Diamonds For Women

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Fri 4/1/16 6:02 pm Post subject:

I almost did a double take when I was scanning the final rosters for some teams today, and ran across "Matt Duffy", infielder for the Astros. Had some move been made that I had missed? The infielder by the name of Matt Duffy is a popular young player that S.F. has had high hopes for, contributing to a world championship for the team in his rookie year. What could be offered that would prompt them to give him up?

Then, I realized this was a different Matt Duffy. The rookie who plays in Houston is Matthew Edward Duffy. The more-recognized player of the same name is Matthew Michael Duffy.
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Sun 2/5/17 3:38 pm Post subject:

On Super Bowl Sunday, one of the competing teams features quarterback Matt Ryan.

So of course I had to chuckle about this article on MLB.com about all the "Matt Ryans" in the history of baseball. Smile

_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

sunnyblue · Posted: Mon 2/6/17 5:24 pm Post subject:

That was a really good way to mix in baseball!

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Mon 2/20/17 10:13 pm Post subject:

Notable "name game" item out of White Sox camp at CBRG--Giovanni Soto/Geovany Soto.
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

forloveofthegame · Joined: 23 Oct 2009 Posts: 7346 Location: San Diego

Lol - brings back memories of all the Dave Roberts and Bobby Jones types we have had playing for my Padres Smile

_________________
"Baseball is an allegorical play about America, a poetic, complex, and subtle play of courage, fear, good luck, mistakes, patience about fate, and sober self-esteem." - Saul Steinberg

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Wed 5/10/17 6:01 am Post subject:

Last Saturday's Padres-Dodgers game featured a match-up of two similarly named batteries--Clayton/Austin vs. Clayton/Austin. That is, Clayton Richard for the Padres being caught by Austin Hedges, while Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw threw to Austin Barnes. Both starting pitchers are lefties, to boot.
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

forloveofthegame · Joined: 23 Oct 2009 Posts: 7346 Location: San Diego

Our guys were talking about this one, too. Smile

_________________
"Baseball is an allegorical play about America, a poetic, complex, and subtle play of courage, fear, good luck, mistakes, patience about fate, and sober self-esteem." - Saul Steinberg

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Wed 2/20/19 11:23 pm Post subject:

So, Zach Britton has changed his name to "Zack" Britton.

Okay...
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Sat 7/6/19 10:03 pm Post subject:

An interesting note about rookies in the NL West:

Both the Jints and the Dodgers have players on their rosters this season named "Will Smith". The rookie Will Smith in L.A. is a catcher, and his counterpart is a LHP. The Dodgers' Will Smith has been up and down so far in 2019.

But with the Dodgers needing bullpen help, there's been some speculation that reliever Smith of S.F. could be acquired by the Dodgers.

Which would mean at some point we could see a battery of "Will Smith/Will Smith." Smile

(And no, I don't see it happening...LOL)
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

sunnyblue · Posted: Fri 7/12/19 9:14 pm Post subject:

Oh my gosh, when I read this I thought to myself it's perfect for the Name Game thread:

Gray vs. Gray tonight as Sonny faced Jonathan, Reds vs. Rockies. Both of them got a no decision. First time since 1933 two "color" names faced each other, lol. The things baseball keeps track of!

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Tue 9/10/19 3:07 pm Post subject:

Two posts above this one, I mentioned the two Will Smiths in the NL West. It's not enough that one is a pitcher and one is a catcher, but they play for long-time archrivals dating back to 1890, and this is their first season with their respective teams.

Well, it had to happen--in the Dodgers-Jints game at Dodger Stadium last Friday, closer Will Smith came in to protect a lead by the Battery Chuckers, and with two out and the game on the line, faced Will Smith.

Yeah...the wrong result, though. Will Smith struck out. Sad

_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Thu 2/27/20 12:56 am Post subject:

Okay, Cathy, I did a double take on this Javy Guerra dude on the Padres' roster.

Let it be specifically known that he is not the Javy Guerra who played for the Dodgers several years ago and most recently played last year for the Blue Jays.

But, as well as sharing a name, both Javy Guerras are RHPs.

The Padres' version is a much younger one, though.
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

forloveofthegame · Joined: 23 Oct 2009 Posts: 7346 Location: San Diego

Lol! I should have posted about that. This Javy Guerra is from Panama. The one who played for your Dodgers was from Texas. It is funny though that they are both righties.
_________________
"Baseball is an allegorical play about America, a poetic, complex, and subtle play of courage, fear, good luck, mistakes, patience about fate, and sober self-esteem." - Saul Steinberg

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Wed 4/29/20 12:25 pm Post subject:

I recently found this link via SABR, which lists all "double unique" names in MLB history. That is, and I'll use an example from the last 20 years, Sidney Ponson--there has only been one Sidney to play Major League Baseball (believe it or not), and only one person with the surname Ponson. The list dates all the way back to 1871!

Not surprised "Yhency Brazoban" is one...LOL.
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

forloveofthegame · Joined: 23 Oct 2009 Posts: 7346 Location: San Diego

Dinelson Lamet is no surprise either! Termel Sledge, Jedd Gyorko, Odrisamer Despaigne, Jabari Blash, a few Padres in recent years, and of course Chone Figgins of the Angels.

That list is much larger than I expected it to be, but when you think how many players go up and down every year, I understand why, and it started 150 years ago.
_________________
"Baseball is an allegorical play about America, a poetic, complex, and subtle play of courage, fear, good luck, mistakes, patience about fate, and sober self-esteem." - Saul Steinberg

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Thu 10/22/20 10:18 pm Post subject:

So I neglected to post about this last week, with all the fun of NLCS Game 5 over the fact that Will Smith vs. Will Smith was the first time in postseason history that a batter had faced an opposing pitcher with the same name.

And to homer off him? Even better. (Given it was our guy who hit the homer.) Smile

Some funny lines about it, per MLB.com.
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

forloveofthegame · Joined: 23 Oct 2009 Posts: 7346 Location: San Diego

There were some good ones there.
_________________
"Baseball is an allegorical play about America, a poetic, complex, and subtle play of courage, fear, good luck, mistakes, patience about fate, and sober self-esteem." - Saul Steinberg

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Tue 2/9/21 11:13 pm Post subject:

Sure looks like I fell asleep at the wheel again. I failed to notice, last September, that former Dodger, then with the Mariners, Dee Gordon announced his full surname would be officially used, which is "Strange Gordon." He did this to honor his mother, who was killed when he was six years old--an extremely sad fact that I don't remember ever hearing before (!), although I can't imagine Vin didn't tell us that at some point. However, when I read recent references to him as "Strange Gordon", I checked into it.

And you can hardly blame me for not knowing--I found very few mentions of it on-line, mostly from fantasy blogs such as this one.

So there you have it. Now I can post an update in Hot Stove about him. Smile

_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Tue 7/13/21 12:15 pm Post subject:

I'm tired of hearing about Max Muncy. Yeah, the second Max Muncy.

I mean, we all knew him here but apparently some are just now beginning to hear of him and making note of his name.

What I find especially intriguing about him is not just the name, but the birthdate (both Maxes born on same day, but in different years), and the fact that the younger Muncy played prep baseball in the same metro area as the elder Muncy plays professional baseball.

But now, we have the third quirk to add to that list, the fact that the same Oakland Athletics who drafted our "Mad Max" back in 2012, have drafted another player with the same name, nine years later! Surprised

Details about the draft itself are included in the thread for that topic.
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

sunnyblue · Posted: Fri 4/8/22 8:30 am Post subject:

Haven't had much to post here in awhile but who couldn't appreciate yesterday was "National Beer Day" and Seth Beer got the walk off hit for the Diamondbacks to win it. Well I do know someone who can't appreciate it and I'm definitely not posting this for the benefit of Padres fans, but it was a priceless "name game" moment, lol.

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Fri 4/8/22 11:53 am Post subject:

I loved it too, though I hesitate to mention it. I sure wouldn't have loved it if the opposition had been Dodger blue. But it was a classic Opening Day moment, even for those who had to clench their teeth!
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

forloveofthegame · Joined: 23 Oct 2009 Posts: 7346 Location: San Diego

Hmph, well thankfully National Beer Day comes only once a year.
_________________
"Baseball is an allegorical play about America, a poetic, complex, and subtle play of courage, fear, good luck, mistakes, patience about fate, and sober self-esteem." - Saul Steinberg

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Sat 4/9/22 11:17 am Post subject:

Thinking back on it, perhaps a more appropriate line than "walk off" for Beer would be "crawl off." Very Happy

_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Mon 5/30/22 2:56 pm Post subject:

I can't help but mention that, less than two months after Seth Beer had the walk-off hit on National Beer Day, Jake Burger homered on National Burger Day, which was May 28!
Laughing

_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

sunnyblue · Posted: Tue 5/31/22 6:06 pm Post subject:

This thread has become quite humorous! Laughing

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Fri 7/29/22 8:37 am Post subject:

Janson Junk is back with the Angels and even pitched for them a couple of days ago in K.C. I haven't seen him throw yet to determine whether he actually throws "junk" or not.
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

sunnyblue · Posted: Sat 7/30/22 4:18 pm Post subject:

Charley mentioned him during the day game broadcast on Wednesday and I was trying to remember if I had even heard of him before? I found out he was up with them last year, but I just don't remember him. What a name for a pitcher!

dodgerblue6 · Posted: Tue 4/25/23 9:24 pm Post subject:

For those with a really good memory, you might recall Dodgers prospect Mike Busch, who was up with the team in a controversial time during the 1995 season. He had been a "replacement player" during the strike.

The current Michael Busch, just called up by the Dodgers today, is supposedly less controversial.
_________________
"The Dodgers have always occupied an enormous place in the history of the game. If the Yankees are the most successful team in baseball history, the Dodgers are the most essential. Their legacy is unique."

-Baseball Hall of Fame

sunnyblue · Posted: Wed 4/26/23 5:26 am Post subject:

Thanks for jogging the memory!