Baseball Toaster Dodger Thoughts
Help
Jon Weisman's outlet
for dealing psychologically
with the Los Angeles Dodgers
and baseball.
Frozen Toast
Search
Google Search
Web
Toaster
Dodger Thoughts
Archives

2009
02  01 

2008
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2007
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2006
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2005
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2004
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2003
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2002
09  08  07 
About Jon
Thank You For Not ...

1) using profanity or any euphemisms for profanity
2) personally attacking other commenters
3) baiting other commenters
4) arguing for the sake of arguing
5) discussing politics
6) using hyperbole when something less will suffice
7) using sarcasm in a way that can be misinterpreted negatively
8) making the same point over and over again
9) typing "no-hitter" or "perfect game" to describe either in progress
10) being annoyed by the existence of this list
11) commenting under the obvious influence
12) claiming your opinion isn't allowed when it's just being disagreed with

Charmed, IÕm (Sort of) Sure
2003-01-30 10:37
by Jon Weisman

Charmed, IÕm (Sort of) Sure

Since 1991, IÕve been keeping track of how well the Dodgers do when I attend games versus when I donÕt. IÕve been faithful at it, and have only been betrayed by a couple of computer crashes.

Here are the numbers:
(Note: I have seen the Dodgers on the road a couple of times in this period, but IÕm still only going to compare to their home record.)

2002: 46-35 (.568) overall, 16-14 (.533) with me
2001: 44-37 (.543) overall, 20-17 (.541) with me
2000: 44-37 (.543) overall, 14-9 (.609) with me
1999: 37-44 (.457) overall, 20-21 (.488) with me
1998: 48-33 (.593) overall, 20-22 (.476) with me
1997: 47-34 (.580) overall, 43-31 (.581) with me
1996: 47-34 (.580) overall, 35-26 (.574) with me
1995: 39-33 (.542) overall, 16-10 (.615) with me
1994: 33-22 (.600) overall, 19-11 (.633) with me
1993: 41-40 (.506) overall, 4-5 (.444) with me
1992: 37-44 (.457) overall, 17-19 (.472) with me
1991: 54-27 (.667) overall, 26-12 (.684) with me
Total: 517-420 (.551) overall, 250-197 (.559) with me

Prorated over a 162-game season, the Dodgers would win 90.5 games with me attending, 89.2 games without me.

Given the fact that I enjoy attending games against good opponents rather than bad ones, this statistically irrefutable evidence of my value is sort of cool. On the other hand, I tried to avoid days that guys like Kevin Gross or Tom Candiotti would pitch when I could (though I always seemed to end up seeing Candiotti anyway.)

My luckiest year appears to be 1995, while in '98 I could hardly buy a win.

I spent most of 1993, by the way, in Washington D.C. in graduate school. The years of 1996-1997, on the other hand, were marked by much time spent being single and unemployed in Los Angeles. In any case, I know I'm not Vin Scully, but 447 games in 12 years is a little impressive, isn't it?

* * *

Whenever I come home from a game, again almost without fail, I write a one-line summary of what was memorable. I skimmed them last night and picked out some of the more fun or interesting entries:

1992
April 17 Dodgers 7, Braves 5 with Mom (2), Dad (2), Grandma Sue (1). StrawÕs 2 homers rally team from 4-1.
April 29 Phillies 7, Dodgers 3 with Gary (1), Greg (5), Beth (2). Stadium clears out on night of King riots
June 30 Padres 2, Dodgers 1 with Dad (16), Greg (10), Beth (5). Harris PR, Javier PH, LasordaÕs an idiot.
July 3 Dodgers 2, Phillies 0 with Dad (18), Mom (12). A running, leaping Astacio hurls 10-K 3-hitter in debut.

1995
June 7 Dodgers 7, Expos 1 with Dad (4) Mondesi homers, Offerman on fire, Nomo pitches out of bases full in 1st
July 16 Marlins 5, Dodgers 2 with James (3), Robyn (1). This team has no backbone.
Sept. 22 Dodgers 6, Padres 5 with John (2), Mary (1). Dodgers score 4 off Fernando, have to squeak by.

1997
April 9 Dodgers 3, Mets 2 (14) with Jim (1). More feeble offense - 26 out in a row combined by the two teams. Piazza GW single.
June 30 Rangers 3, Dodgers 2 with Dad (24). Witt hits first AL P HR in 25 years. Mondesi, Piazza HR. Never led.
July 25 Dodgers 8, Phillies 1. Piazza, Karros 3RHR, 4RBI. Park 8 IP. Kid throws away foul ball, gets hit.
Sept. 7 Dodgers 9, Marlins 5 with Dad (32) This time up 5-0 and hanging on. Zeile GS, on base 11 straight times.
Sept. 21 Rockies 10, Dodgers 5 with Eileen (4), Lance (3). Piazza HR out of stadium, Mondesi HR, 5-1 lead, roof caves in.

1998
5/15 Expos 4, Dodgers 2 - the night of the trade
6/12 Dodgers 2, Rockies 1. Foul Ball!!! Mondesi HR in 5th ends perfect game, Young HR in 8th.
6/13 Rockies 4, Dodgers 2. Triple Play!!!
6/24 Dodgers 6, Angels 5 (11). Beltre debut: 2 for 5. Luke gets winning run.

1999
4/5 W Arizona 8-6 (11) Mondesi Day! 3-r HR in 9th, 2-r HR in 11th
4/23 L St. Louis, 5-12. GRAND SLAM RECORD - 2 by Tatis in third inning!
5/22 W St. Louis, 10-7. McGwire hits the roof and clears the park on one of two HR
8/28 L Chicago, 0-6. SosaÕs 54th in 7th off Dreifort breaks 0-0 tie. Farnsworth 2-hitter. Shutouts!
9/12 L New York, 10-3. Gagne sharp through 5 2/3, 3-2 on Piazza, then all lost.
9/22 L San Francisco, 5-4. Bullpen loses lead for Valdes. FOUL BALL #3, off Mondesi in 2nd!

2000
7/17 Dodgers 9, Pirates 6 Dana, Robyn, Gwin. Dreifort HBP on foot with bases loaded for go-ahead run.
9/27 Giants 4, Dodgers 0 Dad, Mom, Dana, Greg. Prokopec gives up HR and 3-R 2B in 4th. Too many food lines are closed.

2001
5/27 Dodgers 5, Astros 4 (12) Dad Dreifort 1H through 7IP, then Berkman 2-R HR in 8th and 12th. Dodgers 3 in bottom 12th (Berkman error). FOUL BALL
5/28 Dodgers 11, Rockies 10 (11) Dad LoDuca 6 for 6! Dodgers rally from 8-3 deficit.
6/24 Padres 6, Dodgers 1 Dana, Lenny, Lisa. Dreifort 0H through 4, out by 6. Eaton pitches three-hitter.
7/6 Mariners 13, Dodgers 0 Dana, Sky, Jon F., Elizabeth, Seth. Ichiro homers in first at-bat. Garcia 5 1/3 no-hit innings.
8/14 Expos 4, Dodgers 1 Park nono through 5 2/3, shutout through 8th, but Shaw allows four in ninth. 10 walks for Dodgers wasted.
8/30 Dodgers 5, Rockies 4 Dad. Dodgers hang on despite Park and ShawÕs rocky performances, HeltonÕs foul balls (60+ in series).
9/23 Giants 2, Dodgers 1 Bonds #67 wins it

2002
4/2 Giants 9, Dodgers 2 Bonds 2 HR, Brown pounded
4/3 Giants 12, Dodgers 0 Bonds 2 more HR, Nomo & Mulholland pounded
4/4 Giants 3, Dodgers 0 Dodgers scoreless for 25 innings
5/26 Dodgers 5, Brewers 3 Green hits 10th HR in 7 games
8/28 Dodgers 1, Arizona 0 Perez HR in 5th wins it. He goes 8 innings.

Two games from 1997 deserve elaboration. Yes, in one that I saw, a young boy got a foul ball, threw it away, and was punched by his father.
And the one saying Todd Zeile was on base 11 straight times? Is that possible? Todd Zeile???

Comment status: comments have been closed. Baseball Toaster is now out of business.