Dodger Thoughts

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

Page 138 of 381

In case you missed it: Kershaw and Spahn

Kershaw Warren Spahn plazaBy Jon Weisman

More notes from the world of the Dodgers and baseball…

  • Clayton Kershaw received his Warren Spahn Award in a ceremony at Oklahoma City on Wednesday.
  • Kershaw is the main individual example in a broad post (with lots of math) by Scott Lindholm at Beyond the Box Score, discussing how permutations of pitcher game scores might be used to replace the win.
  • The Dodgers have the fourth-best defense in the Majors heading into 2015, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.com.
  • Carl Erskine talked to Clarke Payne of the Muncie Free Press about how an opposing high school coach played a key role in encouraging him to pursue his dreams of playing baseball.
  • Just gonna tease you with the headline here: “Terry Forster’s Musical Feast,” by Dan Epstein at Just a Bit Outside.

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An energizing moment for the Dodgers

Gabe Kapler and A.J. Ellis lead a Winter Development Program session Wednesday on coach-player communication.

Gabe Kapler and A.J. Ellis led a Winter Development Program session Wednesday on coach-player communication.

By Jon Weisman

What’s happening at Dodger Stadium this week is bigger and more exciting than you realize.

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In case you missed it: Donnie Baseball, 2015

Stretch IMG_9761

By Jon Weisman

As the Dodgers Winter Development Program continued (above), Don Mattingly made his first local appearance of 2015, talking shop with the beat writers before joining in on the Winter Development Camp sessions. Ken Gurnick of MLB.com provides a report of the wide-ranging discussion.

Elsewhere …

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In case you missed it: Dodgers playing baseball

By Jon Weisman

It was fun to see pitching prospects Julio Urias and Grant Holmes side by side this morning at the first full day of the Dodgers’ Winter Development Program. Here’s another video of them in tandem:

[wpvideo iGXbMC9c]

Elsewhere around the Internet …

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Mattingly makes big play in football title tilt

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Danny Mattingly, the 6-foot-5, 235-pound redshirt freshman linebacker whose third-quarter interception keyed Oregon’s comeback attempt in the college football national championship tonight, is a distant cousin of Don Mattingly, according to this August feature by Andrew Greif in the Oregonian. Click the image above for video.

– Jon Weisman

Mind matters: Gabe Kapler on changes to Winter Development Program

Juan Ocampo/Los Angeles Dodgers

Juan Ocampo/Los Angeles Dodgers

By Jon Weisman

New Dodger director of player development Gabe Kapler said that the focus of this year’s Winter Development Program for select Dodger prospects will be more on the mind than the body.

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Winter Development Camp begins this week

Juan Ocampo/Los Angeles Dodgers

Juan Ocampo/Los Angeles Dodgers

By Jon Weisman

The Dodgers’ annual Winter Development Camp, which gives select minor leaguers exposure to the Major League environment, gets underway in earnest at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday for the first of three days (though the invitees will gather tonight to watch the college football national championship game together).

Here’s the list of participants:

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Dodgers announce 2015 minor-league coaching staff

Oklahoma City pitching coach Scott Radinsky

Oklahoma City pitching coach Scott Radinsky had a 2.65 ERA in three seasons with the Dodgers.

By Jon Weisman

The Dodgers will return all six of their minor-league field managers in 2014, though two of them will be switching teams.

The 2014 minor-league managers are Damon Berryhill (Triple-A Oklahoma City), Razor Shines (Double-A Tulsa), P.J. Forbes (Single-A Rancho Cucamonga), Bill Haselman (Single-A Great Lakes), John Shoemaker (Rookie-advanced Ogden) and Jack McDowell (Rookie-level AZL Dodgers). Last year, Shoemaker managed the AZL Dodgers and McDowell at Ogden.

With promotions throughout the system, many Dodger prospects will work with their coaches from 2014. More on the coaching staffs follows …

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In case you missed it: Live from Fogtown

Fog

By Jon Weisman

With this post, we bring back Dodger Insider’s “In case you missed it” feature, highlighting noteworthy content from around the web. Here’s today’s edition …

  • Single-game Spring Training tickets for Dodger games at Camelback Ranch are now on sale at dodgers.com.
  • Just how underrated is Hyun-Jin Ryu? Mike Petriello provides the analysis at Fangraphs.
  • Howie Kendrick has not popped out since September 2013. For real. Jeff Sullivan has more at Fox Sports’ Just a Bit Outside.
  • Kenny Lofton and Kevin Brown made David Schoenfield’s all-time all-underrated team at ESPN.com’s Sweet Spot, along with Dodger villains Graig Nettles and Jose Cruz.

Garrett Gould, Ross Stripling on road back from Tommy John surgery

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By Jon Weisman

Right-handed pitching prospect Garrett Gould, the Dodgers’ second-round draft choice in 2009, had Tommy John surgery in November but said “everything is going great” with his recovery.

“I’ve just about gotten all of my range of motion back, so now I’m trying to strengthen my arm and get it moving again,” Gould said Friday. “It’s been tough knowing that I might not play baseball at all this year, but it’s something I try not to think about. Right now I’m just trying to do what my trainers ask and work hard every day to get back on the field as soon as possible.”

Gould never really got untracked in 2014, finishing his season in June with a 7.34 ERA, 1.78 WHIP and 41 strikeouts in 61 1/3 innings.

“I’m not sure exactly (when it happened), but I knew something was wrong for a little while,” Gould said, “but I thought it was something that I could pitch through and be all right.”

“I started my rehab down in Arizona with our trainers, and now I’m doing it at a place back home in Wichita,” he said. “I’ll be heading back to Arizona at the start of February to continue it down there with our trainers.”

Ross Stripling (68) works out at Spring Training in 2014. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

Ross Stripling (68) works out at Spring Training in February 2014. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

During his time in Arizona, Gould has crossed paths with minor-league teammate Ross Stripling, who had Tommy John surgery in April. The 25-year-old Stripling, who had a 2.78 ERA with 83 strikeouts in 94 innings for Double-A Chattanooga in 2013, said that he has done the majority of his rehab in Frisco, Texas — in the Dallas metropolitan area.

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Arruebarrena, Seager, Urias among 17 non-roster Spring Training invitees

Steve Saenz/Rancho Cucamonga Quakes

Steve Saenz/Rancho Cucamonga Quakes

By Jon Weisman

The Dodgers announced that they have invited 17 non-roster players to Spring Training in 2015, including infielder Erisbel Arruebarrena, who has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Here’s the list:

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Minor-league catcher Pratt Maynard retires

Steve Saenz/Rancho Cucamonga Quakes

Steve Saenz/Rancho Cucamonga Quakes

By Jon Weisman

Pratt Maynard, the Dodgers’ third-round pick in the 2011 draft, has retired from baseball because of injuries.

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Yasiel Puig’s chalk talk

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Fox Sports is the source of Yasiel Puig’s promise …

– Jon Weisman

Jimmy Rollins rolls into town with determination and delight

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For more photos of Rollins’ arrival, visit LA Photog Blog.

By Jon Weisman

A winning personality doesn’t guarantee winning — Jimmy Rollins celebrated one World Series victory in 15 seasons at Philadelphia — but it sure lends itself to dreaming big.

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The 2015 Clayton Kershaw bobblehead

Kershaw-Bobblehead-612x612

In celebration of National Bobblehead Day today, the Dodgers have unveiled their 2015 Clayton Kershaw bobblehead, which will be given away May 12 when the Dodgers host the Marlins. Season tickets or a Dodger Mini Plan offers you the opportunity to grab your seats for the game now.

— Jon Weisman

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