Blog Kiosk 12/27/2009

• Santa Tommy
• Check out the Hall of Fames biography on 1st time HOF ballot ballplayer Eric Karros.
  
• Raul Mondesi, the politician? Are you kidding me?

  "Most of the people, they don't have anything," said Mondesi, who grew up in crushing circumstances just a few miles away. "I know what they need, how they feel."
  
  Asked for specifics, however, and the closest he comes to a campaign pledge is repeating a desire to build a basketball court in every neighborhood.
  
  "The first thing," said Mondesi, who didn't study beyond grade school, "is to try to show the young people how to play sports."

• GCRL makes a custom card of Sandy Koufax using the 1967 Topps design. I too have always wondered why they excluded him from the base set that year.
• John Sickels of Minor League Ball puts together his Preliminary Dodger Prospect list.
  
• Topps signs an exclusive memorabilia deal with Stephen Strasburg.
  
• Christmas trees from around the world.
  
• Oh No! A Volcano is about to erupt in the Philippines. My family does not live near Mt. Mayon, but it's still scary to think about anyway.
• Here is a great interview with collector and appraiser Mike Gutierrez at the Collectors Weekly.
  
• The Hockey Card Shows 12 Days of Christmas.

Have a Very Merry Christmas

YouTube Link:

Card of the Week: Photoshop Magic

This weeks card of the week has been lurking around the collector blogs for quite some time. It is the 2008 Topps Stadium Club card of Manny Ramirez in a Dodger uniform. Why is that important? Well, this card set came out shortly after the Manny trade to LA, so the chances of a Manny in Blue card was low. Fortunately, Topps did not disappoint.

At first glance, I was just happy to have Manny in a Dodger uniform, but there is so much more happening here. If not for the 'net I would never have noticed the chicanery. It is a almost perfect photoshop creation.

• Did you notice that there is no umpire? I didn't, at first.
  
• The background is neither Dodger Stadium or AT&T Park. It is of Fenway park- just colored in blue. Also, the 99 advertisement is of a chain of restaurants in the Boston area.
  
• Numerous fans in the stands have washed out hats that probably sported a giant "B" for Boston.
  
• The pitcher is Matt Morris who wore #22 in 2007 in tribute to a former roommate, Mike Matheny. Matheny had retired from Baseball due to post concussion syndrome- too many foul balls off the mask. In 2007 the Giants faced the Red Sox at Fenway and is probably where the photo originates.

Blog Kiosk 12/20/2009

• Albuquerque Isotopes owner, Ken Young, is named the Minor League Executive of the Year, from I Love This Game.

• Bye Bye Mitch Jones. He signs with the Braves.
  
• The Dodgers take care of their season ticket holders with something unique for the Holidays. Via It's Time for Dodger Baseblog and Vin Scully is My Homeboy here, here and here. Apparently there are numerous different version based on where you sit in the stadium. On eBay is this white seat version.
• The 50 best catch phrases of the decade.
  
• A great Christmas gift idea- Rick Dempsey's Home Run Holiday. (Hat Tip: Big League Stew)

• “I never imagined I’d be standing out here no, never. This is kind of surreal. You look around and you’re in a baseball park, Fenway Park! Then you look down and you’re on ice. Really unique, that’s for sure.”

  -Bobby Orr after skating on the ice at Fenway Park today. (From KuklasKorner) Watch a live webcam overlooking Fenway Park with a hockey rink on it below.
  

• The year in photos from Boston.com. Chicago White Sox pitcher Scott Linebrink delivers a pitch against the Chicago Cubs during the fifth inning of a spring training baseball game in Las Vegas, in this March 5, 2009 photo. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

2009 Topps Unique Dodgers

Even with Baseball on a winter hiatus new card sets continue to be released. Earlier this month Topps released a new Baseball card brand called "Topps Unique" that features a nice design and some unusual insert cards. All of the photos below were taken from various eBay Auctions. Feel free to click on any of the pics to enlarge.

Before I show the base cards of Dodger players in the set I thought I would show the below "1 of 1" insert card of Andre Ethier first. In my opinion it is the nicest card in the set and, unfortunately, you may never have an opportunity to own it yourself since only one exist. It recently sold on eBay for a bit over $200.00. The card has a signature of the Dodger right fielder and a game used patch (most likely from a uniform or cap) of the MLB logo.
Now we get to the 7 Dodgers in the base set.

Jim Thome.

Russell Martin.

Manny Ramirez.
Clayton Kershaw.

Matt Kemp.

Andre Ethier.

Chad Billingsley.

Below are two insert cards called Unparalleled Performances of Orlando Hudson and James Loney.

James Loney.

Here is a triple patch that can be pulled of Russell Martin, Manny Ramirez and Matt Kemp.

Below is a great large game-worn patch card of Chad Billingsley.

Solo Shot autographed inserts of Andre Eithier and Chad Billingsley are below.

And one of the strangest and unique cards in this set are below. Even though Adrian Beltre hasn't worn Blue in over 5 season he is featured on this game-worn patch card wearing a Dodger uniform.
Even odder is the below game-worn button (yes, you read that right- a button) from Brad Penny in Blue. This is one card I could do without.

eBay: Dodger Odds & Ends

Check out some recent Dodger related collectibles found on eBay recently.

The image on this vintage 1973 7-11 Slurpee cup looks nothing like Roy Campanella. I see no resemblance. Nevertheless, cups like this one with the picture still in nice condition are hard to come by. Usually general use and washing tends to cause fading.

eBay Auction Link: Campy Slurpee Cup:

UPI captured Jay Johnstone donning a scary Halloween mask shortly after the Dodgers won the second game of the 1981 World Series.

eBay Auction Link: Jay Johnstone:

Here is a UPI press photo dated March 4, 1965 of Maury Wills making a feet-first slide. It's amazing how much air he gets.

eBay Auction Link: Maury Wills Photo:

Here is something I've never seen before. Below is a 1987 Coca-Cola advertising store display featuring Fernando Valenzuela. It is large, measuring 15" by 6". Obviously, the campaign was geared towards the Spanish community. On an aside, when I first saw the picture below I initially thought Ferdie was standing next to Keith Hernandez.

eBay Auction Link: Ad Piece:

Wow! This 1939 Dodger media guide is very rare. It is highly sought after primarily because it prominently features the 1939 Baseball Centennial logo on the front. In fact, just about anything with that logo will garner big prices.

eBay Auction Link: 1939 Dodger Media Guide: