The Dodgers are headed to the postseason for the fourth consecutive year, after winning the National League West. As this will be the first time that many fans across the Majors will be focusing on their roster, here's our attempt to learn the origins of third baseman Justin Turner.
Justin Turner, 3B
Born: Long Beach, Calif.
DOB: 11/23/84
HS: Mayfair (Calif.) High School
College: California State University Fullerton
Minors: Billings (R), Dayton (A), Sarasota (A+), Chattanooga (AA), Norfolk (AAA), Buffalo (AAA)
:: Before they were postseason-bound: Select a player ::
Path to Los Angeles: Was selected by the Reds in the seventh round of the 2006 Draft. He was traded to the Orioles after the '08 season, claimed off waivers by the Mets in '10 and signed as a free agent with the Dodgers in February '14.
Trophy case: NL Rookie of the Month Award winner in May 2011, Baseball America's freshman All-American team in '03
Famous feat(s): Turner played in the College World Series three times, winning the championship in his junior season in 2004.
"It was awesome," Turner said. "The reason you go to college is to get to Omaha. It was unbelievable."
You might not know: Turner hit a career-high .340 during his first season with the Dodgers in 2014, and has increased his home run, double, RBI, walk, run and hit totals in each of his three seasons with the club.
Six degrees of Willie Aikens: With the Billings Mustangs in the Rookie League in 2006, Turner was teammates with future Dodgers Chris Heisey and Josh Ravin, plus future big leaguers Drew Stubbs and Juan Francisco
Leg kick: Turner has a noticeable leg kick at the plate and his first bobblehead with the Dodgers featured Turner with his front leg high in the air in anticipation of a pitch. "Always had the leg kick as far as I can remember," he said. "It's something I've always had and use as a timing mechanism."
Call him maybe: Turner received notoriety while on the Mets in May 2012 for putting Carly Rae Jepson's "Call Me Maybe" as his walk-up music. Turner says his friends dared him he wouldn't use the song as his hitting soundtrack. "Why wouldn't I use it? It's a great song," he said.