Q&A with Fernando, plus first look at his bobblehead

Fernando Valenzuela participated in yesterday’s 10th Annual Dodgers Dream Foundation Charity Golf Invitational at Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes. His foursome included representatives from MillerCoors, a Dodger partner. Valenzuela’s group got off to a fairly slow start on the front 9, only 3 under par. The breathtaking view on the course that overlooks the Pacific Ocean might have been a distraction to a couple men in the foursome who were playing Trump National for the first time. However, after a Morton’s catered lunch, the team caught fire and birdied 5 of the last 9 holes to finish 8 under for the round.

Below is a Q&A conducted while riding around the course with the legendary lefty:

How long have you been golfing?
A long time. About 20 years. I started in the late 80s. One of my first times, I went out with Rick Honeycutt in Atlantic City, New York. When I was still playing, I golfed mostly in the offseason.

You took to the game quickly. Any attempts to go pro?
(Laughs) No, but when I stopped playing (baseball) in 1997, for about 4 to 5 years, I played (golf) almost every day.

Did you ever play with other teammates? Who was the best golfer?
I played with many of my teammates like Bob Welch, Alejandro Peña and Orel Hershiser. Orel was the best.

Which PGA pro would you most like to golf with?
I played with Arnold Palmer once at the Bob Hope Classic. I played a round with Peter Jacobsen in the late 80s.

What is your favorite course?
Riviera in Pacific Palisades

What’s your favorite club in your bag?
My driver, but I can’t tell you what it is.

What was the best prize you’ve won at a golf tournament?
Three years ago here at the Dodgers Dream Foundation tournament, I won the prize at hole 15 and it was an autographed photo of myself. (Laughs)

Which course would you like to play that you haven’t already?
Pebble Beach

How many rounds of golf do you player per week?
About 2 rounds per week

What was the best game you’ve ever golfed?
I’ve had a few good games. I shot 74 at Riviera which is 3 over par there.

This season, the Dodgers celebrate the 30th anniversary of “Fernandomania” all season long in 2011. Valenzuela’s “Fernandomania” bobblehead giveaway is July 26 (vs. COL). Below is a first look at the bobblehead!

Tickets are available here or by calling 866-DODGERS.

204 comments

  1. trublu4ever

    Good Afternoon, Dodger faithful. Somebody please explain to me what you think the divorce settlement will mean for us. I could care less about the McCrooks but, I do care about the future of our team.

    Reply
  2. selltheteam

    Donnie goes with mostly lefty lineup against Brett Myers, who, on his career, gives up more hits and HRs to righties. Unfortunately, the lineup includes Navarro, amongst other bums.
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    Gordon SS
    Miles 2B
    Ethier RF
    Kemp CF
    Loney 1B
    Uribe 3B
    Navarro C
    Oeltjen LF
    Lilly P
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    Message to Bud Selig: It’s your move. Make the McCourts SELL THE TEAM!!!!!!

    Reply
  3. messagebear

    I believe we’re saved, my friends.
    From what I understand of the settlement, MLB would have to be crazy to approve the Fox deal at this point. MLB would be properly justified to postpone the decision on the Fox deal until after the August 5th date when the Dodger ownership is to be decided by judge Gordon. MLB could justifiably say that they don’t want to decide on the Fox deal, given the chance that the Dodger assets would be considered community property and would have to then be sold to partition that asset. Why would a new prospective owner want to be bound by a deal arranged by Frank McCourt. That could only diminish the value for the new owner and presumably for MLB in general.
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    I also have to laugh at the idea made by Frank that the advance payment by Fox would all go to the Dodger business interests. At least a $100 million off the top would reportedly be going to Frank and Jamie and to pay their respective attorneys and other fees. Beyond that who wants to believe Frank that the rest of the prepaid millions would be going into the Dodgers. Someone who had no problem in diverting a $100 million or so over the past five years to their own personal use would have no problem in cheating the fans and MLB of the rest of the Fox prepaid funds.

    Reply
  4. Nellyjune

    MLB TV pretty much said if MLB doesn’t allow the Fox deal to go through, then Frank won’t have the Dodgers. The June 30th payroll was brought up, which is about $30 mill with all the deferred payments. So, cross your fingers boys and girls, and hope for the best.

    Reply
  5. Nellyjune

    Messagebear – So, I am assuming unless Selig is a real idiot ( I know! It’s hard not to think that), he won’t allow the Fox deal to go through, and let Frank sink, right?

    Reply
  6. messagebear

    Nells, I’m hoping that Bud will want to make up for his mistake a few years back and get rid of Frank for good, so he doesn’t drag his legacy down forever. He won’t get a better opportunity than this to clear his record.

    Let’s keep thos EMPTY SEATS going.

    Reply
  8. enchantedTheBeav

    Been pondering who I’d root for if Frank’s allowed to keep the team. Afterall, the franchise will be dead (the one I gew up with already is.) Can’t root for the Angels – just can’t stand the DH. Snakes or Rox possibly, but that’d be hard to do as well having grown up in SoCal. Then it came to me – my team will be whoever’s playing Frank’s Dodgers. Seems natural. That way I can truely delight in Ned’s and Frank’s follies, and take great pleasure in seeing nightly attendance dwindle to a paid crowd of 15-20000 per game as marketing dreams up one pathetic inducement to come to the park after another. Half price peanut night. Mr. Potatohead night featuring Frank as Mr. Potatohead. Pin the tail on Ned Night…
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    Oh, if Frank get’s his money he’ll sign a big name or two, probably someone like Beltran or some other washed up hack. But they want to be Dodgers Ned will say and self congratulate himself when he signs them to 3 year contracts, only to watch them underperform when not on the DL. It’ll be funny then because I won’t give a damn. And I’ll smile knowing the kids will finally get their chance when Ned trades them away for worthless PVLs.
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    Not that I’m not 75% of the way there already.

    Reply
    • selltheteam

      It will be a sad day when Ned trades away Matt Kemp. That guy has made so much progress so quickly. Especially when we compare 2011 to 2010. If he had half a team to back him up, he’d be the top candidate for MVP at this point. But since batters #5-8 are such black holes, there’s no way Kemp can win MVP this year. Perhaps he’s better off somewhere else. 😦

      Reply
    • JhallWally

      It will be a true tragedy if Frank is allowed to keep this team. I hope it doesn’t come down to that. I will probably go the way you are talking about if that happens. I’m already hoping they fail miserably and attendance continues to decline, so, it would not be much of a change to root against Frank and Furter going forward. Even with the infusion of more money, Ned will waste it on crap. I am holding out hope that Bud did not start this without the full intention of going all the way with it and removing Frank. I guess we’ll see.

      Reply
  9. messagebear

    I think you make a great point about who to root for, E!
    Inadvertently I find myself putting that into practice even as I wish Frank and Ned down the toilet.

    Reply
  12. koufax1963

    What I read just moves the date back for determining the sole owner of the dodgers. Either its sole or community. There is little that is concrete,except jaime has given up her hand and stated what it takes to buy her fair share: 100 M plus the houses w/o tax liability, Sweet, most eligible woman in LA? This AUG date has no bearing on Seligs decision, and he could make his decision before or after that date. Except that JUNE 30 payroll looms, and I don’t think MLB wants to hang McCourt on this issue, and be thought of as the ones that stopped the franchise from “moving on”.
    I can’t trust McCourt; that if he did have funding, that he wouldn’t just repeat history and funnel another lavish lifestyle that he enjoys; to the detriment of the Dodgers organization.
    And with today’s line up we should be on our way to the cellar. Its unfortunate that each team must have at least one representative to the AS game, I would rather not have any, although Kemp is deserving and Dre could do it, if he get out of his “tude” and start producing.

    Reply
  13. Debra Nelson

    From Facebook……
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    In his order, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Scott Gordon wrote that the Fox contract “is in the best interests of the Los Angeles Dodgers and should be consummated immediately.”
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    I didn’t think there would be anybody any more idiotic than Frank and Ned, but if this is true, I guess I did.
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    GO DODGERS!!!!

    Reply
  16. vl4eccjr

    Good evening all.
    Just got home in time to catch the game on FSN. Got Vin on the radio broadcast & muting Deshaes & his lunchmeat partner.
    Pretty small crowd at the ravine tonight.

    Reply
  23. enchantedTheBeav

    I see we’re knocking the cover off the ball again tonight.
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    Damn SD – its going to be a battle all year with them for 5th, but I think come the dog days, we’ll put some distance between us.

    Reply
  28. northstateblues

    Just feels right. From Los Angeles, California, THE DOORS…

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    This is the end, beautiful friend…
    This is the end, my only friend, the end
    Of our elaborate plans, the end
    Of everything that stands, the end
    No safety or surprise, the end
    I’ll never look into your eyes… again.

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    Can you picture what will be so limitless and free
    Desperately in need… of some… strange hand
    In a desperate land…

    Reply
  33. Collie

    Not sure if anyone’s mentioned this yet but the pitcher were facing was 2-6 has a 5.03 era and thrown only 46 pitches in 5 innings and only allowed 1 run on 2 hits. Thanks Frank & Ned for assembling a winning team!!!!!

    Reply
  39. vl4eccjr

    Has anyone seen the trailer for the upcoming movie; “Moneyball?” Brad Pitt’s playing Billy Beane of the A’s.

    Reply
  41. swood

    I can’t even follow the team anymore or watch the games theyre just too bad. If Selig approves the Fox deal before June 30th I don’t know what I’m going to do I’ve already started to lose interest in baseball as a whole the last two years.

    Reply
  46. Collie

    Well It looks like the blonde hair hasn’t worked out all that well. Time for him to break out a red or gold thong.

    Reply
  47. JhallWally

    Unfortunately!! Although, it was mentioned in one of the Bleacher Reports that Uribe and Blake would probably draw some interest at the trade deadline. Of course, even if we’re in last place and out by 10 games or more, Ned will think we have a shot and be a buyer.

    Reply
  48. Collie

    What do you get when a blonde Dodger plays 3rd in The Ravine?
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    An ofer…

    Reply
  53. vl4eccjr

    How in the hell can you walk an opposing pitcher on four straight pitches?! It can’t get much worse than this. . . .

    Reply
  55. Collie

    Gawd — if I was on this team I would be going ballistic. I gotta give Donnie some credit in the patience category. That or maybe he should be ripping some holes in this team.

    Reply
  56. northstateblues

    I see calls across the internet to boycott the Dodgers if the contract goes through.

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    Screw that. If the contract goes through, I’m boycotting baseball, and blocking MLB Network on my TV.

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    Frank would have to rebuild the fanbase from the ground up, because he’s lost a lot more fans than the 7-20 that come here to comment on ITD.

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    They’ve lost even the most positive Dodger fans in the country. They might not believe a “blogger”, but they’d better believe those empty seats, and get used to them.

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    Wonder if the team will move if Attendance stays like this for the forseeable future. If so, I hope they move to Brooklyn, maybe they never should have left. Like Roger Kahn said, “In a perfect world, the Dodgers would’ve stayed in Brooklyn, and LA would’ve gotten the Mets”.

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    I’ll tell you what: The talk and the dropping attendance is eerily reminiscent of what I’ve read about the two NYC NL teams in the mid-to-late 50’s. No one thought the Dodgers would’ve left Brooklyn in 1956, let alone the Dodgers AND the Giants. No one would’ve thought the Raiders would’ve moved in 1992, let alone the Raiders AND the Rams.

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    “Bud would NEVER let it happen”, some say. But if Bud can let Steroids, tied and “this-one-counts” All-Star-Games and a sale of one of Baseball’s most storied franchises to someone who had less than 20% of the physical capital necessary and was despised by anyone who had the misfortune to deal with him in a business sense, he’d let ANYTHING happy.

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    After all, if he moved the team back to Brooklyn, he’d be a GOD in New York. And it’d leave the SF Giants fans with no purpose in life, so there’d be that to look forward to.

    Reply
  57. Collie

    “I’m very, very pleased we have put this matter behind us. Now we can focus on baseball again.” — Frank McCourt
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    I thought he said the divorce wouldn’t affect the team.
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    Hey Josh — could you explain this to me?
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    Oh and also please explain why there wasn’t anyone in charge of security.
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    Oh and can you please explain…
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    Never mind — It’s going to be another Fleece Blanket night soon!!!!!

    Reply
  58. northstateblues

    “Bud would NEVER let it happen”, some say. But if Bud can let Steroids, tied and “this-one-counts” All-Star-Games and a sale of one of Baseball’s most storied franchises to someone who had less than 20% of the physical capital necessary and was despised by anyone who had the misfortune to deal with him in a business sense, he’d let ANYTHING happy happen.

    Reply
    • northstateblues

      ARRGH!!! Lemme retry that correction:

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      “Bud would NEVER let it happen”, some say. But if Bud can let Steroids, tied and “this-one-counts” All-Star-Games and a sale of one of Baseball’s most storied franchises to someone who had less than 20% of the physical capital necessary and was despised by anyone who had the misfortune to deal with him in a business sense, he’d let ANYTHING happy happen.

      Reply
  59. Collie

    I haven’t thought much about what I’ll do if Frank is allowed to keep the team. I can’t imagine not rooting for the Dodgers, not going to games, etc…

    Reply
  67. Collie

    Didn’t a confidential memo come out through this divorce that stated that the Frank & Jamie wanted to decrease payroll while increasing tickets and that as long as the team competed they would be fine.
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    Is that in the best interests of baseball?
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    I wouldn’t think so…

    Reply
  71. northstateblues

    Sad to see the team lose again, especially against these Astros.

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    Hope to see them bounce back soon, preferably under new ownership.

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    I happily remember all the wonderful McCourt ideas that never came to fruition (“The Next 50 Years”, a “return to Dodger Tradition” under “Family Onwership”) and angrily regret all the terrible McCourt ideas that did (raising ticket prices while decreasing team payroll, raising parking prices, getting rid of tenured Dodger personnel such as Amalfitano and Porter without even the courtesy of a phone call, refusing to allow the team to contend with championship-caliber teams for top-tier, in-their-prime talent at the trade deadline, etc.).

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    The saddest thing of the whole situation is that if Frank McCourt REALLY wanted to turn the Dodgers into a championship caliber team when he bought it, he could’ve easily reached that goal. He could’ve built the core around top-tier FA talent instead of building PVLs around the core. Fielding true contenders, no one would care if the boss bought a new house or car or jet or whatever, because they would’ve proved themselves an asset to the ballclub and its followers, instead of counting their ballclub and their followers’ wallets as their personal financial assets.

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    They put all their eggs in one basket, before the hens even existed to lay them. Then they proved how much they really cared about the ballclub when they upstaged the playoffs by announcing their divorce on the eve of THEIR OWN TEAM’s repeat NLCS appearance against the foe that defeated them previously, with the prize being a World Series against either the New York Yankees or the crosstown Anaheim Angels of Disneyland. It quickly became obvious that a championship wasn’t the prize the owners were focused on.

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    7 years is a long time to successfully fool the greater number of 3 million+ fans a year, but everyone’s heard the song now, and they’re tired of it.

    Reply
  72. trublu4ever

    This kind of sums up ALL of our frustrations. A friend of mine on Facebook says: Everyday I hate Frank McCourt more and more. If he retains control of the team, I am done with baseball. I have loved the Dogers for 30 years. The Dodgers I knew are LONG gone. Now, I know how the Brooklyn fans felt like in ’57. He also says, he could never root for any other team. So, Frank not only seems to be driving Dodger fans away but, he is also destroying the love of baseball away too!

    Reply
  73. dodgereric

    I understand enchanted’s reasoning as to who he would root for should the unthinkable happen and we don’t get a new owner. My own jury is still out, more or less, on this issue. I live 60 miles from either Anaheim or San Diego, but I’ve never really hated the Angels the way I hate the Padres. I’m certainly no fan of the DH, but when push comes to shove, I think my real choice will be between the Angels and not following baseball at all.
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    Game 35 attendance (2010): 52,806
    Today’s attendance courtesy of trumom : 35,053
    Greater than last year = 5 / Less than last year = 29
    18th straight game of negative attendance
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    Games less than 30,000 this season – 5
    Games less than 30,000 in 2005 – 2010: none
    Last game was 9/14/2004 – 29,704
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    Lowest attended game of the year: Game 8 – 27,439
    Largest single game drop: Game 18 (55,662 – 28,419 = 27,243)
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    2010 attendance (35 games) – 1,527,967 (43,656 average)
    2011 attendance (35 games) – 1,245,526 (35,586 average) #9 in MLB
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    Drop of 282,441 total
    Average drop of 8070
    Extrapolated for 81 games – 653,649
    Projected 2011 final attendance – 2,882,503
    2010’s final attendance – 3,562,318 (#3 in MLB)
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    Next game’s (36) attendance in 2010 – 52,776

    Reply
  74. Nellyjune

    I am finding myself becoming more and more disconnected with the Dodgers, and I cam easily see me just becoming a player fan. I love the team because the players are who they are, and some are here by no fault of their own, but I detest what Frank, Ned, and Stan have done to this once thought to be a Young Gun Dynasty coming into greatness! They have turned my favorite players into players who I am now envisioning playing on other teams and actually being happy. Mattingly was asked tonight why he thinks they are playing so poorly at home? It’s because there is nobody there!!
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    I am going to the Dodgers/Twins series in Minnesota with my good friend who is a baseball junky like me. Outside of this series, I have no desire to even watch them play in person. Watching at home is hard enough. Unless we have a change in ownership in a reasonable amount of time, it will remain that way.
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    However, my love of baseball will never go away. I have thoroughly enjoyed watching my son play this past year, and I am ready to plan my days off as soon as his schedule comes out for his next level of play at the college level and where it leads after that. My classroom will remain a baseball-themed classroom because I love to see my love of sports become something kids can latch onto if they need it.
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    Frank can avoid all this feeling of fans feeling disconnected if he would just sell the team. Oh that’s right!!! Frank doesn’t care about the fans! What an idiot I am 😦

    Reply
  75. nedsajerk

    Not sure if anyone’s mentioned this yet but the pitcher were facing was 2-6 has a 5.03 era and thrown only 46 pitches in 5 innings and only allowed 1 run on 2 hits. Thanks Frank & Ned for assembling a winning team!!!!!

    By Collie on June 17, 2011 8:42 pm – Reply

    Myers isn’t just any pitcher he has always pitch well vs the Dodgers in his career and I knew we was going to lose this game. That why I don’t take regular season numbers seriously just take a look over in SF where Vogelsong is still pitching light out and this pitcher suck with the Pirates.

    Reply
  76. selltheteam

    Those damn Padres! How can we get into last place if the stupid Padres keep losing? With all the Sad Sacks that Frank and Ned have put on this team, we should rightfully be lingering way down in last place.

    Reply
  77. nedsajerk

    Wise was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fifth round of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft.[7] Logan White, the assistant general manager for the Dodgers, stated that Wise was drafted so early because “…how he swings his bat and goes about the game, and he’s hard-nosed, and I’d love to get him in the system.”[7] In his first season in professional baseball, 2009, Wise played for the rookie-level Ogden Raptors. He batted .338 in 26 runs, 49 hits, nine doubles, eight home runs, and 23 runs batted in (RBIs) in 39 games played. On the defensive side, Wise played 24 games at the catcher position and committed four errors in 222 total chances. Wise played the 2010 season with the Class-A Great Lakes Loons of the Midwest League and was promoted to the Advanced Class-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in 2011.

    Reply
  79. nedsajerk

    I didn’t know this guy Justin Orenduff was back in our orginzation I remember he retired 2 years ago.

    Reply
  81. grizzy

    As I said earlier, I’ll always be a Dodgers fan of some sort. I seem to be going into hibernation right now. But say they did move and we did get the Hollywood Stars back. That could be OK, they were my original favorites anyway.

    Reply
  82. messagebear

    Another wonderful LAME effort in celebration of our owners’ settlement.
    Wonder how many fans were left in the stands when Andre hit his HR, as many as 5,000?

    Reply
  86. grizzy

    Maybe the Stars thing would not work. Those days of a little kids dad and the surrounding fans explaining the game at Gilmore Field are long gone. Baseball is a much different thing now. It’s up to Selig.

    Reply
    • northstateblues

      I’m sure it wouldn’t be exactly the same, if that ever happened. But the Angels are hardly the team of Wrigley Field and Steve Bilko either.

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      As long as they didn’t bring the shorts back, I’d be cool.

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      All hypotheticals. But hypothetically speaking, if Walter O’Malley moved his team with the Brooklynites to the other side of Long Island, instead of the other side of the country, we could all be Giants fans in LA, and San Francisco would be stuck with the Sena-Twins. And Barry Bonds would’ve needed A LOT of steroids to catch Willie Mays’ MLB-leading career Home Run record.

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      It’s funny how the little things from half a century ago could make a big difference today. Who would’ve thought in 1956, while facing the Yankees in the Series, that the Dodgers would have only one more year before leaving Brooklyn? I think more people would’ve chosen the Kentucky Derby winner in 2011 than have picked the Dodgers to be a year removed from Los Angeles in 1956.

      Reply
  88. kpookiemonk

    I’ll pass on the apron…but I’ll bet Frank gets a couple nice gifts from his kids. They can certainly afford it, having been on the Dodgers’ payroll while busing doing other things.
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    Jamie said yesterday she loves the community and she loves the fans. These two “owners” have the disconnect of convicted felons, sociopaths, or whatever psycho babble one chooses to apply.

    Reply
  91. selltheteam

    Lineup time
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    Gordon SS
    Blake 1B
    Ethier RF
    Kemp CF
    Uribe 3B
    Thames LF
    Barajas C
    Carroll 2B
    De La Rosa P

    Reply
  92. swood

    I don’t know understand how royals fans and nationals fans can get excited for meaningless games I sure can’t the only reason I ever tune in is to watch the young guns(gordon, de la rosa, sands) and kemp and ethier. I miss how in years past I would get so into the games and now if were losing I just have a who cares attitude

    Reply

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