Blog Kiosk: 3/5/2016 - Dodgers Links - Lee, Howell and Adrian's Bet

Photo above of Manny Mota and his little balloon via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016.  Go here to check out more pics by Jon from yesterday.

Below are more links to check out:

• Awesome!  I want to see this so bad.  Via One Nación on ESPN, "A-Gon proposes friendly bet the Dodgers will make playoffs."  

@Buster_ESPN so no @Dodgers? How about a friendly bet? We make playoffs you do a @BBTN segment in full @Dodgers uniform.

— Adrian Gonzalez (@Adrian_ElTitan) March 4, 2016

• Topps has signed up Kenta Maeda, so his autograph will be appearing in their Baseball cards very soon.  In fact, Blowout Buzz shares a pic of a Topps Tribute autograph card on their blog (link here).  See it on the right.
• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Dodgers tab Lee to start in Anderson's spot."

The Dodgers still consider Brandon Beachy and Mike Bolsinger the early front-runners to replace Anderson in the rotation, but with an entire spring slate remaining, there is time for a full competition that includes Lee, Ross Stripling (who also pitches Sunday), Jose De Leon and Carlos Frias, among others.

• Video: Go behind the scenes for an exclusive look into the team’s first full squad practice and first BP session of the season. (Link Here)
• Via Andy McCullough at the LA Times, "J.P. Howell and Turner Ward bury the hatchet over 2013 Dodgers-Diamondbacks brawl."

"I just wanted to clear things up," Ward told Howell when they connected a day after the initial message, "so you don't get me in the clubhouse when we get there."

Howell found himself laughing. Ward sounded so "gentle" over the phone, his soft Alabama drawl offering a contrast to the image cast by his stern eyes and lantern jaw.

"I'm like, 'Hey, I'm hoping you don't want a rematch,'" Howell said. "Because I think if we went 1-on-1, he's a big boy. I liked the atmosphere a lot better during the brawl than I do 1-on-1 with that guy."

• Via Bill Slane at MLB.com, "Spring full of lessons for Dodgers prospect De Jong."

"Not so much what to do on your start day but what to do between them to get ready for your start day," he said. "We all know how to pitch, but to do the preparation and the little things right to get yourself prepared for that start is what I'm trying to learn from these older guys."

• Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Mike Rosenbaum at MLB.com, share their rankings for best minor league systems in Baseball (Link Here).  The Dodgers #1.

Shortstop Corey Seager, baseball's top prospect, and left-hander Julio Urias, the game's second-best pitching prospect, give the Dodgers a fine head start. But they rank No. 1 on this list because their depth of talent runs so much deeper than it did a year ago. Thanks to breakout players (right-hander Jose De Leon, first baseman Cody Bellinger), fast-developing 2014 draftees (righty Grant Holmes, outfielder Alex Verdugo) and products of a nine-figure 2015 international spending spree (righty Yadier Alvarez, outfielders Yusniel Diaz and Starling Heredia), this system is loaded.

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2016 Donruss Baseball - All the Dodgers Base Cards

To start off the 2016 Baseball season Panini released their Donruss card brand earlier this week. It follows a very similar configuration to the original product that came out in the 80's.  It starts with a Diamond Kings card, then Rated Rookies and finally the base set.  Below are all the Dodger card in the aforementioned group.  Go here for a complete checklist of the set.

#14 Zack Greinke

Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Spring Game 2/Away Game 1

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.

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 LOS ANGELES DODGERS (1-0) at Texas Rangers (2-0)
Friday, March 4, 2016 – 12:05 p.m. PST | Surprise Recreation Campus
LHP Scott Kazmir (0-0) vs. RHP Chi Chi Gonzalez (0-0)

TV: None Radio: AM 570 (Eng.)

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(Roberts and Ventura, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016)

Blog Kiosk: 3/4/2016 - Dodgers Links - Wood, Roberts and Brett Anderson

Yesterday was the start of something new for the Dodgers.  They've got a new skipper at the helm and a renewed optimism that will hopefully push them over the hump that has gotten in the way the past few years.  Whatever issues and problems that ailed them has surely been washed away.

As you know, it was the first official spring game of the new season, and the good guys walked away with win.  Not that it's all that important.  After all, spring is for working out the kinks, not for checking the standings.  Via Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider:

“There were a lot of good things (today),” Dave Roberts said. “We talk a lot about winning baseball games, but it’s about winning the right way. Today, we look at the pitching, the defense, the at-bats we put out there, the baserunning, that’s how we (want to) play.”

Featured in the photo above is new Dodger skipper Dave Roberts with former Dodger and current White Sox manager Robin Ventura, via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016.  Go here to check out more pics from Jon from yesterday.  Below are more links to check out:

2016 Topps Heritage - All the Dodgers Base Cards

Take a look at all the Dodgers base cards found in Topps 2016 Heritage set.  Go here for a complete checklist.  I shared pics of all the variations available here.

#12 Andre Ethier                            #38 Adrian Gonzalez

Blog Kiosk: 3/3/2016 - Dodgers Links - Puig, Ryu and Brett Anderson

Ahhh!... There's nothing like the look and smell of fresh leather.  Take a look at AJ Ellis' brand new mitt -- a custom model job from Wilson.  Pic via AJ Ellis on twitter.

Below are more links to check out:

• The injury bug just doesn't want to stop.  Brett Anderson is headed for back surgery due to an bulging disk, via a tweet by Ken Gurnick.  His surgery will be today.

Anderson has bulging disk. Out 3-5 months.

— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) March 3, 2016

Via Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider:

“I was surprised — I was shocked,” (Dave) Roberts said. “Talking to him two days ago and again yesterday morning, he just thought it’s a couple-day thing that would subside.”

“I haven’t talked to him since yesterday, but I’m certain he’s disappointed. He felt coming into Spring Training he was in fantastic shape and had a great winter, and so for this to happen, I’m sure he’s very disappointed.”

• Eric Stephen at True Blue LA has the Spanish radio broadcast schedule for Spring Training.
• Video:  The Dodgers newest pitcher offers his first reactions after joining the team for training for the first time. (Link Here)
• Video: Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner talks to Alanna Rizzo about his expected absence during the first week of the Cactus League. Turner is recovering from knee surgery.  (Link Here)
• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Roberts praises Puig for energy, outlook."

"He's been fantastic," Roberts said. "He's been healthy, he feels good, his energy, his outlook on things related to teammates has been great. We are friends, I'm friends with all of my players. You've got to have that trust with a manager, a coach, a player. Absolutely, I consider him a friend."

• This isn't the best of news.  Hopefully it's just a minor setback.  Via Gurnick at MLB.com, "Ryu to rest after feeling shoulder discomfort."

"We're just backing off because he felt something, but this is all part of our cautious plan to bring him back slowly," said Roberts. "It's not a setback."

• I love hearing about vintage Baseball card discoveries.  Via Mark Townsend at Big League Stew, "Family discovers seven rare Ty Cobb cards possibly worth $1M."  I should add that these cards are truly rare, and their actual originals are still a mystery.  They are believed to be a part of the vaunted T206 set (since it's the exact same design and front), but that is far from confirmed.  After all, no other cards from that set feature that unique "ad back."  Nevertheless, even with the immediate increase in supply, I suspect they will still command a huge premium.

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