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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

Notebook City
2004-06-03 09:04
by Jon Weisman

  • Longtime, if not legendary, baseball writer Gordon Verrell of the Long Beach Press-Telegram is retiring. Verrell replaced Fred Claire on the Dodger beat when Claire came to work for the team in 1969, and Verrell stayed on the beat for 27 years. Doug Krikorian takes the time to pen a nice tribute.

  • John Wiebe has apparently been the only person in the state around following the condition of sidelined Dodger pitching prospect Joel Hanrahan. After some initial fears, the injury was "minor elbow soreness," according to Wiebe's e-mail from AAA Las Vegas play-by-play announcer Russ Langer, and Hanrahan is scheduled to return to the 51s rotation Friday, after Hideo Nomo's rehabilitation start tonight.

    Wiebe notes that Hanrahan is 1-1 with a 5.01 ERA, but that "of the 10 homers that he's allowed in his 41.1 IP, eight have been hit in the light air of Cashman Field (oddly, the other two came in one of the PCL's pitcher-friendliest places, Tacoma)." Even stranger, his ERA is nonetheless lower in Las Vegas than on the road.

  • As much as I would have like to have seen Edwin Jackson pitch in person last night, I felt fortunate to be able to flip channels and see the Angels' Vladimir Guerrero simply manhandle the Boston pitching staff for nine RBI. Talk about a real buzz at the ballpark - you could hear it through the airwaves.

  • Not only does pitching in Dodger Stadium help your ERA, but pitching in front of the Dodger defense does as well. Never get tired of seeing that illustrated. Jackson definitely benefited, with Cesar Izturis and Alex Cora making run-saving plays. Later in the game, Adrian Beltre proved again why Vin Scully calls him the best he has ever seen on the barehand pickup of a slow roller.

  • Tuesday night, Shawn Green was on first base with nobody out when Beltre lined to second base. Green returned to the base standing up, necessitating that he slow down as he approached, and was doubled off by about a foot. Had Green slid, he very likely would have been safe. Struggling at the plate, Green should have made the extra effort in a situation he could control.

  • Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig has decided to investigate the Raul Mondesi contract dance, according to the Times. Shouldn't this investigation have been executed before Mondesi's signing with the Angels was approved?

  • Did you guys catch the news that Giovanni Carrara is back in the Dodger organization?

  • There's a popularity contest over at The View From The Bleachers in which Dodger Thoughts is a candidate. Although I don't know how seriously to take a contest that includes this site but not such sites as The Cub Reporter. Bronx Banter and Mariner Musings, I've never won a popularity contest before, so I mention it here. And, by the looks of things, I still won't win. Curse you, Ducksnorts!

  • Meanwhile, according to a new Harris Poll, the Dodgers are tied as the ninth-most popular team in baseball. Harris surveyed "a nationwide cross section of 2,415 adults (aged 18 and over), of which 923 said they follow major league baseball." Most surprising results? Detroit soared in popularity from 15th to fifth, while the Angels dropped from 15th to 25th. Why am I writing about this? Probably because no one else is. I just want to be popular.

  • I had started becoming addicted to Wonkette before Wednesday's article in the Calendar section of the Times profiling her. Her coverage of the Washingtonienne scandal, I should probably be embarrassed to say, got me going there, but what keeps me coming back is her harsh but amusing presentation of the harsh but amusing news she digs up, such as this piece that trashes the glamour of the National Spelling Bee, televised today on ESPN2. I'm also hooked on Defamer.

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