Some stories to pass the day…
With no Dodger baseball to watch, you’ll probably want to spend a few minutes reading some great features that are out there today.
As promised, the Daily News’ Tom Hoffarth blogged about his overnight experience during the inaugural sleepover, including the photos you guys requested. Some great shots in there, even if he did out Crystal and I for sleeping in luxury suites! He’s also right, there are a few kinks to work out for the future, but Tom did an awesome job recapping the night and for this, he got a photo of himself on the front page of the Daily News print edition.
In the L.A. Times, Steve Henson wrote an in-depth piece on Brad Penny that shows another side to the tough guy most people see on the field. Very well-written, I think, and some good insight into tonight’s starting pitcher in the All-Star Game.
T.R. Sullivan, who’s at the All-Star Game on behalf of MLB.com writes about Nomar’s resurgence in a nice piece on dodgers.com. Tony Jackson, who’s also in Pittsburgh for the Daily News, says that Nomar’s focus is on the field and not on contract negotiations.
Nomar also gets some coverage from the Orange County Register’s Mark Whicker, who thinks he’s the Comeback Player of the Year right now. MVP votes are sure to come his way, too, if he continues his current level of play. In fact, SI’s Tom Verducci picks him third at the midway point of the season. Verducci also picks Penny third in Cy Young voting, yet somehow doesn’t mention any Dodgers in his NL Rookie of the Year picks. Maybe they’re all splitting votes, but not including Ethier, Martin or Saito is a huge oversight in my opinion, though his picks are all having good years, too.
Verducci also tabs Grady Little as Manager of the Year and I couldn’t agree more. He’s guided this team through the second-most injuries in baseball and has his club right in the thick of things at the break. Remember when he said he wouldn’t mind if the team started out 7-7 to start the year. I’m sure if he knew we’d be two games out at the break, he’d be okay with that, too. As he’s told me on several occasions, you really don’t want to peak too early or there’s nowhere to go but down. Of course, we’d all rather be in first place right now, but considering all the circumstances, we’re in pretty good shape.
In addition to SI.com’s story, there are the requisite national stories about our All-Stars, who each had hour-long media sessions yesterday. These include pieces in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Hartford Courant, Miami Herald, and others. Safe to say, you’ll probably be spending a lot of time at work today reading Dodger articles. Just don’t tell your boss that I pointed them out to you.
Speaking of things to do at work (ok, I’m probably over the line now), today at 2 p.m. Dodger Vice Chairman and President Jamie McCourt will chat with Dodger fans for half an hour.
Supposedly, the All-Star Break is the only time during the entire year when there isn’t a major professional sporting event going on in America (MLB, NBA, NHL or NFL). But, you wouldn’t know it from the abundance of Dodger coverage around the country.
As for me, I’m going to use the All-Star Break to clean off my desk and get organized for the second half. We leave for St. Louis tomorrow at noon and there are plenty of things to do before Brad throws the first pitch tonight.
Inside the Dodgers 
Thanks for all the info. And I don’t blame you for sleeping in a luxury suite! I would too. I really liked the Daily News blog on the sleepover. Very cool.
Thanks for the Daily News link – I loved the photos. It sounds like maybe next time people should be advised to bring waterproof ground cloths and ponchos. I, too, do not blame you and Crystal for sleeping in a luxury suite! I’ve been camping with no tent and can relate to the accumulated wet. Dunno if the experience would be worth $300 tho…
Off the subject, but how about getting some kind of graphics on the dodgervision or the LCD to get “The Wave” started? It’s a fan favorite, be nice to have the Dodgers start it instead the kids in the pavilions. And how about “Wipeout” playing at the same time. Just a thought.
I can’t believe that Tom Verducci did not have Andre Ethier on his list for ROY.
Unless one has money to burn, $300 is WAY too much to spend for sleeping on the wet grass.
why even bother have the last player voted on by the fans if both managers are going to ignore the fans wishes and let both of them rot on the bench. who do you want up garciaparra or sanchez in the 9th down by one???/
Wow runner on 2nd and instead of the NL batting average leader/double machine/experienced against Rivera hitter you let Carlos Lee choke into a popfly to end the game. Great job Garner. Guillen outdueled you again!
Couldn’t have said it any better myself nodal. What does the league have against Nomar??? A .290 hitter was Garner’s answer to a 2 run ninth with the game on the line?
How many of you saw the hoffman meltdown coming…..?Dodgers knock him around alot. Seems everyone is ignoring either still… Guess you have to hit 25 HR and strike out 150 times to get noticed as a rookie and as an allstar a .358 avg with Gold Glove numbers gets you a spot on the bench.And Who was that Starting Pitcher throwing 97-98MPH Hope the Dodgers Get Him after the Break.
sad, hands down sad. makes me wonder if the 10 straight losses at the all-star is not due to talent but management of the players. Don’t remember past Nomar and Rolen left on the bench but Nomar, Beltran, Howard and possible Rolen would have been my guys in the ninth.
I think Garner is still bitter about that 9th inning Grand Slam that Nomar hit off of Lidge earlier this year.
I was yelling at the TV, PUT NOMAR IN. Garner, ya idiot.
Seriously… When the NL Batting title contender can’t even get an AB, something is wrong.
Oh well. All Star game is pointless anyways 🙂
Nomar may very well have told Garner he doesnt need to play. He has been in All-Star games, he has won batting titles, 3 days off maybe the best thing for him. Who cares anyway- lets win the NL West!!! That is what matters. Not ROYs, All-Stars, etc….
What a disappointment !! Garner blew that game !! I kept thinking he’s saving the leading batter in the NL with nearly the best slugging percentage for later innings !! Nomar you deserved better then that. Penny was great !! Garner should have known that Vlad had his number and made a switch !!
Go Dodgers !!!
first it was gagne back in 2004 and now hoffman last night. can’t any NL closer close a game?!? geeeeeeez.
guess the dodgers will have to make do without the home field advantage in series 🙂
REALLY LIKED – penny coming out and firing heat. NL’s agressive base-running, though with pujouls on deck, should siriano have been given a stop sign?
REALLY HATED – the 40 min pregame show. i mean come on. and why not put the clemente tribute in the pre-game. it slows down the game and the whole rythem of the pitchers.
this game is supposed to count, though MLB does everything to sabotage it – i.e. having a member from all teams. having the pitchers hit instead of a natural dh.
can’t believe nomar didn’t hit
in the ninth. he is amazing after the seveth inning, esp with men on base, and only has 13 KO all year – plus he has seen m. rivera a million times **** red sox.
also, why wouldn’t beltran attempt a steal of second, but steals third with two outs in the ninth. if he steals second, maybe howard’s ground ball is not caught and its first and third with only one out?!?
1) While Eric Gagne’s Dodger career is sadly in question, one thing is for sure. He should definitely retire before he looks like Trevor Hoffman does now. The guy had over 100 K’s in 1996 and 1997, but his K rate this year is thus far the worst for his career. He doesn’t throw hard, and gives up too many strike two hits. He has depended a lot on excellent defense this season, and looks to have lost his edge.
2) Garner had no excuse for not playing Nomar, because he has seen him hit a game winning grand slam off his closer. Nomar has done plenty of damage in the late innings, and the Mariano-Nomar matchup would have been classic.
3) Brad Penny was caught by Paul LoDuca last night. I would say that now the Dodgers are nearly recovered from that trade, save for the overuse of Gagne in 2004, and DePodesta probably thought he would stick around long enough for his moves to start to look good. Colletti, though, has shown himself to be a bit wiser in putting up better stop-gap players as the Dodgers wait to harvest from their farm system. Neither, though, can make a good trade.
4) The following are the good trades the Dodgers have made in the last few years:
*Kevin Brown for Yhency Brazoban and Jeff Weaver
*Luke Prokopec and Chad Ricketts for Paul Quantrill and Cesar Izturis.
*Milton Bradley and Antonio Perez for Andre Ethier.
5) I think Grady Little knows what he’s doing starting Billingsley in the first game back from the All-Star break. We’re still due to see the real Chad Billingsley.