Josh Beckett – Page 3 – Dodger Thoughts

April 9 pregame: Josh Beckett returns

On April 9, 2014

In Health/injuries, Pregame, Transactions

By Jon Weisman

Josh Beckett has officially come off the disabled list to pitch tonight’s game for the Dodgers against a player he was once in a trade with, Anibal Sanchez.

To make room for Beckett on the roster, Jose Dominguez was optioned to Albuquerque.

With Beckett’s return, the Dodger pitching staff crowds up some more, and Dominguez’s travels offer only a temporary respite. Brian Wilson (left) marked his 10th day on the disabled list with a bullpen session of about 20 pitches off the Dodger Stadium mound today.

Beckett is not expected to have a long first outing, Don Mattingly said, adding that Paul Maholm would be available out of the bullpen tonight.

What else can I tell you?

Tigers at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Dee Gordon, 2B
Carl Crawford, LF
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, RF
Matt Kemp, CF
Juan Uribe, 3B
Tim Federowicz, C
Josh Beckett, P

“The sensation that Dodgers right-hander Chad Billingsley felt while pitching Sunday in a rehab start was scar tissue breaking in his surgically repaired elbow and not a major setback in his comeback from Tommy John surgery,” reports Earl Bloom for MLB.com.
Tuesday’s showdown between Kenley Jansen and Miguel Cabrera has been documented by Grant Brisbee of SB Nation as “the best at-bat in MLB so far” in 2014, while for Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports, it was a reminder of “what makes baseball great.”
A.J. Ellis is celebrating his 33rd birthday today by beginning his rehab from Tuesday’s knee surgery.
Homerless streaks are in the news because of Kansas City’s early season drought. As Joe Posnanski notes for Hardball Talk, the 1963 and 1967 Dodgers had some of baseball’s biggest season-opening homer droughts.
Briefly a Dodger Seth Rosin was designated for assignment by Texas. Rosin pitched in three games for Texas, allowing no runs in three innings across his first two, then three runs in one inning on Monday.

Billingsley, Beckett look to move past rehab hiccups

By Jon Weisman

On April 7, 2014

In Health/injuries, Pitching

By Jon Weisman

Chad Billingsley provided something of a scare when he felt a sensation in his surgically repaired right elbow during his first rehab assignment Sunday, according to media reports, but Dr. Neil ElAttrache has examined Billingsley and said there is no issue.

Beckett thumbs nose at hitters, noses thumb at fates

By Jon Weisman

On March 14, 2014

In Health/injuries, Postgame

[mlbvideo id=”31537431″ width=”550″ height=”308″ /]
By Jon Weisman

Josh Beckett pitched three shutout innings today in the Dodgers’ 5-4 loss to the Cubs (recapped here by A.J. Cassavell of MLB.com), but instead of turning his frown upside down, his grin was turned outside in.

Beckett had to leave the game an inning before he planned, because of a right thumb as aggravated as Beckett’s patience. An excerpt from Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:

“It’s not getting worse, but not getting better,” Beckett said. “I’ll probably see the doctor again, such as that on Daily Care Solutions. It’s frustrating, but it could have happened at a worse time. Just dealing with it the best I can. If I need a couple days off, maybe I will. I don’t want to fall too far behind.”

The injury is on the inside of the base of the thumb near the joint. Beckett said it bothers him mostly throwing breaking balls, but in his final inning on Friday, he also was uncomfortable with fastballs. The original plan was to pitch four innings Friday, but trainer Stan Conte and manager Don Mattingly decided to cut it short.

Beckett becomes a prime candidate to open the season on the disabled list. He was not going to be needed in Australia anyway, and as the fifth starter, Beckett would not make a start until mid-April.

Eric Stephen of True Blue L.A. did record a silver lining from Beckett.

If there was a positive for Beckett, it was his five groundball outs in three innings.

“I always feel like if I’m getting ground balls I’m doing fine, even if they’re rolling in for hits during spring training,” he said. “Getting ground balls means you’re fingers are on top of the ball and you’re getting decent plane.”

Positive news came from two other Dodger starters on the mend, as Gurnick notes. Zack Greinke showed continued improvement in his right calf after completing a scheduled bullpen session, while Chad Billingsley is on target for minor-league rehabilitation assignment in April. J.P. Hoornstra of the Daily News has more.

Also …

Dodger infielders Dee Gordon, Alex Guerrero and Miguel Rojas combined to go 5 for 7 with three doubles, a triple and a steal today.
Andre Ethier is 7 for 15 with two doubles and a homer in a five-game hitting streak.
Drew Butera hit one out today in the ninth inning.
Today’s game was played before a Cactus League record 15,191, according to Cassavell.
Yasiel Puig is frustrated, to sum up this Gurnick piece.

In case you missed it: Spring Training’s eternal mysteries

By Jon Weisman

On March 12, 2014

In Health/injuries, In case you missed it, Postgame

A look at Zach Lee and his phenomenal stirrup game: pic.twitter.com/VTFjDQ7GvP

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 12, 2014

By Jon Weisman

All that’s great and ugly about Spring Training, chapter whatever …

Zach Lee, looking stirrup-sharp, enters today’s Dodger game against the Diamondbacks in the top of the third inning and retires the first seven batters he faces. Five of the next six reach base, and what looks like a showcase outing turns into apparent mediocrity. But boy, he sure looked good before the roof (or, given the stakes, the pup tent) caved in.

This wasn’t the only classic Spring Training story of the day, which saw the Dodgers lose to Arizona, 9-2. (Ken Gurnick of MLB.com has the game recap.) We also saw and heard tale of multiple players trying to overcome injury.

Zack Greinke made it through two innings of his start today and threw 14 more pitches in the bullpen afterward, but acknowledged that he still has a corner or two left to turn in his recovery from a calf injury, according to Gurnick. A small excerpt:

“I’d thought I’d be fine that day (of the injury), like 100 percent in a day or two,” he said. “It just hasn’t gotten better, it’s a 10 percent pace from what I was expecting. You know it’s there. If I did more than I’m ready to do, I’d be right back where I started. But it’s getting better every day and that’s the key.”

Speaking of revelations: Josh Beckett revealed that he caught his right thumb in a clubhouse door 10 days ago and that it is sprained. Beckett, who threw mostly fastballs while giving up three home runs in his most recent Spring Training outing Sunday, might skip his next start. From Gurnick:

Beckett has had previous problems with the inside ligament of the thumb.

“I come back from thoracic outlet surgery and this happens,” he said in frustration.

Then there’s Matt Kemp. Weird, but in a good way? That seems to be how to interpret Kemp’s evaluation of his first action of any kind in center field this year, in today’s minor-league intrasquad game. Dylan Hernandez of the Times relays the quotes:

“I feel a little weird still being out there, but I’m having a lot of fun,” he said. “I’m excited to be back on the field, just playing. That’s the process. We’re taking our time.”

Kemp was in center field for two innings.

“I’m still trying to get my legs under me,” he said. “I just wanted to feel good. The legs feel a little heavy and tired at times, but that comes with getting back into shape. You can lift as many weights as you want, but nothing prepares for the game speed out there on the baseball field.

All part of another Spring Training day. Only four of them left before the big club leaves Arizona for Australia.

* * *

The Dodgers’ schedule of minor-league Spring Training games was conveniently posted by Eric Stephen of True Blue L.A.
I know I have no reason to be proud of this tweet — none — but I am.

Just saying: Devaris Strange-Gordon (L/L) anagrams to RARE GOLD/N GLOVED IN STARS #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/qmXF4FY7r6

— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) March 12, 2014

In case you missed it: Josh Beckett on the rise

By Jon Weisman

On March 2, 2014

In Health/injuries, In case you missed it

By Jon Weisman

Though the Dodgers ended up in a 3-3 tie at Camelback Ranch with the Padres, there was a clear winner today: Josh Beckett.

In case you missed it: Upside down, boy you turn me

By Jon Weisman

On February 19, 2014

In Health/injuries, In case you missed it, Infield, International, Managers

Click here for today in Jon SooHoo.

By Jon Weisman

One week until it’s time for Dodger (Spring Training) baseball …

Injury updates on several Dodgers are provided by Eric Stephen of True Blue L.A. It could be a couple of weeks before we know more about Matt Kemp.

… Kemp has had monthly MRI exams since having surgery to remove torn cartilage in his left ankle in October. Mattingly said the last exam was roughly two weeks ago, so we could have another two weeks or so before hearing anything new. …
More encouraging news — and a great quote — are coming from Josh Beckett and Dan Haren, according to Mark Saxon of ESPN LosAngeles.

… “I said, ‘Did you ever dream you’d be watching a guy with a beard like Brian Wilson pitch with Sandy Koufax standing 10 feet from you?’” Beckett said. “Dan Haren’s like, ‘Yeah, it seems like there should be a unicorn somewhere.’” …
Since before the beginning of Spring Training, it’s been apparent that there might not be a full-time starter at second base come March 22. As Saxon and Stephen report, nothing has changed on that count.
Proclamation time:

“If (@HanleyRamirez) plays 130-140 games this year, you’re looking at the leading candidate for MVP.” –@AJEllis17

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) February 19, 2014
“There’s no reason not to be confident” in Paco Rodriguez, despite the fact that he ran out of steam last fall, Don Mattingly told Ken Gurnick of MLB.com … along with Stephen.
In this Gurnick news feature about Don Mattingly, managers and long-term contracts comes this tidbit: “Jamey Wright has played for 29 managers in his 21 professional seasons.”
Yasiel Puig’s signing could have an impact for the Dodgers’ future international efforts, reports Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com.

… “The way it works down there, [amateur] players come to tryouts at your camp, and we had a hard time getting players to come to the academy [in the Dominican Republic] until we signed Puig,” (Ned) Colletti said. “I was down there about three weeks ago or so, and it was probably the best group of players that I’ve seen. A lot of it has to do with our ability to spend, and we’ve increased our scouting internationally three-fold from where it was. We have the finances to be competitive with players from Cuba and amateurs in other countries. Puig was a very key sign for us in more ways than just his talent.”
Tommy Davis is the latest to be featured in Ernest Reyes’ 1961 Union Oil Family Booklet series at Blue Heaven.
Joe Morgan talked with Bill James? It’s more than 80 minutes (via Baseball Think Factory), but this I gotta hear. “A lot of you may not know him as well as I do,” Morgan said, “but he is the father of sabermetrics, so to speak, and a guy that I really have a lot of admiration for. I don’t agree with a lot of sabermetrics people, but I’ve rarely disagreed with Bill.”

Kenley Jansen blew a couple past Yasiel Puig — Puig responds: https://t.co/t6BsEqCpXZ

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) February 19, 2014

In case you missed it: Josh Beckett believes

By Jon Weisman

On February 10, 2014

In In case you missed it

By Jon Weisman

Josh Beckett arrived at Spring Training at the center of a seeming swirl of uncertainty, but don’t tell Beckett that.

Ken Gurnick has a detailed report at MLB.com on Beckett’s optimism for 2014. An excerpt:

Josh Beckett has texted enough with Chris Carpenter to know that the medical condition they share can end a pitcher’s career, as it did Carpenter’s.

But Beckett said it won’t end his.

The Dodgers right-hander seemed to back that up with his first bullpen session on Monday, throwing 30 pitches free and easy. At no time did Beckett stop to rub the feeling back into numb fingers, as he often did last Spring Training in what proved to be a hint that something was wrong.

Beckett said the thoracic outlet surgery that cut short last season has solved the numbness and tingling he had felt “for years.” He said he’s ready to reclaim his role in the Dodgers’ rotation as the fifth starter, knowing the club has enough doubt about his health that it chased Bronson Arroyo and signed Paul Maholm for protection. …

Read the rest of the story here. Among other revelations is the one that Beckett does not expect to accompany the team to Australia. That would, at least for the first two games, open up a roster spot for another pitcher.
More on Beckett from Dylan Hernandez of the Times and Eric Stephen of True Blue L.A.
Former Dodger second baseman Jeff Kent is volunteering as an assistant coach for the baseball team at Southwestern University. David Brown of Big League Stew blogs about it.
Strikeout percentage (strikeouts per batter faced) is a more valuable statistic than strikeouts per nine innings, argues Ben Humphrey at Viva El Birdos.
Lots of good stuff today from Jon SooHoo.

Alex Guerrero

Notes: Miguel Rojas to contend for playing time at second base

By Jon Weisman

On January 8, 2014

In Uncategorized

By Jon Weisman

In addition to discussing Don Mattingly and Yasiel Puig, Ned Colletti touched upon several other aspects of the Dodgers in his conversation with reporters today.

Colletti’s priorities now for 2014 are to fine-tune the club, including another infielder off the bench that would give the club more versatility, and making sure the team is healthy. “I talk to our medical people every other day to see where we are at,” he said.
Miguel Rojas will get “a good look” during Spring Training for playing time at second base, thanks to his defensive wizardry. Rojas had a .303 on-base percentage and .307 slugging with Double-A Chattanooga last year, but Colletti calls him an “excellent defensive player.”
Alexander Guerrero is still leading the pack of contenders at second base, but Colletti said “we still have questions.” The Dodgers are taking a conservative approach with Guerrero and the hamstring issues he dealt with this winter.
Caution is also the byword with Matt Kemp, but the outfielder has had his walking boot off for the better part of four weeks now and is beginning to hit.
Josh Beckett should be ready to go for Spring Training, but Scott Elbert and Chad Billingsley remain targeted for midseason. Elbert could come sooner than Billingsley, thanks to being a reliever.
Andre Ethier and Hanley Ramirez have generated nothing but positive medical reports. No lingering issues.
Colletti is eager to see what Rule 5 draft-day acquisition Seth Rosin can bring. “Again, some of what we do is to continue to build the depth you need for a season.”
Preliminary conversations with the agent of Japanese pitching star Masahiro Tanaka have taken place. Colletti described it as a “feeling-out process.”
Infielder-turned-reliever Pedro Baez, essentially following the path of Kenley Jansen, “still has some things he’s got to learn, but he’s a very interesting talent.”

Josh Beckett pitched very well

By Jon Weisman

On April 14, 2013

In Game wrap

Cruising through eight innings only to get snakebit in the ninth by Arizona today, 1-0, Josh Beckett joins this group of Dodgers who have pitched complete games and lost since 1988.

Player	Date	Tm	Opp	Rslt	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	Pit	GSc
Chad Billingsley	2011-07-03	LAD	LAA	L 1-3	8.0	3	3	3	2	6	108	68
Derek Lowe	2008-08-26	LAD	WSN	L 1-2	8.0	6	2	2	1	6	112	67
Derek Lowe	2007-06-09	LAD	TOR	L 0-1	9.0	4	1	1	0	3	98	78
Derek Lowe	2007-05-20	LAD	LAA	L 1-4	8.0	9	4	3	0	6	112	56
Derek Lowe	2007-05-10	LAD	FLA	L 0-3	8.1	5	3	2	3	6	94	66
Jeff Weaver	2005-09-17	LAD	SFG	L 1-2	8.0	5	2	2	0	4	93	68
Kevin Brown	2001-04-10	LAD	ARI	L 0-2	8.0	3	2	1	0	8	88	78
Kevin Brown	2000-06-05	LAD	TEX	L 0-2	8.0	5	2	2	0	9	109	73
Kevin Brown	1999-09-14	LAD	MON	L 0-3	9.0	9	3	2	0	6	110	65
Kevin Brown	1999-05-25	LAD	CIN	L 2-3	8.0	5	3	1	1	12	111	75
Brian Bohanon	1998-09-23	LAD	SDP	L 2-3	9.0	8	3	3	3	6	127	62
Chan Ho Park	1998-09-15	LAD	COL	L 4-5	9.0	7	5	3	4	8	131	61
Brian Bohanon	1998-09-11	LAD	SDP	L 0-1	8.0	7	1	1	5	8	132	67
Hideo Nomo	1998-04-23	LAD	MIL	L 1-2	8.0	3	2	2	2	6	89	72
Pedro Astacio	1997-05-13	LAD	CHC	L 1-2	8.0	6	2	2	2	4	104	64
Orel Hershiser	1993-06-24	LAD	HOU	L 0-1	9.0	8	1	1	2	4	104	69
Tom Candiotti	1992-08-31	LAD	CHC	L 0-2	8.0	2	2	0	1	7	104	80
Mike Morgan	1991-07-28	LAD	MON	L 0-2	9.0	4	2	0	1	5	111	79
Mike Morgan	1991-04-30	LAD	MON	L 0-1	8.0	2	1	1	2	5	112	77
Orel Hershiser	1989-08-18	LAD	NYM	L 2-3	8.0	6	3	3	3	7	118	62
Orel Hershiser	1989-07-28	LAD	SDP	L 1-2	8.0	7	2	2	5	4	117	59
Fernando Valenzuela	1989-07-15	LAD	STL	L 0-2	9.0	10	2	2	3	1	140	57
Tim Belcher	1988-09-25	LAD	SFG	L 0-2	8.0	7	2	2	4	5	117	61
Tim Belcher	1988-09-16	LAD	CIN	L 0-1	8.0	3	1	0	1	7	114	80
Orel Hershiser	1988-08-24	LAD	NYM	L 1-2	9.0	7	2	2	3	6	127	68
Player	Date	Tm	Opp	Rslt	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	Pit	GSc
Orel Hershiser	1988-06-04	LAD	CIN	L 2-5	9.0	11	5	5	5	6	153	46
Fernando Valenzuela	1988-04-14	LAD	SDP	L 0-2	8.0	9	2	2	4	3	150	55

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 4/14/2013.

I will not be rehashing the characteristic details of the Dodgers’ run-scoring difficulties today.

Dodgers recall Wall

By Jon Weisman

On August 27, 2012

In Dodgers

Dodgers at Rockies, 5:40 p.m.
Shane Victorino, LF
Mark Ellis, 2B
Matt Kemp, CF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Andre Ethier, RF
Luis Cruz, 3B
A.J. Ellis, C
Josh Beckett, P

Josh Wall has replaced Shawn Tolleson in the Dodger bullpen, but according to Dylan Hernandez of the Times, Tolleson is not about to become someone else’s player to be named later.

Rather, after using every reliever not named Kenley Jansen this weekend, the Dodgers were trying to shore up their bullpen for this week’s games in Colorado. So, expect to see Tolleson again in a Dodger uniform soon after rosters expand.

There are rumors that the Dodgers are concerned enough about Chad Billingsley’s health and Joe Blanton’s performance that they might still try to acquire another starting pitcher, believe it or not.

* * *

Keith Law of ESPN.com on Josh Beckett:

… Beckett’s lost season comes down to three main problems: some lost velocity, poor pitch selection and horrific pitching from the stretch. He has lost a mile and a half off his average fastball this year versus 2011, a year that was already down from his peak fastball a few years earlier, which is likely the effect of age and regular usage over the years but doesn’t in and of itself have to be fatal. (It does show he’s not a good candidate for a multiyear extension.)

He gives up way too many hits on his cutter, which has proved less effective than the straight changeup that was previously his worst pitch (because it looked like a BP fastball compared with his four-seamer). He’s been nearly 300 points of opponents’ OPS worse with men on base this year, and, although that’s often just bad luck or randomness, in Beckett’s case it’s more because his fastball is softer from the stretch and because he relies too much on that flat cutter in those situations. …

From April 13 through June 30 this year, Beckett had a 3.50 ERA in 79 2/3 innings over 12 starts. In his other 2012 starts, he has allowed 43 earned runs in 47 2/3 innings.

In 2011 through August 27, Beckett had a 2.43 ERA and 141 strikeouts in 163 innings.

Dodger Thoughts

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

Tag: Josh Beckett (Page 3 of 3)

April 9 pregame: Josh Beckett returns

Billingsley, Beckett look to move past rehab hiccups

Beckett thumbs nose at hitters, noses thumb at fates

In case you missed it: Spring Training’s eternal mysteries

In case you missed it: Josh Beckett on the rise

In case you missed it: Upside down, boy you turn me

In case you missed it: Josh Beckett believes

Notes: Miguel Rojas to contend for playing time at second base

Josh Beckett pitched very well

Dodgers recall Wall

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