Results tagged ‘ ESPN ’
Dodgers in First Place! So wheres the Respect?
Your Los Angeles Dodgers are 29-13 which is a MLB Best, 1st Place in the NL West, Playing really good baseball with Matt Kemp, Jerry Hariston, Juan Rivera, Mark Ellis, and Juan Uribe. The Dodgers are getting all types of production from everyone this season at this point. The Dodgers even Swept the Defending World Series Champion St Louis Cardinals with a dangerous line up. Yet the Dodgers still have not received any National media attention. It seems like no matter what obstacles the Dodgers over come it gets little to no notice. Why is that? It’s beyond me but whatever it is I don’t like it but at the same time I do. Last year the Dodgers were in the headlines for all of the wrong reasons. Bankruptcy, Frank McCourt Draining the franchise, Losing, Brain Stow beatings. It seems like the Dodgers and it’s fan base couldn’t get a break. Come winter meetings the Dodgers only big move was Extending Matt Kemps contract while another team in Anaheim was making big moves signing Abert Pujols and CJ Wilson. Came the start of the Season Dodgers had new Owners in Magic Johnson, Stan Kasten, and Mark Walter and great display of baseball but national recognition hasn’t been all that.
Sometimes not having that National spotlight on you isn’t always a bad thing if you think of it. Right now the Dodgers have the best record in the MLB but is also staying quiet. As you see teams with the most pressure are usually teams like the Yankees, Red Soxs, or even now the Rangers where if one minor thing can become big news for you. The Dodgers having a big media spotlight just adds pressure to them to win. With the Starting Pitching playing well, Bullpen getting it together, and Everyone stepping up for the Dodgers it seems like things are going pretty well. So not having that national exposure isn’t always a bad thing when it comes to the play on the field. Just as good as it is to fly under the radar comes that respect.
As of now the Dodgers may have the top spot on a lot of Power Rankings but there’s others who talk more about other teams more than the Dodgers. How is it that Collin Cowheard can go on his show as with a straight face say the Cardinals are the best team in the MLB. The Dodgers swept the Cardinals in a competitive series but a Sweep is a Sweep. I’ve also heard many say the Texas Rangers are the best team which you can argue but comes this argument on why the Dodgers don’t get that recognition is the Schedule. Dodgers have played teams like San Deigo, Pittsburgh, Houston, Cubs, Rockies. Well let me kill the arguement that it’s hard to beat teams the way the Dodgers do in Baseball regardless of the teams and not to mention the Dodgers have hung around in games vs Atlanta and was robbed in two straight games vs Milwalkee. Not only that but Swept the Washington nationals and St Louis Cardinals as well as come back from a 6-1 defecit on the Road against Arizona to continue a 6 game winning streak without Matt Kemp. Want to talk about other stuff? the Bullpen is getting better and the Starting Pitching staff like Chris Capuano, Ted Lilly, Clayton Kershaw (Defending Cy Young Award winner), and at times Chad Billingsley playing very very well. So the Dodgers should have that notice from the media that the Dodgers are something special. Now its not how you start but how you finish and the Dodgers have to keep this good play up once June July and September October hit.
As long as the Dodgers keep winning then all is well but most Dodger fans have to be some what frustrated that they’re being OVERLOOKED by the national baseball media. Does it bother me? Some what but the Dodgers are 30-13. As long as they complete the season in October with a World Series back in Los Angeles then Im fine and happy. Dodgers playing great baseball and I love it how they’re doing it!!
Freeway Series: The Marketing and Off the Field views of it all
Through Months is seems as if the Rivalry between the Dodgers and Angels has started to heat up. Since the addition of Albert Puljos and CJ Wilson most of the Positive attention has been shifted to Anaheim. Things then started to get a little turned up with Angel billboards posted in Los Angeles also being the media mentioning the Angels as Los Angeles team. Even some Angels fans saying We Run LA. The Minority that I’ve seen Not ALL Angels fans see it this way. As a Dodger fan I kind of took it as a Jab to the face. With the emberassment we’ve taken with the McCourt issue and Bankruptcy issue we now deal with the team down the freeway in Orange County making big signings, Posting billboards in Los Angeles, and the Media asking will the Angels take over. Even Some fans on twitter claiming that Dodger fans will now go to Anaheim just to see the Angels play now. What has happened? Whos to blame here? Well let me explain in my view.
Let me first go on to say this is Not bashing the Angels or anything because I want this to be a Non Trash talk post and I wanted to stay away from the topic but had alot to say of if Any Angels fans read this is not a jab toward your team and congrats on your team.
Now I the Angels as you know have went under different names. California Angels, Anaheim Angels, Now the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. I have a BIG ISSUE with the Angels using the Los Angeles name due to Location but at the sametime Understand why the name is there and thats to take advantage of the marketing in Los Angeles. I can’t blame the Angels Franchise because they’re trying to sell their team to people (Tickets, Merchindise,TV Ratings, Radio, etc) but in Los Angeles? Well this isn’t the first time it has been done in the city of L.A. as I call it Dodger Territory. Anyone Remember when the Angels put billboards up in Los Angeles I believe in 2004? Still the same unhappiness but didn’t understand the sports business like I do now. When I see them now yes I don’t like it at all because it’s the Angels in Los Angeles when they’re obviously in Anaheim..Orange County. It doesn’t stop with Billboards…The Sports Media like ESPN asks the question. “Has the Angels become Los Angeles team?” Some people play into the Media hype and that I can blame the media for that but the attention is offically there. Los Angeles and two baseball teams..That makes the Blood boils big time especially in Many Dodgers fans and I know Angels fans as well.
So what is this? To me the Freeway series not only within the Field and fans but has now spilled towards the Marketing side of things. Angels post up Billboards in Los Angeles. Dodger Commercials on KCAL 9, Fox Sports Prime Ticket, and Now Dodger Billboards going up. I don’t think the two Franchises are worried about each other because they’re selling their team as I mentioned but in a way they’re luring fans from the LA area (Dodgers being in LA is a bigger advantage with them being the LA Dodgers) As I looked at the Angels billboards (A lot of em that i’ve seen in Los Angeles) I wondered “When will the Dodgers put up Billboards?” “Why aren’t there any Dodger billboards up” With Albert Puljos on them the Dodger have the best player in baseball in Matt Kemp..Cy Young award winner Clayton Kershaw, 50th Anniversary of Dodger Stadium, Legends and yet none of it being taken advatage of. Marketing is Marketing but too much Momentium with in the Dodgers Organization with Matt Kemp, Kershaw, Great ending to the season, and the Stadium Anniversary.
I know with all that went on in the Off-Season between the Signings, Marketing, Fan Trashtalk, and so on the Freeway Series this year should be an Interesting one on the Field of play. The Angels with a Pretty good team and the Dodgers who look Very Solid right now. They may not be in our Division let alone our League but bragging rights are there. In the Words of Matt Kemp and Don Mattingley Los Angeles only has ONE Baseball team and that Team is the Los Angeles Dodgers (Get That ESPN?)
Matthew
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