Brandon McCarthy is Done - Has Torn UCL

Our worst fears have been realized. The most heralded free agent signing of the off-season has just blown back on us.  It has just been reported by Bill Shaikin on twitter that starting pitcher Brandon McCarthy is done.  He has a torn UCL - ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow.

McCarthy: UCL tear, out for year
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) April 27, 2015

Although Mattingly has yet to say if McCarthy will have Tommy John surgery, via Shaikin on twitter.

Mattingly won't say if McCarthy will have Tommy John surgery. If he does, he's out thru mid- to late-2016. #Dodgers
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) April 27, 2015

Needless to say, this really sucks!

As you'll recall, Brandon signed a four year $48M contract contract in early December.  Overall, his addition to the team was heralded by many; especially the sabermetric set - who saw his potential to be a top line starter.  Unfortunately, his injury prone nature that includes a stress fracture to his shoulder, shoulder surgery a couple of years later and surgery to relieve cranial pressure due to being hit in the head by a batted ball has not abated.  Now, he has to deal with a torn UCL.

As some would say, this guy has some bad luck... And so do we.  I'm so hoping he doesn't become this ownerships version of Jason Schmidt.

In light of this announcement, Brandon McCarthy was rather introspective on twitter.

to be fair, 31 years of use is a lot to ask for from a ligament
— Brandon McCarthy (@BMcCarthy32) April 27, 2015

At least Brandon has a good sense of humor.

UPDATE: McCarthy is now officially on the DL, so relief pitcher Adam Liberatore has been called back up.  Via a press release:

The Los Angeles Dodgers today placed right-handed pitcher Brandon McCarthy on the 15-day disabled list (retroactive to April 26) with a right UCL tear and recalled left-handed pitcher Adam Liberatore from Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Liberatore, 27, last pitched on Saturday for Oklahoma City, striking out the side in a scoreless inning against Omaha (Royals), and tossed 4.1 scoreless innings in three appearances with the Dodgers during his first stint with the club, April 17-21, allowing just one hit (1-for-13, .077) and striking out four. In three minor league outings this year with Oklahoma City, Liberatore allowed one run on three hits and struck out five in 3.0 innings.

McCarthy picked up the win on Saturday at San Diego, but was removed from the game during the sixth inning with right elbow tightness. In four starts this season, he’s gone 3-0 with a 5.87 ERA (15 ER/23.0 IP).

Photo at the very top via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2015.

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Getting a Look Inside Puig's Home

As part of a new web series sponsored by Coldwell Banker, a video was just released that provides a glimpse at the new home Puig recently bought for himself near Dodger Stadium.  You get a little peek at his digs, and find out what home means to him.  Check it out below.

Video Link:

One thing of note is that his home has a smaller backyard that what I would've expected.  Another thing is that his reputation as a gamer only grows larger.  I bet that with him now on the DL he'll now find himself in front of that tv more often.

Per a press release provided by Coldwell Banker:

The 14-week series, starting today on the Coldwell Banker® Blue Matter blog, will offer behind-the-scenes videos of more than a dozen baseball stars. Each video will feature an exclusive look at the player’s home along with interviews on what home means to them. The Coldwell Banker Real Estate series leads with a look inside the home and off-the-field life of Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star outfielder, Yasiel Puig.

Shane Victorino's home is next - coming out May 6th.  Go here to check out the other videos.

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Blog Kiosk: 4/27/2015 - Dodger Links - Mattingly, AGon, Ryu and Guerrero

Few realize that a woman once was a co-owner of the Dodgers with Walter O'Malley.  Her name was Mae Smith and by the late 50's she owned about one-quarter of team.  Her husband John L. Smith, a famed executive responsible for the mass production of Penicillin at Pfizer, joined the Dodger ownership den in 1944 when the Ebbets family decided they wanted out.  In 1950 he passed away and his shares naturally transferred to his wife. 

The photo above captures Mrs. Smith with Walt Alston, Carl Erskine and Walter O'Malley on February 25, 1956 in Vero Beach.  It is an Associated Press photo that I saw on eBay.  Check out the auction here.  On a side note, she donated 50 Royal Palm trees in memory of her late husband to Holman Stadium at Dodgertown, Vero Beach.  They were planted along the perimeter of the outfield.

Below are some links from the weekend to check out:

• Via Richard Justice at MLB.com, "Mattingly deftly manages deep Dodgers roster."

Mattingly emphasized that every lineup was one he believed gave the Dodgers the best chance to win that day's game. In the end, nothing else is supposed to matter. The players trusted Mattingly and knew he had no other agenda.

That situation got back to the core of why Mattingly has been successful. To know him is to like him and believe in him. There's a decency and honesty about Mattingly that plays well over a long season. In that way, players want to please him.

• Via Mark Townsend at Big League Stew, "Adrian Gonzalez challenges radio host who called him slow to footrace."
• Via Sarah at We're born again, there's new grass on the field; she shares some pics from a Baseball Reliquary exhibit at the Arcadia Public Library.
• ICYMI: Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Dodgers reportedly ink Carp to Minors deal." 
• Gurnick also tells us that, "Ryu takes next step toward recovery from shoulder injury."

"He throws where he wants," Mattingly said. "It's like he hasn't missed a beat. It's a matter of getting him strong. He didn't feel anything, he's had no problem. The process is going good and we'll let it play out."

• Via Matthew Moreno at Dodgers Nation, "Dodgers Video: Scott Van Slyke Creates Makeshift Umbrella In Dugout."
• Via Dave Cameron at FanGraphs, "The New Alex Guerrero Problem."

Guerrero is forcing the Dodgers to play him more often, and Don Mattingly acknowledged that he’s going to have to put this guy in the line-up more often going forward.

“When a guy’s swinging the bat, you’re going to find playing time for him,” Mattingly said. “That’s just the way this game is.”

• Matt Meltzer at the Thrillist ranks all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums.
• I thought I'd pass along a great looking print made by Jeff Suntala.  It features the ballparks the LA Dodgers have played in.  Go here to check it out.  Below is a pic.

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Giants Series Starts Tomorrow - Scheduled Autograph Sessions, Pregame Info and Other Stuff!

The next homestand starts Monday evening against the San Francisco Giants.  Below are the scheduled autograph opportunities and other odds and ends for this upcoming homestand.

During this series against the Giants the Think Blue BBQ located in the left-field pavilion plaza will be making Caribbean Sticky Ribs from Monday through Wednesday. The dish features pork spare ribs with pineapple barbeque sauce, ghost pepper and molasses marinade and it will be served with tropical cole slaw.  Yum! 

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Monday, April 27th at 7:10 PM
 
SNLA, MLB Network/AM 570 (Eng.), KTNQ 1020 AM (Span.)

Monday's game starts at 7:10 PM.  Auto gates open at 4:30 PM, and stadium gates open at 5:00 PM.  The second of eight Cy Young Collectors' Pin Series giveaways is this night.  The first 40,000 fans will receive an Don Drysdale pin.  See it on the right.

(Photo via Jon SooHoo)

Hip hop artist Kendrick Lamar will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Also, to commemorate Drysdale’s collector pin giveaway, Drew Drysdale, Don Drysdale’s daughter, will perform the national anthem. Members of the Drysdale family, Ann Meyers Drysdale, Drew, DJ and Darren will also participate in the ceremonial first pitch.

Dodger alumnus Derrel Thomas will sign autographs in the left-field plaza from 5:00 PM. to 7:00 PM.

• The Military Hero of the Game is U.S. Army Corporal Anthony Guitron of West Covina.
• As part of their focus on education & literacy, LADF will recognize the 2015 Roy & Roxie Campanella Scholarship recipients from California State University Northridge (CUSN)’s College of Health and Human Development, Department of Physical Therapy. Joni Campanella Roan, the daughter of Dodger great Roy Campanella, will also be recognized. The Roy & Roxie Campanella Scholarship Program provides financial assistance to physical therapist students with outstanding clinical potential as they proceed through the physical therapy program. For more than 20 years, the Campanella family has supported physical therapy scholarships at CSUN, providing financial support to 30 students. In 2014, LADF expanded on Campanella’s legacy by committing to the growth from 10 scholars in 2015 to 25 by 2017.

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Tuesday, April 28th at 7:10 PM
  
SNLA, MLB Network/AM 570 (Eng.), KTNQ 1020 AM (Span.)

Tuesday's game starts at 7:10 PM.  Auto gates open at 4:30 PM, and stadium gates open at 5:00 PM.  It is USC Night at Dodger Stadium.  Folks who ordered a special ticket package in the All You Can Eat Right Field Pavilion or Infield Reserve will get an exclusive USC Dodger T-shirt with your ticket.  See that on the left.  If not already sold out go here for information.

California-born and Nashville country artist Cam will perform the national anthem. Rae Sremmurd, Interscope hip-hop duo Swae Lee and Slim Jimmy, will throw the ceremonial first pitch.

Dodger alumnus Billy Ashley will sign autographs in the left-field plaza from 5:00 PM. to 7:00 PM. AM 570 LA Sports’ Petros and Money show will broadcast live from left-field pavilion from 3:00 PM. to 7:00 PM.

•  The Military Hero of the Game is U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Jeffery Duron of Menifee.

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Wednesday, April 29th at 7:10 PM
  
SNLA/AM 570 (Eng.), KTNQ 1020 AM (Span.)

Wednesday's game starts at 7:10 PM.  Auto gates open at 4:30 PM, and stadium gates open at 5:00 PM. The first 40,000 fans through the turnstiles will receive a Clayton Kershaw Fleece Blanket.  See it on the left.

Former Dodger pitcher Kazuhisa Ishii will throw the ceremonial first pitch. Disney Channel star Coco Jones will perform the national anthem.

Dodger alumnus Al Downing will sign autographs in the left-field plaza from 5:00 PM. to 7:00 PM. AM 570 LA Sports’ Petros and Money show will broadcast live from left-field pavilion from 3:00 PM. to 7:00 PM.

• The Military Hero of the Game is U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Luis Repreza, a native of El Salvador.
• The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) conducts silent auctions throughout the season featuring more than 25 signed pieces of memorabilia from Dodger players, coaches and alumni. Auctions will take place behind the Vin Scully press box on the club level. The items up for auction on Friday include a Zack Greinke autographed photo, Clayton Kershaw autographed baseball and Joc Pederson autographed Dodger jersey. The auction will end at 8:45 p.m.

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Welcome to the Blue, Sergio Santos!

The Dodgers threw a bit of a curveball. 

With the recent trade for Xavier Cedeno the other day and word that he would meet the team in San Diego, I naturally assumed that he would be placed into the Dodgers bullpen today.  Considering the flurry of roster moves the club has made to shuffle players in-and-out of the team roster it seemed obvious.  Well... I shoulda realized that assuming anything only makes an ass out of me.

This afternoon the Dodger instead announced that Cedeno would be DFA'd and 31-year old veteran reliever Sergio Santos, only acquired by the Dodgers in early January, would join the team.

Via a Dodger press release:

The Los Angeles Dodgers today selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Sergio Santos, optioned right-handed pitcher Mike Bolsinger to Triple-A Oklahoma City and designated left-handed pitcher Xavier Cedeño for assignment.

Santos last pitched on Tuesday, with a scoreless inning of relief against Nashville (Athletics), and tossed scoreless relief in five of six appearances with Oklahoma City, posting a 3.86 ERA (2 ER/4.2 IP). The 31-year-old was a non-roster invitee at Spring Training and allowed seven runs (six earned) in 10.2 innings in 11 games (one start) with the Dodgers. The Los Angeles native was signed by the club as a free agent on Dec. 29, 2014 and has a 7-12 record with 39 saves and a 3.89 ERA in 180 games in five Major League seasons with the White Sox (2010-11) and Blue Jays (2012-14).

Bolsinger, the reigning Triple-A Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week, allowed just one run on five hits in 5.2 innings in a no-decision as the Dodgers' spot starter yesterday at San Francisco.

Cedeño was acquired on Wednesday from Washington in exchange for cash considerations.

Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA:

"Growing up in LA, I was a huge Dodgers fan. Ever since I got in baseball, I always hoped for an opportunity to be traded to them, or to become a free agent to be able to sign with them," Santos said during spring training. "It's a little surreal putting on the Dodgers hat and Dodgers uniform, especially because I've put it on for so long but never been a part of the team, so it's nice to be a part of that now."

In celebration of Santos' arrival to the Dodgers I made the above fantasy card for him.  I used a photograph grabbed from a photo taken by Dodger photoagrapher Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2015 and the 1962 Topps Baseball card design.

Below are his career stats, via Baseball-Reference:

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The Ugliest Sketch Card You'll Ever See

Holy Mackerel!  What is this abomination? 

Card manufacturers have been including artistically drawn sketch cards in many of their products over the years, and most of them (at least the ones made into actual subsets) are quite good.  When you commission with noted artist like Monty Sheldon and Brian Kong you know it'll be top notch. 

Unfortunately, it appears that Topps has over-stretched by casting too wide a net.  The above Clayton Kershaw sketch card (that originally came to my attention through an blog post by Corky at Pack War) can be found here on eBay.  It has the outrageous price of $499 attached to it, and for the life of me I cannot imagine anyone forking over that kind of dough.

Not that it's the fault of the seller.  This collector pulled a scarce and super-rare "1 of 1" card, and basically got screwed.  A card that could very well have been a showpiece in anyone's collection - should have been - is instead the butt of some terrible joke.  Yes, this card is a joke and Topps should never have allowed it to be distributed into their product.

Per Corky, the card appears to have been drawn by a "Elmo Perez," at least that's the best he can make out from the signature on the reverse.  Check it out for yourself below.

I shudder at the thought of finding one of these cards by "Elmo" in a pack.

Since this post is on the topic of sketch cards I figured I'd shared some pics of some of the better 2015 Museum sketch cards that have been unearthed so far.  After all, I gotta do something to wash out the stink from my eyes.  Also, go here to check out the sketch cards that made it into Museum's subset this year.

The below Clayton Kershaw card was drawn by Kevin-John.  You can check out the artist website here.

(eBay Auction Link)

And I'm very impressed by these next two cards drawn by Dan Bergren.

(eBay Auction Link)

(pic via Blowout Board)

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