Yesterday we discussed the Dodgers minor league managers for the full season teams. Today we are going to focus on the rookie league managers.
Ogden Raptors – Austin Chubb
Chubb was born in Lake Mary, Florida and attended high school in his home town. Following his graduation, he attended State College of Florida in Bradenton, Florida playing for the Manatees for two years. He then transferred to Florida Southern University for his junior and senior years.
As a junior, he hit .295 with five home runs and 26 RBI. In his senior year, Chubb hit .291 with eight home runs and 33 RBI. He had a team high 17 doubles.Following his senior year with the Moccasins, he was selected by the Washington Nationals in the 21st round of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft.
Chubb had a four-year minor league career in which he played 91 games and hit .213. On January 6, 2015, he was released by the Nationals and signed by the Dodgers on January 23. Chubb played only 10 games with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in 2016 while spending four stints on the 7-DL list which limited his playing time to that handful of games.
Chubb elected free agency following the 2015 season and was subsequently signed as the hitting coach for the Ogden Raptors of the rookie level Pioneer League.
One can only wonder what it was, or is, that has so quickly entrenched Chubb in the coaching ranks. Perhaps this tweet by then Dodgers Director of Player Development, Gabe Kapler, on Chubb’s one game with the Great Lakes Loons on May 15, 2015 helps answer the question.
“So proud of Austin Chubb. Watching him hit for the Great Lakes Loons is inspiring. Grinder, great teammate, valued in our organization.”
After but one season with the Raptors as a hitting coach he took over as manager of the Dominican Summer League Dodgers 2 for the 2017 season. In doing so he became the first American born manager in the history of the famous Campo Las Palmas. Additionally he guided his DSL to a 6-4 win over the DSL Dodgers 1 to capture the league championship.
He turns to Ogden for the 2019 season, the site of his first coaching assignment, this time as the manager.
Arizona League Dodgers – Jair Fernandez
Fernandez was born in Cartagena, Columbia. He began his baseball career in 2004 as a 17-year-old in the Seattle Mariner system and retired after the 2013 season as a 26-year-old in the Chicago Cub organization.
In 1,451 career at-bats, Fernandez hit .242 with 22 home runs and 179 runs batted in.
The right-handed hitting catcher was signed by the Dodgers as a catching coach with the DSL Dodgers in 2015 and served as a hitting coach in the DSL before moving on to the Loons as a hitting coach for the 2017 and 2018 campaigns.
Fernandez was excited to return to the Midwest League in 2017 because of his familiarity with it. He played for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in 2007 and for the Beloit Snappers in 2008.He knew that at age-26 he was not finished with baseball.
“At the end of my (playing) career, I felt a passion for the game and (a passion) to help people become better players,” Fernandez explained. “(Playing) experience always helps, so that you can approach a (player) and give him an answer. You can see the (potentially) best version of a player. That’s my main goal — just to help people get better.”
He worked well with Loons’ manager Jeremy Rodriguez in 2017 sharing enthusiasm for the game with his manager.
“He has a lot of passion and a lot of energy,” Rodriguez said. “I feel like every day he pushes me to bring all the energy I have and bring the positive vibe and attitude that I need to bring to the ballpark.”
“Every player is different, and his biggest strength is that he actually takes the time to get to know each player so that he can communicate with them,” Rodriguez said.
Following the 2018 season Fernandez served as the manager of the Columbia team in the U-23 Baseball World Cup.
DSL Dodgers 1 (Robinson)- Keyter Collado
Collado was born in Santiago in the Dominican Republic. He played in the Dodgers minor league system from 2006 through 2011. Over 136 minor league games the right-handed hitting catcher posted a triple slash of .301/.384/.369. He struck out 50 times while walking 46. He played one game with the Albuquerque Isotopes in each of 2010 and 2011 with three hits in eight at bats.
His playing career came to a sudden end on May 29, 2011 in his lone game with the Great Lakes Loons. Former Loons play-by-play announcer, Brad Golder, recalls the career ending play vividly. It occurred on the tail end of a triple play. Golder describes the play.
“It started with Joc Pederson catching a fly ball and throwing to second to double off a runner,” he said. “The runner on third broke for home and the throw came to the plate. Our catcher was a guy named Keyter Collado, and it was his first play of his first game with the Loons. “There was a huge collision, but (Collado) held on to the ball. But he was also injured on the play and never played for the Loons again. I don’t think he ever played pro ball again, for that matter.”
Golder was correct. That was Collado’s last professional game as a player at age 25. His home plate collision was four days after Giant catcher Buster Posey’s collision that resulted in new rules to protect catchers.
The next season he became a coach serving as the hitting coach with the DSL Dodgers. He stayed in that role for four years. He was then named manager of the DSL Dodgers 2 in 2016 and DSL Dodgers 1 in 2017 and 2018. His 2017 squad made it all the way to final game in the DSL championship only to lose 6-4 to the DSL Dodgers 2.
DSL Dodgers 2 (Guerrero) – Fumimasa Ishibashi
Fumi Ishibashi was born in Maebashi, Japan and attended Los Angeles Pierce College in Woodland Hills, California.
Fumi had a very short career as a player before becoming a coach with the Dodgers. Primarily a catcher, he played for the Japan Samurai Bears in 2005 hitting .197 in 178 at bats.
In 2007, he was signed by the Rockford RiverHawks from the independent Frontier League but was released prior to the start of the season. He then had two spot performances with the Inland Empire 66ers who were a Dodger affiliate at that time. He played in only two games for the 66ers in 2008, going 0 for 2 at the plate. In 2010, he appeared in one game and went 1-for-4 at the plate. His six minor league at bats were enough to fulfill his dream of playing ball in the United States. In 2010 with the 66ers he was a teammate with current Dodgers Kenley Jansen and Pedro Baez.
His coaching career with the Dodgers began in 2011 when he was 27. He was hired as a bullpen catcher and Japanese language interpreter for the AZL Dodgers. He next became a bullpen coach with the Dodgers in May, 2012. Fumi served in that position for three years and then as a coach with the Great Lakes Loons from 2016 through 2018.
As he begins his managing career, at age 35, with the DSL Dodgers he has brought a boatload of experience with him. Perhaps the most important might have been his experience with Reggie Smith. No doubt the Reggie way of looking after young men away from home and/or country is being passed on by Fumi.
“Reggie Smith was like my dad here in the United States, I was treated like family.” The humble instructor went on to add about Smith, “he showed me how to survive and live in the States.”
In regards to Keyter Collado , I love to hear where a player who doesn’t get to make the Show still gets to make a career in baseball.
Many of the Dodger minor league coaches never made it to the show. Many of them were catchers.
I totally agree. A lot of times the guys that didn’t have the most talent, but had the determination and love for the game to sick around make great leaders. Lasorda, Alston and Leyland come to mind that fit this profile.
Just for fun.
This is one of my very favorite Tommy tirades.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzjWQF1oP2M
59
I am sure Lasorda loves to tell the story that he didn’t make on the 25 because of a kid named Koufax.
59
I am sure Lasorda loved telling the story that he didn’t make the 25 because of a kid named Koufax.
I thought Tommy looked a little better last night when they showed him, although he lost a lot of weight after that surgery he had.
Always makes me laugh
https://www.mlb.com/dodgers/news/walker-buehler-julio-urias-a-promising-young-duo
They are officially better than Edwin Jackson & Greg Miller.
Are they going to be better or worse than Drysdale / Koufax?
I thought Tommy looked a little better last night, although it is hard to see him so thin, because of the surgery he had.
I bet Tommy loved telling the story why he didn’t make the 25 man roster, because of a kid named Koufax.
A Kershaw/Kluber would have been a good combo. Buehler/Urias could well mimic Koufax/Drysdale with Buehler, a righty, more like Koufax and Urias, a lefty, more like Drysdale.
59 – I don’t think you can get better than Koufax and Drysdale.
Mark
That is some good stuff.
I think that time off might have really helped Urias mature even more, and it might have made him become a better pitcher.
He had no trouble throwing strikes in the few innings he pitched in, in the postseason.
And I think that was Urias biggest issue when he first came up.
I don’t do fantasy [sports] but Urias is pretty much the definition of a “post-hype” sleeper. Inasmuch as anyone on the Dodger can be labelled a sleeper considering how much exposure we get. Still, he’s not normally listed as a member of the starting rotation yet he has immense potential, only limited by his innings count.
Palmdale
I don’t play fantasy sports either, because I am to much invested with the Dodgers.
I could see why Urias would be a sleeper, because of his immense potential, like you described.
And like you said, his limit on innings, is probably the only thing standing in his way.
I thought he showed a lot of maturity in the post season last year, like I said above.
Because it probably wasn’t as easy, as Urias made it look.
We are very lucky that we have both Buehler and Urias.
I think Urias as much upside as anyone not named Buehler.
Going forward, we have the veterans: Kershaw, Hill, & Maeda
The prime guys: Ryu, Stripling
The youth: Buehler, Urias
The next batch: Santana, Ferguson, May, Gonsolin, White
I’m kind of a “prove it to me” guy, so I’m inclined to wait a little on Gonsolin before I fully jump on board, but I’d put May after Buehler & Urias on the potential list. That could be a pretty nifty trio atop the rotation for the next 4-5 years.
Palm Dale, that is going to be a nifty trio indeed! But, we’re going to be 5 deep for years. There’s no telling how good these guys are gonna get. Out of May, White, Gonsolin, Ferguson and Santana, you only need three to round out a Post-Kershaw rotation. I like those odds. I also think Urias has as much upside as Bueller or anyone else, maybe more. I also think that people are underselling Santana. He’s got a Kevin Brown in his prime sinker and can light up the gun with anyone. When I saw that curveball this Spring, he really opened my eyes.
If the Dodgers were to go with a 6 man rotation and if each member averaged 6 innings they would each pitch 162 innings in the regular season. If 4 of them started the maximum number of playoff games,(5+7+7=19 games) and again averaged 6 innings that would add 28 innings to their total season for a total of 190 innings. Given the Dodgers have 7 starters (Kershaw, Hill, Buehler, Urias, Maeda, Stripling, Ryu) it would be easy to reduce those for a couple of the pitchers in that 6 man rotation.
The bullpen should have at least 3 pitchers that were multi-inning pitchers since the bullpen would have only 6 or 7 pitchers.
The Dodgers have the starting pitching depth to go with a 6 man rotation.
I think I support the Dodgers going with 6 starters.
Did you guys just hear that about Fields?
Palmdale if I remember correctly, I think you will be pleased that the Dodgers let Fields go.
Although I understand your reasoning behind that.
I think Fields probably saw the handwriting on the wall and asked out so that he would not be without a job at the end of the Spring. He will find a home.
Mark
I bet your right.
I trust Friedman’s decision, because we all know that Fields was prone to HR balls, on occasion.
The Dodgers just have too many good arms…
I think Yimi is ready to break out this year.
Yimi has looked really good this year.
Donnie Hart is left handed and has an option left. Hate to see Fields go, but his health seems to be a concern.
will the Dodgers get any kind of compensation for this or is he just gone???
If you remember I just posted last night we should consider Kimbrel and trade fields for a roster spot.
Therealten
I remember, I guess you made it to your daughters house safely too, so that is good.
Thanks MJ but I am traveling today. Not at daughters yet but can’t wait.
Yep. I’m glad to see him go. And I agree with 59 elsewhere that Santana is nasty. We have no idea how good he could be. He has a true out pitch which is more than some can say.
No offense to Fields but that fastball is just too straight.
Palmdale
I haven’t forgot the 2 HRs he almost immediately gave up in the World Series either.
That was a killer.
Holy Mackerel:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/la-tortuga-is-here-to-save-baseball-11551877201
Somebody is going to pick up Fields. Regardless his contract is not guaranteed, so the most LAD will have to pay him is around $475K. They will save between $2.3MM and $2.4MM. So yes this is a salary dump.
Donnie Hart is interesting. He is a groundball specialist, so he is going to need to show he can keep it on the ground at OKC against the good PCL hitters. There are multiple relievers ahead of him on the depth chart.
One thing. I am not a troll, nor Bumsrap Alter ego. I am truly a Dodger Fan with the tag Hamchuck. Based it off the movie Green Berets from 1960’s. Can we move on? You can talk to me without thinking I am some freak of nature of Bums trying to play with your mind.
I grew up in the Bay Area after my Dad moved from New York and Rhode Island seeking work after the Korean War. We were Dodger Fans because he was a Brooklyn Fan. I remember going to Candlestick as a kid and being the youngest had to sit by myself next to some fat man with a cigar to watch Koufax against some Giant pitcher while my Dad, Mom and 2 brothers shared a box seat of their own. That kind of cruelty was common practice committed against the smallest brother.
I would go to Candlestick only for Dodger games and have to fight the worst fans in Baseball (Giant Fan) just to watch a game. Fog normally filled the stadium at night to where you could barely see the fly balls. McCovey hit the ball harder than any player I have ever seen. But the 1970’s Dodgers were a pleasure to watch. Those were my glory years. I loved those years as the Dodgers dominated the Giants and their fans hated us and we were able to taunt them mercilessly.
After I got married, my wife and I finally made a few trips to Dodger Stadium in the 2000’s to actually see the Dodgers live. Once I was able to get Jeff Kent to sign a baseball cap for my Grandson and actually got a smile out of him. We sat in the first row on the Left Field Line. We could afford it then. Physically and financially right now it is not an option. But that was a great high-light of my life.
I come here now because basically people can get lonely when work ends and social life ends. When you get shut in for long, long periods of time it gets tough on the mind. I am only asking that you take me at my word that I am not a TROLL. I am a True Blue Dodger Fan. I might not be up on all the analytics, but I know the game. I played it and was considered good when I was young and strong. So that’s it. Thanks for listening.
That is funny because Bum used this same name on another site last year, and that is why I remembered this name.
This is called appeal to pity.
It is one of the fallacies.
Damnd MJ, you are relentless.
And cruel.
By the way, how’s the JOC itch?
MJ,
I think it best to let it go and move on. Nothing good can come of all this. Lest we forget, this is a baseball site.
That is a lie. Liars lie. I have never commented under that handle.
MJ, you do Hamchuck a disfavor. You are rude, arrogant, stubborn.
I can’t remember anything Hamchuck has said that would offend you or anybody else so why do you persist in your teenage trolling.
Mark has already told you that Hamchuck and I do not have the same IP address but that wasn’t good enough for you.
I haven’t said anything negative about Toles other than the Dodgers should have a player ready to fill in for him because he hasn’t proved he can stay on the field. Many have said that about Polluck and you haven’t been offended about that. Likewise, my basic criticism of Puig was his danger to other players who would get in his way when he was trying to make a play. I generally do not beat on players. I defend players when they are being beat up like I defended Mattingly when he was being beat up.
MLB is posting that we should go after Kimbrel. Don’t know if that is going to be a good fit. Kenley might be offended. Big man, big feelings.
I think I would rather have Kimbrel’s salary on the team than Hill’s.
Jansen is a bigger fan than his ego. Besides, he’s also better than Kimbrel.