2016 Topps Tribute - The Dodgers Milestone Relics and Stamp of Approval Cards

Over the past week I've shared pics of most of the Dodger cards found in packs of 2016 Topps Tribute, but held off on the ones below. 

Why, you ask?

Well, as you can see, each of these cards include a game-used relic piece and an MLB Authentication sticker attached.  What this means is that each specific card and it's game-used material can be traced to a specific game.  So, I though it would be interesting to take a closer look at them.  Featured are the "Milestone Relics" and "Stamp of Approval" relic cards.

MILESTONE RELICS

These cards are numbered to only ten copies, and no parallels exist.  Also, two Dodger players are available: Clayton Kershaw and Corey Seager.  Unfortunately, I can't quite make out the reference number on the Kershaw card below, but I do know that the relic pieces is of a game-used Baseball retrieved from Kershaw's 100th win in the Major Leagues.  In fact, it says as much on the bottom right of the card.  It says:

"Kershaw, Just 27, Wins 100th"

On a side note, an autographed "1 of 1" card does exist, but has yet to surface.  BTW, Kershaw won his 100th game on May 15, 2015 against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium.  Go here for the boxscore.

#MR-CKE Clayton Kershaw

2016 Topps Tribute - All the Dodgers Autograph Cards

Below are pics of all the Dodgers autograph cards found in packs of 2016 Topps Tribute Baseball packs.  Go here to check out all of my past post on this set. 

TRIBUTE AUTOGRAPHS

• #TA-CKE Clayton Kershaw (redemption)
• #TA-KM Kenta Maeda (redemption)

#TA-ADG Adrian Gonzalez                       #TA-AW Alex Wood

2016 Topps Tribute - The 2016 Rookies, Relic, Prime Patches Cards

Now that you've seen the base cards below are the two Dodger players found within the 2016 Rookies insert set and some of the relics.  Go here to check out my previous post on this set.

2016 ROOKIES

#16R-2 Corey Seager                         #16R-10 Kenta Maeda

2016 Topps Tribute - All the Dodgers Base Cards

Today's newest Baseball release from Topps is their Tribute Baseball card brand. It is a high-end set that includes three on-card autographs and three relic cards per box, which cost about $250.  Go here for a complete checklist.

There are only 90 cards in the base set, and three Dodger players can be found in it.  Check them out below.  BTW, these cards are super shiny.  So shiny, in fact, that scans often look bland and dark due to the foil stamping and their overall iridescent glow.  As a result, I've cobbled two pics of each card to share.  The cards on the left are a typical scan, and the photos on the right is a screengrab from the Topps website (they are currently selling jumbo sized versions of these cards). 

#35 Adrian Gonzalez

Blog Kiosk: 3/5/2016 - Dodgers Links - Lee, Howell and Adrian's Bet

Photo above of Manny Mota and his little balloon via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016.  Go here to check out more pics by Jon from yesterday.

Below are more links to check out:

• Awesome!  I want to see this so bad.  Via One Nación on ESPN, "A-Gon proposes friendly bet the Dodgers will make playoffs."  

@Buster_ESPN so no @Dodgers? How about a friendly bet? We make playoffs you do a @BBTN segment in full @Dodgers uniform.

— Adrian Gonzalez (@Adrian_ElTitan) March 4, 2016

• Topps has signed up Kenta Maeda, so his autograph will be appearing in their Baseball cards very soon.  In fact, Blowout Buzz shares a pic of a Topps Tribute autograph card on their blog (link here).  See it on the right.
• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Dodgers tab Lee to start in Anderson's spot."

The Dodgers still consider Brandon Beachy and Mike Bolsinger the early front-runners to replace Anderson in the rotation, but with an entire spring slate remaining, there is time for a full competition that includes Lee, Ross Stripling (who also pitches Sunday), Jose De Leon and Carlos Frias, among others.

• Video: Go behind the scenes for an exclusive look into the team’s first full squad practice and first BP session of the season. (Link Here)
• Via Andy McCullough at the LA Times, "J.P. Howell and Turner Ward bury the hatchet over 2013 Dodgers-Diamondbacks brawl."

"I just wanted to clear things up," Ward told Howell when they connected a day after the initial message, "so you don't get me in the clubhouse when we get there."

Howell found himself laughing. Ward sounded so "gentle" over the phone, his soft Alabama drawl offering a contrast to the image cast by his stern eyes and lantern jaw.

"I'm like, 'Hey, I'm hoping you don't want a rematch,'" Howell said. "Because I think if we went 1-on-1, he's a big boy. I liked the atmosphere a lot better during the brawl than I do 1-on-1 with that guy."

• Via Bill Slane at MLB.com, "Spring full of lessons for Dodgers prospect De Jong."

"Not so much what to do on your start day but what to do between them to get ready for your start day," he said. "We all know how to pitch, but to do the preparation and the little things right to get yourself prepared for that start is what I'm trying to learn from these older guys."

• Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Mike Rosenbaum at MLB.com, share their rankings for best minor league systems in Baseball (Link Here).  The Dodgers #1.

Shortstop Corey Seager, baseball's top prospect, and left-hander Julio Urias, the game's second-best pitching prospect, give the Dodgers a fine head start. But they rank No. 1 on this list because their depth of talent runs so much deeper than it did a year ago. Thanks to breakout players (right-hander Jose De Leon, first baseman Cody Bellinger), fast-developing 2014 draftees (righty Grant Holmes, outfielder Alex Verdugo) and products of a nine-figure 2015 international spending spree (righty Yadier Alvarez, outfielders Yusniel Diaz and Starling Heredia), this system is loaded.

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Blog Kiosk: 1/26/2015 - Dodger Links - Spring Non Roster Invitees, Micah Johnson and SportsNet LA

The Dodgers kicked off the first leg of their "Love L.A." Community Tour yesterday with visits to several schools throughout the Southland.  Via former Dodger Al Ferrera in a story by Austin Laymance at MLB.com:

"This is as important as any hit I ever got," Ferrara said after a busy day back in grade school. "There's something about a child and the glint and the smile in their eyes that makes a big guy like me sort of fold a little bit."

Ferrara also fielded a number of baseball-related questions from the kids, mixed in a story about Jackie Robinson, signed autographs and posed for pictures.

"I got a kick out of it," he said. "Sometimes I get more intelligent questions from them than I do from adults. They were very into baseball, which makes it easy for me."

The photo above via @Dodgers on twitter.  Below are more links to check out:

• Jeff Passan at Yahoo Sports passes along an interview with MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and briefly addresses the SportsNet LA issue (link here):

The distribution problem in L.A. is the product of a negotiation at a table where we don’t have a seat. You can rest assured that we are continuing to have dialogue with the Dodgers, who desperately want that distribution. And also with distributors that we have relationships with in order to get that resolved.

This is hardly surprising.  The Time Warner/SportsNet LA/Dodgers situation is largely seen as a club issue that needs to be resolved on that level.  As I see it, the only thing that fixes the problem is the closing of Time Warner's merger with Charter.  If that gets done then I think things move swiftly.  Unfortunately, this isn't likely to happen very soon.  The various regulatory agencies (both on the state and federal level) are still in the process of their approvals.

BTW, I forgot to mention that the California Public Utilities Commission is having a public hearing on the proposed merger today.  No action is expected at this time.  This is just an opportunity for groups to officially voice their views on the matter.  The administrative law judge, though, will likely issue a recommendation (deny, grant or modify the proposal).  It appears things are moving along more swiftly than I initially thought a few weeks ago.  On a side note, the New York Public Utilities Commission has already approved the deal.

• Card Collectors Universe has preview pics of Topps 2016 Tribute Baseball set; including the autographed Sandy Koufax card seen on the right.  Go here to see more pics.  This set is slated to hit stores on February 24.
• Via Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider, "Dodgers extend 16 non-roster invites to MLB camp for Spring Training."  Included on that list are top prospects Julio Urias and Jose De Leon.
• Newly acquired second base prospect Micah Johnson is ranked as the seventh best prospect at his position by MLB Pipeline via Jonathan Mayo at MLB.com.

Don't use Johnson's brief trial as the White Sox's regular second baseman as a measure of who he can be in the big leagues. He may never be more than an adequate defender, but he can hit, he can get on base and he can run, as evidenced by his .301 average, .368 OBP and 153 stolen bases in 385 Minor League games. Perhaps the change of scenery in Los Angeles, courtesy of the three-team trade that brought Todd Frazier from the Reds to Chicago, will help.

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