Just to get it started.

As was noted by canmark on another thread, Eric Gagne has been put on the 15-day DL due to a sprained elbow.

In other--highly amusing--Dodger news, Frank McCourt has fired the teams' communication director (who had been hired just last May) and replaced him.... with his own wife!!! McCourt had faced a number of media articles about his cheapness & lack of responsiveness towards Dodger fans but this is a ridiculous response.

At least, it appears that Scott Ericson has made the roster and opening day is nigh.... wink

~Adam

It won't look good if the McCourts ever head for divorce court and she complains about his not listening to her..."but Mrs. McCourt, you were hired as communications director, shouldn't you be able to communicate better to get his attention?" wink

Scott Erickson is washed up. If he made the Dodgers then they're in sorry shape. I'm guessing only Colorado will keep them out of last place.

(Like the title of the thread, BTW. It's really bizarre to see "Los Angeles" in the AL writeups and the abbreviation "LAA" on the ESPN Bottom Line.)

Have arranged all meetings to be completed this morning so I can be at my cubicle, radio on, when the Dodgers begin their seasaon (in San Francisco) this afternoon. (I would have claimed the conderence room with the TV but the game's 1:05 start conflicts with the company's lunchtime soap opera watchers.)

~Adam

Well, Derek Lowe pitched a solid game but the Dodger defense bobbled a few grounders, allowing the Giants to gain a 4-2 victory. However, a good omen occurred: Cesar Itzuris had a homerun to open the game. The last time a Dodger hit a homer in the first at bat of a season, the team went on to win the World Series. Spooky!

Sadly, we heard the presentation of Barry Bonds' MVP before the game & Bonds' promise to the SF fans: "I'll be back." So much for him humping off the bridge.

~Adam

And the last time the Phillies won a season opener at home was 1980, when they went on to win the World Series. Something has to give! wink

The Blue bullpen, already hurting with Gagne and Wilson Alvarez on the DL, took another hit Tuesday night. Giovanni Carrara fell down and went boom trying to field a bunt, straining his left hamstring. Fortunately, they didn't need him last night when they defeated the Giants, 10-4.

~Adam

Just a couple of idle thoughts after watching last night's epic, 11-inning 12-10 Dodger victory over the D'Backs.

Jeff Kent has been the offense for the Dodgers so far this season and he didn't disappoint last night, including a 3-run double in the 11th inning.

They really, really, really miss Eric Gagne. I hope that his sprained elbow isn't a chronic condition, but, with a pitcher, any injury to an elbow could prove career-threatening.

Even when Milton Bradley makes a terrific play, and he had a couple of beautiful charging catches last night, I wait for the next angry outburst. He's like the proverbial ticking timebomb.

It's weird to see Troy Glaus and Shawn Green in D'Backs uniforms!! A couple of times, when Vin Scully said "And that brings Shawn Green to the plate," I actually wondered how that could be when the Dodgers weren't at bat (I wasn't focused on just the game.) Both Green and Glaus look good as D'Backs--that sort of goes without saying--but I'm just not used to it.

~Adam

I heard on the radio that JD Drew has started the year 0-for-22. eek!

'Tis true, 'tis true. The LA Daily News started printed a separate box with Drew's game-by-game stats within their article on last night's game. Since he went 2-5 today--in a loss to the D'Backs--Drew's now a whopping 2-27, or .074.

~Adam

[ April 10, 2005, 05:30 PM: Message edited by: Adam ]

Had the pleasure of listening to yesterday's home opener against the dreaded San Francisco Giants and openly cheered the bottom-of-the-ninth heroics that led to a 9-8 victory for the Dodgers. With two outs in the ninth, Milton Bradley--the last angry man--hit a single Giant outfielder Jason Ellison couldn't handle allowing JD Drew (now boasting a .100 average,) Jeff Kent (and his porno mustache,) and Cesar Izturis to score; I've had images of Jeff Kent scoring, but that's a different story...I also openly cheered those who went to the game as they chanted "Barry Bonds Sucks" when he was introduced.

Interestingly, the Dodgers have scored four runs in their final times at bat three times in the past four games. A pattern??

Great photo from the game in the Los Angeles Times today: Milton Bradley throwing an inflatable container with a BALCO label off the field. A nice twist on the omnipresent beach ball.

~Adam

That is genius! Something that looks like a pill bottle, I hope. See what Dodger fans are capable of if they'd only apply themselves instead of batting around beach balls, doing the wave and leaving early to beat traffic? wink

[ April 13, 2005, 08:58 AM: Message edited by: Joe in Philly ]

Great night at the Ravine. In between arriving late, chatting on my cell, looking for stars, batting around a beach ball, and leaving early to beat the traffic wink I saw a solid 4-1 Dodger victory over the Giants. The guess-who-they-are bullpen held the Giants scoreless after Odalis Perez pitched a strong 6 innings, allowing just one run & four hits. Naturally, I joined the other 46,000 fans in booing Barry Bonds when he was introduced (he's not yet playing) and cheering Jeff Kent's second homerun of the season. By the way, JD Drew is now hitting a monumental .125.

~Adam

You didn't do the wave? frown

I couldn't do the wave--there wasn't enough time, what with arriving late, chatting on my cell, looking for stars, and leaving early to beat the traffic!

In addition to honoring Jackie Robinson tonight(is booing Bud Selig, who will be in atendance, bad pool when honoring a great man like Robinson?) the Dodgers will be wearing Brooklyn Dodgers jerseys and caps for the game against the Padres. The team has not worn such gear since coming to Los Angeles & this is part of the season-long 50th anniversary celebration of the team's first World Series championship.

~Adam

[ April 15, 2005, 10:41 AM: Message edited by: Adam ]

The Dodgers, with a 9-2 record, are off to the team's best start since 1981, and are undefeated at the Ravine (5-0.) This is the first time the team has gone undefeated in their opening homestand since...escaping from NY! But let's not get too excited or give any creedit to Paul DePodesta. JD Drew is now hitting a monumental .146 but Jeff Kent is hitting a musular (Jeff Kent...muscular ).415. Incidentally, Kent has scored (Kent...scoring ) in 10 consecutive games, one short of the team record held by Davey Lopes and Shawn Green.

~Adam

Well, Jeff Kent's scoring streak (Jeff Kent...scoring ) ends at 10 consecutive games, but the Dodgers continue their winning ways, beating the Brewers, 7-3. Granted, it's Milwaukee, but only 11,728 were in attendance. Is Miller Park the new Olympic Stadium?

~Adam

Update: Now 10 and 2.

Granted, it's against the Brewers, but still....the Dodgers came back from a 6-0 deficit to defeat the Brewers, 8-6, in 10 innings. The early start (noon) must have affected the Dodgers--they didn't get their wakeup calls until the 4th inning. wink It's the best start sicne 1981 and we all know what happened that year: the Phillies won the World Series, so Joe and the rest of the Philadelphia contingent should start buying tickets for October.

And JD Drew, who started the season so badly--0-22--now has a brobdingnagian .159 average. In a game or so, he should match Hee Sop Choi's average!

~Adam

Actually, the Phillies won in 1980. I do believe the Dodgers themselves won in 1981. Besides, didn't you see the home run barrage by the Mets last night? Only a couple of them were slight drives that just made it over the short fence in left. Most of the others were rockets. wink

Now 11 and 2. Local paper's headlines say DODGERS CAN'T LOSE.

BBRob, Headlines down here in SD are a little different today: PADRES MAKE IT A SWEEP AGAINST GIANTS. We'll see how things play out at Petco tonite. :cool:

Ah, Petco's a beautiful stadium. I got down there to 3 games against the Cubs last May.
Gotta do it again.

Those DODGERS did it again...12 and 2 now.
I know there's a slump coming, I can smell it.

They will cool down; that's a given, but let's enjoy it while we can (especially since they're winning without Gagne.) Derek Lowe was terrific last night--what a good pickup he's been for the team and the maligned JD Drew (now hitting .204) seems to be coming around.

Am I the only one who dislikes the "camouflage" unis the Padres wore last night?

~Adam

[ April 21, 2005, 10:04 AM: Message edited by: Adam ]

Maybe it'll be in this series; it took 'em extra innings to pull it out last night. Padres need to "do the tighten up," but I felt good watching them play last night - even if it's still a bit chill down here! Seeing the Giants lose again warmed me up a bit, though. :cool:

Scott Erickson (who's still nice eyecandy) seems like he may be a bust for the Dodgers. After a solid spring, he hasn't risen to the challenge in games that count. Last night, against the Padres, he was mostly awful, only reaching the fifth inning--and struggling to get that far.

Can't win them all.

~Adam

I hate to say "I told you so" about Erickson, but... wink

Actually, I find a man saying "I told you so..." kind of sexy....

Brad Penny finally returned yesterday and, though he looked kind of stiff (could have been due to the Denver cold weather,) he pitched a good five innings, allowing six hits & getting lots of "early-in-the-count" outs. Best news was that the Dodgers won the game--ending a brief three game losing streak and will be back at home for a nine-game homestand. (On the JD Drew watch, his average is now .238, which, considering his 0-25 start, is pretty decent. He's no Milton Bradley--.375--or Jeff Kent--.362--but he is coming along.

~Adam

In that case, I told you so!

Considering how poorly Drew started and that they haven't had Eric Gagne, the Dodgers' start is kind of amazing.

At Dodger Stadium to watch the D'Backs defeat the Boys in Blus, 3-2, in a game in which Scott Erickson again looked just so-so (Joe, you were right--about so many things...) and Dodger defense was questionable, at best. It appears Erickson is not long for the Dodger rotation as Wilson Alvarez should be back next week. What really troubled me last night was the reaction of some in the crowd to Shawn Green. Now a D'Back, he has bedeviled the Dodgers (his former team) in the five games the two teams have played this season. Last night was no exception: he got two hits including one home run and made a beautiful diving catch on hit by Jason Phillips that led to boos and even some anti-Semitic taunts. Very disturbing to hear; first time I've experienced that in Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers will be OK; they've had approximately 1/5 of the team on the DL so far this season but many shall soon be ready to contribute.

~Adam

Shame on those "fans." That's a disgrace.

It so bothered me that, for the first time in all the years I've been going to games, I changed my location. As soon as I heard a couple of yahoos calling Green a "Goddamn Heeb," I turned to my guest and announced "C'mon. We're moving." Hated doing it but was worried about what other words would be used and (more important) how I would react. Moving may have been the last refuge of the wimpy but I prefer to see it as discretion being the better part of valor.

~Adam

Did you give any consideration to reporting them and trying to have them ejected by security? I assume they make the same pronouncements about fan behavior in L.A. that they do in other cities.

Sadly, my prognostication is coming to fruition.
The Dodgers are slumping...after that impressive start.

Oops!! At Wednesday night's game, all in attendance received a fleece blanket celebrating the "Dodgers World Series Championships in 1962 and 1966." Only problem is the Dodgers didn't win the World Series in those years, they won in 1963 and 1965. The Dodgers attribute the mistake to a "production error" & handed out vouchers that could be mailed in for blankets with the correct dates. I would have kept the screw-up blanket, but that's me.

~Adam

Even though he has yet to appear in a game this season, closer Eric Gagne has received a two-game suspension and a fine for being on the Dodger bench in uniform while on the the DL. He had been banned from the bench after he was ejected for yelling at an umpire about strike calls at SBC Park on April 6, but was seen on the Dodger bench this past Tuesday night, when the Dodgers hosted the D'Backs. Said Gagne about the suspension, which he plans on appealing: "I was disappointed because I didn't do anything that bad. Guys who fight get suspended for two games; I was just sitting on the bench."

If the suspension is upheld, Gagne will serve it after he returns from the DL.

~Adam

In news that can best be described as "dog bites man," the Dodgers have acknowledged that Darren Dreifort probably won't pitch at all this season. He's recuperating from surgeries on his hip (left) and knee (right.)

All the Dodgers needed to start winning again was a visit by the Rockies; the Dodgers swept them this weekend and are hosting the Nationals starting tonight--and I'll be there for tonight's game. Yeah!

~Adam

Did you choose tonight's game because Scott Erickson is starting? Wednesday night the DC-LA game is on ESPN2. We could see you on TV. But nooooo, you go for the eye candy. wink

Actually, I went to last night's game as someone's guest (or, as he put it: "You wanna go to the game? You'll attend anything.") Seeing Scott Erickson pitch six strong innings was just a bonus. This was the best outing Erickson's had since coming to the Dodgers and though Jim Tracy kept him in for one too many innings (Erickson seemed to fall apart all of the sudden in the 7th inning) last night probably helped his cause if he wants to stay with the team. In fact, when Erickson left the game, the Dodgers were down just one run (score at the time was 2-1) and it was the relievers--and I use that term loosely--who really cost the Dodgers, leading to a 6-2 loss.

~Adam

The sixth inning of last night's game between the Dodgers and National was delayed for about ten minutes when a couple of nimrods began running around the field, until the were tackled by security personnel. This was accompanied by the throwing of beach balls (it looked like there were about 50) and other stuff. On the last news, one of the idiots actually cited the film "Fever Pitch,"--"Drew Barrymore did it, so why can't I?"

As for the game, the Didgers got back on track defeating the Nationals, 4-2, with Jeff Weaver pitching a strong game. Best news, however, is that Eric Gagne looks to start his rehab assignment this coming weekend; that's the final step before he returns to the big time. Hope it goes well.

~Adam

I've got to remember this in case I finally lose my mind and run onto the field and rip Pat Burrell's uniform off.

Since the unofficial motto of the team this year is "Everyone Gets to Spend Lots of time on the DL," wink it should come as no surprise that 3rd baseman Jose Valentin will probably be out until August, having torn ligaments in his right knee attempting to slide during the game Tuesday night.

Additionally, Carlos Izturis (shortstop) has a severe sprain, having fouled a pitch off his right ankle. He may miss a couple of games.

~Adam

Yahoo!! In the first inning of the game in Cincinnati, the Dodgers pretty much took batting practice, getting 10 runs. Jeff Kent muscled (Jeff Kent...muscles...) a two-run homer and a three-run double...all in the first inning. Now it's the bottom of the 7th and the Dodgers have built the lead to 13-0. (If the game were being played here in LA, pretty much everybody would have left to beat the traffic wink and there'd be shorter lines at the concesion stands for me!!)

~Adam

Wouldn't they leave to beat the traffic no matter the score (at least until Gagne returns)?

Well, Eric Gagne returned last night and the 40,000 of us who stayed to the ninth inning gave him a standing ovation upon his march to the mound. He came in with the Dodgers down 3-1 so there was no pressure on him but he gave up a pair of home runs before getting his rhythm. Dodgers lost to the Braves, 5-1, but it was good to see Gagne back--ultimately he struck out three batters, even if he did give up the two homers and a total of three hits.

Personal highlight had nothing to do with the game: there was a baby sitting in front of me who spent most of the game staring at meand seeming to wave. His mother explained that both grandfathers have mustaches and the baby likes to rub them so whenever he sees a man with one, he tries to reach for it. Naturally, I leaned in and let the baby feel my mustache and got a big smile in return. Made my night.

~Adam

Awwwwww...babies are so cute. Then they grow up and become adults. eek!

It certainly made sense to get Gagne into a game in a non-save situation in his first game off the DL. Once he rounds into form it'll be a huge help for the Dodgers.

The eye candy that is Scott Erickson pitched his best game of the season in yesterday's loss (5-2) to the Braves. Erickson pitched a strong five innings, getting the first 11 Braves hitters and holding a 2-0 lead going into the sixth inning. Then everything went kerfluie--mostly due to poor defense behind him (Jeff Kent bobbled a force out at second, for example)--and a terrific hit by Chipper Jones on what looked like a good pitch. Erickson, who had seemed to be on shaky ground with the Dodgers, may have secured himself more time with his work yesterday, especially since Odalis Perez may miss a start due to shoulder stiffness.

~Adam

The Dodgers, who had been stumbling of late, had their offense working against the Marlins--and their powerhouse Dantrelle Willis--getting a grand total of 19 hits in the game. The Dodgers got four runs in the first inning alone and though Willis was strong from the second inning on (left the game in the 7th) the damage had been done. About time the offense woke up. And now they go from the proverbial frying pan into the fire: today they face Josh Beckett.

~Adam

Very impressive. Go Dodgers...well, this week at least. wink

With interleague games coming up, I'm particularly glad that Dodger Stadium still lists the Angels (officially, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim) as ANA on the stadium's scoreboard & that Vin Scully still calls them the Anaheim Angels. I'd get too confused hearing "LA leads LA 2-1." It's still weid to see the Angeles listed as LAA on ESPN.

~Adam