Dodgers Notes from Spring Training- Day 3

Pitching drills during Spring Training (Pic via Twitter: @DylanHernandez)

Throughout Spring Training the Dodgers PR department sends out helpful daily notes from Camelback Ranch, and I am happy to pass them along.

• ClaYton’s BACK: Reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw threw his first official bullpen of the spring this morning, after being pushed back a couple of days due to mild back stiffness. Right-handed reliever Mike MacDougal also returned to the mound after being pushed back a day due to the same ailment as Kershaw. Four-fifths of the Dodgers’ projected starting rotation toed the rubber today as Aaron Harang, Chad Billingsley and Ted Lilly joined Kershaw on the hill. In addition to the aforementioned hurlers, Jamey Wright, Fernando Nieve, Angel Guzman, Wilfredo Ledezma, Josh Lindblom, Nathan Eovaldi, Chris Withrow, Scott Rice, Ryan Tucker and Michael Antonini threw bullpen sessions today.

(Kershaw during first bullpen session, piv via Jon SooHoo twitter @Dodgers)

• TED’S EXCELLENT ARRIVAL: Dodger left-hander Ted Lilly reported to camp today and threw his first bullpen following a two-day absence to witness the birth of his daughter Nora on Tuesday. In addition to Lilly, new Dodger outfielder Matt Angle, who was claimed off outright waivers from Baltimore yesterday, reported to Camelback Ranch – Glendale. A few position players were also spotted in the Dodger clubhouse, including Matt Kemp, James Loney, new Dodger second baseman Mark Ellis, Jerry Sands, Tony Gwynn Jr., Alex Castellanos, Alfredo Silverio and Dee Gordon. While many position players are already in camp, the full squad does not officially report until February 27 with the first full-squad workout on the following day.

• BEA GRATEFUL: The Dodgers would like to wish a very happy birthday to longtime organist Nancy Bea Hefley who will enter her 25^th season with the club in 2012. Nancy Bea has a repertoire of over 2,000 songs and last year the Dodger Sports Lab made an excellent video of our birthday girl. The video can be accessed by going to this link:

(Happy Birthday to Dodger organist Nancy Bea Hefley! Pic via twitter @Dodgers)

• THE BIG BOARD: Baseball America released its 23^rd annual Top 100 Prospects list in their most recent issue and three Dodger pitchers were included in the rankings. Right-hander Zach Lee checked in at No. 62 after being 89^th on last year’s list while RHPs Allan Webster (No. 95) and Nathan Eovaldi (No. 96) appeared back-to-back on the list. The latter two are on the club’s 40-man roster and Lee was the club’s first round draft pick in 2010 (No. 28 overall).

• HE’S ALWAYS WRIGHT: Dodger non-roster invitee Jamey Wright threw his second bullpen of the spring today as he looks to make the Dodgers his eighth Major League team following stints in Colorado (1996-99, 2004-05), Milwaukee (2000-02), St. Louis (2002), Kansas City (2003, ‘09), San Francisco (2006), Texas (2007-08), Cleveland (2010) and Seattle (2010-11). Wright was 2-3 with a career-best 3.16 ERA over 60 games with the Mariners last season.
  

• HEY, WHY NOT?: On March 1, the Dodgers will hold their annual open tryout here at Camelback Ranch – Glendale, hosted by the amateur scouting department. The tryout will take place from 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. and potential prospects can call 323-224-1512 for details and instructions.

Blog Kiosk: 2/24/2011

Panini just released their 2011 Playoff Contenders Baseball set this week. Check out the above dual Kemp and Kershaw card that can be found within it.

• If you don't already know, the Dodgers have a great gallery of photos available to gawk over on their website. Go here to check them out.
  
• The Dodgers minor league team, Great Lakes Loons, will be giving out a Clayton Kershaw figurine during their game on June 12th to the first 1,000 fans. Kershaw will be featured wearing a white Loons home uniform. For more info go here.
• Eric Stephen at True Blue LA has some great photos from Spring Training- Day 3.
• I'm looking for some help here. Does anyone remember these female usher uniforms from the 80's? Did women wear these skimpy things at Dodger Stadium back then? I don't really remember. See it here.
• The 2011 Topps Allen & Ginter Code has finally been solved, via twitter @Toppscards. UPDATE: To find out how they did it, go here for their explanation.
• NewJersey.com has a nice story on the newest Yankee, Hiroki Kuroda.
  

  To the first question, Kuroda insisted that, appearances aside, he never was afraid of pitching for the Yankees or Red Sox. Instead, he said, “I’d made a commitment to the Dodgers last year and wanted to live up to it. I wanted to win a championship and didn’t want to leave before the season was over.”

  Given that loyalty, Kuroda admitted he was surprised the Dodgers didn’t aggressively pursue him. His options were the Yankees or a return to Japan – and, as he noted, “The Yankees made the best offer.”

• Why am I pointing this link out, and why did I find it interesting? I don't know. All I know is that I felt a certain amount of fear knowing that Justin Beiber had worn a Dodger cap a couple of times in his videos. Flip Flop Flyball has more.
  
• Watch this great time-lapse video of the Staples Center floor changeover from Clippers to Kings to Lakers, via LA Times.
  
• Dodgers trainer Stan Conte calls player injury risk assessment the final frontier, via an article by Molly Knight at ESPN.
• Dodger Stadium organist Nancy Bea Hefley is a Los Angeles institution. She's been playing since 1988 and now gets mic'd up for Wired.

Video Link:

A Call to Arms? The Great 2012 Bidder Boycott?

Steve Dilbeck at the LA Times voices the frustration felt by all in an article today titled, "Every Bidder for the Dodgers Needs to Withdraw Right Now."

What a mess. What a complete mess. It’s orchestrated by Frank McCourt, so the shock factor is nil, but still.

You wonder how any human being can be so completely clueless, but then we’ve been watching this sorry excuse for an owner for way too long now.

His latest fantasy has him selling the team but keeping the parking lots completely surrounding Dodger Stadium. Hey, now there’s a sweet deal. Thursday marked the first day the siege of the Alamo began in 1836. Getting surrounded by the enemy is never a very good idea.

So every single one of the nine remaining bidders on the team need to get out of the Dodgers pool right now. (emphasis mine)

As a fanatic True Blue Dodger fan I second this motion.

I worry, though, that the ego's that comes with billionaire status might negate any chance that they could collude. Nevertheless, I think every true Dodger fan would applause the gesture and I am certain the loyalty of the fanbase to whoever becomes the owner would become tenfold. Again, emphasis below is mine.

So listen up, you nine remaining bidders. I don’t care if you’re Magic Johnson or Stan Kroneke or gazillionaire Steve Cohen. You buy the team and are willing to let McCourt keep the parking lots, you are not wanted. You don’t deserve the Dodgers.

eBay: Vintage Maury Wills Photo Pennant

The best thing about the hobby is that you are bound to run into something you've never seen before. For instance, check out this circa 1960's player pennant of Maury Wills. It is a a stadium model pennant with a photograph of Wills across the front, and it's a first for me. The pennant is fairly worn, but that is to be expected with an item like this.

(Auction Link)

2012 Topps Baseball- Dodgers Base Cards

As I promised yesterday, here are scans of the Dodger base cards that can be found in the 2012 Topps Baseball Series 1 set. Click any pic to enlarge.

BTW, I have plenty of extras (including complete Dodger team sets) that I would be happy to send along to any of you. It will be on a first come first serve basis. All you have to do is ask. Either send me an email or comment here. Hey Night Owl! I got a nice little package coming your way.

Notice that Dee Gordon has two cards in the set. The top one is a normal base card while the card below it is an All-Star Rookie card.
Here is what the reverse of the cards look like. I'll note how lazy Topps is. The two Dee Gordon cards have the same exact back; with exception of the card number.
Here are the base cards for James Loney and possibly the last card of Hong-Chih Kuo in a Dodgers uniform.
Here is the back of the cards.
Dodger base cards of Javy Guerra and Tony Gwynn Jr.
The reverse of the cards above.
Seeing that Kemp and Kershaw had some incredible individual stats they were included in several leader cards. Check them out below. Of special note, Andruw Jones is featured in a Dodger uniform. I'm convinced Topps hates us.Here are the back of the Leader cards.
I also received seven different Golden Moments parallel cards (I now have a total of 8 of them in my personal collection). Check them out below. These are really odd looking cards, and I'm a bit on the fence as to whether I like them or not. Nevertheless, I would love to complete a Dodger team set- as you can see I'm a little short. If you have one sitting around please let me know. Maybe we can work out a trade.I still need the Kuo, Lilly, Dee Gordon normal base, and all of the leader cards (except for the Andruw Jones).