Archives for posts with tag: Clayton Kershaw
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À la recherche du temps perdu

July 6, 2024 //
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I miss real extra-inning games, god damn it!

I know I can’t be the only person to cherish my memories of Oct. 26 (& 27), 2018. I got to Dodger Stadium 3 hours early, waited for Game 3 of the Red Sox-Dodgers World Series to begin at 5:10 p.m., watched nearly 8 hours of baseball (that alone is glorious in the extreme), until Max Muncy hit a walk-off homer to break a 2-2 tie in the 18th inning!

It was after 1 a.m., and I walked home on Cloud Nine with Randy Newman ringing in my ears.

It’s not likely I would ever get a chance to experience the utter joy of that long trip to the ballpark a second time in my life. But knowing that MLB has sucked the life out of the game to the point that it isn’t even a vague possibility just breaks my heart.

Someone (I think it was my husband, who left that historic game in the 10th inning to get his beauty sleep) posted this cartoon on my FB page. It made me so nostalgic for real baseball, I’m sitting here with tears in my eyes.

Sure, I’ll watch in my Top Deck season seats, I’ll take score and buy hot dogs and listen to away games on the radio, but I know there are special radiant moments that can never happen again, like Clayton Kershaw hitting a home run and pitching a complete-game shutout on Opening Day; like Marlin Miguel Cabrera spoiling an intentional walk by knocking a limp pitch into centerfield to score the go-ahead run; and like singing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” after the top of the 14th inning in a game that seems like it will never end.

I still love baseball, but it’s not as resplendent as it once was, and it’s just weird that it’s by design.

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Categories 2024

Under the Rainbow

September 12, 2023 //
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So this happened!

The most unbelievable display I’ve ever seen.

The game on Monday (Sept. 11) started out to be just as spectacular, but it didn’t end up that way. The pot o’ gold at the end of this rainbow was a meltdown by our apparent closer, Evan Phillips, whereby he gave up 4 runs in the top of the 9th, putting the game against the stinking, smug Padres out of reach, 11-7. We scored another in the bottom of the inning, and we had the winning run at the plate with bases loaded, but Chris Taylor unfortunately aimed his line drive right into the glove of shortstop Xander Bogaerts to end the game.

As my ceaselessly optimistic husband would say, “If you want to make sure the Dodgers don’t score a run, load the bases.”

My boys in blue had a wonderful August, but so far this month, they are not doing so hot. They have a lot of injuries and a partner-beating (allegedly) pitcher, leaving the unreliable Lance Lynn as our only veteran starter. Our young ‘uns (Ryan Pepiot, Gavin Scott, Bobby Miller and Emmett Sheehan) do not a starting rotation make. But manager Dave Roberts is making do with them as best he can, while keeping his fingers crossed that Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler can come back before the playoffs. Good luck to you, Doc! Actually, good luck to us all.

One of the perks of the Top Deck.
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Categories 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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Categories 2023
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