It Has Officially Started

Making the slow trek from the left and right-field bullpens, Dodger legends such as Carl Erskine, Ron Cey, Don Newcombe and Sweet Lou Johnson made their way to their original positions. Chavez Ravine was filled with cheers as more than three dozen Dodger greats stepped onto the field for the pre-Opening Day ceremony. Here's a video.

And just when you thought it couldn’t get better, fans were ecstatic when Fernando Valenzuela, Tommy Lasorda and Sandy Koufax emerged.

Delivering simultaneous ceremonial pitches, Erskine, Koufax and Newcombe threw the ball to catchers, Javier Herrera, Lasorda and Torre.

With the smooth voice of Vin Scully the game began…“And now, it’s time for Dodgers baseball!”

The one-hundred-twenty-six-million-dollar-pitcher, Barry Zito faced starting pitcher, Brad Penny. The stage was set and the game began.

After the first scoreless inning pitched by Penny, the Dodgers were up to bat. Furcal hits a double. Kemp is up and with a single, it allows Furcal to score.

Up next, is the first 40-year-old player the Dodgers have had in the Opening Day lineup, Jeff Kent. The old-man proves that experience counts in the major leagues. Kent hits a homerun, allowing two more runs. The score is 3-to-0!

The Dodgers’ defense, pitching and hitting made it a great game. By the seventh inning the score was 5-to-0. Closer Takashi Saito was brought in, in the ninth inning to seal the game.

Brad Penny threw almost seven scoreless innings. 

Bravo!

In a recent article, Penny discloses how he struggled in his first game of the season. 

What is he talking about? He pitched great.

On Tuesday April 1st, the Dodgers did it again. With a 3-to-2 victory over the Giants in the ninth inning.

But not all was as calm and easy as it seemed. Third-base coach, Larry Bowa was ejected in the sixth inning after a heated confrontation with one of the umpires. The argument began when ump, Ed Montague told Bowa to keep within the coaching box boundaries. Watch the video.

Bowa has been suspended for three games and fined by the commissioner’s office on Wednesday.

After the game Tuesday, Bowa said:

“I did it all Spring, nobody said a word. I did it yesterday, nobody said a word. It’s impossible to coach third and stay in the box with a runner at second.”

Through it all, the Dodgers were able to gain the lead in the ninth inning when pinch hitter Delwyn Young came up to bat. With two outs and Furcal on second, Young’s infield hit was just enough to send Furcal home.

It was a beautiful way to end a crazy night.

Tonight the Dodgers hope to sweep the Giants.

Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum will face Dodgers pitcher Chad Billingsley.

April 2, 2008 Lineup

Rafael Furcal-Short Stop
Russell Martin-Catcher
Andre Ethier- Left Field
Jeff Kent- Second Base
Andruw Jones- Center Field
James Loney- First Base
Matt Kemp- Right Field
Blake DeWitt- Third Base
Chad Billingsley- Pitcher

The Dodgers are off Thursday. They head to San Diego on Friday for a three game series against the Padres.

On Monday, the Dodgers jet off to Arizona to face the 2007 National League West Division Champions, Diamondbacks. Opening Day at Chase Field has been sold out and less than 450 standing room only tickets are available.

GO DODGERS!

Welcome to Think Blue!

Trying to decide what I wanted my blog to be about was frustrating. I found that I had a lot of ideas but was not sure if I could keep up a blog on a particular subject for the whole semester. So I've decided to create this blog on the Los Angeles Dodgers. I'm sure I'll have plenty to say about this upcoming season.

So as the new 2008 baseball season begins to close in on us, I can't help but to think what a great asset Joe Torre will be to the Dodgers. After 11 years with the New York Yankees, Torre comes to the West Coast to make a much needed difference. With younger players such as Kemp, Either and Martin, Joe hopes that this year the Dodgers will make it to the World Series.

The Dodgers home opener is on March 31st and you guessed it...I will be there. The weather should be about 15 to 20 degrees warmer than San Francisco. Perfect weather to catch a baseball game, eat a Dodger dog and have three or four margaritas. This will be my third home opener and it never gets old. I drive up to Chavez Ravine two hours before the game, hang out in the parking lot enjoying the atmosphere of the die-hard Dodger fans.

I met many Dodger fans from L.A. through an online messageboard. Many of these fans enjoy traveling to see one of the largest rivalries in baseball history. The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants rilvary extends back to the 1950s when both teams were based in New York. Before the big move the New York Giants had won five World Series titles, the Brooklyn Dodgers had only one.

When the Dodgers decided to move to California, the Giants followed. The big move to the west coast happened in 1958 and the very first game played in L.A. was on April 18th against

the now San Francisco Giants. The animosity between both teams grew greater that night when the Dodgers won 6-5. Dodgers-Giants Rilvary is a great site for more info if you are a Dodgers fan or Giants fan.

This blog will focus on the Dodgers, but will cover baseball in all aspects. With huge deals and signings during the off season and the ongoing steroids investigation, I am sure there will be more than enough to cover. Remember for all your baseball info and rumors make sure to check out this blog often.

Go Dodgers!