Clayton Kershaw Hits a Triple - Wins 3 Player's Choice Awards

It's one thing for sports reporters to acknowledge your greatness on the field, but it's quite another when your peers do it.

(pic via @MLBPA Players Choice on twitter)

Announced this evening, Clayton Kersahw has been awarded three different Players Choice Awards for his accomplishments on and off the field during the 2014 season.  As you know, these are honors voted on by Major League ballplayers themselves.

Per a PlayersTrust.org announcement:

Clayton Kershaw on Monday became the first player to ever win three Players Choice Awards in a single year as he was recognized by his fellow players as the NL’s Outstanding Pitcher and the overall Player of the Year as well as the Marvin Miller Man of the Year, which goes to the player in either league who most inspires others through his efforts on and off the field.

Kershaw was also nominated for the Outstanding Player award in the National League, but was edged out by Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton.  Clayton had this to say:

“To get something like this that recognizes you not only as a pitcher, but as a player, too, it’s amazing,” stated Kershaw during his Player of the Year acceptance interview. “It’s something that you really got to take a step back and think about. Obviously, all of the other candidates are amazing players and just to be associated with those names is pretty awesome…to have the guys respect not only what you do on the mound, but just as a player is pretty awesome and something that I definitely don’t take lightly.”

I won't bother recounting how good Clayton was on the field.  After all, if you're reading this then you likely already know how good he was.  I will share a bit about what he has done to win the Marvin Miller Man of the Year award, though.

In 2011 Clayton and his wife Ellen began Kershaw's Challenge due to a friendship with a HIV-infected girl in Lusaka, Zambia named Hope.  Through that relationship, they built an orphanage in Zambia, called "Arise Home," for children battling the same illness that opened in December 2012.  As the Kershaw's Challenge website states:

The “Challenge” is to use whatever you have been blessed with—talent, passion, or purpose—to give back to others. In 2012, Kershaw’s Challenge expanded to serve children’s charities in Los Angeles and Dallas. The Kershaw's are adamant about serving hands-on throughout the year, and being invested in the non-profits we partner with.

Charity events put together by the Kershaw's include the Ping Pong 4 Purpose event at Dodger Stadium and the inaugural Kershaw's Challenge Live Benefit Concert in Dallas, Texas that is this coming Thursday, November 6th.  Go here information on that event.  It is at The Rustic and features musical artist Emerald Blue and Clay Walker.

(pic via PlayersTrust.org)

Below is a complete list of Finalist and Winners (in bold type):

American League:

• Outstanding Player: Jose Altuve (Houston), Victor Martinez (Detroit), Mike Trout (LA Angels of Anaheim) 
• Outstanding Pitcher: Felix Hernandez (Seattle), Corey Kluber (Cleveland), Chris Sale (Chicago White Sox) 
• Outstanding Rookie: JoseAbreu (Chicago White Sox), Danny Santana (Minnesota), Matt Shoemaker (Angels) 
• Comeback Player: J.D. Martinez (Detroit), Victor Martinez (Detroit), Chris Young (Seattle)

National League:

• Outstanding Player: Josh Harrison (Pittsburgh), Clayton Kershaw (LA Dodgers), Giancarlo Stanton (Miami) 
• Outstanding Pitcher: Johnny Cueto (Cincinnati), Clayton Kershaw (LA Dodgers), Adam Wainwright (St. Louis) 
• Outstanding Rookie: Jacob deGrom (NY Mets), Billy Hamilton (Cincinnati), David Peralta (Arizona) 
• Comeback Player: Tim Hudson (San Francisco), Casey McGehee (Miami), Edinson Volquez (Pittsburgh)

Either League:

• Player of Year: Clayton Kershaw (Los Angeles), Giancarlo Stanton (Miami), Mike Trout (LA Angels of Anaheim) 
• Man of the Year: Clayton Kershaw (Los Angeles), Adam Laroche (Washington), Anthony Rizzo (Chicago Cubs)

Below are some videos of the announcements:

Kershaw reacts to being named the 2014 Marvin Miller Man of the Year.

Video Link:

Kershaw talks about winning the Players Choice Award for 2014 National League Outstanding Pitcher.

Video Link:

Kershaw talks about taking home the Players Choice Award for 2014 Player of the Year.

Video Link:

Pic at the very top via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2013.

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The Ball's in Hanley's Court Now and Other Dodger Developments

The Dodgers have elected to extend an Qualifying Offer to Hanley Ramirez.  (No surprise, eh?)

The Dodgers have extended a qualifying offer to shortstop Hanley Ramirez.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) November 3, 2014

This means that Hanley has until November 10th to decide to take a 1-year $15.3Mil contract to play for the Dodgers in 2015, or he can become a free agent for the first time in his career.  If he decides to stay with the Dodgers (either to boost his potential value the following season or because he really wants to stay in LA), then that immediately solves any issues the team has with filling the short stop position next year.  If Hanley chooses the later, then the Dodgers will receive a compensation draft pick for the 2015 draft should he sign elsewhere.  They would also have to fill the vacancy at short stop.

I am certain that he'll decline the Qualifying Offer since he should be able to find a more lucrative multi-year contract with another club.  Besides, as Jon Weisman noted earlier today, every player given a Qualifying Offer since this process began a couple of years ago has declined.  So why buck that trend?

On the other hand, I believe his professed love of Los Angeles is genuine, so maybe... just maybe he takes it.  BTW, the Dodgers and Hanley could still negotiate a contract.  I just don't think the team is willing to provide the kind of long-term commitment Hanley wants.  They have plenty of options now; including Arruebarrena and Guerrero, while they wait for top-rated prospect Corey Seager to take over the position.

I should note that I do not believe the Dodgers will extend a multi-year contract to any available free agent to play short stop.  They are clearly trying to make room for their youngsters, and putting up a roadblock like that runs counter to what you should expect will happen with the Dodgers going forward.

Hanley Ramirez has been a great LA Dodger, and his leaving really sucks.  I've enjoyed watching him on and off the field, and I believe his departure will prove to be a big loss for that clubhouse.  That being said, times change and I don't think there's any question that this new phase of the Guggenheim ownership will result in a whole new Dodger team.

The pic above was taken the day Hanley first arrived in the Dodger clubhouse after being traded there in late-July 2012, via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2012.  He looked so young, didn't he?

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In another unsurprising move, Brian Wilson has decided to exercise his player option for the 2015 season.

Right-handed pitcher Brian Wilson exercised his option to return to the Dodgers for 2015.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) November 3, 2014

Brian Wilson has one year remaining on his contract and it's at $9.5Mil.  After a fantastic month and a half as a Dodger in 2013, Wilson's 2014 was sorely disappointing.  He appeared in 61 games with a 4.66 ERA, and recorded a 4.29 FIP.  Having displayed a glaring loss in velocity to his fastball, he was largely ineffective and mistrusted in relief. 

Hopefully, he can do better in 2015. It'll be just under three years since his Tommy John surgery in early 2012, so if his arm is indeed fine then the timing is good for him have a big rebound year.

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Scott Elbert is now a free agent.

Left-handed pitcher Scott Elbert has elected to become a free agent and has been removed from the Dodger roster.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) November 3, 2014

The Dodgers had outrighted Elbert for the purposes of reassigning him to the minor leagues.  As is a players option, Scott opted to become a free agent instead.

This is a bit surprising.  Scott had Tommy John Surgery in June 2013 and only just recently got back on the field to pitch.  He was effective, though, so that likely drives his belief that a better Major League option exist for him. 

In seven appearances at the tail-end of the 2014 season he gave up just four hits and one earned run.  He also pitched in the playoffs against the Cardinals, but got shelled.  Scott Elbert gave up the eventual game winning home run to Kolten Wong in Game 3 of that series.

Scott Elbert was the Dodgers 1st round draft pick in the 2004 draft and was considered, at one time, to be one of the best prospects in the Majors.  Unfortunately, arm problems cropped up in 2008 and various other arm issues continued to hamper his development from then on out.

The pic above of Elbert is via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2012.

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(pic via @MLB on twitter)

Joe Maddon is now the Cubs manager, so it's time to get over the fact that he's not coming to LA.  Besides, it was never going to happen... No matter how much folks screamed about it on social media. 

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2014 Topps Supreme Baseball - All the Dodger Cards

Last week Topps released their newest high-end Baseball card set.  It is called Supreme Baseball and every card in the set is autographed.  A box will cost you about $60 to $80 each and you get just one pack with two autographed cards in it.  Go here for a complete checklist.

Unfortunately, most of the Dodger autographed cards are available only through a redemption card.  A complete checklist is available below.

There are four Dodgers in the Base Autographed set.  They are Alexander Guerrero, Erisbel Arruebarrena, Johnny Podres and Yasiel Puig.  The Guerrero (#SA-AG) and Puig (#SA-YP) have redemption cards.  They are serial numbered to only 50 copies and have numerous parallels available.  The parallel checklist is as follows: Green #/45, Sepia #/35, Purple #/25, Blue #/20, Orange #/15, Red #/10, Black #/5, Supreme 1/1, Printing Plates 1/1.

Autographs Set

#SA-EA Erisbel Arruebarrena                   #SA-JPO Johnny Podres

UPDATE: Here is the Puig Autograph card in it's original redemption holder on the left and the Guerrero card on the right.

Yasiel Puig (#SA-YP)                      Guerrero (#SA-AG)

The Autographed Patch Relic cards below are numbered to 25 copies with the following parallels: Platinum Patch #/5, Supreme Patch 1/1.

Autographed Patch Relics 

#APR-AG Adrian Gonzalez

Remaining Redemption Dodger checklist:

• Dual Autographs Set - #DA-AG Guerrero & Arruebarrena (#/25)
• Dual Autographs Set - #DA-PK Puig & Kershaw (#/25)
• Dual Autographs Set - #DA-PT Trout & Puig (#/25)
• Dual Autographed Jumbo Patch Relic Book - #DAPR-PT Trout & Puig (#/10)
• Triple Autographs - #TA-HTP Harper, Trout & Puig (#/10)

UPDATE:  Here is the Kershaw/Puig Dual Autograph card in it's original redemption holder below.  Also the Triple Autograph card with Puig,Trout and Harper is below that.

#DA-PK Puig & Kershaw (#/25)

#TA-HTP Harper, Trout & Puig (#/10)

The Simply Supreme Autographed cards are serial numbered to 50 copies with the following parallels: Green #/45, Sepia #/35, Purple #/25, Blue #/20, Orange #/15, Red #/10, Black #/5, Supreme 1/1, Printing Plates 1/1.  The Clayton Kershaw card (#SSU-CK) is only available through a redemption card.  Below are the Snider and Arruebarrena Simply Supreme Autographed cards.

Simply Supreme Autographs

#SSU-DS Duke Snider               #SSU-EA Erisbel Arruebarrena

UDPATE:  Here is the Kershaw Simply Supreme Autograph card in it's original redemption holder below.

Clayton Kershaw (#SSU-CK)

The Supreme Styling Die-Cut Autographed cards are serial numbered to 50 copies with the following parallels: Green #/45, Sepia #/35, Purple #/25, Blue #/20, Orange #/15, Red #/10, Black #/5, Supreme 1/1, Printing Plates 1/1.  The Clayton Kershaw card (#SS-CK) is only available through a redemption card.  Below are the Koufax and Arruebarrena Simply Supreme Autographed cards.

Supreme Styling Die-Cut Autographs

#SS-EA Erisbel Arruebarrena               #SS-SKO Sandy Koufax

UDPATE:  Here is the Kershaw Supreme Styling Die-Cut Autograph card in it's original redemption holder below.

Clayton Kershaw (#SS-CK)

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Blog Kiosk: 11/3/2014 - Dodger Links - Puig's Halloween Costume, Vin Scully and Corey Seager

Yasiel Puig was one scary dude for Halloween, pic above via his instagram. 

Below are some links to check out:

• As I wrote over the weekend, former Brooklyn Dodger Jean-Pierre Roy died on Saturday.   Nick Diunte at Baseball Happenings wrote a fantastic piece yesterday on Roy that you can check out here.  Nick had visited with Roy in 2011 and shares his experience.

“It’s the answer I would have given you yesterday and the day before yesterday. What I like about baseball is not the players; it’s the life, the life of a human being. This is how you should accept it. Do the best you can in the things our boss has asked us to do. By boss, you can call it God, the manager, the Lord, but that’s it. This is what I want, what I like to see.”

• Via Steve Dilbeck at the LA Times, "Vin Scully says he's OK with adding a protege to Dodgers booth."

And though careful to say choosing his eventual successor would not be up to him, but to the team, he’s also not keen on eventually retiring without the Dodgers having a successor in mind.

“I would hope something would be developed for the future,” Scully said. “I wouldn’t want to leave them in the lurch.”

• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Arizona Fall League Week 4: Corey Seager homers, Matt Shelton joins roster."
• Via Dylan Hernandez at the LA Times, "Corey Seager, 20, is making a push to be the Dodgers' shortstop."

"Corey is an incredibly gifted prospect," said Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers' new president of baseball operations. "His hands work really well on both sides of the ball and his progression year over year is right in line with that we would hope."

• Via Todd Dybas at the Washington Times, "Saturday with Maury: Perspective on speed, race, addiction from 30,000 feet."  (Hat Tip: Reddit dybo7)

He believes this was the moment of epiphany for him. Three friends came from Los Angeles to his door. There was a light — some form of higher power, he’s convinced, that was also present. Finally, this attempt to grapple his addiction into submission held when his friends extracted him from that place. For a quarter century since, he’s been going to Alcoholics Anonymous and he does not care who knows.

• Via Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider, "Chris Withrow’s rehab is for the faint of heart."

“He was so excited,” Withrow continued. “He was saying, ‘Oh man, you’re gonna feel so good once you get that thing off.’ I think that’s when it really sunk in that it had happened. I just sat there and watched it all come off. The next thing you know, I’m white.”

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Former Brooklyn Dodger and Expos Broadcaster Jean-Pierre Roy has Died

The list of former Brooklyn Dodger players still with us is now one less.  Jean-Pierre Roy, who pitched in three games for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1946, passed away yesterday.  He was 94 years old.

Via the Montreal Gazette:

Jean-Pierre Roy, who pitched in professional and minor-league baseball for a decade before becoming a play-by-play broadcaster and analyst for Montreal Expos games, has died. He was 94.

La Presse reported Saturday that Roy had prostate cancer, but died from reasons related to high blood pressure and his advanced age, according to his wife. He was living in Florida for about 20 years.

Known as Pete to non-French Canadian fans, Roy was originally from Montreal, Canada and started playing professional Baseball in 1940 in the Provincial League of Québec.  By 1942 he was dealt to the St. Louis Cardinals for $1,500.00 and rose through their system.  Due to a dispute with his manager in Rochester he left the club, was subsequently suspended and then sold to the Montreal Royals in 1944 - a Dodger farmclub.  It was here that he pitched some of his best ball.

In his first season with the Royals he went 11-11, with a 3.86 ERA and threw 12 complete games in 22 starts.  Then in 1945 he really brought notice to himself by going 25-11 with a 3.72 ERA; leading the league in wins and strike outs.  As you can imagine, the Dodgers came calling.

To begin the 1946 season he was a Brooklyn Dodger, but mostly rode the pine.  In over a month as a MLB'er he pitched in just three games.  Then, something unusual happened.  Having become disenchanted with his lack of play he jumped ship for the burgeoning Mexican League.  As you may know, the infamous Pasquel Brothers tried to raid MLB rosters with promises of higher pay in Mexico.

Per a SABR Biography by Rory Costello:

The Sporting News wrote, "What 'soured him up' on the club was the wearisome hours of riding the bench and pitching batting practice. Three times, he said, he asked to be returned to the Montréal Royals, but on each occasion the request was turned down by Rickey. Finally in desperation, he telephoned Bernardo Pasquel and asked him if the offer was still open. 'Remember,' Roy insisted, 'I went to them this time, they didn't come to me.'"

A couple weeks after leaving the Dodgers for Mexico he was back in Montreal - having realized that the Mexican League was a farce.  He spent the rest of the 1946 season with the Royals and built a lifelong friendship with Jackie and Rachel Robinson.

For the remainder of his playing career he bounced around from the Cuban League, the Provincial League in Canada, Cuba's Liga Nacional (for players banned due to their connection to the Mexican League), in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, in Mexico, the Texas League and the Pacific Coast League.

(pic via crzblue at Blue Dodger World)

As a 48 year old in 1968 he began his second career in professional Baseball as one of the original broadcasters for the expansion Montreal Expos.  He worked as the French-speaking play-by-play broadcaster on radio until 1973 and as an analyst for Radio-Canada television til 1983.  He retired as a public relations representative of the Expos.

Jean-Pierre Roy has been inducted into the Expos Hall of Fame, the Québec Sports Pantheon and the Québec Baseball Hall of Fame.  Be sure to check out his SABR Biography by Rory Costello, here. It's a fantastic read.  Here's a fun story from his broadcasting days from the SABR Biography:

"One story I really remember about Jean-Pierre, though, is when Bill Stoneman threw his second no-hitter in 1972. It's the only time we didn't see eye to eye -- Jean-Pierre was adamant that we could not mention it on the air while it was in progress! Claude Raymond was driving to Drummondville for a conference, and he missed the end of it. That was the first game of a doubleheader, and Carl Morton got off to a good start in the next game. I said, 'Maybe we'll see another no-hitter,' and Claude shouted in his car, 'Another one?!' When Claude became my radio partner, I said, 'Now can we talk about no-hitters?'

Below are his career statistics, via Baseball-Reference:


The pic above is a 1943-1947 Parade Sportive Premium Photo

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Blog Kiosk: 11/1/2014 - Dodger Links - Billingsley Bought Out, Jamie Romak and Gabe Kapler

In news that was entirely expected, the Dodgers announced that they would buyout the $14Mil contract of starting pitcher Chad Billingsley for the 2015 season at $3Mil.  Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Dodgers buy out Billingsley as righty hits free agency."

This doesn't mean he'll never wear Blue again, but it does mean that it's not assured.  Billingsley is just coming off Tommy John surgery and a second surgery during rehab to repair a partially torn flexor tendon, so I'd imagine the club will let him workout with them and maybe even extend a tryout.

Chad has been a Dodger throughout his professional career, and from what I understand he'd like to stay in the franchise.  He was our 1st round pick in 2003 and has been Blue ever since.  In eight Major League seasons in Los Angeles he has gone 81-61 with a 3.65 ERA.  The photo above of Chad is via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2010.

Below are some links to check out:

• Bill Chuck at the Daily Gammons shares, "Nine quotes to end a baseball season."  Below is my favorite one:

People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring. ~Rogers Hornsby

• Via Cary Osborne at Dodger Insider, "Jamie Romak reflects on his friend Oscar Taveras."

“I’ve been with five different organizations now, and he was the best hitter I’ve ever seen,” Romak said. “He was capable of amazing things. He hit everything, every type of pitch and covered the whole plate. I admired his talent. I hit behind him in 2012, and I spent my time in the on-deck circle like a fan would in the stands. That’s the kind of talent he had.”

• Eric Stephen at True Blue LA tells us about the potential Dodger interest in adding Gabe Kapler to the Dodgers front office.  Via Mike Petriello at Dodgers Digest, "Is Gabe Kapler Coming To The Dodgers? (Yes, Please!)"

You better believe it. He’s the perfect guy to bridge old-school and new. I don’t know what capacity this might be in, if at all. I just know that I want it to happen. 

Since I don't know much about Kapler and what he might bring to the table, I don't have anything to say about this latest rumor.

• Via Harold Uhlman at Think Blue LA, "A look back at the 2014 Dominican Summer League Dodgers."

Having a winning record was no small feat as the Dodgers had a team batting average of .226 with only four hitters at or above .275. The success no doubt can be mainly attributed to the pitching staff which compiled an ERA of 2.97 ranking seventh in the league. Near the bottom of the league in strikeouts with 464 the staff was also near the top of the league in fewest hits allowed with 530 in 627 innings pitched.

• Congratulations to the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks for being the 2014 Japan Series champions, via Jason Coskrey at The Japan Times.
• GCRL shares even more Steve Garvey oddball cards.  Check them out here.
• Here's some Halloween banter from Dan Haren on twitter:

Haren Pitching at Coors Field #ScaryStoriesIn5Words
— dan haren (@ithrow88) October 31, 2014

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