Friday, July 12, 2013

Nike Zoom Revis Matt Kemp PE Sneaker and Another Yasiel Puig Promo Card for the National


Matt Kemp sure has some nice sneakers.  Check it about above.  The pic was sent out via Kemp's Instagram account earlier today.

These are Nike Zoom Revis Matt Kemp Player Exclusive sneakers that he must have received today.  Via a story by Sir Lucas Leftfoot on NikeBlog.com, no public launch is planned at the moment, but you never know.  I'm sure sneakerheads who bleed blue will gladly wait patiently for the chance to add this to their collection.

UPDATE:  Here's another photo as found through twitter @JohnGeiger.

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


Not to be outdone, Yasiel Puig continues to bring excitement to the Baseball card hobby.  Panini America announced today that Puig will be included in their upcoming 2013 National Sports Collectors Convention Base Set.  It will be numbered to 499 copies, and there will be numerous parallel versions available numbered to only 5 copies.  Check more information on their blog, here.  Dodger fans will only have to a few more weeks before this can be added to their binders.

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *
* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *
By at Friday, July 12, 2013 0 comments
Labels: , , ,

Some More Vintage Dodgers Snapshots on eBay


I came across another eBay auction of some fan-taken photographic snapshots of the Brooklyn Dodgers.  Well... At least, everything points to it being of the Dodgers.  Take a look.

These are three vintage Polaroid photographs that were clearly taken at Ebbets Field.  That's easy to tell because of the advertising on the outfield walls.  The giant Schaefer Beer billboard and Gem Razor ad are easily recognizable.  Additionally, I'm fairly certain that Jackie Robinson is featured at the plate in the photo on the left.  Check out an enlarged copy below.
(eBay Auction Link)

Jackie's batting stance is unmistakable, and so is the #42 on the batters back.

Unfortunately, the next photo is a little more fuzzy.  See it below. 
(eBay Auction Link)

Clearly, it is from before the start of the game as you can see the ground crew preparing the batters box with chalk.  In the foreground, a pitcher is seen warming up, but the seller (and myself) can't figure out who it is.  It cannot be a Dodger, since no one wore #47.  So, who is it?  If anyone has any clue please let me know.

As for the final photo, your guess is as good as mine as to who is shown pitching.

Still, I love checking out these kinds of vintage fan photos.  They are always one-of-a-kind and are unique in their own special way.  They allow me to look through the eyes of a fan who is sitting right there.  Can't you just imagine myself enjoying a hot dog and watching the Dodgers play?
(eBay Auction Link)

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *
* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *
By at Friday, July 12, 2013 0 comments
Labels: , , ,

Blog Kiosk: 7/12/2013 - Dodgers Links - President Stan Kasten Speaks, Another Puig Baseball Card and Dodgers Jersey's Selling Briskly


Last night Adrian Gonzalez's father threw out the first pitch.  Check out a photo of them together, above.  Pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2013.
  • Via the Daily News, "Dodgers President Stan Kasten talks Yasiel Puig, Dodger heritage, kosher hot dogs, stadium Wi-Fi, his 'Yankee' manager and love of the game as he meets fans, answers tough questions".  You must check out the discussion.  It's great.  Below is a small sample.

KM: Did I see you say the Dodgers wouldn't give a contract to a player that would take him beyond what, age 36?
SK: I was misquoted (laughter). What I said was, last year, people in the media went off and had their own theories about what we were doing, including 'oh they've lost their minds; they don't care what they spend on anything,' and I made the point that if you look at who we got last year, none of those players had contracts that lasted beyond the age of 36. It's not like we got guys into their 40s or mid-40s. We were watching what we were doing. I'm not gonna say we will never get a guy beyond the age of 36. We haven't done it yet. It's a useful benchmark. Maybe it should be lower than that. I don't think you mortgage the future by getting guys who are no older than 36 when their contract is up.

KM: Will the time come when we'll be able to walk all the way around the park?
SK: I don't know. That's a really long-term project. You're building another concourse, an exterior concourse right now what we did was renovate, update, modernize. If we really want to build the next generation, the next 50-year Dodger Stadium, we might do an exterior concourse that connects all the way around. That's a very big project, a long-term project. I will say it's on the long term to-do list but we just haven't decided what the long-term is going to be. We set a goal of doing all we could in 26 weeks. We knew that's all we had, 26 weeks. We have more to do. We'll evaluate that right now
  • Chris Olds at Beckett provides a sneak peek at Panini Prizm Baseball cards.  Check out the Puig and Piazza cards below.  The set is slated to come out on September 18th.


  • Unfortunately, some things never change.  Yasiel Puig aggravated a hip injury last night, via JP Hoornstra at Inside the Dodgers.
  • Via Cash Kruth at MLB.com, four Dodgers are ranked in the top 20 for sold jerseys.  That's the most of any club.
  • Dan Barry of the NY Times writes about the Jefferson R. Burdick collection of Baseball cards that is having a huge show at the NY Metropolitan Museum.  Burdick is the Godfather of Baseball card collecting.  There's a great slideshow to look through.
  • The new LA Kings star?  Via twitter @MettaWorldPeace.


      
      * Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *
      * Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *
      By at Friday, July 12, 2013 0 comments
      Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

      Thursday, July 11, 2013

      Will You All Please Cut Puig Some Slack!

      I've been reading everywhere about how disrespectful and arrogant Yasiel Puig supposedly is.  And quite frankly, I'm sick of it.

      I think folks; including reporters, opposing players and baseball fans, need to take a break and try to understand the situation Puig is in.

      Yasiel Puig has literally come from a world sheltered by the rule of Castro's Cuba.  Things like press availability, fan expectations, and western culture are totally foreign to him.  And, I don't say that euphemistically. 

      He could not possibly understand the world in which he is now the center of attention, and the culture shock he is experiencing is likely just as great as an aging WWII Japanese soldier still found hiding in the jungles of the Philippines 40 years after the end of the war.

      You have to remember that he has only been a part of the Western world for a little over a year.

      A YEAR!  Like, literally!  He came off a rag-tag boat a little over a year ago!

      So, cut him some slack!
      (Pic via Jon SooHoo/2013 Dodgers)


      * Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *
      * Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *
      By at Thursday, July 11, 2013 0 comments
      Labels:

      Some Vintage Brooklyn Dodgers Fan Snapshots Found on eBay

      Following up on yesterdays post featuring an eBay vintage doll find, I now share a grouping of vintage fan-taken photographic snapshots of some Brooklyn Dodgers.  Check them out below.

      This photo below is dated by the seller as being from 1951, and was taken during Spring Training.  Featured in this one-of-a-kind photo is Rocky Bridges.  He played high school ball in Long Beach and was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 1947.  He rose through the ranks and eventually played two seasons with the Dodgers before being traded to the Reds in 1953.  Bridges would go on to have a 11-year Major League career.
      (eBay Auction Link)

      Here is a fan snapshot of first baseman Dee Fondy.  The seller labels it as being Buddy Hicks, but based on some photos I've seen online I am certain that is not the case.  Heck, I think the seller inadvertently mixed up the names as they have another photo (as seen at the very bottom) that is of Buddy.  Anyway, Dee Fondy went to high school in San Bernardino and was singed as an amateur in 1946.  He never played for the Dodgers, but would eventually get his chance to shine as a member of the Cubs in 1951.  Fondy would go on to have a productive 8-year Major League career.

      BTW, the seller claims that the photo is from 1951, but that doesn't seem likely.  He was traded by the Dodgers along with future actor Chuck Conners to the Cubs in October of 1950.  So, at the latest the photo is from the Spring of 1950.
      (eBay Auction Link)

      This is the last fan-taken snapshot on eBay.  Like the photo above, the seller mixed up the names.  I am certain the photo below is actually infielder Buddy Hicks.  He never played for the Brooklyn Dodgers, but was originally signed by them in 1944. He would eventually be sold to the Phillies in October of 1950; which lends credence to my theory that these photos have to be from 1950, or earlier. 

      Buddy would finally get a taste of the big leagues in 1956 with the Detroit Tigers.  He would only get into 26 games.  Hicks would later on be a Minor League manager for both the Braves and Senators in the 1960's.
      (eBay Auction Link)

      * Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *
      * Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *
      By at Thursday, July 11, 2013 0 comments
      Labels: , , , ,

      Blog Kiosk: 7/11/2013 - Dodgers Links - Andre's Carne Asada Sunday and Puig News


      Join Andre Ethier on Sunday, July 28th for his Carne Asada Sunday fan get-together after that afternoon game.  Fans have the opportunity to cookout with Andre Ethier and enjoy authentic Mexican Carne Asada presented by Chef Merito, the official seasoning of the Los Angeles Dodgers, after the game against Cincinnati.  You will also get the opportunity to partake in a Q&A session with Andre Ethier and take pictures with the All-Star.  Tcikets are $50.00 and it benefits the Union Rescue Mission.  Attendees will also get a Dodgers gift bag.  Go here for more information.
      • I'm a little bit troubled by this.  Via Jeff Passan on Yahoo, Jay-Z is apparently courting Yasiel Puig to join his sports management group.  I would prefer Puig focus on Baseball instead of marketing.  If he continues to perform at the level we hope, I am certain endorsements will come - not that he needs any.
      • Bill Plaschke at the LA Times writes, "Someone to watch over Yasiel Puig: The most important member of the Dodgers' lineup? It's Tim Bravo, who watches over hard-living rookie phenom Yasiel Puig day and night."
      • Left Field Pavilion makes an awesome fantasy card of Yasiel Puig using the vintage 1958 Topps All-Star card design.
      • It looks like the team and new Dodger owners are getting the fans stamp of approval.  Via a tweet from the @DodgersPR.  BTW, this tweet refers to Tuesday night's game.


      • The cover of the 8th edition of the 2013 Dodgers playbill features Yasiel Puig.  See it on the right.
      • Via Hugh Bernreuter at mlive.com, "Los Angeles Dodgers prospect Leo Rodriguez opens eyes, leads Great Lakes Loons with .306 average".
      • Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "WWII vet Patterson is Dodgers' All-Star hero".

      David Patterson of Rio Rancho, N.M., will represent the Dodgers as one of 30 winners of the "Tribute for Heroes" campaign, a national initiative of MLB and People Magazine that recognizes veterans and military service members.

      Patterson was awarded the Silver Congressional Medal of Honor and is a Native American who took part in every Marine assault in World War II as one of the Navajo Code Talkers.
      • This is clearly the strangest news I've heard in awhile.  Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Josh Beckett injury: Dodgers RHP has rib removed during surgery".


      * Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *
      * Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *
      By at Thursday, July 11, 2013 0 comments
      Labels: , , , ,
      Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)