Dodgers Blue Heaven: Blog Kiosk: 4/11/2017 - Dodgers Links

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Blog Kiosk: 4/11/2017 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

This coming Saturday is Jackie Robinson Day at Dodger Stadium, and as you surely know by now the Dodgers will be dedicating their very first statue at the stadium in honor of Jackie that afternoon. As you can see in the pic above, work has gotten underway to install the bronze figure. It features Robinson sliding hard into home -- likely stealing home.

Photo above via @Dodgers on twitter. Below are more links to check out:

This Day in Dodgers History: In 1959 Don Drysdale hits his second Opening Day home run to become the first pitcher with teo career homers on Opening Day. In 1962 the Dodgers won their very first game at Dodger Stadium, defeating the Reds, 6-3.
Happy Birthday, Pop Corkhill, Al Nixon, Roy Gordinier & Kenta Maeda!
Julio Urias pitched his first game of the season yesterday afternoon for the Oklahoma City Dodgers. He went 3 2/3 innings, threw 45 of his 79 pitches for strikes, struck out five, yielded only two hits (singles) and allowed two runs. Per Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA:

“It’s to continue where he’s at, as opposed to completely shutting him down,” Roberts said. “We have a lot of people who have studied the biomechanics of pitching and the arm. With the medical staff, we feel that’s what is the best thing for Julio.

“He’s close,” Roberts added. “I think we’ll try to pick our spots and use him accordingly and when we do need him he’ll be ready. But we’re not ready to say when that day is going to be … Some time at the end of the month makes sense.”

ICYMI: It's all about depth. The Dodgers added another relief arm last night. They received right-handed pitcher Joe Gunkel from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for a player to be named later or cash. He has been added to the 40-man roster and is likely headed to the minors. Per a press release:

Gunkel, 25, has posted a 28-25 career record with a 3.30 ERA and has collected nine saves in nine opportunities in 99 games (65 starts) over four professional seasons with the Red Sox (2013-15) and Orioles (2015-16) organizations. He has struck out 356 career batters against only 75 walks in 430.1 innings, while limiting the opposition to a .248 average and posting a 1.12 WHIP in his professional career. Last season, he pitched for Baltimore’s Triple-A Norfolk and Double-A Bowie and combined to go 8-14 with a 4.02 ERA in 28 starts, while striking out 109 batters against just 21 walks in 161.0 innings.

Via Ryan Nickum at Estately; "How much do homes cost within walking distance of MLB stadiums?"
This mornings Baseball America Prospect Report makes mention of Dodger pitching prospect Walker Buehler:

Buehler, who has pitched just five innings since being drafted in 2015 because of Tommy John surgery, made his high Class A debut Monday and was touching 99 mph, according to Taylor Blake Ward. L.A.'s No. 11 prospect struck out four in three innings, allowing just a hit and unearned run and walking none. Buehler threw 47 pitches, 32 for strikes, and sat 94-98 mph with his heater.

Via Mike Oz at Big League Stew; "These Jackie Robinson tribute cleats by Adidas look great and have an even better backstory."

Here’s the best part, though: As part of this initiative, Adidas built a new baseball and softball field at John Muir High School in Pasadena, Calif., the school from which Robinson graduated. The new fields will serve 900 students plus help local Little League programs. Twenty Adidas employees got their hands dirty and helped build the field.