Well, we all know about Babe Ruth. He was probably the greatest player the game ever knew. And there was Babe Dahlgren, who replaced Lou Gehrig at 1st base in New York. In 1925, while Ruth was plying his trade with the Yankees, 22-year-old Floyd Caves Herman made his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He would turn 23 early in the season. Babe was born in Buffalo, New York. However, he grew up in Glendale California. At 18 he signed with a team from Alberta Canada, and he spent the next 5 years in the minors playing for 6 different teams including tours in the Boston and Detroit farm systems. In a 1922 spring training game, he was used as a pinch hitter for Ty Cobb. But Detroit had no outfield vacancy’s so they returned him to the minors where he hit .416. He was signed in 1925 for Brooklyn by a scout who said, “he looks kind of funny in the field, but when I see a guy go 6-6, I got to go for him“.
Babe Herman made his debut for the Brooklyn Robins, as they were known then, as a first baseman and hit .319. He was 4th in doubles with 35, 7th in HR’s, 11th in slugging pct. at .500. In 1927 he slipped to a .272 avg with 9 HR’s.
In 1928 he put it all together with a banner campaign in which he hit .340, 5th in the league, with 12 HR’s and 91 RBI’s. And in 543 plate appearances, he only struck out 36 times. 1929 Babe turned it up once again. He hit .381 with 21 HR’s and 113 RBI’s. He finished with 217 hits and a .612 slugging pct. The BA and Slugging pct. were both team records. He finished 2nd to Lefty O’Doul for the batting crown.
In 1930, he was even better. He hit a team-record .393 with 35 HR’s, 130 RBI’s, and a .678 slugging percentage, and 241 hits, still a team record. The BA and slugging are still team records. He again finished 2nd in the batting race, this time to Bill Terry of the Giants who hit .401. As of today, it was the last time anyone in the NL has hit .400. In 1931 he dropped to only .313 with 18 and 97. So that winter the Dodgers traded Babe along with Ernie Lombardi and Wally Gilbert to the Reds for Tony Cuccinello, Joe Stripp, and Clyde Sukeforth.
Sukeforth would have a huge impact on later Dodger teams as a coach and scout. Babe had a decent year for the Reds hitting over .300, but he was traded to the Cubs after the season. He spent 2 seasons with the Cubs and was traded to the Pirates, then went back to the Reds for the 1935-36 seasons. In 1937 he finished his career with Detroit, hitting .300 in 17 games. But in 1945 at the age of 42, Babe came back to Brooklyn and played in 37 games, mostly as a PH. He hit .265 with a homer and 9 RBI’s.
For his career, Babe hit .324 with 997 RBI’s a .532 slugging pct. and a 915 OPS. As a Dodger, his BA was .339 with a .557 slg. pct. and a .953 OPS. Babe could definitely rake. In the field and on the base paths, well, that is another story, He was once told that someone was saying he was Babe and passing bad checks. His response was, well, hit him some fly balls, if he catches any, it is not me.
One of his most famous gaffs happened in a game at Ebbets Field against the Braves in 1926. with the bases loaded, Babe tried to stretch a double off of the wall into a triple, but Chuck Fewster, who had been on 1st base advanced to third, which was occupied by Dazzy Vance who had been on 2nd but was caught in a rundown and retreated to third. Babe was running with his head down and chugged into 3rd. So now there were 3 Dodgers on the bag. Braves 3rd baseman Eddie Taylor, tagged all 3 hoping to get as many outs as possible. Umpire Beans Reardon, love that name, called Herman and Fewster out since Vance was already on the bag. Lost in the whole thing was the fact that Hank DeBerry had scored what would be the winning run on the hit. The headline was Herman doubles into a double play.
Thus the Daffiness Boys were born. Babe retired to Glendale after his playing days. His son was a mathematics teacher at Herbert Hoover High School, a cross-town rival of his old school Glendale High. Babe passed away on November 27, 1987, at the age of 84 from complications of pneumonia. He is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale. Babe was a real character, and for a while, the Babe of Brooklyn.
Discussion (19)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Our record in one run and extra inning games is terrible and is a reflection of the manager and his decisions to put the right players in position to win. He has not done that with many questionable decisions that have cost us games we should have won. With the amount of talent on this team, we should be able to win the tight games and it is unacceptable to continually watch our team lose games we should be winning. Yes, I agree we haven’t had our regular lineup for many games and we have really missed Seager so I am hopeful upon his return we will generate a more consistent offense.
The first ten rounds of the 2021 MLB draft are in. The Dodgers have selected 2 high school pitchers (Rounds 1 & 3), and 7 college pitchers; including 4 seniors. Color me underwhelmed with these selections. Almost everyone of them has command issues, some with extreme issues.
Round 1 (#29) – Maddux Bruns – LHP, UMS Wright Prep HS, BA Ranking #48 – Committed to Mississippi State
Round 3 (#101) – Peter Heubeck – RHP, Gilman HS, BA Ranking #103 – Committed to Wake Forest
Round 4 (#132) – Nick Nastrini – RHP, UCLA, Sophomore Eligible, BA Ranking #215
Round 5 (#162) – Ben Casparius – RHP, UConn, Senior, BA Ranking #147
Round 6 (#192) – Emmet Sheehan – RHP, Boston College, Junior, BA Ranking #342
Round 7 (#222) – Ryan Sublette – RHRP, Texas Tech, Senior, BA Ranking #376
Round 8 (#252) – Ben Harris – LHRP, Georgia, Junior, BA Ranking #397
Round 9 (#282) – Lael Lockhart – LHRP, Arkansas, 5th year Senior, BA Ranking >500
Round 10 (#312) – Michael Hobbs – RHRP, St. Mary’s, Senior, BA Ranking >500
I do not see one pitcher above who has a mid-rotation ceiling. All nine pitchers look to be relievers, although Bruns could surprise. Nastrini was pulled from the Bruin rotation and sent to the bullpen because of his dismal lack of control and command. He failed to register an out in his last two appearances, walking all three batters and uncorking 2 WP. For Lockhart, the Mayo/Callis comment was he has a fastball that sits 90-94. They then later came back and said they heard that Lockhart’s mother was a New Orleans Saints Cheerleader.
What stands out to me is that four of the nine are college seniors which screams low ball bonus dollars. Lael Lockhart being a 5th year senior is looking at a below 10K bonus. Both HS pitchers were lower ranked than other HS pitchers still on the board, also meaning IMO lower bonus allotments. Because of the number of seniors it will be interesting to see who the Dodgers draft in #11. Often times they have gone overslot with this draft pick.
Perhaps if there is a HS pitcher that they can buy out of their college commitment, he can be tapped in that spot.
Bruns is an older HS senior at 19.1, and Heubeck is 19.0.
Everywhere you turn, it looks to be a low ball bonus draft.
This draft looks very reminiscent of the 2018 draft, which was the worst draft of any of the AF/Gasparino drafts. I hope I am wrong.
Is anyone watching the HR Derby tonight? Ball is flying at Coors tonight but when isn’t it!
I am trying to remain positive after what I feel is a disappointing first 91 games. I know we have the second best record in all of baseball but we have the highest payroll by far and on paper there is no doubt the most talent in the game. Every team has had their share on injuries and the Dodgers have had more than their share to their key players but with all the depth we have I would have expected much better results than what our record shows. I am not a Dave Roberts fan and I believe he has cost us at least 5-6 wins so far this season with his questionable pitching moves and his in game management. I have been a season ticket holder for 40 years and this without a doubt has been one of the most frustrating seasons I can remember. I hold out hope that things will change in the final 71 games but I am not confident with DR as our manager that we will have a chance to be back-to-back WS Champs!
AF kept his perfect record through the 10th round today. All pitchers.
Andrew, could you please get us an outfielder or two tomorrow?
Giants/Dodgers have made elevent picks combined, all pitchers so far for both.
On the Dodgers recent picks:
Round 3: Peter Heubeck: Over-slot probably. Wake Forest commit. Slender, 6-foot-3, 170-pound righthander, Loud three-pitch mix and has only improved his game since flashing stuff with inconsistent control last summer. …Reportedly grades out well in every spin metric…Justin Verlander pitch design….Curveball needs velo, but shape is massive… Stuff could be disgusting….good feel for spin and his changeup.
Round 4: Nick Nastrini: From UCLA…entered the year considered one of the best pitching prospects on the West Coast, but his control deteriorated rapidly in what became a miserable season. ..was demoted from the rotation to the bullpen…Has a fastball that ranges from 92-96 mph as a starter, touches 98 in relief and plays up with high spin rates at the top of the strike zone. …Good athlete… teams are hopeful they can build his confidence back up and get him back to his previous form… vertical 4-seam fastball guy…upside if he can throw enough strikes.
Round 5: Ben Casparius: miller’s crossing-esque name! Not a lot of innings. Power arm. Hard working former middle IF. …Broke through with an outstanding 2021 campaign, tying for seventh in the nation in strikeouts… quality three-pitch mix, low 90s fastball, exceptional changeup, 127 Ks in 91 2/3 IP this year … some scouts see his future in the bullpen. Others see a starter’s three-pitch mix and enough strikes to project him as a solid back-end starter.
Round 6: Emmet Sheehan: Power arm from Boston College. Interesting and big. 3 pitch mix, sits 91…. Command is raw…. Great body at 6-5, about 220….. Live arm & nasty dispo…Worth watching develop.
No 2nd round pick for the Dodgers this year ? Why ?
Big walk off HR by the Maximizer yesterday.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In the 2nd half :
The Dodgers are going to need better performances on the offensive side from Bellinger and I would say Lux, but I think Taylor should and will take over 2B when Seager gets back and if not then shame on Doc. Also a better performance from Betts would be nice considering all the money he’s been given.
On the pitching side, the Dodgers will need better performances from Price and Gonsolin (especially since they are starters now) and the bullpen, but a lot of the bullpen depends on how Doc handles it and any trade by the trade deadline.
Going 3-4 against the Marlins and Diamondbacks is unacceptable, you need to beat the teams that suck. After looking at the Dodgers and Giants schedules, I think it’s going to come down to who comes out best head to head between the 2 teams. The Dodgers will need to win 3 out of 4 against the Giants the next time they meet, a split won’t help.
The Dodgers are second in the National League in batting OPS, first in starting pitching ERA, FIFTH in bullpen ERA.
The win yesterday might have saved the Dodgers’ season. That may seem overstated, but considering that a loss puts us three games out, losing two out of three to the Diamondbacks, and with a week to dwell on it, I don’t think it is.
We were very fortunate to win the game. If Turner’s deep fly ball is caught, as it would be almost every time, we are down 4-2, one out, men on first and second, and Bellinger up. We probably lose. We got one run on the misplay, kept the bases loaded, then scored a run on a hit batter. Not an impressive rally, but we tied the game, and then Muncy won it.
We have these games where we pile on with 15 or 20 runs, then we have games like those we just played in Miami, where we can barely score. That is not a good thing in any sport, and we’ve seen teams like that which usually lose when they face the better opponents in big games. Hopefully Seager will give our lineup more synergy, because we have a few hitters who rarely get on base. Even with our problems, we have a solid record, but of course we are unlikely to get Bauer back any time soon, meaning we desperately need another starter, because we cannot have all these bullpen games. And we need our starters to go six innings, not four. Very hopefully, we will get Kershaw back soon, it is essential to us having a chance to go far.
Obviously, we do not want to be the wildcard; a team with perhaps the second best record in baseball, which has to play one game to stay in the playoffs, and then two series where we are the road team. Right now, I don’t know if we would beat any playoff team in a series where they have the extra home game, but maybe we will be much better by September. I don’t know what pitcher we should go after; we need someone very good, not a Ricky Nola type, though he tried his best that season, but did not do the job in his playoff start.
It’s funny; we have a fine record, but it seems that we are still in danger of not winning any playoff series, unless we improve. Fortunately, we did not lose the crucial game yesterday. I am not at all sure that somehow we will burst out and take control in the division. Obviously, much will depend on the head to head games against the Giants, as that is where it is going to be decided, they don’t lose many games to worse teams.
https://www.mlb.com/dodgers/news/dodgers-2021-draft-day-2-coverage
The Dodgers drafted in Round 3, 101st overall: Peter Heubeck, RHP, Gilman School (Md.)
Cody Bellinger is a talent but he’s really had 2 good years.
2017 – .267/.352/.581/.933, 39 HR, 10 SB, OPS+ 143, 146K in 548 PA (26.6% K rate), ROY
2018 – .260/.343./.470/.814, 25 HR, 14 SB, OPS+ 120, 151K in 632 PA (23.9% K rate)
2019 – .305/.406/.629/1.035, 47 HR, 15 SB, OPS+ 169, 108K in 661 PA (16.3% K rate), MVP, GG
2020 – .239/.333/.455/.789, 12 HR, 6 SB, OPS+ 113, 42K in 243 PA (17.3% K rate)
2021 – .176/.291/.303/.593, 4 HR, 2 SB, OPS+ 66, 39K in 141 PA (27.7% K rate)
The thing that’s tantalizing about Cody is the 1st half of 2019 – you can see how good he can be. We haven’t really seen that since the All Star Break in 2019.
He’s not quick about making adjustments and good pitchers can get him out in the same spots over and over.
Obviously, he’s been hurt and is still recovering from shoulder surgery and a broken leg, so the jury is out on 2021.
Baseball has had plenty of 1 year wonders who flame out when the league adjusts to them but who can’t readjust to the league. Cody is a great athlete – can he adjust?
I have had several short conversations with Clayton… especially this one with my son:
The Penguin is fun to talk to as well:
But my favorite is this guy (on the right):
The players I had the longest conversations with were Wes Parker, and Tommy Davis. Davis was at an event at the home I was living at in Highland Park. We talked about hitting for about 20 minutes. Really nice guy. I got to know Wes when he came to a show I gave him tickets to that I was doing in Long Beach. Great guy, got me my National Anthem gig at Dodger Stadium and used to let me use his season seats now and then. If there is a player you guys would like to see profiled on here, just let me know.
Some of you are suffering from CBDS. That stands for Cody Bellinger Derangement Syndrome.
Even with the poor 2020 and a bad start to this year, he still has a career OPS better than Mookie, Seager, and anyone else on the team not named Albert.
It’s not worth debating, but at the end of the season, I will call “Scoreboard!”
I know he was considered a bit daffy but Herman was offered scholarships to Dartmouth and Stanford. He was also a successful businessman in Southern California. I met him in an elevator at Dodger Stadium in the 60s, I was maybe 15. My grandfather knew who he was. What I recall about him was he was big. Had hands the size of a catchers mitt.
Speaking of impressive college scholarships – “I don’t want to sound arrogant, but If we play good, we feel like we have a really good chance to win games.” Walker Buehler. That’s some Vanderbilt genius speaking right there.
Another great write up Bear. It’s great to read your research on Dodger players from the past. Many of us have heard their names and a few stats, but you do a superb job of putting a personal and professional life to those names and how each affected Dodger history. The details that you come up with from your research is amazing.
Concerning Bellinger even Orel made a comment after Cody KO’d with the based loaded. Orel mentioned that the All-Star break might give Cody a chance to go home in AZ and regroup physically as well as mentally. Orel said Cody needed to really take a look at his swing and approach offensively. So, if Orel knows what needs to be done I would think the hitting coaches do as well. That conclusion leads me to believe that Cody has told the hitting staff and the team to go pound sand and nothing will change. Cody gets Coors Field and more important crappy pitching after the All-Star break. From July 16 to Aug 1 the Dodgers face the Rockies six times, the D-Backs three times, and the Giants mixed in for seven games. Cody will have plenty of opportunities to face mediocre to poor pitching for the next two weeks in order to help him get back on track. In the eighth inning AB he swung at the final two strikes that were balls out of the pitcher’s hand. This indicates that his swing problems continue and now the mental aspect has become an issue. As mentioned above Mookie and Pollack are beginning to heat up. Muncy and Taylor continue to have excellent seasons. With the starting pitching having uncertainty the successful return of Seager and MVP offensive production from Cody is important for another title run.
Great job Bear! I love these pieces about the old tyme players. That 1930 season was pretty special.
It’s Monday and we aren’t going to have another game until Friday. Normally, I look forward to the All-Star game itself and fret the scheduled days off associated with it. This year, I have the opposite feeling.
Somehow we have no starters. Our most deserving is Muncy, who for all intents and purposes is having a career year. CT3 is quite possibly the best utility player in the league, so I’m excited that he’s in there and JT is also having great year, another deserved player. But, only Muncy really should have been in that starting lineup.
I won’t be tuning in because I don’t agree with companies getting into politics. It’s an obvious attempt to gain favorable legislation in the future and the consumer always loses when that happens. It basically amounts to a bribe.
I do look forward to 4 days without games. The team has been banged up all year and their play has been frustrating more often than not, so it seems. This last week has been a comedy of errors. I can’t think of a worst defensive team during our amazing run in the last decade or so. JT, Muncy, and Lux have all made multiple miscues in the last week so it’s fresh in my memory.
Not long ago this team played very clean baseball. They seldom committed errors and the bats often came up big in close and late situations. It seems that late game heroics have been few and far between this year, last night notwithstanding. Could Muncy’s walk off be a sign of better things to come in the second half?
On the bright side, we’ve played sloppy baseball, have had guys with zero experience trying to close out extra innings games, and have had more than our share of injuries, not to mention the Bauer drama. Yet we still have the second best record in all of baseball playing in arguably the toughest division.
I know I’ve been saying this all year, but the Giants will fall soon enough. Even as I say this, they are in the midst of a 4 game winning streak and show no signs of slowing down despite Longoria and Posey sitting on the IL. Even if they maintain their current pace, I don’t think they’ll hold a 2 game lead. I think our team is much more talented and will go on a run worthy of the talent that defines our roster.
By the time the break is over, the trade deadline will be just two weeks away. It will be a fun July with the eventual return of Seager, although I’m leery of bringing him back without a rehab assignment only to be inserted into the lineup during the Giants series. Lux will start to get more time off against righties as well as lefties once Seager returns. CT3 has done everything to justify playing regularly and that will eat into Lux’s playing time. I think Lux should get 3-4 games a week going forward allowing him to take a step back and think about his approach.
In the long run, Lux will become a player worthy of his prospect pedigree. There’s nothing wrong with the tools, he just needs to get his head straight. I think the Kike lovers forget his age 24 season when he hit 190 with a 607 OPS. In fact, Gavin’s current season looks a lot like Kike’s 2020 season which wasn’t long ago and Kike had parts of 7 years MLB experience at the time.
It’s always hard to say goodbye when a player moves on after rooting for him for years. I was crushed when the Dodgers traded Ron Cey, one of my all time favorites. Kike, Joc and even Alex are no Ron Cey’s. It will be tough when CT3 moves on next year unless he decides that he wants to stay regardless of money.
A few weeks ago someone was actually trying to say (with a straight face) they would rather have Verdugo than Betts. Mookie now has a respectable 839 OPS and Alex a predictable 771. Alex always had the rap of not fast and athletic enough to play CF where his bat would play, and not enough power for a corner where his arm and defense was suited for. He is living up to his expectations. Lux was taken in his draft as the player that was mostly likely to stick at SS with a bat that could be impactful.
We’ve seen flashes of that impact bat this season. I was amazed to learn that JT never had a grand slam until this weekend’s drubbing of the D-Backs on Saturday. For those with short memories who don’t thin Lux can be clutch, remember that he’s hit two granny’s this year.
Enjoy the time off, the best is yet to come. Be prepared for another big roll coming soon, without the losing streak that has followed each of our previous runs this year. I look forward to seeing the shiny new toy by the end of the month.
Love the line about fly balls! Thx Bear, really enjoyed the write up. Fun loving guy! And I hope your right about Belli but I’m a little nervous!
Great story, thanks. I’m from Buffalo, NY, so this endears me to this Babe even more. I wonder why Brooklyn traded him away? I’m not sure who won the trade because all 6 names don’t mean much to me…..but it sounds like we gave up on a sure thing. I suppose Brooklyn needed more pitching. Anyhow, thanks again for the read.