Blog Kiosk: 8/24/2018 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Clayton Kershaw is one very serious ping pong player. Check out his getup, complete with an accessorized fanny pack, from last night's "Ping Pong 4 Purpose" charity event at Dodger Stadium. Per Rowan Kavner at Dodger Insider:

Athletes, actors and other celebrities spent the night playing Ping-Pong, eating, drinking and enjoying themselves all while helping kids in need. The Dream Center, just keep livin foundation and the International Justice Mission’s programs in the Dominican Republic were the three main beneficiaries of the event put on by Kershaw’s Challenge. 

“Every year, the beneficiaries keep getting better and better and the money raised gets more and more,” Clayton said. “The bottom line, we get to help a lot of kids and that’s pretty cool.”

Photo above of the Kershaw's and Bryan Cranston,via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2018 at Dodger Insider. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1960 Vin Scully famously had fans at Dodger Stadium wish third base umpire Frank Secory a happy birthday during the game.  In 1975 Davey Lopes stole three bases against the Expos to extend his Major League record of consecutive steals to 38. Then in the 12th inning of this same game he is thrown out at second base by Gary Carter. Coincidentally, Carter had been the last catcher to throw Lopes out before starting his record streak -- on June 4th. In 2007 the Dodgers signed free agent pitcher David Wells. In 2014 Joc Pederson became only the fourth player in the history of the PCL to have a 30-30 season, and the first to do it in 80 years, when he stole a base for the Albuquerque Isotopes (a Dodgers Triple-A affiliate). He would come up to Los Angeles later that September.
• Happy Birthday, John Brown, Kip Gross, Jeff Kubenka, Kevin Correia & Enrique "Kiké" Hernandez!

Padres Series Starts Friday - Player's Weekend - Stadium Giveaways, Pregame Info and Other Stuff!

The next homestand starts on Friday against the San Diego Padres. Below are some odds and ends for this upcoming homestand. Here are some important links:

• 2018 Broadcast Schedule
• Parking Information 
• Special Events Schedule
• Promotions & Giveaways Schedule
• Silent Auction Schedule 
• Friday Night Fireworks Schedule 
• Viva Los Dodgers Schedule
• Dodger Stadium Express / LA Metro  

This weekend is the second annual 'Players Weekend' throughout the Major Leagues. All teams will be wearing special uniforms with unique nicknames on their backs and have the opportunity to wear and use uniquely colored cleats, bats and other equipment. Each player will also have the opportunity to recognize someone who was instrumental in his personal development, or a baseball player who inspired him, on a jersey patch on his right sleeve (see that patch on the right). Check out the Dodger duds for this weekend below. Anthony Castovince at MLB.com provides more detail about this event here. This unique happening coincides with the Little League World Series championship in Williamsport, PA. Go here for the 2018 list of Dodgers' nicknames, via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com.

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Friday, August 24th at 7:10 PM

TV: SportsNet LA, SNLA Spanish

Radio: AM 570 LA Sports, KTNQ 1020

2018 Topps Now - #630 - Buehler & Flaherty Youngest Duo to Strikeout Nine in LA

Do you know what's worse than losing?

Having a Topps Now card issued that not only features your player, but also makes note that your team lost.

That's what we have here. Featured is the Dodgers' newest 2018 Topps Now card and it celebrates the fantastic pitching performances by yesterday's rookies starters -- Jack Flaherty and Walker Buehler. They both stifled the opposition. Flaherty struck out ten, had a no-no through five innings and allowed just one hit -- a Joc Pederson homer in the sixth. Buehler struck out nine Card's, allowed only three hits and gave up no runs. Unfortunately, Walker's efforts was not enough. Per Rowan Kavner at Dodger Insider:

“Walker did everything he could do,” Roberts said. “You could see the emotion there in the seventh inning. He emptied the tank.”

Blog Kiosk: 8/23/2018 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Buehler was fantastic last night, and I don't think it's hyperbole to say that he's on his way towards becoming an ace. Kenley Jansen, on the otherhand, hasn't been right since coming back from heart issues experienced in Colorado. Per Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

"Life sometimes is a fairy tale," he said. "Everything was going well. Just got stopped with A-Fib [atrial fibrillation] and here I am. Just got to figure out how to get out of this mess." 

Jansen hesitated, then sidestepped a question about any lingering side effects from his condition or the prescribed medication. 

"Sometimes, you just got to go through it, no excuse. You would never hear that from me," he said. "Feel good or not feeling good, no excuse, just tough it out. Last two days weren't my days. Be ready Friday. I just need one game, I'm very confident I'll get it back."

Once again, I mean to distract with a pic featuring Chase Utley and his three kids (that happens to also include Kike Hernandez), via Juan Ocampo/2018 Dodgers at Dodger Insider. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1958 Gil Hodges hit his 14th career grand slam. It set a new National League record for grand slams in a career. BTW, Don Drysdale also walloped two solo homers during this game. In 1989 Tommy Lasorda had Expos mascot Youppi! ejected from a game in Montreal during the 11th inning. The mascot was causing too much noise by jumping on top of the Dodger dugout roof during the 22-inning game. You can watch Youppi! get tossed here. BTW, the Dodgers defeated the Expose, 1-0, on an home run by Rick Dempsey in the 22nd inning.
• Happy Birthday, Red Downs, Phil Page, Lonny Frey, Dale Mitchell & Casey Blake!

Weekend Autograph Opportunity: Darryl Strawberry and Doc Gooden

Here are this weekends autograph opportunities and events throughout the Southland. As always, be sure to check the Blue Heaven Calendar for other events (a link can always be found on the tab at the top of this page, just left of center), and always confirm with the establishment. Everything is subject to change.  Please email me with any tips about upcoming events in Southern California.  As the rest of the week progresses I'll update this post with other events (if there are any), as I become aware of them.  Also, I don't always list every event below, so be sure to check my Calendar.  I always try to favor free signing events over paying events.  Click on any pic to embiggen.

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Former Dodger Darryl Strawberry and Mets legend Dwight "Doc" Gooden will be signing autographs at The OC Dugout in Anaheim on Sunday, August 26th from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. This is a pay per autograph event. Go here for more information.

The OC Dugout
1515 South Sunkist Street
Anaheim, CA, 92806
(714)761-6414

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Blog Kiosk: 8/22/2018 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Stop dawdling! We are running out of time.

The Dodgers lost again last night, 5-2, and the culprit was the lack of timely hitting. They went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Per Ken Gunick at MLB.com:

"It's more than just putting really good players together and now you're going to score seven or eight runs a night," said manager Dave Roberts. "The players we've acquired have done a great job, it's getting everybody else synched up. We get guys on base, now it's moving the line, and we're having a hard time doing that, let alone the two-out hit."
...
"As you're mired in this, it doesn't feel good," Roberts said. "It's a little contagious. You look around the room, these guys have a track record and that's something we expect them to come out of it. We have very good players. They're going to hit. They understand what's at stake."

I still have faith, but there's also a growing sense of fear. BTW, I mean to distract with the pic of Hello Kitty above, via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2018 at Dodger Insider. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1948 the Dodgers recorded a triple steal in the fifth inning of their game against the Boston Braves at Ebbets Field. Jackie Robinson stole home, Gene Hermanski took third and Pee Wee Reese swiped second base. In 1965 Giants hurler Juan Marichal attacked Johnny Roseboro with his bat while at the plate. He had been buzzing Dodger batters all day, so Roseboro - with Marichal at the plate - decided to throw the baseball back to his pitcher while at the same time making sure it barely missed Marichal's face. Quickly, benches cleared and a brawl commenced. See the pic on the right to see what I mean. In 2000 Eric Karros becomes the first Dodger in franchise history to hit two home runs in one inning. It was against the Expos.
• Happy Birthday, Ned Hanlon, Al Bashang, Jeff Weaver, Randy Wolf & David Huff!