Holy Crap! New blog added!

When I moved down to Southern California for graduate school, and the hopes of a brilliantly successful career, my wife and I had the all important discussion.

Wife: We know that we are going to be Trojans from now on, but the important question is...what baseball team are we going to root for down here?

Me: Can't be the Dodgers! A pox upon them! May they wither and die!

Wife: Okay...so I guess we will support the Angels?

Me: That is a wonderfully non-offensive choice. They did after all have Nolan Ryan, Reggie Jackson, and that one handed pitcher guy play for them in the past. (Editor's note: That pitcher is Jim Abbott)

And so every year since that first season (2000) we have watched and rooted for the Angels. We have even caught a couple of opening day games and make a ritual of seeing a few home games every year.

But something else has happened. You see, I grew up watching Bay Area baseball...the A's and the Giants. I still love the A's, but it isn't really a betrayal to move from them to the Angels. The same is not true about the Dodgers and Giants, and if you don't know why a pox upon you. That is why I have been surprised at this strange disease I have been succumbing to lately. Ever since Murdoch sold the Dodgers, I have been amazed at how well managed they have become (especially given the huge salaries that were dumped upon them 11 mil. for Dreifort you have got to be kidding?!). Contrary to most radio DJs down here, I know Jeff Kent is going to the Hall of Fame and is amazing. Is he a jerk? Sure seems to be, but man is he consistantly good. They negotiated good pitching, and are really focusing on future development. Huh? Who coulda thunk.

So you see...I am succumbing to a gradual bluing. Gone is my great aversion to the Dodgers and in is an affection for both Southern California teams. Which is why I have added Tommy Lasorda's blog to the blog roll. Tommy, like me, has faith in the new management team and has put up with the lame attacks by Talk Radio. Have the Dodgers lost some very popular and talented players? Yes, but they won the West last year and probably will again this year. Besides Beltre had a one time (in my opinion) contract year surge and pitching + defense is the best strategy to victory. That's what the A's have been doing forever, and with no budget.