Welcome Back, Clayton!

WooHoo!  He's back!

Our golden left arm, our leader from the mound, the claw with a magic curve, a savior in a time of need, is officially back on the Dodger roster.  After what has felt like an eternity, Clayton Kershaw comes off the DL and has been activated. He will start tonight's game.

Per a Dodger press release:

The Los Angeles Dodgers today reinstated left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw from the 15-day disabled list and optioned right-handed pitcher Pedro Baez to Double-A Chattanooga.

Kershaw, the two-time National League Cy Young Award winner, picked up the win on Opening Day against the D-backs in Australia, allowing just one run on five hits in 6.2 innings in the Dodgers’ 3-1 victory, before being placed on the DL with a Teres Major strain. The 26-year-old made two rehab starts, April 25 for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga (5.0 IP, 2 H, R, HR, BB, 6 SO - 56 pitches) and April 30 for Double-A Chattanooga (5.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 9 SO - 86 pitches), and will make the start tonight at Washington.

Baez was recalled from Chattanooga yesterday and made his Major League debut in last night’s loss.

No surprise with Baez being shipped to Chattanooga.  He was an insurance policy - to provide an extra arm to alleviate an overworked bullpen.  BTW, he got into last nights game, but was less than overwhelming.  He went one inning, gave up a single and a 2-run home run.  At least he officially has his name in the record books, eh?

Kershaw rejoins the Dodgers at a time when they are struggling, a bit.  They sit in 3rd place in the West - 3.5 games behind the Giants, and have a .500 record over the past 10 games.

Frankly, I think folks are getting a bit too worked up about the Dodgers recent misfortunes.  We still have a lot of Baseball left to play, and the current malaise that seems to surround the team appears to be the normal/typical daily grind you should expect in any season.  Nevertheless, it's great to see Kershaw back in Dodger Blue.  His presence on the mound can provide enough gusto to get us over this little hump.

In celebration of Clayton's return I made the below fantasy card for him.  I used a photo grabbed from Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014 from photo day during Spring Training and the 1987 Topps Baseball card design.  Don't you love that smile?

Pic at the very top via @Dodgers on twitter.

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2014 Bowman Baseball - The Dodger Autograph, Relic & Boxloader Cards

Here is a final post featuring Dodger cards that can be found in packs of 2014 Bowman Baseball.  This time I show the relic and autographed cards. 

There are a bunch of different Julio Urias autographed cards.  Unfortunately, they only come with a redemption card in packs, so I do not have any photos yet.  BTW, once an Urias Superfractor shows up I'll feature them with another post.

Go here to check out all of my previous post on this set.

Bowman Chrome Prospect Autographs

#BCAP-BT Brandon Trinkwon                 #BCAP-JS Jacob Scavuzzo

Two Dodgers are available as Bowman Black Autographs, but only a redemption card is inserted into packs.  Below is a checklist:

• #BBC-BT Brandon Trinkwon
• #BBC-JU Julio Urias

#BBC-JU Julio Urias 

Below are a couple of more Julio Urias autographed cards that are only found as redemption cards.

Bowman Chrome Mini Autograph Cards

• #CMA-JU Julio Urias 

#CMA-JU Julio Urias
(pic of purple parallel shown below)

Ultimate Prospect Autograph Book Card

• #Julio Urias - (This card features a booklet card with 25 different autographs)

AFLAC/Perfect Game/Under Armour Autographs

#Corey Seager

Futures Game Relics

#FGR-JP Joc Pederson

The card below is an oversized boxloader.  They are randomly inserted into hobby boxes of 2014 Bowman as a single pack.  So, not every hobby box has one of these packs.  They are roughly twice the size of a normal card.

BTW, I noticed a small error to this card.  Checklist I've seen indicates that this card should be numbered #OI-JU, but as you can see below they are numbered as #OAI-JU.  The latter numbering is what the autographed Oversized Iced Boxloader cards are supposed to be numbered as.  Also, the Oversized Autographed Iced cards are available only through a redemption.

Oversized Ice Boxloaders

#OI-JU Julio Urias

I can't wait to get a look at the card below.  If they look anything like the Yasiel Puig insert, then this card should look fantastic.

Oversized 1989 Bowman Autographs #/20

#89-JU Julio Urias

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Blog Kiosk: 5/6/2014 - Dodger Links - Guerrero Superfractor has been Found

Hanley is hoping for the rain to go away.  He got his wish, as the Dodger resumed the game.  Pic above via @Dodgers on twitter.

• Via Rich Mueller at Sports Collectors Daily, “Pawn Stars” Casting Crew Seeking Sports Items At June Long Beach Expo.
• Chad Moriyama at Dodgers Digest shares a gif of the Dodgers only highlight from last night's game - a Dodger fan reaction behind the plate to a Brian Wilson strike out.  Was that Troy from West Virginia?  Do you remember him?  He became viral famous a few years back for his love of Joe Beimel. 

(Pic via @Dodgers on twitter)

• Via Jeff Seidel at MLB.com, "Ryu gets OK to begin throwing program."

"With everything, doc felt good, didn't need anything, just let him start working there and moving forward," Mattingly said.

• I just thought I'd let you know that the Alexander Guerrero Superfractor has been found in 2014 Bowman, and it's currently for sale on eBay, here.  Check out pics below.  Superfractors are the most sought after modern issue rookie card in the hobby.  They are all "1 of 1's", and can sell for thousands of dollars.

• Via Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA, "Is Ramirez contract extension now on back burner for Colletti?"
• RIP.  Via Helene Elliott at the LA Times, "Former King, Flyer Ross Lonsberry dies at 67."  He played for the Kings in the late-'60's and early '70's, and was an import cog to the Stanley Cup Champion Broad Street Bullies in Philadelphia.

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Welcome to the Blue, Pedro Baez!

As you know, the Dodgers have been doing some juggling with the roster lately.  They've especially been moving pitchers in and out at a furious pace.  In the past few weeks we've seen Jose Dominguez, Red Patterson, and now Stephen Fife called up and then sent back down a few days later.

In place of Fife, who was a spot starter for Sunday's game, will be recently converted reliever Pedro Baez.  Per a Dodger press release:

The Los Angeles Dodgers today recalled right-handed pitcher Pedro Baez from Double-A Chattanooga and optioned right-handed pitcher Stephen Fife to Triple-A Albuquerque.

Baez, who will be making his first appearance on the Dodgers’ active roster, has appeared in 11 games for Chattanooga this season, posting a 1-0 record with five saves and a 2.84 ERA (4 ER/12.2 IP). The hard-throwing right-hander last pitched on Friday vs. Tennessee and fired 2.0 scoreless innings with two strikeouts. The 26-year-old appeared in his first Major League camp this spring after he was added to the 40-man roster on Nov. 20, 2013 and pitched in two games for the club, tossing 2.0 scoreless innings. Baez, who converted to a pitcher after spending his first six professional seasons as an infielder, is from Bani, Dominican Republic, which is the same hometown as Dodger infielder Juan Uribe.

Fife was recalled from Albuquerque Sunday to make a spot start at Miami and took the loss, allowing four runs on seven hits in 6.0+ innings in the Dodgers’ 4-3 defeat.

As you may know, Baez was signed out of the Dominican Republic for $200,000 by the Dodgers in 2007 as a third baseman with lots of potential.  At the time, he was compared to Adrian Beltre.  Unfortunately, that prediction came to pass.  After 6 years of struggling with the bat, the Dodgers decided to leverage his strong right arm and convert him into a pitcher.  This change occurred after the 2012 season, and so far it has paid dividends. 

For the first time in his career, Pedro Baez will find himself wearing Dodger Blue at a real Major League game.  He'll sit in the bullpen, and certainly reflect on his journey.

Hopefully, he'll have an opportunity to showcase how far he has come.  BTW, he will be wearing #52 (per Eric Stephen on twitter).  Also, Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider shares a Dodger prospect video on Baez here.

UPDATE:  I should add that we shouldn't expect Baez to stay with the Dodgers for long.  Any day now, Clayton Kershaw will be coming back from the DL, so I would expect him to take Baez's spot when he is ready.  This may occur as soon as tomorrow.

In celebration of Baez officially becoming a Dodger for the first time today today, I made the above fantasy card for him.  I used a photo grabbed from Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014 from Spring Training and the 1987 Topps Baseball card design.

Below are Pedro Baez's minor league career pitching stats, via Baseball Reference:

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2014 Bowman Baseball - The Dodger Insert Cards

Following up on Friday's post featuring the Dodger base cards found in 2014 Bowman Baseball cards, I now take a look at the various Dodger insert cards.  Check them out below.

I show both the normal Topp 100 Prospect card and its die-cut parallel card below.  The die-cut parallel are numbered to just 99 copies.

Top 100 Prospects Inserts

#BTP-40 Joc Pederson

#BTP-44 Julio Urias

#BTP-57 Corey Seager

#BTP-61 Chris Anderson

Bowman Chrome Mini Cards

#BM-LAD1 Joc Pederson                      #BM-LAD2 Julio Urias

#BM-LAD3 Corey Seager                   #BM-LAD4 Chris Anderson

#BM-LAD5 Zach Lee

I just think the card below is fantastic looking.

1989 Bowman Is Back Inserts

#89BIB-YP Yasiel Puig

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Blog Kiosk: 5/5/2014 - Dodger Links - Puig, Pederson and Carl Crawford

Puig and his bulldogs: Jacob and Princess.  Check out Yvonne Carrasco's story at Dodger Insider as she writes, "Morning at Casa Puig."  Take a look at his home in Miami.  Pic above via @Dodgers on twitter.

• Via Christopher Jackson at Examiner.com, "Isotopes Notebook: Southpaws are no concern for Pederson."

“He’s had some good ABs against lefties and struggled a little bit on some nastier lefties,” Berryhill said. “But we’re not really concerned with him facing lefty-lefty. It’s something that you know the more opportunity he gets, the better he’s getting.

• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Crawford frustrated with prolonged slump."

"It's frustrating," he said. "I've had slumps, but nothing like this. I have to dig real deep, no other choices."

• Also from Gurnick, "Puig day to day after passing concussion test."
• Daniel Brim at Dodgers Digest writes about, "Dee Gordon’s Plate Discipline."
• Via Kevin Baxter at the LA Times, "Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis making progress in rehab."

Ellis has begun catching bullpen sessions and is stepping up his running program, sprinting hard from first base to third Sunday morning. Ellis said the running is the last box to check off in his rehab.

• Baxter also tells us that the, "Dodgers send Hyun-Jin Ryu home for shoulder exam."

"Hopefully there's nothing major there," pitching coach Rick Honeycutt said Sunday. "Hopefully just this little time off will correct itself and get him back in the rotation. We'll find out in the next few days about that."

• Via Charlie Wilmoth at MLB Trade Rumors, "Athletics Claim Nick (Chili) Buss."  This is too bad.  Of course, we are a bit heavy on outfielders.
• Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider, "Shrine of the Eternals honors Rachel Robinson, Don Zimmer."
• Blue Skinny Fan shares his day at Harry's Dugout meeting Pedro Guerrero.

Robinson has been called “arguably the most important woman in baseball history” by the Reliquary and Jackie’s “tower to lean on” by former Dodger executive Branch Rickey.  “She kept her husband’s legacy alive after his premature death in 1972 by founding the New York-based Jackie Robinson Foundation, a nonprofit with the mandate of providing college scholarships and leadership training to promising and talented young people,” the Shrine added.

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