Blog Kios: 3/18/2014 - Dodgers Links - Landing in Australia

Here's a pic of Vin Scully entering the plane to Australia, via @MLB on twitter.  Check out even more pics of the Dodger trip and landing from Jon SooHoo, here.  And here are some pics from their first workout at the Sydney Cricket Ground. 

• JP Hoornstra at Inside the Dodgers shares a great time-lapse video of the Sydney Cricket Ground transforming into a Baseball diamond.
• Chad Moriyama at Dodgers Digest shares his Top 25 Dodger Prospects.
• The end of an era.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Kevin Gross officially closed the #Dodgers case today, after 995 days.
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) March 17, 2014

• Adam Nodiff at the Baseball Professor writes, "5 Gut Calls On Players Outside Our Top 200," and it includes a prediction about Alexander Guerrero.

Sometimes the absence of seeing a player play gets mistaken for upside. This is not the case here. I have watched Guerrero this spring, and although he doesn’t seem to have a great baseball IQ, the guy can flat out hit for power. As a second baseman with a full season of at bats, I wouldn’t be surprised if he led the position in home runs.

• Howard Megdal at Sports on Earth writes about the improving Dodger farm system in a piece titled, "Young Money".

"I don't think our vision has really changed," (De Jon) Watson told me as we sat in a golf cart on the third base side of a minor league field where many of the prospects in his charge played an intra-squad game on Friday afternoon. "What's really nice is that we've actually invested into the international market. And it's given us a broader player pool to choose from. Whereas before, I don't want to say we were just domestically-I mean, [Vice President of Amateur Scouting] Logan White was doing internationally and domestic-but we just didn't have the resources to really go out and be aggressive on the international market. 

• Ken Gurnick at MLB.com writes, "Figgins, Turner thrilled to join Dodgers".

"It's almost more gratifying than being called up to the big leagues," said Figgins, released twice in the last two years. "The last four years have been hard. I wouldn't say it was life changing, but it makes me appreciate the hard work. I was with my wife when I got the call from my agent, and it was emotional. She's seen me come home the last four or five years, watching video and not playing. Now she sees me smile again."

• Via Mark Saxon at ESPNLosAngeles.com, "Dodgers, D-backs enjoy a historic venue".

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On the Advent of Something Big - JulioMania is here and his Card Prices Prove it

On Saturday, Dodger Nation may have been witnessed something magical.  It was the first time that many of the Dodger faithful have had a chance to see teenage pitching phenom Julio Urias, and he didn't disappoint. 

In his MLB Spring debut against big league batters, the 17-year old struck out two.  Overall, he pitched just 1 inning, faced three Major League batters, and threw 14 pitches (9 for strikes).  (A video of his performance can be viewed here, via Dustin Nosler on YouTube.)

Not too shabby for a kid who looks like he has yet to grow any stubble.

Well, as you can imagine, not only did fans marvel at his abilities and poise, but they appear to have gone onto eBay to run up the prices for his only officially licensed Baseball card. 

Julio Urias has only one official card (besides a minor league issue created by the Great Lakes Loons).  It is 2013 Bowman Sterling Prospect Autographed Card (#BSAP-JU).  Check it out on the right.

For months, you could purchase the base autographed card for about $15.00 each.  In fact, I purchased a couple of them for my collection in January.  See my post about it here. 

Since Saturday afternoon, after his steller performance at Camelback Ranch, that same card has more than doubled in price.  Heck, some recent sales show a jump of over 400%.

The last 3 eBay auction sales for his base autographed rookie card have ranged from $60.65 to $67.89.  See the spreadsheet below showing the last 13 auction sales of the card.

eBay Auction Sales
Sale Date	#	Total Price	Individual Price
3/15/2014 21:38	1	$67.89	$67.89
3/15/2014 20:00	1	$62.25	$62.25
3/15/2014 19:45	1	$60.65	$60.65
3/15/2014 16:17	1	$28.56	$28.56
3/13/2014 16:34	1	$12.61	$12.61
3/13/2014 14:10	1	$13.51	$13.51
3/10/2014 22:05	1	$12.62	$12.62
3/9/2014 20:00	1	$15.59	$15.59
3/9/2014 19:25	1	$12.50	$12.50
3/9/2014 17:59	1	$13.35	$13.35
3/9/2014 17:18	1	$11.32	$11.32
3/9/2014 17:13	1	$12.20	$12.20
3/9/2014 7:51	4	$59.06	$14.77

"Buy It Now" sales indicate a staggering number of the rookie cards have changed hands since Urias' Spring performance.  There have been 44 sales since Saturday afternoon, and the price range of those sales denote some volatility.  Individual prices since Saturday range from $22.95 to a high of $79.99; with an average value of $41.06.  See the spreadsheet below that shows every "Buy It Now" sale over the past several days.

"Buy It Now" eBay Sale Prices
Sale Date	#	Total Price	Individual Price
3/16/2014 22:26	1	$41.99	$41.99
3/16/2014 13:46	1	$39.99	$39.99
3/16/2014 12:58	1	$39.99	$39.99
3/16/2014 12:24	1	$79.99	$79.99
3/16/2014 11:45	1	$58.50	$58.50
3/16/2014 11:43	1	$59.99	$59.99
3/16/2014 11:38	1	$59.99	$59.99
3/16/2014 11:04	1	$39.99	$39.99
3/16/2014 10:45	1	$37.99	$37.99
3/16/2014 10:15	1	$37.99	$37.99
3/16/2014 9:54	10	$379.99	$38.00
3/16/2014 7:16	1	$37.99	$37.99
3/16/2014 1:17	1	$55.00	$55.00
3/15/2014 21:49	1	$37.99	$37.99
3/15/2014 21:31	1	$37.99	$37.99
3/15/2014 21:16	1	$37.99	$37.99
3/15/2014 20:53	1	$49.99	$49.99
3/15/2014 20:49	1	$37.99	$37.99
3/15/2014 19:55	1	$37.99	$37.99
3/15/2014 19:55	1	$49.99	$49.99
3/15/2014 19:23	1	$37.99	$37.99
3/15/2014 19:02	1	$37.99	$37.99
3/15/2014 18:51	1	$37.99	$37.99
3/15/2014 18:12	1	$27.99	$27.99
3/15/2014 17:28	1	$25.00	$25.00
3/15/2014 17:13	1	$49.99	$49.99
3/15/2014 17:11	1	$45.00	$45.00
3/15/2014 16:52	1	$35.00	$35.00
3/15/2014 16:52	1	$30.00	$30.00
3/15/2014 16:52	1	$27.99	$27.99
3/15/2014 16:52	1	$54.99	$54.99
3/15/2014 16:46	1	$35.00	$35.00
3/15/2014 15:54	1	$26.95	$26.95
3/15/2014 15:52	1	$22.95	$22.95
3/15/2014 15:52	1	$25.00	$25.00
3/13/2014 20:12	1	$19.99	$19.99
3/12/2014 15:17	1	$15.00	$15.00

It remains to be seen if the "Mania" will last; especially when you consider how unrealistic it would be to see him at Dodger Stadium this season, or the next.  Still, the excitement is obvious, and I suspect Dodger fans and collectors will not soon forget his name.

(Julio Urias, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014)

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2014 Topps Heritage Baseball - The Dodger Autographed Cards

Following up on Friday's post that featured some of the Dodger insert cards that can be found in packs of Topps 2014 Heritage Baseball set, I now bring to you all of the Dodger autographed cards that are available.  Check them out below.

Flashback Autograph Relics

#FAR-MW Maury Wills

Real One Autographs

#ROA-DLO Davey Lopes                      #ROA-MW Maury Wills

There are a couple of different 'cut signature' Dodger cards available in the set.  Both of them are numbered as "1 of 1".  Below is a pic of the Tommy Lasorda card.  There is also a 1965 Cut Signatures card of (#HCS-JP) Johnny Podres, but it has yet to be unearthed.

1965 Celebrity Cut Signatures Set

#CCS-TL Tommy Lasorda

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Blog Kiosk: 3/17/2014 - Dodgers Links - Uribe, Figgins and Some Magic Lights

The Dodgers are all packed up and ready to go to Australia.  Pic above via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014.

• Via Mark Saxon at ESPNLosAngeles.com, "One giant leap for Chone Figgins' comeback".

After two dismal seasons in Seattle and one year away from the game, he’s one step away from making the Dodgers’ roster. When Figgins arrived at camp, he said his goal was to get on the plane to Australia. 

• Via Cary Osborne at Dodger Insider, "Reminiscing with the ‘Toy Cannon,’ Jimmy Wynn".

“It wasn’t long, but it was playing with some great guys,” Wynn said. “We won the 1974 NL pennant, and I told Walter and Peter O’Malley (before the season), ‘Thank you for getting me. We will the NL pennant.’ I said to myself, ‘Why did I say that? Now you have to go out and prove it.’ So I did it, and I did for the fans and for the O’Malley family.”

• Via Dustin Nosler at Dodgers Digest, "Julio Urias dominates in first Dodgers’ spring start".

“I felt really happy,” Urias told reporters after his start. “I was under control and not nervous at all.”

• Via Tyler Emerick at MLB.com, "Kershaw wraps up uncharacteristic spring".

"Physically, I feel 100 percent," he said. "It's time to start performing."

• Via Steve Dilbeck at the LA Times, "Dodgers waive Javy Guerra as they name 30-man roster for Sydney".
• Roberto Baly at Vin Scully is My Homeboy shares some photos of the Jackie and Mack Robinson in Pasadena.
• Via Lyle Spencer at MLB.com, "Ultimate teammate: Uribe provides spark in LA".

"I try every day to help my teammates, my guys," Uribe said Sunday afternoon at Camelback Ranch. "It's what I'm doing every day, all my life. It's important for me to be a good teammate. If I'm not hitting, I can still do something good on defense and help the team win a game that way.

"My first year here [2011], I had two operations. So much happened. I don't want to make excuses, but a bad year is a bad year. Last year I felt good. Now it's a new year, and I want to do better than I did last year. I want to play every day I can. I feel good right now."

• Dodger Penguin shares his afternoon at the Kenny Landreaux autograph appearance.
• Weird Science.  Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Wary of being weary, Dodgers see the light: Special bulbs designed for NASA should mitigate effects of jet lag in Australia".

"It's a sleep aid for jet lag," said Soler, who also provided the bulbs to the United States Olympic Ski and Snowboard teams in Sochi. "You'd be surprised how well it works."

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Dodgers Announce Roster for Australia Series

This afternoon, the Dodgers announced their roster of 30 players heading to Australia.  If you're wondering why 30, check out what Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider wrote recently:

Remember the unique rules: The Dodgers can take 30 players to Australia, not including three exempt players who will stay behind but remain eligible for the team’s domestic opener March 30 at San Diego. Five of the 30 only travel as potential injury replacements and otherwise wouldn’t be on the active roster for official games.

Below is the roster.  Some notable additions include pitching prospects Red Patterson and Zach Lee.  As noted by the @Dodgers on twitter, either Red or Zach is expected to make a start against the Australian National Team.  Also, recent Rule 5 Draft Pick Seth Rosin is heading to Australia.  If he doesn't make the club, then he has to be offered back to Philadelphia, so his inclusion may very well be a positive sign for him.

Pitchers (14):

Jose Dominguez
J.P. Howell (L)
Kenley Jansen
Clayton Kershaw (L)
Zach Lee
Paul Maholm (L)
Red Patterson
Chris Perez
Seth Rosin
Paco Rodriguez (L)
Hyun-Jin Ryu (L)
Brian Wilson
Chris Withrow
Jamey Wright

Catchers (3):

Drew Butera
A.J. Ellis
Tim Federowicz

Infielders (8):

Chone Figgins (S)
Adrian Gonzalez (L)
Dee Gordon (L)
Alex Guerrero
Hanley Ramirez
Miguel Rojas
Justin Turner
Juan Uribe

Outfielders (5):

Mike Baxter (L)
Andre Ethier (L)
Joc Pederson (L)
Yasiel Puig
Scott Van Slyke

(The Field at Sydney Cricket Ground, pic via Murray Cook)

Oh... And for your enjoyment, watch the below video of some Aussie lads singing 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game'.

WATCH our Aussie Boys prep for the Opening Series with the @Dodgers & @Dbacks> http://t.co/kaCgYv7Bjl @camcrawford1 @jonno_lance @GuerraA88
— MLB Sydney 2014 (@MLBSydney2014) March 14, 2014

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Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Spring Game 21/Home Game 12

Throughout Spring Training the Dodgers PR department sends out helpful daily notes from Camelback Ranch, and I am happy to pass them along.  See what they've written below.

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

Colorado Rockies (8-10-2) at LOS ANGELES DODGERS (6-10-4)
Sunday, March 16, 2014 – 1:05 p.m. | Camelback Ranch
RHP Jordan Lyles (0-1, 1.13) vs. LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (1-0, 2.45)            
Spring Game 21/Home Game 12
Television/Radio: SNLA/KLAC/KTNQ

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

(Lasorda throwing out first pitch, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014)

GETAWAY DAY: The Dodgers conclude their Cactus League slate this afternoon against the Rockies in their final tuneup before departing for Australia. The club will depart from Phoenix around midnight tonight and touch down in Sydney around 10:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday. Following a few workouts, the Dodgers will take on Team Australia in an exhibition on Thursday night before playing regular season games against the D-backs on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. All games Down Under will be played at the historic Sydney Cricket Ground, which has been undergoing renovations to prepare for the first-ever MLB regular season games to be staged in Australia. 

• Clayton Kershaw will be the Dodgers’ Opening Day starter for the fourth consecutive season and has not allowed a run in his three previous season-opening outings (19.0 IP). The left-hander has racked up 19 strikeouts in his three Opening Day starts against the Giants (2013 – SHO, 2011 – 7.0 IP) and Padres (2012, 3.0 IP, exited game due to illness). Hyun-Jin Ryu will pitch the second game in Australia.
• Once back in the United States, the Dodgers will take on the Angels in the Freeway Series March 27-28 in Los Angeles and March 29 in Anaheim and then open the North American portion of the 2014 regular season on March 30 at San Diego. Los Angeles has opened in San Diego three times (1973, 2009, 2012), including two Opening Day victories at PETCO Park.
• This is the only Spring Training meeting between the clubs and Colorado won the 2013 season series, 10-9.
• The Dodgers will have six minor leaguers suiting up today, LHP Fu-Te Ni (#84), RHP Rob Rogers (#90), C Jan Vasquez (#87), INF Ozzie Martinez (#88), OF Jamie Romak (#94) and OF Jon Garcia (#89).

  

  (Hanley Ramirez, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014)

BIRTHDAY BOYS!: The Dodgers would like to wish relievers Brandon League (31) and Brian Wilson (32) very happy birthdays today!

ONE LAST TUNEUP: Hyun-Jin Ryu will make his final Cactus League start this afternoon as he builds toward Sunday’s start against Arizona in Sydney. Ryu allowed just one run on three hits in 5.0 innings in his last start against Oakland on Monday and has allowed just three runs in 11.0 innings this spring (2.45 ERA), while limiting opponents to a .220 batting average (9-for-41). The left-hander, who turns 27 on March 25, was selected to Baseball America’s All-Rookie team in 2013 and ranked among the top big league rookies in wins (14, T-2nd), winning percentage (.636, T-3rd), ERA (3.00, 2nd), strikeouts (154, 4th), innings pitched (192.0, 1st) and starts (30, T-3rd). His 14 wins tied with Kazuhisa Ishii (14-10, 2002) for the second-most by a Los Angeles rookie behind only Rick Sutcliffe’s 17 Ws in 1979.

• Kenley Jansen will go back-to-back for the first time this spring after walking one in a scoreless inning yesterday against the Padres. Jansen has surrendered just two hits and struck out six in 6.0 scoreless innings this spring.
• Chris Perez allowed two hits and struck out one in 0.2 innings yesterday against the Padres, his fifth scoreless outing in six appearances this spring. Perez has limited opponents to a .222 batting average in Cactus League play (4-for-18), striking out five and walking only one in 5.0 innings.
• J.P. Howell retired the only batter he faced, Yonder Alonso, to get the Dodgers out of a third-inning jam yesterday against the Padres for his fourth consecutive scoreless outing. Howell has tossed scoreless relief in five of six Spring Training appearances after posting career-bests with a 2.03 ERA, a .193 opponents’ batting average and a 1.05 WHIP, going 4-1 in 67 games with the Dodgers last year.
• Chris Withrow will make his sixth appearance of the spring today after striking out two in a scoreless inning on Friday against the Cubs. In his first big league action last year, Withrow went 3-0 with one save and a 2.60 ERA, limiting opponents to a .165 batting average in 26 relief appearances.

Julio Urias, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014)

SPLITSVILLE: The Dodgers split yesterday’s doubleheader at Camelback Ranch, defeating the Padres, 5-4, in the afternoon and falling to the White Sox by the same score in the nightcap:  

• In yesterday’s afternoon game, 17-year-old phenom Julio Urias made his Cactus League debut and retired the side in order with two strikeouts in the first inning to pick up the win. Dee Gordon (2-for-3, SB, 3B, R, RBI) and Miguel Rojas (2-for-3) registered multi-hit games, raising their batting averages to .282 and .462, respectively. Following Urias, Kenley Jansen (1.0 IP), Javy Guerra (1.0), Chris Perez (0.2), J.P. Howell (0.1), Sam Demel (2.0) and Steve Smith (1.0) all threw scoreless baseball.
• Clayton Kershaw was tagged for five runs on eight hits in 5.2 innings in a loss under the lights in his final spring tuneup. The left-hander fell to 0-3 with a 9.20 ERA in four Cactus League starts. Justin Turner continued his hot hitting and reached base three times, going 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and two runs scored to raise his average to .333 in 15 games this spring.The official minor league slate of Spring Training games began yesterday and Dodger outfielder Matt Kemp played in the Triple-A game vs. Kansas City, going 1-for-2 with a single. Kemp played 3.0 innings in center field and will have a scheduled off day today.  

WALK THIS WAY: As a team, the Dodgers have been patient at the plate during Cactus League play, drawing 81 walks (2nd, MLB) in 20 spring games. Last year, the Dodgers ranked third in the NL with a .326 team on-base percentage.

• Los Angeles ranks second among NL clubs with 20 stolen bases this spring, including nine by Dee Gordon, tops in the Majors. Gordon has gone a perfect 9-for-9 in stolen base attempts this spring and the Dodgers, as a team, have been successful on 20 of 22 attempts.

(Nice catch!, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014)

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