Dodgers Blue Heaven: Blog Kiosk: 4/10/2017 - Dodgers Links

Monday, April 10, 2017

Blog Kiosk: 4/10/2017 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

There are few things more picturesque than this.

Featured above is Kenta Maeda warming up within the woodsy bullpen of Colorado's ballpark before his start against the Rockies yesterday afternoon.

Photo above via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2017. Below are more links to check out:

(via NYT Archives on twitter)

This Day in Dodgers History: In 1947 the Dodgers officially announced, during the sixth inning of an exhibition against the Royals, that they had purchased the contract of Montreal Royals infielder Jackie Robinson. He would be the first African-American to be on the roster of a modern Major League club. In 1962 the Dodgers played their very first home game at the newly built Dodger Stadium in Chavez Ravine. There were 52,564 fans on-hand to watch Johnny Podres throw the first pitch to infielder Eddie Kasko -- who promptly doubled in the at-bat. Duke Snider would record the first Dodger hit with a single in the second inning. Unfortunately, the Dodgers would lose the game to the Reds, 6-3. Reds outfielder Wally Post hit the first homer in the stadium during the seventh inning to lead Cincinnati.
Happy Birthday, Bob McGraw, Chuck Connors, Lee Lacy, Mike Devereaux, Alberto Reyes, Andre Ethier & Charlie Culberson!
With the Dodgers in Chicago for their Opening Day today the team will have the opportunity to watch the Cubs World Series banner raising ceremony... But will they watch? Per Bill Plunkett at the OC Register; "Dodgers will get two-day reminder of NLCS loss to Cubs."

“Absolutely not,” Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner said. “If I can, I’ll go sit in the clubhouse where it’s warm.

“I want to experience it. But when I do, I want the first time to be when we do.”

Told that the Cubs will have pre-game ceremonies twice during this series, Turner said emphatically, “I won’t be out there either time.”

Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen is just as emphatic. He said he will sit out the ceremonies in the trainers’ room – where he can usually be found in the hour before game time.

“Why should I see it?” he said. “I put a lot into that series last year. I put everything into it. I don’t need to see that.

Jon Weisman at Dodger Thoughts (it's back!) shares an old New Yorker magazine story on, "What the 1959 World Series meant to Los Angeles."
Per Eric Mayer at The Daily Republic (South Dakota); "From Cadwell to Dodger Stadium: Mitchell grad heads MLB grounds crew."

Lorenz's route from Mitchell to Los Angeles is rather straightforward. After high school, he attended South Dakota State University, where he started studying engineering and geography, before graduating with a degree in horticulture in late 2003. Lorenz said he thought he'd start working on golf courses, but he landed an internship with Milwaukee Brewers for the 2004 season and hasn't left the MLB level since.

Per Hugh Bernreuter at MLive; "Nein means no for Dodgers' pitching prospect Sven Schuller."

Schuller didn't know much about baseball until he was 7 years old, and his family went on a trip from Wuppertal, near Dusseldorf, to visit his great aunt in Waldorf, Maryland.

"I watched the other kids playing baseball, and it looked like fun," Schuller said. "Then we went to a (Bowie) Baysox game, and I loved it.

"We only played soccer in Germany, but baseball was so much more interesting. You have to do so many different things ... run, throw, hit, field. In soccer, you kick the ball when it's in your area."

ICYMI: Per Mike Rosenbaum at MLB.com; "Rancho's White, Hermeling team up for seven-inning no-hitter: Dodgers duo fires first no-no in Quakes history."

The Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga Quakes recorded the first no-hitter of the 2017 Minor League season on Friday night as Mitchell White and Alex Hermeling combined to fire seven dominant innings in game two of a doubleheader against Stockton. It was the first no-hitter in the Quakes' 25-year franchise history.

Per Blowout Buzz, Topps has instituted a limited Topps Now Loyalty Program for a select small group of loyal Topps Now customers. Those chosen to the Platinum Level will get a nine-card on-card autograph set featuring some of last seasons best players; including Clayton Kershaw. See the Kershaw card on the right. It is limited to only 25 copies.
Jon Heyman at FanRagSports notes that the Dodgers and Eric Gagne are not close to signing a contract yet.
This weekend saw the last broadcast and retirement of LA Kings announcer Bob Miller. For 44 years he manned the mic at Kings games. For many fans like myself he stands on a pedestal right next to Vin Scully. Thank you, Bob! It's been my pleasure and honor to have been able to listen to your broadcast.