2021 California League Tour -- First Stop - Visalia

    My tour started June 12, 2021 at Visalia's Valley Strong Ballpark for a game between the Visalia Rawhide and Fresno Grizzlies.  The Rawhide is a minor league affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks; the Grizzlies are affiliated with the Rockies.  

    Though the team's name and major league affiliations have changed over the years, minor league baseball has been played here nearly every year since the ballpark was built in 1946.  

    

    With Covid social distancing in place, the regular seats were sold out.  My choices were the Hall of Fame Club, which is about $30, or the Toyota Terrace. With 7 more games to go, I couldn't see shelling out Hall of Fame money.  So, here's my view from the Terrace overlooking right field.  

    Turned out the Terrace is not a great place to see the game. But, my time there was made more pleasant by General Sherman IPA from Fresno's Tioga-Sequoia Brewing and the company of a good natured Giants fan who was visiting Visalia relatives and stopped in for the game.  

    

    

    Mascots are huge in minor league baseball.  This is the Rawhide mascot, Tipper.  I assume Tipper's name is related to the myth of cow tipping as a popular rural prank.  Tipper is a Holstein bull and "represents the tens of thousands of Holsteins in Tulare County, the top dairy-producing area in the country." In fact, California is the top dairy state in the country, producing 1/5 of the nation's milk.  Tulare County produces more than a quarter of the milk produced in the California.  

    Though the crowd was sparse due to social distancing, I enjoyed the atmosphere of the stadium.  The General Sherman beer reminded me that Sequoia National Park was just 60 miles to the east.  There is an overall Western feel about the stadium.  Certainly Tipper contributes to that. But so do the ads on the outfield fence, the red barn over the center field fence and giant cowbell along the right field line.  

    As a bonus, after a Rawhide win, while the players high five on the field, players and fans are treated to a rousing playing of Rawhide: 

            Keep Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'

            Though the streams are swollen

            Keep them dawwgies rollin', Rawhide

            Move 'em on, head 'em up, head 'em up, move 'em on

            Ride 'em in, Rawhide!   

                 

2021 California League Tour

     If you want to head north out of LA (and who doesn't) you have the coastal route on 101 or the Grapevine up the 5.  Either way, you have lots of company.  

    One sunny Saturday last June, I got in my car and headed up the Grapevine.  It was the start of my 2021 California League Tour.  My tour goal, which I happily achieved, was to attend a home game for each team in the league. 

    For 2021 (and this year), the California League has 8 teams:

1. Fresno Grizzlies
2. Modesto Nuts
3. San Jose Giants
4. Stockton Ports
5. Visalia Rawhide
6. Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
7. Inland Empire 66'ers
8. Lake Elsinore Storm  

     By summer's end, I had experienced all 8 stadiums, learned a bit about 8 very different cities, sampled some local beer, enjoyed great baseball, and had a lot of fun.  I will try to recreate some of that on the pages that follow.  

    Incidentally, for 2022, major league baseball's work stoppage does not affect the minor leagues.  Across the country, minor league baseball is set to start up April 5. One of those leagues is the Low-A West League, which was formerly named the California League.  Because the new "Low A West" name lacks any appeal, I continue to use the traditional California League name.    

  

Reflections on the Dodgers' 2021 Season - Lockout Edition

    While we wait for millionaires and billionaires to divvy up divvy up $11 Billion, here is a look back at the 2021 Dodger season. 

    By any measure, save one (the WS), the Dodgers had an amazing season.  Stellar regulars in Seager, Turner, Muncy, Betts, Bellinger, Kershaw and Buehler.  Urias and Smith emerged as stars.  CT3's post season was other-worldly.  We saw three future HoF'ers in Kershaw, Scherzer and Pujols.  And we had a good mix of characters in Graterol, Mad Max and mariachi Joe Kelly.  As a bonus, Trae Turner won the batting title and swiped more than a few bases.    

Some random bests of the past season:   

Personal Best Dodger Moment of the Season:  My lone trip to Dodger Stadium was a post season game against the Braves.  With the game ready to start, Vin Scully appeared on the outfield big screen, and we (the crowd) joined Vin in announcing that phrase we all know and love --  "It is time for Dodger baseball."  With one man, uttering one sentence, young and old shared 60+ years of LA Dodgers baseball.  Hands down, best moment of the season.

Season's Best Feel Good Moments:  There were a lot.  I think of Mookie Betts securing a Reds rookie's first home run ball, then giving the fan who caught the homer an autographed bat.  I also have to mention the Field of Dreams game in Iowa -- which was a masterpiece production and game.  Also anything involving Albert Pujols. 

Best Turn Around Stories:   Jansen and Bellinger.  Both those guys have had long periods where they were the league's best, but last year both had brutal slumps. In mid-season, Jansen blew several saves and many were calling for a new closer. Bellinger was so bad that pitchers were hitting better than he was. But they eventually turned things around.  I really like both those guys.  

Season's Funniest Moment:   Joe Kelly trading his Dodger jersey for a mariachi's jacket.  The mariachis then got a life size cardboard cut out of Kelly in his new jacket and included the cardboard Kelly in their stadium performances. The whole thing was hilarious. I could also add the time Dave Roberts came out to relieve Max Scherzer and Scherzer refused to give him the ball and shook Roberts' hand instead.  Bad form to show up Roberts, but still funny.   

Best Response to the Defensive Shift:  I wouldn't outlaw it, but I'm not a fan of the shift. I did enjoy seeing Justin Turner beat the shift by slapping singles to right field.    

Worst Proposed Rule Change: Looks like the National League is going to the DH.  But, Julio Urias made a great case last year for letting pitchers hit. 

Most Unifying Team:  It seemed to me that most everyone was rooting for the Atlanta Braves to win the WS. So, because vast swaths of the county joined together in their dislike of the Astros, the Astros are the most unifying team.    

Most Perplexing Story:  Dodgers uncharacteristically throwing down $100M on a three-year deal for Trevor Bauer, who then was suspended by MLB after allegations of sexual assault, which he denied.  Before he became a Dodger, I followed Bauer on his "Momentum" channel.  His videos were upbeat, good natured baseball fun.  The allegations are shocking and a huge contrast to his programming. Don't know how all this shakes out.

MLB Baseball Cancelled -- Joe Kelly for Baseball Commissioner

Spring training was cancelled.  Now Major League Baseball has cancelled opening day and the first week of the season.  

Stadiums that should be full are empty. I should be in Arizona watching the Dodgers' spring training.  Yet, we are all on the sidelines, waiting as the rich and powerful divvy up $11 Billion in annual baseball revenue. 

Just as we are wallowing in baseball misery, in rides Joe Kelly to remind us of all that is good and can be again.

The Dodger pitcher has written a wonderful piece in the LA Times, "First Person: Joe Kelly pleads with fans "not to forget about baseball" during MLB lockout."  

It is the best baseball article I have read in years.  And it is all the better coming from a character like Kelly, who has two world series rings, can throw triple digits, but is most famous around here for his mariachi jacket.  Kelly gets baseball.  More, he can lay it out in words.  Baseball, he says, is "a combination of chess, ballet, a classroom and cannon fire."  Yes, yes, yes and yes. 

I will be following Joe Kelly, not Rob Manfredi, at @BBisntBoring. 

On behalf of all good and fair-minded people everywhere, I nominate Joe Kelly as Baseball Commissioner. 

Eaton Canyon Reservoir - January 5, 2022

Yesterday late afternoon looking west from New York Drive. It seems like years since there has been this much water in the reservoir.  

Foggy Morning At Eaton Canyon

Seems we rarely get much fog around here. I enjoy it when we do.  So, when I saw it was foggy early yesterday morning, I took the dog and headed over to Eaton Canyon for little hike.  When we started out it was see-your-breath cold and fog draped the mountainsides.  

 After a while, the fog started to clear.  If you just stay on the trail and keep your eyes open, you will find spots in Eaton Canyon that are simply beautiful.

Taylor hits 3 HRS; Dodgers-Braves Go Back to Atl for Game 6

 

Last night's game (Thursday's) was spectacular.  Dodgers get 17 hits and win 11-2.  Chris Taylor three HRs.  AJ Pollock hit two.  Bellinger showed signs of returning to his old self.  Trae Turner got some hits. And the bullpen shut down the Braves except for a rocky first.

The photo above is from Wednesday night's game which the Braves won.  That game was dismal.  But, from our seats in the reserved section looking north, we had a great view of the San Gabriel Mountains. As a bonus, the 5:00 game time yielded a nice sunset sky.