Here are April's Dodger Pride Award Winners - Minor League Players of the Month

The Dodgers just announced their April 2015 Dodger Pride Award Winners.  These awards celebrate the franchises best performers in the Minor Leagues for the month of April.  This year, instead of naming a fielder and pitcher for each Minor League club they are classifying the awards into three categories: “Strong Mind Pitcher of the Month,” “Strong Mind Position Player of the Month” and “Strong Mind Teammate of the Month.”  Per the press release:

The winners of the pitcher and position player of the month are selected based on a strict statistical method incorporating several baseball measureables, including best first-pitch strike percentage, best 1-1 count strike percentage, best overall strike percentage, best walk-strikeout ratio, best swing percentage on strikes and lowest chase rate. The teammate of the month is voted on by players, coaches and staff. 

Quantification is what it's all about. Check out the winners below.

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Strong Mind Pitcher of the Month

RHP Scott Baker- Triple-A Oklahoma City: In three starts for Triple-A Oklahoma City, he went 1-1 with a 1.06 ERA (2 ER/17.0 IP) and struck out 16 against just one walk. The 33-year-old veteran was had great command, throwing 73.4% of his pitches for strikes, ranking near the top in the Dodger minor league affiliates. He would get ahead in the count against most batters he faced, throwing 70.5% of his first pitches for strikes and 66.7% for strikes on a 1-1 count. He led the Pacific Coast league with a 0.65 WHIP and a .169 opposing batting average. The right-hander earned a call-up to Los Angeles and made two starts for the Dodgers, after having his contract selected on April 26.

I am such a flake.  I had failed to make a fantasy Baseball card for Scott Baker when he initially joined the Dodgers 25-man roster a few weeks ago, so this is a bit belated.  Shown above is Baker's card featuring a photo originally taken by Dodger photographer Jon SooHoo/LA DOdgers 2015 and the 1987 Topps Baseball card design.

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Strong Mind Position Player of the Month

(Pic via MiLB)

IF/OF Jarek Cunningham - Single-A Rancho Cucamonga:  The 25-year-old infielder/outfielder topped the California League with 21 RBI and tied for second with three triples in April, while posting a .325 batting average (25-for-77) with 11 runs, six doubles, three triples and a home run in 19 games. Cunningham was swinging at 74.7% of pitches thrown for strike, while ranking second among all Dodger minor leaguers swinging at 75.0% of in-zone fastballs on the first pitch.  Cunningham posted a 14-game hitting streak from April 14-29, hitting .345 with three doubles and 15 RBI during that span. He was originally signed by the Dodgers as a free agent on Jan. 20, 2015.

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Strong Mind Teammate of the Month

(pic via MiLB)

IF/OF Mike Ahmed – Single-A Great Lakes: The Springfield, Massachusetts, native batted .290 (20-for-69) with five doubles, one triple, four RBI and seven steals in 17 games. He posted an eight-game hitting streak from April 12-20, batting .333 with three doubles and seven runs during that span. The 23-year-old was originally selected by the Dodgers in the 20th round of the 2013 MLB Amateur Draft out of the College of the Holy Cross.

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Blog Kiosk: 5/4/2015 - Dodger Links - Pederson, Drake and Bobby's Catch of a Home Run Ball

And the bubbles are back at Dodger Stadium... At Viva Los Dodgers they are. 

The photo above is via Jill Weisleder/LA Dodgers 2015.  Go here to check out more photos from her and Jon SooHoo from yesterday.  Below are some links to check out:

• Via Mark Saxon at ESPNLosAngeles.com, "Joc Pederson's energy rubbing off on teammates."

“It’s fun seeing someone who’s always smiling no matter what,” Andre Ethier said.

• ICYMI: The Dodgers made another trade for a minor leaguer.  Instead of a pitcher they pick up an infielder from the Blue Jays.  Per a Dodger press release:

The Los Angeles Dodgers today acquired infielder Andy Wilkins from the Blue Jays in exchange for cash considerations and designated right-handed pitcher Scott Baker for assignment.

Wilkins, 26, was hitting .264 with four doubles and nine RBI in 21 games for the Blue Jays' Triple-A Buffalo affiliate and has a .276 batting average with 93 home runs and 371 RBI in 576 career games in six minor league seasons in the White Sox and Toronto organizations. Last year, the Tulsa, Oklahoma native appeared in 14 games with the White Sox in his only big league action and was also selected as a Triple-A International League post-season All-Star after leading the league with 30 home runs and 85 RBI (T-1^st), while batting .293 with Charlotte. During the course of his minor league career, Wilkins has primarily appeared at first base (388 games), while also seeing action at third base (50 games).

• Via Earl Bloom at MLB.com, "Puig runs, remains on target; Jansen pitches."

"With Yasiel, it seems like he's doing more and more," manager Don Mattingly said. "All reports have been good. He should be ready to play some [rehab] games later in the week."

• Via Dan Arritt at ESPN, "Howie Kendrick settling in with Dodgers."
• Via Harold Uhlman at Think Blue LA, "Meet Tulsa Drillers Deck McGuire."
• Via Mike Petriello at Dodgers Digest, "Yadir Drake Is Someone You Should Probably Pay Attention To."

Drake started off the season with the Low-A Great Lakes Loons, and played seven games for them before being promoted to the High-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes on April 20. He played seven games for them before being promoted to the Double-A Tulsa Drillers, where he made his debut yesterday a memorable one by getting three hits, including a two-run homer. He’s now hitting .383/.471/.567.

• Left Field Pavilion made a fantastic fantasy Baseball card of Joc Pederson on a 1960 Topps "Star-Rookie" card.  Check it out here.
• Hey, Bobby!  Now you're really famous.  Vin Scully gave him some props for catching a home run ball on Saturday with camera in hand.  If you don't know, Bobby runs the ever popular Dodger Films on YouTube. Watch Vin's comments below.

Video Link:

And now watch Bobby's video of the catch below.  He makes the catch at about the 4:27 mark:

Video Link:

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Blog Kiosk: 4/10/2015 - Dodger Links - Some Odds and Ends

Check out this fantastic Wide World press photo, dated June 22, 1956, that I ran into on eBay.  It features Roy Campanella and Don Zimmer posing for the camera after both had a big day at the plate.  The caption attached to the reverse is below:

"REDBIRDS WERE THEIR TARGET.  Slump-ridden Roy Campanella, left, and shortstop Don Zimmer whoop it up in the dressing room June 21 after their work at bat brought a 9-8 win to the Dodgers over the St. Louis Cardinals in night game at Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, N.Y., Campy drove in six runs with a pair of homers, the second one with two aboard in ninth to tie up the game.  Zimmer's third hit of the night after he replaced injured Pee Wee Reese drove in the winning run."

Below are some links to check out:

• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Fifth-starter candidates Baker, Huff work in Minors."  With Ryu on the DL the Dodgers will need a spot starter next week.
• Via Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA, "De Leon near perfect as Quakes take season opener."
• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "With Adrian on HR tear, Green reflects on day he hit four."

"That day, and that week, I had a very calm sense of being in the zone," Green said. "As opposed to other times, when you're in the zone and you almost start pressing because you don't want to waste that great feeling you have. When that happens, in some ways you feel more pressure when you're in that zone. But for that week, I was just very relaxed. Everything slowed down. All the clichés."

• Jim Callis at MLB.com, "Where the Dodgers' top 30 prospects are starting the season."
• Via Dustin Nosler at Dodgers Digest, "Dodgers’ prospect Jharel Cotton out 2-3 months with broken wrist."
• Just for posterity, here's a look at the Opening Series Playbill given to fans attending the recent Padres series, via @DodgerInsider on twitter.  Check it out on the right.
• Via Michael McKnight and L. Jon Wertheim at Sports Illustrated, "The tragic extent of Monique and Milton Bradley's violent relationship."  This is both harrowing and disturbing.
• Here is a large GIF collection of Babe Ruth playing Baseball. 
• Fascinating stuff.  Via Peter Morris and Stefan Fatsis at Slate.com, "Baseball’s Secret Pioneer."  They tell us all about a ballplayer from the late 19th century who appears to be the first black player in major league history.

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Blog Kiosk: 4/6/2015 - Dodger Links - RIP, Billy DeLury

Longtime Dodger employee and constant fixture around everything Dodgers, Bill DeLury, passed away over the weekend.  He joined the club in 1950, the same year Vin Scully became an broadcaster, and did just about every job imaginable for the club as he rose up the ladder.  For 20 years he was the teams traveling secretary, and in recent years was the assistant to the broadcasters and to the traveling secretary.  No doubt, he will be sorely missed.

Per a Dodger press release:

“Billy's consistent dedication and outstanding character were both an inspiration in our front office as well as a daily reminder of our roots in Brooklyn,” Dodger president and CEO Stan Kasten said. “His presence will be missed by all who knew him.”

“I was privileged to know Bill DeLury for more than 60 years from the time he was an office boy in Brooklyn and rose to become a most valuable member of the organization as our traveling secretary,” said Vin Scully. “A Dodger from head to toe.  A respected baseball man.  And a deeply religious husband and father. Anyone and everyone in baseball who knew Bill will mourn his passing and he will be truly missed.”

Mark Langill, the Dodgers official historian, pens a great piece at Dodger Insider in his honor, here.  Evan Bladh at Think Blue LA also has an excellent piece worth checking out, here.

Photo at the very top is of Billy DeLury being introduced at Dodgertown in 1995, via Jon SooHoo.  Check out more pics from Jon's vault of DeLury here.  Below are some links to check out:

• Via Megan Zahneis at MLB.com, "Proud new father Kershaw set for action."

"You are never bored. You always have something to do. She is starting to have a real personality and loves to smile," Kershaw said with a smile lighting up his face. "It is pretty fun."

• Ryu on the mend.  Via a tweet from Ken Gurnick:

Ryu begins throwing Monday.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) April 4, 2015

• Via Anthony Witrado at ESPN, "Dodgers add another arm in Scott Baker."  Also, via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Dodgers acquire Minor League pitcher (Rudy) Owens from Oakland."  Both of these are minor league deals.  They add additional depth to the Dodgers and both will report to AAA.
• Via Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider, "Mattingly says analytics have yielded new insights."

“As we’re learning more about it, seeing a different set of numbers and ways to evaluate, it’s interesting to see how certain guys kind of fit in, where they’ve been really good and where their deficiencies are,” Mattingly said. “That’s been the most interesting part for me, going over player plans and things like that and seeing how different guys are really good at one thing — that you kind of noticed, but you didn’t really know to paint that picture — it’s been nice doing that.”

• Blue Skinny Fan was a Frank & Sons on Saturday to get Eric Gagne's signature.  Check out his trip report here.
• Via Bill Plaschke at the LA Times, we find out that Dodger organist Nancy Bea Hefley's role during games has been drastically reduced.  Boo!  Boo!  

Missing will be the soothing sound of a ballpark organ, as 28-year veteran Nancy Bea Hefley's workload has been reduced to one song during the actual game. One. She waits for seven innings, plays "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," and goes home.

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