Something strange is going on in Los Angeles. And we don’t mean the typical strange LA happenings, like celebrities saving car crash victims, action stars being elected governor and the entire city freaking out when it rains. Something strange is happening to the Los Angeles Dodgers and it’s all because of a 22 year-old phenom named Yasiel Puig.
Last week, the Dodgers were a laughingstock, languishing in last place with a bloated $250+ million payroll and a bullpen that could only be worse if it were stocked with actual bulls. Star outfielders Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier were slumping and insiders were speculating that Manager, Don Mattingly’s, days were numbered. The Dodgers needed a shot in the arm to get them going, and not the kind of shot that had been dominating the MLB news cycle of late. When Kemp and Carl Crawford were added to the Dodgers’ already lengthy disabled list, someone made a call to the AA affiliate in Chatanooga, TN. Who was in Chatanooga? A 22 year-old Cuban refugee named Yasiel Puig with a $42 Million multi-year contract who killed it in Spring Training with a .517 batting average and a .828 slugging percentage.
That’s when things got strange.
In his first game up, Puig electrified Dodger Stadium with a walk-off double play, catching a fly ball in right and then gunning down the runner at first, earning him the early nickname “The Cuban Missle”.
In his second game, Puig blasted two home runs.
He was a mere mortal in his third game, going 0 for 4. But it was in his fourth game that the legend took flight. In just his 24th at bat as a Dodger, Puig hit a Grand Slam that left even the great Vin Scully speechless.
In his fifth game, he did it again, hitting his fourth home run in five games. Although he didn’t homer in his sixth game, he did throw a perfect strike from right field to third to take down a runner.
I know Chavez Ravine is just down the street from Hollywood, but this is not a movie folks — this is all really happening. Dodger fans are absolutely losing their minds, “Viva Puig” shirts are already on sale at Dodger Stadium and surprisingly, all rumors of Mattingly getting the axe have quieted down.
So here’s the big question; is Yasiel the real deal, or are Dodger fans destined for heartbreak and eventual Puig Fatigue? Puig comes up to the big leagues with questions about his maturity and attitude and of course, everyone is wondering whether he’ll be able to sustain the mile-high bar he has set for himself in his first week in the Majors. Either way, the kid has hit four home runs in six games and given Dodgers fans some hope. With an outrageous stat line of .421/.450/1.55 in less than a week, we’re drinking the Kool-Aid.
Viva Puig!
