Happy Mothers Day, Dodger Fans
That photo is of my wife and daughter, who each have three children. My stepdaughter, Cassie, also has three, and my daughter-in-law, Rhiannon, has two, including our first grandson and six granddaughters. We also have a mother in our life who has two children, and while we are…
That photo is of my wife and daughter, who each have three children. My stepdaughter, Cassie, also has three, and my daughter-in-law, Rhiannon, has two, including our first grandson and six granddaughters. We also have a mother in our life who has two children, and while we are not related by blood, it is a bond of the heart, as my wife and I are God Parents to the Children of Major John Lubbe (Ret.) and Donna Lubbe. Here’s the whole clan:
Back to Dodger Baseball
It was exactly ten years ago that I got my last Dodger Press Pass.
As my company went from a local water treatment dealership to a national and then global company and my family grew, I had less time to travel to Dodger Baseball Games. Also, under the Andrew Friedman Regiume, I have not gotten one Press Pass, although I have requested one on two or three occasions. So, if some of you think I am biased because I get rewarded for saying good things about the Dodgers, the truth is, I have never been treated so poorly as a Blogger as I have under Freidman. Still, I only speak the truth. It was sixteen or seventeen years ago when I became the first blogger to sit in a major league Pressbox at Dodger Stadium.
I have had the privilege of rubbing elbows with the man the Pressbox is named after and many other baseball dignitaries. The big sticking point of why I no longer get press passes is that they require a blogger to be a member of the BBWAA, which is the Baseball Writers’ Association of America… and I refuse to join, so I really can’t blame Friedman, but also realize that I get nothing from the Dodgers. Hell, I used to get Press Releases and a Christmas Card for Godsake! Still, this is the best organization in baseball, and this is the best time to be a Dodgers fan! EVER!
Last night’s game was a microcosm of the Dodgers season. James Paxton has been a great acquisition, and hopefully, he can stay healthy with plenty of rest (and they are giving him a lot of it). The Bullpen is looking strong, and those of you who do not get the nuance behind early-season pitching moves… well I am sorry that you are playing checkers while Doc is playing chess.
The Dodgers are now up to 3rd in team ERA. The Yankees and Red Sox are ahead of them but are too thin in the pitching department to maintain that pace. The Dodgers have the depth to sustain this pace and they have multiple arms returning in the next few weeks (months). The Dodgers are first in MLB in Runs Scored and are #1 in OPS, BA, and OB%. This is despite having Lux, Outman, and Taylor all hitting below (some WAY below) .188! This will change, one way or another.
Walker Buehler takes the mound today – hopefully, he is a little sharper than his first start. It’s a process and I have high hopes.
Down on the Farm
OKC BASEBALL CLUB – Gauthier was 3-4. He is becoming a possibility. Vanasco – 2 IP, 3 K
TULSA DRILLERS – They lost 14-0. Don’t bother.
Ran out of time…
X-Cites
More from Dodger Talk
Dodgers Food Trailer
I did this interview a couple of weeks ago with Chef Mike, who runs the Dodgers Food Trailer for the Great Lakes Loons. They are there for every home and road regular season and playoff game. They prepare three meals a day for approximately 50 people (players and coaches). Since games end late most evenings, they do not prepare breakfast. Many of their hotels have a complimentary breakfast anyway. However,…
Meet LAD 2026 Draft Picks 1-12
3 picks were High School players (2 SS and 1 OF). There was a college OF, college catcher, college SS, and 10 college pitchers. Of all the talk for a need for a catcher, the only catcher the Dodgers selected was Luke Bard, son of LAD bullpen coach Josh Bard. Bard was a 4th year senior from Houston Christian University. He is not a prospect, so the Dodgers are still…
Interview with Paul Beachy – Team Bus Driver For The Great Lakes Loons (LA Dodgers Minor League Team)
It’s been a few days since I did this interview. We have evidently been working my son-in-law (the video guy) like a rented mule at US Water Systems. However, I am taking him to London with me in a few days, so maybe Watford will buy him a pint as a tip, but he’s a dang Red Sox fan, so there is that! I thought that it would be interesting…
Thanks for Your Service: Chris Taylor
I was going to do this post when Chris announced he was retiring, then he changed his mind, but since the chances of him ever playing for the Dodgers again are slim and non-existent, I will go ahead with this post. He unretired, went on the IL, then decided to call it quits on May 24th. Taylor was born in Virginia Beach VA on August 29th, 1990. He attended Great…
Discussion (48)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Beautiful family! Happy mother’s day to all moms! Miss mine everyday! Sometimes i wonder why players ,(mostly relief pitchers) sign with the Dodgers. Up , then down. on the team, then gone. I understand a very high percentage want to be in Dodger Blue, but the shuffling back and forth has to be hard to deal with! Now look who’s on the IL. Phillips, Clayton, Kelly, May, Miller, Brasier! … When they come, someone has to go!! …. Go Barnes!!
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY to all the mothers,wives girlfriends and whoevers I might have missed who put up with us Dodger fanatics during the year. We love you and appreciate you more even after a Dodger loss with your sometimes unheralded patience. Enjoy this Special Day and everyday should Mother’s Day.
Sunday Dodger Minor League Schedule
10:05 a.m. PT: Great Lakes (Jared Karros) vs. Lansing (Jacob Watters)
11 a.m.: Tulsa (Justin Wrobleski) at Midland (Royber Salinas)
12:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Landon Knack) at Sugar Land (José Urquidy)
12:05 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Payton Martin) at Visalia (Adonys Perez)
Decision Time Coming Soon????????? Who goes and who stays???????????
From The Dodgers’ Official Page:
OF Jason Heyward (lower back tightness)
Expected return: Mid-to-late May
“Heyward took live batting practice at Petco Park from May 10-11, a significant step in his recovery. The veteran will go on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City, which is conveniently playing in Sacramento while the Dodgers are in San Francisco. Heyward will play on May 13 and May 14. After those two games, the Dodgers could make their decision of whether to activate him or give him a few more Minor League games. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Heyward feels healthy and now it’s a matter of getting his swing to a good place before activation. (Last updated: May 11)”
#Dodgers Bobby Miller said he threw 2 simulated IP in his bullpen session Thursday. Will throw another bullpen on Sunday. Facing hitters in live BP situation could be next step
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) May 11, 2024
Roberts playing chess with the bullpen ? Good one, Mark.
I don´t know if Roberts ever has played a match of chess . Though looking at his usual Sunday gambits it very well could be. Lol.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Something to ponder:
JHey has been on the IL for over a month now with “lower back tightness”.
We keep wondering if it will be Outman or CT3 who is shuffled off somewhere when he returns.
Ohtani was removed from last night’s game with ‘”lower back tightness”.
Doc says he doesn’t think it’s overly serious. Doc always underestimates injuries.
Don’t mean to ruin everyone’s Mother’s Day, but there is a chance that the guy who Heyward replaces when he comes back is Shohei.
The Dodger game book indicates they’ll call it day to day for about a week without putting him on the IL, but then………………………………………………
Let’s hope this is one of the few times that Doc is actually right about an injury.
4:10 ET Mother’s Day Lineup
Dodgers (27-14)
Padres (21-21)
SP Walker Buehler R
0-0 6.75 ERA
SP Yu Darvish R
2-1 2.94 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
SS Mookie Betts R
1B F. Freeman L
DH Will Smith R
RF T. Hernandez R
3B Max Muncy L
CF Andy Pages R
LF E. Hernandez R
2B Miguel Rojas R
C A. Barnes R
67° Wind 8 mph Out
It was said on Friday’s broadcast that Kiki and Rojas would start today because of facing three righties in row and wanting to get them playing time is why
If anyone’s in Visalia, I’m in the rf shaded seats with a beer, a popcorn and a Yale hat. I’ll buy you a beer 🙂
I’m about 20 feet from DePaula. Looks like a big leaguer. Loose athletic build.
Can’t see Payton Martin too close. But he’s getting outs.
DePaula K’s looking. Was ready for his first HR of year.
Time for beer #2. Ticket, pint & popcorn was $28. Might go for burrito next.
Just told dude in bullpen he played for best org in baseball and he said, “by far”
Injury to catcher
First run scored. DePaula with decent throw to cut-off man. He’s not going to be a defensive whiz but he can play RF.
So, some of you said that after Lance Lynn gave up his 2nd HR, Doc should have taken him out.
Does that apply to Buehler, too?
Or do you have a double standard?
Barnes might throw his grandmother out stealing! lol
Henriquez warming up.
If he doesn’t strike out the side I’ll be disappointed
Munoz monster shot right over our heads!
Who knew at the beginning of the year that the Dodger defense would be better than our offense!
We’ll need Striker in October, not in May.
Cartaya 3-4 3 rbi today.
At OKC, Miguel Vargas is 3-4 with 5 RBI… including a Grand Slam.