Blog Kiosk: 9/5/2016 - Dodgers Links - Puig, Kershaw, Bellinger and De Leon

That wasn't a bad debut for Jose De Leon yesterday.  He went a strong six innings, allowing four earned runs on six hits and no walks.  De Leon also struck out nine Padres batters.  Per Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA:

“The line score doesn’t speak to how Jose pitched today,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters after the game. “Obviously the punch outs were great, but throwing strikes and holding base runners – picked a guy off – and even when there was the soft liner, the bunt base hit and the close play by [Travis] Jankowski that got away from him and scored a run, he kept his composure.”
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“Remember, Jose has been a strikeout pitcher all his life,” said Jose M. De Leon, the young right-hander’s father who flew his family in from Puerto Rico for his son’s MLB debut. “But I didn’t expect that; to project that strikeout success that he had before to the big leagues. But nine strikeouts in six innings, I guess he’s going to keep doing what he has been doing all his life. He’s a strikeout pitcher.”

The rookie earned his first victory of his career and helped propel the Dodgers to a three game lead over the slumping Giants.  BTW, only two other Dodger pitchers have recorded more strike outs in their professional debut - Pedro Astacio and Kaz Ishii with ten each.  Furthermore, since 1913 only four other hurlers in the Major Leagues have recorded at least nine strike outs and zero walks in their debut.

On a side note, we also found out (via Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA) that Yasiel Puig called his three0run home run in the third inning of yesterdays game:

“He called it, he actually called it,” De Leon said of Puig’s home run. “It’s actually like the third time this year that he’s called some shots. It’s amazing.”

As a result, De Leon shared a huge hug with Puig in the Dodgers dugout after his three-run blast.

“That guy has done it so many times that it just cracks me up,” he added.

Photos above via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016.  Go here to check out more pics by Jon and Juan Ocampo from yesterdays game.  Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodger History:  In 1908 Brooklyn Superbas (Dodgers) pitcher Nap Rucker throws a no-hitter against the Boston Braves at Washington Park.  In 1955 Don Newcombe beat the Phillies for his 20th win of the season and hit his seventh home run of the year - breaking a National League record for homers by a pitcher. 
• Via Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider; "Yasmani Grandal returns to his hard-hitting ways."
• Via Bob Hille at the Sporting News; "Humbled Yasiel Puig shows major-league progress after home run."

"I'm very happy with the opportunity my teammates have given me, very thankful for their support, and it motivates me to do better on the field," Puig told MLB.com after the game. "When you do your job, everything works out better — when you prepare, when you're in the dugout. Those are the things I didn't do before and now I'm doing them."

• Via Craig Minami at True Blue LA; "Clayton Kershaw to start on Friday at Miami."

"It's a big lift, everybody in the clubhouse is excited, anticipating Clayton's return," Roberts said, "for Clayton, to watch his teammates play for this length of time I know was killing him, so to be active again and to help us win a baseball game, I think that he is over the moon."

• Via Jack Baer at MLB.com; "Kazmir to start Oklahoma City's first playoff game: Dodgers southpaw hopes to be activated for Yankees series."

The southpaw is scheduled to throw six innings and 90 pitches and plans to return for the Dodgers' series against the Yankees in New York if all goes well Wednesday.

A neck injury that prevented Kazmir from properly rotating his head while pitching sidelined the southpaw on Aug. 24. He threw five innings in a simulated game without incident Tuesday. 

• Via Matthew Moreno at Dodger Blue; "Brett Anderson In Limbo Following Rehab Start."

Anderson got up to 61 pitches in just two innings of work. “Brett had a little bit of issue with a blister resurfacing,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of the outing.

“It didn’t go as well for Brett, so he’ll be in here and we have to reassess what we’re going to do next as far as throwing.” 

• This mornings Baseball America prospect report makes note of Dodgers first baseman Cody Bellinger's Triple-A debut (Link Here):

Bellinger, the Dodgers’ No. 1 prospect at midseason, made his first Triple-A start one to remember. The powerful lefty swinger cracked two homers Sunday in Oklahoma City’s 8-1 win over Omaha. Bellinger, who slashed 263/.359/.484 with 23 homers in Double-A, is a plus defender at first base with plus power. He has hit seven homers in his past 11 games overall. 

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