Thank goodness for tinted windows
The visiting clubhouse here at Marvale Baseball Park is, shall we say, a bit spartan ... and a bit small. When the three buses carrying the roughly 42 Dodgers players plus coaches, support staff and broadcast personnel, pulled up to the ballpark this morning, with most already dressed in their getaway garb of dress pants, dress shirts and dress shoes, most players walked into the clubhouse and walked right back out again. Many of them actually got back on the bus and changed into their uniforms there, with a large gaggle of autograph seekers waiting behind an iron fence just outside. This is an unfortunate reality of spring training, where you can't always count on the most plush of accommodations when going on the road. These are, in reality, minor-league parks, with most of them hosting minor-league teams during the summer months. But the Dodgers might want to put in a request to the league office to NOT play the Brewers in Maryvale on getaway day EVER AGAIN.
Tony Jackson has covered the Dodgers for the Daily News since 2004 and has covered Major League Baseball on a regular basis since 1995. He previously covered the Colorado Rockies and Cincinnati Reds. He is a native of Springdale, Ark., and a graduate of the University of Arkansas.
Comments
Tony, though I don't always agree with your sentiments, it is so refreshing to come to a Dodgers blog where the author or it's regular commentors don't refer to players as Minotaurs, Bisons, Centipedes, Warlocks or other
outlandish and otherwise stupid euphemisms that grown men should be ashamed of themselves for using. Blogging is beautiful but it brings out the worst kind of idiots. Idiots with opinions and notions that think their point of view must be heard, and if you don't agree with it, you are ridiculed and or bashed by said idiot and or his/her army of cohorts who have gotten to know him/her over the course of a series of useless opinionated postings that usually include phrases like "Minotuar" or "Bison". Idiots are abound everywhere but the vast majority of them frequent Dodgers Thoughts.
Keep up the Dynamite coverage Tony!
Posted by: Karl Hungus | March 25, 2008 3:06 PM
You're so right, KARL HUNGUS. Nicknames are stupid and immature. Thank god for real men, grown-ups just like us.
Sincerely,
FRESHY
Posted by: Freshy
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March 25, 2008 3:17 PM
FRESHY, you must be Dodgers Thoughts guy. It's illuminated by your dynamic writing skills.
Nobody said ALL nicknames are stupid and immature.......Blockhead. (See that one suits you to perfection)
Posted by: Karl Hungus | March 25, 2008 3:22 PM
Hey Tony,
Quick question, how do you think this Pierre - Ethier situation is different than the Nomar - Loney situation we sat threw last year, if at all?
Posted by: the captain | March 25, 2008 3:43 PM
I am a strong advocate for not feeding the troll. For the rest of the commenters and lurkers, note that earlier this spring in one of Tony Jackson's published articles, he spoke with and quoted the "Dodger Thoughts" guy, which Tony wouldn't do unless he thought that guy was credible, so bashing him and his blog here in Tony Jackson's blog would seem to be a fruitless exercise.
Posted by: El Lay Dave
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March 25, 2008 4:35 PM
the captain - one noticeable difference is that Loney had 111 PAs in the majors before last spring and Ethier has 946 before this spring. Also, Nomar was coming off a year of .303 / .367 / .505, albeit with a drastic second-half dropoff, as compared to JP....who's a great basestealer.
Posted by: El Lay Dave
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March 25, 2008 4:39 PM
Pierre is not a great base stealer. He's a good base stealer, successful in 73% of his career attempts.
Davey Lopes, for example, made it 81% of time, Rickey Henderson, the same 81% Lou Brock 75%, Ty Cobb, 83%, Tim Raines, 85% and Vince Coleman, 81%.
Equally as important is the ability of a base stealer to be successful when everyone in the stadium knows he's going. Dave Roberts in Game Four of the 2004 American League Championship Series, for one.
If you can name even one game-changing steal in Pierre's 2007 season, I'd love to hear it.
.
For further comparison, Rickey Henderson's rate is 81%, Lou Brock's, 75%, Ty Cobb's, 83%, Tim Raines, 85% and Vince Coleman, 81%.
But much more importantly, the true measure of a base stealer is his ability to make it when everyone in the stadium, if not on Earth, knows he's going. Like say, Dave Roberts in Game Four of the 2004 American League Championship Series. I defy you to recall even one game-changing steal in Pierre's 2007 season.
Posted by: BaseballSavvy.com
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March 25, 2008 5:43 PM
Oopps, sorry about that lame cut and paste job above. I'm guilty of plagarizing myself, no doubt.
Posted by: BaseballSavvy.com
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March 25, 2008 5:44 PM
E-thi-er...little backup OF'r Andre E-thi-er = 4th.
Pierre's the name: Dodgers starting LF'r JUAN Pierre!
Posted by: ,ikey | March 29, 2008 3:26 PM