Dodgers Blue Heaven: Blog Kiosk: 8/11/2017 - Dodgers Links

Friday, August 11, 2017

Blog Kiosk: 8/11/2017 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Darvish was not perfect and he was far from efficient. Still, an ace pitcher, given a less than ideal start, will more often than not find a way to win. Yu Darvish, no doubt, did that last night. Per Cary Osborne at Dodger Insider:

For the second time in as many games as a Dodger, Darvish struck out 10 batters. And despite the deep counts — nine 3-ball counts total — he walked two batters.

“I fele like I was able to do the least job, going five innings, and I got the strikeouts to get (their) guys out,” Darvish told SportsNet LA’s Alanna Rizzo. “I struggled to throw first pitch strikes. … It was a battle throughout the game.”

In fact, according to ESPN Darvish is only the second Dodger since 1900 to record 10+ strike outs in each of his first two starts in Blue. Karl Spooner in in 1954 is the other.

Photo above via ESPN on twitter. Below are more links to check out:

This Day in Dodgers History: In 1950 the Dodgers were no-ht by Vern Bickford of the Boston Braves, 7-0. He needed only 97 pitches to accomplish the feat. In 1951 the first color televised broadcast of a ballgame is aired on WCBS-TV. It featured a game at Ebbets Field between the Dodgers and the Boston Braves. Unfortunately, the Boys of Summer lose the contest, 8-1. In 1962 the Dodgers protest the Giants tactic of wetting down the basepaths in order to slow down speedster Maury Wills at Candlestick Park. The Dodgers would lose 5-4. Giants manager Alvin Dark would forever earn the nickname "The Swamp Fox." In 1969 Don Drysdale announced his retirement from the game. In 2015 every home team won their game -- making that a first in the live ball era with a full slate of games.
Happy Birthday, Bobo Newsom, Luis Olmo, Dennis Lewallyn, Rex Hudson, Mike Huff & Bubba Crosby!
Video: Alanna Rizzo speaks with Yu Darvish after striking out 10 in the Dodgers 8-6 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday night. (video link)
Audio: David Vassegh joined by Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman on Dodger Talk. (audio link)
This mornings Baseball America Prospect Report makes note of Dodger hurler Mitchell White:

RHP, AA Tulsa (Dodgers): White has made a very strong return from the broken toe that cost him all of June. White threw five scoreless innings for a second consecutive start. White has managed to work five innings in back-to-back starts even though he's been extremely limited in his pitch count–he was held to 72 pitches last night after throwing 55 pitches in his previous start.

Per Harold Uhlman at Think Blue LA; "Dodgers sign infielder Jose Brizuela."

It was announced on Wednesday, August 8 that the Dodgers have purchased the contract of 24-year-old third baseman Jose Brizuela from the Florence Freedom of the Independent Frontier League.

Per Tyler Maun at MiLB.com; "Loons' Kendall delivers first four-hit game: Dodgers' first-round pick busts out of deep slump in Midwest."

A first-round pick out of Vanderbilt in June, Kendall busted into pro ball in mid-July by going 10-for-22 (.455) with seven RBIs and a 1.182 OPS in five games for Rookie-level Ogden. His introduction to full-season ball, though, had been a rough one. After 12 games with the Loons, the 23rd overall pick sported a .146/.212/.313 slash line with 16 strikeouts in 48 at-bats.

Then things clicked.

"I think he just had a solid approach at the plate," Great Lakes manager Jeremy Rodriguez said. "It didn't look like he was trying to do too much. He was staying on the fastball and trying to hit it where it was pitched, which is nice to see."

Per Darryn Albert at Larry Brown Sports; "Japanese prospect brings back Hideo Nomo pitching motion (Video)." It's an exact carbon copy.
Kenley Jansen was planning to use the nickname "Ma'Montro" during Players Weekend, but recently changed his mind. He has apparently petitioned the league to change it to "Kenleyfornia," per his twitter: