2015 Bowman's Best - The Dodgers Insert Cards

Following up on the Dodgers base cards I shared last week, check out all of the insert cards that are available in Topps 2015 Bowman's Best packs below.  Several top-flight prospects are in this set; including Julio Urias and Corey Seager.  Autograph cards can be found for former 1st round draft picks Grant Holmes and Walker Buehler.

Best of 2015 Autographs

#B15-AG Adrian Gonzalez                    #B15-CD Chase De Jong

Blog Kiosk: 12/28/2015 - Dodger Links - Some Odds and Ends

Check out this fantastic action press photograph, found on eBay, of future Cardinals Hall of Famer Frankie Frisch being forced out at third base during a Thursday afternoon game at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis.  Making the play for the Dodgers is third-sacker Jim Bucher.  It is from a game played on September 19, 1935.  Unfortunately, the Dodgers would get walloped 9-1 this day by the eventually World Series victors.  BTW, this photo was once a part of the fantastic George Michael Collection (a noted sports broadcaster) of Baseball sliding press photos.

Below are more links to check out:

• RIP, Dave Henderson.  He died yesterday at the age of 57, via an AP report on FoxSports.  I still vividly remember his crushing home run during the 1986 ALCS against the Angels, and recall being kinda sad for my other 14-year old friends.  Secretly, though, I was overjoyed (since the Dodgers were nowhere near as good that season), and forever considered Henderson to be the greatest clutch hitter of all time (hey, I was 14).  I also remember being more fearful of him than anyone else in that A's lineup during the 1988 World Series.
• Via Rick McNair at Bosox Injection, "Former Boston Red Sox Alex Hassan signs with Dodgers."  He is 27 years old and signed a minor league contract as an outfielder.
• Look who's back.  The Dodgers signed Elian Herrera to a minor league contract over the weekend, via Mark Polishuk at MLB Trade Rumors.  Via Elian's twitter:

Thanks to the @Brewers for the last 2 yrs of support! I'm excited to be back at home with the @Dodgers in 2016! pic.twitter.com/6EHhQGpsvp

— Elian Herrera (@elianherrera_3) December 26, 2015

• Nice!  Cary Osborne at Dodger Insider shares, "The Dodgers’ best 30 plays of the second half."
• Harold Uhlman at Think Blue LA tells us a bit about, "‘Handy’ Andy Pafko – The Forgotten Dodger,"

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2015 Bowman's Best Baseball - The Dodgers Base Cards

After a decade long hiatus Topps has decided to bring back their Bowman's Best Baseball card brand as a standalone product, and it was officially released yesterday.  Check out all of the Dodger base cards below.  Go here for a complete checklist.

There are five Dodger players in the 100-card base set and two Dodger prospects in the companion Top Prospects set.

#10 Yasiel Puig

Blog Kiosk: 12/24/2015 - Dodger Links - Some Odds and Ends Before the Holidays

With the year coming to a close the Dodgers are sharing a bunch of old photos from the past 30 years of Jon SooHoo's tenure.  As you know, he's been the Dodgers official photographer for the past three decades.  You can check out those pics exclusively on their Instagram account; using the hashtag #soohoo30.  Go to this link to check them out.  The photo above features two young Dodger prospects before they would ever have an opportunity to put on a Major League uniform.  Meet prospects Blake DeWitt and Clayton Kershaw - "Before the Bigs."

Below are more links to check out:

• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Dodgers continue to show interest in Kenta Maeda."
• Former Dodger Jerry Sands has been claimed by the White Sox, via Jeff Todd at MLB Trade Rumors.
• A minor transaction.  Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Astros claim Daniel Reynolds off waivers from Dodgers."
• Panini provides an early peek at some of the 2015 National Treasures Baseball cards that will be hitting stores come early January; including the Joc Pederson card on the right.  Go here to check out a bunch more pics.
• The other night the LA Kings wore some fantastic Christmas themed jerseys for their pregame skate, and auctioned them that same evening to benefit the victims of the recent San Bernardino shooting.  Go here to check out the results.  Surprisingly, backup goalie Jhonas Enroth's jersey sold for the most - at $4,000.  Other sales include Jonathan Quick at $3,025; Anze Kopitar at $2,525; Drew Doughty at $2,275; and Alex Martinez at $2,025.  The below are pics of the jersey's via the LAKings on twitter:

• Panini shares a bunch of preview pics of their 2015 USA Baseball Box Sets that include cards of some of the best and brightest prep stars in the country.  Check it out here.  It doesn't look like any current Dodger prospects is a part of this set yet, but I suspect a player or two will eventually be in our system as some of the prep stars get old enough to be drafted.  Go here for a complete checklist.  BTW, this set is now officially available in stores.

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2015 Topps Strata Baseball - All the Dodgers Cards

Once just a fancy insert, Topps Strata has gone legit.  It is now its very own standalone Baseball card brand.  As you know, these are acetate cards that promises two hits per box.  BTW, boxes will cost you about $75 to $90 a piece for two cards.  Go here for a complete checklist.

As you can see, there is no base set.  Instead, every card either has an autograph, relic or both.  One of the Kershaw cards comes with a redemption.  There are a couple of cards I have yet to see, so I'll update this post once they come to light.

Autographs

#SA-AGZ Adrian Gonzalez                  #SA-CKW Clayton Kershaw

Happy Festivus Day! - The Airing of Grievances

A Festivus for the rest of us!

As has been the tradition on this blog, I will now begin this merry occasion with the "Airing of Grievances."

• SportsNet LA, Time Warner and the Dodgers management shall be forever hated by this and any right thinking fan for allowing this television debacle to continue.  For the love of God... This is Vin Scully's last season, and there are millions of fans STILL unable to hear his words!
• Damn you Zack Greinke!  Didn't you like it in LA?  Didn't we fans treat you right?  Are a few more dollars really worth moving to the hell-hole that is Phoenix?
• STOP with the Jose Fernandez rumors!  It's not going to happen.  
• And will those reporters/bloggers who keep pushing the Fernandez narrative, please stop.  It's obvious click-bait and it's disgusting.
• To those fans who insist that we should be willing to trade the farm for someone like Fernandez, I say you are wrong.  The Dodgers have a plan, and it consist of building a farm system that will continually provide players to feed the big club.  To turn around now, just as we are about to reap some rewards, is foolhardy.  As Peter Gammons said, this is about "21st century Branch Rickeyism."  Deal with it!
• There is never a reason to strike a woman - I'm looking at you Aroldis Chapman.
• Screw you TMZ.  You sensationalist A-holes!  You pushed the story that Puig committed some heinous violent act at some bar recently only to share a video of said altercation that is not him - obviously (link here).  Not only that, we learned that the initial story is likely far removed from reality (link here).

I'm sure as the day progresses I'll discover even more folks who should be on this list.  For now, this will have to do.  In the meantime, anyone want to wrestle?

Video Link:

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