Let s Get Ready to Rumble
Today s the day we have been waiting for. It seems like forever. It seems like 30 years to me But, today the Dodgers statrt the final leg of the journey to the World Series. Did I mention that 30 years was enough already? We have had so much analysis that we now feel paralysis. I m ready to wach the games. I m ready to see what the roster is. I ll keep
Today’s the day we have been waiting for. It seems like forever. It seems like 30 years to me… But, today the Dodgers statrt the final leg of the journey to the World Series. Did I mention that 30 years was enough already? We have had so much analysis that we now feel paralysis. I’m ready to wach the games. I’m ready to see what the roster is. I’ll keep the roster updated.
Thank You
I do want to take a minute and thank all our loyal readers and commenters – I really appreciate your input, passion and support. I started this blog back in the early 2000’s and then shut if down for a year around 2016 because it wasn’t fun with all the in-fighting and arguing. I finally figured out that I had to get rid of the bad actors and when you have a site full of straight-up Dodger fans, it becomes a joy again. I think this site is unique because we have a very diverse group of people all over the World who come together as a community and it is a joy for me to be here again. Additionally, there is a whole lotta’ knowledge here with this bunch. As we start this very important chapter in Dodger Lore, maybe you can take a minute out of your busy day and post Go Dodgers! and tell us where you are from. I think this could be pretty cool. You can say more if you like. I know that thousands read this blog every day, but don’t post… and that’s OK. Just let us know where you are. Godspeed!
Arizona Fall League Report
The Glendale Desert Dogs lost 10-9. Cody Thomas hit #3 and was 0-4, but scored a run. Keibert Ruiz hit #5 and was 1-3 with a run scored, and RBI and 2 BB. . Errol Robinson was 2-4 with a double and 2 RBI to go with a run scored. Andre Scrubb started the 10th inning and was the losing pitcher as he gave up two runs, neither earned, on an Errol Robinson throwing error.
Bowman Hitting Challenge by Dodger Chatter
The sixth annual Arizona Fall League (AFL) home run derby is scheduled for Saturday, October 13 beginning at 6:35 MST at Sloan Park at Mesa, the spring training home of the Chicago Cubs. Fans attending the event will be treated to the Bowman Hitting Challenge.
The event was born and raised by Bowman Baseball Cards back in its inaugural season in 2013. This year’s sponsors include Bowman Baseball Cards, Rawlings, Sprouts Farmers Markets, Big AZ Promotions and Zinger Bats.
To call it a home run derby is perhaps a misnomer although home runs are certainly important in the final tally in the contest. However, the challenge is to do much more than hit home runs.
The Bowman hitting Challenge features 30 young sluggers, one from each of the 30 MLB organizations participating in the Arizona Fall League.
Like the MLB all-star home run derby the hitters face live pitching but unlike the annual slugfest prior to the MLB all-star game the home run is not the be all and end all. The contest includes some twists and turns as well as other opportunities for the hitters apart from the home run. In theory, at least, the contest could be won without hitting a home run although that might be most unusual.
- Each batter has two minutes to hit off live pitching.
- Points will be awarded for home runs on a sliding scale of difficulty valued between 100-500 points.
- Participants also can accumulate points by hitting a variety of targets placed around the playing field with a batted ball.
- Hitters will be penalized for foul balls.
- Batters must bunt the first four pitches at targets.
- Following each two-minute hitting period, the batter will be given one free swing at the Bowman Bonus Ball placed on a batting tee.
- The Bowman Bonus Ball is worth double points.
The hitting targets include:
- Bunting targets
- Bowman oversized baseball trading card targets (3)
- Eye Promise Batter’s Eye
- Moving human sphere (Zorb ball)
- Pepsi Power Alley triangle
- Rawlings Factory Store ball bucket pyramids
- Sports Chalet trampoline (jumping outfielder)
- Title Boxing inflatables sponsored (3)
- Zinger Bats vertical bat targets
Fans pay $8.00 to not only watch but participate in this hitting challenge. When targets are struck by batted balls, fans in the stands have the chance to win prizes. These prizes include baseball cards, gift bags, autographed items, event tickets, gift cards from area merchants and Arizona Fall League merchandise and admission tickets. Once inside the gates of Sloan Park, fans pick up their entry in the Lucky Number Booth and are then entered for a chance to win a prize as targets on the field are struck by the various players.
Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager represented the team in 2013 and responded with 1,050 points including a monster shot on his last swing. He did not win the competition taken by catcher Pete O’Brien with 1,575 points.
During the 2015 challenge Dodger outfielder Jacob Scavuzzo emerged as the winner by scoring a 50-point bunt hit, a 200-point home run and a 300-point home run. He also hit two balls off the 300-point Bowman cutout in the infield, a 700-point knockerball in the outfield and the final 800-point shot off the inflatable target in right field.
Oddly enough players find hitting the final ball off the tee the most challenging part of the competition and it sometimes comes down to the bonus ball on the tee to win the contest. Jacob Scuvuzzo did just that in 2015 striking a 400-point target for double points.
“That money ball, everybody’s trying to be the guy that hits the home run because it hasn’t been done before,” Scavuzzo said of the tee shot. “I luckily hit it off the end a little bit and it wound up hitting the target, and that wound up sealing the deal for me. I’m pretty happy with the way that worked out.”
I would expect Cody Thomas to be the Dodger player but would also be more than happy with Jared Walker. I will keep this updated – D.C.
UPDATE #1
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic has a piece that is a very interesting read, entitled: Rosenthal: Get ready for managerial chess matches unlike any other in postseason history
UPDATE #2 – NLDS Roster
PITCHERS (12)
Pedro Baez
Walker Buehler
Caleb Ferguson
Dylan Floro
Rich Hill
Kenley Jansen
Clayton Kershaw
Ryan Madson
Kenta Maeda
Hyun-Jin Ryu
Julio Urias
Alex WoodCATCHERS (2)
Austin Barnes
Yasmani GrandalINFIELDERS (6)
Brian Dozier
David Freese
Enrique Hernandez
Manny Machado
Max Muncy
Justin TurnerOUTFIELDERS (5)
Cody Bellinger
Matt Kemp
Joc Pederson
Yasiel Puig
Chris Taylor
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Discussion (187)
Disagree, not disagreeable
I want to thank Mark for a great site. Also AC and D.C. For great information. I go twice a day and read what all the posters have to say. I love the posters who disagree and yet do not call others names. Keep it up.
Go Dodgers!!!
Originally from New York but moved around much of my adult life. I have lived in San Diego, Columbus OH, and have now been living in LA for the last 20 years. I used to be able to walk to dodger stadium from my old apartment… which was just as amazing as it sounds. I watch around 150 games a year and I have the grey hairs to prove it!
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I don’t always comment on blogs. But when I do, I prefer commenting on LA Dodger Talk. I think it’s easily the best online community for Dodger fans with mild to moderate personality disorders.
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Thanks Mark!
Idahoal
Meridian, Idaho.
I have not posted much lately. I Found out I have cancer in August. They caught it very early. The good news is that at my age I will probably die of something else besides cancer.
Go Dodgers.
From Tijuana Living in Dubai
Dodger Fan Since 74
Go Dodgers!!
One more Dodger fan:
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My wife. Immigrated from the Phillipines 52 years ago at age 3. Former Giants fan. I turned her from the darkside!
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Kenny Landreaux is my favorite Dodger of all-time. John Tudor second. Third is a tie between Charles Johnson & Todd Hundley. Love the switch-hitting power catchers. Always lived in coastal North Carolina, home of my beloved Tar Heels. I became a Dodger fan in 1981 and I’ve followed them ever since. May the road rise to meet you . . .
I have been a Dodger fan since I was 12 living in Canada rooting for Brooklyn’s Duke Snider, Peewee Reese and the boys. Favorite player, Sandy Koufax. Now residing in Roseville, Ca. I love this site. It is first place I go to get my Dodger news after pouring my morning coffee.
I’m feeling a Kemp HR tonight.
Go Dodgers!!! Therealten from carterville Il. Lifelong Dodger fan. Mark I don’t know if you cut me off or what.
Picking up Freese’s option has to be a done deal, he can help keep Turner rested in the regular season and platoon with Muncy at first. I do hope Muncy is allowed to play some against lefties next season as he has not shown enough poor stats to warrant a strict platoon yet. Also his defense seems to have improved as the season has went on.
Bellinger was on the radio here yesterday and said he prefers to play the outfield over 1b because it allows him to use his athleticism more.
Pitching prediction:
Kershaw 6 ip
Baez .1 ip
Wood .1 ip
Floro .1 ip
Ferguson .1 ip
Maeda .2 ip
Jansen 1 ip
GO DODGERS
SpokaneBob from where else Spokane Washington.
Grew up in Highland Park/ Eagle Rock area. Just over the hill from Dodger Stadium
First game 1958
Julio had filthy stuff when he closed out a game last time he pitched. Good Move!
Lineup is out:
CT3
JT
Freeze
Manny
Kemp
Kike
Belly
Grandal
Kersh
I suspect Alexander is not quite right but if he is, then someone has a gut feeling. He hasn’t allowed a run in 14 of his last 15 appearances so Urias is a bit of a surprise. I’m OK with that as I am not big on analytics. Back in 1955 we all expected Don Newcombe or Carl Erskine to lead the charge in the WS. They didn’t. Johnny Podres, Clem Labine, Russ Meyer, Roger Craig, Don Bessent picked up the slack. It is impossible to predict which player/s will do the unexpected. I wouldn’t be surprised if Julio had a multi-inning performance, or Caleb if needed.
Born and reared in Southern Illinois where everyone else was a Cardinal fan.
Became a Dodger fan in 1948 because Jackie Robinson was exciting.
Retired from the University of Miami.
Lived the last 11 years in San Jose, Costa Rica.
I read ladodgertalk daily.
Poway, California. Down San Diego way…
Been watching Dodgers baseball since 1970. Billy Grabarkewitz, Willie Crawford, Wes Parker were my guys as a kid.
Let’s get it done this year guys!
Great idea with the intros Mark!
I am Adam from Phoenix, Az. I have been a fan since birth as my Father was from Los Angeles. He dragged me to the Ravine on countless occasssions as a youth to see our Dodgers but by 1981 I was begging to go. I did have a momentary lapse of reason before the start of the 1981 season and gave up on our Dodgers and bought an Astros trash can. The Astros had won the division by a game the year before and I was at the follow the winners stage of life. Blue showed me, won the first half in 81’ and then the World Series, ironically beating the Astros in the first round of the playoffs. I was thankfully hooked for life, been a diehard ever since. Perhaps too much at times, could not even watch games 6 and 7 last year followed on my phone because I was too sickened first from game 2 then game 5. However I realized this year if you cannot enjoy the ups and downs and remember it is just a game, all be an important one, then maybe your fandom is too great. Despite my realization I still lapse often into madness when the Dodgers fail.
Anyway this intro was a little long winded, sorry, love the Dodgers and this site. Great job Mark, AC, and DC. Dodger talk is #1.
On a side note Urias being added shocked me, a roll of the dice truly, that will either be genius or not. Alexander is the safer play and as AC said must be hurt.
Go Dodgers, let’s do this!!
I think I disabled the Captua Sign In Screen. Let me know if anyone has any issues logging in.
Altoona, PA. Home of the famous Horseshoe Curve. First time commenting. I own a small juice bar and will have the game streaming live in downtown Altoona if anyone is in the neighborhood lol. –James (Mike Piaza was my favorite player)
I have been a Dodger fan since 1963 and went to my 1st game in 1967 (.75 cents for a kid in the OF bleachers and it was bat day!) I went to every bat day until they went to the tiny ones. Spent 30 years in San Gabriel Valley in LA then Tacoma, Phoenix, Tucson, San Diego and in Las Vegas since 1999. Dodgers -170 for the series and -160 today on the road. Brewers are +140 for the series and Boston a slight favorite over the Astros. I am rooting for a rematch with Houston and a little (ok a lot) of revenge for last year. Boston scares me a little more with Sale and the bats but they are two heavyweights and should be a great matchup! With the Dodgers and Rams playing lights out and the Lakers reemerging on the scene it’s a great time to be an LA sports fan! Thanks for the blog Mark!
I’m beginning to get hyped about seeing Urias in the postseason. Like, really hyped. I wonder if we could give him the last three innings in a game that we maybe had a decent lead in. Just have him bring it home and rest up for another appearance in a few days. And is it just me or is Caleb MF Ferguson our new #1 man out of the pen?
I’m tired of seeing how the years go by and not being champions, since 81 I love the Dodgers, a greeting to all of you, from Mexicali, Mexico !!
Raised in NJ, but have spent most of my adult life in Bethel, Vermont. Saw my first Dodger game vs. Giants at the Polo Grounds in the spring of 1957. Never made it to Ebbets Field, nor have I been to Dodger Stadium, though I saw many spring training games at Vero. Started reading “LADodgerTalk” a long time ago. It’s my favorite.
I AM DODGERS FUN SINCE FERNANDO VALENZUELA . I have been BASEBALL’S FUN SINCE 7 years old