My Favorite Dodger.......

Left-handed pitcher Matt White has almost no chance of making the opening-day roster. He is 0-2 with a 16.76 earned-run average in seven major league appearances.

White, however, could become the wealthiest player in the clubhouse, quite a distinction considering Kent has made $67 million, Gonzalez has made $63 million and Nomar Garciaparra has made $61 million.

White owns a rock quarry in Massachusetts that could eventually produce more than $2 billion worth of mica schist flatstone, which is used for walks, patios, steps, walls, hearths and ponds.

The stone was formed 400 million years ago from sandy mud sediments deposited on an ancient sea bottom. White's father is operating the quarry, which is off to a modest start, producing $60,000 worth of stone last year.

A geologist, however, told White that as much as 24 million tons of the stone is on the mountainous 50-acre property, which White purchased from his aging aunt so she would have enough money to live in a nursing home.

"We had no idea the rock was there until I started clearing out a couple acres to build a house," White said.

Bicentennial Memories

Today is the 30th anniversary of the day Rick Monday rescued a flag that was about to be burned in Dodger stadium. Captain Ed over at Captain's Quarters is blogging about it today.

I certainly applaud the actions of Monday, but I was troubled by one paragraph in the story

"With the bicententennial of the Declaration of Independence coming up, the country had started a celebration of the event that overloaded on red, white, and blue. The nation tried to put on a coat of faux patriotism it didn't really feel, and the entire effort felt commercialized and hypocritical. With Independence Day two months away, many already had had enough of the celebration."

In 1976 I was eleven years old, and living at Lakenheath AFB in the United Kingdom. And after reading this, I'm very glad of that. Because the Bicentennial was very different for me. It was a time of unabashed patriotism and a celebration of the birth of our nation. It was something we tried to share with our bemused British hosts, who after all, were the ones we were celebrating our separation from. I am sure the fact that I was living on an Air Force base overseas had a great deal to do with my experiences, but that makes them only more special to me. I am an unembarassed, unreformed and undying patriot. I have seen the sacrifices our men and women make to make the world a better and safer place. There is not, and has never been, a better nation than ours.

Thank you Rick Monday, thank you to all those who have served in our military (and their families) and God Bless America.

LA Dodgers 2006 Pt 2

Damn. I watched my first Dodger game (actually two) of the year today. The only names I recognized used to play for other teams.

Looks like the new team in charge really did understand how screwed up things were and virtually cleaned house. It's a brand new team, and while it looks promising, it also looks OLD. It's nothing but rookies and 35 year olds.

LA Dodgers 2006

Let's see, a new GM, a new manager, Furcal, Lofton and Garciaparra. Well at least someone noticed how crappy things were last year. I still don't trust the ownership, but at least he's doing something. He just better not screw around with Chavez Ravine.

How Far They Have Sunk

You want to know just how bad things have gotten for the Dodgers since the O'Malleys sold the team? Today they hired a new general manager from the Giants. FROM THR GIANTS!!!!!!

Look this Ned Colletti might be a great guy, and a great GM. But he was working for the Giants!

One of the great imponderables of my early life was how Dusty Baker could have gone to work for the Giants. I put it down to a from of mental illness. But this.........

If he hires a Giant as the new manager.........well you thought the O.J. riots were bad.........

The best thing he could do is steal Mike Scioscia from the Angels, but since he just signed a new two year deal that isn't going to happen.

The frickin Giants..........