Dodgers Arizona Fall League review

The Glendale Desert Dogs finished strong with a three-game winning streak, but with a win on Thursday the Surprise Saguaros finished a half-game ahead in the West Division, earning a berth in the Arizona Fall League Championship Game on Saturday. As such, the Dodgers’ portion of the AFL in 2016 has concluded.

Glendale trailed Surprise by 2½ games with three to play, and nearly pulled off the comeback, with three wins to close out their season. Surprise lost twice before winning on Wednesday, finishing at 17-14-1, just ahead of the 17-15 Desert Dogs.

Cody Bellinger had a strong showing in the AFL, reaching base by hit or walk in his final 14 games, including a .385 on-base percentage in three games this week.

Bellinger hit .314/.424/.557 with eight doubles, three home runs, 16 runs scored, 16 RBI and 14 walks in 20 games in Arizona. He led the AFL in doubles, finished third in OPS (.981) and slugging percentage, fourth in on-base percentage and RBI, tied for sixth in walks and was eighth in runs scored. He also homered in the Fall Stars Game.

Joe Broussard saved two games in the final week, and tied for the AFL lead with five saves. The 15th-round pick in 2014 out of LSU posted a 1.59 ERA in 11 games in the AFL, with nine strikeouts and no walks in 11⅓ innings.

Here is how all the Dodgers performed in the six-week league:

• Willie Calhoun: .255/.300/.340, 12-for-47, HR, 2B, 6 RBI in 14 games, 3 BB against only 5 strikeouts; won the Fall Stars Game MVP with three hits, including a home run, which isn’t reflected in those stats.
• Alex Verdugo: .140/.213/.233, 6-for-43, two 2B, 3B, 4 BB, 8 K in 13 games before he headed to Tokyo to play two exhibition games for the Mexican national team against Japan.
• Tim Locastro: .303/.351/.303, 10-for-33, BB, 2 HBP, 2 SB in 13 games; didn’t play after Oct. 29.
• Corey Copping: 3.48 ERA in 9 relief appearances, 11 K, 5 BB in 10⅓ IP
• Ralston Cash: 4.32 ERA in 8 relief appearances, more walks (7) than strikeouts (4) in 8⅓ IP
• Chris Anderson: 11.88 ERA in 6 starts, 3 HR, 12 BB, 9 K in 16⅔ innings.

Previous AFL notes

AFL preview

Week 1 (Oct. 10-16)

Week 2 (Oct. 17-23)

Week 3 (Oct. 24-30)

Fall Stars Game

Week 4 (Oct. 31-Nov. 6)

Week 5 (Nov. 7-13)