So I came really really close to the All-Star game this year…I was just a few days off. I spent the week before at Disneyland and drove right by the park the Friday before the game. It was cool to see all the banners they had around the City. They also had special Mickey Mouses painted around the city with all the Major League teams. Sadly, I didn’t have tickets to the Home Run Derby or the All-Star Game, but I did what millions of others did…I watched it on TV.

At first I was bummed that David Ortiz won the Home Run Derby. I love David Ortiz, but he happens to be on my fantasy baseball team and the homerun derby is notorious for ruinning guys’ homerun swing after the derby. Here’s hoping he breaks the trend. He looked like he owned the competition, so hopefully his hot hitting will continue.

I am glad that the National League finally won.  I still don’t know if the Dodgers can get that far yet, but it would definitely help them to have home field advantage.

I alwasy root for Dodger players and always hope they don’t blow it in front of a national audience.  I’ll never forget Eric Gagne choking at the All-Star game.  Furcal, Ethier and Broxton did well…but as it would figure Kuo couldn’t hit first base on a routine throw.  Thankfully it didn’t matter, but not a way to show off your good stuff.

For those of you who didn’t see the L.A. Times today, Dylan Hernandez had a hilarious piece at the end of his article on how Kuo responded when back at practice after the game.  You can find the article here, but I copied the specific piece below. 

“And the Dodgers had a lighter moment in their early workout, which had Torre laughing as he recalled it later.Hong-Chih Kuo. In the All-Star game, Kuo fielded a grounder by Joe Mauer and threw the ball far above first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, starting a sequence of events that led to the American League’s taking a 1-0 edge. (The National League came back to win, 3-1.)

When the Dodgers started fielding practice for pitchers, standing at the front of the line was

In the drill, Kuo fielded a similar grounder. This time, his throw was on target.

“Everyone gave him a round of applause,” Torre said.”

Tags: Andre Ethier, Hung Chi Kuo, Jonathan Broxton, Rafael Furcal

Who needs the Giants this week when the Dodgers are playing the A’s! I had to hunt a little to find the A’s channel (Channel 89 up here), but once finding it, it was a pleasure to watch the boys in blue the last two nights.

The didn’t win two nights ago, but they pulled it out last night. Even though they lost two nights ago, this is a GOOD Dodger team. I am just really impressed with how scrappy they are. They are very much like the Angels in 2002 against the Giants. They don’t hit the long ball, but they are always getting hits, and always on base.

The other part is their defense.  The Dodgers turned 4 double plays last night.  Blake is having a Gold Glove year, and then with Furcal, Hudson and Loney, they have a great defense up the middle. 

I heard a great quote from F.P. Santangelo, an announcer for the A’s. He was saying that sometimes there are just good teams who know they are going to win. They don’t know how they will do it, but they know they are going to win. He said the Dodgers are very much that team right now.

I couldn’t agree more. It seems like they win a lot of games in the 8th and 9th innings, which is exactly what you need to go far in the playoffs. They get the runs when they need to, and they do what they have to do.

I have to admit it was fun to see Nomar Garciaparra play last night. He even drove in a run. I always liked him and was glad to see him as a Dodger. Too bad his body keeps breaking down on him because he was fun to watch.

The Dodgers play the Angels this weekend, and the writers are already saying that this weekend may be an indicator of the playoffs.(See Yahoo article here).  This article gives the advantage to the Angels because of their pitching, but I’m not sold.  The Dodgers just seem to find a way.  The Angels have figured out how to win again, so it will definitely be a battle.  I’m predicting the Angels will easily re-claim first place by the All-Star break.  They had a lot of injuries, but you knew Mike Scioscia’s club wouldn’t be down that long.

Coming this weekend, another Spy Game post.  Let’s just say the Angels swept the floor with the Giants this week.

Tags: Casey Blake, F.P. Santangelo, James Loney, mike scioscia, Nomar Garciaparra, Orlando Hudson, Rafael Furcal

10-0 at home to start the season.  What a way to start.  I love the fact that I was at the 1st game of this streak that was a Giants romp.  To win today with out Ramirez, Blake, Martin and Furcal makes it all the sweeter.  The Dodgers have depth and they can score runs.  It was good to see Pierre having fun out there again today too.

I said it earlier, Billingsley may be in the Cy Young voting this year.  If he is, the Dodgers will be in the playoffs.  He was the question mark ace this year, but there’s no questions now.

I’ve realized one of the things I miss most about not being in L.A. is not hearing Vin Scully call the game just by turning on the radio.  I could get satalite radio, but I don’t know that’s worth it just for that.  I did however get the MLB package where I can watch every game on the computer.  I even upgraded this year so I can plug it in to my big screen and watch it in HD.

I got to hear Vin today and he had a story that cracked me up.  If you heard the game, you may have heard it, but it was classic Vin.  He was talking about how the players years ago fought and fought to avoid wearing helmets when on the base paths.  Apparently they would wear it when batting, but put their soft cap in their back pocket and take the helmet off when they reached first base.  He was commenting how things have changed now and that guys have now swung the other way.  They keep their helmet on, and when the ball is coming towards them, they usually cover the ear that isn’t protected.  He even had a case in point when Ethier was on base.

What was funny though was when he shifted the story.  He made the point that as slow as it was for players it was even slower for coaches at 1st and 3rd base.  He commented that even now they wear a helmet, but it doesn’t cover their ears.  I couldn’t write it all down, but he made a comment something to the effect that, “now if a ball comes straight down on their head, they are protected, but if it comes from the side, that helmet is worthless…” 

It was just a classic Vin telling a story, but leaking a little bias as only he can.  He was dripping the sarcasm pretty thick because the balls coming straight down are the easy ones to dodge, but the coaches are always dodging ones to the side, but have no protection.  Who knew he had an opinion on coaches helmets, but obviously so.  He finished by saying that at some point the light will finally come in, as if to say that some year those coaches will finally figure it out and protect their ears.

In his 60th year, I don’t know that we’ll have too many more of him at the microphone, but he sure is fun to listen to.  I bet for him seeing the Dodgers go 10-0 at home is a treat because even that hasn’t happened in 60 years.

Tags: Casey Blake, Chad Billingsley, Juan Pierre, Manny Ramirez, Rafael Furcal, Russell Martin, Vin Scully

I wasn’t quite sure what response I would get from my co-workers today with the Dodgers losing so bad to the Giants last night. I figured the loss would be rubbed in pretty good.

Ironically, it was pretty tame. It was an odd series. The Giants won the first game and I had all kinds of people rub it in, including sending me e-mail and facebook posts. Then the Dodgers won the second game and all was quiet(surprise..). Then today, quiet on the day that they had every right to boast.

The Giants don’t have a great team, but they have won at least the last 3 series and their pitching is coming around.   Lincecum is just a stud.  The Dodgers have an offense that doesn’t stop, but their pitching truly is the achilles heal. Last night was kind of like a bucket with a hole in it. It doesn’t matter how much water you put in, eventually it will leak out and you will lose.

To conclude this series I thought I include some of the conversations I did have with Giants fans over the series.

The first one happened after game 2. He’s a good Giants fan, but an even better baseball fan. He commented on just how good Manny is and how much he affects the other team. He really noticed just how well he hits to the other side, but how much he gets into the minds of pitchers. He noticed how Jonathan Sanchez blew down Furcal and Hudson, but then got lit up by Manny. He was just impressed by the quality of the player and how much an advantage the Dodgers have to have him. I couldn’t agree more.

Today I was talking with a Giants fan about last night’s game and how it seems that both teams have shaky bullpens.  He agreed somewhat, but thought the the Dodgers real problem was starting pitching.  Eric Stults gave up almost a run an inning and it caught up to him.  He was right.  The pitching is the issue and no matter how many runs you score, you have to hold the other team, or you lose.  Good wisdom even if he was a Giants fan.  Jon Weisman of Dodger Thoughts has a good perspective on potential changes to the pitching staff.  The bullpen may get better, but it isn’t guarenteed for starting pitching.

How about you, any comments from Giants fans about the series?

Tags: Jonathan Sanchez, Orlando Hudson, Rafael Furcal, Tim Lincecum

Dodger games on TV are a premium up here, so I was pretty excited about today’s exhibition game between the Dodgers and Giants.  It’s funny though, I forgot that it was the day before Opening Day, therefore most of the regulars are on the bench…including Manny.

It’s an interesting game though because you got to see the depth or lack of depth of the Dodgers lineup this year.  Juan Pierre, Mark Loretta, Brad Ausmus, Blake DeWitt – all decent players but all the bench guys for this coming year.

What caught my attention though were the starters who were in there – James McDonald, Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier and James Loney.  Obviously, there isn’t a back up for every spot, so you have to keep some regulars.

Here’s where my thoughts turned to concern.  Let’s think worst case scenario this year.  If Manny, Kemp or Eithier go down, Pierre is the everyday.  If two go down, it becomes a different question.

If Blake, Furcal, or Hudson go down, then you have Blake DeWitt or Mark Loretta.  Similarly, Martin goes down, then Ausmus.

Here’s the one that I couldn’t answer though.  What happens if Loney goes down?  I’m convinced the guy will win the batting title some day and he doesn’t seem prone to injury, but you never know what will happen.  I guess Casey Blake could go over there, but who else?  Mientkiewicz is an easy answer if he makes the team, but that hasn’t been decided yet.

I’m sure the Dodgers top brass have thought through this scenario, but it isn’t really obvious. 

Well, back to the game.  McDonald looks a little shaky.  Pierre is running like always.  Ethier doesn’t seem quite right yet, but Loney looks solid.  Bengie Molina and Randy Winn continue to be Dodger killers.

Let the Season begin!

Tags: Andre Ethier, Bengie Molina, Blake DeWitt, Brad Ausmus, Casey Blake, Doug Mientkiewicz, James Loney, James McDonald, Juan Pierre, Manny Ramirez, Mark Loretta, Matt Kemp, Orlando Hudson, Rafael Furcal, Randy Winn, Russell Martin