1968 Los Angeles Dodgers season
Encyclopedia
The Los Angeles Dodgers
had a 76-86 record and finished in seventh place in the National League
standings, 21 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals
. After the season, the Dodgers underwent some changes among the team management when long time general manager
Buzzie Bavasi
resigned to take over the expansion San Diego Padres
. He was replaced by team vice-president Fresco Thompson
. However, Thompson was diagnosed with cancer weeks after taking the job and died in November. Al Campanis
became the new general manager for the following season.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
had a 76-86 record and finished in seventh place in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
standings, 21 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals
1968 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 87th season in St. Louis, Missouri and its 77th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 97-65 during the season, winning their second consecutive NL pennant, this time by nine games over the San Francisco Giants. They lost in 7 games to the...
. After the season, the Dodgers underwent some changes among the team management when long time general manager
General manager (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....
Buzzie Bavasi
Buzzie Bavasi
Emil Joseph "Buzzie" Bavasi was an American executive in Major League Baseball who played a major role in the operation of three franchises from the late 1940s through the mid-1980s....
resigned to take over the expansion San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
. He was replaced by team vice-president Fresco Thompson
Fresco Thompson
Lafayette Fresco Thompson was a Major League Baseball second baseman and executive. He was born in Centreville, Alabama, but attended George Washington High School and Columbia University in New York City...
. However, Thompson was diagnosed with cancer weeks after taking the job and died in November. Al Campanis
Al Campanis
Alexander Sebastian Campanis was an American executive in Major League Baseball. He had a brief Major League career as a second baseman, playing for both the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Montreal Royals, the Dodgers' minor-league team...
became the new general manager for the following season.
Offseason
- November 28, 1967: John Roseboro, Ron PerranoskiRon PerranoskiRonald Peter Perranoski is a former left-handed Major League Baseball relief pitcher, having played from through ....
and Bob Miller were traded by the Dodgers to the Minnesota TwinsMinnesota TwinsThe Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
for Mudcat GrantMudcat GrantJames Timothy "Mudcat" Grant is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Cleveland Indians , Minnesota Twins , Los Angeles Dodgers , Montreal Expos , St. Louis Cardinals , Oakland Athletics and Pittsburgh Pirates...
and Zoilo VersallesZoilo VersallesZoilo Casanova Versalles Rodriguez , nicknamed "Zorro", was a Cuban shortstop in Major League Baseball, who was considered a solid leadoff man, and a good baserunner whose speed helped him to cover a huge area at shortstop...
. - November 30, 1967: Gene Michael was purchased from the Dodgers by the New York YankeesNew York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. - November 30, 1967: Lou JohnsonLou JohnsonLouis Brown Johnson , nicknamed "Sweet Lou" and "Slick", is a former Major League Baseball outfielder...
was traded by the Dodgers to the Chicago CubsChicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
for Paul PopovichPaul PopovichPaul Edward Popovich was an infielder for the Chicago Cubs , Los Angeles Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates ....
. - January 27, 1968: 1968 Major League Baseball Draft1968 Major League Baseball Draft-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1968 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :The Los Angeles Dodgers laid the groundwork for their championship clubs of the 1970s with an outstanding draft...
(January secondary phase) notable picks:
-
- Round 2: Davey LopesDavey LopesDavid Earle Lopes is a former second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball. He batted and threw right-handed. He is currently the first base coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers.He is of Cape Verdean descent.-Playing:...
- Round 5: Geoff ZahnGeoff ZahnGeoffery Clayton Zahn is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 13-year career, he pitched from 1973-1985 for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs of the National League and the Minnesota Twins and California Angels of the American League...
- Round 10: Ed CrosbyEd CrosbyEdward Carlton Crosby is a former utility infielder in Major League Baseball who played for the St. Louis Cardinals , Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Indians . Crosby batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
(did not sign)
- Round 2: Davey Lopes
- February 13, 1968: Ron HuntRon HuntRonald Kenneth Hunt is a former Major League Baseball player. A second baseman who also played third base sparingly, Hunt played for the New York Mets , Los Angeles Dodgers , San Francisco Giants , Montreal Expos and St...
and Nate OliverNate OliverNathaniel Oliver had a seven-year major league career in the 1960s, mostly with the Los Angeles Dodgers.Nate is the son of Jim Oliver, Sr., who had played in the Negro Leagues. James Oliver Field in St...
were traded by the Dodgers to the San Francisco GiantsSan Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
for Tom HallerTom HallerThomas Frank Haller was an American professional baseball player and baseball executive. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball with the San Francisco Giants , Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers...
and Frank Kasheta (minors). - March 26, 1968: Rocky ColavitoRocky ColavitoRocco Domenico "Rocky" Colavito, Jr. is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball best known for his years with the Cleveland Indians. He wore a #6, #7 or #21 jersey during his MLB career...
was purchased by the Dodgers from the Chicago White SoxChicago White SoxThe Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
.
Opening Day lineup
| Opening Day starters | |
|---|---|
| Name | Position |
| Willie Davis Willie Davis (baseball) William Henry Davis was a center fielder in Major League Baseball who played most of his career for the Los Angeles Dodgers... |
Center fielder Center fielder A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field... |
| Zoilo Versalles Zoilo Versalles Zoilo Casanova Versalles Rodriguez , nicknamed "Zorro", was a Cuban shortstop in Major League Baseball, who was considered a solid leadoff man, and a good baserunner whose speed helped him to cover a huge area at shortstop... |
Shortstop Shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the... |
| Wes Parker Wes Parker Maurice Wesley Parker III is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers from to... |
First baseman First baseman First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team... |
| Al Ferrara Al Ferrara Alfred John "The Bull" Ferrara Jr. Alfred John "The Bull" Ferrara Jr. Alfred John "The Bull" Ferrara Jr. (born December 22, 1939 in Brooklyn, New York was a Major League Baseball player from to .-Biographical information:... |
Left fielder Left fielder In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound... |
| Bob Bailey Bob Bailey (baseball) Robert Sherwood Bailey is an American former third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Los Angeles Dodgers , Montreal Expos , Cincinnati Reds and Boston Red Sox . He batted and threw right-handed... |
Third baseman Third baseman A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run... |
| Ron Fairly Ron Fairly Ronald Ray Fairly is a former Major League Baseball player and broadcaster. He either played in or broadcast over 7,000 major league games from through .-College career:... |
Right fielder Right fielder A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound... |
| Paul Popovich Paul Popovich Paul Edward Popovich was an infielder for the Chicago Cubs , Los Angeles Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates .... |
Second baseman Second baseman Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base... |
| Tom Haller Tom Haller Thomas Frank Haller was an American professional baseball player and baseball executive. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball with the San Francisco Giants , Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers... |
Catcher Catcher Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to... |
| Claude Osteen Claude Osteen Claude Wilson Osteen , nicknamed "Gomer" because of his resemblance to Gomer Pyle, is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched for six different teams: the Cincinnati Redlegs/Reds , Washington Senators , Los Angeles Dodgers , Houston Astros , St... |
Starting pitcher Starting pitcher In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher.... |
Notable transactions
- April 3, 1968: Hank AguirreHank AguirreHenry John "Hank" Aguirre was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played with the Cleveland Indians , Detroit Tigers , Los Angeles Dodgers , and Chicago Cubs...
was acquired by the Dodgers from the Detroit TigersDetroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
for cash and a player to be named later. The Tigers completed the deal by sending Fred Moulder (minors) to the Dodgers on April 4. - April 23, 1968: Jim Hickman and Phil Regan were traded by the Dodgers to the Chicago CubsChicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
for Ted SavageTed SavageTheodore Edmund Savage, Jr., born as Ephesian Savage on February 21, 1936 in Venice, Illinois, was an outfielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1962-1971.-Biography:Ted Savage played for eight teams in a nine-year major league career...
and Jim EllisJim Ellis (baseball)James Russell Ellis is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played in 1967 and 1969 for the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals....
. - June 7, 1968: 1968 Major League Baseball Draft1968 Major League Baseball Draft-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1968 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :The Los Angeles Dodgers laid the groundwork for their championship clubs of the 1970s with an outstanding draft...
notable picks:
-
- Round 1: Bobby ValentineBobby ValentineRobert John "Bobby V" Valentine is an American professional baseball manager and former player who is currently the manager of the Boston Red Sox. He previously managed the Texas Rangers and New York Mets as well as the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan...
- Round 2: Bill BucknerBill BucknerWilliam Joseph Buckner is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. Despite winning a batting crown in , representing the Chicago Cubs at the All-Star Game the following season and accumulating over 2,700 hits in his twenty-year career, he is best remembered for a fielding error during Game 6...
- Round 4: Mike PazikMike PazikMichael Joseph Pazik is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched parts of three seasons in the majors, from until , for the Minnesota Twins....
(did not sign) - Round 5: Tom PaciorekTom PaciorekThomas Marian Paciorek is a former Major League outfielder and first baseman for 18 seasons between 1970 and 1987...
- Round 8: Joe FergusonJoe Ferguson (baseball)Joseph Vance Ferguson is a former catcher/right fielder in Major League Baseball who played for four different teams from 1970 through 1983...
- Round 9: Doyle AlexanderDoyle AlexanderDoyle Lafayette Alexander is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, and Detroit Tigers...
- Round 17: Bob GallagherBob GallagherRobert Collins Gallagher is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Boston Red Sox , Houston Astros and New York Mets .Listed at 6' 3", 185 lb., he batted and threw left-handed...
- Round 52: Bob SheldonBob SheldonBob Mitchell Sheldon is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. He played parts of three seasons, , and , for the Milwaukee Brewers.-Sources:...
(did not sign)
- Round 1: Bobby Valentine
- Secondary Phase
- Round 1: Steve GarveySteve GarveySteven Patrick Garvey , nicknamed "Mr. Clean" because of the squeaky clean image he held throughout his career in baseball, is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and current Southern California businessman...
- Round 2: Sandy VanceSandy VanceGene Covington "Sandy" Vance was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. Drafted in the second round he pitched in 30 games in the 1970s for the Los Angeles Dodgers, including 21 starts and 2 complete games...
- Round 3: Ron CeyRon CeyRonald Charles Cey |Washington]]) is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers , Chicago Cubs and Oakland Athletics . Cey batted and threw right-handed...
- Round 7: Bob RandallBob Randall (baseball)Robert Lee Randall ais a former professional baseball second baseman. He played five seasons in Major League Baseball from 1976 until 1980, all for the Minnesota Twins....
(did not sign)- July 11, 1968: Rocky ColavitoRocky ColavitoRocco Domenico "Rocky" Colavito, Jr. is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball best known for his years with the Cleveland Indians. He wore a #6, #7 or #21 jersey during his MLB career...
was released by the Dodgers.
- July 11, 1968: Rocky Colavito
- Round 1: Steve Garvey
Roster
| 1968 Los Angeles Dodgers | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers |
Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders |
Manager Coaches |
||||||
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 144 | 474 | 135 | .285 | 4 | 53 | |
| SS | 122 | 403 | 79 | .196 | 2 | 24 | |
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 2.14 | 46 | |
| 37 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2.08 | 35 | |
| 25 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0.69 | 25 | |
Awards and honors
- Gold Glove AwardGold Glove AwardThe Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
- Wes ParkerWes ParkerMaurice Wesley Parker III is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers from to...
- Wes Parker
- TSN Fireman of the Year AwardThe Sporting News Reliever of the Year AwardThe Sporting News Reliever of the Year Award was established in 1960 by The Sporting News as TSN Fireman of the Year Award. The award originally recognized the best closer from each league, but in 2001 the award was broadened to include all relievers...
- Phil Regan
- NL Player of the MonthPlayer of the MonthThe Player of the Month Award is a Major League Baseball award named by each league every month of the regular season. The National League started recognizing the award on June 4, 1958. National League president Warren Giles conducted a poll of baseball writers in each Major League city and...
- Don DrysdaleDon DrysdaleDonald Scott "Don" Drysdale was a Major League Baseball player and Hall of Fame right-handed pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was one of the dominant starting pitchers of the 1960s, and became a radio and television broadcaster following his playing career...
(May 1968)
- Don Drysdale
All-Stars
- 1968 Major League Baseball All-Star Game1968 Major League Baseball All-Star GameThe 1968 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 39th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball...
- Don DrysdaleDon DrysdaleDonald Scott "Don" Drysdale was a Major League Baseball player and Hall of Fame right-handed pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was one of the dominant starting pitchers of the 1960s, and became a radio and television broadcaster following his playing career...
, starter - Tom HallerTom HallerThomas Frank Haller was an American professional baseball player and baseball executive. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball with the San Francisco Giants , Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers...
, reserve
- Don Drysdale
