2019 Topps On-Demand Sets - The Dodger Cards

It recently discovered that there are a bunch of Topps online exclusive cards that have been released through their 'On-Demand' program that I have failed to list here. So, I thought I'd take a moment this Friday afternoon to share pics of all the Dodger cards made available so far.

There have been 13 'On-Demand' sets released this year, and five of them feature Baseball players. The others focused on either Garbage Pail Kids', Star Wars, Soccer or WWE. Go here for a complete checklist. The 13th set, which is a lenticular 3D set like the old Sportsflics of the 80's, is currently available for sale through Topps (go here to order) and is not expected to be released until mid-October.

Check out all the Dodger 'On-Demand' cards below. There is a Walker Buehler autographed card available as part of set #10, but I have yet to find a pic of it.

2019 Topps On-Demand Set #1 - Black and White Baseball 

• 2,000 packs sold

Base

#31 Cody Bellinger

Blog Kiosk: 7/26/2019 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Check out this fantastic photograph that is currently available at Heritage Auctions (link here). It features Jackie Robinson, wearing a Montreal Royals uniform, shaking hands with the legendary Honus Wagner prior to the start of an exhibition/barnstorm game in October 1946. Heritage includes a link to a story about the game (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette -- "Around Town: Jackie Robinson quietly showed how to integrate one day here in '46"):

The 4 o'clock game pitted a team of major leaguers -- largely Pirates and Cincinnati Reds, second-division clubs -- against "Jackie Robinson's all-stars." The great Honus Wagner, then 72, managed the major leaguers, and a three-paragraph item at the bottom of the page the next day declared: "Robinson Stars As Team Wins." 

About 3,000 watched as "Robinson cracked out a single, double and triple and fielded flawlessly at shortstop . . .The Negro star, who starred with Montreal and is the property of the Brooklyn Dodgers, drew praise from his major-league opponents on his fine play."

BTW, Jackie's team included several teammates from Montreal -- Marvin Rackley, Al Campanis and John Wright (also a Negro Leaguer). Additionally, Larry Doby, Monte Irvin and Roy Campanella joined his "Jackie Robinson All-Stars" that winter. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1948 Leo Durocher, the traitorous manager who jumped ship to the hated NY Giants just ten days prior, shows up in ugly Halloween orange at Ebbets Field for the first time since stabbing Dodger fans in the back. He is not greeting warmly, but he has the last laugh. The Giants win 13-4. In 1950 Dodgers outfielder Jim Russell becomes the first ballplayer in major league history to hit a home run from both sides of the plate during a game for the second time in a career. His record is eventually surpassed by Mickey Mantle in 1956 when he accomplished the feat for a third time. In 1991 Montreal starter Mark Gardner no-hit the Dodgers for nine innings, but eventually lost the game in the tenth. He allowed two singles and reliever Jeff Fassero gave up the winning hit to lose, 1-0.  Dodger pitchers Orel Hershiser, Kevin Gross and Jay Howell combine for a two hit shutout. In 1995 the Dodgers signed free agent amateur pitcher Eric Gagne out of Seminole State College. In 2008 the Dodgers received third baseman Casey Blake from the Indians for Jon Meloan and Carlos Santana. 
• Happy Birthday, John Butler, Sam Leslie, Hoyt Wilhelm, Glenn Mickens, Jody Reed & Brandon Morrow!

Welcome to the Blue, Tyler White!

The Dodgers made a trade, but it was not for a reliever -- although, he has come out of the pen before. As you likely know by now, the Dodgers picked up first baseman Tyler White from the Houston Astros, and hopefully we didn't trade a future star in return (like Yordan Álvarez). Per a Dodger Press release:

The Los Angeles Dodgers today announced that they have acquired infielder Tyler White from the Houston Astros in exchange for right-handed pitcher Andre Scrubb.

A Gorgeous Fazzino Painted Baseball of Sandy Koufax

Fantastic!

As you know, there are very few things I love more than Dodger-related artwork. Over the years I've written about and shared numerous pieces that I've found online and in my own collection. Unfortunately, this item I'm featuring is not something you can find on my bookshelf. Instead, you can go to eBay and make a bid (bid link) -- it's likely to be way out of my reach anyway.

An Early Peek at the 2020 Topps Baseball Card Design

Are you ready for 2020?

Featured above is an early look at the 2020 Topps flagship baseball card design, and I'm not sure if I like it. Go here to check it out at Topps website. It once again includes full-bleed photos -- unfortunately, flagship cards with a border appear to be a thing of the past -- and an unusual placement of the players name and position. As you can see, it is sideways -- perpendicular to the placement of the photograph.

This is an odd choice by Topps. Heck, I'm certain this is the first time they've ever done this to the flagship set (please correct me if I'm wrong) (UPDATE: Woops, I forgot about the 1999 Topps set). Only once At no time over the past 60+ years have they ever forced collectors to tweak their neck in order to read the name of the player -- I'm obviously being overly dramatic. Still, it's a little unsettling.

Nevertheless, it's the design we've got, so I'd better learn to love it. BTW, Alex Markle at Chavez Ravining shares his opinion about the design, and I think it's worth a look. Check it out here.

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Blog Kiosk: 7/25/2019 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

No one likes getting beat, but the last two losses to the Angels doesn't have me distressed. They were both great games to watch. Oftentimes games don't turn out the way you'd hoped. But in Baseball, as we all know, it's the ability to persevere and climb above all the failure and disappointment that determines whether you move on towards the playoffs. Last night it was a comedy of errors and bad calls that did us in. Nevertheless, we move on to play another day. Per Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

“Dan’s been around a long time, and [umpires] are busting their tails every night to get it right,” said Roberts. “When you see balls off the plate that can flip counts and can change innings and certainly at-bats, yeah, it gets frustrating at times when you’re the hitter. But those calls didn’t cost us the game. 

“The results speak to those guys played better. They scored more than we did, pitched better, hit better, yeah, they played better.”

Photo above via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2019. Go here to check out more pics from yesterdays game. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1956 Brooklyn outfielder Carl Furillo becomes the first Dodger to hit a home run at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City -- a onetime home field for 15 games from 1956 to 1967. Unfortunately, the Dodgers lost this game to Cincinnati, 2-1. In 1978 the Lodi Dodgers, LA's Single-A minor league club, record two triple plays against the Fresno Giants. This is the first time since 1904 that a professional ballclub has recorded two triple plays in one game. In 2006 the Dodgers received starting pitcher Elmer Dessens from the Royals for Odalis Perez and a couple minor leaguers. In 2012 Hanley Ramirez plays his first game as a Dodger, after having beeen traded my the Marlins, and goes 2-for-4 at the plate with a walk, run and RBI (boxscore).
• Happy Birthday, Doc Reisling, Marv Rackley, Larry Sherry, Dave Patterson, Garey Ingram & Guillermo Mota!