Blog Kiosk: 11/24/2014 - Dodger Links - Hanley to Sign with Boston and the Fernando Triple Hits Card

The card featured above is fantastic.  This is the 2014 Topps Triple Threads - Triple Hits card of Fernando Valenzuela.  As you can see, it's an oversized card with an autograph, a game-used jersey piece and an actual handprint of the left-handed hurler (unfortunately a right-handed print).  Pic via JimmyMahan on twitter.  Go here to see a pic of Fernando making the handprints of this card that was shared by Topps on twitter.

Below are some links to check out:

• Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider shares his favorite photos from the 2014 season.
• Via Beka Watts at Cure.org, "Clayton Kershaw visits CURE Dominican Republic."

We were honored to have Clayton, A.J., Brandon, and Brandon in for a visit to the Dominican Republic. From attending devotions to spending time with kids preparing for and recovering from surgery – as well as witnessing a surgery – to visiting the home of a child who had been healed at CURE, the group was able to see a wide range of what CURE does on a daily basis. It was encouraging for us to hear that throughout the course of the day, they saw the gospel being expressed through the work of CURE.

• Via Roch Kubatko at MASN Sports, "Buck Britton signs with Dodgers."  He gets a Spring invite and has an opt-out clause in his new Dodger contract.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter liked Britton's versatility. He's played all four infield positions and left and right field, and he took the mound twice this season when Norfolk ran out of pitchers.

• Mike Petriello at Dodger Digests throws in his two cents on Buck Britton, "A Reason To Maybe Be Interested in Buck Britton."
• Traitor! Via Stacie Wheeler at Lasorda's Lair, "Carlos Triunfel Signs With Giants."
• Via Michael O'Keefe at the Daily News, "Of photos and frauds! Probe that took down memorabilia giant Mastro now turns spotlight on Arkansas archivist John Rogers."  (Hat Tip: Rich Mueller at SCD)
• Pat Quinn, the LA Kings coach of my youth, died on Sunday.  RIP, Pat Quinn.  Via Katie Strang at ESPN, "Longtime coach Pat Quinn dies at 71."
• Good bye, Hanley.  Thanks for the memories.  (And just to clarify, we were only going to get a supplemental pick once he signs elswhere, so the fact that the Red Sox pick is protected doesn't change that.  All it changes is that the teams behind them do not move up one spot in the 1st round draft order, and the Sox lose their 2nd round pick)  Via a tweet by Ken Rosenthal:

Sources say Hanley’s deal with #RedSox will be in range of five years, $90M.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 24, 2014

UPDATE:  Contract is now believed to be much higher than what is stated above.  Via a recent Rosenthal tweet, it is expected to be 4 years at $88Mil with a vesting option for a 5th year at $22Mil.

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2014 Topps Triple Threads Baseball - The Dodger Unity Jumbo Cards

Here is a final look at Topps 2014 Triple Thread Baseball card set.  Go here to check out all of my past post on this set.  Check out all of the Unity Dodger insert cards below.

BTW, according to a checklist there are three different AJ Ellis Unity Single Jumbo Relic cards, but I have only seen two different versions so far.  If you have a photo of the missing third card please pass it along. I also need a better photo of the Josh Beckett card.

Unity Single Jumbo Relics Set

#UJR-AE A.J. Ellis

2014 Topps Triple Threads Baseball - The Dodger Autographed Cards

Here is a look at all of the Dodger autographed cards available in this years Triple Threads set; including the always popular Autographed Relic cards.  Go here to check out all of my past post on this set.  I hope to have pics of all the Unity Insert cards to share tomorrow. 

All of the Clayton Kershaw autographed cards are available through a redemption card only.  Below is a checklist:

• Transparencies Autographed Jumbo Relics Set - #TTT-CK (#/25 for base) (only one parallel - an Onyx "1 of 1") 
• Autographed Relic Combos Set - #TTARC-SFK Clayton Kershaw, Scherzer & Fernandez (numbered to #/36 with numerous parallels)
• Autographed Relic Double Combos Book Set- #TTARDC-6 Kershaw, Fernandez, Wheeler, Darvish, Miller & Scherzer (#/3 for base) (only one parallel - an Ruby "1 of 1")

UPDATE:

#TTT-CK Clayton Kershaw

There are also several Dodger "cut" autographed cards available.  Unfortunately, they do not appear to have been found yet.  Below is a checklist:

• Cut Above Autographs Set (1 of 1) - #TTCA-DS Don Sutton
• Dual Cut Above Autographs Book Set - #TTDCA-4 Duke Snider & Pee Wee Reese
• Dual Cut Above Autographs Book Set - #TTDCA-5 Duke Snider & Sandy Koufax

Below are the Autographed Relic cards with pertinent (sometimes) phrases spelled out.  I say this because I'm not entirely sure that "4 Prizes" means in the second Fernando Valenzuela card below.

Autographed Relics Set

#TTAR-FV1 Fernando Valenzuela

2014 Topps Triple Threads Baseball - The Dodger Relic Cards

Follow up on yesterday's post featuring the Dodger base cards found in Topps 2014 Triple Threads packs, I now share the various relic cards that are available.  Go here to check out all of my post post on this set.

First up are the scarce All-Star cards.  Most of these are "1 of 1's", with exception of the card directly below.  That card is an All-Star Patch card and they are limited to only 9 copies.  There is also a ruby parallel card numbered to only 1 copy.  BTW, only Clayton Kershaw is featured.  Yasiel Puig, even though he was on the All-Star team, is not available.

All-Star Patches Set

#ASP-CK Clayton Kershaw

Three All-Star Book Clayton Kershaw booklet cards have yet to be unearthed.  They are the All-Star Jumbo Sleeve Patches Book Set (1 of 1) #AJSP-CK, All-Star Jumbo Sleeve Team Patches Book Set (1 of 1) #JSTP-CK and All-Star MLB Logo Patches Book Set (1 of 1) #AMLP-CK. Below is the Kershaw All-Star Laundry Tag Patches Booklet card.

2014 Topps Triple Threads Baseball - The Dodger Base Cards

Topps Triple Threads officially went live last night, and I've got some pics to prove it.  Below are all of the Dodger cards that can be found in the 100-card base set.  Go here to check out a complete checklist of the set.

BTW, Chris Olds at Beckett let us know that Topps inserted Ricky Vaughn (Charlie Sheen) relic memorabilia cards in boxes in honor of the movie franchise Major League.  Earlier this year Topps had announced that they acquired a movie-used Vaughn jersey from Major League II and planned to cut it up to put into cards.  Check out an example of one of those cards on the right.

Now check out the Dodger base cards below.  FYI, the Adrian Gonzalez card is an emerald parallel card numbered to #250 and the Hyun-Jin Ryu card is a amethyst parallel numbered to #325 cards.  See the checklist for a listing of the other parallels that are available.

Of special note, there are a bunch of Mike Piazza as a Dodger cards in the set.  WooHoo!

#9 Yasiel Puig                                     #20 Adrian Gonzalez

#31 Mike Piazza                                #45 Hyun-Jin Ryu

#66 Jackie Robinson                               #75 Sandy Koufax

#82 Hanley Ramirez                                 #84 Clayton Kershaw

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Blog Kiosk: 7/4/2014 - Dodger Links - JP Howell Thriving, Pederson an All-Star and Some Wild Swings from the Dodgers

Here's a view of Coors Field during the singing of the national anthem last night, pic via @Dodgers on twitter.  The Dodgers played themselves into first place last night with a thrilling win over the Rockies, 3 to 2.  Zack Greinke was phenomenal as he went 8 strong innings.  Juan Uribe drove in the winning run in the 9th inning

• ICYMI:  Erisbel Arruebarrena has been called up to the Dodgers and Carlos Triunfel has been sent back down to AAA.  The Dodger press release is here.
• Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider provides an update on the recent Dodger international signings.  So far, 6 new players are now a part of the Dodger family.
• Via Stuart Wallace at The Daily Gammons, "On a team constantly in the limelight, Howell thrives in relative anonymity."

J.P. Howell quietly and effectively toils away in the middle innings, providing a steady bridge to the later innings for the Dodgers, in a season that has been predicated upon a career bests in ground ball rate (57.6%), holds (18), and a near-career best in strikeout rate (28.2%).

• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Joc Pederson named Triple-A All-Star."
• Jeff Sullivan at FanGraphs writes, "The Worst of the Best: The Month’s Wildest Swings."  Three Dodger swings made the cut - WooHoo!
• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Tulo to talk Home Run Derby with Puig."
• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Dodgers sign 38th-round pick LHP Caleb Ferguson."
• If you'll be anywhere near Ithica, New York on Saturday you should check this out, via a tweet from Kings captain Dustin Brown:

Bringing The Cup to Cass Park Rink Sat July 5th, 9:30-11:30am. Requesting $5 donation for pictures to benefit various Ithaca Charities
— dustin brown (@DustinBrown23) July 3, 2014

• I had totally missed this.  Fernando Valenzuela will be in Topps upcoming 2014 Triple Threads Baseball card set.  In fact, he will have a coveted Triple Threads Triple Hits card that features an autograph, jumbo relic and a hand print.  You heard me right... a hand print.  Check out the photo tweeted out by Topps below showing Fernando giving the cards a low-five.  BTW, the set is slated to be released in September.

Check out "El Toro", Fernando Valenzuela, stamping some Hand Stamp cards for Triple Threads! pic.twitter.com/jGe79zOJ79
— Topps Company (@toppscards) June 27, 2014

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