Thing Of Beauty: O Dog Wins Best in Show

It doesn't get much better than this. An home openers, an amazing rendition of the National Anthem by a teenage Filipino girl, an amazing performance by Chad Billingsley whom they're couting on to be their ace, and an 11-1 rout of the hated Giants and the Big Unit, including the first cycle by a Dodger since the breakup of the Beatles!! Orlando Hudson, the "O Dog," started off with a squib single, followed by a hoer to left off a Johnson breaking ball, then a double into the gap, then, hitting lefthanded against the right handed reliever, Medders, a triple into the right field corner. Four at bats and the first cycle in 39 years. He made it look so easy, kind of hard to believe more guys haven't managed it since Wes Parker did it in '70. Also, if I'm not mistaken, Parker did it in extra innings. Angels shortstop, Jim Fregosi did it at Dodger stadium in 1964, when the expansion Angels called it home before moving to their new digs in Anaheim in '65. But today, the O Dog became the first Dodger to do it at the Ravine or anywhere since the Brady Bunch hit the small screen. What a player Hudson is. If he can stay healthy, I would hate to be the opposing pitcher having to face Furcal and him at the top of the lineup.

Today, everyone started hitting. Ethier went off with 2 HRS and even Martin had a couple of hits. This is the way the team should be expected to play throughout the season. If only they had a solid starting rotation. If the rotation read, Sabathia or Burnett or Peavy, then Billingsley, Kershaw, Kuroda & Wolf, I'd pick the Blue to play in the World Series. Why? Because though I'm not completely sure of Kemp (he has a hit in each of their 8 games) and Martin, and I'm not entirely sure about Loney's power, I know Furcal, Hudson Manny, Ethier and Loney are all going to hit. I know this team is going to score a lot of runs. If Kemp and Martin can produce, this offense can be unstoppable. Even their bench, with Loretta, Castro, Pierre, Ausmus and Mientkevitch, is solid. My question remains, why didn't McCourt replace Derek Lowe with a quality arm? I'm dubious as to whether or not Randy Wolf can provide such a replacement but hope springs eternal. But concerns or no, today was perfect. Wish I had been there. Even the little one-named babe - a different one-named babe than the one who sang the Anthem - who sang America the Beautiful during the 7th inning stretch was unreal. Best rendition I ever heard.

Okay, so we're 5-3, a day off tomorrow and Kershaw vs. Cain on Wednesday. With the surprisingly poor start Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum is off to, Matt Cain may well be the Giants ace this year. He gives the Blue a very difficult time. Kersshaw is coming off a decent but control challenged first start. I know it's only the 2nd week of the season, but this game is huge. A win against Cain with a strong outing by Kershaw could help set the tone for a great season. Maybe even Manny can get off the home run shnide. (Is that you spell "shinide?")

On a sad note, meanwhile, what the hell is going on? Guys in and around baseball are dying like flies. Again, we are diminsihed. First we lose young stud, Nick Adenhart last week, then today, the great Charlie Kalas, whose inimitable voice has been synonomous with the Philadelphia Phillies since 1971, collapses and dies in the broadcast booth in DC before the Nats home opener against the Phils. Then, only an hour later, we get the news that the loveable Mark "The Bird" Fidrych, age 54, was found dead at his farm in Northborough, Mass. They're saying he'd been working on a car and there was an accident.

Next to only the great Vin Scully and one of my personal faves, Dick Enberg, I delighted in hearing Kalas call a game more than anyone. He was only 73 and the blessing, I suppose, is that he got to call the Phils final out of their first World Series championship since 1980, only 5 short months before he passed. As far as "The Bird," he was famous for one amazing year in 1976, the year he broke in. He was 19-9 that year with an ERA of 2.34. He only pitched for 4 more years, never winning more than 6 games. But what he brought to baseball in that bicentennial year will never be forgotten. The awkward, curly-headed kid loved being out there and it was visible every time he took the mound. But he was more known for his behavior than for his prowess on the field. He was a nut, or a "loony bird," actually talking to the ball between pitches. There was no one else like him and I certainly wish he could have refrained from working on his car today. It's been a rough week, Lord. Can ya give baseball a break on the dying for a while? Jeez.

Go, Dodgers.