When you think of the 1988 World Series Champion Dodgers, there’s a pretty good chance that the very first person that comes to mind is Kirk Gibson and his historic game-1 home run; or perhaps World Series MVP Orel Hershiser and his incredible game-2 and game-5 victories. But it’s pretty safe to say that former Dodger first baseman/outfielder Franklin Stubbs is not among the first names that pops into your head when discussing the Dodgers dominating World Series win over the heavily favored Oakland Athletics, yet Stubbs played a significant role in the Dodgers making it into the 1988 Fall Classic.

Franklin Stubbs was instrumental in helping the Dodgers get into the 1988 World Series. He is currently the batting coach for the Dodgers Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes. (AP photo)

As the 1988 World Series was playing out, current Dodger backup outfielder/first baseman Scott Van Slyke was only two years old. And though no one knew it at the time, it would be Franklin Stubbs who would save Scott Van Slyke’s professional baseball career 24 years later.

Born on July 24, 1986 in Chesterfield, Missouri, Scott Van Slyke, son of former Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Andy Van Slyke, was drafted by the Dodgers in the 14th round of the 2005 MLB First Year Player Draft out of John Burroughs Preparatory School in Ladue, Missouri. He spent eight years in the minor leagues until his call-up to the Dodgers on May 12, 2012 when he hit a pinch hit RBI single in his first major league at-bat, thus becoming the first Dodger to do so since Carl Warwick in 1961.

But unquestionably Van Slyke’s most significant moment during his first call-up to the Bigs occurred eight days later on May 20, 2012 when he hit a pinch hit home run off of St. Louis Cardinals lefty Marc Rzepczynski on a green light 3-0 fastball. Van Slyke’s three-run home run gave the Dodgers a 6-5 lead and the eventual win.

You know you’ve done good when you get a pie-in-the-face on national television during a post-game interview, as Van Slyke did after his game-winning home run on May 20, 2012. (Video capture courtesy of ESPN)

Unfortunately for Scott, he would garner only seven more hits in his 54 total at bats and his dismal .167 batting average led to him being sent back down to Triple-A Albuquerque on July 13, 2012 when Matt Kemp returned from the disabled list for his strained hamstring (the second one).

Van Slyke’s struggles continued after returning to the Isotopes and he was designated for assignment on December 12, 2012 to clear a spot on the Dodgers 40-man roster for utility infielder Skip Schumaker, who the Dodgers had just signed.

Fortunately for Van Slyke (and ultimately the Dodgers), he was not claimed off waivers by another team and agreed to return to the Isotopes on a minor league contract. This would prove to be the turning point in 26-year-old’s professional baseball career.

Coming out of spring training 2013, Van Slyke absolutely tore it up in the Pacific Coast League with the Isotopes. In 34 games with the Dodgers Triple-A affiliate, Van Slyke hit a remarkable .46 for 116 (.397) with 10 doubles, 1 triple, 9 home runs and 30 RBIs – good enough to earn a promotion back onto the Dodgers 40-man roster and his second call-up to the struggling Dodgers on May 10.

Since being called back up, a visibly trimmer Van Slyke is 6 for 20 (.300) with 2 doubles, 3 home runs and an on-base percentage of .364.

Van Slyke has become a much-needed power bat off the bench. He hit two home runs in one game on May 17 in Atlanta. (Photo credit – Jon SooHoo)

I caught up with Van Slyke in the Dodger clubhouse prior to Friday night’s game against the Cardinals and asked him how he was able to turn his hitting (and his career) around.

“I worked a lot with my hitting coach Franklin Stubbs in Triple-A,” said Van Slyke. “He’s had me for the last two years in Single-A, High-A, Double-A and this year in Triple-A. He looked over video from the last few years when he was with me and he figured out where my hands were when I was hitting my best and I went back to that.”

Van Slyke added that he is far more comfortable and confident at the plate this time around.

“Having confidence in your swing makes you think more confidently and think that you’re going to get the balls easier. You slow down a little bit at the plate and you start seeing the pitches instead of just going up there swinging.”

Although Van Slyke will most likely be used primarily as a late-innings pinch hitter, he figures to see some playing time in right field, especially when the Dodgers face left-handed pitching, which has been a career-long issue for the left-handed hitting Andre Ethier. Van Slyke will also undoubtedly be called upon to occasionally spell first baseman Adrian Gonzalez.

Van Slyke was called upon to pinch hit in the bottom of the 9th in Friday night’s 7-0 rout by the Cardinals. After taking a first pitch called strike off of Cardinals reliever Mitchell Boggs followed by two balls, Van Slyke crushed a 95 MPH four-seam fastball that landed midway up the Loge level. Unfortunately that ball was foul and he ended up flying to Cardinals left fielder Matt Holliday for the final out of the game. When I mention the monster shot to Van Slyke after the game, he just smiled and said “Strike two.”