I don't Know What You're Doing, Van Lingle Mungo

I am afraid for you, Van Lingle Mungo... 'Cause what I see here is a frightening thing.

Featured above is a vintage ACME press photo from eBay, dated to Spring Training in 1937, of the infamous Dodger hurler Van Lingle Mungo performing some kind of acrobatic exercise over what looks like a camera tripod.  Via the caption attached to the reverse:

"BROOKLYN PITCHER EXERCISING.  Clearwater, Fla., Mar.7---Photo shows Van Lingle Mungo, Dodger pitcher, working out at Clearwater, Fla., where the Brooklyn Team is in spring training."

I just don't know what to think.  Is this some kind of newfangled routine popular with that decades guru exercise nuts?  Heck, did such a thing exist then?  Maybe this is the 1930's version of Pilates or some other crazy fad that has long since disappeared from our collective psyches. 

I'm hoping that this is just some-kind-of perspective camera trick because if it's not then those Dodgers of yesteryear were certifiably insane... Which, BTW, might explain the existence of the moniker "Daffiness Boys."  

Daffy indeed, eh?

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Blog Kiosk: 5/11/2015 - Dodger Links - Kershaw, Puig and Pederson

This might be the best photo I've ever seen of our ace pitcher.  Yesterday morning, in honor of Mother's Day, @MLB tweeted out the above pic of a young Clayton with Mother Kershaw.

Unfortunately, it didn't provide the pitcher with much luck as he sought to capture his 100th career victory for the fourth time on Sunday.  Under unseasonably arctic conditions in Colorado he appeared to be well on his way towards that victory.  Then, the fifth inning came along to ruin it all.  A series of five scattered singles and a walk allowed five runs to cross the plate.  Thankfully, the Dodgers offense came into gear soon thereafter to take home the win.  Via Ken Gurnich at MLB.com:

"Fortunately, we got the win when I didn't pitch that great," he said. "I felt OK, but I'm not getting the results again. Definitely not up to par for what I expect and what the team expects."

Below are some more links to check out:

• Left Field Pavilion made a fantastic 1954 Bowman fantasy card of Jackie Robinson.  Check it out here.
• Via Mark Saxon at ESPNLosAngeles.com, "Yasiel Puig to have MRI on Monday after aggravating left hamstring injury."

"That's what those games are for, to tell you if a guy's ready," Mattingly said. "We found out after he pulled up and felt something that he's just not ready. It doesn't mean it's a total setback or anything. From our standpoint, I don't think it's a monumental thing or it's blown up or anything."

• Via Zach Helfand at the LA Times, "Dodgers' Joc Pederson has the power, but he's still the rookie."

"I get a hard time for about everything," (Pederson) said.

The ribbing is part of life as a rookie, but also a way to ensure Pederson doesn't focus too much on home runs at the expense of quality at-bats.

• BTW, to make up for Saturday's rainout the Dodgers and Rockies will play a doubleheader on June 2nd, via a tweet from the @Dodgers:

The Dodgers and Rockies will play a day-night doubleheader June 2 (12:10 p.m. PT/5:40 p.m. PT) at Colorado to make up Saturday’s rainout.

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 10, 2015

• Via Bill Plunkett at the OC Register, "Dodgers' Brandon Beachy changing his delivery to avoid more elbow problems."

“I had Tommy John once. I followed everything you’re supposed to do and it happened again. It might have been bad luck. But it didn’t make sense to me to do it all over again the same way just hoping it was bad luck.”

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