Oh My, I’ve got a dirty little secret
Yup, in the early 1970’s Dick Enberg was my favorite announcer. Sure I loved Vin Scully but truth be told I preferred the styling of Dick Enberg. Dick was a tad more energetic about the sports he broadcast and it didn’t hurt that he was doing the Rams and Bruins, besides the Angels.
Many must have agreed because:
Enberg was named California Sportscaster of the Year four times during this period (1967, 1968, 1970, 1973).[2]
Seth Poho of Baseball Essentials gave a great rundown of the Dick Enberg career.
Enberg has accomplished so much in his long and productive career, but is playing second fiddle to another legendary announcer’s farewell tour this season. With no disrespect directed towards Vin Scully, Enberg is receiving little publicity in his final year behind the microphone compared to the Dodgers’ legendary commentator. Both are icons in their field. Both have been involved with historic moments in sports, including outside of baseball. Both deserve their place as a part of baseball’s history and culture. Dick Enberg has left a lasting impact on broadcasting and baseball.
Not only is Dick Enberg playing second fiddle to Vin Scully in his retirement year, he also played second fiddle to the iconic broadcaster when he worked in Los Angeles. In fact, y0u could say he always played second fiddle to Scully. When Dick worked for NBC sports he was promised the lead play by play for the NBC GOTW, but NBC ended up hiring Vin Scully to be the lead play by play and reneged on the promise to Enberg.
According to his autobiography, Oh My!, Enberg was informed by NBC that he would become the lead play-by-play voice of Major League Baseball Game of the Week beginning with the 1982 World Series (for which he served as pregame host and shared play-by-play duties with Joe Garagiola alongside analyst Tony Kubek) and through subsequent regular seasons. He wrote that on his football trips, he would read every Sporting News to make sure he was current with all the baseball news and notes. Then he met with NBC executives in September 1982, and they informed him that Vin Scully was in negotiations to be their lead baseball play-by-play man (teaming with Garagiola while Kubek would team with Bob Costas) and would begin with the network in the spring of 1983.
Anyway, it is a darn shame to me that Dick and Vin decided to retire the same year. I would have liked to have seen Dick get a little more credit for what he brought to the broadcasting world, which was a lot more than Oh My. Dick made my Rams come to life for me and thank god he was broadcasting when Frank Tanana was the man on the mound for the Angels. Dick and Olsen were my favorite duo doing NFL football.
I only wish he had come back to the Angels instead of heading for San Diego, but I’m glad the Padres gave the old announcer one more chance to call baseball.
Thanks Dick, enjoy your retirement, and while you may have played second fiddle to Vin Scully for most of your career, you were number one in my heart when I was but a lad.
See you in March, Mr. McCarthy
Any chance of Brandon McCarthy making the postseason roster went up in smoke last night. A sad ending to a tough year for the good-natured McCarthy.
He started the season in rehabilitation over the TJ surgery he had last spring and surprised everyone by being able to pitch his first major league game of 2016 on July 3rd. Brandon not only came back early he pitched well, and for four starts he was just about the best pitcher in the rotation.
The turning point came in his fifth start. Just like the first four, he was dynamite in the beginning and even struck out the side in the third inning. I was so impressed I commented over at TBLA that McCarthy was “something-something great”. And then he wasn’t. The Rays knocked him out in 4th, and that was the last time anything good was said about Brandon’s pitching until Sept 25th.
His first four games:
22 IP, 9 hits, 4 earned runs, 7 walks, 26 strikeouts
His next six games:
17 IP, 20 hits, 18 earned runs, 19 walks, 18 strikeouts
In 2016 the Dodgers had no idea what to expect from Ryu and McCarthy, and headed into 2017 they will be in the same boat. The difference is that next year unless the Dodgers make some trades, they have the more experienced kiddie corp ready for to step in if they falter once again.
The arms of Julio Urias / Jose De Leon / Ross Stripling / Brock Stewart will provide the Dodgers with plenty of depth as they wait to see if Brandon McCarthy / Ryu / Kazmir can right their ships next spring.
I’m rooting for McCarthy and Ryu to become candidates for Comeback Player of the Year, but it is hard to expect anything.
Urias ends season needing one more K
to tie Ralph Branca for most strikeouts for a Dodger by the end of their age 19 baseball season.
Obviously, Julio Urias holds the LAD record for most strikeouts for a LAD by the end of his 19-year-old baseball season, having passed Joe Moeller months ago. Joe had 46 and his record stood since 1964.
Looking to next year, if Urias is healthy he’ll have no problem knocking Clayton Kershaw off the list. Clayton had 100 K’s by the end of his 20-year-old baseball season. Fernando is however, the gold standard, and Julio will need to strike out 112 hitters next year to tie Fernando. That seems doable, but with baseball you just never know.
So with the LAD era conquered we looked to bigger pastures and took on the entire Dodger history, and sadly Julio is just one shy of being on top of that mountain.
Ralph had 85, Julio ends the year with 84, and Don Drysdale had 55. Ralph had the benefit of being called up at age 18 during the war years in 44/45. It also took Ralph 154 innings to get those 85 strikeouts, while Julio did it in 77.
I probably won’t be shy about adding what Julio does in the postseason to get him past 85 K’s. He is a big reason the Dodgers will be playing in October.
As usual thanks to Baseball Reference for being the source of all this information, and their excellent searchable play index. Any article I’ve written that involves baseball stats, you can bet www.baseballreference.com is the source.
| Player | SO | Years | Age | GS | W | IP |
| Ralph Branca | 85 | 1944-45 | 18-19 | 16 | 5 | 154.1 |
| Julio Urias | 84 | 2016 | 19-19 | 15 | 5 | 77 |
| Don Drysdale | 55 | 1956 | 19-19 | 12 | 5 | 99 |
| Player | H | ER | BB | ERA | FIP | ERA+ |
| Ralph Branca | 119 | 72 | 111 | 4 | 4 | 88 |
| Julio Urias | 81 | 29 | 31 | 3 | 3 | 115 |
| Don Drysdale | 95 | 29 | 31 | 3 | 3 | 152 |
Seems safe to say that Julio Urias is the best nineteen-year-old the Dodgers have had in their history since HOF Don Drysdale. Being the best 20-year-old is a whole different story with plenty of competition.
Roster?
Everyone seems to be discussing what the 25 man roster will be for the first round. Tonight Urias should have cemented his hold on being the number one option to start game four.
The Dodgers should enter the postseason with nary an injury among their position players. As healthy a group as they have had headed into the postseason. As long as Scherzer and company don’t break one of the LAD ribs that should hold for the first round.
The rotation enters with a bit of trepidation about Rich Hill’s blisters. Clayton Kershaw has a fresh enough arm that they could throw him in game four, but I’m not sure we can count on Rich Hill for game five, so it might be best if game four is not a must win to go with Urias and let Kershaw handle game five. If game four is a must win, you probably have to go with Clayton instead of the rookie.
The bullpen is as healthy as it could be.
All in all, given all the injuries the Dodgers have suffered this season, they will enter the postseason in a very good spot. Sure it would have been great to know Brandon McCarthy was completely healthy and ready to take the ball in game four. And maybe he is.
This is the roster I’d send out against the Nationals:
| Player | | | Pos |
| Grandal | | | C |
| Ruiz | | | C |
| Adrian Gonzalez | | | 1st |
| Chase Utley | | | 2nd |
| Seager | | | SS |
| Turner | | | 3rd |
| Reddick | | | RF/PH |
| Joc | | | CF/PH |
| Puig | | | RF/LF/CF |
| Kendrick | | | LF |
| Toles | | | LF/RF/CF/Pinch Runner/PH |
| Hernandez | | | CF/Pinch Hitter |
| Andre Ethier | | | PinchHitter |
and
| Player | | | Pos |
| Kershaw | | | Game One |
| Rich Hill | | | Game Two |
| Kenta Maeda | | | Game Three |
| Julio Urias | | | Game Four |
| Grant Drayton | | | LHS |
| Blanton | | | RHS |
| Jansen | | | Closer |
| Avilan | | | LHS |
| Wood | | | LHS |
| Stripling | | | RHS |
| Baez | | | RHS |
| JP Howell | | | LHS |
Against RHP the starting lineup will go eight deep. Even if they choose Kendrick over Puig or Toles to start in LF that is a long lineup. Defensively they can sub in either Puig or Toles in LF.
Yet, even with all the Dodger depth, they are a weakened lineup against LHP. Replacing Reddick with Puig is a wash, but replacing Joc with Hernandez doesn’t help much. Gonzalez is weaker, Grandal is weaker, Turner is weaker. It is no wonder the team struggles against LHP, but the only LH starter they will be facing is Gio Gonzalez.
Since the last player on the roster is going to be mainly a pinch hitter I elected to go with Andre over Culberson or Segedin. Sept baseball is gone so the starters will be pitching deeper, and the big pinch-hitting could be coming late in the game. Mark Melancon is a rhp so I think Andre is the choice here. Andre didn’t exactly light it up but I’d rather have him at bat in the 9th in a critical spot than Segedin or Culberson.
The pitching choices seemed easy, these are the best pitchers the Dodgers have right now. I’d have preferred the May version of Liberatore but he doesn’t exist so, so I’m going with the current version of Avilan. Hopefully, 1/2 the pitchers in the eight-man bullpen never need to pitch.
I’d prefer the games play out like so:
Kershaw for 7, Blanton for 1, Jansen for 1 (3 – 1 victory)
Hill for 6, Baez or Grant Drayton for 1, Blanton for 1, Jansen for 1 (4 – 3 victory)
Kenta for 5, Baez for 1, Drayton for 1, Blanton for 1, Jansen for 1 (6 -4 victory)
Tyler Chatwood once again dominates on the road
leading the Rockies to a 2 – 0 victory over the Giants. Chatwood saved his best for last putting up a season high game score of 83. For the season Chatwood made 13 starts on the road and gave up four runs once, three runs once, and every other game was two runs or less.
| Date | Opp | Rslt | Dec | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | GSc |
| 6-Apr | ARI | W4-3 | W(1-0) | 6.1 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 56 |
| 17-Apr | CHC | W2-0 | W(2-1) | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 79 |
| 29-Apr | ARI | W9-0 | W(3-2) | 6.1 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 64 |
| 4-May | SDP | W2-0 | W(4-2) | 8 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 82 |
| 21-May | PIT | W5-1 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 56 | |
| 6-Jun | LAD | W6-1 | W(7-4) | 8 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 77 |
| 18-Jun | MIA | L6-9 | 1.2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 34 | |
| 5-Jul | SFG | W7-3 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 55 | |
| 29-Jul | NYM | W6-1 | W(10-6) | 7 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 67 |
| 14-Aug | PHI | L6-7 | L(10-8) | 4 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 29 |
| 9-Sep | SDP | W4-1 | W(11-9) | 6.2 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 62 |
| 22-Sep | LAD | L4-7 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 55 | |
| 28-Sep | SFG | W2-0 | W(12-9) | 8 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 83 |
Many sabermetric folk kept waiting for Chatwood to normalize but he ended the season without it happening, and even finished with a BB/KK flourish to further compound the pundits.
That loss by the Giants, coupled with the Mets win put the Mets 1 1/2 games in front of the Giants. The crippled Met rotation once again looked to 26-year-old rookie Seth Lugo, and once again the rookie did just enough to get the victory. Lugo isn’t pretty, but he is getting the job done. Jay Bruce slugged the key home run giving him home runs in back to back games for the first time as a Met. The trade deadline acquisition had been a bust for the Mets posting a sub .700 OPS but is coming alive at just the right time. That was his 3rd home run in the last five games.
The Cardinals didn’t take advantage of the Giants loss and fell themselves to the Reds 2 – 1. The Cardinals offense picked a bad time to take an off day against Anthony DeSclafani. Ex-Dodger Jose Peraza picked up three more hits to key the victory for the Reds. Peraza is hitting a cool .330 and is now a fixture as the Red lead off man. The Reds aren’t sure where he’s going to play using him 27 games at SS, 12 at 2nd, and 21 in the outfield.
And how about that AL wild card? The Blue Jays and Orioles are beating themselves up while trying to stay ahead of the Tigers and Mariners.
1965 World Series Game Seven
was on sportsnetla the other day during the debates. It was grainy and b/w but still a thrill to watch what I’d considered the greatest game seven pitching performance since Johnny Podres, when you consider the context
Sandy Koufax was pitching on two days rest, on the road, against a powerful Twin lineup, and shut them out. I might be biased.
Other notable Game 7’s since 1955:
- Mickey Lolich in 1968 with two days rest Lolich beat the Cardinals 4 – 1.
- Lew Burdette in 1957 with two days rest threw a shutout, Lew also threw a shutout in game 5.
- Ralph Terry threw a 1 – 0 shutout in game 7 but he did it on five days rest after winning game five. I’m assuming rain was involved
- Jack Morris in 1991 threw a ten-inning shutout to win game seven 1 – 0. He did it at home, and hadn’t started since game four, but it was still one of the greatest game seven performances ever.
- In 2001 Randy Johnson started game six and won, then pitched two innings in relief in game seven and won.
- Madison Bumgarner in 2014 won game five pitching a complete game shutout, and came back on two days rest to pitch five innings of shutout ball in relief to win game seven.
The Dodgers had lost the first two games in Minneapolis, with the Twins beating both Drysdale and Koufax. Claude Osteen righted the ship by shutting out the Twins in game 3. Drysdale came back to win game four. On Oct 11th, Sandy shut them out 7 – 0 and the Dodgers had a 3 – 2 game lead but the series was headed back to Minneapolis. The powerful Twins behind Mudcat Grant beat Osteen to even the series at 3 games a piece.
Now it was Oct 14th, and Sandy was starting game 7. Or was he? Both Sandy and Don warmed up in the bullpen, Don had an extra day of rest, but Walter Alston went with Sandy Koufax. Don Drysdale continued to warm up each inning just in case he was needed.
It looks like he sat down for good after the 5th. Lou Johnson was the hitting star, slugging a home run to break a scoreless game in the 4th inning. That would be the only run Sandy Koufax would need but it was not without some help. Junior Jim Gilliam who was usually replaced for defensive purposes by John Kennedy made a sparkling backhand of a shot down the line by AL MVP Zoilo Versalles with runners on 1st and 2nd with only one out and turned it into a force out at 3rd base. That was the play of the game as Sandy controlled the Twins the rest of the game.
In watching this old game I was struck by several things:
- The check swing was sure different. Don Mincher took two swings in the same at-bat that were called check swings, and they were almost full swings, easily would have been called swings in today’s game. He would have struck out easily in today’s game, I noticed this throughout the game. I wonder how many K’s that cost pitchers in those days.
- Pitch Counts were a thing, even in 1965. Vin mentioned how they would need to keep an eye on how many pitches that Don Drysdale was throwing in the bullpen behind Sandy.
- Vin called the game as though it was any other game in a 162 game season. Very subdued.
- Vin was surprised and sometimes incredulous that the Twin hitters were going after the first pitch given that Sandy was pitching on two days rest.
- Maury Wills hooks slide was a thing of beauty. Would have loved to have seen that using today’s replays to see how he evaded gloves.
- Lou Johnson not only hit the game-winning home run, he also made two fine catches in foul territory from left field.
- Vin seemed very impressed with Zoilo. I remember him saying years later after we had acquired Zoilo that he had one of the greatest spring training he’d ever seen but once the season started he was horrible.
- Batting helmets were just being used, most players still wore only hats.
- Pitchers were expected to pitch to more than one hitter
- Even in 1965 in Minneapolis, the male fans wore shirts and ties, and the woman were all in skirts.
- The Championship celebration was incredibly muted. Some hugs, and then they simply left the field and headed for the clubhouse.
- I had the 1964 Twin baseball cards when I was around seven (1965) and seeing Tony Olivo, Harmon Killebrew, Bobby Allison, and Zoilo Versalles was a kick in the pants. Tony was infamous for losing his bat after his swings and sure enough, he sent the bat flying about 30 yards at least twice.
Dozen is the number
All three NL wild card teams scored twelve runs last night, and all three won their games, keeping everything status quo for now.
Mets still lead the Giants by 1/2 a game, with the Cardinals just one game back of the Giants.
The scores weren’t really a surprise when you consider the Rockies used rookie German Marquez, and the Reds went with rookie Robert Stephenson. This is Sept baseball so while the teams looking to next year, try out some of their 2017 options, the teams in the race will be using Matt Moore, and Adam Wainwright. The Mets threw their ace Thor at Koehler and had predictable results.
Today will be a little different with the Mets using their own rookie Lugo, and the Giants getting to face Tyler Chatwood who continues to tap dance his way to a sub 2.00 ERA when pitching on the road. Smarter people than myself keep telling me that his road work is a mirage and it will come crashing down, but last I looked it is Sept 28th, which means he kept up his mirage all year long. I guess he’ll either normalize tonight or next year.
This might be the night the Cardinals catch up.
See you on the radio, Charlie
If you think this column is about Charley Steiner you’d be dead wrong. It is about someone who is famous for his radio show, and who grew up an avid baseball fan on the East Coast, but it is not that Charley.
It wasn’t just Vin Scully saying goodbye this weekend, long time Sunday Morning host Charles Osgood also said so long it was good to know you.
It is strange for me to realize I’m an old fogey, considering I first heard this song by X when they would perform as the Knitters. I’m a far cry from my head banging days. Though I did see X and Los Lobos a few weeks ago.
Now I watch Sunday Morning, used to listen to Garrison Keillor and his A Prairie Home Companion on the way to Saturday Night Clipper or Dodger games. Even caught the show at the Hollywood bowl.
In the same year three entertainment icons, Garrison Keillor, Charles Osgood, and Vin Scully have all retired. Better they retire than pass away, I hope they all echo what Vin said when asked what he was going to do? “I’m going to live”
A commonality would appear to run through these three men. They all seem to love to sing, are very musical, and have a grounded way about them, that makes them seem accessible to the common person. They are all men who came from humble beginnings to carve out a huge niche in the mid to late 20th, and early 21st century.
I don’t know what the demographics are for Sunday Morning, but I suspect they are the same people who listen to Public Radio but are way older. Just googling around it appears I may be wrong, and that the show has made nice inroads into that 25 – 54 demographic that I passed a few years ago.
I’m not a big enough fan of Charles Osgood to get misty about his leaving, nothing like what I thought of Vin Scully. I’m not sure how much he had to do with Sunday Morning these days, he mostly just seemed to announce what was going to be on the show and didn’t really do any segments himself anymore. I’m a late comer to Sunday Morning, I never saw the show with Charles Kuralt, and at my wife’s urging only started watching a few years ago. I’m glad I did, the segments have certainly broadened my knowledge and something we enjoy doing together, usually while eating our freshly made waffles with strawberries/blueberries/whipped cream.
My wife and were both pleased to see that Jane Pauley will be the new Sunday Morning host. We only hope that she enjoys such success that in twenty-two years she gets a send off like Charles Osgood got this past Sunday, and even more so, we both hope to be alive to see it.
I hope her first segment is on Garry Trudeau, she might know a little about him.
Grandal and Joc
As the Dodgers wind down September baseball, two huge reasons for optimism this October are the play of Grandal and Pederson. Last year the Dodgers were pretty much on the same pace but the team had two black holes in the lineup every time Grandal and Pederson were in it.
Not this year, they are weapons, and they are loaded:
| Yaz Grandal | | | 2015 Aug | 2016 Aug | | | 2015/Sept | 2016/Sept |
| wRC+ | | | 54|155 | | | 22|128 |
| OPS | | | 0.521|0.945 | | | 0.364|0.857 |
| PA | | | 68|91 | | | 86|68 |
| HomeRuns | | | 1|6 | | | 1|6 |
| RBI | | | 5|12 | | | 3|16 |
| | | | | |||
| | | | | |||
| Joc Pederson | | | 2015/Aug | 2016/Aug | | | 2015/Sept | 2016/Sept |
| wRC+ | | | 101|109 | | | 82|210 |
| OPS | | | 0.644|0.748 | | | 0.637|1.18 |
| PA | | | 74|94 | | | 91|62 |
| HomeRuns | | | 2|2 | | | 3|6 |
| RBI | | | 4|10 | | | 7|10 |
With the Nationals only having Gio Gonzalez to change the lineup around, and the Cubs only having Jon Lester, one has to think that if Grandal and Joc can continue their excellent seasons into October the Dodgers will have a very long and strong lineup.
You couldn’t say that last October.
Mets score big on Phillies take a one game lead
in the Wild card over the Giants, with the Cardinals a 1/2 game back of the Giants. The Mets won yesterday 17 – 0, the Giants lost once again to the Padres, and the Cardinals were on the wrong side of a 3 – 1 score with the Cubs.
With one week remaining it is still very tight. The Giants have six games remaining, three with the Rockies and three with the Dodgers all at home.
The Cardinals have four with the Reds, and three with the Pirates all at home.
The Mets have three with Miami and three with the Phillies all on the road
Still anybody’s ball game. The Mets have the one game lead but are on the road, the Cardinals play seven at home, and the Giants play six at home. The final three games for the Giants will be against the Dodgers, I don’t think the Dodgers would mind ending once and for all the odd/even run of the Giants.
Dodgers, Yesterday and Today 