Blog Kiosk: 9/25/2019 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Rich Hill had something to prove. He came out last night to show that he can help this club win in the playoffs, and in doing so ended up recording five strike outs in two innings of work. Per Cary Osborne at Dodger Insider:

“I want to pitch. I want to help this team in the postseason,” Hill said. “Hopefully I can prove that I can help the team do that. The main goal is October, and I believe today was a step in the right direction, and I certainly want to continue to go in the right direction on Sunday.”

Dave Roberts adds more:

“There’s a lot of will, there’s a lot of fight in there with Richie,” Roberts said. “You could see there were grimaces in there. There was trying to feel for things as far as the knee and trusting letting the fastball and letting the breaking ball go.”

BTW, Hill's five strike outs gives him 1,000 for his entire career. Congrats!

On another note, the Dodgers 6-3 win last night notched home field advantage for both the NLDS and NLCS. Photo above via Raymond Gorospe/MLB.com at Dodger Insider. Go here to check out more pics from yesterdays game. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1941 the Dodgers won their first NL pennant in 21 years when they defeated the Braves in Boston, 6-0. In 1956 Dodgers hurler Sal "The Barber" Maglie no-hit the Phillies at Ebbets Field, 5-0. At 39 years old he became the oldest pitcher to throw one. You can listen to the last inning of Maglie's no-no (as called by Jerry Doggett with Vin Scully) here. In 1974 Dr. Frank Jobe performs the first ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction surgery on Dodgers pitcher Tommy John's left elbow. The revolutionary procedure would soon be known as Tommy John Surgery.
• Happy Birthday, Dave Walsh!

2019 Topps 150 Years of Baseball -- #89 -- Historic Moments: Jackie Steals Home

The 10th Dodger card found in Topps 2019 '150 Years of Baseball' set features Jackie Robinson's famous steal of home during Game 1 of the 1955 World Series. Go here to check it out and order. Below is what's written on the reverse:

With the Yankees leading, 6-3, in the top of the eighth inning, Jackie Robinson famously broke for home plate while Whitey Ford was delivering a pitch. Robinson slid and was ruled safe, narrowing the Yankees lead to merely two runs.

Below is a listing of all previously issued 2019 Topps 150 Years of Baseball Dodger cards. You can also check out a complete checklist of the set here.

• #2 -- Sandy Koufax -- Perfect Game -- 2415 Print Run (link here)
• #17 -- Jackie Robinson -- Breaking Color Barrier -- 1,231 Print Run (link here)
• #42 -- Mike Piazza -- 1993 Rookie Campaign -- 817 Print Run (link here)
• #45 -- Duke Snider -- Artist Rendition -- 992 Print Run (link here)
• #55 -- Eric Gagne -- 84 Consecutive Saves -- 725 Print Run (link here)
• #66 -- Jackie Robinson -- Artist Rendition -- 1,333 Print Run (link here)
• #71 -- Sandy Koufax -- 1965 World Series -- 855 Print Run (link here)
• #75 -- Roy Campanella -- Artist Rendition -- 1,181 Print Run (link here)
• #84 -- Cody Bellinger -- 2017 Rookie Year -- TBA Print Run (link here)

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Dodgers Correspondence: How a Dodger VP Responded to a Fan Rant

As you know, fans are the worst. We are a demanding bunch of miscreants, often insisting that we know more than any of those idiots in the front office. Heck, if you'd only listen to me the Dodgers would be perennial World Series champions. Instead, we are left to wallow in mediocrity and failure -- always playing second fiddle to this team or that team.

Right?

This is what we, as die-hard fans, all believe... And there's nothing wrong with that. That said, sometimes a little dose of reality is important to keep our heads on our shoulders.

Featured here is a letter written by Dodgers Vice President Fresco Thompson, dated August 19, 1964, to a fan named Frank D'Esposito of Orlando, FL (eBay Auction Link). Unfortunately, we do not know what D'Esposito had written to illicit a response from Thompson, but I think it's fair to assume he was critical of the lack of trades to improve the team that season (much like the complaints we hear today). In the Thompson letter he explains to the Dodger-fanatic that making trades is not an easy endeavor. In fact, it often results in deficiencies elsewhere. Below is an excerpt of Fresco's words:

Blog Kiosk: 9/24/2019 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Here's a fun, dated circa 1957 on the reverse, photograph of Pee Wee Reese lounging comfortably on a leather armchair. It was taken by Dodger photographer Barney Stein and includes five well-dressed gentleman surrounding Pee Wee. I have no idea who those guys are or what is going on, but I suspect this was some sort of pregame activity/ceremony. I know for certain that there was a Pee Wee Reese Night at Ebbets Field in 1955, but am unsure if they did it again two years later. Maybe this was a pregame promotion where they gifted Pee Wee the easy-chair to promote the product. I dunno. (eBay Auction Link)

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1901 Brooklyn outfielder Jimmy Sheckard became the first 20th-century player to hit grand slams in two consecutive games, as Brooklyn pounds Cincinnati, 16 - 2.  In 1957 the last Major League game is played at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. Pirates first baseman Dee Fondy makes the last out when he grounds to Dodger shortstop Don Zimmer with starting pitcher Danny McDevitt on the mound. The Dodger win, 2-0. In 1971 Dodger lefty Al Downing wins his 20th game of the season -- defeating the Atlanta Braves, 2-0. He would finish third in Cy Young voting this season. In 2003 Eric Gagne ties the NL record for saves when he records his 55th save of the season against the Padres in extra innings, 5-3.
• Happy Birthday, Tom Seats, Dixie Walker, Otis Davis, Dick Nen, Hubie Brooks, Larry White & Jim Neidlinger!

2019 Topps Now - #881 - Babe Ryu and the Dodgers 100th Win!

The Dodgers Cy Young candidate, Hyun-Jin Ryu, came out on Sunday and recorded not only his 13th win of the season (one short of a career high), but also hit his very first career home run. It was off of Rockies pitcher Antonio Senzatela in the fifth inning, and it tied the game up at one run apiece. Per Cary Osborne at Dodger Insider:

Ryu said he tried to keep a poker face on his trip around the bases and into the dugout. His teammates did the opposite. 

“We were definitely more excited than him,” Bellinger said. “That was his first career home run, so we’re obviously really excited for him, which is crazy (that he hasn’t hit one before) because he has stupid power at batting practice.”

Soon after Ryu moonshot the Dodger rallied to score four more runs during the inning and eventually won the contest to win their 100th of the year. In honor of both Ryu's home run and the Dodger win Topps has issued a new 2019 Topps Now card for fans to collection. Go here to check it out and order.

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Blog Kiosk: 9/23/2019 - Dodgers Links - Babe Ryuth!

Hyun-Jin Ryu his his first career homer yesterday, and the inevitable happened. Per Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

“There were chants from the dugout -- Babe Ryuth,” said Roberts. “It got our dugout going and the fans going. But just the way he threw the ball today, it was back to the old Hyun-Jin. His entire mix was good. We needed this from him.”

Photo above via Carrie Giordano/Los Angeles Dodgers 2019 at Dodger Insider. Go here to check out more pics from yesterdays game. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1908 (not Dodger news) Giants infielder Fred Merkle failed to touch second base as the apparent winning run crossed home plate. The miscue results in the game being declared a tie, and forces a one-game tie-breaker that the Giants lose. The play is forever known as "Merkle's Boner." Here's a little ditty about the play that I thought worth checking out. In 1942 34-year old Dodger hurler Larry French pitched a brilliant one-hitter to defeat the Phillies, 6-0, and record his 197th win of his career. Soon thereafter, he would join the US Navy and retire as a Captain in 1969. On this same day Dodger President Larry MacPhail announced that he would quit his job with the club to re-enter the Army. In 1947 the Brooklyn Dodgers celebrate Jackie Robinson Day at Ebbets Field. In 1962 Maury Wills records his 97th steal of the season to eclipse the major league single-season record of 96 steals by Ty Cobb in 1915. In 1983 Dodger closer Steve Howe is suspended by the league for refusing to take a urinalysis test, and is therefore made ineligible for postseason play. In 2000 1955 World Series hero Carl Erskine performed the national anthem on his harmonica prior to the start of this evenings game. He witnessed Kevin Brown throw a two-hit complete game to defeat the Padres, 2-1.
• Happy Birthday, Bob Higgins, Matt Kemp & Jedd Gyorko!