2016 Bowman Chrome Baseball - All the Dodgers Insert Cards

Following up on the base cards I shared last week, below are all of the various Dodgers insert cards that are available in packs of 2016 Bowman Chrome.  There are a ton of prospect autograph cards; including Yadier Alvarez, Willie Calhoun and Oneal Cruz.  In fact, these are the first certified autograph cards for both Calhoun and Cruz.

Chrome Rookie Autographs

• #BCAR-JU Julio Urias  - redemption

#BCAR-CS Corey Seager                  #BCAR-FM Frankie Montas

Blog Kiosk: 9/12/2016 - Dodgers Links - Ethier, Seager, Oklahoma City and Some Dodger Hazing

As you no doubt heard, the Dodgers held their annual "rookie hazing" spectacle on Sunday evening - after their shutout loss to the Marlins.  Above is one of many pics of the guys that are circulating around the 'net.  In years past this event was held during their roadtrip to San Francisco.  This time, however, they decided to have fun with the rookies during their trip to New York.

Photo above via @Dodgers on twitter.  You can go here, here, here, here, here or here to see even more pics.  Best yet, Yasiel's charm came back in classic style.  He borrowed someone's Dodgers cheerleader outfit and did a little dance for the Dodgers and LA's newest team the Rams.  Heck, he even tweeted the gif to Rams rookie quarterback Jared Goff.  To the right is a screengrab, and you can go here to see the gif.  Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers Baseball:  In 1930 Dodger catcher Al Lopez hit the Major Leagues last bounced home run.  Before this day "ground-rule doubles" were recorded as home runs.  In 2000 Dave Hanson broke former Dodger Johnny Frederick's record for pinch-hit home runs during a season with his seventh homer of the year against Curt Schilling of the Diamondbacks.  BTW, Johnny Frederick set his record of six homers on this exact same date in 1932.

Rich Hill's Perfecto Halted when Pulled in Seventh - 2016 Topps Now - #440

Rich Hill finally gets his own Topps Now Baseball card.  Unfortunately, it isn't as grand as it could have been.  As you know, Rich Hill was in the midst of throwing a perfect game yesterday when he was, to the surprise of many, pulled after the seventh inning with a 5-0 lead over the Marlins.  As indicated on the front of the card, this marks the "Longest Perfect-Game Bid By Pitcher Removed From A Game Since 1900."

Not exactly something you want to be remembered for, eh?

Blog Kiosk: 9/11/2016 - Dodgers Links - Joe Davis, Kuroda, Buehler and Vin Scully

ICYMI: The Dodgers will be giving out a special commemorative edition of Dodger Insider magazine celebrating the life and career of Vin Scully to the first 50,000 fans in attendance on Sunday, September 25th on Fan Appreciation Day.  You can see it above.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodger History:  In 1998 Kevin Malone is named the Dodgers GM, replacing Tommy Lasorda.  Fans old enough will remember this one.  In 1983 RJ Reynolds squeezed home Pedro Guerrero in the ninth for an improbably walk-off victory against the Atlanta Braves.  The Dodgers scored four runs in the ninth to win.  Tommay Lasorda called his decision to call fro the squeeze his most "daring" of his career.

2016 Bowman Chrome Baseball - The Dodgers Base Cards

The newest product to hit the hobby shelves is Topps 2016 Bowman Chrome Baseball card set.  As always, it tends to focus on many of the prospects we have been reading about.  Go here for a complete checklist.

This years set includes the very first Bowman base cards for Oneal Cruz and Yadir Drake.  Hilariously, Yadir Drake is no longer with the Dodgers.  As an 26-year old Cuban signee Drake had to outperform at the lower levels in the minor right away in order to have a real shot at any Major League dreams.  Unfortunately, that did not happen.  Yadir slashed .109/.155/.127/.282 while with the Tulsa Drillers earlier this season, and was subsequently released by the team on May 27th.  Why Topps decided to give him a card?... I dunno.

Oneal Cruz, on the other hand, was sixteen years old when he signed with the Dodgers last year, and performed quite well during his first year of professional play in the Dominican Summer League.  He slashed .294/.367/.444/.811 as a seventeen year old.  BTW, this isn't exactly Oneal's first pro card.  He actually has another Bowman card found in the 2016 Bowman set, but it's an "International Signings" insert card (see that here).

Chrome Base

#25 Kenta Maeda                                      #40 Corey Seager

Blog Kiosk: 9/9/2016 - Dodgers Links - Minor League Playoff Updates and Clayton Kershaw Day

It is now officially Kershaw Day.  He'll be stepping back on the mound for the first time since going down on the DL over two months ago.  I'd like to think Clayton would return just as good as when he left, but let's get real.  We should not expect him to be a Cy Young pitcher right out of the gate.  Per Ken Gurnick at MLB.com: 

"To be off two months and not be in a competitive situation, everybody has to be conscious that he's not in midseason form," said Honeycutt. "He wouldn't be going out there unless he felt well enough to do it. At the same time, he still has not been in a competitive situation at the big league level, using all of his pitches. At that time in '14, it was the curveball that was not as good as it can be. That's not only a control pitch, it's a feel pitch and a release point."

For purposes of managing expectations, recall that Kershaw threw seven scoreless innings in his first start off the disabled list in 2014, but he then lost three of his next four starts -- including a seven-run, 1 2/3-inning disaster in Arizona -- before rewriting the record books.

I'm just happy to have him back.

Photo above was tweeted by Kiké Hernández.  Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodger History:  In 1948 Brooklyn Dodgers starting pitcher Rex Barney throws a no-hitter against the Gaints at the Polo Grounds, 2-0.  In 1965 Sandy Koufax threw his perfect game at Dodger Stadium against the Cubs, 1-0.  You can listen to Vin Scully's call of the ninth inning here. 
• Happy Birthday, Kaz Ishii!