Blog Kiosk: 2/22/2014 - Dodgers Links - Rachel Robinson, Matt Kemp to Miss Australia and Fat Puig

See kids, the pro's do run-down drills too.  Miguel Rojas makes a tag in the photo above.  Pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014.

• Watch Sportscaster Len Berman speak with Rachel Robinson, Jackie's widow, about the baseball icon and the foundation that she started in his honor at WNET.
• FYI, Sandy Koufax is fine.  Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Koufax shaken up after being hit by line drive".

"It didn't look good," said Kershaw. "Glad he walked off. He seemed OK."

• Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA writes about, "Another piece of Brooklyn Dodger history lost".

And while it was pure coincidence that the Dodgers just so happened to be in town playing the Mets during my visit, she insisted that we go to Junior’s – and not just for the best cheesecake in town either. Within seconds of walking in the doors of the unique shaped building I realized what she had meant – the place was a virtual museum of Dodger memorabilia and photographs. You could just feel the connection to the Brooklyn Dodgers.

• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Kemp likely to miss opening series in Australia".
• Via Eno Sarris at FanGraphs, "Do The Dodgers Have a Problem At Second Base?"

Projections are just projections, but it’s worth noting that only two of last year’s playoff teams had seven above-average position players. Only one was in the NL — the Dodgers. That the Dodgers have good players everywhere (with some depth) has allowed them to gather this group at second base with less heartburn.

• Bob Lemke shares an interesting story related to the anger one ex-ballplayer had towards Branch Rickey for signing Jackie Robinson. I think it's funny that the rational Bill Werber used in his letter to Rickey is strikingly similar to the rational used by folks today against other minority classes. 

“Your effort to force them to accept socially and to play with a Negro or Negroes, is highly distasteful,” Werber continued. “You are, in fact, for some unaccountable reason, discriminating against the majority.”

• Via Mark Saxon at ESPNLosAngeles.com, "Yasiel Puig too heavy in camp?"  By the way, Roberto Baly at Vin Scully is My Homeboy had previously shared a photo of "Fat Puig" here.

"We don't feel it's going to be a problem, but we're paying attention to it, put it that way," Mattingly told ESPNLosAngeles.com.

• Via Ryan G at Chaos and Kanji, "Another JWBL Game: Women's Baseball near Yokohama".

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