Dodgers Dugout: Remembering Davey Lopes

Hi, and invited to different version of Dodgers Dugout. My sanction is Houston Mitchell. Today, we retrieve a Dodgers icon.

Sad news successful Dodgersland this week arsenic Davey Lopes, personnel of nan famed Garvey-Lopes-Russell-Cey infield, died astatine nan property of 80.

“Even though Davey whitethorn person been nan little visible of nan celebrated long-running Dodger infield pinch Cey, Russell and Garvey, his effect connected nan team’s occurrence was huge,” erstwhile Dodgers proprietor and president Peter O’Malley told The Times. “All Dodger fans will ever retrieve nan excitement he gave america connected nan basepaths and I respect his committedness to nan crippled managing, coaching and instructing aft his playing days.”

Lopes was calved May 3, 1945, successful East Providence, R.I. He did not retrieve his father, who died erstwhile Lopes was 2. His mother, Mary Rose, supported Lopes and his 9 siblings connected nan meager net she earned arsenic a maid. Lopes recovered solace successful baseball.

“If it hadn’t been for sports, there’s nary telling what I’d beryllium aliases wherever I’d be,” Lopes told erstwhile Times shot columnist Ross Newhan successful 1973. “I had 1 mitt until I sewage to precocious school. I conjecture I tin admit now that I confiscated much than a fewer bats and balls.”

Lopes recovered a mentor successful shot coach Michael Sarkesian, who usually coached nan squad Lopes was playing against while increasing up. Sarkesian remembers Lopes, though, and brought him to Iowa Wesleyan erstwhile Sarkesian became nan diversion head there.

“Whatever I missed by not really having had a father, Sarkesian provided,” Lopes told Newhan. “He could subordinate to my problems, my environment. The drive, nan determination, not to springiness successful to nan ghetto, to make thing of my life, stems from my relations pinch him.”

Lopes was an NAIA All-American astatine Wesleyan and past followed Sarkesian to Washburn University successful Topeka, Kan. He deed .380 and was selected by nan San Francisco Giants successful nan seventh information of nan 1967 MLB draft. He turned them down, past signed pinch nan Dodgers erstwhile they chose him successful nan 2nd information of nan secondary shape of nan 1968 draft.

He played his first 2 seasons astatine Class A Daytona Beach, hitting .247 pinch 26 steals successful 82 games successful 1968, past hitting .280 pinch 32 steals successful 72 games successful 1969.

Davey Lopes steals 2nd while Reds shortstop Davey Concepcion awaits nan propulsion successful a 1980 game.

(Joe Kennedy / Los Angeles Times)

Lopes was promoted to triple-A Spokane successful 1970, and it was location that he met Tommy Lasorda, who was managing Spokane, and wherever nan Dodgers converted Lopes from an outfielder to a 2nd baseman nether nan tutelage of Monty Basgall. He was focused connected learning a caller position and stole only 11 bases, but rebounded successful 1971 to deed .306 pinch 27 steals.

After different standout twelvemonth successful 1972, nan Dodgers called him up to nan fields for nan first clip for nan last 2 weeks of nan season. He stole 4 bases successful 4 attempts.

At outpouring training successful 1973, Lopes battled pinch Lee Lacy for nan 2nd guidelines occupation and lost. But Lacy sewage disconnected to a unspeakable commencement and Walter Alston made Lopes nan starting 2nd baseman connected April 22. And he remained nan starting 2nd baseman until nan 1982 season.

Eventually, Bill Russell, Ron Cey and Steve Garvey recovered their measurement into nan starting lineup and connected June 23, 1973, nan foursome started together for nan first clip and stayed together for 9 seasons, nan longest-running infield successful MLB history.

Lopes was nan spark plug atop nan lineup, becoming 1 of nan champion guidelines stealers successful nan game. “I recognize that erstwhile I’m moving and stealing bases, I’m mounting nan momentum and getting nan adrenaline going for nan remainder of nan lineup,” Lopes told Newhan successful 1974. “And until personification proves he tin extremity me, aliases nan business dictates I don’t run, I’m going to beryllium stealing each nan time.”

Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench erstwhile called Lopes nan champion guidelines stealer successful nan game.

Beginning successful 1975, Lopes racked up immoderate awesome stolen guidelines numbers:

1975*: 77 steals, 12 caught stealing, 86.5% occurrence rate.
1976*: 63 steals, 10 caught stealing, 86.3%
1977: 47 steals, 12 caught stealing, 79.7%
1978: 45 steals, 4 caught stealing, 91.8%
1979: 44 steals, 4 caught stealing, 91.7%

*-Led convention successful steals.

In those 5 seasons, he stole 276 bases and was caught only 42 times, an astonishing 86.8% occurrence rate. He is nan champion guidelines stealer successful Dodger history. Maury Wills stole much often, but Lopes was much successful.

In 1975, Lopes stole 38 bases successful a statement from June 10 to August 24 to break Max Carey’s people of 36 successful a statement group during nan 1922-23 seasons. He was yet thrown retired by Montreal’s Gary Carter in nan 12th inning of a game.

In postseason play for nan Dodgers, Lopes deed .241 pinch six location runs, 22 RBIs, 28 runs scored and 20 steals successful 50 games, arsenic nan Dodgers mislaid successful nan World Series to Oakland (1974) and nan Yankees doubly (1977-78) earlier yet breaking done against nan Yankees successful 1981.

Lopes’ mentor pinch nan Dodgers was Jim Gilliam. One time aft nan Dodgers won nan 1978 NLCS, Gilliam died, leaving Lopes distraught. He channeled his emotions into an unthinkable Game 1 of nan World Series, hitting 2 location runs and driving successful 5 successful an 11-5 rout. After his first homer, Lopes pointed to nan entity to admit Gilliam. A mates of years later, “The Bronx Zoo” by Yankees reliever Sparky Lyle was published. In it, he wrote astir Lopes, saying, and I’m paraphrasing here, that it was bush convention for Lopes to put up “We’re No. 1” while circling nan bases, that nan Dodgers had nary people and that nan Red Sox were amended than nan Dodgers. He had missed nan constituent completely.

“They tin do thing they want pinch america now,” Lopes said aft nan 1981 World Series victory. “I’ve sewage nan ring. They can’t return that distant from me.”

From left, Ron Cey, Bill Russell, Davey Lopes and Steve Garvey reunite successful 2013.

(Los Angeles Times)

His comments contained a spot of foreshadowing. Lopes had his worst play successful 1981, hitting .206 successful 58 games of a strike-interrupted play (though he still stole 20 bases while being caught only twice). The Dodgers had prized imaginable Steve Sax waiting successful nan wings. So, connected Feb. 8, 1982, nan Dodgers traded Lopes to Oakland for Lance Hudson. If you’ve ne'er heard of Hudson, that’s OK, because he ne'er made it to nan majors. In essence, nan Dodgers gave Lopes distant for nothing.

Lopes was acold from through, though. He deed .242 pinch nan A’s successful 1982 and .277 pinch 17 homers and 22 steals successful 1983. Oakland sent him to nan Chicago Cubs adjacent nan extremity of nan 1984 play for pitcher Chuck Rainey. And successful 1985, Lopes had a play for nan ages, aliases astatine least, aged. At nan property of 40, he stole 47 bases and was caught only 4 times while hitting .284/.383/.444 pinch 11 homers and 44 RBIs successful 99 games. It is still nan grounds for astir stolen bases astatine property 40. Rickey Henderson is adjacent pinch 37 successful 1999.

Lopes vanished his profession pinch 2 seasons pinch nan Astros, retiring aft nan 1987 season. He past began a agelong profession arsenic coach and manager, including a stint arsenic first guidelines coach for nan Dodgers from 2011-15. Then GM Ned Colletti made it his ngo to bring Lopes backmost arsenic a coach.

Colletti had this to opportunity aft learning of Lopes’ death: “Davey Lopes transformed coaching astatine first base. His situational consciousness and intricacy of coaching first guidelines was nan champion I person ever watched. He changed a coaching position and really it was executed — guidelines running, secondary leads, transportation tipping, cutting your steps from first to third.

“His statement has expired successful Philadelphia [after nan 2010 season] and I went and recruited him back. He helped players and, therefore, teams, get better. He could find immoderate advantage and he was a awesome teacher. He was 1 of my favourite people.”

Former Dodgers reliever Tom Niedenfuer, who played pinch Lopes connected nan 1981 title team, had this to say: “Davey was 15 years older than maine and he was quiet pinch america caller guys. But he treated america arsenic equals and was helpful. It had to beryllium reliable seeing Sax travel up and knowing his days were numbered.”

Among nan 112 players pinch astatine slightest 350 stolen bases, Lopes is 5th successful stolen guidelines percentage:

1. Tim Raines, 808 steals, 146 caught, 84.7%
2. Willie Wilson, 668-134, 83.3%
3. Barry Larkin, 379-77, 83.11%
4. Tony Womack, 363-74, 83.07%
5. Davey Lopes, 557-114, 83%
6. Jimmy Rollins, 470-105, 81.7%
7. Carl Crawford, 480-109, 81.5%
8. Ichiro Suzuki, 509-117, 81.3%
9. Joe Morgan, 689-162, 81%
10. Vince Coleman, 752-177, 80.9%

Rickey Henderson is 11th pinch an 80.8% occurrence rate. Maury Wills is 42nd astatine 73.8%. Steve Sax 49th astatine 71.4%. Ty Cobb 81st astatine 64.3%.

How was Lopes truthful successful? In an interview pinch Ross Porter, he said, “Well, it’s conscionable not moving by chance. I studied nan pitchers. I tried to look for idiosyncrasies successful their bodies that show maine erstwhile they spell to first guidelines compared to going home. Try to prime that up, respond to it arsenic quickly arsenic I perchance can.”

He besides told Porter his favourite infinitesimal of his career: “Actually, nan first clip I ran connected nan field. It was for illustration I had reached a extremity I group arsenic a kid — to beryllium a Dodger. I ever wanted to beryllium a Brooklyn Dodger, but for immoderate reason, they near Brooklyn. We won’t get into that. But to do it arsenic a Dodger — that meant everything. It was benignant of for illustration 2nd best, but it was for illustration I arrived.”

As a leadoff hitter, Lopes would often bat aft nan pitcher. I ever enjoyed watching Lopes stall for clip erstwhile nan pitcher had to tally difficult during his at-bat. To springiness nan pitcher ample clip to remainder successful nan dugout, particularly if location were 2 out, Lopes had a assortment of hold strategies earlier getting to nan batter’s box. He’d springiness a mates of other swings successful nan on-deck circle. He’d locomotion to nan plate, past extremity and spell backmost to nan on-deck circle to get immoderate other conifer tar. He’d “have trouble” getting nan weighted circle disconnected his bat. He’d return nan first transportation and past telephone time. It was a maestro people successful looking astatine nan large picture.

Our champion wishes to Lopes’ family, friends and erstwhile teammates. He will beryllium missed.

More sad news

Miguel Rojas was each group to play Tuesday against Toronto erstwhile he learned that his begetter had passed distant successful Venezuela.

“There’s thing I could do being this far,” Rojas told reporters Wednesday. “Just support my family, and trying to understand a small spot of what’s going on. I recovered retired that my dad, connected nan measurement to nan hospital, passed away. He couldn’t unrecorded done nan bosom onslaught that he had. So it was abruptly that he passed away; he was emotion good. Really difficult to understand. I’m still trying to process nan full thing.”

Micky Rojas’ ceremonial was Wednesday. “That’s really they do things successful Venezuela,” Miguel Rojas said. “It happens speedy because they person to. They don’t person galore places to clasp these funerals.”

Rojas played Wednesday and wanted to play Tuesday until a mates of Dodgers talked him retired of it. He said later he was gladsome that Dave Roberts and Freddie Freeman took that determination retired of his hands. But Rojas was adamant astir playing Wednesday.

“It’s going to beryllium emotional, yes, for me, I understand that,” Rojas said. “But I’ve been done moments for illustration this earlier pinch my mom, my grandparents. I cognize what they want maine to do is play baseball. They raised maine up and they gave up everything successful their life for maine to beryllium a shot player. This is what they want maine to do. They cognize really overmuch pridefulness I return successful showing up each day, and not letting my teammates down.”

We nonstop retired champion wishes to Rojas and his family. You tin publication much astir nan business in this communicative by Maddie Lee.

What astir nan team?

We will talk nan squad successful item starting adjacent week. It has been a unusual 2 weeks pinch Charley Steiner, Lopes and Rojas, and sometimes life is much important that baseball. I received complete 500 emails astir Steiner, and immoderate of them will look successful a typical version of this newsletter successful nan adjacent mates of weeks.

Up next

Friday: Texas (Kumar Rocker, 0-1, 3.60 ERA) astatine Dodgers (Tyler Glasnow, 1-0, 3.00 ERA), 7:10 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Saturday: Texas (Jack Leiter, 1-0, 2.45 ERA) astatine Dodgers (Emmet Sheehan, 1-0, 8.00 ERA), 6:10 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Sunday: Texas (Jacob deGrom, 0-0, 3.72 ERA) astatine Dodgers (Roki Sasaki, 0-1, 7.00 ERA), 1:10 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

*-left-handed

In lawsuit you missed it

Tough time for Dodgers and Miguel Rojas pursuing nan decease of his father

Davey Lopes, portion of Dodgers’ historical infield and World Series winner, dies astatine property 80

These Canadian kids perfectly torched Freddie Freeman — and each for a bully cause

Shohei Ohtani matches Ichiro’s on-base people and adds to different awesome streak

Shaikin: Yoshinobu Yamamoto winning a Cy Young doesn’t mesh pinch a Dodgers three-peat

Shaikin: Dodgers proceed to beryllium nan evil American mercenaries Toronto fans emotion to hate

Dodgers’ Andy Pages scorching commencement astatine nan sheet turning heads. ‘I really for illustration his work’

Mookie Betts offers nary circumstantial timeline connected erstwhile he’ll return from injury

And finally

Davey Lopes hits 2 location runs successful Game 1 of nan 1978 World Series. Watch and perceive here.

Until adjacent time....

Have a remark aliases thing you’d for illustration to spot successful a early Dodgers newsletter? Email maine astatine houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter successful your inbox, click here.