The 10 Best Dodgers' Cards of 2014

With the 2014 collecting season officially at a close I figured it was time to share my picks for "The 10 Best Dodgers' Cards of 2014." This is the third consecutive year I've put together this list.  Go here to check out my past two "10 Best" list: 2013 & 2012.

There were 50 different card sets to go through, so I had a heck of a time narrowing my picks down to just ten cards.  No doubt I missed some of your favorites.  This time I tried to just focus on only base cards or inexpensive inserts, and I stayed far away from autographs and relic cards (save the "Honorable Mentions" at the very bottom).

Take a look at my choices below, and let me know if you agree.  Better yet, what would be your picks?  Click on any pic to embiggen.

#10

There is no better way to start this list than with Topps 2014 Opening Day set and the "Superstar Celebrations" insert card of Yasiel Puig sliding into home.  This card immortalizes Puig's very first walk-off hit (a home run) in a game against the Cincinnati Reds on July 28, 2013.  The score was 0-0 in the bottom of the 11th inning and right-hander Curtis Partch was on the mound.  On an 0-1 count with the bases empty Puig unloaded, flipped his bat and slid into home to put an exclamation point on his endeavors.  Watch a video of the event here.  Go here to check out all of the other Dodger cards in this set.

2014 Topps Opening Day

#SC-25 Yasiel Puig

#9

Some of you might think I'm crazy for including this card, but I just couldn't help it.  The card is so goofy... So brilliantly ugly... So fantastically stupid... That I couldn't help but think of it as being so bad, it's awesome.  Featured here is Upper Deck's Goodwin Champions card of Ron Cey, "The Penguin" in a tuxedo.  Get it?  Go here to check out the other Dodger cards in this set.

2014 Upper Deck Goodwin Champions

#4 Ron Cey

Blog Kiosk: 1/26/2015 - Dodger Links - Congrats Clayton Kershaw!

Clayton Kershaw accepted both his Cy Young and MVP awards this past Saturday at the BBWAA ceremony.  Photo above via @MLB_PR on twitter.  You can watch his entire acceptance speech at the very bottom.  BTW, the Kershaw's celebrated the birth of their first child Friday evening, via Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider.  The young girl is named Cali Ann, and she was 6 pounds, 13 ounces.

Below are some more links to check out:

• ICYMI, listen to Yasmani Grandal on Dodger Talk from this past Wednesday, here.
• Via Alexandra Pierce at KSBY News, "KSBY Exclusive: Former professional MLB player charged with insurance fraud in SLO County."  (Hat Tip: Eric Stephen on twitter)
• Via Mike Petriello at Dodgers Digest, "Dodgers Sign Submariner Ben Rowen, A Name Worth Remembering."
• Via Gabe Kapler at Kaplifestyle, "Eating Without Training Wheels."  Kapler believes you shouldn't use supplements. 

Like those training wheels, supplements don’t train us to ride the bike. They don’t teach us balance or to be in tune with our body. They’re dangerous, because they’re highly processed and poorly regulated. Our bodies struggle to recognize them, because they’re isolated and altered from the natural state. We’re still learning that nutrients and vitamins work in concert with others, not in a singular state.

• Via Bill Shaikin at the LA Times, "Dodgers said to be in talks to sell minority share to South Korean group."  A long shot, no doubt.

There is "zero" chance the Dodgers' owners would surrender control of the team in the deal, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks have not been confirmed publicly. The person said the talks were "progressing" but otherwise declined to characterize how advanced the negotiations might be or handicap the chances of reaching a deal.

• Watch Sandy Koufax present the NL Cy Young Award and NL MVP Award to Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw at the 2015 BBWAA dinner.

Video Link:

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FanFest Autograph Tickets Go on Sale Tomorrow Morning!

After several days of refreshing your browser every ten minutes, the news Dodger fans have been waiting for has finally arrived.  Ticket vouchers for autographs and VIP Experiences during the Dodgers FanFest will go on sale tomorrow morning, Friday, January 23rd at 10:00 AM.

#DodgersFF VIP Experiences will also go on sale to the general public tomorrow at 10am PT here: http://t.co/CqtytW3kG9
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) January 22, 2015

Autograph vouchers per line/per session is $20.00 each.  Go here for information.  If it's like last year (and I'm certain it will be just like last year) fans can purchase a voucher and receive autographs from the two players in that line.

VIP Experience will also go on sale at the same time.  Go here for information.  Unfortunately, the cost for each experience has yet to be released.

On a side note, I am very annoyed it took this long to announce this.  Being a working stiff makes it difficult to appropriately plan when you are given just 24 hours to plan.  I had to scheduled a 9AM meeting for tomorrow morning that I confirmed an hour before the Dodgers official notice.  Now, I am afraid that I'll get shutout when I finally get back into the office.

As you can imagine, I am not a happy camper.

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Blog Kiosk: 1/22/2015 - Dodger Links - Chris Anderson, Brett Anderson and Jeff Bridges

We are less than two weeks away from the release of Topps 2015 flagship Baseball card set, so news and information about it will be coming out like a flood.  For instance, one of the subsets being released is called "First Pitch," and it includes cards of notable folks throwing out first pitches.  There are 15 cards in the subset, and three of them are from Dodger Stadium.  The above pic, via Chris Olds at Beckett, is a preview pic of a Jeff Bridges card.  Below is a checklist of Dodger "First Pitch" cards.

• #FP-01 Jeff Bridges
• #FP-08 Jermaine Jones
• #FP-13 Suzy

Out of curiosity, who the heck is Suzy?  Other notables include McKayla Maroney, Eddie Vedder, Tom Morello and 50 Cent.  As you will recall, 50 Cent hilariously couldn't throw a Baseball right during his first pitch last season.  Watch it here.  There is also a card for 105-year old Agnes McKee.  You can check out a complete checklist of the upcoming set here.

Below are some more links to check out:

• Via David Hood at True Blue LA, "Dodgers top prospects 2015: Chris Anderson, No. 8."

As a starter, Anderson has one of the livelier fastballs in the system. He typically sits at 92-94 with heavy armside run. Anderson doesn’t generate as many ground balls as you’d expect with this life, most likely because he tends to pitch up in the zone. Anderson has the potential to throw in the upper 90’s in relief stints and should maintain enough of the life on the pitch to miss plenty of bats.

• Via Jeff Bradley at Sports Illustrated, "Preston Mattingly finds post-baseball sporting life on hardwood."
• Via Wayne Cavadi at Gradin on the Curve, "Bedard Looking to Bounce Back in LA."
• Via Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider, "Brett Anderson, Clayton Kershaw share 10-year history."  They were teammates on the Team USA 18-and-under squad.

Anderson called Kershaw one of “the nicest guys you could be around,” and that fondness remained long after their high school days were over. Anderson was with the opposing Colorado Rockies when Kershaw threw his no-hitter this past June 18, and couldn’t help praising the lefty.

• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Dodgers lefty Anderson on track for Spring Training."

"I feel good and hope, with no setback, I should be good to go for Spring Training," he said.

• Via Mark Saxon at ESPNLosAngeles.com, "Are rehabbing pitchers the new market inefficiency?"
• Ben Badler at Baseball America takes a look at the, "2015 Los Angeles Dodgers Top 10 Prospects."

Baseball’s fattest payroll commands the most attention when it comes to the Dodgers, but the organization has built one of the game’s better farm systems, especially at the top. Aside from the Cubs, the Dodgers’ top three prospects are as strong as any other organization’s in baseball.

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2014 Panini Elite Extra Edition - All the Dodger Cards

If I'm not mistaken, this is the very last Baseball card set of 2014.  Released last week was Panini's Elite Extra Edition Baseball set, and like in years past it focuses primarily on young prospects rising through their respective systems.  Go here for a complete checklist.

Several of the Dodgers' newest and brightest ballplayers are featured in the set; including last years #1 pick Grant Holmes. Below are pics of every Dodger player available.  Of note, Mike Piazza is included as a Dodger in the set.

Base Set

#35 Jared Walker                               #47 Jeff Brigham

Blog Kiosk: 1/21/2015 - Dodger Links - Some Odds and Ends

What a fantastic vintage image of Jackie Robinson grabbing a bat and heading to the plate for the very first time as a Dodger in 1947.  Pic above via @pderrico_49 on twitter.

Below are some more links to check out:

• Via Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA, "Will Dodgers improved defense make up for their lost offense?"
• Orel at Sons of Steve Garvey provides a short, "Report from Enemy Territory."
• Via Alexis Brudnicki at True Blue LA, "Dodgers land key development piece in Clayton McCullough."

"The people who are very talented in this game are going to move up or they’re going to have opportunities to move on, and you only hope the best for them," (Andrew) Tinnish said. "The Dodgers made a great hire. He’s a great guy, he’s a great worker, he’s got a lot of energy, he has a great eye for talent, and he does a nice job of developing players."

• GCRL shares, "one last oddball from the Steve Garvey oddball binder."
• Just in case you care, via Colin O'Keefe at Lookout Landing, "Mariners install LED lights at Safeco Field, first MLB park to have them." 
• Via Joon Lee at the Daily Gammons, "Are top prospects overvalued in baseball?"

Publications such as Baseball America provide great information on a wealth of young players, but a significant number of those players covered never amount to anything of significance at the major league level. Consider this study from Matt Perez of Camden Depot which concluded that from 1990 through 2006, approximately 70 percent of Baseball America Top-100 prospects failed. Over at Royals Review, Scott McKinney conducted a similar study that came to a couple of conclusions: A) 70 percent of Baseball America Top-100 prospects fail. B) About 60 percent of position players ranked in the Top-20 succeed in the majors C) About 40 percent of pitchers ranked in the Top-20 succeed.

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