Dodger Stadium Opening Day 2009

So I had the honor of attending Opening Day at Dodger Stadium on Monday.  I maybe get to one game at Dodger Stadium a year, so the fact that it was Opening Day was cool.  Then the fact that history was made that day is a memory I’ll never forget.  Oh yeah, and the fact that it was against the Giants…doesn’t get much better than that.

I went to a game years ago with a Giant fan at Dodger Stadium against the Giants and watched the Dodgers destroy them.  This was as good, if not better.

Reason #1 why Giants fans should switch over to being Dodger fans…The Dodgers are just better!

Major Highlights

1. Orlando Hudson hits for the cycle.  Ironically, I happened to be in the restroom for his final triple, but how cool to say I was at a game where the cycle was hit.
2. Andre Ethier hits two homeruns.  I wrote earlier that I wondered if he would be on this year.  No doubt now.
3. Chad Billingsley looked like the Ace.  11ks.  The Giants just didn’t have anything against him.  He looked great.
4. Being part of the largest crowd at Dodger stadium – over 57,000.  I was there when they set the record at the playoff game in 2004, and now here again.  I guess I know the good games to go to!

Major Highlights (That weren’t always shown on TV)

1. Every Dodger had a hit, including Chad Billingsley.  The offense was primed and they will do a lot of damage this year.
2. Will Ohman and the Pen looked sharp.  With a lead that big, you have room to give, but they held strong.
3. Russell Martin finally hit a little.  He has started slow, but had two key hits and now has 50 RBI in his life with the bases loaded.
4. I saw a couple get engaged right in front of me!  They brought the cameras up to my section (about 7 rows in front of me) for their “Kiss Cam” between innings.  The guy poked her on the cheek, then got down on one knee and proposed to the surprise of everyone in the stadium.  She said yes and was playing with the ring around her finger for the rest of the game.  I’ve never been that close to the camera at the stadium, let alone to someone’s proposal.  Way cool.
5. Randy Johnson is a Hall of Famer…but needs some work.  He was good for 3 innings, but then he got lit up.  Getting 300 wins may take a long time this season.
6. The traffic in L.A. is as bad as you hear…especially with 57,000 people going to and way from the same spot.

Overall, what a day and what a memory.  Special thanks to Lance for securing the tickets and to the guy in Pasadena from Craig’s list who sold the tickets.

Just for fun, here’s two articles from the local papers on the perspective of how the Giants did during the game.  Keep in the mind that their loss was the fourth straight, and they were just swept by the Padres.

SF Chronicle – http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/14/SP42171MNL.DTL

SJ Mercury – http://www.mercurynews.com/giantsheadlines/ci_12136182

(This one is great because it blames the Giant’s for not signing Hudson this off-season!)

Go Blue!