The Dodgers hope to cash in on their new ‘Puiggy Bank’

He’s not a 2-hit homer wonder yet as the Dodgers new phenom (at least for 2 games) Yasiel Puig is the talk of baseball and just the sparkplug the disappointing (and injury depleted) last place Dodgers ordered. Puig will leadoff again tonight for his starter Clayton Kershaw who hopes to lead his club to only their 3rd series sweep of the season. And it still counts even if it’s against the lowly Padres. By the way, how about Kershaw’s ERA at Dodger Stadium? At 2.27 it’s the 4th lowest in L.A. history behind Sandy Koufax (1.37), Don Drysdale (2.19), and Dean Chance (2.24). Pretty decent company!!!

The following is a list directly from tonight’s Dodgers media notes of just what Puig has accomplished in his very short time in the big leagues.

Dodger outfielder Yasiel Puig put together a game of firsts last night, going 3-for-4 with a double, two home runs and five RBI in his second MLB game. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Puig became the second player in Major League history to have a two-homer, five-RBI game within the first two games of his career, joining Dino Restelli of the 1949 Pirates, and the second Dodger player ever to have such a game batting in the leadoff spot (Tommy Brown, 3 HR/5 RBI on Sept. 18, 1950 vs. Cubs).

Puig became the first Dodger player to have a multi-home run game within his first two career games (16th all-time, last: Manny Machado, Aug. 10, 2012) and the first Dodger player to post a game with five or more RBI within his first two career games since Spider Jorgensen knocked in six in the second game of his career on April 17, 1947 for Brooklyn against the Boston Braves.

According to Elias, Puig was also the first Dodger player to post multi-hit games in the first two games of his career since Larry Miller on June 21 (second game of doubleheader) and June 29, 1964. The last Dodger to start his career with three multi-hit games was Preston Ward, who went 2-for-5 in each of his first three career games from April 20-22, 1948.

Not bad for a guy who hasn’t been here in L.A. long enough to know the names of any of our freeways. So let’s Puig-out on this fun while it lasts and as Vin Scully called it last night…”VIVA PUIG”!

The following are my pregame interviews with Don Mattingly and Stan Kasten who I not only obviously asked about Puig’s early impact on the club but also their feelings about the latest performance enhancing drugs news in the game of baseball. Mattingly was quite candid on his feelings and it’s a nice insight into the solid citizen that he is.

Don Mattingly pregame with us media folk:

Dodgers President and part-owner Stan Kasten on Puig and the drug issues in baseball: