Willie Calhoun – Dodger Thoughts

Willie Calhoun MVP of AFL Fall Stars Game

On November 5, 2016

Willie Calhoun (@Dodgers) wins the 2016 @BowmanCards MVP Award pic.twitter.com/tkFXi9gI5j

— Arizona Fall League (@MLBazFallLeague) November 6, 2016

By Jon Weisman

Dodger second-base prospect Willie Calhoun went 3 for 3 with a home run to win Most Valuable Player honors and lead the West team to a 12-4 victory over the East at the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game tonight.

Calhoun, who turned 22 Friday, singled and scored in a four-run second inning, hit an RBI single in a four-run third inning and knocked a two-run homer in the fifth. In 2016 with Double-A Tulsa, Calhoun hit 27 homers and 25 doubles in 503 at-bats and slugged .469.

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Cody Bellinger, the Dodgers’ No. 1 prospect, added a two-run homer in the sixth. The left-handed swinger hit his off 6-foot-7 southpaw Jared Miller, an Arizona Diamondbacks farmhand.

De Jong named Texas League Pitcher of the Year

By Jon Weisman

On August 31, 2016

In Awards, Minor leagues

Rich Crimi/Tulsa Drillers

By Jon Weisman

Double-A Tulsa right-hander Chase De Jong was named Pitcher of the Year in the Texas League, which also placed second baseman Willie Calhoun and outfielder Alex Verdugo on its All-Star Team.

Six Dodgers in Baseball America Top 100 update

By Jon Weisman

On July 8, 2016

In Minor leagues

Cody Bellinger (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

By Jon Weisman

Despite this year’s promotions of Corey Seager and Julio Urias and the debut of American rookie Kenta Maeda, Baseball America included six Dodgers in its Midseason Top 100 Prospects update.

Cody Bellinger (24), Jose De Leon (25), Alex Verdugo (44), Grant Holmes (60), Frankie Montas (82) and Willie Calhoun (98) were the Dodgers listed.

By comparison, the season-opening 2016 Baseball America 100 had Seager (1), Urías (4), De Leon (23), Maeda (50), Bellinger (54), Holmes (72) and Verdugo (100).

The new list does not include anyone taken in the 2016 draft or signed internationally this month.

Farm Fresh: Calhoun, Cotton in MLB Futures Game

By Jon Weisman

On June 28, 2016

In Minor leagues

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By Bart Harvey

Second baseman Willie Calhoun and right-handed pitcher Jharel Cotton were both selected to play in this year’s MLB Futures Game. The game will be played on July 10 at Petco Park, two days prior to the All-Star Game.

The 21-year old Calhoun, featured recently at Dodger Insider, has a .799 OPS for Double-A Tulsa, despite a recent 1-for-24 slump, with 14 home runs in 74 games.
Cotton allowed four runs in five innings Sunday, but still has 82 strikeouts in 68 2/3 innings this year for Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Highlights from the Dodger farm system for June 27 follow …

Farm Fresh: Double-A Tulsa boasts nine Texas League All-Stars

By Jon Weisman

On June 14, 2016

In Minor leagues

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By Jon Weisman

No fewer than nine players from Double-A Tulsa have been invited to the Texas League All-Star Game, June 28 at Springfield, Missouri.

In case you missed it: Rehab games for many, but not Ethier

By Jon Weisman

On June 14, 2016

In Health/injuries, In case you missed it, Minor leagues, Transactions

Andre Ethier poses with former Dodger infielder Mark Ellis prior to Monday’s game.

By Jon Weisman

Some items to catch up on …

Andre Ethier is still in limbo, as Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports. “It’s a little slower than we thought,” Ethier said. “At the eight-week exam, I was expecting to have the OK and go do baseball stuff and slowly progress into running. It was a little bit of a jaw dropper when you get the result. It wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t healed like I was hoping it was. I had to reassess that it would take a little longer. You always think you can bounce back quicker than you do.”
In his first rehab outing since going on the disabled list June 3, Yasiel Puig grounded out, homered to right center and walked.
Brandon McCarthy and Hyun-Jin Ryu came through their weekend rehab starts without issues and remain on schedule for their next appearances — Thursday for McCarthy, Friday for Ryu. McCarthy threw two innings June 11 in his rehab debut. Ryu pitched three innings June 12.
Carl Crawford cleared waivers and was officially released by the Dodgers.
Brock Stewart, the 24-year-old righty who was a sixth-round Dodger draft pick from Illinois State in 2014, made his Triple-A debut Monday for Oklahoma City. Stewart struck out seven in 5 2/3 innings and didn’t walk anyone until his final batter, though he allowed two home runs.
Another newcomer to the Oklahoma City starting rotation is 27-year-old righty Nick Tepesch, who was picked up after being released by Texas. Tepesch has made two five-inning starts for Oklahoma City, with a 2.70 ERA and nine strikeouts in 10 innings. He has 219 career big-league innings with a 4.56 ERA.
Frankie Montas isn’t exactly new to Oklahoma City, but he is officially off the Dodgers’ 60-day disabled list and was officially optioned Sunday. With 11 strikeouts against one run in his first 7 2/3 innings (two appearances), Montas has done nothing to discourage speculation that he is on the fast track to Los Angeles. He next pitches Wednesday.
Double-A Tulsa’s Trevor Oaks and Willie Calhoun each won Player of the Week honors, as did Single-A Rancho Cucamonga’s Michael Ahmed, the brother of Arizona’s Nick Ahmed.
Jose Tabata, who was acquired in exchange for barely-a-Dodger Michael Morse last summer, was released June 11 from Oklahoma City. The six-year MLB vet had a .673 OPS in Triple-A this year.

As Dodgers eye 2016 draft, 2015 selections progress

By Jon Weisman

On June 8, 2016

In Draft, Minor leagues

Vanderbilt’s Walker Buehler was the Dodgers’ No. 1 draft pick in 2015. (Peter Aiken/Getty Images)

By Jon Weisman

With three picks before the second round of Thursday’s 2016 MLB draft, the Dodgers are sitting pretty.

And on top of that, their top pick from 2015, Walker Buehler — who had Tommy John surgery in August before appearing in a professional game — is on course to make this year’s haul even stronger.

“Walker Buehler’s going to be ready to throw next year — he’s almost like a pick this year,” Gasparino said. “We feel good about his recovery, his rehab and where he’s at in the process.”

In case you missed it: Ex-Dodger moves forward from tragedy

By Jon Weisman

On March 27, 2016

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

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Reds at Dodgers, 1:05 p.m.
Carl Crawford, LF
Trayce Thompson, CF
Chase Utley, 3B
Scott Van Slyke, RF
A.J. Ellis, C
Rob Segedin, 1B
Austin Barnes, 2B
Charlie Culberson, SS
Kenta Maeda, P

By Jon Weisman

I hope you don’t have to read a tougher story than this today: Former Dodger reliever Javy Guerra spoke to J.P. Hoornstra of the Daily News about the twin horrors of losing his brother and sister in the past two years.

Here’s what’s happening around the Dodgers …

Zach Lee held serve in his challenge with Carlos Frias to start in the first week of the 2016 season. In the Dodgers’ 5-4 victory Saturday over the White Sox, Lee (pitching 4 2/3 innings) got two more outs than Frias, but allowed two more runs. Oddly, Lee had no walks or strikeouts.
Wrote Ken Gurnick of MLB.com: “Some will speculate that because Frias faced the Giants recently, Lee will get that first start, rather than have Frias face the same hitters again. San Francisco’s lineup Friday night included Buster Posey, Hunter Pence and Brandon Crawford.”
Under the radar, Kiké Hernandez (hit by a pitch near his oblique Sunday), Alex Guerrero (knee) and Yimi Garcia (knee) have gone days without playing as they try to let various sore spots heal.
However, Gurnick indicates that Corey Seager is nearing a return to Major League action after playing defense in a minor-league game Saturday.
Scott Kazmir’s abdominal issues weren’t abominable – it turns out, they were cramps.
Prospect watchers got a thrill when 20-year-old Cody Bellinger and 21-year-old Willie Calhoun hit back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning off MLB veteran Dan Jennings. Each player reached base twice in the game.
Justin Turner walked, doubled and singled in his three plate appearances, and now has a Cactus League on-base percentage in the .700 club.
Play-by-play announcer Joe Davis is not only spending his first season with the Dodgers in 2016, he and his wife Libby are having their first baby this summer. Congrats!
It was Dodger Pride night Saturday at Staples Center with the Kings.

@lakings, you look good. I mean, really good. #GKG Join us for Kings Night at Dodger stadium on August 12! Visit Dodgers.com/Kings for more information.

A post shared by Los Angeles Dodgers (@dodgers) on Mar 26, 2016 at 9:57pm PDT

Dodger minor league report No. 18: Winning time for Julio Urias

By Jon Weisman

On August 20, 2015

In Minor leagues

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By Jon Weisman

Because of the careful way the Dodgers have controlled his innings at a young age, 19-year-old Julio Urias only had five wins in his first 50 career starts. Thankfully, no one judged him on that.

For the record, Urias has picked up career victories No. 6 and No. 7 in the past two weeks, most recently with six innings of one-run ball in Double-A Tulsa’s 2-1 victory Wednesday over Frisco.

Urias struck out eight and allowed six baserunners in a slender 81 pitches. In August, Urias has a 2.53 ERA and 1.17 WHIP with 22 strikeouts in 21 1/3 innings, and he hasn’t allowed a home run. For the season in Double-A, Urias has a 3.03 ERA and 1.03 WHIP with 71 strikeouts in 62 1/3 innings.

For comparison, at age 19 with Double-A San Antonio, Fernando Valenzuela had a 3.10 ERA and 1.30 WHIP with 162 strikeouts in 174 innings. In a much different era, Valenzuela completed 11 of his 25 starts in 1980 before his callup to the Dodgers, for whom he pitched 17 2/3 innings in relief without allowing an earned run, striking out 16.

Now, let’s take our tour of the system …

Dodger minor league report No. 17: Wieland dealing, Hatcher healing

By Jon Weisman

On August 13, 2015

In Minor leagues

By Jon Weisman

We begin this week’s Minor League Report with an update on two pitchers you saw with the Dodgers earlier this year.

Joe Wieland had his best game of the season Tuesday, with seven strikeouts in seven shutout innings in a 9-0 Triple-A Oklahoma City victory at New Orleans. For Wieland, continuing a comeback from 2012 and 2014 surgeries, it came two starts after he allowed only one run in seven innings at Memphis. Since July 26, Wieland has a 2.92 ERA.

Also, relief pitcher Chris Hatcher, on the 60-day disabled list, could be activated by the Dodgers as soon as this weekend.

Hatcher, who has been out since June 14 with a left oblique strain, picked up the save for the Dodgers on Opening Day before struggling to a 6.38 ERA in 18 1/3 innings, despite 19 strikeouts. He pitched a shutout inning Tuesday, but has allowed four runs on seven baserunners in 4 1/3 innings with Oklahoma City.

And now, this week’s tour …

Dodger minor league report No. 16: Mike Bolsinger, Carlos Frias, Jose Peraza and more

By Jon Weisman

On August 6, 2015

In Minor leagues

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By Jon Weisman

Mike Bolsinger and Carlos Frias, the two Dodger starting pitchers displaced by Mat Latos and Alex Wood, each had early exits from their first starts back with Triple-A Oklahoma City this week.

Bolsinger was hit in the forearm Tuesday by a batted ball and departed after three-plus innings, after allowing three runs on six hits. Don Mattingly relayed to reporters Wednesday that Bolsinger isn’t expected to miss his next scheduled start.

Frias, who was officially optioned to Triple-A on Sunday, started Wednesday for Oklahoma City, pitched one shutout inning and then took his leave. Mattingly told reporters after the Dodgers’ victory in Philadelphia last night that Frias “felt something” and was removed as a precaution, then added today that Frias was undergoing further tests.

Joe Wieland ended up pitching five innings in relief, allowing five earned runs on 10 hits and a walk while striking out five.

Two other recent Dodger starting pitchers have resumed work for Oklahoma City. Zach Lee allowed one earned run in seven innings (striking out three) August 2, and Brandon Beachy — who was accepted an assignment to Triple-A after clearing waivers — allowed five earned runs in six innings August 3.

Now, on with our tour of the Dodger minor leagues …

Dodger minor league report No. 12: Scott Schebler’s turn and Zach Lee’s return

By Jon Weisman

On July 2, 2015

In Minor leagues

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By Cary Osborne

In the June edition of Dodger Insider magazine, we profiled outfield prospect Scott Schebler. The theme of the story was how Schebler was a notoriously slow starter who takes off once the summer months hit.

When the story was written, Schebler’s numbers were subpar. The No. 8 prospect in the system, added in the offseason to the Dodgers’ 40-man roster, was hitting .208/.299/.377 for Triple-A Oklahoma City entering June with six doubles, one triple, six home runs and 14 RBI.

Then June arrived, and true to form, Schebler turned it on. The 24-year-old was one of the best hitters in the Dodger chain last month. He batted .321/.389/.595 with four doubles, five triples, three home runs and 17 RBI.

A year after leading the Double-A Southern League in triples and home runs, Schebler ranks tied for second in the Pacific Coast League in triples. He is mere percentage points from Corey Seager’s OPS in OKC (.780 to Seager’s .783).

We talked to Dodger director of player development Gabe Kapler about Schebler this week, who said, in reality, Schebler’s early swoon was less that met the eye.

“Scheb all along was performing well. He just wasn’t having a lot of luck,” Kapler said. “He was striking the ball with real authority. He was doing a good job from a number of perspectives. He just wasn’t showing the results in the traditional counting numbers. Now you’re starting to see that. A lot of that is completely out of your control. Scheb’s actually been doing a good job all the way through.”

Here’s more from the past week in minor-league action …

Ross Stripling returns to action after Tommy John surgery

By Jon Weisman

On June 15, 2015

In Draft, Health/injuries, Pregame

By Jon Weisman

Back on the mound after Tommy John surgery, Dodger pitching prospect Ross Stripling made his first official start since August 2013, pitching four shutout innings for Single-A Great Lakes on Sunday.

The 25-year-old Stripling allowed a single and two walks, while striking out four. Across two levels in 2013, Stripling had a 2.82 ERA, 117 strikeouts and a 1.14 WHIP in 127 2/3 innings in 2013.

Stripling began throwing in January, he told Dodger Insider, nine months after his operation.

* * *

The Dodgers announced the following signings from the 2015 draft:

Dodgers at Rangers, 5:05 p.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Yasiel Puig, RF
Adrian Gonzalez, DH
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Justin Turner, 1B
Andre Ethier, LF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
(Carlos Frias, P)

Catchers (3 of 6): Matthew Beaty (12th round), Jacob Henson (21st round) and Gage Green (35th)
Second basemen (3 of 3): Willie Calhoun (fourth), Chris Godinez (18th) and Jordan Tarsovich (22nd)
Shortstops (1 of 2): Nick Dean (32nd)
Outfielders (3 of 5): Logan Landon (10th), Kyle Garlick (28th) and Edwin Drexler (38th)
Right-handed pitchers (12 of 22): Tommy Bergjans (eighth), Kevin Brown (ninth), Andrew Istler (23rd), Cameron Palmer (24th), Marcus Crescentini (26th), Ivan Vieitez (27th), Corey Copping (31st), Adam Bray (33rd), Drayton Riekenberg (36th), Charles Mulholland (37th), Chris Powell (39th) and Isaac Anderson (40th).
Left handed pitchers (2 of 3): Michael Boyle (13th) and Robert McDonnell (25th)

In addition, the club signed third baseman Nicholas Sell, the NCAA Division II most outstanding player, and pitcher Wes Heslabeck as non-drafted free agents.

Draft Day II: The running list

By Jon Weisman

On June 9, 2015

In Draft

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By Jon Weisman

Here’s a link to MLB’s 2015 Draft Tracker of the Dodgers’ selections. Today brings rounds 3-10, and you can either follow along at MLB or see your updates as they come here at Dodger Insider.

The third round begins at 10 a.m., with the Dodgers making the 26th pick of that round and 101st overall.

Dodger Thoughts

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

Tag: Willie Calhoun

Willie Calhoun MVP of AFL Fall Stars Game

De Jong named Texas League Pitcher of the Year

Six Dodgers in Baseball America Top 100 update

Farm Fresh: Calhoun, Cotton in MLB Futures Game

Farm Fresh: Double-A Tulsa boasts nine Texas League All-Stars

In case you missed it: Rehab games for many, but not Ethier

As Dodgers eye 2016 draft, 2015 selections progress

In case you missed it: Ex-Dodger moves forward from tragedy

Dodger minor league report No. 18: Winning time for Julio Urias

Dodger minor league report No. 17: Wieland dealing, Hatcher healing

Dodger minor league report No. 16: Mike Bolsinger, Carlos Frias, Jose Peraza and more

Dodger minor league report No. 12: Scott Schebler’s turn and Zach Lee’s return

Ross Stripling returns to action after Tommy John surgery

Draft Day II: The running list

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