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Dodgers News: Schebler Reflects On MLB Debut, Learning Of Promotion



The Los Angeles Dodgers made official their recalling of Scott Schebler from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday afternoon hours after it was reported elsewhere the outfielder was set to join the big league club.

Schebler arrived at Dodger Stadium in time for batting practice and with his name on the lineup sheet, batting seventh and starting in left field. The whirlwind day followed a late phone call he received early Friday morning. from OKC manager Damon Berryhill with the good news.

“It was about 1:30 a.m., maybe 2:00 a.m.,” Schebler said. “It was pretty late. Pretty cool, I called my parents and woke them up, then woke some other people up. I made some people happy, I made some people angry with me waking them up. It was an awesome time.”

Schebler’s first putout came in the second inning on a fly ball that he took an interesting route on. Then with one out in the bottom of the second, Schebler lined the first pitch he saw from St. Louis Cardinals starter Carlos Martinez into left field for his Major League hit that came in his first at-bat.

“It was nice to get a fly ball out there early, to get my feet wet out there,” Schebler said after his debut. “I think that made me feel more comfortable and more confident. Then I put a good swing on the ball, and the confidence kept rolling. It was nice to get out of the way.”

Schebler finished 1-for-3 with one strikeout on a night that Martinez dazzled, setting a new career high with 11 strikeouts. Given the unfamiliarity he had in facing the Cardinals’ starter, he relied on a film session with Dodgers hitting coach Mark McGwire. “Me and Mark [McGwire] had our game plan going,” he said. “My second at-bat got away from it a little bit, and you saw what happened.”

Although Schebler hit well at previous Minor League stops, his stats this season don’t jump out, which led to him being surprised at the call up. “I thought I was swinging the bat decent down there, even though the stats really didn’t show it,” he said.

Schebler also added he was reassured the Dodgers were confident in him, which was expressed during a Las Vegas meeting with Dodgers director of player development Gabe Kapler. “He sat me down and showed me some of the stats they look at, because they don’t look at average.”

“And he said, ‘honestly, you’re fine. You’re kind of right where we want you to be and you’re struggling a little bit, but I think you’re in a good place.’ ”

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said prior to Friday’s game the club valued what Schebler brings in being an outfielder and left-handed bat to mix with Andre Ethier. However, Schebler’s stint with the Dodgers didn’t last long as Yasiel Puig was reinstated from the disabled list Saturday.

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