MLB Blog Latest Leaders for Oct & Nov. 20/20 for me
Our fearless leader Mark was a month late sending us the October MLB Blog ranking. That is OK, Mark, we waited patiently, right? December 4th, Mark posted two blog posts with the latest MLB Blog leaders, one for October and one for November. I came in at #20 for both months!

The 20/20 rule is an easy way to remember:
- Chill White Wine in the the refrigerator and pull it out 20 minutes before serving.
- Put your Red Wine in the the refrigerator 20 minutes before serving.
article here:http://www.sterlingwineonline.com/articles/article/4555825/20-20-rule-wine-serving-temperature.htm
I also found this

Article here http://myrouseseveryday.com/index.php?/articles/wine_and_spirits/top_20_wines_under_20
Haha, OK, enough of wine, let’s dedicate this post to two Dodgers that wore #20
#20 Don Sutton!

My! What big hears you have Mr. Sutton!
Don Sutton had 12 seasons with 15 or more wins, 20 seasons with 200+ innings, and 21 seasons with 100+ strikeouts. He was elected to the HOF in 1998 in his fifth year of eligibility.
#20 Charles Benjamin Osgood
Charles Osgood was born in Massachusetts on November 23, 1926. At the age of 17, he debuted for the Brooklyn Dodgers on June 18, 1944 in a road doubleheader against the Philadelphia Phillies. He pitched three innings of relief in one of the games, allowing six baserunners but only one earned run.
OK, I have searched high and low for a picture of Charles Benjamin Osgood but I came up empty! Nada! I only find the other Charles Osgood.
Vin Scully Tweets from 12/3/2012 #AskVin
Here are Vin Scully’s tweets from today when he took over the @Dodgers from 9:30 to 10 a.m. PST.
Hi this is Vin Scully, delighted to spend time with you. We’ll be tweeting for a little while & I look forward to that opportunity. #AskVin
I was deeply touched by all of the birthday wishes. Thank you. #AskVin
All of them. #AskVin RT @TheTonyLee: #AskVin What is your favorite Nancy Bea Hefley tune?
Favorite moment: I was much younger, more impressionable when the Dodgers won in 1955. That last game was the most emotional for me. #AskVin
Red Barber was like my father, he cared that I would succeed. He taught me preparation. #AskVin
The biggest clubhouse personality was a bat boy named Charlie di Giovanni. He was a character, and we called him the brow. #AskVin
On trending in the United States: “Oh my lord, it’s a slow day.” #AskVin
Maybe this was in response to my question or similar questions on his favorite stadium besides Dodger Stadium.
Outside of DS, Wrigley. Colorful fans and the game always in doubt. A special moment was broadcasting the first night game there. #AskVin
My favorite baseball book, “Three Nights in August.” My current book that I’m reading is called “Unbroken.” #AskVin
I’ve been hooked on a television show called “Homeland.” They do that show so well. #AskVin
.@craigary Don’t get too involved in new stats. There isn’t any feeling for them. I’ll have to be reeducated like with the Twitter. #AskVin
We used to have a Gordon Windhorn. I used to say Gordon Widhorn and his orchestra. Also Clayton Dalrymple, a WW officer. #AskVin
What a great morning! This is the picture the Dodgers used to advertise Vin taking over the @Dodgers for 30 minutes:

It is an old picture! Look at the old monitor!
Vin Scully will be on Twitter on Monday December 3, 2012
I can’t wait till Monday at 9:30 a.m. PST when Vin Scully takes over the @Dodgers twitter account for 30 minutes to answer questions from fans. You must use the hashtag #AskVin to post questions.
Mr. Scully celebrated his 85th birthday on Thursday. Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times checked in on Scully to see what he was doing for the occasion, to which Scully replied: “It’s quiet and peaceful, and I’m reading a good book — ‘Unbroken,’ by Laura Hillenbrand — on this soft day”.
When I read that quote above from Vin, I could hear him in my mind saying it.
Here is a favorite picture of Vin Scully and Jaime Jarrin taken by Jon SooHoo. Mr. Scully has covered the Dodgers for the last 63 years. Senor Jaime has covered the Dodgers for last 54 years. We are truly blessed listening to these two treasures.

Now what can I ask Vin? I did ask a question when Vin was a guest at the Baseball Prospectus Dodger Stadium event.
Here are some of the questions that have been submitted to @Dodgers #AskVin :
What is your favorite Fernando Valenzuela moment? And what baseball book would you recommend?
How many hours of prep work do u do before a game & do u prefer to work alone in the booth or with a color commentator?
From my friend Arturo: “Which Dodger Championship team would be your most memorable one?
In Field of Dreams did you have a script or ad-lib?
As an aspiring broadcaster what can I do to make it big time? I’d like to just like you and do play by play my whole life.
Should questionable players from the steroid era be voted into Cooperstown?
I am sure that by tomorrow there will be plenty of more questions submitted, mines included.
Let’s see if we can get Vin Scully trending tomorrow.
Megabus returns to Los Angeles! Remembering my Megabus trip from LA to SF
Megabus returns to Los Angeles! Woohoo!!
The first time I took Megabus was with friend Erik and brother Vic. Here is what Erik said about that trip:
The first road-trip I ever went on with CrzBlue was to see the Dodgers on September 8 in Frisco. CrzBlue, Brother Vic, and I took Megabus, we left L.A. at 11:30pm on Friday and got to Frisco at about 5:30am on Saturday. I don’t think we slept more than 15 minutes the whole way. David Wells pitched for the Dodgers, he pushed a perfect game through 5 1/3 innings. Way to shut those jints down Boomer! His performance and the Dodgers’ win had me and CrzBlue singing “I Love L.A.” at the phone booth–T’was great. It was exciting, it was uncomfortable, it is unforgettable!
The second time I took Megabus was to go to San Diego. And yes, it was Dodger related. I can’t believe that was four years ago! I do hope this time the Megabus is a success. I could take it to watch Dodgers on the road to San Diego & San Francisco. Maybe I can also go see Oakland A’s. Maybe they will add Arizona. I know Las Vegas is also one of their destinations.
Megabus will start December 12 with rates as low as $1. Wow! I hope more people take advantage of these deals.
From ATVN:
The company hopes to provide an alternative transportation method for West Coast customers looking to avoid the high gas prices. The bus line will offer free onboard WiFi, power outlets, bathrooms, heating and air conditioning.
Customers can begin to purchase tickets on Wednesday at megabus.com and the first trips will begin on Dec. 12. Ticket prices range from $1 to around $25, but most seats are priced between $5 to $9.
As an opening promotion, the company will offer $1 trips for all seats and all trips in California during its first week of service.
Passengers can get on the express bus at its arrival and departure location at L.A. Union Station’s Patsaouras Transit Plaza.
The express bus runs four schedules each day to and from Las Vegas; the trip takes about six hours. There are six scheduled trips to and from San Francisco, which take about eight hours, and four schedule trips from Sacramento going different directions to San Francisco and Reno. The bus runs seven days a week.
Megabus will run 22 buses in California and is a subsidiary of Coach USA. The double-decker buses have a capacity of 81 passengers.
For more information go to http://us.megabus.com/
What does Wes Parker and Robin William have in common?
They both studied at Claremont McKenna College.
A friend told me that there was going to be a discussion on the business of Baseball with Wes Parker, Jim Colborn and Scott Akasaki on Monday November 19. I checked Google map to see how long it was going to take me to get there. Google map said 1:15 minutes in current traffic. I did not believe it as it takes me 1:10 minutes to get home which is 45 miles away. From Chatsworth to Claremont there are 61 miles. It actually took me TWO HOURS & 45 MINUTES! Several times I thought about turning back and going home.
I am glad that I Char parked next to me as I probably would have wasted more time looking for the place on campus. The event was already in progress and Dodgers traveling manager, Scott Akasaki was speaking.
Before Scott introduced Wes Parker he asked “Who hit for the cycle after Wes Parker had done it for the Dodgers?” Scott picked Char to answer the question. She immediately said “Orlando Hudson” Scott rewarded her with a Wes Parker signed baseball. She was ecstatic!
After the event was over Char shared a cute story wtih Wes Parker. She said that when she was 12 she wrote a snail mail to Wes with questions for a career assignment and he replied. She said she lost the index sized postcard, but the answers were neatly typed. Mr. Parker said “Oh yeah! I replied to all my fan mail!’ Love Wes! Here he is with his old coach!
Scott gave a lot of baseballs. There were more signed baseballs from Wes Parker.
Who was the Brewers first 20 game winner?
Jim Colborn. Jim asked that question. Jim Colborn has a a good sense of humor. He had us believing that Tommy Lasorda was in attendance. Jim also threw a no-hitter against the Kansas City Royals.
There were a few signed baseballs by Jim Colborn. Scott at one point asked “Anyone here from San Francisco?” They got a signed baseball from Jeff Kent. There was a signed baseball also from Andre Ethier.
Scott had a box full of signed baseballs! One of the questions he asked “Anyone Cuban descendant or from the Caribbean?” I put my hand up that I was from Central America so I got Yasiel Puig signed baseball!
It was a long day but I am glad I went. Thanks Char!
Reviewing the Dodgers 2013 Spring Training and making Vacation Plans
I jotted dates from the Spring schedule and the regular Dodger 2013 schedule so that I can request vacation. I was telling myself “don’t schedule vacation during Winter but then I got an email from MLB saying “Enter for a chance to shadow an MLB writer at the Winter Meetings. I read it and started saying “YES! YES!” “YES!” A co-worker heard me and responded “I don’ think you are excited about work” haha. I told him about the email to which he responded “Figures” I never win any of these contests but I still entered. One of these days….
Pitchers and Catchers report in 84 days! Woohoo!
The Dodgers will play Mexico’s WBC team, which includes Adrian Gonzalez and Luis Cruz at Camelback Ranch on March 6, 2013. Shoot! that is on a Wednesday.
Los Angeles Dodgers 2013 Spring Training Schedule
| Day | Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
| Saturday | 2/23 | CWS | Glendale | 1:05 p.m. |
| Sunday | 2/24 | CWS | Glendale | 1:05 p.m. |
| Monday | 2/25 | CHC | Glendale | 1:05 p.m. |
| Tuesday | 2/26 | SF | Glendale | 1:05 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 2/27 | CHC | Mesa | 1:05 p.m. |
| Thursday | 2/28 | LAA | Glendale | 1:05 p.m. |
| Friday | 3/1 | SD (ss) | Glendale | 1:05 p.m. |
| 3/1 | LAA (ss) | Tempe | 1:05 p.m. | |
| Saturday | 3/2 | SEA | Peoria | 1:05 p.m. |
| Sunday | 3/3 | CLE | Glendale | 1:05 p.m. |
| Monday | 3/4 | Off Day | ||
| Tuesday | 3/5 | SD | Peoria | 1:05 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 3/6 | CLE | Goodyear | 1:05 p.m. |
| 3/6 | Mexico | Glendale | 1:05 p.m. | |
| Thursday | 3/7 | TEX | Glendale | 1:05 p.m. |
| Friday | 3/8 | SF (ss) | Scottsdale | 1:05 p.m. |
| 3/8 | CIN (ss) | Glendale | 7:05 p.m. | |
| Saturday | 3/9 | SEA | Glendale | 1:05 p.m. |
| Sunday | 3/10 | COL | Talking Stick | 1:10 p.m. |
| Monday | 3/11 | MIL | Maryvale | 1:05 p.m. |
| Tuesday | 3/12 | CIN | Goodyear | 7:05 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 3/13 | Off Day | ||
| Thursday | 3/14 | CHC | Glendale | 1:05 p.m. |
| Friday | 3/15 | SD (ss) | Peoria | 1:05 p.m. |
| 3/15 | KC (ss) | Glendale | 7:05 p.m. | |
| Saturday | 3/16 | TEX | Surprise | 1:05 p.m. |
| Sunday | 3/17 | MIL (ss) | Glendale | 1:05 p.m. |
| 3/17 | ARI (ss) | Talking Stick | 1:05 p.m. | |
| Monday | 3/18 | ARI | Glendale | 1:05 p.m. |
| Tuesday | 3/19 | OAK | Glendale | 1:05 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 3/20 | KC | Surprise | 1:05 p.m. |
| Thursday | 3/21 | Off Day | ||
| Friday | 3/22 | CIN | Glendale | 1:05 p.m. |
| Saturday | 3/23 | CWS | Glendale | 7:05 p.m. |
| Sunday | 3/24 | OAK | Phoenix | 1:05 p.m. |
| Monday | 3/25 | KC | Surprise | 6:05 p.m. |
| Tuesday | 3/26 | COL | Glendale | 7:05 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 3/27 | SEA | Peoria | 1:05 p.m. |
| Thursday | 3/28 | LAA | Anaheim | TBD |
| Friday | 3/29 | LAA | Dodger Stadium | 7:10 p.m. |
| Saturday | 3/30 | LAA | Anaheim | TBD |
Meet the New Dodgers. USC & UCLA game
There are so many changes with the Dodgers that I need a scorecard to keep track.
Meet the Scouts:
The Dodgers essentially acquired the international scouting staff from the Seattle Martiners
Bob Engle as vice president of international scouting. Pedro Avila, Gene Grimaldi, Patrick Guerrero, Pat Kelly, Jamey Storvick and Mike Tosar.
Also professional scouts: Willie Fraser and Scott Groot
Former Dodgers third baseman Bill Mueller, who served as special assistant, player personnel, will become a full-time professional scout.
senior advisor Gerry Hunsicker, special assistant Pat Corrales
Josh Bard as special assistant, player personnel
hitting coach Mark McGwire.
John Valentin will be promoted from Triple-A hitting coach to assistant big league hitting coach
bullpen coach Ken Howell will become assistant pitching coach to Rick Honeycutt
Double-A pitching coach Chuck Crim will be promoted to Major League bullpen coach.
The current Managers and Coaches:
| The Current Managers and Coaches | ||
|---|---|---|
| # | Name | Position |
| 88 | Don Mattingly | Manager |
| Mark McGwire | Batting Coach | |
| John Valentin | Assistant Hitting Coach | |
| 40 | Rick Honeycutt | Pitching Coach |
| Ken Howell | Assistant Pitching Coach | |
| 15 | Davey Lopes | First Base Coach |
| 26 | Tim Wallach | Third Base Coach |
| 45 | Trey Hillman | Bench Coach |
| Chuck Crim | Bullpen Coach | |
| 85 | Rob Flippo | Bullpen Catcher |
| 11 | Manny Mota | Coach |
| 7 | Steve Yeager | Catching Coach |
| Josh Bard | Special Assistant | |
| Mickey Hatcher | Special Assistant | |
| Staff | ||
| # | Name | Position |
| Pat Corrales | Special Assistant to the General Manager | |
| Willie Fraser | Scout | |
| Scott Groot | Scout | |
| Bill Mueller | Scout | |
| Sue Falsone | Head Athletic Trainer | |
| Bruce Hines | Field Director | |
| Travis Barbary | Coordinator, Catching | |
| Rafael Chaves | Coordinator, Pitching | |
| Damon Mashore | Coordinator, Baserunning | |
| Eric Owens | Coordinator, Hitting | |
| Jody Reed | Coordinator, Defensive | |
| Stan Conte | Director of Medical Services | |
Dodgers also won the bid for Korean left-handed pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin.
The roster is going to be interesting.
USC & UCLA Football game:
I like this picture of Mark McGwire and Eric Karros that Jon SooHoo took. Mark went to USC (so did Jon SooHoo) and Eric went to UCLA

Tomorrow is the annual USC & UCLA game. May the best team win!

Dodgers FanFest & SABR Day is Saturday January 26, 2013
I knew that the Annual SABR Day is scheduled for January 26, 2013. Now I am finding out that the Dodgers will have their first Winter FanFest on the same Saturday!
My first reaction was “Awe shucks!” but then I started thinking “Why not have SABR at Dodger Stadium?” It would be a great opportunity to pass the word around and see if more people want to sign up to be a member of SABR.
I was told at the last meeting that the location had not been determined. Last year it was at the LA Habra library. It was a great event with Del Crandall in attendance and High School coach Eddie Alvarez. Daryl Gribsby talked about his book “Celebrating Ourserves: African-Americans and the Promise of Baseball”.
Last year the Dodgers were having Open House at Dodger Stadium. I went a day before so I would not miss SABR Day. Last year I said the same thing “Why not have SABR DAY at Dodger Stadium.
From the SABR website at http://sabr.org, this is what i says:
SABR Day is an annual event that brings together SABR members and friends on the same day, regardless of where they live. The fourth annual SABR Day will be held on January 26, 2013. Check back on this page soon as we update our calendar with SABR Day events in your area!
Regional SABR meetings are open to all baseball fans — though we encourage you to join SABR if you like what you find — and are usually free to attend. Guest speakers often include current and former baseball players, managers, umpires, executives, scouts, writers and authors.
This will be the Dodgers first Fanrfest in the Winter. In the past two years we had events where we can volunteer along the players at places like cleanup the ocean and the La River and donating time at the La Food Bank.
I hope that they will still have events like these in addition to the FanFest. Look for more information to the Dodgers FanFest at http://dodgers.com
Update: Vin Scully and Jaime Jarrin will also be at the FanFest!! Also lots of food trucks.
Not Exactly Cooperstown documentary
Excited to be going to this event (again) and seeing it among friends:
Here is the information about the documentary and filmmaker Jon Leonoudakis:

“Not exactly Cooperstown,” a Brand New Baseball Documentary
at South Pasadena Library on Friday, November 9
“Not Exactly Cooperstown,” a just released, full-length documentary will be screened in the Community Room on Friday, November 9 at 7:00 p.m. This is a new date because there was a chance that the Game 7 of the World Series could have been played on the previously scheduled date. The program is free and will also feature filmmaker Jon Leonoudakis whose lifelong love affair with America’s National Pastime was snuffed out in 2002 during the game’s ignoble steroids era. But then Jon experienced a profound and lasting personal transformation.
Leonoudakis attended an alternative baseball Hall of Fame ceremony in 2002 where fans could actually vote in the inductees. An organization called The Baseball Reliquary staged the event, and honored ‘Shoeless’ Joe Jackson, Mark ‘The Bird’ Fidrych, and Minnie Minoso, ‘The Cuban Comet’ by electing them to their ‘Shrine of the Eternals.’ Jon found himself surrounded by enthusiasts who loved the game with a fervor that matched his own.
“The Reliquary’s approach to the game is very different,” says Leonoudakis. “It loves baseball, but not reverentially. The Reliquary is run by people steeped in the arts who operate it as a grass-roots affair. The organization fosters an appreciation of American history and culture through the lens of baseball.” Jon spent a year in the life of the Reliquary, “to see what makes it tick,” and to share the results. Leonoudakis calls his film “a star-spangled journey into the heart and soul of baseball that can’t be quantified by numbers.”
“Cooperstown is for statistics, and the Reliquary is for stories and the great characters of the game,” producer/director Leonoudakis adds. “My documentary is an unorthodox look at America’s most orthodox game. “This isn’t your father’s baseball documentary,” says Jon. “My film is a bold stew of Americana, folklore, scandal, fandom, poetry, sport, and art.” Interviews with a cavalcade of experts, fans, and free-thinkers abound, including former major league pitchers Jim Bouton (Ball Four) and Bill “Spaceman” Lee, as well as the San Diego Chicken, filmmaker Ron Shelton (Bull Durham), author Arnold Hano (A Day in the Bleachers), and Terry Cannon, the Executive Director and founder of the Reliquary.
Jon Leonoudakis has been a producer since 1985, leading teams on a diverse range of projects for clients and project partners like the Disney Theme Parks worldwide, the United Nations, Disney Cruise Lines, Pixar, Mercedes-Benz, and Universal Studios/Hollywood, as well as producing and directing, 5:04 p.m.: A First-Hand Account of the 1989 World Series Earthquake Game.
The program is presented by the South Pasadena Public Library, the Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library, and the Baseball Reliquary. Audience members are asked to “dress baseball” and a trivia contest with prizes will start the event. The Community Room is located at 1115 El Centro Street. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and no tickets or reservations are necessary. Refreshments will be served.
The first time I saw the film I was dressed as Hilda Chester. I won first prize. This time I only have my road game Dodger Jersey. It is a Jeff Kent jersey. It was a long day at work. Looking forward to tonight and the weekend.

















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