With a pedestrian 79-78 won-loss record and having been out of playoff contention for months, the Dodgers wouldn't figure to be garnering local, much less national attention for their handful of remaining games. But they are.
Unless you've been hiding under a rock you know the two reasons for this: Matt Kemp and Clayton Kershaw.
Kemp, with his season-long, three-pronged assault of major league baseball record books, has at long last translated in 2011 his extraordinary physical gifts into elite baseball performance. He is chasing the rare batting Triple Crown (leading the league in three offensive statistical categories: batting average, home runs and runs batted in) and along with it baseball immortality. Only 13 men in the 100-plus year history of professional baseball have accomplished the feat, none since 1967.
Kershaw, a leading contender for the National League Cy Young Award, has continued in 2011 his meteoric rise to superstardom. At the tender age of 23, he has somehow already met head on the unrealistically lofty expectations that were bestowed upon him as early as age 19 when the hard-throwing southpaw drew comparisons from many to former Dodger Sandy Koufax, a fellow southpaw whose reincarnation they hoped for and whose greatness was encapsulated by the nickname, "The Left Arm of God".
Together, Kemp and Kershaw have been two brilliant shining points of light in a season mired by the dark clouds of ownership turmoil. They've been the short term pain relief for legions of Dodger fans hemorrhaging from the deep wounds current ownership continues to inflict upon the storied franchise.
I count myself grateful for the privilege of watching Kemp and Kershaw during what has otherwise been a nightmare of a year for Dodger baseball. With the future of my beloved team languishing indefinitely in courtroom limbo, Kemp and Kershaw have given me a point of focus on the baseball field.
They've taught me that it helps, sometimes, to focus on just the trees and ignore the forest.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Frankly Speaking, McCourts Have to Go
I feel compelled to crawl out of the woodwork and find my way back to this Dodger blog, if just for one more post.
I wish I was here to revel in a turn of phrase by our resident poet laureate, Vin Scully.
I wish I was here to exhult in another brilliant performance by our very own virtuoso in the making, Clayton Kershaw.
I wish I was here trying to capture with words the thrill of witnessing Matt Kemp blossom into the franchise player we all knew he could become, but didn't know whether he would become.
Heck, I even wish I was here just to vent about Juan Uribe's lack of productivity.
I might return yet to do all of that.
But right now that day feels very far away.
Because today, my focus is on anything but these things. Somehow the boys of summer are being overshadowed by off-field news and for that, we have to thank Frank and Jamie McCourt, the embattled owner(s?) of our beloved Dodgers.
It's ironic that the McCourts might really have gotten what they've wished for all along as owners of the Dodgers. The Dodgers, to them, have always been a means to an end. Rather than team ownership being about the players on the field, or the loyal fans that show up every year by the millions, or the pride, tradition and continuity of an iconic sports franchise, the McCourts have always wanted it to be about themselves.
Now they've got it. Headlines about their ugly divorce, gross mismanagement of the Dodgers, and recent filing for bankruptcy have all but relegated the team's day to day performance to footnote status as the media focus on the long-term ramifications of these off-field developments.
From Jamie naively referring to herself as the "face of the Dodger franchise" to Frank's mischaracterization of the McCourt era as one in which things "turned around" for the better, the McCourts have never demonstrated that they get it.
Get that the Dodgers are a civic treasure belonging to all Los Angelenos, never to any one or two individuals.
Get that Dodger fans value a winning product on the field, but not at the expense of long-term organizational continuity.
Get that there once was such a thing as the Dodger Way, built over many generations and modeled by sports franchises around the country, most notably by a team just south of the Dodgers along the 57.
Get that recognition and respect as owners result not from standing in front of the mic and cameras telling everyone how terrific you are, but by conducting business affairs behind the scenes with integrity and guided by sound principles.
No, the McCourts have never gotten it.
I no longer hold out hope that they will.
My only hope now is that the McCourts are replaced. It doesn't matter by whom -- I'm willing to accept the risk of the unknown at this point -- because anyone -- anyone -- figures to be a better fit to lead this once-proud franchise out of the woodwork.
I wish I was here to revel in a turn of phrase by our resident poet laureate, Vin Scully.
I wish I was here to exhult in another brilliant performance by our very own virtuoso in the making, Clayton Kershaw.
I wish I was here trying to capture with words the thrill of witnessing Matt Kemp blossom into the franchise player we all knew he could become, but didn't know whether he would become.
Heck, I even wish I was here just to vent about Juan Uribe's lack of productivity.
I might return yet to do all of that.
But right now that day feels very far away.
Because today, my focus is on anything but these things. Somehow the boys of summer are being overshadowed by off-field news and for that, we have to thank Frank and Jamie McCourt, the embattled owner(s?) of our beloved Dodgers.
It's ironic that the McCourts might really have gotten what they've wished for all along as owners of the Dodgers. The Dodgers, to them, have always been a means to an end. Rather than team ownership being about the players on the field, or the loyal fans that show up every year by the millions, or the pride, tradition and continuity of an iconic sports franchise, the McCourts have always wanted it to be about themselves.
Now they've got it. Headlines about their ugly divorce, gross mismanagement of the Dodgers, and recent filing for bankruptcy have all but relegated the team's day to day performance to footnote status as the media focus on the long-term ramifications of these off-field developments.
From Jamie naively referring to herself as the "face of the Dodger franchise" to Frank's mischaracterization of the McCourt era as one in which things "turned around" for the better, the McCourts have never demonstrated that they get it.
Get that the Dodgers are a civic treasure belonging to all Los Angelenos, never to any one or two individuals.
Get that Dodger fans value a winning product on the field, but not at the expense of long-term organizational continuity.
Get that there once was such a thing as the Dodger Way, built over many generations and modeled by sports franchises around the country, most notably by a team just south of the Dodgers along the 57.
Get that recognition and respect as owners result not from standing in front of the mic and cameras telling everyone how terrific you are, but by conducting business affairs behind the scenes with integrity and guided by sound principles.
No, the McCourts have never gotten it.
I no longer hold out hope that they will.
My only hope now is that the McCourts are replaced. It doesn't matter by whom -- I'm willing to accept the risk of the unknown at this point -- because anyone -- anyone -- figures to be a better fit to lead this once-proud franchise out of the woodwork.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Opening Day 2011...
... just got a whole lot more interesting.
The Dodgers will be hosting their division rivals and newly-minted World Series Champions, the San Francisco Giants, at Dodger Stadium on April 1 to open their 2011 campaign.
Visions of a Clayton Kershaw-Tim Lincecum matchup are already dancing in my mind.
The Dodgers will be hosting their division rivals and newly-minted World Series Champions, the San Francisco Giants, at Dodger Stadium on April 1 to open their 2011 campaign.
Visions of a Clayton Kershaw-Tim Lincecum matchup are already dancing in my mind.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
A Fond Farewell to 2010
We've reached the end of the season for the Dodgers and although it's been a year filled with frustration, I do enter the offseason with a tinge of sadness. You see for me, this day -- not Labor Day, not the first day of school, not the start of college football season -- every year marks the unofficial end to summer.
It's one reason I've never attended a season finale at Dodger Stadium. Well, there was one time in the mid-80s. I was just a kid at a baseball game but I remember dour thoughts popping into my head throughout such as: how I was watching the last batting practice of the year, the last national anthem of the year, the last seventh-inning stretch of the year, and then the last out of the year. The finality of a season finale, I discovered that day, was just too much for me to bear.
Add to it the fact that when you are younger, your perception of time is different. Months and years seem to fly by now, but when you are 12, the prospect of waiting out a baseball offseason can be overwhelming.
It's not so bad now. Family, work, and other interests (gasp!) all serve as vital water stations in the marathon I call offseason. So I pace myself and settle into a rhythm. The finish line will get here soon enough.
And so I wax nostalgic today.
Goodbye to the 2010 Dodger baseball season, to the brilliance of Clayton Kershaw and Hong-Chih Kuo, to the volatility of Matt Kemp, to the disaster that was the Dodger bullpen. Farewell to Vin Scully (for now) and to Joe Torre (for good).
This blog, however, isn't going anywhere during the offseason.
So stick around, will ya?
Together, we'll survive the 179 days between now and Opening Day 2011.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
As I Was Saying Before I Was So Rudely Interrupted...
I've been under the weather the past several days, out of commission and out of sight, prompting a few colleagues of mine to wonder aloud upon my return to work today whether in reality I had taken time off to exchange my Herman Miller cubicle chair for a front-row seat at the McCourt trial.
Sadly, that wasn't the case.
Instead, I've been sidelined with a malady that's been as ellusive for my doctor to pin down as the cause of Dodger hitting woes has been for Don Mattingly. In times like these, it seems rest is the best remedy -- one week's worth for me and an offseason's worth for the Dodgers.
On the bright side, my bedrest has afforded me the opportunity to read, if not write, about the goings on related to the Dodgers and I'd like to pass along to you a few pieces I particularly enjoyed.
Joe Posnanski captures in a fine article for si.com how radios broadcasting Vin Scully's play by play call have served as virtual gathering points over the years for people living in a city that's often characterized as lacking a center.
The New York Times published an interesting piece on Josh Fisher, the 24-year-old Dodger fan and current law student whose blog, DodgerDivorce.com has become the go-to source for legal analysis of the McCourt divorce trial.
Finally, the Los Angeles Times explores the heady possibility of me and you -- or anyone else willing to pony up $500 to $1,000 per share -- being among the next future owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Sadly, that wasn't the case.
Instead, I've been sidelined with a malady that's been as ellusive for my doctor to pin down as the cause of Dodger hitting woes has been for Don Mattingly. In times like these, it seems rest is the best remedy -- one week's worth for me and an offseason's worth for the Dodgers.
On the bright side, my bedrest has afforded me the opportunity to read, if not write, about the goings on related to the Dodgers and I'd like to pass along to you a few pieces I particularly enjoyed.
Joe Posnanski captures in a fine article for si.com how radios broadcasting Vin Scully's play by play call have served as virtual gathering points over the years for people living in a city that's often characterized as lacking a center.
The New York Times published an interesting piece on Josh Fisher, the 24-year-old Dodger fan and current law student whose blog, DodgerDivorce.com has become the go-to source for legal analysis of the McCourt divorce trial.
Finally, the Los Angeles Times explores the heady possibility of me and you -- or anyone else willing to pony up $500 to $1,000 per share -- being among the next future owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Handling the Truth About This Dodger Fan
Reading about Jamie McCourt facing off today against superstar attorney Stephen Susman made me wonder. It made me wonder how I might handle the pressure of being alone on the witness stand, being grilled by Susman.
With inspiration credited to A Few Good Men, here's how I think it might go...
Dodger fan (me): You want to investigate me, roll the dice and take your chances. I eat my Dodger Dogs 300 yards from 25 Dodgers who are trained to crush my morale, so don't think for one second that you can come down here, flash your badge, and make me nervous!
Susman: Did you order the ROAD RED (Angels jersey and wear it to a game at Dodger Stadium)?
Judge Gordon: You don't have to answer that question!
Dodger fan: I'll answer the question!
[to Susman]
Dodger fan: You want answers?
Susman: I think I'm entitled to them.
Dodger fan: You want answers?!
Susman: I WANT THE TRUTH!
Dodger fan: YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!!
Dodger fan: I did the job you sent me to do!
[Susman approaches the stand.]
Susman: DID YOU ORDER THE ROAD RED (Angels jersey)?!?!
Dodger fan: YOU'RE (GOSHDARN) RIGHT I DID!!!
With inspiration credited to A Few Good Men, here's how I think it might go...
Dodger fan (me): You want to investigate me, roll the dice and take your chances. I eat my Dodger Dogs 300 yards from 25 Dodgers who are trained to crush my morale, so don't think for one second that you can come down here, flash your badge, and make me nervous!
Susman: Did you order the ROAD RED (Angels jersey and wear it to a game at Dodger Stadium)?
Judge Gordon: You don't have to answer that question!
Dodger fan: I'll answer the question!
[to Susman]
Dodger fan: You want answers?
Susman: I think I'm entitled to them.
Dodger fan: You want answers?!
Susman: I WANT THE TRUTH!
Dodger fan: YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!!
Son, we live in a town that has two McCourts. And their team has to be supported by fans with deep pockets. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Larry King?!
I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for Joe Torre and you curse Don Mattingly. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: that Manny's defection, while tragic, probably saved the team money. And my Dodger season ticket plan, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, helped save the team from bankruptcy.
You don't want the truth. Because deep down, in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me in those stands! You need me in the stands!
We purchase items like $15 parking, $12 beers, and $28 Los Doyers t-shirts. We purchase these items as the backbone to a life spent supporting something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps to the poetry of Vin Scully, announcer for the very Dodger team I help support, then questions the manner in which I support it! I'd rather you just said thank you and went on your way.
Otherwise, I suggest you buy a ticket and sit through a Dodger game yourself. Either way, I don't give a (darn) what you think you're entitled to!Susman: Did you order the ROAD RED (Angels jersey)?!
Dodger fan: I did the job you sent me to do!
[Susman approaches the stand.]
Susman: DID YOU ORDER THE ROAD RED (Angels jersey)?!?!
Dodger fan: YOU'RE (GOSHDARN) RIGHT I DID!!!
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Action Moves From Field Back into Court
With today's improbable, comeback, walk off, 7-6 victory over the Colorado Rockies in the books, attention on Monday shifts from the playing field back into court.
Josh Fisher gives a detailed preview as to what we can expect this upcoming week in the McCourt trial. Among other things, Frank's attorney, Stephen Susman, gets his frist crack at cross-examining Jamie.
According to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times, Larry Silverstein, the attorney responsible for drafting the six copies of the agreement under dispute, is tentatively scheduled to testify Tuesday. His testimony not only will help determine which McCourt wins the trial, but also how much of a liability claim -- current estimates are as high as nine figures -- he might face from the losing McCourt.
On the field, Monday's a day off for boys in blue. The Dodgers are back in action Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium against the San Diego Padres.
***
The eighth-inning Dodger Stadium rendition of "Don't Stop Believin" just isn't the same without Jameson Moss. He wasn't there for at least the second game in a row, by my count. Without him, is the song really worth playing anymore?
Josh Fisher gives a detailed preview as to what we can expect this upcoming week in the McCourt trial. Among other things, Frank's attorney, Stephen Susman, gets his frist crack at cross-examining Jamie.
According to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times, Larry Silverstein, the attorney responsible for drafting the six copies of the agreement under dispute, is tentatively scheduled to testify Tuesday. His testimony not only will help determine which McCourt wins the trial, but also how much of a liability claim -- current estimates are as high as nine figures -- he might face from the losing McCourt.
On the field, Monday's a day off for boys in blue. The Dodgers are back in action Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium against the San Diego Padres.
***
The eighth-inning Dodger Stadium rendition of "Don't Stop Believin" just isn't the same without Jameson Moss. He wasn't there for at least the second game in a row, by my count. Without him, is the song really worth playing anymore?
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