Blog Kiosk: 3/13/2017 - Dodgers Links - Some Spring Odds and Ends

I think we should nickname the team the "Bridegrooms".

Last week we got word that Dodger outfielder Joc Pederson proposed to his then girlfriend (link here).  Now we found out that third baseman Justin Turner did the same this weekend while at the Grand Canyon, as evidenced by the photo he shared on twitter.

Congrats Justin and Courtney!

As you may know, the Brooklyn Baseball club was given the nickname of the "Bridegrooms" by the press in the late 1880's.  Over one winter break four of their players had gotten hitched.  This nickname lasted for quite a few years until Ned Hanlon took charge as manager in 1899 and the press renamed the club the Superbas.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History:  In 1917 Dodger skipper Wilbert Robinson performed some spring antics on the field.  After having heard about Gabby Street catching a ball from the Washington Monument, Robinson bragged that he could catch a ball dropped from an airplane.  So, it was set up, but young outfielder Casey Stengel decided to substituted a grapefruit instead of a Baseball.  Said fruit was then gloved by Robinson as it fell, but it exploded on his chest.  Having seen the fruit innards Wilbert mistook it for blood and screamed that he was dying -- that is until he tasted it.
• Happy Birthday, Chappie McFarland, Tom Flood, Mal Eason, Lew Malone, Don Bessent, Don Miles & Mariano Duncan!
  
• I haven't been paying attention, but apparently there's some controversy regarding tiebreaker rules.  Per Liz Roscher at Big League Stew; "Adrian Gonzalez and Team Mexico aren't thrilled with WBC rules."  A protest has been filed, and there might be some credence to Team Mexico's complaints.
• Eric Longenhagen at FanGraphs shares his "2017 Topp 1 Prospects, and it includes five Dodger players. Yadier Alvarez (12), Cody Bellinger (13), Alex Verdugo (42), Walker Buehler (74), Willie Calhoun (89).  Here's what he wrote about Yadier Alvarez:

I’ve never seen someone generate elite velocity with as much ease and grace as Alvarez, who was untouchable in the AZL last year despite tinkering with his secondaries. He began to harness fastball command in Low-A after his promotion. 

• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com; "Puig sees preparation, patience paying off."

"I want to look for better pitches, not swing at every pitch and I'm doing great now, not because I hit two homers tonight (Friday) but because I'm working hard," he said. "My goal in Spring Training is to keep working every day, coming early every day, do my job in the cage and that's why I feel better. I work a lot, I want this season to do what I didn't do last season. Be a good teammate, come early, listen to coaches and manager, that's my hope to do great in baseball."

• Gurnick also relays some positive news about Hyun-Jin Ryu: "Ryu wants to build off solid Cactus League debut."  Ryu threw two scoreless innings on Saturday.

"He's got such good arm speed, and repeating that delivery, he's got great deception on the change-up. Today was really a good day for Ryu," Roberts said. "He's right not to make too much of it, but it's something for us to build on. When he's right, he's really good. This was a step in the right direction, and we've got to continue to build up his arm strength and he's got to stay healthy."

• Cecil Cooperstown shares a fun drawing of former Brooklyn Dodger hurler Vin Lingle Mundo.  Check it out here.
• Via Scott Soshnick  at Bloomberg; "Dodgers' Boehly Leads $100 Million DraftKings Investment."
• Tracy Ringolsby at MLB.com interviews Corey's brother Kyle and chats a bit about his younger brother: "Q&A: K. Seager set brothers on path to Majors."

MLB.com: You were the first to make the big leagues. Was it a big deal to Corey and Justin?
Seager: When I was called up in 2011, Corey was in high school. I remember showing him and Justin around, going through all the stuff. We're in the cage hitting, playing catch, running. He's throwing harder than me and I thought, "That's OK. I don't throw hard." He starts hitting and he's better than me. I thought, "Well, I might be in trouble. My high school brother's already better than me." He has done a great job. I could not be happier for him.

• Via Bill Francis at the Baseball Hall of Fame; "Innovations that debuted in Spring Training."  He writes about the invention of the batting helmet and the Brooklyn Dodgers role in its use. (Hat Tip: Phil Hecken at UniWatch)

“Every Dodger is wearing one and there isn’t a complaint,” (Larry) MacPhail said. “I see where Bill McKechnie [Reds manager] says that he wouldn’t be able to make the Reds wear such protection but either he’ll change his mind or his players aren’t too smart,” MacPhail said. “Maybe there will be some slight improvement in the device after we use it for a while longer and find out more. But I am convinced that we are on the right track at last. This cap is the product of months of experimenting. The plastic has the strength to withstand the weight of a baseball travelling 100 miles an hour. It won’t completely eliminate the possibility of a player receiving a slight concussion at the plate, but it should entirely eliminate fractures.”

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