Latest news with #Hershiser


Los Angeles Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Orel Hershiser puts a bounty on his Topps one-of-one signed chrome card
Orel Hershiser was one of a kind as a pitcher, tossing two complete-game victories to lead the Dodgers to the 1988 World Series championship after going 23-8 during a regular season that included a record streak of 59 consecutive scoreless innings. Now in his 10th season as a color commentator and analyst for the team on SportsNet LA, Hershiser enjoys a side hustle running a collectibles store in Claremont called Legends' Attic. Long an avid card collector, the pitcher nicknamed the Bulldog by former Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda is exhibiting tenacity and persistence in pursuit of a one-of-one baseball card of himself. Hershiser signed the Topps Chrome card on March 12 during spring training, and he wants it for himself. What lengths will the Bulldog go to get the card? He's put out what serious card collectors call a bounty. Hershiser even made a video pleading for the card. 'If you pull the Orel Hershiser one-of-one card, I really want that card,' he said in the video. 'I know that in this industry there is a lot of trading and I've already seen that there's been some bounties out there. Maybe I should create a bounty.' Hershiser has no idea who owns the card or how far away from Los Angeles they live, but he nevertheless listed what he's willing to trade: Two round-trip airline tickets, a stay at the 'luxurious' DoubleTree hotel next door to Legends' Attic, tickets to a Dodgers game, a visit to the broadcasting booth where Hershiser and Joe Davis operate, and an autographed Hershiser jersey. Presumably the offer also includes the obligatory DoubleTree chocolate chip cookies upon check-in. One would think a collector as savvy as Hershiser wouldn't open negotiations by placing all his cards on the table, but, hey, he's the Bulldog and only one card in return will do. 'I want to pull my card and I want you to find me and I want that card pristine,' he all but demanded on the video. 'I need it for my collection. Please!'
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Did Dodgers' broadcaster Orel Hershiser hint at Astros cheating again?
The post Did Dodgers' broadcaster Orel Hershiser hint at Astros cheating again? appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Los Angeles Dodgers suffered their worst loss in the history of Dodger Stadium on Friday night—an 18-1 beatdown by the Houston Astros that quickly turned ugly. But it wasn't just the scoreline that grabbed headlines. Dodgers broadcaster Orel Hershiser stirred old tensions by bringing up the infamous Astros cheating scandal mid-broadcast. Advertisement The Astros teed off for five home runs in the game, including two from Jose Altuve, who was met with relentless boos throughout the night. Despite the crowd reaction, Altuve homered twice, reached base five times, and racked up five RBIs in one of the most lopsided wins of the 2025 season. Popular account Awful Announcing posted the moment Hershiser raised eyebrows with this quote during the third inning on X, formerly known as Twitter. 'I don't want to open an old wound, but in some ways they're swinging at these breaking balls like they know what is coming.' The remark came after a series of well-timed hits off Dodgers rookie Ben Casparius. It was an unmistakable reference to the 2017 Astros cheating scandal, in which Houston used video surveillance and trash-can signals to decode pitches en route to a World Series win over the Dodgers. Advertisement As the Dodger Stadium blowout spiraled, Hershiser doubled down, questioning how Houston hitters were reading advanced breaking balls with such ease. While he stopped short of accusing the team outright, the implication was loud enough for fans and media to reignite debate. Altuve, one of the most controversial figures from the 2017 saga, reminded everyone of his talent with another clutch performance—underscoring the Astros' dominance despite ongoing public scrutiny. Houston is now 53-35 and leads the AL West by seven games, fueled by Altuve's resurgence and contributions from hitters like Christian Walker and Isaac Paredes. Lance McCullers Jr. added six strong innings on the mound in just his second start since returning from injury. The Astros cheating scandal may never fully fade from memory—especially not in Los Angeles, where the wounds still linger. On a night when Houston delivered the most lopsided defeat in Dodger Stadium history, echoes of 2017 resurfaced in more ways than one. And with Hershiser's pointed remarks drawing attention once again to Houston's tainted past, it was a reminder that some rivalries are built not just on competition, but controversy that refuses to be forgotten. Advertisement Related: Ex-Dodgers prospect finding All-Star form with Cubs Related: Dodgers' Blake Snell could begin rehab assignment soon


New York Post
05-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Orel Hershiser zings Astros for past cheating during historic Dodgers home beatdown
That 2017 Astros World Series title will always come with a cheating asterisk, and Dodgers legend Orel Hershiser sure hasn't forgotten. The former-pitcher-turned-television-analyst made a cheating dig while Houston handed the Dodgers their worst home loss since opening Dodger Stadium in 1962 in Friday's 18-1 beatdown. 'I don't want to open an old wound, but in some ways they're swinging at these breaking balls like they know what is coming,' Hershiser said after a double in the third with Houston leading, 4-1. 'That's not a bad pitch. It's really a very good pitch. Low and away, probably would have ended up by the ankles if it would have made it past the bat.' The Astros are forever going to have to wear the cheater label after they illegally used videos to steal signs during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. That 2017 season ended with the Astros triumphing over the Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series in Los Angeles to win their first championship. Houston kept its title despite the cheating, which included using trash cans to relay pitches, while several Dodgers called out the team for its actions. 3 Oral Hershiser is pictured in 2015. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post Former Dodger and current Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger previously said he lost respect for the Astros and Jose Altuve 'stole' the 2017 AL MVP from current teammate Aaron Judge. Old feelings die hard, as the saying goes, so perhaps it's not shocking that Hershiser referenced the cheating scandal while Houston turned Friday's game into glorified batting practice. 3 The Astros celebrate during the 18-1 win. AP The fans surely didn't forget, chanting 'cheater' at Altuve during his at-bats, per ESPN. Hershiser, who pitched for the Dodgers from 1983-94 and in 2000 during an 18-season career, made his remark after the Astros tallied their fifth extra-base hit in two-plus innings against Ben Casparius. Houston grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first, and that ballooned to 4-1 in the fourth when they started the inning with a double and a homer — before Cam Smith's double that elicited Hershiser's comment. The next batter, Christian Walker, hit a two-run homer to turn the game into a blowout. 3 The Astros won the 2017 title at Dodger Stadium. AP The 23-year-old Casparius, making his third start of the season, surrendered six runs on nine hits in three innings. Dodgers reliever Noah Davis had an egregiously bad day, allowing 10 runs in 1 1/3 innings. Manager Dave Roberts even made a curious remark after the game that perhaps could be interpreted by some as a reference Houston's former tactics. 'I don't think Ben was good tonight,' Roberts said. 'It seemed like they were on everything he threw up there.'


Los Angeles Times
29-03-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Will Dodgers win a record 117 games? Orel Hershiser would like to see it
Tommy Lasorda had a lot of things to say, many of which still stick in our heads after all these decades. He exulted in the fruits of victory. He dubbed Dodger Stadium 'Blue Heaven on Earth.' He warned you might not get into the real heaven if you did not root for the Dodgers. He also had a simple formula for success. 'No matter how good you are, you're going to lose one-third of your games,' Lasorda liked to say. 'No matter how bad you are, you're going to win one-third of your games. It's the other third that makes the difference.' If you believe the hype, these Dodgers are out to make a liar out of Lasorda. Under Lasorda's axiom, no team wins more than two-thirds of its games. For the Dodgers, that would be 108 games. '117 would be a nice number,' former Dodgers pitcher and current broadcaster Orel Hershiser said. 'Set the record.' The record indeed is 116, set by the Chicago Cubs in 1906 and tied by the Seattle Mariners in 2001. 'There's just a lot of excitement,' Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, 'probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base.' Nine teams in history have won 109 or more games. One of those teams: the 2022 Dodgers, winners of 111 games during the regular season, eliminated by the San Diego Padres in four games in October. Two Brooklyn Dodgers teams won more than two-thirds of their games: the 1953 team, which lost to the New York Yankees in the World Series; and the 1942 team, which lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League, at a time there were no divisions and the league champion advanced directly to the World Series. These Dodgers enjoyed a ring ceremony Friday. They plan to enjoy another one this time next year. 'That's our only focus right now, to go back to back,' Roberts said. 'We have the best team.' Hershiser pitched under Lasorda, who managed the Dodgers to two World Series championships in 20 years. In 1977, Lasorda's first year, the Dodgers won 98 games. In 1978 they won 95. Never again under Lasorda did the Dodgers win so many games. This is not a knock on Lasorda, who is in the Hall of Fame. Teams are not supposed to win two-thirds of their games, and yet here we are watching a team so talented and deep that not winning two-thirds of its games might be a letdown to its fans. 'It's going to be really hard to continue to think of glowing things to say about this team,' Hershiser said. 'I think the adjectives are going to get real thin.' Hershiser has allowed himself a moment or two to have some fun with the anticipation of greatness. At the start of the season, he said, the Dodgers' broadcasters had a group text for predictions about how many games the team would win. Hershiser smiled as he told the story. The regular season features 162 games. His text read 162. It was a joke. The fans, he said, should have some fun too. 'I would hope it's fun,' he said. 'I guess it's less excitement when you win, and more disappointment when you lose. It's not quite as balanced of a feeling.' For fans of every other team, the exhibition season is over. For fans of the Dodgers, the exhibition season extends through September, and the meaningful games start in October. The last time the Dodgers failed to make the playoffs: 13 years ago. Yet a baseball season is a book with 162 chapters. There is plenty to savor within, new players and surprise storylines, a bounty to celebrate and appreciate as the summer unfolds. This is not as easy as the Dodgers plan to make it look, even with their 4-0 start. When I asked Roberts what he would suggest to fans already counting down to October, he channeled one of the greatest champions in our city's history. 'My advice would be what Kobe said: The dream is a journey. And when we're in your living rooms every night, when you come to the ballpark — 4 million people come to the ballpark every year — enjoy the journey. 'If you're just waiting to win a championship, and that defines the season for you and your joy, then you might want to find something else to root for, because you're missing a lot.'