Blog Kiosk: 1/30/2019 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Just one more win.

Featured above is an AP wirephoto showing an overjoyed Clem Labine (eBay Auction Link). Per the description on the reverse:

Clem Labine, Brooklyn's relief artist, leaps for joy as catcher Roy Campanella and first baseman Gil Hodges rush to congratulate hm at the of Sunday's fifth game of (1955) World Series. Labine, fourth game winner, recued Roger Craig in Sunday's game. Dodgers won, 5-3, to take series edge three games to two.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 2003 the Dodgers signed free agent infielder Ron Coomer. He would get into 69 games for the Dodgers; slashing .240/.299/.368/.667 with four homers and 15 RBI's. In 2008 pitcher DJ Houton is sold to the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks (Japan Pacific). In 2017 the Dodgers traded Carlos Frias to the Indians for cash. 
• Happy Birthday, Davey Johnson, Red Smyth, Mal Mallette, Sandy Amoros, Charlie Neal & John Lindsey!

2016 Topps Museum Collection - The Rare Dodgers Cards

I should have pics of most of the Dodgers autographed cards found in packs of 2016 Topps Museum tomorrow.  In the meantime, check out some of the rare "1 of 1" Dodgers cards that are available below. Go here to check out all of my previous post on this set.

Jumbo Lumber Bat Nameplate Relic (#/1)

• #JLNP-AGN Adrian Gonzalez
• #JLNP-AGO Adrian Gonzalez
• #JLNP-CK Clayton Kershaw
• #JLNP-CU Chase Utley
• #JLNP-DS Duke Snider
• #JLNP-HJR Hyun-Jin Ryu
• #JLNP-YP Yasiel Puig
• #JLNP-ZG Zack Greinke

#JLNP-ZG Zack Greinke           #JLNP-CU Chase Utley

2016 Topps Museum Collection - The Dodgers Relics Cards

After seeing the Dodgers base cards found in packs of 2016 Topps Museum, below are the various relic cards that are available.

Four-Player Primary Pieces Quad Relic (#/99)

#PPFQ-KGGP Greinke, Gonzalez, Kershaw & Puig

2016 Topps Heritage - All the Dodgers Base Cards

Take a look at all the Dodgers base cards found in Topps 2016 Heritage set.  Go here for a complete checklist.  I shared pics of all the variations available here.

#12 Andre Ethier                            #38 Adrian Gonzalez

Blog Kiosk: 2/23/2016 - Dodgers Links - Roberts, Blanton and Hyun-Jin Ryu

Spring training isn't only about Baseball.  During their Vero Beach days it was also about the fishing.

Featured above is a vintage press photo (via Bettman/CORBIS at SI) of Don Newcombe, Steve Lembo, Roy Campanella, Tommy Brown, and Jim Romano showing off their their booty from an afternoon at sea.  The photograph is undated, but likely dates to the late-40's to early-50's.

Below are more links to check out:

• Via Henry Shulman at the San Francisco Chronicle, "Dodgers manager Dave Roberts plans to steal from Giants’ Bruce Bochy." (subscription req.)

“I’ve definitely got a few things up my sleeve that he’s taught me, whether he knows it or not,” [manager Dave] Roberts said with a smile at a press availability Monday for all 15 Cactus League managers and general managers.

• Via Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA, "Blanton embracing new role as reliever."

“I think being a veteran and having been around a lot makes it easier because I’m not real stressed on when I’m gonna go in the game,” said Blanton. “I know once I get out there I’ll be ready – I’m not so stressed – which makes that role easier because it’s all over the board. Some guys who say ‘Hey, I’m the seventh-inning guy’ or when like ‘Alright these lefties come up I know I need to be ready at that time of the game,’ or ‘I’m the closer or the eighth-inning guy.'”

• Here's a preview pic of the Dodger Stadium replica being given out to fans on Saturday, May 14th against the Cardinals on the right.  Go here to check out the Dodgers promotional schedule.
• Via an AP story at ESPN, "Infielder Jimmy Rollins reaches minor league deal with White Sox."
• Via Doug Padilla at ESPN, "Dodgers' Hyun-Jin Ryu set up for slow-motion spring training."

“And that’s kind of by design with how we put together this roster,” (Dave Roberts) said. “We’ve added depth and to expect him to throw 200 innings coming off surgery is unrealistic. Now we have the luxury that whenever he is ready then he can contribute to the end of the season. That is a luxury we have and for all of us, talking to Ryu, takes some of the anxiety out of it.”

• Via Bill Plunkett at the OC Register, "Alex Wood confident about his status in Dodgers' deep rotation."

“I’ve never shied away from competition in any way, shape or form. … In this game at this level, once you establish yourself, you get a little bit of a comfort level. But you come to an organization like this - I don’t want to say money is no object. But when you can bring in the type of talent you can here, that competition level is always going to be there unless you’re a guy like Kershaw.”

• I thought I would note that there are a couple of very rare vintage Dodgers bobbleheads currently on auction on eBay (here and here).  They are a part of the 1960's era "Weirdo's" series and often sell in the thousands.  In fact, both bobbles are currently over a thousand dollars a piece right now.  For some background on these rarities check out my brief story about them from 2014, here.
• Beckett shares their live blog from Topps presentation at the 2016 Industry Summit in Hawaii yesterday.  Check it out here.  One notable announcement is that they will host a nationwide National Baseball Card Day this year for the first time since 2008 - date has not yet been determined.  There was also mention of some sort of deal between Topps and Dodgers pitcher Kenta Maeda, but details were scarce.  I think it's likely to be an exclusive autograph deal with the company.

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ICYMI: Check out some Dodgers' in their Halloween Garb

I know Halloween is now a distant memory, but I figured it would be fun to share some photos featuring Dodger players in their best festive attire.  No doubt these guys roamed the streets and alleyways throughout America looking for candy.

Let's start with infielder Jimmy Rollins, who I think is Aladdin, with his family in the photo above.  It was instagramed just as the evening was about to begin.

Below may not show our ace in costume, but I couldn't resist sharing this cute pic of his young daughter as a little sheep. 

Happy fall y'all! pic.twitter.com/wrA5gvfcWN

— Ellen Kershaw (@ellenkershaw) November 1, 2015

Blog Kiosk: 10/5/2015 - Dodger Links - Greinke the Comedian, Seager the Starter and Rollins as Lasorda

The Dodgers finished off the season on a grand note.  They sweeped the Padres to record their best home record in LA Dodger history, going 55-26.  Clayton Kershaw threw seven strike outs to become the first pitcher in thirteen years to reach 300 - he finished with 301.  And, to top off the last game of the season Jimmy Rollins was named the surprise manager of the game - going so far as to wear Lasorda's #2 uniform and sporting a portly belly in his honor.  Check out the great photo above, tweeted out by the Dodgers, showing Rollins and the guest pitching coach Kenley Jansen - who wore #40 in honor of Rick Honeycutt.  Rollins talks about it here.  Go here to check out some great photos from Dodger photographer Jon SooHoo of the last game.

Below, Yasiel Puig takes on final moment to get a photograph with Nancy Bea Hefley and her husband.  Photo via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2015.

Below are more links to check out:

• I love Zach Greinke, via a tweet from Bill Plunkett:

Told Greinke I had NL Cy Young vote and asked who I should vote for. He said he lost all faith in process knowing I had a vote #offmyballot

— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) October 4, 2015

• Via Adam Rubin at ESPN, "New York Mets set rotation for NLDS vs. Dodgers."

Jacob deGrom will start Friday's opener at Dodger Stadium, likely against Clayton Kershaw. Noah Syndergaard then gets Game 2 in Los Angeles, followed by Matt Harvey in Game 3 when the series shifts to Citi Field, manager Terry Collins said Sunday.

• No surprise here.  Via Steve Dilbeck at the LA Times, "Dodgers give rookie Corey Seager short notice he's a starter." 

"They're going to play him," Rollins said. "We had a conversation and that's the way it was said: 'We're going to go with the kid. That's the lineup we feel is best.'"

• Via Matthew Moreno at Dodgers Nation, "A.J. Ellis Values Consistency Heading Into Postseason."
  

  “We got to pitch to our strengths, pitch to our game plan and at this stage in the game, it’s about execution.” While Mattingly has used various lineups throughout the season, the one in Friday’s game resembled what may take the field in the postseason.
  
  “It’s important. I think it shows the importance everybody is putting home-field advantage in the first round,” Ellis said of regular starters still playing throughout the weekend. “To play here, where we’ve played so well this season. To have Clayton and Zack here would be huge for us.”

• Via Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA, "Turner’s power surge couldn’t come at a better time."
• Nick Diunte at Examiner.com writes a book review on "Clem Labine: Always a Dodger" Richard Ellott.
• This is terrible news.  Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "(Josh) Ravin's brother shot, in stable condition."  Amy Powell at ABC7 has a report, as well.  He had this to say on twitter, and I don't necessarily disagree:

My brother was shot 3× this morning by a mentally unstable person...We don't need gun control. We need Mental Health Control!

— Josh Ravin™ (@FreshSqueezed22) October 4, 2015

• Congrats to Dee Gordon for winning the NL Batting crown.  He also become the first person to lead the league in batting and stolen bases since Jackie Robinson in 1949.  Below is a tweet from the Marlins celebrating his achievement.

A curtain call from his teammates. #Respect pic.twitter.com/pE0IL5AsXI

— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) October 4, 2015

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Blog Kiosk: 10/1/2015 - Dodger Links - Greinke, the Subway War and Kershaw as Manager?

Last night's game was a little "ho-hum."  You know what I mean?  Yeah... Don Mattingly knows what I mean, via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

"I think it's human nature. It's hard to get going the next day," said manager Don Mattingly. "The day after is kind of flat. Today's a tough day. You go through a lot the day after last night, a lot of emotion is built up winning and you spend a lot of energy there. I don't know if you all feel it, but it's one of those days and you try to fight it the best you can."

They were cruising for a losing.  All the Dodgers could muster was a couple of hits and three double plays; including the try shown in the above photo of Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins hovering around the bag.  I wouldn't take last night's poor effort as a sign of anything.  Instead, think of it as a hangover... A hangover that shouldn't become a slapstick comedy filled with lost opportunities and plenty of regret.

The photo above via Jon SooHoo on twitter.  Below are more links to check out:

• Kershaw may be promoted to manager, via Mark Saxon at ESPN: "Clayton Kershaw's final start will be shortened; Zack Greinke's won't."

Now that the Dodgers have clinched the NL West, Mattingly said he will let a player manage Game 162 of this season as well, presuming the Dodgers aren’t still in the running for home-field advantage in their playoff series with the New York Mets. Mattingly said he is considering letting Clayton Kershaw manage that game, but that could set up a strange dynamic. Kershaw will be pitching in that game.

“He may have to argue with himself,” Mattingly said.

• Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider shares his thoughts on who should be on the Dodgers' NLDS roster.  Eric Stephen at True Blue LA shares his roster card here. 
• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Greinke named Campanella Award winner."
  

  Cy Young candidate Zack Greinke was named winner of the 10th annual Roy Campanella Award, given to the Dodger who best exemplifies the spirit and leadership of the late Hall of Fame Brooklyn catcher.

  The award, voted upon by Dodgers uniform personnel, will be presented to Greinke by Campanella's daughter, Joni Campanella Roan, during pregame ceremonies on Sunday.

  Considering it's voted on by his teammates, I wonder if last years not-so-little incident with Puig played a part in him being chosen.  If you don't recall what I mean, check out this article from Jeff Passan at Yahoo Sports.
  
• Via Bill Plunkett at the OC Register, Dodger GM Farhan Zaidi tells us he's happy with how the season has gone:

“You can never take it for granted,” Dodgers first-year GM Farhan Zaidi said. “A lot of things can go wrong – best-laid plans and all of that. But whatever the payroll is, whatever the guys on the field are making, they have to get it done on the field and they did a tremendous job.”

• Ted Berg at For the Win writes, "15 awesome things about the Los Angeles Dodgers."
• Check out this great graphic created by Ben Matsuya of Yasiel Puig as a pug, here. 

Aggressive base running, a flamboyant bone flip, or a big game hit, few can domesticate number 66, the PUG!

• Night Owl Cards concludes his ranking of the All-Time Topps sets, with #1 to #4, and does a fantastic job explaining his choices.
• Check out the Yankees Feud at the Hall of Very Good.
• I just love this.  The LA Metro throws down the gauntlet on twitter after the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York declares that the Mets will sweep us.

A friendly wager, @MTA? Perhaps your famous New York pizza. #Dodgers #LolMets pic.twitter.com/5g1vpMBuZF

— Metro (@metrolosangeles) September 30, 2015

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2015 Topps Heritage High Number - The Dodger Base Cards

Last week I commented about the inclusion of a Trevor Cahill Dodger card in Topps newest set - 2015 Heritage High Numbers.  Now, take a look at all the Dodger base cards that are available.  I've included the one known variation (Jimmy Rollins) and several of the parallels.  Go here to check out a complete checklist.

Base Set

#585 Yasmani Grandal                                 #595 Trevor Cahill

Blog Kiosk: 9/26/2015 - Dodger Links - AGon, Seager and Rollins

Relaxed, chillin' and just shooting the breeze.

Check out the boys hangin' out in the dugout before yesterday's opening game in Colorado.  With the division championship within reach, they definitely look like they're having fun.

Case in point, during a game where the Dodgers got shelled for seven runs Jimmy Rollins was still able to have a laugh by doing a Bumgarner on Joe West.  He mocked the Giants starter by staring intently into the eyes of the umpire.  Watch a clip of it below via CBS Sports on twitter:

LOOK: Jimmy Rollins gets in mock staredown with Joe West http://t.co/ktFA3PaKkW pic.twitter.com/9e0tbu7pEX

— CBS Sports MLB  (@CBSSportsMLB) September 26, 2015

The photo at the very top via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2015.  Go here to see more photo by Jon from yesterday's game.  Below are more links to check out:

• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Mattingly, Kershaw turn page after exchange."

"That's over," Mattingly said before Friday's 7-4 loss to the Rockies. "I talked to him in the weight room today."

Mattingly reiterated that removing Kershaw was a game decision and was not motivated by trying to limit innings so Kershaw would be stronger during the playoffs.

"I wasn't trying to shave innings," Mattingly said. "I was trying to win a game, period. I told you that [Thusday]. Clayton's awesome. Clayton's the last of my worries."

• Via Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA, "Seager’s leg soreness said to be minor."
  

  “I just wanted to be cautious [on Friday]. I’m going to need him to play shortstop in this series,” Mattingly said. “He was just heavy-legged the other day and I’d seen him shaking his legs out. It’s one of those things where I just wanted to stay away from [using] him.”
  
  Although “heavy-legged” is certainly subject to interpretation, Seager gave no indication of any health issues whatsoever when asked how he felt on Thursday afternoon.
  
  “I feel good,” Seager answered.

• Via Dylan Hernandez at the LA Times, "Adrian Gonzalez back in Dodgers lineup, wants to stay there for duration."
  

  While categorizing his back problem as "a nick," the All-Star first baseman acknowledged it's been the source of some discomfort over the last week. A disk in the lower part of his back is pinching a nerve, affecting his left leg.
  
  "My whole left side — my hamstring, my calf, my quad — everything feels weak and kind of dead, in a sense," he said. "When I'm hitting, I feel like I have no backside. When I'm running, I feel like I can't really push off my left leg."

• Jared Massey at Dodgers Nation puts together hisDodger Minor League Awards for 2015, "Bellinger, De Leon Receive Top Honors."
• Check out this Fox Sports Quiz: Which MLB Manager are you?  Apparently, I'm like Bruce Bochy - which makes a little sad and happy at the same time.
• Ben Henry at the Baseball Card blog made a fantastic 1965 Topps fantasy card featuring Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax.  Check it out here.

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Blog Kiosk: 9/17/2015 - Dodger Links - Wood, Rollins and Yasmani Grandal

How badly does Wood want to be in the rotation for the playoffs?

So bad he decided to match his cohorts by pitching an eight inning 78 pitch scoreless one-hitter last night.  Take that Kershaw and Greinke!

As to why he wasn't given an opportunity for a complete game, I'll let Alex Wood explain that; via Thomas Harding and Steve Bourbon at MLB.com:

"I wasn't going to fight too hard, especially after the [previous outing]," Wood said. "If I hadn't had the last one, then maybe I put up a little bit more of a fight, but in a 2-0 ballgame, we're trying to clinch our playoff berth, and the ninth inning, as everyone knows, is Kenley's, for the most part."

Go here if you want to watch highlights of Wood stifling the Rockies.  Photo of Alex Wood above via @Dodgers on twitter.  Go here to see a bunch of photos from yesterday's game from Jon SooHoo.  Below are more links to check out:

• Via Daniel Starkand at Dodgers Nation, "Mattingly Softens On Committing To Rollins At Shortstop."

“We’ll see. We’re going to continue to put the best lineup out there,” he said. “What mixture of guys that is, is where we going to see.” Rollins has used as a pinch-runner in recent games, but when he will be able to play the field is still up in the air. He took batting practice and fielder ground balls on Tuesday, but still hasn’t thrown. 

• Via Steve Bourbon at MLB.com, "Rollins feeling pain in finger when throwing."

"Jimmy didn't go that great. He started throwing, got about 10 or 12 into it and was feeling it, so we had to back off and stop that," Mattingly said. "So that didn't go as well as we would've liked."

• Via Zachary D. Rymer at the Bleacher Report, "Has Yasiel Puig Become Expendable Piece of Los Angeles Dodgers' Playoff Puzzle?"

This is to say Puig may not be healthy until the postseason arrives. At that point, it'll have been over a month since his last major league game, leaving the Dodgers little to go off of regarding whether he's worthy of a spot on their postseason roster.

It's no wonder that Mattingly's uncertainty about the situation comes across even in print: "I think we'd have to see a little bit. We just cross those bridges as we get there. I guess it would depend on what he's able to do at that point."

• Go Farm!  Cary Osborne at Dodger Insider, "Dodgers’ Single-A partner are Cardiac Quakes; will play for Cal League title."
• Via Matthew Moreno at Dodgers Nation, "Yasmani Grandal Adjusted Batting Stance To Aid Shoulder."
  

  “We’ve been working on a couple of different things, like changing the hitting stance a little bit. It doesn’t put so much strain on the shoulder,” Grandal said. “Obviously we had some inflammation in there and it kind of calmed down already. The training staff has done a good job. Hopefully going forward it stays the same.”

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Blog Kiosk: 9/14/2015 - Dodger Links - Greinke, Rollins and Corey Seager

Justin Turner and the Dodgers had a grand ol' time in Arizona yesterday.  Turner recorded two hits and an RBI while the Dodgers won their second game of the three game series to drop their "Magic Number" to 13.  Best yet, Zach Greinke continued to build on his Cy Young bonifides by pitching eight shut out innings.  Via Steve Gilbert and Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

"They're an aggressive team and Zack just teases you with borderline pitches and that's why he gets so many ground balls against left-handed hitters," said catcher A.J. Ellis, who homered for the eventual decisive run. "Zack executes so well on the bottom half of the zone."

Photo above of Justin Turner goofing on DBacks mascot Baxter via SportsNet LA on twitter.  Below are more links to check out:

• Via Barry M. Bloom at MLB.com, "Improved Greinke is having all-time great season."

"I'm a better pitcher now," Greinke said. "I used to try and strike everybody out. Now I just try to make a good pitch. And then when I throw the next one, I try to make a better pitch."

• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Rollins will get shortstop job back upon return."

Via Don Mattingly: "I don't know what the chatter is with Corey and that position, but he's going to be really good. At this point, where we're at, we don't plan … Andrew and the front office hasn't come to me and said, put him in there every day. The plan has always been to give Jimmy days and J.T. days. He's played more than we thought because of injuries and done a good job."

• Via Mark Saxon at ESPN, "Corey Seager continues to impress."

“When you’re going good, you’re always confident. That comes with it,” Seager said. “You’re relaxed, everything’s clicking. It’s been a good run so far, so I’m going to try to keep that rolling.”

• ICYMI:  Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Dodgers deal Minor Leaguer Barney to Jays."  In return, the Dodgers receive minor league catcher Jack Murphy, via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA.
• Alex Cora at the Sons of Steve Garvey ran at the annual Dodgers 5K / 10K / Kids Run this past weekend and shares a bunch of pics.  Check it out here.
• Mat Latos will now work out of the bullpen as a long reliever, via Ken Gurnick on twitter:

Mat Latos now long reliever, Mattingly said.

— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) September 13, 2015

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Blog Kiosk: 9/12/2015 - Dodger Links - Some Odds and Ends

Check out this fantastic vintage 1920 International press photo from game 2 of the World Series.  Hall of Fame pitcher Burleigh Grimes is shown scoring the second run in the game on a double by Tommy Griffith.  As you can see, Cleveland Indians catcher Steve O'Neil is unable to make the tag on a sliding Grimes.  Although the Dodgers didn't win the crown this season there were plenty of highlights.  For instance, Burleigh Grimes would go on to pitch a seven hit shutout to bring the Robins (Dodgers) to a series tie of one game apiece.  The above photo is via RMY Auctions and is currently on auction there.  Check out the listing here.

Below are more links to check out:

• Via Brandon Lennox at True Blue LA, "OKC Dodgers eliminated from PCL playoffs."
• Listen to Vin Scully speak with Colin Cowherd of Fox Sports talk about Sandy Koufax here.

When I walked in the clubhouse I saw the fella who was going to try out, and my first thought was, ‘he’s got a big back’ and my second thought was, ‘he’s all tan, fully tan. So he’s probably spent the summer on the beach, I can’t imagine he’s that good of a ballplayer.’ So, I failed as a scout. I went down to the bullpen at Ebbets Field and I stood along with maybe two or three other people and watched this kid throw. He threw hard, bounced his curveball. I had just finished playing ball for college the previous summer, so he was like I thought, a lot of the pitchers that I saw in college; threw hard and was wild. And of course the next thing I know, he is a magnificent pitcher, awesome, and inspiring and every adjective and participle you can think of. He was really special.”

• Via Mark Saxon at ESPN, "Seager growing into a major role with Dodgers."

"He's very process-driven and you see that here, too, just the way he plays the game. He doesn't show much emotion when he plays, similar to his brother," said Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis. "He just goes out and competes and tries to make the right baseball play."

• Via Maren Angus at MLB.com, "Five questions with the Dodgers' top prospect and September callup Corey Seager."

Q: What was the conversation like when you got "the call?"
A: Our [Oklahoma City] manager D.B. [Damon Berryhill] called me around 1:00 and just said, "Congratulations, you're going." I freaked out a little, I almost hung up on him and called my parents. It was fun. I called [my brother] Kyle about an hour after I talked to my parents.

• I got a chuckle out of this.  Via Tom Ley at Deadspin, "Good Dodgers Fan Flips Off The Whole World." 
• Jusr being mindful appears to be the key.  Via Mark Saxon at ESPN, "What's behind the Dodgers' better baserunning?"

Two things happened when the Dodgers got to Oakland for a quick two-game series Aug. 18 and 19. First, Ron Roenicke was brought in to replace Lorenzo Bundy as the third-base coach. Second, the coaches convened the players for a team meeting and showed them the metrics the front office compiled.
...
“We’re leading the way, stealing more bases. That probably made Jimmy [Rollins] want to steal more bases because he hadn’t been doing it before,” Crawford said. “I’d like to say we helped it. That’s what we’re trying to do, make guys more aggressive and run the bases better.”

• I thought I'd pass along photos of a new piece by noted Baseball artist Sean Kane who uses vintage gloves as his canvas.  He recently completed is a fantastic drawing commemorating the poem "Casey at the Bat" using three old catchers mitts side-by-side.  Check out a pic below.  He also shares a video on his website featuring a "making of" collage of the painted gloves.  Watch the video here.  You can also check out an interview I did with the artist a few years ago here.

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2015 Bowman Chrome Baseball - The Dodger Base Cards

Another week, another new Baseball card set.

Up to the plate is Topps newest card set called Bowman Chrome.  This set continues where the 2015 Bowman Baseball set left off in May.  There are a bunch of prospects and autographed insert cards.  Below are all of the Dodger base cards that are available; including Chrome Prospect cards of past 1st rounders Grant Holmes and Corey Seager.  Go here to see a complete checklist.  I'll have pics of all the insert cards tomorrow.

#3 Yasmani Grandal                                #34 Jimmy Rollins

Blog Kiosk: 9/8/2015 - Dodger Links - Ruggiano and Corey Seager on Julio Urias

Could Justin Ruggiano be our next great pinch-hitter?

He's been on quite a tear of late for the Dodgers.  He's had three off-the-bench opportunities since coming over from Seattle, and has successfully driven in a run each time.  Obviously that's far too small of a sample size to extrapolate further.  Still, you gotta like what he'd done at the plate for us so far.  He's getting an opportunity to contribute, and has made the most of it.

Last night might have been his most important pinch-hit so far.  With the game locked up in a 1-1 tie in the 5th inning, Ruggiano came in to hit with two men on base.  On the very first pitch he lined a double to left that scored the runners and gave the Dodgers an import two runs.  (You can watch it here)

Photo above via @Dodgers on twitter.  BTW, the Dodgers "Magic Number" is now at 17.  Below are more links to check out:

• Via Dan O'Neill at STL Post-Dispatch, "Greinke brings Gibson's amazing '68 season into focus."
• Fantastic!  Eric Stephen at True Blue LA recalls the first Dodger game he remembers watching: "Sock day at Dodger Stadium, 30 years later."
• Via Steve Bourbon at MLB.com, "Grandal, Rollins join litany of injured Dodgers."

Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal was scratched from the starting lineup in Monday night's series opener against the Angels with a sore left shoulder in the same spot that caused him to miss three games in late August. Also sitting was shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who was set to have an X-ray on a jammed knuckle on his right hand.

• Via JP Hoornstra at Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, "Corey Seager pumps Julio Urias up while Dodgers pump the brakes." 

“His command was unbelievable,” Seager said. “He threw it where he needed to at all times and his changeup was really working for him. People were missing by two feet. He threw it 20, 30 percent of the time and literally people couldn’t hit it.”
...
“They should be (excited). He’s coming and it’s going to be impressive.”

• Via Chris Mitchell at FanGraphs, "Projecting Corey Seager." 
• Via Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA, "Dodgers pitching prospect Pablo Fernandez to miss postseason."

They shut him down and sent him home to rest, nothing else I’ve heard further,” said Quakes pitching coach Bill Simas prior to Monday afternoon’s game. “I think it was just some tightness [in his elbow], I don’t think it was anything major.”

• Via Michael Clair at MLB.com, "Will Ferrell inducted into the Hall of Fame (kind of) before world premiere of 'Ferrell Takes the Field'"

Ferrell's plaque, which was presented by the Dodgers' Adrian Gonzalez and the Padres' Wil Myers (whom Ferrell "carried" on the field during his appearance with the Padres during Spring Training), honors his nicknames, "Cactus Rose" and "Mr. Clutch" and forever commemorates the 92-mph fastball that he fouled off.

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Blog Kiosk: 8/26/2015 - Dodger Links - Rollins, Kershaw and Pederson

Following Kershaw's advice to play with urgency, Jimmy Rollins did just that.  Last night he hit a towering 422 foot home run to right field to cap a Dodger offensive explosion that had them score five runs for their first win during this current road trip.  Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

"He's 100 percent right about that," Rollins said of Kershaw's advice. "It's almost like cruise control a little bit at times. It isn't because of effort, every team goes through that. When it's recognized, guys call that out, and you get back on the grind. Now the marathon is over and it's a five-week sprint. We're out front, and everybody is gunning for just that one spot. We have to show why we're the better team every single night."

Photo above via @Dodgers on twitter.  Below are some more links to check out:

• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Mattingly backs Kershaw's call for 'urgency'"

"When Kersh says we should play with panic -- I'd say a sense of urgency -- it tells you that he's not real happy with the urgency we're playing with, or the lack of urgency," said Mattingly.

"I think Kersh is one of our leaders. When he speaks, guys tend to listen to him for the respect they have for him, the way he goes about his business and the way he backs it up on the field. You would hope you have a number of guys that feel the same way, not just Kersh. When you get in tough situations, they're the guys that do things right. Obviously, Kersh is a huge voice."

• Via Anthony Castrovince at MLB.com, "5 key issues Dodgers must resolve down stretch."
• Via Mark Saxon at ESPN, "Joc Pederson understands his demotion."

“We’re in a time when we need to win ballgames and put the best team out there and that’s not me right now,” Pederson said. “I can live with that.”
...
“I think that I really struggled right before the All-Star break and right after. There were some things that were just baseball. You hit it hard, it goes at them. You strike out a lot. Some things don’t go your way,” Pederson said. “But it’s the past. It’s not a big deal. I need to continue to grow as a player.”

• Via Jeff Spiegel at Dodgers Nation, "J.P. Hoornstra Explains Finding ’50 Greatest Dodgers Games of All Time’"

But then begins the hard part — combing through more than 10,000 games to find the 50 greatest — whatever that means. “I kind of had an idea of three games I thought would be the top three,” he said.

And then I had a list of maybe 25 others that I didn’t have to do much research on. The back-half, however, were games I had never heard of or simply didn’t realize the Dodgers had been the opposing team in. Some were actually embarrassing to admit I didn’t realize the Dodgers had played in.”

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Blog Kiosk: 8/20/2015 - Dodger Links - Puig, Zaidi and Rollins

Jimmy Rollins seems happy to have his former teammate in LA.  Watch what he said about it in the clubhouse yesterday from SportsNet LA, here.  Photo above from @SportsNetLA on twitter.  Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Rollins likes idea of reunion with Utley."

"I think it would be a lot of fun," Rollins said. "One, he loved this team, went to school at UCLA, plays well at Dodger Stadium, actually beats up the Dodgers. If everything goes through and he's here, it would be nice to see him play home games in a place he's comfortable playing.

"He can add a lot. Hopefully, No. 1 first and foremost, if he's healthy and in a good place. That being the case, the way he's swung the bat, the way he's been playing, we can use it, anybody can. He's a tough guy. More than anything, there will be some new excitement in the clubhouse. He'll have the chance to play meaningful baseball late in the year. It's what we all want."

Below are some links to check out:

• ICYMI:  The two Dodger prospects sent to Philadelp[hia as a part of the Chase Utley trade are infielder/outfielder Darnell Sweeney and minor league pitcher John Richy.  Per a Dodger press release:

Sweeney was hitting .271 with nine homers, 30 doubles, 32 stolen bases and 49 RBI in 116 games this year for Triple-A Oklahoma City this season. The 24-year-old was the Dodgers’ 13th-round selection out of the University of Central Florida in 2012.

Richy, the Dodgers’ third-round draft selection out of UNLV in 2014, was 10-5 with a 4.20 ERA in 22 games (18 starts) for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga this season. The right-hander pitched for Rookie-level Ogden and Single-A Great Lakes in 2014.  

• BTW, to make room for Utley on the Dodgers roster they have DFA's Alberto Callaspo, via Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider.
• Jon also shares a whole bunch of quotes from Dodger GM Farhan Zaidi about the trade and the "State of the Dodgers," here.

•  On why they targeted Utley: “It’s everything. Beyond the numbers, he’s always been a very good defensive second baseman … he’s shown that range (since he came back from the disabled list). His quality of at-bats has been near the top of the league. We made it a point to stack our lineup with players who have quality at-bats. He’s always hit well at Dodger Stadium.

• “I think we have all the elements of a really good team. We got out of the gates really strong, and we’ve had stretches in other parts of the season where we did certain things well and struggled in other areas. I think we still have talent to bookend our season with a stretch … where we’re firing on all cylinders. We think we have the ingredients of a really good team, and it’s going to come down to execution.”

• Via Mark Saxon at ESPN, "Yasiel Puig has mild hamstring strain."  He should be ready to go on Friday.

"It was pretty good news today, it feels like," Mattingly said. "This is way less than last time, it seems like. At this point, he's calling it, 'very mild,' and the MRI is not showing a whole lot and Yasiel looks good."

• Panini has released some more preview pic for their upcoming 2015 Immaculate Baseball set; including the Yasiel Puig jumbo relic card on the right.  Go here to check out a bunch of great pics.

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Blog Kiosk: 8/11/2015 - Dodger Links - Rollins, Peraza and Grandal

Jimmy Rollins is seen goofing around with a young child prior to the start of yesterday's game, via the photo above by Dodger photographer Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2015.  Go here to check out more pics by Jon from yesterday's game.

On a side note, I know it feels like we are in the midst of deadly hail storm intent on destroying whatever accomplishments the Dodger have made this season.  It's like we're trapped within a dark forest of doubt and fear (us fans, that is), and everywhere we turn, every time we try to move forward, we end up taking a few steps back.  Believe me, though, this is just temporary. 

There's a constant ebb and flow to the season, and right now we are stuck in the valley.  Sooner or later we'll find ourselves climbing that mountain.  And when we do your mood and the general attitude of those online with mellow out like a good bourbon on a warm summers night. 

Sure, we still have memories of those game decisions that make us to rant like a group of bloodthirsty hyenas, but you should always keep in mind that this game has nothing to do with perfection.  Per Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider a few days ago:

Imperfection is not the same as incompetence. Not having reached the ideal — especially in August — does not mean the season is lost.

This game is about perseverance, and fortunately we've got plenty of Baseball left to play.  Right now, we remain in first place. That's something to not only be thankful for, but is also something that should strengthen whatever faith you have that the Dodgers will be OK.

Below are some links to check out:

• Via Spencer Bingol at Beyond the Boxscore, "Yasmani Grandal is one of the most valuable young players in baseball."
• Via Lyle Spencer at MLB.com, "Dodgers in good hands of steady vet Rollins."

"Losing Howie hurts, but somebody else steps up. Your job as a leader is to make it as easy as possible, to help guys be themselves. Nothing changes; it's still baseball. The only thing that's different is that everybody's an All-Star now."

• Via Steve Bourbon at MLB.com, "Dodgers' Peraza debuts, triples for first hit."

"At first, I thought he was going to get that ball," Peraza said. "When I saw he didn't, I just kept running and running."

• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Carlos Frias has option voided, placed back on major league DL."  Nothing to really see here.  Frias is just reinstated to the Major League DL.
• Just in case you still have a Kemp crush.  Via jbox at Gaslamp Ball, "Meeting Matt Kemp and wearing his Oakley sunglasses."

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Blog Kiosk: 8/5/2015 - Dodger Links - Wood, Pederson and Jimmy Rollins

Alex Wood had a very good start with the Dodgers yesterday evening, and if not for a 7th inning snafu we might be focused on only that.  Unfortunately, the balk happened.  Then, the wheels fell off the Dodgers wagon.  Not that it's Wood's fault.  He pitched great.  It's just that his balk lead to an unfortunate outcome.

If you haven't seen Wood's pitch (Come on, really? It's only become the web's most recent sensation) check it out here at Cut 4.  As you can see, during mid-windup the ball slipped out of his hand and headed towards first base.  That put runners on second and third base.  The batter then walked to load the bases for Maikel Franco; who proceeded to hit a grand slam.  A game that was once tied at one was now a 5-1 Phillies advantage.  Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

"It's been a weird eight days, for sure," said Wood, who also singled in his first at-bat. "I put us in a bad situation in the seventh, they ended up capitalizing. That's not the way I envisioned the first one going."

A game that looked like it would be remembered as an outstanding beginning for the former Braves pitcher would now become an viral internet sensation. 

The pic above is via @SportsNetLA on twitter.  Below are some links to check out:

• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Dodgers sticking with Pederson despite slump."

"I think really now is not the time to start messing with the club and getting away from playing great defense in the middle of the field," he said. "Right now we have Joc sitting in the eight-hole, where there's really no pressure. We're not asking for a lot of offense. Really, there's been no talk of anything different."

• They still love Jimmy Rollins in Philly.  Via Ryan Lawrence at Philly.com:

"It was cool," said Rollins, who had to step out and raise his helmet a second time. "It was greatly appreciated. It went longer than I thought . I came out, they clapped, I nodded and got back in the box. And they just kept going. I was like,'Geez, we do have a game to play.' But it was a great moment for them to show their appreciation. I'm glad it was that way."

• Walker Buehler, the Dodgers 2016 1st round draft pick, has an inauspicious start to his Dodger career, via a tweet from Dodger broadcaster Alanna Rizzo.

1st round selection, Walker Buehler, will undergo Tommy John surgery tomorrow. His expected return is 12-18 months. #Dodgers

— Alanna Rizzo (@alannarizzo) August 4, 2015

• JP Hoornstra at Inside the Dodgers shares a quote from Farhan Zaidi regarding Buehler and his surgery:

“As far as signing him, we still think he is one of the top pitching talents in the draft,” Zaidi said. “We have the luxury of being able to play the long game. Even if it puts him a year behind, we think when he comes back he’s going to justify where we selected him. Obviously we signed him for a reduced number that allowed us to do some other things in the draft.”

• Via George Vrechek at Sports Collectors Digest, "Former Employee Butch Jacobs Explains How Topps Picked the Pictures."

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2015 Allen & Ginter Baseball - The Dodger RIP, Boxtoppers and other Rarities

Here is a last look at the Dodger cards found within packs of 2015 Allen & Ginter.  Go here to check out all of my previous post on this set.

Featured directly below are the Dodger RIP cards.  There are single, double and mini RIP cards available.  As the name suggest, there is a card hidden within that has to be ripped out, via a tab at the top.  These hidden cards are typically scarcer and more sought after in the hobby.  Of special note are the mini-RIP cards that has an even smaller card hidden within it (typically numbered #/2).  You can watch a Rip card getting ripped here.

Rip Cards

#RIP-43 Adrian Gonzalez                 #RIP-44 Clayton Kershaw