Blog Kiosk: 7/26/2017 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

All I can say about Chris Taylor is that he had remained on the waiver wire in my fantasy Baseball league all year long -- even with his exploits becoming harder to ignore. After all, his production is practically impossible to believe. Nevertheless, I had a hole and I figured he could filled it. So, I picked him up and suddenly my team is on a roll -- just like the Dodgers. Per Rhett Bollinger and Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

"He's an exciting player, he does a lot of things that help a championship team," Roberts said of Taylor. "We don't know what this young man's ceiling is. He keeps getting big hits, and he's making great defensive plays to save runs. He's a winning player."

Chris Taylor's two doubles and three RBI's spearheaded a Dodger victory last night -- their 70th of the season. Pic above of Christ Taylor via the Dodgers on fans.mlb.com. Go here to check out pics by Jon SooHoo and Juan Ocampo from yesterdays game. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1950 Dodgers outfielder Jim Russell becomes the first ballplayer in major league history to hit a home run from both sides of the plate in a game in two different games. His record is eventually surpassed by Mickey Mantle in 1956. In 1990 super-utilityman Mike Sharperson become the first player in Dodger history to start every infield position in the same season. In 1991 Montreal starter Mark Gardner no-hit the Dodgers for nine innings, but eventually lost the game in the tenth inning. He allowed two singles and reliever Jeff Fassero gave up the winning hit to lose, 1-0.  Dodger pitchers Orel Hershiser, Kevin Gross and Jay Howell combine for a two hit shutout. In 1995 the Dodgers signed free agent amateur pitcher Eric Gagne out of Seminole State College. In 2008 the Dodgers received third baseman Casey Blake from the Indians for Jon Meloan and Carlos Santana.
• Happy Birthday, John Butler, Sam Leslie, Hoyt Wilhelm, Glenn Mickens, Jody Reed & Brandon Morrow!

Blog Kiosk: 6/13/2017 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Here's a great vintage pic, said to originally be a Sports magazine photo (eBay link), of an old codger having a laugh with a young hurler. Featured in the undated photo are Don Drysdale with Duke Snider.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1973 the famed Dodger infield of Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell and Ron Cey play on the field for the first time. Ten days later they would be inserted into the starting lineup for the first time. In 1998 the very first triple play is executed at Dodger Stadium. It sequence is 1-6-4-5 in the fifth inning -- with men at 1st and 2nd, Darren Dreifort fields a sacrifice bunt attempt, throws to shortstop Jose Vizcaino at 2nd, who then throws to covering second baseman Eric Young at 1st, who then throws to Bobby Bonilla at 3rd to get the final out. See the GIF on right to see the play.
• Happy Birthday, Gene McCann, Bill Bergen & Charlie Malay!
  

Blog Kiosk: 4/18/2017 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

In honor of his debut in a Dodger uniform I made the above two fantasy baseball cards for Michael Gonzalez. As you may know, 17-year old Gonzalez signed a one-day contract with the Dodgers yesterday as part of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. You can find out more about Michael here.

The photos used above via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2017. Go here to check out more pics by Jon from yesterday game. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1925 Charles Ebbets, the Dodgers owner and president, dies of an heart attack on the morning of his teams home opener at Ebbets Field. In 1939 Red Barber announces the first ever regular season Dodger game to be broadcast in Brooklyn. In 1946 Jackie Robinson makes his debut as a second baseman for the Montreal Royals. He belts a home runs and three singles. In 1947 Burt Shotten is named the Dodgers manager - replacing Leo Durocher who was suspended by the league ten days prior. In 1950 Vin Scully calls his very first game as a Dodgers broadcaster. In 1952 Willie Mays is knocked unconscious when he runs in to the Ebbets Field outfield wall while making a game saving catch. In 1958 Los Angeles holds a downtown parade for the the Dodgers before their first home game at the Coliseum. A National League record 78,672 fans crowd the stadium to watch their new team defeat the soon-to-be-hated Giants, 6-5. In 1964 Sandy Koufax throws his second career Immaculate Inning - three strike outs on nine pitches during one inning. In 1966 Maury Wills becomes the first batter to get a hit on artificial grass - a single off of Robin Roberts at the Astrodome. In 2008 the Dodgers announce that Joe Beimel had been selected by fans to get a bobblehead.
• Happy Birthday, Hughie Hearne, Tommy McMillan, Nick Polly, Bobby Castillo, Jim Eisenreich & Brady Clark!
  

Blog Kiosk: 12/16/2016 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

(AGon in Dubai, via his twitter)

Once again, the Dodgers prove that they are willing and able to spread the gospel of Baseball to far off places.  This weekend, both Adrian Gonzalez and Dave Roberts are in Dubai visiting the Dubai Little League.  They will inaugurate the Emirates Airline Dubai Little League Park, hold a players clinic, sign autographs and watch a friendly match between the Dubai Dodgers and another local club.  Per an Emirates press release:

John Fekete, President of the Dubai Little League commented: “The objective of the Dubai Little League is teach our 500 players the fundamentals of baseball and foster a team environment that gives them the opportunity practice good sportsmanship and we have no better partners than the Los Angeles Dodgers and Emirates Airline to help us achieve these goals. We are thrilled that our youth will have the opportunity to enhance their skills through the mentorship of some of the most respected players in Major League Baseball and we are looking forward to more visits from the Los Angeles Dodgers.”

Photo above via @Dodgers on twitter.  Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History:  In 1990 the Dodgers signed free agent infielder Juan Samuel.  In 2007 the Dodgers signed Japanese free agent pitcher Hiroki Kuroda to a three year/$35.3 million contract.  In 2014 the Dodgers signed free agent pitcher Brandon McCarthy to a four year/$48 million contract.  In 2015 the Dodgers received Micah Johnson, Frankie Montas and Trayce Thompson in exchange for Brandon Dixon, Jose Peraza and Scott Schebler in a three way trade with the Reds and White Sox.
• Happy Birthday, Paul DePodesta, Pete Hotaling & Sammy Strang!

Blog Kiosk: 6/11/2015 - Dodger Links - The Draft, Olivera and Mattingly

Last night's walkoff hero, Howie Kendrick, is seen above signing autographs for fans prior to yesterday's game - photo via Jon Soo Hoo/LA Dodgers 2015. 

With runners at first and second during a tied game in the ninth inning, Kendrick came up to single in Puig to score the winning run.  Via Steve Bourbon and Earl Bloom at MLB.com:

"The pitch ran up and in, but I was just looking for something out over the plate," said Kendrick,

Below are some more links to check out:

• I'm not sure if I'll put up biographies for the Dodger draft picks after the 2nd Round. (likely not)  Maybe I'll share some of the cards available for any of the players, but that's a bit iffy.  You can't imagine the amount of time that takes to do.  Instead, here's a few links worth checking out.  Gurnick's story about Pfeifer is especially interesting.

• Via Dustin Nosler at Dodgers Digest, "Philip Pfeifer, Brendon Davis lead Dodgers’ Day 2 draft."

• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Pfeifer's triumph through adversity impressed Dodgers."

• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Dodgers stick with Vandy to open Day 2."

• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "MLB Draft 2015: Dodgers go catcher heavy on Day 3."

• Jim Callis at MLB.com ranks the Dodgers as having the third best draft of 2015.  Check out his story here.
• Via Jonah Keri at Grantland, "Dodger Dogged: How Don Mattingly Has Shaken Off the Critics and Embraced the Challenge of Managing in L.A."

His Dodgers are in first place in the NL West and poised to mount another playoff run. And he has the front office’s support: “Incredibly favorable from my standpoint, what kind of person he is, what kind of communicator,” says Andrew Friedman, who left the Rays in October to become the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations. “We had a really good back-and-forth and working relationship almost immediately.”

• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Hector Olivera hits first home run in Double-A Tulsa doubleheader sweep."
• Carson Cistulli at FanGraphs shares his recent, "Fringe Five: Baseball’s Most Compelling Fringe Prospects" that includes Dodger catcher Austin Barnes and pitcher Jose De Leon.

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