Driving Down I-5
We’re on the team buses heading South to San Diego and I’m still having some major issues posting things these days, which is why it’s been so few and far between. There’s nothing to report today. I just went to a luncheon for the Central City Action Committee that was honoring “Treasures of Los Angeles” and among them were Magic Johnson, Bob Barker and Frank and Jamie McCourt, who received the highest honor at the luncheon for all that they’ve done for the community and the Los Angeles business community since arriving in 2004.
Otherwise, it’s a quiet day. We played late into last night and took a tough loss, with the rain delay playing some tricks on the two teams. But I’ll take two out of three games any day. If we were to do that all year, we’d have the most wins in baseball history.
Kuroda makes his first start tomorrow and there’s a huge contingent of Japanese media expected to be on hand.
To answer a few of the questions from previous posts, you can still access the blog from the front of the site. It’s in the lower left-hand portion of the home page with all the other Dodger blogs.
We’re in the process of trying to figure out the best way to make video available of the pregame ceremonies from Opening Day, which people are still talking about. Mayor Villaraigosa mentioned it today at the luncheon, which was pretty cool.
And as for replacing Vin Scully when he retires, let’s just say I don’t even want to think about the day that comes. There is no replacing a man of that grace, elegance and class. Anyone who would try could only pale in comparison. For now, it’s not something we have to worry about and it’s my hope we won’t have to worry about it for many years to come.
Will post more tomorrow from PETCO, assuming I’m able to get up and running.
Inside the Dodgers 
That was a tough loss last night. We blew some scoring opportunities late. 2 of 3 isn’t bad, but we should have won last nights game. Sweeney striking out with the tying runner at 3rd and 1 out really hurt. Oh well, let’s take the series from the Puds.
Josh, I just started blogging recently, and I’m having problems with it, too (namely, it won’t let me add any links to my links section, and I’ve tried from multiple computers). I also noticed there’s points where if you have the ITD blog open for an amount of time, it’ll spontaneous either give you an error message out of thin air, or log you out without warning, losing whatever comments were made. And even if it goes well, you have a counter downloading anywhere from 4,700 items to 166 items, taking minutes to finish, causing the computer to be constantly loading as you’re looking at a comments page that looks like it’s done loading.
I love being able to have my own blog (especially for free), and I like the look of the new design. I just hope that these problems are temporary.
Have a good trip, and stay dry.
I believe the problem with this blog is with mlb.com and not with Josh or any of us experiencing problems getting on. I find the same problem getting on Tommy’s blog and the other two blogs that are shown on the Dodgers page. They have probably messed up their servers in the format changeover, and it really pisses me off. For an organization their size you would expect better. If I was considering paying for their mlbTV service, I certainly would decide against it based on their failure to get their blog working right. If Josh has the time, perhaps he could get a hold of the mlb.com IT manager and aks him to get their program straightened out. I enjoy this blog, and I don’t want error messages coming up when I want to get on.
Hi people, you can find all the blog updates and problems here: http://mlblogs.mlblogs.com/
They are the ones fixing everything. I hope it gets fixed soon. I’m also having problems with my own blog.
http://baseballislife.mlblogs.com/
Later,
Roberto
Thanks Roberto. I’ll go ahead and try it out now.
first thing I learned: Always leave a link to your blog, heh.
http://northstateblues.mlblogs.com
I agree with those of you that think Loney should bat 3rd. I began thinking last year that he would eventually wind up in that slot. I must have wanted to say that pretty badly to go thru all this stuff. How many pass words does a person need???!!? I also agree the timing of this new format has been pretty crappy. I could not get game day audio, the box I read told me my card could not be accessed. After I signed up, I was automatically renewed anyway. I’ll get a refund someday and the new system will get worked out, but is all this really necessary at this time?
I’m a Mac user and have experienced NO problems. Is it a PC thing?
Messagebear: They took my $119.95 for the Mosaic version of MLB-TV, but it still isn’t up and operating. I am free to use the regular version. I may cancel the Mosaic next year since I find the regular all I need. That’s if all the games are televisied like it is on the Mosaic, as soon as it’s up.
Dodgereric: I left after my last comment last night, but in regards to your last question about Joe DiMaggio & Ted Williams. There was always talk about them switching teams, since Fenway has the short left field and there is the Stadium’s short porch in right. I don’t know how they both faired statistically, offhand, but I recently read that there once was a rumor of a trade but I doubt that it was serious.
Oh yes this my last and only comment on this thread tonight I got to get some sleep.
JOSH: I bet anyone would like a video or DVD of the pregame ceremony from Opening day. I think it would sell like hot cakes.
PierreEMW: Regarding Joe and Ted, I didn’t know there was actually talk at that time of a trade, I thought it was just fan talk of the “what if” variety. I can’t help but wonder that if Williams had played his career in Yankee Stadium and didn’t lose, what, 5 years to WWII and Korea that 700 HRs was easily in reach for him. Another question, if I may. Fenway and Yankee Stadium had their quirky dimensions. Did Ebbets? If so, were they a help or hinderence to players like Duke and Gil?
Josh: I’ll second Pierre’s suggestion of the DVD.
McDonald got abused a little last night in Jacksonville. Three innings with three runs, two earned, on six hits and two strikeouts. Kershaw goes tonight. The story:
http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080403&content_id=380014&vkey=news_t564&fext=.jsp&sid=t564
Josh,
I enjoy your blog greatly, but have some serious doubts about your math skills …
In the second paragraph of your April 3 entry, you wrote, “But I’ll take two out of three games any day. If we were to do that all year, we’d have the most wins in baseball history.”
Winning two out of every three games would yield 108 wins. This is a fine record, but would be well short of “the most in baseball history” –
The 1906 Cubs and the 2001 Mariners both won 116 games in a season.
If you hadn’t read it yet … catch Singer’s article on Hiro on today’s front page of Dodgers.com. What great insight this gave me on the man we hope will bridge the gap between Arizona (whom I believe to be our only REAL competition in the West) and ourselves.
JDBALL – granted Josh wrote it as fact, but isn’t that nitpicky. I never thought to figure it out, I just new it would mean over 100 wins and that gets you the division every year, or at least it should!
MBear – I’m sure glad I live where I live! I don’t know where you are from, but my Directv offeres me Fox Sports West, KCAL-9, ESPN, Fox, WGN, TBS and an HD-DVR so I can watch 156 of 162 games on the TV this year. Sorry you have to buy MLB.tv, but I’m glad I don’t have to!
Keep writing — you are very insightful and fun to read — but irratating at times.
Pierre, wasn’t it Ersk’ that played the quirky right field so well at Ebbetts. Something about balls coming off the walls at funny angles that he could play like no one else?
I’m experiencing some issues with the new interface. However, I’ve started blogging about the Dodgers on MLBlogs recently, so I cannot accurately compare their current service to their previous service. All I know is that it is not as reliable as Blogger or WordPress – other reputable blog hosts on the Internet.
http://dodgersblog.mlblogs.com
JHall1218
I believe yoy are reffering to Carl Furillo. Carl Erskine was a pitcher.
Oops. Thanks DodgerRaiderFan. Got my Carl’s mixed up.
The story about Ted & Joe goes something like this as I recall. The two owers, Yankees & Red Sox, were drinking pretty heavy one night and the issue came up about how the parks favored the other player. Well the night worn on and the debate continued and the drinking got heavier and at some point they supposedly made a trade. But the next morning when they woke up with a little clearer heads they realized what they had done. They agreed that they would be fried in the press and by the fans. They agreed it was not to be done and life went on. Legend has it that it goes something like that, I have heard the story told before but it was a while ago. That might not be all there was but that is the essence of the supposed trade.
About Williams and DiMaggio, I believe that the owners in question were Tom Yawkey of the Red Sox, who was drunk at the time, and Larry MacPhail of the Yankees, who often drank but that time stayed pretty sober. MacPhail wanted to make the deal, but Yawkey backed out.
The other great trade story I heard was that one night, Walter O’Malley of the Dodgers and Dan Topping of the Yankees were having a few drinks. O’Malley didn’t much like Red Barber, his great broadcaster. Topping had little use for Mel Allen, known as the “Voice of the Yankees.” They decided to trade them! The next day, they decided not to do it. Funny thing: within the next year or so, Barber left the Dodgers and joined Allen at Yankee Stadium. Barber’s successor was a 26-year-old kid, his protege, Vin Scully.