Why the Dodgers aren’t off to the races stealing bases

• April 1, 2023

LOS ANGELES ― The Dodgers batted 11 times with a runner on first base and second base empty on Thursday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks. They had plenty of opportunities to test the new rules across Major League Baseball designed to encourage more stolen bases.

Through one game, the Dodgers were still perfect trying to steal a base: 0 for 0.

The new rules – limits on pickoff throws and larger bases – elicited a clear result with all 30 teams active on Opening Day. Overall, runners were 21 for 23, a small-sample signal that the rules have a chance to achieve their desired result.

The Dodgers lost their best base-stealer last season, Trea Turner. He signed with the Philadelphia Phillies as a free agent in December. But three returning players (Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Chris Taylor) stole at least 10 bases last season. Veteran Jason Heyward has a 20-steal season on his resume. Rookie center fielder James Outman twice stole 20 bases in a season at the minor-league level.

“Maybe we don’t have the Trea Turner, the elite-elite type, but we have a lot of guys who are very athletic who can run,” first base coach Clayton McCullough said, “and hopefully are able to take advantage of some of these new rules MLB has put in.”

Spring training bore that out. The Dodgers stole 22 bases in 26 attempts during the exhibition season, more than all but six teams. Compare that to spring training last year, when the Dodgers were the only team without a stolen base, and the difference is obvious.

Thursday’s matchup was atypical in a few regards. The Diamondbacks’ starting pitcher was Zac Gallen, who is aggressive among right-handed pitchers holding runners on base. No pitcher attempted more pickoff throws last year than Gallen.

Once, Gallen threw to first base twice during the same plate appearance. Another throw to first base would have risked incurring a balk if the pickoff attempt didn’t succeed. Afterward, Manager Dave Roberts said, Gallen shortened his delivery time to home plate.

Pair Gallen with a catcher, Gabriel Moreno, who comes with the reputation of an above-average throwing arm, and the Dodgers’ conservative approach Thursday made sense.

Their strategy will change from game to game.

“Each game is its own individual entity,” McCullough said. “Who do we have over there? What’s their pitcher-catcher combination? Where are we at in the lineup? What’s the score? Instead of, just, everybody who gets on there is just going to be a free-for-all for everybody.”

Said Roberts: “I’m not going to run just to run.”

DAY OFF FOR SMITH

Catcher Will Smith, who is off to a hot start, will not be in the starting lineup Saturday, Roberts said. Austin Barnes will catch Clayton Kershaw’s first start of the regular season instead.

Barnes caught the majority (13 of 22) of Kershaw’s starts last season, but Roberts said that will “not necessarily” be the case in 2023.

“I didn’t want Will to catch three in a row out of the gate because he hasn’t done that since last year,” Roberts said. “If it lines up with Clayton and (his and Barnes’) familiarity, that’s great, but it’s not something we’re trying to make happen because they’re familiar.”

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Smith was the Dodgers’ designated hitter in 24 of the 56 games he did not start last season, but that number figures go down this season.

“J.D. (Martinez) is the DH,” Roberts said. “Is it hard to get Will out of the lineup? Absolutely it’s hard to get Will out of the lineup. But understanding we’ve got to keep him sharp, fresh, and also Austin needs to play too.”

ALSO

Tony Gonsolin, who is recovering from an ankle sprain, will throw a bullpen session on Sunday, Roberts said. If he emerges healthy, Gonsolin’s next mound work will come against live hitters Wednesday.

UP NEXT

Arizona Diamondbacks (LHP Madison Bumgarner) at Dodgers (LHP Clayton Kershaw), Saturday, 6 p.m., SportsNet LA, MLB Network (out-of-market only), 570 AM

​ Orange County Register 

Trans Day of Visibility celebrated through art, performances and resources in Orange County

• April 1, 2023

As transgender people and allies gathered or marched across the country this week, a celebration took place in Santa Ana honoring the annual International Transgender Day of Visibility.

Rather than march, the LGBTQ Center OC hosted an event featuring an open mic, drag performances, art exhibit and resources like free clothing.

“It’s a celebration to uplift the trans community,” said Manuel Antunez, the center’s LGBTQ+ health and trans services coordinator. This year’s theme: “Stand in your truth.“

At least 150 people attended the event Friday evening, with drag performances on the balcony of the LGBTQ Center OC overlooking 4th Street. An indigenous prayer opened the event, and a “glam closet” with various clothing items was available.

The international Transgender Day of Visibility event was created in 2009 by transgender activist Rachel Crandall. In Southern California, there were several events planned for Friday, March 31, including in Hollywood, Long Beach and Riverside.

In some places, including Hollywood, activists planned to stage protests under the banner “Trans Day of Vengeance,” calling attention to the increasing number of attacks and legislation against people who identify as trans, as well as against the general LGBTQ+ community.

Activists say the “vengeance” moniker derives from a meme that has been around the trans community for years and is not a call to violence, according to The Associated Press. Still, Twitter removed thousands of tweets promoting a “trans day of vengeance” demonstration in Washington, D.C., Saturday— the social media company’s head of Trust and Safety said the term “vengeance” doesn’t “imply a peaceful protest” — and that rally was ultimately canceled due to “a credible threat to life and safety,” organizers said.

Friday evening’s celebration in Santa Ana aimed to “create an atmosphere of joy and celebration where we can unite and support one another,” according to the event description. It also provided an option for people to still participate who might not feel comfortable showing up in person: the ability to submit an art piece to be displayed at the event.

Related links

This is how you can celebrate, advocate during International Trans Day of Visibility
Transgender Day of Visibility rallies held amid backlash
Bill would force California schools to tell parents if their child is transgender
Transgender youth: ‘Forced outing’ bills make schools unsafe

In 2022, at least 38 transgender people were killed in the U.S., according to the Human Rights Campaign, which advocates for the LGBTQ+ community. There are more than 1.6 million trans youth and adults across the country, the organization reports

The American Civil Liberties Union is tracking 435 anti-LGBTQ+ bills in the U.S. The legislation includes bills that aim to limit the ability for trans individuals to update gender information on their IDs and records, use public bathrooms and locker rooms or access medically-necessary health care.

By the end of last year, “a record 17 bills attacking transgender and non-binary children passed into law,” according to the Human Rights Campaign.

There is also additional scrutiny in public schools. Some conservative parents complain that educators are out to indoctrinate their children with liberal ideology, particularly regarding gender identity issues. Other parents say it’s the conservatives pushing an agenda of discrimination against students who don’t identify as heterosexual.

In Orange County, Orange Unified and Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified are among the districts where books written by LGBTQ+ authors or describing their experiences have drawn the attention of some parents and school board members.

Local advocates also point to Huntington Beach, where a split City Council recently decided to fly only certain official flags, effectively barring the rainbow-colored pride flag that has been flown at City Hall the last couple of years during Pride Month.

“That was a call to action,” Antunez said, “to come together, go to City Hall to ensure we have a presence and support our community.”

Meanwhile, Antunez said, Transgender Day of Visibility is another opportunity to support a group of people who face discrimination, a high suicide rate and other challenges because they don’t identify with the gender they were born with.

President Joe Biden marked the day with a statement from the White House: “On Transgender Day of Visibility, we celebrate the strength, joy, and absolute courage of some of the bravest people I know.”

Transgender Americans, he said, “deserve to be safe and supported in every community — but today, across our country, MAGA extremists are advancing hundreds of hateful and extreme state laws that target transgender kids and their families. No one should have to be brave just to be themselves.”

“These attacks are un-American and must end,” said Biden, who a day earlier issued a proclamation declaring Friday as “Transgender Day of Visibility.”

Noting that more than half of the nation’s transgender youth say they have seriously considered suicide, Biden urged them to call 988, a suicide prevention and crisis hotline. Callers can press “3” to speak with a counselor specifically trained to support LGBTQ+ youth.

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​ Orange County Register 

4.2 earthquake near Aguanga shakes Southern California

• April 1, 2023

A 4.2-magnitude earthquake struck at 6:16 p.m. on Friday, March 31, four miles from the southwest Riverside County community of Aguanga.

The earthquake was reported at a depth of about 8 miles.

The quake was felt in Hemet, Riverside, Rialto, Orange County, Oceanside, San Diego and Encinitas, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

An earthquake of that intensity is often widely felt but usually does not cause more than minor damage.

The quake was initially reported on some apps at a 4.5 magnitude.

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​ Orange County Register 

Steve Torrence seeking bounce-back year in NHRA’s Top Fuel division

• April 1, 2023

POMONA — By standards established by drag racer Steve Torrence, 2022 was an off year. He finished sixth in the NHRA’s Top Fuel division after winning an astounding four consecutive national titles from 2018 to ’21.

After two races on the 2023 NHRA circuit, he was back on top of the Top Fuel division – barely.

He now leads Mike Salinas by 11 points and hopes to increase that lead this weekend at the 63rd Winternationals being held at the newly renamed In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip.

The slim lead isn’t bad for someone who twice blew an engine during the season’s second event last weekend in Phoenix – once during qualifying and again in the elimination final, which enabled Salinas to claim the event title.

Torrence is hoping for fewer blown engines and more blow-out victories this year.

“We learned some things last year that we can build on,” Torrence said prior to making his lone qualifying run Friday. There are two qualifying runs Saturday, with Pro Stock qualifying scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m.

Sunday’s elimination finals begin at 11 a.m.

In Friday’s qualifying round before a sparse crowd on a picture-perfect day, Torrence covered the 1,000-foot distance in 3.737 seconds with a top speed of 331.36 mph. That put him in the fifth-seeded spot going into Saturday’s qualifying.

The No. 1 Top Fuel qualifier on Friday was last year’s national titleholder, Brittany Force. Her numbers were 3.712 seconds and 328.86.

The top qualifier in Funny Car was Cruz Pedregon at 3.665 seconds and 302.28 mph.

A Funny Car driver in the spotlight is Robert Hight, the defending Winternationals champion and a winner in Phoenix last weekend. Last year, Hight finished three points behind national champion Ron Capps.

Asked prior to his run Friday if there was a rivalry between him and Capps, Hight said, “The NHRA is trying to make it one, a big one. So, I guess there is.”

Hight qualified third on Friday at 3.892 seconds and 329.99 mph. Capps smoked his tires and qualified 15th.

Brittany Force was later asked if she has a rival in Top Fuel.

“Yeah, all of them,” she said.

Steve Torrence could be that rival down the road. He admits to being more mellow since becoming a father two years ago.

“I look at things differently now,” he said. “I have to make sure this little girl grows up to be a good person.”

“He is more responsible,” said his mother Kay.

Torrence is sponsored by Capco Contractors, the family’s pipeline company based in Texas. His traveling party includes wife Natalie (formerly Natalie Jahnke of Rancho Cucamonga) and their daughter Charli. Father Billy Torrence is sometimes part of the traveling party. He still competes part-time and will be back on the track by mid-season, according to Steve.

Steve also pointed out an interesting stat. Charli turns 2 on April 7, he turns 40 on April 17 and Kay and Billy also celebrate birthdays in April.

The Torrence gang hopes to be celebrating more than birthdays in April. One possibility is a Winternationals victory on April 2. It would be the 58th of Torrence’s NHRA career.

​ Orange County Register 

Here are some new ways thieves are scamming people

• April 1, 2023

Don’t get fooled

April Fools’ Day is Saturday, April 1, but schemers and scammers are out to get your money year-round. Here are the statistics for past years and how technology is helping the swindlers.

A few things to look out and listen up for:

According to the Federal Trade Commission, scammers are making more than ever. In 2022, the number of people who got scammed was down, but the amount of money lost is estimated to be $8.8 billion, more than any year.

If that’s not bad enough, the type of scams are more diabolical too. If you’re familiar with the “Help me Grandma” scams where an impostor calls saying they need money to help a grandchild, now it’s gone high tech.

New generative artificial intelligence tools with just a snippet of someone’s voice to work with can create speech that sounds convincingly like a particular person. If thieves can find 30 seconds of your voice somewhere online such as Instagram, there’s a good chance they can clone it — and make it say anything.

How can you tell if a family member is in trouble or if it’s a scammer using a cloned voice? Don’t trust the voice. Call the person who supposedly contacted you and verify the story. Use a phone number you know is theirs. If you can’t reach your loved one, try to get in touch with them through another family member or their friends.

Other voice scams

In 2021, the FTC warned people of another scam called the Google Voice verification scam. Scammers target people who post things for sale on sites like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. They also prey on people who post looking for help finding their lost pet.

The scammers contact you and say they want to buy the item you’re selling — or that they found your pet. But before they commit to buying your item, or returning your pet, they feign hesitation. They might say they’ve heard about fake online listings and want to verify that you’re a real person. Or they might say they want to verify that you’re the pet’s true owner.

They send you a text message with a Google Voice verification code and ask you for that code. If you give them the verification code, they’ll try to use it to create a Google Voice number linked to your phone number. The scammer might use that number to rip off other people and conceal their identity.

Other notable scams the FTC is warning of

Fraudulent emails and unwanted mail can be deleted or tossed in the trash, telephone calls are tougher to tune out. And because telephone calls are still considered a secure form of communication, voice phishing scams take advantage of consumers’ trust to steal money and personal information.

In voice phishing — or “vishing” — scams, callers impersonate legitimate companies to steal money and personal and financial information. And these scams are on the rise. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission reports that 77% of its fraud complaints involve contact with consumers by telephone.

The following list of what to look out for is from the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office:

“Card Services” Scam

“Paul” receives several prerecorded calls each month that state it is his last chance to reduce the interest rate on his credit card. The calls prompt him to press “1” to speak with a representative. Paul called his credit card company, which stated that it did not place the calls. Rather, a “visher” was trying to get his financial information.

Phony Debt Collection Scam

“Cindy” and her family members received calls from an individual who claimed she owed a debt. The individual demanded payment within 24 hours, but refused to provide any information about the debt in writing. Cindy checked her credit report and saw that the debt was satisfied. She told her family to ignore the fraudster’s calls.

Medical Alert Device Scam

“Maureen” received a recorded call that asked her to schedule the delivery of a medical alert device ordered by her doctor. She pressed “5” as instructed, and the representative asked for her credit card information. After hanging up, Maureen called her doctor’s office, which told her the call was a scam.

Bogus Gift Card Offer

“Bill” received a call from an individual who claimed to be associated with his bank and told him he could receive a $100 gift card and a free iPad if he paid a small shipping and handling fee. Bill told the individual that he wanted to double-check the offer with his bank. Bill called his bank using the telephone number listed on his account statement and sure enough, the bank said it wasn’t giving anything away. Bill blocked the visher’s telephone number on his phone.

Vishing for Financial Information

“Sonja” received an automated call that claimed her VISA card had been deactivated and instructed her to press “9” to speak with a representative. Sonja does not have a VISA card and hung up before the visher could try to steal her personal information.

High-tech Computer Scam

“Stan” received a call from an individual who identified herself as a computer technician and claimed Stan’s operating system security needed updating. Stan allowed the individual to access his computer, but when she asked for his credit card information to pay a $200 fee, he hung up. Stan brought his computer to a trusted local technician the next day who told him his operating system security was already up to date.

Work-at-home Scam

“Mary” received a call from a consulting company representative who offered her a job operating a website. Mary provided her credit card information to pay the $600 start-up fee. After talking it over with her son, who found an alert for the company on the Better Business Bureau website, Mary called her credit card company to cancel the charge.

Government Grant Scam

“Meg” kept receiving calls from individuals who claimed she had been awarded $5,000 in government grants. Meg knew she hadn’t applied for a grant, so she asked her phone company to block the calls from the vishers.

New Medicare Card Scam

“Robert” received a call from an individual who claimed he was due to receive a new Medicare card and asked him to confirm his Medicare number. Knowing that his Medicare number was the same as his Social Security number, Robert refused to provide it to the individual and thwarted an attempt to steal his identity.

Sources: The Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Sentinel Network data book 2002, The Associated Press.

​ Orange County Register 

Orange County restaurants shut down by health inspectors (March 23-30)

• April 1, 2023

Restaurants and other food vendors ordered to close and allowed to reopen by Orange County health inspectors from March 23 to March 30.

Salt Creek Grille, 32802 Pacific Coast Highway, Dana Point

Closed: March 28
Reason: Vermin infestation (other than cockroaches or rodents)
Reopened: March 29

KFC, 1345 S. Main St., Santa Ana

Closed: March 28
Reason: Rodent infestation
Reopened: March 29

Bueno Bueno Mexican Kitchen, 26762 Verdugo St., Suite C, San Juan Capistrano

Closed: March 28
Reason: Rodent infestation
Reopened: March 29

BJ’s, 22022 El Paseo, Rancho Santa Margarita

Closed: March 28
Reason: Rodent infestation
Reopened: March 28

Jack In The Box, 1502 S. Main St., Santa Ana

Closed: March 27
Reason: Cockroach infestation
Reopened: March 29

Yang’s Braised Chicken Rice, 13824 Red Hill Ave., Tustin

Closed: March 24
Reason: Insufficient hot water
Reopened: March 25

Sonny’s Pizza & Pasta, 429 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente

Closed: March 23
Reason: Rodent infestation
Reopened: March 23

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This list is published weekly with closures since the previous week’s list. Status updates are published in the following week’s list. Source: OC Health Care Agency database.

​ Orange County Register 

Baldwin’s codefendant gets 6 months probation on gun charge

• April 1, 2023

By Morgan Lee | Associated Press

SANTA FE, N.M. — A codefendant in the case against actor Alec Baldwin in the fatal 2021 shooting of a cinematographer on a movie set in New Mexico was convicted Friday of unsafe handling of a firearm and sentenced to six months of probation.

Safety coordinator and assistant director David Halls also must pay a $500 fine, complete a gun-safety course and 24 hours of community service after agreeing to the conviction related to the death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Western movie “Rust.”

Under the plea agreement, Halls agreed to testify truthfully at any upcoming hearings or trials. That includes criminal proceedings against Baldwin and movie armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who have pleaded not guilty to charges of involuntary manslaughter in Hutchins’ death.

Halls appeared briefly by video to waive his right to challenge the negligence charge, as state District Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer approved terms of a plea agreement with prosecutors.

Defense attorney Lisa Torraco urged the court not to impose a prison sentence — the maximum possible penalty was 6 months behind bars — noting that Halls was “extremely traumatized and “rattled” with guilt.

Hutchins died shortly after she was shot on Oct. 21, 2021, during rehearsals on a film-set ranch on the outskirts of Santa Fe. Baldwin was pointing a pistol at Hutchins when the weapon went off; a single live round killed her and wounded director Joel Souza.

If convicted of involuntary manslaughter, Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed could face a maximum penalty of 18 months in prison and fines.

Torraco said Halls had checked the rounds in the revolver before handing it to Baldwin to see whether they were dummies or blanks with an explosive. She said it was “never in anyone’s imagination” that live rounds would be in the gun.

“When Ms. Gutierrez-Reed brought the firearm … on set into the church, he did check the firearm,” she said of Halls. “He wouldn’t have even thought that there was a live round in that, in that gun. … And he, like many others, is extremely traumatized.”

But prosecutor Kari Morrissey said Halls, a veteran filmmaker of more than 30 years, failed in his duty as the last line of defense for firearms safety, and that the fatal shooting took place after two earlier weapons misfires on set.

“Mr. Halls did not check every round that was in the gun to confirm that it was a dummy round and not a live round,” she said. “He then handed the gun to Mr. Baldwin and Mr. Baldwin began to practice his cross draw. And during that action of practicing the cross draw, the gun went off. And obviously Mrs. Hutchins was struck by the bullet and was killed. That is the factual basis for Mr. Halls taking the no contest plea to the unsafe handling of a deadly weapon.”

In separate regulatory proceedings, workplace safety authorities have asserted Halls shared responsibility for identifying and correcting any hazardous conditions related to firearms safety in the movie’s production.

Halls’ sentencing took place on the 30th anniversary of the death of Brandon Lee. The son of martial-arts legend Bruce Lee was hit by a .44-caliber slug from a gun that was supposed to have fired a blank while filming “The Crow.”

A weekslong preliminary hearing in May will decide whether evidence against Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed is sufficient to proceed to trial.

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In her sentencing, Judge Marlowe Sommer confirmed with Halls that he would “testify truthfully in all hearings, trials, or settings involving any and all defendants and co-defendants in this matter.” Prosecutors can reopen the case if Halls violates the terms of the plea agreement.

Santa Fe’s district attorney this week appointed two special prosecutors, Morrissey and Jason Lewis.

The original special prosecutor, Andrea Reeb, resigned following missteps in the initial filing of charges against Baldwin and objections that her role as a state legislator created conflicting responsibilities.

​ Orange County Register 

A look at how things are going along the U.S. southern border

• April 1, 2023

Two big stories regarding the southern border were in the news this week. One about asylum seekers, the other regarding slowing the flow of deadly drugs.

The flow of people

At least 38 people are dead and 29 are injured following a fire Monday at an immigration processing facility in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, according to Mexico’s National Migration Institute.

The migrants started the fire in protest, lighting their sleeping mats after learning they were being deported.

The blaze broke out shortly before 10 p.m.

Sixty-eight men from Central and South America were staying at the facility, which houses migrants who are waiting on requests for asylum in the U.S. or preparing to cross the border. At least 28 Guatemalan nationals were among the dead, Guatemala’s Institute of Migration confirmed.

Here’s a look at the increasing number of people at the border trying to get to the U.S. in recent years:

Southern border Border Patrol apprehensions and inadmissables by month

The most apprehensions in years was in December and the numbers in the El Paso, Texas, region near Ciudad Juárez, Mexico tripled.

The flow of illegal drugs

The Department of Homeland Security has been looking into noninvasive technology to scan cargo and pedestrian vehicles for years. The first X-ray scanner for cargo coming through on the front lines went into action in Brownsville, Texas, last week.

Most U.S.-bound trucks and nearly all passenger vehicles are generally scanned selectively if they are pulled aside. Mexican cartels have long profited from these odds while smuggling fentanyl and other narcotics. The U.S. had a record of nearly 107,000 fatal overdoses from fentanyl in 2021, the most since numbers have been available.

Technology helping enforcement

This transmission image above is from the Customs and Border Patrol and shows a tractor-trailer carrying picture frames and 4,834.8 kilograms of marijuana and 210 kilograms of crystal meth.

The U.S. wants to increase routine scanning of vehicles arriving from Mexico. In 2019, Congress appropriated $675 million to install the technology. President Joe Biden called for more drug-detection technology in his State of the Union speech and this month’s budget proposal, which included $305 million for new inspection systems.

X-ray imaging technology has been used for years in airports to detect drugs and explosives. At the southern border, that nonintrusive scanning technology has mostly been used during secondary inspections until now.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, the majority of fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamine is trafficked across the southwest border. It’s primarily smuggled into the U.S. through legal ports of entry, meaning it comes within feet of a Customs and Border Protection officer. Prior to the new scanner in Brownsville, CBP has acknowledged it could scan only 2% of all private passenger vehicles and 16% of commercial vehicles at land borders.

The U.S. aims to deploy 123 large-scale scanners along the border by fiscal year 2026, growing its ability to perform nonintrusive scans to 70% of cargo vehicles and 40% of passenger vehicles, according to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Drones provide Border Patrol agents with air support no matter where they are. Instead of having to launch a much larger platform, such as an Air and Marine Operations helicopter and crew, the smaller drones fit in the back of a patrol vehicle and can be put in the sky in a matter of minutes.

In 2020, the Border Patrol had more than 135 of these systems in use throughout the country, with 60 more in the procurement process. Plans are eventually to have 460 drones patrol from above. Agents fly two different types of drones: a vertical takeoff and landing quadcopter and a fixed-wing model similar to a model airplane.

Smugglers in the air

The Border Patrol in a March 1 news release said some human traffickers that were arrested were using drones. “Human smugglers using drones to surveil the Border Patrol is a growing trend that we’ve observed along the border,” San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent Aaron M. Heitke said. “This technology provides transnational criminal organizations with new capability that they are eager to exploit.”

Sources: Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Department of Justice, NBC Montana

​ Orange County Register