The family surprised me last night and came over for a BBQ and swimming party. Our youngest granddaughter spent the night, and we are taking her out for breakfast today. I have a magical life… almost perfect but I live every day to its fullest and never take it for granted. I am almost 71 years old, and nothing is guaranteed to any of us, but as Jimmy Buffett said in a song, “Some of its magic and some of it’s tragic, but I’ve had a great life all the way.”
I have three kids with three different mothers, and their ages range from 43 to 25. I had one wife die (at age 37), and the other one should have, but I digress. My kids are all extremely close to me and each other. There is never any drama, and for that, I am thankful. My youngest is going to be named the CEO of our company next Saturday at his birthday party. Patty and I have been married for 27 years, and on August 31st, I will celebrate 30 years of freedom after being released from prison after my conviction was overturned and I was released from the courtroom.
I walked out with just the shirt on my back and $200,000 in debt to the IRS. I paid it all back and started a company that is now worth many millions of dollars. I have had cars repossessed, houses foreclosed on, and power and water shut off. Patty married me when I was so broke I could not pay attention. There were many times that on Friday, I would go to the bank to find out the IRS had cleaned out my account. Together, we have built a wonderful life.
I never gave up. In my darkest hour, I never stopped believing I would succeed. So, today, I will enjoy my family time around the pool. Life is incredibly good and even more fragile. Enjoy every day, my friends, and Happy Father’s Day!
BTW, I am working on my book, which I hope to release this year. It’s called “The Mountainmover!” Thanks to my kids as well:
Happy Father’s Day Mark. You have overcome a lot. I too have had my ups and downs, but I never let it affect how I treat family or friends. Baseball and music have been my releases. I have been single since 1983 by choice. Had a few girlfriends, but no one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Had some fun, and I enjoy my retirement. I love the Dodgers, my family and my friends. Have a wonderful day!
Yamamoto pulled after the second inning due to triceps tightness. Doc said he would be evaluated today, and if they feel imaging is needed, that will be done. He also said an IL stint is possible. Bobby Miller will no doubt step right into his spot in the rotation. Miller will start Tuesdays’ game in Denver. Knack will be available if needed. Hurt should be right behind him. Wrobleski also could be in line. Sheehan made the jump from AA last year. Casparius would also be an option. Treinen had a bad outing control wise. He is not usually that wild. Then he hung the 3-2 pitch. Offense sputtered again. The good sign was Lux hitting a couple of bullets and driving in the 2 runs. Ohtani and Hernandez continue to chase bad pitches. If they can be more selective, then the offense should pick up a bunch. Also, they really miss Smith’s bat when he is not in the lineup. Barnes is a black hole especially with the top four not hitting like they should.
Happy fathers day everyone !
Sounds like an eventful life , Mark. Being an attorney naturally I am most curious about your revoked conviction (just kidding). Have a great day with your family at your new home!
As a father who has not spoken to his only child for months now a day like this makes me a little sad to see how other dads spent time with their kids. But I am happy for you and every other father who can enjoy this day to its fullest.
Bad, bad news about Yoshi. Hopefully nothing too serious.
And that is why I hate those planned bullpen games so much. A starter goes down early and you have to come right back with another bullpen game only couple days later. Sure recipe to burn out your bullpen.
If we are that deep in pitching (and we are) why not use it ? Give Knack or another of those young arms the spot start. Really do not get it.
Offense is just not producing.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sounds like a Tommy John candidate.
Let’s hope not. Triceps is in the back of the arm, nothing to do with the elbow or forearm.
They now say his injury is a strained rotator cuff.
Dodgerram,
Never give up hope. My daughter and I were alienated for 26 years as her mother poisoned her towards me, but the worm turned 14 years ago and now we have an unbelievably close relationship. I just got done Facetiming with her as she lives three hours aways and can’t come down today. BTW, her relationship with her mother has soured.
I know about the poison stuff only all to well. 20 years and counting. ;-(
always thought when my daughter gets older she would see the other side of the story too. My story. But it has gotten even worse the last 12 months.
I did all I could for 20 years to keep in touch , establish some kind of emotinal bond but to no avail.
My health is not the best these days and the situation does not make it any better. My doctors told me to let go , at least in the here and now.
Thanks for the kind words, Mark. Much appreciated here.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I haven’t seen my oldest in a couple of years, but she lives in Cali, and I live in Colorado. My son lives in Denver, but he works a lot. We keep in touch on Facebook, same with both of my daughters. The ones I have nor seen in quite a while are my grandkids and my great-granddaughter, whom I have never seen. Living in different states makes visitation very hard.
Life is good especially today at the Forte residence with the good news we received this week. Big family barbecue and swimming day at the Forte Resort for our traditional Father’s Day. Happy Father’s Day to all! As Mark has stated cherish every moment you’re alive. Live life to the fullest. You just never know!!!
I know that is the Best Father’s Day present … ever.
Next weekend will be a great time as my son from Brooklyn and my daughter and youngest son will be staying the weekend. It will be epic!
Enjoy Mark! You deserve every precious minute with them.
Sunday schedule
10:05 a.m. PT: Great Lakes (Chris Campos) at Dayton (Javi Rivera)
11 a.m.: Tulsa (Justin Wrobleski) vs. Arkansas (Jimmy Joyce)
4:35 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Landon Knack) at Sugar Land (Eric Lauer)
5:05 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Cam Day) at Fresno (Jace Kaminska)
“We’ll see if Landon Knack actually makes that start for Oklahoma City, or if he’s held back to potentially pitch for the Dodgers later in the week after Yoshinobu Yamamoto left Saturday’s start with triceps tightness”.
My stepdaughter (who does our Social Media for USWS) posted this today:
Happy Father’s Day to all those who contribute and read this site!
You’ve certainly had an interesting journey Mark! Look forward to the book.
I had to laugh with you wishes for your second wife. I’m sure there’s been a country song that’s been written on that desire.
I can’t believe the injuries to Dodger pitchers. To quote Vince Lombardi “What the hell is going on out there?”
The way things are going these guys will be pitching five innings every ten days. This concentration on velo and spin rate is another problem that is causing disinterest in baseball. How does it make sense to have a young starter pitch a year or two with a major league team and then have TJ surgery (maybe not the first)? He is out and in rehab for a year or two. And, it takes another year to return to be consistent and effective. How does a young fan have a favorite pitcher when he doesn’t pitch for an extended time. By the time that pitcher has returned to play the young fan has moved on. Rinse and repeat.
Actually, my second wife died, and usually, I just say, “The wrong one died.”
Happy Father’s Day-
Looking forward to the book.
The wife got us tickets to the game today, left field in the home run section. Im bringing my glove!
Catch a grand slam!
Great game… Except for the Mookie hand hit, which I heard from left field.
Hope it heals quickly
maybe the dodgers should DH Will when barnes catches. Ohtani isn’t producing like a superstar should. Sit him out and let Smith dh! i’m at the point where i don’t like our offensive construction anymore. if the top hits the bottom doesn’t. if the bottom hits, well you get it. never have more than 2 guys with multiple hits. never steal bases, rarely ever bunt (give barnes a little credit here), no fire at all. just their little bottom shaking dance when they get a hit. they are nice guys! TOO NICE! So after a bad loss last night, we’ll probably see kiki and taylor both in the lineup today! …. Grove is so much a tease!! damn he has some good stuff!! but he always makes a wrong pitch here or there and gives up a run or runs he shouldn’t have! … Blake looked frustrated last night. He will be fine! ……. Didn’t see Ohtani a lot in Anaheim, but don’t remember him swinging like a blind man like he’s doing now! ….. Teo not helping himself with that extension with nights like last night! ….. Biggio playing himself out of town!!! …. Lux is hitting just enough to keep from getting traded!! …. Vargas, Outman, Pages, Taylor, Heyward, Kiki, Biggio. Nothing moves the meter does it? Some nice parts, but no game changers. Enough bitching i know . it’s father’s day and i am so fortunate to have 2 wonderful sons. 7 beautiful grandchildren, 2 wonderful daughters in law, and a great wife who hasn’t killed me after 45 years. Miss my dad so much ! just a plain guy, worked hard and made us comfortable and happy! Smartest guy i ever knew! Enjoy the day!! …. The deadline is approaching. I know AF is a genius! He has made some big moves at times. This year might be his biggest challenge yet.
“A man who doesn’t spend time with his family can never be a real man.”
Just a reminder in that movie trilogy, a man arranged for his brother and brother-in-law to be killed.
That said, it’s a great, great, great great great great great great movie trilogy. Just as good as Millers crossing.
Happy Father’s Day gentlemen!
The greatest honor of my life is to be a husband to my beautiful wife and father to my two wonderful children. I’m truly blessed. Enjoy your Fathers Day everyone
4:10 PM ET
Royals (41-31)
Dodgers (43-29)
SP Brady Singer R
4-3 3.30 ERA
SP Tyler Glasnow R
6-5 3.24 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
SS Mookie Betts R
DH S. Ohtani L
1B F. Freeman L
C Will Smith R
LF T. Hernandez R
CF Andy Pages R
RF J. Heyward L
3B Cavan Biggio L
2B Gavin Lux L
78° Wind 7 mph Out
Hey Andrew,
Mazel Tov on your wife’s recovery!
Was she HER+?
Thank you Bluto! Best Father’s Day gift is seeing my wife smiling and laughing again.
Happy Father’s Day to all the pops out there. I think a walk off squeeze bunt be a nice present.
LOS ANGELES — After leaving his Saturday start early due to right triceps tightness, Yoshinobu Yamamoto went on the injured list for the first time in his MLB career.
Both Yamamoto and right-hander Michael Grove (right intercostal strain) were placed on the 15-day IL ahead of Sunday’s series finale against the Royals at Dodger Stadium. As the corresponding moves, the Dodgers recalled right-hander J.P. Feyereisen and selected the contract of right-hander Michael Petersen from Triple-A Oklahoma City.
… and Joe Kelly was moved to/ the 60-day IL.
Had lunch with my two boys today.
Two weeks today we leave our family home, the only home that they have ever known, and I guess we will never live together again, because my partner and o have separated and the house has sold.
We laughed, we ate good food, and enjoyed each others company and talked about the future.
Life is good, and for enjoying, but one things’s for sure. my kids are the best to g that ever happened to me, and being a Dad is the greatest achievement I’ll ever make.
well he ain’t blind today!
With Betts out now they have to make a trade for shortstop and a leadoff hitter unless now they play Rojas every day and Lux becomes leadoff guy. Looks more and more like Francisco Liriano or Bo Bichette and soon.
They are not going to trade for Lindor and that huge contract of his. 238.7 million dollars for a .230 hitter???? No effing way, and his OPS is below .800. As for Bichette, he has missed the last few games due to tightness in his hammy. He is only hitting .237 with 4 homers, why would they want him? His OPS is below .700. Rojas will play there most of the time. Lux is not going to be the leadoff hitter. His career BA as a leadoff man, .167. Ohtani led off a lot with the Angels. Freddie has had most of his success as a 2-hole hitter. I could see them swing a deal with the White Sox for Paul DeJong. .241 avg, 14 homers, decent defensive SS. Plus, he would not cost a lot. OPS is higher than Lindor’s. Forget about them trading for some high-priced replacement. They might even stay in house and call up Sweeney, but I doubt that. Hernandez, Taylor and Rojas all can play SS. We just have to wait and see what AF decides to do. They play the Sox in Chicago starting the 24th.
Mookie has a broken hand no surgery just let it heal. Rojas to short Vargas to be called up to play left against lefthanders.
MLBTR said it is his wrist.
Maybe it’s the wrist but in the post game press conference doc said the hand and it looked like he got hit on the hand not the wrist
Dodger site is reporting that it is his hand, so you are right, MLBTR is wrong. Padres lost again, lead is back up to 8.
Most likely out 6-8 weeks.
Paul DeLong and Luis Robert’s JR from Whitesoxs could be sooner then the trade deadline guys. We need players that put the baseball in play then just swing and miss all the time like Barnes taylor hernandez and Lux need contact hitters in the playoffs. Theres a guy hitting the cover off the ball at OKC call him up Lipicus before Vargas.
Paul DeLong and Luis Robert’s JR from Whitesoxs could be sooner then the trade deadline guys. We need players that put the baseball in play then just swing and miss all the time like Barnes taylor hernandez and Lux need contact hitters in the playoffs. Theres a guy hitting the cover off the ball at OKC call him up Lipicus before Vargas. With Betts out they need to find a spark here. Last year the Rangers called up a guy from AA in leftfield ended up being the start hitter in the playoffs and world series maybe Lipcicus is that player this year for the Dodgers.
You say we should trade for DeJong, Bradley and then say we need guys who put the ball in play.
Take a look at his stats for this year. He’s striking out 32% of the time. That’s a ridiculously high number. We absolutely do not need DeJong. Rojas is a much better alternative and we already have him.
Roberts strike out percentage is worse than DeJongs.
Happy Fathers Day to all the Dad’s out there.
I’d like to see the Dodgers give Cody Hoese a shot at 3B.
He is having his best year after underperforming throughout his minor league career.
Isn’t he a rule 5 guy after this year.?
Give him a shot for the next 6-8 weeks
Will be lucky if we see Muncy by mid-late August
Hoese:
BA over .300
OPS over .800
Fielding at .951
Strikes out at 23%
Had a good spring training with the big club.
Defense on par with Muncy, (not great) but a good contact hitter.
Rojas plays short and pick between Kike and Taylor on who stays.
Then whoever stays does some back-up work at short to rest Rojas. I believe both have the same fielding % at short around .960
Vargas is coming back up.
So for now absent a trade , you would have Biggio, and either Taylor or Kike to cover infield backup duty. (Oh Well)
Or bring up Owen’s who has the most experience at shortstop and can play all over the field. But only a .952 fielding % at short.
And dump one of Kike/Taylor
Go Dodgers!!
Lipciius, Hoese and Owens make more sense to me than Vargas, since Vargas is no longer considered a viable infielder.
But apparently Vargas is the guy. Even though he didn’t get much action in his recent time in LA.
I don’t see how this makes since unless the Dodgers see if Chris Taylor can still play SS.
A lot of questions that need to be addressed.
Deep breath everyone. Mookie will be out for awhile. No need to panic. Rojas has short covered.
No to Lindor. No to Bichette. No to pretty much anybody else mentioned here as a shortstop solution.
The Dodgers could use another bat. We’ll see what happens at the trade deadline. Maybe they find it internally. Or connect with a trade partner. Contact hitter would be nice.
I can’t imagine the Dodgers wanting to take on another massive contract.
Exactly why Lindor not being traded for is a no-brainer. Bichette is having a bad year. I would love to see them get Steven Kwan from Cleveland, but that won’t happen. Great contact hitter. Betts out 4-8 weeks. Miggy will get the bulk of the work at SS, so we know the defense is going to be just fine. What they need now is for the guys who are slumping, Lux, Kike, Taylor, Heyward, to really kick it into gear. Will Smith has not been hitting well for about a week. One baseball site suggested a trade for Adames that sent Knack to the Brewers could be a fix for both teams. But I think it would take more than just Knack to pry Adames away from Milwaukee. I also am pretty certain that AF is not going to make a trade just to make a trade. He is weighing his options already. When Betts is placed on the IL later today, LA will have 14 players on the IL. 12 of which are pitchers. Muncy and Betts the only position players injured. Arizona may have lost Carroll for significant time. He was injured diving for a ball yesterday.
Hoese is a total mystery to me. He’s been a major disappointment since the Dodgers drafted him and all of a sudden this year he’s found the secret to hitting.
Somehow I just can’t get myself to believe it’s going to last, but I hope he proves me wrong. In the meantime, he’s at least building some trade value.
HFD, everybody!
Unfortunate Father’s Day for Mookie and Dodger fans, though. In one post-game report, Roberts said that Rojas would play SS and sometimes Kike. Perhaps it was an oversight, but he did not mention Chris Taylor. .. Hmm…
Yes, a big deal for Robert and DeJong makes more sense now. Or a smaller one for Bichette.
Another consideration could be the O’s Jorge Mateo, a fantastic fielding SS who has been pushed to 2B by budding superstar Gunnar Henderson. Mateo is streaky on offense and generally has trouble getting on base. But when he does, he can steal any time. The O’s need pitching and the Dodgers have that.
What’s the batting order with Mookie out? And why are the Dodgers bringing back Vargas when they let him play so seldom during his recent stint in The Show?
Will the Dodgers give Taylor some action at SS to enable Vargas to play LF?
It’s not clear how long Mookie will be out. Or Yamamoto, for that matter. And Max’s recovery is slower than expected. So suddenly the Dodgers don’t seem as safe in the NL West.
Great game for Glasnow and Shohei. though…. Dodgers still have a lot of weapons.
So who should bat lead-off?
Over the past 15 games, Andy Pages has been surging: with a .900 OPS (including 2 HRs) and .412 OBP. He’s got the hot hand. Why not see if he’s up to the challenge?
Pages CF
Shohei DH
Freddie 1B
Smith C
Teoscar/ Heyward RF
Teoscar/Vargas LF
Rojas SS
Lux 2B
Kike 3B
Shohei hit leadoff quite a bit for the Angels. Freddie has great numbers in the two slot. But I would rather see them split up instead of hitting back-to-back. I have no clue what they will do with Taylor. He has played the outfield a lot more than the infield the last couple of years. I don’t think Pages has enough speed to hit leadoff. I would go, Ohtani, Smith, Freeman, Hernandez, Pages, Heyward, Rojas, Lux, and whoever is playing 3rd. Biggio, Taylor, Kike, or Barnes if he is catching. Bringing up Vargas, who sat most of his last stint in the majors makes little sense. Bring up Outman. One thing I do know. Since every team knows the Dodgers need someone, the price is going to go up. Someone like Adames or Bichette, who is having an awful year, is not going to come cheap. The Dodgers do not need someone great. What they need is someone very good.
Knowing Freidman, he will not make a major move as a knee jerk reaction. First thing he’ll do is bring up a few guys from within ,to see how they roll like he always does. Ned Colleti always talks about how Freidman is one of the most patient exec he has ever known, every move is calculated and researched ad nauseam. Also he has a month and a half until the trade deadline, and an 8 game lead in a so far weak division missing , yet missing so many key players. Don’t wear your keyboards out playing chicken little with the sky falling . We will be just fine, just see how the next month plays out. And the first A hole who says Fire Roberts because he somehow allowed Yamamoto to pitch with a triceps issue or allow Mookie to bat against a mid level and unproven pitcher, I will Bitch Slap into September. So over that shit.
I concur with that last sentence 100%. Yamamoto actually has a strained rotator cuff. The only way to fix that is total rest. With Miller back this week, and Kersh beginning re-hab assignments, the pitching is going to be fine. They also have some solid arms in line if needed. Knack is one. The Giants have 9 players on the IL to the Dodgers 14. Including their biggest free agent signing. D-Backs have 8, including 4 of their starting pitchers and will likely lose Carroll for a while. Padres have 5 out, including two of their starters. Bogaerts is also out. Rockies have 12 guys on the IL. Three of their frontline starters and several position players. The Dodgers have the most players on the IL in the division. But the other teams, save San Diego, have not been playing well at all. LA will make a trade or two, but don’t expect one anytime soon.