As spring training begins this week, the last thing a Major League Baseball team wants to do is wake up a sleeping opponent.Yes, the Los Angeles Dodgers have been sleeping for years.Yes, the Padres have totally dominated them in head-to-head competition.So, why did Padres’ General Manager Kevin Towers wake up the Dodgers with the following statements at a recent luncheon concerning the Padres-Dodgers exhibition games March 15-16 in Beijing, China?“My hope is we can kick their tails over there and give them a little taste of what we're going to give them over the course of the season,” Towers said, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.Whoops, sounds like the Padres are already bragging about their dominance over the Dodgers.Don’t think for a second that the Dodgers won’t have those comments posted in their clubhouse when they play the Padres this year, beginning with an April 4-6 series in San Diego!
Senator John McCain, who served in the military during the Vietnam War, criticized his Republican opponents for their failure to serve in the military. In discussion of issues such as torture, he said, “There’s a clear division between those who have a military background and experience in these issues and people like Giuliani, Romney [...]
The Padres better not look back, because someone could be gaining on them.And that someone is none other than the Dodgers.When Joe Torre becomes manager of the Dodgers, it could create a domino effect. Don’t be surprised if former Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez follows, which is just exactly what the Dodgers need.If the Dodgers had a black hole last year (besides pitching injuries), it was third base. And A-Rod is only the best in the business at that position, which could make the Dodgers a contender in 2008.Already, the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks have clearly surpassed the Padres. If the Dodgers sign A-Rod, the Padres could be staring fourth-place in the face next season.The Padres already need a second baseman, (most likely) a center fielder if/when Mike Cameron leaves in free agency, and a right fielder. Brian Giles must move to left field where he has less ground to cover.The post-World Series offseason has barely begun, yet the Padres already have some catc
How about those Dodgers?Eight losses in nine games. Fourteen losses in the last 18.Shutout twice in a row; three times in the last four games.The Dodgers is dead … or are they?Remember last season. This is the same team that lost 13 of 14 coming out of the All-Star break, then won 15 of its next 16.Can the Dodgers do it again? The odds don’t seem likely.They have fallen into a third-place tie with Colorado, four games behind NL West-leading Arizona. They are three games behind the second-place Padres.“The good thing is, it's August 7 and ask anybody in here, we haven't played our best baseball all year,” losing pitcher Mark Hendrickson told Dodgers.com last night. “Hopefully, we can turn it around and pick up the morale. Who knows what we can do and what kind of streak we can get on?”We’ll see.
Good for the Dodgers!They have partnered with the Professional Baseball Strength and Conditioning Coaches Society and the Taylor Hooton Foundation to host a steroids awareness clinic for local youth at Dodger Stadium today.More than 100 kids from local little leagues and RBI (Reviving Baseball in the Inner City) are expected to participate. The children will receive instruction in nutrition, proper strength training, the medical implications of using steroids, and hitting. Also, a representative from the Drug Enforcement Agency will be on hand to discuss the legal repercussions of using steroids.The Taylor Hooton Foundation was founded by his parents, family and friends. Hooton, a 17-year old high school athlete from Plano, Texas, took his own life on July 15, 2003, as a result of the abuse of anabolic steroids. Hooton was the nephew of former Dodger pitcher Burt “Hoot Owl” Hooton (1975-84).The foundation serves to combat the illegal use and abuse of anabolic steroids which is a gr
You’ve heard of people throwing teammates under the bus, but how about throwing somebody off the bus?According to eyewitnesses, that’s what happened to Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Jonathan Broxton after he blew a save last Thursday in San Diego.The situation: Broxton allowed five runs in the bottom of the ninth as the Padres scored an unlikely 6-5 win over the Dodgers.Later, as Broxton approached the bus, some teammates took note.“They started shaking their fingers at him as if to say ‘no,’” said an eyewitness. “Then they closed the door and the bus took off.”Broxton then had to hail a cab for the long ride home to Los Angeles, witnesses said. He wasn’t far behind teammates Nomar Garciaparra and Luis Gonzalez, who rode home in the comfort of a limo.See if Broxton ever blows a four-run lead again!
The Padres are taking this much more seriously than the Los Angeles Dodgers.Starting tonight, the teams play a three-game series at Petco Park.The Padres are pitching their top three starters. In turn, the Dodgers are going with their Nos. 3-5 starters.Coincidence?Yes and no.San Diego rearranged its rotation partly so that ace Jake Peavy will pitch the third game of the series. He follows Chris Young and Greg Maddux.In the series opener, Los Angeles is pitching Jason Schmidt, who traditionally gets beat up by the Padres. That’s the same Schmidt who is coming off the disabled list.The Dodgers could have pitched Schmidt last night in Pittsburgh and moved ace Derek Lowe back a day to face the Padres. And, yes, Lowe is a Padre killer.On pitching match-ups alone, the Padres appear more interested in focusing specifically on this one series.We’ll find out which team is using the best strategy over the next three days.
On June 18, I posted about the Denver Boot. Coincidently on that same day tough new wheel-clamping laws came into force in Victoria on 18th August, and so now Sheriff's officers patrol car parks across the state on the look out for drivers with unpaid fines for traffic offences, parking tickets, public transport fare evasion and other offences. Officers now carry Eftpos machines so fine dodgers can pay their dues on the spot.
Fine dodgers were given warnings over the last month that their cars would be clamped if they did not pay up. The Government sees wheel clamping as one way to get the money owed. Sheriff's officers are now able to check if a driver has unpaid fines through registration details and the new laws give officers the power to keep wheel clamps on cars until fines are paid. Furthermore, defaulters also face driver's licence and motor vehicle registration suspension, payments deducted directly from your wages and even sale of property.
Does this happen in your part of t
The Dodgers keep gaining the NL West with a 6-2 win over the Diamondbacks. Derek Lowe ended a streak of four poor starts with seven good innings, allowing just one run. The Dodgers could use Lowe returning to form for...
Show All