Blog Kiosk: 11/19/2014 - Dodger Links - Some Odds and Ends

Last night was Dodger Pride Night at the Staples Center for the LA Kings game against the Florida Panthers.  Dodger standout utility infielder Justin Turner was at the game to drop the opening puck and the Kings wore those fantastic 'Dodger themed' jersey's last night that were auctions off for charity.  As you can see above, the Kings gave Turner his own jersey, pic via @Dodgers on twitter.  Go here to check out more photos of the evening from the Dodgers.  Later this afternoon I'll put up my own report from the game; including some photos I took and a peek at the jersey auction that garnered huge dollars.  BTW, I was once again shut out and didn't win a jersey.  Boo! 

Below are some links to check out:

• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Where Dodgers pick in 2015 MLB Draft first round."
• Via Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider, "Yasiel Puig ends Japan series on high note."
• The Dodgers added more folks to their front office.  Via a Dodger press release:

The Los Angeles Dodgers today announced the front office additions of David Finley as Vice President, Amateur & International Scouting, Galen Carr as Director of Player Personnel, Jeff Pickler as Special Assistant, Pro Scouting & Player Development and Jack Cressend as Pitching Crosschecker.

The press release provides more detailed background information about each person.  Go here to check that out.

• Via Harold Uhlman at Think Blue LA, "Dodgers likely to protect three from 2014 Rule 5 Draft."
• Via David Cycleback at Sports Collectors Daily, "Looking at the Photos of George Grantham Bain."  He is a noted Baseball photographer during the early 20th century.
• Night Owl Cards does yeoman's work.  He shares photos of every Dodger card that can be found in Kellogg's 3-D Baseball card sets from 1970 to 1983.  Awesome!
• Panini's 2014 Classics Baseball is officially released today.  Go here to check out some recently opened packs at Panini's blog.  Below is a sample pack that includes a Yasiel Puig insert card.

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Blog Kiosk: 11/11/2014 - Dodger Links - New Dodger Personnel and Kapler's View on Endurance Training

Here is a group photo from yesterday's Frank Robinson Celebrity Golf Invitational at Wilshire Country Club to benefit the Major League Baseball Urban Youth Academy in Compton.   (Photo Credit: Robert Binder/MLB)

In the photo are Frank Robinson, Reggie Jackson, Joe Morgan, Albert Pujols, Chris Dickerson of the Indians, Don Buford, Eric Davis, Kenny Lofton, Gary Matthews, Jr., Bo Porter, Bret Saberhagen,  Dmitri Young, Basketball Hall of Famer Bill Russell, Jerry West, James Worthy, Football Hall of Famer Jim Brown, Boxing Legend Sugar Ray Leonard, actors Carlos Bernard, Benjamin Bratt and Anderson Davis.

Below are some links to check out:

• Does anybody know who this Dodger is?  Bob Lemke shares a bunch of vintage photos featuring ballplayers in Native-American garb; including one pic of a 1950's Dodger prospect named 'Bing' Martin - Bob can't find any information on him.  Check it out here.
• I firmly believe all the 'rumors' about Russell Martin coming to the Dodgers to be a bunch of bunk.  You should not believe a word of it.  His agent is using the Dodger name to drive up the price.  From what I understand, he is seeking a 5-year deal worth $75Mil to $80Mil.  That alone would take us out of the running.  A cost/benefit analysis tells me that signing him would not be worth it.
• Via Mike Oz at Big League Stew, "Tommy Lasorda doesn't think Clayton Kershaw should win NL MVP."
• Via Boston Globe reporter Nick Cafardo on twitter, we have added a couple more folks to the scouting staff:

red sox have lost pro scout Galen Carr and director of player personnel David Finley to the Dodgers.
— Nick Cafardo (@nickcafardo) November 10, 2014

ESPN reporter Mark Saxon throws in another new name to be added to the Dodgers:

Hearing #Dodgers will hire Scott Bream away from the #Tigers to be their pro scouting director
— Mark Saxon (@markasaxon) November 10, 2014

• Via Gabe Kapler on his personal website Kaplifestyle, "Working Smart: Speed and Power."  Gabe suggest that endurance training makes no sense for Baseball players.

While my mentor was correct that strengthening the heart muscle is good for us as human beings, he was off with his assessment that the training makes sense for baseball players. The longest distance we will ever run on a baseball field is 360 feet, perhaps a few more if we factor in angles on the rare inside the park home run. As an outfielder, if I’m manning center field and run from gap to gap, north or south or a combo of the two, my distance will never be longer than 100 feet in any direction. If I was a cross country runner training for a 5 mile race, would I train by sprinting 35 yard blasts? Of course not. So, as baseball players, why do we seek out training that’s actually breaking us down?

Endurance training has also been shown to decrease muscle fiber size, muscle strength, and muscle power, all of which are detrimental to a baseball athlete (4).

Instead, we should be optimizing for speed and power in short bursts.

• I don't know why I found this hilarious.  Matt F. at Heartbreaking Cards of Staggering Genius, "Free's The Finest: Mike Piazza Edition."
• Via Jon Heyman at CBS Sports, "Crawford, Ethier most logical to go as Dodgers try to pare crowed OF."
• The MLB's official historian John Thorn ranks, "Baseball’s 100 Most Important People."

Now, a word about No. 1. It came down to two people—Babe Ruth and Jackie Robinson—who ascended above everyone else for reasons about which you soon will read. But choosing between them for the top spot was an excruciating decision, extending beyond baseball to the United States at large. In fact, it was only after recognizing the breadth of the argument that we finally chose Ruth.

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