Peter Sers
As a lifelong Dodger fan, I bleed blue like most of the Dodger faithful, but there are certain things that bothered me about the Dodger Stadium crowds during these playoffs.
While watching the Royals, and (ugh) Giants face off, there was one thing that stood out like a sore thumb. Fans cheering, and standing, BEFORE something happens. Example; James Shields has two strikes on the batter in the first inning, and the entire stadium is on their feet. In the first inning! Or the Royals get a couple runners on base in the fourth inning, and the entire crowd stands again. Nothing happened, in either of these instances, but how awesome is it too see as a fan, or a player?
I was at at both Dodger home playoff games, and while the crowds were great with the regular “Let’s go Dodgers” chants, and “Charge” when Nancy Bea played the organ. There were, however, many times, when maybe the Dodgers had a runner or two on base, or when Clayton Kershaw and Zack Grienke had two strikes on a hitter, sometimes even with two outs, and only a handful of people standing. This bothers me, especially as I see the Kansas City faithful screaming their heads off, and standing the majority of the game. They are ALL there at the start of the game too, which is another topic for another day.
I’ve been to almost all of the MLB parks, and there is definitely an energy in other cities, that LA lacks. Tommy Lasorda says Dodger fans are, “the greatest fans in all of baseball,” and at times I can agree. Dodger fans are great, but I think collectively we can be better. The Dodgers drew 3.8 million fans this season, and have drawn over 3 million year in and year out. There is strength in numbers, so I challenge my fellow Dodger fan to this;
Yes it’s easy to stand and cheer when Kershaw strikes out the side, when Yasiel Puig throws out a runner, or when Matt Kemp hits a home run. That’s the easy stuff. I’m challenging the Dodger nation to watch certain moments during the rest of this World Series, and notice when fans are up going crazy! It isn’t just when their team gets a hit, or makes a great play. It’s also and often when they want something to happen, as if to try and will their team to make something happen.
The Dodgers had the best road record in the league this season, but not at home. Why is that? Shouldn’t home be where a team plays best? There is a reason the fans are referred to as the 10th man, let us all band together and give the Dodgers a true home field advantage. Dodger stadium seats more fans than any other MLB stadium, so it should therefore be the loudest, at all times, not simply the obvious times.
