Diamonds For Women

[forloveofthegame]

Everything I have heard from fans of any team is about how harsh that suspension was.
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"Baseball is an allegorical play about America, a poetic, complex, and subtle play of courage, fear, good luck, mistakes, patience about fate, and sober self-esteem." - Saul Steinberg

[dodgerblue6]

Players of many teams have rallied around Joe.
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"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

[dodgerblue6]

WELCOME TO L.A., ASTERISKS!
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

[sunnyblue]

lol I love it too!

[sunnyblue]

You know even if we couldn't be there to see it, this blog post lists what songs were played to jab the Asterisks at Dodger Stadium. "Bow Down" was one of my favorites. Here's the list.

[dodgerblue6]

With the Astros playing in the ALDS at Dodger Stadium, it only seems fair that Dodger fans have some say in reminding them of the gross injustice of the 2017 World Series. Even stadium music staff have continued relentlessly to impart the message that the team from Houston is not welcome in L.A., regardless of neutral sites. It's still the Dodgers' home, even if they're out of town.

More about this from Sports Illustrated.

And, from the L.A. Times:

Column: Astros Could Break Dodgers’ Fans Hearts Again

By DYLAN HERNÁNDEZ, COLUMNIST
OCT. 5, 2020 8:03 PM

Carlos Correa touched home plate and pointed to the heavens, as if there was a higher power deranged enough to side with the Houston Astros. This was after cupping his hand by his ear as he rounded third base in the empty stadium.

Los Angeles should consider itself warned.

There is no justice. There is no karma. And the trash-talking, finger-pointing, tone-deaf Correa could soon be coming to prime-time.

Behind two home runs by baseball’s clown prince, the thieves from Houston stole a 10-5 victory from the Oakland Athletics in Game 1 of their American League Division Series.

Mercifully, the majority of Southern California was spared from watching Correa and his teammates celebrate on the visiting bench at Dodger Stadium as if it were 2017 again. With broadcasters prioritizing the series between the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays, the Astros and "A"s were relegated to a 1 p.m. start.

Claiming two more victories over the Athletics and advancing to the AL Championship Series would change that. The Astros would be promoted to a later time slot, which could make them harder for Angelenos to avoid — or, depending on the perspective, easier to hate-watch.

Outside their ever-affable rent-a-manager, Dusty Baker, there’s nothing likeable about these Astros.

While they initially apologized for stealing signs during a 2017 season in which they defeated the Dodgers to win their only World Series in franchise history, they soon turned defensive. When Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger remarked that Jose Altuve stole an MVP award from Aaron Judge, Correa told him to “shut the f— up” because he was unfamiliar with the details of the Astros’ scheme. Never mind that Correa and the Astros refused to divulge specifics of how they cheated. Correa’s outburst was so outrageous that it offended even former Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish, who is about as forgiving a soul as there is in the sport.

That side of Correa emerged again after a wild-card series in which the Astros defeated the Minnesota Twins, who finished the pandemic-shortened season with the AL’s second-best record.

“I know a lot of people are mad,” Correa told reporters. “I know a lot of people don’t want to see us here. But what are they going to say now?”

Well, they could say the Astros still deserve to be stripped of their World Series championship. Or they could point out how the Astros were a sub-.500 team in the pandemic-shortened regular season and wouldn’t be in these playoffs if the sport’s shamelessly greedy owners hadn’t expanded the postseason field.

A couple of days before the start of this division series, Astros outfielder Josh Reddick added to the banter.

Asked about the Dodgers fans who taunted them as their bus drove into Dodger Stadium for the first game of a two-game series last month, Reddick playfully replied, “I thought there’d be more. I was kind of disappointed. There wasn’t enough out there. I know I’m stirring that pot, but when I got here, I had my camera out, ready to record and see what was going on. I was kind of disappointed with the number that was out there.”

The Astros sounded as if they were embracing their roles as villains. But any misconceptions about what they overcame to reach this stage of the postseason was clarified by a leading authority on their mind-set: their manager.

Asked how the Astros responded to the widespread backlash in the wake of the scandal, Baker said, “I don’t know.”

He explained, “It’s hard to say how you handled it because there weren’t any fans in the stands.”

In other words, they were never truly punished, a reality that was obvious on Monday. As despised as they are in this market, there were no fans gathered outside of the exclusive hotel they are sharing with the "A"s. There were also no fans to disturb their morning commute to Dodger Stadium. Inside the ballpark, there were 11,000 cardboard cutouts of Dodgers fans, but they didn’t make any noise. If anything, the stadium sheltered the Astros from vitriol outside.

The welcoming environment offered the Astros a place to unlock their power. Fourth-inning home runs by Alex Bregman and Correa forced an early departure by Oakland starter Chris Bassitt. Correa homered again in the seventh inning.

Baker credited hitting coach Alex Cintron for the resurgence of Correa, who batted an underwhelming .264 with five home runs in the regular season. Correa now has 14 home runs in 53 postseason games.

“I love October baseball,” Correa said. “I want to be there. I want to be in tough spots.”

So get used to this. Prepare for the worst. The Astros are hitting like they did when they cheated. They could break this city’s heart again.
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

[forloveofthegame]

Oh, my. That would be something I never thought about, them using the home team clubhouse although it is obvious that they would have to, for the games in which they were the home team.
_________________
"Baseball is an allegorical play about America, a poetic, complex, and subtle play of courage, fear, good luck, mistakes, patience about fate, and sober self-esteem." - Saul Steinberg

[sunnyblue]

They boasted on their Twitter feed that they were back at the stadium where special memories were made and had the 2017 World series! There is no remorse from them and they make us all sick!

[dodgerblue6]

I feel it's important to bump this thread up once more. Rest in peace, 2020 Asterisks*! We will not forget!
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

[sunnyblue]

I think this one needs to be up there as a reminder for us as we move toward the 2021 baseball season.

[dodgerblue6]

Yes, and the "A"s fans sure trolled the Astros during their opening series at the Coliseum this weekend.

Unfortunately, Houston swept the four-game set.
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

[sunnyblue]

I'm happy to see fans of other teams giving it to them, too. Of course the playoffs last year were tense between those teams.

[dodgerblue6]

Not only that, but the planned invasion of Angel Stadium for the first Astros series last year (that didn't take place due to COVID delaying the season) will take place on a smaller scale when Houston visits Anaheim beginning tonight. Game start time just minutes away.
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

[dodgerblue6]

And they really laid into the Astros! Had to switch back and forth between the three Socal games as they were all of interest!
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

[dodgerblue6]

OMG, Angels fans were relentless with their trash cans. LOL!
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

[dodgerblue6]

Well, now Johnnie Lee Baker is complaining about the treatment the Astros are receiving. Look, Dusty, we know you inherited that mess, but you have to realize it's not going away soon. The team has virtually the same makeup what with a couple of key players difference.
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

[dodgerblue6]

This week, for the first time since 2019, the Astros visited Yankee Stadium with fans in attendance, and boy were they brutal. For this fan, it couldn't have been more fun to watch.
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

[sunnyblue]

I loved it. They deserve every bit of heckling they get.

[sunnyblue]

And now for the first time with no limits on crowds our Dodgers will start a series in Houston! I want them to win even more badly now after the Asterisks made themselves so at home in our casa last October!

[dodgerblue6]

Go Dodgers! Of course, I will post the game updates in the Ravin' thread, but I acknowledge this is a huge series in terms of morale. Clayton on the mound tonight vs. Zack. Even though he wasn't with the Asterisks when they stole the World Series, it seems like with the type of guy he is, he should have been. He fits in with that persona very well.
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

[forloveofthegame]

If I were you guys I would keep reminding those Astros players and fans. The tainted title will not go away. Thumping them in their own park is the best way to handle that.
_________________
"Baseball is an allegorical play about America, a poetic, complex, and subtle play of courage, fear, good luck, mistakes, patience about fate, and sober self-esteem." - Saul Steinberg

[dodgerblue6]

Cathy, Dodger fans were loud in Minute Maid Park last night! The guys noticed it and commended them, too.
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

[dodgerblue6]

I have to say it's been entertaining to see Dodger fans continue to hound the Asterisks* on their road trips, even after they split that two-game series in Dodger Stadium a couple of weeks ago.

This weekend, the heckling took place in Anaheim, while the Angels, unfortunately, only salvaged today's series finale against "that team."

Still, it's nice to know people care.
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

[sunnyblue]

I'm sure everyone knows by now about Carlos Beltran's comments about the Asterisks and their scandal. He said yesterday nobody told them to stop so they just kept doing it. What?

[dodgerblue6]

Yes, don't get me started, but thanks for mentioning it. I thought about it when I was driving and didn't post it when I got home. Blood boiling!
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

[sunnyblue]

lol - this is funny, but the banner for the 2017 world championship went missing at Minute Maid Park, supposedly because of weather conditions - here's the link

[dodgerblue6]

Maybe an act of God?
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

[forloveofthegame]

Or just 1 word, karma.
_________________
"Baseball is an allegorical play about America, a poetic, complex, and subtle play of courage, fear, good luck, mistakes, patience about fate, and sober self-esteem." - Saul Steinberg