There goes any Andre Ethier streak controversy

Well I guess the nit picking is over. Andre Ethier's streak went 30 games. I thought it lost a little luster when he took a day off to rest an injury, but it no longer matters.29 or 30 games. Both numbers are quite impressive and more than halfway to DiMaggio.So we can salute Ethier on a terrific streak instead of wondering if it should count or not.And let's face it... that conversation would

It's the flea market series

The Mets and Dodgers are playing in the ballpark that is a shrine to the history and legacy of the Dodgers: CitiField.The two teams from the two biggest markets are squaring off. And at this point they are both sub .500 teams with outrageous financial issues.Let me put it this way:The Mets could lose up to $100 million over the last two seasons and are involved in one of the great financial

Hey McCourt... Manny wasn't a free agent

Yesterday Mason and Ireland on 710 ESPN in Los Angeles had beleaguered Dodgers owner Frank McCourt on the air for a half an hour of questions being asked and calls from fans.It should be noted that he will be beleaguered for a lot longer than he will be the owner of the Dodgers.He of course painted himself as the victim, all the while saying "I take full responsibility." He pushed the blame

This "Being Controled By MLB" thing works for the Dodgers

The Dodgers were absolutely reeling. They went on a 5 game losing streak. (Only Tony LaRussa's inexplicable decision to pitch to Matt Kemp on Sunday afternoon kept it from being a 6 game losing streak.)They were beaten soundly on Tuesday 10-1 by Atlanta.Then on Wednesday, Bud Selig and company took over the team, shocked that Frank McCourt couldn't keep the team afloat financially. (Never mind

Albert Pujols will be a Dodger or a Met… and I predict a conspiracy theory

A bizarre and round about series of events and coincidences have made it clear to me that Albert Pujols will almost certainly not be a member of the St. Louis Cardinals next year.Before Pujols files for free agency, two large market franchises will change ownership and be in position to bid for him, and I believe Bud Selig will be manipulating the whole thing to help preserve his legacy.That’s

The Dodgers ARE going back to Brooklyn!

Why else would they be wearing the old uniforms?I guess someone listened to my plea!

Hey Brooklyn! BRING THE DODGERS BACK!

You are never going to get a better chance!The Dodgers are a mess... they have gone from one of the classy and glamorous franchises to a team that needs to be bailed out.So come on. There MUST be a billionaire in Brooklyn who can bring them back!Hey, that whole "Bring the Nets to Brooklyn" thing isn't happening anytime soon. So come on! Have them play in MCU Park and put in some temporary

Red Sox fans... can you IMAGINE if this guy bought our team?

He wanted to!Frank McCourt is a Boston guy and he wanted to buy the Sox from the John Harrington and the Yawkey family.Instead John Henry and company took over in 2002 and won two more World Series titles in the first 7 years of his ownership than the Yawkeys did in nearly 70 years.Meanwhile McCourt took over the Dodgers... and now they need to be taken over by baseball. Not loaned money like the

Dodger security = going on a diet

In the wake of the Bryan Stow tragedy, the Dodgers are pulling out all of the stops. They had a bad ass press conference at Chavez Ravine, brought out a legion of cop cars and the police, led by Chief Charlie Beck, promised "a sea of blue... not Dodger blue."There will be added police protection. The poorly lit parts of the parking lot will be lit.There will be no tolerance for punks, agreeing

Hey Giants... PACE YOURSELF

Seriously, you may want to spread the runs around a little more evenly.The Giants have played three games this season so far, all against Los Angeles.The champs have outscored the Dodgers, 14-6.They've out hit the Dodgers... they've out slugged the Dodgers...The Giants have pitched to an ERA of 1.08.The Dodgers have a 4.67.So naturally the Giants record in those three games is 1-2.You may not

The Giants start and fact checking

It is early... but it is also safe to say that if the Defending World Champion San Francisco Giants lose the Division by a game, these 2 one run losses in Chavez Ravine will hurt.My dad, the biggest fan of the champs that I know, waved his hand. "We started the season last year being swept by the Astros. It turned out all right."I didn't remember that being the case. "No, they started awfully"

Yes Matty... for one day the Dodgers are #1

As I wrote before, I am raising one child to be a Giants fan and my other as a Dodgers fan.And while one son, Aidan, is rooting for the Defending Champs, my other boy Matty has the upper hand for at least a day.The Giants didn't do much to change their appearance of being all pitch and no hit and torturing their fans. I still think the Giants are winning the division and the Dodgers are in for

When Duke Snider helped the Giants beat the Dodgers

On May 2, 1964, the Giants played the defending World Champion Dodgers at Chavez Ravine. In the 9th inning, Dodgers pitcher Joe Moeller had a 4-2 lead and looked to get the complete game victory.Willie McCovey led off the inning with a walk. Up next was the new Giants left fielder... Duke Snider.Yup... The Duke of Flatbush actually finished his career as a Giant. The whole "Willie, Mickey and the

Geoffrey Rush, Kirk Gibson and Terry Pendleton

One foregone conclusion about tonight's Oscars is that Christian Bale is going to win the Best Supporting Actor award for his performance in The Fighter.He's terrific in the film and he does everything you'd expect in an Oscar performance.He is electric when he is on screen, stealing the spotlight from the star (the underrated performance by Mark Wahlberg.)He does an accent. (A flawless Mass-Hole

Envisioning a bold new National League - My latest article for The Hardball Times

In my latest article for The Hardball Times, I envision how competitive (and potentially profitable) the National League could be if the Cubs, Mets and Dodgers were all major contenders at the same time.Not that that is going to happen in 2011!You can read the article here.

Manny to the Yankees? Another Christmas gift for Red Sox Nation

Could it be?Seriously... could the Yankees be finally saying to the world "WE ARE RUDDERLESS!"?The Yankees are potentially thinking about bringing in Manny Ramirez?Why not just tell Andy Pettitte to stay home?Why not tell Derek Jeter "We think the clubhouse has been too peaceful"?Could the Yankees be reverting back to all of their awful late 1980s, early 1990s habits of bringing in people that

The six identities of the post-1988 Dodgers - My latest for The Hardball Times

The Dodgers haven't won the National League Pennant since winning the 1988 World Series. And since then what was once the most stable organization in baseball keeps drastically changing their identity every few years... and 2011 will be the beginning of yet ANOTHER incarnation.I wrote about the six identity changes the Dodgers have gone through since the Kirk Gibson homer in The Hardball

"Hey I have as much managing experience as Don Mattingly as well"

And I bet Hasselhoff would know how to fill out a line up card and what constitutes a trip to the mound.Hey Joe... you are getting out at just the right time.

Just go Joe... you've already quit

Seriously, what is the point for Joe Torre to stick around?He seems more interested in discussing the Mets managerial position and showing up to Yankee Stadium than having a motivated team take the field in Chavez Ravine.Don't believe me that this team is dead from the neck up?Since August 27th, the Dodgers have lost 17 out of 23 games. They haven't won a single series since. The closest they

The Padres look like champs... against the Dodgers

If Giant fans are looking for any silver lining about this rancid night of baseball for them... they lost another low scoring game and the Padres took over first place because the Dodgers just... don't... care... they can find comfort knowing that tomorrow night, the Padres reign of dominance ends.You see for the past month or so, the Padres are incapable of putting together a winning streak,