Time stops for no one. And as the Dodgers get ready to enter their 65th season in Los Angeles, they approach the 67 years the Dodgers were part of the Major Leagues in Brooklyn. The National League as we know it, was formed in 1890. The Dodgers won their first title that season. Their roots in Brooklyn as a professional team go back a little further. And they also have gone through several name changes.
There are very few former Brooklyn Dodgers still living. The last list I saw shows nine. The oldest would-be Chris Haughey. He is now 97 years old. Bobby Morgan and Carl Erskine are next, both 96 years young. Erskine still lives in Indiana. The others, Bob Aspromonte, 85; Tommy Brown, 95; Roger Craig, who turns 93 this month, Jim Gentile, 90 in June; Fred Kipp, 92, in October; and Sandy Koufax, Sandy will be 88 in December.
The Dodgers, as a whole, have been much more successful in Los Angeles than they were in Brooklyn. The biggest difference is that when they played in Brooklyn, they were the average citizen’s next-door neighbors. Most rented apartments during the season and went home when it was over. Today, you have to have a substantial income to live next to your local ballplayer. I had two living on my block in the early sixties, the Sherry brothers. It was a great time to be a fan.
But as time marches on, even though the Dodgers celebrate Brooklyn history now and then with a bobblehead for a former hero, they largely promote the players of today over the heroes of the past. The last Brooklyn-era bobblehead was last season when Gil Hodge’s number was retired, and a bobblehead honoring that election was given out. Prior to that, it was the one given out when Don Newcombe was selected for the Dodger hero’s list.
I was more than a little perturbed when they canceled the Jr. Gilliam bobblehead and handed out a Machado instead. Dissing a career Dodger for a rental, well, that, to me, was disrespect to Gilliam. Brooklyn memorabilia is still a hot item. If you can find a yearbook, ticket stub, scorebook, or older original Brooklyn cards, they might cost you some cash. Many years ago, I bought a 1958 Dodger yearbook that sold for 50 cents at the coliseum, and it cost me about $40 dollars. The same book, now in decent condition, will run you well over $150 usually.
You can find some Brooklyn yearbooks at a cheaper cost. I believe the 1958 yearbook is so pricey because it was their first year in LA. Brooklyn baseball cards, if original, can fetch some large amounts. A 1955 Koufax rookie is on EBAY for $30,000. Shipping is 1.08. By contrast, you can get a 1955 Snider for $700. The most expensive Snider card is a 1956, which sells at about $700 for a very good one.
I still see posts sometimes on Facebook since there is a Duke Snider page and a Dodger page from former Brooklyn fans who still live there and still hate O’Malley for moving the team. They are now Met fans in most cases, and Yankee fans sometimes, or they have totally quit following baseball. That is the case with one of my best friends, Gary, a native Brooklynite who hates O’Malley and quit following the game.
All bitterness aside, time is erasing the Brooklyn legacy. As these Dodger icons get older and then pass, the memories are left in the few fans alive who saw them play. And most of those fans are getting a little long in the tooth. Me included. I firmly believe that the present owners should embrace the past a little better than they do. Vin was the last connection to the franchise, who spent a lot of time with some of those players. Tommy and Newk had both passed on. Other than Koufax, who sometimes attends games, there is no other Brooklyn player seen in attendance at Dodger Stadium. Erskine’s last appearance there was several years ago.
I believe Hodge’s number will be the last Brooklyn Dodgers number to be retired. None of the other players associated with Brooklyn has Hall of Fame credentials. Some, like Wheat and Vance, had no numbers to retire. I do think they should do a Gilliam bobblehead. Jr. was one of those selfless players who spent his entire playing and coaching career with the Dodgers. His number, appropriately, I might add, is the only non-Hall of Fame number retired.
They have a statue of Koufax and one of Jackie. There is most likely a Scully statue down the road somewhere. There once was a plan to have a Dodger Museum of sorts on the grounds at Dodger Stadium. I think they should really do that. All the team’s awards and such are in the halls behind the stands, where your average fan never goes. Build something where all can enjoy the history of the team we all love.
Bear,
You are hogging all the blogs today! š You are a beast!
I can’t really imagine the bitterness the Brooklynites felt (I guess that is what they are called – BTW, what do you call a person from Damascus? A Damascuser? – I digress). However, I was in Vero Beach for the Dodgers last season there, and a significant percentage of the fans and people in and about the town were very upset. They picketed the games, and in the tailgate area, they had signs and all kinds of stuff protesting – I can’t imagine how upset they would be with an MLB team leaving.
At Bobby’s Restaurant & Lounge, which was a local hangout of many of the Dodgers, it was the topic of much discussion. Bobby’s Logo is still patterned after the Dodgers logo I went to their Facebook Page, and it looks like there is still a lot of Dodger Memorabilia on the walls. https://www.facebook.com/BobbysRestaurantVeroBeach/
It is a cool place – right on the beach in Downtown Vero Beach.
When I think of Vero Beach I think of Manny Mota.
I think of Pedro Guererro sliding into third and breaking his leg and basically ruining that season for the Dodgers.
And there was Richie Allen running into a palm tree.
Surprisingly the palm tree survived. I remember that. It was when there was no fence around Holoman Stadium. They added that later.
BTW, no one mentioned it, but one of the non-roster invitees to Spring Training is none other than Yusniel Diaz. Back in 2015, the Dodgers paid him $15 Million as a signing bonus, and he was later traded to Baltimore in the Manny Machado deal. He was once ranked in the TOP 50 of MLB Prospects, but Baltimore released him last year. He is still only 26, and AF is trying to get his money’s worth… evidently!
I posted that at the end of yesterday’s stream.
I saw that you did, but I did not see a mention of Diaz.
Check my 5.37 PM post. Right at the bottom I mentioned both the signing and the Machado trade. BOOM! LOL.
Holy Crap, Batman! Somehow I missed it. My deepest apologies for having the audacity… to doubt the veracity… of a man of your capacity! š
Unintended but Jeff is still getting his legs back under him. The Owens post was a request from one of his posters.
Jack Harris. Times. Today.
Do not get the Times, what did ol Jack have to say?????
To me it was just a recap of what has been happening the past week or so. Maybe I missed something!
More or less. Attempting to read between the lines. Bauer fād things up. The Dodgers are going low budget but will still be over the payroll tax. They missed out on all the guys they wanted. Hoping. The idea of using so many rookies in one year is not really what they want to do, but they will. Why? Because they are hoping.
1. I do not believe Freidman that they have NO plan to get below the LUX TAX threshold. If that is the case… why not just blow by it? It does make a lot of sense (and dollars too) to get below it before the season is over, and he does not want to make trades from the point of weakness, but he is bluffing. Of course, they want to reset it. We will see if they can, because I do believe that they want to win now too.
2. Of course, in retrospect, signing Bauer was a mistake, but what if Friedman had let him go to San Diego, and then none of this would have happened? San Diego might have won a Championship… or two, and Bauers accuser would have just added Bauer to the two other Padres she was hanging with.
3. But, when you have the best Farm System in baseball, why not see if it can produce?
All Iām saying is that what I read clearly said this isnāt the preferred plan. 3 rookies at the bottom of the order and 3 rookies backing up a very iffy rotation? Gulp. Sure it might work. But you can bet the rest of the National League is smelling blood in the water.
So the new infield is Freeman firstbase Vargas at second base Lux at shortstop and Muncy thridbase and at catcher Will Smith that’s your every day starters. Now outfield could be different in Leftfield and Centerfield but most likely Mookie Betts in Rightfield and at DH the power hitting big man JD Martinez. Tahts the plan this year usually by this time teams know who is starting every day. The Giants posted there starters Padres as well. Only the Rockies and DBacks said they could have changes depends on spring training. Has there been a Dodger season where we didn’t know a set outfield. Any way Spring training is almost here.
We did not know who the LF’er would be in 2022.
There are always surprises.. Players get injured.
I don’t think we ever “know” what the lineup will be before spring training. We know what the plan is this year, but we don’t know if it will work.
Right now I think the plan is Outman CF and Taylor LF.
Thompson had reverse splits last year (hit RHP and didn’t LHP) and up until last season when he had a career year he wasn’t very good except his first year. I don’t see how he can be Outman’s platoon partner if Outman fails to hit LHP. I’m predicting Outman will hit LHP good enough and better than what Thompson would. I see Thompson as purely a backup outfielder and pinch hitter.
When I look at things right now (without a trade) I see something missing and there’s an open spot on the active roster. I see an outfielder that hits LHP good missing. Someone to be Outman’s platoon partner IF Outman fails to hit LHP or strictly a pinch hitter and backup outfielder otherwise. Who could that be? Could be Jonny DeLuca (look at his splits in the minors).
The ideal thing is to get an everyday starting LF and have Taylor as the utility outfielder and pinch hitter or Outman’s platoon partner IF needed. That leaves Thompson as the other backup outfielder and pinch hitter. But keep your eye on Jonny DeLuca because he fits both scenarios, the 2nd scenario of getting an everyday starting LF means Thompson is DFA and DeLuca is Outman’s platoon partner IF needed, otherwise a pinch hitter that hits LHP good and backup outfielder.
Bottom line is that an outfielder that hits LHP good is missing right now and there is a spot still open on the 13 man active roster right now.
If there’s no trade for an everyday LF then:
Starters:
C Smith
1B Freeman
2B Vargas
SS Lux
3B Muncy
RF Betts
CF Outman
LF Taylor
DH Martinez
Bench: Barnes, Rojas (utility infielder), Thompson, DeLuca (possibly Outman’s platoon partner).
With an everyday LF through a trade:
Starters:
C Smith
1B Freeman
2B Vargas
SS Lux
3B Muncy
RF Betts
CF Outman
LF Starter through a trade
DH Martinez
Bench: Barnes, Rojas (utility infielder), Taylor (utility outfielder), DeLuca (possibly Outman’s platoon partner).
DeLuca is not cracking the 26-man. Even if they do make a trade and that won’t happen until the deadline most likely. I think way too many here are dismissing Heyward to early. The man is on a mission to justify the confidence placed on him by Freddie Freeman. If he hits in spring, he is a lock.
Heyward’s career stats against LHP sucks and against RHP he’s about the same as Taylor and about the same as Thompson in OPS but better than Thompson in BA. I don’t see the need for him if Thompson is sticking around.
I see a serious need for a guy on the bench that hits LHP good as a pinch hitter or Outman’s platoon partner IF NEEDED. And Thompson is not it .210/.281/.430/.711 against LHP and niether is Heyward .231/.302/.340/.642 against LHP.
I’m telling you keep an eye on Deluca (look at his stats against LHP in the minors) who’s on the 40 man roster if no trade happens. Busch isn’t ready and hits in the low .200’s in BA and slightly in the upper .700’s against LHP in the upper minors and Pages certainly isn’t ready but hit better than Busch against LHB at AA and never been to AAA.
For a lefty hitter like Heyward, .231 is not all that bad. Especially when you see guys like Pederson hitting below the Mendoza line consistently. Besides, Heyward would most likely start against RHP which he does well. He is a .267 career hitter against RHP. Better to have a seasoned veteran out there than an untried kid. I am telling you that most everyone is underestimating this guy. I believe he is making the team.
Oh yea I forgot to make it clear that when I said Busch and Pages aren’t ready I meant as an everyday starter because you don’t want to have them on the bench and not getting enough at bats. They’re better off staying in the minors and continuing to prepare for the majors some day because the “experts” project them to be starters some day and that’s not the case for DeLuca, at least not on a contending team.
I put experts in quotes not that I believe they are wrong about Busch and Pages. I did it because they get it wrong sometimes.
Ok I respect that Bear. But my question is as a guy that hits RHP decent/fairly good who is he going to replace as an everyday starter? Not Betts, not Outman who has crushed RHP in the minors. Why Taylor since Heyward has not much better career stats against RHP than Taylor or why platoon him with Taylor. And if you have Heyward and Thompson on the team as pinch hitters they do the same thing, hit RHP better than LHP and not all that good in their careers. So who is going to come off the bench to hit a LHP? And who is going to be Outman’s platoon partner IF NEEDED. The answer to my 2 questions is nobody. Logic says to me you have to choose between Thompson and Heyward to be on the team.
Oh I forgot Bear. You can’t just look at batting average you gotta look at that and OPS. Both. If you can’t get to at least .950 with BA and OPS combined in your career against either RHP or LHP you have no business starting.
What LF or Outfielder guy and hits lefties good and could we get in a trade if this is really possible? Any names out there. What would you think the asking price would be Cartaya an doing pitching or someone on the roster already getting moved.
Truthfully I think the position players the Dodgers have right now are fine to get to the playoffs and if not then a trade at the trading deadline. The playoffs now have a lot of luck. The Astros won it all last year because no team in the AL got lucky at the right time, but over in the NL the worst team that made it to the playoffs went all the way and ran out of their luck in the end. There are other examples like in the first round of the playoffs when luck happens it creates a domino effect.
Just get to the playoffs and hope for the best.
I hate trades because you always have to give up something good for something good unless it’s a salary dump or an expiring contract. I’d prefer AF to get free agents instead, but the contracts that have been given recently are outragious. This is why the farm/prospects are important.
I don’t fault any Brooklyn Dodger fan or Vero Beach Dodger fan for not being Dodger fans anymore. I 100% understand.
I was a big Los Angeles Raiders fan, but when the Silver and Trash picked up and left to the Bay Area, I said screw you, how dare you disrespect my city and leave for the crap bay area!!
Of course, I moved on to the Chicago Bears, so I basically went from a not so attractive girl to a not so attractive girl (but with better deep dish pizza). Luckily I have half a championship via the LA Rams last year (go Los Angeles!!)
I always felt the Raiders were interlopers. The Rams were in LA when I was growing up. They were usually bad but did manage to go to a Superbowl and lose. Two of them starred in a movie with John Wayne, Roman Gabriel and Merlin Olsen. “The Undefeated.” I was working for a guy who had Raiders tickets on the 50-yard line at the coliseum. The only reason I ever watched a Raiders game was to watch Marcus Allen. I quit watching the NFL several years ago. Same with the NBA. I will watch college football and basketball, but not the pros.
Raider Nation is Bay Area. I have a friend with season tickets there and I got to experience it first hand. It was crazy fun. I went to a Raider game in LA and it wasnāt the same. The following there felt gang related. Vegas? I doubt it but I guess weāll see.
There is no active roster yet, wonāt be determined until season starts and none of us have a clue what could happen between now and then
The active roster is the 40-man roster. Go on the Dodger website, click on roster then go to active and the entire 40 man roster is there, and there is a spot for non-roster players too. What is to be determined is the 26-man roster that will be used during the season.
Breaking News: August 11, the Dodgers will retire #34!!
Where did you see that?
I’m listening to the FanFest while doing some work. Stan Kasten just announced it
Yeah, they just posted it on Twitter too. He will become only the second non-Hall of Famer to earn that honor. No one has worn it since he retired anyway. They are just making it official.
Thatās really cool news to hear about Fernando, happy for him. Iām well aware of forty man and twenty six active rosters I check them fairly often to get bios and such
The Dodgers and infielder Miguel Rojas have agreed to a contract extension that will keep Rojas in Los Angeles through at least the 2024 season, according to Daniel Alvarez-Montes of El Extrabase (Twitter link and link to the Spanish-langugage full story). Rojas was already set to earn $5MM in 2023, but this new deal reworks that money into a $3.5MM salary and a $1.5MM signing bonus. Rojas will then earn another $5MM in 2024, and the Dodgers hold a $5MM club option on Rojas for 2025, with a $1MM buyout.
All told, it adds up to another $6MM in guaranteed money for the Beverly Hills Sports Council client. Rojas had previously been playing on a two-year, $10MM deal signed when he was a member of the Marlins, and that extension covered the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
Rojasā deal is a little different since he was already under contract for 2023. From a luxury tax perspective, the extension slightly raises Rojasā tax number from $5MM to $5.5MM, which is the new average annual value of what is technically a two-year deal (since his 2023 salary was reworked) for accounting purposes. While Los Angeles had soared over the Competitive Balance Tax threshold in each of the last two seasons, there was some thought that the club might look to duck under the line and reset its tax penalty status, with an eye towards going back into CBT territory next winter. But, with the Dodgers now projected to be slightly over the $233MM threshold, Friedman said this week that the Dodgers were ādoing all we can to win a championship this year,ā rather than keep an eye on the tax bill by trading players.
Saw Rojas interviewed while watching Fan Fest on tv today. It was easy to see why he was considered a leader in the Miami clubhouse. I expect him to be a huge positive influence on Vargas and, for that matter, a number of the younger players.
When Kirsten was interviewing Vargas, he used an interpreter but later on he was interviewed by John Hartung and Orel and he did just fine without one.
Cartaya was on at the same time and spoke perfect English. Another impressive personality.
DODGERS EXTEND MIGUEL ROJAS
LOS ANGELES ā The Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to terms with infielder Miguel Rojas on a one-year contract extension through the 2024 season for $6 million dollars. The contract includes a salary of $5 million dollars in 2024, a club option salary of $5 million dollars for the 2025 season with a $1 million dollar buyout, and charitable contributions.
Rojas, 33, was acquired on January 11 from the Miami Marlins in exchange for minor league infielder Jacob Amaya. He played in 140 games with Marlins in 2022, hitting .236 with six homers and 36 RBI. He joins the Dodgers for his second career stint after making 85 appearances with the club in 2014 and recording 27 hits in 149 at-bats in his rookie season. He has been in the Majors parts of nine seasons, slashing .260/.314/.358 with 39 homers and 269 RBI while playing five different defensive positions. He was originally signed by the Cincinnati Reds out of Los Teques, Venezuela as an international free agent on November 24, 2005.
I think Rojas exists mostly to cover the IF, leaving Taylor available to play the OF every day.
RE: Living next door to baseball players. Back then before TV contracts, players did not make much more than the average working guy. So if they made even 3 times a regular guy, they often had 2 homes. So many worked in the off season as real estate agents, car salesmen etc where their ‘name’ helped them get customers
Happy about Fernando.
And I think it’s a shame that Dodgers didn’t show fellow legend Maury Wills that kind of love years ago, especially since the HOF never did…..
As far as today’s team, we can expect an injury or three to alter our expectations. If a pitcher gets hurt, I expect that Pepiot is the first option. If a position player who is not a catcher goes down, then Busch will get his chance.
I agree with the chatter that Heyward has the inside track. The “youth movement” is basically Vargas , Outman and (sorta) Lux getting counterbalanced by Rojas, Heyward and JD Martinez.
Trayce is vulnerable if he has a weak spring. He’s a journeyman, but he’s always had his most success with the Dodgers. He’s a strong defender and crushed right-handed pitching last season. I hope Taylor can be his platoon partner–but he was really pretty awful last season. If not for his contract, he might have been released along with Belli and Gallo. The Cubs are paying Heyward’s salary. If Taylor doesn’t get on track, the Dodgers might deal him and cover part of his salary.
So many questions…
Speaking of deals, it will be interesting to follow the Ohtani action.
Even if the Angels play well, they won’t be beating the Astros, so their best hope is a wild card. To trade or not to trade–that could be a tricky question.