Blog Kiosk: 3/14/2019 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Happy Birthday, Charlie!

Jackie Robinson, Pee Wee Reese, Billy Cox and Bob Milliken surround skipper Charlie Dressen with enough cake to feed all of Brooklyn. This pic was taken following the clubs doubleheader against the Phillies, dated September 20, 1953.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1932 the Dodgers sent 23-year old future Hall of Famer Ernie Lombardi, the still very effective Babe Herman and Wally Gilbert to the Reds for Joe Stripp, Tony Cuccinello and Clyde Sukeforth. In 2010 the Dodgers crush an All-Star team from the Chinese Professional Baseball League, 11 - 1, at Kaohsiung Stadium to complete their three-game tour in Taiwan.
• Happy Birthday, Bill Holbert, Jud Daley, John Miller, Mike Strahler, Kevin Brown & Jose Nunez!

Blog Kiosk: 11/6/2018 - Dodgers Links - Vote! It's Election Day!

Here's another Spring Training pic from yesteryear, as found on eBay. Dated March 7, 1950 and taken by the legendary Herb Scharfman, we see six Dodgers all vying for an opening at the third base position that upcoming season. Per the description on the reverse:

All Pulling for the Same Job
Vero Beach, FLA... There are plenty of strings attached to the third base job with the Brooklyn Dodgers as these six candidates try the position at the Vero Beach camp of the Bums. Left to right: Bob Morgan, Clarence (Buddy) Hicks, Johnny Jorgenson, Billy Cox, Everett (Rocky) Bridges and Eddie Miksis.

As you may know, rookie Bobby Morgan was the Opening Day starter, but eventually lost the starting job to Billy Cox by mid-season. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1974 Dodgers hurler Dr. Mike Marshall becomes the first reliever to win a Cy Young award. He had set a MLB record for appearances at 106 and innings pitched for a reliever at 208.1. That's right, a reliever threw over 200 innings and got into over 65% of all Dodger games that season. In 1996 Dodger outfielder Todd Hollandsworth is named the winner of the Rookie of the Year award. He is the fifth consecutive Dodger to win this award and the 16th overall in franchise history. In 2006 Dodger fan Charles Littleton, a 22-year old Saginaw Valley State University student, is TASERed by Saginaw (MI) police when he refuses to remove his Dodger cap during a City Council meeting. He is there to receive extra credit for a sociology class. See a news report here. In 2014 the Dodgers officially hire Zaidi Farhan to be their new General Manager. He takes over a  position previously held by Ned Colletti. 
• Happy Birthday, Bob Darnell, John Candelaria & Chad Curtis!

Blog Kiosk: 3/22/2018 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Considering the Dodgers current predicament I thought today would be a perfect time the point out the above March 7, 1949 Spring Training AP press photo I ran into on eBay (link here). Featured are a group of young farmhands working on learning the intricacies of playing third base. Via the descriptor on the reverse:

"HOW TO BAG A THIRD BASE POSITION.  Coach Milton Stock, Ed Stanky's Father-In-Law, who once played third base himself, teaches Brooklyn Dodgers third base candidates the fine points of covering the bag during a session at Vero Beach, Fla. left to right are: Johnny Jorgensen, Eddie Miskis, Buddy Hicks, Don Ramazotti, Billy Cox and Bob Morgan."

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1962 a former Giant who still remains anonymous revealed that the Giants had help during the 1951 playoffs against the Dodgers (this is the series where Bobby Thompson hit that infamous homer). They had a sign-stealing clubhouse spy at their home field for three months of the season. In 1993 Indians pitchers Steven Olin, Bob Ojeda and Tim Crews (a former Dodger) are in a boating accident at Little Lake Nellie in Clermont, Florida that kills both Olin and Crews. Ojeda is seriously injured in the crash.
• Happy Birthday, Bill McClellan, Overton Tremper, Ramon Martinez & Juan Uribe!

Blog Kiosk: 2/5/2015 - Dodger Links - Grandal, Peralta and Barnes

Sometimes it's best to just get out of the way.

As evidenced in the vintage 1950 AP press photo above, Dodger third baseman Billy Cox came charging hard for a pop fly down the line, but stumbled to the ground when it became obvious he wouldn't get there in time.  Fortunately, the sure-handed Pee Wee Reese was there to make the grab and record the out against Andy Seminick of the Phillies.  Photo found on eBay.  Check out the auction here.

Below are some more links to check out:

• Via Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA, "Yasmani Grandal – ‘I’m very thankful to be a Dodger.’"
• Via J.P. Hoornstra at Inside the Dodgers, "Dodgers pitcher Joel Peralta had a customs nightmare at Miami International Airport."  The reason Peralta did not attend FanFest because he was detained for six hours by a Miami customs official due to having a wrong visa.
• Via Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider, "The Dodgers’ first true catcher-second baseman could be Austin Barnes."

“I think it’s your hands working,” he said. “It’s mostly your hands. Obviously, the throwing’s a little different. The footwork, you have to get used to. I think one of the biggest challenges of transferring from infield to catcher is blocking the balls, but receiving is something that I think works together with infield and catching.

“I prepare for both. I don’t ever throw one out the window. I think it’s good to have those doors open.”

• Via Steve Dilbeck at the LA Times, "Dodgers' pursuit of Cuban phenom Yoan Moncada will be telling."

The Moncada pursuit will be telling. If the Dodgers are still willing to spend big to revamp their system and set themselves up for the future, they have to go hard for him. But if they truly believe the major overhaul is done and they can back off the big-money purchases that helped bring fan belief back to a battered franchise, then they’ll take a pass.

• Then Jesse Sanchez at MLB.com interviews "Moncada: 'My goal is to sign with a team soon'"

"My goal is to sign with a team soon, start training with them, and make it to the Major Leagues as fast as I can with whichever team that might be," Moncada said in Spanish to MLB.com in his first interview since arriving in the United States in late November. "I know I'm going to do the best I can for as long as I can in this sport."

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