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Some random thoughts as we approach the midpoint of the season.
— Last Tuesday, it was mentioned in this newsletter that the Dodgers aren’t going to make the playoffs this season without dramatic improvement in the bullpen. Since then, Dodgers relievers have thrown 25 innings, giving up 10 hits and eight walks while striking out 23, with an ERA of 0.36. You’re welcome.
— If the season ended today, the Dodgers would make the postseason as the final wild-card team.
— How does ESPN manage to find the worst baseball announcers every season? The networks is very good at it. It must be difficult to wade through all the candidates and pick the very worst ones.
— The announcing trio during Sunday’s game, Karl Ravech, Eduardo Perez and David Cone, spent a lot of time telling each other “Great point!” They remind me of the final panel of this “Calvin And Hobbes” cartoon.
— Perez is the master of the obvious.
—There has to be a bit of concern about Tony Gonsolin, who has had two bad outings in a row and his velocity is down.
— Miguel Vargas, who has two hits in his last 41 at-bats, seems to be a prospect more along the lines of Billy Ashley than a prospect along the lines of Will Smith.
— Since hitting the game-winning grand slam May 17 against Minnesota, James Outman has hit .185 in 28 games, with only two extra-base hits (both doubles) and 36 strikeouts in 81 at-bats.
— Freddie Freeman (why did the Braves let him go?) got his 2,000th hit Sunday. He is the 295th player to reach that plateau. Amazingly, only three other players have gotten 2,000 hits for the Dodgers: Zack Wheat (2,804), Pee Wee Reese (2,170) and Willie Davis (2,091). Duke Snider missed by five hits and Steve Garvey was 32 hits short.
— Julio Urías should return to the rotation this weekend against Kansas City. The question is, will it be last year’s version of Urías (league-leading 2.16 ERA) or this year’s version (4.39 ERA)?
— Dodgers’ batters over the last 14 days:
Miguel Rojas, 9 for 30, 2 doubles, .300/.400/.367
Will Smith, 10 for 34, 3 homers, 8 RBIs, .294/.455/.559
David Peralts, 8 for 28, 2 homers, 5 RBIs, .286/.375/.500
James Outman, 9 for 36, 1 double, 4 RBIs, .250/.250/.286
Jason Heyward, 6 for 25, 1 homer, 3 RBIs, .240/.286/.360
Mookie Betts, 10 for 44, 1 double, 2 homers, 6 RBIs, .227/.280/.386
Chris Taylor, 3 for 14, 1 homer, 4 RBIs, .214/.313/.429
Jonny DeLuca, 3 for 14, 1 double, .214/.214/.286
Michael Busch, 5 for 26, 3 doubles, 2 RBIs, .192/.250/.308
Freddie Freeman, 8 for 43, 3 doubles, 1 homer, 4 RBIs, .186/.300/.326
J.D. Martinez, 7 for 39, 2 doubles, 1 RBI, .180/.273/.231
Austin Barnes, 1 for 6, 1 RBI, .167/.375/.167
Miguel Vargas, 2 for 34, 1 homer, 2 RBIs, .059/.132/.147
Team, .217/.300/.341, 3.82 runs per game
— Current Dodgers’ batters with two out and runners in scoring position this season:
Mookie Betts, 12 for 30, 3 doubles, 2 homers, 18 RBIs, .400/.514/.700
J.D. Martinez, 10 for 27, 2 doubles, 4 homers, 18 RBIs, .370/.452/.889
James Outman, 8 for 24, 1 triple, 2 homers, 12 RBIs, .333/.448/.667
Freddie Freeman, 10 for 30, 3 doubles, 2 homers, 18 RBIs, .333/.412/.633
Will Smith, 7 for 21, 1 double, 1 homer, 9 RBIs, .333/.517/.524
Jonny DeLuca, 1 for 3, .333
Trayce Thompson, 3 for 11, 2 homers, 9 RBIs, .273/.429/.818
David Peralta, 6 for 23, 1 double, 9 RBIs, .261/.320/.304
Miguel Rojas, 4 for 18, 3 RBIs, .222/.300/.222
Chris Taylor, 5 for 25, 3 doubles, 1 homer, 8 RBIs, .200/.310/.440
Miguel Vargas, 7 for 37, 4 doubles, 1 triple, 11 RBIs, .189/.318/.351
Michael Busch, 1 for 6, 1 RBI, .167/.286/.167
Max Muncy, 3 for 29, 2 homers, 8 RBIs, .103/.278/.310
Austin Barnes, 1 for 10, 2 RBIs, .100/.308/.100
Jason Heyward, 0 for 14, .000/.177/.000
— MLB.com released an updated list of the top 100 prospects in baseball, and nine Dodgers are on the list:
No. 9: RHP Bobby Miller
No. 22: C Diego Cartaya
Mo. 38: INF Michael Busch
No. 51: C Dalton Rushing
No. 53: RHP Gavin Stone
No. 58: OF Andy Pages
No. 78: RHP Emmet Sheehan
No. 84: RHP Ryan Pepiot
No. 95: RHP Nick Frasso
Frasso is new to the list. He is at double-A Tulsa, where he has made 11 starts In 36 2/3 innings, he has given up 28 hits and 12 walks while striking out 48, with a 2.21 ERA. He has a career 1.88 ERA in three minor league seasons, striking out 123 in 95 2/3 innings.
—Reliever Andre Jackson, who was designated for assignment last week, was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for cash.
—In case you hadn’t noticed, Corey Seager is hitting .349/.410/.618 with Texas and is quickly becoming a top candidate for AL MVP.
—The Dodgers play their next six games against Colorado (31-49) and Kansas City (22-56). They really ought to win five of those six games.
Who is the greatest Dodger of all time?
We haven’t had much fun this season. With the recent skid, off-field issues and everything seeming heavier this year for some reason, it’s time to inject some fun back into this newsletter by bringing back something we haven’t done since 2018.
Who is the greatest Dodger of all time? Jackie Robinson? Sandy Koufax? Vin Scully? Clayton Kershaw? Lance Rautzhan? The list is endless. So, I am asking for your help.
I want you to send me your list of the 10 greatest Dodgers of all time. They can be L.A. Dodgers or Brooklyn Dodgers. Managers count, as do general managers, owners and announcers. In short, anyone who has been connected with the Dodgers in some way is eligible. You and the rest of the readers of this newsletter will decide who is the greatest.
So, I need you to email me your list of whom you consider to be the 10 greatest. Please list them in order from 1-10. Points will be assigned based on their place in the ballot, with 12 points going to your No. 1 choice, nine points for No. 2, eight points for No. 3, seven points for No. 4, all the way down to one point for No. 10. And please, please, please don’t say “this is just in any order.” Give it some thought. Travel down memory lane and enjoy it.
Voting will remain open through July 15, and we will count down the top 20 vote-getters soon after that. So, send me your list! Send to houston.mitchell@latimes.com and please make sure the subject line says 10 greatest Dodgers.
What Vin Scully meant to me
Last season, after Vin Scully died, I asked readers to send in what he meant to them. I ran them the rest of the season and wanted to circle back and run the rest, which will take a few weeks at least. If you wish to contribute (if you sent it to me last season, I still have it, so no need to send again), please email it to houston.mitchell@latimes.com and put Vin Scully in the subject line.
From Rich Mills of Louisville: On May 29, 1977, 13-year-old me went with my grandfather and my father to the Dodger game. Just as we arrived at our seats in the upper deck on the third base side, the Reds’ Johnny Bench deposited a grand slam in the bleachers. The game did not get any better for the Dodgers and Rick Rhoden, who lost 8-1 to Fred Norman that afternoon. Many folks had their transistor radios on nearby and I could hear Vin’s call from someone in the row in front of us a couple seats to our left. At one point, as Norman continued to mow down Dodger hitters, Vin commented that we were “witnessing the Norman Conquest.” I’ll never forget that description.
One of the great things about Vin was that he respected the intelligence of his listeners. Over the years, I heard quotes from Cicero, Chaucer and Shakespeare and many allusions to history.
Many years later, here in Louisville, Vin’s stories helped my wife learn to love baseball. I think she missed him even more than me when he finally signed off for good.
Vin’s “It’s time for Dodger Baseball” is the ringtone on my phone.
Thank you for this opportunity to share, and I hope you have a very pleasant day, wherever you may be.
From Rick Polkinghorn of Rockport, Maine: I was probably seven or eight years old and I was sitting on a bunk bed late in the evening with my father and brother. Of course, we were listening to Vin Scully on the radio broadcast of the game between the Giants and the Dodgers. It was the ninth inning, I remember that. The Dodgers were ahead by one run and the Giants had a runner on base. There were two out. Scully said: “there is a high fly ball into center field. [Don] Demeter circles under the ball — and drops it! I remember my father grimacing and softly hitting the bunk bed in disgust. The Dodgers eventually lost the game. I am not sure why I remember this over 60 years later. Perhaps it was being with my father and my brother but what I remember is Vin Scully‘s voice narrating a story so well that I could envision it completely. To this day I remember that moment and I am grateful for a man who I listened to it seems forever and ever. Thank you Vin Scully for memories that I could only count in my heart and in my soul. Simply, you were the best.
Up next
Tuesday: Dodgers (*Clayton Kershaw, 9-4, 2.72 ERA) at Colorado (Connor Seabold, 1-3, 5.88 ERA), 5:40 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020
Wednesday: Dodgers (TBD) at Colorado (*Kyle Freeland, 4-8, 4.54 ERA), 5:40 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020
Thursday: Dodgers (Emmet Sheehan, 1-0, 1.50 ERA) at Colorado (Chase Anderson, 0-2, 5.79 ERA), 5:40 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020
*-left-handed
In case you missed it
Elliott: Tony Gonsolin’s ineffectiveness a problem for stretched-thin Dodgers rotation
‘I’m capable of more.’ Miguel Rojas pushes to be the complete player the Dodgers need
How a harmless lie created one of the most iconic infields in Dodgers history
And finally
Don Drysdale‘s call of Kirk Gibson‘s World Series home run. Watch and listen here.