Matt Kemp In?

Even with Matt Kemp not winning the the All-Star vote it appears he may be in anyway. Carlos Beltran will not be going to the game due to injury so his spot has opened up, and Kemp is the likely replacement.

Manuel, who will manage the NL All-Stars, will pick Victorino if it’s his call, but he thought Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp may get in because he finished higher in the players’ vote.

“One of the things that the league office was kind of concerned about is Kemp had more player votes and that plays some kind of part in it,” Manuel said. “I have to wait and see.”

Hat Tip: Twitter:TrolleyDodger:

Dodger Correspondence: Earl Mossor

Here is another letter written to Jim from former Dodger Earl Mosser. He would only play 3 games in the majors, but played 14 years of professional ball. Earl writes a great story about his first inning of pro ball.

Dear Jim,

I guess the one thing that I will always remember in my 14 years as a pro baseball pitcher is the time that I made the big jump from class "B" baseball to the big leagues in 1951 with the Dodgers. I walked into Ebbets Field on cloud "9", and about a month later I got into my first game as a big leaguer against the Card's with two men on base and one out. I was shaking like a leaf. I get the first man out on a pop up to the infield, and guess what?

(click to enlarge)

I had never even seen the guy before, let alone pitch against him, and there he was kicking a little dirt around in the batters box, Stan "The Man". Now I was shaking even more. I said to myself, I can't run in the dugout and hide. I have to pitch to him. I said there is a guy getting a $100,000 a year and me $10,000 and I am supposed to get him out? Ha. Anyway, I worked the count to 3-2 on him and threw him a big change curve and ducked. Ha. He missed it (by) about 2 feet so I struck him out, and I was about the happiest boy in the world. I struck out "The Man", and the first time I ever saw him.

Best of Luck Jim,

Earl Mossor

(click to enlarge)

eBay Auction Link: Mossor Letter: