2015 Panini Contenders Baseball - The Dodger Autographed Cards

After waiting a week to see if I can finally nail down some of the remaining photos I still need featuring Dodger prospects in Panini's most recent set, I finally have given up.  For whatever reason, several of the autographed cards have yet to hit the marketplace.  So, I will just bite the bullet and share what I have collected so far.  Below are the Dodger autograph cards that are available in 2015 Panini Contenders Baseball.  Go here to check out all of my past post on this set.

College Ticket Autographs

#6 Walker Buehler                                   #47 Philip Pfeifer

Blog Kiosk: 11/24/2015 - Dodger Links - It's All About Dave Roberts

Dave Roberts is the rage right now.  He has taken over the town like a gaggle of zombies parading down main street.  Since the rumors and subsequent announcement broke there's hardly been room on the newswires for anything but Dave Roberts... And that's a good thing because, by and large, when news this momentous engulfs a city like Los Angeles and it's not bad, then you know you're on to something.  And that something feels like that old Dodger magic.

Featured above is one of many photographs dug up by Dodger photographer Jon SooHoo and shared on his blog.  Go here to check out a bunch more from him.

Below are more links to check out:

• We may have a new trainer joining the Dodgers soon, via Will Carroll on twitter:

Hearing dodgers have new head trainer selected. Neal Rampe from Dbacks.

— Will Carroll (@injuryexpert) November 24, 2015

• How did I ever miss this?  Back in August Gabe Kapler wrote that men should...LOL... Well, men should make that extra effort to get some sun.  Via Kevin Draper at Deadspin, "Gabe Kapler's Advice To Baseball Players: Get A Nice Tan On Your Nuts." Wha?  (Hat Tip: reddit u/DOCKhobo)

Kapler writes about how vitamin d—which you mostly get from sunshine—is important for testosterone production, and that baseball players likely don’t get enough of it because they’re suited and booted with a cap on out in the field. Kapler’s solution to this problem is for baseball players to sunbathe in their birthday suit and get some sol on their cojones. 

• Via Dustin Nosler at Dodgers Digest, "Looking at some fastball-slider lefty options."

If they don’t acquire a lefty reliever with a good slider, it’s possible Liberatore gets a long look at the opening day bullpen. Having a lefty who can throw a good slider against left-handed hitters is far from a bad thing to have. And I know we’re all waiting for Howell to pumpkin, because everything is seemingly going against him being as good as he’s been the last few seasons. Maybe he’ll prove everyone wrong, which would be for the best.

• BTW, here are some more praises for Dave Roberts:

Huge congrats to the @dodgers for hiring an incredible guy to lead the team. Dave Roberts is going to be there for a long time

— Shawn Green (@shawngreen15) November 24, 2015

Congrats on my man Dave Roberts getting the Dodgers managing job! The Dodgers organization is in good hands a guy I always looked up to!

— Juan Pierre (@JPBeastMode) November 24, 2015

#Congratulations to My New Manager Dave Roberts #dodgers #2016 #newyear #newmanager https://t.co/J5d54pnHJX

— Yasiel Puig (@YasielPuig) November 23, 2015

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Past and Present Dodgers' Respond on Twitter

Accolades are coming in from all around the Baseball world regarding the recent hiring of Dave Roberts as the new Dodger manager; including congratulations and encouragement from several former and current Dodgers'.  Check some of them out below: 

I'm thrilled that Dave Roberts is the new manager of the Dodgers. He is a classy gentleman widely respected. A fine choice.

— Ross Porter (@therossporter) November 23, 2015

The former Dodger broadcaster is obviously happy with the choice... And so is former teammate David Ross:

Congrats to Dave Roberts on being #Dodgers new Mng. He taught me to be a professional on & off the field! True leader and a great man!

— David Ross (@D_Ross3) November 23, 2015

Welcome Back to the Blue, Dave Roberts!

I can hardly contain my excitement.  This is fantastic news.  The old codger inside of me that still values Dodger-family, Dodger-loyalty and Dodger-lineage loves this move.

Dave Roberts, who might not have come up through the Dodger ranks but is still a Dodger through and through, will be the 10th manager in LA Dodgers history and the 28th overall skipper in the franchises history.  WooHoo!

Best yet, he comes back to Los Angeles having worked in a front office and as a coach on the Major League level.  Roberts also has the energy, the communication skills and apparently the backing of several Dodger veterans.  Via a tweet from Bob Nightengale:

Several #Dodgers veterans recently conveyed to management that they wanted Dave Roberts to be manager once he reached the final stage.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) November 23, 2015

Per a Dodger press release:

“We’re extremely excited to bring Dave Roberts on board as the next manager of the Dodgers,” said Dodger President, Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman. “We could not have been more impressed with him through this process. His energy is infectious and he has the rare ability to make a genuine connection with every person he comes across. He has developed strong leadership qualities and accumulated a breadth of baseball experience over his career as both a player and coach. He is a "baseball man" and "people person" in the truest sense of those words. We feel fully confident that he will effectively lead our team in pursuit of its ultimate goal -- bringing a world championship back to the city of Los Angeles."

Roberts, 43, served as the bench coach for the San Diego Padres the last two seasons and prior to that, he was a special assistant for San Diego’s front office in 2010 and the club’s first base coach from 2011-13. He filled in as manager for one game this past season, following the departure of Bud Black. Roberts, who is of African-American and Japanese descent, becomes the Dodgers’ first-ever minority manager.

“It’s hard for me to put into words what it means to be named manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers,” said Roberts. “This is truly the opportunity of a lifetime. The Dodgers are the ground-breaking franchise of Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Sandy Koufax, Maury Wills, Fernando Valenzuela and Hideo Nomo. When I put on this uniform as a player, I understood the special responsibility to honor those that played before me as well as the amazing bond between the Dodgers and their fans. I feel that I have now come full circle in my career and there is plenty of unfinished business left in L.A.”

In celebration of his hiring I made the above fantasy card of him.  The photograph was taken by Dodger photographer Jill Weisleder/LA Dodgers 2004 and I used the 1972 Topps Baseball card design.

Below are his career statistics, via Baseball-Reference:

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Blog Kiosk: 11/23/2015 - Dodger Links - Wills, Scully and a couple of new International Dodger Prospects

I figured the best way to start this morning was by sharing this fantastic AP action photograph of Maury Wills attempting a tag on Pirates runner Bob Skinner in 1960.  Unfortunately, the throw from catcher Johnny Roseboro was far off the mark, so the outfielder slid in safely for the steal.

Of note, this photograph was a part of "The George Michael Collection" who was a noted collector of Baseball sliding press photographs and former host of the once popular Sport Machine that aired opn television before the advent of ESPN.  It was a nationally syndicated Sunday evening show featuring the best sports highlights of the week.

BTW, I thought this photo was apt considering the recent news of Dave Roberts' hiring as the new Dodger coach.  As you may know, Wills and Roberts have an extremely tight bond.  Via David Vassegh on twitter:

Maury Wills & Dave Roberts formed tight bond in winter before '02 season. DR would drive from SD 3 x week to Dodger Stadium to work w/Maury

— David Vassegh (@THEREAL_DV) November 23, 2015

Below are more links to check out:

• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Scully wins Best Call for Dodgers' balk-off win."

Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully was named winner of the Esurance MLB Award for Best Call, TV during the Dodgers' balk-off win over the Rangers on June 18.

• Dodgers add another infielder to the minors, via Chris Octillo on twitter:

Source: Dodgers sign Charlie Culberson to minor-league deal. NRI to spring training.

— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) November 21, 2015

• Heisey moves on.  Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Chris Heisey signs minor league deal with Nationals as NRI."
• Via Ben Badler at Baseball America, "Dodgers Agree To Sign Cuban Outfielder Yusniel Diaz." 

The Dodgers have an agreement to sign 19-year-old Cuban outfielder Yusniel Diaz for $15.5 million. Since Diaz is subject to the international bonus pools, the total price tag for the Dodgers will be $31 million, since they will have to pay a 100 percent overage tax on their pool signings. Even before reaching an agreement with Diaz, the Dodgers were already over their bonus pool, which means they won’t be able to sign any pool-eligible players for more than $300,000 for two years once the 2016-17 signing period begins on July 2. MLB.com first reported the agreement.

Diaz, who ranked No. 17 on Baseball America’s Top 20 Cuban player rankings in April, is 6-foot-1, 185 pounds with a lively, athletic frame and a track record of hitting well throughout the Cuban junior national leagues. After playing on Cuba’s 18U junior national team in 2013 and 2014, Diaz was a rookie with Industriales this past 2014-15 season in Serie Nacional. Diaz ranked sixth in the league in batting average, hitting .348/.447/.440 in 65 games with 36 walks, 33 strikeouts and seven stolen bases in 15 attempts. He almost certainly would have been the league’s rookie of the year had he not left the country soon after the season ended, but the award went to shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez instead.

• Via Ben Badler at Baseball America, "Dodgers Agree To Sign Cuban Second Baseman Omar Estevez."

“Estevez was kind of under the radar tools-wise, but he can hit,” said one scout. “It’s playable defense and he’s not the most agile guy to be in the middle of the diamond, but he has a polished bat. It’s not an athletic body, it’s not what you get excited about, but the way he recognizes pitches, his approach—you don’t see a lot of kids his age doing that.”

• Via Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA, "Dodgers’ other broadcaster set to return in 2016."
  

  Longtime Dodgers employee and former MLB manager Kevin Kennedy will be returning to the AM 570 LA Sports radio broadcast booth on a part time basis for the 2016 season.

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Blog Kiosk: 11/21/2015 - Dodger Links - Some Odds and Ends

Clayton Kershaw is seen with Easton Corbin and his band in the photo above, as tweeted by Kershaw's Challenge.  The other night, Kershaw and his charity Kershaw's Challenge held their 2nd Annual Live Benefit Concert in Dallas, Texas and Corbin was there to help out.  Check out the Kershaw's Challenge website here.

Below are more links to check out:

• Via Joey Nowak at MLB.com, "Dodgers honored for Vin's return video."

The Dodgers took home the first award of the day on Friday when it was revealed on social media that they were the recipient of this year's Best Video Board Moment Award.

It stems from an Aug. 28 game against the Cubs, when Dodgers partner Magic Johnson and talk show host Jimmy Kimmel delivered the news that beloved Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully would be returning in 2016 for his 67th season.

.@Esurance MLB Award for Best Video Board Moment goes to @Dodgers and legendary broadcaster Vin Scully. #AwardWorthy https://t.co/4FTGTBsDvD

— MLB (@MLB) November 20, 2015

• David Hood at True Blue LA reviews prospect Josh Sborz.

Sborz jumped between starting and relieving while at Virginia, but the Dodgers drafted him with the intention of returning him to the rotation. It’s easy to see physically why he should work in the role. Sborz is a well-built 6’3, 225 lbs. that isn’t in need of any additional physical projection. He has demonstrated solid arm strength in college and was often used as a multi-inning reliever, so stamina should not be an issue in converting to starting.

• FYI, the Dodgers palced Ross Stripling and Jharel Cotton onto their 40-man roster; thereby protecting them from the Rule 5 Draft

The #Dodgers have selected the contracts of RHPs Jharel Cotton and Ross Stripling to the club’s 40-man roster.

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) November 20, 2015

Eric Stephen at True Blue LA adds:

Stripling: "In minor league baseball, there really isn't a whole lot of transparency as far as knowing where you reside in an organization's mind, so this would be a great indicator to see exactly what they think of me what my future is as a Dodger."
Cotton: "It's an honor to be given this opportunity," Cotton said. "I've been working hard towards this, had a few bumps in the road but that's what made the pitcher I am today."

• Awesome!  This is definitely worth thumbing through.  Via Eric Nusbaum at Vice Sports, "We Made Juan Uribe a Free Agency Book."

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