Blog Kiosk: 4/29/2020 - Dodgers Links & News - Some Odds and Ends

This is the best photo I've seen all year, via former Dodger GM Fred Claire on twitter. From L-R: Ron Roenicke, Mike Scioscia, Vin Scully, Fred Claire and Mickey Hatcher.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 2005 closer Eric Gagne is suspended for two games and fined -- even though he was on the disabled list. He had been ejected on April 6th for heckling home plate umpire Bill Hohn. Per league rules, any player on the DL may not take part in any activity during the game. In 2011 Casey Blake is placed on the DL with a staph infection in his left elbow. He would have surgery and be out of commission for a month.
• Happy Birthday, Pat Deisel & Ron Washington! 

Blog Kiosk: 4/2/2018 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

ICYMI, the Dodgers received their 2017 National League Pennant rings over the weekend. Above is a look at those rings. Per a Dodger press release:

“We’re proud to present our players, coaches and members of the Dodger organization with these one-of-a-kind rings as we celebrate our 2017 National League championship season,” said Lon Rosen, Dodger Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer. 

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1972 47-year old Dodger great Gil Hodges dies of an heart attack. In 2008 Dodgers coach Larry Bowa is ejected from the game for not staying within the boundaries of the coaching box. He is given a three-game suspension for "inappropriate and aggressive conduct," in which he had to be restrained by manager Joe Torre and bench coach Bob Schaefer. As background, Mike Coolbaugh, first base coach for the Double-A Tulsa Drillers, was killed the year prior from a batted ball that struck him in the temple while coaching. You can watch the ejection here.
• Happy Birthday, Hughie "Ee-Yah" Jennings, Don Sutton, Reggie Smith & Mike Kekich!

Blog Kiosk: 3/1/2017 - Dodgers Links - Some Spring Odds and Ends

Wonderkid Julio Urias made his first spring start yesterday; throwing 14-pitches in one inning of work, giving up two singles, allowing one run and recording two strike outs.  He then went in the bullpen to throw another inning.  Per Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

"My goal this year is to better what I have," said Urias. "Last year at midseason, I worked with [pitching coach Rick] Honeycutt on the curveball and slider. I threw one curve today, threw one slider for the strikeout, and overall felt well."

He is slowly working to prepare himself for a full season slog.  As you know, the Dodgers are likely to control his workload and limit the number of innings he throws -- as they should.  He has never thrown more than 122 innings during any one season, so there is a legitimate worry about hurting his arm.  I suspect they'll try to stretch him out this year to no more than 180 innings (and that might be too high).

Photo at the very top via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2017.  Go here to check out even more pics by Jon from yesterday.  Below are more links to check out:

• Of Note: This is not Dodger news, but I thought it was important enough to share.  In 1947 the Cleveland Indians, in anticipation of signing a black ballplayer, set up their spring camp in Phoenix.  The Giants do the same.  They chose Arizona because of its relatively tolerant racial climate. They would sign Larry Doby later in the year.
• Happy Birthday, Tim Thompson, Bert Hamric, Omar Daal & Blake Hawksworth!
  

Blog Kiosk: 9/27/2016 - Dodgers Links - AGon Won his Bet and More Vin Scully

I just love this photo of our rookie shortstop and MVP candidate Corey Seager taking batting practice within the bowels of Dodger Stadium. 

"It's Time For October Baseball," indeed.

The photo was shared yesterday afternoon by NikeLA on twitter.  Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1951 future baketball Hall of Famer Bill Sharman was a prospect for the Dodgers.  On this day he was thrown out of the game, along with 14 other teammates, for "bench-jockeying" after a close play at home.  He would never get a chance to play a Major League game, and thus became the only player to be ejected from a game without ever appearing in one.  In 1961 Sandy Koufax struck out seven Phillies batters to pass Christy Mathewson's National League record for strike outs at 269.  Mathewson struck out 267 batters in 1903.  In 1993 Mike Piazza broke the Los Angeles Dodgers record for home runs at 34.  In 2000 the Team USA Baseball team, skippered by Tommy Lasorda, beat the overwhelming favorites Cubans ballclub to win the gold medal in the Olympics.
• Happy Birthday, Vicente Padilla and Jon Garland!

Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Pitchers & Catchers 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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(Kasten and Roberts, pic via Jon SooHoo on twitter)

WIND UP WEDNESDAY: Dodger pitchers and catchers held their fifth and final official workout of Spring Training today, with PFPs, bullpen sessions and batting practice as the club prepares to start their first full-squad workout of 2016 tomorrow.

• A couple of special guests arrived at Camelback Ranch-Glendale today, including Dodger President and CEO Stan Kasten and Dodger Executive Vice President and CMO Lon Rosen.

(Jamey Wright clubhouse intro, pic via Jon SooHoo on the Dodgers twitter)

WRIGHT BACK AT YA: Today, the Dodgers announced the signing of free-agent right-handed pitcher Jamey Wright to a minor league contract with an invite to Spring Training and he pitched his first official bullpen of the spring. The 19-year Major League veteran returns to Los Angeles after appearing in 127 games (one start) in two stints with the club in 2012 and 2014. Wright ranks first all-time among right-handed pitchers with 64 career pickoffs, while ranking ninth overall. He transitioned to a full-time role in the bullpen in 2008 and has compiled a 3.96 ERA in 494.1 IP since then, which is the seventh most relief innings in the majors in that span. He has posted a 97-130 career record with a 4.81 ERA in 719 games (248 starts) with Colorado (1996-99, 2004-05), Milwaukee (2000-02), St. Louis (2002), Kansas City (2003, 2009), San Francisco (2006), Texas (2007-08), Cleveland (2010), Seattle (2010-11), Tampa Bay (2013) and Los Angeles (2012, 2014).

• Joining Wright and throwing their third official bullpens of the spring today were Clayton Kershaw, Brett Anderson, J.P. Howell, Kenley Jansen, Joe Blanton, Ian Thomas, Chris Hatcher, Luis Avilan, Yimi Garcia, Carlos Frias, Adam Liberatore, Ross Stripling, Matt West, Zach Lee and Chase De Jong.

(Maddux with Anderson, pic via Jake Seiner on twitter)

BRINGING IN THE ARMS: The Dodgers would like to welcome back four-time National League Cy Young Award winner Greg Maddux and 2003 National League Cy Young Award winner Eric Gagne who were working with the pitchers today during the bullpen sessions. Maddux, who spent two seasons with the Dodgers (2006, 2008) and was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014, was hired on February 2 as the special assistant to Dodgers’ President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman, along with Raul Ibañez. Gagne, who spent eight years with the Dodgers and currently holds the all-time Dodgers’ saves record with 161 saves, will work with pitchers as a special instructor during Spring Training.

GOING TO BAT AGAINST CANCER: Yesterday, Major League Baseball launched the 2016 Honorary Bat Girl Contest, which will recognize one fan per MLB Club who has been affected by breast cancer and has demonstrated a commitment to battling the disease.  Dodger fans, ages 18 and older, can share stories about themselves or loved ones who are “Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer” by visiting HonoraryBatGirl.com for a chance to be recognized on-field by the Dodgers on Monday, May 9 against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium. Entries can be submitted by breast cancer survivors, friends and family, advocates and/or supporters of the cause through April 14 at 1:59 p.m. PT. A panel of guest-judges, including Dodger pitcher Scott Kazmir, will help select the winning submissions based on the following criteria: originality, quality of writing, demonstration of commitment to breast cancer awareness and online fan votes.

(Pic via @Dodgers on twitter)

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Welcome to the Blue, Todd Leitz!

The newest personality to join the Dodger ranks is Todd Leitz.  The onetime KNX 1070 NewsRadio anchor and KABC 790 reporter will now be the Dodgers 2015 Public Address Announcer.

Per a Dodger press release:

“Todd is a terrific broadcaster and a lifelong Dodger fan,” said Lon Rosen, the Dodgers’ Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer.  “He was the perfect choice to be the next Dodger Stadium public address announcer."

“I couldn’t be more thrilled and excited to be part of a world-class organization like the Los Angeles Dodgers,” Leitz said.  “I can’t wait to start working with the crew that does such a great job making the Dodger Stadium experience second to none for the best baseball fans in the world.”

You can follow Todd on twitter here: @TODD_LEITZ.

In celebration of Leitz's arrival to the club I made the above fantasy card for him.  I grabbed a photo he tweeted when he was trying out for the Padres job last year and the 1964 Topps Baseball card design.

BTW, Leitz is no stranger to Dodger Stadium.  He sung the National Anthem in 2013 and God Bless America a couple of years before that.  Watch them below.

Video Link:


Video Link:

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Blog Kiosk: 2/2/2015 - Dodger Links - Rocky Bridges, Joe Wieland and Yasmani Grandal

To conclude the Dodgers Community Caravan last week the Dodgers visited City Hall on Friday and met with a group of combat-injured service members and the Wounded Warriors Project for lunch.  Photo above via Juan Ocampo/LA Dodgers 2015.  Go here to check out more photos from the event.

Below are some more links to check out:

• RIP, Rocky Bridges.  Mark Langill at Dodger Insider passes along the sad news that former Brooklyn Dodger Rocky Bridges has died.  Check out his story about him here.
• ICYMI: The two assailants who attacked Bryan Stow at Dodger Stadium in 2011 have just plead guilty to additional federal gun possession charges, via an AP report at ESPN.  They were already in state prison for attacking Stow and now face time in federal prison.  In other words, they are doing everything possible to make sure they never get released.
• Via Miles Wray at FanGraphs, "Which MLB Teams are Blazing New Trails in Scouting?"  As you would expect, the Dodgers are at the top of the list.
• Via Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider, "A healthy Joe Wieland is eager to move forward with the Dodgers."

“I’m gonna go into camp and just show ‘em what I have, and I’ll let them make the decision,” he said. “I’m 100 percent ready to go, and I’m gonna do all I can to make it a hard decision on them.”

• BTW, the Dodgers new marketing slogan for the 2015 season is "We Love LA."

“Since 1958, the fans of Southern California have had a love affair with the Dodgers, our broadcasters and Dodger Stadium, and the feeling has been mutual,” said Dodgers’ Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Lon Rosen.  “What better way to express our admiration to our fans for their overwhelming support than with this year’s slogan, `We Love LA’” 

• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Gabe Kapler's favorite player: A.J. Ellis."

"That's why he stands out to me. He does a great job providing a platform for his teammates to be heard and appreciated. A.J. checks all of those boxes, and that's why he's my favorite player."

• Via Mark Saxon at ESPNLosAngeles.com, "Yasmani Grandal ready to make his mark with Dodgers."

“No pressure at all,” Grandal said. “I want to keep doing the same thing I was doing in San Diego and try to help this team win. They say they needed a catcher. Hopefully, me and A.J. [Ellis] can take this team to a World Series. I think both teams got what they wanted.” 

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Blog Kiosk: 4/9/2014 - Dodgers Links - AJ Doin' Fine, A Dodger Mascot from your Nightmares and Kershaw Threw Pain Free

Former Dodger Brad Ausmus came into town as the Detroit Tigers rookie manager.  He stands with Don Mattingly, no doubt an inspiration, in the photo baove.  PIc via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014.

• Mike Petriello at Dodgers Digest writes, "Here’s How A.J. Ellis Got Injured."
• Via Timothy Burke at Deadspin, "Vin Scully Even Makes Stories About Crack Pipes Endearing."  Video is included.

So here is your opportunity to hear Vin Scully say, "What do you call it.. a crack pipe? I guess that's what you call it."

• Listen to Steve Garvey on the Petros and Money Show talk about his Dodger bat boy days, here. 
• Via JP Hoornstra at Inside the Dodgers, "Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw throws pain-free from 75 feet."
• Steve Dilbeck at the LA Times writes, "Oh, the pain: Dodgers unveil their non-mascot mascot."  I agree.  That thing is not only horrendous, it's what my nightmares are all about.  The photo below is via Scott Killeen on twitter.

“It’s not a mascot,” said Dodgers executive vice president of marketing Lon Rosen. “It’s a unique performance character.”

See, that’s what’s great about being a marketing wiz, you can just make stuff up. Rosen also called it a “bobblehead character,” so you can see he’s really trying hard.

New Dodger mascot? pic.twitter.com/Z2oxi2mBfe
— Scott Killeen  (@scottkilleen) April 5, 2014

• AJ Ellis is sittin' pretty at home after his surgery yesterday; as evidenced by the below photo tweeted by his wife.  By all accounts it was a successful surgery.  It'll be 4 to 6 weeks before he is back.

Surgery went great and this little nurse is helping @AJEllis17 eat his crackers;) pic.twitter.com/YsCzUwj45b
— Cindy Ellis (@Cindyluellis) April 8, 2014

• Via Tim Marchman at Deadspin, "Yasiel Puig Isn't Perfect, But He's Everything Great About Baseball."

These are baseball problems, though. They aren't the makings of a morality play. Puig's flaws, insofar as they're wired in, are basically like an inability to hit backdoor sliders or field hard grounders to the right, and much less serious because they just don't count for all that much. It takes a particular kind of joylessness to fixate on them above everything else about him, because whatever the abstract idea of Puig is, the actual player is special.

• David's Autograph Signing writes about getting Raul Mondesi's autograph at Viva Los Dodgers on Sunday.
• Via Earl Bloom at MLB.com, "Billingsley OK; scary pop was only scar tissue."

"It was just scar tissue breaking, like cracking your neck," he said. "It didn't hurt when it happened, it didn't hurt after it. It didn't feel like pain I had in previous injuries."

• Bob Lemke makes a phenomenal 1953 Bowman card of Jackie Robinson.  Check it out here.

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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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Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Position Players Report, Pitchers & Catchers 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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(No, you!  Yasiel Puig and Adrian Gonzalez, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014)

JUST A DAY AWAY: Today marked the report date for position players and was the fifth day of workouts for pitchers and catchers at Camelback Ranch – Glendale. The first full-squad workout of the 2014 season is scheduled for tomorrow.

WELCOME TO THE RANCH: In advance of tomorrow’s full-squad team meeting, Dodger President and CEO Stan Kasten arrived at Camelback Ranch – Glendale today, along with Special Advisor to the Chairman Tommy Lasorda and Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Lon Rosen. In addition to a number of Dodger personnel, SportsNet LA’s Alanna Rizzo, Vice President of Production Larry Meyers and Senior Producer Pat Becher arrived on site this afternoon.

(Lon Rosen at Tommy Lasorda, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014)

ALL DODGERS, ALL THE TIME: We’re just 12 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.

(pic tweeted by Alanna Rizzo)

NRI SPOTLIGHT: Outfielder Joc Pederson begins his first big league camp tomorrow (officially) as the Dodgers’ No. 1 prospect, according to Baseball America. The 21-year-old has posted solid numbers in four minor league seasons since being selected in the 11th round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, compiling a .301 career batting average with a .394 on-base percentage, 51 home runs and 193 RBI in 320 games between five levels of the Dodgers’ system. Last season, Pederson was honored as a 2013 Double-A Southern League Mid-season and Postseason All-Star and also selected to the MLB All-Star Futures Game, batting .278 with 22 homers and 58 RBI in 123 games for Chattanooga. Pederson, who was also named the Dodgers’ Branch Rickey Minor League Player of the Year in 2012, hails from Palo Alto, CA.

“BLACK JACK” MCDOWELL: It was announced today that Jack McDowell will manage the Rookie-level Ogden Raptors in 2014, his first season in the Dodger organization and as a coach at the professional level. The Southern Californian native and former Stanford All-American was a former three-time All Star and 1993 American League Cy Young Award winner who pitched for the White Sox (1987-94), Yankees (1995), Indians (1996-97) and Angels (1998-99) in his 12-year Major League career. McDowell posted a career 127-87 record with a 3.85 ERA in 277 appearances (275 starts) and in 1993 with the White Sox, the year in which he won the Cy Young award, McDowell posted a 22-10 record with 10 complete games and four shutouts. From 1987-1999, he was among ML leaders in wins (127, T-9th), shutouts (13, 6th), innings pitched (1889.0, 9th), strikeouts (1311, 10th), ERA (3.85, 7th), and opponent’s batting average (.257, 11th).

INTERNATIONAL SIGNING: Today the Dodgers signed 18-year-old international outfield prospect Carlos Mosquera from Panama City, Panama (signing scout: Luis Molina).

(Don Mattingly, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers)

SPRING CLEANING: The circular displays honoring the 10 retired numbers in Dodger history are being moved from the outfield pavilion overhangs to the left field club level balcony, in a placement opposite the World Series banners on the right field side of the club level. In addition, the palm trees known as the Three Sisters, which were temporarily moved to protect them during the stadium improvements beyond the bullpen, will be moved back in next week, according to Senior Vice President of Planning and Development Janet Marie Smith.

(Here's a rendering of the retired numbers placement, via Dodger Insider)

AMATEUR HOUR: College baseball takes center stage at Camelback Ranch-Glendale this weekend when Seth Rosin’s Minnesota Golden Gophers face Dodger General Manager Ned Colletti’s alma mater, the Northern Illinois Huskies, in a three-game series to open their 2014 seasons. The Gophers and Huskies will meet in the Camelback Ranch main stadium at 1:00 p.m. tomorrow-Sunday, February 14-16. Admission is free and food and beverages will be available for purchase during workouts and the college games.

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