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.

Weekly Blog Kiosk 4/20/2008

Quote of the Day on Saturday. "I look great, don't I?" By Nomar Garciaparra.

• Cardboard Junkie discovers the 1988 Dinosaurs Attack! Topps Set.
• I've added a whole new section of Dodger bloggers called "Video Bloggers." I only know of a couple of folks who regularly post Dodger relating videos on the internet. Say hello to TroyfromWestVirginia and Deezulboy. If you know of anyone else please let me know.
• Dodgers Locker has been added to the Dodger blogroll.
  
• Topps Company secured the rights to exclusively produce cards from the estates of 16 Hall of Famers. They include Jackie Robinson, Walter Johnson, Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, Thurman Munson, Roy Campanella, Rogers Hornsby, Lou Gehrig, Cy Young, Mel Ott, Johnny Mize, Jimmie Foxx, Honus Wagner, Pee Wee Reese, George Sisler and Christy Mathewson.
• Frank Thomas was released today by the Blue Jays. Wow! The stars from my youth have become unemployed veterans. Anyone know what Piazza is doing? On the other hand, could they be looking at Barry Bonds as a replacement?
• The Padres serve low octane beer and now they have a Rally Ram.
• Did the Cubs throw the 1918 World Series?

  Now, it cannot be said for certain that gamblers got to the '18 Cubs. But Eddie Cicotte, pitcher and one of the eight White Sox outcasts from the '19 World Series, did say in a newly found affidavit he gave to the 1920 Cook County grand jury that the Cubs influenced the Black Sox. Cicotte said the notion of throwing a World Series first came up when the White Sox were on a train to New York. The team was discussing the previous year's World Series, which had been fixed, according to players. Some members of the Sox tried to figure how many players it would take to throw a Series. From that conversation, Cicotte said, a scandal was born.

  Forget the Billy Goat, how about the thrown series? Hat Tip: Baseball Musings.
  
• Hockey Fights Cancer has an auction running til the end of the month to commemorate the 10 year anniversary of the charity. If your a hockey fan click here to bid. Hat Tip: SCD:
• Here is another auction to watch. The Yankee Curse jersey is available on eBay right now. It is up to $69,000.00.

NO WAY! Joe Beimel Gets a Bobblehead

Troy from West Virginia is the man. Joe Beimel's biggest fan gets his wish. Welcome to Joe Beimel Bobblehead night at Dodger Stadium on August 12th.

The first 50,000 fans in attendance on July 25 will receive a Brad Penny bobblehead compliments of Cacique, while the first 50,000 fans on August 12 will take home a Joe Beimel bobblehead, compliments of Bank of America.
...
For the second consecutive season, the Dodgers conducted an online fan vote during Spring Training to determine one of the bobblehead promotions, and after Russell Martin garnered the most votes in 2007, Beimel took home the honors this season. With a strong Internet following, including a campaign that was orchestrated by his parents, Ron and Marge Beimel, the southpaw reliever earned the right to be immortalized in ceramic.
...
“This is a cool birthday present and a real honor,” said Beimel. “I really want to thank the fans who voted for me, and I know my kids will get a kick out of this. I just hope that I get into the game that night and help the team earn a victory.”

Yhea, Joe. Who you should really thank is Troy!


YouTube Link: TroyfromWestVirginia:

How's That for Fanaticism

So, your at your favorite sporting event sitting in the stands watching an exciting playoff game. Everything is moving too quickly. The game is so close and you dare not move. If you avert your eyes for just a second you might miss something.

Unfortunately, you need to pee. What I really mean to say is that you need to pee badly. You are clinching whatever muscles you have to delay the inevitable for just a moment longer. "When will play stop," you say to yourself, but you can't bring yourself to take your eyes off the game. This is quite a quandary. Do you stay and risk soiling yourself in front of everybody, or do you run to the nearest toilet in the hope that you don't miss anything?

As luck would have it, Lion in Oil let's us know about a third possibility. You could always just whip it out and pee on the people in front of you.

Officers were informed that the noted individual had been observed reaching into his pants with his hands and manipulating his hands inside his pants. According to event staff and event guests, the suspect then exposed himself and started urinating on event guests causing them to become hysterical and attempt to escape from the confined area.

Yes, this really did happen. In fact it happened this past Monday at a Boston Bruins vs. Montreal Canadians 1st round playoff hockey game in Boston. On top of that, in the Boston Police Department website detailing daily incidents they headline this act as, "Black and Gold Covered in Yellow."

Hat Tip: Lion in Oil:
Criminal Report: BPDNews:

YouTube: KABC Radio Interview with Davis and Pignatano

KABC posted a youtube video from their interview of Tommy Davis and Joe Pignatano before the Coliseum game.

YouTube Link: KABC Radio:

Free Matt Kemp! Troy from West Virginia gives us his best Matt Kemp impersonation as he sits on the bench waiting for his turn. Get him off the bench and put him in the outfield, Torre! Of course, since Kemp has started the past two games this video has turned out to not be very timely. On the other hand, Troy cracks me up.

YouTube Link: TroyfromWestVirginia:

Collection: 1971 Ticketron Dodgers

Below are a few pics from the 1971 Ticketron 20 card Dodger set. This promotional offering measures 6' x 4' and features the entire season schedule and promotional schedule on the back. I'm not sure how they were originally distributed, but I imagine they were given out at Ticketron kiosk throughout the Southland.

My favorite card, by far, is the Vin Scully/ Jerry Doggett. For the tandem, who have been so instrumental to the rabid Dodger fanaticism that exist today, this card is well deserved. How often are broadcasters put on trading cards or collectibles?
I believe the below Steve Garvey card is a rookie card.
My other favorite card in the set is the Richie Allen. Look at the size of his bat. It almost rivals that bat the Hollywood All-Stars would show off in those celebrity games years ago. Remember when Kareem Abdul Jabbar and "The Hulk" Lou Ferrigno used that bat? Ok, I'm exaggerating. That Hollywood Stars bat was massively huge. BTW, what ever happened to that bat?
Check the rest of the set in my photoalbum here.

Photoalbum Link: 1971 Ticketron Dodgers: