2019 Topps On-Demand Set #23 -- Rookie Review -- The Will Smith Card

The newest Topps On-Demand set has been delivered to collectors and it features the 50 top rookies/youngsters in the game today. It is called the "Rookie Review" set and the only Dodger available is phenom catcher Will Smith. Go here for a complete checklist. The total print run is 861 sets. There is both a Smith base card and autographed card available. See them both below.

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#22 Will Smith

Blog Kiosk: 12/27/2019 - Dodgers Links & News - Some Odds and Ends

Campy and Yogi exchange notes in the March 30, 1956 Associates Press wirephoto shown above (eBay auction link). It says:

St. Petersburg, Fla., March 30th, Most Valuable Talk - The American League's Most Valuable Player Yankees' Yogi Berra, left, and the National League's most Most Valuable Player Brooklyn Dodgers' Roy Campanella meet before yesterday's game. Campanella has the injured finger showing out of his mitt. The injury has kept him out of some exhibition games.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1981 Fernando Valenzela is named the Southern California Athlete of the Year by the sports editors of the Southlands major newspapers. This caps off a fantastic season where he was an All-Star, wins the Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, Silver Slugger and a World Series ring for the Dodgers. He also won a Sporting News triple crown -- named the winner of the Major League Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year and Rookie Pitcher of the Year Awards.
• Happy Birthday, Ernie Krueger, Norm Larker, Gary Weiss, Jim Leyritz, Jason Repko & Dylan Floro!

Blog Kiosk: 12/23/2019 - Dodgers Links & News - Some Odds and Ends

In honor of today's Festivus Day I bring to you a letter written by Tommy Lasorda to George Castanza, of Seinfeld fame, that attempts to recruit him for the Dodgers (Hat Tip: u/WoodyPecker on Reddit). It says:

Congratulations on a great career with the Yankees! You lasted than any of Steinbrenner's managers! 

Everyone know that the Yankees hadn't won for years until you joined them. Their batters couldn't hit water if they fell out of a boat! But you get there and they win a World Series championship. Now, I want you to do the same for the Dodgers. 

We're looking for your bhig ideas. Like the cotton uniforms, for example... BRILLIANT! They'll be great in LA. I got my order from the very top, George. Now that you're a FREE AGENT, we'll do whatever it takes to get you in Dodger Blue. All the Slim Fast you'll ever need, if that's what it takes.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1953 Dodgers second baseman Jim "Junior" Gilliam is named the National League Rookie of the Year. He slashed .278/.383/.415/.798 with a league leading 17 triples. In 1958 traded infielder and future Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson to the Phillies for Rip Repulski, Jim Golden and Gene Snyder. In 2004 the Dodgers signed free agent outfielder JD Drew to a five-year, $55 million deal contract that includes and option clause after the second season. He would slash .284/.399/.505/.905 his first two years, and immediately exercised that option to become a free agent. He would then five-year, $70 million contract with the Red Sox. In 2016 the Dodgers signed team-leader Justin Turner to a four-year, $64 million contract.
• Happy Birthday, Doc Gessler, Bunny Fabrique, Danny Taylor, Ox Eckhardt, Max Rosenfeld, Pat Ankenman, Tim Harkness, Ray Lamb, Tim Leary, Cody Ross & Hanley Ramírez!

2019 Bowman’s Best -- All the Dodgers Cards

Bowman's Best, a prospect-centered Topps brand, was released this week for collectors to hoard. It once again features some of the top youngsters in the game today, and includes on-card autographs that have been so popular with collectors. Overall, there are five Dodgers' available in the 'Veterans and Rookies" part of the base set, but no Dodgers' highlighted in the 'Top Prospects' portion. There are, however, five Dodgers' prospect autographed cards to chase after. Go here for a complete checklist.

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#11 Hyun-Jin Ryu              #14 Clayton Kershaw

Blog Kiosk: 12/20/2019 - Dodgers Links & News - Some Odds and Ends

Check out this fantastic September 22,1946 action shot of Pee Wee Reese (eBay auction link).

Safe at Third -- Pee Wee Reese of the Brooklyn Dodgers is sale at third base when Dodgers catcher Bruce Edwards bunted to Braves pitcher Johnny Sain in the third inning of the first game between the Dodgers and the Braves at Braves Field. Sain's throw to Nanny Fernandez Braves third sacker was too late.

The Dodgers would unfortunately lose this first game of a doubleheader, 4-2, but take the nightcap, 8-1. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1976 the Dodgers traded Ted Sizemore to the Phillies for catcher Johnny Oats and a minor leaguer. In 1989 the Dodgers traded Mike Marshall and Alejandro Peña to the Mets for infielder Juan Samuel. In 2005 the Dodgers signed free agent outfielder Kenny Lofton.
• Happy Birthday, Branch Rickey, Erik Goeddel, Harry Stovey, Bob Hall, Butch Henline, Fred Merkle & Snooks Dowd!

2019 Bowman Next Top 2020 Prospects - Online Exclusive - Gavin Lux

I've been wondering if Topps would add Gavin Lux to this set.

Over the past several weeks Topps has been releasing individual cards, on a daily basis, of a new online exclusive set that they are calling 2019 Bowman Next - a set featuring the Top-20 prospects of 2020. It began with Tigers outfield prospect Riley Green, and has included other notable youngsters like Bobby Witt Jr. of the Royals, Jo Adell of the Angels and Brendon Rodgers of the Rockies. Now, it includes the Dodger top-dog, Gavin Lux. Go here to check it out and order. You can also see a complete checklist here. Below is what's written on the back of the card:

Gavin Lux quickly rose through the Minor League ranks, raking at each level of the Minors before reaching the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2019. The slugging infielder posted an incredible .347  batting average with 26 home runs and 76 RBI before joining the MLB club.

The description above doesn't quite explain what a fantastic year Lux had in 2019. He began the season with the Double-A Tulsa Drillers and slashed a sold .313/.375/.521/.896 in 64 games. He would then advance to the Oklahoma City Dodgers -- their Triple A club -- and absolutely demolished PCL pitching. In 49 games he slashed .392/.478/.719/1.197 with 13 home runs, 39 RBI and committed just four errors on the field. For that he was named to the mid-season Texas League All-Star Game, the All-Star Futures Game and was Baseball America's Minor League Player of the Year. The Dodgers also named him their minor league player of the year for the second consecutive season. Per Alden Gonzalez at ESPN: