Blog Kiosk: 5/18/2016 - Dodgers Links - Kershaw, Maeda's Bobble and the Time Warner/Charter Merger is Done

Kenta Maeda finally got a look at the promotional bobblehead the Dodgers are giving out on Tuesday, July 26th against the Tampa Bay Rays.  As you can see, in the photo tweeted out by the Dodgers, he definitely got a kick out of it.  On the right is a better look at the bobble, via another tweet by the Dodgers.

BTW, Clayton Kershaw was fantastic once again last night.  For the sixth straight game, resetting the MLB record, he recorded double-digit strike outs and had one or less walks.  Overall, he went eight innings, allowed four hits, struck out eleven and walked none to record his sixth win of the season.  Via Ken Gurnick and Fabian Ardaya at MLB.com:

"When you see [Mike] Trout walking up to the batter's box and he looks at me and shakes his head like, 'I'm going to take my medicine,' that respect is earned," said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. "There's that novelty, that respect that Clayton has from other players, so when you get in there, you're almost defeated."

On another note, the Dodgers youngsters continue to wreck the ball.  For the third straight game one of the kids hit a couple long balls in the game.  On Sunday, Corey Seager hit two homers.  On Monday, Trayce Thompson hammered two of his own.  Then last night, Joc Pederson pocketed a couple while Seager hit another. 

Go here to check out a bunch of great pics from yesterdays game from Jon SooHoo.  Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1931 Dodgers outfielder Babe Herman would hit for the cycle for the first time. He would do it against Cincinnati, and accomplish this feat three times in his career.
• Happy Birthday, Eric Young!

A Brooklyn Dodgers Themed Prayer/Mass Card at Lelands Auctions

Here's something you don't see everyday.

Featured at Lelands Auction is the above 1956 prayer/mass card extolling its adherents to pray for the Brooklyn Dodgers.  As you can see, on the reverse it makes reference to the "death" of the "Brooklyn Dodger Bums" on October 10th - the day the team lost Game 7 of the 1956 World Series to the New York Yankees.  It adds:

"We have loved them during life; let us not abandon them, until we have conducted them by our prayers, into the house of the Lord."  - St. Ambrose

The melding of religious devotion and local team fanaticism was one of the hallmarks of the old Brooklyn club.

In fact, there is a great story about how one Catholic priest asked his parishioners to pray for Gil Hodges during a Sunday homily in 1953.  As the story goes, Hodges was suffering through a slump for the ages.  He had gone hitless during the last eleven games of the prior year (including the entire seven game World Series against the Yankees) and basically began the new season right were he left off.  By the 29th game he was slashing a lowly .193/.360/.227/.588.

Naturally, the Brooklyn faithful did all that they could to help him turn things around.  Gil received countless letters, postcards and telegrams.  He even received numerous good-luck charms from fans.  Then, Father Herbert Redmond of St. Francis Roman Catholic Church decided to reach towards an higher authority, saying one Sunday afternoon:

"It's far too hot for a homily. Keep the Commandments and say a prayer for Gil Hodges."

Soon thereafter, Gil Hodges started to hit again, and eventually ended the season slashing a greatly improved .302/.393/.550/.943.  Furthermore, he never again struggled in the postseason.

Of course, this is not to say that a higher power had anything to do with Gil's improved fortunes.  After all, I've read that a minor adjustment to his batting stance did wonders for him that year.  I do wonder, though, if just a little bit of faith that things will turn out fine is all we need to see the fortunes of several current Dodgers turn around.

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Blog Kiosk: 5/17/2016 - Dodgers Links - Bolsinger, Seager and Trayce Thompson

Dodgers outfielder Trayce Thompson has been fantastic.  He's been so good, in fact, that many are beginning to demand that he start everyday.  Per Jack Baer and Alden Gonzalez at MLB.com:

"Trayce is doing a lot of good things," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "He definitely deserves a little more playing time. I know what kind of player he is. He's got a bright future. This game is performance-based, so there's definitely more playing time for Trayce."

Last night Trayce hit two home runs to tie the team lead at six for the season with Corey Seager, and he drove in three of the Dodgers six runs in a losing effort against the Angels.  Over the past nine games he's played Thompson has hit five dingers, knocked in twelve runs, is batting .345 and has a OPS of 1.393.  No doubt he is starting to show that he belongs.

Photo at the top via SportsNet LA on twitter.  Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1947 Hank Greenberg asked Jackie Robinson if he was hurt in a collision with him at first base. Then, he remarked; "Stick in there. You’re doing fine. Keep your chin up."  Jackie would later say that Greenberg was his "Diamond Hero" due to his own battle with bigots when he entered the league.  In 1978 Dodger utility man and professional pinch hitter Lee Lacy becomes the first player in league history to hit three consecutive pinch hit home runs.

Texas Skirmish Overlooked by Topps Now - So, I Made My Own Fantasy Cards

Topps Now had gained a fair margin of success recently.  They sold a boatload of Bartolo Colon home run cards a couple of weeks back (8,826 to be exact), and you had to figure that yesterdays incident in Arlington would garner similar interest with fans.  After all, a set marketed as up-to-date with the previous days top events would have to make note of the brawl between Jose Bautista and Rougned Odor.  Right?

Wrong!  Instead, Topps wimped out.  And in doing so, are arguably missing out in the most "meta" event of the season.  Social media was awash in all kinds of memes yesterday, and a Topps Baseball card highlighting it would have been a huge publicity booster for them.

Instead, we get a trio of other cards, as you can see from the screen-grab above from their daily email.

I suppose we really shouldn't be surprised. I'm sure MLB wouldn't want something like this gaining any sort of steam, and a vendor like Topps is certainly fearful of an corporate backlash.

Fortunately, I'm too small a fish to be noticed, so I spent a little bit of time this afternoon making my own fantasy Baseball cards to memorialize the fight.  Check them out below, and if you're so daring you can print them out and trade them with your friends.

1960 Topps

Blog Kiosk: 5/16/2016 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

This guy showed up at Dodger Stadium on both Saturday and Sunday to the delight of players and fans alike.  We first noticed him when Ziggy Marley shared a pic of him signing this fans uniform (link here) on Saturday.  Then, he appeared again on Sunday (link here) with a whole new set of drawings on his face.

Photo at the top via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016.  Go here to check out more pics by Jon from yesterdays game here.  Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: On this day in 1970 a fourteen year old fan named Alan Fish was struck by a Baseball at Dodger Stadium and die four days later.  This marked the first fatality of a fan from a batted ball in a Major League game, and it happened off the bat of Manny Mota.  Tom Hoffarth provides more detail about the incident here.  In 2000 was the infamous fight at Wrigley Field that started when Dodgers catcher Chad Kreuter was hit in the back of the head and had his hat stolen by a unruly fan.  Several players and coached jumped into the stands during the melee.
• Happy Birthday, Rube Walker!

Angels Freeway Series Starts on Monday - Pregame Info and Other Stuff!

The next homestand starts Monday evening against the Anaheim Angels.  Below are some odds and ends for this upcoming homestand.

The Freeway Series Wrap will be available for this homestand only against the Angels at the Marketplace on the field level and Healthy Carts on the loge and reserve levels. The L.A. wrap features grilled chicken breast, sundried tomatoes, pickled red onion and fresh spinach in a whole wheat tortilla.

Fans can help save lives by signing up Monday and Tuesday to donate blood during the American Red Cross’s 18th Annual Angels/Dodgers Blood Drive on June 11. From the start of the game through the sixth inning, fans can sign up on the top deck, reserve and loge sections. To schedule an appointment, donors can go to www.redcrossblood.org and enter Sponsor Code:  HOMERUN or call 1-800-GIVE LIFE (800-733-2767). All presenting donors will receive a voucher, good for two tickets to a designated Dodger or Angel home game.

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Monday, May 16th at 7:10 PM
RHP Matt Shoemaker vs. RHP Kenta Maeda
SNLA / AM 570 (Eng.), KTNQ 1020 AM (Span.)