2013 Panini Select Baseball - the Dodgers Base Cards

Before the end of the year, Panini America released their 2013 Select Baseball set.  For many of you older collectors, you likely remember this card brand.  The card set originally came out in 1992 and was produced by Score - later to be acquired by Donruss-Pinnacle.  If I'm not mistaken, they produced their last Select Baseball card set in 1998.  Now, Panini has decided to revive the brand in hopes of building some nostalgia. 

Select has a rather unusual base checklist.  The first 175 cards feature current, retired and rookie cards.  The 7 Dodger cards in that group are shown below.  The next 75 cards (#176 to #250) are all rookie autographed cards.  Since they are sequentially numbered with the non-autographed cards I decided to include them as a part of the base set.  There are 4 Dodger rookie autographed cards.  Unfortunately, the Hyun-Jin Ryu card (#250) is only available through a redemption.

#34 Matt Kemp                           #49 Adrian Gonzalez

#50 Brian Wilson                               #85 Clayton Kershaw

#124 Mike Piazza                                   #126 Yasiel Puig

#146 Matt Magill                                #212 Jose Dominguez

#240 Paco Rodriguez                      #243 Shawn Tolleson

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Mailbag - My First Agon & Webster Autographed Cards

I've got this cold that will not go away.  So, in a less-than-healthy stupor, I found myself perusing the eBay aisles for something to add to my collection.  There's nothing like doing some online shopping while stuck in bed.

Fortunately, I found a couple of great deals that fit perfectly into my collection.  On top of that, they are my first autographed cards of these players.  Check them out below.

It's been a fruitful past couple of weeks.  I received my very first Adrian Gonzalez autographed card, that you can see above.  He is sporting a Team Mexico uniform from the recent WBC tournament.  It is a 2013 Topps Tribute WBC autographed card.

Even thought he may no longer be in Dodger Blue (he was a part of the trade that sent AGon to us) I wanted to snag an Allen Webster autographed card before he ends up being as good as some say.  It is a 2012 Bowman gold parallel card (numbered 137 out of 250) of Allen Webster.

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Blog Kiosk: 1/6/2014 - Dodgers Links - A Dodgers Pillow Pet Giveaway, Stadium Upgrades and the Winter Development Program

I thought I'd announce this great little promotion.  This coming Saturday, January 11th, the Bakersfield Condors ECHL hockey club is holding a Dodgers vs. Giants Micro Pillow Pet Giveaway. The first 2,000 children, 12 and under, will receive their choice of a Dodgers or Giants Pillow Pet.  The team that runs out first will be declared the city favorite!! Go here for information. A big Hat Tip to Jose for letting me know about it.

• Via Bill Shaikin at the LA Times, "Dodgers adding bullpen lookouts to stadium".

The lookouts are the focal point of a modest Dodger Stadium expansion beyond the foul poles in left and right fields. The Dodgers would like those spaces to develop into gathering areas for fans, with concession stands to be added there and the merchandise tents to be replaced by permanent team stores.

Since Dodger Stadium opened in 1962, fans seated in the pavilions have been restricted to that area. The new gathering areas will be accessible to fans seated in the pavilions as well as to those entering from the field level.

• The Dodgers 7th Annual Winter Development Program began this past Sunday.  15 of the Dodgers' top prospects will be in LA for seminars and workouts to focus on fundamentals, strength training and conditioning. They will also spend some time familiarizing themselves with the city.  Among those in attendance will be Zach Lee, Scott Schebler, Joc Pederson, Seth Rosin, Pedro Baez, Yimi Garcia, Jarrett Martin, etc.  This event is not open to the public.
• Ross Gasmer at Dodger Nation notes that Brian Wilson recently tweeted a photo of himself checking out the Sydney Cricket Grounds this past weekend.  The Dodgers and Diamondbacks will be playing a couple of games there to start the season.
• Via Bryan Hoch at MLB.com, "Mattingly doesn't expect Hall to call on 14th try".
• Ken Levine eulogizes Jerry Coleman.  The former Yankee and Padres broadcaster recently passed away.  RIP, Jerry Coleman.
• Vin Scully had this to say about Jerry Coleman, via the Dodgers tumblr.

“We were much richer for having known him.  He had a wonderful and full life as a major league player, a war hero and a Hall of Fame broadcaster.  He was a sweet good natured and happy soul and he will be sorely missed.  Our sympathies are extended to his family and all the many wonderful friends that he had.”

• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "2014 salary arbitration preview: A.J. Ellis".
• The Sons of Steve Garvey shares even more photos from the work currently being done at Dodger Stadium.

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Blog Kiosk: 1/3/2014 - Dodgers Links -

Panini released a bunch of preview pics of their upcoming 2013 America’s Pastime Baseball set (which hist the market next Friday) and it includes a bunch of Dodgers; both new and old.  Check out the Puig and Campanella cards above.  Go here to see a whole bunch more.

• The new official Dodger Blog called Dodger Insider (and headed by Jon Weisman) can be viewed here.
• Via Mark Saxon at ESPN, "How much is Hanley worth to the Dodgers?"
• Jimmy Bramlett at the LAist shares his list of the Top-5 sexiest sportswriters of 2013 in LA.
• In some daily gossip.  Apparently, Khloe Kardashian will be having Matt Kemp's baby!  Via Media Take Out.com.
• Murray Chass writes, "BIGGIO, PIAZZA FANATICS SAY IT AIN’T SO".  I know this isn't going to be popular, but I do not disagree with Chass or Jeff Pearlman.

I can attest to the fanaticism of fans of individual players, in particular Mike Piazza and Craig Biggio. I have learned of their fans’ passion by having the audacity to mention them in connection with the use of performance-enhancing substances.

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Artifacts from the Dodgers Days in Brooklyn - via Lelands Auctions

Following up on Tuesday's post featuring Jackie Robinson's Rookie of the Year Award, I now share some fascinating artifacts that harken back to the days of Brooklyn.  Check out some goods related to Ebbets Field from Lelands Auctions.

Below is an original street sign for the corner of McKeever Place and Montgomery Street in Brooklyn.  As you may know, Ebbets Field was at this exact location.

(auction link)

Here is a Flatbush Avenue subway sign that would lead travellers to Ebbets Field.

(auction link)

Below is an original brick from Ebbets Field.

(auction link)

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Blog Kiosk: 1/2/2014 - Dodgers Links - Vin Scully and the Rose Parade

Here's a great pic of Vin Scully at the Rose Parade, via @MLB on twitter.  Check out even more great photos of Vin's day from Dodger photographer Jon SooHoo, here.

• Check out a digital copy of the 125th Rose Parade program right here.
• Watch a Vin Scully pre-parade interview from KTLA.
• Via Ben Platt at MLB.com, "Scully has exhilarating time at Rose Parade".

"I think to sum it up, you'd use the word exhilarating," said Scully, describing what it was like to lead the parade of floats down Pasadena's Colorado Avenue. "From the moment we reached the Tournament House, all the pre-parade excitement. The little chill in the air, that really got your attention, all the pageantry and, above all, all the good spirits of all of the volunteers, along with the policemen and motorcycle officers. It is just an incredible experience from the time we arrived this morning until now."

• Mark Aubrey at Mark's Ephemera made an awesome Vin Scully Rose Parade fantasy Baseball card.  Check it out here. 
• Via Bill Hanstock at SB Nation, "Vin Scully is the Rose Parade Grand Marshal, deal with it".  He shares a great .gif of Vin and his sunglasses.
• Here's a great .gif of Vin waving to the crowd, via the Dodgers tumblr.

• Stay tuned for January 6th.  The Dodgers are restarting their own team blog and Jon Weisman will be spearheading the effort.  WooHoo!  I can't think of anybody else who could do the job.  Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Weisman's dream becomes reality with new position".

"I'll have the benefit of insider access I've never had. It's just my second week, but I feel like I did 10 years ago. There's an untapped area. There are tons of coverage we can do, and I want to break new ground. I want to do more with the magazine online and just promote a more dynamic content experience. Dodgers.com remains the home page. The blog will be distributed through the home page. There will be multiple posts a day. It will be a constant source of material. ... It's all pretty amazing -- and it's pretty daunting. I feel a great deal of responsibility."

• Kings forward Dustin Brown and goalie Jonathan Quick have been selected to the 2014 US Olympic hockey team, via Jon Rosen at Kings Insider.  BTW, I want this Olympic jersey, so bad!

• Too funny.  Via Greg Wyshynski at Puck Daddy, "USA Hockey mistakenly tells 67-year-old Canadian he made Olympic roster".

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