MiLB Organization All-Stars – Old Friends Just out of curiosity, I checked on all 30 MLB teams to see who had been chosen as their MiLB Organization All-Stars. I noticed that a number of former Dodger minor league players made that list. I have included the MiLB synopsis on each…
This is a call up from the archives from an article I posted on December 7, 2016. The game we all love has changed considerably since the first published rules of baseball were written in 1845 for a New York baseball club called the Knickerbockers. Alexander Cartwright authored…
Could Jason Martin be the next Max Muncy, CT3 or Justin Turner? There is no reason to believe that he could but also no reason to expect that he could not. Martin, like JT, is a California boy who was born in Corona and attended Orange Lutheran High School in Orange which is…
This is a re-run of an article I posted on TBLA back on July 28, 2015. It provides a glimpse of Matt Beaty as a pre-MLB player. Great Lakes Loons third baseman Matt Beaty is enjoying his first season of professional baseball simply doing what he loves to do. Beaty was born in…
Among the recent news items was a clip that Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, would celebrate his 49th birthday on Sunday, December 25. That piqued my curiosity a bit and I quickly took a peak to determine who else might have a Christmas Day birthday. That is, those with…
It is a bit difficult to write now. We have a house full. Jamie , Laura and three-year-old grandson Rowan are here, as are Elanya and Dean. Plus two dogs that are not ours as well as our two cats. Also, I am retired as a writer. So here goes a bit at a time. BulldogsandPenguins…
It is a bit difficult to find some new or interesting MiLB Matters with so many knowledgeable LADT members posting regarding the Dodgers minor league roster. Jeff’s “ LAD PROSPECTS – REAL OR HYPE” was indeed a pièce de résistance. Jose Ramos I will start with Jose Ramos who…
Rule 5 Draft This was written before the MLB lockout. The Rule 5 Draft is scheduled for Tuesday, December 9. The Dodgers added James Outman, Jacob Amaya, Jorbit Vivas, Eddys Leonard and Michael Grove to the 40-man roster to protect them from the draft. Last Year pitchers Brett…
https://www.milb.com/fans/2021-organization-all-stars On Monday MiLB released the 2021 Organization All-Star list for the Dodgers. The list was developed by Michael Avallone who apparently had some discussions with Will Rhymes, the Dodgers Director of Player Development. These…
A while back someone suggested that my column perhaps should be called, MiLB Matter with Dodger Chatter. I think it might have been Bluto. So under his advisement going forward, it shall be called, MiLB Matters with Dodger Chatter. Matters refers not only to the “stuff” going on…
Manning Up Devin Mann had six home runs and 12 RBI with the Drillers in three consecutive two-home run games on September 9, 10,11. How is he not a Player of the Week? The 6’3”/180-lb. former second baseman has played six positions during the 2021 season – 1B ( 34), 2B (12), 3B…
Just a bit about the week that was knowing that there are only two more weeks of the weeks that were in the 2021 season. Oh my! MiLB Players of the Month for August It is no small feat to be selected as the MiLB Player of the Month in their division as there are many good…
The Dodgers Big Hurt A couple of days ago we profiled Dodger relief pitcher Alex Vesia who came over to the Dodgers in the Dylan Floro trade with the Miami Marlins. Those were not the only two players involved in the trade. Right-hander Kyle Hurt also came the Dodgers way. The…
Early in the 2021 season, that question was asked by more than a few Dodger fans. The Dodgers were in search of a left-handed reliever and there were several well-known options available, at least in trade. So what did Andrew Friedman do? He did as he often seems to do. He…
Well, folks, a change of pace is good from the pitcher’s mound but maybe not so much on an interactive blog such as LADT. However, this is what I have. That is, some of the players that piqued my interest in the past few days. I do not have the time and LADT does not have the…
Play-Off Picture Although the minor league season has been extended to the third week in September the push for a very limited play-off spot will soon begin. Actually, the A and AA regular seasons end on September 19 with a five-game playoff between the two teams with the best winning percentage in the league regardless of their division. There are no playoffs at the AAA level but the regular schedule
Just a few notes today. Following some of the amazing posts in the past few days, I indeed feel somewhat like a little leaguer as my writing is solely focused on the minor leagues and naturally cannot lead to much discussion. However, little league provided me with some of my best long-term memories, way back in the early fifties. Minor league ball keeps me somewhat in touch with those memories
I am not sure they should be called UFO’s but on the other hand undrafted free agents are somewhat like unidentified flying objects. They don’t get any attention during the annual MLB draft but all of a sudden make an appearance when we least expect it. Following the 2021 First-Year Player Draft, in which the Dodgers selected 19 players of whom 12 have been signed, they have signed seven UFO’s.
Time to check in again with a bit of an update on some Dodger minor leaguers. I can’t help but believe that the pipeline misses the rookie league plugged in between the Arizona Complex League and single A. There just seems to be too many players for the ACL. Dominican Summer League The start of the international signing period that usually starts on July 2 has shifted to January, but
On Sunday the Dodgers selected left-hander Maddux Bruns in the first round of the 2021 First-Year Player Draft with the 29th overall pick. His selection came as a bit of a surprise to the average fan as he was not connected to the Dodgers in any mock draft, at least that I had seen. Certainly part of the surprise was that he was not included in mock drafts but also
Another rainy day and not great results in the minor league system yesterday. Well, that isn’t quite true. The nature of the day is not always decided by wins and losses. It is an individual game played in the context of a team game. Here is a bit about some individuals. Jake Vogel In Rancho Cucamonga 19-year-old Jake Vogel seems to have shaken off his early injury woes while having
Right-hander Phil Bickford was claimed off waivers from the Brewers by the Dodgers on May 3, 2021. I expect the move was questioned by more than a few Dodger faithful since the 25-year-old Bickford had previously pitched just two innings at the MLB level both with the Brewers resulting in four and two runs scored against him respectively and a Brewer ERA of 27.00. He debuted with the
Just a few notes regarding MiLB, Dodger style. There is no significance to the order of presentation. Only one Dodger minor league game on Monday so I was really just bumming around looking for tidbits of MiLB. Dodger Minor League Affiliate Standings: Monday, June 28 Great Lakes Loons are in second place 2.5 games back of the Dayton Dragons. Rancho Cucamonga Quakes are in first place 1.5 games up on
No not Mark Timmons, nor Mark Prior, nor Mark Fidrych, or Mark McGwire The Mark to whom I refer is right-hander Mark Washington of the Tulsa Drillers, perhaps soon to be of the OKC Dodgers. He was born in Glen Mills, attended high school at Episcopal Academy in Merion, and attended university at Lehigh University. All three locations are in his home state of Pennsylvania. He was selected by the
I had started a series of posts re: June is Busting Out All Over. June is still busting out but all of a sudden more difficult to follow. For whatever reason, the game logs and splits for minor league players are no longer available at MiLB.com . One day they were there, the next day gone. I have written to Jeff Lantz, Senior Director of Communications for Minor League Baseball,
Last Thursday we acknowledged three minor league players who found their hitting stroke in June. Jonny DeLuca, Ryan Ward, and Zac Ching. Since then Ward has four hits in 10 at-bats with two 3-run home runs in the same game. Justin Yurchak has had two more 2-hit games. Today, three more hot bats in June. Second Base Jorbit Vivas Bats/Throws: L/R Ht: 5′ 10″ Wt: 171 lb. Vivas,
It was great to have AC’s minor league article on Tuesday. When he produces a column it is like MLB. That is, Minor League Buffett. So much to digest. In his smorgasbord he did mention some young players I have been following. Today I am going to just highlight a few hitters who seem to be busting out in June after a bit of a slow May. Today it is
Twenty-year-old Braydon Fisher was selected by the Dodgers in the fourth round of the 2018 First-Year Player draft out of Clear Falls High School in League City Texas. League City is in the Greater Houston Metropolitan Area with a population of just over 100,000. The 6’4”/180-pound right-hander was a stand out in high school. In his senior season at Clear Falls, he was a bit of a strikeout machine, sending
Casey was selected by the Dodgers in the 20th round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of Boston College. Going into the draft he was ranked No. 128 by MLB.com suggesting he would be selected in the first ten rounds. The Dodgers might just have executed another steal in acquiring the 6’2”/190-pound right-handed hitter and versatile outfielder as late in the draft as they did. The native of Stratford,
NOTE: This was originally published last year, but has been updated because this guy has one of the best changeups in baseball! Left-hander Jacob Cantleberry was selected by the Dodgers in the 13th round of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Missouri. He was born in Greenwood, Indiana, and attended Center Grove High School in his hometown before heading off to San Jacinto-North Community College, located
