Blog Kiosk: 1/24/2017 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

The first day of the Dodgers Love L.A. Community Tour was on Monday, and to start things off was a brief visit by Justin Turner and Yasiel Puig to local area Coffee Bean's.  They greeted fans, served coffee and even posed for pictures.  Watch a couple videos featuring their visits via Dodger Blue (link here).

Today, Dodger Strength and Conditioning Coaches Brandon McDaniel, Travis Smith and Shaun Alexander will hold a fitness and health clinic 100 underserved young women from the New Village Girls Academy at Dodger Stadium.  Also, Trayce Thompson will host a movie night at the Dodger Lexus Dugout Club for Cedars-Sinai’s pediatric patients and their families.

Photo above of Justin Turner and the crew from Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf in West Hollywood via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2017.  Go here to check out more pics by Jon and Jill Weisleder taken from Day 1 of the Dodgers community tour.  Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodger History:  In 1963 the Dodgers acquired Don Zimmer in a trade with the Reds for a minor leaguer.  This is Don's second stint with the team; having originally been signed by them as an amateur in 1949 and rising up their ranks.  In 2006 the Dodgers signed free agent reliever and soon-to-be legend Joe Beimel.  In 2014 the Dodgers signed free agent utilityman Chone Figgins. 
• Happy Birthday, Neal Finn & Scott Kazmir!
  

Welcome to the Blue, Logan Forsythe!

Just when I thought, as many did, that the Dodgers were effectively done for the winter they go ahead to make a trade.  As you may have heard, the Dodgers have found a solution to their second base problem this coming season.  They have traded for Tampa Bay second baseman Logan Forsythe in exchange for top-flight right-handed pitching prospect Jose De Leon.  Per a Dodger press release:

Forsythe, 30, has combined to slug 57 doubles, 37 homers and drive in 120 runs in 280 games with Tampa Bay over the past two seasons, including batting .264 with 52 RBI and setting career-best marks with 20 home runs, four triples and 76 runs scored as the Rays’ primary leadoff hitter in 127 games last year. In 2015, batting in the middle of the Rays’ lineup, Forsythe led Tampa Bay qualifiers in batting average (.281), on-base percentage (.359) and slugging percentage (.444), while posting a .299/.373/.599 slashline against left-handers. His slugging percentage against lefties (.599) ranked third in the American League in 2015, behind only Nelson Cruz (.673) and Josh Donaldson (.632).

Blog Kiosk: 1/23/2017 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

On Saturday both Dave Roberts and Corey Seager received their respective awards from the Writers Association of American annual dinner.  As you know Roberts was named the "Manager of the Year" and Seager won the "Rookie of the Year" awards.

As you may know, Dave Roberts battled cancer, Hodgkin lymphoma, several years ago, so he made the point of talking about it.  Per Mark Newman at MLB.com:

"Jed Hoyer is here, and he's one of my very good friends," Roberts said of the Cubs general manager, sitting at a nearby table. "As I was going through cancer in 2010, he gave me a job as a Padres special assistant to him. Baseball got me through it. Jed, I really appreciate you giving me some off-days to go through chemo and get through it. We're here."

Photo above via @Dodgers on twitter.  Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History:  In 1932 the Brooklyn Dodgers traded for future Hall of Famer Hack Wilson (during the tail end of his career) for a minor leaguer and some cash.  In 1962 Jackie Robinson, along with Bob Feller, are selected for the Baseball Hall of Fame in their first years of eligibility. 
• Happy Birthday, Joey Amalfitano & Billy Mullen!
  

Blog Kiosk: 1/20/2017 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

I love this photo.

Featured is some in-game action on an International News press photo taken by Arthur Sasse (known for his pic of Albert Einstein sticking his tongue out), dated October 4, 1952.  (eBay Auction Link)  Per the descriptor on the reverse:

Yankee left fielder Gene Woodling scrambles safely back to seconf as Dodger Billy Cox's throw to Hodges beats Hank Bauer in the second inning of the fourth World Series Game.  Cox took Bauer's grounder, bluffed Woodling back to second and the nipped Bauer.

Unfortunately, the Dodgers would lose this game, 2-0, and eventually lose the series in seven games to the Yanks.

Below are more links to check out:

• Happy Birthday, Bill Schardt, Bill Zimmerman & Cecil Espy!

Charles Fazzino Painted Baseballs of Clayton Kershaw and Sandy Koufax

If you follow this blog then you know that I love Dodgers related artwork.  You probably also know that I have an special appreciation for painted Baseballs. After all, is there a better way to meld art and the game then to draw on the thing that everyone on the field and in the stands focus on?

In the past I've had the pleasure of interviewing sports artist Monty Sheldon (link here) and have highlighted numerous balls painted by noted American folk artist George Sosnak (link here).  Today, I focus on a painted Baseball by New York based pop artist Charles Fazzino that I ran into when recently checking out SCP's current auction.  (SCP Auction Link)  Check it out above and directly below.

As you can see, the subject of this Baseball is Clayton Kershaw and it has been beautifully painted on all six panels, and even includes a signature by our ace.  As with all of Fazzino's work, this ball includes plenty of sparkles, bright bold colors and a 3D effect (check out the Dodgers logo above Clayton's signature in the pic above). 

Blog Kiosk: 1/19/2017 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

With the Dodgers fanfest around the corner I thought that the above press photo from the New York Times would be appropriate.  It features throngs of Dodger fans celebrating in front of the Dodger Cafe on DeKalb Avenue in Brooklyn following the teams Game 7 victory over the Yankees in 1955.

BTW, autograph tickets and VIP experience tickets go on sale today at 1:00 PM for the general public.  Season ticket holders, as of this posting, are already placing their orders.  Go here for more information.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History:  In 1972 Sandy Koufax was elected in the Baseball Hall of Fame -- become the youngest player to ever to be enshrined.   In 1983 the Dodgers traded popular third baseman Ron Cey to the Cubs for Vance Lovelace and a minor leaguer. 
• Happy Birthday, Dolly Stark & Shawn Tolleson!