Blog Kiosk: 12/31/2011

Tommy Claus. (Pic via @Dodgers Twitter)

• Forbes claims Dodgers value could fall by $300Million as a result of the order to disallow sale of cable contract. Frankly, I think it's a bunch of bunk. I don't believe there was any real expectation that the winning bidder for the team would take the highest deal made during the cable auction. In fact, I expected the future owner to decline it immediately, and then use it as leverage for a higher value a year later with either FOX or some other suitor when the current contract expires. As I saw it, the cable auction would have been nothing more than a barometer for a future owner to determine a true fair market value for the television deal without the negotiating restrictions FOX has in place. If anything, the ruling will likely disqualify leverage buyers, but will not diminish (by much) the number of qualified buyers. In other words, cash will rule this sale and those bidders with patient cash investors will likely win out.
  
• Here's some positive news. The Biz of Baseball declares Dodger fans winners in 2011.
  
• CrzBlue's Dodger Blue World puts together a nice tribute to members of the Dodger family who died in 2011.
  
• A Redditer shares some cool designs made by mowing on some Baseball fields. Links to even more are here.
  
• Night Owl Cards puts together his list of the top Baseball cards of 2011.
  
• Former Giants outfielder Don Mueller passed away this past Wednesday. RIP. He was 84, and an able opponent. Via St. Louis Today.
  
• Bloomberg Business Week makes 5 Bold Sports Predictions for 2012; including who is in the lead to buy the Dodgers.
  
• A Vintage Dodgers commercial featuring Pedro Guerrero, circa 1982, supporting an anti-vandalism PSA campaign in Spanish.

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Collection: Do You Remember Andrew Brown?

I have no recollection of this kid at all. He came to the Dodgers as a part of the trade that sent Gary Sheffield to the Braves for Brown, Odalis Perez and Brian Jordan. Not a bad haul, really. I remember liking Odalis before he fizzled out, and Brian Jordan was serviceable but hardly the kind of slugger he was with the Braves.

Andrew Brown's numbers suggest, at best, that he could develop into a end of the rotation starting pitcher, but that would not be. After a couple of years in the minors he would be shipped to Cleveland to land the troubled Milton Bradley for us. In a few more years, Brown would get a taste of the big show in 2006 as a reliever for the Indians, then the A's over the next couple of seasons. After that, he kind of disappeared. He was not on a professional roster in 2011 and appears to have left the game.

Anyway, I mentioned that the trade that sent away the gifted Sheffield worked out for the best because it eventually lead to Andre Ethier joining the Dodgers. You see, after 2 seasons of Bradley he was sent to Oakland, with Dodgers prospect Antonio Perez, for Ethier in a trade that seemed more like a player dump than an acquisition for someone good. I did not expect Ethier to become the kind of star he has become. So, at the end of the day we got Ethier, Odalis Perez, and Brian Jordan for Andrew Brown, Gary Sheffield, Franklin Gutierrez and Antonio Perez. Only Gutierrez and Ethier remain in the Majors.

Here are 3 autographed cards of Andrew Brown in my collection. From left to right (above): 2003 Topps Pristine Auto, 2003 Bowman Best Certified Auto, and a 2003 Donruss The Rookies Auto.

Topps 2012, Series 2 Previews: Some Dodgers Cards

2012 couldn't come any sooner. With the New Year upon us and the upcoming season fast approaching I find myself clawing for any news regarding next seasons Baseball cards. I can't wait to open up my first box. The Topps Baseball set, Series 1, is set to be officially released on February 1, 2012 so be sure to put that on your calendar. A preliminary checklist can be found here. If thoughts that set to chase after doesn't quite do it for you, then take a gander at some preview images from the Topps Baseball set, Series 2.

Man-O-Live! The 2012 collecting season hasn't even started yet and they are already baiting us with Series 2 pics. See them all here on Facebook.

These all appear to be insert cards from the set.

Jackie Robinson

Matt Kemp

Sandy Koufax

Looking to Add a Koufax Gamer to your Collection?

So who hasn't ever wanted a Sandy Koufax game-used Dodgers jersey to hang on your wall? I know I'd love to have one. Heck, any Baseball fan in the country would want it. Right?

Well, if you got the dough it can be yours. On top of that, you don't have to wait out an auction. All it takes is a quick phone call to hammer out a deal. Right now, Legendary Auctions has been consigned with the job of selling items from the Dreier Collection. So far, only 8 items have been put up for sale with 2 already gone; including a T206 Honus Wagner. The Koufax uniform is a home jersey and is from the 1960 season. It has a current price tag of $200,000.00 on it, and I imagine a little bit of negotiation might be possible.

(Item Link)

Of special note is a story in the description of this item that I had never heard before. I'll let it speak for itself.

At first, the eventual “Left Arm of God” was still widely viewed as a hot-tempered bonus baby who couldn’t harness his immense talents and seemed destined to languish in mound mate Don Drysdale’s shadow. Koufax blamed his limited appearances; Dodger General Manager Buzzie Bavasi blamed Koufax’s erratic performances. The situation finally came to a head in May when Koufax confronted Bavasi inside one of the L.A. Coliseum’s tunnels during pre-game warm-ups. Depending on the story version, Koufax either begged to be traded or threatened to quit baseball altogether, and Bavasi either denied the trade request or offered to buy Koufax’s bus ticket. “Trade him to us,” Giants superstar Willie Mays, who happened to overhear the spat, told the Los Angeles Herald Examiner. “He’s got a fastball you can’t see.”

Left Arm of God, indeed.

Blog Kiosk: 12/29/2011

Dee Gordon Comments on twitter: "I swear I absolutely HATE losing!” (Pic Link)

• Chris Erskine of the LA Times catches up with Gary Cypres to talk about his Sports Museum of Los Angeles.

  Before he collected sports memorabilia, Cypres collected businesses — retail, travel, mortgage lending. His pockets deep, he turned his passion for sports into this collection. Estimates of its value range to $30 million, but he won't even speculate, saying it's only worth what it eventually sells for.

• The Bryan Stow lawsuit against the Dodgers could potentially cost millions, via the Denver Post.

  Attorney Ehline deals with brain injury cases as part of his law practice, has attended Dodgers games, and he relates that cases involving head injuries can often result in settlements and verdicts in the millions of dollars. Although there is no outcome known, or court finding of brain injuries currently, attorney Ehline relates that repeated kicks to the head and comas, as alleged here, are generally accepted to be a cause of brain injuries.

• Ryan Garvey, Steve's son, is transferring out of USC, via Dan Arritt of ESPN. Big mistake if you ask me.
• Panini's blog shares some production pics for their upcoming 2011 Donruss Elite Extra Edition Baseball set; including the below pic of the Kershaw card.
• I find the power of the internet absolutely fascinating, and so does Forbes.
• Babes Love Baseball puts together a list of 2011 Most Memorable Stories in MLB.
• The Baseball Professor takes a look at the fantasy values of the leagues top 25 pitchers. Take note fantasy players, this is important stuff. On Clayton Kershaw:

  Kershaw's stuff is devastating. With all due respect to Verlander and Halladay, Kershaw has the highest ceiling in the league.

  For fantasy purposes, I would try to take Kershaw in the 1st round if available (focusing on pitching has done me well in fantasy leagues) then go after Haren, Shields, Johnson, Wainwright or Darvish at the appropriate times.
• Check out the 24 Greatest Sports Streakers of 2011, via Busted Coverage.
• Matt Kemp at CaliChristmas with DJ Vick One. (Hat Tip: Vin Scully is My Homeboy)

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• If you're a hockey fan you'll definitely enjoy this. If not, I gotta believe you'll still think its a gas. Check out Don Cherry's piano desk.

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Murray Chass Knows Who Will Buy the Dodgers

Murray Chass, retired NY Times sportswriter and prior winner of the J. G. Taylor Spink Award, has some insight into the mind of Selig when concerning the sale of a ball team.

When the Boston Red Sox were in the process of being sold in 2001, John Henry, then the owner of the Florida Marlins, joined forces with Tom Werner, former owner of the San Diego Padres, and Larry Lucchino, a veteran, highly regarded executive, who had served as president of the Baltimore Orioles and the Padres.

All interested buyers of the Red Sox, they merged their efforts at the suggestion of Commissioner Bud Selig. As soon as I heard that they were making a joint effort to secure the team, I wrote in The New York Times that their group had become the leading candidate.

I had read recently, I'm unsure where, that a similar effort is underway for the Dodgers. Can Selig use his magic again? It's a possibility. With that in mind, Chass predicts who is now in the lead.

Circumstances are far more premature and complex than they were when Henry, Werner and Lucchino merged their efforts. Much has to happen before Frank McCourt can sell the Dodgers, and the team’s bankruptcy status makes the process more intricate.

My money, however, is on the money that (Stan) Kasten and his group will generate for McCourt, who has owned the Dodgers into such a depressed state he deserves worse.

And guess who is one of the partners- Magic Johnson. That's right, "Showtime" may be turning blue.

Adding Johnson to the mix is more than putting icing on the cake. In his post-basketball life, Magic has become a successful entrepreneur and as an African-American would be a highly attractive addition to the major league lineup of owners.

Where are the big bucks coming from?

The money man in the group is Mark Walter, chief executive officer of Guggenheim Partners, a global financial services company that is said to manage more than $125 billion in customer assets.

“Guggenheim Baseball Management brings together a team of proven winners with deep ties to the Los Angeles community, an impressive track record of sports excellence and the financial wherewithal to provide long-term financial stability for the Dodgers organization,” Walter said in a statement to Bloomberg News.

Chass goes into more detail about the group, but hesitates at suggesting that other partners could potentially enter the fold. I think this remains a possibility. Check out what Murray Chass has to say right here.

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On another front, Business Insider notes that Steve Cohen is so interested in the Dodgers that he has already hired an architect for Dodger Stadium.

With his financial muscle (potential SEC problems aside) and support from local businessmen like David Geffen and Eli Broad, maybe a combined effort from Kasten and Cohen might be in order.