Blog Kiosk: 7/2/2015 - Dodger Links - Some Odds and Ends

Say what you will about our controversial outfielder, but one thing remains clear.  Yasiel Puig is beloved by the younger set.  Kid adore him, and it's quite clear to me that he loves them back. 

Photo above via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2015 from yesterday's game.  Below are some links to check out:

• GCRL compares the similarities and differences between the Dodger base cards found in packs and in the factory sets.  Notably, AJ Ellis has two different base cards this year.
• Craig Calcaterra at Hardball Talk writes a fair and balanced story on Molly Knight's book about the Dodgers, here.

I hope those distinctions are clear, despite my rah-rahing for Yasiel Puig. I hope that we can agree that we do not have to consider Puig the same way his teammates or the press does, as we are the audience for his baseball entertainment, not people who share close quarters with him. Put differently, I hope we are totally capable of thinking that Puig is amazing and fun in some aspects (i.e. when he takes the field) even if he is less so in others.

• Via Mark Saxon at ESPN, "Don Mattingly says clubhouse is 'solid' despite Yasiel Puig revelations."

“It was just different stuff we had talked about and it was them presenting information to him,” Mattingly said. “I saw on [MLB Network] them talking about it like it was an on-going thing. It’s not an on-going thing. The clubhouse is solid.”

• Via Alex Espinosa at MiLB,com, "Cal notes: Quakes' Bird sticking to stretch."

"It's a little unusual," Bird said. "But I get the velocity because I'm not going to the plate quick. I'm getting my leg up high and everything is in line. I'm more direct. There's not a lot of wasted energy. It's similar to a reliever, or a closer … because from the windup, I would kind of get my direction off and lose my balance at the top of my leg kick. Going to the stretch, that's kind of been eliminated."

• Via MiLB.com, "Four OKC Dodgers Named to Triple-A All-Star Game: Barnes, Buchter, Seager, and Sweeney heading to Omaha
• This is an important read.  From former King winger Rich Clune at The Players Tribune, "The Battle."  He writes about his struggle with drug and alcohol abuse while a player.

I don’t care how many times you have messed up, or been arrested, or made your family cry. I don’t care how many times you told your teammates, “That’s it, man. I’m done.” Until you are really ready to get help, nobody can say anything to change it.

...
Between the ages of 15-24, I was not here. I was checked out. I did not exist. Rich Clune the pro hockey player existed. He got in over 150 fights and drove drunk and chased women and laughed and cried and lived in oblivion. But Rich Clune, the kid who loved art and film and read books and thought deeply about life, that guy was just not around. He couldn’t cope with the pressure.

• Here's a look at the July issue of Dodger Insider magazine below; featuring Don Drysdale and Zack Greinke on the cover.  Jon Weisman has all the juicy details hidden inside here.
  

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Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Spring Game 10 / Road Game 6 - It's the Will Ferrell Show

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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Los Angeles Dodgers (4-2-3) at San Diego Padres (4-4)
Thursday, March 12, 2015 – 6:15 p.m. MT | Peoria Stadium

LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (0-0) vs. RHP James Shields (1-0)
TV: SNLA/MLB Network Radio: None

(Lineup via @Dodgers on twitter)

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(Kendricks and Puig, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2015)

WE SIGNED WHO?: The Dodgers play their first night game of the spring tonight against the San Diego Padres in Peoria. The game was originally scheduled to take place at 1:05 p.m., but was moved to 6:15 to accommodate the newest Dodger, Will Ferrell. The Dodgers lost for just the second time in Cactus League action yesterday, falling to the Cubs, 4-3. Los Angeles and San Diego will also meet on March 25 in Glendale, before the main event, Opening Day, April 6, at Dodger Stadium, which is just 25 days away.

ACTUALLY A PRETTY NICE LITTLE THURSDAY, WE’RE GOING TO GO TO HOME DEPOT…MAYBE BED, BATH & BEYOND, I DON’T KNOW, I DON’T KNOW IF WE’LL HAVE ENOUGH TIME: All afternoon and later this evening, actor and comedian Will Ferrell will be suiting up for 10 MLB Cactus League teams – including the Dodgers – to benefit cancer charities. Ferrell is honoring the 50th anniversary of Bert Campaneris playing all nine positions in one game, in 1965, and will play all nine positions (and DH) during the course of the day in the following Cactus League games: Mariners at Athletics, noon; Cubs at Angels, 1:10 p.m.; Reds at D-backs, 2:10 p.m.; Giants at White Sox, 4:05 p.m.; Dodgers at Padres, 6:15 p.m. Ferrell’s efforts are part of a special for HBO airing later this year in collaboration with MLB Media and the production team at Funny Or Die. HBO is donating proceeds to Cancer for College, and MLB is raising additional money for that cause in addition to Stand Up To Cancer through the auction of game-used, autographed gear and equipment featured throughout this one-of-a-kind project. Ferrell will be pitching for the Dodgers, playing the outfield for the Padres and umpiring during tonight’s contest, which will air on SportsNet LA and MLB Network.

Will Ferrell will pitch for the #Dodgers no earlier than the bottom of the sixth inning tonight.
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) March 12, 2015

LOOK RYU’S BACK: The Dodgers welcomed starter Zack Greinke back to the fold yesterday and he tossed 2.0 innings and allowed two runs against the Cubs in Mesa. Tonight, the club will see Hyun-Jin Ryu take the mound for the first time this spring after dealing with back tightness the first couple weeks. Following Greinke to the mound yesterday and tossing scoreless baseball were David Huff (1.2 IP), Zach Lee (2.0) and Chris Reed (1.0). At the plate, Justin Turner singled and doubled, raising his average to .308 this spring while Howie Kendrick’s two hits lifted his average to .333. Scott Schebler had one plate appearance and walked, giving him a .429/.467/.857 slash line in seven Cactus League games. 

• The Dodgers have committed just three errors through their first nine Cactus League contests.
• Los Angeles pitchers have combined to post a 3.49 ERA and limit opposing hitters to a .213 batting average this spring, striking out 62 and walking just 20 in 80.0 innings.

(Julio Urias, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2015)

ON THE MOUND: 28-year-old left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu will make his first start of the spring tonight. Ryu enters his third Major League season after seven All-Star seasons in the Korea Baseball Organization. He has a 28-15 record and a 3.17 ERA in 56 career regular-season starts and has gone 1-0 with a 2.81 ERA (5 ER/16.0 IP) in three postseason starts. Ryu’s 28 regular-season victories tie for the third-most by a Korean-born pitcher.

• LHP Adam Liberatore is expected to make his third appearance of the spring tonight after tossing a scoreless inning in the Dodgers’ 4-3 win over the Brewers last Sunday. During the course of his career, the hard-throwing lefty has limited opponents to a .242 batting average with nearly a strikeout per inning (309 SO/318.0 IP).
• LHP Ryan Buchter will make his third appearance of the spring tonight after giving up one run and striking out the side in an inning of relief in Sunday’s win against the Brewers. Buchter saw his first MLB action with one relief appearance for Atlanta last year and has gone 32-18 with a 3.44 ERA in 327 games (two starts) in nine minor league season in the Nationals (2006-2008), Cubs (2009-2011), and Braves (2011-2014) organizations.
• RHP Mike Bolsinger is also expected to see action tonight after giving up one run on two hits in two innings of work on Saturday. The 27-year-old saw his first big league action with the D-backs last season, striking out nearly three times as many as he walked with 48 strikeouts and only 17 walks in 10 games (nine starts).
• Veteran RHP Chad Gaudin is expected to appear in tonight’s game, after pitching two scoreless innings of relief in his first action of the spring on Saturday. Gaudin last pitched during the 2013 season for San Francisco, going 5-2 with a 3.06 ERA in 30 games (12 starts).
• RHP Sergio Santos will make his third appearance of the spring tonight after tossing a scoreless inning of relief in Sunday’s 4-3 win over the Brewers. The Los Angeles native has gone 7-12 with 39 saves and a 3.89 ERA in 180 games in five Major League seasons with the White Sox (2010-11) and Blue Jays (2012-14).
• RHP Josh Ravin will also make his third appearance of the spring tonight after striking out two in an inning of relief last Sunday against the Brewers. The West Hills native enters his second season in the Dodger organization and 10th professional campaign.

AN OLD FRIEND RETURNS: This weekend, former assistant to Tommy Lasorda, Colin Gunderson, returns to Camelback and will sign copies of his new book, Tommy Lasorda: My Way, along with the Hall of Fame skipper himself. There will be two signings in the center-field pavilion at Camelback Ranch: from 6-8 p.m. tomorrow night and from noon-2 p.m. on Saturday.     

(Hernandez and Kendricks, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2015)

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Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Spring Game 6 / Home Game 3

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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Lo Angeles Dodgers (3-1-1) vs. Milwaukee Brewers (0-3)
Sunday, March 8, 2015 – 12:05 p.m. MT | Camelback Ranch

RHP Brandon McCarthy (0-0) vs. RHP Mike Fiers (0-0)
TV: SNLA Radio: AM 570 (Eng.), KTNQ 1020 AM (Span.)

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(Bats, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2015)

HOME COOKING: The Dodgers are back home this afternoon to take on the Milwaukee Brewers for the second and final time this spring. A split-squad of Dodgers crushed the Brewers, 10-1, on Friday in Maryvale. Last season, Los Angeles lost five of its six games with Milwaukee, including a late-season sweep Aug. 15-17 at Dodger Stadium. This year, the “Brew Crew” will play host to the Dodgers seven times, including four contests in Milwaukee May 4-7. The Dodgers host the Brewers for three games July 10-12, their final games before the All-Star break.

NOT THAT COOL: Los Angeles gave up four runs in the ninth inning yesterday and then salvaged a 5-5 tie with the Cleveland Indians in Goodyear. The big performance of the day was from newly-acquired catcher Yasmani Grandal, who went 3-for-3 with a solo homer and three RBI on the day.

• Until the ninth, the Dodger relievers were solid behind starter Mike Bolsinger, as Chad Gaudin (2.0 IP), Jeremy Horst (1.1) and Chin-hui Tsao (2.2) all tossed scoreless baseball.
• Through five games, the Dodgers have a .294 team batting average, a .354 on-base percentage and a .469 slugging percentage.
• A couple Dodgers in the starting lineup this afternoon have been on fire, namely center fielder Joc Pederson (5-for-7 with two doubles and four runs scored) and designated hitter Scott Schebler (5-for-10, three doubles, two RBI).

  

  (Yasmani Grandal, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2015)

ON THE MOUND: Right-hander Brandon McCarthy, signed by the club to a four-year deal in the offseason, will make his Dodger debut this afternoon vs. Milwaukee. McCarthy is coming off a career year last season with the Yankees and Diamondbacks in which he established career highs in innings (200.0), wins (10) and strikeouts (175). After being acquired by the Yankees on July 6, the Glendale, CA, native went 7-5 with a 2.89 ERA in 14 starts with New York. In 207 games (153 starts) for the White Sox (2005-6), Rangers (2007-9), A’s (2011-12), Diamondbacks (2013-14) and Yankees (2014), McCarthy is 52-65 with a 4.09 ERA in nine big league seasons.

• Left-handed relievers Daniel Coulombe and Ryan Buchter are both expected back on the mound after each fired a scoreless inning on Thursday against the White Sox. Coulombe appeared in five games for the Dodgers last year, posting a 4.15 ERA. In his three years in the minors, Coulombe has gone 7-3 with eight saves and posted a 3.43 ERA in 126 games. Buchter made his Major League debut with Atlanta last season, which was his only big league appearance. In nine minor league seasons he has posted a 32-18 record with a 3.44 ERA in 327 games (two starts) in the Nationals (2006-08), Cubs (2009-11) and Braves (2011-14) organizations.
• RHP Juan Nicasio is looking to bounce back from a rough first-time out in 2015. The right-hander allowed three runs on four hits in his 1.0 inning of work in the Cactus League lid-lifter Wednesday.
• Three right-handers that impressed in their Dodger debuts and are expected to see action today are Sergio Santos, Adam Liberatore and Josh Ravin. The trio each tossed a scoreless inning on March 4 vs. the White Sox. Santos, a former first-round pick of the D-backs in 2002, spent the last three seasons with the Blue Jays and is a converted shortstop. The 27-year-old Liberatore was acquired in a trade with the Rays on Nov. 20, 2014, which also brought RHP Joel Peralta to Los Angeles, and had a career year for Triple-A Durham last year, going 6-1 with four saves and a 1.66 ERA in 54 games. Ravin, a graduate of Chatsworth High School, is in his second season in the Dodger organization after combining to go 2-1 with six saves and a 3.55 ERA in 23 relief appearances for Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Albuquerque last year.

WHO’S GOT NEXT?: The Dodgers will have seven minor leaguers joining the club today against the Brewers at Camelback: infielders Jarek Cunningham (No. 87) and Luis Mateo (No. 86); outfielder Joey Curletta (No. 95); catcher Ryan Scott (No. 88); RHP Steve Smith (No. 94), LHP Mike Thomas (No. 89) and RHP Jeremy Kehrt (No. 85).  

(Juan Uribe, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2015)

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Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Spring Game 2 / Away Game 1 - Kershaw on the Mound

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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Los Angeles Dodgers (0-1)  vs. Chicago White Sox (1-0)

LHP Clayton Kershaw vs. LHP John Danks

Thursday, March 5, 2015 – 12:05 p.m. PT | Camelback Ranch – Glendale

 TV: SNLA/MLB Network Radio: AM 570 (Eng.), KTNQ 1020 AM (Span.)

(today's starting lineup, via Colleen Kane on twitter)

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(Clayton Kershaw, via @Dodgers on twitter)

JUST ONE GAME: The Dodgers dropped their Cactus League opener yesterday, in a 6-4 loss against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch – Glendale. The Dodgers are the designated road team in today’s game, a rematch against the White Sox, which is the Dodgers’ first of 19 road spring training games in Arizona. Starting pitcher, Erik Bedard took the loss in his Dodger debut yesterday, allowing one run on two hits in 2.0 innings. Designated hitter Joc Pederson went 2-for-2, with a double and a run and first baseman O’Koyea Dickson, who went 1-for-2 in the game, blasted a home run to left field in his first at-bat after entering the game in the 5th inning.

• The Dodgers are now 2-6 in their Cactus League openers since re-locating Spring Training to Camelback Ranch in 2009, including dropping both split-squad contests in 2011.

HILLTOPPERS: The Dodgers will send reigning NL Cy Young and MVP winner Clayton Kershaw to the mound today for his 2015 debut, coming off of a remarkable season, in which he topped the Majors with 21 wins (21-3) and a 1.77 ERA in 27 starts. He won his third-career Cy Young and became the 11th Dodger to win the NL MVP award, the first National League pitcher to be honored as MVP since the Cardinals’ Bob Gibson. He has led the Majors in ERA every season since 2011, becoming the first-ever pitcher to win four consecutive ERA titles. Since making his debut in 2008, Kershaw leads the Majors in ERA, winning percentage (.667), opponents’ average (.209) and WHIP (1.06).

• 25-year-old RHP Joe Wieland will make his Dodger debut today after being acquired by Los Angeles in a five-player trade with the Padres. Wieland made his Major League debut in 2012 for the Padres and was a September call-up again in 2014, posting a 1-4 record in nine big league games (seven starts). Wieland, who played in seven minor league seasons, threw a no-hitter for Double0A Frisco (Rangers) on July 29, 2011 in the Texas League.
• RHP Brandon League will make his first appearance of the spring today. In 2014, League did not allow a home run in 63.0 IP, the most homerless innings by any NL player. Since 2004, he ranks first among Major League relievers (min. 475.0 IP) with a 61.1 ground ball percentage.
• Hard-throwing RHP Chris Hatcher is expected to make his first appearance as a Dodger after being acquired in a seven-player trade with the Marlins on Dec. 10, 2014. Hatcher, who made his Major League debut in 2010 with Miami as a catcher was returned to the big leagues the following season as a pitcher in 2011. According to Elias Sports Bureau, he became the first player since Art Doll of the Boston Braves in 1935 to play his first Major League season as a catcher and return in a subsequent season as a pitcher.
• LHP Daniel Coulombe, who made his MLB debut with Los Angeles last year as a September call-up, will also make his first appearance of the spring today. Coulombe who appeared in five games for the Dodgers, posted a 4.15 ERA and recorded five strikeouts. In his three years in the minors, Coulombe has gone 7-3 with eight saves and posted a 3.43 ERA in 126 games.



(Dodger billboard, pic via Matthew Moreno on twitter)

• LHP Ryan Buchter will make his first appearance of the spring today. Buchter, one of the newest Dodgers, made his Major League debut with Atlanta last season, which was his only big league appearance. In nine minor league seasons he has posted a 32-18 record with a 3.44 ERA in 327 games (two starts) in the Nationals (2006-08), Cubs (2009-11) and Braves (2011-14) organizations.

COME ON UP: The Dodgers will have five minor leaguers joining the club today against the White Sox at Camelback Ranch: infielder Luis Mateo (No.86), outfielder Joey Curletta (No.96), outfielder Travis Witherspoon (No.85), LHP Jeremy Horst (No.97), RHP Jeremy Kehrt (No.87) and RHP Steve Smith (No.95)

A SAD FAREWELL: The Dodgers mourn the passing of long-time Dodger scout John Keenan, who died this morning. Keenan was a scout in the Kansas area and was involved in the signing of many former Dodgers, including infielder Bill Russell and outfielder Mitch Webster. His grandfather, Bert Wells, was also a well-known Dodger scout.

MARK YOUR CALENDER: The Dodgers and the Padres have agreed to move the start time for their March 12 Spring Training game to 6:15 p.m. at Peoria Sports Complex. This adjustment from the original 1:05 p.m. time slot is to accommodate a request by Major League Baseball, which is collaborating with HBO to film a special that day in Arizona.

(Mattingly & Rollins, pic via @Dodgers on twitter)

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Dodger Escapades on Twitter - Ping Pong, Kike Hernandez and the McCarthy's

Twitter has become the avenue of choice for ballplayers who want to communicate directly with fans.  For the most part, we find out about special events a player wants to highlight, but sometimes we get more that that.  Sometimes, we get an inside glimpse at what makes them tick.

For Dodger followers, there are a handful of frequent users who ably navigate the twitter wilderness to show us their personality, and this post highlights some recent exchanges I thought worth noting. 

As you know, it has become a spring tradition at Camelback Ranch to host a ping pong tournament, and according to Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider that tradition continues in earnest. 

(Ping Pong bracket, photo via Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider)

Yesterday saw the first games played on the table, and I am sad to report that the first doubles pair to walk away disappointed was the pairing of catcher Chris O'Brien and pitching prospect Zach Lee.  They lost out to Scott Van Slyke and pitching prospect Ryan Buchter, and let's just say that Van Slyke was more than happy to gloat on twitter.  Check out the exchange below.

(twitter capture)

It's funny that O'Brien basically blames his ping pong teammate Zach Lee for the loss.

In other news, Kike Hernandez has proven to be a fun Dodger to follow on twitter.  This morning he shared a pic of himself within a strange looking contraption.  As one of the newest Dodgers, who may see some time on the diamond in Los Angeles this season, he spent a moment with @MLBTheShow to photograph his face.

Getting my head scanned so that virtual Kike looks exactly like the real Kike on @MLBTheShow!! pic.twitter.com/xvyD5k5wAD
— Enrique Hernandez (@kikehndez) March 3, 2015

Brandon McCarthy has proven to be a great addition for Dodger followers.  Not just because he has some nice tools that could help the Dodgers in their quest to a championship, but because when paired with his equally loquacious wife has become a must follow on twitter.

In an exchange this morning we see true love in action.

@BMcCarthy32 son of a bitch
— Amanda McCarthy (@Mrs_McCarthy32) March 3, 2015

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