LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers invited 15 players, including nine former Great Lakes Loons, to their fifth annual developmental minicamp at Dodger Stadium in January.

Former Loons include pitcher Steven Ames, pitcher Rubby De La Rosa, pitcher Shawn Tolleson, pitcher Josh Wall, pitcher Allen Webster, catcher Griff Erickson, outfielder Alfredo Silverio, outfielder Scott Van Slyke and catcher Matt Wallach.

Other Dodger minor leaguers invited include itchers Michael Antonini, Stephen Fife and Chris Withrow, plus position players Alex Castellanos, Tim Federowicz and Tyler Henson.

Two of the former Loons netted organizational honors, with Tolleson named the Dodgers minor league Pitcher of the Year and Van Slyke earning minor league Player of the Year honors.

De La Rosa, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, was at last year’s mini-camp, as was Erickson and Wallach.

The minicamps is to help the top prospects in the farm system get a little extra help as they near a possible promotion to the major leagues. It also gives Dodgers officials a chance to get a closer look at the prospects, while also giving the coaches a chance at some early instruction prior to spring training.

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After the last few years with owner Frank McCourt, Los Angeles Dodgers fans have thought it just couldn’t get any worse. Now after a long battle with the fans, his wife and MLB, McCourt has surrendered and agreed to work with MLB to sell the team. I thought it was a good time to take a humorous look at the top five worst possible replacements for Frank McCourt as Dodgers’ owner:

Donald Trump in February 2009.
Wikimedia Commons

Donald Trump

I could see “The Donald” changing the Dodger hats to look like blue versions of his famous hairdo. Also, I think they would become the “Trump Dodgers” and drop the whole L.A. name completely. One good thing, I think he would renovate Dodger Stadium to look like one of his fancy apartments and hotels, and I personally would enjoy seeing gold-plated urinals in the restrooms.

Larry Flynt

Although some fans would probably enjoy an on-site gentlemen’s club and Hustler Store right at Dodger Stadium, I think it would go against the Dodgers’ longtime family values reputation. Having Larry Flynt as an owner could present some interesting, and very adult items for fan giveaways, none of which I’ll mention here.

Time-Warner

This one is a serious possibility and just as bad as the joke suggestions. Time-Warner would treat the team purely as a business asset, with no personal pride of ownership. The broadcasts would be most likely moved to Time-Warner cable and become hard to watch for people without cable.

Charlie Sheen

As the star of the great baseball film “Major League” and sitting on a huge pile of cash from his tv series and post-firing settlement, Charlie Sheen could be the new face of the Dodgers. The first pitch of each game could be thrown out by one of his girlfriend “goddesses” and Sheen could contribute his personal “white chalk powder” for lining the bases.

Bill Gates

Super-rich super-nerd Bill Gates would be another poor choice for Dodgers’ owner. The team roster and trades would be based on complicated computer analysis, like “Moneyball” on steroids. Fan giveaways would be pocket protectors and useless Microsoft software, which would install itself automatically on your digital devices as you enter Dodger Stadium and then be almost impossible to remove.

Freddy Sherman grew up in Philadelphia, which didn’t make being a Los Angeles Dodgers fan easy. He has lived in Los Angeles for twenty years, now able to follow the Dodgers openly and attends games frequently. You can follow him on Twitter: @thefredsherman .

More from this contributor:

MLB Will Get HGH Testing Before NFL: Fan’s Opinion

Top 5 Crazy Moments in Los Angeles Dodgers History

Are Dodgers Spending Too Much Money? Fan Opinion

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

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By Rich Linton, on November 17, 2011, at 12:28 pm

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By City News Service, on November 13, 2011, at 6:15 am

Lawyers for the Los Angeles Dodgers petitioned a federal bankruptcy court in Delaware to allow a future auction of the team’s television rights, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

Lawyers for the Los Angeles Dodgers petitioned a federal bankruptcy court in Delaware to allow a future auction of the team’s television rights. (Photo by mecookie/Flickr/CreativeCommons)

 

The move comes with the tacit approval of Major League Baseball and the current rights holder, Fox’s Prime Ticket network, the website reported.

Until recently, Fox has opposed owner Frank McCourt’s efforts to sell the valuable TV rights, an integral step for McCourt to pay off creditors, including his ex-wife, Jamie.

MLB also said no, viewing any such sale as a looting of team assets.

But all three parties have reached an agreement for McCourt to sell the rights, the first step in a series of deals that would include auctioning off the Dodgers, Dodger Stadium and its parking lots.

“We fully support a change in ownership of the Dodgers … In that process, Fox has rights that cannot be violated, as MLB has previously stated,” a statement released by Fox said.

Fox has tied up negotiating rights through Nov. 30, 2012, and owns the TV rights for the next two seasons.

Those rights include an exclusive negotiating period, in which other companies cannot bid to broadcast games. Time Warner Cable is a possible rival to Fox in seeking the Dodger contract as a partner to Los Angeles Lakers broadcasts on its new Los Angeles sports channel.

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That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

LOS ANGELES — Former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tom Lasorda is recovering from a bacterial infection that caused the 83-year-old to be hospitalized.

Team spokesman Josh Rawitch says Lasorda was resting at home Monday. He spent four days in the hospital last week.

Lasorda currently serves as a special adviser to Dodgers owner Frank McCourt. He retired as manager in 1996 after having a heart attack. Lasorda’s 20-year managerial tenure with the Dodgers included World Series titles in 1981 and ’88.

The Hall of Fame skipper was set, along with former MVP Maury Wills, as representatives for the Dodgers at Major League Baseball’s 2011 draft on June 6, according to MLB.com.

“I look forward to announcing the next player of the Dodger organization,” Lasorda said in a May 19 interview.

The Dodgers did not say Monday whether Lasorda’s recovery would allow him to attend to those draft duties.

Lasorda, who managed the team to a record of 3,050-1,599 and four National League pennants, has represented the Dodgers in the draft every year but one since 2002. He was scheduled to be accompanied by Wills, a seven-time All-Star renown for his skills as a base-stealer.

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LOS ANGELES (AP)—The hits keep coming for Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank
McCourt and they aren’t the kind that is helping the organization.

The latest off-the-field distraction came Tuesday when the family of a San
Francisco Giants fan who was brutally beaten at Dodger Stadium on Opening Day
sued the team and McCourt, claiming security cutbacks were partially to blame
for the attack.

The suit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of Bryan Stow
contends the Dodgers were negligent by not providing more security and not
having adequate lighting in the parking lot where the incident occurred.

Combined, both elements “provided a perfect opportunity to commit a variety
of crimes,” the lawsuits states. “Unfortunately, for Bryan Stow, this is exactly
what happened.”

Stow, 42, remains in critical but stable condition under heavy sedation to
prevent seizures caused by the traumatic brain injury he suffered in the March
31 attack.

Police arrested Giovanni Ramirez, 31, over the weekend but charges have not
yet been filed against him. They have not identified a second attacker and a
woman suspected of driving the pair from the scene.

Ramirez was being detained on a parole hold, and detectives still had not
presented their case to the district attorney’s office. Detective Pjai Morris
said additional investigative work was being carried out, but he was confident
the case would go forward.

Chip Matthews, who is representing members of Ramirez’s family, said Ramirez
never went to the game that day.

Matthews told The Associated Press that Ramirez is willing to take a
polygraph test to show he was not at the stadium and had spent the day at his
aunt’s house with several family members.

In recent weeks McCourt has seen Major League Baseball appoint a monitor to
oversee the Dodgers and his ex-wife ask a judge presiding over their divorce
trial to order the sale of the team. Baseball officials also have said they
don’t believe McCourt has enough money to make payroll at the end of this month.

Attorneys for Stow believe McCourt has mismanaged one of baseball’s most
storied franchises by spending lavishly since buying the team in 2004 and
reducing security during games. Court documents filed in the divorce trial
indicate the McCourts took out more than $100 million in loans from
Dodger-related entities.

Jerome M. Jackson, an attorney for the Dodgers, said in a statement that the
organization had been unwavering in its support for the Stow family and for
police investigators.

“But, to be clear, Mr. McCourt and the Dodgers will defend themselves
against the allegations,” the statement said.

The lawsuit also noted that Dodgers staff was slow to respond to Stow,
taking between 10 and 15 minutes before they arrived to the scene. His attorneys
also claim Dodger Stadium has more crime than any other MLB venue and the
defendants knew the area was unsafe and a haven for known gang members to “meet,
plan and carry out criminal activity.”

The Dodgers “knew that the decrease in security forces at Dodger Stadium,
coupled with the decrease of uniformed officers patrolling the stadium, would
lead to increased attacks and criminal activity on their property,” the lawsuit
said.

Stow, who wore Giants gear to the game, was taunted repeatedly and some
Dodger fans threw peanuts, hot dogs and wrappers at him and his friends,
according to the lawsuit.

Stow also sent a text message to a family member during the game about the
intimidating scene.

Besides beefing up security and improving the parking lot lights, Stow’s
attorneys said several other measures could have been taken to prevent the
attack, including ejection of disorderly fans, refusal to have known criminals
or gang members attend games and the promotion of responsible consumption of
alcohol.

Attorney Thomas Giardi, who represents the Stow family in the lawsuit, told
KNTV that Barry Bonds had donated money for a college fund for Stow’s two young
children.

Associated Press writer Thomas Watkins contributed to this report.

Feel free to leave your comments below.

The family of Bryan Stow, a San Francisco Giants fan who was brutally assaulted in the Dodger Stadium parking lot following the teams’ Opening Day matchup on March 31, filed a civil suit against the Dodgers in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday, according to ESPN.com.

The suit reportedly seeks unspecified damages to cover the economic damages to Stow and his two children, as well Stow’s future medical care.

Attorney Thomas Girardi, who is representing the Stows, said that the family insisted on repaying much of the money that has been raised for the Bryan Stow Fund since the attack.

The Dodgers have increased the security presence at Dodger Stadium in the wake of the incident — which included hiring former Los Angeles police chief Bill Bratton to work on long-term measures — and have paid for the Stow family’s hotel bill in downtown L.A. while Bryan was hospitalized at a nearby medical center for several weeks.

Girardi said that there were steps the Dodgers could have taken to better protect public safety, though, and that the team willfully chose to use their resources in other areas.

“The Dodgers have shown a total disregard for public safety,” Girardi said. “They’ve gotten rid of security people. They’ve had all these incidents at their games, more than other teams. There’s also a known gang presence. What did they think was going to happen?”

According to court records, one of Stow’s alleged attackers, Giovanni Ramirez, has a history of violence and run-ins with law enforcement.

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LOS ANGELES – A Southland business executive and former mayoral candidate was hired by the Los Angeles Dodgers today as vice chairman, with his position including “efforts to improve the fan experience at the stadium.”

Steve Soboroff, a former senior adviser to Mayor Richard Riordan and past chief executive officer of Playa Vista, will report directly to Dodgers owner Frank McCourt.

“Steve understands this city as few others do, and his contributions have made Los Angeles a better place,” McCourt said. “Not only will he infuse great ideas into the Dodger organization, but he will use his trademark ‘get-it- done’ approach to extend the Dodgers’ positive impact on Los Angeles. It starts with a quality fan experience in the stadium, and extends throughout the Southern California community.”

Soboroff will be responsible for implementing recommendations from former LAPD Chief William Bratton’s effort to enhance safety, security and the “overall fan experience at Dodger Stadium,” according to the team. He will also work to bolster the team’s ties to the community and charity groups and expand conservation and “sustainability” programs at the stadium.

Soboroff finished third in the 2001 Los Angeles mayoral primary election, behind Antonio Villaraigosa and eventual general-election winner James Hahn. He is a former president of the city’s Recreation and Parks Commission and is board chairman of the Weingart Foundation and the EXPO Center in Exposition Park.

“The fan

experience starts with a safe, comfortable, family environment and extends from there,” Soboroff said. “That’s the recipe for success in the city’s parks, at Playa Vista and in every neighborhood throughout Los Angeles. It is about having the right plan, and putting that plan into action.”

The Dodgers have been working to make security improvements at the stadium since the opening-day beating of San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow, who remains in a medically induced coma. The team hired Bratton and the Kroll company, of which he is chairman, to review security procedures at the stadium.

Soboroff said he planned to meet with fans at the stadium to get their opinions and take “strong actions in a number of areas. And I’m in a hurry.”

Leave your comments on the news below.

A Los Angeles Police officer stands watch as fans arrive at Dodger Stadium prior to the start of the Dodgers game.

Read more about this story from CNN affiliate KRON.

Los Angeles (CNN) — Thursday’s Los Angeles Dodgers game was a “safe” event police said after security was beefed up in the wake of a March 31 attack in which a San Francisco Giants fan was seriously injured.

“We had a great safe game,” said Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief Jose Perez, after the Dodgers loss “This is the benchmark we will have at future Dodger games.”

And as police talked about their efforts to add security to baseball games, Bryan Stow was still hospitalized from being beaten after a recent Dodgers-Giants game.

Stow, 42, was put in a medically induced coma following the attack. About 100 witnesses saw Stow attacked as he left a stadium parking lot. The two suspected assailants fled after the beating in a light-colored, four-door car driven by a woman with a young boy inside, authorities have said.

Family members said doctors have lowered Stow’s sedation and are hoping he wakes up soon.

“We have received hundreds of tips, but we are far from a solution,” Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck told reporters Thursday. He appealed to those with information to come forward, saying they can do so anonymously. He showed reporters new composite sketches of the suspects. Officials are offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to arrests and convictions.

There was increased police presence inside and outside the stadium Thursday. Officers were tasked with ensuring the no-tailgating rule was enforced and no fans were drinking in surrounding areas before entering the stadium, police said. In addition, increased lighting has been added to the parking lots.

There were at least 38 people cited for various violations including open container and drinking in public, Perez said.

Perez said he had not heard of any reports of violent offenses Thursday.

Dodgers owner Frank McCourt said he hopes officials can go even further and bring about changes in fans’ behavior.

“We sincerely hope that the solutions we put in place here at Dodger Stadium will be used at sports and entertainment venues throughout America,” McCourt said.

Stow is hospitalized at the Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center.

As of Wednesday, “There have been no more seizures for a couple days,” Stow’s sister Erin wrote on a website launched to provide updates on his condition, www.support4bryanstow.com. Doctors have been lowering his sedation, she wrote.

“Once it’s out of his system, he can be examined and hopefully (praying) he responds to commands. Or better yet, wakes up.”

Stow has had no seizures for five days, his cousin, John Stow, told CNN affiliate KRON on Thursday, “which is tremendous. We’re very thankful.” He said it’s not known when Stow will wake up. “Head injuries are unique,” he said. “Every case is different, so we’re just going to be patient … Bryan’s going to do it when he’s ready.”

The family has said they are grateful for the outpouring of support. Since the unprovoked attack, money has poured in from numerous donors and fundraising events to help pay for Stow’s medical costs and support his two young children.

At a dual fundraiser Monday at Dodger Stadium and AT&T Park in San Francisco, more than $120,000 was raised, said American Medical Response spokesman Jason Sorrick. In all, more than $200,000 has been raised for Stow, who works for AMR.

“We couldn’t be more proud of Bryan and the way the community has rallied around him,” John Stow said. Another event was to be held in the San Francisco area Thursday.

CNN’s Stan Wilson contributed to this report.

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LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and L.A. police chief Charlie Beck unveiled new security measures at Dodger Stadium on Thursday, two weeks after the brutal beating of San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow on Opening Day.

Calling it a response to a “crisis in confidence,” Beck deployed a significant and highly visible police presence in and around the stadium before Thursday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Dodgers have agreed to pay for the increased on-duty police mobilization, and it will remain in place for at least this homestand.

“Dodger Stadium has become safer over the last few years, just as all of L.A. has become safer over the last few years,” Beck said. “But fan perception is important. Your perception of crime is at least as important as the reality of crime, because that’s what affects your behavior.

“It isn’t necessarily the reality of crime, and this is in no way downplaying reality of what happened to Brian.

“The reality is that Dodger Stadium is safer. But that is not the perception. So we are going to make the perception match the reality.”

[+] Enlarge

Kevork Djansezian/Getty ImagesDodgers owner Frank McCourt, center, outlines new security measures at Dodger Stadium on Friday with LAPD Chief Charlie Beck, left.

Beck said he will evaluate whether the size of the police presence at Dodgers home games needs to be increased or decreased after the series. LAPD spokesman Lt. Andrew Neiman could not say how large the police force deployed to Thursday’s game was, but called it “significant.”

Beck had to pause during his opening remarks because a police helicopter flew overhead. There was a noticeable presence of officers on motorcycles, horseback and in patrol cars in and around the stadium.

After an initially sluggish, much-maligned response to the incident, McCourt promised the organization will maintain a long-term commitment to security issues that will serve as a model for stadiums across the country.

“One thing that is permanent for sure is the commitment to take what is unarguably a tragic, heartbreaking event and turn it into something very, very positive,” he said.

“The commitment is clear and firm that we are going to move forward and make sure that the legacy of this event are permanent changes to fan behavior at Dodger Stadium and hopefully at stadiums throughout the country.”

McCourt said the incident has negatively affected ticket sales, but he’s confident he can restore fan confidence.

“Certainly this attention, the safety at a stadium — and again it’s a perception thing as chief Beck said — it certainly doesn’t help ticket sales,” he said. “What will help ticket sales is making sure this venue is the safest venue in America.”

Last week, McCourt announced that he had hired former LAPD Chief William Bratton and his private security consulting firm, Kroll & Associates, to study the organization’s current procedures and make recommendations to help improve them.

Most of those recommendations will be implemented over the next few months and years, but Bratton’s most immediate suggestion to increase the lighting in the Dodger Stadium parking lot has already been addressed.

“There’s actually about 43 stanchions that have been added to the existing lighting,” Bratton said.

“The whole idea here is increased vigilance. … What we’re also trying to improve is ability for a fan who feels that they are being abused by the boorish behavior of others, to improve the ability to report that and have it immediately responded to and dealt with effectively.

“Some of the concerns as I’ve been hearing them, is that what was reported was oftentimes not dealt with effectively from the fans’ perspective.”

Beck said that the LAPD has received hundreds of tips during its investigation of the beating, but that the two suspects remain at large. Policed released a new composite sketch of the men on Thursday, which provides more detail on the facial features of one of the suspects.

The reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the two suspects remains at $150,000.

When asked whether the Dodgers would be putting the composite sketch of the two suspects up on the video board at Thursday’s game, McCourt said that he wasn’t sure if that option had been discussed.

“I will talk about it, but I think it needs to be balanced with the fact that people are coming to the ballpark tonight with their families and friends to enjoy themselves too,” he said.

“We want to keep in mind that this is a baseball game that we’re playing here tonight. But if there’s anything that this organization can do, including putting those images up on the big screen, we’re going to do it.”

On Wednesday the Dodgers announced they had eliminated a half-price alcohol promotion at several upcoming home games. However, McCourt was noncommittal Thursday about whether the team would make further changes to its alcohol policy.

“It’s a privilege to be able to come to a ballpark and, if you’re of age, have a beer and a dog,” he said. “It’s really the abuse of that privilege that’s the problem. It’s not serving the beer.”

He said that the team has hired a group of behavioral experts who will be stationed around the ballpark to observe fan behavior and alcohol consumption. Those experts will have a “friendly conversation” with someone who has had too much to drink.

“We’re going to be proactive in that regard, but at the end of the day, the idea of a beer and a dog is something that’s been around at baseball parks for a long time,” he said. “It shouldn’t be abused, and it’s not going to be tolerated here.”

Ramona Shelburne is a reporter and columnist for ESPNLosAngeles.com.

Follow Ramona Shelburne on Twitter: @ramonashelburne

That’s all the news for today.

The San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers stand for a moment of silence for paramedic Bryan Stow, pictured above, who was beaten at Dodger Stadium earlier this month, before their baseball game in San Francisco, Monday, April, 11, 2011. Photo: Eric Risberg / AP

The San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers stand for a moment…

Paul Alfaro, center, a Los Angeles Dodgers fan from San Jose, Calif., reaches for his wallet to make a donation for Bryan Stow, the paramedic who was beaten at Dodger Stadium earlier this month, before the San Francisco Giants’ baseball game against the Dodgers in San Francisco, Monday, April, 11, 2011. Collecting the donation at left is Whitney Hall, an emergency medical technician with Sacramento County. The Giants beefed up security for a three-game series against the Dodgers. Photo: Eric Risberg / AP

Paul Alfaro, center, a Los Angeles Dodgers fan from San Jose,…

Paramedic Lisa Haggerty, left, of San Jose, Calif., collects a donation for Bryan Stow, the paramedic who was beaten outside Dodger Stadium earlier this month, outside AT&T Park before the San Francisco Giants baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in San Francisco, Monday, April, 11, 2011. The San Francisco Giants beefed up security for a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers less than two weeks after a fight at Dodger Stadium left a Giants fan in a medically induced coma. Photo: Eric Risberg / AP

Paramedic Lisa Haggerty, left, of San Jose, Calif., collects a…

San Francisco police officers gather outside AT&T Park before the San Francisco Giants’ baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in San Francisco, Monday, April, 11, 2011. The Giants beefed up security for a three-game series against the Dodgers less than two weeks after a fight at Dodger Stadium left a Giants fan in a medically induced coma. Photo: Eric Risberg / AP

San Francisco police officers gather outside AT&T Park before the…

San Francisco police officers watch over fans arriving at AT&T Park for the San Francisco Giants’ baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in San Francisco, Monday, April, 11, 2011. The Giants beefed up security for a three-game series against the Dodgers less than two weeks after a fight at Dodger Stadium left a Giants fan in a medically induced coma. Photo: Eric Risberg / AP

San Francisco police officers watch over fans arriving at AT&T Park…

Mia Ochoa, 6, drops off cash as a donation for paramedic Giants fan Bryan Stow at Dodger Stadium Monday, April 11, 2011 in Los Angeles. Stow was brutally beaten in the parking lot of Dodgers Stadium following the season opener against the Giants. He remains in critical condition. Photo: Damian Dovarganes / AP

Mia Ochoa, 6, drops off cash as a donation for paramedic Giants fan…

American Medical Response workers collect buckets with cash and checks for a fundraiser for paramedic Giants fan Bryan Stow at Dodger Stadium Monday, April 11, 2011 in Los Angeles. Stow was brutally beaten in the parking lot of Dodgers Stadium following the season opener against the Giants. He remains in critical condition. Photo: Damian Dovarganes / AP

American Medical Response workers collect buckets with cash and…

Dodger fan cyclist Mike Harris drops off a donation for a fundraiser for paramedic Giants fan Bryan Stow at Dodger Stadium Monday, April 11, 2011 in los Angeles. Stow was brutally beaten in the parking lot of Dodgers Stadium following the season opener against the Giants. He remains in critical condition. Photo: Damian Dovarganes / AP

Dodger fan cyclist Mike Harris drops off a donation for a…

Los Angeles Dodgers former coach Tommy Lasorda attends a fundraiser for paramedic Giants fan Bryan Stow at at Dodger Stadium Monday, April 11, 2011 in Los Angeles. Stow was brutally beaten in the parking lot of Dodgers Stadium following the season opener against the Giants. He remains in critical condition. Photo: Damian Dovarganes / AP

Los Angeles Dodgers former coach Tommy Lasorda attends a fundraiser…

That’s all the news for today.

AT&T Park was full. The crowd was in a raucous mood, of course.

It was Giants vs. Dodgers, again. The ancient and occasionally uncivil rivalry.

And then everything got quiet and contemplative, which is what the Giants and Dodgers desperately wanted and the evening needed.

A few minutes before the first pitch, the two teams met in the middle of the field in a moment of diamond diplomacy.

The crowd hushed. Giants reliever Jeremy Affeldt went to the microphone, mentioned the serious beating of Giants fan Bryan Stow after a recent Giants-Dodgers game at Dodger Stadium, and choked back his emotion.

“We play with a ton of competition, but when the last out is made, that rivalry ends on the field,” Affeldt said to the crowd.

“So please respect that, and in your excitement and in your frustration don’t take it out on another fan if you don’t agree with who they cheer for.”

There was a roar. Thousands of heads nodded. It got quiet again.

Then Dodgers infielder Jamey Carroll stepped forward — to a few (hopefully) joking boos — and spoke for his team.

“There’s nothing better than rivalry in sports,” Carroll said. “This is one of the best that’s out there “… but there’s no room in this game for hatred and violence.

“It is about respect. It is about civility. This is America’s national pastime and let’s keep it that way.”

More applause. Players from both teams shook each other’s hands.

Prayers and thoughts were offered to Stow, the 42-year-old paramedic from Santa Cruz who is in a medically induced coma.

“Let’s keep this in perspective here,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said before the game. “Things like that shouldn’t happen. “… Even though we’re trying to beat each other (in the game), let’s keep things in order.”

And for a few hours, at least, the mood seemed to hold.

There were, of course, chants and boos and some not-nice things yelled at those in the blue uniforms.

At least one fan — dressed in Giants colors — was escorted out of the left-field bleachers by security.

And the crowd grew increasingly displeased by the game’s events, as the Dodgers built up an early lead against Giants starter Madison Bumgarner.

But through the middle innings, the scattered fans dressed in Dodger blue looked to be watching and cheering comfortably. The Giants fans seemed no more rowdy than normal.

Just baseball, at least that’s how it looked from this vantage point.

This was never going to be a normal game, though. Not when it came less than two weeks after Stow’s beating, and with about 100 fellow paramedics lined at the gates gathering donations for Stow.

This was a game — and a crowd — under the microscope.

“I would want everybody to just get along,” said paramedic Brian Green, who works with Stow in Santa Clara County. “It’s just a game. That’s what we want it to be. A game.

“We don’t want any kind of retaliation. We don’t want any kind of violence. What happened to Bryan was completely unfortunate — wrong place at the wrong time. “… We don’t want anything like that to happen to a Dodger fan tonight.”

The Giants did everything they could to keep the peace, that’s for sure.

Before Affeldt and Carroll spoke, the Giants’ entire squad came out onto the field to present a World Series ring to Juan Uribe, a key part of last year’s team and now a Dodger.

That was originally planned as a private presentation, but it was changed, mostly as a tribute to Uribe, but also partly as a calming gesture.

Uribe himself was buffeted by emotion, given a standing ovation, and then hugged by all his former teammates.

“Hopefully, it’ll send a message that yes, we’re competitive in baseball, but it’s baseball,” Bochy said before the game. “We’ve got to keep our senses here.”

They did what they could. AT&T Park, for the most part, seemed settled. There is no erasing what happened at Dodger Stadium.

But on Monday, the Giants and Dodgers did everything they could to avoid repeating it in San Francisco, and to provide a little grace to this ancient rivalry.

Contact Tim Kawakami at tkawakami@mercurynews.com.

There is the quick update of the day.

Safety and security is always a concern for ballparks when hosting two bitter rivals, and Dodger Stadium will be stressing that strictly on Monday.

Following the beating and hospitalization of Giants fan Bryan Stow inflicted by two Dodgers fans, Los Angeles police will heighten its security in the upcoming series against San Francisco.

“You’re going to see a sea of blue, but it’s not going to be Dodgers blue. It’s going to be LAPD blue,” police Chief Charlie Beck said Thursday, according to sify news. “This is going to be a game-changer.”

To ensure the safety of fans, the police force will be “redoubled” and armed, as Los Angeles police chief William Bratton will carry out a “thorough analysis of their security procedures, and develop long-term solutions to help improve conditions at the stadium.”

“When you go into Dodger Stadium, you’re going to meet a Los Angeles police officer. When you leave Dodger Stadium you’re going to bid farewell to a Los Angeles police officer,” police chief Charlie Beck said according to ESPN.com. “We will be a constant presence.”

“If you come to intimidate, to antagonize either other fans or fans of another team, we’re going to do one of two things,” Beck also added, according to the Los Angeles Times. “You’re going to be thrown out of the stadium or you’re going to get to go to jail.”

Monday’s game between the Dodgers and Giants will be the first meeting since the Stow attack on March 31.

Feel free to leave your comments below.

SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Giants will employ “World Series-level” security measures for Monday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers to help prevent any retaliatory incidents from the Opening Day beating of Giants fan Bryan Stow at Dodger Stadium, according to the team’s senior vice president for stadium operations, Jorge Costa.

Monday’s game is the first between the two teams in San Francisco since the brutal attack on Stow in the Dodger Stadium parking lot on March 31.

Stow has been in a medically-induced coma at a Los Angeles-area hospital since the attack. The two suspects in the beating are still at large.

Earlier in the week, Costa had estimated that the security force for Monday’s game would be “15-25 percent” larger than a typical home game. But after meetings with his staff and San Francisco police on Sunday, he said the size of that force would be even larger, probably 30-40 percent bigger than a typical home game.

“We’ve done our due diligence. We’ve put the resources together. We’ve got the plan. Now it’s just executing it,” Costa said. “We’re hoping it turns out to be a nice event, but realistically we know there will be some element of hubris, testosterone and alcohol that gets involved. That’s the way it is.

“As far as the Giants management is concerned, there isn’t going to be any reason why a Dodger fan or any other opposing fan can’t coexist with Giants fans.”

Asked if he had any message for Giants fans who might want retribution for Stow’s beating, Costa said, “Don’t show up. There’s no room for people like that here. Period.”

On Friday, Dodgers owner Frank McCourt announced that the team would pay for a “redoubled” police force at Dodger Stadium, beginning with the team’s home game against the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday.

McCourt and the Dodgers have come under intense public scrutiny in the wake of the incident for their sluggish public response and the perception that the conditions at Dodger Stadium have deteriorated in recent years.

“I’ve heard the fans and the citizens of this community, they’re uncomfortable with the behavior of some at Dodger Stadium,” McCourt said at a news conference on Friday. “I have one message for the fans and the citizens of Los Angeles: I hear you loudly, and I hear you clearly.”

Earlier in the week, the Dodgers announced they had hired former Los Angeles police chief William Bratton and his security consulting firm to do a thorough analysis of their existing security procedures, and develop long-term solutions to help improve conditions at the stadium, the second-oldest park in the National League.

On Friday, Los Angeles police chief Charlie Beck and mayor Antonio Villaraigosa outlined a “zero tolerance policy” for fan misconduct that will be implemented immediately.

“When you go into Dodger Stadium, you’re going to meet a Los Angeles police officer. When you leave Dodger Stadium you’re going to bid farewell to a Los Angeles police officer,” Beck said. “We will be a constant presence.”

Previously, the Dodgers have been responsible for hiring security for their home games. They have used a combination of private security guards and off-duty police officers who do not wear a uniform and do not carry a gun.

Starting Thursday, those off-duty officers will be in uniform and approved to carry a weapon.

Ramona Shelburne is a columnist and reporter for ESPNLosAngeles.com.

Follow Ramona Shelburne on Twitter: @ramonashelburne

Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news.