Blog Kiosk: 6/17/2013 - Dodgers Links - Puig in the FanCave

Yasiel Puig visited the MLB FanCave today.  Check him out above trying out a new bat, pic via twitter @MLBFanCave.  Check out his reaction to the new band Puig Destoyer, here.

• Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers are nearing a new contract, per Ken Rosenthal at Fox Sports.

The Dodgers have made progress on a seven-year extension for Kershaw, and the dollar amount will be above the $180 million the Tigers awarded Verlander, according to major-league sources. The contract would be the largest for a pitcher in baseball history.

• Kershaw is not happy that the above negotiations have gone public.  Per Dylan Hernandez at the LA Times, "Clayton Kershaw upset about report on contract talks with Dodgers".
• It sounds like Puig is here for good.  Via a tweet from Dylan Hernandez.

Even if/when Kemp and Crawford return, Puig will probably remain in major leagues, according to Mattingly.
— Dylan Hernandez (@dylanohernandez) June 16, 2013

• The Dodgers organization was involved in another bench-clearing brawl.  This time it was in Albuquerque against the Cardinals AAA club from Memphis.  Via Mark Townsend at Big League Stew.
• Joel Sherman at the NY Post writes, "Dodgers gambled big on phenom Puig based on just one BP session".

“I wanted the player,” White remembered during a phone conversation. “And I will tell you how badly I wanted him: I would rather he come to us with the talent I saw and fail to turn those tools into anything than go someplace else and succeed. I couldn’t have lived with that.”

• "Fifty years later, Downing recalls '63 season fondly: Southpaw was key factor in Yanks' pennant, had front-row seat for historic Series," Via Lyle Spencer at MLB.com.

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Blog Kiosk: 6/15/2013 - Dodgers Links

Puig's bat.  Pic via twitter Patrick O'Neal.

• "Dodgers have mixed reactions to suspensions," via Steven Petrella at MLB.com.

 "You can't really predict how it's going to end," said Greinke, who was fined for his role in the melee. "It could be an accidental thing that starts it over again. If something is done on accident, it could be misinterpreted. Emotions are going to be a little higher. You hope nothing happens, but people make mistakes. And people might make mistakes on purpose."

• Diamondback also comment on suspensions, via Jack Magruder at Fox Sports Arizona.

"The last thing I wanted to do was get suspended. I know he’s a little chicken(expletive). I didn’t want to fight,” Montero said of Greinke. 

• Via Howard Cole at LA Weekly, "It's Official: Don Mattingly is the Losingest Manager in L.A. Dodgers History".
• "Dodgers claim catcher John Baker from Padres, option him to Triple-A," via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA.
• The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation will be at Vallarta Supermarkets with family-friendly activities, prizes and Dodger alumni who will meet and sign autographs for fans.  This Sunday, Al “The Bull” Ferrara will be on hand in Baldwin Park to meet and sign autographs for fans from 12:00 pm. to 2:00 p.m., 13940 Ramona Ave., Baldwin Park, 91706.
• Democrats soundly defeated Republicans 22 to 0 in the annual Congressional Basball game on Thursday.  Louisiana Democrat Cedric Richman threw a complete, 3-hit shutout.  BTW, he wore a Dodger Blue Jackie Robinson jersey.  See pics at Talking Points Media.

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Now You Can Hear Puig Destroyer

Earlier in the week I had briefly mentioned in a Blog Kiosk a new music project underway that includes Riley Breckenridge of Thrice.  This new band would be called Puig Destroyer and it includes other grindcore musicians such as Mike Minnick (Curl Up & Die) on vocals, Ian Miller and Jon Howell (Kowloon Walled City).

Well, the first track of the 5-song EP has just been released on bandcamp.com and it's everything I expected.  BTW, the song is called "One Man, Five Tools", and the voice of Vin Scully makes a brief appearance at the end.

If you don't already know, grindcore isn't for the faint of heart.  It is the an extreme hardcore sound.  From a wikipedia description:

It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive-sounding music genres – including extreme metal, industrial music, noise music and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk. Grindcore is characterized by a noise-filled sound that uses heavily distorted, down-tuned guitars, grinding overdriven bass, high speed tempo, blast beats, and vocals which consist of incomprehensible growls, or high-pitched shrieks.

Yeah... So, it's definitely an acquired taste.  The 18-year old version of myself would have loved this stuff.  20+ years later, I'm not so sure.  Nevertheless, it had my head bobbing, banging and throbbing like I was the long-haired Hessian of my youth.

Man-O-Live... To be young again.

Go to this link to hear it.  Be sure to turn up the volume to get the full effects.  Really!... You won't regret it!  Oh, and here are the lyrics:

One Man, Five Tools
speed power, fielding contact
a cannon for an arm

one man, five tools

speed power, fielding contact
a cannon for an arm

one man, five tools

fuck the walk, destroy the ball
crush smash kill... annihilate

one man, five tools

Awesome!

Here is the song below:

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Tommy Lasorda to Visit American Restoration

This sound like a fun episode to watch.  This coming Tuesday, June 18th at 10:30 PM on the History Channel will be the 100th episode of American Restoration, and it will feature Dodger Blue. 

Rick Dale will take a vintage 4-door Coca Cola cooler and transform it into a hot dog vendor machine.  It will be refurbished in a Dodger Blue theme and serve Dodger Dogs.  So, you know it's gonna be done with class.

Our very own Tommy Lasorda will be on the show to check out the new Dodger Dog machine at the very end.  He had this to say about it:

“It was masterfully done and I think it’s going to be a big hit. I was very, very surprised, to see the word Dodgers and how beautifully that hot dog stand was made.”

Below are a couple of "before" pics.  Unfortunately, I don't have any "after" pics at the moment.  I guess you'll just have to check in and watch the show to see yourself.

Photo credit: Leftfield Pictures/HISTORY

Photo credit: Leftfield Pictures/HISTORY

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Here are the Suspensions - Diamondbacks Get the Brunt of it

Joe Garagiola, Jr. just meted out some Baseball justice and decided that the Diamondbacks deserved to get whacked good.   Overall, it appears fair (of course, I'm a little biased).  See a quick rundown below.  Here is the MLB press release:

Dodgers:

• J.P. Howell - 2 games for aggressive actions during the incidents;
• Skip Schumaker -  2 games for aggressive actions during the incidents;
• Mark McGwire - 2 games for his conduct during the incidents;
• Ronald Belisario - 1 game for his aggressive actions during the incidents;
• Don Mattingly - 1 game suspension for the actions of his Club and for his conduct during the incident; and
• Zack Greinke and Yasiel Puig have been fined for unspecified amounts.

Diamondbacks:

• Ian Kennedy - 10 games for intentionally throwing a pitch in the head area of Zack Greinke of the Dodgers in the bottom of the seventh inning, after a warning had already been issued to both Clubs earlier in the game;
• Eric Hinske -  5 game for leaving the dugout and for his aggressive actions during the incidents;
• Kirk Gibson - 1 game suspension for the intentional actions of Kennedy after a warning had been issued; and
• Miguel Montero and Gerardo Parra have been fined for unspecified amounts.

Additionally, any player can appeal their suspension, but coaches cannot (they must be served immediately).  Furthermore, the Dodgers received a fine for allowing DL'd players to enter the field during the bench-clearing fight, and current players on the DL cannot sit on the bench with their teammates this weekend.

As you can see, the Dodgers have more players suspended, but the Diamondbacks got the stiffer penalties.

I'm surprised about the Hinske suspension.  I had read that Hinske was the player who had provoked Puig into the madman we all witnessed.  From what I understand, Hinske threw a punch at Puig and hit him squarely in the face.  Puig obviously responded angrily, but apparently never threw an actual punch.  I assume the magic of replay from different vantage points (not available to us) showed proof of this.

As for the Dodger suspensions.  I would bet that the relievers will appeal; such that they are staggered to not be at the same time.  Maybe they should have Belisario take his suspension tonight and have JP appeal so that he is available to play today.  Then, they can have JP drop his appeal and serve his suspension starting on Saturday.  Schumaker should just serve his suspension now.  After all, I don't think any of these guys want to miss the series against the Yankees starting next week.

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Blog Kiosk: 6/14/2013 - Dodgers Links - Scully Will Tweet, a Bryan Stow Update and the College World Series

Be sure you don't miss this next week.  Vin Scully will be taking over the Dodgers tweet account this coming Wednesday, June 19th for their game against the Yankees in New York.  Dodgers twitter here.

• Don Newcombe is 87-years old today.  Happy Birthday, big guy!
• Via Lori Preuitt at NBC4, "Bryan Stow Out of Rehab, Home With Parents: Stow family says insurance company stopped paying for Bakersfield rehab, so they brought Bryan home to Santa Cruz County".

"At first look and during conversations, Bryan appears to be doing better, cognitively," the post read. "But to be with him as much as we are, we see what others don’t. The memory problems, the use of words that do not belong, the pain he is in and the stiffness in his body that prevents him from being able to do things on his own. Due to a huge cut in therapy coverage, Bryan has physically experienced a big setback."

• Via Chosun Ilbo : "Park Chan-ho Reflects on Three Decades of Baseball in Book ".  No word yet if there will be an English translation.
• Jason Stark at ESPN writes a bit about the unwritten rules of Baseball, in relation to the most recent brawl.
• Chad Moriyama has the rundown on the potential availability of Andre Ethier in a trade.  He also writes a bit about the Dodgers interest in Cuban Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez.
• The Japanese Baseball league has admitted to juicing their Baseballs this season, via Eleanor Warnock at the Wall Street Journal.
• Hey!  The College World Series begins on Saturday.  Check out Aaron Fitt's preview at Baseball America.  Unfortunately, my alma mater, Cal State Fullerton, barely missed the cut.  BTW, if you happen to be in Omaha an impressive cadre of former players will be signing autographs in the fan zone:

• Friday, June 14, Edgar Martinez, Q&A, 4:30 p.m. – 5 p.m.; autographs,
  5 p.m. – 6-p.m.
• Saturday, June 15, John Smoltz, 1 p.m. – 2 p.m . (At Beverly Plaza, 7820 Dodge, noon to 1 p.m.)
• Sunday, June 16, Ivan Rodriguez, noon – 1 p.m.
• Monday, June 17, Todd Walker, Q&A, 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.; autographs, 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

 Get more information here.

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *