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A busy week, and now it’s February … pitchers and catchers in 18 days.
– Jon Weisman
Category: Uncategorized (Page 7 of 63)
From the greatest to the youngest, this year’s FanFest inside Dodger Stadium was a wonderful time.
Ken Gurnick of MLB.com recaps the event, and in a separate story, captured Zack Greinke’s typically candid assessment of the state of things. More photos from the event are at LA Photog Blog.
– Jon Weisman
Make sure you check out the Dodgers’ guide to Saturday’s free FanFest at Dodger Stadium, which can be downloaded over at the official FanFest page. Above, you can see what will be the lay of the land. Again, this is the first year that FanFest is taking place on the Dodger Stadium field.
— Jon Weisman
By Jon Weisman
Tonight, we offer the happy news of the birth of the first child of Clayton and Ellen Kershaw. Cali Ann Kershaw was born today, and she and her parents are all doing great.
Cali Ann was born at 5:43 p.m. CT. She is 6 pounds, 13 ounces and 20 inches long.
Our hearts are full but also heavy, as we digest the news of the passing today of Mr. Cub, the legendary Ernie Banks. The entire baseball community, and especially the Cubs family, is in mourning, and I can’t help but think of my Dad, a Cubs fan for more than seven decades, in this moment.
“Ernie Banks was a great, great player,” Tommy Lasorda said tonight, “and when he no longer could play, he became a great ambassador for the game. He represented the game with the highest of class and dignity. Everybody loved Ernie Banks. He enjoyed baseball, life and people.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family. We have truly lost a baseball giant.”
Give your loved ones, the youngest and oldest and everyone in between, a big hug.
Rachel Robinson with Ernie Banks at Dodger Stadium on Jackie Robinson Day in 2007. (Rich Pilling/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
“He was my picture of why baseball is such a wonderful game,” my father just wrote to me.
Ernie Banks’ last career appearance at Dodger Stadium was July 7, 1971 — in a doubleheader.
— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) January 24, 2015
Juan Ocampo/Los Angeles Dodgers
By Jon Weisman
New Dodger director of player development Gabe Kapler said that the focus of this year’s Winter Development Program for select Dodger prospects will be more on the mind than the body.
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For more photos of Rollins’ arrival, visit LA Photog Blog.
By Jon Weisman
A winning personality doesn’t guarantee winning — Jimmy Rollins celebrated one World Series victory in 15 seasons at Philadelphia — but it sure lends itself to dreaming big.
By Jon Weisman
I was in a Harlem Globetrotters rabbit hole last weekend when I stumbled upon this connection between famed Harlem Globetrotter Marques Haynes and famed Dodger Jackie Robinson.
… It’s 1946 and Haynes, a Sand Springs native, is a senior at Langston University. He’s playing in the championship game of a national tournament and he’s got a bone to pick with the opponent, Southern University.
Southern routed Sam Houston earlier in the tournament and was less than polite about it, going into showtime mode once the outcome had been decided.
“It didn’t sit too well with me,” Haynes said.
Haynes felt sorry not only for the humiliated players, but also for a Sam Houston assistant coach he had just met. The coach’s name — he gained fame in a different sport — was Jackie Robinson.
May all your dreams for 2015 come true (and may all your resolutions hold up for at least a week or two). Go Dodgers, and go Dodger fans!
— Jon Weisman
Have a wonderful holiday!
— Jon Weisman
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Howie Kendrick was the sixth-best defensive second baseman in 2014, according to Fangraphs. (Andy King/Getty Images)
By Jon Weisman
Dee Gordon was excitement personified for the Dodgers in 2014, which is part of what makes it hard to see him head off to Miami.
But if you weren’t paying attention, Gordon’s successor at second base, Howie Kendrick, provided his own human highlight reel this year, to go with a career-high .347 on-base percentage and a higher Wins Above Replacement than any second baseman in the National League.
Here’s just a sample of Kendrick’s top moments from the past season.
April 18: Kendrick got two bases on this drive, and then he got two more, for a total of four bases. That’s a home run, kids. In fact, it was his second homer of the game.
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Photos by Preston C. Mack/MLBAM
During the busy Winter Meetings on Wednesday, Mike Brito received his award as baseball’s International Scout of the Year. Below are more photos of the Dodgers’ beloved scout from the evening.
— Jon Weisman
Al Campanis and Walter Alston introduce Dick Allen as a Dodger before the 1971 season.
By Jon Weisman
Given how difficult it is for former players to reach the Hall of Fame via the Veterans Committee, it’s not really a surprise that Dodger greats Gil Hodges and Maury Wills fell short of election today. In fact, none of the 10 candidates made it in.
Another former Dodger, though one less identified with the uniform — Dick Allen — came closest to election, joining Tony Oliva in finishing exactly one vote short. Allen had a .395 on-base percentage and .468 slugging percentage with 23 home runs in 1971 (all team highs), his only season with the Dodgers.
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A.J. Ellis spoke to MLB Network’s “Hot Stove” on a number of subjects Thursday. Check it out …
— Jon Weisman
Our biggest birthday wishes to the peerless Vin Scully. And to Ross Porter too …
— Jon Weisman
