Blog Kiosk: 6/1/2016 - Dodgers Links - Guerrero DFA'd, Urias Called Back Up and Kazmir's Fantastic Start

Has he figured it out?

Last night was the second great start for Scott Kazmir.  He threw six strong innings, recorded seven strike outs and allowed only one hit all evening to the Cubs.  Per Doug Padilla at ESPN:

"He's back," manager Dave Roberts said. "The ball has life and the changeup, he's getting extension with the change and the fastball. The deception is there. He's just really excited about the place he's at. Even when he's giving up runs, he's throwing the ball well, so I think he's been back and it's exciting for us."

...
"It's kind of just getting everything in sync," (Scott Kazmir) said. "That's where I'm at right now."

You can watch Dave Roberts speak more about Kazmir's start with Alanna Rizzo on SportsNet LA here (Video Link Here). 

Photo above of Kazmir and AGon via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016.  Go here to check out more pics by Jon from yesterday's game.  Below are more links to check:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1962 Don Drysdale beat the Phillies for his 13th victory without a loss over the past 15 starts against them.  He would then go 0-9 in his next 12 starts against Philadelphia.  In 1997 Wilton Guerrero is ejected (and later suspended) for using a corked bat in that days game.  He had broken his bat while at the plate and immediately scrambled to pick up the broken pieces.  The umpire, a bit curious at Guerrero's actions, decided to investigate, and found cork strewn on the grass.
• Happy Birthday, Derek Lowe!

Blog Kiosk: 7/18/2013 - Dodgers Links - Ryu, Puig Destroyer and Derek Lowe Retires

Clayton Kershaw waves to the crowd in the pic above.  Photo via Dodgers tumblr.

• Jason Roche at LA Weekly speaks with Puig Destroyer.

"He's a freakish prospect that terrorizes opposing pitchers," Breckenridge says. "He's insanely raw and incredibly talented. He's got all of the tools but he doesn't know how to use all of the tools yet. He plays with a level of energy that is kind of reckless. It fits the style of music that we wanted to play."

• "Unsung First Half Hero: Hyun-jin Ryu," via Mike Petriello at Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness.
• Via Kevin Baxter at the LA Times, "Puig changed clubhouse, but Ramirez changed Dodgers' fortunes".
• Howard Cole at LA Weekly writes, "Meet Aaron Roberts, Dodgers' Representative in the MLB Fan Cave".
• Via Tim Dierkes at MLB Trade Rumors, former Dodger pitcher Derek Lowe has retired.
• Chris Olds at Beckett just released details of their promotional "Beckett Cover Cards" that will be given out at The National, and it includes a mystery card #11.  I'd be willing to bet it will be of Yasiel Puig; considering he's on the cover of their most recent Baseball Beckett guide.
• When politics and Baseball collide.  Tom Bartsch at Sports Collectors Digest tells us of a new discovery that was uncovered by former White House Chief of Staff John Sununu.  There are 2 versions of the 1990 George Bush Topps Baseball card.
• Paul Lucas at Uni Watch tells us how to re-lace a Baseball glove.
• I know there isn't a ESPY for "Best Team Mascot", but there should be.  A lion can dream can't he?

Hey @CozmoLAGalaxy look what I won.   @ESPYS for best mascot! pic.twitter.com/PtuMYMA8wZ
— Bailey LA Kings (@BaileyLAKings) July 17, 2013

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Lowe in Deep Negotiations with the Mets

I was kind of hoping Derek Lowe might end up in LA. Unfortunately, he wants to go back East. Story link here from the MetsBlog.

Citing “a source”, Gordon Edes at Yahoo! Sports reveals that the Mets and Derek Lowe are “deep in negotiations”.

Edes writes that although an offer has not yet been made, Lowe is the Mets’ prime target.

It appears that the Teixeira signing may cause a snowball effect.

What A Way To End A Losing Streak

Last Night the Dodgers scratched and clawed to garner a well earned and much needed win against the Milwaukee Brewers. This victory ended their most recent losing streak that saw them lose five straight.

Things were looking bleak early on as Derek Lowe gave up three quick runs in the 2nd inning as a result of two consecutive hits by Parra and Kendall. He finished the evening having given up four earned runs while striking out six.

The Dodger offense started off slow. Blake Dewitt homered in the 5th inning. A fielding error by Fielder gave the Dodgers another two runs to bring the Blue Crew to within one run. By the 9th inning the Brewers still held the lead by a score of 4 to 3.

This is the time when old Dodger star "Game Over" Gagne would come in and clean house for his new team. Fortunately, his poor season so far has relegated him to bench as the Brewers did not want him pitching for a third day in a row. Instead, former Dodger Guillermo Mota came in to try to close the door.

Dewitt came up first in the 9th inning and grounded out. Delwyn Young batted in place of Hu and fought to gain a walk. This was probably the key to the inning. His at-bat appeared to rattle Mota as he took the count full and fouled off numerous pitches. Ethier was next as he batted for the pitcher Broxton. He singled sharply down the right field line. Then, much maligned outfielder Juan Pierre, who had already recorded an RBI in the 7th inning, banged a deep drive to the the left-centerfield alley to score both Young and Ethier. The Dodgers now lead for the first time in the game, 5 to 4. Juan Pierre, no doubt the MVP for the evening, had three hits and 3 RBI's. He is now batting a healthy .293 for the season.

Saito was able to get the job done as he earned his 6th save of the year. Smiles were everywhere to be seen. Saito was smiling. Torre was smiling. Juan Pierre was smiling.

A Weekend Sweep

This past weekends series against the Braves was painful to watch. Our offense was anemic. They scored only 3 runs and had a total 17 hits over the three game set. When your runs are the result of pinch hit single by Juan Pierre and solo homeruns by slumping Andruw Jones and a slow starting Russell Martin, then you know things are not good in Dodgerville.

Our pitching was subpar. Derek Lowe gave up 5 runs in just over 4 innings on Friday. This included 2 rocket-propelled homeruns by Chipper Jones. Chad Billinglsey was a little stronger on Saturday as he yielded only 4 runs in 5 innings of work. Unfortunately, that was more damage than the team could overcome. On Sunday the game was competitive- at least for most of the time. Hiroki Kuroda only gave up 2 runs in his 7 innings, but, again, it was too high a wall to climb for the Dodgers. They failed to score again after Martin's solo homerun. On top of that, Scott Proctor came into the game in relief in the 7th inning and was dinged for a total of 4 runs in less than 2 innings. The game was over and the Dodgers got swept for the first time this season.

Just when I thought the Dodgers could get well playing some east coast teams they end up getting slapped silly. I hope Cincinnati will bring us out of our slump. It does not feel good to be in last place.

Of special note: If Garciaparra's injury continues to hamper his play, then he needs to sit down. By all accounts his fielding gaffes have cost us quite a few runs.

Reflections on the First Homestand

What a great week it has been so far. It started early with the Dodgers hosting the Red Sox in an unforgettable game at the LA Coliseum. The parking lot was filled with tailgater's. BBQ's were set up and drinks were plentiful- almost too plentiful. Beer was poured easily from can to cup. To top it off, Kareem Abdul Jabbar threw a commemorative skyhook over the plate. Good Times. Even though the Dodgers lost the game nothing could stain this historic event.

Opening Day continued the magic. Players from the Dodgers past showed up in large numbers to ring in the new season. Our ace, Brad Penny was in top form as he pitched 6+ scoreless innings. Jeff Kent roared back from Spring leg problems to hit a homerun. Saito looked sharp even though he looked terrible in March. The Giants are horrendous as a team. So far the season is turning out just right.

The second game was just as exciting. Larry Bowa displayed a rare fierceness not seen within the confines of Chavez Ravine in many years. For his troubles he was given a 3 game suspension. In his stead, Mariano Duncan became the thirdbase coach and probably had a large hand in the double steal that Dewitt and Hu pulled off in the 7th inning. It eventually led to the Dodgers tying the game. Derek Lowe was shaky in his start, but was still able to scatter 9 hits while giving up only 2 runs. The Dodgers relief staff is looking solid. Who is this Troncoso kid? Then, our new Pee Wee, Delwyn Young, recorded his first hit of the year with a walk-off game-winning infield single to score Furcal in the bottom of the 9th inning. It's good to be undefeated.

The rubber game was a bit of a let down. It was a day of rain, starting pitching confusion and our first loss of the year. Billingsley and Lincecum were scheduled to start, but didn't get into the game until the 4th inning. Both coaches opted to start a relief pitcher with the belief that the rains would be coming shortly after the start of the game. Why ruin the pace of your starters routine when they can come in after a long rain delay. Unfortunately, the rains came later than expected and the coaches were forced to hinder their routine anyway. (Who says Torre is perfect?) Offense was hard to come by as the Dodgers lost a squeaker 2 to 1. Of special note, that Giant pitcher, Lincecum, is impressive.

So what did we learn after just three games.

• Even Torre can make some mistakes.
• Larry Bowa is exactly who he has been billed as.
  
• There's a new Pee Wee in the clubhouse.

Really not that much, eh? I guess it's too early to tell. All I do know, though, is that I can't wait for my first Dodger dog of the season.

The Last of My Spring Training Photos

Sorry for the delay in posting these photos. My last day in Arizona was this past Saturday. I had a late evening flight arranged so that we could make the Dodgers vs. Angels game in Phoenix. I was surrounded by red, but the Blue was more vocal. Derek Lowe looked great and appears ready for the season. Unfortunately, our relief staff continued to falter. Saito did not look good out there.

Below is Derek Lowe pitching in the first inning.

Hu's on Third! Sorry I had to do it.

Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport is one of the nicest facilities I've ever visited. There are more shopping and dining activities available here than many local malls. The highlight of my 2 hour wait, other than chatting with a Giants fans at a nearby watering hole, was when I stumbled into a small art gallery consisting of artworks owned by the airport. Imagine my surprise when I noticed Jackie Robinson and Kirk Gibson in the corner of my eye.
This place was a nice distraction. My short 2008 Spring Training adventure was coming to an end and this place was a nice way to end the trip.
My Spring Training Photoalbum:

When the Hall Comes Calling Players are Happy to Give

Bonds notwithstanding, most players are excited, if not surprised, the Hall would want something from them.

"When you approach a player," said Jeff Idelson, the Hall's vice president for communications and education, "they are stunned you are showing up at their locker."

"I can't figure out what the terminology is," he continued. "We are like the antithesis to the Grim Reaper."

In the Times Union piece both Lowe and Eckstein are highlighted.

(He) approached Boston Red Sox pitcher Derek Lowe during the 2004 World Series celebration at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, after Lowe became the first pitcher ever to win three series-clinching games in a single post- season.

"The Hall of Fame would like to have your jersey," Horn told him in the visitor's dugout tunnel.

"Oh, man, absolutely," Lowe replied. He started taking off his jersey, then stopped. "Wait," he said.

Lowe returned moments later with a man and woman.

"These are my parents," he said. "Tell them exactly what you told me."

Eckstein was just as shocked, if not more than Lowe.

"Really?" Eckstein repeated. "You want it from me?"

He finally flipped off his spikes, bent down, and presented them to Petroskey on the spot. "These are yours," he said.

Story Link: TimesUnion.com:
Hat Tip: SCD:

From Good to Bad to Worse

What a miserable past week we've experienced. It starts with a battle against our division rival, the Padres, that ends in a embarrassing shellacking. Chris Young, who must have looked like Cy Young to Dodger hitters, out-duels returning pitcher Jason Schmidt on Tuesday. Trevor Hoffman, the man who has recorded a majority of his saves against us, records his 500th Wednesday night. Then, the usually dependable bullpen falters in the last game of the series on Thursday. We get swept and move from 1st place to 3rd place in a blink of an eye.

Next comes the Toronto Blue Jays who are playing less that .500 ball. They have been the subject of rumors indicating that they may be dismantled after a disappointing start to the season. They should have been a team ripe for the picking. Instead, the Dodgers look like a minor league squad. Our offense has disappeared. Our saving grace was a walk-off homerun from Olmedo the Killer Tomato on Friday. A great individual performance from Derek Lowe was wasted in Saturday's game. Sunday's game was difficult to watch as we give up a collective 11 runs.

Jon writes,

"It is interesting that the lowest point of the Dodger season - five losses in six games - comes in transition to some new blood. I'm sure the Dodgers are feeling down, but I'm eager to see what comes. And it's not even that I expect problems to be solved overnight - the kids need all of our patience. It's just that the guys with potential are here, and I'm not one who believes that potential is a dirty word."

Jon is right, I welcome the opportunity to see all of our young farmhands on the field. These kids deserve a chance to play. Colletti's plan to field a team of aging veterans is on the verge of ruin and the only remedy is the farm system that has already paid some dividends. Let them play!

Image Link: Crescent Blues:

Dodgers Win!: More Spring Training Photos

After witnessing the Dodgers lose all five games I've seen this Spring I finally get to see a win. Dodgers 6, Marlins 2. Derek Lowe was sharp after a slow start that saw the Marlins gather back to back doubles and a sacrifice ground ball for two runs in the first inning. Lowe appears ready to start the season. Saito, Broxton and Billingsley were also sharp. Matt Kemp hit a line drive homerun to left centerfield. Hopefully this is a good sign as opening day approaches.

Roger Dean Stadium host both the St. Louis Cardinals and the Florida Marlins during Spring Training. It's a gorgeous facility. Below is a photo celebrating the Cardinals World Championship last year.

Grady Little decides to play first base as LaRoche takes some grounders from third base.

James Loney and Matt Kemp have been the most accessible players this week. Below, James Loney is signing for the autograph hounds.

Chin-Lung Hu played a little bit of shortstop this afternoon. Below, he is at-bat.

Luis Gonzalez at-bat.

PhotoAlbum Link:

Spring Training Photos: March 21, 2007

Below are some photos I took this afternoon.

Derek Lowe working with Jon Broxton. Broxton has not been sharp his past two outings. I believe he was working on his release point, but don't hold me to that.

Steve Lyons and Russell Martin are in the middle of some filming. It looked like it may have been a instructional video shoot. Maybe this will be a program for Dodgers On Demand.

Below, Steve Lyons and Jeff Kent are out on the field for some filming. More pitchers at batting practice. Rick Honeycutt watches over Derek Lowe. Maury Wills is giving an interview.

Steven Lyons is more than happy to sign for fans.

Dodgertown would not be the same without Manny Mota riding around on his bike.

The Mets at batting practice before the game.

Kuo is warming up before the game.

PhotoAlbum Link:

And the Sun Shined Through

The game started with puffy thick clouds in the sky that caused an overwhelming darkness over the crowd. All you could hear were the screams and chants from the Dodger faithful in blue. The orange and black clad home fans were made sullen by the start of today's festivities. For the second day in a row the Dodgers would fire the first shot. JD Drew slammed his 12th homerun of the year in the first inning and the Blue Crew was up by two.

But the clouds would not stick around forever. Darkness would turn into light. As the sun shined through a Dodger pitcher who has a 3.97 ERA and is batting less than .100 would welcome it with a bang. The sun has some special resonance here. It brings a warmth that satisfies the soul. It's an assurance that everything is going in the right direction. Light allows us to see what we are doing well. Right now the Dodgers are playing good Baseball. They are hitting and they are pitching with all of the focus expected of a professional team.

During the top of the 2nd inning the Dodgers again had another rally. Ethier was on third base and Martin was on first. Derek Lowe came up to the plate with one out. This would be a typical sacrifice situation with a non-hitting pitcher up to bat. Unfortunately for the Giants, the sun made its first appearance. It peeked out during Lowe's at bat and seemed to provide this Dodgers team with a big boost. Vin Scully made the call on the telecast as Lowe decided to take a swing. He hit a single to left. The Dodgers fortunes continue to be good. The surging Dodgers now had a 3 run lead as a result of Lowe's RBI.

To not be undone, Derek Lowe proceeded to pitch a masterful game. He went 8 innings and only stuttered in the ninth. A unfortunate error by Kent on a potential double play ball forced Grady Little to pull him after he loaded the bases with no outs. The score was 5-1 and the tying run would be up to bat. Rock solid Saito was put in and effortlessly struck out 3 Giants. Only one additional run scored on a walk to Bonds. The Dodgers take the series two games to one.

The mark of a team ready for the big show is the ability to climb out of a hole when fortunes turn. The Dodgers had lost two straight for the first time in weeks. The stretch drive was visible for all of the players to see. Oftentimes that strain can kill a team. The Dodgers don't want the momentum created over this past winning streaks to stop. Fridays' game was just dreadful and the prospects for a bummer roadtrip was at hand. Game two of the series came around and the Dodgers proved they are still in command. They slammed the Giants with authority. Now the Dodgers have a new two game winning streak to maintain as the final few laps of the race approach. May the checkered flag wave with shades of Blue.

An Ugly Start to the Second Half

Everything was looking bright. Penny was named the starting pitcher for the All Star game in Pittsburgh. Nomar had been elected by the fans as this years "Last Man" for the midseason classic. The Dodgers had won 5 of their last 7 games just prior to the 3 day break. We had much more to look forward to as the season headed towards the second half.

Then comes a steaming train we call the Cardinals. The big giant behemoths wearing bright red and sporting a billy club in one hand and a Budweiser in the other. They are one of the most intimidating teams in Baseball. Rolen, Edmonds and Pujols. Rolen and Edmonds are some of the best defensemen in their respective positions, and they can hit to boot. Pujols, well what can I say? "Pujols, Pujols, Pujols!" That guy can win games on his own. No, he does win games o his own. In our first game back, we lose a 14 inning killer on a homerun by Pujols. Then, Carpenter blanks us with a 2 hit complete game. Yesterday, Rolen knocks in the winning run in a 10 inning nailbiter. Lastly, we get knocked around for 15 hits and 11 runs- a laugher. My head hurts!?!

Getting swept during the first series of the second half does not give me much confidence. The only saving grace is knowing we got beat by a good, no great, team. But frankly, that doesn't provide much solace.

Now, I see the problems that lay before us. Our hitting is not our biggest problem. I think we will continue to hit pretty well the remainder of the season. Although, we may see a slight negative regression to a more reasonable mean, but I believe our group of experienced players will continue to shine. Our real deficiency lays with our arms. It's all about pitching, pitching, pitching.

To start with an extra starter would be nice. Penny and Lowe have solidified a starting core. Sele has been excellent and appears to have turned the corner. Unfortunately, our last 2 spots are more problematic. Tomko is ailing. Hendrickson may provide some good games, but his stuff is hardly earthshattering. Billingsley is young and still in a learning stage. Odalis is just terrible.

Our relief pitching has been as volatile as the stock market. One day it's up big, but the next day it takes a 100 point dump. This kind of movement keeps me on edge and reminds me of an old investment adage. "There are only two emotions on Wall Street: Fear and Greed." The constant bouncing ball nature of todays market fosters fear; therefore, threats of a oncoming Bear market loom. Fortunately, the Dodgers do not give me the type of fear I sense in todays stock market. Not yet, at least. Our relief corps have been up and down this year as Baez, Broxton, Carter, Osoria, Hamulack and Kuo can attest. Saito has been a godsend. Where can we find more like him? Carrara has been a great surprise so far. This is a man who has had a rollercoaster type of career in Baseball and has always been one of my favorite underdogs. Still, another solid verteran reliever could do wonders.

In this game there are no quick solutions. We have very little available in the minors to turn to. The pitchers available on the trading block are sparse; therefore, very expensive. Do you really want to trade a frontline prospect or two (like Loney, Guzman or Aybar) for a half season rental? Furthermore, what is the long term impact of a trade for a high priced (or overpriced) veteran?

At this point it looks like we will be eating Perez's contract. It will cost the team $10,000,000.00 in 2007 including a deferred signing bonus and a $1,500,000.00 buyout in 2008. This impacts the team significantly next year. Can we trade him in a budget saving move? Maybe the anticipated spot start spoken about in todays broadcast is a showcase outing for potential trade suitors. Afterall, I'm sure the Dodgers will be paying much of his salary, and there are plenty of teams out there who will risk another teams albatross in hopes of finding a diamond in the rough, i.e. Sele.

Who knows what's going to happen? I'm inclined to see nothing happen at all- besides throwing Perez to the curb. Furthermore, free agency next Winter could be interesting as we will have alot of cap room to work with. On the other hand, I do know who I would like to see wearing Blue this year. I like Maddux in Blue. Zito would fit in very nicely. Can you imagine Kerry Wood in our rotation, or even in the bullpen? I just don't know if I like the idea of trading our minor league gems. Nevertheless, we might be a trade or two short of being a "real" World Series contender this year.

Disappointed Again

What a terrible game! It was a hot Saturday afternoon filled with flying balls sprayed to all areas of the stadium. There were 4 homeruns- 3 by the Giants and one by Olmedo Saenz. 18 runs were scored in total as the Giants ran over the Dodgers 11-7. We got close, but the evil Giants kept pulling away.

Lowe gave up 4 runs in the 1st before the stadium was half filled. All hope seemed lost. Then the Dodgers came back with 3 in their bottom half of the 2nd inning. New back-up catcher Toby Hall contributed with a groundball single to center to score 2 runs, and Furcal's single to drive in Hall made the game salvageable. We were behind by only one run with 7 to go. Unfortunately, Lowe was inconsistent and proceeded to give up more runs as he allowed 7 earned runs total in 4.2 innings of work. Fortunately, the Dodgers never give up.

Once again, the Dodgers offense came through as Olmedo brought us to within one run again in the 8th inning, 8-7. Broxton, our big Ox in the bullpen came in the 9th to shut down the Giants and keep the Dodgers in it. But fate had other things in mind. He gave up 3 runs, making it 11 to 7, virtually nailing the coffin shut this afternoon. But, the 2006 Dodgers would have nothing to do with that kind of thinking.

A sign of staying power and resilience is when a team learns to never give up when down. The Dodgers showed they can catch up at any time. Even in late innings. They loaded the bases with 2 out in the ninth with hot hitting super future star catcher Russell Martin at the plate. He was the tying run! Russell then hit a high fly to center for the third out. This afternoons game was over. The rally flamed out this time.

I got up from the couch, cleaned off the coffee table and put away my dishes. Oh Well! Even though I saw a ray of hope, I could not help being a little disappointing. We didn't win this game, but you wait til tomorrow. It's a new day.

Are things starting to come together?

Well, it appears that the season is not all lost. We are in the midst of a 4 game winning streak after a succession of ugly losses. The team seems more confident out there as they start to get some consistent hitting throughout the lineup. Russell Martin is proving why he will be the catcher of the future. Nomar is playing well beyond his expectations. Was he a steal or what? Starting pitching has been surprisingly sharp from the top 3 starters- Penny, Lowe and Tomko. Relief needs some help that, I think, only experience can provide. Broxton, Hamulak, Osoria will be better as they get more opportunities to pitch. Saito is proving to be a reliever we can trust. Baez has turned out to be a fortuitous pick-up.

Seo has been OK, but needs some help. Duaner Sanchez, the top flight reliever we traded for Seo, has been lights out for the Mets. Perez is more inconsistent than ever. Will Sele take over his starting position? Really? I read that Billingsly is expected to grace Dodger Stadium mid-year. So maybe there is something else going on. Trade Perez now for some prospects or experienced relievers (or Sele) with the expectation that Billingsly will have a chance to take a job away from Seo or the other starting pitcher (Sele or Perez). I look forward to seeing this battle.

The rookies are coming to town. Russell Martin will be our future catcher. Broxton and Osoria will solidify our bullpen. Kuo is not far behind as he gains confidence in Las Vegas. Billingsley will come in to show us what a future #1 pitcher looks like. Aybar will arrive and prove he belongs. Repko is already proving he belongs in the lineup. Can Ethier be far behind? How about Guzman or Young? The future is exciting and the present show us the way.

Emotionally Drained

Oh My.

I feel like my bike that held up great for most of my ride through the mountains. That was before a fateful event occurred. Right when the sun was going down and my car in sight, I crashed with a thud. I had hit a bump on the road and landed on my backside. Ouch! That hurt.

This afternoons game was just like that ride. All day I enjoyed the tempo of the game as Derek Lowe went 6 innings, and allowed only 2 hits. He has been good all season, we'll forget about opening day. That was an anomaly. Osoria pitched a masterful 2 innings. Everything was good in the world.

Then, lightening strikes. The ninth inning. An unlikely event comes at you out of nowhere, and you are soon groaning in pain on the ground. You wonder what happened. An perfect storm consisting of a road hazard, a bike chain dislodged from its crank and my own misfortune leads to a harrowing event. Man, my bum hurts! Carter comes in and continues to throw poorly. A landslide turns into a avalanche. Soon, Baez proves he's human giving up the tying run in the ninth after 2 walks. One to pitcher Trevor Hoffman. Ouch! We lose in the tenth and stumble back home a little embarrassed and as worn out as that bike after the crash.

After my ride I knew I had two choices. I could lie in pain rubbing my knees as blood and dirt cover my legs. Or, I can get up, wipe my legs, pick up my bike, re-hook the chain and ride the remaining way to the car. I choose the latter. Afterall, as the saying goes, its how you land that's important. Its always best to land with two feet firmly on the ground with a ready hop, skip and a jump in your heals. Chalk it up to a painful memory and trudge along standing straight up.

The Dodgers go to Arizona to close out this roadtrip with two games. They then go home for a homestand with the Padres and Brewers. Its still early and we have plenty of time to fix whatever kinks remain. Lets hope that the Dodgers choose the latter option and stand straight up.

Let's Sweep!!!

Derek Lowe vs. Chan Ho Park. New vs. Old Dodgers. LA vs. San Diego. Time to show the Pads who rules in the region. No matter how much the Padres try to look like the Dodgers it will not work. The mighty Dodger Blue in the sky knows the difference. You can't fool him by signing Dave Roberts, Mike Piazza, Eric Young and Chan Ho Park. They don't wear Blue anymore. Sure, we still love them, and I bless their future careers, but they can't beat the Blue!!!!