2019 Topps Heritage Minor League -- All the Dodger Cards

This week Topps released the Heritage Minor League Baseball card brand, and I've got pics of most of the Dodgers' that are available. Go here to check out a complete checklist.

Two of our biggest young stars are available here -- Gavin Lux and Dustin May. Additionally, if you think Will Smith is the 'cat's meow' then wait til you get a look at our other top catching prospect -- Keibert Ruiz. He's got ten different cards available in this set (more than any other Dodger), and is considered to have a much better bat than the the 'fresh prince of Chavez Ravine."

Base

#21 Mitchell White

Blog Kiosk: 9/27/2019 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Yesterday was "Costume Travel Day" for the Dodgers. Heck, everyone who boarded the plane, including travelling staff, had to join in on the fun.

If I can find the time, I will make a bunch of fantasy baseball cards of them in costume.

On another note, the Dodgers, on the back of Kershaw's six innings of scoreless two-hit ball, defeated the Padres, 1-0, last night. This was his last outing of the season. Per Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

“You’re just building confidence,” said Kershaw. “No matter how long you play this game, you struggle and your confidence will go here and there at times. Today, just went in with the mindset to be super aggressive and keep going and don’t worry about all the stuff that’s happened. The results are better today, for sure. 

“If I had pitched bad today, it wouldn’t be the end of the world, but it wouldn’t have been fun going into the postseason knowing I had struggled. It’s definitely good to get some momentum and confidence going and realize the pitches I need to make are still in there. It was good, for sure.”

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

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1936 future Dodger Hall of Fame skipper Walter Alston played in his only Major League game. It was as an 24-year old first baseman for the Cardinals, and he got into the game as a late-inning substitution for Johnny Mize. He would commit an error on the field in two chances, and only get a single at-bat -- he struck out. In 1951 future basketball Hall of Famer Bill Sharman was on the bench for the Dodgers as a 25-year old prospect. On this day he would be thrown out of the game, along with 14 other teammates, for "bench-jockeying" after a close play at home. He would never get a chance to play a Major League game, and thus became the only player to be ejected from a game without ever appearing in one. In 1961 Sandy Koufax recorded seven strikeouts against the Phillies to set a new National League record for strikeouts in a season at 269. The mark was previously held by Giants hurler Christy Mathewson who set it in 1903 with 267 strikeouts. In 2000 the Team USA Baseball club, skippered by Tommy Lasorda, beat the Cuban ballclub to win the gold medal in the Olympics.
• Happy Birthday, Joe Visner, Doug Baird, Whit Wyatt, Len Matuszek, Jason Phillips, Vicente Padilla & Jon Garland!

2019 Topps Total - Wave 7- All the Dodger Cards

Wave 7 from 2019 Topps Total has been released, so now there are three more Dodger players are available to collect -- Enrique Hernandez, Kenta Maeda and Rich Hill. Check them all out below. Go here for a complete checklist. BTW, each card has an approximate print run of 366.

Base - Wave 7

#615 Enrique Hernandez

#652 Kenta Maeda                #677 Rich Hill

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Blog Kiosk: 9/26/2019 - Dodgers Links - 300 Saves!

Congrats, Kenley!

Last night Kenley Jansen recorded his 300th career save -- all as a Dodger. I know the past couple of years has been a long hard slog for the closer, so reaching this milestone I think will prove important to his mindset. Per Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

“I know the second half hasn’t gone well at all,” Jansen said. “Just a lot of noise, let’s say it like that. I just have to show myself being here for my teammates. I never lost the confidence in myself. The numbers don’t look good when I go back-to-back, Doc and I talked about it today. It’s something I need to prove. Scientists are not right all the time and I want to prove them wrong.”

Photo above via Raymond Gorospe/MLB.com at Dodger Insider. Go here to check out more pics from last nights game. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1975 Burt Hooton set a Dodgers record for starters when he won his 12th consecutive game. In 1981 the Dodgers were no-hit by legendary fireballer Nolan Ryan of the Astros in Houston, 5-0. It would be the fifth no-no of his career. You can watch the last out of the game here. In 1997 Mike Piazza hit a change-up against former Dodger hurler Darren Holmes that went 496 feet to left-centerfield -- hitting a billboard between the scoreboard and the Rockpile at Coors Field. It is deemed the longest homer ever hit at the Colorado stadium. You can watch the blast here. BTW, the Dodgers defeated the Rockies, 10-4. Per a Denver Post story:

“It was mammoth, man,” pitcher Darren Holmes said. “It was a big bomb.”

• Happy Birthday, Bernie Neis & Brian Traxler!

Goldin Auctions: Kenta Maeda Rookie Superfractor is Available

Goldin Auction is currently running their October Legends auction and it's got a card that you don't see too often at these established auction houses. Featured here is a modern issue card, and it represents one of the top Kenta Maeda cards in the hobby. It is his 2016 Bowman Chrome Prospects rookie card and it's of the highly coveted 'Superfractor' variety -- meaning it's a 'one-of-one' card (Auction Link).

Best yet, this auction might be able to answer a question that I've always wondered about. If you had a card to sell (assuming it's a high-dollar item), would you be better off selling it on your own through eBay, or should you reach out to an auction house?

The reason I can ask this question is that this exact card sold in August on eBay for $749.99 (you can see that listing here). So, it'll be interesting to see if this card will sell for significantly more or less than its sale price of just one month ago.

BTW, arguably the best Maeda card you can get is the autographed version of the above card.... And wouldn't you know it. That card sold last month too. It closed at $1,200.00 (eBay Auction Link). You can see it on the right.

As for other Dodger stuff in Goldin's auction I really like the below painting by artist Greg Gutierrez. He is an Southern California based artist who is probably best known for his book, "Zen and the Art of Surfing."

As you can see, his painting is of Jackie Robinson rounding first base. (Auction Link)

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Blog Kiosk: 9/25/2019 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Rich Hill had something to prove. He came out last night to show that he can help this club win in the playoffs, and in doing so ended up recording five strike outs in two innings of work. Per Cary Osborne at Dodger Insider:

“I want to pitch. I want to help this team in the postseason,” Hill said. “Hopefully I can prove that I can help the team do that. The main goal is October, and I believe today was a step in the right direction, and I certainly want to continue to go in the right direction on Sunday.”

Dave Roberts adds more:

“There’s a lot of will, there’s a lot of fight in there with Richie,” Roberts said. “You could see there were grimaces in there. There was trying to feel for things as far as the knee and trusting letting the fastball and letting the breaking ball go.”

BTW, Hill's five strike outs gives him 1,000 for his entire career. Congrats!

On another note, the Dodgers 6-3 win last night notched home field advantage for both the NLDS and NLCS. Photo above via Raymond Gorospe/MLB.com at Dodger Insider. Go here to check out more pics from yesterdays game. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1941 the Dodgers won their first NL pennant in 21 years when they defeated the Braves in Boston, 6-0. In 1956 Dodgers hurler Sal "The Barber" Maglie no-hit the Phillies at Ebbets Field, 5-0. At 39 years old he became the oldest pitcher to throw one. You can listen to the last inning of Maglie's no-no (as called by Jerry Doggett with Vin Scully) here. In 1974 Dr. Frank Jobe performs the first ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction surgery on Dodgers pitcher Tommy John's left elbow. The revolutionary procedure would soon be known as Tommy John Surgery.
• Happy Birthday, Dave Walsh!