The Trolley Dodger

Just spent some time reliving one of the happiest nights of my life.

Woke up early this morning and found I’d fallen asleep with the MLB Network going last night. This probably explains why random Dodgers started showing up in my dreams just before I woke up to find the network was replaying the glorious 9/18/2006 Dodgers comeback against the Padres, also known as the “4+1″ game.

We were lucky enough to be there that night, and I wrote about it the next day: “11-10″.

The replay is up to the bottom of the 10th. Kenny Lofton is coming up. Nomar is on deck.

The Dodgers’ seven homeruns and the 11-10 final score is quite a contrast to last night’s Dodgers-Padres game and Russell Martin’s walk-off walk. It was also awesome to see all the “kids” celebrating who are now starting and excelling.

I miss Nomar. I hope he’ll have a role with the team once he decides to retire.

The last two Dodger games (against the Giants, so it’s that much sweeter), the starters have:

• 24 strikeouts (Bills 11, Kershaw 13)
• 1 walk (Bills 0, Kershaw 1)
• 14 innings pitched (7 apiece)
• 2 earned runs (1 apiece)
• 6 hits given up (Bills 5, Kershaw 1)

Ahem.

Opening Day versus the Giants at Dodger Stadium. Spot the lead story.

• Chad Billingsly has 11 strikeouts and moves to 2-0.
• Andre Ethier hits two homeruns, including a three-run jack.
• Matt Kemp has hit in every game so far this season, even the one he didn’t start in.
• The Dodgers destroy the Giants 11-1.
• And for good measure, Vin Scully threw out the first pitch!

That’s a pretty awesome game, eh?

Oh, and, uh, Orlando Hudson hit for the cycle.

Yep. The cycle.

First Dodger to hit for the cycle since 1970. First cycle ever by a Dodger at Dodger Stadium.

I think I may need some oxygen.

Welcome to Los Angeles, O-Dawg!

UPDATE:

As if we needed more, it has been pointed out that,

• Chad also had 0 walks to go with all his Ks.
• This was the largest crowd ever at Dodger Stadium, 57,099.

As I’m observing my 40th birthday this week, I thought I’d have a look see at the 1969 Dodgers season. This was the 7th year in Dodger Stadium and 11th in California.

100th anniversary celebrations for MLB saw the addition of four expansion teams in 1969: the KC Royals and Seattle Pilots in the AL, and the Padres and Montreal Expos in the NL.

Not a great finish for the Dodgers in 1969: 4th place in the newly formed National League West division. The teams in the NL West from 1969-1992:

• Atlanta Braves
• Cincinnati Reds
• Houston Astros
• Los Angeles Dodgers
• San Diego Padres
• San Francisco Giants

(Colorado was added in 1993, while the Braves, Reds, and Astros moved away in 1994. Arizona came in 1998.)

The Dodgers finished 85-77, eight games back from the division-winning Braves. The opening day Dodger starters:

• CF Willie Crawford
• RF Len Gabrielson
• 3B Bill Sudakis
• 1B Ron Fairly
• LF Andy Kosco
• C Tom Haller
• 2B Jim Lefebvre
• SS Ted Sizemore
• P Don Drysdale

That was April 7, 1969, at Cincy. LA won, 3-2. Don Drysdale won, with Bill Singer getting the save — the first official save in baseball history.

While the 4th-place finish wasn’t great, it was a bit of an improvement over their awful 76-86 and 73-89 performances the previous two years. One step closer to the glory years of the mid-to-late 1970s.

Two highlights from 1969:

• On January 21st, Roy Campanella was elected to the Hall of Fame.
• On August 11th, Don Drysdale retired. He was the last active Dodger who had also played in Brooklyn.

Transactions that year (from Wikipedia):

• March 30: Acquired Jimmie Schaffer from the Cincinnati Reds for Ted Savage
• April 17: Acquired Al McBean from the San Diego Padres for Tommy Dean and Leon Everitt
• June 5: Bob Randall was drafted by the Dodgers in the 2nd round of the 1969 Major League Baseball Draft (Secondary Phase).
• June 11: Acquired Maury Wills and Manny Mota from the Montreal Expos for Ron Fairly and Paul Popovich
• August 15: Acquired Jim Bunning from the Pittsburgh Pirates for Ron Mitchell, Chuck Coggin and cash
• September 1: Acquired Jack Jenkins from the Washington Senators for cash

More info:

• 1969 Dodgers at Wikipedia
• 1969 Dodgers at Retrosheet
• 1969 Dodgers at Baseball Reference
• 1969 Dodgers at Baseball Almanac
• 1969 MLB season at Wikipedia

I’m too busy melting in 100°F heat (is my calendar off? this is September 25th, right?), but if I weren’t, suffice to say I would be jumping up and down in great happiness.

Congratulations to the Los Angeles Dodgers, 2008 NL West Champs!

Now we just have to see who we’ll be playing in the first round. According to this story it’ll be the Mets, Phillies, or Cubs.