Crasnick Profiles Dodger Dog; Bud Black Mentioned in Passing

Above: partially eaten Dodger Dog. Below, right: partially eaten Dodger Dog.

photo by Annie Liebovitz

From Jerry Crasnick's profile of Bud Black at ESPN.com:

The notion that only position players make good managers ranks up there with other narrow-minded baseball precepts -- like the one that says only Red Sox and Cubs fans know what it means to suffer, or that Dodger Stadium is the only big league park that serves a decent hot dog.

The skeptics believe there are more Ray Millers than Tommy Lasordas out there. Last summer, when ESPN.com surveyed 60 players, coaches, managers and executives on which active players would make good managers one day, only two pitchers -- Greg Maddux and Woody Williams -- received even a smidge of support.

"This is not a negative thing, but I just don't think pitchers are baseball players," said former Braves catcher Todd Pratt, displaying the same anti-pitcher bias as many of his position-player brethren.

"Dodger Stadium is the only big league park that serves a decent hot dog" is a baseball precept, albeit a narrow-minded one?

Dodger Stadium + Dodger Dog = one of life's finest experiences. But I can't imagine enjoying a Dodger Dog (or a Super Dodger Dog, or a Picante Dog, if they still existed) outside the confines of Dodger Stadium.

Now, and Sax can confirm this, Miller Park in Milwaukee serves brats that would be delicious anywhere you ate them. Friendly fans there, too.

(By the way, which hot dog won that recent "Best of L.A." poll?)

Oh yeah, back to the article. Crasnick also mentions the top six "most intriguing story lines" among other returning managers:

• 1. Lou Piniella, Cubs
  
• 2. Bruce Bochy, Giants
  
• 3. Ron Washington, Rangers
  
• 4. Bob Geren, Athletics
  
• 5. Fredi Gonzalez, Marlins
  
• 6. Manny Acta, Nationals
  
• Cold Plate Special: Mike Hargrove
  

Crasnick practices admirable journalistic diplomacy in writing, "Gonzalez is considered more of a people person than his predecessor, Joe Girardi."

Isn't a stick of wood with a rusty nail in it more of a people person than Joe Girardi?

(Whoops! Sorry, johnny hatchett!)