Welcome to the Blue, Travis d'Arnaud!

Something strange happened over the weekend. The Dodgers signed a player at a position that I didn't think we needed help in. For months we've been sold the idea that we are rich at the catcher position, but Sunday's signing appears to beguile that. As you likely know, the Dodgers signed recently released Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud. Infielder Matt Beaty was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City to make room for him on the active roster. BTW, he will wear #72 and you can follow him on Instagram here: @travisdarnaud. Per Rowan Kavner at Dodger Insider:

D’Arnaud was released by the Mets on Friday after appearing in 10 games in his seventh season in New York. He missed almost all of last season with an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. 

The former 2007 first-round pick and Southern California native is a career .242/.303/.401 hitter who enjoyed his best season in 2015, posting an .825 OPS with 12 home runs. He hit as many as 16 home runs as recently as 2017. 

D’Arnaud has historically performed better against left-handed pitching, slashing .252/.323/.415/.738 against lefties compared to .239/.297/.396/.693 against righties.

Blog Kiosk: 5/6/2019 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Patience has always been a virtue in Baseball, so it should come as no surprise that Chris Taylor's early season slump appears to have reversed. Over the past five games he is slashing .381/.381/.762/1.143 with eight hits (two of which were homers) and six RBI's in 21 at-bats. Per Jorge Castillo at the LA Times:

“I think he’s just getting opportunities to go out there and play,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the Dodgers’ 8-5 loss Sunday. “I think he’s taking better swings. When he does get a ball in the strike zone, he’s getting it going forward and not fouling it off or swinging through it. And when you start to get some hits, it breeds confidence.”
...
“It hasn’t really shown much, but I’ve actually felt pretty good the last week or two,” Taylor said. “And I’m just trying to go up there and I’ve been working on things in the cage and I felt like I’ve been really close.”

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 1937 Baseball fans at both the Polo Grounds and Ebbets Field see the Hindenberg zeppelin fly overhead - just a few hours before it infamously exploded into a fireball in Lakehurst, New Jersey. In 1947 NL President Ford Frick threatens seven Cardinals players at Ebbets Field with banishment from the league should they follow through with their planned boycott to protest Jackie Robinson. In 1978 Dodger super-utilityman Lee Lacy becomes the first Major Leaguer to hit pinch-hit home runs in consecutive at-bats. On May 17th he would make it three-in-a-row.
• Happy Birthday, Les Webber, Mike McCormick & Mike Kincade!

Braves Series Starts Monday - Stadium Giveaways, Pregame Info and Other Stuff!

The next homestand starts on Monday against the Atlanta Braves. Below are some odds and ends for this upcoming homestand. Here are some important links:

• 2019 Broadcast Schedule
• Parking Information 
• Special Events Schedule
• Promotions & Giveaways Schedule
• Silent Auction Schedule 
• Dodger Stadium Parking / Transportation 
• Dodger Stadium Express / LA Metro  

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

Monday, May 6th at 7:10 PM

TV: SportsNet LA, SNLA Spanish

Radio: AM 570 LA Sports, KTNQ 1020

2019 Topps Now - #164 - Bellinger Named NL Player of the Month of April

Here is the Topps Now card announcing Cody Bellinger as the National League 'Player of the Month'. It is currently available online. Go here to check it out and order. Below is what's written on the reverse:

Tim Anderson was named the AL Player of the Month after batting .375 with a League-leading 10 stolen bases. Anderson added six hone runs, five doubles and drove in 18 runs. Cody Bellinger was named the NL Player of the Month after he led the League with a .431 batting average. In one of the greatest starts in League history, Cody Bellinger tied the MLB record for home runs before May 1 with 14. During the same stretch, Bellinger also set the League record for RBI with 37, base hits with 47 and total bases with 97.

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Blog Kiosk: 5/3/2019 - Dodgers Links - National League Player of the Month Cody Bellinger

In celebration of Cody Bellinger earning the National League 'Player of the Month' honors for the month of April I made the above two fantasy custom Baseball cards of him. Per Chad Thornburg at MLB.com:

"I'm understanding how to use my swing and working in the cage every day to repeat what I'm doing," Bellinger said. "Just not trying to do too much. It's fun, for sure. Every day before the game, I know what I want to do. The days I feel off, it's knowing what it is I want to do and getting it back."

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1947 Branch Rickey made a trade that sent a signal to the Dodgers clubhouse - He will not waiver in his commitment to break the color barrier and support Jackie Robinson. He trades Kirby Higbe, Dixie Howell, Cal McLish, Hank Behrman and Gene Mauch to Pittsburgh for Al Gionfriddo and $100,000. Higbe is the special target of this trade, as he openly disapproved of Robinson as a teammate. In 1986 Ron Cey hit his 300th and 301st career home runs. He did it as a Cub against the Giants.
• Happy Birthday, Dan Bankhead, Chris Cannizzaro, Davey Lopes & Darren Dreifort!

Blog Kiosk: 5/2/2019 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Ryu was fantastic last night. He battled Madison Bumgarner pitch-for-pitch -- throwing eight innings of four-hit ball, allowing just one run and striking out six. Unfortunately, the Dodgers offense decided to take May Day off. All they could do was scatter six hits and score one run to eventually lose on a walk-off single to Buster Posey, 2-1. Per Cary Osborne at Dodger Insider:

“Hyun-Jin was outstanding. It’s unfortunate that you don’t win a game when he pitches the way he did,” said manager Dave Roberts. “He had command of everything … Kept those guys off balance. Certainly his best outing of the year.”

Photo above via Michael Urakami/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 1928 Giants manager John McGraw does the unusual. In that afternoons game against the Dodgers he calls for an intentional walk with the bases loaded and two outs to drive in a run during the ninth inning to make the score 2-1. Giants starter Larry Benton then struck out the next batter, Harry Riconda, to get the victory. In 1975 the Dodgers traded Geoff Zahn and Eddie Solomon to the Cubs for starting pitcher Burt Hooton. In 1995 Hideo Nomo made his first major league start. He would pitch five innings of one-hit ball against the Giants in a no-decision. The Dodgers would eventually lose the game in the 15th inning, 4-3.  
• Happy Birthday, Larry Cheney!