The Trolley Dodger

The “classy” and “sheer awesomeness” factor of MLB Network will go up tremendously for tomorrow night’s Dodger home opener, with the rest of the nation getting to hear what we in Southern California are blessed to have for yet another season — Vin Scully.

MLB Network will simulcast Vin Scully’s call of the Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles Dodgers (the Dodgers’ 2010 home opener) on FSN Prime tomorrow, Tuesday, April 13 at 4:00 p.m. ET/1:00 p.m. PT. MLB Network’s carriage of the game, part of its “30 Games, 30 Clubs, 30 Days” live game schedule, will be blacked out in the Dodgers’ and Diamondbacks’ home television markets.

Speaking of openers, the Inland Empire 66ers (High A affiliate of the Dodgers) have their home opener tonight against the High Desert Mavericks, and although the weather is looking dicey, the rest of the day’s forecast seems good after 1 PM. The team tweeted this earlier:

Even though it is currently raining, WE ARE SCHEDULED to start at 7:05 and tickets are still available!!

A couple of years ago, we had tickets for the same game, which wound up being canceled due to field conditions after heavy rains — we were able to exchange for tickets any time later in the season (apart from big events like the 4th of July).

(From MLB Network PR)

MLB NETWORK TO AIR SPECIAL DON DRYSDALE SEGMENT ON MONDAY, JUNE 15

Bob Costas to voice special segment on Drysdale’s sixth straight shutout game on the night of Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination

June 12, 2009 – MLB Network will air on Monday, June 15 a special feature narrated by Bob Costas about Don Drysdale’s sixth straight shutout game, pitched in 1968. The game, held on June 4, 1968 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Pittsburgh Pirates, coincided with Robert F. Kennedy’s victory in the 1968 California primary. In the first words of his acceptance speech, Kennedy congratulated Drysdale; moments after the speech, Kennedy was assassinated. Four days later, on June 8, Drysdale broke a 55-year old record for consecutive scoreless innings and wore a black arm band to honor Kennedy’s memory.

The piece includes original interviews with Drysdale’s former teammates former Dodgers first baseman Wes Parker and Hall of Fame pitcher Don Sutton, Drysdale’s widow Anne Myers and Kennedy’s speechwriter Jeff Greenfield.

“Baseball’s past is incredibly important to today’s fans and this feature shows how baseball intersects with all aspects of our country’s history,” said Tony Petitti, President and Chief Executive Officer of MLB Network. “We feel a responsibility to baseball fans to describe and relive these key moments.”

The piece will first air between 6:00 and 8:00 p.m. ET and re-air throughout the night on MLB Tonight and Quick Pitch.

About MLB Network
MLB Network launched on January 1, 2009 and is currently in 52 million homes. With live games, original programming, highlights, classic games, and coverage of baseball events, MLB Network is the ultimate television destination for baseball fans. For more information, go to mlbnetwork.com.

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.

Boy, this is some cutting-edge sports research they’re doing at ESPN.com:

“What is Alex Rodriguez’s overall effect on a clubhouse?”

Really? You’re asking us, 99.99999% of whom have never been near a clubhouse, much less one that A-Rod is in? And no semi-funny answers to choose from, just Positive/Neutral/Negative? No other newsworthy questions to choose from this morning?

This is what happens when you pick only one division to obsess over. Between this and the stupid Joba/Yogi “controversy,” there’s even less reason to pay attention to ESPN’s baseball coverage. Especially with the so-far stellar MLB Network available.

I am jazzed that 1) the MLB Network is finally hitting the airwaves soon and 2) my TV provider will be carrying it. Alex forwarded me a note about one new feature of the network: Studio 42 named of course for Jackie, which “will allow the MLB Network experts to explain the intricate details of the game.”

So there’s that. Excitement mounting, I checked the schedule for the very first day, January 1st. The words “Brooklyn Dodgers” jumped out immediately when the page loaded. Then the full description dampened my enthusiasm:

1956 World Series Game 5 Brooklyn Dodgers @ NY Yankees featuring Don Larsen’s Perfect Game. Stay Tuned Following the Conclusion of the Game for a Sit-Down Interview with Batterymates Don Larsen and Yogi Berra

Of course they have that game. ;D More seriously, I’ll enjoy watching it, but hopefully some day they’ll show a certain Dodger game versus the Cubs on September 9, 1965.