Blog Kiosk: 8/11/2014 - Dodger Links - Kershaw Does it All

Clayton Kershaw was very good during the rubber match against the Brewers on Sunday - not great or phenomenal, but very good.  In eight innings of work he scattered six hits, but seemingly had to work hard to get out of innings.  The first batter in five of his eight innings got on base, so he was constantly working from behind.  Nevertheless, he battled and persevered to allow only one run the entire game. Photo above via @MLB on twitter.

The play of the game came in the bottom of the 5th inning.  With a Brewers threatening to tie the game, Rickie Weeks tried to score on a squeeze bunt play with just one out in the inning.  Batter Jean Segura popped it up between the plate and mound, so Kershaw had to make a diving play to catch the ball.  He ended up doubling-up Weeks for the last out of the inning.  This guy just does everything.  Watch the tremendous play below.

Video Link:

BTW, Kershaw won his 14th game and the Dodgers are now 4.5 games up on the Giants.  Now, here are some more Dodger links to check out.

• ICYMI, Hanley Ramirez was placed on the Disabled List on Sunday with a right oblique strain and Darwin Barney has been recalled from Albuquerque.  Since I was bored I decided to make another Barney fantasy Baseball card.  See it on the right.  This time I used a 1970 Topps Baseball card design.
• BTW, to make room for Kevin Correia on the 40-man roster the Dodgers DFA'd Colt Hynes for assignment.  Hynes is a left-handed relief pitcher who has spent a majority of his career in the Padres minor league system and pitched for them last season.  He then came to the Dodgers in a trade earlier this year.  It is not yet known whose place Correia will take on the 24-man roster, but it is expected that he will start tonight's game.
• Watch Brewers broadcaster Bob Uecker speak to Alanna Rizzo about Yasiel Puig's strength, Zack Greinke's fishing skills and Vin Scully's impact on the game on a SportsNetLA video.
• Via Chad Moriyama at Dodgers Digest, "Visualizing Matt Kemp’s revamped stance."
• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Dodgers want Ethier to be an option at first base."

"I've always liked him over there. His actions are good," Mattingly said. "I want to get him more comfortable. I'd like to have that option. If something happens to Adrian, we've only got Scott Van Slyke. I want to get him to do a few more things. It's not just take a few grounders. He has to get the ball out of a bigger glove, the footwork around the bag and getting used to the speed of ground balls."

• Via Doug Padilla at ESPNLosAngeles.com, "Crawford Little League support pays off."

For the past year, Crawford has lent financial support to the Jackie Robinson West Little League team from the South Side of Chicago, even though Crawford has no ties to the area. When the team advanced to next week's Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa., with a Saturday afternoon victory over Indiana in the Great Lakes Regional final, Crawford was beaming like a proud father. 

• Via Ricky Doyle at NESN, "Manny Ramirez Drawing Rave Reviews For Work With Chicago Cubs Prospects."  Maturing, he must be.

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Blog Kiosk: 4/7/2014 - Dodgers Links - Mondesi Back in LA, Puig's Thumb and a Minor Trade

Raul Mondesi was at Dodger Stadium on Sunday as a part of Viva Los Dodgers.  He was there for a clothes drive and signed autographs for fans.  Pic above via the Dodgers on tumblr.  Check out a bunch of photos from Sunday featuring Mondesi via Jon SooHoo here.

• Dan Le Batard at ESPN The Magazine reminds us why we should continue to be patient with Puig with a piece titled: "Let's cut Yasiel Puig some slack."  He provides some funny examples of 'culture shock' stories from other foreign born players.
• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Dodgers still hope Beckett can make start."

With regards to his ankle: "It's a little sore this morning," Mattingly said. "I think he's frustrated, honestly. He felt his stuff was good, his arm felt good. Right now, nothing's changed [about his chances to start]. The next couple of days will tell us."

• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Dodgers lose first instant replay challenge of season."

The Dodgers issued their first challenge of the year under MLB's new instant replay system, but manager Don Mattingly's challenge was denied in the seventh inning. A.J. Ellis was thrown out at home plate by Hunter Pence for the third out of the inning, a call that was upheld after review.

• Via Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA, "Lost in Quakes hype and hoopla, Lindsey Caughel continues to impress."

“I definitely think that Caughel would be the front-runner [to be the first promoted to Double-A Chattanooga] just because of what he did last year and how he pitched in this league last year,” said Quakes pitching coach and former Dodger pitcher Matt Herges. “I expect him to pitch even better this year. He was a late send-down (to the Advanced Single-A level) in spring training, so I’ve got to believe that he’d probably be the first guy [to be promoted].”

• BTW, per a Dodgers press release, they made a minor trade with the Indians over the weekend.  They acquired left-handed pitcher Colt Hynes from Cleveland in exchange for minor league right-handed pitcher Duke von Schamann.  Hynes was added to the 40-man roster and optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque. To create room on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers designated outfielder Mike Baxter for assignment.  This appears to be a depth trade.  The Dodgers wanted another left-hander in AAA as a backup plan.
• Via Ken Gurnick and Earl Bloom at MLB.com, "Puig out of lineup following X-ray, MRI."

"It was pretty swollen this morning when he came in," manager Don Mattingly said. "We'll see. I don't think we expect it to be anything major."

• Steve Dilbeck at the LA Times tells us that Puig just has a thumb ligament strain.
• RJ at RBI Collecting shares some of his autograph "gets" at Rancho Cucamonga; including Beckett, Pederson and Urias.

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