by Mark Langill
The Dodgers start the 2023 season with 4 rookies, an inflow of youth that often is the exception when crafting an Opening Day roster.
Every member of the Los Angeles quartet — pitchers Michael Grove and Andre Jackson; infielder Miguel Vargas and outfielder James Outman — has earlier Main League expertise from their restricted auditions in 2022. Vargas would be the first Dodger rookie second baseman to start out Opening Day since Wilton Guerrero in 1997.
Here’s a have a look at some previous Opening Day rosters with notable teams of Dodger rookies:
1958 — The Dodgers’ first season on the West Coast featured six rookies on the Opening Day roster: pitchers Larry Sherry and Fred Kipp; infielders Dick Grey and Norm Larker; catcher John Roseboro and outfielder Don Demeter.
Roseboro noticed probably the most enjoying time after changing Roy Campanella, the three-time NL MVP who in January 1958 was paralyzed in an car accident. Roseboro batted .271 in 114 video games whereas sharing the catching duties with Rube Walker and Joe Pignatano.
Grey made historical past by hitting the primary dwelling run in Los Angeles historical past on April 16 at San Francisco. He additionally hit the group’s first dwelling run at dwelling when the Dodgers beat the Giants, 6–5, on April 18 in entrance of greater than 78,000 followers on the Coliseum.
Sherry was again at Triple-A Spokane by early Might after posting a 12.46 ERA in 5 appearances. The Fairfax Excessive product returned in July 1959 and have become a catalyst to the group’s championship season, together with World Collection MVP honors with two wins and two saves in opposition to the Chicago White Sox.
1962 — The group’s first 12 months at Dodger Stadium included seven rookies on the Opening Day roster: infielders Larry Burright and Tim Harkness; pitchers Joe Moeller, Phil Ortega, Willard Hunter, and Pete Richert; and catcher Doug Camilli.
Richert made historical past on April 12 by placing out the primary six batters he confronted in his MLB debut in reduction in opposition to the Cincinnati Reds. Burright batted .205 in 115 video games in his solely season with the Dodgers. Hunter pitched in a single recreation in reduction with the Dodgers — a 19–8 loss at San Francisco on April 16. He was despatched to the minors and traded a month later to the enlargement New York Mets.
1970 — The Dodgers started the season with three rookies — infielder Steve Garvey, outfielder Invoice Buckner and reduction pitcher Ray Lamb.
“After I was referred to as up in September of 1969, it was the primary time going to Dodger Stadium and all of the desires coming true of constructing the massive group,” Garvey stated. “I used to be solely planning to be in Spring Coaching for a few weeks in 1969 earlier than returning to Michigan State to complete my diploma. I obtained a couple of hits in some early video games and (touring secretary) Lee Scott tells me the skipper (supervisor Walter Alston) wished me to make a highway journey to Orlando. I drove in a run with a pinch-hit and I took one other highway journey to Orlando.
“Impulsively, I received the third-base job and I’m going to start the season with the Dodgers because the beginning third baseman. (Public relations director) Pink Patterson got here as much as me and requested if I wished to be in a Vitalis industrial as a result of they have been in search of a rookie. Every thing occurred so quick.
“By the third week of the season, Buckner and I have been out and in of the lineup. I later went to Triple-A Spokane and was a part of among the finest minor league groups in historical past. Every thing labored out in the long term.”
Lamb made historical past because the final Dodger to put on uniform 42 earlier than it was retired in 1972 to honor Corridor of Famer Jackie Robinson.
1973 — With the departures of such veterans as Wes Parker, Jim Lefebvre, and Maury Wills, the Dodgers started with rookie third baseman Ron Cey, second baseman Davey Lopes, pitcher Doug Rau and catcher Steve Yeager. Cey and Lopes joined Garvey and Invoice Russell as baseball’s longest-tenured infield, enjoying a file 8 1/2 seasons collectively from June 23, 1973 by the 1981 World Collection.
Yeager’s Dodger profession spanned from 1972 to 1986. In his first 24 begins behind the plate in 1974, the Dodgers went 24–0. Rau posted double-digits in 5 consecutive seasons till a shoulder harm in 1979 derailed his profession.
1980 — Three rookies made the Opening Day roster — middle fielder Rudy Legislation, proper fielder Pedro Guerrero and reliever Steve Howe. Legislation set a then-Dodger rookie file with 40 stolen bases. He was the group’s major middle fielder till early August. Guerrero took over middle subject from Legislation and have become a fixture within the Dodger lineup for many of the decade. Howe received Rookie of the Yr honors and was on the pitcher’s mound for the ultimate out when the Dodgers received the World Collection in 1981.
1982 — Recent off a championship, the Dodgers’ Opening Day roster featured 4 rookies: second baseman Steve Sax; pitchers Tom Niedenfuer and Alejandro Peña; and outfielder Ron Roenicke. Sax received NL Rookie of the Yr honors, batting .282 in 150 video games with 49 stolen bases. Niedenfuer turned the group’s prime right-handed nearer. Peña was each a starter and reliever in his nine-year Dodger profession. He led the league with a 2.48 ERA in 1984 and was a member of the 1988 World Collection champion, incomes the victory in Sport 1 after Kirk Gibson’s pinch-hit dwelling run in opposition to Oakland.
1983 — Garvey’s free-agent departure after the 1982 season opened the door for rookie first baseman Greg Brock, who made the Opening Day roster together with outfielder Mike Marshall and outfielder Sweet Maldonado. Marshall had the longest Dodger tenure of the trio. He hit 137 dwelling runs in 9 seasons with Los Angeles, together with a career-high 28 in 1985.
1984 — The departure of Ron Cey led the Dodgers to start out rookie German Rivera at third base. Different rookies included reduction pitcher Orel Hershiser and Dave Anderson, the group’s №1 draft choose in 1981 and the inheritor obvious to veteran shortstop Invoice Russell. Hershiser moved to the beginning rotation in June and gave a sneak preview of issues to come back with 4 shutouts in July.
1995 — The Dodgers started with three rookies — pitchers Greg Hansell, Antonio Osuna, and outfielder Reggie Williams. However probably the most notable “rookie” made his Dodger debut within the group’s first week after a minor league costume rehearsal begin at Single-A Bakersfield. Hideo Nomo, the primary Japanese participant in 30 years to play within the Majors after starting in Japan’s skilled leagues, received NL Rookie of the Yr honors with a 13–6 file and a pair of.54 ERA in 28 begins and a league-leading 236 strikeouts.