Dodgers in Time-Jeremy Dorn MLB Fan Cave Finalist Interview

Our Dodgers in time series profiles various members of the Dodger Blue family. We profile Dodger players, coaches, managers, announcers, stadium workers, concession workers, and fans. Today’s Dodgers in time piece will be profiling a lifelong die-hard Dodgers fan. Today we profile Dodger fan and MLB Fan Cave finalist Jeremy Dorn. Who is Jeremy Dorn? Let’s take a look……

Jeremy Dorn is a fanatical Dodger fan and one of the top 50 finalists for the MLB fan cave. Like us, he was born into blue, coming from a family of all Dodger fans and growing up as a Dodger fanatic. Jeremy is 23-years old, and was born only three months before the Dodgers won the 1988 world series. Jeremy’s love for all things Dodger Blue began as soon as he was born as he grew up in the post Gibson era.

Why am I helping Jeremy? A couple of reasons actually. The first reason is because Jeremy is a Dodger fan, and I love helping out fellow Dodger fans. Especially ones that are as passionate about Dodger Baseball as Jeremy is. Heck he is almost as passionate about the Dodgers as Stacie and I are! Perhaps Jeremy is my brother from another mother?

Also note, another cool thing about Jeremy is that he shares a last name with one of my favorite characters from the film Major League. This is clearly awesome. What makes Jeremy’s story unique is that he is a Dodger fan who was born and raised and resides up in the lion’s den of San Francisco. Jeremy has led a very interesting life while being a lifelong Dodger fan surrounded by the enemy.

While Jeremy’s father was born and raised in Los Angeles, Jeremy has lived the majority of his life up in northern California, technically Walnut Creek which is about 30 miles from San Francisco. Jeremy was…say it with me now….born into blue. Even though he lives in the lion’s den, Jeremy frequently makes road trips down to LA to see Dodger games, and has attended many games at Dodger Stadium. Now that’s a true blue fan. Jeremy graduated from Washington State University with a degree in Journalism and a double major in communication/English. He apparently also finished up a semester at sea. Jeremy got an internship writing for Bleacherreport.com. He has been writing for Jeremy Dorn Bleacherreport.com since August of last year as a featured columnist.

Jeremy is one of the 50 finalists for the 2012 MLB Fan Cave. The MLB Fan Cave is a building in New York in which fans are able to watch every single game from the start of the season to the last game of the World Series. Last season Fan Cave finalists Mike O’Hara and his partner in crime  Ryan Wagner watched all 2,340 games and all of the postseason games as well. Thousands of applicants submit video entries explaining why they should be chosen. MLB picks 50 finalists. This year those 50 finalists will be whittled down to the top 30, with those 30 finalists getting a trip to Spring Training. Throughout the season fans will vote one finalist off until only one is standing at the end of the World Series. Imagine how wonderful it would be for Jeremy if that’s him, AND the Dodgers make it to the World Series?

I spoke with Jeremy and interviewed him about his campaign for the MLB fan cave, his favorite memories from Dodger games past, and his love and passion for Dodger Baseball.

Q:Tell me how you became a Dodger fan, and how old were you when you went to your first Dodger game?

A:I never really “became” a Dodger fan. I think that gene was in my blood from the very second I was born. My Dad has been a lifelong Dodger supporter and he passed on his love and appreciation for the team and baseball as a whole, to me. From my first game at age 5, to watching them today, I’ve been the biggest Dodger fan around. Growing up watching them play, fiercely defending my loyalty against friends who were Giants fans, and playing the game myself just strengthened my feelings toward the Dodgers.

Q: Whats it like living in San Francisco as a Dodger fan? How have the Giants fans treated you up there?

A: It’s more fun than you’d think. The Bay Area will always be home for me. I’ve never lived anywhere else and I love the area. But being such a passionate sports fan in the stomping ground of a rival you hate more than anything in the world is a little bit tough. It was bearable until 2010, when the Giants won it all. But that series and the following couple weeks were pretty rough. For the most part it’s challenging, difficult and incredibly fun to debate, argue and fight with people who hate the Dodgers just as much as I hate the Giants. And it gets exponentially better when both teams are vying for a playoff spot. My friends who are Giants fans like to mess with me about it, especially when the Dodgers are struggling. But all’s fair, considering I do the same thing back when the Giants are down.

Q: Who is your favorite Dodger, or Dodgers of all time?

A: It’s hard to pick one favorite, but I think the way Matt Kemp played last year makes him an obvious choice. I’m still a big Andre Ethier fan, I own a James Loney (always underrated, by the way) jersey and the things Clayton Kershaw has done at the same age I am NOW is absolutely ludicrous. Those core guys are definitely my favorites right now, with Kershaw and Kemp being the main guys. I like and appreciate the more historic guys too, of course. Nobody will ever have a more important member of their history to baseball than the Dodgers do with Jackie Robinson. I started to really like Dee Gordon at the end of 2011 also…the kid has wheels and seems to be a perfect table-setter for the middle of the lineup. Also, growing up, I had to love Raul Mondesi and Mike Piazza in Dodger blue!

Q: Whats your favorite Dodger moment, or Dodger game of all time?

A: This is hard to say, because the Dodgers last won the World Series in 1988, about three months before I was born. Which still bothers me, by the way. The best game I’ve ever been to in person was in the opening series of the 2000 season. I went to the second game of the season, the day after AT&T Park had officially opened. The Giants fans were so pumped to open this fancy new stadium and beat their rivals. Not only did they get swept in that series, but I sat first row down the third base line, and Robb Nen handed me his warm up ball before entering the game (crazy guy – must have thought just because I was little, I liked him or his team…little does he know he handed that ball right to a Dodger fan). The best games I’ve ever watched was Steve Finley‘s walk-off, division-winning grand slam a few years back, and one of the lesser-celebrated (for some crazy reason) incredible accomplishments in baseball history – when the Dodgers went into the bottom of the 9th against the Padres and Jeff Kent, J.D. Drew, Russell Martin and Marlon Anderson hit back-to-back-to-back-to-back solo home runs (the last two off Trevor Hoffman) to tie the game, before Nomar Garciaparra hit a walk-off in the tenth and they won. I’ve watched the replay of those home runs at least 100 times. (Editor’s Note: So have I Jeremy, so Have I)

Q: What do you think of the ownership situation? Which group, would you like to see buy the Dodgers?

A: I think I’m thankful this owner fiasco is finally coming to an end. It stunk of selfish, careless ownership to me. And it essentially ruined any shot we had of competing in 2011. My hate for Frank McCourt diminished a bit when he extended Matt Kemp this off-season, but I’m still frustrated, as is all of Dodger Nation, over what has happened over the last couple years. As for the new ownership, I’m happy with anyone who won’t waste the team away like the McCourts managed to do. I’m a big fan of owners being hands-on and interactive, with deep pockets, much like Mark Cuban. Unless I’m mistaken, he’s not a finalist. So from those left, I love the idea of returning the Dodgers to the control of the O’Malley family, and I could definitely get behind Joe Torre or Magic Johnson, as long as they are willing to spend.

Q: What was the Dodgers best acquisition this winter? where do you think the Dodgers will finish in 2012?

A: The Dodgers made a lot of small, unnecessary and, or baffling acquisitions this winter. I like bringing in Mark Ellis for his glove, though he is VASTLY overpaid at $4+ million per year. I enjoyed watching him in Oakland, but he doesn’t bring much of a bat. I think re-signing Juan Rivera will turn out to be a huge move. He’s going to tear it up hitting in the middle of the order. But you have to go with Matt Kemp, overall. It wasn’t exactly an “acquisition” since he was already under contract, but the guy is an obvious five-tool player. His head’s in the right place now and the results show it. Ten more hits or one more home run last year and he wins the N.L. MVP unanimously (that would have given him the Triple Crown or 40/40, respectively). I think he’s going to be one of the best, if not the best player in the National League for the next six or seven years. And for what players of his caliber have demanded for contracts, I think it’s a straight steal to get Kemp at the price we did. The NL West is such a crap shoot right now, that I think the only team without a legit chance at contending is the Padres. San Francisco will be better with Buster Posey coming back, but I still think the Dodgers’ offense trumps theirs. The Rockies spent some money this off-season, but they still don’t have the pitching to contend in my opinion. Again, I think it will come down to Arizona, L.A. and the Giants. People conveniently forget that the Dodgers came together, got healthy and added Juan Rivera at the end of 2011 and were possibly the best team in the league down the stretch. They almost caught the Giants, and were over .500, a miraculous feat considering how poorly they played to start the season. Losing Kuroda hurts, but if the other pitchers in the rotation can step up, we should be right in the mix all season. Realistically, I’m thinking they barely beat the Giants for 2nd (behind the D’Backs) in 2012. I’m still officially picking them to win the division, and I think they CAN, it’s just a matter of if they WILL. Can’t wait to watch and find out though! Hopefully I’ll be watching from the comforts of a Fan Cave in New York!

Hear Hear Jeremy!

Another important reason to get Jeremy into the Fan Cave, is we need to have someone from the Dodgers and the Dodger family properly represented at the Fan Cave. He bleeds Dodger Blue, he IS one of us. I am calling this campaign the Born into Blue campaign or BIB12′ for short. Lasorda’s Lair wil be campaigning all week for Jeremy. Fans can vote for their favorite finalists from now until February 22nd. As long as you refresh the page, you can vote as many times as you want.

Here is Jeremy’s video, and page where you can vote for him. Vote Jeremy Dorn for the 2012 MLB Fan Cave  Please, please, please, vote for him. Remember you can vote as many times as you want, as long as your refresh your page, so F5 that sucka! Jeremy is also a very nice guy.

Vote for Jeremy Dorn, or you know what will happen if you don’t vote for Jeremy? A bunch of Red Sox and Yankee fans will get in, or even worse, god help us all, Giant fans. We don’t want that to happen, so let’s all vote for Jeremy. I will be adding his link  and twitter to the hub so everyone can vote for him.

Let the campaigning begin! Dorn in 2012! Finally an election I can really get behind. You can find Jeremy’s contact information below. Let’s get Jeremy to New York! Lasorda’s Lair salutes you Jeremy! You are a true blue Dodger in time. Here is Jeremy’s Twitter page- Jeremy Dorn Twitter. Please also check out his Facebook page @ facebook.com/JamCave  Email- jdwc@sbcglobal.net