In the Dodgers first ten seasons in Los Angeles, they had 10 different opening day third basemen. Dick Gray opened at 3rd in 58. In 59, Jim Baxes. In order from 60-67, Gilliam, T. Davis, Darryl Spencer, McMullen, Werhas, Kennedy, Lefebvre.
The first player in LA history, to start at 3rd on two consecutive opening days was Steve Garvey in 70-71. Grabarkewitz, and McMullen opened there before Cey began his tenure in 74. The Penguin would be the opening day 3rd baseman for 9 straight years. Believe it or not, the second most consecutive starts at 3rd, Max Muncy, who has started the last 5 years in a row. Billy Cox, who was one of the best to play the game there, started just 3.
Justin Turner had 5 starts on opening day at 3rd, but his string was broken in 2018 by Logan Forsythe. Muncy has a year left on his contract, and an option year in 28 for 10 million with a 3-million-dollar buyout. He is for a player with his skills, very affordable. His defense has also improved and this season he is among the best defenders at third in the majors.
At some point, the Dodgers are going to have to start getting younger, Max will be 37 when his contract ends in 27. Many feel that to alleviate some stress and possible injury, Will Smith should move to a different position. Third base is the spot most mentioned. Great, but it does not get the team younger. Smith turns 32 next year.
Before we get into all of that, let us look at how many different players have been at third since 58. In 1958, Gilliam 44 games, Gray 55, Hodges 15, Randy Jackson 17, Pee Wee 21, Earl Robinson 8 and Zimmer 12, all played third at some point in the year. Pretty discouraging when the perceived starter plays only 55 games.
Gilliam solidified the position some in 59 by playing in 131 games. Baxes, Gray, Hodges and Zimmer all filled in at some point, but none were in more than the 11 games Gray played. Gilliam was the epitome of a super-sub from his rookie year, 53, until he retired in 1966. He was the starting third baseman in 59-60, and then was the super sub in 61 when Spencer was the starter. In 62, Spencer was the starter backed up by Andy Carey and Tommy Davis, but Gilliam, who was the main 2nd baseman that year, still moved to third and either started or finished 91 of his 160 games there.
McMullen split time with Gilliam and Davis in the 63 Championship run. With McMullen injured in 64, Gilliam moved back and split time with Derrell Griffith, John Werhas, and Dick Tracewski. Gilliam initially retired after the 64 season. But the production and defense at third in 65 was so anemic, that he left the coaching box and played in 111 games, mostly at third. He made a sparkling play in game 7 against the Twins that helped Koufax shut them out for the Series win. John Kennedy was the starter in 66, but Gilliam again left the coaching box to help the team win the pennant. It would be their last for a while. He retired from playing for good. And for the next 8 years, the Dodgers would search for a replacement.
They thought they had their guy when they traded Maury Wills to the Pirates for Bob Bailey. Maybe it was the bright lights of Hollywood, but Bailey’s two seasons in Los Angeles were a total bust. He hit .227 both years with 12 homers combined, 4 in 67, 8 in 68. Sold to the Expos, he hit 28 homers and hit .287 his first season there. He would reach double figures in each of the four years after that.
Meanwhile guys like Jim Lefebvre, Bill Sudakis, Grabarkewitz, and Garvey all got chances before Cey showed up. Cey was # 6 in the ROY voting his rookie year, he was in 6 consecutive All-Star games. He averaged 14 errors a year over a 16-year career. He never won a gold glove, but he was a stabilizing force at third. Since the Gold Glove was first awarded in 1957, no Dodger player has ever won one at third.
After Penguin was traded, the revolving door started again. Between 1983-2001, no one started there opening day more than twice until Beltre had a 3-year run from 02-04. Guererro, German Rivera, Madlock, Jeff Hamilton, Lenny Harris, Wallach, Hansen, Zeile, Mike Blowers and Chris Donnells, who broke Beltre’s string at 2 and then Beltre started the next 3 opening days.
Since 2005, 10 different players have been the opening day 3rd baseman. 14 of those opening days were covered by Uribe, 4, Turner, 5, and Max 5. Jose Valentin, Bill Mueller, Wilson Betemite, Blake DeWitt, Casey Blake (2), Luis Cruz and Forsythe made the others. CT3, Chris Taylor also made several starts at the position.
That isn’t counting the utility guys who have played there. This season, Miggy, Max and Espinal have seen time there. In last year’s championship run, Edman, Freeland, Miggy, Max, Kike, and Buddy Kennedy, all saw time at third. In this era, versatility is a valued asset. Finding a pure third baseman is just not a priority anymore. Max will tell all who ask, that he was more comfortable when he was playing second. There may not be what one would call an everyday third sacker in the foreseeable future.
MiLB GAME SUMMARY REPORTS
OKC Comets 2 – Duke City Isotopes (Colorado) 0
Yes, I watched this game on my computer with my headphones, while the Dodger game was on the TV.
It was Duke City 505’s playing on this night. OKC jumped to the lead in the first. 3B Kiké Hernández led off with a single, and DH James Tibbs III drew a BB. Both runners moved up on a very WP, and Kiké scored on 2B Alex Freeland’s ground out. With Tibbs III at 3B and two out, RF Jack Suwinski grounded an oppo single to bring home Tibbs III.
RHSP River Ryan took the mound in the bottom of the first. He got his 4- seamer up to 100, and struck out the first two. The third batter grounded out. Nice 11 pitch inning for Ryan.
OKC was back hitting in the 2nd. SS Noah Miller hit the first pitch off the top of the CF fence, 428 feet from home plate. Miller scored on CF Zach Ehrhard’s RBI single. After Ehrhard was picked off and thrown out attempting to steal, C Chuckie Robinson hit the second triple of the inning. After Kiké drew the walk, Tibbs III hit a 105.5 MPH single to drive him home, and the Comets had a 4-0 lead.
Ryan retired the side in order in the 2nd, on a strike out and 2 weak ground balls to 2nd.
In the 3rd, with one out LF Tyler Fitzgerald slugged a solo HR over the LF fence.
Ryan got the first two outs but walked the #9 hitter, before retiring the side.
In the 4th, with RHRP Jeff Criswell on the mound for the Isotopes on a rehab assignment, Tibbs III and Freeland drew leadoff BB and moved up to 2nd and 3rd on a ground out. Suwinski got his 2nd RBI single, with Freeland stopping at 3rd. Miller doubled home both Freeland and Suwinski.
Ryan went back out for the 4th. He gave up back to back singles with the leadoff hitter moving to 3rd. A sac fly brought home the first Isotope run. Ryan retired the final two batters the last with his 4th K.
OKC broke it open as much as it can be in Albuquerque. Kiké walked and Tibbs III singled. Freeland launched a 3-run HR. Ryan Fitzgerald singled and Suwinski hit a majestic blast 431 feet on a 40 degree launch angle.
As the inning continued, T. Fitzgerald drew a BB, and Ehrhard drew a 1-out BB. With 2 out, Kiké hit a no man’s land single in RF with Fitzgerld scoring. Tibbs III tripled scoring both runners. Freeland singled home Tibbs III, and the Comets sent 13 batters to the plate with 9 scoring, taking a 17-1 lead.
RHRP Jerming Rosario relieved Ryan after 4.0 innings. He sat 95-96 on his 4-seamer reaching 99-100.9 on multiple pitches. He was still throwing 100 in the 3rd. His other pitches (slider, cutter, sinker, and curve) were sharp. The Isotopes are averaging more than 7 runs game for the season, and 9.5 over the previous 12 games. I would say Ryan was brilliant in his 4.0 innings.
Rosario pitched a scoreless 5th and 6th with 2 singles, and 1 K.
RHRP Nick Frasso relieved Rosario in the 7th and retired the side with 1 single and 1 K.
RHRP Jordan Weems gave up an infield single in the 8th and nothing more. The infield single was because he sat on the mound with a ground ball hit to 1B. He came back out in the 9th and closed out the win.
I got to see the check swing challenge. Noah Miller was rung up on a check swing, and he challenged. The replay showed that Miller’s bat went more than 45 degrees and the call was confirmed.
- Kiké Hernández – 3-4, 2 BB, 3 runs, 1 RBI
- James Tibbs III – 3-5, 2 BB, 4 runs, 3 RBI, triple (2)
- Alex Freeland – 3-5, 1 BB, 2 runs, 5 RBI, HR (1)
- Jack Suwinski – 3-6, 2 runs, 4 RBI, HR (10)
- Noah Miller – 2-5, 1 BB, 1 run, 2 RBI, double (6), triple (3)
- Zach Ehrhard – 2-2, 4 BB, 1 run, 1 RBI
- Chuckie Robinson – triple (1)
- Tyler Fitzgerald – HR (3)
Springfield Cardinals 7 – Tulsa Drillers 4 (11 innings)
It took until the 4th before a runner crossed the plate, and it was Tulsa who drew first blood. DH Zyhir Hope singled and stole 2. Hope scored on LF Chris Newell’s 2 out RBI single.
RHSP Payton Martin breezed through the first 4.0 innings, allowing a single with 4 K. In the 5th, with one out, Martin walked a batter who moved to 3B on E5 to the next batter. The first runner scored on a WP. Martin walked that batter, and that was followed by a single to load the bases. Martin walked the next batter to bring home a 2nd run. A sac fly brought the 2nd run home. Martin had a rough 5th, but only 1 of the runs is earned. It was a good start for Payton.
Tulsa got one out back to back double by CF Kendall George (9) and RF Josue De Paula (8).
Tulsa took the lead in the 7th. 2B Jake Gelof and George had leadoff BB. With one out, SS Elijah Hainline walked to load the bases. 3B Kyle Nevin hit a 2-out 2-run single giving Tulsa a 4-3 lead.
LHRP Christian Suarez pitched a scoreless 2.0 innings in relief of Martin.
With RHRP Carson Hobbs on the mound in the 8th, he gave up a leadoff single and balked him to 2nd. A one out single put runners on the corners. The tying run came home on a fielder’s choice.
The game went into extra innings tied at 4-4. In the 10th, De Paula caught a fly out and threw out the runner at the plate to save the inning.
Three Drillers struck out in their half of the 10th.
After Springfield went out in order in the 11th, the Drillers had a chance to walk it off in the bottom of the 11th. C Frank Rodriguez was the placed runner at 2nd. He moved to 3rd on a ground out. Gelof hit a ground ball to SS who threw home to get Rodriguez out at home.
Springfield turned a double and HR into 3 runs in the 12th. Tulsa ha three up, three down via the K to end the game.
No Driller hitter had a multi-hit game.
Great Lakes Loons 9 – West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit) 3
LHSP Jakob Wright started and went 5.0 innings. He gave up a single, SB, and RBI single to put the Whitecaps on the board in the 2nd. That was the only run he allowed.
The Loons took over from there. In the 3rd, with 1 out, RF Mike Sirota and CF Eduardo Quintero were HBP. 2B Nico Perez singled to load the bases. With 2 outs, 3B Eduardo Guerrero singled home 2 for a 2-1 lead.
In the 4th with 1 out, 1B Jose D. Hernandez doubled (1). He moved to 3B on SS Jose Izarra infield single. Izarra stole 2B. Sirota had a 2 run single, and scored on Quintero’s double (6). Guerrero singled home Quintero and a 6-1 lead.
RHRP Reynaldo Yean entered in the 6th. A leadoff walk followed by a 2-run HR. Yean got out of the inning after a HBP and BB.
RHRP Accimias Morales pitched a scoreless 2 innings. He allowed 1 hit, 2 BB, with 4 K.
Great Lakes scored 3 more in the 8th. Quintero singled and scored on Perez’s double (11). Perez moved to 3rd on a WP. Catcher Gio Cueto drew a BB. Guerrero singled home Perez and LF Samuel Munoz singled home Cueto.
RHRP Alex Makarewich replaces Morales and pitched a clean 9th.
- Eduardo Guerrero – 3-4, 1 BB, 4 RBI
- Eduardo Quintero – 2-3, 1 BB, 3 run, 1 RBI
- Nico Perez – 2-5, 1 run, 1 RBI
- Jose Izarra – 2-3, 2 BB, 1 run
San Jose Giants 12 – Ontario Tower Buzzers 7
RHRP Hyun-Seok Jang started and completed 5.0 IP. After a HBP and walk, a run scoring single gave the Giants a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the 1st, 2B Kellon Lindsey led off with a double (1). Lindsey scored on CF Landyn Vidourek doubled (1) home Lindsey to tie the score. 3B Chase Harlan hit the 3rd double of the inning (4) to score Vidourek. LF Ching-Hsien Ko had a run-scoring single and a 3-1 lead.
In the 2nd, 1B Easton Shelton (6) and Lindsey (1) hit back to back HR.
In the 3rd, Harlan had a leadoff BB and moved to 2nd on an errant pickoff throw. SS Joendry Vargas singled to score Harlan.
Then the game turned. Jang and 3 Ontario relievers allowed 11 runs in 3 innings.
Ontario scored a final run in the 9th on C Conner O’Neal’s HR (3).
- Kellon Lindsey – 2-5, 2 runs, 1 RBI, double (1), HR (1)
- Chase Harlan – 2-2, 2 BB, 2 runs, 1 BB, double (4)
- Easton Shelton – 2-4, 1 run, 1 RBI, HR (6)
- Conner O’Neal – HR (3)
- Landyn Vidourek – double (1)
Nice win. Offense looks to be waking up a bit, 15 runs in the last 3 games. Top of the lineup needs to get involved. Mookie looks like any player who had missed 32 games. Snell on the IL so the starting staff is going to be tested. Ryan is not ready yet, Stone has not started throwing, no starter at OKC looks like they could step in. Glasnow will not be activated as soon as he is ready, they will slow play him.
Mark, I will be away in Scarsdale NY today and Sunday watching my 4 year grandson play T Ball and my 13 grandson play baseball games all weekend,if yould post the lineups. I will be back at on Monday when we play the PADRE PUNKS.
Nice clean win! Relief pitching outstanding!