Blog Kiosk: 8/5/2014 - Dodger Links - Awards for Kemp & Kershaw, and a Graphic of the Most Hated MLB Teams

The only highlight from last nights game was Carlos Frias' Major League debut in relief of Zack Greinke in the 8th inning.  He was spectacular.  After allowing a hit to Albert Pujols, Frias proceeded to get the next 6 Angel batters out.  I don't know if he's going to be a solution to our problems in the bullpen, but I like what I've seen so far.  Photo above via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014.  Go here to see more photos from Jon from yesterday's game.

• ICYMI: Matt Kemp has been named the National League Player of the Week for the period ending August 3rd.  Congrats, Matt!  Via a Dodgers press release:

(graphic via @Dodgers on twitter)

In six games last week, Kemp was tied for the Major League lead with five home runs and nine RBI while pacing the N.L. with a 1.091 slugging percentage and ranking second in the League with 24 total bases. The 29-year-old hit .409 (9-for-22), which was the N.L.’s fourth-highest mark last week, and he compiled a .458 on-base percentage, which was good for sixth. Kemp added a stolen base and six runs scored as his division-leading Dodgers won four of six contests.

• Also, Clayton Kershaw was his 2nd-in-a-row National League Pitcher of the Month for July 2014.  Via a press release:

(graphic via @Dodgers on twitter)

In five outings last month, Kershaw was 4-0 with a N.L.-best 1.07 ERA, allowing just five earned runs in a League-high 42.0 innings of work. The southpaw tossed a Major League-high three complete games last month and tied for first in the N.L. in wins, while posting the second-lowest opponents’ batting average (.165) among qualifying N.L. pitchers. Kershaw fanned 43 during the month, which was good for fourth in the Senior Circuit, while walking only four.

• Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider writes, "An eye-opening look at the Koufax-Drysdale holdout."  Awesome.  He shares Dodger GM Buzzie Bavasi's thought about the situation.
• Via Pedro Moura at the OC Register, "Dodgers' Kemp takes stance against power outage."

Dodgers assistant hitting coach John Valentin revealed that Kemp has changed the way he stands at the plate, and video evidence confirms it.

“He actually has straightened his stance,” Valentin said. “It used to be locked. What that created was a difficulty to have the freedom to stay through the baseball. This offers a clear path to hit balls in and away.”

• Eric Avakian at Dodgers Nation has highlights from Ned Colletti's appearance on ESPN LA Now with Mark Willard on Monday.  He speaks about the development of prospect Joc Pederson.
• I saw this graphic on Reddit, via /u/kmhokies35, and figured I needed to share it here.  I kinda got a chuckle out of it.  Hilariously, Australia hates us.  I guess playing some games there earlier this season and kicking some DBack butt did not win us many friends.  Unsurprisingly, much of the western part of the US hates us.  BTW, this was hardly a scientific study - it's just based on a survey of Baseball fans on Reddit.

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Blog Kiosk: 6/9/2014 - Dodger Links - Billingsley's Rehab, Kemp and Our 5th Round Picks Signs

Clayton Kershaw pitched great in a rain-shortened game yesterday afternoon.  He went 5 innings, struck out 9 and gave up just 3 hits.  Pic above via @Dodgers on twitter.

• Via Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA, "Billingsley pleased with rehab start."

“It definitely felt good to get back out there, a little rough, a little hot,” said Billingsley in the Quakes clubhouse after exiting the game. “It felt good to get back out there competing and working on things and working my way back.”

• Via Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA, "Dodger fans divided over Mat Kemp."

Although there are extremes on both sides of the spectrum as to whether or not Kemp is an asset or a detriment to the team, one thing is certain – Kemp still generates tremendous passion among Dodger fans regardless of their position on the 29-year-old Midwest City, OK native.

• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Valentin avoids eye damage after being hit by ball."

Dodgers assistant hitting coach John Valentin was struck on the left eye by a batted ball in the indoor batting cage at Coors Field on Saturday, but never lost consciousness and the club said he suffered no eye damage.

• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Dodgers sign 5th round pick Jared Walker."  He is the first draft pick to sign, so far.
• David's Autograph Signings tells us about an LA Kiss (Indoor Football) bobblehead promotion that starts this coming Saturday.  Check out the 4 bobbles they'll be giving away below.

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Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Full-Squad Workout #5

Throughout Spring Training the Dodgers PR department sends out helpful daily notes from Camelback Ranch, and I am happy to pass them along.  See what they've written below.

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(Hyun-Jin Ryu and Yasiel Puig, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers

GROUNDHOG DAY: Just eight days away from their Cactus League opener against the D-backs at Salt River Fields - Talking Stick, the Dodgers took to the fields at Camelback Ranch – Glendale for the fifth full-squad workout of 2014.

• Another round of live batting practice took place today to close out the day’s workout, as Adrian Gonzalez, Hanley Ramirez, Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp faced off against left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu and right-hander Matt Magill on Field 1. On Field 2, Yasiel Puig, Carl Crawford, Juan Uribe, Chone Figgins and Justin Turner took their cuts against left-handed pitcher Jarret Martin, right-handed pitcher Pedro Baez and right-handed pitcher Carlos Frias.

Hyun-Jin Ryu vs. Adrian Gonzalez: https://t.co/zW6exKfDyv
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) February 18, 2014

A WARM WELCOME: There has been a steady stream of familiar faces to arrive at Camelback Ranch – Glendale in the last few days, including the likes of Sandy Koufax, Orel Hershiser and Tommy Davis. Another Dodger great to arrive in camp today was Eric Karros, whose name is etched atop the LA Dodgers career home run list with 270, 42 ahead of Ron Cey. In Karros’ 14-year career, he was honored with the 1992 NL Rookie of the Year Award and the 1995 Silver Slugger Award for first basemen, the year in which he also finished fifth in the NL MVP voting. Karros will serve as a guest instructor while in camp.

(Koufax, Hershiser and Honeycutt are coaching Stripling, pic via @Dodgers on twitter)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!: Assistant Hitting Coach John Valentin and Coach/Spanish TV Broadcaster Manny Mota both celebrated their birthdays today at Camelback Ranch – Glendale.

• Valentin enters his second season as the assistant hitting coach after serving as a minor league coach in the Dodgers’ organization since 2008, following an 11-year Major League career with Boston (1992-2001) and New York-NL (2002). Valentin posted a career .279 batting average and was honored with the Silver Slugger Award with the Red Sox in 1995.
• Mota enters his 35th season as a coach with the Dodgers and 2014 will mark his 46th year with Los Angeles after a playing career that spanned parts of 13 seasons from 1969-1980 and 1982. During his 20-year-career, Mota hit .304 with San Francisco (1962), Pittsburgh (1963-68), Montreal (1969) and the Dodgers (1969-80, 82) while becoming baseball’s all-time pinch-hit leader with 150, a mark since broken by Lenny Harris and Mark Sweeney.

(Manny Mota, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014)

ALL DODGERS, ALL THE TIME: We’re just seven days away from the launch of SportsNet LA on February 25, the new 24-hour-a-day network of the Dodgers. SNLA will televise all of this year’s Dodger Cactus League games, with the exception of two split-squad games, giving fans more Spring Training coverage than ever before. In addition to airing games during Spring Training, SportsNet LA will also air a nightly show, “Access SportsNet: Dodgers,” at 7:00 p.m. PT.

• SNLA’s programming lineup will include new shows “Backstage: Dodgers,” “Access SportsNet: Dodgers,” “Leadoff LA,” “Dodgers Clubhouse,” “Connected With,” “Talkin’ Blue,” “Dodgermentary,” “Timeless Dodgers” and “Dodgers Squeeze Play” all set to air starting Feb. 25. For more information, please visit www.ineedmydodgers.com.
• Today, SNLA began filming a series of long-form interviews for the “Connected With” program. During the next few days, Orel Hershiser, John Hartung and Alanna Rizzo will sit down for extended interviews with Don Mattingly, Clayton Kershaw, Brian Wilson and Adrian Gonzalez for the network.

(Hershiser interviewing Koufax for SportsNet LA, pic via @alannarizzo on twitter)

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Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Full-Squad Workout #1

Throughout Spring Training the Dodgers PR department sends out helpful daily notes from Camelback Ranch, and I am happy to pass them along.  See what they've written below.

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(Hanley Ramirez, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014)

GO TIME: Today marked the first full-squad workout of the 2014 season and Dodger Manager Don Mattingly, along with President and CEO Stan Kasten, General Manager Ned Colletti, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Lon Rosen, Director of Publicity Joe Jareck and Director of Team Travel Scott Akasaki addressed the team for the first time.

(Dodgers spring clubhouse, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014)

NRI SPOTLIGHT: Veteran infielder Chone Figgins enters his first camp with the Dodgers as a non-roster invitee. Figgins owns a career .277 career batting average with 1,285 hits, 337 stolen bases, 35 home runs and 402 RBI in 11 big league seasons with the Angels (2002-09) and Mariners (2010-12). In his career, the 36-year-old ranks sixth in the Majors with 337 steals since 2002 and stole 30 or more bases in seven consecutive seasons from 2004-10. In the field, Figgins has .969 career fielding percentage, while appearing in games at third base (630 G), outfield (349 G), second base (274 G) and shortstop (27 G). Figgins, a member of the 2002 World Champion Anaheim Angels, hails from Plant City, FL.

WILL YOU BE MY VALENTIN?: Today, Hitting Coach Mark McGwire and Assistant Hitting Coach John Valentin were able to work with position players for the first time this season. Valentin enters his second season as the assistant hitting coach after serving as a minor league coach in the Dodgers’ organization since 2008 following an 11-year Major League career with Boston (1992-2001) and New York-NL (2002). Under the direction of McGwire and Valentin in 2013, the Dodgers offense ranked third in the National League in batting average (.264).

(Running drills, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014)

ALL DODGERS, ALL THE TIME: We’re just 11 days away from the launch of SportsNet LA on February 25, the new 24-hour-a-day network of the Dodgers. SNLA will televise all of this year’s Dodger Cactus League games, with the exception of two split-squad games, giving fans more Spring Training coverage than ever before. In addition to airing games during Spring Training, SportsNet LA will also air a nightly show, “Access SportsNet: Dodgers,” at 7:00 p.m. PT.

• Today, SNLA announced its additional programming with “Access SportsNet: Dodgers,” “Leadoff LA,” “Dodgers Clubhouse,” “Connected With,” “Talkin’ Blue,” “Dodgermentary,” “Timeless Dodgers” and “Dodgers Squeeze Play” all set to air starting Feb. 25. For more information, please visit www.ineedmydodgers.com.

  

  (pic tweeted by @SportsNet LA)

THE SKIPPER: On Sunday, February 16, at USC’s Dedeaux Field, Hall of Fame Manager and Special Advisor to the Chairman Tommy Lasorda will be on hand for an unveiling of a statue of legendary college baseball coach Rod Dedeaux. Lasorda, along with former USC pitcher Randy Johnson, will speak at the event.

AMATEUR HOUR: College baseball took center stage at Camelback Ranch-Glendale today when Seth Rosin’s Minnesota Golden Gophers faced Dodger General Manager Ned Colletti’s alma mater, the Northern Illinois Huskies, in the first game of a three-game series to open their 2014 seasons. The Gophers and Huskies met in the Camelback Ranch main stadium at 1:00 p.m. today and will also play tomorrow and Sunday at 1:00 p.m. Admission is free and food and beverages will be available for purchase during workouts and the college games.

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Here are your 2014 Dodgers Coaching Staff

On the first day of the GM/Owner Meetings in Orlando, Florida the Dodgers announce who will be leading our team for the 2014 Baseball season.  As expected, Mattingly is back and Tim Wallach will be the bench coach.  Also, Lorenzo Bundy goes from being the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes manager to the Dodgers 3rd base coach.  Everyone else returns.  All that's missing, at this point, is an announcement regarding who will be the new trainer.

2014 Dodger Coaching Staff:

Don Mattingly - Manager (fourth season)
Lorenzo Bundy - Third Base coach (first season)
Chuck Crim - Bullpen Coach (second season)
Rick Honeycutt - Pitching Coach (ninth season)
Davey Lopes - First Base Coach (fourth season)
Mark McGwire - Hitting Coach (second season)
Tim Wallach - Bench Coach (first season, fourth on staff)
Ken Howell - Assistant Pitching Coach (second season, seventh on staff)
John Valentin - Assistant Hitting Coach (second season)
Manny Mota - Coach (35th season)
Steve Yeager - Coach (third season)

Below is some background on our newest coaching addition, Lorenzo Bundy, from a Dodgers press release:

Bundy joins the Dodgers' Major League staff after managing Triple-A Albuquerque for the last three seasons. Under Bundy, the Isotopes went 225-206 (.522) and tied a franchise record with 80 wins in 2012, when he was honored as the Pacific Coast League's Manager of the Year. Overall, the 54-year-old has managed 12 seasons in the minors in the Expos (1990-94), Marlins (1997) and Dodger organizations (2007-08, 2010-2013) and the 2014 season will mark Bundy's fourth time serving on a big league coaching staff after working as the Marlins' bench coach (1998), the Rockies' bullpen coach (1999) and the Diamondbacks' first base coach (2009). Bundy played eight professional seasons from 1981-89 with stints in the Texas, Pittsburgh and Montreal organizations in addition to playing in the Mexican League after he was originally selected by Baltimore in the 22nd round of the 1977 draft.

Pic at the very top via Jon SooHoo.LA Dodgers 2013

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Blog Kiosk: 10/23/2013 - Dodgers Links - A Dodger Halloween, the Dodger Coaches and AJ Ellis

Are you still preparing for Halloween?  The Dodgers want to help.  Go here to see some Dodgers themed pumpkin stencils that you can use; including the Vin Scully stencil above.

• Via Mark Saxon at ESPN, "Is there disagreement about handling Yasiel Puig?"

“Leave it to me, it’d be one way, but that’s not necessarily the way the organization wants things to go,” Mattingly said. 

• For some Dodger coaching contract news, check out these various tweets.

Davey Lopes, Rick Honeycutt and Tim Wallach's options were exercised by the #Dodgers. Mark McGwire already under contract.
— Dylan Hernandez (@dylanohernandez) October 22, 2013

Dodgers hope to retain coaches John Valentin, Chuck Crim and Ken Howell, but they didn't have options.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) October 22, 2013

• Tony Jackson at Dodger Scribe has more info on the Dodger coaching situation.
• BTW, as a part of the recent Alexander Guerrero signing, reliever Peter Moylan has been DFA'd, per Zach Links at MLB Trade Rumors.
• Eric Stephen at True Blue LA takes a look at the 2013 Dodger season in thirds.
• "SportsDash: Carl Crawford thinks Cardinals will win World Series," via NBC on Yahoo Sports.
• "The Dodgers' A.J. Ellis breaks down the World Series matchups," via AJ Ellis in the LA Times.

"The best part of winning the World Series is you don't have to experience the devastation of losing." 

• Baseball America names Hyun-Jin Ryu and Yasiel Puig to their 2013 Major League All-Rookie Team.
• Nathan Masters at KCET shares a bunch of turn-of-the-century vintage photographs featuring Los Angeles area street.

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