OFFICIAL 2009 DODGERS SEASON THREAD : Season Over. Congratulations Phillies.

[mr jordan04]

If he has an option year after the 1st season, he won't sandbag. He's gonna tear it up since its most likely gonna be a contract year. If so...he'sguaranteed to opt out and leave the dodgers.

 

[Los Angeles]

No new news

sidenote, anyone like seafood? just went to redondo beach pier or whatever for some

seafood.

 

[cincoseisdos]

Redondo is niceeeeee

San Pedro next to the cruise port is top notch though

 

[Los Angeles]

damn, i use to go to san pedro as a kid - but redondo is like nicer to walk around.

the pier and stuff, and at san pedro all you see are the shipping containers.

heads up, today is the first televised game on kcal 1200.

 

[cincoseisdos]

you're right. you either see cruiseliners being moved with tugboats, or youre walking around a lot of smaller souvenir shops

Redondo you've got a little bit of everything, a bit more refreshing too.

[h1][/h1]

[h1]McCourt: Manny talks in 'quiet period'[/h1] [h2]Dodgers plan to resume negotiations with slugger 'at some point'[/h2]
PHOENIX -- The Manny Ramirez negotiations are on hold at the moment, Dodgers owner Frank McCourt said on Sunday morning, at least until the afternoon's Opening Day festivities at Camelback Ranch are complete.
"No new news," McCourt said at a news conference prior to Sunday's inaugural game against the White Sox when asked about Ramirez. "We're in what I call a transition phase right now. We had a lengthy, almost four-month-long negotiation that terminated on Thursday. So now we're sort of in a quiet period. At some point, we'll pick up negotiations again, but with a fresh start this time."

McCourt said he had no intention of responding to the latest two-year proposal from the Ramirez camp at $45 million -- $25 million for 2009 and $20 million for 2010 with an opt-out clause for the free-agent left fielder after the coming season, calling it "too little, too late."

McCourt did seem to make it clear that the Dodgers' last offer of two years at $45 million paid out over five years, without interest -- $10 million each for the first four years and the final at $5 million -- was off the table at the moment.

When asked if he was considering the last proposal offered by agent Scott Boras on Thursday, McCourt said:

"Not at all, because it was made very, very clear to Scott at the time that we were expecting a yes or no answer. We had given that round of negotiations our best shot. We just wanted to know whether he was going to do that deal or not. A simple yes or no would suffice."

McCourt said he didn't get that answer. Instead, Boras responded with two proposals -- a two-year, $55 million deal paid over five years and later the two-year, $45 million up-front contract.

"We didn't get a yes answer, and that's the issue," McCourt said, "which, by the way, Scott is entitled not to say yes. That's how it works. But we're entitled to say, 'We're at the end of the phase of a process here.' We're going to take it through at least today and the opening of this facility. There will be no news on Manny today.

"At some point, and you'll all know when, we will resume discussions, because we do want Manny. We do want Manny to be a Dodger this year."

 

[cincoseisdos]

[h1]Goofy Lowe-down on departure from Dodgers[/h1]
DUNEDIN, Fla. - Derek Lowe, at his own goofy pace.

"Rápido," he says, pulling up his pants as three reporters approach.

"What, uh … " one reporter begins.

"Whattah? Whattah? I know somebody named Whattah - Mr. and Mrs. Whattah," Lowe cracks.

Lowe has just made his spring debut for the Atlanta Braves, pitching two innings against the Toronto Blue Jays. He gave up one run on five hits, striking out three. He answers a couple of questions, then mocks the exercise.

"How do you analyze two innings?" he says. "I think that's impossible."

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Someone asks him how he feels physically.

"I feel good, yeah, sexy," he says. "Should have seen me in the shower. I want to read that someplace."

The two Atlanta beat reporters turn to leave.

"Nice job, guys," his tone pleasantly sarcastic. "Solid."

His remaining visitor mentions the company he works for.

Lowe's yodel bounces off the walls of a near-empty clubhouse.

"Yahooooooooo!," he yelps.

Why did the Dodgers, who also lost starting pitchers Brad Penny and Greg Maddux, make no attempt to re-sign him?

"I don't know," he says. "You've got to answer me that, buddy. They got good young pitching. That could have something to do with it. But I don't know."

Surely, something must have happened with the Dodgers.

"Nothin', zero," he says. "I really enjoyed it there. We went to them when free agency started. I said I'd be welcome to come back, but they never really seemed like … I don't know.

"I enjoyed playing there. I got along with everybody. Joe [Torre] was great, the coaching staff was great."

The visitor mentions his offseason wedding to Carolyn Hughes, his girlfriend of more than three years.

"Yeah, it was a good time," Lowe says. "I figured I'd try it again. Why not?"

Lowe was married when he met Hughes, a TV reporter who anchored the "Dodger Dugout" show on FSN West. The split with his first wife, Trinka, turned ugly, Hughes was suspended from her Fox assignment in August 2005, and Frank and Jamie McCourt, the image-conscious Dodgers owners, were said to be unhappy with the whole affair. Did that lead to Lowe's departure?

"I don't know if they gave me grief about it, but everyone else gave me grief," he says. "I was the grief-meister.

"But believe me, we told them I wanted to stay. People were saying, 'Oh he wants to go east, he wants to go west, he wants to go to Mexico. I think they thought I wanted to leave. I told them, 'Whoever you're hearing that from, it's not accurate. I like it here.'

"But it never got off the ground."

The Red Sox, the team that he helped pitch to the 2004 World Series title, was a rumored landing spot. "That never got far down the line," he says.

"I thought I'd go to the Yankees first, the Phillies, then the Mets. And here we are, in Bravo-land. Bravo-land!

"It was a weird offseason, I'll tell you that. Look what happened to 99 percent of the guys. Certain teams felt like they never had to move [off an offer]. That's a scary thought, when a team feels like it doesn't have to move."

That's how it went down with the Mets, wasn't it? They offered Lowe a three-year deal for $36 million, then never budged.

"They felt like they never had to do anything," he says. "Because they figured no one else was going to do anything."

By this point, Lowe has made his way out of the clubhouse and into the parking lot. He spots his wife coming out of the exits and breaks into song. Loudly.

"Sexy, oh, baby, those bright eyes," he sings.

Hughes laughs. "Say hello to your dad," she says.

Lowe reaches over the fence and grabs Don Lowe's scruffy beard.

"I'm gonna hug some ugly," he says. "Where'd this come from?"

His father points at the beard Lowe is sporting. "What do you call that?" he says.

Lowe greets an old friend. "How you been?" he asks. "All dressed up here. Gotta dress up with Atlanta."

The Braves tried to swing a trade this winter with San Diego for starter Jake Peavy, but the Padres pulled out. They tried to sign free-agent starter A.J. Burnett but lost him to the Yankees. They showed little interest in Lowe, but when John Smoltz, a Braves lifer, shocked the club by bolting for Boston, they bet the house on Lowe, giving him a four-year, $60 million contract, quite a load for a pitcher who will turn 36 on June 1.

How does he feel about being called the ace of the Braves?

"I don't believe in that, you know that," he says. "I understand where they're coming from, but in my opinion, there are very few aces. In this game, people throw around 'aces.' Every team has a No. 1 starter, because someone has to start. You saw Pedro Martinez. That to me is an ace. Roy Halladay. But there are so few guys who are bona fide No. 1 guys. You may pitch opening day, but you're not going to win 25 games. To me, you need five good guys. We added three guys."

The Braves traded for Javier Vazquez and signed Japanese right-hander Kenshin Kawakami.

"How good are we going to be?" he says. "Good question. But we'd better be able to pitch, especially in our division."

Lowe slides into the driver's seat of the SUV, next to Carolyn.

"Got to go," he says.

When does he ever stop?

 

[Los Angeles]

damn camelback is nice.

good to hear vinny's voice.

hudson had a nice play in the first inning.

it looks too hot in arizona for me

 

[cincoseisdos]

same here dude, plus those tan seats dont make it more appealing to me although the rest of the complex looks spot on.

Kuroda looked good out there for the 1st two.

 

[Los Angeles]

i dont even wanna think of how that arizona sun beaming on my skin.

dude, mitch jones has been tearing it up, i know its spring training, but hes consistently hitting the ball solid.

if only we can move juan pierre, repko etc.

 

[cincoseisdos]

Same I was thinking, i'm sure he'll be one of the final cuts, and they'll send him to AAA camp in order to keep him warm.

Speaking of warm, rightnow the weather out here is PERFECT with the breeze flowing through my windows, i'm sure this beats whatever it is in AZ

 

[Los Angeles]

dewitt has looked clueless at the plate today

i think the addition of hudson really got him thinkin.

mark loretta though, gonna be very solid this yr.

new manny news:

[h1]Manny Ramirez Rumors: Sunday[/h1]
By Alex Walsh [March 1 at 3:20pm CST]

3:16pm: According to Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times Dodgers owner Frank McCourt will not consider Boras's counter-offer of two years and $45MM in non-deferred payments with an opt-out clause. The Dodgers have pulled their most recent offer according to the AP (via ESPN), so the two sides are back where they started.

Hernandez has a source who says Boras values $45MM in deferred payments at about $42MM in present value. Negotiations are set to resume Monday at the earliest.

 

[cincoseisdos]

yeah the whole manny thing is covered in the first article I posted today

 

[cincoseisdos]

[h1]Dodgers will not increase ticket prices[/h1]

Team says a Web page showing hikes for almost every seat was put up in error.


The Dodgers also froze prices on season tickets this season. The Angels raised season prices by an average of 6.4% but froze single-game prices, with the exception of 17 popular games.

On Saturday, one week before the Dodgers and Angels put single-game tickets on sale, the Dodgers' website displayed a price list that included increases for almost every seat in the house.

The increases ranged from $1 on the top deck and $2 in the left-field pavilion to $5 for loge seats and up to $10 for box seats.
Mannion said the Web page was put up in error, and he said any groups that had bought pre-sale tickets at those prices would receive a refund for the amount of the increase.

"There had been an anticipated increase," Dodgers spokesman Charles Steinberg said.

"Everything has changed [with the economy] over the past four months."

In his statement on the Manny Ramirez negotiations on Thursday, Dodgers owner Frank McCourt cited "an economy that has substantially eroded since last November."

The Angels, unlike the Dodgers, vary the price of single-game tickets. For the most popular games -- opening day, July 4 and those against the Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees -- the Angels have increased their surcharge by $2.

Seats on the field and terrace levels now carry a $12 surcharge for those games, with other seats carrying a $7 surcharge.

"Those are our premium games," Angels spokesman Tim Mead said. "The demand is there."

The single-game prices for the other 64 games remain the same, he said.

"We've worked very hard to maintain the affordability of our pricing," he said.

Team Marketing Report last season listed the average price for the Dodgers at $29.66 and the Angels at $20.78, excluding luxury seats.

Email Picture

Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times

Thousands of people Saturday were hoping to become ushers, security guards, janitors or concession workers at Dodger Stadium. Many will return Sunday for short interviews.

Bill Plaschke:

[h1]They're lining up out of need, not greed, at Dodger Stadium[/h1]

Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times

Thousands of people Saturday were hoping to become ushers, security guards, janitors or concession workers at Dodger Stadium. Many will return Sunday for short interviews.

Job fair produces thousands who would jump at the chance to work for the team for minimum wage.

Bill Plaschke
March 1, 2009

A freshly pressed gray suit clinging to his small frame, a weathered leather folder wedged firmly in his hand, Willie Hunter stood elegantly among the sweating masses filling the darkened concourse.

Unlike others in the news recently, he doesn't need $55 million to work for the Dodgers.

He'll do it for $10.90 an hour.

Please?

"I'll be the water boy, I'll sell hot dogs, I'll do whatever they ask," the security guard said softly. "They're cutting my hours, I have six young children, I need to take care of my family."

An orange band with the number 2,162 attached to his wrist, a weary smile on his face, David Felix looked around the crowded seats and shook his head.

Unlike others in the news recently, he won't require three months to decide whether he wants to work for the Dodgers.

He'll start much sooner.

Like yesterday.

"I've tried for 20 years to get on here, maybe this will be my chance," the unemployed grocery clerk said. "Who wouldn't want to work here? This place is like home."

::

I woke up Saturday with a severe Mangover, head throbbing and sensibilities wincing after a week of following the negotiation circus around Manny Ramirez.

I immediately headed to the one place in the world where I was assured of not seeing him or hearing him.

I drove to a job fair at Dodger Stadium.

You know, a place with a bunch of people who actually want to work for the Dodgers.

"Hey, I'll take $45 million to work here," Felix said. "For that kind of money, I'll play left field and first base at the same time."

In the same week that the wacky left fielder refused to work here for more money than he can spend in many lifetimes, 4,500 people filed into the Dodger Stadium loge level to apply for Dodger and Levy concession jobs that will barely pay next month's rent.

They applied to be a security guard (fighting drunks) starting at $10.90 an hour.

They applied to be an usher (throwing drunks out of their seats) starting at $9.66 an hour.

They applied to be a janitor (cleaning up after drunks in the bathroom) for a pay range that tops at $11.37 an hour.

They're not pretty or glamorous jobs, you can't watch the games, and the gig ends in October, or even sooner if the team doesn't sign Ramirez.

"But it's the Dodgers, " Cesar Cuevas said as he walked through a crowded parking lot. "It's a team I've been following all my life."

He was in the parking lot because, as wristband number 2,400, he had no shot of being interviewed before the fair closed Saturday afternoon.

"It's crazy in there, man," he said.

He will return today when the fair resumes at the same hours, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., people lining up two hours early, people refusing to leave until they are thrown out.

"It's a sign of the times," said Adam Celories, a college graduate whose suit pants brushed against a pile of peanut shells. "People need work, and people will do anything to work here."

Well, not everybody.

"Tell you what, you give me $45 million, I'll move in here," said Maureen Mendez, whose wristband number was 1,300. "I'm sure Manny has his reasons . . . doesn't he?"

Ramirez' refusal to sign with the Dodgers even though he has no other offers stood in stark contrast with those willing to wait eight hours for a one-minute job interview.

The applicants came early and from everywhere, many hiking into the stadium from downtown buses. They filled up the loge level from Sections 150 to 168, sitting in warm

seats watching replayed

Dodgers games on the giant videoboard while waiting their turn.

They included unshaven elderly men propped up against walls, young business types balancing sack lunches on briefcases, and even a furloughed flight attendant who brought her 1-year-old son.

"His first word was 'Dodgers,' " said Erin Levang, holding Kieran in the middle of the busy concourse. "I figured it was a sign."

Some wore suits, others wore shorts, and even one particularly bold sort wore a Dodgers jersey bearing the name of "Pierre."

While the Dodgers treated them with dignity, from the big-screen replays to half-price concessions to kindly reminders from countless club ambassadors, it was still such a long wait that by midday, several people slumped over their loge seats overlooking the green beauty of the empty field, soundly sleeping.

"This shows how much everyone needs a job,

and everyone loves the Dodgers," said Matt Lindblom, a chef looking for a second

income.

Once the applicants were finally summoned to the actual job interview, laid-off retail worker Levi Board could only shake his head. The Dodgers asked him only a couple of questions before promising to get back to him.

"It was like I sat down and got right back up," Board said of the interview. "I hope I made a good impression."

You know, he did, All of them did. It was a day not of desperation, but dignity, thousands gracefully willing to wait long hours for a chance to perform baseball work, stadium work, honest work.

"I just hope I get chance to talk to them," said Willie Hunter, still standing on the dim concrete, his gray suit slowly wrinkling in the heat. "If they can hear me, see me, I know I've got a chance."

Meanwhile, negotiations between the Dodgers and Manny Ramirez continue.

 

[cincoseisdos]

Well played game, totally *+!# on themselves in the 9th though

Wonder how Troncoso is doing and what happened

 

[cincoseisdos]

[h1][/h1]

[h1]8 fans suffer heat exhaustion at Glendale stadium opener[/h1]
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[/td] [td]Reported by: Tim Vetscher
Email: [email protected]
Last Update: 5:19 pm[/td] [/tr][/table]

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[img]http://www.abc15.com/media/news/d/7/7/d777105a-013d-466f-8dba-193cbccca414/Story.jpg[/img]
Camelback Ranch baseball stadium in Glendale (Tim Vetscher)
First aid crews treated eight people for heat-related illnesses Sunday during the first ever game at Glendale's new Camelback Ranch baseball stadium.

The temperature reached 86 degrees Sunday afternoon, 13 degrees above the average high for March 1.

"It's very hot," said Barb Glassman of Scottsdale. "Frying out there like bacon."

For all its amenities, the new stadium offers few places to escape the sun. Many fans gave up their seats in the sun Sunday afternoon to stand in the shade in the concourse.

"It's warm down (in the seats)," said Mike Lester of North Phoenix. "We had to come up (to the concourse)."

Lester's wife was one of the 8 people Sunday treated by first aid crews.

"I think I got sun stroke or something," said Debbie Lester.

While the sun was bad for some, the heat proved good for business at Angelo's Italian Ice stand.

"It's a little toasty," said Kristen Mclaren of Scottsdale. "(The italian ice) will make us cool."

The mercury is expected to top 90 degrees for Monday's game at Camelback Ranch. Fans say it's way too hot for just the first two days of March.

"It's getting hot too, too early," said Dodgers fan Eva Garcia of Phoenix.

"It's just a precursor of things to come," added White Sox fan Jeff Fiene.

First aid crews said, even though the calendar only reads early March, fans should stay away from caffeine and alcohol and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated during spring training games.

Medics also suggest fans wear a hat and wear plenty of sun block.
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[h4]Manny, Dodgers about $1.5 million apart[/h4]

Views 6131 Comments 7

• Posted by: Jon Heyman
• 06:53 PM ET 03.01
• Share

GLENDALE, Ariz.-- Manny Ramirez is now asking the Dodgers for a two-year contract including deferred monies with end a value of 43.5 million, according to a statement emailed to the media by Scott Boras. Ramirez's previous request was for two years, $45 million, with no money deferred.

According to the email, the Dodgers, who offered a $45 million contract with a value of $42 million, have yet to respond. It appears the sides are now about $1.5 million apart in their offers.

"We have continued to work with Ned (Colletti), and the Dodgers to do away with artificial barriers to get a deal completed. There is no issue with deferred money being part of any part of the contract. We just want to make sure the value is stated accurately and appropriately … We have yet to hear from them on our last three offers," Boras said.

Dodgers owner Frank McCourt at the opener of the club's new spring training facility here said the sides are "starting from scratch," although McCourt concede they are not that far apart monetarily.

All the recent offers included a player option or an opt-out clause after the first year.

 

[in yo nostril]

how do you get heat exhaustion in 86 degree weather?

 

[jrdnkiks213]

Can't wait until the regular season begins. Camelback looks nice but too much sun for me to sit out there for 9 innings...

O-Dogg with the nice scoop in the 1st..

Next KCal telecast March 15th vs. Colorado.

 

[cincoseisdos]

Originally Posted by In Yo Nostril

how do you get heat exhaustion in 86 degree weather?

i'm thinking because it comes out of nowhere, especially if it's someone from out here since we've been experiencing the cold all winter.

 

[eyegiantjackpot]

any other season ticket holders in here?

i cant wait till the first preseason game against the angels at dodger stadium. anyone else going? this month needs to scream by.

 

[badboyf0life420]

lol wait we lost today? i was switching back and forth between the lakers and dodgers and we were up 2 and then i checked the score just right now and we lost3-2? :ROLLIN

 

[cincoseisdos]

Originally Posted by eyegiantjackpot



i cant wait till the first preseason game against the angels at dodger stadium. anyone else going?

will def be there, field level through goldstar

 

[mr jordan04]

The visitor mentions his offseason wedding to Carolyn Hughes, his girlfriend of more than three years.

damn they got married?
lowe seems like hes just #*%*$!$ around having fun. i talked to him for a bit when i went down to a game at petco and he was just messing around in theoutfield, signing autographs, and acting a fool with the players

 

[cincoseisdos]

yeahhhhh dude they been together throughout his time in LA even after they put her job on the line. I've seen them @ staples kings games and at DS varioustimes

 

[amarusgear]

Just came back from Phoenix. It was a fun weekend, I wish Manny or Russell would of been there.

It wasn't hot as they say, there was a nice breeze. I wish I would of gone to practice the day before. The seats we had were great. I'm so pissed thatI forgot to record the game.

 

[Los Angeles]

Dang looks sick

How were the Arizona girls