A Sense of History We made the drive to Vero Beach today, and like the scores of fans, the thousands of Dodger hopefuls dreaming of becoming a big leaguer, and the likes of Duke Snider, Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Steve Garvey and Mike Piazza who were able to live their dream, I passed the "Welcome To Dodgertown" sign and into a patch of hallowed baseball ground. And very soon it will cease to exist as it does now after 60 years.

The scene was much like any other Grapefruit League game, but with subtle, little differences: open, uncovered dugouts, where the players are right there by the first row of fans. Can you picture someone approaching Dodgers manager-designate Tom Lasorda for an autograph while the game was in progess, and getting it? It happened. There are many fans who watch the game while sunning themselves on a hill beyond the outfield fence. And the press box is close to the ground, maybe only 20 feet from field level. It was a great place to see a game.

As we left I heard someone say that they didn't see what the big fuss was all about. And that's too bad. I guess that person needed someone like recently retired umpire Bruce Froemming to offer a little perspective on how special a place it is, or be reminded of all the great players who learned and trained here, or simply know that the entire spring training concept that we take as commonplace now, with all the players of an organization-from Class A (and back in the day, even Class D) to the majors, all training together in the same plot of ground, that inthis case was once a military base.

Tony La Russa was asked if anyone had come to him and specifically asked to make the 75-minute bus ride so they could be a part of the Cardinals last game in Dodgertown. The manager said no, that today's players just don't have an appreciation for that sort of thing. Again, that's too bad, for you have to have an understanding of where you came from in order to appreciate where you are now.

Sure, the Dodgers may move on to Arizona, another team (the Orioles?) will take the place over, and life will go on. That's the way of the world. But one press box visitor pointed out that it will be "ironical" that the Dodgers (because of their exhibition trip to Japan) will play their final game at Dodgertown on Monday, St. Patrick's Day. They'll be wearing green jerseys.

Other observations:

Is there a more classy uniform anywhere than those of the Cards and Dodgers? I don't think so. The birds on bat is a no-brainer. Just like the blindingly white Dodgers jersey with the blue script and the red numerals on the front.

Middle infield defense could be a foreign concept for the Cards this year. Adam Kennedy looked bad on a routinely hit grounder to second today, while shortstop Cesar Izturis currently has more errors than hits. Yikes.

Speaking of defense, Colby Rasmus showed the extremes of youth on one play. He raced back on a fly ball and made a twisting catch for the out (although it appeared that the twisting came as a result of his having difficulty tracking the ball in the mid-afternoon sun and breeze), and then threw in the general direction of first base trying to double off a baserunner, but the ball kept tailing away from Joe Mather and one-hopped into the seats behind the base. Oops.

Rick Ankiel's power was on full display. His first of two homers was hit to straightaway center, and then in the eighth he hit one to right that nearly cleared two fences--the one that mattered, and then hitting the railing along the walkway in front of the Dodgers' team offices. Ankiel also made March seem like September, going in hard to break up a double play.

Next stop on the tour, Port St. Lucie.

Until then...

¶ 11:21 PM