In case you missed it – Page 4

How hot? So hot …

On July 19, 2015

Dodgers at Nationals, 10:35 a.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, LF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Yasiel Puig, RF
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Zack Greinke, P

By Jon Weisman

Hopefully, Zack Greinke’s Florida roots will come in handy today, because this is gonna be a steamy one.

Greinke has thrown 35 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings and retired 36 of his past 37 batters, but those numbers will be challenged not only by Bryce Harper and the Washington Nationals, but also by the triple digit heat index in Washington D.C. during today’s game.

Facing fellow All-Star righty Max Scherzer in today’s primo pitching matchup, Greinke would need six scoreless innings to move pass Clayton Kershaw for third place on the Los Angeles Dodgers all-time streak list, behind (as if I need to tell you) Orel Hershiser and Don Drysdale.

Here are some other pregame notes:

Carl Crawford will rejoin the Dodgers in Atlanta on Monday, with his activation from the disabled list imminent. Don Mattingly told reporters today that figuring out how to create a roster spot for Crawford is not an easy decision. Counting Alex Guerrero and Kiké Hernandez, Crawford’s return would give Los Angeles a surplus of seven outfielders, pending the next roster move. Alberto Callaspo could be vulnerable, though he is the team’s only infielder off the bench that can bat from the left side.
How did Clayton Kershaw strike out Harper three times Saturday? According to Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles, in conversation with Don Mattingly after the game, “Kershaw attacked Harper’s weaknesses by elevating hard fastballs just enough to get him to swing and getting into counts in which he could use either breaking ball to devastating effect.”
Brandon Beachy’s second start after his second Tommy John surgery will take place Monday at his first MLB home, Atlanta — but Beachy is trying not to think about that, he told J.P. Hoornstra of the Daily News.

In case you missed it: Two openings in NL All-Star starting outfield

By Jon Weisman

On July 11, 2015

In All-Star Game, In case you missed it, Pitching

By Jon Weisman

Greetings. A few quick morning notes …

St. Louis has confirmed that Matt Holliday will join fellow National League All-Star electee Giancarlo Stanton on the sidelines for the All-Star Game, leaving two outfield spots open in the starting lineup alongside Bryce Harper that will go to two of these four: Andrew McCutchen, A.J. Pollock, Justin Upton, Joc Pederson.

Here’s how the candidates rank in wins above replacement among NL outfielders: Pollock third, McCutchen fourth, Pederson fifth, Upton 11th.

On Friday, Pederson singled, then later doubled in the game-winning run in the Dodgers’ 3-2 comeback victory over Milwaukee.
Though a starter for almost his entire career, Andre Ethier is moving up the Dodgers all-time pinch-hitting charts. His two-run, pinch-hit, game-tying single in the seventh inning Friday gave him 27 career pinch-hit RBI, good for 11th place and one away from a three-way tie with Rick Monday, Mitch Webster and Ken McMullen for eighth place.

Ethier also has the 10th-highest on-base percentage (.394) among pinch-hitters in Dodger history (minimum 50 plate appearances). Arky Vaughan is first at .461.
In his first appearance since having elective cosmetic eye surgery, Julio Urias retired six of seven batters Friday for Rookie League Arizona, allowing an infield single while striking out three. “He hovered around 93-94 mph, topped out at 97 and saw his off-speed stuff drop into the low-80s,” wrote William Boor for MLB.com. (Hector Olivera also played in the game and went 0 for 3.)
Dodger Double-A catcher and MLB Futures Game participant Kyle Farmer is the subject of a nice profile by Eric Stephen of True Blue L.A.
Workloads for MLB starting pitchers are no longer declining, according to a subscription-only piece from Bill James that was excerpted by Rob Neyer at Fox Sports’ Just a Bit Outside:

… What is happening at this time is not relievers taking innings away from starting pitchers so much as it is relievers taking innings away from other relievers. The batters faced per game by relievers are declining, at this point, only because we switch more rapidly from one relief pitcher to another.

Actually, the historical trend toward fewer innings for starting pitchers appears to be over. Major league starting pitchers pitched more innings (and more innings per start) in 2014 than they did in 1999—fifteen years earlier. There is no decline in innings pitched by starting pitchers occurring at this time; if anything, the numbers are increasing.

In the year 2003, major league relievers pitched more innings than they did in 2014. However, in 2003 they pitched those 14,720 innings in 12,958 relief appearances. In 2014 the innings were down to 14,622—but the games were up to 14,461.
Finally, this … speaks for itself.

Um, @Cindyluellis, are you watching this? @IntentionalTalk pic.twitter.com/ZFjLEET6mz

— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) July 10, 2015

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Good feedback on @IntentionalTalk cameo except from LAD Strength Coach @bdmac23 who met me back at my locker with a new nutritional plan.

— AJ Ellis (@AJEllis17) July 10, 2015

In case you missed it: The Yellowship of the Ring

By Jon Weisman

On June 22, 2015

In In case you missed it

https://instagram.com/p/4OC-IhHmJs/

By Jon Weisman

Kiké Hernandez and his minions took it to the next level Sunday on the flight to Chicago after the Dodgers’ 10-2 victory over San Francisco. Can Bananarama singing the national anthem at Dodger Stadium be far behind?

After all, on the day of the solstice, the Dodgers started out what they hope will be a cruel, cruel summer for the Giants with a 10-2 victory that increased Los Angeles’ lead in the National League West to 1 1/2 games.

Here are some notes from the weekend …

In case you missed it: Breaking Bolsinger

By Jon Weisman

On June 17, 2015

In In case you missed it, Pitching

Mike Bolsinger with family and friends prior to Los Angeles Dodgers game against the Texas Rangers Monday, June 15, 2015 at Globe Life Park in Arlington Park,Texas. The Rangers beat the Dodgers 4-1. Photo by Jon SooHoo/© Los Angeles Dodgers,LLC 2015,LLC 2015

Mike Bolsinger with family and friends prior to Monday’s game at Texas.

By Jon Weisman

A few quick hits before mid-morning passes into late-mid-morning …

The subtle variations in Mike Bolsinger’s pitching arsenal are analyzed by Eno Sarris at Fangraphs.
Great perspective on how the notion of “playing the game the right way” varies between locales is provided by John Baker at Fox Sports’ Just a Bit Outside.
Third-round draft choice Philip Pfeifer’s journey from being booted off the Vanderbilt baseball team as a junior to his seven shutout innings at the College World Series is recounted by Michael Lananna at Baseball America.
Dodger co-owner Peter Guber also has a share of the Golden State Warriors, so he was celebrating Tuesday, writes Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com.

Big crowd on Dodger injury rehab train

By Jon Weisman

On June 14, 2015

In Bullpen, Health/injuries, In case you missed it, Pregame

Dodgers at Padres, 1:10 p.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Yasiel Puig, RF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Yasmani Grandal, C
Andre Ethier, LF
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Mike Bolsinger, P

By Jon Weisman

Scott Van Slyke and Joel Peralta began their rehab assignments Saturday, as Ken Gurnick of MLB.com notes.

The timing of Van Slyke’s return is noteworthy in part because the Dodgers will use a designated hitter for the first time this season when they play Monday and Tuesday at Texas. Alex Guerrero seems like an obvious choice, but Van Slyke could also figure in the mix as he works his way back into active duty.

(Update: Don Mattingly told reporters today that the Dodgers planned to have Van Slyke play left field for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga today and first base Monday, then take Tuesday off and be activated in Los Angeles on Wednesday if all goes well.)

The Dodgers are scheduled to face righties Yovani Gallardo and Chi Chi Gonzalez in Arlington. The 23-year-old Gonzalez has a 0.42 ERA after three career Major League starts, totaling 21 2/3 innings, though with only eight strikeouts.

Here’s an excerpt from Gurnick’s update:

Van Slyke, healing from a strained mid-back muscle, went 1-for-4 with a double and strikeout as a designated hitter against Stockton in his first rehab game.

Peralta, healing from a pinched nerve in his neck, reached his pitch limit after two-thirds of an inning, charged with one run on two hits in his second rehab appearance.

The list of Dodgers lined up for injury rehab assignments with Rancho Cucamonga in the next few days includes Paco Rodriguez (elbow spur), who shows up there Monday, Brandon Beachy (Tommy John surgery) on Tuesday, and Brandon League (right shoulder impingement), who goes back to back both of those days.

Peralta, out since April 23, has allowed no runs or inherited runners to score in his 5 2/3 innings this season, scattering two singles and three walks while striking out four.

An activation of League from the disabled list is expected around June 24, according to J.P. Hoornstra of the Daily News, who separately notes that Beachy is expected to use the full 30 days available to him for his rehab assignment, which would place his arrival in the Dodger rotation no sooner than July 17, the first day after the All-Star Break. No doubt, the sequence of the Dodger rotation will depend on the use of Zack Greinke and/or Clayton Kershaw at the Midsummer Classic.

In addition, Pedro Baez has been throwing bullpen sessions at Camelback Ranch “but is probably still a week away from starting a rehab assignment,” according to Bill Plunkett of the Register.

Adam Liberatore and Josh Ravin are the two current Dodger relievers who have spent time in the minors this season, but if the Dodgers want to make room in the bullpen for Peralta, Rodriguez, League and Baez, they’d have to carve out more space.

If Van Slyke, Peralta, League, Beachy, Rodriguez and Baez are all activated over the next month, that would turn over nearly 25 percent of the active roster. And that doesn’t factor in Carl Crawford, in Arizona recovering from his oblique injury, and Hector Olivera, whose MLB debut is still expected in the coming weeks.

* * *

Josh Sborz, drafted 74th overall by the Dodgers last week, was profiled by Cash Kruth at MLB.com after striking out five in three shutout innings for Virginia at the College World Series on Saturday.

“He throws strikes. He attacks you. That slider is, what, 84 to sometimes up to 87, 88 mph. It’s a pretty darned good pitch,” Virginia coach Brian O’Connor said. “So you have a lot of confidence in him that he’s going to go at them and give his best. And he’s been pretty darned near as good as you can be all year long for us.”

Aside from his fastball and slider, the 6-foot-3, 225-pound Sborz also shows solid feel for a changeup that he really doesn’t need as a reliever. Last season, Sborz posted a 2.92 ERA in 15 games (13 starts) while mostly working out of the rotation, and the Dodgers have said they plan to begin developing him as a starter.

In case you missed it: Grandal denies W for acha

By Jon Weisman

On May 31, 2015

In Health/injuries, In case you missed it

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By Jon Weisman

On Saturday in St. Louis, Michael Wacha carried a shutout (OK, a no-hitter) into the seventh (OK, the sixth) inning, then gave up a couple of hits and a huge home run. Sound familiar, anyone?

Sure, the stakes were different in the Dodgers’ 5-1 victory than Game 4 of the National League Division Series, but otherwise it was something of a mirror image of Clayton Kershaw’s final October downfall.

Judging by what he told Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny left Wacha in the game mainly to try to get him the “W” next to his name in the boxscore.

“You’ve got that situation there with an opportunity to pitch (Gonzalez) tough, fouled off a lot of pitches and that did, no question, wear him down pretty good,” Matheny said. “At that point we’ve got to try and keep him in that game. Try and get our offense back out there and get him a win. The ball jumped for Grandal and that was the big game-changer.

“If it’s a 1-1 game, it’s Michael’s game.”

Said Yasmani Grandal, who blasted the three-run shot off Wacha, to David Cobb of MLB.com: “It just so happened that [Wacha] made a mistake, probably the only mistake he made all night, and I was able to capitalize on it.”

MLB’s Statcast took a look at Grandal’s tiebreaking homer Saturday and noted that Grandal “has an average exit velocity of 94.5 mph on balls Statcast™ has tracked, which leads all catchers.”

Grandal’s .492 on-base percentage in May is the second-best mark in the National League this month behind Bryce Harper, according to the Dodgers’ PR department, and he is third in slugging percentage (.698), behind Harper (.905) and Paul Goldschmidt (.720).

Grandal also provided benefits behind the plate for the Dodgers on Saturday. Grandal told Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles that starting pitcher Carlos Frias was trying to do too much too soon in his fruitless start a week ago against San Diego.

… “He wanted to use all four of his pitches from the beginning for some reason and I thought we could go with one or two pitches for the first three or four innings and all of a sudden mix in those other two,” Grandal said.

Frias talked about his trust with Grandal, saying he never shook him off Saturday. He was perfectly happy to cede the game plan to his catcher.

“If he’s thinking, he’s probably not doing his job right,” Grandal said. …

Despite an error by Howie Kendrick on his first batter and loading the bases before getting an out, Frias went seven innings and allowed only one run, unearned.

“Last time he was all over the place,” Don Mattingly told Cobb. “Tonight, he seemed to be hitting his spots. He used his slider some. As the game went on, he started using his curveball. That’s the key.”

Here are some more notes from the weekend …

In case you missed it: Inside Zack Greinke’s ridiculous start to 2015

By Jon Weisman

On May 29, 2015

In Health/injuries, In case you missed it

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By Jon Weisman

How many fans are even aware that Zack Greinke leads the Major Leagues in ERA? Here’s more on Greinke’s super season so far, plus other news and notes:

Some interesting tidbits about Greinke fill Pedro Moura’s story for the Register, based in no small part on a conversation with A.J. Ellis. Here’s a sample:

In combination with his fastball, the changeup and slider have presented an unusual problem to the opposition. Ninety-three percent of Greinke’s pitches have been clocked within roughly 5 mph of each other. They’re released similarly, travel at unusually similar velocities, and then, approaching the plate, they split off in separate directions.

“It’s pretty hard for hitters when the three pitches come in and you don’t know which way they’re going to go,” Ellis said. “Is it going to come straight through? Is it going to run down and in? Is it going down and away?”

Greinke, whose fielding-independent ERA is higher than Clayton Kershaw’s, acknowledges he has been lucky on balls in play this season, in contrast to Kershaw and …
… Chris Hatcher, who spoke candidly about his recent struggles, as seen in this story by Eric Stephen of True Blue L.A. As with Moura’s article on Greinke, you need to read the entire story on Hatcher, but here’s an excerpt:

Hatcher’s ERA in May was 3.00 entering Wednesday night (it is 6.00 now), after a 7.56 mark in April. But if there is one glaring difference in the two months, it’s in strikeouts. In April Hatcher struck out 15 of 38 batters faced (39.5%), but in May just two of 31 batters he faced have struck out.

We are talking about all of 14⅓ innings on the season here, so take these numbers with a grain of salt. But peripherally Hatcher is having a fine season. Despite his 6.91 ERA, his 17 strikeout, five walks and no home runs allowed give him a 2.23 FIP and a 3.58 xFIP.

But waiting for the numbers to even out isn’t a luxury most relief pitchers have, nor does it make giving up actual runs any less annoying.

“I feel like every ball put in play is a hit off me, recently,” Hatcher said. “A couple of those were poor pitches. But what’s frustrating is when you execute your pitch and somehow the ball still finds the ground or the guy ends up on first.”

Update: Here’s more analysis from Dustin Nosler of Dodgers Digest.
Julio Urias had his cosmetic eye surgery Thursday, according to J.P. Hoornstra of the Daily News.
“Dodgers pitcher Chad Gaudin recently underwent carpal tunnel release surgery on his right wrist and could be pitching in a month,” Ken Gurnick reported on MLB.com earlier this week.
Dodger senior vice president of planning and development Janet Marie Smith has been nominated for executive of the year at the Stadium Business Awards.
The fate of Mets third baseman David Wright resembles that of Don Mattingly during his days with the Yankees, writes Steven Martano of Beyond the Box Score.
Matt Holliday of tonight’s Dodger opponents in St. Louis has reached base in 43 consecutive games to start the season, “the longest streak in the National League since 1914” to open a season according to ESPN.com. David Cobb of MLB.com adds that the MLB record to start a season is 53 by Derek Jeter.

In case you missed it: Catch a falling star

By Jon Weisman

On May 25, 2015

In Health/injuries, In case you missed it, Pregame

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For photos from Sunday, visit LA Photog Blog.

Braves at Dodgers, 5:10 p.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Justin Turner, 3B
Andre Ethier, RF
Scott Van Slyke, LF
A.J. Ellis, C
Brett Anderson, P

By Jon Weisman

Boy, that Bobby Crosby is something. He is more coordinated with a baseball flying at blazing speed toward him than I am at … anything.

See above for his latest cameraball feat, and see the bottom of this post for our May 2014 Dodger Insider magazine profile on him.

Carlos Frias matched the worst start in Dodger history Sunday by allowing 10 runs, but it’s not even the worst start in the Majors this weekend. Today, Kansas City righty Jeremy Guthrie allowed 11 runs while getting only three batters out.
Frias’ game score of -4 was the worst in Los Angeles Dodger history and the worst in the franchise since Johnny Babich’s record -21, when he gave up 13 runs on 16 hits and two walks with one strikeout almost exactly 80 years ago, on June 23, 1935.
In his 61-inning MLB career, Frias has allowed 39 runs — 18 of those runs in the 4 2/3 combined innings of his starts Sunday against San Diego and September 17 in Colorado. In his remaining 56 1/3 innings, Frias has allowed 21 runs.
Brett Anderson has not only been rained on in three straight starts, he has drawn a base on balls while batting as well, notes Eric Stephen of True Blue L.A.
Yasmani Grandal will play designated hitter for Triple-A Oklahoma City this week, ahead of his expected reactivation by the Dodgers on Saturday.
Brandons Beachy and League are headed for Camelback Ranch later this week for the next step of their respective journeys back to action, with minor-league rehabilitation assignments apparently on the horizon for June.
Erik Bedard took the mound in a game for the first time since Spring Training, starting for single-A Rancho Cucamonga.

In case you missed it: New stat places A.J. Ellis No. 1 in game-calling

By Jon Weisman

On May 23, 2015

In Catching, Health/injuries, In case you missed it, Offense

For more photos from Friday, visit LA Photog Blog.

By Jon Weisman

Dodger catcher A.J. Ellis — who was thrust into action midway through Friday’s 2-1 victory over San Diego after Yasmani Grandal was injured — has taken some grief in recent times for not being a strong pitch framer. However, according to a report by Harry Pavlidis for ESPN.com, Ellis ranks No. 1 in Major League Baseball in a new statistic measuring game calling: game-calling runs above average (GCAA).

Here’s a fun task: Try quantifying something as ephemeral as game-calling. Well, after a decade of research, that’s just what we’ve managed to do — by crafting a statistical model that attempts to quantify the value of everything from stolen-base prevention and directing pace of play to identifying hitter tendencies like swing behavior in various game situations and knowing which batters expand hit zones in RBI opportunities. Sound complicated? Oh, it is. But based on these factors, and controlling for others, we can now quantify, in runs saved, how well catchers manage their pitchers. …

… Ellis is the best game caller in the business, and now we can actually prove it. His game-calling alone saved the Dodgers 38 runs from 2012 to 2014, though he gave back 19 of those runs with everything else he did behind the plate (see below). Does it hurt to be Ellis? At times, perhaps. But at least now, when that ninth foul tip slaps his once-unheralded (but now-appreciated) inner thigh, it might not sting quite so much.

There’s not a whole lot of detail in describing the methodology behind GCAA, so we’ll see how it stands up to scrutiny. Update: On his Twitter feed, Pavlidis has been adding to the discussion.

Grandal, meanwhile, is uncertain for tonight’s game after being hit in the face in consecutive innings Friday by Yangervis Solarte’s bat and a Matt Kemp foul ball. Triple-A catcher Austin Barnes was removed midway through Oklahoma City’s game Friday in case he needs to be called up. Ken Gurnick of MLB.com has more details.

In other developments …

Hyun-Jin Ryu spoke to reporters post-surgery Friday, and revealed that there was knowledge about his labrum tear two years and 344 innings of 3.17 ERA ago. ” Ryu, his left arm in a sling during a Dodger Stadium news conference, said he was always able to pitch with it and figured he’d be able to again after it flared up in Spring Training,” wrote Gurnick.
Yasiel Puig and Carl Crawford are not much closer to returning to the Dodger outfield, Don Mattingly told reporters Friday. Puig, who has an .845 OPS in 50 plate appearances, has felt tightness trying to even jog.
Double-A Tulsa righty pitcher (and converted outfielder) Blake Smith was traded by the Dodgers to the White Sox for right-handed pitcher Eric Surkamp. Both are 27 years old. In 53 2/3 career MLB innings, Surkamp has a 6.20 ERA with 33 strikeouts against 98 baserunners. For Triple-A Charlotte this year, Surkamp has a 2.81 ERA with 30 strikeouts against 28 baserunners in 25 2/3 innings.
Carlos Frias’ ongoing adjustments are the subject of Daniel Brim’s piece on Carlos Frias today at Dodgers Digest.
The Dodgers’ offensive scoreless-inning streak ended at a record-tying 35 innings with Andre Ethier’s RBI double in the fifth, though they didn’t score an earned run until Joc Pederson’s game-winning homer three innings later.
Chris Hatcher, who threw 1/105th of the pitches that Zack Greinke threw, was credited with his first career Dodger victory.
Kenley Jansen struck out two in his perfect ninth inning. His K/9 dropped to 21.0.
Pederson has struck out four times in his past 39 plate appearances (10.3 percent). Prior to that in 2015, he had struck out 43 times in 127 plate appearances (33.9 percent).

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In case you missed it: Bobblesplash

By Jon Weisman

On May 22, 2015

In In case you missed it

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By Jon Weisman

These bobblehead ads just get better and better — with more special effects! Which mini-Dodger will get the Emmy?

Here are a few quick items that popped up recently …

Hyun-Jin Ryu had his surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder Thursday, and Ken Gurnick of MLB.com has the update.

… The degree of Ryu’s tear (and presumably any accompanying damage) is being portrayed by the club as relatively minor. By comparison to the high rate of return to success for Tommy John patients, the record of pitchers returning from shoulder labrum operations to reclaim their prior form is checkered.

The injury was once considered career-ending, but recent medical advances have improved the chances.

Comeback stories range from successes Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling to unfortunate endings like Jason Schmidt, Mark Prior and Mark Mulder. The most recent successful return from the operation is Yankees pitcher Michael Pineda. …
On the anniversary of his initial callup to the Major Leagues, shortstop Erisbel Arruebarrena was suspended by the Dodgers for the remainder of the 2015 season due to repeated failures to comply with his contract. More from Gurnick here.
The Dodgers’ 31-inning scoreless streak is put into historical context by Eric Stephen of True Blue L.A.
Hey, we could use some positive news. Here’s one: Joc Pederson’s swing gets an analytical love note from Ryan Parker of Baseball Prospectus.
David Schoenfield of ESPN.com’s Sweet Spot looks at the relative strengths and weakness of the Giants and Dodgers going forward.
Bill Shaikin of the Times looks at the fortunes and misfortunes of the Dodgers’ next opponent, San Diego.
Here’s a history of the eephus pitch, from Jonah Keri at Grantland.
At age 38, twice former Dodger lefty Randy Wolf is pitching for Toronto’s Triple-A affiliate, and he tells John Lott of the National Post (via MLB Trade Rumors) that he’s just “enjoying the moment,” regardless of whether he returns to the Majors. “When you retire you can do a lot of things in your life,” Wolf said. “But as far as the baseball aspect, it’s like death. You’re going to be dead a lot longer than you live.”

In case you missed it: Julio Urias to have elective surgery

By Jon Weisman

On May 18, 2015

In Baserunning, Health/injuries, In case you missed it, Offense

Julio Urias (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

At age 18, Julio Urias has a 3.00 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 11.5 strikeouts per nine innings for Double-A Tulsa this year. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

By Jon Weisman

Sorry for the near silence the past couple days — deadline for the June issue of Dodger Insider magazine is coming in hard and fast. But let’s catch you up …

Julio Urias is having surgery, but it’s nothing to worry about, as Ken Gurnick notes at MLB.com.

Urias will undergo elective cosmetic surgery on his left eye to repair a defect and be sidelined for about a month.
In the event of an unsuccessful surgery, it may be categorized as a medical malpractice, necessitating the engagement of legal counsel. A skilled medical malpractice lawyer specializes in seeking justice for individuals who have suffered injuries caused by doctors.

Urias will have the procedure — peri orbital benign mass removal — on May 28 in Phoenix. He will resume baseball activity in the middle of June and is expected to be back in games by the end of the month.

“He deserves this level of support and we are thrilled to give it to him,” said director of player development Gabe Kapler.

Because the overpowering left-hander is only 18, the recovery time will also serve as an innings limiter that management welcomes. Conceivably, a freshened Urias could pitch for the Dodgers beyond the Minor League season, although the club has never given that indication. …
Not unrelated: pitching prospect Jose De Leon is being promoted from Class A Rancho Cucamonga to Double-A Tulsa. In 37 2/3 innings this season for the Quakes, De Leon has struck out 58 while allowing only seven earned runs (1.67 ERA) on 38 baserunners.
Billy Bean wrote for MLB.com about his experience participating in Saturday’s Old-Timers Game. As Bean notes, it was the first time “an openly gay player, past or present, would wear a big league uniform and play in a Major League stadium.”
Here’s another piece on what is and isn’t wrong with Clayton Kershaw (mostly isn’t), from Owen Wilson at Fox Sports’ Just a Bit Outside.
Some numberific nuggets on Kershaw’s 100-victory milestone come from Adam Berry at MLB.com.
Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles looks how much the Dodgers can maintain their Dodgers’ fiery offensive production to date this season.
The Dodgers are on pace for their worst basestealing season since 1941 (the year, not the movie), writes Bill Shaikin of the Times.

In case you missed it: Turner’s transformation

By Jon Weisman

On May 13, 2015

In In case you missed it, Offense, Pregame

Justin Turner has a .918 OPS in 383 plate appearances as a Dodger. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

For images from Tuesday, visit LA Photog Blog.

Marlins at Dodgers, 4:50 p.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Justin Turner, 3B
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Alex Guerrero, LF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Andre Ethier, RF
Kiké Hernandez, SS
Carlos Frias, P

By Jon Weisman

When you’re 22-10 overall and have won 25 of your past 29 home games, you tend to generate a lot of stories. Here are a few …

Justin Turner reinvented himself as a hitter after former Mets teammate Marlon Byrd suggested he reverse his past approach and “move his contact point more out in front,” Turner tells Eno Sarris of Fangraphs.
Clayton Kershaw talked to Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports about luck and execution. Not surprisingly, Kershaw believes his problem has been the latter.
We’ve talked already about how powerful the Dodger offense has been relative to franchise history. Jeff Sullivan of Fangraphs does the work to show that in MLB history, the team is on pace to do something unprecedented.

…The Dodgers, without their pitchers, stand with a wRC+ of 142. The Royals are still in second, at 116. A few things about this. First, the highest team wRC+ marks since 1950, leaving pitchers out:

It’s the Dodgers, and it’s the Dodgers by a landslide. The Dodgers, obviously, have played only a partial season. The Dodgers, probably obviously, won’t finish this season as high as 142. They’ll come back to the pack, and I have to imagine the probability is they won’t be No. 1 on this list come season’s end. But, who’s to say? What’s happened is what’s happened, and it hasn’t all been a fluke. And besides, this isn’t a projection post. This is a post intended to review what has taken place. The Dodgers have basically hit like a lineup full of All-Stars. Not uncommon to see for a few games in a row. Far less common to see for several weeks.
Thirty years ago today, in the midst of an American League MVP season, Don Mattingly capped a Yankee comeback from an 8-1 deficit with a three-run walkoff homer in the ninth inning, as Chris Landers recollects at Cut4.
Carson Cistulli of Fangraphs on today’s starter, Carlos Frias:

… Frias, a relative unknown before joining the Dodgers bullpen last year — and still something other than a household name — has recorded both an expected FIP and average fastball velocity both more than 1.5 standard deviations better than the respective means produced by the league’s starters. He also throws strikes at a rate roughly one standard deviation better than those same starters. What this particular game represents is an opportunity to observe Frias en route to excellence. It is, in short, an emergent need that requires the attention of the reader …

In case you missed it: Andre Ethier keeps on truckin’

By Jon Weisman

On April 25, 2015

In Defense, In case you missed it

For more images from Friday, visit LA Photog Blog — here and here.

Dodgers at Padres, 5:40 p.m.
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Andre Ethier, RF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Yasmani Grandal, C
Carl Crawford, LF
Juan Uribe, 3B
Joc Pederson, CF
Brandon McCarthy, P

By Jon Weisman

So-called reserve outfielder Andre Ethier hasn’t exactly been a wallflower this season.

With Yasiel Puig’s left hamstring again ailing, Ethier is making his eighth start this season. He is also appearing in his 16th game out of the Dodgers’ first 17, more than every other Dodger except Adrian Gonzalez, Howie Kendrick, Jimmy Rollins and Joc Pederson.

So far in 2015, Ethier is 9 for 30 with four walks, two hit-by-pitches and an extra-base hit of each kind, giving the 33-year-old a .405 on-base percentage and .900 slugging percentage. All but five of his plate appearances have come against right-handed pitchers, which is what he’s facing tonight in San Diego’s Ian Kennedy.

Here are some other pregame notes:

Both Puig and reliever Joel Peralta are candidates to go on the disabled list, Don Mattingly toward reporters today, but no decision has been made. Peralta told Ken Gurnick of MLB.com that he has no pain but also no strength in his right arm.
Right-handed pitcher Scott Baker has arrived in San Diego with the intent of making the start Sunday for the Dodgers. Baker, who came within one strike of a seven-inning perfect game for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Monday, allowed two runs on 10 hits with one walk while striking out 16 in his three minor-league starts. The 33-year-old had a 5.47 ERA with 55 strikeouts in 80 2/3 innings for Texas last season.
Hyun-Jin Ryu is going to throw a bullpen session, possibly as soon as Sunday, Mattingly said.
Defensive positioning paid off in two big ways for the Dodgers in Friday’s 3-0 victory over San Diego. In the second inning, Howie Kendrick was standing almost directly behind second base when he caught Wil Myers’ line drive, completing Zack Greinke’s escape from a bases-loaded, none-out jam. And shortstop Jimmy Rollins ended up on the other side of second base when he threw out Yonder Alonso with two on and two out in the bottom of the eight.
Rollins went 0 for 4 to lower his on-base percentage to .282, but he really saved the Dodgers in that eighth inning, throwing out Wil Myers from the grass in left field for the first out, then later knocking down a Justin Upton shot to keep Matt Kemp from scoring from second base.
With his seven shutout innings, Zack Greinke lowered his ERA to 1.35, fourth in the National League.
Yimi Garcia’s perfect ninth inning, leading to his first Major League save, means that he has faced 36 batters this season and allowed only three singles and three walks while striking out 16.
Carl Crawford, who hit his first homer of 2015 Friday, did not hit between .200 and .300 in any given month last season. His batting averages the last three months of 2014: .163, .313, .448. Crawford is currently batting .244 with a .262 on-base percentage and .390 slugging percentage.
When Yasmani Grandal had to settle for a double after nearly hitting a home run in the second inning Friday, it set the stage for Juan Uribe’s first RBI of the 2015 season. Uribe hasn’t had more steals than homers since 2002, but for now, he’s one up in the stolen-base department.
First-base coach Davey Lopes, who turns 70 May 3, “is the oldest person in uniform with a big league team this season,” according to Tracy Ringolsby of MLB.com.

In case you missed it: Baseball and ‘Fantasy Life’

By Jon Weisman

On April 24, 2015

In History, In case you missed it, Pitching

Unique Tintype 16659 (8x10 inches): Sandy Koufax, Brooklyn Dodgers, by Tabitha Soren

Unique Tintype 16659 (8×10 inches): Sandy Koufax, Brooklyn Dodgers, by Tabitha Soren

By Jon Weisman

“Fantasy Life,” an exhibition by photographer Tabitha Soren (the former MTV journalist for people of my generation) that opens Saturday and runs through June 6 at the Kopeikin Gallery on La Cienega Boulevard, explores the fantasies that define America through the lens of baseball.

“In a nutshell, my artwork visualizes psychological states, and ‘Fantasy Life’ is what it looks like to try to touch greatness,” Soren said of the exhibition, which was 12 years in the making. “I’m using baseball as a metaphor to explore the American Dream.”

Images of Clayton Kershaw, Sandy Koufax and Yasiel Puig are among the 92 in the exhibition, for which an opening reception is being held Saturday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Here’s more …

This series explores the fantasies that define America: Manifest Destiny, the romantic idea of the restless wanderer, the hopeful idea that failure is just a step on the road to greatness, the notion that the pursuit of fame and fortune is also the pursuit of happiness, the belief that to secure one’s identity, one must seek to stand apart from the community. Fantasy Life expands upon these beliefs thought to be truths through a captivating series of portraits that engage the audience and shift their perspective of baseball.

Soren’s use of baseball is ingenious in its familiarity. In spite of the growing diversity and the ever-changing landscape of America’s demographics, the national pastime is relatable to everyone. The mystical nature of Soren’s work adds to its nostalgic appeal and to its representation of the myths and fantasies of a nation. This exhibit includes 92 images, including gelatin silver and C-print, plus 26 tintypes and 3 installations – one involving human bones.

For more information, visit Soren’s website.

Now, let’s take a trip around the web …

Since giving up the first two of Adrian Gonzalez’s three homers on April 8, San Diego’s Andrew Cashner has thrown 12 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run, notes Alex Espinoza of MLB.com. Cashner, whom the Dodgers face tonight in San Diego, has allowed six unearned runs in that span, however.
Fun story: Yasiel Puig gets his bats from Dove Tail Bat Co. in smalltown Maine, writes Mike Lange in the Piscataquis Observer (link via Sons of Steve Garvey).
Jeff Sullivan of Fangraphs has an interesting look at Dodger pitching and rising fastballs. Almost tangential to the story: Clayton Kershaw, despite his supposed rocky start to 2015, has a 1.93 xFIP.
If you made up an All-Star team from each of the six MLB divisions, the National League West would come out on top, concludes David Schoenfield at ESPN.com’s Sweet Spot.
“Branch Rickey’s Residual Legacy” is the subject of this thoughtful piece by Bill Felber at the National Pastime Museum (via Baseball Think Factory).
Tommy John’s elbow and ticket stubs from two Dodger-Giant games are part of Josh Leventhal’s “A History of Baseball in 100 Objects,” reviewed by Tom Hoffarth at the Daily News’ Farther Off the Wall.
Hoffarth also writes about “Gil Hodges: A Hall of Fame Life,” while Bruce Markusen had an interview with writer Mort Zachter at the Hardball Times.
The New Yorker has a baseball-themed cover this week (but no, I’m not suggesting there are Dodgers on it).
A history of the color line and the Pacific Coast League is authored by Ronald Auther at Our Game.
Why are baseball games nine innings long? Mental Floss provides the answer (link via Hardball Talk).

In case you missed it: Viniversary

By Jon Weisman

On April 18, 2015

In History, In case you missed it, Transactions

For more photos from Friday, visit LA Photog Blog.

Rockies at Dodgers, 6:10 p.m.
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Yasiel Puig, RF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Yasmani Grandal, C
Andre Ethier, LF
Juan Uribe, 3B
Joc Pederson, CF
Zack Greinke, P

By Jon Weisman

A quick stack of news and notes …

Today is the 65th anniversary of Vin Scully’s first Dodger broadcast.
Maury Wills is being inducted into the Washington D.C. Sports Hall of Fame on Sunday.
David Huff is back with Oklahoma City after clearing waivers and accepting an assignment there.
Adam Liberatore, called up before Friday’s game, pitched a perfect inning in his MLB debut.
Yasiel Puig is back in the Dodger lineup, but Carl Crawford is battling the flu. Taking Crawford’s place is Andre Ethier, who is 7 for 20 with three walks and three extra-base hits this season, for a 1.091 OPS.
Zack Greinke takes the hill tonight with a 0.69 ERA in 13 innings, with eight baserunners against 11 strikeouts.
Kenley Jansen threw off a mound today for the first time since his February foot surgery.
The year’s first Viva Los Dodgers (presented by State Farm and Time Warner Cable) will take place at 11 a.m. at the historic 76 station behind center field. If it’s warm out there, blame the red-hot Dodger slugger Adrian Gonzalez, who will make a special appearance from 11-11:30 a.m. to officially launch his community program, Adrian Gonzalez’s Viva Los Dodgers Days. Manny Mota will sign autographs from 11:30 a.m. to 12:50 p.m., and musical entertainment will be provided by Latin Grammy-nominated Trio Ellas and Mexican regional artist Jesus Mendoza.
In addition, mega-DJ Steve Aoki will be at Dodger Stadium on Sunday for a pregame performance.

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Dodger Thoughts

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

Category: In case you missed it (Page 4 of 12)

How hot? So hot …

In case you missed it: Two openings in NL All-Star starting outfield

In case you missed it: The Yellowship of the Ring

In case you missed it: Breaking Bolsinger

Big crowd on Dodger injury rehab train

In case you missed it: Grandal denies W for acha

In case you missed it: Inside Zack Greinke’s ridiculous start to 2015

In case you missed it: Catch a falling star

In case you missed it: New stat places A.J. Ellis No. 1 in game-calling

In case you missed it: Bobblesplash

In case you missed it: Julio Urias to have elective surgery

In case you missed it: Turner’s transformation

In case you missed it: Andre Ethier keeps on truckin’

In case you missed it: Baseball and ‘Fantasy Life’

In case you missed it: Viniversary

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