Thursday, April 05, 2007

Future Dodgers: 4/15/07 Preview

Once again, we here at SoSG are leveraging rifts in the time-space continuum to give you special looks at the Dodgers of the future. Today's look previews the April 15, 2007 game, in which the Dodgers are planning to give tribute to Dodger legend Jackie Robinson by having everyone on the Dodgers' team wear the number 42.

Posts Ken Gurnick of Inside the Dodgers:

As some of you might have heard Vin Scully announce on the broadcast, the entire Dodger team will wear No. 42 on April 15 in a tribute to Jackie Robinson. There are all sorts of great events planned for that day, but given that Jackie was a Dodger, it is most fitting that we honor his accomplishments in this fashion. We've been planning how best to do this for quite some time and this is just one of the great things in store for April 15.

I'm all for Jackie Robinson tributes, but I have to say this particular tribute of everyone wearing his number seems a bit ridiculous. First of all, consider the announcer repeatedly offering up "Now batting, #42, Jackie Robinson" for every player introduction (luckily, the way that the Dodgers aren't taking many pitches, he may not have to say it more than three to four times per inning).

Secondly, we'd like to suggest that all the game's statistics go toward Jackie Robinson's statistics (at least, the positive ones). Not only will this give Jackie a pitching line for his record, but it could also get his 197 career stolen bases up to a nice round number of 200.

Thirdly, imagine the Padres' dismay when manager Bud Black has to tell the press, "I feel like we were beaten tonight by one guy."

And fourth and finally, here's a look at the scoreboard ten days from now.

If you're scoring at home, I hope you're paying close attention.

(And yes, that would be Juan Pierre's line over on the left. We remain incredibly hopeful...)

11 comments:

Alex Cora said...

At least we will know who is up to bat, because we all know that Rick Monday wont tell us.

Steve Sax said...

I had to link over to your profile to make out what was going on in the picture, but it's pretty sweeeeeet!

Rob said...

The scoreboard was absolutely brilliant.

Rob said...

Additionally: according to rule 6.07, a team of all-Robinson players would be unable to score any runs beside a first-inning solo homer. Robinson cannot succeed Robinson, and so would be immediately called out, as would all others succeeding. The worst imaginable case would be for Robinson to get on base by a walk or non-home-run hit; with no other player eligible to bat, the game would have to be immediately forfeit.

Orel said...

"I feel like we were beaten tonight by one guy." Nice.

Steve Sax said...

Guess Raffy/Robinson better swing for the fences then...

Steve Sax said...

In other news, Lugo is 2-for-3 and Drew is 1-for-3 and both are batting .400 on the year. Not time for schadenfreude just yet.

Rob said...

Actually, imagine the Padres' dismay at having the Giants' manager give the postgame interview. San Diego's current manager is the former Angel pitching coach, Bud Black.

Steve Sax said...

Ooh, my bad. Good call Rob.

Changed.

Lasorda said...

Man, just think at how sweet it would be to have Robinson on your fantasy baseball team with eligibility at so many positions!

Larry Brown said...

That oughta keep the official scorer on his toes