I'm Going to Let You in on a Little Secret…

I came relatively late to this blog. Mark and I were at odds on another site, and we were not shy about telling the other how dumb we thought he was. Both of us have strong opinions, and both of us are brutally honest. Some people cannot handle that. I cannot remember who suggested that Mark invite both me and Badger over here, but I accepted the invitation, we settled our differences amicably, and now I contribute what I can to the blog in the form of historical posts, and sometimes other subjects. I have come to enjoy writing and the research and since I am retired, I love the fact that it keeps my mind active. I respect Mark’s point of view, and since we have met a couple of times, I have come to respect the man. What ever he does from this point forward is his choice. He should do what is best for him and his family. I know he loves the game and the Dodgers as much or more than any of us. I would miss writing, and I probably would not be as active on any other blog. So the longer this one goes on, the better I like it. Too many blogs try to control the narrative. Mark provokes thinking for ones self. We might not always agree on players, or how the team is built, but we all have the love of the team in our hearts.

BTW – I became a Dodger fan in 5th grade when I heard a loud commotion in Mr. French’s class next door. He had a few of the 6th grade boys in there and they were watching the game with the Expos. I heard a loud cheer erupt and knew something momentous had happened. It had. That was the moment that Monday hit his homer. I remember the final out of the WS when Landreaux caught the fly ball.

Stopped following baseball in the 90s and much of the aughts. I just lost interest. It seemed the game had changed and moved away from solid pitching and fundamentals and the small things to a video game of unstoppable roid monsters hitting 50 homers from the leadoff position.

This is really the only blog I read. It’s like an old pair of jeans. I know and appreciate Mark’s style. I don’t have to take everything he says seriously, and I know he doesn’t want readers to. The comments are there to poke and prod a little to stimulate lively discussion. Nothing wrong with that, and the pearl clutchers have moved on and have their own fainting couch – and STILL make back handed swipes at this blog. Intercranial occupancy, rent free.

I really do like the brief and to-the-point summaries on prospects. I’ll be honest, I really didn’t care for the previous prospect bios. I found his human interest style cloying. I really don’t care what that 13th round prospect’s favorite kind of cookie is, and don’t want to read about the glowing praise from his little league coach about what a nice young man he turned out to be. *blegh* Not a knock on him. Just not my style.

I was surprised to read a quote of mine here from 2016. I guess that may have been about when I started reading. I initially started here because Mark actually annoyed me. He was rattling off some reactive diatribe about trading Kershaw and blowing up the team for prospects. I forget the context. The Dodgers probably lost three in a row or something. I couldn’t let such idiocy stand and I probably commented something snarky … and here we are.

It’s really difficult to sit in front of a computer every morning and come up with content. I don’t think people realize how hard it is to do this consistently – for 20 years. M*A*S*H ended, not because the ratings were bad, but because the writers just got tired of trying to create something new out of the same plot every week. I hope Mark continues to create as long as it gives him enjoyment.

…. I would have banned B&P just for his silly takes on the SAVE stat. Glad you didn’t capitulate to the pearl clutchers, though. He occasionally says intelligent things.

I have been a Dodger fan since they were still in Brooklyn. Saw my first Dodger game in the Coliseum in 1959 (I believe). I lived in Rancho Cucamonga Ca for 30 years but now live in Upland Ca. I have been a reader for over 15 years . I don’t post often but this is my first read every morning. My takes are not strong enough as I was once told by LawDog who is no longer with us. I remember a few of Badgers suspensions over the years. Well anyway hope this blog continues!

I’ve been a Dodger fan since 1972, when I was 7 years old. I have been following them ever since and the heyday for me was when we had Garvey, Lopes, Russell and Cey manning the infield. I found Mark’s Dodgertalk website about 10 years ago and I enjoy reading the articles and the comments by everyone while I have my coffee in the morning. I’ve come to learn that this site is more like a family – daily talk about things going on in peoples lives, bickering with each other and getting on each other’s nerves when you spend too much time with each other, and sharing in the enjoyment when good things are happening. We all have difference of opinions (just like a real family), but at the end of the day, it is still a family and you learn to live with each other (well, most of the time).

Mark, how you have been able to run this site for 20 years plus and still continue to go strong is amazing to me. Everyone else would get bored and move onto something else after so many years, but not you. So when you want to quit every other year and shut down the #1 site for Dodgers EVERYTHING we need to know, I understand how you feel. I had my own business for over 33 years, and I can’t tell you how many times I wanted to give it up and walk away from all the stress. Lately Mark you have been on a roll with writing articles almost everyday and I kind of think you told yourself that when the 3 guys left to start their own site you made a promise to yourself to basically keep this site going until you burn out. I think you are there again Mark, and no one can blame you. I personally hope you can find a way to keep going, maybe make some changes to your schedule and just post an article once every couple of days with Bear and others writing articles sometimes also, and if we go without a new article for a couple of days, leave the page open so people can still communicate with each other. If you do finally decide to shut this site down, I just want to say thank you for having a trusted place to go to almost everyday to read great articles, hearing everyone’s opinions which in turn has made me look at things from a different perspective and realizing that everyone here has something to add in their own unique way and many times turn into the bantering that goes on here daily. Wow, sounds like a regular, dysfunctional and (mostly) loving family. Mark, you have given all us readers an amazing site to follow and I just want to thank you for that.

Dodger fan since 1954. I live in rural Illinois. I like this site and learn a lot of Dodger history. Occasionally disagree strongly with some of the posts but that is fine. I have tickets to the all-star game and home derby, then sticking around for the following home stand. I follow the Dodgers and their minor league clubs daily. I hope you continue the blog. I appreciate the calmer atmosphere here lately.

I have been a Dodger fan for over 70 years from Brooklyn now live in Palm springs been following this blog for at least 15 years every morning my first read. Thanks Mark

DON’T STOP THIS BLOG! I love it. I used to go to the Coliseum with my mom and dad. Then they had season tickets for 35 years so I spent a lot of time at Dodger Stadium including being in the left field bleachers when Gibson hit his historic home run in the 88 World Series. Dodger Blue is in my blood. I even have a grand son named Sanford Koufax Cunningham. My wife and I have lived in Reno for the past 50 years, 4 kids, 24 grandkids all living within 15 minutes of our home. I still listen or watch every game and when I get up in the morning the first thing I do is check your site. It’s as much a tradition as spoiling the grand kids. Long live LA Dodger talk and it’s creator.

Long time blog reader and first time poster. 52 yo and live in Newport Beach. Love the Dodgers and have rooted for them my whole life. Keep at it IF it makes you happy!

I live in Rochester, NY. I have been a Dodger fan for over 60 years. I post a few times, but read your blog daily. I enjoy the articles and most of the comments. I tend to skip over the snarky ones and the ones that are 5 or 6 paragraphs long. I would miss the blog if it was gone, but would survive.

I have been a dodger fan since 1976. My brother was a fan and I followed suit. I hope you keep the site going but realize it has to be time consuming. I think we all appreciate and take it for granted to come up with new content each day. Thanks for your dedication

Go!

Enjoy life! There are either new blogs that will appear or old ones that will suffice.

Not your burden to entertain others.

Dodger fan since birth (dad was a big Dodger fan). I’ve followed this blog for several years and while I can be negative from time-to-time I’m only guilty of being a rabid fan who hates to lose. This is the “go to” Dodger blog for me. I followed others but one that I had to give up on was TBLA. They often talk about food, relationships, recipes and other weird shit not at all related to baseball or sports in general. I go to a Dodger blog to talk baseball and if I need help with relationships and food recipes I will seek that information out somewhere else or better yet, ask my wife.

During the TB saga one contributor seriously posted some stuff that was quite concerning and nearly 5150. Wrote about not coping, staying in bed all day and was very aggressive to anyone who sought patience and truth and/or gave benefit of the doubt to TB.

I appreciate the blog Mark…..keep it going.

I ran across this today. I think most of you will love it (it’s about Sandy):

I am relatively new to this blog but in short time this has become one of my favorit places for Dodgers baseball.

Excellent info and knowledgable users.

Hope you continue, Mark.

Good win yesterday. Ensures us of the series win. If we can sweep them with Kersh going today it would be huge.

With Busch continuing to hit HRs he could become a huge trade chip if the Dodgers decide to go that route come the deadline.

Mookie apparently will be back today. Good. But I would leave TT in the leadoff spot and bat Mookie 3rd.

Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!

I have been a Dodger fan since about 1954. YIKES!!!. This is the site I look at the most. Interesting discussions from all points of view. Keep it up.

Nice three games now. Maybe some progress from the ‘black hole gang’. But then someone else (CT) falls in. So with all our ‘problems’, We are still better than just about everyone else.

I can’t find all my early posts, but I think I predicted that Gonsolin and Anderson would probably start the year off 20-0, So I guess I was off on that

Ira Barnett 77yrs Born in Brooklyn life long Dodger fan. Went to the 55 and 56 World Series. NY had the Dodgers, Giants and Yankees at the time and as a young lad we argued about who was the best centerfielder etc.

This blog is very special. I live in the Baltimore area and need the internet to follow my team. This blog is special because of Mark and his outlandish as well as meaning ful dialog. He puts out some very funny, challenging ideas to generate discourse. He is one of the very best and I personally would have a giant hole in my day without his

presence. Please stay. Ira

This is the only blog that I religiously read and contribute to. Sure, I passively check other sites and mostly skim their posts, but this is the one I wait for when I wake up every morning. I enjoy the community here and genuinely care about many other people that post their opinions here.

What brought me to this blog was Mark’s no BS style of telling it like it is. I found it refreshing.

Of course you should continue! Sometimes you have to be selfless and do things for other people. That’s the best part of society. Now, get back to work!