Sorting Out The Trade

The Dodgers made a big splash at the trade deadline. The trade involved the Miami Marlins, Atlanta Braves, and the Dodgers and 13 players changed teams. The Dodgers added seven players and subtracted six. Only one of the six traded by the Dodgers were major leaguers and that is the injured left handed relief pitcher, Paco Rodriquez.

The Dodgers acquired the starting pitching they were after in Mat Latos of the Marlins and Alex Wood of the Braves. The Dodgers also picked up relievers Jim Johnson and Luis Avilan from the Braves to help solidify a sometimes shaky Dodgers bullpen. The Dodgers also received what some scouting services believe is the Braves #1 ranked prospect, 21 year old Shortstop Jose Peraza. Peraza is hitting .295 at AAA Gwinnett this season.

As part of the trade, the Dodgers had to take on a couple of salaries in those of Marlins outfielder Michael Morse and injured Braves pitcher Bronson Arroyo. The Dodgers immediately designated Morse for assignment because they have no room for him in an already crowded outfield and Morse has not been productive this season. Arroyo is on the 60 day Disabled List and is lost for the season.

The biggest name player that the Dodgers traded was 30 year old Cuban Shortstop Hector Olivera who has been battling hamstring problems all season long. Olivera only has 69 at bats in three stops in the Dodgers minor league system this season. The other players the Dodgers traded away were all minor league pitchers with Zachary Bird being the highest ranked of those prospects.

The Dodgers have seen their lead in the National League West shrink to a half game over the San Francisco Giants. The Dodgers needed starting pitching and got it in Latos and Wood. It is not the top tier pitching in Cole Hamels and David Price that most Dodgers fans clamored for but the Dodgers gave up next to nothing in return. Latos is having a subpar season by any standards at 4-7 with a 4.48 ERA but has pitched much better since coming off the Disabled list in June. Latos does become a free agent at the end of the season. Wood is only 24 years old and is 7-6 with a 3.54 ERA and he is not even arbitration eligible until 2017.

The Streak Is Over

Zack Greinke's scoreless inning streak came to an end at 45 2/3 innings. Unfortunately the New York Mets official scorer had made a ruling, charging Greinke with an earned run because an error wasmade earlier in the inning by Joc Pederson. He made assumptions and my school of thought is the same as is for double plays. You cannot assume a double play just because one should have been made. All streaks come to an end. That is inevitable. Greinke virtually had no reaction to the end of the streak. In regards to the scoreless innings streak, Greinke said, "if anything, I feel negative about it. Now I don't have to answer questions all the time." The Dodgers did lose the game 3-2 in 10 innings.

I remember when Pete Rose's heating streak had reached 44 games and it came to an end on August 1, 1978 against the Atlanta Braves. Rookie left hander Larry McWilliams of the Braves made his fourth major league start that night and he walked Rose his first time up, speared a line drive that was destined to be a hit, grounded out to Jerry Royster his third time up, and McWilliams was pulled from the game after five innings. Rose faced reliever Gene Garber next and Rose lined out to rookie third baseman Bob Horner who doubled Dave Collins off first. The Braves had a 16-4 lead when Rose came up for his final at bat with two outs in the top of the ninth inning. Gene Garber was still pitching and he struck Rose out on a changeup that was low and outside on a 2-2 count. Rose was mad at the Braves pitchers for not "challenging him with fastballs" (Baseball Almanac and he is quoted as saying after the game "I was a little surprised that in a game that was 16-4, he [Garber] pitched me like it was the seventh game of the World Series." (Savannahnow.com. What Rose did not say was how he tried to bunt his way on with the first pitch of the top of the ninth which would have been a very cheap way of extending the streak. He was trying to get on base using any means necessary so why shouldn't Garber try to get him out using all of the pitches in his repertoire.

Greinke's scoreless innings streak was a great streak and is the third longest in Dodgers history. Up next on the watch list is Clayton Kershaw's scoreless inning streak and it is up to 29 innings.

A Major League Debut

I have waited for Zach Lee's major league debut since the day the Dodgers drafted him in the first round in 2010 and signed him away from being the Quarterback at LSU at the last minute. That is one of the things I love about Major League Baseball is that it may take five or six years for a player to develop to where he can even make it to "The Show" to pitch one inning, one at bat, or even spend one day on the roster.

Zach Lee had been called up a couple of weeks to spend one day on the Dodgers roster in case he was needed and immediately sent back down after the game. He was called up for a start against Matt Harvey and the New York Mets and it was not the Hall of Fame beginning that I was hoping for. Lee got touched up to the tune of seven runs in 4 2/3 innings and was tagged with the loss. Lee was probably headed back to Oklahoma City after this game anyway, so hopefully he will use this as a learning experience and know what he has to work on and how to improve his game.

Pitching is an art form. Almost every pitcher in the majors can hit 90 MPH on the radar gun. The minors are filled with hard throwers that will never make it past AA baseball. When you learn how to pitch is when you stand a chance of being a major league pitcher.

Justin Turner

With the long flowing red beard, Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner looks like a bat wielding Viking. He is wielding a hot bat for the Dodgers wreaking havoc over his old team the New York Mets with two doubles and his 13th homerun. With Juan Uribe's trade from the Atlanta Braves to the New York Mets, it was a roundabout trade that was two years in the making. The Dodgers signed Turner as a free agent in 2014 after the Mets non-tendered him, making him a free agent.

Justin Turner was a seventh round draft pick of the Cincinnati Reds in 2006 out of Cal State-Fullerton, was traded to the Baltimore Orioles in 2008 and Baltimore was where he made his major league debut in 2009. He was picked off the waiver wire in 2010 by the New York Mets where he played until 2013.

Turner has already reached his career high in homeruns this season and he has hit with more power and more average with the Dodgers than he did with the Mets. Turner's play this season diminished Uribe's playing time and made him expendable and Turner also has the ability to play multiple positions. I still have a hard time seeing Turner in Ron Cey's old number 10 jersey but he is wearing it with pride.

The 13th Starter

28 year old rookie Ian Thomas became the 13th starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers when he faced the New York Mets in a spot start in game two of their four game series in New York. It was also Thomas' first major league start. He was filling in for Zack Greinke who went home to be with his wife for the birth of their child. Thomas pitched well, going five innings, striking out five and allowing only one run. The Dodgers had given him a three run cushion to work with by the top of the second inning and they added three more in the top of the third.

Ian Thomas had a circuitous route to get to the major leagues. He was undrafted and unsigned out of Virginia Commonwealth University and went pitched in the Independent Leagues to get to the majors. He pitched with Winnipeg of the Northern League from 2009-2011 and was pitching with York of the Atlantic League when the Atlanta Braves signed him in 2012. He has already pitched with five teams this season- AA Mississippi, AAA Gwinnett, Atlanta Braves, AAA Oklahoma City, and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Thomas was acquired by the Dodgers from the Atlanta Braves in the Juan Uribe deal earlier this season and this is his second call up with the Dodgers. The five inning performance may have earned Thomas another trip back to Oklahoma City because when it comes to the fifth starter, I believe Manager Don Mattingly picks the pitchers name out of a hat. Ian Thomas knows that Los Angeles and Oklahoma City are a long way from Winnipeg.

Keeping Up With Greinke

Kershaw has a scoreless inning streak of his own and Kershaw's streak reached 29 innings with a three hit shutout of the New York Mets. Kershaw struck out 11 and walked none. He had a perfect game through six innings and it was his third straight dominant start and his second straight shutout. He may not have the overall stats to win the Cy Young award again this year, but he is still the best pitcher in the game.

Jimmy Rollins homered off Bartolo Colon early in the game and the Dodgers manufactured two runs in the top of the ninth for the final score of 3-0. I was surprised to learn that Kershaw is not even in the top five pitchers for receiving the smallest amount of run support. It seems that Kershaw is usually pitching with a 1-0 lead or a 2-1 lead but that is apparently not the case. I wonder what pitcher's bullpen has blown the most saves in his starts?

Bolsinger Steps Up

Pitcher Mike Bolsinger, possibly fighting for his rotation life, shutout down the Atlanta Braves only giving up one unearned run in seven innings and getting the victory in the 3-1 win. Bolsinger kept the Braves off balance with a biting curveball and a sneaky fastball. He also go some ESPN worthy defensive plays from second baseman Howie Kendrick and third baseman Alberto Callaspo to assist in keeping the Braves off the bases.

The trade deadline is only eight days a week and Bolsinger has pitched well and above expectations. What started out as a spot start in May has turned into him getting the ball every five days. He has a 5-3 record with a 2.79 ERA and outside of the fact that he needs to be able to pitch deeper into games (he is only averaging a little over 5 1/2 innings a start), he deserves to keep his spot in the rotation.

The Dodgers Need Starting Pitching

I hate to admit this but the Dodgers need to be active for starting pitchers at the trade deadline. In order to get that starting pitching, they are going to have to give up prospects. I have never liked the idea of "renting" a pitcher for three months and giving up prospects in return. Most of the time, a team like the Dodgers ends up overpaying for a pitcher that may not win a game just on the chance that he may put them over the top and bring them a World Series title.

After Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Brett Anderson, the Dodgers have cobbled together a starting staff that probably would not strike fear into the lineup of a bad college team. Fourth Starter Carlos Frias ended up on the Disabled List and he is inconsistent on his best day. Fifth Starter Mike Bolsinger is good for four or five innings and then he turns it over to the overused middle relievers and setup men.

The pitchers most mentioned as possibilities to join the Dodgers are Cole Hamels of the Philadelphia Phillies and Johnny Cueto of the Cincinnati Reds. Cole Hamels is 5-7 with a 3.91 ERA on what is possibly the worst team in baseball. He is signed through 2018 with a team option for 2019 at almost $23 million. Cueto is in the last year of his contract that only pays him a little over $7 million this season. Who would be the better bargain? Cueto is younger but would probably cost the Dodgers more in prospects while Hamels has been more durable and is under contract for longer.

Zack Greinke Streak Continues

Zack Greinke added eight scoreless innings against the Washington Nationals to run his scoreless streak to 43 2/3 innings. He only allowed three hits, struck out 11 and walked only one. He left with a 1-0 lead and the Dodgers added four runs in the top of the ninth to take the bullpen out of the equation.

Greinke now only trails Orel Hershiser and Don Drysdale, both Los Angeles Dodgers, in consecutive scoreless innings with Hershiser's record being 59. I never thought Orel Hershiser got enough credit for being a great pitcher. He pitched 18 seasons in the Majors, won 204 games with 135 of those coming as a Dodger. His 1988 season was great by any standard and he was awarded the Cy Young Award that season as well as winning a World Series title. He also batted .201, had 50 RBI's, and stole eight bases. The .201 batting average was considered high for a pitcher.

I was disappointed in what Bryce Harper had to say after the game. When asked about Greinke, Harper said "I think he was OK. For me, I don't think he was very tough." Harper referenced a couple of times in the interview that he thought Greinke got "five or six inches" off the plate. It is a good thing Bryce harper never had to face Greg Maddux or Tom Glavine of the Atlanta Braves during the early 1990's.

The Nastiest Pitch In Baseball Today

The Bender. The Hook. Uncle Charlie. The Yellow Hammer. Public Enemy Number One. Those are just a few of the nicknames for the Curveball. Many people have tried to describe the Curveball as an "optical illusion." In 1949, Aeronautical Engineer Ralph B. Lightfoot of Sikorsky Aircraft did wind tunnel tests that proved a Curveball does curve. Hall of Fame Pitcher Dizzy Dean eloquently said about the Curveball "Stand behind a tree 60 feet away, and I'll whomp you with an optical illusion."

Clayton Kershaw had the nastiest Curveball he has had all season against the Washington Nationals. Knees buckled. Hitters stared with bats on their shoulders. Hitters swung and missed. No matter what happened, the Washington Nationals hitters shook their heads. Kershaw struck out the best player in the National League, Bryce Harper, three times. Harper said of Kershaw after the game "He put on a clinic today" and "sometimes you just gotta tip your cap and laugh." (Washington Post). Nationals hitters swung and missed at 30 Kershaw pitches, the most swings and misses a pitcher has had in the past seven years. Kershaw commented after the game that he may have had the most consistent slider he has had all season. (Los Angeles Times).

Kershaw pitched eight innings and had 14 strikeouts. He only gave up three hits. He has 27 strikeouts in his last 17 innings pitched and has given up zero runs during that time. It looks like Kershaw may be hitting his stride and that may spell trouble for the rest of the National League every fifth day.

The Home Run Derby

Los Angeles Dodgers rookie Joc Pederson was one of eight contestants in the Home Run Derby and he did very well for the Dodgers and for himself. He made it to the final round where he lost to the Cincinnati Reds' Todd Frazier 15-14. I am not a big fan of this even especially from the perspective of the Dodgers going in to the second half of the season.

Pederson hit a total of 39 home runs on the night but remarked how tired he was after the event was over. A home run hitting contest is also a great way to mess up a swing. Pederson leads the Dodgers with 20 home runs but his average has dipped into the high .220's.

He is also starting in the All Star game so the Dodgers may need to rest him more in the second half of the season. Carl Crawford is due back shortly after the break and Andre Ethier can also provide a left handed bat in the lineup.

Another Comeback Story

The Dodgers rolled out another comeback story against the Milwaukee Brewers in the form of Starting Pitcher Brandon Beachy. It had been more than two years since Beach had appeared in a major league game. This comeback story did not go as well as Chin-hui Tsao's as Beachy gave up three runs in four innings and took the loss. Beach gave up all three runs in the top of the third inning on a bases loaded double.

Beachy was signed as an insurance policy in case something happened to one of the Dodgers brittle starters and now that insurance has come due. He was not expected to be ready until the All Star break so he is right on schedule. Beach had some control issues and outside of the one bad inning, he did not look too bad.

Chin-hui Tsao pitched two more scoreless innings in middle relief so it will be interesting to see how the bullpen shakes out after the All Star break.

The Long Road Back

Dodgers reliever Chin-hui Tsao got the win against the Milwaukee Brewers in his first major league appearance since 2007. He pitched a scoreless inning, recording one strikeout, and was the beneficiary of three Dodgers runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, a two out two run single by pinch hitter Andre Ethier and a Joc Pederson opposite field double that drove in Ethier.

I had the opportunity to see Tsao pitch for the Asheville Tourists, the Low A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, in 2000. I had heard so much about the Taiwanese phenom, I had to go see for myself. He was a power pitcher in a power hitters park and he handled himself quite well. He went 11-8 that season with a 2.73 ERA and 187 strikeouts in 145 innings.

After a few injury plagued seasons with the Rockies, they released him in 2006, the Dodgers picked him up in 2007 and he made 21 appearances for them. He had some legal problems in Taiwan, received a five year ban, owned a barbecue restaurant, and thought he would give professional baseball another try. The Dodgers signed him to a minor league contract and after a handful of appearances at AA Tulsa and AAA Oklahoma City, the Dodgers called him up. Tsao's statistics in the minors were not overwhelming but the Dodgers thought his pitches showed enough movement to add him to the bullpen mix. The road between the Dodgers bullpen and Oklahoma City has been a well traveled one this season

Pitching Another Eight

Zack Greinke extended his scoreless inning streak to 35 2/3 against the Philadelphia Phillies in the Dodgers 6-0 win. Greinke dominated the Phillies lineup only giving up one hit in eight innings, striking out eight. He dropped his ERA to 1.39 and made a strong statement for being the starter for the National League in the All-Star game. He ran his record to 8-2. Greinke is a free agent after this season and he is also stating his case to be one of the highest paid pitchers in the game.

Major League Baseball has not seen a first half of pitching like this since 1968. In that season, three pitchers- Bob Gibson, Luis Tiant, and Dodger great Don Drysdale- all had ERA's under 1.40 at the All Star break. Bob Gibson ended that season with a major league record 1.12 ERA and 13 shutouts.

Yasiel Puig showed signs of breaking out of his season long power slump hitting his fourth homerun and driving in four of the Dodgers six runs.

Kershaw's First Shutout

Clayton Kershaw pitched one of his best games of the season against the Phillies, going the distance in the shutout and striking out 13. Kershaw gave up eight hits but he was really snapping off the curveball when it counted. 123 pitches in the complete game, 82 for strikes. There are times when you can throw too many strikes.

The game was also his statement for the "at large" bid for the last spot on the National League All-Star team. Most fans want to look at his record of 6-6. The fans have not taken into consideration his 1.53 ERA over his last nine starts, he leads the league in strikeouts, and the lack of run support he has received.

Shortstop Jimmy Rollins has been killing his old team the Phillies, hitting a three run homer, and driving in five of the Dodgers 17 runs they have scored in the series. Catcher A.J. Ellis rocketed above the Mendoza line (.215) with three hits, and his first homerun of the season, a two run shot.

Billingsley Returns

Former Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley returned to Chavez Ravine and pitched the best game of his short Philadelphia Phillies career and also got his first win as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies. It was Billingsley's first win in over two years as he has been battling arm problems. The Phillies gave him a chance after the Dodgers bought out his contract earlier in 2015.

I always liked Billingsley when he was with the Dodgers. He was a first round draft pick by the Dodgers in 2003 and made it to the Dodgers in 2006. He compiled an 81-61 record with the Dodgers but after a career high 16 wins in 2008, he never really fulfilled the potential that many Dodgers brass and fans thought he had. When Clayton Kershaw came along, I believed that Billingsley-Kershaw would be a righty-lefty tandem that would be second to none in the National League.

That belief never materialized as Billingsley finished his Dodgers career with an 81-61 record and a 3.65 ERA and then the arm problems began after he pitched in two games in 2013. He didn't pitch at all last season and he ended up getting a chance with the Phillies, beginning in their minor league system this season and working his way back to the majors. I wish him all of the success in the world.

And The Starting Pitcher Is....

Reliever Yimi Garcia got the surprise start against the Philadelphia Phillies but he was a starter in name only. It was more like a glorified relief appearance as he only went two innings giving up two runs. Eric Surkamp was next on the list as the fifth spot in the rotation has turned into starter by committee and he fared even worse than Garcia. Surkamp made it 3 1/3 innings giving up four runs. Reliever J. P. Howell got the most production out of his one out by getting credit for the win.

I look for the Dodgers to trade for another starter at the trade deadline. If they want to make a serious run at the World Series, they do not have a choice. Bolsinger and Frias have held down the fort but neither much can make it much past the fifth inning and the Dodgers bullpen is logging a lot of innings. The Dodgers are going to have to part with some prospects but who are they willing to give up? I would rather give up young bats than young arms.

A Coin Flip

The Dodgers have one of the worst teams in baseball in the Philadelphia Phillies coming to Los Angeles tonight and the Dodgers have still not named a starting pitcher. Carlos Frias was placed on the Disabled List because of stiffness in his lower back and the Dodgers replaced him on the active roster with left handed reliever Daniel Coulombe.

The two names being bounced around to start tonight are minor leaguer Eric Surkamp who was acquired from the Chicago White Sox in a minor league trade for Outfielder Blake Smith earlier in the season. He was 3-0 with a 2.81 ERA for the AAA Charlotte Knights before his trade and he is 4-2 with a 4.50 ERA for AAA Oklahoma City after the trade. He was scratched from his start Sunday in preparation for his call up on Monday. Surkamp was a sixth round draft choice of the San Francisco Giants out of North Carolina State in 2008. Surkamp does have major league experience appearing in 42 games with 7 starts for the San Francisco Giants and Chicago White Sox. He has a career record of 4-3 with a 6.20 ERA.

Former Dodger Eric Stults is also on the radar to start tonight. He was 1-5 with a 5.85 ERA for the Atlanta Braves in eight starts earlier this season. Stults was drafted by the Dodgers in 2002 and spent parts of four seasons, 2006-2009, with the Dodgers. He has a career record of 36-48 in 135 games with 112 starts. The problem with Stults is that if he does not stick with the team he would have to clear waivers again.

Neither pitcher exactly strikes fear in the hearts of any bats, not even the Philadelphia Phillies. The Dodgers cannot seem to keep a starter on the mound if his name is not Kershaw, Greinke, or Anderson.

International Market Is Open For Business

The Los Angeles Dodgers got out the checkbook when the International Signing Period opened. The Dodgers are more than willing to pay huge taxes for spending over their allotted amount as they spent over $20 million the first day, well over their allotted $2.7 million. They signed three of the top 30 international players, as ranked by mlb.com.

Yadiel Alvarez, 19, RHP, Cuba, $16 million- The Dodgers invaded Cuba gain for the #2 ranked International prospect. Alvarez had a hefty price tag but he might have as just a hefty ceiling as far as being a prospect goes. He has a fastball that hits he high 90's, a slider that is a strikeout pitch, and an above average changeup. He has a power arm that all of the scouts love and one scout went so far as to say that Alvarez was the best 18 year old pitcher he had ever seen (mlb.com).

Starling Heredia, 16, OF, Dominican Republic, $2.6 million- Nicknamed "the Pit Bull", Heredia is widely believed to be the best total package player of the international prospects and is the #5 ranked player. I have never been a big fan of signing 16 year old players. What he does going forward from this point is all speculation. Scouts like his power and he models his game after Yasiel Puig.

Ronny Brito,16, SS, Dominican Republic, $2 million- The best part of Brito's game is his defense- good feet, strong arm- and he is a left-handed line drive hitter. At this point in his development, Brito is seen as providing organizational depth because scouts question his ability to hit once he gets into the Dodgers minor league system.

Oneal Cruz, 16, SS, Dominican Republic, $950,000- Cruz is also a left-handed hitting Shortstop but is very tall for the position and may end up in the Outfield. He has developing power and average speed.

Christopher Arias, 16, OF, Dominican Republic, $500,000- Baseball America described the best part of Arias's game as "raw power." Arias is 6'2" and a 175 pounds and he is seen as a power hitting corner Outfielder.

That is a little over $22 million for five prospects and all, with the exception of Alvarez, will stay in the Dominican Republic to play for the next two or three seasons. It will be interesting to track their development over the next couple of seasons, especially Alvarez.

A Matchup Of Aces

Zach Greinke of the Los Angeles Dodgers versus Matt Harvey of the New York Mets is not exactly Snoopy versus the Red Baron but as far as a matchup of team aces go, it is pretty close. Greinke pitched seven more innings of shutout baseball, extending his scoreless innings streak to 27 2/3 and lowering his ERA to 1.48, and left the game with a 4-0 lead. The Dodgers touched up Harvey for three runs in five innings.

Enter the Dodgers bullpen. The Dodgers bullpen can usually be counted on to make the game exciting and the bullpen did not let the Dodgers fans down. It took four pitchers from the Dodgers bullpen to complete those last two innings and they gave up three runs. Lefty J.P. Howell had to come on to get the final out for his first save of the season.

If I was a Dodgers starter and I left the game with a three run lead, I believe I would go to the clubhouse and hide until the game was over. I do not think I could bear to watch.

All It Takes Is One Run

After all of these seasons, I think the rest of the National League has final figured out how to beat Clayton Kershaw. This season all the other teams have to do is score one run. Score the one run, get Kershaw out of the game after about seven innings, and then lay the Dodgers bullpen to waste.

Evidently for the Dodgers to score more than one run when Kershaw pitches, Kershaw is going to have to pull a Steven Matz of the Mets and drive in all of his team's runs himself. The only problem with that theory is that there would actually have to be Dodger runners on base for Kershaw to be able to drive them in.

Clayton Kershaw has a 5-6 record with a 3.08 record and has pitched much better than his record indicates. Bartolo Colon of the New York Mets has nine wins but a 4.55 ERA, and Chris Heston (eight wins) and Tim Lincecum (seven wins)of the Giants both have ERA's hovering around 4.00. If only Clayton could get some run support.

Taking A Chance

This past offseason, the Dodgers took a big chance when they signed left handed starter Brett Anderson to a one year, $10 million contract. Now it is looking like the most important signing of the off season. Anderson was slated to be the #5 starter when the season began but due to season ending injuries to Hyun-Jin Ryu and Brandon McCarthy, he has been boosted to the #3 slot in the rotation. Backup Catcher A.J. Ellis said after last night's seven inning, one run performance against the Diamondbacks that Anderson had often pitched like a #1 or #2.

The oft-injured Anderson has already started more games this season than he has since 2010, his second season with the Oakland A's, and has as many wins, five, as staff ace Clayton Kershaw and a better ERA than Kershaw, 3.00 versus 3.20. Anderson has overcome a variety of injuries since 2010 including a Tommy John surgery but it looks like this $10 million gamble is paying off for the Dodgers and looking like a bargain.

A Trade: A Tale Of Two Home Runs

Although Dee Gordon of the Miami Marlins and Howie Kendrick of the Los Angeles Dodgers were not traded for each other, trades by the Dodgers are how they ended up with their respective teams. Howie Kendrick replaced Dee Gordon at second base for the Dodgers. Dee Gordon is leading the Major Leagues in hitting, batting over .350. Howie Kendrick has provided more power and a veteran presence that the Dodgers needed.

They both hit homeruns yesterday and both ended up being game winners. Both homeruns were very different. Dee Gordon hit a line drive into the right centerfield gap against the San Francisco Giants and then Gordon's speed took over. He rounded the bases in a little over 14 seconds for an inside-the-park, three-run homer that gave the marlins a 3-1 lead. Gordon's speed is the most impressive part of his game and last year for the Dodgers, he became a baseball player. This year with the Marlins he managed to turn it up another couple of notches.

Howie Kendrick's homerun came in the top of the tenth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks and also ended up being the game winner in a 6-4 Dodgers win. Kendrick's homerun was a line drive over the right field fence and rather than race around the bases, he got to break into a homerun trot. Coming through in the clutch might be the most impressive part of Kendrick's game.

The Dodgers had to give up a player in Gordon that provided speed and got a player in return that provided veteran leadership and clutch hitting. Last night, the homeruns showcased both of the player's skills and brought both of their teams a win.