Blog Kiosk: 3/11/2016 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

The rookie coffee run continues for the Dodgers -- even during spring training.  This morning it appears that several of the young kids were tasked with getting coffee for the team, as evidenced in the photo above tweeted by Kyle Farmer.  From L-R: Julio Urias, Jose De Leon, Kyle Farmer?, Jharel Cotton, Caleb Dirks and Jacob Rhame.

Below are more links to check out:

• It's always a pleasure to work with Daniel at C70 At the Bat, so when he asked me to participate in his "Playing Pepper" question and answer session I was happy to oblige.  This series explores my, and several other Dodger bloggers', thoughts on the upcoming Dodger season.  Check out what I wrote, along with Alex Campos at Dodgers Way and Scott Andes at the LA Dodger Report, here.
• Via Richard Kagan at Baseball Magazine, "Brooklyn Dodgers’ World Series Comet: Al Gionfriddo."
• Via Barry M. Bloom at MLB.com, "Injured Guerrero progressing, nearing return."

"He's taking batting practice, taking grounders, but as far as our comfort level of him playing in a Major League game, we're not there yet," Roberts said.

• Via Fox Sports, "MLB Commish Manfred talks Snapchat, Dodgers and PEDs in wide-ranging interview."

Despite the league's wider access in many markets, Manfred did express his concern regarding the Dodgers ongoing TV troubles in which a large percentage of Dodgers' fans have been unable to watch their team in the local market due to limited access to the team's new cable channel. Calling the team one of the league's historic franchises, the commissioner said the league had no problem getting involved in discussions between the team and cable providers but was quick to point out they were limited in their influence.

In other words, there is no change in the situation, and ultimately there really isn't much the league can do.

• Former Dodger Randy Wolf to retire, via Jeff Todd at MLB Trade Rumors.
• Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA wonders aloud, "Is Scott Schebler the next Paul Konerko, etc?"
• The ever popular Kiké Hernandez now has his very own store.  Go here to check it out.

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Dodgers Trade Adds Three More Prospects

Adding to the collection of platinum prospects to the Dodger horde just never ends.  This morning news spread quickly that a three-team trade had been finalized between the Dodgers, Reds and White Sox.  The Dodgers received three players with plenty of gloss, while shipping off three others who didn't fit into their plans.  Via a Dodger press release:

The Dodgers today announced the completion of a three-team trade with the Reds and White Sox, with the Dodgers receiving right-handed pitcher Frankie Montas, outfielder Trayce Thompson and second baseman Micah Johnson; the Reds receiving Jose Peraza, outfielder Scott Schebler and minor league infielder Brandon Dixon; and the White Sox receiving third baseman Todd Frazier.

Obviously, the big name here is Reds infielder Todd Frazier.  He becomes a White Sox.  For the Dodgers, they essentially traded three prospect for three other prospects they liked better.  The key player in this package for us is fireball right-hander Frankie Montas.  Via Kiley McDaniel at FanGraphs:

Montas has steadily improved, with his average slider taking a big step forward this year to now flashing plus, his changeup is now enough to give him a starter’s repertoire and he still hits 100 mph at times. The question is whether his delivery and command fit as a starter and most think he ends up as a closer, but there’s still a chance he figures out a way to fit as a mid-rotation starter.  

So far, the early consensus is that the Dodgers did great, via a tweet from Ken Rosenthal:

Immediate question: Why didn’t #Reds take #WhiteSox’s package instead of #Dodgers’? Rival execs think LAD did much better than CIN.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 16, 2015

Below is more background on the new Dodger players via a press release:

Johnson, 24, appeared in 36 big league games with the White Sox last year after making the club’s Opening Day roster and has a .301 career batting average with 153 stolen bases, 24 home runs and 163 RBI in 385 minor league games in four minor league seasons. He entered the 2015 seasons rated as the White Sox’s No. 4 prospect by Baseball America and combined to hit .316 with 28 steals, eight home runs and 36 RBI in 83 minor league games last year with Triple-A Charlotte and the Rookie-level AZL White Sox. During the course of his professional career, Johnson has exclusively appeared at second base following his selection in the ninth round of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Indiana.

Montas, 22, appeared in seven games (two starts) with Chicago last year, going 0-2 with a 4.80 ERA, and has posted a 16-25 record with a 3.86 ERA in 92 games (80 starts) in six minor league seasons in the White Sox organization. Montas has limited opponents to a .232 batting average during the course of his minor league career, while averaging more than a strikeout per inning with 390 strikeouts in 382.2 innings. He entered the 2015 season rated as the White Sox’s No. 5 prospect by Baseball America and was honored as a Double-A Southern League All-Star last season, registering a 5-5 record with a 2.97 ERA, a .219 opponents’ batting average and 108 strikeouts in 23 starts with Birmingham. Montas was originally signed by the Red Sox on Dec. 14, 2009 as an amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic.

Thompson, 24, saw his first big league action last season with the White Sox, batting .295 with five home runs and 16 RBI in 44 games. Thompson, who attended Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Rancho Santa Margarita, has been selected as an All-Star at nearly every level during his seven-year minor league career, being honored as a 2011 Single-A South Atlantic League All-Star, a 2013 and 2014 Double-A Southern League All-Star and a 2015 Triple-A International League All-Star, while batting a combined .241 with 94 steals, 101 home runs and 395 RBI in 734 games. The son of former NBA player Mychal Thompson and brother of Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson was originally selected by the White Sox in the second round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft.

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Blog Kiosk: 12/16/2015 - Dodger Links - A Trade, Kenta Maeda and Going to Cuba

What an event.  Yesterday, several MLB ballplayers, including recent Cuban defectors like Yasiel Puig and Jose Abreu, hoped off a plane in Havana.  After risking their lives to flee their homeland, leaving behind countless number of family and friends, they returned.  And like children who move far away from home, they made a pilgrimage that brought emotions and tears.  Initially, though, I think awe was their first thought.  Certainly, they never imagined they'd have an opportunity to come back.  Via Alden Gonzalez at MLB.com:

Puig stepped off the plane, and a smile began to form, his eyes began to water.

Puig boarded the bus, one headed straight for the heart of Cuba, and finally some words spilled out.

"Smell that?" Puig asked, cheerfully. "That's that Cuban aroma!"

The photo above, via a tweet from Los Dodgers, shows an emotional Puig with his Baseball mentor Juan Arrechavaleta Cardenas.  Via Jesse Sanchez at MLB.com:

Puig was accompanied on the trip by his father, Omar, and the Dodgers outfielder embraced an old friend in the hotel lobby, the mentor he affectionately refers to as "Tata," and it looked like he didn't want to let go.

I cannot image what this kind of homecoming would be like.  We are no doubt in a changed world, and hopefully the folly of politics doesn't get in the way of allowing families to reunite once again.

Below are more links to check out:

• There is early news of a trade for the Dodgers that includes the Reds and White Sox, via MLB.com:

The White Sox have acquired All-Star third baseman Todd Frazier from the Reds as part of a three-team deal that includes the Dodgers, according to sources.

None of the three clubs has confirmed the deal.

The Reds get prospects Jose Peraza, Brandon Dixon and Scott Schebler from the Dodgers in the deal while prospects Frankie Montas, Trayce Thompson and Micah Johnson go from Chicago to Los Angeles. 

• Via One Nación at ESPN, "Wonder if Clayton Kershaw threw the 12-6 curveball in Cuba?"  There's a great interview with Kersahaw worth checking out.

Kershaw told ESPN: "I think for me, just understanding the culture a little bit more. It's so important," Kershaw said. "I have, obviously, a lot of teammates who are Cuban, so just for me to understand what they've been through, some of the hardships that they've gone through, understanding how they grew up."

• Via Cyd Ziegler at OutSports, "Los Angeles Dodgers executive Erik Braverman comes out as gay to inspire youth."

Even with the lingering questions, Braverman is talking about being gay in MLB now so that every LGBT person who might wonder if they can be out and work in professional baseball never again has to ask themselves that question.

"I did not have that when I was growing up," he said. "I think that's part of why I struggled personally. I didn't have any role models or examples or anyone to look up to as a possibility."

• As you may know, Japanese ace Kenta Maeda has recently been posted by his team and is currently soliciting bids from MLB teams for his services this coming season.  Apparently, he had arrived in LA for a meeting with the Dodgers, per a tweet by F.L.:

Japanese RH pitcher Kenta Maeda arrived to Los Angeles a couple of hours ago. #Dodgers #MLB - Thanks @2011MLBASG! pic.twitter.com/9AzIGxWA7h

— F. L. (@dgaijin) December 15, 2015

• If you don't know who Maeda is check out this excellent biography by Steven Sypa at Amazin' Avenue.

In studying Maeda's PITCHf/x data, one can see that Maeken is a cerebral pitcher. Aware of his lack of overpowering stuff, the right-hander uses what he does excel at–mainly his control and pitch repertoire–to keep batters off balance. Maeda keeps the ball away from hitters' power zones, throws pitches in counts you wouldn't expect them to be thrown in, and relies more heavily on his breaking pitches and off-speed offerings than his fastball. This would seem to be a definite plus for Maeda from a scouting perspective. Rather than succeeding against inferior hitters with below-average stuff, only to struggle against superior hitters, he should be able to adapt and continue using the approach with which he is familiar.

• Great stuff.  Albert Flannery at Agate Type takes a close look at a couple photographs of the 1906 Brooklyn Royal Giants.  Check it out here.

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Weekend Autograph Opportunities: Cey, Ruggiano, Schebler and Kiké Hernandez

Here are this weekends autograph opportunities and events throughout the Southland. As always, be sure to check the Blue Heaven Calendar for other events (a link can always be found on the tab at the top of this page, just left of center), and always confirm with the establishment. Everything is subject to change.  Please email me with any tips about upcoming events in Southern California.  As the rest of the week progresses I'll update this post with other events (if there are any) as I become aware of them.  Also, I don't always list every event below, so be sure to check my Calendar.  I always try to favor free signing events over paying events.  Click on any pic to embiggen.

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Ron Cey will be at Cardboard Legends in Van Nuys on Thursday, October 1st from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM to sign autographs.  Go here for information.  Prices are: $19. balls, flats & minis: $29. bobbleheads, equipment, helmets, bats & jerseys: $39. inscriptions: $20. Tickets on Sale Now Phone: 909.592.1357 to reserve.

Cardboard Legends
17218 Saticoy St
Van Nuys, Ca 91406

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Several of the young Dodger stars will be at Frank & Sons this coming Saturday, October 3rd.  Go here for information.  Check out the flyers below.  Click to embiggen.
Frank & Son Collectible Show
19649 San Jose Ave
City of Industry, CA 91748

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Blog Kiosk: 9/29/2015 - Dodger Links - Hazing the Rookies

Although the Dodgers were unable to clinch the NL Western Division over the weekend they still found a way to have some fun.  Continuing a tradition that goes back several years, the Dodgers dressed up their rookies in ridiculous outfits as they headed out on their roadtrip to San Francisco.  As you can see they used a professional wrestling theme.  In the photo above, tweeted by Alanna Rizzo, are Corey Seager and Scott Schebler.  Check out Sons of Steve Garvey (here and here) for more pics.  Also, David Vassegh shares a selfie with Seager here.  Below is a group photo as they are about to board the plane, via Dodgers on instagram.

BTW, the Dodgers "Magic Number" remains at 2.  With the Dodger playing San Francisco any win will clinch the division.  Below are more links to check out:

• Brett Anderson channels the ire heard from some fans regarding the rookie hazing event on twitter:

Myself being a major part of it...rookie dress up loses its luster when you get swept by the worst team in your division.

— Brett Anderson (@BrettAnderson35) September 28, 2015

• Via Mark Saxon at ESPN, "Dodgers eying NLCS for Yasiel Puig's return."
• Via Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA,"Dodgers new bullpen motto is working."
  

  During a recent one-on-one interview with Dodgers bullpen coach Chuck Crim, he shared a little secret about the Dodgers bullpen – his bullpen – they have adopted a new motto.
  
  “Our motto now in the bullpen is ‘Hey, nobody scores – nobody scores,’” said Crim. “I’ve got Avi (Luis Avilan) to the point where I say ‘Tell it to me… tell it to me.’ When he leaves the pen I’ll tell him ‘Hey man, nobody scores.’ It’s kind of funny but we instill it in their brains, I don’t care if it’s bases loaded and nobody out, nobody scores.”

• Via Mark Saxon at ESPN, "Brett Anderson says he's interested in returning in 2016."
  

  "It's been a good fit," Anderson said a few days ago. "It fits my personality here. With [Clayton] Kershaw the top guy, I can just go about my business and kind of pitch in the shadows. It's been gratifying to stay healthy and help win with these guys."

• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Josh Byrnes reportedly interviews for Angels GM position."

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Blog Kiosk: 9/18/2015 - Dodger Links - Quakes, Latos and Ruggiano

The young Dodger farmhands with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes are seen celebrating their playoff series victory a couple of days ago in the photo above; via a tweet from pitcher Chase De Jong.  They won it with a miraculous ninth inning rally that started with two men out.  In other news, I'm pretty sure many of the folks above are underage... Uh, who am I kidding... Who cares?  One evening of revelry is hardly unwarranted.

BTW, Last night was Game 1 of their Cal League Championship match against the San Jose Giants, and they decimated our rivals Class A league team, 12-3.  WooHoo!  The winning pitcher is none other than the guy who shared the photo above, Chase De Jong.  Via Tyler Maun at MiLB:

"It's always important to win Game 1, especially when you're at home," Quakes manager Bill Haselman said. "We had a pretty intense game yesterday, and they wiped that slate clean. They were ready for this game, so they did a heck of a job. De Jong did a great job on the mound, gave us six strong innings, and our offense was relentless with their ABs."

Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA also wrote a great story about last night's game that you check out here.  Below are more links to check out:

• Left Field Pavilion made a fantastic fantasy Baseball card featuring Joc Pederson and Corey Seager that you can see here.
• ICYMI:  Mat "Cat" Latos is no more.  He has been DFA'd by the Dodgers.  Unquestionably, he was the worst pickup so far for the new Dodger front office, and that's OK.  Nobody will be perfect all of the time.  That said, the fact that they were willing to cut bait rather than let him ride it out on the bench into October is telling.  This group will not hesitate to move beyond any mistakes - In other words, they don't let their pride dictate player movements.  

Or, maybe the 6.66 ERA in the six games he pitched for us as a bad omen. 

• Via Eric Avakian at Dodgers Nation, "Mattingly Not Surprised By Andre Ethier’s Season."

“Coming out of Spring Training with all the talk of wanting to play everyday and all that, and really I’ve said it a few different times, he’s backed it up with his play. When he’s gotten his opportunities he’s been really good. I don’t know if it’s really necessarily a surprise that he’s capable of this, but it’s been a good season for him.” 

• Via The Cauldron at Sports Illustrated, "Kershaw, Greinke could go down as one of the 10 greatest duos ever."
• Via Frank Cesare at the Daily Gammons, "Justin Ruggiano is Demolishing Lefties in LA."

In LA, Ruggiano has had 24 plate appearances against lefties. He possesses a .417 OBP, 1.330 OPS, .522 ISO, .461 BABIP, .550 wOBA and 261 wRC+. Those numbers may not be sustainable in the long run, but in his limited role, he’s carved out a niche that has helped catapult the Dodgers comfortably into the playoffs—barring a major collapse.

• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Seager can vouch for Schebler's hunger."

"He doesn't get the credit; he's not on the magazine covers and stuff, but every year, he puts up the numbers and now he's here and I'm really pumped for him," said Seager, ranked by MLBPipeline.com as the Dodgers' top prospect and the No. 2 prospect in baseball. "He's everything you'd want in a teammate."

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Blog Kiosk: 9/16/2015 - Dodger Links - Some Odds and Ends

So, how many of you stuck around to watch the end of last nights (or this mornings) game? 

I sure didn't.  I was safely tucked away in bed.  Sure, I had the television on, but make no mistake I slowly drifted into a slumber. 

As it turns out, the Dodgers and Rockies played 16 innings and finished up their match at about 12:30 in the morning.  That's a 5 hours and 23 minutes contest.  No doubt that was exacerbated by their egregious use of the bench.  According to Israel Fehr at Big League Stew they broke Major League records by using a combined 58 players and 24 pitchers in one game.  Via Zach Helfand at the LA Times:

"In this time of year, you don’t plan on running out of guys," Mattingly said. "We pretty much ran out of guys."

At the least the weather was good... Oh, yeah... It was a misty sprinkled filled evening... Sorry, my bad.  Hopefully tonight's game is better.

The photo above is via @Dodgers on twitter.  BTW, the Dodgers "Magic Number" is now at 11 - thanks to the Reds defeat of the Giants in extras.  Below are more links to check out:

• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Dodgers shake up Minor League staffs."  Wow!  Not Stubbs!!

Among the 10 whose contracts will not be renewed are Triple-A Oklahoma City manager Damon Berryhill, who was named manager of the year in the Pacific Coast League earlier this month, and Double-A Tulsa manager Razor Shines.

In addition to Berryhill and Shines, Oklahoma City hitting coach Franklin Stubbs, Great Lakes pitching coach Glenn Dishman, Arizona Rookie League manager Jack McDowell, instructor Rick Rhoden, Great Lakes coach Angel Sanchez, Great Lakes hitting coach Jay Gibbons, Ogden hitting coach Darryl Brinkley and instructor Erik Bedard will not be retained.

"All our Minor League staff put forth a tremendous effort in 2015, and we appreciate all their work and dedication," said Gabe Kapler, Dodgers director of player development. "At this moment in time, we wanted to bring in some new voices in some key areas. Our changes should not be viewed as a reflection on any performance; they simply reflect that we are heading in a different direction."

• Via Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA, "Schebler still not bothered by playing in shadow of others."

On Corey Seager: “He deserves all the attention he gets. I mean, look at what he’s doing,” Schebler answered about his very close friend and former roommate. “No… no, I don’t mind being [the] under-the-radar guy, that’s fine. But yeah, he deserves everything he gets.”

• I've wondered about this too.  Via Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider, "Dodgers platoon a lot, but not the most."  As Jon shows, the Dodgers used the platoon far more often under Manager Walter Alston.  Heck, you can maybe argue that they don't platoon enough today.

Seven of the top 10 platooning squads in Los Angeles Dodger history came along between 1961-1971, all under manager Walter Alston. The other three came from 1990-92, under Tom Lasorda. Perhaps oddly, despite the rise of sabermetrics in mainstream acceptance, no Dodger teams outside of 2004 and 2015 crack the top 20 in platoon advantage.

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Blog Kiosk: 9/15/2015 - Dodger Links - Seager, Schebler and Adrian Gonzalez

How 'bout those kids!

Sure, we can talk about how we got another fantastic start from Clayton Kershaw, but that's getting boring.  The guy's a beast out there - we all know that -  and we all have come to expect near-perfection from him.  Instead, lets focus some attention on a couple of rookies who are taking the opportunities given to them to make their mark on the club.

There is no doubt in mind that Corey Seager is the future.  He continues to impress with his bat and his glove.  Last night he recorded a couple more hits to raise his season slash to 432/.543/.676.  Best yet, he's scoring runs and driving them home.  By season's end he may very well become our playoff starting shortstop.

Scott Schebler, although not as polished and flashy as Seager, has held his own with the Dodgers.  Last night he hit an important two-run jack in the eighth inning to give the club a couple of important insurance runs.  Given how wobbly Hatcher looked in the ninth we really needed those.  Overall, Schebler has shown that he can still hit for power in the big leagues.  So far he's slashing .261/.320/.652 - not too shabby.

The photo above of Scott Schebler high-fiving Corey Seager in the eighth inning via @Dodgers on twitter.  BTW, the Dodgers "Magic Number" is now at 12.  Below are more links to check out:

• What a deal!  Via Chris Cwik at Big League Stew, "Corey Seager's first home run ball was traded for a David Peralta autograph."

So, when Seager hit his first career home run Saturday, we expected the ransom to be pretty substantial. The hit came on the road against the Arizona Diamondbacks, and provided an excellent chance for an opposing fan to leverage the ball for a ton of swag. That's not what happened.

In return for Seager's first home run ball, the fan wanted an autograph ... from D-Backs outfielder David Peralta.

• Frick'n Red Sox Fans!  Via a tweet by CJ Fogler:

GIF: Red Sox at Dodger Stadium attempts to rip foul ball out of Adrian Gonzalez's glove, sudden realization hits pic.twitter.com/aRdGabLKH7

— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) September 15, 2015

• BTW, Adrian Gonzalez was named the Dodgers nominee for the 2015 Roberto Clemente Award.  This recognizes a Major League Baseball player who best represents the game through positive contributions on and off the field, including sportsmanship and community involvement. Per a press release:

“It’s truly an honor to be our club’s Roberto Clemente Award nominee,” said Gonzalez. “Roberto Clemente was an exemplary man, a great player and humanitarian. I’d like to thank the Dodgers and MLB for this very special recognition that means so much to me and my family.”  

• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Dodgers have a chance for best LA home record."
• Chad Moriyama at Dodgers Digest takes a look at Joc Pederson and some of the recent adjustments he's made: "Joc Pederson, his hands, and his September comeback."
• Via Steve Bourbon at MLB.com, "Speedy rookie Peraza likely lost for season."
• Awesome!  I love these kind of stories.  Featured is a gold watch with a Brooklyn Dodgers Ebbets Field Lifetime Pass engraved on its back.  It was originally given by Walter O'Malley to Lt. Col. Anthony F. Story.  Via James Barron at the New York Times, "A Watch With Lifetime Access to Ebbets Field Has Mysterious Origins."
• Dodger Penguin shares his 2008 Clayton Kershaw Major League debut ticket stub.  Check it out here.
• Bob Lemke passes along an interesting tidbit about Negro League ballplayer Sam Jethroe, here.  Jethroe was in the Dodgers farm system before his debut with the Boston Braves in 1950.

At spring training with the Dodgers in Vero Beach on March 26, 1949, Sam Jethroe was unofficially clocked at 6.1 seconds in the 60-yard dash. That time tied the world’s record, and he had done it in full uniform and baseball spikes.

By comparison, Rickey Henderson ran the 60 in 6.4 seconds.

The current record for the outdoor 60-yard dash seems to be 5.99 sec.

Keep in mind that Sam Jethroe was 32-years old at the time.

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Blog Kiosk: 9/11/2015 - Dodger Links - Some Odds and Ends

Just awesome!

Check out this fantastic 1939 photograph of future Baseball Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson on the football field for UCLA training camp.  Photo via the Jackie Robinson Foundation on twitter.

Here is something you probably didn't know.  Jackie Robinson, for a brief period, played professional football.  In 1941 he played for the semi-professional Honolulu Bears - a racially integrated football team.  Then returned to California later that year to play for the Los Angeles Bullfrogs of the Pacific Coast League.  As fate would have it, Pearl Harbor was bombed that December and the Bullfrog's season came to an abrupt halt.  The following year Jackie would be drafted into the Army.

Below are some links to check out:

• Check out the potential postseason schedule for the Dodgers here.  Also Cary Osborne at Dodger Insider lets us know about registration for Dodger playoff tickets, here.
• I didn't know that!  Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "3 straight postseason appearances would be a Dodgers franchise first."  Sounds ridiculous, but it's true.
• Dustin Nosler at Dodgers Digest shares his picks for, "2015 Dodgers’ Minor League Players of the Year."  Cody Bellinger is his "Hitter of the Year" and Jose DeLeon is his "Pitcher of the Year."
• Vincent Samperio at Dodgers Nation notes that a Dodger milestone that was just broken, "Justin Ruggiano, Scott Schebler Join Record Book."

The consecutive leadoff home runs were the first time that has happened since 1951, when Carl Furillo accomplished the feat on his own against the Chicago Cubs as a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers.

• As a part of today's commemoration of September 11th the entire league will be wearing special caps with a stylized American flag on its side.  See the Dodger cap on the right.  Go here to check out and order a cap from New Era.  All MLB proceeds from sales of these caps will be donated to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, the Pentagon Memorial and the Flight 93 Memorial. 
• Bill Plunkett at the OC Register shares some quotes from some Dodger players about the city's ban on chewing tobacco.

“Good. Ban it. Do me a favor,” said Dodgers reliever J.P. Howell, a dedicated tobacco user since his college days.
...“If they banned it, I’d be fine with that,” Dodgers left-hander Brett Anderson said, describing himself as only an occasional user. “This could be my last one forever. I’ve never been addicted to it. It’s just something I do out of boredom.”
...
“Honestly, knowing that kids are watching and cameras are on you all the time (prompted him to quit),” Mattingly said. “And knowing it was bad for me.”

• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Justin Turner voted Dodgers nominee for 2015 Marvin Miller Man of the Year award."

Honored to be voted by my teammates to represent the @Dodgers for the #MarvinMiller Man of the Year award!

— Justin Turner (@redturn2) September 10, 2015

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Blog Kiosk: 9/5/2015 - Dodger Links - Injuries and the Home Run

Hitting Home Runs, Home Runs All the Time

It should come as no surprise that the top home run team in the National League would wallop five in one game.  Still, it was a shock when it happened.  After all, the Dodgers haven't been much of a home run hitting team in recent history.

Did you know that the last time this team hit more home runs than the league average was in 2004?  Yeah, neither did I.  I had to click past way to many annual statistics at Baseball Reference to find that out.

Now, we're an offensive juggernaut, and I still find myself a bit uncomfortable with that.

Don't get me wrong, though.  I'm extremely happy with this change.  Via Mark Saxon at ESPN:

“Obviously, I’m not going to complain about home runs,” manager Don Mattingly said.

I guess I shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.


Scott Scheber is featuring in the photo above hitting his 2nd inning home run to tie the game.  The pic is via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2015.  Go here to check out more fantastic photos from yesterday's game by Jon.  Below are some links to check out:

• Kiké Hernandez now has an official website.  Check it out here: kikehndez.com.
• Via Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider, "Damon Berryhill named PCL Manager of the Year."
• Uh-Oh.  Via JP Hoornstra at the Daily News, "Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig, Kiké Hernandez may be out until playoffs."  For now, we may be able to hold on, but if they aren't available come playoff time then we could be in trouble.  We're better with those bats than without.

“Howie (Kendrick) took a month,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. “How much time do we have left? We’ve got about a month, and Yas has been out (a week). If it is a month, we’re right pretty much at the end of the year. Kiké’s a little farther behind that. The timetable tells you you’re going to be close.”

• We have slightly better news on the Howie Kendrick front.  Via AJ Cassavell at MLB.com, "Kendrick should be back before season's end."

"Unless something were to happen to him, he's going to be back within ...," Mattingly started, before cutting himself off sharply.

"I'm not even going to say, because I don't want to jinx it," Mattingly continued. "But Howie's going to be back."

• Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider informs us that Dodger baserunning has gotten better: "Homer-happy Dodgers on a basestealing roll."  He shares a nice graphic showing the teams improvement.

Though still not exactly a team of Rickey Hendersons, the Dodgers have turned things around as basestealers. The team that began the season 14 for 35 on stolen-base attempts through July 1 has gone 30 for 37 since — including 13 for 13 in its past seven games.

Eric Stephen at True Blue LA adds more:

"We've been a little bit better recently. Sometimes it's who you're playing that night, and that pitcher, if he gives you a chance to steal," manager Don Mattingly said on Tuesday. "It's really down to the mathematics - it takes so long to get to home plate, it takes so long to get to second, so if you get a decent jump you have a shot."

• Check out this interesting podcast from LA Meekly that is all about the history of Baseball in Los Angeles before the Dodgers came to town.  They also talk about the battle for Chavez Razine. 

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Blog Kiosk: 9/3/2015 - Dodger Links - Utley, Turner and Oklahoma City Won their Division

Congratulations to the Triple-AAA Oklahoma City Dodgers for clinching the PCL American North Division title last night.  Via Robert Emrich at MiLB.com:

"It was relaxed," Oklahoma City coach Johnny Washington said of the atmosphere prior to the game. "They understood what needed to be accomplished today and they came out ready to play.

And did they ever!  They defeated Iowa by the score of 11-3, on the backs of a pair of home runs by Andy Wilkinsand Chris Heisey and a two-RBI double by Corey Seager. 

The photo above via @okc_dodgers on twitter.  Below are more links to check out:

• Guess who's coming for a cup of coffee?  Via Steve Adams at MLB Trade Rumors, "Dodgers To Promote Corey Seager."  The Phenom is coming!
• Via Steve Bourbon at MLB.com, "Mattingly dismisses Marlins rumors." 
• Utley, you're a Dodger now!  He hit his first home run in Blue last night to help the Dodger sweep the Giants in a 2-1 victory.  Per Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

"I definitely wasn't trying to hit a home run there, just hit it hard and see what happens," he said. "Obviously, it was the winning run, and that definitely means a lot, especially with Clayton on the mound. I've played a lot of games against him and I thought he was a very good pitcher. Now that I'm playing behind him, I realize he's an extremely good pitcher."

• ICYMI:  The Dodgers recalled outfielder Scott Schebler.  There are now 31 players on the active roster.  Via a Dodger press release:

Schebler, 24, made his Major League debut on June 5 against the Cardinals, going 1-for-3, during a brief, one-day recall with the Dodgers, and batted .241 with 13 home runs and 50 RBI in 121 games with OKC this year. The Iowa native was selected by the Dodgers in the 26th round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft and was the organization’s 2013 Branch Rickey Minor League Player of the Year.

• Eric Lichtblau of the NYT confirms that Buster Posey is a bad man; "In Sharing Baseball’s Joys, Mourning Something Lost."  (Hat Tip: Sax at Sons of Steve Garvey)
• Via Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA, "Is Joc Pederson fixed?"
  

  “There’s not one certain way that you have to hit. You take the knowledge from myself or whoever it may be – the stuff they’re passing on to you – and you make it your own, and that’s what Joc’s trying to do right now,” said McGwire. “We’re trying to calm the swing down, not feeling like you have to swing at a hundred and fifty percent all the time. If he can get in that box and feel like he’s swinging about seventy percent, good things are going to happen. It’s all about being patient. This kid, the sky’s the limit for him. I’m his biggest backer and I love him to death and the thing is, he works his rear end off.”

• Via Jeff Todd at MLB Trade Rumors, "Extension Candidate: Justin Turner."
  

  It’s questionable, to be sure, whether he can maintain the power surge that has pushed his isolated slugging mark to over .200. Turner’s 15.6% home run per flyball rate in 2015 may be unsustainable — that’s a career-best by a significant margin — but he has obviously learned something about driving the ball that seems likely to stick. Building off improvements in his contact profile that were evident in his 2013 numbers with the Mets, the 2015 version of Turner makes hard contact in approximately one third of his plate appearances while generating the same soft contact rate (10.8%) as Paul Goldschmidt and Miguel Cabrera.

• This is pretty cool.  Via Shawn Anderson at the Hall of Very Good, "Rockford Peaches Honored at Site of Old Stadium."
• Via Night Owl Cards, "A decade in blue, who knew?"  He takes a look at some of the cards of the longest tentured Dodger - Andre Ethier.

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Blog Kiosk: 6/23/2015 - Dodger Links - Crawford, Turner and a Pups in the Park Video

Look at the wondrous skies above Wrigley Field last night.

The setting sun sent splashes of orange, red and brown against bulbous formations that look like goosebumps.  There was almost a menacing feel to it - like the skies would open up at any second.  Storms throughout the area wreaked havoc causing lights to go out at Wrigley.  I imagine that they exploded in a flash like a Roy Hobbs home run off the top deck.

This predictably caused arguments to ensue.  Chicago, ever fearful of the master on the mound, protested having to bat against a Kershaw spinner without enough lights.  Via Jesse Rogers at ESPN:

"I didn't like the idea that we had to play against a guy that is really, really, really, really good," Maddon said. "And you have to see spin and you have to read everything. I did not like the fact that we had to go out and play without all the lights on. Just be a little more patient and wait for the lights to go on."

In the end, it didn't matter.

Kershaw gave up a couple of homers and the Dodgers didn't score enough runs.  Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

"It's always frustrating to lose," said Kershaw, 21-3 as last year's National League MVP Award and Cy Yound Award winner but 5-5 this season. "It's a couple pitches here and there. I wish they were doubles instead of home runs. Maybe this was a little better than last time, but it's still a loss."

It was a tough loss.  For whatever reason the middle of summer the past several years always make me feel like the Dodgers take that one big step, only to take another step back at the next possible moment.

The fantastic photo at the very top is via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2015.  Go here to check out more photos of yesterday's game from Jon.  Below are some links to check out:

• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Scott Schebler named PCL Player of the Week."
• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Mattingly: Crawford has to 'earn' way back."

That's good enough for Mattingly to say, "Andre's kind of taken that spot, to be honest with you."

• Check out this little tidbit, via a tweet from Beyond the Boxscore:

Best hitters in MLB over the past calendar year (150 PA minimum): J. Turner (185 wRC+) P. Goldschmidt (184) B. Harper (167) A. Rizzo (165)

— Beyond the Box Score (@BtBScore) June 22, 2015

• Check out Topps newest online exclusive offering.  It's a 18" x 24" movie style poster featuring Joc Pederson and Clayton Kershaw.  The design is inspired by the 1981 Topps Movie Giant Pin Ups.  It is numbered to only 99 copies.  Go here to check it out.  You can see it on the right.  Click on the pic to embiggen.
• I'm as confident as ever that Pete Rose should never be admitted into the Hall of Fame.  Per William Weinbaum and T.J. Quinn at ESPN, "Entries in long-hidden notebook show Pete Rose bet on baseball as player."

"Bertolini nails down the connection to organized crime on Long Island and New York. And that is a very powerful problem," Dowd said. "[Ohio bookie] Ron Peters is a golf pro, so he's got other occupations. But the boys in New York are about breaking arms and knees.

"The implications for baseball are terrible. [The mob] had a mortgage on Pete while he was a player and manager."

• Here's a fun video put out by the LA Times of "A Pug's-Eye View of Dodger Stadium" that was filmed during the recent Pups at the Park event at Dodgers Stadium.

Video Link:

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The Skunks are Back at Dodger Stadium

Holy Moly!  They're back!

In 2013 a skunk, possibly a family of skunks, made their presence known at the Dodger Stadium.  I originally wrote a bit about that here.  They were initially found in the stands in early June of that year, and now, nearly two years later, they have made their glorious return. 

Per various tweets, a skunk has made his/her way to the Cardinals dugout, and is currently camping underneath the photog area.  Apparently, it is refusing to leave.   

#SkunkWatch #STLCards pic.twitter.com/uMMNjY6DAW

— Jim Hayes (@TheCatOnFox) June 5, 2015

As you might recall, the day that skunk first showed up at Dodger Stadium was on the same day Yasiel Puig made his debut as a Dodger.  Seemingly, out of the Blue, the Dodgers immediately went on an fantastic tear with Puig as their new offensive leader.

Now, the skunk has returned and standing in left field this evening will be rookie Scott Schebler to make his Major League debut as a Dodger.  

Do you think this is a coincidence?

I think not!

The mighty Dodger Skunk has come back to send his well wishes to the newest Dodger prospect, and if the past is any indicator of future events then we should be on the cusp of witnessing the emergence of our next great star. 

Good luck, Scott Schebler! 

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Welcome to the Blue, Scott Schebler!

The Dodgers have just called up another young bat from the minors to join the Dodgers in Los Angeles.  His name is Scott Schebler, and the righty thrower/lefty hitter will be inserted into the starting lineup - batting seventh.  This will be his Major League debut, and he will wear #55.  Per a Dodger press release:

The Los Angeles Dodgers today recalled outfielder Scott Schebler (#55) from Triple-A Oklahoma City and optioned left-handed reliever Daniel Coulombe to Triple-A.

Schebler, 24, will make his Major League debut tonight, batting seventh in left field, and has a .274 career batting average with 80 home runs and 305 RBI in 521 games in six minor league seasons. With Triple-A Oklahoma City this year, he's appeared at all three outfield positions and is batting .216 with six homers and 15 RBI in 49 games. Schebler, who was honored as the Dodgers' 2013 Branch Rickey Minor League Player of the Year, was selected by Los Angeles in the 26^th round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft out of Des Moines Area (Iowa) Community College.

With the Dodgers a bit shorthanded in the outfield, Schebler will get an opportunity to show what he can do.  I do not expect him to be with us for very long, considering that Puig is expected to arrive soon.  Nevertheless, this "cup of coffee" provides a great chance to watch one of the clubs top-10 prospects up-close.  Here are some links to check out about him:

• Via Jeff Johnson at The Gazette, "C.R.'s Schebler gets call to the major leagues."  His hometown newspaper in Cedar Rapids, IA.

“I do know he is more prepared than I am for this,” Deb Schebler said. “Even though I always believed it would happen, I’m still not prepared.”

• Via Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider, "Scott Schebler called up for MLB debut."  Jon includes a feature written about Schebler that was originally printed in the current issue of Dodger Insider Magazine.
• Via David Hood at True Blue LA, "Dodgers top prospects 2015: Scott Schebler, No. 6."

What makes Schebler a top prospect in the Dodgers system is his bat. Schebler has 60 or better grades on both his hit and power tool and has the potential to be a .285 hitter with 20+ home runs at the major league level. Schebler’s swing is geared to hit the ball with authority. He uses a long stride and significant weight transfer to incorporate his lower half into his swing. His swing plane is designed to produce loft on the ball and he has the power to carry mishits out of the park as well.

And here's a video scouting report on Schebler from Bernie Pleskoff of MLBPipeline.com (8/8/2014).

Video Link:

In celebration of Schebler's arrival to the Dodgers I made the above fantasy card for him.  I used a Getty Images photo/Jason Wise and the 1959 Topps Baseball card design.

Below are his career stats, via Baseball-Reference:

Last time I saw Scott Schebler at Dodger Stadium was during the 2014 Winter Development Program. pic.twitter.com/Mt9c31ErxX

— Stacie Wheeler (@organicallyrude) June 5, 2015

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2015 Bowman Baseball - The Dodger Base Cards

The set prospect collectors love has just been released.  It is Bowman's 2015 flagship set and below are all of the Dodger base cards.  As you know, this set has a strong focus on up-'n-comin' ballplayers, so you'll find Dodger minor leaguers like Urias, Seager, Holmes and De Leon throughout.  Go here for a complete checklist.  Over the next few days I'll have pics of most of the insert, relic and autograph cards.

#1 Clayton Kershaw                             #15 Zack Greinke

Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Spring Game 15 / Road Game 8

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.

--------------------------

Los Angeles Dodgers (8-2-4) vs. Texas Rangers (7-6-1)
Tuesday, March 17, 2015 – 1:05 p.m. MT | Surprise Recreation Campus

LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (0-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Yovani Gallardo (0-0, 21.60)   
TV: SNLA Radio: None

--------------------------

(St. Patrick's Day 1998, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers)

POT OF GOLD: The Dodgers, who have the Cactus League’s best winning percentage at .800, travel to Surprise to take on the Rangers in the first of four exhibition contests between the clubs this spring. The teams will match up again this weekend as their split-squads travel to San Antonio for a two-game series and will also meet on March 29 in Glendale. The clubs will play four regular-season games in 2015, June 15-16 in Arlington and June 17-18 at Dodger Stadium, marking their first games against each other since 2009 and the Rangers’ first visit to Los Angeles since 2001. The Dodgers will don green caps in today’s game in honor of St. Patrick’s Day!

• Yesterday, the Dodgers optioned pitchers Zach Lee, Chris Reed, Mike Bolsinger, Joe Wieland and Carlos Frias along with catcher Austin Barnes and reassigned infielders O’Koyea Dickson and Erisbel Arruebarrena to minor league camp. Including Brandon Beachy and Chris Withrow, who are on the 60-day disabled list, the Dodgers have 50 players remaining in big league camp.

NO LUCK OF THE IRISH NEEDED: The Dodgers erupted for three home runs, including a pinch-hit grand slam by Darnell Sweeney, during an eight-run eighth inning yesterday to down the A’s, 10-5, at Camelback Ranch for their third consecutive win. Scott Schebler and Chris Heisey also homered during the eighth-inning rally, and Darwin Barney had a game-high three hits, going 3-for-3 with an RBI. Zack Greinke made his second start of the spring, allowing just one hit – a solo home run by Josh Phegley – in 3.0 innings in a no-decision.

TEXAS TWO-STEP: The countdown is on to Big League Weekend, with the Dodgers taking on the Rangers Friday night and Saturday afternoon at the Alamodome in San Antonio! Erik Bedard and Zack Greinke are expected to start the two San Antonio exhibition games for the Dodgers, with a roster that includes Yasmani Grandal, Adrian Gonzalez, Yasiel Puig, and Joc Pederson.

MAKING JACKIE PROUD: Major League Baseball announced yesterday that the Dodgers will play host to the Seattle Mariners at Dodger Stadium in the 2015 Civil Rights Game on Jackie Robinson Day, Wednesday, April 15.  It will mark the first time that Baseball’s tribute to civil rights leaders and figures will be held in conjunction with its annual commemoration of Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson breaking Baseball’s color barrier on April 15, 1947. The Civil Rights Game was developed by MLB to pay tribute to the spirit of the civil rights movement and to honor those who embodied the struggle for equal rights for all Americans. This is the first Civil Rights Game hosted by the Dodgers and second one they have played in (2012), while this will be the first overall for the Mariners.

(Hyun-Jin Ryu, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2015)

ON THE MOUND: Left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu will make his second start of the spring today after striking out two in 2.0 hitless, scoreless innings on Thursday at San Diego. Ryu, who has never faced the Rangers, has struggled against American League opponents during the course of his career, going 3-3 with a 4.72 ERA (25 ER/47.2 IP) in eight starts.

• LHP Paco Rodriguez is expected to make his fourth appearance of the spring today, last pitching on Saturday against the Indians. Rodriguez has yet to allow a run and has struck out five in 3.0 innings this spring.
• LHP J.P Howell is also expected to see action today after firing a scoreless inning on Saturday against the Indians.
• RHP Juan Nicasio will make his fourth Cactus League appearance today after tossing a scoreless inning of relief in Friday’s tie with the Reds.
• RHP David Aardsma will also make his fourth appearance of the spring today, last pitching on Saturday against the Indians. Aardsma has allowed just one hit in 3.0 scoreless innings this spring.
• RHP Pedro Baez, who last pitched on Saturday against the Indians, has allowed just one hit in 3.0 innings this spring.
• Los Angeles pitching has been terrific so far this spring, as the club has combined to post a 3.02 ERA and limit opposing hitters to a .209 batting average, striking out 98 and walking just 32 in 125.0 innings.

THE HOME OF THE DODGERS: Yesterday, iHeartMedia Los Angeles and the Dodgers announced the debut of the all-new AM 570 LA Sports.. The new baseball season will bring a new name, a new look, a re-brand, a re-launch and a new co-ownership with the Dodgers to the station formerly known as KLAC. AM 570 LA Sports will be under the co-ownership of iHeartMedia Los Angeles and the Dodgers, will have a new logo and will also incorporate the new 2015 Dodgers slogan “We Love LA.”  Another new addition, Dodger Talk featuring David Vassegh and Kevin Kennedy, will now air immediately following Dodgers baseball games or at 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

(Retired #'s added to Club Level at Dodger Stadium, pic via @DodgerInsider on twitter)

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Blog Kiosk: 3/11/2015 - Dodger Links - Grandal, Guerrero and the Kids

You've got to love what the kids are doing in camp. Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Corey Seager, Scott Schebler, O'Koyea Dickson lead first-week youth movement for Dodgers."

"It's been interesting for us in this camp because we've got a lot of our own prospects that have been climbing the ladder that all of a sudden seem to be right here knocking on the door," manager Don Mattingly said on Tuesday. "We've also made some trades for some guys that have come from other organizations who have been fun to watch.

Photo above of Scott Schebler from yesterday's game is via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers.  Go here to check out more pics from Jon from yesterday here.  Below are some more links to check out:

• Baseball prognosticator Peter Gammons declared that the Dodgers are his 2015 off-season winner.  Check out what he had to say here.

We get all of them. But, for me, there was one clear winner. The Dodgers. No media-driven hype signings and acquisitions. No Miami Heat-type player introductions at a FanFest. No exercises in usage of the first person singular.

Just a restructuring and reorganization to what might be called the 21^st Century Branch Rickey model. So non-Hollywood.

• My biggest worry about Yasmani Grandal is slowly coming into focus.  He may pitch-frame well, but he has to learn to recognize which pitches are worth trying to frame for a strike and which pitches require him to catch and block at all cost.  BTW, his lack of mobility due to knee issues is a worrying factory, and may mean that he is just not physically able to stop pitches in the dirt.  Sure, he can hit, but how much are you willing to give up when it comes to pitching?  That's a questions that will get answered as the season goes on.  Mike Petriello at Dodgers Digest has a rundown on some of these defensive issues, "Yasmani Grandal May Want To Put the ‘Catch’ In Catcher."
• Reddit user u/kittysparkles shares some fantastic photos taken during the first two games of Spring Training at Camelback Ranch.  Check them out here.
• Watch out for this event during tomorrow's spring Dodger game.  Via Chris Cwik at Big League Stew, "Will Ferrell has a wacky plan to play all nine baseball positions in one day."
• Pedro Guerrero cracks me up.  Via his twitter:

No Dodger World Series in 25 years and 3 for the Giants in 5 years.  No wonder my brain started bleeding.  Enough of this shit cmon @dodgers
— PedroGuerrero (@PedroGuerreroLA) March 11, 2015

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