The Signing of Zach Lee

I’ve got to give credit to Ned Colletti and team for this one.  A GREAT signing and a real feather in the cap of Assistant GM Logan White.  Here’s a nice recap of Lee’s potential (as well as the other draft signings) from Tony Jackson.  The Dodgers really did a nice job (and spent quite a bit of money for once) in getting this done.  A potential 2012 lineup of Billingsley, Kershaw and Lee is pretty damn exciting.

There’s also a great video on the Dodger Media Network showing that Zach Lee was Logan White’s great white whale of the draft.  It’s a well done piece, and a nice look behind the scenes.

Criticizing Kemp

Steve Dilbeck wrote an interesting column today about fans’ perceptions about the performance of Matt Kemp and how any writer who criticizes Kemp is immediately jumped on by rabid fans.  I don’t remember this happening when Chad Billingsley stumbled down the stretch last season.

Photo Credit: Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2010

But fear not, organ music fans!  During Friday night’s game, Nancy Bea is going to have an increased role throughout the game, playing songs from the 50′s as part of the Dodgers’ “55 Since ’55″ promotion.  The first 20,000 fans in attendance also get a special Vin Scully poster, as seen here.  Tickets are still available, by the way.

In addition, we’re excited to announce that we’re going behind the scenes on Friday night and will be shadowing Nancy throughout this special game, so be sure and check back for Twitter updates all night long.  The full story, including our exclusive interview and photos, will be up on Saturday.  This will be the second in our periodic series of profiles of great Dodger employees that make the fan experience so enjoyable.  For those of you new to our site, be sure and check out our story on Dodger team photographer Jon SooHoo and our experience shadowing him during a Spring Training game earlier this year.

UPDATE: The Nancy Bea Hefley story is up!

The regular season series that Dodger fans are most excited about in 2010 is understandably when the New York Yankees come to town.  One series that may be a bit overlooked is when the Dodgers go on the road to play the Boston Red Sox in Fenway Park from June 18-20, 2010.

According to a recent poll conducted by the New England Sports Network:

Sixty-eight percent of respondents to the NESN.com Question of the Day tabbed hosting the Dodgers the most enticing, while 11 percent looked forward to the San Francisco Giants on the road. Hosting the Phillies rounded out the voting with 21 percent.

And like you would expect, the Boston media is cynical that Manny will even play:

You never know what injuries are lurking in the hitting savant’s body, and no one would put it past him to avoid having to return to Fenway Park.

Personally, even if he’s still not talking to the media, I would think Manny would be excited to return to Fenway Park and show them what he can still do.  Either way, it should be an entertaining series!

Photo Credit: Jon SooHoo / LA Dodgers 2010

It will be “Lima Time” one final time at Dodger Stadium on Sunday, June 6th when the organization, fans and family celebrate the life of the late Jose Lima.  The celebration will include special pre-game festivities as part of Viva Los Dodgers Day, as well as in-game tributes to the charismatic pitcher.

I so wish I was not out of town for this game!

From the Dodgers’ press release:

Prior to his untimely passing, the charismatic pitcher had been planning to perform at a Viva Los Dodgers Day this summer, much like he did at the Viva Los Dodgers festival in 2004 when he was an active player. Lima’s longtime friend and bandleader
of L.A.’s Conjunto Amistad Johnny Polanco will perform a set in his honor this Sunday, followed by Estrellas de Tuzantla. Polanco has performed with various notable musicians including Prince, Cachao, Johnny Pacheco, Tito Puente Jr., Charlie
Zaa, Ray De La Paz and Tito Nieves.

Several of Lima’s friends and family members will recount stories of his life while fans will be encouraged to sign a book of memories for his family.

Lima performed the National Anthem and God Bless America at a Dodger home game in 2004. Lima’s anthem rendition will be shown on DodgerVision before Sunday’s game against the Braves and his version of God Bless America will run during the middle
of the 7th inning. Lima’s son, Jose Jr., is expected to throw out an honorary first pitch and there will also be an in-game video tribute to the right-hander.

Viva Los Dodgers Days presented by State Farm takes place each Sunday of every Dodger homestand. The events are part of a season-long celebration of Hispanic culture in Los Angeles and the legacy of Latin-American Dodger players past and present.

Starting two hours prior to the game, fans can enjoy live music, a family-friendly celebration and a beer garden presented by Bud Light in Lot 6. Auto gates open at 11 a.m., Estrellas de Tuzantla will perform at 11:15 a.m. and Johnny Polanco and
Conjunto Amistad will take the stage at 12:15 p.m. Jose Jr.’s first pitch will take place at approximately 1:00 p.m. followed by the 1:10 p.m. game against Atlanta.

UPDATE: Following are a few photos from the Dodgers’ celebration of the life of Jose Lima on Sunday, June 6, 2010:

Los Angeles Dodgers broadcaster Jaime Jarrin speaks at Viva Los Dodgers honoring Jose Lima.

Los Angeles Dodgers stand for the anthem sung by the late Jose Lima on video.

Jose Lima Jr heads to the mound to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Melissa Lima, ex-wife of the late Los Angeles Dodger Jose Lima, wipes off his banner during Viva Los Dodgers celebration.

Photo Credit: Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2010

Frankly, there’s no better way for Frank McCourt and the Dodgers organization to overcome the perception that the divorce is having a negative impact on the team’s cash flow then by trading for one of the two biggest names rumored to be on the trading block.  Both guys do have significant salary issues, with Oswalt due $39.5 million over 2 1/2 years (assuming the Dodgers pick up his 2012 option) and Lee is due $4.5 million for the remainder of this season.  Then, of course, there is the price in terms of players both clubs would want in return.

And let’s be realistic, for the Dodgers to make a serious run at a World Series title, they absolutely, positively need a veteran starting pitcher.  I love the up-and-coming tandem of Billingsley and Kershaw along with the surprising duo of Carlos Monasterios and John Ely, but as Bill Shaikin notes, none of these guys are older than 25 and the elder statesman of that quartet is Bills, who was struggled with his confidence in the playoffs and was left off of the NLCS roster by the Dodgers.  And yes, the Dodgers do have Vicente Padilla coming back soon, but while he and Hiroki Kuroda are solid starters, they’re not #1 starters that can make the Dodgers a truly elite team.

In other positive news, Ramon Ortiz has finally left the Dodgers, after being designated for assignment today.  Reliever Justin Miller thankfully takes Ortiz’s spot on the roster.  Miller has a 2.22 ERA in 22 games for the Albuquerque Dukes.

Elymania continues as well, with the rookie starter going 7.1 innings, giving up just four hits, two walks and one earned run on the road in Chicago (his hometown).  Are you kidding me?  The kid threw 98 pitches with 68 of them being strikes.  Ely continues to show excellent discipline and control of his pitches.  Pretty remarkable stuff, and undoubtedly, a lot of the credit for Ely’s development goes to Russell Martin and pitching coach Rick Honeycutt.  Unfortunately the Dodgers lost the game due to a complete lack of offense, but Ely’s continued development should not be overlooked.

Roy Oswalt Photo Credit: UPI

John Ely Photo Credit: Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2010

It’s so painfully ironic that Jose Lima died early this morning of a  massive heart attack.  After all, Jose Lima was all heart.

Dodgers owner Frank McCourt issued the following statement:

“We are shocked and saddened to learn of the tragic loss of Jose Lima. Though he was taken from us way too soon, he truly lived his life to the fullest and his personality was simply unforgettable. He had the ability to light up a room and that’s exactly what he did every time I saw him. His memorable contributions to the Dodgers in 2004 and throughout baseball will always be remembered. Our deepest condolences and prayers go out to his family during this extremely difficult time.”

Who will soon forget the charismatic Lima, and the resulting “Lima Time” that errupted in LA during the 2004 season.  Lima was only with the Dodgers for one season, but what a season it was, going 13-5 with a 4.07 ERA.  But it was the playoffs where “Lima Time” truly being a Southern California phenomenon, as the pitcher delivered the first playoff win for the Dodgers since 1988 with a shutout over the St. Louis Cardinals.  It was arguably his greatest professional accomplishment.

Lima is also well known for his notorious fist pump, his passionate rendition of the national anthem at Chavez Ravine on 2004 and performing with his band at the Dodgers’ annual Viva Los Dodgers celebration.  Remembering Jose Lima is just not possible without great video, and I’m looking forward to seeing what visual tribute the Dodgers put together.

TJ Simers of the Los Angeles Times caught up with Lima in 2008 in Camden, New Jersey while he was playing for the Camden Riversharks, and reflected on how the Dodgers should honor “Lima Time” – with a statue.

Perhaps the following video from the Long Beach Armada best sums up Jose Lim’s love for life.  Here Lima and his Armada teammates apparently wait for a flight at LAX and break into a quick performance of “Sweet Home Alabama.”  Lima could be bitter about how his career ended, but instead, we see the energy and enthusiasm Jose Lima had for life.

]Jose Lima was one of the true characters in major league baseball, and by passion and what sometimes seemed like sheer will, he was able to help lead the Dodgers to that one memorable playoff win that Dodger fans craved.  His fearlessness and passion for life and for everything he did was remarkable.  Rest in peace, Jose Lima.  It will always be “Lima Time” in Los Angeles.

Photo Credit: Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers

Click here to view the embedded video.

So that’s how the Phillies do it…they steal the catcher’s signs! 

That’s the interesting little nugget that appeared in Steve Dilbeck’s Dodgers Blog over at the LA Times this morning.  Apparently Philadelphia’s bullpen coach, Mick Billmeyer, was caught on camera looking through a pair of binoculars, trying to read the signs of Colorado Rockies catcher Miguel Olivio.

Per Steve Dilbeck:

“The Phillies cheat! Well, not exactly cheat, but doing something that at a minimum is generally frowned upon, and at a maximum is considered breaking one of the game’s biggest unwritten rules. Stealing signs.”

Steve cites FOX Sports.com’s Hall of Fame writer Tracy Ringolsby, who states that the Phillies have been issued a warning. Per Ringolsby:

“We have looked at the video and talked to the Phillies about the actions of their bullpen coach,’’ a Major League Baseball official told FOXSports.com.

“We found the evidence inconclusive on what was being done, but we have spoken to the Phillies about the situation, and the umpires have been told to be on full alert as to what is going on.’’

Ringolsby goes on to say that there actually may be a second complaint about the Phillies on this same issue, and the other team is the New York Mets.

Look, we all know that professional coaches and players look to get any edge they can over their opponents (remember Bill Belichick’s sideline spying scandal?).

Jeffri Chadiha at ESPN.com had a great article back in 2007 showing how far teams will push the limits on what’s acceptable:

“Kansas City Chiefs coach Herm Edwards uses a familiar message to end the speech he gives his team on Saturday nights before games. Although he can be notoriously loquacious, Edwards refrains from drawing upon predictable clichés or gimmicky references in such moments. Instead, he delivers a brief, pointed statement that leaves his players knowing exactly what their responsibilities are. “I tell them to do whatever it takes to get ready to play,” Edwards said. “As long as it’s legal, I want them to do it.”

The operative phrase here is “as long as it’s legal.” Although Edwards isn’t encouraging his players to break rules, he does emphasize that they need to understand a simple tenet of survival in the NFL: Gamesmanship, even if it falls into the category of cheating, is a way of life. In other words, if a man isn’t looking for a way to gain an advantage, he’s really courting plenty of heartache. Losing in the NFL is bad enough. To lose without using everything at your disposal, well, that’s a fate nobody wants to accept.”

Now back to the issue at hand.  A presumebly bored bullpen coach trying to check out Colorado’s signs isn’t that big a deal in my book, but the fact that he’s using a pair of binoculars?  Come on, my man, you deserve to get caught if you’re going to be so obvious about it!

The preperations began at 5:30 p.m. with SooHoo organizing his camera gear for that night’s 7:05 p.m. game.  It almost looked like he was preparing for battle, silently checking batteries, memory cards, lenses, camera bodies and various accessories.  SooHoo has had the past few days off after returning from the Taiwan series, and has decided to “ease into it” by bringing two cameras with him for the game, including 300mm and 600mm lenses (he usually brings up to three cameras with him, depending on the night).  “This is my locker room, my clubhouse, right here,” SooHoo explains.  It’s a camera geek’s dream.

40 minutes prior to game time, SooHoo quickly throws on a team sweatshirt and we prepare to depart the Dodgers’ administrative building.  SooHoo immediately puts me to work: I’m responsible for carrying the large pole camera and 600 mm lens.  It’s surprisingly heavy.  As we leave the building, we pass Clayton Kershaw talking on his cell phone outside the main entrance.  “Just keep walking,” SooHoo whispers to me, as he simultaneously turns and snaps a couple of quick shots of the Dodgers pitcher.

SooHoo doesn’t make it far before he stops to chat three separate times with general manager Ned Colletti, clubhouse manager Mitch Poole and San Diego Padres’ third base coach (and former manager and third base coach for the Dodgers) Glenn Hoffman.  One thing becomes abundantly clear: everyone, and I mean everyone, knows and respects Jon SooHoo.

As we make our way through the tunnel and on to the field, we see the sun setting behind home plate.  Jon instinctively knows that this is the perfect light for capturing the players as they walk through the tunnel and on to the field.  He crouches and waits, capturing each individual as they silently think about the upcoming game.

Its then on to shoot pre-game warm-ups, reunions between players and coaches, as well as impromptu autograph sessions with fans in the stands.  Pre-game festivities, including the national anthem and first pitch, are next.  Fans are yelling at SooHoo, trying to get his attention to say hello.  He answers all with a friendly wave, a smile and maybe a quick chat.  I’m beginning to think he’s as well known as some of the players on the field.

Once the game begins, we entrench ourselves in the photo well along the third base line.  It’s just the two of us, along with one other photographer.  It’s a dusty and barren spot, but what the photo well lacks in amenities (like places to sit for trusty assistants/bloggers), it makes up for in natural ambiance (photojournalist tip #1: always bring your own folding chair with you).  The buzz from the crowd is not as loud down here and you can hear on-field conversations as clear as day, giving the feeling that you’re part of the action on the field.  “It’s better than the press box,” said SooHoo.  “You see things, you hear things.”  I couldn’t agree more.

Once the game starts, SooHoo is quickly shooting nearly every play as it happens, instinctively reacting as the ball is hit, constantly swiveling and focusing his shot on the eventual end of each play.  Between innings, players are chatting, laughing and motivating each other in the dugout.  SooHoo shoots a little bit of all or it, switching cameras very quickly depending on the shot he’s going for (photojournalist tip #2: bring multiple camera bases…attempting to switch lenses during the game is for rookies!).

As Matt Kemp comes up to bat in the first inning, SooHoo reminds me to always stay aware for foul balls.  “Once [Kemp] got me twice in the same inning.  The first time he missed me, the second time he nailed me.”  When I stated that it must be hard to tell when a foul ball is coming at you when you’re looking through a camera, SooHoo dryly noted, “You know you’re in trouble when [the batter] makes eye contact with you” (photojournalist tip #3: work on quickening my reflexes during the offseason).

In the top of the third inning, SooHoo notes that he’s observed the umpires complaining about a bright light on the Camelback Ranch concourse between home plate and first base.  He’s already contacted the Dodgers’ maintenance team to have them check on the problem.

SooHoo shares that at Dodger Stadium the photo wells are usually packed on game days with photographers, camera gear and laptop computers, leaving little room to escape fast-moving foul balls.  “It’s a whole ‘nother world down here.  People get picked off like targets,” he explained.  After a few close calls, SooHoo worked with the Dodgers maintenance crew to put up protective nets across the front of the photo wells. “I think I saved a couple lives,” he says with a smile.

In the middle of the fourth inning, Manny Ramirez jogs past our photo well on his way to the dugout.  He catches SooHoo’s attention by pointing at him, giving him a quick nod of the head and saying, “Hey.”  Even Manny likes SooHoo.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, we’re on the move.  We leave the photo well and make our way up through the stands to the concourse level and around to the first base side.  At least six times fans reach out to SooHoo with greetings, questions or just to say hi.  This brings the total number of unsolicited greetings to more than a dozen, according to my unofficial count.  When I note that he seems to know everyone, SooHoo states, “After 25 years, you pretty much have to.  Here you’re with the people…it’s gratifying.”

In the top of the seventh inning, it’s time to eat (I was beginning to think that SooHoo never stopped moving).  As the unofficial assistant and gopher for the night, SooHoo sends me to Island Noodles to pick up dinner of chicken and noodles.  It’s the only place he eats at Camelback Ranch these days.  We park ourselves along an exterior fence, out of the way of the crowds and enjoy our quick dinner break.  SooHoo’s right – the noodles are delicious and a welcome change for my palate after numerous Dodger Dogs and various sausages over the past few days (photojournalist tip #4: don’t drink any fluids, as bathroom breaks don’t happen).

After we return to the game and the final innings wind down, SooHoo patiently answers a steady stream of questions from fans while occasionally posing for photos while never keeping his eye off the game.  With his 600mm lens, he can (and does) capture an outfielder catching a fly ball against the left field wall (over 450 feet away) in just a split second.  This puts my beloved 300mm image-stabalizing zoom lens to shame.  I have lens envy.

After the game concludes and the crowd heads home, Jon SooHoo’s day is not over.  It’s back to the office to select and edit the images for that night’s photo gallery, documenting yet another day of Los Angeles Dodgers baseball.

Postscript: I’ve volunteered my services as a camera assistant and gopher to Jon SooHoo for all future Dodgers games.

Photo Credit: Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2010, Chris Volk/dodgerfan.net (we think it’s pretty obvious who shot what!)

Slowly, players, coaches and training staff begin to emerge, one by one, and make their way to the field.  Manny Ramirez, Casey Blake, Reed Johnson and Justin Knoedler pass by.  Some are all business, some are playful and nearly all throw a friendly greeting or knowing smile in SooHoo’s direction.

“Where’ve you been?” teases pitcher Scott Lindblom as he passes SooHoo’s clicking camera.

“You guys wore me out!” responds SooHoo, referring to the Dodgers’ trip to Taiwan in which both participated.

Part game photographer and part unofficial visual archivist, SooHoo and his team of photographers are responsible for documenting all aspects of the team’s activities, including games, practices, warm-ups and overall life in the Dodgers organization.

It all begins with the tone that SooHoo sets for himself and his team of photographers.  Over the past 24 years, SooHoo has created a unique dream job that is based on core principles of trust and mutual respect.  That trust has translated into a strong relationship with manager Joe Torre and his team which has resulted in exclusive access to their public and private moments – giving fans a unique opportunity to peek behind the curtain of a major league baseball team.

“It always begins in Spring Training, because [the players and coaches] see me here… they see me in the trenches every day,” explained SooHoo. 

Remarkably, there’s no one else like Jon SooHoo in all of Major League Baseball.  No other club spends as much time or resources as the Los Angeles Dodgers do in shooting what happens between and beyond the lines…especially with a goal of distributing that content directly to the fans on a daily basis through the Dodgers official Web site.

“We’re the ones who started this,” explained SooHoo.  “This is not something new to the Dodgers; we’ve always done a photo gallery.  We’re the only ones doing this day to day.  Other clubs may shoot [behind the scenes moments], but you don’t see it.”

What’s even more remarkable is that 2010 marks Jon SooHoo’s 25^th as the official team photographer for the Dodgers.  That’s more than 4,300 games for those of you keeping score.  And he’s not slowing down.

SooHoo got his professional start doing what he loves – shooting sports while in college at USC.  Working for the Daily Trojan, he was shooting most of the men’s and women’s basketball games when both teams were playing their home games at the Sports Arena, which was also the home of the Los Angeles Clippers.

That’s when SooHoo met the man that would shape his professional career: NBA photographer Andy Bernstein.  Bernstein shot all of the Clippers games in both black & white and color and needed help splitting the workload.  After getting to know Jon from their hours together in the Sports Arena, he offered the young college student a job as a darkroom worker.  From then on, Jon processed Bernstein’s black & white images for all Clippers games, developing up to 500 prints per game at Bernstein’s Hollywood studio. 

Shortly thereafter, Bernstein landed the contract as the Dodgers’ official photographer.  However, Bernstein also had pre-existing commitments with the NBA in Europe, so he asked SooHoo to fill in and process all of the black & white images at Dodger Stadium for him as a sub-contractor.  When Bernstein and his lead photographer went their separate ways, the door opened for SooHoo to step up.

“I just filled right in.  I already had gear and knew what I was doing.  I knew the whole set-up.  So then I was shooting, processing and printing both the Dodgers and the NBA,” explained SooHoo. “It was pretty cool because I could take the back streets to the Forum in a heartbeat.  I could get to the Sports Arena in 10 different ways.  That was the heyday of sports photography when there were teams to shoot.  The Rams and Raiders were both in town.  The Clippers and Lakers were close enough by.  There were a good amount of magazines that were still up.  The Dodgers team job just fell in my lap, just like the whole thing fell in my lap.  The next thing I know, I’m married with three kids, and I’m here 25 years later.  It’s been a good ride.”

One of SooHoo’s staff photographer’s at the Daily Trojan was future All-Star pitcher Randy Johnson.  SooHoo recounted the story of how, as editor of the campus paper, he assigned Johnson to shoot what was supposed to be the last concert ever by the legendary rock band The Who.  A huge music fan, Johnson was excited about the opportunity and talked his way backstage.  “He geeked out,” said SooHoo.  “We still talk photography whenever I see him.  It’s a respectful relationship.  You cherish those…I do.”

A Los Angeles native, SooHoo grew up in Silverlake and was first was exposed to photography in an 8^thgrade darkroom class.  “That was it,” he said.  It was then on to Marshall for high school.  Unfortunately for SooHoo, he discovered that the school did not have a photography class, instead offering a yearbook program as an alternative.  SooHoo wasn’t interested in shooting yearbook photos, and instead chose to work on his basketball game, while also running track.

Coming from a Trojan family, SooHoo grew up going to USC football games with his parents who had season tickets from before he was born.  “Someday I want to be down there,” SooHoo said as he reflected on his time at Trojan football games, noting there was more room on the sidelines than in the stands.  “Something I’d always dreamed about doing was shooting USC football.”

While SooHoo welcomed the advent of digital photography (he was actually processing color film, scanning the images and sending them out electronically to media outlets long before digital cameras came along), it also presented a huge challenge as he had more than a dozen years of color negatives, slides, and black & white images scattered throughout his office and home.

“It’s just made me feel like I’ll never catch up,” said SooHoo when discussing the huge inventory of negatives and photos that he still needs to transfer to digital.  “I didn’t shoot just shoot for the Dodgers and the NBA stuff, I had UPI as a client too, where I was shooting Raiders, Rams and the USFL back then.  It became very unmanageable.”

While SooHoo says he doesn’t have a favorite shot from his career, he does regret not having access to some of his older work, including shots he took of John Elway playing for Stanford and Marcus Allen playing for USC, as well as some of his NFL photos of the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys.

“I can’t find all the stuff I shot back in ’87, ’88 and ’89, other than what I’ve kept aside.  Some of that stuff would be pretty cool to have, like Joe Montana and Roger Craig.”

 “Whenever I go to SC and talk to any of the kids there, I tell them to keep their own external hard drive, load it up, don’t lose it, don’t let it get corrupted, but you’ve got to keep that because then 20 years down the road you won’t be doing what I’m doing and regretting not having it all.  But what can you do?”

After 25 years, SooHoo continues to strive to keep his content fresh, but more importantly, he tries to think of the bigger picture, including his role as the primary visual archivist of the Dodgers.

“I’ve had pretty much carte blanche to go into the locker room with my camera and shoot behind the scenes stuff, and that’s kept it fresh,” said SooHoo.  “Joe Torre’s kept it extremely fresh…he’s made it very easy.  So as I concentrate to get the stuff between the lines, I’m also really trying to think historically and to think beyond that, to get it outside the lines.  In the clubhouse, on the bus, on the plane, you name it.  Just not the stuff that everybody else does.  I try my best to be as independent as possible through the team, but [other photographers] do outstanding work, but they’re not going where I’m going.  I try to think of everything as historically as much as possible.  I think there’s a value to that: Manny [Ramirez] in the bathroom, brushing his hair.  Andre [Ethier] last year fixing his jersey in the locker room.  Casey Blake loosening up in the weight room with his bat in full whites.  There are no more historical [images] than what I’m getting right now.”

But it all goes back to trust and respect for his subjects.  “I still have integrity and believe that character matters,” said SooHoo.  That belief in integrity and character is something that was instilled in the Dodgers photographer early in his professional career.

“I learned it from Michael Zagaris, who is the team photographer for the Oakland A’s, but he was also the team photographer for the 49ers during the heyday.  I saw how he was doing it, what his approach was and how he had to blend into the wallpaper, just like I’m doing here.  Just keep your mouth shut and your head down and don’t stir up anything.  It’s not about me, it’s not about him, it’s about the team.”

When talking of his role as the Dodgers’ unofficial visual historian, SooHoo brings up legendary New York newspaper photographer Barney Stein as someone he tries to emulate.  Stein, an award-winning photographer, covered the Brooklyn Dodgers for 20 years beginning in 1937 and shares many similarities with SooHoo, but they also have some notable differences.

“Stein had one set of guys – which were pretty great guys.  We’ve had so many players go through here…just tell me how many players I’ve had in these 25 years?  I’m just trying to achieve as good a shot as possible that’s something different.  I’m always trying to be aware of what’s going on visually.”

Another role model for SooHoo is presidential photographer Pete Souza, the official photographer for President Obama and previously for President Reagan.

“I have so much respect for him, it’s not even funny.  I’ve idolized what he does.  He’s where I would want to be.  The closest thing I have is Joe Torre, and that’s pretty tremendous because nobody hates Joe Torre.  Even going to Taiwan with him was just phenomenal.  He’s got a presence that people just cling to.  It’s magic.  The Dodgers in general got the treatment over there, but Joe was the closest thing I’ve had to a presidential run.”

While SooHoo’s images have widely been heralded as seeming to capture the emotion of a particular moment in time, it’s not something he focuses on when shooting.  Instead, SooHoo relies on having his lens pointed in the right direction at the right time.

“I don’t put any real pressure on myself to come up with crazy stuff.  I just don’t want to miss anything. The emotion will come as you’re shooting.  You can’t plan it.  Either it happens or it doesn’t happen.  I’m not planning anything other than, if there’s a play at second, I’m moving my camera to second.  If there’s a play at home, I’ve got to turn and come home.  I’m aware that if there’s a runner on first, there might be a double play at second.  Any kind of little outfield line drive, I try and swing around as fast as I can.”

“As much as you see that looks good, there’s so much more that no one sees, because it’s out of focus, it’s the wrong timing, I’ve got a first base coach or umpire in my way or a player crossing my path.  Stuff happens all the time here and it’s just a matter of adjusting and having enough material to make it through the day.  What I pride myself on is getting a gallery out every night.”

Is there anything else SooHoo would rather be doing after 25 years than shooting the Dodgers?

“Sports have always been the passion, but I’d rather be playing basketball.  I’d rather be playing in the NBA,” SooHoo joked.  “But I’m better off where I am.  I’m happy as hell where I am.”

While the Dodgers organization is where his heart is, SooHoo clearly maintains a love for his beloved Trojans.  “I’ve always been shooting USC football since I was at school.  These last two years have been the first time I’ve been given the access like I’ve had with the Dodgers.  Pete [Carroll] gave me the green light and I was all over it.  I would hustle my way to get to games when there was no way I should have even been at those games.”

“Right after [the Dodgers] lost in Philly, I was at the USC – Oregon State game and I got a [two-page spread] in Sports Illustrated with a picture in the locker room of Pete and all the guys.  It was pretty exciting.  It’s just a different perspective outside the lines when I had the access that he gave me.  The intensity inside the locker room for football is just far beyond anything going on in a baseball clubhouse before a game.  They’re just so amped up.”

SooHoo also believes in doing the right thing.  To thank the players, coaches and managers for all of the support and access he receives, SooHoo went out of his way to create custom, hardcover books commemorating the 2009 Dodgers and the 2009 Trojans.  They’re beautiful works of art and chronicle the iconic and everyday moments from the past year.  “Last year, the guys took care of me, so I made each one of them a book,” SooHoo simply states.

That’s an even more incredible feat when you consider a typical day during the MLB season involves SooHoo dropping his kids off at school at 8:00 a.m. and then heading home for a few brief moments of work around the house.  He then arrives at Dodger Stadium by 10:00 a.m., where his day begins reading memory cards, uploading photos to the server and making discs and prints for key individuals.

In the early-afternoon, he begins getting his gear ready for that night’s game, lugging two or three camera with him depending on the night.  At 3:30 p.m., SooHoo is on the field shooting batting practice and pre-game warm-ups.  Once the game begins, the team’s official photographer is often found in either the first base or third base photo wells, shooting the action on the field.  He also routinely eats on the fly while making his way through the concourses, capturing fan reaction and the game from a different perspective, while patiently answering questions and posing for pictures with his fans.

“The key is not to be missing walk off situations, or monumental pitching moments like no-hitters.  You have to be conscientious of everything,” explained SooHoo.

After the game wraps up, SooHoo returns to his office where the real work begins, editing, archiving all of the images he shot, while transmitting that day’s photo gallery to all key stakeholders.  By the time he finally shuts off his computer, it’s not uncommon for the clock to read 1:30 a.m.

As SooHoo enters his 25^thyear with the Los Angeles Dodgers, it’s impossible to not appreciate the thousands of visually stunning images he shoots throughout the course of a season, as well as the care he takes in forging the relationships which allow him to be in the right place at the right time.  In many ways, SooHoo’s images provide a visual bookend to the words of Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully.  While photographers are not elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame,  his tenure with the club and the diligence with which he approaches his craft make Jon SooHoo a revered part of the Dodger family.

Story by Chris Volk and Alex Volk

Next up: Shadowing SooHoo: A Day in th Life of the Photographer of the Los Angeles Dodgers

Photo Credit: Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2010, Chris Volk/dodgerfan.net (we think it’s pretty obvious who shot what!)

After reading his piece and reviewing his various proposals, I am heavily in the NO camp with regard to his more extreme ideas. Part of this comes from being a baseball traditionalist…I’ve always been resistant to change in Major League Baseball, and love all the quirks that are part of the game (like the AL’s designated hitter rule). I was heavily against inter-league play at the time it was introduced, fearing that it was a temporary gimmick that would cause more harm than good when it would be eventually repealed. Plus, I would argue, that’s what makes the World Series so special. I was wrong in this case; interleague play is here to stay and I love seeing the AL teams come through Chavez Ravine each year. And the World Series hasn’t lost its luster as a result.

Rosenthal’s argument on radical realignment is based primarily on the competitive imbalance in the AL East, with the domination of the Yankees and Red Sox over their opponents:

“The Yankees and Red Sox will remain financial super-powers for the foreseeable future. Even scarier, both teams have become so efficient, they eliminated any intellectual edge that certain low-revenue teams had gained.”

“If all clubs possess similar brainpower, then dollars become decisive, dooming the AL East also-rans. A cynic might suggest they would be better off pocketing revenue-sharing money than trying to compete.”

Ok, fine; obviously there is a severe financial chasm that exists between the high and low-revenue clubs. I could be on board with potentially making some limited shifts in the AL East to address the issue, but where I disagree is Rosenthal’s solution of blowing up all the divisions in favor of prioritizing regional rivalries which he says draws more fans. I would argue that the scarcity of these games is what fans love and what matters most is how the teams are performing. Is there more buzz about Lakers-Clippers games than Dodgers-Angels games? Not when one team is consistently mediocre (unless you’re the Clippers). It’s just another game. Dodgers-Angels games just feel different…they almost have a playoff feel to them with fans from both sides excessively energized, and I wouldn’t want to lose that.

Rosenthal makes some interesting points about competitive balance and the financial benefits from moving the Red Sox to another division (presumably the AL Central) and moving one team from the AL Central to the AL East (he suggests the Tigers, which I’m sure makes Rosenthal persona non grata in Detroit right about now).

If competitive imbalance is truly a problem, I’d be more in favor of looking at scheduling and weighting teams’ opponents for the upcoming season based on how they finish the current season, like the NFL tries to do. Win the World Series, and you’re playing the toughest out-of-division schedule the following year.

Fortunately Bud Selig doesn’t seem too interested in Ken’s theories, so radical realignment appears to be just the musings of a baseball reporter with too much time on his hands during Spring Training.