Monday, May 09, 2016

Welcome to the Blue, Casey Fien!


The Dodgers made a move over the weekend to bolster a relief staff that has been lees than good.  They claimed right-hander Casey Fien off the waiver wire on Saturday from the Minnesota Twins.  Per Cary Osborne at Dodger Insider:
Between 2013 and 2015, Fien had the sixth-best strikeout-to-walk ratio among relievers in the Majors at 5.5. His 3.9 percent walk rate in that span was fifth.

He had a 3.55 ERA/1.09 WHIP in 62 games for the Twins last year. However, the home-run ball hurt him this year with the Twins. He surrendered five in 13 2/3 innings and had a 7.90 ERA/1.76 WHIP in 14 appearances.
Charlie Wilmoth at MLB Trade Rumors writes more about him:
Fien allowed 12 runs and five homers in 13 2/3 innings with the Twins this season. He had been significantly more effective in the previous several seasons, however (even as his strikeout rate has progressively declined), and last year he posted a 3.55 ERA with 5.8 K/9 and an excellent 1.1 BB/9 over 63 1/3 frames. He also hasn’t shown a significant loss of velocity in 2016 as compared to last season. Fien clearly seems able to throw strikes, but that tendency might sometimes get him into trouble, as he’s an extreme fly-ball pitcher.

Blog Kiosk: 5/9/2016 - Dodgers Links - Baez, Puig and Urias


There was nothing but pink all day.  Featured above are Clayton Kershaw and Yasiel Puig in their Dodgers pink Mother's Day uniforms prior to the start of yesterdays game.  Pic above via Puig on twitter.  Unfortunately, one player didn't have his pink bat.  Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:
Howie Kendrick had the go-ahead RBI with his usual bat, but he didn't mean to slight the Mother's Day theme.

"My pink bat got left behind, or I would have used it," he said. "It was in the rack back home, but it missed the plane."
BTW, the Dodgers won the game over the Blue Jays, 4-2.  They rallied, with the game tied at two, in the eight inning off an RBI single by Kendrick.  Then, Kenley Jansen shut the door with his eleventh save of the year.  So far, he is perfect is save opportunities this season.  Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:
"When you're really good, people can take you for granted," Kershaw said. "You expect him to go 1-2-3 and strike out the side. But he's not an unknown. It's just a matter of him being so good. What you want from a closer is someone who wants the ball, and Kenley embraces it. He wants to be out there, and that's huge."
Below are more links to check out:
  • This Day in Dodgers History: In 1947, the infamous photo of Jackie Robinson with Phillies manager Ben Chapman is taken prior to a game in Philadelphia.  As you know, Chapman lead an cavalcade of racial slurs against Jackie when they played in Brooklyn several days before, and the ensuing backlash against his actions caused him to seek amends by taking this photo.
  • Happy Birthday, Aaron Harang!