So Schmidt's velocity was really 85mph tops or were you just exaggerating?
Originally Posted by Paul Is On Tilt
^ Why'd you edit your reply?
Anyway, I saw what you said. Damn, 85mph only? Schmidt's eventually going to get rocked if that's the hardest he can throw.
Originally Posted by sinser13
Originally Posted by Paul Is On Tilt
^ Why'd you edit your reply?
Anyway, I saw what you said. Damn, 85mph only? Schmidt's eventually going to get rocked if that's the hardest he can throw.
i didn't feel like making a new post, but yeah 85 tops.
[h2]Why the Dodgers are the best team in the N.L[/h2]
Stan McNeal
Thursday, Jul. 23, 2009 - 12:01 p.m. ET
As the N.L. Central race continues to tighten, the Phillies and Dodgers continue to pull away from the competition in the N.L. East and N.L. West, respectively. In terms of wins and losses, the Dodgers have been atop the National League -- and the majors -- for most of the season, but the Phillies' recent charge has vaulted the defending world champions back into the debate about which team will reign supreme in the N.L. this season.
Chris Bahr says the defending-champion Phillies still are the team to beat, but Stan McNeal explains why the Dodgers are now the class of the N.L.:
With Manny Ramirez, the Dodgers are a circus. Without Ramirez, they are a bunch of mild-mannered guys enjoying big-league life. With or without their clown slugger, the Dodgers have the best team in the National League.
Yes, that includes the Phillies, the reigning World Series champions who overwhelmed L.A. in the NLCS last year and have been the league's hottest team of late.
While the two teams' lineups are very similar to last season's, L.A. is by far the more improved team. Four reasons why:
Confidence. This time last year, the Dodgers were three games under .500. Since then, they have the majors' best record. A 13-0 home start this season erased any lingering disappointment of their five-game loss to the Phillies last October. Going 29-21 while Ramirez served his drug suspension further buoyed their still young core. When the Dodgers reach October this year, their youngsters will benefit from their '08 experience -- when much of the team was in its first postseason.
Casey Blake
A great offseason. The Dodgers were able to bring back Manny at their terms. They re-signed third baseman Casey Blake, whose professionalism offsets Manny's eccentricities. For a bargain price, they snatched second baseman Orlando Hudson, who has provided a big upgrade at what was their weakest position last October. They signed veteran catcher Brad Ausmus, one of the game's best handlers of pitchers, as a backup. They got another veteran free agent in utility infielder Mark Loretta. They took advantage of the troubled economy by adding Randy Wolf to their rotation.
A lineup with no holes. The Dodgers lead the N.L. in batting average and on-base percentage. They rank third in runs behind the Phillies and Rockies, but the difference in home parks plays a part in that. The Dodgers can play small ball -- they're second in the N.L. in stolen bases -- and with Manny back, they have plenty of power, too.
The league's best bullpen. The Dodgers' 3.19 ERA is the best in the majors. Closer Jonathan Broxton has not been perfect like the Phillies' Brad Lidge was last year, but Broxton is enjoying a far better 2009. He has a 2.82 ERA and leads all major league relievers in strikeouts (72) and opponents' batting average (.143). Lidge still is struggling, with six blown saves and a 7.20 ERA.
Look at the Dodgers this way: Their rotation ranks as their biggest concern, and it includes All-Star Chad Billingsley and a young lefty, Clayton Kershaw, who has a major league-best 0.63 ERA since June 16. Still, the Dodgers are shopping for a front-end starter. And if that turns out to be Roy Halladay or Cliff Lee, buy your tickets now because the circus will be playing deep into October in L.A.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at [email protected].
[h1]L.A.'s success is depressing[/h1]
Bruce Jenkins, Chronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/23/SP8918TSP1.DTL#ixzz0M9FoK54R
(07-23) 18:35 PDT -- The Bay Area will have its time, for these things always move in cycles, but if you're looking to get really annoyed these days, take a glance at the L.A. sports scene. While the Giants and Warriors struggle for long-sought credibility, the Dodgers and Lakers are all about sustaining a haughty, front-running mentality.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/23/SP8918TSP1.DTL#ixzz0M9Ff70AH
They hauled out the Manny Ramirez bobbleheads at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday night (as usual, it was a startling likeness, just as Spike Lee is a dead ringer for Bill Clinton), but after being hit on the hand by a pitch the previous night, Manny wasn't in the lineup or even able to take batting practice.
Emerging dramatically from the dugout as a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning, Ramirez saw one pitch and lined it into the left-field seats - that's right, the area known as Mannywood - for a grand slam. There was bedlam in the stands, fans pounding the front of their '99' jerseys and demanding two curtain calls from their hero.
(The band of moralizing curmudgeons grumbled and griped in the press box, oblivious to the fact that hometown fans - as was the case with Barry Bonds - will never boo a consummate entertainer.)
The Lakers find themselves in a different brand of soap opera, all about egos and wounded pride. They took a pretty big gamble in choosing Ron Artest over Trevor Ariza, figuring that the signing of Lamar Odom would be a formality, but in the wake of his dynamite playoff run, Odom suddenly feels he's among the elite players in the league.
He'll never be all that - not after spending most of his career on a roller coaster of attitude and performance - but he's making a big show of belittling the Lakers' contract offer, while checking out Miami and Dallas as possibilities.
In the end, Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher will browbeat Odom into the common-sense call: staying at home to win another title. As a collective sigh rings out from the north.
E-mail Bruce Jenkins at [email protected].
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/23/SP8918TSP1.DTL#ixzz0M9FYTcQi
[h1][/h1]
[h3]Kershaw's acceleration a marvel[/h3]Southpaw has allowed just three runs in past 42 2/3 innings
LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw sat back in a leather chair on Monday afternoon, eyes fixated on a small laptop.
On the screen was footage of the Marlins from a game earlier this season against the Giants' Barry Zito. Kershaw chose this clip because he's curious to know how the Marlins stacked their lineup against a fellow southpaw and where the hitters stood in the batter's box.
Any bit of information would help him prepare for his Friday start against the Marlins, and Kershaw digested each sequence with youthful ease.
You see, everything with Kershaw moves fast. No need to rewind, no need to waste time. Five minutes, more or less, should do the job.
"Short and sweet," Kershaw said.
One second Zito goes into his windup on a 3-2 count, and the next thing you know it's popped up and falls to rest in a fielder's mitt. It's chaos to the untrained eye, but within a second Kershaw internalized how Zito had the confidence to throw a breaking ball in that situation.
But what else would you expect from a 21-year-old to whom everything occurs at an accelerated rate?
His fastball is one of the liveliest in the National League. His call to the Majors came when he was just 20. And now he's on the cusp of putting it all together during his first full-season with the Dodgers.
In his last seven starts dating back to June 16, Kershaw (8-5) has allowed only three runs in 42 2/3 innings, dropping his ERA from 4.50 to 2.95.
Dodgers manager Joe Torre said that the key for Kershaw of late has been that, "the changeup has been a better pitch for him."
Getting that pitch to hit the strike zone on a consistent basis frees up Kershaw's fastball and a curveball that Torre calls Koufax-like. Plus the changeup adds another dimension to a pitcher who last season would just try to power through all of his problems on the diamond.
"That's been a big part of it for me," Kershaw said. "Last year when I got into trouble I wanted to throw hard, hard and harder, and just get out of the inning. I've kind of found out that when I do get into trouble, that when I do have people on base, sometimes the best thing is to throw a little bit more off-speed, back off a little bit."
That evolved mindset is all a part of the maturation process that every young pitcher endures in order to be successful in the Majors.
Part of that process is as simple as just gaining more time on the mound. Each start offers a new challenge and a new opportunity to learn how to attack big league hitters.
And the more a pitcher goes out and does it with success, the more confidence he has the next time he takes the mound.
"He's been throwing really well lately," fellow starter Chad Billingsley said. "It seems like he's coming along great."
"He's only allowed like three runs in his past seven starts. He's throwing well."
And as Kershaw takes an expected path toward a spot among the elite pitchers in baseball, there's another thing that Torre brings up when talking about his young hurler: pitching to contact.
Torre describes it as taking "your foot off the accelerator" and to try "to get people to swing at stuff."
Catcher Russell Martin said that, "It's not trying to just blow by people all the time."
But bring up the term to Kershaw, and he reacts as if one just uttered baseball blasphemy.
"Yeah, I don't like that phrase," Kershaw said. "I'm not trying to let them hit it, obviously. I'm not trying to strike everybody out. All I really try to do is whatever hitter gets in there, I just try to get him out in as few pitches as possible.
"A line drive to the warning track on one pitch, I'll take that over a strikeout any day."
Efficiency on the mound is something that the Dodgers hope to see more of as the season progresses. Too many of Kershaw's outings have ended early because of long innings plagued by walked batters. The current stretch of seven starts with only three combined runs allowed, also features 21 total walks -- averaging three per game.
Because of the Dodgers' hesitancy to let him run up his pitch count (112 on May 17 is his season-high), those walks keep Kershaw from consistently lasting deep into games.
Not that Torre is lamenting about lost innings. He's content with staying the course with Kershaw to make sure that his arm isn't burnt out come postseason play.
"We still have to keep in mind whatever we save now is going to help us in October if we're lucky enough to get there," Torre said. "I think last year he threw about 170-something innings. Sure, we want him to increase that, but we don't want him to increase it by a great deal at this point."
And the Dodgers have good cause to protect Kershaw's left arm, considering how delicately it's intertwined into the Dodgers' World Series hopes.
After all, this is a player deemed untouchable in trade discussions for Toronto ace Roy Halladay.
Acquiring Halladay would give Los Angeles the type of front-line starter that could lead a team to the World Series. But the prospect of losing Kershaw appears to be too much for the Dodgers.
"It's a compliment," said Kershaw about the trade rumors. "I'm glad that another team wants me to begin with, and I'm glad this team cares enough about me to protect me."
This isn't the first time Kershaw says that his name has appeared in trade talks. It's been an annual occurrence for him since becoming part of the organization in 2006.
But at the rate in which Kershaw is evolving on the mound, there's a decent chance that this year could be the last time his name pops up in trade talks with the Dodgers.
He isn't going anywhere.
07/23/2009 8:49 PM ET
Los Angeles Dodgers Minor League Report
LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers' minor league report is a weekly window into the Dodgers' minor league system, with updated standings, league leaders, team and individual player stats, and the latest team and player news. Player bios can be found in the Player Development section of the Dodgers' Guide (Pages 411-47.
Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes
Pacific Coast League American South Division
51-46, 1st Place, 1.5 Games Ahead
NO RELATION TO BOBBY: INF Tony Abreu has a 14-game hitting streak, batting .431 (25-for-5
CARLOS CALL: RHP Carlos Alvarado ranks second in the Pacific Coast League with 104 strikeouts...he is 2-1 with 19 strikeouts and a 2.00 ERA (4 ER/18.0 IP) in three July starts...the 31-year-old spent the 2008 season with Triple-A Salt Lake (Angels), going 7-5 with a 4.27 ERA (62 ER/130.2 IP)...he was signed by the Dodgers as a minor league free agent on March 22.
HU'S ON FIRST: INF Chin-lung Hu leads the team with 91 hits...the 25-year-old is batting .302 (54-for-179) in 46 games since the start of June...overall, the Taiwan native is batting .266 with two homers and 38 RBI in 90 games.
Double-A Chattanooga LookoutsLUCAS AT HIM - C Lucas May is batting .325 (13-for-40) with five doubles, a homer, and nine RBI in 12 games since returning from the disabled list...he had been on the DL from May 21-July 2 with a broken right wrist...May, a 2009 Southern League All-Star, is batting .306 with five homers and 20 RBI in 39 games overall.
Southern League North Division
Second Half: 14-13, 2nd Place, 2.0 Games Back
First Half: 30-39, 4th Place, 8.0 Games Back
CHECK THE VECTOR, VICTOR - LHP Victor Garate has tossed 16.2 consecutive scoreless innings over his last 16 appearances, lowering his ERA to 1.96 from 3.60...the 24-year-old Venezuelan has given up only six hits while striking out 16 in that span...Garate, who was selected by the Dodgers in the minor league phase of the 2007 Rule 5 Draft, is limiting left-handed hitters to a .222 average (10-for-45).
KENDY A HAND - RHP Kendy Batista has tossed 13.1consecutive scoreless innings over his last seven games (one start)...the 28-year-old Venezuela native threw 5.0 scoreless innings of one-hit ball yesterday vs. Mobile (Rays), and is 5-0 with a 1.85 ERA in 12 games (four starts) overall...Bautista signed with the Dodgers as a minor league free agent on April 13 after being release by Texas on April 2.
THE FRANCISCO TREAT - RHP Francisco Felix has allowed just one earned run (two overall) in his last 10.0 innings of work (six games) beginning June 29...the 25-year-old is 3-2 with two saves and a 3.04 ERA in 28 games overall (two starts)...Felix was signed by the Dodgers as a non-drafted free agent in February 2003.
Single-A Inland Empire 66ersTRAY-FECTA: CF Trayvon Robinson leads the California League with 31 stolen bases and is tied for sixth in the league with 26 doubles...the 21-year-old is batting .400 (16-40) with a homer and four RBI over his last 10 games...overall, he is batting .308 with 12 homers and 45 RBI in 96 games.
California League South Division
Second Half: 14-13, 1st Place, 0.5 Game Ahead
First Half: 32-38, 3rd Place, 11.0 Games Back
HOT LARA: SS Christian Lara is batting .371 (13-for-35) with two homers and five RBI in his last 10 games...after a rough April, the 24-year-old has batted .298 (62-for-20
EVEN STEVEN: 1B Steven Caseres is batting .325 (13-for-40) with six RBI in his last 10 games...overall, the New York native is batting .296 with 11 homers and 35 RBI in 80 games.
Single-A Great Lakes LoonsTHE DEE CLUB - SS Dee Gordon, the Dodgers' No. 7 prospect according to Baseball America, leads the Midwest League with 51 stolen bases, nine more than his closest competitor...he also leads the circuit with 112 hits, eight more than his closest challenger...Gordon, 21, leads the ML with 69 runs scored as well...the left-handed hitter, who was a mid-season Midwest League All-Star, was selected by the Dodgers in the fourth round of the 2008 draft.
Midwest League Eastern Division
Second Half: 12-12, 3rd Place, 8.5 Games Back
First Half: 40-30, 3rd Place, 5.0 Games Back
BUSS STOP - CF Nick Buss has 18 RBI in 19 games in July, including 12 in his last 10 contests...the 22-year-old USC alum ranks third on the team with 49 RBI, trailing Kyle Russell's 68 and Jaime Pedroza's 56...Buss, a left-handed hitter, is batting .266 in 69 games...he was selected by the Dodgers in the eighth round of the 2008 draft.
AND THE TONY GOES TO - C Tony Delmonico is batting .406 (12-for-32) with five walks and seven runs scored in his last nine games to raise his average to .273 from .262...the Dodgers' sixth-round selection of the 2008 draft is batting .313 (21-for-67) in 19 games in July after hitting just .224 (15-for-67) in 19 games in June.
NO BLEMISH FOR BLEVINS - RHP Bobby Blevins has a 1.98 ERA (11 ER/50.0 IP) in eight starts since the beginning of June, lowering his season ERA to 3.95 from 6.00...he is 7-7 in 18 starts overall...the 24-year-old was selected by Los Angeles in the 13th round of the 2007 draft.
IRON NATE - RHP Nate Eovaldi has a 0.84 ERA (4 ER/42.2 IP) in his last 10 games (four starts), lowering his season ERA to 3.50 from 7.36...the Dodgers' 11th-round selection from the 2008 draft has allowed just one home run in his 69.0 innings of work overall...the 19-year-old is the Dodgers' No. 10 prospect according to Baseball America.
ST. CLAIR IS A BEAR - LHP Cole St. Clair has tossed 6.2 consecutive scoreless innings over his last six games...the Foothill High School (Santa Ana) grad is 3-0 with a 2.66 ERA in 16 games...he is 6-for-6 in save opportunities...the 22-year-old has 30 strikeouts in 20.1 innings, an average of 13.3 punchouts per nine innings...the Dodgers selected St. Clair in the seventh round of the 2008 draft.
Rookie-advanced Ogden RaptorsSANDS-ATIONAL: OF Jerry Sands leads the Pioneer League with a .393 average, is tied for the league lead with nine homers, and ranks second with 26 RBI...the 21-year-old has hit safely in eight straight games, batting .394 (13-for-33) with three homers and six RBI...the North Carolina native was selected in the 25th round of the 2008 draft and spent the 2008 season with the Gulf Coast League Dodgers.
Pioneer League South Division
16-11, 2nd Place, 1.0 Game Back
SWEPT UNDER THE RUGGIANO: INF Brian Ruggiano is batting .373 (19-for-51) with three homers and 10 RBI in 12 games since being promoted from the Rookie-level Arizona League Dodgers on July 5...the 23-year-old has hit safely in each of his last seven games, batting .394 (13-for-43) with two homers and five RBI during that span...he was selected in the 23rd round of the 2008 draft and spent last season with Ogden, batting .241 with two homers and 21 RBI in 46 games.
HE AMES HIGH: RHP Steven Ames has allowed two runs while striking out 18 in 11.2 innings (1.54 ERA) in six games...the 21-year-old was drafted in the 17th round of the 2009 draft out of Gonzaga University.
Rookie-level Arizona League DodgersAKINS BREAKY HEART - LF Nick Akins, the Dodgers' 19th-round pick in the 2009 draft, is batting .363 with nine doubles, three homers, and 19 RBI in his first 21 pro games...he is 9-for-21 (.429) with runners in scoring position.
Arizona League West Division
12-14, Tied for 4th Place, 4.0 Games Back
Dominican Summer League DodgersCAN YOU SEE JOSE? - RHP Jose Dominguez is 4-1 with a 1.44 ERA (4 ER/25.0 IP) in his last five starts after going 0-1 with a 5.02 ERA (8 ER/14.1 IP) in his first four starts...the 18-year-old signed with the Dodgers as a non-drafted free agent in July 2007.
Dominican Summer League B.C. North Division
19-26, Tied for 8th Place, 13.0 Games Back
Originally Posted by FrenchBlue23
I didn't get my bobblehead either, but what I did see was scandalous, I saw those teenage dudes that hand out the bobbleheads, take off with 2-3 boxes full of them near the entrance where I was waiting. Shady.
What's up with that IronMan?
These kids need to get a back round check beforehand.
And it's not the first time it's happened, I know that for sure.
That's why I didn't get my bobblehead.
I'm sure ironman has some stashed away somewhere
I'm sure Ironman got away with a few BH.I'm picturing you sneaking out with a box.
I missed Dre's Dinger () too. Too busy running around and **%$. Idid catch Manny's HR. Saw him on deck and was: "%%%+ that, I'm watching this". The pitching change bought me some time. The sound of thebat and the roar of the crowd..... Like I told 562, I was two feet awayfrom Bill Plaschke in the Press Box.
His reaction:
How he wanted to react:
Manny's Grand Slam last night was such a great moment, that Plaschke couldn't find anything negative to write about,. Surprised he didn't have a column, he probably called Helene Elliot(Usually writes about obscure sports and the LA Kings) to tell her the column is all hers,
Manny's Grand Slam last night was such a great moment, that Plaschke couldn't find anything negative to write about,. Surprised he didn't have a column, he probably called Helene Elliot (Usually writes about obscure sports and the LA Kings) to tell her the column is all hers,
dude as I was reading the LAT articles prior to making my post, I was checking for him. Apparently he has the 24 hour flu or something ,maybe i'm just blind, because he's nowhere to be found
Wish I could've seen his reaction. Crap @!# writer ...
Bill Plaschke:
[h1]Dodgers' top homers leave previous memories[/h1]
Email Picture
Rusty Kennedy / Associated Press; Alex Gallardo / Los Angeles Times
Kurt Gibson, left, celebrates after hitting a game-winning, two-run home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series against the Oakland Athletics. Steve Finley reacts after hitting a game-winning grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning against the San Francisco Giants in 2004 to give the Dodgers their first postseason berth in eight years.
Where does Manny's shot rank among the 10 greatest Dodgers homers ever?
Bill Plaschke
July 24, 2009
The chills were pure Gibson.
The breathlessness was all Finley.
In the history of the Dodgers' Hollywood homers, the blast was a little bit of each, lacking the history but equaling the histrionics.
Said Dodgers team historian Mark Langill: "It was the perfect storm of a great moment."
Said Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp: "It just made you want to laugh and laugh."
It says here that Manny Ramirez's Bobblebomb Wednesday night was so powerful, it flew to the third spot on the list of Dodgers Hollywood homers, soaring past the unreal likes of Mike Scioscia and Rick Monday, landing just short of unimaginable Kirk Gibson and Steve Finley.
"It's too early to know the magnitude of what the Ramirez homer meant," Langill said. "But as far as one moment is concerned, it was off the charts."
There have been Dodgers homers that have meant more -- Monday in the 1981 playoffs against the Montreal Expos.
There have been Dodgers homers that have been more historic -- the four consecutive bombs to tie the score in the ninth inning against the San Diego Padres in 2006.
There have even been Dodgers homers from current players that have resulted in bigger wins -- James Loney's grand slam in last year's playoffs against the Chicago Cubs.
But only one other blast has spiked a higher instant fever, caused a louder instant cheer, created more immediate magic.
Nothing has been invented that can outrun Gibson's limping 1988 World Series shot. It will be difficult to see a bigger homer than Finley's invisible walk-off grand slam that gave the Dodgers the 2004 division title against the San Francisco Giants.
But Ramirez's homer in the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds Wednesday night ranks third for, oh, about five reasons.
Tie score. Pinch-hit. Grand slam. Into Mannywood. On Manny Ramirez Bobblehead Doll Night.
You know what? Here's five more.
No batting practice. Sore left hand. Unknown pitcher. Ninety-six on the gun. First pitch.
Had enough?
How about this?
It was only the fourth pinch-hit in a 17-season career of a guy who has no idea how to do that.
"It was crazy, man, just crazy," Kemp said.
It was the first time in my 21 years covering the Dodgers that I have seen Dodger Stadium fans summon a player for two curtain calls.
The Dodgers' players joyfully engaged in a home-plate dogpile in the dugout.
And Juan Pierre, bless his heart, remained for several long minutes in the on-deck circle so everyone could finish cheering.
Watching all this from the press box, I'll admit, I got chills, and this doesn't mean I've suddenly become a big Manny Ramirez fan, because I haven't.
No, I didn't accept the team's offer of a bobblehead doll.
And yes, I still believe he is a cheat who has never truly admitted or shown remorse for his drug-policy violations.
But until proven otherwise, Wednesday's moment was created cleanly, and one should be able to appreciate it without buying into the man who created it.
I was often at odds with the once-surly Kirk Gibson, too, but that doesn't mean that I didn't embrace his one-legged wonder.
As the ball sailed into the left-field corner Wednesday, it was all about Manny Ramirez. But once it landed in the seats, it became about the Dodgers, the sum being bigger than some of its fractured parts, and worthy of the tingle.
The list of top 10 Hollywood Homers, in reverse order.
10 The Giants Lose The Pennant, The Giants Lose The. . . . The Giants Lose The Pennant, The Giants Lose The. . . . Mike Piazza hits two home runs on the final day of the 1993 season to knock the Giants out of the playoffs and clinch his Rookie of the Year award.
Poor babies.
9 Wrigleyville Blackout. . . . Wrigleyville Blackout. . . . James Loney hits a grand slam in the first game of the 2008 division series against the Chicago Cubs, silencing the Wrigley Field crowd, killing the Cubs' spirit, leading to a stunning three-game sweep and the Dodgers' first postseason series win in 20 years.
Great stadium, lousy fans.
8 The Fergie FlashThe Fergie Flash. . . . On the final Friday of the 1980 season, Joe Ferguson hits a 10th-inning walk-off homer against the Houston Astros to spur the Dodgers to a three-game sweep, forcing a one-game playoff against the Astros for the division title.
The homer is memorable as much for the trot as the swing, as Ferguson charged around the bases and tore off his helmet and eventually picked up Manager Tommy Lasorda near home plate.
Incidentally, Lasorda's weekend didn't end so well, as the Dodgers lost the one-game playoff against the Astros when he started Dave Goltz instead of this hot new kid named Fernando Valenzuela.
7 Gibby Before Gibby. . . . Gibby Before Gibby. . . . Gibson could never have pulled off his 1988 World Series heroics if Mike Scioscia didn't nearly equal that feat in Game 4 of the National League Championship series with a ninth-inning, two-run tying homer against New York Mets' ace Dwight Gooden.
You want Hollywood? Gooden was pitching a three-hitter at the time, and Scioscia only had three homers during the season.
You want fleeting? Here's guessing only a handful of Scioscia's current Angels have ever even heard of this home run.
6 Sweetest Of All. . . . Sweetest Of All. . . . Sweet Lou Johnson hit a homer for a lifetime, in the fourth inning of Game 7 of the 1965 World Series against the Minnesota Twins, giving Sandy Koufax all he needed in an eventual 2-0 victory.
Sweet Lou only had 48 homers in his career, yet that one shot gave him a cherished place in the Dodgers' family, where he still works today as a community affairs liaison.
5 Monday, MondayMonday, Monday. . . . Although he's known more for saving an American flag, don't forget the time Rick Monday saved a National League flag.
In the ninth inning of the deciding Game 5 of the National League Championship Series in Montreal, Monday went deep off Steve Rogers to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead and the eventual victory, which later led to a World Series title.
This would have been ranked higher on the Hollywood meter, except the drama extended to the bottom of the ninth, when the Dodgers needed Bob Welch's one-pitch save with two runners on base to win it.
4 Four Plus One. . . . Four Plus One. . . . It was the first time in the history of Dodgers ninth innings that fans were fighting to get back into the stadium.
Of course you remember the four consecutive homers to tie the San Diego Padres, but do you remember the order? Jeff Kent, J.D. Drew, Russell Martin and Marlon Anderson, with the final two coming on the first two pitches from future Hall of Fame closer Trevor Hoffman.
The only thing more Hollywood occurred an one inning later, when the Dodgers won the game on a walk-off homer by a guy who initially couldn't play because of a sore leg, one Nomar Garciaparra.
3 BobblebombBobblebomb. . . . The last thing you need to know about the impact of Ramirez's home run is that, in the clubhouse afterward, Casey Blake was boogeying to a celebratory rap song. Yeah, Casey Blake.
2 Disappearing Act. . . . Disappearing Act. . . . I've still never seen the ball that Finley hit to win the division over the Giants on the second-to-last day of the 2004 season, have you?
I was there, I was watching, the hit disappeared into the sun above right-center field, Finley jumped up and down, the roar shook Chavez Ravine, I'll never forget the roar.
But I never saw that ball, and I wasn't alone, with Vin Scully memorably noting that wherever it was, whenever it came down, the Dodgers would be champions.
Of course, the Giants never saw it coming either, leading 3-0 entering the ninth inning before giving up seven Dodgers runs.
Poor babies.
1 Gibby Being Gibby. . . . Gibby Being Gibby. . . . More than two decades later, is the improbable becoming the impossible again?
[email protected]
twitter.com/BillPlaschke
10
eat crow sucka.
That's the thing I hate about moving.Originally Posted by bright nikes
Someone needs to know a legit barber around Hacienda Hts or Whittier?
Some !@%+$!% barber jacked up my hair, FML
You ain't lying homie, but how hard is it to ask for a 2 all around / taper / line up
Originally Posted by bright nikes
You ain't lying homie, but how hard is it to ask for a 2 all around / taper / line up. Dude gave me like a crewcut.
Originally Posted by bright nikes
Someone needs to know a legit barber around Hacienda Hts or Whittier?
Some !@%+$!% barber jacked up my hair, FML
FixedOriginally Posted by CincoSeisDos
Matt Kemp is a beast
Damn Blake, you should be resting that shoulder, not bowling.Originally Posted by P MAC ONE
