Howard Cole

Matt Kemp; Credit: David Blumenkrantz/Arroyo Seco Journal

In Defense of Matt Kemp

Howard Cole
With apologies to Conan O'Brien, Don Mattingly is to the Dodgers as Mike D'Antoni is to the Lakers. Yes, that is the most insulting thing I could come up with about the Dodgers' skipper without resorting to name calling. Yes, I'm aware that as one of Mattingly's harshest critics, I may......
Josh Beckett celebrating final out of no-hitter Sunday.; Credit: Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

Josh Beckett Pitches No-Hitter; Dodgers' Fan Base Pissed

Howard Cole
Quick, name a time a Dodgers no-hitter left half the fan base pissed. Hashtag never. Josh Beckett twirled a 2:37 no-hit gem in Philadelphia Sunday, leading Los Angeles to a 6-0 win and a series victory over the Phils. The former Florida World Series hero, two months into a comeback......
Don Mattingly and Davey Lopes; Credit: Howard Cole/L.A. Weekly

Disappointing Dodgers Generate More Clichés Than Victories

Howard Cole
Ladies and gentlemen, the Boys in Blue have stalled. Or as Vin Scully has so eloquently described the state of affairs, the team is "on a treadmill to oblivion." The Dodgers have dropped four of five series and three out of their last four games. In a three-day span they......
Drew Butera; Credit: Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

Drew Butera's Relief Performance Was Fun; Jeff Hamilton's Memorable

Howard Cole
With the Dodgers down a touchdown and a field goal last night, Drew Butera gave the hundreds remaining at Chavez Ravine something to cheer about. The backup-catcher-turned-reliever tossed bee-bees at the Miami Marlins -  at least one hitting 95 mph  - retiring them in order on 11 pitches, thereby giving his team a......
Tim Federowicz

Dodgers a Quarter of the Way to Who-Knows-Where

Howard Cole
The National League West? Child's play, or so we thought. Pundits from Pasadena to Pittsburgh picked the Dodgers to make mincemeat (not sold at Dodger Stadium concession stands) of the competition in 2014, with October glory practically a promise. On paper. Instead L.A. is in a pickle. At ESPN.com alone, no less......
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Credit: SportsNet LA via Facebook

TWC Apologizes for Dodgers TV Blackout. Kind Of.

Howard Cole
Within hours of my post suggesting that Time Warner Cable owed Dodger fans an apology for the TV blackout mess, which is preventing all but 30 percent of Los Angeles area residents from watching the team's games, I received a call from TWC's senior director of public relations for news & sports, Andrew......
Target Field; Credit: Flickr/Thomas

Dodgers on Target in Minnesota Sweep of Twins

Howard Cole
It wasn't easy - and with the this team it never is - but the Dodgers got out of Minnesota with a series sweep of the bumbling Twinkees Thursday, and all it took was 10 hours of doubleheader baseball to do it. The headline does not apply to the Dodgers'......
Dee Gordon; Credit: Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

Is Dee Gordon a Flash in the Pan or the Real Deal?

Howard Cole
With the Dodgers off to another middling start at 14-12, what stands out like a sore Hanley Ramirez thumb is equal parts incompetence and inspiration. While L.A.'s awful defense and Don Mattingly's confounding late-inning chess play have been predictable (I've found that bracing for disappointment works to dull the pain),......
Totally offensive: This ad campaign

Time Warner Owes Us an Apology. And So Do the Dodgers

Howard Cole
Can we all agree, after two generations of use, that Ali MacGraw's famous Love Story line claiming "love means never having to say you're sorry" is flat-out wrong? Love does not mean never having to say you're sorry. In fact, an apology of some sort is definitely indicated when the......