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Welcome to another installment of ‘Mound Visit Monday’. Every Monday, we take a look back at notable transactions that took place over the course of this week in Dodgers history dating back to 2000.
It was a quiet time during January 31 through February 6. However, one of the moves LA made turned into one of the biggest signings in the history of the franchise.
January 31
- 2003: Signed Chin-lung Hu as an amateur free agent
It wouldn’t be until 2007 in which Chin-lung Hu would make his Dodgers debut. Over the course of the next four seasons, he’d appear in a total of 96 games for LA. There was a reason for his limited number of games, as he struggled at the big-league level. Hu hit .191 with an OPS of .524.
He did provide a memorable moment during his time with the Dodgers. When he reached base, Vin Scully got to finally say “Hu’s on first!”
February 5
- 2014: Signed Justin Turner to a minor league contract
One of the most impactful Dodgers players over the last few decades was signed to a minor league contract. Who could have predicted this one eight years ago?
Prior to coming to the Dodgers, Justin Turner had spent five seasons with the Orioles and Mets, but mainly with the Mets. From 2009-2013, he appeared in 318 games, hitting .260 with an OPS of .684. Nothing major, but he was an infielder who could provide versatility in the field and depth if needed.
Fast forward eight years later and Turner is one of the most successful Dodger players in recent memory. Since joining LA, Turner has racked up 958 hits with 143 home runs, 493 RBI and 299 doubles. He’s hitting .298 with an OPS of .877. In addition to his incredible numbers, Turner essentially owns every Dodgers postseason record and will likely continue to add to them in 2022.
What was just a minor signing that you might not have even known about all the way back in February of 2014 turned into one of the most impactful signings in Dodgers history.
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