Dodgers, Padres to open 2024 regular season with series in South Korea

• July 12, 2023

LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers’ history of making international baseball history will add a new chapter in 2024 when they open the regular season with the first MLB regular-season games in South Korea.

The Dodgers and San Diego Padres will square off on March 20 and 21, 2024 in Seoul, South Korea. Each team will play one game as the home team.

The series in Korea will be the first in an unprecedented series of international games scheduled by MLB next season. The Houston Astros and Colorado Rockies will play in Mexico City on April 27-28, the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox in the Dominican Republic (March 9-10) and the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies in London (June 8-9).

For the Dodgers, this is the latest in their history of international trips. They played the Padres in Monterrey, Mexico during the 2018 season – a series that featured a combined no-hitter by Walker Buehler, Tony Cingrani, Yimi Garcia and Adam Liberatore. In 2014, they opened the season with games against the Arizona Diamondbacks at the Sydney Cricket Grounds in Australia.

In 2010, the Dodgers played a series of exhibition games against the Chinese Professional Baseball League All-Stars. In 2008, they went to Beijing for exhibition games against the Padres. In 1988, they played exhibition games against the Montreal Expos in Puerto Rico.

“We can’t wait to play meaningful major-league games for the very first time in front of the outstanding baseball fans of South Korea next season,” Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten said in announcing the games. “The Dodgers have a long and proud history of helping to grow the game abroad, highlighted by our trips to Mexico, China and Australia. It’s very exciting to add Korea to the list. I know our players are thrilled to put their talents on display in a country so rich with baseball tradition and talent, including former Dodgers Chan Ho Park, Hee-Seop Choi and Hyun-Jin Ryu.”

This will be the ninth time in MLB history the season has opened internationally.

PITCHER ACQUIRED

The Dodgers acquired right-hander Tyson Miller from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for cash considerations. Miller was designated for assignment by the Brewers last week.

In order to add Miller to the 40-man roster, the Dodgers moved right-hander Daniel Hudson to the 60-day injured list, meaning he will be sidelined until at least early September. Hudson returned from ACL surgery to make three appearances this month before injuring the MCL in his other knee.

Miller, 27, was originally a fourth-round draft pick of the Chicago Cubs out of Cal Baptist. He has made 13 appearances in the big leagues (three starts) over parts of three seasons with the Cubs, Texas Rangers and Brewers, posting a 7.92 ERA. He made seven relief appearances for the Brewers this season with a 5.92 ERA.

Related Articles

​ Orange County Register 

Kobe Bryant’s NBA legacy lives on in a new way as 2 rookies bear his name

• July 12, 2023

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

LAS VEGAS — There’s Kobe, wearing the uniform of a team from Los Angeles. There’s Kobe, the last one on the court at practice and getting yelled at because the buses are waiting for him.

How fitting. Just like old times.

There will never be another Kobe Bryant, of course. And make no mistake – Kobe Brown and Kobe Bufkin would be the first two players at NBA Summer League to insist that there will never be another Bryant. They would never pretend otherwise. But for the first time since the Lakers’ Hall of Famer retired in 2016, the NBA is about to have fans watching guys named Kobe again.

Brown is in Summer League with the Clippers. Bufkin is entering his rookie year with the Atlanta Hawks. Both were named for Bryant, who – for now – is the only player named Kobe to make it to the NBA. In a couple of months, that seems likely to change.

“It means a lot,” Brown said. “There’s definitely a target on my back, I feel like. A lot of guys, when they hear the name Kobe, they think of Kobe Bryant. Obviously, I’m not him, by any means. But I try to keep that edge and play as hard as I can, just like he did.”

It’s impossible to know exactly how many people are named Kobe. It remains relatively unusual.

According to the Social Security Administration, there was a six-year stretch – 1998 through 2003, coinciding with Bryant’s early years in the NBA and first three championship seasons with the Lakers – when the trend of giving babies that name peaked; the most was in 2001, when 1,552 baby boys had Social Security card applications filed for them with that name.

The name still had a small following, maybe a few hundred babies each year, until 2020, the year that Bryant, daughter Gianna and seven others died in a helicopter crash on a foggy Sunday near Calabasas. Another 1,500 boys were given that name that year, surely many in tributes to Bryant’s life and career; the most popular name that year for newborn boys, according to the government data, was Liam, which was used about 20,000 times. (There were also variations, such as Kobee and Kobey, and a few dozen American newborn girls were given the name as well in 2020.)

“It’s never affected me too much when it comes to playing ball,” said Bufkin, who was born in 2003. “I try not to think about it as much when I’m actually on the court. But obviously carrying the name comes with a certain work ethic that you’ve got to try to match. And it’s hard as hell to match it. If I get halfway there, I’ll be all right.”

Case in point: The Hawks had a Summer League practice this week that was scheduled to go for 45 minutes, with a bit of shooting afterward. Most players were off the court after about an hour and 15 minutes. Almost all of them had their sneakers off and were ready to head to the bus a few minutes after that, but Bufkin was still on the court, working on drives from half-court against a defender.

“Just trying to follow the blueprint,” Bufkin said.

Bryant’s popularity remains overwhelming 3½ years after his death.

Bryant jerseys are still extremely common among Lakers fans. Nike plans to re-relaunch the Kobe brand this summer, and Bryant is the cover athlete for two editions of NBA 2K24 – “NBA 2K24: Kobe Bryant Edition” and “NBA 2K24: Black Mamba Edition,” with the tie-in there being the 24 that was one of Bryant’s two NBA jersey numbers. And there is another tribute of sorts coming at the Basketball World Cup; Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards is set to wear No. 10 for USA Basketball this summer, the number Bryant donned when he played for the national team.

“It just shows how much he inspired generations,” Bufkin said. “I was kind of part of the first generation to come behind him, and it’s crazy that our parents were willing enough to name us after him.”

Brown has never been inside Crypto.com Arena, the building that the Clippers (for one more season) and the Lakers call home. It’s the arena – then called Staples Center – where Bryant played the majority of his 20 seasons with the Lakers, scored his career-best 81 points against Toronto in 2006 and called home for five championship runs and 18 All-Star campaigns.

“It’s definitely a blessing,” Brown said. “I’m excited to go inside the building, see it, actually play where he played all those years and did so much for the city of Los Angeles.”

Given that they’re both first-rounders, Bufkin and Brown seem like locks to be in the NBA when the new season opens this fall. Bufkin was drafted No. 15 overall out of Michigan by the Hawks – and also has a brother named for an NBA player in Isaiah Thomas. The Clippers selected Brown at No. 30 overall out of Missouri.

They’re not Kobe Bryant. But they do represent a new way for the Kobe Bryant legacy to live on.

“It’s an honor, just that so many people have been impacted, like all of us, by Kobe, that people are honoring their children and choosing that name,” said Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, who was Bryant’s agent. “And we’ll probably see more and more of that, because it’s such a special thing.”

Related Articles

Kobe Bufkin poses for a photo with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected 15th overall by the Atlanta Hawks during the NBA draft last month in New York. Bufkin is one of two NBA rookies named after late Lakers legend Kobe Bryant. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

​ Orange County Register 

Review: Tina Turner musical in Costa Mesa fails to capture late star’s greatness

• July 12, 2023

Of the many qualities associated with the astonishing life and pop music career of Tina Turner — the darkest of lows, the most empowering of highs — ambivalence wouldn’t seem anywhere on the list.

Yet the oddly suppressed production of “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical,” which opened Tuesday at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, is disengaging during much of its 2 hours, 40 minutes.

Tina survived a hardscrabble early life of talent under assault from marital toxicity and violence. It was followed by a professional rebirth and liberating redemption as a rock icon.

And while this posthumous mounting —the star herself died at 83 in May — isn’t required to be a cathartic musical homage, one could hope for at least a memorable showcase of her extraordinary talent.

Instead, one leaves this show wanting not more, but perhaps something different.

This isn’t just due to the grim challenges in Tina’s existence — unflinchingly and graphically on display with facial slaps and punches starting in the opening scene — but an uneasy, and ultimately dysfunctional fit between sobering drama and jukebox musical.

An audience member might even pause rooting for Tina versus evil Svengali/physically abusive husband Ike Turner and, instead, be simply antsy for the show itself to better engage.

(Sneak preview: the production offers an exhilarating encore, so if you also get a bit antsy, hang in there. A truth-in-advertising blurb could read: “Come for the show but stay for the concert.”).

I’ve seen the production on Broadway, and this tonal disconnect was already in place before the show hit the road. In fact, some questionable directorial choices likely stem from the show’s 2018 debut in London.

Here’s an unlikely culprit: the murky lighting palette throughout the show tamping down the energy of scene after scene throughout.

With minimal props and not especially notable costumes, the primary visuals on display are hardly even on display, almost everything being lit in dank, deep reds, blues, greens and purples.

You’ll be wide-eyed at Tina’s woes, but you also may have to squint a bit to see them. (This dramatically improves in that must-see encore).

Another frustration is with arrangements of Turner’s familiar hit songs that one wants and expects to pay off, but which are arranged to service the necessarily tough-edged storyline.

For instance, on opening night, there was an audible murmur of excited anticipation through the hall at hearing the slow, opening chords of Ike and Tina’s fabled version of “Proud Mary.”

But as orchestrated here to fit plot demands — Ike’s continued, first-act abuse of Tina — the number just tails away, none of the feverish, building pace of rhythm and horns that established the performance in pop music lore.

(Ummm, again, did I mention? Stay for that encore.)

Contrasting with these repeated disconnects is the one famed recording — “River Deep-Mountain High” — that works wonderfully well for song and story supporting each other.

In the scene, ‘60s pop producer Phil Spector — possibly the worst real-life pop Svengali of ‘em all, he died in prison in 2021 for murdering an actress — kicks Ike out of the studio during the recording.

Now we see and understand who Tina, unshackled from Ike for the first time, might be as an artist and a person. More importantly, Tina sees herself.

Possibilities, for her, and briefly for the show, soar.

A positive note is that the road production’s problems aren’t due to the talent on display in Costa Mesa.

As one of two actresses rotating as Tina, Zurin Villanueva on opening night had both the husky vocal gravel instantly associated with the singer’s later recordings and appearances, as well as the acting skills to represent both her early-life emotional buoyancy and ultimate survival.

If her moves don’t have the vibrant and organic shimmy one associates from video of the young, real-life Tina, Villanueva’s vocals and acting take us where the show needs her to go.

Roderick Lawrence achieves the unenviable chore of making Ike into not a likable person, but perhaps a recognizable one.

Lawrence effectively drapes Ike through his coats of many unpleasantries, including egotist, neurotic self-pitying narcissist, druggie flame out and, the character’s through line, intolerable jerk.

Related links

Review: ‘2 Pianos 4 Hands’ is 1 satisfying night of theater
United Ukrainian Ballet brings ‘Giselle’ to Southern California with a purpose
Theater review: ‘Six’ in Costa Mesa is a history lesson for Generation Z
Review: Laguna Playhouse’s first show under its new management is a promising start
Theater review: Early Andrew Lloyd Webber musical ‘Joseph’ gets fitting treatment at La Mirada

A captivating, if fleeting, performance comes from Ayvah Johnson, the child actor playing young Turner under her given name, Anna-Mae Bullock.

A veteran of the Broadway staging, Johnson has a voice ringing full and true in her two numbers, “Nutbush City Limits” early on, and then “We Don’t Need Another Hero” near the end. These earned her the opening evening’s biggest curtain call cheer.

Tina’s greatest second act hit, which rebooted her professional existence and enshrined her career and ultimate life the rest of the way, was, of course, “What’s Love Got to Do with It?”

Forget about love, just liking this show would be enough.

‘Tina: The Tina Turner Musical’

Rating: 2 ½ stars.

When: Through July 23:  7:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays and 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sundays

Where: Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa

Tickets: $29-$119

Information: 949-556-2787; scfta.org

​ Orange County Register 

Disney extends CEO Bob Iger’s contract through 2026

• July 12, 2023

By Thomas Buckley | Bloomberg

Burbank-based Walt Disney Co. extended the contract of Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger for another two years, giving the longtime executive more time to implement his turnaround plan and find a successor.

Under the new arrangement, Iger will remain CEO through Dec. 31, 2026, the company said Wednesday in a statement.

Iger, 72, returned to run the entertainment giant in November after previously serving as CEO for 15 years. At the time, he was given a two-year deal expiring in December 2024. In addition to improving Disney’s profitability, he was charged with helping to find his replacement, a critical process for any company, but one that the company has bungled in recent years.

Disney made the announcement while Iger was attending the annual Allen Co. conference in Sun Valley, Idaho. Also at the event, which features leaders from the worlds of entertainment, technology and finance, were two people viewed as potential successors, Disney theme parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro and TV chief Dana Walden.

Iger, who previously ran the company’s TV business, is credited with beefing up Disney’s creative arsenal. He acquired the Pixar animation studio shortly after becoming CEO in 2005, and later added Marvel’s superheroes and Lucasfilm, parent of Star Wars. As a result, Disney dominated the movie industry with hit after hit in 2010s. Iger also opened the Shanghai Disneyland resort.

Iger has had less success finding someone to replace him. After briefly making Chief Financial Officer Tom Staggs his second in command, the company named parks chief Bob Chapek as CEO in February 2020.

Chapek’s tenure, which coincided with the pandemic, was rocky, and the board fired him last year after he became embroiled in clashes with talent, staff and Florida officials.

​ Orange County Register 

Universal Studios Hollywood starts construction on Fast & Furious roller coaster

• July 12, 2023

A Fast & Furious roller coaster coming to Universal Studios Hollywood is expected to feature a street racing-theme with a jaw-dropping track that hugs the hillside between the upper and lower lots and spinning cars designed to simulate a drifting sensation.

Construction will begin soon on a Fast & Furious coaster with a state-of-the-art ride system featuring “innovative and technological achievements never previously employed,” according to Universal Studios Hollywood.

SEE ALSO: ‘The Last of Us’ is coming to Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights

The new Fast & Furious coaster will replace the Animal Actors and Special Effects shows that closed in January on the upper lot of the theme park, according to Universal officials. Demolition work on the Animal Actors show venue began in May, according to a video posted by Theme Park Shark.

The Fast & Furious Hollywood Drift launched shuttle coaster with dual stations and spinning cars is expected to open in 2025 at Universal Studios Hollywood, according to Roller Coaster Database. An official opening date has not yet been set for Universal’s newest thrill ride.

SEE ALSO: Knott’s Berry Farm hopes to reopen Xcelerator coaster this summer

Early concept art of the Fast & Furious Hollywood Drift coaster project posted to Screamscape shows a half-loop C-shaped spike track segment hovering over the ride entrance. Early conceptual plans dreamed up during the Blue Sky phase can and often do change throughout the development process.

The sports car-themed multi-launch coaster is expected to feature ride vehicles attached to a controlled spinning system to create a drifting sensation, according to Screamscape.

Screamscape reports the new Fast & Furious coaster is expected to be built by Liechtenstein-based Intamin Amusement Rides – the same ridemaker behind Velocicoaster in 2021 and Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure in 2019 at Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

“They are trying to create a terrain-style ride that can offer something along the thrill levels of the Velocicoaster in Florida,” according to Screamscape.

SEE ALSO: Solar-powered roller coasters coming to Six Flags Magic Mountain

A Los Angeles County government permit filed in November for a geotechnical study described the planned route of the new terrain-hugging coaster coming to Universal Studios Hollywood.

“An outdoor coaster that starts from the upper lot and will descend toward the lower lot along the hillside in front of the Fire Station 51 and back up and loop around the Starway escalator,” according to the permit.

The ParkFans forum that has been studiously tracking development of the Fast & Furious coaster — code named Project 409 — has overlaid the purported track layout onto a satellite image of the Universal hillside.

The $7 billion Fast & Furious saga — which has become Universal Pictures’ most-profitable and longest-running film franchise — apparently is big enough to support two attractions at the Hollywood theme park.

The existing Fast & Furious — Supercharged experiential attraction will remain on the park’s behind-the-scenes Studio Tour, according to Universal officials.

​ Orange County Register 

Snow shovels in hand, Vermonters volunteer to clean up after epic floods

• July 12, 2023

By LISA RATHKE

ANDOVER, Vt. — Volunteers pulled out their snow shovels Wednesday to clear inches of mud after torrential rain and flooding inundated communities across Vermont, trapping people in homes, closing roadways and littering streets and businesses with debris.

The water drained off most streets in the state capital of Montpelier, where the swollen Winooski River flooded basements and ground floors, destroying merchandise and furniture across the picturesque downtown. Other communities cleaned up as well from historic floods that were more destructive than Tropical Storm Irene in many places. Dozens of roads remained closed, and thousands of homes and businesses are damaged.

But with people still being rescued, high water still blocking some roads and new flash flood warnings issued with more rain on the way, the crisis is far from over, according to state Public Safety Commissioner Jennifer Morrison.

“Vermonters, keep your guard up, and do not take chances,” she said.

Morrison said urban search and swift water rescue teams came to the aid of least 32 people and numerous animals Tuesday night in northern Vermont’s Lamoille County, bringing the total to more than 200 rescues since Sunday, and more than 100 evacuations.

Volunteers turned out in droves to help flooded businesses in Montpelier, a city of 8,000, shoveling mud, cleaning, and moving damaged items outside. “We’ve had so much enthusiasm for support for businesses downtown that most of the businesses have had to turn folks away,” said volunteer organizer Peter Walke.

Similar scenes played out in neighboring Barre and in Bridgewater, where the Ottauquechee River spilled its banks, and in Ludlow, where the Black River sent floodwaters surging into several restaurants co-owned by chef Andrew Molen. He said Sam’s Steakhouse is likely closed for good after the water inside reached nearly 7 feet (more than 2 meters) high.

“The only thing that’s probably gonna be salvageable is the silverware, and even then, after being in that muck for so long, you wash everything, do you really want to put that on the table? It’s pretty intense what happened,” Molen said.

Another of his restaurants, Mr. Darcy’s, had a couple feet of water inside, damaging the foundation. But Molen said he hasn’t focused on cleaning up yet, because the first order of business has been making sure local residents and first responders stay fed. His crew has been cooking at one of the restaurants that remains functional and using ATVs through standing water to bring the meals to a local community center.

Gov. Phil Scott toured the disaster areas with Deanne Criswell, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, whose teams began aerial and on-the-ground damage assessments a day after President Joe Biden declared an emergency and authorized federal disaster relief.

The total cost of the damage could be substantial. According to to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, even before these floods, this year has seen 12 confirmed weather/climate disaster events with losses exceeding $1 billion in the United States.

“I think we all understand we are now living through the worst natural disaster to impact the state of Vermont since (the flood of) 1927,” U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders said. “What we are looking at now are thousands of homes and businesses which have been damaged, sometimes severely. We’re looking at roads and bridges, some of which have been wiped out and will need basic and fundamental repairs.” The 1927 floods killed dozens of people and caused widespread destruction.

Scott said floodwaters surpassed levels seen during Tropical Storm Irene, which killed six people in Vermont in August 2011, washing homes off their foundations and damaging or destroying more than 200 bridges and 500 miles (805 kilometers) of highway.

Atmospheric scientists say destructive flooding events happen more frequently now because clouds carry more water as the atmosphere warms, and the planet’s rising temperatures will only make it worse.

New York ‘s Hudson River Valley also was hit hard, along with towns in southwest New Hampshire and western Massachusetts.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey got a bird’s eye view in a helicopter ride to the small town of Williamsburg on Wednesday, where roads were washed out and some people had to be rescued from their homes. Even after two days of receding waters, the Connecticut River retained a muddy brown hue and farmland along the river remains saturated, she said.

Much of that water was carrying debris including entire trees, boulders and even vehicles south through Connecticut to Long Island Sound. Major waterways including the Connecticut River overflowed their banks, and were expected to crest Wednesday at up to 6 feet (2 meters) above flood stage, closing roads and riverside parks in multiple cities.

By mid-day Wednesday, all the rivers in Vermont had crested and water levels were receding, although at least one was 20 feet (6 meters) above normal, said Peter Banacos, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Thunderstorms, gusty winds and hail were forecast for Thursday and Friday in Vermont, but Banacos said they’ll blow through quickly enough that more flooding isn’t likely.

One death was blamed on the storm — a woman whose body was found after she was swept away in Fort Montgomery, New York.

About 12 Vermont communities, including the state capital, were under a boil water alert, but at least they were reachable again after being marooned by high water. The American Red Cross of Northern New England supported shelters in Rutland, White River Junction and Barre, where the city auditorium had 58 evacuees Wednesday morning, compared to more than 200 on Tuesday.

Many people were passing through to recharge their phones and get something to eat, said John Montes, regional disaster officer. Red Cross volunteers from across the Northeast were helping with disaster assessment and handing out clean-up kits to homeowners ahead of the next rains.

This flooding was catastrophic for Bear Pond Books, a 50-year-old store in Montpelier, said co-owner Claire Benedict. Water about 3 1/2 feet deep ruined many books and fixtures. Staffers and volunteers piled waterlogged books outside the back and front doors on Wednesday.

“The floor was completely covered with soaked books this morning,” she said as they cleared out the mud. “It’s a big old mess.”

Ludlow Municipal Manager Brendan McNamara said his town also suffered catastrophic damage. The water treatment plant was out of commission, the main supermarket and roadway through town were closed, the Little League field and a new skate park were destroyed and he said he couldn’t begin to estimate how many houses and businesses were damaged.

“We just really took the brunt of the storm,” McNamara said. But he said his town will recover. ”Ludlow will be fine. People are coming together and taking care of each other.”

Associated Press contributors include Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire; Pat Eaton-Robb in Hartford, Connecticut; Michael Hill in Albany, New York; and Mark Pratt, Michael Casey and Steve LeBlanc in Boston.

Related Articles

​ Orange County Register 

Hoornstra: At MLB draft and among All-Stars, versatility stands out

• July 12, 2023

MLB’s All-Star Game and amateur draft brought to Seattle an unusual congregation of baseball players wearing suits and ties. Other than that, the two events have little in common.

Even the All-Stars no longer get to wear the jerseys of their current team on the field, while the Day 1 draft picks – many of whom, ironically, will never reach the major leagues – received a jersey shortly after their name was called.

Both events are orchestrated by the league itself. Since so many MLB personnel are in the same place at the same time for one event – Los Angeles a year ago, Seattle this week – it makes sense to hold both events during the same week. But this is a production-side concern.

Among consumers, combining the events presents an odd dichotomy. The All-Star Game is for casual fans. The draft is for hardcore fans. The overlapping portion of the Venn Diagram containing fans of both events is a mysterious place. If this is a place you happen to occupy, hang with me, because this column is for you.

Prior to the All-Star Game, one reporter asked the players which of their peers impressed them the most. Shohei Ohtani was the overwhelming choice. But who was Ohtani’s choice?

“Not just today, but overall, I feel like Mookie Betts really impresses me,” Ohtani said through his interpreter. “He’s so versatile – he can play the outfield, play the middle infield. So I think he’s very, very talented.”

Here in Southern California, those words ring a certain way. With almost everyone in T-Mobile Park attempting to recruit Ohtani to Seattle, it might hearten Dodgers fans to know their best player’s endorsement might carry above the cacophony.

Ohtani’s admiration for Betts also echoes a trend that appears to be trickling down into the draft.

Eight two-way players were drafted this week. According to MLB, that’s twice as many pitcher-hitters than in the previous four drafts combined. The Giants kicked off the spree when they took Bryce Eldridge with the 16th overall pick. With their last pick, the Dodgers outdid everyone by taking a two-sport player.

Riverside native DJ Uiagalelei has not pitched since he graduated from St. John Bosco High in Bellflower in 2019. Since then, he has played quarterback at Clemson, completed his undergraduate degree and transferred to Oregon State with two years of NCAA eligibility remaining.

Dodgers draft director Billy Gasparino said Uiagalelei has thrown “very little” since high school. Their plan is to find “creative ways (for Uiagalelei) to throw on the side of football, to start to build him for that chance for next spring.”

Convincing Uiagalelei to give up on his NFL dreams might be a longshot, but the Dodgers took at least four players whom Gasparino projects as multi-position utilitymen in MLB: Dylan Campbell (fourth round), Sam Mongelli (10th round), and Jordan Thompson (15th round).

A generation ago, the “utilityman” label was usually reserved for one of a few players on the major-league bench who did not hit well enough to displace the starter at any one position.

Now, within front offices, versatility is not merely some Ohtani-driven infatuation (although plenty are infatuated with Ohtani). It isn’t even the new market inefficiency, at least not in a way that has proven to be scalable. It’s a practical response to MLB’s insistence that every 26-man roster consist of 13 position players and 13 pitchers – unless one is talented enough to do both.

For the Dodgers, that means Mookie Betts is their right fielder against left-handed pitchers, and their second baseman or shortstop against right-handed pitchers. Betts’ versatility has allowed them to field a cromulent defense without injured utilityman Chris Taylor, just as Taylor’s versatility allowed them to survive the loss of super-utility player Kiké Hernandez three years ago in free agency.

Whether or not teams will prioritize versatility in the draft – pitcher/hitter, infielder/outfielder, or simply “athletes” – is no longer a question. Versatility is the name of the game. More than ever, being a positional specialist requires one (or more) especially elite tools. The question now is how well teams can develop these versatile defenders’ skill sets.

When it comes to pitcher/hitters, it’s a tough question to answer because the sample size is still so small. Eight two-way players might be a lot compared to previous drafts, but it’s only eight guys.

There’s only one Ohtani. There’s only one Michael Lorenzen, a player versatile enough to play the outfield and hit at league-replacement level over a span of several seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, but also start and relieve as a pitcher. Lorenzen, now the de facto ace of the Detroit Tigers’ rotation, appeared in his first All-Star game Tuesday.

This trend is still in its infancy. It’s just beginning to trickle down. But you can see a world in which, say, a decade from now, today’s draftees are tomorrow’s two-way All-Stars.

Related Articles

​ Orange County Register 

Monster Beverage in Corona cleared to buy Bang Energy for $362 million

• July 12, 2023

By Jonathan Randles | Bloomberg

Monster Beverage Corp. in Corona won bankruptcy court approval to acquire former rival Bang Energy out of Chapter 11 for $362 million and settle litigation between the energy drink companies.

Judge Peter Russin said Wednesday he’d approve the settlement and sale — averting the shutdown of Bang Energy, which has faced an uncertain future after its board fired founder and former Chief Executive Officer Jack Owoc earlier this year.

SEE MORE: Monster Energy buys Oskar Blues, other CANarchy brands for $330M

The tie-up remains subject to additional customary closing conditions, lawyers said.

Judge Russin also said he’d approve a resolution to false advertising litigation against the maker of Bang Energy. Bang maker Vital Pharmaceuticals Inc. filed bankruptcy last October, months after a California jury awarded Monster $293 million over Bang’s “super creatine” branding on its products.

The deal nearly fell apart before the US Federal Trade Commission granted early termination of its antitrust review of the merger between Monster and Bang.

Bang lawyers said at earlier hearings that the company could shut down because it was running out of cash and argued its merger with Monster qualified for early termination under the so-called failing firm defense.

Monster Executive Vice President and Deputy General Counsel Paul Dechary said in a sworn statement the company has substantial resources to satisfy financial obligations under the Bang deal. Monster has a market capitalization of about $59 billion and cash and cash equivalents of about $3 billion, Dechary said.

The sale means Bang will survive bankruptcy, though the parent company has given notice that it could lay off 400 of its roughly 700 employees. A Bang lawyer said the notice was a precaution and Monster hasn’t determined what employees it will retain.

Owoc’s lawyer Jonathan Feldman criticized Bang lawyers for not having a more somber tone during Wednesday’s hearing in light of the potential job cuts.

Judge Russin said possible layoffs are unfortunate but that the sale will preserve at least 300 jobs and was the best option for Bang even if a sale of the energy drink maker to Monster “is a disaster” from Owoc’s point-of-view.

Owoc, meanwhile, has continued to challenge the direction of Vital’s Chapter 11 and attempted to remove from the bankruptcy case a Bang affiliate that owns a valuable Phoenix bottling facility, a request Judge Russin denied on Wednesday.

​ Orange County Register