Weekend Autograph Opportunities: Scott Van Slyke and Tommy Lasorda

Here are this weekends autograph opportunities and events throughout the Southland. As always, be sure to check the Blue Heaven Calendar for other events (a link can always be found on the tab at the top of this page, just left of center), and always confirm with the establishment. Everything is subject to change.  Please email me with any tips about upcoming events in Southern California.  As the rest of the week progresses I'll update this post with other events (if there are any) as I become aware of them.  Also, I don't always list every event below, so be sure to check my Calendar.  I always try to favor free signing events over paying events.  Click on any pic to embiggen.

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Scott Van Slyke will be signing autographs at Manuel's Original El Tepeyac Cafe in the City of Industry on Saturday, June 6 from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM.  Go here for more information. 

$25 **KIDS ANY ITEM** (child must present item)
$30 for small items: balls,8x10-16x20 and mini helmets
$50 for large items: bats, bases, f/s helmets,jerseys and game used
$10 inscriptions

Manuel's Original El Tepeyac Cafe
13131 Crossroads Pkwy South
City of Industry, California 91746

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A book signing and discussion with Lasorda, Gunderson and team historian Mark Langill is scheduled for this coming Saturday at Diesel Bookstore in Santa Monica at 3:00 PM.  Go here for information.  Per their description:

Diesel, A Bookstore in Brentwood welcomes baseball legend Tommy Lasorda to the store to discuss and sign his biography, Tommy Lasorda: My Way, by Colin Gunderson, on Saturday, June 6th at 3:00pm. Joining him in conversation will be author Colin Gunderson and Tommy's great friend and Dodger historian, Mark Langill. This event will be held in the Southern courtyard adjacent to our store. Please note that  he will only be signing copies of  his new book.

Diesel Bookstore 
225 26th St. Suite 33 
Santa Monica, CA 90402

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Welcome to the Blue, Ian Thomas!

The Dodgers are playing a doubleheader today, so the team decided to call up recently acquired lefty-reliever Ian Thomas as their 26th man.  He'll come out of the bullpen should he be needed.  Per a Dodger press release:

The Los Angeles Dodgers today recalled left-hander Ian Thomas (#58) from Triple-A Oklahoma City to be the 26th man for today’s doubleheader at Colorado.

Thomas, 28, was acquired as part of a six-player trade with Atlanta last week and has gone 1-2 with a 3.94 ERA in 21 Major League appearances with the Braves in 2014-15, including allowing three runs (two earned) in five appearances this year (5.1 IP). He last pitched on Thursday (2.1 IP) and has combined to go 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA, a .200 opponents’ batting average and a 0.83 WHIP in 10 minor league appearances this year with Oklahoma City and the Braves’ Triple-A Gwinnett and Double-A Mississippi.

Thomas comes to the Majors via an unusual route.  He was discovered by the Braves while he was pitching for the Winnipeg Goldeyes of the Independent American Association in 2012, and has impressed ever since.  Via a report by gondeee at Chop Country in early 2014:

He’s a lefty, but not a hard thrower, topping out at around 90 mph. He creates a ton of deception with a similar motion on all his pitches, and his plus off-speed change and curve clock in around 20 mph less than his fastball, making it tough for batters to distinguish between his pitches. He was equally effective last year against lefties and righties, holding each to an identical .192 BAA.

In celebration of Thomas' arrival to the Dodgers I made the above fantasy card for him.  I used a photograph grabbed from the Braves.mlb page and the 1974 Topps Baseball card design.

Below are his career stats, via Baseball-Reference:

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A Brief Look at the 2015 LAPD Dodger Baseball Cards

As you've surely heard by now, the LAPD are handing out Dodger Baseball cards to all those who ask, and from what I can tell the first two players available are Adrian Gonzalez and AJ Ellis. 

The cards are made by Topps and it features a large LAPD badge.  It also borrows an design element reminiscent of Topps 2011 flagship Baseball set - a curved banner with the phrase "A Winning Team" emblazoned on it.  A nice touch are the full color backs. 

Check out a pic above, via a tweet by @NOEnzo11.  Below are a couple more pics, via @BKM13LA and @lapd2014 on twitter.  An example of the reverse of the card is on the bottom right.

The LAPD also released a little video about the promotion.

Video Link:

And since this is all about bringing the citizenry and police together here's a bunch of pics of the Baseball cards doing just that.

Great neighborhood event in #highlandpark today! LAPD softball game! #LAPD #Dodgers @NortheastArea @305to @LAPDJBert pic.twitter.com/9IYXCFL2qj

— Enzo A (@NOEnzo11) June 1, 2015

Baseball cards for the team! #LAPD #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/oqnvswMuMN

— Enzo A (@NOEnzo11) May 30, 2015

Baseball cards = Smiles! #LAPD #Dodgers #Eagle Rock pic.twitter.com/9rzrTtlBHh

— Enzo A (@NOEnzo11) May 30, 2015

#LAPDbaseballcards = another happy customer! @lapd2014 @LAPDHQ @LAPDCPU @LAPDStoecklein @911LAPD pic.twitter.com/DKA2Tf2Gtg

— LAPD - 77th Street (@LAPD77thSt) May 28, 2015

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Blog Kiosk: 6/2/2015 - Dodger Links - Some Odds and Ends

Long Live the Rally Banana!

It's nice that the Rockies can oblige.  Featured above is a bunch of banana's found in the Dodger clubhouse in Colorado this morning, as shared by Kike Hernandez on twitter.  As you know, they play a doubleheader today, so they'll need that extra burst of energy to get through the day.

Below are some links to check out:

• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Puig able to run during workout in Arizona."  Hopefully he'll be back soon.  BTW, I'm not going to bother sharing any links related to those who wonder if we should trade Puig.  I consider it nothing but clickbait.
• Vie Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Quakes' John Richy named Cal League pitcher of the week."
• Via an AP report at ESPN, "Nationals shuffle bullpen; acquire Walters from Dodgers."  This time the Dodgers traded an asset, PJ Walters, for cash.
• Giovanni Balistreri at When Topps Had (Base) Balls creates a fantastic Don Sutton fantasy Baseball card.  Check it out here.
• Via Mark Saxon at ESPNLosAngeles.com, "Clayton Kershaw is starting to feel right again."

"The last two, especially, I felt happy coming out of the game, so that's a new feeling for me," Kershaw said. "I'll try to build on that for sure."

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2015 Topps Tier One - The Scarce Dodger Cards

Here is a final look the Dodger cards found in packs of Topps 2015 Tier One Baseball card set.  Go here to check out all of my previous post on this set. Below, I share a checklist and example pics of the scarcer cards available - mostly all "1 of 1's."  Go here for a complete checklist of the set.

• Clear One Autographs (#/25) - #COA-CK Clayton Kershaw (redemption card)
• Cut Signatures (#/1) - #CS-DDE Don Drysdale
• Cut Signature Relics (#/1) - #CSR-DS Duke Snider 
• Cut Signature Relics (#/1) - #CSR-JR Jackie Robinson

All-Star Relics Set (#/1)

• #ASR-CKW Clayton Kershaw
• #ASR-DG Dee Gordon
• #ASR-YP Yasiel Puig

#ASR-DG Dee Gordon

Blog Kiosk: 6/1/2015 - Dodger Links - Some Odds and Ends

Above is a 1963 UPI telephoto of Dodger starting pitchers Johnny Podres and Sandy Koufax that I found on eBay.  Per the caption:

Yanlee Stadium:  Johnny Podres (L), Dodgers' starting pitcher, gets some good advice from Sandy Koufax before the second World Series game here 10/3.  Sandy knows his way around the Yankee batting order.  He set a new Series record by striking out 15 as the Dodgers won the opener, 5-2.

Below are some more links to check out:

• ICYMI:  Paco Rodriguez was placed on the 15-day DL with an elbow strain.  Matt West was called up from AAA.  Per Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider:

Paco Rodriguez has had trouble finishing pitches, manager Don Mattingly told reporters this morning, so he has been placed on the disabled list and is heading to Los Angeles for examination on his left elbow.

• Jon Weisman also provides a peek at the June issue of Dodger Insider Magazine, here.  Check it out on the right.  Joc Pederson is on the cover.
• Via Jim Callis at MLB.com, "Dodgers' class of '68 tops list of 10 best Drafts."

"He actually showed me how to draft," Campanis told MLB.com's Ken Gurnick in a 1988 story for Baseball America. "He explained the difference between drafting the best athlete or going for need. He showed us how to rank players on a scale of 100 based on fundamental skills. He took a neophyte and taught me how to approach a draft, and I think this helped us."

• Via Mark Saxon at ESPNLosAngeles.com, "Data show A.J. Ellis is the best pitch-caller in baseball."

“It’s about manipulating a hitter’s body sometimes based on how they’re reacting to certain pitches,” Ellis said.

The Dodgers have known for years that Ellis is a skilled pitch-caller. He prepares his own scouting reports based on video work and works with pitching coach Rick Honeycutt throughout the game to adjust the plan of attack.

“I just love a guy who takes a lot of pride in what he does,” Honeycutt said. “When you get the uniformity we’ve had the last four years or so, I think you have to give him some of the credit for that.”

• Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA writes about first baseman prospect Cody Bellinger: "Dodgers may have AGon’s replacement in their grasp."
• Check out Clayton Kershaw on The Dan Patrick Show below.  (Hat Tip: Eric Stephen at True Blue LA):

Video Link:

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