True Blue LA - MLB All-Star Game: Yasiel Puig trying to become 6th Dodgers rookie in midsummer classicWhere The Dodger Dogs Are Always Grilledhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49563/truebluela_fav.png2013-07-12T10:00:05-07:00http://www.truebluela.com/rss/stream/42718452013-07-12T10:00:05-07:002013-07-12T10:00:05-07:00Dodger Rookie Hideo Nomo starts 1995 All-Star Game
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/EetHk_YQ367rfXZdVfYIkUhJwYg=/0x103:737x594/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/16297493/hideo-nomo-1995-getty.0.jpg" />
</figure>
<p>Unlike Yasiel Puig, Hideo Nomo took a great June into not only making the team but being named the 1995 All-Star Game National League starting pitcher joining battery mate Mike Piazza in the starting lineup</p> <p><i><span>Yasiel Puig</span> did not become the sixth <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> rookie to be named to the National League All-Star team. But we conclude this series of profiles with the last Dodger to be accorded that honor as a rookie.</i></p>
<p>In the February 13, 1995 edition of the LA Times, Bob Nightengale<a target="_blank" href="http://articles.latimes.com/1995-02-13/sports/sp-31429_1_hideo-nomo"> writes</a> that the Dodgers had just signed a pitcher to a minor league contract.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The Dodgers signed Japanese star pitcher <span>Hideo Nomo</span> to a minor-league contract Sunday, and will introduce him and his family today at a downtown news conference. According to one source, Nomo will receive a signing bonus in excess of $2 million, the largest ever provided to a non-major league player.</p>
<p>Nomo, 26, who is expected to replace Orel Hershiser in the starting rotation, would become the first Japanese player from that nation's major leagues to appear in the U.S. major leagues.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The 1995 season did not begin in the customary first week of April time period because the 1994 baseball strike didn't come to end until April 2, 1995. The 144-game regular season started 3 weeks later.</p>
<p>Hideo Nomo made his first start for the Dodgers on May 2, 1995. That month he started 6 games, going 0-1 and recording a 3.82 ERA. There were three things that were evident, he was hard to hit (.197 batting average against), his control was spotty (6.8 BB/9 innings) and he produced a lot of swings and misses (13.4K/9 innings). But no one after May was thinking All-Star game.</p>
<p>Then Hideo Nomo had one of the greatest Junes in Dodger history. In his 6 starts, he pitched at least 8 innings in all 6 games, he gave up a total of 5 earned runs in 50.1 innings, he allowed 25 hits and 16 walks while striking out 60. He would win all 6 games, capping the month with back to back, complete game, 13 strike out shutouts (per Baseball Reference, no other Dodger pitcher has ever had back to back shutouts with 13 or more strikeouts, not Koufax, not Drysdale, not Fernando).</p>
<p>He would have one more start before the All-Star game and from an ERA nearing 4 runs a game in May, he had got it down to less than 2 runs in those seven starts.</p>
<p>Hideo Nomo would be the second Dodger rookie selected to start an All-Star game, joining Fernando Valenzuela.</p>
<p>The 1995 All-Star game was played at the then named The Ballpark in Arlington in front of 50,920 fans in attendance.</p>
<div class="sidebar">
<h2>1995 All-Star Game</h2>
<span> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ALS/ALS199507110.shtml"> July 11, 1995</a> <br>National League 3, American League 2<br>The Ballpark at Arlington, Texas<br><br>Nomo: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 Runs, 3 K <br><br><br><u>Other Dodgers</u>: <br>Mike Piazza, C*: 1-for-3, HR, 1 R, 1 RBI<br><span>Raul Mondesi</span>, OF: 0-for-1<br><span>Jose Offerman</span>, SS: played, did not bat<br>Todd Worrell, RHP: DNP <br><i>*starter</i> </span>
</div>
<p></p>
<p>Nomo faced the minimum number of batters, 6 total, in his two innings of work. He struck out 3, allowed one hit, 0 runs and no walks. His battery mate, Mike Piazza would hit a solo homer that would tie the game at 2, the NL would win the game on the back of a <span>Jeff Conine</span> solo shot that provided the one run for the 3 to 2 victory.</p>
<p>Hideo Nomo would never pitch in another All-Star game but he did go on to be awarded the 1995 National League Rookie of the Year.</p>
<p>On Saturday August 10th, the Dodgers will have a <a target="_blank" href="http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/schedule/promotions.jsp?c_id=la">Hideo Nomo Bobble Head giveaway</a>. It will the middle game of a 3-game set against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.draysbay.com/">Tampa Bay Rays</a>.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2013/7/12/4506222/mlb-all-star-game-dodgers-hideo-nomoCraig Minami2013-07-11T11:22:46-07:002013-07-11T11:22:46-07:00Dodgers All-Star rookies: Mike Piazza, 1993
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/psy730yz6PNMhYSn6Qis6O2ucOs=/19x199:648x618/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/16274475/mike-piazza-1993.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The greatest hitting catcher of all-time was the fourth Dodgers rookie to be named an All-Star.</p> <p><span>Yasiel Puig</span> will learn at 1 p.m. PT on Thursday whether or not he won the Final Vote for the 34th and final roster spot on the National League All-Star team. As of Thursday morning, Puig still trailed <span>Freddie Freeman</span> of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.talkingchop.com/">Braves</a>. If Puig makes the All-Star team he will be the sixth <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> rookie to do so. The fourth was catcher Mike Piazza, in 1993.</p>
<p>Fernando Valenzuela set the bar for Dodgers rookie pitchers by winning the Cy Young Award, but Piazza is the gold standard for all Dodgers rookie position players. The 62-round draft pick in 1988 emerged from relative obscurity to become much more than just Tommy Lasorda's godson. Piazza came out hitting in his rookie season.</p>
<div class="read-more">
<b>More Dodgers rookie <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/teams/show?affiliation_key=l.mlb.com&team_key=l.mlb.com-t.32">All-Stars</a></b>: <a href="http://www.truebluela.com/2013/7/8/4502156/mlb-all-star-game-dodgers-don-newcombe/in/4271845" target="new">Don Newcombe (1949)</a> <a href="http://www.truebluela.com/2013/7/9/4507444/mlb-all-star-game-dodgers-fernando-valenzuela" target="new">Fernando Valenzuela (1981)</a> <a href="http://www.truebluela.com/2013/7/10/4510622/mlb-all-star-game-dodgers-steve-sax%20" target="new">Steve Sax (1982)</a>
</div>
<p>Piazza opened April with an 11-game hitting streak, and he was hitting .327 with eight home runs at the end of May. But that's when he really turned the power on. Piazza over the next four months hit seven, six, seven and seven home runs.</p>
<div class="sidebar">
<h2>1993 All-Star Game</h2>
<span><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ALS/ALS199307130.shtml" target="new">July 13, 1993</a> <br>American League 9, National League 3 <br>Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore<br><br>Piazza, C: 0-for-1, K<br><br><u>Other Dodgers</u>: <br>Tommy Lasorda, coach<br></span>
</div>
<p>At the break Piazza was hitting .317/.360/.539 and was tied for sixth in the National League in both home runs (18) and RBI (58) and was the only Dodger selected to the All-Star team.</p>
<p>"I was surprised when I saw the newspaper this morning and saw that I had finished third in votes, especially being my first year," Piazza <a target="_blank" href="http://articles.latimes.com/1993-07-09/sports/sp-11404_1_rookie-catcher">told Ross Newhan of the Los Angeles Times in 1993</a>. "Usually it takes a while for people to recognize you, and that doesn't come until the year after you have a good year. This is so great, and Tommy will be there, too (as a coach). It's so cool. Are there any more adjectives I can use?"</p>
<p>Darren Daulton of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thegoodphight.com/">Phillies</a> was named National League starter at catcher, and Dutch caught the first six innings of the game at Camden Yards in Baltimore.</p>
<p>Piazza entered the game in the seventh inning and caught the final two innings. Down 9-3 in the ninth inning, Piazza struck out in his first All-Star at-bat, against Duane Ward of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/">Blue Jays</a>. He was the last out of the game.</p>
<p>Piazza in his rookie season hit a mind boggling .318 in 149 games and set Dodgers rookie records in home runs (35), RBI (112) and slugging percentage (.561).</p>
<p>Home runs and especially RBI have declined in esteem over the years but in 1993 the triple crown stats ruled all, and Piazza was a godsend. Hitting 30 and 100 was rare enough as it is, as the Dodgers only had six such seasons since moving to Los Angeles from 1958-1992: Frank Howard (1962), Jim Wynn (1974), Ron Cey (1977), Steve Garvey (1977) and Pedro Guerrero (1982, 1983). Here was Piazza doing so in his rookie year.</p>
<p>After he was an All-Star reserve in his rookie campaign, Piazza was voted the National League starter at catcher for each of the next nine seasons, and in 11 of 12 years. Five of those All-Star appearances came as a Dodger, including winning the 1996 All-Star Game MVP.</p>
<p>Piazza would go on to set the major league record with 396 home runs as a catcher. But his days as a Dodger ended with Frank Sinatra's days on Earth.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2013/7/11/4514546/mlb-all-star-game-dodgers-mike-piazzaEric Stephen2013-07-10T10:00:06-07:002013-07-10T10:00:06-07:00Dodgers All-Star rookies: Steve Sax, 1982
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/s0Zvbe3kExbWk5xR9NPJ9t_pTYg=/10x215:712x683/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/16213907/steve-sax-1988-dodgers-getty.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Sax had big shoes to fill in 1982, and fill them he did. Sax was by far the best of all The Infield replacements, beginning with an All-Star campaign in his rookie season.</p> <p><span>Yasiel Puig</span> is vying to become the sixth <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> rookie to make the All-Star team, and we will find out Thursday afternoon if he wins the Final Vote in the National League. But for now, let's look back at the third Dodgers rookie All-Star: second baseman Steve Sax, in 1982.</p>
<div class="read-more">
<b>More</b>: <a href="http://www.truebluela.com/2013/7/8/4502156/mlb-all-star-game-dodgers-don-newcombe/in/4271845" target="new">Newcombe (1949 All-Star)</a> <a href="http://www.truebluela.com/2013/7/9/4507444/mlb-all-star-game-dodgers-fernando-valenzuela" target="new">Valenzuela (1981 All-Star)</a> <a href="LINK%20LINK%20LINK" target="new">Sax 1988 profile</a>
</div>
<p>Sax made his major league debut in 1981 after the players strike ended and played quite a bit for an injured Davey Lopes in the second half. Sax started 29 of the final 45 games of the regular season at second base, but played in only four postseason games as a reserve as the Dodgers marched toward their fifth <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/world-series">World Series</a> title.</p>
<p>That World Series title was the final stage for The Infield, after Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell and Ron Cey played together for 8½ years. Lopes was the first to go, traded in February 1982 to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/">Athletics</a> for minor league infielder Lance Hudson, who would never play in the majors.</p>
<div class="sidebar">
<h2>1982 All-Star Game</h2>
<span><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NLS/NLS198207130.shtml" target="new">July 13, 1982</a> <br>National League 4, American League 1 <br>Olympic Stadium, Montreal<br><br>Sax, PR-2B: 1-for-1, CS<br><br><u>Other Dodgers</u>: <br>Dusty Baker, LF: 0-for-2<br>Steve Howe, LHP: ⅓ IP<br>Tommy Lasorda, MGR <br><i>*starter</i> </span>
</div>
<p></p>
<p>The move was made for Sax, who made a difference right out of the gate. He brought an energy to the team and took over at the leadoff spot.</p>
<p>Sax at the break was hitting .279/.341/.340 and was fifth in the National League with 100 hits and fifth with 32 steals (note: Sax was only nine steals behind NL leader Lonnie Smith, while American League leader Rickey Henderson had 84 steals in 88 games at the break, on his way to an MLB record 130 thefts that season).</p>
<p>Manny Trillo of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thegoodphight.com/">Phillies</a> was voted to start at second base for the National League, and manager Tommy Lasorda added Sax to the roster as a backup.</p>
<p>After Trillo singled in the fifth inning, Sax was brought in as a pinch runner with teammate Dusty Baker batting and Floyd Bannister on the mound. Sax tried to steal second base, but was thrown out by Carlton Fisk.</p>
<p>Sax played the final four innings at second base, and had an infield single off Dan Quisenberry in the seventh inning.</p>
<p>Sax finished the 1982 season batting .282/.335/.359 with 49 stolen bases and 88 runs scored. He was voted NL Rookie of the Year, the fourth straight Dodger to win the award and 11th Dodger overall to win it (the Dodgers to date have won 16 Rookie of the Year awards, more than any other team).</p>
<p>Sax was a fixture for the Dodgers at second base and at the top of the lineup through the 1988 season, then finished off his career with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.southsidesox.com/">White Sox</a> and Athletics.</p>
<p>He made five All-Star teams in his career, twice as a starter (1983, 1990), and was 3-for-7 (.429) with a walk, a run scored, two runs batted in and three stolen bases. In three All-Star Games as a Dodger (1982, 1983, 1986) Sax was 3-for-5.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2013/7/10/4510622/mlb-all-star-game-dodgers-steve-saxEric Stephen2013-07-09T10:56:45-07:002013-07-09T10:56:45-07:00Dodgers rookie All-Stars: Fernando Valenzuela, '81
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ikAQfTbAxQxRKnz201QcinBVLmc=/0x12:1000x679/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/16160373/20120418_kdl_am8_016.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Richard Mackson-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Fernandomania found its way to Cleveland for the 1981 All-Star Game, where Fernando Valenzuela became just the third rookie pitcher ever to start the midsummer classic.</p> <p><span>Yasiel Puig</span> has taken the baseball world by storm and, through the Final Vote is attempting to become just the sixth <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> rookie to be named to the All-Star Game. While Puig's debut was nothing short of magnificent, it simply does not compare to Fernando Valenzuela in 1981.</p>
<p>Valenzuela didn't come out of nowhere in 1981, as he began his career in September 1980. But his start wasn't just a cup of coffee. The 19-year-old was thrown into a race for the National League West with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.crawfishboxes.com/">Astros</a>. Valenzuela pitched exclusively in relief in 1980 and though he didn't debut until Sept. 15, he pitched in 10 of the final 21 games of the season. Valenzuela allowed just two runs, both unearned in 17⅔ innings in 1980.</p>
<p>Valenzuela was in the rotation to start 1981, but was bumped up to opening day starter after Jerry Reuss got hurt. All the 20-year-old did was shutout the Astros on five hits.</p>
<p>His next outing was in San Francisco, and Valenzuela struck out 10 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a> in another complete game, though he did allow an eighth inning run in the 7-1 win.</p>
<p>Four days later, Valenzuela shut out the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> in San Diego on five hits, with 10 more strikeouts. Four days after that Valenzuela shut out the Astros in Houston, striking out 11 while out-dueling former teammate Don Sutton in a 1-0 win. Valenzuela got a full four days rest for his next start, back at home and he shut out the Giants on Apr. 27.</p>
<p>In that game, his fifth major league start, Valenzuela had three hits at the plate and allowed no runs. Since then that has been done only three times by a Dodgers pitcher: Orel Hershiser in Game 2 of the 1988 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/world-series">World Series</a>, Kevin Brown in 2002 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.truebluela.com/2013/7/8/4506062/zack-greinke-dodgers-diamongbacks">and <span class="sbn-auto-link">Zack Greinke</span> Monday night in Arizona</a>.</p>
<div class="sidebar">
<h2>1981 All-Star Game</h2>
<span><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ALS/ALS198108090.shtml" target="new">August 9, 1981</a> <br>National League 5, American League 4 <br>Cleveland Stadium, Cleveland<br><br>Valenzuela (ND)*: 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R<br><br><u>Other Dodgers</u>: <br>Davey Lopes, 2B*: 0-for-0, BB <br>Steve Garvey, 1B: 1-for-2, 2B <br>Dusty Baker, LF: 1-for-2<br>Pedro Guerrero, PH: 0-for-1, K <br>Burt Hooton, RHP: 1⅔ IP, 5 H, 3 R, K <br><i>*starter</i> </span>
</div>
<p></p>
<p>Through Valenzuela's first month as a starter, he allowed one run. He pitched four shutouts and another complete game. Through his first 38 team games, Valenzuela pitched 62⅔ innings and allowed a single earned run. His career ERA at that point was 0.14.</p>
<p>Fernandomania was in full force at this point. But he wasn't done.</p>
<p>On May 3, with a full five days rest, Valenzuela allowed just one run in nine innings in Montreal, but left with the Dodgers and Expos tied at 1-1. The Dodgers exploded for five runs in the 10th inning and Steve Howe closed out the win for Valenzuela.</p>
<p>On May 8, Valenzuela pitched his fifth shutout in seven starts, with 11 strikeouts against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/">Mets</a> at Shea Stadium. Six days later Valenzuela beat the Expos again with a complete game 3-2 victory.</p>
<p>In a start that will likely never be equaled, Valenzuela pitched nine innings in each of his first eight starts. He had seven complete games, five shutouts, and was 8-0 with a 0.50 ERA. Counting 1980, his career ERA to that point was a miniscule 0.45.</p>
<p>Four earned runs in 80⅔ innings.</p>
<p>As expected, Valenzuela hit a lull, but after June 11 was 9-4 with a 2.45 ERA and led the major leagues with 103 strikeouts. He was tied for the major league lead in wins and led he National League with 110 innings.</p>
<p>That's when the baseball strike hit. The largest labor stoppage in the sport to date forced the cancellation of 713 games and lasted nearly two months. As a result the season was split into halves, with the winners of each half facing off for the division crown.</p>
<p>The second half began on Aug. 9 with the All-Star Game, the latest date ever for the midsummer classic. Fernando Valenzuela, at 20, was named starting pitcher for the National League. Valenzuela was just the third rookie pitcher ever to start an All-Star Game, joining Dave Stenhouse (1962) and Mark Fidrych (1976).</p>
<p>Valenzuela was set to face owners of eight of the previous nine American League batting titles in the first inning, in Rod Carew and George Brett. Carew led off with an infield single but was caught stealing by Gary Carter, who would win the game MVP honors.</p>
<p>Willie Randolph followed with a single to left field off Valenzuela, who settled down and got Brett and Dave Winfield to ground out to end the frame.</p>
<p>Valenzuela was removed for a pinch hitter in the second inning so he just pitched the one scoreless inning in his All-Star debut.</p>
<p>He finished out the season with a 4-3 record and a 2.51 ERA in 11 starts. On the season, the 20-year-old Valenzuela was 13-7 with a 2.48 ERA and lead the league with 25 starts, 11 complete games, eight shutouts, 192⅓ innings and 180 strikeouts. Valenzuela became the first rookie ever to win the Cy Young Award, in <a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1981.shtml#NL_Cy_Young_voting">an extremely tight vote over Tom Seaver</a>, and naturally won the NL Rookie of the Year award as well.</p>
<p>Valenzuela proved his mettle in the postseason too, going 3-1 in five starts with a 2.21 ERA with 26 strikeouts and 15 walks in 40⅔ innings. He had wins in the clinching Game 5 of the NLCS and in Game 3 of the World Series, the latter a 147-pitch complete game in which he overcame seven walks to beat the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a> to begin the Dodgers' comeback from 2-0 down to win their first World Series in 16 years.</p>
<p>Valenzuela was a full-fledged superstar, and was named to the All-Star team in each of his first six seasons (1981-1986). He pitched in five of those games and never allowed a run in 7⅔ innings, with five hits and three walks allowed, and nine strikeouts.</p>
<p>He also set a few midsummer classic records in his career. In 1984 Valenzuela struck out three in two innings and combined with Dwight Gooden to strikeout a record six consecutive hitters. Two years later, Valenzuela tied Carl Hubbell's individual record, set 52 years earlier, with five straight strikeouts of his own.</p>
<p>Valenzuela was built for the big stage, and performed well when given the opportunity.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2013/7/9/4507444/mlb-all-star-game-dodgers-fernando-valenzuelaEric Stephen2013-07-08T10:00:07-07:002013-07-08T10:00:07-07:00Dodgers All-Star rookies: Don Newcombe, 1949
<figure>
<img alt="Don Newcombe throwing out the first pitch in a ceremony at Dodger Stadium last September" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/FDf8s1gZXX5YdZ8tbpKjKQYjhWA=/0x14:518x359/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/16061055/124904890.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Don Newcombe throwing out the first pitch in a ceremony at Dodger Stadium last September | Stephen Dunn</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Don Newcombe was a Dodgers rookie on the 1949 All-Star team, and one of the first African-American All-Stars in Major League Baseball.</p> <p><i>If Yasiel Puig wins <a target="_blank" href="http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/all_star/y2013/fv/ballot.jsp?tcid=ASG13_News_Story">Major League Baseball's All-Star Game 2013 Final Vote</a> contest, he will become the sixth Dodgers rookie to be named to the National League All-Star team. Accordingly, True Blue LA will profile each of the five previous Dodgers to be accorded that honor as a rookie.</i></p>
<p>Not only was Don Newcombe an All-Star as a rookie in 1949, he was one of the first African-American baseball All-Stars, as he, Jackie Robinson, and Roy Campanella of the Dodgers were named to the National League team, and Larry Doby represented Cleveland on the opposing American League squad.</p>
<p>The 1949 All-Star game was played in Brooklyn's home stadium, Ebbet's Field, in front of 32,577 fans in attendance. They watched their National League hosts quickly fall behind 4-0 in the top of the first inning.</p>
<div class="sidebar">
<h2>1949 All-Star Game</h2>
<span><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NLS/NLS194907120.shtml" target="new">July 12, 1949</a> <br>American League 11, National League 7 <br>Ebbets Field, Brooklyn <br><br>Newcombe (L): 2⅔ IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB <br>0-for-1, RBI <br><br><u>Other Dodgers</u>: <br>Pee Wee Reese, SS*: 0-for-5, BB <br>Jackie Robinson, 2B*: 1-for-4, 2B, BB, 3 R <br>Gil Hodges, 1B: 1-for-3, R <br>Roy Campanella, C: 0-for-2, BB, K <br>Preacher Roe, LHP: 1 IP <br>Ralph Branca, RHP: DNP <br>Burt Shotton, coach<br><i>*starter</i> </span>
</div>
<p></p>
<p>Newcombe relieved starter Warren Spahn in the second inning after the lefthand had allowed four runs while recording only four outs. He was given the loss because the National League came back to lead 5-4 during Newcombe's tenure on the mound, but the two-run single he allowed to shortstop Eddie Joost permitted the AL to take a lead they would never relinquish on their way to a 11-7 victory.</p>
<p>"Newk" did strand his two inherited runners, first facing Joe DiMaggio with one out and retiring him on a fly ball, then getting Joost to fly out to end the inning.</p>
<p>Also, in something highly unlikely to be seen in this year's All-Star Game, Newcombe batted as a pitcher and recorded an RBI with a sacrifice fly caught by Ted Williams, cutting the AL lead to one run.</p>
<p>The six-foot, four-inch righthander was an All-Star for his first three seasons in the majors, then missed two full years of baseball due to military service. He was again an All-Star in 1955, but was not named to the team in 1956, when he merely won the MVP and Cy Young Awards. He would not make another All-Star roster.</p>
<p>At the All-Star break, Newcombe had a 6-2 record with a 3.59 ERA, hurling six complete games in 11 starts with one shutout. He would be named 1949's Rookie of Year, leading the NL with five shutouts and a 5.5 (!) K/9 rate, winning 11 of his 17 decisions in the second half, and posting a 2.85 ERA while accumulating 13 complete games with four shutouts in 20 starts after the All-Star break.</p>
<p>Don Newcombe celebrated his 87th birthday in June, and is currently working for the Dodgers as a special advisor to chairman Mark Walter.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2013/7/8/4502156/mlb-all-star-game-dodgers-don-newcombeDavid Young