Tonight, I’m going to my first Dodger game since Memorial Day. That’s right: I have yet to see Yasiel Puig in person, yet to enjoy the Summer of Gorge anywhere but on my TV, radio or cellphone.
This will be my fifth game of the year. When I got the tickets for my wife and me last week — and I’m not likely to go to more than one more regular-season game this year after this one — it occurred to me that this will be the fewest games I’ve attended in a Dodger season since … 1988.
Read into that what you will. I’m reading in a lot of hope.
That ’88 season began with me as a college junior, continuing through my trip to cover Stanford at the College World Series in Omaha, my summer internship at the Half Moon Bay Review & Pescadero Pebble and my late-summer job as a gofer for NBC’s Summer Olympics boxing coverage in Seoul. I saw not an inning of Orel Hershiser’s scoreless streak, and returned to the States a couple of days after my senior year began, stopping at LAX without venturing out of it.
I had been at Dodger Stadium for Tim Leary’s pinch-hitting heroics, but otherwise my Dodger attendance that year was forcibly rare. I saw all the playoffs on TV in the vicinity of Palo Alto. I saw Mike Scioscia’s home run from the Stanford Daily newsroom, Kirk Gibson’s diving daytime catch and Jay Howell’s pine tar while ditching classes, Gibson’s homer off Eckersley with friends who were mainly rooting for Oakland, and the final out on my own little TV in my senior suite.
It wasn’t a lifetime ago, but it kind of feels that way. By the same token, my last Dodger game in May — itself a bright spot countering a dreary start, in case you’ve forgotten — feels about half a lifetime ago. The team’s winning percentage when I’ve gone this year (3-1, .750) is still higher than it’s been in my absence (37-27, .578). Still, though my absence didn’t quite coincide with the surge, the Dodgers have gone 57-27 (.679) since I last attended. More than half the season has gone by.
If the Dodgers make the playoffs, this will be the first postseason for which my family doesn’t have tickets since 1981 (though I did attend an NLCS loss that year). So I might be watching those games on TV as well, even sneaking views from the newsroom where I work. If that’s what it takes …
KT
Go BLUE!!!!
Jon Weisman
KT, I clicked on your name and it said you have over 10,000 comments! Congrats! I don’t know if that’s just here or on all blogs that use this software.
John_from_Aus
He is usually a busy boy :) (His next milestone is 1000 votes!)
KT
Didn’t even notice…Go BLUE!!!!
KT
just here…I think I used 1 other site that had disqus and made 1 comment
Linkmeister
My Dodgers blog uses Disqus, kt.
Bob_Hendley
Yeah Link!
KT
forgot about your blog…I know I wasn’t there much
KT
we can subtract 156 comments from your site plus 1 from the other site…so still over 10,000 here
KT
I just opened my livefyre account on MSTI and I have 161 more comments there and I didn’t start there until you shut down here last year
KT
Have fun at the game tonight Jon…I’m only going to 5 games this year which is close to the norm for me because of the prices I pay
dalegribel
Can’t think of a better family outing. Have fun.
Jon Weisman
Just me and the wife – we got a sitter!
RBI
Even better!
Scott Gilbert
1988, the only year I went to more Dodger games than you, Jon. LIving in San Diego, just graduated Oregon State, got up to Dodger Stadium seven times, saw Dodgers four times in SD, including Orel going 10 innings to break the record. My only summer living in Southern California, turned out to be a pretty good one for a Dodgers fan. Have a great time at the game.
Jon Weisman
Thanks :) Pretty sure your brother was in the room with me when I saw Gibson’s homer off Eckersley.
WBBsAs
OK, both of us were there that night in San Diego. I was sitting on the third base side.
Scott Gilbert
I was on the first base side, second row, right where the stands curved around the foul territory “bullpen”. Maybe 15-20 feet from Hershiser as he warmed up. It was odd, I remember being struck by how normal and human he looked, only with incredibly broad shoulders. The crazy thing was that there was very little anticipation of him breaking the scoreless innings record, because he needed to go 10, and what were the chances of that? Then when it happened it didn’t seem real, like it was a trick, and the Dodgers and Padres were all in on it. Amazing.
WBBsAs
After the game, we came down to the boxes alongside the field, where he was being interviewed. Somewhere I’ve got a slide of that, which I will scan and ask Jon to post.
ASW1
Have a great time at the game, Jon! – Hope Puig hits one out for ya, and Ryu (have you seen him pitch in person yet?) throws a gem.
RBI
So glad to be home from jury duty, to have AC, and to have the game on Prime tonight. Life is good.
foul tip
I understand AC isn’t almost universal in CA? Not having it here in the Southeast is almost unthinkable for anyone who can manage to have it.
We’ve had the mildest summer in decades with only a few mid 90s days and generally much lower humidity.
WBBsAs
In the immediate Bay Area, a/c is utterly unnecessary. On the other side of hills, in Contra Costa Country, it does get hot, but not here.
KT
MLB
Tight division races are the best. @Pirates tie @Cardinals atop NL Central with 78th win, a 5-0 shutout: http://atmlb.com/15GA4Nf
Linkmeister
Go Pirates!
Jack Dawkins
Im concerned. Star Wars night. Didnt something odd happen on a past star wars night?
KT
Good start Ryu
KT
Do we patient Puig or aggressive Puig
KT
Puig!
KT
Puig speed!
KT
CC!
Bob_Hendley
Jon getting the full Puig.
Jack Dawkins
A double or a long single would sure be fun to watch with these 2 on.
Bob_in_Vegas
Looks like Jon is picking up seeing them play as they did in May . . . unfortunately.
KT
MEllis!
Jeffrey Thomas III
Ryu smacked that ball!
Bob_in_Vegas
Ryu!!!! ‘If it’s meant to be, it’s up to me’ — their pitchers’ batting mantra.
KT
Base of the wall…nice
KT
PUIG!!
Jeffrey Thomas III
Yikes that was risky sending him.
Bob_in_Vegas
Let’s hope no residual effects on the mound.
4d3fect
Missed it, did 3B coach put up the stop sign?
Jeffrey Thomas III
I didn’t see what Wallach was doing. But it looks like it all worked out alright.
KT
no
Jack Dawkins
I thought he was gonna be out by 10 feet the way he was lumbering in, but the throw was off line.
KT
tag would have missed anyway
Blue-eyed Gal
Q: how many times this year has one of our pitchers “taken it into his own hands” and started the scoring?
Bob_Hendley
CC should have taken a few more pitches.
KT
DP Time
KT
Chad Moriyama @ChadMoriyama 2m
GIF: Hyun Jin Ryu’s slide is basically him dropping the butt on home plate http://www.mlbgifs.com/2013/08/hyun-jin-ryus-slide-is-basically-him-dropping-the-butt-on-home-plate/ …
KT
DP!!
Bob_in_Vegas
Ask & receive!
KT
Hanley!!
KT
GONZO!!!!
Bob_in_Vegas
Sneak of the future — now waiting to hear what it is . . . YES!@!!!
KT
2 exclamations = double, 3 = Triple, 4 = HR
4d3fect
A-Gone!
Bob_in_Vegas
I like that . . . Agon — again!
KT
Los Angeles Dodgers @Dodgers1m
Watch @AdrianTitan23 go the other way for a 2-run shot in the 3rd: http://atmlb.com/14frTnx
WBBsAs
I don’t live in LA, but I was fortunate enough to be in San Diego the night Hershiser broke the scoreless innings record (which the Padres failed to acknowledge).
KT
PUIG!!
Jeffrey Thomas III
Nice pitch.
KT
MEllis!! 1 foot shy of a home run
RBI
That was a fantastic ten pitch at-bat. Textbook.
Bob_Hendley
AJ may be wearing down, with an OPS of .589 in the second half dropping to .519 in August. Fed has been getting a bit more playing time with a second half OPS of .739 and .778 in August.
KT
I think he needs more time off…Get KFed in there…better defensively and right now not much of a drop off offensively
Bob_Hendley
They seem to be doing that. He appeared in one-third of the games in the first half and almost 45% in the second half (appearances, not starts). They will probably throw Butera into the mix as well in a couple of days.
KT
So the white Chevy truck behind the Dodgers bullpen is new this series right?
Jeffrey Thomas III
Nice throw Dre!
KT
DRE!!!!
Jack Dawkins
I think he missed third to boot.
KT
SD Feed didn’t show him rounding third
KT
Standing O RYU!!!!
4d3fect
right on the money.
4d3fect
Ryu practically skipping off the field, heh
Bob_Hendley
So when Ned picked up JP, he didn’t realize that he actually already had two centerfielders.
KT
Hanley!
RBI
Wow! Hanley!
Jack Dawkins
I think the Padres could be justifiably upset by that call.
KT
From the Padres replay angle he was out
KT
Padre announcer both said he was out from the replay at 1st they thought he was safe until the replay…have the sound muted so had to go back and turn up the volume
KT
good job Carlos!
RBI
Loving this team a lot tonight. Everybody participating.
RBI
And we’re out of the inning!
btimmer
DBacks lose to the Giants 1-0. Magic number is now 20.
Bob_Hendley
How many games until the giants see the light?
btimmer
13
KT
11 soon to be 10
KT
http://i.imgur.com/aXU79nk.png
KT
Puig 4-4
RBI
Puig putting on a show for Jon.
Jeffrey Thomas III
Was just about to say, Jons seeing a good one!
KT
HANLEY!!
RBI
Woot! Woot!
4d3fect
Puig FINALLY scores.
Jeffrey Thomas III
Wow.
KT
GONZO!!!!
Bob_Hendley
Get League up!
Jeffrey Thomas III
Better yet, it’s Volquez!
RBI
League warming up for the 9th.
4d3fect
A-gone, AGAIN?
Bob_in_Vegas
Nice! . . . Guess Hanley was getting too close for the team lead.
RBI
Think the Weismans are having a good time?
Jeffrey Thomas III
Save some for tomorrow night when I’m in the stands boys!
KT
AJ!!!!
Jeffrey Thomas III
This is ridiculous.
4d3fect
Has Vin trotted out the expression “laugher” yet?
Jeffrey Thomas III
Not yet.
RBI
Can we have this Padre pitcher back tomorrow, please?
RBI
Of course, now I feel sorry for him. A little.
4d3fect
Bass getting his..well, his, hat.. handed to him.
Bob_Hendley
Let’s see if Honey fixed him already.
ASW1
These reclamation projects are getting kinda fun.
RBI
Yup.
KT
Eric Stephen @truebluela39s
Hyun-jin Ryu has 12 quality starts in 13 Dodger Stadium appearances, and sports a 2.07 ERA at home
Jeffrey Thomas III
Didn’t look too sharp, but at least he didn’t give up any runs.
KT
Los Angeles Dodgers @Dodgers3m
Want to see the Dodgers go back-to-back? First, it was @AdrianTitan23: http://atmlb.com/14fzxhZ and then @AJEllis17: http://atmlb.com/15H46k1
KT
Casual fans…should have made sure he didn’t catch the ball
ASW1
Ha! – I was thinking, Man, that guy kinda was too timid going for that ball – it was in the stands – he should have been more aggressive.
KT
He should have grabbed Guzmans glove
KT
oh there are now 2 silverado trucks at DS
RBI
Agon responded well to two days off.
RBI
Here comes League!
Jeffrey Thomas III
He’s out.
RBI
Okay. Now we’re even on close calls.
Jeffrey Thomas III
Bad call at first, defensive indifference, bloop single… about as unearned as they get.
RBI
C’mon, League. You can do it!
KT
Ball Game Dodgers Win!!!! 24 games over .500 Magic Number is 19!!!!
22 wins this month of August is a new LA Dodger calendar month record.
The Dodgers’ franchise record for wins in a calendar month is 25, set by Brooklyn in July 1947
Good to see our home record (41-28) getting better
won 22 of last 28 gms (.786) in August, 32-8 since ASB (.800) , 49-13 since 6/22 (.790),
10.5 gms ahead of the Dbags, 2nd largest lead by a division leader
Dodgers 3 games back of the Barves for MLB’s best record
Last 20 series 15-1-4 going for the series win tomorrow
http://i.imgur.com/AMbO5zV.jpg
KT
http://i.imgur.com/tpS362x.png
Jeffrey Thomas III
Good game, hoping for half as much excitement when I go tomorrow night. Praying for Good Cappy. Either way I get a Kershaw replica jersey :)
ASW1
Awesome – have a great time!
ASW1
Puig was dialed in tonight – I can see him going off in the playoffs – Donnie finding the right buttons to push with him.
ASW1
Love the domino effect with the rotation – Nolasco pushing Ryu for the #3 in the upcoming playoffs. Ryu says, Hey, not so fast!
Jeffrey Thomas III
If we could just get a consistent #5. Though come playoff time it won’t much matter.
KT
Current Standings:
http://i.imgur.com/uXPVXCR.jpg
KT
Dodgers are in 2nd place in the NL standings.
3 games behind the Barves….We got this…Go BLUE!!!!
pic.twitter.com/R0s1kaupQq
KT
Los Angeles Dodgers @Dodgers2m
RECAP: @AdrianTitan23 homers twice, @YasielPuig goes 4-for-5. #Dodgers roll over Padres, 9-2. http://atmlb.com/14fCuPB pic.twitter.com/DGHpOWYDU2
KT
Run differential for the Dodgers:
281-161 since 6/22
105 – 72 6/22 – ASB
185 – 91 second half
Bob_in_Vegas
Padres announcers pointed out something we’re all hoping for . . . that the Blue goes to an even higher level when Matt comes back. (MLB Audio lost KLAC and I had to go to them.)
KT
I’m glad we are playing so well so there won’t be any pressure on him
Bob_in_Vegas
Great point. I’m sure he felt it earlier in the year when there was no Puig and Hanley was on the DL and Andre wasn’t doing anything.
KT
yep…everyone was pressing because of all the injuries
ASW1
Loved to see Andre come through with a good throw from short center to save a run.
Jon really got to see it all in this one.
ASW1
10 and 1/2 – I love that!
KT
I love the magic numbers for the whole division posted below
John_from_Aus
A dominant win I see
foul tip
If you see this, how did the school chess championships you mentioned a few days back go?
foul tip
Ryu, from dodgers.com game story–
“My initial thought was I just have to stay alive, I have to be safe no matter what,” Ryu said. “After I was safe I thought that I should practice how to slide.”
AGon also praised Ryu’s hitting. “He has the classic Asian swing. He steps in the bucket, but keeps his
hands inside and through the ball. I’ve tried to imitate that swing, the Ichiro swing.”
foul tip
“Volquez said he was looking forward to working with pitching coach Rick Honeycutt, who has already helped reliever Carlos Marmol improve since coming over from the Cubs in July.
“From what I hear, he’s an outstanding pitching coach and he knows what he’s doing,” Volquez said. “Hopefully we can get on the same page and fix me and make me better.”
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130830&content_id=59020646¬ebook_id=59020782&vkey=notebook_la&c_id=la
14hodges
SO glad that you were able to see a fun one, Jon!
Jon Weisman
Me too! But man, was it steamy!
foul tip
And, to complete the trifecta, “Zack Greinke: Dodgers Slugger”–
http://therotation.sportsonearthblog.com/zack-greinke-dodgers-slugger/
Jon Weisman
NPUT