One Drop Photo Op

Russell Martin announced today that he will donate $600,000 over the next 10 years to the ONE DROP Foundation, whose mission is to fight poverty by supporting access to clean water. The announcement was made behind home plate - fitting, Russ is the Dodgers' catcher - and the Front Office was invited down to take in the presser. Fortunately, only a few of us made our way to the field (I went to tweet) and we were rewarded with a photo op with Martin.

Arrival of the Widget

So I've been WAY behind on my postings. Who would have thought a game every day would cut down on my blogging career. Since we last spoke, we've launched Mannywood, taken away Mannywood, launched Bleacher Beach and I've been tweeting - a lot. I've also been busy building a widget. And without further adieu, here it is:



Isn't she beautiful. Play around with it. News, games, photos and yes, tweets. You can grab yourself right from the ad (lower right-hand corner) or visit here. That's all for today but I promise to bring less techy conversation back to the blog soon. (i.e. Lauryn and I visited the set of Judge Judy yesterday, pictures to follow)

Open Season

I’ve been to at least 100 baseball games in my life, 60 of which were witnessed at Dodger Stadium last season during my first year working for the Dodgers. In 2008 I saw the Dodgers win without getting a hit; saw Manny’s debut in Dodger blue; watched as Ethier traded walk-off shots in the span of a week; and Broxton closing the door on the Cubs for the 100th year in a row, while giving LA its first postseason series victory in 20. But all of those games finish a close second to the 9 innings I put in at the office on Monday during my first Opening Day as a Dodger.















We have a goal within the organization to try and encourage fans to arrive to the game early, in time to beat the traffic, and to be able to enjoy all of the pre-game fanfare. On this day, Opening Day, the extra hours would have been well worth the trip as the lead up to the first pitch of the 2009 season in LA was just as special as the action that would unfold later in the day.

First off, the open, and the introductions of the 2009 Los Angeles Dodgers. As is customary around the league, each player was introduced as they made their way on to the field to line up along the foul line. However, this was no ordinary introduction as each of the 25 men on the roster, save for Russell and Billingsley who were warming up in the bullpen, entered through the stands around the Stadium rather than from the dugout. Orlando Hudson ran in from the first base side of the Field Level. Matt Kemp made his way through the high-fiving fans on the third base side. And the Manny everyone was waiting for trotted down the stairs of the Left Field Pavilion to an ovation 6 months in the making.

The magic didn’t end there as the master of ceremonies was made the center of attention for one ceremonious moment as Vin Scully, the Dodgers broadcaster for the last 60 years who was recently named as the number one sportscaster of all time, was introduced to throw out the first pitch to honor his 60th season. The ball to be used for the CFP (Ceremonial First Pitch) was presented to Vin by a returning war veteran who deservedly received an ovation not only from the sell-out crowd, but from Scully himself as he walked up to his hero for an embrace felt by everyone in the stands.

Vin threw his pitch to none other than Joe Torre, and after the two exchanged smiles and congratulations, Vin did what he does best and approached the microphone. His poetic pen never far from his hand, his words to the crowd were apropos for a man who does not seek the limelight or acknowledge his status as anything bigger than the game he loves. He remarked, “All these years I have needed you a lot more than you needed me.” And then he uttered the words Dodger fans love to hear, "It's Time for Dodger Baseball." And it was.



It’s tough to follow a legend like that, but Manny and his merry men proved up to the task, setting team records in the process. Chad Billingsley struck out 11 Giants; Andre Ethier hit two home runs; and Manny sent chills down everyone’s spine when his first swing at home in 2009 nearly landed in the Right Field stands. But the true stars of the game were the fans, who totaled a Dodger Stadium record 57,099 (and yes, the 99 is a coincidence) and the newest Dodger, Orlando Hudson. The O-Dog recorded the first cycle by a Dodger ever at Dodger Stadium, just the second of any Los Angeles Dodger (Wes Parker, '70), and the first cycle in a 9-inning game by a Dodger since Gil Hodges more than 60 years ago.














In the end, the Dodgers came out ahead 11-1, but even a 10-run margin can't describe the victory that was achieved.

What a World

The final game of the World Baseball Classic culminated last night with a ninth inning rally, tenth inning heroics by the face of the tournament, and a 4-hour festival of thunder sticks at Dodger Stadium.

Led by Ichiro Suzuki, Japan successfully defended their 2006 WBC title with a championship victory over South Korea in the final game of the 2009 Tournament on Monday. The game was extended in the 9th when Korea knocked in the tying run with two outs to send the blue sticks into a frenzy. The thunderous applause wasn't anything new - the noise seemed to echo off the Ravine from Saturday straight through the final pitch last night, and the excitement in the air during the final seemed to validate the very reason Bud Selig and the MLB believe in the WBC.

The games just felt different, equal parts postseason and party, making me feel like I stepped out of my office and accidentally ended up at a World Cup match. An out-of-stadium experience if you will that showed just how far this American game has traveled around the world. The Korean and Japanese fans were not just wild about their countrymen, but they were knowledgeable about the game and displayed genuine enthusiasm for the finer points of the 'National Pastime'. So much so that when the Korean team led off their Saturday night Semi-Final against Venezuela with a hard fought walk, light blue confetti rained down from the Top Deck.
















The event brought fans from all corners of the world to the ballpark, including my cousin Dave and my friend Ben from New Jersey, as we opted for a WBC-Weekend rather than our traditional trip to Cooperstown, NY for the Baseball Hall of Fame inductions. A tradition that spanned 7 years, the change of venues is a sign of the times. Not just that we're growing up and ready for new things, but so is this game we love. It's not just about men who adorn the walls of the hall. They will always be baseball's pioneers, but their efforts have evoked a love of the game beyond those walls and beyond our borders. Baseball is a global game now, not just spoken on the streets of Brooklyn or backyards near the Bay, but a sport that spans the globe, from Seoul to Santo Domingo giving true meaning to the tournament's tagline:

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You Can Quote Her On It

The Dodgers announced a new addition to their 2009 broadcast team last week with Eric Collins set to join Steve Lyons for 40 road games this season. The search was co-spearheaded (that can't be right) by Lauryn and the other Josh who blogs, and she not only got her name in the paper, but a quote too:

"Eric's network television experience and curiosity about all facets of the game, combined with his years of calling baseball at every level, make him a great addition to our talented team of broadcasters," said Lukin. "We truly feel that we have a shared vision with our partners at KCAL and PRIME TICKET, who played an integral role throughout this process."

Read the full release here and be sure to look out, or should I say listen out, for Collins and Lyons this April.

Only in America

Picture this: A Phillie, a Met, a Yankee, and a Red Sock celebrating....together! As this snapshot on the front of ESPN.com shows, the World Baseball Classic is all about country and after David Wright's walk-off propelled the US to the semi-finals in LA (fly tickets, fly!) Jeter, Victorino and Youk jumped all over the new American Hero to celebrate the come-from-behind victory over Puerto Rico Tuesday night.

The WBC may be seeing higher ratings and stronger ticket sales than the inaugural event in 2006, but the event hasn't caught fire like we all hoped, just look at some of the crowds this round, but there is the possibility that a highlight reel worthy play to send the home team into the semi-finals, followed by one of the Asian powerhouse teams advancing - Korea or Japan who are playing right now - could give the tournament the spark its been looking for. For those of us waiting for this Final Four to take shape, the madness began tonight. Thankfully it will now continue in Los Angeles.

Orange Interruption

Apologies to the majority of Dodger fans out there who could care less about college basketball, sports played indoors, Syracuse University, and the tradition of Orange Hoops buried under the snow in Upstate New York. But for one moment, the Cuse are a National story and I have to imagine that most of you at least took notice of the 6OT Thriller last night as Syracuse beat UCONN in the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament.

It may not have been Kobe or Koufax, but the 'Marathon Men' on the court put on show after show after show last night. Even the ESPN announcers stood up and cheered both teams with the final final whistle blew. It was a game that almost ended in a miracle shot at the end of regulation, the day before, when Eric Devendorf tried to pull his best Gerry Mcnamara impression with a last-second game winning three at the Garden. Unfortunately technology got in the way and the replay crews declared that the ball left his hand 0.01 seconds too late. That was it, 0.01 turned into 6 OT's.

But fate wasn't so cruel on this night. Despite not leading in any of the first 5 overtimes, the Orange kept tying the score when it mattered, forcing a 6th and deciding frame that started with an Andy Rautins 3 and the Cuse never looked back. The Syracuse smarts showed as soon as the epic ended and by morning, two unique pieces of marketing/memorabilia caught my eye.

Now you know what to get me for my birthday (Thanks DRapp for finding).

Manny Brings the Boom...

...or should I say Lauryn brings the boom to Manny.

Readers of the LA Times are about to meet the Dodgers VP of Broadcasting and audio engineer for a day.













A big thank you to Kevork Djansezian of Getty Images for capturing the perfect "Lukins Being Lukins" photo from Manny Day at Camelback Ranch. I couldn't have asked for a better blog shot.

Manny on Third

Finally.

It has been a long off-season with the Ramirez Coaster taking the entire Dodgers Front Office on a ride well worth the price of admission. So now, after nearly five months of waiting til next year, this year is officially here now that Manny is Back.

To commemorate and celebrate the "Return of the Swing" as the LA Times dubbed it this morning, my team went in to overdrive on Wednesday to get billboards posted around the city within hours of Manny's physical. And as luck would have it, once such board happens to be perched at the end of my block, above a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, practically embodying the essence of the blog. Most days I'll go with Coffee on 3rd, but I'm happy to offer up the headline to a certain left fielder. So for one day at least, the penultimate baseball question has an answer: Manny's on Third.

On a Midnight Flight to Dodgertown

Manny is headed to LA. Literally. And for the moment, literally isn't the ideal as Manny Ramirez is reportedly flying to Los Angeles as I blog. The signs point to a resolution between the Dodgers and Ramirez on a deal to bring the dreadlocks back to Dodgertown. However, contrary to ESPN reports earlier this evening (which got the whole office buzzing) there is no ink on a contract as far as we know and now we wait to see what happens next. However, before taking off, Manny did have a few words for TJ Simers, including the best quotes from Manny since his evaluation of the gas crisis. And I quote: "No, gas isn't up any more, but the price of milk is the same." and "Tell everyone Mannywood is coming."

The good news is that there is news, just a few days after talks had seemingly stopped to make way for Day One at Camelback Ranch. But Spring Training is now underway and the focus has shifted back to the roster that will take the field on Opening Day.

In the words of the Gorillaz, "Tomorrow Comes Today". Let's see what the morning brings.

The Inaugural

I didn't make it to Washington, D.C. this January to see Barack Obama sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. Friends from Baltimore made the short trip down 95 to bear witness to the historic event, and posted plenty of Facebook photos to prove it. However, I too can now claim to be part of history with an inaugural event of my own about 3,000 miles to the west of the White House.














This past Sunday, under a blistering sun, the Dodgers and the Chicago White Sox christened the field at thier new Spring Training facility, Camelback Ranch-Glendale. With only slightly less pomp and under very different circumstances, the first ever Cactus League game for the Dodgers began with first pitches from Joe Torre and Tommy Lasorda (as well as White Sox Manager, Ozzie Guillen) and a National Anthem performed by Glendale's own American Idol, Jordin Sparks. The real first pitch, shown above, was thrown by Los Angeles' likely Opening Day starter, Hiroki Kuroda. Worth mentionining that this photo is courtesy of the iPhone and fortunately for me, my phone was handy for pitch No. 1 as the camera we brought to the game bowed out after the Anthem.

The outcome game itself was not what was important on this day, although as far as Spring baseball goes, a 3-2 come from behind victory in the 9th isn't too bad (Editors Note: the White Sox were the victors so the game recap isnt going to make it into this blogger's story). The real story was the atmosphere and excitement surrounding the Dodgers first game in Arizona after more than 60 back East in Vero Beach. Amazingly, Tommy spent just about every one of those springs wth the Boys of Summer and it was fitting that he helped pass the torch to Camelback.

The grounds were just as impressive as the Opening Day spectacle with rolling rivers, a state-of-the-art work out center, cafeteria complete with cereal dispensers (I saw James Loney filling up on Frosted Flakes on more than one occasion), plans for an Orange Grove and plenty more in store in the future. The office quarters were still being configured as Lauryn shared a desk with not one but two others team members and I fought for desk space in the what was supposed to be the radio broadcast room. Fortunately for me, the prime positining allowed me to help welcome all of the media who made their way to Glendale for the first game, including Charlie Steiner, Vin Scully, Fernando Valenzuela and the LA Times' TJ Simers.

Spring Training isn't all about the lavish, however, rather, it is a time for fans to feel like they can get up close to their heroes. And just as they did in Vero, the only thing seperating the players from the public is a thin yellow rope, more of a suggestion of space than a barrier. An autograph seeker's safe haven as the rituals of Spring almost mandate signature sessions, and not just from the Major Leaguers, but the younger guys, and even Frank McCourt and Ned Colletti who made their way threw the throngs of fans, but made sure to stop and sign a few balls and magazine covers before getting too far.

Walking from field to field, former Dodger greats roam, and not just their spirits, but actually themselves - in full uniform! As I headed out one morning to catch some "B" game action, Maury Willis passed me in the hall, fully clothed in his #30 threads. Of course the focus of Spring is not on the past, but on the future, both near and far, with young talent taking their games to the next level, and top propsects auditioning for a chance to make it to the show. One such rising star, Ivan DeJesus Jr., was among those trying to make his mark this March in hopes of getting a call-up this Fall, however, as I made my way once again to the practice fields, I saw IDJ being carted back into the facility as he had broken his leg on a play earlier that day.

The news wasn't all bad, however, as Lauryn and I were able to enjoy the sweet smell of Spring together and an inaugural weekend for the record books. Sixty years from now, when Spring Training moves to Beijing (don't laugh) we'll remember day one in Camelback and remind ourselves of what it meant to see those first moments of the 2009 season - just as those on the Mall in D.C. were left with - a message of hope.

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Fantasy Land

Long before fantasy football swept the nation, Rotisserie baseball was argued about over coffee tables, pool tables and my parents kitchen table as me and seven of my friends fought over a kid named Jeter, fell in love with a husky Red Sox slugger not named Papi, and laughed at the guy who picked Brady Anderson for his starting outfield (the year was 1996 and sideburns bombed 50!).

Back to the present and fantasy baseball, although not as mass marketed as its football bretheren, is back for 2009 and now that I have somewhat of a vest interested in a few of the draftees, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at where this years Dodgers lined up against the field.

The most notable name on the list, for fans in LA at least, was also the highest ranking player to have worn a Dodger uniform in the last 6 months. That would be Manny Ramirez who despite being listed as playing for FA (that's not short for a British soccer team, but stands for Free Agent) ranked higher (#26) than any current Dodger playing pepper at Camelback Ranch. Matt Kemp did come in at #29, followed by Furcal at #58 and Russell at #65. Ethier and Bills also made the top 100 but the fact remains the same, the biggest star in Dodgertown is still sun tanning in Costa Rica.

Back to not-reality, some interesting points to ponder from the projections include the fact that A-Rod was still picked 2nd in both the USA Today and ESPN lists, 4 of the top 10 players play in New York City and at least according to the USA Today list, there's only one NL West player ranked ahead of a Dodger and that's Tim Lincecum of the Giants. What does it all mean? Not much, remember we laughed at the guy who took Brady.