Weekend Autograph Opportunities: Johnny Hekker of the Rams

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.

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I suspect we'll be seeing a bunch of LA Rams signings throughout the Southland soon.  To start the oncoming cavalcade is current Rams punter Johnny Hekker at El Tepeyac Cafe & Tequila Sports Bar in the City of Industry Saturday.  Go here or here for information.

El Tepeyac Cafe & Tequila Sports Bar
13131 Crossroads Parkways S 
City of Industry, CA

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Blog Kiosk: 3/2/2016 - Dodgers Links - Holmes, Puig and Yaisel Sierra

Minor League coach Luis Matos, pitching prospect Jose De Leon and the great Fernando Valenzuela are featured in the above photograph originally taken by Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016.  Go here to check out more pics taken by Jon from yesterday's spring workout.

Below are more links to check out:

• Check this new, new to me that is, Dodgers fan blog I ran into yesterday called, "Behind Enemy Lines."  It's written by a fan who names herself "SoCal Sports Chick," and she is currently enjoying Spring Training with the Dodgers in Glendale.  Check out her wonderfully fan-biased reportsfrom Arizona here.
• And here is Night Owl Cards awesomely-biased 2016 preseason team rankings.
• TMZ provides more details about the John Ravin car accident, here.  They even have several photos of the broken left (non-pitching) arm.
• David Hood at True Blue LA tell us all about Dodgers pitching prospect Grant Holmes.

Holmes’ 80-grade ceiling is built on the foundation of two plus to double-plus pitches, his curveball and fastball. Holmes has not grown into his eventual velocity, so while reports suggest he sat more comfortably 92-96 mph, he has reached 98 mph in the past and has the frame to hold velocity deep into games across a long season. Beyond velocity, Holmes might have the most electric movement on his fastball in the system. Holmes’ fastball has heavy sink at the lower ranges of his velocity, but keeps plus riding life at the top end as well. The pitch is extremely tough for hitters to square and helped suppress home runs in his first full season (just six in 103 innings).

• Yaisel Sierra finally got to pitch in Glendale yesterday, and he is tickled pink.  Via Doug Padilla at ESPN, "'Beautiful feeling' as Yaisel Sierra throws in Dodgers camp."

"I’m ready for my job," Sierra said. "Whatever it is, that is up to the manager and the coaches on my team, but basically I’m ready for the task at hand here, whether it’s being there for my teammates in the dugout, or whatever role they decide to put me in. I’m here to help."

Apparently, the Dodgers want to eventually transform him into a starter, but will have him pitch relief to get him into the show faster.

• Following on the heels of the Aroldis Chapam suspension we get word, via an ESPN story, that you shouldn't expect similar treatment to be handed out to Yasiel Puig.  He is not likely to be suspended for that little incident over the winter.
• Rich Mueller at Sports Collectors Daily shares some preview pics from a brand new Topps card brand called "The Mint;" including pics of the Corey Seager autographed card on the right.  This set is slated to go live in August.
• Tom Bartsch at Sports Collectos Digest tells us about a newly found treasure trove of Ty Cobb personnal effects; including family photos and letters.
• Panini's 2016 Donruss Baseball card set officially comes out today, so here are a few Dodgers preview pics from the set; via Panini's blog.  Go here to check out more photos.  I hope to have pics of all the Dodgers cards next week.

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A Brief Look at Billy Holbert - a Late 19th Century Brooklyn Gray/Dodger

I figured it was about time I take a moment to highlight an old-time Dodger player; albeit a Dodger who only played 15 games for the old club.  Featured above is William "Billy" Holbert on an 1888 N172 Old Judge Baseball card that is currently available at BST Auctions.  He is shown bent-over home plate -- complete with an fantastic vintage "spider" style catchers mask and tipped-finger workman’s style baseball glove.  (Click on the pic to embiggen)

Billy is well known for several reason.  First, he was the favorite catcher to dominant Hall of Fame pitcher Tim Keefe when he played for both the Troy Trojans and the New York Metropolitans.

(Via DPL)

Secondly, Holbert holds an MLB record that still stands today.  In 2,335 career Major League at-bats he did not hit a single home run.  Zilch!  Nada!

He was the living embodiment of the no-hit, good defense kind of catcher. (Check out another card of his on the right from the same set as seen above)

Granted, he did play ball during the deadball era -- a time period known more for slap hitting rather than homers.  Still, you'd think with the large expansive outfields of the time he'd have at least one round-tripper next to his name.  BTW, Tom Oliver of the early 30's Red Sox owns the modern record for most at-bats without a homer with 1,931.

As a Brooklyn Gray/Dodger his time with us was largely uneventful.  Holbert came over from the NY Metropolitans as part of a seven player trade/sale. He would play in Brooklyn for part of only one season, 1888, and get into only 15 games before retiring.  As a Brooklyn player he would slash a measly .120/.170/.140/.310. 

After leaving the game as a player he would go on to become an umpire for a short time; including being an umpire for the short-lived Players League of 1890.  Billy would soon serve with the US Secret Service soon thereafter. 

Check out his career statistics below, via Baseball Reference:

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Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Full-Squad Workout #6

Throughout Spring Training the Dodgers PR department sends out helpful daily notes from Camelback Ranch, and I am happy to pass them along.  See what they've written below.

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(Ellis with the catcher signs, via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016)

MARCH MADNESS: The Dodgers held their sixth full-squad workout of Spring Training today with some team defense work (pickoffs and rundowns) and live batting practice. Los Angeles, in its eighth season training in Arizona, kicks off Cactus League play Thursday, March 3 against the White Sox.

GETTING IN THE RHYTHM: Chris Hatcher, Brett Anderson, Ross Stripling, Luis Avilan, Zach Lee and Chase DeJong all threw live BP today, while Scott Kazmir, Pedro Baez, Louis Coleman, Mike Bolsinger, Jharel Cotton, Jacob Rhame and Yaisel Sierra all threw regular bullpens.

• Anderson, 28, enters his eighth big league season after serving as a reliable starter for the Dodgers in his first season with the club in 2015. He posted a 10-9 record with a 3.69 ERA in a career-high 31 starts for Los Angeles and also finished with career highs in innings pitched (180.1) and quality starts (18). He led Major League qualifiers with a 66.7 groundball percentage last season and forced 23 groundball double plays, which ranked eighth most among starting pitchers in the senior circuit.

(Yaisel Sierra's first bullpen session, pic via Jon SooHoo on Dodgers twitter)

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Newly acquired right-handed pitcher Yaisel Sierra participated in his first Spring Training workout with the club today, including throwing his first official bullpen of the spring. Sierra, 24, was signed by the Dodgers to a six-year contract last Sunday and pitched five seasons in Cuba’s Serie Nacional with Holguin (2010-14) and Sancti Spiritus (2012), going 16-21 with 25 saves and a 4.23 ERA in 131 games (25 starts). Sierra, who was ranked No. 13 on Baseball America’s Top 20 Cuban prospects list, pitched for the country’s gold-medal winning national team at the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games. Sierra will wear No. 70.

MIC CHECK: Dodgers broadcasters Fernando Valenzuela and Pepe Yñiguez arrived in Camelback Ranch yesterday, while Charley Steiner arrived to Spring Training earlier today, as they prepare to call the first Cactus League game on Thursday, March 3 against the White Sox. Steiner, a four-time Emmy Award winner, is entering his 12th season as play-by-play announcer for the Dodgers and will primarily call the action from AM 570 LA Sports. The 17-year Major League veteran and legendary Dodger, Valenzuela enters his second season calling games on SportsNet LA in Spanish alongside Yñiguez, who enters his 18th season with the Dodgers.

(Josh Ravin, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2015)

GET WELL SOON: Right-handed reliever Josh Ravin was involved in an automobile accident yesterday and broke his left radius. His surgery was scheduled for today. We wish Josh a speedy recovery!  (You can take a look at his broken arm here)

Thank you all for the well wishes!
It's definitely a tough break... ; )

— Josh Ravin™ (@FreshSqueezed22) March 1, 2016

THE BEGINNING: On this date in 2009, the Dodgers played their first-ever game at Camelback Ranch against the Chicago White Sox, with right-handed pitcher Hiroki Kuroda taking the mound and throwing the first-ever pitch at CBR. The club lost, 3-2, to their neighbors, who share one of the largest stadiums in the Cactus League.

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Blog KIosk: 3/1/2016 - Dodgers Links - Sierra, Maeda and Josh Ravin

Good morning, Dodger Fans!

Pic above via @Dodgers on twitter.  Below are more links to check out:

• Still unable to participate in any spring activities due to unresolved immigration paperwork, Yaisel Sierra is now in Arizona, via a tweet from Alanna Rizzo:

RHP Yaisel Sierra made a very brief appearance at camp today. Still not officially here. #Dodgers

— Alanna Rizzo (@alannarizzo) February 29, 2016

• Several other Cubans have also made it to spring camp, via a tweet by Bill Plunkett of the OC Register:

3 of the #Dodgers young Cuban investments -- RHP Yadier Alvarez, OF Yusniel Diaz, IF Omar Estevez - were in minor-league camp today

— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) February 29, 2016

• Amanda McCarthy, wife of Brandon, shared a pic of her husband as a young Dodger fan on Instagram (link here), so I decided to make a fantasy Baseball card using the photo.  Check it out on the right.
• Yasmani Grandal made an interesting comment about pitcher Kenta Maeda after a throwing session yesterday.  Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Maeda unleashes 4-pitch mix in BP session."

"The reason I compare him to Greinke is that he's got a four-pitch mix," Yasmani Grandal said after catching Maeda's two innings. "Obviously, they are two different pitchers. But you can build a game plan around four pitches and be creative, that's the comparison."

• Eric Stephen at True Blue LA puts together some background information on Dodgers catching prospect Kyle Farmer (Link Here).
• Listen to former Dodgers pitcher Dan Haren on the Jonah Keri podcast (dated 2/26/2016 Link Here) where he talks a bit about his time with the Dodgers.  (Hat Tip: r/clarkbarniner on Reddit)
• Dodgers pitcher Josh Ravin was in a car accident this morning, via Alanna Rizzo on twitter:

.@FreshSqueezed22 was in an auto accident yesterday, breaking his left radius (forearm area).  Surgery scheduled for today.  #Dodgers

— Alanna Rizzo (@alannarizzo) March 1, 2016

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Moving Towards 10,000 Followers for Cody Bellinger - #FollowCody #CodyLove

(Bellinger, pic via Puig on twitter)

Spring Training isn't just about practice and preparation.  It's also about playing... And I don't mean the gameplay kind of thing.  What I mean is that sometimes a little bit of fun is needed in the clubhouse and there's no better time to play around than during spring training (Kirk Gibson notwithstanding).

So far, we've been treated to only an handful of photos and stories about the fun; such as the upcoming ping pong tournament.  But one event recently hit social media, and I thought it was worth pointing out this afternoon. 

This past Friday we found out that fast-rising prospect Cody Bellinger has been tasked with boosting his twitter follower-ship, and with the help of his teammates and the fans he will hopefully fulfill his goal.   

From what I can tell, Cody is trying to reach 10,0000 followers. He currently sits at 4,770.  So, if you haven't already done so please go here to join in on the fun: @Cody_Bellinger. 

To motivate you further, a hashtag meme was started by, I think, Justin Turner, via the following tweets:

I'll make you a deal @Cody_Bellinger I'll give you a follow on here if you change your Twitter handle to #CodyLove

— Justin Turner (@redturn2) February 26, 2016

Everyone make sure you go give @Cody_Bellinger #CodyLove a follow on Twitter! Great dude, big pop, bright future!!! #LA @Dodgers

— Justin Turner (@redturn2) February 26, 2016

#CodyLove is now a thing!


Best yet, AJ Ellis, during all the hubbub, was kind enough pass along a childhood photo of the kid on twitter, and I couldn't help but make a fantasy Baseball card using it.  Check it out below.  The main pic was taken by Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016. 

So get going Dodgers Fans!  Go to your twitter now and follow the kid.  And if you don't use twitter then what's wrong with you!  Join it now and help move his chart (as seen below) higher!

(Bellinger and Roberts, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016)

Pic at the very top via Jon SooHoo @Dodgers on twitter.

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