June 2015 – Page 3 – Dodger Thoughts

On June 19, 2015

In Other sports, Promotions

By Jon Weisman

The Dodgers have partnered with the Clippers, Lakers and Kings for three special nights at Dodger Stadium this summer.

Fans who purchase special tickets for Clippers Night (July 28, when the Dodgers host Oakland at 7:10 p.m.), Lakers Night (August 11 vs. Washington) and Kings Night (August 12 vs. Washington) will receive limited-edition, co-branded T-shirts.

The Dodgers-Clippers co-branded shirts includes the Clippers’ new logo unveiled this week.

Players from each teams will be in attendance for pregame ceremonies, along with the Laker Girls on Lakers Night. In addition, the Lakers’ 1988 NBA Larry O’Brien championship trophy will be on site, commemorating the year both the Lakers and Dodgers brought championships to L.A.

To receive the shirts, you must purchase special tickets for the respective nights at dodgers.com/clippers, dodgers.com/lakers and dodgers.com/kings. These are not stadium-wide giveaways.

The Dodgers offer special ticket packages throughout the season, all of which can be accessed by visiting dodgers.com/events.

J.P. Howell is back in business

On June 19, 2015

In Uncategorized

By Jon Weisman

Guess what? It’s increasingly looking that J.P. Howell’s struggles in late September and October last year were an aberration.

By striking out the side in the Dodgers’ 1-0 balkoff victory Thursday over Texas, Howell has now pitched 18 1/3 consecutive innings since allowing his last earned run. And the only inherited runner who scored this month on Howell came in on a passed ball in the ninth inning at Colorado, the night Kenley Jansen was too ill to pitch.

Only one batter out of the 83 Howell has faced this year has an extra-base hit, and it’s pretty forgivable — Arizona slugger Paul Goldschmidt’s leadoff double in the ninth inning of an 8-0 Dodger victory on May 1.

The biggest difference between Howell this year and his 2013-14 heyday is that his strikeout rate, even after his last outing, is down. But even while allowing a higher batting average on balls in play in 2015, he has managed to keep batters off base at essentially the same rates.

Among pitchers with at least 100 innings in Dodger history, only Takashi Saito has a better adjusted ERA than Howell, and only five pitchers (Saito, Kenley Jansen, 1915 starter Phil Douglas, Clayton Kershaw and Jay Howell) have a better WHIP.

Howell can’t maintain a 0.45 ERA all year, but don’t let that stop you from being impressed.

Coulombe climbs back to Los Angeles, Heisey heads down to Oklahoma City

On June 18, 2015

In Pregame, Transactions

Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

For more images from Wednesday, visit LA Photog Blog.

Rangers at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Yasiel Puig, RF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Yasmani Grandal, C
Andre Ethier, LF
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Zack Greinke, P

By Jon Weisman

Moving back to a seven-man bullpen, the Dodgers have called up lefty reliever Daniel Coulombe from Triple-A Oklahoma City (for the fourth time since May 4) and optioned outfielder Chris Heisey.

With the Dodgers in 2015, Heisey has managed to draw eight walks to boost his OBP to .353 in 34 plate appearances, despite going 4 for 26.

In other roster news, Darwin Barney (who was designated for assignment June 12) has been outrighted to Oklahoma City.

Scott Van Slyke activated, Chris Hatcher placed on disabled list

On June 17, 2015

In Health/injuries, Pregame, Transactions

Rangers at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Kershaw CCXXIII: Kershawlicon Valley
Yasiel Puig, RF
Chris Heisey, CF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Justin Turner, 3B
Scott Van Slyke, LF
Kiké Hernandez, SS
A.J. Ellis, C
Clayton Kershaw, P

By Jon Weisman

Scott Van Slyke has come off the disabled list and into the Dodger starting lineup tonight against Texas lefty Wandy Rodriguez, but he is taking the roster spot of a pitcher, not a position player.

Righty reliever Chris Hatcher has been placed on the disabled list with a left oblique strain, retroactive to June 15.

For the time being, that leaves the Dodgers with a season-low six pitchers in their bullpen: righties Kenley Jansen, Yimi Garcia, Juan Nicasio and Josh Ravin, and lefties J.P. Howell and Adam Liberatore.

Chris Hatcher said he felt a twinge in his oblique after his appearance on Sunday. Tried rest first. Got MRI this morning

— Eric Stephen (@truebluela) June 17, 2015

Liberatore is the only Dodger who has pitched in two games since Friday. The Dodgers have gotten a pair of eight-inning outings in that time, from Zack Greinke and Brett Anderson.

Van Slyke enters tonight’s game 6 for 21 with a double and four walks against southpaws this season (.756 OPS). Last year, Van Slyke had a 1.045 OPS in 130 plate appearances against left-handers.

Update: Don Mattingly told reporters today that the Dodgers would likely go back to a seven-man bullpen as soon as Thursday.

In case you missed it: Breaking Bolsinger

On June 17, 2015

In In case you missed it, Pitching

Mike Bolsinger with family and friends prior to Los Angeles Dodgers game against the Texas Rangers Monday, June 15, 2015 at Globe Life Park in Arlington Park,Texas. The Rangers beat the Dodgers 4-1. Photo by Jon SooHoo/© Los Angeles Dodgers,LLC 2015,LLC 2015

Mike Bolsinger with family and friends prior to Monday’s game at Texas.

By Jon Weisman

A few quick hits before mid-morning passes into late-mid-morning …

The subtle variations in Mike Bolsinger’s pitching arsenal are analyzed by Eno Sarris at Fangraphs.
Great perspective on how the notion of “playing the game the right way” varies between locales is provided by John Baker at Fox Sports’ Just a Bit Outside.
Third-round draft choice Philip Pfeifer’s journey from being booted off the Vanderbilt baseball team as a junior to his seven shutout innings at the College World Series is recounted by Michael Lananna at Baseball America.
Dodger co-owner Peter Guber also has a share of the Golden State Warriors, so he was celebrating Tuesday, writes Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com.

After 22 months, Brandon Beachy returns to action in rehab start

In Health/injuries

By Jon Weisman

Making his first appearance in a professional game since August 20, 2013, right-handed pitcher Brandon Beachy faced six batters tonight in a rehab start with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga.

Beachy allowed two groundouts and two lineouts while walking one and striking out one.

The 27-year-old has a 3.23 ERA in 267 2/3 career innings with 275 strikeouts, including a 4.50 ERA in 30 innings with 23 strikeouts in 2013, between his first and second Tommy John surgeries.

Another Brandon, last name of League, faced four batters in his rehab inning during the same game, with one hit allowed and one strikeout.

Earlier, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reported that the Dodgers planned to activate Scott Van Slyke from the disabled list on Wednesday, and that relievers Paco Rodriguez, Joel Peralta and Pedro Baez were continuing to progress toward their returns as well.

Dodgers walk off in defeat … and a bit of history

In History, Postgame

[mlbvideo id=”169864283″ width=”550″ height=”308″ /]

By Jon Weisman

Tonight’s 3-2 defeat at Texas was not a typical way for the Dodgers to lose.

The last time the Dodgers tied a game in the top of the ninth …

and then lost on a walkoff homer in the bottom of the ninth was May 2, 2012 at Colorado.
by hitting a home run and then lost on a walkoff homer in the bottom the ninth was September 7, 2007 at San Francisco.
and then lost on a walkoff homer to the very first batter of the bottom of the ninth was July 11, 1970 at San Diego.

And the last time the Dodgers tied a game in the top of the ninth by hitting a home run, before losing to a home run on the very first batter of the bottom of the ninth? Going through records on Baseball-Reference.com dating back to 1940 … never.

For hard-throwing Josh Ravin, it was a tough initiation into the vast group of Major Leaguer pitchers who have, you know, lost games.

The loss was as sudden as it was seemingly improbable. The Dodgers had only one baserunner past second base through eight innings off Rangers rookie Chi Chi Gonzalez, before Howie Kendrick walked with one out in the ninth and Justin Turner hit his game-tying shot.

It’s little consolation, but Turner’s homer kept Brett Anderson from taking a loss in his longest outing (eight innings) since May 26, 2011. On the other hand, Anderson would have had his team-leading second complete game but for that mini-Home Run Derby in the ninth.

[mlbvideo id=”170085083″ width=”550″ height=”308″ /]

Pederson closer and farther away in All-Star balloting

In All-Star Game

Los Angeles Dodgers Joc Pederson signs for Westchester Little League prior to game against the St.Louis Cardinals Sunday, June 7, 2015 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles,California. Photo by Jon SooHoo/©Los Angeles Dodgers,LLC 2015

Los Angeles Dodgers Joc Pederson signs for Westchester Little League prior to the June 7 game against St. Louis.

By Jon Weisman

Joc Pederson gained and lost ground simultaneously in the past week of fan voting for the All-Star Game.

Pederson moved up from 11th to eighth place among National League outfielders, but his distance from a starting spot increased from 813,000 votes to 1.3 million.

The 23-year-old rookie remains deserving of votes, ranking third among all NL outfielders in Wins Above Replacement. Andre Ethier is ninth among NL outfielders in WAR.

Yasiel Puig also moved up in the standings during his first week off the disabled list, but the 2014 NL starter’s gap from the top three spots increased as well.

First baseman Adrian Gonzalez, second baseman Howie Kendrick and catcher Yasmani Grandal remained second and fifth at their positions.

You can read more about the selection process here. Vote up to 35 times until the July 2 deadline. Click the image below to enlarge the current results.

Remembering ’65: On the run in June

In History, Remembering '65

By Jon Weisman

Frank Finch, the Dodger beat writer for the Times 50 years ago, would frequently report in the summer of 1965 that Maury Wills was ahead of the pace of his record-setting season of 104 stolen bases in 1962. That year, Wills had 27 steals at the end of May and 42 by the end of June. In 1965, Wills had 30 steals at the end of May and 47 by the end of June.

But the thing about 1962 for Wills was his enormous finishing kick: 53 steals (in 59 attempts) after July 31. Wills didn’t come close to matching that, producing 22 stolen bases from August 1 on, to finish with 94 — still the second-best total in National League history.

Here are many more interesting Dodger tidbits from the first two weeks of June 1965. There’s a lot, but really great stuff if you’re a Dodger fan …

Ross Stripling returns to action after Tommy John surgery

In Draft, Health/injuries, Pregame

By Jon Weisman

Back on the mound after Tommy John surgery, Dodger pitching prospect Ross Stripling made his first official start since August 2013, pitching four shutout innings for Single-A Great Lakes on Sunday.

The 25-year-old Stripling allowed a single and two walks, while striking out four. Across two levels in 2013, Stripling had a 2.82 ERA, 117 strikeouts and a 1.14 WHIP in 127 2/3 innings in 2013.

Stripling began throwing in January, he told Dodger Insider, nine months after his operation.

* * *

The Dodgers announced the following signings from the 2015 draft:

Dodgers at Rangers, 5:05 p.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Yasiel Puig, RF
Adrian Gonzalez, DH
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Justin Turner, 1B
Andre Ethier, LF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
(Carlos Frias, P)

Catchers (3 of 6): Matthew Beaty (12th round), Jacob Henson (21st round) and Gage Green (35th)
Second basemen (3 of 3): Willie Calhoun (fourth), Chris Godinez (18th) and Jordan Tarsovich (22nd)
Shortstops (1 of 2): Nick Dean (32nd)
Outfielders (3 of 5): Logan Landon (10th), Kyle Garlick (28th) and Edwin Drexler (38th)
Right-handed pitchers (12 of 22): Tommy Bergjans (eighth), Kevin Brown (ninth), Andrew Istler (23rd), Cameron Palmer (24th), Marcus Crescentini (26th), Ivan Vieitez (27th), Corey Copping (31st), Adam Bray (33rd), Drayton Riekenberg (36th), Charles Mulholland (37th), Chris Powell (39th) and Isaac Anderson (40th).
Left handed pitchers (2 of 3): Michael Boyle (13th) and Robert McDonnell (25th)

In addition, the club signed third baseman Nicholas Sell, the NCAA Division II most outstanding player, and pitcher Wes Heslabeck as non-drafted free agents.

Dave Roberts the latest Padres manager with Dodger connection

In Managers, Other teams

Dave Roberts had a .342 OPS in 1,189 plate appearances with the Dodgers from 2002-04 and ranks 20th in franchise history with 118 stolen bases. (Juan Ocampo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

By Jon Weisman

Dave Roberts, named interim manager of the San Diego Padres today after Bud Black was fired, is the latest in a line of Padre managers with Dodger ties.

1969-72: Preston Gomez (Dodger coach and minor-league manager)
1972-73: Don Zimmer (Dodger player)
1978-79: Roger Craig (Dodger player)
1981: Frank Howard (Dodger player)
1982-85: Dick Williams (Dodger player)
1986: Steve Boros (Dodger scout)
1987-88: Larry Bowa (Dodger coach)
1992-94: Jim Riggleman (Dodger coach and minor-league player)

Black, who replaced Bruce Bochy, had managed the Padres since 2007.

How the Dodgers lose for winning

In Status report

By Jon Weisman

So, this “winning against winning teams” thing just gets more and more challenging for these Dodgers.

If only the Dodgers had lost Sunday to San Diego, which was 32-32 entering the game, that would have made Los Angeles 7-5 against that particular winning team. Instead, the Dodgers won, so they’re 8-4 against the Padres, but the Padres are a losing team, so who cares, right?

Before that, the Dodgers swept the Diamondbacks, which was a big mistake. Los Angeles is 7-2 against Arizona, but the Diamondbacks are 30-32, so it doesn’t matter. Had the Dodgers lost two out of three, they’d be 5-4 against a 32-30 Arizona team, and then we’d be cooking with gas.

Colorado is 24-25 when it doesn’t play the Dodgers, who have nine worthless wins in 13 games against the Rockies, so those victories were a complete wasted effort. Same with the Dodgers’ series victory last month over 30-33 Atlanta.

In contrast … we have the San Francisco Giants, the team that has dominated the Dodgers in 2015 by going 7-2 against their top rival. The Giants are so good, they don’t even need to have a winning record against the rest of the big-league teams they play, going 28-29 in their non-Dodger games. San Francisco is 3-4 against San Diego, 3-6 against Colorado and 3-7 against Arizona, showcasing their baseball grit and savvy.

San Francisco has also fared far better than Los Angeles against National League-leading St. Louis, posting a perfect 0-0 record compared with the Dodgers’ 2-5 mark.

That leaves the Giants with a 13-7 record against winning teams. They are 21-23 against losing teams, as opposed to the Dodgers’ 33-14 mark, but those are just footnote games am I right?

Starting tonight, the Giants play four games with 28-35 Seattle (which was swept in an April series in Los Angeles), while the Dodgers have a quartet of contests against 33-30 Texas. Heaven help the Dodgers: If they sweep the Rangers, all they’ll have done is take out another losing team. If they split or lose the series, they’ll have been punched out by yet another above-.500 team. Only if the Dodgers win exactly three out of four against the Rangers — no more, no less — will they begun to uncapsize their sinking, 37-26, second-best-record-in-MLB ship.

If that happens, it’ll be just in time. This weekend, San Francisco will return to Los Angeles for a three-game series, for which the Dodgers should be in first place in the NL West, but everyone will be talking about how much better the Giants are.

#sarcasm

What wood you do: A Dodger Insider special

In Dodger Insider magazine

In today’s special Dodger Insider online feature, broken bats are broken down by magazine freelancer Chris Gigley, who talks to Yasmani Grandal, Joc Pederson and Scott Van Slyke about maintaining and sacrificing their tools of the trade.

Our inaugural special, “Inside the #RallyBanana,” can be accessed here, and our “Meet the Originals” package on the 50th anniversary of the MLB draft can be found here.

Check it all out, and don’t forget, there’s more content like it in the June edition of Dodger Insider magazine, available at all Dodger Stadium team stores.

— Jon Weisman

Jackie Robinson explains how the Dodgers missed out on Willie Mays