Friday, August 05, 2016

Blog Kiosk: 8/5/2016 - Dodgers Links - Peters, Puig, Seager and Kenta Maeda


Last night was a fantastic effort all around as the Dodgers defeated the Rockies, 4-2.  They were able to deny Colorado a sweep while increasing their lead in the wild-card race to three games.  The Dodgers also remain only two games behind the Giants in the division race.

As for last nights game, Kenta Maeda went a strong 5 2/3 innings, struck out five, walked none and allowed just two runs to cross the plate.  He also received some great scoreless relief help from Baez, Blanton and Jansen.  Offense was provided by a solo home run by Corey Seager, a two-run triple by Yasmani Grandal and an RBI single by Howie Kendrick to drive in Josh Reddick.  Per Ken Gurnick and Thomas Harding at MLB.com:
"We couldn't have scripted it any better," said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. "Yasmani got the big hit, Corey hit the home run, Kenta threw well and kept those guys off balance, the bullpen did its job. For us to salvage this series was huge."
BTW, Seagers homer was his nineteenth jack of the season - tying the Dodgers all-time mark with Hanley Ramirez for home runs by a shortstop in a single season.  Also, Kenta Maeda won his tenth game last night.  Go here to watch Maeda speak about last nights game.  Photo above via @Dodgers on twitter.  Below are more links to check out:
  • This Day in Dodgers History: In 1969 Willie Stargell becomes the first ballplayer to ever hit a home run completely out of Dodger Stadium.  In 1979 Don Sutton becomes the Dodgers all-time leader in strike outs with 2,487.  He struck out six Giants batters in an 8-41 victory at Dodger Stadium.  He passed Don Drysdale on the Dodgers all-time list.
  • Happy Birthday, Carl Crawford and Tim Federowicz!
  • Video:  Go behind the scenes of the Dodgers Blue Diamond Gala with Backstage at SportsNet LA. (Video Link)
  • Via Doug Padilla at ESPN; "Corey Seager's accomplishments starting to go down in ink."
"I didn't think he was going to be as good as he is right now in his first year, but I knew he had the talent to do it," catcher Yasmani Grandal said. "He kind of blew my mind when I was down in Triple-A for that rehab assignment [last season]. He was spraying balls, sitting on pitches. He's very smart and knows what he wants to do. He's been able to stay there the whole year, and it just seems like he's getting better. And it's scary to say that."
"I think Yasiel is at a crossroads here, where taking on that desire to learn and improve can set his career on one track and if not, it will go down the other."
Peters, a 20-year-old outfielder with Rookie League Ogden, is second in the Pioneer League with a 1.093 OPS, third in slugging at .664, fourth in on-base percentage at .460, fifth in batting average at .374 and tied for fifth with seven home runs.

From what Dodger director of amateur scouting Billy Gasparino said after drafting Peters, his early success makes sense.

“D.J. Peters has as many tools and is as talented as any outfielder in the country,” Gasparino said in June. “We think he’s a fierce competitor and a guy who really is a prototype right fielder.”
  • Check out a bunch of more photos from the floor on the National Sports Cards Collectors Convention in Atlantic City from Blowout Buzz, here.
  • Via Alex Schiffer at the LA Times; "Even the baseball card industry sees its future in the app store."  I don't understand the draw to virtual Baseball cards, but I do know it's no fad.  
Paper cards take days to make, package and ship. They are generally released in sets just once or twice a year — and interest in them peaks around opening day.

With digital apps, it takes just minutes for Topps to release new cards after big plays, decisive victories or trades, or update existing cards with up-to-date statistics. And the company doesn’t have to worry about paper, ink, packaging or shipping.

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *
* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

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