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Dodger Statement regarding the passing of Steve Howe
04/28/2006 6:46 PM ET
"The entire Dodger organization is deeply saddened by the loss of Steve and our sympathies go out to his family and friends. Steve was a huge part of the Dodgers' 1981 World Championship club and he will go down as one of the best closers in franchise history. He will be missed."
STATEMENT FROM TOMMY LASORDA REGARDING THE PASSING OF STEVE HOWE_"Steve played for me for five years and I thought the world of him. I am truly sorry to hear about his passing and my deepest sympathies go out to his family."
STEVEN ROY HOWE, 1958-2006_• 47-41, 3.30 ERA, 91 saves in 12 Major League seasons_• 1980 National League Rookie of the Year_• 1982 National League All-Star_• Ranks ninth on the Los Angeles Dodgers' all-time saves list (59)_• Ranks 10th on the Dodger franchise all-time saves list (59)_• Selected in the first round (16th overall pick) of the 1979 amateur draft
Bummer, I always liked Steve Howe and felt a bit sorry for him. He was my Mom’s favorite Dodger. I know a lot of people will say his career downfall was his own fault, and they have a point. His cocaine habit ruined any chance he may have had to become one of the best relievers ever and possibly entry into the Hall of Fame. When one has that much talent and can't shake a drug problem as many athletes have, i.e. Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden, it must be some demon they’re fighting. I hope this accident was not drug or booze related. Regardless, thanks Steve, for the memories and the 1981 World Championship, of which you were a major part.
Steve Howe and Steve Yeager– 1981
Monday's act heroic after 30 years
Outfielder recalls protecting country's honor from protesters
04/25/2006 10:00 AM ET
LOS ANGELES -- It was 1976, a fun year for America. It was the country's bicentennial, the war in Vietnam had ended a year earlier and everyone really wanted to put all the problems from the 1960s, Watergate and Vietnam behind them and just enjoy the country's yearlong 200th birthday party.
On April 25, the Chicago Cubs were visiting Dodger Stadium for a three-game series. Playing center field for the Cubs was Rick Monday, the first player taken in the amateur draft that was created 11 years earlier. Monday was born and raised in Santa Monica, Calif., so playing in front of his friends and family was always special to him. On this day, fate would hand Monday a moment that people still talk about with reverence 30 years later. Monday recounts the moment in his own words.
"In between the top and bottom of the fourth inning, I was just getting loose in the outfield, throwing the ball back and forth. Jose Cardenal was in left field and I was in center. I don't know if I heard the crowd first or saw the guys first, but two people ran on the field. After a number of years of playing, when someone comes on the field, you don't know what's going to happen. Is it because they had too much to drink? Is it because they're trying to win a bet? Is it because they don't like you or do they have a message that they're trying to present?
"When these two guys ran on the field, something wasn't right. And it wasn't right from the standpoint that one of them had something cradled under his arm. It turned out to be an American flag. They came from the left-field corner, went past Cardenal to shallow left-center field.
"That's when I saw the flag. They unfurled it as if it was a picnic blanket. They knelt beside it, not to pay homage but to harm it as one of the guys was pulling out of his pocket somewhere a big can of lighter fluid. He began to douse it.
"What they were doing was wrong then, in 1976. In my mind, it's wrong now, in 2006. It's the way I was raised. My thoughts were reinforced with my six years in the Marine Corp Reserves. It was also reinforced by a lot of friends who lost their lives protecting the rights and freedoms that flag represented.
Read the rest here.
Props to Rick Monday, who went on to have a great career and eventually ended up a Dodger. He remained a part of the Dodgers family and is currently a broadcaster, calling the games nicely. You can catch him KFWB 980AM.
I was 10 years old at the time, but remember the incident. Thank goodness for Moe! I wonder what ever happened to those two fools who pulled that stupid stunt. Hopefully they’re under a rock where they belong! A$$HOLES!!
FINALLY, the Dodger win a damn game. They scored the go ahead in the bottom of the ninth. This homestand has been pathetic so far. They dropped two of three to the Gnats and Barroids, then the Cubs roll in and Greg Maddux decides to picth a masterpiece and kicked their butts. Dodger bats are so silent, you can hear crickets chirping! The players are dropping like flies. Garciaparra has yet to start a game, but has taken some batting practice. Relief pitcher, Brazoban, had elbow surgery and is done for the year. Eric gagne probably won't pitch until July, if we're lucky. Cody Ross, who last week had 7 RBIs in one game, was sent down to the minors. Bottomline, they're having a slow medicore start. It'll pick up though, I have faith! Go Blue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Houston starting pitcher, Andy Pettitte, was throwing a gem against the Dodgers tonite. He had a no hitter going into the 7th and I had an upset stomach! Bleh! I was thinking, what in the world is it gonna take to wake my boys up? On paper, they have a solid lineup that should terrify any opposing pitcher. However thus far, they haven't been able to fire on all cylinders. It's been maddening to watch them drop games they should easily win. Fortunately, tonite I believe they reached a turning point. Dodger rightfielder, JD Drew, got their first hit when he smoked one over the right field wall for a homerun, ruining Pettitte's bid for a no hitter. Thank God! At that point, they game was locked at 1-1. Derrick Lowe, who pitched a spectacular game himself, was replaced by reliever, Saito, who promptly served up a homerun to the Astros clean up hitter, Lance Berkman, in the 8th to take the lead once again. All seemed lost and I was reaching for the TUMS.
Meanwhile, at the top of the 9th, Brad "Lights Out" Lidge was summoned in to close it. My gut hurt, that guy is virtually unhittable! With one out in the 9th, Kenny Lofton ripped a triple into right center. My heartrate increased. For crying outloud a flyball would bring the tying run in! Lidge was rattled. He walked Drew, then Kent. Suddenly, the bases were loaded! Enter Nomar Garciaparra. With two quick strikes on him, I was beginning to lose hope. Luckily, Nomar didn't. He launched a 2-2 pitch over the left field wall for a GRAND SLAM! That's right baby, a GRAND SALAMI! The game was now, 5-2. For good measure, my boys added another run and it was 6-2. It was a thriller for all Dodger fans who've been waiting and hoping and praying for a hero. I think we have him in Nomar! Sure he's been bitten with the injury bug and hasn't played an entire season for a few years, but man, could this guy hit. He was crowned the American League batting champion twice in his career and if he stays healthy, WATCH OUT. I realize we're only 20 games into the season and we have 142 games to go, but I truly beleive this was the wakeup call. Beating the 1st place, 13 and 5 Astros was a statement.
Anyhoo, I love Nooomaaah! Go Dodgers! Oh and ladies, he is pretty cute...it's no wonder Mia Hamm fell for his dimples! *wink*
I feel like banging my head against the wall. Reason: the Dodgers dropped a couple of games in Pittsburgh that they should have easily won with any relief pitching whatsoever. I realize it's early, but boy do they STINK! The only decent pitcher is the closer, Baez. Unfortunately, they can't even get to him, coz by that time, they've blown it. They gave up SEVEN dingers in two games. What are they serving up there? WATERMELONS for chrissakes??? Ugh!
Still, it's early, only 10 games into the season! So here are my MLB predictions:
NATIONAL LEAGUE
West – Los Angeles Dodgers
East - Atlanta Braves
Central - St. Louis Cardinals
Wild Card – New York Mets
AMERICAN LEAGUE
West - Oakland Athletics
East - New York Yankees
Central - Chicago White Sox
Wild Card – Boston Red Sox
PLAYOFFS
ALDS - Oakland over Chicago, New York over Boston
NLDS - St. Louis over Atlanta, Dodgers over Mets
ALCS - Oakland over New York
NLCS - Dodgers over St. Louis
WORLD SERIES
Los Angeles over Oakland (rematch from 1988)
Yeah, that right! Dodgers win Baby!
Eric Gagne is done, and we'd like to take this opportunity to pat ourselves on the back. Two days ago, when Gagne suddenly decided to give up his appeal of last year's suspension, we knew the end was near. "His arm is dead and he's hoping that two days of antidepressants and ice cream will bring it back to life," we wrote. Well, all the pills and butter pecan apparently weren't enough. Thursday afternoon it was announced that Gagne will undergo surgery on his elbow for the second time in a year, this time to remove the nerve that was repositioned by shitty doctors last June. There's no timetable for his return, but it's pretty safe to say he'll be back as soon as a new arm grows out of his shoulder.
The saddest part of the whole thing is that the Dodgers are probably better off without him—at least in the condition that he was in this spring. With his velocity down, Gagne talked about how he was "going to have to learn how to pitch." Well, we don't want Gagne to learn how to pitch. The Eric Gagne that wowed fans from 2002-2004 didn't pitch. He threw 97-mph beebees, occasionally dropped in a nasty curve, and—more than anything else —had tremendous confidence in himself. He got off knowing that he could blow hitters away, and fans rode that confidence through some otherwise mediocre seasons. There's no reason for Eric Gagne to have more surgery and return a year later as a middle reliever who's depressed that he can't strike out a number 8 hitter. Whether he'd be pitching in L.A. or somewhere else, that would ruin the legacy that he spent three years creating. It's time for him to wash his goatee, pack his bags, and call it a day.
Oh. My. God. Eric Gagne, Mr. ”GAME OVER”, out for possibly the entire season with a second elbow surgery? Posssibly, the end of his Dodger career? Not a good way to begin the season. Luckily, Ned Coletti, the new GM, made some great moves during the offseason. He acquired Baez, a good closer in his own right, so I think we're covered! Still, the way the injury bug has plagued the team for the last couple of seasons, I can’t help but think we may be cursed! I probably need to sacrifice a couple of chickens in a Santeria ritual to cleanse the badness away! Kidding, that stuff freaks me out!
Wow, seriously, thanks Gagne for some great seasons and lots of excitement. I’ll miss hearing Guns and Roses’ Welcome to the Jungle, as you walked out of the bullpen gates to the mound! *sniff*
New Dodgers Manager, Grady Little excited for Opening DayOh Baby me too, I’m so psyched! I’m playing hooky from work tomorrow for the home opener against the Atlanta Braves. Thankfully, I landed a job working for perhaps a bigger Dodgers fan than myself, and he deemed Opening Day, an official holiday in the company. So he, along with a few other co-workers will be there as well. Lucky me!
During the offseason, owner Frank McCourt spent quite a pretty penny and renovated and replaced every single seat at Dodger Stadium. I can’t wait to take it in! Take a gander at some restoration pics. Mother Nature will serisouly tick me off if the rain in tomorrow's forecast does arrive. Opening Day in Los Angeles has NEVER been rained out, I'd love the streak to continue...and DAMMIT...I want my DodgerDog and beer!
