Blog Kiosk: 10/24/2017 - Dodgers Links - It's World Series Day!

Congrats!

On the eve of the 2017 World Series Sporting News announced that Cody Bellinger is the recipient of the Sporting News' 2017 Rookie of the Year award. As you may know, SN has been giving out this award since 1946. Per Jason Foster at the Sporting News:

Bellinger, 22, who didn't reach the majors until late April, wasn't even guaranteed a full-time job upon his call-up. At the time, the Dodgers were awaiting the return of injured players such as Joc Pederson, Franklin Gutierrez and Logan Forsythe, and manager Dave Roberts said Bellinger probably wouldn't be with the team for the long haul even if he performed well. 

 But sometimes you've just got to be so good that they can't ignore you.

Bellinger did indeed stick around for the long haul, quickly surged to the top of the National League's rookie class, made the All-Star team and ultimately left everyone else in a homer-filed wake. When the dust settled on Oct. 1, Bellinger led the Dodgers in home runs (39; a team rookie record), RBIs (97) and slugging percentage (.581; also a team rookie record). 

Graphic above via the Sporting News. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1963 Sandy Koufax is named the unanimous winner of the Cy Young. In 1972 Dodgers great and Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson died of an heart attack at the age of 53 at his home in North Stamford, CT. In 1981 the Dodgers defeated the Yankees in Game 4 of the World Series, 8-7, to tie the series up at two games apiece.   In 1986 Dodgers shortstop Bill Russell announced his retirement from the game after an 18-year Major League career. 
• Happy Birthday, Charlie Jones, Eddie Stack, Harry Smythe, Ralph Onis, FP Santangelo, Wilton Guerrero & Rafael Furcal!
• From Media Day -- Video: "Dave Roberts speaks with the media before Game 1 of the World Series which starts on Tuesday." (video link) Read a transcript here.
• From Media Day -- Video: "Clayton Kershaw speaks with the media before taking the hill for Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday." (video link) Read a transcript here.
• From Media Day -- Twitter Video: "Kiké Hernández chats about refocusing after his unforgettable performance in Game 5 of the NLCS on Media Day." (video link)
• From Media Day -- Twitter Video: "Kenley Jansen talks about unfinished business on Media Day." (video link)
• From Media Day -- Twitter Video: "Justin Turner chats about bringing back a World Series to Los Angeles on Media Day." (video link)
• From Media Day -- Audio: "Logan Forsythe on Dodgers' unselfishness, overcoming late-season slump with Dodger Talk." (audio link)
• Per Mike Petriello at MLB.com; "How might record heat affect Fall Classic? Expected 100 degrees would make for hottest World Series."

As the average high in Los Angeles at this time of year is 77 degrees, it's possible that on a 100-degree day we're seeing approximately seven more feet of distance. That could turn a warning-track fly ball into a home run, potentially. But while the physics themselves are instructive, we have many games of actual data to look at.

• Paul Lukas (of UniWatch fame) writes at ESPN; "Your World Series uniform preview." As always, this is a lot of fun.
• Via Daniel Brim at Dodgers Digest; "Clayton Kershaw’s flat slider is back, but there’s hope."

All of this combined is bad news and means that there are some pretty significant fundamental issues with how Kershaw is pitching right now. This isn’t to say that he cannot be successful, and his Thursday start proved it. However, he needs his other pitches to be extremely sharp to make it work. Kershaw’s fastball command was poor in his start against the Diamondbacks and the first start against the Cubs, and when that started to go he was unable to lean on his slider for backup. Those command problems may be tied with the cause of the slider problems, which could be the back injury or something completely unrelated.

However, if we’re looking for good news, the last few innings of Kershaw’s pennant-clinching start may contain it.

• Panini America provides a sneak peek at their 2017 National Treasures Baseball card brand; including pics of a Jackie Robinson and Tommy Lasorda cards (seen directly below). Go here to check out more. This set officially releases to the publin on Wednesday.

• Pink's Hot Dogs is turning Blue! Per NBC4 News; "Pink's Hot Dogs Changing its Colors in Honor of Dodgers' First World Series Since 1988."

For the first time in 78 years, a landmark Hollywood hot dog stand is changing its colors, in honor of the Los Angeles Dodgers clinching the pennant, a co-owner said Sunday. 

Pink's Hot Dog stand has adopted Dodger blue uniforms, umbrellas, walls and floors, and has changed the famous storefront banner.  

Although the team is not selling Dodger Dogs -- a trademark owned by a different sausage purveyor -- they are selling "Blue Hots." 

Per their twitter:

No, we're not #smurfs.  We are #Pinks with the @dodger blue fever! #ThisTeam  @whit_ashton pic.twitter.com/j09xqfLxDo

— Pink's Hot Dogs (@pinkshotdogs) October 23, 2017

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