L.A. Story

I don’t know what’s the least-appealing job these days, being a California vintner (Remember: no liquids on the plane, including fine wines!) or the exec who came up with the idea for the “Dodgers on Demand” satellite network (Major League Baseball believes the organization over-extended its “interactive media” rights by the launch). Neither sounds terribly hot right now. But honestly, the worst work going in Cali these days has to be with suiting up for the San Francisco Giants or San Diego Padres, two mercurial teams that have to play the scorching Los Angeles Dodgers a combined 14 more times before season’s end.

I had a chance to visit famed Dodgers Stadium on August 9 with my cousin’s husband, Swayne, and caught the L.A./Colorado game. Unfortunately, their 11-game winning streak came to an end that night. (They’ve since won three straight, fueling a personal theory of us being bad luck to the team.) Here are a few things I spotted during the game that ESPN certainly missed when re-capping the highlights:

-Cheryl Tiegs, ex-Sports Illustrated swimsuit icon, throws out the first pitch, a respectable off-speed toss to her son.

-Swayne takes a mental count of the fans at the park and says, “50,000 people showed up last night. There’s not nearly that many here tonight.” He’s right. Greg Maddux’s home debut dig bring’em out. There can’t be more than 60% or 70% of that number in attendance for this one.

-When the Dodgers take the field, a group of kids go out to each position with the guys and gets a baseball signed by them. It’s a good-looking sight.

-While all the Dodgers get respectable applause when their names are called, the loudest (by far) goes to first baseman Nomar Garciaparra, who’s back in the lineup for the first time since a DL stint.

-A lady sitting with her family along the first base side doesn’t watch the course of a high foul ball and it hits her square on the top of the head. Medics rush to her side. She appears okay, save for the ice pack now stuck to her face.

-A couple of interesting facts from the scoreboard: 1) Colorado outfielder Matt Holliday is batting .322, with 20 homers and 65 RBI. Who knew? 2) Dodger second baseman Jeff Kent has more RBI than Brooks Robinson and more home runs than Jack Clark. 3) Rockies infielder Garrett Atkins is UCLA’s first-ever three-time All-American. Now that seems really odd. 4) Dodger outfielder Kenny Lofton is 17^th on the career stolen bases list, right ahead of Maury Wills.

-Some guy wins something during a between-inning promotion. He’s reaaaaally excited about it, too. Come to find out he just won a Saturn Vue. That might explain the jubilation.

-Eva Longoria and L.L. Cool J are in the house.

-Attendance is announced at 46,643. Can somebody say “stretch?”

-The beach ball being tossed about the stadium is kinda fun, but quietly, it catches a lot of fans off guard and actually scares a few of them once it hits them in the head.

-They play the Rob Base and E-Z Rock party classic “It Takes Two” every time the home team gets a double play. Niiiice.