Dodger Thoughts

In Uncategorized

You already know that National League Division Series Game 1 starts at 6:45 p.m. Friday, and Game 2 starts at 6:07 p.m. Saturday.

Today, MLB revealed the schedule for the rest of the series (all times Pacific):

Game 3 at New York: Monday at 5:07 p.m. (if there are four MLB playoff games that day) or 5:37 p.m.
Game 4 at New York (if necessary): Tuesday at 5:07 p.m.
Game 5 at Los Angeles (if necessary): October 15 at 5:07 p.m.

Remember, plan to arrive early for any playoff game you attend!

— Jon Weisman

Traveling through time with Vin Scully

In History

Editor’s note: To say the least, Vin Scully comes by his gift for language honestly. In September 1965, while on a Dodger road trip, Scully wrote a guest column for the Times, excerpted below. He was a master of word and thought then, just as he is now. So pull up a chair …

By Vin Scully

PITTSBURGH — It came up rain, a gray somber rain that put a frown on the careworn face of Pittsburgh. My window was streaked with erratic wet lines that made me think of a small child crying. Rain meant disappointment to thousands of fans — and a doubleheader to broadcast — and it meant that on that wet afternoon, I was face to face with the biggest enemy on the road … TIME …

The radio hummed softly in the background and I began to pick out a few lyrics … “Lost out here in the stars … little stars … big stars …” I began to hold memories up to the light like color slides: New York — I could smell the cigaret smoke in the old Polo Grounds. I was 10 and in the bleachers and I first realized that I could see the bat hit the ball before I could hear it.

Vin Scully ‘resting comfortably’ after medical procedure, will miss postseason

In Health/injuries, Television

By Jon Weisman

Vin Scully underwent a recommended medical procedure this morning and is resting comfortably, the Dodgers have announced.

On the advice of his doctors, Scully will miss the Dodgers’ postseason games to rest up. He said he’s looking forward to returning to the Dodgers for the 2016 season, his 67th with the Dodgers.

Everyone in the Dodger organization wishes Scully the speediest of recoveries. Can’t wait to see him back in action next year!

Click to read: Traveling through time with Vin Scully

A special first pitch before NLDS Game 1

In Dodger Stadium

A really wonderful moment is going to take place before the start of the National League Division Series on Friday. From the Dodgers’ public relations department:

Four-year-old Ella Mason Annear, who has battled cancer for the past two years, and Hall of Fame Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda have been named to throw out the honorary first pitch for games one and two on the National League Division Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets.

Annear, who also goes by “Ella The Great”, is the daughter of the Dodgers’ vice-president of merchandising and retail Allister Annear and his wife, Amanda. She will do the honors on Friday night prior to the 6:45 p.m. game.

Ella was diagnosed with Heptoblastoma and a lung tumor seven months ago. After surgery on April 20 and seven rounds of chemotherapy, the youngster was cleared of cancer and pronounced NED (no visible disease). Ella has a website, where fans can check her journey–http://ella-the-great.tumblr.com.

Lasorda will get the call on Saturday prior to the 6:05 p.m. start of game two. The Hall of Fame skipper, who is the special advisor to the chairman, is baseball’s greatest ambassador. Lasorda is currently in his 66^th season in the Dodger organization. He managed the club for 20 seasons before retiring to the front office in 1996. Lasorda won two world championships, four National League pennants and eight division titles. He recently celebrated his 88^th birthday.

— Jon Weisman

How a manager battles the odds

In Bullpen, Managing

Don Mattingly visits Clayton Kershaw at the mound before leaving him in to finish the Dodgers’ September 2 victory over the Giants. (Jill Weisleder/Los Angeles Dodgers)

By Jon Weisman

The other day on Twitter, I proposed a hypothetical that I think you could call a nice problem to have.

Ellis on Kershaw: What happened after 2014’s final out

In Pitching, Postseason

Back in Spring Training, with the scar of the previous October only beginning to heal, I asked A.J. Ellis to join Vin Scully, Rick Honeycutt and Orel Hershiser in a package of bylined stories about Clayton Kershaw for the April edition of Dodger Insider magazine. With a new October upon us, I thought this would be a good time to revisit Ellis’ remarkable insights about Kershaw and his relationship with the Dodger ace. Click the image above to enlarge.

— Jon Weisman

Arrive early for NLDS games — Friday and Saturday

In Dodger Stadium, Postseason, Transportation/parking

By Jon Weisman

You’re probably expecting rush-hour traffic to be challenging for Friday’s 6:45 p.m. National League Division Series opener. But don’t get lulled into thinking you can waltz to Dodger Stadium at the last minute for Saturday’s 6:07 p.m. game, either.

Because the CONCACAF Cup at the Rose Bowl between Mexico and the U.S. has the same starting time as NLDS Game 2, Los Angeles freeways figure to be jammed. That’s why the Dodgers once again urge fans to arrive as early as possible for both games — and also embrace carpooling and alternate transportation.

To that end, the Dodger Stadium Express, free for everyone with a game ticket, will begin service from Union Station at 4:15 p.m. Friday and 3:37 p.m. Saturday, two hours and 30 minutes before first pitch for each game.

South Bay Dodger Stadium Express service will also begin earlier, two hours before each game.

Remember, the Dodger Stadium Express takes a dedicated lane along Sunset Boulevard up Elysian Park Avenue to the ballpark, with stops behind the outfield pavilions and at the top of the park.

If you are driving, be sure to purchase your parking in advance to save time and money. Auto gates open three hours before first pitch: 3:45 p.m. Friday and 3:07 p.m. Saturday.

For more information, check out our earlier blog post this week or visit dodgers.com/transportation.

Vin Scully to be honored twice in November

In Awards

Sandi and Vin Scully at Dodger Stadium on September 23. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

By Jon Weisman

On November 8, Vin Scully will receive the George H.W. Bush Distinguished Alumnus Award from the National College Baseball Hall of Fame at the Bel-Air Country Club.

The award has a nice historical touch, given that Scully was an outfielder at Fordham and played against Bush’s Yale team in April 1947.

“Mr. Scully is representative of what the Bush Award stands for,” National College Baseball Hall of Fame president and CEO Mike Gustafson said. “He is the voice of baseball for so many, and this will be a great evening.”

Three days later, Scully and his wife Sandi will receive the Friends of the Family Award from the Pepperdine Boone Center for the Family at an event at the Beverly Hilton.

Remembering ’65: World Series Game 2

In History, Remembering '65

By Jon Weisman

Pummeled mercilessly in Game 1 of the 1965 World Series, the Dodgers could console themselves by handing Game 2 to Sandy Koufax, who had just completed one of the most memorable seasons in baseball history — a 2.04 ERA, a perfect game and a big-league record 382 strikeouts.

Koufax had clinched the National League pennant for the Dodgers with a complete game on two days’ rest, capping a stretch in which he threw 27 innings in only eight days, allowing one run and striking out 38.

The brilliant lefty, whose entire season had seemed in jeopardy back in April, had logged 335 2/3 innings overall, the most by any Major Leaguer in more than a decade and the fourth-highest total since World War II. Seemingly, however, he had gone from brittle to indefatigable, and with a full four days’ rest heading into his Game 2 start, on October 7, 1965, confidence was high.

For the ace who has it all: Clayton Kershaw’s primo pickoff move

In Baserunning, Pitching

Clayton Kershaw making one of his NL-leading 127 pickoff throws in 2015. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

One of Clayton Kershaw’s MLB-leading 127 pickoff throws. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

By Jon Weisman

As if the guy didn’t have enough weapons …

Clayton Kershaw is baseball’s top pickoff artist, and it isn’t even close.

Kershaw picked off nine baserunners this year, three more than the two next-closest pitchers, teammate Brett Anderson and former teammate Joe Beimel, now with Seattle.

This isn’t a new skill. Kershaw led the National League in pickoffs for three consecutive seasons (2010-12) and has been in the top 10 every year since 2009.

“He’s always had that in the back of his pocket,” said Dodger coach and baserunning guru Davey Lopes. “He’s utilized it quite a bit — guys trying to stretch their leads, and he’s been picking them off.

In the past seven seasons, Kershaw has been credited with 55 pickoffs. Next on the list among big-league pitchers are Mark Buehrle (42) and James Shields (28).

No other MLB pitcher since 2009 has even half as many pickoffs as Kershaw.

Read More

Kershaw to start NLDS Game 1, followed by Greinke and Anderson

In Postseason

Clayton Kershaw will start Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Mets on Friday, the Dodgers have announced, followed by Zack Greinke in Game 2 on Saturday and Brett Anderson in Game 3 at New York on Monday.

Kershaw is scheduled to face Jacob deGrom, with Greinke going against Noah Syndergaard and Anderson against Matt Harvey.

Much is known about Kershaw and Greinke, but Anderson is not a newcomer to the playoffs either. He will be making his third postseason appearance and second postseason start. In Game 3 of the 2012 NLDS, Anderson pitched six shutout innings for Oakland against Detroit. In 2015, Anderson had a 3.07 ERA and 1.30 WHIP in 15 road starts.

— Jon Weisman

Zaidi: Clubhouse key for managers

In Managing

Work day. #LALovesOctober (via @JonSooHooPics) pic.twitter.com/yC4El1wvmK

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 6, 2015

Dodger general manager Farhan Zaidi, speaking today on what’s most important for a manager today.

“I think the longer I’ve been in baseball, the more it’s tilted toward managing the clubhouse and the personalities and the egos,” Zaidi said. “I think from the outside, the average person watching the game just sees the Xs and Os, and whether you took a reliever out or left him in, but again, in my view, a lot of those are 52-48, 55-45 decisions. You get judged by the outcome rather than the process. But kind of being behind the scenes, (you realize) how important it is to manage personalities, get guys to buy into their roles, maintain the peace in the clubhouse.

“You know, it’s funny: The position is called ‘the manager,’ and in every other industry, being a manager means managing people. And in baseball, we think it’s just Xs and Os, but the reality is, this job is being a manager like it is being a manager of a business, except you also are making X and O moves out there in public. I think they’re both important, but I think from when I first got into baseball 10 years ago to now, I realize that managing down there in the clubhouse is more important than I realized.”

— Jon Weisman

Van Slyke in doubt for NLDS, Puig possible

In Health/injuries, Postseason

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By Jon Weisman

With Clayton Kershaw (above) starting things out with his morning windsprints, the Dodgers held their first postseason workout today.

The deadline to finalize the 25-man roster for the National League Division Series doesn’t come until 10 a.m. Friday, so the Dodgers haven’t made any announcements regarding who will be on it, nor the starting rotation.

General manager Farhan Zaidi said that while discussions about the final roster spots are continuing, including whether the last spot will go to a pitcher or a position player, the team hopes to let players know their status sooner than later so they they aren’t in the dark.

Scott Van Slyke, battling wrist problems, didn’t bat today, so his chances for playing in the NLDS are dimming. Yasiel Puig is considered healthy and, if the organization is satisfied that he had enough prep time at Camelback Ranch and this weekend against the Padres, he remains a candidate to play in the NLDS.

Vin Scully on Fernando Valenzuela, 1980