Blog Kiosk: 8/23/2019 -- Dodgers Links -- Just Another Walk-Off

Walk-Offs are fun.

Those pesky Dodgers did it again. For the 12th time this season the Dodgers pulled out a victory from the jaws of defeat. This time it was bobblehead night honoree Kiké Hernandez with the winning hit -- the 8th different Dodger to accomplish the feat so far this season. Per Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

“We like to walk off,” Hernandez said after he followed Corey Seager’s game-tying two-run double with one out in the bottom of the ninth, with an RBI single that gave the Dodgers a 3-2 win over Toronto, a sweep of their Interleague series, their 12th walk-off win of the year and the second in as many nights.
...
“Twelve times and you expect it, you don’t know who it’s going to be, but I think even after that walk [Max Muncy, leading off the inning], they felt it,” said Roberts. “You start having that and it manifests itself.”

Photo above via Katie Chin/Los Angeles Dodgers 2019 at Dodgers Insider. Go here to check out more pics from yesterdays game. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1958 Gil Hodges hit his 14th career grand slam. It set a new National League record for grand slams in a career. BTW, Don Drysdale also walloped two solo homers during this game. In 1989 Tommy Lasorda had Expos mascot Youppi! ejected from a game in Montreal during the 11th inning. The mascot was causing too much noise by jumping on top of the Dodger dugout roof during the 22-inning game. You can watch Youppi! get tossed here. BTW, the Dodgers defeated the Expose, 1-0, on an home run by Rick Dempsey in the 22nd inning. 
• Happy Birthday, Red Downs, Phil Page, Lonny Frey, Dale Mitchell & Casey Blake!
• Per Connor Byrne at MLB Trade Rumors -- "Dave Roberts Discusses Kenley Jansen."

Jansen’s dip in performance (which dates back to last year) is among the reasons the Dodgers’ bullpen has been shaky at times this season. But there’s no imminent end-of-game change coming for Los Angeles, manager Dave Roberts explained to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register, saying he’s “not tempted” to remove Jansen as closer. The two did, however, have a “long” meeting after Wednesday’s game, reports Plunkett, who writes that Jansen also met with Dodgers president Andrew Friedman. Jansen indicated Roberts and Friedman gave him votes of confidence, but Roberts acknowledged that if things don’t turn around in the coming weeks, “then there should be a conversation and then I will have to make a decision.”

• Via Austin Green at Dodger Blue -- "Joe Kelly Believes Ability To Command Fastball Was Key to Midseason Turnaround."

“I feel good,” Kelly said after the win. “I think what was key was just throwing fastballs for strikes. I wasn’t able to get it over the plate; I was cutting my four-seam and trying to be too fine with it. Now it’s grip the two-seam, pick my target and just kind of throw through the zone. It’s tough to pitch without being able to throw a fastball.”

• Here's an interesting take that I suspect may result in some further changes to MLB policy. Per Stephanie Apstein at Sports Illustrated -- "MLB’s Inconsistent Domestic Violence Policy Lets Teams Benefit From Suspensions."

When the league and the players’ association announced MLB’s first domestic-violence policy, in 2015, commissioner Rob Manfred said he was “proud” that baseball’s approach “reflect[ed] the gravity and the sensitivities of these significant societal issues.” What baseball has in fact put together is a well-intentioned policy that, perversely, permits teams to benefit from domestic violence.

Players who use performance-enhancing drugs are ineligible for the playoffs in the seasons in which they tested positive, even if their suspensions are complete by October. Players who commit acts of domestic violence face no such prohibition. This system produces inverted incentives.

• This weeks 2019 Topps Throwback Thursday card set available only online features the 1993 Topps Black and Gold design, and includes a card of Clayton Kershaw. You can see it on the right. Go here to check it out and order.
• He's my favorite hockey player of all-time. William Regenthal at Foul Bunt shares the Marcel Dionne autographs he received at the recent National.
• An embarrassment of riches. Via Dustin Nosler at True Blue LA -- "Dodgers shortstop pipeline is impressive: Lux, Downs and a lot of guys you’ve never heard of (but will)."
• Via Jay Jaffe at FanGraphs -- "Bellinger, Devers, and MLB’s Most Improved Position Players."
• Take a look at these fantastic drawings, via a tweet from @claudiall_real: 

Finished! Finally. The young rookies, ready to take over the game.@goooose15 , @d_maydabeast and @will_smith30 pic.twitter.com/zz3rETBRPz

— La Nenuca 💙⚾️ (@claudiall_real) August 20, 2019

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *