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I have lots of favourite sports and lots of favourite participants. I love baseball, the LA Dodgers in particular (I'm a rabid fan, to put it gently). My favourite Dodger is newlywed Eric Karros (damn, another one got away!)

Eric (or as good ol' Ross :P says "EK") plays 1st, but my favourite position is pitcher. I like all the Dodger starters, Mlicki is awesome, Park kicks some serious butt and Dreifort, well, we all know what he did to Galarragga last year (and he deserved it!!)

Here's what my roster looks like:

Pitching: 1. Kevin Brown 2. Darren Driefort 3. Ismael Valdes 4. Dave Mlicki 5. Chan Ho Park CLOSER: Jeff Shaw

1. Devon White LF 2. Mark Grudzielanek 2nd 3. Raul Mondesi RF 4. Gary Sheffield CF 5. Eric Karros 1st 6. Juan Castro SS 7. Jose Vizcaino 3rd 8. Todd Hudley C 9. Pitcher*

* When either Dreifort or Park are pitching, they will switch with Castro in the batting order

It Wasn't Just Random!

I chose this roster for a reason! Batting first is White because he has the experience and the talent in the field. True, Eric Young might fit those standards to a point, but his batting last year wasn't great and his fielding was outmastered by both Grudzelanik and Castro. That's why I gave him the bench. I want him on the team, of course, because he gives off the kind of moral support that the Dodgers so desperatly need. Maybe with Johnson as coach, we will have the support and can give Young to a team that needs him.

I have Grudzelanik in the lineup because I don't believe Cromer is really ready offensively. It's better to start the season with the guys you know will produce and not with the green ones. Then, the big guns, Mondi-Sheff-EK. This worked last year, so why change it? When Karros gets hot in June/July/August area, I'd put him in cleanup. For now, the duty goes to Sheff.

Castro is relativly green but I put him in the lineup because he is amazing on the field. He's saved many-a-disaster for our pitchers. I've been considering reducing his play time to only when Valdes pitches (Dodger fans all know why!) but, I think that since it is his offense that will probably keep him out of the actual lineup, I would play him a lot to get him the experience he really needs.

Vizcaino is at 3rd because Beltre was very disappointing last year. We were all expecting the "wonder-kid" to just win Rookie and MVP and all that but he did diddly. I'd send him back and Hollandsworth too. Right now we don't have room for a 2nd rate outfielder like Todd or an inexperienced infielder like Beltre. No one is ever going to forgive the GM for getting Hudley for CJ. Johnson was such a treat after a deffensive disaster in Piazza. Let's hope that Hudley can try not to embarass what could be a great team.

Finally, pitching... Well, I have Darren, Kevin, Dave and Chan in there for obvious reasons. As for Valdes... am I demented, you ask. No, I just don't have a lot of faith in the young guys we have like Judd. He's great, just not great in the Majors yet. I have Dreifort and Park batting 6th because they are both very good batters and they should have a bit more experience in the meat of the lineup. When we get around to Darren and Chan most times there's nobody on and 2 out and even if they get on base, up comes our #1 who's a bunter.

I like various pitchers on other teams, but I think my fave is Mike Mussina of the Orioles. Baltimore is kewl, I mean, they hate the Yankees and the Orioles never have a chance to beat up on the Dodgers, so they're on my good list.

Todd Zeile was only a Dodger for a year and a half, but I'm still a fan!! He's so great (and his son is adorable!!) He's a Ranger now, that's why the link goes to a Rangers site.

Check out the Dodgers Website. They have a really kewl counter that shows how long until the new season! Plus lots of other toys.

Eight Men Out has got to be the greatest movie about the sport of baseball ever. Particularly through Buck Weaver (John Cusak of Grosse Point Blank) we really understand what the "Black Sox" players really went through and what the game meant to them. They loved the game more than anything but at the same time, their families were suffering. Comiskey baseball players from the early 1900's were about the equivelant to stage actors. They pretty much played for the love of the game. Comisky ripped them off severly, and then on top of that, double-crossed them with phoney bonuses. "Shoeless" Joe Jackson was forced into the deal because he was illerate and his lack of intellegence was taken advantage of. Some were threatened with the death of their wives and families. The players simply wanted to make a living. To put things in perspective, a year's paycheck for a Black Sox player is the equivelant to one pitch by Kevin Brown. This is a fabulous film about the love of the game!

John Cusak as Weaver (he's cuter!!)

The Real Buck Weaver