News and notes regarding the Dodgers for a Friday...
- Prince Fielder was impressed with Clayton Kershaw on Thursday, telling the Associated Press, "It doesn’t feel too bad when you lose to a guy like that, All-Star, potential Cy Young winner."
- Speaking of Kershaw, Jeff Sullivan at Baseball Nation has four Clayton Kershaw facts that might amaze you.
- Jon Weisman of Dodger Thoughts questioned why Javy Guerra was used Thursday with a five-run lead rather than Wednesday in a tie game in Milwaukee. "Someday, managers will stop trying to explain why they think a lead in the 10th is more pressure-filled than a tie game in the ninth, and actually just do the right thing. Mattingly should seize the opportunity to be that man," said Weisman.
- Nathan Eovaldi has thrown a combined 120 innings this season after throwing 98 innings in 2010. Manager Don Mattingly said the plan is for Eovaldi to make a couple more starts before moving to relief. "Well, we're not going to shut him down completely," Mattingly told Joe DiGiovanni of MLB.com. "We really want him to finish up. We'll probably pitch him out of the bullpen."
- Frank McCourt won a legal battle on Thursday, when a Boston judge dismissed a lawsuit against McCourt by Bingham McCutchen, the law firm that drew up the marital property agreement that was thrown out in divorce court earlier this year. Per Jim Peltz of the Los Angeles Times, Bingham McCutchen claimed that McCourt "refused to pay legal bills because of alleged malpractice and asking for a ruling that the firm had done nothing to warrant a malpractice lawsuit"
- Former Dodgers catcher Brad Ausmus was a guest of Fresh Air on NPR on Thursday, and estimated for host Dave Davies the physical requirements of playing catcher. "At times, I've tried to total up the number of squats I've gotten into over the course of a season, and you'd have to do 150 squats a day for seven months," Ausmus said.
- Jason Giambi has excelled in a part-time role for the Rockies this season, hitting .275/.364/.676 with 12 home runs (which would rank second on the Dodgers) in 118 plate appearances. The 40-year old, who has started 15 times at first base and six more times at DH this season, likes his new role, telling Jim Armstrong of the Denver Post earlier this week, "It’s about being mentally prepared. I’m real comfortable with the role now. I know exactly what to expect. Last year I might not play for eight days and it was hard to stay sharp. This year, I know how to."