Baseball is a Funny Game

September 23, 2020

I have had over the years many favorite comedians. Red Skelton, Robin Williams, Richard Prior, George Carlin, just to name a few. But there have been some people connected to baseball who I found to be very funny also. Probably the first I remember was Joe Garagiola. As most of us know, Joe played for the Cardinals and Pirates. He was a decent catcher, but not as good as his…

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The “Dook”

September 20, 2020

He was my favorite player growing up. A California boy who found fame in the borough of Brooklyn. He was a graceful outfielder, and a power hitting threat on the great Brooklyn teams of the late 40’s and 50’s. He was the only lefty threat in the lineup that featured Jackie, Gil, Campy, Pee Wee, and Scoonj. And in Brooklyn he was simply “The Dook”. I got that part from…

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Lost Arts – The Bunt and the Stolen Base.

September 16, 2020

Watching the game on Sunday against the Astros, I saw Chris Taylor lay down a bunt that went for a hit. And it took me back to a time when the bunt was an offensive weapon to be reckoned with. Over the last several years, especially with the Dodgers, the only time you saw a bunt was when the pitcher came up and attempted to move the runner over. Maeda,…

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The Other Guys

September 13, 2020

As fans, we all know the stars of our teams, and today with the internet and all the media coverage, we know the rookies, the scrub beanies, and just about everyone else in the organization. Growing up, and learning the game, that was not the case. We found out in box scores, and those of us lucky enough to have a subscription, in the Sporting News. But for every star player, there was…

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By the Numbers Part 2

September 8, 2020

We left part one with Mike Piazza. Mike should have been a lifetime Dodger, but FOX ruined that. Catchers are not supposed to hit for average, but Mike did. Especially when they combine the kind of power he had. His last full year in LA he hit .362, with 40 homers and 124 RBI’s. Trading him was the dumbest move ever.  He hit .331 as a Dodger and hit 177…

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By the Numbers Part 1

September 7, 2020

One of my favorite things to do is read the history section of my Dodger media guides. There is a lot of information in there, and it helps to remember those players and teams. They list all of the players who have ever played for the Dodgers, and they also list by uniform numbers. it is fun to go back and read some of those numbers and the names associated…

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The Captain

September 1, 2020

Harold Peter Henry Reese was born on July 23rd 1918 in Ekron, Kentucky. He lived there until he was almost 8 when his family then moved to Louisville. He got his nickname, Pee Wee, playing marbles. A Pee Wee is a small marble. Reese was so small that he did not play baseball until his senior year in high school.  At that time he only weighed 120 pounds and played…

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The Fans

August 28, 2020

I am a people watcher. I have been for years. I used to do it from onstage when I was performing. I did it in airports when I was flying somewhere, and I did it from the cab of my rig when I was on a run. I always do it when I go to a ballpark. It started when I first went to the coliseum to watch a Dodger…

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Old School – Analytics

August 24, 2020

I am old school. Never have claimed to be anything but. Baseball has been a part of my life, a big part, for over 60 years. LA was a minor league city until the Dodgers moved here in 1958. We played the game anywhere we could, usually on our school playground. Some played little league, others did not. I never really had any coaching until I played little league. Then…

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Andrew Freidman Genius or Not?

August 20, 2020

On October 14th, 2014, the Dodgers announced the hiring of Andrew Friedman. Former Tampa Bay GM and Vice President of baseball operations as President of baseball operations for the Los Angeles Dodgers. His contract was for 5 years and 35 million dollars. Friedman was born in Houston Texas and attended Tulane University on a baseball scholarship. His college career was derailed by a couple of injuries. He earned a B.A….

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