Swept Away

Just four fans playing at the Ravine.

What a great couple of days! The Dodgers sweep the Twins in Minnesota, while on their home turf, I and a few friends of mine play around in their clubhouse.

The day after the franchise’s 10,000th win, Michelle Rubin of the Dodgers Pride Rewards team led me, my husband, Steve, and our friends John Woodard and Tina Brugnoletti through the empty bowels of Dodger Stadium to the dugout and into the cages inside for an hour of batting practice. It was spectacular! I even found out I could hit!

I won this perk at a preseason event for season ticket holders, something I never thought possible because — as I have said many times in the past — no one ever wins anything in the Top Deck. I guess it really is a Whole New Blue. Now if we could only see it on TV. (More about that next week. We are giving the Donald Sterling debacle a little time to cool down before we start our latest round of fan rallies over the Time Warner fiasco.)

But back to the Ravine. What a beautiful place it is, breathtaking at every turn. And in the cage, the TV was on so we could watch the Dodgers taking the first of two wins in Minneapolis while swinging away with Matt Kemp’s own ash bats, covered with pine tar and the Bison’s big fingerprints.

We just romped like kids, and I found out why Hanley Ramirez keeps hurting his thumb. A year or so ago, I broke my right thumb, and swinging that bat brought back a twinge of pain. But it was worth it, I tell you.

OK, OK. I was suspicious at first that the Dodgers picked me for this prize to get me to drink the blue Kool-Aid and stop criticizing $tan Ka$ten and the Dodgers’ new management. For one day, that’s exactly what I did.

Tim Federowicz, leaving for AAAlbuquerque, stopped for a photo in the stadium elevator.

On the way out, we rode the elevator with Tim Federowicz, our backup catcher who was sent to AAAlbuquerque. He was leaving with his bags and looked a bit down, but he was extremely nice and friendly. I told him we would see him when he came back, which I was sure would be soon.

It was quite a day, and I am grateful to the Dodgers organization for the opportunity to feel part of the club.