The Things You Consider When Traveling

Traveling for work can be either a perk or a hassle—depending on your job and where you have to go.  For me, traveling with professional sports teams is definitely a perk.  Flying charter is one of life’s cool little luxuries, especially when someone else is paying for it.

However, there are a couple of drawbacks to staying on the go. For one, my wife misses me while I’m gone--at least that’s what she tells me.  And even if she’s only saying that to stroke my ego, who am I to stop her?

Another issue with constant travel is losing track of the days of the week and dates of the month.  I don’t know about you, but when I travel, I have a hard time keeping up with Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  I’m much more in touch with yesterday, today and tomorrow. 

And don’t even think about trying to ask me for the date.  If it’s not my birthday or a major holiday (my wife’s birthday falls into this category, by the way), I would have a better shot of telling you the numeric value for pi than the day’s date.  Thankfully, for me however, my iPhone has a handy dandy calendar feature.  So I may not know the answer, but I can quickly look it up.

I raise this last issue with work travel because I recently realized I haven’t posted a blog lately.  When you can’t keep up with the days of the week, it’s a lot harder to realize how much time has gone by from one moment to the next.

So to make up for lost time, I thought it might be best to share some of my random thoughts, questions and musings from the past several days. 

*    Did you know that no Phil Jackson-coached championship team has ever lost 4 games in a row?

*    Following the Clippers win over San Antonio Wednesday, LA held a 3-9 record over teams currently sporting a record over .500.  While Miami carried only a 1-7 mark over winning teams.

*    With players such as Blake Griffin, Shannon Brown, Russell Westbrook, LeBron James and Derrick Rose roaming the court today, I believe we are witnessing the most athletic era the NBA has ever seen.

*    Speaking of Blake Griffin, can you ever remember someone getting so many standing ovations on missed dunks and shots?
 

*    You have to give Dodgers owner Frank McCourt credit for staying true to his word.  He has said throughout his divorce proceedings, that his personal matters would not affect the team’s willingness and desire to bolster the roster.  And the recent off-season acquisitions definitely support his earlier statement.

  

*    I realize the BCS is a crock and bowl games are only concerned about selling the most tickets, but if Stanford doesn’t get to play in the Rose Bowl, it would be nothing short of a travesty.

*    Karl Dorrell’s record after his third season at UCLA was 22-15 overall and 14-10 in the PAC-10. Rick Neuheisel currently stands at 15-21 overall and 8-18 in conference.  So does that mean next season will be Neuheisel’s last if he doesn’t rally for double-digits wins?

*    I heard that some USC fans are a bit upset because the NCAA didn’t punish Auburn and Cam Newton after discovering that Newton’s father soliciting money from schools trying to sign this year’s Heisman Trophy front-runner.  But remember this, Reggie Bush and OJ Mayo knowingly accepted cash and other benefits directly.  There’s no evidence that Newton has done the same or even knew about his father’s attempts to secure money.  It may not be apples and oranges, but it’s definitely apples and pears.
 

*    And finally, I heard that Dancing With The Stars is considering adding Todd Palin to the show’s next lineup of contestants.  No offense to Sarah Palin’s husband or her daughter, Bristol, for that matter, but if they are going to continue to feature such “stars” (and that goes for “The Situation” too), then they should change the name of the show to Dancing With People Who Aren’t Really Stars But Can Still Bring In Big Ratings.

DODGERS AND COLLETTI AGREE TO LONG-TERM EXTENSION

--GM is first in franchise history to reach postseason three of his first four years--


LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers today announced that they have agreed to a long-term contract extension for General Manager Ned Colletti. Dodger Owner Frank McCourt made the announcement.

“One of our core promises to our fans is championship caliber baseball, year in and year out,” said McCourt. “Ned has been instrumental in our going a long way towards fulfilling that promise. I couldn’t be happier for him, both personally and professionally. The stability and continuity that extending his contract provides will further help us achieve the goal of being a consistent winner and I’m thrilled that he will continue to lead our baseball operations into the future.”

In his four seasons as GM, Colletti has seen his teams reach the postseason in three times, the first time a Dodger GM has accomplished that feat. During those four years, the Dodgers’ .539 winning percentage is the second highest in the National League behind the Phillies (.554). Among NL West opponents, the Dodgers lead second-place Colorado by 17.5 games during the four-year span.

The Dodgers recently finished the regular season with the best record in the National League for the first time since 1983 and swept the National League Division Series for the second consecutive season. The team is making back-to-back appearances in the NLCS for the first time since 1977-78.

“My time here in Los Angeles has been very special to me and I’m honored to be associated with this tremendous franchise,” said Colletti. “I’m very proud of what our baseball operations staff has accomplished over the last four years and I’m grateful for the support of the fans who have truly made me feel at home. I’m hopeful that we can bring them the championship they deserve in the very near future.”

Colletti is one of just three active Major League GMs to have reached the postseason in three of his first four seasons, joining New York’s Brian Cashman and Boston’s Theo Epstein.

“Ned’s leadership has created organizational consistency and the results speak for themselves,” said Dodger President Dennis Mannion. “He’s a tremendous asset to the Dodger organization and I look forward to working with him to ensure the Dodgers’ success in the years to come.”

Among the key contributors Colletti has added in midseason over the past two years are three likely Hall of Famers – Manny Ramirez, Greg Maddux, and Jim Thome – as well as veterans Casey Blake, Vicente Padilla, George Sherrill, Ronnie Belliard, and Jon Garland. Colletti’s first trade as GM netted outfielder Andre Ethier, while he continued to hold onto several key players who have become the nucleus of the team, including All-Stars Jonathan Broxton and Chad Billingsley, as well as Matt Kemp, James Loney, Russell Martin, Clayton Kershaw, and Hong-Chih Kuo, among others.

With a focus on developing top talent, Colletti and his staff launched an offseason Player Development Program in 2008 that included instruction both on and off the field. He also created the Dodger Pride Awards, which honor the organization’s top minor league players each month at each level of the club’s minor league system who play the game with a hustling, smart, aggressive style.

His key free agent acquisitions include the re-signing of Ramirez and Blake as well as deals to sign Randy Wolf, Orlando Hudson, and Juan Pierre, among others. Colletti has also renewed the club’s focus in Asia, signing free agents Takashi Saito and Hiroki Kuroda out of Japan.

DODGERS & MANNY RAMIREZ AGREE TO 2-YEAR, $45 MILLION DEAL

In case you didn't know, it's official!

Future Hall of Famer Makes Commitment to Community

CAMELBACK RANCH – GLENDALE – The Los Angeles Dodgers today signed 12-time All-Star outfielder Manny Ramirez to a two-year contract with a player option following the first season. In addition, Ramirez will make a $1 million commitment to the Dodgers Dream Foundation that will help fund Dodgers Dreamfields.

Ramirez is expected to meet with the media at a news conference tomorrow at approximately 10:30 a.m. (MT) at Camelback Ranch – Glendale, located at 10712 W. Camelback Road.

“We are thrilled that Manny wants to be a Dodger and that he has made such a tremendous commitment to the Los Angeles community,” said Dodger Owner Frank McCourt. “We witnessed something very special last year in the way that our fans connected with him and the manner in which the team came together. Now, we focus our complete and undivided attention on our primary goal – winning a World Championship.”

“Manny has shown that he has an ability to significantly alter our lineup,” said Colletti. “Our organization has maintained its commitment to our core of young, homegrown talent while also retaining such key veterans as Casey Blake, Rafael Furcal, and now Manny, all of whom helped us reach the National League Championship Series.

“Manny showed great leadership in the clubhouse and on the field last season and to say we’re very pleased that he’s back with the Dodgers is an understatement.”

Ramirez, who hit .396 (74-for-187) with 17 homers and 53 RBI in 53 regular-season games in a Dodger uniform, helped lead the team to a 2008 National League West Division Championship, a sweep of the Cubs in the Division Series, and its first National League Championship Series appearance since 1988. He became one of the most popular players in franchise history after he was acquired by the Dodgers July 31 along with cash considerations from the Boston Red Sox at last year’s trade deadline as part of a three-team deal with Pittsburgh.

Ramirez’s 21 homers as a Dodger from August 1 through the postseason were the most by any player on the team for the entire season, one more than Andre Ethier’s 20.

The right-handed hitter batted a combined .332 with 37 homers and 121 RBI in 153 games with the Red Sox and Dodgers in 2008. He ranked third in the Majors in batting average, tied for fourth in homers, and tied for sixth in RBI. He also ranked second in the Majors with a .602 slugging percentage, behind only Albert Pujols (.653), and fourth with a .430 on-base percentage.

In the 2008 postseason, Ramirez batted .520 (13-for-25) with four homers, 10 RBI, 11 walks, and a .667 on-base percentage in eight games as the Dodgers swept the Cubs in the National League Division Series before falling to the eventual World Champion Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Championship Series.

Ramirez ranks 17th on baseball’s all-time home run list with 527, and is one of only eight players in baseball history with at least 12 seasons with 30 or more homers (1995-96, 1998-2006, 2008). He is also one of just nine players in history to hit at least 20 home runs in 14 straight seasons.

Ramirez, 36, is a career .314 hitter in 2,103 games with Cleveland (1993-2000), Boston (2001-2008), and the Dodgers (2008). Among active players, he ranks sixth in hitting, third in doubles (507), fourth in home runs, and second in RBI (1,725) behind only Ken Griffey Jr.’s 1,772. Only Griffey Jr. (611), Alex Rodriguez (553), and Jim Thome (541) have more home runs among active players. Ramirez has won nine AL Silver Slugger Awards for outfielders during his 16 Major League seasons.

Ramirez ranks 20th on baseball’s all-time RBI list. He has logged at least 100 RBI in 12 seasons, including nine straight campaigns from 1998-2006. Since “RBI” became an official statistic in 1920, only eight players in history have recorded nine consecutive seasons of at least 100 RBI. Ramirez has 1,353 RBI since the start of the 1998 season, trailing only Alex Rodriguez (1,378) among all Major Leaguers in that time. Ramirez’s 418 home runs in that same span rank second behind only Rodriguez (489).

A veteran of 10 postseasons, including four World Series, Ramirez is baseball’s all-time post-season home run leader with 28, and he ranks second with 74 RBI, just six behind Bernie Williams. Ramirez won two World Series championships with Boston in 2004 and 2007, and was named the World Series Most Valuable Player in 2004. He also played in the 1995 and 1997 Fall Classics with Cleveland.

Among active players, Ramirez ranks fifth in on-base percentage (.411), and seventh in batting average. He also ranks eighth in baseball history, and second among active players behind only Albert Pujols (.624), with a .593 slugging percentage. His 2,392 hits rank ninth among active players, while his 507 doubles are third.

He was the AL batting champ in 2002 with a .349 average and the 2004 AL home run champ with 43.

Ramirez was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Washington Heights, NY, graduating from George Washington High School in 1991. He was originally selected by the Indians as the 13th overall pick of the 1993 First-Year Player Draft. He then signed with Boston as a free agent on December 13, 2000.

Manny Set To Meet With McCourt

Is it true? Is Manny Ramirez finally on the verge of signing with the Dodgers? Well, that certainly seems to be the case.

According to several sources, including the LA Times, Manny is set to meet with Dodgers owner Frank McCourt as early as Wednesday morning. It's about time!

I, for one, will be so glad when this saga is over. I don't really blame either side, because when it comes to negotiations, it's all business. Both sides want the best possible deal without giving up much to the other.

But regardless of how long the negotiations took, one thing was never in question: LA was the best and only place for Manny to play in 2009.

The Dodgers knew it, the fans knew it, and ultimately, Manny knew it.

"I'm happy in L.A. I like my teammates and had a great time. The fans were so good to me; they treated me the best anywhere in my career."

Dodgers Nab Manny Ramirez At Trade Deadline

Say what you will about Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, but his desire to win cannot be questioned. Since he has been holding the wallet, LA has shown a willingness to spend money-- even if some of the spending has been ill-advised (i.e. Jason Schmidt, Andruw Jones).

And now with the opportunity to acquire one of the top 5 hitters in the game-- even if it's only for a few months--the Dodgers pulled the trigger just before the deadline in hopes of not just making the playoffs, but being a serious contender once they get there.

Even with Ramirez set to be a free-agent in the off-season, the deal was still a no-brainer when you think about it. The Dodgers part ways with a struggling Andy LaRoche and a minor league pitcher, while the Red Sox will still pay the remainder of the contract for Ramirez this season.

So, enjoy it while you can, Dodger fans. Ramirez in Dodger Blue won't last long, but it could be one memorable ride.

DODGERS ACQUIRE 12-TIME ALL-STAR MANNY RAMIREZ FROM BOSTON RED SOX

Dodgers send infielder Andy LaRoche and right-handed pitcher Bryan Morris to the Red Sox;
Pittsburgh acquires LaRoche, Morris, outfielder Brandon Moss, and right-handed pitcher Craig Hansen from Boston in exchange for outfielder Jason Bay

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers today acquired 12-time All-Star Manny Ramirez and cash considerations from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for infielder Andy LaRoche and right-handed pitcher Bryan Morris. General Manager Ned Colletti made the announcement.

Following the trade, the Pittsburgh Pirates acquired LaRoche, Morris, outfielder Brandon Moss, and right-hander Craig Hansen from Boston in exchange for outfielder Jason Bay.

A 12-time American League All-Star, including each of the last 11 seasons, Ramirez has won nine AL Silver Slugger Awards during his 16 Major League seasons. The 36-year-old is a career .312 hitter with 493 doubles, 510 home runs, and 1,672 RBI in 2,050 games with Cleveland (1993-2000) and Boston (2001-2008). He was the AL batting champ in 2002 with a .349 average and the 2004 AL home run champ with 43.

Ramirez ranks 23rd on baseball’s all-time home run list, and is one of only 11 players in baseball history with at least 11 seasons with 30 or more homers (1995-96, 1998-2006). He has also hit at least 20 home runs in 14 straight seasons, including a career-high 45 in 1998 with Cleveland and 2005 with Boston.

Ramirez won two World Series championships with Boston in 2004 and 2007, and was named the World Series Most Valuable Player in 2004. The Dominican Republic native is a veteran of nine postseasons overall, including four World Series. He also played in the 1995 and 1997 Fall Classics with Cleveland. Ramirez is baseball’s all-time post-season home run leader with 24, and ranks second with 64 RBI.

Among active players, Ramirez ranks third in RBI, fifth in home runs, sixth in on-base percentage (.409), and seventh in batting average. He also ranks eighth in baseball history, and second among active players behind only Albert Pujols (.620), with a .590 slugging percentage. His 2,318 hits rank 10th among active players, while his 493 doubles are tied for fourth.

Ramirez ranks 23rd on baseball’s all-time RBI list with 1,672. He has logged at least 100 RBI in 11 seasons, including nine straight campaigns from 1998-2006. Since “RBI” became an official statistic in 1920, only eight players in history have recorded nine consecutive seasons of at least 100 RBI. Ramirez has 1,300 RBI since the start of the 1998 season, trailing only Alex Rodriguez (1,340) among all Major Leaguers in that time. Ramirez’s 401 home runs in that same span rank third, behind only Rodriguez (477) and Sammy Sosa (402).

Ramirez leaves Boston ranking fifth in franchise history with 274 home runs and a .411 on-base percentage. He also ranks fourth in Red Sox history with a .588 slugging percentage and sixth with 868 RBI.

Ramirez, who graduated from George Washington High School in Bronx, New York in 1991, hit .299 with 22 doubles, 20 homers, and 68 RBI in 100 games with the Red Sox in 2008. He hit career homer No. 500 on May 31 at Baltimore, accomplishing the feat in his 7,263rd at-bat, eighth fewest all-time. Ramirez was originally selected by the Indians as the 13th overall pick of the 1993 First-Year Player Draft. He then signed with Boston as a free agent on December 13, 2000.

The 24-year-old LaRoche, who was selected by the Dodgers in the 39th round of the 2003 draft, hit .217 with three homers and 16 RBI in 62 games with Los Angeles over the last two seasons. He is batting .294 with 95 homers and 331 RBI in 494 minor league games. LaRoche played 27 games with the Dodgers in 2008, batting .203 with two homers and six RBI. He is hitting a combined .284 with five homers and 27 RBI in 42 games this season with Las Vegas of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League and Jacksonville of the Double-A Southern League.

Morris, 21, was the second of two first-round picks (26th overall) of the Dodgers in the 2006 draft, and is 6-9 with a 4.16 ERA in 30 professional starts. After missing the entire 2007 season due to “Tommy John” ligament-replacement surgery, he is 2-4 with a 3.39 ERA in 16 starts this year with Great Lakes of the Single-A Midwest league.

The Los Angeles Dodgers, pioneers in sport and world culture, are celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2008. In that period, they have won more games, more pennants, and more World Series than any other club in the National League. Since the start of the modern era in baseball, the Dodgers of Brooklyn and Los Angeles, combined, have a cumulative attendance of more than 177 million, the highest total in the history of baseball or any other sport.

Visit the Dodgers on the Internet at http://www.dodgers.com/.