Dodgers’ Miguel Vargas might have learned value of not swinging
- April 2, 2023
LOS ANGELES – Miguel Vargas has never been much of a walker.
During his four seasons in the Dodgers’ minor-league system, he drew one walk for every 10 plate appearances. In his first taste of the big leagues last season, he walked just twice in 50 plate appearances.
Then he had to stop swinging after suffering a hairline fracture in his right pinkie this spring. Like a bite from a radioactive spider, that injury seems to have given Vargas a new superpower – or at least a greater appreciation for plate discipline.
“Yeah, for sure. It makes me be more patient at the plate. I saw more pitches,” Vargas said of playing his first handful of Cactus League games this spring while being prohibited from swinging the bat.
“I’m still going to do that (be an aggressive hitter). But they’re not pitching me strikes sometimes.”
Even though it was no secret that he wouldn’t be swinging in those early Cactus League games, Vargas was walked four times in his first eight plate appearances and five times in his first 12. Since then, the walks have continued to pile up – four more in 39 plate appearances after he began swinging this spring, five in the first two games of the regular season and two more in his first three times up Saturday, taking over the MLB lead with seven in the first three games.
That is the most walks in the first three games of a season by a Dodgers player since at least 1901, according to MLB statistician Sarah Langs.
“I think there’s a combo of, early on Miguel was forced to just take and see the baseball, taking some walks. That’s one part of it,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think the other part of it is he got his feet wet (at the big-league level) so he’s just more not ‘hair-on-fire’ in the batter’s box.
“He’s a smart baseball player. He swung the bat more, didn’t walk as much in the minors. But I think he understands the value of 90 feet, taking walks, swinging at strikes and taking balls. I think that combo has led to that.”
BIG SCREEN TIME
When left-hander Julio Urias started for the Dodgers on Opening Day, it was such big news in his native Mexico that the game was shown on a giant screen at the World Trade Center in Mexico City, drawing crowds to watch the left-hander from Culiacan.
“I saw it on the news,” Urias said. “I had no idea (they were going to do that).”
Urias said Team Mexico’s games during the World Baseball Classic were also shown in Mexico City like that. He didn’t know if the rest of his starts for the Dodgers this year will get the big-screen treatment.
“I hope they do it for the other Mexican players (in the majors),” Urias said. “Soccer is No. 1 in Mexico. Growing up, my dad never watched baseball. It was always soccer. I hope this way we can grow the game of baseball in Mexico.”
LEFTY LINEUP
The Dodgers faced their first left-handed starting pitcher of the season Saturday when the Diamondbacks sent Madison Bumgarner to the mound. That meant a different Dodgers lineup including first starts for Chris Taylor, Trayce Thompson and Austin Barnes. In the middle of the order, JD Martinez and Max Muncy swapped places with Martinez batting third.
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Martinez had an RBI single on Opening Night but was 1 for his first 9 with five strikeouts to start the year after striking out in his first at-bat against Bumgarner Saturday.
“He’s still trying to work through some things,” Roberts said of Martinez. “He’s a very mechanical type player and does a lot of studying. So if there’s guys he doesn’t know, I think that’s something that is a little bit of a challenge. As he gets to know pitchers more and gets more familiarity, he’ll be better suited.
“So if you look at these first couple games, there’s some guys he wasn’t familiar with. Not to make any excuses for JD. But he’s still gathering information and working through some mechanical things.”
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks (RHP Zach Davies, 2-5, 4.09 ERA in 2022) at Dodgers (RHP Noah Syndergaard, 10-10, 3.94 ERA in 2022), Sunday, 1:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM
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Santa Anita horse racing consensus picks, Sunday, April 2, 2023
- April 2, 2023
The consensus box of Santa Anita horse racing picks comes from handicappers Bob Mieszerski, Art Wilson, Terry Turrell and Eddie Wilson. Here are the picks for thoroughbred races on Sunday, April 2, 2023.
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UCLA gymnastics reaches NCAA championships
- April 2, 2023
LOS ANGELES — The UCLA gymnastics team used its best performance of the season in floor exercise and two perfect 10s to finish second at the NCAA Gymnastics Los Angeles Regional final on Saturday and secure its first trip to the NCAA Championships since 2019.
The Bruins recorded a 49.700 as a team on floor at the Pauley Pavilion meet, while Jordan Chiles scored her second perfect 10 of the season on floor and freshman Selena Harris got her first career 10 in vault.
Utah took first place with a score of 198.05 and UCLA followed with a 197.925. They now move on to the NCAA Championships, which are scheduled for April 13-15 in Forth Worth, Texas, along with the top individual all-around competitor and event finishers not on a qualifying team from the regional finals.
UCLA was tied for second place with Missouri after its first rotation on uneven bars. The Bruins recorded a 49.400 in the event as a team, with Harris and Chiles the only gymnasts to score a 9.90 or above. Chiles earned her seventh 9.975 of the season and ninth score of 9.975 or over.
The Bruins slipped to third place at the midway point of the meet with a 98.725, while Utah and Missouri were tied for first at 98.925.
UCLA recorded its lowest score on balance beam since its first meet on Jan. 7, then bounced back in the third rotation with its best floor exercise score of the season and eighth-best in program history. The 49.700 gave them sole possession of second place behind Utah.
The meet ended with a 49.500 in vault thanks to a pair of 9.90s from Brooklyn Moors and Chiles and Harris’ 10.
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Gunfire wounds man in busy Belmont Shore on Saturday afternoon
- April 2, 2023
A man was wounded Saturday afternoon in a shooting in the Belmont Shore area of Long Beach.
The shooting was reported about 3:45 p.m. in the area of Second Street and Bay Shore Avenue, according to Long Beach Police Department spokesman Richard Mejia.
Arriving officers found a man suffering from a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the upper body, Mejia said. Paramedics took the victim to a hospital.
The victim and another man were in a fight, and then the man shot the victim, Mejia said. The suspect was still on scene when officers arrived and was detained.
A firearm was recovered at the scene, Mejia said. No other injuries were reported, and the investigation is ongoing.
Additional details were not immediately available.
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John Force walks away from horrific crash in Funny Car qualifying in Pomona
- April 2, 2023
POMONA – John Force, the old bull of drag racing and the sport’s biggest name, was involved in a horrific crash during qualifying Saturday at the 63rd Winternationals at the In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip.
In the day’s first Funny Car qualifying run, Force, starting in the right lane, was paired against J.R. Todd. Force lost control of the dragster right away and wildly circled around Todd’s car while banging into it several times.
After crossing the finish line, Force crashed hard into the concrete protective wall on the right side of the track, demolishing the car. Force, who turns 74 on May 4, soon got out of the car, dusted himself off, and took a few deep breaths before hopping on his scooter and heading for his pit.
After talking to crew chiefs Danny Hood and Tim Fabrisi, Force was soon back at the starting line to watch John Force Racing’s Robert Hight make his first qualifying run. Meanwhile, the crew got a spare car ready for Force to make the second of the two qualifying runs held Saturday. Todd also made his second qualifying run in a backup car.
Might this be the end of Force’s amazing run as a Funny Car driver? His immediate reaction was no. But he did offer his perspective on the crash.
“It got squirrely out there, but it’s been doing that since the beginning of the season, and we think we know why,” he said. “Driving right, left, right left, I can do that, I do that all the time, trying to keep it straight.
“When it hit a bump, it blew the tires off, and it made a left turn into the other lane. I thought I just got (Todd’s) headers (exhaust pipes).” He got more than that. “Then I hit the wall hard. I’m okay, but more importantly, J.R. Todd is okay.”
Force added he would have to re-evaluate everything after studying the video.
Todd said he was anxious to see the video too.
It was a WILD ride for @JohnForce_FC and @JRTodd373 during qualifying at the @Lucas_Oil #Winternats.
Both exited the car under their own power. pic.twitter.com/AbBeTsfyJw
— NHRA (@NHRA) April 1, 2023
“At first I thought maybe he just got into my chutes or something,” Todd said, “but next thing I know I see him on my left side and we’re in the left lane. You’re not supposed to be there.
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“After that, just sort of hanging on and steering away from him, steering away from the wall, and trying to get on the brake to get the thing stopped. But when the chutes are tangled up like that, you’re just along for the ride.”
Todd was driving a new car and hopes it can be repaired in time for Sunday’s elimination finals.
Force said later that the only thing hurt was his feelings.
Force has been in too many crashes to count. He had a similar one in 2018 at Phoenix. His worst was in Dallas in September of 2007. He suffered a compound fracture of his left ankle, a broken wrist, cuts in lots of places and broken fingers. With blood everywhere, he was airlifted to a nearby hospital.
At one point, he was told he may never walk again. He was in a wheelchair for weeks and later on crutches. But it is hard to keep the longtime Yorba Linda resident down.
When Force first began racing in 1977, he went 10 years without winning. Since then, he has won 20 Funny Car national championships. And he has had great success as a team owner as well. His drivers include daughter Brittany Force and Austin Prock in Top Fuel and Hight in Funny Car.
Before a good crowd that filled the east grandstands, the rest of Saturday’s qualifying went pretty much problem free.
Qualifying No. 1 in Top Fuel was Justin Ashley, the defending Winternationals champion and the event winner at Phoenix last weekend. Ashley also won the #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, a new feature intended to beef up interest during Saturday qualifying. The competitors are the four semifinalists from the previous week’s event.
Seeded second for today’s Top Fuel elimination finals is Brittany Force, who had the top qualifying run on Friday.
In Funny Car, Cruz Pedregon’s run on Friday stood up and he goes into today’s finals seeded No. 1. Chad Green won the Funny Car challenge event.
This story will be updated.
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Nothing could be easier to make than Aunt Rosie’s Eggplant Parmesan
- April 2, 2023
By Carla Vigos
Laguna Woods Globe
My Aunt Rose was a key influence for me at the beginning of my love of cooking. My mother died unexpectedly when I was 20, and even though I was always her sous chef, I never had the recipes because she cooked without them.
My Aunt Rose, who never had children, became my teacher. She taught me how to make sauces, beans, marinated crab, lentils, fava and pasta, chicken soup, baked chicken and so much more.
She also showed me a simpler eggplant parmesan without all the typical breading. She did fry her eggplant first, but I altered it to a healthier version by baking the eggplant before adding the toppings. I make a simple marinara, but you can buy your favorite pasta sauce instead.
Aunt Rosie’s Eggplant Parmesan
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds of eggplant
Olive oil
Salt
1 cup grated parmesan, plus more for serving
2 cups shredded mozzarella
MARINARA SAUCE
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup diced onion
16 ounces tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
PROCEDURE
Spray a ri
mmed baking or cookie sheet with oil. Peel eggplant with a vegetable peeler and cut into 1/4 inch slices. Brush with olive oil on both sides and a sprinkling of salt. You might need two baking sheets.
Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, then turn eggplant over and bake for 10 more minutes. You want them soft but tinged with a little color.
Meanwhile, make your marinara. In a saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil on medium low heat, add onion and cook until soft. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients, cover and cook on a low simmer for 20 minutes. Let sauce cool a bit before assembly.
I use an 8×11 baking pan for two layers of eggplant. Spread some sauce to thinly cover the bottom of the pan.
Place a layer of eggplant in the pan and spoon sauce onto each slice. Next, sprinkle half the parmesan and half the mozzarella on the first layer. Repeat for the second layer.
Bake at 350 degrees covered with foil for 20 minutes and then 10 minutes with the foil off. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. Top with extra parmesan and crushed red pepper if desired.
This makes four servings. It’s great reheated in a microwave or to make a hot or cold eggplant sandwich.
For questions or comments, email me at cjvigos@yahoo.com.
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Brandon Ingram leads Pelicans past the Clippers
- April 2, 2023
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Brandon Ingram scored 36 points, bringing fans to their feet with an array of clutch, mid-range jump shots, and the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Clippers 122-114 on Saturday night.
Jonas Valanciunas had 23 points and 12 rebounds for New Orleans (40-38), which won for the seventh time in eight games and pulled within a half-game of the Clippers (41-38) for sixth place in the Western Conference.
Los Angeles lost its second straight despite getting 40 points from Kawhi Leonard, who played 41 minutes in New Orleans after being restricted to 18 minutes during a loss at Memphis a night earlier so that he’d be more available against the hotly pursuing Pelicans.
CJ McCollum and Trey Murphy III each added 19 points for New Orleans, which trailed for most of the first three quarters but maintained a slim lead throughout the fourth.
Ingram made 13 of 23 shots, including nine shots away from the rim, ranging from pull-ups to tough turnaround fades. He also made 10 of 11 free throws, and has now scored 25 or more points in nine straight games.
Russell Westbrook had 24 points and nine assists for the Clippers. Ivica Zubac added 15 points and Norman Powell 12 for Los Angeles.
Westbrook, who scored 36 in a victory over Memphis on Wednesday, had 19 in the first half in New Orleans, helping the Clippers build a lead as large as 12.
Ingram and McCollum each scored 15 in the first two periods to help the Pelicans gradually trim that deficit down substantially by halftime, when Los Angeles led 56-55.
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TIP-INS
Clippers: Eric Gordon, who had 13 points in 16 minutes in Memphis on Friday, was scratched from the lineup in New Orleans because of tightness in his right hip. … Leonard was 15 of 28 shooting, including 4 of 8 from 3. He also made all six of his free throws. … Los Angeles shot 49.4%, including 11 of 29 from deep.
Pelicans: Valanciunas has 42 double-doubles this season. He had 50 during the 2021-22 regular season with New Orleans. … Outscored the Clippers 56-50 in the paint and outrebounded Los Angeles 40-37. … Shot 48.8% (42 of 86), including 7 of 17 from 3-point range.
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Galaxy falls short against Sounders, remains winless on season
- April 2, 2023
CARSON — The second half effort for the Galaxy wasn’t enough to erase the first and it all added up to the team still in search of its first win of the season.
The Galaxy allowed two goals in the first half in Saturday’s meeting against the Seattle Sounders. In the second half, the Sounders never threatened on goal and the Galaxy (0-2-3, three points) found a much-needed spark, but the night ended in a 2-1 defeat in front of 22,008 at Dignity Health Sports Park.
“It’s just that little this or that that gives you some momentum to get out in front of the game,” Galaxy coach Greg Vanney said. “That’s what the group needs right now.”
Late in the game, the Galaxy were denied a potential handball in the 94th minute as the cross from Mark Delgado appeared to come off of Seattle defender Nouhou’s arm. This was the third game consecutive game that Vanney believes the Galaxy has been undone by a handball or lack of a handball call.
“It was tough to get two (goals) back,” Vanney said. “Having said that, I think this is the third game that we’ve been undone on a handball. In my opinion. Three games in a row, these guys (referees) don’t know what handball is. … It’s getting to be obscene. Honestly, it’s ridiculous.
“The game is about margins. They have VAR, they have the ability, they’re the only entity in the entire game who gets a re-do. None of us get a re-do. … They get a re-do and this is three times they can’t get it right. That’s their job. Right now, we’re grinding, we’re in the margins, we deserve better, we deserve better. We controlled this game, we controlled the last game, we deserve better. Yes, we need to execute better, that’s on us, but what we deserve, we should get, that’s fair and those three (calls) were not fair.”
The Galaxy did get on the board in the 63rd minute as defender Jalen Neal knocked home a rebound after an initial shot by Raheem Edwards was blocked.
From there, the Galaxy remained on the front foot looking for a potential game-tying goal, but were unable to get anything by Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei.
The Galaxy finished with eight shots on target, compared to just three for Seattle and those two came in the first half.
Jonathan Perez, in his regular-season debut, had the final chance on goal, firing a shot from 18 yards out that Frei secured just as the whistle blew to end the game.
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The Sounders had one good chance in the first half, but came away with two goals.
In the 21st minute, Jordan Morris continued his hot scoring start, scoring his seventh of the season. Lucas Calegari was pulled out of position, allowing Leo Chu to get behind him and send in service to Morris. Later, in the 35th minute, Chu shot from distance and Galaxy goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsmann was unable to stop it as the ball settled into the back corner of the goal for a 2-0 lead.
“Two soft goals in my opinion,” Vanney said. “We’re here to win games and it’s been a frustrating process. When you take a step back from that, each game has had some positive things. In terms of performance, I think we have progress in some of those ways. I really liked the urgency in the second half, while it was possession-based and we controlled the game, there was some real urgency inside of the final action, which I liked, so it’s to continue to build off of that.”
The Galaxy have had their troubles against the Sounders.
The Sounders entered the game on a nine-game unbeaten streak against the Galaxy (5-0-4). Dating back to 2016, the Galaxy have just one win against Seattle in 16 meetings. The last Galaxy win over Seattle came in 2018.
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