Two of the Dodgers' biggest fans…
We just received the very sad news that the Dodgers have lost a good friend in Bill Shelley.
Tot Holmes did a very classy job of summing up Bill’s love for the team at LAdugout.com. We will certainly miss seeing Bill at Dodgertown this Spring and our thoughts are with his family this evening.
Cancer took Bill’s life after being a dedicated Dodger fan for many years, which makes another loss this week that much tougher to take. Jeff Hann was a patient at Mattel Children’s Hospital and two years ago, I received an inquiry about having him come out possibly get a pitching lesson with a Dodger. Jeff was on his high school’s baseball team, but cancer kept him off the team and Derek Lowe granted the wish and took Jeff down to the bullpen for a side session.
Much to our surprise, while we were down there, Greg Maddux happened to walk up and Jeff couldn’t believe his good fortune. He didn’t seem awestruck – he just listened to their tips and did his best to throw the pitches they were teaching him. He had a very good arm and though he was tall and lanky, you could tell he was a solid pitcher.
After a long, courageous battle with cancer, Jeff passed away on Friday and according to our contact at Mattel’s, he talked about that day at Dodger Stadium all the time.
Derek’s encounters with Jeff and Courtney, another young patient who lost her battle with this horrible disease, drove him to start D-Lowe’s Heroes, a program last year in which he invited patients out to Dodger Stadium and spent time with them on the field before the game while also providing them with dinner in the Dugout Club and great seats to the game.
It seems fitting that, for the start of the Caravan tomorrow and Wednesday, we will be at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and City of Hope, the Dodgers’ partners in ThinkCure. Frank and Jamie McCourt, as well as all of us at the Dodger organization, are committed to finding a cure for this deadly disease.
Our deepest sympathies are with the families of Bill and Jeff. I hope that you’ll take a moment to look into donating to ThinkCure and support the great work that these two hospitals do every day of the year.
Inside the Dodgers 
Prayers and sympathies to the families of Bill and Jeff. I believe they are both enjoying eternal spring training now.
my thoughts are with the families of Bill and Jeff also
Heres how I see the final records at the end of next season in the NL West:
Rox
Dodgers
DBacks
Madres
Gnats
It’s a ditto from me and I’m making my donation to “Think Cure”. Let us pray that we will someday put an end to this dreadful disease.
I think if our youth, namely Martin, Loney, Kemp & LaRoche, can, with the experence under their belts, along with our starting pitching getting into the 6th inning and plus, as often as possible, Swood, the rest will take care of itself.
I hope Bill and Jeff have finally found peace and are talking to the Dodgers angels in heaven.
SWood I think you are underestimating the Dodgers and overestimating the Roxs…3 magical weeks!!!
Position by position
1b Loney vs Helton…Loney..Mr Helton has seen his better days
2b Kent vs Giles or Quintenilla advantage Kent
ss Furcal vs Tul if Furcal is healthy for what he does I say slight advantage Furcal…give a push
3b Atkins vs Laroche/Nomar advantage roxs
c advantage Dodgers end of story
lf advantage holiday rockies
cf Jones vs taveras/sullivan…Dodgers
rf kemp vs Hawpe slight advantage to Rockies but only til June when Kemp is on a 30/20sb pace…
Everyday lineup advantage
Dodgers.
Pitching
Our five is better than theirs..Cook, Francis, jiminez, Morales, Hirsh, Redman and wells…that is not very impressive after Cook and francis..Jiminez shows promise but can he perform over 162.
With Penny, Lowe, billingsley, who will be the ace this year, Kuroda and Schmidt/Loiaza we have a stornger five. Hopefully it is not Loiaza…bullpen Saito and Corpas…advantage Saito…
Our bullpen is better man for man….
Sadden to hear that Bill Shelley passed away. i was looking forward to talking to him in Vero Beach. 3 years ago, when I preparing my trip to go to Vero Beach for my first time, I was so looking forward to meeting Phil Spender, also known on the Dodger forum Spendodger. Spendodger was always posting helping people and giving us updates from Vero Beach. Now Bill Shelley has joined him. R.I.P. Mr. Shelley.
Jeff must be the kid I saw in pictures with D.Lowe. Jeff is now in Dodger haven free of any pains. R.I.P. Jeff.