Dodger Thoughts

Jon Weisman's outlet for dealing psychologically with the Los Angeles Dodgers, baseball and life

Tag: Corey Smith

In left field for the Dodgers, Ted Williams …

Funny one-line intro …

  • Here’s video of John Candelaria no-hitting the Dodgers in 1976. Check out how excited color commentator Bob Gibson is alongside play-by-play man Al Michaels for the final out.
  • Manny Ramirez talked at length with ESPN’s Pedro Gomez about events of the past year and his desire to play again. It’s self-serving but take it for what you will.
  • Christopher Jackson of Albuquerque Baseball Examiner looks at how different this year’s Triple-A Isotopes will be. An excerpt:

    A total of 19 additional players who spent time in Albuquerque in 2011 became free agents after the season.

    Left-handed starter Alberto Bastardo (4-3, 5.38 ERA) has signed with the Marlins organization, which puts him in contention for a rotation spot with New Orleans.

    Closer Jon Link (2-2, 4.24, 11 saves) inked a deal with the Orioles, enabling him to potentially pitch closer to his Virginia home with Norfolk, another Triple-A team run by Isotopes owner Ken Young.

    Right-handed reliever Travis Schlichting (5-3, 7.10, four saves) will join the wide-open competition for a roster spot in cash-strapped Oakland.

    Corner infielder Corey Smith (.239, 7 HR) joined the White Sox, while utility player Eugenio Velez (.339, 31 RBI) will take his 0-for-37 skid in the Majors to the Cardinals organization.

    The free agents still looking for work include pitchers Roman Colon, Roy Corcoran and Randy Keisler, plus catcher Damaso Espino, first baseman John Lindsey and outfielders Brad Coon and Jay Gibbons.

  • For Variety, I took a look at the state of NFL, MLB and NBA sports broadcasts on mobile and digital platforms.
  • World Series MVP David Freese will risk killing all his postseason good vibes with a guest appearance on maligned ABC sitcom “Work It” on January 24, if the show isn’t canceled first.
  • Vin Scully talked to Tom Hoffarth of the Daily News about his upcoming bobblehead night. “Since I won’t be here for the 100th anniversary (of Dodger Stadium), I agreed to do the 50th,” Scully said. “Otherwise, I would be open to questions as to why I didn’t do it. It’s far easier this way.”
  • Ted Williams, 1940: “If I were a free agent and each major league club offered me identical contracts, I’d sign with the Dodgers. … I know I’d be a hero in Brooklyn.” (Link via Larry Granillo and Baseball Prospectus.)

The case for and against Corey Smith as the new 25th man


Mark J. Terrill/APCorey Smith blasted a three-run home run on the final day of Spring Training against Mariners pitcher Tom Wilhelmsen.

The Dodgers are expected today to make official the callup of Russ Mitchell to take the place of Casey Blake, who is suffering from an infection in his elbow. The Dodgers could have gone another way by turning to a guy you probably first heard about in Spring Training – if you heard of him at all – Corey Smith. Here’s the why and why not:

Why:

  • Though he had an .898 OPS in Albuquerque last year, Mitchell only has a .281 on-base percentage and .383 slugging percentage this year.
  • Playing first with Chattanooga and then with Albuquerque this year, Smith has a .416 on-base percentage and .993 slugging percentage with three homers, six walks and 12 strikeouts in 77 plate appearances.
  • Smith has played 984 games in the minors at Blake’s position of third base.
  • He hit some of the longest balls of any Dodger in Spring Training, when he was seven for 12 with two doubles, three homers, four walks and one strikeout.
  • He’s this year’s Mitch Jones/John Lindsey: Drafted in 2000, he has spent 12 seasons and 1,365 games in the minors without a cup of coffee in the show.

Why not:

  • His minor-league numbers this year aren’t that special – playing in Albuquerque (1.143 OPS) has inflated his performance in Double-A (.812 OPS).
  • He has only played one game at third base this year (but take note – it was Thursday).
  • He is not on the 40-man roster, meaning that someone would have to be designated for assignment (Jamie Hoffmann?) or moved to the 60-day disabled list (Hector Gimenez?)
  • His Spring Training at-bats usually came against minor-leaguers and don’t prove much.

All that being said, I’d kind of like to see Smith get the shot – partly for sentimental reasons, partly because I wouldn’t mind seeing what appears to be a bigger offensive threat off the bench. Mitchell also has home run potential, having hit two in his September 2010 promotion last year (while going 6 for 42 overall). But on the theory that the Dodgers will probably continue to start Aaron Miles at third most of the time until Juan Uribe returns, I’m not too worried about Smith’s lack of play at the position this season.

An even more radical decision by the Dodgers would be to call up outfielder Trayvon Robinson, who has started nicely in Albuquerque this year except when you consider his strikeouts, and make Jerry Sands the emergency third baseman. But I’m sure you can see the pitfalls with that …

Anyway, this will probably all be moot by gametime, but I just thought I’d think out loud about Smith.

* * *

  • Dodgers getting cosmic comeuppance for abandoning Brooklyn blah blah blah, by George Vescey in the New York Times.
  • Earlier this week before the latest ownership explosion, the Dodgers filled their security opening by hiring former LAPD captain Rich Wemmer.
  • Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com writes about the tragic offseason of Angels rookie Alexi Amarista.
  • Finally, I know you’re sick of hearing about our wedding after all the buildup and global media coverage, but nevertheless, I still want to take this opportunity to wish a happy 11th anniversary to my wife – I love you, honey!

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