A Fantasy Baseball Card Art Set - Stars of the Negro Leagues

Some of y'all will remember a once very active card collectors blog called Punk Rock Paint.  It was home to a gifted artist named Travis Peterson who made a name for himself in the blogging world for his fantastic fantasy trading cards.  If you're not familiar with his work then check out the following links to see what I mean.  Go here for his Start Wars Retro Gallery or here for his LOST Retro card gallery.

In addition to those online creations, he also teamed up with the infamous and hilarious twitter persona @OldHossRadbourn to make a real 100-card art Baseball card set.  It featured specially designed art cards for each person chosen by ESPN in their Hall of 100 list and includes the biting commentary of @OldHossRadbourn on its reverse.  As I had mentioned at the time, it was easily the best card set made by anybody all year, and if you have one then you are one of the lucky few.  Only 84 set were made. 

Anyway, a few weeks back Punk Rock Paint made a sudden announcement that a new set was about to be released and this time it would focus on the Negro Leagues.  Obviously, I jumped at the chance to add it to my collection.

It consist of 35-cards, is limited to just 100 sets and features some of the best to have every played the game.  Many of them are folks you likely have never heard of before, but believe me if they had an opportunity to compete in the Majors you would have heard of them.  From my understanding, sets are still available at $15.00.  So go here to check them out.  This was made in cooperation with The National Pastime Museum.

Check out a scan of the entire set below.

The best thing about my purchase is that it included a bonus insert card.  Check it out below.  It is a '1 of 1" Artist Proof of Mickey Mantle from the Old Hoss 100 set.  One of these days I'll scan that entire set to share.  In the meantime, you can check out what it looks like below.

The Old Hoss Radbourn caption on Mantle:

"American hero who never lived up to his talents or the money lavished on him, much like the generation which venerated him."

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Diamondbacks Series Starts Tonight - Scheduled Autograph Signings, Game Give Aways and Other Stuff!

The next homestand starts this evening against the Arizona Diamondbacks, and several olde-tyme Dodgers will be in the house to sign free autographs for fans.  Below are the scheduled autograph opportunities and other odds and ends for this upcoming homestand.

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Friday, September 5th at 7:10 PM
LHP Vidal Nuno vs RHP Dan Haren

Tonight's game starts at 7:10 PM.  Auto gates open at 4:30 PM, and stadium gates open at 5:00 PM.  It is Friday Night Fireworks, so fans will be able to go down onto the field after the game.  The theme for the eveningis classic rock.

Luke Edgemon, former contestant on “The Voice,” who has also appeared on “Glee” and worked with Barbara Streisand and Idina Menzel, will perform the national anthem.

Former Dodgers Ken Landreaux (in right-field pavilion plaza) and Dennis Powell (in left-field pavilion plaza) will be signing autographs for fans from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM.  Both will then sign autographs in the Stadium club from 7:00 PM to 7:30 PM.

• The Veteran of the Game presented by Bank of America is U.S. Air Force Game 1st Lieutenant Nathan Welch of Seal Beach. Welch was commissioned in 2011, following in the footsteps of his two grandfathers, and serves with the 865th Airborne Control Squadron at Tinker Air Force Base where he flies surveillance and reconnaissance missions to provide intelligence to combatant commanders. He flew 24 combat missions over Afghanistan logging 260 combat hours, which provided more than 87,000 ground troops air support while several high value targets were eliminated. Welch’s accolades include the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Humanitarian Medal and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal.
• The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) will hold a silent auction on the Club level by the Vin Scully Press Box. The auction ends at 8:45 p.m. with more than 25 items up for bid, including a Clayton Kershaw autographed baseball, Andre Ethier autographed photo and Yasiel Puig autographed game-used #42 LA Dodger jersey from Jackie Robinson Day. All proceeds will benefit LADF and its programs in sports and recreation, education and literacy and health and wellness which help children and families throughout the greater Los Angeles region.

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Saturday, September 6th at 6:10 PM
RHP Chase Anderson vs RHP Zack Greinke LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu

!!NOTE!!  Cary Osborn at Dodger Insider reminds us to, "Prepare for delays at Glendale Freeway exit on Saturday."  Find out more about it here.

Saturday's game starts at 6:10 PM.  Auto gates open at 3:30 PM, and stadium gates open at 4:00 PM.  The first 40,000 fans will receive Dodger headphones.  Check it out on the right.

Bassist, founding member of LA band Red Hot Chili Peppers, Grammy award-winner, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and life-long Dodger fan Flea will throw the ceremonial first pitch.  Flea!!!

Fire Chief Mark Lorenzen will throw the ceremonial first pitch.

Former Dodgers Al “The Bull” Ferrara (in right-field pavilion plaza) and Derrel Thomas (in left-field pavilion plaza) will be signing autographs for fans from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM.  Both will sign autographs in the Stadium Club from 6:00 PM to 6:30 PM.  Also, there will be face painters in the left-field pavilion plaza area from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM.

• The Veteran of the Game presented by Bank of America is U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel Rob Riggle. Riggle joined the Marines Corps in 1990 and started his career as a pilot and transitioned into Civil and Public Affairs.  Immediately following the attacks on September 11, Riggle served with the MTU 17 Unit, and worked at ground zero searching through piles of rubble by hand for six days in hopes of finding potential survivors.  Two months later he was deployed to Afghanistan. Riggle served nine years active duty and 14 years reserve.  He retired in 2013 and his accolades include the Combat Action Ribbon, The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the joint services Commendation Medal.
• The Dodgers will celebrate the first annual Champions Night honoring the accomplishments of local baseball and softball champions from the district, section and state. Five Southern California teams will be recognized prior to the game: Hart Mustang 9U Tournament team, Santa Monica 16U Patriots, Southridge Spartan All-Stars, South Pasadena 9-10 Softball and Jr. Softball All-Star Teams and the Thousand Oaks Little League All-Star State Champs. The California State University, Channel Islands (CSUCI) Alumni & Friends Association has invited more than 1,000 students, alumni, faculty, staff and community supporters from Ventura, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles counties to attend CI Alumni and Friends Dodger Day.

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Sunday, September 7th at 1:10 PM
RHP Trevor Cahill vs. LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu RHP Zack Greinke

Sunday's game starts at 1:10 PM.  Auto gates open at 10:30 AM, and stadium gates open at 11:00 AM.  It is another Dodger bobblehead day. The first 50,000 fans will receive an AJ Ellis Bobblehead.  See the bobblehead on the left.

International recording artist, from Ontario, California, T Lopez, will perform the national anthem. 

Former Dodgers Al Downing (in right-field pavilion plaza) and Billy Ashley (in left-field pavilion plaza) will be signing autographs for fans from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM.  Also, there will be face painters in the left-field pavilion plaza area from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

As always, Viva Los Dodgers begins in the Dodger parking lot at 11:00 AM and musical entertainment will be provided by Cava and Bachata singer J’Martin.  Hanley Ramirez will be there from 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM.  I am unsure if this is a photo only session or if he will sign autographs.  Additionally, Dodger Alumni Leaguer Dennis Powell will sign autographs at Viva Los Dodgers - his time was not provided, but is likely to be from 11:00 Am to 1:00 PM.

• Sunday’s “Héroes de la Comunidad” honoree at Viva Los Dodgers is LAPD Senior Office Gina Chovan who has been a member of the LAPD for more than 21 years. 
• The Veteran of the Game presented by Bank of America is U.S. Navy Petty Officer First Class Ricardo Ferrer of Walnut. Ferrer enlisted in 2002 and is currently assigned to the Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 85 onboard an HH-60H helicopter. He serves as a Door Gunner and Combat Search and Rescue Crewman in direct support of Special Operations Forces throughout the world. He has served deployments to South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines. Ferrer’s accolades include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, National Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism.
• The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) will hold a silent auction on the Club level by the Vin Scully Press Box. The auction ends at 2:45 p.m. with more than 25 items up for bid, including an Adrian Gonzalez autographed baseball, Zack Greinke autographed photo and A.J. Ellis autographed game-used #42 LA Dodger jersey from Jackie Robinson Day. All proceeds will benefit LADF and its programs in sports and recreation, education and literacy and health and wellness which help children and families throughout the greater Los Angeles region.

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Blog Kiosk: 9/5/2014 - Dodger Links - Greinke, Urias and Frias

Wow!  What an fantastic photo.  I've seen all kinds of photos of old Ebbets Field, but never from this perspective.  Photo via @DugoutLegends on twitter.  Click on the pic to embiggen.

• Cary Osborn at Dodger Insider reminds us to, "Prepare for delays at Glendale Freeway exit on Saturday."

Drivers coming to Dodger Stadium for Saturday’s 6:10 p.m. game are warned that there could be delays exiting the southbound 2 (Glendale Freeway) at its endpoint.

CalTrans has scheduled utility work between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturday where the freeway ends and lets out to Glendale Boulevard. The exit’s No. 2 lane will be closed, allowing only one lane to flow onto surface streets, according to CalTrans.

• Via Everett Cook at the LA Times, "By any means of thinking, Dodgers' Zack Greinke gets job done on mound."  Zack makes an interesting comment about how being stupid works for Baseball players.  Ha!

"Baseball is a sport where being stupid and keeping things really simple a lot of times is the right way to do things," he said. "There are very few guys that are capable of processing a lot of information and applying it and still being good at it. … I don't want to name names, but there were guys I played with that were so stupid that they're really good, because their mind never gets in the way."

• Matt Eddy at Baseball America ranks the "Top 10 Starts By Minor League Pitchers In 2014," and two Dodger prospects made the list at #1 & #2.
• Eric Stephen at True Blue LA reminds us about who is eligible for the postseason roster.
• Via Pedro Moura at the OC Register, "Dodgers prospect Urias, 18, conjuring up memories of Fernando."

“Fernandomania’s not gonna happen ever again,” (Juan) Castro said. “But people want to see somebody similar, and I think this kid can be someone special like that.” 

• Via Steve Dilbeck at the La Times, "Could Carlos Frias have pitched his way into Dodgers' rotation?"

“We’ll have to see if there’s another spot for it,” said Manager Don Mattingly. “It was just one thing.

• Best commentary yet on the idiotic movement to shame comic book creators for the so-called sexualization of comic book characters. 

Video Link:

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Remembering ElyMania - A New Ely Autographed Card for My Collection

I remember ElyMania like it was yesterday.  He was an unsung pitcher with some decent peripheral numbers in the White Sox system, so nobody could have predicted his amazing start. Quickly though, like a tornado or a flying sombrero, he captured the hearts and minds of Dodger fans everywhere.

Ely won three games in his first five starts, and in another three starts in his first eight games he gave up a run or less for no-decisions.  For awhile it seemed like we had found a diamond, or at the very least a solid back-of-the-rotation pitcher.  Unfortunately, that luster soon disappeared.  Ely started to get wild and lost command of the strike zone.  In his first eight games he walked just ten batters.  In his next ten starts he walked thirty. 

Today, Ely pitches for the Red Sox AAA team in Pawtucket.  He has since been converted into a reliever and has pitched well for them.  So well, in fact, he just might find longterm success in that capacity. I know if he does, I will continue to root for him.

Featured here is an autographed card of John Ely that I recently added to my collection.  It is a 2010 Topps Peek Performance autographed card that was found in packs of their update series.

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Blog Kiosk: 9/4/2014 - Dodger Links - A Disappointing Dodger Loss so Thank Goodness for a Day Off

I have no words.

The Dodgers should have won yesterday's game, but they didn't.  And frankly, I don't have the energy to recount how screwed up that is.  If you want a good rundown on the frustrating sequence of events that was yesterday's loss check out Mike Petriello post at Dodgers Digest, "Nationals 8, Dodgers 5: The Game That Broke Baseball."  He hit it out of the park - if only the Dodgers could do the same.

Thankfully, I was working throughout the afternoon, so I didn't have to sit through it all.  Instead, I received intermittent updates; which is probably just as bad as sitting through that mess.  I dunno...

A shining light in yesterdays loss was the performance of starting pitcher Carlos Frias.  He was effective in his six innings of play; having given up just three hits, walked only one, struck out four and allowed no runs.  Frias may prove to be an important piece down the stretch.  The photo above is of Frias, via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014.  Go here to check out more pics from Jon.

The Dodgers maintain a 2.0 game lead over the Giants.  They have a day off today.  Now, below are some links to check out.

• Happy Birthday, Mike Piazza!  He is 46 years old today.
• Bill Chuck at the Daily Gammons writes, "Want to defeat the Dodgers? Let them load the bases."
• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Vin Scully to reduce schedule in 2015."  As he gets older he'll be more selective about what road games he calls. 
• Carson Cistulli at FanGraphs writes, "The Fringe Five: Baseball’s Most Compelling Fringe Prospects" that includes Dodger farmhand Jharel Cotton.

The production has been excellent. Regard: over 25 appearances (20 starts) and 126.2 innings, Cotton has produced almost precisely the same strikeout-walk differential (about 20 percentage points, in each case) as considerably more celebrated Dodgers prospect (and Cotton’s High-A teammate) Julio Urias*. The point which separates the pair, besides Urias’s considerable youth, is that, while Urias features three plus pitches, Cotton’s fastball and breaking pitches are inferior to his changeup.

• Topps newest direct sale product is a movie pin-up poster, measuring 18" x 24", featuring the 2014 Dodger playoff race.  See it on the right.  It is limited to 99 copies.  Check it out at Topps here.
• Matt Eddy at Baseball America names Corey Seager and Joc Pederson to their 2014 Minor League All-Star Team.
• Here's some news that is not at all surprising.  Via Michael Lananna at MLB.com, "Beckett likely done for the season." 

"He threw the other day, and it went OK," Mattingly said. "Still, I don't think that leaves us enough time to get him ready to pitch."

• I won't take too much advantage of this funny moment at Dodger Stadium yesterday, but I will link to this SB Nation story about it.  Via Seth Rosenthal, "Here's how you can get an entire section to yourself at a baseball game."
• BTW, they have started building the ice surface at Staple Center for the upcoming Kings season.  WooHoo!

.@baileylakings putting the lucky pennies in the ice here @staplescenter pic.twitter.com/X7r6pNvIHA
— STAPLES Center (@STAPLESCenter) September 3, 2014

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2014 Topps Chrome - The Dodger Autograph and Relic Cards

Here is a final look at some of the Dodger cards available in packs of 2014 Topps Chrome.  This time I share the autograph and relic cards that are available.  Go here to check out all of my past post on this set.

Unfortunately, a couple of the cards have yet to show up, so I do not have photos of them yet.  There is a Autographed Relic Patch Base Variation card of Clayton Kershaw (#100) that is numbered to only 10 copies, and a Chrome Connections Die-Cuts Relics card of Yasiel Puig (#CCR-YP) that is numbered to 25 copies.

Autographed Rookie Variations Set

#133 Onelki Garcia                         #AG Alexander Guerrero

#EA Erisbel Arruebarruena

Topps Shelf Autographs Set Checklist

#TS-CK Clayton Kershaw

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