Players arrived at the cozy confines of Dodgertown on December 27th in time for an afternoon workout, which was designed to familiarize them with their team, the complex and the staff’s expectations.  Dinner was followed by evening rotations that included weight training, agility drills, core training and offensive work in the cages.  Players also attended an introductory meeting where the Baseball Factory’s Player Development & Life Skills Director Dan Mooney, spoke about the college recruiting process.  Charlie Strasser, a former athletic trainer for the Los Angeles Dodgers, also spoke to the players on the importance of arm care. Team meetings for each of the 16 teams concluded day one of the Dodgertown Christmas Camp & Tournament.

 

For half of the teams at camp, day two began with games.  The remaining players rotated through instructional stations.  Aside from a quick break for lunch, players spent the rest of the day on the diamond.  Instruction in position specific defense, hitting, pitching, baserunning, team fundamentals, situational baseball and more, combined with speed training from professional strength and conditioning coaches Todd Gates and Jon Rockfeld, made for a full day at Dodgertown.  After another terrific dinner, eight of the sixteen teams went through the evening training rotations.  The other eight teams were given the opportunity to hear former Major Leaguer and current Head Baseball Coach at USC-Beaufort, Rick Sofield, give his life skills speech.  Coach Sofield’s message was a great one and well received by all players and parents in attendance.

 

The third day of camp brought tournament games along with useful instruction.  Players followed a similar schedule to the previous day with the addition of new fundamentals in the instructional rotations.  When the final game concluded under the lights at Holman Stadium, the bracket was set for the final day’s games. The semifinal games would match the West Division Champion Sun Devils against the Central Division’s Longhorns, while the South Division Commodores drew the East Division Cavaliers. The evening schedule followed a similar routine as day two, with half of the players moving through rotations and the other half hearing Coach Sofield speak.

 

More great weather marked the fourth and final day of the event. The semifinal games kicked off the morning, resulting in a championship match-up between the Cavaliers and the Longhorns.  The Cavaliers went on to defeat the Longhorns and win the 2008 Baseball Factory Dodgertown Tournament in Holman Stadium.  As the final bracket games were taking place, teams that had been eliminated participated in a consolation game and instructional rotations.  The 2008 Dodgertown Christmas Camp & Tournament concluded with a final team meeting and closing ceremonies.  As the final event hosted by Dodgertown came to an end players, parents, coaches and staff said goodbye to the complex that had been home to Dodger legends like Jackie Robinson, Gil Hodges, Sandy Koufax, Roy Campanella, Tommy Lasorda, Steve Garvey, Kirk Gibson and many more.  Congratulations to all of the players on a great four days of baseball and for sending the Dodgertown complex off the right way.

 

For more information on historic Dodgertown and Baseball Factory’s Christmas Camp and Tournament, check out the Dodgertown Experience.