Dodgers (titled) blog feed

Dodgers: Game 158: Dodgers spring a Leake in The Hangover Part IV.

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 07:36:01 +0000

Starter Mike Bolsinger was removed in the fourth inning of the Dodgers’ 5-0 loss to the San Francisco Giants. (Josie Lepe/Bay Area News Group)

SAN FRANCISCO — A playoff-clinching hangover was in full effect Wednesday. The Dodgers might have gained some clarity for their NLDS bullpen, but did little else in a 5-0 loss to the Giants. The box score is here.

Clayton Kershaw needs six strikeouts Sunday to become the first pitcher in 13 years to strike out 300 in a single season, but he’s voluntarily limiting his own chances of reaching the milestone.

Dodgers: Yasiel Puig won’t join Dodgers when they return to Los Angeles this weekend.

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 01:41:30 +0000

Yasiel Puig faced live pitching in an instructional league game setting again Wednesday, but continues to refrain from running bases or playing the field.

The outfielder has made minimal progress in his recovery from a hamstring strain this month and isn’t expected to be ready for the National League Division Series. Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said that there is no plan for Puig to rejoin the Dodgers when they return home Friday for the final series of the regular season.

Dodgers: The Dodgers’ post-clinching lineup looks a lot like their pre-clinching lineup.

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 01:34:36 +0000

SAN FRANCISCO — Adrian Gonzalez‘s bad back, Howie Kendrick‘s strained hamstring, and Justin Turner‘s sore left knee will keep three of the Dodgers’ starting infielders out of the lineup Wednesday, one day after they clinched the National League West title.

Otherwise, the lineup has a fairly normal look. That should be the case for the final five games of the season, manager Don Mattingly said:

The Dodgers’ full lineup against Giants right-hander Mike Leake:

Carl Crawford LF
Jimmy Rollins SS
Corey Seager 3B
Andre Ethier RF
Chase Utley 2B
Yasmani Grandal 1B
Austin Barnes C
Joc Pederson CF
Mike Bolsinger P

Dodgers: Zack Greinke wins Dodgers’ Roy Campanella Award.

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 22:41:29 +0000

Pitcher Zack Greinke was named the winner of the 10th annual Roy Campanella Award, which is given to the Dodger player “who best exemplifies the spirit and leadership” of the late Hall of Fame catcher.

The award, voted on by Dodger uniformed personnel, will be presented to Greinke by Campanella’s daughter, Joni Campanella Roan, during pregame ceremonies Sunday.

Former Dodgers to win the award include Rafael Furcal (2006), Russell Martin (2007), James Loney (2008), Juan Pierre (2009), Jamey Carroll (2010), Matt Kemp (2011), A.J. Ellis (2012) and Clayton Kershaw (2013-14), who became the award’s first two-time recipient.

Dodgers: Game 157: Clayton Kershaw pitches the Dodgers into the postseason.

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 06:59:04 +0000

Clayton Kershaw (22) gets a hug from Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis (17) after the final out of the Dodgers’ 8-0 win over the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

SAN FRANCISCO — Clayton Kershaw’s hair and hat and t-shirt were already drenched in Budweiser and Chandon Brut Classic when he spotted his wife and infant daughter in a corner of the Dodgers’ clubhouse at AT&T Park on Tuesday night. He kissed his wife, and cooed his daughter, and got a little more alcohol poured on him before the night was over.

Chandon Brut Classic is $264 a case. Kershaw’s pitching in the Dodgers’ 8-0, NL West-clinching win over the Giants was priceless. The box score is here.

Corey Seager has relegated Jimmy Rollins to the Dodgers’ bench.

Dodgers: Watch: Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig is playing games in Arizona. Update.

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 01:30:24 +0000

Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig has been sidelined all of September with a hamstring strain. (Sarah Reingewirtz/Staff photographer)

SAN FRANCISCO — Dodgers manager Don Mattingly offered an encouraging piece of news on outfielder Yasiel Puig.

“He actually played in some kind of game,” yesterday and today, Mattingly said. “He was able to get some ABs and stuff, just continuing to be able to some things.”

Sidelined since Aug. 27 with hamstring problems, Puig has made minimal progress out of the Dodgers’ Camelback Ranch facility in Glendale, Arizona.

It’s still far too soon to judge Puig’s availability for a potential first-round playoff series. Mattingly said that Puig didn’t play the outfield and offered no news about how well Puig is running. The manager recently said that Puig is running at 80 percent.

“I’m not quite sure how they do that — let him have at bats and not run easy,” Mattingly said.

Update (6:37 p.m.): Thanks to Chris Kusiolek for uploading this video of Puig at the plate today:

Cody Ponce vs. Yaisel Puig. 98 with slight cut action https://t.co/V7FHKNCIIe

— Chris Kusiolek (@CaliKusiolek) September 30, 2015

Dodgers: Corey Seager is the Dodgers’ shortstop, for all intents and purposes.

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 01:07:04 +0000

SAN FRANCISCO — New York Yankees first baseman Wally Pipp led the American League in home runs in 1916 and 1917. He won a World Series in 1923. In 1925, he went into a slump and was benched in favor of a rookie named Lou Gehrig; Pipp never got his job back as Gehrig started 2,130 consecutive games en route to a Hall of Fame career.

Even 90 years later, replacing an established veteran with a young up-and-comer is still hard, whether the manager is Miller Huggins or Don Mattingly, whether the veteran is Wally Pipp or Jimmy Rollins.

“Nothing like this is ever easy,” said Mattingly, who effectively chose 21-year-old Corey Seager over the 36-year-old Rollins as his everyday shortstop Tuesday.

Seager is batting fifth and playing shortstop against one of the best left-handed pitchers in baseball, Madison Bumgarner. He also started Monday against Giants right-hander Jake Peavy.

Tuesday’s decision was a somewhat unusual one for Mattingly, who often makes out his lineup card based on handedness. Tuesday, he stacked his lineup with six right-handers, as well as Seager, left-handed first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw against the left-handed Bumgarner.

It appears Seager is in the Dodgers’ lineup to stay, relegating Rollins to a bench role. Mattingly wouldn’t offer an overview of the shortstop position Tuesday — “I’m not trying to view it,” he said, “other than to put out the lineup that gives us the best chance to win tonight” — though the change is significant enough that he recently met with Rollins to discuss it.

“It’s definitely a conversation, that’s for sure, out of respect to him, his career, what he’s done in his career,” Mattingly said. “But also I feel like he’s been a huge part of our club this year, getting it where we are right now — his leadership in the middle of the diamond, in the clubhouse. I feel he’s been a rock in that circumstance.”

Seager is batting .342 with three home runs and 14 RBIs in 22 games. He’s reached base in each of his 20 starts to begin his career, something no Dodger has done since 1953.

Rollins has played 142 games in his first season as a Dodger, batting a career-low .225 with 13 home runs and 41 RBIs. His 12 stolen bases (in 20 attempts) are also a career low. During his 15 seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, Rollins won a World Series, a National League MVP award, four Gold Glove Awards and was named to three All-Star games.

“Again, I have a ton of respect for who Jimmy is, number one,” Mattingly said. “You don’t just do this and not get attached to guys, love who they are, what they bring, have respect for how hard it is to do. Nothing about having that conversation with Jimmy is easy.”

Rollins was held out of the Dodgers’ starting lineup in 14 games earlier this month because of an injury to his right index finger. It was during this time, Mattingly said, that Seager seized the job.

“Opportunity knocks and he seemed to do well right away,” Mattingly said. “If Jimmy doesn’t hurt his index finger, we may not be having this conversation right now.”

The Dodgers get their second crack at eliminating the Giants from the National League West race at AT&T Park tonight.

Dodgers: Game 156: The Dodgers still have a magic number, no magic.

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 07:20:51 +0000

Andre Ethier reacts after he made the first of two outs on Chase Utley’s ground ball that ended the 11th inning Monday. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

SAN FRANCISCO — Hold the champagne — again. Alejandro De Aza’s sacrifice fly against Adam Liberatore in the 12th inning gave the Giants a 3-2 win over the Dodgers on Monday. The box score is here.

Kiké Hernandez returned from the disabled list after missing 27 games with a strained left hamstring. In the top of the 10th inning, he singled in his first at-bat since Aug. 30, and made a nice running catch in the bottom of the inning to preserve a 2-2 tie. He also singled in the 12th.

Dodgers: Adrian Gonzalez (back) returns to Dodgers’ lineup.

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 02:58:22 +0000

SAN FRANCISCO — Adrian Gonzalez said the pain in his back was so great that he couldn’t bend over Saturday. Back-to-back days off Saturday and Sunday helped, and he’s in the Dodgers’ lineup Monday against the Giants.

“It got me from not being able to play to being able to play,” the first baseman said.

Gonzalez is hitless in his last 12 at-bats.

“I could’ve played yesterday, I’m pretty confident,” he said, “but they wanted to give me another day. Their concern is the same as mine: to be ready for the playoffs.”

Dodgers: Jose Peraza edges ahead of Yasiel Puig in hamstring rehab.

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 01:29:23 +0000

SAN FRANCISCO — Yasiel Puig‘s rehab from a strained right hamstring remains stalled in Arizona, while Jose Peraza is farther along in his recovery from a left hamstring strain. Only seven games remain in the regular season and the Dodgers haven’t ruled out either player from joining the team for a potential first-round series against the New York Mets.

Puig, however, seems more likely to be sidelined until the National League Championship Series at the earliest.

“They’re still talking about him running at 80 percent,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. “It doesn’t sound like within the next seven days … he will be here playing games. I know he’s taken live BP, working on outfield play, doing all the rehab-type stuff.”

The first game of the National League Division Series is a week from Friday. Puig hasn’t played since Aug. 27.

“It’s hard to talk too much (about when Puig would return) because he’s just not ready to play yet,” Mattingly said. “Once he gets ready to play, then we can see where he’s at. He will have a lot of at-bats under his belt. The one thing we’ve been able to do is live BP with guys that are actually getting game situations, not knowing what’s coming, game timing-type of stuff without actually playing in a game.

“Getting that leg ready seems to be the hardest part.”

Peraza, who will miss his 13th straight game tonight, is running “around 90 percent,” Mattingly said. Like Puig, he has no target date for a return, but at least seems like more of a possibility to appear in the NLDS.

“I don’t know how close he is, but he’s running pretty good,” Mattingly said.

The two players are working in the Dodgers’ fall instructional league camp in Glendale, Arizona.