MiLB Matters

February 6, 2022

MiLB Organization All-Stars – Old Friends Just out of curiosity, I checked on all 30 MLB teams to see who had been chosen as their MiLB Organization All-Stars. I noticed that a number of former Dodger minor league players made that list. I have included the MiLB synopsis on each of those players Second baseman — Drew Jackson, Syracuse (85 games) New York Mets  Claimed off waivers from the Dodgers…

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MLB vs MLBPA

December 4, 2021

On August 12, 1994, the MLB Players walked off and the player strike began.  The strike ended 232 days later on April 2, 1995, making it the longest such stoppage in MLB history.  Who is hurting?  The fans.  The same people they (both sides) are trying to keep coming to games, parking, and buying concessions and souvenirs. It is hard to measure attendance due to the pandemic precautions from both…

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SOME POST TRADE DEADLINE OBSERVATIONS FROM THE RECLINER

August 1, 2021

With Mark on the 10-day inactive list to attend to family business in Las Vegas (ever notice how these trips are never to Des Moines, Iowa or Wichita, Kansas?), Jeff (AC) was desperate for some assistance on the LADT writers roster. With his options limited, he had to resort to adding someone from the alternate training site, and had no choice but to call on me, the Zack Reks/Edwin Uceta…

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Wheelin’ and Dealin’

July 23, 2021

Earlier in the week, there was a little difference in opinion with respect to the Billy McKinney acquisition.   I continue to read how porous LAD’s defense is, and with a gimpy Mookie Betts who may need late-inning defensive help to get him off his hip, a slowing AJ Pollock, questionable defense of Matt Beaty, and the need for CT3 to spend more time in the infield, AF went out and…

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AC Observations After Three ST Games

March 3, 2021

The Spring is three games in, and to draw any conclusions would be foolhardy.  But I still have some observations from what I have seen thus far.  For the first three games, the pitching has been outstanding.  Albeit, without Matt Chapman and Matt Olson, Oakland’s offense is just north of woeful, as is Colorado without Trevor Story and Charlie Blackmon.  The Giants did not play but a couple of regulars….

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And the 2021 MLB Season Begins

February 17, 2021

Today is the day that pitchers and catchers are due to report to Camelback Ranch for the Dodgers.  Tomorrow is the first day of workouts.  Full squad reports February 22, with the first full squad workout scheduled for February 23.   The Dodgers play their first spring training game on Sunday, February 28 against the Oakland A’s at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Arizona. There will be some rules in effect that…

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Meet Me In St. Louis

February 3, 2021

The St. Louis Cardinals have always been an iconic organization in MLB and arguably the most successful NL via winning more WS than any other NL team, trailing only the NYY.  The Cardinals have won 11 WS in 19 appearances. They also hold the ire of Dodger fans as St. Louis  has beaten the LAD in four postseason series (1985 NLCS, 2004, NLDS, 2013 NLCS, and 2014 NLDS) against a…

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Why We Need MiLB Production Before Prospects Are More Than Prospects

January 11, 2021

I have lost count of the number of times I have read that Kody Hoese is expected to have a big impact for the Dodgers in 2021.  I find myself smh and disagreeing. But to some, it comes across as me denigrating the talent of Kody Hoese.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  I have not seen enough of Kody Hoese to know whether he is going to be…

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Smokey

December 16, 2020

Today’s post is about the longest tenured Dodger manager. Walter Emmons Alston. Smokey to his friends. Alston was the manager when the team moved from Brooklyn. He was just 3 years removed from guiding them to their only World Championship in their long history. His team was a mixture of old Brooklyn stars, Reese, Hodges, Snider, Furillo, Erskine, and some new blood just beginning to make some noise on the…

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Men in Black Part 2

November 16, 2020

Back again with my second installment about the 10 men in the hall who were umpires. Looking back and remembering some of the umps I do, I cannot help but wonder what has kept guys like Augie Donatelli and Shag Crawford out of the hall. Only the Vets committee knows for sure. But today’s story profiles a couple of pretty good umps and one really versatile one who excelled in…

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