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While trying to stay up to date on the Dodgers I read many blogs and informational sites. Some are strictly for research, and those willing to pay a nominal fee can have access to some truly jaw dropping information.

Each of these blogs I’m going to recommend has something unique to offer above and beyond the norm. Some of these will appeal to you, some will offend you, and some will just not be your cup of Starbucks.

Research – no one can beat what they have done over at Baseball-Reference.com. They have completely left Baseball Retrosheet in the dust with their interactive research database. Want to know who has the most strikeouts in LA Dodger history? That took less then 3 minutes to create the page to let me find out. You can do this sort of thing all day long, but if you want to share what you create with others, a small fee is required.

Cardboard Gods: Josh Wilker is one of the best writers on the web. He isn’t for everyone, but I think some of you will appreciate what he can do with a baseball card as his canvas.

Joe Posnanski has been a sports writer for years and after writing Soul Of Baseball started blogging about the game. Unencumbered by the constraints of the printed page, he kicks out some of the longest blog posts around, but well worth the time to read them.

Dodger Blogs – just a few of my favorites

Blue Notes: Andrew and Brian Kamenetzky pick up on all the latest information regarding the Blue Crew.

Dodger Blue Heaven seems to have it all.

TrueBlue: Andrew/Toy Cannon- Andrew does an excellent job in breaking down how the latest baseball metrics impact the Dodgers while the Toy Cannon (that’s me) will usually handle Dodger history, Dodger prospects, fan fiction, contests, and just about anything that strikes my fancy. Right now I’m running a contest where you pick the correct number of Dodger wins in 2008 for the rights to a Russell Martin Bobblehead.

Sons Of Steve Garvey: Besides having the best Dodger blog name around has 5 7 contributing authors, each with their own unique take as they keep up with the latest happening in the Dodger universe.

Mike Scioscia’s Tragic Illness: Not sure how long have the site has been around, but they do a good job of keeping on top of the information flow.

Inside the Dodgers – Josh Rawitch (one of many Dodgers Vice Presidents): No one has better access to the Dodgers, and he provides plenty of inside information, doing what he can to address questions from fans when he can… without embarrassing the organization. addresses questions when he can without embarrassing the organization.

However for all of these quality Dodger Blogs, there is one that is simply the elephant in the room: Jon Weisman’s Dodger Thoughts. It’s a site that gets all the pub, and with good reason. Jon is just like the rest of us, a huge Dodger fan with a passion for writing about them. But there are two huge differences between Jon and Dodger Thoughts, and everyone else. First, he is the best writer in town, print or web, and second, there’s the camaraderie of his readers. He’s been doing this since his first post in 2002, and continues to produce top quality commentary on the Dodgers while building a loyal following.

It’s the web equivalent of the bar in Cheers, without the pretty ladies, and Jon playing Sam (without being a girl chasing bartender- he’s the proud father of three kids, the latest coming last week). Still, follow his rules or he will politely ask you to leave his bar. Those rules have enabled him to manage his site and keep it civil… for the most part. They’re put in place to keep the community from imploding, as it only takes one Internet Troll to ruin a blog. Some rules are obvious- religion and politics are off limits (too much vitriol), while others come at you from left field. (You may never utter the word “No Hitter” when an LA pitcher is working on one. Is this crazy? Yes, do we follow the rule? You bet. It is his shop and when you cross the threshold you follow the owner’s rules.)

I like to think we, meaning this wide variety of sports and Dodgers sites, are a big city block with plenty of room for everyone. When I start my daily online journey I drop by SportsHubLA to check out the latest news in Los Angeles sports and read the latest columns, hit True Blue to see what Andrew has to say and check for new posted comments. Moseying on down the block I windowshop, getting a laugh at Sons of Steve Garvey, and some insightful information from the Blue Notes boys, Andy and Brian at the LAT.

But ultimately, my final destination is always Dodger Thoughts, where I’m greeted at the door by Jon’s solid take on the issues of the day. As I enter the site, I pull up a stool at the bar and peruse the comments and more times then not I quickly post something forgettable as a way of saying hi. The “bar” is littered with real characters from the grumps to the over enthusiastic kids who haven’t known the heartache of 20 years with ONE playoff victory.

And it’s an intelligent community, too. The breadth of knowledge is amazing, and why it’s worth looking at. I can’t recall a question that someone hasn’t been able to answer, or at the very least least provide a link where you can do your own research. It could use a few more women, but what blog couldn’t? Has Alyssa Milano cornered the market on female readers?

A typical Blue Notes will get several comments per thread. If I get 20 comments on a post at True Blue, I feel I’ve hit the mother load. I expect most of the other bloggers feel the same way. At Dodger Thoughts, even in the dead of winter, several hundred comments per thread is the norm. Sometimes it’s the same 20 people talking among themselves, but that is what is great about DT: Like-minded people having a conversation with Dodger baseball being the core, but hardly the only, subject. The commentators are smart, funny, sometimes condescending, usually supportive, and they know their Dodger baseball better then anyone. And the readers tend to understand performance analysis, and if they don’t they approach the new numbers with an open mind.

For many readers Dodger Thoughts will be too stats oriented, which I understand. If that’s not for you, cool, just pass it by. If, however, you’re intrigued by becoming a part of a community where everyone knows your name, then by all means, drop on by and pull up a stool. Some of you will never want to leave.

Hope to see you there.

Phil Gurnee, co-author of True Blue LA, takes a look at the current, past, and future of his Los Angeles Dodgers. Mixing a totally subjective viewpoint with statistical analysis, he looks at baseball from both sides of the mirror.

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