Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Hilda is Here!


Baseball fans can be a rowdy bunch.  The most noticeable of whom jeer, scream and cheer at the top of their lungs.  One Dodger booster, who is likely the most famous in the history of game, started doing just that at Ebbets Field in the 1920's.  Then a heart attack a decade or so later forced her voice to be silent (on doctors orders), so she did what only a rabid fan could.  She attended games with a frying pan and an iron ladle, and banged away.

Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Spring Game 29/Home Game 16


Throughout Spring Training the Dodgers PR department sends out helpful daily notes from Camelback Ranch, and I am happy to pass them along.  See what they've written below.
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LOS ANGELES DODGERS (13-12-3) at San Diego Padres (8-19-2)
Tuesday, March 29, 2016 – 1:05 p.m. PT | Peoria Sports Complex
RHP Ross Stripling (1-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Colin Rea (0-0, 5.82)
TV: None Radio: None

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(Camelback Ranch, pic via Camelback Ranch on twitter)

ALMOST THERE: The Dodgers face the San Diego Padres for the second time this spring and their last road game in the Phoenix area. Los Angeles fell to the Padres, 12-5, March 20 at Camelback Ranch during a split-squad contest. Following today’s contest, the Dodgers have one game left at Camelback Ranch tomorrow, before beginning the Freeway Series Thursday night at Dodger Stadium.

Blog Kiosk: 3/29/2016 - Dodgers Links - Libertore, Ryu and Jamey Wright


You gotta respect a man who wants to give it one last try.  After all, calling it quits is the toughest thing to do.  Via Ken Gurnick on twitter, 19-year veteran pitcher Jamey Wright is retiring. Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA:
"I have no regrets in this game. Everything I got I had to work really, really hard for," Wright said. "What I tell some of the young guys is that the hardest thing to do is staying in the big leagues, and there is no excuse for letting somebody out-work you."

Wright said he might one day get into coaching, but for now he was focused on "being with the most important team," his wife and three kids.

"I am very blessed to be in the clubhouse and be with these guys I missed it last year and I will continue to miss it," Wright said. "One thing about pitching for 10 different teams, I've got more friends than anybody. That's one of my greatest accomplishments."
As you will recall, Jamey spent the winter working out with Clayton Kershaw after seemingly being done with the game and just got that itch.  Via Andy McCullough at the LA Times in February:
“The first time out felt great. The second time felt even better. Then we started getting some other guys in there throwing, but I wanted to keep throwing. I wanted to take it through and see how it feels.”
Check out Wright's statistics here.  Photo above via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016.  Below are more links to check out:
  • Mike Noren at Cecil Cooperstown shares original drawings that look like Baseball cards of ballplayers who are underappreciated.  Check out the drawing he did of Steve Garvey here.