"Achieve Your Goals Through Sports And Education"

That is the motto of the new California Sports Hall of Fame.

As perhaps the most successful Californian in baseball, Tommy Lasorda has achieved many of his own goals and the goals of others.

In between leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to four National League Penants, including two World Series Championships, Mr. Lasorda has led an education drive.

From leading the education drive on how to survive from a heart attack in 1999, to high blood pressure awareness to advocating for strong educations.

I think Tommy said it best last year, while visiting Hawai'i to promote the World Baseball Classic. At a baseball camp, teaching children how to play baseball. Tommy gave a memorable speech about what it takes to make it through life.

"I tried to impress upon them these three lessons: First, never take illegal drugs. Drugs will do nothing but harm your body, they are illegal and they will lead you down the path of destruction. Second, make sure to get a good education, which is something that they will have forever. An education will open many more doors of opportunity than baseball ever will. Third, always show their parents nothing but love and respect."

Sounds like a class act that has been inducted into the California Sports Hall of Fame. Maybe that is why the Louisiana Italian-American Hall of Fame inducted him in 1986, the National Italian American Hall of Fame inducted him in 1989, followed by Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame's induction in 2002, the South Atlantic League Hall of Fame in 2001, the Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame in 2006 and the Canadien Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006. This all on top of his prestigious induction into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997.

Congrats Tommy!

Matt Kemp Showing Just How Good He Can Be...

In wrapping up his winter league playing time in the Dominican Winter League championship series, Matt Kemp singled in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning of the third game in this best of seven championship series. His single brought his team, the Tigres del Licey their first win against the Aguilas Cibaenas, whom they trail two games to one. Licey won the game, 3-2.

On Monday, Kemp drove in both of Licey's runs in a one sided, 7-2 loss. The young Dodger prospect has been one of the better, more consistent batters in the Dominican Republic this winter. He batted .265 with 12 runs batted in in his 19 playoff games.

This is definitely a pleasant showing after Kemp had such a slow start to this year's winter leagues and faded fast last season. Hopefully he has fixed his mechanics and can be a contributor in the near future.

New deal for Hendrickson

I wonder how you feel about the brand new deal that Mark Hendrickson has just gotten from the Dodgers.

My first impression was that I hated it. Boy, I hated keeping him on the roster altogether in the first place. I really did, especially that the Dodgers already have a long-relief specialist in either Brett Tomko, RHP or Hong-Chi Kuo, LHP, who will most likely be this season rotation's odd man out.

And then I started thinking about it. While it's true that:

"Hendrickson received a raise [to 2.925 USD] from a 2006 salary of $1.95 million",

which is hardly justified, given his overall level of play for the Dodgers last year (notwithstanding his last month in relief and the play-offs), the deal is NOT outrageous by any means. Just look what other ML relievers with not much better numbers last year got in the free agent market this offseason.

At this price, I might want him (as if I had anything to say) to stick to his new-found gimmicks and pitch out of the bullpen, though. Mark sees his role outherwise, unfortunately:

"The way my situation unfolded last year and the fact they've signed some veterans to help the staff, I know there's a surplus of starters. But I'm confident I can win a spot in the rotation. I've always been a starter and I'm approaching the spring like I'm going to start. At the end of last year, I felt I could have done more, but my role was limited to short stints."

He might have "always" been a starter on a poor Tampa Bay team, but I just don't see him beating out on the likes of LHP Randy Wolf or RHP Brad Penny this year. Unless, Hendrickson knows something we don't and there's a imminent deal that would rid us of one starter (Penny?)

We'll see, but my take is we've gotten ourselves a serviceable, though hardly spectacular reliever who will be hard pressed to repeat his last year bullpen numbers, but who has no right to belong to the starters, even if he bounced back from horrendous numbers as a starter last year. Overall, a very limited role, 'cause should a starter go down, Kuo and Tomko would be the guys I'd go to before I call Hendrickson's number.

But that's me. And what do you think?

Blue Man Matt, do you copy?

Matt, my fellow-Dodger poster, I can't get through to you over e-mail. Can you write back to me for us to discuss how to share our blogging duties for the upcoming season?

Looking forward to hearing from you, my friend :).

I was thinking...

...about putting this blog to (eternal) rest.

Time constrains on topics much more important than baseball (like international missions) lead me to believe that unless somebody would like to chip in with editorial help, I might as well close the door on the Behind the plate blog.

Well, that is unless you have other ideas.

Do you find this blog worth continuing? If so, what to focus on should I get some help from fellow Dodger bloggers?

Let me hear it from you, Dodger Nation. Thanks!

On Dodgers and Giants' rotations

There still like five (?) weeks until catchers and pitchers report, but the cornerstones of the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants' rotation are already set.

This is what Dodgers starting five will most likely look like:

1. Jason Schmidt, RHP
2. Derek Lowe, RHP
3. Randy Wolf, LHP
4. Brad Penny, RHP
5. Chad Billingsley, RHP of Hong-Chih Kuo, LHP

The Giants will most likely field:

1. Barry Zito, LHP
2. Matt Morris, RHP
3. Matt Cain, RHP
4. Noah Lowry, LHP
5. Brad Hennessey, RHP

Let's see how they match up (in a scale of +3+2+1-0-1-2-3 of each other):

1. Schmidt vs Zito: -1.5 (advantage Zito)
2. Lowe vs Morris: +0.5 (advantage Lowe)
3. Wolf vs Cain: -1.0 (advantage Cain)
4. Penny vs Lowry: +1.5 (advantage Penny)
5. Billinsgley vs Hennessey: +1.5 (advantage Billingsley)

Overall, at first glance, the Dodgers should come up with a 1.0 point advantage, though most of it would come from the bottom of the rotation. And how do you see the imminent rivalry in starting pitching matchups next season?