Tony Varela's Dodger Stadium Blog

"That's my Dog!"- Bark in the Park @ Dodger Stadium

Dodgers Kuroda 5-4 versus Marlins Brian Sanchez 3-1

 

On the Shuttle, I open up my Los Angeles Times Sports page to catch up on some MLB statistics.  My co-worker Dylan is sitting across from me and he just so happens to open up his own sports page but it’s the LA Daily News edition. 

 

After checking my fantasy baseball team numbers I feel a tad bit depressed for a moment. 

 

Then some passenger sitting near by asks, “How many games back are (the Dodgers)?” 

 

At the same time Dylan and I say: “6 games!”

 

Nuff said. 

 

 

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Dodger batting practice at 4:52 pm and Andre Ethier is taking his cuts- Right on time.

 

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 In the Stand, all of the talk is about the expected low attendance for tonight’s game as if the empty seats have become part of the norm.  There are many reasons for this.  Some will say that these reasons are all too obvious.  Despite these distractions there is still no excuse.  The real problem is we (the Dodgers) don’t score runs. We don’t get the timely hits.   There are no runners in scoring position.  (But we have the pitching)  Regardless, if the Dodgers don’t win, then no one will care to come to the Stadium, this, is the bottom line.  The Dodgers bat’s having yet to catch fire, with barely a spark.  What do you do?

 

I think we just wait.  If we can’t score more than 2 runs a game, we are going to struggle.  This is a fact.  The Dodger line-up needs to get leads instead of starting in a hole they have to dig themselves out of.  Bottom line.

 

For now, forget about it. 

 

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Lets Rock this Joint.  While the Ladies of the Stand are on their break, J.C. and I pump up the radio and rock out.  My co-worker turns up the music (but not too loud) while we can.  Jack FM is on; let the Rocking out begin. 

 

The band Musical Youth is singing:

So I stopped to find out what was going on.
(How does it feel when you've got no food?)
'Cause the spirit of Jah, you know he leads you on
(How does it feel when you've got no food ?)

 

The next band, The Cars, is dictating:

 

Dance all night
get real loose
you don't need no bad excuse.

Dance all night
with anyone
don't let nobody pick your fun.

Just shake it up! (4 times)

 

Last song, the band A/C D/C starts to shred and J.C is singing out the lyrics:

 

She was a fast machine,
She kept her motor clean,
She was the fastest damn woman that I ever seen,

She had sightless eyes,
Telling me no lies,
Knockin' me out with those American thighs . . . 

 

Lastly I get my dose of the Police’s non-roots rock melody, “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic.”  93.1 JACK FM, beside 93.5 KDAY, is the two best stations for the work place, hands down. 

 

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I’m starting to think that I like Dodger backup catcher Doineer Navarro.  He is so fast on his feet, with such good defensive prows, I believe he should get some more playing time.  Why not? 

 

The Ladies of the Stand make their return.  After some burger bustling and hustling, they send me to break. 

 

On my break,

 

I didn’t realize this earlier, but tonight’s game is the second annual “Bark in the Park” at the Stadium.  This means that dog owners can bring their beloved doggies to sit with them in the designated Right Field Pavilion seats they purchased.  I missed last years Doggy festivities so it was a huge surprise to fully comprehend the enthusiasm of the die-hard Dodger Puppy-Dog owners of Los Angeles are who participated in tonight’s game. 

 

All the doggies in attendance with their owners, of course, were permitted to walk around the entire baseball field warning track.  The direction of the parade of puppies began at the Center Field entrance going toward the third base side and after the “Fan-imals” round home plate, first base, and the Right Field it ends where the parade began.  Meanwhile, the song “Dog Days are Over” by performer Florence and the Machine is booming out of the Stadium ghetto blasters.  I couldn’t watch the entire spectacle because the people with their animals just kept on coming out of the Center Field gate to the warning track.  The Doggies wouldn’t stop.  I walked into the break room, came back out about twenty minutes later, and the dogs were still strolling the park.  WOW!  (Check out the pic). 

 

I take a look closer. 

 

- I see a tiny dog wearing a tu-tu.  Poor thing.

- I see two doggies with fitted Dodger Jerseys.

- I see scores and scores of dogs with Dodger Blue scarves.

 

Only in America.

 

Hmm, I wonder if any Dodgers are going to the All Star Game this year.

 

 

 

The National Anthem is performed by Renna Nightingale. Pretty chill vocal.

 

I missed the Veteran of the game, unfortunately.  However, being that this is a Memorial Day weekend; MLB is honoring all of our Service Men “past and present” by committing to the National Moment of Silence at 3:00 pm this Monday 5/30.  This moment of silence can be observed by everyone, where ever (you) are, to honor, as The Dodger Announcer says it, to honor “Those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.” 

 

 

Kuroda gets knocked around in the first inning and it seems to be all down hill from there.  Dodgers can’t get a run.  The innings seem to languish through the middle of the game.    

 

It’s a very long night. 

 

Dodgers lose 5-1

 

84

"Bark at the Park" at Dodger Stadium,

This little dude had to evacuate with the rest of the 1st base side of the Stadium. Nice scarf.

LAFD at Their Best. Thanks Guys!

Fire on the Top Deck with LAFD on the scene.

Like the Good Ol' Days

Garland 1-4 (4.74) versus Florida Vasquez 3-4 (6.41)

 

The first thing that happens in the Stand when I arrive is I learn that my former Hamburger Helper

 from three seasons back has returned.  When the Dodgers were winning games and selling out of

tickets.  Our little Maria, the woman who used to kick my ass on the Burger line has been assigned

to my burger stand once again because her usual working place at the “All-You-Can-Eat” stand

located in the Right Field Pavilion is closed.  I ask her how she likes it over their.  She says, “They

love me over there!  Love me!”  Since the Amazons crew took over the Carl’s Junior last season J.C.

 the Fry Guy and myself are the only workers who are familiar with some of the former crew

members.  In fact I know Mara’s working habits too well.  I tell her to not get too pushy with me,

“Little Lady.” 

 

“I will if I have to, Chamaco,” she insists. 

 

Chamaco?  She is so creative.    

 

At work on the burger line, it’s just like old times.  I poke fun at Little Maria.  J.C. the Fry Guy

pokes fun at little Maria.  I poke fun at her again, “Eres Locos,” she tells us.  I do my best Daffy

Duck impression a la when Daffy goes bonkers at the end of his cartoons.  “Hay, shutty up, you!”

she hollers at me in her wacky Spanglish.  Next, one of the ladies pouring the soda fountain for a

customer calls out:  “An order of onion rings, pleases!”  Maria tells her that she will get it.  Then J.C

says to the soda fountain lady, “Give her some time, (Maria) only has 6 fingers.” Maria explodes,

“Oh shutty up, Chamaco!”  She insists that we have never changed, still crazy.

 

 

 

“Just like old times” J.C says, “Just like old times.”     

 

The attendees are in for a treat tonight, Fresh Burgers from the Old School Crew, one more time.  

 

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The whole Stadium is enlightened by the wonderful vocal of Megan Lee, who is given a rousing

applause for her National Anthem performance.  After the game, even Damian had to mention his 

total appreciation for Megan’s heart felt vocal.     

 

 

________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

On my break,

 

- I see a lady unfold a brand new Dodger Blue t-shirt that reads “Doyers” as she waits  

   with her boy friend in the Beer bar line. 

 

-   I see bunch of little leaguers sporting their Tampa Bay Rays gear.  They are following their coach

 and the team Mom to their eventual destination. 

 

The Game – It’s the bottom of the top of the second.  Dodger Jon Garland has only one out, with

two Marlins on 1^st and 2^nd base. 

 

-  A pigeon glides down for the Top Deck.

 

I start to think about a supposed Dodger Stadium “Beer Scandal” that one of my Students brought

up to me at the school today.  I Googled the topic, (it’s kind of dated) but here it is for all inquiring

minds, http://www.yumsugar.com/Stadiums-Sell-Beer-Unfair-Rates-15445345.  I told Damian

about this article written by Katie Sweeney, and his opinion is: “So what, the Beers are too

expensive anyway.”  Nuff said.

 

The Game- Garland gets a pop fly to go into the glove of Matt Kemp, out #2.

 

-   IT”S BACK!  The Dodger Jumbo Tron is promoting: “The Classic Dodger Stadium  frozen treat

available at all concession stands.”  These malts are only “classic” if they come with the same

wooden spoons, like back in the day. 

 

 

Back to the Game- Garland gets the third Marlin Out on a strike three call.  Garland leisurely walks

back to the Dodger Dugout. 

 

Leading off the bottom of the 1^st inning, Rafael Furcal is back in the line-up- Batting .138?  Yikes! 

And down he goes on Strikes. 

Next batting second, Casey Blake has returned from the DL to his place at third base.  Hellz Yeah! 

He attempts a bunt single but the ball goes foul.  That’s an interesting call.  Next pitch, Blake lines

the ball directly to the Marlin center fielder. 

Ethier is up next.  (7,000 in attendance on the Reserve Level; still there are pockets of empty seats

from the third base to first base side)  Ethier goes down on strikes to end the 1st inning.

 

Time to go back to work but I want to look around some more:

 

-The Dodger Jumbo Tron is featuring another classic “Dodgers Legends” montage.  It is of or

current Dodger 1^st base coach Davy Lopes.  The Stadium is treated to early 80's video footage of a

speedy Lopes taking second base; a seedy clip of Lopes rounding third base after smacking a

homerun; a quick clip of Bill Russell flipping the ball to Lopes at second base who is ready to turn

the double play.  So awesome!  After the footage, Lopes steps out the Dodger Dugout to salute the

few members of the crowd that remember his Championship feats. 

Davy Lopes is the Good old Days-so cool!  

 

- I see some dude rocking the 90’s old school Los Angeles Kings hat in black and white

  cursive.  Nice!

 

- I see an LA symbol painted on a girls face.  Nice!

 

- Three LA girls wearing some rather short-short-shorts are walking arm-in-arm.  They

   pass a set of staring eyes. “Damn, is that a trio,” one set of eyes says to his partner.  The

   other agrees.  Nice!

 

- I see some dude rocking an old Saenz Dodger Shirt.  Nice!

 

- A father yells out to his little son, “Hey! Stay close!”  While he waits in the concession     

   line. 

-  Personally, I think it’s corny when people put their own last names on their Dodger jerseys.  My

buddy Damian disagrees.  “It depends what number they put on it,” he says.  How does that make

sense?  Anyway. 

 

Consequently, I don’t see Drew the Jedi Usher, anywhere.

 

 

In the Stand we get to work,

 

My partner on the broiler and I hear the crowd blow up.  “It’s a homerun,” I tell him.  He is a bit

hesitant.  Then the keyboard sound of the Dodger homerun song blasts out of the Dodger Stadium

ghetto blasters.  We are up 1-0.  Loney homers and fingers are crossed.

 

Ethier hits one out of the park!  We heard that one too.

 

By the 9^th inning the score is tied 2-2, when the Dodgers manage a bases loaded onslaught over

Florida.  Dodger catcher, Doiner Navarro hits a liner up the middle to knock in the winning run at

the bottom of the 9^th. 

 

Dodgers earn the win. 

 

Our Boys in Blue mob our back-up catcher.  It’s a familiar scene.   Just like old times. 

 

Go Dodgers!

 

84 

 

$6 Wetzel Pretzel Dogs, delicious!

A Dodger Fact

Clayton Kershaw (3.22 ERA) versus Giants Matt Cain (2.75)

 

While the Ladies finished prepping the burger line I managed to step out of my concession Stand to get a quick glimpse of Dodger batting practice. 

 

The weather is cool.

 

 I see Andre Ethier taking his hacks in the batting cage; the digital score board reads 5 o’clock- Right on time. 

 

Just a few feet away, Dodger vendor Roger Owens the famed “Peanut Man” is sitting in his usual spot, relaxing before game time.  He is alternating between watching some Dodger BP and reading his sports page, as usual.  I’m standing just a few feet behind him, so I better say something.  He did call me his “friend” when he autographed his book for me the other day after all.  (Think)

 

It comes to me: “Mr. Owens (pause) we finally got a win last night, huh?” 

 

He slowly turns around and then acknowledges me with an enthusiastic but soft spoken, “Hello.”  Initially I didn’t mean to bug Roger- apparently I didn’t- Roger is a bit exuberant; he stands up from his seat and walks a few feet closer to me with something of importance to say.  For a second, the WORDS did not come out of his mouth but his lips were slightly moving. 

I am about to find out.    

 

“You know what?” He tells me, “A few crazy things happened to me the other night.”   Suddenly, my inquisitiveness level is at def con level 10.   “What was that Mr. Owens?” The tiny note book in my back pocket is on alerted, the back of my pants is flashing RED, on-and-off.      

 

“Well a customer at last night’s game approached me and he told me that his ‘sister’ called him on his cell phone- so I said, ‘Well what does she want.’  He told me his sister told him that he has to ‘get to Rodger; and find him.’  He tells me his sister says, ‘Tell him he was brought up on Jeopardy tonight!’”  I was stoked at this news.  “Really!,” I crammed in.  I could see that Roger was still taken back by this surprise.    

 

He continues to say, “You know the categories in Jeopardy, right? (I told him of course because I love the show) Well one of the categories just so happened to be: Peanuts.  So the woman (contestant) asks Alec for ‘Peanuts’ for $2,000.  Alec (Trabeck) says, ‘Who is the baseball peanut man that has a book written about him called The Perfect Pitch.’  The woman says ‘Rodger Owens’ and she gets the answer for correct for $2,000!”  This was super nerd trivia delight to know Roger had this recognition.  I expressed to him briefly how good I am at Jeopardy, and before departing to my Stand, I told him that the contestant knew the “Facts.”

 

 Totally Awesome . . .

 

 

The new items at the Stadium are just beginning to get my attention.  When did we start serving Pistachios?  It’s probably about time.  Bobby at Wetzel Pretzels is telling me that they are serving bacon wrapped Dodger Dogs.  What’s up with the Dodger inc. selling the same street food served by little abuelita who is making her duckets in between The Short Stop and Little Joy, down the street.  Wow!  First we are making Doyer Dogs and now we are making 2:00AM specials.  Also, the only Soft Serve Stand on the Stadium reserve level is now selling funnel cake!  So good, I should mention that the ladies working in that Stand are “Soft Serves” themselves because they are so sweet themselves.  Even the Cops give them hugs. 

 

These new changes are pretty cool but Bobby doesn’t like the extra work at the Pretzel Stand. 

 

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On break

 

The birds are playing at the top of the palm trees near the Club House entrance to the Stadium. Being at the top of the Reserve, the palms are face to face with me.  The wind pushes the trees around, non violently but the Palms seem too lazy to acquiesce. 

It sounds like:

-Chirp-Chirp-Chirp-    

-Chirp-Chirp-Chirp-   

-Chirp-Chirp-Chirp-  

 

 Birds

 

Quick flapping wings, dive bombing glides, the weekend storm’s left over wind throttle them; The clouds like goliath dragons, block the sun, they are flying north with their tails following, miles long. 

 

-Take a walk

 

-Nancy Bea is playing “Believe it or not I’m walking on air .  .” the theme song from the 1980’s show Greatest American Hero. 

 

-The Dodger Dream Foundation sponsoring the kids from the L.A.Z.E.R. program that is an advocate for the literary arts, culture, and education is in the house. Their main guy throws that first pitch.

 

-Tenor Dennis Mc Neill who has sung for 5 U.S. Presidents, according to the Dodger announcer, performed a crowd rousing National Anthem.  While I walk through the Stadium concourse during his song, I see a Police Officer take off his hat and bow his head to salute.  He is standing by the water fountain where he can only be seen by me. 

Jay Gibbons is on the Jumbo Tron saluting also.  Cool

 

-Mattingly’s number is 8! I did not realize this!

Awesome. 

The best number in the world- infinity.

 

-         The Giants fans are easy come easy go.  But they seem like band wagoners. 

 

-         Juan Castro is on the team again.  His forth stint.  Jumbo Tron stats on Castro say he was with us 1995-99, 09-10, 2011 and on.  Wait that is only three stints!

 

Whatever.

 

Kershaw does his best but Dodgers lose.

 

We have some work to do.   Go Dodgers!

 

84

Dragons

Kuroda to the Rescue & Kershaw Bobble Head Night

 

Kuroda (4-3) versus Randy Wolf (3-3)

 

“It’s going to be busy tonight,” I told my Lady co-workers.  The Stadium is giving out a Bobble head

tonight, after all.  But this isn’t the consensus in my Stand.  A few of my co-workers do not agree.  

 

“No it’s not, (the fans) are just going to get their bobble head and leave,” Mari told me.   Even

Hamburger Helper said the same thing to me.  No way Jose, I didn’t believe this for a second.

 Every bobble head game last season was busy as heck.  After all, tonight, our very own Clayton

Kershaw’s will be immortalized in bobble head collectordom, forever.  He is our Ace. Los Angeles

loves Kershaw.  I expect us to get slammed by the Beast tonight.  The prep work on the burger line

is ready: Pickle, lettuce, tomato, onions, and all. Next, I try to concentrate on my inner strength

and summon my old burger making form to come back to me.  While, I momentarily pumped

myself up, everyone else in the Stand was nonchalant.

 

It’s Burgertime. 

 

I wash my hands under some hot-hot water, incidentally, when I look to my right which is in the

direction of the Stand entrance, I see my Mom passing by walking to her stand.  She sees me and

smiles so big at me that my photographic memory instantly downloads the moment.  It was just for

a second but, Wow, it has been a while since I’ve seen her smile like that one.     

 

Ladies go on their Break-

 

I think I have mentioned this before that the Ladies of the Stand, on occasion, bring their own

lunch to eat.  Today Mari brought Spaghetti.  Since I was the last to come to work, I had to hold

down the fort while the Ladies go on their Break to eat some tasty pasta. 

 

Being in the Stand by myself started to get me thinking- I remembered that a few days back, the LA

Times took a poll regarding the 5 worst sports venues of all Sport venues.  Dodger Stadium was

ranked 5^th.  I imagined that this Stadium is like a space ship; the entire thing is like a space age

Titanic of architectural Futurism- The Stadium is a Space ship that crashed into the side of a big

rock in the Chavez Ravine.  I am its Captain at the controls, looking from my commanding post,

Dreaming.   

 

A Dodger Dog delivery comes to the Stand.  I count about a few dozen Dodger Dogs and place them

in at the front window.  The guy who brought the Dogs says, “Those guys got it easy.”  I look up to

see who his talking about.  Ahh!  He is referring to the Police that are passing by the Stand along

the concourse.  I guess he is right.  

 

After loading the Dodger Dogs, I see Mort Rose (the Vendor with the biggest heart) approach the

Stand.  He says something to me but I can’t hear him.  I gesture to him that I can’t hear him so Mort

walks up closer to the Stand window and he says, “They can’t get a hit.”  He is talking about the

Dodgers of course.  At least we have the same concerns.  I reminded him that the last 4 pitchers the

Dodgers have faced are decent if not better than most ERA numbers.  Mort added, “The pitching is

good.”  Not a very revealing conversation but ‘nuff  said.  At least Dodger pitching is keeping us in

each game.      

 

The radio is pumping 93.5 KDAY and it’s two for Tuesday, meaning two songs by the same

performers for each rotation.  The Fugees, Lauryn Hill vocal: “Foo laa laa laa,” gets me grooving. 

A  few songs later, Ice Cubes, “Today Was a Good Day,” also gets my head bobbing. Dope!

 

 The Ladies return.  I start to hustle on the Burger line.  “Tony!” Jazzy exclaims, “Slow down.” 

I take no heed of her words.  The burger slapping and assembling keeps on going at the turn of my

wrist.  Then Mari tells me, not to make so many burgers.  “Nope,” I say to myself.  It’s a Bobble

 head night, we are going to get swamped, these Ladies will soon see.  With my Awesome

Hamburger Helper, we manage to fill up the Stand window slots with all the food the Stand offers. 

Time for my break.

 

-  It rained earlier in the day so it is cold this evening. I see a “cute” couple wearing matching   

    Dodger jackets.  I can’t understand that stuff, matching. 

-  The Official Dodger Booster Club is being recognized on the field.  This group provides

    opportunities for “underprivileged” children the chance to go to Dodger games among other

    well-intended outreach efforts in the community. 

-  Today’s Veterans of the Game are a father and son combo, Paul and Jesse Varela.  Paul

    volunteered to serve America during the Vietnam War and his son Jesse followed his father’s

    footsteps by enlisting into the Army where he was a part of Desert Shield.  Jesse is so die hard

    Dodgers and such a romantic that he proposed to his wife at Dodger Stadium.  In fact, when Jesse

    returned from his deployment, the first thing he did when he got home was take his daughter Zoë

    to the Dodger game.  That’s a Varela for you, Nice!

-  An image of Minnesota Twins Harmon Killabrew is shown on the Jumbo Tron, next, the

Lastly,

- Dodger  Filed announcer speakes to the crowd to tell all in attendance that Killabrew had succumb

  to cancer after a lengthy battle that the Hall of Famer had only recently conceded too.  He had a   

  total of 573 homeruns, a 1969 MVP, and was the leading homerun hitter during the 1960’s. 

  Killabrew is described as “dignified, warm, classy, and a Hall of Famer of every sense.”  May he

  rest in Peace. 

 

The announcer asks for a moment of silence.  

 

    

 

 

 

     Harmon Killabrew 1936 – 2011.                  

          

A warm applause follows.

 

Season 7 American Idol contestant, David Archuleta, performs the National Anthem.  Seriously, I

wasn’t that impressed.

 

____________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

Back in the Stand I found my self in complete disbelief.  The Amazons of the Stand were on the

money.  I think it is safe to say that tonight is the weakest attendance for a Bobble head night ever. 

EVER! The Beast never arrived.  “I told you,” Hamburger Helper said to me.  “See, they just got

their Bobble heads and took off,” another warrior woman repeated.  I am convinced, that it looks

like the Joe Torre years of sold out games at Dodger Stadium are done.   

 

Mean while Kuroda is pitching like he is the Dodger Ace.  Being the stand up guy that we have

always know him to be on the mound, Hiroki K lifts us to a win and finally end the three game skids

we were on. 

 

The most impressive part of the game wasn’t Matt Kemps homer, and Kuroda’s pitching came

close, but it was Kuroda’s sweet sacrifice bunt that got me cheering. 

Loved it!    

 

At least we split the series with the Cerveceros (Brewers).  I can’t stand their first baseman, man. 

After the game my buddy and co-worker Damian tells me, “Normally I don’t inter act with the

crowd but when it came to Prince Fielder (up to bat) I booed him with the crowd.  I mean, I hate

Price Fielder, I HATE Prince Fielder,.” Agreed.  I can’t stand that butthead.

 

Go Dodgers

 

84

 

 

Three Loses in a Row, ARRG!

Dodgers Jon Garland versus Brewers Shaun Mercum

 

Over looking the Baseball field, the thought that our Dodgers can’t do any damage against teh opposing pitchers with a 3.00 ERA and below, really irks me.  I take a few notes down in my trusty pocket sized notebook and Roger Owens (Star Vendor and Master of the Double Bag Peanuts throw) catches me in the moment.  “Oh, are you writing in your diary?” he asks.  I tell him yes, kind of. 

 

Mr. Owens begins to reminisce about his early years.  I listen.  “When the Dodgers arrived to the Coliseum,” he tells me, “those were some hard times.  Man, it was a hard load when we used to walk up and down those stairs carrying 24 glass bottles of Coke; we would pour them into a cup (we had to bring our own bottle openers from home), and I would have to pour the drink into a cup, put the bottle back in the wooden box I carried all of my drinks around and then re-load with new drink later.  The load never got lighter.”  I ask him what his age was back then.  He tells me 15.  Isn’t that illegal?  We talk about the Vendors who started with him over 50 years ago at the Coliseum. 

 

“Yeah I started with Roy Allard, Roger says, “Do you know him?”

 

I tell him I didn’t.

 

Roger tells me, “He was the one that used to go around the Stadium yelling “PEANUTS! PEANUTS!” I told him I never met him but I do remember seeing someone hollering like crazy “PEANUTS!” a few years back.  I’m sure regulars on the Field Level remember Roy vividly. He was always yelling his head off while walking through the Field level. 
Perhaps many more remember this Roy Allard that is now but a memory to the Stadium since his retirement three seasons ago.

 

 

 

While assembling Bacon Swiss Chicken Sandwiches I start to think about whether it is going to rain, later in the night.  I hope it doesn’t, I left the skate ramps my industrial arts class built outside of my classroom.  If they get warped my students are going to give me shit.  I tell this to my co-worker Mari.  My Boss over hears the topic.

 

“It’s funny, Boss says, It never rains (here) but when it does it ruins your live.”  She is speaking in general terms.  She is right.  Meanwhile the rest of the world is enduring catastrophes. 

 

 

Break time-

 

Veteran of the Game is a soldier with the last name of Beltran.  The Dodger announcer says he was recently a part of a bomb diffusion team against the insurgents and the Taliban, in Afghanistan.  This guy has an iron heart for goodness sakes!  He receives a gratefully applauses from the crowd. 

 

A fellow named Eric Matsolf sings the National Anthem.  It was o.k. But nothing to write home to momma about. 

 

-         On the Dodger Jumbo Tron a video montage of Don Drysdale is playing for all to see.  What a sweet historic reminder of our beloved #2 punch pitcher, who famously followed #1 Sandy Kofax in the Dodger pitching rotation, for a number of years during the 60’s.  The clips portray a towering man, getting into a wind-up that is so massive I can imagine that he must have given the most feared hitters nightmares.  The sweetest feature of the video, besides Don’s glowing smile is a black and white shot of the Los Angeles Times front page that reads “Dodgers-1 win over New York (Yankees)- 0, to attain the World Series Championship.

      So AWESOME!

-         So we are playing the Milwaukee Brewers, this isn’t good for me.  I have a fantasy baseball league with Ryan Braun and Ricky Weeks on my team.  They are my top run producers.  But I have principles, damn it!  Garland has to shut these guys down. 

-         On the Jumbo Tron, Andre Either is featured for the daily “Player Profile.”  He says his favorite movie is “The Sandlot.”  Nice.

 

-         The game is in play, top of the second.  Uribe hits a pitch deep into left-center field, the ball is just about to clear the wall, when Brewer center fielder, Carlos Gomez leaps and nabs the ball just over the fringe to steal Uribe’s homer. I have never seen anyone rob a homer at the Stadium, ever.  It was awesome unfortunately. 

 

-         The Dodgers are up to bat after that big out.  Bottom of the second.  Ricky Weeks is up to bat.  Weeks rips Garlands pitch to deep left field, Jay Gibbons is on the run and reaches up in the air with his glove in full stride.  He grabs the ball and runs face first into the left field wall that is now a full on digital monitor.  Gibbons hits the floor and grabs his nose as he gets up.  I still don’t think that this flashy new digital wall is a good idea.  Gibbons was o.k., thankfully. 

-         Prince Fielder is up.  I hate him.  Damian hates him too.  Fielder gets a base hit on a hard ground off the mound that was to hard to handle for Short Stop Jamie Carroll.  It makes me sick. 

I go back to the Stand with a nasty taste in my mouth.

 

The work load is light, it’s everyone’s fourth day in the Stand and I think maybe I am getting on some of my coworkers nerves with my Main Spoon bossiness. 

My current Hamburger Helper says to me, “The volume of you voice is zero.” She tells me, “Its going in this eat and out the other one.”  Ouch!  The burger line was getting to small for both of us or I was just being to overly aggressive with my joking around, added with some poking fun-off, and a tad bit of my own arrogance.  My bad.

 

Dodgers Lose for the third night in a row.  No runs. Nuthing.

 

84

The Famous Peanut Man (the Bestest)

"The Perfect Pitch"

Im blogging about it and I havent even started reading it yet.

I will tomarrow.