The young man says he’s going to get back to his 2013 form this season.
“I want to improve on last year, which was my worst season in all aspects,” Puig said. “I’ve never hit so poorly, not even when I was a little kid. Coming off such a bad season, I have to work on my body, my hitting, on hitting the cutoff man, all that’s required to do well in American baseball.”
[snip]
“I want us all to be together, and for me to join in, so we don’t lose in the playoffs again,” Puig said. “I’m tired of making the playoffs and not going further and reaching the World Series.”
I hope he succeeds in doing that. If he can stay healthy and be a team player he’s a tremendous athlete.
Package, check this out…
¿Qué es?
This morning I told my wife that the first televised Dodger game was today. She responded by asking me whether our social life was over the year. I informed her that nearly spring games are day games.
So you dodged (Dodgered ) answering, did you? ;-])
I merely told her the facts.
Brett Anderson just totally pulled a ” Ted Lilly ” on this club.
Anderson surgery details.
Ugh – Anderson out for 3-4 months with bulging disc.
His healthy 2015 earned him the qualifying offer, but I expect he won’t be back next year.
Let’s hear it for depth. Everyone moves up a notch on the chart.
Lots of young talent ready or nearly ready to step in.
4-5 slots would look like a battle among Wood, Ballslinger, Frias and Lee, at this point.
Chance of Beachy too, if he’s fully rehabbed and anywhere close to his level with los Bravos.
I’d say Wood is a lock, and think Lee deserves a shot.
Dodger baseball today! I need to get in rooting shape: “Darn those Sox!”
I will be watching too, and here’s part of what we have to look forward to – now and in the coming years: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=28573
https://twitter.com/kikehndez/status/705065434395987968
Welcome to March. Spring training games starting this week and regular season several weeks away. Hope you are all having a super – urr better change that to great – Tuesday!
Winter is almost over! I hope.
Well, it’s 68° in Oakland, with a projected high of 70° tomorrow, but we’re due for several days of desperately needed rain from Thursday on.
This was the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau surf contest last Thursday. Wave heights were 40-50 feet at Waimea Bay.
When I drove my Argentine nephews down to Santa Cruz the same day, the waves were too big for most surfers, and there were warnings about sneaker waves for anybody walking on the beach.
Glad to hear about the rain in your area. Hope it’s the beginning of the end of the drought.
We are close to normal rainfall for the season, but a single year means very little.
Snow predicted for Thursday-Friday here in DC (the last of the Alberta Clippers I hope).
In late March of 1993, I went to an exhibition game at RFK between the Orioles and the Cardinals (species migrating north). The left field screen recalled the LA Coliseu when the Dodgers played there.
It snowed the night before, but they still got the game in. Later that spring, I went to a game at Baltimore’s old Memorial Stadium, which was really a dump.
RFK was intimate, at least for hand egg. Large foul territory for baseball actually made it a pitcher’s park, despite the left field screen. I have fond memories of Memorial Stadium but, yeah, a bit of a dump.
I don’t regret having gone to Memorial Stadium, but I don’t regret that it’s gone either (though I’ve never been to Camden Yards).
Certainly those fond memories do not include the 1966 Series.
Dismal. The O’s weren’t really on my radar screen as a lad. But when they got Frank Robinson and then defeated (creamed) my beloved Dodgers I started following them more closely. Moving to DC in 1978, they became my adopted AL team. Earl was quite a manager and a character.
From that, I prefer to remember Lefebvre’s homer and the (semi-) redemptive catch by Willie Davis.
Ross Porter to broadcast Cal State-Northridge baseball.
He should switch places with Steiner.
So far so good with Puig?
Tough break for Ravin!
Picture of his arm, if you’re strong.
Yikes! Reminds me of that basketball player that broke his leg coming down from a jump shot.
At least it was his left arm.
Newly-designed catcher’s mask may reduce concussions. From Will Carroll, with a detailed picture.
¡Llegaron los cubanos! http://www.truebluela.com/2016/2/29/11136556/yaisel-sierra-dodgers-camp-cubans
El joven tiene buenos profesores: https://twitter.com/theteenager7/status/704103267031101440
Kid’s got a sense of humor. And look at that handle! “the teenager 7!”
It suggests maturity.
The Orioles do not approve of post-game celebrations: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/the-orioles-have-banned-pie-in-the-face-celebrations-232039366.html, to which we can only respond with https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8ffkDf0ol4
http://dodgers.mlblogs.com/2016/02/27/yasiel-puigs-96-mph-fastball-from-right-field/
https://twitter.com/CaseyAtTheBall/status/703827960210419712
Stock character?
To be portrayed by Steve Carell.
In case you ever wondered how a player in any sport could bite himself in his own rear…
“And lest you think freak injuries are a relatively new phenomenon, such accidents reportedly date back to the game’s early days. 1920s pitcher Clarence “Climax” Blethen used to tuck his false teeth in his back pocket during games, thinking his toothless face would intimidate batters. As history has it, Blethen once forgot that he’d stowed his dentures and, when sliding into second base, bit himself in the butt.”
From a couple years back:
http://theweek.com/articles/467573/weirdest-injuries-baseball-history
Algo para los tontos: https://twitter.com/jonweisman/status/703629286058512385
Lupica should go back to writing the YA books he’s been selling.
Mientras tanto, con el adolescente: https://twitter.com/gabyfernandeztd/status/703293701112467457
http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/165547778/sandy-koufax-visits-dodgers-spring-training
Koufax visits ST. Is no longer advisor.
==========================
Grrrrrrrrrrrr. Invalid link. Right click for new window or go to dodgers.com, I guess.
Puig out today due to wisdom teeth extraction. Emergencies happen, but isn’t this usually kind of an elective thing? If not an emergency, why wait until ST and have that impacted (sorry) when it could have been done offseason?
Have seen a couple news items on this but necessity of now wasn’t mentioned.
Maybe they became impacted. When that happens it’s often sudden and it hurts like the dickens. I know Cuban health care is free for all but I have no idea how good it is.
and if it helps him lose more weight…
It does tend to limit your food intake for a while.
Puig seeks to satisfy those who demand an “impacted player.”
Guessing that with new ruling Utley wins his appeal. Making the neighborhood play subject to review essentially means that it is defunct, no? It was designed to avoid injuries. Wonder how that will work out.
Sawx problems, as acknowledged by owner, per MLBTR: “The club has spent the second most on payroll since 2002 which helped to mask a multitude of mistakes. In particular, Henry noted an overemphasis on using past performance to project future ability. That could be why the Sox were more bullish about Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval than other clubs.”
Shades of standard stock market fine print: “Past performance does not guarantee future results.”
All free agents should come with that disclaimer.
At this point, he is hoping that last year’s past performance doesn’t project to future ability as well.
Maddux, Gagne, Cey, Karros and Shawn Green all in Dodgers’ camp to teach.
Wonder how B*nds is doing.
He’s been giving press conferences to argue that he belongs in the HOF (I’m fine with that, if they build a separate steroids wing).
Donnie’s gotta love the distraction.
Just wait until https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Anderson_%28trainer%29 starts hanging around the clubhouse.
Maybe call it the Gall of Fame Wing and add Rose to it. It recognizes stat worthy players that didn’t qualify for the Hall of Fame’s ethical standards.
MLB ‘Bizzarro’ Hall of Fame …. ( in an adjacent bungalow in Cooperstown ) ….
….
1. Barry Bonds, Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa, Brady Anderson….
2. Bartman…
3. Couple caught screwing in Sky Dome hotel window…
4. Pete Rose….
5. Black Sox ….
6. Dodger Peanut guy who can “behind the back” a double-bagger 10 rows up….
7. John Rocker….
And, so many more…..
Is Koufax suppose to make an appearence this year? I know sometimes he pops in.
Some past Dodger news items said so, I think. He’s been there the last few years.
http://www.truebluela.com/2016/2/28/11129388/sandy-koufax-retires-dodgers-statement
So this helps answer my question.
Quite an article in BP using Big Data to look at the shifting strike zone with unusual conclusion by the author.
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=28513#commentMessage
Uribear has reportedly signed a one-year, $5 million contract with Cleveland.
Best of luck to him, but I still think the Dodgers should never have signed him in the first place.
Don’t recall it being a very popular signing at the time.
He was a Ned special – overpaid ex-Gnat, though Urbie was likable and did redeem himself in part.
For a lot of fans–especially the more casual ones–his decisive HR v ATL in the playoffs a couple years back was almost worth his entire contract.
However, they didn’t write his checks.
He had a few moments, but he was never more than a niche player. Simpático, though, and he rarely complained.
At SS in SF alongside Panza at 3rd the left side of the infield looked like the Ballet Trockadero. A mediocre hitter for much of his career he managed to play a lot because, you know, he put up 20 dingers a year as an SS.
Wasn’t he too young to play for the Schutzstaffel? Along with other possible disqualifications?
He had two good years and helped Puig acclimatize. For that he deserves good will.
The new manager on Julio Urias: “In talking to people that were here in years prior, he’s got a different look in his eye,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. I am guessing that the “people” he is talking to is AJ, who is pulling his leg (Julio had eye surgery since the last Spring Training).
Ryu reportedly with only “normal” soreness the day after his bullpen session. Call me when he has “general” soreness a la Mike Marshall.
Which Mike Marshall?
The often injured outfield who is said to have begged out of the line up once because of “general soreness”.
I can empathize with that. The other Mike Marshall, though, wanted to pitch every day.
And nearly did in 1974.
A record unlikely ever to be broken.
Any mention of Puig takes me back to something seen somewhere last season–the definition of a Yasiel Puig cycle: a HR, a swinging K with RISP, a TOOTBLAN, an an outfield assist.
Puig certainly has a well earned reputation for TOOTBLAN, but these seemed to have dropped off drastically in 2015, even allowing for his limited playing time. According to the TOOTBLAN site he accounted for 13 in 2013 and 17 in 2014.. For some reason the site only goes up to late July in 2015, at which point he had 3. Baseball Reference has a stat called OOB (out on base as a runner trying to advance). Here Puig has 3 as compared to Fowler with 13 and Carpenter with 11. Joc has the most as a Dodger with 8. Seems like a lot for a 8th place hitter who probably should be trying to turnover the line up (only 1 was at home plate).
Meanwhile, in Bahston: https://twitter.com/tomricks1/status/701904275971026944
Is Puig saying he wants to work with his own hitting coach and not the one the Dodgers hired? Has anyone heard what Puig’s weight is or the difference in his weight this February compared to last February?
No actual weight numbers here but some related info. Couple pics in this seem to show him noticeably slimmer.
” It seems Yasiel took those comments to heart, because he looks different now than he did at the end of last season.”
http://dodgersdigest.com/2016/02/21/dodgers-yasiel-and-yaisel-updates-on-puig-and-sierra/
Jon’s latest has some news about Ryu (good) and Wood (interesting). Wood had a bone bruise on his landing foot from the time he arrived on scene with the Dodgers.
Also a reminder was given that Ryu will be well shy of pitching 200 innings so he might might make a great first half pitcher with McCarthy finishing up for him.
Ryu will also be important. Pitched well today it seems, but it’s how you feel the day after, no? http://dodgers.mlblogs.com/2016/02/22/in-case-you-missed-it-ryu-and-wood-on-recovery-path/