View from Right Field, Camelback Ranch, Glendale, Az.
2009 saw the Dodgers open their brand new spring training facility, Camelback Ranch-Glendale. The 13,000-seat stadium and surrounding facilities that the Dodgers share with the Chicago White Sox replaced their former facility at Holman Stadium in Vero Beach, Florida, where the team had trained in the spring since 1948. This also marked the Dodgers debut as a member of the Cactus League.
On May 7, MLB announced a 50-game suspension for Manny Ramirez as a result of his testing positive for a banned substance under the collective bargaining agreement.[3]
On May 25, in a game at Coors Field against the Colorado Rockies, the Dodgers scored seven runs in the fourth inning and eight runs in the seventh to key a 16–6 rout of the Rockies.[4]
On June 1, in a loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Dodgers had five wild pitches: three by Cory Wade in the seventh inning and two by Brent Leach in the eighth. This set a record for most wild pitches in a single game in Los Angeles Dodgers history and tied a franchise record set in 1918.[5]
On June 5 and 6, Andre Ethier provided a walk-off game-winning hit on each day to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies. Ethier hit a 2-run double in the bottom of the 9th inning on June 5 to give the Dodgers a 4–3 win, and then hit a solo home run in the 12th inning on June 6 to give the Dodgers a 3–2 victory.[6]
On June 20, Jeff Weaver started for the Dodgers against the Los Angeles Angels. The opposing starter was his younger brother Jered Weaver. This was the first pitching matchup between brothers since 2002 when Andy and Alan Benes matched up and only the 15th such game since 1967.[7] The Dodgers won 6–4, with Jeff getting the win and Jered taking the loss.[8]
On July 22, Manny Ramirez hit a pinch-hit grand slam in the bottom of the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds. This was his 21st career grand slam (2nd all-time behind Lou Gehrig) and first career pinch hit homer. The home run came on "Manny Ramirez Bobblehead night" at the Stadium.[11]
The Dodgers did not lose three games in a row until a loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on July 28. They were the last team in the 2009 season to lose three games in a row.[12] This was the deepest into the season a Major League Baseball team had gone without losing three straight since the 2001 Seattle Mariners, who lost their third straight on September 22.[13]
On July 28, in a blowout 10–0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals, utility infielder Mark Loretta pitched one-third of an inning in the bottom of the eighth for the Dodgers, hitting the first batter and inducing the second batter to fly out. Loretta had pitched an inning of relief in 2001 for the Milwaukee Brewers, and was the first Dodger position player to pitch since Robin Ventura in 2004.[14]
On August 4, the Dodgers beat the Milwaukee Brewers 17–4 at Dodger Stadium. The 17 runs scored was the highest run total by the Dodgers in a home game since they also scored 17 on May 25, 1979, against the Cincinnati Reds.[15] With two outs in the ninth inning, relief pitcher Guillermo Mota hit Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder with a pitch (apparently in retaliation for Chris Smith hitting Manny Ramirez a few innings earlier). Mota was ejected from the game. After the game, Fielder attempted to gain entry into the Dodgers clubhouse to confront Mota but was stopped by security guards. Both Mota and Fielder were fined by Major League Baseball for their actions.[16]
On August 15, in a road game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Dodgers pitcher Hiroki Kuroda was hit in the head by a line drive off the bat of Rusty Ryal. After leaving the game, he was diagnosed with a concussion and stayed in the hospital overnight.[17]
On August 20, Russell Martin hit a grand-slam home run in the sixth inning to break open a 2–2 tie and lead the Dodgers to a 7–2 victory over the Chicago Cubs. It was the fourth home run for Martin in the 2009 season and his second career grand slam.[18]
On September 5, Randy Wolf picked up his 100th career win, in a 7–4 victory over the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium.[20]
On September 8, the Dodgers tied a franchise record by hitting into five double plays in a road game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Russell Martin (second inning), Rafael Furcal (third inning), James Loney (fourth inning), Matt Kemp (sixth inning) and Ronnie Belliard (seventh inning) all hit into double plays in the game. The Dodgers came from behind to win the game 5–4.[21]
On September 26, the Dodgers came from behind to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8–4 at Pittsburgh. The victory clinched a playoff spot for the Dodgers, their third in four seasons. The last time the Dodgers made the playoffs three times in four years was 1963–66.[22]
On October 3, the Dodgers broke open a scoreless game against the Colorado Rockies with a five-run seventh inning and held on for the 5–0 victory that clinched their second straight National League West Championship.[23] It was the first time the Dodgers won back-to-back division pennants since 1977–78.[24]
As National League West Champions, the Dodgers faced the St. Louis Cardinals in the Division Series and held home field advantage. They swept the Cardinals in three games.
Note: W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; G = Games pitched; GS = Games started; SV = Saves; IP = Innings pitched; R = Runs allowed; ER = Earned runs allowed; BB = Walks allowed; K = Strikeouts
Dee Gordon of the Single-A Great Lakes Loons was named "Prospect of the Year" and "Most Valuable Player" of the Midwest League. Gordon was also named to the Postseason All-Star team alongside teammates Kyle Russell (who was named co-MVP) and Tony Delmonico.[44] Gordon was later named the Dodgers "Minor League Player of the Year" as well.[45]
LHP Scott Elbert was named the Dodgers minor league "Pitcher of the Year." He made 20 appearances with the AA Chattanooga Lookouts and AAA Albuquerque Isotopes during the season and finished 4–4 with a 3.84 ERA. He struck out 125 batters and walked only 44 in 96 innings.[45]
The Dodgers selected 51 players in this draft. Of those, seven of them have played Major League Baseball. They lost their first-round pick as a result of signing free agent Orlando Hudson but gained a supplemental first-round pick and a second-round pick as a compensation for losing pitcher Derek Lowe.
The Dodgers top pick in this draft was left-handed pitcher Aaron Miller from Baylor University. In five seasons in the minors he was 20–19 with a 4.03 ERA in 82 games (65 starts). Midway through the 2013 season, the Dodgers decided to take him off the mound and turn him into a position player.[50] He hit 14 homers and drove in 60 RBI in 2014 in class-A as a designated hitter but retired after the season without making it to the Majors.[51]
They went the opposite direction with outfielder Blake Smith from University of California, Berkeley. Also in the 2013 season they decided to take Smith and make him into a relief pitcher. He was later traded, and eventually made it to the majors with the Chicago White Sox.
