Blog Kiosk: 3/16/2012

Watching Clayton Kershaw's bullpen session, pic via twitter @Dodgers.

• LA Blue Crew put up a bunch of pics from his visit to Camelback Ranch for some Spring Training Baseball.
  
• Dave Fleming at Bill James Online wonders aloud if James Loney could break out to lead the NL in home runs this year. Could he be a modern version of the Big Klu? (Hat Tip: Baseball Musings)
  

  Kluszewski and Loney both reached the majors at twenty-two. Both were highly touted prospects, though they reached the majors through different channels. Kluszewski, a star tight-end for the University of Indiana, sort of lucked into the majors: a groundskeeper employed by the Reds witnessed Kluszewski hitting baseballs, and passed his name along to upper management. Like a few others of his era, Kluszewski was a football player who played baseball.

  Loney, in contrast, was a baseball player through-and-through. In high school, he hit .509, and as a pitcher averaged nearly two strikeouts per inning pitched. He was a first-round selection in the draft (19^th overall). At twenty-two, he hit .380 in AAA ball.
• The Baseball Professor predicts that Dee Gordon will steal 70 bases. On the other hand, some ESPN fantasy experts think he'll be back in the minors by mid-season (via Vin Scully is My Homeboy).
  
• Here is a great story at Big League Stew about Jerry Hairston's attempt to blow the ball foul yesterday.
  
• Via Beckett Blog they introduce us to OYO Sports Toys. These are Lego compliant Baseball figures of your favorite teams and stars. See the Matt Kemp below. Ethier, Kershaw, Loney and a general Dodger player are also available. On top of that , according to Beckett you can have one made of yourself. Read the Beckett story for more.
• I wish they made these while I was in college. My room would have looked awesome. Walls 360 partners with Topps to make some cool wall graphics of vintage Baseball (and other sports) packs and various other non-sports drawings (including Mars Attacks!). Check out information here and here.
• I am so envious. Collector's Crack nails down a Robin Yount autograph at Spring Training.
  
• This is the first I've heard of this. Here is a trailer for a documentary called "Blue Revolution" that focuses on fan efforts to oust Frank McCourt. More background can be found here. Apparently, there is a screening happening soon of the finished product. I'll provide details when I get them.
  

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