Dodger Thoughts

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

Tag: Chase Utley (Page 3 of 4)

Updates on Puig, Utley, McCarthy and Kershaw

Los Angeles Dodgers Fanfest

By Jon Weisman

Now that all the hoopla of Saturday’s FanFest has given way to rain, wind and an element to be named later, let’s check in on the latest with a few of your intrepid Dodger heroes.

Yasiel Puig

About three feet in front of me Saturday, near the FanFest stage, Dave Roberts and Yasiel Puig shared an enthusiastic hello and embrace. When I tweeted this, I was met with some skepticism, but the relationship ball is rolling, according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.

“I just had a good sit-down with him,” Roberts said. “It was refreshing for me to have a good face-to-face with him, to talk about our vision, and it’s more of, ‘Let’s wipe the slate clean’ and everything’s new. There’s the same core of players but a completely new coaching staff, and we just want him to be himself and let’s start fresh.”

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Utley undaunted in approach toward 2016

Los Angeles Dodgers vs Arizona Diamondbacks

By Jon Weisman

Chase Utley has seen just about everything in his 13 Major League seasons, but this winter brings something new.

As in, a whole new set of questions.

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Chase Utley returning to Dodgers

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By Jon Weisman

Giving the Dodgers a left-handed hitter and veteran who could supplement second and third base in 2016, the Dodgers are bringing back Chase Utley on a one-year deal.

Utley had a .291 on-base percentage and .363 slugging percentage in 141 plate appearances for the Dodgers after being acquired August 19 for minor-leaguers John Richy and Darnell Sweeney, while also being praised for the example he set in the clubhouse and on the field.

That being said, Utley potentially would miss Opening Day even if he’s on the Opening Day roster, should any portion of his two-game suspension for his hard slide into Ruben Tejada during the National League Division Series be upheld.

The Dodgers already have right-handed Kiké Hernandez and Jose Peraza as in-house candidates to play second base, as well as Justin Turner (recovering from knee surgery) at third base. Against right-handed pitching, Utley’s OPS was .708 with Los Angeles.

Utley turns 37 on December 17.

Dodgers extend qualifying offers to Greinke, Anderson, Kendrick

By Jon Weisman

Zack Greinke, Brett Anderson and Howie Kendrick received from the Dodgers one-year qualifying offers, the meaning of which is explained by Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.

The players — who are free to sign with other clubs beginning Friday at 9:01 p.m. PT — have until Nov. 13 to accept the offer, binding them to the club for only the 2016 season at a salary of $15.8 million. No player has accepted a qualifying offer since it was implemented as part of the free-agency system in 2011.

If the players reject the offer and sign with another club, the Dodgers would receive a compensation draft pick after the first round. The players still can re-sign with the Dodgers.

In addition, the Dodgers announced that outfielders Chris Heisey and Justin Ruggiano have elected to become free agents, and that the team has declined the club options on Bronson Arroyo, Joel Peralta and Chase Utley.

NLDS Game 3 lineups: Rollins in for Seager

Dodgers at Mets, 5:37 p.m.
TV: TBS (Beginning on TNT if Cubs-Cardinals game runs long)
Mets
Curtis Granderson, RF
David Wright, 3B
Daniel Murphy, 2B
Yoenis Cespedes, LF
Lucas Duda, 1B
Travis d’Arnaud, C
Wilmer Flores, SS
Juan Lagares, CF
Matt Harvey, P
Dodgers
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Justin Turner, 3B
Andre Ethier, RF
Carl Crawford, LF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Kiké Hernandez, CF
Brett Anderson, P
Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

By Jon Weisman

Jimmy Rollins will start at shortstop in place of Corey Seager in Game 3 of the National League Division Series tonight in New York.

Rollins will team with second baseman Howie Kendrick up the middle. With the appeal of his suspension yet to be heard, Chase Utley is eligible off the bench for the Dodgers.

Seager has a double and four strikeouts in eight at-bats for the Dodgers in the NLDS. He has fielded solidly, including an over-the-shoulder catch in Game 2, but no doubt has never played in as heated an atmosphere — on the field or in the surrounding stands — as is likely to be present at Citi Field this evening.

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Chase Utley suspended for two games — will appeal

By Jon Weisman

Major League Baseball tonight suspended Chase Utley for Games 3 and 4 of the National League Division Series for what it said in a statement was an “illegal slide” in Saturday’s Game 2.

Utley is appealing the suspension. The appeal is expected to be heard before Monday’s Game 3 in New York.

The Dodgers issued the following statement: “The Dodgers stand behind Chase Utley and his decision to appeal the suspension issued tonight by Major League Baseball. The club will have no further comment at this time.”

MLB chief baseball officer Joe Torre outlined his reasons for the suspension in a statement.

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Chase Utley slide joins most controversial plays in Dodger playoff history

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By Jon Weisman

Jackie Robinson safe at home in 1949. Davey Lopes safe at first in 1977. The heat of Hanley Ramirez’s rib fractured by a pitch — two years ago this very day — still simmers. And above all, Reggie Jackson’s hip.

Nothing tops their notoriety in Dodger postseason history, but entering that pantheon is Chase Utley’s slide, a play we will be talking about for years.

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Dodgers rally in controversial seventh to even NLDS

ZG G2

By Jon Weisman

For nearly seven innings, it was another nail-biting pitchers’ duel, a rush of speed chess with the Dodgers again one move behind.

And then, the Dodgers flipped the board, suddenly and violently.

A four-run inning, lit aflame by Chase Utley’s takeout slide of Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada at second base, lifted the Dodgers to a 5-2 victory in Game 2 of the National League Division Series, evening the matchup at one win apiece.

Tejada suffered a broken right fibula on the play, which we discuss at length in a separate story.

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Dodgers finish roadwork on winning note in San Francisco

BA by soohoo

By Jon Weisman

For seven innings, the Dodgers were a great sight for fans who might be concerned about how healthy and sharp the team is heading into the playoffs.

For the final two innings, it was a test of how well the Dodgers could hold up at crunch time.

On his game and backed by superb defense, Brett Anderson pitched seven innings of shutout ball, before being charged with two runs in the eighth despite not allowing a ball out of the infield.

Nevertheless, Kenley Jansen came on in the ninth to preserve a 3-2 Dodger win in their 2015 finale against the rival San Francisco Giants.

The victory gave the Dodgers an 89-70 record, the same as the New York Mets, with three games remaining. If the Dodgers finish a game ahead of the Mets, Los Angeles will have home-field advantage in their National League Division Series. (If not, life will go on.)

This weekend, the Dodgers host the Padres, while the Washington Nationals travel to a rainy New York, which is readying for Hurricane Joaquin. A rainout is a definite possibility for the Mets this weekend, which conceivably could force them to play a doubleheader or on Monday if home field at stake.

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Back in San Francisco, today’s game was a full-on Dodger highlight reel, with Corey Seager, Howie Kendrick and Chase Utley all made difficult, ranging plays for outs.

Most stunning, perhaps, was Utley. In only his third career start at third base, the 36-year-old twice charged in to barehand balls and throw to Adrian Gonzalez, who was reaching and lunging like a human backscratcher.

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Though he made an eighth-inning throwing error, Kendrick also singled and doubled in his best all-around game since returning from the disabled list. His third-inning single was the last of the 2,957 career hits off retiring Giants pitcher Tim Hudson, who then left the field to a heartwarming ovation. Kendrick drove in Anderson, who scored the first run of his career.

More importantly for Anderson, he reached a career high in starts (31) and innings (180 1/3) for a season.

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Andre Ethier tripled for the second time in this series and the seventh time in 2015, tying a career high set back in 2006 when he was a rookie.

Chase Utley’s first start at third a Dodger milestone

Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Carl Crawford, LF
Chase Utley, 3B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Andre Ethier, RF
Corey Seager, SS
Yasmani Grandal, C
Joc Pederson, CF
Brett Anderson, P

By Jon Weisman

After weeks of preparation for this potentiality, Justin Turner’s knee soreness and Howie Kendrick’s return from the disabled list have launched Chase Utley into his first career game at third base.

More than 300 people have played third base for the Dodger franchise. Utley, who is 36 years and 278 days old, is the oldest Dodger ever to play his first career game at third, according to the Baseball-Reference.com Play Index.

Bill Russell was 36 years, 239 days old when he played third base for the initial time in his Dodger career, on June 17, 1985.

“We’ve been working towards this,” Don Mattingly said of Utley, adding that coach Tim Wallach felt that Utley’s latest workout at third was his best. “We don’t worry about him — he knows how to play, he knows where to be. … So tonight’s the right night.

Turner was to have an MRI today to get more definitive information about his condition, but results weren’t immediately available. With shortstop Jimmy Rollins nearing a return to availability on defense, Corey Seager could also pick up time at third base if Turner remains sidelined.  Kiké Hernandez is also progressing, and will go to Camelback Ranch to get some at-bats.

‘Weird’ lineup features youngest Dodger cleanup hitter in more than 50 years

Colorado Rockies vs Los Angeles Dodgers

Rockies at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Austin Barnes, 2B
Chase Utley, 1B
Justin Ruggiano, LF
Corey Seager, SS
A.J. Ellis, C
Alex Guerrero, 3B
Chris Heisey, RF
Joc Pederson, CF
Alex Wood, P

By Jon Weisman

Even by the Dodgers’ ever-fluctuating standards, this is not the usual starting lineup.

Don Mattingly himself called it “weird,” and said he knew it would be that way by the time he left Dodger Stadium and the 16-inning marathon behind in the wee hours of the night. Among others, Mattingly was looking to rest Adrian Gonzalez and Justin Turner, who each played the entire game. And the Dodgers are still battling several injuries, including players not on the disabled list such as Scott Van Slyke and Jose Peraza.

Let’s take a look at tonight’s lineup, one through nine:

  • Austin Barnes, 2B: Taking it from the top, this is the 25-year-old catcher’s first MLB game batting leadoff or at second base. In the minors, Barnes has played 150 games at second base, though none since 2014. He is the first Dodger to play catcher, third base and second since Trent Hubbard in 1998-99, and the first to do it in the same season since Derrel Thomas in 1980. Barnes’ RBI single Tuesday lifted his on-base percentage as a Dodger to .375 in 25 plate appearances.
  • Chase Utley, 1B: In 13 seasons, the 36-year-old Utley has 31 career games (24 starts) at first base, most recently August 10 for the Phillies at Arizona. In 220 1/3 innings, he has been charged with one error.
  • Justin Ruggiano, LF: Ruggiano has become a familiar face in left field, and has a .393 OBP/.846 slugging percentage in 28 plate appearances as a Dodger, even after following his leadoff double Tuesday with six consecutive outs. But this is only his 11th career start as a No. 3 hitter, and first since April 9, 2014 for the Cubs against Pittsburgh.
  • Corey Seager, SS: Seager is batting cleanup in his 13th Major League game. Other Dodgers, most recently Yasiel Puig, Scott Van Slyke and even John Lindsey, have batted cleanup sooner, but the Dodgers haven’t had a starting cleanup hitter younger than Seager (21 years, 142 days) since Derrell Griffith (20 years, 294 days) in 1964. Before Griffith, there wasn’t a younger starting Dodger cleanup hitter since Duke Snider in 1947. With Jimmy Rollins still unable to play defense for several days, Seager will continue to see action.
  • A.J. Ellis, C: Ellis’ start in the No. 5 slot Tuesday was his first in nearly two years. He hasn’t started back-to-back days as a No. 5 hitter since May 14-15, 2013.
  • Alex Guerrero, 3B: Guerrero, who has a single, double and walk in seven plate appearances this month, is starting at third base for the 14th time this year and first time since August 8 at Pittsburgh.
  • Chris Heisey, RF: Ruggiano, Seager and Heisey (who had RBI in the seventh and 11th innings Monday) were the only three Dodgers to play all 16 innings. None was in the organization three weeks ago.
  • Joc Pederson, CF: Pederson, who had reached base in nine consecutive starts before going 0 for 2 Monday, has played 87 percent of the Dodgers’ innings in center field this year. Only Gonzalez (90 percent) has a higher percentage of the team’s innings at one position in 2015.
  • Alex Wood, P: In Wood’s Major League debut on May 30, 2013, he batted third, entering the game in Justin Upton’s slot in a ninth-inning double switch.

Ruggiano, Schebler, Seager, Utley: Celebrating the September quartet

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Justin Ruggiano (Photos by Jon SooHoo)

Justin Ruggiano (Photos by Jon SooHoo)

By Jon Weisman

Despite my having a little fun on Twitter this morning at the expense of those supporting the hysterical Yoenis Cespedes for MVP campaign, no, I’m not seriously launching a #ruggianomvp crusade.

But that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy what Justin Ruggiano and three other players who also weren’t Dodgers a month ago — Scott Schebler, Corey Seager and Chase Utley — have meant for the Dodgers.

Look at these numbers for September …

Quartet

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Hernandez getting more playing time in center over Pederson

https://twitter.com/kikehndez/status/634472849575555072

Dodgers at Astros, 11:10 a.m.
Kershaw CCXXXIV: Kershaw Little Romance
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Chase Utley, 2B
Justin Turner, 3B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, RF
Carl Crawford, DH
A.J. Ellis, C
Kiké Hernandez, CF
(Clayton Kershaw, P)

By Jon Weisman

Kiké Hernandez is looking like the Dodgers’ starting center fielder for the time being, supplanting Joc Pederson today even with a right-hander, Lance McCullers, on the mound for Houston.

Don Mattingly told reporters today that Pederson “is going to be a good player for a long time,” praising his work ethic and willingness to make adjustments, but feels Hernandez is swinging the bat better now and doesn’t cost them significantly on defense.

Pederson has started 110 of the Dodgers’ 122 games this season, and this is the second time all year he has begun the game on the bench two games in a row. Pederson didn’t start July 31-August 1 against the Angels, in a weekend that was overtly designated for him to regroup, but those games were against lefties.

The 23-year-old actually has a .413 on-base percentage this month, thanks to 20 walks, but it has been dragged down by a .122 batting average (.130 on balls in play). He has two singles, a double and two homers in 41 at-bats.

With five walks in the Dodgers’ four games this past week, Pederson has reached base as much as any other Dodger despite going 0 for 7. In his only game, A.J. Ellis homered and had four walks.

Pederson pinch-hit in the ninth inning of Saturday’s 3-1 loss to the Astros and hit a 105 mph lineout to center field.

This is Hernandez’s 12th consecutive start for the Dodgers (three in center field, eight at second base and one at shortstop). He has a .349 on-base percentage and .425 slugging percentage in that time, with a .379 batting average on balls in play, though he is 0 for 5 in the Houston series.

Hernandez has a .624 OPS against righties in 106 plate appearances this season, after a .796 OPS in 99 plate appearances against righties last season.

Chase Utley, whose arrival Friday is one of the dominoes contributing to Pederson’s current status, went 0 for 4 Friday but looked fit Saturday, with a double and good athleticism on defense and running the bases.

Fiers in the hole: Dodgers no-hit in Houston

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By Jon Weisman

The last two times Chase Utley has played in a Dodger game, he has been on the losing end of a no-hitter.

First was May 25, 2014, when Utley made the final out in Josh Beckett’s no-hitter against the Phillies. Then came tonight.

In his first game with his new team, Utley grounded out to the right side three times and flied out once, though that made him only one of nine players who failed to record a single, double, triple or home run against Houston’s Mike Fiers. That’s the long way of saying that the Dodgers were no-hit for the first time since June 8, 2012, when five Seattle relievers (including Brandon League) finished up the final three no-hit innings for injured starter Kevin Milwood.

Final score: Houston 3, Los Angeles 0.

Three Dodgers walked: Justin Turner with two out in the first inning, Andre Ethier to start the second and Joc Pederson to begin the third. None  reached second base, and Fiers retired 21 in a row after Pederson’s base on balls.

Houston left an equal number of baserunners and went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position, but two home runs — by Jake Marisnick with Chris Carter on first base in the second inning, and a solo shot by Evan Gattis in the sixth — prevented the Dodgers from extending their bid for a hit to extra innings.

On his 120th pitch, Fiers got his fifth consecutive strikeout to end the eighth inning. Fiers’ previous career high for pitches in a game was 113.

In the ninth, Jimmy Rollins hit Fiers’ 126th pitch to the warning track in right field for the Dodgers’ loudest out of the night. Utley hit the 129th pitch for another fly to right. And on a 2-2 fastball that was his 134th pitch, Turner swung and missed.

In their past two games, the Dodgers are 2 for 56 with a double, homer and five walks.

Entering tonight, Fiers had allowed 134 hits in 135 innings in 2015 with Milwaukee and Houston. The Astros acquired him on July 30.

The last time the Dodgers were no-hit in Houston, by Nolan Ryan on September 26, 1981, they won a World Series a month later.

Chase Utley debuts as designated hitter

Dodgers at Astros, 5:10 p.m.
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Chase Utley, DH
Justin Turner, 3B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, RF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Carl Crawford, LF
Kiké Hernandez, 2B
Joc Pederson, CF
(Brett Anderson, P)

By Jon Weisman

Chase Utley’s Dodger initiation will come solely at the plate, as the new acquisition will serve as designated hitter for tonight’s series opener at Houston.

Utley has already DHed twice this year for the Phillies, going 1 for 6 with a walk and a hit-by-pitch against the Yankees and Orioles. Lifetime, he is 4 for 17 as a DH with one homer, nine years ago.

Yasiel Puig might see action at DH before the weekend is over, Don Mattingly has told reporters. Puig is nursing a minor right hamstring strain.

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