2015 Panini National Treasures College - The Dodgers Insert Cards

Here is a final look at Dodgers players found within packs of Panini's 2015 National Treasures College (4-sport) packs.  You can check out the base cards here.  Below are the various inserts that are available.  The notable Dodgers rookies are Phillip Pfeifer and Walker Buehler - both of whom attended Vanderbilt. 

College BB Materials Signatures

#407 Philip Pfeifer                         #420 Walker Buehler

2015 Panini National Treasures College - The Dodgers Base Cards - Jackie Robinson at UCLA

Panini does this every year, and it's annoying.  A couple weeks ago they released their collegiate version of National Treasures, and decided to continue calling it a 2015 set.  Why? We're already well into the new year.

Anyway, this product is notable for including college athletes, both past and present, on an high-end brand, and it includes several notable Dodgers.  Go here for a complete checklist.

One name of note is former UCLA four-sport legend Jackie Robinson.  As you know, he lettered in baseball, basketball, football, and track, so seeing him in this set is fantastic.  When Panini originally announced their college sports licenses several months back I wondered if we would see anything featuring Robinson.  Fortunately, that answer is yes.  He has two base cards in the set, but neither show him in a Baseball uniform.  Check them out below.

#25 Chase Utley

Blog Kiosk: 1/28/2016 - Dodgers Links - Garko, Puig and Corey Seager

Several Dodgers' spent yesterday afternoon with survivors and first responders involved with the recent San Bernardino terrorist attack.  Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

"It's amazing to see," Ethier said. "Being in Arizona, you know what happened, but you can't realize the impact and the magnitude like when you come here and see it first hand, even two months after. You ask them how they're doing and everyone says, 'One day at a time.' You hope you can brighten their day, even though you know they have a long, tough road to recovery."

This was a part of the clubs continuing "Love L.A." Community Tour throughout the Southland. BTW, Andre also commented about losing Zack Greinke in the same article above:

"It hurts big losing Zack," Ethier said. "Personally, he is one of the better friends I had on the team. It hurts a lot to lose a guy like him, but that happens in any sport and especially baseball. But it happens and we've got to move on and figure a way to get better, and we'll see in a couple weeks. 

Photo above via @Dodgers on twitter/Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016.  Check out more photos from yesterdays event from Jon SooHoo here.  Below are more links to check out:

• Could something be brewing?  The Dodgers announced yesterday that they have outrighted pitcher Brandon Beachy to their Triple-A roster, with the right-hander still set to appear at big league camp during Spring Training as a non-roster invitee.  This move means they now have 39 players on the 40 man roster.  So, why do they need the extra room on the roster?
• Listen to Dave Roberts on Inside the Locker Room with Petros and Money, here.
• Via Cary Osborne at Dodger Insider, "Dodger third-base coach Chris Woodward will make you believe."

“The biggest thing for me is the fight the ballplayer has,” Woodward said. “They look at it from a softball standpoint, where it’s more like a recreational kind of, ‘Let’s go have a few beers after the game.’ The competition part was kind of lacking. That’s one thing I want to create in the ballplayers. It’s an uphill fight, but if you do it right you can establish baseball the right way.”

• Panini America released a whole bunch of preview pics from their upcoming 2015 National Treasures College set; including a pic of Jackie Robinson in an UCLA uniform (a track uni?).  See that on the right.  Go here to check out more photos.  This set officially hits stores on Friday.
• Via JP Hoornstra at the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, "Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig is slimming down at the team’s request."

“This year, 280,” he said in English, breaking into a grin. “I’m so fat.”

After a pause, Puig said he now weighs 240 pounds. That’s 15 pounds lower than his listed weight in last year’s media guide.

“I’m working to slim down,” he said. “Maybe when we go into spring training, 236 or 237.”

• Guess who's #1 in MLB Pipeline's list of top shorstop prospects?  Corey Seager, of course!  Via Jim Callis at MLB.com, "Top 10 shortstops."

His brother Kyle is an All-Star, and Corey should be even better. He led the Minors in hitting (.349) and doubles (50) in 2014, then batted .337/.425/.561 during a September callup last year -- at age 21. Seager may eventually move to third base, but his combination of a sweet left-handed stroke, bat speed, strength, uncanny feel for hitting and mature approach give him a higher offensive ceiling than any Major League shortstop except for Carlos Correa.

• Via Barry Lewis at Tulsa World, "New manager Ryan Garko learned from Drillers legend Bobby Jones."

“One of the best parts was I got to play for Bobby Jones. He was a treat to play for. He was in a tough spot because that was a veteran club, a lot of guys going back and forth and didn’t want to be there. But Bobby handled it great. Everybody who has been around Bobby knows what a great baseball guy he is.”

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Blog Kiosk: 1/16/2016 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

These were the days.  So young, and so full of life.

Featured above is an August 26, 1986 press pic taken by celebrity photographer Steve Granitz of rising Hollywood stars Charlie Sheen and Adam Rich.  It was taken during that days Hollywood Stars game at Dodger Stadium.  Go here to check out the eBay auction listing for this photo.

Below are more links to check out:

• Carson Cistulli at Fangraphs shares their 2016 ZiPS Projections for the Dodgers.  The expectations placed on Corey Seager are big:

It’s not particularly common for one of the strongest teams in the majors to acquire a new best position player. Theoretically, such a club already features an assortment of talented players; otherwise, it wouldn’t have been one of the strongest teams in the majors. And yet, this is effectively what the Dodgers — who recorded the third-best Base Runs record in the league last year — it’s effectively what they’ll have done by deploying Corey Seager (643 PA, 3.9 zWAR) as their opening-day shortstop this spring. A projection represents an attempt to estimate a player’s true-talent level. Seager’s true talent appears to be more talented than everyone else’s. 

• Dodgers avoid arbitration with their remaining four players.  Via Jon Heyman on twitter, Kenley Jansen, Yasmani Grandal, Justin Turner and Luis Avilan are now signed ups:

yasmani grandal, dodgers agree at $2.8M

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 15, 2016

Justin turner, dodgers agree at $5.1M

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 15, 2016

luis avilan, braves agree at $1.39M

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 15, 2016

kenley jansen, dodgers settle at $10,65M

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 15, 2016

• Later this month Panini will be releasing their collegiate version of the National Treasures set.  Go here and here for some preview pics.  It will apparently include this incredible looking Jackie Robinson autographed card in full Bruins gear that you can see on the right.
• Via Thomas Harding at MLB.com, "Scully to receive Lifetime Achievement Award in LA."

"I can't think of a person more deserving of this recognition," Sports Council president David Simon said in a news release. "Even more remarkable than his longevity is the consistently high quality and integrity his announcing has represented over the years."

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Blog Kiosk: 11/5/2015 - Dodger Links - JP Howell, Dave Roberts and Clayton Kershaw

I ran into this vintage 1913 original International Film Service photograph of former Brooklyn Robins infielder George Cutshaw on eBay and wanted to share it.  Check out the auction link here.

Cutshaw was an average second baseman, slashing .260/.303/.342/.645, during his six year stay in Brooklyn during the deadball era of the early teens.  He didn't have much power, but who really did during those times?  Cutshaw was noted for his speed, though.  He recorded more triples than home runs during his career and swiped a total of 271 bases over a twelve year Major League career.

George Cutshaw is also notable, as a Dodger, for being the first ballplayer in the clubs history to record six hits during a nine inning game.  On August 9, 1914 in a game against the Cubs in Chicago Cutshaw went a perfect 6 for 6 - all of them singles.

The photograph above is also notable to card collectors for being the original image used for Cutshaw's card in the 1917 E135 Collins-McCarthy Candy Company set.  Check out that card on the right.

Below are more links to check out:

• Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider shares his own list, "Ranking every Dodger season since 1988."
• Via Anthony Irwin at Dodgers Nation, "Dodgers Raise Season Ticket Prices."
• Via JP Hoornstra at Inside the Dodgers, "Dodgers assistant athletic trainer Nancy Patterson Flynn resigns." 
• JP Howell will stay Blue, via a tweet from Buster Olney:

Reliever J.P. Howell is exercising his 2016 player option with the Dodgers, for $6.25 million.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) November 5, 2015

• Davey Lopes, on the other hand, will coach 1st base for the Nationals, via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA.
• Here's another story pushing for Dave Roberts.  Via Ken Rosenthal at FoxSports, "Dodgers, with proud history of diversity, could pick Roberts as manager."

The Mariners nearly hired Roberts as their new manager, with one source saying he finished a "very close" second to Scott Servais. Like Kapler, Roberts is a former major-league outfielder. Unlike Kapler, he has major-league coaching experience — five seasons with the Padres, the last two as bench coach.

• Here's another managerial candidate, via a tweet from Ken Rosenthal:

Sources: #Dodgers will interview #Mets bench coach Bob Geren for managerial opening.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 4, 2015

• Via August Fagerstrom at FanGraphs, "History, Peaks, and Clayton Kershaw."

Probably the biggest part of it is just that pitchers are tougher to compare across generations, and it might be easier to “dismiss” the historic nature of what Kershaw has done by recognizing that it’s happened during one of the most depressed run environments the live-ball era has ever seen.

Even with the run environment considered, what Kershaw has done these past five seasons is absolutely historic.

• Panini America just announced a brand new set that will arrive in January 2016.  It is called National Treasures College, and as the name suggest it focuses on some of the best current and former collegiate athletes.  Unfortunately, Baseball players are likely to play only a small part in the set, but it apparently will include one particular former Dodger of note.  They shared a preview pic of a Jackie Robinson UCLA auto-cut card.  Check it out on the right.  See more preview pics here.
• Here is round two of an Topps online exclusive set called "Topps Fire."  Check out the two Dodger cards available from its initial release in July here.  It features the artwork of Tyson Beck, measure 10"x14" and are limited in number (#/49).  A rare "1 of 1" sepia version is also available.  The new Dodger additions are Joc Pederson and Corey Seager.  Check them out below.  You can order them here.

• Brilliant!  Via a tweet from Metro LA:

Hey Zack Greinke whatever the @Dodgers offer + free TAP card for life. #offeryoucantrefuse #stayzackstay pic.twitter.com/LYVjtkI2Bb

— Metro (@metrolosangeles) November 4, 2015

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