Monday, November 11, 2013

Check Out the 2014 Dodgers Spring Training Schedule - Home & Away Dates


This is turning out to be a busy Monday. 

The Dodgers just announced their home/away schedule for Spring Training at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, AZ.  Since the team is starting the season early with a couple of games against the Diamondbacks in Sydney, Australia in late March, the Dodgers will only be playing 21 games in Arizona.  They then finish up Spring Training with the annual freeway series match up against the Angels in Southern California.

Per a Dodgers press release:
The Dodgers will play a total of 24 Cactus League games this spring, in addition to an exhibition game against Team Australia in Sydney, Australia on Friday, March 21, the day before Los Angeles faces the Arizona Diamondbacks in MLB's Opening Series on March 22-23 at the historic Sydney Cricket Ground.

The Dodgers play 13 games at Camelback Ranch - Glendale, including 12 home dates. The club has at least one home game during each of the four Cactus League weekends, providing fans ample opportunity to make the five-hour drive or one-hour flight to the desert. Camelback Ranch features a state-of-the-art ballpark, six practice fields on the Dodgers side, including a replica Dodger Stadium field, walking trails, an orange grove and a two-acre lake.

After returning from Australia, the club will conclude their exhibition schedule with three games against the Angels March 27-29, including a pair of 7:10 p.m. games on March 27-28 at Dodger Stadium.
Below is a schedule.  Go here for more information.
*All Home Dates are in bold; (ss) – Split Squad

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Here are your 2014 Dodgers Coaching Staff


On the first day of the GM/Owner Meetings in Orlando, Florida the Dodgers announce who will be leading our team for the 2014 Baseball season.  As expected, Mattingly is back and Tim Wallach will be the bench coach.  Also, Lorenzo Bundy goes from being the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes manager to the Dodgers 3rd base coach.  Everyone else returns.  All that's missing, at this point, is an announcement regarding who will be the new trainer.

2014 Dodger Coaching Staff:
Don Mattingly - Manager (fourth season)
Lorenzo Bundy - Third Base coach (first season)
Chuck Crim - Bullpen Coach (second season)
Rick Honeycutt - Pitching Coach (ninth season)
Davey Lopes - First Base Coach (fourth season)
Mark McGwire - Hitting Coach (second season)
Tim Wallach - Bench Coach (first season, fourth on staff)
Ken Howell - Assistant Pitching Coach (second season, seventh on staff)
John Valentin - Assistant Hitting Coach (second season)
Manny Mota - Coach (35th season)
Steve Yeager - Coach (third season)
Below is some background on our newest coaching addition, Lorenzo Bundy, from a Dodgers press release:
Bundy joins the Dodgers' Major League staff after managing Triple-A Albuquerque for the last three seasons. Under Bundy, the Isotopes went 225-206 (.522) and tied a franchise record with 80 wins in 2012, when he was honored as the Pacific Coast League's Manager of the Year. Overall, the 54-year-old has managed 12 seasons in the minors in the Expos (1990-94), Marlins (1997) and Dodger organizations (2007-08, 2010-2013) and the 2014 season will mark Bundy's fourth time serving on a big league coaching staff after working as the Marlins' bench coach (1998), the Rockies' bullpen coach (1999) and the Diamondbacks' first base coach (2009). Bundy played eight professional seasons from 1981-89 with stints in the Texas, Pittsburgh and Montreal organizations in addition to playing in the Mexican League after he was originally selected by Baltimore in the 22nd round of the 1977 draft.
Pic at the very top via Jon SooHoo.LA Dodgers 2013

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Blog Kiosk: 11/11/2013 - Dodgers Links - Happy Veterans Day


Above is a great postcard sized card of US Navy - MLB ballplayers.  This card is a part of a 1975 set put out by TCMA.  On this Veterans Day, I thought I would mention a great website that takes a closer look at ballplayers in the military.  It is called "Baseball in Wartime", and go here to check it out.  There are a ton of photographs, biographies, etc.
  • ICYMI: The Dodgers are starting their annual Holiday Mall Tour this weekend.  Go here for an updated schedule.
  • BTW, the MLB GM/Owners meetings are happening right now in Orlando, Florida.  So, if there is a deal/trade to be had it will likely spawn from there.
  • Via Scott Andes at Lasorda's Lair, "Tis The Season For Ridiculous Trade Rumors".  I think it's all ridiculous.  I firmly believe that you should never take any rumor seriously.  Most is just made up drivel.
  • An old friend alert.  Via Mark Townsend at Big League Stew, former Dodger "Jose Offerman missing as federal lawsuit for 2007 bat attack heads to trial".  We are likely to never hear from him again.
  • Summer Anne Burton at Every Hall of Famer draws a Tommy Lasorda HOF portrait.
  • Via Tony Jackson at Dodger Scribe, "Yimi Garcia pitching well in AFL as 40-man roster deadline nears".
“I didn’t know what had happened,” Garcia said. “I had always thrown my fastball down the middle, and in the Dominican, you could get guys out that way, just blowing it by them. But I came back that next year, 2011 (at Ogden in the Rookie-level Pioneer League), and I started using my slider and my changeup a lot more.”
  • Brandon Lennox at True Blue LA writes about the debut of newest Dodger Alexander Guerrero and his debut in the Dominican Winter Leagues.
  • Murray Chass writes, "Anti-Morris Mob In Action".  For the record, I too believe Jack Morris should be in the Hall of Fame.
  • The LA Kings 2nd bobblehead will be given out on Saturday, December 7th.  It will be of fan favorite Larry Murphy.  See it below.  The Kings complete promotional schedule can be seen here.

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Sunday, November 10, 2013

Sunday Dodgers Videos: Dodgers Stadium and a bunch of Puig Videos

Here are this Sundays Dodgers' videos.

Know Your Ballpark: Dodger Stadium & LA Tour.

Video Link:

Chattanooga: "Speeding charges dropped against Yasiel Puig"

Video Link:

Here's a nice Yasiel Puig 2013 Rookie Highlights video.

Video Link:

Weird baseball bands - Including Puig Destroyer.

Video Link:

Sbaycards vice president Scott Allen discusses the Yasiel Puig SuperFractor card, potentially worth more than $25,000, that his company is randomly inserting in a box for a collector to receive in Sbaycard's upcoming card release, via ESPN tv Videos.

Video Link:

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Saturday, November 09, 2013

Blog Kiosk: 11/9/2013 - Dodgers Links - Trading a Dodger Outfielder, Bidding War for Tanaka and Instant Replay in the AFL


Here is a April 1944 International News Press Photo featuring 5 MLB'ers playing ball for the US Navy.  It was taken at a tournament in Honolulu, Hawaii in a match pitting the US Navy team versus the All-Star Nine of Hawaiian ballplayers.  From left to right are Hugh Casey, Brooklyn Dodgers; Tom Ferrick, Cleveland Indians; Vern Olsen, Chicago Cubs; Walter Masterson, Washington Senators; and Jack Hallett, Pittsburgh Pirates. Pic found on eBay.
  • I had forgotten to post this up previously.  If you missed this past Wednesday's Off-Season Dodger Talk with Kevin Kennedy and David Vassegh, then you can listen to it here.  
  • Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA has the preliminary home Spring Training schedule for the Dodgers and White Sox at Camelback Ranch.
  • Mike Axisa at CBS Sports writes, "Report: Dodgers listening on OFers, who has the most trade value?"  I usually don't like pointing to rumors (because most are BS), but I do firmly believe that the Dodgers will look to trade one of their starting outfielders.  I just have no idea who it will be.  Although, I suspect Andre Ethier will be easier to move.
  • Mark Saxon at ESPN thinks the, "Dodgers should listen to offers for Puig".  I could actually be swayed by this, but only as long as the Dodgers sell high.  Like... We should get an unreasonable return; which isn't likely to happen.  So, why am I even mentioning this?
  • Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "No rookie was more valuable or exciting than Puig".
Puig became an immediate fan magnet because he plays with an unbridled energy that sometimes turns reckless, earning the nickname "Wild Horse" from Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully. "His energy was infectious," said manager Don Mattingly.
MLB.com: Your rivalry with the Dodgers, I'm sure, has increased over the last year.
Kendrick: It has, and you know, we owe those guys. I think to get the opportunity to begin the payback for them winning the division the very first day of the season is a great opportunity for us.
  • There will be big time competition for the services of Masahiro Tanaka.  Via Steve Adams at MLB Trade Rumors, "Yankees Making Tanaka A Top Priority; Won't Pursue Ervin Santana".
  • Brian Phillips at Grantland writes, "Man Up", and I couldn't agree more with him.  It's about the recent hazing/bullying brouhaha surrounding the Miami Dolphins.
I am here to hurt you, so I'll also say this: You're a warrior, cool. What the hell are you a warrior for? I'm sorry if this makes it sound like I have emotions other than anger — I assure you that I don't — but tell me this: What's the point of being strong if all you stand for is abusing a suffering teammate?

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Friday, November 08, 2013

Baseball Bloggers Alliance Year End Awards - Clayton Kershaw Named Walter Johnson Award Winner



For the 5th consecutive year, the Baseball Blogger Alliance came together to vote on the best ballplayers of this past season.  The BBA is a collection of several hundred Baseball writers and hardcore fans from throughout North America - covering every team, the game's history and fantasy Baseball fanatics.  We are encouraged to use one another to deepen our understanding of the game and the teams that play it.  Go here to find more about this organization.

Unlike in past years, there is little controversy in this years winners.  Go here to check out who I chose as this seasons best in the National League.

Here are the winners from the BBA:

2013 Connie Mack Award - Best Manager
American League – John Farrell – Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox skipper won the closest of all the votes held by the BBA this year.  Garnering 38% of the vote, Farrell held off the Cleveland Indians’ Terry Francona by less than 3%.

National League – Clint Hurdle – Pittsburgh Pirates
Hurdle was the recipient of 79% of the vote from the BBA membership.

2013 Willie Mays Award - Top Rookies
American League – Wil Myers – Tampa Bay Rays
Myers would arrive on the scene in June and immediately show that the hype was worthy of his presence.  Myers earned 95% of the BBA vote this year.

National League – Jose Fernandez – Miami Marlins
The National League winner had to withstand a late-season surge from Dodgers’ outfielder Yasiel Puig.  Fernandez produced a season that could withstand Puig-mania and earned the BBA’s respect along the way with 71% of the vote.

2013 Goose Gossage Award – Best Relief Pitcher
American League – Koji Uehara – Boston Red Sox
Uehara joined the Red Sox this season and became one of the most polarizing figures on the team.  His 21 saves were a key part of the Red Sox success this year and his continued success throughout the postseason made him a star.  His 52% of the BBA vote was good enough to hold off Greg Holland of the Kansas City Royals, who garnered 36% of the BBA support for his fine season.

National League – Craig Kimbrel – Atlanta Braves
In 2011, Atlanta Braves closer Craig Kimbrel was awarded both the Goose Gossage and Willie Mays awards.  Last season, Kimbrel received 87% of the vote to claim his second consecutive award as the National League’s premier relief pitcher.  Kimbrel received an astonishing 90% of the vote from the Alliance to claim his third straight Goose Gossage Award.

2013 Walter Johnson Award –Best Starting Pitcher
American League – Max Scherzer – Detroit Tigers
The Tigers’ pitcher was dominant throughout most of the season and the Alliance recognized that with 95% of their vote.

National League – Clayton Kershaw – Los Angeles Dodgers
Not to be outdone, Kershaw garnered 98% of the vote on the National League side of the BBA.  Kershaw proved once again to be dominant and the BBA recognized that by making him a two-time winner of the Johnson award (2011).


2013 Stan Musial Award - Best Ballplayer
American League – Mike Trout – Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Angels’ outfielder would garner his second-consecutive Musial Award by holding off the Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera once again in 2013. Trout earned 65% of the Alliance vote while Cabrera would take the other 35%, marking the second straight year that the two players would receive the only votes. 
National League – Andrew McCutchen – Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates phenomenal season comes to fruition for one of the team’s most consistent stars. McCutchen was the team’s leader on and off the field and the Alliance recognized his importance to the great run the Pirates produced. Cutch received 69% of the BBA vote to earn his first Musial award.

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