Thursday, September 28, 2006

BELIEVE IN THE SWEEP!...

The Dodgers came into the 3-game set with Colorado needing to sweep the series. Shockingly they followed through. I know my Los Angeles Dodgers, and that is why i was expecting a let down. Fortuiously the team showed up and played. But, the same cannot be said for Brad Penny, the same Brad Penny who was aquired to win big games such as today. Penny went 1 inning, and was blessed that James Loney had the game of his life. James Loney who before this year was right on pace to join Greg Brock, Karim Garcia, and Kiki Jones as Dodger prospect busts, has finally lived up to expectations this year. James hit a scary .380 at AAA Las Vegas, and has shown that he is capable of hitting at the major league level. I have been following Loney through all his stops in the minor leagues, and waiting for the day that he would be our starting first baseman. Hopefully Dodger brass realizes that Loney needs to play, and that Nomar Garciaparra cannot be trusted to stay healthy for an entire season. Next season, i want to see my kids playing instead of the veterans that Ned Colletti brought in this year. By the way, "my kids" are a number of Dodger prospects, and I was given this "parentship" on the Inside the Dodgers blog for always talking up the Dodger prospects. Next year I hope to see James Loney at first, Andy LaRoche at third, Andre Ethier in left, Matt Kemp in Center, and Russell Martin catching. But thats then, and this is now. The Dodgers travel to San Francisco for the final 3 games of the season. The Dodgers are 2 games up in the Wild Card race, and only 1 game back in the Western Division race. At this point, winning the Wild Card would ensure that we would play the New York Mets, but now that Pedro Martinez is out for the season, that does not look bad at all. By winning the Division, we would then play the St. Louis Cardinals, well that is if they can hold off the Houston Astros. Right now I am leaning towards the Mets, i know my boys in blue can beat them. Well here it is, the final 3 games. Lets hope our boys dont choke, and get it done.


BELIEVE IN BLUE!

Monday, September 25, 2006

DOWN THE STRETCH WE COME...

As another summer winds down, and the autumn leaves arrive, the Dodgers have one week left to try and secure a playoff spot int the post season. But, they did not do themselves any favors this weekend. The Dodgers met the Arizona Diamond Backs at Dodger stadium for a three game series, and needed to stay on pace with the San Diego Padres... they failed to do that. Not only did they fail to keep pace with the Padres, but they relinquished their wild-card lead to the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday night. So now they find themselves out of a playoff spot with six games left in the season. Tonight the Dodgers are idle, but the Padres, and Phillies are in action. I will be glued to my computer, watching the games on the MLB gamecast, holding a rosary in one hand, and my lucky Jeff Hamilton baseball card in the other. I first realized the cards supernatural powers on Opening day 1999. I was 12 at the time, and I was going through my baseball cards, and I came across Jeff Hamilton card. For some unexplainable reason, I picked up the card and started to read his stats. At that very moment, the ever charismatic Raul Mondesi hit a game tying 3-run home run. I don't know if it was the brown mustard I ate, but I knew that this card was special. I kept the card in my hand for the rest of the game, and magic happened. Raul Mondesi came up in the 9th, and again delivered a 3-run walk-off shot. So today, I will take my Jeff Hamilton baseball card out of retirement, and hope for magic. The Dodgers travel to Colorado on Tuesday to meet the Rockies, and our "best" 3 pitchers our going to take the mound. Greg Maddux will go on Tuesday, Derek Lowe will go in the second game, and the bum of bums Brad Penny finishes the series. If we lose one of those games, the season is over. So lets hope Ryan Howard develops a bunion problem, Jake Peavy gets the Steve Blass disease, or that the Rockies materialize a Ball phobia. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and we ARE that desperate. So lets ride Jeff Hamilton into the playoffs!


BELIEVE IN BLUE!

Thursday, September 21, 2006

FINALLY!...

After being defeated 2 days in a row by the team who was supposed to be the second worst team in the league, the Pittsburgh Pirates played moore like the '27 Yankees. The Dodgers who had fallen to second place in the Western division, and into a tie for the lead in the Wild Card race needed to win tonight. I was there again, even though i'm severly sick (which i got from being at last nights game), so being there only made it worse. But, i did my best Cal Ripken J.r. impersonation and toughed it out. The game got off to a bang, Olmedo Saenz hit a 2 run home run to give us the early lead, and Chad Billingsley looked sharp early. I was awaiting to see how he would come out and perform after his rocky start last week againtst the Padres. For the most part, Chad was on his game tonight, going 5 innings, and giving up 2 runs. The game went on routinely, and by the 9th inning, Takashi Saito was comming in for the save. He quickly dispensed the Pirates, by strucking out the side. Just like that our 2 game losing streak was over. Hopefully this is the last time we have to worry about ending losing streaks this year, its getting to be a nag. The Arizon Diamond Backs come into town tomorow, and I will be at the game, that is if my condition permits it....


BELIEVE IN BLUE!


Wednesday, September 20, 2006

THEY DID IT TO ME AGAIN...


What a difference a day makes.. Last night the dodgers had the most praiseworthy comeback in team history to reclaim first place from the friars.. Today they get blown out by the pirates. Last nights win was supposed to propel the dodgers into the playoffs, and it was supposed to have dejected the padres spirits.. Well, the dodgers lost, and the padres won, thus putting the dodgers back in second place.. was it all just a dream? because the team i saw last night was invincible, the team i saw today was laughable. The Dodgers got off to a running start, Rafael Furcal led off the game with a homerun, at this point i went outside to play catch with my little brother because i thought the game was over... i come back to scope the game, and the score is 6-1 pirates... but my boys managed to make it a game, and flashbacks of last nights game came to mind.. it was not to be.. Grady Little brought in artist/pitcher Bret Tomko to pitch, and he quickly found himself with the bases loaded and no outs. Tomko promptly gave up a double, and that was the game. Yes, Marlon Anderson continued the greatest week of his life by hitting a 3 run shot, to make it 10-6, but at this point it was worthless... My boys are back in second place, but it could be worse, we could be the Royals.. and at least we have the lead in the wild card.. Tomorrow night, or I guess you could say today, I'll be at the game cheering my boys in blue again. Hopefully Greg "Mad Dog" Maddux has a hall of fame performance...


BELIEVE IN BLUE!

Monday, September 18, 2006

GOD DOES EXIST, AND HE'S A DODGER FAN..


Frustration. Excitement. Torture. Hope. Despair. Jubilation. Disappointment. Suspense. Misery. Insanity. Horror. Bliss. What a night.. The evening began looking like it would be a long one, and it was. Brad Penny, who needed to come up with a clutch performance, immediately gave up 4 runs to the hated friars, and just like that my hopes where crushed. But, my boys in blue managed to make a game out of by tying the game at 4. Then padres jumped ahead in the 8th, and by the ninth inning the game was 9-5. The padres needed just 3 outs to mentally knock the Dodgers out of the Playoff race. Any other night, it would have been over.. But not this September night, there was something in the air, and it was not the thick Los Angeles fogg. Up first in the 9th, Mr. porno stash himself Jeff Kent led off with a home run, and at this point i'm pissed because they are just pro-longing the inevitable, then Mike Marshall Jr. ( J.d. Drew) comes up to the plate, and Marshall Jr. hits a 461' home run into the right field stands, at this point i'm happy but, in the back of my mind I know what's going to happen... and it does, Bruce Bochy walks to the mound, takes the ball from John Adkins, and calls in Trevor Hoffman. Hoffman who had not blown a game against the dodgers since 2001, and is only a few saves away from passing Lee Smith on the all-time list. So, I tell myself that at least the Dodgers are still in first place in the wild card, but just as I finish the thought, Russell Martin drove a first pitch fastball over the left field pavilion, and its 3 home runs in-a-row.. INCREDIBLE! the crowd was electric, the place was nuts. Meanwhile Marlon Anderson stepped into the plate, and again drove a first pitch fastball into right field pavillion, and just like that history was made, and the game was tied. I cant explain the my joy as Marlon rounded the bases, and crossed home plate.. but then comes to top of the 10th, and all of a sudden we find ourselves down again.. if we cant come back, this loss will demoralize our team... i could not believe that we where about to lose this game. The Dodgers where now down to their final opportunity to win the game. Kenny Lofton was up first, and managed a lead off walk, bringing Nomar Garciaparra to the plate, Garciaparra who struck out in the 8th inning with 2 runners in scoring position now had the chance to be the hero.. Nomar worked the count in his favor 3-1, and on the ensuing pitch, Nomar launched Rudy Seanez's fastball to deep left field into the pavillion, the miracle comeback was complete. The crowd went crazy, the stadium was filled with joy, I had just witnessed the greatest comeback in dodger history!... God does exist, and hes a dodger fan...


BELIEVE IN BLUE!

HERE WE GO AGAIN...


this weekends series between my beloved boys in blue has me reminiscing a sad childhood memory.. it was the final weekend of the 1996 baseball season, with three games left in the season, and up by 2 games.. thus needing just one victory to clinch the western division, my boys where swept out of a division crown.. the padres led by Mr. roids himself Ken Caminiti came to town and broke my heart.. I ended missing the next 2 days of school and forever hating shamoo, friars, lightning bolts and fish tacos... skip 10 years, and we find ourselves in the same dilemma. The dodgers who entered Fridays game with a 1/2 game lead, won behind a masterful performance by Greg maddux, but my joy came to a crashing end on Saturday night, as the friars blew out my boys 11-2, and extended my pain to Sunday afternoon as they narrowly beat the dodgers 2-1 on a ninth innin single.. the defeat was tough enough, but the fact that I only saw half of the game due to the fact that time Warner cable continues to tempt me to swith to satellite t.v., they had me watching the ever crutial Seattle mariners, Kansas city royals matchup.. by the time I finally got to see the action, trevor Hoffman had come into the game, and knowing my boys lack of fight, the game was over.. now the series is not over, there is 1 game left, and if we manage to win it, we would be back on top of the division.. but the way things go around here, it might be a long winter...



BELIEVE IN BLUE!