I really hope we don't put in those stupid Yankee hair rules. I don't want to be annoyed with Joe Torre so soon.

First time long time, Jon...great blog and thanks for your efforts. Long time Dodgers fan living in NJ.
Saw this on mlbtraderumors.com tonight:

Four Teams Considering Trot Nixon
According to ESPN's Jerry Crasnick, four teams watched 33 year-old outfielder Trot Nixon audition in Tucson today: the D'Backs, Blue Jays, Mariners, and Dodgers. Nixon earned $4MM in '07 while hitting .251/.342/.336 for the Tribe in 354 plate appearances. He was pretty much injury-free.

Nixon's calling card had typically been his ability to rake right-handed pitching. He hit .256/.352/.345 against righties in '07, drawing plenty of walks but displaying no power. Rather than a platoon he seems in line for a bench job this year

Why do we need him? we already have a 3 left-handed hitting left fielders in Ethier, Pierre and Young-although he is a switch hitter.
I read a rumor a few weeks back that LA had interest in Blanton, and that if Ethier went in the deal, LA would look to sign Shawn Green. Probably just a rumor, and wasn't sure it was posted here already as I do not read all the comments.
Looking forward to a great year. There will be alot of late nights here watching the 10:00 games.

from Amazin' Avenue

Tom Seaver

Year(s) with the Mets: 1967-1977,1983

How'd he wind up here? Signed with the Mets as an amateur free agent on 4/3/1966. Seaver was originally drafted by the Dodgers in the 10th round of the 1965 draft but the two sides couldn't come to terms on a contract. He was drafted first overall by the Braves in 1966 and promptly signed a contract with them, but the deal was voided by the commissioner.

Never knew that!!

Furcal
Martin
Kemp
Andruw
Kent
Loney
Ethier
Laroche

UCLA 10-2, 22-3
Stan 10-3, 21-4
WSU 8-5, 20-5
ASU 6-6, 16-8
___ 6-6, 16-9
USC 6-6, 15-9
Ore 6-7, 15-10
Cal 6-7, 15-9
UW 5-8, 14-12
OSU 0-13, 6-19

Next week: Oregonians in Greater Los Angeles, Evergreen State teams in the Copper State, Bay Area showdown.

The 6 other teams will be battling it out until the final weekend.

There are 27 more conference games to be played.

5 would have to be lost by OSU. UCLA, Stanford, and Washington State would have to lose a bunch of games.

http://tinyurl.com/3dtmyn

"Gameday must be broke."

vr, Xei

The game was certainly dramatic but (and I may be alone here) I've never been able to get all that excited about Finley's home run. Werth had already tied the game and taken the pressure off all we needed from Finley was a (fairly deep) fly ball. Finley's home run doesn't make my top ten Dodgers highlights. Of course, I've seen quite a few of them. :-)

Former USC quarterback Matt Leinart, his ex-girlfriend and USC basketball player Brynn Cameron and their young son Cole sat together courtside. USC football coach Pete Carroll and Los Angeles Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy were there. Mayo's mother Alisha, who lives in Huntington, W.Va., attended her first USC home game.

The LoDuca-Penny trade occured just as I was prepping my move away from LA. I learned very quickly about Fox's stupid blackout rules on Saturday day games, as I was forced to listen to Steve Finley's HR on Gameday audio. I remember it being the first inkling of doubt that I had done the right thing switching coasts.

Brazoban was acquired earlier than Penny, but was in the minors. Of course, if you're going by when they joined the organization, then the longest-tenured Dodger is probably James Loney.

Penny, Lowe, Billingsley, Kuroda, Park

I recall Park making his debut in the United States on the major league roster in 94 without any minor league experience, if I'm not mistaken, before he and Dreifort were sent down to the minors...

Yeah, I know, I should've stopped after "According to TJ Simers...."

Choosing between 4+1 and Finley is like trying to choose between Alyssa Milano and Danica McKellar. I'd like to just call them both even.

http://tinyurl.com/yruvp9

Of course, I'm still mad that I never got to see the Finley grand slam. I was in Seattle, and the local Fox affiliate refused to switch to the Dodgers-Giants game even after the Angels-A's game was over. I called one of my friends, who gave me play by play (he's much worse than Vin Scully) of the entire 9th inning over the phone!

Have they redefined the word "rake?"

UCLA: +5 (10-2; Pomeroy rank 3); 4 home / 2 away remaining
Stanford: +4 (10-3; 12); 3/2
Wash St: +2 (8-5; 9); 3/2
USC: +1 (6-6; 27); 4/2
Arizona: -1 (6-6; 20); 2/4
ASU: -1 (6-6; 41); 2/4
Oregon: -1 (6-7; 40); 2/3
Cal: -1 (6-7; 45); 2/3
Washington: -2 (5-8; 56); 2/3
Oregon St: -6 (0-13; 178); 3/2

When it comes time to consider the teams '08 record at this point I would subtract 2 wins for the cluster-bomb that spring training is shaping up like. Of course there is time to adjust that, but I'm afraid it is likely to be adjusted downward.(wins that is)

It's elaborate, but it doesn't really seem that clever to me.

Personally, I think it meant so much to so many people because it defined the moment the Dodgers FINALLY got back to the playoffs after what seemed like an eternity. For many of the younger generation, it was probably the first time they saw the Dodgers in the playoffs to boot. Plus, I think it was vindication for a lot of the guys who had been on the team for 4-6 years and never got the job done i.e. Green, Cora, Izzy, Beltre, etc...
I guess I'm a little biased too as I was at the game and it was one of the most awesome live sports experiences I have ever had. That place was absolutely electric after that HR and it seemed liked nobody wanted to leave, or the moment to end for that matter.

I guess my point is that Finley's was more of the traditional, big-game homerun that everyone hoped and prayed for. 4+1 was wonderful, but just as surreal and literally unbelievable. I guess it just depends on what you appreciate more--the pure drama of the moment, or the deviation that the moment represents from everything you think is likely or even possible.

As for me, I remember saying after the Finley homerun, "wow, I've just witnessed the greatest sporting moment I will ever see in person." At 4+1 I had just come home from a long trip where I had been really heartbroken by some girl, and I was still really depressed. I remember thinking, "I thought I'd never see a greater sporting moment in person than Finley, but that was it." I was angrier at the girl for casting a pall over 4+1 than rejecting me in the first place.