I was listenining to a story from Vin Scully this morning. I came across the video on social media and Vin was talking about seeing Babe Ruth as a 13-year old kid for the first time in New York during a Giants game outside of the Polo Grounds. He was telling the story during a Dodger’s broadcast and weaving the details between pitches like he usually did. I noticed that Chris Perez was pitching and the Dodgers were playing the Padres at home. It couldn’t have been long before his final broadcast, which wasn’t long after LADR was launched. I would probably guess the broadcast was from around 2014, or so. As Vin was telling the story, I remembered thinking how much I missed him. I missed his voice, his stories, his presence during Dodgers games. He’s been gone for a little over three years now, and the only time I hear his voice is if I bring up an old game, or maybe an old commercial that had his voice in the advertisement comes on radio. You will ocassionally hear one on AM570. it got me thinking about how much I miss all of you.
Then it got me thinking about LADR turning ten years old today. It was around this time ten years ago that I launched LADR, raw and unfiltered as it was. Things have changed so much since then. We’ve had ten years of postseason runs, including three World Series championships, a lengthy lockout, international series in Tokyo, South Korea, a global Pandemic, and finally a World Series parade. We actually have had two of them! We’ve been through heartbreaks, frustrating losing streaks, incredible winning streaks, and statistical accomplishments. We’ve seen the Dodgers make massive trades, and intruiging free agent signings. We saw the Dodgers sign the greatest player in baseball Shohei Ohtani and then win back-to-back World Series championships. We’ve seen it all together.
The environment has changed alot. Blogs are not as popular as they used to be. Social media is king, especially video platforms. I still believe in the written word, and I still love writing about the Dodgers. I have used this place to vent my frustrations with the Dodgers when they have lost, and sometimes I have been wrong. Sometimes I have been right. I am not perfect and neither are the Dodgers. I do believe this is a golden age of Dodgers baseball. I’ve heard multiple professionals say this over the last few years and I think they are correct. The Dodgers are going for a three-peat in 2026, and it looks like there may be no stopping them. We’ve finally witnessed a Dodgers Dynasty, and we have witnessed it together.
One thing is for sure, I am committed to keeping this site going for the time being. I realize our audience is not as large as it once was back in the site’s heyday, but that’s ok. Clay and I are making a promise to you to continue chronicling the Dodgers seasons as best we can from our own eyes. My love for the Dodgers has never waivered and still burns eternal. So in 2036 when LADR turns 20, and Zyhir Hope has won four MVPs, Ohtani is nearing retirement, and Dodgers stadium has flying robots that will take everyone home after games, I’lll still be the cranky old man missing the old days of Nancy Bea Hefley’s organ music, Vin’s stories, and Farmer John Dodger dogs. The real Dodger dogs!
Until then I want to thank everyone for reading, commenting and participating, even if you just came over here to tell me how lame I am. I want to thank Mark Timmons (yes) for giving me this domain, because if he had not, I don’t know what I would be doing. Also thank you to all of my great writers over the years, good friend Oscar Martinez, Adrian, James Moya, Chad Clark, Clay Gregory. Thank you to all of you. Here is to another ten years!
Congratulations Scott on your 10 year anniversary. Looking forward to reading you and Clay in 2026 and hopefully another WS championship.
We are all waiting on the long-promised missive about being a blogger covering the Dodgers and on the greater LA Dodger blog community.
Thanks Ohio! Appreciate you.
Yes we are.