Meet Zack Wheat

I love history of all kinds. US History and baseball history are at the top of my list. I like to gather as much of that history as I can. And Dodger history is peppered with many colorful individuals.

Zachariah Davis Wheat was born in Hamilton Missouri on May 23rd, 1888. His mother, Julia, was a full blooded Cherokee. Hamilton is located about 60 miles northeast of Kansas City. Back in 1888, it was still a wild frontier. Only 6 years prior to his birth, Jesse James was killed by one of his own gang in nearby St Joseph.

Zack was the eldest of 3 sons, all of whom played pro baseball. Mack spent 5 years as his team mate in Brooklyn, and Basil, was a catcher and outfielder in the minors.

Wheat’s dad, Basil, was a descendant of Moses Wheat. One of the Puritans who fled England and founded Concord Mass in 1635. Wheat’s dad passed away when he was 16 and they moved to Kansas City, Kansas. Wheat was reluctant to discuss his Cherokee heritage in an age where 2 of the stars were Jim Thorpe, and Chief Bender.

Wheat got his start as a second baseman for a semipro team. His family was nearly destitute, so Wheat in 1906 set out to make a living playing ball. He went to Enterprise Kansas where he made 60 dollars a month playing ball. He was considered a excellent fielder, but his minor league hitting stats were pretty pedestrian.

He played minor league ball in Ft. Worth, Shreveport, and Mobile. Going home in 1908 after the season, Wheat stopped in St Louis and watched his first MLB game. It was a doozy as Rube Waddell beat Walter Johnson 2-1, in 10 innings and setting a record by striking out 17 hitters.

 On August 29, 1909, the Dodgers purchased Wheat’s contract from Mobile on the advice of scout, Larry Sutton, for $1,200.00. He went on to hit .304 for Brooklyn in 26 games.

In 1910, his first full season, he hit .284, and was among the league leaders in hits, 2B, and 3B. Wheat kept improving, and would sometimes bunt to use his speed for hits, but he argued that he was more valuable to the team swinging away.

He took a day off in 1912 to marry Daisy Kerr Forsman. The team found out the couple had eloped and decorated a “Bridal Suite” on the team train to St Louis. It started a tradition, and Wheat’s family later travelled on the team train with him.

In Daisy, he not only got a wife, but an agent. She later said she made him hold out each year for 7 years, and he got a raise every time. In the offseason, Wheat raised stock and used it as leverage in contract negotiations. He would say, I am a ballplayer in the summer and a farmer in the winter and I aim to be a success at both. By the time he left Brooklyn after the 1926 season, he was making $16,000.00 a year as a player and assistant manager.

He sold mules to the army during WWI. He also had sort of a running feud with his manager. Robinson believed that Wheat was after his job as manager. And there was always a tension between them.

In 1912, Wheat convinced the Robins to sign boyhood friend, Charles Stengel, and they played for a little over 7 years together in the Dodger outfield. He was named Captain of the Robins in 1919.

Wheat became a better hitter when the livelier ball was introduced in 1920. Over the last decade of the dead ball era, Wheat compiled more total bases than any other National Leaguer, and was second to team mate Jake Daubert in hits.

Wheat helped the Dodgers get to the World Series twice, 1916, against the Red Sox, and 1920 against the Indians. He did not do well against the Sox, but was much better against the Indians.

In his 18 years with Brooklyn, they only had a winning team 5 times. In 1925, Charles Ebbets died, and new team president, Ed McKeever named Wheat player manager. Newspapers confirmed the Wheat managed the team for 2 weeks. But McKeever had caught pneumonia at Ebbets funeral and died shortly afterwards, so Robinson went back to managing. Sadly, Wheat’s stint was never entered into the league records.

After the 1926 season, Brooklyn let Wheat walk, and he signed to play with Connie Mack’s A’s. He batted .324 in part time duty. He was released after the year, and signed to play with Minneapolis for 1928. He was hitting .308 when he suffered a bruised heel which put him out for the year, so after the season he hung up his spikes.

In 1931, Steve McKeever hired him as a coach. But feeling threatened by Wheat again, Robinson was colder than ever to his former star. Wheat turned to farming full time, but the Great Depression nearly wiped him out and he had to sell his 160 acre farm for just $23,000.00.

He moved to KC and ran a bowling alley for a while. Then he became a member of the KC police department. On Easter Sunday, 1936, he almost died while chasing a felon, crashing his car and receiving a fractured skull, dislocated shoulder, broken wrist, and 15 broken ribs. He was in the hospital for 5 months.

After hospitalization, Wheat moved his family to Sunrise Beach, Missouri, a resort on the shores of Lake of the Ozarks. Always an outdoorsman, He opened a 46 acres hunting and fishing resort which soon became a popular destination for ex ballplayers.

Wheat would often listen to TV and radio games simultaneously and sometimes would travel to St. Louis to catch a game. He lived in Sunrise Beach the rest of his life.

In 1957, Wheat was voted into the HOF by the Veteran’s committee. One problem, he was not yet eligible, since he had not been retired the required 30 years. But in 1959, he was elected by the committee unanimously. He was 70 and the time and stated it made him feel younger, and very proud. 

The next year though, his wife passed away. Wheat would live to be 83 and died on March 11, 1972 in a hospital in Sedalia, Missouri. He is buried in Kansas City in the Forest Hill cemetery. Not far from where Wheat lies are the graves of Satchel Paige, and Negro League legend, Buck O’Neil.

O’Neil once said Wheat was 170 pounds of scrap iron and grit, but he was always a gentleman. Wheat had tiny feet, size 5 , and suffered through a lot of injuries to those areas when he was a player.

Today, more than 94 years since he last wore the Dodger uniform, Zack Wheat still is the team leader in 10 batting categories, and is tied for first in another.

Career leader in hits, 2404, games, 2322, AB’s, 8859, plate appearances, 9731, TB, 4003, 2B, 464, 3B, 171, 1B, 2068. and HBP with 77. It must be noted that JT is only 4 behind him with 73 since he has been a Dodger.

According to Baseball Registers stats, he is in the top 10 in 26 different offensive categories as a Dodger all time. 84 years after his last game in Brooklyn, I find that amazing. The first real Dodger superstar and all time left fielder in any book, Zack Wheat.

This article has 112 Comments

  1. Very nice article. Gore was DFA and Victor Gonzalez called up, in my opinion Gore never should have been on the 30 man team.

  2. Thanks for the great article Michael. I’ve always been amazed at Wheat’s career numbers.
    The LA Dodgers need to honor the Brooklyn team more than they do. Retire numbers, put up plaques, something. Players like Wheat, Hodges, Vance, Grimes, Furillo, et al. deserve it.

    1. They started honoring some players with what they call the Hall of Hero’s I think. And on the night they are honored they give out a bobblehead of that player. Garvey, Fernando, and Newcombe were honored last year. If I remember right, Big D was honored too. I forget who was supposed to get in this year. A couple of years ago, they were supposed to give away a Jim Gilliam bobblehead. But they traded for Machado, and the Gilliam was never given out. They gave one of him instead. The one area I think this organization has fallen short is recognizing it’s history. Occasionally they give out Bobbleheads of former stars, Snider, Newcombe, Koufax, and Hodges and Wills have been so honored. They also did a combined Reese-Campy bobblehead commemorating the exhibition game with the Yankees when Reese wheeled Campy to home plate in his wheelchair. Sutton got one too. But many stars from the past have been either forgotten or ignored. Jake Daubert is the only Dodger besides Tommy Davis to win more than one batting title. Wheat won once. Furillo was a career Dodger. He led the league in hitting once, and was one of the better right fielders in the game for years. I think it really galled me when they did not give out the Gilliam bobblehead. Gilliam was a career Dodger, a Rookie of the year, and a jack of all trades. He played 14 years, and the last two he was activated from the coaching ranks. Then he went on to coach until his untimely death. Machado played for 4 months. Yes, they need to honor those Brooklyn roots before they are entirely forgotten.

      1. WOW! Sorry Bear, I just Assumed it was Harold because he loves that kind of stuff.

        Excellent Job!

        I withdraw all the good things I said about Harold (for today only).

        NEVER ASSUME!

        1. Thanks Mark. I do love the history of the game. I told Jeff I would contribute when I think I might have something to say that the gang would enjoy. Wheat is a true Dodger. And had a great career.

  3. You lead an organization in games played and plate appearances, chances are you are going to hold some records. And many of those records won’t be broken. 2038 singles?

    When I lived in Raytown as a kid, my family, with two other families, would vacation in the Ozarks. I remember his name coming up in conversation amongst the adults and thinking that was a funny name. About the time I turned 12 my grandfather mentioned he knew him, but I didn’t get any details. Good story. Thanks Bear.

    We’re favored -155. 9 1/2 runs. Like clockwork

    Morning headline: Due to positive COVID-19 tests with Cardinals, Brewers home opener is postponed. In related news, Yelich doesn’t care cuz he’s 1 for 27.

    1. Too much paranoia going on. With 60 man rosters, there should be enough players to replace the infected ones. With pro athletes, the chances of dying from this is extremely small. They’ll get sick for a week and be back in 10 -14 days, tops. Players will be on guard even more about protecting themselves as no one wants to be held out of a game. These guys are healthy people. My 02 cents.

      1. It’s not as simple as that Jeff.

        Remember the movie Contagion? They spoke of what is called RO number, pronounced “R naught”. It’s basically a spread number. If you have it, how many people will you spread it to.

        “A number of groups have estimated R0 for this new coronavirus. The Imperial College group has estimated R0 to be somewhere between 1.5 and 3.5. Most modeling simulations that project future cases are using R0s in that range. “. Like everything with this virus, that number is evolving. But the point is the same – it’s not just players themselves that are at risk. Unless you wrap yourself in plastic and remain at the bottom of the pool, where your OPS is sure to suffer, if you have it you might spread it.

        1. If the players commit to the protection protocols, all of this analysis is changed radically. It is the players who are responsible. The whole mess lies in the simple responsibility of each player. The media has twisted this out of proportion and instilled a fear that is worse than the virus!

          1. “The media has twisted this out of proportion and instilled a fear that is worse than the virus!“

            I strenuously disagree.

  4. I did make one error…it has been 94 years since Wheat last played. Oops……2038 singles…..but back then the ball did not fly very far, and the strategy was always just move em over. I found a really grainy old video on Youtube of the 1916 World Series. You can see players running and hitting, but it was taken from so far away, you have no clue who is doing what. Babe Ruth beat the Dodgers in a 14 inning game that started his record scoreless inning streak in that series.

  5. Nice win last night. Strip did a good job on a night, 114 in Phoenix, where his breaking stuff was not breaking very much. Seager got HR #2 and Muncy came out of his funk with a long HR. Belli still is not hitting the ball with any authority. Betts was very involved in the game with a great catch in right, some heady base running and a gap double. RH the next 3 games, soooooooooooo we should see some of the lefty’s back in the lineup. AJ Pollock has been very good. And he cranked a 2 run shot last night. Kike, Taylor, Smith,, still not hitting.

  6. Thanks Bear that was a fun read. These articles you guys are writing are fantastic.
    I’m looking forward to Gonsolin pitching today. I hope he can get to the fifth inning to give the relievers a little relief. The future is here with May, Santana, Urias, and now Gonsolin. Soon to come is Gray. Our team is amazingly deep when it comes to pitching.

    1. I would not expect too much length out of a guy who has been in the alternate site. Maybe 75 pitches. But they have guys like Ferguson who can go multiple innings if needed. Not sure who gets moved off of the roster so the Catman can be activated. A couple of other notes, the league and the players agreed to 7 inning double headers yesterday to allow them to get a full 60 game schedule in if need be. Also, the MLBPA has asked that the 30 man rosters be extended for the entire season for obvious reasons. One other note, and this one is mind boggling to me. A Dr Fauci baseball card was listed on Ebay for over 5000.00. That is totally insane.

      1. What’s insane would be somebody buying it.

        But who knows, a rookie Fauci card may be worth triple that some day.

        75 pitches is enough to qualify for a decision if he throws strikes. Gonsolin strikes can be hard to barrel up.

      2. Great article Bear. I must admit I don’t follow who gets bobbleheads, but it seems to me there have been very few who didn’t actually play here in L.A. at least for a little bit. I think it would be a great idea to start a series of Brooklyn Dodger bobbleheads for guys who have meant a lot to the organization but never played here in L.A. and give out 2 or 3 every year (assuming fans are ever allowed back into ballparks).

        With regard to who gets moved off the roster, I’ll be surprised if it isn’t Sborz, unless there is an injury we don’t yet know about. If CK comes back Sunday or Monday that will mean someone else has to go. That will be a tougher decision. Depending on how Catman does tonight, he may wind up drawing the short straw since there wouldn’t be room for him in the rotation if Kershaw is back. If they decide to use him in relief, then Victor Gonzalez would probably be odd man out.

        1. I started collecting them a few years ago. First I would get them on Ebay. Since I was not living in California anymore. When I would go to LA, my sis, brother and I would try to go to games when there was a bobblehead giveaway. My brother, who has some mental disabilities, collects bobbleheads, and country music CD’s. He has about 8,000 CD’s. He works at Harbor General Hospital as an appointment clerk. He has been there close to 25 years. Anyway, Steve loves doing that, and then for a while there was a bobblehead store in Lomita. We used to go there and he and I would pick up favorites. It can be an expensive hobby. At the games I have attended I got the Reese-Campy, Steve Garvey’s induction into the hall of hero’s, the 4 30 homer guys from 77, and a Justin Turner. All the rest I have purchased, or gotten from my brother when he tires of them, and wants space for new ones. He does not have the room in his bedroom that I have in my apt. He is now into getting Hall of Famers, no matter who they play for. He has given me some pretty good ones too. Mike Piazza, in an A’s unit, Catfish Hunter, a duel Mike Trout, Albert Pujols. Carlton Fisk, and a ton of Dodgers. I now have over 125 bobbles on a couple of book cases in my living room. Including, Big D, Sutton, Snider, Hodges, Garvey, Bellinger, Seager, Turner, Gonzalez, Gagne, Joc, and Wills. The biggest one I have is a stadium series Yasiel Puig. Got it at the ball park a couple of years ago, Yes, I have Sandy too, the one commemorating his perfect game, and more than a few Kershaw’s. I also have some Dodger statues. 2 were given away at Dodger stadium. a copy of Jackie Robinson’s stadium statue, and one of Matt Kemp running the bases. I also have 2 other Robinson’s, a Koufax, Hershiser, and Kirk Gibson and Drysdale. With a plastic Snider as well. I also collect the media guides. The best source of historical info outside of the internet.

        2. I do see a glaring omission for one player. Tommy Davis the last Dodger to win a batting title has never been honored. I think he was totally jobbed out of an MVP, even though Will won it. TD won the batting title and drove in 153 runs in 62. Still a team record.

          1. My brother-in-law has met Tommy a couple of times and says he’s a great guy, very down to earth.

  7. Bear, thanks for the story on Wheat. I learned a lot about this fine young man who worked hard to reach his goals. You are a good and interesting writer, but I already knew that from your posts. Please write some more lead articles.

  8. First and foremost, Bear, this was an outstanding article on a tremendous Dodger and baseball player. At LADT, we are blessed to have so many with such good recall of the past, and with the necessary investigative research skills and ability to convey that message in a written format. We have now launched another in the roster of LADT authors, and I hope this will not be the last column by Michael Norris (AKA Bear). I say that for selfish reasons. One, Bear is very knowledgeable and delivers a poignant story, and two, it allows a breather for me. So if anyone else wants to try their hand at this, please let me know.

    Another good game by Strip. If not for the 1st inning AB of Starling Marte, he probably finishes the 6th. Kolarek came in and faced three RH batters, and with the exception of the broken bat flare into RF by Carson Kelly, he pitched very well. Strip allowed two hard hit balls, the HR to Ketel Marte and the double by Christian Walker. Overall a good outing. Kelly, Graterol, and Baez finished it up. Great effort by the bullpen again. I will be very surprised to see if Gonsolin goes more than 3 IP, so the pen is going to get taxed again. However, I would suspect that Victor Gonzalez could give 2-3 IP.

    Perhaps the one pitcher who gives Corey Seager the worst time is Robbie Ray. However, Corey sure solved him in that first AB. Seager just crushed that pitch. When Doc was asked why Ray seems to give Corey so much trouble, Doc responded that Corey is an aggressive first pitch hitter, and Robbie does not throw him strikes. Doc also noted that Corey is being a little more patient of late and is seeing better pitches to handle. Good to see Muncy break out a little. Let’s see if it continues.

    The RHP will be going against LAD for the next three games, so hopefully Belli will settle down and stop trying to hit every pitch out of the Grand Canyon. He is so overswinging. I remember one of the times he broke out of these slumps, it was a bunt against the shift and then concentrating on line drives to left center. Joc will be back in and one would assume that Beaty and/or Rios will be in the lineup as well. Muncy should see 2B today. A.J. hits RHP well so I would expect he will remain somewhere in the lineup as long as he stays hot.

    By the way, there seems to have been a change of heart in the official scoring on Tuesday’s game. It now appears that Adam Kolarek got the win after all and Graterol got a hold. I am glad they changed it to as it should have been. Kolarek has been in 4 of the 7 games. He still has not allowed a run. He has faced 8 RH batters and 4 LH batters. He has allowed 2 hits against RH batting, one a broken bat flare. Nothing against LH batters. ZERO walks and 3 K’s. It is clear that Doc trusts Kolarek in any situation.

    None of KJ, Treinen, Alexander, or Ferguson was available. When asked about why Baez was saved for the 9th over Kelly, he felt that Kelly could get 4 outs if needed, while Baez is more of just a one inning pitcher right now. And he trusts Baez.

    I have come to really admire Ross Stripling from his podcasts and press conferences. He is so at ease speaking with anyone. He is comfortable and articulate. When asked how he likes the rotation vs. the bullpen he responded that he loves both roles, but he really wants to stay in the rotation. Strip always anticipated a season, and continued to ramp up in the downtime so that he could give multiple and meaningful innings at the beginning. He knew he would be needed, and he PLANNED accordingly. It worked out for him. He now wants to stay in the rotation. I wonder why Walker did not have that same plan in mind. With all of the pitching problems the Angels have, I am sure glad that Arte Moreno is a moron.

    CK had a very good bullpen session on Thursday, and Doc figures to see him start very soon. Most figure either Sunday or Monday. I am going with Monday. SD is a bigger yard for any CK mistakes, and I do not think Doc wants to hold Buehler back another day.

    1. Thank you Jeff. I really enjoyed writing the article and doing the research on Zack. Like I have stated many times, history is a passion for me. Baseball history is so colorful. I do not know how many of you have ever seen Ken Burn’s 10 part documentary, “Baseball”. But it was a great series. Lots of old film, and stills from the beginning of the game to now. He even added a chapter later on to cover the beginning of the 2000’s. One of the things about that film that was so great was it allowed you to see Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle, Mays, Williams, Robinson, Jackie and Frank, Campy and so many others on the field playing the game they loved. I marveled at the smoothness of Williams swing, and Mays gliding across the outfield to get under a ball and make a basket catch. That kind of thing got Darrell Thomas in trouble with Tommy. Mantle, swinging for the fences, and beating out bunts with the best home to first speed in the majors. Koufax’s devastating curve. The fast ball of Bob Feller. Great things to see and remember.

  9. DODGERS RECALL RHP TONY GONSOLIN
    RHP JOSH SBORZ OPTIONED TO ALTERNATE SITE

    LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers have recalled right-handed pitcher Tony Gonsolin and optioned right-handed pitcher Josh Sborz.

    Gonsolin, 26, will make the start tonight in place of the injured Alex Wood. In 11 games (six starts) for the Dodgers in 2019, he went 4-2 with a 2.93 ERA (13 ER/40.0 IP) and 37 strikeouts. He made his debut in Arizona on June 26, 2019, allowing six runs, four earned in 4.0 innings of work. In the last two months of the season, he went 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA (8 ER/32.0 IP) and 31 strikeouts in nine games (five starts). The 2018 Dodgers’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year has been with the organization since being drafted in the ninth round of the 2016 First Year Player Draft out St. Mary’s University. In four minor league seasons, he is a combined 20-14 with a 3.33 ERA (100 ER/270.1 IP) and 315 strikeouts.

    Sborz, 26, was recalled on Tuesday and did not appear in a game for the Dodgers. Last season, he made seven appearances for the Dodgers, going 0-1 with 8.00 ERA (8 ER/9.0 IP) and seven strikeouts. He made his Major League debut on June 20, 2019 against the Giants. In five Minor League seasons across five different levels, he is 24-20 with a 3.53 ERA (144 ER/367.1 IP) and 370 strikeouts.

  10. Wonderful article Bear!! Now if you could just put it to music, I think it would add a very nice touch. Perhaps in a Woody Guthrie style.

  11. What’s wild is, if this were the old normal times, today would be the trade deadline, and we’d all be bitching over what Friedman did/didn’t do and who he gave/didn’t give up in a deal.

    1. Yeah Bobby, we would have been really upset when AF traded Betts and Price to the Red Sox and only got back Verdugo, Downs and Wong.

      1. Just how bad do the Red Sox feel now about not taking Graterol. He was part of the original deal. Would have went from Twins to the Sox.

  12. Bear great write up! Is this your first journalistic endeavor? Keep em coming! Maybe a nice piece on Tyler White?

    1. Bear will do Tyler White right after G & G.

      That’s Gore and Grandal (his fav).

      :0

    2. Actually Cassidy, it is my second. I wrote a piece for TBPC last year about being a Dodger fan in the time of Andrew Friedman. The only nice thing I can say about Tyler White is that he is no longer a Dodger.

  13. Question…Does anyone know the status of Thomas? Is he injured? Not much news on him and just wondered.

    1. Thomas is on the IL. No reason was given. Probably tested positive. But have not heard anything in quite a while. IL list should be on the Dodgers web site.

  14. Thanks Bear. Really enjoyed your article. I was wondering when you would jump into the deep end of the pool and am really pleased you did.

  15. Thanks for the really interesting article, Bear! I never knew anything about Zach Wheat, except his name. Seems like he was motivated by growing up in poverty. Very inspiring and informative story.

    1. Thank you. I like to know as much as I can about the older players. I do not know if you ever read ” The Boys of Summer” by Roger Kahn who was a Brooklyn beat writer for a couple of years in the early 60’s. Most of us know about the stars of those teams, Hodges Snider, Campy, Pee Wee and Robbie. But the stories he told about some of the fringe players and subs was illuminating. One of the more interesting to me was George” Shotgun” Shuba. He conducted the interview at Shuba’s home. And they went down to the basement. There Shuba had a base ball attached to a string which he would lower and then swing at for practice. Shuba explained that he swung at that ball at least 1000 times a day when he was playing. I cannot imagine the dedication to ones craft to do that each day. Shuba, who was in his late forty’s when the book came out then grabbed a bat and demonstrated his swing. Kahn quoted that he was amazed at how smooth his bat was to the ball. Lots of stories like that.

      1. Yes, I did read ‘Boys of Summer.’ One of my favorite books. My dad was a Brooklyn Dodgers fan, then moved from Brooklyn to LA as a kid in 1933. He stayed a fan and they followed him more than 20 years later. He always told me how much the Brooklyn fans hated O’Malley for moving the team to LA. Their loss, my gain.

  16. Doc is on the radio right now. They’re thinking Sunday or Monday for Kershaw to return and start.

  17. Good read Bear. Like many, I love bios on the old players.
    Chicken Strips is a veteran and knows how to get guys out without his best stuff. The nice early lead didn’t hurt. His stuff up in the zone wasn’t as effective as it was against the Giants, maybe due to the Arizona air. But he found a way to get it done.
    When you look back at the projected starters for the Dodgers, preseason, you had CK (hurt but back soon), Ferris, Price (opted out), Urias, and Wood. So Ross/ Wood was 5 or 6. Go down MLB rosters and find me a 5th or 6th starter the quality of Ross Stripling? It’s a testimony to the depth of Dodger pitching. And that’s not including our deep bullpen that’s been outstanding. I really like Consulin and hope he has a good night. Kind of a big outing for him.
    Watching Robbie Ray was like watching a different guy. Without the weight, the beard and shorter hair he looks totally different. Orel was pointing out some mechanical issues with his post knee that made sense. Also mention was how he’s worked on changes and shortened his arm circle. WOW, no kidding. Shortening the arm circle is a big adjustment. It’s like a major change with a golf swing. As a coach that was about the last, desperate, suggestion I would make to a struggling pitcher. My theory on arm circle is that when a caveman left the cave, picked up a rock and fired it at some prey, that’s his natural arm circle. Messing with that natural circle is a major mechanical change. I pulled up some past photos of Ray. He had a much bigger arm circle, much like CK. The teach on that was “thumb to thigh, then reach for the sky”. The pitching hand’s thumb almost scraps the mid to lower thigh on the path out of the glove. Last night, Ray’s pitching hand never got below his belt. He throws like a catcher. He look like a left handed Bartolo Colon.
    Also his glove used to be much higher during his delivery to foot strike which can help hide the ball (Tom House states that pitcher’s arms are “equal and opposite” at foot strike. With a shorter circle the glove side is shorter too and the glove is lower and doesn’t hide the ball as well). This new delivery looks very manufactured to me. And he hasn’t pitched well. I find it interesting he changed so much.
    Hope Gonsulin gets it done tonight and AJ keeps hot.

  18. I wonder why Wheat isn’t with the group of Hall o Famers with retired numbers.

    1. Simple, they did not wear numbers when Wheat was playing. At least the Dodgers did not. The Yankees were the first team with numbers. At first they were given out according to their spot in the batting order, thus Ruth was #3 and Gehrig # 4. The practice of wearing a number on the back of the uniform did not take hold until 1929. The Yankees were going to do that on opening day in 1929 but were rained out, so the Cleveland Indians were the first team to wear numbers on the back of thier uniforms. In 1923 the Cardinals had worn numbers on their sleeve. But that did not last long. It did not become a common practice until the mid 1930’s. In 1937 the A’s became the last team to adopt the practice, The Dodgers put the red numbers on the front of their uni in 1952.

      1. I thought that might be why. I knew the Dodgers were the first to put numbers on the front. I wasn’t sure when they were added to the back.

    1. That’s a pretty nasty top 8 for a pitcher to look at when he contemplates the guys he’ll have to face tonight. I like giving Rios a start in the field. If he has a good night, they can rest JT tomorrow and move him to third for a game. Poor Beaty is getting lost in the shuffle here, but Rios is definitely the hot hand.

    1. As the season was beginning I facetiously commented that the 2020 WS title would be awarded to the last team who could field a starting nine. I sure hope I won’t be proven correct.

  19. Michael – love your writing.

    Hope you become a regular – you have a talent.

    We are so lucky here at LADT to have this quality of post everyday.

    Thank you all for taking the time.

    1. Thank you Watford. I submitted another one to Jeff earlier today. We will see when it comes out.

  20. Hm, Kersh does not have a great track record at Chase. He is 6-9 there with an ERA over 4. He has also given up 14 homers there in 103.1 innings. Over all he is 16.10 against the D-Backs with a 2.94 ERA, which means he is 10-1 vs them at Dodger Stadium. That is a huge difference. By comparison he is 9-2 at Petco with a 1.68 ERA in 101.2 innings and has only surrendered 7 dingers. Starting in SD on Monday would have been the better move.

    1. Totally agree that CK should have had his start in SD, Bear. I hope someone asks Doc to explain his decision and maybe there is some reasoning we haven’t thought of. But you and I both know that we’re right and he’s wrong.

      1. I doubt it was Doc’s decision alone. I think AF and the Dodger Braintrust made it.

  21. A little while ago I watched what turned out to be an old TV show from the early 50’s It was called Rookie of the Year and was on a show called Directors Spotlight. The director of this particular show was John Ford. It starred John Wayne, Vera Miles, Ward Bond and Pat Wayne. Also in it was one of the best character actors at the time, James Gleason. Wayne plays a sports reporter in a small Pennsylvania town who is looking for a story that will get him a job on one of the New York papers. He is invited to a Yankees game at the end of the season by his New York friend, Gleason. The rookie of the year is a young Yankee player, Pat Wayne, who has just been selected ROY. Wayne notices something familiar about the kid, and tries to remember where he has seen some of the mannerism’s the kid has before. He finally gets his answer when he remembers a player on the Black Sox who helped throw the series and was tossed from the game. But the kid has a different last name. So he investigates and finds out where the kid is from and goes to his home town to snoop around. Eventually he meets the kids sister, Miles, who takes him to a small ball field where the kids dad is helping some young boys learn the game. He immediately recognizes him as the kids dad and the banished player. He reveals he is a reporter and that he is going to write the story. He goes back to his small town and is about to tell his NY friend about his big scoop when Miles comes in and confronts him with a gun, and tells him how it will ruin the kids life, since he has no clue who his dad is or what he did. Wayne has a change of heart, and tells his friend that he does not have a big story, where by his friend says, were you going to tell us the kid is the son of one of the Black Sox? He then tells Wayne that all of the reporters know the truth and have kept the secret, he then turns to his editor and tells him he has found the right guy to do a story he has been trying to get out of writing. Following the MLB all stars on a Asian tour. They offer the job to Wayne, and he takes it, thus getting his dream job on a New York daily. Pretty cute show. And the only time Wayne ever did a drama or any other starring role on TV. Probably the only reason was that it was directed by Ford. Glad I watched it.

  22. Some guy named Gallen just struck out the side. Betts never took his bat off his shoulder.

  23. Dodgers look anaemic at the plate. Bellinger just lost. Mookie like a deer in headlights. So many good pitches left alone. They look very out of sorts to me. We need a sacrificial lamb. Who is it going to be?

  24. Yasiel Who>>>///??? What a gun, put that thing back in the holster. Mookie gets his first homer, and the Dodger still getting fooled on this kids change and curve ball. On our side, Gonsolin has been good and efficient.

  25. They intentionally walk a guy who is hitting .133 to pitch to one of their best hitters who is hitting over .300! Where is the logic in this?

  26. Another Doc head scratcher. Load the bases with an intentional BB to a guy hitting under .200 for a guy hitting .300 and then allow a base clearing double to give up the lead. I know it was a righty vs. righty match-up but way over-managed.

    Good gawd does Cody look horrible and all out of sorts and JT’s error allows all runs to be unearned. Rios needs to play tomorrow and Cody or JT to sit one out

  27. Doc, how can you intentionally walk a batter who has not had a hit in this series.? Give Doc a chance and he will screw it up.

  28. Pollock is not very good against right handed pitching. Would have been nice to have McKinstry pinch-hit for Pollock.

    1. He needs to scratch the new stance that he put in during the summer camp. Whatever he did, please go back to the old stance because he can not square up a FB to save his life right now. Doc frustrates me to no end.

      1. Well this one’s on Doc. There’s over-managing. And then there’s just plain stupid managing. It’s really getting old.

  29. I would give Belli a day off, or move him down in the order. Anything to shake things up. Mookie is looking better with each at bat. He did take a bad route after Walker’s double. I also question the strategy of waling a guy who could not hit water if he fell out of a boat right now to face a guy who has killed the Dodgers over the last 2 seasons. Bad loss all the way around. They get runners on 2nd and rd in the 9th and Bellinger goes after the first pitch. Bad bad bad.

      1. “Does very bad. Really bad” means that was stupid, totally sucks and Belli needs to take a seat for a game or two? If it does, then I totally agree. Maybe Belli thinks he is in the World Series right now, because he is definitely in WS form.

    1. Unrelated to Cody, but is Archie Bradley’s quick pace a good or bad thing for a fan to watch?

  30. That sucked. JT handles the funny hop and we get out of the 8th unscathed and likely win the game. Of course, it goes both ways in a normal season, and we’d normally win a game from a favorable hop at some point. In an abridged season, though, maybe not.

    It sucks more for Bellinger. He really hasn’t looked right to me since the season started, and I’m not referring to his swing. It’s more the body language. He usually one of the more fun loving players, constantly laughing, smiling, engaging and imo he’s looked stoic and wooden from as early as opening day. There are probably a thousand reasons why and some of them aren’t going to be changing any time soon. Aside from covid related and performance reasons, I wonder if the Betts contract is affecting him. Maybe he expects the Dodgers to extend before his arbitration years are up given he just won MVP, and maybe he’s disappointed or pissed that Friedman just gave an obscene contract to Betts before he even played a single game in a Dodgers uniform. Of course, Friedman doesn’t have to for now, but it doesn’t mean Bellinger isn’t upset or affected by it. Wild speculation, I acknowledge, but I do believe the un-Cody like body language is a very real thing.

    1. Bellinger’s agent is not about to let him sign an extension unless it is for “Mookie – Money!” I don’t think that’s the issue. It could be his swing… or something going on in his personal life?

      I seldom second guess, but I think Bellinger would have caught Walker’s double. Betts has not played CF at all this year and while he is good, he’s GG in RF and Cody is GG Caliber in CF. Yes, Cody has GG Caliber at 1B too, but I think that move was dumb.

      Cody is as fast or faster than Mookie and his height would have gotten that ball…. probably! Moving Mookie to CF and Cody to 1B and putting Joc is RF really weakened the OF defense. I have this to say to Dave Roberts:

      (edited)_a1

      1. Doc over-managed in the defensive substitutions as well. Pollock PH for Rios who was playing 1B. All he had to do was put Pollock in LF in Rios’ spot in the order, remove Joc from the game and put Muncy in at 1B. Belli would have remained in CF and Betts in RF.

        Instead, he does some weird and confusing line-up adjustments by moving Belli to 1B, Betts to CF, Pollock in for Rios to play LF and moves Joc to RF. I agree Belli just might have caught the ball that sailed over Mookie’s glove.

  31. I agree with you Mark. Bellinger would of caught that ball. I really do believe Doc thinks the more he moves people around the better manager he is. Just let the players play. Over managing is Doc’s problem. During the exhibition games Mookie led off every game. Then the first game of the season he has Mookie batting second. Put Mookie as the lead off batter and leave him there. You can still get the lefty-righty combination if that is what you want. I do not think the lefty-righty is all that important. I would of had Pollock pinch hit for Pederson and not Rios. By pinch hitting for Rios, then all the other moves had to follow. Now you have three players not playing their normal positions. If we win this thing, it will be because the players are good enough to over come Doc’s over managing.

  32. 4 unearned runs.

    Yes, we should’ve pitched to the .130 hitter. Yes, don’t move guys around late. Yes, Bellinger is behind everything and needs to to make an adjustment.

    4 unearned runs.

    Treinen got hit, but plays were not made behind him. You shouldn’t ask a guy to get 5 outs in an inning. You do that and you’re asking for trouble.

    I didn’t like the moves, but these guys are professionals and they need to make the plays.

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