Weekend Autograph Opportunities: Paul Lo Duca in Rowland Heights and Jeff Kent in Texas

Here are this weekends autograph opportunities and events throughout the Southland. As always, be sure to check the Blue Heaven Calendar for other events (a link can always be found on the tab at the top of this page, just left of center), and always confirm with the establishment. Everything is subject to change.  Please email me with any tips about upcoming events in Southern California.  As the rest of the week progresses I'll update this post with other events (if there are any) as I become aware of them.  Also, I don't always list every event below, so be sure to check my Calendar.  I always try to favor free signing events over paying events.  Click on any pic to embiggen.

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If you're heading out to the ballgames in San Antonio this weekend at the Alamodome as a part of "Big League Weekend" then you're in for a treat.  Former Dodger and potential Hall of Famer Jeff Kent will be singing free autographs prior to the start of Friday's game between the Dodgers and Rangers.  Go here for information.  I do not know the exact time of his appearance.  BTW, former Ranger Ruben Sierra will also be signing free autographs prior to Saturday's game.

Their appearances are part of a sports collectors convention that is happening concurrent with the ballgames at the stadium.  It is located in the South End Club Level of the Alamodome, and admission is free with a game ticket.

.@Utsa2013 Jeff Kent will be signing autographs today from 5:00pm to 6:30pm. #BLW2015
— Big League Weekend (@SABigLeagueWknd) March 20, 2015

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Former Dodger catcher Paul Lo Duca will be signing autographs at the office of Dr. Alex C. Liu in Rowland Heights on Saturday, March 21st from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM.  Go here for information.

Dr. Alex C. Liu OD
19735 E. Colima Rd. 
Rowland Heights, CA 91748

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Blog Kiosk: 1/8/2014 - Dodgers Links - Puig Arrested in Hot Pink, Mattingly's Extension and Hanley was the Best Last Year

JP Hoornstra at Inside the Dodgers has the police dash cam video of Yasiel Puig's recent arrest in Florida.  I gotta say, his speeding didn't seem all that reckless.  It was a long straight away and it doesn't appear there was any swerving.  Frankly, it looked like everybody on that road was speeding and Puig was just the unlucky ducky.  Oh... And Puig likes to wear hot pink shorts.  What's up with that?

BTW, every time I've visited Florida I always took note of the rampant speeding on their highways.  I remember constantly going 80+ MPH in the slow lane while being passed on the left by a 80+ year old snow bird in a Cadillac.  Now, I'm not advocating that you should go 100+ MPH, but I swear, it was a constant occurrence in Florida.

Roberto at Vin Scully is My Homeboy interprets the conversation between Puig and the officer, here.

• Via Chris Moran at Beyond the Boxscore, "2013, when Hanley Ramirez was the best player in baseball".

Hanley Ramirez was Miguel Cabrera in 2013. That is, if Cabrera was a decent shortstop instead of the worst fielding third baseman in baseball. Ramirez was Mike Trout if the Millville Meteor traded some of his baserunning and on-base skills for a whole lot more power production.

• The 2013 Bowman Chrome autographed Superfractor of Yasiel Puig is on eBay once again.  See the auction here.  It has a Buy It Now price of $34,999.99.  Hat Tip: Cardboard Connection.
• Evan Kendall at Beyond the Boxscore takes a close look at how great Russell Martin really was last season - "Russell Martin and defending catcher WAR".  This just adds more evidence that a great defensive catcher (even one who hit only in the .220's) can lead your team to the playoffs.  AJ Ellis naysayers should pay attention!
• Via Ramona Shelburne at ESPN, "Don Mattingly to Get New Deal".  The Dodgers and Mattingly have agreed to an extension that goes through the 2016 season.  Congrats, Don!
• Via Chris Haft at MLB.com, "Kent's relentless approach up for Hall consideration".

"I took that even beyond, to, if I do just one thing every day for my entire career, then I'm going to have a pretty good career," he said in a recent interview.

• Via Mark Langill at Dodger Insider, "Flashback 30 years: Don Drysdale gets the call".
• Check out a bunch of pics from Jon SooHoo of some young future Dodger stars at the Winter Development Program at Dodger Stadium, here.
• OT: Observe History tells us about German martyr Sophie Scholl.  It's a story about a Munich university student who stood up against the Nazi's and was killed for it.  I often wonder if I would have the strength and will to do the same thing.  I'd like to think I would - even knowing that I'd be staring straight at death.

"How can we expect righteousness to prevail when there is hardly anyone willing to offer themselves up individually for a righteous cause?

Such a fine, sunny day, and I have to go."

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Blog Kiosk: 11/27/2013 - Dodgers Links - An Interview with Jansen, Jeff Kent and Cruz to Japan

Here's a vintage photo of the construction work being done to build Dodger Stadium at Chavez Ravine.  It was posted up by a twitter account called @Dodgers_History.  You should check them out. They've recently put up a bunch of vintage stadium pics from Brooklyn and LA.

• Via Amanda Rykoff at The Outside Corner, "Curaçao Baseball Week 2013: Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen stays humble".  Here's an interview with our closer.

Amanda Rykoff: You switched from catcher to power pitcher. What was the adjustment like for you?

Kenley Jansen: It was a tough decision back then. To me I feel like it was a life learning experience. I almost wanted to quit and I wanted to ask for my release. I was almost suspended. Talking to my family and all these people and I decided to give it a try. And now today -- it took me a year to be in the major leagues -- and today I’m a closer just doing it.

• Via Bryan Hoch at MLB.com, "Mattingly realistic when it comes to Hall chances".

"My first year of eligibility, I pretty much knew I wasn't going to make it or anything," Mattingly told ESPN earlier this year. "I don't pay that much attention to it, to be honest with you. It's to the point now where it comes up and you're like, 'Oh, it's over,' and you go on."

• In other HOF ballot news, Jeff Kent is on the ballot for the first time.  Via Chris Haft at MLB.com, "Team success mattered most to Hall candidate Kent".

"When the bell rang for me, I was fighting to win," said Kent, who hit 377 home runs and captured the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 2000 with the Giants. "All I wanted to do was win. I knew that if I focused on winning, I would be OK. And it worked out that way."

• Panini America is reviving the Donruss Baseball card brand.  Via Chris Olds at Beckett, he shares some preview pics for 2014 Donruss Baseball cards; including the Yasiel Puig card on the right.
• Via Greg Zakwin at Yahoo, "The Biggest Turkey in Los Angeles Dodgers History: Frank McCourt".
• Night Owl Cards proves once again why it's one of the best Baseball card hobby blogs around.  Check out his latest post, "If you can't join 'em count 'em", that ranks Baseball cards sets by highest percentage of mustached ballplayers. 
• Skip Schumaker has signed a 2-year contract to play for the Reds, via USA Today.
• Via AM570, listen to Ned Colletti tell Petros and Money what made this season so tough.
• An old friend alert!  Via Steve Adams at MLB Trade Rumors, Luis Cruz goes to Japan - "Luis Cruz Signs With Chiba Lotte Marines".

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Lack of "Grit" and "Compete Level" has been an Issue for a Long Time

It occurred to me last night that the issue Mattingly spoke of yesterday has been a problem surrounding the Dodgers for quite a while.

Think back to when the last time the Dodgers where perennial playoff contenders.  It really wasn't too long ago.  Back then names like Kent, Garciaparra and Gonzo filled out our roster. They were veterans who had been through the grime and muck, only to came out as chiseled sages ready and willing to impart their knowledge.  No doubt, they were also willing to give everything they've got to win. 

Now, we stand here wondering what happened?  Did the kids on the team back then gain from their tutelage? 

That answer appears to be, no.

Let's take a quick look at some of things that were said back then.  Via Dylan Hernandez' reporting at the LA Times from September 2007, entitled "A Shot to Generation Gap".

Upon being swept in a four-game series in Colorado, Kent said he was "disappointed," "angry" and "perplexed." He spoke in vague terms of the "many things" responsible for the Dodgers' slide from playoff contention. When asked if that included Little's lineups and the coaching staff's strategy, he said, "Everything."

"We've got some good kids on the team," Kent said. "Don't get me wrong, please don't misinterpret my impressions. [But] it's hard to translate experience."

He said of the younger players: "I don't know why they don't get it."

Of what they don't get, Kent said, "A lot of things. Professionalism. How to manufacture a run. How to keep your emotions in it. There's just a lot of things that go on with playing 162 games."

My Translation: These kids lacked the "grit" & "compete level" it takes to win.

He added: "It's close to the end of the season. And a career for me too. I'm running out of time. A lot of kids in here, they don't understand that."

A sense of urgency can create an attitude that often leads to taking it up a notch.  Clearly, the kids didn't have it back then, and I am lead to believe it may still not exist in the clubhouse today.

How did the kids respond when told of Kent's criticism back in 2007?  Here's what Loney said:

Asked if it bothered him to be criticized by one of the team's leaders, Loney said of Kent, "Who said he was a leader?"

Kemp said:

"Having fun is part of the game," Kemp said. "If you came up here and you were serious all the time, that's not fun. Joking with your boys, that's fun. It helps you relax.

Now, let's look at what Ethier said yesterday.  Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com.

"Yeah, I take offense to that, without approaching me first," said Ethier. "Other than that, I show up every day and find ways to compete, to work hard whether I'm going good or bad. Just like everyone here, I have to get a grip and a handle on what's gone on. We can never lose hope to get back on top of the division. That's my approach every day."

Wrong attitude.  There is nothing to be offended by what Mattingly said.  As a professional you have to take the criticism as an opportunity to be better.  That's it.  Saying you're offended has no meaning.  The rest of it sounds like a series of cliche's to me.

So, what's the solution?

I haven't the foggiest idea, but I think Chad Moriyama touched on it a bit in his post this morning.

Over the years, basically everybody I’ve talked to that’s been close to the team has not exactly come away with a glowing impression of Ethier, and it wasn’t Mattingly that tried to eat the contract of a recently-extended Ethier just this past winter.

Mike Petriello affirms the same general feeling about Ethier, as well as the trade aspect of it.

I don’t know what happened with Ethier behind the scenes, though anyone surprised that he’s got a reputation as being difficult hasn’t been paying attention — and yes, they did try to trade him over the winter.

So while I’m not all that sure what happened behind closed doors, and I’m not saying it’s absolutely justified, I am leaving open the possibility that this was a necessary action due to something that might be happening behind the scenes.

I would add that this is not to say that Ethier is the only problem.  Maybe something endemic has happened - a kind of culture has been allowed to permeate within the clubhouse and something needs to be done to change it.

Management, it's your move!

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Yesterday evening, Left Field Pavilion posted up a couple of great graphics that I think perfectly encapsulates what I'm trying to say.  So, with apologies to him (for putting this up here) check out the first one that I thought was the best.

(pic link)

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Celebrating the Number 12 on the Day of 12's

Isn't December 12, 2012 (12/12/2012) suppose to be one of those days that denotes the end of the world?  Was it Nostradamus, or was it the Mayans who predicted that?

I dunno.  All I do know is that this rare combination of numbers and dates on the calendar won't be happening again for like a thousand years, so you better enjoy the day.

With that in mind, I thought I would commemorate this fine Wednesday afternoon by going through the various Dodgers that have worn #12.  See that list below

Bobby Abreau 2012
Justin Sellers 2011-2012
Brad Ausmus 2009-2010
Jeff Kent 2005-2008
Steve Finley 2004
Mike Devereaux 1998
Jim Eisenreich 1998
Karim Garcia 1995-1997
Brett Butler 1995
Jeff Treadway 1994-1995
Dave Anderson 1992
Greg Smith 1991
Luis Lopez 1990
Willie Randolph 1989-1990
Danny Heep 1987-1988
Bill Madlock 1986-1987
Mariano Duncan 1985
Jay Johnstone 1985
Dusty Baker 1976-1983
Paul Powell 1975
Von Joshua 1969-1971, 1973-1974
Jim Fairey 1968
Bob Bailey 1967
Tommy Davis 1959-1966
Babe Birrer 1958
Frank Kellert 1955
Erv Palica 1948-1951, 1954
Ralph Branca 1952
Eddie Stanky 1944-1947
Bob Chipman 1942, 1944
Rex Barney 1943
Rube Melton 1943
Babe Dahlgren 1942
Luke Hamlin 1937-1943
Jimmy Jordan 1934-1936
Val Pacinich 1932-1933
Watty Clark 1931

37 different Dodger players have worn this number.  Of those 37, only one player has any chance of making the Hall of Fame.  Jeff "the grumpy one" Kent wore the number during his Dodger days.  Another notable #12 was Steve Finley, who belted a walk-off grand slam to win the pennant in 2004.  Two of the more popular Dodgers to ever wear the number are Dusty Baker and Tommy Davis.  Although they are unlikely to be enshrined in Cooperstown, I think it's fair to say that they are both stars in our eyes.

Strangely, in 1931 Baseball Reference indicates that only one player wore a number that season and that was Watty Clark with #12.  I wonder why that is?  Also, Ralph Branca, Brett Bulter and Dave Anderson were all longtime Dodgers known for wearing other numbers, but for a short time sported #12.

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Dodgers Blog Kiosk: 11/8/2012

Hanley Ramirez just tweeted this photo of himself wearing long dreads in preparation for Winter Ball.

• Fox Sports AM570 and the Paralyzed Veterans of America have teamed up to present a Dodgers charity auction- PVARadiothon- today.  Go here for details.  Purchase a unique Dodgers field experience and some autographed memorabilia ranging from Kershaw to Willie Mays.
• Jon SooHoo put up some awesome Mark McGwire photographs from his archives.  I personally like the one with Bobby Bonilla and dinosaurs.
• Listen to Mark McGwire on AM570 Petros and Money speak about batting and steroids, here.  A great listen.  A must listen.
• Here's more stories on McGwire:  

Eric Stephens at True Blue LA: Mark McGwire Happy Baseball Brought Him Back Home
Bill Plaschke at LA Times: Mark McGwire Deserves His Chance for a New Path with Dodgers

• Shawn Green approves!

I've talked hitting with McGwire over the yrs & have to say he knows how to teach it as well as anyone...greajocktalk.com/post/id/8688
— Shawn Green (@shawngreen15) November 8, 2012

• Clayton Kershaw is one of 3 finalist for the Cy Young Award, via Stacie Wheeler at Lasorda's Lair.
• Via Steve Dilbeck at the LA Times, Colletti unlikely to find a pitcher through a trade.

Of the pitching market in general, Colletti said, “It’s not massive. It’s probably unlikely trade-wise. There are probably three or four different pitchers we have interest in. We’ll see. It’s still fairly early in the process. But pitching is most of our concentration right now.”

• The Onion discusses the T206 Honus Wagner Baseball card.
• This is not from the Onion.  Dodger reliever Todd Coffey erased his twitter account because Obama won, via The Outside Corner.  I call this Fox Derangement Syndrome. 
• Evan Bladh at Opinion of Kingman's Performance writes an excellent article on Jeff Kent's ride through Survivor.
• Speaking of the election.  Nate Silver, a well respected Baseball sabermetrics guy took his knowledge, skills and abilities to analyze political polls.  As you might expect from a purely non-partisan statistical analysis, he got the election polls right.  Dave Cameron at FanGraphs writes all about it.

The takeaway from last night shouldn’t be “always trust Nate Silver” or “always trust the data”. The takeaway should be that even mediocre data is often better than no data, and when you put mediocre data in the hands of smart people who understand its limitations and adjust accordingly, it can become quite useful indeed. 

• Larry Canale at Sports Collectors Digest writes about the upcoming 125th birthday of "Casey at the Bat."

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Dodgers Blog Kiosk: 9/20/2012

Here is a photo of several Dodgers during the rain delay from Tuesday.  Taken by Jon SooHoo/ LA Dodgers 2012.

• Kemp on that strange scoring play from last night, via Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times.

“I probably should’ve just been running forward and not looking back,” Kemp said. “That was close. I don’t know if I made it or not.”

Told he didn’t make it, Kemp smiled.

“Yeah, I don’t think I did,” he said. “We got lucky right there.”

• Sports Collectors Daily features a scrapbook that was put together by a wife of a former White Sox scout that suggest that the Sox was offered Babe Ruth.  

Mills did as he was instructed and the next telegram from Comiskey, dated June 17, 1914, reads “Secure best price on men mentioned in your wire and when Dunn will deliver advise me at once.”  The names of the six players are written in vintage pencil notations along the base of the telegram: “Cree, Daniels, Twombley [sic], Midkiff, Derrick, Ruth.”

An unknown number of years later, Mills’ wife, Ethel, perhaps realizing the historical importance of this particular telegram, felt obligated to provide further details of the negotiations taking place at that time. Writing along the bottom and right-hand borders of the album page, framing the telegram, she added:  “Note: Earl told me he could have all six men for $18,000 but Comiskey turned thumbs down. Too much money. Ethel.”

• I didn't watch Survivor last night, but I understand that Jeff Kent suffered a severe knee injury, per FoxSports.

Kent reportedly suffered torn knee ligaments during a scene with a raft on Wednesday — no more than 10 minutes into the episode. It remains to be seen how the injury will affect him going forward, but we hope that it doesn't force his fellow castaways' collective hand in voting him off the island.

They haven't even had the chance to know Kent and dislike him, yet.

• With the news circulating that AEG is for sale (they own the Kings, Galaxy, several other sports teams, Staples Center and a bunch of other stadiums) speculation now circles around who are the likely buyers.  I suspect Guggenheim (the main Dodgers owner) will be involved, and now we hear from Bill Shaikin of the LA Times that LA's wealthiest man is also interested-- Patrick Soon-Shiong.
• Sports Illustrated puts together their list of 100 Top Twitterer's to follow.
• Chad Moriyama has a gif of the most awkward tag/non-tag ever.
• This is easily the best Baseball story of the year.  Via John Erardi at Cincinnati.com, "Ted Joins Reds for a Day, but Changed Team Forever".
• Jon Weisman at Variety writes about the newest Baseball flick to hit the big screens- Trouble with the Curve.

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Jeff Kent Introduces Himself on Survivor

As I'm sure you've heard by now, former Dodger second baseman Jeff Kent will be on this upcoming season of Survivor.  It premiers on September 19th at 8/7 central on CBS.  I don't normally watch this show, but I might have to give it try- if only to see if Kent unleashes some grumpiness.  I also want to see if they force them (who will be in the Phillipines) to eat some balut.  It's a Philippine delicacy that is far too disgusting to describe.  Let's just say that it involves a duck egg that has been allowed to grow a little too long.  BTW, I've never tried it... and I'm Filipino!

Check a video introduction of him below.

Video Link:

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Blog Kiosk: 10/22/2011

Fernando Valenzuela with Cardinals starter Jaime Garcia. (Pic Link: yfrog Dodgers)

• Lasorda's Lair explains why the Dodgers are better off now after the McCourt divorce settlement.
  
• MLB FanCave Dream Job is back again for another season in 2012. Find out more here.
  
• Casey Blake mulling his Baseball future, vis Des Moines Register. (Hat Tip: VSIMH)
  
• Jeff Kent, Best of the Graybeards, 40 and up. Via True Blue LA.
  
• Check out William's incredible autographed Baseball from Carl Erskine at Foul Bunt.
  
• The Kings are getting Gamified! Check it all out here.
  
• Japanese pitching sensation, Yu Darvish, is still undecided about coming to America, via MLB Trade Rumors.
  
• Wayne Gretzky turned down job offers from the Oilers and Kings, via NBC.

  “Edmonton and Los Angeles have been really great to me and I have a nice relationship with both Kevin [Lowe] and the Oilers and obviously Dean Lombardi and the Kings, and I’m really honest with them. Right now, it’s not the time for me to jump back into the game.”

• There is a twitter account that narrates WWII in 1939 in real time- 72 years later. Check it out here.
  
• Oh Yhea! Kings Ice Girls. Check out the photo shoot for their calendar below.

Video Link:

A Dodger St. Patrick's Day

Since the days of O'Malley, St. Patrick's Day has always had a special place in the hearts of Dodger nation. Games were always packed (even on a weekday), the team wore green and the entire community celebrated the day as if it were a national holiday.

I was fortunate to have experienced this event one Spring afternoon in 2007. I had failed to realize that my first Spring game while on vacation would be on the Irish holiday so I was ill-prepared for the festivities. Fortunately, I arrived very early, so I was able to secure a ticket. Soon, all of Dodgertown was packed. Green was everywhere.

Since I find myself reminiscing I thought I would post some of the pics I took that day. I had a whole bunch more, but they didn't turn out that well.

Jeff Kent

Juan Pierre

Nomar Garciaparra

Rafael Furcal

Blog Kiosk: 10/25/2009

Thank goodness for hockey. The Kings young centerman, Anze Kopitar, leads the league in scoring after 11 games. I know it's early, but he has truly come into his own. This rising star and this team is ready to take the next step.

• Tommy does have a dirty mouth.
  
• Jeff Kent, along with Vince Coleman, Steve Finley, Gaylord Perry, Rollie Fingers, among other former players, participated in a vintage charity Base Ball game this past weekend in San Jose. Read all about it here.

  The last play of the game was actually pretty cool. Stogies were down 15-14 and had runners on 1st and 3rd with 2 outs. Dude ripped a ground ball that Jeff Kent stabbed at 2nd - it was the only hard grounder fielded all day. He flipped to SS just in time to get the out and save the game. He jumped for joy and was in no way kidding. He was totally excited to win a fake game of fake baseball.

• Here is a great custom made card by GCRL of a Rick Monday card that should have been made, but never was.
• I bet the cops who pulled over this guy on a motorized couch for a DUI couldn't stop laughing. More at the Star Tribune.
• HNIC

2007 Bowman Heritage

I have recently fallen in love with 2007 Bowman Heritage and am hoping that other folks out there with extras can help me along in completing my set. Go here for my want list. I only need a handful of cards for my base set and am slowly trudging along in trying to complete a rainbow parallel set. In the meantime, check out some of the cards that had me enamored.

Below is the Jeff Kent card from the set and it is easily my favorite. I love how he seems to jump out in the picture and the blurry background perfectly frames his swing.
Here are the rookie cards of often injured Tony Abreau and thriving Pirate Andy LaRoche.
Juan Pierre, Jason Schmidt and Rafael Furcal are featured below.

(click to enlarge)

The 2007 Bowman Heritage set borrows its design from the vintage 1952 Bowman set. A great feature of the set is how they decided to put some interesting backgrounds in a handful of the cards. Below, Joe Smith of the Mets stands in front of the Coney Island Ferris Wheel.
Big slugger and strike out machine Adam Dunn practices his swing in front of a corn field. I'm not sure about the relationship between Dunn and corn since he is from Texas and I don't think that corn is a major cash crop there. Is Cincinnati considered a part of the "corn belt?"
Jimmy Rollins, with bat in hand, stands in front of one of our country's greatest symbols- the Liberty Bell.

A Online Trade with Garvey Cey Russell Lopes

I am rediscovering a joy I last experienced as a child.

Recently, I completed a online trade with the proprietor of the Garvey Cey Russell Lopes Blog. He was working on completing a 1989 Upper Deck set and had a long list of cards needed for completion. Fortunately, I have a giant box filled with commons from that set- easily some 4500 cards total. So, I traded any and all cards I had from his list and he passed along some Dodger cards to add to my collection. As I've written in the past, my current collection consist of mostly older/ vintage Baseball cards, so I have very few modern issued cards of Dodger players.

Below is a sample of the bounty GCRL passed along. Thanks Bro!

BTW, anybody else wanna trade? I have tons of cards, mostly from 1986 to 1993, some much older vintage items, unopened boxes, sets and a bunch of oddball oddities.

(click on the pic to enlarge)

Here are 3 vintage players that were pass along. On the left is a 2001 Upper Deck Cooperstown Collection card of Pee Wee Reese. My favorite, though, is the Carl Erskine in the middle. It's a modern card made after the vintage 1955 Topps set.

(click on the pic to enlarge)

If you are interested in knowing what the 2009 Topps cards look like for this season, well, here they are above. I'm not entirely impressed with the design. On the other hand, the card of Pierre making the diving catch is pretty nice.

(click on the pic to enlarge)

Now that you've had a chance to see this years Topps card, now check out Upper Deck's 2009 Baseball cards above. Here is Jeff Kent's last card, Chin-Lung Hu and a Juan Pierre in a well worn uniform.

(click on the pic to enlarge)

Stadium Club has always been one of my favorite card sets because of their outstanding photography. The Devon White and Kevin Brown 2000 Stadium Club versions do not disappoint.

(click on the pic to enlarge)

Above are 2001 Topps Heritage cards of Darren Dreifort and Chan Ho Park. These cards borrow the vintage design from the 1952 Topps set. Below, the Eric Karros and Todd Hollandsworth cards are from Fleer's 2000 Tradition set that borrow its design from Topps 1954 set.

(click on the pic to enlarge)

Rehashing old designs for modern sets is quite popular. Below is Upper Deck's 2008 Goudey cards of Hu, Chad Billingsley and the outfielder who I refuse to ever think about again. The original Goudey sets were made in the 1930's.

(click on the pic to enlarge)

Below are 2 examples from Topps 2009 Heritage card set that borrow it's design from the Topps 1960 set.

(click on the pic to enlarge)

Last but not least are two cards of Karros and Chan Ho Park from the 2001 Playoff Absolute Memorabilia set. Until recently, I had never heard of this card company.

(click on the pic to enlarge)

Kent To Retire

Warholizer Link:

Future Hall of Famer, Jeff Kent, will be announcing his retirement tomorrow.

Kent spent 17 years in the Major Leagues, tying for 20th on baseball’s all-time list with 560 doubles, while ranking 47th with 1,518 RBI and 62nd with 377 home runs. His 351 career home runs as a second baseman are 74 more than Ryne Sandberg. Kent played the final four seasons of his career with the Dodgers, batting .291 with 122 doubles, 75 home runs, and 311 RBI. He ranks eighth in club history in batting average (minimum 1,800 AB), while also placing among franchise leaders with 73 home runs as a second baseman (third) and 497 games played at second base (fifth).

One of the things he will be remembered for is his public screaming match with Barry Bonds. Which, I'm sure, us Dodgers fans found immensely entertaining.

Let me add a memory I have of Jeff Kent during Spring Training from a couple of years ago in Vero Beach. Kent was signing autographs before an afternoon match. As he was signing fans started shouting questions. The usually surly and grumpy Kent was more than happy to answer back. He must have been having a great day. As you can imagine, one of the questions was about Barry Bonds and his general thoughts about him.

Kent was diplomatic. He went on to say that they have a good working relationship, but added that sometimes you have to give a guy a kick in the rear end. After all, he was the only person with the stature and willingness to confront Bonds in that manner. He finished his statement by saying, "I'll let the results speak for themselves. We went to the World Series that year."

Should I Stay Or Should I Go

Second baseman Jeff Kent has not decided whether he will retire or return for his 18th season in the majors, according to his agent, Jeffrey Klein.

Kent's future has got me thinking about a song I use to love as a kid- the Clash's "Should I Stay or Should I Go." I think it perfectly encapsulates the predicament Jeff find himself in. OK, maybe not- it's a fun song anyway.

It also happens to be a song a close friend asked myself and another buddy to sing and dance to for his sisters Bat Mitzvah. Why he asked us to do it I still do not know. In our preparation it seemed like it would be fun. As it was happening I wondered, "why am I doing this?" Now, in retrospect, I scratch my head and think, "what the hell was I doing?" I was young and stupid, I guess.

Anyway, below are some choice lyrics to the song and a video.

Darling you got to let me know
Should I stay or should I go?
If you say that you are mine
I’ll be here ’til the end of time
So you got to let me know
Should I stay or should I go?

Always tease tease tease
You’re happy when I’m on my knees
One day is fine, next day is black
So if you want me off your back
Well come on and let me know
Should I stay or should I go?

Should I stay or should I go now?
Should I stay or should I go now?
If I go there will be trouble
An’ if I stay it will be double
So come on and let me know!

This indecision’s bugging me
If you don’t want me, set me free
Exactly who’m I’m supposed to be
Don’t you know which clothes even fit me?
Come on and let me know
Should I cool it or should I blow?

YouTube Link: Clash:

Jeff, I think your productive playing days are in it's twilight. Go and wander around the Texas plains and tend to your bike business.

Dodgers Win! Dodgers Win!

Wow! What game tonight.

The relief corps hold off the Phillies with 6 outstanding innings. Manny drives in 2 with a deep drive to right centerfield. Kent ties the game in the 8th inning with a 2-run double. Nomar hits a walk-off homerun to win it.

Do you feel the magic! We are now in 1st place, baby!

Dodger Autograph Alert!

I just got an email from the Dodgers PR Department highlighting several Dodger players who will be signing autographs this coming weekend and next weekend. Below is the list of where to go.

Friday, July 25 – 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Blake DeWitt
at:Staples Los Angeles
11341 National Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 445-4041

Saturday, July 26 – 12:00 p.m.- 1:00 p.m.
Chad Billingsley
at:AT&T Los Angeles
3764 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90010
(213) 388-9444

Saturday, July 26 – 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Corey Wade
at:Wal-Mart Santa Clarita
25450 Old Road
Valencia, CA 91381
(661) 253-1911

Saturday, July 26 – 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Jeff Kent
at:MACY’s Northridge – Men’s Department
9301 Tampa Ave # 2500
Northridge, CA 91324
(818) 885-6611

Saturday, August 2 – 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Andre Ethier
at:AT&T
3851 Overland Ave
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 559-2019

Kent Must Carry Us

There is one out in the top of the 11th inning. The game is tied 6 to 6 in a game that should have been won outright in regulation. Clayton Kershaw sure can't catch a break. This was his eighth start and probably his best performance so far.

Jeff Kent is up to bat. The future Hall of Famer is the one veteran on the team who knows what it takes to make it into the playoffs. After all, he's done it before. Pierre, Furcal, Jones and Garciaparra are currently stuck in "injury hell." We can't depend on them to come back and carry this team. Only Kent can do it. He must step up.

Kent is facing Wesley Wright with no one on base. With one mighty swing he lifts the ball deep into the left field stands for a homerun. This old codger appears to be picking up his pace. The Dodgers win the game shortly afterwards as Saito ups his save total to 13.

Jeff has recorded 5 hits the last 3 games, but is still hitting a paltry .261 for the season. If we are to make it into the playoffs then we need him to carry us. His 40 year old frame needs to do it one last time.

If we are to go to the World Series this year, as boldly predicted this afternoon on ESPN, then Kent must lead the way.

Nice to Get a Victory

Last nights win was a perfect antidote to the lackluster showing our team displayed this weekend against our regional rivals, the Anaheim Angels. I still have not been able to put into words how disappointed I was in those games. It's like being kicked around by a younger sibling after years of being the master of the house. Now the kid is all grown up.

Anyway, beating the Reds has put me at ease. Sure, our starter -our #1 pitcher Brad Penny- did not instill much confidence. He consistently got into trouble by giving up 5 runs on 9 hits while walking 4 batters. Fortunately, Bronson Arroyo was just as bad. He gave 5 runs in 5 innings of work while giving up 9 hits and walking 3. By the time the ninth inning came around the Dodgers and Reds were tied at 5.

At the top of the ninth inning Saito quickly disposed of the Reds- 1, 2, 3. The Reds could not do the same against the Dodgers. In fact, an evening filled with errors and mistakes finally unraveled and doomed the Reds in the ninth inning.

Russell Martin hit a ground ball to the shortstop who threw wildly to first base. The ball sailed into the dugout and Martin ended up at second base. Kent grounded out to the right side of the infield allowing Martin to advance to third base with just one out.

Then, Dusty Baker did something crazy. With Loney and Kemp up next he chose to walk both intentionally to get at Dewitt with the bases loaded. I guess he figured that, given his choices, he was better off facing Dewitt and Hu rather than Loney and Kemp.

Dusty's mistake was our gain. Dewitt had been 5 for 5 in bases loaded situations this season and he did not disappoint. He slapped a single to the left side and Russell Martin walked across the plate easily. Our young hero has certainly been a huge bright spot this season.

Reflections on the First Homestand

What a great week it has been so far. It started early with the Dodgers hosting the Red Sox in an unforgettable game at the LA Coliseum. The parking lot was filled with tailgater's. BBQ's were set up and drinks were plentiful- almost too plentiful. Beer was poured easily from can to cup. To top it off, Kareem Abdul Jabbar threw a commemorative skyhook over the plate. Good Times. Even though the Dodgers lost the game nothing could stain this historic event.

Opening Day continued the magic. Players from the Dodgers past showed up in large numbers to ring in the new season. Our ace, Brad Penny was in top form as he pitched 6+ scoreless innings. Jeff Kent roared back from Spring leg problems to hit a homerun. Saito looked sharp even though he looked terrible in March. The Giants are horrendous as a team. So far the season is turning out just right.

The second game was just as exciting. Larry Bowa displayed a rare fierceness not seen within the confines of Chavez Ravine in many years. For his troubles he was given a 3 game suspension. In his stead, Mariano Duncan became the thirdbase coach and probably had a large hand in the double steal that Dewitt and Hu pulled off in the 7th inning. It eventually led to the Dodgers tying the game. Derek Lowe was shaky in his start, but was still able to scatter 9 hits while giving up only 2 runs. The Dodgers relief staff is looking solid. Who is this Troncoso kid? Then, our new Pee Wee, Delwyn Young, recorded his first hit of the year with a walk-off game-winning infield single to score Furcal in the bottom of the 9th inning. It's good to be undefeated.

The rubber game was a bit of a let down. It was a day of rain, starting pitching confusion and our first loss of the year. Billingsley and Lincecum were scheduled to start, but didn't get into the game until the 4th inning. Both coaches opted to start a relief pitcher with the belief that the rains would be coming shortly after the start of the game. Why ruin the pace of your starters routine when they can come in after a long rain delay. Unfortunately, the rains came later than expected and the coaches were forced to hinder their routine anyway. (Who says Torre is perfect?) Offense was hard to come by as the Dodgers lost a squeaker 2 to 1. Of special note, that Giant pitcher, Lincecum, is impressive.

So what did we learn after just three games.

• Even Torre can make some mistakes.
• Larry Bowa is exactly who he has been billed as.
  
• There's a new Pee Wee in the clubhouse.

Really not that much, eh? I guess it's too early to tell. All I do know, though, is that I can't wait for my first Dodger dog of the season.