Monday Monday: It was all I hoped it would be

          Your loyal blogger was present at Dodger Stadium when Chicago Cubs outfielder Rick Monday rescued the American flag from two creeps during a 1976 baseball game.

          The anniversary was noted by the Dodgers this week.

          My recollection of those years is that the Dodgers tried for two years to trade for Monday, who was a terrific player, without success. But after Monday saved the flag IN DODGER STADIUM, the Dodgers did whatever they had to do to acquire the outfielder.

          They finally landed Monday and he helped the team win a World Series. Heck, he put them in the Series with a dramatic home run that won the National League Championship Series. All these years later, Monday is still with the Dodgers. He is part of their radio broadcasts now.

          A few years ago, when he was still playing, Monday signed his autograph on a piece of paper for my mother on her 50^th birthday. So, yeah, I have great memories of Rick Monday: Classy guy, tremendous player and outstanding broadcaster.

 

          Monday’s old team, the Dodgers, have put together the best long string of games I can recall. They’ve had strong pitching, good fielding and timely hitting.

          One of the pitchers who has made a major contribution during the blazing string of wins has been Zack Greinke. Your loyal blogger wrote about the decision to sign Greinke before the season started, and it was written in this blog that the Dodgers spent too much money on the deal.

          I was wrong.

          Greinke started slowly and suffered a broken collarbone during a brawl with the Padres early in the season. His era at the time was 4.22.

          In their last 59 games, the Dodgers have won an amazing 47 times. In his last 13 starts Greinke has a record of 10-1. He has a strike out-to-walk ratio of about 3-1 in that period and his era now is 2.86.

          Greinke has been one of the reasons for the Dodgers’ resurgence. Give credit where it is due: The Dodgers were smart to sign him.

 

          The issues between Time Warner Cable and the leadership at CBS have resulted in Los Angeles baseball fans missing a lot of Dodgers games they would otherwise be able to see on television.

          One of those games was on Rick Monday bobblehead night, when fans were given bobbleheads of the flag-saving outfielder. A lot of fans were looking forward to reliving the famous moment during the broadcast, but they were locked out by the CBS-TWC squabble.

 

          It’s a shame the people of Southern California have to pay the price while two large corporations argue.

          Thanks for reading.