October 2015 – Page 5 – Dodger Thoughts

In Managing

Work day. #LALovesOctober (via @JonSooHooPics) pic.twitter.com/yC4El1wvmK

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 6, 2015

Dodger general manager Farhan Zaidi, speaking today on what’s most important for a manager today.

“I think the longer I’ve been in baseball, the more it’s tilted toward managing the clubhouse and the personalities and the egos,” Zaidi said. “I think from the outside, the average person watching the game just sees the Xs and Os, and whether you took a reliever out or left him in, but again, in my view, a lot of those are 52-48, 55-45 decisions. You get judged by the outcome rather than the process. But kind of being behind the scenes, (you realize) how important it is to manage personalities, get guys to buy into their roles, maintain the peace in the clubhouse.

“You know, it’s funny: The position is called ‘the manager,’ and in every other industry, being a manager means managing people. And in baseball, we think it’s just Xs and Os, but the reality is, this job is being a manager like it is being a manager of a business, except you also are making X and O moves out there in public. I think they’re both important, but I think from when I first got into baseball 10 years ago to now, I realize that managing down there in the clubhouse is more important than I realized.”

— Jon Weisman

Van Slyke in doubt for NLDS, Puig possible

In Health/injuries, Postseason

[wpvideo jeZ05eBP]
By Jon Weisman

With Clayton Kershaw (above) starting things out with his morning windsprints, the Dodgers held their first postseason workout today.

The deadline to finalize the 25-man roster for the National League Division Series doesn’t come until 10 a.m. Friday, so the Dodgers haven’t made any announcements regarding who will be on it, nor the starting rotation.

General manager Farhan Zaidi said that while discussions about the final roster spots are continuing, including whether the last spot will go to a pitcher or a position player, the team hopes to let players know their status sooner than later so they they aren’t in the dark.

Scott Van Slyke, battling wrist problems, didn’t bat today, so his chances for playing in the NLDS are dimming. Yasiel Puig is considered healthy and, if the organization is satisfied that he had enough prep time at Camelback Ranch and this weekend against the Padres, he remains a candidate to play in the NLDS.

Vin Scully on Fernando Valenzuela, 1980

In History

“The Valenzuela story is an incredible one. He throws two screwballs, one a little harder than the other. Pretty good curveball, and a sneaky fastball. … (For) 1981, all you have to do is start thinking about looking at Guerrero every day, maybe looking at this kid as a starter, and getting (the team) healthy.”

— Vin Scully, October 3, 1980

Posted for no other reason than the game was being aired today on SportsNet LA.

— Jon Weisman

Remembering ’65: World Series Game 1

In History, Remembering '65

By Jon Weisman

The Minnesota Twins were the highest-scoring team in the American League in 1965, so even though the Dodgers — winners of 15 of their final 16 regular season games — were listed as a favorite to win the World Series, Twins manager Sam Dele was undaunted.

“We don’t expect to lose,” Twins manager Sam Mele told a reporter, according to Charles Maher of the Times.

The reporter kept looking at Mele, expecting him to go on.

“Hey,” Mele said. “You didn’t write that down.”

The reporter wrote it down.

Though the Dodgers had Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale, not to mention several other tried-and-true World Series veterans compared with the inexperienced Twins, the Los Angeles offense remained a concern.

“If a guy like (Maury) Wills scores only 92 runs, it must mean he is not getting driven in much,” Mele said.

“On that club,” a reporter replied, “nobody got driven in much.”

As it turned out, the one thing the Dodgers didn’t really worry about betrayed them. Fifty years ago today, on October 6, 1965, Drysdale was knocked out of Game 1.

Ten things we know about Corey Seager’s debut

In Offense

By Jon Weisman

Oh, nothing. Just 10 bits of info about the Dodgers’ latest phenom, Corey Seager …

By Jiminy, cricket coming to Dodger Stadium in November

In Dodger Stadium, Other sports

By Jon Weisman

After the World Series and the 2015 MLB season have ended, anyone for cricket?

On November 14, Dodger Stadium will host its first-ever cricket match — as part of the inaugural Cricket All-Stars Series. Cricket icons Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne headline a stellar lineup of renowned cricket players from around the world.

The historic tour marks the first time these super stars have played in the U.S. Sachin and Shane will each captain a hand-picked team featuring some the best cricketers to ever play the game including Wasim Akram (Pakistan), Brian Lara (West Indies), Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka), Jonty Rhodes (South Africa) and Michael Vaughn (England), among others.

The format will be T20, a much shorter and boisterous form of cricket with the games taking around three hours instead of multiple days.

Tickets go on sale to the public Thursday at 10 a.m., but there are two presales: Tuesday beginning at 10 a.m. for anyone who wants to purchase with a Mastercard, and Wednesday for Dodger season-ticket holders (with any credit card).

Read more about the Cricket All-Star Series at ESPN.com, the Wall Street Journal or Time. Visit dodgers.com/cricket for information or to purchase tickets when sales open.

Dodgers-Mets 2006: Meet the mess

In History, Postseason

Ugh. (Rich Pilling/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

By Jon Weisman

OK, brace yourselves, because this post is going to mention that time in the playoffs when J.D. Drew and Jeff Kent … I can barely even say it.

The last year the Dodgers faced the Mets in the playoffs is also the last year the Mets were in the playoffs at all: 2006. Los Angeles was swept in three National League Division Series games by New York, which went on to lose a seven-game series to the Cardinals in the National League Championship Series.

Nine years have passed, and of those who played in that NLDS, eight remain in the Major Leagues: Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes, David Wright, Chad Billingsley, Jonathan Broxton, Andre Ethier, James Loney and Russell Martin. Ethier and Wright are the only players who are still with the Dodgers and Mets, respectively.

Here’s how it went down …

NLDS game times and parking information

In Dodger Stadium, Postseason, Transportation/parking

More than 100,000 fans took the Dodger Stadium Express to games this year. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

More than 100,000 fans have taken the Dodger Stadium Express to games this year. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

By Jon Weisman

Game times for the first two games of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium have been set.

Game 1 will begin at 6:45 p.m. Friday, and Game 2 will begin at 6:07 p.m. Saturday. TBS is televising the games.

Auto gates are scheduled to open three hours before the first pitch, with stadium entry gates to open 2 1/2 hours before first pitch.

What follows is more information about parking and alternative transportation for the NLDS …

Adrian Gonzalez nominated for Hank Aaron Award

In Awards

Juan Ocampo/Los Angeles Dodgers

Adrian Gonzalez, who had a .350 on-base percentage, .480 slugging percentage and 28 homers this year, is the Dodgers’ finalist in the fan balloting for the 2015 Hank Aaron Award, given to the top offensive player in each league. Vote here.

— Jon Weisman

Dodger playoff series rarely go to final game

In History, Postseason

Dodger winner-take-all playoff games
10/12/88: *Dodgers 6, Mets 0 (NLCS)
10/19/81: Dodgers 2, *Expos 1 (NLCS)
10/11/81: *Dodgers 4, Astros 0 (NLDS)
10/14/65: Dodgers 2, *Twins 0 (WS)
10/10/56: Yankees 9, *Dodgers 0 (WS)
10/4/55: *Dodgers 2, Yankees 0 (WS)
10/7/52: Yankees 4, *Dodgers 2 (WS)
10/6/47: *Yankees 5, Dodgers 2 (WS)
*home team

By Jon Weisman

The last time the Dodgers played in a winner-take-all playoff game, the winning pitcher was Orel Hershiser.

That was October 12, 1988, when Hershiser pitched the Dodgers to a 6-0 victory in Game 7 of the 1988 National League Championship Series (a series that receives some fine oral history treatment from Lyle Spencer of MLB.com).

For all the talk of home-field advantage in the postseason, the Dodgers have been in 12 playoff series since the last time one of them went down to the final game. Will this year be different? We’re certainly due.

The last time the Dodgers played the final game of a playoff series on the road was October 19, 1981, when Rick Monday homered in the ninth and Bob Welch got the final out for Fernando Valenzuela to win Game 5 of the 1981 NLCS.

In fact, the Dodgers haven’t lost a winner-take-all playoff game since Game 7 of the 1956 World Series, and haven’t lost one on the road since Game 7 of the 1952 World Series. The Dodgers are 5-3 overall in winner-take-all playoff games, triumphing in their past four, and have pitched shutouts in half of them.

Clayton 300Kershaw!

On October 4, 2015

In History

By Jon Weisman
He’s done it. Clayton Kershaw has become the first pitcher since Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling in 2002 to strike out at least 300 batters in a season. Kershaw fanned Melvin Upton, Jr. in the top of the third inning to reach the milestone.

It took Kershaw 37 pitches to get the six strikeouts he needed today. He has the most strikeouts by a Dodger pitcher since Sandy Koufax had 317 in 1966. Kershaw and Zack Greinke are the Dodgers’ first 300-200 strikeout duo since Koufax and Don Drysdale in 1965.

Public Enemy No. 300. #Kershaw300 pic.twitter.com/C9BVDnc2Z5

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 4, 2015

With the first out of the fourth inning, Kershaw also won the 2015 MLB innings pitched title.

Kershaw wrapped up his day once he reached his 60-pitch limit in the fourth inning, finishing with seven strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings of two-hit, no-walk ball. He has 301 for the season, 1,746 for his career, and needs 254 next year to become the fourth pitcher in MLB history to strike out 2,000 batters before turning 29, after Sam McDowell, Walter Johnson and Bert Blyleven.

As a pitching staff, the 2015 Dodgers have the fourth-highest strikeout total in National League history. The Chicago Cubs broke the NL record earlier this week.

Jimmy Rollins to guest-manage Dodgers today

On October 4, 2015

In Uncategorized

No, that's not @TommyLasorda, it's today's #Dodgers manager @JimmyRollins11. With some, er, padding. pic.twitter.com/2X1UvmTLuF

— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) October 4, 2015

By Jon Weisman

Jimmy Rollins will be the guest manager for today’s regular-season finale, and Kenley Jansen will be the guest pitching coach, Don Mattingly told reporters today. The opportunity arose when the Dodgers clinched home-field advantage for the National League Division series, which will now begin Friday at Dodger Stadium (game times to be announced).

Clayton Kershaw is expected to throw roughly 50-60 pitches in his final start. Kershaw needs six strikeouts to become the first pitcher since 2002 with 300, and needs 3 1/3 innings to lead the Majors in innings (which he probably cares more about).

Kershaw lost one milestone Saturday, when Max Scherzer surpassed him with most strikeouts (17) ever in a no-hit, no-walk MLB game.

The Dodgers have not set their NLDS rotation yet, Don Mattingly told reporters today, and will wait until after this week’s workouts to finalize their NLDS roster — including the number of pitchers vs. position players that they will include. Rosters aren’t due until the morning of the first game.

Dodger health peaking for October (knock on wood)

On October 4, 2015

In Health/injuries, Pregame

Padres at Dodgers, 12:10 p.m.
Kershaw CCXLII: The Kershawrtian
Carl Crawford, LF
Chase Utley, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, RF
Corey Seager, SS
A.J. Ellis, C
Alex Guerrero, 3B
Joc Pederson, CF
Clayton Kershaw, P

By Jon Weisman

It’s the feel-good story of the year, literally.

In their final regular-season game before the National League Division Series begins, the Dodgers are about the healthiest they’ve been all year.

When Yasiel Puig returned to active duty Saturday, that meant the Dodgers didn’t have a position player on the disabled list for the first time since April 25.

Los Angeles’ disabled list is down to four pitchers, and that includes Bronson Arroyo, who was for this season at least simply ballast in the July deadline trade that brought Alex Wood, Luis Avilan, Jim Johnson and Jose Peraza from Atlanta.

Another disabled pitcher, Josh Ravin, was a big-league Dodger for nine games this year, leaving Hyun-Jin Ryu and Brandon McCarthy as the only Dodgers on the DL who were expected to play a significant role.

It’s true that the medical charts for the position players aren’t entirely clean. Peraza, who was a playoff 25th man candidate before injuring a hamstring in early September, would have been on the DL in any other month. Puig is said to be under no restrictions, but his return Saturday hasn’t cleared up his availability for the NLDS. Scott Van Slyke’s inflamed right wrist makes him a question mark as well.

But other key players who have had recent injuries, such as Carl Crawford, Adrian Gonzalez, Kiké Hernandez, Howie Kendrick, Jimmy Rollins and Justin Turner, are all about as good shape as could be expected after the February-to-October grind,

Alex Wood likes Dodger Stadium