Blog Kiosk: 6/9/2018 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

As you surely know, Matt Kemp and Kenley Jansen have both been selected to be in the 2018 All-Star Game next week -- Kemp chosen through fan-balloting and Jansen via player-balloting. Max Muncy, this seasons surprise slugger, has also been selected as a Final Vote candidate. All you have to do is go here to vote for him.

BTW, I understand that the Dodgers and Yankees have formally teamed-up to rally their fans to send both Max Muncy and Giancarlo Stanton to the game. I am not sure what they plan to do to promote this historically uneasy alliance -- other than a weekend press release and some fancy graphics -- but I do wonder if the ghost of Brooklyn Dodgers past would have a problem with this. I jest, of course.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1996 Dodger catcher Mike Piazza is crowned the All-Star Game MVP. He lead the National League to a 6-0 victory by slugging a solo home run in the 2nd inning and a two-out RBI double in the 3rd inning. You can watch Piazza All-Star highlights and an postgame interview here.
• Happy Birthday, Turner Barber, Fred Johnston & Ray Thomas!
• Per Tim Brown at Yahoo Sports; "How Max Muncy went from nearly leaving baseball to becoming the Dodgers' resident slugger."

“One of the biggest things, I kind of lost confidence in myself as a player in ’15 and ’16,” he said. “You start experiencing failure and you don’t know if you’re as good as you thought you were. Mentally I wasn’t doing as good as I should have been. And then, last year was a chance for me to regroup and recover and focus on myself. I could just focus on baseball, remembering how much I love the game and how much I liked playing it. For me, that was the biggest thing. This year was a whole different mindset when I got called up. It wasn’t like, hey, you gotta go out there and prove yourself. It was, go out and have fun. That was the biggest thing for me.

• Yasiel Puig is likely headed to the DL. Per a tweet from JP Hoornstra:

Yasiel Puig has a right intercostal oblique strain, per the Dodgers.

— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) July 9, 2018

• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com; "Puig likely headed to DL after painful swing."

"I don't know how long I'm going to be out," said Puig. "On the first swing, I felt something, but not too much. On the second swing I try to get to that fastball and try to hit it in front and that's when I feel it. I feel bad because I can't help my team win right now. I play a little better today and do the best I can in the field and now this has happened. All I can do is rest and do the treatment."

Puig said he's never had a rib cage injury. They often take a month or longer to fully heal.

• This is fun. Per Michael Clair at Cut4; "Eight things you need to know about the newest homer-hitting star, Max Muncy."
• ICYMI: Per Rowan Kavner at Dodger Insider; "Dodger prospects (Keibert) Ruiz, (Yusniel) Diaz named to World roster at All-Star Futures Game."
• This mornings Baseball America Prospect Report makes note of Dodger outfielder Yusniel Diaz of the Tulsa Drillers:

Diaz went 4-for-5 with his sixth home run and eighth stolen base for Double-A Tulsa yesterday. It's been an excellent season so far for Diaz as he continues to hit (.306 average) and he's playing much more center field, which fits his top of the lineup game perfectly.

• The Dodgers were not the only team to not sign their #1 draft pick. Per an AP Report at The Spokesman-Review; "Braves, Diamondbacks, Dodgers fail to sign top MLB Draft picks."
• From the rumor mill. Jon Morosi on twitter has reported a trade rumor on the Manny Machado front:

Source: #Orioles have mentioned Keibert Ruiz and Dustin May in talks with #Dodgers on a Manny Machado trade. (@BNightengale was first to link May and Baltimore.) L.A. is not likely to trade Ruiz for a rental. @MLBNetwork @MLB

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 9, 2018

• Per Ken Gurnick at MLB.com; "Buehler to start for Dodgers next weekend."

"I thought he threw the ball really well," said Roberts. "He pitched well in Rancho, efficient. Today, facing big league hitters, built him up. The stuff was sharp. I think I heard he touched 97, so the velo was good. He'll throw a 'pen Wednesday and then we've got to figure out where we pencil him in. He will start before the All-Star break."

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *