Former Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda-85 today. Tommy has been employed in one form or another by the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers since 1949.  He wasn’t much of a pitcher but his playing career he got a job as a Dodger scout, then minor league manager, major league coach before replacing Hall of Fame Manager Smokey Alston  in 1976. He would remain the Dodgers manager until his retirement in 1996.

Tommy Lasorda was a member of the 1955 World Champion Brooklyn Dodgers and as a manager the 1981 and 1988 World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers. He is in the Baseball Hall of Fame. I have to give him credit for the job he did in 1988. That had to be the most pathetic line-up ever to win a World Series. He did have a hot pitcher Orel Hershiser at the end of that year. Lasorda deserves to be in the Hall of Fame but I always thought he was kind of hard on pitchers, he overworked Hershiser and Fernando. Fernando Valenzuela being one of my all time favourite players I’ve had a hard time forgiving him for that. I also never liked his comments when Fernando was used up and released by the Dodgers “The end comes for everyone” Well Fernando’s career shouldn’t have ended as it did.

Because Lasorda at times is so enthusiastic about baseball and the Dodgers I think some people get the impression that he is some kind of lovable guy. Don’t go by that impression. He would cut your throat in a minute to win a game. I always thought he was kind of grumpy, especially when things didn’t  go his way. He was lovable when he won.

Tommy Lasorda always claimed he bled “Dodger Blue” and there is no doubting that. I think this is an amazing run- the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1954-1996 never fired a manager, they had two- Alston and Lasorda. The only streak I can think of to top that-the Pittsburgh Steelers. They fired Bill Austin in 1968, since then they have had Chuck Noll/Bill Cowher/ Mike Tomlin- Noll and Cowher retired. They haven’t fired a head coach in 44 years!