Do I Continue For Another Year?

It is time for me to renew my annual website hosting and website maintenance contracts, and I needed to think about if I was going to renew.

t is not easy to come up with fresh ideas almost every day.  This is going to be an especially difficult year for me as there will be multiple obstacles for me, some good, and some not so good.

It is the year for my wife and mine 50^th Wedding Anniversary, which we will be celebrating on May 25.  That will also be the 20^th anniversary for my son’s MLB debut.  We are planning on a two week Alaska Cruise in July with friends who are celebrating their 25^th Wedding Anniversary.

My wife and I will be going to Pismo Beach for our actual anniversary.  There is nothing like the California coastline.

Today we are leaving for 10 days to Windsor for our semi-annual wine tasting/resting retreat.  We are not that adventurous, and generally do the same thing every time.  We will try and get to a couple of new wineries (new for us), but we always hit up Korbel (my wife’s favorite) and do a wine and food pairing at Kendall Jackson.  We spend a day in Healdsburg.  It is a trip we look forward to.

The not so good obstacles are that it looks like I will be going through two knee replacement surgeries this year.  No, not at the same time.  That will not be fun.  But my goal is to be able to golf with my friends in the summer of 2025.

Another not so good obstacle is the cost.

Before talking with my wife, I was leaning more towards not renewing my hosting and maintenance contracts.  You know…time and money.  However, she looked at me and said, are you really not going to do this for THIS YEAR!!!!

After a long deliberation, I decided to renew, and have already paid for the two annual contracts.

As I said, the topics do not come easy, but I appreciate Bums and his trade scenarios.  No matter how he spins it, they are just never going to happen.  But he is consistent and it is all in fun.

I am a MiLB snob, and I just do not stick with the Dodgers farm system.  I follow all of the teams and their prospects.  I like to find players who could become that player before he is that player.  I spent two years following Fernando Tatis Jr. in MiLB.  I spent three years following MacKenzie Gore.  I was an Alex Bregman fan once he was drafted until 2017.   I wrote about how he was going to be a star.  He has, even though he cheated.

I like to complain because the Dodgers did not select the players I wanted in the draft, only to see them excel at the MLB level, but not with the Dodgers.  Bo Bichette, Shane McClanahan, and Gunnar Henderson are three recent draft picks not taken by LAD, when they had the opportunity.

I bring up names often before and during the season.  I brought up Zack Gelof before last year.  I brought up Evan Carter before last year.  I brought up Chase DeLauter before this year.

Another – Orelvis Martinez – Toronto Blue Jays – SS, 2B, 3B

I think my following of all MiLB gives me the reasons as to why I believe that LAD MiLB lacks super star prospects, have a few future star prospects, but a ton of depth.  The organization is unmatched with their development team.

I spend much time following the Dominican Summer League, because I am hopeful that the Dodgers can come up with a gem, as it is much harder to find that superstar where they draft every year.  11 of the Dodgers Top 30 prospects are International Free Agents.  That does not include Miguel Vargas, an IFA who the Dodgers hope will not only stick this year, but will shine.

Anyway, here’s to another year for LA Dodger Chronicles.  There will be periods that I will not be able to write a new column or comment.  But I trust that the community that has been developed can continue to carry on.