Dodgers fans will pay price to see Yankees

So if you live in Los Angeles and want to watch the Dodgers play Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira and the New York Yankees this summer … you’re going to have to pay a big price.

Forget about buying single-game tickets when the Yankees come to Los Angeles on June 25-27.

If you’re a Dodgers (or Yankees) fan and want to watch the Bronx Bombers in LA, you’ll have to buy a 14-, 21-, or 28-game package to do so.

Ouch!

So much for the “average” fan getting to see the Yankees-Dodgers renew what once seemed like an annual World Series match-up in generations past.

The Dodgers anticipate selling out all three Yankees games via ticket packages. If tickets remain available, they'll be sold individually at a later date. Hey, buy your Yankees tickets now and at least you’ll get to see the Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals come to town, lol.

This is similar to a ticket ploy of the San Diego Chargers several years ago when they used to lose regularly to the Oakland Raiders … instead of the Chargers now having won 13 straight against Oakland.

To keep the stadium from being comprised of primarily Raiders fans 10 or so years ago, the Chargers made people buy tickets to several other games besides Chargers-Raiders.

The Dodgers really don’t need much of an attendance boost from what they normally draw annually. But selling out the Yankees series will probably assure other sellouts this season.

Are San Diego Padres now MLB's worst team?

Even with Jake Peavy, the San Diego Padres were among the worst teams in MLB.

Now that Peavy will likely be out a couple months with an injured ankle, the ultimate question for the 2009 season has become: Are the Padres now the worst team in MLB?

The Padres have an 11 ½ game “lead” on the Washington Nationals, so they probably won’t finish with the majors’ worst record.

In fact, San Diego would have to go a paltry 35-65 over its final 100 games to “match” last year’s record of 63-99.

But without Peavy (or even with him), don’t for a minute think that the team is certain finish with a better mark than last year.

In Peavy’s absence, the only legitimate major-league starter in the rotation is Chris Young. And he’s not exactly having a great year with a 4-6 record and 5.21 ERA.

Outside of closer Heath Bell, can you even name three other pitchers in the bullpen?

As for the offense, it begins and ends with Adrian Gonzalez. And now that other teams have figured out it’s best to walk Gonzalez, it further lessens the Padres’ chances of having many major rallies.

Oh, sure, Tony Gwynn Jr. has shown some spark as a leadoff batter and Kevin Kouzmanoff went through a recent hot streak of driving in runs. But neither player has enough of a major-league pedigree to say he will succeed over the long haul.

Speaking of the long haul, it looks like a long summer for the Padres.

Elijah Dukes deserves praise; not punishment

Elijah Dukes has gotten himself into plenty of trouble in the past for poor off-the-field behavior.

So what happens when he goes above and beyond to do what's right?

The Washington Nationals … worst in MLB in on- and off-field relations … decide to punish him.

By now, you’ve probably heard the story of how Dukes was benched and fined $500 for being late to last Saturday’s game vs. the Florida Marlins.

But in his defense, he was at a local Little League signing autographs, speaking to players and watching a parade.

Evidently, since Duke was late (for warm-ups, not the game) and the event was not sponsored by the Nationals, he was made an example of by team management.

So now, it appears that the message to Nationals players is not to do anything nice on your own because you could face discipline. (One must wonder if Dukes would’ve faced repercussions if the event had been sponsored by the Nationals.)

The Nationals need all the help they can in the community, as well as on the field. This poor judgment by team management matches the team’s record … which is worst in MLB.

The Great Falls Little League, where Dukes was speaking, says it will pay the $500 fine (even though $500 is like pennies to a MLB player.)

But this is not about money; it’s about principle. And the Washington Nationals have truly blown it off the field, just as they so often do between the lines.

MLB Season: Way too early for predictions

One week into a six-month MLB season is no time to be drawing definitive conclusions.

But based on what has happened so far:

The Washington Nationals will not go winless (well, at least, let’s hope not.)

However, Manny Acta of the Nationals will be the first manager fired.

The San Diego Padres will not win the NL West.

Manny Ramirez will not average one RBI per game for the Los Angeles Dodgers; unlike last season.

The Houston Astros will have their traditional slow start with a fast finish that is too late.

The Seattle Mariners will not win the AL West.

Neither will the Toronto Blue Jays win the AL East.

The Detroit Tigers will not go undefeated at home; but they may bounce back in the AL Central.

The Boston Red Sox will not finish last in the AL East.

Give it six months … and don’t be surprised if the standings are turned upside-down from where they are in some divisions today.

Padres' schedule is a little too strange

If you enjoyed watching the Padres play the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park on Tuesday night, get used to it.

The teams will play six times at Petco Park this season, before they ever meet in Colorado.

Advantage, Rockies; if it comes down to the end of the season between these two teams.

For some reason, the Major League Baseball schedule is more quirky than ever this season … especially for the Padres.

They play the Los Angeles Dodgers nine times in September, the first time one can ever recall teams meeting in three series during the same month.

And playing the Rockies nine times in Colorado from June 30 on is not a picnic for the Padres.

With the Padres already being in a five-team division in the NL West, somebody always is going to be playing outside of the division. In fact, six of San Diego’s last nine games are against the Washington Nationals and Pittsburgh Pirates.

But playing the Rockies six times in San Diego through May 11, then not visiting Colorado until June 30?

That’s a little too strange.

Is Baltimore a formidable Padres' foe?

The Padres couldn’t be catching the Baltimore Orioles at a worse time for two reasons.

The Orioles bring an eight-game losing streak into the three-game series opener Tuesday night at Petco Park, and Jake Peavy is pitching for San Diego.

It sounds like the Orioles are getting the worst of it, but maybe not.

"The problem is, we’re getting our (butts) kicked," Kevin Millar said Sunday after Baltimore’s latest loss.

If, indeed, Joe Girardi becomes the Orioles’ new manager, things may turn around right away. Girardi is definitely a butt-kicker, as he proved last season by nearly leading the Florida Marlins into the playoffs with his dictatorial style.

The Peavy factor?

Yes, he is the best pitcher in the National League. But he’s at his worst against poor teams ... especially in front of small crowds at home.

Peavy suffered his only loss at home this season to the lowly Washington Nationals. He was on the hook at Washington for another loss before the Padres bailed him out with a couple of late runs.

Peavy at home against a horrible team with a new manager? It doesn’t sound good for the Padres.

Black manages Peavy well

Bud Black has done a masterful job of managing San Diego Padres pitcher Jake Peavy.

Black continues to move Peavy up in the rotation after off days to maximize his ace’s production, especially at home.

Through Black’s maneuverability, Peavy has pitched the first and last games on each of the last two homestands. In fact, Peavy will make his first road start in his last five appearances when he pitches tonight at Washington.

Not that the star right-hander has failed away from home. In his last road start May 6 at Florida, he allowed just one run and one hit in seven innings while striking out 10 and earning the victory.

Oh, and there’s another part to Black’s strategy of pitching Peavy tonight and moving Justin Germano back to tomorrow.

It means that the Padres top three starters – Chris Young, Greg Maddux and Peavy – will likely pitch in that order during a three-game home series against the hated Los Angeles Dodgers that starts Tuesday.

This blog first predicted on April 27 that Peavy would be the National League’s All-Star starting pitcher this year. That hasn’t changed with his 7-1 record and 1.47 ERA.

Black deserves credit for doing an all-star job of setting up Peavy in his rotation.

Enough of Yankees-Red Sox!

Kudos go out to Michael Wilbon of PTI (Pardon the Interruption) on ESPN.

Wilbon was asked by co-host Tony Kornheiser yesterday whether Josh Beckett of the Boston Red Sox would win his seventh game of the season last night.

“Do we ever talk about any teams but the Red Sox and Yankees on this show?” responded Wilbon, who refused to answer the question.

Amen!

It does seem to many of us as if the Red Sox and New York Yankees are the only teams ever to be featured on ESPN. If memory serves me correctly, those teams combined have won the World Series once in the past six years.

It’s getting to the point where the multitudes would probably just as soon hear about the Washington Nationals and Kansas City Royals, rather than the Yankees and Red Sox.

Did Beckett win his seventh game last night? Yes, he did.

But to paraphrase Wilbon from yesterday: Who cares?

Double Headers are nowhere to be found

What ever happened to the double header in Major League Baseball?

If you have a game snowed out in Cleveland or rained out in Pittsburgh, you’re likely to see a double header scheduled.

Otherwise, you’re going to notice the double header has gone the way of the dinosaur.

Why? The answer is simple: money.

Now that the average player makes well over $2 million annually, owners can’t afford to offer two games for the price of one. The best you’ll get, if you’re lucky, are two-for-one hot dogs once or twice a season.

In fact, instead of the double header, you’ll get what are called "premium" games. For the San Diego Padres, these games include opening night, weekends with the Los Angeles Dodgers or weekends with the Boston Red Sox.

Simply put, a premium game in San Diego means you will pay $7 more than normal for most tickets.

That being the case, why not have a "non-premium" game? Those could occur when teams such as the Washington Nationals (who come in next Monday-Wednesday) are in town.

If the price goes up for the Dodgers, it should go down for the Nationals. The anticipated crowds of 15,000 or so for the Washington games next week will speak loudly for the need of non-premium games, as well as premium games.

Will that ever happen? Chances for non-premium games are about as likely as ever seeing a double header on the original schedule for a Major League Baseball season.