Blog Kiosk: 8/12/2016 - Dodgers Links - Ping Pong 4 Purpose

Last night Dodger Stadium hosted the 4th Annual "Ping Pong 4 Purpose" charity event in benefit of Kershaw's Challenge.  Dodger players, other celebrities and even fans came out for a good cause and for a friendly tournament of ping pong. 

As you can see, host Clayton Kershaw was seen sporting a fantastically ridiculous outfit for the event.  Unfortunately, you can't see the best part of his ensemble in the photo above.  As you can see in the photo on the right, Kershaw wore the most awesome set of socks... er, leg warmers?

Photo above via @Dodgers on twitter.  You can also go to Kershaw's Challenge on twitter (@KershsChallenge) to check out more pics from last night.  Go here to make a donation to Kershaw's Challenge.  Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodger History:  In 1982 Steve Sax tied the Dodgers rookie record for stolen bases in a season at 40.  He would finish the season with 49 stolen bases.  In 1984 both Don Drysdale and Pee Wee Reese are inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.  In 1996 Ramon Martinez regestered his 100th career victory.  He defeated the Cincinnati Reds, 6-5.
• Happy Birthday, Julio Urias!  He is now 20 years old.
  

Blog Kiosk: 7/20/2016 - Dodgers Links - Verdugo, Utley, Ryu and Kazmir

Scott Kazmir not only battled the Nationals last night, he also struggled against cramps that creeped up on him in the fifth inning.  Fortunately, neither was a match for veteran pitcher.  Per Doug Padilla at ESPN:

“I think I drank everything pretty much under the sun: pickle juice, some mustard,” Kazmir said. “I think I had some of that on my face the next half-inning. But it was a lot of stuff that actually worked, so I was good after that.”

While on the mound Kazmir went seven innings, gave up four hits, one earned run and struck out eight batters.  Per Alex Putterman at MLB.com:

"Kaz has a lot of fight in him, and with what we're going through, guys have got to step up," manager Dave Roberts said. "And today was a great outing by Kaz. Everything was working. He had command of everything."

Photos above via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016.  Go here to check out more pics by Jon from yesterdays game.  Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodger History:  In 1906 Brooklyn pitcher Mal Eason throws a no-hitter against the Cardinals in St. Louis, 2-0.  In 1925 Brooklyn ace Dazzy Vance records 17 strike outs against the Chicago Cubs in a ten inning game.  In 1970 Bill Singer throws a no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies at Dodger Stadium. 
• Happy Birthday, Charles Johnson and Heinie Manush!

Blog Kiosk: 6/9/2016 - Dodgers Links - Scully, Maeda and the Draft

Kenta Maeda was outstanding.  Through the first six innings he was pitching shutout ball.  Maeda had only allowed three hits, walked one and struck out nine Rockies batters.  Then a couple of well-placed hits in the seventh inning drove in the evenings only run.  The Dodgers lost last night, 1-0.  Per Jack Baer and Ken Gurnick at MLB.com: 

"The way Maeda pitched, we have to win that game," said Roberts. "I think our hitters are trying too hard."

I think it's more like the Dodgers offense decided to take a nap.  Doug Padilla at ESPN adds more:

“I think that guys are, again, trying to do too much,” Roberts said. “There are some empty at-bats and some tentativeness to the swings when you get into a good hitter’s count. We’re missing fastballs, whether we’re swinging through them, fouling them off or we’re late on them. We’re putting extra pressure on ourselves.”

The photo above via @Dodgers on twitter.  BTW, today is the first two rounds of the MLB Amateur Draft.  It all begins at 4:00 PM, and the Dodgers have four picks (#20, #32, #36 & #65).  Their bonus pool money is at $9,336,500.  Check out Ken Gurnick's story at MLB.com about the draft and the Dodgers strategy this evening (link here).

"I know everyone judges on the first five picks and they're probably not as strong as people would like," (Billy Gasparino) said. "For us in the middle portion of the first round and on, it's really strong. Player 10 to 50, we feel really good about that group. Better, I think a whole grade higher than last year in depth and talent."

Below are more links to check:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1919 Dodgers starter Rube Marquard breaks his leg running the bases during the game against Cincinnati.  In 1990 Eddie Murray hit a home run from both sides of the plate in the game against the Padres in San Diego.  Having done this for the tenth time in his career, he ties a MLB record with Mickey Mantle.

A Happy Belated Welcome to the Dodgers, Casey Fien!

Casey Fien has been fantastic for the Dodgers since being called up from Oklahoma City a week ago.  He has gotten into three games, and struck out seven of the ten batters he's faced; including Kris Bryant twice.

That's not to say that Fien is the answer to our bullpen prayers.  After all, three innings of work is hardly enough to go on.  Still, you gotta love the results.

Fien has shown us good control on a deceptive fastball that runs in the mid-90's and looks to have a bit of a sink to it.  This causes batters to swing and miss more often than average.  Scoutables.com tells me that his fastballs had 23% of swings miss; while 10% is league average.  His last time out, on Wednesday, he faced four batters and mowed down three of them on swinging strikes.  Hopefully, this trend continues.

In honor of his work thus far and since I had yet to officially welcome him to the team on this blog (save a post from a few weeks ago announcing his initial pickup), I decided to make a couple fantasy Baseball cards of him in Dodger Blue.  For the card on the left I using a photo taken by Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016 and the 1992 Leaf Baseball card design.  For the Fien card on the right I grabbed another photo taken by Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016 and the 1997 Topps Baseball card design.

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Blog Kiosk: 5/30/2016 - Dodgers Links - Bonds on Joc, Ryu and Clayton Kershaw

That's the look of steely determination.

Clayton Kershaw was a workhorse again last night; going 7.2 innings, giving up four hits, striking out ten and walking none.  Per Doug Padilla at ESPN:

"To say it's a luxury (to have him) is an understatement," manager Dave Roberts said of that fifth day, when his ace takes the mound. "I think every time he takes the mound, you're looking at penciling in 10-12 strikeouts, eight innings. The pen is going to get rested. It's something that we don't take for granted around here. We appreciate Clayton."

Unfortunately, the bullpen failed to maintain a win for Kershaw intact.  Nevertheless, he did keep the Dodgers in the game long enough to allow then a chance to win the game.  Adrian Gonzalez drove in the winning run for the Dodgers in the ninth inning.  BTW, we did get a bit of an injury scare to Clayton.  Via Ken Gurnick and Troy Provost-Heron at MLB.com:

Kershaw nearly became the latest Dodgers pitcher injured while batting in the fifth inning. As he grounded out, the bat broke and the barrel struck him on the right side of the neck. He never left the home-plate area while being put out, but was uninjured and continued.

"It just scared me," Kershaw said. "I've never really done that before, it was just shocking. I wanted to make sure I didn't have any stab wounds. It just stunned me."

Both photos above via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016.  Go here to check out more pics bu Jon from yesterdays game.  Below are more links to check:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1946 Boston Braves outfielder Bama Rowell became the first player to hit a Baseball that hit the Bulova clock located above the right field scoreboard at Ebbets Field.  in 1962 Maury Wills becomes the 7th player in history to hit home runs from each side of the plate in a single game.  It was against the Mets.
• Happy Birthday, Manny Ramirez!

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.