One of my all-time favorite movies is “The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn” starring Sidney Poitier. In it, Poitier plays Noah Dearborn, a 91‑year old carpenter who lives a simple life and existence, detached from modern life. His only interest is woodworking, at which he is very gifted. In his hands, woodworking tools are not just tools, they become instruments for creating works of art. Poitier, who is also a master craftsman at his trade of acting, took a very simple, made for TV movie, and turned it into a work of art. A simple man who is a craftsman at his trade. I have always admired “craftsmen.” Many can swing a hammer and work with a chisel, but it takes a Michelangelo to create a David. Many can paint, but there are a few like Rembrandt. There are lots of guitar players, but when Eric Clapton plays, you know that you’re not listening to any old Joe, you’re listening to a master. Many can drive a tractor, but if you put my late father-in-law on Ford Farmall or a John Deere, you would find that you were watching Mozart create a symphony as he plowed his fields with such unmatched accuracy and ability.
For many years there has been no question that Vin Scully was the voice of the Dodgers. Until he retired in 2016, I doubt that there are many that read or post on this blog, that can remember a day that Vin was not announcing the games. That mantle has been passed to Joe Davis, who in my opinion, is doing a wonderful job succeeding the “legend.” I predict that he too, will one day be spoken of in that rarified air that Vin Scully occupied. When Vin Sculley first started announcing the Dodger games, he wasn’t immediately “the Vin Scully”, as Dodger fans compared him to Red Barber, who had announced their games for the prior 14 years. It takes some time to get there.
I would also advance that, arguably, Clayton Kershaw and Justin Turner, are the “face” of the Dodger team. Their work with their respective foundations and involvement with the Los Angeles Community is doing wonders for many. I think they will soon be joined by Mookie Betts on the Mt. Rushmore of the LA Dodgers.
Today I want to make a shout out to the person who I believe is the face of the Dodgers for Dodger fans, Sports Net LA sideline reporter Alanna Rizzo. There are many female sideline reporters in sports today. If you take the time to Google the “top female MLB sideline reporters” you will find several links, typically though, they refer you to the “hottest” females in sports, as if though that’s the top qualification for being a sideline reporter. It’s no secret that baseball is a male dominant industry, not because they are more talented or more knowledgeable than women, but because very few women have been able to successfully break down the gender stereotypes set before them, and that is not due to their lack of trying or talent. Women, as supported by my Google search directing me to “hot” women, constantly have to fight the stereotype that they are hired as merely ‘eye candy’ to satisfy the leering eye and lustful longings of the male fan. Alanna Rizzo is a remarkable example of someone who has worked diligently to tear down the walls of those stereotypes. Mind you, Alanna Rizzo is a very lovely young lady. She has a smile that can light up the city of Los Angeles through a 7-day power outage. That said, she is not just a good “female” reporter, she is quite simply a great reporter, that is a craftsman at her trade. The way she handles herself with players, coaches, and fans is what makes her so great. I have watched many of her interviews. I have never seen her put a player in a compromising or awkward position. Her questions are typically probing and informative, but not designed to embarrass or catch a player in a “gotcha” moment. I consider her a craftsman at asking informative questions.
Rare is the occasion that you see her taken by surprise. Moreover, she is able to help the younger players, who are very nervous, about having exposure to television, become comfortable and being able to open up about themselves. On his Big Swing Podcast, Ross Stripling praised Alanna Rizzo because she never made him feel awkward and she gently handled him in their interviews to a place where he has become more confidant to speak openly. She is so skilled that she can subtly guide those players who may feel socially awkward being interviewed by asking open-ended questions that encourage the young player to speak. And if they begin to stumble, she carefully catches them before they fall. Sort of like a big sister telling her younger brother how to act on his first date.
Alanna Rizzo was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado on August 8, 1974 (which happened to be the exact day that I received notification that I had been accepted to attend Marine Corps Embassy Duty school at Henderson Hall in Washington, D.C.) No she is not related to Anthony Rizzo of the Cubs. She attended Sierra High School, where she participated in track and cross-country. Rizzo describes herself as “a good athlete while growing up in Colorado Springs.” “Good” may be an understatement, as she was voted into Sierra High School’s sports hall of fame in 2006. After high school, Rizzo attended the University of Colorado, where she received a bachelor’s degree in international business.
But international business was not to be her future. “I had an epiphany between Christmas and New Year’s of 2001. I was in sales and marketing in the hotel industry and I was disenchanted and bored,” Alanna says “I was incredibly unfulfilled. “After a while, it dawned on me. I could never be passionate about selling hotel rooms,” Rizzo added, “I thought if I could do anything what would it be? If money wasn’t an object if I won the lottery or what have you. I’ve always been an avid sports fan and avid participant in my younger years. I took a second mortgage on my house, went back to school and got a master’s in journalism and started from the bottom and worked my way up.” Rizzo returned to CU and in 2003, and obtained a master of arts degree in broadcast journalism and mass communications.
Now it was time to look for work. After obtaining her journalism degrees and interning briefly in Denver’s KUSA‑9 sports department, Rizzo took a job as a weekend sports anchor at KAUZ‑TV in Wichita Falls, Texas. It didn’t just happen overnight though. As Rizzo shared, “The hardest thing is getting your first job. I must have applied to 100 places before I got a job.” Her next stop was Madison, Wis., where, beginning in 2005, she gained a strong following, mainly as a sideline reporter for WISC‑TV, covering the successful championship runs of the men’s and women’s hockey teams at the University of Wisconsin. She was there for three years and covered everything, the University of Wisconsin, the Packers, the Badgers, the Bucks, the Brewers. In September 2007 she returned to Colorado when she was hired by Fox SportsNet Rocky Mountain to cover a variety of assignments — sideline reporting on Colorado University Denver University basketball and hockey, as well as high school championship contests, the Bolder Boulder and the home and road games of the Rockies. In 2012, Rizzo joined MLB Network, where she reported on shows such as Quick Pitch and International Talk. After two years of working for MLB Network, Rizzo was approached by Lon Rosen of the Dodgers who asked if she would be interested in working as a sports reporter for the newly launched SportsNet LA. Reluctant at first, Alanna Rizzo decided to take the job and LA fans have been the better for that decision ever since.
It was hard work that has brought her to where she is, and it continues to be hard work. As she jokes, “I’m contractually obligated to be perpetually tired.” She does upwards of 200 games a season(from Spring Training through the playoffs), and gets 7 days “off” during the season. The travel is relentless and the days are long. She describes her typical game-day routine as follows: “Often, people think we just show up right before first pitch, and that couldn’t be further from the truth. I’m here four‑and‑a‑half hours before the game starts. My typical routine is to come to the park, gather all of the interviews for our pregame show as well as do the one‑on‑one interview, all of the manager’s interviews and then I host an hour show prior.” Rizzo adds that, “During the game, I do anywhere from three to five sideline hits. And then postgame, the interview on the field if the Dodgers win, and then I go immediately to do the Dave Roberts postgame press conference and then go into the clubhouse to gather all of the player interviews for that particular game. It’s that, every single game, throughout the entire season.” She shared on Ross Stripling’s Big Swing Podcast, that she “doesn’t like to be in the clubhouse, as she feels that’s the player’s private domain.” She endeavors “to get in and out of there as quickly as possible.” One of the hallmarks of her craftsmanship is that she is very prepared. “The biggest thing is sticking to the game and making sure you’ve done your homework,” she said. “In the tough losses, you pinpoint perhaps that pivotal moment that won or lost the game. For me, the biggest thing is being prepared and asking questions that are relatable to the game.” From my observation, she is one of the most prepared reporters I have seen. I’m sure she does have it happen, but I’ve never seen her flustered or at a loss for words.
Alanna Rizzo has witnessed 7 no-hitters in person. The Dodgers have made the playoffs each year that she has covered them. In her career, she has won five Emmys for her work. In December of 2015, she won the Latina Leadership Award from H.O.P.E. (Hispanas Organized for Political Equality). This award is presented to Latina women in California who demonstrate leadership in their respective fields. Who are her favorite players to interview? “Any player who will give me an interview.” For me, her in-game interview of Josh Reddick is an absolute classic. Any time she interviews David Freese or Ross Stripling, it is must listen to information. Her “Connected With . . . ” series is as informative as any that I’ve listened to. She is always very prepared and she is quick on her feet, both figuratively and literally, as she is among the best at using, as she describes it “her cat-like reflexes” to avoid being doused with the constant Gatorade baths during the after-game interviews. I will also say that having seen her in a couple of candid in-game TV shots, she has to have two of the fasted thumbs I’ve ever seen. I don’t believe that I have never observed anyone that could text as fast as she does. It is also very obvious to anyone who has seen her on a regular basis, that she loves her job and she loves the LA Dodgers and their fans. Watching her jump up and down with joy when Ryu hit his home-run last year added as much to that moment as any commentary. I think that is part of the reason that she is so beloved, she feels the same joy and pain that the fans feel at any particular moment, and then she has the ability to articulate that joy and pain in a way that we all understand. No matter how you’re feeling after a loss, it’s her beautiful smile and the twinkle in her eye, that remind us there are better days ahead and everything is going to be all right. And we love her for it.
Besides baseball, Alanna Rizzo has a passion for rescue dogs. This passion reached new heights in 2009, when she adopted a 4-month-old border collie that she named Guidry (after Ron Guidry). This love for Guidry (who recently died) led her to form Guidry’s Guardian Foundation. There is much to be said about the work she does with this foundation, whose goal, among other things, is to rescue dogs in high-risk situations, to get them off of the streets and out of high‑kill shelters. They then pay for their medical care and help connect those dogs with loving families who are willing to adopt them. They also help pay for the adoption fees and related costs. Anyone who might be interested, you would be well served to take a look at the Guidry’s Guardian Foundation website.
Dodger fans are fortunate for so many reasons. We had the joy of being exposed to so many craftsmen over the years. Listening to the voice of Vin Scully, watching Sandy Koufax throw a baseball like no other, and the list goes on and on. We are also very fortunate to have Alanna Rizzo as a sideline reporter, one I consider a true craftsman of her trade. Alanna Rizzo is a true Dodger gem and I’m glad she works the sidelines for the Dodgers!
RANDOM SPRING TRAINING THOUGHTS:
• It’s only spring training, and statistics generally don’t mean anything, but I don’t think that Adam Kolarek makes the 26 man roster out of spring training.
• On the other hand, Dennis Santana is acquitting himself quite nicely. As has Caleb Ferguson(who remains one of my favorites).
• It’s only spring training, but Urias looked good yesterday.
• While I think that Alex Wood has the inside track for the 5th spot in the rotation, Gonsolin and Stripling are making sure the decision isn’t just a “gimme.” They have done nothing to show they don’t belong.
• As has been expected, Jimmy Nelson is unlikely to make the opening day roster due to his injuries. He pitched his first bullpen in awhile throwing 17 pitches with erratic command, though he said he “felt good” during and afterward. Nevertheless, Dave Roberts said he probably wouldn’t be with the team when they break camp.
• I hope that Cody Thomas keeps up his success from this spring this coming year at OKC. They could have a remarkably stacked team there, with him, Peters, Raley, Ruiz, McKinstry, Lux (will probably start there), Christian Santana and the like.
• March 7th was the first day of full Dodgers’ minor league camp. The message from farm director Will Rhymes was “There are no more ceilings.” He specifically pointed to Zach Reks and Zach McKinstry as examples of what is possible to achieve in one season. Looking forward to seeing which prospects that take that message to heart and “break out” this year.
I retired and moved to Colorado in 2010. 40 years of driving rigs had taken it’s toll. I did not want to end up like a friend of mine who retired and then died 6 months later. I wanted to be able to do the things I enjoy doing, like fishing, playing music, and just enjoying the nature Colorado has to offer. I first saw Rizzo on the Rockies broadcasts. She was very good at what she did. Rockies players seemed very at ease with her. Living here, and using the MLB.TV to see Dodger games, I get to see her in game stuff, but the extra’s that she does for LA sportsnet, I only get to see if I am out in Cali watching games at my sister’s house. She does a very good job and can hold her own when bantering with Orel, Joe and Nomar. I am an LA native, born and raised. Lived there most of my life until I went into the Army in 1965. When I got out in 1974 I moved back home with my wife and kids. And the only thing that was really the same, was Vin Scully. We heard Vinny a lot overseas. They would broadcast Dodger games, and sometimes Vin was on the World Series broadcasts on AFRN. Never got to hear Red Barber except on some video’s. One of his favorite catch phrases was in the cat bird seat. Meaning watching the games from the broadcast booth at Ebbets Field. Just think, for about a year or so, the Dodgers had 3 HOF broadcasters in the same booth. Vinny, Red and Ernie Harwell. Jerry Doggett was Vin’s # 2. Sort of Charlie Steiner before Steiner came along. Called the 3rd and the 7th innings only. Doggett stuck to the basics, and was not full of stories and facts like Vin was. I remember the first time in 1959 I heard Vinny refer to a home run by Wally Moon, as a Moon Shot. We were just getting into the space race then, so it struck a chord. Joe Davis had probably the hardest job in broadcasting, replacing a legend. You don’t replace Vin. You simply get the job. Joe Davis is a good announcer, but saying he will reach the legendary stratosphere of Vin Scully, well that is not going to happen. Vinny did it for years after Ross Porter left as the only voice in the booth. His baseball knowledge was second to no one. And Vin’s voice is unique. Davis is one of the many cookie cutter Joe Buck clones that come out of the broadcast schools today. Don’t get me wrong, he does a very good job. But like most announcers today, during the TV broadcasts he and Orel just drone on and on. That is the way it is today. I do not think Davis could do his job without his color guy in the booth. I prefer Nomar to Orel. Orel sometimes acts like he is talking to morons out there. He has to explain everything. And that gets very old very fast. I get that they are trying to explain the game to new fans, but most of us who watch the games on TV have been fans longer than either of those guys have been alive. Trust me, Davis is way better than the clowns they have doing Rockie games on ROOT sports. Drew Goodman is the biggest HOMER I have ever heard. Jeff Huson and Ryan Spilborghs are also huge homers who way too often quote the obvious. When I have to watch the Dodgers-Rocks here on their station because of the black outs, I turn the sound off. LA has been blessed with some of the best announcers to come down the pike, Vinny, Dick Enberg, Chick Hearn. Davis will only reach that kind of status if he gets close to that many years in the booth. Personally, I do not think that is likely.
I don’t if Davis will become a legend or not. If he stays with Dodgers for 50 years, he just might. There is only one Vin.
I agree with you about Nomar over Orel. Orel seems like a nice man who you would enjoy having lunch with, but his analysis leaves me wanting
50 years would be the minimum requirement in my book. Vinny was around what, 60 plus? I think that only Lasorda has been in the organization longer. Just checked, Vinny 67 years, Tommy will be entering his 70th this year! Wow. Connie Mack was with the A’s as manager for 50 years, and was a owner for 4 more after that. I think Orel over analyzes.
Bear, as far as HOMERS go with announcers, try listening to those D back guys and or before he retired Hawk Harrelson of the White Sox
Oh yeah, when I was living in Arizona, those guys were awful. And when they were playing the Dodgers it was usually worse. Harrelson was at least entertaining. Another homer was John Miller of the Giants. Sometimes when I was driving and using my Sirrius XM radio, I could only get the Giants feed. I liked Jack Buck, but cannot stand his kid. And Don Sutton was about as irritating as they come when he was doing Braves broadcast. There was an announcer from Pittsburgh, Bob Prince who was quite the character. He had some pet phrases he would use. If the Pirates were 2 runs down he would say, we need a bloop and a blast, if down 3 he would say they needed a bleeder, a bloop and a blast. Invented the saying in the 66 season, never underestimate the power of the Green Weenie. Pirate fans would shake them at the opponents when a rally was started. Kind of like when Frances Friedman would shake a bag of garlic at Dodger opponents when they started a rally at Dodger Stadium. Prince was with the Pirates for 25 years. Elected to the hall posthumously.
I didn’t know you drove rigs.
Not to move away from DodgerTalk, but…
How connected are you to those still doing that job?
If reasonably well, how great is the concern about automation?
I know a lot of drivers. Automation is many years down the road. My grandson just got his CDL. The rules are some of the toughest in any business. One of the few that requires random drug testing. More than automation, the big thing in the industry is to make more fuel efficient trucks. Right now, 7-9 MPG is about the best their is. With diesel fuel just under 3.00, it is still a massive expense for owners and Company’s.
So interesting!
Fuel efficiency is an interesting problem just because of the sheer weight. Hmmmm.
How many years is “many years down the road”? 20?
More than that. You have to construct sensors into the high way. The safety issues alone make it a Herculean task. Next time you are driving the interstate, you might notice that some trailers have pieces covering the wheels, and also a sort of shield over the doors. That is to reduce drag and make the vehicle more aerodynamic. It will take a long time just to figure out the logistics. Automated trucks could not make deliveries to local businesses, or warehouses. Most likely, some where way down the road, there will be distribution warehouses right off of the interstate. No way an automated truck navigates city traffic.
The revenue states collect from the trucking industry is immense. Added to by the fines they impose for over weight tickets, cannot be over 80,000 pounds total, hours violations, happening less with big company’s that use electronic log books, but the independent guys still get nailed. They pay for permit’s allowing them to drive through the state and purchase fuel. Some bigger company’s have what is called prepass. If you are driving and the scales are open, you drive over a sensor in the high way, and if the weight is right, a lot of times you will not get pulled into the scales and have the possibility of a DOT inspection, which not only cost you at least an hour of your duty status, you have to log them , but if something is found to be wrong with the truck, say brakes out of tolerance, you can get shut down right at the scales. Sometimes if you are just a little over weight they let you slide. You can try to get the weight right if you have a sliding 5th wheel, and rear duels that are adjustable. My last ticket was an over weight job coming out of the Pure Cane sugar distribution point in Richmond. 185.00 fine. I was 1200 over on the trucks rear duels. Could not get it right no matter what I did. I paid the fine, but the shipper refunded my money because they did not have a operating scale at the plant, and there were no public scales available. I beat a log book violation in Cali one time, simply because the CHP officer told me, I am going to walk to the back of this trailer, by the time I return, I want this log book caught up. Was pretty easy to do since I had been off for 2 days prior to picking up that load that morning. Fine would have been north of 2,000.00 bucks. Cali is a real bear when it comes to fines. Oh, never failed a DOT inspection. Had trucks that had minor issues, but nothing serious.
7 players sent down to the minors, including Kasowski, who has been impressive and Christian Santana. 51 players left in big league camp.
KUDOS for a terrific article! I have been impressed by Alanna’s preparation, and professionalism since joining the Dodgers. I think she is destined for big things in her career which I hope remains with the Dodgers.
Interesting piece 2d2. A lot in it for me personally. I know the screenwriter of that Noah movie, Sterling Anderson, you were assigned Embassy duty, I was assigned to 26th Marines at Khe Sanh, Badgers mentioned, I have personal and ongoing dealings with the less than honorable Denver DA and police departments, and I too am a Rizzo fan. Yes, interesting read for me this morning.
In watching the video of the Calhoun incident it seems to me Calhoun was slow to recognize the pitch. It’s very rare to get struck directly in the face. I don’t think he saw the pitch, or most certainly didn’t recognize the spin. He never turned his head. Very strange. Hope he will be ok.
Well I think we saw 3 pitchers yesterday who will be re-assigned soon. We have no need for Kolorek, and Ramos and de Geus have work to do.
That is going to be one heck of an outfield in Oklahoma. I’m betting scouts all over the league will be watching closely.
Kershaw, Buehler, Price, Urias, Wood, Stripling, May, Gonsolin. That’s an impressive rotation.
The 1968 battle of Khe Shan was, arguably, the bloodiest of the Vietnam War. I was fortunate to not have to set foot in country. I did sit off the coast of Cambodia for 30 days, but we returned to Subic Bay before we had to go on land.
Thank you for your service, 2D2 and Badger.
You’re welcome. Thank you for your kind words.
Con Thien was worse for me. Got overrun by a Division of NVA regulars. Those guys were bad ass and nuts. Khe Sanh was crazy making, surrounded by 30,000, and I did get wounded there, but we held. You were lucky you stayed out of Cambodia. We had some dicey visits to Laos. If anybody asks, we were never there. Semper Fi bro.
Semper Fi to you my man!! Glad you made it through that and are here to share your Dodger thoughts and insights
I have the utmost respect for the Marines. They had some pretty bloody battles. I spent 9 years in the Army during the Viet Nam era. Badger and I have talked about this. I was a radar tech in a missile unit. Went to Korea and Germany. And spent 5 years at Ft. Bliss in El Paso. Lost a lot of friends who actually got sent over there, and had to deal with survivors guilt because my friends did not come home. Closest we came to any kind of conflict was when the 7 day war was going on in Egypt. We were on high alert because they expected the North Koreans to try and take advantage of the situation. I left Korea 2 days before they took the Pueblo. In Germany, we were 8 miles from the Czechoslovakian border. They said if Russia kicked off, we would have been over run in about 15 minutes. Got out when the Army went all volunteer in 74. Just wasn’t the same for me anymore.
Semper-Fi to you both. Dad was in the Navy during WWII> He was at Pearl Harbor on the USS Nevada during the attack. Son was in the navy in the early 2000’s. He was in avionics.
Add me to the list of Alanna fans. I first saw her when she did her daily schtick on IT with Millar and Rose. I think she’s at her best when she is just involved in conversation. She can hold her own in any conversation and has a great sense of humor.
On the other hand, and I admit this must be the toughest job in all of sports, I’m not always thrilled with her post game interviews. They get kinda old after awhile. After all, how many ways can you ask “how did you feel when you hit that game winning homer?” She does it as well as anyone, but it’s a thankless job.
While we’re on the topic of interviewing skills, I happen to think Dan Patrick and Bob Costas are the best interviewers in all of sports. What do the rest of you think? Who are your favorites at sports interviews?
Good question ST Blue. Costas and Rachel Nichols come to mind. Erin Andrews. All the reporters on Real Sports do a good job. I agree most of those post game interviews feel gratuitous and often awkward. I prefer the E:60 type sports reports.
He was an acquired taste, but I did enjoy Howard Cosell. Dan Patrick and Bob Costas are both very good.
I rank Dave Vassegh among the worst. He just seems creepy.
I know the players ride Vassegh mercilessly, as do most of his broadcast buddies, but I’ve always thought everyone really liked him. Maybe he’s a likeable creep.
Hello there, this is Howard Cosell, specking of sports. I really thought the baseball telecast went down hill when he came on board. Acted like he did not like the game, but as a Boxing analyst, he was one of the best. His tete a tetes with Ali were classic. One of my favorite baseball cards is my 1959 Don Demeter. I was devastated when they traded him to the Phillies. Gonsolin had a 5 pitch 5th inning. I K no hits, Taylor cracks a 2 run jack in the 6th, 3-1 LA>
My like for Howard was only when he interviewed sports personalities. He was fun in boxing and with Ali. Didn’t care for him much as a play by play announcer for football or baseball.
I have an autographed 1959 Don Demeter card in my office. Broke my heart when he was traded. For Turk Farrell no less!!!!!
Gonsolin is making a good case for being on the roster. I think they might use him to piggy back with Woods whenever Woods starts.
Yeah, Demeter came up in 59 and had an impact. Played in 139 games and hit 18 dingers. He blossomed in Philly with 4 straight 20 plus homer campaigns. His 58 Topps and the 59 used the exact same picture. In 1960 they actually had a photograph instead of that painting.
Who is that analyst on MLB Network, Kelly>? He is extremely annoying
When he was doing them, which was a long time ago, I thought Vinny was very good at it. Now, I hardly ever see them unless they are on ESPN. And the Rockies post game show is the absolute worse.
2demeter2, to me that was the best article you’ve ever written on this board. Thank you for that!
Hopefully Willie Calhoun heals quickly. That wasn’t pretty to see.
And how about the weekend the Lakers had!!
Love Alanna Rizzo. Like 2D2 says, she has the knack of just asking the right question to put the nervous player at ease. She sidesteps the Gatorade dousings after the game very agilely. Her work with Guidrys Guardian is commendable. Thank you, 2D2, for an extremely insightful article.
Alanna having fun
https://www.instagram.com/p/BwiTRuZhTE-/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_mid=A936DF99-912A-47DE-899D-9DA5019097DE
I really enjoy Joe and Orel. They work well together. The King has retired. long live the king.
Not crazy about Orel. I think they should have gone after Sutton’s kid. He was terrific in Arizona. Not sure what he’s doing now.
Sutton currently works for Fox Sports, he does baseball, college basketball and football and some other jobs.
Bum, you can tell Joe likes working with Orel better. I know they can get off on their tangents that are annoying to some, but I tend to prefer Orel. Nomar seems like captain obvious to me at times. Maybe it’s less personality from Nomar. Or it may just come to down to a pitcher’s perspective vs a hitter’s perspective. The Sutton’s always seemed kind of anti-Dodgers to me. I know Don talks positively about when he came up with the Dodgers, but he never got along with Lasorda and I think it comes through in his broadcasts. I can’t listen to Brenly, Hawk, and and the Sunday Night Baseball crew. Milo Hamilton was terrible too. I agree with whoever said the Rockies teams are the biggest homers ever, but that seems to be the way of sports casting. I usually enjoy the Brewers tv crew if I have to listen to someone other than the Dodgers team.
I think we all enjoy watching people enjoy themselves. Joe and Orel enjoy each other and it comes through to us. I don’t tune in to hear a lot of analysis. I like when I hear positive things more than negative. I didn’t like all three in the broadcast booth –Nomar, Orel, Joe. At some point Joe might do it alone ala Vin.
Never will happen. No one does that now. All the major networks that cover teams all have announcers and analysts, And to tell you the truth, Davis does not have the chops to pull that off. He is a cookie cutter announcer. And Orel is both boring, and a drone. Their pitter patter back and forth is mediocre at best. Nomar does bring the hitters view, but when he is breaking down hitters, he is spot on, He spotted Cody’s penchant for chasing that back foot down and in pitch very early on. You can like Orel, and I am sure he and Davis get along. In my opinion, mediocrity loves company. No one can ever take Vin’s place, and I will say this for Davis, he at least knows that. But without their analysts and crew back at the station, none could possible have all those stats and data off the top of their heads. We were spoiled for all of those years. Putting Davis even close to Scully is sacrilege.
Every time I watch For the Love of the Game I do it to hear Vin and it also reminds me of Roberts taking that moment from Hill.
We have different perspectives or maybe we just disagree or maybe you are just correcting me. Thanks for trying.
Different perspectives there Bum. I am less enamored with Davis than most. And for as much as I liked him as a pitcher, I just find Orel the analyst annoying. Jerry Hairston Jr. is another one I can do without. It is like IT on MLB network, I like Millar, cannot stand Rose. As far as a single voice in the booth, those days are long gone. You have to be able to do stuff off the top of your head and from memory. Vin, and guys like Harry Carey were masters of the art.
And Hawkeye, you are dead on about Vin’s performance in For Love of the Game. Made you feel like you were watching a real game.
Thx 2d2. Great writeup. I had no idea how hard she works and the hours she keeps. And she seems underpaid to me!
We Dodgers fans are lucky to have Alanna Rizzo, she is the best thing on the Dodger network. I hope she wants to stick around for at least a few more years, because I could see her doing major network broadcasts.. She is very professional, but also enthusiastic, which is not easy o find in sports broadcasting.
The rest of the team; well, there is no Vin Scully, not even a Jerry Doggett. Davis is intelligent, but he has that ultimately tiresome sidemouth sounding delivery, which I assume is a deliberate affect, and he completely disappears after the regular season, to do his TV football work, no playoff broadcasts, which probably makes him the only baseball broadcaster who does not announce his team’s playoff games. Orel has become more irritating, as he virtually lectures the listeners about morality.. Nomar is good.. Take Rizzo off the broadcasts, and they would almost be better watched with he sound off.
I don’t think that the majority of male fans are leering at the female sideline reporters, most want competence over looks. Two very good but missing female broadcasters/studio people were Jenn Hildreth, who was great on ACC basketball, but who I think is now only doing soccer, for whatever reason; and Stacey Dales Schumann, who I guess got fired from ESPN for one reason of another, and now may be doing work on NFL network. Alison Williams, who I guess is doing studio work for ESPN for at least the college basketball tournament, is an excellent choice. There are plenty of mediocre male broadcasters and color commentators, particularly the ones who think that yukking it up with the announcer, talking about what food they like, is interesting for anyone but themselves. Jessica Mendoza also seems to have gone that route. Sports are not to be deadly serious, but they have to matter to the viewers and announcers, and there are plenty of networks which show comedy, so if i wanted to watch comedy, i would not be watching a sporting event. Back to Alanna, she should get to anchor the Dodgers studio shows, but I guess that John Hartung put up the money for the network, so there is no dislodging the pleasant but wooden and uninformative Mr. “Let’s get right to it (game highlights),” and “Let’s hear from the skipper, Dave Roberts.”
The Athletic’s Jim Bowdon tabs Julio Urias as a Breakout Candidate:
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts surprised me at the beginning of spring training when he announced that Urias would be in their starting rotation without having to compete for the role. That decision might be one of Roberts’ best of the spring — it seemed to immediately settle Urías down, and now he can just relax and prepare for the season. Urías is finally healthy, as his fastball is back sitting in the mid-90s along with a hard slider, deceptive changeup and knee-buckling curveball. The only question is: How many innings will they allow him to pitch after throwing 79 2/3 innings at the major-league level last year? They might end up putting him back in the bullpen midseason when he gets within range of his innings limit. However, one thing’s for sure, his stuff is completely back, and he’s primed for the best year of his career.
20+ starts. 120+ innings. I see no need to put him in the bullpen. Just stretch out the 20+ starts. We have the starters to do that. Kershaw, Buehler, Price, Urias, Wood, Stripling, May, Gonsolin. Spread the load and our first 3 will be stronger in mid to late October. Put Urias in the pen then if you want to.
Adam Kolarek has once again shown that he struggles big time against RHB and not surprising that he won’t be on OD roster. Ferguson Alexander are other BP lefty options, unless I am missing someone, but with 3 batter minimum rule that pretty makes Kolarek useless unless he somehow can begin to get at least a few RHB out, wss.
Urias is really the key starter. You know Buehler, Kershaw, and Price will be solid and at times spectacular when healthy. But if Urias really is a star he can be a one or two. If he is a one ore two even though he wont pitch in that order during the regular season the Dodgers will have a superior pitching staff. They will match up against anybody even in the playoffs. Health is a concern for all of them but assuming health we are the best staff. My only concern on Urias is command.
I am very excited about our bullpen. I believe it could be right at the top. I remember how many games we let get away last year due to the bullpen. We still won over a hundred with that blowpen. This year will be different. This could turn out to be one of the best pitching staffs LA has had.
On paper our only real weakness is a consistent lefty in the pen. We may not need a lefty. Of course Pollock who cant stay healthy anyway. I am rooting for Pollock but I just don’t see it.
If Urias fulfills all his potential then we will have a dynamic 1-2 for years to come! With lots of help from May, Gray and Gonsolin! And Graterol and Santana at the back end of the pen. And if Ferguson develops that cutter then we will have the best young pitching staff in baseball. Wow! And there’s more where that came from!
I still say Urias will pitch more than 150 innings.
I go with closer to 130. They are still going to protect his arm. And unless he gets a whole lot less erratic out there. 130 is wishful thinking….
Great piece 2D2. I didn’t know much about Alanna and not living in LA, I’m not exposed to her other work besides the sideline reporting. Her interviews are, as mentioned, some of the best. I liked her before and now I like her better after reading 2D2’s article. Her work for animals is heartwarming and I share her opinion that she likes dogs more than most people. Hopefully Alanna will stick around with the Dodgers but she is on par with my 2 favorite interviewers, Holly Rowe and Laura Rutledge, who has had a meteoric rise. Maria Taylor is the worst interviewer on TV and some MLB crews are awful. I listened to the Ranger crew yesterday and it was bad. Their sideline reporter actually asked a player how he felt when Willie Calhoun got hit in the face. Really? What answer could be anticipated for that one? Any interviews that start with “how do you feel” are generally shitty.
As for Orel and Joe they sometimes redline the Cornometer. I miss Vinny. But don’t we all?
I like Alanna. That’s what I should have said!
That took a turn into the creepy.
Most definitely. Not a hottie in my book, but I am too old to care…..LOL.. More of an Ann Margaret kind of guy….
At least you didn’t go all the way back to Monroe.
I was a kid when she was a star. Ann Margaret is closer to my age. She is 7 years older, but what the heck. Her and Loren in Grumpier Old Men lit up the screen and more than held their own with Matthau and Lemmon.
Monroe was a sex icon. But she was not the brightest bulb in the chandelier. Margaret is intelligent and sexy. And a much better actress than Monroe was,
In stunning news, Clayton Kershaw named the opening day starter
Absolutely stunning.
I think one person who has been omitted here is Rick Monday. Rick is as solid as they come in the booth. He has a lot of knowledge. I like Steiner simply because of his gaffs. Charlie is amusing, and never takes himself too seriously. I still love it when a runner gets thrown out by a mile and Charlie will quip, he’s deader than Julius Caesar. Tim Neverett who came over from Boston is ok. He know’s the game, but is not too hip on Dodger history. In a game early this spring, he was talking about the Dodgers having 4 players on this roster who hit 30 homers last year, which they do not. Betts only hit 29. Then he went on to say that the Dodgers had not had that happen since 77. Wrong again. I tweeted him and informed him that in 1997 when Piazza, Mondesi, Karros and Zeile did it. Needless to say he tweeted me back, and corrected what he had said on the next broadcast.
Rios with a 2 run single in the 6th, Dodgers up, 5-1. Gonsolin’s line so far, 2 innings, no runs, 1 hit, 2 K’s on 11 pitches..all strikes. Kid is making a serious run at a roster spot.
Kids in the game now. Kendall actually gets a hit and drives in a run. Kids stretch the lead, now 8-1. Garcia with a 2 run single……
I think he got a bloop double yesterday too
The Dodgers are going to break the Padres will before the season even starts.
They are sure doing it to the Pads pitching staff. 14-1 in the bottom of the 8th, and 13 runs scored over the 6th, 7th and 8th. Vets put them up 3-1, then the scrubeenies took them to school.
12-1 in the 7th. Gore hit a bases clearing 3 run double. Anyone seen the new Rams logo? Pitiful. Seems like all the LA teams trying to incorporate the Dodgers signature LA into their logos.
Gore now hitting higher than AJ. It’s funny over the years listening to fans think there are a lot of true roster battles going on. Barring injury the Dodgers for the most part know going into camp what their lineup is, their rotation is, and their bullpen too. Remember a couple of years ago when Joc was just terrible , Toles outplayed him and then got sent down to AAA. The only real decision is whether to start Lux in the majors or at AAA. In the bullpen, we know Kenley, Kelly, Treinen, Baez, Stripling. That leaves 3 spots for Ferguson,, Alexander, Kolarek, Graterol, Floro, Santana, and Goose.
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Goose seems to be heading to AAA to start. Kolarek has pitched his way to AAA. Floro is a Roogy and it seems like we have plenty of RH arms. That leaves Ferguson, Alexander, Santana, and Graterol. To me Ferguson is on the team. I think the detractors last year forget how good he was two years and how he was rushed to the majors. I don’t believe in Alexander. Like Floro, I don’t think Alexander has any idea where the ball is going, but I believe they will go with a 2nd lefty until Goose or May forces Wood to the pen. Last spot Santana vs Graterol. Santana has been more impressive, but they may test how much he has matured by sending him down to AAA for a bit and go with Graterol for the last spot. If they have decided on two lefties in the pen the last spot is Santana vs the Buffalo and I’m not talking about Tom Neidenfuer. With 4 lefties in the rotation I would send Alexander down if he has options , but I don’t think the Dodgers will do that.
Good analysis here. The biggest guns in the pen are already decided. Jansen, Treinen, Kelly, Baez. After that there will be a lot of competition for the next 4 spots. I would only be guessing at this point. I think they want Alexander to win a spot. Stripling and Ferguson should be right in the mix. Floro. I agree Gonsolin will likely be starting in OKC. Nelson is anybody’s guess. Whoever wins out it appears to me the pen will be a strength. Roster Resource Depth Charts team WAR projections have us 10th, for whatever that’s worth.
Floro has been awful. Only Dodger on the roster who is out of options, Barnes. Everyone else is fair game. I pick Jansen, Trienen, Kelly, Baez, Ferguson, Alexander, Stripling, and Gonsolin as my bullpen. Tony C. has been nothing short of spectacular, and if Wood falls on his sword he is right there to step in. I keep Strip as the long man. Outfielders, Belli, Joc, if healthy, Betts, Pollock. Inf, Muncy, Seager, Turner. Taylor, Kike. McKinstry, C Smith and Barnes. Long shot for the roster is Lux, Beatty, Rios, Reks, and Raley go to OKC along with Thomas and Peters. May is going to need time, no matter what. I get Santana a bit more experience coming out of the pen. Graterol will be up sometime after the All Star game. They might keep Beatty, but he needs to close the spring in a better fashion. Rios has outplayed him as has McKinstry which is why I think he is on the 26 man.
I have no problem with those pen picks. But as I said, I think they might want Gonsolin starting at OKC. Floro has sucked, but he’s only thrown 3.2. I know they like his stuff. Nobody’s feelings will be hurt if he’s released. I think they’ve known for a while who the position players will be.
Does anyone know who the 7 players sent back down to the minors yesterday was? Thanks.
Optioned:
Victor Gonzalez
Josh Sborz
Mitchell White
Reassigned:
Stevie Berman
Tyler Gilbert
Josiah Gray
Marshall Kasowski
Kyle Lobstein
Cristian Santana
Jordan Sheffield
Edwin Uceta
That’s everyone… so far!
Josh Sborz was optioned, and Tyler Gilbert, Kyle Lobstein, Marshall Kasowski, Jordan Sheffield, Stevie Berman and Cristian Santana were reassigned. Looks like Mark beat me to it, and added a couple I was unaware had been reassigned and optioned
Thanks Mark and 2D2. I would have liked to have seen more of Gray and Gilbert, but oh well. Now to ask a dumb question, what is the difference between optioned and reassigned? I assume it means minor league teams they will be reporting to?
Option happens when they are on the 40 man roster. Re-assigned means they are already on a minor league roster.
In keeping with today’s post. From Alanna Rizzo
“The #Dodgers have optioned Keibert Ruiz, Zach McKinstry, DJ Peters & Luke Raley and have reassigned Brett de Geus, Jacob Amaya and Omar Estevez, to minor league camp. The Spring Training roster is now at 44 (22 pitchers, 22 position players).”
Well wrong about McKinstry. And I think that is a huge boo boo. Kid definitely ready for prime times.
We will see him before the season is over. Probably good news for Lux.
We have no room for him Bear.
He has been outplaying Beaty. But you are most likely right.
Thank you SoCalBum.
Here is a clue to how Joc might have hurt himself.
David Vassegh
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@THEREAL_DV
Joc Pederson worked all winter with private trainer Travelle Gaines to improve his athleticism, explosiveness, strength. Pederson graded higher in #Dodgers measuring they do of players in camp. “That was definitely encouraging to me and I was really excited about that.”
1,238
9:45 AM – Feb 19, 2020
I think it’s an egoplesiac strain. He’ll be ready soon.
Watched the tape delay on MLB Network. Goose sure looked good on the mound.
KBO, and the Japanese leagues have postponed their openers due to the Corona virus. Hell guys get some Lyme disease and you will be set. Myself, I am not buying into all the hysteria. Media driven and not based on a lot of facts. 100,000 cases out of a population of more than 6 billion is pretty much a drop in the bucket. Not many people who go to Asia regularly here where I live, so I am not worried at all.