Archives for the month of: August, 2023

The Dog Days Are (Almost) Over

August 30, 2023 //
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Chris Taylor does the Freddie at 2nd base.

What an August our Boys in Blue have had! 23 wins, just 4 losses! Holy cow!

The thing I love is that they really seem to be having a great time. Their camaraderie is palpable, whether it’s every double being celebrated with hands in the air and shaking those hips (they call it The Freddie), or the choreographed handshake that follows home runs, of which we’ve had a few.

It may be a coincidence, but it seems to have started when we reclaimed Kiké Hernández from the Red Sox at the end of July. He’s always been a firecracker, and his energy has infiltrated every corner of the Dodgers clubhouse. Even Miguel Rojas’ DayGlo green shoes! I always liked Kiké, even though I wouldn’t wear his T-shirt after he was sent to Boston. He wasn’t a Dodger anymore. But now he’s been reinstated and my blue #14 Hernández shirt is back in the lineup.

Anyway, Stephen and I went to the game last night (Aug. 29). The Dodgers creamed the D’backs, 9-1. Clayton Kershaw pitched 5 innings, but he wasn’t looking like himself. He walked 3, and had at least 5 full counts. Strikes only barely outnumbered balls. Still, even in a poor showing, Kersh is Kersh. He only gave up 1 run and 3 hits, and he notched his 12th win of the season and the 209th of his career. (He has tied Don Drysdale’s record, second only to Don Sutton’s 233.)

Tuesday was Chris Taylor Bobblehead Night, and he went 3-for-3 with a walk. It was the best showing by a Dodger on his bobblehead night since Manny Ramirez.

It was also Taco Tuesday and Cal State LA Day (Yay, Golden Eagles!), AND the World Champion El Segundo Little Leaguers were honored before the game. Unfortunately, there weren’t a whole hell of a lot of fans there to cheer any of those things. I don’t get it. Both games since this homestand started have been very sparsely attended. Maybe it’s the heat. It can’t be the Dodgers. They are on fucking fire!

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I Have Magic Powers (Or Not)!

August 3, 2023 //
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Miguel Rojas is congratulated by his teammates after hitting his first homer as a Dodger last night.

Last night (Wed., Aug. 2, 2023), my wonderful husband and I went to the game together. I didn’t call attention to it or anything, but I noticed every time I did my bugle-call whistle (you know, “da-da-da-duh-da-duh CHARGE!”), whichever Dodger was at the plate would hit the ball! … Like, immediately after my whistle!

First inning, Mookie Betts leads off with a smokin’ double, followed by Freddie Freeman with a run-scoring single. Both IMMEDIATELY after I did my whistle. I swear! You think it’s a coincidence that both Amed Rosario and Miguel Rojas hit their first home runs as Dodgers on the same night? I like to think my whistle played a part, not only in those hits, but in everything that led to the Dodgers’ 10-1 rout of the A’s.

Now, I could be persuaded to believe that it was just a coincidence — that the Dodgers (Mookie & Freddie in particular) are just great baseball players — if not for the fact that I singlehandedly WILLED INTO BEING last week’s epic 9th-inning rebound from a 4-run deficit. (I have witnesses!)

My view July 25 in the 10th inning after 4-run rally in the 9th.

Steve and I — along with writer Mat Gleason and his wife, artist Leigh Salgado — were in seats right behind the visitors’ dugout on Tues., July 25. We were playing the Blue Jays, and our fabulous bullpen sank everyone’s hope for a Dodger victory by letting Toronto increase their 1-run lead to a 4-run lead in the top of the 9th.

I turned to a dejected Steve, the Dodgers now down 7-3, and I said, “Stephen, you know I can will a comeback into being. You’ve seen it firsthand.” I was referring to a monumentally fun 5-run rally in the bottom of the 9th at a Spring Training game a decade ago, when I was the only fan standing at Camelback Ranch, screaming my head off and whistling like a maniac while everybody else stared like I was nuts. A.J. Ellis capped that win with a 3-run bomb. I made the mojo that time, and I could do it again.

I stepped to the empty front row to give myself more room. (Even with special parking, Dugout Club folks like to beat the traffic.) I’m leaning up against the Blue Jays’ dugout, and I start whistling, screaming my lungs out, clapping and, basically, acting like a completely delusional moron.

“Da-da-da-duh-da-duh!” James Outman singles!

“Da-da-da-duh-da-duh!” Rojas, singles!

“Da-da-da-duh-da-duh!” Mookie, singles! Outman scores! And the rest of the inning went almost exactly the way I wanted it to.

We ended up tied at 7, and the 10th inning brought a beautiful Outman double that drove designated runner Chris Taylor home for a walkoff win.

I turned to Steve and said, “Told ya!”

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