Kemp to DL as Expected - Dodgers Fool Us All with Who Gets Called Up

Ever since Matt Kemp came out of the last night's game due to a hamstring strain the internet has been buzzing with prognostications predicting the eventual call-up of either Joc Pederson or Yasiel Puig to Los Angeles.  It seemed like the entire chatting masses were certain of this event. 

Well, the Dodgers just threw everyone a curveball.  Announced just a moment ago, Matt Kemp is indeed being sent to the 15-Day Disabled List, and in his stead will be Tim Federowicz.  Via the Dodgers Press Release:

The Los Angeles Dodgers today placed outfielder Matt Kemp on the 15-day disabled list with a mild right hamstring strain and recalled catcher Tim Federowicz from Triple-A Albuquerque. Federowicz, who is in his fourth stint with the Dodgers this season, was batting .418 with eight doubles, a triple, eight homers and 25 RBI in 21 games with the Isotopes. With Albuquerque, the 25-year-old posted a 1.348 OPS (.500 on-base percentage, .848 slugging percentage) and batted .417 (10-for-24) with runners in scoring position. Federowicz has gone 3-for-17 (.176) in 10 big league games this season.

How's that, folks?  The Dodgers obviously don't care what we want. 

I jest, of course.  It's just kinda exciting to know we have a couple of kids in the minors who have a chance to be really good, and I can be a very impatient man.

BTW, the same press release indicates that Stephen Fife is now off the DL, and has been sent to Albuquerque.

The Dodgers also reinstated right-hander Stephen Fife from the 15-day DL and optioned him to Triple-A Albuquerque. Fife made 70 pitches in a rehab start on Tuesday for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits in 4.0 innings, while walking one and striking out three in a loss. He made his only start for the Dodgers on April 21 at Baltimore before retroactively going on the DL the next day with right shoulder bursitis. In three starts for the Isotopes this season, Fife has gone 1-1 with a 4.61 ERA.

Something tells me that we haven't seen the last of him.

Pic Credit Above: Jon SooHoo / LA Dodgers 2013.

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Blog Kiosk: 5/30/2013 - Some Dodgers Links - Kemp Down, Fernando In & Hanley Soon to Return

Matt Kemp in New York City?  This photo was shared by the @Dodgers on twitter as a part of their #LATakeover event.

• Kemp got injured last night.  Via a series of tweets from Dylan Hernandez at the LA Times.

• Dodgers cable contract may not be as lucrative as originally thought, via Josh Kosman at the NY Post.  I seriously doubt this increase in revenue sharing monies the Dodgers will have to pay will hamper their ability to service debt.

The new owners of the LA Dodgers are being forced to rework their pending $7 billion, 25-year media rights deal with Time Warner Cable, three sources close to the situation said.

The new deal could end up seeing the unit, Guggenheim Baseball Management, fork over $130 million a year to Major League Baseball under its revenue-sharing agreement, these sources said.

That’s more than 50 percent higher than the $85 million Guggenheim had expected to pay. GBM anticipated that MLB would continue a 2011 Dodgers revenue-sharing agreement rather than adopt the current arrangement.

• Tommy Lasorda announced on twitter that the starting pitcher for the Dodgers Old-Timers game on June 8th will be Fernando.

(twitter link)

• Scott at Dodgers FYI writes, "Matt Kemp, To Boo or Not To Boo- That is The Question."
• Roberto at VSIMH tells us all about the Loge Party Boxes at Dodger Stadium.
• Via Mark Saxon at ESPN, "Hanley Ramirez showing signs of returning to All-Star form."

Ramirez will play in minor-league rehab games starting Friday before re-joining the Dodgers, probably on Tuesday.

"To me, Hanley has looked really good. In spring, he was hitting a lot of balls the other way, he had a simpler leg kick and wasn't near as big," manager Don Mattingly said. "It's hard to know really what to expect because he essentially hasn't played since spring training. I know how good Hanley is." 

• Chris Olds at Beckett gives us an early peek at Topps 2013 Bowman Sterling cards.  Check out the Puig and Ryu cards below.  This set is coming out on December 18th.

• Sports Collectors Daily shares a bunch of stories from other collectors about opportunities missed.

Back in 1981 there was a collectors shop in my home town. They played 1940s music and had wall to wall collectibles. Mostly stuff like old magazines, 78 records and WWII things. They did dabble in cards though.

I picked up about 2 dozen '33 Goudeys from them over about 4 or 5 months. But Because I was impatient And decided to go for quantity I bypassed quality. I missed the opportunity to buy a 1933 Goudey Lou Gehrig for $100.

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Weekend Autograph Opportunities: An NBA Weekend!

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.

 ---------------------------

BTW, Paul LoDuca was scheduled to appear this Saturday at Harry's Dugout.  Unfortunately, that personal appearance has been rescheduled for the next month, Saturday, July 20th from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM.  Apparently, Pauly is stepping up his game.  He has been hired to do a ESPN broadcast of a UCLA game that afternoon.  I believe it's related to either the men's or women's collegiate Baseball/Softball playoffs, but I'm not entirely sure.

Good luck, Pauly!  Maybe we'll see you in the booth at Dodger Stadium one of these days.

---------------------------

There are several great blogs that devote much of their time to the art of autograph collecting.  Oftentimes, they share their hobby by showing fans who they were able to get.  The best part, though is that they are willing to give tips about an upcoming event that may not be well known to others.  One great site that does this on a fairly consistent basis is Jesse at LA Inspiration.  Check out his site here.

Well, a few days ago he pointed to a NBA event that looks like a great time.  It is called NBA Nation and it's the League’s traveling interactive basketball experience.  This weekend it will be at the Universal Citywalk; on Sat. and Sun. from noon to 8:00 PM each day.  BTW, it's FREE!  If you're in the area it might be worth a visit.  Go here for details.

Universal Citywalk
100 Universal City Plaza 
Universal City, CA

Here are the players and some events you should expect to see: (I do not know if the players will be signing autographs)

6/1 - 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Darren Collison

 

6/1 - 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Klay Thompson

6/1 - 2:00pm - 5:00pm
NBA Legend Darryl Dawkins

6/1 - 3:00pm - 4:00pm
L.A. ClipPercussion 

6/1 - 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Clippers Spirit Dance Team

 

6/1 - 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Power 106 All-Star Game

6/2 - 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Laker Girls

6/2 - 3:00pm - 6:00pm
Darryl Dawkins

Hat Tip: LA Inspiration

Here is a photo of what you should expect to see.

• Check out the Sprint Unlimited NBA Experience. Test your skills in Kevin Durant’s Unlimited Free Throw Competition and Steve Nash’s Fast Break Challenge. Fans can enter to win a new Sprint phone, take home free prizes, and check out the latest phones and offers from Sprint.
• NBA Nation’s Center Court is home to a variety of contests and clinics with NBA and WNBA Players and Legends, as well as special appearances and performances by NBA Team mascots and dance teams.
• Are you the best amateur dunker? Enter the Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown in your city to prove it! You could win $2,500 and the chance to compete in the Championship event to win $10,000.*
• Visit the Dribble to Stop Diabetes tent and participate in a pop-a-shot challenge and fun photo op. You will have a chance to win exclusive prizes while learning more about how to help stop diabetes. Dribble to Stop Diabetes is a partnership between the NBA, Sanofi US and the American Diabetes Association.
• Step on board our 18-wheel, 53’ show truck, where you can play the latest NBA video games or take your photo inside the NBA Nation Locker Room.
• Grab an NBA Nation Passport, visit the different basketball activities and partner areas and receive a stamp for each activity completed. Complete your passport, become an NBA Nation “citizen” and receive a special prize!

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Yo Dodger Blue (LA Loves You) by Harry Nilsson - A Dodger Song

It just came to my attention, via a tweet from Craig Robinson, that the legendary singer/song writer Harry Nilsson wrote a Dodger song.  It's called "Yo Dodger Blue (LA Loves You)" and is thought to have been originally recorded in 1990. This song was previously unreleased.

Unfortunately, I  was unable to embed the recording here, so check out the website "For the Love of Harry Nilsson" to check it out.  Go Here.  I guarantee you'll like it.  It's a simple and easy song to sing along to.

As you may know, Nilsson attained commercial success in the early '70's and won 2 Grammy's in his career; including a Grammy for the lead song in the movie Midnight Cowboy.  BTW, Nilsson was born in Brooklyn and eventually traveled west to Los Angeles, just like the team.

Again, checkout the Dodger song, here.

UPDATE:  I guess I should have check youtube first, eh?  Well, below is the song Yo Dodger Blue for your listening pleasure.

Video Link:

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Blog Kiosk: 5/29/2013 Some Dodgers Links

Check out this great photo shares by Sports Illustrated. Sandy Amoros (15), Don Bessent (46), Don Newcombe, Duke Snider (4) and a bottle of beer celebrate in the Brooklyn Dodgers’ locker room after beating Pittsburgh in Sept. 1956. ( John G. Zimmerman/SI)

• Craig Goldstein at Fake Teams puts together a prospect review of our 16-year-old pitcher, Julio Urias; complete with gifs.

When it comes to what Urias throws, he's a precocious talent, showing three pitches that have a chance at being plus. Prior to being signed, Urias threw an upper 80s to lower 90s fastball, and a change up that projected as plus as well. His curve would flash plus but was fairly inconsistent. At only six feet tall and a...mature build (you'll see) there might not be a ton of projection left in regards to the fastball.

• Jon Weisman at Dodger Thoughts provides a long list of examples of Dodgers grit.
• Via Vin Scully Tweets on Twitter.  Ryu was good last night, eh?

• Dylan Hernandez at the LA Times lets us know that soccer will be played at Dodger Stadium in August.  In my opinion, it's not as cool as the hockey game that will be played months later.  Still, you gotta like how they are expanding the use of our second home.  BTW, Real Madrid will be playing in a game.  They tell me they are a good team.
• Craig Calcaterra at Hardball Talk makes note of Mark Walter's hands-off approach to ownership.  I'll add that anyone who actually wanted Magic Johnson to be actively involved with the team is nuts.
• MLB FanCave shares a pic of a 1955 Jackie Robinson cap that was on display at a New Era Cap event, via their twitter.

• Alex Remington at FanGraphs makes note of the passing of Dr. Lewis Yocum.  He was the Angels team doctor for 36 years, and started out as an intern for the legendary Dr. Frank Jobe.  RIP Dr. Yocum.
• Soda Shaq!  Shaquille is launching his own branded soft drink.  Pic below via his twitter.  Hat Tip: Chris Partlow at Next Impulse Sports.

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

It's Game 7 - This is What Playoff Hockey is All About

Oh, boy!

Tonight figures on being either something special or one of the worse evenings of my life.

Tonight, the Kings and San Jose Sharks face each other in a Game 7 match-up to decide who gets to play on and who gets to hit the links.  So far, it has been a series that has seen the home team win every game.  So, by that standard the Kings should come away with a victory.  But this is a Game 7, and as anyone knows that kind of logic doesn't hold water.  At times, one team would dominate while the other held on, and I think it's fair to say that either team could have won on opposing ice.  That being said, I think this has been a very evenly matched affair, and I suspect both teams will leave everything they've got on the ice tonight.

I'll be in my usual seat up in the nose-bleed, die-hard section of the arena.  I'll be sitting with some of the greatest group of fans you could imagine.  We'll be rooting and screaming, yelling and cheering, clapping and stomping in hopes of willing the Kings to victory.

Go Kings Go!

BTW, the game will on at 6PM, so be forewarned.

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *