After starting the season 10-0 the Dodgers lost their first game of the season on this day in 1955. They lost to the Giants 5-4 at Ebbets Field. The tying run failed to score on a suicide squeeze when Don Zimmer was thrown out at the plate.

I wouldn't want to be facing a big league pitcher throwing a pitch in on my fists in that weather.

On the "spending too much time looking at this blog" front, I culled the boks mentioned/recommended in last night's thread. Here's the list if you're interested . . .

Baseball books recommended or mentioned by Dodger Thoughts readers (April 21, 2005)
note -- some of these were liked, some less so, search the April 21 game thread for more info.

Voices of the Game
Moneyball
Boys of Summer
I Never Had it Made
Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy
Baseball Before We Knew It
National Pastime: How Americans Play Baseball and the Rest of the World Plays Soccer
Game Time
The Last Great Season
Rampersand's Jackie Robinson: A Biography
A Whole Different Ball Game
Stolen Season
Willie's Time (warning Giants-related)
Nice Guys Finish Last
Bums
Nine Innings
The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract
The Great American Novel
The Natural
True Blue
The Glory of Their Times
My 30 Years in Dodger Blue
Prophet of the Sandlots (spoiler alert -- if you read the thread on this there's a surprise ending giveaway)

RE: 5. Is Moneyball a must? Good stuff?

Why does this make me so happy?

On the other hand, the hot hitting and prospects of one Victor Diaz make me very unhappy....

I also highly recommend:

Men At Work by George Will

I think this may be the best baseball book I've ever read.

I'd also recommend

The Numbers Game by Alan schwartz

It's about the evolution of stats in baseball. very interesting stuff.

And of course, every self-respecting baseball fan should read "The Great American Baseball Card Flipping, Trading, and Bubble Gum Book."

The Lords of the Realm
Veeck as in Wreck

WWSH

Having said all that, it seems Moneyball would be right up my alley. Plus, as a longtime Dodger fan and already a HUGE fan, who wouldn't be, of the "new" Dodgers, I should really read Moneyball for DePo backstory.

Now, on with the game!

If you are into the front office type of stuff, both of the books I recommended would be up your alley.

In different ways, both of the books show the politics involved with the owners throughout the years. "The Lords" is more in depth and has quite a bit to do with labor relations.

"Veeck" is more about Bill Veeck (obviously) and it shows some of the crap he had to deal with because he was a bit of a rebel.

# Bang the Drum Slowly by Mark Harris (which I've read)
# The Celebrant by Eric Rolfe Greenberg (I know nothing)
# The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings by William Brashler (I've read this)

For juveniles, the John R Tunis books are very good ("The Kid from Tompkinsville", etc.)

Sam, you might also want to read "Shoeless Joe" by W.P. Kinsella. He wrote other fictional baseball books, but this one was his best IMO.

Agreed. I mentioned this book yesterday... lots of good quotes. You're right in that it's probably better for a younger fan, but I'd venture that there is a good deal of info in there that older fans would be interested in.

If Weaver pitches better with Bako behind the plate, then by all means let's have Bako be his personal catcher.

but it is coors field. anything can happen there

Unrelated note: who wants to keep track of how many times Vin references the fact that the Dodgers got into Denver at 4:00 this morning? Just watching intermittently since the start of the game, I've counted three versions of this story.

Oops, four, he just mentioned it again on the heels of Hawpe's home run.

0,8,0,4,0,8,0,7...

0,8,0,4,0,8,0,7...*

I should have read that before I posted.

look for another shutout from Weaver when the Rockies come into town next weekend

The media tried but Ozzie Guillen cursed them out for it.

My husband, who is coaching my son's LL team is enjoying "The Dodger Way to Play Baseball" by Al Campanis. I think that I bought it at Dodger Stadium ages ago (before the incident with Campanis) because I liked the cartoon on the front.

The paperback edition is great, because Lewis fires back at the people who trashed the book. He called sportswriters the "Women's Auxillery" to the Good Ol Boys club, openly trashed Tracy Ringolsby, Richard Griffith, Joe Morgan and others. It's great. And it's not venemous, it's very well written. If you own the hardcover, next time you're in a bookstore read the addition.

I must admit that I was prejudiced against it until I started reading it. Now I'm fascinated.

Haven't given up on this game yet....but why didn't Weaver fly in early?

Well, there's always tomorrow!

What's the temperature in Coors?

It may be too cold for Penny to start Sunday.

Regression to the mean stinks!

I guess you could see this result coming. Dodgers hot, Jennings due to win, travel schedule etc.

Submariners are generally considered to put less stress on their arm while pitching, right? Is the same true for sidearmers?

I'd also be happy if the Dodgers score a few runs for some momentum to carry into tomorrow. The Rockies were due to catch a few breaks, while we were due to have a few go against us--throw in the fact that this is the tail-end of the road trip and the fact that the Rox play much better at home and here we stand down 9 zip.

With the way the weather is turning out, it looks we really will get Houlton as the starter on Sunday.

WWSH

I did mention Jim Bouton's "Ball Four" in yesterday's comment. I think that book is a great read for the inside look at that era of baseball. Before the players became "out of touch with the common man" or filthy rich. The first book to break the code of silence of what when on during a mlb season. Seems quaint now but it was earth shattering when it was released.

My pet peeve is the dodgers having a Triple A squad in Vegas or Albuquerque(which I have posted many times). Makes no sense to have such a disparity when you could put a team anywhere.

WWSH

Pitcher Elmer Dessens has been diagnosed with a Bennett's lesion, a mineralization of the glenoid labral cavity in the lower back of the shoulder.

I hate when that happens to me.

The who with the what now?

He's got a lesion (aka injury), which is a mineral buildup (like calcium) in a part of his shoulder. So he didn't tear anything (like a rotator cuff or labrum). He's just got an owie.

This game is reminding me of "Rocky Mountain Way" for all the wrong reasons.

Repko played SS when he was younger, let's have a Repko/Choi middle IF.

Well, it is Friday.

Plaschke's definitely gonna have some crude comments about this game.

Now they are saying Penny might not start on Sunday with the weather in CO. Might there be a little too much pressure on him starting at home on Monday night?

Just kidding. I have no idea but I do find it strange as well.

There's always one NL Central team that the Dodgers play with 4 games in one city and 2 in the other.

And after Sunday the Dodgers go right back home for three with Arizona and then get a day off at home Thursday before the Rox and Nats come in.

Here's the MLB.com article about the change.
http://tinyurl.com/9pkbv