1969 Los Angeles Dodgers season


The 1969 Los Angeles Dodgers finished in fourth place in the new National League Western Division, eight games behind the Atlanta Braves. The Dodgers' record for 1969 was 85–77, which was nine wins better than 1968.

Offseason

After finishing 8th in 1967 and 7th in 1968, the Dodgers looked to improve in 1969 with the addition of youngsters Ted Sizemore, Bill Sudakis, and by obtaining Tom Haller in a trade. The Dodgers started fast and on June 10, they were in 2nd place at 31–22, 1 game back in a wild 5 team N.L. West race. On June 11, they reacquired Maury Wills in a trade, and obtained Manny Mota in the same deal for Ron Fairly and Paul Popovich. By July 16, they were in 1st place, and after beating the Mets on September 3, they were in second place, 1 game back. Centerfielder Willie Davis had just extended his club record 31 game hitting streak. They headed to San Diego to face the expansion Padres in a 4-game series and disaster struck. They scored 4 runs in 4 games, lost 4 in a row, and Davis had his hitting streak stopped in the first game. They left San Diego in 4th place, still only 2½ games out. They rebounded somewhat, and when they beat the Atlanta Braves on September 18, they were one-half game behind co-leaders Atlanta and the San Francisco Giants as they headed to San Francisco. The pressure of the season long 5 team pennant race got to this young team, as they lost 10 of their next 11 games, ultimately finishing 85–77, 8 games behind division winning Atlanta.

Impact

While they did not win the division, the 1969 Dodgers marked the start of a turnaround for the franchise. After finishing 8th and 7th in 1967 and 1968 respectively, they would not finish in the bottom half of the standings again until 1984. Ted Sizemore won the rookie of the year award, and other youngsters like Steve Garvey, Bill Russell, Von Joshua, Bobby Valentine, and Bill Buckner contributed in back up roles. Waiting in the wings in the minors were Ron Cey, Davey Lopes, Tom Paciorek, and manager Tommy Lasorda.

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Opening Day lineup

Notable transactions

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
PosPlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
1B132471131.2781368
2B159590160.271446
3B132462108.2341453
SS104434129.297439
LF8529495.323330
CF129498155.3111159
RF120424105.2481974

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
PlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLERASO

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLERASO

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGWLSVERASO
5976202.5592
487542.7751

Awards and honors

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Rogue Valley, Ogden

1969 Major League Baseball Draft

This was the fifth year of a Major League Baseball Draft. The Dodgers drafted 47 players in the June draft and 11 in the January draft.
The Dodgers first round selection in the June draft, High School Catcher Terry McDermott did make it to the Majors, in 1972, but played only 9 games.
The only player from this draft class who made any impact in the Majors was Lee Lacy, who was drafted twice this year... as a third baseman in the January draft and as a pitcher in the June draft. He was primarily an outfielder in the Majors, and played through 1987 with the Dodgers, Braves, Pirates and Orioles.

January draft

RoundNamePositionSchoolSignedCareer spanHighest level
1Michael Kimbrell2BYes1969–1970A
2Lee Lacy3BLaney CollegeNo
Dodgers – June 1969		1969–1987MLB
3Carl SalyersRHPSouthwestern Christian Junior CollegeNo
4Bob O'BrienLHPFresno City CollegeNo
Dodgers – June 1969		1969–1974MLB
5Dean VoegerlLHPTrinidad State Junior CollegeNo
6Dave Maas2BFullerton CollegeNo

January Secondary phase

RoundNamePositionSchoolSignedCareer spanHighest level
1Pat HarrisonINFUniversity of Southern CaliforniaNo
2William CampRHPOklahoma State UniversityNo
Cubs – 1970		1970AA
3George PughLHPMesa Community CollegeNo
4William Ferguson1BTexas Christian UniversityNo
Reds – 1969 June		1969–1972AAA
5George Putz1BSpringfield CollegeNo
Cardinals – 1969 June		1969–1973AAA

June draft

RoundNamePositionSchoolSignedCareer spanHighest level
1Terry McDermottCSt. Agnes High SchoolYes1969–1976MLB
2Lee LacyLHPPutnam City High SchoolYes1969–1987MLB
3Al DawsonOFLyndhurst High SchoolYes1968–1972AAA
4Bob O'BrienOFTexas A&M UniversityYes1969–1974MLB
5Mark MechukRHPSt. Bernard High SchoolNo
6Stan WallLHPRaytown South High SchoolYes1969–1978MLB
7James CardasisOFNew York UniversityYes1969–1971A
8Kenneth BrunoSSCliffside Park High SchoolYes1969A-
9Larry PresidentLHPTemple High SchoolYes1969–1975AAA
10Ronald MitchellOFAqua Fria High SchoolYes1969–1980AAA
11John Hughes1BParkwood High SchoolYes1969–1973AA
12Stanley RussellRHPVilla Park High SchoolYes1969–1972A
13Ronald Dolan2BSeton Hall UniversityNo
14Arthur PaulsRHPLewis UniversityYes1969–1971A
15Roy StaigerSSBacone CollegeNo
Mets – 1970		1970–1980MLB
16Jimmy PageRHPHardesty High SchoolNo
17Edgar BellamySSFort Cobb High SchoolNo
18Mark PastrovichLHPMascoutah High SchoolNo
Twins – 1970		1970A
19Anthony BlakleySSSullivan West High SchoolNo
Pirates – 1971		1971Rookie
20Donald SweetlandCSaddleback CollegeNo
21Joseph Szewczyk1BNew York UniversityYes1969Rookie
22Royle StillmanOFNorth Torrance High SchoolYes1969–1981MLB
23Manuel WashingtonOFMississippi State UniversityYes1969–1972AA
24David AllenLHPCalifornia Western UniversityYes1970–1974AAA
25William Owen3BWillington High SchoolNo
26Jim FullerOFSan Diego City CollegeNo
Orioles – 1970		1970–1978MLB
27Johnny HatcherRHPAndrews High SchoolNo
28Harry ChapmanRHPSarasota High SchoolNo
29George HormanCCrawford High SchoolNo
30Nick DevirgilisOFSarasota High SchoolNo
31Jeffrey HoganSSFlorida State UniversityNo
Tigers – 1970		1970–1973AA
32Raymond IppolitoSSNew York UniversityNo
33Robert CoxRHPSoutheast High SchoolNo
34Vincent D'amico1BUniversity of AlbuquerqueYes1969A-
35Jerry ArnoldLHPWoodward High SchoolNo
36William WylesLHPNew Mexico Military InstituteNo
37Gary GranvilleOFEl Camino CollegeNo
Angels – 1970		1970–1973A
38Johnny RodgersINFTech High SchoolNo
39Gary ErskineOFAnderson High SchoolNo
40Dennis HarenOFBishop Montgomery High SchoolYes1969–1974AA
41Rod BooneCCrawford High SchoolNo
Royals – 1972		1972–1975AAA
42Robert SiciliaOFJohn R. Rogers High SchoolYes1969A-
43Robert PayneOFUniversity of California, RiversideYes1969A-

June secondary phase

RoundNamePositionSchoolSignedCareer spanHighest level
1Bill Seinsoth1BUniversity of Southern CaliforniaYes1969A
2Bob RandallSSKansas State UniversityYes1969–1980MLB
3Steven WilmetLHPSt. Norbert CollegeYes1969A-
4Randall BayerOFMesa Community CollegeYes1969–1972A