Los Angeles Dodgers 'Bubble-gate' Scandal: Will Baseball Burst The Dodger's Bubble? [VIDEO]

The soap opera that is the Los Angeles Dodgers took a strange twist on Saturday and literally soap was involved. The latest “Bubble-gate” scandal surrounding the team with the best record in the National League, stems from cheap bubble machine that sits in the Dodger’s dugout for all their games. Every time a Dodger player hits a home run, the bubble machine is turned on and players celebrate amidst a bevy of bubbles.

That was until MLB burst the Dodgers bubble last Tuesday. According to sources, MLB executive vice-president and former Dodgers manager, Joe Torre met with Don Mattingly at Dodger Stadium before their game against the Angels on Tuesday and presumably told him that MLB was not happy with the bubble machine.

Later that night, when Juan Uribe hit a three-run home run, the words “Bubble Machine” flashed across the scoreboard as fans celebrated. Only when Uribe got back to the dugout, there were no bubbles and the machine was nowhere to be found.

Torre’s conversation with Mattingly in addition to the lack of bubbles during Uribe’s homerun prompted the rumors that the bubble machine had been banned by the MLB. However, when the teams traveled to Anaheim to continue their freeway series with the Angels, the bubble machine was back and the team danced in bubble bliss after Matt Kemp’s homerun in the second inning.

When asked if Torre told the Dodgers to shut down the bubble machine, the spokesman for the MLB declined to comment, as did many Dodgers front-office personnel when asked the same question. In fact, when Latin Times tried to find the origins of the bubble machine and get players to talk about, most players had little to say.

“It just kind of showed up.” said Dodger’s first baseman Adrian Gonzalez who is rumored to be responsible for bringing the first bubble machine into the dugout.

“We’re just having a good time with it. If it’s not hurting anyone, other than bubble soap getting in someone’s eyes, it shouldn’t be a big deal.” said Dodger’s outfielder Andre Either.

Dodger’s all-star second baseman Dee Gordon is credited with the original idea of the bubble machine as he promised the team he would pay for a foam party if the Dodgers made the World Series. Presumably, as motivation and a reminder of their ultimate goal, the bubble machine arrived. Gordon had this to say about the “Bubble-gate” controversy:

“We don’t disrespect anybody, we just have fun with our team.”

The Dodgers bubble machine and #foamparty, first gained national attention after Clayton Kershaw threw a no-hitter against the Colorado Rockies on July 19^th. During Kershaw’s post-game interview, the team surrounded him and danced as bubbles floated all around them.

When Los Angeles Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly was asked how he felt about the bubbles, he had this to say:

“Does that thing bother me? No, it doesn’t bother me. I’m not involved with the bubble machine.” Donny Baseball said. “It’s above my head. ‘Bubble-gate’ is above my pay grade. There are many powers above me, they say the bubble machine stays, the powers above, then the bubble machine stays.”

If there was any doubt whether the bubble machine would accompany the Dodgers on their current road trip which started Friday in Milwaukee, the @Dodgers twitter account put all rumors to bed: