Fiction abounds with stories of greedy and uncaring characters who eventually see the flaws in their game. They learn the lesson that selfishness only hurts themselves, and being open brings lasting rewards that are far greater than hoarding and stinginess ever could.
Today those fantasies became real, as the Los Angeles Dodgers announced they will broadcast ten games (both home and away) over the air on local channel KTLA 5.
Ever since the Dodgers signed that $8 billion dollar TV deal and the team disappeared for over half of the local viewing audience, I’ve written quite a few articles that raked them over the coals for that. Of course, just about every other writer, big and small, excoriated them as well.
I call ’em as I see ’em, and I see this move as a very good development, so I will give credit where credit is due. A skeptic might see this as nothing more than a cynical marketing tool, designed to whet our appetites for Dodger baseball, and thus create rallying cries for other cable and satellite companies to purchase the team’s broadcasting rights and carry the rest of the season over their bandwidths. That could explain the offering of so many games over the opening month of the season.
I prefer to view this as a first step in the Dodgers de-volving back into a team that the city as a whole can once again embrace – in the televised sense. Of course opening these games up to the general public is a marketing move. I’m hoping it’s also a sign the Dodgers have remembered Los Angeles is their city, and they are our team.
Ten games on over-the-air television at the start of the season is a very good thing. Perhaps they’ll sprinkle in a few more over the course of the season, and offer all of us the chance to watch the final run to the playoffs at the end of the season.
Vin Scully may be gone, but the Dodgers have returned. I’ll happily take it.
Here’s the schedule:
Wednesday, April 5, 6:30 p.m., vs. San Diego Padres
Sunday, April 9, 12:00 p.m., at Colorado Rockies
Wednesday, April 12, 5:00 p.m., at Chicago Cubs
Sunday, April 16, 1:00 p.m., vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
Tuesday, April 18, 6:30 p.m., vs. Colorado Rockies
Wednesday, April 19, 7:00 p.m., vs. Colorado Rockies
Sunday, April 23, 1:00 p.m., at Arizona Diamondbacks
Sunday April 30, 1:00 p.m., vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Wednesday May 3, 6:00 p.m., vs. San Francisco Giants
Sunday, May 7, 1:00 p.m., at San Diego Padres
Oscar Martinez
I was born in the shadow of Dodger Stadium and immediately drenched in Dodger Blue. Chavez Ravine is my baseball cathedral, Vin Scully was the golden voice of summer all my life, and Tommy Lasorda remains the greatest Dodgers manager ever. My favorite things are coffee, beer, and the Dodgers beating the Giants. I also blog about my baseball card hobby at All Trade Bait, All the Time.
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Talk about throwing your dog a bone! Come on, when the Dodgers first moved to LA they broadcasted exactly 11 games a year. The ones from SF and that was it. Dodger fans have been getting screwed the last few years, and this little horse shit gesture does not take away from that.
It’s funny how they never did this start of season gift giving when Vinny was on the air.
Ya think? These guys have no clue, and this impasse has gone on way too long. My sister, who lives in Carson, is lucky. She has Time/Warner and gets all the games. I live here in Colorado and use MLB.TV to get the games. Games with the Rockies are blacked out, but I have Root Sports, so I get the Rockies feed.
I read that Direct TV which is now AT&T will be making a settlement to TWC, which is Charter now, for causing the problem, with the Dodger network.
But we still don’t know if the other providers, will start carrying the Dodger Chanel now.
I read that an arbitrator has them close to a settlement, but that does not mean the games will immediately be available.
Michael
That is why I said we still don’t know if any of the other providers, will carry the Dodger channel.
my brother has time warner and dont get it…he was told he has to have the top of the line to get it ..
My sis pays a lot of cash for what she has on there, but with 2 boys you can understand why.
That’s the part that those f…ing a…holes from TWC/Spectrum (or what ever it’s called) won’t tell you. To get the dodger channel you have to buy a more expensive package. I’m just waiting for Frontier Fios to offer it and say goodbye!
Artieboy
That is not true I have Charter.
And I have the package that most people get, but they have cheaper packages, that carry the Dodger Channel.
And if you guys read, it is Direct TV that was found to be doing the wrong thing, because they are settling.
I have Charter, who toke over TWC, and I pay for the package that most people have, and I have the Dodger Channel.
But you don’t have to pay a lot to get the Dodger channel, because some of the cheaper packages, carry the Dodger channel.
A while back I had a guy installing some equipment here, he was an independent contractor hired by Suddenlink to work in this area. We were talking about this and other cable/dish issues and he said in another few years everyone in his field would be working for Google.
Google is getting out of that game, I believe
Shame , because google fiber was an interesting project.
Badger
We’re facing another leftie today, because we are facing Cole Hammels, so it will be interesting to see what our bats will do.
Because in the game against the Giants, and Moore, we didn’t do much.
And Moore is probably considered, to be the Giants number three pitcher.
It will be interesting to finally see Ryu pitch in a game, and I think, he is pitching tomorrow.
I wonder if our new leftfielder, will finally get a hit today.
I just hope he isn’t going to be like Reddick, and not hit well, in a new league, with all new pitchers.
But we are facing the Rangers today, so he should be some what familiar with there pitching, since he played in American League West.
Spring results mean nothing. It does not matter whether you face an ace or a minor leaguer. It is all to get reps in. What is going to matter is when they play for real. They could crush lefty’s all spring and then suck against them come the real season. That is one reason they signed Gutierrez. He has career good numbers against LHP. MJ, you have to realize that every season is different. I remember a couple of years they had problems with RHP. Hernandez the first year made lefty’s look like they were Swiss cheese. Last year, as Tommy would say, he couldn’t hit water if he fell out of a boat. Yesterday, Gonzo went 0-5 in Mexico’s loss, and Segedin hit his 3rd homer of the spring. It means bupkis. Gutierrez is not going to be the regular LF. I am pretty sure that spot will be split with Ethier, who is almost ready to go again, and SVS, who is having a great spring. Thompson, Toles, Eibner and all the other wannabees are going to be in AAA come April 3rd.
Michael
I know that, but it is how bad he has looked in his at bats, and the memory of Reddick.
It’s Hamels……..Do not worry about a 12 year pro not hitting in spring. He isn’t worried…been there and done that.
Michael
Ok
this site could use some up-thumbs or up-votes. March 10 is never the time to freak out unless guys are breaking bones or going under the knife.
Agon, Romo, and Verdugo took quite a loss last night. Old friend Luis Cruz contributed to Mexico’s ninth inning collapse.
Artieboy
I tuned in last night for a while, and then I checked back, right after the last out.
I wish I would have saw the whole inning.
Nice showing by Verdugo.
then they are screwing my brother ..he had the top of the line and because of cutting his hrs ..he drop one level ..and no long gets the dodgers..so bull shit
Has been that way for quite a while, and really, blame ownership. I remember when baseball was televised on the regular stations. Dodgers at first were on KKTV 11. They moved to KTLA later. But it is all about cash now. Cable providers want extra fees for the sports channels. When I had cable and paid for it, I get it free now here at my new apt, I paid an extra 7.50 a month for the sports package which gave me 4 ESPN stations, ROOT sports, which carries the Rockies games, so I could see the blacked out games I cannot get on MLB.TV, and a couple of other sports channels. Fee’s for cable have kept going up. Which is why I bought a ROKU streaming device. I get so many free channels and only pay for my internet. I do pay for MLB.TV, but that is a once a year payment and it has actually gone down.
If I wanted to watch the games, I would go the Roku route. And I would have to sign up for the Unlocator because all California and Arizona teams are blacked out in this area. Ridiculous in as much as I am at least 280 miles from the closest one…
Personally, it’s hard to sit through a whole game on TV. I love watching my favorite players, I like to see what certain players look like at bat or in the field and when something special is going on I do feel like I’m a part of it, but I don’t need to watch it all. I do keep it on in the background just in case….
I think part of it is when I was a kid it was all about the radio and Vin Scully. I could see it in my mind’s eye and I still can. I guess I have Vinny to thank for that little gift, I’m sure others know exactly what I’m talking about.
I feel a little guilty, I do have the channel
Melton
Nicely said.
+1 all the way. Radio is where it’s at. Mind’s eye.
https://twitter.com/dylanohernandez/status/840340759433822208
https://twitter.com/kengurnick/status/840368783415951360
He says he will be ready for Opening Day, so, there’s that. Oblique’s can be serious, and can linger for weeks. I wouldn’t be surprised to see innings limited the first month of the season. If so, no matter the surrogate plugged in it would be a significant drop off.
McCarthy looked good. Does that actually mean something at this point?