the Padres in 1970) but Gagne struck out 10 consecutive Rockies and Marlins over a 4 game span from May 17-21, 2003. Elias lists no official rcocrd for consecutive k's over multiple games.

Gagne was used to strictly close out games. My argument against that is that it isn’t always wise to save your best relief pitcher for the 9th inning. There are times when he should be used earlier and failure to do so is the cause of a lot of late inning losses. Why use your 3rd or 4th best reliever in a clutch situation in the 6th or 7th inning that is a pivotal moment that often decides the game.

Look at it this way. If your team is up 3-2 in the seventh inning and your opposition has runners in scoring position with less than two out, with the heart of a lineup coming to bat, why not insert your fireballing, lights out closer, to shut down the big inning? It makes perfect sense to me. Worry about the ninth inning when the ninth inning arrives. It is very possible that the ninth inning turns out to be an inning that is less challenging and more appropriate for another reliever. I’d much rather have Eric Gagne in his prime closing out a threat in the seventh than entering the ninth inning with a clean slate and no one on base. We saw it dozens of times with Gagne, the three out save that was a breeze, but a guy like Martin, Shuey or Carrara had to go out in an earlier clutch situation that was probably more better suited for a great reliever like Gagne.

Of course, each situation needs to be appropriately evaluated. But in an eighth inning of a close game facing a Philadelphia trio of Utley, Howard and Pence, I’d much rather put my best reliever out there to face them than save him for the ninth when Polanco, Ibanez and Ruiz are coming to the plate. Every situation is different and there may be a need to go with a reliever that serves up ground balls in certain situations and maybe a strikeout artist closer isn’t always the answer, but more often than not, I want my closer out there in the tense “game on the line” situations.

To that end, I believe that Dodgers are actually in a good position by naming Javy Guerra as their closer, who in my opinion is inferior in talent to Kenley Jansen. Don’t get me wrong, I believe Guerra is very good, but I’d rather have Jansen out there in crucial game deciding moments than Javy. With Jansen entering games at an earlier moment, often times with runners on base and the game on the line in the 7th or 8th, Mattingly is inserting his best reliever in clutch situations more often. Nine times out of ten, Guerra will enter the ninth inning of a save situation with nobody on base.

Tyler Clippard of Washington led the league in "holds" with 38. He sported a 1.83 ERA over 88 innings of work in 2011.

For that reason I argue that the “hold” can actually be much more valuable statistic than the over-rated “save” stat. In a stat driven sport like baseball, “saves” are a lot sexier that “holds.” This means that it is doubtful that things will change because the save has become such a over-hyped statistic. Salaries play a big part of this too. A closer with 50 saves is bound to sign a more lucrative contract that a skilled reliever that leads the league in “holds.”

For a manager to really make a difference and steal a few extra wins, outside of the box thinking is needed. I’d love to see someone like Mattingly develop this mindset. By naming Guerra the closer, he just may have adopted this way of thinking without even realizing it.

President's Day

2012-02-20T11:44:00.000-08:00

Some say to not mix politics with sports. If you truly think about it, polar opposites on the political spectrum can unify in heart when it comes to rooting for the Dodgers. I can imagine Rob Reiner embracing Arnold Schwarzennegger following an emotional Dodger victory. In fact, it may have actually happened.

In the course of my participation in Dodger related message boards and blogs, from time to time political discussion has raised its ugly head. I have found it surprising that someone that I get along and agree with 100% when it comes to Dodger baseball may have a political position or opinion that is 180 degrees apart from my own.

Baseball does indeed unify the strangest of bedfellows. I figure that if I ever want to lose readership, all I need to do is start expressing political opinion over here.

So on this President's Day, without pointing to political ideology , I'll keep things down the middle and we'll look at photographs of Presidential connections to the Dodgers over the years.

Ronald W. Reagan

Vin Scully and Ronald Reagan at the 1989 All Star Game, Anaheim, CA.

Photo with Ronald Reagan and the 88 Dodgers who presented him with a bat and jersey. Interesting to note that Don Sutton, who the Dodgers released at mid-season , was present at the Rose Garden meeting. Others identified are Mike Scioscia, Jay Howell, Tommy Lasorda and Orel Hershiser.

William Jefferson Clinton

1997 Shea Stadium, Bill Clinton addresses the first ever jackie Robinson day crowd with Rachel Robinson and Bud Selig looking on.

2005 photo of Pres. Clinton with Tommy Lasorda and George Steinbrenner

Dwight D. Eisenhower

President Dwight D. Eisenhower throws out the ceremonial first pitch at the 1956 World Series at Ebbets Field. Looking on are managers Casey Stengel and Walter Alston.

Barack H. Obama

President Obama and Don Newcombe meet in Los Angeles in April, 2010. Obama is quoted as saying, "I would not be here if it were not for Jackie and it were not for Don Newcombe."

Gary Carter's First Game at Dodger Stadium

2012-02-16T22:25:00.000-08:00

Rookie Gary Carter in 1975

Gary Carter was a good man and the world is a lessor place today with his passing. A player with an infectious smile and a man that lived with tremendous faith. Everyone that came in contact with him has positive things to say. He was a man that knew the proper priorities in life and put his family first. He was a Hall of Famer in life as well as baseball.

The "Kid" was a SoCal phenomenom, out of Fullerton's Sunny Hills High School, and many of us were aware of him before his arrival to the big leagues. Starting the '75 season for Montreal in right field the day before his 21st birthday, Gary went 3 for 4 with a homer on opening day. By May 12th, veteran Expo Manager Gene Mauch decided that the enthusiastic "kid" was to replace journeyman catcher Barry Foote behind the dish. I remember attending his first Major League game in Southern California. Many were excited to see the young local boy start his first game at Dodger Stadium. It was June 9, 1975. I'm sure for Gary, it was to be a special night. It didn't turn out that way. As you can see by the box score.

Montreal

Batting AB R H RBI BB SO BA OPS

Mangual CF 4 0 0 0 0 2 .270 .697

Lintz 2B 4 0 0 0 0 1 .242 .578

Coggins RF 3 0 1 0 1 0 .286 .734

Biitner LF 4 0 2 0 0 0 .383 .901

Jorgnsen 1B 3 0 0 0 1 1 .229 .729

Scanlon 3B 4 0 0 0 0 1 .244 .764

Carter C 4 0 0 0 0 4 .262 .768

Foli SS 2 0 1 0 1 0 .222 .546

Fryman P 2 0 0 0 0 2 .174 .469

DeNola P 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000

Bailey PH 1 0 0 0 0 1 .212 .536

Taylor P 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000

Totals 31 0 4 0 3 12 .129 .335

TB: L Biitner 2; R Coggins; T Foli.

Team LOB: 7.

With RISP: 0 for 4

Los Angeles

Batting AB R H RBI BB SO BA OPS

Lopes 2B 4 0 0 0 0 1 .249 .723

Paciorek LF 4 0 0 0 0 0 .183 .494

Wynn CF 3 2 2 1 1 0 .286 .961

Cruz PR-CF 0 0 0 0 0 0 .235 .542

Garvey 1B 4 1 1 1 0 1 .321 .824

Cey 3B 4 0 1 1 0 0 .269 .788

Ferguson RF 3 0 1 0 1 0 .199 .628

Yeager C 2 1 1 0 1 0 .210 .586

Auerbach SS3 0 1 1 0 0 .191 .536

Messrsmth P 3 0 0 0 0 1 .283 .676

Totals 30 4 7 4 3 3 .233 .736

2B: R Auerbach (8, off W Fryman)

3B: S Garvey (4, off W Fryman).

HR: J Wynn (12, off W Fryman; 5th inn. 0 on, 1 out to LF).

SH: S Yeager (2, off D DeMola).

TB: J Wynn 5; S Garvey 3; R Auerbach 2; J Ferguson; R Cey; S Yeager.

RBI: R Auerbach (10); R Cey (33); J Wynn (36); S Garvey (38).

2-out RBI: S Garvey; R Cey.

Team LOB: 6.

With RISP: 1 for 6.

Montreal

Pitching IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA BF

Fryman, L (5-3) 5 5 4 4 3 1 1 2.78 23

DeMola 2 2 0 0 0 2 0 2.88 8

C Taylor 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4.28 3

Totals 8 7 4 4 3 3 1 4.50 34

Los Angeles

Pitching IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA BF

Messrsmth 9 4 0 0 3 12 0 1.90 34

W, (9-2)

Totals 9 4 0 0 3 12 0 0.00 34

Balks: None.

WP: None.

HBP: None.

IBB: None.

Pickoffs: None.

Umpires: HP - Andy Olsen, 1B - Terry Tata, 2B - Ed Sudol, 3B - Bill Williams.

Time of Game: 1:57.

Attendance: 22,701

*********************************************

With family and friends in attendance and excitement and butterflies in his belly, Gary struck out four times against veteran pitcher Andy Messersmith who threw a 4 hit shutout in less than two hours. I'll never forget the kid in his final at bat in the bottom of the ninth. With the Dodgers up 4-0, the Expos mounted their first threat of the night. Messersmith had walked the first batter and then gave up a single to Larry Biitner. After retiring the next two hitters, the young rookie eagerly stepped to the plate amongst a lot of fanfare. He wanted to redeem himself desperately and there was a lot of excitement in the air. Carter swung from the heals on two pitches as any eager Rookie would, coming up empty and then Messersmith pulled the string on a slow breaking ball that hit the corner, faking Gary out of his shoes as he took it for a called third strike to end the game. Home plate umpire Andy Olsen emphatically called him out and the crowd went wild as the Dodgers ran off the field victorious.

Carter twisted and swung his bat in the air in frustration as he complained at the called third strike and stomped back to the dugout. Many in the crowd laughed as the young rookie ended his disastrous home town debut in dramatic fashion.

The next night was more favorable to Gary as he went 1 for 3 in an Expo 5-4 victory over the Dodgers.

I was hoping to have the opportunity to one day talk to Gary about that first night against the Dodgers that I witnessed. I even had purchased an Carter Expo jersey made by Mitchell and Ness and was ready to purchase a ticket for a signing last May at the San Francisco Cow Palace where he was to appear. Sadly, his illness surfaced and the cancellation was in order.

I sent Gary a get well card, and hoped and prayed for him and his family. Fullerton mourns the loss of one of their great sons. Fellow Fullerton Hall of Famer Walter Johnson now has a batterymate to catch that slinshot blazing fastball of his. Rest in Peace Gary, you were one of the greatest.

Everyone Else is Writing About Ethier, So Why Not Pile On?

2012-02-16T11:31:00.000-08:00

Steve Dilbeck put out a piece yesterday in the LA TImes blog saying that the Dodgers should sign the always moody Andre Ethier to a multi-year deal now before he becomes a free agent at the end of this season. He makes a good point that they could probably ink him to a favorable multi-year deal now since he's coming off a sub par injury plagued season. Adding that if he gets off to a tear this year, he just might price himself out of the Dodger market.

Mike Petriello opines that Andre needs to have a successful year to sign for decent money in 2013. He believes that for Ethier personally, this may be his big chance for a big payday, and that there aren't many players of his caliber that will be available on the free agent market.

I'm sure I'll take some heat for my opinion here but as much as I think a lot of Ethier and will admit that he is probably one of the greatest clutch hitters that ever wore a Dodger uniform, I believe that signing Andre to a long term deal might be a bad idea. Here’s why:

He can’t hit southpaws. Look at the numbers. They are so bad that it makes perfect sense to platoon Ethier and have him only face righties,. For 2011 his numbers against left handed pitching were: .220 BA, .258 OBP, .305 SLG, 1 homer in 151 PA. Previous seasons aren't much better. As much as I believe Larry Bowa was a negative influence on the Dodger clubhouse during his tenure as their third base coach, he was spot on accurate a year ago in January when talking about the Dodgers 2010 season. He made the following statement on the MLB network before last season began: “Loney and Ethier hit a total of five home runs last year off left handed pitching. It got so bad from the 7th inning on, all the other manager would do was bring in another left hander to face them, in the middle of an inning, it didn’t matter who, because they struggled.”
His defense is shaky. Yes, I know he got the gold glove award, but for the life of me, I can’t figure out how unless voters are basing it solely on fielding percentage, which for Ethier was 1.000 in 2011. The reality of the situation is that Ethier’s defense has been suspect for years. Yes, he can hold his own, but it has never been much to write home about. I’ll admit that his UZR improved in 2011, but we all know he is best suited as a left fielder and for some crazy reason, he carries enough clout on this team to be granted the right field slot without question. And that pouting that Ethier does to get his way is addressed in my fourth point below.
The Dodgers have Jerry Sands waiting in the wings who proved in September that he is ready to step in and be a respectable power hitter in the big leagues. Additionally Jerry runs better, fields better and potentially will have more power. Ideally, the Dodger outfield should be Sands in right, Kemp in center and Ethier in left, but with Rivera signed for big dollars, Sands may unfortunately be heading back to Albuquerque.
Ethier has foot in the mouth disease and pouts when unhappy. He said at the eve of opening day last season that “this might be my last year as a Dodger,” insinuating he might be non-tendered after the season...which was a ridiculous assumption. He later hinted that he wanted to play with his buddy Pedroia in Boston at the trade deadline. He whined to T.J. Simers that Dodger management was forcing him to play hurt (which was news to Mattingly). It’ll be interesting if Mattingly is able to put being backstabbed in the public eye behind him, because he was obviously perturbed by Ethier’s comments last August saying :“I talked to ’Dre about it to see if he felt that the way it came out was accurate. To me, the way I read it, was that ’Dre’s been telling us he can’t play and we just said: ‘Well, you’re playing, anyway.’ And that’s definitely not the case. I would never do that. That’s not part of my DNA. To me, that takes a shot at my integrity, the organization, the training staff, and Ned. But it really gets back to me, personally — that I would put a guy out there that was hurt and was taking a shot at hurting his career. I would never do that. And I told ’Dre that, too.” Ethier, for being a veteran guy, hasn’t learned to keep is mouth shut at the appropriate moments.
Turning 30 years old in April, his best years are behind him. Statistics prove it. The peak years are 26-28. Ethier is the perfect example of those being peak years for most major league players, because that has been the experience of his career.
Last year he proved to be is injury prone. The pinky finger and then the knee. Hopefully 2011 was an anomaly on his career and is not a sign of things to come.

I’ll admit though, Andre is one of my favorites. He cares, he wants to win and he is gritty. I want nearly all of my six points above to be wrong (the exception being Jerry Sands playing every day), but a lot of things will have to fall into place for Andre to step outside the norm and have a spectacular 2012.

You’ll meet no nicer Dodger when signing for the fans. I have seen him with children and he's great. He gives of his time and he's an exceptional role model. I just wish he could hit lefties.

An Anniversary Worth Noting

2012-02-13T22:45:00.002-08:00

In about a week, it will be the 65th anniversary of an interesting footnote in Dodger History. On February 20, 1947, the Dodgers arrived in Havana Cuba for Spring Training. Many remember 1947 Spring training as the year the Dodgers spent in Havana and as the Spring Training intended to groom Jackie Robinson for the Major League Roster. And that was partially true. The distractions of racial tensions would not fester during the Spring Training games on the island. Cuba had, after all, integrated their baseball league in 1900, a full 47 years earlier. What few people recall about the Dodgers arrival in Cuba that year was that they were not greeted with much fanfare. The fact was they were pretty much ignored by the Cuban baseball faithful. They had other things that occupied their interest.

Jackie Robinson signs autographs during Spring Training in Havana, Cuba, a few months before his Major League debut in 1947.

In 1947, the Cuban Baseball League had a fierce championship series being contested between the two Cuban baseball powerhouses at the time. The Havana Reds (known as the Leones), and the Almendares Blues (Scorpions). These teams had been battling each other as far back as the 1870s with a rivalry that was as emotional and contentious as any Dodger/Giant battle.

Almendares had made a stunning comeback at season’s end to reach the final against Havana, being 6 1/2 games behind with 13 to play. They were able to tie Havana in the standings by the end of the regular season. The final game was on February 25, 1947 and 40,000 fans packed into the Gran Estadio de la Havana which was about 5,000 over capacity. The Stadium was of Major League caliber and only a year old, complete with modern lights and a perfectly manicured playing surface. Almendares won behind a complete game by South Carolina Native and former St. Louis Cardinal Max Lanier who won his second game in three days by accepting $500 to pitch on one day of rest.

As the Dodgers attempted to get their work in, there were celbrations in the streets of Havana celebrating the Blues victory. Hall of Famer Buck O’Neill was a first baseman for Almendares and he described the scene as euphoric. “Whew, they turned out...everybody was excited. They had people riding all over the streets on top of cars, hanging onto streetcars, blowing horns, with ribbons and banners and everything. Oh, Havana, was outstanding really.”

With the Dodgers ignored by the locals, they went about their business for season preparation while Cuban broadcaster Felo Ramirez described the final series game as tense. “Cuba was paralized,” he said. “The country shut down...no one worked that day.” And following the game? “Bedlam” was the word used to describe it.

Almendares Manager Adolfo Luque, was a fierce competitor in the majors. Pitching for the Reds much of his career, he won 194 major league games including 27 in the 1923 season. He was a Dodger for two seasons (1930-31) .

Nobody even noticed that history was to be made in the U.S. with the integration of the Major Leagues. To the Cubans, this was no big deal. Their professional league was packed full of black players and Negro League players were always a part of the Cuban League who were familiar with such greats and Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell, Satchell Paige and the aforementioned Buck O’Neil. Jackie had arrived as a ballplayer and was coming off a AAA Montreal campaign in which he batted .349. The Major League roster spot was his for the taking.

With Dodger teams facing stellar All Star Cuban competition, Minnie Minoso amongst them, Cuba was ideal training ground for the Brooklyn club. The facilities were the best and considered to be of major league caliber. There were to be no confrontations with contentious Florida baseball fans that didn’t want the league integrated. The interruptions that could distract Robinson, Campanella, and Newcombe weren’t existent on the Island. But Branch Rickey had other motives for the Cuba Spring Training venture.

In 1946, the Mexican League, operated by the Millionaire Customs Brokers, the Pascual Brothers, were a serious threat to Major League baseball. They were offering some attractive dollars plus interesting incentives to Major League players to defect to the Mexican league and were successful at luring away some top talent, 18 players in fact. Such as Sal Maglie, Mickey Owen and the aforementioned Max Lanier. It was reported that Ted Williams was offered $300,000 to jump leagues, worth $3.6 million in today’s money. MLB Commissioner Happy Chandler issued an edict to all players that defected, which was a five year ban from returning to the U.S. to play in the Majors. The Dodgers training in Havana had an ulterior motive too, and that was to shut down the upstart Mexican League. Rickey made an effort to let Latin players know, especially the Cuban players, that if they played in Mexico, they wouldn’t be allowed to play in the U.S. Major Leagues.

Additionally MLB pressured the Cuban league to issue a similar ban and not allow Cuban players that participated in the Mexican league to also play later in their home soil in the Cuban League. This was a secondary tactic to shut out the Pascual Brothers and their intent of creating a rival baseball league. For the most part, it was successful and the Mexican League never materialized into a major force. A sad reality of all this was that this decision destroyed the Cuban Leagues.

Cuban players that played in Mexico too were banished. As a result, a rival baseball league was created in Cuba for those players that dared play in Mexico. Cuba now had two diluted leagues instead of one powerful one. When Fidel Castro took political control in 1959, the Cuban baseball leagues were dissolved and replaced by Cuban Amateur baseball that continues to this day.

It should be noted that though the perception exists that Rickey moving the Dodgers would allow the Dodgers black players to avoid Jim Crow laws of the south. The reality of the situation was that Cuba too had segregated accommodations for their players. The Dodger stars stayed at the plush Nacional Hotel while Robinson, Campanella, and Newcombe were lodged in dumpy third rate hotel.

There is much more to the Dodgers ’47 Spring Training story that could have volumes dedicated to it, but in the end it served the two purposes successfully, preparing Robinson for his MLB debut and shutting out the Mexican League defections. By 1949 the Dodgers had found a permanent home in Vero Beach for the next 58 years. Would the Dodgers ever return to Cuba? Why yes, they would in 1959 for some exhibition games, a few months after Castro grasped control before an interesting crowd of “barbudos” revolutionaries. But that is another interesting story I’m sure. Another post for another day.

Sources for this post: Roberto Gonzalez Echevarria article, 1998 and Baseball Alamanac Article

Tourney Tales

2012-02-12T18:34:00.000-08:00

My body has identified every muscle that it possibly has. After three games playing with a great group of guys and gals at the Dodger Bloggers Tournament, I now realize that even the joints of my toes have muscles screaming at me.

Team Opinion of Kingman's Performance, 2012 Front row (L-R) Brett Bladh, Ron Lenatti, John Beyer, Benjamin Bladh, Jeanine Lussier, Emma Amaya, Esperanza Bladh, Evan Bladh Back Row (L-R) Taylor Bladh, Joshua Bladh, Tom Hanks, Patrick Gurierrez, Rob Robinson, Jim Polder, Ron Cervenka

We left sore, sunburnt and a happy group. We got our hats handed to us twice. In one of the routs we played the ’27 Yankees of Softball. They had a roster made up of players about half our age and with 20 times our talent. But in game number two, we actually got a “W” with a gritty 11-5 victory over LF Pavilion 1 that buoyed the spirits of everyone. It helped a bit that our opponent walked about 10 batters in the game. But our defense was steady and there were some timely hits that broke the game open.

First Baseman Rob Robinson rips a single past third base in the first inning of game vs. Vin Scully is My Homeboy 2

It was a day when I reunited with family and friends, reminisced with some old friends that I had known since elementary school, made new friends with some fantastic readers of this blog and laughed at great jokes, stories and our overall antics on the diamond.

Pitcher John Beyer delivers a pitch while yours truly is in the background at shortstop.

We watched Josh Macciello hob nob with the fans and bloggers, Jon Soo Hoo blast a 3 run homer out of Tiger Stadium, Roberto Baly battle against us in a game one blowout in our first game. My wife got bragging rights over me in game one while reaching base twice and scoring our only run while I lazily flied out in my two trips to the plate.

Ron Cervenka singles to left. Ron chronicles his day over at his ThinkBlueLA.com forum. He had a very interesting conversation with Josh Macciello ( LINKED HERE)

In between games, we talked a lot of Dodger baseball. Someone pulled up footage on their I-Phone of the Lasorda rants about Kingman and Bevacqua. Ron Cervenka of the ThinkBlueLA.com forum showed up and laced a single in his first at-bat. Rob Robinson batted .800 on the day. My nephew Joshua Bladh flashed the leather at shortstop with his photo showing up on Jon Soo Hoo's Dodger Photo blog.

My nephew, Joshua Bladh, fields a grounder and turns two. This photo is from Jon Soo Hoo, the Dodger photographer who was on the opposing team. He took some time out at take pictures while sitting on the bench. Jon Soo Hoo's photos are linked here

In game number three, as the '27 Yankees from the LF Pavilion 2 routed us. We decided to order pizzas by the third inning. The general consensus was that we might as well have some decent food while the route was on. After the first three hitters smashed absolute ropes all over the field, my first baseman Rob turned to me (playing 2B) and said as prophetic a statement as I ever heard on the day: "I think we might be in a little bit of trouble here."

Ron Lenatti smahes a line drive to right field, unfortunately for him, it was a shot right at the rightfielder for a line drive out. Ron has been playing in a softball league with me since 1996 and he also made the trip from San Francisco. Yeah, he's a Giants fan...but a man that respects baseball history and a knowledgeable follower of the game.

I have no idea who won the tourney, though if I were a betting man, I probably would have put my money on the '27 Yankees that smoked us in Game three, (LF Pavilion 2). I understand that Dodger Thoughts had a fine record and also VSIMHB2 as well. But I'm fairly certain that LF Pavilion 2 was on their way to winning the tournament.

We had Emma on our side. She is probably the biggest Dodger fan I have ever met in my life. NOBODY is more diehard Dodger than Emma. Her blog is fantastic too. ( Linked here)

Donations to the LA Regional Food Bank were plentiful. Emma Amaya, one of our catchers brought a few shopping bags worth of food alone. There was a lot of stuff donated that are going to the LA Regional Food Bank and word has it that Josh Macciello himself donated $5,000 to the cause.

My wife, Esperanza, flashing her cute smile.

Next year we'll do it again. Our thanks to Mike Brown of LFPavilion for organizing the event. It was a great day and all the soreness was definitely worth it.

A Guest Post - A Fantasy Come True...And Then Some

2012-02-09T19:32:00.000-08:00

It has been a few days since I became acquainted with Ron Cervenka, but we have so much in common, I feel like I've known him for a while. He runs a superb Dodger related forum called : www.ThinkBlueLA.com. It has some devout Dodger followers, many with roots dating back to Brooklyn. These guys are diehards and they know their Dodger baseball. I could peruse the postings over there for hours. I highly recommend that everyone check it out. Just be ready to dedicate some time to it though.

One of Ron's ThinkBlueLARon's followers, Harold Uhlman, answered a question I posed this site a few weeks ago and won an Opinion of Kingman's Performance T-Shirt, Harold requested that I send it to Ron, because in the end...he was the one that provided the answer to the question that I posed, so I did.

A few days later I received an email from Ron in which he thanked me for the shirt. I checked out his site, we have posted back and forth through emails, he posted on this blog, I posted on his forum. To make a long story short, we have a lot in common. Today he sent me an article that he wrote detailing his first Dodger Adult Baseball Fantasy Camp experience. He submitted it elsewhere, but it didn't get posted for various reasons. I feel privileged to be asked to post it here. After reading this piece, I KNOW I have to go to the next fantasy camp. It is a true adventure and Ron appropriately titled it:

"A Fantasy Come True...And Then Some"
by Ron Cervenka

Beautiful Holman Stadium

Having been a Dodger fan my entire life - since 1953, I had long heard about an adult baseball camp held at the Dodgers legendary spring training facility in Vero Beach, Florida. At this adult baseball camp, or fantasy camp as it is more commonly called, former Dodger players and coaches would share their knowledge and experience with wanna-be baseball players for one full week in beautiful Central Florida. It was, in essence, a week-long spring training workout that included six full games for guys 40 years of age and older and it was as close to the real deal as was humanly possible.

The Dodger fantasy camps have always been administered by Los Angeles Dodgers Adult Baseball Camp (LADABC), a privately owned and operated limited liability company (LLC). And though it is not affiliated with Dodger organization, LADABC has always been welcomed at Dodgertown by the Dodgers since its inception in 1983. The camps have run flawlessly under the watchful eye of long-time Dodger scout Guy Wellman, whose very first Major League signee was none other than the big man himself, Frank Howard. Wellman went on to sign several other Dodger greats including ironman first baseman Steve Garvey.

In its heyday, LADABC was running two camps a year - one in the spring and one in the fall, and each camp drew upwards of 100 campers; enough to put as many as eight full teams onto the Dodgertown fields. And then in 2008 something unexpected happened; new Dodger owner Frank McCourt decided to move the Dodgers out of Vero Beach and into Glendale, Arizona for their spring training, thus leaving Dodgertown a virtual ghost town. Although Minor League Baseball would eventually move into the Vero Beach facility and change its name to The Vero Beach Sports Complex, it would never again be known as Dodgertown, as it had been since 1948. The final Dodger fantasy camp was held in the fall of 2008.

When the McCourt-led Dodgers began spring training operations at their beautiful new Camelback Ranch facility in Glendale, Arizona in 2009, plans to continue LADABC also began; the problem was, there was no on-site lodging or dining facilities at Camelback Ranch, which meant that fantasy campers would have to be housed off property in nearby hotels and then transported at least twice daily to and from the Ranch and to and from restaurants for breakfast and dinner. These logistical issues which had never been a concern at Dodgertown were now a huge hurdle for Wellman and camp organizer and long-time Dodgertown employee Nancy Gollnick; a hurdle that caused the first and second scheduled fantasy camps at Camelback Ranch to be postponed.

And then the bottom fell out - the McCourt divorce and subsequent Dodger bankruptcy reared its ugly head. In a heartbeat, LADABC went from being one of the most popular attractions for older Dodger fans to falling completely off the radar. In the big scheme of things, LADABC was clearly at the very bottom of importance on the Dodger totem pole. And so it seemed that the fall 2008 Dodger fantasy camp at Dodgertown was to be the last camp ever. Ironically, it was this fall 2008 camp that I had initially planned on attending as my first-ever camp, but my work schedule and finances forced me to cancel my plans. “What the heck,” I told myself. “I’ll just go to the first one at Camelback Back Ranch. It’s a lot closer and I’ll just drive over.” Well, Mr. and Mrs. McCourt saw to it that this would never happen (yet another reason for my disdain towards the miserable couple - as if I needed another reason).

With hopes of ever attending a Dodger fantasy camp now completely gone, a strange thing happened in March of 2011. I received a phone call from a dear friend of mine and a long-time Dodger fantasy camper named Dick Greenblatt who informed me that Mark Stone, another long-time camper, was attempting to resurrect one more Dodger fantasy camp at Dodgertown (sorry folks, The Vero Beach Sports Complex will always be known as Dodgertown to me). Dick added that it wasn’t a sure thing yet, but if enough guys showed early interest, it might just happen. At the time I had recently retired as a detective from the Burbank Police Department after thirty years of service, so I now had plenty of time to attend camp, and with this much notice, I felt that I could swing it financially, as well. And then in July, I received word from Mark Stone that he had reached an agreement with the New York Yankees fantasy camp program (affectionately call “Legends in Pin Stripes”) that they would be sending campers and former Yankee greats to join LADABC for camp, which was now set for November 6-12, 2011. It was a Done Deal and I was All In!

Once I paid my registration fees and booked my flight to Orlando, I began the task of getting my 57 (soon to be 58) year old body into some sort of shape. I spoke with my good friend Juan Bustabad, the manager of the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (the Dodgers High Single-A affiliate) and a long-time fantasy camp instructor and he recommended that I do a lot of stretching, throwing, and running. I did as he suggested and set up a strict running program of ten 100-yard wind sprints every other day at my neighborhood park. (I can only imagine how ridiculous I looked - but who cares, I was going to camp!).

About six weeks before camp, I ran into one of my former co-workers, Darin Ryburn, who is still on the job and I told him that I was going to Dodger fantasy camp. Like myself, Darin is a big time Dodger fan and he said that he had always thought about attending fantasy camp. When I told Darin that the upcoming camp might very well be the last one ever, he said “You know what? I’m going to treat myself to that camp for my fiftieth birthday present to myself.” Done Deal - Darin was also All In! In the days before camp, Darin and I were like kids on Christmas Eve. We would call each other two and three times a day - it was hilarious.

After arriving at Orlando airport, a shuttle bus transported Darin and me and seven other campers to Dodgertown. During the hour and a have ride, I learned that two of my fellow campers were from my home town! Are you kidding me? What are the chances that there would be three of us from Santa Clarita, California in camp, let alone on the same shuttle bus. Those two fellow campers also happen to be identical twins, Rob and Phil Cohen, and they were also attending their first camp with their 62-year old father Ray Cohen.

Imagine our thoughts as we walked past the Koufax and Alston Conference Room

As our shuttle pulled into Dodgertown, we could feel the magic and excitement in the air (along with a few raindrops). We checked into our room and the first thing that I said to Darin was “I wonder if Duke Snider or Sandy Koufax stayed in this room? Or Gil Hodges? Or Don Drysdale? Or Pee Wee Reese?” We were pretty sure that Tommy Lasorda had not because it was too far away from the dining hall - haha! After unpacking, Darin and I walked to the famous Dodgertown Lounge, which we had heard a great deal about.

After a couple of cocktails and excited conversation with Rob, Phil, and Ray Cohen (and several other rookie campers), Darin and I started back to our room. As we did so, we walked past the locker room which had a big handwritten note on the door saying that the locker room would be open at 11:30 AM on Sunday morning (the next day). Just for the heck of it, Darin tried the door - IT WAS UNLOCKED! After making sure the coast was clear, Darin and I snuck inside and there, right before our eyes and right next to the door, were Darin’s and my lockers with our uniforms hanging there. Oh My God! - That Christmas Eve feeling again! After a couple of quick photos, we got the heck out of there before we got caught.

A couple of grown men acting like children.

After “officially” being allowed into the locker room on Sunday (we knew exactly where to go) and getting our gear, we had an optional afternoon workout, although nearly everyone attended. We were also permitted to get autographs from the many Dodger and Yankee greats on hand including Tommy Davis, Jeff Torborg, Jerry Reuss, Rick Monday, Steve Yeager, Ron Cey, Lenny Harris, Kenny Landreaux, Bill Russell, Don Zimmer, Frank Howard, Moose Skowron, Jake Gibbs, Tony Kubek, Don Larsen, Ron Guidry, Goose Gossage, Dennis Rasmussen, Ron Davis, Jim Leyritz, and Steve Whitaker. Talk about a who’s who of former Dodger and Yankee legends!

Darin and I in our home whites - Getting throttled by my manager Jerry Reuss and two-time NL batting champ Tommy Davis.

After a workout on Monday morning, the draft was held in which every camper was placed on a team. I was drafted by Team Rancho Cucamonga under the leadership of manager Jerry Reuss and coaches Kenny Landreaux and Travis Barbary. As luck would have, Rob, Phil, and Ray Cohen were also on my team, as were several long-time veteran campers. Darin was drafted by Team Chattanooga under the leadership of Co-managers Rick Monday and Steve Yeager and coach Marty Reed. I played first base, second base, and right field while Darin pitched and played third base.

Team Rancho Cucamonga

Over the course of the next five days, we played six games including double-headers on consecutive days. Needless to say, this old boy was tired, not to mention a little sore. That being said, I owe a serious debt of gratitude to Juan Bustabad for his earlier advice to stretch, throw, and run, as I was able to avoid the very crowded trainer’s room (except to grab an occasional cold and much needed beer at day’s end).

During our lunch break on Wednesday, camp coordinator Guy Wellman made the announcement that Peter O’Malley, Chan Ho Park, and Hideo Nomo had just bought back Dodgertown from the city of Vero Beach. The announcement was met with a roar of cheers and applause. And even though it is highly unlikely that the Dodgers will ever return to Vero Beach for spring training, there will once again be Dodger Blue blood flowing through Dodgertown.

Although my camp stats were on the weak side (3 for 16 = .188), Darin Ryburn had an outstanding camp. He ended up winning the Don Drysdale Award for being the outstanding right-handed pitcher. My teammate Phil Cohen won the Sandy Koufax Award for being the outstanding left-handed pitcher.

When we returned to the locker room for lunch after our Thursday morning games there was an electricity and buzz about the place, but I couldn’t figure out why - and then I did; HE was there, the “Ghost” himself. Vero Beach resident and the greatest Dodger left-hander of all time Sandy Koufax had stopped by to visit with his former teammates Tommy Davis, Frank Howard, and Jeff Torborg (who caught his perfect game). The excitement was overwhelming. But as quickly as it started, it subsided when we were told that Sandy would not be visiting with campers nor signing autographs. I was heartbroken. All my life I had sought to get a baseball personally autographed by Sandy Koufax - the Holy Grail of autographed baseballs. Not gonna happen.

But then there was a little divine intervention. One of my fellow campers, 60-year old Stan Kunin of Calabasas, California who is completely deaf, told one of the coaches that he had met Sandy when he was 12 years old at a bar mitzvah and that he had a photograph taken with Sandy at that bar mitzvah. Stan asked the coach if he would please show the photograph to Sandy. The coach took the photograph into the trainer’s room (behind its closed door) and a few minutes later came back out and told Stan (who reads lips perfectly) that Sandy would like to see him. A very excited Stan Kunin went into the trainer’s room and came out a few minutes later with his 48-year old photograph personally autographed by the great Sandy Koufax. As you might imagine, Stan had tears in his eyes.

Also in the trainer’s room with Sandy, Tommy Davis, Frank Howard, and Jeff Torborg was Tommy’s personal PR guy Jack DeLance, whom I had also become good friends with. At Jack’s urging, Tommy asked Sandy that if it were done in an orderly manner and one at a time, would he be willing to sign autographs for the other campers. (Apparently on a previous trip to camp several years earlier, Sandy had been swarmed by campers and it was an ugly scene, after which Sandy said that he would never again sign for campers - funny how it only takes a few to ruin it for everyone). After assurances from Jack and Mark Stone, Sandy agreed to meet with and sign for EVERY camper who wished, including one of his all-time biggest fans - ME!

After thanking Sandy profusely for taking the time to meet with campers and sign for us, I thanked him for all of the great Dodger memories he gave to all of us. In true, humble Koufax style, he merely smiled and said “You’re welcome.”

To say that I was overwhelmed would be a gross understatement. I had just met, shook hands with, been photographed with, and got a baseball autographed by one of the greatest baseball legends of all time. I was numb.

The Thursday afternoon game, which started an hour later than scheduled to allow for everyone to meet with Sandy, was the campers vs. coaches game; and say what you will, these former old players and coaches are still very good! They flat out kick our asses. While we may have had our fantasies, they clearly still had their talent. Regardless, it was a fun but very long game, as each of the seven teams played two innings on defense and every player batted once. Gary “Chicken” Ingram struck me out on a filthy cut fastball, which he later apologized to me for throwing - haha!

The week passed in the blink of an eye and before I knew it camp was over. After an outstanding final dinner and awards ceremony, it was time to pack-up and say goodbye to this group of guys (and one lady camper) whom I had grown so very close to in such a short period of time.

Although the baseball experience was absolutely incredible and something that I will think back on often, it is the friendships and the legacy and magic of Dodgertown that made fantasy camp one of the greatest memories of my entire life; memories that I shall cherish forever. This was truly a fantasy come true… and then some.

Author’s note:

Because of the overwhelming success of this resent fantasy camp, talks have already begun for another joint Dodger/Yankee fantasy camp to be held at Dodgertown next November. If this is something that you might be interested in, I encourage you to check in frequently on the LADABC website at: www.ladabc.com

About the author

Ron Cervenka is a life-long Dodger fan and season ticket holder. He and his son Tim were featured in the 2008 DVD movie “Bluetopia - The Dodger Movie.” Ron recently retired from the Burbank Police Department where he served for thirty years. In addition to his love of the Dodgers and baseball, Ron is also an avid tournament bass angler and a huge NASCAR fan. He also manages a fan-based Dodger forum called www.ThinkBlueLA.com.Ron lives in Santa Clarita, California.

Lesson Learned

2012-02-09T01:47:00.000-08:00

I received an email a few days ago from someone that offered me money to post something on my blog that wasn’t completely related to its theme. I initially answered that I wasn’t interested and referred the writer to an article written by another Dodger Blogger on the theme he requested.

He answered me back and said that the article I mentioned to him from another blog was essentially ghost written by him and that if I did the same, he’d compensate me. I thought, “well that article wasn’t too far off the baseball theme.” I told him to send me what he’s got, thinking that maybe somehow I could write a Dodger related blog around what he sent. “Sure, I might be interested,” I said. The allure of finally getting some compensation for all the work on this blog was a temptation that I couldn't pass up.

That was a BIG MISTAKE. This man sent me a generic article about baseball and poker and asked me to post it as my own. It wasn’t near the standards of what I usually put on the site. So I spent several hours tailoring a piece around his posting, (he wrote about 4 paragraphs). It wasn’t easy, but I did some research and wrote a Dodger baseball related piece around his quotes. I quoted him and was careful to I follow journalistic standards and attributed all quotes to original authors and cited a piece that I found on the internet with the accompanying quotes.

I was actually quite proud of what I accomplished. Thought it was a fair piece considering what I had to work with.

So what happened? He didn’t approve. He sends me an email and tells me to submit his original piece and not mention him. He wanted me to submit it as my own.

My response to his email follows:

Dear xxxxxxx,

No offense, but I prefer it the way it is. What you provided me didn't quite fit into my blog’s parameters and it was a stretch putting something together that matched the Dodger baseball related theme of my blog. I'm not comfortable posting an article written by someone else as my own. I know my site is just a blog, but I do have high standards of integrity when it comes to what is posted on my site and it would be misleading and dishonest to the hundreds of readers if I did otherwise.

I spent about 3 hours this evening laboring on a piece that didn't really fit into my site. Not only was I able to produce a piece that fit into the blog's theme with the Hershiser angle, but integrating your post seemed to fit in well.

Your entire article was in the body of my piece. If you want it removed. I will do so immediately.

I didn’t wait. It is 1:40 am and I need to get up for work tomorrow morning at 6:00 am. What a wasted evening...I deserved it though, I got greedy and tried to get a little compensation for a piece. Never again.

Article Removed

2012-02-09T00:20:00.000-08:00

You wouldn't have liked it anyway...Explanation to follow in next post.

Charlie “The Brow” DiGiovanna

2012-02-07T15:18:00.000-08:00

Many don’t recognize the name. Others remember him as the greatest baseball forger of all time. Those with connections to the Dodger Organization from years past know he was a tireless worker, and enthusiastic personality and true friend. His family has reached out in the last few years and shared some of the memories of this interesting and extraordinary man in Dodger history.

Dodger bat boy, Charlie DiGiovanna and his son Greg

Charlie was a bat boy. Many probably considered him the luckiest kid in Brooklyn. Who wouldn’t? He was fortunate to be a witness to the Boys of Summer during a magical period in baseball. The 1950s in the hotbed of the Brooklyn borough.

But that wasn’t an easy job to get. It was a job that he earned by paying his dues as a loyal Dodger employee as a turnstyle ticket taker, clubhouse boy and aide in the locker room. Those dues were paid mopping floors, doing laundry, preparing the locker room and dugout, sorting mail, and serving as a clubhouse boy in the visiting dugout.

Charlie was a popular kid. The players enjoyed his outgoing style. This came from both home and visiting players. A keeper of the players property, guardian of their tools of trade. Never a complaint was made about the short and stocky kid who was limited physically by a heart condition he developed through a bout with rheumatic fever in his youth. While recovering in the hospital, during a four year recovery period, Charlie wrote his idol, Leo Durocher. Eventually Leo offered Charlie a job with the ballclub. With some time, he made it to the clubhouse, and the rest they say is history.

1953 New York World Telegram article on Charlie. He said "I have the greatest job in the world."

It took several years for DiGiovanna to become the full time Dodger dugout bat boy, but by age 22, he was there. He is proudly seated in the bottom row of every team photograph from 1952-56. Nicknamed “The Brow” for his obvious physical feature, Charlie was promoted to the position of Assistant Clubhouse manager in 1957, a position he earned through hard work, dedication and perseverance.

The forgeries

One of the bat boy duties was to ensure that dozens of baseballs were signed by the entire team in full. This was to be compeleed every day. We are talking hundreds of baseballs. It was a chore that was difficult to fulfill. I can only image how hard it would be to get 25 signatures from ballplayers that were constantly coming and going. So Charlie did the next best thing. He became a skilled forger. So good that Duke Snider would later say, “He could sign my name better than me.”

DiGiovanna forgeries

This, of course, has raised questions in the memorabilia industry today about what are legitimate Brooklyn Dodger signed baseballs. One thing that DiGiovanna did was sign all the autographs in the same panel and same order on the balls in order to avoid duplication. As a result, spotting his forgeries isn't that difficult.

Almost as much a part of the Brooklyn Dodgers as the players, Charlie became as well known as Hilda Chester, the Sym"phony" band and Happy Felton. He is part of Dodger lore and was a true member of the family. It is reported that even Vin Scully would mention DiGiovanni by name, announcing in 1957 that he just retireived a foul tip behind the plate and congratulating him on his new promotion as "Charlie D. is now the new Clubhouse Assistant."

It is impossible to see here, but in this photo scanned by DiGiovanna's grand-daughter, Angela, Duke Snider has autographed this photo. The inscription says "To the Brow, always my buddy, Duke Snider"

With the Dodger move to Los Angeles, Dodger historian Mark Langill reported that Ed Roebuck and Charlie made the trip west to Los Angeles together. Apparently DiGiovanna's dog swallowed a ball when they were visiting the Grand Canyon, costing them about $200 to a veterinarian.

When the duo arrived to Los Angeles following their cross-country trek, Charlie was sought out by a panicked Red Patterson, team Publicity Director. “Boy, Am I glad to see you,” he said. They needed his talent as a skilled forger for the cover of the yearbook.” Sure enough, the 1958 Dodger yearbook cover is of an illustration of an enlarged baseball, signed by all the players. The reality is that the signatures were all done by one person, Charlie DiGiovanna.

The forged autographs on display on the cover of the 1958 Dodger Yearbook

Link to Mark Langill's Ed Roebuck article

Charlie with Jackie Robinson, celebrating the '55 World Championship

His children and grandchildren speak and provide rare photographs of Dodger history

The baseball blog - baseball-fever.com, had some interesting visitors a few years back. It is well worth registering to see the amazing baseball history posted on this blog. Charlie DiGiovanna’s son Greg and his grandaughter who was born long after his death, Angela, both have contributed interesting stories about their famous father and grandfather. And forum contributors have shared stories of Charlie too.

Brooklyn fans have come forward and told them how charming and welcoming Charlie was to the fans at Ebbets Field. Some even said they were present at his funeral over 50 years ago.

Charlie DiGiovanna's 1955 World Series Ring is in the possession of his son, Greg DiGiovanna

Greg stated that he wanted to clear up some misinformation that had been written about his father. Mainly that he remained with the Dodgers and moved west. And the date of his death, which was December 28, 1958 of a heart attack. (Greg was 8 years old at the time). It was a tragic story. A young family with three young children, all under the age of eight, left fatherless on the West Coast, less than a year after the Dodgers move. I haven't been successful at researching what became of the family and how they were cared for after Charlie's death, but based on the postings by Greg DiGiovanna, the family did remain west and an award named after Charlie was instituted in 1964.

Greg posted the following on the baseball fever website on Dec. 27, 2007: "'...he was always giving his all at whatever he attempted and he always lived life to the fullest, sharing himself unselfishly with everyone who crossed his path. I still struggle with this time of year, having lost my dad just three days after Christmas, when I was only eight years old, but the wonderful memories he left us with have always kept me above the water line in life. God Bless all you "Dodger Blues" who have helped keep his memory alive after all these years. "

The Countdown Continues

2012-02-06T12:10:00.000-08:00

Football season is over, and we’re in the home stretch. 5 days until the Dodger Blogger Softball Tournament.

Okay, seriously now...15 days until pitchers and catchers report. 28 days until the first Spring Training matchup and 59 days until opening day against San Diego at Petco Park. Additionally, I calculate that it’ll be 84 days when a new oner is in place. That latter number is based on my estimation that the new ownership takes the reigns of the club on May 1st.

This has been a long haul for us this off-season, with so much at stake in the ownership process. And here we are on the verge of the start of the new season and still, there remains so many unanswered questions with regard to the future of the Dodgers.

Dee Gordon and Justin Sellers, the DP combination of the future?

Nevertheless, I’m approaching this season with optimism. Not because I believe that the Dodgers will be contenders for the National League Pennant. It is mainly because I am hoping to see further development from such players as Gordon, Sands, AJ Ellis, Lindblom, Jansen, Guerra, Eovaldi, Sellers and Federowitz. The kids will hopefully get a chance to show what they can do.

A.J. Ellis and Kenley Jansen

It is sort of like 2007, when we already had glimpses of Loney, Kemp, Billingsley and Ethier, from the previous year, but finally we’d get to see them perform more frequently as they developed as players. 1973 was similar too, with the arrival of the Garvey, Lopes, Russell and Cey infield and additional key players like Ferguson, Joshua, Paciorek, Rau, Zahn and others that aren’t coming to me at the moment.

The kids seem to arrive in waves and hopefully they develop well enough to hold up until the next surge of prospects develop. Baseball America is telling us that the Dodger farm system is barren now. The cupboard is not as quite as full as in years past, so this current crop of arriving prospects will have to perform, or the Dodgers are doomed for a season or two.

What will we be looking at next year as the 2013 season approaches? Will new ownership have signed us a Cole Hamels for the rotation? Will they go out and get us another big stick in the lineup to protect Kemp? I drove long distances over Friday and Saturday on a work assignment, with only the Giants flagship station to keep me somewhat informed on the sporting events. Saturday happened to be the San Francisco Giants Fanfest. I must say that their followers are extremely optimistic on Giants hopes this off season.

It was the general consensus of the average Giant fan that if they don’t make it to the post season, especially now, with 5 teams qualifying, then their season will be considered a failure. Not much talk was made about the Dodgers, only poking fun at us for the most part. Giant fans consider the Diamondbacks and Rockies as tougher opponents int he NL West this coming season.

That is good news. Extremely good news. I see a youthful Dodger team being one that can sneak up and surprise many. I see a Dodger club with veteran leadership in Kemp and Kershaw that are hungry to get some national exposure and get to the World Series. This is a Dodger team that has players that seek to redeem themselves, with Ethier playing for the big payday and Chad Billingsley pitching to re-earn that respect he had two years ago when he made the All Satr team. I see a starting pitching staff that is not fantastic, but is definitely to be respected and a back end of a bullpen that has the makeup to be the best in the National League with Jansen and Guerra. This is a team that has a coaching staff that keeps the players loose, comfortable and in a positive mode. This is a group that can succeed and if everything clicks just right, they’ll contend.

Most importantly, I see potential new ownership that will step up and make some moves if the Dodgers remain in the race at the trading deadline. If that occurs, 2012 can be a real fun year.

Billingsley has something to prove in 2012. Here's hoping he is succeeds.

That is a lot of “ifs.” I am aware of that. This club could have the injury bug hit them and be decimated. Then again, an injury to Kennedy and Ellis at second base could open up an opportunity to a youngster like Sellers or a starter could be hit by injury and Eovaldi can step in. Injuries sometimes have a way of creating positives (i.e. Furcal went down last year and Gordon emerged). The way I see things, Uribe can’t get worse, Ethier will improve, so will Billingsley. Those three changes will certainly add a few wins by seasons end.

Yes, 2012 can be a very positive year. But by 2013, I have to believe that the Los Angeles Dodgers will be the National League force that all will fear with an ownership group that will raise payroll by upwards of $50 million. By next years 2013 Giant Fanfest, the off-season talk will be of what it should be: “How are we going to beat those $&%ing Dodgers?” That’ll restore order to the universe again. We’ll be the feared ones, and for years to come.

Super Bowl Sunday...One Day Closer to the Start of Spring Training

2012-02-05T10:15:00.000-08:00

I must be one of the odd ones but Super Bowl Sunday never has meant a lot to me. What I love about it the most is that it means that we are one more day closer to baseball season and the media frenzy over that game will finally stop.

As a sports fan, football has always been a part of my life, but never with the passion and overall enjoyment as the national pastime. Over the years, with the Rams and Raiders departure from Southern California, I lost interest. That really shouldn’t make sense because I left the region at about the same time. But it goes to show you that my mindset ties my team to my home town. Once the Rams were out of SoCal, so was my loyalty to them. When they went to the Super Bowl as the St. Louis Rams, I wanted to root for them, but I simply couldn’t.

All-Pro Offensive Lineman, Tom Mack

Football has changed so much since I was a kid. I believe that the game really changed in 1977 when they outlawed allowing offensive lineman to partially use their hands. This forced teams to make their linemen bulk up. The finesse on the O-Line was gone. You needed size and enormous weight up there. With those great Rams teams in the 70s, players like Tom Mack were an institution. Mack was a constant pro-bowl offensive linemen at a little over 200 lbs. Nowadays, a player like Mack couldn’t crack into the lineup of a NCAA program at that weight.

Football, aside from being dominated with overweight linemen that they bulk up to astronomic weights is now made up of incredibly fast receivers and defensive backs, running backs that seem to be getting shorter and quicker and pampered quarterbacks that cannot be touched at all or a myriad of penalties will be assessed against the defender.

Stats are practically meaningless to me in football. What's an 1,000 rushing season these days? Did the player accomplish the feat in a 14 or 16 game schedule? How can a player like Bruce Smith be labeled as the all-time “sack” leader when the inventor of the “sack,” Deacon Jones, can provide documented evidence via game footage that he had more in his career. Give Deacon his sacks!

It’s a game with constant rules changes. Lets see, do they kick off from the 40? No, they determined that was too close, too many touchbacks. Take it back to the 35, nope, still too close. Move it back to the 30. The play clock, they put it at 30 seconds, but that wasn’t long enough...change it to 45 seconds. Two point conversions, disallowed then allowed. Overtime rules- ridiculous. Overtime rules in the playoffs-confusing and ridiculous. Replay rules-you can check this, but you can’t check that. Oh, and by the way, add another 10 minutes to the game as we decide whether we can check it or not. And then when they do check it, so often they fail to rule on what we obviously saw on the tape, which results in more controversy.

Then there are the “No fun” penalties. No excessive celebrations, no removing your helmet in celebration while on the field. A spike after a touchdown is alright, but no scripted dancing, jumping in the stands, (with exception of the Lambaugh leap, which was grandfathered into the rules), etc., etc.

Football has its rabid fan base that turn the events known as games into drunken parking lot festivals. My experience attending a Monday Night 49ers-Eagles game several years ago was not a positive one. It was the one time in my life that I actually felt that I was not safe at a sporting event. The place was full of drunk, profane, angry fans. And that was before the 49ers lost. After that, it became a place full of REALLY drunk, REALLY profane and REALLY angry fans. It was not an enjoyable evening and while leaving following the end of the game, walking through the sea of empty beer bottles in the parking lot, I told myself that I would never attend an NFL game in my life again.

Then you have the ego-maniac players that have been pampered, coddled and treated as celebrities all their lives. This probably is no fault of their own, but more that of a sports loving society. Players that emerge as extremely talented at a young age, have been getting special treatment since they were children. Getting a pass on rules, grades, often receiving gifts, preferential treatment, something that they come to accept throughout their lives.

NFL teams these days have actually hired retired cops and lured away law enforcement officials in the prime of their careers with big dollars in order to babysit these primadonnas that have a history of criminal activity. The NFL will never claim that these “security” guys are glorified babysitters. They will say that they are a necessary security requirement, that each team to needs to protect their players. I don’t want to stereotype these athletes into one pool of criminal thugs but the statistics are out there. A book was even written on the subject, Pros and Cons: The Criminals Who Play in the NFL, by Jeff Benedeict and Don Yaeger, who determined that in 1998, a full 21% of NFL players have been charged with a serious crime. We are talking rape and sexual assault, murder, hard drug possession, drug possession with intent to sell, assault, disorderly conduct, battery, trespassing, stalking, and more. Yes, the book was written in ’98, but few changes have taken place since then. Off the top of my head I can think of serious legal incidents involving Ray Lewis, Plaxico Burress, Ben Roethlisberger, Michael Vick, Braylon Edwards, Pacman Jomes. Those are the stars, there are many more incidents with NFL players and the law over the years.

So anyway, that’s my assessment on the NFL. I’m not much of a fan. Perhaps my view is too harsh. Certainly the other sports have their share of problems and bad apples, but I doubt that it has reached the levels of the NFL. My comments are by no means scientific and backed by empirical evidence. Just the way I see things from a distance.

So enjoy the game folks. After the Patriots and Giants sort things out on the field, Spring training will be just around the corner.

Tommy Lasorda Youtube Day.

2012-02-04T11:28:00.000-08:00

A look back at video clips of the man that inspired the title of this blog.

Here is Tommy the movie star. In 1982's Police Squad.

Tommy's spanish is BAD! I'll give him this, he isn't afraid to try it. '86 Interview with Ruben Amaro.

The 1982 Emmy Awards, speaking parts with Russell, Forster, Monday, Yeager, Valenzuela, Neidenfuer. Really bad TV, but for some reason, I can't stop watching it even beyond the Dodgers participation after 2 minutes.

Countless times Tommy has been a pitchman. Is there anything he does better? Sega, Slimfast, MLB of Fox. You name it, he did it.

I know Tommy can be a grumpy old guy now. I have seen him angry and cantankerous and even profane at times. I believe that a combination of old age, the rigors of being in the public eye and the demands from numerous fans. It all has taken its toll on the man. But I'll give him this. He's still out there. He'll be at the caravans and he'll fly across the world if asked to pitch a message for the Dodgers. He'll be out there pushing their message until the day he dies. The day, that happens...it'll be a sad day. Meanwhile, I'll forever be grateful to the man for the time he took with my wife and I and his overall loyalty and devotion to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Long Live Tommy!

Why Ned?

2012-02-03T18:12:00.000-08:00

Really Ned? This team needs Todd Coffey? Why sign a guy that can only get right handers out (a genuine roogie) for $1.3 million when he has a bullpen already well stocked. Look at the names: Guerra, Hawksworth, Guerrier, Jansen, Elbert, Lindblom, Belisario, Ely, Eovaldi, and others.

Not exactly the poster child for the svelte physique, Todd Coffey joins the Dodger bullpen

There was no need to shell out another $1.3 million on a guy that arguably shouldn’t even make the team and if he does, will hinder the growth of a kid, (like Lindblom), that belongs in the big leagues. Colletti is so blinded with the illusion that signing mediocre talent with some major league experience that he has failed to see the big picture and develop legitimate major league prospects that deserve a shot at the big leagues. Remember when 67 year old Luis Gonzales was signed to play left field? You do realize that Ned released Jayson Werth that off-season?

Frankly, I’m done. I’m sure there are those that are asking me why I’m done with this move. Shouldn’t I have been done when he signed Harang and Capuano instead for shelling out a few more million for Kuroda? Shouldn’t I have been done when Adam Kennedy was signed when the Dodgers could have picked up Wilson Betemit for a similar 2 year contract like the Orioles did? Or when he dealt Trayvon Robinson for a double A catcher that has never hit well and is projected to be, at best, a possible major league backup?

Ned has been General Manager now for six years. In that tenure he’s made 1 or 2 brilliant moves (e.g.Ethier, ), a lucky move or two that fell in his lap (Manny, Saito), and numerous disasters (Andrew Jones, Jason Schmidt, Juan Pierre, Juan Uribe, Theriot for Dewitt). Though he was five years removed from the Giants, he still admitted that he shed tears of joy when they won the series. Are you kidding me? That statement alone should have warranted letting him go.

I am about 90% sure that when the new ownership comes in and Ned is released from his duties as the Dodger G.M., that he’ll return to black and orange land. Tell me, would you be surprised if that happened? Ned signed Jack Taschner for heaven’s sake! He’s still a Giant!

Colletti got his chance and he lucked into some success in ’08 and ’09. He had the sense to let Logan White do his job. But I have to say that I give the man very little credit for Dodger success over the years. They have been successful despite his horrendous moves. James McDonald and Andrew Lambo for 5 weeks of Octavio Dotel? Come on! Throwing in Carlos Santana in exchange for Cleveland paying Blake's salary for a few months? Ughh!!!

Blogger Softball Tournament Adventures-The Difficulties of Keeping a Team Together

2012-02-02T10:37:00.000-08:00

It’s a day in which the Dodgers formally launch the 50th Anniversary Logo of Dodger Stadium will be displayed through this entire 51st year of Dodger Stadium’s existence. A day when it is announced that James Loney won’t face charges for using his luxury vehicle as a bumper car on the Ventura Freeway. The day after the very cool looking Drysdale/Wills bobbleheads are displayed for the first time and some lucky slug pulled out a 14 carat gold Topps Jackie Robinson card out of a pack.

Some cool Dodger stuff is going on and what am I doing? (Play the fanfare, cue the drum roll) I’m ironing on stencils to create the first official “Opinion of Kingman’s Performance Softball jersey.” Yes, on this day, a mere 9 days before the arrival off Softball Nirvana, I’m using all my creative juices to complete jerseys for my team for the Dodger Blogger Tournament to be held on Feb. 11th and West Covina’s Big League Dreams facility.

A successful logo ironed on the first jersey. I only botched a couple of them.

Yesterday, the schedule came out and my club in our first game goes up against Roberto Baly’s “Vin Scully Is My Homeboy 2,” a mighty blogging powerhouse that is so good that they field TWO TEAMS. We then face two other teams, both representing the organizer of the event, The Left Field Pavilion Forum, teams One and Two. For those multitudes of followers of this blog that intend of attending the event, the OKP team will play at 9:00am, 12:00 noon and 2:00 pm.

As I scrap together my team, that started out with 18 on a roster that has now dwindled down to 12, I am almost to the point of groveling and begging my players to not abandon ship. So many variables I face with my contingent of ballplayers made up of 5 law enforcement officers, an optometrist, a writer, real estate agent, 2 college students, and possibly two homeless guys we pick up on the way to the ballpark by promising them a pitcher of soda and a pizza if they play.

Four players are coming from long distance that may be hindered from arriving on time if inclement weather drops snow in mountain passes. Another has a Saturday morning clinic to conduct at his medical practice forcing him to miss the early game, another has committed but admits “I haven’t played in 22 years.” And then there is my wife, who’s cute and all, but when it comes to athletic ability...well...she’s cute and all.

Yes, the OKP team is a ragtag bunch of guys (and gals) that will be a force to be reckoned with. Meanwhile, I just keep ironing on stencils onto shirts, Uniform numbers, logos, Letters, piece by piece. We’ll at least be presentable.

Additional note
Two of the guys on my roster are old friends dating back to High School (and earlier). The guys will want to kill me for showing this but In the photo below the three of us are singing in a Men's Choir at Los Altos High School, newspaper clipping from 1976. After all these years, we're back together again, this time on the diamond. The little kid in the front row far left is me (I always was the smallest). The tallest kid in the back row furthest to the right is Rob, our 6'9" first baseman and current L.A. County Deputy Sheriff. Participant number three (Jim), is in the second row, his back to the photographer, far right. Jim is a CHP officer today. I haven't seen Jim in 20 years, so it'll be a great reunion (if I survive the beating for posting this photo). All three of us in law enforcement today, 35 years later. Canaries in a previous life.

Gloves Tossed on the Field...the 1954 Rule Change

2012-01-30T20:41:00.000-08:00

In 1954, Major League Baseball adopted a new rule that surprisingly wasn’t a popular move at the time. It really was a no brainer and I'm surprised that MLB didn't put the rule in place much earlier.

Rule 3.14: “Members of the offensive team shall carry all gloves and their equipment off the field and to the dugout while their team is at bat. No equipment shall be left lying on the field, either in fair or foul territory.”

When the rule change was announced it was unpopular and controversial. "Nobody thought it would work, they thought it was a terrible thing,” said former player and manager Ralph Houk. Critics thought that it would slow up play, with players searching for their equipment between innings. Now, I simply can’t imagine a game when such a thing would be allowed on the field. In today's game, if a wayward ball escapes from the bullpen or an object lands on the warning track that a fan throws, the game is stopped cold. Can you imagine it any other way?

1935 World Series photo, note the gloves sitting on the playing field.

In games that occurred pre-1954, once the side was retired, corner infielders tossed their gloves in foul territory near the bases, middle infielders threw their mitts in the middle of the diamond, just off the infield dirt and outfielders left their gloves in the field near the warning track. Only catchers and pitchers returned to the dugout with their equipment.

I heard Vin Scully once say during a broadcast that he never once saw a glove on the field interrupt play or effect the outcome of a game, but there are stories out there that say otherwise. One happened in the 1944 Pacific Coast League Championship.

The San Francisco Seals were playing the Oakland Oaks when a foul ball dribbled up the first base line hit a lying glove in foul territory and deflected inside the field of play where the first baseman fielded it and stepped on first base for the out. Such a rhubarb resulted that the game was played under protest by Seals Manager Lefty O’Doul. When his team lost the game in extra-innings, his protest was upheld by PCL President Clarence Rowland. The game was replayed, this time with a Seals victory.

Gloves weren’t the only things left on the field, so were articles of clothing, such as jackets. A 1929 game at Wrigley Field between the Cubs and Reds was decided in the ninth inning on what was ruled an inside the park homer down the third baseline. The ball simply disappeared into thin air. Or so they thought at the time. Cincinnati’s relief pitcher, Jack Penner was warming up in the third base line bullpen and he had dropped his jacket on the ground before he began to throw. The liner was scooped up by the jacket and the left fielder was unable to locate the ball until the winning run crossed the plate. The ball disappeared from everyone’s view. Umpires and players searched, trying to determine where it disappeared and it wasn’t until Penner put on his jacket and the ball popped out of his left sleeve that the mystery was solved.

How'd they used to catch with these things? No wonder some preferred to go bare handed.

But getting back to gloves. Can you imagine catching a game bare handed? When the sport was in its early stages, players took pride in playing the game with their bare hands. Putting up with pain was part of the game and many a player dislocated fingers or lost fingernails from fielding that hard sphere that was often so grimy and dark by games end that as it was difficult to see. It was in 1870 when Doug Allison, a catcher with the Cincinnati Red Stockings, started using a mitt, and he took heat for doing so. It wasn't manly to wear protection when fielding in those days. After catching 8 games in 9 days and having taken his lumps with foul tips, Allison had had enough. The Cincinnati Commercial reports that Allison wore a “pair of buckskin mittens to protect his hands.” Record has it that players continued playing bare handed for another five years.

(Source: Noah Lieberman, Glove Affairs: The Romance, Tradition and History of the Baseball Glove)

Albert Spalding

It was Albert Spalding (recognize that name?) a Chicago White Stockings first baseman that got the baseball world hooked on the mitt. He owned a sporting goods store where he began peddling the 1st baseman’s glove between $1.00 and $2.50 per unit. The popularity eventually caught on and Spalding became a rich man. Perhaps Spalding encouraged the routine of leaving mitts on the field in an effort to have them wear out sooner, who knows?

Eddie Stanky

With gloves being left on the field in the old days, opposing players used the opportunity to play pranks on their counterparts. It is said that Eddie "the Brat" Stanky lived up to his nickname and was known to fill his opposing numbers’ glove with dirt or tobacco chaw. Washington Senator Ed Yost was notorious for putting dead frogs, mice and other critters in the glove of Phil Rizzuto. The antics were endless it is said. It makes me wonder how they got away with it with so many witnesses simply watching the game.

Though there isn’t much record of it, Houk admits that gloves on the field affected the games outcome, and more than once. “A batted ball would hit a glove and mess up the game. I’ve also seen it where a player, especially an infielder, would be running back and step on a glove, and natuarally it would throw him off balance.”

(http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1121759/1/index.htm, article written by Jay Feldmen, February 20, 1984 “Of Mice and Mitts, And of a Rule That Helped To Clean Up Baseball.”)

It is recorded that Hank Greenberg who sat on the Baseball Rules Committee in 1953, was the primary force that pushed strongly for the rule for two reasons: 1) possible hindering of play and 2) objects left on the field looked sloppy.

The New York Times corroborates that story and reports in a November 4, 1953 article : "Another new rule calls for the removal from the playing field of all gloves....Greenberg proposed the change."

Reporter Whitey Martin of the Hartford Current questioned the intelligence of the baseball establishment and had interesting comments about then Giant Manager Leo Durocher regarding the rule change. In his April 17, 1954 column he said:

“If the report that several clubs intend to defy the rule requiring players to bring in their gloves from the field when the opposing side is retired is true, you begin to wonder about the intelligence of some of the men who are running major league baseball.

“Here is a sensible rule made to protect the payers and to at least help to prevent a game from being won or lost through circumstances not concerned woth the merits of the two teams.

“More than once a player has tripped over a carelessly tossed glove, missing a ball or twisting an ankle, and more than once a ball has struck a glove and been deflected, the incident affecting the outcome of the game. They might as well scatter tombstone out there.

“The players naturally gripe a little at the rule, as it means they must break a lifetime habit, and ballplayers like everybody else, look upon change from an established routine with a jaundiced eye.

“Its just too bad if an athlete left stranded at second base has to trot all the way to the dugout to pick up his glove. Why, that extra exercise could shorten a man’s career, figuring all the extra steps he might take over a season.

“If Leo Durocher were of suspicious nature he might think the new rule was aimed at him personally. Durocher for years has had an established routine at the start of every Giant inning. He would walk to the third base coaching box, pick up the discarded glove of his third baseman, pound his fist into the pocket three times, walk over to the bag and kick it three times, toss down the glove and be ready to master mind.

“If the Giants don’t win the pennant this year he’ll blame it on the rule which prevents him from carrying out his superstitious rigamarole.”

Well, I guess the rule change was actually Durocher’s good luck charm. His Giants won the World Series under the first year of Rule 3.14. Fifty-six years later they won their second. Perhaps it was much of a Giant Good Luck Charm.

Attic Hunting, Some of my Dodger Treasures Found

2012-01-29T18:50:00.000-08:00

I mentioned in yesterday's post that one of this weekend's chores was some attic remodeling and I knew what that meant. There would be time to go through some boxes to search for some treasures. Over the years I have held on to a lot of old Dodger stuff and i knew there was some cool stuff up there. I found the '88 Vinyl LP of the 1981 Dodger Season highlights. Something that I have never played because, who has a record player these days. There are boxes and boxes of baseball cards, something that I need to sort and organize. I'm fairly certain I won't be able to do that until after I retire. I'm not kidding either. It'll take weeks to complete that project.

So I pulled some things down and decided to photograph some of the findings. One day, I will dedicate a room in my house to awesome Dodger Collectibles. It'll be my shrine to the team. Unfortunately, I thought that a room would be freed up by now, but the adult kids in my home are still here. I'm not complaining, I love them and all, but I kind of doubt that I'll have a room to display all my stuff anytime soon.

I ran across Newspapers that I saved that were from the day after the Gibson Home Run in Game one of the '88 Series. I had the foresight to know they would be worth looking at one day. I located the pages from the Herald Examiner, October 16, 1988. I haven't located my L.A. Times pages, but I know they are up there in storage too.

They are a bit yellowed, but that gives them more character in my opinion.

Next I ran across this collectibe plate, it’s of Duke Snider. It isn’t very old, manufactured in 1987. On the back it is labeled, “Sports Impressions, The Superstar Collector Plate Series,” by Brian Johnson. I don’t think it is worth much, but I think its kind of cool for display purposes. I wish I had made the effort to have it signed by Duke before he passed.

I have boxes and boxes of baseball cards up there, but I found a few that I didn’t realize were there. First is a 1989 Topps Randy Johnson Rookie card in mint condition. Also, I was shocked that I forgot about this lucky pack pickup I got about 10-11 years ago, an Upper Deck Mickey Mantle Game Worn Uniform Swatch, with a clear pinstripe visible. I’m not even sure what year it is from, but I believe it is 2001. It’ll be worth getting both of these rated in my opinion.

Next found was a box of cards I really wanted to locate. They are signed cards from players of the 1988 championship team. My plan was to mat and frame them when I started collecting this group about 15 years ago, but I never got around to finishing the project. (Additionally I was doing the same for the '65. '63 and '59 teams, I knew '55 would be virtually impossible). With the '88 team, I'm real close to having a complete signed set, missing cards from Mike Davis and Mike Sharperson who is now deceased.

There are more and several duplicates from players. I think it is time to mail off a card to Mike Davis for signature and take a trip to Michael's Arts and Craft Store to complete this frame. When done, I'll show the finished project.

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In a classic Brian Sabean type move, the San Francisco Giants signed journeyman infielder Ryan Theriot to a one year contract for $1.25 million. Am I surprised? Only that Ned Colletti didn’t sign him first. Theriot batted .271 for the Cardinals last year and saw action in 132 games. The Giants will probably be playing Theriot at shortsop this year. He played 91 games at short for the World Champion Cardinals and moved over to second base after Rafael Furcal arrived in a mid season trade.

An Active Week in Dodger Related News

2012-01-28T09:02:00.000-08:00

It’s has been an active week and will be an eventful weekend. Quite a bit has gone on in Dodgerland for a late January.

Getting top billing is the Dodger ownership transfer process. The Dodger ownership bids moved forward, with the elimination of some worthy bidders. Discussed by Chad Moriyama and Jon Weisman.

the Annual SABR DAY events are in full swing,

word is out that the Dodgers were in on the Prince Fielder derby, covered here by Eric Stephen.

Dustin Nosler's take on Hiroki Kuroda coming forward and subtley stating he wished he could have remained a Dodger is linked here.

Kershaw got the Warren Spahn Award and Kemp and Kershaw are being honored by the Negro League Hall of Fame Legacy Awards.

Scott Andes at Lasorda’s Lair writes an open letter to the next Dodgers owner.

So with all this news and so much going on, I get to spend the weekend with a list of “Honey Do’s” to complete. Clean out the garage, install some plywood sheeting in the attic, do some yard work, and general pre-spring cleaning tasks. There isn’t enough time in this life for me to ever complete all the tasks at hand.

As I start getting ready for a long day ahead of menial tasks with the hope that I can wrap them up before dark, I can’t help but wonder:

“How is it that Colletti could muster up the courage to offer Prince Fielder a multi-million dollar deal for seven years that surpassed Kemp money, but refused to kick in an extra two or three million to keep Kuroda?”

That is completely insane. Now where is my freaking mop? I gotta clean the garage floor.

Macciello Continues Forward

2012-01-27T22:09:00.000-08:00

The underdog continues on

Based on this tweet, it looks to me that Joshua Macciello’s bid made it to the second round. The underdog is still in this race:

Josh Macciello @joshmacciello

love That Pearl Jam song "I'm still alive"

In addition to Macciello, others continuing on in the process are the Joe Torre/Rick Caruso Group, the Steve Cohen Group, the Magic Johnson/Guggenheim Partners Group, the O'Malley Group, the Disney/Stanley Gold Group (that apparently has not teamed with O'Malley afterall), Stan Kroenke (owner of the Rams), Leo Hindrey, Mark Utay.

Those not making the cut: Dennis Gilbert's Group and Mark Cuban.

Unknown: Garvey/Hershiser

This is certainly getting interesting.

Daly's Comments to T.J. Simers - Well He Didn't Hold Back Anything

2012-01-25T22:51:00.000-08:00

I always liked Bob Daly and thought he was a stand up guy during a tumultuous time in Dodger history.

I liked Bob because he told the Giants to stick it in 2001 when they asked the Dodgers to wear throwback Brooklyn jerseys at Pac Bell Park to commemorate the ’51 Bobby Thompson homer. You know, “the shot heard round the world because they cheated and used a telescope to tip off pitches for the last six weeks of the season?” That home run. Yes, the San Francisco Giants had the audacity to ask Daly to cooperate and have the Dodgers wear the old duds. “To relive one of the darkest days in franchise history...it was like, ‘Are you kidding?’” said Daly. “

(Note: Bill Plascke retells the story of the ’51 penant race controversy linked here. )

On a personal note, In 2003 when the Dodgers were on the verge of being sold and Daly was on his way out, I mailed him an invitation to my son’s Eagle Scout Court of honor. Not only did he respond, but he got Tommy Lasorda and Vin Scully to send him congratualtory letters too. I thought that was real classy of him and something that he actually made an effort to respond to above and beyond his daily responsibilities with the team.

Scanned copy of letter Daly sent to my son, congratulating him for receiving his Eagle Scout award

Daly was a Dodger fan, and a good one too. He recalls the torture of dealing with the 1951 pennant collapse while he was in High School back in Brooklyn. His passion for the Dodgers was palpable and he certainly deserved a better fate than that of having to deal with the foibles of the Fox ownership. I thought he did a respectable job of attempting to right the ship. If you remember, he inherited Kevin Malone as his general Manager. Yesterday’s quotes from Daly lead us to believe that he thinks he failed when he turned the stewardship of the team over to McCourt. If you read T.J. Simers' article L.A. Times article yesterday, you'll see that he really let Frank have it.

Daly expressed regret that he didn’t ever get to celebrate in a Dodger champagne doused locker room. He also thinks he overvalued the farm system and should have traded some prospects for a bat in 2002 and he has his regrets about McCourt. Daly, a Dodger fan until this day had mixed feelings, wanting McCourt to fail but his Dodgers to win. It is something that many of us are familiar with the past few years.

He expressed anger at McCourt for letting people go who were Dodger employees for decades telling them that “they’ve been like a family as so if he he wanted to make changes, do so with respect.”

We all know that McCourt released lifetime dodger employees with the subtlety of a freight train going through a glass house. Daly says, “I told him off,” regarding the way McCourt dismissed so many employees unceremoniously. I wonder if the Ross Porter dismissal is what the was referring to. Porter and Tommy Hawkins were two of the higher profile names that left early in the McCourt regime, but there were many that were hurt by his slash and burn management style. Others like Derrick Hall abandoned ship when he saw the writing on the wall. Some weren’t lucky enough to get out earlier.

Daly had an ability to reach out and mend fences. This was exemplified by the stormy contract negotiation sessions with Gary Sheffield prior to the 2001 season. When Sheffield decided to take their differences to the media spotlight, it was Daly that reasoned with him and who Sheffield publicly said he preferred to negotiate with and not G.M. Kevin Malone. Daly had opened up his home to Sheffield and invited his fiance, an up an coming singer to meet Daly’s wife, singer/song writer Carole Bayer-Sager, to provide counsel and assistance to her career. Ironically, when Sheffield pinned the Dodgers in a corner and demanded a trade following the ’02 season, it was Daly that demanded he be moved. Sheff had criticized his teammates and management for spending money foolishly. You didn’t turn on the organization with Daly at the helm. He was loyal to you, but if you blind sided him, you were toast.

Out of all the points made in Simers' piece yesterday, one factoid that I found Interesting was that Daly’s invested more cash into the Dodgers during the Fox tenure than McCourt when he bought the team, and Daly only owned a 10% share. It gives us all an idea how highly leveraged the McCourt purchase was.

Bob was a stand up guy and Dodger executive that probably deserved to see some Dodger success. He hired Dan Evans to replace Kevin Malone and most fans these days would say that it was Evans that started to turn things around. Logan White joined the organization during the Daly years and I think we'd all agree how valuable he is. Unfortunately, both Evans and Daly would not be around to celebrate some of the successes that they were responsible in creating.

I Think I'm Actually Rooting for Josh Macciello to Get the Team

2012-01-24T01:36:00.000-08:00

The more I read about Josh Macciello, the more I want him as owner of the Dodgers. I have waivered over which potential ownership group I support over the past year. Looking back over the past 8-9 months I can see how my emotions ebbed and flowed and matured over time.

Joshua Macciello

Initially when Steve Garvey expressed interest, I was for it...based on emotion from all the McCourt mess and the fact that a “Dodger” wanted the team. ( Article linked here ) Eventually, common sense entered into the picture and I steered away from that idea when considering Gravey’s past problems in the public eye.

I then favored a return of the O'Malley family. I interviewed Walter O's grandson, Tom Seidler, and attempted to gain some public sentiment in that direction. With Tom’s uncle Peter entering into the fray, I thought that would be the way to go. Remembrances of the O’Malley family in charge are positive for the most part. But with so many bidders with so much money that far surpass the O’Malley family wealth, they don’t look like a good fit. Additionally, if you look at Peter’s ownership during the last 8-9 years with the club, things were deteriorating quickly for the Dodgers towards the end of his ownership. Now with the Disney family joining that group, who knows?

Mark Cuban caught my interest. I love his passion and desire to win. But when he started talking about the asking price possibly being too high, I started to look elsewhere. I want a guy that can spend. It looks lie Cuban doesn;t have the funding to continue spending once the purchase is made. We are the 2nd largest market in the country and we need to spend like it.

Steven Cohen, the Wall Street hedge fund guy looked interesting. He certainly has the big bucks. But he brings baggage. A company with some ethics issues (though he isn’t tied to them). The fact that he’s never even been to Dodger Stadium is bothersome. Who needs another carpetbagger? And one from the Big Apple to boot. Memories of Chase Carey return.

Dennis Gilbert is no carpetbagger. Heck, he sits in the first row behind home plate for every game. A Dodger fan, a billionaire and a man knowledgeable about the game (former minor league player and agent). Not a bad fit. But not as rich as some other bidders.

I like Magic Johnson. He is L.A. He is loved here. Better said, he is revered here. Magic says he’ll recruit free agents himself. That brings some attraction, and Kasten and the Guggenheim group behind him are worth billions. A good fit. He may be my favorite.

I never have liked the Torre group. I have expressed my feelings for Torre many times on this blog before. Alan Casden’s desire to level Dodger Stadium during the last ownership run turned me off to the idea of him owning the team. The Fred Claire group, don’t know enough about them.

But then an unknown named Josh Macciello enters the fray and over the past few months, his interest intrigues me more and more. This is a man that has done his homework and sincerely wants to turn the Dodgers into the most elite franchise in the game. Today he is saying that he thinks he might have submitted the highest bid, Is it possible that he offered something crazy like $2 billion? How would MLB react if the Dodger bid comes in at $2 billion. You’d have giddiness prevailing in ownership booths around the country because everyone’s franchise value has just gone up.

Today The Sporting News', Anthony Witrado, has an intriguing article on Josh Macciello that is a must read for everyone following thw Dodger ownership saga. Macciello’s story is quite extraordinary. A rags to riches tale in the span of 6-7 years. It is the kind of story that makes you realize that if you truly pursue your dreams, you can achieve anything. I find what he has done as quite admirable. It makes me want to kick myself for not having the guts to take risks and going for my dreams at an earlier time in my life. And its also the type of story that is motivational in nature too, proving that hard work and effort can result in amazing things.

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Mets Blog Links Up My Piazza Post and a Few Comments Come In

The popular Mets blog, (www.metsblog.com), linked up my Piazza piece and I found that there are interesting comments from the Met faithful that address something I never really brought up: Which cap should Piazza be wearing on his Hall of Fame plaque?

Mike Piazza departs Dodger Stadium on the day he was traded to Florida. Note the mural of Mike on the Stadium facade in the backgound.

I can see arguments for both sides. Piazza’s numbers as a Dodger were simply astounding and earth shattering for a catcher. Mike’s accomplishments as a Met successful from a team stand point. As a Dodger fan, I hope he goes in as a Dodger, but we are all aware of Mike’s statements with regard to the matter. He prefers to go in as a Met. The entire situation makes me loath Chase Carey all the more because he was our “can’t miss” Hall of Famer.

What many Met fans are probably unaware of is that Piazza was the face of the Dodger franchise for five years (’93-until his trade in ’98). Dodger marketing was focused around him. The Kids Fan Club was centered around him. He was by far the most popular Dodger and the most feared hitter in the line up. As much as they love him in New York, I can argue that he was equally valued and revered as a Dodger.

Ryan Braun Had His Chance to Right a Wrong, and He Blew It

2012-01-22T09:16:00.000-08:00

Well Ryan Braun did it, he formally accepted the MVP award at a Black Tie Dinner last night in New York City before the BBWAA. And he blew it in my opinion. He could have made things right. He could have re-earned the respect that he’ll never again have in his Major League career. This was his opportunity at redemption. Now those boos he’ll hear all season long and the heckling at visiting ballparks will be well deserved. He chose to go another route and accept the award in a tainted fashion.

How would you have felt about Braun if during his acceptance speech he had said something along the lines of, “I’m sorry for the controversy I caused. There is one person that had an extraordinary season, and without a failed drug test, and that’s Matt Kemp. He deserves this award and I’d like to present it to him.”

Now that would have brought headlines. That would have earned him respect. That would have made inroads at resurrecting his reputation.

In his acceptance speech Braun is quoted as saying, “Sometimes in life, we all deal with challenges we never expected to endure. We have an opportunity to look at those challenges and view them either as obstacles or as opportunities, and I’ve chosen to view every challenge I’ve ever faced as an opportunity and this will be no different. I have always believed that a person’s character is revealed through the way they deal with those moments of adversity.” It should be noted that Braun refused to take questions from reporters after the ceremony.

Hmm, Ryan. Had you lived by the words you just spoke, you would have not accepted the award. You had the opportunity to make things right before you, but I guess that’s not in your character. Not like Matt Kemp, who when asked about the controversy, he took the high road and claimed you are the MVP, though deep down inside, he knows what we all know...you cheated. Now that’s a true MVP in my opinion, A Most Valuable Person.

Meet Joe Buck

2012-01-20T17:27:00.000-08:00

One of the perks of my job is that once in a while I get to meet celebrities. Today it was my turn with Joe Buck. It wasn't more than a 5 minute meet and greet while working, but he was kind enough to quickly pose for a photograph. I guess he thought what I said was funny, based on the grin. I must say though, he really is a nice man and very respectful. He's in S.F. for the NFC Championship broadcast this Sunday

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Mark Timmons at L.A. Dodgertalk.com posts an interesting quote from Jason Stark that hints that MLB executives fear the Dodgers and their buying power after a new owner is in place. Read about it HERE

I so hope this is true. I have to believe it is true. Will the Dodgers soon be the West Coast version of the Yankees when it comes to spending? I believe that all depends on who ends up with the club. April 1st can't come soon enough.

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In other news:

Brad Hawpe signs a minor league deal with the Rangers. Frankly I'm glad he's out of the National League because he always seemed to do well against the Dodgers.

Enrique Rojas from ESPN Deportes Tweets that the Oakland A's are interested in Manny Ramirez. Ramirez's comments: "Cada dia que pasa me arrepiento de las decisiones que tome'." (Translation: "Each day that passes I regret the decisions that I made.")

The latest Dodger signing at Frank and Son, City of Industry: Dee Gordon, tomorrow, 11:00 to 1:00 PM.

Mark Cuban the topic of Steve Dilbeck's L.A. Times post, quoting the Maverick's Owner that "L.A. would never be the same," if he owned the club.

Mike Piazza - It Sure Would Be Nice if He Would Agree to Participate In the 50 Year Festivities

2012-01-19T22:02:00.000-08:00

What would it take to get Mike Piazza to return to Dodger Stadium and receive some recognition and appreciation from the fans? With the announcement of several Bobblehead dolls issued this year commemorating the 50 years of Dodger Stadium, I have to believe that Piazza was approached with the idea and he turned it down. Sadly, I almost believe that Mike is still holding a grudge against the organization and the fans all these years later. It is no secret that Piazza was not happy with being booed by Dodger fans early in ’98 when contract talks broke down. Shortly afterward, Chase Carey traded him to Florida and he never put on a Dodger uniform again.

I happened to be present when Mike Piazza returned to Dodger Stadium as a Met in 2008 for the first time. It was August 28th and 52,154 fans showed up for a Friday night game in which a .500 Dodger team found itself 21 games behind in the standings. Piazza, came to the plate for his first at bat as a Met at Dodger Stadium and received a standing ovation. Something he certainly deserved. He then ripped a pitch deep to right center field where Gary Sheffield caught it on the warning track. He received a standing ovation as he returned to the dugout following the out.

On August 28, 1998, Mike Piazza tips his cap to Dodger fans that gave him a standing ovation as he returned to Dodger Stadium for the first time in a visiting uniform.

The oddest part of the game was yet to come though. With the Dodgers leading 4-0 in the top of the sixth, Piazza led off the inning. First ball swinging off of Carlos Perez, he lined a home run into the Left Field Pavilion. It was a classic Piazza shot that we had seen so many times. Exiting the playing field in a matter of a second or two. And then it happened, it was a gradual swell that erupted into a tremendous ovation. Yeah there were a few boos, but they were drowned out by the majority of fans that stood and cheered as an opposing player circled the bases at Dodger Stadium. I distinctly remember a young boy seated in the row next to me, wearing his Dodger Blue Crew T-shirt that he had obtained from the previous year with Mike’s image prominently displayed on the front. He was wearing a Mets cap. The kid and his mom hugged each other in excitement as Piazza crossed home plate in that Mets uni.

I believe its safe to say that never before or since has a visiting player competing against the Dodgers received such a positive reception at Dodger Stadium. I stood and applauded too, but I didn’t feel too bad about doing so, because the Dodgers still led 4-1. As that lead slowly evaporated and the Dodgers eventually went to extra innings in a 4-4 tie, I started to feel a bit different about the feel good story of Piazza’s return. The Mets eventually scored what turned out to be the winning run as Piazza slid across the plate in the 10th inning when Eric Karros failed to cleanly field a grounder in an attempt to cut down Mike from scoring. Again, fans stood and cheered. Piazza came out a winner and the Dodgers, well, they were done for the evening.

A diplomatic Piazza told L.A. TImes Dodger beat writer Jason Reid only positive things in the games aftermath. “The fans have always been good to me here. That’s something you never forget.”

As the years have gone by, that statement from 1998 looks to have been forgotten by Piazza. It seems like Mike wants to distance himself from his Dodger days. “The bulk of my career was with the Mets,” he told Craig Calcaterra of Hardball Talk in 2010. “ After going through the trade and then the drama of 9/11, I’ll never forget my Dodger days, but my time with the Mets is what I’ll remember most about my career.”

It sure would be nice to see him return for one night, put on the Dodger jersey and step to the mound in the pre-game ceremony and one more time, tip that cap to Dodger fans that were appreciative of his contributions. In my opinion he was by far the biggest offensive force to ever wear a Dodger uniform. His departure was a major contributor to the Dodgers demise that followed between '98-'03. In some sense, I believe it can be argued that they have never recovered from that trade with Florida.

Any ideas what we could do to convince him to return? I have to believe that Mike Piazza would receive an extremely positive and warm response if he did. Come back home Mike. L.A. fans that hated that trade would like to acknowledge you for your accomplishments as a Dodger. In case we all forgot, the youtube video below reminds us all what a force he was in his prime.

Ethier Gets A Big PayDay, Not Bad for a Guy that Can't Hit Lefties

2012-01-17T12:37:00.000-08:00

So I see that Ethier was signed for just short of $11 million this year. Hopefully he puts up numbers that that salary deserves. I have always liked Andre. I think he’s a class act and his community service is amongst the best on the club. I must admit though that his performance against left handers should move him to a platoon role and $11 million a year isn’t the salary that a typical platoon player gets. This leaves me to assume that Colletti is planning on Ethier as the everyday Dodger right fielder and a platoon is not being considered.

These are the past three years splits for Ethier, and trust me, if you go back more years, the picture doesn’t get prettier.

Vs. Right handed pitching

2009 431 AB, .302 BA, .390 OBP, .960 OPS, .571 SLG, 25 HR, 81 RBI

2010 358 AB, .318 BA, .396 OBP, .960 OPS, .564 SLG, 20 HR, 63 RBI

2011 346 AB, .321 BA, .410 OBP, .878 OPS, .468 SLG, 10 HR, 49 RBI

Vs. Left handed pitching

2009 165 AB, .194 BA, .283 OBP, .629 OPS, .345 SLG, 6 HR, 25 RBI

2010 159 AB, .233 BA, .292 OBP, .625 OPS, .333 SLG, 3 HR, 19 RBI

2011 141 AB, .220 BA, .258 OBP, .563 OPS, .305 SLG, 1 HR, 13 RBI

Ethier’s career splits have him with .909 OPS vs. righties and .662 OPS against southpaws. His career on base percentage against right handers is .386 while lefties strangle him to a .302 OBP. The big picture is that Andre needs to platoon. He needs to accept that fact and play 80% of the time, whenever a right hander is on the mound. there’s nothing wrong with that. He can be valuable in that role, but as an everyday player and a tempermental one at that, who pouts at the mere mention of being lifted for a pinch hitter, he’s going to continue killing us against lefties.

I know, the walk off homers really got us wrapped up in the emotional game ending heroics that he accomplished. It was amazing what he did a few years ago. But it has really clouded many a Dodger fans clear thinking. His last walk off homer was May of 2010 and if you review all 11 walk-off hits between '08-11 only two were off of lefties and many occurred in late extra innings when the opposition had already used up the closer. Some of the household names that Ethier had walk offs against were Villanueva, Durbin, Peralta, Dumatrait, a struggling Brad Lidge, Boyer and Parisi.

Lefthander Michael Dunn of the Marlins has just struck out Ethier in this April 27, 2011 game in Miami.

The fact is, Andre can’t hit lefties. Never has, and never will. Yeah, I know his dad learned to pitch left handed so that he could learn to hit lefties at an early age. It’s a great story and it was a good idea, but have you ever thrown, let alone pitched with your weak side? I have, and it aint pretty. I’ve got to hand it to Andre’s dad Byron, a fine ballplayer at the JC level level himself, for learning to pitch from the left side. But please, it was probably real easy to hit off dad who was tossing lollypops to him from over there.

A platoon of Jerry Sands/Andre Ethier would be a prudent move and worth a few wins in the standings IF Ethier would agree to get on board with it and not sulk. Does Mattingly have the guts to make such a bold move for the good of the club? Is Andre honest enough with himself to realize that the club would benefit from having a right handed hitter batting in his place against left handers? On both fronts, I highly doubt it.

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James Loney was signed for a one-year deal worth $6.375 million plus incentives. Not bad for him considering his sub-par year and turbulent off-season activities.

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Try to figure this one out. In this 1994 Topps Stadium Club card of Orel Hershiser, his second to last year on the Dodgers. Does anybody know what is he doing? He has a clump of sod in his hand, and there is a shopping cart involved. Additionally based on the other uniformed player who is unidentified, he is in Pittsburgh. No need to do any groundskeeping at old Three Rivers Stadium that had artificial turf.

So my question is: What is he doing? Who is the Pittsburgh player, or is it their bat boy? Topps puts out a mystery card every now and then, but what were they trying to do here?

Anyone that can solve this riddle gets a Opinion of Kingman’s Performance T-shirt, one of 3 or 4 remaining that I have in stock. And if you are XXL, you’re out of luck, unless you want to use it for a rag. I think I have 2 mediums and a large left.

Reggie and Tommy in the Booth.

2012-01-12T10:54:00.000-08:00

Two years ago there was an exchange in the Fox Sports Saturday Game of the Week between Tommy Lasorda and Reggie Jackson that I wish I had recorded. What is provided below is a sanitized version of a heated exchange between the two that this video doesn’t accurately portray.

What really went down?

Lasorda said, “You stuck your backside into the baseball, Reggie, tell the truth.” When Jackson refused to acknowledge that he had done so Lasorda responded saying, “He should have been decked. He was a liar then and he’s a liar now!”

Jackson mentioned that he earlier in the week called Lasorda’s office in an attempt to get some tickets and that the voice mail message from Lasorda ended with the quote from Tommy saying that if you don’t root for the Dodgers, you won’t get into heaven. In reference to the “heaven” quote, Lasorda said that Jackson also won’t get into heaven “for lying.”

Jackson was jovial throughout the exchange while Lasorda maintained that serious demeanor and showed anger that has festered within him for years over that play in 1978. Tommy was in no mood to joke, saying Jackson was “about as funny as a bloody nose.” When Buck asked him to acknowledge Reggie’s greatness, referring to the three homer game in the ’77 World Series, Lasorda responded with, “A blind pig will always find an acorn.”

It isn’t really seen in the video clip that was edited by Fox, but there was a sense of awkwardness in the booth. Both Buck and McCarver weren’t comfortable, with Buck continually attempting play the peacemaker and get Lasorda to admit he was playing around. Tommy wouldn’t do that. He was steamed, 32 years after the fact, his wound was not healed.

The only hint that I have that this incident was staged was at the end when they hugged and you can see Lasorda briefly grinning. Either way, it was an interesting five minutes of television.

The Day Reggie Jackson Hit on My Wife

In late 1988, before we ever met, (in fact it was 8 years before that). My wife needed needed a car and somehow ended up Reggie Jackson Volkswagon in Palo Alto, California. She went in and test drove the Jetta. It was a good fit for her and her young family. A roomy car with a lot of pep, she just needed to work out the details of the financing.

While waiting for the deal to be completed, Reggie Jackson spent a good hour talking with my wife. Now, she’s a hottie and always will be in my opinion. On top of that, she’s got a lot of spunk and an outgoing personality, so it is easy for someone to be attracted to her interesting and dynamic demeanor. The guy owned the dealership, or at least lent his name to it. It wasn’t as if he was hob-nobbing with all the potential buyers, because ALL his attention was on this twenty-seven year old attractive woman.

Long story short, she bought the car...but Reggie didn’t get a date, she turned him down. He only batted .500 that day, got the sale, missed out on the date. A Win/Lose for Reggie.

Excellent Post on Steve Howe at Classic Minnesota Twins Blog

2012-01-11T09:13:00.000-08:00

As I sit here at SFO waiting to fly out again, I was perusing my emails and came across a message from Michael Busch, fellow blogger, and the ultimate Minnesota Twins fan. Over the past week Michael and I have been corresponding because he has asked me numerous questions about my recollections of Steve Howe from his days with the Dodgers. Michael’s blog, classicminnesotatwins.blogspot.com is a very well put together site that has numerous gems of information. He was working on a Steve Howe piece.

In early 2010 I posted about Rod Carew and his amazing ability to steal home and Michael liked my post and we corresponded. So I was happy to oblige with the Steve Howe information, even though my memory of his departure from the team in 1985 is starting to get foggy. Anyway, this morning I see that his article is out and it is very well done. Take a look at it if you get a chance. LINKED HERE

Additional recollections of Howe

I believe if I had to list the most disappointing Dodger of all-time, Steve Howe just might top the list. The man had intimidating stuff and was as good as any lefty reliever in the game. His entry into a game was about as automatic as I remember, and this predated today’s one-inning save situations. Howe would go two and sometimes three innings. Just look at his numbers with the Dodgers from 1980-83. Had Steve just been able to stay away from the cocaine, he was on a possible track to the Hall of Fame.

Posting ERAs of 2.66, 2.50, 2.08 and 1.44 in his first four seasons. It is no wonder that Campanis and Lasorda were rushing him back on the roster as soon as they could. From 80-83, the Dodgers were in the hunt each year and Howe was a key component to their success. Who can forget the attempts of the Dodgers to replace him after his departure. (See Ed Van De Berg, Matt Young, Carlos Diaz). Nobody came close to Steve Howe.

To me, the thing that stings about Steve is that many say he was given so many opportunities, yet, now with our better understanding of substance abuse, he really was thrown back out there on the field way too soon. He’d clean up for a few weeks and we’d all say, “Okay, Steve’s good to go again,” and then he’d relapse. There really should have been a 24 hour guide with him at all times, something similar to the Josh Hamilton situation of today.

His story is such a tragic tale about a good teammate and ultimate competitor. His death in 2006 was way too soon and you’ll find some insight on that in this excellent piece written by Cary Osborne in 2009 for the Santa Clarita Valley Signal. It’s an inspiring story of his son Brian, who learning of his father’s death, went out that same day and got the save in his high school game for Valencia High.

http://www.the-signal.com/archives/22617/

Michael asked me questions about the sentiment of Dodger fans when Howe departed. I gave him the best recollection I could, but I’d be interested in knowing what others think. Feel free to comment if you remember the Steve Howe years.

Memorabilia, Signings and Trades

2012-01-10T11:12:00.000-08:00

Greg Zakwin Over at Plaschke Thy Sweater is Argyle noted that he and Roberto from VSIMHB traded some awesome All Star Game Relic cards recently. Greg also mentioned that he looks forward to seeing Roberto at the Softball Tournament organized by the Left Field Pavilion blog. This whole thing about trades and the softball tournament got me to thinking. Maybe now is the time to work out a few roster tweaks and trades. I’ll post my roster and perhaps make a few deals. Maybe I can get a few pieces of memorabilia in exchange for my son,who thinks he can play second base. Oops, looks like I tipped my hand on that one. And speaking of baseball memorabilia...

Clayton Kershaw signs at Camelback Ranch

For those of you in the Houston area, or willing to travel there. Tristar Productions is hosting an event that will include Dodger Starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw and former Dodger Hall of Famer, Don Sutton. Additionally virtually every famous Houston related athlete will also be present and Joe Montana to boot. I seriously considered traveling out there for this event because I have a sneaking feeling that the Kershaw and Sutton lines may be a little shorter than the others. Unfortunately, getting the time off of work is difficult, plus the expense of the entire trip are a little beyond my budget.

Tristar Link HERE

I see that Tristar is coming up to my neck of the woods in Frisco in April, but no announcement has been made on who will attend. A bunch of Giants, 49ers and Raiders most likely, but once in a while there is a nice surprise. Last year it was supposed to be Johnny Bench. But rumor has it he was too hung over to attend last year.

I repeat it again as I have in the past. I should be too old for this kind of stuff, I know that. And whenever I tell myself that I am, I get reeled in to the lure of the autograph shows and the next thing I know, I plan to attend them. I find that there are two types of fans when it comes to memorabilia, photos and autographs. 1) Those like my OLDER brother and I that eat up this stuff and collect all the memorabilia that they can, and 2) Those that don’t give a rip about it.

I wish I could say I was in group number 2, but I can’t. I’m a number 1 guy big time. And it doesn’t matter that I was a grown adult who was married and had kids already when Clayton Kershaw was born. I know that a guy like Kershaw probably looks at an old guy like me and thinks, “Grow up old man, this is for kids!” But there I am, standing in lines and trying to get something signed. I’ve got to latch on to a more respectable hobby.

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Did I miss something? I don’t think I’m too far off base when I say that SEC quarterbacks are not too impressive. That had to be one of the worst NCAA National Championship football games ever seen.

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Hue Jackson fired by the Raiders this morning. Al's gone...some things don't change.

Why We Are Hated

2012-01-09T11:36:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered if opposing fans hate the Dodgers more than other teams?Why the vitriol for the Dodgers and Dodger fans? It could be Frisco, San Diego, Philly or New York. The Dodgers seem to be hated more than most teams. I was counting up the years I have lived away from Los Angeles now and as a baseball fan, I believe I have been away from my home town now for 24 years. I have probably seen the Dodgers in person wearing road duds more than I have watched them in the home whites. Be it San Fran., Arizona, New York, Houston, Oakland, San Diego. The Dodgers are not well liked.

Living here in Giant country, I have conducted my own informal study as to why fans of other teams have a particular disdain for the team donning a uniform with Red, White and Blue on it. At work, I know a lot of fans here that are transplanted from other locations. So I asked around and got a lot of interesting answers.

I can categorize the answers under various headings or topics. They are the following:

*jealousy of Southern California weather and the fact that they probably don’t have it.

*perception that Dodger fans are an arrogant fan base.

*perception that Dodger fans are unknowledgeable and band wagon in nature.

*hatred of Tommy Lasorda.

*perception that fan base in violent.

*perception that fan base in phony, artificial

*dislike of “Hollywood” image that team has and some players have.

*claim that Dodger fans are hypocrites.

*perception that players are phony and soft

*angry that Dodger fans fill their ball park when on the road.

Below are some of the answers they gave that I recorded. Please note, I rarely agree with these answers and could easily argue with a lot of the logic that was used by some. In the end, I let them go on and I didn’t debate or refute anything. As you can see, some guys went on and on and on.

Brad (Giants fan): “The Dodgers have the most clueless fan base in baseball, bar none. They don’t understand the game. They come late and leave early. More band wagon fans follow the Dodgers than any other team.”

Tom (Reds fan): “It’s Tommy Lasorda and that pompous attitude he always had. For years he’d say things like,‘you won’t got to heaven, if you don’t root for the Dodgers.’ And he talked a lot of smack about the Big Red machine in the 70’s. I mean, it was total disrespect, we had won back to back championships in ’75 and ’76 and he entered the next season telling everyone how much better the Dodgers were. I really enjoyed watching them lose the that Yankee team that we swept the next two years in the World Series.”

Ron (Giants fan): “Bryan Stow. Enough said!”

Hector (Yankee fan): “Dodger fans are dumb, and unoriginal. They aren’t knowledgeable. They chant “Yankees Suck” and then they cheer like mad when they get a lame wave going around the stadium. I hate Dodger fans.”

Joseph (Giants fan): “It’s the arrogance of their fans that drives me crazy. They have sucked for so long, but their fans act like they won the World Series year after year. What has it been now? 30 years since they won it?”

Alan (Rockies fan): “I hate the Dodgers. Their fans are all gang bangers and arrogant. They think they are God’s gift to baseball. They are not. Dodger Stadium sucks. Dodger fans are mouthy cowards.

Jim (Giants fan): “I hate the Hollywood factor with the Dodgers. Everything about them is plastic. The Stadium and the stupid strobe lights, celebrity managers like Lasorda and Torre that really just care about their image. The pretty boy players they have had like Garvey, Piazza, Hershiser, players like that. Garvey turned out to be a phony that doesn’t pay his bills and Piazza doesn’t even want to go into the Hall as a Dodger. Hershiser is such a Dodger homer on ESPN that I couldn’t even listen. Everything about that organization is fake, and the fans...don’t even get me started.”

Robert (Padres fan): “Their fans come into our ball park and take it over. I have to hand it to them, that is commendable, but it doesn’t make me happy. It just makes me hate them more than ever.”

Rudy (D-Backs fan): “The Dodger fans now have a reputation of violence more than other teams fans. It’s almost like they’re Raiders fans now. They come to Chase Field and try to intimidate us in our home ball park. There’s nobody I love beating more than the Dodgers. I have nothing against their players though.”

Bernie (Mets fan): “The Dodgers are soft. Always have been. They play in a pristine ball park with perfect weather. Hell, they even have an announcer that never makes a mistake. That’s why I hate ‘em. Everything is too perfect. The weather, the stadium, the announcer, the pretty movie stars sitting behind home plate. Sickening. I have no respect for them. They don’t play in rough weather, with tough crowds in difficult circumstances. Even their press don’t give them a hard time like Boston, New York or Philly. Back East, if you don’t perform, the fans, media and even team management will make life miserable for the players. I heard that Manny Ramirez liked it in L.A. because he could go out in public and not be bothered. What kind of fan base would ignore a super star like Ramirez? They simply have no passion and don’t care about their team.”

Henry (Giants fan): “They bashed us for years about Bonds and steroids, and the whole time they had guys like Kevin Brown and Gagne that were juicing. And then Manny came along. What a bunch of hypocrites! I hate the Dodgers! For years I respected them because they outplayed our great teams in the 60s with inferior talent. You can’t tell me that a lineup with punch and Judy hitters like Wills, Davis, Fairly and Roseboro were better than Mays, McCovey, and Cepeda. But they’d somehow beat us all the time. I couldn’t hate Koufax, but it was easy to hate Drysdale. Now, things are different. Their fans are just stupid and unknowledgeable.”

Duane (Braves fan): “I never liked the Dodgers because they used to beat our brains out in the 70s and most of the 80s. Then I really started to hate them when we got good in the 90s and everyone still talked about the Dodgers.”

Joe (Pirates fan): "I don't hate L.A., but they usually beat our ass. But so does everybody so I can't spend my whole life hating every team that beats our ass, otherwise I'd spend my whole life hating everyone. Go Steelers!"

Rich (A’s fan): “I f#@$ing hate Kirk Gibson.”

Some Thoughts on the Torre Ownership Group

2012-01-06T14:52:00.000-08:00

Well I have had 36 hours to digest the possibility of Joe Torre returning to the Dodger fold and I must say, I have conflicted feelings about it.

I was unhappy with the way Torre’s tenure as Dodger manager ended. He arrived with a reputation of a guy that communicated with his players and had good rapport with them. He was known as a chemistry and confidence builder. In my opinion, on all those counts, Joe was a failure. He destroyed Broxton both physically and mentally in an attempt to win a meaningless nataionally televised game against his former team. He placed coaches on his staff that were old school and unable to relate to modern day players, thus alienating such stars as Matt Kemp, Orlando Hudson, and even Manny Ramirez at the end of his Dodger career. I won’t continue on this rant though. You get the gist of my feelings on Torre. He disappointed me, but I think we'd all agree that managing the team is much different than administering it as an owner.

Torre’s resignation from his MLB position must mean that he is dead serious about landing the team. He must know his group has an inside track at landing the club. Aligning himself with Rick Caruso and banker Bryan Trott (the guy that Warren Buffett trusts). Torre may know something all of us do not. Either he thinks he is going to be the winning bidder or maybe he wasn't happy in his role with MLB and this was his way out. Either way, it's an interesting development.

One thing is certain though: Joe loves the flash bulbs, the cameras and the microphones. He craves attention and is a skilled and eloquent speaker. Perhaps the ownership suite would suit him well. It fits him much better in my opinion than a seat on the bench as manager. In case you forgot, Torre had Matt Kemp batting 8th for heaven’s sake.

The world will always view Joe as a Yankee. For me, that’s bothersome. It shouldn't be, but it bugs me to no end. The Dodgers deserve their own identity and not one of a Yankee owning the club. The perception will be that the Dodgers are owned by that former Yankee manager. I hope that's not the case, but it probably will be. Deep down, Torre is still hot over his dismissal from the Yankees and he wants to get back at them. Unfortunately, his grudge match was to the Dodgers detriment a few years back. I'd rather he go fight his grudge against the Steinbrenners with some other team.

So, as you can see, I'm all over the place with this. Torre's good as an administrator and handling the media, Torre's bad when it comes to baseball decisions, etc, etc. I think the bad outweighs the good. I fear he'd be right thick in the middle of baseball transactions and we all know how he loves the over-the-hill veteran, (i.e. Ronnie Belliard, Scott Proctor). I could see Joe overpaying for older free agents if he sits in an adminstrative seat. Would he let his G.M. do his job without interference?

If I had to choose now, I'd go with Magic's group, Dennis Gilbert's group or Peter O'Malley's group over Torre. If Torre shows that they have the most money to back up the purchase and can go out and spend. I just may change my tune. But for now, I'd pass on Joe and I hope that McCourt does too.

Politics and Baseball

2012-01-04T12:13:00.000-08:00

During the 2008 Presidential Race, Upper Deck produced a Presidential Candidate series that featured caricatures of candidates in historical baseball poses. With the recent Iowa Caucuses concluding yesterday in what was the closest race I have ever seen in my life (Romney over Santorum by a mere 8 votes), I thought Romney’s card in which he’s waving Fisk’s Pole shot fair is appropriate, considering that he took the caucus vote in Iowa by an eye lash.

Reverse side of Romney's card

Other cards issued were of Fred Thompson posing as theSultan of Swat.

Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama celebrating as Derrick Lowe and Jason Varitek following game 5 of the 2003 ALDS. Some have said that it is Papelbon and Varitek celebrating the '07 World Series win, and it may well be, but when comparing photos of the actual event, this artist rendering is much closer to the Lowe/Varitek celebration in '03. In the '07 celebration, it is Papelbon lifting Varitek off the ground.

Here you have White Sox fan Obama dueling with John McCain in a parody of the slugfest between A.J. Pierzynski and Michael Barrett in 2006. That was one crazy fight. Barrett just lost it and knowing everyone's opinion of A.J., most didn't mind that Pierzynski got sucker punched either.

more John McCain as he homers as Ted Williams. Both war heroes, so the comparison fits. But no way Ted ever smiled. Not ever!

Rudy Guiliani is Jeffery Maier, snatching a home run away from Baltimore's Tony Tarrasco. That one is pretty funny and you know Rudy would have done it had he been in his place. Classic!

and last but not least, current Vice President Joe Biden strikes his best Walter Johnson pose.

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Romney and Dodger ties: The candiates son, Tagg Romney, actually was on the Dodger payroll as the Chief Marketing Officer (2005-07), where he managed TV and radio broadcasts, advertising and in-game entertainment at Dodger Stadium. He left in '07 to work on his father's presidential campaign. I have a sneaking suspicion that Romney's Massachusetts background led him to knowing the McCourts, which probably had something to do with his landing the Dodger job. I have no proof of this, and it is mere speculation on my part. Romney now works for a law firm in Dallas, TX.

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Wow, Joe Torre and his huge ego mean business. With his recent resignation from his position with Major League Baseball, I have to believe that Joe is a serious player and thinks he has a good shot at winning out in the bidding process for the Dodgers. I'll write more on this tomorrow. I have never concealed my dislike for Joe Torre, mainly because I always seemed to see him as being more concerned with his image than the good of the team, but maybe his entry into the bidding process isn't so bad.

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One more Presidential Upper Deck Card. This one spoofs the 2000 election between Bush and Gore. George W. is Chuck Knoblauch, making the phantom tag on Al Gore, the Red Sox's Jose Offerman. This parody is a from the '99 American League Championship Series, Game 4, in which the Yankees won. This controversial call really wasn't the cause of Boston's loss. They gave up 6 runs in the top of the 9th to the Yanks to lose 9-2.

Note that the umpire is calling Gore out, while Bush obviously misses the tag. Upper Deck's spoof of the 2000 election in which Bush won the election but lost in the popular vote count.

Remembering Roberto...and one last look at 2011

2012-01-01T13:47:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone. Howard Cole over at the OC Register reminds us that 39 years ago, Roberto Clemente died in a plane crash during a charitable Nicaraguan Earthquake relief mission. I remember hearing the news with shock as Curt Gowdy announced it the next day at the beginning of the Rose Bowl game between USC and Ohio State. I was 11 years old and my memories of Clemente will always be of awe and amazement.

I personally saw Clemente at his best, having attended a regular season game on August 22, 1970, a 2-1 Pirates 16 inning victory over the Dodgers in which Clemente absolutely dominated.

His stat line from that game was: 7AB, 1 Run (the game winner), 5 Hits, 1 RBI, 1 Stolen Base. Additionally, he made an outstanding catch and rocket like throw that held a runner from scoring. I was a young kid when I saw that game, but I’ll never forget the impression he made on me. Anybody that witnessed it had to have left the stadium that night knowing he was an absolute superstar and true Hall of Famer.

I’m sure all my dad remembered from that game was it was well past midnight and his dumb kid wouldn’t let him go home. I know he joked about that for years to come. The box score and game review at baseball-reference.com shows us all how much the game has changed since then. LINKED HERE (Wow! 16 innings in only 4 hours and 21 minutes).

A few last words on 2011.

The “I told you so” Award for 2011 goes to: Me

First, based on my prediction on May 10th in which I stated that MLB will force McCourt to sell the team but he’ll get to keep the parking lots and charge exorbitant prices to the new ownership group for years to come.

My further prediction was that the new ownership would determine that it would be better that they just build a new stadium rather than pay McCourt. We’ll wait and see with that one.

Second, on June 29, 2011, I stated that the Dodgers needed to be very cautious with Rubby De La Rosa since he had never pitched at any level more than 110 innings in a season. We know the rest, within a month, he was getting Tommy John surgery.

Julie Jacobson, Associated Press

The “Almost got it right” award also goes to me.

On June 30, 2011, earlier than many, I wrote that Kemp and Kershaw would win the MVP and Cy Young Award while playing for a Last Place team. Got the Cy right, should have got the MVP right. Last place? Well, they were in last when I wrote the piece. Nice to be wrong on that one.

The “Worst Prediction of the Year” award goes to: Me again

I said on March 26, 2011 that the Arizona Diamondbacks would finish in last place with a 68-94 record. I stated that their starting pitching was questionable, their bullpen was awful and there was uncertainty at 1B, 3B, LF, and C.

Instead of 68-94, I meant to say 94-68, which is right where they finshed. Dyslexia to blame.