The Dodger experience is never wasted

Sometimes I think Plaschke is such a baffoon and so full of
himself. I thought ture blue Dodger fans who read this group
might like to see his views on the past season, and his
outlook towards next season. They were pretty interesting.

I for one got a tremendous amount of pleasure from following
and cheering for Dodgers this season. Win or loose, it was
awesome going to the games with my son and sharing the trials
and tribulations of the Dodgers with him. The team helped
create a great father-son bond between us. The all beef,
grilled Dodger dogs we shared at each game we attended
certainly added to the experience lol.

There is still so much young talent to be developed on the
team. The Phils were ready NOW and unfortunately, we weren't
quite there yet. But next year is another year. I liked some
of the ideas Plaschke had and I thought you all might like to
see them too.

Mark
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Los Angeles Times
Bill Plaschke
October 16, 2008

"In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has
happened."

Once upon a time, Vin Scully used those words to accompany a
Kirk Gibson home run.

Exactly 20 years later, on a sticky Wednesday night at the end
of a frayed rope, those words worked again.

The improbable Dodgers were impossibly wobbly, impossibly
clumsy, impossibly booed.

Exactly 20 years later, something else sailed out over the
right-field fence to a chorus of shrieks and stares.

It was the Dodgers' season, knocked into next year by the
Philadelphia Phillies, who did everything the Dodgers
couldn't.

Like, you know, pitch and catch.

The final score was 5-1, the final NL Championship Series
tally was four games to one, and the final question was a
rhetorical one.

What is it with the goodbyes in this town?

First, the Lakers bid farewell by rolling over in Game 6
against the Boston Celtics.

Now this, the Dodgers leaving the room with a stumble and a
stagger, falling out of view with a giant plop and an
exhausted sigh.

"This was like a punch in the gut," Andre Ethier said.

As the Phillies hugged and danced and partied long into the
night, Ethier was one of the few Dodgers to return to the
field and wave to the fans, but you can't blame the ones who
didn't.

They were probably worried for their safety in front of a
crowd that spent the long evening lashing out like jilted
lovers.

Dodgers fans booed in a way they've rarely booed before, from
the leadoff homer by the Phillies' Jimmy Rollins to the final
stranded runner by Nomar Garciaparra.

They booed sadly horrible Chad Billingsley, who couldn't
survive three innings for the second time in a week, couldn't
consistently throw inside again, his two worst performances in
his two biggest games, and who knows when he'll recover?

"I tried to do everything I could," he said softly.

They booed the painfully awful Rafael Furcal, who tried to
play with a sore neck and paid for it with three errors in one
inning that led to two runs that finished them.

"To have this happen on the last game of the year, that is
tough," he said, also softly.

They booed the just plain lousy Blake DeWitt, who hit into two
double plays and ended the series hitting .077 before he was
replaced by Jeff Kent.

Who stranded three runners by striking out twice.

It was like that.

"I think that we were a little bit overanxious," said Manager
Joe Torre. "You're out there in an elimination game, you just
don't want to make a mistake."

The only person who escaped the fans' wrath was the one guy
who probably won't be around to enjoy their love, Manny
Ramirez.

"Man-ny Stay, Man-ny Stay," they chanted after the man with
the expiring contract had two more hits -- including an
opposite-field home run off series MVP Cole Hamels -- to
finish the series batting .533.

What a week. Every good pitch he saw, it seems he hit. Every
big moment he encountered, he conquered. Did you see that Game
4 double off Brad Lidge?

I've never before seen a hitter so locked in for so long in
such pressure situations.

Yet afterward, when talk of his possible return here next
season, I've never seen anyone more squirrelly.

The talk began immediately after the game, outside the
Dodgers' dugout with owner Frank McCourt, who spoke as fans
serenaded him with more Manny chants.

"We're going to do what we can to sign him, but it takes two
to tango," McCourt said. "If he wants to be here, he'll be
here."

Soon thereafter, I asked Ramirez whether he wanted to be here.

"We'll see," he said.

We'll see? We'll see????

This is a guy who spent the last two months romancing the
media and fans as if he wanted to be here forever, and
suddenly he's not sure?

Of course not. The last two months were a show. Given his
history, he will never again be that focused on the field, or
as affable in the clubhouse.

Now, understandably, it's all about the money, Ramirez wanting
to cash in on the performance of a lifetime.

Now, more than ever, the Dodgers need to stay true to their
growing team and use the long contract on a starter such as CC
Sabathia while not offering Ramirez anything more than a two-
year deal.

Ramirez will no doubt refuse it. He will move on. If the
Dodgers do things right, they will be fine.

First, keep the kids together, build next season around
Ethier, Matt Kemp, Russell Martin, Jonathan Broxton and, yes,
Billingsley and DeWitt.

I know, I never thought I'd say that, I'm the last one in town
to see the light, but at times it has been delightfully
blinding. The scars of this series will disappear. Their
incredible growth during the second half of this season will
not.

Next, sign Furcal, he is the center of your offense. Then,
sign Casey Blake -- he has become a stable veteran
cornerstone.

Now, collect the loads of money from expired contracts such as
those of Garciaparra, Kent, Brad Penny and Derek Lowe, who
apparently wants to play elsewhere.

Use that money to buy an ace starter. Use some minor-league
talent to trade for a decent slugger.

Keep Andruw Jones in exile, and you're set.

"I love this team," McCourt said. "But losing really stinks."

This winter, he should remember the truth in both.

>
> They booed sadly horrible Chad Billingsley, who couldn't
> survive three innings for the second time in a week, couldn't
> consistently throw inside again, his two worst performances in
> his two biggest games, and who knows when he'll recover?

You're piling on him more than beered up Dodger fan, Platch

> They booed the just plain lousy Blake DeWitt, who hit into two
> double plays and ended the series hitting .077 before he was
> replaced by Jeff Kent.

You mean the oh-fer-postseason Jeff Kent whose nine at bats equalled
four strikeouts?
>
> Yet afterward, when talk of his possible return here next
> season, I've never seen anyone more squirrelly.

You mean he didn't show his hand before coming to the bargaining
table? What an odd approach to a CONTRACT YEAR, not giving it all
away early.
>
> This is a guy who spent the last two months romancing the
> media and fans as if he wanted to be here forever, and
> suddenly he's not sure?

As a member of the media, surely you didn't miss the comments he made
about wanting to play in New York, did you? Wait,
reading...comprehension. Got it.
>
> First, keep the kids together, build next season around
> Ethier, Matt Kemp, Russell Martin, Jonathan Broxton and, yes,
> Billingsley and DeWitt.

Why does Broxton get to sit on THAT side of the "and, yes?" Man crush
much, Platch? In whose scheme did Blake DeWitt figure in as a starter
in 2008? And at second or third?

> Next, sign Furcal, he is the center of your offense. Then,
> sign Casey Blake -- he has become a stable veteran
> cornerstone.

Wow, recycling hit the LA Times. You're recycling other people.
>
> Now, collect the loads of money from expired contracts such as
> those of Garciaparra, Kent, Brad Penny and Derek Lowe, who
> apparently wants to play elsewhere.

Brilliant insight there, sparky. When have McCourt/Colletti shown any
predilection to not spending money? We just don't agree as to how
well they've been spending it.

Mark, this isn't a reflection on you, by any means. This year was a
great experience and it will be bittersweet breaking ground on a new
spring training venue next year. A lot of familiar faces will not be
around, for better or worse. Many new people will be called on to
fill those vacancies. Expectations will be higher than this year.
I'm glad you were able to share this year with your son.

Plaschke just again illustrated how lazy the media can be. He fell an
"empty seats at the ballpark" cliche short of the boilerplate for the
season.