We got swept and it doesn't feel good. Arizona came out and just pummeled our pitchers. They had a total of 35 hits in 3 games- batting a healthy .340 for the series. They recorded 4 doubles, 3 triples and 4 homeruns. Three of those homeruns were hit by Mark Reynolds. They just got the hits when it counted. Arizona was like a roaring 18 wheeler rolling down the highway refusing to slow down. We were no match.
Estaban Loaiza was bad from the start. Chad Billingsley looked even worse. Hiroki Kurada hung in there for over 5 innings, but ultimately fell victim to the Diamondback hit machine. Did I mention that they had 35 hits?
I keep telling myself it's too early to get worried. It's too early to start complaining. Nothing can truly be gleaned from such a small sample of games. It's early, right?
So, for now, I'll hold my tongue and bask in the joy of having Baseball back after a long Winter break.
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Class Struggle at Dodger Stadium
T.J. Simer's column in the LA Times left me shaking my head. How could the Dodgers deny loyal Dodgers fans access to the field level before games to get autographs? Only ticket holders in the expensive box seats are allowed access. Russell Wise explains in Simer's column.
Simer's goes on to write that the Dodger solution is to open up the centerfield gate. Of course, this no solution at all. Players rarely ever roam to deep centerfield, and, from some accounts, players have not been found there the past three games in LA.
Story Link: LA Times:
"My friends tell me I bleed Dodger blue. My faith, though, in the Dodger family, has been shaken. I was lucky enough to get tickets to last Wednesday's game. My seat was on field level section 33, row C, the closest I have ever been to Major League action."This is a travesty. Isn't the pre-game autograph ritual a Baseball tradition? I did it as a child. Heck, I still do it today from time to time. I'm sure most of you tried to get autographs before a game too. How could they be so callous and arrogant?
...
"I showed up at the game two hours before the opening pitch and found my seats. Three rows from those new box seats -- I figured it would be a snap to get an autograph. When I made my way toward the stretching players, ball and pen in hand, I was rebuffed. 'New rules,' the attendant said.
...
"Then I saw kids turned back from that magic line between regular seat and box seat. I couldn't believe it, their parents couldn't believe it, and the whole time the privileged few, in the new box seats, got as many autographs and pictures as they liked. At that moment I actually questioned my Dodger loyalty.
"The Dodgers to me have always been about family and tradition. I never thought I'd see the day where a regular kid couldn't get an autograph at a ball game.
Simer's goes on to write that the Dodger solution is to open up the centerfield gate. Of course, this no solution at all. Players rarely ever roam to deep centerfield, and, from some accounts, players have not been found there the past three games in LA.
Story Link: LA Times:
Monday, April 07, 2008
Hu Helps Win the Game
What else can I write that has not already been written? Last nights win was big. Derek Lowe was shaky, but he gave up only 2 runs on 5 hits. Our offense was nonexistent, but they were able to scrap up enough runs to win. Chin-Lung Hu ended up the as the hero of the game as he made a great defensive play to catch Brian Giles at third base in the 3rd inning and drove in the winning run in the 9th inning.
Hu will be one of those instrumental pieces that a ballclub needs in order to win a division. He is a master with glove, plays defense with great intelligence and can hit well enough to be a everyday starter.
Of greater concern, at least in the Dodger-centric blogger world, has been the outfield situation surrounding Juan Pierre and Matt Kemp. Tonight it is expected that Pierre will start in left field again. That would be 3 starts in the row, and 4 games out of the first 7. Matt Kemp has been on the outside looking in as our expected starting right fielder has been more friendly with the bench than the grass.
Are these recent moves something to be worried about yet? I don't think so. I have faith that Joe Torre with make the realization that we all have made- Matt Kemp has superior upside to that of Juan Pierre. That fact is as plain as day and Torre can do nothing but accept it. Sure, he will give Pierre an opportunity to get some swings (especially early on), but he knows that Matt Kemp will be our ultimate solution.
Hu will be one of those instrumental pieces that a ballclub needs in order to win a division. He is a master with glove, plays defense with great intelligence and can hit well enough to be a everyday starter.
Of greater concern, at least in the Dodger-centric blogger world, has been the outfield situation surrounding Juan Pierre and Matt Kemp. Tonight it is expected that Pierre will start in left field again. That would be 3 starts in the row, and 4 games out of the first 7. Matt Kemp has been on the outside looking in as our expected starting right fielder has been more friendly with the bench than the grass.
Are these recent moves something to be worried about yet? I don't think so. I have faith that Joe Torre with make the realization that we all have made- Matt Kemp has superior upside to that of Juan Pierre. That fact is as plain as day and Torre can do nothing but accept it. Sure, he will give Pierre an opportunity to get some swings (especially early on), but he knows that Matt Kemp will be our ultimate solution.
Sunday, April 06, 2008
The All Latino Dodger Team
Tu Ciudad Magazine puts together their All Latino Dodger Team on an interactive page complete with Baseball cards.
Weekly Blog Kiosk 4/6/2008
5 games down 157 to go.
- Home Run Derby has photos of some incredible Lego Baseball stadiums.
- John Weisman of Dodger Thoughts has had enough of the "bloggers need a life" attitude from the mainstream press. Also, for the record. I do not blog in my underwear in the basement of my parents home. I blog in my underwear in the living room of my own home- thank you very much!
- LA Dodger Talk has the Dodger minor league report.
- Roberto was at the Coliseum and shares some pics of Carl Erskine, Wally Moon, Norm Sherry and Ron Fairly signing autographs. He also caught Andruw Jones earlier in day signing autographs at a Nike Store.
- Library of Congress has just opened a new Historic Baseball Resources website. There is everything from cards to photos, audio and video, newspapers and famous collections. Hat Tip: SCD:
- Steven Finley Was Here, Dodgerfan.net and Dodger Blog have been added to the Dodger blogroll.
- Bidding has started on Barry Bonds homerun #762 at SCP. This stands, for now, as his last career homerun and sets the record for most career dingers. Of course, the key question to ask here is, "do you care?"
- Stale Gum informs us that Topps Card Company pulled off an elaborate April Fools joke by creating a Baseball card inserted in their 2008 Baseball Series 1 boxes of fake high school phenom Kazuo Uzuki. He supposedly threw a 104 mph fastball and was expected to go straight to the major leagues. Kazuo Uzuki means "the first son of April."
- ARod was attacked by a hawk at Fenway Park. No, not that ARod, but Alexa Rodriguez a 13 year old middle school student from Bristol, Connecticut. Check it out here and with pics.
- Guy Wellman shares his Dodger career and collection. He was a player, a scout (who signed Frank Howard and Garvey) and a field coordinator.
Saturday, April 05, 2008
REA: Spring 2008 Auction
REA has one major auction a year, so when it comes around it is always something to take note. They always have rare vintage material available. This year is no different as it features everything from Babe Ruth to Michael Jordan. Baseball decency is explored and rare sets are uncovered. The premier highlights of this coming April auction include a Babe Ruth Baltimore News Rookie Card, a Wagner T206 card and a very rare beer poster featuring 19th century Hall of Famers Anson and Ewing.
Some of the rarest of Baseball collectibles from the 19th century are Old Judge cabinet photographs. What makes this card notable, though, is that it features star slugger Dave Orr of Brooklyn.
The earliest baseball cards came packaged within packs of cigarettes and tobacco. In fact, all kinds of promotional items were placed within packs. There were felt flags, various non-sports cards covering actors, animals, etc., and silks.
Below is a example of a group of silk inserts that has been used for its intended purpose. 77 silk rectangles have been sewed together to make a Baseball themed tapestry/ blanket. There are no notable Dodgers to point out, but it does happen to have many Hall of Famers like Ty Cobb and Christy Mathewson. I just happen to love items like this. It is Americana at its best.
This is one of the more unique autograph albums I have ever seen.
The dirty language Baseball memo I wrote about last last year is coming up for auction too. It will be interesting to see what this item sells for.
Some of the rarest of Baseball collectibles from the 19th century are Old Judge cabinet photographs. What makes this card notable, though, is that it features star slugger Dave Orr of Brooklyn.
Orr was a major nineteenth-century star and universally regarded as one of the premier power hitters in the Major Leagues throughout his eight-year career (1883-1890).
The earliest baseball cards came packaged within packs of cigarettes and tobacco. In fact, all kinds of promotional items were placed within packs. There were felt flags, various non-sports cards covering actors, animals, etc., and silks.
Below is a example of a group of silk inserts that has been used for its intended purpose. 77 silk rectangles have been sewed together to make a Baseball themed tapestry/ blanket. There are no notable Dodgers to point out, but it does happen to have many Hall of Famers like Ty Cobb and Christy Mathewson. I just happen to love items like this. It is Americana at its best.
This is one of the more unique autograph albums I have ever seen.
On Wednesday, September 18, 1946, the Brooklyn Dodgers hosted the Pittsburgh Pirates at Ebbets Field. Prior to that game, a young man by the name of John Kilmas began the compilation of an incredible autograph album, which we are proud to offer here. What sets this autograph album apart from the many others we have seen is the inclusion of snapshot photos of many of the players. Ideally, most of the photos picture the respective player signing this very album! Nearly all of the album pages are also date stamped, so we know exactly when the album was signed. Kilmas returned to Ebbets Field on the 19th (Pirates) and the 20th (Reds) to continue his quest for autographs, and it was on his final trip that he took the photos displayed in the album (later mounted on the proper pages with the given player's signature). He also returned the following spring (April 22, 1947, is the date listed for many of the autographs), at which time he collected many additional signatures, including that of Jackie Robinson during his rookie season. In total, ninety-two signatures are featured in the book, the vast majority of which belong to members of the Brooklyn Dodgers.Imagine the thrill this kid had.
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