Blog Kiosk: 7/2/2018 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Holy Moly!

Photo above via MLB on Instagram. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 2015 the Blue Jays traded Chase De Jong and Tim Locastro to the Dodgers for two international bonus slots.
• Happy Birthday, Gil English & Caleb Ferguson!
• As for last night's game, the Dodgers avoided getting swept by the Rockies. Per Ken Gurnick at MLB.com; "Kemp's go-ahead HR, 4 RBIs boost ASG case: Outfielder leads Dodger comeback to take finale from Rockies."

Kemp brought home a first-inning run with a ground out, doubled home Max Muncy in the third inning, singled home Muncy in the fifth and led off the eighth inning with his 14th home run of the season against Adam Ottavino. Kemp hit 19 home runs last year with Atlanta.

"The last week and a half or two weeks has been a little rough, but that's baseball," said Kemp. "We're off to a good start this month."

• In All-Star Game news, via a tweet from David Vassegh:

Dave Roberts is taking his entire coaching staff with him for All-Star Game. Dave Martinez and Bud Black will also be on his staff.

— David Vassegh (@THEREAL_DV) July 1, 2018

• Per Jon Paul Morosi at MLB.com; "Maeda wants to pitch for MLB All-Stars in Japan."

Maeda, in his third season with the Dodgers, told MLB.com on Friday that one of his goals for 2018 is to pitch well enough that he's invited to represent the MLB All-Stars. 

"I'm not sure if I can qualify, being on the MLB All-Star side, but I'm going to work hard to be able to qualify for that," Maeda said through interpreter Will Ireton.  

The 2018 MLB All-Star Tour will consist of six games, held from Nov. 8-15 in Tokyo, Hiroshima and Nagoya. Maeda indicated that he would love to pitch in the fourth game of the series, in Hiroshima -- where he spent eight seasons playing for the Hiroshima Carp of Nippon Professional Baseball.

• Via Rory Carroll at Reuters; "Dodgers' Hernandez to fund house building in Puerto Rico."

Hernandez and his fiance raised more than $120,000 for aid group Habitat for Humanity in the aftermath of the storm and the Dodgers and team owner Mark Walter donated an additional $2 million in March.

Hernandez said the group will begin building the homes in the coming weeks now that the building permits have been finalized. 

“The project is about to start running and we’re focused on building over 100 homes for families,” said the 26-year-old, who was born in Puerto Rico’s capital city of San Juan, in an interview.

• Today is the first day of the international signing period, and the Dodgers system has just gotten stronger. Per Jesse Sanchez at MLB.com; "Sources: Dodgers agree with top international prospect."

According to industry sources, the club agreed to a multi-million bonus with catcher Diego Cartaya of Venezuela, the top ranked prospect on MLB.com's Top 30 International Prospects list. The Dodgers also agreed to deals with right-handed pitcher Jerming Rosario for $600,000 and infielder Alex De Jesus of the Dominican Republic for $500,000.

The Dodgers sign the No. 1 Venezuelan 🇻🇪 player in the class, 16-year-old catcher Diego Cartaya: https://t.co/zJaurxTLUc pic.twitter.com/JGV5650T3I

— Ben Badler (@BenBadler) July 2, 2018

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