Thank You, Kenta Maeda!

I hate to see Kenta go. He was one of my favorites on the team, and I'm truly saddened that he'll be departing Los Angeles. Hopefully, he'll make his way back into Dodger Blue later on in his career.

As you likely know by now, the Dodgers have finally swung for the fences and made a series of huge trades that includes several moving parts. At first, we thought Maeda would yield a prospect reliever named Brusdar Graterol -- who would go to Boston as a part of a three-team trade involving All-Stars Mookie Betts and David Price. Now we learn that the Red Sox will not be a part of this deal. Instead, the Dodgers will keep Graterol, in a newly structured trade that includes another prospect and cash changing hands between the Dodgers and Minnesota Twins.

Blog Kiosk: 2/10/2020 - Dodgers Links & News - So is the Deal Done Now?

After much hand wringing, the trade initially reported last week is in its final stages and it's a bit different than what we were originally told. Sure, it's not exactly the lopsided transaction we heard about, but it's still an extremely good deal for the Dodgers. Not only do we get Betts and Price, but the "live-arm" reliever thought to be going to Boston is actually going to be a Dodger -- Brusdar Graterol. Below is the rundown, via Do-Hyoung Park at MLB.com:

DODGERS-TWINS TRADE
Dodgers get: RHP Brusdar Graterol, OF Luke Raley, 67th pick in 2020 Draft
Twins get: RHP Kenta Maeda, Minor Leaguer, cash 

RED SOX-DODGERS TRADE
Red Sox get: OF Alex Verdugo, SS Jeter Downs, C Connor Wong
Dodgers get: OF Mookie Betts, LHP David Price, cash

On another note, the reported trade between the Dodgers and Angels also fell apart. So for now, Joc Pederson and Ross Stripling are still Dodgers. I don't expect that to remain the case. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1916 veteran catcher Chief Meyers is waived by the Giants, but is claimed by both Brooklyn and the Boston Braves. They settle who gets him with a coin toss. The Dodgers win and Chief Meyers joins Brooklyn. In 1971 the Dodgers trade for pitcher Al Downing from the Brewers for Andy Kosco, Downing would spend seven years in LA -- going 46-37 with an 3.16 ERA, 3.45 FIP, 25 complete games and 12 shutouts. In 2009 the Dodgers signed free agent knuckleballer Charlie Haeger. 
• Happy Birthday, Kit McKenna, Cotton Tierney, Bob Logan, Randy Jackson, Jack Fimple, Hiroki Kuroda, César Izturis, Luis Cruz & Travis d'Arnaud!

Blog Kiosk: 4/27/2018 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

What a fantastic and strange way to get a new glove. Per the descriptor on the reverse of this vintage July 13, 1954 Associated Press photo (eBay Link):

"SOMETHING TO CROW ABOUT AFTER ALL.  Danny Gawronski, 13, is as close to heaven as a Brooklyn boy can be, as Carl Furillo of his beloved Dodgers shows him how to use outfielder's glove, a present from the team, during workout at Ebbets Field today.  It all started last April when Danny was given some Easter chicks which grew up into noisy roosters and complaints from neighbors which took Danny before a magistrate.  Danny offered $3 in pennies, nickels and dimes he had saved toward a new baseball glove in way of a fine.  Magistrate Charles Murphy dismissed complaint and the Dodgers did the rest."

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1929 Dodger reliever Clise Dudley became the first pitcher (and only second player ever) to have hit a home run on the first major league pitch thrown to him. In 1944 Jim Tobin of the Braves no-hits the Brooklyn Dodgers in Boston, 2-0. In 1990 Orel Hershiser undergoes surgery on his pitching shoulder. In 2004 Mets Catcher Mike Piazza ties Carlton Fisk for most career round-trippers by a catcher when he hit home run #351 against Dodgers hurler Hideo Nomo at Dodger Stadium.
• Happy Birthday, Hi Myers, Frank Wurm & Corey Seager!

Blog Kiosk: 6/14/2017 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

This Cody kid is good. Not only did he break a slump that saw him slash .143/.250/.286/.536 during a ten game stretch, but he has done it in glorious fashion. Over the past three games he has slugged five home runs and driven in eight, and last night he wowed his contemporaries by becoming the fastest player in Major League history to have four multi-homer games -- in 45 career games. Per Jordan Bastian at MLB.com:

"[He's] exceeded all of our expectations," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "It's easy to say he's only going to get better, and he keeps getting better." 

Even against a pitcher of Miller's caliber. 

"I think it's more crazy before a game," Bellinger said. "Once you step in the box, it's nothing new."

Pic above via ESPN on twitter. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1991 the Dodgers signed 17-year old amateur free agent pitcher Ismael Valdéz out of Victoria, Mexico. He would eventually play seven seasons in LA during an 12 year career -- accumulating an 61-57 record, an 3.48 ERA, a 3.88 FIP and a WHIP of 1.235 as a Dodger. In 1993 the Dodgers play their very first game in Colorado against the expansion Rockies. Behind the pitching of Pedro Astacio, Los Angeles pounded out 12 hits (including a Jody Reed homer) to win the game, 9-4. In 1995 Dodger hurler Hideo Nomo struck out 16 Pirates to set an Dodgers all-time rookie record for strikeouts. 
• Happy Birthday, Don Newcombe & Greg Brock!

Blog Kiosk: 6/22/2016 - Dodgers Links - Puig, Urias and Yasmani Grandal

In honor of breaking the Dodgers franchise record for career saves the Dodgers and former star closer Eric Gagne came out before the start of yesterdays game to present Kenley Jansen with various mementos celebrating the accomplishment.  Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

"You guys have the greatest closer in Dodger history right here," Gagne said.

As for the evenings game, it was all about the resurgence of Yasmani Grandal.  He hit a thrilling eight inning three-run home run to help extend the Dodgers current winning streak to five games.  They defeated the Nationals, 3-2.  Per Jamal Collier and Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

"It's a grind for Yazzy," said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. "He's doing a great job behind the plate and that's priority No. 1. Offensively, he's been squaring a lot of balls up but maybe right at guys and he's getting frustrated. You know a few days ago he had that big at-bat, the walk-off walk, so to win it again today for us in fine fashion, that was fun."

Hopefully the past few days is a sign that he is ready to get out of his funk.  Via Doug Padilla at ESPN:

"I've been hitting the ball pretty hard the past couple of weeks," Grandal said. "I feel like this whole month I have been hitting the ball well, I just haven't been getting it in the air. This game is about inches or angles.

"When I look up and I hit a ball hard over 100 mph, for me that's what I'm trying to do. So far, I feel like I have been doing a pretty job of that and I look forward to keep doing that. Obviously, hits will start to fall at some point. I was just happy to get the ball in the air and put us ahead."

The photos above via Juan Ocampo & Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016.  Go here to check out more pics by them from yesterdays game.  Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodger History: In 1959 Sandy Koufax struck out 16 Phillies batters to set a new record for strikeouts in a night game. 

Blog Kiosk: 6/17/2016 - Dodgers Links - Urias, White and a Dugout Confrontation

Scott Kazmir was not sharp last night.  He consistently fell behind on the counts and ended up getting pulled after throwing 93 pitches in four innings.  Overall, Kazmir gave up five hits, three earned runs and struck out eight. Watch him talk about his evening here.  Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

"That's on me," (Kazmir) said. "I put my team in a bad hole. Having the bullpen cover five innings, it's never good in a ballgame. Not getting ahead of hitters, I think 20-something foul balls, that'll do it. Could have minimized the damage making some quality pitches with runners in scoring position, but a couple hits and they get those three runs. Short outing, that's disappointing."

Unfortunately, a Dodgers bullpen, that had been one of the best of late, reverted to their old ways.  They gave up five runs to lose the game to the Brewers 8-6.  On a side note, there was a bit of a tussle in the Dodgers dugout during the game.  Justin Tuner confronted Yasmina Grandal for a boneheaded running mistake that almost cost the team the tying run in the sixth inning.  Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

"It was one of those baserunning mistakes, I guess I had a brain [cramp]. I think this is first baserunning mistake I've made in two years here. Obviously, if the score was affected by it, we would have been down. I kind of just [messed] up. It's just the way it happens. Teammates want to make sure you play smart and the right way. I feel if they're getting on you, they care about the fact you should know better. We all make mistakes. It's not the first time I'll make a mistake and not first time weird things happen."

Grandal also said he was not disappointed that emotions got heated in the dugout between teammates.

"I think we need to play with some fire," he said. "If we fight, we fight. It doesn't matter if it's between each other or with the other team. I feel like if we get some fire within the team to get us going, its fine. At times I feel like we're better than the other team and we lay back and relax instead of making it happen."

Via Kyle Glaser/AP at the Miami Herald:

"It was just one of those things where (Turner) thought Yaz should've went back to first and not continued and made that play as close as it was," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "Yaz would tell you, as the ball goes into second base he's gotta stop.

"Obviously with emotions it can get heated, but we cleaned it up."

The Dodgers need a catalyst.  Will this be it?  Can they find that burning fire deep within?  Will they now take on the season with the kind of determination required to win?  They need something to wake them up, and this incident is just the kind of thing to do it.  But they'll need a leader to rally the troops.  Who will do it?

Photo above of Scott Kazmir via SportsNet LA on twitter.  Below are more links to check:

• This Day in Dodgers History:  In 1885 Dodgers shortstop Germany Smith committed a Major League record 7 errors on the field. In 1983 Dodgers starting pitcher Bob Welch hit his first Major League home run.  It would be the deciding run in the game.  The Dodgers defeated the Reds 1-0.

Take a Look at the Dodgers Picks at 4 thru 10 - Welcome to the Blue!

On the second day of the 2016 Draft the Dodgers selected eight players between rounds three to ten.  Below is a short synopsis on the players taken from rounds four to ten.  You can check out my report on 3rd Round pick Dustin May here.

It should be noted that two of the players below, to go along with the Dodgers #1 pick Gavin Lux, are shortstops.  This is not to say that the Dodgers are looking to replace the current officeholder at the position, Corey Seager.  Instead, drafting is all about getting the best athletes possible.  Per Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider:

“The theory is that looking throughout the history of the draft and how athletes develop and age, when they’re athletic enough to play shortstop, it’s a pretty good recipe — as they age and get older and their skills develop and their bodies go forward or backwards — they can usually play other positions,” Gasparino said. “So many players today who are left fielders or right fielders, third basemen, second basemen, started out as shortstops. If you can start there, it’s a lot easier to transition to other places on the field, and gives you more avenues of versatility that way.”

In other words, this isn’t the NBA. With development such a long, protracted process in baseball — and almost no such thing as a quick fix — the overwhelming tendency is to take the player with the greatest potential, regardless of what the current Major League roster looks like. If the worst-case scenario is the Dodgers have multiple quality shortstops, they’ll live with that.

In Jon's story he also shares some quotes from Billy Gasparino about the eight players taken today, and I've included them in the below writeups.

4th Round Pick

D.J. Peters

DJ Peters is a 6' 5" tall outfielder who played this past season at Western Nevada Community College.  Peters, a 20-year-old outfielder from Glendora, CA, set records for Western Nevada College in batting average (.419) and home runs (16) this season.   The Region 18 Player of the Year posted a .419/.510/.734 slashline and became the first Wildcat to hit above .400 in a season.  You can follow him on twitter here: @8Peters.  Per Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider:

“He’s just an uber-talented outfielder with tons of tools and upside, and big power. He came to our workout at Dodger Stadium and was launching balls into the stands and throwing well and running well, just really a physical freak in some ways.”

Below are more stories and reports worth checking out: