Author: Dennis Schlossman

Dodgers Prospects: Quakes’ Locastro Hits for Cycle

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(Photo Credit: milb.com)

If you’re a close follower of the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ minor league affiliates, you probably had a very busy evening Tuesday night. You were likely watching righty Zach Lee throw seven-plus innings of solid ball for Triple-A OKC, but if you happened to check on the High-A Quakes game to see Yaisel Sierra pitch or Alex Guerrero bat cleanup, the final at-bat in the eighth inning for shortstop Tim Locastro certainly provided the most excitement of all.

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Dodgers Injury Notes: McCarthy, Ryu Nearing Rehab Starts

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(Photo Credit: koreatimesus.com)

If the current five members of the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ starting rotation can find a way to battle and stay effective for about another four to six weeks, veteran help may be arriving to provide some much needed vigor and support. However, if one or more of the present starters takes a turn for the worse, the club may have to turn to the farm as an alternative in the interim.

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Changes Ahead for Dodgers’ Pitching Staff

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(Photo Credit: foxsports.com)

Several changes may be coming for the Los Angeles Dodgers pitching staff in the foreseeable future. With the peak of the hot stove season still about a month and change away, the club will utilize other avenues — most specifically, waiver claims, players returning from the disabled list, and promotions from the farm system — in hopes of creating a more effective corps of throwers.

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Dodgers Prospects: Chase De Jong Poised for Success

Published on by Dennis Schlossman7 Comments
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(Photo Credit: Jon SooHoo)

Even at the Double-A level, Dodgers’ pitching prospect Chase De Jong takes a very disciplined, Clayton Kershaw-like approach in the days leading up to his starts, spending hours in the video room analyzing opponents and developing strategies, which could quite easily set him apart from others around him.

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Four Pitchers Who Could Help the Dodgers’ Starting Rotation

Published on by Dennis Schlossman2 Comments
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(Photo Credit: totalprosports.com)

While the 2016 season is only 28-games-old and still extremely young, the Los Angeles Dodgers are beginning to establish a bit of a defined identity on paper as several areas of weakness and need are already becoming visible.

A few other departments could actually be considered worse off than the starting rotation, yet in order for the Dodgers to demonstrate their ability to contend throughout the year, one or two starting pitchers may need to be added sooner rather than later.

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Dodgers Prospects: De León, Urias Impressive in Succession

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(Photo Credit: Jon SooHoo)

Just one day after the second-best pitching prospect in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization struck out nine batters and threw five innings of shutout ball, the highest ranked player on the farm tossed six brilliant frames of near-perfect baseball.

Perhaps fueled by the friendly fire of competition, Julio Urias went six very strong innings in an early affair on Wednesday, striking out six batters and allowing no runs, hits or walks.

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Dodgers Injury Notes: Van Slyke, Ethier, Guerrero & More

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(AP Photo/Al Behrman)

With the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ disabled list count still in double digits, numerous injury reports are finally beginning to emerge which indicate time frames for the returns of several key players.

While it would have been very handy to have outfielder Scott Van Slyke available early this week to DH against the Rays’ lefty tandem of Matt Moore and Drew Smyly, manager Dave Roberts told the media that Van Slyke’s back is still about a week away from sustaining any type of baseball related activities.

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Kershaw Shines as Dodgers Snap Six-Game Losing Skid

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(Photo Credit: RealTalkSportsMania)

It only took Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers (mostly Kershaw) two hours and seven minutes to halt a disastrous six game losing streak on Sunday afternoon, while at the same time preventing the Padres from completing the three game sweep in Los Angeles.

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Stripling, Dodgers Strive for Redemption Against Padres

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USP MLB: ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS AT LOS ANGELES DODGE S [BBA OR BBN] USA CA
April 14, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Ross Stripling (68) throws in the first inning against Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Often criticized during the initial month of the 2016 campaign, Alex Wood couldn’t have thrown any better against the Padres on Friday night. The lefty starter lasted seven strong innings and scattered only five hits and a walk, while allowing just one earned run and striking out a season-high nine batters.

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Frustration Mounting Amongst Dodgers Fans

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Prior to the start of the four-game series against the Marlins, the Dodgers boasted a respectable 12-7 record atop the NL West, while Miami was struggling at 6-11 and dwelling in the cellar of the NL East.

At the same time, the pitching matchups seemed to favor Los Angeles — surely the combination of Ross Stripling, Clayton Kershaw, Scott Kazmir and Kenta Maeda would yield a series win, if not a sweep, against the lowly Marlins.

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