MLB in Los Angeles, My LA Dodgers Blog

2008-11-25T12:22:00.000-08:00

Watch your footing this weekend if you're traveling to colder climates for the holidays! Take a lesson from Chad Billingsley, who broke his leg when he fell on some ice. Fingers crossed that he'll be healed up and ready to go for Spring Training. Read it here.

2008-10-30T11:29:00.001-07:00

Get out there and vote next Tuesday, November 4th, Dodger fans!

2008-10-20T08:52:00.000-07:00

My buddy and I are going to Under the Lights this year. I am so stoked, and I've got money riding on my ability to swing for the fences!

Manny's the Man

2008-09-03T17:36:00.001-07:00

Manny Ramirez has joined the greats!
He’s now up to 12 seasons where he’s scored 30 homeruns. There is nothing I’ve done that well for 12 years. Hank Aaron had 15 seasons like that, Barry Bonds 14, Mike Schmidt and Babe Ruth 13. I get tired just thinking about it.

A Greener Dodger Stadium

2008-06-20T12:31:00.000-07:00

I was just reading some of the "next 50" Dodger Stadium information, and I think it's cool how they're going green. I'm not a huge tree hugger or anything, but stadiums are one of those places where you can really see waste at work. Just wait a few minutes after the stands have cleared to see what I'm talking about - cups, beer cans, and just trash in general all over the place. Lots of it. So, it'll be cool to know that more recycling of that trash (among other things) is happening with the stadium updates.

Plus, they're going to have waterless urinals, and I am just dying to see how that works! ;)

Keep It Together, Kemp

2008-06-08T12:24:00.000-07:00

Kemp's appealing his 4-game suspension that he earned by scuffling with the Rockies' Torrealba. As a Dodgers fan, I hope he wins the appeal. But as a baseball fan in general, I kinda wish he'd just take his punishment like a man.

"I'm letting my team down," Kemp said. "Four games, that's a lot of games. I'm just trying to not get that many games suspended, so I can get back on the field and help my team win."

Dude, you already let your team down by being a jackass at the game. I mean, I'm sure it feels good to let your frustration out immediately and physically...but even in the heat of the moment, isn't there some part of you that can keep it together?

Anger management, buddy.

2008-06-06T12:21:00.001-07:00

Yesterday's loss was a disappointment, but wasn't that a hell of a game to watch? The almost-comeback was so exciting, you could feel it! Hopefully it was just a warmup for today's game. We're ready for a win! Beat those cubbies!

The Brooklyn Dodgers - a Blast from the Past

2007-10-09T10:02:00.000-07:00

I can't even imagine how I'd feel if the LA Dodgers picked up and left town. But I'm guessing it would be something like this...

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-brooklyn8oct08,1,810612.story?coll=la-headlines-sports

Even I have to admit, Brooklyn Dodgers still has enough of a ring to it that it doesn't sound wrong. But I'm glad I'm still able to enjoy my Los Angeles Dodgers tickets right here at home. It'd be a hell of a commute to get to Brooklyn for the games.

Come on Penny!

2007-09-05T16:04:00.000-07:00

August was a disaster and the Dodgers have to make up a 3 game deficit to make it to the playoffs. At least Brad Penny seems to have finally snapped out of it (well, somewhat) when the Dodgers took the Cubs 6-2 on Tuesday. Come on guys, let's at least show the Angels who's boss!

He made HOW many million?

2007-06-01T15:48:00.000-07:00

So I was sitting here surfing some Dodgers sites and found this:

http://www.acmewebpages.com/dodgers/roster.htm

And I started perusing. I thought, "Hey, it would be kind of interesting just to see what some of these guys make, wouldn't it?" After about thirty seconds, I decided maybe not.

It's a whole lot more enjoyable to just watch the Dodgers play when you don't think about the actual numbers involved.

Lost vs Brewers

2007-04-04T08:59:00.000-07:00

They cut the margin of defeat from six runs in Monday's opener to one in Tuesday night's 4-3 loss to the Brewers. They got two more innings out of starter Randy Wolf (six) than from Derek Lowe (four). They actually held (but squandered) two leads in this game and had more hits from Russell Martin (three) than the entire team (two) had the day before.

2007-01-16T11:43:00.000-08:00

Is Mark Hendrickson worth almost $3million to the Dodgers?

Gonzalez Coming to L.A.

2006-12-10T18:22:00.000-08:00

The Los Angeles Dodgers signed left fielder Luis Gonzalez today from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Gonzalez played his last 8 seasons with the Diamondbacks and was seen as a liability to their organization. But I say it's good to get a little more experience in the clubhouse, and we really didn't have to part with the much money to get him.

Comeback Player will come back to Dodgers

2006-11-22T09:53:00.000-08:00

Nomar Garciaparra, who was named National League Comeback Player of the Year, will be coming back for at least two more years, based on a contract for $18.5 million signed this week. He's from around here, after all, born in Whittier, even though he has found himself playing far from home, for example, with the Boston Red Sox (where he was the American League batting champion twice).

The 33-year old Garciaparra started out as a shorstop where he became AL Rookie of the Year in 1997. He has been to the MLB All-Star Game six times. The reason he needed a comeback was a series of injuries that kept him off the field a good part of 2004 and 2005. But come back he did, and at a new position--first base--where he made only four errors for a .996 fielding percentage, while producing 20 home runs and 93 RBIs at the plate.

I'm looking forward to seeing more of Nomar.

Are the Dodgers Moving?

2006-11-14T17:10:00.000-08:00

This is nothing like the San Francisco 49ers getting ready to slide over to Santa Clara or anything. It’s just about [maybe] changing spring training from Vero Beach, Florida, out to Glendale, Arizona. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because it is the home of the football team with perhaps the coolest stadium and definitely the worst record in the NFL, the Arizona Cardinals.

Situated on the northwest side of Phoenix, Glendale is a straight shot from L.A. on Route 10, about a six-hour drive, not bad in the springtime. The Florida location made sense back in 1948, when our team was the Brooklyn Dodgers; now, even though there’s a cost involved (buying out the lease on Indian River County stadium), I think it would be a great move to bring spring training closer to the heart of Dodger country as it is today. (So I can start getting my baseball fix in February instead of April.)

World Series Could Wrap Tonight

2006-10-27T09:45:00.000-07:00

And not a minute too soon, according to some commentators who seem more concerned about TV ratings and ad revenue than about baseball. They would like to undo the reforms that give teams all over the country a chance to get into the Series, because they want a show between teams with more "celebrities."

I couldn't believe my ears when this one guy said that the games and the quality of play have been fine but that was not the point. Sorry, some of us baseball fans think that is the point. We pay what it takes to get World Series baseball tickets, not World Series marketing tickets. Or ad revenue. Or celebrity showoff tickets.

Dodgers Streak into the Playoffs

2006-10-02T12:00:00.000-07:00

The Los Angeles Dodgers finished their season in a frenzy of wins to tie the San Diego Padres for best record in the National League Western division, but only get the wild card due to tiebreaker. The Dodgers are going to meet the New York Mets in the Divisional Series on Wednesday, October 4. The shame of all of this is that the Mets and Dodgers are playing the best baseball right now and they have to meet in a best of 5 series.

Nomar hitting the road.

2006-07-11T10:32:00.000-07:00

Coming out of the 2 wins and 2 losses against San Francisco, I’m feeling good about the prospects for our LA Dodgers after the All-Star break. We have one of the best hitters in the league with Nomar Garciaparra, and we remain second in our division only to the San Diego Padres. We should, however, be taking teams that rank lower in our division for at least the majority of games now if we are to do well later in the season.

Sandy makes good in a pinch.

2006-06-12T16:33:00.000-07:00

The Los Angeles Dodgers now stand alone in the top spot in the NL West after Sunday’s victory over the Colorado Rockies who were favored to win up until the ninth inning. The Dodgers came from behind scoring two runs in the last inning. The responsible parties were Russell Martin and Sandy Alomar Jr. Grady Little says that Sandy is the kind of player you can count on in a pinch and he proved it last night.

Dodgers Get a Nice Victory

2006-05-17T09:05:00.000-07:00

Monday night at Coors Field was awesome for the Los Angeles Dodgers – they got their eighth win in 10 games. Pitcher Brett Tomko had a dominating start and Nomar Garciaparra drove in the key run that defeated the Colorado Rockies 5-4. It was a nice victory and there will be more of these to come.

You’ll find him in the outfield.

2006-04-18T18:15:00.000-07:00

Jason Repko, Los Angeles Dodgers jack of all outfield trades, is going to participate in an online chat on Tuesday on the team’s official website. I am interested to see what subjects come up in that discussion. Repko has been with the Dodgers since last season and he is quite the hitter. I think the Dodgers are going to see some good things from Jason Repko this season.

UCLA reaches final four!

2006-03-27T17:55:00.000-08:00

UCLA made it to the final four! My house is a wreck from watching basketball all weekend and celebrating. I can’t wait for this weekend, but this time I am going to make my friends stick around a little longer for some clean up action. Go UCLA!

Don’t Get Involved Please

2006-02-27T11:27:00.000-08:00

Today I am really concerned about the possibility of civil war in Iraq. It seems that since we have been over there things have heated up in the Middle East and they are not getting any better. Before the war there were daily reports of bombings and terrorist activity and today it is the same. I see the two factions of one religion fighting and know that historically – religious wars are long and bloody. We would do well not to take sides in this inconceivable battle over whose God is right.

Gange Back in the Saddle

2006-02-12T20:28:00.000-08:00

Eric Gange seems to have come back healthy after his injury plagued 2005 season. At Dodger Stadium last Thursday, Gange threw some pitches for Los Angeles Dodgers manager Grady Little. Some think we should have replaced the closer instead of letting him come back after the debacle of 2005. What do you think?

A Little Mind, Body and Soul

2006-01-23T14:59:00.000-08:00

If you like soul music, you will love Joss Stone. She has a strong sultry voice and writes great lyrics about love and life that are inspiring and real. I’ve been listening to her Mind, Body and Soul CD in the car for a week, and I just can’t take it out of the player. If she comes in concert I am going to be the first in line for tickets.