Blog Kiosk: 9/23/2014 - Dodger Links - I'd Call the Game a Comedy, but I'm Not Laughing

Yeah... That sucked.

The Dodgers shoulda coulda won last night, but they didn't.  Dan Haren pitched great in a no-decision and in the process earned a vested player option for next season.  The Dodgers bats, after exploding over the recent roadtrip, were eerily quiet.  The ultimate cause for last nights loss was not the bullpen who couldn't get three-in-a-row out if their life depended on it.  Instead, it was a defensive misplay in right-centerfield in the third inning that lead to a run scoring for the Giants.  If not for that the Dodgers would have won.

I would usually chalk up this defeat as just "Baseball being Baseball," but with the season winding down and the division title on the line all it does is make me sweat... and worry... and sweat some more.

Of note, I do believe it's pertinent that AJ Ellis was pulled for a pinch runner in the seventh inning.  At that point, the Giants had been held to only one hit behind the battery of Haren and Ellis.  Thereafter, the battery of Drew Butera and the bullpen gave up eleven hits.  That's not to say that Butera is a slouch behind the plate (he isn't), or that our bullpen is subpar (it can be, but not that bad).  It's just that I believe it's always a bad idea to replace a catcher who has a feel for the game at hand; especially one who is so depended on to call a good game.  When preparing for any game the catcher is uniquely involved in scouting the other teams batters.  As the game progresses he gains a feel for how those batters are approaching their at-bats that day.  Therefore, a catcher coming in cold during the middle of the game is always at an disadvantage and may often error when calling pitches.

That's just my two cents.  You might disagree.

We have a 3.5 game lead over the Giants and the magic number stays at three games.  Oy Vie!  Graphic above via @SportsNet LA on twitter.  Below are some links to check out.

• Via Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider, "Breaking down the breakdown: What happened with Puig and Kemp on that fly ball?"
• The Dodgers announced yesterday that Clayton Kershaw was named the winner of the ninth 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. The award, which was voted upon by Dodger uniformed personnel, was presented to Kershaw by Campanella’s daughter, Joni Campanella Roan, and Special Advisor to the Chairman Don Newcombe during pregame ceremonies yesterday.  This is the second year in a row he has won the award.  Check out the Dodger press release here. 
• BTW, Dan Haren's option for 2015 has now officially vest, via Jeff Todd at MLB Trade Rumors.

Dodgers starter Dan Haren now holds a $10MM player option for next season after notching his 180th inning on the year. By reaching that mark, he also triggered a $500K bonus (on top of $1.5MM in innings-pitched and games-started bonuses already met).

• Panini's newest high-end Baseball card set called the Immaculate Collection comes out on Wednesday.  Go here to check out some more preview pics on their blog; including the Mike Piazza as a Dodger card on the right.
• Cora at Sons of Steve Garvey shares his experience participating the the recent LA Dodgers Foundation 5K race.  I might just have to join up for this next year.
• Oscar Martinez of AllTrade Bait fame wrote a piece for Lasorda's Lair, "The Betrayals Of Chavez Ravine And Los Angeles Dodger Fans."  He, along with many Dodger fans, remain unhappy about the lack of Dodger baseball on TV.
• Hilarious!  Via Grant Brisbee at McCovey Chronicles, "Giants reveal horrifying Buster Posey bobblehead."
• On a positive note, preseason hockey has just begun.  The LA Kings look to defend their Stanley Cup Championship this season, and as always I'll be going to a bunch of games (I'm a longterm season ticket holder up in the rafters).  In the past, I haven't posted much about those games, but who knows... Maybe that will change.

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2014 Topps Heritage Minor League Baseball - The Dodger SP Variation Cards

Following up Friday's post where I shared pics of all the Dodger prospect base cards found in Topps 2014 Heritage Minor League card set, I now focus on a handful of short printed base variations that are available.  Check them out below.

Both Julio Urias and Joc Pederson have a variation card available.  It is not known at this time how scarce they are.

Base SP Variations Set

#55 Julio Urias 
Variation Card                                    Normal Base Card 

#160 Joc Pederson 

Variation Card                                    Normal Base Card

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Joc Pederson's MLB Call-Ups Topps Card Selling Out Fast

This morning Topps announced their newest direct sale card creation and it includes one of the Dodgers brightest young prospects.  Check out the Joc Pederson card above.  The set is called MLB Call-Ups, they measure 10" x 14" and it borrows the vintage 1959 Topps Baseball card design.  There are three different variations available.  The card above with the blue background is the most common with 49 cards available ($29.99).  There is also a red background version that is limited to only 10 copies ($49.99), and a green background version that is a "1 of 1" ($99.99).  When I opened up my email this morning I discovered that both the red and green variations had already sold out.  Go here to check them out on the Topps website.

The MLB Call-Ups set consist of eight cards and includes many of the MLB's top prospects.  Below is a checklist:

• Jorge Soler
• Javier Baez
• Anthony Ranaudo
• Joc Pederson
• Maikel Franco
• Trevor May
• Cory Spangenberg
• Rymer Liriano

A postcard sized set of all eight cards is also available (numbered to only 49 copies), but that is sold out.  This limited edition set is looking like it might be Topps most successful offering to date.  Of the 25 different cards for sale (three variations of each player and a postcard complete set) nine have already sold out in less than 24 hours. 

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Blog Kiosk: 9/22/2014 - Dodger Links - Some Odds and Ends

Yesterday afternoon the Dodger bats continued their hot-hitting-ways by driving in eight runs on sixteen hits against the Cubs, and this time the bullpen didn't falter like on Saturday.  In fact, yesterday's game was a bullpen game; meaning that the pitching would be done solely through the 'pen.

The elder statesman of the staff, Jamey Wright, came out to start the game.  Then, Carlos Frias came in to relieve him after a couple of innings.  He was followed by Chris Perez, Paco Rodriguez, Pedro Baez and Kenley Jansen.  It was like experiencing a Spring Training game during the regular season.

Overall, they gave up five runs, eight hits and struck out a collective 13 batters.  The Dodger offense was fueled by Matt Kemp who had a home run, three singles and four RBI's.  On top of that, five other Dodgers had multiple hits.

With the victory, the Dodgers now have a firm strangle hold on the National League West Division title. They now lead the Giants by 4.5 games and saw their magic number shrink to three games.  With the Giant series starting tonight the Dodger have a chance to clinch the division with San Francisco looking on if they win two games.

BTW, on Sunday the Dodgers held their first annual LA Dodgers Foundation 5K run at Dodger Stadium.  As you can see in the above photo tweeted out by the @Dodgers there was a large crowd on hand.  There were 3,805 runners.  Now, below are some links to check out:

• Go here to check out some photos from yesterday's game via Jon SooHoo.
• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Ryu could return to action before postseason."
• Via Mark Saxon at ESPNLosAngeles.com, "Gordon looks forward to 'first time' clinching."

He said he is looking forward to the Dodgers’ next playoff-clinching party because it will feel like his first. Gordon spent most of last season at Triple-A Albuquerque, starting just 23 games for the Dodgers. Even though he made the postseason roster, primarily so he could be used as a pinch runner, Gordon said he didn’t consider himself part of that 2013 team that made it to the NLCS.

“That didn’t count,” Gordon said. “I didn’t feel like I was part of it, to be honest. I hadn’t been there all year. This will be a great moment for me.”

• "Haren not focused on clinching against rivals," via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com.

"To tell you the truth, when we swept them [in San Francisco] two months ago, the feeling in the clubhouse was that we needed to sweep. We understood the magnitude of the series even months ago. We've played really well to be in a good position. Now we don't have to sweep, just play good ball. "

• I had failed to mention this over the weekend.  The hazing in Chicago of the Dodger rookies didn't end with only costume play.  Joc Pederson got treated extra special by the grisly Dodger veterans.  On Friday morning he was tasked with fetching some coffee at a nearby Starbucks.  As you can see in the photo below (as instagramed by Joc himself) he completed the task in full uniform.  The person helping him out (walking in front of Joc) is Dodger Clubhouse Manager Mitch Poole.

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Giants Series Starts Tomorrow - Scheduled Autograph Signings, Game Give Aways and Other Stuff!

The next homestand starts tomorrow against the San Franicso Giants, and several olde-tyme Dodgers will be in the house to sign free autographs for fans.  Below are the scheduled autograph opportunities and other odds and ends for this upcoming homestand.

Remember fans, this homestand is all about the #DodgerBlueOut.  Come out to the game is all of the Blue you've got.  There'll be Blue balloons at stadium entrances, Blue face painting, photo booths with Blue props, seat upgrades for fans in their Bluest-Blue outfits, a special Blue Heaven dog, and Blue Margaritas.  WooHoo!

“We want to encourage all Dodger fans to help us create the most electric atmosphere possible at the series with the Giants by wearing their blue and encouraging their friends to do the same,” said Dodgers’ Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer Lon Rosen.  “Our goal is to create a sea of blue that will make for a truly special fan experience during what promises to be a very exciting series.”

As I said, the Extreme Loaded Dog concession stands will be making the Blue Heaven Dog, an all-beef hot dog topped with blue cheese, coleslaw and chopped applewood smoked bacon. It will be available Monday through Wednesday at extreme loaded dog concession stands on the Field, Loge and Reserve levels.

BTW, the remaining six home games of the season will be aired on KDOC - free for everyone.  KDOC can be seen on the following channels:

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Monday, September 22nd at 7:10 PM
Jake Peavy vs. Dan Haren

Monday's game starts at 7:10 PM.  Auto gates open at 4:30 PM, and stadium gates open at 5:00 PM.  This afternoon the Dodgers celebrate Clayton Kershaw's No-Hitter.  The first 40,000 fans will receive an Kershaw Commemorative No-Hitter Pin.  Check it out on the left.

Hall of Fame Manager and Special Advisor to the Chairman Tommy Lasorda along with his family will partake in the ceremonial first pitch in celebration of his 86th birthday. Frank Sinatra Jr. will perform the national anthem.  The Dodgers will play host to their second and final Cheer Night event of the 2014 season. Prior to the game, 20 of Southern California’s most elite teams will showcase their talents in a special pre-game performance in front of more than 3,000 family and friends.

Former Dodgers Mickey Hatcher (in right-field pavilion plaza) and Derrel Thomas (in left-field pavilion plaza) will be signing autographs for fans from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM.  Dodgers Radio AM 570 Fox Sports LA’s Petros and Money show will broadcast live from the left-field pavilion plaza.

• The Veteran of the Game presented by Bank of America is U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Miguel Mata of Los Angeles. Mata enlisted in 1996 and serves as Chief Hospital Corpsman with Fleet Surgical Team Three in San Diego. He is responsible for training enlisted sailors and ensures they maintain their skill sets by working in various military medical clinics in San Diego. Mata’s deployments include Baghdad, Iraq, and he recently returned from serving onboard the USS Boxer for operations in the Western Pacific, Arabian Sea, Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. His accolades include the Combat Action Ribbon and three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, one with a combat distinguishing device for valor. 
• During pregame ceremonies, the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) will recognize more than 700 California Masons and their friends and family to announce a 2015 partnership with the Masons-4-Mitts Program. The organization will be represented on field by Deputy Grand Master Russ Charvonia and Executive Vice President, California Masonic Foundation Doug Ismail. Beginning April 2015, Southern California Freemasons will conduct a friendly competition during the Dodgers’ season creating regional “teams” with a goal of raising money for the children in the Dodgers RBI program - $20 at a time – to give them the simple, but meaningful gift of their own high quality baseball mitt.

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Tuesday, September 23rd at 7:10 PM
Madison Bumgarner vs. Zack Greinke

Tuesday's game starts at 7:10 PM.  Auto gates open at 4:30 PM, and stadium gates open at 5:00 PM.  The first 40,000 fans will receive an sleeved Dodger blanket.  Check it out on the left.

Bruce Buffer, sports and entertainment announcer known worldwide as UFC’s “Voice of the Octagon,” will throw the ceremonial first pitch. Atlantic recording artist and nine-time Grammy nominee TANK! will perform the national anthem. Clayton Kershaw will be recognized before the game as the Dodgers' nominee for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award.

Former Dodgers Lee Lacy (in right-field pavilion plaza) and Dennis Powell (in left-field pavilion plaza) will be signing autographs for fans from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM.  Dodgers Radio AM 570 Fox Sports LA’s Petros and Money show will broadcast live from the left-field pavilion plaza.

• The Veteran of the Game presented by Bank of America is U.S. Army Captain Stephen Shaw of Lakewood. Shaw joined the National Guard in 2003. He was commissioned into the Army and active duty service in 2010 after serving a deployment in Kosovo. Among his numerous jobs, Shaw served as a combat advisor in Afghanistan as part of a 12-man team that trained and worked side-by-side with an Afghan Army Infantry Battalion in the Ghazne Province. He also served as a company commander responsible for 120 soldiers and their families. Shaw’s accolades include the Army Commendation Medal and the Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan Campaign Medals.

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Wednesday, September 24th at 7:10 PM
Tim Hudson vs. Clayton Kershaw

Wednesday's game starts at 7:10 PM.  Auto gates open at 4:30 PM, and stadium gates open at 5:00 PM.

Legendary Laker Elgin Baylor will throw the ceremonial first pitch in celebration of his 80th birthday which was on September 16. The U.S. Air Force A Capella Band will perform the national anthem.  The Bryan Brothers, identical twins and American professional doubles tennis partners, will throw an honorary first pitch. Camarillo natives Bob and Mike Bryan, the No. 1 doubles team on the ATP World Tour, recently became the first team in men’s tennis to win 100 titles together, including 16 grand slams, at the US Open. They have finished as the No. 1 team in the world nine times.

Former Dodgers Tim Leary (in right-field pavilion plaza) and Matt Luke (in left-field pavilion plaza) will be signing autographs for fans from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Dodgers Radio AM 570 Fox Sports LA’s Petros and Money show will broadcast live from the left-field pavilion plaza.

• The Veteran of the Game presented by Bank of America is U.S. Air National Guard, U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Patricia Murray of Agoura Hills. She flies a C-130 J Super Hercules aircraft as an instructor and Aerial Fire Fighting Pilot for the 115th Airlift Squadron. Murray has flown five tours of duty in the Middle East and has been awarded five flying Air Medals. She was inducted into the Order of Daedalians, a WWI flying organization and named California Air National Guard Field Grade Officer of the Year.

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Sunday Dodger Videos: Rookie Hazing, AJ Ellis and Adrian Gonzalez

Here are this Sunday's Dodger videos.

Check out this fun video.

Video Link:

ICYMI:  Watch the Dodger youngsters get hazed - cosplay style.

Video Link:

Listen to Jonah Keri as he speaks with Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis about Clayton Kershaw's dominance and the origins of the bubble machine, and to ‘Orange County Register' writer Pedro Moura about the surging Angels.

Video Link:

From Faith and Family day at Dodger Stadium in August, listen to Adrian Gonzalez give his testimony to the crowd.

Video Link:

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