Kershaw went 2-0 in two starts last week and did not allow a single earned run in a Major League-high 16.0 innings of work. His 0.00 ERA ranked tied for first among Major League starters. His two victories ranked tied for first in the Majors and were tops in the N.L., while his 16 strikeouts were good for third-most in the Senior Circuit.Furthermore, Kershaw walloped a home run on Opening Day to help his own cause.
“You see how loose Matt is right now going through it. That’s how I was,” Crawford said. “I’m like, ‘I’m going to hit.’ I was exactly the same way. He’s not stressing or worried, but if he was in Boston right now, they’d probably be ready to trade him, you know? “
"This is one of the best pitching staffs in the major leagues. You have Kershaw, Greinke, Beckett. You're talking about number ones and number twos," Hernandez said. "They have so many good pitchers I forgot to name a few."
The game would be played at night to avoid sun on the ice. The rink could be in place a week before and a week afterward to stage community events, minor league games or alumni games with Dodger Stadium as a stunning backdrop. The Kings are considering designing a special commemorative uniform that would be worn only for that game.
On last summer’s trade with the Dodgers: “We got a lot of what we wanted. Ben [Cherington] did an excellent job with the pitchers [Allen Webster and Rubby De La Rosa], and holding out for both of them. We would have been happy I think to get one. We were really pleased to get two.”So, are you telling me that we could have gotten away with just trading one of those guys? Son of a ....!
"What I don't think people got about that trade is we wouldn't just throw money away to make the team slightly better. It's gotta make sense," he said.
"I feel like the people we got are people we should be able to count on as a core group of players for a long time. We got a good young first baseman who happens to be about the same age as the guy in right field, and shortstop, and center field."
But I’ll never say anything bad about Vin Scully, especially after what I saw Wednesday. Scully walked over to the Giants clubhouse in the afternoon to congratulate Bruce Bochy and wish him luck in the postseason. Bochy was on the phone and Scully, a legend, waited patiently in a corner as a few coaches came over to shake his hand. He left before getting a chance to talk to Bochy, but made sure to stop by and leave a message with one of the coaches.
“Please congratulate him, and tell him that I wish you guys the best of luck in the postseason,” Scully said.
That’s some serious class.
We might call it "the gentrification of baseball", and we've just seen it happen in New York. Maybe this makes me a radical, but it seems to me that you should build a ballpark big enough to hold the fans who are willing to pay a reasonable price for a ticket. And considering the Dodgers' attendance over the years -- and those 10 sellouts already this season -- it seems that 56,000 is just about right for Dodger Stadium.
As Neyer notes, if you reduce the number of seats you are guaranteeing that the cheap seat will be the ones going away- and I love those cheap seats! They are the most affordable deal in the Southland.
Hawksworth has been on the DL all season after right elbow surgery, and he had his rehab shut down at the beginning of July after feeling pain in the area of his clavicle. The reliever is expected to miss another year.
The Dodgers announced after Wednesday’s game that Hairston will have surgery on his left hip sometime in the next two weeks.
Long-term, de la Rosa is likely still looked at as a starter. If he can stay healthy and limit the walks just a little – and let’s not forget, he’s not even 24 until next March, and still has fewer than 300 professional innings under his belt – he can be a star.
The Los Angeles Dodgers today reinstated right-handed pitcher Rubby De La Rosa from the 60-day disabled list and optioned right-handed pitcher Javy Guerra to Triple-A Albuquerque. Guerra appeared in 44 games for Los Angeles, posting a 2-3 record with eight saves and a 2.66 ERA (13 ER/44.0 IP).Below is a video of Rubby pitching a couple of weeks ago for the Rancho Cucamonga Storm.
De La Rosa, the Dodgers’ 2010 Branch Rickey Minor League Pitcher of the Year, had been on the disabled list since undergoing Tommy John surgery on Aug. 9, 2011. In the minor leagues this season, the 23-year-old posted a 1-0 record and did not allow a run to score over 12.0 innings in stints with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga and the Arizona League Dodgers. In 13 appearances (10 starts) with the Dodgers in 2011, the native of the Dominican Republic was 4-5 with a 3.71 ERA. De La Rosa will wear uniform number 41.
The number of players on the Dodger 40-man roster is now 40.
In a bizarre attempt to avoid a 50-game drug suspension, San Francisco Giants star Melky Cabrera created a fictitious website and a nonexistent product designed to prove he inadvertently took the banned substance that caused a positive test under Major League Baseball’s drug program.
Ethier has always been a streaky hitter so a temporary power outage isn't much of a surprise, but the lack of home runs for this long is a bit troubling for the Dodgers, especially when he has just two home runs in his last 61 games. Last year's power drought — 27 games without one, and just two home runs over his final 45 games — was followed by September knee surgery.
Rachel and Sharon Robinson, Jackie Robinson's widow and daughter, respectively, will be in attendance in Atlanta, where his Dodgers will take on Hank Aaron's Braves.
"We're delighted to support the Civil Rights Game and thrilled the Dodgers are playing the Atlanta Braves," Sharon Robinson said. "The breaking of the color barrier was one of the precursors to the civil rights movement. We're very happy Major League Baseball recognizes the movement. Having the Civil Rights Game allows us to move forward, while acknowledging the changes in baseball and in all of American society."
They had four young pitchers whom they refused to trade for a potential free agent such as right-hander Ryan Dempster. And they ultimately lost Dempster to the Texas Rangers when none of their other offers satisfied the Chicago Cubs.
The four untouchables in the Dempster talks, according to major-league sources, were right-handers Zach Lee, Allen Webster and Rubby De La Rosa, and left-hander Chris Reed.
“I think it’s totally ridiculous,” said Gibson, who is in town as the manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Dodgers face the Diamondbacks Tuesday and Wednesday.
“It’s not my style, to be honest with you," Gibson said. “Yeah, I do have a history here. It was a very cool thing that happened while I was here. I got to experience a world championship with some great teammates.”
Your favorable decision on my appeal alone would ensure that continued benevolent spirit on the part of the American people, which today I feel so much a part of. I most respectfully assure you, Mr. President, that as in the past I would do my utmost in the future to be worthy of the great honour I am seeking through your kind aid, in the sure knowledge that my endeavors on behalf of the great principles of Democracy will at least bear favourable comparison to the activities of many individuals who for so long have been unworthy of the fine privilege of calling themselves Americans.
“I think they want to win,” Lilly said of the Dodgers’ recent addition of infielder Hanley Ramirez and the notion that more help is likely on the way.
“To a degree, you kinda have to spend a little bit of money – or what you do spend, you have to spend as wisely as possible and hope that things turn out the way that you expect. There have been successful clubs out there that don’t spend a lot of money. But, they’re few and far between. So, fortunately, with the new ownership group we do have a little bit of leeway, where we can take some risks and be aggressive.”
"He's not Ozzie Smith at shortstop, but if he gets his glove on the ball, he catches it and throws them out," said manager Don Mattingly. "He's stabilized the position and swung the bat well."
Leaving spring training in Havana in 1947, Leo Durocher had penciled him in as their opening day starter, beating out five other first baseman in the process. Left with little time to glow in the fruits of his hard work, Stevens’ jubilee would quickly turn sour as the day before the season opener, Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey announced that Jackie Robinson, not Stevens would be their opening day first baseman. Not only was Stevens about to witness Robinson break baseball’s color line, he also saw his position wither away right in front of his eyes.
With only two games left in July, he’s hit .328 this month with a .391 slugging percentage. He’s no doubt benefited some from being in a semi-platoon with Juan Rivera at first and he’s no one’s concept of an ideal first baseman, but he has been productive. And he is still excellent defensively.
A big reason for Hanley Ramirez's smooth transition to his new club is the presence of Dodgers coach Manny Mota, whom, Ramirez said, he's known since he was "a little boy."
...
"I told him that what happened in the past is the past, this is a new beginning, and all he has to do is play baseball," Mota said. "He's a complete player. And he doesn't have to carry this team. There is Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp and now three guys together.
"He told me he's proud to be a Dodger, he knows the organization's history with Latin players and he's going to play hard. But I reminded him not to put pressure on himself. Maybe there was too much pressure on him in Miami. He doesn't have to carry this team. He has come to a good city with good fans and a rare organization. Now, just play hard and have fun."
“This is bigger than the World Series,” Lasorda said. “I’ve managed four World Series, and when the Dodgers have won, the Dodger fans were happy, but the Cincinnati fans weren’t, the San Francisco fans weren’t. But with this baseball team, the United States of America is happy.”
"The season-ticket base would be so high where we wouldn't have an ability to sell any more. We have to take care of partial-plan holders, and we want to keep (tickets) for group ticket sales and individual buyers when we go on sale."
Philip Anschutz-controlled AEG Corporation, which owns the Kings and the Kings' home arena Staples Center, and its CEO Tim Leiweke, have started marketing the team by directly calling suitors, a source told the New York Post.
A few years ago, the Kings first put themselves up for sale seeking more than $200 million, but now likely will accept less, the source said.
Lee Lacy
Friday, May 25
"Sweet" Lou Johnson
Tuesday, May 29th
UPDATE: Former WBC Welterweight Champion “Vicious” Victor Ortiz will sign autographs for fans at Viva Los Dodgers from 11:30 a.m. to noon Sunday, May 27th.
Juan Bustabad
Saturday, May 26
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
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| Bustabad with Lasorda when he coached for the Loons, via Tommy Lasorda's World. |
Throughout Spring Training the Dodgers PR department sends out helpful daily notes from Camelback Ranch, and I am happy to pass them along.Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (18-12-2) at LOS ANGELES DODGERS (15-14-4)
Wednesday, April 4, 2012 – 12:10 p.m., Dodger Stadium
LHP C.J. Wilson vs. RHP Nathan Eovaldi
Spring Game 34/Home Game 17
Dodgers: Gwynn LF, Sellers SS, Ethier RF, Rivera 1B, Kennedy 3B, Federowicz C, Cruz 2B, Angle CF, Eovaldi PUpcoming Spring Training Schedule:
Angels: Aybar ss, kendrick 2b, pujols 1b, hunter rf, wells lf, trumbo 3b, iannetta c, bourjos cf, wilson p.
HEARTS FULL OF SPRING: The Dodgers will play their final exhibition game this afternoon in the rubber match of a three-game Freeway Series with the Angels. Today marks the fifth meeting between the two clubs during the exhibition season (2-1-1) with the Dodgers winning last night, 4-1. The Dodgers and Angels will meet six times during the regular season, beginning June 11 at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers’ victory last night was their first Freeway Series victory since 2009, having dropped both contests in 2010 and 2011 and the game in Anaheim Monday night. This week marked the first three-game Freeway Series since the Angels took two of three from the Dodgers in 2007. That year was also the last time the Fresco Thompson and Lefty Phillips Awards were handed out. These awards honor the MVP and most outstanding pitcher of the Freeway Series, respectively. In 2007, Orlando Cabrera took home the Fresco Thompson Award and Chad Billingsley won the Lefty Phillips Award. Early candidates for the awards are Juan Rivera (5-for-6), Dan Haren (1-0, 1.59 ERA) and Erick Aybar (4-for-8).
A victory this afternoon would give the Dodgers their first winning Spring Training since going 17-16-1 in 2007. On Saturday, the club clinched its first winning Cactus League campaign since joining the league in 2009 with a 14-13-4 record.
NATE DOGG: Dodger right-hander Nathan Eovaldi will make his fifth and final start of a memorable Spring Training this afternoon. Eovaldi has appeared in six games and gone 1-1 with a 1.72 ERA (3 ER/15.2 IP) while limiting the opposition to a .233 batting average. On Sunday, the Texas native was named the winner of the 2012 Jim and Dearie Mulvey Award as the top rookie at Spring Training. Eovaldi was selected as the winner in balloting by the club’s coaches and will receive a plaque in recognition of his accomplishments. A full list of past Mulvey Award winners, including last year’s winners Jerry Sands and Rubby De La Rosa, can be found on page 368 of the 2012 Dodgers Guide.
(Our Boys in Blue are back on the field @ Dodger Stadium for the 1st time this Spring., via Twitter @Dodgers)
ELATION: Yesterday, Dodger infielder Justin Sellers and pitcher Josh Lindblom were told they would make their very first Opening Day roster. Several others were told they would be reassigned, but the moves will not be made official until after the game today, when the Dodgers’ 2012 Opening Day roster will be released. Also joining Sellers and Lindblom in making the Opening Day roster for the first time are Dee Gordon, Javy Guerra and Scott Elbert. Congratulations to all!
PARTY ROCK: The start of the regular season is tomorrow afternoon with the Dodgers opening the 2012 regular season at PETCO Park against the Padres. Clayton Kershaw will make his second consecutive Opening Day start for the Dodgers against San Diego right-hander Edinson Volquez.
The Dodgers are inviting fans to Dodger Stadium to watch the team open the season tomorrow and the event, including parking, is free. Non-alcoholic beverages and concessions are $4 or less and an additional discount of 15 percent will be applied to all Dodger merchandise on sale tomorrow. On top of all that, former Dodger and 1981 World Series Co-MVP Ron “The Penguin” Cey will sign autographs for fans on the Field Level concourse behind home plate from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. Gates open at 3:00 p.m. and fans can register to attend the event at www.dodgers.com/viewingparty
FINISH STRONG: The Dodgers beat the Angels, 4-1 last night behind 4.0 scoreless innings from Aaron Harang (2.63 ERA this spring) and solid relief work from Matt Guerrier (1.0), Scott Rice (1.0), Angel Sanchez (2.0) and Shawn Tolleson (1.0). At the plate, Juan Rivera went 3-for-3 to raise his Spring Training average to .344 while Matt Treanor (2 RBI), Justin Sellers and Matt Kemp drove in Dodger runs.
Due to an agreement between the Dodgers, Angels and Major League Baseball, all three of the games in the Freeway Series will include a bottom of the ninth inning , regardless of which team is winning. Both last night and Monday night, a “fake” bottom of the ninth inning was played.
HALL CALL: Today, legendary Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodger, one of the Boys of Summer, Gil Hodges, would have turned 88. Despite being a rock in the middle of the order for the great Brooklyn Dodger teams of the 1950s, Hodges has not gained access to Cooperstown. The first baseman made eight All-Star teams, won two Gold Gloves and skippered the 1969 Amazin’ Mets. Hodges hit 370 career homers while hitting over .290 in four different World Series (’53, ’55, ’56, ’59).
FOLLOW THE LEADERS: Dee Gordon and Andre Ethier have been two of Los Angeles’ hottest hitters this spring as Gordon ranks among the NL leaders in batting average (.379, 6th), steals (11, 2nd), runs (16, T-1st) and on-base percentage (.446, 4th), while Ethier is tied for third with nine doubles, tied for fourth with 16 RBI and tied for sixth in the league with 44 total bases. Ethier’s .863 slugging percentage leads the club.
Throughout Spring Training the Dodgers PR department sends out helpful daily notes from Camelback Ranch, and I am happy to pass them along.Arizona Diamondbacks (11-17-2) at LOS ANGELES DODGERS (14-12-4)
Sunday, April 1, 2012 – 1:05 p.m., Camelback Ranch - Glendale
RHP Chad Billingsley vs. RHP Daniel Hudson
Spring Game 31/Home Game 15
Dodgers:Upcoming Spring Training Schedule:@skinnyswag9 SS, M Ellis 2B,@jamesloney_7 1B, Hairston CF, Gwynn RF, Fields 3B, Cruz LF,@AJEllis17 C, Billingsley RHP
Diamondbacks: Hudson 1, Hill 4, Upton 9, Kubel 7, Young 8, Goldschmidt 3, Roberts 5, Budde 2, Bloomquist 6
D-BACKS-TO-BACK: The Dodgers and Diamondbacks meet for the second consecutive day as Los Angeles plays its Cactus League finale today at Camelback Ranch. The National League West rivals will meet 18 times during the regular season, starting with a two-game series on May 14 and 15 at Dodger Stadium. Last year, the NL-West champion Diamondbacks won the season series with the Dodgers, 10-8.
The Dodgers would like to thank all the fans in the Valley of the Sun for a great fourth season in the Cactus League and extend the team’s gratitude to all the Camelback Ranch staff for their hospitality this spring as the club plays its final home game of 2012 in Glendale. Through 14 home games, the Dodgers have averaged 8,000 fans at CR-G, including the two largest crowds in Cactus League history.
HURLERS: RHP Chad Billingsley will make his sixth spring start today in his final tuneup before his regular season debut on Friday at San Diego. Each of Billingsley’s Cactus League starts have been at Camelback Ranch this spring with the 27-year-old allowing three runs in 5.2 innings in his previous outing on Monday against the White Sox. He will be followed to the hill by:
● RHP Matt Guerrier will make his fourth appearance of the spring after allowing a run in his inning of relief on Friday against the Brewers. Prior to that, Guerrier’s last appearance came on March 11 with the 33-year-old missing time due to a back injury.
● Four of the Dodgers’ top minor league arms will suit up for today’s game with RHP Allen Webster, RHP Shawn Tolleson, RHP Logan Bawcom and LHP Eric Eadington. Tolleson, the Dodgers’ 2011 Minor League Pitcher of the Year, last pitched with the big league club on Friday against the Brewers and has limited opposing hitters to a .143 batting average (1-for-7) in three appearances with the Dodgers this spring. Bawcom, who led all Dodger minor leaguers with 27 combined saves with Rancho Cucamonga and Great Lakes last season, has appeared in three big league games this spring, including an inning of relief on Friday against the Cubs. Webster enters 2012 ranked as the club’s No. 2 by Baseball America and allowed two runs (one earned) in 1.0 inning on March 23 against the White Sox in Tucson. Eadington, a 24-year-old out of Harvard, posted a 0.83 ERA (2 ER/21.2 IP) last season in 18 relief appearances with the AZL Dodgers and Ogden.
('@AJEllis17 got his. Get your own Dodger Stadium Replica pres. by State Farm on 4/14! via Twitter @Dodgers)
AND THE MULVEY GOES TO…: Congratulations to Nathan Eovaldi on winning the Dodgers’ 2012 Jim and Dearie Mulvey Award as the top rookie at Spring Training. Eovaldi was selected as the winner in balloting by the club’s coaches and will receive a plaque in recognition of his accomplishment. The 22-year-old went 1-1 with a 1.72 ERA (3 ER/15.2 IP) in five games (four starts) in Cactus League play, while limiting opposing hitters to a .233 batting average. Eovaldi will make his final start of the exhibition season against the Angels on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium. A full list of past Mulvey Award winners, including last year’s winners Jerry Sands and Rubby De La Rosa, can be found on page 368 of the 2012 Dodgers Guide.
RACE TO THE FINISH: Clayton Kershaw made his final spring start, allowing three runs on six hits in 3.2 innings, and the Dodgers scored six late runs to down the D-backs, 9-3, yesterday at Salt River Fields. Dee Gordon went 2-for-3 with a run scored, an RBI and his 11th steal of the exhibition season and Matt Angle slugged his first home run of the spring with a two-run shot in the eighth. The Dodger bullpen combined for 5.1 scoreless innings in relief of Kershaw, including 1.2 innings by Scott Rice and 1.1 innings from Ronald Belisario (2-0), who picked up the win.
With yesterday’s win, the Dodgers clinched their first winning Cactus League campaign since joining the league in 2009. Additionally, at 14-12 with four exhibition games left, the club is seeking its first winning Spring Training since going 17-16-1 in 2007.
(Pic Via Twitter Jon SooHoo @Dodgers)
ROSTER UPDATE: Following yesterday’s game, the Dodgers optioned OF Trent Oeltjen to minor league camp. Thirty-six players remain in Major League camp, including RHP Blake Hawksworth and RHP Rubby De La Rosa, who will start the season on the disabled list.
FOLLOW THE LEADERS: Dee Gordon and Andre Ethier have been two of Los Angeles’ hottest hitters this spring as Gordon ranks among the NL leaders in batting average (.397, T-4th), steals (11, 2nd), runs (16, 1st) and on-base percentage (.470, 3rd), while Ethier leads the league with 43 total bases, is tied for the league lead with 16 RBI, nine doubles and three triples and leads the Dodgers in slugging percentage (.896).
LEAVE THE LIGHT ON: The Dodgers will pack up and leave Arizona for Southern California following today’s game against the Diamondbacks at Camelback Ranch – Glendale. The Freeway Series against the Angels gets underway tomorrow night in Anaheim (7:05 p.m.) with games on Tuesday night (7:10 p.m.) and Wednesday afternoon (12:10 p.m.) at Dodger Stadium. Fans can get their first in-person look at the 2012 Dodgers by visiting Dodgers.com or calling 866-DODGERS.
