2018 Onyx Platinum Elite - All the Dodgers Cards

Here's one of those tertiary card brands, like Leaf, that most collectors happily ignore. Featured below are the handful of Dodger prospects found in packs of 2018 Onyx Platinum Elite. Go here for a complete checklist.

This is a very small set, and includes only two Dodgers' to chase after. They are Double-A Tulsa first base prospect Matt Beaty and teammate Yadier Alvarez. Furthermore, the Alvarez card is actually a buyback from their 2015 set, so there really is only one new card to gawk after.

Autographs

#Matt Beaty

Blog Kiosk: 4/18/2018 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

I'm still salty about last nights elimination of the Kings at the hands of the upstart Las Vegas Knights. These were some tough hard-fought games, and losing all four of them when it could have easily gone the other way does not ameliorate my grief. Overall, only ten goals were scored collectively and the play of each net-minder was beyond excellent. Unfortunately, the Kings offense could never find a consistent rhythm, and the team and its fans (yes, the crowd was just as frustrated as the players) suffered for it.

I can't say I'm happy with how this season ended, but I will say we did better than I thought we'd do when the season started.

With that all being said, I send out a hearty congratulations to the Las Vegas Knights. They beat us this time. We'll get them back. I sense that an intense rivalry has just begun.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1925 Charles Ebbets, the Dodgers owner and president, dies of an heart attack on the morning of his teams home opener at Ebbets Field. In 1939 Red Barber announces the first ever regular season Dodger game to be broadcast in Brooklyn. In 1946 Jackie Robinson makes his debut as a second baseman for the Montreal Royals. He belts a home runs and records three singles. In 1947 Burt Shotten is named the Dodgers manager - replacing Leo Durocher who was suspended by the league ten days prior. In 1950 Vin Scully calls his very first game as a Dodgers broadcaster. In 1952 Willie Mays is knocked unconscious when he runs in to the Ebbets Field outfield wall while making a game saving catch. In 1958 Los Angeles holds a downtown parade for the the Dodgers before their first home game at the Coliseum. A National League record 78,672 fans crowd the stadium to watch their new team defeat the soon-to-be-hated Giants, 6-5. In 1964 Sandy Koufax throws his second career Immaculate Inning - three strike outs on nine pitches during one inning. In 1966 Maury Wills becomes the first batter to get a hit on artificial grass - a single off of Robin Roberts at the Astrodome. In 2008 the Dodgers announce that Joe Beimel had been selected by fans to get a bobblehead.
• Happy Birthday, Hughie Hearne, Tommy McMillan, Nick Polly, Bobby Castillo, Jim Eisenreich & Brady Clark!

A Pee Wee Reese Pee-Rookie Premium to Add to the Collection

It's been awhile since I've shared any new additions to my collection, so I figured I'd jump-start a small flurry of post with something that arrived at my doorstep just a few days ago. The featured item above is not of the Dodgers. Instead, it is a team-issued premium that includes a future legendary Dodger. Check out my 1939 Louisville Colonels team-issued photograph and sitting in the front row (just a bit right of center) is 20-year old Pee Wee Reese.

Welcome to the Blue, Breyvic Valera!

As you certainly know by now, Logan Forsythe was put on the 10-day DL, so the Dodgers called up infielder Breyvic Valera (#33) from Triple-A Oklahoma City over the weekend. Since then he has appeared in two games with the club as a pinch hitter -- walking once and lining out to right field. Per a Dodgers press release:

Valera, 26, has appeared in seven games with the OKC Dodgers this season and has gone 6-for-19 (.316) with six runs, two doubles and six RBI along with a .417 on-base percentage. Valera, who is set to make his Dodger debut, was acquired by Los Angeles on April 1 in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Blog Kiosk: 4/17/2018 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

I love that Matt Kemp is proving that he still has plenty in the tank. Per Jay Paris at MLB.com:

"I'm just happy to be in a uniform playing for the team that I started with,'' Kemp said. "My main focus is just to help this team any way I can to win games and get back to the World Series.

It's doubly good that Ryu is doing the same. Ryu went six strong innings, striking out 9, and allowing just two runs on three hits. Per Eric Stephen at True Blue LA:

“I was really happy with my outing tonight,” Ryu said. “Those couple of years were tough.”

BTW, you should check out Jon Weisman's blog post from this morning pointing out how Ryu's comeback this season is something to behold (link here). Photo above via @Dodgers on twitter. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1934 Casey Stengel makes his managerial debut as the Dodger skipper. Brooklyn defeated the Boston Braves, 8-7. In 1947 Jackie Robinson recorded his first major league hit -- a bunt single down the third base line off of Boston Braves hurler Glenn Elliott. In 1955 Roberto Clemente, who started out as a Dodger prospect, singles off of Dodger pitcher Johnny Podres for his first major league hit. In 1956 future Hall of Famer Don Drysdale pitched in his very first game. He threw one inning of hitless relief in the ninth inning of a losing game. In 1994 the Dodgers belted 19 runs against the hapless Pirates to tie a club record for most runs in a game. In 2013 Clayton Kershaw strikes out his 1,000th batter of his career -- the victim was Padres first baseman Yonder Alonso.
• Happy Birthday, Ad Yale, Jake Daubert, Stan Andrews, Marquis Grissom & Gary Bennett!

2018 Topps Now - #80 and #83 -- Kershaw and Puig

After nearly three weeks of on-field futility Topps has finally decided to issue the very first two Dodgers' 2018 Topps Now cards for collectors to chase after. As you know, the Dodgers have not been very good so far this season, so these new cards can only be a sign that things are looking up.