Weekend Autograph Opportunities: A Dodgers Blue Weekend!

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.

UPDATE:
I have just received word that former Kings forward and current television color man Jimmy Fox will be in Autograph Alley on Friday, August 24th in celebration of Stanley Cup Champions Los Angeles Kings Night.  He will be there from 5:20 PM to 6:20 PM.

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Autograph Alley at Dodger Stadium

Fri, August 24
5:10pm – 6:30pm
Lee Lacy

UPDATE:

Fri, August 24
5:20pm - 6:20pm
Kings- Jim Fox   See info here.

Sat, August 25
4:10pm – 5:30pm
Derrel Thomas

Sun, August 26
11:10am – 12:30pm
Matt Luke

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Luis Cruz will be signing free autographs at the Staples Store in Huntington Park at noon to 1:00 PM on Friday, August 24, 2012.

Staples Store 
3090 E Slauson Ave 
Huntington Park, CA 90255

323-277-3706

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Tim Leary will be signing free autographs at the Puente Hills Hyundai on Saturday, August 25 from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Puente Hills Hyundai

8585 W. Sunset Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90069

Hat Tip: True to the Blue

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This coming Sunday, August 26th is Dodger Fun in the SUN-Day at the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes home game.  Tommy Davis is scheduled to sign free autographs prior to the game.

The Epicenter
8408 Rochester Avenue
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730

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This coming Thursday, August 23rd is the 8th Annual Manny Mota's Field of Dreams Charity Golf Tournament at the California Country Club in Whittier.  Go here for information.  The facebook page for this event is here.  The Manny Mota Foundation website can be found here.

California Country Club
1509 Workman Mill Rd
Whittier, CA 90601

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A 2011 Topps Diamond Kuo

Another 2011 Topps Diamond embedded card of a Dodger recently showed up on eBay, and it's of Hong-Chih Kuo.  I had featured a James Loney diamond card a few weeks ago, so go here to see that.

It had sold for $300.00.  I don't know if that's a fair value or not, but considering its uniqueness I'm not surprised it reached that level.  On top of that, there remains many Kuo collectors out there, so this will no doubt be the cream of that collection.

(eBay Auction)

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Wow! Rubby's Back in Blue!

I'm shocked... I did not expect this at all; especially at this point of the season.  Sure, I thought the likelihood that he would be back at Dodger Stadium when the rosters expanded to be pretty high, but now?

I guess his recently pitching has been far too impressive to ignore.  I suspect that he'll be coming out of the pen.  Furthermore, I'd be surprised if he gets a lot of work considering he got Tommy John Surgery last year.  Per a Dodgers press release:

The Los Angeles Dodgers today reinstated right-handed pitcher Rubby De La Rosa from the 60-day disabled list and optioned right-handed pitcher Javy Guerra to Triple-A Albuquerque. Guerra appeared in 44 games for Los Angeles, posting a 2-3 record with eight saves and a 2.66 ERA (13 ER/44.0 IP).

De La Rosa, the Dodgers’ 2010 Branch Rickey Minor League Pitcher of the Year, had been on the disabled list since undergoing Tommy John surgery on Aug. 9, 2011. In the minor leagues this season, the 23-year-old posted a 1-0 record and did not allow a run to score over 12.0 innings in stints with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga and the Arizona League Dodgers. In 13 appearances (10 starts) with the Dodgers in 2011, the native of the Dominican Republic was 4-5 with a 3.71 ERA. De La Rosa will wear uniform number 41.

The number of players on the Dodger 40-man roster is now 40.

Below is a video of Rubby pitching a couple of weeks ago for the Rancho Cucamonga Storm.

Video Link:

Here are his stats from Baseball Reference.  You'll notice that he has pitched a total of 12 innings this year in 4 total appearances and has yet to give up a run.  His last game was on the 18th, and he pitched 4 innings.  Rubby gave up 2 hits while striking out 2 and walking 1.

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Gangnam Style at Dodger Stadium? What the Heck?

I will be perfectly frank.  I had no idea what Gangnam Style was, and I suddenly find my "out of the loop" position a little disconcerting.

It use to be that I was a hip dude.  I knew about what was coming up and what the trends where.  Of course, that was 20 years ago.  Ya see, I just turned 40 a month ago, and I'm only now grasping at the reality that I AM AN OLD GUY.

So, in hopes of gaining some cred I'm writing this little ditty in hopes of discovering the fountain of youth. 

Gangnam Style is (according to Know Your Meme) a song performed by Korean pop star JSY, and he has gone viral.  According to reddit (who I owe thanks for introducing me to all of this) his strangely weird and funny dance has taken the world by storm, and I don't quite know if the world is better off for it.

All I do know is that the guy sitting at JSY's right in the photo below from last nights game does not look impressed.  He's downright miserable. 

(pic via: A Korean website)

Here is a video posted Jongeon777kim on youtube from last nights game.  The crowd goes wild when they play JSY's song and goes even wilder when he does his dance.

Video Link:

BTW, here is the video that has been driving the world mad.

Video Link:

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Dodgers Blog Kiosk: 8/21/2012

For those of you already sick of the current collectors cups offered at the Dodger Stadium should be happy to hear that the Dodgers just released this seasons third edition for this current homestand.  See it above.  Pic via twitter @Dodgers.

• Steve Dilbeck at the LA Times notes that Matt Kemp is in his first slump in years.

"Tonight, this guy is a tough matchup," Mattingly said. "It's a tough matchup for a lot of guys with [his arm] angle. Matt's killed left-handers all year long, but this guy's a tough angle. He's a tough see.

"I think [Kemp's] been a little impatient, swinging at balls out of the strike zone a little bit. They kind of pounded him [inside] in Pittsburgh, and he kind of got a little conscious. That'll get you in trouble. He needs to stay with what he does. You start looking for that ball in, you're in trouble.”

• Orel at Sons of Steve Garvey transcribes Vin Scully's broadcast yesterday about villains in the Dodgers-Giants rivalry, and how no one appears to be cast as a villain today.  Vin expects that will change soon.
• 'Topes Tattler notes that Tim Federowicz has been named the best defensive catcher and Lorenzo Garner was named best managerial prospect in the PCL by Baseball America.
• FS West notes the positive influence Manny Mota has had on Hanley Ramirez.

"I explained to him about this organization and its great history, winning tradition," Mota said. "He told me he's very proud and pleased and happy to wear the Dodger uniform."

Mota said he's known Ramirez, 28, since watching Ramirez play as a youngster in the Dominican Republic and that "he still hasn't reached his potential. He's still learning how to play the game and he's still maturing, as a man, as a player."

• Check out a video from last night of Misty May-Treanor receiving a nice ovation from the Dodger Stadium crowd.

• I don't know why I haven't been doing this all summer.  Today I bring to you todays. Stanley Cup Happenings.  It is Kevin Westgarth's day with Lord Stanley.  Pic via twitter @FoxSportsWest.  BTW, since they won the cup I literally have spend at least half an hour every day watching and re-watching highlight videos.  I can't help myself.  The Kings winning the Stanley Cup is still unbelievable to me.  I wake up every morning doubting that it happened, and find the need to remind myself that it wasn't a dream. BTW, on a side note I heard through the grapevine that Sidney Crosby is staying in Santa Monica this summer and practicing at the Kings training facility.

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Collection: More Vintage Comic Baseball Postcards

If you watch the game long enough you will see things you could not imagine possible. Sometimes, Baseball is just a barrel of laughs.

For instance, would you believe that a multimillion dollar pitcher could throw a pitch that would land 30 feet from home plate?  Well, Barry Zito did it.

It's impossible to steal first base, right?  Well, guess what?  Germany Schaefer did it about 100 years ago.  Heck, he stole 3 bases on three consecutive pitches without getting past second base. 

And the stories can go on from there for an eternity.  You see, Baseball isn't just a sport filled with gifted athletes.  It is also a game filled with wonder and laughs.  For that reason, I wanted to share some more vintage comic Baseball postcards from my collection in hopes of providing some comic relief.

Featured here are circa 1910's era postcards showing couples fooling around on the diamond.  They are light and whimsical.  On top of that, for a collector they are affordable.  The average postcard like this should cost you about $5 and can likely be had for less if you find a lot of postcards for sale all at once.

I, for one, believe that no vintage Baseball collection is complete without a handful of these kind of beauties in it.  It's like a homage to what Baseball really is.  It is a game meant to make us cheer, pray, smile, and laugh.

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