Fantasy Dodger Cards From Game 2

Here are even more fantasy Baseball cards to satisfy your virtual cardboard thirst. All of these pics were grabbed off the 'net and feature photos taken during Game 2, last night.

2017 Topps Now - #763 & #764 - Taylor and Puig Lead Dodgers to Game 1 Victory

Following Saturday's thrilling Game 1 NLCS victory over the Cubs Topps issued two 2017 Topps Now cards to commemorate it. The first card makes note of Chris Taylor's go-ahead solo homer in the sixth inning to give the Dodgers lead. Per Joshua Thornton at MLB.com:

"He just carries himself well," said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. "Doesn't get too high, doesn't get too low. People use that word 'poise' a lot, but he has poise. And in big spots, he has the ability to zone in and swing at strikes and take balls. So he's done that all year for us."

Blog Kiosk: 10/16/2017 - Dodgers Links - Walk Off!

Holy Moly!

And it happened 29 years to the day when Kirk Gibson hit his own walk-off during the 1988 World Series. Unbelievable! Per Rowan Kavner at Dodger Insider:

“I can’t even put it into words right now,” Turner said. “It’s incredible, and the most important thing was obviously helping us get another win. But, that’s something down the road, hopefully many, many years from now, I’ll get to tell stories about.”

...
“I hit a ball pretty good to center earlier in the game, and Almora’s an unbelievable center fielder,” Turner said. “He’s been taking hits away from us every time we play him. So, I was just watching him hoping he wasn’t going to catch it. When it did end up going over the fence … obviously, I was fairly excited.”

You can watch the Celine Dion version of Turner's massive homer here. BTW, Justin also got the game ball, as you can see in the photo on the right.

Photo above via @Dodgers/Jon SooHoo on twitter. Photo on right via @Dodgers/Jon SooHoo on twitter. Below are more links to check:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1949 the Brooklyn Dodgers elect to not renew the contract of Dodger President Branch Rickey. He would soon join the Pirates the following season. In 1985 Jack Clark of the Cardinals created one of my worst memories as a Dodger fan. He belted a come-from-behind two-out, three-run home run in the ninth inning off of Dodger reliever Tom Niedenfuer to take the National League pennant. Watch it here if you must. 
• Happy Birthday, Nick Cullop & Boom-Boom Beck!

Playoff Series Starts on Saturday - Food, Pregame Info and Other Stuff!

The NLCS starts on Saturday against the Chicago Cubs. Below are some odds and ends for this upcoming best-of-seven playoff series. Here are some important links:

• 2017 Broadcast Schedule
• Postseason Information

Pregame coverage can see seen on Facebook Live starting 90 minutes before each game with Dodger Insider, SportsNet LA’s Leadoff LA and Access SportsNet Dodgers. Postgame Access SportsNet Dodgers will also be streamed on Facebook Live, as will Dodgers Insider shows during workout days.

The umpires for this NLCS will be Mike Winters (crew chief), Lance Barksdale, Todd Tichenor, Jim Wolf, Bill Welke, Alfonso Marquez and Eric Cooper.

At the moment stadium and pregame information is still a bit sparse, so I will update this post when more information is released.

Like last series there will be a whole bunch of new and unique food options available for this NLCS. Furthermore, three items introduced during the Diamondbacks series will also still be available -- BBQ Rib Platter (smoked baby back ribs slathered in blueberry bacon BBQ sauce, served with parmesan fries) at the King’s Hawaiian Grill on Left Field Plaza & Think Blue BBQ on Reserve level (section 30); Chicken Waffle Sammy (Belgian Waffle, spicy crispy chicken with candied smoked bacon, maple syrup) at Chick N’ Tots on Field level (section 8) & Tenders Etc. on Reserve level (section 14); and the Cheet-O-Lote (roasted sweet corn on the cob slathered in chipotle-lime mayo, dusted with Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, cotija cheese & tajin seasoning) at the King’s Hawaiian Grill on Left Field Plaza & Think Blue BBQ on Reserve level (section 30). See all three below.

Blog Kiosk: 10/13/2017 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

As I've said many times before, there's nothing cooler than seeing some fan taken vintage snapshots of our legendary Dodger players. More often we see them in Dodger duds. On this occasion, however, we see several players in their travelling suits at the Terminal Train Station in Cincinnati. They were in town for a four-game series in late August 1950.

According to the auction listing at BST Auctions (Auction Link) they were taken by a porter at the train station and eventually gifted to a 16-year old kid who had his own dreams of Major League ball. His name was Herb Shavers and he eventually played African-American semi-pro ball. I'm sure that although he never reached that eventual goal I think it's fair to say that if not for Jackie he could not have dreamed so large.

Featured are Pee Wee Reese and Gil Hodges on the top left; Jackie Robinson on the top right; manager Burt Shotten and his wife on the bottom left; and Don Newcombe and Gene Hermanski on the bottom right.

Below are more links to check:

• This day in Dodgers History: In 1938 Leo "The Lip" Durocher is named the new manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers.  In 1974 Dodgers closer Mike Marshall picked off A's designated runner Herb Washington to get the second out in the ninth inning of Game 2 of the World Series.  He would eventually record a save to preserve the Dodgers only win in the series.  Oakland would win the title in Game 5.  You can watch the pick-off here.
• Happy Birthday, "Wild" Bill Donovan, Jim Roberts, Ray Hathaway, Bob Bailey & Chris Gwynn!

Blog Kiosk: 10/12/2017 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

The dreams of youth.

Above is a fantastic 1943 ACME press photo of several New York area youngsters at Ebbets Field on a midsummer day trying out for the club (ebay link). As many teams are wont to do, the Dodgers reached out to the community in hopes of finding a diamond in the rough. At left is Hall of Famer George Sisler showing the kids the ins-an-outs of fielding. Per the descriptor on the reverse:

"IMAGINE -- THEY WANT TO BE DODGERS.  New York City -- Kids who would rather be bums than scholars, are told how to stop a hot grounder by George Sisler, one-time famous first baseman.  Some of metropolitan aspirants for diamond fame are (left to right, next to Sisler): Alfred Phillips, Coney Island; Bert Oppenheim, Coney Island; Bob Geary, Flatbush; Ernest Dolphy, Astoria; and Paul Brenner, Manhattan.  They are trying out at Ebbets Field, and a careful check on their performances will be used at a later date when the farms call for possible big league timber."

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1916 the Brooklyn Robins lost Game 5 against the Boston Red Sox to lose the World Series. As a side note, Boston played their games at the home of their NL rival, Boston Braves, since their stadium held more patrons than Fenway Park. In 1920 the Cleveland Indians defeated the Brooklyn Robins to win the World Series. In 1949 Vin Scully, after being recruited by Red Barber, worked his very first broadcast of his career when he does play-by-play for a college football game between Maryland and Boston University. He famously called the game from atop the roof during a very frigid day at Fenway Park. In 1988 Orel Hershiser threw a five-hit shutout victory, 6-0, against the NY Mets in Game 7 of the NLCS to advance to the World Series.
• Happy Birthday, Ed Householder, Steve Shirley, Sid Fernandez, Jose Valentin, Tanyon Sturtze & Nick Tepesch!