Neat article by Brad Ausmus

Who knew Brad Ausmus was such a great writer? He really should become a journalist once he hangs up the cleats.

You Guys Just Can't Get Enough

Written for ESPN magazine back in 2007

Anyone hear when Ausmus got the pilot to relay a joke while the team was in flight? (This was back when he was with the Astros). Didn't know Ausmus was such a character!

ITunes MLB Games of the Year

Two weeks into the season and here's what they have to offer...

4/3 Cubs at Yankees (Spring Training) - Yanks open Stadium with power-full win
4/5 Braves at Phillies - Cool, calm Lowe tosses gem in debut
4/8 Braves at Phillies - Phis look like champs after getting rings
4/10 Red Sox at Angels - Angels fight off pain, rally past Red Sox
4/16 Indians at Yankees - Indians spoil Yankee Stadium Opener
4/17 Brewers at Mets - Sheffield clubs 500, Mets walk off

Hmmm notice something here? Can you say EAST COAST BIAS!!! Not a single Western division team (except for the ONE Angels game after Nick Adenhart's death). And every single game has an Eastern division team. GRRRRRR I get it. They can't post every game where a player hits their first home run for their new team (as requested in lots of the reviews on Itunes). And they can't post every game or every team or even a game per day. I know a lot of times they only offer mile stone games or some really big games ... but come on... a Spring Training game? Lowe's Braves debut? Yankee Stadium Opener (and not Citi Field Opener)?

If we lived in a perfect world, every team would be able to offer their fans the chance to buy and download any game they want. Personally, I'd have a tough time because I would buy so many games! To start off, I'd buy every game I went to. Then, I'd buy the ones I think were really good that I missed or should've gone to or my favorite players did really well. I still have a few older games to purchase on Itunes. Just haven't gotten around to it.

What games do I think they should add?
1) Dodgers Home Opener 4-13-09 Orlando Hudson hits for the cycle (in fact, they should have Ian Kinsler's cycle game too - on Jackie Robinson night no less). Not only does O-Dog become the first Dodger in what? 30 years? to hit for the cycle... but Billingsley strikes out 11 along the way. On top of that ... It's RANDY JOHNSON pitching for the Giants.

2) Athletics at Angels 4-8-09 (I think that's the right date). Nick Adenhart's final game. Need I say more?

3) Rockies at Dodgers 4-18-09 Manny Ramirez clubs two homers against the Rockies, becoming the 11th player to homer against all active 30 teams. Without looking it up, can you name any of the ten other players???

4) For the fun of it, Dodgers at Padres 4-6-09 The season opener where the Dodgers beat JAKE PEAVY for the first time in ... a long time

Okay, so I'm a little Dodgers biased but that's the only team I really watch. And two of the three games I suggested are pretty big deals, wouldn't you say so? I'd say beating Peavy was a big deal to the Dodgers too. I'm sure there are other games out there that other fans want (like Kinsler's cycle, the Indians huge win over the Yanks, or Pujols' grand slam)... so far, what game this year do you think Itunes should offer that isn't on that meager list?

Love's Unending Legacy

If you watch the entire Love Comes Softly series and have gotten this far, congratulations! You were able to sit through them. And by now you have realized that the movies are COMPLETELY DIFFERENT from the books. Granted, most books turned movies are different. But for the most part, most movies follow the plot lines of the book. In this case, if you have ever read the book... take what you read and throw it not only out the window but out of this universe! The movie may share the same title and a few of the same characters but that's about it. (If you continue reading this, be forewarned. There will be spoilers!)

One, they kill off Willie!
Two, Willie and Missie's family in the movie is NOT the family in the book.
Three, they introduce Belinda as a 14-year-old orphan, rather than have Marty and Clark have a late-in-life baby.
Four, Clark never had the accident that takes his leg.
Five, the movie is centered on Missie, instead of Ellie because... there is NO Ellie (as well as no Luke, Nandry, and the other Davis children)

Over all, if you have never read any of the books, you will enjoy the movie. If you have read the books, just forget that you have and you will enjoy the movie. Or if you're not as particular as I am, then you will enjoy the movie.

Poor Kerwin Danley

Anyone remember what happened last year...? Let me refresh your memory. It's Saturday, April 26 (almost exactly a year apart) ... the Dodgers are creaming the Rockies big time. I don't remember if it was the fourth or fifth inning, but I think it was the second pitch of the inning. Well, poor Danley had a similar experience... except this time with a piece of a broken bat rather than a 96 MPH fast ball. Prayers and well wishes to Kerwin Danley!

Kate Gosselin Book Signing

As promised, here's the entry about the Kate Gosselin signing.

So, I arrived at Barnes and Noble about 9:30ish for the book signing. I expected there to be a huge line outside the store ... but nothing. I went inside and got my wristband and browsed around. The associate said to be back by noon. I figured, might as well stay. I got a magazine, went up to the third floor. On my way there, I saw people already lining up on the second floor. I got a sandwich, drink, and coffee cake from the cafe, got a book, went back downstairs to pay for my book and magazine. And then I settled in for the long wait. Which, wasn't so bad compared to the other autograph signings I have been to. We were inside, in an air-conditioned building (which turned out to be horrible for my allergies) and it was only about three hours away anyway. The nice thing about the Dodger signings ... you can actually talk to the people around you. It would be hours before the people in line in front of me even talked to me. And there was no one behind me for awhile. A few people would show up, sit down, get back up and leave. People started showing up somewhere before noon.

They had put up little papers with letters on them. They started with "b&N" for their members and then "C" (which is where I started). They had 75 member wristsbands, and fifty for each letter. They apparently didn't now how to space the letters apart because when the "members" started showing up... the associates realized ... we can't fit 75 people into this little corner. So, they started backing the rest of us up. And we kept moving, and moving, and moving.

Kate didn't arrive till about a quarter after one. She came down from the third floor escalator. Then the line started to move. And it moved VERY quickly. I was out of there within half an hour of when she started signing. She was nice and polite. She said hello and thank you and took photos with fans. The employees had told everyone that she was not going to take posed photographs, but you could take one of her signing your book. We know how well that goes over at the Dodger signings. They almost ALWAYS say yes to taking a photo with you. Everyone asked me later, was she nice? I guess so. I didn't really get to interact with her or see anyone else interact with her.

Afterwards, I walked outside and there was a father and his young daughter looking up at where Kate was. The little girl asked me, did you see Kate? Did she seem different to you than on TV? Did she seem brighter? My answers were yes, no, and no.

On Field Photo Day at Dodger Stadium, Part Two

Russell Martin and me (ahhh my first love)

Joe Torre

Cory Wade and Me (I had no idea he was put on the DL)

Andre Ethier (he did not take ANY photos with anyone)

Casey Blake (he never got to our area.
Not bad for a shot where there was a huge crowd in front of me.
I didn't know what I was taking.
Just snapping photos every time the crowd parted enough for me to see him_

On Field Photo Day at Dodger Stadium, Part One

Randy Wolf (I cropped myself out cuz I didn't turn out very well)

James Loney and Me (and the lovely Cat behind us in pink)

Nina and Raffy (I love Raffy now too!)

Brad Ausmus and me (he's my second favorite back-up catcher)

Hong-Chih Kuo and me
(second time around. In the first picture,
he wasn't looking.
He was talking to Cat)

Kate Gosselin comes to Glendale!

And who says 13 is unlucky?

If you haven't heard by now ... Orlando Hudson hit for the cycle today! As I was looking at pictures, I came across this realization. The O-Dog wears the number 13. He wore 30 during Spring Training and changed to 13 for the regular season. Today, the day that he hit for the cycle, is the 13th. Any one out there know what the stats/probabilities on a player hitting for the cycle on the same day as his jersey number? Hmmm Furcal's number is coming up on Wednesday (and I'll be there for that!) and Ethier's the day after that ...

McDonald pushed back

LOL, I can't get a break when it comes to seeing Wolfie pitch, can I? Had the Dodgers stuck to their rotation, I would have seen Wolfie pitch on Saturday. Now that Mac is being pushed back three days, Wolfie is pitching on Friday instead of Saturday. And I get Bills. Now, don't get me wrong. I love seeing Billingsley pitch. But I had every intention of going to the Dodger game decked out in my Wolf gear. Not anymore I suppose.

Coming up next, what I love best about Dodger Stadium and what they need to improve, thanks to the Sunday night sports talk for the inspiration

Google Map - Dodger Stadium

How to get from Dorris Place Elementary School to Dodger Stadium by Public Transit

Okay, so I'm trying to figure out how to get to Dodger Stadium on Wednesday without driving. I put in my address, and this is what I got!


Well, not exactly. But close. For the sake of the blog, I put in the address of the local elementary school. The same school that can be seen in the Criminal Minds episode 2 in season 3, "In Birth and Death". Crazy huh?

Dodger tickets, Manny, and Adenhart

Today, I went to Dodger Stadium to buy my tickets for Saturday's game against the Rockies. I told the ticket guy that I wanted tickets in the Left Field Pavilion, as close to the Bullpen as possible. He goes, "ah, you want to see Manny, huh?" I told him, no. I said bullpen. I wanted to see Wolf. First he had me in section 311. Then I asked him if there were any in 301. He looks them up and says, "well, you can still see Manny." Again I said, I wanted to see Wolf, not Manny. When I was leaving work, a coworker asked me if I was excited about Manny. I told her my story about when I went to go buy my tickets. I want to see Wolf, not Manny.

If all goes according to plan... Wolfie should be the starter that day. Then again, you never know. You don't know what's going to happen from one moment to the next. And here's where we pause for a moment of silence for Nick Adenhart.





















If you haven't heard by now ... Angels' pitcher Nick Adenhart's career and life was tragically cut short by a drunk driver who ran a red light. I was listening to ESPN radio and they were taking calls about the news. A physician called in and he talked about why he thought the Angels didn't need to postpone the game. He said if he died that night, his clinic would not close the next day. If the Angels didn't postpone the game, would there have been callers questioning that move? Personally, I think that postponing the game was the right move. It would be very difficult for the players to play when less than twenty-four hours ago, Nick Adenhart was standing on that very same mound, pitching six scoreless innings and striking out five A's players.

Here are some links to articles written about his death. The last link is for complete coverage on Nick Adenart, including his stats, quick facts, articles, and videos.

Angels to play with heavy hearts
Angels' Adenhart Killed in Accident
Tragedy Hits Angels family
MLB Fraternity Staggered by Adenhart's death
Friends, Teammates Mourn Adenhart
MLB.com Nick Adenhart stats page
Complete Coverage

Opening Day!!!!!

Okay, so I'm a bit tired from a long day. Five hours on the freeway, three hours at the game, about two hours pre-game... well... you get the picture. And if you don't, here are a few pictures to tide you over till... probably Wednesday.

Criminal Minds Van

So, I was driving to work as usual this afternoon when I noticed the van in front of me. It had a Criminal Minds sticker on the back of the van. And it looked like the same van that was parked in front of my house when the tv show filmed two houses down from mine. Hmm ... could it ... nah... well ... maybe. The windows were tinted and I couldn't see who was inside the van. They do film in the area, so maybe it was them. Who knows. But I will look for some Glendale background in future episodes!