Hyun-Jin Ryu's First Baseball Card Coming Out Soon - Here's a Preview

Ryu has made quite an impression in his first month as a Major Leaguer with the Dodgers.  He's been very effective on the mound despite not having a blazing fastball to lean on.  Ryu mixes his pitches up well and has shown that he belongs.  In fact, it's about time he get his first officially licensed Topps Baseball card.

With that in mind, Topps will be releasing their 2013 Bowman Baseball card set next week, and it will definitely satisfy Dodgers collectors worldwide.  Based on a checklist I saw last week, Hyun-Jin Ryu will have 3 different cards inserted into packs.  There is a base card, a Topps 100 Prospects insert card, and a Chrome Refractor Mini Card. 

Well, today I found out that Topps will also release a 4th card.  It is a very limited "Lucky 5" insert redemption autographed card #1.  See a preview pic of it above.  Lucky fans holding redemption card #1 for the "Lucky 5" bonus card program will receive this card directly from Topps.

Look at the intensity in his eyes.  No doubt he is about to put down one of the 46 ballplayers he's struck out so far this season.

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Blog Kiosk: 5/3/2013

Vin Scully was the presenter for the 2013 Rose Award yesterday afternoon, and Roz Wyman was the recipient.  She was the youngest woman on the LA City Council, has spent 60 years in service to the city, and is famous for bringing the Dodgers to Los Angeles.  Pic via Juan Ocampo/LA Dodgers 2013.

• Check out Bennett Liles of SVC podcast (Sound & Video Contractor Magazine) featuring Chris Mascatello of ANC Sports as he talks about the renovations done at Dodger Stadium; complete with new outfield LED screens, videowalls, and LED ribbon displays.
• Joseph Dynlacht at Sports Collectors Digest shares his recent interview with Carl Erskine.

SCD: How did you get started playing the National Anthem on a harmonica in the first place?

CE: I did 46 baseball fantasy camps (until 2008) where the staff played against the campers, and they staged it just like a major league game (with campers playing against the big leaguers). They announced each player, and he came out on the foul line, and then everyone was asked to stand and I’d play the National Anthem. One time we had two or three guys from Canada, and they said, “Hey, what about us?” I said, “Gee, I’d heard the Canadian National Anthem when I spent a couple of months playing in Montreal when I rehabbed my shoulder . . .,” and one of the guys ended up sending me a tape of someone singing “O, Canada.” So the next time we had a fantasy camp, I could play “O, Canada” as well.

• Via Allen Barra at The Atlantic, "Actually, Jason Collins Isn't the First Openly Gay Man in a Major Pro Sport: Major-league baseball player Glenn Burke was comfortably out to his teammates and friends in 1976—but back then, it was the press that wasn't ready for a gay male athlete."
• Via Webe at All K Pop, "Why was Psy worried about being seen with Ryu Hyun Jin?"

Psy brought laughter when he shared his concern, saying, “Ryu Hyun Jin is famous and I’m famous, so I worried that people would wonder if all Koreans have the same body as us.”

He went on to say, “I think we have a unique body type for Koreans. But to be honest, I like my body.”

• Jon Heyman at CBS Sports writes, "Book report: Piazza's engrossing tome a hit, but why is he so upset?"
• Why am I only finding out now that there is a Cooperstown Heroes of Baseball Wax Museum?

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Mitch Poole Shares his Bobble Collection

This is just another reason to be envious of Dodgers Clubhouse Manager Mitch Poole.  Not only does he appear to have one of the greatest jobs in the world, but he happens to have a bobblehead collection that is awesome.  Check out the video at the very bottom to see what I mean.

Poole has been collecting bobbleheads for more than 20 years and has a collection of 600 to 700 different ones.  In the video he says that his favorite is a Jaime Jarrin bobble from several years back.  That bobble wasn't given away at a game, and according to Mitch only about 50 copies were made.  Unfortunately, they do not provide a close-up of it.

As you may know, Mitch Poole has been with the Dodgers for more than 25 years, and until now was more known for his amazing artwork he creates for Dodgers' players on milestone mementos like Baseballs and bases.  Tom Hoffarth at Further off the Wall wrote a great piece on his work a few years back that is definitely worth a read.  Check that out here.

Video Link:

(Hat Tip: Cut4)

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Blog Kiosk: 5/2/2013

Check out Julianne Hough and Ginny Goodwin with Matt Kemp in the Dodgers dugout.  Pic via Juan Ocampo/LA Dodgers 2013.

• The Bleed Blue Crew has some email responses to the recent Dodger fan incident in Arizona where fans sitting in the expensive seats behind home plate were asked to either leave of take off their Dodger Blue.

Kristin sent me another email saving the best stuff for last, “Nat forgot to mention in his email that the AZ marketing team were actually calling our group and asking if we would be back this year knowing we are Dodgers fans. They all knew us and pursued our business knowing we are Dodgers fans. That BS about policy wasn’t true. We felt welcomed last year. The D-backs staff were so cool. It was an on the spot policy because the owner didn’t like what he saw and just came up with that policy. The D-backs comments are damage control BS.”

• Howard Cole at LA Weekly introduces us to the Dodgers twitter guy- Josh Tucker.
• Alex Belth at Bronx Banter passes along an old 1992 article from GQ that features Tommy Lasorda Jr. and his relationship with his father.  (Hat Tip: Jon Weisman at Dodger Thoughts)  Jon is right about this piece being excellently written and timely; considering the recent James Collins news. 
• Aaron Gleeman at Hardball Talk notes that, "Dodgers may move Dee Gordon to second base."  Makes sense, doesn't it?  With Dee's defense at SS being questionable, it makes sense to give him some experience in another infield position to broaden his appeal.  Besides, with Hanley expected to around for awhile, another option looks warranted if they want to keep him in Dodger Blue.
• Josh Beckett provided a surprisingly blunt assessment of his pitching yesterday, via JP Hoornstra at Inside the Dodgers.

“I’ve just got to get back to work, figure something out,” he said. “That’s what this business is all about. They’ve made an adjustment to me. It’s a pretty good one. I can’t just go out and keep pitching like s—.”

• "Guggenheim's Todd Boehly Talks Dodgers Purchase at Milken Conference," via Alex Ben Block at the Hollywood Reporter.

Guggenheim Partners president Todd Boehly told a Beverly Hills audience Wednesday that his company's winning $2.1 billion bid for the Los Angeles Dodgers was a reflection of how the consortium of new owners see the team: As an entertainment property.

• "Juan Uribe, Paragon of Plate Discipline," via Mike Petriello at Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness.  Shocking, I know.

And somehow… he hasn’t been awful. I’m not going to say he’s been good, because he’s still hitting just .200, but by the standards of the atrocities he’s provided over the last two seasons, he’s… actually been pretty good. His wRC+ is 119 — 100 is average — and when his solid defense is factored in, he’s been slightly above replacement level this year.

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Pay Homage to a Pioneer! REA has a couple of Harry Wright Cards on Auction

Following up on last weeks post featuring Dodgers memorabilia in REA's current auction, I've decided to focus my next post on a handful of 19th Century cards featuring an important Baseball player who we all should call "PaPa".

Harry Wright is the father of professional Base Ball.  He put together, managed and played for Baseball's very first professional ball team - the Cincinnati Red Stockings.  Wright also was the first person to actually pay someone to play the game.  In fact, the below card is a byproduct of that.  It is recognized within the hobby as one of the earliest known cards to ever exist- if not the first.  It was produced in 1863 and was a promotion card that was sold in order to provide admittance into the Grand Match At Hoboken Benefit.  This was a game between the New York Knickerbockers and the Brooklyn Excelsiors, and is the only example of this card known to exist.

(Auction Link)

Here is another 1863 Grand Match At Hoboken Benefit card, but this time it features Harry Wright and his father Sam Wright, Sr.  Sam was a noted cricket player in his day.  Furthermore, this is also the only example of this card known to exist, and is brand new discovery to the sports memorabilia hobby. 

(Auction Link)

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A Jackie Robinson Game-Used Glove Goes to Auction

This is a wonder to behold.

Steiner Sports just began their most recent auction and it includes the only game-worn fielding glove of Jackie Robinson ever to come to auction.  It is believed to have been used by Jackie during his last 3 seasons in the majors - 1954 to 1956.

From my understanding, it does not come directly from his family.  Instead, it was found by the family of the property owner of a New York City office building where Robinson once had an office.  According to Steiner executive vice president Brett Schissler, it was tucked away in a garage and wrapped in plastic, along with a game-used bat and several caps.  

From the auction description:

The glove shows extensive wear and aging on the leather throughout which attributes to the three years of use. The glove has number "42" written in black felt tip on the intact wrist strap, signifying that the glove belonged to Jackie. Some Restoration has been done to the glove to preserve the historical significance of this iconic relic. This included cleaning, and re-attaching the web. The solid V Anchor web that was attached to the pocket had separated. The glove remains original except for a period correct Rawlings label that was utilized only for the aesthetic viewing of this piece of history. The glove is photo matched and authenticated by Dennis Esken The lead Glove Authenticator, A full letter of Authenticity is included.

Schissler adds, "the Robinson glove is the rarest piece of memorabilia sold at auction by Steiner. It is sure to spark spirited bidding by collectors." 

In fact, it is believed that it may eclipse the $1Mil mark.  In just one day of bidding it is already over $310,000.00.

It goes without saying that the provenance isn't exactly ideal.  Still, it would be great to see in person.  Furthermore, I greatly dislike the Rawlings patch (as seen below).  I would prefer to see it in its original condition, without the ugly patch.  Of course, who cares what I say?  I could never add something like this to my collection, and I'm no expert when it comes to game-used material. 

I wonder if Rachel Robinson can add any more info about this item.

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