Blog Kiosk: 2/18/2020 - Dodgers Links & News - Some Odds and Ends

Betts is looking like a happy camper. Photos above via @Dodgers on twitter. Below are some notes from a Dodger press release regarding the Dodgers Spring.

• Right-handed pitcher, Brusdar Graterol, threw his first bullpen session (on Monday), making his Dodger Spring Training debut. The Venezuelan born pitcher was a combined 19-6 with a 2.48 ERA (59 ER/214.0 IP) in 51 minor league games in the Twins’ organization last season. After making his Major League debut on Sept. 1, 2019, the 21-year old made 10 relief appearances for Minnesota to record a 1-1 record with a 4.66 ERA (5 ER/9.2 IP) with 10 strikeouts against two walks.
• The Dodgers would like to welcome non-roster invitee Terrance Gore to camp. The outfielder spent last season between Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Kansas City. With Kansas City, he appeared in 37 games for a .275/.362/.353 slash line with two doubles and a triple. 
• The first live batting practices of camp were thrown Monday by Walker Buehler and Tony Gonsolin.

Photo on the right via @Dodgers on twitter. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1960 Walter O'Malley and the Dodgers completed their purchase of Chavez Ravine by paying $494,000 for the property that was valued at $92,000. In 1986 the Dodgers signed 18-year old free agent Dominican infielder José Vizcaíno. He would go on to have an 18 year career in the Majors -- playing five seasons for the Dodgers. In 2017 the Dodgers re-signed Chase "Dad" Utley to a one-year $2 million contract. 
• Happy Birthday, Sherry Smith, Manny Mota, Bob Miller, Kevin Tapani, Jamey Carroll & Chad Moeller!

Welcome to the Blue, Brusdar Graterol!

The trade with the Twins is finally official. The Dodgers get a prospect reliever known for throwing 100 mph, while sending the much loved hurler Kenta Maeda to Minnesota -- effectively allowing him to become a regular starter on a competitive team. A win / win, no doubt... but sad since most Dodger fans will miss Maeda's professionalism and guile. Per a Dodgers tweet:

The Dodgers have acquired RHP Brusdar Graterol, minor league OF Luke Raley and the 67th pick in the 2020 First Year Player draft from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for RHP Kenta Maeda, minor league C Jaír Camargo and cash considerations.

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) February 11, 2020

So, who is Brusdar Graterol?

Blog Kiosk: 2/5/2020 - Dodgers Links & News - Some Odds and Ends

I know the above custom fantasy baseball card isn't the "Mookie" you were expecting, but it'll have to do for now.

As you surely know, the Dodgers are getting both Mookie Betts and David Price from the Red Sox, and it won't cost us a bucket full of top prospects to get them. Instead, we traded from a position of strength. We sent over several solid current ballplayers (Verdugo, Maeda, & Pederson) who are fan favorites to get two very dynamic studs while not giving up one youngster who rank on our top-30 prospect list. On top of that, Boston is sending the Dodgers cash... cold hard cash... like millions of it.

Unbelievable.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 2009 the Dodgers announced that on May 16th Dodger Stadium will host a regular season game between Mexico City Diablos Rojos and the Monterrey Sultanes of Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (LMB) summer league. Unfortunately, the game was postponed due to a week-long closure of the Mexican League in April due to a swine flu outbreak. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe they ever rescheduled the game.
• Happy Birthday, Joe Hutcheson, John Gaddy, Cy Buker & Don Hoak!

Mookie!

Holy Moly!

Are you kidding me?

After weeks and months of speculation the Dodgers appear to have pulled off a trade that only a patient architect could achieve. The Dodgers waited and cajoled, negotiated like this was a leverage buyout and then struck when it was right... And now, we arguably have one of the most dynamic ballplayers in the game coming to Los Angeles.

Exact details are not yet available, but we do know this... The Dodgers get both Mookie Betts and David Price from the Red Sox, and it didn't cost any of our top prospects. We get to keep Gavin Lux, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, Will Smith, Edwin Rios, Keibert Ruiz, Zach Reks, Kyle Garlick, Kody Hoese, Michael Busch, DJ Peters, Josiah Gray and Jeter Downs. Heck, as it stands right now, the Dodgers did not have to relinquish one player from their top-30 prospects list, via MLB Pipeline. Wow!

Unfortunately, a trade like this does not come without losses... And these losses kinda hurt.

Young outfielder Alex Verdugo will be going to Boston, and this is no surprise. It has been long speculated that any deal involving Betts would, at minimum, require sending Verdugo to the Red Sox. Also gone is sometime starter/sometime reliever Kenta Maeda -- who is now a Twin. Lastly, Joc Pederson is moved to the Angels to make room in the outfield for Betts. All three of these players were well loved by fans, so seeing them in another uniform will take some time getting used to. Nevertheless, this is the trade we've all been waiting for. This is the trade that may ultimately cement the legacy that the Guggenheim ownership has been trying to achieve.

On another note, I am wondering how prescient am I?

A couple of weeks back I ran across the above t-shirt design and knew I had to have it. It features the main protagonist from the Spike Lee classic Do The Right Thing, Mookie, sporting his Jackie Robinson Dodgers jersey while holding a Sal's Pizza box and doing his best "Jumpman" impression. It's a classic looking "t" of a classic film that happens to be very timely. I think I'll be wearing this when I go to my first home game.

Stay tuned. I will certainly have numerous fantasy custom baseball cards to share soon.

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Welcome to the Blue, Adam Kolarek!

We got a new reliever!

Unfortunately, he's not named Shane Greene (he went to Atlanta), Edwin Diaz, Will Smith or Felipe Vazquez. Instead, the Dodgers grabbed lefty bullpen arm Adam Kolarek from the Tampa Bay Rays. Per a Dodgers press release:

The Los Angeles Dodgers announced that they have acquired left-handed pitcher Adam Kolarek from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for minor league outfielder Niko Hulsizer.

Welcome to the Blue, Jedd Gyorko!

The Dodgers made a trade this morning, but it's not one we had hoped for. It has been announced, via a tweet from Ken Rosenthal, that the Dodgers have picked up infielder Jedd Gyorko from the Cardinals. Who St. Louis got in return has not yet been announced. BTW, you can follow Jedd on twitter here: @JGyorko05. Per Jeff Todd at MLB Trade Rumors:

Gyorko, 30, is playing on a $13MM salary this year ($5MM of which is still property of the Padres) and comes with a $13MM option ($1MM buyout) for next season. It’s not clear whether the Dodgers will be stepping into the full obligation.

Blog Kiosk: 7/29/2019 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Check out some celebrating Dodgers' following their pennant clinching victory over the Phillies on September 23, 1952 (eBay auction link). Can you name them all?

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1983 Steve Garvey's consecutive-game streak ends at 1,207 when he dislocates his left thumb in a home-plate collision with Braves pitcher Pascual Pérez. The injury keeps him from playing the second game of the doubleheader. In 1996 Tommy Lasorda announced his retirement as manager of the Dodgers, following a heart attack and an angioplasty procedure a month prior. Bill Russell is named as his replacement.
• Happy Birthday, Ed Greer, Chief Meyers, George Cutshaw, Dutch Stryker, Luther Roy, Roy Henshaw, Gary Thomasson & Chad Billingsley!

Welcome to the Blue, Tyler White!

The Dodgers made a trade, but it was not for a reliever -- although, he has come out of the pen before. As you likely know by now, the Dodgers picked up first baseman Tyler White from the Houston Astros, and hopefully we didn't trade a future star in return (like Yordan Álvarez). Per a Dodger Press release:

The Los Angeles Dodgers today announced that they have acquired infielder Tyler White from the Houston Astros in exchange for right-handed pitcher Andre Scrubb.

Blog Kiosk: 7/25/2019 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

No one likes getting beat, but the last two losses to the Angels doesn't have me distressed. They were both great games to watch. Oftentimes games don't turn out the way you'd hoped. But in Baseball, as we all know, it's the ability to persevere and climb above all the failure and disappointment that determines whether you move on towards the playoffs. Last night it was a comedy of errors and bad calls that did us in. Nevertheless, we move on to play another day. Per Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

“Dan’s been around a long time, and [umpires] are busting their tails every night to get it right,” said Roberts. “When you see balls off the plate that can flip counts and can change innings and certainly at-bats, yeah, it gets frustrating at times when you’re the hitter. But those calls didn’t cost us the game. 

“The results speak to those guys played better. They scored more than we did, pitched better, hit better, yeah, they played better.”

Photo above via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2019. Go here to check out more pics from yesterdays game. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1956 Brooklyn outfielder Carl Furillo becomes the first Dodger to hit a home run at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City -- a onetime home field for 15 games from 1956 to 1967. Unfortunately, the Dodgers lost this game to Cincinnati, 2-1. In 1978 the Lodi Dodgers, LA's Single-A minor league club, record two triple plays against the Fresno Giants. This is the first time since 1904 that a professional ballclub has recorded two triple plays in one game. In 2006 the Dodgers received starting pitcher Elmer Dessens from the Royals for Odalis Perez and a couple minor leaguers. In 2012 Hanley Ramirez plays his first game as a Dodger, after having beeen traded my the Marlins, and goes 2-for-4 at the plate with a walk, run and RBI (boxscore).
• Happy Birthday, Doc Reisling, Marv Rackley, Larry Sherry, Dave Patterson, Garey Ingram & Guillermo Mota!

Welcome Back to the Blue, Russell Martin!

This morning we all got a bit of news regarding our open catcher position, and it has nothing to do with the Marlins. Instead, we find out that an old friend will be coming back home. According to Canadian Sportsnet journalist Arash Madani, Russell Martin has been traded to the Dodgers, via twitter:

BREAKING: Per MLB sources, the Blue Jays are trading Russell Martin to the LA Dodgers.

More to come...

— Arash Madani (@ArashMadani) January 11, 2019

And now we have official confirmation of this from the Dodgers. Below is from a press release:

The Los Angeles Dodgers today acquired catcher Russell Martin and cash considerations from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for minor league right-handed pitcher Andrew Sopko and minor league infielder Ronny Brito.

Welcome to the Blue, Jaime Schultz!

Last week the Dodger completed their first trade of 2019, and they did it in the most unsurprising way. The Dodgers, as they are wont to do, added additional depth to their pitching roster by trading their 20th round 2018 pick, pitcher Caleb Sampen, to the Tampa Bay Rays (Andrew Friedman's former employer) for righty reliever Jaime Schultz. Per a Dodger press release:

The Los Angeles Dodgers today acquired right-handed pitcher Jaime Schultz from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for minor league right-handed pitcher Caleb Sampen.

Welcome to the Blue, Jeter Downs and Josiah Gray!

The trade we all knew was coming finally got done -- and just in time for Christmas. As you surely know by now, the Dodgers traded Matt Kemp, Yasiel Puig, Alex Wood, Kyle Farmer and $7 million to the Cincinnati Reds for minor league prospects Jeter Downs, Josiah Gray and soon to be released Homer Bailey. Here are Dodger notes on our two new youngsters:

Jeter Downs

Downs, 20, was the Reds’ first-round pick (No. 32 overall) in the 2017 First-Year Player draft and last year spent his entire season at Single-A Dayton, where he hit .257 with 13 homers, 23 doubles, 47 RBI and 37 stolen bases in 120 games. Last season, Downs appeared in 73 games at second base (71 starts) and 43 at shortstop (41 starts). The native of Colombia played his high school baseball in Miami Gardens, FL.    

Josiah Gray

Gray, who turned 21 today, was Cincinnati’s second round selection (No. 72 overall) in last year’s draft. The right-hander spent his first year of professional baseball at Rookie-level Greenville in the Appalachian League and went 2-2 with a 2.58 ERA (15 ER/52.1 IP) in 12 starts. Gray struck out 59 batters and walked just 17 while posting a WHIP of 0.88. The New Rochelle, NY native attended LeMoyne college in Syracuse, NY.

Welcome to the Blue, Justin Yurchak!

I got to be honest with you. I was a bit disappointed that the Dodgers never called up Manny Bañuelos from Triple-A Oklahoma City this season. Sure, his arm wasn't needed to get us into the playoffs, but I just thought he pitched well enough over there to warrant a flyer. After all, the guy was once a highly-touted prospect and he is still young enough to regain some of that former glory. Nevertheless, his excellent season has gotten us a young prospect out of the White Sox organization who could lead to some dividends down the road. Announced this afternoon, the Dodgers have traded Bañuelos to the Sox for 22-year old lefty infielder Justin Yurchak.

Welcome to the Blue, David Freese!

As you certainly know by now, the Dodgers made another trade prior to the weekend, following the Ryan Madson deal, to bring in added depth to the infield and a sold veteran right-handed bat off the bench. The Dodgers added David Freese, and he is both a recent NLCS and World Series MVP (2011). In exchange, the Dodgers sent minor league infielder Jesus Manuel Valdez to the Pirates. Per a Dodger press release:

Freese, 35, has played in 93 games for Pittsburgh this season, hitting .282 with 29 runs, 10 doubles, one triple, nine home runs and 42 RBI along with a .780 OPS. The veteran infielder has put up very similar splits against both right-handed and left-handed pitchers, hitting .284 (31-for-109) against southpaws compared to a .281 (36-for-128) mark against righties. Defensively, he has appeared in 54 games at third base and 15 games at first base this year, posting a combined .977 fielding percentage.

Welcome to the Blue, Ryan Madson!

Will this be the move that saves our bullpen?

As you know, earlier this week the Dodgers claimed Nationals reliever Ryan  "Mad Dog" Madson and had until today to work out a trade. That trade has now been completed, via a tweet by Ken Rosenthal, The player we sent to DC is minor league righty Andrew Istler. Per a Dodger press release:

The Los Angeles Dodgers today acquired right-handed pitcher Ryan Madson (#50) in a trade with the Washington Nationals in exchange for minor league right-handed pitcher Andrew Istler.  

Madson, 38, has made 49 relief appearances with Washington this year, going 2-5 with four saves and a 5.28 ERA (26 ER/44.1 IP). The Long Beach native has been a member of two World Series championship clubs (2008 & 2015) in 13 Major League seasons with the Phillies (2003-2011), Royals (2015), A’s (2016-2017) and Nationals (2017-2018), posting a 61-48 record with 91 saves and a 3.45 ERA in 731 games (18 starts).

Welcome to the Blue, John Axford!

We all knew the Dodgers were looking to add a reliever. We just didn't expect it to be John Axford. As you likely know by now, in addition to the trade deadline deal that brought us Brian Dozer earlier today, we are also adding right-handed reliever John Axford from Toronto. In exchange we sent the Blue Jays a right-handed prospect named Corey Cropping.

Welcome to the Blue, Brian Dozier!

Here's a deadline deal no one expected.

At long last the Dodgers have gotten the infielder many fans had wished for a couple of years back. Unfortunately, he doesn't quite have the stock value he had back then. Today, he's an under-performing player who has a track record that suggest he could turn things around. Announced this afternoon is a trade that sends our second baseman Logan "Logie Bear" Forsythe, minor leaguers Luke Raley and Devin Smeltzer to the Twins for second baseman Brian Dozier.

Welcome to the Blue, Manny Machado!

News is spreading fast that the deal is now done. Manny Machado is a Dodger.

In return the Dodgers had to give up some talent, but it appears the damage is not as bad as I initially feared. Going to Baltimore is outfielder Yusniel Diaz, third baseman Rylan Bannon, right-hander Dean Kremer, righty Zach Pop and second baseman Breyvic Valera. Diaz is the key prospect in this trade. He had walloped two home runs during the recent All-Star Futures Game this past weekend, and you should expect him to be very good going forward. Bannon and Kremer are ranked as the clubs #27th and #28th best prospects in the system, per MLB Pipeline. Pop could be a serviceable reliever in the future and you know Valera from his recent stints in LA.

Overall, I think the Dodger did very well here. After all, most of their top-end guys are still with us.

On another note, Manny Machado has an instagram account: @machados13.

Blog Kiosk: 7/6/2018 - Dodgers Links - First Place, Baby!

Woo Hoo! For the first time this season the Dodgers are in first place.

The trepidation that began at the start of the season is now but a distant memory.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1938 Leo Durocher recorded a "little league" home run that started as an sacrifice bunt in the seventh inning during the All-Star Game played in Cincinnati. Durocher was credited with a bunt single and came around to score on errors by Jimmy Foxx and Joe DiMaggio. In 1979 the Dodgers purchased the contract of pitcher Fernando Valenzuela from Puebla of the Mexican League. In 1980 the Dodgers retired Duke Snider's uniform #4 during that days Old-Timers Day ceremonies at Dodger Stadium. In 2000 Vin Scully is voted the No. 1 sportscaster of the 20th century by members of the American Sportscasters Association. 
• Happy Birthday, Frank Kellert, Willie Randolph & Germán Rivera!

Blog Kiosk: 4/26/2018 - Dodgers Links - A Gondola to Dodger Stadium?

What the heck is this?

Apparently there are plans to build something called an Aerial Rapid Transit or "ART" system that will allow fans to travel from Union Station in Downtown LA to Dodger Stadium inside a gondola in just minutes.

Wha....!? No Frick'n Way!

Go here to find out more. BTW, this is all still in the planning stages. The system isn't expected to be operational until 2022.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1949 the Dodgers turn the 19th triple play of its history. Gene Hermanski, Jackie Robinson and Gil Hodges perform the act in the third inning against the Boston Braves with Alvin Dark at the plate. In 2001 Dodgers GM Kevin Malone resigns after 2 1/2 years on the job. In 2008 Brad Penny throws a 98-MPH fastball that is missed by catcher Russell Martin and knocks out umpire Kerwin Danley. He is stretchered off the field. Also on this day Vin Scully received an honorary Doctor of Law degree from Pepperdine University. You can watch his commencement speech at Pepperdine here.
• Happy Birthday, Hack Wilson, Packy Rogers, Sal Maglie & Ricky Trlicek!