A Little of Everything and not Much of Anything

While recently doing a bit of background checks on a couple of minor league players I started to think of some Dodger memories that I have and also an update on some current items.

 

First, I don’t know if Gil Hodges should be in the HOF or not. I really liked Harold Baines but as a Dodger in my formative years I revered Hodges as I did so many other Dodgers. That probably disqualifies me as an even slightly impartial observer.  One thing that makes it so difficult to make comparisons is the age in which they played. Gil was the best hitting first baseman during the decade of the fifties. He didn’t have modern day medicine, HGH and steroids, nor did he play in the era of expansion baseball. He has to be compared to his peers, in my opinion. My biggest beef is not that he didn’t make it into the HOF but that somehow the process got sidetracked and he didn’t get a fair hearing.

 

I tend to think that perhaps his stats were not HOF stats but may have been on the fringe and worthy of a process that wasn’t as flawed as it seems to be. The following article I came across questions the process, not just for Gil but perhaps for others.

 

https://www.cooperstownexpert.com/2016/07/gil-hodges-receives-bizarre-treatment-from-hof-veterans-committee/

 

Secondly, with the Winter Meetings now in full flight I thought about some trades. Not trades that might be made during the current session as I have no idea in the world what might take place. Probably something that most of us didn’t expect. The trades I am thinking of are not necessarily the best the Dodgers have ever made but all paid dividends. I am surely not thinking of the Paul Konerko, Pedro trades or Adrian Beltre walking as a free agent.

 

In picking some trades out of my memory bank there are five that pop up quickly and I am sure I am missing others. These are some of my favorites.

 

Claude Osteen (25) acquired from Washington for Frank Howard, Ken McMullen, Pete Rickert and Phil Ortega. On the surface it appears Washington did very well, which they did, but the Dodgers got what they needed.

 

Burt Hooten (25) acquired from the Cubs for Eddie Solomon and Greg Zahn.

 

Dusty Baker (27) traded to the Dodgers by Atlanta for Lee Lacey, Tom Paciorek, Jerry Royster and Jim Wynn. Again, it looked as if the Dodgers got snookered by them and got what they needed.

 

Reggie Smith (31) sent to the Dodgers by the Cardinals for Freddie Tisdale, Bob Betherage and Joe Ferguson.

 

Rick Monday (31) from the Cubs for Bill Buckner, Ivan De Jesus and Jeff Albert. I still remember that Monday home run against the Expos in 1981

 

Thirdly, just a glance at the Dodgers playing Winter League ball.

Ÿ    Matt Beaty .271/.385/.273

Ÿ    Gersel Pitre .278/.278/.333

Ÿ     Christian Santana .288/.329/.394

Ÿ     Joe Broussard ERA 7.27

Ÿ     Victor Gonzalez ERA 7.27

Ÿ     Michael Johnson ERA 0.00 over 3.2 IP

Ÿ     Adam McCreery ERA 3.38  WHIP 1.00

 

Fourth on my list is a reminiscence. Way back in 1957 I moved from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia with a population of less than 3,000 to the city of Edmonton in Alberta. My folks moved west for my Dad to take his doctorate on a fellowship from the University of Alberta. Needless to say I was devastated to move there at the end of June with the whole summer before me, no friends and no school to acquire friends for two months.  My Mom being so wise got me interested in attending the Edmonton Eskimo baseball games. The Eskimos played in the Western Canada Baseball League which was pretty good baseball.

 

I soon learned the names of the players and although I attended the games alone it was a life-saver. I read about the team, put pictures on my wall, came out of my shell and in September made wonderful friends at Strathcona Composite High School. Now that isn’t the story as there is another story behind this story. My favorite player, with whom I exchanged greeting on a number of occasions, was a 19-year-old outfielder who sometimes played first base. It was none other than Ron Fairly.

 

Edmonton is only one-time zone away from Los Angeles so I could listen to Dodger games which I did with regularity. It was beyond belief when I tuned into a Dodger game in September of 1958 and Ron Fairly was playing in the outfield for the Dodgers. He went hitless in his first game but in his second appearance against the Phillies he had three hits in four at bats. He finished the season with a .283 batting average in 15 games. Back home in Nova Scotia in 1962 I watched Fairly play a lot with the Expos starting in 1969.

 

Here is a picture of the Eskimos after their championship run in 1957.  Ron Fairly is not too difficult to pick out.

 

http://www.attheplate.com/wcbl/1957_1g.html

 

Fifth is something that might have been posted on LADT, but I missed it.  Well done OKC Dodgers.

 

Last Thursday it was announced by Baseball America that the Oklahoma City Dodgers were chosen the winner of this year’s Triple-A Bob Freitas Award, signifying it as the level’s model organization in 2018.

 

“The award is given to one organization at the Triple-A, Double-A, Single-A and Short Season/Rookie levels and recognizes off-field high achievement in community involvement, long-term business success and consistent operational excellence. It is named after Bob Freitas, the former president of the Rookie Northwest League.”

 

“Among the accomplishments for the OKC Dodger organization were the youth baseball initiative the OKC Dodgers Rookie League with Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation, numerous charitable efforts through the OKC Dodgers Baseball Foundation and the highest percentage increase in attendance from 2017 among all 16 Pacific Coast League teams.”