Dodgers Blog Kiosk: 1/23/2013

Keith Olbermann recently shared a preview pic on moby of a Topps 2013 Heritage Maury Wills card, as seen above.

• Jon SooHoo shares some photos from Day 2 of the Dodgers Community caravan, and here's a video from the day.
• John Sickels at Minor League Ball takes a prospect retrospective look at Pedro Martinez.
• Via Bill Shaikin on twitter, the Dodgers deal with Time Warner expected to be from $7Billion to $8Billion.

(twitter link)

• Eric Stephens at True Blue LA writes a great little story focused on a Don Sutton game ejection in 1977.
• Jon Weisman at Variety analyzes the Dodgers/ Time Warner television deal. 
• Are you looking for a Hyun-Jin Ryu fix?  Well, via @MyKBO on twitter is an article from Korea Joongang Daily focused on his recent departure from Korea to America.

“When I went to the U.S. to sign the contract, it was to get results,” Ryu told a press conference yesterday at Incheon International Airport. Ryu reached the deal in Los Angeles on Dec. 9 after a month of negotiations.

“But now I am in a position to produce the result, so that makes me nervous,” he said. “What matters now is how quickly I can take the pressure off my chest. If I try to adjust, doing as I usually do in Korea, it will be fine, I guess.” 

• Dodgers Nation notes that Dee Gordon and Verizon have teamed up for a promotion on twitter.
• Sherman Oaks product Giancarlo Stanton appears to yearn for LA, via Lance Pugmire at Sun Sentinel.

How do you weigh what the Marlins are doing when you're so close to Southern California baseball, where the Dodgers and Angels are spending, spending, spending? Does it make you homesick?

"I don't get homesick or nothing, but you see that. You can't be hoping you're on other teams. You've got to worry about the now. I've said I was upset" about the Marlins.

• Are you interested in getting your own real Stanley Cup LA Kings Championship ring?  Well, they produced a handful (either 4 or 5) that have been donated to various charities so that they may be raffled off.  Here is the first ring available from Celebrities for Charities.  It's just $2.00 for each raffle ticket.
• Here's a report from All Tribe Baseball on the 2013 Indian Tribe Fest.
• I love this post from UniWatch.  For one game in 1977 the Kansas City Royals had to wear Milwaukee Brewers uniforms.  Go here to find out why.

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Weekend Autograph Opportunities: 2013 Dodgers FanFest on Saturday!

Here are this weekends autograph opportunities and events throughout the Southland. As always, be sure to check the Blue Heaven Calendar for other events (a link can always be found on the tab at the top of this page, just left of center), and always confirm with the establishment. Everything is subject to change.  Please email me with any tips about upcoming events in Southern California.  As the rest of the week progresses I'll update this post with other events (if there are any) as I become aware of them.  Also, I don't always list every event below, so be sure to check my Calendar.  I always try to favor free signing events over paying events.  Click on any pic to embiggen.

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Let's face it.  The only event worth knowing about this weekend is the 2013 Dodgers FanFest at Dodger Stadium on Saturday.  It is a free event and will happen in the Dodger Stadium parking lot - Lot 6. Go here for more information.

• Parking gates open for FanFest, Sat, Jan 26: 10:00AM - 5:00PM
• Event gates open for Season Ticket Holders with their MVP cards or other STH identification, Sat, Jan 26: 10:30AM - 5:00PM
• Event gates open to the public, Sat, Jan 26: 11:00AM - 5:00PM
• Music, games, and autographs available to the public, Sat, Jan 26: 11:00AM - 5:00PM

Here is a list of the players already confirmed.  Schedule TBA. Players are subject to change without notice.

I'll be sure to update this post as more information becomes available.  BTW, the Dodgers FanFest will take place; rain or shine!

• Luis Cruz
• AJ Ellis
• Mark Ellis
• Andre Ethier
• Tim Federowicz
• Zach Greinke
• Javy Guerra
• Matt Guerrier
• Kenley Jansen
• Matt Kemp
• Brandon League
• Don Mattingly
• Mark McGwire
• Nick Punto
• Hyun-jin Ryu
• Scott Schumaker
• Shawn Tolleson
• Tim Wallach
• Billy Ashley
• Ron Cey
• Al "The Bull Ferrara
• "Sweet" Lou Johnson
• Lee Lacy
• Kenny Landreaux
• Tim Leary
• Paul LoDuca
• Dennis Powell
• Bill Russell
• Derrel Thomas

UPDATE:  Below are the scheduled times for the players, per the Dodgers:

11:00am-12:00pm Zack Greinke Mark McGwire Nick Punto Tim Wallach

12:00pm-1:00pm Mark Ellis Shawn Tolleson Javy Guerra Don Mattingly Matt Kemp Hyun-Jin Ryu

1:00pm-2:00pm AJ Ellis Tim Federowicz Fernando Valenzuela Andre Ethier Mark McGwire Zack Greinke Tim Wallach Matt Guerrier Nick Punto

2:00pm-3:00pm Luis Cruz Kenley Jansen Mark Ellis Matt Kemp Javy Guerra Hyun-Jin Ryu Brandon League Shawn Tolleson

3:00pm-4:00pm AJ Ellis Tommy Lasorda Andre Ethier Tim Federowicz Matt Guerrier

4:00pm-5:00pm Luis Cruz Brandon League Kenley Jansen

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eBay: Red Barber's Big League Baseball Game

Wow!  Take a look at this vintage Baseball board game sponsored by Brooklyn Dodger announcer Red Barber.  He declares that it has "All the Thrills, Excitement, and Suspense of Real Baseball."  Even better is that it showcases 6 Major Leaguers who have endorsed the game on the cover:  Stan Musial, Tom Heinrich, Pee Wee Reese, Casey Stengel, Roy Campanella and Carl Erskine.

Below is a pic of the contents of the game in the auction.  Based upon some research I did, this game appears to be missing some key parts.  It was produced by G & R Anthony Inc. in 1950.  I have no idea how the game is played, but would love to learn.

(auction link)

Here is a closer look at the ballplayers featured on the bottom row of the board game.

(auction link)

(auction link)

(auction link)

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AJ Ellis Goes Back to College

(pic link)

Yesterday, AJ Ellis went back to some familiar stomping grounds in order to share his experiences at the Clarksville Opening Pitch Banquet.  While in town, he visited his old alma mater ballclub at Austin Peay University in Tennessee, and congratulated them on their back-to-back OVC Championships.  Via the Austin Peay Athletic website:

No one understands more about patience and perseverance than the Lexington, Ky., native. After leaving APSU as its all-time hits leader (broken last season by Greg Bachman), the four-time first-team All-OVC selection was chosen in the 18th round of the 2003 draft by the Dodgers. He then spent the next two seasons as a back-up to Russell Martin, who later became the Dodgers All-Star catcher before moving to the New York Yankees and not then the Pittsburgh Pirates. The careers of minor league back-up catchers usually are short-lived, but Ellis beat those incredible odds.

He certainly has paid his dues, and is now reaping the rewards. 

Below is a video from the day.

Video Link:

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Dodgers Blog Kiosk: 1/22/2013

AJ Ellis visited his college ball team, Austin Peay State University, yesterday via twitter @APSU Athletics.

• Check out a photo of Hyun-Jin Ryu and family, via Naver.com.  (Hat Tip: @MyKBO)
• Dayn Perry at CBS Sports shares a Dr. Martin Luther King's telegraph to Jackie Robinson, circa 1962.
• A designer named M. Willis creates a fantasy LA Dodgers soccer jersey.  Well done!
• The Dodgers first stop on their Community Caravan this week was at an Belmont High School to paint some murals, via Quinn Roberts at MLB.com. 

"It is great to be in a place like this and do the service that Dr. King asked us to do many years ago," former Dodgers outfielder Al Ferrara said.

"As far as the painting though, I may be in a little bit of trouble. When I was in high school, I flunked a drawing class. I'm trying to make amends."

• Dodger photographer Jon SooHoo also has a bunch of pics from the Dodgers first Community Caravan event.
• Check out this great story from Zachary Levine at Baseball Prospectus focused on the best FDR letters related to Baseball; including an incredible telegraph from the Brooklyn First Committee demanding that he attend a Dodgers parade or they would seek to secede from the union.  Awesome!
• Then, read Dave Raymond's story at Baseball Prospectus focused on the future of radio game broadcast.  He relays a great story from Dodgers pitcher Jerry Reuss.

Jerry Reuss told me that he used to listen to Scully’s broadcast—while he was playing—as it leaked out from thousands of transistors at Dodger Stadium. He said one time he even stepped off the mound to let Vinny finish a story before his next pitch.

• Are you going to Spring Training in Arizona this year?  Check out Dave Cameron's advice at FanGraphs.

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Koufax to be Special Advisor as Dodgers Appear to be Cutting Ties to Fox: Are these Connected Stories?

Today brought about a couple of interested tidbits regarding the Dodgers.  First, Bloomberg announced that Time Warner has made a deal with the Dodgers for cable television rights.

An announcement of the agreement is imminent, although no deal has been signed yet, said the people, who asked not to be named because the decision isn’t yet public. The games will be carried on a new regional sports network developed by Guggenheim Partners, which bought the Dodgers for $2.15 billion last year. Time Warner Cable will be a partner in the project and won’t own the television rights outright, the people said.

Then, we hear from Ken Gurnick at MLB.com that Sandy Koufax has officially rejoined the Dodger ranks as a Special Advisor to Dodgers Chairman Mark Walter.

Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax has returned to the club as special advisor to chairman Mark Walter. Koufax will spend a portion of Spring Training working with the club's pitchers at Camelback Ranch-Glendale and consult during the season.

"I'm delighted to be back with the Dodgers," Koufax said. "I'm looking forward to spending time with the team during Spring Training and to contributing in any way I can to help make the team a success for the fans of Los Angeles. Some of my most cherished memories came at Dodger Stadium."

At first glance, it doesn't appear that the two reports could have any relation to the other.  But, upon further reflection, I wouldn't be surprised if they were connected.

Think back to the days of the Fox ownership of the team.  There was an incident surrounding Sandy Koufax and News Corp. (parent company of Fox and the Dodgers at the time) that caused a significant rift between the two.  As I remember it, an official biography was being put out on Sandy Koufax that would be published by a News Corp. company.  This in itself was rare since Koufax was known as a intensely private individual, so knowing the he endorsed this project was exciting news for fans.  Unfortunately, those good feelings would dissipate fast.

As a marketing tool, the News Corp. publisher, or some other related entity felt is necessary to spread a baseless rumor about the upcoming biography as a way of generating more interest and potentially higher sales.  Like the whisper campaign that sank John McCain's Carolina election chances, rumors spread that Sandy Koufax was a closeted homosexual.

That's right folks, those idiots from News Corp. knowingly spread a false rumor about Sandy Koufax to generate higher sales, and Sandy Koufax was not happy about it.  In fact, he was so unhappy and disgusted by the tactic that he formally cut all ties to anything owned by News Corp.  This even included the Dodgers. 

For the first time, Sandy Koufax would not visit his old friends during Spring Training.  He would not provide advice, or do anything for the team.  Frankly, I felt that this was one of the darkest moments in Dodgers history.

When Fox eventually sold the team to the McCourts, Koufax slowly came back into the fold.  His boycott was over.  Now, we hear that Sandy is a Special Advisor to the Dodgers Chairman as the team negotiates a new cable television contract, and I have to wonder if he relayed his experience dealing with a News Corp. entity (Fox Sports) directly into his ear.

Could this possibly be Sandy's greatest act of revenge against Fox?

Frankly, this kind of orchestration is too devious for a single man to put together.  So, I doubt he was the mastermind that steered the Dodgers away from Fox.  Still, you have to figure that Sandy would have spoken highly of Time Warner over Fox if he was asked.  And, you've got to believe nobody is more happy about this recent development than him.

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