Everything went well except the final score
For the record, the final score was 7-4 Red Sox, though I'm not entirely sure most of the 115,300 in the crowd could tell you that, and not just because a whole bunch of them were sauced. It was more a big baseball party, with people hanging out around the stadium and having a good time. There's no question being in a place with this many people to watch a game is an impressive sight. Some highlights:
- Early in the game, when Dustin Pedroia was thrown out stealing, Russell Martin to Andrew Jones. That's 2-8 for those scoring at home. Most of the night the Blue had an OF playing short center, like a company softball game. That left the big ticket FA to cover second on steal attempts. That isn't a line that appears in a box very often.
- The Dodgers doing the wave on the bench with everyone else in the crowd.
- Being heckled with a "Hey, Moby!" while walking the concourses in search of food, then again on my way into the tunnel for postgame interviews.
- The $5 bacon wrapped hot dog I managed to find. If you're gonna go dog, go dog wrapped in bacon.
- After Blake DeWitt's homer in the ninth, the throng of fans hanging out beyond the right field fence apparently started fighting over the ball to the point that about twenty yellow jacked security folk had to storm in and break things up. It's like the Raiders were back!
- Tommy at the postgame buffet. Not that I necessarily needed to find him, but I was dead on as to where to look if I did.
- Interesting choice to play Sweet Caroline in the eighth. Nice gesture to the BoSox fans, but hey, people, this is LA!
- I asked James Loney where his seventh inning solo shot over the screen in left would have landed on a regular field. "In the stands, exactly where it went," he said with a smile.
- It was mentioned after the game that while tonight represented the biggest crowd in history to watch a baseball game (soon to be Guinness certified!), by definition, the Dodgers are basically guaranteed to set a record for biggest drop in game to game attendance, no matter how many people show up to the Ravine on Sunday. You win some, you lose some.
Lowlights:
- I spoke briefly to Ned Colletti before the game about any pending roster moves, and not surprisingly, he wasn't giving anything away. But they have until Sunday at noon to figure it out. He was, however, willing to confirm that I would not be among the 25 who make the cut. I'm not gonna lie, it was a tough pill to swallow.
AUDIO:
- Andruw Jones: Download andruw_jones_3.29 postBSX.mp3
- Russell Martin: Download russell_martin_3.29 postBSX.mp3
BK
More with Andre Ethier below.
Andre Ethier
On what it felt like when he first stepped on the unorthodox field at the Coliseum
"Bizarre, uneasy. It's an uncomfortable feeling stepping on that field. You play on a certain cookie cutter the whole time and then you step on a field like that. Baseball players like familiarity, the same type of stuff. So to stand out there, your surroundings are a lot different. They're not typical. It leaves a little bit of uneasy feeling in your stomach and that's what it was early on there. But you put that aside and just have fun with it."
On remembering this game forever
"It's one of those things, yeah, you want to win the game when you do this, but the overriding factor was a celebration of the Dodgers being here 50 years. The outcome is still important, but it was probably second to a lot what was going on here. We like to win, but it was fun for everyone and the fans. I think what it was put on for was accomplished. Selling the stadium. Raising all the money (for Think Cure)."
On whether game this provided extra perspective as to how prestigous a team the Dodgers are
"Oh, yeah. You know you're playing in a big market. You know you're playing for a team with a lot of history, with a lot of support. But sometimes you don't really realize it until situations like this, until games like this. It shows the way L.A. really embraces the Dodger team and are wanting us to win and get back to a World Series."
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Moby? I just heard his latest single(First one in like 6 years or something) on Indie 103 but that damn, that's an obscure heckle!
Posted by: Pablo | March 30, 2008 at 12:05 AM
Wouldn't it be nice if they posted dodger highlights on the Internet so we wouldn't have to watch an hour of the lame ESPN SportsCenter to catch maybe 10 seconds of dodger highlights.
Posted by: bt310 | March 30, 2008 at 12:11 AM
trade pierre
Posted by: dave m | March 30, 2008 at 01:18 AM
So is anybody else getting pretty uneasy with how long it's taking Joe Torre to decide - or at least to announce - who his starting left fielder will be? I'm with the crowd here that thinks there's no decision to be made, that Ethier is OBVIOUSLY the right guy to run out onto the grass and to send up to the box. This is no knock on Pierre - I think his lousy spring is an aberation, but his total contribution is not going to be what Ethier's would.
Posted by: mracine | March 30, 2008 at 04:21 AM
I've got another low-light for you: The shuttle system back to Dodger Stadium was a complete fiasco. No signs directing anybody anywhere, nobody saying, "Shuttle to Dodger Stadium is this way." I was very disappointed in the parking lot people/Coliseum staff after the game. Walking around the streets of South Central L.A. until 11:30 is no fun. I'll never go to the Coliseum again... unless Led Zeppelin reunites and plays there... then I'll think about it.
Posted by: Higgins | March 30, 2008 at 01:29 PM
I understand that the game was an amazing historic event for the Dodgers and baseball, but I am a little bewildered that nobody has written about all the arrests and crime caused by having a crowd so big. It was UNRULY. I have never seen more fights in one day.
Posted by: kevin | March 30, 2008 at 02:40 PM
I agree with Kevin. There was a major lack of security presence and slow response to all the fights that we saw. When you have people tailgating from the crack of dawn, you need to plan for the behavior of a bunch of drunk hooligans. The fight in the parking lots on the way out and the line I saw for the shuttle really soured my evening. Pat yourself on the back all you want McCourt but you didn't do a good job in planning the event.
Posted by: SciosciaFan | March 31, 2008 at 07:58 AM
I was one of the fortunate ones to attend the game. We arrived early to a tailgate with some family and friends. We parked at the DMV parking area, and best of all it was free. In was the only Sox fan in the parking lot for awhile. In the Coliseum it was pretty safe, with the exception of a few losers or as we say in Spanish "perdedores." I was in line trying to get a drink and a husband and wife combo attempted to intimidate. It could have been my eyeglasses or maybe the cast I had on my right hand.
A quick reminder that I still had my left hand and prepared to strike at moment's notice ended the threats. The majority of the Dodger fans did come in peace. The fights were at a minimum. Yes, security did take their time. Law Enforcement was not staffed where it should have been. Innocent bystanders could have been hurt. McCourt should not be held accountable. It's the Coliseum's responsibility to provide adequate security for an event at their venue.
Highlights of the game aside from the Sox beating the Dodgers were the "perdedores" in nosebleed seats stealing the Dodger flags hanging from the flag poles. The best part is seeing them on the Jumbotron concealing Dodgers property with 114,999 fans witnessing the embarassment. Priceless.
Posted by: Ricardo | March 31, 2008 at 06:34 PM