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.

Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Spring Game 28/Home Game 14

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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Texas Rangers (16-11-1) at LOS ANGELES DODGERS (12-12-3)
Monday, March 28, 2016 – 7:05 p.m. PT | Camelback Ranch - Glendale
LHP Derek Holland (3-1, 2.65) vs. LHP Alex Wood (0-2, 6.00)
TV: SNLA Radio: None

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(Gonzo and Joc, pic via Joc on twitter)

THE FINAL SPRINT: The Dodgers take on the Rangers in the second-to-last home date at Camelback Ranch this spring and the club’s final night game in Arizona. The Dodgers and Rangers tied, 3-3, all the way back on March 4 in Surprise. Following tonight’s contest, the Dodgers have two games left in the Phoenix area prior to the Freeway Series, which begins Thursday night at Dodger Stadium.

• Opening Day, April 4 against the Padres in San Diego, is just one week away!

A Recap of Dodgers Pride Night at the Kings Game

I was beginning to wonder if the Kings were going to hold a Dodgers Pride Night this season.   Then, on what seemed like extremely short notice, word spread on Thursday that the upcoming Saturday game against Edmonton would be the day.  The Kings would honor the city with some Dodger Pride, and this would be highlighted by some fantastic Dodger duds on the ice.  Thankfully, I was there, so here is my brief report on the festivities.

As you may already know, this evening is all about the pregame skate.  Over, at least, the past three years the Kings would head onto the ice for their pregame skate wearing Dodger-themed hockey jersey's.  [Go here to see my past reports: (2012-13) (2013-14) (2014-15)]  This meant the Kings in Dodger Blue.  However, we got a bit of a change this season.  The Kings came out wearing Dodgers "Home-Whites" on the ice.  Check out a bunch of my pics below.  Click on any photo to embiggen.

Blog Kiosk: 3/28/2016 - Dodgers Links - Frias, Lee and Kenta Maeda

This past Saturday was Dodgers Pride Night at the LA Kings game, and I was there to take it all in.  Later today I hope to have a bunch of pics I took from the evening; including a brief look at the pregame Dodgers-themed Kings jersey's they sold at auction.  Featured above is Kings goalie Jonathan Quick in Dodger "Whites," pic via the Kings on twitter.

Below are more links to check out:

• Via David Krell at the Sports Post, "Durocher, Drysdale, and the Duke."  David takes a look at short Hollywood careers of several Dodger players.
• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Dave Roberts owes Kenta Maeda a nice dinner."