LOS ANGELES -- The Mets had not yet settled into their daily pregame routine on Tuesday when manager Terry Collins shuffled out of the clubhouse, looked up at Dodger Stadium's home television broadcast booth and yelled: "Vinny! I'm coming up to see you!"
Not long after, Collins ascended Dodger Stadium's ancient architecture to pay his respects to Scully, Los Angeles' legendary broadcaster who is retiring this autumn after his 67th season. The two first met when Collins played for various Dodgers affiliates from 1974-84, later bonding after Collins became a big league manager and eventually the Dodgers' field coordinator.
"He's one of the finest human beings on the face of the earth," Collins said. "It's who he is. He treats you like you're something special when he's the one who's special.
"I can't imagine the Dodgers without him. His voice is Dodger baseball for me. He'll be missed."
Even now, at a point in Collins' career when he is best known as a Met, his Dodgers roots run deep. Earlier this week, Collins was touched when Dodgers legend Don Newcombe went out of his way to come to the park and greet him. The least Collins could do was take a few minutes out of his day to pay that favor forward to Scully.
"That's my background with the Los Angeles Dodgers when I was here," Collins said. "Everybody was a family and nobody was above anybody else, and everybody was treated great. So when Vin Scully's happy to see you, when Don Newcomb makes a special trip, even with a bad foot, to come over and say hi, those are great people."