History – Page 21 – Dodger Thoughts

In case you missed it: Koufax Motel

On May 30, 2014

In History, In case you missed it, Pregame

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Pirates at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Dee Gordon, 2B
Chone Figgins, 3B
Yasiel Puig, RF
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Matt Kemp, LF
Scott Van Slyke, 1B
Andre Ethier, CF
Justin Turner, 3B
Drew Butera, C
Josh Beckett, P

By Jon Weisman

After you enjoy Vin Scully’s description of “maestro” Yasiel Puig

Well, if this headline doesn’t make you click, I don’t know what will: “How Sandy Koufax’s Motel Helped Lead to Baseball’s Big-Money Era.” Here’s the first paragraph from Michael Beschloss’ story for the New York Times …

In 1962, the star Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax invested in a West Hollywood motor inn, which was renamed “Sandy Koufax’s Tropicana Motel.” Down Santa Monica Boulevard from the famed Troubadour club, these “74 luxurious air-conditioned rooms” — rented at “popular prices” — came to lodge some of the biggest musical acts of the period: Alice Cooper, Bob Marley, the Mamas and the Papas, Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison and the Doors. “I don’t know which made me more excited,” said one guest, “to be in Sandy’s motel or to be in a room right beside Sly Stone, from Sly and the Family Stone.”
Sports on Earth delivered a couple of great Dodger-related pieces this week: Jorge Arangure Jr. on Dee Gordon’s maturation and Howard Megdal bonding with A.J. Ellis over how each of their wives delivered babies in cars on their way to the hospital.
Here’s another eye-catching headline, found at The Bowery Boys: “The short shelf life of the Tip-Tops, the Brooklyn baseball team situated near the Gowanus River and named for bread.”/li>

‘Louie’ and ‘The Boys of Summer’

By Jon Weisman

On May 27, 2014

In History

By Jon Weisman

When Monday’s second episode of “Louie” on FX had some black comedy with NBA star LeBron James, it (unintentionally, I’m sure) echoed this sardonic passage from Roger Kahn’s indispensable 1972 book on the Dodgers, “The Boys of Summer.”

Video: Dodgers and the wars

By Jon Weisman

On May 27, 2014

In History

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On Memorial Day, the Dodgers premiered this video connecting Gil Hodges, Pee Wee Reese and Roy Gleason with the team and their military service. A day later, it still is worth viewing.

— Jon Weisman

Notebook: More Josh Beckett goodness

By Jon Weisman

On May 26, 2014

In History, Pregame

Reds at Dodgers, 5:10 p.m.
Dee Gordon, 2B
Carl Crawford, LF
Yasiel Puig, RF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, CF
Justin Turner, 3B
Drew Butera, C
Erisbel Arruebarrena, SS
Hyun-Jin Ryu, P

By Jon Weisman

Here’s a bunch of news, notes, links and quotes in the afterglow of the past 24 hours:

Beckett’s no-hitter, in case you didn’t notice, was the Dodgers’ first complete game of the season and first since Hyun-Jin Ryu threw an eight-inning complete game in a 2-1 loss to Colorado on September 16. The Dodgers hadn’t had an individual shutout since Zack Greinke’s two-hit masterpiece on July 13.
At age 34 and 10 days, Beckett is the third-oldest no-hit pitcher in Dodger history, behind Sal Maglie (39) and Dazzy Vance (34 and 193 days).

The time-traveling joy of a no-hitter

By Jon Weisman

On May 25, 2014

In History, Thinking out loud

By Jon Weisman

I stopped caring about batting average as a be-all and end-all years ago, but I never stopped caring about no-hitters.

Video: All 27 outs of Josh Beckett’s no-hitter

By Jon Weisman

On May 25, 2014

In History

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See all of Josh Beckett’s triumph, from its humble beginnings through to its exciting finish.

— Jon Weisman

Josh Beckett no-hits Phillies!

By Jon Weisman

On May 25, 2014

In History, Postgame

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By Jon Weisman

It’s been nearly 18 years since Dodger fans could exult in a Dodger no-hitter. Thank you, Josh Beckett.

Beckett threw the first Dodger no-hitter in 17 years, eight months and eight days, since Hideo Nomo’s at Colorado on September 17, 1996. The 17 1/2-year gap between no-hitters was the longest in Dodger history, surpassing the 17 years and eight days between Nap Rucker on September 5, 1908 and Dazzy Vance on September 13, 1925.

The right-hander, coming back from an injury-shortened 2013 season, threw 128 pitches. Beckett threw 100 pitches through seven innings, then needed only 16 to get the next five outs. But then we really got down to the nitty gritty.

He was within a strike of completing the no-hitter but lost Jimmy Rollins for a two-out walk in the ninth (Beckett’s third of the game) then fell behind Chase Utley in the count 3-1. But a beautiful 71-mph curveball at 3-1 dipped in for strike two, and then Utley took a strike three on the bottom line of the strike zone for the final out.

Beckett walked Utley in the first inning and Marlon Byrd to lead off the second, but then retired the next 23 batters he faced before the walk to Rollins. Domonic Brown had a hard-hit fly ball to left field in the sixth, but there were no diving plays or near-misses to jeopardize Beckett’s bid for history.

He lowered his ERA for the season to 2.43. Last year, he had a 5.19 ERA in eight starts.

“The surgery’s been a blessing for me,” Beckett said after the game, referring to the operation that ended his 2013 season 10 1/2 months ago.

Beckett surpassed his previous career high in pitches of 126; his high as a Dodger was 113 on May 2. In his most recent start, Tuesday in New York, Beckett threw 99 pitches, his lowest total of the the month.

Beckett’s previous low-hit complete game was a one-hitter for Boston at Tampa Bay on June 15, 2011. Beckett walked none in that game.

The best shower of Josh Beckett’s life: pic.twitter.com/ebj9ebB7pZ

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 25, 2014

A.J. Ellis ties obscure, quirky MLB record

By Jon Weisman

On May 23, 2014

In History, Postgame

By Jon Weisman

In the bottom of the fourth inning of tonight’s 2-0 victory over Philadelphia, the Dodgers recorded all three outs on Clayton Kershaw strikeouts in the dirt that required A.J. Ellis to throw out the runner at first base.

Ellis became the second Dodger catcher and first since Bruce Edwards on August 15, 1946 to rack up three assists in one inning. And according to Baseball Almanac (though I don’t know how up to date that site is), Ellis is the seventh MLB catcher and first since 1976 to do so.

Update:

@DodgerInsider @AJEllis17 Brad Ausmus had 3 assists on 5/7/2006 in 8th inning. In a very hard way. http://t.co/X9ksfUhgNJ

— Bob Timmermann (@bobtimmermann) May 24, 2014

Timmermann found at least two other instances of catchers getting three assists in an inning, including Drew Butera’s father Sal on September 7, 1981.

Update No. 2: Having gone through the records with Timmermann, I’m confident, if not completely sure, that Ellis is the first catcher ever to get three assists in one inning on strikeouts that required throws to first.

Speaking of threes: Kershaw pitched three innings before a 43-minute rain delay and three innings after, and his strikeout total for the game was 3×3. Dee Gordon stole three bases in three tries. Yasiel Puig raised his batting average to .343 with a rhyming 3-for-3.

And Brandon League put three runners on base in the seventh inning, before J.P. Howell got three consecutive outs to end the threat, the start of three shutout innings by the Dodger bullpen, to complete the combined three-hit shutout.

HELL, PA – As temperatures dipped below 32 degrees, the Dodgers retired Carlos Ruiz with the bases loaded.

— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) May 24, 2014

Dodger bullpen this week: 14 innings, three runs, 13 hits, 1 walk, 15 strikeouts, 1.92 ERA.

— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) May 24, 2014

The Clayton Kershaw no no-no list

By Jon Weisman

On May 22, 2014

In History, Pitching

By Jon Weisman

Clayton Kershaw has been many things so far in his young career, but a no-hit pitcher isn’t one of them.

In fact, given his dazzling stuff, it’s remarkable how rarely he has threatened to throw a no-no, and how rapidly he usually loses them.

In 192 career starts, including the postseason, Kershaw has taken a no-hitter past the sixth inning only once. Nolan Ryan finished nine innings without allowing a hit more times than Kershaw has finished five innings.

The breakdown to date of when Kershaw has lost his no-hit bids:

First inning: 102 times
Second inning: 45 times
Third inning: 23 times
Fourth inning: 17 times
Fifth inning: three times
Sixth inning: once
Seventh inning: none
Eighth inning: once

What follows is a brief history of Kershaw’s hitful wonders …

Video: ‘Dodgers Roadshow’ highlights rare goodies

By Jon Weisman

On May 21, 2014

In History, Publications

By Jon Weisman

The centerpiece of the May issue of Dodger Insider magazine is our Dodgers Roadshow (excerpted above, click to enlarge). Team historian Mark Langill discussed the history behind 20 pieces of Dodger memorabilia, few if any of which you’ve ever seen before.

In the videos that follow, Langill devotes even more time to these strange and wonderful artifacts. Enjoy!

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‘Oh, to be 22 and a Dodger!’

By Jon Weisman

On May 20, 2014

In History

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There are so many things I love about this excerpt from the Dodgers’ 1982 home video — the vintage Vin Scully narration, the glimpses of the post-1981 Dodgers (old for their time, but exquisitely young from this vantage point), and perhaps most of all, the fabulous ’80s music. But I was also struck by how much of the description of young Steve Sax seems to be taken word for word from what we’ve heard about Yasiel Puig over the past 11 1/2 months.

— Jon Weisman

Yasiel Puig enters the race for the Triple Crown (and yes, other notes from Saturday)

By Jon Weisman

On May 18, 2014

In History, Pregame

Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 1:10 p.m.
Dee Gordon, 2B
Yasiel Puig, RF
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, CF
Carl Crawford, LF
Juan Uribe, 3B
Drew Butera, C
Dan Haren, P

By Jon Weisman

As the Dodgers try to get off the canvas from their 18-7 loss Saturday to Arizona, some notes:

Thanks to his 1.260 May OPS and record-setting eighth game in a row with an extra-base-hit and an RBI, Yasiel Puig has vaulted himself into contention for the National League Triple Crown. The 23-year-old is fifth in batting average, tied for fourth in home runs and second in RBI. Troy Tulowitzki, Charlie Blackmon, Paul Goldschmidt and Giancarlo Stanton are also similarly positioned.
Before this week, the Dodgers had allowed 13 runs in a game 16 times this century, but now they’ve done it twice in four days, for the first time since Philadelphia scored 15 against them on July 17, 2007 and the Mets followed with 13 two days later. The starting pitchers for those two games were Mark Hendrickson and Derek Lowe.

Don Sutton’s better-than-Fernando 1972 season

By Jon Weisman

On May 16, 2014

In History

By Jon Weisman

Nine years before Fernando Valenzuela dazzled as a starting pitcher, a 27-year-old Don Sutton had a season to remember. But because Sutton was a seven-year veteran by then, I’m not sure anyone does.

Until Johnny Cueto bested him this year, Sutton was the only pitcher since the 1960s to finish his first nine starts of the season with an ERA below 1.50 and opponents’ batting average below .150, according to Katie Sharp of ESPN Stats & Information.

Coming about two years before the Dodgers began to take hold of my consciousness, I wasn’t aware of Sutton’s phenomenal start to 1972. In fact, it goes even beyond the above and ventures into the Fernandomaniaesque.

Interview: Matt Kemp talks about playing his 1,000th game

By Jon Weisman

On May 12, 2014

In History

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Marlins at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Dee Gordon, 2B
Yasiel Puig, RF
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Matt Kemp, CF
Andre Ethier, LF
Justin Turner, 3B
Drew Butera, C
Dan Haren, P

By Jon Weisman

This morning, we celebrated an anniversary. Tonight, we celebrate a milestone.

When he takes the field tonight, 4 1/2 months shy of his 30th birthday, Matt Kemp will be playing in his 1,000th Major League game.

Kemp was 21 when the Dodgers called him up on May 28, 2006, taking the roster spot of, oddly enough, relief pitcher Lance Carter. That night, the Dodgers started four rookies: Kemp, Andre Ethier, Russell Martin and Willy Aybar.

Now, Kemp and Ethier (who is playing in his 1,180th game) are the club’s elder statesmen, as well as players moving up on the Dodgers’ list of all-time leaders.

Among those who have played at least 999 games with the Dodgers, Kemp is sixth all-time in adjusted OPS and the highest of anyone since No. 1 Pedro Guerrero. He trails only Guerrero, Duke Snider, Jackie Robinson, Zack Wheat and Dixie Walker.

Kemp has 162 career home runs, one behind Raul Mondesi for 10th on the all-time Dodger homer list. Kemp has almost exactly the same number of stolen bases (165) and will enter the top 10 with 15 more. Kemp is the only player in history with at least 160 home runs and 160 stolen bases as a Dodger.

He’s also kicking it into gear, more and more. In 18 games since April 23, Kemp has a .371 on-base percentage and .523 slugging percentage, each higher than his career marks of .350 and .493.

Tonight, I talked to Kemp about playing in his 1,000th game. You read the interview below, but you can also enjoy listening to it as well in his own voice.

18 Again! Ten years later, Alex Cora’s at-bat remains a wonder

By Jon Weisman

On May 12, 2014

In History

By Jon Weisman

Ten years ago tonight, Alex Cora stepped into the batters’ box in the bottom of the seventh inning against Matt Clement of the Cubs.

You could be excused for thinking that 10 years went by before he stepped out.

Dodger Thoughts

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

Category: History (Page 21 of 35)

In case you missed it: Koufax Motel

‘Louie’ and ‘The Boys of Summer’

Video: Dodgers and the wars

Notebook: More Josh Beckett goodness

The time-traveling joy of a no-hitter

Video: All 27 outs of Josh Beckett’s no-hitter

Josh Beckett no-hits Phillies!

A.J. Ellis ties obscure, quirky MLB record

The Clayton Kershaw no no-no list

Video: ‘Dodgers Roadshow’ highlights rare goodies

‘Oh, to be 22 and a Dodger!’

Yasiel Puig enters the race for the Triple Crown (and yes, other notes from Saturday)

Don Sutton’s better-than-Fernando 1972 season

Interview: Matt Kemp talks about playing his 1,000th game

18 Again! Ten years later, Alex Cora’s at-bat remains a wonder

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