Daily Clips

July 18, 2017

LOS ANGELES DODGERS DAILY CLIPS

TUESDAY, JULY 18, 2017

DODGERS.COM Heart and Hustle winners named by MLBPAA - Manny Randhawa Kershaw starts as Dodgers eye 10th straight - Glenn Sattell LA TIMES Dodgers mailbag: Should they pursue Tigers ace Justin Verlander? - Andy McCullough Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw tweaks strategy on the mound - Andy McCullough OC REGISTER Dodgers at White Sox: Tuesday game time, TV channels and starting pitchers - J.P. Hoornstra To combat MLB’s sudden blister epidemic, Dodgers pitcher Rich Hill has an idea - J.P. Hoornstra TRUE BLUE LA Dodgers Week 15: Sweeping success - Eric Stephen Dodgers-Mets Aug. 6 game moved to ESPN for ‘Sunday Night Baseball’ - Eric Stephen Keibert Ruiz hits walk-off home run for Quakes - Eric Stephen and Criag Minami DODGER INSIDER Photos: Classic West concert at Dodger Stadium - Rowan Kavner YAHOO SPORTS Dodgers want $12 million per year for naming rights to their field - Chris Cwik USA TODAY SPORTS The Dodgers' historic hot streak: How their 29-4 run came together - Kevin Santo KABC Interview with Ned Colletti - Les Siegel LA TIMES Dodgers Dugout: Breaking down the amazing 29-4 run - Houston Mitchell

LOS ANGELES DODGERS DAILY CLIPS

TUESDAY, JULY 18, 2017

DODGERS.COM

Heart and Hustle winners named by MLBPAA By Manny Randhawa The Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association revealed the 30 preliminary winners of the 2017 Heart and Hustle Award on Tuesday. The honor is the only one voted on by former players, and is bestowed each year upon the active player who most represents a passion for the game of baseball, and best embodies the values, spirit and tradition of the game. Past winners of the Heart and Hustle Award include David Eckstein (2005), Hall of Famer Craig Biggio (2006, 2007), Grady Sizemore (2008), Albert Pujols (2009), Roy Halladay (2010), Torii Hunter (2011), Mike Trout (2012), Dustin Pedroia (2013), Josh Harrison (2014), Anthony Rizzo (2015) and Todd Frazier (2016). The 30 preliminary winners for 2017 are: AMERICAN LEAGUE Baltimore Orioles: Adam Jones Boston Red Sox: Rick Porcello Chicago White Sox: Avisail Garcia Cleveland Indians: Jose Ramirez Detroit Tigers: Ian Kinsler Houston Astros: Josh Reddick Kansas City Royals: Eric Hosmer Los Angeles Angels: Andrelton Simmons Minnesota Twins: Byron Buxton New York Yankees: Brett Gardner Oakland Athletics: Yonder Alonso Seattle Mariners: Nelson Cruz Tampa Bay Rays: Logan Morrison Texas Rangers: Elvis Andrus Toronto Blue Jays: Kevin Pillar NATIONAL LEAGUE Arizona Diamondbacks: Paul Goldschmidt Atlanta Braves: Nick Markakis Chicago Cubs: Kris Bryant Cincinnati Reds: Adam Duvall

Colorado Rockies: Charlie Blackmon Los Angeles Dodgers: Justin Turner Miami Marlins: J.T. Realmuto Milwaukee Brewers: Hernan Perez New York Mets: Jay Bruce Philadelphia Phillies: Freddy Galvis Pittsburgh Pirates: Adam Frazier San Diego Padres: Clayton Richard San Francisco Giants: Brandon Crawford St. Louis Cardinals: Jedd Gyorko Washington Nationals: Anthony Rendon "This year's Heart and Hustle Award winners are a true representation of the legacy of the game and the players who have come before them," said Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson, president of the MLBPAA. "It is clear that these 30 men chosen all play the game with relentless pursuit." Voting for the 30 preliminary players took place before the All-Star break. Thirty voting committees were formed, comprised of alumni players with established relations to each team, to select the winners. Each of the winners will be recognized prior to an upcoming home game for their team, beginning with the Braves on Wednesday. Toward the end of the season, all alumni and active players will vote for a final winner from among the 30 teams. The final winner will be announced on Nov. 14, during the 18th annual Legends for Youth Dinner in New York City. The Legends for Youth Dinner is the primary fundraiser for the series of free Legends for Youth clinics that are held around the country, which have enabled more than 16,000 kids to learn from and interact with players who have left a lasting impact on the game. Kershaw starts as Dodgers eye 10th straight By Glenn Sattell The Dodgers and White Sox open a short two-game series in Chicago on Tuesday. The two franchises have been a Major League staple. The Dodgers date all the way back to the late 1800s in Brooklyn, while the White Stockings sprung up in 1901. Both franchises have played for more than 100 years, but only 27 games against each other, mostly after the implementation of Interleague play. The teams first met in the 1959 World Series when the Dodgers claimed the title in six games. The teams first got together during the regular season in 2003 with the White Sox taking two of three games. They haven't played each other since Chicago took two of three in '14. The White Sox hold a 16-11 advantage all-time over the Dodgers. Clayton Kershaw takes the mound for the Dodgers in his first appearance since the All-Star break. He'll be opposed on the hill by White Sox right-hander Miguel Gonzalez, who makes his first start since going on the disabled list with A/C joint inflammation in mid-June. Kershaw has won 10 straight decisions.

Three things to know about this game • Gonzalez dropped three consecutive decisions in June before going on the DL. He gave up 25 hits, including five home runs, over 15 2/3 innings as his ERA swelled to 8.62. • Kershaw earned the win the last time the Dodgers beat the White Sox. On June 2, 2014, Kershaw went eight innings of two-run, four-hit ball, striking out nine in a 5-2 win at Dodger Stadium. • Gonzalez has never faced the Dodgers, but over his career he has pitched to two current players on the roster: Chris Taylor has four hits in seven at-bats (.571), while Logan Forsythe has four hits in 16 trips to the plate (.250). Dodgers mailbag: Should they pursue Tigers ace Justin Verlander? By Andy McCullough The Dodgers are 64-29. That translates to a 111-win pace. I can repeat that again, if you’d like. 64-29. 111 wins. Yeah. The Dodgers are playing well. They have won nine in a row, including a sweep of the Marlins over the weekend in Miami. They have won 29 of their last 33. The team has not lost consecutive games since a three-game skid from June 4 to 6. The players get the day off on Monday, followed by two games against the last-place White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field, a delightfully antiseptic name for a delightfully antiseptic stadium. Here are the pitching matchups for those two games: TUESDAY: LHP Clayton Kershaw (14-2, 2.18 ERA) vs. RHP Miguel Gonzalez (4-8, 5.15 ERA) WEDNESDAY: RHP Kenta Maeda (7-4, 4.38 ERA) vs. LHP Carlos Rodon (1-2, 4.32 ERA) The July 31 trade deadline is still two weeks away. But the market is already starting to move. On Thursday, the Cubs sent four prospects across the city to acquire White Sox starter Jose Quintana. On Sunday, Washington pried relievers Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson from Oakland in an attempt to repair its flammable bullpen. The moves do not exactly put pressure on the Dodgers. They do remove a few useful targets from the market. Questions about the deadline make up a significant portion of this week’s mailbag. As always, you can send them to me on Twitter @McCulloughTimes. Let’s do this.

Rick Acosta @Rickac99 Replying to @McCulloughTimes What are your thoughts of the Dodgers trading for Justin Verlander? 6:04 PM - 14 Jul 2017 I do not think he would make the team significantly better, and I think it would likely require a significant commitment in terms of both prospects and money. Pat Elder @Pat_Elder Replying to @McCulloughTimes is FO pursuing Justin Verlander? We need a 3rd starter that can go past 5 innings consistently 2:06 PM - 16 Jul 2017 I can expand on my previous, general point. Justin Verlander would make a lot of sense for the Dodgers if the team required a reliable pitcher who could soak up innings and protect the bullpen from overuse. He would be helpful, theoretically, to a team trying to stay afloat while hoping to win its division. He is usually healthy and usually takes the ball every fifth day. This is not what the Dodgers need. The Dodgers are an elite team. They have a double-digit lead in their division. They are on pace for a franchise record in wins. They employ the best pitcher on the planet (Clayton Kershaw), a guy with a 1.56 ERA (Alex Wood) and, in Rich Hill, one of the toughest pitchers to hit in baseball, who has strung together an excellent month. If they want to upgrade their rotation, they need a high-level performer, someone who is definitively better than Brandon McCarthy, their fourth starter. Is Verlander that player? McCarthy has a lower ERA, a lower FIP, a better strikeout-to-walk ratio, a much lower WHIP. Verlander strikes out more guys and makes a lot more money. The Dodgers owe McCarthy $12 million in 2018. The Tigers owe Verlander $56 million through 2019. OK, now, obviously, Verlander has a more impressive resume. He won the Cy Young award six years ago. He posted a 2.70 ERA in 12 playoff starts from 2011 to 2014. He was a very good pitcher for a long time. It is unclear if he can replicate that form. He managed to do so last year, but his walk rate has ballooned this year, and he is allowing three men on base every two innings. To get back to the earlier point: The Dodgers are not thinking about acquiring someone because they need to soak up innings. They want someone to pitch Game 4 of the NLCS and Game 4 of the World Series. Is Verlander a better option than McCarthy? Maybe. You could make an argument either way, but for me, McCarthy has been better in 2017. Is it worth it to sacrifice the money and prospects to make a marginal improvement, at best? I suppose we’ll see. But it doesn’t seem like the sort of the move the Dodgers will make. Marlandez Harris @DezD1SLife Replying to @McCulloughTimes What move do you think the dodgers make first?

12:08 PM - 14 Jul 2017 To quote Dayton Moore: My crystal ball is broken. Gene Kuhn @GeneKuhn1 Replying to @McCulloughTimes Will the Dodgers be active at the deadline or just make minor improvements? 3:17 PM - 16 Jul 2017 The Dodgers are generally considered one of the sport’s more active clubs, at least in terms of generating dialogue with other teams. Whether they consummate anything that significantly improves the roster, that I cannot predict. But, probably.

Lesley Goldberg ✔ @Snoodit Replying to @McCulloughTimes What are the chances that the #Dodgers can land another quality starter before the playoffs? 12:18 PM - 14 Jul 2017 It’s possible, but more likely that the team concentrates its resources on acquiring impact relievers. A lot depends on how McCarthy performs over the next two weeks, and whether more impressive starters — Yu Darvish comes to mind — are available than the current crop of guys on the block. Bert Baratheon @reegsdaruler Replying to @McCulloughTimes Are the tigers a one stop shop for the dodgers? What would we get and what would we give up? Verlander,JD,Wilson for AV, YA, calhoun more? 12:13 PM - 14 Jul 2017 I don’t buy the Dodgers making a serious run at Justin Verlander, as previously mentioned. J.D. Martinez makes sense, but he made a lot more sense before Chris Taylor emerged and Yasiel Puig stabilized. Martinez is probably the best hitter on the market, and other teams have a more acute need for his bat than the Dodgers. Plus, the team is not crazy about his defensive ability. If the Dodgers do pursue an impact bat, keep Andrew McCutchen in mind. Justin Wilson is definitely a name to remember. Dominic @just_me_dom Replying to @McCulloughTimes Should the dodgers try and get Gray or Stroman (if made available)? 12:15 PM - 14 Jul 2017 Sonny Gray? He’s been ineffective and injured for most of the past two seasons. The cost will be prohibitive. It’s a tough one to figure, because he has been pitching better lately, with a 1.33 ERA in his last four starts, and because other teams (Cleveland, Milwaukee) have a more pressing need than the Dodgers.

It’s the same argument as Verlander: If it’s not a definitive, sizable upgrade, what’s the point? It’s one of the benefits of maintaining the deepest 40-man roster in baseball. Marcus Stroman? Jump with both feet into the discussions, if he’s even available, but understand that the cost for acquiring a player like Stroman will be quite painful. The same logic applies to St. Louis theoretically putting Carlos Martinez on the market or with Tampa Bay and Chris Archer. DodgerBlueOasis @DodgerBlueOasis Replying to @McCulloughTimes Which prospects do Dodgers consider off limits in trade discussions, is Alex Verdugo included? 12:11 PM - 14 Jul 2017 No prospect can be considered untouchable. If Billy Eppler called up Andrew Friedman and offered Mike Trout, I’m sure both Walker Buehler and Alex Verdugo would be available. But Buehler and Verdugo do classify as the team’s top prospects — given Yadier Alvarez’s relative distance from the majors — so they would be the most difficult for the team to trade. Andres Loera @andresmloera Replying to @McCulloughTimes Of all the trades this front office has made, are there any which in hindsight that they have clearly lost? 10:02 AM - 15 Jul 2017 The only one that comes to mind is the three-team swap with the Reds and the White Sox, because they lost Scott Schebler. And even then, Schebler isn’t an All-Star, and the Dodgers did use Frankie Montas to acquire Josh Reddick and Rich Hill. And the jury is still out on Trayce Thompson, who has shown encouraging flashes in his two years as a Dodger. This front office has whiffed on some free agents — Scott Kazmir and the second go-round with Brett Anderson (bless Brett’s heart, a very nice man) did not work out — but they’ve generally done well in trades. tim dorame @dodgersrules1 Replying to @McCulloughTimes are the dodgers close to any deal 10:00 AM - 15 Jul 2017 Possibly. Ben Simpson @bsimpson Replying to @McCulloughTimes Do you still wish you were covering the Mets? 10:01 AM - 15 Jul 2017 No. I miss my friends in New York, but I like my current employers very much. I hope they are reading! Tyler McAndrew @TylerMcAndrew Replying to @McCulloughTimes

Willie Calhoun doesn't get talked about as much as other prospects, but has hit at every stop so far. Is he viewed as long term 2B answer? 12:14 PM - 14 Jul 2017 To my understanding, his fielding is not reliable enough to say that. It could improve, of course, but there was a reason the team liked having multiple years of control for Logan Forsythe, despite Calhoun’s impressive numbers at the plate in the minors. Cirus @CirusWeatherbe Replying to @McCulloughTimes Will we see Calhoun in the MLB in September? 2:04 PM - 16 Jul 2017 Sure, it’s possible. He might not be playing for the Dodgers, though. Even if he was still on the Dodgers, there aren’t many spare at-bats to go around. Aaron A. Mendez @Aamendez1020A Replying to @McCulloughTimes Do you think Adrian Gonzalez will take a reduced role in the offense upon his return given their current success w/o him in the line-up? 10:06 PM - 14 Jul 2017 Adrian Gonzalez outlined his approach for the final months of the season in a conversation with Dylan Hernandez before the break. Gonzalez will have to accept a reduced role. He can force his way onto the roster — and the team wants him to be healthy and productive for the final months of the season — but I can’t see him taking that many at-bats from Cody Bellinger. Gonzalez, as Dylan wrote, has made peace with this. Brandon Aspe @RealBrandonAspe Replying to @McCulloughTimes Are the Dodgers planning on stretching out Brock Stewart or just keeping him in the pen? 2:41 PM - 16 Jul 2017 Brock Stewart will remain a reliever, Dave Roberts has said on multiple occasions. The team believes Stewart can help them as a long reliever, but also could handle higher-leverage situations later in the season. I figure Stewart will stretch back out at the start of 2018. It’s an interesting conundrum with pitchers like Stewart and Ross Stripling. You could argue that both would be better starters than Kenta Maeda and Hyun-Jin Ryu, but they have minor-league options and the ability to be flexible, so they have a less traditional role. Lalo @LaloLegittt Replying to @McCulloughTimes Are you watching game of thrones tonight? 2:25 PM - 16 Jul 2017 No. I watched the first three seasons, but lost interest. I don’t watch much TV.

Purple Drank 📎 @purpledrank0 Replying to @McCulloughTimes What company, in your opinion, sells the finest brand of jeans 2:05 PM - 16 Jul 2017 I buy my jeans from Levi’s and The Gap. I do not know why I am answering this question. Cap Space fan @Kershianity Replying to @McCulloughTimes Who's the hottest Dodgers wife or girlfriend? 3:52 PM - 16 Jul 2017 We don’t have many rules in this Mailbag, but this is one: No creeps allowed. scott geirman @Scotty_Gee Replying to @McCulloughTimes How many flannels do you own 2:13 PM - 16 Jul 2017 Enough to fill a closet. Matt Muelot @MattMuelot Replying to @McCulloughTimes Is this the best team you've covered? 1:59 PM - 16 Jul 2017 Here is a hot take: Yes. Paul Drozd @PaulDrozd20 Replying to @McCulloughTimes Who's your pick for the G1? 2:43 PM - 16 Jul 2017 I’m a couple weeks out of the loop, but coming out of Dominion and the Long Beach shows, I recall Dave Meltzer saying it looked like it would be Tetsuya Naito. I could be wrong about that, obviously. I am not in regular contact with Gedo. I’m not a booker, but it seems like the move would be to set up Omega v. Okada III for the Tokyo Dome in January. Andres Loera @andresmloera Replying to @McCulloughTimes What do baseball writers do during the All Star Break? 12:27 PM - 14 Jul 2017 I donated some money to the local economy playing $2 to $5 no-limit hold ’em at the Seminole Hard Rock. Brandon Aspe @RealBrandonAspe Replying to @McCulloughTimes

Did you play with any famous poker player at the WSOP this year? 10:08 AM - 15 Jul 2017 No, but I realized how intense my poker nerd-dom is when I was walking through the Rio about 1 a.m. to register for the next day’s tournament and I said to myself, “Whoa, that’s Rami Boukai.” The same principle applies to similar reactions later in the trip: When I saw Sam Phillips registering for the $1,100 bounty tournament at the Venetian; when I watched Mohsin Charania disgustedly leave the Rio; when Dominik Nitsche stormed past me speaking rapid-fire German; and, of course, when I noticed I was using the urinal next to Pierre Neuville. It was a good trip. Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw tweaks strategy on the mound By Andy McCullough Seven days removed from his final start of the first half, Clayton Kershaw climbed down a set of steps inside the visitors clubhouse at Marlins Park in Miami on Sunday morning. His destination was the dugout, not the mound. He wore a headband, not his Dodgers cap. He would wait until Tuesday to pitch again. “I’m bored,” he said, jokingly. “It’s been a while.” After an eventful first half, in which Kershaw gave up a career-high number of homers and still maintained his status among the game’s elites, the Dodgers afforded Kershaw nine days of rest, which included the All-Star break. He will take the ball against the Chicago White Sox in the midst of his finest stretch of pitching in 2017, having tweaked his strategy to stay ahead of hitters. In the first half of the season, Kershaw won more games (14), threw more innings (132 1/3) and faced more batters (506) than any other pitcher. He ranked second in earned-run average (2.18), second in strikeout-to-walk ratio (7.23) and second in walks and hits allowed per inning pitched (0.88) among National League starters who qualified for the ERA title heading into Monday’s games. In his last four starts, he struck out 44 batters in 29 innings, collected four victories and posted a 0.67 ERA. He logged his first complete game of the season in the first-half finale against Kansas City. “The thing that just makes him so special is his attitude, his intent to go out there and dominate,” manager Dave Roberts said. “That hasn’t changed.” But Kershaw’s approach to facing hitters has, subtly, as he adapts to a sport-wide surge in power. Hitters are on pace to hit more home runs this season than ever. Kershaw got caught in that wave in the first half — “disproportionately so,” in the eyes of general manager Farhan Zaidi. Before 2017, Kershaw had never given up more than 16 homers in a season. He has given up 18 in 19 starts. He approached a nadir June 19. The New York Mets hit four home runs against him. Furious at his vulnerability, Kershaw kicked the dugout bench in Dodger Stadium after he exited the game. He was trapped in a five-start skid in which he surrendered 10 homers.

Kershaw shrugged off some of the fusillade. He prides himself on limiting damage, and of those 18 homers, 12 were solo shots and the rest counted for two runs each. Yet, he acknowledged the depth of the problem as he regrouped after facing the Mets. As he huddled with pitching coach Rick Honeycutt, Kershaw focused on the predictability of his patterns to attack hitters. He described himself as being “more open-minded” to suggestion and undergoing a “little bit of a mind-set shift, for me, just rethinking a few things.” The differences were slight. Kershaw sharpened the command of his curveball and slider, and increased their usage. He also varied the deployment of his fastball. In his first 15 starts, Kershaw leaned on his fastball 49.2% of the time, according to Pitch f/x data from Brooks Baseball. In his next four outings, Kershaw reduced his fastball usage to 43.2%. He filled the void with offspeed pitches, and showed a willingness to break out his curveball earlier in games. “It’s no secret that I want to throw fastballs and get ahead, and work from there,” Kershaw said. “And it’s no secret that guys are swinging early. Sometimes you have to deviate from that. And it might take a few homers to realize that.” Kershaw often pounds his fastball inside to right-handed hitters so he can set up the slider aimed at the batter’s back foot. The combination is malignant when effective. But it is also foreseeable. Honeycutt noted one issue with Kershaw’s fastball. He threw too many strikes with it. His control prevented walks, but it also offered opportunities to opponents. “His command has gotten so good,” Honeycutt said. “He throws the breaking ball out of the zone, but he doesn’t really take his fastball out of the zone on purpose. That’s the part where you try to just throw in there, when the time is right.” On June 19 against Colorado, five days after his start against the Mets, Kershaw escaped from a bases-loaded jam in the first inning to log six scoreless frames. He showed a willingness to try his curveball earlier in counts and to spot his fastball out of the zone. Five days later, facing the Angels, Kershaw picked up strikes in the first inning when Cameron Maybin and Albert Pujols fouled off fastballs that missed inside. He struck out both with sliders, rolling to a 12-strikeout performance. For the most part, Kershaw looks like Kershaw. There is little obvious significance in seeing him strike out Arizona first baseman Paul Goldschmidt with a first-inning curve, as he did July 4, or expand the strike zone with an elevated 94-mph fastball to strike out Kansas City outfielder Lorenzo Cain, as he did July 9. But the adjustments have kept Kershaw in control. Honeycutt credited Kershaw for continuing a process of adaptation that started around 2015, as the three-time Cy Young Award-winner’s arsenal became well-known around the game. “He’s a smart man,” Honeycutt said. “He looks at it, and he sees it.” He added, “You just don’t want to get where you’re giving them any advantage at all.”

OC REGISTER

Dodgers at White Sox: Tuesday game time, TV channels and starting pitchers By J.P. Hoornstra DODGERS at WHITE SOX Where: Guaranteed Rate Field When: 5:10 p.m. TV: SNLA (where available) THE PITCHERS DODGERS LHP CLAYTON KERSHAW (14-2, 2.18) Vs. White Sox: 1-1, 4.00 At Guaranteed Rate Field: First game Hates to face: Jose Abreu, 1 for 3, HR Loves to face: Melky Cabrera, 2 for 11 (.182), 4 Ks WHITE SOX RHP MIGUEL GONZALEZ (4-8, 5.15) Vs. Dodgers: First game At Guaranteed Rate Field: 9-6, 3.71 Hates to face: Chris Taylor, 4 for 7 (.571) Loves to face: Logan Forsythe, 4 for 16 (.250) To combat MLB’s sudden blister epidemic, Dodgers pitcher Rich Hill has an idea By J.P. Hoornstra MIAMI — Evidence is mounting to suggest that the baseballs used by major league teams are changing. Anyone can count the number of home runs, which occurred at a record-high rate in the first half of the season. Some have tested the composition of baseballs; reports on TheRinger.com and FiveThirtyEight.com noted that, while the balls they analyzed fell within MLB’s manufacturing

specifications, the range of specifications was broad enough to partially explain a surge in batted-ball distance. Pitchers, meanwhile, can simply look at their fingers. Dodgers left-hander Rich Hill and right-hander Brandon McCarthy have been treated for blisters recently. Hill said his issues began last season; McCarthy said his began this year. Hill made two trips to the 10-day disabled list in April because of a blister on his left middle finger. Blisters haven’t sent McCarthy to the DL, but he said he notices them after every start. Both pitchers have questions about the composition of the baseballs. Could the blisters be caused by a change in the seam height? Seam width? The tightness of the leather cover? “It does raise questions about what is going on, what is behind it,” Hill said. “It’s something that has to be looked at. When you have multiple pitchers talking about baseballs, there’s got to be something going on.” “The seams, to me, feel humongous,” McCarthy said. “They feel like high school or college balls. They’re just so high. I never noticed them in the past.” It isn’t just Hill and McCarthy. Veteran Giants pitcher Johnny Cueto openly endorsed the juiced-baseball theory after a recurrence of blisters Friday night. Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman criticized MLB for ignoring the issue after he was treated for a blister earlier this month. The list of pitchers known to have blister problems this year has grown so fast, it’s replaced the torn UCL as baseball’s trendiest injury: Toronto’s Aaron Sanchez, Oakland’s Jharel Cotton, Arizona’s Taijuan Walker, Miami’s Justin Nicolino, Boston’s David Price and the New York Mets’ Noah Syndergaard have all been stricken this year. If the league doesn’t implement tighter manufacturing specifications, what’s a pitcher to do? Hill has ideas. At one point this season — less than a month into his three-year, $48 million contract — Hill was searching for a “medical miracle” to combat blisters. He never found one. Hill did the boring thing instead: He went on the disabled list and started his season over. He allowed a callous to form on the pad of his middle finger, a slow but reliable physiological remedy that he didn’t make time for in 2016. Pitching in minor league rehab games — in which major league pitchers are allowed to throw major league baseballs — Hill simply got used to the new baseball. “One of the answers I’ve been able to come up with to combat the blister is to throw more with the baseball,” he said. “You condition your hand or your fingers to the baseball and the seams. Now it’s, like, almost irrelevant.”

This took time, of course. Hill spent a month on the disabled list. The pitching-rich Dodgers could get away with it: they used seven different starters in April, skipping everyone other than Clayton Kershaw at least once, and still entered May with a 14-12 record. Many pitchers and teams don’t have the same luxury, particularly at this stage of the season. Why not, as Hill wondered, simply change the rules? “Get a TUE (a therapeutic-use exemption) for your finger to wear a band-aid,” he said. “A therapeutic use exemption to put superglue on your fingers, so it doesn’t — some substance so you’re not getting blisters? I think if certain players are able to take certain things because they lack it in the body, I think other players could be looked at to have a TUE for their finger, for a blister.” The problem with this idea is twofold. Therapeutic-use exemptions are issued only to players seeking to use a substance prohibited by the Joint Drug Agreement between MLB and the MLB Players’ Association. The JDA covers some topical substances — not just ingestible or injectable ones — but applying one to a pitcher’s hand in-game violates a different rule. That rule, Rule 6.02(c)(7) of the official MLB rulebook, patently bans pitchers from having a foreign substance on either hand while on the mound: “In no case,” the rule reads, “may the pitcher be allowed to pitch with such attachment to his hand, finger or wrist.” MLB’s rules aren’t collectively bargained. They can be changed only with the endorsement of the Playing Rules Committee that meets annually in December. Then, if a rule change has enough support, the committee would make its recommendation for potential ownership approval in January. Ownership approval is required for any rule change. That wouldn’t help a pitcher trying to come back from a blister this year. Besides, McCarthy said, applying for a TUE and getting it approved is a tedious process. “I don’t think we’re waiting for it to get to MLB,” he said. “Guys are going to try and solve that as quick as they can.” For his part, Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a recent radio interview that he’s open to the idea of tighter manufacturing specifications for the baseballs. “We’re going to look hard at the specifications,” Manfred told MLB Network’s Christopher Russo. “Maybe the specifications need to be different. These are hand-made products. There’s always been some variation in the baseball, and we want to make sure we don’t have too much.”

TRUE BLUE LA Dodgers Week 15: Sweeping success By Eric Stephen It turns out the All-Star break didn’t slow the Dodgers down. After the four-day break, the Dodgers picked up right where they left off with yet another sweep, this time on the road against the Marlins.

At the All-Star Game, Cody Bellinger held his own in making the second round of the Home Run Derby, falling to eventual champion Aaron Judge. Then in the All-Star Game, Bellinger, Corey Seager, and Justin Turner combined to go 0-for-6, extending the Dodgers hitless midsummer classic streak to six years. Alex Wood allowed a run in his inning during the All-Star Game, then allowed none when it counted in Miami. Kenley Jansen struck out three in his scoreless All-Star inning but committed a balk, then committed another balk on the same mound on Sunday. He hadn’t balked since 2011, when he had two. The Dodgers ended the week with nine straight wins and 29 wins in their last 33 games. Enjoy the ride. Batter of the week Cody Bellinger did not see his swing turned to dust by the Home Run Derby, going 5-for-12 (.417) against the Marlins, including the third cycle in the last 60 years by the Dodgers. He narrowly beat out Yasiel Puig, who homered twice on Friday, including a three-run shot with two outs in the ninth to snatch victory from defeat. Pitcher of the week Alex Wood continued his romp through the National League, with six more scoreless innings on Saturday against Miami, improving to 11-0. Week 14 results Record: 3-0 16 runs scored (5.33 per game) 7 runs allowed (2.33 per game) .819 pythagorean record Year to date Record: 64-29 479 runs scored (5.15 per game) 307 runs allowed (3.30 per game) .693 pythagorean record (64-29) Transactions None this week. Rare Game results Monday: 2nd round - Aaron Judge 13, Cody Bellinger 12 Tuesday: American League 2, National League 1 (10) Friday: Dodgers 6, Marlins 4

Saturday: Dodgers 7, Marlins 1 Sunday: Dodgers 3, Marlins 2 The week ahead The Dodgers run the Terry Forster gauntlet, taking Monday off before a quick two-game set in Chicago against the White Sox, followed by four games back home against the Braves. Dodgers-Mets Aug. 6 game moved to ESPN for ‘Sunday Night Baseball’ By Eric Stephen LOS ANGELES -- Having the best record in baseball has made the Dodgers popular with ESPN of late. A second ‘Sunday Night Baseball’ appearance for the club has been scheduled, with their Aug. 6 series finale against the Mets in New York moved to a 5 p.m. PT start. ESPN just last week moved the Dodgers’ July 30 home game against the Giants to ‘Sunday Night Baseball,’ which will be the Dodgers’ first appearance on the weekly national exclusive game this season. Dan Shulman will call both Sunday ESPN games, joined by Aaron Boone and Jessica Mendoza in the booth, with reporter Buster Olney on the telecast as well. The telecast will also be streamed online by WatchESPN. Both weekends will feature a pair of nationally televised games for the Dodgers, with the July 29 game against the Giants and Aug. 5 against the Mets both on Fox Sports 1. The Fox Sports 1 telecasts are available to watch in the Los Angeles market but, unlike the ESPN Sunday games are not exclusive. SportsNet LA will also televise both Saturday games. Keibert Ruiz hits walk-off home run for Quakes By Eric Stephen and Criag Minami Monday was a busy day in the Dodgers minors, with some exciting power, injured players rehabbing, and some professional debuts. Player of the day Keibert Ruiz hit a three-run walk-off home run in the ninth inning for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga, continuing his fine season. The switch-hitting catcher was just promoted to the Quakes just over a week ago, and is 8-for-23 (.348) with five extra-base hits in six games since joining Rancho Cucamonga. Ruiz checked in on David Hood’s midseason rankings as the No. 9 Dodgers prospect.

Including his time with Class-A Great Lakes earlier, Ruiz is hitting .320/.375/.456 with 18 doubles and four home runs in 68 games in 2017. He turns 19 on Thursday. Craig Minami was in Rancho Cucamonga to watch the Quakes, and spoke with manager Drew Saylor. “How quiet he is, his poise, his professionalism, even just the maturity, you have to literally do a double take at the roster to make sure he is 18 years old,” Saylor said of Ruiz. On the mend Grant Dayton pitched a scoreless eighth inning for Rancho Cucamonga, inducing a ground out, a pop out, and a strikeout. It was the second rehab game for Dayton, who also pitched an inning in the Arizona Rookie League on Saturday. Dayton was placed on the disabled list on July 6 with neck stiffness. Awards Oklahoma City pitcher Wilmer Font was named the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week on Monday, after striking out eight in six innings against New Orleans, allowing one run on Sunday. Font, who leads the PCL with 127 strikeouts this season, also started the Triple-A All-Star Game on Wednesday and tossed a scoreless inning. It is the second Pitcher of the Week Award this season for Font, who also took did so in May. Triple-A Oklahoma City OKC fell to the Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals) 5-3 on Monday, courtesy of Madison Younginer allowing a two-run home run to Patrick Wisdom in the ninth inning. Alex Verdugo singled in the ninth inning, extending his streak of reaching base by hit, walk or hit by pitch to 36 straight games. Willie Calhoun continued to rake, hitting a two-run home run for Oklahoma City on Monday. Calhoun extended his hitting streak to 11 games, during which he is 15-for-35 (.429) with nine extra-base hits. Calhoun was 1-for-3 with a walk on Monday, and ranks fourth in the Pacific Coast League with 20 home runs. Still just 22, Calhoun is hitting .310/.360/.590 on the season. In July, he’s hitting .380/.448/.720 in 15 games, his third straight month with a slugging percentage over .600. Yaisel Sierra pitched three scoreless innings of relief for Oklahoma City, his second long-relief appearance since getting promoted to Triple-A on July 7. On the season between Double-A Tulsa and OKC, the 26-year-old Sierra has a 2.41 ERA in 28 games, with 69 strikeouts and 19 walks in 56 innings. Double-A Tulsa The Arkansas Travelers (Mariners) had their way with the Drillers on Monday, beating them 13-2. Tim Shibuya was activated off the disabled list to start, but allowed five runs (three earned) in five innings for the loss. Colt Hynes followed in relief by allowing six runs (five earned) in two frames. Class-A Rancho Cucamonga

Before Ruiz’s heroics delivered the Quakes’ 4-3 victory over the Stockton Ports (Athletics), Dennis Santana turned in another impressive performance. The right-hander struck out seven and walked none in seven innings, allowing three runs. “[Santana is] the guy, that we feel that every time he takes the mound, that if we score just a few runs, it’s going to be a win. He’s a stalwart in there, he’s just tremendous,” Saylor told Minami “As he’s grown this year, from day one to now, I think it is really exciting to see all our guys just develop and give us great outings and opportunities." Class-A Great Lakes Leo Crawford pitched seven strong innings, leading the Loons to a 5-2 win over the Beloit Snappers (Athletics) on Monday afternoon, snapping a franchise-record 10-game losing streak for Great Lakes. The seven-inning effort matched a season high for the 20-year-old left-hander, and snapped a personal four-game losing streak during which Crawford allowed 19 runs in 20⅓ innings. Crawford allowed two solo home runs in the third inning but that was it. He struck out five and walked one in the win. The Loons offense was paced by a pair of home runs, by outfielder Saige Jenco — a two-run shot — and first baseman Jared Walker, a solo blast. Rookie-level Ogden The Raptors lost at home, 8-6 to the Helena Brewers on Monday. Outfielder Starling Heredia, 18, went 1-for-5 with a double. It was just the second time in 11 games with Ogden that Heredia didn’t reach base twice. He’s hitting .438 (21-for-48) with nine extra-base hits with the Raptors. Rookie-level Arizona Mitch White continued his rehab in the AZL, striking out four in three scoreless innings, retiring nine of 10 batters faced. A trio of 2017 draft picks were added to the roster — third-round catcher Connor Wong, 11th-round shortstop Jacob Amaya, and 20th-round outfielder Donovan Casey. All three appeared as a pinch-hitter in their pro debut, and all three were 0-for-1. Transactions Triple-A: Relief pitcher Jacob Rhame was placed on the seven-day disabled list by Oklahoma City, retroactive to Sunday. Double-A: Tim Shibuya was activated off the disabled list by Tulsa, and pitcher Chris Cotton was released. Class-A: Grant Dayton was added to Rancho Cucamonga to continue his rehab assignment; Great Lakes added a pair of pitchers from the AZL — Melvin Jimenez, a Dominican right-hander who turns 18 on Sunday, and Dan Jagiello, the Dodgers’ 34th-round pick this year out of LIU Post. Both are joining a full-season affiliate for the first time.

Rookie: Pitcher Oscar Arzaga was placed on the 60-day DL in the AZL; 2017 draftees Connor Wong, Jacob Amaya and Donovan Casey were assigned to the AZL. Monday scores Memphis 5, Oklahoma City 3 Arkansas 13, Tulsa 2 Great Lakes 5, Beloit 2 Rancho Cucamonga 4, Stockton 3 Ogden 8, Helena 6 AZL Dodgers 5, AZL Angels 3 DSL Dodgers 7, DSL Cubs 3 DSL Dodgers 7, DSL Marlins 2 Tuesday schedule 10:35 a.m. PT: Rancho Cucamonga (Adam Bray) vs. Stockton (Norge Ruiz) 5:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Justin Masterson) vs. Memphis (Marco Gonzales) 5:05 p.m.: Tulsa (Andrew Sopko) vs. Arkansas (Anthony Mislewicz) 6 p.m.: Ogden (Edwin Uceta) vs. Helena (Alec Bettinger)

DODGER INSIDER

Photos: Classic West concert at Dodger Stadium By Rowan Kavner Dodger Stadium transformed into a concert venue this past weekend, with six legendary bands performing as part of The Classic West concert. The Eagles, Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers performed Saturday, while Fleetwood Mac, Journey and Earth, Wind & Fire performed Sunday. The six iconic bands will also be featured at The Classic East concert July 29 & 30 at Citi Field in New York City. It’s the first time the six artists have ever played together on the same stage.

Here’s a look at some of this past weekend’s photos from Dodger photographer Juan Ocampo: https://dodgers.mlblogs.com/photos-classic-west-concerts-at-dodger-stadium-51cb2810729b

YAHOO SPORTS

Dodgers want $12 million per year for naming rights to their field By Chris Cwik Good news: For the cost of roughly the eighth highest-paid player on the Los Angeles Dodgers, you can name the field at Dodger Stadium. Bad News: On the Dodgers, the eighth highest-paid player makes about $12 million. The team has reportedly had the naming rights to the field on the market since spring, according to Sports Business Journal. They are asking for $12 million per year, and are still in the process of finding a buyer. It’s important to note that whoever buys these rights will not be able to re-name Dodger Stadium. They are only buying the rights to name the actual field. Remember how the Oakland Athletics named their field after Rickey Henderson, but still play in the Oakland Coliseum? It’s like that. So, if we here at The Stew ponied up the cash and made our offer, that would result in Big League Stew Field at Dodger Stadium. That’s what you’re looking at when it comes to the language involved in this scenario. Spoiler alert: Big League Stew probably isn’t buying the naming rights to the field. We can dream, though. Because it’s always fun to talk about huge contracts in baseball, you’re probably wondering which players on the Dodgers’ roster make more per year than the naming rights to the field. Don’t worry, we are here to help. Clayton Kershaw, Adrian Gonzalez, Scott Kazmir, Andre Ethier, Justin Turner and Rich Hill all make more than $12 million this season. Kershaw makes the most at $35.5 million. Hill makes $12.6 million in 2017. Ah, but keen readers will note that we only mentioned six players above. Our first sentence implies the Dodgers will pay seven players more. That’s still true. The seventh player isn’t actually on the team anymore, though. It’s former outfielder Carl Crawford. The club cut him last year, but still owe him a whopping $21.8 million in 2017. For comparison’s sake, the eighth highest-paid player on the Boston Red Sox is Chris Young, who is making $6.5 million this season. That figure varies by team, obviously. The Baltimore Orioles’ eighth highest-paid player makes $10 million. Still, $12 million seems to be on the higher end.

It’s a big chunk of change, though it’s not unexpected. Dodger Stadium is one of the oldest parks around. Its iconic status should draw a number of bidding who should have no problem meeting, or possibly driving up, the $12 million price tag. Maybe it’s just us, but we would love to see one of the celebrities involved in the Miami Marlins bidding drop out and allocate their cash to this cause. Derek Jeter Field would be weird, as would Michael Jordan Field. Pitbull Field at Dodger Stadium, though? Now that has a nice ring to it.

USA TODAY SPORTS

The Dodgers' historic hot streak: How their 29-4 run came together By Kevin Santo Los Angeles has a lot to smile about. The Dodgers are not just the hottest team in baseball but on a breakneck pace that could put the 2017 club among the greatest in their rich franchise history. At 64-29 following a sweep of the Miami Marlins, the Dodgers have a .688 winning percentage – best in franchise history. They’re on pace to better the 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers, who finished 105-49 (.682) before losing to the New York Yankees in a six-game World Series. Perhaps more remarkable than anything, though, is the Dodgers’ current 29-4 run dating to June 6. When the Dodgers lost to the Washington Nationals on June 6, they trailed the Colorado Rockies by two games and were tied with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Entering Tuesday’s games, they enjoy a 10 ½-game lead over the Diamondbacks, and 11 ½ over the Rockies. And since there are plenty of ways to quantify a stretch like that, here are five factors in the Dodgers’ dominance: The pitching staff Somehow, the Dodgers managed to improve what was the best pitching staff in the majors by doing nothing. Clayton Kershaw is still Clayton Kershaw, and the hurlers around him are only getting better. Take right-hander Kenta Maeda. Prior to the inception of the streak, Maeda registered a 5.16 ERA with 53 strikeouts in 52⅓ innings. But in the 25⅔ innings that he has pitched since June 9, the Dodgers hurler posted a 2.81 ERA while walking just four. Meanwhile, Alex Wood’s dominance has endured.

Frankly, not much has changed for the 26-year-old left-hander since the Dodgers’ run has started. His 1.69 ERA before June 6 isn’t much worse than the 1.40 ERA he has posted after the same date. But Wood still has yet to lose a game in 14 starts, and given his work so far, he may have a legitimate chance to break Phil Regan’s record for the highest single-season win percentage in franchise history (14-1, a .933 mark, in 1966). In theory, Wood is merely the Dodgers’ No. 3 starter. That must be nice. Justin Turner After straining his right hamstring in late May, Turner returned from the disabled list on June 9 – just two days after this string of Dodgers dominance began. Since his return, the third baseman is batting .367 with a 1.202 OPS, 10 home runs and 22 RBI. Correlation? Probably. Corey Seager Through 58 games, the reigning NL Rookie of the Year wasn’t necessarily living up to his title. Seager posted a .275 batting average and .822 OPS, with seven homers and just 24 RBI. In the 33 games since June 6, though, Seager is batting .340 with an OPS of 1.051 – all while doubling his home run total and notching 22 RBI. Yasiel Puig The power-hitting right-fielder’s 18 home runs are just one shy of his career best – nine of them coming in just the last 31 games. As if the Dodgers needed more power. Cody Bellinger The Dodgers rookie hit for the cycle against the Marlins on Saturday night, only the latest bullet point in a startling season that didn’t begin for him until April 25. His season has been just as remarkable as the stranglehold that his team has put on the NL West. Still, it’s worth acknowledging that the Dodgers rookie has hit 14 of his 26 homers and recorded 30 of his 61 RBI in this 33-game span. The Rookie of the Year trophy is going to Los Angeles again, and at this rate, the World Series trophy may make it there too.

KABC

Interview with Ned Colletti By Les Siegel

NEDCOLLETTI-LADo

dgers.mp3

LA TIMES

Dodgers Dugout: Breaking down the amazing 29-4 run By Houston Mitchell Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell, and it doesn't seem the Home Run Derby has hurt Cody Bellinger too much. The amazing race After completing a three-game sweep of Miami over the weekend, the Dodgers have won 29 of their last 33 games, an amazing stretch that has lifted them from 35-25 and two games back in the NL West to 64-29 and 10 1/2 games ahead. They have the best record in baseball and are on pace to win 111 games. The record for most wins in a season is 116, by the 1906 Chicago Cubs and the 2001 Seattle Mariners. What can you say about a streak like this? Is it just a fluke? Are the Dodgers actually this good? Well, it's probably something in between. The Dodgers are the best team in baseball right now. Unfortunately, it is mid-July and the playoffs don't start until October. So a lot can happen. But instead of worrying about what could happen, let’s just enjoy this ride for as long as it lasts. Here’s a look at some key numbers during this 29-4 stretch, which began with a 2-1 win over Washington on June 7. Record against teams .500 or better: 12-1 Record against teams below .500: 17-3 Only losses in that stretch

June 15 at Cleveland, 12-5. Losing pitcher: Rich Hill June 26 vs. Angels, 4-0. Losing pitcher: Rich Hill June 28 at Angels, 3-2. Losing pitcher: Pedro Baez July 2 at San Diego, 5-3. Losing pitcher: Kenta Maeda Record vs. teams Cincinnati, 6-0 New York Mets, 4-0 Colorado, 3-0 Arizona, 3-0 Kansas City, 3-0 Miami, 3-0 Washington, 1-0 Cleveland, 2-1 San Diego, 2-1 Angels, 2-2 vs. National League: 25-1 vs. American League: 4-3 Runs scored: 193 Runs allowed: 102 at home: 18-1 on the road: 11-3 Main players during run Batters Justin Turner: .367/.488/.714, 10 homers, 22 RBIs

Corey Seager: .340/.421/.630, 7 homers, 22 RBIs Austin Barnes, .326/.442/.605, 3 homers, 12 RBIs Joc Pederson: .315/.438/.684, 7 homers, 15 RBIs. Cody Bellinger: .289/.379/.727, 14 homers, 30 RBIs. (Bellinger is the only Dodger to play in every game during the run.) Logan Forsythe, .284/.395/.402, 2 homers, 11 RBIs Yasiel Puig: .278/.355/.588, 9 homers, 16 RBIs Yasmani Grandal: .273/.312/.534, 6 homers, 13 RBIs. Chris Taylor: .264/.326/.446. 14 extra-base hits, 14 RBIs, seven steals. Chase Utley, .211/.304/.394, 2 homers, 8 RBIs Enrique Hernandez, .174/.321/.391, 4 homers, 7 RBIs Starting pitchers Alex Wood, 5-0, 1.40 ERA, 0.724 WHIP Clayton Kershaw, 7-0, 2.01 ERA, 0.831 WHIP Kenta Maeda, 3-1, 2.81 ERA, 1.013 WHIP, 1 save Rich Hill, 4-2, 3.15 ERA, 1.000 WHIP Brandon McCarthy, 1-0, 3.60 ERA, 1.320 WHIP Hyun-jin Ryu, 1-0, 4.58 ERA, 1.577 WHIP Relievers Kenley Jansen, 1-0, 0.53 ERA, 0.480 WHIP, 14 saves Brock Stewart, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.455 WHIP, 1 save, 1 hold Pedro Baez, 2-1, 2.84 ERA, 1.817 WHIP, 6 holds Brandon Morrow, 0-0, 3.73 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 2 holds Sergio Romo, 0-0, 5.06 ERA, 1.501 WHIP Luis Avilan, 1-0, 5.79 ERA, 1.715 WHIP, 3 holds

Josh Fields, 3-0, 6.24 ERA, 1.387 WHIP, 1 hold Ross Stripling, 1-0, 9.00 ERA, 2.125 WHIP Nationals get some help The two best teams in the National League are the Dodgers and the Washington Nationals, with the Nationals biggest weakness being a horrible bullpen. Well, they just did something about that. On Sunday, Washington acquired relievers Ryan Madson and Sean Doolittle from Oakland for pitchers Blake Treinen and two prospects, pitcher Jesus Luzardo and third baseman Sheldon Neuse. Doolittle, 30, is a left-hander who has a 3.38 ERA, 3 saves and 31 strikeouts in 21 1/3 innings. Left-handers are 0 for 23 against him this season. Madson, 36, is a right-hander with a 2.06 ERA in 39 1/3 innings this season. Both are former closers with Oakland and should shore up Washington's bullpen nicely. Treinen has struggled with Washington this season, while Luzardo and Neuse are good prospects. Luzardo, 19, is coming off Tommy John surgery and is 1-0 with a 1.32 ERA in three starts in rookie ball this season. Neuse, 22, is the Nationals No. 7 prospect and was hitting .291 with nine homers is Class A ball. Rumor has it that the Dodgers are trying to acquire left-handed reliever Zach Britton from Baltimore, but most teams the Dodgers talk to want Alex Verdugo in return, and the Dodgers would prefer not to part with him or top pitching prospect Walker Buehler. The Dodgers are also interested in Detroit right fielder J.D. Martinez, who has hit .298/.379/.602 this season. Again though, who to give up to acquire him? With the non-waiver trade deadline looming two weeks from today, keep an eye on this page to keep track of all the latest rumors. The obscure Dodgers record of the week Since the end of the dead-ball era around 1919, which Dodgers have allowed the most home runs per nine innings, with a minimum of 500 innings with the team? 1. Ed Roebuck, 1.14 2. Odalis Perez, 1.13 3. Preacher Roe, 1.11 4. Roger Craig, 1.07 5. Jeff Weaver, 1.05 6. Carl Erskine, 1.04

7. Eric Gagne, 1.0233 8. Don Newcombe, 1.0230 9. Hideo Nomo, 1.01 10. Billy Loes, 0.97 The 10 worst L.A. Dodgers: 1. Perez, 1.13 2. Weaver, 1.05 3. Gagne, 1.02 4. Nomo, 1.01 5. Johnny Podres, 1.00 6. Chan Ho Park, 0.96 7. Darren Dreifort, 0.93 8. Ismael Valdez, 0.92 9. Stan Williams, 0.88 10. Larry Sherry, 0.87 The 10 best L.A. Dodgers 1. Ron Perranoski, 0.33 2. Bob Miller, 0.47 3 Jerry Reuss, 0.480 4. Tommy John, 0.481 5. Alejandro Pena, 0.51 6. Orel Hershiser, 0.54 7. Bill Singer, 0.55 8. Mike Morgan, 0.56

9. Fernando Valenzuela, 0.582 10. Clayton Kershaw, 0.585 All these numbers, and more, can be found at baseball-reference.com. Next series Tuesday, 5 p.m. PDT, Dodgers (Clayton Kershaw, 14-2, 2.18) at Chicago White Sox (Miguel Gonzalez, 4-8, 5.15) Wednesday, 5 p.m. PDT, Dodgers (Kenta Maeda, 7-4, 4.38) at Chicago White Sox (Carlos Rodon, 1-2, 4.32) Note: Pitchers are subject to change. And finally Cody Bellinger becomes first Dodgers rookie to hit for the cycle. Read all about it here.