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Not too long ago, Carl Erskine passed away. With his passing, only 5 former Brooklyn Dodgers are still alive. The oldest is Tommy Brown, born December 6th, 1927. In December he will be 97 years old. Next is Fred Kipp, born in 1931. Fred will turn 93 in September. Then there is Jim Gentile, born in 1934, Koufax, born in 1935, and Bob Aspromonte, born in 1938.
Most of today’s Dodger fans, unless they know the history of the team, have no idea who Fred Kipp was. born in the small town of Piqua, Kansas. Population as of 2020, 90. He was third child of Chuck and Ida Kipp. He has an older brother, Tom, and sister, Donna. Piqua is also the birthplace of silent film star, Buster Keaton. Fred would play baseball in the summer and basketball in the winter.
He was a standout athlete, and he became the star of the Iola High basketball team. After WWII ended, the Piqua town baseball team started playing again. Fred was 14 when he began pitching for the team. He played against men twice his age and struck them out. He became known for his knuckleball.
When he was 18, he hitchhiked to Mississippi to enter a NY Giants tryout camp. He was offered a contract but decided to go to college instead. He was recruited to Kansas State by legendary coach, Tex Williams on a basketball scholarship. After one semester, he transferred to Kansas State Teachers College in Emporia, Kansas, so he could play basketball and baseball.
He threw a no-hitter as a freshman at Washburn University and then started playing for the Emporia town team in the summer of 1950. Along with playing the better teams from Ft. Riley, Wichita, and Topeka, they also played the barnstorming Kansas City Monarchs. In the summers of 51 and 52, he played for the Chamberlain Chiefs in South Dakota, and then the Superior Knights in Nebraska.
He was invited to a tryout with the Dodgers in the spring of 1953, so over the Easter break, he took a 40-hour train ride to Vero Beach. He went to spring training as a free agent and then joined the Dodger organization. After graduating from Emporia, he was assigned to the Miami Sunsox in the Florida International League. He pitched poorly in Miami and within a month he was sent to the Ashville Tourists.
The cool mountain air in North Carolina agreed with him and he got hot. He finished with a 15-5 record and a 2.24 ERA. At the end of the season, Fred was drafted into the United States Army. The Korean War was ending when he went to basic training at Ft. Rucker Alabama. Like many other professional ballplayers, he was placed on a baseball team. He began pitching for a 136th Bearcats and won 10 straight games. One of the pitchers he went up against was Vinegar Bend Mizell. He would face him again when he got to the majors.
He got out of the Army in 1955 and went to Greely, Colorado, to attend graduate school at the University of Northern Colorado. Kipp was soon back pitching for the Kearney Irishmen of the Nebraska International League. When Billy Martin heard that Fred was pitching in the Great Plains, he went and convinced him to play for the Goodland Tigers. Martin was stationed at Ft. Carson, Colorado at the time and managed the Goodland team.
Fred pitched well and led the Tigers to some wins before Clay Bryant, the coach of the Mobile Bears, recruited him to the Southern Association. Fred pitched for three teams that summer, moving up to a better one each time. The Bears were a Dodger AA affiliate and Fred joined them with 7 weeks left in the season. He went 4-2 and helped the Bears into the playoffs. He beat Birmingham twice to earn the right to play in the Dixie Series against the winners of the Texas League playoffs. The Bears beat the Shreveport Sports in four straight games.
He was convinced to play winter ball in Venezauela. The 1000 dollars a month was a huge pay raise. But thing did not go well down there and he returned after a month. Fred went to spring training with the World Champion Dodgers in 1956. He had the Boys of Summer behind him, and he was relieving guys like Erskine and Newcombe. He faced a lot of MLB greats like Williams and Mantle. He didn’t make the team out of training and was sent to Montreal.
Kipp had a great season in Montreal. He went 20-7, had 127 strikeouts and pitched 254 innings. He was named the ROY in the International League. He got called up when the rosters expanded in September. He never got into a game, but watched from the bullpen as the Dodgers went on to win the pennant. He was ineligible for the World Series against the Yankees, but he went along and pitched batting practice. He was a witness to Larsen’s perfect game.
The day after losing the World Series, the team left on a goodwill tour of Japan. 51 players, coaches, wives and friends, boarded a plane for a trip that would cover 9,254 miles in 29 hours. They stopped in LA, Maui, Honolulu and Wake Island. They arrived in Japan with much fanfare. They would play 19 games against professional Japanese teams and All-Star teams from all over Japan. The photo above is Hodges, Reese and Kipp visiting Hiroshima. while he had not pitched in Brooklyn, he pitched more than any other pitcher while they were in Japan.
He brought something the Japanese players had never seen before, his knuckleball. Japanese third baseman, Atushi Hadoka said ” Kipp is a hard pitcher to get to, I could not hit any of his inside balls. They cut the corner sharp, and I still do not know if they were knuckleballs, or palm balls.” He threw one complete game and struck out 26 in 43 innings.
Fred went to spring training with the team in 1957. No one knew it at the time, but it was their last year in Brooklyn. He pitched well and even broke spring with the team. He was there for a couple of weeks, but he did not get into a game. He was sent back to Montreal and was not recalled until September. He had a 8-17 record at Montreal with 10 complete games and 99 Ks. He got the call in September and got his cup of coffee on September 10th against the Cubs. He went 4 innings but gave up 6 hits and 4 runs. That winter the Dodgers announced they were moving to Los Angeles.
Between 1957-60, Fred would pitch in the Dominican League. He pitched for what now is Santo Domingo. He was the first pitcher to win 10 games. He helped Escogido win the title in 57-58 and 59-60 seasons. He pitched alongside young Juan Marichal and the Alou brothers. This was before he pitched in the minors and won more games than any other pitcher in the majors. Ozzie Virgil, the first Dominican to reach the majors was on Kipp’s team.
With the Dodgers now in Los Angeles, Kipp made the team out of spring training and became a regular Dodger. He got his first start on April 25th against the Cardinals in front of 60,000 who had come to see Stan Musial. Musial went 4-4, but Kipp got the win 5-3. Musial was thrown out at home twice. Kipp pitched in 40 games. He started 9 and relieved in 31 others. He pitched 102 innings and had a 6-6 record for the 71-83 Dodgers. Their first losing season since 1944. Kipp won the silver slugger award for pitchers that season with a .250 average.
In 1959, Kipp was sent back to AAA to the St. Paul team in the new American Association. He went 14-11 and was the workhorse on the team. He was called up to LA in September while the Dodgers were locked in a three-way race for the pennant. He pitched in two games and helped the Dodgers into a three-game playoff with the Braves. He was not on the World Series roster that beat the White Sox for the first title in LA.
In the spring of 1960, not wanting to go down to St. Paul again, Kipp asked to be traded. The Dodgers obliged him and traded him to the Yankees for Gordon Windhorn and Dick Sanders. Roger Maris also joined the Yankees that year.  Fred would pitch in four games before he was sent to Richmond, Virginia to pitch for the Virginians. The Virginians were in the International League and Kipp soon found himself pitching against the Montreal Royals and the Havana Sugar Kings. Castro had just recently overthrown the government. Kipp reported that kids patrolled the streets with rifles and shotguns. They would fire them into the air when the Kings made a good play. Later that season, a player for the Rochester Red Wings, Frank Verdi, who was standing in for the first base coach, when he was struck in the head by a stray bullet. Verdi was wearing a plastic lining in his cap in lieu of a batting helmet. The bullet was deflected by the plastic and went into his shoulder causing a minor wound.
That was enough for the International League, and they moved the Sugar Kings to New Jersey, where they became the New Jersey Jersey’s. Meanwhile Kipp became the ace reliever for the Virginians, pitching in 47 games in 60, 50 in 61 and 53 in 62. He would go 17-24 over those three seasons.
In the winter of 60-61, he stayed in Kansas City where he met and became engaged to Susan Kokoruda after dating for a few months. They married in the fall of 1961 and honeymooned in Puerto Rico where Kipp was pitching for the Ponce team. Kipp turned 30 and only stayed in the league for month before returning to Kansas City. During the 1962 season, his first son Chris was born, and the writing was on the wall. Making a living and raising a family in the minor leagues was not compatible. With little chance of getting back to the majors, Kipp retired after the 1962 season.
Fred finished with a 6-7 record, a 5.08 ERA and 64 strikeouts. There was no information on what he did after he retired. I doubt many Dodger fans today even know this guy existed. He was in two Topps card sets, the 1959 and 1960 Topps. I have both. He is now 92 years old and will turn 93 on October 1st.
Minor League Wrap-up
Tacoma 10 OKC 4: OKC was down 9-0 after 3 innings in a game started by Alex Gamboa. He went 2.2 innings giving up all 9 runs, only 1 was earned. OKC did not help themselves as they made 3 errors. Outman, Cartaya and Gauthier. OKC would score 3 in the bottom of the 6th. Cartaya and Hoese connected for homers. A 2-run shot by Cartaya.
Frisco 5 Tulsa 0: Tulsa was shut out by the Frisco Rough Riders. Kendall Williams went 5 innings and gave up 3 runs. Kopp in the bottom of the 8th, struck out the side. But he also allowed 2 homers for the final 2 runs. The Drillers managed just 5 hits, 4 of which were singles.
Great Lakes 4 Lake Country 3: The Loons squeezed out a walk off win against the Captains. Loons scored first in the bottom of the third on a double by Liranzo that scored DePaula. Lake Country came back with 2 in the top of the 4th to take the lead. They would score another in the top of the 8th off of Carson Hobbs. In the bottom of the ninth, down 3-2, Nevin struck out. Gelof walked and Jordan Thompson reached on a fielding error and Gelof went to second. A balk sent them to 2nd and 3rd, and then Jake Vogel doubled them both in for the win. Livan Rinoso got the win, his 5th.
Quakes 9 66ers7: Rancho scored all 9 of their runs in the first 5 innings including a 5-run 4th inning. Then held on for the win at Inland Empire. Decker drove in 3 of the runs with a triple. Munoz had 3 hits, Perez, Rojas and Diaz 2 apiece. Diaz also drove in 2 runs. Day went 4.2 innings giving up 3. Emmett pitched one inning and was tagged for 4. Cabrera picked up his 5th win and Ruebeck got his 4th save.
Born June 14th, 1948, in Los Angeles California. AKA The Bear
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Nice win for the Dodgers tonight. Kept their lead in the west where it was as both SD and Arizona won their games. Exactly 60 games left and they are 8.5 in front of the Padres and 9 up on Arizona. Giants are now 13 back, and the Rockies 24. Mike Trout left his re-hab assignment early with knee issues. You have to feel bad for the guy.
Knack steps up, following Ryan and Wrobleski. Rookie pitchers have been vital to the team’s success.
And meanwhile the trade chatter continues…
One big question is whether the Cubs will sell. On the radio David Vassegh said Cubs scouts have been studying Dodger prospects. He said he thinks it is unlikely that the Dodgers would go after Belli, but both Ian Happ and Nico Hoerner could be of interest.
Lux delivered another big hit tonight, which should increase his appeal on the trade market. Packaging Lux in a deal for Hoerner would make sense.
Another question is whether the Rangers will deal. If so,perhaps Eovaldi might be the impact pitcher the Dodgers are seeking.
Eovaldi is not having a great year, but it isn’t that bad either. He is 34 now, and I wonder if they want to waste prospects on a guy that old. His vesting option kicks in if he throws 57 more innings this year. That should be a lock and the option is for 20 million. Not sure the Dodgers want to pay him that much money with all the arms they have for next season. Hoener would be a nice pickup for sure. Bellinger’s contract would be a determining factor in any trade, and Belli is still on the IL.
Like Jansen, I don’t want Bellinger back. Risk vs reward does not favor the acquiring team. Big contract and injury prone. If he does well he opts out and walks, if he sucks, you are stuck with an expensive contract.
Only if he does not opt out. Which he most likely will not do. But if he has a monster rest of his season, he most likely might opt out. Cubs are in a bad spot right now.
Much rather go for Steele than Happ or Hoerner from the Cubbies.
Very little chance the Cubs trade Steele. He and Imanaga are going to be their 1-2 going forward.
Not too sure about that, Michael.
Jameson Taillon is also a possibility. Having a good year, but I’m not sure he’d move the needle for the Dodgers.
Well Steele is under team control until 28. Imanaga is their ace right now. Why would they move Steele?
Hoyer said they are in a rebuild, he’d bring back an astronomical return.
The fact that he’s being mentioned (even as unlikely) is smoke to my imagination’s quest for fire.
Knack with a good game. Excellent trade chip for the upcoming deadline.
Wrobleski, Ryan and Knack have been a godsend for this decimated rotation.
I am sure this will not go unnoticed by teams that are looking to aquire young, controllable starting pitching. I like the Dodgers chances going into the deadline. Lots of major league ready arms they can offer to get what they need.
Lux hopefully has turned the corner. 2 more hits and a couple of nice defensive plays . Way to go, Luxy!
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am not trading Wrobleski or Ryan. Any other pitcher in the system they can have. This team needs some young blood.
I agree. One step forward, two steps back.
I would not trade both , just one. But even if we trade both we still have some young arms available. Stone, Miller, Sheehan, Hurt, Frasso, Sasaki (pretty much a done deal according to many in the business), Yamamoto (only 25). Plus guys like Ferris and Bruns not far behind.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sasaki is NOT pretty much a done deal.
Who are the “many” you cite?!?!?!??
WTF is going on here!
It may fall under the “some person say” banner, made very popular a few years ago. Example: Some people here say the Dodgers are very interested in Sasaki, making it likely the Dodgers will sign him. Now you can spread that rumor cuz you heard it hear.
All that said, I hope it’s true.
Damm autocorrect. I wonder how things would read if I just let the computer take over and finish what I start.
let’s seem I then the dodgers will wind the dividing by 8 gamesmanship
Why don´t you google a bit ? There are so many insiders you think it is all but a done deal.
And even if the Dodgers do not sign Sasaki they still have a plethora of young arms .
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
total bs
You can choose to believe Nightengale or not, but he did report several GMs believe Sasaki will sign with LAD.
At the time, the Dodgers reportedly had around $3.15 million remaining in their international signing bonus pool, which is expected to go towards Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki if he posts this year. The 22-year-old right-hander is still under contract with the Chiba Lotte Marines in Nippon Professional Baseball. They have since signed Taiwanese OF Ko Ching-hsien for $750K.
There is no team anywhere close to the Dodgers remaining pool. I think it is a fair inference that Sasaki is a good bet to sign with the Dodgers, although a “Done Deal” might be a bit too optimistic.
Yeah Nightengale is only slightly more credible than the fansided guy to me.
he’s also a lone voice, Heyman has said the Dodgers are favorites or among the favorites l, but it’s certainly very far from a done deal IMHO
You said you wanted a source. I gave you one. To you, Nightengale is only slightly more credible than the fansided guy. Only Heyman can break LAD news? That is kind of snobbish of you. BTW it was the fansided guy (Robert Murray) that broke Paxton DFA. Not Heyman. Again, you have to tell us who your preferred sources are. You do not like mine, you do not like those on this topic. Can we only quote sources you approve, or can we just mention what we may have read or heard without being questioned by you? Choose to believe or not. If it hasn’t happened, it is all just guessing anyway. Everyone’s guess is allowed here, even yours.
Sasaki reportedly is receiving some direction from Yamamoto’s agent, Joel Wolfe, according to Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post. Is Chelsea Janes a good enough source for you? Yamamoto and Sasaki are reportedly good friends. The Dodgers have more $$$ than any team to spend of Sasaki who will need to sign a MiLB contract using IFA bonus pool remaining (See Francys Romero X posts). All the stars are aligning with Sasaki signing with LAD. But no it is not imminent, and it is not a done deal. Their statements may be hyperbolic a bit, but then again so are yours when it comes to the Dodgers farm system and prospects.
Again, my preferences are just my own, as everyone’s opinion is just their own.
I prefer Oscar the Grouch to Nightengale.
The person we are both responding to said it was a done deal implying by multiple sources.
I have no clue what the “some direction” is meant to imply, but I like Chelsea Janes quite a bit.
It is very lucky for Dodger fans that you are not running the franchise. Bruns has control problems, always has. Ferris is good but at least a couple years away. Sasaki is not a done deal; he hasn’t even been posted yet.
Was it not you who said over and over again there is no way the Dodgers would sign Ohtani for 600 million dollar ? OH yes, you were correct, they signed him for 700 million. Lol.Lol.
Oh, and we will see soon enought what the Dodgers will do or do not.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!
You name me one person who thought the Dodgers were going to sign him for 700 million. Most thought he would get upwards of 5 maybe. Trading that much talent for a single player does not win you a damn thing.
Sasaki is not a done deal, but he’d certainly help the rotation get younger…He was born in 2001.
Wrobleski is 24, and Crochet is 25–the same age as River Ryan.
Getting Crochet won’t make the rotation old.
Please do not confuse them with facts.
They have made their mind up that the Dodgers would (should) not trade for Crochet or Skubal.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!
Skubal is pure speculation, and the package would be huge. It is very unlikely he gets traded in the first place. Crochet will be traded, but I doubt he would be much help. Not with an innings limit.
Crochet also will be under an innings limit. I am looking at guys who can give them innings. Crochet is a very good pitcher, but he guarantees you nothing. You have to look at the overall picture. Flaherty does not have to be handled with kid gloves.
Randy A. trade talk heating up according to the rumor mill.
Him plus Fairbanks would be a good haul for us.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Randy A would be nice. Wish they would just give the kid pitchers a chance to develop more early look seems like we could have a prize or two for sure.
I agree. Atlanta force feeds their kids so they can see how they handle the pressure. Just look at some of the arms they have brought up. Guys like Strider and Fred. Freid is 30 now, but he was 25 when he joined the rotation.
Lots of talk about the Dodgers interest in Arozarena.
He makes more sense than Robert Jr.
What about Pham and Flaherty? Both rentals so won’t cost as much to acquire. Flaherty is averaging close to 6 innings per start. Start the package with Outman or Vargas. Eat the money on Paxton and throw him in the deal.
Means two different trades since one is a Tiger and one is on the Sox. Pham is not the same power threat as Arozarena and he doesn’t have the playoff pedigree Arozarena has. I can see them doing a deal for Flaherty. But starting pitching is at a premium and there will be a lot of suitors.
Woops. My bad. Tanner Banks and/or Erick Fedde would also be good targets with Pham from the White Sox..
Pham is ok, but definitely not a difference maker.
Do you think Arozarena is a difference maker? Pham just has to be better than Vargas, Pages, and Heyward to make a difference. The bar is not very high.
Well… I’d say you don’t just want to get an incremental improvement in a trade.
And the Dodgers brass have said they want “impact” players. Plus, the Dodgers aren’t exactly pinching pennies these days…
I like Arozarena a lot–he’d be a nice upgrade in LF–but I don’t see how he’d be a better “fit” than Robert. Here’s why:
–Robert is a high-quality centerfielder, not a guy who seems limited to LF. He’s a big upgrade over Pages in CF, and a smaller upgrade over Outman.
–Robert is 26 and Arozarena is 29. (We want the Dodgers to get younger, right Bear?
–Robert has a lot more HR power; both strike out a lot.
–Both have good speed. (Steals are more part of Arozarena’s game, but Robert stole 20 bases last season–and was caught four times. He also hit 38 HRs. It’s tough to steal when you are jogging around the bases.)
Over his career Arozarena has been better at getting on base–but this season his OBP is .315 while Robert’s is .300.
The rap on Robert, of course, is his injury history–and no doubt the Dodgers brass will factor that into their decisions. But as a matter of talent and performance, Robert has MVP potential.
Some team will be very happy to land him. I think the Phillies would have him batting right behind Bryce Harper.
You forgot to post Arrozarena post season stats, which are the main reasons for getting him
Can I ask that people provide links to the talk and rumors they cite?
Or, at least tell me what we’d be sending back, so I can irrationally judge the deal based on my limited knowledge.
Most believe he would be part of a package deal for Elfin and him, with maybe Fairbanks thrown in. Probably a couple of MLB ready players, Lux, Vargas, and some minor league pitching, and maybe Knack.
Bluto, that rumor was on MLBTR yesterday.
Which one? There are so many just mentioned willy-nilly. No sources, no players, just throwing out stuff.
Mark Feinsand of MLB.com made the report that the Dodgers are interested in Arozarena. It is on MLBTR from yesterday. If that is not enough info, so sorry.
No!
That’s the perfect amount of info.
It’s just me, but it would be so lovely to have such attribution on the regular.
Of course the Dodgers are interested in Arozarena. They are probably interested in a dozen different players. But Arozarena is not a center fielder. He’s a left fielder, so, Teo goes to center?
It’s all about October. So in October, Arrozarena in LF, Teo in RF, and likely Pages in CF.
A Pages/Outman platoon, perhaps. Or maybe Outman as a late-inning defensive replacement.
Great article. Thanks
You are welcome John.
I remember doing my first Kipp up. 8th grade. It impressed the girls so I did a lot of them at lunch.
I’ve probably supported a middle infield of Betts and Lux more than most but I have always liked Nico Hoerner.
Right now it seems like a rotation 8 deep is better than 3 Aces for the playoffs.
No to Belli.
No to Jansen.
No to Randy A
Yesto Robert
Yes to Skubal
Skubal is not going to be traded, bank on it unless the Tigers get a king’s ransom in prospects and MLB ready players. Baltimore can offer a much better package. Robert Jr is injury prone and not playing all that well. He is hitting under .200 the last few weeks. Belli won’t be traded while he is on the IL. Arozarena has the best postseason stats of almost any addition they might want to make. How anyone can be against trading for him is a mystery to me. Robert Jr is overrated and way too expensive.
The Dodgers can offer a kings ransom for Skubal. Every man and player has his price. If AF and the Dodgers think Skubal will bring them a WS title they will make the deal.
Miller, Knack, Rushing, Vargas plus maybe one more lower level prospect might be an overpay but as I said numerous times: You can not keep them all, so better to use them in a blockbuster trade for a true ace who is under control until 2026. For me it is a no brainer to use those prospects NOW even if it the deal is an overpay.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, I think it is dumb. One player, even Skubal, is not going to mean they will win the World Series. And Baltimore can offer a much better package than that. True Ace? Questionable. He is having his best season that is true. But he is barely above .500 in his career. You have to think beyond the next two seasons. I am not trading Ryan under any circumstances. To gut the farm for one player, and that is what it would take, is insane. Baltimore has many more position players who could be available for the Tigers, plus, they have Jackson Holliday, who most teams would kill to have. Your acting like this guy is a lock to guarantee a World Series, plus you are also forgetting that other teams are going to be bidding.
What part did you not understand when I wrote “if AF and the Dodgers think Skubal will bring them a WS title..”
Everyone knows there are no guarantees in life, only tax and death is guaranteed. So please do not put words in my mouth .
No player can guarantee a championship but a guy like skubal definetely increases the Dodgers chances considerably. A 1-2 punch with Glasnow and Skubal plus hopefully Yamamoto as a game 3 starter is formidable.
And who knows if the Orioles will put together a better package ? What if the Tigers think our package is better or the Orioles go after Crochet ? Reading your posts you always give the impression that you know it all and what other people think.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thinking one player is going to help win is not very smart. Baseball is a team game. Rarely if ever does one player bring a team to championship level. Scherzer went 7-0 when he was a Dodger, then disappeared in the post season except for his save in game five of the NLDS. Machado sucked as a Dodger. I don’t know it all, never said I did. What I do know is what I have seen AF do since he took over the team in 2015, and he does not make trades that do not benefit the team in his eyes, and he has never traded that many players for a pitcher. He traded five for Machado. Darvish only three, and he was way more established as a star pitcher than either Crochet or Skubal. He got Scherzer and Trea Turner for four players. So why in the world would he give up five for Skubal? Especially in a situation where there is going to be multiple suitors for his services. That does not make sense. Yes, they need to use some of those assets to make deals, but going nuts and dealing a lot for one player makes no sense. And you can rule out having to take on Baez if they do deal with the Tigers. They would not do that. Would the Orioles put together a better package? Maybe your right, but most of what I have read, mainly on MLBTR, says they would and will. And more importantly, can. Sometimes Ram, you make a lot of sense. But you also throw some deals out there that are just not based in reality. You might be right, but I think it won’t happen. Skubal would need to do it more than once to be an ace. He is having a great year but do it more than once.
If Skubal gets dealt–a big if–it would likely be to the O’s. Their farm system is better than the Dodgers, with more ML-ready talent.
Pretty sure I had/have a ’59 Topps Kipp card (may still do since the only cards I still have are ’59s).
Hudsucker Proxy
I have the entire 1959 Topps Dodgers set except the team card, which I never liked collecting, and a couple of the specialty cards like Dodger Aces. I also have some art deco 59 cards of players who did not have a card printed that year, but who played for the team. Chuck Essegian, whose 59 card was with the Cardinals, Chuck Churn, Frank Howard, Maury Wills, Roger Craig.
My problem with Knack is his conditioning. I see him sweating and breathing profusely. I look at his build, lots of body fat and love handles and I wonder how an athlete can look like this and get away with it. It has to affect his performance. He is not particularly efficient and looks eminently hittable. He didn’t pitch badly but how do the Dodger allow an athlete to get away with such poor conditioning. This should be primary in all professional sports, to at least look like an athlete. He is gassed at 5 innings.
While I agree with your premise here I have to say at this point in the season, with the Dodgers starving for starting pitching, I don’t care what he looks like I care how he pitches. And this guy is mostly keeping us in games. Yep, he’s gassed after 5. But if he gets 5 that’s a huge plus for this team.
I was thinking the same thing yesterday, watching Knack pitch in the 4th. There is zero downside to him getting in better shape; it’s his life and future, so do it.
I’ve read that Knack is actually in better shape now than he was a couple seasons ago. He one of those players who has never looked like a professional athlete.
Bartolo Colon, CC Sabathia, Rick Rueschel… just a few of the overweight pitchers who have had very successful careers.
Which is not suggest that Knack will ever be as good as “Big Sexy.”
Juan Toribio wrote this during Spring training:
” Then there’s Knack, who is still trying to find a spot on the big league roster. The 26-year-old right-hander came into camp in better shape and looked sharp in his first Cactus League start, punching out four over two innings of work.”
You must have loved Andruw Jones.
LOL
I believe it was Mickey Lolich, in about 1972, when ask about his portly body said “I don’t pitch with my stomach”.
Baseball America updated their Top 100 ($$$)
https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/2024-top-100-prospects/
Freeland Made it on.
Previously:
Frasso injured his way off.
Pages graduated.
DePaula rose.
As per the great Eric Stephen, 15 of the 18 draft picks have signed.
Maybe I should go ahead and pay for BA. Looks like they may have great content.
They do, especially for prospects, draft, and IFA. It is my go to publication.
What Jeff said, there are some people who write for Baseball Prospectus (Pasternostro notably) who are excellent, and FanGraphs is amazing.
IMO all three produce content worth paying for.
https://fxtwitter.com/jimcallismlb/status/1816093778010091892?s=46&t=KltCt_ftB04-897Ny5j4DQ
Dodgers sign third round pick Chase Harlan
The slot savings all went to HS 3B Chase Harlan. $1MM > slot value . That is about what a Clemson commitment is worth. He was the only LAD draft pick to sign > slot value. LHP Jakob Wright from SLO (4th round) signed for his slot value. Eric Parker is the only player to say he is not going to sign. OF Chase Williams (19th round) and LHP Hunter Elliott (20th round) are the remaining two in question from the 18 picks.
Harlan in the Hoese!
Too much?
Hey, maybe this guy can play. Hope so.
Hope so too…
Hoese seemed more proven as a college star–remember, he was drafted ahead of Busch–but of course it hasn’t really panned out.
A trade might help Hoese get a fresh start. (Folks here often say someone has “no trade value,” but I think small market teams might disagree. A change of scenery and coaching can make a big difference.)
Best-case prediction: Lindsey and Harlan take over the left side of infield in 2029.
Per LAD Transaction log – 07-22-2024 – Oklahoma City Baseball Club transferred RHP Kyle Hurt from the 7-day injured list to the 60-day injured list.
Clayton Kershaw now has a path to the 40 man.
Still leaves a hefty numbers crunch coming.
· Tyler Glasnow to the 26 man
· Michael Grove to the 26 man
· Clayton Kershaw to the 40 man and 26 man
· Brusdar Graterol to the 40 man and 26 man
· Ryan Brasier to the 40 man and 26 man
· Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the 40 man and 26 man
Muncy is fairly easy to predict. He will replace Cavan Biggio on both the 40 man and 26 man rosters.
There are so many ways to go, but much will be decided as to who AF/BG chooses to trade over the next 6 days. Suffice to say one or two of your favorite prospect/rookie pitchers will not be with LAD this time next week.
Admittedly, I cannot read this trade deadline. But that is true for most of the AF years. During his era, we knew of only two “for sure” trades: 2018 Manny Machado and 2021 Max Scherzer.
I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Kyle Hurt has been moved to 60 Day IL as he is undergoing TJ surgery. This all but makes him out until 2026.
I read this from a Doug McKain X post, who said “sources” told him. He did not mention his sources, so Bluto feel free to not believe. Often times, McKain’s source is Bob Nightengale, who you do not put much stock in.
McCain? He’s been interesting in a good way! Not so newsy I have found, more interesting opinion. I’m not sure his creds, can check.
ive already said the low regard I have for Nighyengale. I could be too harsh.
shrug.
My book on Stu Scheurwater says “Stu Scheurwater – Brutal. Missed 18 pitches in 1 game. Big misses everywhere. Poor accuracy and consistency.”
Well, ole Stu didn’t disappoint last night. UmpireScorecard had him with 16 misses with an 80% accuracy on called strikes ie. he called 11 strikes on actual balls.
And these weren’t borderline pitches. I actually like a HPU who will call strikes on close, edge pitches. It speeds up the game and players adjust and swing the bat. But Stu gives a whole baseball or 2 or more, everywhere. There’s a moment of suspense on pitches well off the plate………..will Stu pull the trigger or not. That’s the worst for both the pitcher and the hitter.
His only consistency is that he is consistently horseshit.
I like Brent Honeywell and his very 80’s turtleneck undershirt.
Ohtani is such an interesting and unique hitter. He’s sort of Ichiro 4.0. When he expands the zone, he can have some brutal looking swings. At the end of the day he’s 2 for 5 with 3 RBI. When he swings at strikes he’s incredible.
Hey Badger, as per our discussion yesterday on Lux’s, and inability to turn double-plays, I forgot to point out that he has one of the largest gloves I’ve seen of a 2nd baseman. Most second basemen have a shallow pocket glove that’s small, like 10.5 to 11.5 inches. The good ones deflect the ball more than catch it. Shortstops seem to prefer a larger glove, 11.5 to 11.75. Obviously, outfielders have the “peach baskets” 12 to 13 inches with deep pockets. Lux looks like he’s using a bigger SS glove still even since moving to 2nd.
Paul Skenes took his first MLB loss yesterday, 2 to 1 to the Cardinals. His line in the loss was 8.1 innings on 104 pitches, 2 earned, 4 hits 0 walks and 8 K’s. Until the 9th he only gave up a solo homer to Arenado. He was still at an easy 100 in the 9th. He’s become must-watch TV for me.
Very much looking forward to Glasnow and Robbie Ray tonight.
Glad you mentioned the stats on Sourwater. Dude sucked. Why MLB puts up with this is mind boggling. Politics?
I’m this close to being done with Lux. And I have been a supporter of his for a long time.
Didn’t know about his glove. I do tend to notice the smaller ones, like the one Rojas uses. Sure works for him. Remember the gloves guys in twenties wore? How did catch anything?
With 2 hands
I have been on the Garrett Crochet train since pre-injury. I have been on the engine all season. But I must admit that I am more in line with pursuing Jack Flaherty than Crochet right now. Flaherty is pitching nearly as well as Crochet this year, and he is a rental, dropping the prospect capital quite a bit.
Crochet – 111.1 IP – 12.7 K/9, 2.0 BB/9, 6.28 K/BB, 0.970 WHIP, 2.29 FIP
Flaherty – 100.2 IP – 11.4 K/9, 1.5 BB/9, 7.47 K/BB, 0.964 WHIP, 3.15 FIP
Flaherty has IP of 196.1 (2019), 151.0 (2018), and 144.1 (2023). He was #4 in 2019 CYA, and #5 in 2018 ROY. Flaherty was once considered the equal of Walker Buehler. It looks like he is come all the way back from his injuries, and is ready for a pay day. A WS ring would make free agency that much better.
I think whatever the Dodgers do trade wise will be be based on where Mookie will play. Without the whole season to work at short? I’d think the front office will be comfortable with him at short.
I believe Lux, Pages and Vargas will get much better. In my younger days I got to deal with elite athletes coming off serious injuries. The first year besides trying to make up for lost time, the mental part is difficult. It impacts individuals differently. If someone could eliminate this block in athletes they need to write a book. They would be wealthy
Jeff Passan actually spent a good portion of time talking about the mental hurdles of rehabbing from TJ in his Book, “The Arm”, as I recall
. He followed the rehab of Daniel Hudson and Todd Coffey, as I remember.
Per Jon Heyman of The New York Post on X, Cora and the Sox have agreed to a three-year deal of more than $7MM annually, which aligns with the figure from Olney. Heyman says the deal is being finalized now.
Since Heyman reported it, it has to be gold according to Bluto.
So all of his “hints” about very possibly leaving for a front office job were just a means of using leverage. It worked, and although I’ll never forgive him for his Houston stuff, I do think he’s one of the top managers in MLB.
I’m surprised to see Freeland made BA’s Top 100. What number did they have him at?
Vanasco DFA
98
Interesting. If they don’t plan to start him at ss any time soon he’s that much more valuable as a trade chip.
Heyman is good!
paul Heyman even better!
Dylan Floro.
49 innings pitched
11 earned runs
0 home runs conceded
2.02 ERA
1.061 WHIP
Bring him back.
Would not mind that at all. He was pretty decent when he was with LA>
https://x.com/thereal_dv/status/1816245605980602487?s=46&t=9NWx-kmBe0wF8N9YYpyAlg
I guess Owings and Gauthier just aren’t as good as Ahmed. Vanasco clears a 40 man spot Rojas to the IL clears a 26 man spot
They are not as good as Ahmed. Ahmed is a fantastic defensive SS and someone I thought the Dodgers should have looked at this past winter. Owings is not a prospect. He is a AAAA player with near 2500 PA and not a defensive player. He is playing much more RF than infield in 2024. Gauthier is a future utility player but is not a starting SS for a MLB team. Ahmed is a 2 X GG winner at SS. I think this is a fantastic move now that Rojas is on the IL.
Of course I value defense quite a bit.
I’ll buy that explanation. With that in mind I would hope they keep him after Rojas returns so that they don’t run Rojas into the ground
Earliest Miggy would be back is after the deadline so any infield moves that AF makes in the next week will factor into roster construction as well.
Damn. On an unrelated note, how long is Bo Bichette out??
At least until a week after the deadline. Looks like Yelich might need back surgery.
Ahmed has 43 career homers. 14 of those against the Dodgers. Maybe he does the same against the D-Backs while a Dodger. He also has 12 career homers against the Rockies, who the Dodgers have 6 more games with. And he has 5 against the Padres.
Actually, Ahmed has 71 career bombs, my bad.
It’s a bandaid on a situation that has gone on much too long in Dodgerville. The fact that they have not gone after a high profile SS speaks volumes to me regarding what they are thinking. They are simply not thinking. Sure, Ahmed is a good defensive SS with a lot of experience. It reminds of the Rosario signing. Here today, gone tomorrow. We had two star SS players in Turner and Seager which to this day have not really been replaced. So we make Mookie a SS midway through his allstar career in the OF instead of finding a SS like Lindor. We even planned to have Lux start there. This FO is either arrogant or just plain stupid when it comes to putting together a complete team. Same thing happened with Bellinger in CF. We’ve never replaced him but we’ve had a turnstile of players filling in our OF. AF is just guessing, at this point and he has been guessing wrongly a lot.
OF Brent Rooker, Athletics.
They will not challenge the Dodgers for the division. However, the pumpkins are only 5 out in the wildcard. I could c them getting hot if their pitching stays healthy. With Snell, webb, Ray, Harrison, and I can’t think of the other guy that pitched for Tampa at one time. Their staff could be very dominating. I would not want to face them in the playoffs. Arizona the same with Gallen, Kelly, Montgomery, pfadt and a better offense.
Cobb
Correct and thanks
Looks like good pitching can stop this team. Sure hope we don’t see much of it the rest of the way.
Is there a team that good pitching doesn’t occasionally stop?
Another injury, this time Taylor and he doesn’t look good. Biggio is playing right field.
U know the game is over when Ramirez comes in.
His control, to put it nicely, is still a work in progress.
Yeah, I cringe every time I see Ramirez come into the game.
Buh-bye
Every team has games like this. They do lose a game to the Padres and D-Backs who both won. Rockies scored 20 runs against the Red Sox. Losing Taylor is a blow, but Ahmed is a great defensive SS. Not sure who they will bring in to replace Taylor. Tomorrow’s game is at 1:10 LA time. Ohtani with three more K’s. He needs to be way more selective. He swung at at least 3 he had no shot of hitting. Taylor has a strained groin. He will be out a while.
Barnes is hitting .270 and has a 10-game hitting streak. Okay, my biggest objection to trading for Skubal or Crochet is the simple face that neither of these guys have a track record of success. They are doing great so far, but that is no guarantee they keep it up. I prefer good track records and playoff experience, which neither of those guys have.
Roberts threw in the towel too early bringing back Ramirez for the 8th in a one run game..
He said he did not have anyone else. BP is pretty thin right now and they have been used a lot.
Ohio, those were my exact words to my wife, when they let him pitch after he had loaded the bases, and didn’t make a change.