Happy Thanksgiving

I'd like to extend a happy Thanksgiving greeting to you and yours.

Happy Holiday Folks!

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Weekend Autograph Opportunities: Blue Friday at Dodger Stadium & Kershaw and Brown at the LA Auto Show

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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The Dodgers are hosting a Blue Friday sale at the Top of the Park store at Dodger Stadium this coming Friday, November 28th from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.  Go here for information.  Three Dodgers' will be on hand to sign free autographs for fans.

Justin Turner: 11am-1pm   
Al Ferrara: 1pm-3pm   
Tim Leary: 3pm-5pm

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As you surely know, the LA Auto Show is taking place right now at the LA Convention Center in Downtown LA, and as usual there are a few special guest scheduled to make an appearance to meet fans.  Go here for a complete listing of special guest, and below are a couple of pertinent meet & greets.

Friday, November 28th - 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
LA Kings Captain Dustin Brown
At the Toyota Live Stage in the Toyota display

The Kershaw event below is now not indicted at the LA Auto Show link, and I am uncertain if it has been cancelled.  Proceed at your own risk.

Sunday, November 30th - 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
CY Moung and MVP Clayton Kershaw
At the Acura display

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Blog Kiosk: 11/26/2014 - Dodger Links - Gil Hodges, Jose DeLeon and "Dodger Day" in Oklahoma

This just might be the worst photo ever!  Above is Hanly Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval doing the 'I see you' sign, via Sandoval on instagram.

On a more positive note, Hanley thanked the fans on his facebook page. He says,

Thank you God for the blessing of allowing me to wear #Dodgerblue, where I learned how to be a winner, where I shared so many exciting and unforgettable moments with, and received so much love from my beloved #HanleyWood fans. Our 2 division championships in 2 years brought me some of the best times of my career, and I will be forever grateful for that. GRACIAS. @dodgers #donnieyourethebest

Thanks Hanley!  It was a pleasure watching play in Blue.

Below are some links to check out:

• This is for Dodger fans in or near Oklahoma City.  The Dodgers new AAA minor league club will be hostin "Dodger Day" on December 3rd.  Go here for information.  Gabe Kapler and Scott Schebler will be there to sign for fans.

"With the team store being ready to re-open and with all the holiday excitement around Bricktown, we felt this was a great time to celebrate our new partnership with the Dodgers along with our great fans," said RedHawks President/General Manager Michael Byrnes.

The event will feature appearances by new Dodgers Director of Player Development Gabe Kapler and top Dodgers prospect Scott Schebler.

• Via Tom Veducci at Sports Illustrated, "Time for the Hall of Fame to right a wrong by electing Gil Hodges."

Hodges had enough votes to be elected by the Veterans Committee in 1993 (12 out of 16), only to have committee chair Ted Williams disallow the vote of Roy Campanella, one of Hodges' former teammates, because he did not attend the meeting in person. Campanella was hospitalized at the time. With that ballot rejected, Hodges and Leon Day were left one vote short of enshrinement, with 11 of the 15 votes leaving them at 73.3 percent, 1.7 percent shy. Campanella died three months later. Day was elected when the new committee met two years later.

• Carson Cistulli at InstaGraphs has, "A Statistical Report for All the Caribbean Winter Leagues."  He notes that Dodger prospect Jose DeLeon has been impressive.  He then followed up this post by sharing 6 GIF's of DeLeon pitching.  Check out those GIF's here.
• Via Cary Osborne at Dodger Insider, "Max Homa — PGA Tour rookie and Dodger fan."

“I want to golf with Kershaw,” he said. “I want to figure out how he can be so ice cold. Pitching, I think, is a lot like golf. It’s so repetitive, and you need to have a real good mental game. I’d like to see how he does in golf and get inside head.”

• As you might have heard, Hanley Ramirez is expected to play left field for the Red Sox.  Former Dodger Pedro Guerrero provides his assessment of that transition on twitter:

hanley in left is like me at 3rd
— PedroGuerrero (@PedroGuerreroLA) November 25, 2014

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Jeff Hamilton's 1988 WS Trophy and Game-Worn Uniform at Worthridge Auctions

Here is another auction house featuring player memorabilia from the Dodgers 1988 World Championship.  As you may remember, 1988 World Series Dodger reliever Jesse Orosco had his trophy up for auction at Heritage Auctions earlier this month.  BTW, that trophy sold for $9,560.00.  This time around, Dodger infielder Jeff Hamilton has both his trophy and game-used World Series uniform up for sale.  I wonder what it'll sell for.  Check them out below.

Here is Hamilton's game-used 1988 World Series uniform.  It includes his jersey and pants.  As you can see, the jersey features the 1988 World Series patch on its right shoulder.  It has an opening bid of $600.

(Auction Link)

Take a look at Jeff Hamilton's 1988 World Series trophy.  I wonder if it'll eclipse the price for the Orosco trophy.  It has an opening price of $2,250.

(Auction Link)

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2014 Leaf Valiant Baseball - All the Dodger Cards

Here's another prospect based Baseball card set to wet your whistle.  Last week Leaf released their 2014 Valiant Baseball card set and a couple of Dodger prospects are available in it.  Go here for a complete checklist.

This set features colorful and shiny autographed-only cards of some of the best and most promising prospects in the Minors.  Available Dodgers include 2014 1st round draft pick Grant Holmes and promising infielder Darnell Sweeney.  There are also vintage 'buyback' Leaf cards that have been autographed and numbered to the players uniform number.  So far, I am only aware of the 1992 & 1991 Leaf Darryl Strawberry cards being available, but there may be more (a checklist has not been provided by Leaf).

Base Autographs

#BA-DS2 Darnell Sweeney                    #BA-GH1 Grant Holmes

Out of this World Autographs

#OW-GH1 Grant Holmes SSP

BTW, although Strawberry wore #44 as a Dodger he signed only 18 of these cards for this set.  The #18 was the uniform number he wore during his eight years as a New York Met.

Leaf Memories Buybacks

1991 Leaf Darryl Strawberry (#/18)        1992 Leaf Darryl Strawberry (#/18)

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Blog Kiosk: 11/25/2014 - Dodger Links - Editorializing the Dodgers

Here is a fantastic ACME Press Photo, circa 1940, from high up in the rafters of Ebbets Field.  I ran into this on eBay.  Check out the auction here.

On a side note, I am more than pleased with the current moves the Dodger front office is making.  They are measured, deliberate and necessary changes meant to provide depth in areas that are lacking with the club.  Not only that, several of the new Dodger players appear to have some upside that may translate well if given different roles.  No doubt they are gambles, but they appear to be worthwhile.

In the past, the Dodgers tried going the veteran route - figuring their money would solve any problems.  They went after old horses with an easy to understand history, but they got burned.  Soon, fans and the press complained.  Now they are choosing to go a different route by trying to find a competitive advantage by taking some risk... And still you complain? 

None of these recent moves are flashy or headline grabbing, and I don't think that the current leadership cares about any of that - and neither should you.  Heck, you never should have built up the expectation that the Dodgers were going to do something major to begin with.  They were never going to sign Russell Martin.  Hanley Ramirez was always going to be allowed to go elsewhere.  And you shouldn't expect the Dodgers to sign a Lester or trade for Cole. 

What you should expect is some resolution to the outfield situation.  Someone or more will get traded, and I do not believe Kemp will be that man.  He has significant value (given his 2014 second half he would make a bundle in todays free agent market), and unless another team is willing to pony up he will remain in Blue.  Instead, we'll see a trade that includes cash and some minor prospects.

We are in a new Dodger era - an era that does not include trying to be the Yankees of the West.  Instead, we are a Dodger franchise set on the intention of playing it smart.  We have the cash, the brains and now the will to make it all happen.  Don't sully that by giving yourself false expectations of the future.  What you want is not the same thing as what we need.

Below are some links to check out:

• Via Sarah at We're born again, there's new grass on the field, "Baseball as the “national pastime,” one of the most successful PR efforts ever."
• Via Carson Cistulli at FanGraphs, "Dodgers Already Avoiding the Awful Under Friedman."
• Just in case you care.  Via Adam Berry at MLB.com, "Players' cut of postseason pool announced."  The Dodgers full share was $31,542.85 each.
• Via Joey Nowak at MLB.com, "Former Dodgers are all over Hall of Fame ballot: Piazza hopes to be elected in third year; Pedro, Sheffield have strong cases."
• Via Mark Saxon at ESPNLosAngeles.com, "Dodgers' options at shortstop appear limited."

It’s quite possible they’ll live with the in-house options, giving Erisbel Arruebarrena (who will earn his $25 million by 2017 whether he’s in the big leagues or minors) first crack at it. Miguel Rojas will be standing by if he flounders. The Dodgers’ defense would improve significantly, but the offensive drop-off from Hanley to either of those guys would be vast.

• Listen to the most recent episode of Dodger Talk with David Vassegh and Kevin Kennedy, here.  Dodger GM Farhan Zaidi joins them at about the 22:30 minute mark.  He mentions that one of their focuses will be to find under-the-radar tough-luck starters to convert into relievers.  I think this is the basis for the recent trades for Mike Bolsinger and Juan Nicasio.
• Via Mike Petriello at Dodgers Digest, "Juan Nicasio, Fascinating Relief Project."

Though Nicasio would be at the moment likely the team’s fifth starter behind Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Hyun-jin Ryu, and Dan Haren, I’m really not interested in him in that role, and I think we all know the Dodgers will move to add another starter. But as a reliever, a two-pitch guy who can touch 95 in short stints? Well, that’s fascinating, really, because I’ve long loved the idea of taking mediocre starters who don’t have a good enough third pitch or velocity to survive in the rotation and turning them into relief assets. I’m not suggesting that Nicasio will be Wade Davis, but you get the idea — it’s the exact same thing.

• On Joe DiMaggio's 100th birthday check out this post by Paul Frazier at Picollecta about his life through collectibles. 
• A Jackie Robinson Tribute from UCLA.

Video Link:

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