At the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, there is a statue of Johnny Podres releasing a ball. 60 feet 6 inches away is a statue of Roy Campanella. They commemorate the Brooklyn Dodgers winning their first World Series in 1955 over the Yankees.
John Joseph Podres was born on September 30th in Witherbee, NY. His father was Joe Podres. Joe was a miner. His mom, Anna, worked in the Moriah Middle School cafeteria. His dad played semi-pro baseball on weekends for about 25 years.
Witherbee itself is one of five hamlets in Moriah. Located about 160 miles from Cooperstown where those two statues are. The area is known as a sportsman’s paradise. Lots of hunting and fishing areas. Podres is of Polish and Lithuanian descent, and he was always very proud of that.
Johnny had 4 siblings, 3 brothers, Thomas, Walter, and James, and a sister, Mary. He used to listen to Dodger games on the radio at night. His grandmother would tell him to turn the game off because he had school in the morning. He also had an uncle who was his high school teammate and they combined for a 17 inning, 1-0 victory in the title game for the Essex County League title in 1949, pitching for Mineville High School.
After pitching in a collegiate summer league in 1950, Podres was signed by the Dodgers after he graduated from high school in 1951. He went to the Class-D Newport News Dodgers and posted a 0-2 record in 7 games. Sent to Hazard Kentucky, he posted this line, 1.67 ERA, 21-3, 228 K’s.
Max Macon, a journeyman minor league coach and manager, worked with Podres on his curve a lot. Of course, his name was misspelled a lot in the papers, Padres. But after a brilliant 2 hit effort, the paper finally got it right.
Hazard won the 1951 Mountain States League title. Brooklyn fans woke up to read about Don Newcome’s impending military service in 1952. Podres’s name was among those mentioned as possible replacements since the Dodgers would need to shore up their starting pitching with Newk gone. Dodger skipper, Charlie Dressen said Podres was one of the best young prospects he had ever seen with a very good fastball and curve.
Podres had a few appearances for the Dodgers in spring training but was deemed not ready for prime time yet. He also had a 1A status, which made him eligible for military service. He was sent to Montreal along with Mal Malette. There he posted a 5-5 record. A couple of his teammates there would be in the majors, Tommy Lasorda and Jim Hughes. His manager was Walter Alston.
In 1953, he was deemed ready and joined the Dodger staff. Jim Gilliam had been impressed with his stuff in spring and said he was one of the best pitchers in camp. Although not possessing overpowering stuff, his ERA was 4.23. Podres went 9-4, starting 18 with 3 complete games and relieving in 15 others. He was a contributor to a pennant-winning team. But once again they lost to the Yanks in the series. Podres started game 5. But was pulled in the third inning for Russ Meyers. Myers would give up a grand slam to Mickey Mantle in what turned out to be an 11-7 Yankee win.
Johnny was back in 1954. He had a new manager as Dressen left and Walter Alston took over. He posted an 11-7 record with 6 complete games. Brooklyn though missed the pennant as the Giants won the NL title.
His record in 1955 was mediocre. 9-10. But his World Series performance would make everyone forget that. Mantle was injured in 55 and missed most of the games. The Yankees won the first two. Podres won Game 3, 8-3. Brooklyn won the next two games and headed to the Bronx one game away from their first Championship. But after losing game six, Alston gave the ball to his young left-hander.
Podres gave the credit to his catcher, Roy Campanella, for guiding him through his complete-game win. Some stellar defense by the Dodgers helped, including Amoro’s outstanding grab of Berra’s sixth-inning drive. The Dodgers were finally the champs, and Podres was named the 55 Series MVP winning a Corvette.
Podres got a parade in his hometown when he came home. But three days after Christmas his 1-A classification was confirmed, and he went into the Navy. He played a lot of baseball in the service. But the Navy let him go when it discovered he had a form of arthritis in his spinal column. He was released from service in October of 1956.
He returned to the Dodgers for the 1957 season amid rumors of a move from Brooklyn. O’Malley was having a lot of trouble securing a new site for a stadium he wished to build. Podres got a salary bump to 18,000 from his 15,000 for 56.
He responded with a 12-9 record, six shutouts, and a 2.66 ERA, both leading the league. The team left Brooklyn moving to LA. Podres signed for a thousand less in 1958. His new home, the LA Coliseum, was a converted football field with a short-left field wall, although it was 40 feet high, and a right-field fence a short cab ride away. It was not exactly an inviting environment for lefty pitchers.
The Dodgers were not very good in 1958 so he finished with a 12-15 record. But he threw the first shutout at the coliseum against the Reds. He predicted he would win 20 in 59. He said he had blown several leads.
He would not reach his stated goal in 59, but he was a huge part of the staff that helped LA win its first pennant in Los Angeles. He went 14-9 with a 4.11 ERA. Considering where he was pitching his home games, that was not all that bad. He pitched in two games in the series and notched a win. But the hero was Larry Sherry, their stellar reliever who won 2 and saved 2.
He got a bump to $22,000 for 1960 and again won 14. But his ERA dropped to 3.08. The Dodgers never really were a threat to the Pirates in 60. In 61 he had his best year, going 18-5, leading the league in winning percentage. His ERA was a solid 3.74. Very good numbers considering once again his home field.
The Dodgers moved to their new home, Dodger Stadium in 1962. Rewarded for his fine 1961 season with a pay boost, Podres pitched the inaugural game at Dodger Stadium, but the Reds won the game. Podres was hit by a ball hit by Ken Boyer in a game in May, but he only missed one game.
1962 was a year of both excitement and disappointment as the Dodgers, who led most of the way, faltered over the last 10 games and were tied by the Giants. Shades of 1951, they again blew a 9th inning lead to lose the pennant to the hated ones. Johnny finished with 15 wins.
1963 would be a different story. Led by Tommy Davis, and the pitching of Koufax and Drysdale, the Dodgers would win the 1963 pennant and once again face the Yankees in the series. Podres contributed to the season with a 14-12 record and he started the All-Star game.
Koufax started game one in Yankee Stadium and was brilliant. He struck out 15 Yanks to set a new record for a series. Podres pitched game 2. He pitched 8 1/3 innings of six-hit ball, and was relieved by Ron Perranoski who closed the game for a 2-0 Dodger lead. With Big D winning game 3, 1-0, the Dodgers went for the sweep with Koufax on the mound. They won a thrilling 2-1 game and swept the mighty Yankees.
Few knew at the time that at age 30, that would be Podres’ last double-digit win season. In 1964, an elbow issue sent Podres to the DL. He only pitched in 2 games and was 0-2. He had been hit in the elbow a couple of times, once on a pitch by Warren Spahn. Then when throwing BP to Wally Moon, he heard something pop. He was done for the year.
His elbow was better in 1965, he finished with a 7-6 record in 22 games. His pay was cut in half after the disastrous 1964 season. In 1966 he started the season with the Dodgers but on May 9 he was sold to Detroit for $20,000 and a player to be named later. He was given his choice by Bavasi of Detroit or Boston, but he chose the Tigers because they were managed by Charlie Dressen. He had married in the winter to Joan Taylor, who was a skater in the Ice Follies.
He went 4-5 with Detroit his first season in 36 games. In 67 he went 3-1, but he clearly was not the same pitcher anymore.
He missed the 1968 season completely although the Dodgers had offered him a AAA job. He came back in 1969 to take another shot with the expansion Padres. He finished 5-6 in 17 games and called it a career at age 36.
With his playing days over, Podres became a pitching coach with several organizations, including the Padres, Red Sox, Twins, and finally the Phillies. His coaching career spanned more than 20 years.
Padres coach
He was one of those coaches who could really communicate with his pitchers. Curt Shilling and Tommy Greene were two of his charges. After he retired from coaching, he returned to his NY home. He always enjoyed the quiet country life. He and his wife raised two sons, John Jr. and Joseph. Johnny passed away in 2008 after a leg infection. He was also battling kidney and heart disease.
An observation: I saw Johnny pitch quite a few times, both on TV and in person. I was always disappointed when I went to a game and Drysdale or Koufax were not pitching. But Podres usually got the job done. He was not their best, but he was good enough. And he earned himself a spot in Dodger history with a great performance in Brooklyn’s biggest win in its history. Johnny Podres, is one of the best #3 starters the Dodgers have ever had!
Dodger News & Notes – From Mark
- Miguel Vargas was 2-5 for OKC last night.
- Jake Lamb hit his 5th HR and was 2-4
- Robbie Erlin pitched 5 shutout innings in relief last night to get his 2nd win. He allowed 2 hits, 0 BB, and K’ed 8!
- Bobby Miller pitched 4 innings for Tulsa last night, and allowed 1 ER, on 1 h, 1 BB, and 7 K’s
- Jordon Leasure came in for the save and gave up 3 runs for the loss.
- Rancho Cucamonga scored 3 touchdowns as they beat the Visalia Rawhide… raw! 21-4!
- Diego Cartaya broke out in a mighty way, hitting his 3rd and 4th HR’s to go with a double and a single, and a walk. He was 4-4 with 6 RBI.
- Evan Phillips meltdown may send him back to OKC. Moronta too. Today is cut-down day. McKinstry too?
- The Giants are back in 1st Place – Yawn!
Discussion (23)
Disagree, not disagreeable
I’ll say it again: Frankie Montas could be another starter. Billy Beane is bound to deal him at some point.
But I’m not so sure it makes sense now–unless Heaney is out for a long time. Anderson has stepped in nicely, and I’d like to see Jackson and White get more of a chance, and then there’s Pepiot.
I am also less enthusiastic because Chapman was scooped up by Jays–and I think I just like multiplayer trades
Which reminds me: At one point back when the Joc-Striping deal with the Angels was in the works, I read that in addition to Rengifo the Dodgers would also get a minor leaguer, specifically Taylor Ward. (At the time I thought: So what? Ward is marginal at best
Some of you may have noticed that Ward, suddenly , is absolutely just killing it==batting .400 with power. Maddon moved him to leadoff and dropped Shohei to cleanup. IIRC, Ward was drafted in the first round as a catcher, but the Angels gave up on that within a couple of season, eventually moving to OF. But until this season he never looked like he’d be more than an average hitter at best. Angels were high on Adell and Marsh–and Taylor looked like a 4th OF, with Upton released.
Anyway, we Dodger fans often say we’re glad the deal fell thru because we still have Pages, and he might be a star.
But maybe we’d have wound up with Ward out in leftfield now…..
At any rate, Ward has to ranked right now as the most improved player in the ML this season. Not sure he can keep it up, but it’s great news for the Angels, who are playing quite well–and Ohtani hasn’t heated up yet.
It’s only the start of May, but there’s strong reason to hopesfor an October Freeway Series.
I stand by my analysis, gentlemen. And you are right that as a woman I am calling you out, and deservedly so. The media you call biased is literally every major sports journalist reporting on the situation, but you seem to discount the professionals. Why don’t you become a journalist, then, if the ones we have aren’t competent?
While the women involved with TB may have been manipulative to a degree and perhaps thought they could control the situation, they were ultimately “in over their heads,” and truly vulnerable. Many women, maybe most of us, have been in a situation like this where a physically stronger man can easily intimidate or overpower us. It is truly a frightening experience, becoming prey, and attractive to a predator.
But women learn from being exposed to predators, how to sense one, how to avoid one. Or if we’re not aware, we unwittingly learn to look like prey. I cannot explain women’s intuition to you, but it is very real, a form of learning from experience. And Trevor Bauer, in his gaze, in the way he moves his body, in his allergy to women’s “feelings” in a relationship, in his combativeness and vindictiveness, all these things filtered through intuition and my visceral responses to them, tell me he is a bully and a serial predator who can’t help himself. Lacking self awareness, he is doubly dangerous.
So if you don’t trust the press, trust a woman’s intuition (which I’ve tried my best to explain but probably failed). Just try to imagine.
Well Jack came back from the dead a few times so maybe Trevor will as well. And they both made 40 mil a year!
Right about now, you can look at the evidence and conclude that Bauer is a sexual predator.
But, the evidence is couched in the media’s light.
I am not sticking up for Bauer, because I do not have all the facts. I am not sticking up for him because I am unbiased.
Those of you who have convicted him, cannot get past your biases… because you are doing it without all the facts. You have read what some (highly biased) journalists have written and you have made your mind up. Well, actually – you have closed it. You may be right…
But you may be wrong. At this juncture, I have no opinion.
Some of you say that since multiple women have surfaced, that proves it. I can show you other precedents that prove multiple allegations are a sign of fabrication.
I don’t know and I am content to let the process play out. I have no horse in this race.
I am amused that Mark and B&P (among others) discount the coincidence of three unacquainted women who tell the exact same story of their experiences with TB. If his behavior is anything but the pattern of a serial abuser, I don’t know what else you can call it. Since the details of each woman’s account so closely match, it seems that he must be the perpetrator (and the orchestrator) of their sexual encounters. To show no remorse or accountability for his actions means he will likely prey on other women, not just sexually, but also initiating retaliatory lawsuits which are equally predatory. It’s to be expected from someone who hasn’t learned from his experiences of being bullied and is doomed to exploit others in the same way. He needs counseling badly, and I hope MLB will require him to get it, as has been mandated of others.
Giants lose so Dodgers again lead the division.
Well, Well – Kahnle was filthy!
Been on the road most of the day driving to the Craft Beer Show in the other Apolis. Just past Milwaukee. I drive 320 miles and my son is driving the final leg to St Paul. The Dodgers. Are on my I-pad as I am eating Taco John’s.
News from Internet:
Jay Jaffe chat:
Question: how can they not credit Bauer for admin leave? not that I’m outraged, per se, just curious from a legal perspective
Jay Jaffe: to the extent that I understand it: MLB had enough cause to put him on administrative leave based upon its jointly-agreed policy. He got paid during that period of time, also per policy. If the policy were different he might have gotten an even longer suspension, and things might have unfolded differently.
But I’m not a lawyer either. So don’t take that to the bank.
Bill Shaikin scooped:
If Bauer were willing to consider a settlement, he could have negotiated for some or all of the 111 games he has missed on leave to be counted as part of the settlement. Bauer instead is appealing, and if he loses, he will miss 435 games.
Baseball Prospectus on the 2022 baseball:
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/74097/moonshot-2022-mlb-baseball-higher-drag/
FanGraphs on the decline of a first pitch fastball:
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-continued-decline-of-the-first-pitch-fastball/
Baseball America on some LAD prospects ($$$)
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/prospect-report-eury-perez-strikes-out-a-dozen/
Jose Ramos, OF Dodgers – The 21-year-old Panamanian outfielder hit his fifth home run of the season for Low-A Rancho Cucamonga…
Ryan Pepiot, RHP Dodgers – It’s been a strong start to the season for the Dodgers No. 5 prospect, as he’s turned in consecutive impressive starts….
Baseball America’s 20 Hottest Prospects ($$$$)
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/hot-sheet-baseballs-20-hottest-prospects-from-the-past-week-42622/
5. Michael Busch, 2B, Dodgers
Team: Double-A Tulsa (Texas)
Age: 24
Why He’s Here: .391/.533/1.087 (9-for-23), 10 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 5 HR, 9 RBIs, 6 BB, 10 SO, 1-for-1 SB
16. 16. Jacob Amaya, SS, Dodgers
Team: Double-A Tulsa (Texas)
Age: 23
Why He’s Here: .455/.478/1.091 (10-for-22), 6 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 8 RBIs, 1 BB, 2 SO, 0-for-0 SB
@futuredodgers on Caleb Ferguson’s return:
In his first rehab outing, Caleb Ferguson was 93-94 (2020 avg: 95.5), less vertical break than in 2020 too.
Ferguson’s second rehab outing went flyout, infield single, strikeout, error on 18 pitches.
. His only secondary was a high spin (all six were 3000+ RPMs) at 80-81; no mid 80s cutter, which he added in 2020 with great success. Ferguson’s second rehab outing went flyout, infield single, strikeout, error on 18 pitches.
Fastball velo was basically the same at 93-95, but movement—both vertical and horizontal—was closer to where he was in 2020, which is better. Once again his only secondary was a low 80s breaking ball (which Savant called a curveball today, compared to a slider three days ago, curveball is probably right though), pretty much the same movement profile as Thursday.
Jon Heyman in the NY Post on Bauer
https://nypost.com/2022/04/29/mlbs-two-year-ban-may-end-trevor-bauers-career-who-earned-it/
Barring a successful appeal, and an owner who doesn’t read the papers or respond to female fans, we may well have seen Bauer throw his final MLB pitch.
Baseball was believed open to a somewhat lighter penalty, but Bauer’s position to date is that he deserves no ban. Accountability is seen a plus. If there is any.
04/28/22 RHP Yadier Alvarez assigned to Oklahoma City Dodgers from Tulsa Drillers.
Dodgers activate Tommy Kahnle from injured list, Garrett Cleavinger was optioned to Triple-A
Right now we have 6 starters that have made at least 2 starts and 4 that have made 4 starts. Each of them have an ERA at or below 2.55. Ryan Pepiot is leading the PCL in ERA.
Why do we need to trade for a starting pitcher and who would that be?
Agree about Belinger. In past when he was ‘lost’, he would flail at those sliders in dirt and up and away fastballs. I have only seen a few a bats this year, but it seems they are just challenging him and he can’t catchup.
Trade for another starter. Observation, they miss Pollock’s steady bat. Roberts blew it not pinch hitting for Barnes who cannot hit water falling out of a boat lately. Rios and McKinstry on the bench. Dumb move Dave. Taylor is proving he is much better off of the bench and rotating positions’
SPWalker Buehler R
2-1 2.55 ERA 21K
Confirmed Lineup
RF Mookie Betts R
1B F. Freeman L
SS Trea Turner R
C Will Smith R
DH J. Turner R
LF Chris Taylor R
CF C. Bellinger L
3B H. Alberto R
2B Gavin Lux L
Clear-day
0% Rain
73° Wind 9 mph Out
Every game counts, no matter which one, they all do. Whether it’s the first or the last, in fact I think the first ones are the most important, so you don’t have to play under pressure at the end.
Remember last season? Ask SF…
1. lighter bat, bend knees sooner
2. Yep. Now what?
3. Not sure why we need Moronta. We certainly don’t need him in close games
4, No sense of urgency. They’re good, everyone says so, they’ll warm up later when it counts
a few observations from last night’s game
1 – Bellinger is back to swinging late at center cut fastballs he used to murder
2 – Muncy does not have a 3B arm
3 – Moronta has lost 4 – 5 MPH from his fastball compared to his SF days
4 – How can a team with this number of good hitters look so flat so often?
And after one month in the books I would like to make some detailed analysis of the team.
Offense-disappointing and blah
Individual offense
0 great
2 good
2 ok
1 blah
2 bad
2 horrible
bench blah
defense blah
pitching great
bullpen good
coaching well I’ve yet to hear one let’s fire Roberts yet.
Overall we’re riding our pitching and waiting for the offense to wake up snd deliver on its potential!.
And by the way I use the bswar statistic as my guideline
Let’s move on from Trevor to Jack
Damn if Muncy looked dejected and lost on the bench after that loss. I hope he can break out soon. He’s done it before.
MLB DRAFT
Dodgers MLB Draft bonus pool is $4.2 million
2022 draft will be held in Los Angeles on July 17-19
The 2022 MLB Draft will be held in Los Angeles during All-Star week, which the Dodgers will also host. Among the 30 major league teams, the Dodgers’ have the lowest draft bonus pool, at $4.2 million.
Signing free agent Freddie Freeman, who declined a qualifying offer from Atlanta, is the biggest culprit in the Dodgers’ bonus pool being so low, but he’s not the only reason.
As we went over back in March, the Dodgers gained a compensatory pick when Corey Seager signed with the Rangers, which was to be just after the fourth round. But signing Freeman cost the Dodgers their second- and fifth-highest draft picks, since they were a competitive balance tax payor in 2021. The fifth-highest pick was the extra pick for Seager. Being in the highest tier of competitive balance tax last year also caused the Dodgers’ first-round pick to drop ten slots, from 30 to 40. That technically drops the Dodgers’ first pick into the second round, after competitive balance round A.
Evan Phillips is out of Minor League options . Reyes Moronto has 1 Minor League option left. Carson Fulmer is out of Minor League options also.