I ran into this great vintage photo of the 1912 Brooklyn Dodgers as they take a team photo during Spring Training. Check out a whole album of other great Baseball vintage pics here.
- "Don Mattingly isn’t going to use Kenley Jansen in the closer role, but it’s probably for the best," via Chad Moriyama.
Basically, Mattingly’s plan is to use Kenley as an ace reliever of old, a move which is only bolstered by the fact that Kenley has a history of being able to go multiple innings. Another reason it works is because the Dodger bullpen has been hit by injuries and ineffectiveness like the rest of the team, so despite League’s struggles, he’s still projected to get late-inning outs even if he’s removed as closer. And since blowing a lead in the eighth sucks just as much as in the ninth (or more since the closer doesn’t even get used then), simply stripping League of the overhyped title accomplishes little to solve the root problem.
- Via Steve Dilbeck at the LA Times, "Dodgers' scouts deserve credit as Hyun-Jin Ryu pays dividends."
“He knows how to pitch to win, which is so refreshing,” said catcher A.J. Ellis. “He’s not just out there throwing to throw. He dials it up when he has to. He adds and subtracts to all his pitches.
“He’s a sneaky, really good athlete. He has amazing feel. He can field his position, hold runners, handle the bat. He’s a guy who just knows how to win baseball games.”
- "The Rise and Fall of Luis Cruz," via Stacie Wheeler at Lasorda's Lair.
- Via Aaron at Inside Dodger Baseball writes, "Van Slyke's big night goes to waste."
- "Van Slyke's emergence creates questions for Cruz," via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com.
Luis Cruz and Scott Van Slyke were in the Dodgers' lineup Friday night, but their careers are suddenly headed in opposite directions.
- Joc Pederson may be the first callup from the minors, not Yasiel Puig, via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com.
"He just does everything better than everybody else," said Corrales. "He makes adjustments at bat and in the field. He's an outstanding center fielder. He has a knack for seeing the ball off the bat: He lowers his head and he's off to get the ball. He's hitting home runs, he's hitting with men on base. There's nothing he isn't doing."
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