Collection: Maury Wills Signature Decades Auto

Here is another card from my Dodger autograph collection. It is a 2005 Upper Deck Ultimate Signature Edition "Signature Decades" card of Maury Wills. The card is neither numbered or rare, but it's of Maury so you can't go wrong.

Dodger Creditors Endorse Sale

Probably the most important stakeholder in the entire Dodger bankruptcy imbroglio has just declared to the judge, "sell the team!" The beginning of the end is at hand. Via Steve Dilbeck at LA Times.

The official creditors' committee asked U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Kevin Gross to deny the Dodgers their proposed television rights auction, arguing that the prospect of a lawsuit from Fox Sports and opposition from Major League Baseball could jeopardize the money available to repay creditors.

"The committee cannot gamble the 100% recoveries of its constituents on such a risky proposition," lawyers for the committee wrote in a court filing.

Instead, the committee said, "A prompt sale of the team is the most prudent course of action."

(Hat Tip: 6-4-2)

Blog Kiosk: 10/22/2011

Fernando Valenzuela with Cardinals starter Jaime Garcia. (Pic Link: yfrog Dodgers)

• Lasorda's Lair explains why the Dodgers are better off now after the McCourt divorce settlement.
  
• MLB FanCave Dream Job is back again for another season in 2012. Find out more here.
  
• Casey Blake mulling his Baseball future, vis Des Moines Register. (Hat Tip: VSIMH)
  
• Jeff Kent, Best of the Graybeards, 40 and up. Via True Blue LA.
  
• Check out William's incredible autographed Baseball from Carl Erskine at Foul Bunt.
  
• The Kings are getting Gamified! Check it all out here.
  
• Japanese pitching sensation, Yu Darvish, is still undecided about coming to America, via MLB Trade Rumors.
  
• Wayne Gretzky turned down job offers from the Oilers and Kings, via NBC.

  “Edmonton and Los Angeles have been really great to me and I have a nice relationship with both Kevin [Lowe] and the Oilers and obviously Dean Lombardi and the Kings, and I’m really honest with them. Right now, it’s not the time for me to jump back into the game.”

• There is a twitter account that narrates WWII in 1939 in real time- 72 years later. Check it out here.
  
• Oh Yhea! Kings Ice Girls. Check out the photo shoot for their calendar below.

Video Link:

Daily Conlon: 361 through 369

Okay, maybe this isn't quite coming to you the daily, but hey, cut me some slack. These are todays Daily Conlon cards that are numbered 361 through 369, and it features 9 more no-hitters. This time the Dodgers are featured on two cards, but not for the reason you would hope for. A Dodger pitcher didn't throw a no-no. Instead, we were the victims of a couple of no-hitters.

Click on any of the pics to embiggen.

Matt Kemp Getting Some Just Rewards

Since the closing weeks of the season the main topic of discussion has been whether Matt Kemp should be MVP. No doubt, he had the numbers to garner the attention, but was he really the most valuable? At this point it's hard to tell what the sports writers will do, but considering the awards he's collected so far, I think that reality is coming closer to fruition.

As you know, last week he was named by Baseball America as the 2011 Major League Baseball Player of the Year.

As measured by Baseball-Reference's adjusted OPS metric—which compares a player's OPS with the league average and then adjusts for home ballpark—Matt Kemp had the most productive offensive season by any center fielder in the last 30 years. Like Ken Griffey Jr. in 1997, Kemp led his league in homers, RBIs and runs scored.

Now we find out, through True Blue LA, that he is the winner of MLB's 2011 National League Hank Aaron Award. This award was voted on by fans and Baseball broadcast teams throughout the league. So, in typical classy style Kemp made sure to thank those who pulled for him.He's had a busy off-season, so far, and I'm sure it's about to get busier. Heck, how much do you want to bet a Silver Slugger and Gold Glove come his way, as well?

One thing is for sure. If Ellen DeGeneres had her way Matt Kemp would be MVP. Unfortunately, he'd didn't do much to show off his arm. (Hat Tip: Dodger Thoughts)

(Video Link)

(Above pic credit: Los Angeles Dodgers Jon SooHoo)

MHCC: Dodger War Bonds Honor Card

During WWII the Dodgers were more than happy to help out with the war effort. So, with a fans contribution the Dodgers would give out the below War Bonds Honor Card. They were given out during the Dodgers Spring Offensive War Bond Campaign in 1943 which helped secure $180,000,000 for America. This amount eclipsed the spring quota by double.

On a side note, the Department of the Treasury was so impressed with the Dodgers efforts that they conducted a special ceremony at Ebbets Field one Sunday afternoon in April. Branch Rickey, a strict churchgoing man, would always refuse to see a game on the Sabbath, but for this occasion he made an exception.

This is a very nice memorabilia piece that is rarely ever seen. It just sold during the recently closed Mile High Card Company Auction at $121.38.

(Auction Link)