2020 Topps Opening Day - The "Walk this Way" Subset

With the postponement of Opening Day I figured the best thing for me to do is share more Dodger cards from Topps 2020 Opening Day Baseball card brand. This time, though I thought I would slow-play this by writing about one specific subset -- the "Walk this Way" set.

These cards appears to highlight walk-off hits, but unfortunately the cards do not specifically say this anywhere. I was hoping the reverse of the cards would have a description of the event being pictured, but all Topps does is use the back design from their flagship cards. That said, it's fair to assume that "walk-offs" are exactly what these cards are meant to highlight.

In this subset there are three Dodgers available to collect -- Max Muncy, Will Smith and Joc Pederson -- and I thought it would be fun to highlight their walk-offs during the 2019 season. As you know, the Dodgers recorded 12 walk-off victories last year - two each by Muncy and Smith, and one by Pederson.

Walk this Way! subset

#WW-2 Max Muncy

Blog Kiosk: 3/12/2020 - Dodgers Links & News - Some Odds and Ends

I feel ya, Jose!

How many of you folks remember this meme?

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1989 the Dodgers traded outfielder Mike Devereaux to Baltimore for starting pitcher Mike Morgan. Morgan would stay in LA for three seasons -- compiling a 33-36 record with an 3.06 ERA, 3.38 FIP and a 1.162 WHIP. In 2003 Mets catcher Mike Piazza charged the mound to go after Dodgers reliever Guillermo Mota during a spring training game at Thomas J. White Stadium in Port St. Lucie, FL. Mota plunked Piazza on the shoulder, so Piazza stormed after him -- even going so far as to enter the Dodgers clubhouse after the game. Both players would be suspended five games. Per Mike DiGiovanna at the LA Times:

"Where's Mota?" Piazza screamed, checking the trainer's room. "Where's Mota?" he yelled, walking through the clubhouse. Once he realized Dodger reliever Guillermo Mota had left, Piazza walked out the back door, got into his car and sped off.

• Happy Birthday, Frank Schneiberg, Bob Barr, Jim Wynn, Darryl Strawberry, Shawn Gilbert, Steve Finley, Raul Mondesi & Greg Hansell!

2020 Topps Opening Day - The Dodgers Base Cards

With Opening Day looming, Topps has released their annual Opening Day set, and I've got pics of all the Dodger base cards to share. This set officially released today. As you may know, this brand is almost a carbon-copy of the flagship set they released a couple of weeks ago -- the main difference being a smaller base set and an Opening Day graphic on the front of each card. Go here for a complete checklist.

We are also treated to a first look at what the flagship cards will look like for Corey Seager, Walker Buehler and Will Smith cards in either the Series 2 or Update sets when they come out later this season. All three of these players are not found in the Series 1 flagship base set.

BTW, there are a couple of variations available -- Max Muncy and Walker Buehler -- but I do not have photos of them yet. Check out the Dodgers' base cards below.

Base

#9 Joc Pederson               #14 Alex Verdugo

Blog Kiosk: 3/11/2020 - Dodgers Links & News - Some Odds and Ends

Check out this vintage photograph I ran into while perusing eBay. It is a Barney Stein photo of the 1956 Brooklyn Dodger team at the Atomic Memorial in Hiroshima during their Tour of Japan series that fall (eBay link). I suspect it was originally found in one of those presentation photo albums the team made for the players and staff that headed for the Far East. You can also see this exact image at the Walter O'Malley.com website, where it says:

A bronze plaque from the Dodgers was presented at the Hiroshima stadium with the following legend: “We dedicate this visit in memory of those baseball fans and others who died by atomic action on August 6, 1945. May their souls rest in peace and with God’s help and man’s resolution peace will prevail, forever, amen.” Among those attending the presentation were Dodger President Walter O’Malley, manager Walter Alston, and Dodger players as Pee Wee Reese, Roy Campanella, and Duke Snider.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1953 the very first spring game is played at the newly built Holman Stadium at Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Florida. The Dodgers faced off against the A's and defeated then, 4-2. In 1972 Dodgers Hall of Fame legend Zach Wheat dies at the age of 83. He was a Brooklyn Dodgers for 18 seasons -- slashing .317/.367/.452/.819 with 131 home runs, 2,804 hits and a batting title in 1918.
• Happy Birthday, Bill Pounds, Joe Dunn, Bobby Abreu, Rich Hill & Pedro Baez!

2020 Topps Black & White Baseball -- All the Dodgers Cards

Topps 2020 On-Demand set #4, called MLB Black & White Baseball, has been showing up on collectors doorsteps. As the name suggest, this online exclusive set features the top players in the game, both past and present, on cards using unique black & white photographs -- many of which I have never seen before. Go here for a complete checklist. A total of 2015 30-card packs were sold.

The best card is clearly the Duke Snider / Jackie Robinson Historic Duos insert card. It uses a photograph I have never seen before -- featuring both players crouching with bats at their shoulders and they are nicely framed by a couple of other bats. Check out this card below. Another favorite of mine is the Dustin May base card. This card is unusual in its framing. Using the Rule of Thirds, Topps places the right-handed hurler on the right side -- thereby leaving a giant blank open space to his left. In order to balance out this placement the bright lights of the stadium is seen on the top left -- causing a nice contract between light and dark. The artistic quality of this photo is something you rarely see on cardboard.

Lastly, I decided to include the cards made for Hyun-Jin Ryu and Mookie Betts -- even though they represent other teams on the card.

Base

#13 Walker Buehler

Blog Kiosk: 3/10/2020 - Dodgers Links & News - Some Odds and Ends

Check out the cover of Sports Illustrated's Baseball Preview magazine above, via @MLB on twitter.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1983 longtime Dodger manager Walter Alston is elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Special Veterans Committee vote. Detroit infielder George Kell was also elected. In 2012 the Dodgers signed 27-year old former NFL defensive back Jarrad Page to a minor league contract after impressing scouts during an open tryout in Arizona. Page played six season in the NFL, but decided to tryout during the Dodgers spring camp when he realized his pro football career was coming to an end. 
• Happy Birthday, Gene DeMontreville, Art Herring & Steve Howe!