Camel-back in Arizona….
Scott Akasaki and myself traveled to Camelback Ranch for the day today along with a couple of the key operations people at the Dodgers to look at various minor tweaks that can be made to the experience at Spring Training and the complex and just being there got me excited for 2010.
I’m guessing that many if not most of you, our biggest fans, got the chance to visit last spring but if not, I really hope you’ll make it out there. And for those who were there last year, please provide your feedback about the experience.
We’ll be formally announcing our Spring Training schedule tomorrow so be on the lookout at dodgers.com.
Tomorrow is also the day that NL Gold Gloves get announced so as soon as we’re given the official word, we’ll tweet it and post it online. As you know, we’ve got a couple guys who are more than worthy of the honor.
Inside the Dodgers 
Thanks for the update, Josh. Can’t wait for Spring Training!
Thank you for the update Josh!! It will be nice to actually have a number to count down to before Spring Training begins.
According to this source, our Dynamic Duo made the top 15 list in the run for NL MVP. Matt was 7th and Andre was 13th. It’s good when you have one, but we have two in the top 15. That is pretty awesome if I say so myself.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://laist.com/2009/11/10/ethier_and_kemp_among_leagues_elite.php&ct=ga&cd=REOVQPgYjPE&usg=AFQjCNF7Aom7OkEqYvzfExkAf3a0pjtuhg
How in the world can I get a submission error for too many comments when this is one of two all day long? This is no fun at all.
9:55pm, pst.
Well, no time warp this time though.
9:58 pm, pst.
Parking! More than one exit would be nice, too. I’m a Dodger fan living in Arizona (only a few miles away from Camelback Ranch) and the one thing I don’t miss about the L.A. area is the traffic. Upon exiting, I felt myself in L.A. all over again. It took us almost two hours to exit and arrive to a friend’s house who only lives a mile away.
I love the facility and can’t wait until Spring Training starts again!
Typed this up after reading TJ’s new article. Reading the spin from both sides made me identify with the feeling of one of the scenes from our anointed favorite Mel Brooks film. (Scene: A railroad handcart, above a patch of quicksand. “Bart?” “What?” “Am I wrong, or is the world rising?” “I don’t know, but whatever it is, I hate it.”)
Without further adieu, here’s “He Said, She Said” (Based on “She Said, She Said” by The Beatles)
She said, “I know what it is that you said
I know I’m the face and I’m mad
‘Cause you’re making me feel like a socialite scorned”
He said, “who put that idea in your head?
I’m the only owner we’ve had
And you’re making me feel like a socialite scorned”
He said, “You don’t understand what I said”
She said, “No, no, no, you’re wrong.
When I was employed, eveything was right
Everything was right.”
She said, “Even though I know what I know
I know I am ready to leave
‘Cause you’re making me feel like a socialite scorned”
He said, “You don’t understand what I said”
She said, “No, no, no, you’re wrong.
When I was employed, eveything was right
Everything was right.”
I said, “This is getting way out of hand
Like watching the Maury Povich show
And this tabloid trash makes me sick to the core”
I said, “Quit dragging the name in the sand
Pack your bags, to Boston you go
‘Cause this tabloid trash makes me sick to the core”
Good Morning ITD readers and writers!!!!!!
Fabulous song Northstateblues!!!!
I am truly thankful to all the Veteran’s who have fought for our country. I know our Jhall is one of those men to be thankful for, and if you are one of those men or women, I thank you too.
Thank-you to all of the men and women who keep us safe and serve our Country proudly……..A VERY HAPPY VETERAN’S DAY TO YOU!!!
Thanks to all the great men and women who have given us our freedoms by their selfless sacrifice for our great nation. Remember, Freedom isn’t free, and without the vigilance of our military, the Constitution of the United States of America is just a piece of paper. The efforts of our servicemen and servicewomen ensure life to that document and all it represents, and for that I will always be thankful.
If you haven’t heard it before (and maybe even if you have), take a few minutes to read this article about Roy Gleason, a member of the 1963 Dodgers who was drafted into service in Vietnam. Although his conscription seemed to be a mistake, Roy Gleason proved that the word “Dodger” only applied to his baseball career.
http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/article_adcbe841-d405-53c8-b571-2038371b276f.html
Thank you Veterans.
Okay, it’s just a rumor so don’t shoot me if this doesn’t play out exactly as I found…
NL Gold Glove Winners
P – Adam Wainwright
C – Yadier Molina
1B – Adrian Gonzalez
2B – Orlando Hudson
3B – Ryan Zimmerman
SS – Jimmy Rollins
OF – Shane Victorino
OF – Matt Kemp
OF – Michael Bourn
It’s official, according to mlb.com. Congrats to Matty and O-Dog!
Good afternoon all…
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Happy Veterens Day to everyone, and thank you to those who served or are serving our great country.
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North nice lyrics….
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Congratulations to O-Dog and Kemp!!!!
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It was a pleasure seeing your outstanding defense in the Blue last season……Matt needs a gold bobblehead now, he was saying he wanted one.
Thanks for the article North….That is a very good idea to Welcome the Soldiers Home 🙂
Way to go Matty and O-Dog! I’ll take Dre over Victorino any day!!!!
I can’t believe Phillies fan are stil complaing about Utley not winning one. Hudson number was way better than Utley anyway. I already knew Odog was going to win his 4th and 3 with all of his team that he played for. I had a feeling Kemp was going to get one to.
Please add my thanks to all veterans.
Did anyone else find it odd that it would be T.J. Simers of all people who Jamie McCourt would talk to in an effort to get her side of the story told? The same T.J. Simers whose only goal in life is to get a rise out of his subjects and who likes to refer to the McCourts as “The Parking Lot Attendant” for Frank and “The Screaming Meanie” for Jamie? To his credit, Simers did a pretty good job of asking questions without his usual purpose of jtrying to make his subject feel incomfortable. He did not pass judgement on Jamie’s answers and clearly is not taking sides although in the end I think Jamie came out of this interview much better than those familiar with Simers would expect. If you have not read the interview in today’s L.A. Times, I suggest taking a few moments to do so.
Now it time for a Kemp bobblehead.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/11/tigers-shopping-edwin-jackson.html
I’m not happy and why in the hell did we trade jackson in the first place? TB give up on him just like we did and now the Tigers are doing the same thing. This trade would be a waste for Bell.
Shad, as I recall Jackson had one or two good outings for the Dodgers when pressed into service early in his career but is another case of a pitcher being rushed into service too soon, most likely because there was no one else available. He was drafted out of high school and while he did well in the minors, he struggled at the major league level. As is usually the case, the Dodgers felt they had to address a more immediate need and could not afford the luxory of patience waiting for Jackson to develope. We have the benefit of hindsight but remember Jackson did not really have much success until the past two seasons, well after leaving the Dodgers. I think fans sometimes are too harsh on management for “giving up” on a player who later developes into a decent player but I understand the frustration. It is just the way the system works.
YAY, Spring Training begins March 5th!
i hope we can get a frontline starting pitcher this year. I would love to trade for halliday or sign Lackey. Lackey would help also but I doubt the McCourts will want to spend too much with their divorce pending. Hopefully Billzz can step up more next year then he did last year. GO DODGERS!!!
Shad – Matt has a bobblehead. Andre needs and deserves one 🙂
I still think a Nelly bobble head is in order.
Ideas to Make Spring Training at Camelback Better ( I went for a week last last):
1. the security who open the ropes to let people cross the player’s path need to allow fans to cross more often. if they saw a player 50 feet down the pathway they wouldn’t let anyone cross.
2. speaking of the security who work the roped pathways, one kid (he was nice guy) who was working security was wearing a D-backs hat as part of his uniform.
3. bring the bleacher beach thing to camelback, complete with miller lite life guard girls and spraying people w/ hoses.
4. cheaper beer
5. announced dodgers charity events when the games not going on, that way dodger fans have something worthwhile to do when they arent attending a game.
6. don’t insult fans with those over-priced, over-inflated travel trips. I found great hotel, paid for berm seating, and got a ton of autographs by booking everything myself for 1/5th the price of those Dodgers travel packages.