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Wednesday, March 05, 2014

Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Spring Game 8/Away Game 4


Throughout Spring Training the Dodgers PR department sends out helpful daily notes from Camelback Ranch, and I am happy to pass them along.  See what they've written below.
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 LOS ANGELES DODGERS (2-4-1) at Cincinnati Reds (3-4)
Wednesday, March 5, 2014 – 7:05 p.m. | Goodyear
LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (0-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Homer Bailey (0-1, 9.00)
Spring Game 8/Away Game 4
Television: SNLA/Radio: KLAC
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(Blue Prints Photo Booth, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014)

UNDER THE LIGHTS: The Dodgers travel to Goodyear to take on the Reds this evening for the first of two games this spring, with the clubs meeting again a week from tomorrow at Camelback Ranch. Los Angeles currently holds a 1,108-1,089-13 all-time advantage against the Reds, falling in the 2013 season series, 3-4.
  • Seven minor leaguers will dress for the club today: LHP Fu-Te Ni (#86), IF Darnell Sweeney (#87), IF Daniel Mayora (#88), OF Jon Garcia (#89), OF Jeremy Hazelbaker (#90), IF Aaron Bates (#95) and 2013 Branch Rickey Minor League Player of the Year OF Scott Schebler (#91)
  • The Dodgers will touch down in Sydney in less than two weeks for MLB’s Opening Series against the D-backs and are just 17 days away from Opening Day in Australia!

KING OF THE HILL: Left-handed pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu will take the mound tonight for the second time this spring after starting Friday against the White Sox, when he fired 2.0 scoreless innings, while allowing two hits. In 2013, the Korean-born pitcher turned in an impressive first Major League season, going 14-8 with a 3.00 ERA in 30 starts, while ranking among the Dodger team leaders in wins (3rd), complete games (2, 2nd), innings (192.0, 2nd), strikeouts (154, 2nd) and starts (2nd). Ryu started last season on a roll with six consecutive quality starts from April 2-30 and made 22 quality starts overall.
  • Right-hander Jose Dominguez will appear in his third game of the spring tonight after firing scoreless innings in his first two outings. In nine appearances for the Dodgers in 2013, the Dominican native posted a 2.16 ERA (2 ER/8.1 IP) with three walks and four strikeouts.
  • Scheduled to make his third 2014 Cactus League appearance tonight is righty Javy Guerra, who has two scoreless outings under his belt (2.0 IP). Last season, the reliever spent the majority of the season with Triple-A Albuquerque and allowed nine runs (eight earned) in 10.2 innings in nine appearances during his only stint with Los Angeles from April 30-May 30.
  • Right-handed pitcher Matt Magill is scheduled to pitch in tonight’s game after pitching scoreless ball in his only appearance of the spring on Friday against the White Sox. Magill saw his first big league action in 2013, going 0-2 with a 6.51 ERA (20 ER/27.2 IP) in six starts during three stints with the Dodgers.
  • After walking two and striking out two in a scoreless inning of his first Cactus League appearance on Sunday at the Brewers, southpaw Paco Rodriguez will make his second appearance this evening. In 2013, Rodriguez ranked among the NL’s best relievers in ERA (2.32, 12th), opponents’ batting average .164 (3rd) and WHIP (0.90, 6th) in his first full Major League season.
  • Non-roster invitee Carlos Frias will also take the mound tonight after allowing one run in his first outing (1.0 IP) on Thursday vs. the D-backs.
(Uribe and Puig - Friends Forever, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014)

SEEMS LIKE ONLY YESTERDAY: Yesterday, the Dodgers fell to Seattle, 4-1, in their Cactus League matinee at Camelback Ranch – Glendale. The club’s lone run came off the bat of minor league outfielder Trayvon Robinson, who stroked an eighth-inning leadoff home run against his former team. On the mound, right-handed relievers Brian Wilson and Kenley Jansen tossed perfect frames in the first and second innings, respectively, while RHP Chris Perez (1.0 IP), RHP Chris Withrow (2.0 IP) and RHP Red Patterson (2.0 IP) also pitched scoreless relief.

GET WELL SOON: Non-roster invitee Ross Stripling, who enters 2014 rated by Baseball America as the Dodgers’ No. 10 prospect, underwent surgery this morning in Los Angeles by Dr. Neal ElAttrache. The surgery was an arthroscopic procedure to remove loose bodies from an inflamed and swollen elbow. The plan is to allow the inflammation to resolve and restore range of motion before proceeding with Tommy John reconstruction surgery. Stripling, 24, went 8-4 with a 2.82 ERA in 27 games between Single-A Rancho Cucamonga and Double-A Chattanooga in 2013.


CONGRATS!: This evening, Dodger President and CEO Stan Kasten will be presented with the 2013 Sports Executive of the Year Award by the L.A. Sports Council at the 9th Annual LA Sports Awards at the Beverly Hilton. The ceremony will be televised on Prime Ticket at a later date.
(Dee flips to Miguel, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgerrs 2014)

I SEE LONDON, I SEE FRANCE: Today, on Field 6 of Camelback Ranch - Glendale, a team of Dodger minor leaguers played an exhibition game against Team France, managed by former Dodger closer and 2003 NL Cy Young Award winner Eric Gagne, in the first of a five-game Cactus League tour. This is the second time Team France has played against MLB clubs, last facing the Pirates and Blue Jays in October 2013.
  • Gagne, a three-time All-Star, played for Los Angeles from 1999-2006 and racked up 187 saves over his 10-year big league career with the Dodgers, Rangers (2007), Red Sox (2007) and Brewers (2008). The right-handed flamethrower holds the franchise record for saves in a season with 55 in 2003, the year he won the NL Cy Young Award.


UP FOR THE CHALLENGE: Expanded instant replay with manager challenges made its debut at three Spring Training games on Monday, but Don Mattingly and the Dodgers will get their first taste of the new system tomorrow against the Angels in Tempe. Los Angeles has a total of five Cactus League games where replay will be used; March 11 at Kansas City, March 12 vs. Arizona, March 15 vs. Chicago-AL and March 16 vs. Colorado, and the system will be in place for all three Freeway Series games against the Angels.

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The Gil Hodges 1961 Union Oil Dodger Family Booklet

Here is another post featuring the 1961 Union Oil Dodger Family Booklet set.  Go here to see my past post showcasing this set; including complete scans of both the Vin Scully/Jerry Doggett and Don Drysdale booklets.  This time I share the Gil Hodges Booklet.

1961 was Gil's last year in Dodger Blue.  As a 19-year old in 1943 he signed an amateur free agent contract, and immediately joined the Dodgers in Brooklyn.  He got into the very last game of the season, and walked in 3 plate appearances (striking out twice).  Eleven days later he joined the Marines as a WWII anti-aircraft gunner.  He would have to wait until 1947 before he got another chance to get his first Major League hit. Overall, he spent 16-years as a member of the Dodger franchise.

Gil Hodges was one of the more loved characters of the Boy's of Summer.  "Not getting booed at Ebbets Field was an amazing thing. Those fans knew their baseball and Gil was the only player I can remember whom the fans never, I mean never booed," said Clem Labine. 

In 1953, Hodges slumped badly, but Brooklyn's fans didn't hem and haw.  Instead, they prayed for him. From his biography in The Game of Baseball.
"The thing that most people hear about that one is that a priest [Father Herbert Redmond of St. Francis Roman Catholic Church] stood in a Brooklyn pulpit that Sunday and said, "It's too hot for a sermon. Just go home and say a prayer for Gil Hodges." Well, I know that I'll never forget that, but also I won't forget the hundreds of people who sent me letters, telegrams, and postcards during that World Series. There wasn't a single nasty message. Everybody tried to say something nice. It had a tremendous effect on my morale, if not my batting average. Remember that in 1952, the Dodgers had never won a World Series. A couple of base hits by me in the right spot might have changed all that."
As many old-timers will tell ya, Gil Hodges is a Hall of Famer.  He exhibited the character, received the love and exemplified the way you should play the game.  Hodges was a leader of men, and the main core of the Brooklyn Dodgers.  If not for him, there might not have been that only Championship in Brooklyn.  If not for him, Brooklyn's legacy would undoubtedly not be what it is today.

Below are complete scans of every page from Gil Hodges' 1961 Union Oil Dodger Family Booklet.  Click any pic to embiggen. 









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Weekend Autograph Opportunities: 3 Lakers at Harry's Dugout

Here are this weekends autograph opportunities and events throughout the Southland. As always, be sure to check the Blue Heaven Calendar for other events (a link can always be found on the tab at the top of this page, just left of center), and always confirm with the establishment. Everything is subject to change.  Please email me with any tips about upcoming events in Southern California.  As the rest of the week progresses I'll update this post with other events (if there are any) as I become aware of them.  Also, I don't always list every event below, so be sure to check my Calendar.  I always try to favor free signing events over paying events.  Click on any pic to embiggen.

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Lakers Wesley Johnson, MarShon Brooks and Kent Bazemore will be signing autographs at Harry's Dugout on Saturday, March 8th, from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM.  Go here for more information.
Harry's Dugout
10715 Beverly Boulevard
Whittier, CA 90601
310-606-1548

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Blog Kiosk: 3/5/2014 - Dodgers Links - Staff Bonuses, Stripling to have Tommy John and Wilson's Knuckleball


Yasiel Puig is showing off the Fathead the Dodgers will be giving out to young fans during the Sunday, April 6th game against the Giants.  Pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014.
"It's hard to find a weakness on this team. Pitching, starting pitching is rock solid. I love the bullpen depth. Kenley Jansen has developed into one of the top closers in baseball," Plesac said. "The lineup is great. I think they're a rock solid team.


  • Yeah, so this happened yesterday.  Brian Wilson threw a knuckleball in his outing.  Gif via DodgersDugout.

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