Dodger Thoughts

In Health/injuries, Pitching, Pregame

Indians at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Dee Gordon, 2B
Yasiel Puig, RF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Matt Kemp, LF
Andre Ethier, CF
Juan Uribe, 3B
Drew Butera, C
Carlos Triunfel, SS
Josh Beckett, P

By Jon Weisman

While tonight’s start by Josh Beckett was never really in doubt, the Dodgers have taken measures to have a Plan B in case he needs to skip a start going forward.

Recently, the Dodgers adjusted the schedule of Albuquerque starting pitcher Red Patterson, who allowed one run in 4 2/3 innings of a spot start against the Mets in May, to make sure it lined up with that of Beckett, who is scheduled for two more starts after tonight before the All-Star Break.

Beckett has no specific ailments right now, but as happens with an everyday player (most infamously, I suppose, Mike Marshall), “general soreness” can catch up with you.

“Josh is always the guy that in between starts we worry about,” Dodger manager Don Mattingly said Monday. “He just kind of battles every time to get ready for the next one.”

Beckett has frequently described the way he feels after a start as “like being hit by a truck.”

Said Mattingly: “He’s got over 2,000 innings on him. There’s time he doesn’t throw his bullpens. Any guy who’s got a little mileage on him, we’ve got to pay attention.”

Mattingly said that frankly, he hasn’t noticed an effect on Beckett’s performance when he skips a bullpen session. After missing most of last season with thoracic outlet syndrome, Beckett has a no-hitter and 2.11 ERA for the Dodgers in 2014, as well as 14 consecutive scoreless innings (the Dodgers as a team have 24).

“Josh is a guy in the past who threw a lot of pitches in the bullpen, even before a game,” Mattingly said. “I think it just kind of came to the point where he’s cutting back and trusting his stuff, being more thrifty with the number of pitches he’s throwing in all areas.”

Coming next homestand: Take the Dodger Rally Bus to the game

For the July 10-13 and July 29-August 5 homestands, featuring games against the Padres, Braves, Cubs and Angels, the Dodgers are offering a Rally Bus for transport from pickup points at various communities to Dodger Stadium and back.

Major League Bus will be offering round-trip travel from Anaheim, Burbank, Carson, City of Commerce, Duarte, Glendale, Long Beach, Monterey Park, Ontario, Pasadena, Santa Clarita, Santa Fe Springs, Santa Monica, Sherman Oaks, South Los Angeles, Sun Valley, Thousand Oaks, West Covina, Westwood and Woodland Hills.

“The Dodgers are excited to get behind MajorLeagueBus.com, who are offering another fan friendly option to get to and from Dodger Stadium,” said Dodgers senior vice president of external affairs Renata Simril. “Fans can leave the driving to the Rally Bus team and included in the price of the ride, fans will receive a $10 Sports Authority gift card. Not only is this a great value, it’s a fun and easy experience as well.”

For additional Rally Bus locations, pricing and schedules, call (855) 725-5928 or visit www.dodgers.majorleaguebus.com.

— Jon Weisman

Puig clinging to third spot in NL outfield as All-Star voting nears end

By Jon Weisman

With fewer than 60 hours to go until All-Star voting closes at 8:59 p.m. Thursday, Yasiel Puig still has a spot in the National League starting outfield, but he has slipped from first to third among outfielders.

Puig (3,001,907 votes) has a 320,000-vote lead over Giancarlo Stanton of Miami for third place, but now trails the tightly matched duo of Pittsburgh’s Andrew McCutchen (3,173,810) and Milwaukee’s Carlos Gomez (3,169,748).

Game-used Kershaw no-hitter ball up for auction

In Community

By Jon Weisman

A game-used, autographed ball from Clayton Kershaw’s no-hitter – plus a meet-and-greet with the Dodger superstar – is up for auction, with proceeds benefiting the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation.

Dodger Insider magazine — July edition

In Publications

By Jon Weisman

We’re overflowing with great stuff in the July edition of Dodger Insider magazine — our biggest issue yet this year — on sale beginning today throughout the ballpark and now on its way to subscribers.

Our cover package focuses on Yasiel Puig and looks at how he is maturing as a ballplayer even as he keeps the kid inside him alive. But also among the more than 25 pieces in Dodger Insider are a detailed look at Josh Beckett’s remarkable return from 2013 surgery, follow-ups on the no-hitters by Beckett and Clayton Kershaw, an inside-the-room view of the Dodgers’ 2014 draft and the return of Dee Gordon and Brandon League from challenging 2013 seasons.

There are also several historical pieces, including a fun spotlight on Dodger All-Star history, as well as Dixie Walker’s journey from “The People’s Cherce” to the people’s pariah, only to return years later as team batting coach.

We also have some terrific photos, including a 12-shot spread of Gordon stealing second that almost presents like a flip book. So make sure you get you hands on a copy, either at the ballpark or by going to dodgers.com/magazine. And – the digital version of the issue should be posted today.

‘Planet Dodgers’ seeks your Dodger home videos

In Television

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2lo456KoC0&w=550&h=309]

By Jon Weisman

A new SportsNet LA series, “Planet Dodgers,” offers Dodger fans a chance to get their own videos on the air.

Long wait deepens Clint Robinson’s reward

In Bench

By Jon Weisman

Seven and a half months before his 30th birthday, Clint Robinson got his first Major League hit. That it was a game-winning hit was obviously no small bonus, but as Dylan Hernandez of the Times wrote, “the two months Manager Don Mattingly’s team spent chasing the Giants was nothing compared to how long Robinson waited for to live a dream.”

“Twenty-nine years and counting,” Robinson told Hernandez. “I have so many emotions right now, it’s kind of hard to even put words together.

“Man, that feels good,” Robinson said he told himself as he reached first base, Hernandez added.

Clint Robinson survives space attack after game-winning hit

They send these graphic destructobeams at the speed of light via satellite, I hear. Fortunately, this one only sheared off the front of Clint Robinson’s helmet but left his head unscathed after his first Major League hit tonight.

– Jon Weisman

Update: But would he survive a liquid attack from land?

One one-hitter later, and Dodgers are No. 1 in West

In Postgame

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By Jon Weisman

It was the play of the game, early in the game. With David Murphy (who had walked) on second and two out, Miguel Rojas dove to his left to flag a sharp shot up the middle by Michael Bourn off Dan Haren that had RBI stamped and scribbled all over it.

Rojas jumped to his feet and threw to first, and Bourn was called out.

The bad news for the Dodgers: Upon further review, the call was reversed.

The good news for the Dodgers: Cleveland had no more baserunners the rest of the game.

Yes, there but for the grace of replay went the Dodgers’ third no-hitter in six weeks. Really.

But there, thanks to the grace of Clint Robinson, the Dodgers moved into first place in the National League West for the first time since April 24.

Coming to the plate in a scoreless game in the bottom of the seventh inning, after Andre Ethier had tripled with none out and pinch-hitter Hanley Ramirez had been intentionally walked with two out, Robinson grounded a 3-2 pitch almost to the same spot that Bourn hit his ball, but this – Robinson’s first Major League hit – had enough moxie to get through for the RBI that gave the Dodgers a 1-0 victory over Cleveland.

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Robinson was batting for Haren, who faced 23 batters and retired all but the aforementioned two, striking out five. Brian Wilson and Kenley Jansen were perfect in closing out the game.

Dodger pitchers have …

a 0.33 ERA in their past three games with 32 strikeouts in 27 innings.
a 1.14 ERA in their past seven games with 67 strikeouts in 63 innings.
a 1.81 ERA in their past 14 games with 124 strikeouts in 124 2/3 innings.

And the Dodgers have won 16 of their past 22 games, gaining 10 games on San Francisco in 22 days.

Matt Kemp’s bounce-back month: .905 OPS

In Offense, Pregame

Indians at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Dee Gordon, 2B
Yasiel Puig, RF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Matt Kemp, LF
Andre Ethier, CF
Juan Uribe, 3B
A.J. Ellis, C
Miguel Rojas, SS
Dan Haren, P

By Jon Weisman

June has been kind to many Dodgers, but on the hitting side, particularly so to Matt Kemp.

Since his OPS fell to .719 on May 30, its lowest point since the second game of the season, Kemp has been OPSing .905 (.381 on-base percentage and .525 slugging percentage). He leads the Dodgers in total bases for the month of June with 51.

Has Kemp been a changed hitter? Maybe. On the other hand, remember when I wrote how Kemp had the best batting average on balls in play in Dodger history, but that early in 2014, it was abnormally low? Well, take a look at the following:

Matt Kemp BABIP, 2014
.167 April 4-17
.392 April 18-May 21
.000 May 22-May 30
.405 May 31-June 29

For the year, Kemp’s BABIP is .352 — which exactly matches his career average.

Though Kemp’s home run power is down, he is on pace for a career-high 39 doubles. And Kemp still leads the Dodgers in home runs in June with three. Here’s an odd fact: The Dodgers have more wins in June (17) than home runs in June (13).

Dee Gordon’s stolen-base lead tenuous, but All-Star candidacy robust

In Baserunning

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By Jon Weisman

Dee Gordon’s lead in the Major League stolen base race, which was 14 when June began, is down to only four. And yet, his case for making the National League All-Star team as a reserve has perhaps never been stronger.

Thanks in no small part to becoming the first player since Ray Chapman in 1917 to have four consecutive multisteal games, Houston’s Jose Altuve has nearly flagged down Flash Jr., who has one steal since June 21. And Cincinnati’s Billy Hamilton has made up nearly as much ground.

Jon SooHoo/© Los Angeles Dodgers, LLC 2014

The Irony Committee notes that this has been happening while Gordon has had a rock-solid month at the plate, with a .316 batting average, .371 on-base percentage (including eight walks) and .495 slugging percentage. However, after success in 34 of his first 37 steal attempts this year, Gordon has only been safe in six of his past 11.

Altuve, who was an NL second baseman less than two years ago before the Astros moved to the American League, has hit a scorching .424/.455/.511 in June, with Reds outfielder Hamilton at .330/.351/.509.

Nevertheless, Gordon has moved up to second place in Wins Above Replacement among NL second basemen, according to Fangraphs, trailing only position voting leader Chase Utley of Philadelphia. Gordon is rated the No. 1 offensive second baseman in the league and No. 1 at baserunner, and league average on defense (frequent spectacular plays notwithstanding).

The Mets’ Daniel Murphy and Brewers’ Scooter Gennett, neither of whom have any more of an All-Star pedigree than Gordon, are ranked third and fourth at second base by Fangraphs behind Gordon.

In short, by continuing to hone all aspects of his game, Gordon has become every bit the legitimate candidate to join the NL team in Minnesota in two weeks.

Ooooh … fire

On June 29, 2014

In Humor

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I’m playing like a star.

I go to the stadium.

I come up close.

You don’t even know.

You say you don’t like it.

Van Slyke I know you’re a liar.

Because when we win …

Oooh …

Fire.

– Jon Weisman

What’s .001 between friends? Dodgers tie Giants for first

On June 29, 2014

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By Jon Weisman

Technically, the Giants remain in first place in the National League West. By .001. If you want to be technical.

Either way, go ahead and say that the Dodgers have erased a 9 1/2-game deficit in the National League West for the second consecutive season – and have done so in 20 games, even more quickly than the 25 games it took in 2013.

They did so by pummeling the St. Louis Cardinals for the second consecutive day, 6-0, with Andre Ethier’s three-run homer – his first tater trot in more than a month – in the fifth inning providing the crowning blow behind the continued unparalleled efforts of Clayton Kershaw.

It took the Dodgers until the fourth inning to get their offense going, and in fact, it took a shift-defying bunt single by Adrian Gonzalez to generate their first hit off Cardinals righty Shelby Miller.

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Gonzalez’s effort moved Yasiel Puig, who had walked, to second base, before Matt Kemp singled in the first run and Juan Uribe hit a sacrifice fly for the second.

In the fifth, Puig doubled, Gonzalez singled and Kemp doubled ahead of Ethier’s blast. And that, as some would say, was that.

Ballgame

— Eric Stephen (@truebluela) June 29, 2014

Clayton Kershaw writes another chapter, verging on epic

On June 29, 2014