2014 Topps Triple Threads Baseball - The Dodger Autographed Cards

Here is a look at all of the Dodger autographed cards available in this years Triple Threads set; including the always popular Autographed Relic cards.  Go here to check out all of my past post on this set.  I hope to have pics of all the Unity Insert cards to share tomorrow. 

All of the Clayton Kershaw autographed cards are available through a redemption card only.  Below is a checklist:

• Transparencies Autographed Jumbo Relics Set - #TTT-CK (#/25 for base) (only one parallel - an Onyx "1 of 1") 
• Autographed Relic Combos Set - #TTARC-SFK Clayton Kershaw, Scherzer & Fernandez (numbered to #/36 with numerous parallels)
• Autographed Relic Double Combos Book Set- #TTARDC-6 Kershaw, Fernandez, Wheeler, Darvish, Miller & Scherzer (#/3 for base) (only one parallel - an Ruby "1 of 1")

UPDATE:

#TTT-CK Clayton Kershaw

There are also several Dodger "cut" autographed cards available.  Unfortunately, they do not appear to have been found yet.  Below is a checklist:

• Cut Above Autographs Set (1 of 1) - #TTCA-DS Don Sutton
• Dual Cut Above Autographs Book Set - #TTDCA-4 Duke Snider & Pee Wee Reese
• Dual Cut Above Autographs Book Set - #TTDCA-5 Duke Snider & Sandy Koufax

Below are the Autographed Relic cards with pertinent (sometimes) phrases spelled out.  I say this because I'm not entirely sure that "4 Prizes" means in the second Fernando Valenzuela card below.

Autographed Relics Set

#TTAR-FV1 Fernando Valenzuela

Dodgers to be on Free TV - Yeah!

Free TV is kind of a misnomer.  Ain't it?  After all, there's no such thing as a free lunch, or at least that's what I understand.

In great news for fans everywhere, the Dodgers will broadcast the last six games of the season (all home games) will be aired on KDOC.  WooHoo!

Per a press release:

Time Warner Cable today announced it has secured an agreement to broadcast the final week of Dodger games on KDOC. KDOC is an independent broadcast station that is carried by every cable, satellite and telco provider in Southern California and can also be received over the air with an antenna.

...

Beginning September 22, Time Warner Cable will simulcast the remaining games of the season, featuring the iconic Vin Scully, on SportsNet LA and KDOC, subject to national broadcast commitments. The Dodgers face the Giants on September 22, 23 and 24 at 7:10 p.m. and then take on the Rockies on September 26 at 7:10 p.m., September 27 at 6:10 p.m. and September 28 at 1:10 p.m.

This might be the case of "too little, too late," but on the other hand at least you'll will able to watch the last six games at home.  So, I guess this is a win for everybody.

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Blog Kiosk: 9/15/2014 - Dodger Links - Winning Big Over Giants

After a rocky start to the weekend series against the Giants, the Dodgers ended up being red-hot.  So hot, in fact, they surely fueled the heat that rained down on California this weekend.  They brought the fire that burnt our rivals up north to a crisp. 

On Saturday, the Dodgers responded to the lopsided loss on Friday with one of their own the next day.  They scored 17 runs (a record in that stadium up north) on 24 hits; including a two-run home run by Zack Greinke.  Then, Clayton Kershaw came in on Sunday to do what he always does - pitch great.  The Dodgers won handily and took the weekend series two games to one.  The photo above proves that Kershaw isn't all about skill.  It's also about preparation.  Pic above via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014.  Go here to check out more photos from Sunday's game.

The Dodgers start the day with an 3.0 lead over the Giants and a "Magic Number" of 11.  They play in Colorado tonight, and the Giants play in Arizona.  Below are some more links to check out:

• The best quote I read regarding the Dodgers 17-0 victory over the Giants on Saturday is below.  It made me feel really old:

Andy Van Slyke's kid just homered off Bruce Bochy's kid to score Tom Gordon's kid, if you want to feel even older than you are.
— Jon Tayler (@JATayler) September 14, 2014

• Via Mark Saxon at ESPNLosAngeles.com, "The Clayton Kershaw train is still on time."

“I almost kind of feel bad for him,” Los Angeles Dodgers veteran pitcher Dan Haren said. “Everyone just expects him to win, everyone just expects him to go out there and throw eight or nine innings and give up zero or one run. That must be quite the burden to put on him, but obviously it doesn’t seem to bother him.”

• Via JP Hoornstra at the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, "Dodgers’ J.P. Howell is familiar with baseball’s rules for prescription drug use."

“If you have a TUE, you have to take it,” he said. “And if you do not take it, and there’s a low amount, that means you’re using it only when you want it — not when you need it. They monitor how you take it, how much is in your system. The milligram amount, if it’s above or below what’s expected on your prescription, that’s considered a fail. That’s how I understand the rule.”

Even though Howell didn’t remember which drug he took, he remembered how much he disliked its side effects. After a month of using the drug in 2008, when he pitched for the Tampa Bay Rays, Howell informed the team that he was going to stop.

• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Frias looking likely to replace Ryu in rotation."

Manager Don Mattingly hasn't confirmed that Ryu won't start in Colorado, but essentially did Sunday when he said that Frias is "working toward" the Wednesday night start and won't be used out of the bullpen "unless we get news that Hyun-Jin can pitch, and that's not likely."

BTW, Hyun-Jin Ryu will be having an MRI today, so stay tuned for that.  Hopefully, whatever ails Ryu is minor and a little rest is all that is needed.  It would be great if he was ready to go when the playoffs start.

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Sunday Dodger Videos: Ryu, Lasorda and Saturday Game Highlights

Here are this Sunday's Dodger videos.

Listen to both Hyun-Jin Ryu and AJ Ellis speak after Friday's disastrous game.

Video Link:

From September 6, 2014, Scott Akasaki, the Dodgers’ Director of Team Travel, engaged Hall-of-Famer Tommy Lasorda in an intimate discussion of Lasorda’s role as a baseball ambassador to Japan and other countries. The program, part of the Tateuchi Public Program Series, was held in the Tateuchi Democracy Forum at the Japanese American National Museum.

Video Link:

If you missed yesterday's game then you missed a doozy.  The Dodgers hammered the Giants for 1 run.  Watch game highlights below.

Video Link:

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Blog Kiosk: 9/13/2014 - Dodger Links - Ryu Hurt as Dodgers Get Blanked

Oh, boy!  That game was embarrassing.

The Dodgers got shellacked by the Giants last night.  Worse yet, Hyun-Jin Ryu left the game early  due to shoulder irritation.  He will be examined by team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache later today.  Ryu didn't look like his normal self on the mound.  He gave up four runs on five hits; including three doubles.  Per Eric Stephen at True Blue LA:

"I felt it during the warmup session before the game. It's something I've felt before," Ryu said after the game through translator Martin Kim, as shown on SportsNey LA. "During the top of the first it got really uncomfortable. I wasn't able to make the pitches I needed to, and the results showed."

David Vassegh on twitter added that the irritation Ryu experienced last night was similar in feeling to what ailed him earlier this season.  As you'll recall, he went on the 15-day DL in late April due to shoulder issues.  The photo above of Ryu stretching things out is via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014.  Go here for more pics of his from yesterday's game.

With the 9-0 loss the Dodgers lead over the Giants shrinks to a single game.  Now, below are some links to check out:

• The Chattanooga Lookouts got swept in the Championship Series, via Harold Uhlman at Think Blue LA.

Apparantly, yesterday was write about Puig day:

• Via Jeff Sullivan at Just a Bit Outside, "What's wrong with Yasiel Puig's swing?"
• Via Alec Dopp at the Gammons Daily, "Inside Yasiel Puig’s Production Plunge."
• Via Mike Petriello at Dodgers Digest, "Swinging At The First Pitch Isn’t Yasiel Puig’s Problem."
• Sabermetric-styled analytics goes hockey.  The Toronto Maple Leafs have recently gone in big.  Via James Mirtle at The Globe and Mail, "Tim Leiweke on the Leafs: ‘Analytics make us smarter.’"  For those who don't know, Leiweke was formerly with the Kings (AEG).

“We’ve gone from very little analytical information to we have two guys we just hired that are considered two of the smartest analytical guys in the game of hockey today,” Leiweke said, likely referencing Dubas and Metcalfe, an engineer who built wildly popular analytics hub extraskater.com.

“Including one that owned his own website that every general manager used and we bought the website. When he came, that website came with us and we took it down. We don’t want anyone else seeing it. It’s called a monopoly. It’s good.”

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Welcome Back, Scott Elbert!

I had almost forgotten all about him.  Per a report via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, Scott Elbert will be rejoining the Dodgers in San Francisco tonight.  Per Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider, Red Patterson has been DFA's in a corresponding move.  Per Weisman:

Since clearing waivers and accepting an assignment to the Isotopes in August, Elbert allowed seven runs, 14 hits and three walks in 7 1/3 innings while striking out six, but that was skewed when he gave up five runs while getting one out at Las Vegas on August 8. From August 14 to the end of the season, Elbert pitched 4 2/3 shutout innings with five strikeouts.

As you'll recall, Elbert was the Dodgers 1st round draft pick in 2004.  He had originally been drafted to be a starter, but like so many high-flying prospects the bullpen soon became his calling.  In 2011 he finally solidified himself as an integral part of the Dodger relief staff - as our lefty specialist.  That season he pitched in 47 games, allowing just 9 earned runs over 33.1 innings and saved two games.  He also struck 34, walked only 14 and left-handed batters hit only .191 against him.  The next season he pitched in 43 games but regressed a bit - left-handers batted .271 against him.

Unfortunately, arm problems that began with shoulder issues that caused him to miss most of the 2007 season continued to plagued him.  His 2012 season was filled with several trips to the DL and finally ended with surgery in mid-September.  Then, a setback resulted in another surgery several months later in January 2013.  By mid-year he looked ready to go again, but pain emerged in his elbow after pitching on consecutive days in rehab.  So on June 10, 2013 he had Tommy John Surgery.  Just over a year later Elbert returned to the mound and has been working on getting back into game shape. 

I don't know if we should expect much from him, but it'll be nice to have another experienced lefty arm in the bullpen.  Just as a reminder, Elbert throws a low 90's four-seam fastball and a high-80's slider.  He also uses his slider as his out pitch.  It'll be interesting to see if some of the zip he used to have is still there.

In celebration of Scott Elbert's return to the Dodgers I made the above fantasy card for him.  I used a photograph grabbed from Dodger photographer Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2012 and the 1971 Topps Baseball card design.

Below are his career statistics, via Baseball Reference:

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