Saturday Game Info - Lee Lacy Signing at Game and Other Stuff!

Tonights game with the Pittsburgh Pirates is 2nd part of the Dodger Stadium Movie Series, and several old-time Dodgers will be in the house to sign free autographs for fans.  Below are the scheduled autograph opportunities and other odds and ends for this upcoming homestand.

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Saturday, May 31st at 4:15 PM

LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (5-2, 3.10) vs. RHP Brandon Cumpton (0-1, 3.38)

This afternoon's game starts at 4:15 PM.  Auto gates open at 1:45 PM, and stadium gates open at 2:15 PM.  This evenings game features a postgame Dodger Stadium Movie Series viewing of the Baseball movie classic, "A League of Their Own." All fans in attendance are welcome to stick around after the game to watch the movie.  Fans seated in the pavilion areas are invited to sit in the outfield to view the game. 

Several actors that starred in “A League of Their Own” will be on hand to throw tomorrow’s ceremonial first pitch: Lori Petty “Kit Keller,” Megan Cavanagh “Marla Hooch,” Tracy Reiner “Betty Spaghetti,”Ann Ramsey “Helen Haley,” Bitty Schram “Evelyn Gardner, ”Patti Pelton “Marbleann Wilkenson” and Anne Cusak “Shirley Baker.” “A League of Their Own” Director Penny Marshall and Writer Kelly Candaele and family will be in attendance. Candaele’s mother Helen Callaghan and her sister Marge Callaghan played for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.

Former Dodger Lee Lacy (in left-field pavilion plaza) will be signing autographs for fans from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

• The Veteran of the Game presented by Bank of America is U.S. Army Private First Class Anthony Corsi of Apple Valley. Corsi was drafted in 1943 at the start of World War II. He served with the 120th Infantry Regiment, 30th Division serving as a lead scout in combat, providing intel to his superiors. He was deployed to Germany, France and Holland and served in Belgium at the Battle of the Bulge. His accolades include the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.

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Blog Kiosk: 5/31/2014 - Dodger Links - Some Dodger Odds and Ends

With Pittsburgh in town it is night to see Russell Martin back in town, pic above featuring Russell and Steve Yeager via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014.

• Via Michael Beschloss at the NY Times, "How Sandy Koufax’s Motel Helped Lead to Baseball’s Big-Money Era." (Hat Tip: Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider)  The article tells us a bit about the legacy of Koufax's Tropicana Hotel and the impact his holdout with Drysdale changed Baseball player negotiations forever.  BTW, you can check out my own article from a few years ago about Koufax's motel in West Hollywood, here.
• Via Mark Saxon at ESPNLosAngeles.com, "Scott Van Slyke gives the Dodgers a rallying cry."

Written on a piece of plain paper with a sharpie, it says, “Live together or die alone.”

Utility player Scott Van Slyke put it there. He heard the phrase while watching the second season of, “Lost,” and figured it had some crossover to what the Dodgers are trying to accomplish. 

Wow!  Who would have thought we'd find a connection between Lost and the Dodgers.

• Mike Petriello at Dodger Digest makes note that,"Three Dodgers Among ESPN’s Top 25 Prospects."
• Chris Olds at Beckett shares some preview pics from 2014 Topps Update.  It comes out on October 15th.  Check out a couple of Dodger insert cards below: Puig and Kershaw..

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2014 Topps Archives Baseball - All the Dodger Base Cards

Topps officially released this past Wednesday their 2014 Archives Baseball card set, and I got photos of all the Dodger base cards to share with you.  Check them all out below.  Next week, I'll have photos of all of the inserts that are available.

As you know, this set celebrates the designs of Baseball card past.  They place current and a few vintage Dodgers in cards using designs from 1973, 1980, 1986 and 1989.

1973 Topps Design

#5 Carl Crawford                                  #8 Zack Greinke

1980 Topps Design

#79 Duke Snider

1986 Topps Design

#116 Alex Guerrero

1989 Topps Design

#176 Adrian Gonzalez                          #187 Hanley Ramirez

#193 Matt Kemp

Base Short Prints Set Checklist

#210 Clayton Kershaw                       #214 Fernando Valenzuela

 #220 Sandy Koufax                              #221 Hyun-Jin Ryu

#237 Dusty Baker                                    #250 Yasiel Puig

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Friday Night Game Info - Tommy Davis Signing!

This evening is Game two of the Dodgers homestand against the Pittsburgh Pirates, and an old-time Dodger player will be in the house to sign free autographs for fans.  Below are some details and other odds and ends for this upcoming homestand.

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Friday, May 30 at 7:10 PM

RHP Josh Beckett(3-1, 2.43) vs. RHP Francisco Liriano(0-5, 5.06)

Tonight's game starts at 7:10 PM.  Auto gates open at 4:30 PM, and stadium gates open at 5:00 PM.  It is Friday Night Fireworks, so fans will be able to go down onto the field after the game.  The fireworks show will have a California theme.

For this weekends homestand the Dodgers have created a special Pittsburgh Dog.  It's an all-beef hot dog topped with cole slaw and shoestring fries, inspired by the traditional Primanti Brothers sandwich. It is available through Sunday at extreme loaded dog concession stands on the Field, Loge and Reserve levels. 

Former Dodgers Tommy Davis (in left-field pavilion plaza) will be signing autographs for fans from 5:00 PM to 7:10 PM, and in the Stadium Club from 7:30 PM to 8:00 PM.

• The Veteran of the Game presented by Bank of America is U.S. Navy Petty Officer First Class Johnny Garcia Jr. of Los Angeles. Garcia enlisted in 2004 and is a Naval Aircrewman with Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 41. His responsibilities include search and rescue, crew-chief and door gunner. He also serves as an AWR Weapons Tactics instructor. He has flown more than 1,000 hours of combat missions during his three deployments to the Middle East. Garcia’s accolades include two Navy Commendation Medals and five Navy Achievement Medals. 
• The Dodgers still have a limited number of $11 Infield Reserve, Preferred Reserve and Left Field Pavilion tickets available for Beckett’s start tomorrow, as part of an offer celebrating the 11th no-hitter in Los Angeles, which can be purchased online at www.dodgers.com/nohitter, by calling 866-DODGERS or at Dodger Stadium ticket windows, while supplies last.

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Blog Kiosk: 5/30/2014 - Dodger Links - Ethier, Billingsley and Dee Gordon

Andre Ethier is congratulated in the Dodger Dugou after tripling and coming home to score on Puig's double in the 1st inning of last night's game, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014.

• BTW, Andre made a visit to Nightingale Middle School in Cypress Park this morning to celebrate a new partnership between the LA Fund For Public Education (LA Fund) and the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) in support of the School Fuel program. The Dodgers have committed $200,000 to fund breakfast for student in LA area schools.  Go here for more information, pic on the right via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers. Click on the photo to embiggen.
• Via Earl Bloom at MLB.com, "Billingsley throws sim game at Dodger Stadium."

"It's been a long process, and I just got to keep working until I get back out there in a game," Billingsley said. "The arm is feeling really good right now, and I'm really happy with the way it has responded."

• Dee Gordon is having quite a year.  Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Dee Gordon ties career high in stolen bases."
• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Dodgers 2014 season in thirds: The first 54 games."
• Mark Saxon suggest it's time.  Via his story on ESPNLosAngeles.com, "Time to slide Ramirez to third base."

He has, frankly, been exposed. He's not a shortstop any longer. The advanced defensive metrics paint an absolutely frightening picture for the Dodgers: Ramirez is -10 in Defensive Runs Saved; -6.9 in UZR. He is the worst shortstop in the major leagues, by a wide margin, according to defensive WAR. 

• Nachos Grande shares some photos from his recent visit to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.  Check them out here.
• True to the Blue shares his day getting a Fernando Valenzuela autograph.

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Watch Andre Ethier as Johnny Utah

As you may recall during the Dodgers most recent roadtrip to New York, Andre Ethier was asked to step on the Broadway stage (well... not exactly Broadway) and participate as a guest actor in a play called Point Break Live! 

Yes, folks!  It's an onstage parody production of the Keanu Reeves classic Point Break, and Andre played the lead part as Reeves' character Johnny Utah.  Check out my original story about this from a couple of weeks ago, here.

Thanks to the fine folks at the MLB FanCave, you have an opportunity to watch a little bit of his stagecraft right now. Check it out below.  (Hat Tip: Mike Oz at Big League Stew)

Video Link:

So, what do you think?  Does Andre have the chops to win a Tony Award someday?

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