Top Ten Tommy Moments-8-The Scott Sanderson Game

In this new series, we will be celebrating the life and times of Tommy Lasorda. The man we consider as the most passionate Dodger ever. This series of articles are a tribute to our site namesake, and a celebration of all things Tommy Lasorda, as we declare this week, Tommy Lasorda Appreciation week. From the immortal question, to his rivalry with the nose, to his legendary run as manager, these are our top ten Tommy moments of all time. We honor the man the myth the legend, Tommy Lasorda.

I’ll set-up the particulars for you here. The Dodgers were playing the Expos, and opposing pitcher Scott Sanderson has pitched a really bad game, and won. Now as you know, Tommy’s tirades are the stuff legends are made of. Extremely hilarious legends. Of course Tommy’s tirades were fits of passion. He got angry because he was so passionate, and wanted to win so badly. He loved the Dodgers so much, it’s understandable in my opinion not being happy about losing a game like this. It doesn’t make it any less funny though.

During the post-game press conference Tommy is visibly upset. The Dodgers only helped Sanderson’s cause by squandering scoring opportunity after scoring opportunity. Sanderson is wild, missing the plate the entire game. The Dodgers swung at his pitches anyways, stranding runners on base throughout the game. I had to take out all of the profanity. Here is the transcript of the post game interview below. The Scott Sanderson rant comes in as the number nine Tommy Lasorda moment of all time.

Tommy Lasorda-Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

Lasorda: I ain’t bleeping bleeping you when I say this. That bleeping bleeper, he, he was burning himself right there on the bleeping mound. Bleeping swinging at bleeping balls this bleeping high. He walks – he walked Russell, he don’t come close to the bleeping plate. (laughter from reporters) He walked Sax, he don’t come near the bleeping plate. Two balls and one bleeping strike and the bleeping ball up in his bleeping eyes, and Landreaux swings at the mother bleeping ball. How the bleep can you hit that bleeping guy? Garvey, Garvey needed a bleeping oar to hit the bleeping ball today (more laughter), that’s how bleeping bad he was – their bleeping pitches were. I’ll tell ya, he’d have made a bleeping great bleeping cricket player, hitting the ball on one bleeping bounce. I’ll tell ya, that’s a bleeping crime. We had more bleeping scoring opportunities (yet more laughter) to win that mother bleeping game, and I’ll tell ya that bleepsuckers get away with that bleeping shit, that motherbleeper!

(laughter again – after this point Lasorda is completely enraged and the reporter’s laughter is non-stop)

Reporter 1: That long enough for ya Jim?

Lasorda: I don’t give a bleep I’m bleeping bleep, bleep ’em! Lucky motherbleepers! How the bleep can those bleepsuckers get by with that bleeping bleep? Ah, put that in your bleeping paper, TJ! Every bleeping word I said put it in the mother bleeping paper! I don’t give a bleep, TJ!  (T.J. Simers?)

Reporter 2 (TJ?): How do ya spell…

Lasorda: Put that in that mother bleeping paper you work for! What in the bleep is the name of that paper, TJ?

Reporter 3 (Joe): Tommy, what was your opinion of Kingman….

Lasorda: Get the bleep out of here, Joe!

Reporter3 (Joe): No, no, I’m serious, I have to ask that….

Lasorda: I’m serious too. Get the bleep out of here I don’t want to bleeping talk to ya. Penguin’s right, you are a bleeping spy. Penguin knows ya!

I wasn’t able to pinpoint exactly what year this game was, but I think it was sometime around 1981, or 1982. It took me a good twenty minutes to take out all of the profanity. Missed scoring opportunities have been a familiar site with the Dodgers in recent years. We feel your pain Tommy. That’s what I love most about Tommy. He wasn’t afraid to show how much he cared. That’s called passion. That was classic Tommy down to the last sound bite.