Thank You For Your Service

Posted By on November 11, 2019

My late father was a vet, having served in the South Pacific during WWII. During Vietnam (1972), my draft lottery number was 167. They stopped at 164. I always wondered what my life would have been like had they went a few slots further. We can’t say enough to thank you veterans for your service and especially the ones who made the ultimate sacrifice.

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This article has 47 Comments

  2. To my grandson USCG stationed in Seattle (reads LADT daily) and my daughter, retired USN…. Thank you for your service…
    And to all the vets, active or inactive, THANK YOU FOR SERVICE…

    1. Wow, congratulations Peterj on your daughter and grandson serving our country. You must be so proud.

        1. Congrats on your daughter and grandson’s service. It is wonderful for a family to share in a tradition and support our country and help others. We honor them today and kudos to them.

  3. Home of the free because of the brave! Thanks to all who served and to those who still do.

    Giants have named a new GM, will AF soon do the same? In about one month the winter meetings start in San Diego. I’ve watched with much anticipation the last several years only to be underwhelmed with the lack of trades or the signing of any free agents. Will this year be different? I suspect the pundits will say they expect a lot of movement, but I think any FA signings for significant players (read Rendon, Strasburg, Cole et al) will be late and well into late January or early February or even after pitchers and catchers report for ST.

    It’s fun to speculate what AF might do and I suspect he goes BIG this year and either makes a blockbuster trade, probably involving multiple teams, or signs a big time FA. He’s got the CBT flexibility, he’s got some veteran players and young talent to trade.

    Bellinger is a superstar and needs to be paired with another one. Will Betts, Lindor or Rendon be joining him to get the Dodgers their first WS championship in 32 years. Stay tuned………………..

  4. Just got home from the Remembrance Day ceremony at the cenotaph in Lunenburg. The town square was packed for the laying of the wreaths, including many young people with their children. That is really nice to see. The flypast always provides an emotional moment as the wings are tipped to acknowledge those gathered in remembrance. It is equally fitting that the merchant marine members are remembered for their heroism in carrying supplies across the Atlantic. One in seven Canadian merchant marine members perished in WWII mostly to submarine attacks.

    1. I wish to thank every veteran who served and and those serving today. DC, that description of your Remembrance Day celebration left a vivid and pleasing view to me. My dad served with the Canadian troops. Our local cemetery here places flags on the graves of the veterans interred there and that is a wonderful thing to see.

      Ps..Rick Monday will always share a piece of my heart for what he did to an attempted flag burner at a game.

      1. I love Rick Monday. Tommy tried to sign him, when he was a scout, as came out of prep, but his mother insisted he attend college first. He has the honer of being the first player ever selected in the MLB draft, but the Dodgers did not have the opportunity to draft him. He saved the flag when he was a visiting member of the Cubs and come home to the Dodgers shortly afterwards. What a great story. Now, I enjoy hearing his strong and soothing voice on Dodgers radio broadcasts. Now, if we could get that crew to mention the game situations, balls/strikes/outs/score/inning in between breaths…

    2. That’s great DC! My dad was in service in the Navy between WWII and the Korean War and was later a merchant marine. As a merchant marine, he was honored for his heroism for pulling a bunch of guys out of waters during high seas after Chinese vessel capsized. He climbed out onto rope nets on the side of his ship to pull these poor souls out of the water saving several lives while putting his own in harms way. He was the Chief Pumpman on the oil tanker that he worked on and was responsible for keeping mechanical equipment in working order. He was injured several times during his merchant marine work and died while out to sea many years later. He was quite a man and I choke up while writing this. A mechanic, bricklayer, carpenter, cement worker and a store owner/operator in many phases of his life that was cut short from pancreatitis, he was truly a Jack of many trades, a kind man, a shrewd card player, father, grand father and great grand father before he passed on. He also had a great sense of humor and literally had a poker face. You can never tell what he was thinking. I love you pop!

      1. My Dad was in the army during WWII. He served three years but did not get deployed overseas as he had his leg broken in a vehicle accident in training. 2D2 I think he and your Dad are much alike. He refused to sign for his service pension because he was not sent into battle. He was a university prof, an accomplished carpenter especially with the lathe, an avid gardener, did needle point, could help my Mom out when she had a mistake in her knitting. All you had to do to get something done was to say to him that it can’t be done. Speaking of choking up …

        1. DC, great piece of your history and a wonderful dad. I sure could have used him for my knitting mishaps. That is amazing. Very talented person. Thanks for his service.

  5. Oh. 59. Your father sounds like a wonderful person and a true hero. I understand completely why you are so proud of him. This is why we honor These men today like your pop.

  6. As a Vietnam Vet (Navy Corpsman 68-69) I thank everyone for the kind words and also want to express my appreciation for all those who served.

    God Bless You and God Bless America!

  7. I come from a family that has served the country in different branches of the service. My dad & 2 uncles served in the Navy in WWII. I served in the Marine Corps 1962-1968. One brother in the Air Force while my youngest brother served in the Army in Desert Storm. My son served in the Army as an Officer & my youngest brother’s son graduated two years ago from West Point. I remember those players who served our country and gave up what could have been their best years in baseball. Consider what the record would have been for Ted Williams had he not served as a Marine Corps pilot during War.

  8. On the baseball side of things. I read an article this morning stating that AF and the Dodgers did indeed stay under the CBT for 2019. I hope this translates to leaping past that threshold this year.

    Let’s have some fun. Let’s say that the Dodgers will go over cap by 10% this year, It’s entirely possible to add that Ace, RH Thumper and an arm to the pen.

    Using this link for contract values…

    https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/11/mlb-free-agent-predictions-2020.html

    Use this link for Arb Salaries to shed…

    http://dodgersdigest.com/2019/10/11/looking-at-the-12-arbitration-eligible-dodgers-and-their-projected-salaries/

    Trade Joc and Kike to free 14M to add to budget – 74 M to spend.
    Sign Cole – 8/256 – 32M/Year
    Sign Rendon – 7/235 – 33.5M / Year
    Sing Pomeranz 2/16 – 8M / Year
    73.5 / per year

    Thoughts? Any ideas on how to better spend that cash? Eric, you can add Stras, Cole and a reliever!

    1. “Trade Joc and Kike to free 14M.” Are you assuming that the guys we get back will not have to be paid?
      Or are you planning on getting back guys making minimum salary or minor leaguers?
      Also, I’m guessing that Cole will want to surpass Greinke’s AAV, although he might be willing to do it over 7 years instead of 8.

      1. Yes, I would trade them away to pick up players that won’t count against the CBT. Prospects. As far as Cole’s salary, I used the numbers provided in the link. I’m sure AF can do the deals better than I can, I’m just showing the possibility.

    2. Obviously a big thank you to everyone who ever served.

      In your scenario of 10% over the cap, if the Dodgers were able to get both Cole and Strasburg I wouldn’t worry about the bullpen much because with them and Buehler you have 3 aces. I’d rather keep Joc Pederson than add a free agent reliever.

      But I still would try to get as close as possible a salary swap for Ken Giles, maybe dump Kelly on the Blue Jays (salary swap except Kelly has 1 more year than Giles has on their contracts) and then you have to give them something good like Josiah Gray or Ross Stripling. The Blue Jays are desperate for starting pitching.

      Then a trade for pre-arbitration Aaron Bummer. The White Sox need a 1B/DH left handed power bat, Rios fits that description and they need any pitching, starters and relievers. 1 of Josiah Gray or Stripling plus take your pick of 2 pitchers, Garcia, Alexander, Sadler, Ferguson, Floro, Kolarek, Dennis Santana, Mitchell White, Michael Grove, Edwin Uceta, Gerardo Carrillo, Robinson Ortiz, Jordan Sheffield, Andre Jackson . I’d even trade 3 if necessary.

      C Smith
      1B Muncy
      2B Lux
      SS Seager
      3B Turner
      LF Pederson/Pollock platoon
      CF Verdugo
      RF Bellinger

      Bench
      1 of Pederson or Pollock
      Taylor
      Beaty
      Hernandez
      Barnes

      Starting pitching
      Cole
      Strasburg
      Buehler
      Kershaw
      May

      Bullpen
      Giles
      Bummer
      Gonsolin
      Urias
      Maeda
      Baez
      Jansen
      And an open spot for whoever or if the Dodgers could afford free agent Will Harris.

      1. Correction forget free agent Will Harris, just plug that last spot in the bullpen with whoever and then WHEN NOT IF DJ Peters gets called up to be added to the team permanently, drop that last reliever and carry 14 position players and 12 pitchers.

        Keep an eye on Ruiz to possibly replace Barnes later on in the season, but maybe not, Ruiz might need another full year in the minors.

  10. Two of my fondest memories on Veteran’s Day are recalling my encounters with two great veterans, General Omar Bradley and Audie Murphy.

    When I was a youngster, my folks had a table in the turf club at Hollywood Park Race Track. General Bradley and his wife always sat at the table next to ours and my dad and the General would have cordial conversations. He was very nice to me and my brother. We didn’t fully grasp, at the time, what an amazing man/hero he was.

    Audie Murphy lived down the street from my family in Toluca Lake, California and I became friends with his son. We would go into a ‘barn’, for lack of a better word, on the Murphy property which housed hundreds, if not thousands, of WW2 souvenirs and other paraphernalia (helmets, knives, ammo, uniforms, medals,and every other weapon imaginable). It was like being in a military museum. When I was at Arlington Cemetery in 2013, I had the honor of visiting his grave site.

  11. Of course, Friedman will not go stark-raving mad, but trading for Lindor or anyone is going to cost players and/or prospects.

    Rendon only costs money and the loss of a draft pick.

    Castellanos only costs money… thus my infatuation with him.

    Friedman may lose one pick, but not two.

    Maybe Cole wants to come to LA. We have no clue, but I would say that the odds are good Joc and Kike will not be in Dodger Blue next year.

    1. lol – That’s Funny Mark. You think that a very late second round pick and third round pick is going to keep AF from signing an MVP and Cy Young type players. Do you know how many 2nd round and 3rd round picks you have to go through to yield a Cy Young / MVP type player? Garrett Cole was a No 1 overall pick and Rendon was a 6th overall pick. Do you know how many times the Dodgers have picked No 1 overall?

      Now, I’ve hear Andrew say that he will acquire “Impact Players”. But, I’ve never heard him say that a draft pick would get in the way of that. Just because he hasn’t done it, doesn’t mean isn’t going to. You said he would never pay a reliever and he busted that notion last year.

    2. BTW – I talked about signing Manny and Bryce all offseason last year until they were signed by others. Just warning you, I’m gonna do it again with Cole, Stras, Rendon and Wheeler. It’s a numbers game, I’ll be right one of these days.

  12. Just another comment. Sorry, I feel I hogged a lot of blog space today.

    My grandfather served in WWI and WWII. My 2 uncles and dad served with him in the Canadian military in WWII. Unfortunately my dad, landed in France on one of the invasions, was immediately captured by the enemy and spent 5 years in a POW camp. I thank them all today.

    2. Wow, DBM what a horrible thing for your family to go through. God bless your dad for paying the price of his freedom for ours.

    3. So many great stories here. Serving in both World Wars is amazing. Your family did more than their share.

  13. My dad served in the Navy during the Korean and Vietnam wars. He retired as a Chief Petty Officer after twenty years of service. My son is a US Naval Academy graduate and serves as a Lieutenant in the submarine community. Yep, he drives a billion dollar warship for a living and serves proudly.

    God Bless America!

    2. My son was recruited very heavily by the Naval Academy, before he decided football was not his gig.

  14. As a Veteran, ( USCG 1970-77)
    I thank the LADT family for their appreciateion and I extend my thanks to all Vets as well. I consider it as a great privilege to have served.

  15. I was drafted in 1969 (draft number 65). Long story but they sent me home and didn’t redraft me. Joined the Marines in 1972. Closest I came to combat was sitting off the coast of Cambodia on a ship waiting to rescue Americans as needed.

    My parents lived through the war in Europe. My mom spent 16-18 months in concentration camps. While my dad was in the Dutch underground.

    War is a nasty business.

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