Dodger Thoughts

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

Tag: Joc Pederson (Page 2 of 11)

González provides sock, Dodgers’ lead hops

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.

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Dodgers weather McCarthy’s troubles in 8-4 win

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By Jon Weisman

There are more questions about Brandon McCarthy, but at least the Dodgers had multiple answers for their two-game losing streak.

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Dodgers activate Pederson, send Ryu back to DL

Los Angeles Dodgers against the Washington Nationals

Dodgers at Nationals, 7:05 p.m.
Chase Utley, 2B
Howie Kendrick, LF
Justin Turner, 3B
Adrián González, 1B
Yasmani Grandal, C
Joc Pederson, CF
Yasiel Puig, CF
Chris Taylor, SS
Scott Kazmir, P

By Jon Weisman

Joc Pederson has been activated from the 15-day disabled list, but the Dodgers are placing pitchers Hyun-Jin Ryu and Casey Fien on the 15-day disabled list, each with elbow tendonitis.

Luis Avilan is returning from Triple-A Oklahoma City to take Fien’s roster spot.

Ryu was scheduled to start for the Dodgers at Washington on Wednesday. He allowed six runs in 4 2/3 innings July 7, in his first start since 2014.

The Dodgers haven’t announced a replacement starter for Wednesday. Bud Norris is scheduled to start on regular rest for Thursday’s day game. Clayton Kershaw doesn’t have an announced return date yet.

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Rehab news glowing for Kershaw & Co.

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By Jon Weisman

It was an absolutely lovely day at Dodger Stadium today. Mild warmth. A refreshing breeze.

As the shadows made their way across the field at the 5 o’clock hour, Clayton Kershaw and Brett Anderson emerged from the clubhouse and played catch. And it wasn’t tentative. It was glove-poppin’, “we mean business” catch.

While more Dodgers trickled onto the field for an informal workout tonight, the last night before returning to action with a 10-game road trip that begins Friday at Arizona, Dave Roberts spoke to reporters about the state of several injured players — Kershaw, Anderson, Joc Pederson, Alex Wood, Andre Ethier, Yimi Garcia. And everything was just about as glowing as that magic late-afternoon sunlight.

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Dodger hitting update: Guys are hitting

28 days

By Jon Weisman

You can almost hear those kids in the back of the Dodger van: “Are we there yet? Are we there yet?”

From a batting standpoint, they might be.

Over the past four weeks, the Dodgers have starters at 6 1/2 positions OPSing above .800. Los Angeles is 16-7 (.696) in that time, which is tied with the Giants for the best record in the National League.

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In case you missed it: A moment of reflection

Padres at Dodgers, 1:10 p.m.
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Corey Seager, SS
Justin Turner, 3B
Adrián González, 1B
Yasiel Puig, RF
Trayce Thompson, CF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Scott Van Slyke, LF
Kenta Maeda, P

By Jon Weisman

I didn’t want to let the weekend go by without passing along the words Vin Scully recited to the Dodger Stadium crowd before Friday’s game, near the end of an incredibly difficult week in this country.

Ladies and gentlemen. At this time, we’d like to take a moment to reflect on the tragic events that have occurred across our country over the past few days. As a community and a nation, we mourn the tragic loss of lives and injuries, and our deepest sympathies go out to all who have been directly impacted by those events and to their families and friends. As United States attorney general Loretta Lynch said today, “This has been a week of profound grief and heartbreaking loss, but as she also reminded us, “Today and every day we are one nation, we are one people and we stand together.

Therefore, we commend the heroic actions and courage of our first responders, volunteers, citizens and government officials, and we gratefully acknowledge the sacrifice that so many have made on behalf of those people. And as the organization that took a historic stance against racism, the Los Angeles Dodgers will continue to stand firm against all forms of hatred, violence and discrimination. At this time, we ask that you please stand silently for a moment of reflection and respect.

Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

A few other items from recent days …

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Corey Seager to slug away in Home Run Derby

Baltimore Orioles vs Los Angeles DodgersBy Jon Weisman

Corey Seager has officially been named a participant in the 2016 MLB Home Run Derby, beginning at 5 p.m. Monday in San Diego.

The 22-year-old rookie All-Star shortstop is tied for 15th in the National League in home runs, though he has 15 in his past 54 games, equivalent to a 45-homer pace.

Only six rookies before this year had been in the Home Run Derby, including Dodger teammate Joc Pederson in 2015. Narrowly missing out as champion to Todd Frazier, Pederson upended the previous Home Run Derby shortcomings of Mike Piazza (1993, 1994), Raul Mondesi (1995), Hee-Seop Choi (2005), Matt Kemp (2011) and Yasiel Puig (2014).

Many have attributed Pederson’s struggles after a hot start last year to the Derby, though his statistical slide began more than a month before the Derby took place. From June 4 last year until the 2015 All-Star Break, Pederson hit .175/.322/.308 with three homers in 146 plate appearances.

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Joc Pederson joins Kershaw on 15-day disabled list

Los Angeles Dodgers vs Arizona Diamondbacks

Rockies at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Chase Utley, 2B
Corey Seager, SS
Justin Turner, 3B
Adrián González, 1B
Howie Kendrick, LF
Yasiel Puig, RF
Trayce Thompson, CF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Bud Norris, P

By Jon Weisman

Joc Pederson and Clayton Kershaw have officially been placed on the 15-day disabled list, with Will Venable returning from Triple-A Oklahoma City to take Pederson’s spot on the 25-man roster, and Bud Norris coming onto the team for Kershaw.

Pederson is second on the Dodgers with 16 doubles, 13 homers, 31 walks, a .476 slugging percentage, .342 weighted on-base average and 116 weighted runs created. The 24-year-old hasn’t played since crashing into the outfield wall Tuesday at Milwaukee and suffering a sprained right AC (acromioclavicular) joint.

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Joc Pederson injured after crashing into wall

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By Jon Weisman

Joc Pederson might have saved the game at the price of his health when he crashed into the outfield wall at Milwaukee in the eighth inning tonight.

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In case you missed it: That post-Puig, post-sweep glow

Los Angeles Dodgers against the Washington Nationals

By Jon Weisman

Still feels like there’s a buzz in the air over how very #Puignotlate the ending was to Wednesday’s game. Let’s provide some epilogues to that, as well as catching up on some other recent Dodger ephemera.

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Los Angeles Dodgers against the Washington Nationals

  • Puig’s dash around the bases was 15.2 seconds, which is tied for the fastest home-to-home run in baseball this year, as seen in the video above.
  • What was going through Puig’s mind? “I was ready for the hit, and nobody thought that the ball would go through,” Puig said through an interpreter, according to Doug Padilla of ESPN.com. “So when I did see the ball go through, I had to talk to my hamstring so I can figure out how far I could go on the bases. … I didn’t see [the stop sign]. I was listening to my hamstring and I was trying to figure out how far it could go. If it exploded there, that’s what was going to happen, but I was able to make it home.”
  • The big finish called to mind 1988’s Kirk Gibson scoring from second base on a wild pitch, as Phil Gurnee writes at his new blog, Dodgers, Yesterday and Today.

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Turner, Dodgers have got that bounce

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By Jon Weisman

Justin Turner’s weekend of heroics continued.

Turner’s third home run in two nights brought the Dodgers’ roaring back from a 5-2 deficit in the third inning, putting them on their way to a 10-6 victory over Milwaukee.

The biggest of the 14 Dodger hits that also included homers by Howie Kendrick and Joc Pederson, Turner’s blast — his sixth homer in his past 12 starts — marked the halfway point in the Dodgers’ six-run inning, their biggest of 2016. And it salvaged a night in which starting pitcher Mike Bolsinger couldn’t make it out of the third inning.

In fact, Bolsinger and Milwaukee’s Chase Anderson, childhood friends who were best men at each other’s weddings, each threw exactly 29 balls and 44 strikes in 2 1/3 innings tonight. Anderson took the loss, while Chris Hatcher, who threw 2 1/3 shutout innings, was the Dodgers’ winning pitcher.

Hatcher, who made his MLB debut as a catcher in 2010 but went 0 for 6, also picked up his first career hit, an RBI single in the third.

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Pederson’s two blasts lead Dodger homer parade

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By Jon Weisman

After stoking more fears about the offense with four no-hit innings to start the game, the Dodgers traded that quartet for four home runs — two by Joc Pederson — ending their three-game losing streak with a 7-4 win at Arizona.

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Dodgers play righty vs. righty card against Chatwood

Atlanta Braves vs Los Angeles Dodgers

Rockies at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Justin Turner, 3B
Corey Seager, SS
Trayce Thompson, RF
Adrian González, 1B
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Kiké Hernandez, LF
Scott Van Slyke, RF
A.J. Ellis, C
Mike Bolsinger, P

By Jon Weisman

If you’re wondering why Dave Roberts chose to rest left-handed hitters Chase Utley and Joc Pederson against right-handed Rockies pitcher Tyler Chatwood, it’s mainly because right-handed batters have had more success against him.

This year, righties have an .788 OPS against Chatwood, while lefties are at .579. The split was even more pronounced in 2014, before Chatwood had the Tommy John surgery that forced him out of action in 2016. Chatwood has returned this year to lead Colorado starters with a 2.99 ERA.

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Joc Pederson Baseball ProCamp set for August 11

Cincinnati Reds vs Los Angeles Dodgers

Joc Pederson is hosting a one-day baseball camp August 11 for boys and girls in grades 1-8 at the Edward R. Roybal Learning Center in Los Angeles. The camp takes place on an off day between the Dodgers’ home series against the Phillies and Pirates.

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KKKKKKKKKKKK-zmir completes KO of Cincinnati

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By Jon Weisman

There are four other pitchers looking to prove that the Dodger starting rotation isn’t just Clayton Kershaw.

After last week’s seven-walk interruption, Scott Kazmir is back on the case.

Kazmir struck out 12 batters — his most since 2013 and one shy of his career high — in the Dodgers’ 3-1 victory over Cincinnati tonight, Los Angeles’ season-high fourth win in a row.

The 32-year-old just missed becoming the second Dodger lefty in the past five days to strike out 13 in six innings, after Alex Wood on May 21. He settled for the dandy dozen whiffs, on 91 pitches.

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