Dodger Thoughts

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

Tag: Raul Mondesi

World Series Game 1 had something for everyone — even Dodger fans

By Jon Weisman

“I just hope for a memorable World Series, something we’ll remember for generations,” Mark Langill wrote Tuesday. Then that night, Game 1 between the Mets and the Royals delivered, offering so much that even Dodger fans still nursing their playoff wounds had to marvel.

Moreover, it wasn’t hard to find several Dodger connections to Kansas City’s marathon 14-inning, 5-4 victory over New York.

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Is Alex Guerrero up there swinging? Check out his homer-walk ratio

Los Angeles Dodgers vs Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Dodgers at Phillies, 4:05 p.m.
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, LF
Yasiel Puig, RF
Joc Pederson, CF
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
A.J. Ellis, C
Brett Anderson, P

By Jon Weisman

Just out of curiosity, I took a look at Baseball Reference to see if the Dodgers had ever had a player hit double-digit homers in a season without having double-digit walks. Sure enough, Alex Guerrero has a chance to be the first.

Guerrero has 11 homers and five walks this year. The fewest walks by any Dodger with at least 10 homers belong to Glenn Wright, who had 11 homers and 12 walks in 1932.

Marquis Grissom is the lone Dodger this century to hit at least 10 homers in a season and have more homers than walks: 21 homers, 16 walks in 2001.

The only other Dodger to fit this description is Don Demeter, who had 18 homers and 16 walks in 1959. Raul Mondesi had 16 homers and 16 walks in 1994, as well as 30 homers and 30 walks in 1998.

If you think Guerrero’s numbers are unusual, just keep this in mind: He’s no Todd Greene. With the Texas Rangers, Greene had 10 homers and two walks — twice. First in 2002, then again in 2003.

What to know about Yasiel Puig and the Home Run Derby

By Jon Weisman

Above is a chart from ESPN Stats & Information that gives you a flavor of what this year’s Home Run Derby — co-starring Yasiel Puig, we learned today — would look like, if this year’s Home Run Derby were the first 3 1/2 months of the baseball season compressed into one night.

But not only does this year’s Home Run Derby not resemble that, it doesn’t even resemble last year’s Home Run Derby. Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com summarizes the key differences:

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Raul Mondesi leads clothing drive Sunday at Dodger Stadium

raul_mondesi2By Jon Weisman

A reminder: Raul Mondesi, the former Dodger Rookie of the Year who is now mayor of San Cristobal, Dominican Republic, is holding a clothing drive to benefit his hometown Sunday at Viva Los Dodgers, which begins in Lot 6 at 3 p.m., two hours before the Dodgers take on the Giants.

Mondesi will accept donations of gently-worn clothing and will sign autographs. Fans that bring a donation will be placed in a priority line for autographs. Dodger coach and SportsNet LA Spanish-language broadcaster Manny Mota will also make an appearance and sign autographs.

Mondesi will also throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Sunday’s game.

Curious times for Uribe and Ethier

Matt Kemp, photographed by BHSportsGuy today

Juan Uribe’s 2012 Spring Training is starting off on one good foot … and one wayward foot.

Uribe pronounced himself completely healed from his 2011 injuries, but he will miss a few days of Spring Training nonetheless because of the trial of a lawsuit filed by his 2010 San Francisco landlord. We’ll let Tony Jackson of ESPNLosAngeles.com explain.

… He has to fly up to San Francisco on Monday, which is the tentative trial date for a lawsuit that has been filed against him by his former landlord stemming from alleged damage to the apartment he rented during the 2010 season while a member of the Giants. The Dodgers are scheduled for their first full-squad workout on Tuesday, meaning there is a strong likelihood Uribe will miss the first workout and possibly a few others while getting this matter resolved.

All of which begs the question of why this matter isn’t already resolved. The plaintiff is suing Uribe in the amount of $145,000. Uribe is in the second season of a three-year, $21 million contract and will receive an $8 million salary this year. That means $145,000 is less than 2 percent of his salary for this year, and an out-of-court settlement of this suit presumably would be in an amount less than the amount Uribe is being sued for. …

In a separate post, Jackson reminds us that Jerry Sands is not a candidate for third base. “He tried it,” Dodger manager Don Mattingly told Jackson. “Honestly, it looked rough to me. He is a lot better on the first-base side for me. He looked a lot better there, more comfortable, at first base and both corners of the outfield. Third is not one of those positions where you can just throw a guy over there and teach him to play third.”

Mattingly, obviously, was a contemporary of Pedro Guerrero.

Mattingly also said to Dylan Hernandez of the Times and Ken Gurnick of MLB.com that his goal was to have Uribe play exclusively at third base, rather than move around the diamond, in the hopes of preserving his health.

That didn’t stop Mattingly from reminiscing about the time he strayed from first base to become what remains the last left-handed thrower to start at third base. Jackson and Eric Stephen of True Blue L.A. have more.

And in other news, weather and sports …

Mondesi’s son signs with Kansas City

Adalberto Mondesi, the 16-year-old son of former Dodger 30-30 man rifle-arm Raul Mondesi, has signed with Kansas City for a $2 million bonus, reports Enrique Rojas of ESPNdeportes.com. (Here’s the Google translation.)

Raul Mondesi’s colorful career has led to him becoming mayor of San Cristobal, Dominican Republic. He made his debut for the Dodgers at age 22 in 1993, won the National League Rookie of the Year award the next year and ended up with a .334 on-base percentage, .504 slugging percentage, 163 homers and 140 steals in 916 games for Los Angeles. And, of course, he remains the only individual Dodger whose T-shirt I ever purchased.

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