Thursday, May 11, 2017

Blog Kiosk: 5/11/2017 - Dodgers Links - Puig, Toles, Bellinger and Kenta Maeda


Kenta Maeda was fantastic last night. He took a three-hit shutout into the ninth inning before yielding a two-run jack. Thankfully, he looks to be on the mend, and all of those troubles he faced at the start of the year appear to be in his rear view mirror. Per Cary Osborne at Dodger Insider:
“I think the reason why I didn’t do well was because I relied too much on the four-seamer and it was mostly elevated so hitters took advantage of that,” Maeda said on what the biggest difference has been.

Dave Roberts said it’s a pretty simple explanation as to how Maeda has made the turnaround.

“I think the cut fastball is part of it, but I still think the fundamentals of having fastball command, throwing his secondary pitches whenever he’s needed to get back into the count — all of that stuff,” Roberts said. “And being efficient and putting the baseball on the ground.”
The Dodgers have now won five-in-a-row and are 8-2 over the past ten games. Photo above via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2017. Go here to check out more pics by Jon from yesterdays game. Below are more links to check out:
  • This Day in Dodgers History: In 1963 Sandy Koufax threw his second no-hitter of his career. He bested Juan Marichal and the Giants, 8-0, and even took a perfect game into the eighth inning.
  • Happy Birthday, Gene Hermanski, Trent Hubbard, Bill Bean & Red Patterson!
  • Video: Hear from Cody Bellinger after hitting his sixth home run in the Dodgers 5-2 win over the Pirates on Wednesday night. (video link
  • Video: Hear from Dave Roberts after the Dodgers 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night. (video link)
  • Audio: Cody Bellinger joined Petros and Money to discuss his turning point after a slow start, the benefits of having a former big leaguer as a father and how he's meshed with the MLB clubhouse since getting called up. He also touches on the benefits of playing for Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, especially as a young player. (audio link)
  • Per Craig Calcaterra at NBC Sports; "How the Dodgers are losing a generation of fans."
  • Crap! He is likely done for the season. Andrew Toles is headed towards surgery, via a tweet from Ken Gurnick:

“Where most people would be devastated, I think his outlook on life is pretty simple, which is great,” Roberts said. “Just with his trek to get to the big leagues and what he’s had to endure and overcome and to establish himself as a big-league ballplayer for a winning team says a lot about him and his character.”
Francona, 31, told MLB in a letter he believed the Dodgers gradually pushed him out of his job as assistant director of player development following his decision to seek an assessment at Home Base, a Boston-area organization dedicated to helping veterans treat so-called invisible wounds of war. MLB’s Department of Investigations launched an inquiry into the matter, during which the Dodgers denied that Francona’s service served as motivation for the end of his employment in March 2016. The investigation is expected to be completed within a week, according to sources.

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    * Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

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