2017 Panini Elite Extra Edition - All the Dodgers Cards

2017 Panini Elite Extra Edition Baseball, released this past Wednesday, is their answer to Topps 2017 Bowman Draft brand released on the same day. It features a whole bunch of prospects; including the Dodgers first three draft picks from this year -- Jeren Kendall, Morgan Cooper and Connor Wong. Go here for a complete checklist.

Notably, this set also has cards of Jose Miguel Fernandez available in packs -- he was released by the club just three weeks ago.

Base

#23 Jeren Kendall

#62 Morgan Cooper           #81 Tim Locastro

2017 Bowman Draft - All the Dodgers Cards

Topps newest set to hit store shelves is their 2017 Bowman Draft brand. As always, these cards include some of the very first cards of kids drafted in 2017. Of the seven Dodgers in the base set three were drafted just this past summer -- Morgan Cooper (2nd rd), Connor Wong (3rd rd) and James Marinan (4th rd). Go here for a complete checklist. Below are all of the Dodgers' cards.

Base & Base Chrome

Normal Base                        Base Chrome
#BD-30 Morgan Cooper      #BDC-30 Morgan Cooper

Blog Kiosk: 6/16/2017 - Dodgers Links - Garvey at the Congressional Baseball Game

After all of the turmoil from the other day it was awfully nice that yesterdays annual Congressional Baseball Game turned out so well. A record crowd of almost 25,000 fans packed the stadiums lower bowl and cheered, rooted and gave standing ovations for just about everything. It was like Baseball has retaken its rightful place as America's unifying sport. BTW, Dodger legend Steve Garvey was also there to lend a hand and lead a prayer on the field before the game. Per Chuck Raasch at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

“Just here to support the guys and gals,” said Garvey, a long-time first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

“It’s our national pastime,” he added. “If anything is bipartisan, it’s baseball.”

It is expected that the amount of money raised for charity, including literacy, Boys and Girls Clubs, and Capitol Police, will be near $1 million. As a side note, the final score from the match was very lopsided. The Dems defeated the Repubs 11-2. Photos above via Steve Garvey on his twitter.

BTW, the Dodgers six game winning was snapped yesterday afternoon. Oh well... Winning isn't everything. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1961 the Dodgers signed amateur free agent Roy Gleason. He would get a cup of coffee with the Dodgers in 1963 -- recording a double in his only at-bat and getting a World Series ring. Soon thereafter he would be drafted into the Army and be sent to Vietnam. Gleason would lose his World Series ring there, and becomes the only US Combat Veteran and former Major League Baseball player to receive "Special Congressional Recognition" for being awarded a "Purple Heart", a World Series Ring, and holding a "Perfect" Lifetime Major League Batting Average. In 1963 rookie pitcher Nick Willhite shut out the Cubs, 2-0, and become the first Los Angeles pitcher for throw a shutout in his Major League debut. In 1977 the Dodgers purchased right-handed reliever and Los Angeles native Bobby Castillo from the Kansas City Royals. 
• Happy Birthday, Pete Coscarart, Stan Wall & Jonathan Broxton!

Dodgers Pick Pitcher Morgan Cooper in the Second Round - Welcome to the Blue!

With the Dodgers second pick of the day, 62nd overall in the 2nd round yesterday, the Dodgers select right-handed University of Texas pitcher Morgan Cooper. Unsurprisingly, Cooper had Tommy John surgery in 2014 (the Dodgers have not been afraid to draft these players) and missed all of following season. He was also drafted last year by the Nationals in the 34th round, but did not sign. Furthermore, I am not aware of any cards made of him, but I will continue to look. Per a Dodgers press release:

In the second round, Los Angeles selected 22-year-old University of Texas right-handed pitcher Morgan Cooper. As a redshirt junior in 2017, he posted a 6-3 record in 16 games (15 starts) while recording a 2.32 ERA (23 ER/89.1 IP) and holding the opposition to a .208 batting average. Rated as the 80th overall pitching prospect by Baseball America, he led the Longhorns in starts (15), strikeouts (110) and strikeouts per nine innings (11.1) this season. The Jarrell, Texas native was named to the 2017 Collegiate Baseball All-America Third team and is a semifinalist for the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound pitcher was scouted by Dodgers’ scout Clint Bowers.