I suppose Manny was pulling our legs when he said that this was his last season with the Dodgers.  He stated the next day that he would consider playing with the Dodgers for 2 years and then in Japan for 3.  Who can tell when he is kidding?              

The popular style it seems is the faux hawk or mohawk.  Those who showed up with either one or the other were Russell Martin (who also showed up much heavier), Eric Gagne, James McDonald.  Not my favorite look, but it may change by the time the season starts.  Back to Russell and his weight gain.  Apparently he thinks that his poor showing last season was due to his lighter weight at Spring Training.  He has definitely bulked up but his arms look bigger and he seems more muscular.   Hopefully that will help him have a better season.  I had expressed my doubts last season when he showed up smaller and leaner.

The pitcher who was chosen to open Spring Training is Vicente Padilla.  During the off season, he was shot in the leg during a shooting accident.  At first the information was that it was a flesh wound.  Now I know what that is from watching westerns as a child.  After he was signed to his contract, Padilla stated that the bullet went clear through his leg.  But he says that he is one hundred per cent okay.  Hopefully that is true.

New Daddy Jonathan Broxton can’t stop talking about his new son who is now seven months old.  Apparently he is on the way to being a “Big Boy” like his Dad.  Congratulations to Jonathan.

Back to the homefront.  My Dad had some minor surgery yesterday and is doing well.  The surgery should help him see much better.  My cat is still MIA.  Hopefully he has made himself at home in someone elses house and has not had a bad fate.  We keep thinking that he will somehow escape and return home.  I will never give up hope. 

I have a family event in New Jersey the weekend before St Patricks Day so I may not be able to go to Spring Training this year.  Hopefully the snow and inclement weather will be long gone by then.  I would love to go to even one game  Oh well!!!.

My new camera is a Canon but it isn’t a fancy one.  I don’t want to have to carry around a gigantic camera with many heavy lenses.  This info is for those who have asked me.  I have quite a collection of cameras and have not found the perfect one yet.

Unfortunately, the ticket prices have gone up at Dodger Stadium but worse is that there are no single tickets available for the Yankee games or for Opening Day.  It does mean that those ticket brokers will have a field day with those tickets.  Too bad.  Those tickets only come with the 7, 14, or more game ticket packages.  I even asked my ticket guy about it and he said that I could buy extra tickets from him but no Yankee tickets.  Those games will be a sellout anyway.  I was hoping to get tickets for Jane and Michael.  I will not give up

Thanks for stopping by.   I know everyone is getting excited about Spring Training.  Congratulations to all our USA medalists in the Olympics.  Hard work did pay off

Soon, the Dodgers will be back at Dodger Stadium,  Yaaaaay!.

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The latest news in Dodgertown is Manny’s announcement that he will not be with the Dodgers in 2011.  His contract is up this year.  The good news is that if he is planning on being a free agent after this season, then he will play good ball or at least try to.  The rumor is that he may retire.  It will free up a large chunk of money, for sure.  He did arrive to ST camp extra early and is working out with everyone else. 

Also news is that the Dodger ticket prices are going up.  Apparently depending on what day you want to go to the game, the price could be a few dollars more.  We season ticket holders already paid for our tickets, so the prices remain the same as last season.  Well, I suppose someone has to pay Mrs. McCourt that $1 million a month for her spa, gym, and clothes.  Too sad.  I hope that the Dodgers still acquire another pitcher.

Reading Jane Heller’s Shefan blog, I found out that Chan Ho Park will be a Yankee.  He has always been a favorite of mine.  He had some bad health issues in the past where he almost died.  Thank goodness he is okay now. 

I was lucky enough to have spoken to him a few times.  He is always funny, always very charming.  He is fan friendly.  He definitely loves the children.  He will play catch during batting practice with any kids with gloves in the stands. One of my friend’s sons was playing catch with Chan Ho when Chan Ho pretended to keep the ball.  Of course, the boy was distressed thinking he had lost the ball.  Chan Ho returned and tossed the ball up to the child.  He had signed the ball.  It said “Follow Your Dream.”  Isn’t that awesome???

The players will have their first real workout today.  I wish I could be there.  However,  I have to work to pay for all these tickets.  Oh well!!! 

My Dad is having some minor surgery on Thursday so that will be the highlight of my week.  The hunt is still on for my little boy cat.  My sister’s white cat is still missing her cousin.  She sits by the water dish or by my Dad’s chair thinking that he will drop out of the sky.  She certainly needs my cat to swipe at as he walks by.  I still hold out hope that a miracle will happen, hopefully before cinco de Mayo when he turns 18 years old.

Thanks everyone for stopping by.  Nice baseball thoughts to all of you. 

I thought that today would never get here but now it seems that the days just flew by.

I have to first congratulate Apolo Anton Ohno on winning his seventh Olympic medal yesterday!!

He is my favorite Olympian so I am thrilled at what he accomplished.  Here he is holding up seven fingers.

Today Dodger pitchers and catchers work out.  So far almost everyone has reported although the entire team doesn’t have to be there until Tuesday.  Bellisario has visa problems again so he may be delayed in his arrival.

The team will look pretty much like last years with the big exceptions of Randy Wolf and Orlando Hudson.  I can’t believe that Ned didn’t try to acquire another SP.  I suppose that Jamie has to get her $1 million a month spousal support so there goes that money. 

Matty Kemp has said that he thinks that this is the year for the Dodgers.  It will be his third year playing in the majors so third time is the charm.  He has certainly matured as a player which we saw during the season last year.  I remember that first year, there were not that many Matt Kemp fans. Many were critical of his work ethic and attitude.  I never saw that.  I have been a believer since the beginning.   He always seemed to be on the verge of being traded with Andre close behind.  What a catastrophe that would have been to give up two of our top players!!  Now Matt and Andre are the Dodgers super stars.  This will be James Loney’s year to show his stuff.  Matty has said that the Dodgers always seem to win with what they have.

This will be the year that Chad Billingsley will shine.  He had a tough season but it may be because of the broken leg he suffered prior to the season starting.  I also think that Clayton Kershaw will have a great year.  He is a year older and with a year of experience in the majors.

Eric Gagne is back as a non roster invitee to ST.  He had his best years as a Dodger closer.  I remember the excitement he generated.  It was unbelievable.  He has not had a good season since leaving the Dodgers.

Hiroki Kuroda will be 100% after suffering that horrible head injury.  He was back in the states early to work out 

He looked pretty good to me!!!!

Joe Torre will be the Dodger skipper through 2011.  Many thought that he would be retiring after this season.

I am excited for the regular season to start.  I’m waiting for my season tickets plus my extra baseline tickets to come in the mail.  I bought a new camera to take even better pictures during the games for my blog.  I bought a few more Dodger teeshirts to wear to the games.  I am ready.

I hope everyone is as excited about their favorite teams as I am about my Dodgers.  It seems that some of the teams will have a whole new look to them.. The Angels have acquired Godzilla which should be exciting.  I may have to go try my luck at Angel Stadium just to see him hit.  Hopefully I will have a better experience.  My son told me that if I visit him in Newport, Rhode Island, I may be treated to a trip to Fenway Park.  That would be fantastic.

I miiss all my Dodger friends:  I miss Ernie, my usher, Juan, my security person.  I miss Jo Anna, Rosa and Roni, my wonderful baseline people, I miss seeing Linda and Nina.  I miss the smell of the stadium (Dodger Dogs and popcorn),  

Soon it will be baseball season and Cat will be back with her Dodgers!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a wonderful Sunday. 

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Oh brother.

The latest on the McCourt saga is that Jamie McCourt is asking for almost $1 million a month in spousal support. 

It seems that she seems to time all of these breaking news items to coincide with certain Dodger events, for example, the PLAYOFFS, and now ST. 

When will all this end?  How does a person spend that much in one month.  She states that it would leave Frank with $1.3 million a month for himself.    It seems to me that she does not want the Dodgers to be a winning team.  However she maintains that she is a co-owner.

Changing the subject, Tommy Lasorda received a standing ovation from the Air Force Academy when he spoke there a few days ago.  You go, Tommy.  He spoke at the Naval Academy when my son was a midshipman there a few years ago.  My son will always remember that.  I was able to snag a Tommy Lasorda autographed ball last season for him.  Tommy had said that he respected my son for hiis contrbution to our country.

I couldn’t help myself.  I used some of the money from my tax return to buy more baseline tickets.  Everyone knows how much I love the baseline buffet. I can’t wait!!

I still hope to go to at least one spring training game.  I have my fingers crossed that I will be able to go.  Thanks so much for remembering that it will soon be the first anniversary of my blog.  My blog was born during Spring Training last year. 

My fondest memory from Spring Training last year was really meeting Matt Kemp and James Loney in a mall in Camelback.  Why does it seem so long ago?? 

Thanks for stopping by.  

And congratulations USA Evan Lysacek for the gold medal in men’s figure skating.

Pitchers and catchers will be reporting to Camelback Ranch very soon.  Matt left Texas today to report to Arizona. 

Gagne is on the verge of becoming a Dodger again.  The Diamondbacks are interested but Gagne wants to return to the team where he was “Game Over.”  He will be signing a minor league contract worth $500,000.  The bullpen is well stocked with Broxton, Sherrill, Kuo, Belisario, but Gagne could be a welcome addition. 

I still think the Dodgers need another starting pitcher.  What does everyone think?  We need someone to replace Randy Wolf.

But it will be a huge year for Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier.  James Loney has been training and is in excellent shape.  I have a feeling that all our young players will bring the championship to LA.

I can already taste those Dodger Dogs!

Thanks for stopping by.

I’m beginning to think that maybe my cat Max has run away from home.  He might be sowing his oats for the first and last time.   He is almost 18 years old (on cinco de Mayo).  I hope he is having a good time.

My sister did say that he was good at stealing food.

My Dad and I are going to the animal shelter tomorrow to see whether the truancy officers found him.  My Dad misses the gray cat so much.  Maybe if we adopt another kitty, Max will get jealous and come home.

Thanks everyone for the good thoughts.

Spring Training is about to begin and we are getting an idea of what the team will look like.  It actually is not very different from our amazing team from last year.  The only big change is the pitching staff.

We will have at first base:  long limbed James Loney who can stretch almost to second base.  At second base will be our mid season acquisition from last year, Ronnie Belliard who was fantastic.  He will be relieved by Jamey Carroll.  At third will be Casey Blake relieved by Blake DeWitt.  Raffy Furcal will be short stop, Manny will be in left field (right in front of my seat), the paparazzi favorite Matty Kemp in center, and Silver Slugger and my favorite photography subject, Andre Ethier in right field.  Catching will be Russell Martin, who will be backed by Brad Ausmus.  Reed Johnson is another fielder acquired by the Dodgers.

Our pitching staff includes Chad Billingsley, once the golden boy, but comes out of a very rough season.  Hiroki Kuroda, my personal favorite pitcher, has had a couple of injuries during last season, but I predict that he will do well during 2010.  Vicente Padilla was the only pitcher picked up out of free agency to be part of the rotation.  Baby Clayton Kershaw is growing up.  This may be his year.  Those who are vying for the fifth spot:  Scott Elbert, James McDonald,(a fellow Long Beach Polytechnic HS grad), Charlie Haeger (our knuckleballer), Josh Lindblom, Carlos Monasterios, Russ Ortiz, and Eric Stults.  Also invited to ST was brother of Jared: Jeff Weaver.  Our closer will be Big Boy Jonathan Broxton with Beisario and George Sherrill being setup men. 

The team does not look much different from the Western Division champs.  Who knows which player will shine during Spring Training.

On a personal note, my cat is still MIA.  I am trying to deal with it, but my Dad is having a very difficult time.  He has Max’s water and food bowls on the front porch.   My sister is doing well, thanks again for all your prayers.

I have paid for all my season tickets and parking so I am ready.  Not sure whether going to Camelback will be an option this year because of all my family issues.  I don’t want to be gone for any length of time.

Going to the Dodger Caravan made me miss my Dodgers even more.  I want baseball season to start now!!!

Thanks for stopping by.  You are what makes writing this blog fun. 

 A nice way to work out, Lazy Cat

My cat went missing yesterday.  Somehow he was able to get outside.  He is strictly an inside cat so he is not streetwise.  He also happens to be almost 18 years old.  I am beside myself.  I know. I know.  He is just a cat.  He is special because he is my son’s cat.  Tomorrow it’s supposed to rain again.  I am very worried.

Please come home, Max.