Cassidy brought up this subject, and I believe it is a good one. The Dodgers began broadcasting their games on the radio in 1939. Red Barber was the lead broadcaster. His first partner was Al Helfer. Most of us know all about Barber. He broadcast for the Dodgers until 1953 and then was with the Yankees from 54-66. I must admit, I never heard of Helfer, but according to his Wikipedia page, he had a lengthy career in radio broadcasting, including working for the Dodgers, Yankees and Oakland A’s. 
Photo below is Al Helfer. For one season, Red was joined in the booth by a man named Alan Hale. There is no information on Hale that I can find anywhere. One thing he does is share the same name as two prominent Hollywood actors. Alan Hale Sr., who was in the movie, “The Adventures of Robin Hood” with Errol Flynn, and his son Alan Hale Jr., who was the skipper on Gilligan’s Island. 
Red was then joined by Connie Desmond, who would remain on the Dodgers broadcast team until 1956. Desmond had also worked with Mel Allen on Giants and Yankees broadcasts in the early 40’s. He battled alcoholism for many years, and he was frequently absent from games. O’Malley finally got fed up and fired him just prior to the World Series in 55. He asked for another chance in 56 but was fired for good after several more absences. He was replaced by Jerry Doggett. 
Also joining Red in the booth was Ernie Harwell. Harwell was broadcasting for the Atlanta Crackers. Branch Rickey was impressed with him and felt he would make a great replacement for Red Barber, who was recuperating from a bleeding ulcer. For breaking Harwell’s contract, Rickey traded catcher, Cliff Dapper to the Crackers. The first and only time a player has been traded for a broadcaster. Harwell left Brooklyn after the 49 season and went to work for the Giants until 53, and then the Orioles from 54-59. In 1960, Harwell joined the broadcast team of the Detroit Tigers. He would stay with Detroit for 42 years. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1981. Photo of Harwell above.
Until 1947, the Dodgers games were broadcast on WHN in Brooklyn. In 1948 they moved to WMGM. In 1950, the Dodgers added TV to the broadcasts and a new kid announcer, one Vin Scully. Barber, Scully and Desmond worked both the radio and TV broadcasts. WOR -TV did the games for the Dodgers. In 1953, the Dodgers added WHOM radio to their network. It was their Spanish language station. The lead announcer was Buck Canel, his color man was Herb Marine.
Head and shoulders of broadcaster Buck Canel
In 1956, even though he shared the duties with Desmond, Scully was the Dodgers #1 play by play man. Jerry Doggett had joined him in 1957. When the team moved to Los Angeles, just Scully and Doggett made the move. KMPC was the Dodgers home station on the radio, and KTTV, channel 11, broadcast the Dodgers-Giants games from San Francisco. Those were the only games on TV all year. Unless they were on the game of the week, the only way to follow the Dodgers was on the radio. With transistor radios now very popular, you could hear Scully’s voice during the game in the stands. 
The Spanish language broadcast was on station KWKW. Rene Cardenas was the lead announcer. Milt Nava was his relief. Jaime Jarrin joined the team as lead announcer in 1959. The Dodgers changed radio stations in 1960, moving to KFI radio. They would stay with KFI until 1974 when they moved to KABC. In 1993, the TV side went to KTLA, channel 5. Cable TV came to the Dodgers in 1980 when they were shown on ON-TV. Geoff Witcher and Al Downing did those broadcasts for 4 years before Witcher was replaced by Eddie Doucette in 1984. The broadcasts on cable moved to Dodgervision in 1985 where they stayed until 1988. Two years, 88-89 they were shown on Z-Channel. 
Rick Monday joined the cable lineup in 1985 teaming up with Doucette and Downing. When they moved to the Z-channel, he teamed up with Tony Hernandez for one season. Doucette and Don Sutton did the broadcasts the second year. Then they moved to Sports Channel for three years with the announcers changing almost yearly, Joel Meyers and Cey the first year, Downing and Duke Snider joining Meyers the second, and Drysdale and Ross Porter doing the last year. 
Ross Porter had joined the team in 1977, working on KABC radio and KTTV with Jerry and Vin. On the Spanish side, Jarrin had Jose Garcia as a partner until 1972 when he was replaced by actor, Rudy Hoyos. Hoyos had been in many films. KWKW quit carrying the games after 1976 and XEGM carried the games for two years then they moved to KTNQ. Jerry Doggett retired after the 1987 season. He was replaced in 1988 by Don Drysdale. Big D worked both the radio and TV sides of the broadcasts. He did so until he passed away in Montreal in 1993. He was replaced by Rick Monday. Rene Cardenas returned in 1982 to work with Jarrin again. 
Scully traditionally would work 7 innings of a game, being replaced on-air by Doggett for the 3rd and 7th innings. My memory is not what it used to be, but I believe it was pretty much the same after Jerry left. I do know Scully worked a one-man booth. He did not use a color man or sideline reporter. Back in the day, he did many of the post-game interviews. Another interesting fact of those games in the early 60’s, players were given gift certificates for around 50 dollars for appearing on the post-game show. 
By the 80’s, the Dodgers were broadcasting more than just the 11 games with the Giants in SF. That number of games in San Francisco had decreased since the expansion. Baseball broadcasts were becoming a more common thing, not just once a week. Vin continued to do the Dodger games, but he also did football for CBS sports for 7 years, and he called events for the PGA including the Masters. One of the reason’s Ross Porter was hired was to cover the games Scully could not do due to his commitments to CBS.
Fox Sports West came along in 1997. Scully and Porter did the broadcasts. Pepe Yniguez joined Jarrin in 1998. In 2002, the Dodgers moved the TV broadcasts to channel 13, KCOP. Then in 2005, they moved to KCAL, which was channel 5. The radio side moved again in 2003 to KFWB after being on KXTA for five years. Al Downing returned to the radio side in 2005 for one year. Charlie Steiner joined the team in 2005, working on the radio, KCAL and Fox broadcasts. He was joined by Steve Lyons on TV. Jerry Reuss did one year on the radio in 2006. 
Fernando joined the Spanish broadcasts in 2004. The radio side again moved, this time back to KABC in 2008 Fox Sports West 2 became FSN and Prime Ticket in 2007. In 2012, the radio moved to KLAC, where they still remain. Orel Hershiser and Nomar joined Sportsnet in 2014. Basically, there are no local TV broadcasts anymore. KTLA simulcast games for a few years but has not done so since 2019. Everything is on Sportsnet LA now. Joe Davis joined the team in 2016 as Scully’s heir apparent. But Vin continued to do his solo slot, but only at home games. Davis was the primary on the road. Vin then retired after the last home game in 2016, calling Charlie Culberson’s Walk off division clinching homer. It was a fitting end to a great career. Yet to this day, every game at Dodger Stadium starts with this phrase. 
One more game in Arizona, and then they are off to Tokyo. 31-man traveling team should be announced today, or tomorrow.
In my opinion, and in my opinion only the hand-wringing and worry over Gonsolin‘s back injury yesterday was totally misplaced.
Injuries are the new options, the Dodgers need injuries to keep pictures available and away from the waiver wire.
Miller is gonna take as long as he needs to get through his head injury.
Gonsolin‘s gonna take as long as he needs for this “back “injury.
If you saw the interview with Dave Roberts, he had no worry whatsoever about Gonsolin’s long-term health.
Yeah, probably. Roberts said what he said because that is likely what he was told to say. I’ve said many times before, Dodger pitchers will take turns on the R&R Jacuzzi Circuit. May and Gonsolin were both ready, Gonsolin tweaks his back, he’s first on the circuit. There will be others.
It’s my opinion no Dodger starter will be allowed to go 150 innings. Snell may be the only exception. Composite has him at 158. I’ll take the under. Actually Composite has the same number for Yamamoto. I’ll take the under on him as well. The Dodgers are going to use everybody on the depth chart this year.
Doesn’t seem too serious, but still bad news for Gonsolin.
Perhaps every little owie will put a Dodger pitcher on the IL this year. “The R&R Jacuzzi Circuit”–nice.
It will be great to see May out there. He’s a lot of fun to watch. Just hope he somehow stays healthy.
In happier news, James Outman will be among the 31 players going to Japan. He’s hanging in there.
I love mock drafts. With the Dodgers it is widely unknown, but for me it is fun. I used to have a source with connections to LAD with knowledge on the draft and trades who would advise me, ANONYMOUSLY. He was the one who told me the Dodgers were going to draft Gunnar Henderson until Kody Hoese was available. He said the team changed their strategy late and wanted College Hitters early in the draft.
He also told me that many in the Dodgers draft room were pushing hard for a LHSP out of The University of South Florida, Shane McClanahan. However, the people who counted wanted HS RHP, JT Ginn.
In 2021, there were a couple of mock drafts that had the Dodgers taking UCSB RHSP, Mike McGreevy in the first round. McGreevy is one prospect I had no idea if the Dodgers were interested in. My LAD source passed away in 2020, and the Dodgers are very insular with these reports.
The Cardinals did draft McGreevy in the 1st round, number 18 overall. He made his debut last year as a 23 year old (baseball age), and in 4 games (3 GS) went 3-0. In 23.0 IP he compiled a 1.96 ERA and a 0.783 WHIP. He had 18 strikeouts and just 2 walks. Come to think about it, this is not the pitcher the Dodgers like to draft. They want the hard throwing K pitcher even if he has very little control. Thus, the Dodgers 1st round pick in 2021 was LHP Maddux Bruns. A lot of Ks, but A LOT of BB, which is still not under control.
McGreevy throws 6 pitches, but the hardest he throws is his 4-seamer that sits at 92.9.
I bring up McGreevy because he is in a battle for a Cardinals rotation spot. I am pulling for McGreevy to get one of the two potentially open rotation spots.
BTW, the first of the Major Publication mock drafts has dropped. In their very first mock draft for 2025, BA has tabbed 3B/OF Quentin Young from Oaks Christian HS, as the LAD 1st pick (40th overall). Here is the MLB scout’s comment:
Yes, Quentin is the nephew of both Dmitri and Delmon Young.
Jeff,
have you noticed if any of the people who cover the MLB has good vision over who the Dodgers like?
I can do some Google searches to see who had Lindsey or the guy they wanted instead of George, but wonder if you have it in your notes….
I do have notes for the Dodgers drafts. I will have to go back and look to see who had the Dodgers drafting Kellon Lindsey.
But there were four draft prospects that were linked to LAD in 2023. The one they wanted to drop to them but did not think there was a chance was George Lombard Jr. who NYY took 29th overall. Jonny Farmelo (Seattle #29 overall) probably had the most mock draft picks for LAD. Adrian Santana (Tampa Bay #31 overll) was popular. But the 2nd most popular (per mock drafts) was RHP Thomas White who was taken by Miami just before the LAD draft. The Dodgers would have taken White if he were available.
For 2024, Lindsey was associated with the Dodgers by Jim Callis (MLB Pipeline and by Eric Longenhagen at FanGraph.
FWIW: Longenhagen also mentioned a few other possibilities at No. 23 overall including Braylon Doughty and Ryan Sloan, BUT he wrote:
“…Lindsey’s upside is too big to let him slide any further, especially with San Diego lurking a few picks behind and looking for a Trea Turner mulligan.”
In 2022 it was really, really impressive that ONLY Baseball America had Rushing as a target for numerous mocks.
The Dodgers were also linked to SS Theo Gillin (18th overall – Tampa Bay) by Prospects Live, LHP Kash Mayfield (25th overall – Padres) Baseball America, and the final mock draft from MLB Pipeline had Jim Callis picking OF Slade Caldwell (29th overall – Dbacks), and Mayo picking Brody Brecht (38th overall – Rockies). LHP Cam Caminiti (24th overall – Atlanta) was also a popular pick fot LAD.
Caminiti, Mayfield, Caldwell, and Brecht were all selected after Lindsey, so we can put our hindsight glasses on and follow their progress over the next few years. BTW, IMO (FWIW) Lindsey was the best option.
Oh. Yes. I remember the Kash Mayfield name.
FWIW, I’m not interested in Monday Morning Quarterbacking.
I’m more interested in which reporters may have insight into who the Dodgers like, so I can do some research.
I hope the Dodgers use his speed and arm at 3rd instead of RF but by the time he was mlb ready who knows where the need will be. Have to draft him first.
Yeah, it is the first of countless mock drafts. It is too early to begin thinking (over-thinking) about who the Dodgers will draft. It was the nephew of Dmitri and Delmon Young that caught my eye.
Second day in a row all who I think will be in opening starting lineup playing except Mookie. Hmm?
Bear, thanks for the trip down memory lane with the greatest of all time!.
You are most welcome. I loved doing this one.
I can’t figure out the CF/last bench spot conundrum.
I mean, assuming Barnes/Taylor/Rojas on the bench, if Keekay becomes the starting CF then you have to have another OF on the roster, eliminating Bote. And as others have said, the best pure fit is Outman in CF with Keekay platooning with him. Somehow we have all the pieces but they don’t fit just right.
Bear, where were you when I needed help writing essays back in high school//college/law school????
Fighting in the Civil War?
Very effing funny Bum. Actually, it is funny.
Not sure, how old are you?????????
Same as bear. 77
ish
So is Shohei all the way healed from his non-throwing shoulder injury?
Rojas looks pretty good this spring.
Even though he is a Dodger now, Edman is the most Cardinal player ever.
Sasaki is pretty good at getting outs.
MAKE IT STOP!!!
What would Lasorda be saying about these pitchers?
That they couldn’t hit the strike zone if they fell out of a boat?
That Dave Kingman could probably get on base against them.
That they could race a pregnant woman and finish third.
Trying to think of a graceful exit for Taylor. He has that complicated trade bonus so that almost eliminates a trade as an option, unless we can match salaries.
This feels like the end for him. Literally all he brings to the table–besides intangibles–is defensive versatility and a willingness to play anywhere anytime. He’s an awfully expensive custodian to have on retainer.
His bat can’t compare to Bote’s right now, which is saying a lot. The only worry is that he sometimes takes a while to get going and he could still find it. I think he’s safe for a month or two but after that, it’s anchors away if a better option is available.
Love the guy but loyalty is to fans and teammates first.
JG, I have exhausted my ideas on how to dish CT3. It is so redundant to have him with this group of other utility players but Friedman seems to have no interest in seeing him go. It’s the 3rd year now now at 42 million. He can’t hit and is useless to the roster.
KT3 needs to go away.
Not happening. Taylor does not have a trade bonus, but he is a 10/5 player. He can refuse any trade.
If Bote replaces Taylor it will still cost $15,000,000.
The ill advised Taylor contract strikes again.
Trade deadline for 2025 is July 31.
Back to normal?
It changes every year now
A few notes from the team after today’s game.
1) Yamamoto and Sasaki are official as game 1 and 2 starters.
2) Kim will not go to Japan and will start the year at OKC.
3) Gonsolin will start the year on the IL.
4) Outman will be going to Japan but it hasn’t yet been determined if he’ll be on the 26-man or the taxi squad.
All reported by David Vassegh. Should be an interesting trip. May will not travel with the team; he is staying back to get ready for his assignment as the #5 starter.
This trip is about brand.
Im disappointed Kim isn’t going. He needs the at bats. Outman? Yeah, him too.
Gonsolin? Anyone surprised? The question I have is who’s next.
Kim and Miller sent to OKC. Gallegos, Rosario, Bote, Chavis and Rushing sent to minor league camp.
When I was a kid, my parents got me the two-volume “Golden Book of Baseball.” I think that’s what it was called. Ring Lardner’s “You Know Me, Al” was included along with many other noteworthy essays and game reports.
My favorite piece was a word-for-word transcript of Vin calling the last inning of Koufax’s perfect game. Just masterful.