Now that the Bobby Thompson home run has surfaced again, perhaps I can tease you one more time with a reference to that fateful hit in an article I wrote four years ago. I trace my birth as a Dodger fan back to the 1952 season. Vin Scully and Duke Snider were the midwives in bringing me into the world of “Dodger Blue.” Vin’s voice captivated me one evening in…
Yesterday Evan gave us a great read on Ralph Branca – the man – not the unfairly maligned baseball player. With his reference to Jackie Robinson and “shot” it brought me back to another historic moment in time and an article I had written eight years ago about one more little known Dodger who too was a better man. George Shuba – now there’s a name that I suspect doesn’t…
There will only ever be one Clayton Kershaw but the Dodgers did sign another Clayton on January 17. They had previously selected left-hander Clayton Andrews in the 40th round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft but he didn’t sign. He did so with the Brewers in 2018. The new Clayton on the block is 24-year-old infielder Clayton Daniel. He was acquired from the Cubs in a trade for right-hander Casey…
Right-hander Jack Little was selected by the Dodgers in the fifth round of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of Stanford University. His three-year teammate at Stanford, outfielder Brandon Wulff, was also selected by the Dodgers in the 17th round. Although the Dodgers picked Little with starting in mind, he had been a reliever exclusively at Stanford with a total of 53 relief appearances in his three-year career with the…
Right-hander Ryan Pepiot was selected by the Dodgers in the third round of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. Most thought he’d be a day one pick, or maybe even a very early third-rounder, so the Dodgers did well to nab him with the 102nd overall selection. He was born in Westfield which is part of the Indianapolis Metropolitan area and attended Westfield High…
Right-hander Logan Boyer was selected by the Dodgers in the 11th round of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of San Diego State University. He was an interesting selection but fit the Dodgers pattern of trying to get what we might call a steal in the 11th round having signed the 10th rounder for a small signing bonus. He, in fact, signed for $297,500 which was $172,500 above the slot…
I am slacking it a bit today as we have had our family with us for the better part of four days and will be away most of tomorrow and Thursday. So, I pulled up an article from exactly four years ago ( January 2, 2016). They say you never forget your first love. At least that’s what I’ve been told. As much affection as I have always had, and…
Left-hander Alec Gamboa was selected by the Dodgers in the 9th round of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of Fresno City College, a community college in the Central Valley College League in California. Gamboa was born in Madera, California and attended Madera High School where he was twice named the County/Metro Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year twice, and posted a 7-0 record with a 1.18 ERA as a…
Left-hander Jacob Cantleberry was selected by the Dodgers in the 13th round of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Missouri. He was born in Greenwood, Indiana and attended Center Grove High School in his home town before heading off to San Jacinto-North Community College, located just outside of Houston, Texas. In two seasons with the Gators he posted a 23 – 4 record through 32 appearances,…
There has been considerable discussion on LADT regarding relief pitchers and more specifically what the Dodgers could or should do to strengthen the bullpen. It is a conundrum in that standing pat might fit the definition of doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Yet with relief pitchers who knows. How many have that dominant year and then what follows is not nearly as dominant…