LOS ANGELES — Every time Pete Alonso walks through the halls of Dodger Stadium, he takes in the history of the 61-year-old ballpark.
It’s a special place, regardless of which team you root for or which team you wear a uniform for. Nestled in the Los Angeles basin, the Hollywood Hills and the San Gabriel Mountains provide a picturesque backdrop, with rolling green hills and palm trees above the outfield stands. The colors of the stands mimic the colors of the beaches out on the west side of town. It’s a little retro in its own way and a little classic. The weather is almost always perfect.
It’s L.A. nostalgia at its best, and no sport does nostalgia quite like baseball.
Alonso, too, feels that nostalgia, thinking of the legends that have come through Chavez Ravine. At 28, he’s too young to remember Sandy Koufax or Fernando Valenzuela, but the lasting impressions players like them have made aren’t lost on the Mets’ first baseman.
“I just think it’s a really cool place to play,” Alonso told the Daily News on Monday night, following the Mets’ 8-6 win over Los Angeles in the first game of a three-game series. “If you look through the history books, there are a lot of amazing players who played here. Not just on the home side, but also ones who have come through these doors.”
Alonso could someday find himself etched in those history books considering how well he hits at Dodger Stadium. A three-hit night Monday raised his career average at Dodger Stadium to .382 (21-for-55). He’s hit three doubles, a triple, seven home runs, scored 12 times and driven in 17 runs in the Southland, as well as owns a .414 OBP and a .855 slugging percentage in 13 games at Dodger Stadium.
“I know, statistically, it’s one of those things that we look at that we’re supposed to not look at, but it’s real,” manager Buck Showalter said. “Pete is pretty good in a lot of ballparks, it doesn’t matter where he is.”
Alonso doesn’t like to pay attention to his numbers in particular parks and for a passionate player, he’s always been good at taking the emotion out of his at-bats. Alonso is also quick to credit the rest of the team for any success, and credited their Monday win to the way they were able to be resilient and stay disciplined. The Mets managed to fight back every time the Dodgers took a lead.
There isn’t anything specific Alonso could point to about the sightlines or the field. All he knows is that he sure likes the way he feels at Dodger Stadium.
“Dodger Stadium is one of those historic parks and you kind of feel certain energy from all of the people who have played here and watched games here,” Alonso said. “This is a very historic park and it’s a cool place to play.”
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