Don Mattingly, the beach and artwork
With yesterday’s media availability for Don Mattingly and Ned Colletti, we got a little nugget at the end of the session that I never knew. Don Mattingly is a West Coast guy at heart, according to the manager himself.
“The first time I came to Anaheim, I loved it,” he said. “The weather, the cool nights, the laid-back way it is away from the field. I like that a lot. This place fits my personality really well. I live at the beach, I like it a lot, chill away from the field. It allows me to be somebody different.”
It was a glimpse at the man who will lead the team and it was very genuine. It’s also something I didn’t really know about him, though we did talk about how great the South Bay is on the plane flight to Colorado last week.
In any event, he heads to the Fall League tomorrow…
On a side note, I’ve had a few people ask me what artists did the gifts we gave to Joe Torre and Brad Ausmus. For Torre, it was Opie Otterstad who did the incredible painting and Brad’s helmet was decorated incredibly by David Arrigo. Check out their work…pretty amazing.
Inside the Dodgers 
Josh,
I find it very interesting that is the only “nugget” that you speak about in your post. What about all of those other “nuggets” that Ned dumped out of his…well, you know 😉
Kahli,
You are right that the Dodgers have had bad luck with the big- dollar- free agent contracts. Too many names come to mind and I am eating right now so I will just no recall those names. Yum! pasta!
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A couple of my friends and I were talking about going to the Fall League. Neither of the three us have ever been.
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Josh,
So what happens to the current merchandise from the 66rs? Ken Levine will have fun saying “Rancho Cucamonga Quakes” He just likes saying the name R.C.
This is usually a fun time to play GM for 2011 the season…but not this year, thanks to McCourt’s lack of cash, credibility and ethos. But I will say that big-dollar free-agent contracts have not worked out for this team…NOT ONE. So my hair won’t be in a knot to see Cliff Lee, Jayson Werth, Carl Crawford and Adam Dunn sign contracts elsewhere. I’d rather see a good, old-fashioned trade. So what are the worthy, expendable parts? Well….that’s tough, because if the trade comes back to bite you, it looks foolish. That said, Jonathon Broxton comes to mind…but it’s not easy trading a YOUNG closer. Is Jansen ready????? That’s abut the only real chip, because I’d hate to part with Loney, Ethier or Kemp. Kershaw and Billingsley are untouchable, for me anyway. Got to anchor a starting staff. And really, who would actually want Theriot, Trocoso, et al?
Anyway, too bad the team has devolved into this mess. Remember, we are not Dodgers, WE ARE DEVO!
As a season ticket holder for over 10 years, it really saddens me to see what the Dodgers have become. When I was a kid, they were one of the marquee teams in baseball. Now, they are one of the laughingstocks. As I have posted previously, I am a Dodger fan to the core, but I can not continue to support the current ownership with my hard-earned money especially after reading the court documents showing me what they are doing (and not doing) with the money I spend at Dodger Stadium. Until the McCourts are out as owners, my family will no longer be purchasing season tickets to games. In fact, we will no longer go to the stadium unless we are fortunate enough to get free tickets with a parking pass because I refuse to put any money into the pockets of the McCourts moving forward. My three boys will not be happy, but they will understand as they get older why this decision was made. I encourage others to do the same. Remember what those court docs stated: the McCourts have taken out way more money from the team than they have put into the team. Don’t help them any longer.
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SELL THE TEAM SO I CAN COME BACK TO DODGER STADIUM!
Good stuff, guys! Keep up the good work!
I SEE THE TIME WARP IS STILL WITH US!!!!!! I THOUGHT MAYBE WITH JOE GONE….SO WOULD BE OUR BLOGGING ISSUES!!!!
Amen Bear!!! Ditto!!!
I’m with you Kahli!!! Well said!!!!
Also well said 636566!!! Don’t enable Frank the a** clown!!!
Hi’Ya Nelly!!! How’ve you been? Yep, I’m pulling for the Reds!!! Buckeyes hanging in at #2 but were very uninspired this past Saturday. Gonna have to get much better to make a run at a National Title shot. Hope you and yours are all well!!!
Great posts today ITD writers!!!!
I read about all this crap about Frank, Ned and Don making this into a player issue (attitudes) rather than an owner issue. Do they even bother to look at what the fans are saying? We love our players (attitudes and all!!), but we despise our owner and GM. Somebody…………………anybody…………..please listen to the Dodger fans. WE DON’T WANT THE MCCOURTS AS OUR OWNERS ANYMORE!!!!! PLEASE HELP!!!!!
Hi JhallWally!!!! How ya doin? Your Buckeyes still holding strong in the #2 spot. Also, I am hoping for the Reds and the Braves in the NLCS.
The more I read about the Dodgers’ potential off-season, the more depressed I get. Though it’s been 22 years now, a championship isn’t even on my wish list anymore. Genie, just grant me the miracle disappearance of Frank and Jamie FOREVER and I’ll void the final two wishes.
Looks like you are caught in the time warp Jhall!!! I didn’t see any football over the weekend, other than here and there, but I will take your word of it.
I never thought I would see 3 teams from the 1993 season including the Reds and in the same division make the playoff at the same time and the Giants had like 103 wins that season and the Reds 104.
Go figure I would’ve had to type that message in real time.
The more I read about the Dodgers’ potential off-season, the more depressed I get. Though it’s been 22 years now, a championship isn’t even on my wish list anymore. Genie, just grant me the miracle disappearance of Frank and Jamie FOREVER and I’ll void the final two wishes.
Oops, here we go again………….
No need to worry people. Ned’s in charge.
Item one. Mattingly, who will now be referred to as “Little Joe”, can’t even pick his own coacking staff freely.
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Colletti said the construction of the staff will be done the same way as others on his watch.
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“We won’t have anybody that he’s not comfortable with or anybody that I’M not comfortable with,” Colletti said.
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http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101004&content_id=15413482&vkey=news_la&c_id=la
Item 2. Ned has no answers as to what to do with the team.
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Colletti carried on, but still without answers. He said he doesn’t know what the Dodgers need to improve the most.
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Reminded that he had just sat through 162 games, he said, “I don’t have an answer.”
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http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-simers-20101005,0,1845119.column?page=1
Makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside doesn’t it?
hmmmm………………..they asked Honeycutt back.
Enchantedsunset – It’s more like in need of many Fuzzy Navels to wash down the awful taste of Ned’s BS in the mouths of Dodger fans. Scratch the Fuzzy Navel and just hand over the Vodka 🙂
northstateblues – another great one!!!!!
SEH!!!!!!!!!!!!! is still very much in effect as well 😦
Colletti and Mattingly couldn’t have come down on the owners being the real problem… they’d be fired. They’re not stupid 🙂
I think we know who needs the attitude adjustment.
I’m pulling for Don Mattingly to do good in Blue… though I have the feeling that, with ownership in question in 5,999,999,999/6,000,000,000 peoples’ minds, he might be in danger of being Bill Russell’d, and not getting the chance (or Jim Tracy’d, if you want to use that analogy).
The picture will become clearer with time. Some don’t think Judge Gordon will get to make the decision, but it looks like the two have their heads stuck so far [in the sand] that Billy Barty and Manute Bol would’ve had a better chance of seeing eye-to-eye than those two.
Think of how increasingly desperate Frank must be to settle this, ensuring the Judge can’t take the team from him. Even little Bud Selig is afraid of getting in a litigation war with this litigation-lover, hence no “in-the-best-interest-of-Baseball” bombshell.
I just want the owner to do what it takes to win.
He won’t. He just does what it takes to get close enough, the literal equivalent of leaving Miss Universe hanging after four plays (sound it out, if you have to ask, you probably don’t need to know).
They’ve taken more out of an already-financially-troubled franchise than they’ve brought in.
Real-Estate-minded people counting their chickens before they hatch, how could that have gone wrong?
I could “almost” forgive ownership for slashing payroll in the midst of the uncertain financial future associated with divorce proceedings. But to loot and hemorrhage the franchise for ostentatious, self-grandiose, superficial greed is too much to stomach. Fans’ emotions must border on rage. And while I’m smoldering, is it just me, or does Ned come off like a bully and a humorless punk?
Kahli – there’s a word that starts with P and ends with K that I’d describe Ned with, but it isn’t punk.
Yes people, I’m back… with more sarcasm and heated vitriol for management than ever before.
enchanted, I gotta say, I like your word better…
ummmmmm *****?
I just had to try and see if it would go through, but it didn’t – LOL!!!!!!
Good Morning. Was reading the posts from last night and everyone hit the nail on the head. and, WELCOME BACK ENCHANTED!!!!! WE MISSED YOU!!!!
The only way to force them out is to not buy tickets, and stay away from the stadium until they’re bankrupt and forced to sell. I’d rather listen to Vin, then put any money in McCourts pocket!
Good Morning All……………
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Arte Moreno say’s, ” Whatever It Takes ”
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http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-1006-plaschke-20101006,0,4021595.column
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Kind of like being kicked in the groin, huh Frank!!!
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Adjust that!!!
Good Day all!
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Josh thanks for the post – Hopefully Mr. Mattingly can accomplish what Mr. Torre couldn’t. I don’t blame Mr. Torre for not getting the Dodgers a Win. Not his fault when Mr. Colletti & Mr. McCormick are the A-holes running the show. Welcome Mr. Mattingly!
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Now does anybody know of a link of where we can see the art work gifts for Torre and Ausmus? So are this artist working on Frank & Jamie’s farewell paitings?
Thanks D4Life!
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Love the Torre painting. It is beautiful! The helmet is awsome too. Those are great retirement gifts.
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PissedOffBear – Is it me or those Frank looks like he was photoshopped in. Mattingly & Coletti seem to be part of the same picture, but Frank looks like he don’t belong. Love the heading of the article, it is SOOOOO TRUE! And yes Mattingly does not look happy holding Frank’s hand!
Rose, here is a picture of Torre’s portrait
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http://dodgersphotog.mlblogs.com/100310S1297.jpg
Picture of the gift given to Ausmus
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http://mlb.mlb.com/social/hitpix/index.jsp?blast=joshual.mlb&page_num=0&photoid=4394
bear, that picture for your dartboard is a tad weirs….looks like Frank hasn’t seen sunshine in 18 months, but worse, it looks like Mattingly just wet his pants….!!?!??!?! Given the circumstances, I can understand if he did!
Just some more information on the state of the franchise, this time a players poll:
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http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dodgers/2010/10/more-evidence-of-dodgers-decline-si-poll-of-players-says-they-would-rather-be-angels.html
This is also why the only players Ned can find (not that we wouldn’t be better off if he did nothing at all) are the derelicts and dregs of baseball that will go anywhere for a paycheck.
enchanted – the line that sticks out in that short article is this one…………………..
This should be disturbing news to the Dodgers, though in reality, not really news at all.
………why? because it seems like Frank, Ned and now Don don’t get it!!!!! We have known this for two-three years now, and it finally gets to the point where it is really, really bad (and all fans are mad), and they still don’t get it!! At what point will they get it!!! It’s never been about the players on the field. It’s the owner, GM and manager that put them there.
That sucked. Too bad those a*s-h***s in Philadelphia get to enjoy that. Guess that can happen when an organization goes out and gets the players it needs.