Minor leagues – Page 7 – Dodger Thoughts

Joc Pederson’s other milestone: A 1.000-OPS season

On August 25, 2014

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By Jon Weisman

Joc Pederson is being celebrated for becoming the first Pacific Coast League player in 80 years and first Dodger farmhand since Chin-Feng Chen in 1999 to reach 30 homers and 30 steals in the same season. But wait, there’s more.

Pederson, who was named a PCL All-Star today, is close to wrapping up another statistical feat: the 1.000-OPS season.

It’s not as rare as 30-30, though it’s still fairly uncommon. It has happened only 20 times among Dodger Triple-A players since 1988, and only once in that period with a player who came to the plate more than 500 times.

Dodgers with 1.000+ OPS in the PCL, 1988-2014 (minimum 200 PA)

That player was Paul Konerko, who is also the only one on the list to have had a significant Major League career. It is the PCL’s cross to bear that its gaudy offensive statistics hold up like fool’s gold.

And yet, Dodger Rookie of the Year award-winners Eric Karros (.943), Mike Piazza (.969), Raul Mondesi (.758) and Todd Hollandsworth (.822) never made it to 1.000 in the PCL.

Corey Seager named California League MVP

By Jon Weisman

On August 22, 2014

In Awards, Minor leagues

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By Jon Weisman

Dodger prospect Corey Seager has been named the 2014 Most Valuable Player in the Class-A California League.

Seager, who was promoted to Double-A Chattanooga in mid-July, had a .411 on-base percentage and a league-leading .633 slugging percentage with 18 homers in 365 plate appearances for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga this year.

A 2014 Futures Game selection, Seager is the No. 16 prospect in baseball according to MLB.com. The 20-year-old infielder now has a .356 on-base percentage and .495 slugging percentage (119 plate appearances) in the more challenging Southern League.

A week of injuries and promotions

By Jon Weisman

On August 8, 2014

In Minor leagues, Pregame

Pitching coach Rick Honeycutt with Chris Reed at Spring Training (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

Dodgers at Brewers, 5:10 p.m.
Dee Gordon, 2B
Yasiel Puig, CF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Matt Kemp, RF
Carl Crawford, LF
Juan Uribe, 3B
Drew Butera, C
Roberto Hernandez, P

By Jon Weisman

So, this has been an interesting week:

Saturday: Paul Maholm to the disabled list.
Monday: Chris Perez to the disabled list.
Tuesday: Paco Rodriguez to the disabled list.
Friday: Josh Beckett to the disabled list.

There has been some good news, though. Carlos Frias made his Major League debut with two shutout innings. Pedro Baez came back and pitched a shutout inning against the Angels.

And left-handed pitcher Chris Reed received a promotion to Triple-A Albuquerque.

Reed’s ERA in Double-A Chattanooga is 3.22 this season, with 116 strikeouts in 137 innings compared with 169 baserunners. He will no doubt find the environment in the Pacific Coast League a shock to his system, but it’s still a nice step for the 25-year-old taken in the first round of the 2011 draft out of Stanford.

Throwback Thursday: Carlos Frias comes to the U.S.

By Jon Weisman

On August 7, 2014

In Minor leagues

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Young Dodger reliever Carlos Frias is among those featured in this video from December 2009 showing how new Dodgers from the Dominican Republic adapted to Rookie Ball life in Ogden. Food worlds collide!

— Jon Weisman

In case you missed it: Things are looking up for Corey Seager

By Jon Weisman

On July 13, 2014

In Minor leagues, Transactions

Corey Seager at today’s Futures Game. (Ben Platt/MLB.com)

By Jon Weisman

A big moment for Corey Seager — his appearance at this year’s MLB Futures Game today — grew bigger with the news that he has been promoted to Double-A Chatanooga.

Bill Shaikin of the Times has more in an interview with Seager, who lined out to right and was hit by a pitch in the game. Seager is sticking around Minnesota to watch his brother Kyle, the Seattle infielder, play in Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game.

Seager had a .411 on-base percentage and .633 slugging percentage with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga, after going .246/.320 in a late-season debut there last year. This year, he has 34 doubles and 18 homers in 80 games.

Meanwhile, Rancho teammate Julio Urias at 17 became the youngest player in Futures Game history. He pitched a perfect inning on 14 pitches, striking out one.

“The Dodgers’ lefty was 92 to 95 with an above-average curveball and great rhythm to his delivery,” wrote Keith Law of ESPN.com. “He rotates his hips well, both to hide the ball and to generate arm speed the safer way by using his lower half.”

Elsewhere …

Baseball Prospectus, Baseball America push Urias, Pederson and Seager into top 20

By Jon Weisman

On July 7, 2014

In Minor leagues

By Jon Weisman

Baseball Prospectus moved three top Dodger prospects up in its midseason rankings: Julio Urias (35th to 15th), Joc Pederson (50th to 17th) and Corey Seager (44th to 19th). That’s right: Baseball Prospectus now considers the Dodgers to have three top 20 prospects in the minors.

Update: Corroboration. Here’s the Baseball America midseason list, with Urias at 13 (up from 51 at the end of 2013), Seager at 16 (up from 37) and Pederson at 18 (up from 34).

Here are Baseball Prospectus’ comments:

Julio Urias on Baseball America cover

By Jon Weisman

On April 16, 2014

In Minor leagues

By Jon Weisman

Dodger Insider magazine will have its own story on Julio Urias in May, but Baseball America is going one better by putting the 17-year-old phenom on the cover of its latest issue.

Urias is the youngest player in the California League — by almost two years. “There are only two other 17-year-olds playing anywhere in full-season ball,” Baseball America’s J.J. Cooper writes.

The Irony Committee approves the fact that this cover comes the week of perhaps Urias’ poorest career start, allowing five runs on eight baserunners in 4 1/3 innings, but we won’t let the idea of a BA jinx worry us. Urias had a 2.48 ERA with 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings for Great Lakes in 2013.

Dodgers claim Carlos Triunfel for Albuquerque

By Jon Weisman

On April 2, 2014

In Minor leagues, Transactions

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By Jon Weisman

The Dodgers today claimed infielder Carlos Triunfel on outright waivers from Seattle, added him to the 40-man roster and optioned him to Triple-A Albuquerque.

In his 27-game MLB career, the 24-year-old Triunfel is 11 for 66 with one walk. Spending most of last year with Triple-A Tacoma, Triunfel had a .328 on-base percentage and slugged .394.

A native of the Dominican Republic, he received a $1.3 million signing bonus at age 16, according to John Sickels of Minor League Ball, and made his pro debut in 2007 at age 17. In 2009, according to Sickels, “he played just 11 games due to a horrifying leg injury that included a broken fibula and torn ankle ligaments.”

In his 2013 assessment, Sickels adds:

Interestingly, despite the stocky height/weight listing, when I’ve seen him in person he’s actually shown more quickness around the infield than he did three or four years ago. It looks to me like he’s put in a lot of work on defense. His reactions are better, his footwork is cleaner, and while he’s not going to win any gold gloves at shortstop, you could play him there on a short-term basis without killing yourself.

He’s always had a very strong throwing arm, and his throws are more accurate than they used to be. He’s performed well in brief action at second base and third base, so he does fit the utility profile positionally.

In case you missed it: Sights and sounds of Australia

By Jon Weisman

On March 19, 2014

In In case you missed it, Minor leagues

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By Jon Weisman

Nothing can top Vin Scully with a koala, but there’s still a lot going on …

Wind could be a gamechanger in the Opening Series, and there’s a 30 percent chance of rain, reports Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.
The Dodgers’ exhibition game against Team Australia begins Thursday at 1 a.m. Pacific. Zach Lee and Red Patterson will pitch, but we don’t know yet who will start.
Some Dodgers visited Bondi Beach and played ball with local Little Leaguers, writes Doug Miller of MLB.com. Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles has more, as does the Dodgers video crew:

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Carl Crawford left a minor-league game in Arizona early with a right shoulder injury. Don Mattingly passed along word from Sydney that Crawford is expected to play again in Arizona on Thursday after a planned day off and that no MRI exams or other scans were scheduled, “but that could change,” according to The Associated Press.
Dan Haren gave up four runs in 4 2/3 innings Tuesday but feels rejuvenated, writes Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com. Matt Kemp is also feeling good.
The Dodgers set a new record for average game attendance at Camelback Ranch this year, 9.534 per game, notes Eric Stephen of True Blue L.A.
Longtime farm system analyst John Sickels gives his take on the Dodgers’ top 20 prospects at Minor League Ball.
According to the newly relaunched FiveThirtyEight, Hanley Ramirez in 2013 had baseball’s most surprisingly good season in the past eight years, while Andruw Jones in 2008 nearly had the most disappointing one.
Wally Moon gets the 1961 Union Oil Family Booklet treatment (see it at Blue Heaven).
One last video:

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In case you missed it: International Date Line edition

By Jon Weisman

On March 18, 2014

In In case you missed it, Minor leagues

By Jon Weisman

Did Monday go by in a blur for you? It sure did for the traveling Dodgers, who were on a plane the entire time before landing in Australia on what for them was Tuesday morning. (Add 18 hours to the current time to know what time it is there.)

While the Dodgers are away, be sure to follow @Dodgers on Twitter for regular updates from our man on the scene, Josh Tucker. And also check in on the Dodger Photog Blog, featuring our very own eyes in Sydney, Jon SooHoo. In his first two posts, the Dodger team photographer chronicles the Dodgers’ arrival in Sydney and at the Sydney Cricket Grounds.

Ken Gurnick is also leading MLB.com’s coverage of the team Down Under, as you’ll see down under these introductory paragraphs.

In the meantime, here’s what’s been happening while you were sleeping, eating, doing laundry or otherwise going about your domestic business.

Read More

Feel the buzz: Julio Urias strikes out two in perfect inning

By Jon Weisman

On March 15, 2014

In Minor leagues

Julio Urias warming up: https://t.co/hIxysTABIH

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 15, 2014

By Jon Weisman

Six years and six days after Clayton Kershaw put himself on the Spring Training map just before his 20th birthday with “Public Enemy No. 1,” 17-year-old Julio Urias has made his initial moundprint.

Urias, who doesn’t even turn 18 until August, was a surprise starter in the Dodgers’ afternoon Spring Training game against San Diego. After falling behind in the count 3-0 to Padres leadoff batter Will Venable, Urias came back to strike him out, induce a groundout from Chris Denorfia and then strike out Yonder Alonso. Urias reportedly had a fastball between 93 and 96 miles per hour.

Pitching most of 2013 at age 16, Urias had 67 strikeouts against 61 baserunners in 54 1/3 innings for Single-A Great Lakes with a 2.48 ERA.

Urias, born exactly two years after the 1994 MLB strike began, could pitch in Double-A this year and be in the majors before his 19th birthday if the Dodgers are willing to let the reins go that much. Of course, expect them to be exceedingly careful.

For comparison, Fernando Valenzuela was 18 1/2 when he made his minor-league debut in 1979, and reached the majors two months before his 20th birthday in 1980. Kershaw made his MLB debut at age 20 and two months in 2008.

I interviewed Urias in February for a future Dodger Insider article, and the word I would use to describe him is “confident.” And why not?

Urias made Alanso look silly on a 1-2 pitch. Looked like a changeup.

— Dustin Nosler (@DustinNosler) March 15, 2014

Scout on Urias: “Stuff was good. Pitches to both sides with tail and sink. Deception with his changeup. Poised.”

— Mark Saxon (@markasaxon) March 15, 2014

17-year-old Julio Urias said his goal for 2014 is to finish the season in the major leagues.

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 15, 2014

March 12 pregame: Zack is back

By Jon Weisman

On March 12, 2014

In Health/injuries, Minor leagues, Pregame

By Jon Weisman

Zack Greinke makes his first exhibition game appearance since his four-pitch outing about two weeks ago. (Has it only been two weeks?)

Greinke is expected to pitch two innings.

Almost simultaneous to today’s game, Matt Kemp was playing in a minor-league intrasquad game at Camelback, including his first action in center field of the year.

First AB for @TheRealMattKemp during today’s intra squad game at @camelbackranch. Kemp making progress. pic.twitter.com/oTaM95F3dE

— Alanna Rizzo (@alannarizzo) March 12, 2014

Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers, 1:05 p.m.
Yasiel Puig, RF
Carl Crawford, LF
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, CF
Chone Figgins, 3B
AJ Ellis, C
Dee Gordon, 2B
Zack Greinke, P

Scheduled to follow Greinke today on the mound are Zach Lee, J.P. Howell, Kenley Jansen, Chris Perez and Chris Withrow.
Adrian Gonzalez told Dylan Hernandez of the Times that he’s looking to take more walks in 2014.

“I’ve done a decent job of it so far this spring,” he said. “I’ve walked three or four times and a lot of at-bats have gone deep into counts. There have been at-bats where I got frustrated because I walk and I’ll say, ‘I want to hit now,’ but then I’m like, ‘Stay with it.’ “
Chris St. John of Beyond the Box Score compiled a consensus ranking of the Dodgers’ top 65 prospects.

In case you missed it: Happy photo day

By Jon Weisman

On February 20, 2014

In Health/injuries, History, In case you missed it, Minor leagues

By Jon Weisman

Who are those guys again?

Paul Maholm has been slowed for precautionary reasons by some elbow tenderness. He threw on flat ground today.

… “I’m just being smart and understand what’s needed to prepare for the season,” Maholm told Ken Gurnick of MLB.com. “I only really missed one bullpen session today and I expect to throw a bullpen Saturday, and it won’t set me back.” …
Yasiel Puig was held out of action today after fouling a ball off his right leg yesterday. According to the Dodger press notes, Puig will not undergo any further testing at this time and is expected to be a full participant in tomorrow’s workout.

… “There was a little swelling and we don’t see the need to have him limp around out there,” Don Mattingly told Gurnick. “We feel he’ll be back tomorrow.” …
Gurnick added that Zach Lee returned to the mound for a short bullpen session for the first time in 10 days after suffering a mild lat strain.
“Tim Federowicz was limited in workouts Tuesday after feeling tightness in his side during blocking drills,” writes Bill Plunkett of the Register in a notebook item. “He was back to full participation Wednesday.”
The Dodgers will play intrasquad games Sunday (with pitchers Matt Magill, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Chris Perez, Brian Wilson, Kenley Jansen and J.P. Howell) and Monday (Stephen Fife, Dan Haren, Chris Reed, Paco Rodriguez and Jamey Wright) on the back fields of Camelback Ranch.
Miguel Rojas spoke to Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles about his anxiety over political violence in his home of Venezuela. “Rojas’ wife lives 35 minutes from Caracas, the nation’s capital and the center of unrest,” Saxon writes. “Rojas said she scarcely leaves the house these days.” J.P. Hoornstra has more at the Daily News.
Brandon League talked about his 2013 season with Dylan Hernandez of the Times.

… “It was not just one thing,” he said. “It was not just mechanical. It wasn’t just preparation. It was one thing one time, something else another time.” …
“Meanwhile, reliever Jose Dominguez tried out a new slider grip suggested by legendary lefty Sandy Koufax and reported improved downward break on the pitch,” reports Gurnick for MLB.com.
Non-roster catcher Miguel Olivo, looking for a career rebirth, is the subject of this Saxon piece for ESPN Los Angeles. The 35-year-old has 145 career home runs. Random note: Only two catchers have hit that many for the Dodgers, Roy Campanella and Mike Piazza. In fact, since making his MLB debut in 2002, Olivo has nearly outhomered everyone who has played catcher for the Dodgers in that time:
- Russell Martin 53
- A.J. Ellis 25
- Paul Lo Duca 25
- Rod Barajas 21
- Dioner Navarro 10
- Jason Phillips 7
- Tim Federowicz 4
- Ramon Hernandez 2
- Chad Kreuter 2
- Matt Treanor 2
- Danny Ardoin 1
- Brad Ausmus 1
- Gary Bennett 1
- Mike Rose 1
- Total 155
Baseball America has released its top 100 prospects list. The Dodgers’ usual suspects are there: Joc Pederson (34), Corey Seager (37), Julio Urias (51 and the youngest player in the 100) and Zach Lee (95). Dustin Nosler sums up the spectrum of propsect lists at Dodgers Digest.
The Dodgers rank second behind St. Louis in Jonah Keri’s “Offseason Stock Report” for Grantland.
David Schoenfield of ESPN.com explains why he thinks the Dodgers are the biggest lock of any team to win their division.
Eastern Park, where the Brooklyn baseball team played from 1891-97, is the subject of this piece by Ernest Reyes at Blue Heaven.

… Eastern Park is said to be the birthplace of the famous Dodger name. It is believed that this is the stadium where the nickname “Trolley Dodgers” came about. The trolley and rail lines, that were located directly to the east of the stadium, were a constant hazard to fans attending games. Frankly, this last item was a surprise to me as I began my research on this stadium. I had always thought that Ebbets Field was were it originated, but that appears to not be the case. …
Former Dodger pitcher Chris Capuano has reportedly agreed to terms on a deal with the Boston Red Sox. With more is Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston.

In case you missed it: Mudball

By Jon Weisman

On February 7, 2014

In History, In case you missed it, Minor leagues

By Jon Weisman

Transitioning from hockey to baseball, the Dodger Stadium field was in the midst of a rain-soaked rebirth Thursday.

Elsewhere …

Vin Scully shared his thoughts about baseball legend Ralph Kiner, who passed away Thursday at 91, with SNY.

“He hit the highest home runs I’ve ever seen,” Scully said. “When you’d go to Pittsburgh back in the early 50s, the broadcast booth was in the second deck, and they would clean out the blast furnaces around 9:30. And all of a sudden there would be a great haze over the ballpark, and Kiner would actually hit home runs that would go up through the haze and then go back down and disappear. The height of his home runs is something I have always marveled about.”
Joe Posnanski offers his own appreciation of Kiner at Hardball Talk, as does Mike Oz at Big League Stew and Megdal at Sports on Earth. Bruce Weber has the obituary for the New York Times. If you’re young and/or from the West Coast, take the time to take in Kiner’s storied life.
The Dodgers come in at No. 5 overall (and first in the National League West) in David Schoenfield’s pre-Spring Training rankings for ESPN.com’s Sweet Spot. St. Louis grabbed the top spot in the majors.
The Dodgers rank even higher on Matthew Pouliot’s evaluations of starting pitching and bullpens for Hardball Talk.
Dustin Nosler of Dodgers Digest offers his evaluation of who has the best tools in the Dodger farm system.
David Golebiewski uses graphics to illustrate Yasiel Puig’s progress with plate discipline in 2013 at Gammons Daily. “The gains he made in controlling the strike zone figure to carry over into next year and beyond, as changes in a hitter’s swing rate take on meaning after about 50 plate appearances,” Golebiewski writes.
The Baseball Reliquary will host a panel discussion on Los Angeles baseball history March 29 in Arcadia. Former Dodger announcer Ross Porter will be part of the panel. Roberto Baly has more details at Vin Scully Is My Homeboy.
Briefly-a-Dodger-reliever Carlos Marmol has agreed to terms on a one-year deal with Miami, reports Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportes.com.

In case you missed it: Caravan on ice

By Jon Weisman

On January 29, 2014

In Community, History, Minor leagues, MLB

By Jon Weisman

Photo highlights from Tuesday’s second day of the Dodgers Pitching in the Community Caravan (presented by State Farm) can be found here.

Elsewhere, the links keep coming …

Clayton Kershaw spoke to MLB Network about the potential for using the new protective caps for pitchers approved by MLB. Steve Dilbeck of Dodgers Now passes along some Kershaw quotes.

… “I’ve thrown with it. You don’t look very cool, I’ll be honest,” he said.

“But technology is unbelievable and it really doesn’t feel that much different once you get used to it. Obviously, it would be a change. We wouldn’t look the same as everybody else, but if you’re that one guy who gets hit what seems like every year, there’s that chance out there. I’m definitely not opposed to it. I think it’d take a lot of getting used to. I think it’s a great thing and a step in the right direction, for sure.”

Kershaw said baseball could require minor leaguers to wear the cap, easing its way into the big leagues. …
What were the most clutch plays of the Dodgers’ 2013 season? Chad Moriyama takes a look at Dodgers Digest.
Julio Urias ranks 14th on Keith Law’s top 100 prospect list for ESPN.com. The 17-year-old is followed by Corey Seager at 18, Joc Pederson at 41 and Zach Lee at 75. Here’s the start of the Urias writeup:

The Dodgers signed Urias — who is the youngest player on this list by a wide margin — during the same trip to Mexico that netted them Yasiel Puig, which may end up one of the most productive scouting runs in baseball history, as Urias has enormous upside if he can just stay healthy while Los Angeles gradually builds up his arm to handle a starter’s workload.
Ken Gurnick is the latest to profile Lee, for MLB.com.
Dodgers marketing pioneer Danny Goodman is someone who must be remembered, and it’s nice to see Evan Bladh do so at Opinion of Kingman’s Performance.
Tom Verducci’s Baseball State of the Union piece at SI.com is long but well worth the read for how thought-provoking it is, even if you don’t agree with all he writes (and I don’t think he intends for you to).
One more from the caravan, which featured kids from Long Beach’s McBride Park Teen Center skating at Dodger Stadium at the end of the day.

Dodger Thoughts

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

Category: Minor leagues (Page 7 of 8)

Joc Pederson’s other milestone: A 1.000-OPS season

Corey Seager named California League MVP

A week of injuries and promotions

Throwback Thursday: Carlos Frias comes to the U.S.

In case you missed it: Things are looking up for Corey Seager

Baseball Prospectus, Baseball America push Urias, Pederson and Seager into top 20

Julio Urias on Baseball America cover

Dodgers claim Carlos Triunfel for Albuquerque

In case you missed it: Sights and sounds of Australia

In case you missed it: International Date Line edition

Feel the buzz: Julio Urias strikes out two in perfect inning

March 12 pregame: Zack is back

In case you missed it: Happy photo day

In case you missed it: Mudball

In case you missed it: Caravan on ice

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