Blog Kiosk: 9/19/2018 - Dodgers Links - Walkoff Magic!

Thrilling!

It makes sense that on the 12th anniversary of the Dodgers' four-consecutive-homer/walkoff game would feature a walk-off victory in extras. Last night the oft-struggling Chris Taylor took out his big-stick and walloped a hanging breaking ball into the left field stands. Per Doug Padilla at MLB.com:

"I knew I got the barrel to it and had a petty good feeling it was going," Taylor said. "But I wanted to make sure. I was running kind of hard." 

Taylor has not been as solid at the plate like last season, but he sure has had his moments. Per Rowan Kavner at Dodger Insider:

“There have been a lot of ups and downs. Kind of been a bit of a grind,” Taylor said of his year. “I think I’m speaking for a lot of guys on our team. This game humbles you very fast. It’s moments like this that you really have to take in and enjoy. But we’ve got another one tomorrow, so you have to have a short memory and enjoy it when it comes along.”

The Dodgers now hold 1.5 game lead over Colorado. Photo above via Juan Ocampo/Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Insider. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 2000 a Dodger fan, in addition to other court-ordered restrictions, pleaded no contest to one misdemeanor count of causing a disturbance at a sporting event, and has been banned from attending home games in Los Angeles for 18 months. The irate patron during a May 30th game threw coffee in the face of a Mets fan who was cheering a grand slam hit by New York's catcher Todd Pratt. In 2014 Clayton Kershaw won his 20th game of the season for the second time in his career. He is the first Dodger pitcher to win 20 game twice since Claude Osteen in 1969 and 1972.
• Happy Birthday, Sadie McMahon, Jack Ryan, Red Barkley, Duke Snider, Joe Ferguson, Scott Baker & Charlie Haeger!

Blog Kiosk: 7/6/2018 - Dodgers Links - First Place, Baby!

Woo Hoo! For the first time this season the Dodgers are in first place.

The trepidation that began at the start of the season is now but a distant memory.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1938 Leo Durocher recorded a "little league" home run that started as an sacrifice bunt in the seventh inning during the All-Star Game played in Cincinnati. Durocher was credited with a bunt single and came around to score on errors by Jimmy Foxx and Joe DiMaggio. In 1979 the Dodgers purchased the contract of pitcher Fernando Valenzuela from Puebla of the Mexican League. In 1980 the Dodgers retired Duke Snider's uniform #4 during that days Old-Timers Day ceremonies at Dodger Stadium. In 2000 Vin Scully is voted the No. 1 sportscaster of the 20th century by members of the American Sportscasters Association. 
• Happy Birthday, Frank Kellert, Willie Randolph & Germán Rivera!

Blog Kiosk: 6/29/2018 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Kershaw looked liked he hadn't missed a beat. He was fantastic during his first start since going on the DL. Per Alden Gonzalez at ESPN:

"I saw 100 percent from him," Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes said of Kershaw. "I didn't see anything hampering or laboring or anything. I thought he was the Kershaw that I know."

Dave Roberts added more, via Rowan Kavner at Dodger Insider:

“Very positive for us going forward,” said manager Dave Roberts. “Clayton was efficient, got up and down five times, felt the fastball had life (at 92–93 mph), good command. Curveball was sharp and the slider was good. I think that it’s only going to get better.”

Photo above of Kershaw via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2018 at Dodger Insider. Clayton went five innings, striking out six and walking none. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1990 Fernando Valenzuela no-hit the Cardinals, 6-0, at Dodger Stadium.  With 119 pitches he struck out seven and walked three.  Also, on this same night, former Dodgers starter Dave Stewart threw a no-hitter against the Blue Jays; thereby marking the first time in modern Baseball history that two no-hitters were thrown on the same day. In 1995 Hideo Nomo struck out thirteen Rockies to give him a then team record of 50 strike outs in four consecutive starts. In 1996 Mike Piazza hit three home runs against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. He became the fifth Dodger to hit three homers in a game. In 2012 the Dodgers signed amateur free agent Yasiel Puig.
• Happy Birthday, Wilbert "Uncle Robbie" Robinson, Farmer Steelman, Bobby Morgan, Rick Honeycutt & Pedro Guerrero!

Blog Kiosk: 5/4/2017 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

What a fantastic conclusion to an immense career. Last night the Dodgers officially retired Vin Scully by placing him - alongside many of his friends - in the Dodgers' Ring of Honor. Per Rowan Kavner at Dodger Insider:

“I see faces,” Scully said Wednesday, hours before joining those 10 Dodger legends as the 11th inductee in that illustrious group. “I hear voices. I see those numbers moving.”

Per Eric Stephen at True Blue LA:

“I’ve spent so many thousands of yesterdays, but you get to an age where you say, ‘Yeah, but how many tomorrows?’ If somebody said to you, ‘You’re going to have 123 tomorrows as of today,’ the first thing you’d say is, ‘Whoa, they’re precious. I want to be with the most precious part of my life.’ That’s how I am. No matter how many tomorrows I have, I’m spending the todays exactly the way I wanted to.”

Photos above via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2017 on twitter. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1919 Brooklynites attend the very first major league game played on a Sunday in Brooklyn due to a new law passed by the NY Legislature called the "Sunday Baseball Bill." The Brooklyn Dodgers defeated the Boston Braves at Ebbets Field, 6-2. In 1966 Willie Mays hits his 512nd career home run off of Dodgers hurler Claude Osteen at Candlestick Park. The homer breaks the NL All-Time home run mark held by Mel Ott. In 1976 it is declared Rick Monday Day in Illinois. The then Cubs outfielder is presented with the flag he saved from an on-field burning attempt at Dodger Stadium. In 2009 the Dodgers win their 11th straight game to start the season -- breaking a NL record. In 2012 the Dodgers signed free agent outfield Bobby Abreu to a one-year $9 million contract.
• Happy Birthday, Sid Gautreaux!
  

Blog Kiosk: 9/4/2016 - Dodgers Links - De Leon, Kershaw, Puig, Bellinger and Josh Reddick

It's great to see Josh Reddick turn on the heat.  Last night he recorded his first three hit game for the Dodgers - knocking out two singles and his first home run in Blue.  Per AJ Cassavell and Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

"Took long enough," Reddick said of his home run. "I finally got it out of the way. Just to contribute, that's something I've wanted to do for a month now. I hope I'll be able to do it the rest of the year."

Reddick is on a little four game hitting streak.  Over that period he has recorded seven hits in thirteen at-bats, but only one extra base hit (yesterdays home run).  During his first 23 games as a Dodger he was slashing a woeful .139/.200/.152/.352, with just eleven hits in 79 at-bats.  Although we certainly have yet to see the best Reddick has to offer you've got to like that he's starting to perform.  Via Rich Hill when speaking about Reddick's evening:

"That was awesome. Get used to seeing it here. It's exciting."

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

• This Day in Dodgers History:  In 1924 the Brooklyn Robins (Dodgers) sweep their fourth consecutive doubleheader on four consecutive days.  I kid you not!  In 1966 the Dodgers become the first team in Major League history to draw two million fans both at home and on the road.  In 1969 Willie Davis' 31 consecutive game hitting streak streak ends at the hands of Padres. 

Blog Kiosk: 8/15/2016 - Dodgers Links - Puig, Ethier, Magic and Kershaw

Check out who made it to the LA Coliseum for the Rams first preseason game in Los Angeles since coming back to California, via a pic tweeted by the NFL.  Clayton Kershaw, following an afternoon win at Dodger Stadium over the Pirates, 8-4, was spotted on the sidelines during the Rams victory over Dallas. 

I wonder who he was rooting for.  Being a Texas native it wouldn't be surprise to find out that he's a Cowboys fan.  On the other hand, he did send the LA Rams players, coaches and personnel 200 bottles of Johnnie Walker Blue Label scotch whisky as a welcome gift to the Southland.

BTW, this past Sunday was Magic Johnson's birthday, so the team presented him with his own cake on the field.  Photo directly above via Jill Weisleder/LA Dodgers 2016.  Go here to check out more pics from yesterdays game from Jill and Jon SooHoo.  Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodger History:  In 1914 Jake Daubert set a NL record with four sacrifices in one game.  In 1926 Babe Herman famously tripled into a double play.  Per a description at Dodgers.com:

With one out and the bases loaded, Herman hit a line drive off the right field wall and Hank DeBerry, the runner on third, scored easily. Dazzy Vance, the runner on second, rounded third, but stopped 30 feet past the bag and started back. Chick Fewster, the runner on first, was coming full steam around second and soon found himself at third with Vance.

Herman, meanwhile, oblivious to what was transpiring at third base, tore around the bases until he also was at third base. Both Fewster and Herman were tagged out, ending the inning.

"Everybody," Herman said years later about the play, "overlooks the fact that the run I knocked in on that play was the winning run."

A Final Roundup of Dodger Draftees from Round 3

I thought I'd finish of my series of blog post on the 2016 Draft by passing along a complete list of Dodgers draftees.  As you know, this past Saturday the Dodgers, as part of day three of the draft, selected 30 more players.  Per a Dodger press release:

On the draft’s third and final day, the Dodgers picked eight players with California ties in University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Lincoln (CA) High School pitcher Dean Kremer (14th round), Golden West College and Fountain Valley (CA) High School graduate Dillon Persinger (17th round), California State University, Long Beach pitcher Chris Mathewson (19th round), University of California, Santa Barbara pitcher James Carter (21st round), University of Southern California and Santa Barbara High School graduate Jeff Paschke (22nd round), Texas Tech University and Yuba City (CA) High School graduate Chandler Eden (25th round), Santa Clara University catcher Stevie Berman (31st round) and Chabot College outfielder Cal Stevenson (36th round).

Berman is the son of former UCLA infielder Gary Berman, who was drafted by the Phillies in the 38th round of the 1986 First-Year Player Draft. Darian Tubbs, the 16th round draft pick and an outfielder from the University of Memphis, is the son of former big league outfielder Greg Tubbs, who played for the Cincinnati Reds in 1993.

Overall, the Dodgers appear to be happy with how the draft went.  Via Cary Osborne at Dodger Insider: