“Just looked composed,” manager Dave Roberts said. “It was exciting to see him get his first Major League hit … legs out a double, just squared up the ball all night. and he was taking some tough pitches to get in hitter’s counts. … You would never have guessed watching him tonight that it was his first Major League game.”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:
Smith, 24, will have his contract selected for the first time in professional career and his next appearance will be his Major League debut. The backstop played in 38 games for Oklahoma City, batting .290 (40-for-138) with eight homers and 28 RBI. Smith was originally drafted by the Dodgers in the first round (32nd overall) of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Louisville. In four minor league seasons in the Dodger organization, he has a combined to hit .244 (231-for-948) with 43 homers and 154 RBI.
With a single down the right-field line in the ninth inning Sunday, Justin Turner recorded a five-hit game for the first time in his 11-year career.
Including a walk in the seventh, he also recorded a new career high by reaching base six times, which is a bigger deal given his approach at the plate.
First, I wanted to acknowledge a patch that ballplayers wore for the first time yesterday, for Memorial Day. It is a remembrance poppy that has been used since 1921 to commemorate military personnel who have died in war and was first adopted by the American Legion. See it on the right, via UniWatch.“Words are tough to come by,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “I don’t know if they give out Gold Gloves in May, but it’s hard to see it play out any other way.”
Roberts said there’s only one comp to what Bellinger can do to impact a game and he used the name – Mike Trout – with trepidation.
“You’re talking about slug, average, on base, first-to-third, stolen bases, catching the baseball, outfield assists, all that stuff,” said Roberts. “To do what he can do, to check all those boxes. You’ve got to be careful when you’re talking about Mike Trout. That’s longevity, too. For a two-month span, that’s kind of what you’re talking about.”Photo above via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2019 at Dodger Insider. Go here to check out more pics from Memorial Day. Below are more links to check out:
