Blog Kiosk: 6/21/2019 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Cody doesn't only slug -- he's got a golden glove too. Last night he saved the day when he fielded a sacrifice bunt attempt and threw out the lead-runner at third base. It not only recorded an important first out of the ninth inning, but also helped salvage a precarious one-run lead. Per Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

"Cody's play saved the game," said catcher Austin Barnes, who added that he would have accepted the out at first base on Austin if Bellinger hadn't cut in front of him. "Cody's crazy. He won the game." 

"I just started crashing once he squared around and knew that Vogt was running," said Bellinger. "It was more of whoever was picking up would throw to the base you think. I didn't hear anything, just focused on third. Turned out to be a big play. It probably would have been the weirdest loss I've ever been a part of. Good thing it wasn't, and a win is a win."

Photo above via Juan Ocampo/Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Insider. Go here to check out more pics from yesterdays game. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1959 former Dodger Don Newcombe, now a pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds, throws a complete game victory over Los Angeles, 17-3, at the LA Memorial Coliseum. It is his eighth win of the season. He recorded six strike outs and goes 4-for-4 at the plate -- all singles with four runs driven in. In 1998 the Dodgers replaced their manager, Bill Russell, with coach Glenn Hoffmann. Fred Claire is also fired, as Tommy Lasorda becomes the new GM. In 2016 the Dodgers signed Dean Kremer -- the first ever Israeli to sign a contract with a major league club. He had just been drafted in the 14th round of the 2016 MLB June Amateur Draft. 
• Happy Birthday, Randy Moore, Jackie Collum & Rick Sutcliffe!

Blog Kiosk: 11/27/2018 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

As I'm sure you've heard by now, the Dodgers will be hiring former Dodger farmhand and recent Angels Bench Coach Dino Ebel to be their 3rd base coach next season, per Bill Plunkett of the OC Register on twitter. He has a long history with the Dodgers, so his return is likely to be heralded. Per Craig Minami at True Blue LA:

He played and coached in the California League and then he began to just coach for the San Antonio Missions, the Dodger affiliate in the Texas League in 1996. 

Ebel started his minor-league managerial career for San Bernardino in 1997 and then managed the Dodger Rookie-League team in Great Falls in 1998. He would manage teams in the Northwest, California, South Atlantic and Southern Leagues for the next five seasons until he left the Dodger organization at the end of the 2004 season.

Featured above are two minor league cards of Dino. On the left is a 1991 ProCards and on the right is a 1993 Cal League card. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1953 Roy Campanella is the named the National League MVP for the second time in his career. He slashed .312/.395/.611/1.006 with 41 homer runs, a league leading 142 RBI's and recorded 7.1 WAR. In 1956 Don Newcombe was awarded the inaugural Cy Young Award, going 27-7 with a 3.06 ERA. A week prior he was given both the MVP and Rookie of the Year Awards; thereby becoming the first and only player to win all three major awards for a pitcher in one season.
• Happy Birthday, Jimmy Schmitz, Mike Scioscia & Jimmy Rollins!

Congrats, Drillers! Here's Some Fantasy Custom Baseball Cards in Celebration

In celebration of the Tulsa Drillers -- the Dodgers Double-A club -- league championship victory over the weekend I made a bunch of fantasy cards featuring some of the players. Check them out above and below.

Blog Kiosk: 8/7/2018 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Wow! This is what I call an action photo.

Featured above is an International News press photo from May 23, 1938 featuring a dramatic play at the plate. Per the descriptor on the reverse:

Something to "get up in the air" about -- Ival Goodman, right fielder for Cincinnati, is "Stopped" by the camera as he scored against the Brooklyn Dodgers. Catcher (Babe) Phelps of the Dodgers is waiting expectantly for Ernie Koy's throw. Note the alertness of umpire. The Reds won the game, 6-4.

Check out the eBay auction for the pic here. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1915 rookie Dodgers pitcher Ed Appleton committed a grievous error due to a bit of trickery by Cardinals manager Miller Huggins. In the seventh inning of a tied game Huggins, while coaching at third base, called for the ball from Appleton -- 'Let me see that ball'. Appleton obliged and tossed the ball, only to see Huggins step aside to allow ball to roll on the field. A Cardinal runner then scored a go-ahead run. The Dodgers protested, but time out hadn't been called, so the run counted. In 2003 Eric Gagne tied the single season record for consecutive saves to start the season at 38. It also marked the 46th consecutive regular-season save overall.
• Happy Birthday, Adonis Terry, Tom Drake, Rocky Bridges, José Domínguez& Jose De Leon!

Blog Kiosk: 6/27/2018 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

I'm not going to focus on yesterday's loss. It's water under the bridge.

The most important item of the day is how South Korea helped out Mexico in World Cup play this morning. Wow! What an upset.

Photo of Julio Urias and Hyun-Jin Ryu via Urias on Twitter this morning. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Baseball History: In 1939 the Dodgers and Boston Braves/Bees play a 23 inning game that ends in a 2-2 tie. In 1980 Jerry Reuss throws a no-hitter against the Giants at Cadelstick Park, 8-0. He faces just 28 batters, and missed a perfect game due to an error by Bill Russell in the first inning. In 2011 the Dodgers file for bankruptcy following the leagues refusal to approve a multibillion-dollar TV deal with FoxSports.
• Happy Birthday, Jackie Hayes, Bull Durham, Hank Behrman, Wayne Terwilliger, Daryl Ward & Jim Johnson!

Blog Kiosk: 3/24/2017 - Dodgers Links - Some Spring Odds and Ends

Corey Seager is on the cover of this seasons ESPN the Magazine MLB Preview issue.  It should be on newsstands soon.

Photo above via ESPN on twitter.  Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History:  In 1982 Fernando Valenzuela ends his three week holdout and reports to Vero Beach for spring camp.  He earned just $42,500 in 1981, requested a raise to $1 million, then had his Dodger contract unilaterally renewed for a reported $350,000. In 2006 the U.S. Postal Service unveils the "Baseball Sluggers" postage stamps that includes Mickey Mantle, Mel Ott, Hank Greenberg and Roy Campanella.  See it on the right.
• Happy Birthday, Jim McCauley, Mike Mowrey, Jim Bucher, Dick Egan, Wilson Alvarez & Jamie Arnold!

Blog Kiosk: 1/25/2017 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Yesterday afternoon Trayce Thompson hosted a bunch of kids and their families who are patients at Cedars-Sinai for a movie night at Dodger Stadium.  First, though, he spent some time showing the tykes the Dodgers clubhouse.

Day three of the Dodgers Love L.A. Community Tour is today and it's filled with plenty of appearances throughout LA.  First, Andre Ethier and Julio Urias will hold a clinic for more than 20 Special Olympics of Southern California athletes at the Dodgers Dreamfield at Baldwin Hills Recreation Center from 9:30 Am to 11:30 AM.  At 10:00 AM the Los Angeles City Council will formally recognize Dave Roberts as the 2016 NL "Manager of the Year" at City Hall.  At the same time, Adam Liberatore, Ron Cey, Al Ferrara and Dennis Powell will promote literacy at four different Los Angeles public libraries.  Finally, Ethier and Roberts will take part in a "Thank You Lunch" for the LAPD at the Northeast Community Police Station.

Photo at the very top via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2017.  Go here to check out more pics taken by Jon from yesterday's tour events.  Below are more links to check out:

• Happy Birthday, Ray Schmandt, Ed Head & Ed Goodson!
  

Blog Kiosk: 3/19/2016 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

The players on the 2015 Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, a Single-A club of the Dodgers, received their Cal League Championship rings yesterday.  What a beaut, eh?

Photo above via a tweet by Jacob Scavuzzo.  Below are more links to check out:

• I was never worried.  Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Dodgers' Seager expected to be ready for Opening Day."

"We're pretty optimistic for Opening Day," said (Dave) Roberts. "He's doing well. He's been a very good patient."

• Eric Stephen at True Blue LA shares his report on, "Dodgers top prospects 2016: Yaisel Sierra."

Perhaps my biggest disagreement between scouting reports on Sierra and what I watched on video is the smoothness of his delivery. While Sierra has a quick arm and clean action overall, he shows some stiffness in his wrists and quite a bit of recoil in his October outings. I didn’t see a consistent release point and he had a tendency to pull himself offline and toward first base. It does appear on the brief film with the Dodgers that he has begun working to correct the recoil and keeping his upper body motion more in line with the target.

• Take a look at some preview pics of new Panini Baseball card being introduced later this year -- 2016 Panini Flawless, via Blowout Buzz.  It is scheduled to be released on June 1st.  Autographed cards of Jackie Robinson and Corey Seager are below:

• I think it's likely we'll be seeing some more Shawn Green Dodgers autographed Baseball cards this season.  This is just an educated guess based solely on the below tweeted photo by @Celebzdirect:

Been a long week- last Friday @shawngreen15 was a professional as always signing some great cards for @toppscards pic.twitter.com/FJ8i4SPEnr

— Celebzdirect (@celebzdirect) March 18, 2016

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Blog Kiosk: 12/8/2015 - Dodger Links - Chapman, Scavuzzo and a Couple New Players

Above is another vintage Charles Conlon photograph from the 1920 World Series at RMY Auctions.  This time I feature a pic of Brooklyn Robins/Dodgers right fielder Tommy Griffith.  He played  seven season for us, slashing .285/.333/.394/.727 in Blue. 

His 1920 season was a strange one.   Griffith had actually retired and was thus a no-show that Spring.  Nelson 'Chip' Greene at the SABR Biography Project shares more details:

Earlier, Griffith had become a stock salesman. During the just-completed season, in fact, he had sold stocks while traveling with the team and had been doing well, reportedly making enough money to make the venture a “pleasant and profitable pastime.” (His decision to retire was also undoubtedly due to lingering resentment over his trade the previous year, as it was reported that “intimate friends say he is peeved because he was traded off the Cincinnati club.”) When Brooklyn opened spring training camp in Jacksonville, Florida, in March 1920, Griffith was a no-show. He wasn’t going to stay away for long, however. In 1920, after hovering around .500 for most of the first month, the team climbed into pennant contention and stayed there all season long. In May, manager Wilbert Robinson and team owner Charles Ebbets got Griffith’s new employer to guarantee that Griffith would not lose his chance for advancement or seniority if the ballplayer returned to the club. Griffith, who’d been playing with a local semipro team to stay in shape, agreed to come back. When he returned on May 27, Brooklyn’s record was 16-13. Over the remainder of the season the team played .616 ball (77-48) and finished with a record of 93-61, to win the National League flag.

It's funny to think that he chose working 9-5 over Baseball, but such was the time.  Ballplayers didn't make as much as other professions (let alone what they make today), and if other opportunities arose it was likely to make the professional game an afterthought.

Below are more links to check out:

• I hate to lead with this.  Via Tim Brown and Jeff Passan at Yahoo Sports: "Police report: Aroldis Chapman allegedly fired gunshots, 'choked' girlfriend in domestic incident."  This is terrible - not only for the individuals involved in the incident described in the story, but also for us fans.  I'll have my thoughts on the matter shortly.  In the meantime, below is an excerpt:

The incident started, Chapman’s girlfriend told police, after she went into a bathroom of Chapman’s 10,000-square-foot-plus house and “found something in his phone that she did not like,” according to the report. Chapman, his girlfriend told police, then took the phone from her, the report said. They went to the movie theater inside of Chapman’s home, where “he had pushed her against the wall,” according to the report, and “that Chapman had ‘choked’ her by placing his hands around her neck, but did not prevent her from breathing at any time.” Police did not observe “injuries or even redness anywhere on her neck or chest,” the report said.

• Ah, crap!  Via Jayson Stark on twitter:

Even if the Dodgers don't trade for Chapman, they have issues. Talked to someone who spoke with Kenley Jansen. Described him as "crushed"

— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) December 8, 2015

• Dave Roberts spoke with the media at the Winter Meetings yesterday, and you can check out a complete unfiltered transcript of the interview here.  Furthermore, Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider wrote a bit about it: "Dave Roberts discusses Kershaw, Greinke." 
• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Jacob Scavuzzo named to Arizona Fall League top prospect team."

Scavuzzo hit .377/.389/.623 with four home runs and five doubles in 16 games, and ranked third in slugging percentage and at-bats per home run (17.25), mostly playing left field but also seeing time at first base. Scavuzzo played in the AFL Fall Stars Game, and won the National League portion of the Bowman Hitting Challenge in the AFL on Oct. 17.

• Busy.  Busy!  The Dodgers added a couple more players for their minor league teams.  First they Danny Reynolds from the Angels.  Then claimed outfielder Daniel Fields from the Brewers.  Via a Dodgers press release:

Danny Reynolds, 24, went 2-3 with 10 saves and a 4.57 ERA in 43 relief appearances last year for the Angels’ Double-A Arkansas, limiting opposing hitters to a .213 batting average with 50 strikeouts in 43.1 innings. A 2014 Double-A Texas League All-Star, Reynolds has a 22-23 career record with 21 saves and a 4.39 ERA in 152 games (42 starts) in six minor league seasons after being selected by the Angels in the sixth round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft.

Daniel Fields, 24, made his Major League debut last year for the Tigers, going 1-for-3 in his only big league game on June 4 against the Athletics, and has a .244 batting average with 86 stolen bases, 42 home runs and 260 RBI in 649 minor league games in six minor league seasons in the Detroit organization. In addition to seeing his first big league action last season, he appeared in 122 games for the Tigers’ Triple-A Toledo, batting .228 with 17 steals, seven home runs and 41 RBI prior to being claimed by the Brewers on Sept. 10. During the course of his minor league career, Fields has primarily appeared in center field (570 games), while also playing 53 games in left field. 

• BTW, AJ Ellis had a great reaction to the Aroldis Chapman trade on twitter.  Given what we know know, it's not so funny... Well, it's still a little funny.  Check it out below:

Wonder if @wilsonballglove can make me this model. pic.twitter.com/GGVEn869wb

— AJ Ellis (@AJEllis17) December 7, 2015

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Blog Kiosk: 11/16/2015 - Dodger Links - Cutting Payroll, Kiké's Plea and RIP George Genovese

Following up on Joc Pederson's plea to Zack Grineke on instagram, Kiké Hernandez went onto twitter with his own attempt at swaying the ace pitcher to stay Blue.  He wrote the following while including the above two photographs:

Dear Zack, I have no money to offer you but this is my pitch! PLEASEEEEE stay! 🙏🏼 #21 pic.twitter.com/BwEm0MAghC

— Enrique Hernandez (@kikehndez) November 14, 2015

You'd have to be a monster to say no to Kike.  After all, how can you resist a guy who not only sports your uniform number but also dons that magical hairdo that had fans swooning. 

Below are more links to check out:

• Legendary Scout George Genovese (who worked for Giants, Dodgers, Cardinals and Marlins) passed away last night.  RIP, George Genovese.  Via a tweet by Bob Nightengale:

George Genovese, perhaps the greatest baseball scout who ever lived, passed away last night, his family says. #SFGiants

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) November 16, 2015

• The managerial field narrows even further.  Via Mark Saxon at ESPN, "Dodgers' manager search looks to be three-man race after Erstad exits."

Humbled to be asked to interview for Dodgers job but Lincoln is where my heart is. Looked my kids in the eyes & knew we needed to stay.

— Darin Erstad (@Dstad17) November 15, 2015

• I never believed the Dodgers could maintain the payroll they had, so it had to come down to earth eventually.  Via Bill Shaikin at the LA Times, "Money is still an object for Dodgers, who are trying to cut payroll from $300 million."

That happened in 2015, primarily as a strategy to amass organizational depth by subsidizing close to $100 million in salaries of players who played elsewhere. The payroll will drop substantially in 2016, to what Boehly said he believed would be much closer to $200 million than $300 million.

"We're looking toward building something long-term, and sustainable," he said.

Leading the league in payroll every year, he said, is not sustainable.

"I think sustainable is more like the league average," Boehly said, "plus some, or plus a lot."

• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Jacob Scavuzzo keeps hitting, Dodgers showing versatility in Arizona Fall League."
• Via Erin Edwards at Dodger Insider, "LADF online Dodgers memorabilia auction begins." 

Now through December 7 , LADF will be hosting an online auction with autographed memorabilia, including items from your favorite current and former Dodger players. Go to dodgers.com/auction to place your bid on autographed baseball and jerseys.

• Via John Thorn at Our Game, "Diamond Visions: Baseball’s Greatest Illustration Art."  Thorn writes about some of the most fantastic 19th century Baseball art available.

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Blog Kiosk: 11/3/2015 - Dodger Links - Puig, Roberts and Vote for Scavuzzo

Will we be getting a new and improved Yasiel Puig next season?

It's obviously way too early to tell, but you gotta love this early indication.  The photo above, featuring Puig with slugger Miguel Cabrera, was instagramed yesterday.  In the caption Miggy says that he ran into Puig working out with weights for the first time in young career.  Hopefully, this is a sign of some good things to come.  (Hat Tip: r/ilovemesomeme)

Below are more links to check out:

• I like Dave Roberts, via a tweet from Ken Rosenthal:

Sources: #Dodgers have interviewed Dave Roberts for managing job. LAD not close to decision. Roberts expected to move on from SD regardless.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 3, 2015

• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Ralston Cash, manager Bill Haselman named to 2015 AFL Fall Stars Game."  As Eric notes, Dodger prospect Jacob Scavuzzo is also an "Final Vote" candidate for the All-Star Game.  Go here to make your mark for Scavuzzo.
• Well... I guess Dusty Baker is the manager instead.  Via Mike Oz at Big League Stew, "It's official: Dusty Baker is the new manager of the Nationals."
• Via Kennedy Ryan at KTLA5, "Two Men Arrested in Shooting of Brother of Dodgers Pitcher Josh Ravin." 
• You folks should come on out for this, via a tweet from Justin Turner:

Excited to play n #Bat4Hope Celeb Softball for @iamhope. Come out 2 support, get tix today: https://t.co/7ZGKJG5P0D pic.twitter.com/AWD13X3aMT

— Justin Turner (@redturn2) November 3, 2015

• Via John Thorn at Our Game, "Ball Playing Among Native Americans."
• This is probably the most insightful sabermetric analysis of the Royals World Series win.  Via Alex Skillin at The Hardball Times, "The Royals Are A Sabermetrics Team."

The Royals haven’t just won with defense, of course. At the plate, they’ve built a lineup filled with high-contact hitters in an era when power has become pricey and highly sought after. Moreover, in a time when hurlers have dominated and strikeouts have soared, Kansas City has assembled an offense that is less susceptible to the effects of elite velocity and pitching’s widespread supremacy.

As Ben Lindbergh wrote recently at Grantland, evidence exists that high-contact hitters perform better against power pitchers, a notion that has been borne out in the playoffs for two years in a row. (The Giants, too, have succeeded with a similar offensive makeup.) Although burly sluggers often can do more damage, they’re less consistent at the plate, and they’re vulnerable when facing hurlers who excel at getting strikeouts. Watching the Mets’ power arms churn through a formidable Cubs lineup demonstrated this concept to a “T.”

...
Ultimately, Kansas City is still not viewed as a sabermetric team due to a dated reputation that no longer accurately reflects the organization’s capabilities. Instead, the Royals should be regarded as one of the smartest organizations in baseball — a franchise, much like the Pirates or Astros, that has developed a clear plan and carried it out to great success. No, the Royals haven’t excelled solely because they possess some hyper-advanced analytics department filled with mad scientists churning out data and formulas that are well ahead of everyone else. But what they’ve done probably would draw far more accolades from the sabermetrics crowd if a team like the Rays or Cubs had succeeded with similar strategies.

• Awesome!

Video Link:

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Blog Kiosk: 11/2/2015 - Dodger Links - Mattingly, Greinke and World Champion Drew Butera

Congratulations to the Kansas City Royals and former Dodger Drew Butera for their thrilling World Series victory last night.  I was so hoping they'd have him pitch for a bit.  Alas, that was not to be.  The photo above via Butera's twitter.

Below are more links to check out:

• Since the 2015 season is now in the books let's take a look at the odds for 2016.  Via David Purdum, at ESPN, "Dodgers are 2016 World Series favorites." 
• ICYMI: It's now official.  Don Mattingly has been named the new manager for the Miami Marlins.  Barry Jackson at the Miami Herald shares some, "Highlights from Don Mattingly's introductory news conference Monday."
• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Don Mattingly: 'I think Tim Wallach is going to come with me to be the bench coach'" 

"We've been in conversations about the staff. I don't know if it's something I really want to get into at this point," Mattingly said. "We've talked about some guys. I think Tim Wallach is going to come with me to be the bench coach.

"There are a number of guys coming back. I have pretty much talked or texted with every member of the staff. I don't know if Michael [Hill, president of baseball operations] wants to talk about the staff or not, but some of the guys coming back I'm comfortable with. I think it's important to the continuity of where we're going."

• Via Cary Osborne at Dodger Insider, "Jacob Scavuzzo emerges as a prospect to watch."
• Via Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA, "Van Slyke approaching crossroads of his MLB career."
• Via Joshua Sadlock at Baseball Essential, "Zack Greinke won’t be going anywhere."
  

  For a team that shells out $300 MM per season, bumping Greinke up an additional $5 MM per year is a drop in the bucket. There could be concerns about giving him a contract that will run up to age 37. Greinke has had some minor injury concerns, but nothing huge. Since 2008, there have been only two seasons in which he failed to surpass 30 starts. Greinke is not a power pitcher, and his ability to locate, change speeds, and move the ball around in the strike zone will still play even when he loses a few more ticks on his fastball. Pitching in Dodger Stadium suits Greinke, and he pitches to contact and lets the ballpark hold hits down.

• Congrats to LA Kings broadcaster Nick Nickson on his inclusion into the Hockey Hall of Fame.  On Monday, November 9th he'll be awarded the Foster Hewitt Award as a part of the HOF's Induction weekend.  Bob Miller, the Kings other Hall of Fame broadcaster, pens a great piece in honor of Nick, here.

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Blog Kiosk: 10/19/2015 - Dodger Links - Scavuzzo, Greinke and Don Mattingly

Congratulations to Dodger prospect Jacob Scavuzzo for winning the NL title and the overall championship in the AFL Bowman Hitting Challenge in Arizona.  Via Spencer Fordin at MLB.com, "Dodgers' Scavuzzo wins Fall League Hitting Challenge."

"It's a good experience," he said of the AFL. "You get a chance to see the game's best prospects. I'm not really that tired. A lot of guys are complaining about it being a long season, but it's not my first full season. I think I've prepared my body to play well into September or October. I feel great."

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

• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Dodgers 2015 offseason roster breakdown."
• To the surprise of no one, Zack Greinke will opt out of his contract to seek a richer deal.  Via Jon Heyman at CBS Sports.
• I am not at all surprised that several players have gotten behind their manager.  Via Zach Helfand at the LA Times, "With Don Mattingly's fate uncertain, Dodgers players offer support."

“I’m glad I play for Don,” third baseman Justin Turner said. “I would play for Donnie any day of the week. Anything he wanted me to do, anything he asked of me, I’m right there, I’m behind him 100%. I think he’s an unbelievable manager, did an unbelievable job handling everything that goes on both on and off the field with this club, and he’s got my support 100%.”
...
“All three years I’ve been here so far, it’s a different type of job here,” (JP) Howell said. “The expectations are World Series or fail, and that’s throughout the whole season, so he’s done a great job of when it’s not going so well, he’s always cool to be around. He’s never been terrible, even when he’s looking like he might be in trouble in 2013, he was great. He was great to be around. We were in Milwaukee at the time, and he handled that cool as a cucumber, so that’s all we could ask.”
...

“We didn't lose because of Donnie, like everybody says,” (Enrique) Hernandez said. “We lost because we couldn't score runs. Donnie has nothing to do with this. There's no reason Donnie has to be fired.”

• Former Dodger Ryan Theriot is a troll, via his tweet:

So I missed the game last night..how'd the 314 million dollar payroll work out for the Dodgers? #moneyballdoesntwork

— ryan theriot (@rtheriot7) October 16, 2015

• The oldest living Dodger, Mike Sandlock, turned 100 on Saturday.  Mark Langill at Dodger Insider wrote a nice piece about him, here.  Check out a great story written about Sandlock a couple of weeks ago, via Dom Amore at the Hartford Courant, here.

"In '45, I had a good year," Sandlock said. "But the next season, what's his name? The shortstop, [Pee Wee] Reese came back. I had to take the No. 1 off and give it back to him, and I wore No. 4. Reese was a hell of a nice guy, but anyway, in '46 they sent me to Montreal [in the International League]. That's when Jackie Robinson was being brought in. In spring training, Rickey asked me if I would play pepper with Jackie Robinson, that's when you could play pepper [a brisk batting and fielding exercise that has long disappeared from baseball]."

• ICYMI: head athletic trainer Stan Conte has resigned.  Who knows if this will result in better injury assessments and fewer trips to the DL.  I do know that the spate of hamstring issues over the past few years has been frustrating.  Via a Dodger press release:

“I want to thank the Dodger organization and specifically each and every one of the dedicated medical staff for their support these last nine seasons in Los Angeles,” Conte said in a club release. “My resignation will allow me to focus on my research in baseball injury analytics as I remain committed to determining the causes and effects of various baseball injuries.”

On another note, I wonder is this is just the first shoe to drop.  Who else, if any, from the big club will be asked to go?

• With the season now over for the Dodgers the Chase Utley suspension appeal has been postponed, via an AP report on ESPN.

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2014 Bowman Baseball - The Dodger Autograph, Relic & Boxloader Cards

Here is a final post featuring Dodger cards that can be found in packs of 2014 Bowman Baseball.  This time I show the relic and autographed cards. 

There are a bunch of different Julio Urias autographed cards.  Unfortunately, they only come with a redemption card in packs, so I do not have any photos yet.  BTW, once an Urias Superfractor shows up I'll feature them with another post.

Go here to check out all of my previous post on this set.

Bowman Chrome Prospect Autographs

#BCAP-BT Brandon Trinkwon                 #BCAP-JS Jacob Scavuzzo

Two Dodgers are available as Bowman Black Autographs, but only a redemption card is inserted into packs.  Below is a checklist:

• #BBC-BT Brandon Trinkwon
• #BBC-JU Julio Urias

#BBC-JU Julio Urias 

Below are a couple of more Julio Urias autographed cards that are only found as redemption cards.

Bowman Chrome Mini Autograph Cards

• #CMA-JU Julio Urias 

#CMA-JU Julio Urias
(pic of purple parallel shown below)

Ultimate Prospect Autograph Book Card

• #Julio Urias - (This card features a booklet card with 25 different autographs)

AFLAC/Perfect Game/Under Armour Autographs

#Corey Seager

Futures Game Relics

#FGR-JP Joc Pederson

The card below is an oversized boxloader.  They are randomly inserted into hobby boxes of 2014 Bowman as a single pack.  So, not every hobby box has one of these packs.  They are roughly twice the size of a normal card.

BTW, I noticed a small error to this card.  Checklist I've seen indicates that this card should be numbered #OI-JU, but as you can see below they are numbered as #OAI-JU.  The latter numbering is what the autographed Oversized Iced Boxloader cards are supposed to be numbered as.  Also, the Oversized Autographed Iced cards are available only through a redemption.

Oversized Ice Boxloaders

#OI-JU Julio Urias

I can't wait to get a look at the card below.  If they look anything like the Yasiel Puig insert, then this card should look fantastic.

Oversized 1989 Bowman Autographs #/20

#89-JU Julio Urias

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