We are now down to the last week, and we have no more idea as to who will be the Dodgers Wild Card opponent today than we had at the beginning of the season. Because the 2nd place teams in the Central and Eastern Divisions are relatively close, there are six teams that could fall to the #8 seed. Only two NL teams have actually clinched a spot in the…
Meet Chet Brewer
While writing the article on Reggie Smith, I was introduced to Chet Brewer, a player from the Negro Leagues that I, quite frankly, had not been familiar with before that article. After becoming acquainted with him through my research, I wish that I had knew more about him earlier on, as I’ve discovered that he was a remarkable man. Brewer has a strong connection to the Dodgers, not only that…
The “Dook”
He was my favorite player growing up. A California boy who found fame in the borough of Brooklyn. He was a graceful outfielder, and a power hitting threat on the great Brooklyn teams of the late 40’s and 50’s. He was the only lefty threat in the lineup that featured Jackie, Gil, Campy, Pee Wee, and Scoonj. And in Brooklyn he was simply “The Dook”. I got that part from…
Where There is a Will, There is a Way
Right now Dodger catcher Will Smith is the talk of the town and perhaps rightfully so. Just a few short weeks ago he was being thrown on the scrap heap by some Dodger faithful. I for one am not surprised that he has stepped up to claim the starting role as the Dodgers’ catcher. It was mentioned the other day that there was nothing to suggest that this transformation could…
Good Night at Coors
Boy, I need to say that Corey Seager has gone into a slump more often. HR (13), double (13), single, 2 RBIs, a couple of good plays at SS. But he sure did choke with that weak ground ball to first when he needed a triple.☺ This is a different Corey Seager from last year. He is now tied for the team lead in RBIs with 36 with Mookie. It…
And Then There Were 10
It took 50 games, but the Dodgers are the first team to qualify for the playoffs. They marched into San Diego with a precarious 2.5 game lead and not playing very well at all. Game 1 in SD was a match up of probably the team’s two Aces, Clayton Kershaw vs. Dinelson Lamet. The Dodgers broke on top first with a walk, double and ground out to score a run. …
Lost Arts – The Bunt and the Stolen Base.
Watching the game on Sunday against the Astros, I saw Chris Taylor lay down a bunt that went for a hit. And it took me back to a time when the bunt was an offensive weapon to be reckoned with. Over the last several years, especially with the Dodgers, the only time you saw a bunt was when the pitcher came up and attempted to move the runner over. Maeda,…
WINNING UGLY, LOSING UGLY – WHO CARES?
Who the heck were those players wearing Dodger uniforms in the Rockies’ and D-backs’ series? Whoever they were, they certainly did not perform like a playoff caliber team. They struggled with pitching, struggled with hitting, and couldn’t play defense. My, my, my, that’s typically a recipe for baseball disaster!! Heaven forbid that team should have to play the mighty Padres in the playoffs. The Dodgers may as well go home…
There Will Be Baseball in Ogden
First, a look back at baseball in Ogden which has maintained a small town atmosphere. The Ogden Raptors are the Dodgers’ Rookie League team in the Pioneer league. The Raptors are an advanced rookie team that became affiliated with the Dodgers in 2003. Prior to that, the Ogden team was an affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. Ogden, with a population of about 83,000, claims to be the oldest settlement in…
The Other Guys
As fans, we all know the stars of our teams, and today with the internet and all the media coverage, we know the rookies, the scrub beanies, and just about everyone else in the organization. Growing up, and learning the game, that was not the case. We found out in box scores, and those of us lucky enough to have a subscription, in the Sporting News. But for every star player, there was…