Saturday, June 1, 2019, Dodger Stadium. Dodgers playing the second game of a three-game set against the Phillies. Kershaw was facing Jose Alvarez of the Phillies. His catcher that day was rookie, Will Smith, who had been called up and made his debut just 3 days earlier on May 28th. Kershaw was having a vintage Kershaw game. The Dodgers scored in the third on a single by Kike and Kersh…
This was supposed to happen NEXT YEAR. By “this,” I mean Michael Norris and Jeff Dominique were going to join LA DODGER TALK a year from now… but due to technical difficulties, it happened a year early… but for me, it was right on time. I am allegedly retired, but it doesn’t feel that way most days. US Water Systems is growing at 35% year-over-year with no end in sight….
As I said on my first post back at LADT, I am a contrarian. While I am not a contrian just to be one, I do have strong takes on the Dodger Farm system, and they do not always ally with the LAD faithful. Over the years, I have fully acknowledged and reported that the Dodgers have put more players into MLB than any other team. Not long ago I did…
Well, we are three games in. Last year’s team won 8 straight out of the gate. The sweep of the Tokyo series against the Cubs, then sweeping the Tigers and the Braves in LA. The biggest question mark heading into the season was the bullpen. So far, so good. The pen has been nails and Diaz has 2 saves already. Also, all three of the wins have been of the…
Did the Dodgers have any idea Will Smith would be the hitter he is when they drafted him? Not in the least! When the Los Angeles Dodgers took Will Smith in the 1st round of the 2016 draft (32nd overall out of the University of Louisville), the internal scouting report looked something like this: In draft-speak:Will was a “Safe everyday catcher,” Not a “middle-of-the-order monster.” What They Actually Got Will…
Since Andrew Friedman took over the team a decade ago, he has not been shy about using his roster and shuffling players from OKC to LA, and moving players across various levels. Some of us saw the OKC Comets play last night, and they also play today and tomorrow. Ryder Ryan starts tonight for OKC. Let’s take a quick look at the other levels of the minor leagues. Tulsa Drillers…
And they are off and running! The 2026 MLB season is officially on its way. The Dodgers open at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks and begin their pursuit of a third straight Championship. Miggy Ro is in the starting lineup despite there being a right hander starting for Arizona. We will get our first look at the powerful first eight of Ohtani, Tucker, Betts, Freeman, Smith, Muncy, Teo and Pages….
Not by my choice, but LA Dodger Chronicles has come to an end, at least my version of it. I tried to log on to the site on Sunday, March 22, but instead found a notice that “This Page Does Not Exist”. I emailed my Project Manager to get the site back up, but there was no response. I tried to call him on Monday, but his phone was blocked. …
First chance this new season to put my foot directly in my mouth. I really suck at this, but what the hell. There are many ways to look at the new season, new players, and new rules. One prediction already shot to hell with Kim being demoted to AAA. I was absolutely sure Freeland would be sent down after his absolutely awful performance at the plate this spring, so I…
I had a great conversation with a wise old sage about Hyeseong Kim and Alex Freeland. This old sage goes by the name of “AI”, and here was our conversation: Mark: What is the real story on why Hyeseong Kim was sent to the minors over Alex Freeland? AI: Short answer: this wasn’t about spring stats. It was about role fit, development path, and how the Dodgers think offense actually…