Adrian Gonzalez – Dodger Thoughts

Tag: Adrian Gonzalez (Page 1 of 9)

Best of the 2010s:
The All-Decade Dodgers

On September 30, 2019

In Awards, Dodgers, History

Raymond Gorospe/MLB.com

We have nearly reached the end of the ’10s, and though selections of the Dodgers’ all-decade team should probably wait until after the 2019 World Series, these few days of relative calm before the storm of the postseason seemed like a good time to reveal them. Nothing is likely to affect these choices between now and then (although I’m fascinated by the idea that something could).

Most challenging was having to deal with five legitimate candidates for the four openings at outfield/first base. Catcher was nearly a toss-up, and second base yielded its own surprise.

Here we go …

Postseason star Clayton Kershaw shuts down Cubs to even NLCS

On October 16, 2016

In Postgame, Postseason

By Jon Weisman

Surrounded by the bricks in Wrigley Field on a Sunday evening, Clayton Kershaw was a wall.

And no one blew him down.

Kershaw, kicking his October naysayers in the teeth with each inning he throws, combined with Kenley Jansen on a razor-thin 1-0 shutout, evening the National League Championship Series at one win for the Los Angeles Dodgers, one for the Chicago Cubs.

“It’s a good feeling,” Kershaw said in an on-field interview with Fox Sports 1 after the game. “I don’t know how to compare games or anything like that, but we needed this win tonight bad.”

This was the first 1-0 postseason victory by the Dodgers since Game 3 of the 1963 World Series (Don Drysdale three-hitter), and the first two-hit shutout in Dodger playoff history.

“Awesome. Watching Kersh, that shows he’s the best in the game,” Jansen said. “His stuff that he had, the way that he pitched against this team. He showed you again, he can just put this team on his back.”

The Dodgers will take home-field advantage in the NLCS back to Dodger Stadium for Games 3, 4 and 5, Tuesday through Thursday.

“Going back home, splitting this series in Chicago, we like where we’re at right now,” Kershaw said.

Dodger rally capped by Cub slam in NLCS opener

On October 15, 2016

In Postgame, Postseason

gonzalez-hit

Photos: Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

By Jon Weisman

This game was nothing like it should have been, and everything it shouldn’t have been.

Bloops fell daintily for doubles. Liners zipped into gloves like magnets. Busted squeezes became steals of home.

The Dodgers should have been buried, but weren’t. Then they could have won going away, but didn’t.

Trailing for seven innings, then tying the game in the top of the eighth with Adrián González’s two-run single off human sonic boom Aroldis Chapman, the Dodgers fell to the Chicago Cubs in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series, 8-4, after a pinch-hit grand slam by Miguel Montero off Joe Blanton.

Still hoping for a road split, Los Angeles will send Clayton Kershaw to the Wrigley Field mound Sunday for Game 2, following a night of contemplating how nearly they stole their pennant series opener.

“It stings a little bit,” Dave Roberts said. “But just the way that we kept fighting and we kept playing … I felt that our at-bats all night long were quality. I thought we were gonna win it, but we’ll be ready to go tomorrow.”

Crushing defeat for #Dodgers? Adrian Gonzalez: "This actually gives us a lot of confidence. We know we can beat them."

— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) October 16, 2016

Several sizzled in September for Dodgers

On October 1, 2016

In Hitting, Pregame

THE bat. #NLWestChamps pic.twitter.com/OJ3RQyYb2Z

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 1, 2016

Dodgers at Giants, 1:05 p.m.
Kershaw CCLXIII: Kershawcadia
Howie Kendrick, LF
Justin Turner, 3B
Corey Seager, SS
Yasiel Puig, RF
Adrián González, 1B
Yasmani Grandal, C
Joc Pederson, CF
Chase Utley, 2B
Clayton Kershaw, P

By Jon Weisman

Though the 2016 regular season isn’t officially over, the month of September is, a month in which several Dodger bats delivered.

Joc Pederson led the National League in slugging percentage (.702) last month and finished second in OPS (1.154) and fourth in on-base percentage (.452). Pederson led the Dodgers with seven homers and 15 walks.

Over to Pederson’s left — in right field — were two strong hitters. Josh Reddick rallied from a dismal August to tie for the NL lead in batting average (.400), alongside a .435 OBP and .569 slugging percentage. Reddick was due, to say the least — his batting average on balls in play went from .194 in August to .429 in September.

Dodgers make massive comeback before falling

On September 18, 2016

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By Jon Weisman

Not only did the Dodgers make their most sudden comeback in a season filled with them, they did it against left-handed pitching.

Trailing by six runs before they got their first baserunner, and down 7-1 in the sixth inning, the Dodgers battled back to take a 9-7 lead … only to fall in 12 innings, 10-9.

The Dodgers’ six-run sixth matched their second-highest tally in one inning this year — and represented the biggest single-inning deficit they’ve erased all year.

Adrian González nominated again for Clemente Award

On September 6, 2016

In Awards, Community

Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

By Jon Weisman

Adrian González is the Dodgers’ nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, which honors the player who best represents the game of Baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field.

This is the third time in the past four seasons that González has been the Dodgers’ nominee. In 2012 and 2014, Clayton Kershaw was the Dodger representative, and he went on to become the youngest ever to win the prestigious prize in 2012.

“The Adrian and Betsy González Foundation empowers underprivileged youth in many ways, from the awarding of college scholarships to pediatric cancer support to ballpark access to low-income families and field renovations in his native Tijuana,” MLB says in its official description.

Fans can vote for the overall winner on social media using hashtags beginning on Wednesday’s Roberto Clemente Day through October 2 — for Gonzalez, the hashtag is “#VoteAdrian.” More information will be available at mlb.com/clemente.

The full list of nominees follows:

Homer-happy Dodgers make it rain against Greinke

On September 5, 2016

In Offense, Postgame

Adrián González, Corey Seager and Yasmani Grandal hit three of the Dodgers’ five homers. (Photos: Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

By Jon Weisman

In distance, they measured 2,025 feet. On the Richter scale, they might as well have been a 10.

Zack Greinke, the darling of Dodger Stadium for three seasons, was punished in his former home like a Rock’Em Sock’Em Robot.

Five home runs off Greinke — a career-high, including four in the fifth inning — shook Chavez Ravine and sent the Dodgers to a 10-2 victory over Arizona tonight.

With San Francisco shut out in Colorado today, Los Angeles leads the National League West by a season-high four games.

The Dodgers’ five leaders in home runs each took Greinke deep — Adrián González (17) with a man on base in the fourth inning, followed by Joc Pederson (20), Corey Seager (24, with two aboard), Justin Turner (25) and feature creature Yasmani Grandal (24).

Slim Winmen: Dodgers win squeaker over Cubs

On August 28, 2016

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By Jon Weisman

Three nailbiters later, the Dodgers are the team with their digits intact.

While the Giants were taking two out of three games from the Braves, the National League’s worst team, the Dodgers held serve against the Cubs, the league’s best team. An eighth-inning run — scored without the aid of a hit — gave the Dodgers a 1-0 victory today over Chicago.

Rookie pitcher Brock Stewart was far from the game at that point, but he deserved the most credit. In his first career start at Dodger Stadium, Stewart dazzled, striking out eight — including six batters in a row at one point — in five innings of shutout ball.

Stewart also had his first Major League hit in the third inning, meaning that in this series against the Cubs, all three Dodger starting pitchers singled.

Two seasons, 80 Dodgers

On August 27, 2016

In Transactions

By Jon Weisman

Dodger Stadium is the land of opportunity. In a month shy of two seasons, the Dodgers have used the equivalent of two 40-man rosters.

On Friday, Carlos Ruiz became the 80th person to play for the Dodgers since Opening Day 2015.

Dodgers got a way with the Giants, 9-5

On August 23, 2016

In Health/injuries, Postgame

By Jon Weisman

Early in tonight’s Dodgers-Giants showdown, Dodger Stadium organist Dieter Ruehle played Billy Joel’s “Pressure.”

Funnily enough, the Dodgers played as if they felt no pressure at all.

González blasts three HR, Dodgers seven in 18-9 romp

On August 22, 2016

Adrián González hits the first of his three home runs at Cincinnati. (Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

Adrián González hits the first of his three home runs at Cincinnati. (Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

By Jon Weisman

An offensive onslaught unlike any by the Dodgers in 10 years was unleashed in Cincinnati today, and Adrián González was at the forefront.

González provides sock, Dodgers’ lead hops

On August 17, 2016

Adrian Gonzalez connects for a three-run home run in the fourth inning. (Tom Mihalek/AP)

Adrian Gonzalez connects for a three-run home run in the fourth inning. (Tom Mihalek/AP)

By Jon Weisman

Just like Tuesday, the Dodgers erased a 1-0 midgame deficit tonight with one swing of the bat.

It’s a fine formula.

Tonight’s hero was Adrián González, who — doing his best Howie Kendrick — hit a lead-changing homer in the fourth inning, and then — doing his best Chase Utley — hit his second homer of the night in the seventh inning of the Dodgers’ 7-2 victory over Philadelphia.

Los Angeles now leads the National League West by 1 1/2 games, their biggest margin since April 26. The Dodgers have gained 9 1/2 games on the Giants in 52 days.

Big hits betray Dodgers in loss to Phillies

On August 10, 2016

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By Jon Weisman

Nothing reverses fortunes like baseball.

Injury wave has spared Dodger infield (knock on wood)

On August 8, 2016

In Health/injuries, Infield

By Jon Weisman

In addition to completing their 110th game Sunday, the Dodgers also played their 1,000th inning.

With 49 players appearing in a game this season and 26 spending time on the disabled list, there’s been quite a diverse distribution of those 9,000 defensive frames. As for those injured, they can consume products such as CBD UK.

But there has also been an interesting pocket of stability — in the infield, and that’s why to calm they nerves and pain for injuries anyone can buy THC vapes as this help the body and the mind relax as well.

Speaking of alternative remedies, CBD hemp has emerged as a popular choice among athletes seeking natural solutions for various ailments. The organic properties of CBD, derived from hemp plants, have gained recognition for their potential therapeutic benefits. This popularity stems from the compound’s reported ability to help manage pain, reduce inflammation, and promote overall well-being. As the sports world increasingly explores holistic approaches to wellness, CBD hemp stands out as a popular and intriguing option for those looking to support their physical and mental health in a natural way.

Milestones for Gonzalez, Segedin in Dodger win

On August 7, 2016

In History, Postgame

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By Jon Weisman

Adrian Gonzalez hit his 300th career home run, while Rob Segedin drove in a club-record (for an MLB debut) four runs, in the Dodgers’ 8-5 victory over Boston tonight.

It’s important to relay the note from the Dodgers’ public-relations department that the previous franchise mark for RBI in a debut of three was set by Packy Rogers, on July 12, 1938 vs. the Giants.

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