2014 Topps Series 2 Baseball - The Dodger Relic and Autographed Cards

Here is a final look at Topps Series 2 Baseball.  Below are some Dodger relic and autographed cards.  Go here to see all of my other past post on this set.

There are a couple of Dodgers Strata Cut Signatures cards in the set.  They are both "1 of 1" cards.  Unfortunately, the Durocher card (#SCS-LD) has yet to shown up.  Below is the Pee Wee Reese Strata Cut Signature card.  It is currently on eBay.

Strata Cut Signatures

#SCS-PR Pee Wee Reese 

All-Rookie Cup Manufactured Patches Set

#RCMP-YP Yasiel Puig

Breakout Moments Set

#BM-8 Clayton Kershaw

Breakout Moments Relics Set

#BMR-CK Clayton Kershaw

#BMR-YP Yasiel Puig

The Breakout Moments set includes a couple of different Clayton Kershaw autographed cards.  The autographed relic can be seen below.  Unfortunately, I have not yet seen the autographed card (#BMA-CK).

Breakout Moments Autographed Relic

#BMAR-CK Clayton Kershaw

Class Rings Silver Commemorative Relics

#CR-31 Pedro Martinez

Class Rings Gold Gems Autographed Commemorative Relics

#CRA-PM Pedro Martinez

Saber Stars Set

#SST-2 Clayton Kershaw

#SST-18 Juan Uribe

Saber Stars Relics Set

#SSTR-CK Clayton Kershaw

Saber Stars Autographs Set

#SSTA-CK Clayton Kershaw

Saber Stars Autographed Relics Set

#SSTAR-CK Clayton Kershaw

Trajectory Autographs Set

#TA-DB Dusty Baker

#TA-FV Fernando Valenzuela

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Blog Kiosk: 6/20/2014 - Dodger Links - Erskine, Kershaw and Reuss

Here's another great photo of Clayton Kershaw celebrating his no-hitter from the otther night, taken by Dalton SooHoo - son of Dodger photographer Jon SooHoo.

• Via Mark Langill at Dodger Insider, "On his no-hitter anniversary, Erskine welcomes Kershaw to exclusive club."

“Congratulations to Clayton,” Erskine said. “He’s a pretty impressive fellow. He can dominate a game.”

• Via Dustin Nosler at Dodgers Digest, "Chronicling Clayton Kershaw’s journey to Los Angeles."
• Via Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider, "$22 discounted tickets for Clayton Kershaw’s next scheduled home start on sale."

In celebration of Clayton Kershaw’s first career no-hitter last night, the Dodgers will offer a limited number of $22 tickets to Kershaw’s next scheduled home start, June 29 vs. the Cardinals at 1:10 p.m.

• Via Ryan P. Morrison at Beyond the Boxscore, "Did the D-backs, Dodgers suffer an inter-continental hangover?"
• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Reuss relives near-perfect no-hitter post-Kershaw."

Clayton Kershaw isn't the only tall left-handed Dodgers pitcher to lose a perfect game on a shortstop's throwing error.

It also happened to Jerry Reuss on June 27, 1980, against the Giants at Candlestick Park. It also was a shortstop's bad throw after fielding a grounder (Hanley Ramirez for Kershaw, Bill Russell for Reuss) that stood as the lone blemish, with neither pitcher issuing a walk.

• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Cody Bellinger separates shoulder, Juan Uribe rehabs, Zach Lee, Tim Federowicz hot."

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2014 Topps Series 2 Baseball - Some Dodger Insert Cards

Following up on Monday's post featuring the Dodger base cards within Topps Series 2 Baseball, I now share some of the Dodger insert cards.  Go here to see all of my other past post on this set.  I'll have photos of the Dodger autographed and relic cards tomorrow.

Like in past years, Topps chose 100 cards from the base set to make silk parallels of.  Five Dodger players are a part of this set.  Check them out below. 

Silk Collection Set

#SC-101 Clayton Kershaw                     #SC-108 Carl Crawford

#SC-142 Brian Wilson                           #SC-158 Matt Kemp

#SC-183 Kenley Jansen

Five Dodger players are a part of the 110 card Power Players Code set. 

Power Players Code Card Set

#PP-111 Matt Kemp                           #PP-164 Brian Wilson

#PP-196 Carl Crawford                       #PP-200 Clayton Kershaw

#PP-210 Andre Ethier

Die-cut cards appear to be making a huge comeback.  The below cards us the 1989 Topps BAseball card design.

1989 Topps Mini Die-Cut Set

#TM-61 Hanley Ramirez                            #TM-88 Matt Kemp

#TM-90 Hyun-Jin Ryu

These next group of cards can only be found in Jumbo packs.  They are Jackie Robinson reprinted vintage cards with a metallic frame.

Framed Jackie Robinson Reprint

#1 Jackie Robinson                               #10 Jackie Robinson

#30 Jackie Robinson

#50 Jackie Robinson

#312 Jackie Robinson

Framed Gold Label

#GL-19 Clayton Kershaw

Future Stars That Never Were Set

#FS-17 Sandy Koufax

Manufactured Commemorative Patches

#CP-45 Hyun-Jin Ryu

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Catching Up on Kershaw's No-No

I can't believe I missed Clayton Kershaw's no-hitter last night... dammit!  I was just so tired.  So, I had a good dinner and fell fast asleep.  Then, I woke up early, did my normal things and headed to the office.  It was only after getting to work did I realized that I might have missed something... And, oh boy, did I ever!

So, if you were anything like me last night you are only just catching up with what may likely be one of the more memorable ballgames in Dodger history.  Last Night, Clayton Kershaw threw his very first no-hitter, and by all accounts he was as masterful as you can be.

Overall, he threw only 107 pitches - 79 for strikes.  Kershaw struck out 15 batters, walked nobody and faced one batter over the minimum.  If not for a Hanley Ramirez's throwing error in the 7th inning, Clayton likely would have had a perfect game.

To quickly catch you up if you missed the game like me, check out the video below of every Kershaw out from last night:

Video Link:

And, here a a bunch of links I enjoyed reading to help assuage and feeling of loss I might have felt for missing last nights game.

• Here are bunch of great photos from Dodger photographer Jon SooHoo from last night.
• Steve Dilbeck at the LA Times, " Clayton Kershaw joins Dodgers' greats with no-hitter vs. Rockies."
• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Kerfection: Dodgers no-no next-best thing to perfect."

"I started tearing up in the ninth. I just got emotional out there," said (AJ) Ellis, who said he kept his mask on during the celebration since stepping on Drew Butera's mask during the mob after Beckett's no-no landed him on the disabled list. "I told him it's not fair to have a devastating slider and a devastating curve the same night. But when he does, this is possible. The guys in that lineup give him fits. The way he made them look is a testament to how good he was. I'm just thankful and blessed to be on the receiving end of the best pitcher in baseball."

• Via Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider, "The most dominant pitching performance in Dodger history?"

Kershaw did break one record of some obscurity but significance nevertheless. His Game Score of 102 was the highest in Dodger history, higher even than Koufax during his 14-strikeout perfect game, and a concise testimony to his dominance. Only Kerry Wood, in his 20-strikeout game, had a higher Game Score.

• Via Dodger Insider, "Clayton Kershaw’s no-hitter, Twitter-style."
• Via ESPN Stats & Information, "Top 10 facts on Kershaw's no-hitter."
• Via Mark Saxon at ESPNLosAngeles.com, "How Hanley Ramirez spoiled perfection."

“Under normal circumstances, that’s pretty close to a hit,” Kershaw said. “Dickerson’s pretty fast and Hanley did all he could. He made a good play and just the throw was a little wide. Nothing he could do with that. It was a tough play.” 

• M. Brown at Left Field Pavilion makes a great graphic.
• Via Bryan Grosnick at Beyond the Boxscore, "Clayton Kershaw throws the greatest modern no-hitter."

In my opinion, this was the Ozymandias of no-hitters.

Ozymandias was the third-to-last episode of Breaking Bad*, which (thanks to it's dominance, excellence, and depth) was basically the Clayton Kershaw of television shows. Truthfully, it's the Clayton Kershaw of television shows only if you're not a Dodgers fan, because it can be pretty harrowing at times. Anyways, it features a compelling performance by a dynamic lead, lots of action, drama, and sometimes things move in directions you don't expect. It was -- at times -- horrifying. (But in a good way, right?)

• Via Michael Lananna at MLB.com, "Ellis shares historic moment with best pal Kershaw."

"Nothing's going to change -- that's what's great about him," Ellis said. "He's a two-time -- should be three-time -- Cy Young Award winner. He's the highest-paid pitcher in all of baseball right now, but it doesn't change who he is as a person, and that's what's great about him. He has one goal -- to compete, win and win championships."

• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Clayton Kershaw's no-hitter, by the numbers."
• Via Chad Moriyama at Dodgers Digest, "Clayton Kershaw threw a perfe … err … no-hitter, and you want GIFS."  
• Lastly, this tweet from LA Times Summer Sports Intern Everett Cook:

Vin Scully, in the elevator to Ellen Kershaw, Clayton's wife: "So, Ellen. What's new?"
— Everett Cook (@everettcook) June 19, 2014

So, when are they going to replay this game on TV.  I gotta know!

Pic at the very top via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014.

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Blog Kiosk: 6/19/2014 - Dodger Links - Some Dodger Odds and Ends

A No-No from Kershaw.  Holy Moly!  Gif above via Dodgers on tumblr.  Check out a whole bunch of photos from the evening right here, via Jon SooHoo.

• Via Dylan Hernandez at the LA Times, Hanley Ramirez speaks a bit about the Dodgers recent turnaround.

Ramirez traced the team's turnaround to when Manager Don Mattingly criticized the team at the end of the previous homestand. Mattingly used an expletive to describe the Dodgers and said the players lacked a common objective.

In the days that followed, Mattingly reiterated the message in a team meeting.

"Everybody saw that what Donnie was saying was right," Ramirez said.

Told of what Ramirez said, Mattingly replied, "You'd like to think your words have something to do with it, but I really don't."

• A strange but true fact, via Bill Shaikin on twitter:

#Dodgers had two shortstops (Ramirez, Triunfel) homer in the same game last night for first time since at least 1900, per Elias.
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) June 18, 2014

• Via Steve Dilbeck and Mike DiGiovanna at the LA Times, "Dodgers, Angels have mixed reaction to tobacco after death of Tony Gwynn."

"I could sit here and lie to you and tell you yes, but unfortunately it would be just a straight lie," (Josh) Beckett said.

"I'm addicted to it. It's more than just the nicotine. It's the oral fixation. I don't think anyone does it just for the nicotine thing, or we'd probably all be on the [nicotine] patch."

• Via Ken Gurnick and Michael Lananna at MLB.com, "Wallach heads to Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame."

"I'm both surprised and honored to be selected to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame," said Wallach in a statement. "What a great thrill to be going in with such integral parts of the Montreal Expos for such a long time, and to join many of my old teammates and manager, along with so many people that meant so much to Canadian baseball. This is a great honor for my family and myself."

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Weekend Autograph Opportunities: Maury Wills in the City of Industry

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.

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Maury Wills will be at Manuel's Original El Tepeyac Cafe at the City of Industry on Saturday, June 21st from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM.  Go here for more information.  Prices - Cards:  $15; All other items: $29; Inscriptions:  $10 each.

Manuel's Original El Tepeyac Cafe #2
13131 Crossroads Pkwy South
City of Industry, CA 91746
(562) 695-2277

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UPDATE:  I just found about this.  Steve Garvey will be signing autographs at the OC Irvine Nissan on Sunday, June 22nd from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM.  Go here for more information.

OC Irvine Nissan
32 Auto Center Dr
Irvine, CA 92618
(949) 891-0526

Hat Tip: Roberto at Vin Scully is My Homeboy

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