Blog Kiosk: 9/4/2016 - Dodgers Links - De Leon, Kershaw, Puig, Bellinger and Josh Reddick

It's great to see Josh Reddick turn on the heat.  Last night he recorded his first three hit game for the Dodgers - knocking out two singles and his first home run in Blue.  Per AJ Cassavell and Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

"Took long enough," Reddick said of his home run. "I finally got it out of the way. Just to contribute, that's something I've wanted to do for a month now. I hope I'll be able to do it the rest of the year."

Reddick is on a little four game hitting streak.  Over that period he has recorded seven hits in thirteen at-bats, but only one extra base hit (yesterdays home run).  During his first 23 games as a Dodger he was slashing a woeful .139/.200/.152/.352, with just eleven hits in 79 at-bats.  Although we certainly have yet to see the best Reddick has to offer you've got to like that he's starting to perform.  Via Rich Hill when speaking about Reddick's evening:

"That was awesome. Get used to seeing it here. It's exciting."

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

• This Day in Dodgers History:  In 1924 the Brooklyn Robins (Dodgers) sweep their fourth consecutive doubleheader on four consecutive days.  I kid you not!  In 1966 the Dodgers become the first team in Major League history to draw two million fans both at home and on the road.  In 1969 Willie Davis' 31 consecutive game hitting streak streak ends at the hands of Padres. 

Welcome to the Dodgers, Jose De Leon!

Woo Hoo!

It's about frick'n time!  I had made the above two fantasy cards weeks ago (in anticipation of this), and was worried that I might not be able to share them til next year.

Word has hit the street that the Dodgers will be calling up 24-year old righty Jose De Leon to pitch this coming Sunday against the Padres.   Via a tweet by Bill Shaikin:

#Dodgers have called up Jose De Leon. He is expected to arrive tomorrow.

— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) September 2, 2016

Born in Isabela, Puerto Rico, Jose De Leon was originally drafted by the Dodgers in the 24th round of the 2013 draft out of Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  Currently, he is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the clubs current #2 prospect and the 35th overall in in the game.  Baseball America ranks De Leon as the games 25th best overall, and Baseball Prospectus has him as the 38th best.  Below is a snippet of their notes on him:

Vintage Dodgers Newsletter - Dodgers Line Drives - May 1951, Vol. 10, #12

I like the title of this newsletter.  It states in bold letters, "Experts Predict Pennant for Dodgers", and it highlights the opinions of several members of the traveling press corps.  As we know know, unfortunately, the Dodgers fell short of that goal.  Their season ended when Bobby Thompson walloped an walk-off homer off of Ralph Branca during a final three-game series to decide the pennant. 

As for the rest of the newsletter (click on any pic to embiggen), it features the following:

• Four Dodger youngsters are noted as potentially being high-impact players for the club.  They are starting pitcher Clyde King, third baseman Rocky Bridges, outfielder Hank Edwards and outfielder Don Thompson.
• They also announce a brand new post game show for Dodgers broadcast hosted by Happy Felton.  At the time, Felton was already hosting a pregame show called the "Knothole Gang" that featured kids working out and practicing with Dodger players.  This new show would be broadcast after each home game and be titled, "Talk to the Stars".  Fans would call in to ask direct questions to two Dodger players.

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Blog Kiosk: 9/2/2016 - Dodgers Links - Lux, Buehler, Seager, Puig and Vin Scully to be Broadcast on Channel 5

Finally!

We have some good news regarding televised Dodgers games.  Per Tom Hoffarth at the OC Register, local channel KTLA 5 will simulcast six Dodgers games towards the end of the season.  This will allow fans of Vin Scully to listen, watch and experience the last six games broadcasted by him:

The package of simulcasts will start with the final weekend of home games against Colorado, which run Sept. 23-25 and includes Friday’s Vin Scully appreciation night. KTLA will also have the pregame ceremony starting at 7 p.m. to honor Scully. The Sept. 30-Oct. 2 games in San Francisco end the regular season.

Should the Dodgers make the playoffs, the team expects to make arrangements for Scully to call the games on KLAC-AM (570) radio while they will be televised by a national carrier (ESPN, Fox or TBS).

This far from assuages the anger and frustration that many fans, who have been unable to watch Vin and the Dodgers over the past three season, feel.   That being said, this is an fantastic gesture, and it's greatly appreciated.  But make no mistake, there remains a dark stain.

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

• This Day in Dodger History:  In 1971 Astros outfielder Cesar Cedeno hit an inside-the-park home run against the Dodgers when infielder Jim Lefebvre and right fielder Bill Buckner collided while trying to catch a short fly.  In 1979 Manny Mota became Baseballs all time pinch-hit leader at 145.  In 2003 Eric Gagne set a Major League record for consecutive saves over a two season period at 55.  It was also his 47th consecutive save to start a season.
  

Padres Series Starts Friday - Scheduled Autograph Sessions, Pregame Info and Other Stuff!

The next homestand starts on Friday against the San Diego Padres, and several former Dodgers are scheduled for an autograph session with fans during Sundays Viva Los Dodgers event.  Below are the scheduled autograph opportunities and other odds and ends for this upcoming homestand.

The eleventh 2016 issue of the new Dodger Insider magazine, spotlighting the Dodgers’ push toward a title despite the injury to Clayton Kershaw, will be available at Dodger Stadium.  (see it on the left).  On the cover are Kenley Jansen, Adrian Gonzalez, Kenta Maeda, Justin Turner, Corey Seager and Dave Roberts.  The Dodgers merged their previously separate Playbill and Dodger Insider magazines into one publication (at least 80 pages per issue) with a new edition available each homestand.  They are distributed at auto gates (one per vehicle) and via Fan Services for those who use alternate transportation. 

---------------

Friday, September 2nd at 7:10 PM
LHP Clayton Richard vs. LHP Julio Urías
SNLA / AM 570 (Eng.), KTNQ 1020 AM (Span.)

Game Winning Grand Slam for Andrew Toles - 2016 Topps Now - #413

This was a moment worthy of a Topps Now card.

Featured above is an commemorative card that celebrates Andrew Toles clutch grand slam in last nights game.  As you surely know, he smashed an 0-1 pitch with the bases jacked in the ninth inning into the left field stands.  Best yet, he sprinted around those bases like he was being chased by the ghost that kept him out of the game just a year ago.

Few ballplayers have experienced the kind of "ups and downs" that Toles has.  He began as an highly prized prospect within Tampa Bay's system in 2012 then found himself out of the game just under three years later.  In fact, he spent several weeks in 2015 working at a Kroger grocery store before deciding to rededicate himself to the game.  Thankfully, all of the promise that existed when he was originally drafted is now flourishing with the Dodgers.  Toles is currently slashing .397/.463/.690/1.152 in 58 at-bats since being called up to Los Angeles.

Per Doug Padilla at ESPN:

Asked about how far he has come in a year, Toles only seemed to want to go as far back as the grand slam he just hit.

"I'm not trying to look back man, I'm just trying to look forward and keep playing," he said. "I'm just trying to focus on right now, man. That's about it."

Why worry about the past when, clearly, it's the future that's really important.  Go here to check it out and order the card shown above.

UPDATE:  The print run for this card is 458 copies.

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *