Don Newcombe was inducted into the Shrine of the Eternals last Sunday. Being an ardent fan of the Dodgers, and loving baseball as much as I do, I made it a point to be there. Besides Newcombe, Bo Jackson, and some sportswriter were also being inducted. At least year’s ceremony, I rubbed elbows with my first favorite Dodger, Wes Parker. This time, Bo was on the ticket! And I was hoping to interview Newk for LADR. It was going to be a great day.
If you’re not familiar with the Shrine of the Eternals, and you love baseball like I love baseball, do yourself a favor, and get to know the Baseball Reliquary and its curated branch, The Institute for Baseball Studies.
As the ceremony went on, Newcombe and Jackson turned out to be no-shows, but thankfully, Arnold Hano took the time to be there. Hano is perhaps best known for being lucky enough to witness Willie Mays‘ incredible catch of Vic Wurtz’s World Series fly ball, and prescient enough to immortalize it in his book A Day in the Bleachers.
Hano walked a bit slowly, like a 94-year old, but he spoke with the sharp wit and enthusiasm of a man who loves to tell a good story. The room had been disappointed by the absence of the big-name athletes, but once Hano began weaving his baseball stories, with that contagious smile of his, all of that was forgotten.
From his opening take against computers calling balls and strikes, to his stories of Carl Hubbell and Babe Ruth, the room reflected Hano’s joy at being there, and the crowd frequently laughed – as he put it – “In all of the right places”.
In a stroke that touched me beyond the sports pages, it turns out Hano is a man who writes about much more than the size of umpire’s hearts, he also considers the size of the human heart. He championed Latino ballplayers (and causes) when few other writers bothered. In his acceptance speech he mentioned the tragedy that befell the community of Chavez Ravine, and fondly recalled Orlando Cepeda taking him around the Giant’s locker room, introducing him to Juan Marichal and the other Latinos on the team as, “Our friend.”
I went to an awards ceremony expecting to see Newcombe, Bo, and “some sportswriter”. Turned out, I was the one awarded in learning about, and listening to, Arnold Hano. A great day, indeed.
Oscar Martinez
I was born in the shadow of Dodger Stadium and immediately drenched in Dodger Blue. Chavez Ravine is my baseball cathedral, Vin Scully was the golden voice of summer all my life, and Tommy Lasorda remains the greatest Dodgers manager ever. My favorite things are coffee, beer, and the Dodgers beating the Giants. I also blog about my baseball card hobby at All Trade Bait, All the Time.
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That’s a great story! Good job Oscar. Cheers!
Oscar, that was cool.
We are in crazy season with both politics and the MLB trade deadline. Names are flying around as fast as misinformation is flying around our political world.
These are the players I expect the Dodgers to keep AND be part of the long term core: Seager, Pederson, Bellinger, Verdugo, Lux, Kershaw, Urias, Holmes.
I hope Stewart is part of that core as well. I can see Buhler part of it as well.
Turner will probably be back next year if he doesn’t ask for more than a 3 year contract and will definitely be back if he goes for a higher salaried 2 year contract.
If the Dodgers go after Lucroy or Miller or a 1.5 type starter, I think these Dodgers are vulnerable to being traded: Puig, Grandal, De Leon, Montas, Oaks, Wood, Anderson, Kazmir, Maeda, Diaz, Calhoun, Johnson.
Alvarez is a keeper unless another team is willing to view/evaluate him at his full potential.
I would like the Dodgers to get Lucroy, Miller, and a #2.
You do realize there is about a 20% probability that players like Bellinger, Verdugo, Holmes, and Lux (who just completed high school) ever even reach the majors, much less become team core? I buy lottery tickets but I really don’t expect to win…
And that’s why you are not a motivational speaker.
Do you realize that your dog will pass away one of these days?
Don’t have a dog for that very reason, it hurts so much. I am 75 years old, I get daily reminders that I will soon die. Motivational speaker= spin artist.
Bum
That is the only thing bad about dogs, and that is why we need to enjoy them when they are here.
They make such profound marks on us humans.
And they are about the only creature on earth, that practice unconditional love on a daily basis.
Very true MJ.
They were saying on the MLB Channel, that what Ryu does in his next start tomorrow, will determine what the Dodgers will do before the trade deadline.
I wish there was a player, with a good right hand bat, that was out there, on the last year of there contract, for the Dodgers to go after.
Because a rental won’t cost as much as a player, with a longer contract.
But I really don’t think there is a player, like that out there.
I am leary about Lucroy, because he would cost to much, and he just turned 30, and 30 for a catcher, is a lot older, then for a player, in another position.
And I don’t see this front office moving Grandal, a piece that they brought to the Dodgers.
And I also don’t think the front office will move Grandal, because they are giving him more time, because he has been hurt, is what I have heard.
And I know everyone that he is always hurt, but I am just saying what I think the front office is thinking.
Because of all of this, I just don’t see a trade that is worth making.
I would like to see some of these starting pitchers we have moved, because once they all come back, we will have to many average starting pitchers, for the rotation.
If they can move one of these starting pitchers, for a good right handed bat, I would be for that.
There are a few on Bum’s tradeable list that could get a return. Most are not worth much in trade. That’s my opinion of course. I say again, if Lucroy is being traded, the asking price will be high. I heard Miller has made it clear he wants nothing to do with the west coast, though I don’t know that to be true.
We seem to be in a circular discussion here. Some don’t believe a big trade is in the offing, some think we will be going for it with Lucroy and/or a Chapman like purchase. I said at the beginning of the month much will depend on our station at the end of the month. A lot of what ifs on the immediate horizon. One big one is we could be passed by Miami and St Louis on this upcoming road trip. Another is Kershaw just might not be ready in his next start. How would both those scenarios effect our deadline approach?
giants at Red Sox. Dodgers at Nats. Tough schedule for both teams.
I was thinking that the Yankees need starting pitching and have three top closers. It would not hurt them to have only two relievers capable of closing instead of three if they could add a couple of pitchers to the rotation. That might be more of a consideration if the Yankees still think they have a chance to get to the playoffs.
If the Dodgers were to have a rotation of Kershaw, Maeda, Noris, McCarthy, and Ryu, they could trade Kazmir and Anderson to the Yankees to stabilize their rotation and give them the depth to trade Sabathia. I have no idea who else would have to be included by either team to make that trade.
Miller does want to stay on the east coast. Maybe the Dodgers promise to trade him to an east coast team in the off season to keep him happy while he pitches for the Dodgers.
I am confortable with Stewart replacing Ryu if Ryu is not ready to do well.
That’s assuming the Yankees decide to go for it? There are a lot of teams they have to climb over and I don’t see that happening by adding Kazmir and Anderson.
Something else that I think needs to be said, and was actually addressed by the motivational speaker above – every team in baseball has a handful of Willie Calhouns and Alex Verdugos in their organization. What they will be looking for is the next Chris Sale, or Buster Posey, or ….. you get the idea. Who in our organization is worth a legit starting catcher or a #2? It isn’t going to be someone coming off surgery or a 32 year old 4.5 ERA pitcher with a 4 year contract. If you want what is needed to go for it this year you are going to have to part with those prospects that have convinced scouts they are the real deal. That starts with Urias and De Leon, then falls to Holmes, Buehler, Montas, Bellinger. Add Puig and Pederson and Thompson and Diaz and Cotton and Alvarez …… and so forth.
This team needs a lot to be considered a contender. And the first thing it needs is for this soporific offense to wake the f up. Until I see that, I don’t trade ANY of our best for what looks like a half court shot at winning a championship. But that’s just me. I’m sure others feel differently about it.
I do not see them making a trade for major offensive help, and a lot of the guys that have been mentioned as trade bait….Kazmir, Anderson, who is still re-habbing have little value. The Yanks do not want Kazmir’s contract, and Anderson? Sore arm waiting to happen….again…..I do not see them making a trade that makes a HUGE impact either. We are pretty much stuck with what we have. And what we have needs to step up and produce..
Badger
I had to look up that word you used to describe the offense, and that was a good description of how the team offense, can be at times.
According to what I have been reading, they are having most of their discussions with the Ray’s. Centering on a starter, Moore or Archer, and Logan Forsythe. Longoria may become an offseason target, but at this point he is not. There has been no mention of any discussion with the Yankee’s about any of their relievers. Chapman is a free agent at the end of this year, so I would not give much for a rental, Miller dislikes the west coast. There has also been NO CHATTER about talks with the Brewers concerning Lucroy or Braun. Rumors abound, but not that many about the blue…Yank’s targeting Kyle Schwarber of the Cub’s, and the south siders wanting Chapman……who threw a pitch at 105……..
Michael, when you announced that you were going to a Rancho game, I was looking forward to your report on Edwin Rio. He’s been burning the league up except on the day you were there. Did he give you any impressions? (Don’t tell me he did a great impression of Jimmy Stewart!)
This team is better at coming back than other Dodger teams the past 4 or 5 years, but they are not there yet. I think they need a culture change and one hitter can do that. Addition may be part of it or it could be subtraction of someone who is part of the problem.
Of course, FAZ is engaged in trade talks. They would be silly not to drive the price up to other teams, but unless they get a really friendly deal, I don’t think they will pull the trigger.
I don’t think you trade for a catcher in the middle of the season. I could see Longoria and Moore coming from TB, but at what cost? That would put Ultley on the bench… as a backup at 2B and 3B.
I like this lineup a lot:
1. Kendrick LF
2. Seager SS
3. Turner 2B
4. Longoria 3B
5. A-Gon 1B
6. Pederson CF
7. Grandal C
8. Thompson RF
Mark
I think second might be to hard on Turner, and his knee.
Mark,
All due respect but that line up sucks. Basically replacing Puig with Longoria. Yes, on paper Longoria is a better hitter but he would be playing half his games in LA (compared to TB) and would not be playing 36+ games in the other hitter friendly parks in the AL East.
Throw in the fact that he is 30 y/o and has a long term contract that would contradict everything that you have said that FAZ would not do.
But with him being from that championship organization known as the Tampa Rays I guess it’s all fine and dandy giving up prospects. Payroll goes up, average age in the lineup goes up but hey, we are the LA Tampa A’s. Now we need to make a deal for Sonny Gray.
I don’t think they will make a big trade, but what do I know.
But if they have no plans on making a big trade, I don’t like fact that Friedman has said, that he is going to get elite players.
And like I said above, I just don’t think there are many good players out there.
And if a player is not really going to help the team, then it is better, not to make a trade.
But if they want to get rid of one of these starting pitchers, I am ok with that.
Why Longoria? That sounds like a 180 from what FAZ is trying to do…… I think. Sometimes I’m not sure what it is they are trying to do. But knowing their background and assuming they were brought here to do what it is their resumes read they do, trading prospects for past prime players is not in the business plan. Longoria looks like Matt Kemp to me in that his best years are already in the rear view and will fade to black long before his contract, which pays him to 36, does. Maybe we get Longoria for cheap, but he doesn’t fit the Look to the Future blueprint. Longoria peaked at 24 and hasn’t been an All Star since then. He’s 30 now, and though still pretty good, he’s on the slide.
Kendrick leading off? Is that because nobody else on this team can do it? Where is the .380 OBP 30 SB guy in this organization? Calhoun? Nope. .320 at AA. Johnson? Nope. .309 at AAA. Looking at Tulsa team stats, nobody there that looks remotely like a leadoff hitter. Looking at OKC? Austin Barnes at .385. But then, Carl Crawford had a .375 OBP there, so, maybe minor league numbers are deceiving.
I don’t know. Whatever. Pick up Longoria and his $90 million contract and lead off with another guy past his prime. On some bizarre level of FAZonomics it probably makes sense.
Just reporting what was written. Freidman loves his Rays…
I like Howie more in the second position, then first.
Howie hit in a lot of runs for the Dodgers last year, and I think he batted second.
And I would move Cory to third, if Howie was batting second.
But Howie might be best batting fifth, behind Agone, now that Howie is hitting.
I don’t think that Puig or Grandal, should be batting fifth.
I know Puig is big, but he is not a power hitter yet, and he isn’t good under pressure.
I would bat Puig seventh, because he doesn’t have the patience to bat eighth.
Grandal is better at getting walks, so I would bat him eighth.
This all depends on who is in the line up.
I am not looking forward to when the Dodgers face Gio in this series.
Unless Roberts learned something, from that last game the team played.
I hope he doesn’t wait until the eighth or ninth inning, to put the best players in, like he did in the last game, the team played.
I hope Roberts doesn’t play that almost all rightie line up, against Gio.
I saw Mattingly make the exact mistake yesterday, that he made in one of the Dodgers play off games.
He took Stanton out for a pinch runner, in a game that had a good chance, to go extra innings.
And the Marlins did score the tying run, and the game went extra innings.
Mattingly got lucky, because one of his players, hit a HR in the 11th or 12th inning.
Remember when he took out Agone for a pinch runner, against the Cardinals in the play offs, in a game that went to extra innings?
I hope we can pick up some games, on the Giants in the next two months.
They have a much harder schedule then we do.
And if you think the Giants have a tough schedule this month, they have a very tough schedule in August.
But the bottom line, is that both the Giants, and especially the Dodgers, have to beat the teams, they are suppose to beat, unlike this last weekend.
What’s wrong with people?
A kid from Stanford rapes a woman and gets home detention.
A scout hacks the Astros computers and he gets 46 months in prison.
Computers are more valuable than women?
SICK!
That is how the system works sometimes.
A woman that is raped is almost always, put on trial more then the alleged rapist in some of these cases.
I think we feel what the scout did, was only baseball, but the judge didn’t.
The scout probably won’t have to serve much of that sentence, depending on how crowded the court system is.
That rapist’s father explains why the kid is a rapist.
Was it legitimate rape?
This is what I know from three long years of research – there is no such thing as a justice system. That’s a misnomer. What we have is an enormous corporate business interest that is based on felony convictions. Thousands are complicit, including defense lawyers. It won’t be changed by anyone in the near future. . Hopefully it doesn’t land on your doorstep anytime soon.
You are a thousand per cent correct on that. It is an embarrassment, we should all be ashamed.
Mark-
That is crazy! When I heard that the dude was getting 46 months in prison I immediately thought of the many other crimes where folks got less for something much more serious, some including murder. The irony is that the Houston guy (ex-Cardinal guy) never changed his password. Wouldn’t some of that be on him. He left the organization and kept his same password…….if anyone wants it….it was Eckstein123.
I, too, doubt there will be any trade of significance. Our farm is too precious to the suits to give too much. My biggest hope is that they unload 66. One of the posts stated correctly that the giants have some tough games coming up. We must make up ground by the end of August. We can’t rely on picking up much space in head to head games. Those will be .500 at best. Our next few weeks are no cake walk either. I’m disappointed with Maeda lately. I thought the had shot at being a legit #2. Now, he is a 4 or 5. Along with the rest of them. That will not do. Kazmir took 2 steps back last start; maybe today it will be that 1 step forward.
None of us have a clue what this FO is doing or planning to do. All we can do is sit back and watch….MLB network is having a week of coverage leading up to the deadline….do not expect anything spectacular from FAZ.
So, they’re not building a monster?
Dammit.
Guess not……a rabid rabbit comes to mind
Charlie Blackmon’s name has come up in trade rumors. An intriguing thought would be Joc or Puig and a pitcher of some sort. Think that would fly?
Nope.
Blackmon, if traded, will go to a different division.
Wondering
Blackmon is a very good player, but we don’t need another leftie outfielder.
We already have SVS’ beard.
Do we have any Insiders in here? Keith Law just ranked our system #5, behind the midgets, snakes, madres and the Yreka Zephyrs and I want to know why. Ok, I made some of that up, but Law apparently did rank us 5th.
Darn you Badger, you almost had me!
#5???? I thought we were #1. Urias not performing well as the #2 OVERALL prospect is the major reason for the decline. FAZ might be hesitant to bring up another prospect for fear that their minor league system will drop some more.
And Mark when all of these guys traveled around and watched all organizations minor leaguers they were regarded as the experts when the Dodgers were #1……now you are quick to question their ‘expertise.’
All is not lost though as we can still be #1 at having the most pitchers start a game.
He has Atlanta Ranked #1. The Dodgers are #5. Here’s what he says:
5. Los Angeles Dodgers
Top 50 prospects: Julio Urias, Alex Verdugo, Cody Bellinger
The Dodgers’ system remains loaded thanks to some big expenditures on the international market last cycle, some great holdover draft picks from the previous regime, and the current front office’s disinclination to trade prospects. They’re deep in potential starting pitchers as well as corner bats, but somewhat light up the middle other than just-drafted shortstop Gavin Lux, who is talented but a solid four to five years away from big league impact. Their Cuban signees have just started to show their abilities on the field, with Yusniel Diaz currently rehabbing in Arizona and Yadier Alvarez showing ridiculous arm strength in the AZL too; as much as Dodger fans want to write off Yasiel Sierra, his removal from the 40-man roster was as much about managing the roster spot as anything else and I think he still has upside as a good big league reliever.
BA has De Leon at #25 but Law omitted him. BA Has Holmes at #60.
I can see THE ATL at #1, but I don’t think SD, Boston and Texas are better.
On High Heat today, Mad dog tore Puig a part.
He kept on saying that Puig doesn’t hustle, but that isn’t true.
The fact that Puig doesn’t hustle, was ingrained nationally, when Roberts benched Puig for not running right away, when Puig hit that ball, against the wall.
But the only reason Puig didn’t run, was because he thought he hit it out.
My biggest problem with Puig is that he goes out of his way, to be the center of attention all the time.
And he doesn’t have good at bats consistently, and in clutch situations,
But no one that watches the Dodgers on a daily basis, would say that Puig doesn’t hustle.
I just want Puig to have better at bats, especially in clutch situations.
I just want to see some growth with Puig, because this isn’t his first year.
Right on, with your post MJ. People think that they can be baseball experts by repeating something they once heard. Once a player has a reputation, it takes forever to go away. If Puig (or whoever) hits every cutoff man for the next 5 years, there will still be a dead-brained ex-jock saying that he always misses the cutoff man.
This happens outside of baseball. There still people who believe that Saddam was responsible for 9/11.
Or, briefly stated, people belief that which fits their narrative.
Ryu shut down with elbow pain – same with Fien.
Avilan recalled and Pederson activated.
Why am I not surprised?