DODGERS DREAM FOUNDATION, LA84 FOUNDATION DEDICATE NEW DODGERS DREAMFIELD AT MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. RECREATION CENTER

--Field is the second Dodgers Dreamfield dedicated in 2011--

LOS ANGELES – The Dodgers Dream Foundation, in partnership with the LA84 Foundation and the Los Angeles City Department of Recreation and Parks, unveiled a new Dodgers Dreamfield this morning at Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center. Those on hand for the dedication ceremony included Dodger Owner and Chairman Frank McCourt, LA84 Foundation Vice President of Grants and Programs Patrick Escobar, Councilmember 8^th District, Bernard C. Parks, Councilmember, 9^th District Jan Perry, State Senator, 22^nd District Kevin de León, General Manager of the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation Jon Kirk Mukri and President, University Little League Raul Claros. 

Former Dodgers in attendance included Fernando Valenzuela, Maury Wills, Tommy Davis, Bobby Castillo and Kenny Landreaux. Valenzuela and Wills are depicted in murals recently painted overlooking the field, as is former Dodger manager Joe Torre. Former Dodger outfielder and current broadcaster Rick Monday emceed the event.

“Baseball teaches the value of teamwork, dedication and many other important life skills, and we hope this field at Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreation Center will provide those opportunities for thousands of kids for years to come,” said Dodger Owner Frank McCourt. “We are grateful for this partnership with LA84 and the Department of Recreation and Parks that is making a difference in the lives of the youth of Los Angeles.” 

Renovations to the new Dodgers Dreamfield at Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center include a new batting cage, a new outfield windscreen, a new LED scoreboard and new field signage. The field fencing and dugout covers were also refurbished. 

“I am very pleased that even in this difficult financial time, through the efforts of the Dodgers Dream Foundation, the LA84 Foundation and the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, we will be able to install a total of eight new Dodgers Dreamfields in parks throughout the City of Los Angeles,” said Mukri. “Through this partnership we will rebuild and renovate these fields to give them a myriad of upgrades, as well as a whole new look and better playability. The rebuilding of these eight fields is a big step forward in achieving our collective goal of providing youth a safe and clean place to play. We are sincerely thankful to both the Dodgers Dream Foundation and LA84 for their generous donations." 

All 17 University Little League teams were on hand for the dedication ceremony, which was followed by a clinic led by the Dodger alumni in attendance. 

"Youngsters who love to play baseball deserve quality facilities where they can play the game to the best of their abilities,” said Escobar. “This is why the LA84 Foundation has teamed up with the Dodgers Dream Foundation and the City of Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department to improve the field at MLK Park and others throughout the area.  MLK Park has a long tradition of instilling the love for the game and developing excellent players.  We are pleased to be a small part in helping this tradition continue." 

"On behalf of the families and volunteers of University Little League, Life Skills Sports Academy and the MLK Park community, I'd like to thank the great people at LA84 Foundation, the Department of Recreation and Parks and the greatest organization in professional sports, the L.A. Dodgers, for partnering with us in structuring the lives of tomorrow's leaders,” said Claros.

This past summer, the Dodgers Dream Foundation, the LA84 Foundation and the Los Angeles City Department of Recreation and Parks committed to creating eight new Dodgers Dreamfields in the Los Angeles area, with a ninth field in partnership with LA County. The commitment will double the current number of Dreamfields to a total of 18. The Dodgers Dreamfield at Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreation Center marks the second of those nine and the second completed Dreamfield in 2011.

Seven of the next planned fields are within Los Angeles City Department of Recreation and Parks properties in the San Fernando Valley, Eastside, South Los Angeles and Central and Harbor areas. An additional field is located in Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley Thomas' district. 

Clayton Kershaw To Donate $100 Per Strikeout To Arise Africa

“Kershaw’s Challenge” created to help build orphanage in Zambia

 

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Opening Day starter, Clayton Kershaw, announced today that he and his wife, Ellen, will donate $100 for each of his strikeouts during the 2011 season to Arise Africa, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping end poverty on the continent through health care, education, business and discipleship.

 

The Dodgers Dream Foundation will also make a financial commitment to Arise Africa on behalf of Kershaw. As part of “Kershaw’s Challenge,” the 23-year-old left-hander is encouraging fans to join the cause by visiting www.kershawschallenge.com.  

 

A native of Dallas, TX, Kershaw took his first trip to Zambia during the offseason, where he and Ellen helped to build a school and spent time with numerous orphans. Their goal is to raise $70,000 to start an orphanage in Lusaka, Zambia that will be called Hope’s Home, named for an 11-year-old orphan who is HIV positive and whom Clayton and Ellen befriended on their recent trip.

 

“It’s one thing traveling around the United States playing in different cities, even going to different parts of the world,” Kershaw told Dodgers Magazine in an April cover story. “But when you go to a third-world country and see how other cultures live, it’s very different. You think it’s something that happened way back in the day, but plenty of people are living in houses that would be considered shacks here without running water or electricity. It makes you thankful for what you have.”

 

Kershaw ranked fifth in the National League with 212 strikeouts last season and has fanned 497 batters in 483 big league innings. He struck out 276 batters in 220.1 minor league innings from 2006-08.

 

The trip to Zambia was Ellen Kershaw’s fifth.

 

“I always say the first time you’ve hugged a Zam­bian orphan it’ll change your life,” she told Dodgers Magazine. “It’s because that whole blanket of poverty becomes very personal, and you see the one life that you can impact and what a difference you can make… Going to Zambia really broadened both of our perspectives. I think we’re just trying to leave a legacy, leave a mark.”

Dodgers To Celebrate Life of Hall of Famer Duke Snider

--Team to wear a memorial patch in 2011 and host a celebration on Aug. 9,which will include a bobblehead of the late Dodger outfielder--

 

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers announced today that the team will wear a patch in memory of Hall of Fame outfielder Duke Snider throughout the 2011 season and will host a celebration of his life on Aug. 9 at Dodger Stadium.

 

The memorial patch, will feature Snider’s uniform No. 4 and will be worn on the Dodgers’ home, road and alternate Brooklyn uniforms at every 2011 game beginning tomorrow night when the team opens the season against the San Francisco Giants. Snider’s uniform number was retired on July 6, 1980 and is one of just 10 retired numbers in franchise history.

 

The club also announced it would celebrate the life of the legendary Dodger outfielder at the Aug. 9 game against the Philadelphia Phillies. The first 50,000 fans in attendance will receive a bobblehead featuring the likeness of Snider, whose family will participate in a special pregame ceremony honoring the franchise’s all-time leading home run hitter. The sixth bobblehead of the season is presented by Kaiser Permanente.

 

Snider passed away on Feb. 27 at the age of 84. He was born Edwin Donald Snider in Los Angeles, CA on Sept. 19, 1926 and became one of the game’s most feared hitters during his 16 seasons with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers (1947-1962), playing on a pair of World Championship teams (1955 and 1959) and in six World Series overall.

 

The eight-time All-Star center fielder ranks as the franchise’s all-time leader in home runs (389) and runs batted in (1,271) and during the 1950s, he topped all Major Leaguers with 326 homers and 1,031 RBI. He slugged four home runs in both the 1952 and 1955 World Series.

 

The last time the Dodgers wore a memorial patch on the team’s uniforms was in 2000 in memory of Snider’s teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Pee Wee Reese. Other memorial patches worn by the Dodgers were done so in tribute to Jim Gilliam (1978), coach Don McMahon (1987), Tim Crews (1993) and a combination patch for Hall of Famers Don Drysdale and Roy Campanella, who passed away within a week of one another in 1993.

 

Snider is survived by his wife, Bev, children Kevin, Kurt, Pam and Dawna and 10 grandchildren.

DODGERS SIGN BILLINGSLEY TO CONTRACT EXTENSION

--All-Star right-hander will remain in Los Angeles through 2014--

 

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers signed right-handed pitcher Chad Billingsley to a three-year contract extension with a club option for a fourth year, keeping him in a Dodger uniform through at least the 2014 season. General Manager Ned Colletti made the announcement.

“Through his professional career Chad has shown that he is very capable of winning games and taking the ball,” said Colletti. “His won-loss record speaks to that as well as his innings pitched totals.” 

Billingsley, 26, has posted a winning record in each of his five Major League seasons and all eight of his professional campaigns. As a Los Angeles Dodger, the right-hander is 59-41 (.590) with a 3.55 ERA in 160 career games (131 starts). His winning percentage since his 2006 debut ranks 12^th in the NL over that time and his 52 victories since 2007 are tied for eighth among current NL hurlers. Since his first full season as a starter in 2008, Billingsley has averaged 196.0 innings per season and his 588.2 frames over that time ranks 13^th in the NL. 

His 59 career victories are more than any other big league pitcher from the 2003 draft class by a wide margin. Billingsley led the Dodgers in wins in 2008 and 2009 while ranking second in 2010 and tied for second in 2007. His 52 wins over the last four years are more than any Dodger.    

During the last three seasons, Billingsley’s 551 strikeouts rank sixth in the National League. In 2008, he became the first Dodger to fan 200 batters (career-high 201) in a season since Chan Ho Park in 2001. He has struck out a career-high 13 batters in a game on two different occasions (July 13, 2008 at Florida and Sept. 26, 2010 at Arizona).

In 2009, Billingsley was selected by the players and coaches to his first All-Star team after going 9-4 with a 3.38 ERA in the first half.  He went on to record a career-high 16 wins and a career-best 3.14 ERA in that season.

Last year, Billingsley posted the longest scoreless innings streak of his career, blanking the opposition over 24.2 innings from July 21-Aug. 5. He also did not allow a home run in 2010 from May 31-Aug. 28, a span of 92.0 innings, which was the longest in the Majors last season.

After tossing 2.0 scoreless innings of relief in the 2006 Division Series, Billingsley went on to win his very first postseason start, allowing just one run over 6.2 innings at Wrigley Field in Game 2 of the 2008 NLDS. In all, the Ohio native has appeared in six postseason contests. 

Billingsley has remained involved in the Dodgers’ charitable efforts through the Dodgers Dream Foundation and the team’s official charity, ThinkCure! In 2008, Billingsley began the “Chad’s Champs” community program in which he hosts 10 youngsters from Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA at a Dodger game during every homestand. As part of the program, the kids receive tickets, food and a meet-and-greet with Billingsley before the game. In 2010, Billingsley was nominated by his teammates for the Dodgers’ Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award, which is won by those whose on-field performance and contributions to his community inspire others to higher levels of achievement.   

Billingsley was originally drafted by the Dodgers in the first round (24^th overall) of the 2003 First-Year Player Draft and went on to win the Dodgers’ Branch Rickey Minor League Pitcher of the Year Award in both 2004 and 2005. According to Baseball America, he was the club’s top minor league prospect entering the 2006 season and made his Major League debut that season on June 15 against the Padres at PETCO Park. 

A native of Defiance, OH, where he is a member of the Defiance High School Athletic Hall of Fame, Billingsley and his wife, Tiffany, make their offseason home in Robesonia, PA.

Garret Anderson Is Mr. Angel

After 17 Major League seasons, former Angels outfielder Garret Anderson quietly walked away from the game Tuesday.  There was no live news conference or breaking news alert on television or the web—just a press release and a conference call.

It was simple. It was understated. It was classic Garret Anderson.

Over the course of his career, Anderson was one of the most consistent, yet misunderstood athletes of his generation.  His cool, never-rattled demeanor allowed him to consistently produce in the game’s most intense situations, but at times, it led fans to believe he was disinterested.  Hit a walk-off homerun or strikeout with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 9^th; the reaction was usually the same.

"I don't think I was misunderstood -- I know I was misunderstood," Anderson said. "I'm sorry for that. I was who I was, going out and playing hard every day. I know I'm a quiet person."

Anderson says quiet, while some media members might use adjectives such as unapproachable or ornery—neither of which I ever experienced by the way.

GA—as most affectionately call him—wasn’t much for small talk, especially while he was working, but he never avoided fielding questions from the media.  However, if you asked what he might consider a silly or stupid question, Anderson usually responded with biting sarcasm, looks of disgust or both.

In a time when perception equals reality, Anderson is likely not remembered as the All-American male, but rather the modern day unappreciative professional athlete. When what he actually should be remembered as is a Southern California kid who became Mr. Angel.

Sure, franchise home run king Tim Salmon generally holds that title within the Angels fan base, but Anderson’s numbers would suggest otherwise.

Anderson—who spent the last two seasons with the Braves (2010) and the Dodgers (2009)—retires as the Angels’ the all-time leader in games (2,013), at-bats (7,989), runs (1,024), hits (2,368), total bases (3,743), extra-base hits (796), doubles (489) and RBI (1,292). 

He is also tied for third in average with Johnny Ray at .296, third in triples (35) and second in home runs (272).

In addition to being a three-time All-Star (2002-2003, 2005), All-Star Game MVP and Home Run Derby Champion (2003), The Sporting News “Rookie of the Year” (1995), and a two-time Silver Slugger Award winner (2002-2003), Anderson also set the Angels franchise record for most grand slams (8), most RBI in a game (10), and most consecutive games with a RBI (12).

Anderson just didn’t make a few marks in the Angels record book, he practically rewrote it.

"Garret's role in where the Angels organization is today cannot be overstated,” said Angels manager Mike Scioscia.  “He had a tremendous passion to play this game and a deep understanding of how to play to win and that was very important to this organization.”

And the Angels organization—as well as its fans—remains just as important to Anderson.

“To the Autry family, thank you for taking a chance and letting me play at the raw age of 22,” Anderson said in a statement.  “To Disney and Mr. & Mrs. Moreno, thank you for allowing me to play most of my career in an Angel uniform. 

“To all the managers and coaches, both in the minor and big leagues, and players that had a hand in my success, thank you.  To the Angel fans, I want to apologize for being somewhat difficult to read at times and thank you for your support even still.  I’ve appreciated your encouragement over the years.”

So move over King Fish, there’s a new Mr. Angel in town, and his name is Garret Anderson.

DODGERS ANNUAL COMMUNITY CARAVAN PRESENTED BY USC UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL SET FOR FEBRUARY 14-15

                   

LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers will embark on their eighth annual Community Caravan on Monday, February 14 and Tuesday, February 15. This year’s Dodgers Community Caravan presented by USC University Hospital is themed “Two Days of Community Service” where current and former Dodger players will join Dodger fans in giving back to Los Angeles Community.  

 

Monday, February 14

 

Day one of the Dodgers Community Caravan will feature Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly and Dodgers Andre Ethier and James Loney. Hall of Fame Manager and Special Advisor to the Chairman Tommy Lasorda alongside former Dodgers Steve Garvey, Bobby Castillo, Tommy Davis, Kenny Landreaux and Rudy Law and Dodger broadcaster Steve Lyons will also participate.

 

10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.        Los Angeles River Cleanup (Public must pre-register for a chance to participate)

 

The Dodgers in partnership with Los Angeles City Council District 1, Councilmember Ed P. Reyes and Los Angeles Conservation Corps/Los Angeles River Keepers will clean up the banks of the L.A. River.

 

Dodger fans must pre-register online to participate. The event is open to the first 250 registrants that sign up at www.dodgers.com/caravan.

 

5:00 p.m.                                Lopez Tonight Taping in Burbank

 

The Dodgers will make an appearance on George Lopez’s national show to share their community service experiences.

 

Tuesday, February 15

 

Dodgers Rafael Furcal, Matt Kemp, Tony Gwynn Jr., Jay Gibbons and Gabe Kapler will join former Dodgers Fernando Valenzuela, Ron Cey, Derrel Thomas, “Sweet” Lou Johnson and Special Advisor to the Chairman Don Newcombe in the Los Angeles community for day two of the Dodgers Community Caravan. Dodger broadcasters Charley Steiner and Pepe Yñiguez will also partake.

 

10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.        Heal the Bay, Santa Monica (Public must pre-register for a chance to participate)

                                               

Dodger fans will join the Dodgers on a Heal the Bay cleanup at Santa Monica beach. The event is open to the first 750 fans that register online at www.healthebay.org/events. Participants will receive a raffle ticket for a chance to win autographed baseballs, Dodger tickets and raffle items at the day’s event.

 

4:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.       Dodgers Dreamfield Dedication Ceremony at Northridge Recreation Center

 

                                                The Dodgers Dream Foundation will dedicate its 10^th Dodgers Dreamfield at the Northridge Recreation Center. Councilman Greig Smith will join and youngsters from the community will participate in the field’s first clinic with the Dodgers who will instruct them on the fundamentals of baseball.

 

More information on the Dodgers Dream Foundation and the club’s charitable endeavors can be found at dodgers.com/community.

DODGERS PRIDE NIGHT WITH THE L.A. KINGS

Dodger Manager Don Mattingly will drop the puck at the start of the game

WHAT:          The Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Kings will present the second annual Dodgers Pride Night at Staples Center on Thursday, January 13 as the Kings host the St. Louis Blues. Dodger Manager Don Mattingly will drop the puck at the start of the game and former Dodger Billy Ashley will sign autographs for fans in the concourse before and during the game. Dodger staff will be on hand at the autograph booths to answer questions for fans about 2011 Dodger ticket packages. In addition, Dodger-themed elements will be incorporated into the Kings’ in-game entertainment.

Several of the Dodgers’ top minor league prospects will also be in attendance and Kings President and NHL Hall of Famer Luc Robitaille will meet with the group during the game.

WHEN:          This Thursday, January 13

6:00 – 7:30 p.m. – Former Dodger Billy Ashley signs autographs for fans

                        7:10 p.m. – Don Mattingly puck drop and gametime

 

WHERE:       STAPLES Center

                        1111 S. Figueroa St.

                       

MISC:            Tickets for Dodgers Pride Night come with a limited edition Dodgers Pride Night

puck. Ticket information and event details can be found at www.dodgers.com/kings, as will information about a Kings Night at Dodger Stadium in 2011.

 

The Dodgers and Kings both gave away prize packages via Twitter in the days leading up to Dodgers Pride Night. Yesterday, the Kings gave away a James Loney autographed baseball on their Twitter account (www.twitter.com/LAKings) and earlier this afternoon the Dodgers gave away a Wayne Simmonds autographed puck and a James Loney autographed baseball on their Twitter account (www.twitter.com/Dodgers).

 

The Kings are also hosting a VIP contest on their Facebook page this week where fans can win a prize package that includes tickets to the game, dinner, VIP passes, a James Loney autographed ball, a team-signed Kings jersey and a meet-and-greet with Kings President of Business Operations and NHL Hall of Famer Luc Robitaille and the Dodgers’ top prospects. To enter, visit www.facebookcom/LAKings.

Media interesting in covering the event should contact Jeff Moeller at jmoeller@lakings.com, Mike Kalinowski at mkalinowski@lakings.com or Jeremy Zager at jzager@lakings.com.

The Things You Consider When Traveling

Traveling for work can be either a perk or a hassle—depending on your job and where you have to go.  For me, traveling with professional sports teams is definitely a perk.  Flying charter is one of life’s cool little luxuries, especially when someone else is paying for it.

However, there are a couple of drawbacks to staying on the go. For one, my wife misses me while I’m gone--at least that’s what she tells me.  And even if she’s only saying that to stroke my ego, who am I to stop her?

Another issue with constant travel is losing track of the days of the week and dates of the month.  I don’t know about you, but when I travel, I have a hard time keeping up with Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  I’m much more in touch with yesterday, today and tomorrow. 

And don’t even think about trying to ask me for the date.  If it’s not my birthday or a major holiday (my wife’s birthday falls into this category, by the way), I would have a better shot of telling you the numeric value for pi than the day’s date.  Thankfully, for me however, my iPhone has a handy dandy calendar feature.  So I may not know the answer, but I can quickly look it up.

I raise this last issue with work travel because I recently realized I haven’t posted a blog lately.  When you can’t keep up with the days of the week, it’s a lot harder to realize how much time has gone by from one moment to the next.

So to make up for lost time, I thought it might be best to share some of my random thoughts, questions and musings from the past several days. 

*    Did you know that no Phil Jackson-coached championship team has ever lost 4 games in a row?

*    Following the Clippers win over San Antonio Wednesday, LA held a 3-9 record over teams currently sporting a record over .500.  While Miami carried only a 1-7 mark over winning teams.

*    With players such as Blake Griffin, Shannon Brown, Russell Westbrook, LeBron James and Derrick Rose roaming the court today, I believe we are witnessing the most athletic era the NBA has ever seen.

*    Speaking of Blake Griffin, can you ever remember someone getting so many standing ovations on missed dunks and shots?
 

*    You have to give Dodgers owner Frank McCourt credit for staying true to his word.  He has said throughout his divorce proceedings, that his personal matters would not affect the team’s willingness and desire to bolster the roster.  And the recent off-season acquisitions definitely support his earlier statement.

  

*    I realize the BCS is a crock and bowl games are only concerned about selling the most tickets, but if Stanford doesn’t get to play in the Rose Bowl, it would be nothing short of a travesty.

*    Karl Dorrell’s record after his third season at UCLA was 22-15 overall and 14-10 in the PAC-10. Rick Neuheisel currently stands at 15-21 overall and 8-18 in conference.  So does that mean next season will be Neuheisel’s last if he doesn’t rally for double-digits wins?

*    I heard that some USC fans are a bit upset because the NCAA didn’t punish Auburn and Cam Newton after discovering that Newton’s father soliciting money from schools trying to sign this year’s Heisman Trophy front-runner.  But remember this, Reggie Bush and OJ Mayo knowingly accepted cash and other benefits directly.  There’s no evidence that Newton has done the same or even knew about his father’s attempts to secure money.  It may not be apples and oranges, but it’s definitely apples and pears.
 

*    And finally, I heard that Dancing With The Stars is considering adding Todd Palin to the show’s next lineup of contestants.  No offense to Sarah Palin’s husband or her daughter, Bristol, for that matter, but if they are going to continue to feature such “stars” (and that goes for “The Situation” too), then they should change the name of the show to Dancing With People Who Aren’t Really Stars But Can Still Bring In Big Ratings.

DODGERS ANNOUNCE 2011 COACHING STAFF

--Six former Dodgers, including newcomers Davey Lopes and Dave Hansen, highlight a staff with 176 combined seasons of big league experience--

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers today announced their Major League coaching staff for the 2011 campaign under new manager Don Mattingly. The staff consists of four coaches that will be entering their first season on the Dodgers’ big league staff, including two former Major League managers and four coaches that have served a combined 42 years with the Dodgers on the Major League coaching level. The staff has logged 176 combined seasons playing, coaching or managing in the Major Leagues.

“I’m extremely excited about this coaching staff, which has a great combination of experience and youth that will create a positive environment for our team,” said Mattingly. “We’ve been able to reach back and bring in a number of coaches with Dodger roots and that’s one of the things that was very important to us. Not just the quality of the people and the experience they bring with them, but the history of this organization – where it came from and where we want to go.”


The coaches:

Dave Hansen – Hitting Instructor (first season)

Trey Hillman – Bench Coach (first season)

Rick Honeycutt – Pitching Coach (sixth season)

Ken Howell – Bullpen Coach (fourth season)

Davey Lopes – First Base Coach (first season)

Manny Mota – Coach (32nd season)

Jeff Pentland – Hitting Coach (fourth season)

Tim Wallach – Third Base Coach (first season)

Rob Flippo – Bullpen Catcher (10th season)

Mike Borzello – Bullpen Catcher (fourth season)


Hillman, 47, will begin his first season as the Dodgers’ bench coach after managing the Kansas City Royals from 2008-2010 (152-207). Prior to being named the 15th skipper in Royals’ history, Hillman piloted the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters from 2003-07 in the Japanese Pacific League. While in Japan, Hillman led the Fighters to the Japan series title in 2006, the club’s first championship since 1962. The Texas native compiled a .520 winning percentage and reached the playoffs in three of five seasons with Hokkaido Nippon while being named the Japan’s “Sportsman of the Year” by the Foreign Sportswriters of Japan in 2006. Hillman was the Rangers’ Director of Player Development in 2002 and was a skipper in the New York Yankees’ organization for 12 seasons from 1990-2001. While with the Yankees, Hillman compiled a record of 855-761 (.529), leading his teams to eight winning seasons and four postseason appearances. The former minor league shortstop won the Florida State League (A) Manager of the Year in 1996 and the International League (AAA) Manager of the Year in 1999.     

Honeycutt, 56, will enter his sixth consecutive season as the Dodgers’ pitching coach, making him the longest tenured full-time coach on the Dodgers’ staff. Since Honeycutt became the pitching coach in 2006, his staff has posted a 3.90 ERA, which is the best in baseball over that time. In 2009, the Dodgers led the Major Leagues with a 3.41 ERA and a .233 opponents’ batting average while tying for second with 1,272 strikeouts.

Howell, 49, enters his fourth season as the bullpen coach for Los Angeles and since he took over in 2008, the club’s relievers own a Major League-best 3.49 ERA. In his three seasons, the bullpen ranks first in the National League with 90 wins and a .237 opponents’ batting average while ranking third with 1,432 strikeouts. In 2009, the Dodger bullpen led the Majors with a 3.12 ERA. Howell pitched for seven seasons in the Major Leagues, including five with Los Angeles and posted a 3.95 career ERA.

Lopes, 65, played in Los Angeles from 1972-82, becoming part of the longest-tenured infield in Major League history along with Steve Garvey, Bill Russell and Ron Cey from 1973-81. With the Dodgers, he led the NL in stolen bases two times (1976-77), won a Gold Glove (’78) and played in four consecutive All-Star games (1978-81). Lopes’ 413 stolen bases are the second most in Dodger history behind Maury Wills and in 1978 he had a stretch of 35 bases without getting caught, which was then a Major League record. After his retirement in 1987, Lopes was the first base coach in Texas (1988-91), Baltimore (1992-94) and San Diego (1995-99) before getting hired to manage the Brewers from 2000-2002 (144-195). Lopes returned to San Diego from 2003-05 as their first base coach and filled the same role for Washington (2006) and Philadelphia (2007-10). While in Philadelphia, the Phillies made the playoffs in each of Lopes’ four seasons as he served as the baserunning and outfield instructor. From 2007-10, Lopes coached the Phillies to a Major League-best 84.3 cumulative stolen base percentage (501 SB/93 CS) with the club leading the Majors in that category in each of his four seasons, including a big league single-season record of 87.9% (138 SB/19 CS) in 2007. Philadelphia’s outfielders led the Majors with 136 outfield assists during Lopes’ time with the club.

Pentland, 63, has served as the Dodgers’ hitting instructor under Mattingly since July 1, 2008. This year he will be the full-time hitting coach in his 14th season as a coach on the Major League level. Since Pentland has come aboard, the Dodgers are hitting .263, which is tied for second in the National League over that time. He has previously served as the hitting coach for the Cubs (1997-2002), Royals (2002-05) and Mariners (2005-08) following a career in scouting, player development and coaching at the collegiate level.

Wallach, 53, spent the last two seasons managing the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes. While in Albuquerque, Wallach compiled a record of 152-135 (.530) and set an Albuquerque franchise record with 80 victories in 2009. He was named the 2009 Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year as well as Baseball America’s “Best Manager Prospect.” The five-time NL All-Star spent 17 seasons in the Majors as a player, including four with the Dodgers (1993-96). In 2004-05 he was the Dodgers’ Major League hitting coach and prior to that he coached and managed the Dodgers’ Single-A affiliate at San Bernardino (1997-98), coached at his alma mater Cal State Fullerton (2000) and managed Single-A Rancho Cucamonga in the Angels’ organization (2001). Wallach’s three sons have followed in his footsteps as Matt catches in the Dodger organization, Brett pitches in the Chicago Cubs’ system and Chad is a freshman infielder/pitcher on the Cal State Fullerton baseball team.

Mota will enter his 32nd season as a coach with the Dodgers and 42nd year overall in the organization.  He donned a Dodger uniform as a player in parts of 13 seasons from 1969-80 and 1982 and finished his career as the all-time leading pinch-hitter in Major League history. His tenure as a coach is the longest in Los Angeles Dodger history, as he has served as the club’s bench coach and hitting coach at various times during his career.

Hansen, 41, played 11 seasons with the Dodgers (1990-96, 1999-2002) during his 15-year Major League career and ranks sixth all-time with 139 career pinch-hits, including Dodger team records for most pinch-hits in a season (18 in 1993), pinch-hits in a career (110) and pinch-hit homers in a season (7 in 2000). Hansen joins the Dodger organization after four years in the Diamondbacks’ minor league system and the last three as their minor league hitting coordinator. He retired as player following the 2005 season and began his coaching career in 2007 as the hitting coach with Arizona’s Double-A affiliate, Mobile, where his hitters led the Southern League with a .271 batting average.

Flippo, 44, and Borzello, 40, will return as the bullpen catchers for their 10th and fourth seasons, respectively.

DODGERS SIGN TED LILLY

--2010 trade acquisition and former Dodger farmhand returns to Los Angeles through 2013--

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers announced today that they have signed left-handed pitcher Ted Lilly to a three-year contract. General Manager Ned Colletti made the announcement.

“Ted helped stabilize our rotation both in terms of his pitching ability and his leadership,” said Colletti. “He gave us everything we were looking for in a veteran pitcher down the stretch last season.” 

Lilly, 34, went 7-4 with a 3.52 ERA in 12 starts for the Dodgers after being acquired from the Cubs with Ryan Theriot in exchange for Blake DeWitt, Kyle Smit and Bret Wallach hours before the trade deadline. The left-hander won his first five starts with Los Angeles from Aug. 3-24, becoming the first Dodger pitcher to do so since Kazuhisa Ishii won his first six starts with the team in 2002. Lilly received the lowest run support in the Major Leagues at just 2.88 runs per game and allowed three runs or less in 22 of his 30 outings.

Overall, the southpaw finished 10-12 with a 3.62 ERA in 30 combined starts with the Dodgers and Cubs.

The Torrance native has reached double figures in victories in each of the past eight seasons, including 12 or more wins in six of the last eight, since 2003.  The only other pitchers in the Major Leagues to have double figures in victories over the last eight consecutive seasons are C.C. Sabathia (2001-10), Johan Santana (2003-10), Derek Lowe (2002-10), Mark Buehrle (2001-10), Jon Garland (2002-10), John Lackey (2003-10) and Javier Vazquez (2000-10).   He owns a 113-96 career record and a 4.18 ERA in 12 seasons with the Expos, Yankees, A’s, Blue Jays, Cubs and Dodgers.

Lilly’s .587 winning percentage (54-38) since 2007 ranks eighth among all big league left-handers and his 103 victories since 2003 are tied for 12th among all active pitchers.

At Dodger Stadium, Lilly tossed a two-hit shutout on Aug. 19 and went 4-1 with a 2.09 ERA (10 ER/43.0 IP) in six starts. While in a Dodger uniform, the opposition hit just .163 against him at home.

This season, Lilly tossed at least 6.0 innings in 24 of his 30 starts and went at least 7.0 frames in 15 of the 30 outings. He walked just 44 batters in 193.2 innings for an average of 2.04 walks per nine innings, the second-lowest mark in the National League behind Roy Halladay (1.08).

Lilly joined the Dodgers on July 31, 2010, 12 years to the day that he was traded as a minor league farmhand. On July 31, 1998, Los Angeles acquired Mark Grudzielanek, Carlos Perez and Hiram Bocachica from the Montreal Expos in exchange for Lilly, Peter Bergeron and Jonathon Tucker.

While with the Cubs on June 14 of this season, Lilly took a no-hitter into the ninth inning before the White Sox’ Juan Pierre came off the bench to break up the bid. On May 10, 1997, Lilly threw a no-hitter against Lake Elsinore for Single-A San Bernardino in the Dodgers’ farm system.

Lilly lives in Oakhurst, CA with his wife Natasha and their seven-month-old son, Ted Lilly, IV.

Year-end Thoughts On The Dodgers

I attended my last Dodgers game of the season Sunday.  While the team still has a few more games to play, my year-long assignment of covering the Dodgers is now complete as I will soon start the transition to my NBA duties, along with a handful of Angels games remaining on my schedule.

As I watched the Dodgers rally for an 11-inning, 7-6 win over the Rockies, several thoughts pertaining to the team ran through my mind.  Here they are, starting at the top.


foxsportswest.com: Year-end Thoughts On The Dodgers

Get your Dodgers Autographs; Players Out And About Next Week

Next week, there will be several opportunities to meet the Dodgers in the greater L.A. area, starting with an appearance by Kenley Jansen at Paul’s TV store in Monrovia from 12-1 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 19. 

The following day, infielder Jamey Carroll will sign for fans at the Staples on Santa Monica Blvd. in Los Angeles from 12-1 p.m. and catcher A. J. Ellis will do the same at the Hyundai dealership in Glendora.   

www.dodgers.com

It's Time To Give The Padres Some Credit

Leading into and following Monday's 10-4 home loss to the Padres--which extended LA's losing skid to 6 games--most fans and members of the media were talking about all the things the Dodgers weren't doing.  They aren't scoring runs.  Pitchers aren't going deep enough into games.  No one knows how to properly run the bases.

While all of those statements may be true, collectively they may still not explain why the Dodgers entered Tuesday 9 games back of  San Diego for the NL West division lead and 7 games back of San Francisco in the wildcard race.

Obviously the Dodgers poor play has attributed greatly to their disappointing performance this year, but the main reason LA has fallen so far behind the San Diego is rather simple and quite obvious.

foxsportswest.com: It's Time To Give The Padres Some Credit

52nd Annual Hollywood Stars Game To Return To Baseball

--Star-studded lineups to play on the field at Dodger Stadium--


LOS ANGELES – Top celebrities in film, television, music, and sports will come together at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, August 7, to play in the 52nd annual Hollywood Stars Game. This marks the return of celebrity baseball at Dodger Stadium, which had been converted to softball in recent years. The Hollywood Stars game will begin at 5:00 p.m. followed by the Dodgers versus Nationals game at 7:10 p.m.

The full roster of stars is still being set, but celebrities scheduled to appear in the game include: Laker legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Billy Crystal (“City Slickers,” “When Harry Met Sally”), Kevin James (“The Zookeeper,” “Grown Ups,” “The King of Queens”), Joe Mantegna (“Criminal Minds,” “The Starter Wife”), Thomas Jane (“Hung”), Jon Hamm (“Mad Men”), Director Rob Reiner (“The Bucket List,” “Rumor Has It,” “A Few Good Men,” “When Harry Met Sally”), Jack Black (“Tropic Thunder,” “Nacho Libre,” “King Kong”), Director Garry Marshall (“Valentine’s Day,” “Pretty Woman,”), Gabriel Macht (“One Way to Valhalla,” “Whiteout”), Taylor Hoechlin (“Lincoln Heights,” “My Boys”), Simon Helberg (“The Big Bang Theory”) and Sean Astin (“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, “24”).

All fans with tickets to the August 7 game can come early for the Hollywood Stars Game.

The Dodgers continue to welcome the Hollywood community to Dodger Stadium throughout the season. In 2008, the Dodgers became the first sports franchise ever to receive an Award of Excellence star on Hollywood Boulevard. Presented by the Hollywood Historic Trust and the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, the Dodgers were recognized for their significant contributions to the community of Los Angeles. Also in 2008, the Dodgers received an Emmy Award, the Governor’s Award presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. The Dodgers’ relationships throughout Hollywood have helped secure Dodger Stadium as a favorite destination of Los Angeles celebrities.

   

DODGERS SELECT RIGHT-HANDED PITCHER ZACH LEE WITH FIRST-ROUND PICK OF 2010 FIRST-YEAR PLAYER DRAFT

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers today selected McKinney (Texas) High School right-handed pitcher Zach Lee with their first-round pick (28th overall) in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft.  Assistant General Manager, Scouting Logan White made the announcement.

Lee, a 6-foot-4, 195-pounder, was a two-sport athlete in high school, starring in both football and baseball. The 18-year-old won 11 games during his senior season with a 2.15 ERA and 90 strikeouts. He throws three different pitches for strikes, including an effective breaking pitch and changeup. As a quarterback, Lee passed for 2,565 years and 31 touchdowns last fall and has committed to play both sports at Louisiana State University.

“We are happy to have selected such a fine competitive young man and athlete such as Zach,” said White. “He has a chance to be a quality Major League pitcher.”

Lee entered the draft as the 14th-best right-handed pitcher and ranked 29th overall among draft-eligible prospects according to Baseball America.

The Dodgers have selected a pitcher with their first pick in each of the last eight seasons, including four Texans (Kershaw, Withrow, Miller and Lee) in the past five years:



2003        Chad Billingsley (24th overall)

2004        Scott Elbert (17th overall)

2005        Luke Hochevar (40th overall)

2006        Clayton Kershaw (seventh overall)

2007        Chris Withrow (20th overall)

2008        Ethan Martin (15th overall)

2009        Aaron Miller (36th overall)

2010        Zach Lee (28th overall)

DODGERS INVITE FAMILIES TO THE 7th ANNUAL FATHER’S DAY CATCH ON JUNE 20

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers invite families on to the field at Dodger Stadium for the seventh annual Father’s Day Catch on June 20.  The event, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., is free and provides families with the opportunity to play catch at Dodger Stadium in celebration of Father’s Day. Dodger partner Farmer John is donating Dodger dogs for the occasion, Sparkletts will provide water bottles and Coca Cola will supply PowerAde.

Fans can park for free at Dodger Stadium on Father’s Day. The Sunset Gate opens at 10 a.m. and families enter through the center field gates. Music, merchandise, the Dodger Ticket truck and Dodger fan clubs will be on site for the event. The first 3,000 fans in attendance will get a complimentary Dodger dog.

The Dodgers have been the team of several Dodger fathers and sons including Dolph Camilli (1938-43) and Doug Camilli (1960-64), Al Campanis (1943) and Jim Campanis (1966-68), and Dick Schofield (1966-67) and Dick Schofield Jr. (1995).  Current Dodger minor league shortstop Ivan DeJesus Jr.’s father, Ivan DeJesus Sr. played with Los Angeles from 1974-76, while fellow minor leaguer Preston Mattingly is the son of Dodger Hitting Coach Don Mattingly.  The Dodgers also have a trio of members from the Wallach family, as Triple-A Albuquerque manager Tim Wallach, who played for the Dodgers from 1993-96 and served as the batting coach from 2004-05, has two sons, Matt Wallach (Single-A), and Brett Wallach (Single-A) in the organization.

Lima Time Was Always a Good Time

It's still somewhat hard to believe that between 1989 and 2004, Jose Lima was the only pitcher to win a playoff game for the Dodgers.  Perhaps, it's even harder still to believe, that Lima passed away over the weekend at the age of 37.

I was in St. Louis with the Angels when the news first broke.  Players and coaches on both sides weren't just surprised.  They were stunned and saddened.

The fiery right-hander was never the best pitcher in the game during his 13 MLB seasons. He would tell you that. But he was also far from the worst. He won 21 games for the Astros in 1999 when he was a National League All-Star and finished fourth in Cy Young Award balloting.
What Lima may have been, however, was the game's best character during his playing days. You would be hard-pressed to find another player of his generation who brought more personality to every game, every start, and every pitch than Lima.
 
He didn't wear his emotions on his sleeves.  His emotions wore him.

foxsportswest.com: Lima Time Was Always a Good Time

Until Armed, Dodgers and Angels Unlikely To Be Dangerous

With all the playoff noise the Lakers have been making, I will forgive some of you if you haven't exactly been paying much attention to the 2010 baseball season.  Considering how poorly both the Dodgers and Angels have been playing to start the season, you might be doing yourself a favor.

As of Tuesday, the Dodgers and the Angels are a combined 6 games under .500, with both teams just one step out of the division cellar -- the same divisions both were supposed to win yet again this season.

Despite their close proximity and current common ties (Mike Scioscia, Mickey Hatcher, Garret Anderson, Jeff Weaver, et al), there usually aren't that many similarities between the two teams.  But this year, our two LA-area teams are suffering from the same ailment:  poor pitching.

foxsportswest.com: Until Armed, Dodgers and Angels Unlikely To Be Dangerous