Monday, September 30, 2013

First Two Games of NL Division Series is Set


This coming Thursday will be the start of the National Division Series match-up between the Dodgers and Atlanta Braves.  Below is a rundown on the days this series will happen:
  • Game 1: Thursday, October 3rd
  • Game 2: Friday, October 4th
  • Game 3: Sunday, October 6th
  • Game 4: Monday, October 7th (if necessary)
  • Game 5: Wednesday, October 9th (if necessary)
Well, up until a moment ago we did know the time the first two games would get underway. 

Now we know.  Per a MLB press release:
In the evening, the N.L. East Champion Atlanta Braves will host the N.L. West-winning Los Angeles Dodgers with an 8:37 p.m. (ET) first pitch in Game 1 of the NLDS at Turner Field. Both of Thursday's games will be exclusively televised by TBS.
and
Game 2 of the Dodgers-Braves NLDS will start at 6:07 p.m. (ET).
So, Thursday's Game 1 will be at 5:37 PM PST and Friday's Game 2 will be at 3:07 PM PST.  Also, these games will air on TBS.  It appears that if you have cable you should be able to watch it live while online.  Go here to sign in through your provider.


* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *
* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

An Off Day Video Interview with Shawn Green

Since we've got several days til the start of the playoffs for the Dodgers, I figured I'd fill this downtime with a fun little video interview with former Dodger Shawn Green.

Eddie Mata, a former MLB Fan Cave participant a year ago, got a hold of the slugging left-hander and was able to speak with him about his playing days with the Dodgers.  This interview is a part of Mata's "Where Are They Now" series, and I suggest checking them all out.  In the 3 weeks since he's opened the channel, Mata has already interviewed Paul LoDuca and Adam Kennedy.  He will also have an interview with former CY Young and Rookie of the Year winner Doc Gooden soon.

Now, watch his interview with Shawn Green below.

Video Link:

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *
* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

2013 Panini Prizm Baseball - All the Dodgers Cards

A couple of weeks ago Panini released their 2013 Prizm Baseball set.  Below are all of the Dodgers' cards that are available.  Also, to my surprise, there is a Mike Piazza autographed card as a Dodger.

#3 Clayton Kershaw                                #36 Andre Ethier

#42 Matt Kemp                                    #47 Hanley Ramirez


#94 Carl Crawford                               #99 Adrian Gonzalez

#135 Zack Greinke                            #202 Hyun-Jin Ryu

#260 Yasiel Puig                               #264 Paco Rodriguez

#287 Matt Magill

Rookie Challengers

#1 Yasiel Puig                                  #18 Hyun-Jin Ryu

SuperStar Spotlight

#8 Clayton Kershaw                                 #10 Matt Kemp

Band of Brothers Inserts 

#3 Adrian Gonzalez - Andre Ethier - Matt Kemp

Autograph Cards

#10 Shawn Tolleson                                #43 Paco Rodriguez

#66 Mike Piazza                                  #68 Carl Crawford

#75 Andre Ethier

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *
* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Calling for Help - Father of Jonathan Denver Pleading For Witnesses


Robert Preece, father of Jonathan Denver who was stabbed to death after a ballgame in San Francisco, spoke to the media this morning.  He is seeking witnesses to this horrific event.

Per Paul Elias at AP, emphasis is mine:
"Losing a child is a heartache no parent should have to endure," Preece said in his plea for witnesses to the fight. Montgomery was released from jail on Friday after the district attorney said police have not yet collected enough evidence to warrant criminal charges. Montgomery's father has told other media outlets that his son says Denver hit him over the head with a chair and he stabbed him in self-defense.

Preece, who is a Los Angeles Dodgers security guard, was with his son when the fight broke out. Preece said Sunday that he saw bystanders with mobile devices and believes they were recording the incident.
"The Montgomery family is likely suffering as well," Preece said. "I am making a plea to the public asking that anyone who may have witnessed the incident to come forth so that both families can have some measure of closure. I believe that someone may have videotaped the incident so we can discover the truth."
It seems likely that in tech-friendly San Francisco someone (if not multiple folks) would have recorded the argument, fight and stabbing on their phones. 

If you have any familiarity with this occurrence then please contact the local authorities.  If anything, it may provide some closure to both families.

Pic above via AP/Tony Avalar

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *
* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Blog Kiosk: 9/30/2013 - Dodgers Links - Ethier's Ailing, Wilson Get's His Ring and No to Cano


The National League Champions are finally home, pic via Dodgers tumblr.  Featured are Jerry Hairston Jr. and Kenley Jansen.  Check out a bunch of photos from Sunday from Jon SooHoo, here.
  • Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the Dodgers Blogger Night on Friday since I went to the Kings Frozen Fury this past weekend.  Thankfully, several other bloggers were there.  Check out their stories below.
*Sarah Wexler at "We're born again, there's new grass on the field".
*Craig Minami at "True Blue LA".
*Ross Gasmer at "Dodger Nation".
*Stacie Wheeler at "Lasorda's Lair".
  • "Dodgers lose, learn they're Atlanta-bound," via Mark Saxon at ESPN.
  • Andre Ethier may be down and out as well.


"I got my ring," Wilson said Friday at Dodger Stadium. "It's of no one's concern. It was handled.

"I'm not asking America to understand. I don't play games. I handled the situation. It's over with. It's squashed."
"We're basically trying to get him as many at-bats as we can so he can get the timing part without the running part," Mattingly said before Friday night's game against the Rockies. "That's really the main reason for going there, to be able to get 10-15 at-bats a day."
Bobblehead management has become something of an issue with popular teams. In April, the Dodgers issued a rule limiting the number of bobbleheads given away at games to one per ticket holder to deter hoarders—and to help ensure that the fans actually stick around for the action.
  • Per a Dodgers press release, "Dodgers name Zach Lee and Scott Schebler as the Branch Rickey Minor League Pitcher and Player of the Year".
  • Dodger Penguin snagged an autograph of team President Stan Kasten on a Baseball.
  • I count this as good news.  "Dodgers not interested in Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano: source," via Mark Feinsand at the NY Daily News.
According to a high-ranking National League executive with knowledge of the situation, the Dodgers have no intention to bid on Cano this winter, leaving the second baseman without one of the sport’s richest teams in the sweepstakes for his services.


    * Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *
    * Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

    Sunday, September 29, 2013

    Kemp's Baseball Season is Over


    Nooooo! 

    So, I spent the last several days in the "City of Sin" in order to partake in some general revelry and drunken debauchery with some fellow Kings fans at Frozen Fury.  That's an annual preseason event that ushers in the new hockey season.  I'll be sure to share some pics from that trip in the next few days. 

    Anyway, my temporary escape from Dodger Baseball meant that I missed the Dodgers Annual Blogger Night at the stadium for the first time since its inception in 2008, and the entire final series of the 2013 season against the Rockies.

    Needless to say, I missed a lot, but I had no idea how much until an hour ago.

    It was declared earlier today that Matt Kemp's 2013 Baseball season is officially over.




    Per Steve Dilbeck at The LA Times:
    Kemp, who came in second for the National League most-valuable-player award in 2011, saw his difficult, injury-filled 2013 season come to an end when the ankle that had sent him to the disabled list back on July 6 flared up again.

    Dr. Neal ElAttrache said the talus bone in his left ankle, one of the major weight-bearing bones in the foot, was swollen and in danger of fracturing.

    “We have to protect Matt,” ElAttrache said.
    Matt Kemp last played on Friday, but sat out the following game due to waht was thought to be a minor flare up in his ankle.
    “I felt good going home,” he said. “I woke up the next morning and my ankle was really stiff and sore. Usually, you wake up, you walk around and everything is good. And I got to the stadium and it just felt really, really, really bad.

    “It’s weird to me because I was playing and everything felt good. I didn’t twist my ankle or anything during the game. Just crazy. Really crazy.”
    This is horrible news and only strains an already ailing lineup that is starting to look woefully short of outfielders.  Andre Ethier is nursing a bad ankle and has not played in the field since Friday, September 13th.  Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA:
    "He is purposely not running the bases, in an effort to give his ankle maximum rest," said Dodgers director of medical services Stan Conte. "I really truly have to wait to see him Tuesday to see. We have to evaluate him day by day."
    In a year that has been filled with so many pitfalls, this loss just adds another hurdle that has to be crossed.  Considering what this team has accomplished so far, I see no reason why they can't make that leap.  Still, this is a great loss.

    Tony Jackson at Dodger Scribe has a video up featuring Dodger surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache speaking about Kemp's injury.  Watch it here.

    * Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *
    * Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

    Sunday Dodger Videos: Charley Steiner, Vin Scully and Christian - the Dodger Kid

    Here are this Sundays Dodger videos.

    Keith Olbermann's former SportsCenter co-anchor Charley Steiner, joins Olbermann to discuss the Los Angeles Dodgers' run to the playoffs.

    Video Link:

    Here is a new Dodgers commercial- just in time for the playoffs.  "A Whole New October"

    Video Link:

    Vin Scully takes a moment to humorously recap a San Francisco run-in with a group of local ladies offering "Free Hugs" to strangers.

    Video Link:

    Watch Christian, the Super Dodger Kid, in this fun little video.
    We hope this video brings a smile to your face even if you're not a fan of baseball or the Dodgers. Nothing makes our son happier than playing baseball and this video filmed just before his 5th birthday shows the many ways he has found to play baseball inside of our house. His passion and great luck have led him to meet many of his heroes and the slideshow at the end shows his journey from being discovered by Adam Sandler on YouTube for a baseball playing cameo role in "That's My Boy" at the age of 2 to being the youngest person to throw a ceremonial first pitch at an MLB game at the age of 3. Nobody in our family ever watched or played baseball so his fascination with the sport came as quite a surprise to us! The AP photo of his first pitch now hangs on the walls at Dodger Stadium and in the home of legendary Dodger pitcher Sandy Koufax. He is one lucky kid!

    Video Link:

    * Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *
    * Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

    Friday, September 27, 2013

    Blog Kiosk: 9/27/2013 - Dodgers Links - Kershaw, Hockey at Dodger Stadium and Hazing the Rookies


    The 13th edition of Dodgers Playbill features the Dodgers’ 2013 Roy Campanella Award winner Clayton Kershaw.  See it above.
    • Via Jesse Spector at the Sporting News, MLB Network's Bill Ripken: 'Dodgers have to be the team to beat'
    • Clayton Kershaw was named the winner of the eighth annual Roy Campanella Award, which is given to the Dodger player who best exemplifies the spirit and leadership of the late Hall of Fame catcher, per a Dodgers press release.
    • "Fatal stabbing after Dodgers-Giants game: Details of the attack," via Lee Romney at the LA Times.
    • This is truly the loss of a member of the Dodger family.  Here is the Dodgers statement regarding the passing of Jonathan Denver.
    "The Dodgers are shocked and saddened to learn of the death of Jonathan Denver, who is the son of one of our security guards."

    "There is no rational explanation for this senseless act which resulted in Jonathan's death. The pain that this has caused his family and friends is unimaginable. Words are not enough to describe our sadness. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family during this extremely difficult time."


    • Eric Stephen at True Blue LA also has the Dodgers rookie hazing photos.  "Dodgers rookie hazing photos emerge: Yasiel Puig, Hyun-jin Ryu, et al"





    * Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *
    * Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

    Thursday, September 26, 2013

    2013 Topps Chrome Baseball - All the Dodgers' Cards

    Yesterday was the official release date of 2013 Topps Chrome.  This set is basically a shinier version of its flagship set - using many of the same photos from their base cards.  Fortunately, there are a handful of exceptions and additions to the set.  The Carl Crawford and Zack Greinke base cards use brand new photographs, and Yasiel Puig and Matt Magill finally get a card of their own.  See a complete checklist of the set here.

    Below are the Dodgers' base cards in their shiny goodness.

    #19 Adrian Gonzalez                                  #20 Matt Kemp

    #25 Hyun-Jin Ryu                                #48 Andre Ethier


    #56 Carl Crawford                                #110 Matt Magill

    #138 Yasiel Puig                                 #161 Zack Greinke

    #175 Clayton Kershaw                          #182 Paco Rodriguez

    Like the Series 2 set, there are 4 different short-printed variations available to chase.  See all 4 below.  The Puig and Kershaw cards really stick out.

    Base Card Variations

    #20 Matt Kemp

    #25 Hyun-Jin Ryu

    #138 Yasiel Puig

    #175 Clayton Kershaw

    Every available Dodgers' autographed card is only available through a redemption card.  This includes Hyun-Jin Ryu, Yasiel Puig and Paco Rodriguez.  Sports Collectors Daily tells us that many of them did not arrive in time to be placed into packs.  Although, it appears that the Puig cards are at the Topps headquarters, ready to ship.  See an example below.


    1972 Topps Inserts

    #72C-CK Clayton Kershaw                   #72C-HJR Hyun-Jin Ryu


    #72C-YP Yasiel Puig


    Dynamic Die Cuts Inserts

    #DY-CK Clayton Kershaw              #DY-HJR Hyun-Jin Ryu

    #DY-HR Hanley Ramirez                     #DY-MK Matt Kemp

    #DY-YP Yasiel Puig


    Chrome Connection Die Cut Inserts

    #CC-AG Adrian Gonzalez                          #CC-MK Matt Kemp


    * Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *
    * Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *