Last day in LA
Hard to believe this is the last day I’ll be posting from Los Angeles for now, as we all leave in the morning. As you can imagine, everyone here is really excited to get back to baseball and we’re hoping that it is rubbing off on the fans.
To answer a few of the questions, first regarding DodgerTalk. I have passed your comments along to KFWB and they’ll do their best to address them. I can tell you that they are very serious about being a great partner to the Dodgers and while there are some unique difficulties that arise because they’re not a sports station, it’s not from a lack of effort. But all of these things are definitely part of our long-term thinking when it comes to radio and your thoughts are not falling on deaf ears.
As for Steve Lyons, he remains a part of the Dodger broadcast team when Vin Scully does not travel. He is also part of FSN Prime Ticket’s coverage and will be in Spring Training for their weekly television show. He’ll call a couple games from Vero Beach, too. Eric Karros is part of Think Blue TV, the pregame show that airs on KCAL 9 whenever our games are shown on that station.
As for the delay on radio, this is completely out of KFWB’s or the Dodgers’ hands, as the FCC has required this delay. Therefore, there aren’t any stations that do not have it and while I wish we could do something for all the fans who listen to the game inside the stadium, KFWB or other stations would be breaking the law if they didn’t have it delayed.
The season tickets and mini-plans should be mailed out in the next couple weeks, so thanks for your continued patience on that front.
And finally, I know how much you guys like minor league information, so I’m including the stuff below from the latest Baseball America. You can check out their website if you want more details, but please keep in mind this is just one opinion.
Top Dodger Prospects Entering 2007
1. Andy LaRoche
2. Clayton Kershaw
3. Scott Elbert
4. James Loney
5. Tony Abreu
6. Ivan DeJesus Jr.
7. Jon Meloan
8. Blake DeWitt
9. Josh Bell
10. Preston Mattingly
The next post will come from Dodgertown…
Inside the Dodgers 
if bryan morris is healty, he has to be on the list… and if greg miller has a resurgence this year, like james loney had this year, he’ll be back on the list… and if anyone is still interested in being part of my fantasy league, let me know…btw i leave for vero on tuesday!
BELIEVE IN BLUE!
first thanks for addressing the dodgertalk issue. second it is interesting that Matt Kemp is no where on that list!!!
third is James Loney still considered a rookie or did he play too much last year?
matt kemp is no longer able to be on that list, he had to many at bats last season…
A few years back A Martinez did most of the Dodger’s post game shows and even called a game here and there. Do you why he has been taking a smaller role becuase I like him and I think he is very popular amoung the listeners.
better enjoy that trip to Dodgertown now, cause in 2 years youll be headed to a boring, shared, generic, “state of the art” “baseball facility” devoid of any Dodger history whatsoever, where kids will have to check a schedule so they can see their Blue heros instead of unfamiliar white sox scrubs, and buy up $4 bottles of water to beat the blazing desert heat. yippy
Josh, Thanks for a great post! and clearing up the rumours. I am glad Steve Lyons will be there.
A while back you posted a link to a terrific piece written about Vin Scully by a times staff writer. In that article it mentions how in the sixties and seventies and prior, people would bring their transistor radios to the park just to listen to Vinny while they watched the game. There was a mention about how the stadium would laugh in unison, sometimes catching the players by suprise, not knowing that everyone was reacting to something Vin said. That is great! To get to my point, The Dodgers should look into broadcasting the feed directly into the stadium so that Dodger fans could tune in on a specific station as to avoid the delay. Like at a drive in theatre or Airport traffic radio station. I am sure it would be greatly appreciated by the stadium fans, especially in the the final broadcast years of the worlds greatest broadcaster. A system like that probably would be relativly inexpensive to set up. Just a thought.
Have a great Spring training!
Kemp had too many ABs as Ray pointed out- I think the cutoff is 150ABs. He is, (according to several sources posted on ESPN over the winter- including Gammons) a top 10 MLB prospect, probably # 1 or 2 for the dodgers.
Loney had fewer ABs, so he is still considered a rookie. Im calling top 3 ROY candidate right now!!!
GO BLUE
I am starting a new slogan: “Less Government, More Scully!” Thank you Josh for explaining something that has puzzled me for awhile.
Nick quote “Do you why he has been taking a smaller role becuase I like him and I think he is very popular amoung the listeners.”
the other guy is good too but like you said I also enjoyed A. Martinez allot as well.
You know what’s interesting jagartjim, Vin Scully’s audio of the home games is piped into the restrooms (at least in the LFP) AND there is no delay. They also have real-time television feeds near the concession stands. That being said, it seems to me that it would be very easy to pipe the real-time audio into the stands, as well.
The only drawback to bringing a radio into the stadium (aside form the delay) is that after the third inning, Vinny is no longer on the radio broadcast.
GO DODGERS!
PS: Only 53 days until the home opener!
fansince53, your right there is no delay in the bathrooms.
I know Vin broadcasts the whole game on television, both FSN and the local channel, I think 11, when they air a game. So he does do the whole game even though radio only airs him for three innings.
I know they could send out a small radio signal like they do at drive-in theatres when you tune in your car radio for audio. People could bring their transistors again. It could also be a promotional give away! radio night! Free Dodgers radios to everyone in attendance! Josh, can you get me a gig in the promotions and marketing Department? Kidding!
http://raysdodgerblues.blogspot.com/
i’m still looking to fill out spots in my fantasy league, let me know if ur interested…
BELIEVE IN BLUE!
Ray – e-mail me the info, I’m interested
Last 5 points before Spring Training 2007
1) Ray, I sent you an email too.
2) I don’t know why Vin Scully can’t just make a deal that he doesn’t bring Lasorda in the booth to talk about Dave Kingman or Kurt Bevacqua.
3) As much as we all will miss Eric Gagne, the news that Kerry Wood already injured himself reminded me that it’s nice that we don’t have anyone constantly at risk for injury.
4) Paul LoDuca’s contract is up after this year, and the Mets haven’t renewed it for him. Not unreasonable, though, since Jason Kendall, Pudge Rodriguez, Jose Molina, and Michael Barrett are also up for free agency this offseason. So, will Bill Plaschke demand that we sign LoDuca this offseason?
5) Beimel hopes to leave the barroom incident in the past. I just hope that he doesn’t leave last season in the past, and that he’ll be just as effective a ground ball pitcher.
if anyone has sent me emails about joining the league, i did not get them… i had a problem with my email… send them to ray_villa_17@hotmail.com
or just let me know on here…
so far i have sent invitations to…
patriotacts425@comcast.net
dualtone428@yahoo.com
graffitigenius@hotmail.com
and kevin lewis joined already
let me know if ur interested
if you have another spot, i’m interested
this should be fun. I haven’t done a head to head league before (I did a roto league at CBS last year)
media hogs huh, lol… welcome aboard… i find head to head leagues more fun…
pats –
with you on the Gagne comment, totally with you. I must say I laughed when I heard that Wood was hurt again. NO LODUCA, please. Don’t get me wrong, the guy’s great. But Russell Martin is cheaper, had a lower catcher’s ERA, had a higher caught stealing percentage, and is a slightly better hitter. I see 15-18 HR with a .295-.310 AVG from Martin this year. And he’s such a student of the game that he’s just bound to get better.
Ray – I didn’t know it was a head-to-head league. I’ve never done one of them, either. Should be fun!
definately no Lo Duca! Love him, dont get me wrong, but Martin is basically the Lo Duca that didnt have to spend 7 years in the minors to be ready… Cannot wait to see how he does this year.
Go Dodgers
Just checking the stats, 2001, Lo Duca’s first year, his numbers were just stellar. .320, 25hr, 90 RBI– The really sad thing is that the first thing crossed my mind was steroids. 25hr- the next year he had 10, then 7, the next year 13, then never above 10.
I hate how its tainted the game, and hope it is far in the past by now.
today is the official day peeps!! pitchers & catchers report today, I wonder how the weather is over in Florida?
dualtone, let me assure you that I don’t take Bill Plaschke’s policy recommendations seriously. I will admit, though, he does a decent job with the feel-good stories.
pats – with you on both counts there
LoDuca was 29 in 2001, so it’s reasonable to assume he was in his prime.
Let me clear up one item, Bill
Plaschke, is one **** of a
writer.Although he write for
the LA Times, he is NOT a Home
Boy. He states the facts, as they are. He does NOT butter, anything up. Say’s it like it
is. Heed what he writes and
you will not go wrong. Believe
me…He’s the Man….