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Friday, July 03, 2015

2015 Panini Elite Baseball - The Dodger Base Cards

Earlier this week Panini released their Elite Baseball card set.  Go here for a complete checklist.  This is a foil-based brand with a 200-card base set.  Check out all of the Dodger cards in the base set below.

Of note, this is the first Panini set to include ballplayers in their college Baseball uniforms.  Unfortunately, no Dodger players are a part of those insert sets.

#15 Joc Pederson                                 #35 Clayton Kershaw

Blog Kiosk: 7/3/2015 - Dodger Links - 14 New Dodgers Added to the Franchise Yesterday


With the All-Star Game just around the corner I though this AP press wire photo of the 1962 All-Star Game starting pitchers would be a good way to start this Independence Day weekend.  Featured above is Don Drysdale and Jim Bunning.  Pic via eBay.

Below are some links to check out:
  • Via Mark Saxon at ESPN, "Brandon League closing out rehab stint, designated for assignment."
  • Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider tells us a bit more about the nine international prospects the Dodger signed yesterday: "Dodgers sign nine international prospects, led by Yadier Alvarez, Starling Heredia."  Jon also spoke with Dodger senior vice president of baseball operations Josh Byrnes here: "Teenagers are no wasteland for Dodger international scouts."
On Alvarez: “He’s one of the more talented teenage right-handed pitchers who a lot of us who have been doing this a long time have seen,” said Byrnes, who added that Alvarez throws 97 mph, “occasionally touching 99-100, with very little effort and some pretty good feel for secondary pitches.”
On Heredia: “That is rare,” Byrnes said. “I don’t think it’s fair to comp him, but at least the physique (compares) to Kirby Puckett. Fireplug body, nicknamed ‘The Pitbull’ down there, and a real strength-speed combination. Very strong body, but even with that build, he can really run. In any arena, finding a good combination of strength and speed is really rare.”
  • Per a Dodger press release:
The Los Angeles Dodgers today acquired minor league right-handed pitcher Chase DeJong and infielder Tim Locastro from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for three international signing slots: 27, 57 and 117. DeJong and Locastro have been assigned to Single-A Rancho Cucamonga.

DeJong, 21, was recently promoted to the Blue Jays’ Single-A Dunedin affiliate in the Florida State League, but only appeared in games with Single-A Lansing of the Midwest League this year, where he was 7-4 with a 3.13 ERA, a .231 opponents’ batting average and a 1.08 WHIP in 14 starts. The Long Beach native is in his fourth year of pro ball and has an 11-13 record with a 3.69 ERA in 56 career games (45 starts). He was originally selected by Toronto in the second round of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft out of Woodrow Wilson High School.

Locastro, 22, had a .310/.409/.421 slashline this year with Lansing, hitting five home runs and driving in 25 runs in 70 games. He has a .305 career batting average and a .399 on-base percentage in 180 minor league games in three professional seasons, earning selections as a 2014 MiLB.com Toronto organization All-Star and also a 2014 Single-A Northwest League All-Star. The New York native was originally selected by the Blue Jays in the 13th round of the 2013 First-Year Player draft out of Ithaca College.
  • And here's another Dodger press release on an acquisition of a couple more players-this time from the Braves:
The Los Angeles Dodgers today acquired minor league right-handed pitcher Caleb Dirks and outfielder Jordan Paroubeck from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for international signing slot No. 87. Dirks has been assigned to Single-A Rancho Cucamonga and Paroubeck will head to Arizona and continue rehabbing a minor quad injury.

Dirks, 22, made 17 combined relief appearances for the Braves’ Single-A Rome and Single-A Advanced Carolina affiliates, going 1-2 with three saves and posting a 0.68 ERA (2 ER/26.2 IP). Since being promoted to Single-A Advanced Carolina on May 8, he has pitched 16.2 scoreless innings in 11 relief appearances and was limiting hitters to a .148 average (8-for-54). The Riverside, CA native is in his second professional season and has a 2-2 record with a 1.53 ERA in 38 career games. He was originally selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 15th round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft from California Baptist University.

Paroubeck, 20, was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the second round (69th overall) of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft out of Serra High School in San Mateo, CA. The switch-hitter batted .286 with four homers, 24 RBI and 26 runs scored in 34 games (all in left field) for San Diego’s Arizona League squad last season. In 2015, the 6’2 Paroubeck was dealt from San Diego to Atlanta in the Craig Kimbrel trade and played in 25 extended spring training games this year. 

    Per Eric Stephens it's a minor league contract (link)

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