Coliseum Baseball
The LA Times reports that the Dodgers are considering playing at least one game in the Coliseum next season to celebrate the team's 50th season in Los Angeles. It could be a spring training game or a regular season game.
To this, I say "way cool!" I've heard stories from my father about watching the Dodgers at the Coliseum from 1958 to 1961, and I've always wondered what that would look like in person. The Coliseum is one of the most awkward venues to ever host a MLB game. But part of what makes baseball fun are the quirks of the different stadiums. Instead of "Moon Shots" maybe we'll see some "Kemp Shots" in 2007.
In other Dodger news, ESPN's Buster Olney is reporting that Joe Girardi is a candidate to manage the team. Girardi is well regarded by many in baseball and he won the 2006 NL Manager of the Year Award with the Marlins in his only season managing in the majors.
But something about this story just doesn't make sense. The Dodgers have already announced that Grady Little will return as manager for the 2008 season. Girardi has been available all season, so why would he suddenly become a candidate for a job that supposedly isn't open at the same time he's a finalist to replace Joe Torre in New York? If the Dodgers wanted Girardi to be their manager, then wouldn't he have been hired a few weeks ago? Either someone has the story wrong or there will be some more information coming out soon.