Three-Inning Save: A Los Angeles Dodgers Podcast

Today on The Three-Inning Save podcast, Eric Stephen and Jacob Burch look back at Pat Zachry, a right-handed pitcher who relieved for the Dodgers in 1983-84 and died on April 4 at age 71. Related reading: Remembering Zachry at True Blue LA Zachry’s SABR bio , written by David Skelton Obituary at the Waco Herald-Tribune Jay Horwitz of the Mets remembers Zachry’s time in New York Obituary in the Cin...

On this episode of the Three-Inning Save podcast, we banter about Shohei Ohtani’s first home run as a Dodger, and the hubbub surrounding the aftermath regarding Dodger Stadium security and the fan who caught the ball. The Dodgers have used their bullpen an awful lot in the early part of the season, and in doing so added and subtracted several members along the way. Nabil Crismatt got a win in his...

On this episode of the Three-Inning Save podcast, the Dodgers re-opened the regular season with the home opener and a four-game weekend series against the Cardinals,  of which they won three games . Mookie Betts started the season on fire, including hitting a home run in four straight games. Will Smith is also hot at the plate, fresh off  signing a new 10-year contract . Similar for Teoscar Hernán...

The Dodgers  signed Will Smith to a 10-year contract worth $140 million , wiping out the final two years of salary arbitration for the All-Star catcher, plus another eight years after that. The deal was finalized on March 27, the day before the home opener at Dodger Stadium and the day before Smith's 29th birthday. Smith is now signed through 2033. He bats cleanup for the Dodgers, behind Mookie Be...

On this episode of the Three-Inning Save podcast, the Dodgers are back stateside but the biggest story in the sport involves Shohei Ohtani and fired interpreter Ippei Mizuhara. Ohtani  during a press conference at Dodger Stadium read a statement , though did not take questions. In that statement, Ohtani said he has never bet on baseball or any sport, nor has he ever had dealings with a bookie. Oht...

The Dodgers lost a wild game to the Padres to close out the Seoul Series in South Korea, but that wasn't the biggest story of the day. That belonged to Shohei Ohtani,  whose interpreter Ippei Mizuhara was fired by the Dodgers on Wednesday  amid a report of ties to an illegal gambler, and accusations of "massive theft" from Ohtani's attorneys. As of now, Major League Baseball has no plans to invest...

Reaction to  the Dodgers beating the Padres 5-2 on opening day  at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, in MLB's first-ever regular season games in SOuth Korea. The low-scoring affair featured the Dodgers hitless in their 14 at-bats with runners on base through seven innings before breaking through with a four-run rally in the eighth inning. Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, and Freddie Freeman combined to reach...

On this episode of the Three-Inning Save podcast, opening day is finally here and we look ahead to the Dodgers and Padres playing two early morning games in Seoul, South Korea. We go over the Dodgers’ frenzied reception at Incheon International Airport, including Shohei Ohtani with his now-revealed wife Mamiko Tanaka, a former professional basketball player. Ohtani will also  begin a throwing prog...

Today on The Three-Inning Save podcast, Eric Stephen and Jacob Burch look back at Jim Neidlinger, who made 12 starts for the Dodgers in 1990. That was Neidlinger’s only season in the majors. Acquired from the Pirates in a trade in 1988, Neidlinger pitched 11 seasons professionally and now coaches baseball at Saint Michael’s College in Vermont.  The Three-Inning Save podcast is part of the  Fans Fi...

On this episode of the Three-Inning Save podcast, we discuss the latest position switch for superstar Mookie Betts, who  is now the Dodgers shortstop  after Gavin Lux’s throwing problems created an untenable situation in the infield. There’s also the matter of manager Dave Roberts saying Betts to shortstop was “permanent, for now,” which is a hilarious phrase. We look at what might happen beyond t...

Today on The Three-Inning Save podcast, Eric Stephen and Jacob Burch look back at outfielder Stan Javier, who played for the Dodgers from 1991-93. Related reading:  Javier’s SABR bio , written by Richard Cuicchi The Three-Inning Save podcast is part of the  Fans First Sports Network . Produced by Brian Salvatore. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about o...

On this episode of the Three-Inning Save podcast, we revel in Shohei Ohtani’s first Dodgers (spring training) home run as well as his surprise revelation that he is now a married man. Also, we take a look at the potential Dodgers opening day roster, based on developments from the first few weeks of spring training. And discuss the Dodgers debut of Yoshinobu Yamamoto as well as the return of Kiké H...

Previewing the Dodgers 2024 campaign  with Ginny Searle , an editor for Baseball Prospectus, who  wrote the season preview for Los Angeles last week at BP . We talk about the Dodgers' whirlwind offseason, adding Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, and more, plus the strengths and weaknesses of the team, and the depth of the pitching staff. You can  read Ginny Searle's work at Basebal...

On this episode of the Three-Inning Save podcast, we have actual spring training games to talk about. That, and MLB uniform quality, and concern over the pants. We review the Dodgers’ first four games, which included Tyler Glasnow’s debut with the team. Also, we have a date on Shohei Ohtani’s Dodgers debut, coming this Tuesday against the White Sox. Yoshinobu Yamamoto is expected to pitch in his d...

Today on The Three-Inning Save podcast, Eric Stephen and Jacob Burch look back at catcher Frenchy Bordagaray, an outfielder and third baseman who had two stints with the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1930s and 1940s, and held the distinction as the last mustachioed MLB player for more than three decades until the 1970s. Related reading: Bordagaray’s SABR bio , written by Norm King The New York Times  ob...

On this episode of the Three-Inning Save podcast, we unpack the first week and a half of Dodgers spring training, including Clayton Kershaw returning, Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto making first impressions, and more. Ohtani keeps hitting home runs in batting practice and draws a huge crowd everywhere he goes. Likewise for Yamamoto, was “incredible” in facing hitters for the first time. Plus...

Today on The Three-Inning Save podcast, Eric Stephen and Jacob Burch look back at catcher Kevin Pasley, who played in parts of three seasons for the Dodgers in the 1970s, and was the last Dodger to wear number four before it was retired to honor Hall of Famer Duke Snider. The Three-Inning Save podcast is part of the  Fans First Sports Network . Produced by Brian Salvatore. Hosted by Simplecast, an...

On the Three-Inning Save podcast, the  Dodgers signed Clayton Kershaw  for what would be his 17th season, and potentially longer with a reported player option. Kershaw had elbow surgery in November and isn't expected to pitch until after the All-Star break, but he remains with the only professional organization he's ever known in returning to a loaded Dodgers team. Also this week,  the Dodgers re-...

On this episode of the Three-Inning Save podcast, a recap of DodgersFest at Dodger Stadium, at which Shohei Ohtani was understandably the star attraction. We talk about highlights and moments from FanFest, the general vibe at Dodger Stadium, plus some news about the team. That includes Walker Buehler  starting the season on the injured list as he’s being slow-played to open the year  after Tommy J...

On this episode of the Three-Inning Save podcast,  the Dodgers signed veteran pitcher James Paxton to a one-year contract  to seemingly round out their starting rotation. Paxton returned from Tommy John surgery to put up a 4.50 ERA in 19 starts for the Red Sox in 2023, though he missed time last year with both a hamstring strain and knee injury, the latter giving a bad ending to an otherwise promi...

On this episode of the Three-Inning Save podcast, we take a look at the Dodgers roster and payroll for 2024, which has become clearer in the last week. Michael Busch, whose path to playing time with Los Angeles was narrow at best,  was traded along with reliever Yency Almonte to the Cubs in exchange for a pair of intriguing minor league prospects . The Dodgers have added four prospects in trades t...

On this episode of the Three-Inning Save podcast, hosts Eric Stephen and Jacob Burch give a full accounting of our various predictions about the 2023 Dodgers. We got some right, and got some wrong. Like Eric picking the Padres to win the National League West, for instance. But this is a look back at all the various questions from Craig Minami throughout last year that pur our predictive powers (or...

On this episode of the Three-Inning Save podcast, hosts Eric Stephen and Jacob Burch react to  the Dodgers signing outfielder Teoscar Hernández to a one-year, $23.5 million contract . Hernández adds a right-handed-hitting power hitter who averaged 28 home runs and 31 doubles over the previous three seasons with the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays. Hernández especially excels at hitting left...

On this episode of the Three-Inning Save podcast, hosts Eric Stephen and Jacob Burch react to  Yoshinobu Yamamoto signing a record-setting $325 million contract with the Dodgers . Yamamoto hit the perfect storm in free agency, as a star who won the last three MVP awards and Eiji Sawamura awards (the latter for top starting pitcher) in Japan, and is only 25 years old, with all the big-market MLB te...

On this episode of the Three-Inning Save podcast, hosts Eric Stephen and Jacob Burch recap a monumental week for the Dodgers, in which they  finalized a 10-year contract for Shohei Ohtani  then traded for pitcher Tyler Glasnow. Everything last week pretty much revolved around Ohtani, the global superstar, in some way or another. First,  his heavily-deferred contract  broke some brains in how to pr...