I received an E-Mail yesterday from the Dodgers PR staff about getting media credentials for the NLDS. I used to get them but have not done that for about nine or ten years. Anyway, towards the bottom, it said this: “All individuals must be both vaccinated and boosted to receive access to restricted areas (clubhouse, field, interview room, photography wells) at Dodger Stadium in alignment with rules set forth by…
The Dodgers’ Owners
We are going to take a look back at all the former owners of the Dodgers. Not in depth, but just a glimpse at the evolvement of the team. Most of them, you know at least something about; others, not so much. Ferdinand Abell and Charles Byrne were the two main owners that formed the 1883 team that would one day become the Dodgers. Abell was a casino owner, putting…
Be Happy – Enjoy the Ride!
So, all season Dodger fans have ragged the Dodgers’ “Botton-of-the Batting Order.” Specifically, they have been critical of Cody Bellinger, Max Muncy, and Joey Gallo; however, that team they have been so critical of is poised to set a team record for wins. They are getting close, and the record should fall by next weekend. The question remains, “How much does it hurt the Dodgers to have Gallo, Bellinger, and…
Do You Want Craig Kimbrel on the Playoff Roster?
Vote YES if you do. Vote NO if you don’t. Vote early. Vote Often. One vote per person.
Let’s Get Real
As the season nears its end, I think we have to take a large dose of reality. The reality is that the Dodgers are the best team in baseball. Houston is making a late run, but if they try and catch LA to invoke “Home Field Advantage,” then they are likely to “flame out” in the playoffs. The reality also is that any team can get hot in the playoffs…
Making October Plans
October 11th, most likely against the winner of the top two Wildcard qualifiers. At the moment, that would be the winner of an Atlanta-San Diego Series. With Philadelphia and San Diego neck and neck for the final wild-card spot, we may see Philly slip into that final slot. A surge by Atlanta could place the New York Mets in that top wild card position as well, so it is still…
R.I.P. Maury Wills
Every Dodger fan who has not been living under a rock knows who Maury Wills was. He was undersized but bigger than life. He was not a great hitter, but he won the MVP. He revolutionalized the running game while remaining immensely popular. Maury debuted in 1959, but 1960 was his first full season when he hit .295 and stole 50 bases. The next year (1961), he hit .282 and…
9 Division Titles in 10 Years, Are Dodger Fans Spoiled?
In 2004, the first season under new owner Frank McCourt, the Dodgers won their first division title in 8 years. The 1995 Dodgers won the division after the strike was over in a shortened season. But they were ousted out of the playoffs in the NLDS. The new GM was Paul DePodesta, a strong advocate of analytics when teams were just starting to use that kind of data. He traded…
What Now?
The Dodgers have 101 wins, and the fact that they were the quickest team to win 100 games in the past 21 years should be duly noted. There are seventeen games left, and it is a foregone conclusion that the Dodgers will set an All-Time Franchise Record for wins. They hardly care. Yes, it will be nice, but the entire focus is on winning the World Series. I hate to…
Fringe Players We All Loved to Watch
A lot of guys on teams are nothing but scrubs who wait for their chance to contribute to the team. Over the years, many of these guys were favorites of mime simply because when they did get in a game, they played their hardest. I will attempt to give some examples here, starting with a guy who drove Lasorda bananas. Derrell Thomas On November 14th, 1978, the Los Angeles Dodgers…