Go Kings Go!!!

The Kings are headed in the right direction if they want to defends their championship.  Tonight is Game 1 of the second round in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and they will face-off against the division rival San Jose Sharks.  This series figures on being a rough and tumble affair, although likely not as physical as the Kings previous match-up against the St. Louis Blues.  The Sharks are a skilled team with more options to score than the Blues, so I expect that there will be more room to make plays on both ends of the ice for both teams.  Hopefully, this will allow the Kings stars to inflict some offensive damage.

I think the key in this series will be puck possession and face-offs.  The more one team can control the play will dictate who will win- of course, that isn't all that surprising.  I will, though make a surprising prediction.  Young rookie winger and highly touted prospect Tyler Toffoli will be huge for us.  His time has come to show the hockey world that he is the real deal.  Even as he plays on the 4th line he'll find ways to confuse, perplex and score against the Sharks. 

I'll be going to tonights game with my uniform on and my voice prepared to go hoarse.  If you happen to be near Section 315 you will no doubt hear me.... Let me restate that, you will no doubt hear my seat neighbor - affectionately known as Surly.  We'll be rooting and screaming in hopes of willing the Kings to victory.

Go Kings Go!

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Blog Kiosk: 5/14/2013

The Topps 2013 Museum Collection Baseball card set officially comes tomorrow.  This is a premium high-end set.  Check out the above preview pic of a Clayton Kershaw autographed card above, via twitter @ToppsCards.

• Scott Elbert's rehab appears to be going well, via Austin Laymance at MLB.com.
• Mark Saxon at ESPN lets us know that Josh Beckett could be hurt.

Beckett is also battling an assortment of minor injuries, Mattingly said. But what?

"He's had some little stuff going on in different areas, and I think it was bothering him tonight," Mattingly said. 

• GCRL pens a great piece focused on Baseball cards showing players honoring deceased teammates and legends.
• Jon Weisman at Dodger Thoughts writes, "Yankees thrive while Dodgers dive."

So why are the Yankees (24-14) in first place in their division while the Dodgers (15-22) are in last?

You can find stats that differentiate the two teams, though you might be surprised how similar they are in some respects.

• CommishBob at '59 Topps Blog talks about the card of former Dodger Don Demeter and shares a great video of him.
• Sports Illustrated shares a great photo of Sandy Koufax unleashing a pitch during the 1966 World Series against the Orioles.
• This video has been making the rounds.  As first seen on reddit, check out Hyun-Jin Ryu playing catch with Deuce in the left field pavilion.  Video via DodgerFilms.

Video Link:

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Some Dodger Goodies at Legendary Auctions

Legendary Auctions is about to open their newest sports offering next week, but you can take a look at a preview right now.  There are some great Dodgers related items to look through.  Check out some of my favorite memorabilia items below.  I'll have a separate post focused on some vintage Dodgers' photos up tomorrow.

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Checkout this great advertising poster below.  It features Don Drysdale promising "Free Baseball Trading Cards" on boxes of Post Cereal.  As you may know, from 1961 to 1963 Post Cereal printed up sports player cards on their boxes for young fans.  BTW, I ran into a great vintage commercial featuring Mickey Mantle also pitching Post's cards on youtube.  See that here.

(Auction Link)

This Banana Bongo looks tasty,.  Heck, after having to deal with high temperatures in SoCal recently, I think you'll might think the same thing.  This frozen delicacy is a banana milk sherbet on a stick and in the 50's it would only cost you 5 cents.  What a deal!

This advertising poster also lets everyone know that for the price of a quarter and 5 wrappers of his mouth-watering confection you can sit in the grandstands at Ebbets Field. What a deal!

(Auction Link)

Another game-used Sandy Koufax jersey is about to hit the auction block.  As I've written previously, less than 10 real gamers are known to exist, so this is quite a rarity.  Over the past year there are been at least 2 other Koufax jerseys sold (both for approximately $130,000 - here and here), so it's likely these recent values have forced owners to consider a sale.  The other two jersey's were both road uniforms, so this home white jersey might sell for a little more.

(Auction Link)

(Auction Link)

I just love this magazine.  It is of an issue of Golden Hours and features:

(the) rival Brooklyn Superbas and New York Giants raising the National League championship flag as background for an article inside "New Yorks vs. Brooklyns; or, The Battle for the 1900 Pennant". As it turns out, Brooklyn did win the pennant that year by fully 23 games over their cross-town rivals. A small chip is visible on mid-right edge and a larger one on top right edge but the display qualities are still excellent. Includes smaller inset illustrations of Brooklyn stars like Wee Willie Keeler, Bill Dahlen, Deacon McGuire, Hughie Jennings, Joe Kelly and more.

(Auction Link)

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Blog Kiosk: 5/13/2013

Check out Steve Garvey leading the parade of dogs at Bark at the Park on Saturday.  Pic via Juan Ocampo/LA Dodgers 2013.  Check out other dog pics I ran into all over the 'net on my post from Saturday evening, here.  Also, Jon SooHoo has a bunch of picks from Mother's Day; including some Dodger players with their mom's.  See them here.

• Via Tim Brown at Yahoo, "Blaming Don Mattingly for Dodgers' poor start is simple-minded."

The point being, the Dodgers have had a player problem, not a Don Mattingly problem, and that will continue for as long as they hit like they hit, and pitch like they pitch, and rehab as often as they rehab. This is on Kemp, League and Andre Ethier, and it's on Josh Beckett and Ronald Belisario. It's on Hanley Ramirez's thumb/hamstring, and Zack Greinke's collarbone, and Adrian Gonzalez's neck, and Mark Ellis' quad.

• Here is a pic of the Matt Kemp bobblehead the Dodgers are giving out at tomorrow's game against the Nationals.
• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Matt Kemp 5th Fastest LA Dodger to 1,000 Hits."
• Steve Dilbeck at the LA Times writes, "Dodgers hope Matt Kemp hitting streak hints at power to come."

“I don’t care if he hits five home runs, just get to the point where you’re hitting the ball into the gaps,” said Manager Don Mattingly. “That’s how you drive in runs. Five homers and 100 ribbies, it doesn’t matter how you get them.

“Everyone asks about the home runs and the power, it’s more about the doubles. That’s how you drive in runs. I’m not against home runs, don’t get me wrong. But it’s doubles that really end up being the ones that drive the runs in.”

• Just manny being Manny in Taiwan, via Fox Sports.
• Bernie Pleskoff at MLB.com writes, "Puig could develop into true complete player: Dodgers prospect boasts package of power, speed but needs seasoning."  Bernie is a former scout for the Astros and Mariners.
• Bob Lemke shares Topps sales numbers for their Baseball cards from 1951 to 1961.
• LA Kings star goalie Jonathan Quick visited with Panini for a box opening, via Panini's blog called the Knight's Lance.
• I do enjoy watching Adele and Anadel on their Dodger Fan Weekly youtube channel.  Below is the show for the week of May 12th.

Video Link:

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2013 Bowman Baseball - the Dodgers Insert Cards

Following up my flurry of post from last week featuring Dodger cards from the 2013 Bowman set, I finish it off with the Dodger insert cards below.  Check out my previous post featuring this set here.  Click on any pic to embiggen.

The below autographed Matt Magill card can only be found in packs sold at retail establishments like Target.

Retail Prospects Autographs

BPA-MM Matt Magill

 Chrome Autographed Rookies

#ACR-PR Paco Rodriguez

Top 100 Prospects

The Joc Pederson card on the right is a die-cut parallel card.

#BTP-48 Corey Seager                           #BTP-53 Joc Pederson

#BTP-58 Yasiel Puig                              #BTP-77 Hyun-Jin Ryu

Chrome Refractor Mini Cards 'Cream of the Crop'

#CC-LAD1 Corey Seager                     #CC-LAD2 Joc Pederson

#CC-LAD3 Yasiel Puig                         #CC-LAD4 Hyun-Jin Ryu

#CC-LAD5 Zach Lee

Under Armour Autographs

Jesmuel Valentin

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A Beautiful Sandy Koufax Photo by Ozzie Sweet

I love highlighting great photography and this one is clearly one of the best.  After all, you can't beat the subject manner, and when you consider it was taken by Ozzie Sweet... Well, you just can't beat it.

Featured here is an original portrait photo of Sandy Koufax that was taken by legendary photographer Ozzie Sweet.  As you may know, Ozzie was one of the most prolific photographers there ever was.  His work graced the covers of nearly 1,800 magazines; including titles like Sport, Newsweek, Saturday Evening Post, etc.  He is noted for his portrait photos of famous people and for the art of creating a photo.  Sweet would often pose his subjects in an interesting way.  This past February he passed away at the age of 94.

This photo was signed by Ozzie Sweet (on the bottom right corner) and was sold through Memory Lane Auctions at a very healthy $976.00.  It even included the original negative, so additional prints can be made.

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