LOS ANGELES DODGERS CLIPS
MONDAY, JUNE 11, 2012
DODGERS.COM
Ethier's slam propels Billingsley, LA to victory
Dodgers pad MLB's best record in closing road trip at 7-3
By Ken Gurnick / MLB.com | 6/10/2012 8:40 PM ET
SEATTLE -- So, that's why Matt Kemp wants Andre Ethier on his National League squad for the State Farm Home Run Derby.
A slumping Ethier slugged his fourth career grand slam with two outs on a 3-2 pitch Sunday to cap a six-run second inning that capped
an 8-2 Dodgers Interleague win over the Mariners that capped a 7-3 trip for the winningest team in baseball.
Ethier, who came into the game 4-for-33, snapped a 17-game home run drought with the blast off Blake Beavan, providing a
comfortable cushion for Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley, who followed his win over Cliff Lee and the Phillies with a two-hitter for
seven innings.
After getting swept in four games by Milwaukee at home, the Dodgers set out on this 10-game, three-city trip that started with a 13-3
collapse in Colorado.
"This could have been a dangerous trip for us," said manager Don Mattingly, whose club is again five games in front in the NL West
and 17 above .500 at 39-22.
"We were in a little bit of a spiral when it started, coming off four losses at home. In Colorado, you usually burn up your bullpen. On to
Philly, a championship club and it's tough to play there. And you come here, Interleague, you never know."
Despite losing two of three against the Rockies, the Dodgers somehow swept four in Philadelphia and won a series against the
Mariners even while being no-hit.
Billingsley (4-4), who went nine starts without a win, now has two straight victories after striking out eight Mariners.
"His trouble in the past, when he gets a lead, he sometimes gives it back," Mattingly said. "I felt like he was on attack today."
The only run Billingsley allowed came on Kyle Seager's first-inning home run and the last hit he allowed was Justin Smoak's single
leading off the second inning. He walked three.
"The key is getting my off-speed pitches over for strikes," Billingsley said. "I feel the same as I did four or five starts ago, but I'm
throwing those curves and sliders and changeups over for strikes. When I'm not able to, it makes it harder to pitch."
Billingsley got off to a similar start in his previous game in Philadelphia by allowing a first-inning run, this one coming on the two-out
homer by Seager, brother of new Dodgers first-round Draft pick Corey Seager.
"He's got the whole arsenal," Seager said of Billingsley. "He's got pretty much all the pitches and definitely mixes it up on you well. He
throws them all for strikes. He's a good pitcher."
With the big lead, Billingsley allowed only one more runner in scoring position.
"He was really aggressive, attacking the zone," catcher A.J. Ellis said. "Having good command of the off-speed pitches, against a lot of
lefties like they have it's a big pitch for him."
The Dodgers turned the game around in the second. Bobby Abreu doubled, tagged to third on James Loney's lineout to center, Adam
Kennedy walked and Abreu scored on a two-out single by Tony Gwynn. Dee Gordon blooped a single to shallow left to score Kennedy
from second.
Seager cut off Mike Carp's throw and dived to tag out Gwynn at third, but dropped the ball as Gwynn was safe and Gordon took
second. Elian Herrera walked and Ethier followed with his 10th homer, turning a 2-1 lead into a 6-1 margin. He leads the NL with 52
RBIs.
"At that point, early in the game, that at-bat was just a game-changer right there," Mattingly said of the slam. "It took the pressure off
'Bills' and he could go out there and put up zeros."
The slump Ethier brought into the game pretty much coincided with Kemp being placed on the disabled list for a second time with a
strained hamstring. In other words, clubs are pitching around him, which wasn't easy to do when he came to the plate with the bases
loaded.
"Their plan backfired," Ethier said of the opposition strategy, which contributed to Saturday's five RBIs from Jerry Hairston, batting
behind Ethier in the order.
"They didn't want to be aggressive with me, so they are aggressive with the other guys and it's good to have guys here that step up.
Hairston and I were laughing, I don't have any hits and they're still pitching to him and he's banging balls off the wall. It's good to see
that backfire when you get pitched around and guys pick you up."
The Dodgers added to their lead in the eighth. Loney's RBI single cashed in Abreu's second double of the game. Ellis blooped a single
and Kennedy singled home Loney.
Dodgers likely to get Uribe back on Monday
By Ken Gurnick / MLB.com
SEATTLE -- Juan Uribe's arthritic left wrist appears healed and Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said he expects the third baseman to
rejoin the club Monday or Tuesday at the latest.
Mattingly said he's ready to insert Uribe back into the starting lineup, unless the player feels he needs an extra day off. Uribe's return
will dislodge Elian Herrera from the hot corner for most games and require optioning back to the Minor Leagues either Alex
Castellanos or Ivan De Jesus Jr., most likely Castellanos.
Uribe went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and a sacrifice fly in the third and final game of his rehab assignment Sunday for Class A Rancho
Cucamonga.
"Juan's pretty much the everyday guy," Mattingly said. "He's the best defender there, and when he's healthy he was swinging the bat
good. I still think I'll go back to him. That's the plan."
Mattingly, however, said he will continue to utilize the surprising Herrera, both to spell Uribe at third and more in the outfield.
"He needs to be in the outfield more, taking fly balls again [before games]," Mattingly said. "Same with Jerry [Hairston], get him back
in the mix in left field. Elian can come off the bench late in a game. When we get back into National League games, he can pinch-hit.
He fits into that mix pretty good."
Mattingly said he likes what he's seen from Castellanos but implied he just needs more seasoning, especially after missing a month
with a strained hamstring.
"He needs to keep playing," Mattingly said. "He hasn't been in the outfield much this year, they're trying to make him a second
baseman. He's played fearless up here, aggressive. He still has work to do and at times his swing gets long and they throw the ball by
him."
Mattingly takes Ethier's road slump in stride
SEATTLE -- Dodgers manager Don Mattingly concedes that Andre Ethier is slumping without Matt Kemp in the lineup, but the good
news is that Ethier hasn't destroyed any dugout equipment in anger over it.
"The thing that's encouraging is that he hasn't been fighting himself. His at-bats are competitive," Mattingly said. "The results may not
be coming out the way he wants. But that we haven't had [outbursts] tells me it's just a matter of time before he gets hits again. He
can hit two bullets today and be off again."
After going 1-for-5 in Sunday's 8-2 win, including a grand slam for his first homer since May 21, Ethier finished the 10-game road trip
5-for-38, his average falling from .324 to .292.
"Obviously I'm concerned to the point where I want him to start to hit," Mattingly said. "But he's also been through enough to know
that guys get hot and cold. It's been a little bit of a rough trip and he went into a funk. It's not like he's done. Just concerned enough to
make sure he gets what he needs, like the other day a breather [as DH] to get his body to come back."
For Sunday's game, Mattingly had Ethier bat third, with Jerry Hairston coming off a five-RBI game behind him as cleanup.
"I'm always trying to get them to pitch to him and not pitch around him too much without Matt," Mattingly said. "Even if Matt's here,
trying to get him pitches to hit."
Kemp asks Ethier to join him for HR Derby
SEATTLE -- Injured Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp said he has invited teammate Andre Ethier to participate in the State Farm Home
Run Derby.
Kemp, named captain of the National League team after leading the league in home runs last year, said he is still analyzing who will fill
out the lineup.
Among candidates Kemp is considering: St. Louis' Carlos Beltran (who leads the NL with 17 home runs); Miami's Giancarlo Stanton;
Atlanta second baseman Dan Uggla; and Colorado outfielder Carlos Gonzalez. Others among league home run leaders: Milwaukee's
Ryan Braun and Corey Hart; Cincinnati's Jay Bruce; and Philadelphia's Hunter Pence.
Kemp intends to participate, even though he is expected to miss most of the month of June with a pulled hamstring and even though
he was a bust in last year's Home Run Derby.
"Andre would be really good in that," manager Don Mattingly said of Ethier's swing. "Matt is not good in a home run contest. He
doesn't pull. Try winning that contest going to right-center. All the guys who win pull everything."
In the first All-Star balloting updates released last week, Kemp led all NL vote-getters with 1,952,910. Ethier was fourth among
outfielders, behind Kemp, Beltran and Braun.
Valentin among 11 Draft signings for Dodgers
SEATTLE -- The Dodgers announced the signings of 11 recent draftees, including supplemental pick shortstop Jesmuel Valentin, the
51st overall selection and the son of former Dodger Jose Valentin.
The recommended slot bonus for the 51st pick was $984,700. Valentin, from the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy and High School, was
committed to Louisiana State if he hadn't signed.
Also signed and headed to Arizona for mini-camp: pitcher Thomas Stripling (fifth round); outfielder Theo Alexander (seventh round),
who took batting practice with the big league club in Seattle on Saturday; outfielder Jeremy Rathjen (11th); shortstop Darnell Sweeney
(13th); pitcher Matthew Reckling (14th); pitcher Jacob Hermsen (28th); catcher John Cannon (29th); pitcher Jordan Hershiser (34th);
catcher Austin Cowen (35th); and outfielder Corey Embree (38th).
The 6-foot-8 Hershiser, out of USC, is the son of former Dodgers Cy Young winner Orel Hershiser.
Mota to hold charity golf tourney on Aug. 23
SEATTLE -- Dodgers coach Manny Mota's eighth annual Field of Dreams Charity Golf Tournament will be held Thursday, Aug. 23, at
California Country Club in Whittier.
All proceeds will benefit the Manny Mota International Foundation programs in the United States and Dominican Republic.
The mission of the Manny Mota International Foundation is to provide educational, health and recreational opportunities for the
underprivileged, especially disadvantaged youth. The Manny Mota Baseball Clinics program is used as the bridge to teach youth to
build healthy bodies and minds through positive role models and to teach self-discipline through sports, as well as provide
communities with the tools necessary for improvement and self-reliance.
For more information, contact Olivia Rios at golfplanner@mannymotagolf.com or Cecilia Mota at
ceciliamota@mannymotafoundation.org or visit mannymotagolf.com.
Angels, Dodgers set to kick off Freeway Series
By Joe McIntyre / MLB.com | 6/10/2012 8:00 PM ET
The Yankees and Mets have the Subway Series, the Cubs and White Sox have the Red Line series, and the Angels and Dodgers have
the Freeway Series, which kicks off on Monday at Dodger Stadium.
Starting on the road in last year's series, the Angels took the first game against the Dodgers en route to winning that series, 2-1, and
the season series, 4-2.
Overall, the Angels (32-29) have won nine of their last 12 games against the Dodgers (39-22). In their last 14 games at Dodger
Stadium, the Angels are 10-4, while holding a slim edge all-time at Chavez Ravine at 22-21.
"The rivalry part is kinda cool," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "That's the part I like. I think you get a little extra energy when
you play those guys. You get a mixture of our fans and their fans in both places. I wish we could have caught [the Angels] early. They
struggled, but they've righted the ship."
Coming off of a sweep of the Rockies in Colorado, the Angels are riding a nine-game winning streak on the road, tying them for their
second longest in club history. They won 11 straight away from home in July and August of 1988.
After starting the season 13-17, the Angels are 19-12 in their last 31 games, while cutting the Rangers' lead in the American League
West from 6 1/2 games to three.
"We're out there having fun," center fielder Mike Trout said. "It's exciting when you're winning, and the team chemistry is awesome
right now."
Angels: Offense bruising the opposition
• The Angels have scored six or more runs and have had 10 or more hits in each of their last six games. During that span, the team is 42, while outscoring the opposition 46-32.
• Over his last 19 games, Albert Pujols has hit .357 (25-for-70) with eight doubles, six home runs, 18 RBIs and 10 walks, to raise his
season average from .211 to .256.
• The Angels will send righty Garrett Richards (1-0) out to start the series against the Dodgers. In his first start filling in for the injured
Jered Weaver, he allowed one run and struck out eight over seven innings last Tuesday against the Mariners.
Dodgers: Uribe could return Monday
• Mattingly said he expects third baseman Juan Uribe to rejoin the club on Monday, or Tuesday at the latest.
Unless he feels he needs an extra day off, Mattingly said he plans to put Uribe back in the starting lineup and get him playing for the
first time since May 13, when he was sidelined by a left-wrist injury.
"Juan's pretty much the everyday guy," Mattingly said. "He's the best defender there, and when he's healthy, he was swinging the bat
good. I still think I'll go back to him. That's the plan."
• The Dodgers will send lefty Chris Capuano to face the Angels for the first time this season. In his last start, Capuano went five innings
against the Phillies, giving up four runs, all of which came via three home runs.
Worth Noting
• Mark Trumbo set a career-high with six RBIs in the series finale against the Rockies on Sunday, with two three-run home runs.
• The Angels have had four players with multi-home run games this week after not having any through the first 55 games of the
season. Trumbo has done it twice, and Kendrys Morales and Torii Hunter have done it once.
• Andre Ethier's grand slam on Sunday was his first home run since May 21.
LA TIMES
Dodgers end 10-day trip with 8-2 victory over Mariners
L.A. gets a grand slam from Andre Ethier and a strong pitching effort from Chad Billingsley to win the series against Seattle. The
Dodgers finish the trip 7-3 and maintain the best record in baseball.
By Jim Peltz
June 10, 2012, 6:30 p.m.
SEATTLE — It was a 10-day trip that started with the Dodgers' fifth consecutive loss and later included the team being on the losing
end of a no-hitter.
But the Dodgers overall reached more peaks than valleys on the trip, capped by an 8-2 win over the Seattle Mariners on Sunday that
was highlighted by Andre Ethier's grand slam and another strong effort by pitcher Chad Billingsley.
That gave the Dodgers a series win in Seattle and they finished the trip 7-3 to maintain the best record in baseball at 39-22.
The Dodgers also widened their lead over the San Francisco Giants, who lost to Texas on Sunday, to five games in the National League
West — the same cushion they had when they left Los Angeles.
The Dodgers flew home Sunday for six more interleague games at Dodger Stadium, starting with the Angels on Monday night.
"It ended up being a good trip," Manager Don Mattingly said. "We were in a little bit of a spiral when we started. It could have been a
dangerous trip."
Ethier, the NL leader in runs batted in with 52, had struggled at the plate during most of the trip but Sunday he helped give the
Dodgers a comfortable lead in the second inning.
Bobby Abreu led off the inning with a double against Seattle starter Blake Beavan (3-6) on a day when the roof was open at Safeco
Field. Two outs later, Adam Kennedy walked, Tony Gwynn Jr. singled home Abreu and Dee Gordon singled home Kennedy.
Elian Herrera walked to load the bases, and Ethier drove Beavan's 3-2 fastball into the right-field stands for his grand slam, the fourth
of his career and the first of the season for the Dodgers.
"That really set the tone for the rest of the game, it kind of put them on the back of their heels and we let Chad go out there and do
his work," Ethier said.
Billingsley held the Mariners to one run on two hits — one of them a solo home run by Kyle Seager in the first inning — in his seven
innings of work and Billingsley evened his record at 4-4. He struck out eight and walked three.
"In the past he's had some trouble in games like this where he gets a big lead and then tends to give it back, but today he stayed
aggressive," Mattingly said of Billingsley.
Billingsley, who also got the win last week against the Philadelphia Phillies by giving up one run in seven innings, said, "In the last start
and this start, the main thing was getting some off-speed [pitches] over for strikes . . . and taking them out of the [strike] zone when I
wanted to."
The Dodgers tacked on two runs in the eighth inning against Seattle reliever Brandon League when James Loney singled to drive in
pinch-runner Alex Castellanos and Kennedy later singled to score Loney.
Seattle scored another run in the ninth inning off rookie reliever Shawn Tolleson when Justin Smoak singled and then scored on
Michael Saunders' double.
Sports Q&A: Dodgers broadcasters Jaime and Jorge Jarrin
Jaime Jarrin, a Hall of Famer and the major leagues' first daily Spanish-language radio play-by-play man, has been working Dodgers
games since 1958. Now his son Jorge is part of their broadcast team.
By Lance Pugmire, Los Angeles Times
June 11, 2012
Jaime and Jorge Jarrin spent manyFather's Dayweekends apart, with Hall of Fame Spanish-language Dodgers broadcaster Jaime
working games while son Jorge grew up and later worked as KABC's helicopter traffic reporter, "Captain Jorge."
Now they're together, Jaime enriching his legacy as the nation's first daily Spanish-language radio play-by-play man by remaining on
Dodgers radio broadcasts, and Jorge taking over with color commentator Manny Mota on Fox Deportes' first-year television coverage
of 50 of the team's games.
Jaime, how has your job been now that you're working in the same press box with your son?
"I knew he'd be ready for it, not because he's my son, but because he's so responsible. It's a very good profession, a nice way of living,
and I'm so extremely pleased and proud he is following in my steps. I didn't have to teach him much, except to remind him it takes a
lot of preparation time to do the work. I tell him, 'Do the time.'"
What's it been like for you, Jorge, to have the influence of your legendary father?
"Those are some really big shoes to fill. I have rediscovered what my father loves about this game. The beautiful thing about baseball
is you have moments of great action, but also enough down time to have a conversation, which I enjoy doing. With Manny Mota —
celebrating 43 years with the Dodgers on Monday — I have the great pleasure with every pitch and every situation to get so engrossed
with the various angles of the game. I can understand why my father has done this for 54 years, and has no intention to stop it."
Jaime, what has kept you enjoying the game?
"I love what I do, and I feel very lucky to do what I do, to have the best seat in the stadium, and have such a huge following. To me, I'm
not just broadcasting a baseball game, but doing a public service. So many people out in L.A. work so hard all day. They come home
from work to relax and listen to a game. To have them listen to me, it's a privilege and I'll never get tired of it."
Jorge, being so close to your father's work now, what have you taken from the experience?
"That work is what keeps my father so engaged, so sharp. My father spent a lot of time away from us while I grew up. It was a
sacrifice. My mom held us together. But now I get to have dinner with my dad every night. I take so much pleasure in that."
Jaime, your legacy in Los Angeles — first as a valued newsman, being the voice of Fernandomania, the Hall of Fame — might be
obscured to some by the fact you've been on Spanish-language broadcasts, but it is incredibly deep. What do you consider your
richest memories?
"I was a news reporter before doing this. I put up a solid news department at KWKW. I covered a skyjacking of a Frontier Airlines plane
to L.A. The hijacker wanted to meet with me about releasing the passengers. I covered the funeral of JFK. The riots. I was never
looking for honor as a newsman for 10 years on the streets of Los Angeles. I just wanted to give back to the community. It's a huge
community, and for the Hispanic community, the radio was for a long time the only way we could communicate with each other. I am
very pleased I was part of that."
Jorge, you share that sense of community, I assume?
"We don't take things for granted. We feel the responsibility to open doors and get information out. When you think of the Latino
community, the whole reason it's grown so big is the American dream — a better life open for others. My father has been blessed to
impart this information. We know, for every one of me, there are 1,000 more who'd like to feel validated. Forty-eight percent of the
Dodger fan base is Latinos. It's very important. I can remember my father coming home from a deadly downtown protest, with pellet
marks on his roof from the bullets, him saying, 'You can't believe what I saw today.' My mom asked him, 'Why do this?' He said, 'I have
the opportunity. I need to be there.' Those are the times I think of on Father's Day. He and my mom, Blanca, provided such a solid
foundation."
Jorge, how do you acknowledge leaning on your father's wisdom, yet make it on your own?
"I used to go and sit next to him when he was broadcasting. I'd listen to him on the radio. I have that sense of responsibility going,
knowing what's expected. I do the same thing as him, but I try not to get in his way of the game calling it on TV. I'm not painting the
scene like he does. I'm a fan who has the opportunity to talk about it. There's a big difference: No one showed my father the ropes.
What he did was much tougher, establishing this."
Andre Ethier's slump ends with grand slam
The slugger hits a home run to cap the Dodgers' six-run second inning in an 8-2 win over Seattle. Ethier had batted .121 in the first
nine days of a 10-day trip, going four for 33.
By Jim Peltz
June 10, 2012, 5:55 p.m.
SEATTLE -- Until Sunday, it had been a rough trip for Andre Ethier as the Dodgers' right fielder struggled at the plate after a sizzling
start this season.
But Ethier and Manager Don Mattingly both said before Sunday's game that they were unconcerned, with Mattingly saying "it's just a
matter of time before he gets hot again."
That time came about three hours later when Ethier hit a grand slam to cap the Dodgers' six-run second inning in their 8-2 win over
the Seattle Mariners.
The homer lifted Ethier's runs batted in total to 52, still tops in the National League, and he now has 10 home runs for the season.
Before Sunday, Ethier had batted .121 (four for 33) in the first nine days of the 10-day trip, with no home runs and two doubles. His
season average had dropped to .294 from .324 when the trip began.
The grand slam "was a nice way to top it off," Ethier said of his recent slump.
Earlier in the trip, "I was hitting balls and squared up a few" but often "they were just not falling in," Ethier said. "And guys are pitching
me a little tougher and are not going to let me beat them on any count."
Ethier, who had season-ending surgery on his right knee last Sept. 14, said the slump did not stem from any sort of injury. "Everything
feels good, nothing is bothering me at all," he said.
During past slumps, Ethier, 30, has been prone to considerable frustration. But Mattingly said that wasn't the case on this trip, a
change "that is encouraging for me. He hasn't been fighting himself."
Ethier also confirmed that he was invited to this year's Home Run Derby at the All-Star game by teammate Matt Kemp, the derby's NL
captain. Kemp is currently on the disabled list.
Uribe due back
Third baseman Juan Uribe, who has been on the disabled list with a sore left wrist, could rejoin the club as early as Monday, Mattingly
said.
Uribe, out of the lineup since May 13, has been playing with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga as part of his rehabilitation.
Once he returns, Uribe is "pretty much the everyday guy over" at third base, Mattingly said. "He's our best defender over there. And
when he was healthy he was swinging the bat good."
But Mattingly said the Dodgers would continue to rest Uribe "a couple of days a week," which would allow "me the freedom to play
different guys" at third base.
Soler interest
The Dodgers are among several clubs interested in signing highly touted Cuban prospect Jorge Soler, according to people familiar with
the matter but who were not authorized to discuss it publicly.
Soler's decision about which team he'll join could come as early as this week, the sources said.
The 20-year-old outfielder, who's expected to sign a multiyear deal for upward of $20 million, also reportedly is being pursued by the
New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs, among other teams.
Angels-Dodgers rivalry intensified by teams' division standings
The Angels have won 14 of 18 since May 22 and trail AL-West leading Texas by three games. The Dodgers' seven-game NL West lead
over San Francisco on May 22 has decreased to five.
By Andrew Owens, Los Angeles Times
June 11, 2012
The Dodgers and Angels renew their interleague rivalry, opening a three-game series at Dodger Stadium on Monday with both clubs
contending in their divisions — but having arrived there by very different paths.
The Angels (32-29) have won 14 of 18 games since May 22 and now trail the American League West-leading Texas Rangers by three
games.
The Dodgers (39-22), who led the National League West by seven games May 22, are 10-9 since then and have seen their lead over the
San Francisco Giants dwindle to five games.
History is on the Angels' side. They have a 50-36 advantage in the series over the 15 years of interleague play, though Angels Manager
Mike Scioscia said he thinks that "too small of a sample size" to stake a claim of control in the rivalry.
"We play these guys six times a year, so I don't know if you can put any so-called dominance on anything when you play a team so few
games," he said. "They've certainly had good teams … at times we've matched up well against them, at times we haven't. But I
wouldn't read too much into it."
Scioscia, who played more games at catcher than any Dodger in the club's history, will be honored at Tuesday's game, which is Mike
Scioscia Bobblehead Night.
He's not the only participant who has switched allegiances between the teams over the years. One of his coaches, Alfredo Griffin, is a
former Dodger. And the Dodgers have in uniform Bobby Abreu, an Angel at the start of this season, and Adam Kennedy, who played a
key role in the Angels' 2002 World Series championship.
Abreu, 38, was hitting .208 and playing only occasionally in the Angels' crowded outfield when the team released him. The Dodgers
signed him May 4, and he has been a key contributor with Matt Kemp and Juan Rivera sitting out games because of injuries. As a
Dodger, Abreu is batting .326 with a .442 on-base percentage.
Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly said having both teams in contention energizes the fan bases.
"The rivalry is cool, that part I like," he said. "There's always just a little extra energy when you play those guys."
The fans seem to agree. David Siegel, the Dodgers' senior director of ticket sales, said the series is expected to draw nearly 150,000
fans.
ESPN.COM
Andre Ethier's grand slam fuels Dodgers' victory over Mariners
Associated Press
SEATTLE -- When manager Don Mattingly looked at what awaited on a 10-game road trip that spanned three time zones with his Los
Angeles Dodgers coming off four straight losses at home, he had legitimate concerns about whether it was just a blip or the start of a
downward turn.
After an impressive 7-3 trip, the Dodgers head home for their Freeway Series against the rival Angels with the best record in baseball.
"This was a good trip for us. It could have been dangerous," Mattingly said.
Andre Ethier awakened from a recent slump with his fourth career grand slam to cap a six-run second inning and Chad Billingsley
pitched the Dodgers past the Seattle Mariners 8-2 on Sunday.
Los Angeles opened its trip by winning one of three games in Colorado, but swept a four-game series in Philadelphia and then
rebounded from being shut down by six pitchers in Seattle's third no-hitter Friday night to win the final two games of the interleague
series.
"If before it started we looked ahead, it would have looked like an uphill battle. But it was one where we went and divided the series
and had fun playing," Ethier said.
Billingsley (4-4) won his second straight decision, giving up two hits and a solo homer to Kyle Seager in seven strong innings. The righthander struck out eight and walked three, the third time in four starts that he has struck out eight.
He got all the offense he needed on one swing from Ethier, who had just one hit in his previous 27 at-bats before smacking a 3-2
fastball from starter Blake Beavan (3-6) into the right-field seats with two outs in the second.
Ethier's first grand slam since Aug. 11, 2011, against Colorado increased his National League-leading RBI total to 52.
"It's a nice way to top it off. Their plan backfired on them the whole series," Ethier said. "They didn't want to be aggressive to me and
go be aggressive to other guys and that's why it's great to have teammates pick you up and do their job."
After the Mariners threw the 10th combined no-hitter in major league history Friday night, the Dodgers didn't stop hitting during the
final two days of their first visit to the Pacific Northwest in a dozen years. Los Angeles racked up 14 hits in Saturday's 8-3 victory and
added another 11 on Sunday.
The Dodgers' big inning began with Bobby Abreu's leadoff double, but Beavan retired James Loney on a flyout and A.J. Ellis on a
popout. Beavan's problems started when he issued a walk to Adam Kennedy on a 3-2 pitch, then left a two-strike pitch over the
middle of the plate to Tony Gwynn Jr., who lined an RBI single into center.
Dee Gordon followed with a single to score Kennedy and give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead. Elian Herrera walked on a 3-1 pitch before
Ethier's grand slam.
"If I don't walk two guys there or make a pitch and get a call it saves four runs right there," Beavan said. "I've got to do a better job of
getting ahead of guys and putting them away."
The six-run inning matched the Dodgers' largest this season. They also scored six times in one inning against Colorado on May 13.
Loney and Kennedy each added an RBI single in the eighth off reliever Brandon League, who gave up four straight hits and struggled
after getting two key outs during Friday's no-hitter.
Abreu doubled twice, raising his batting average to .326 in 32 games with the Dodgers.
Seager's homer in the first was his eighth of the season and his 24th two-out RBI -- he leads the American League in that category.
Justin Smoak led off the second with a soft single, but Billingsley retired 18 of the next 21 batters, issuing only a trio of walks.
"I could just go out there and think quick outs and get the team back in there and just continue to throw strikes," Billingsley said.
The Dodgers now head home for three games against the Angels, who have won nine straight on the road and moved within three
games of first-place Texas in the AL West.
"It's good for L.A. baseball. You get two teams that are playing good," Mattingly said. "It's a fun series for the fans and it's games we've
got to win."
Game notes
Seattle is still not sure if RHP Kevin Millwood will be able to make his next start. Millwood left Friday night's combined no-hitter before
the start of the seventh inning with a mild groin strain. Manager Eric Wedge said it doesn't appear serious, but the Mariners will make
a more firm decision on Tuesday. ... Dodgers 3B Juan Uribe is expected to rejoin the team Monday, but the club is not sure when he'll
be activated from the disabled list. Uribe has been out since May 13 with a sore left wrist. He's been on a rehab assignment with ClassA Rancho Cucamonga.
All-you-can-eat sections sweep baseball
June, 11, 2012
By Doug Williams | Special
SAN DIEGO -- It’s only the middle of the fourth inning at Petco Park, but Elise Kindt already gets credit for a complete game.
She’s standing in front of the mustard, ketchup and relish table, ready to load up the two hot dogs she’s just plucked from the buffet
line, and says these particular dogs are Nos. 4 and 5 for the day.
“Three other hot dogs and two bottles of soda,” she says, when asked what she has had so far. “And now two more.”
Five hot dogs in four innings would make Babe Ruth proud, but Kindt looks nothing at all like the Sultan of Snack. The slim young San
Diegan, who’s spending the afternoon at the ballpark with three other friends, just happens to love ballpark food -- especially hot dogs
-- and is enjoying her second trip to the Padres’ all-you-can-eat section.
“It’s just great,” she says. “Free food and a lot of it. It’s definitely worth it.”
“Free,” of course, isn’t accurate. Visitors to the section pay from $25 to $37 for a ticket to sit among the 750 seats of the field-level,
all-you-can-eat area in the right-field corner. But once there, they can eat as much as they want for two hours after the first pitch.
Their tickets get them a wristband that allows them full grazing rights through two rows of tables set up behind the seats. They can
consume as many hot dogs, boxes of popcorn, bags of peanuts, chips, sodas and bottles of water as they want.
Considering the Friar Franks alone would cost $4.50, by the fourth inning Kindt had more than gotten her money’s worth while also
getting a field-level seat.
Given that she was still smiling and enjoying herself after the five dogs, the most likely cause of any indigestion on this day was
probably the result of having to watch the Padres lose yet again, this time 6-2 to the Rockies.
• • •
The Padres opened their all-you-can-eat seats in 2009, two years after the Dodgers became major league trend-setters with their allyou-can-eat section in the right-field pavilion in Los Angeles.
Now, all-you-can-eat sections are common across the minors and majors in many forms. Eighteen major league teams have sections
set aside for individuals to buy tickets that include standard ballpark fare, from the Picnic Perch in left field at Baltimore’s Camden
Yards to Tampa Bay’s Party Deck at Tropicana Field.
Plus those teams – and many others -- have “all-inclusive” high-end club, group or season-ticket areas in which food is included,
meaning almost every team now has some sort of all-you-can-eat area.
Minor league teams, too, have opted in as professional teams strive to find new lures for budget-conscious fans.
In just five seasons, all-you-can-eat areas have become a staple because they attract more fans, especially to previous low-attendance
areas.
At Dodger Stadium, where the right-field pavilion was largely ignored by ticket buyers before 2007, average attendance is now about
85 percent for the 3,300 all-you-can-eat seats (the largest such section in the big leagues). The same holds true for the Picnic Perch in
Baltimore, where the left-field club seats “were one of the last locations to sell in the park” before food was offered with tickets, says
Greg Bader, director of communications for the Orioles. In San Diego, where the all-you-can-eat section was moved from the upper
deck in right field to field level in 2010, attendance is more than 60 percent for weekend games now.
Of course fans like it because it seems like a deal.
Plus, this is America, where more is better when it comes to food and a sign that says “all you can eat” is like waving a green flag that
says, “Gentlemen, start your eating.” In a land where more than 35 percent of the population is obese, according to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, baseball fans know how to chow.
“Last year, there was a young gentleman and his buddy and they basically came out as like a challenge to each other to see how much
they could eat,” says Jarrod Dillon, the Padres’ vice president for ticket sales and service. “I think one young man had 12 hot dogs,
which wasn’t setting any Kobayashi world records or anything, but. …
“That’s the most I’ve heard (at Petco), that one guy, him and his buddy having a contest. He had some drinks and popcorn and all that
other stuff, but he was still able to eat 12 hot dogs.”
Those tales exist anywhere where the all-you-can-eat sign has been hung, and teams know that’s the draw for some. Those in charge
of the sections say it’s just a small part of the attraction, however. While some fans gorge (and others smuggle out as many packages
as they can), not everyone is seeking gastronomic immortality or an appointment with Overeaters Anonymous.
“For the first couple of years there was kind of that gluttonous factor as we were trying to educate people about the area, getting
people to go in that area,” says David Siegel, the Dodgers’ senior director of ticket sales. “But now it’s a lot of families, a lot of groups.
It’s not this wild and crazy, you know, food fights everywhere because you can eat a million Dodger Dogs. Definitely not anything like
that.”
That’s one of the reasons the Orioles prefer to call their Picnic Perch section “all-inclusive” rather than “all you can eat.”
“It’s really not designed for that type of wild stories and actions,” says Greg Bader, Baltimore’s director of communications. “That’s
one of the reasons we don’t refer to it as all you can eat. It’s really designed more for a budget-conscious family.”
To Steve Shiffman, senior director of sales and service for the Kansas City Royals -- who also helped launch the Dodgers’ all-you-caneat pavilion in 2007 – the main attraction is that fans know up front what their day at the park will cost.
He says the idea first hit him when he was with the Dodgers and saw how much the Cardinals did with all-inclusive club and group
areas in St. Louis.
As a parent, he thought an all-you-can-eat section would be a popular innovation.
“Because you know, I take my kids to the ballgame and all I do is reach into my pocket,” he says. “’Dad, can I get a hot dog?’ ‘Dad, can I
get a soda? Dad, can I get an ice cream?’ As a parent, fans are always reaching into their pocket, for a beer, a soda, a hot dog. It’s
nonstop.”
Once the Dodgers launched their section in 2007, Siegel says reps from other teams immediately came out to study it, and a trend was
launched.
DAILY NEWS
DODGERS 8, SEATTLE 2: Thanks to Ethier, L.A. has grand old time on final day of trip
By John Hickey, Special to the Daily News
Posted: 06/10/2012 09:56:05 PM PDT
MLB: Ethier's slam helps Dodgers beat Seattle, cap road swing with seven victories in 10 days.
SEATTLE - It turns out the difference between an above-average trip for the Dodgers and a good one was one swing of Andre Ethier's
bat.
The Dodgers right fielder had been struggling in recent days, including a first-inning pop fly with one out and one on Sunday against
the Seattle Mariners.
By the time he got a second chance, the Dodgers had erased an early one-run deficit with a couple of runs in the second inning.
The bases still were loaded when Ethier came to the plate and drove a home run deep into the right-field bleachers off Seattle starter
Blake Beavan, a blow that proved to be the linchpin of the Dodgers' 8-2 win.
The Dodgers, who left town at the end of May with four consecutive losses thanks to the Brewers, return today to start a three-game
set with the Angels.
The Dodgers come into the Freeway Series having won seven of 10 on the road, including six of the past seven against the Mariners
and Philadelphia Phillies.
"That was the one," winner Chad Billingsley said of Ethier's fourth career grand slam. "Andre stepped up big for us today. To jump out
to that big a lead for us pitchers is great. You just have to concentrate on throwing strikes."
Billingsley had no problem in that area. He threw seven innings of two-hit baseball before turning the game over to the bullpen.
Manager Don Mattingly said the game rested on Ethier's slam, which came after RBI singles by Tony Gwynn Jr. and Dee Gordon erased
Seattle's early 1-0 lead over Billingsley.
"That's a game-changer right there," Mattingly said. "If (Beavan) gets out of that down just 2-1, maybe it's an entirely different game.
He would have had some confidence going if Andre hadn't come through right there.
"Instead, for us to jump out to that big lead there turned the game around."
Ethier had been 0 for 9 in the series before the slam, but before the game Mattingly talked about how, even without overt success,
Ethier had been putting forward decent efforts at the plate.
"He hasn't been fighting himself. His at-bats are competitive," Mattingly said. "The results may not be coming out the way he wants.
But that we haven't had (outbursts) tells me it's just a matter of time before he gets hits again."
That time was the second inning.
"It was a bit of an uphill battle," Ethier said. "But I think the Mariners' game plan backfired on them. They mostly pitched around me in
the series, and (Saturday) they pitched to (Jerry) Hairston when he was hitting balls off the wall."
Hairston had a homer, two doubles and five RBIs in Saturday's 8-3 win.
"It's nice when you have guys in the lineup around you like that," Ethier said. "They pitched around me, but they were aggressive
against other guys (like Hairston)."
With the bases loaded, there was no way for Beavan to pitch around Ethier.
Beavan threw a fastball, and the swing Ethier put on the ball resulted in a shot that landed a dozen rows into the right-field bleachers.
Billingsley allowed a long homer by Kyle Seager in the first, but Seattle got just one more hit and three walks while he was in the game.
He retired the last eight men he faced and 13 of the last 14. He got two of the wins on the tri and went 2-0 with two runs allowed in
14 innings.
"It was a good road trip," Billingsley said. "I'm feeling good. I'm feeling the same as I did four or five starts ago, but the biggest thing is
that I'm able to get my off-speed pitches over for strikes."
Mattingly said the 10-game swing against the Colorado Rockies, Phillies and Mariners had the potential to be murderous.
Instead, it was productive.
"Coming off having lost our last four at home, this trip had the chance to spiral (out of control) on us," Mattingly said. "But we did a
good job in Philly and here, too."
DODGERS NOTEBOOK: Uribe is on the brink of making return
By John Hickey Special to the Daily News
Posted: 06/10/2012 09:35:29 PM PDT
SEATTLE - The Dodgers are going to get a chance to look at Juan Uribe today before the series with the Angels starts at Dodger
Stadium.
It's not certain that Uribe, who has been on an injury rehabilitation assignment with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga, will be activated
promptly, but he should be active by Tuesday at the latest.
Manager Don Mattingly suggested it wouldn't be much of a surprise to have Uribe in the starting lineup at third base tonight.
"Juan's pretty much the everyday guy," Mattingly said. "He's the best defender there, and when he's healthy he was swinging the bat
good. I still think I'll go back to him. That's the plan."
So what to do with Elian Herrera, who has been getting much of the work at third in Uribe's absence? Mattingly wants to be able to
use the 27-year-old rookie as a sort of super sub all over the place.
The manager particularly wants to get Herrera back in the mix in the outfield in addition to his work at second and third.
"He needs to be in the outfield more, taking fly balls again (in pregame workouts)," Mattingly said. "The same with Jerry (Hairston),
get him back in the mix in left field. Elian can come off the bench late in a game. When we get back into National League games, he
can pinch-hit. He fits into that mix pretty good."
Derby bound?
Could the Dodgers wind up with two players in the Home Run Derby at next month's All-Star Game in Kansas City, Mo.?
Matt Kemp, the Dodger outfielder who led the league in home runs in 2011, has asked teammate Andre Ethier to take part in the
competition. Kemp, who fizzled in the competition last year, plans to take part even though he isn't expected to return to the lineup
until late this month because of ongoing hamstring troubles.
The Dodgers would be well-served by Ethier's presence in the competition, Mattingly said. The manager went so far as to suggest
Ethier is better-suited for a home run competition than Kemp because Ethier is more of a pull hitter, and pull hitters tend to dominate
those competitions.
"Andre would be really good in that," Mattingly said. "Matt is not good in a home run contest. He doesn't pull the ball. Try winning
that competition going to right-center. All the guys who win pull everything."
Some of the other candidates Kemp, the NL team captain, is considering inviting include Carlos Beltran (Cardinals) Giancarlo Stanton
(Marlins), Dan Uggla (Braves) and Carlos Gonzalez (Rockies).
Also ...
Pitching coach Rick Honeycutt and Mattingly will use Thursday's off day to give an extra day of rest to each of the starting pitchers. No
one will be skipped or move as plans stand now. ... It's possible Alex Castellanos, who started in right field Saturday, could be the odd
man out when Uribe is activated. The 25-year-old rookie, who missed a big chunk of time with a hamstring injury, would be best
served with everyday work. "He needs to keep playing," Mattingly said. "He hasn't been in the outfield much this year; they're trying
to make him a second baseman. He's played fearless up here, aggressive. He still has work to do and at times his swing gets long and
they throw the ball by him." ... Tony Gwynn Jr. had a couple of singles and has hit safely in 19 of his last 24 games since May 15 (27 for
93, (.290). ... Chad Billingsley is 3-2 with a 3.11 ERA with 30 strikeouts in 37 2/3 innings in five road starts this season.
L.A. Dodgers to honor Jaime Jarrin tonight
City News Service
Posted: 06/11/2012 08:15:00 AM PDT
LOS ANGELES - Longtime Los Angeles Dodgers Spanish-language announcer Jaime Jarrin will be honored tonight as part of the seasonlong celebration of Dodger Stadium's 50th anniversary.
Special tributes are planned before and throughout the interleague game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The first 30,000
fans entering Dodger Stadium will receive a T-shirt of Jarrin, with an excerpt of his home run call, "Se va, se va, y se fue... despidala
con un beso!"
A native of Ecuador, Jarrin arrived in the United States in 1955, never having seen a baseball game. He began regularly attending
Pacific Coast League games at Los Angeles' since-demolished Gilmore Field and Wrigley Field from 1955 through 1957 to learn the
game.
When the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1958, Jarrin was given one year to prepare to become a baseball broadcaster by William
Beaton, the station manager at KWKW-AM (1330).
Jarrin began broadcasting Dodger games in 1959 and became their top Spanish-language announcer in 1973. He never missed a
broadcast from 1962-1984, calling nearly 4,000 consecutive games. The streak ended when Jarrin took charge of all the Spanishlanguage radio coverage and production for the 1984 Summer Olympics.
Jarrin has called more than 8,200 regular-season games, 25 All-Star Games, more than 100 postseason games and 20 World Series. His
honors include the Ford C. Frick Award, presented annually for excellence in baseball broadcasting by the Baseball Hall of Fame, and a
star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
"Jaime is a Los Angeles icon, one who has inspired several generations of Los Angeles Latinos to dream big," said Earvin "Magic"
Johnson, a partner in Guggenheim Baseball Management, the team's owner. "He's been instrumental in instilling a love of Dodger
baseball throughout the Los Angeles area."
TRUE BLUE LA
Dodgers Week 10 In Review: Every Game They Got A Hit, They Won
by Eric Stephen on Jun 11, 2012 8:30 AM PDT in Dodgers Weekly Reviews
Well, that was quite a turnaround, wasn't it? One week after not only losing their superstar but also six of seven games, the Dodgers
hit the road and accomplished two rarities, winning six of their seven games during the week.
The Dodgers swept their first four-game series in Philadelphia since 1946, then they went to Seattle and won an interleague series on
the road, something they hadn't done since 2009.
The only game they lost was Friday night, when they were no-hit in a 1-0 loss to Seattle.
Dodger Batter of the Week: The Dodgers only hit two home runs all week, and one of them was hit by Jerry Hairston Jr., this week's
winner, who had a career-high five RBI in the win on Saturday. Honorable mention goes to Bobby Abreu, who hit .400 with two
doubles.
Dodger Pitcher of the Week: The entire pitching staff came through for the week. Four of the five starters picked up a win, and the
only one who didn't, Nathan Eovaldi, didn't even allow a run. But this award goes to Chad Billingsley, who was great in his two starts,
allowing one run in seven innings each time. Honorable mention goes to Clayton Kershaw for also pitching seven innings in each of his
two starts and striking out 17, including 12 Mariners on Saturday.
Week 10 Record: 6-1
36 runs scored (5.14 per game)
18 runs allowed (2.57 per game)
.780 pythagorean winning percentage
Season Record: 39-22
268 runs scored (4.39 per game)
217 runs allowed (3.56 per game)
.595 pythagorean winning percentage (36-25)
Welcome Aboard: With Javy Guerra on the disabled list, Shawn Tolleson completed his rapid rise through the Dodgers system when
he was called up to the majors last Monday. He finally got in a game on Thursday, starting the ninth inning with an 8-3 lead. Tolleson
unfortunately threw just two strikes in 10 pitches and was pulled after walking two batters, then on Sunday, pitching the ninth with an
8-1 lead, he allowed hits to his first two batters faced for a run. But after those first four major league hitters reached base against
Tolleson, he was able to complete the inning by retiring three in a row, including two strikeouts.
Transactions:
 Monday: After missing 24 games with a ruptured hamstring tendon, Juan Rivera was activated from the disabled list,
and Scott Van Slyke was optioned back to Triple A Albuquerque.
 Monday: Javy Guerra was placed on the disabled list with right knee inflammation and had surgery in Los Angeles the
next day. Guerra is expected to miss four to six weeks. Shawn Tolleson has his contract purchased from Triple A
Albuquerque, and to make room on the 40-man roster Matt Guerrier was transferred to the 60-day disabled list.
Game Results:
 Monday: Dodgers 4, Phillies 3
 Tuesday: Dodgers 2, Phillies 1
 Wednesday: Dodgers 6, Phillies 5
 Thursday: Dodgers 8, Phillies 3
 Friday: Mariners 1, Dodgers 0
 Saturday: Dodgers 8, Mariners 3
 Sunday: Dodgers 8, Mariners 2
Upcoming Week: The Dodgers run the Bo Jackson Replacement Hip Gauntlet this week, returning home to face the Angels and White
Sox.
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
11
vs Ana
7:10pm
12
vs Ana
7:10pm
13
vs Ana
7:10pm
14
Off
15
vs CWS
7:10pm
16
vs CWS
7:10pm
17
vs CWS
1:10pm
Capuano v.
(R) Richards
Harang v.
(R) Williams
Eovaldi v.
(L) Wilson
Kershaw v.
(L) Sale
Billingsley v.
(R) Humber
Capuano v.
(L) Quintana
Previous Weeks In Review: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9
Week 10 Stats
Player
PA
AB
R
H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SB/CS
BA/OBP/SLG
OPS
Abreu
17
15
3
6
2
0
0
1
2
0/0
.400/.471/.533 1.004
Hairston
26
22
2
7
2
0
1
8
3
0/0
.318/.385/.545 .930
Gwynn
22
21
4
7
0
1
0
3
1
1/2
.333/.364/.429 .792
Loney
22
19
3
6
1
0
0
4
2
0/1
.316/.381/.368 .749
Herrera
33
27
6
7
2
0
0
5
6
2/1
.259/.394/.333 .727
Gordon
33
30
6
8
0
1
0
4
1
2/1
.267/.333/.333 .667
Ellis, A.J.
20
17
1
4
0
0
0
0
2
0/0
.235/.350/.235 .585
Rivera
22
20
2
4
0
0
0
2
1
0/0
.200/.227/.200 .427
Ethier
29
26
4
2
1
0
1
6
3
1/0
.077/.172/.231 .403
Kennedy
10
9
3
4
1
0
0
1
1
0/0
.444/.500/.556 1.056
Treanor
7
7
1
3
1
0
0
1
0
0/0
.429/.429/.571 1.000
Castellanos 16
16
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0/0
.063/.063/.063 .125
De Jesus
3
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0/0
.000/.000/.000 .000
Pitchers
9
6
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0/0
.000/.143/.000 .143
269 238 36 59 10 2
2
35 23
6/5
.248/.320/.332 .651
Totals
Pitcher
G W-L Sv
IP
H
R ER BB K
ERA WHIP FIP*
Eovaldi
1 0-0 --
6.0
5
0
0
2
Billingsley 2 2-0 -- 14.0 8
2
2
4 11 1.29 0.857 3.41
Kershaw
2 1-0 -- 14.0 12 6
6
2 17 3.86 1.000 3.27
Harang
1 1-0 --
6.0
8
3
3
1
3 4.50 1.500 2.70
Capuano
1 1-0 --
5.0
4
4
4
1
5 7.20 1.000 9.60
Starters
7 5-0 -- 45.0 37 15 15 10 42 3.00 1.044 3.80
6 0.00 1.167 2.20
Lindblom 3 0-0 --
3.1
2
0
0
0
2 0.00 0.600 2.00
Belisario
3 1-0 --
3.0
0
0
0
1
1 0.00 0.333 3.53
Coffey
2 0-0 --
2.1
1
0
0
1
2 0.00 0.857 2.77
Wright
2 0-0 --
2.1
2
0
0
0
1 0.00 0.857 2.34
Jansen
3 0-0
3
3.0
2
1
1
1
5 3.00 1.000 1.87
Elbert
3 0-1 --
2.0
3
1
1
2
2 4.50 2.500 4.20
Tolleson
2 0-0 --
1.0
2
1
1
2
2 9.00 4.000 5.20
Relievers
7 1-1
3 17.0 12 3
3
7 15 1.59 1.118 2.85
Totals
7 6-1
3 62.0 49 18 18 17 57 2.61 1.065 3.54
*FIP is estimated
Dodgers 6/10/12 Minor League Report - Retherford, Rancho Remain Really Hot
by Brandon Lennox on Jun 10, 2012 9:26 PM PDT in Los Angeles Dodgers Minor League Report
Before we get to the minor league report, it should be noted that the Dodgers announced that 11 picks from the 2012 draft have
already signed. The most notable by far is the Dodgers supplemental round pick Jesmuel Valentin, who signed exactly for slot money
of $984,700. The other signees were, RHP Ross Stripling (5th), OF Theo Alexander (7th), OF Jeremy Rathjen (11th), SS Darnell Sweeney
(13th), RHP Matthew Reckling (14th), LHP Jake Hermsen (28th), C John Cannon (29th), RHP Jordan Hershiser (34th), C Austin Cowen
(35th), and OF Corey Embree (38th). All the signees were college players with the exception of Valentin and 7th round Alexander.
Minor League Player of the Day – C.J. Retherford - 4 for 5, 2 HR's, 2 RBI's. I wrote more about Retherford's incredible run below, but I
wanted to point out here that over the last 10 games he has 9 homers, is hitting .450, has a slugging % of 1.150, and an OPS of 1.627.
Sure he's 27 years old, but if he keeps hitting he should definitely get a chance to move up to either AA or AAA in the near future.
AAA – The Isotopes committed 5 errors and were down early, but Albuquerque scored the final 9 runs of the game and came away
with a 17 to 11 victory over the Redbirds (Cardinals). Trent Oeltjen and Tim Federowicz had the big games as the plate as both
homered and drove in 4 runs each. Josh Fields and Luis Cruz both went 3 for 5 with a double and 2 RBI's, while Brian Cavazos-Galvez
had a big pinch hit, two run, two-bagger. On the mound Stephen Fife allowed 8 hits and 7 runs over 5 innings, but only 3 runs were
earned thanks to all the errors. Reliever Blake Johnson got crushed for 4 run in his one inning of work, but luckily Bret Montgomery
was solid over 2 frames and Wil Ledezma was able to strike out the side in the 9th.
AA – Rained out again
HiA – Rancho swept their second straight series on Sunday as they defeated the Mavericks (Mariners) 7 to 4. The Quakes are the
hottest team in the California League as the win moved the club into a 1st place tie. They also have perhaps the hottest hitter in minor
league baseball as 3rd baseman C.J. Retherford went 4 for 5 with 2 more homers to give him 9 bombs in his last 9 games (and 10 in his
last 11). Retherford's OPS for the year is now at an even 1.000, and he leads the league with 49 RBI's. Leon Landry also had a great
game as he went 3 for 3 with a double, a triple, and 2 RBI's, and it was his 3rd multi-hit game in his last 4 contests. After a quiet few
days Jonathan Garcia got back into the swing of things with a single and a double, while Joc Pederson only had 1 hit but did walk twice
and stole a pair of bases. On the mound Andres Santiago returned from the DL and made his first start in over a month, allowing just 1
hit (a solo homer) in his 3 innings of limited work. Jon Michael Redding picked up in the 4th and pitched the rest of the game, giving up
8 hits over 6 frames but permitting just 3 runs for the win.
LoA – After a short two game winning streak, the Loons fell back to their losing ways with a 3 - 2 defeat at the hands of the Whitecaps
(Tigers). The loss came in walk-off fashion in extra innings as the first pitch thrown by Raydel Sanchez in the bottom of the 10th was
launched over the right-center field wall. Going back to the start of the game, Arismendy Ozoria was solid for the first 6 innings,
allowing just 4 hits and an unearned run. Jose Dominguez picked up in relief but struggled as he gave up 3 hits and walked a pair which
resulted in a run, and then of course Sanchez lost it in the 10th. The Loons were relatively quiet at the plate as Andrew Edge had the
only multi-hit game by going 2 for 4 with a double. Pedro Guerrero did hit a homer and Kevin Taylor doubled, but that was about it in
terms of offensive excitement. Great Lakes did do something cool on the base-paths, however, as Joe Winker stole home on the back
end of a double steal.
DSL – Off day
Coming up – The Lookouts will try again to make up their double header on Monday and I believe the starters for the two games will
be Chris Reed and Allen Webster. John Ely will try to continue his solid season for the Isotopes, while G-Men Garrett Gould and
Gustavo Gomez will throw for the Quakes and Loons, respectively.
Minor League Transactions – HiA: Austin Gallagher was placed on the DL with a right elbow contusion, and Casio Grider was added
back to the roster. Also Sunday's starter Andres Santiago was activated from the DL while Derek Cone was assigned back to Ogden.
Albuquerque Isotopes Box Score (AAA)
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes Box Score (HiA)
Great Lakes Loons Box Score (LoA)
Minor League Central - Daily Dodger Recap
Dodgers Win Series in Seattle with Slam
by Michael White on Jun 10, 2012 4:16 PM PDT in Dodgers Game Recaps
The Dodgers rode a 2 out rally in the second inning, complete with an Andre Ethier grand slam, to an 8-2 victory in the final game at
Safeco field. Bobby Abreu led off the 2nd inning with a double (the 2,416th hit of his career) but the Dodgers looked in danger of
stranding the leadoff hit after James Loney and A.J. Ellis were retired. But the bottom of the order battled their way on base. First
Adam Kennedy worked a 3-2 walk followed RBI singles from Tony Gwynn Jr. and Dee Gordon. Elian Herrera worked another walk and
the table was set for Andre Ethier. After running the count full to Ethier, Mariners starting pitcher Blake Beavan (considered a control
pitcher who was now in danger of walking the third batter of the inning) threw a fastball right down broadway which Ethier crushed
for the grand slam.
After the outburst in the 2nd inning, the Dodger bats remained quiet for most of the rest of the day, but Chad Billingsley was strong
for the second time this week. Billingsley surrendered a solo homerun in the first but would blank the Mariners for the next 6 innings.
Billingsley ended the day going 7 solid innings allowing 1 run on only 2 hits (3 walks) while striking out 8.
Once the Dodgers knocked Beavan out of the game, the Mariners bullpen pitched well for most of the remaining contest until the
Dodgers tacked on an additional 2 runs in the top of the 8th inning. The Dodgers bullpen wasn't tapped until the 8th inning where
Scott Elbert and Jamey Wright combined for a scoreless 8th inning. Shawn Tolleson was called upon to get the final 3 outs and he
struggled initially giving up a single and a run scoring double before calming down and getting the final 3 outs (striking out the final
two batters of the game.)
The Dodgers leave Seattle winning 2 of 3 and winning 7 games on the 10 game road-trip.
Up Next
The Dodgers return home tomorrow for a six game homestand starting with 3 games against the Angels. Chris Capuano will start for
Los Angeles while Garrett Richards gets the call for the visiting Angels.
Dodgers Look to Start Inter-League Play with Series Win
by Michael White on Jun 10, 2012 10:42 AM PDT in Dodgers Game Previews
After starting the weekend series being no-hit by a medley of Mariners pitchers the Dodgers bats came back to life yesterday in a
winning effort. As a result, the Dodgers are in a position to win the first Inter-League series of the season and close a very good road
trip for the team. The Dodgers have already secured a winning road trip (thanks to the 4 game sweep in Philadelphia) but a second
series win before returning back to Los Angeles to face the Angels would certainly be a nice boost.
Chad Billingsley, who recorded his first win on Tuesday since April, will be taking the mound for the Dodgers looking for his second
quality start of the week. Today's game actually marks Billingsley's second start against the Mariners. Back in his rookie year of 2006,
Billingsley went 5.0 innings and surrendered 2 runs in a no-decision.
Opposite Billingsley will be Mariners starter Blake Beavan. Beavan was acquired (along with Justin Smoak and others) in the Cliff Lee
deal. The scouting report on the 23 year old is that he's a control pitcher who doesn't walk many batters nor does rack up many
strikeouts. On the season the right hander who has posted a line of 5.22 / 5.16 / 4.97 on the year (11 starts.)
PHILADELPHIA ENQUIRER
Dodgers' Hairston bonds with Philly kids
Stan Hochman, Daily News Sports Columnist
Philadelphia Daily News
Stan Hochman
So who is the first family of baseball? Uh-huh, bloodlines that produced the most major leaguers? Win a bar bet or two with the
answer, remember where you got this.
The Bells you say? Gus, Buddy, David. Good guess, Schmitter-breath, but wrong! How about the Boones? Ray, Bob, Aaron and Brett.
Close, but no cigar.
It's the Hairstons, and it started with Sam Hairston, who played in the Negro Leagues for the Birmingham Barons and Indianapolis
Clowns. Had a cup of espresso with the White Sox in 1951, went 2-for-5.
Sam is the father of Jerry Hairston, who is the father of Jerry Jr. and Scott and uncle of John. Jerry Jr. is having a big year for the
Dodgers. Was happy to chat up the Anderson Monarchs on Wednesday night when he found out the kids from the Marian Anderson
playground are set for a barnstorming trip on a 1947 bus this summer. Main destination: Kansas City and the Negro Leagues Museum.
The kids were clustered behind a single yellow rope behind home plate at Citizens Bank Park, all of them wide-eyed, polite, dressed in
their crisp, white uniforms, old-school high socks. They got to shake hands with some Phillies and a fistful of Dodgers, including
Hairston.
Most of the big-leaguers asked the generic questions, how-ya-doin' and where-you-all-from? The best responses came to the best
questions. Who's the best outfielder on the team, they were asked, and the answer was swifter than Rickey Henderson.
Five thumbs pointed at Demetrius deRamos and he rolled his shoulders sheepishly, humbly. Steve Bandura, who coaches these kids
and planned the ambitious trip, nodded approvingly.
"He's probably the fastest 11-year-old in the city," Bandura gushed. "I've never had an athlete like this in all my years. This is a worldclass athlete at age 11."
Someone else asked them for their favorite player, and Mo'ne Davis, the girl with the starburst earrings and the best arm on the team,
whispered, "Roy Halladay."
Scott Bandura, the coach's son, said "Joe Mauer" and that called for another check with the coach.
"He was watching a game on television maybe 4 or 5 years ago," the coach explained. "Mauer was the catcher, wore No. 7, batted left,
threw right, all the things that Scott does.
“And that was before a couple of batting titles. And besides, a pretty good role model."
The Dodgers swept all four games with the Phillies. Came from behind three times. They are playing with a youthful swagger that
resembles a certain team in 2008. And if you check their bloodlines, you will find five sons of former big-leaguers on the roster, Ivan
DeJesus Jr., Scott Van Slyke (son of Andy), Dee Gordon (son of Tom), Tony Gwynn Jr. and of course, Jerry Hairston Jr.
"Pedigree," Bandura whistled. "It's cool."
Does he dream big-league dreams for his son?
"Hey," Bandura barked, "let's get them into college first. Anything else would be gravy. Get 'em into college, that's the goal. Whether
they play there or not. But college is what we want them to shoot for."
Hairston talked proudly about his grandfather.
"We were very close," he said. "He passed away when I was 21. I looked forward to every Thanksgiving, spending time with him,
listening to his stories."
What sort of stories? Grim stories about playing doubleheaders in two different cities, getting back on that musty bus, trying to catch
some Z's in those rigid seats, maybe a breeze from an open window.
"His stories," Hairston said, "were about playing with guys like Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, Henry Aaron. He always talked about how
they were complete players.
“He was never bitter about how the players were treated back then. They had great pride. They loved the game of baseball."
So how good a player was Samuel Harding Hairston? "He won the Triple Crown in Triple A," Hairston said swiftly. "His numbers were
unbelievable. It's funny, but my brother Scott, with the Mets, his swing is just like my grandfather's. My dad says that all the time,
‘same identical swing.'?"
He glances around the clubhouse, sees all the sons of big-leaguers in Dodger blue and feels good about it.
"We all spent time around clubhouses," he said, "and that helps. We know what to expect from baseball, and we all know how
important it is to play the game the right way."
ESPN DEPORTES
Abreu listo para medirse a los Angelinos
Por Will González
Especial para ESPNDeportesLosAngeles.com
FILADELFIA -- Bobby Abreu no le guarda rencor a los Angelinos por haberlo dejado de baja el 27 de abril y por eso no busca venganza
cuando se mide contra ellos en la serie de tres juegos que comienza el lunes en el Dodger Stadium.
"Para mi va a ser otro equipo que vamos a jugar en contra", dijo a ESPNDeportes.com el jardinero venezolano desde su casillero en el
camerino del equipo visitante del estadio de los Filis de Filadelfia la primera semana de junio.
"Hay que jugar la pelota como se tiene que jugar. Simplemente es una serie de partidos donde tengo que dar lo mejor de mi para
aportar y ganar los partidos. Mas nada que eso", reiteró el bateador zurdo quien había logrado un porcentaje de llegar a base de .446
en sus primeros 75 turnos con Los Angeles Dodgers.
Abreu está agradecido del chance que le dieron los Dodgers cuando lo contrataron el 4 de mayo. "Fue sorpresivo cuando me dejaron
libre Los Angeles Angels. Gracias a Dios tuve la oportunidad de estar aquí con un equipo como los Dodgers. Un equipo competitivo,
joven, que son ganadores".
"Habían otros sitios, como Boston, otros sitios, pero me gustaron los Dodgers, un equipo joven, fresco, que estaba en primer lugar.
Quiero estar en un equipo ganador", dijo el pelotero quien fue firmado para ayudar a llenar huecos en el roster de los azules
ocasionados por lesiones, especialmente la de Matt Kemp.
Abreu confía que las cosas irán mejor con los Dodgers que con los Angelinos cuando hayan más jardineros que puestos para jugar en
el outfield. Eso ocurrirá, cuando regrese Kemp de la lista de los lesionados.
"Estoy tranquilo. Ya habíamos conversado de eso. A mi me van a dar oportunidades de jugar. Cuando me la den, yo voy a estar
siempre preparado para eso ", explicó Abreu sobre sus conversaciones francas con el dirigente de los Dodgers, Don Mattingly.
"Hay excelente comunicación", subrayó Abreu.
"Cuando hablamos con Bobby sobre el firmar con nosotros, le dejamos saber cual era la situación. Todo fue puesto al descubierto",
dijo Mattingly.
"Bobby va a jugar suficientemente. Lo vamos a usar de una manera que lo mantendrá efectivo", comentó el piloto quien piensa
mantener a Kemp en el jardín central, Andre Ethier en el rightfield, y alternar a Abreu con otro jardinero dependiendo del lado que
lance el abridor de la oposición.
"Para mi lo más importante es ganar los partidos y cada vez estar preparado para cualquier oportunidad que me den para jugar, hacer
mi trabajo", dijo Abreu.
Junio está destinado a ser un mes lleno de momentos nostálgicos para Abreu.
El nativo de Maracay, Aragua, abrió el mes con su regresó por primera vez a jugar en Filadelfia desde que los Filis lo canjearon a los
Yankees el 30 de julio del 2006.
"Estoy contento de ver viejas amistades y la ciudad donde jugué mis años mozos", comentó el pelotero que jugó ocho temporadas y
media en la Ciudad del Amor Fraternal.
El lunes, Abreu recibe la visita de los Angelinos y los Dodgers juegan cuatro juegos en Anaheim del 21 al 24 de junio. Abreu no espera
que los fanáticos de los Angelinos le den una bienvenida tan malhumorada como la que le dieron los aficionados de los Filis.
Los fanáticos rezongones de Filadelfia lo serenaron con abucheos cuando tomó sus turnos en el primer partido de la serie.
"¡Bah! Yo eso no lo puedo controlar. Yo lo que controlé fue todo lo que hice aquí. Se que hice buenos números y hice lo mejor de mi",
concluyó el atleta quien logró dos temporadas de conectar por lo menos 30 jonrones y estafarse 30 bases con los Filis y se encuentra
entre los mejores 10 en la historia de la franquicia en varias categorías ofensivas.
Angels y Dodgers a marcar territorio
Por Rigo Cervantez
ESPNDeportesLosAngeles.com
LOS ÁNGELES -- Las dos instituciones del beisbol de Grandes Ligas que ostentan y presumen en sus nombres oficiales la represetación
de Los Angeles, intentarán nuévamente dirimir sus diferencias o ponerle una raya, para marcar el territorio que cada quien reclama,
dentro de las similitudes entre ambas novenas.
Lo hacen, por lo menos desde lo deportivo, a partir de este lunes, cuando los Dodgers de Los Angeles y los Angelinos de Los Angeles
de Anaheim inicien una serie de tres confrontaciones en el inmueble de Elysian Park, Dodger Stadium.
Un escenario, el de las Lomas de Chávez Ravine, que alguna vez, hasta fue la casa de los Angels cuando aún no existía el estadio de la
A Gigante, y que se viste de fiesta para un duelo clásico, para una confrontación tradicional, la Serie de las Autopistas, enmarcada
dentro de la actividad de interligas que contempla el calendario de juegos de la Gran Carpa.
Una cita que encuentra a dos novenas, separadas por 31 millas de distancia, que han experimentado situaciones muy diferentes, en lo
que va de la temporada.
Por un lado, un equipo de Dodgers que ante la incredulidad de los excépticos, tuvo un inicio de campaña ciclónico, pero que, a pesar
de incontables lesiones de jugadores importantes, incluyendo las de su estrella Matt Kemp, y de algunos augurios tenebrosos, se
mantiene como el elenco con la mejor marca del beisbol en la actualidad: 39 ganados y 22 perdidos.
En la otra esquina, tenemos a un Angels, que tras la monumental inversión de su propietario para hacerse con los servicios de Albert
Pujols y C.J. Wilson, durante el invierno, era marcado como un super equipo predestinado a barrer con su división.
Sin embargo, la historia y los hechos nos revelan que el equipo conducido por Mike Scioscia, experimentó un arranque de temporada
y un mes de abril de pesadilla. Que mejoró notablemente en mayo y que de a poco se ha venido estabilizando, al grado de que ya está
detrás de los Rangers de Texas, en la pelea por el Oeste de la Liga Americana, con marca de 32 ganados y 29 perdidos.
Y para muestra, el dato de que los de Anaheim llegan a sus duelos con los Dodgers, luego de haber barrido su más reciente serie de
tres juegos de interligas, en el Coors Field, frente a los Rockies de Colorado y han sumado 9 triunfos en sus más recientes encuentros
fuera de su parque.
DODGERS TAMBIEN
Pero la escuadra azul que orienta Don Mattingly no canta mal las rancheras, pues acaba de concluir una gira de 10 juegos por Arizona,
Filadelfia y Seattle, para regresar a casa con una cosecha de 7 ganados y 3 perdidos.
Además, los Dodgers siguen encabezando la División Oeste de la Liga Nacional, con 5 juegos de ventaja sobre los Gigantes de San
Francisco.
Y en lo que se refiere al progreso de sus lesionados, se anticipa que el tercera base dominicano, Juan Uribe, haga su reaparición con el
primer equipo, durante la serie contrea los Angels.
Mientras tanto, Don Mattingly anuncia que le dará la pelota y la responsabilidad monticular al zurdo Chris Capuano (8-2), quien
presenta un promedio de efectivida de 2.82.
Por la novena visitante lanzará el derecho Garrett Richards (1-0), un novato con promedio de carreras permitdas de 1.13.
ANTECEDENTES
En la Serie de las Autopistas, previo al inicio de la actual campaña, los Angels dividieron triunfos en Chávez Ravine y ganaron el tercer
duelo en Anaheim.
Por lo que respecta a las dos series de interligas de la temporada pasada, el equipo de Mike Scioscia salió con la mano en alto, con 4
ganados y 2 perdidos.
SCOUT.COM
Dodger Draft Pick Q&A: Theo Alexander
By Jared Massey
Senior Editor
Posted Jun 11, 2012
Jared Massey: Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions, Theo! First, tell us a little about yourself. Where you grew up,
how you got into baseball.
Theo Alexander: I grew up in Kirkland, Washington and started playing baseball at around 5 years old. I got into it by all of my frienda
playing it so I played to hangout with all of them not knowing the opportunities that would have been given to me.
JM: If you could, give us a scouting report of yourself. Your skillset, your current height/weight.
TA: I'm 6'2 205. My skill set would be mostly my bat. I have power to all fields and will gain more over time. And my arm and range in
the outfield will increase over time as well.
JM: What type of player are you? A speedy, leadoff guy? A middle of the order masher? Somewhere in between?
TA: I've hit middle of the order all of my life so I'd say that I fit near the middle of the line up.
JM: What past or current players do you admire or pattern yourself after?
TA: I admire Ken Griffey Jr. and Matt Kemp. They are great players and play the game well.
JM: Now, getting into your career. Tell us about the experience of playing at Lake Washington for the past 4 years. TA: My experience
at LW has taught me how to deal with a lot of adversity and has taught me a lot of life lessons.
JM: How have you evolved as a player from the time your Freshman year til now?
TA: I've evolved in the way of being mentally and physically stronger. I've grown in every way possible.
JM: What other sports did you play in high school? How did it help you develop as a baseball player?
TA: I didn't play any other sports in high school. Only baseball. It's always been my true love and passion.
JM: What was the highlight of your high school career?
TA: My highlight was growing as a team and making it to playoffs all 3 years of me being at LW.
JM: Now that you're a pro, what are your goals, both short term and long term?
TA: My short term goals are to make it to the big leagues as fast as possible and my long terms are to be one of the greatest baseball
players to ever play the game.
JM: Lastly, if Dodger fans had to know just one thing about you, what would it be?
TA: They should know that I love big crowds and when everyone comes and supports the squad!!
JM: Thanks for taking the time, Theo and good luck!