My apologies for not posting yesterday. We actually had a very productive series of meetings all afternoon and evening yesterday with the Marketing and Public Relations Departments and for what it’s worth, I can’t even begin to tell you how often the theme of “taking care of the fans” came up over the course of about five hours. Over and over, those of us involved in these areas talked about ways that we can improve the fan experience and ways to take the fans’ opinions into account when creating a memorable day or night at Dodger Stadium.

To that point, I’m hoping to get some clarity today for all of you regarding the new autograph policy and center field BP experience that we’ve started, so please bear with me while I do. In the meantime, here’s today’s lineup:

Furcal, SS

Kemp, CF

Ethier, LF

Kent, 2B

Loney, 1B

Martin, C

DeWitt, 3B

Pierre, LF

Kuroda, P

 

Now that we’re back in the United States and more importantly, into the regular season, making the team’s travel arrangements is a lot less taxing.  For the most part, once the regular season begins, MLB’s 30 traveling secretaries rely on a well-established network of trusted hotels, tested bus and equipment truck companies, and reliable charter providers. 

We use professional companies that are loyal to us (i.e. they provide us with the best service) and we remain loyal to them. This is not to say however that we do not welcome the new hotel, the new bus company or the new private charter company to attract our attention.
Word travels quickly amongst our group — for the most part through e-mail — as we exchange thoughts and ideas on such topics as, the hot hotel or the bus company’s latest blunder. 

When charged with making the arrangements for a professional baseball team, one must rely on the most top-notch companies to get the job done every time as there is no margin
for error.

Here’s today’s lineup (this came from Joe, not Scott)

Furcal, SS

Martin, C

Loney, 1B

Kent, 2B

Ethier, RF

Jones, CF

DeWitt, 3B

Pierre, LF

Loaiza, P

Also, in response to the question about the broadcast from Friday, Vin Scully was feeling a little under the weather, so we did not simulcast those three innings as usual. If he’s doing TV and radio, he obviously has to talk a lot more because the listeners can’t see a screen. So, Rick and Charley did all nine innings on radio on Friday and then again on Saturday, when FOX did the game. By yesterday, all was back to normal and should be again today.

I’m not sure I really know why they call it that, but Vin Scully’s been using that term since I was a kid (probably before that), so that’s what I’ll call it. We’ve split the first two games here in San Diego, so a win would be big today.

Here’s the lineup for the afternoon.

Pierre, LF

Furcal, SS

Loney, 1B

Jones, CF

Ethier, RF

Martin, C

DeWitt, 3B

Hu, 2B

Lowe, P

Quite a night last evening, as Hiroki Kuroda exceeded everyone’s expectations with an unbelievable outing. Safe to say he probably could have pitched a complete game, as he needed just 77 pitches through seven innings. He was known for complete games in Japan, so it will be interesting to see how that carries over to the big leagues this season.

The media turnout was quite impressive, as there were probably 50 people from Japan on site at PETCO Park. The game was shown live in Japan and I even saw Hiro, as they’re now calling him, crack a smile a couple times after the game.

One year ago today, it was Daisuke Matsuzaka who made his big league debut and threw seven innings and gave up just one run. Let’s hope Kuroda’s season ends the same way Daisuke’s did…with a champagne bath.

It was also nice to see the team score six runs in an inning, which equaled the best output last year and even then, they hadn’t done it since the second game of the second half of the season.

Here’s the lineup that will back Brad Penny today on FOX.

Furcal, SS

Martin, C

Loney, 1B

Kent, 2B

Ethier, RF

Jones, CF

Pierre, LF

DeWitt, 3B

Penny, P

Furcal, SS

Martin, C

Loney, 1B

Kent, 2B

Ethier, LF

Jones, CF

Kemp, RF

DeWitt, 3B

Kuroda, P (first big league appearance)

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.

I’m still having issues posting to the blog, so please bear with us while we work out the kinks of the new system.

I hope you’ll all continue to post as often as you have and debate the usual stuff…just didn’t want you to think we had left.

Please forgive the absence…the MLBlogs system has been going through lots of changes and I haven’t been able to post for several days. I’m still trying to figure out all the nuances, but I think I’ve figured out how to post so I wanted to pass along to you all what I know as of this morning.

The following players have been reassigned to minor league camp – Brian Falkenborg, Mike Koplove, Greg Jones, Clayton Kershaw, Chan Ho Park, Rene Rivera, Danny Ardoin and Ramon Martinez.

Going on the DL officially are Andy LaRoche, Nomar Garciaparra and Jason Schmidt.

I’m sure more moves will be made prior to first pitch tomorrow, but that’s what we’ve got for now. I plan to post later tonight if there’s time, but obviously things are a little busy getting ready for Opening Day…

 

The finale on the road…after thousands of miles, thousands of swings and thousands of pitches, the team heads home tonight. Here’s the lineup for today:

Pierre, LF

Furcal, SS

Kemp, RF

Loney, 1B

Jones, CF

Martin, C

Abreu, 2B

DeWitt, 3B

Penny, P