I was in the car for five hours today. Thank God for podcasts… .

Somewhere between Camarillo and Santa Maria, I listened to the most recent Dugout Blues Podcast with Dustin Nosler and Jared Massey. It’s a podcast I enjoy.

Their guest was Dodgers minor league pitcher Ross Stripling. Along with learning about Stripling’s journey over the past year or so to recover from Tommy John surgery, I learned that Stripling’s name is pronounced with a short /i/ sound. (I had always pronounced it with a long-i like “Stripe-ling.”)

More importantly, Stripling described the Winter Development Camp from January in Los Angeles and gave a few details about Gabe Kapler’s management style as Director of Player Development. Stripling outlined how the team has a truly open and transparent chain of communication from the players straight to the front office. Players can ask how they are viewed and what they need to do better in management’s eyes.

“That’s probably the hardest part about playing in the minor leagues is you rarely have someone come up to you and tell you how they think of you and how they grade you,” said Stripling.

My favorite part of the podcast was Stripling describing the change in something as simple as quality of available food for players in the minor league system.

Gabe Kapler isn’t making the Dodgers eat quinoa, but he is trying to change some habits throughout the system. By User:Ben_pcc. (Bob’s Red Mill, organic product.) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

It makes sense. In an organization that got a new leader who is known for having a plan, the Dodgers are examining everything. Including what minor league players eat. Players are feeling really good about it.

If Dodger fans needed any more evidence that this organization is paying attention to detail and doing everything in their power to win, I don’t know what else they want. Paying for decent meals for minor league players won’t be cheap I’m sure. It’s nice to know the Dodgers are good for it. I’m sure the players aren’t complaining.

Who knows if better food will make anything beyond a marginal difference in how guys feel, but the Dodgers are aggressively angling for every advantage they can get. Even marginal ones. After all, baseball is a game that is won in the margins.

To hear the entire episode of Dugout Blues, click here.