68 thoughts on “Podcast fun”

  1. This is the perfect move for Joc. He has evolved as a hitter with 2 strikes and has of late taken smarter swings against lefties. He needs a year of full time play to show whether he can be more than a righty killer.

    He should also get some innings in CF in Wrigley Field.

    He will be wealthy enough at $7M.

      • As it seemed that the Dodgers had no interest in keeping him — their trade of Pederson to the Angels last year didn’t go through — I am glad that he did not sign with the Giants. I will always appreciate what he did for the Dodgers, particularly in the post-season. In losing both Joc and Kiké, the club bids farewell to two of its most joyous players. Joc always reminded me of our labradoodle: big, goofy, friendly and unpretentious.

          • Here is how this is going to make most of us happy. Joc does really well in Chicago and is traded to the Dodgers just prior to the trading deadline so he can help the Dodgers in the post season.

          • Yours is a perfect scenario. An idea that I had is that the Dodgers should have kept him on the disabled list all year and then activated him for the post-season.

    • Not sure how much time he will get against lefties, though, or playing CF. Don’t think that the Dodgers really “held him back” in any sense. Joc is touted to be historical in the size of his split (110-45)

    • Arizona’s Governor hasn’t shown up well in responding to the virus. Neither has Florida’s, for that matter. The Grapefruit League might be next to request a delay.

      • Florida’s DeSenseless has been much worse, even manipulating public health statistics to justify partying on.

    • Aaron and Ernie Banks were my two favorites. For a great biography of Aaron, I suggest “The Last Hero: A Life of Henry Aaron,” by Howard Bryant, which came out in 2011. Because Aaron was so quiet, many sportswriters at the time — almost all of whom were white and generally conservative — thought he was not smart. They were wrong.
      ..

      • Bryant is a very thoughtful writer. I haven’t read the Aaron bio, but I read his book about race and baseball in Boston. It was enlightening and enraging.

        He’s written half-a-dozen or more books.

      • Need to pick that book up. I did go out and get “Bushville Wins!” by John Klima, which chronicles the Milwaukee Team of the late 1950s, a major rival of our Brooklyn Dodgers.

      • Agreed. I’m surprised it is only a two-year deal. I hope we meet him in the World Series. He brought a tremendous amount of energy, joy and versatility to the Dodgers. I wish him nothing but the best and appreciate everything he did for the Dodgers.

        • Quique is still only 29, so he could be well-positioned for another good contract in two years. In that time, though, the rebuilding Sawx are unlikely to see the Series except on TV.

          • Yeah, if they are not going to give you at least five, two years is a good compromise and bridge to another perhaps more lucrative contract.

  21. At least one NCAA coach is publicly flaying the NCAA for its determination to have a basketball season.

    Kim Mulkey coached the Baylor women’s basketball team Saturday for the first time since she was sidelined with covid-19, and she left no doubt about how she feels about a season that is proceeding amid the coronavirus pandemic.

    “The answer is this: The season will continue on. It’s called the almighty dollar,” Mulkey said after her team’s 75-71 loss to Iowa State in Waco, Tex. “The NCAA has to have the almighty dollar from the men’s tournament. The almighty dollar is more important than the health and welfare of me, the players or anybody else.

    “One conference does this, one conference does that. The CDC says this. Everybody is confused. I’m confused. I’m uncomfortable coaching. I understand, covid is real. I’ve had it — come talk to me sometime. But I don’t know … all the calls and procedures, that’s going to go on and make it unusual, uncomfortable for every program. We’re no different at Baylor.”

    Also:

    women’s teams that have ended their seasons because of the virus include Duke, SMU, San Jose State, Cal State Northridge and all of the Ivy League schools. Bethune-Cookman, Florida A&M and Maryland Eastern Shore, all historically Black colleges and universities, canceled their seasons before they started.

  25. Random (and somewhat materialistic) question here. How many Dodgers championship items do people have at this point?

    My son gave me a t-shirt for Christmas.
    A friend here wonderfully sent me the Dodger championship video narrated by Vin.
    Another friend here wonderfully sent me a copy of the LA Times from the day after the Dodgers won.
    And I have 2 magazines: Los Angeles Daily News (“True Blue” with Mookie rounding bases after Game 6 HR on the cover) and KCI (“Blue Heaven” with Doc, Kersh, and the team celebrating on the cover).

    Is that about par for the course with others on here?

    • I got the video and a friend gave me the the scorebook mag. Also have a Dodgers facemask.

    • Great question:
      My wife gave me a MLB gift certificate and I bought a championship sweatshirt/hoodie with it.
      I splurged. I bought myself a short-sleeve championship blue T-shirt with the names of all the players on the back, the hardbound ALL FOR ONE BOOK with great photos, and the Vin Scully-narrated DVD of the championship.
      Living in Giants country I look forward to wearing the clothing (when we are not pretty much hunkered down).

      • DHnews.

        Still being negotiate. Players say owners want it as much as they do so why not make owners give them something more for expanding playoffs

    • Two T-shirts, one official and one custom-made from my son; the Vin video, also from my son; one LA Times issue; countless memories, including nail biting posts with y’all!

  28. Thanks for the email notification Link! And thanks for the heads up about Jon’s appearance on Fangraphs. I look forward to listening to it while shovelling snow this afternoon. 🙂

    • High of 68° here today, and I just saw a baseball lying on the practice ground at Oakland Tech (alma mater of Rickey Henderson and Clint Eastwood). I’m trying to get the Santa Rosa plum pruned before it blossoms.