Jackie Robinson got the Dodgers off to a flying start in the first inning of todays game with the Cubs by hitting a triple to right field. Robinson slides safely into third as Cubs third sacker Randy JAckson reaches for the throw from right fielder Bob Addis. The umpire is Lee Ballanfant. Robinson then came home on George Shuba's base hit as the Dodgers went on to beat the Cubs 9-6.It should come as no surprise that he was the bellwether in the game - as he was in life. Below are more links to check out:
Was [president of baseball operations] Andrew Friedman given a mandate to decrease the payroll?
Kasten: Let's go back to the start. Did you not see us make big offers? Don't pretend that's not there. What is important is that we continue the program we began three years ago of becoming more self-reliant on our own development. Over the course of time, becoming a younger team will be cheaper, but it will also be one that stays good longer. From the start, I said we don't make decisions by looking at payroll. I didn't know what it was going to end up being last year. We had to do some cleanup for the new administration. If you told me it would be the highest in baseball again next year, that might well be right. I just don't know yet. It's not the biggest consideration. The biggest consideration is putting winning teams on the field.
Perhaps of greater interest with Alvarez is how easy his arm works to generate velocity. Alvarez has a fluid motion, though the arm action can be long, creating velocity so effortlessly. It’s that type of ease that makes many believe he will be an elite starter at his peak, needing little effort to produce plus stuff.
"It feels great," he said at Friday's annual children's holiday party. "I got off crutches beginning this week, started strengthening stuff, doing cardio stuff as low impact as I could. I saw ElAttrache and he was pretty pleased with how it looked."
“The Dodgers have a rich history of breaking barriers and it all began with Jackie Robinson in 1947,” said Dodgers’ President and CEO Stan Kasten. “Therefore, it is altogether fitting that our first statue at Dodger Stadium be of Jackie. The class that Jackie exhibited while still performing at the highest level made everything that has happened since not only in baseball, but in many respects throughout American society, possible. It is with great humility and joy that the Dodgers launch this project in concert with Rachel Robinson and the Jackie Robinson Foundation."Per Rachel Robinson:
"We're thrilled that the Dodgers will honor Jack with the inaugural statue at Dodger Stadium," said Rachel Robinson, wife of Jackie Robinson and founder of the Jackie Robinson Foundation.The exact location of the statue is still up in the air, but the sculptor commissioned to complete it is not. The Dodgers have chosen New York City-born (once living in Brooklyn) and now California-based sculptor Branly Cadet.
The piece will center around the theme, “Leveling the Playing Field.” It is expected to stand approximately nine to ten feet tall, and is expected to be unveiled during the 2016 Baseball season.“I am so honored to have the opportunity to design a sculpture memorial to Jackie Robinson for the Los Angeles Dodgers,” said Cadet. “He is an icon of American history being celebrated by a legendary team in a grand city. I’m excited to create a design that is both befitting of this context and pays homage to his legacy as a sports hero and civic leader.”
(pic via NY Art Foundry)
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| (photo via his website) |
Despite everything that has happened this offseason, the Dodgers are in a better position than ever to compete in 2016 and beyond as a result of some of the moves made by Andrew Friedman and company over the last year. Looking ahead to 2016, the Dodgers are in an excellent position to win the NL West title for the fourth year in a row. At this point in time, FanGraphs depth charts have the Dodgers at 47.6 WAR, which roughly equates to a 95-win team. This total is the second-best in all of baseball behind only the Cubs (51.8 WAR), and it puts them eight games in front of the Giants and 16 games in front of the Diamondbacks.
The waiters who had been hustling to set tables for dinner on the patio a few feet away suddenly stopped and looked out at the lawn, then back at one another, completely confused. The guy was throwing heat.
A hotel guest ran over and asked in disbelief, “Is that … Clayton Kershaw?”
It’s possible that Anderson has more value in trade for the Dodgers, but 2015 was a step back and he could use next season to rebuild value or repackage himself as a reliever. He could return to Tulsa to start next season if the Dodgers wish to continue his development as a starter, but I most likely see his 2016 role in the Oklahoma City bullpen. He’s ranked as high as he is because the potential is still there for late relief, but next season is a make or break season for Anderson’s prospect value. If Anderson’s best stuff shows itself more frequently in relief, it’s possible that he could make his Dodgers’ debut at the end of the 2016 season.
“I think early on in the year, I sat there and overanalyzed what I was doing,” he said. “But at the end of the year, it was more, ‘Give me that ball. I’ll move on. If I give up one, give it to me tomorrow.'”
