Tagged: baseball
Yasiel Puig and George Genovese
I am reading the book about George Genovese titled “A Scout’s Report. My 70 Years in Baseball”. It is written with Dan Taylor. I had a chance to hear Mr. Genovese at a SABR event a few years back, then a couple a few weeks ago I went to his talk/book signing event at South Pasadena. It was an honor to hear him and his author. Mark Langill presented him. In attendance were Fred Claire who was a member of the Dodgers’ front office for 30 years And John Young who played for the Tigers in 1971 and founded RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities). These two men along with some other people in the audience were there to pay tribute to Mr. Genovese based on what they had to say when they put their hand up. They did not ask a question, they praised Mr. Genovese.
I am fascinated with the book. What a trajectory! What a life! From his playing days in the minor league to playing with the Senators to managing in the minor league under the wings of Branch Rickey when Mr. Rickey was with the Cardinals and the Pirates, to when Mr. Rickey sent him to Mexico to managing in the Texas league for the Giants to being asked to scout in California because his eye for talent was unmatched, to working for the Dodgers.
From Peter Mancuso, Chairman of the Nineteen Century Committee, Society for American Research:
“this book is not just a biography, it is a Masters Degree in Baseball, from how to play, manage, coach, inspire, understand, evaluate and enjoy our great National Pastime..”
I ran into an article from the LA Times When George Genovese was at Dodger Stadium. This part caught my attention:
” The ball soars into center field and Puig, flashing his speed, makes the catch. It reminds Genovese of a young Jose Cardenal or maybe Roberto Clemente starting out in Puerto Rico.
“The kid is so gifted” he says of Puig.”
I value the opinion of a man that has played, managed and still coaches, inspires, understands, evaluates and enjoys our great National Pastime.
Trio #3 A Dark night, Ice Cream and Tears
From WordPress http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/trio-no-three/
Today you can write about anything, in whatever genre or form, but your post must mention a dark night, your fridge, and tears (of joy or sadness; your call).
The evening is quickly turning into a dark night
watching game seven of the World Series
It is down to the last out for the Royals with a runner on third
Salvador Perez pops out to third baseman Pablo Sandoval in foul territory
And just like that The Giants are World Champions
I think back to the Dodgers season and what could have been….
I cannot watch the celebration so I turn the TV off and head to the fridge
Would a bowl of ice cream make me feel any better?
It does while I am eating it but then the sadness takes over.
The baseball season is really over
A knot builds on my throat and I cannot hold back the tears.
I feel like this tree I pass by in the fall missing its leaves
2015 Dodger Schedule. Where will it take me?
The Dodger schedule came out September 8 and I went over it making plans already but I like to have it here in my blog handy for quick reference. God willing I will continue to go to Spring Training, my usual road trips to San Diego and the annual SABR convention. This year’s SABR convention is in Chicago and it starts as the Dodgers play in Chicago on Getaway day. I am working on where else 2015 will take me.
Here is is the preliminary schedule that MLB released on September 8, 2014:
APRIL
April 6 Monday SD
April 7 Tuesday SD
April 8 Wednesday SD
April 10 Friday @ ARI
April 11 Saturday @ ARI
April 12 Sunday @ ARI
April 13 Monday SEA
April 14 Tuesday SEA
April 15 Wednesday SEA
April 17 Friday COL
April 18 Saturday COL
April 19 Sunday COL
April 21 Tuesday @ SF
April 22 Wednesday @ SF
April 23 Thursday @ SF
April 24 Friday @ SD
April 25 Saturday @ SD
April 26 Sunday @ SD
April 27 Monday SF
April 28 Tuesday SF
April 29 Wednesday SF
MAY
May 1 Friday ARI
May 2 Saturday ARI
May 3 Sunday ARI
May 4 Monday @ MIL
May 5 Tuesday @ MIL
May 6 Wednesday @ MIL
May 7 Thursday @ MIL
May 8 Friday @ COL
May 9 Saturday @ COL
May 10 Sunday @ COL
May 11 Monday MIA
May 12 Tuesday MIA
May 13 Wednesday MIA
May 14 Thursday COL
May 15 Friday COL
May 16 Saturday COL
May 17 Sunday COL
May 19 Tuesday @ SF
May 20 Wednesday @ SF
May 21 Thursday @ SF
May 22 Friday SD
May 23 Saturday SD
May 24 Sunday SD
May 25 Monday ATL
May 26 Tuesday ATL
May 27 Wednesday ATL
May 29 Friday @ STL
May 30 Saturday @ STL
May 31 Sunday @ STL
JUNE
June 1 Monday @ COL
June 2 Tuesday @ COL
June 3 Wednesday @ COL
June 4 Thursday STL
June 5 Friday STL
June 6 Saturday STL
June 7 Sunday STL
June 8 Monday ARI
June 9 Tuesday ARI
June 10 Wednesday ARI
June 12 Friday @ SD
June 13 Saturday @ SD
June 14 Sunday @ SD
June 15 Monday @ TEX
June 16 Tuesday @ TEX
June 17 Wednesday TEX
June 18 Thursday TEX
June 19 Friday SF
June 20 Saturday SF
June 21 Sunday SF
June 22 Monday @ CHC
June 23 Tuesday @ CHC
June 24 Wednesday @ CHC
June 25 Thursday @ CHC
June 26 Friday @ MIA
June 27 Saturday @ MIA
June 28 Sunday @ MIA
June 29 Monday @ ARI
June 30 Tuesday @ ARI
JULY
July 1 Wednesday @ ARI
July 3 Friday NYM
July 4 Saturday NYM
July 5 Sunday NYM
July 6 Monday PHI
July 7 Tuesday PHI
July 8 Wednesday PHI
July 9 Thursday PHI
July 10 Friday MIL
July 11 Saturday MIL
July 12 Sunday MIL
July 14 Tuesday ASG @ CIN
July 17 Friday @ WSH
July 18 Saturday @ WSH
July 19 Sunday @ WSH
July 20 Monday @ ATL
July 21 Tuesday @ ATL
July 22 Wednesday @ ATL
July 23 Thursday @ NYM
July 24 Friday @ NYM
July 25 Saturday @ NYM
July 26 Sunday @ NYM
July 28 Tuesday OAK
July 29 Wednesday OAK
July 31 Friday LAA
AUGUST
August 1 Saturday LAA
August 2 Sunday LAA
August 4 Tuesday @ PHI
August 5 Wednesday @ PHI
August 6 Thursday @ PHI
August 7 Friday @ PIT
August 8 Saturday @ PIT
August 9 Sunday @ PIT
August 10 Monday WSH
August 11 Tuesday WSH
August 12 Wednesday WSH
August 13 Thursday CIN
August 14 Friday CIN
August 15 Saturday CIN
August 16 Sunday CIN
August 18 Tuesday @ OAK
August 19 Wednesday @ OAK
August 21 Friday @ HOU
August 22 Saturday @ HOU
August 23 Sunday @ HOU
August 25 Tuesday @ CIN
August 26 Wednesday @ CIN
August 27 Thursday @ CIN
August 28 Friday CHC
August 29 Saturday CHC
August 30 Sunday CHC
August 31 Monday SF
SEPTEMBER
Sept. 1 Tuesday SF
Sept. 2 Wednesday SF
Sept. 3 Thursday @ SD
Sept. 4 Friday @ SD
Sept. 5 Saturday @ SD
Sept. 6 Sunday @ SD
Sept. 7 Monday @ LAA
Sept. 8 Tuesday @ LAA
Sept. 9 Wednesday @ LAA
Sept. 11 Friday @ ARI
Sept. 12 Saturday @ ARI
Sept. 13 Sunday @ ARI
Sept. 14 Monday COL
Sept. 15 Tuesday COL
Sept. 16 Wednesday COL
Sept. 18 Friday PIT
Sept. 19 Saturday PIT
Sept. 20 Sunday PIT
Sept. 21 Monday ARI
Sept. 22 Tuesday ARI
Sept. 23 Wednesday ARI
Sept. 24 Thursday ARI
Sept. 25 Friday @ COL
Sept. 26 Saturday @ COL
Sept. 27 Sunday @ COL
Sept. 28 Monday @ SF
Sept. 29 Tuesday @ SF
Sept. 30 Wednesday @ SF
OCTOBER
Oct. 1 Thursday @ SF
Oct. 2 Friday SD
Oct. 3 Saturday SD
Oct. 4 Sunday SD
Baseball Reliquary: Induction Day 2014
Today is the day of the Baseball Reliquary Hope of the Eternals Induction Day! I am heading that way soon!
“Bleacher Preacher” Jerry Pritikin who is flying from Chicago will receive the Hilda Award
Bleacher Preacher
The recipient of the 2014 Salin Award is Jerry Cohen, who founded Ebbets Field Flannels in 1988, a Seattle, Washingt…on-based company which manufactures historically-inspired athletic apparel, ranging from handmade reproductions of vintage flannel baseball jerseys to T-shirts, baseball caps, and even grounds crew jackets and sweatshirts, all made with a high level of craftsmanship and respect for authenticity.
Our talented John Schulian will usher in Dizzy Dean into the Baseball Reliquary Shiren of the Eternals.
Rachel Robinson’s induction will be accepted by her sister-in-law Delano Robinson
Don Zimmer’s induction into the Shrine of the Eternals will be accepted by his wife “Zoot”
Los Angeles Sport Museum: More pictures
Here are more pictures from my visit to the Los Angeles Sport museum where the SABR local chapter had a meeting:
1981 World Series Tri-MVP’s Ron Cey, Steve Yeager & Pedro Guerrero
Fernando Valenzuela with a mustache. Jijiji.
Who remembers when we used to get a TV guide in the newspaper? This from the Los Angeles Daily News in 1981.
movie poster Whistling in Brooklyn.
I never knew these records existed from Union 76.
Sandy Koufax, Fernando Valenzuela & Orel Hershiser
Orel Hershiser memorabilia
Dodgers Mini World Series trophies.
I love this picture. the fan’s shirt says “LA Fan Support”
Union 76 pins. I used to collect these. Other Dodger memorabilia.
Duke Snider wall.
Ebbets Field ticket prices. bench made of bats.
Another view of Brooklyn Dodger memorabilia & Jackie.
I love this scorecard. The Dodgers used to sell individual scorecards. Now they don’t but see them at other stadiums. I wish they would bring this back.
Dodger Stadium and the retired Dodger numbers. Oops! sorry Drysdale, I cut out part of your 53 number.
Isn;t this Dodger apron great? It says “The Heck with Housework. Let’s see the Dodgers Play!” Yep, that is what I say…;-)
Dodger Stadium replica. A Red Sox jacket to the right.
I love this picture. On top it says “The proverbial Brideman”
Dodgers band Sym-Phony. Jackie Robinson signing his contract. Leo Durocher in the picture.
Dodgers Take me Out to the Ballgame.
The Dodger collection wall going up the stairs.
The other side of the above Dodger collection wall.
Joe’s final uni and the Babe pointing
Jay Johnston SABR speaker that Saturday.
Jay Johnston speaking with a Yankees memorabilia in the background.
It was a great event. Jay Johnstone made us laugh. He had his book signed available for $20 including a picture of him signed and authenticated. Funds went to a charity . I already had his book but I bought another copy.
Andy McCue had a great presentation that day on the history of the Angels and Dodgers when the Angels were the Dodgers tenants at Dodger Stadium.
Rick followed with a presentation of his top baseball movies and also Barry’s top 10. Also a comparison of actors and the baseball players they were portraying on how close they resembled the players. After both presentation we only had an additional 30 minutes to view the museum. I had a great time that day. I only wished I had more time to spend at the museum. If you have chance, check it out but it is a private museum. For more info go to http://www.sportsmuseumla.com/ For more information on SABR go to http://sabr.org/
Brawl at the WBC game between Mexico & Canada
I was watching the Spanish broadcasting of the WBC game between Mexico & Canada when the nasty brawl broke out. Here is the video I took:
Is unfortunate that this happened. Someone could have gotten injured real bad. Poor Aceves was used as a punching bag or as a pinata. You know when the pinata is low on candy and someone holds it from the string while a kid just knocks all the candy out.
I am watching USA against Italy right now. USA is leading 6-2 after a grand slam by David Wright. Seeing Joe Torre walk to the mound to take the pitcher out, I thought I was back to watching a Dodger game.
United States Presidents and Baseball
United States Presidents and Baseball
Happy Election Day!
To commemorate the election, SABR member Rick Smith prepared the trivia below and gave it to us at the SABR meeting November 3, 2012. Thanks Rick!
Each President listed below is an answer to a question, except Eisenhower, who is the answer to two.
A)William Taft, B) Woodrow Wilson, C) Calvin Coolidge, D) Herbert Hoover, E) Franklin Roosevelt, F) Harry Truman, G) Dwight Eisenhower, H) John F. Kennedy, I) Lyndon Johnson, J) Richard Nixon, K)Gerald Ford, L) Jimmy Carter, M) Ronald Reagan, N) George Bush, O) Bill Clinton, P) George W. Bush, Q) Barack Obama, (Fill in the blank on #18). \
1. This president only attended four games while in office, but he stayed nine innings each time. His brother has a stadium named after him ___
2. Upon meeting this president, babe Ruth said, “Hot as hell, ain’t it Pres.” ___
3. This president was not much of a baseball fan, but he enjoyed pitching slow pitch softball. In 1995 he said, “It’s time to forgive Pete Rose.” ___
4. Name the president who is credited with starting the tradition of standing for the seventh inning stretch? ___
5. This president holds the record of attending 16 games while in office. He is the first president to attend a night game, and a game on the Fourth of July. ___
6. Which pres. Threw out the first pitch at Cleveland’s brand new Jacob’s Field, and was in attendance when Cal Ripken played his 2,131st game. ___
7. Name the president who wrote the “Green Light” letter. ___
8. Babe Ruth grounded out as a pinch hitter in his first ever World Series appearance. Name the president who was in attendance that day. ___
9. This future president served as the team captain of the Yale Bulldogs. They made it to the final round of the very first College World Series. ___
10. Which president said? “when I was a boy growing up in Kansas, a friend of mine and I went fishing. As we sat there in the warmth of a summer afternoon on a river bank, we talked about what we wanted to do when we grew up. I told him I wanted to be a real major league baseball player like Honus Wagner. My friend said that he’d like to be President of the United States. Neither of us got our wish. ___
11. A reporter once asked this president to name his favorite players and he rattled off his favorite stars. A few days later he named four all teams; a team for each league, both before and after World War II. ___
12. HE was the first president to have played Little League Baseball. ___
13. This pres. Signed a bill allowing girls to play Little League Baseball. ___
14. This future president was employed to produce studio broadcasts of Cubs games, based on telegraph reports. ___
15. This president attended the first game ever played in the Astro Dome. ___
16. Which president said “Baseball is the greatest of American sports” ___
17. Name the president who sent a Secret Service agent to intercept Mickey Vernon on his way back to the dugout after he hit a walk off homerun to beat the Yankees. He simply wanted to congratulate him. ___
18. President Obama threw out the first pitch at the 2009 All Star Game. Which team jacket was he wearing? ______
update: Oops! I forgot to include the answers.
1 H, 2 C, 3 L, 4 A, 5 F, 6 O, 7 E, 8 B, 9 N, 10 G, 11 J, 12 P, 13 K, 14 M, 15 I, 16 D, 17 G, 18 White Sox.
Dodgers with the best record in baseball (23-11) face the Diamond Backs at Dodger Stadium
It was a great weekend for Los Angeles! Lakers, Clippers & Dodgers win! The Dodgers swept the Rockies. The last game did not start well with Lilly on the mound. Then when Matt Kemp had to come out of the game with a sore hammy and then Ethier got kicked out of the game, things did not look good, but AJ Ellis said “no worries” Here I am! Boom! Homerun by AJ Ellis to clear the bases. BTW, Abreau is doing great since joining the Dodgers from the Angels. I believe he has three doubles now. I saw him at second base with a big smile :-).
.
Now here are the Snakes and Dodgers ex-Dodgers VP of Communications, Josh Rawtich returns to Dodger Stadium with his new team the D-Backs. I miss you Josh!
Matt Kemp is out of the lineup today. Rest and Get betterMatt!
Dodgers are in first place and so are my fantasy baseball team, Los Locos Azules.
No batting practice for me today but I am now leaving work and heading to the Ravine. Clayton Kershaw faces Ian Kennedy.
Tomorrow I will be sure to leave early since is Orel Hershiser Bobblehead. BTW, I saw fans get mad yesterday because they did not get an Andre Ethier bag. It said the first 20,000 fans so Dodgers ran out before the game. Get there early for giveaways especially when the number of giveaways is limited.
Go Dodgers!
Meet Baseball Dreamin Robert “RJ” Breisacher
Meet RJ Breishaer
Breishaer is a United State Army veteran who had a dream to travel to all 30 ballparks. Here is part of what he says in his blog:
“My dream is rather simple. I want to see every major league baseball park in the US and Toronto. I want to drive from park to park experiencing all that the US has to offer. I want to see the country I’ve spent two years of my life defending. I come from a small town on Michigan Ohio border and haven’t really seen too much of the US.”
To read more of his blog and the parks he has already visited go to
http://baseballdreamin.blogspot.com/
Breishaer had posted in Baseball-fever asking in as many team’s forums who wanted to be a “tour guide” in their own city. I checked the date (May 9, 2012), checked his blog, found him on Twitter and told him that if he did not have anyone for Dodger Stadium that I could be his “tour guide” He twitted back “the job is yours”
I am looking forward to meeting RJ Breisacher. His dream is ambitious of visiting all 30 stadiums in 2 months! Breishaer is a huge baseball fan and a Tiger fan. His trip started at Comerica Park on Opening Day and will end there. Last time I checked he was in Arizona. He got a speeding ticket. Should have warn him about AZ as some of you know that I got 4 tickets there during Spring Training a couple of years back.
Here is a picture of Breisacher at Cleveland (from DTTWLN)
update: fixed link. Don’t know why it was not working before.
Patron Saint of Baseball
Recently I was asked “is there a Patron saint of Baseball?” Hmmm. Interesting question. I found the reference to
Saint Rita of Cascia (1381 – May 22, 1457) 
Italian Augustinian saint.
From www.answers.yahoo.com I found this:
“If there has been a run on St. Rita medals and holy cards at Catholic shops over the past few weeks, blame it on a family film released in April entitled “The Rookie.” Based on a true story, and starring Dennis Quaid, it’s a baseball tale that opens with a couple of nuns sprinkling rose petals from a basket while praying to St. Rita over the site of an oil well near the little town of Big Lake in west Texas in the 1920s.
According to the story’s narrator, the nuns invested money in an oil well scheme that started to turn sour. When the nuns couldn’t get their money back a Catholic priest advised them to pray to St. Rita, the patron St. of the impossible, and sprinkle rose petals on the well site. The Santa Rita well, named for its patron, not only produced oil but also (according to the film) a couple of major league baseball players. During the 21 months it took for the well to start spouting oil the Santa Rita crew built a baseball field near the well, and played baseball to while away the hours. Some of the crew got to be very good ball players.
Funny that I have seen the movie “The Rookie” and I own it but I had to watch the beginning of the movie to remind of this. Saint Rita is also the saint of impossible dreams. Dodgers could use saint Rita’s help.
Here is the medal:
Dodger Blue World 