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It appears over for former Dodger Tom Goodwin - who might belong on this list - but not for Hideo Nomo.
Although Goodwin has often been the subject of ridicule, this farewell by Roger Mooney of the Bradenton Herald is touching if you follow the link to read it to the end (even though the Maury Wills pupil bit has already been done to death in Dave Roberts profiles throughout this century):
ST. PETERSBURG - He was the hot prospect once. The first-round draft pick. The guy Maury Wills tutored each spring on the finer points of stealing a base.
Yes, Wills was there for all the speedsters in the Los Angeles farm system, but he always let Tom Goodwin know that he was the prized pupil.
Goodwin thought about that Wednesday morning as he sat in a chair in the visitor's bullpen at Dodgertown before Tampa Bay's game with the Dodgers. He thought about his first big league camp, his first big league game, his first big league hit.
"I sat there and look out at the field, and it all came back to me," Goodwin said. "I thought this is where it all started. I thought that not knowing what would happen (Thursday). That it could be my last game."
It was.
Meanwhile, Mooney reports that Nomo allowed two hits over six innings while strking out five against the Reds on Thursday, showing improved velocity and location.
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Giants manager Felipe Alou will serve a one-game suspension on Day 2 of the regular season, April 6 against the Dodgers. The Assciated Press reports that Alou's suspension relates to the three-game suspension given to former Giants relief pitcher Dustin Hermanson, now with the White Sox, for intentionally throwing at former Astros second baseman Jeff Kent, now with the Dodgers.
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Steve at Fire Jim Tracy has reaction to Bill Plaschke's latest covered. Head over there to comment.
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Update: Nick Christensen of the Las Vegas Sun has the perspective from the Dodgers' top minor-league team, the 51s:
Las Vegas 51s manager Jerry Royster has worked his way back to Triple-A camp at the Dodgers' spring training complex in Vero Beach, Fla.
Now, he just needs a team to join him.
"There's just not that many guys that are here" at minor league camp, Royster said. "It would probably have been better for me if I had stayed with the major league team. That's where the bulk of my team is. It's where both of my potential catchers are, that's where the outfielders are, and where the middle infielders are.
"I think my entire starting rotation, other than maybe (Joel) Hanrahan, are up there."
I ridiculed Goodwin, until he went over the Giants in 2002 and kicked LA's butt with some key hits in crucial games. I was outraged! Why didn't he ever hit like that for us? Anyway, I hope someone picks him up. Maybe the Yankees can use him to back up Bernie.
Worst moment for me as a Dodgers fan was seeing Nomo getting roughed up last season at Dodger Stadium against the Giants, and hearing the crowd boo him. And understanding why the crowd was so peeved. I was sitting there in my home Nomo jersey absolutely heartbroken.
WWSH
How's this for a burried, offhanded slap at the dodgers:
Top 5 teams you'd like to see MLB contract or relocate:
Matt (Romig) Says:
1. Tampa Bay Devil Rays
2. Milwaukee Brewers
3. Oakland A's
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Los Angeles Dodgers
http://fantasysports.yahoo.com/analysis/news?slug=bf-highfives_032405&prov=yhoo&type=lgns&league=fantasy/mlb
Tom Goodwin, at the time, was not just fast for baseball. He was fast, period. I mean, we're talking Olympic speed. I never saw anyone faster from second to home.
Why is this intersting? Because at no time in his career was Tom Goodwin ever considered that fast. Speedy guy, sure, but never the kind of speed he seemed to have in Fairbanks, AK. Was it only what all of us up there at the time thought was true or did something to take him from supersonic fast to just plain old fast?
I knew a guy who worked in Great Falls, Montana. He was there when the Dodgers A-ball team had Pedro Martinez, Raul Mondesi, among others. The best player he saw up there--and he had plenty of company to support this opinion--was Mike Busch. Yeah, today he shakes his head while saying it but he'll also tell you that back then, everyone was talking about what a great player Busch was.
Best high school basketball player I ever saw? It's a tie between Ed O'Bannon and John Williams. Best running back I saw in high school? Russel White. Those are three names that I would've bet would make plenty of all-star teams at the professional level of their respective sports.
I would've thought it was a sure thing that Tom Goodwin, while perhaps not being a great player, would enter Major League Baseball with electric speed. Didn't happen and darned if I know why.
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Funny, the first memory I have of Tom Goodwin is watching him play in the Olympics, shortly after the Dodgers drafted him.
It was also Eric Karros's first appearance, but only as a pinch runner (!) for Mike Sharperson (RIP) and a 9th-inning defensive replacement at 1B.
Dodgers beat the Cubs 12-3. Thank you, Retrosheet.
If Doug Glanville has no job in baseball, where will Jayson Stark get jokes for his columns?
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