Tagged: Camelback Ranch

Arruebarruena or Arruebarrena

So which is it?  Arruebarruena or Arruebarrena?  I asked the Dodgers when I started seeing it spelled  Arruebarrena.   The response yesterday was “Arruebarruena.”  but when the Dodgers first signed Erisbel, you kept seeing Arruebarruena everywhere.

Jesus Padilla saw the Dodgers response to me so he twitted this picture

Jesus said ” Jesus Padilla@Jay_P822h

@Dodgers @crzblue I sort of follow Cuban baseball and the Cuban Ntnl Team, and have always seen it as Arruebarruena.

Once Erisbel arrived at Camelback Ranch, the Dodgers announced him as Erisbel Arruebarrena

 

View image on Twitter

Either way, Welcome Erisbel!   I see that both in Cuba and with the Dodgers you are wearing Manny Mota’s number.   Great choice!

‘Arruebarrena’ actually only has one ‘u,’ slips into tie for MLB’s second-longest name

By Matt Monagan | Follow @Mono11

Cuban shortstop Erisbel Arruebarrena officially reported to Dodgers Spring Training on Thursday. Along with comparing his playing style to Yasiel Puig, the 23-year-old confirmed that his last name is actually spelled with 12 (Arruebarrena) and not 13 (Arruebarruena) letters. See his Cactus League jersey below:

main image

Sandy Koufax drilled by line drive is OK.

What a scare we all got this morning when news got around that Sandy Koufax  got hit in the forehead by a line drive.

The line drive was hit by Andre Either.  Oh, we know Andre feels terrible.  He was quoted by Dylan Hernandez saying “Your heart kind of leaps out of your body right there for a second.”

Ken Gurnick reported that Sandy Koufax stopped by the Press Box to reassure them that he was OK.  Sandy underwent a CT scan and everything is fine.

The always funny @DodgerzGM said: “Andre Ethier apologized to Koufax for hitting him in the head with a line drive. Said he was aiming for one of the other three outfielders. ”   LOL

My friend Kent Whittaker twitted me “I thought Andre can’t hit lefties.”   Funny one Kent.

Dylan Hernandez reported that Koufax jokingly said he might test the new protective cap for pitchers tomorrow.     Good idea Sandy.  I hope you do wear one.

Glad you are feeling better Sandy.   We hope to see you with the protective cap tomorrow.

Dodgers Spring Training St Patrick’s Day & Traditions

Last year I went to Camelback Ranch for the St Patrick’s weekend with friends Lorena and Elisa.

This year the three of us headed that way again.   Lore and I talked that we should make it a tradition to spend St Patrick’s Day watching the Dodgers every year.

  We ran into Dee!

After we ran into Pat and Norma.   I seem like I always ran into them on the road.

We ran into Cochito!  haha, a different cochito

After we ran into Pat and Norma.   I seem like I always ran into them on the road.

Looking for a pic of the birthday girl Margie  but I could not find one.  Also of Randy from Let’s Talk Dodgers and Mary and Art from our Top Deck family.

Relaxing at the game

Elisa’s beautiful panoramic pictures.  She showed me how to take them too.  That is me walking with my Trayvon Robinson green jersey and my floppy hat

I like this picture with Lore and I walking

Elisa titled this picture “the person behind the  hat, Crzblue”  Yeah, me and my floppy hats.  I forgot the blue one that I purchased a year ago on St Patrick’s Day so I took that one that I purchased a month before when we were in Arizona for the Dodgers workouts.

Speaking of traditions, I was disappointed that Jaime Jarrin, Pepe Yniguez & Fernando Valenzuela were not broadcasting the game in Spanish for St Patrick’s Day.  Our Irish poet Vin Scully was there so why not our Spanish poet Jaime?   I asked Mr. Jarrin when was the last time he missed a St Patrick’s game.  He said:

@crzblue Emmita: nunca perdí un S.Patricio desde 59 hasta el 2008. En ùltimos 6 años he perdido uno en camelback Ranch. Abrazos.

translation:  “emmita: I never missed a St Patrick since 59 to 2008.  In the last six years I have missed one at Camelback Ranch.  Hugs”
Is a shame that this year the broadcasting transmissions are less.

ref;  Dee’s picture, Elisa’s panoramic pictures,  Lorena’s pictures and mines.

Movie 42. Play 42 Baseball

As I was looking for a hotel at Camelback Ranch I saw this

https://www.marriottrewards42.com/

You Could Win a Trip to LA for the 42 Premiere Screening!

And step up to the plate every day for a chance to win tickets to 42!

Each swing of the bat gives you one or more chances to see 42: The True Story of an American Legend. Each day, we’ll give away a pair of movie tickets, and one lucky player will win the grand prize—a trip to L.A. for the premiere screening! Click below to connect to Facebook and get started!Play ball!

naturally I entered the contest.

Afterwards I saw the preview of the movie.

Man! I am going to need some kleenex when I go see the movie!

We can never thank Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey enough.

Go Dodgers!  Heading to Camelback Ranch this weekend.

Pictures from Camelback Ranch 2013. Koufax Sighting

Rosie, Lorena and I had a great time at Arizona. Thank ladies! Thank you Lore for driving!

Here are some pictures!

Feb 16, Feb 17, 2013 at Camelback Ranch 001

Cochito Luiz Cruz

Feb 16, Feb 17, 2013 at Camelback Ranch 002

Kemp

Feb 16, Feb 17, 2013 at Camelback Ranch 003

Andre Ethier looking happy

Feb 16, Feb 17, 2013 at Camelback Ranch 008

Clayton Kershaw!  Javy Guerra!

Niño De Oro

Cuidado con su curva

Es Clayton Kershaw

Tommy Lasorda in uniform

Me taking a picture of the reflection with the Mafia girls in the back.

Pandemonium

Broke up when Koufax showed up

At Camelback Ranch!

Sandy Koufax.  Came close to getting his autograph.  Lots of pushing and shoving.

At Summit Mountain

Feb 16, Feb 17, 2013 at Camelback Ranch 077

The Mafia ladies

Update:  Se me olvido la foto de Summit Mountain.  I had forgotten the picture from Summit Mountain.  The sunset from there is beautiful.

Tommy Lasorda giving hitting instructions at Spring Training

Here is a short video I shot of Tommy Lasorda dressed in his batting practice jersey giving instructions to the minor leaguers on how to hit. 🙂   “You got an ax in your hand”  “you are chopping the tree down”  “como esta la republica?”   

Tommy Lasorda giving hitting instructions during Spring Training

Tommy is so funny

Some pictures from my second trip to Camelback Ranch:

Kershaw signing autographs!  Javy Guerra!  Truck with Dodger licence, Margie and Fam, Lorena & Margie,  

Margie and Fam, Lorena & Margie.  Deuce & I enjoying a lemonade!

Lore, Margie, Elisa.  

We love running into our Dodger friends.  Here is Dee, Deuce and William.  Also Jon SooHoo.

 

and we love our boys in Blue.  Here is Andre Ethier, James Loney and Matt Kemp.  These pics taken by Elisa.  

 

 

Part Two of Six Women and a Men

Before I head back to CamelbackRanch this weekend, I wanted to post more pictures from my first trip so here they are:

The seven of us with Manny Mota.  Too bad the kid taking the picture did not get us all in the picture.   Good thing Rosie had another picture.  

Sneaking in with Tommy Lasorda.  Tommy had signed a ball for me back in 2010 but the ink was getting lighter (no, I did not originally use a blue  pen)  so he signed it again.  He also signed my Mark Langill book.  He started looking at the pictures in the book commenting about the rookies of the year on the opposite page where he signed.   Thanks Tommy!   Love you! 

Everyone stopped to watch Kershaw pitch in the intersquad game. 

Kershaw had a good outing.

It was time for us to head out but before that we spotted Pepe Yniguez with Bill DeLury.  Mr. DeLury has been with the Dodgers since 1950, mostly as Traveling Secretary.   He started with the Dodgers as a 17-year- old office boy.  Evan of Opinion of Kingman’s Performance did a wonderful job in interviewing  Mr. DeLury.  Here is the link  http://opinionofkingmansperformance.blogspot.com/2011/06/second-longest-tenured-dodger-employee.html

Lorena with Pepe Yniguez.  Pepe has been broadcasting Dodger games en Espanol since 1999.  

Pepe also teams up with Manny Mota calling some games on TV on Time  Warner cable channel 858

Javy Guerra got a kick of Rosie bringing the Rookie Hazing picture of Javy dressed as a Taco.  

Javy when he saw me that I sporting my Javy batting practice jersey, he turned me around to show another player  and said “See?  she is my number ONE fan!”   🙂

I was playing photographer.   Here is Priscy with Javy

Here is Amanda with Javy

Here is Tony Jackson, Beat Writer for ESPN Los Angeles.   I like his long hair. 

Taking a well deserved rest before we go inside Margaritaville

After food and drinks we headed next door to Saddle Ranch for some tequila shots and to ride the mechanical bull

The bull kicks Rene

Priscy is next

She gets knocked out but she gets back on the bull

She is having a bull, I mean a ball  lol

Nice going Desiree!  Even falling, you fall with grace. 

Time to head back to LA.  I am going going  back to Cali Cali…..  

Next Trip:  Leaving Thursday night  with Lorena and her niece Elisa.  Lorena will be driving.  They will drive back to Cali.  I on the other hand need to head to NH to work there the following week so I will miss Sunday’s game as my flight leaves at noon.   I can’t wait for Thursday night!

Six Women and a Men Went to Camelback Ranch to see the Dodgers in a Dodger Blue Minivan

When Lorena and I found out that there was going to be a Spring Traning Fanfest 3/3/12,  we said “Let’s go!”  Rosie, who we met on Twitter last year said “I want to go!”  The original plan was to go for the day.   We already had a Spring Training road trip planned for the St Patrick weekend so we thought a turnaround trip would be OK.  

On  Saturday 2/25 I get a text from Lorena that Amanda was joining.   A few days later Lorena tells us her friend Priscila is also joining us.   Our group had grown to FIVE.

After thinking it over, we thought the original plan was kinda crazy to drive from LA to AZ and come back the same night so we changed it stay Saturday night.

The buz at Camelback Ranch the day before we were to leave was that Sandy Koufax was there!   Dodger fans were giddy with excitment.  

image

Kershaw, Sandy Koufax and Don Mattingly.  Picture taken by Jon SooHoo.

Because of Sandy Koufax was at Camelback Ranch, our group grew to seven a few hours  before we were scheduled to take off.  Needless to say some of us hardly got any sleep or none at all.  

The minivan arrived at my house about 2 AM.   A few minutes later Rosie was dropped off at my house.  Because of a mixup, Rosie did not bring anything but her purse.  She thought we had changed back to making the trip a turnaround trip.   She wanted to stay but we said “There is a Target,  close by…. ”  So off we went six women and a men in a Blue Minivan. 

Here is Rene practicing hitchhiking just in case we left them behind.  The perfect place would have been here

We arrived safely and it was off to taking pictures.   The first one I took was with Gaylord Perry 

The second one was with Javy!

Here is Rene and I talking with Jon SooHoo

This picture taken by Dodger main photographer Jon SooHoo, appeared in the Dodgers Photo Gallery.  Thanks Jon!   .  Check out his MLB blog at http://dodgersphotog.mlblogs.com

With Manny Mota on his bicycle

Plenty of pictures were taking especially at Sattle Ranch where 3 of the group rode the mechanical bull but I’ll leave the pictures for another post or maybe I should check with the group if is OK to post.  

I had a wonderful time on this trip.  Can’t wait to be back at Camelback Ranch for St Patrick weekend.  The only thing is I won’t be able to watch the game on Sunday as I am scheduled to work in NH the following week so I am taking a flight at noon.

Dodgers White Sox First Spring Training Fan Fest

My friends Lorena, Rosie, Amanda and I are waking up pretty early on Saturday to head to the Dodgers White Sox Spring Training Fanfest March 3rd.   Hmm, let’s see…gates open at 8;30, a six hour drive.  Man!  that is pretty early and this is a turnaround trip.  

Here is the information

DODGERS/WHITE SOX SPRING TRAINING FAN FEST

Saturday, March 3, 2012, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM

FREE ADMISSION!!! Batting practice & autograph sessions:
Chicago White Sox batting practice 9-10:30am
Chicago White Sox autograph session 10:30-11am
Los Angeles Dodgers autograph session 11-11:30am
Los Angeles Dodgers batting practice 11:30am-1pm

Activities & Promotions:
Concourse Activities include the Free Agent Sports Marketing Sports Card and Memorabilia Show, speed pitch, fan photos, kids’ inflatables, a Phoenix Coyotes booth featuring Howler, a Glendale fire truck, and a Cactus League book signing with Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry.
Promotional items include bobbleheads (first 250 children 12 and under), Coyotes ticket drawing for the March 3rd game at neighboring Jobing.com Arena, spring training raffles, and other sponsored giveaways.
Arizona Sports 620 Radio will broadcast from the stadium during the event.
Concession stands and the Clubhouse Store will be open.
The ticket office will be open from 8:30am-4pm for fans to purchase game tickets.

 Phone: (623) 302-5000
Event url: www.camelbackranchbaseball.com
Here is a picture from last March at Camelback Ranch.  Andre Ethier, Margie, Lorena and I.  
Spring Training 2011 076  Andre Ethier .jpg
 
Had a great time at the Baseball Reliquary event last Saturday.  I purchased the book “Strrr-ike!! Emmett Ashford, Major League Umpire” by Adrienne Cherie Ashford, daughter of Emmett.   I checked out two  books from the library, one on the Negro League and the other is  “A Strong Right Arm”  the story of Mamie “Peanut” Johnson.” 
 
I also won another book.  “Bat Boy: My True Life Adventures Coming of Age with the New York Yankees by Matthew McGough.  Matthew was in the audience so he signed my book.  He was there with his two beautiful young kids.  Even though I have the book I will attend the Baseball Reliquary when he will be speaking about his book and having a book signing.   My friend Abby who is a huge Yankee fan, said is a fun read.   Thank you Abby for the two Dodger books you have sent me!   Let me know if there is anything I can send your way.  
 
I plan on getting the Gaylord Perry book too.  So many books to read, so little time.  I plan on reading on my way to Camelback Ranch. 
.

ref:  http://events.kpho.com/?404

Happy Dodger Pitchers and Catchers Report Day!

The day that Dodgers Pitchers and Catchers report is finally here!    WOOHOO!!  

Dodgers photographer and owner of the MLB blog http://dodgersphotog.mlblogs.com/ Jon SooHoo posted this picture from Camelback Ranch two years ago with the caption “What awaits the Dodgers at the end of the rainbow this season?”  That applies even more now.

    

Here is a picture from 2004 P&C at Vero Beach.   Greg Miller, Tom Martin, Hong-chih Kuo, and Kaz Isshi.  Good luck in Seattle Kuo.  We will miss you. 

In addition to being P&C Day today is Marty Gras or Fat Tuesday.  A day to feast before Lent starts.   It is also called “Shrove Tuesday” or  Pancake Day in the UK.  Pancake day because it was a great way to use the foods that were given up for Lent – milk, butter, and eggs.   

An English friend suggested I give up Baseball for Lent.  My reaction:   “WHAT!   Are you kidding me!?   “No Way”   I suggested that he gives up Soccer.   I am still working on what I am going to give up.  In the meantime. 

Dodger News: Dodgers bring back Steve Yeager as catching instructor!   Welcome back Boomer!  

13 Days till the first Spring Training Game

44 Days till Dodgers Opening Game at Petco Park (A Padre fan at the Kings game asked me why I was going to Petco Park on Opening Day and if I was a Padre fan.  I was dressed with my Dodger poncho.  lol.  He did not know the Padres open against the Dodgers) 

49 Days till Dodgers opening Day at Home!

Question:  Anyone knows if any team has shown interest on Free Agent Aaron Miles?

pictures by Jon SooHoo.