Awards – Page 4 – Dodger Thoughts

In case you missed it: Adrian Gonzalez the sportsman

On September 15, 2015

In Awards, History, In case you missed it

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By Jon Weisman

During the day Monday, Adrian Gonzalez was named the Dodgers’ nominee for the 2015 Roberto Clemente Award, which honors “a player who best represents the game through positive contributions on and off the field, including sportsmanship and community involvement.”

Lately, Gonzalez has needed to display a great deal of sportsmanship alongside athleticism to come away foul balls. First there was the one in Chicago involving a Wrigley Field fan holding a baby. Then came Monday night’s fifth-inning foul ball, which Gonzalez caught despite a Boston-capped fan nearly tearing Gonzalez’s glove off.

Gonzalez not only came away triumphant on that play, he made a nifty defensive stab to record the final out of the Dodgers’ 4-1 victory over the Rockies.

Clayton Kershaw won the award in 2012, and Jimmy Rollins shared the honor with Paul Konerko in 2014.

Here are some other bits and bunts …

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Chef Dave Pearson, who passed away Saturday, received a tribute Monday before the National Anthem.
According to Stats LLC (via the Dodgers’ public relations department), the Dodgers’ 35-10 (.778) record in home games decided by three or fewer runs is currently the second-best in MLB history, behind only the 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers (35-9, .795).
Called upon to save Monday’s game with Kenley Jansen requiring a day off, Chris Hatcher did the trick, lowering his ERA to 1.35 since coming off the disabled list August 15. In 13 1/3 innings, he has struck out 16 and allowed 13 baserunners.
Yasmani Grandal ended his 0-for-36 (with eight walks) slump Monday with two hits, which themselves followed a sacrifice fly.
Fan voting has begun for the Esurance MLB Awards. Dodger nominees include Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw for Best Major Leaguer and Best Starting Pitcher (Kershaw won both in 2014), and Joc Pederson for Best Rookie. Many more categories will follow between now and when voting ends November 13. (Five different groups of voters — fans, members of the baseball media, club front-office personnel, former MLB players and Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) members — each count for 20 percent of the total.) T
The Institute for Baseball Studies is presenting, “The Dodgers Come to Los Angeles: Politics and Pennants in Paradise,” featuring Andy McCue and Wes Parker, at 7:00 p.m. September 27 at Villalobos Hall on the campus of Whittier College.
Justin Turner, nominated for the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award last week, is now a finalist, representing the National League West. Kershaw won last year.
I’ve seen some hard foul balls in my time, but I’m amazed this one Monday didn’t do some real damage to someone.

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Damon Berryhill named PCL Manager of the Year

By Jon Weisman

On September 4, 2015

In Awards, Managers

By Jon Weisman

Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers manager Damon Berryhill has been named 2015 Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year, the league office announced today.

Berryhill won a vote of managers and media representatives from each PCL city. He is the first Dodger Triple-A manager to win the award since Lorenzo Bundy did for Albuquerque in 2012.

Oklahoma City won the PCL American Northern Division title with a team-record 85 victories so far and is headed for the PCL playoffs, despite roster turnover that put over 80 players in uniform during the year, amid more than 300 transactions.

The team has 11 walkoff wins, tied for the most in the PCL.

Berryhill joined the Dodger organization in 2009 at Ogden, and moved up to Albuquerque last year. Overall, he is 416-384 in eight seasons as a manager, after a 10-year career as a Major League catcher with the Chicago Cubs, Atlanta, Boston, Cincinnati and San Francisco.

Tommy Lasorda earns Jim Murray Foundation honor

By Jon Weisman

On August 28, 2015

In Awards

By Jon Weisman

Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda will receive the Jim Murray Memorial Foundationʼs “Great Ones” trophy, a bronze bust of Pulitzer Prize winning writer Jim Murray.

Lasorda is being honored for more than 60 years of meritorious service in the Dodger organization. Previous winners include Arnold Palmer, Joe Namath, Luc Robitaille, Bobby Rahal, Chris McCarron, Duke Snider, Sugar Ray Leonard and Rick Reilly.

“The Great Ones Award is our Stanley Cup. Each year we add a new name to it for that individualʼs contribution to his sport,” said Bill McCoy, president of the Jim Murray Memorial Foundation. “Tommy Lasorda and Jim Murray were friends for many years. It seems fitting we honored both their legacies with this award.”

The JMMF was established by Linda Murray Hofmans in 1999 following the passing of the longtime Times columnist. The foundation awards journalism scholarships to the nation’s top college journalists through a national essay competition. To date, the JMMF has awarded 99 scholarships totaling over $500,000.

However, if you’re looking for an affordable essay writing service with very reasonable price, and high quality work, then this essay writing service reddit is an excellent option you may want to consider.

In case I missed it: Notes from a three-game winning streak

By Jon Weisman

On August 17, 2015

In Awards, Dodger Stadium, In case you missed it

Jill Weisleder/LA Dodgers

By Jon Weisman

Dodger Insider is going to be quiet most of the weekend for family events. Hope to return to victory celebrations!

— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) August 15, 2015

Well, that worked. Three games away, three victories in the books. And a nice opportunity to celebrate them, with an off day today and Clayton Kershaw on the mound at Oakland on Tuesday.

Let me take this opportunity to tie a bunch of loose ends together …

With 13 innings of one-run ball last week (14 baserunners, 14 strikeouts), Zack Greinke managed to reassert control in the National League Cy Young Award race, even as Kershaw threw eight shutout innings of his own.
Could Greinke, whose adjusted ERA (in an MLB-leading 165 1/3 innings) is the best in baseball since Pedro Martinez in 2000, follow Kershaw as a Most Valuable Player? The award remains Bryce Harper’s to lose, and though the Nationals have slumped terribly, Harper (.415 on-base percentage in August) isn’t to blame. I don’t believe that MVP contention should be tied to a team’s record, but for those voters who do, Greinke’s top competition if the Nationals disappear would probably be San Francisco’s Buster Posey.
Would most people be surprised to find that the Dodgers are on pace for a record number of home victories? Los Angeles is playing .677 ball at Dodger Stadium, which would yield a 55-26 home record if that plays out over their final 19 games here. That would match the 1980 Dodgers in victories, but that team unfortunately lost home game No. 82, the one-game NL West playoff against the Astros.
Looking for the next test? The Dodgers’ next two home series will be against NL playoff contenders Chicago (August 28-30) and San Francisco (August 31-September 2). The Dodgers have lost three home series all season, to the Cardinals, Giants and Mets.
Since sitting out two of the three games against the Angels, Joc Pederson is hitting .167/.447/.400. In 47 plate appearances, he has two singles, a double, two homers, a hit-by-pitch, a sacrifice fly and 15 walks. There are worse things in the world from a No. 8 hitter than that, plus great defensive range.
Yasiel Puig’s 10th homer of the year Saturday gave the Dodgers eight players with double-digit homers, their most since a team-record nine players in 2004. The Dodgers will need one more homer from Howie Kendrick when he comes off the disabled list to tie the record, but what about breaking it? Four more homers from Kiké Hernandez in the final 44 games of the season no longer seems like crazy talk.
Carl Crawford’s OBP in August as a Dodger: .353 in 2013, .360 in 2014, .538 in 2015 (27 plate appearances).
Dad-for-the-second-time Kenley Jansen’s four-out save Sunday was his first of 2015 and eighth of his career. He has never had a longer outing for a save. But in 34 outings of more than one inning in his career, Jansen’s ERA is 0.50 with 23 hits, 18 walks and 80 strikeouts in 54 innings.
Jansen has entered 29 games with a lead this year, and the Dodgers have won them all. After his only blown save of 2015, when Arizona’s A.J. Pollock hit a ninth-inning solo homer June 10, Kendrick had a walkoff single in the bottom of the ninth.

Door opens for Clayton Kershaw’s fourth Cy Young

By Jon Weisman

On August 7, 2015

In Awards, Pregame

Dodgers at Pirates, 4:05 p.m.
Kershaw CCXXXI: Kershawma’s Family
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, LF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Yasiel Puig, RF
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Joc Pederson, CF
Clayton Kershaw, P

By Jon Weisman

One of the amusing parts of the hysteric reaction many had to Clayton Kershaw’s early-season struggles — such as they were — was sitting back and going, “Everyone’s asking ‘What’s wrong with Kershaw?’ Watch him win another Cy Young Award.”

Well …

Zack Greinke, for all his ongoing greatness, allowed six runs Thursday. Max Scherzer has a 3.86 ERA in his past six starts. And so we have this:

Kershaw wouldn’t win the award if there was a vote today, but thanks to a 37-inning scoreless streak (detailed here) and a 1.10 ERA in his past 12 starts, he has closed the gap considerably. You could say he’s No. 3 with a bullet.

Fielding-independent pitching is the key here. No, it’s not that so many voters value FIP or xFIP over more conventional stats. But by leading the National League in those two categories — by significant margins — Kershaw shows that he’s the most likely of the Cy Young contenders to finish the season strong. Just as his league-leading xFIP of 2.15 on May 21 — when his ERA was 4.32 — showed that Kershaw was actually underrated (yep, I wrote that) and not worth all the panic.

Then there’s Kershaw’s history. From 2011-14, Kershaw’s ERA after the All-Star break was 1.70. His worst post-All-Star ERA in that time was 2.10 in 2012.

In other words, between bad luck and Kershaw’s proven level of dedication and determination, it would have been more surprising if Kershaw hadn’t launched himself into Cy Young contention. Instead, a fourth award is within reach — a milestone achieved only by Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Steve Carlton and Greg Maddux.

Kershaw probably won’t win the award if he doesn’t capture what would be a fifth-straight ERA title. Right now, the award is still Greinke’s — especially if the Dodger righty keeps that ERA below 2.00. With his league-leading Wins Above Replacement, Scherzer is surely in the running as well.

And there are other threats. There’s Jacob deGrom and his 2.09 ERA pitching the Mets to a surprising NL East lead (remember, the only time Kershaw has lost a Cy Young since 2011 was to a Met, R.A. Dickey). Gerrit Cole — tonight’s opponent for Kershaw and the Dodgers in a sterling matchup at Pittsburgh — also has a lower ERA than Kershaw’s and a chance at a 20-win season for those who still care. Jake Arrietta of the Cubs is sort of a blend of the deGrom and Cole candidacies. Arrietta is nearly as hot as Kershaw right now, with a 1.37 ERA in his past nine starts.

Who do you think will win?

Clayton Kershaw named NL Pitcher of the Month

By Jon Weisman

On August 3, 2015

In Awards

By Jon Weisman

For the fourth time in the past five seasons, Clayton Kershaw has been named National League Pitcher of the Month for July.

Kershaw won the award even though his eight shutout innings on Saturday, July 32 weren’t counted. In the 31 previous days, the 27-year-old lefty pitched 33 innings and allowed one run for a 0.27 ERA (1.31 xFIP), walking two and striking out 45.

It was not an easy month to win the award. Among the competition was teammate Zack Greinke (38 innings, 0.95 ERA, 2.89 xFIP) and Chicago Cubs pitchers Jon Lester (43 1/3 innings, 1.66 ERA, 2.31 xFIP) and Jake Arrieta (42 2/3 innings, 1.90 ERA, 2.56 xFIP).

Kershaw previously won the July honor in 2011, 2013 and 2014. He also won the award for June 2014, becoming the first Dodger to be so honored in two consecutive months since Burt Hooton in 1975.

Since May 26, Clayton Kershaw is batting .194, and the 329 batters he has faced are batting .162.

— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) August 3, 2015

Greinke, Kershaw share NL Player of the Week honors

By Jon Weisman

On July 20, 2015

In Awards

By Jon Weisman

The newest National League Player of the Week Award only covers the three days of regular-season play after the All-Star Break (July 17-19), and it was hard to be more dominant during those 72 hours than Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw were.

Kershaw: eight innings, no runs, three hits, no walks, 14 strikeouts (0 for 4 at the plate)
Greinke: eight innings, no runs, three hits, one walk, 11 strikeouts (1 for 3 at the plate)

Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw have faced 168 batters in July. Wilmer Flores of the Mets has the only RBI.

— Jon Weisman (@jonweisman) July 19, 2015

Clayton Kershaw named co-NL Player of the Week

By Jon Weisman

On June 8, 2015

In Awards

By Jon Weisman

Clayton Kershaw has earned a piece of National League Player of the Week honors, the sixth time the Dodger lefty has won or shared the honor.

Kershaw allowed two runs on 10 baserunners in 15 innings (1.20 ERA) while striking out 18 across two starts, one in Colorado, the other at home against St. Louis.

Kershaw shares this week’s award with New York Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom, who — believe it or not — also allowed exactly two earned runs on 10 baserunners in 15 innings (1.20 ERA) while striking out 18 across two starts. So that’s a fairly well-earned tie.

Glenn Burke elected to Baseball Reliquary’s Shrine of the Eternals

By Jon Weisman

On May 5, 2015

In Awards

By Jon Weisman

Former Dodger outfielder Glenn Burke has been elected to the Baseball Reliquary’s Shrine of the Eternals, along with legendary local minor-leaguer Steve Bilko and baseball cards godfather Sy Berger.

The trio will join 48 others who have been inducted into the Shrine of the Eternals since elections began in 1999, including such Dodger family members as Dick Allen, Bill Buckner, Roberto Clemente, Jim Eisenreich, Jim “Mudcat” Grant, Dr. Frank Jobe, Manny Mota, Lefty O’Doul, Jackie Robinson, Rachel Robinson, Casey Stengel, Fernando Valenzuela, Maury Wills and Don Zimmer.

“Criteria for election shall be: the distinctiveness of play (good or bad); the uniqueness of character and personality; and the imprint that the individual has made on the baseball landscape,” according to the Baseball Reliquary website. “Electees, both on and off the diamond, shall have been responsible for developing baseball in one or more of the following ways: through athletic and/or business achievements; in terms of its larger cultural and sociological impact as a mass entertainment; and as an arena for the human imagination.”

Among those finishing in the top 10 in voting percentage this year was Charlie Brown.

Gonzalez, Guerrero win NL honors for April

By Jon Weisman

On May 4, 2015

In Awards

Photos: Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

By Jon Weisman

Not only has Adrian Gonzalez has been named National League Player of the Month, but Alex Guerrero was named NL Rookie of the Month.

Gonzalez had a .432 on-base percentage and NL-best eight homers and .790 slugging percentage in April, while Guerrero led NL rookies in home runs with five (remember, Joc Pederson’s fifth and sixth homers came in May), slugged 1.077 and OPSed 1.505.

Peter O’Malley earns top honor from Japan

By Jon Weisman

On April 28, 2015

In Awards

By Jon Weisman

Former Dodger owner Peter O’Malley will receive the honor of “The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon” from the Government of Japan, conferred by Emperor Akihito, at a ceremony in Los Angeles later this spring.

The Government of Japan established The Order of the Rising Sun on April 10, 1875 as its the first national decoration awarded and the country’s highest honor for a non-Japanese citizen. award celebrates those who have “distinguished achievements in international relations, promotion of Japanese culture, advancements in their field, development in welfare or preservation of the environment.”

O’Malley is being recognized for more than 60 years of promoting friendly relations through baseball between Japan and the United States and the development of Japan’s baseball world. With approximately 85 trips to Japan, O’Malley has been at the forefront of numerous cultural exchanges between the two nations, dating back to 1956, when he joined his parents, Kay and Walter, and his sister, Terry, on the National League champion Brooklyn Dodgers’ first Goodwill Tour to Japan.

Bolsinger, Seager, Urias honored

By Jon Weisman

On April 20, 2015

In Awards

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By Jon Weisman

Mike Bolsinger, Corey Seager and Julio Urias and Mike Bolsinger each received Player or Pitcher of the Week honors in their minor leagues.

A candidate to be called up by the Dodgers to start in the next few days, Bolsinger pitched 11 innings and allowed three hits and three walks while striking out 17 to become Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week.

Seager, who turns 21 on April 27, is off to an extraordinary with Double-A Tulsa: 21 for 42 with a .762 slugging percentage and only four strikeouts, including 14 for 26 in the past seven days to become Texas League Player of the Week.

Meanwhile, the 18-year-old Urias struck out 10 in 5 2/3 innings while allowing five baserunners to earn Texas League Player of the Week recognition. At the outset of the season, Urias has a 0.00 ERA in 10 2/3 innings with 14 strikeouts against eight baserunners.

Adrian Gonzalez named NL Player of the Week

By Jon Weisman

On April 13, 2015

In Awards

In the least surprising development of the 2015 season so far, Adrian Gonzalez was named National League Player of the Week. In case you’re wondering why, see Exhibit A (click to enlarge).

— Jon Weisman

Jaime Jarrin to receive National Leader Award

By Jon Weisman

On March 27, 2015

In Awards

By Jon Weisman

Hall of Fame Dodger announcer Jaime Jarrin will receive the National Leader Award from Servite High School at the fifth annual Excellence in Leadership dinner Saturday at the Anaheim Marriott, for his his exemplary broadcasting career and commitment to help disadvantaged Latino youth receive a quality education.

Servite is also establishing the Jaime Jarrin Scholarship for Latino students with leadership potential who need tuition assistance to attend Servite.

Jarrin studied philosophy, letters, journalism and broadcasting at Central University of Ecuador. In 1998, he was honored by the National Association of Hispanic Journalists with their highest award, received La Gran Cruz al Merito en El Grado de Comendador (the highest civilian medal) from his native Ecuador and was named one of the Top 100 Influential Hispanics in the United States by Hispanic Business Magazine. He was the first Latin American to win the Golden Mike Award (1970 and 1971).

Jarrin will be the keynote speaker at Saturday’s dinner, with more than 600 guests are expected to attend. Click here for more information.

Campaign celebrates MVPs Trout and Kershaw

By Jon Weisman

On February 17, 2015

In Awards, History

By Jon Weisman

Over at the corner of Highland and Wilshire, there’s a new billboard promoting the unprecedented Freeway Series matchup between local Most Valuable Players — the Angels’ Mike Trout and the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw.

Last year marked the 11th time in the 83-year history of the Baseball Writers Association of America MVP awards, and first time in 12 years, that players from the same market captured their league MVP honors. It has never before happened in Southern California.

Mike Trout hit an infield single, doubled and struck out looking against Clayton Kershaw on August 5 at Dodger Stadium. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

The last time the Dodgers were involved in such a duet was in 1956, with Don Newcombe and Mickey Mantle. Twice, in 1951 and 1955, Roy Campanella and Yogi Berra won MVP awards in the same year. The first time it happened with a Dodger was in 1941, when Dolph Camilli became an MVP alongside Joe DiMaggio.

When most of the people use lead generation software for large teams to achieve their business goals via social media.There comes a hot news that in the six weeks leading up to the Freeway Series, the Angels and Dodgers will be in a little bit of a contest on social media in determining the area’s MVMVP (Most Valuable MVP). Dodger fans can show their support by tweeting “#MVPKersh.”

While the two teams played four games against each other in last year’s regular season, in 2015 they’ll square off for six. The Dodgers will host the Angels July 31-August 2 and will play at Anaheim September 7-9.

In honor of the Trout-Kershaw Confluence, I’ve created my own signage. Here it is …

Dodger Thoughts

Jon Weisman's outlet for dealing psychologically with the Los Angeles Dodgers, baseball and life

Category: Awards (Page 4 of 9)

In case you missed it: Adrian Gonzalez the sportsman

Damon Berryhill named PCL Manager of the Year

Tommy Lasorda earns Jim Murray Foundation honor

In case I missed it: Notes from a three-game winning streak

Door opens for Clayton Kershaw’s fourth Cy Young

Clayton Kershaw named NL Pitcher of the Month

Greinke, Kershaw share NL Player of the Week honors

Clayton Kershaw named co-NL Player of the Week

Glenn Burke elected to Baseball Reliquary’s Shrine of the Eternals

Gonzalez, Guerrero win NL honors for April

Peter O’Malley earns top honor from Japan

Bolsinger, Seager, Urias honored

Adrian Gonzalez named NL Player of the Week

Jaime Jarrin to receive National Leader Award

Campaign celebrates MVPs Trout and Kershaw

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