Friday, December 04, 2009

Free 33

The above pic was made by The Left Field Pavilion, and it is something I absolutely endorse.

Give Blake DeWitt a chance at the second base job. He may not have the obvious tools of a Matt Kemp or Orlando Hudson, but he has the heart and desire to get the job done.

He reminds me of a former Dodger outfield prospect named Shane Victorino who was constantly passed over and over. Sure, he didn't project to be a superstar, but he could play. He worked hard to excel and when given an opportunity to play everyday he cemented his position as a regular on the club.

Free 33!

Hat Tip: Pure Science with a Splash of Black Cat:

Kareem Signing


I don't normally post stuff like this, but I figured there might be some folks who would appreciate it.

I know he wasn't a Dodger, but he did wear the uniform once. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will be at a Best Buy this coming Saturday at 1:30 PM in Los Angeles. He will be posing for pictures and signing autographs. Although, it appears he will be signing a photo sleeve (whatever that is), so I do not know if he will be signing anything you decide to bring along. As Roberto at Vin Scully is My Homeboy says, be sure to call to confirm.

Best Buy Glendale
2909 Los Feliz Blvd
Los Angeles, CA

PS. Be sure to send him your well wishes as he battles with leukemia.

Thursday, December 03, 2009

Tommy Knows

From Tommy's TweetPic:
There's a saying in this country; if you don't pull for the Dodgers you may not get into heaven.
You gotta believe in the great Dodger in the sky!

Thinking About O'Malley

I have tried to stay away from the ownership mess that seems to be circling around the Dodgers, but a rumor came to light today (via Vin Scully is My Homeboy) that has my mind going in circles.

Peter O'Malley is interested in buying back the Dodgers.

Yes, you heard it right. The O'Malley family may be the newest suitor for the team, and I couldn't be more elated.

Why, you ask?
  • Well, one thing would be for sure, if they came back, we would never have to worry about our Minor League development organization. The O'Malley's were one of the first groups to really champion player development back in the day, and I suspect they would want to grow and expand the teams currents efforts.
  • They have always been a fiscally prudent group, so don't expect Yankee-like spending from the O'Malley's. Some fans may look at this as a negative, but I do not. Baseball the "Dodger Way" has never been about signing overpriced veterans at exorbitant prices. The "Dodger Way" is about family. That means developing from within and keeping them in Blue. That is how you build brand loyalty. That is how you build championships. That is what I remember about the Dodgers of my youth.
  • A fiscally prudent Dodgers would mean a team not laden with debt that would embarrass a Wall Street banker. Although I marvel at the financing structure undertaken by the McCourt's (trading some parking lots for the Dodgers was brilliant), I dislike that our team is owned by someone who really can't afford it.
Unfortunately, this may all come to pass. It appears that the McCourt's will ride this out as long as they can, but I hope that once the writing on the wall become more apparent they will choose to do the right thing.

Sell the team before you destroy the team.

Some Upper Deck Paintings

Upper Deck is selling some of the original artwork used to create some of their Baseball cards.

Below is a Don Drysdale painting used in the 1995 Heroes set.

This painting may have already sold. It is a great painting featuring 6 Negro League players. Roy Campanella is on the top row, on the left.

I don't think this painting was ever used for a card, but it should have been.

Wednesday, December 02, 2009

A Local to be Inducted Into US Hockey Hall of Fame

Have you heard of the Zamboni? Did you know it was invented in Southern California?

Inventor and local entrepreneur, Frank Zamboni, will be inducted into the US Hockey Hall of Fame today. He was owner and operator of Iceland skating rink in Paramount, and created the most important tool in hockey still used today. His Zamboni has become synonymous with hockey.

Video Link: