Blog Kiosk: 8/8/2018 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

The Dodgers are back in first place in the West -- up half a game over the DBacks -- after defeating Oakland last night, 4-2. The best part, though, was their use of the "safety-squeeze" that scored the Dodgers second run of the game in the 2nd inning. It's like, all of the sudden, old-tyme Baseball is trying to valiantly make a comeback. If this is the case -- if we are about to enter a new age of a newfangled version of "small-ball" -- then this Baseball fan can't wait. Per Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

Per Dave Roberts: "The safety squeeze by Barnes was big."

It sure was.

Unfortunately, a second attempt by Barnes in the 6th inning resulted in an out at home. Nevertheless, it was exciting, and I'd love to see teams experiment with different strategies.

Photo above via Lachlan Cunningham/Getty at Dodger Insider. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1903 Dodger pitcher Henry Schmidt is thrown out of the game when he angrily threw the Baseball out of the park. He did this because a run scored while his infielders were arguing a close call. In 1954 Gil Hodges came up to bat in the eight inning three times. He started the inning by tripling, then hit a double his second time up, and finally flied out to center for the last out of the inning. Amazingly, 12 of the 13 runs scored that inning happened with two outs. In 1963 Frank Howard and Bill "Moose" Skowron of the Dodgers become only the second duo in baseball history to hit back-to-back pinch-hit home runs. In 2000 Dodger Stadium got a dose of homophobia. After being seen kissing, a female couple is removed from the stadium and told to never come back due to "lewd behavior". The Dodgers quickly realized what century they were in and profusely apologized -- contributing tickets to various LGBT groups and providing sensitivity training to its employees.
• Happy Birthday, Alanna Rizzo, Clise Dudley, Tot Pressnell & Frank Howard!
• Memorabilia Watch: Do you want to travel like Clayton Kershaw? Well, now you can. At VSA auctions they have Kershaw's LA Dodgers personal travel suitcase complete with embroidered logo, luggage tag and uniform number (link here). VSA also has a circa 1990's Dodgers dugout jacket that is purported to have been worn by Frank Sinatra when he would visit the team (link here). Check out this awesome Dodger Blue cowboy hat on eBay (link here). Relive Fernando Mania with this vintage Fernando Valenzuela wallet (link here).
• Podcast: Dodgers Nation -- Kiké Do You Love Me? | Episode 14 | Blue Heaven Podcast (link here).
• ICYMI: Corey Seager underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left hip yesterday, and is expected to be at full strength for the start of spring training in February. Per Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

"I know we see him as a shortstop," said Roberts. "From what I understand, both of those surgeries, we expect him to be the player that he was. Obviously, with the elbow and hip issues, probably a better player from the health side of it. If he can handle shortstop, which he played at a high level with those injuries, we expect him to at least sustain that."

...
"It's been bothering him for quite some time, but he felt didn't need the attention and was playable," said Roberts. "Since he had the elbow surgery, once he got past the elbow in the rehab, to do this surgery just made sense. Come camp, he should be a full participant."

• Via Craig Minami at True Blue LA; "Caleb Ferguson is pitching himself into bigger role in the bullpen."

“Caleb has put himself in more of a leveraged, as a leveraged piece for our guys in the pen,” Roberts said. “We still see him as a starter going forward but for 2018, in the pen, to go multiples but also I like him against lefties and righties in leverage.”

• BBCARDZ at Stadium Fantasium shares pics of the 2000's version of the Dodgers' 60th Anniversary Collector Card set.
• Per Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA; "SportsNet LA to present ‘Dodgermentary: 1988‘ beginning on Wednesday night. (tonight)"

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Dodgers 1988 World Series Championship season, Spectrum SportsNet LA will air Dodgermentary: 1988, a special three-part original series created for Dodgers fans, set to premiere on Wednesday, August 8 at 11 pm. The hour-long episodes will be narrated by actor and lifelong Dodger fan Jason Bateman.

The first episode of Dodgermentary: 1988 will take Dodgers fans through remarkable moments from the regular season that took the team from being underdogs to World Series champions. Wednesday’s premiere episode will include a look-back at how Kirk Gibson set the tone for the team in spring training and Orel Hershiser‘s recollection of his record-setting consecutive scoreless innings streak.

• Here's an old friend alert. Per Chris Thompson at Deadspin; "Report: Former All-Star Pitcher Esteban Loaiza Expected To Plead Guilty In Felony Drug Case."
• Not great news here. Eric Longenhagen at FanGraphs provides an update on Julio Urias:

Obviously, Urias is returning from a serious shoulder injury, and it’s possible his stuff will tick up with continued work. The Dodgers expect him to contribute to the bullpen in September and he need only wield a competent breaking ball remain left-handed for the next eight weeks to do that. Long term, it’s hard to say what’s going to happen here. Urias was once 6 fastball, 6 breaking ball, above-average changeup, plus command projection. Right now he’s a bunch of 45s and 50s.

• Tracy Hackler at Panini's The Knight's Lance blog shares a bunch of preview pics of their upcoming 2018 National Treasures Baseball card brand; including cards of Clayton Kershaw and Jackie Robinson (see below). 

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