No Chew For You

I hadn't realized this was a thing.

Since I'm not an resident of Los Angeles and rarely watch local news on the television, I didn't know that this issue was coming to the forefront.  From what I understand, the LA city council considered an city ordinance to ban the use of smokeless tobacco at all venues this morning.  This would include not only Dodger Stadium but also any place where Baseball is played on the professional or amateur level; such as parks, organized high school games, etc.

Per Dennis Romero at the LA Weekly:

This morning the City Council's Health, Mental Health & Education Committee will consider a motion by Councilman José Huizar that would prohibit the products at city baseball venues. Here's the proposal's key language:

     ... The city of Los Angeles should implement a plan, for which the City Attorney should draft an ordinance for review in 90 days, to outlaw the use of smokeless tobacco at all venues in the city of Los Angeles where organized baseball is played, either amateur or professional, including but not limited to youth, school and park leagues played at all city stadiums, parks and venues.

Even though Dodger Stadium is not owned by the people of L.A., a spokesman for Huizar says the ban would include "big league parks like Dodger Stadium."

In fact, they unanimously voted to support the motion to ban the substance throughout the city at their morning meeting, via CBS LosAngeles.

Notwithstanding the awkwardness of focusing a law like this on a single game like Baseball (although, I do understand how prolific it's use is in the game at all levels), nobody should be surprised that this will happen.

The use of chewing tobacco at ballparks is already banned in a couple of cities (San Francisco and Boston), and no one doubts that it's use is bad for you.  All you have to do is remember Tony Gwynn and his recent losing battle with cancer to know that.  Via the LA Daily News:

“There is no good that comes out of smokeless tobacco use in baseball -- not for the players and not for the millions of kids who look up to them,” he said. “It’s time to do the right thing and take tobacco out of the game completely for the good of baseball and the health of our kids and players alike.”

I can't say I disagree.  For far too long Baseball and chew have gone hand-in-hand, and there is no better time like the present to remove that image from our collective minds.

BTW, the Dodgers released their own statement this morning regarding the proposed ordinance:

“Major League Baseball has long supported a ban of smokeless tobacco at the Major League level and the Los Angeles Dodgers fully support the Los Angeles City Tobacco ordinance and Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.”

I do wonder how this might effect players.  Tobacco use like chew is an addictive substance, and being unable to use it when you had previously been allowed could effect their game.  On the other hand, maybe the importance of a public health change like this is worth whatever complaints we hear from ballplayers.

UPDATE:  I thought I would add that it could be several months before an actual ban takes place.  So, don't expect an outright ban at Dodger Stadium right away.  There is still a process the city council has to go through, but it's clear that chewing tobacco will be on the outs.

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2015 Bowman Chrome Baseball - The Dodger Base Cards

Another week, another new Baseball card set.

Up to the plate is Topps newest card set called Bowman Chrome.  This set continues where the 2015 Bowman Baseball set left off in May.  There are a bunch of prospects and autographed insert cards.  Below are all of the Dodger base cards that are available; including Chrome Prospect cards of past 1st rounders Grant Holmes and Corey Seager.  Go here to see a complete checklist.  I'll have pics of all the insert cards tomorrow.

#3 Yasmani Grandal                                #34 Jimmy Rollins

Blog Kiosk: 9/8/2015 - Dodger Links - Ruggiano and Corey Seager on Julio Urias

Could Justin Ruggiano be our next great pinch-hitter?

He's been on quite a tear of late for the Dodgers.  He's had three off-the-bench opportunities since coming over from Seattle, and has successfully driven in a run each time.  Obviously that's far too small of a sample size to extrapolate further.  Still, you gotta like what he'd done at the plate for us so far.  He's getting an opportunity to contribute, and has made the most of it.

Last night might have been his most important pinch-hit so far.  With the game locked up in a 1-1 tie in the 5th inning, Ruggiano came in to hit with two men on base.  On the very first pitch he lined a double to left that scored the runners and gave the Dodgers an import two runs.  (You can watch it here)

Photo above via @Dodgers on twitter.  BTW, the Dodgers "Magic Number" is now at 17.  Below are more links to check out:

• Via Dan O'Neill at STL Post-Dispatch, "Greinke brings Gibson's amazing '68 season into focus."
• Fantastic!  Eric Stephen at True Blue LA recalls the first Dodger game he remembers watching: "Sock day at Dodger Stadium, 30 years later."
• Via Steve Bourbon at MLB.com, "Grandal, Rollins join litany of injured Dodgers."

Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal was scratched from the starting lineup in Monday night's series opener against the Angels with a sore left shoulder in the same spot that caused him to miss three games in late August. Also sitting was shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who was set to have an X-ray on a jammed knuckle on his right hand.

• Via JP Hoornstra at Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, "Corey Seager pumps Julio Urias up while Dodgers pump the brakes." 

“His command was unbelievable,” Seager said. “He threw it where he needed to at all times and his changeup was really working for him. People were missing by two feet. He threw it 20, 30 percent of the time and literally people couldn’t hit it.”
...
“They should be (excited). He’s coming and it’s going to be impressive.”

• Via Chris Mitchell at FanGraphs, "Projecting Corey Seager." 
• Via Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA, "Dodgers pitching prospect Pablo Fernandez to miss postseason."

They shut him down and sent him home to rest, nothing else I’ve heard further,” said Quakes pitching coach Bill Simas prior to Monday afternoon’s game. “I think it was just some tightness [in his elbow], I don’t think it was anything major.”

• Via Michael Clair at MLB.com, "Will Ferrell inducted into the Hall of Fame (kind of) before world premiere of 'Ferrell Takes the Field'"

Ferrell's plaque, which was presented by the Dodgers' Adrian Gonzalez and the Padres' Wil Myers (whom Ferrell "carried" on the field during his appearance with the Padres during Spring Training), honors his nicknames, "Cactus Rose" and "Mr. Clutch" and forever commemorates the 92-mph fastball that he fouled off.

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Blog Kiosk: 9/7/2015 - Dodger Links - Kershaw, Wood and Brett Anderson

Sometimes it's good to be lucky, or maybe you should say that when it rains it pours.  After all, the Dodgers have been on a hot streak of late, and when that occurs good things often happen.

With the game locked into a one-run game in the 7th inning, Andre Ethier hit a weak chopper to the pitcher.  This should have ended the inning and a potential big inning - the bases where loaded at the time.  Instead, Nick Vincent tossed a floater that sailed over the head of the first baseman.  The bases cleared and gave the Dodgers an insurmountable four run lead.  You can watch it here.

Right now, everything seems to be going our way, and we can only hope it continues.  BTW, the Dodgers "Magic Number" is now 19.

On another note, Brett Anderson was great, but had to exit the game in the middle of the 6th inning due to a leg cramp.  Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA:

"I felt it a little bit in the Norris at-bat, then on the one pitch Myers it cramped up. You wake up in the middle of the night or when you're stretching you get a calf cramp, usually it goes away. But this was the longest one I ever had. It balled up and wouldn't go away," Anderson said, per the SportsNet LA television broadcast. "I was trying to get through six so we could start fresh in the seventh, but the cramp wouldn't go away.

"I'm going to be fine going forward. I just need to drink more water, Gatorade, electrolytes."

Gatorade... Electrolytes... It's got what Anderson needs.

The photo above of Turner scoring in the 7th inning via @Dodgers on twitter.  Below are more links to check out:

• Via Joel Sherman at the NY Post, "Clayton Kershaw’s true competition isn’t from this century."  Kershaw really is out of this world.

“Twenty or 30 years from now, the next generation will think of Kershaw the we talk about Koufax, Seaver, [Nolan] Ryan,” said Dan O’Dowd, who as general manager of the Rockies from 2008-14 saw Kershaw’s first seven seasons up close in the NL West. “You are dealing with consistency of performance, an overwhelming competitive fire, a great passion for the game, a great teammate, a great ambassador for the game. The only thing that can derail him from being one of the greatest of all time is injury.”

• Things have certainly turned around.  Via AJ Cassavell at MLB.com, "Hatcher handling high-pressure situations."

"He's throwing a couple different breaking balls now," Mattingly said. "He's taking the slider where he threw it hard all the time, and he's got a slower one now, which gives him a little change of pace."

• Via AJ Cassavell at MLB.com, "Ellis finds stroke at precisely the right time."

"Early in the year it was a little bit of a struggle, the lack of playing time," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said of Ellis. "As he got accustomed to that and kind of accepted it, it seems like he's kind of taken off."

• Via AJ Cassavell at MLB.com, "Wood shows mettle in best outing for Dodgers."

"As a starter, that's what you pride yourself on -- going deep into ballgames, giving guys the best chance to win," said Wood. "[I was] able to show them that's who I could be tonight."

Bill Plunkett at the OC Register adds more:

“Donnie (Mattingly) and I talked,” Wood said. “I told him, ‘I’ve been a horse in Atlanta.’ I said, ‘If you just have that faith in me, more times than not, hopefully I’ll be able to reward you.’

“Fortunately enough, I was able to do it tonight. I hope it continues to be that way.”

• I found this interesting.  This UC Berkeley psychologist wonders, "Do High Fives Help Sports Teams Win?"  Watch a bit about what he says in the below video.

Video Link:

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Sunday Dodger Videos: Puig, Scully and Oklahoma City's Champagne Celebration

After a little short, here are this Sunday's Dodger videos.  I can't promise that I'll continue posting this up regularly, but I'll do my best.

As you know, the Dodgers Triple-AAA club called the Oklahoma City Dodgers clinched their division championship this past week.  Hopefully this foreshadows something similar in Los Angeles.  Watch the team celebration below.

Video Link:

This is really cool.  A YouTuber has shares some vintage home movies and it includes footage from a Dodger game at Ebbets Field (at about the 1:04 mark) in 1942.  Per their description:

At the dawn of the video era, my father Max Blitz, was already an enthusiast of home movies. Recently we dug up some of those fragile old celluloids.

Video Link:

ICYMI:  Watch Vin Scully's recent press conference where he talks about his decision to continue broadcasting for the 2016 season.  He also mentions that next year may be his last.  On a positive note, it's nice to hear that he can now watch the Dodgers on tv; having switched from Direct TV to Charter. 

Video Link:

So do you miss Yasiel Puig?

Have no fear, this youtuber has put together over an hour of highlights.

Video Link:

Photo at the very top is of several Oklahoma City Dodger players celebrating, via @okc_dodgers.

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My 1951 Topps Red Back Set

Since we are in the midst of a holiday weekend, I though I would delve deep within my collector cabinet to share a vintage complete set.  Featured here is my 1951 Topps Red Back set.  As you may know, this is considered Topps very first Baseball card set. 

Since this is a Dodger blog I thought I'd start by sharing pics of the four Dodger players that are available.  Above are Gil Hodges and Duke Snider.  Below is Preacher Roe and Gene Hermanski.  Notably absent are fan favorites Pee Wee Reese and Jackie Robinson.

I won't hold that against Topps, though.  The set only consist of 52 cards, so they couldn't include them all.  Still, you would think kids would want all the big name stars.

I'm sure you noticed the gameplay notations on the corners.  This set was an very early attempt at a sports themed gaming card set.  I'm not exactly sure how it's played, but I imagine you would shuffle the cards to find pitch outcome.  Unfortunately for Topps the concept did not catch on with kids.  Children didn't care for the game, but they apparently loved the player cards.  So much so, they finally decided to make a large scale Baseball card set to compete with Bowman the following year.

As you can see, they are smaller than your typical Baseball card; measuring 2" x 2 5/8".  Cards have rounded corners, the exact same design on the reverse of every card, and were distributed in both packs of two perforated cards and as a complete set.  Unopened complete sets are extremely rare and can sell for a large premium.  In 2011 REA sold one of these unopened sets for $7,638.  Red Back sets in NrMint to Mint condition typically sell for $700 or more.  A frugal collector not concerned with condition can put together a set for just a few hundred dollars.

I also have an unopened Red Back pack to go with my set.  You can see it that on the right. 

There appears to be two different backs to the set, but I doubt one version is rarer than another.  As you can see in the pics above, one uses a more white cardboard stock while the other uses a brown cardboard stock.

As for the complete set you can see a scan of all the cards below the fold.  BTW, although there are 52 cards in the set it is considered complete at 54.  There are two variations that make note of the player changing teams:  #36 Gus Zernial and #52 Tommy Holmes.