Thursday, June 11, 2015

OMG! A Will Ferrell Dodger Autographed Card Just Sold for Huge Bucks!


I knew these cards would be big sellers, but the prices showing up on eBay are outrageous.

Check out the pic above.  It is tied to an auction that closed yesterday morning and features the very first 2015 Archives Will Ferrell autographed Dodger card to have sold at the online auction house.  This is what the description said:
I just pulled this from a target retail pack. 2015 topps archives will Ferrell on card auto. Card is # 2/10. This is in the Dodgers uniform. This will be one of the hottest cards of the year. Could be the first one pulled so far.
It was a "Buy It Now" sale and it apparently exchanged hands at a cool $2,000.00.  Check out the auction here.

BTW, the Ferrell Dodger card numbered at "01/10" is on eBay at the price of $2,159.99.  Check that auction out here.

Overall, it appears that four of these cards have sold on eBay.  They include:
  • Diamondbacks Ferrell at $899.99 (Auction Link);
  • Red Ferrell at $699.99 (Action Link);
  • Dodgers Ferrell at $2,000.00 (Auction Link); and
  • Mariners Ferrell (Auction Link) that sold at a best offer price - likely just below the $1,699.99 initial asking price.
Wow!

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *
* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Monkey Business the Dodger Way - Vintage Pics at RMY Auctions

There's nothing better than gazing upon some old photos to rekindle an old memory, and if you're a fan of the game then vintage pics provide a glimpse into an era that is likely well past your time.  That's why I love sharing Dodger photographs I run into online, and especially enjoy pointing to auction house pics since many of them are scarce and rarely ever seen.  Currently ongoing is RMY's June auction and there are several Dodger press photos available that have me smiling, snickering and guffawing in joy.

Check this little guy out.  Here is a United Press photo taken during Spring Training prior to the 1955 season.  A news clipping is attached to the reverse that says the following:
Braves fans always suspected, this is a member of the Brooklyn team.  Dispatches from the spring training camp at Vero Beach are trying to palm him off as a mascot - but just wait until the lineups are announced in the regular season.
I guess the joke's on Braves fans since the Dodgers took home that championship for the first time that season.  Maybe this monkey was, in fact, our good luck charm.
(Auction Link)

"Stick 'em up!"

Carl Furillo is seen gleefully pointing a faux pistol at Dodger President Branch Rickey in the February 21, 1950 ACME press photo below.  Per the caption attached to the reverse:
It's from hold-out to hold-up for Dodgers outfielder Carl Furillo as he pulls a cigarette lighter pistol on Dodgers President Branch Rickey, Feb. 21.  Furillo, who ranked fourth among National League hitters in 1949 signed his contract for an unannounced sum, at the offices of the Brooklyn Dodgers Baseball team in Brooklyn.  There had been some disagreement as to the salary, but it had been settle before Furillo pulled the pistol.
Furillo actually never held-out, but instead threatened too on numerous occasions while playing for Brooklyn. 
(Auction Link)

There's no better way to end this post than with a photo showing the Boys in Blue celebrating and laughing at the same time.  Below is a 1955 press photo that appears to have been printed in an issue of the NY Journal American.  It features Don Zimemr (wearing the hat) pouring some refreshing beer on the unsuspecting Dodger batboy - Charles Di Giovanna - better known as "The Brow."  Per the newspaper caption:
Celebrating in the clubhouse after clinching the National League pennant at the stadium Thursday, members of the Brooklyn Dodgers get a laugh as second baseman Don Zimmer gives batboy Charles Di Giovanna a beer shampoo.  Zimmer is wearing pitcher Don Newcombe's beer soaked straw hat.  Others, from left, are pitchers Roger Craig, catcher Homer (Dixie) Howell, pitchers, Don Bessent and Billy Loes, first baseman Frank Kellert and pitchers Russ Meyer and Sandy Koufax (background).  The Dodgers officially became champions by whipping the Braves, 10-2.
Who's the monkey now?   Braves fans!
(Auction Link)

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *
* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

2015 Topps Finest Baseball - The Base Dodger Cards

Along with their Archives set Topps also released the 2015 Finest set this week.  (I'll have pics of all the Dodger Archives cards next week)  As you can see in the photos below, the design is filled with various lines and angles to satisfy the engineer in you.  Along with a shiny texture this set is as close to experimental as Topps gets.  Go here to check out a complete checklist.

Featured below are all of the Dodger base cards in the 100-card base set.

Base Set

#13 Clayton Kershaw                            #21 Joc Pederson

Blog Kiosk: 6/11/2015 - Dodger Links - The Draft, Olivera and Mattingly


Last night's walkoff hero, Howie Kendrick, is seen above signing autographs for fans prior to yesterday's game - photo via Jon Soo Hoo/LA Dodgers 2015

With runners at first and second during a tied game in the ninth inning, Kendrick came up to single in Puig to score the winning run.  Via Steve Bourbon and Earl Bloom at MLB.com:
"The pitch ran up and in, but I was just looking for something out over the plate," said Kendrick,
Below are some more links to check out:
  • I'm not sure if I'll put up biographies for the Dodger draft picks after the 2nd Round. (likely not)  Maybe I'll share some of the cards available for any of the players, but that's a bit iffy.  You can't imagine the amount of time that takes to do.  Instead, here's a few links worth checking out.  Gurnick's story about Pfeifer is especially interesting.
  • Jim Callis at MLB.com ranks the Dodgers as having the third best draft of 2015.  Check out his story here.
  • Via Jonah Keri at Grantland, "Dodger Dogged: How Don Mattingly Has Shaken Off the Critics and Embraced the Challenge of Managing in L.A."
His Dodgers are in first place in the NL West and poised to mount another playoff run. And he has the front office’s support: “Incredibly favorable from my standpoint, what kind of person he is, what kind of communicator,” says Andrew Friedman, who left the Rays in October to become the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations. “We had a really good back-and-forth and working relationship almost immediately.”
  • Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Hector Olivera hits first home run in Double-A Tulsa doubleheader sweep."
  • Carson Cistulli at FanGraphs shares his recent, "Fringe Five: Baseball’s Most Compelling Fringe Prospects" that includes Dodger catcher Austin Barnes and pitcher Jose De Leon.

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *
* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *