Today in Dodger History: Willie Davis For Mike Marshall

Pretty good article by Tim Sullivan in the San Diego Union-Tribune on Kevin Towers:

The affable Towers, whom Moorad has characterized as a "gunslinger," was long known among his staff as SOYP, an affectionate acronym for "Seat-Of-Your-Pants."

DePodesta, a more analytical and solitary figure, communicated so often by e-mail that Towers complained that he didn’t type fast enough to keep up his end of the correspondence. And though DePodesta’s analysis was largely responsible for identifying the hidden value in future closer Heath Bell, front office colleagues say Towers eventually grew to distrust him, and that the strain in their relationship became more pronounced after Moorad replaced Alderson

was the first Dodger who really marched to his own tune. I was a 3 Dog fan and wasn’t happy with the trade until the other shoe dropped and they acquired my favorite player to play centerfield.

1974 may have been the best year of my life. For those without kids that might be the same for most 15 year olds when they look back on their life. I had a great year in my own baseball life, the last time I was one of the best with my peers, got my 1st job, beautiful girl friend ( prettiest girl I’d ever date), and the Dodgers were so much fun to watch with the combination of the farm system (Garvey, Lopes, Russell, Cey, Yeager, Buckner) and the great veterans they brought in.

The only downside to the year was having tickets for games six and seven for the World Series and never being able to use them. I’ve still never been to a world series game, but I came ever so close 35 years ago.

I’ve got a friend who used to spend everyday at whatever race track was in season and he said the Willie Davis was always there. How did he get the nickname 3 Dog?

He also has the most win shares in Dodger history.
Player TWS
Davis, Willie 270
Sutton, Don 238
Cey, Ron 229
Drysdale, Don 228
Garvey, Steve 223
Wills, Maury 214
Russel, Bill 185
Guerrero, Pedro 185
Koufax, Sandy 184

Al Campanis

I love the use of the vintage BB cards btw

to have double figures in doubles, triples, and home runs. He did it in 1971 (and 1962). Amazingly, he is the only Dodger to do so since Dodger Stadium opened.

There have been 36 Dodger seasons in all.

Kemp is clearly the most likely current Dodger to join the club. He had a career-high seven triples in 2009. I would say Furcal is the only other one with a shot, and it’s a long one.

Buster Posey won’t be the opening day starting catcher in 2010, per the SF Chronicle.

Kyle Reese (The Future): How realistic is it that the Dodgers will have to shed salary in the wake of the McCourt fiasco? Who would be candidates to be fire-saled, in your opinion?

John Perrotto: That’s a great question and nobody really knows the answer because Frank McCourt isn’t making himself available to the media. If they do go into firesale mode, I’m sure they’d love to offload Pierre, Manny and Blake but I don’t think there would be a big market for any of them.

Willie Davis was one of my favorite Dodgers. Dude looked so damn smooth in CF and on the bases. I was 12 when this trade went down, but it didn’t kill me that much because i wasn’t a huge Dodger fan yet.

Those 2 trades were awesome. Toy Cannon had a huge impact on the team, and Marshall was a man.

The ’74 WS has one of the greatest plays in WS history, when Ferguson cut in front of the Cannon to show off a real Cannon and gun down a runner at home (Bando?) for a great double play. Dodgers should have won that Series!

Interesting when you think about the two Mike Marshalls. One was a true stud/workhorse who no one could ever question his toughness; the other may have been the biggest pussy to ever put on a Dodger uniform. (Other than Posh Beckam, who looked damn good in her Dodger uni!)

Sarah Morris says McDonald and Elbert have not impressed at the major league level.

Well, Sarah, your writing is not impressive either.

he was at the sidelines standing close to pete carroll
i guess hes trying to bring misery to more LA sports teams….