This old man looked like he could still pitch.
Featured above is a look at a circa 1970's original color transparency of a greyer Sandy Koufax playing catch at Vero Beach. (Auction Link Here) As you know, he was retired by this time, so he was likely visiting folks at Dodgertown. I am unsure if this is from one of his spring trips to school the youngsters or from some other event. Nevertheless, he sure does look like he could have gotten on the mound to play some ball. Best yet, his black stirrups are fantastic.
Below are more links to check out:
- This Day in Dodgers History: In 1989 the Dodgers signed both Hubie Brooks and Mike Maddux as free agents. In 2001 the Dodgers signed free agent pitcher Hideo Nomo - he had been traded by the Dodgers in 1998.
- Happy Birthday, Howie Reed & Roger McDowell!
- I couldn't agree more with this. Per Dustin Nosler at Dodgers Digest; "A word about Yadier Alvarez and these Brian Dozier trade rumors."
There isn’t an untouchable prospect in the system — no one like Corey Seager or Julio Urias — so Alvarez could be made available in the right deal (say, for Chris Archer, or someone like that), but not for Dozier. That isn’t a slight against Dozier; it’s more of a testament to Alvarez’s potential and what the Dodgers have already invested in him. Even if the deal were expanded to include players the Twins would realistically deal (not Byron Buxton or Miguel Sano), Alvarez probably still wouldn’t be on the table.
Since Urias graduated, Alvarez is one of only two pitchers currently in the system with top-of-the-rotation stuff (the other being Walker Buehler). The odds of either of them being involved are slim-to-none.
I can't imagine the Dodgers would divest of prospect Yadier Alvarez when you consider the investment already made in him. That said, I have been constantly reminded over this winter how much I hate the rumor mill. It's filled with a whole lot of bunk, and I can't help but see the parallels between that and the fake news controversy that has recently invaded American political discourse.
- Ruitts at SABR Baseball Cards takes a look at the, "Sandy Koufax Regional Issue: 1959-1961 Morrell Meats." This is one of my favorite Dodger sets, as well, and I can attest to how difficult it is to complete.
- News sure is hard to come by. Here is a little story about a Dodgers front office employee who is set to join the Twins very soon. Via Rhett Bollinger at MLB.com; "Source: Twins to hire (Jeff) Pickler to join staff." Pickler was the Dodgers special assistant for pro scouting and player development.
- He's one of my all-time favorites, too. Nick at Dime Boxes shares his love for Jose Lima Baseball cards. Check it out here.
- I just had to share this story about those wonderful bacon-wrapped hot dogs found throughout LA. Per Jackson Landers at the Thrillist; "Danger Dogs: The Secret History of LA's Favorite Street Food."
- Rick Nelson at Twins Daily takes a closer look at the main prospect they want from the Dodgers for Dozier; "All About Jose De Leon."
De Leon's ascension is all the more impressive. His numbers began to rapidly improve and remained strong as he climbed the ladder. He impressed enough at each level that he never stayed anywhere for long. De Leon made four starts at Low-A, seven at High-A, 16 at Double-A and then 16 at Triple-A before getting his call to the big leagues.
Everywhere he pitched, it took him no more than half a season to convince the front office that he was too good for the competition. Prospect pubs quickly took notice. Prior to the 2016 campaign, three major lists (Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus, MLB.com) had De Leon somewhere between 23 and 28, after never ranking him before.
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