2018 Topps Heritage Minor League - The Dodgers Cards

Released this week is Topps 2018 Heritage Minor League brand, as as you might've guessed it's filled with nothing but prospects. Go here to check out a complete checklist. Below are most of the Dodger cards found in packs.

Base

#5 Will Smith               #8 Jeren Kendall

Blog Kiosk: 9/28/2018 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Check out this AP wirephoto featuring Jackie (auction link here). Dated to April 24, 1960, it features Robinson joining a protest in Cleveland. Per a newspaper clipping attached to the reverse:

Jackie Robinson, former major league baseball star, grabbed a sign and joined pickets at Cleveland, Ohio, who protested discrimination against Negroes at lunch counters in the south. Pickets staked out a Cleveland store whose stubborn branches have been reported as refusing service to Negroes.

I somehow wanted to relate this photo to today's charged social and political climate, but struggled to find a path. Then, I came across something written by Steven Levingston at the Washington Post regarding the oftentimes contentious relationship between Jackie and John F. Kennedy:

“Without meaning to be impertinent, Mr. President, we have a suggestion,” Robinson said. He advised the president to go off somewhere alone and think about racial prejudice until he got as angry as he was about steel prices. Then the president could channel his fury into “the battle against the bigots in this country who are working harder to destroy it from within than any foreign power is working to destroy it from without.” Robinson wanted the president to inject some passion into his fight for civil rights. “Why Mr. President,” the baseball hero urged, “why don’t you get angry again?”

Is this the solution? Should folks around the country "go off somewhere alone and think about the" violence we've all been, to a certain extent, conditioned to accept as normal?  Three years later we finally heard JFK get angry, as Robinson suggested:

“We face,” (JFK) said “a moral crisis as a country and as a people. It cannot be met by repressive police action. It cannot be left to increased demonstrations in the streets. It cannot be quieted by token moves or talk.” He addressed civil rights in moral terms as no president ever had.

I still don't know if I accomplished my goal of relating the above photo to today's issues, but I do know that there is a moral crisis today and I think we'd be remiss not to touch upon it -- even on a sports-centered blog. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1988 Orel Hershiser broke Don Drysdale's Major League record for consecutive scoreless innings pitched at 59.  He went ten scoreless innings against the Padres in San Diego, but unfortunately did not walk away with the victory. The Dodgers eventually won in the 16th inning, 2-1.  In 1997 Mike Piazza set the Los Angeles Dodgers record for home runs at 40. He hit two homers against Rockies starter John Thomson in Colorado.
• Happy Birthday, Jack Fournier, Whitey Witt, Glen Moulder, Todd Worrell, Héctor Giménez & Jerry Sands!

2018 Bowman Chrome - The Dodgers Insert Cards

Here's a look at most of the Dodger insert cards found in packs of Topps 2018 Bowman Chrome. As I'm sure you know, it's filled with nothing but prospects; including a bunch of AFL Fall Stars cards of Matt Beaty.

Bowman Chrome Prospects Autographs

#CPA-CRI Carlos Rincon        #BCPA-DM Dustin May

Blog Kiosk: 9/27/2018 - Dodgers Links - Ugh!

We're not out, but it sure don't feel good.

Last night the Dodgers failed to win their series against the Diamondbacks, losing 7-2 to win just one-of-three games in Phoenix. So, now they enter their last series of the year - a three game set - against the Giants with the season on the balance. Fortunately, we still hold a one game lead for the last wild card spot, but I would much prefer to win the division.

On a side note, this last series against the Gnats is sure to be exciting. I hope my heart can take it.

In hopes of providing inspiration, please check out the above fantastic October 2, 1955 International News press photo taken by the legendary Herb Scharfman. It features a celebrating Dodger dugout and our slugging centerfielder, Duke Snider, after his second homer of the day during Game 5 of the World Series.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1936 future Dodgers Hall of Fame skipper Walter Alston played in his only Major League game. It was as an 24-year old first baseman for the Cardinals, and he got into the game as a late-inning substitution for Johnny Mize. He would commit an error on the field in two chances, and only get a single at-bat -- he struck out. In 1951 future basketball Hall of Famer Bill Sharman was on the bench for the Dodgers as a 25-year old prospect. On this day he would be thrown out of the game, along with 14 other teammates, for "bench-jockeying" after a close play at home. He would never get a chance to play a Major League game, and thus became the only player to be ejected from a game without ever appearing in one. In 1961 Sandy Koufax recorded seven strikeouts against the Phillies to set a new National League record for strikeouts in a season at 269. The mark was previously held by Giants hurler Christy Mathewson who set it in 1903 with 267 strikeouts. In 2000 the Team USA Baseball club, skippered by Tommy Lasorda, beat the Cuban ballclub to win the gold medal in the Olympics.
• Happy Birthday, Joe Visner, Doug Baird, Whit Wyatt, Len Matuszek, Jason Phillips, Vicente Padilla & Jon Garland!

2018 Bowman Chrome - The Dodgers Base Cards

Featured below are the Dodgers' base cards found in packs of Topps' 2018 Bowman Chrome brand. It officially hit store shelves today. Go here to see a complete checklist.

As with all Bowman products this set is all about prospects. Our top two are featured in the base set (Buehler and Verdugo) and our #1 pick from 2017 (Kendall) can be found in the prospects base set. Other notable up-'n'comer's found as inserts include Matt Beaty, Keibert Ruiz, Mitchell White, Carlos Rincon, Dustin May and Edwin Rios. I should have pics of all of these soon, so stay tuned.

Base

#34 Walker Buehler

Blog Kiosk: 9/26/2018 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Ugh... We are now in a theoretical tie with the Rockies.

Last nights game did not end the way we had all hoped -- losing 3-4. After clawing back from behind to tie the game in the ninth, Kenta Maeda gave up a walk-off homer on a 3-2 pitch to the first batter he faced, Eduardo Escobar -- a ballplayer who had been really great on my fantasy team. Per Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

"They're not in the playoffs this year, but you can't discredit that team," Hernandez said of the D-backs. "They have a lot of good players in that lineup. Really good bullpen. Our bullpen has been really good the last few weeks. We're human, we're baseball players, it happens. Just a tough night for them."

I thought I would show the above pic that recently sold on eBay. It features an acrobatic Pee Wee Reese floating above a sprawled-out Elston Howard. This is a classic depiction that is sadly a thing of the past. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1975 Burt Hooton set a Dodgers record for starters when he won his 12th consecutive game. In 1981 the Dodgers were no-hit by legendary fireballer Nolan Ryan of the Astros in Houston, 5-0. It would be the fifth no-no of his career. You can watch the last out of the game here. In 1997 Mike Piazza hit a change-up against former Dodger Darren Holmes 496 feet to left-centerfield - hitting a billboard between the scoreboard and the Rockpile - at Coors Field. It is deemed the longest homer ever hit at the stadium. You can watch the blast here. BTW, the Dodgers defeated the Rockies, 10-4. Per a Denver Post story:

“It was mammoth, man,” pitcher Darren Holmes said. “It was a big bomb.”

• Happy birthday, Bernie Neis & Brian Traxler!