Just another Dodger victory.
Last nights win was brought to you by Clayton Kershaw. He went seven strong innings, struck out a season high eleven batters and allowed just one run to lead the Dodgers in their 6-1 (
boxscore) victory over the Mariners. On top of that, Clayton now has the second most strikeouts in Dodger franchise history -- leaping over Don Drysdale's mark of 2,486. Kershaw's 2,493 strikeouts is just 203 short of Don Sutton's record as a Dodger. Per
Rowan Kavner at Dodger Insider:
“Obviously very cool,” Kershaw said. “Just to be a Dodger long enough to accomplish something like that is pretty special.”
Photo above via
@Dodgers on twitter. Below are more links to check out:
- This Day in Dodgers History: In 1970 the Dodgers signed amateur free agent infielder Jerry Royster out of Sacramento High School. He would be traded five years later to Atlanta as part of a package for Dusty Baker, and go on to have a ten-year career with the Braves. In 1975 the Cubs pitching brothers of Rick and Paul Reuschel combine to shutout the Dodgers, 7-0. This is the first time brothers have collaborated on a shutout. In 1990 the Dodgers lost a tough one. Against the Phillies they allowed nine runs to score in the ninth inning to lose the game, 12-11. You can watch highlights of this shameful game here. Jon Weisman at Dodger Thoughts wrote about it today, here. In 2005 the Marlins suspended a bat boy for six games after the 11-year old kid accepted a challenge from Dodger pitcher Brad Penny. He dared the preteen to drink a gallon of milk in an hour without throwing up for $500. The sixth grader drank the milk, but hurled. The Milk Processor Education Program (a lobbying group) offered to pay off the dare and cover his lost wages if he promises to dutifully drink three glasses of milk every day. In 2015 the Dodgers are no-hit by Astro's hurler Mike Fiers, 3-0 (boxscore).
- Happy Birthday, Woody Williams, Shawn Hillegas, John Wetteland, Craig Counsell, Ismael Valdéz & Jesse Chavez!
- ICYMI: The Dodgers have recalled right-handed pitcher Josh Sborz and have placed right-handed pitcher Pedro Báez on the 10-day injured list with a right groin strain.
- Via Bill Plunkett at the OC Register -- "Dodgers’ Dave Roberts says baseball’s unwritten rules ‘have changed, should change’"
“So I see it both ways. I think for me personally I’ve flipped a little bit more about just keep playing to win the game. Teams that are trailing aren’t going to stop trying to score runs. … I might have changed the way I see things from last night’s incident.”
"I've always thought I could compete," Kershaw said. "Your stuff sometimes comes and goes, but your ability to compete and your ability to manipulate through games and figure out different ways to get outs -- ultimately that's what wins games. I'm thankful that my stuff has ticked up a little bit this year, and I'm gonna pitch as long as I'm having fun. I'm having a ton of fun, and I don't see that stopping any time soon. But as far as stuff and getting better and things like that, I honestly don't think about it a whole lot other than just seeing the significant difference this year and trying to keep that as long as I can."
Strange as it is to say about a team as loaded with talent as L.A., the Dodgers have genuinely needed Betts to replicate his 2018 performance in the early going this year. Almost all of the team’s other superstars have underachieved during the first month of the season — including reigning NL MVP Cody Bellinger, who is hitting just .178 with -0.2 WAR, and starting pitcher Walker Buehler, a trendy dark-horse Cy Young pick in the preseason who now carries a 5.21 ERA. Of the 17 members of the Dodgers with an established level of at least 1.0 WAR per 162 games going into 2020, eight of them have underperformed those expectations, with Bellinger, Buehler, Ross Stripling and Joc Pederson serving as the worst offenders.
- Ugly. Just plain ugly. Per Andrew Liszewski at Gizmodo -- "2020's Reign of Terror Continues With the Introduction of the Cargo Shorts Hat. Check out the Dodger hat below. Ugh!
- Win-Win, Baby! Per TJ Gorsegner at Twinkie Town -- "The Twins and Dodgers are both winning the Maeda-for-Graterol trade right now."
- This weeks 2020 Topps Throwback Thursday online exclusive set featured the 1984 Topps Cereal Series card design and includes Dodgers MVP candidate Mookie Betts. Check out his card on the right. Go here to check it out and order. BTW, I recall this design being used for the 1984 Ralston Purina card set.
- Right now the MLB Opening Day Auction Supporting The Players Alliance is ongoing and it includes a signed BLM Baseball by Mookie Betts and an Opening Day game-used base. Go here to check them out. A look at the Betts signed ball is below.
- I only wish he wore them. As you likely know, MLB threatened him with suspension if he wore the cleats in a game. Per a tweet from Trevor Bauer:
