Can you imagine working for years and years and realizing that you can't get a major league job because people think Rick Monday is good?

When I was nine, I met Vin and Jerry, and dreamed of being in the booth. I still broadcast games under my breath when I'm watching.

I live in Las Vegas, so I get to hear Russ Langer a bit. Good, solid broadcaster. And then I think not only of Monday but of guys like Steve Lyons, and I remember Red Barber and Harry Caray saying they told young people who asked them about becoming broadcasters, learn to hit the curve ball and you'll make it. What a shame that that has proved to be so true.

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the Padres "Mr. San Diego" Ted Leitner, and perennial homer Steve Physioc of the Angels immediately coming to mind.

As for me, I never dreamed of being an announcer, but I would have been unlikely for me to succeed even if I had. Those inky smoke clouds make it too hard for me to see the game.

If the name Vasgersian comes up, then we are living in end tims.

Great article Jon. I'd compare their situation to a minor leaguer who produces at every level, but is overlooked because they either don't have the tools (and aren't flashy) or the organization cares more about their bonus babies. Langer is an excellent announcer, far better than Rick Monday and Charley Steiner. I still can't understand how an announcer as bad as Monday can keep his job for so long. It might have something to do with him being a former Dodger "great" and for the flag burning incident.

(That's not to say I don't find Monday funny. I'll never forget one of Monday's calls of a Robin Ventura hit. It went something like this: "Ventura pokes one...dropping...going foul...back...HOME RUN!")

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Steiner seems more interested in talking about the Yankees and food rather than the Dodgers. He gets sidetracked very easily. Anyone remember the game in Milwalkee last year where Steiner and Lyons were eating hot dogs in the booth in the middle of the game. I remember hearing in the offseason that Lyons was going to take a job with as a color commentary man for the White Sox. Anyone know if this actually came to fruition?

Of course, Cards fans also loved Bo Hart as a second baseman. Maybe it was because he had the official St. Louis Cardinal fan haircut: the mullet.

Not a popular decision in the Mound City.

As someone descended from people from the St. Louis/Western Illinois area, I can say that my family is mullet-free.

Another mullet observation: Those with mullets typically have no sideburns. Coincidence?

26 Bob, I heard a new Cards radio guy the other day, but at the time I just thought it was a split squad broadcasting crew or something. Any idea who Shannon's new booth partner is?

John Rooney is his new partner, formerly of the White Sox.

Furcal is starting at shortstop. Kenny Lofton, who I feel is going to be an awesome table setter will bat 2nd. Nomar Garciaparra will bat 3rd with no Kent or Drew in the lineup. I really feel NG is poised for a huge season. Ledee and Alomar are going to get some AB's at the 4 and 5 holes. Bill Mueller who has been nothing short of phenomenal thus far is getting tuned up at the 6 spot which is where he will bat Opening Day. Cody Ross and Oscar Robles make up the 7.8. Brett Tomko who has been unhittably filthy this spring pitches and bats 9th. I love these evening spring games.

Including things like salad knives and sauce spoons?

John Rooney used to do the CBS Radio Game of the Week and did some games for Fox. I think he's good. And I bet White Sox fans who wanted good broadcasting turned down the sound on their TVs so they didn't have to hear Ken Harrelson.

As for our crew, my dad thinks that Rick Monday's middle name is Check That. And the day the Dodgers talked about having a color man instead of the Vinnie-style monologue, I knew it was a matter of time until they were discussing food and the quality of the team hotel.

2.00 ERA, 1.06 WHIP 2.64 K/BB.

See if you can remember who this go getter was.

Furcal leads off with a single. He steals 2nd. I absolutely love it that we have speed in the 1 and 2 slots. Lofton comes through with a single which scores Furcal, and Lofton with his speed and excellent base running skills coasts into 2nd. This is going to be a fun season.

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none of the Dodgers.

Q: What don't you miss about being the skipper of the Dodgers?

Lasorda: What I don't miss? I don't miss the losses.

Assuming you're not being facetious, is Ned's Nomar aquisition gold? (or.. GOLD?)

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If anyone has ever seen me eat (which is hard to do since I eat very fast), I wouldn't bother with such things.

As someone said on "The Simpsons" about Homer:

"He eats like a horse."
"No horses chew their food. He eats more like a duck."

70 - Thats almost as funny as Bret Tomko coming in to pitch for the Dodgers.

Ggane begins to loosen.

Gagne's intimidated. 4 pitch walk. LOL....

Hamulak and Brazoban loosening up.

Strikes out the side. That felt great.

As we pick up a 1/2 hour later Kuo has entered the game for the 2nd day in a row. Will he pass the Griddle test?

Replace "I feel" with "I hope, but have reason to expect" and finish the whole thing off with "but I know that Spring Training stats are completely meaningless, whether good or bad," and I agree 100%.

That's about what I deserved. Karma 1 GoBears 0.

By the way, did you guys know that Bill Mueller died for your sins?

By the way, Repko has dropped to .268/.362/.439 , but I don't think anyone will notice.

91. bluetahoe, if you are surprised by the negativity, most people here (not me), do not think there is enough "upside" on the dodgers.

92. But what if DePo signed these players? I guess I can understand low expectations for Lofton, but Nomar will hit, he is a proven hitter.

My thoughts on Aybar, oldbear, I really hope you see why he is not our 3B now. His defense has been awful this spring. I know hitting stats can be taken with a grain of salt, but there is no excuse for his poor defense. That is just one of the many reasons Mueller is our 3B.

On the other side of the coin, Nomar's just tuning up for the season. He's not here to take walks in March. He's swinging at pitches he normally won't swing at in the rgular season. He will be fine. He's a proven vet that will get the job done.

Lofton is here to get on base and create havoc on the paths so pitchers can't concentrate on Drew/Kent. Lofton's a sparkpug and an OBP machine. Sure he's old, but we need one for year for the kids to develop. Lofton is great stop gap. Kudos to Ned. Lofton struggled in the spring but I'm not worried. He's been through this spring training stuff enough. He'll come out of the gates like a firecracker when it all counts.

Yes, it's not all about stats at all in ST, it's about the approach of the players.

And I'm not saying that I am going to go out on a huge limb, and predict an under 4 ERA for Tomko, but if he actually listens to his catcher, he has always had the stuff.

No ones been negative. There may have been a joke or two. (I never got.)

OH NO!! Does oldbear post his Dodger hate on this site too. I'm sick of him sabotaging the game threads on the official site, so I thought I'd give this one a gander. They don't seem to do a game thread here. I guess I should have kept to the official site today. Oldbear didn't seem to sabotage todays thread. Bonnie made a funny crack abouthow good LoDuca looked in a Mets uniform. She was scared Oldbear was going to call her a LoDuca troll. LOL........

Not really. He just signed a 3-year contract. If anything, he had something to prove last year. He proved that his mediocre-at-best ERAs and low K-rates were not a fluke. The proof is in the multi-year, multi-million dollar pudding.

Call me Tony Parker.

His stellar career up until now earned him the contract.

I'd agree with Marty that Penny has something to prove, close, but not quite to the extent of Tomko. The sam