2016 Topps Strata Baseball - All the Dodgers Cards

This week saw the release of Topps 2016 Strata Baseball card set set.  This is a high-end product that promises one autograph and one game-used relic per box.  Furthermore, every game-used relic card includes a MLB Authenticated logo hologram so that you know it is real.  Given the recent past regarding fake jersey sales to card manufacturers this feature adds a sense of certainty that the big bucks spent on cards like this is not for naught.  Go here for a complete checklist.

Unfortunately, most of the Dodgers cards available in the set are available only through a redemption card.  This includes Sandy Koufax, Clayton Kershaw and Kenta Maeda.  I have yet to see any of the Corey Seager cards online (redemption or otherwise). Hilariously, the only two cards I can show you right now are no longer on the Dodgers: Frankie Montas and Zach Lee.

Strata Autographs

#SA-FM Frankie Montas

#SA-ZL Zach Lee

2016 Topps Chrome - The Rest of the Dodgers Cards

Here is a last look at the Dodgers cards found in packs of 2016 Topps Chrome Baseball packs.  Below are all of the insert and autograph cards that are available.  Go here to check out all of my past post on this set.

Rookie Autographs

#RA-CS Corey Seager                     #RA-FM Frankie Montas

2016 Topps Chrome - All the Dodgers Base and Variation Cards

Topps officially unveiled their 2016 Chrome Baseball card set yesterday.  Go here for a complete checklist.  As you can see above, Kenta Maeda is seen on every box of cards.  On the left is the normal hobby box and on the right is a blaster box.

As you know, it is basically a shiny version of their flagship card set released throughout the year, so there usually isn't much new in the base set to see.  There are, however, cards of both Trayce Thompson and Ross Stripling that we haven't seen before.  No doubt, they'll be included in the Update set to be released towards the end of the season.  Also, the Kenta Maeda card in this set uses an entirely different photo then the one used in Series 2.

Since a majority of the cards in the base set are not new to collectors I thought I'd begin this post by focusing on the variations first.  For the Dodgers two cards have unique photo variations available.  You can see those directly below.

Base Image Variations

#92 Kenta Maeda  

Normal Base                                             Photo Variation                     

2016 Topps Allen & Ginter - The Dodgers Autograph and RIP Cards

Below is a last look at Dodgers cards found in packs of 2016 Allen & Ginter packs.  Featured below are the autograph, booklet and RIP cards.  Also, I include the checklist of the Dodgers' "Artist Originals" cards.  Unfortunately, none of them have been seen yet.  Go here to check out all of my past post on this set.

Mini Autographs

• #AGA-CSE Corey Seager (redemption) 
• #AGA-KMA Kenta Maeda  (redemption) 

#AGA-FM Frankie Montas               #AGA-FV Fernando Valenzuela

2016 Topps Stadium Club - The Dodgers Insert Cards

Here is a final look at the Dodgers cards found in packs of 2016 Topps Stadium Club packs.  Go here to check out all of my previous post on this set.  Featured below are all the autograph and insert cards.

Autographs

#SCA-CK Clayton Kershaw                  #SCA-CSR Corey Seager 

Blog Kiosk: 6/20/2016 - Dodgers Links - A Father's Day Victory

The Dodgers look pretty good in those Father's Day Baby-Blue Dodgers jersey's yesterday afternoon.  I especially loved the high-socks style used by several players; especially Kiké Hernández.  He had tied the game at one with an pinch hit home run to left field in the eighth inning.  Check out his home run swing in the photo on the right, via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016.

It's also notable how the Dodgers pulled out a victory in the end.  With the game tied at the bottom of the ninth inning Yasmani Grandal came up to bat for AJ Ellis with the bases loaded.  He then proceeded to grind out a six pitch walk to drive in the winning run.  Per Jack Baer and Adam McCalvy at MLB.com:

Grandal's winning walk was that talk of both clubhouses, with Dodgers manager Dave Roberts lauding Grandal's overall plate discipline and the Brewers focused on Thornburg's 1-1 pitch. Catcher Martin Maldonado held it an extra moment for umpire Tim Timmons, who deemed it just off the edge of the plate. But Pitch f/x data from the game suggested similar pitches had been called strikes.

"A 1-1 pitch is the pitch that changes [the outcome of a plate appearance] most often," Thornburg said. "Obviously, I wanted that call. I've gotten that call plenty of times before. But it didn't make or break the AB."

The photos above via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016.  Go here to check out more pics by Jon from yesterdays game.  Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodger History: In 2008 the Dodgers received an Award of Excellence star from the Hollywood Historic Trust and the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.  The Dodgers star on the Walk of Fame is located adjacent to the constellation of stars along Hollywood Boulevard at the Hollywood and Highland complex.
• Happy Birthday, Juan Castro!

2016 Topps Series 2 - The Dodgers Scouting Report, Wrigley and 65th Celebration Cards

I now dive into the various Dodgers insert cards available in Series 2 packs.  Take a look at the Scouting Report, the 100 Years at Wrigley Field and Celebrating 65 Years cards below.

Scouting Report Autographs

#SRA-AW Alex Wood                       #SRA-CS Corey Seager

2016 Topps Tier One - Breakout, Clear One and Dual Autograph Dodgers Cards

2016 Topps Tier One Baseball cards are now available at your local hobby shop.  This is a high-end product that promises two autograph cards and a relic in each pack.  There is only one pack in each box, and that'll cost you about $100.  Go here for a complete checklist.

There are numerous Dodgers card available, so over the next few days I hope to share many of them with you.  Below are the Breakout, Clear One and Dual Autograph Dodgers cards.  Unfortunately, the Kenta Maeda Breakout card is only available through a redemption.

On a side note, an Asian Edition version of these cards are available through GTS Distribution and it includes several exclusive parallel cards and a Mystery Redemption autograph variation card that will be numbered to 50 copies.  I'd put good money on Kenta Maeda being that mystery card.

Breakout Autographs

#BOA-CSA Corey Seager                       #BOA-CSE Corey Seager

2016 Topps Archives - All the Dodgers Base Cards

Topps 2016 Archives Baseball cards are now available in stores.  Go here for a complete checklist.  Below are all the available Dodgers base cards.  As you can see, this years set pays homage to the 1953, 1979 and 1991 Topps designs.

Clearly, the 1991 Topps Baseball card design is the best of the bunch.  Heck, I wouldn't have minded if they used that design for every card in the base set.  BTW, there is a unique parallel associated only with these cards.  An "Operation Desert Shield" embossed stamp can be found in the 100 (#201-300) 1991 Topps design base cards.   This emulates the extremely scarce parallel set that were given to troops that year.

Furthermore, this years set is notable for having a bunch of "Bull Durham" cards inserted within packs.  In fact, there are nine different autograph cards available of many of the actors; including writer/director Ron Shelton.

1953 Topps

#19 Don Sutton                                  #93 Zach Lee

2016 Bowman Baseball - The Dodgers Base Cards

Bowman Baseball cards are now official on the market.  This is a prospect driven set, and as you might expect it's filled with some of the best and brightest the Dodgers have in their minor league system.  In fact, the prospect portion of the base set includes a couple players who are getting their first official licensed cards.  They are pitcher Yadier Alvarez and outfielder Starling Heredia.  Check them all out below.  Go here for a complete checklist.

Yadier Alvarez is an 19 year old pitcher from Matanzas, Cuba.  He had signed an $16 million bonus with the Dodgers last year.  Starling Heredia is from the Dominican Republic, and he signed a reported $2.6 million bonus last year, as well.  He was just 16 years old.

Base Set

The Adrian Gonzalez card is a red parallel and the Trayce Thompson is a silver parallel card.

#40 Clayton Kershaw                            #46 Adrian Gonzalez

Blog Kiosk: 4/27/2016 - Dodgers Links - Piazza, Oaks and the Kings Came for a Visit

With the Kings now out of the playoffs (boo!) several of them made their way to Dodger Stadium yesterday afternoon for some batting practice.  Photo above via @Dodgers on twitter: from L to R: Luke Schenn, Tyler Toffoli, Milan Lucic, Matt Greene, Andy Andreoff, Jhonas Enroth and Brayden McNabb.

As for the game last night, it was both  a gem and a stinker.  Clayton Kershaw was his usual self through the first five innings - giving up only one hit and striking out eight Marlins batters.  Then the sixth came around and everything fell apart.  Five consecutive hits, climaxing with an three-run bomb by Giancarlo Stanton, scored five runs, and spelled an end to the ace's unbeaten record this season.  The Dodgers lost the game 6-3.  Via Joe Frisaro and Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

"That's a tough one to let get away," said Kershaw. "We had a 3-0 lead. My job is to keep it, and I didn't do my job there. Got to do a better job limiting the damage. I obviously missed my spot with Stanton, and that's what he does, makes you pay for stuff like that. And I gave up some two-strike hits. Everything you're not supposed to do, I kind of did that inning."

Below are more links to check out:

• This day in Dodger History:  In 2004, as a Met, Mike Piazza would tie the all-time mark for career home runs by a catcher at 351 at Dodger Stadium. It was hit against Hideo Nomo.
• Happy Birthday, Corey Seager!

Blog Kiosk: 4/25/2016 - Dodgers Links - Puig, Scully and Don Mattingley's Return

No doubt Yasiel Puig is having fun again after a tumultuous season last year.  After Saturdays victory against the Rockies he somehow found himself standing among a throng of teens in formal wear.  It is prom season in America and Puig, obviously curios about the occasion, joined the revelry had by the student of ChatfieldHigh School of Littleton, Colorado.  He had the crashed the party and fortunately shared a couple pics on twitter for us to enjoy.

Featured above some of the kids with Puig in the middle (twitter link here).  Below, he poses with members of the high school Baseball team (twitter link here).

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History:  On this day in 1976 Rick Monday saved the American flag from a couple of protesters in the outfield at Dodger Stadium.  The incident was immortalized in the photo seen on the right.
• Happy Birthday, JP Howell!
• Via Jacob Unruh at News OK, "OKC Dodgers: Herges talks talented pitching staff."

2016 Panini Diamond Kings - All the Dodgers Mini Cards

Now that you've seen the Dodgers base cards found in packs of Panini's 2016 Diamond Kings set, here are the various mini cards that are available. 

DK Minis

#6 Gil Hodges                          #12 Leo Durocher

2016 Topps Gypsy Queen - All the Dodgers Insert Cards

Here is a final look at the Dodgers cards found in packs of 2016 Gypsy Queen.  Featured below are all of the available insert cards.  Go here to see all of my previous post on this set.

Autographs

#GQA-CKE Clayton Kershaw                 #GQA-CS Corey Seager

2016 Panini Diamond Kings - The Dodgers Base Cards and Variation

Returning for a second year is Panini's 2016 Diamond Kings Baseball card set.  Go here for a complete checklist.  This brand offers both current and former greats on cardboard.  As you can see in the pics below, this product focuses on artwork and drawings of the players.  Below are pics of all the Dodgers base cards in the set; including the Corey Seager variation card.

#6 Gil Hodges                                       #12 Leo Durocher

Blog Kiosk: 4/8/2016 - Dodgers Links - LeCure, Jackie Robinson and the Streak is Over

I want these so bad!

Check out these awesome cleats from Adidas.  Apparently, they were given to ballplayers who have endorsement deals with the company, in advance of Jackie Robinson Day.

Via a Tweet from Darren Rovell: "Adidas giving these Jackie Robinson cleats to their players for Jackie Robinson Day."  Per a Rovell story at ESPN:

Two quotes from Robinson are on the cleats' sock liner: "Above anything else, I hate to lose" and "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives."

You can get more detail on the cleats here.  No word yet on whether they will be made available for sale to the public.  Below are more links to check out:

• BTW, the Dodgers finished one inning short of tying the Major League record for consecutive scoreless innings pitched to start the season - the 1963 Cardinals set it at 32.  At the same time, they did set a Dodgers franchise record at 31 innings.  
• In case you didn't know, the Dodgers not only missed out on a new MLB record, but they lost in spectacular fashion - giving up twelve runs to the Giants.  Via Doug Padilla at ESPN:

"It's just baseball," (Alex) Wood said. "They've got a good lineup. They don't strike out a lot. They put a lot of balls in play. They just got the better of me today."

2016 Topps Gypsy Queen - All the Dodgers Base Cards

Here is a peek at the Dodgers base cards within Topps 2016 Gypsy Queen set.  Go here for a complete checklist.  Each card has a companion mini card, as well.  I show a couple examples in the photos below.  Also cards #301 to #350 are all short-printed, and with the exception of Maeda include only retired ballplayers.  Tomorrow, I'll share the known variations and some of the parallels.

UPDATE:  Thanks to an reader I've just learned that I failed to include Trayce Thompson's card in the below listing.  It is now included.

Base Set

#7 Corey Seager

Blog Kiosk: 3/28/2016 - Dodgers Links - Frias, Lee and Kenta Maeda

This past Saturday was Dodgers Pride Night at the LA Kings game, and I was there to take it all in.  Later today I hope to have a bunch of pics I took from the evening; including a brief look at the pregame Dodgers-themed Kings jersey's they sold at auction.  Featured above is Kings goalie Jonathan Quick in Dodger "Whites," pic via the Kings on twitter.

Below are more links to check out:

• Via David Krell at the Sports Post, "Durocher, Drysdale, and the Duke."  David takes a look at short Hollywood careers of several Dodger players.
• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Dave Roberts owes Kenta Maeda a nice dinner."

Blog Kiosk: 3/23/2016 - Dodgers Links - Kershaw, Maeda and Burglars Caught at Dodger Stadium

On this #NationalPuppyDay Dodgers super-utility man Kiké Hernandez recently shared a pic of his new puppy named Arizona Hernandez.  Photo above via Kiké's twitter. BTW, Arizona has his very own Instagram account.  Check it out here: azhndezminigoldendoodle.

Below are more links to check out:

• Dodgers injuries continue to mount.  Yesterday we find out that Andre Ethier will be out for up to three months, via Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider: "Andre Ethier to miss 10-14 weeks with fracture."  Then word spread that the recently crowned #5 starter Mike Bolsinger would now not be ready for the start of the season, via a tweet from Andy McCullough.  Fortunately, we have someone waiting in the wings.  This provides an opening for Zach Lee to make the rotation out of Spring Training.  Furthermore, now there are worries that Yasmani Grandal is hurting, via another Andy McCullough tweet:

Yasmani Grandal is going to get tests on his forearm. Dave Roberts said his continued discomfort is "disconcerting."

— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughTimes) March 22, 2016

• Via Tom Ley at Deadspin, "Clayton Kershaw Posed For Pictures With The People Who Rear-Ended Him."  I guess this is one way to get an autograph.  Ha!

Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Spring Game 21/Home Game 10

Throughout Spring Training the Dodgers PR department sends out helpful daily notes from Camelback Ranch, and I am happy to pass them along.  See what they've written below.

------------------

Seattle Mariners (9-11-2) vs. LOS ANGELES DODGERS (10-8-2)
Monday, March 21, 2016 – 1:05 p.m. MT | Camelback Ranch
RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (2-0, 5.87) vs. RHP Kenta Maeda (1-0, 0.00)
TV: None Radio: None

Here’s how the #Dodgers & #Mariners will start today’s game. We’ll get you highlights & analysis at 7PM tonight. pic.twitter.com/umqG65vRH8

— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) March 21, 2016

------------------

(Kenley Jansen, pic via Jon SooHoo on twitter)

IT’S ONLY SPRING: The Dodgers, who have lost their last five games, look to snap their losing streak as they face the Seattle Mariners for the second time this spring at Camelback Ranch. Los Angeles, which played split-squad games yesterday, fell to both the Padres at home, 12-5, and to the Brewers at Maryvale, 3-1. In the home game, minor leaguer Jeremy Kehrt made his first start and appearance of Spring Training, after scheduled starter Mike Bolsinger was scratched prior to the game. Kehrt allowed six runs on nine hits in 1.1 innings of work and recorded the loss,  while Corey Brown drove in two runs on a single during a four-run sixth inning. Over in Maryvale, Scott Kazmir made his third Cactus League start, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits in 4.0 innings and took the loss. At the plate, Charlie Culberson slugged his second homer of the spring with a solo shot in the fifth inning to collect the only run for the Dodgers.

• The Dodgers are playing the Mariners for the second time this spring after beating the M’s, 8-4, on March 12 at Peoria. Los Angeles swept Seattle in a three-game series at Dodger Stadium last year in their only meetings of the 2015 season.

(AGon, pic via @WBC on twitter)

VIVA MEXICO!: The Dodgers would like to congratulate Adrian Gonzalez and Team Mexico on its 12-1 win in last night’s WBC qualifier against Nicaragua in Mexicali, punching the ticket to the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Gonzalez finished the night going 2-for-3 with a run scored and a walk. He returns to the Dodger lineup in today’s contest against the Mariners, making the start at first base and batting cleanup.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!: The Dodgers would like to wish Frankie Montas a very happy birthday, as he turns 23 today! The right-handed pitcher was acquired from the White Sox in December in a three-team trade and appeared in seven games (two starts) with Chicago last year in his first Major League appearances, going 0-2 with a 4.80 ERA. 

ROSTER MOVES: Prior to yesterday’s game, the Dodgers optioned right-handed pitcher Zach Lee to minor-league camp. The Dodgers have 46 players in big-league camp, excluding Brandon McCarthy and Frankie Montas, who are on the 60-day DL.

ON THE AIR: The Dodger game on Sunday, March 27 against the Cincinnati Reds will be heard on AM 1150 in Los Angeles instead of AM 570 due to a scheduling conflict.

TODAY’S PROBABLE PITCHERS:

• RHP Kenta Maeda will face off against fellow Japanese pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma of Seattle in his fourth start of the spring (0 ER/8.2 IP). Maeda last pitched March 15 when he allowed two unearned runs in 3.2 innings of work against the White Sox. The 27-year-old right-hander was signed to an eight-year contract on Jan. 7 following eight professional seasons with the Hiroshima Carp (2008-15) in which he compiled a 97-67 record with a 2.39 ERA in 218 games (217 starts). During the course of his Japanese career, Maeda won two Sawamura Awards (2010, 2015), given to the league’s best pitcher.
• LHP J.P. Howell will pitch in his sixth game this spring, after tossing 1.0 scoreless inning Saturday against the White Sox. Howell finished the 2015 season with a 6-1 record with one save and tossed scoreless relief in 59 of 65 appearances.
• RHP Kenley Jansen will make his sixth relief appearance, after most recently pitching 1.0 inning Saturday against the White Sox. Jansen enters his seventh big league season after successfully converting 36 of 38 save opportunities last year, the third- highest single-season save percentage in team history (Gagne: 2003-100.0%, 2004-95.7%).
• RHP Louis Coleman is expected to make his seventh Cactus League outing (0 ER/6.0 IP), last pitching 1.0 scoreless inning of relief against the White Sox. Coleman has given up just two hits and no runs thus far. He enters his first season with the Dodgers after signing with the club on Feb. 19, 2016.

(Kershaw & Maeda, pic via Jon SooHoo on twitter)

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