Blog Kiosk: 6/30/2011

It's the last day to vote for Matt Kemp, so do it now, right here! (Pic above from Jon SooHoo/La Dodgers)

• Can Matt Kemp make the starting roster? Here is an update from MLB. Kemp is trending higher, but still about 200k short.
  
• Sports Illustrated takes a look back at the film Major League and has some choice quotes and comments from much of the cast; including Charlie "he thinks he's winning" Sheen and Steve Yeager.

  David S. Ward (writer, director) : Steve (Yeager) ended up doubling for Tom (Berenger) behind the plate too. Whenever you see Tom throw with his mask on, that's Yeager. The guys took hitting practice every day, fielding practice, throwing... . There's a lot of camaraderie that comes out of running sprints.

• MSTI puts together a nice rundown on the collective sins of the McCourts,
  
• Dodgers June in Review from True Blue LA.
• Here's another potential buyer of the Dodgers, former agent Dennis Gilbert, via The Daily News.
  
• GCRL makes a Pedro Guerrero card that should have been.
  
• Rubby De La Rosa is looking like a diamond- a story from Dylan Hernandez.
  
• True to the Blue reminds us that the anniversary of Fernando Valenzuela's no-hitter in 1990 was yesterday.
  
• For the Love of the Boys in Blue visited the Dodgers in Colorado and put up a bunch of pictures for all of us to enjoy.
  
• Gann Matsuda of Frozen Royalty has a great article up featuring long-time Kings trainer Pete Demers and the crazy happenings in the locker room. It's a fun read.
  
• Jimmy Fallon flips cards with Bob Costas.

Video Link:

Another Koufax Sketch Card

Here is another 2011 Topps Series 2 sketch card of Sandy Koufax. This time it is a reproduction of his 1966 Topps card. It has been drawn by Brian Kong.

(Auction Link)

Daily Conlon: 109 through 117

Here are the Daily Conlon cards numbered 109 through 117.

Now, ya know, if yesterdays' cards were filled with some of the key side players from the 1927 Yankees, then sooner or later the big stars of the squad would be just around the corner. Well, here they are. Check out, in all their glory, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Tony Lazzeri and Waite Hoyt. All members of the Hall of Fame.

There really isn't much more to say. I'm just sitting here in awe.

A Batting Babe Ruth and a Young Reese

Here is a great vintage photograph of Babe Ruth taking a swing during his time as a Dodger coach. He would often take batting practice before games to the delight of fans.

(eBay Auction Link)

And to follow that up is a great photograph of young Pee Wee Reese in his Louiseville Colonels uniform. The auction seller had a great description of how Reese went from being Red Sox property (Louiseville was a Red Sox minor league affiliate) to a Dodger player.

The “Little Colonel” was one of the top prospects in the minors, and so impressed Boston Red Sox farm director Billy Evans that he recommended the Red Sox buy the team. Evans and owner Tom Yawkey both knew that the Red Sox' longtime shortstop, Joe Cronin, was nearing the end of his career. However, Cronin was the Red Sox' manager as well, and still thought of himself as a regular shortstop. When Yawkey sent Cronin to Louisville to scout Reese, Cronin deliberately downplayed Reese's talent and suggested Reese be traded. On July 18, 1939, Reese was sent to Brooklyn for $35,000 and four players to be named later. This trade is now considered one of the most lopsided deals in the annals of baseball.

(eBay Auction Link)