January 24th, 2016 at 6:01 am 
by Ron Cervenka As you have discovered, if you clicked on your LA DodgerTalk bookmark this morning, you were redirected here to ThinkBlueLA. And while this may have come as a surprise to the many longtime readers of Mark Timmons’ great Dodgers blog site, I can assure you that there is no one more surprised than we are.
Like many of you, I am deeply saddened to hear the news that Mark has officially retired after so many years of running one of the most popular and longest-running Dodgers blog sites on the web – perhaps even the longest-running site. But as anyone who has tried their hand at this gig will tell you, it’s not as easy as it looks and is very time-consuming. And though Mark will be the first to tell you that running LA DodgerTalk has been a labor of love, the simple truth is that, at times, it just plain wears you out.
Mark Timmons
I have been fortunate to have spent some time getting to know Mark while sitting shoulder-to-shoulder (literally) with him in the Vin Scully Press Box over the years where we shared quite a few stories, ideas and a lot of laughs. This, of course, makes Mark’s sudden departure all the more painful… well, at least for me, that is. That being said and on behalf of the entire ThinkBlueLA staff, we wish Mark nothing but the very best in his retirement and the utmost success in any future ventures he may choose to undertake.
On the other side of that coin, we most certainly welcome all of you LA DodgerTalk readers to ThinkBlueLA and hope that we can do even half as good of a job that Mark did for so many years.
Godspeed to you my friend.
Posted in 
I have enjoyed Mark Timmons’ posts for years and am also sorry to read that he is retiring. Hopefully, he won’t be a stranger and will eventually provide his input over here. I have always found his insight to be very thought provoking and usually spot on. Even when disagreeing with his position, he is skilled at providing compelling arguments to back his position.
With that said, the LADT site has some very amazing and intelligent contributors and I hope that they climb on board the ThinkBlueLA bandwagon. Ron Cervenka has got something special here and followers at this site have forged some friendships over the years that have resulted in road trips and spring training get togethers, resulting in a lot of laughs, dinners, fun and passionate Dodger fans. (A trip to the forum portion and a visit to all the different pages here will show that).
Welcome aboard LADT followers, I am hopeful you are able to transition over and participate…
Thanks to all of the people at TBLA for the welcomes. Have only been posting on Mark’s site for two months but I feel that the Dodger family of fans has suffered a loss with the sudden shutdown of LA Dodger Talk. I hope that this site will prove as informative and interesting and that all of the former LADT users have reviewed the sites usage policies, especially with regards to negativity, name-calling and intentionally provoking other posters. Being able to agree to disagree in an amicable manner will feel like a breath of fresh air; particularly when we all remember that we are all, first and foremost, Dodger fans. I look forward to sharing my views with all of you moving forward.
Recent follower of LA Dodger talk
Thanks for making us welcome
Hope mark comes by periodically to warn us about dope fiend moves
Mark, you will be missed. Thank you for all you have contributed through the years. Your perspective and insight have helped this Dodgers fan keep in touch with his favorite baseball team as I cheer on from afar.
I echo the sentiments from both Ron and Evan, and would also like to welcome your loyal readership here as well.
Hey ThinkBlue, thanks for the warm welcome for all of of us LADT imbeciles. Ron, is this your site? Sad to see LADT go, it had been my go to website for probably 15 years now, I hope all join this board and the Dodger family becomes even bigger. Plus, I have Marks telephone number so I can still annoy him, he can’t get rid of the truth! Plus, we like to share beers and oysters together, he is a great guy.
Anyways, I have been one to criticize the coming year, I just do not see a team that is going to do anything, I have been the harshest critic of this so called major league lineup that we have, the offensive stats from last year are appalling and not one new face to show for it. I think the pitching “could” be a surprise but that is as far as my optimism goes after witnessing the debacle that was our lineup last year, our demise will be our inability to score runs this year, just my opinion.
Thanks for giving us another avenue to root on the blue. Hopefully Puig returns to MVP form, Joc regains his stroke, Seager goes crazy, Agon doesn’t decline, Crawford stays healthy, Ethier/Turner repeat and Grandal avoids injury to prove me wrong. Go blue!
Good to see you Truth. Shame about LADT.
I’m in the underwhelmed camp too – Blanton was a watershed moment for me with the management.
I think the Front Office is making it up as they go along and are getting far too much credit for some grand plan. I just don’t see it. I think they are just reacting to things.
The jury’s out for me.
Good to see you to Watford! Cheers!
Cheers indeed to both of you!
Hi Guys, Geez there’s an issue of pain resulting from Mark’s site being taken away from me. A great bunch of guys who always put up with my ramblings…..at least till now. Mark is a really good man and I appreciate what he gave us via his kindness. I can’t believe him the sort that would want anything other than what one feels expressing their opinions. Well, perhaps I’m too much me, it’s really all I know.
Thanks for welcoming us loiterers here Ron, hope it’s not too big in work we’re piling on your shoulders…..we are a mess!
My brother Mark, thank you so very kindly for all you’ve given us. It’s sad that it’s ending but you’ve always had other things than us in your very busy life that you’ve put on the backburner for us. Only a mountain mover could pull off the chores you took on. I think you have clones.
I was a relative newbie to LADT, but I enjoyed the couple of months I was active. Mark and everyone on the site made me feel welcome, even if when we disagreed. I look forward to continuing here as well.
Thanks for the site Mark. Go do what you gota do. Hope all of the regulars show up on here now! And thanks to the new board for having us! (Also, apologies in advance for our rambling)
Thanks for welcoming us. I guess Mark is going to sell the business and cruise the islands. I wish him well. Now we count down to pitchers and catchers reporting!
So a new day here . . . Mark gave Dodgerland a great site for years and years. He put up with a lot of us complaining that the Dodgers had not won is almost 30 years — and many of us feel that the front office blew real chances these last several seasons.
We had lovers of FAAZ (the three decision makers or GMs) and serious questioners of the FAAZ team. I am one who called them for shopping too much at Dollar General style of shopping. But with salary issues, and too many starters in the outfield . . . the team just could not put it all together.
But this is a new day. So thanks Mark for putting up with us. Now we roam and mozy down to new turf.
Roger Dodger (AnewBlueDay)
Ok well let me chime in as the (apparent) minority that believes we’re potentially a better team than we were last year.
I feel this way not only because I agree with not signing Zack; much as I wanted him, to a $34-35MM/yr contract into his 40’s. If anyone can make that contract NOT an albatross it’s him. But it would not have been a good business decision to roll the dice on that no matter how much money you’ve got. I’m also really, really glad we didn’t trade Pederson, Seager or Urias.
In addition to this decisions, I WANT to believe our front office is better than everyone else’s! Do you really want to be a fan (short for fanatic) about a team that you think is poorly managed? Do you really want to go back to Ned? PDP? Malone? Most of you guys would bitch no matter who Stan had hired as GM.
Can’t wait for pitchers & catchers to report.
I’d like to believe our team is better run than the others but it has been years since that was so. The jury is still out on the new guy(s) but we go on rooting for the name on the front of the jersey not the back, even though it is sometimes painful.
It seems to me they made a good-faith effort to keep Zack but Arizona swooped in at the last minute with a better offer, much like Ned did when we signed him. I think it was a shrewd move by AZ as it finally got them a #1 starter while subtracting those wins from a division rival. They can afford one bad contract, although I suspect they will trade him in a few years whether they get to the WS or not.
Hey guys. Sorry to hear about your loss of the Dodger Talk blog. First welcome to TBLA. I’m sure you will be very happy to be here.
Ron has very insightful and thought provoking articles. Also check out the forum as well. In the past few years Ron and I have become great friends, and thank him for all the time and effort he puts into the blog and Forum. It truly is his passion.
I for one have made some lifelong friends as a result of TBLA, and am very thankful for each and every one of them.
I certainly don’t know as much about the finer points of the inner workings of the team, but that does not make me any less of a fan.
Your vast knowledge and opinions are very welcome here.
As for me I am definately not as hopeful for next year. I have lost confidence in Puig, and I certainly don’t see the bullpen issue being addressed. Can Turner repeat his breakout season? Let’s hope Joc finds his bat! Will Ethier be traded for a sack of beat up Fungo’s? God I hope we are all pleasantly surprised!
At any rate I bleed Dodger Blue and will stick by my team, (as hard as it can be some nights) GO DODGERS!!!
Long time reader of Mark’s site, but only recently created an account … Geez Mark, I didn’t mean to run you off!! 🙂
Maybe Mark has been a Giant fan along . . . maybe he is spending his time now opening another eat place for his wife . . . maybe he is . . . Mark will be missed.
LADodgertalk will be missed Roger.
Seems quiet in here, but I do like the look of the place. I have no doubt Ron is a Dodger fan and has some writing skills. Maybe traffic willl pick up. Looks like it already has.
My take about the team? I would have built the team around at least 3 more years of Kershaw/Greinke. The weak deadline moves, and myriad of B rated prospect moves + surgically repaired pitchers concerns me, but I’m open to the future. I don’t buy the idea that the Dodgers need to get payroll under the luxury tax, I wasn’t a Torre trained Mattingly fan and frankly unless Puig goes ape this year I don’t see 2016 being any different than the last 3 years.
Darn, for me change is a little difficult, but seeing some familiar names gets me going. OK Badger where R U?? Is Mark going to comment/spar with the aforementioned???
I got Dre gone by ST.. We’ll have to add a chunk of change but should get a good prospect or two!??! Angels s/b a fit… 25 and a wake up for pitchers n catchers… Hot damn, I’m ready…
I want to begin by thanking Mark for his work and passion. From my view it’s okay to bag on blog upkeep and management. It’s not okay to disappear! Keep posting as a fan.
I can only imagine the work that goes into creating content on a blog every day. That takes time and effort. I appreciate the time and effort Mark put into LADodgerTalk and making it my go-to Dodger discussion fix. I enjoy lively discussion and debate, and there were some sharp and articulate voices on both sides of the FAZ aisle there.
Thanks Mark. The site will be missed by me. ….i didn’t always agree with you, and I know some of your writing was strategic pot stirring, but I argued in your favor more often than argued with you.
I think Badger should buy the site. He writes well. In fact, it would be fun to have a sort of multiple writer arrangement – left, right and center, only ProFAZ, AntiFAZ, neutral. …Badger, Mark and AC
Keep the faith Watford… Consider Blanton to be like Henry Cooper going up against Ali… Nobody gave him a bloody chance and he damn near pulled a huge upset… Blanton will be there…
Pete, glad you made it across here. You changed your surname?
Finding it really hard to warm to Blanton when one minute we had a deal for Chapman in place, and the next we’ve got a guy who was truly awful in his earlier stint with us.
I know he’s out of the pen now but he seems like a plan D,E or F to me.
Feel some guilt about the demise of LADT as Mark seemed to
take exception to a discussion on Friday, but then again I have supported him many times in other debates.
Seems s great shame, but this seems like a cool place with good contributors and hopefully all of the old gang will make their way here.
I’m over to Dublin for Paddies Day in March Pete – anywhere I should grab a pint?
I am sorry to see Mark leave. He is a good man.
I am on the side of FAZ doing a good job. The biggest positive change is the firing of Mattingly. He never did adopt to the NL. He would not run or steal. He believed in the 3 run bomb. He was like Torre, he could not manage the bull pen. FAZ has a long range plan and sticking with the plan.
Here is what will happen with Urias and Deleon. They will go down to AAA to start the season so their time clock does not start this year for their major league experience. As soon as that is past, they will be brought up. It will depends on the needs as to whether they will be in the bull pen or starting rotation. They are ready and it makes no sense to hold them back any longer. Pederson will become a line drive hitter. Change in attitude brought on by the new coaching staff. Pederson is great defensive player. Puig will bat around 300 with 20+ HR and 90+ RBI’s. All of his abilities will be on display.
I am a dreamer I know. However, I would rather think positive than negative, and some of you are negative.
What does it mean “your comment is waiting moderation”?
In an effort to keep spammers and other unwanted people/bots off the site, new members must have their first comment/reply manually approved (aka – moderated) before it appears on the site. This is a one-time thing and if it should happen while I am away from the computer (or smartphone), there may be a brief delay.
Mark–we paid for an argument. Anyway, that was never fifteen minutes just now…
We’ll also miss Scott’s posts, which while less frequent and opinionated were also very informative. Good luck to them both.
Why didn’t Mark just turn his site over to Scott?
Please please please understand that Mark’s decision to redirect LA DodgerTalk to ThinkBlueLA came as a complete surprise to us and in no way are we attempting to solicit followers from LADT or any other Dodgers blog site. The choice to stay or leave is entirely up to you.
We are, of course, incredibly grateful, humbled and honored that Mark chose us to redirect you guys to. Collectively, you guys are clearly among the most intelligent Dodger fans (and baseball fans) out there – bar none.
In addition to Mark, I am also good friends with Scott Andes and his sister Stacie Wheeler and the very last thing that I want to see happen is/are any issues with them over this. I can only assume (and you know what they say about assuming) is that Mark had his reasons for doing what he did and, as such, I am in no position whatsoever to answer your question RC.
But what I can say is that it’s great to have you guys on-board with us and I sincerely hope that you guys will carry on the outstanding tradition that Mark and LA DodgerTalk created many years ago.
I was just asking the group Ron. I am convinced you had nothing to do with this, and frankly never believed you did. I’m just curious. Mark led us to believe he was backing away and Scott was taking over. Then he flipped out and did this. Very strange, but this mightwork out just fine. I think you and your staff of writers are exemplary. It’s just odd how it came down and might take a few minutes for our group to get used to the idea.
Thank you sir for the standup way you are handling the transition.
I’m 100% confident Mark is looking here. Giving up the burden of the upkeep, I totally get it. Just keep your voice in the mix. Be one of the peep’s.
God be praised! ST is near and I sense from many that fear is near as the off-season moves or lack there of have taken place. Time will tell. Truth always wins out eventually.
Blanton was signed to see if he truly can become a part of the bull pen. If he cannot, he will be gone early. If he can be a part of long relief, he is worth the money.
Welcome LADT’ers. We TBLA’ers are an affable bunch who are only to happy to have all y’all aboard. I think you’ll find we are passionate Dodger fans who are not in the least afraid to voice our opinions or disagree with our brethren (and sisters) but aways do it respectfully and politely. We come from all over the country as well as Canada and Mexico and have a great deal of fun putting up with each other. The common threads are love for the Dodgers and respect for each other. Carry on!!! GO DODGERS.
Hello everybody. As we might recall, Mark said he was going to take time away from his blog and let Scott take over. Well, he was only able to stay away for a few hours, maybe a day. Closing his blog might have been the only way he was going to be able to take a break.
Clearly he was getting stressed and needed a break so, for his health, I am glad Mark has stepped away and by the same token, I hope he returns here soon or decides to restart his blog a few months down the road.
Mark and Trump have the ability to get people to react. That’s a skill. Mark’s posts sometimes were outrageous and other times were informative. Sometimes, the boy in him would come out and he would tag young players for glory. All of it got us to make more comments than we normally would.
I hope to see Badger and Brooklyn here. Badger is a fun read. Brooklyn is a thoughtful read. Not saying Badger is not thoughtful or that Brooklyn is not funny.
Hi Bums -good to see you here.
I hope that everyone comes across to be honest, and like you hope that Mark takes time to reenergise and then come back again.
After getting pissed off to reregister with new password, etc, I, too, am on board. I hope using this site is as easy as Mark’s, otherwise I might have to pass. I also hope it links to other sites, which has been part of my routine. Anything to make the site easy to use and comment on is appreciated. Keep up the good work.
Sorry for the registration issues bobbie17. Unfortunately, the damn spammers have forced us to use safeguards to try to keep them at bay. You now should be good to go.
If you look on the right side of the page you will notice a list of Dodgers related links and a blog roll of several of the better Dodgers blog sites. Hopefully, those that you frequent are among them.