Bobblehead Mannyia

(Either a bobblehead of Manny Ramirez or D'Artagnan with Matt Kemp)



Calling to Mind the Seagulls of Finding Nemo




By Mike Takeuchi



Los Angeles- In my profession, my colleagues and I are sometimes met with sneered disdain and a few labels- “liberalmedia” (conservatives), “effingmedia” (baseball clubhouse workers), or “whatsupguys?” (the players to a crowd that includes a few women) not in Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. On the extreme, other terms of endearment include names that are unprintable unless one is working in the pornographic industry or addressing a well-known Los Angeles Times sports columnist.

I must admit, when we are not shills for the teams we cover, some of us act in a certain way that sometimes justify names like jackals and others that are bestowed upon us. After observing my brethren on Wednesday's Dodgers game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, aka Manny Ramirez bobblehead day, add one more to the list-seagulls.

Like the hilarious scavenger sea birds from “Finding Nemo” (“Mine! Mine! Mine!”) reporters will take anything for free. If it's a three-day old donut with two bites taken out of it, I kid you not, it will be gone as soon as nobody's looking-true story.

One nationally known sportswriter (who I will not name because as in the locker room, there is sanctity in the press box) takes the free hot dogs (oops I mean Dodger Dogs) David, the wonderful chef puts out and stuffs them into his jacket pocket. With his salary and probable per diem, one would figure that he could afford to buy himself dinner. But then again, in this day and age of journalistic downsizing, you never know. Still, it called to mind when former Lakers' player and current Minnesota Timberwolves coach Kurt Rambis would fill his gym bag with the waters and juices provided in the locker room.

Despite an expected across-the-board 20% decrease in attendance, the fourth such promotion by the Dodgers would of course, be sold out. The first three, Casey Blake, a batting Ramirez (which original sponsor Kaiser Permanente opted out of due to the slugger's suspension for PED's), and Matt Kemp, were filled or nearly filled to capacity. And now “Curtain Call Manny”, a statuette celebrating the sixth inning game winning grand slam he hit on July 22, the giveaway date of his first bobblehead, was no different.

With everyone wanting to receive a figurine that more resembles D'Artagnan from Dumas' “The Three Musketeers” in a pose straight out of the musical “A Chorus Line”, the game was sold out. Being in the middle of the week in September, people took off work, pulled their kids from school to receive one of the prize bauble-heads. I was no different, thanks to Jon Chapper of the Dodgers media department who found three duckets for me to buy (yes I paid) to go to the game with my friends Trent and Jeff and hang out with my buddy Polo Ascencio. But I also had to get a credential to interview two Pirates players who are from (pitcher Virgil Vasquez) and lived in (Delwyn Young) Santa Barbara.

After sitting in Loge section 145 for the first four innings, I got up to go to the press box-partially to get cooled by air conditioning, partly to get away from the shrill voice sitting behind me. The young mother, who alternated between calling everyone on her cell phone, talking to the players like she was holding a personal conversation with each one, to threatening to “smack” her toddler daughter if she continued to act like a two year old. She also directed her venom at Juan Pierre, the anti-Manny on-base fiend whose only crime was to not be a charismatic Dominican slugger. Judging from Mother-of-the Year's reaction, I suspect if the home team's bench was located in section 145, poor Juan would have gotten smacked after getting tagged out at third after a missed bunt on a botched sacrifice play.

Once I got to the box, I was shocked to see how crowded the small room was. The three rows of 20 seats each were filled as was the walkway behind the last row of seats as if it were the middle of October. For some reason, more media decided to show up for work that day and I don't think it was to write about the Dodgers, who were resting half their regulars including Ramirez, and the Pirates led by sublime outfielder Andrew McCutcheon (*Note McCutcheon is one of the most exiting players in the Majors.). Equally interesting, not one, but two stat keepers for MLB.com online were there for the game. How can two stat keepers work on one laptop?

I took a seat in the dining commons below a television set to finish my story on Vasquez. But as I wrote during the sixth inning, the scene around me was too irresistible too ignore causing me to nearly miss Kemp's home run. As I watched it unfold with great amusement, music wafted into my head. While those in the back row casually looked around, some of those who did not get the seats were positioning themselves to the tune of the Blue Danube Waltz. It was a romantic dance by some to gain the love of a nine-inch plaster figure made in China.

After several minutes of feigned indifference, James, the gatekeeper of the box came as his custom in the seventh inning bearing gifts, the receivers expressed a surprised gratitude. But it was obvious that their reactions were as genuine as a Kanye apology, because deep inside I knew they were saying Mine! Mine! Mine!

Is Scott Boras the Most Hated Man in Sports?

Uber Agent Points Out that There Are Two Sides to Every Story


By Mike Takeuchi

(This interview was taken on August 19, two days after Boras client, former San Diego State pitcher Stephen Strasburg signed for a record $15.1 million over four years. The top three picks, Strasburg, Dustin Ackley, the former University of North Carolina outfielder(Mariners), and high school outfielder (Padres) Donavan Tate were the top three picks in the draft. All are Boras' clients. Boras was at Chavez Ravine checking up on Manny Ramirez and the Cardinals' then latest addition, Matt Holliday.)


While pundits have for better or worse named Scott Boras as the most influential man in baseball, owners and man fans have used language only printable in Penthouse to condemn him as the anti-Christ who is destined to bring Armageddon to their beloved pastime. A recent conversation with Boras at Dodger Stadium revealed a man who wanted to set the record straight.

Boras, who grew up in northern California while rooting for the likes of Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays, is a lifelong fan of the game whose fondest memory is seeing the athleticism of Mays close-up and the experiencing the kindness of another Giants great Willie McCovey in person.

The former minor league infielder, who began his current profession by negotiating contracts for a not-yet perennial All-Star Keith Hernandez in the early 1980’s, currently represents a roster of talent that could contend for the World Series. With a client list that includes Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez Boras has drawn admirers and detractors alike due to his aggressive style-most recently with the holdouts of draft picks that included the much coveted Stephen Strasburg.

While acknowledging that baseball, to the tune of 5% of players he represents, has been very, very good to him, the 56 year old pointed out that it is a two-way street in terms of player contracts. After Strasburg signed with the Washington Nationals for $15.1 million over four years, the calls for a salary cap along with Boras’ head on the blogs intensified. When this was brought up, Boras was quick to respond.

“My opinion is if they don’t put a cap on revenue, why should they put a cap on salaries?” Boras asked. “The quid pro quo of the game is that in 1990, baseball made $1 billion dollars, in 2000 they made three, and last year, it was a record $6.5 billion. No owner is going to put salaries into a player or players that will put his position in peril. That would be bad business. And the playing field, although not even, is made easier by revenue sharing of teams that aren’t as well managed or don’t have the market of others.

“Everyone is doing really well with that formula working. I don’t know why you would change it because the franchise values for each team have gone up.”
While Forbes Magazine verified that the revenue numbers back Boras statement, the article stated that the 2009 Major League Opening day rosters had a salary of just over $2.6 billion-not including minor leaguers. Also, in 2008, the Yankees, the Red Sox, and the Toronto Blue Jays were the only teams that reported losses-but all three were profitable thanks to substantial media packages.

“In baseball we have an agreement that 50% goes to the players, who are hugely responsible for making the profits, and 50% goes to the owners in an equitable situation,” Boras said. “And because of this, I honestly don’t see any kind of reform happening soon because revenue is at or above last year’s record season.”

When it was pointed out that the revenues will drop off due to an expected 17- 20% attendance decrease (according to veteran baseball journalist Peter Gammons) due to the poor economy across the board, Boras thinks that the sport will be less affected over the long haul.

“In the economy you need to look at a specific industry as opposed to looking at the general economy, and baseball is doing very well comparatively,” Boras said. “Attendance is down, but I think baseball will bounce back.”

When I asked him about Joe Fan, I got the answer I was expecting from any media savvy spokesperson.

“Baseball continues to be more affordable than the other sports,” Boras said. “I think that, its frequency, more chances for a personal connection with the players will keep people coming to the park.”

I cynically said that I hope he was right. I'm not sure if he heard me.

Rays Manager's Cycle of Life

By Mike Takeuchi (Photo by Larry Goren)



In my travels, I found that whether one's choice of two-wheeler is a rusty old cruiser or the latest $10,000 carbon schnitzel road bike, the subject of bicycling is often a great icebreaker.

I will never forget the time when an initially crotchety elderly gentleman melted into whimsy when he was asked about a 50-year-old bike in the corner of his store

Recently, a similar discussion with a regular "Joe" occurred.

Perhaps Joe Maddon was tired about talking about the game the night before. Or maybe the Tampa Bay Rays' manager was done explaining the many moves of a roster that includes former Santa Barbara Foresters pitchers Matt Garza and James Shields and how they will keep them in contention for a playoff berth.

But as he sat in the visitor's dugout in Anaheim, Maddon's eyes lit up and his voice became animated when the subject of bicycling came up. An avid cyclist, the former bench coach for the Angels has taken a bike on the road with him for years much to the delight of Mike Scioscia, his opposing manager and former boss.

"Joe loves that thing," Scioscia said. "Whenever he went out on the road, he had to have it with him."

In addition to his ever-present laptop, an iPod full of eclectic music, and some books, Maddon always brought along a mountain bike that would require disassembling and reassembling with every stop. To his former manager's amusement, he would often ride from the team's hotel to the stadium.

Now, as manager of a World Series team, he can afford three bikes, a Trek 6500 mountain bike, a Trek 7700 FX hybrid, and a Bike Friday-a high end folding bike that fits in a suitcase.

The Bike Friday, which is made by Green Gear Cycling in Eugene, Ore., allows Madden to ride 80-100 miles a week when he's on the road.

"I really like the Bike Friday because it's a great bike and very convenient for the road," Maddon said.

Despite having first-rate workout facilities in the stadiums and hotels that the team visits, Maddon chooses cycling over the Stairmaster.

"It's great, people have no idea how good it is when concerning your stress level," he said. "You can go to the gym and ride a stationary bike, but it doesn't have the same feel of riding outdoors. When it comes down to feeling the wind and Sun on your face, it's not even close."

August 10, 2009: The Day I Felt Like a Journalist

Sitting in the quietude of Anaheim Stadium overlooking a darkened field with only the grounds crew and a few family members lingering, I felt a light bulb go off in my head.

Moments earlier, Vlad Guerrero hit his 399th and 400th home runs. Kendry Morales didn't have such a bad day either with two of his own. The Rays Jason Bartlett came up a single short of the cycle and his Tampa Bay team lost a thrilling 8-7 game against the Angels. To complete the spectrum, former Foresters player Matt Garza had a terrible day, one that had him ending up throwing things in the dugout.

To me, baseball was only part of what I tell my wife Munch was "a day and a half."

With two decidedly different projects going on-one, interviewing major and minor leaguers about their memories of playing with the Santa Barbara Foresters baseball team. The other, a tale about my cousin's original birth father who was a spy and covert operations specialist for the O.S.S.-the precursor to the CIA.
August 10, 2009 was a day that awed me in two senses, the first about the tale of my cousin's family just because it seemed so improbably. The second, about the awe in the form of physical prowess that caused this writer to gasp not once, but twice.
The fact that I have the privilege to write about them both in the present and the near future has awakened a spirit that lay dormant while writing meaningless pieces that paid bills, yet inspired none. All the while, being able to talk shop with the likes of former New York Times sportswriter and current Sports Illustrated writer Lee Jenkins and discuss cycling with Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon.
And lastly,I was not only able to interview someone (in this case Garza) who didn't particularly have a good day, but managed to get him to smile when getting him to think about something other than the game. Okay, the last thing is a bit over-the-top indulgent, but it's my blog after all.

In short, today was a pretty damn good day for this journalist.

Schmidt Takes a Giant Leap Forward

Schmidt Takes a Giant Leap Forward
By Mike Takeuchi

Los Angeles-I don’t know why I have always liked Jason Schmidt. Maybe it was because not only was he a very good pitcher, he was probably one of the nicest guys in the sport. Win or lose, he was always a standup guy, whether it was at AT &T or Dodger Stadium he spoke long and thoughtfully until the last reporter has left.
One day five years ago, I caught him alone in the AT & T locker room about a year after his mother died from a brain tumor-the same thing that killed my mother in 2001 and we talked about our losses with each other. We spoke of the disease’s brutality and effect it had on not only mom, but the entire family. It was a nice conversation, one that he had not expected from a sportswriter, and one that I had not expected from a baseball player. (Just to prove that there are some thoughtful minds a similar conversation was had after the Phillies heartbreaking comeback win in Game 4 of the NLCS with manager Charlie Manuel last year).
Now he is trying for another comeback attempt with the Dodgers. Two years after signing a three-year $47 million contract, he is trying to avoid what some of my colleagues are saying is one of the worst busts in recent Dodgers history. The odds are stacked against him, but because the Dodgers are hurting for pitching at the bottom of the rotation, it may be a godsend for the right-hander to get a few starts to see if he has something left in his arm.
On Monday, with his velocity considerably lower than in his heyday and his control suspect in the first inning, he gave up three runs on four consecutive hits to make the Chavez faithful cry (an obscenity laced) call for a change. But then something happened. With the early jitters gone, Schmidt battled, got his control back, mixed pitches well, and got out of the inning. This was impressive for no other reason is that when things got worse, the right-hander got tougher.
Any pitcher will tell you that it is exponentially easier to pitch with a lead, because simply, it is. But without that luxury, he somehow bore down and got out of the inning. His hitters got him four back in the bottom of the inning and two more on Manny Ramirez’ Mickey Mantle passing two run bomb to left in the second for a 6-3 lead.
While that was occurring, Schmidt pitched like a wily veteran with a mere 86 mph fastball, an interminably slower curve, and the guts of a winner. He retired the side twice and pitched five innings of five hit ball while walking three and striking out two, not great numbers, but good enough to be in line for the win leading 6-3. The Dodgers eventually won the game 7-5, giving Schmidt just his second win with the team.
After the game, his manager Joe Torre was pleased for the latest addition to the pitching roster.
“Everybody was really happy for him, especially getting through five innings and coming out with a victory,” Torre said. “He controlled the game pretty much. In the first inning he didn’t look very comfortable at all, but he certainly looked comfortable after that.”
Schmidt was relatively pleased with his effort.
“I’d hoped just to get out there and make it look respectable and have the team win, really,” Schmidt said in the clubhouse after the game. “I was nervous driving in today getting the text messages… there was a lot of buildup to today. And the first inning definitely wasn’t what I had planned and finally we got out of it. And coming in scoring four runs after giving up three was probably the biggest thing. I’m happy with the outcome.”
His comeback is far from complete-there are more question marks than exclamation points. But if his surgically repaired shoulder holds up, he could be the fifth starter the Dodgers need. But whatever happens for the rest of his season, for the rest of his career, he’ll always have the knowledge that he made the journey back to a Major League mound. I wonder if he thought that as he walked off the mound after the fifth inning. And as he received congratulations when he entered his team’s dugout, there was no cheering in the press box. But there was one reporter whose eyes were misty.

For Trent

Gerke is ready to make his pitch

By TRENT GERKE

July 14, 2009 9:58 AM

Trent Gerke is a 13-year-old honors student at Goleta Valley Junior High School who was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) in April. Since then, he and Wyatt Taylor have been designated by the Santa Barbara Foresters Hugs for Cubs Program as the youths the team is playing for. Today's 5 p.m. game against the California Wahoo at Uyesaka Stadium is dedicated to Trent, and he will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. According to Foresters general manager Pat Burns, all proceeds from the game will go towards assisting in his medical costs. Trent Gerke sat down with News-Press correspondent Mike Takeuchi and talked about his recovery and what being a part of the Foresters has meant to him.

Since I went to their camp five years ago, the Santa Barbara Foresters have been a big part of my life. And since I was diagnosed with AML, I feel more part of the team than ever.

I have always been a competitive person, whether it's basketball or trying to get perfect attendance at school. My dad (Jeffrey) who is my best friend and I have constant contests on who can eat faster. So when I got with the Foresters another competition was to get as many foul balls as I could for the free Cold Stone Creamery coupons.

Some of the kids would get mad, but I would enough balls where the guys in the press box were calling me "Foul Ball Trent". Foresters coach Bill Pintard would just laugh at me. Sometimes, when a player would hit his first home run for the team, we would try to retrieve their ball, like with Vinnie St. John last year.

I was ready to do the same thing, along with playing hoops and getting good grades in school this year, when I started feeling really tired and sore all of a sudden. My dad took me to the doctor and they said I had back pain. Dad took me back again and I was told to go to the emergency room.

After being diagnosed with AML I didn't know how serious it was. I was just bummed I was going to miss school for the first time in years. I didn't realize how serious it was until I started getting my first chemotherapy treatment. That was the worst and scariest time of my life.

In constant pain, I had to rely on a morphine drip to get me through each day. I couldn't eat because my gums were bleeding, I couldn't move my neck, and my hair started falling out. Luckily I couldn't remember those things and the 106-degree fevers that came.

The bad thing is I don't remember when the Lakers' Luke Walton called me and the decorations and cake that the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation did for me on my birthday. My dad remembers and said the cake was good. Jerk (haha)!

But I do remember one thing Coach's visit. Coach and (hitting coach Gary Woods) Woody came into my room the first day and told me to stay positive. It was here that I began realized that I have to have a good attitude if I want to get better. I also learned to appreciate Coach and all the things he's done for us that nobody else knows about.

Former and current players like (infielder) Ryan Goetz called or visited. They all said the same thing Coach did, that I was part of the team.

The next two rounds of chemo have been 100 times easier. There have been some complications, but we've gotten through them. It has been made easier because of guys like, Vinnie whose family gave me a bunch of USC stuff, and (relief pitcher) Matt Hutchison, who came by to hang out with us at the hospital for a few hours. Hutch is a great reliever, but he's not very good at (the board game) Uncle Wiggly. When he played us he came in last.

The Foresters aren't the only team that has been great. We had a Hugs for Cubs night at Angel Stadium, where Torii Hunter and Vlad Guerrero signed autographs and took pictures for the group. My favorite baseball team, the Dodgers, invited us down to a game. Laura Levinson and Polo Asencio were especially great in helping me meet Andre Ethier, who is my favorite player. Andre was really encouraging. Later Polo talked to Joe Barkett who asked me if I wanted to announce "It's time for Dodger baseball!" before the game. Heck yeah!

When I got up to the mike, I was really nervous. I would have rather have had to shoot a free throw in front of 40,000 people than talk. But I did OK and when I went off the field, the Dodgers were running on. As he went out, Andre pointed at me and gave me a thumb's up. That was pretty cool.

Although it kind of stinks being sick, I have had some incredible experiences and met some amazing people like my doctor, Daniel J. Greenfield and the nurses at Cottage Hospital. Some of the people who I have known all of my life, like my Grandma Barbara (Gerke) have been just amazing.

But the one person who has been the best is my dad. We have always been close, but through this whole ordeal, he's been unreal, staying up at the hospital every night, trying to get me to eat, talking trash with me to challenge me to get better. I can't put even into words how much he's meant to me. He's the most important thing in the world.

When I take the mound today, I will have all of them in my mind when I try to throw a strike for the first pitch. I have to throw a good one, because after throwing a strike the first time, I bounced it on the Fourth of July game. But I think with all the backing of family, friends, and the Foresters, I will be fired up to put one in there.

A Pretty Incredible Athlete

Jason Lester Has Been Nominated for an ESPN 2009 ESPY Award in the
Category of Best Male Athlete with a Disability.

Kona, Hawaii – July 3rd, 2009 – Ironman and Ultraman athlete Jason
Lester, whose right arm is paralyzed, has been nominated for an ESPY
Award in the category of Best Male Athlete with a Disability. The 2009
ESPYs, hosted by Samuel L. Jackson, will be taped on July 15th at the
Nokia Theater in Los Angeles, and will air on July 19th at 9pm Eastern
time.

"I want all my fans to go check out nominees at www.ESPYS.tv,”; says
Jason. “Naturally, if you feel I deserve an ESPY then I’d appreciate
your vote.”

Jason Lester is an Ironman athlete who has the use of only one arm,
and his story of triumph over tragedy has become an inspirational
message for athletes and non-athletes around the world. He has
competed in a number of Ironman, Ultraman, marathon, and endurance
races, including the Hilo to Volcano Ultra Marathon in Hawaii, the
Hawaii Ironman, ULTRAMAN Canada and ULTRAMAN Hawaii.

About the ESPYs
The ESPYs gather top athletes and entertainers together to commemorate
the past year in sports by recognizing memorable sports achievements,
reliving unforgettable moments and saluting top performers and
performances. The ESPYs honor ESPN’s commitment to The V Foundation
for Cancer Research, a partnership launched with the late Jim Valvano
at the inaugural ESPYs in 1993.

About Jason Lester
Jason Lester is an Athlete | Author | Artist | Activist | Motivational
speaker - and founder of The NEVER STOP Foundation, and whom the movie
“A Painted Race” is based on, telling the story of his triumph over
tragedy, including losing the use of one arm. For more information
about Jason Lester, please visit www.paintedrace.com or
www.jasonplester.com.