Carl Reginald Smith was born on April 2nd, 1945, in Shreveport, Louisiana. His father, a former Negro League ballplayer, moved the family west when Reggie was still a boy. His mother — a gifted musician — gave him the metronome that would later show up in every stride at the plate.
From Centennial High to Boston
Reggie signed with the Minnesota Twins out of L.A.'s Centennial High School in 1963. He was a slick-fielding shortstop then — fast hands, a quicker first step. By the time the Red Sox plucked him off the Twins' Triple-A roster in the 1966 first-year draft, he had moved to second base. By 1967, the year the Impossible Dream Red Sox went to the World Series, he was their everyday center fielder, and a damn good one.
"He could beat you four ways. He could hit, he could run, he could throw, and he could think." — Tommy Lasorda
To the Dodgers
The June 15, 1976 trade that sent Reggie from St. Louis to Los Angeles for Joe Ferguson and two minor leaguers is, in hindsight, one of Al Campanis' best. Smith hit .307 with 32 home runs in 1977, then again clubbed 29 with a .382 OBP in 1978. Both years the Dodgers reached the World Series. Both years they lost to the Yankees.
The 1980 injury
A torn rotator cuff in September of 1980 effectively ended his Dodger career. He played one more season as a part-timer in San Francisco, then walked away. He coached in the Dodger system, ran a successful baseball academy in Encino, and — most importantly to the men who played for him — taught a generation of L.A. kids how to think their way through an at-bat.
If you grew up watching the late-70s Dodgers, you knew Reggie. And if you knew Reggie, you remember the swing — flat, fast, perfectly balanced — and the bigger thing it taught us: that style and substance, in baseball as in life, are not opposites.
Discussion (55)
Disagree, not disagreeable
He was actually a pretty good young prospect years ago when he first hit the majors. He’s terrible these days.
Kike be gone! Oh well, he’s only hitting 1.000!
No
Gotcha
Who knew it was all Roberts fault for batting Mookie 2nd and not cleanup!
Is this guy Freeland really a major league pitcher?
It’s styled to look like Reggie Smith as a Dodger, but it’s AI-generated and not guaranteed to be an exact authentic likeness. The jersey era, mustache, batting stance, and overall vibe are very “Reggie Smith 1977-81 Dodgers,” but AI sometimes blends facial features like a baseball card in a washing machine.
Doc must be a Freaking Genius!
Kike?
Now we understand!
That’s not Reggie’s picture though on the home page. Leron Lee? Not sure who that is for sure.
Mookie dropped in the order… and it worked!
Is Mookie the smallest #4 hitter ever?
Kendall George…
This is dangerously close to blowing up this blog.
No response is warranted.
I was at Dodger Stadium that last game of the 77 season. Dusty hit his 30th off of JR Richard. LA lost 6-3 that day. Two other Dodgers hit their only homers of the year that day, Manny Mota, and Glenn Burke.
Your welcome Duke. Isn’t it amazing the number of outstanding arms the Dodgers had playing in right field? First, it was Furillo, called the Reading Rifle. They had signed Clemente but lost him in the rule 5 draft. Then Reggie came along, and Joe Ferguson, who also had a rifle arm and made one of the more memorable World Series throws ever. Then Reggie, Mondesi, and of course, Puig, who had an absolute cannon out there. Just did not know where he would throw all the time. Mookie in his couple of years out there has 54 assists as a right fielder. Pages also has a cannon, and I have to believe that at some point, he will move to right.
They did that in the World Series, and it worked.
Damn mutt!
Pedro? Yes, he was. Years ago, the Cardinals had a pitcher who became an outfielder.
From Associated Press….
PORTLAND, Maine — Graham Platner, Maine’s presumptive Democratic Senate nominee, began Memorial Day weekend by releasing an ad on the cable station that airs Boston Red Sox games accusing team owners of ruining the storied franchise. He then ended it by criticizing the team’s ownership for pulling the critical message from the air.
It was a move designed to appeal to the team’s devoted fanbase and provoke its wealthy ownership. And within hours of the network’s decision, Platner has been all too eager to capitalize on the removal, using it to push his populist message as he campaigns to unseat longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in Maine.
“We ran an ad during last night’s Red Sox game exposing how private equity is making everything in our lives worse, and it got pulled midway through the game by a station owned by Red Sox ownership,” Platner said in a statement on Saturday. “And of course, the Red Sox blew a 4-0 lead to lose the game.”
Platner’s 15-second ad about the Red Sox includes the oyster farmer promising to “reverse the private equity curse” if elected and stating that he missed Mookie Betts, a nod to the simmering rage that Boston fans have held after FSG traded the homegrown superstar to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020. (“Reverse the curse” was a popular slogan among Red Sox fans in the 1990s and 2000s that referred to the team’s long-running failure to win a World Series prior to 2004.)
It also accuses private equity of “buying up our homes, our sports and our lives” while referencing a March 2021 Axios report detailing that RedBird Capital Partners, a private equity firm, would have an 11% stake in FSG.
Thanks for the Reggie Smith piece, Bear.. I learned a lot…
Loved him and his arm in RF for the Dodgers, and also at the plate.
That was a good era for Dodgers baseball, with that quartet hitting 30 HRs.
I wonder whether Boston’s racial issues were a factor in Mookie’s exit–something that still haunts Red Sox fans….
Case in point: Up in Maine, Senate candidate Graham Platner, running against incumbent fossil Susan Collins, ran a TV ad during a Red Sox broadcast. Maine roots for the Red Sox, and Platner’s ad including a shot at Red Sox ownership and even said something like, “Mookie never should have been traded.” Or whatever… YEARS after the trade! ..I haven’t seen it, but it sounds funny–and ownership refused to air it a second time!
That’s the report I heard, anyway….
“Max Muncy is currently day-to-day with a right wrist injury after being hit by a pitch on May 22, 2026.Initial X-rays were negative for a fracture, providing optimism that he avoided a long-term injury. As of May 26, 2026, he has missed four consecutive games but is showing progress:Recovery
Progress: Muncy has seen reduced swelling and has been observed playing catch and taking ground balls at third base while wearing a protective wrist guard.Next Steps: He was expected to begin swinging a bat again on Tuesday, May 26.
Target Return: Manager Dave Roberts expressed optimism that Muncy could return to the starting lineup as early as Wednesday, May 27, for the series finale against the Colorado Rockies.While the Dodgers have not yet placed him on the Injured List (IL), they remain cautious and haven’t completely ruled out a brief IL stint if his recovery stalls. In his absence, the team activated Kiké Hernández and utilized Miguel Rojas to cover third base”.
Reggie Smith was definitely my favorite player on those 70’s teams and their best player. that 1980 season was cut short by an injury and he was raking at the time. He had to get stitches after an argument with Derrel Thomas. He punched a cooler. He then injured his throwing shoulder later in the season.
Speaking of injury. I saw a video of Kendall George getting injured avoiding the bat dog that took off to retrieve the bat at home plate while George was returning to the dugout after scoring.
10:10 PM ET
Rockies (20-35)
Dodgers (34-20)
SP Kyle Freeland L
1-5 7.04 ERA
SP Eric Lauer L
1-5 6.69 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
DH S. Ohtani L
CF Andy Pages R
1B F. Freeman L
SS Mookie Betts R
RF Kyle Tucker L
LF T. Hernandez R
C Will Smith R
2B Miguel Rojas R
3B E. Hernandez R
63° Wind 11 mph Out
Thet finally listened and moved Mookie down in the order.
Too soon
Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Edgardo Henriquez was a catcher earlier in his career.
MLB transactions update — Muncy day-to-day with the wrist, expected back by Tuesday. Gonsolin throwing live BP Wednesday. May still on track for a June rehab assignment.
Great writeup, Bear. One quibble — the 1980 injury was technically a torn labrum, not rotator cuff. Doesn't change the story but the surgery in '80 was the first labrum repair I remember a Dodger getting.
Phil — you're right, I'll correct it. Old habit; we called everything a "rotator cuff" in those days.
Wait — labrum or rotator cuff, was it the throwing shoulder or the back shoulder?
These are the Dog Daze
Personal anecdote — Reggie ran a hitting clinic in Encino when I was 14. The first thing he told me was "your hands aren't slow, your eyes are." Changed how I watched pitchers for the rest of my life.
Payroll vs. performance — Reggie was making something like $300K in 1978 dollars. Adjust for inflation and he's a $4M player today. We are paying utility infielders that now.
Bear, this is one of your best. The Marichal lobbying detail at the end of the Roseboro piece you ran in '23 is still the thing I send people when they ask me why I read this site.
YES! As per the excellent Eric Stephen:
Leadoff man Kendall George batted three times in those first two innings, and scored the 14th Tulsa run of the game, but in doing so appeared to get injured while trying to avoid a bat-retrieving dog near the Drillers dugout.
George came out of the game after that, replaced in center field by Chris Newell.
Check out the inconclusive video on the lamentable BlueSky:
https://bsky.app/profile/jaredjmassey.bsky.social/post/3mmppym6ri22l
I’m with you Badger, I don’t think Doc will move Mookie down in the order. But as I said yesterday, I would for now. Maybe Edman is the guy for the 2 hole? Freddie would not be my pick as he’s best when he’s using left field. Smith is a thought.
Wash my mouth out with soap but after multiple failed situational hitting a bunt is in order to advance runners?
George got injured by a dog.
Per Dodgers Daily:
https://x.com/dodger_daily/status/2059084186040807683
Easton Shelton hit his Cal League-leading 10th HR of the season on Sunday, and I’m not sure it’s landed yet. When he gets hold of one, it goes for a RIDE! He also has his average up to .267, his OPS is .884 & he now has a 14-game hit streak. In that streak, he’s 22 for 56 (.392) with 3 doubles, 6 home runs & 19 RBIs in that span as well.
Longenhagen (or maybe the other guy?) spoke highly of him in a chat.
There’s actually some great progress being shown by the team’s IF prospects:
Kellon Lindsey has reworked his swing and is now showing the benefits. Lindsey is hitting an eye-popping .455 with an OPS of 1.213, he has hits in 8 games in a row & he’s 18 for his last 37 with 3 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs, 8 RBIs and 9 runs scored in that span.
Beyond those two, the previously discussed Harlan and glove-first Noah Miller have really improved their plate discipline.
Finally there’s the all-star of GREAT names, Mairoshendrick Martinus AKA Mairoshendrick Nathan Jackson Martinus, who also has retooled his swing and showing good power. Plus he’s playing 3B as well now.
That said, Morales is fighting it a bit, over the last ten games….. 20 SO!
Will Smith should bat second as he did in the last game of the World Series last year. Do all us remember what he did in that game?
Ohtani fits your description of a #2 hitter.
Tuesday Dodger Affiliates’ Schedule
4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Sterling Patick) at Dayton [Reds] (Ovis Portes)
5:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Christian Romero) at Sugar Land [Astros] (TBA)
6:35 p.m.: Ontario (TBA) vs. Visalia [D-backs] (TBA)
No Tuesday game for Tulsa after playing on Memorial Day.
Tommy Edman is expected to start his rehab assignment for Oklahoma City today.
How does one straighten his swing out sitting on the bench?
I keep reading that Mookie’s exit velocity is considered good. Savant has it at 91.2, above average but not great. So I asked AI “what is the average exit velocity of a MLB fly ball”, which Mookie hits a lot of, and was surprised to see it is 91-93 mph. With a bat speed listed as “ below average” and fly balls listed as league average, add in his 14th ranked OAA at short, Mookie, at this point in the season anyway, is an average MLB player with a BA markedly below the Mendoza line. Does any of that suggest a o#2 hitter in a top ranked offense? I don’t think so.
So who should hit second? Old school, which I obviously am, says a left handed pull hitter with wheels. A contact hitter who can take advantage of the hole on the right side with Ohtani being held on at first and fast enough to stay out of a GDP. There is no hit and run in baseball anymore so that’s no longer in the calcs. It would be helpful if he’s kinda big to block the catcher’s view of the man on first and somewhat interferes with a throw to second. Who is that dude on the Dodgers. My gut, and the stats, say it isn’t Betts. Not presently anyway. I’m looking and Savant tells me there isn’t one that meets all of the criteria but spray charts say the answer is Tucker or Freeman, without the speed of course. Ohtani, Freeman, Pages, Tucker, Teo, pull the rest of the names out of a hat. Or flip Freeman and Tucker and pull 6 through 9 out of a hat.
All that said, I think Doc likely leaves Betts where he is.
,
Thanks, but I think I often need an editor. Don’t see the mistakes until later.
I would move George up first, ONLY because I think he could be that late season call up, pinch runner/defender type in October, ala Justin Dean last year
I remember those 4 – 30hr guys. I also remember Dusty declaring he was going to “Scald One!” I just read an article that explained Dave’s sitting Will Smith so he “Can get his swing straightened out.” Starting Rushing instead due to Smith’s offensive struggles. If you watch any Dodger podcast or a recent
Dave Roberts interview the question being asked is why don’t they drop Mookie in the order. Dave says Mookie is not confident, his swing is not right, also says he’s pressing & trying too hard. Yet, he remains in the 2 hole. Dave sees what everyone sees, but he is the only one that can do something about it. Come on Dave take some pressure off, move him down or give him the same treatment as Will and give him a day off. To acknowledge a problem and do nothing to solve it is undefendable. Typically if a player is hitting the ball hard, locked in, but just hitting in bad luck leave him alone. But, Dave identified multiple issues with Mookie, yet there he sits at 2. I’ll come down off my soap box now.
You’re a good writer. Rare to see in this dark corner of the internet where bloated voices tend to dominate by sheer volume.
I remember Reggie. Opposing pitchers remember him too.
Had Rockies with 3 right yesterday. Dodgers 3 for 12 WRISP against a not so good pitching staff. That needs improvement. Team with only 8 hits against a not so good Rockies staff. Betts 0fer. Again. Sheehan 6 and 2, 92 pitches. Good night for him but man he sure looks like he’s working hard out there.
Tonight could be interesting. Both pitchers 1-5, Freeland with 7.04 ERA, Lauer 6.69.
DePaula? I already traded him for Skenes. Might as well include Kim in that package. Let him fly around the bases in Pittsburgh. They might could use some excitement there, I thought the Pirates would be widdershins but a look at the standings finds them over .500. The NL Central has every team over .500. I find that surprising. And no team in the AL West is over .500. Weird.
This team just has a different Vibe when the Wildman plays!
… and everyone knows who that is – no one has to ask!
I would let him “cook” until he gets that OPS above 1.000!
It was awesome to see Reggie on the field before the game with his good friend, Doc. Reggie Smith had a reputation early in his career for being intense, guarded, and sometimes angry, especially with the media and fans. But, as Bear explained, there’s important context there.
A lot of writers at the time described him as “moody” or “difficult,” but many teammates and later historians felt he was more accurately serious, proud, and unwilling to play the smiling entertainer role some expected from athletes then.
He was also extremely intelligent and thoughtful. That sometimes clashed with reporters looking for easy quotes and clubhouse comedy. He didn’t hide his frustration when he thought something was unfair. Tommy Lasorda once called him one of the smartest players he ever managed, even if Reggie could be intense enough to light the dugout air like a shorted-out transformer. He was Kike Hernadez-Like… only not as crazy!
A lot of Dodgers fans from that era remember him less as “angry” and more as quietly dangerous: the switch-hitter with thunder in the bat and eyes that looked like he already knew how your at-bat was going to end. I loved watching Reggie.
dePaula with 2 more hits yesterday. Now batting .302 with an .900 OPS. Time to move him up to AAA ?!
Freeland against Lauer tomorrow. Two lefties. No pitcher yet listed for the Rocks against Ohtani on Wednesday.
Do not play them again until late August in Atlanta. Maybe they will have cooled off by then. 1-2 against them so far this year. Dodgers not worried about Atlanta right now.
Braves are next to catch.
Padres lost to the Phillies, 3-0. Lead now at 2.5 games.
Nice win. Took a while but we did it. Mookie with the key sac fly.