Showing posts with label Cardinals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cardinals. Show all posts

Monday, August 05, 2019

Cardinals Series Starts Monday - Stadium Giveaways, Pregame Info and Other Stuff!


The next homestand starts on Monday against the St. Louis Cardinals. Below are some odds and ends for this upcoming homestand. I will update this should new and updated information become available. Here are some important links:
Please note that the Dodgers are embarking on a new culinary experience at the stadium. Fans can find the LA Feeds Blue Chef Series located in the right field plaza that will feature a special Chef Series pop-up concession stand. This homestand will feature foods from Park’s BBQ. More information is available at the bottom of this post.
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Monday, August 5th at 7:10 PM
Tony Gonsolin vs Michael Wacha
TV: SportsNet LA, SNLA Spanish
Radio: AM 570 LA Sports, KTNQ 1020

Thursday, August 23, 2018

2018 Topps Now - #630 - Buehler & Flaherty Youngest Duo to Strikeout Nine in LA


Do you know what's worse than losing?

Having a Topps Now card issued that not only features your player, but also makes note that your team lost.

That's what we have here. Featured is the Dodgers' newest 2018 Topps Now card and it celebrates the fantastic pitching performances by yesterday's rookies starters -- Jack Flaherty and Walker Buehler. They both stifled the opposition. Flaherty struck out ten, had a no-no through five innings and allowed just one hit -- a Joc Pederson homer in the sixth. Buehler struck out nine Card's, allowed only three hits and gave up no runs. Unfortunately, Walker's efforts was not enough. Per Rowan Kavner at Dodger Insider:
“Walker did everything he could do,” Roberts said. “You could see the emotion there in the seventh inning. He emptied the tank.”

Monday, August 20, 2018

Cardinals Series Starts Monday - Stadium Giveaways, Pregame Info and Other Stuff!


The next homestand starts on Monday against the St. Louis Cardinals. Below are some odds and ends for this upcoming homestand. Here are some important links:
The Dodgers have a Good Sport Designated Driver program for those 21-years old or older who will provide responsible transportation for all members of their group and will not drink alcoholic beverages. Fans can sign up at any Fan Service Station, receive a coupon for one complimentary soft drink and be entered in a drawing to win a special on-field experience as the Budweiser Good Sport designated driver of the season.

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Monday, August 20th at 7:10 PM
Alex Wood vs Austin Gomber
TV: MLBN (out-of-market only), SportsNet LA, KTLA, SNLA Spanish
Radio: AM 570 LA Sports, KTNQ 1020

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Blog Kiosk: 8/10/2016 - Dodgers Links - Kershaw's Gift to Rams and First Place!


On his bobblehead night left fielder Howie Kendrick helped propel the Dodgers over the Phillies, 9-3, and pushed the team into a first place tie with the Giants.  He recorded two hits; including a two-run homer in the second inning and a run scoring double in the fifth inning.  This victory marked the third game in a row in which they have scored eight runs or more.  Per Doug Padilla at ESPN:
"I think it's just coincidence," Kendrick said about the group hot streak. "A lot of guys have been putting in the same work all year and you are starting to see some of the fruits of the labor. Hopefully we can continue to do the same thing and keep the ball rolling. Our pitching has been giving us the opportunity to win. Even when we have gotten down early, guys have battled back and we've put runs on the board and been able to do it that way."
In the meantime, there's no need for celebration yet.  The Dodgers have a long way to go.
"The job's not done yet, so you keep going," said rookie Corey Seager, who had two more hits. "You can celebrate it at the end."
Photo above via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016.  Below are more links to check out:
  • This Day in Dodgers History:  In 1979 Hall of Famer Don Sutton set a Dodgers franchise record with his 50th shutout.  He surpassed Don Drysdale on the Dodgers' all-time list.  In 1995 fans at Dodger Stadium force the Dodgers to forfeit that evenings game against the Cardinals when for a third time they throw promotional giveaway baseballs onto the field during play.  The game was forfeited in the ninth inning after the ejections of Tommy Lasorda and Pedro Guerrero with the Dodgers trailing, 2-1.  Here is the boxscore, via Baseball Reference.

Thursday, July 07, 2016

Dodger Doings - Vintage 1941 Newsletter - Issue #2


Take a brief step back with me to the Dodgers 1941 season.  All year long they battled against St. Louis for National League supremacy.  The Cardinals, having not played in a Fall Classic since they won the World Series in 1934, had quickly rebuilt their club into an resurgent second coming of the "Gashouse Gang." 

The Dodgers, on the other hand, were not the picture of excellence.  Being lead by the feisty Leo Durocher, who happened to be a member of the 1934 World Champion Cardinals, the franchise hadn't seen postseason play since 1920.    BTW, Durocher had been named the manager of the club just a couple years back, and was aiming to prove that he can lead a moribund franchise like Brooklyn.

As featured in the "Dodger Doings" fan newsletter shown here, everyone realized early on that Brooklyn and St. Louis would lock heads all season long. Per the May 24th, Issue #2, newsletter:

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Cardinals Series Starts on Friday - Scheduled Autograph Sessions, Pregame Info and Other Stuff!


The next homestand starts on Friday against the St. Louis Cardinals, and several former Dodgers are scheduled for an autograph session with fans as a part of Viva Los Dodgers.  Below are the scheduled autograph opportunities and other odds and ends for this upcoming homestand.

(pic via @2EP0L on twitter)
The St. Louis Dog will be available for this homestand only against the Cardinals at the Extreme Loaded Dog concession areas located on the field, loge and reserve levels. It features a quarter-pound, all-beef hot dog topped with smoked beef brisket, tangy BBQ sauce and crispy onions.

A BBQ cheeseburger will also be available Friday and Saturday. The Angus beef BBQ cheeseburger will be offered at the Bud and Burgers food truck in the left-field pavilion. Sunday, the food truck will be located at Viva Los Dodgers at the 76 station.

Fans can help save lives by signing up May 14-17 to donate blood during the American Red Cross’s 18th Annual Angels/Dodgers Blood Drive on June 11. From the start of the game through the sixth inning, fans can sign up on the top deck, reserve and loge sections. To schedule an appointment, donors can go to www.redcrossblood.org and enter Sponsor Code:  HOMERUN or call 1-800-GIVE LIFE (800-733-2767). All presenting donors will receive a voucher, good for two tickets to a designated Dodger or Angel home game.

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Friday, May 13 at 7:10 PM
RHP Michael Wacha vs. RHP Ross Stripling
SNLA / AM 570 (Eng.), KTNQ 1020 AM (Span.)

Friday, April 08, 2016

Blog Kiosk: 4/8/2016 - Dodgers Links - LeCure, Jackie Robinson and the Streak is Over


I want these so bad!

Check out these awesome cleats from Adidas.  Apparently, they were given to ballplayers who have endorsement deals with the company, in advance of Jackie Robinson Day.

Via a Tweet from Darren Rovell: "Adidas giving these Jackie Robinson cleats to their players for Jackie Robinson Day."  Per a Rovell story at ESPN:
Two quotes from Robinson are on the cleats' sock liner: "Above anything else, I hate to lose" and "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives."
You can get more detail on the cleats here.  No word yet on whether they will be made available for sale to the public.  Below are more links to check out:
  • BTW, the Dodgers finished one inning short of tying the Major League record for consecutive scoreless innings pitched to start the season - the 1963 Cardinals set it at 32.  At the same time, they did set a Dodgers franchise record at 31 innings.  
  • In case you didn't know, the Dodgers not only missed out on a new MLB record, but they lost in spectacular fashion - giving up twelve runs to the Giants.  Via Doug Padilla at ESPN:
"It's just baseball," (Alex) Wood said. "They've got a good lineup. They don't strike out a lot. They put a lot of balls in play. They just got the better of me today."

Friday, July 10, 2015

Blog Kiosk: 7/10/2015 - Dodger Links - Pederson, Greinke, Scully and Bill Murray


Joc Pederson is pumped!  He's as excited as you can be to have been selected an All-Star, and is no doubt relishing the chance to show off his swing during the home run derby.  BTW, he'll face-off against Orioles slugger Manny Machado in the first round of the derby, and then either Pujols or Bryant in the next round.  Here he is above showing off the National League team jersey.  Photo via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2015.

Below are some links to check out:
(Magic Johnson) wanted an owner who was committed to building a winning team. During his meeting with the Guggenheim executives, he looked at Walter and asked: “Are you doing this for the investment or are you doing this to win?” Walter didn’t hesitate: “I’m doing this to win,” he said, adding that he hoped to leave the team to his daughter one day. 
Martinez could command at least a $10 million bonus, and his contract will send the team that signs him into the maximum penalty under the international signing guidelines -- 100-percent tax on the bonus pool overage and the inability to sign a player for more than $300,000 during the next two signing periods -- if it is not already there.
  • Via Chris Cwik at Big League Stew, "Listen as Vin Scully teaches you how to speak Japanese."
  • Via Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider, "Zack Greinke finishes historic first half with 1.39 ERA, 35 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings."
  • Blue Skinny Fan shares his experience getting Pedro Baez's autograph at Walmart yesterday, here.
  • Topps has just issued a limited (1 of 1) 10"x14" All-Star Game online exclusive cards of twenty players and Dodger rookie Joc Pederson is included.  See it below.  Go here to check it out.  This is already sold out, but have no fear.  Limited 5"x7" complete set versions are also available.

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

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Blog Kiosk: 6/16/2015 - Dodger Links - Olivera, Hansen and Dave Roberts


Three former Dodgers' were on-hand at the home run derby at Zócalo in Mexico City this past weekend.  They transformed the central square into a ballfield for the event.  In the photo above (tweeted by Miriam Helena Reyes) are Ismael Valdez, Fernando Valenzuela and Estaban Loaiza. 

Below are some links to check out:
  • Is Olivera coming?  
Hansen is a Texas high schooler who received $78,900 above slot. He was committed to attend Stanford.
So far in 2015, Dodgers relievers have struck out more batters than any other bullpen in the National League — and more than any team in baseball, save for the Astros — flashing a 26.9 percent K rate. That’s up sharply from last year’s relief crew, who fanned 22.3 percent of the batters they faced, good for just 16th in MLB. A bit of that uptick is because of Jansen, who’s been absolutely spectacular since returning from an early-season injury, punching out 20 batters while allowing just four hits and no walks in 11 innings. But most of it is thanks to a group of no-names who’ve come up big in L.A., showcasing both the Dodgers’ scouting and player development chops, in addition to the franchise’s savvy in the trade market.
  • Here's an old friend alert.  Congrats to former Dodger Dave Roberts.  He has just been named the temporary manager of the San Diego Padres, and may soon be named the interim manager.  Via Mike Oz at Big League Stew, "Padres fire manager Bud Black after disappointing start to the season."
  • Ha Ha!  Via Michael S. Schmidt at the NY Times, "St. Louis Cardinals Investigated by F.B.I. for Hacking Astros."
Investigators have uncovered evidence that Cardinals officials broke into a network of the Houston Astros that housed special databases the team had built, according to law enforcement officials. Internal discussions about trades, proprietary statistics and scouting reports were compromised, the officials said.

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

Wednesday, June 03, 2015

Cardinals Series Starts Tomorrow - Scheduled Autograph Sessions, Pregame Info and Other Stuff!


(pic via @2EP0L on twitter)
The next homestand starts tomorrow against the St. Louis Cardinals, and several former Dodgers are scheduled for an autograph session with fans.  Below are the scheduled autograph opportunities and other odds and ends for this upcoming homestand.

Levy Restaurants now offers Smoked BBQ Chicken Wings at the Think Blue BBQ located in the left-field plaza. This dish is prepared with a honey bourbon sauce and served with potato salad and corn bread. For the series against St. Louis, Levy Restaurants will also offer the St. Louis Dog, a super dog topped with BBQ brisket, BBQ sauce and crispy onions and can be purchased at the Extreme Loaded Dog locations on the field, loge and reserve levels.

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Thursday, June 4th at 7:10 PM
RHP Michael Wacha vs. RHP Carlos Frias
SNLA / AM 570 (Eng.), KTNQ 1020 AM (Span.)

Thursday's game starts at 7:10 PM.  Auto gates open at 4:40 PM, and stadium gates open at 5:10 PM.  The first 40,000 fans in attendance will receive a Kenley Jansen bobblehead.  See it on the left.

The national anthem will be performed by Kearran Giovanni.

Dodger alumnus Tim Leary will sign autographs in the left-field pavilion from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
  • The Military Hero of the Game is U.S. Army National Guard Master Sergeant Patrick Chavez of Albuquerque, NM. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1995 as a Motor Transportation Operator and served at Camp Futenma in Okinawa, Japan, and Air Ground Support Element at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms. After completing his service in the Marine Corps, he enlisted in the New Mexico Army National Guard as a heavy motor vehicle operator and is currently stationed in Albuquerque, serving as the Operations Non Commissioned Officer in Charge and Senior Enlisted Leader for the New Mexico Counterdrug Support Task Force.

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Friday, June 5th at 7:10 PM
RHP Carlos Martinez vs. LHP Brett Anderson
SNLA / AM 570 (Eng.), KTNQ 1020 AM (Span.)

Friday's game starts at 7:10 PM.  Auto gates open at 4:40 PM, and stadium gates open at 5:10 PM. It is Friday Night Fireworks, so fans will be able to go down onto the field after the game to watch the spectacle. The theme will be set to music by composer John Williams. .  Go here for information about future firework themes.

Two-time GRAMMY®-nominated Producer/DJ Morgan Page, whose latest album, “DC to Light,” is set for release on June 9, will present a pregame DJ set at 6:40 p.m. Page will also throw the ceremonial first pitch. Tahj Mowry will perform the national anthem.


Pregame entertainment will also include a stilt walker in the left-field plaza and DJ Adam in the right-field plaza from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Dodger alumnus Lee Lacy will sign autographs in the left-field pavilion from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
  • The Military Heroes of the Game are U.S. Army Warrant Officer Joshua Creadick of Burbank and Navy E-6 Damage Controlman Petty Officer First Class Rene Saavedra of Los Angeles. Creadick has served two deployments to Afghanistan and one to Iraq. Saavedra completed two deployments to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and is currently an explosives handler and instructor at the naval weapons station in Seal Beach.
  • The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) conducts silent auctions throughout the season featuring more than 25 signed pieces of memorabilia from Dodger players, coaches and alumni. Auctions will take place behind the Vin Scully press box on the club level. The items up for auction on Friday include a Joc Pederson autographed photo, Fernando Valenzuela autographed baseball and Adrian Gonzalez autographed Dodger jersey. The auction will end at 8:45 p.m.

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Saturday, June 6th at 7:10 PM
 RHP Jaime Garcia vs. LHP Clayton Kershaw
 SNLA / AM 570 (Eng.), KTNQ 1020 AM (Span.)

Saturday's game starts at 7:10 PM.  Auto gates open at 3:30 PM, and stadium gates open at 5:10 PM. It is Hollywood Stars Night at Dodgers Stadium.  This year, the Dodgers will play host to two teams of celebrities in a softball game beginning at 5:00 PM.  Talk show host Larry King and actor, director, producer and writer Garry Marshall will manage the teams.  Glee star Dot Marie Jones will serve as one of the umpires for the game.

Celebrities expected to participate in the game include:  Alan Thicke (Growing Pains), Anthony Anderson (Black-ish), James Van Der Beek (Dawson’s Creek), Kevin McHale (Glee), Frank Grillo (Captain America), Jaleel White (Family Matters & Dancing With the Stars), model Charlotte McKinney (Dancing With the Stars), Tyler Hoechlin (Teen Wolf & Road to Perdition), Austin Stowell (Love and Honor), Clark Gregg (Iron Man), Vivica A. Fox (Independence Day) and Brian Dietzen (NCIS).  Former WNBA great Lisa Leslie, USA soccer star Landon Donovan, Entertainment Tonight co-host Kevin Frazier, actor/comedian Rob Riggle, tennis pro Mardy Fish and Blink 182 bassist Mark Hoppus will also be showcasing their softball talents.


Academy Award and Grammy-nominated actress Minnie Driver will perform the national anthem. A MVP will be chosen from the Hollywood Stars Game to throw Saturday’s ceremonial first pitch.

Pregame entertainment will also include a strolling magician in the left-field plaza, DJ Adam in the right-field plaza, DJ Lady Sha in the left-field reserve plaza and a Dixieland band in the right-field reserve plaza from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Dodger alumnus Dennis Powell will sign autographs in the left-field pavilion from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
  • The Military Hero of the Game is Navy E6 Petty Officer First Class Ramon Noriega of Montebello. Noriega has served three deployments to the Arabian Gulf guiding missile destroyers and serving on aircraft carriers. He is currently stationed at the Center for Information Dominance Unit as a naval instructor in San Diego.

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Sunday, June 7th at 5:08 PM
 RHP Lance Lynn vs. RHP Zack Greinke
 SNLA/AM 570 (Eng.), KTNQ 1020 AM (Span.)

Sunday's game starts at 5:08 PM.  Auto gates open at 2:40 PM, and stadium gates open at 3:10 PM.  The first 15,000 ticketed kids 14-years old or younger will receive a Kids' Cereal Bowl.  Check it out on the left.

Viva Los Dodgers is at the historic 76 station, and begins at 3:00 p.m. Dodger alumnus Manny Mota will sign autographs from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Musical entertainment will be provided by Viento Callejero and Los 5. Levy Restaurants offers Dodger dogs, carne asada tacos and Montejo beer for purchase at Viva Los Dodgers.

Lead singer of Lifehouse Jason Wade will perform the national anthem.

Dodger alumnus Mickey Hatcher will sign autographs in the left-field pavilion from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  • The Military Hero of the Game is U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Juan Gonzales of Woodland. Gonzales enlisted shortly after September 11, 2001 and has served deployments to Haditha and Fallujah, Iraq as a provisional rifleman and most recently to Herat and Helmand Provinces in Afghanistan with the Special Operations Task Force as an engineer. Gonzales is currently retired and resides in Temecula.
  • The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) conducts silent auctions throughout the season featuring more than 25 signed pieces of memorabilia from Dodger players, coaches and alumni. Auctions will take place behind the Vin Scully press box on the club level. The items up for auction on Sunday include an Alex Guererro autographed photo, Orel Hershiser autographed baseball and Clayton Kershaw autographed Dodger jersey. The auction will end at 6:45 p.m.

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

Friday, March 27, 2015

Blog Kiosk: 3/27/2015 - Dodger Links - Scully, Time Warner and Alex Verdugo


Guess who's heading out to Arizona to broadcast tonight Spring game against the Giants.

Vin Scully, that's who.  For many Dodger fans his emergence from the winter hiatus to the glory of spring Baseball is the true start of the year.  He stories and voice are like the echoes of the Baseball Gods - providing assurances that all is right in the world. 

Vin Scully will call his first game tonight, and Dodger Nation will be glued to every word he says.  Unfortunately, that prior statement is far from true.  Much of the Southland is still restricted from access due to the incompetent machinations of the corporate class, and they fail to realize that their part in this mess only reinforces the general disgust consumers have towards the television delivery industry as a whole.  They are the epitome of the bad neighbor, and I look forward to the opportunity to leave them forever.  Please FCC, regulate them.  These behemoths do not deserve anything and they contribute nothing.

The wonderful vintage photo above of Vin Scully underneath his street sign at Dodgertown in Vero Beach was shared by @VinScullyTweet on twitter.  Below are some links to check out:
"Time Warner Cable has no plans to take a write-down in connection with its Dodgers contract," the company said late Tuesday in a statement.  "In fact, TWC does not carry an asset on its balance sheet related to the Dodgers and, therefore, there is no asset for it to write down now or in the future."
I'm not sure what that is suppose to mean. After all, it can't possibly be true that TWC doesn't account for the Dodger deal in some way.  Maybe not in terms an an actual balance sheet asset, but certainly a potential liability that has (by their own admonition) contributed greatly to rising programming expenses.  I'm far from an expert on corporate accounting, but I think there is a parsing of words here that wreaks of BS. 
“Obviously everyone is waiting to see what happens in the larger-scale corporate dealings. Failing that, I know there’s a lot going on behind the scenes, a lot of talk – but, no, I’m not aware of anything that’s going to bring about an imminent settlement. We hope and we keep working at it. But I don’t have any news.”
Verdugo stands out for several reasons. Not only will he be just 19 years old this season when he heads to Class-A Great Lakes, but he hit .353/.432/.511 across two levels after being drafted last summer. While Mitchell noted in his research that walks are less important in the lower level of the minors, it’s still an impressive feat that Verdugo walked more times (20) than he struck out (18) in his professional debut. He also flashed above-average speed for a prospect of his size, going a perfect 11-for-11 in stolen base attempts.
Like I’ve been saying, I’m just going to keep doing whatever it is I’m doing and making sure the guys I’m catching, I’m on the same page with. I think last year I did a pretty good job with those new guys that came up to the big leagues.”
“Yeah, I collected as a kid but not for value or anything like that.,” said the Houston Astros catcher-outfielder. “My room was actually wallpapered — I stapled cards to my walls. My entire room was completely covered in baseball cards. I loved it.”

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

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Hanley Ramirez got Some Revenge for Us All - Attacks Joe Kelly


Oh how I miss the jovial and playful nature of Hanley Ramirez.  Few players had as much fun, and I'm sure he's missed by many within the Dodger clubhouse.

Still, with him moving on to Boston it provided a great opportunity for the former Dodger slugger to air a grievance for himself and Dodger Nation.  As you may know, a teammate of his at the Red Sox is former Cardinals pitcher Joe Kelly, and you should remember him as the fellow who effectively knocked Ramirez out of the 2013 NLCS.  Watch the video below to recall the gory details.

Video Link:

Yeah, I hate that guy. 

Well, I'm happy to report that Hanley got his revenge for that cracked rib by forcefully putting Kelly in a headlock at the Red Sox Spring home in Fort Myers, FL.  See the photo at the very top.

OK.  Maybe not forcefully... And certainly not with any malice.  I do like the sentiment, though, so thank you Hanley!


As you can imagine, Ramirez has made himself at home with the Red Sox.  He's definitely enjoying himself.  Below is another photo of himself goofing around with Joe Kelly and Pablo Sandoval.


Hat Tip: u/UpnUpvote on Reddit.

Pic above via Hanley Ramirez on twitter.

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

Tuesday, October 07, 2014

Good Game and Good Luck, Cards


For those who may not recall, during the conclusion of the 2004 NLDS, where the Cardinals defeated the Dodgers, a strange sight occurred - at least it's strange at MLB games.  On the other hand, for most youngsters in organized sports (and NHL hockey fans) it's something that is commonplace.  Heck, it's expected.

The Dodgers came out to congratulate the Cardinals for their series victory with a handshake line.

Unfortunately, this act has not become tradition in Baseball... And for that, I am sorry.  It is something that should happen after every series.  So, in its place I give my virtual handshake to the Cardinals and their fans.

"Good Game and Good Luck"

This was a fun series, and even though it didn't go in my teams favor I still enjoyed every second of it - even as my hair falls out.

I wish you all the luck in the world and look forward facing you again next season.

With that, I think the below shirt best expresses how I am really feeling.

P.S.  As a Kings fan, now I know what it feels like to be a St. Louis Blues fan.  doh!
Pic at the very top via Chris Carlson/AP (photo found at Think Blue LA):
Pic of TShirt via shirtaday.com:

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

Stay Classy, St. Louis!


Just to fan those flames further, here's a more politically slanted story by Salon writer Joanna Rothkopf entitled, "St. Louis Cardinals fans yell racist slurs at Ferguson protesters in shocking new video."
On Monday night, mostly white St. Louis Cardinals fans clashed with a group of mostly black protesters peacefully demanding justice for slain teenager Michael Brown. The Cardinals fans were super racist and horrible.

At one point, an older white man starts yelling at the protesters, shouting, “That’s right! If they’d be working, we wouldn’t have this problem!” Then, the Cardinals fans begin chanting “Let’s go Cardinals!” which morphs into “Let’s go Darren!” referring to Darren Wilson, the police officer who fatally shot Brown.

Later on in the video, a woman shouts, “We’re the ones who gave all y’all the freedoms that you have!” which is a tidy way of identifying with slavers and Abraham Lincoln at the same time, covered in a thick layer of modern racism.
No doubt these folks represent the best fans in Baseball.

The Salon story has a video, so go here to check that out.  Deadspin (no surprise, really) also has the story and provides a point-by-point rundown of some key details from the video.  Check that out here.  Below are a few items they point out:
  • At 9:05 one of the Cardinals fans starts telling one of the protesters that if he ever "saw him in the street" he would "look at the ground." They argue for a bit about who would and would not whip whose ass.
  • At about 10:25 a small blonde lady starts yelling at the protesters: "We're the ones who gave all y'all the freedoms that you have!"
  • At 16:43, a female Cardinals fan begins chanting "Africa! Africa! Africa!" at the protesters.
Yeah, awesome!

Pic at the very top via Robert Cohen of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on twitter.

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

Saturday, October 04, 2014

Blog Kiosk: 10/4/2014 - Dodger Links - Nothing Ever Has Come Easy


That was the most unsatisfying game ever.

The Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw seemingly had the game in hand only to see it evaporate as quickly as an ice cube resting on a hot plate.

Going into the seventh inning, Kershaw looked to be in full control.  He was cruising with a four run lead and a two hitter.  Sure, those two hits were home runs, but so what?  With record temperatures descending on the Southland it was really no surprise that balls would jump a bit in the stadium.

Unfortunately, Clayton ran out of gas and soon would give up a succession of hits that resulted in six earned runs scoring on his dime.  The final blow was a two-run homer by Matt Holliday off of Kershaw's replacement Pedro Baez.  If not for that, we very well could have won this one.  As it was, it proved to be the deciding runs.

Of note, the remaining innings was not a death march for the Dodgers.  Instead, they fought back as best they could and garnered some results.  Unfortunately, like that famous poem about Mighty Casey, Yasiel Puig struck out with the tying run on third base for the last out of the game.  Graphic above via @Dodgers on twitter.

Oh, well.

BTW, I don't see the point in pinning blame on anybody for this game.  The Dodgers win or lose as a team.  I think it's best to just look at this as just one loss - like any one of the other 69 losses we've had this season.  Besides, we have an opportunity to even things out today. Remember, as Vin Scully is want to say,
"but in the history of the Brooklyn and LA Dodgers, nothing ever has come easy."  
Don't you know it, Vin... Don't we all know it.

Below are some links to check out:
“I’m not in shock,” Kershaw said. “I feel terrible. It’s an awful feeling to let your teammates down.
“We have a great team. If I don’t get in the way, we’ve got a good chance of winning that game.”
"I just basically said, 'You guys keep doing this over and over and I'm not going to put up with that,'" Gonzalez said. "They're going to say it's not being done on purpose, but come on, Wainwright knows where the ball's going."
This event proved to be a turning point for the Dodgers.  They soon scored two runs to take a lead in the game, and built enough momentum to score four more over the next couple of innings.  Unfortunately, they could hold on to it.
  • Best takedown ever!  Via Drew Magary at Deadspin, "The Mayor Of St. Louis Is A Complete Dipshit."  
  • Tracy Hackler at Panini's blog shares a bunch of preview pics of their upcoming 2014 Prizm Perennial Draft Picks Baseball set that comes out Novermber 12th.  On the right is an autographed card of the Dodgers 2014 1st Round Draft Pick Grant Holmes.  This is his first card as a professional.  Go here to check out more pics of the set.
  • Topps is working really hard to get some of those postseason dollars.  They have just released a limited edition Dodgers West Division Champion framed print featuring many of the stars of the team and their 2014 Topps base cards.  The print measures 16" x 20", arrives to you framed (18" x 22"), is numbered to just 49 copies and priced at $99.99.  Check it out below.  Go here to check it out on their website.

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

Friday, October 03, 2014

Game Two of NLDS Series Against Cardinals - Scheduled Autograph Signings, Game Give Aways and Other Stuff!

Game 2 of the NLDS series starts Saturday afternoon against the St. Louis Cardinal, and several olde-tyme Dodgers will be in the house to sign free autographs for fans.  Below are the scheduled autograph opportunities and other odds and ends for this series.

Radio:
You can listen to the games on the Dodgers radio network at AM570.  Vin Scully will call the first three innings and the final three innings of each Dodger postseason game.  Steiner and Monday will call the middle three innings.   The Dodgers’ Spanish-language radio broadcast on Univision America KTNQ 1020 AM will be led by Jarrín with Valenzuela, color commentator, who will call all postseason games along with Yñiguez. The games also can be heard in Korean on Radio Korea AM 1540.  “Dodger Talk” on Dodgers Radio AM570 will also continue throughout the postseason and will feature Jorge Jarrín, Kevin Kennedy and David Vassegh.

Parking:
If you are driving to any of the games please purchase your parking tickets in advance.  Prices for advance purchase is $10 and parking at the gate is $20 for the Division Series.  The Dodgers also will offer premium parking in advance at $35 and for $50 at the gate for Division Series.  For further information on Dodger parking, visit www.dodgers.com/parking or call the Dodgers’ ticket office at 323-DODGERS.  

Dodger Express Shuttle:
As always, fans can use the Dodger Express shuttle bus to get to the games.  It will run from the usual location at Union Station and also expands to the Harbor Gateway Transit Center in the SouthBay.  Go here for more information.

Umpire Info:
In case you were curious the umpire crew chief for the series will be Dale Scott, who will be on the field with Eric Cooper, Rob Drake, regular season crew chief Jerry Layne, Jerry Meals and Alan Porter.  CB Bucknor, Chris Conroy, Ed Hickox and Brian O'Nora will serve in the Replay Center during the Division Series.

Extreme Loaded Dog:
BTW, the Extreme Loaded Dog concession stands will be making the Playoff Dog, an all-beef hot dog on a Pretzel Roll topped with Pastrami, pickle spears and Oktoberfest mustard.  It will be available Monday through Wednesday at extreme loaded dog concession stands on the Field, Loge and Reserve levels.  See a pic of it on the right.


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Saturday, October 4th at 6:37 PM
Lance Lynn vs. Zack Greinke

Tonight's game starts at 6:37 PM.  Auto gates open at 3:30 PM, and stadium gates open at 4:00 PM.  It will be televised on the MLB Network.

The first 50,000 fans in attendance will receive a blue rally towel.  See it on the left.

Dodger legend Maury Wills will throw the ceremonial first pitch. He currently serves as special instructor with the club. Wills spent parts of 12 seasons with the Dodgers and 14 in the Majors.  RCA recording artist Tinashe will perform the national anthem.

Former Dodgers Derrel Thomas (in right-field pavilion plaza) and “Sweet” Lou Johnson (in left-field pavilion plaza) will be signing autographs for fans from 4:00 PM to 6:15 PM.  Pregame entertainment will also include face painters in the right-field pavilion plaza and musical entertainment in the right and left-field reserve plazas. Dodgers Radio KLAC AM 570’s Dodger Talk with David Vassegh will broadcast live from the left-field pavilion plaza at 5:00 PM.
  • The Veteran of the Game presented by Bank of America is U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Robert Warren of Palmdale. He has served deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan and is currently assigned to the Wounded Warrior Battalion Unit West recovering from injuries sustained on both deployments. Warren’s accolades include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with a Combat V device for valor and two Combat Action Ribbons.  Warren will be presented with a flag flown over Dodger Stadium by U.S. Navy Veteran Sean Gass, Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch and Co-Chair of Bank of America’s Military Support and Assistance Group.
  • The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) will hold a silent auction on the Club level by the Vin Scully Press Box. The auction ends at 8:15 p.m. with more than 25 items up for bid, including a Clayton Kershaw autographed baseball, Zack Greinke autographed photo and Adrian Gonzalez autographed LA Dodger jersey. All proceeds will benefit LADF and its programs in sports and recreation, education and literacy and health and wellness which help children and families throughout the greater Los Angeles region.
  • There will also be a BBQ Beef Brisket Burger (one-third pound burger topped with American cheese, Think Blue BBQ beef brisket, Stout BBQ sauce and fried onions and pickles) available at Elysian Park Grills on the Loge, Reserve and Top Deck levels and Field level Dodger Dog Stands at sections 22 and 23.   A Think Blue BBQ “Grand Slam” Playoff Platter (beef brisket, pulled pork, roasted corn, potato salad, coleslaw and corn bread) is avaialble at Think Blue BBQ at the left-field pavilion plaza.  A Gelato Ice Cream Sandwich, Lasorda’s gelato ice cream smashed between two chocolate chip cookies, will be available at Tommy Lasorda’s Trattoria located at the right-field pavilion plaza.

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

Thursday, October 02, 2014

NLDS Series Against Cardinals Starts Tomorrow - Scheduled Autograph Signings, Game Give Aways and Other Stuff!


Welcome to the playoffs.  The NLDS series starts tomorrow afternoon against the St. Louis Cardinal, and several olde-tyme Dodgers will be in the house to sign free autographs for fans.  Below are the scheduled autograph opportunities and other odds and ends for this series.

BTW, I only have full details for Fridays game at this time.  As soon as I receive details for Saturdays game I will update this post (likely Friday night).  I will be out of town on Saturday, so I'll miss the game (but will hopefully get updates).  If you're a Kings fan then you know where I'll be.

Radio:
You can listen to the games on the Dodgers radio network at AM570.  Vin Scully will call the first three innings and the final three innings of each Dodger postseason game.  Steiner and Monday will call the middle three innings.   The Dodgers’ Spanish-language radio broadcast on Univision America KTNQ 1020 AM will be led by Jarrín with Valenzuela, color commentator, who will call all postseason games along with Yñiguez. The games also can be heard in Korean on Radio Korea AM 1540.  “Dodger Talk” on Dodgers Radio AM570 will also continue throughout the postseason and will feature Jorge Jarrín, Kevin Kennedy and David Vassegh.

Parking:
If you are driving to any of the games please purchase your parking tickets in advance.  Prices for advance purchase is $10 and parking at the gate is $20 for the Division Series.  The Dodgers also will offer premium parking in advance at $35 and for $50 at the gate for Division Series.  For further information on Dodger parking, visit www.dodgers.com/parking or call the Dodgers’ ticket office at 323-DODGERS.  

Dodger Express Shuttle:
As always, fans can use the Dodger Express shuttle bus to get to the games.  It will run from the usual location at Union Station and also expands to the Harbor Gateway Transit Center in the SouthBay.  Go here for more information.

Umpire Info:
In case you were curious the umpire crew chief for the series will be Dale Scott, who will be on the field with Eric Cooper, Rob Drake, regular season crew chief Jerry Layne, Jerry Meals and Alan Porter.  CB Bucknor, Chris Conroy, Ed Hickox and Brian O'Nora will serve in the Replay Center during the Division Series.

Extreme Loaded Dog:
BTW, the Extreme Loaded Dog concession stands will be making the Playoff Dog, an all-beef hot dog on a Pretzel Roll topped with Pastrami, pickle spears and Oktoberfest mustard.  It will be available Monday through Wednesday at extreme loaded dog concession stands on the Field, Loge and Reserve levels.  See a pic of it on the right.

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Friday, October 3rd at 3:37 PM
Adam Wainwright vs. Clayton Kershaw

Tonight's game starts at 3:37 PM.  Auto gates open at 12:37 PM, and stadium gates open at 1:07 PM.  It will be televised on FoxSports1. 

The first 50,000 fans in attendance will receive a blue rally towel.  See it on the left.

Hall of Fame Manager and Special Advisor to the Chairman Tommy Lasorda will throw the ceremonial first pitch tomorrow.  One hundred fifty members of the Armed Forces representing the Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Guard will unfurl a giant flag in center field prior to the national anthem. Mother, daughter, sister, actress, dedicated philanthropist, NY Times best-selling author and five-time GRAMMY award winning artist Wynonna Judd will perform the national anthem.

Former Dodgers Al Ferrara (in right-field pavilion plaza) and Tim Leary (in left-field pavilion plaza) will be signing autographs for fans from 1:00 PM to 3:15 PM.  Pregame entertainment will also include face painters in the left-field pavilion plaza and musical entertainment in the right and left-field reserve plazas. Dodgers Radio KLAC AM 570’s Petros and Money show will broadcast live from the left-field pavilion plaza from 3:00 PM to 6:00 AM.
  • The Veteran of the Game presented by Bank of America is U.S. Army Colonel Matthew Ruedi. Ruedi is the 916th Support Brigade Commander at Fort Irwin National Training Center in San Bernardino County. He has served deployments to Kosovo and three deployments to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
  • The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) will hold a silent auction on the Club level by the Vin Scully Press Box. The auction ends at 5:15 p.m. with more than 25 items up for bid, including a Vin Scully autographed baseball, Clayton Kershaw autographed photo and Yasiel Puig framed autographed LA Dodger jersey. All proceeds will benefit LADF and its programs in sports and recreation, education and literacy and health and wellness which help children and families throughout the greater Los Angeles region.
  • There will also be a BBQ Beef Brisket Burger (one-third pound burger topped with American cheese, Think Blue BBQ beef brisket, Stout BBQ sauce and fried onions and pickles) available at Elysian Park Grills on the Loge, Reserve and Top Deck levels and Field level Dodger Dog Stands at sections 22 and 23.   A Think Blue BBQ “Grand Slam” Playoff Platter (beef brisket, pulled pork, roasted corn, potato salad, coleslaw and corn bread) is avaialble at Think Blue BBQ at the left-field pavilion plaza.  A Gelato Ice Cream Sandwich, Lasorda’s gelato ice cream smashed between two chocolate chip cookies, will be available at Tommy Lasorda’s Trattoria located at the right-field pavilion plaza.
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Saturday, October 4th at 6:37 PM
Lance Lynn vs. Zack Greinke

Tonight's game starts at 6:37 PM.  Auto gates open at 3:37 PM, and stadium gates open at 4:07 PM.  It will be televised on the MLB Network.

To be updated when information is available!

Sorry!  I lied.  I posted up information for Game 2 in a new post.  Go here to check that out.  The Dodgers are giving out different rally towel for the game.

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