May 7, 2008
Blake Dewitt’s Inside the Park Home Run
May 5, 2008
May 6, 2008
Check out my latest blog entry over at the SE Missourian.
Remember, I am doing the Mon-Fri Minor League notebooks at the Birdhouse. Plus, sign up for the Fox sports Daily Wire as they have been picking up the notebook as well.
I should have more pics up of five more ballparks and pics from the Mizzou game a couple weeks ago. Plus, some more video.
April 30, 2008
One Month Down
The MLB season is one month down and I have to admit that I am totally surprised by the St. Louis Cardinals play so far. The rotation has been a whole lot better than expected and I can’t wait to see what happens when the Cubs come to town this weekend.
Sorry for the lack of posts here at whiteyball lately. I have been doing 5+ articles a week over at the Birdhouse. I am doing the daily Minor League notebook every Mon-Fri plus trying to chip in a few features here and there. Plus, Anna has started softball and I am coaching. Nothing teaches patience like trying to teach softball to 15 seven to eight year old girls. Also, I got slowed down a little last week with a 7mm kidney stone. I had if for a week or so, but was unable to pass it on my own so I had a procedure called lithotripsy.
Before I could not tough it any longer, my buddy Josh and I went to see Mizzou play SIU in O’Fallon. Nice ballpark that is reminiscent of GSC Park and Rent One Park. The Tigers were very disappointing (as the continued to be throughout the weekend). Admittedly, the score would have likely been much different if the teams would have been using aluminum instead of wood bats. Jacob Priday ended the game by hitting a deep fly to center that would have most likely been gone with the metal. The Saluki outfielders wer playing him so deep that the left fielder was standing on the warning track.
Blake Dewitt is back up with the Dodgers after about a 36 hour trip to the minors. Since then he has really been hitting the ball well. On Wednesday night, Blake had two more hits and a career high four RBIs.
Keep checking the Birdhouse for your daily minor league news.
I have four ball parks to post so keep checking back.
April 13, 2008
Is time running out?
Seems with Nomar starting his rehab assignment at Las Vegas, Blake Dewitt’s time with the Los Angeles Dodgers could be coming to an end, for now, anyway. Here what is being written about him around the ‘net:
LADodgers.com Press Enterprise
Dewitt has not only made the news in the US, but check out this paper from Qatar.
If you haven’t seen it yet, check out my blog over at the Southeast Missourian.
I was at Memphis on Friday night. Here are my scouting reports on the Redbirds in the lineup.
March 31, 2008
Dewitt shines in MLB debut
(Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
Blake Dewitt made his big league debut in impressive fashion on Monday. The rookie third baseman got a hit in his first at bat, a single to left/center. He would come around to score on a hit by Rafeal Furcal. Blake would fly out to the warning track in his second at bat and would walk twice in his final two plate appearances. Not a bad day indeed.
From Dodgers.com:
There is still plenty of youth to either blend — or clash — with veterans like Kent. For example, there’s Blake DeWitt, whose three-week meteoric rise from Minor League camp to Opening Day third baseman included starting a key second-inning double play and singling in his first Major League at-bat.
DeWitt’s unusually calm exterior finally cracked, but not until the final play when Takashi Saito threw out Ray Durham on a comebacker.
“That’s when I started shaking,” said DeWitt. “I can’t explain it. Nothing bothered me before or during the game.”
DeWitt, however, credited some of his cool to the advice of Kent, a teammate perceived by some as a troublemaker last year for sounding off about his frustration with the approach of some young players. But DeWitt said Kent made a difference for him Monday.
“He came up to me and was great before the game, telling me to stay within myself and not try to do too much,” DeWitt said of Kent. “I think I was relaxed as much from that as anything.”
Here is Blake’s reaction about making his first start, from the AP:
“I’m pretty excited to get out there and play,” the 22-year-old DeWitt said 90 minutes before game time. “This has been a pretty wild spring, starting in the minor league camp and ending up here.”
When asked if he was nervous, DeWitt replied: “Not yet. I’m sure I’ll feel a few pregame jitters. I feel pretty good.”
His reaction after the game, also from the AP:
“I felt great. I was really pumped up to get out there. I don’t think I’ve ever run that first in my life,” DeWitt said regarding his trip to first base. “I felt like I was floating. I was pretty excited. You dream about it when you’re a little kid. It was a great day.”
From his teammates:
“He played good, man,” winning pitcher Brad Penney said. “That kid’s a good player. He’s going to be around for a while.”
From the prickly Jeff Kent, “”Because of injuries, he’s been on a fast track, he’s handled everything right. That’s more than half the battle, being able to be emotionally stable in a game.”
Dodger manager Joe Torre, “”We’re not asking him to do anything other than play his position. We’re not asking him to carry us. He’s a quiet kid, not trying to convince any one of anything. He’s very calm. He’s got me tricked if he’s not.”
The Cardinals were rained out after jumping on the Rockies early. Yes, it is was only three innings but it was nice to see the team produce some runs against a talented left hander.
Mizzou dropped to Number 4 in this week’s Baseball America Top 25.
J.R. Bizzell is hitting .317 in the leadoff spot for the Number 23 ranked Rhodes College Lynx.
March 31, 2008
Dewitt batting 8th
Well the long wait is over. At around 2PM CST, the Dodgers purchased the contract of Blake Dewitt. Dewitt is batting eighth against SF’s Barry Zito.
March 30, 2008
Less than 24 hours until opening day
Less than 24 hours away from opening day for the Cardinals. Should be interesting to say the least. It is good to see a reported nice guy like Rico Washington finally get his shot.
On the Dodger front, Ken Rosenthal is reporting that Blake Dewitt will be the starting third baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers. But not so fast, Dodgers.com has this to say:
“Injuries to third basemen Nomar Garciaparra, Andy LaRoche and Tony Abreu have left the club uncomfortable with rookie Blake DeWitt the likely starter when the season opens on Monday against the Giants. In addition, Jeff Kent’s durability is questionable coming off a right hamstring injury.
Colletti said a trade in the next 24 hours was doubtful, but he wanted the wiggle room if one happened or if a third baseman good enough to start for the Dodgers was released. Philadelphia’s Wes Helms (owed $2.9 million) is the most likely candidate.
If neither happens by Monday, Colletti said the club would scout available players over the next two weeks while watching how the 22-year-old DeWitt fares against Major League pitching. DeWitt has never played higher than Double-A.
“[A trade] is still viable, but as usual, what they are asking us to give up is a little strong because of the predicament we’re in,” said Colletti, who only wants a stop-gap solution until Garciaparra or LaRoche return in a matter of weeks. “We’ll take time to see if the price comes down and see what those players look like in the next week to 10 days. Spring Training is tough to judge.” “
I guess we will see but I say the odds are now stacked in Blake’s favor. If you haven’t seen it yet, get over to MLB.com archive to watch Dewitt hit a 2-run shot off of Jonathan Papelbon on Saturday night. In front of 115,000 fans no less.
Mizzou dropped its first series of the season to Texas Tech. Aaron Crow was his usual dominating self. Man it would be nice if by some act of God he dropped to the Cardinals at Number 13. Yeah, it would take an act of God.
March 24, 2008
We’re Number 2!
Mizzou is ranked at Number 2 by Baseball America after the Tigers impressive demolition of the Number 14 Baylor Bears. The Tigers picked up the sweep after two shutouts and then 10 running Baylor. See the whole list here. Baseball Prospectus ranked Mizzou number 3.
Blake Dewitt was awarded the Mulvey Award as the Top Rookie in the Dodgers camp. One week before the Dodger’s season opener and Blake is still in camp. This spring he is hitting .256/.370/.564 with 2 home runs. The OBP stands out to me as he has been criticized for not drawing enough BBs.
Check out the recent Cardinal news at the Birdhouse.
