Camelback Ranch is the Real Deal

I made it over to Camelback Ranch after church to take a look at the new home of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Whitesox. Pitchers and Catchers made it to Arizona on Friday and broke the ice with some PFP and batting practice. Some fields you can see fresh sod laid out needing a couple of weeks to take root before it will be ready to have live bodies cutting and slashing on the infield diamond. They still have some work to do but Camelback Ranch is one nice place. They actually have a lake that runs through the middle of the complex, baseball and fishing... what a concept. To my surprise I was recognized as I walked toward the field so I signed a few things... that felt good. Camelback Ranch Cactus League baseball with the Dodgers, that has a great ring to it.

Mike Davis

Happy Valentines Day

Valentines Day at Camelback Ranch. I had a chance to see the Dodgers and Whitesox spring training complex, awesome!! I've been to a lot spring training facilities this is second to none.

If you know the Dodgers at all they do everything firsts class. Dodgers at Camelback Ranch is the best of the best. You heard it hear first... the cat is out the bag ...

We have great training facilities in Arizona, The Dodgers and Whitesox have raised the bar to another level. Come and see for yourselves, this will be the place to be spring training 2009.

Mike Davis

Chicks Dig the Long Ball

Do you remember the The Nike commericals in the mid 90's. "Chicks dig the long ball" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLECMCargd8) Greg Maddox and Tom Glavine are walking down across the field and everyone was focused on Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa.... The next thing you see is Maddox and Glavine in the weight room pumping iron... they step back on the field and get noticed by Heather Locklear as they hit balls into the bleachers. All of this was part of bringing fan back to the ball parks after the the strike in 1994. The home run was a big ticket and major league baseball bought into it hook line and sinker. Player across the league became bigger and record home runs were hit. Everyone in baseball could see what was happening. This was part of the effort to restore the game of baseball to bring the fans back to the game and they ran with it. Yes, some players got juiced Canseco would say but it worked!! Baseball fans came back to the ball park in big numbers to see the home run. Major League teams were building new ball parks to make it more accommodating for the fan with better marketing efforts to separate you from more of your money and that worked. The salaries began to sky rocket... Next quote: "Houston we have a problem"....

Baseball is in The Air

You have to be good to made that kind of money in any venture. I don't think that Bill Gates thought that the PC would have made him one of the richest guy's in the world. He had a great vision that exploded. Even the game of baseball, the owners I don't think they thought that the money would ever get as big as it has gotten. With concessions and parking and the TV packages, the tax write offs, with the money that they pay out to players there has to be something we don't know about the kind of money they make. Maybe the government tells them to give it away and we will double your money... could that be the ticket? Who Knows.

All I really know is that the Dodgers need Manny Ramirez and don't need to loose him in a bid with the Giants. I know that Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez are two of the best players ever to play the game and that Baseball should let Mark McGwire in the hall of fame. I wish this steroid thing never came up because it has taken down some great players. Yes we should compete according to the rules in the baseball world in the 90's they were trying to save the game and both the player and the owners should take responsibility.
Mike Davis

The Spirit of Baseball Is Back Can you Feel It

With the baseball season less that a week away, you can feel the excitement in the air.

HOT news!! The government is still after Barry Bonds because they don't like him. Roger Clemens is still claiming his Innocent's and where in the world will Manny Ramirez be Going?

You have to be proud of the Dodgers in the way that they have gone about resolving the Manny dilemma. I know we all want to blame things on Manny but rest assured that his agent Scott Bor-US... has prolonged everything. You say wait a minute... Manny is a grown man... yes he is and Manny is in a power position in a crazy free agent market where nobody knows what going on. His agent Scott Bor-US, didn't count on the economy to soften the market the way it did. The Dodgers only offer Manny a KINGS RANSOM but for Scott and his commission it wasn't enough. I say that because no ball player ever thought you could make crazy money in the game of baseball 30 years ago, which means I'm old and maybe wrong about todays players. 30 years ago the Major league minimum was 21 thousand and you were glad to be there, times have changed, I mean we have a black President for God Sakes. Where are owners that want to win so bad that they'll give you beyond your imagination... I mean Alex Rodriguez has made over half a Billion Dollars... That is awesome!! Only in America can that happen...

Jeff Kent Retires From Baseball

After 17 years in the majors Jeff Kent calls it quits. What a great career and a great player. Jeff finishes his career with a .290 avg 377 home runs and over 1500 RBI. Named to 5 all star teams Jeff is truly a candidate for the hall of fame and will be remembered for his run ends with Barry Bonds. Jeff is truly a great players who thought he didn't get the respect he deserved. When you have super stars in the line up with Jeff, he wanted to be on the same level with them and hated people saying that the great players like bonds and Ramirez made him better. Everybody in baseball knew this was the case but Jeff always took it the wrong way like he was less than . In spite of the little things his confidence in his ability made him great. Jeff Kent had a great major league career and I wish him the very best.

Mike Davis

WE ARE WHO WE THOUGHT WE WERE!!!

EXTRA EXTRA!! the Cardinals headed for the SUPER BOWL first time in history of the franchise! The City of Glendale, AZ is in an up roar. The Spirit of a Champion has over taken the Arizona Cardinals. This is the biggest thing to happen since the Diamondback won the World Series. Warner to Fitzgerald the hottest ticket in town. they said it wasn't possible but the Cardinals are in the super bowl. With the FBR Open a week away the NBA all star game around the corner, plus the Dodgers coming to the desert. Nothing is more exciting than what the Cardinals are doing. The confidence that the Cards are playing with has become contagious, the passion of the City is their twelfth man on the field that will take this team to the finish line. I'm writing from San Diego in a sea of Green with people pulling for the Eagles. it's only half time but I'm stepping out on a limp for the Cardinals. This is what finishing is about you have to see it to believe it. CARDINALS IN THE SUPER BOWL FOR THE FIRST TIME.

Mike Davis

Andruw Jones Sent Packing

The decision has been made, Andruw Jones is out as a Dodger. Dodgers GM Ned Colleti has closed the book on Jones and the Dodgers will move forward without him. The one thing I don't get about the fast decisions that are made. is why and how? You gave him 36 million a year ago and his money is guaranteed. Why not find out if the guy can still play? He was one of the best players in the league less than two years ago. At lease try to get your money out of him.

Why not allow him to come to spring training... play him in all the B games on the back fields and see what happens... see which Jones shows up. I don't like just writing the guy off, giving him his money then saying next. We tried it didn't work... next... After one year.... 36 million in the books... gone never to be seen again. Andruw Jones can now go and play for any team out there for the major league minimum wage. if he fines his game again, be used to beat on the Dodgers while we pay him. I don't like an out of shape player, I don't like a guy that isn't committed to CANI (continuous and never ending improvement). What does it say about our scouting department? What kind of job did they do in bring in a player that is a bust. I was a bust for the Dodgers in 1988 and didn't perform up to expectation, the very reason we call it a team game. We were 1988 World Champions that year. One for all and all for one. It may not have been that way but that is what it feels like when you Win.

Mike Davis

Ricky Henderson in The Hall of Fame

Congratulations to Rickey Henderson, you are one of the greatest players to ever play the Game of baseball. The flair and excitement that you brought to the game of baseball set you head and shoulders about all the rest. From the first year watching you and playing in the same lineup I knew you were a special player. One of the things that you find out about players while you play with them or against them is how confident they are. Rickey Henderson operated with the spirit of a champion, no one could break his confidence. You know how good a guy is when the question is asked... would you pay to watch them play? Being in the same lineup with Rickey, I would have paid to watch him perform that's how good he was.

Rickey Henderson by himself changed the way the game was played. Because of him pitchers went from a high leg kick to a slide step to home to stop the running game of most teams. The stop watch became a major part of the game and all teams demanded their pitchers deliver the ball to home plate under 2.3 seconds. Each year Rickey did more to become the best player on the field.

One off season Rickey, myself and a couple or other player worked out at a batting cage in Antioch, CA that was the winter that he and I learned how to hit as inside fastball without rolling off of the pitch. I hit 24 homeruns for the A's and Rickey Hit 24 homeruns for the Yankees. He was able to do it over and over again. Born on Christmas morning Rickey Henderson was truly blessed with an ability to play the game of baseball. Everyone that had a chance to watch him play was treated with a hall of fame performance. Rickey Henderson it's your time to take a bow.

What is Happening With Manny...

Happy New Year! 2009 is here and Baseball is just around the corner. The Dodgers have moved out of Vero Beach, FL to Good Year, AZ. The complex in Good Years is awesome. While we anticipate the start of the baseball season decisions are still being made. What is happening with Manny Ramirez? I haven't heard anything in a while but it looks like the only place Manny can land is Los Angeles California. I hope this is a good thing. The Dodgers have offered a three year deal to bring Manny back to LA in the range of 70 to 80 Million... I think that Manny and his agent are just playing the game to see if someone will get desperate and react to the moves the Yankees are making. With that being said the Dodgers are looking at the giant of a man in Adam Dunn in case things fall through with Manny.

Adam is a great player but he won't have the same impact because of the way Manny Connected with the city of Los Angeles. While we contemplate what they will do with Manny, the Dodgers made a decision on Andruw Jones which I personally done agree with. When you pay a Player top free agent money and they don't perform to your expectation and you give up on them, the money that you have to pay is guaranteed. Why not at lease see if they are back to form before you give up on them? You have to pay them anyway... Try to see if the spirit of the champion has resurfaced and the confidence is there to help the team. This guy has been one of the great players in the league. Yes, there comes a time as a player when you don't have it anymore and your talents start to fade... I'm just saying let's find out.... we were close to last in home runs last year if it wasn't for the Padres garage sale team they featured last year.

Before you know it the decisions will be made and we will be off to the race for the title again. Get ready for another fun year.

Mike Davis