We left part one with Mike Piazza. Mike should have been a lifetime Dodger, but FOX ruined that. Catchers are not supposed to hit for average, but Mike did. Especially when they combine the kind of power he had. His last full year in LA he hit .362, with 40 homers and 124 RBI’s. Trading him was the dumbest move ever. He hit .331 as a Dodger and hit 177…
By the Numbers Part 1
One of my favorite things to do is read the history section of my Dodger media guides. There is a lot of information in there, and it helps to remember those players and teams. They list all of the players who have ever played for the Dodgers, and they also list by uniform numbers. it is fun to go back and read some of those numbers and the names associated…
RANDOM THOUGHTS ABOUT BEING A DODGER FAN:
I have been a baseball and Dodger fan for slightly more than 60 years. My love for baseball was immediate, and with the Dodgers, it was love at first sight. In that sixty years, I have listened to or watched roughly 7,500 Dodger games. I have also watched and coached countless youth ball and high school baseball games. I have also had the pleasure of watching my sons participate in…
Kendall Williams – A Closer Look
At the trade deadline, the Dodgers sent right-hander Ross Stripling to the Toronto Blue Jays. Certainly, a number of fans, myself included, were sorry to see Ross go. I do think it is a good move for him where he can be assigned a definite role, most likely a shot at a regular starting assignment. That certainty should help him out not having to be concerned that each start will…
The Dodgers and 2B
Second base has been an enigma for the Dodgers for the last two decades. The concern does predate AF, but he has not found the remedy for the position. The opening day 2B for LAD during the AF era has been Kike’ (2 years), Logan Forsythe (2 years), Chase Utley and Howie Kendrick 1 year each. The best bWAR during the AF era was Kike’ last year at 2.2. It…
I Need To Vent
Sorry for the delay in getting this posted. I already had my article queued up and ready for publish before last night’s come from behind walk off win. Zac Gallen is going to be a superstar in this game and he just shut the Dodgers down. But the 2020 Dodgers are relentless and have no quit. I think that is a tribute to Mookie, just as 1988 was a tribute…
Where Have All the Captains Gone
This is to follow up on Bear’s excellent piece on Pee Wee Reese. That is, Captain Pee Wee Reese. It is written in the present tense as I wrote it back when there were still three MLB team captains on July 12, 2013. So, I am again digging through the archives. I thought it might be appropriate as a number of the official or unofficial duties of the now defunct…
The Captain
Harold Peter Henry Reese was born on July 23rd 1918 in Ekron, Kentucky. He lived there until he was almost 8 when his family then moved to Louisville. He got his nickname, Pee Wee, playing marbles. A Pee Wee is a small marble. Reese was so small that he did not play baseball until his senior year in high school. At that time he only weighed 120 pounds and played…
RANDOM THOUGHTS ABOUT THE TRADE DEADLINE AND WEIRD THINGS IN BASEBALL:
● The Trade deadline is upon us, and as always, the question is, should the Dodgers make a move or stand pat? ● Obviously, the primary argument for making a trade is simply that no matter how good the team is, you can always get better. ● First question is always, what do the Dodgers need to finish out this year? Another ace pitcher wouldn’t hurt (do they ever hurt?) …
Trade Deadlines
It was suggested that what the Dodgers need is a dominant closer and a dominant setup man. No mention as to who those players should be. But they better not allow a base runner as that is what is expected for Dodger relief pitchers. Below is the pitching line for the top closers (in terms of # of saves) in MLB for 2020. I dare say that if LAD fans…