I know I’ve poked fun at Enrique Hernandez over the years. It really started after his horrible .190 season in 2016. Him blocking the LADR twitter account also added some fuel to the fire. To be honest I’m going to miss him and the Dodgers will miss his solid glove and clutch postseason bat.
During Kike’s five year run with the Dodgers he’s exhibited bursts of extreme talent and power. He’s been a productive player and mostly known for his ability to play all over the diamond. That multi-positional skill (he’s played every position except catcher, he even pitched once) has made him an important part of the Dodgers for years now. They’ve referred to him as the swiss-army knife.
Hernandez signed a contract with the Boston Red Sox last week. The Dodgers are not bringing back most of their free agents this winter. I’m assuming the Dodgers never offered him a contract so Hernandez had to go. despite his abilities, his below average on-base skills and contact hitting has kept him from playing every day. However I’m sure he’ll find plenty of playing time with the rebuilding Red Sox.
I’ll miss him honestly. Many fans and writers adored his unique personality. Who could forget his rally bananas, tight pants and humorous flare. But his most memorable moments came in the postseason. His three home runs in the clinching game 5 of the 2017 NLCS will forever be part of Dodger lore. Even during the Dodger’s 2020 World Series championship run he contributed a couple of big hits. One such was his game-tying home run in game 7 of the NLCS against the Braves that setup Cody Bellinger‘s National League Pennant clincher. His passion for the game will not be forgotten. Neither will his penchant for the dramatics. We here at LADR wish Hernandez the best and hope he never hits .190 again.
Yes, Kiké is gone. I figured the Dodgers might not have offered him anything. Kiké definitely had his moments with the Dodgers, but it was time to part ways, and I wish him well. I aways root for former Dodgers, and hope they perform well…especially fun to see them face their former teammates.
I figure Pederson will be next to go. It will be interesting who will be the next stuntmen to fill their shoes.
Good Luck Kiké! Thanks for the memories.
We lost Alanna Rizzo too. She too will be missed. I respect her knowledge of the game and her ability to get a good honest interview. You can see that she was well respected by the players. Good luck to Alanna in her new endeavors.
Well, as expected, Pederson has left the clubhouse. First rumored to have signed with the Gnats, he ended up taking less money with the Cubs.
I hope he gets more playing time in Chicago. Unfortunately, Joc had to settle for less money, being a victim of the Dodgers’ platooning and lefty/righty lineups. The Dodgers devaluated Pederson by limiting his playing time and converting him into a one dimensional, left handed hitter. His defense has alway been above average, but being relegated to the bench and pinch hitting duties really messed up his career. Joc needed playing time. Like Kiké, I am glad he at least got a ring. Instead of working with Joc to regain or develop his hitting abilities vs, Lefties, the Dodgers let him waste away, and then flop around like a fish out of water in the free agent market.
Oh well, like you say, baseball has turned into a business, and spreadsheets. Once a player is “branded”, it is tough to shake off his critics.
Good luck, Joc. Thanks for the memories.