Have you ever seen a player and thought to yourself, this guy is going to be a huge star? Outfielder Mike Marshall was that for me. Mike was born on January 12, 1960, in Libertyville, Illinois. He graduated from Buffalo Grove High School. Mike was drafted by the Dodgers in the 6th round of the June amateur draft out of high school. He was assigned to Lethbridge at the rookie…
Alex Who? First Eight Innings
Early in the 2021 season, that question was asked by more than a few Dodger fans. The Dodgers were in search of a left-handed reliever and there were several well-known options available, at least in trade. So what did Andrew Friedman do? He did as he often seems to do. He acquired a player with whom we were not all that familiar or we simply wondered why. On February 12,…
Pedro
On April 3rd, 1974, the Dodgers traded pitcher Bruce Ellingsen to the Cleveland Indians for 17-year-old Pedro Guerrero. The Indians were desperate for pitching. It would turn out to be one of the most lopsided one-for-one trades ever. Guerrero went to Orangeburg in the Western Carolina League to start and played 19 games there before moving on to low A Bellingham where in 82 games he hit .316. Over the…
Rant & Rave Friday
I don’t have much time today, so this format seemed appropriate. If you are so inclined, read what Dan McLaughlin writes in the National Review with regard to the Trever Bauer Debacle. It is at least very thought provoking. One has to wonder how long Max Scherzer’s arm will hold up. Justin Verlander’s evebtually broke down. Let’s hope it stays intact at least they season. In an interview yesterday, AJ…
Positive About Optimism
By now, you all should know that I am an optimistic person. There are many reasons for this, including the fact that I believe in the power of the human spirit to overcome incredible obstacles, and that without an optimistic attitude one might never try… let alone succeed, in overcoming incredible odds. The Miracle on Ice would have never happened if the coach and players had said “We are realists….
Individual Honors Elude Players: Team Success Is # 1
You look back over the years and there are very few Dodger players at the top of the offensive numbers in the NL. Or the majors for that matter. Pitching? That is a horse of a different color. The last Dodger to win a batting title was Tommy Davis in 1963 when he hit .326. He also won in 1962 with a .342 mark. Kemp led the league in runs…
MiLB Odds and Ends with Dodger Chatter
Well, folks, a change of pace is good from the pitcher’s mound but maybe not so much on an interactive blog such as LADT. However, this is what I have. That is, some of the players that piqued my interest in the past few days. I do not have the time and LADT does not have the space to include all of those who have made me take a second…
Cody Bellinger: Superstar!
So, let’s get right to it. The guy many of you wanted to be benched, sent to OKC, or even executed drove in the only two Dodger runs yesterday. I wish this were a stock market site because I would get the consensus of opinion and then do exactly the opposite. I would make a fortune going against the conventional thinking I read on this site. “Corey Seager is not…
What If? Injuries Have Derailed Many Dodger Careers
Since there has been a glut of injuries to Dodger players this season, I thought this might be a good topic of discussion. So far there have been, and hopefully will not be any career-threatening injuries. May, Rios, Nelson are all out for the year. Early in the season, May and Rios were injured and have already had their surgeries. Nelson still waiting to see how they will handle his….
Why Hasn’t Doc Announced a NEW Closer?
It’s no secret that many Dodger fans want to be rid of Kenley Jansen. I started this blog before the game last night and finished it this morning, so I am not just riding the bandwagon of the “Good Kenley,” who notched his 26th save last night on just 7 pitches – all strikes! Some fans will say it is because Dave Roberts is just a bad manager as to…