2016 Panini America Father's Day Promo's - All the Dodgers Cards

I had just plain forgotten about this set.  Featured below are the Dodgers cards found in the Panini America Father's Day packs.  Go here for a complete checklist.

As you'll recall, select sports card hobby shops throughout North America offered limited edition packs to customers as a promotion on Father's Day.  The cards included stars and rookies from the MLB, NBA, NFL, NASCAR and soccer.  There were even collegiate-themed cards available.

Of note, the Base and Rookie sets have several different parallel cards available; including autographed versions.  I've seen an Corey Seager autograph card (pic shared below), but am uncertain if an autographed Kershaw card also exist.  If you happen to know please pass that knowledge along.

Base

#26 Clayton Kershaw

Blog Kiosk: 6/15/2016 - Dodgers Links - Puig, Venable and Kenta Maeda

Oh noes!

In a season filled to the brim with injuries seeing Kenta Maeda crumble on the field after being struck on his right knee was distressing.  My immediate thought was, "what else could go wrong?"

At the start of the sixth inning Paul Goldschmidt lined a comebacker that was recorded at an exit velocity of 95 MPH.  Unable to catch it on the fly, the ball struck Kenta just below the knee.  Obviously in pain, Maeda still had the presence of mind to grab the errant ball and throw out the All-Start first baseman to record the first out of the inning.  Soon thereafter, he fell to the turf and writhed in agony.  Per Doug Padilla at ESPN:

"He's feeling better actually now," Roberts said. "It was something with a nerve that just lit him up."

"What I know for sure is that it didn't hit the bone," Maeda said through a translator. "But I wasn't able to put any strength or flex it at all, so I was a little bit in shock."

Fortunately, x-rays later on were negative and only revealed a very bad bruise.  Per Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

"It's hard to tell at this point, but I will reevaluate [Wednesday]," Maeda said through his interpreter. "My hope is to make the next scheduled start. What I know for sure is it didn't hit the bone, but I wasn't able to put any strength or weight on it and I was kind of shocked. Among all the hits taken in the past, it hurt the most. "

I don't know if this team could have survived another major injury to its starting rotation.  So I think it's fair to say we dodged a bullet.  BTW, the Dodgers were victorious over the Diamondbacks, 7-4.  They slugged four home runs; including a pair by Joc Pederson.

Photo above via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016.  Go here to check out more pics by Jon from yesterdays game.  Below are more links to check:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1938 Johnny Vander Meer pitched his second consecutive no-hitter, beating the Dodgers at Ebbets Field.  He had no-hit the Braves four days prior.  In 1951 Buzzy Bavasi made his first trade as the Dodgers GM.  He received Andy Pfako, Johnny Schmitz, Wayne Terwilliger, and Rube Walker in exchange for Bruce Edwards, Joe Hatten, Eddie Miksis, and Gene Hermanski. In 1996 the Dodgers turned their first triple play in 47 years.  It was against the Braves in the first inning.
• Happy Birthday, Brett Butler and Dusty Baker!

Blog Kiosk: 6/13/2016 - Dodgers Links - Draft Signings, Positive Rehab Results and Julio Urias

Julio Urias was very good on Sunday.  He began the afternoon by attacking Giants hitters with a mid-90's fastball and an effective curveball.  Then, more offspeed pitches came into play.  Through the first five innings he had given up just two hits, struck out six, walked one batter and given up no runs.  Unfortunately, an errant pitch by Urias in the sixth inning was deposited in the right field seats by Brandon Belt to give the Giants enough runs to win the game.  Via Mark Chiarelli at MLB.com:

"It was just a slider that stayed there," Urias said through an interpreter. "Like I've said before, I can miss once, but the second time, I can't miss."

Belt was the last batter Urias faced, which manager Dave Roberts said was the plan regardless of the outcome. Los Angeles has kept Urias on a strict pitch count as he develops stamina in the Majors, and he departed having thrown 86 pitches. Roberts noted that Urias had struck out Belt twice prior to the home run.

"I wanted him to get through Belt," Roberts said. "It wasn't a terrible pitch. It got a little too much of the plate."

AJ Ellis adds more, via Doug Padilla at ESPN:

“Sunday Night Baseball, biggest rival, pennant race starting to take form,” catcher A.J. Ellis said afterward. “For him to step in and throw the ball the way he did for 5 1/3 was phenomenal. The mix, the ability to finish guys with his fastball -- a lot of life on the ball today.”

The Dodgers were defeated 2-1, and are now five games back of the Giants.  Photo above via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016.  Go here to see more pics by Jon from yesterdays game.  Below are more links to check:

• This Day in Dodgers History:  In 1973 the infield of Garvey, Lopes, Russell and Cey play for the very first time together on the infield.  Then, ten days later they were inserted into the starting lineup for the first time and remained there for the next 8 1/2 years.  In 1998 the first triple play at Dodger Stadium is completed.
• Happy Birthday, Bill Bergen!

Blog Kiosk: 6/4/2016 - Dodgers Links - Seager! Seager! Seager!

What a night.  Corey Seager was a one man wrecking machine.  He blasted three home runs to lead the Dodgers to a 4-2 victory, and even received his first curtain call of his career.  Per Cary Osborne at Dodger Insider:

“That’s fun, that put a smile on my face,” Seager said of the atmosphere in the dugout after he hit home run No. 3 — a liner over the short fence in left field off Atlanta reliever Hunter Cervenka. “That’s something you really enjoy and soak in.”

His homers marks the first time a Dodger rookie has hit three dingers in one game since Don Demeter in 1959.

The above pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016.  Go here to check out more pics by Jon from yesterdays game.  Below are more links to check:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1964 Sandy Koufax would throw his third career no-hitter against the Phillies.  In 1968 Don Drysdale threw his sixth consecutive shutout of the season.  His scoreless streak was extended to 54 innings.  This is also the day Robert Kennedy made note of Drysdale's efforts in a speech at the Ambassador Hotel after winning the CA primary.  Soon thereafter, he would be assassinated.  In 1972 the Dodgers retired Roy Campanella's number - #39.  In 1998 the Dodgers traded Hideo Nomo to the Mets for Dave Mlicki and Greg McMichael.  Ugh! 

Blog Kiosk: 6/2/2016 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Sometimes you just can't help it.  Sometimes the other pitcher was just better.

Jon Lester got on to the mound against the Dodgers and dominated.  He threw a 113 pitch complete game, his first of the season, and finished the evening retiring the last fifteen batters he faced.  The only run scored against him was an home run, on the Lester's second pitch of the game, to Kiké Hernández to start the game.  After that, the Dodgers had nothing.  Via Carrie Muskat and Brian Hedger at MLB.com:

"I think that might have been the best I've seen Jonny since I've been here," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "He gives up a leadoff homer and then nothing. That's physically the best I've seen him pitch here."

All you can do is tip your cap.

BTW, the Dodger pitcher were up to the task of matching Jon Lester.  Unfortunately, it wasn't enough.  Mike Bolsinger, the Dodgers starter, only allowed a two-run homer to Bryant, but that was all they needed to defeat the Dodgers, 2-1.

"He matched [Lester] pretty much pitch for pitch, and made a mistake, and Bryant hit it out of the ballpark," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "I thought we had a chance to win all night and didn't really give ourselves a chance." 

The above photo of Hernández's homer via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016.  Go here to check out more pics by Jon from yesterdays game.  Below are more links to check:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1995 Hideo Nomo recorded his first Major League win.  It would be against the NY Mets.  Nomo went eight innings, gave up two hits and struck out six in a 2-1 victory.  Also, he would then win his next five starts.
• Happy Birthday, Chin-Hui Tsao!