Ng nothing but the real thing: On Gathering Night, Dodgers roll on

The last time the Dodger Thoughts gang officially gathered inside Dodger Stadium was July 21, 2007. The Dodgers were flying high, defeating the Mets, 8-6, to move 12 games over .500 and a game ahead of San Diego for first place in the National League West. It was a great day from start to finish, but it was also practically the team's high-water mark that year -- they went 27-37 the rest of the way and finished in fourth place.

That provides a reality check for the euphoria that I think we all felt at Saturday night's gathering (and official 100 Things Dodgers Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die launch party), highlighted at the start by an hour-long session with Dodger execs Josh Rawitch, Kim Ng and Tommy Lasorda and at the end by the team's 2-1, 10-inning victory over San Diego, extending Los Angeles' lead in the NL West to 4 1/2 games. 

A reality check, yes. A buzzkill? Anything but.

Rawitch has been a good friend to this site for a long time now, arranging a Q&A with Frank McCourt two summers ago, a visit from Matt Luke at the Dodger Thoughts off-site picnic last year and now Saturday's mixer. He began the evening by answering questions from the roughly 60 of us in attendance, talking about the Dodgers' ability and plans to disseminate information in this world of disappearing beat writers, as well as the state of plans for the future renovations of the stadium. (Everything that once was on the table still is, but it doesn't sound like my new Loge Level restrooms are coming anytime soon -- renovating the dated Dodger clubhouses is next on tap.) Rawitch also mixed in some trivia questions with prizes that included -- and I say this with great appreciation -- an autographed Yhency Brazoban baseball. We were off to a great start.

We were then joined by vice president and assistant general manager Ng, which promised to be a treat and didn't disappoint, with her giving us thoughtful answers to our questions for more than 30 minutes. Several things were striking about this, perhaps nothing more notable than how ready she seemed for a public forum.  Ng very much stays in the background, notwithstanding her recent ESPN profile, but she was polished, articulate and engaging.

It has to be pointed out that a few of the things she said were decidedly old school. She praised the signings of veterans like Brad Ausmus, Juan Castro and Doug Mientkiewicz specifically for their experience and value as mentors; while those three have done little to hurt the team this year (aside from Mientkiewicz's own injury), I still don't quite buy the notion that so many mentors have to be on the active roster. Ng also didn't seem quite as bothered by Hong-Chih Kuo trying to pitch through his sore arm as I would have liked her to be, though the public forum might have affected her remarks. There are other ways to prove your grit besides pitching when you're only going to make things worse for yourself and your team. It was in itself another reality check, a reminder that every leader will give you something to quibble with.

That being said, the overarching effect of her answers bred nothing but confidence in her -- yes, she might endorse a Castro signing for its intangibles, but it's almost impossible to imagine her making a large-scale blunder like the Juan Pierre contract. Perhaps my favorite answer she gave was to a question posed by the young son of one Dodger Thoughts reader. He asked her what she looks for in a pitcher, and her immediate response was "strike one," followed by a specific, data-enhanced explanation of why this ability to challenge hitters was important to her. And I loved the way her eyes lit up as she spoke to the child -- a touch of Vin Scully in her, if you will. 

You could feel a collective sigh in the room when Rawitch said she was certain to get a general manager position someday with some other team. I do have trouble believing that the Dodgers would let Ned Colletti go if his team wins a second straight division title, but I also have trouble believing that the history-conscious Dodgers would let this outstanding candidate to be baseball's groundbreaking female GM slip through their fingers. And this is punctuated by the reminder that at this point Ng, hired after the 2001 season, when Dan Evans was general manager, really has tenure over just about every key player personnel exec in the place -- about on par with colleague Logan White. She has seen the 21st-century Dodgers first-hand in every incarnation and arguably has been groomed for the job like no one else.

It was at the 2007 Dodger Thoughts gathering that McCourt said that hiring Colletti was his proudest personnel decision, yet with the expiration of Colletti's contract months away, McCourt still hasn't given him an extension. I have ignored the inaction, but it was hard Saturday not to ponder how much significance there was to it. Some give Colletti too much credit for the Dodgers' success, others don't give him enough. What does McCourt think? What's his mindset now, after all the ups and downs of Colletti's actions (which Ng, among others, clearly has had input in)? I can't reliably read the tea leaves on this one, but the Dodgers will have a decision to watch this offseason: even if one were to concede Colletti is good, do you settle for good when you might be losing out on great?

I feel kind of bad raising this topic; it's not very gracious of me when Rawitch arranged with only the most politic intentions for Ng to speak to us. But I can't pretend it wasn't on my mind.

Anyway, our pregame panel was wrapped up by the entrance of Lasorda. I expected to hear some Dodger war stories, but instead he gave us some of the Iraq and Afghanistan variety, arising from his recent overseas trip (that T.J. Simers of The Times writes about presently).

My first reaction: "He's going to talk about Iraq?"
My second reaction: "He's going to talk about Iraq the whole time?"
My third reaction: "You know, I guess we're getting the genuine Lasorda. He's going to talk about what he wants to talk about."

I do admit to wondering if the Iraq Thoughts Gathering got all the Dodger stories. Still, Lasorda's passion came through unmistakably, and he really conveyed what it was like to be among the soliders overseas. And he did punctuate his stories with some classic Lasorda standup that left everyone raring to go for the game.

After my farewells to Rawitch and executive VP/chief marketing officer Dr. Charles Steinberg (the latter sat in for part of the session), I walked down to our seats on the Reserve Level - just in time to see Gonzalez homer for the Padres in the first inning off Randy Wolf.  I did a double-take when I realized it wasn't even Adrian but Edgar. After such a great pregame, were things going to go downhill that quickly?

As it turned out, Wolf wouldn't allow another hit until the last batter he faced in the sixth inning, though he walked two in the fifth inning and two in the sixth -- enough to cause trouble. A fly ball to Andre Ethier got him out of the fifth-inning jam, but the sixth inning was much dicier.

As Ken Levine reminded me on the postgame show, Orlando Hudson saved one run with a diving stop of Adrian Gonzalez's base hit, keeping it to an infield single and preventing David Eckstein from scoring from second base. Ramon Troncoso then relieved Wolf, and on his first pitch, got an inning-ending double-play grounder from Kevin Kouzmanoff.

Meanwhile, I kept waiting for the Dodgers to run wild on Padres starter Chris Young, who allowed eight stolen bases to Colorado in his last start, but only Russell Martin (3 for 4) did any pilfering, and the Dodgers plated no runs against Young except for the one scored in the third inning by Wolf himself, who doubled and then came in on a run-scoring single by Rafael Furcal. Los Angeles got runners to second and third with none out in the bottom of the sixth, but echoing the sixth inning of the 4+1 game that reran on the MLB Network Saturday morning, the Dodgers failed to convert this golden opportunity, ending the inning when Matt Kemp lined into a double play.

To the bottom of the ninth went the 1-1 tie, thanks in no small part to Troncoso and Cory Wade shutting out the Padres for 3 2/3 innings on a mere 29 pitches. (Bullpen resurgence, anyone?) The Dodgers got the winning run to third base, but Mark Loretta, who had been 7 for 10 as a pinch-hitter and had given me visions of him setting the Dodger career pinch-hitting record this season, grounded to second.

For the first time in a while, victory now seemed very much in doubt, because with Jonathan Broxton, Ronald Belisario and Will Ohman scheduled to rest Saturday, the task of preserving the tie went to struggling Guillermo Mota.

Mota got the first two batters out, but then a hit by Luis Rodriguez found a vulnerable spot between Kemp and Manny Ramirez (is this really the first time I'm mentioning him?) for a double. Brian Giles, batting .156, was walked intentionally, setting up what seemed clearly to be a bad-karma matchup with Eckstein. I set the over-under for the number of pitches Eckstein would face at 12; this seemed to have a curative effect, as it only took four pitches for Eckstein to ground into a force at third base.

Padres manager Bud Black then committed one of the classic blunders -- no, it wasn't going in against a Sicilian when death is on the line -- but rather keeping his rested top reliever, Heath Bell (0.00 ERA on the season but only 17 pitches since April 24), out of the game and instead going with a lesser talent in Luke Gregerson. Just another case of worrying about a save that might never come, as opposed to the relative luxury of having a lead to give away.

Furcal led off the bottom of the 10th with a single, and then after fouling off one bunt attempt, Orlando Hudson singled up the middle on a 3-1 pitch to send Furcal to third. Gregerson walked Ramirez intentionally to set up the desperate force at every base.

Andre Ethier came up, and took the first two pitches for balls. Barely 24 hours after the Dodgers had beaten the Padres on a walkoff walk, the astute fans sensed the chance for a rare repeat and started chanting -- in unprecedented fashion, at least as far as I can recall -- "Walk! Walk! Walk! Walk!" A called strike silenced that mantra, but then boom! Ethier blasted the 2-1 pitch far over the drawn-in outfield, almost for a game-winning grand slam a la Steve Finley 2004, before it banged against the right-field wall for a maximum single.

"I Love L.A.," chest bumps and glad tidings all -- the Dodgers are 9-0 at Chavez Ravine, tying a franchise record for their best home-field start, and 17-8 overall, their best 25-game start since, hmmm, 1988. In Los Angeles Dodger history, seven other teams have won at least 17 of their first 25 games; only the 1984 team failed to play in the postseason.

An exultant finish to an exultant night. As I think back on saying goodbye to people while Randy Newman played, I have to make sure to point out just how much I enjoyed everyone's company.  It is not everyone that I can sit comfortably with at a ballgame -- usually more my problem than anyone else's -- but I enjoyed my conversations Saturday from beginning to end. It really was a pleasure, and on all counts, hopefully by no means the last we'll enjoy in 2009.

Photo credits: Dodger Thoughts reader BigCPA (1-5), Rob McMillin / 6-4-2 (6), Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times (7)

Comments

[sporky]

Great, great game. My lifetime win % at Dodger Stadium moves to 0.857.

I really hope that Kim can take on more responsibilities in the Dodger organization. I don't just say that because I'm biased by our demographic similarities, but because she seems so damned capable of being a solid, if not successful general manager.

It was wonderful to meet a bunch of you (I have to admit it was a bit surreal). Unfortunately, a baseball game isn't the most conducive setting to mingle - next time!

Back to reading. If all goes as planned, I will be done by 3pm on Tuesday, and incapable of legally operating a motor vehicle by 4pm.

[natepurcell]

mmmhmmmmm yummmyyyyyyyyy.!!!!#(&#*)&@@

[spacebrother]

Jon,

A big "THANK YOU" to you and Jeff R. for the great evening at the ballpark. Listening to Kim Ng pulled back the curtain a little for a rare look at what goes on in the sequestered halls of the front office. It was a real treat.

I somehow get the feeling that a female GM scares the old guard, who have built a glass ceiling. Too bad. And too bad the Dodgers can't seem to see fit to to break it, if that's the reason she's been interviewing elsewhere.

Tommy was fun, and a bit "surreal," as you said to me during the game.

Once again, thanks, and looking forward to next time. Can't wait to start reading your book.

PS Didn't Furcal reach third in the 10th on a bad pitch that got away from Hundley?

[spacebrother]

Wait, I think that bad pitch was in the 9th. My bad.

[Ken Noe]

Wow, a Brazoban ball AND a Mota win on DT night. Wish I had been there to see that ;-)

How about this, Ned gets kicked upstairs to yet another nebulous VP position and Ng becomes GM?

[Daniel Zappala]

Sounds like a fantastic day.

[TheAnc]

KG16 made a comment at one point that really made me chuckle. As Juan Pierre came up to pinch hit, he said he hoped that he would hit a homerun, just tso he could see the expressions on the faces of all the DTers in our section.

[Gen3Blue]

It's really pleasing to see the team extend such hospitality to the DT crowd . Back east, watching the sixth straight late night game I have to admit to sleeping for at least half of it. When I woke briefly sometime after the game, I flipped to ESPN and immediately a wrap of the Dodgers game came on.(Karma) I thought of you all as Ethier's drive sailed over the right fielder. Could he have got it if he was playing normal depth? I doubt it.

[Julie H]

PLEASE host another of these games, Jon. I LOVE your blog and have just finished your incredible book! Unfortunately, the darn university my niece attended had to go and schedule her college graduation on the same day as YOUR Dodger gathering! No matter what Lasorda spoke on, I assure you it was more entertaining than the dean of admissions' speech!
You set up what sounds like an amazing night at the game--and what a game! We're on track with 1988? Ahhh, I like the sound of that!
LOVE the book and truly look forward to a time when I can take in a game with you and another group of fellow Dodger lovers...and maybe even have you sign MY book!

[ceyhey10]

What a great post -- I know I'm speaking for many here when I say this: man, I wish I could experience these Dodgers (and DT!) from up close in Southern California.

So I know it frustrates us here that Kim Ng can in one breath provide an impressive empirical argument for, say, strike one -- and then in the next praise PVLs. But isn't it possible (indeed likely) that those two statements are both, in fact, empirical ones? I have no doubt that Ms. Ng engages in fairly constant conversations about (and direct "ethnographic observations" of) the composition and character of the LAD clubhouse.

I also (more than most in here, perhaps) am of a mind that those clubhouse matters... well, they matter. Certainly, these "data" make their way into her HR assessments -- just not into ours, right?

And sadly, in a post-beat writer world, it seems we'll have less and less access to those "inside" data.

[BHSportsguy]

Gen3Blue, As Vin said before, wherever it went, Dodgers win, but it did bang off the low part of the wall.

A great day followed by another interesting game. Lots of fun seeing and talking to everyone at the non-sanctioned pre-event, the meeting w/Josh Rawitch, Kim Ng and Tommy Lasorda.

I agree with Jon, I am glad Kim Ng is with the organization today but I really hope that the Dodgers will find a way to have her be their GM rather another team.

I have seen and heard Tommy speak a few times in the last year and he is always passionate with a little bit of vaudeville showmanship mixed in. Some of us were talking about it later and I said the interplay between Tommy and Josh Rawitch was like an old SNL sketch with Billy Crystal and Christopher Guest as Tommy would say something like I went to Egypt and saw_____, as Rawitch would chime in "pyramids."

And I fully second Jon's appreciation to Josh Rawitch, he has always been a supporter to the site, answer questions via email and very personable whenever our paths have crossed.

The fun part of being there with all the gang, you can hear the comments live and person.

I guess sometime later this summer, a DT picnic will have to planned. Karim Garcia, start ordering the carne asada.

[BHSportsguy]

ceyhey, my read in those comments, the important thing about the mix of players this year, unlike the past two years where the Dodgers had aging but formerly very good if not all-star level players on the bench who still thought their value was based on them starting. This year's bench is composed of mainly guys who know what their roles are and understand what the team expects of them.

[MollyKnight]

My favorite write-up so far this season, Jon.

I'm so sorry to have missed this gathering, but I'm so glad you guys got the chance to meet Kim Ng. She is spectacular. If she leaves the Dodgers to take a GM job somewhere else it will be incredible for her and just plain miserable for us.

Kudos to Josh Rawitch for working with DT on this...

[underdog]

What Molly said. Thanks for the write-up. Sounds like a good time. Tommy is just... classic.

I know several Giants fans who would love to see Kim Ng become their GM. "Noooooo!" I say. Sabean forever!

I had many of the same thoughts as you about how the game worked out last night -- esp. Black's refusal to use Bell, the lack of steals vs CY, Ethier's near-Finleyesque game winner, etc. All in all, it couldn't have worked out better for those of you at the game or for any of us (except you probably wouldn't have minded if they'd won it a little earlier). Anyway, thanks for sharing the memories! Hope to be at the next one, when you meet -- well, who is left to meet? Logan White? Sandy Koufax? Zack Wheat's ghost?

[underdog]

Weird, I went to sleep watching "Dirty Harry" on AMC last night, and got up this morning and it was still on!

[Craig88USC]

As good as Ng is, White has her beat imo. But it will be a mute point after the Dodger's are victorious in '09 W.S. Then after a huge parade downtown; Colletti & Manny (& Peavy?) all get extended deals giving us a good chance to repeat it. : ) Wouldn't that be nice ?

[Craig88USC]

Did anyone ask Tommy what he thought about Kingman's performance ???

[Craig88USC]

A likely 10 games over.500 today plus a new Dodger record with incredible 10 - 0 start at home. Ace Chad 5 - 0 ?.

[Phenomenal Smith]

It's dueling Chads today. And if both get no-decisions, I suppose there will be hanging Chads.

[LABits]

Have to get into this thread before it goes - thanks Jon and all for a near perfect night. My daughter and I had a great time.

Really enjoyed the presence of the other DT commenters and _readers_ from my passionate Dodger brothers to my right that comment hardly on the site at all but wouldn't miss event to the quip "yes, that's right Eckstein, we're rather face YOU" to chanting "walk walk walk" to meeting a DT friend who took our picture on the way out. So fun.

Even the things around us went right. The drunk guy in front of us, with his lady hanging onto his belt to keep him from pitching forward during his gyrations, just danced and chanted "let's go Dodgers" instead of the lame Padre's Suck!. The young man in back of him, blocked by the swaying fan, looking like he'd decided to join 'em instead try to beat 'em, forming an impromptu and amusing call and response cheer. I laughed so much (and even joined in at times).

Thanks Jon - aside from the special treats of JR & KN & TL (and your book) everything else lined up perfectly for us. Unforgettable.

[Doug Minnick]

"Perhaps my favorite answer she gave was to a question posed by the young son of one Dodger Thoughts reader. He asked her what she looks for in a pitcher, and her immediate response was "strike one," followed by a specific, data-enhanced explanation of why this ability to challenge hitters was important to her. "

Jon, the most important thing Kim said to my son (in his mind) was, "Show me you can get all three pitches over for strike one and I'll sign you tomorrow!"

He is sitting by the phone as we speak.

[regfairfield]

What did Kim say about getting strike one over? From what I've heard it's not strike one that matters, but the first two out of three.

[Phenomenal Smith]

Brad Penny is starting today for Boston. He's 2-0 with an 8.66 ERA.

There's a long way to go, but the highest ERA for any pitcher with at least 2 wins and no losses in a season is 11.12 by Ezequiel Astacio of the 2005 Astros.

[Phenomenal Smith]

E. Astacio was 2-0 in 2006, not 2005. He did appear in the 2005 World Series. He's the guy who had the same sort of skin condition as Seal.

[KG16]

Kim said what she looks for in a pitcher is the guy who can throw the first pitch strike consistently (her actual words were something like "I'm a big fan of strike one.")

[Doug Minnick]

What did Kim say about getting strike one over? From what I've heard it's not strike one that matters, but the first two out of three.

Posted by: regfairfield | May 03, 2009 at 10:12 AM

Hey Reg, I don't remember the specifics, but she basically said if you look at OBP against, it goes down by like 120 points if a pitcher starts with strike one. BA against down by 80 points. Maybe others in attendance can clarify or correct me if I have that wrong.

I can tell you that when I am coaching young pitchers I always ask them, "What's the most important pitch you throw?" "Fastball!" comes the inevitable answer. "No." "Change-up?" No. "Curveball??" "No. Strike one." Nice to have my position backed up in front of my most important student

[skybluestoday]

underdog 8:46

Oh, you must have caught the recent "Berlin Alexanderplatz" restoration of "Dirty Harry." Ain't it a pip?

[Rob McMillin]

For those who weren't there -- and those who were -- here's a slide show from yesterday:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=71281&id=603854428&l=6b52b88816

[Louisinsf]

Underdog's comments about Ng replacing Sabaen are very possible, but also wonder if the Giants would try and bring back Ned.

However, I think in the long run we don't have to worry about the Giants replacing their GM this year. I wonder about Texas or if at some point San Diego will want to do a complete housecleaning now that they have new ownership.

[Branch Rickey]

Thanks Jon for setting up such a great treat. It was a pleasure meeting some of you and re-meeting many of you. Sorry I had to sit with clients for the game but so glad I was able to meet up with you say hello beforehand. I was proud to be a part of this group during the Q&A with Kim Ng. Couldn't help but think how much more thoughtful the questions were than what she would likely get from a random assortment of fans. I have to imagine she was impressed and I know that we were with her.
Look forward to reading the book!

[ucladodger]

Speaking of the whole strike one, two out of three debate, Joe Posnanski broke down a ton of info for pitch counts on his blog.
http://tinyurl.com/cfdyqk
Really interesting read that supports the 2/3 strikes idea instead of just strike 1, where hitters do basically as well as they do in 1-0 counts.

[Alex41592]

Sounds like a great time.

Posted by: Rob McMillin | May 03, 2009 at 10:42 AM

Those pictures are fantastic.

[Doug Minnick]

Branch, that is a great point. I usually cringe at "questions from the audience", but not this time. I, too, was proud to be associated with this group.

[Phenomenal Smith]

I wanted to ask Kim Ng if she told Mariners management that her last name would be easier to spell than Zduriencik.

I opted not to and instead basked in the shining glow of my souvenir coin that I won. When you open the box, it gives off a light like the briefcase in "Pulp Fiction."

[Phenomenal Smith]

Mets at Phillies and Angels at Yankees rained out.

Cardinals and Nats are still waiting.

[Shotupthemiddle]

I love this team. Not only because they're playing well, but more so for the fact that when they win, Matt Kemp and James Loney and Russell Martin jump all over each other like 12-year-old Little Leaguers at Williamsport.

It's infectious. In a totally non-swine-flu-like way.

The DT Day Festivities sounded wonderful. I'll be there next time!

[Dodger Dude]

The Padres didn't put in their best reliever in because there was no point, do you really think the Padres thought they would win that game?

It was like the how the outfielder just watched Ethier's fly ball bounce off the wall and onto the field without even trying to touch it, there was no point.

[underdog]

skyblue, 10:38 AM, hah hah. It just felt that way. Didn't realize they were replaying it this morning. Oddly I turned it on at pretty close to the same time I left off last night so it was disorienting.

--

Doug, that reminds me of how, the other night at the film festival here, I went to a film with a friend and after it was over and there was an audience Q&A with the director, at a certain point my friend turned to me in shock and whispered, "Wow, these questions aren't stupid!" Because most of the time they are -- either stupid or just really long-winded and irritating.

Btw, I was guy who was drunk whose girlfriend was holding on to his belt last night. Hope you enjoyed the show!

Okay, I wasn't, but I just felt left out.

[Ted]

Some people, most of whom I would doubt ever played baseball above little league, seem to think that fantasy baseball is a good model for putting together a team. It's not. Personalities, experience, approach, and ability to work on a team are huge components of baseball in general, and at the pro level it's compounded by the pressures and schedule.

There are tons of very talented teams that never won squat. Don't mock baseball people when they extoll the values of veterans and leadership. They know what they're talking about.

[jpg]

Thanks Jon, and thanks to Josh for setting up the pre game show.

[Michael Green]

Speaking from Las Vegas, sorry I missed it!

The Dodgers may lose Kim Ng. And I'm not saying I prefer Ned Colletti, because I don't. But there is a history of executives training with one team and then going on to another. The best example I can think of is Branch Rickey recommending a minor league executive working with him with the Cardinals for the top job with the Cincinnati Reds: Larry MacPhail.

[regfairfield]

Counterpoint: my buddy has Elijah Dukes, Milton Bradley, Delmon Young and Brett Myers on his fantasy team and he's in last place.

[berkowit28]

Perhaps I was reading something into Kim Ng's comments that wasn't there, but I understood her pride and pleasure about having hired Loretta, Ausmus (and Mientkiewicz? I forget) as their being so much better than the bench players from last year whom they replaced - Sweeney, Bennett, etc. Bench players have to be able just to get up and step in. They pretty well *have* to be veterans. The trick is to get good ones, not ones who can't play any more. Management has done it this year - the same way they improved on regular players by getting Hunter - and Manny, of course. They also held onto the the right young guys - nearly all of them, trading only a more dispensable one, LaRoche. Ng expressed guarded (careful - you never know, things can still turn out differently) pleasure about that, and said so too.

[berkowit28]

Rob - terrific photos, especially the series of Russell Martin shots. But didn't you have another great one - Martin, I think, sliding in to second on the steal in 9th (?) under the feet of whoever was guarding 2nd base - Eckstein or Rodriguez, at the time. You gave me a glimpse of it on your camera last night, but I don't see it in the photo show.

[Tommy Naccarato]

Jon, About as eloquently put--the entire evening--I can't thank you and everyone who attended enough! Just an electric evening!

Rob,
Great to see you and the Cub fan, and great to meet all of those I did.

[berkowit28]

Lineup, as per Josh:

Pierre, LF

Hudson, 2B

Ethier, RF

Loney, 1B

Kemp, CF

Loretta, 3B

Ausmus, C

Castro, SS

Billingsley, P

A spring training team! Given the pitching matchup (almost a waste, but these things are going to happen sticking to rotation), it still looks very good.

[Jon Weisman]

NPUT

[Rob McMillin]

berkowitz -- I did and missed it (500+ shots to deal with). Will add this later.

[Mike Swanson]

Great time with Josh, Kim and Tommy. Special inside experience. And I got a good start on Jon's book (autographed version). Thanks Jon--let's do it again soon.

[dodger tony]

Kim Ng's exodus from the Dodgers would mark a significant blow for the organization most emphatically due to the area in which she excels perhaps more than any other assistant GM in baseball: arbitration. the Dodgers have not lost an arbitration case in years, in large part due to Ms. Ng's extraordinary arbitration prowess. I can still remember the high-fiving executives led by Ms. Ng in the hallway after they defeated Eric Gagne.

While the obvious problem of the old boy network still appears daunting for Ms. Ng (read...Bill Singer), with Jamie McCourt as President of the Dodgers, this would be the perfect fit for the shattering of the glass ceiling.

[Paul]

Yeah, what a pissing shame that Lasorda talked about veterans risking their lives overseas. A bit of a broader perspective might be more helpful here, Jon.

[Elaino]

Now this Manny......I really think last yeat & w/ u did in Boston s/ have been your ticket out of the game~~~~young kids certainly can't look up to u ya think! You just can't be trusted..... Maybe u c/ be paid to leave the game as Boston paid to be rid of u~~~~~ u seem like a money guy, yes & one not to be trusted, always causes heartache & embarrassment to your team.....retire, do baseball world something good & decent, all this drug stuff must end, enough clowning around Manny...please be gone as I for one am sick of hearing about "Manny being Manny"...I don't know who u are b/ do know kids w/ find a new role model & I for one w/ teach them, "honestesy comes first", tis just a game.