Blog Kiosk: 3/21/2012

Camelback Ranch, pic via twitter @ChrisWithersTV.

• Alex Belth at Bronx Banter has a nice interview up with author Paul Haddad- writer of the new Dodgers book "High Fives, Pennant Drives, and Fernandomania."

  Vin Scully is the main reason I got into the Dodgers. My Dodger obsession was just as equally a Vin obsession – they were intertwined and you couldn’t imagine one without the other. Fans in 1976 already knew this, naming Vinny the “most memorable personality” in Dodger history, and this from a team that’s had no shortage of iconic players or big personalities.

• Check out the pic of the Kids Power Necklace being given away by the Dodgers on Sunday, May 20th. See the whole promotional schedule, here.
• 12 questions about the Dodgers answered by Jon Weisman at ESPN.
• Sully ask 5 question of the Dodgers at Hardball Times.
  
• Tom Van Riper at Forbes takes another look at the value of the Dodgers and sees a huge increase in value.

  Yes, it helps that the Los Angeles Dodgers are a trophy investment. If owning the New York Yankees is like owning the “Mona Lisa,” as George Steinbrenner once said, the Dodgers hopefuls are bidding on “Starry Night.” But ego is just a small part of the frenzy: Based solely on financials, FORBES figures, the Dodgers are worth a hefty $1.4 billion, up 75% from last year.

• Here is another Forbes article that, this time, features a cover photo of Matt Kemp.

  The cable companies, the TV networks and incoming team owners alike are taking some risk with the new TV economics of baseball. That’s why most of the regional sports networks have been structured with an equity component—they’re sharing the risk.

  There is one group, however, that gets a sure thing from the local broadcasting windfall: star players.

• Eric Stephen at True Blue LA puts together a Spring Training Stadium Tour of the Goodyear ballpark.
  
• Tom Bartsch at Sports Collectors Digest writes about the upcoming Bill Veeck exhibition in Arcadia.

  The Baseball Reliquary presents “Bill Veeck: Baseball’s Greatest Maverick,” a major exhibition on the life and times of one of the most influential figures in baseball history, from April 9-May 24 at the Arcadia Public Library, 20 W. Duarte Rd., Arcadia, Calif.

  The exhibition is based on Paul Dickson’s book, Bill Veeck: Baseball’s Greatest Maverick, the first major biography on this American original, which will be published in April 2012. The exhibition will utilize photographs, artworks, artifacts and documents to illustrate key elements of Dickson’s original research. Much of the signage is excerpted from the book. The displays will include nearly 100 photographs encompassing the extraordinary career of Bill Veeck. Many of the images have rarely, if ever, been shown publicly.

• Clayton Kershaw and Tim Lincecum.

Video Link:

Dodgers Notes from Spring Training- Day 29

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

San Diego Padres (10-8) at LOS ANGELES DODGERS (9-5-4)

Wednesday, March 21, 2012 – 1:05 p.m., Camelback Ranch - Glendale

RHP Tim Stauffer vs. RHP Jamey Wright

Spring Game 19/Home Game 10

Todays Starting Lineup:

Dodgers: @skinnyswag9 SS, M Ellis 2B, @TheRealMattKemp CF, @jamesloney_7 1B, Rivera LF, Gwynn RF, Hairston 3B, @AJEllis17 C, Wright P
Padres: Maybin CF, Hundson 2B, Guzman LF,Alonso 1B, Denorfia RF, Darnell 3B, Grandal C, Cabrera SS, Stauffer P

Upcoming Spring Training Schedule:

(Spring Training Insider: Andre Ethier is interviewed by @Kirkjian_ESPN as the @ESPN_BBTN bus rolls thru @CamelbackRanch, via twitter @Dodgers)

• THE PAD SQUAD: The Dodgers and Padres square off for the first time this spring with the two clubs meeting again next Tuesday in Peoria. Los Angeles went 13-5 against San Diego last season, tying for its second-best single-season record against the Padres, and the two clubs will meet for an Opening Day showdown on April 5 at PETCO Park. The Dodgers enter play today with the third best record in the Cactus League at 9-5-4 and rank among National League team leaders in batting average (.286, 3^rd), on-base percentage (.357, T-1^st), slugging percentage (.458, 3^rd) and ERA (3.48, 4^th).

• THE WRIGHT STUFF: Jamey Wright makes his first start of the spring today after firing a scoreless inning of relief on Saturday against the Giants and has posted a 3.60 ERA (2 ER/5.0 IP) in four Cactus League appearances. Wright, who began his career as a starting pitcher, has not started a Major League game since 2007 and is 69-101 with a 5.13 ERA in his 246 career starts. Last season, Wright made eight appearances for Seattle of 2.0 or more innings and did not allow a run in those outings, limiting opponents to a .172 batting average (10-for-58) with 18 strikeouts in 18.0 innings. Since 2005, Wright has been one of the most effective pitchers at forcing ground balls and ranks seventh among Major League relievers in that span with 654 grounders induced. Following Wright to the mound today will be:

  ● RHP Todd Coffey last pitched in a game on Thursday, allowing one run on three hits in 1.0 inning against the Royals, but threw 2.0 innings in a simulated game on Sunday. Coffey has limited opposing hitters to a .231 batting average this spring (3-for-13) with three strikeouts in 3.1 innings.

  ● RHP Kenley Jansen struck out two in a scoreless inning on Monday against the Indians in Goodyear and has five strikeouts in his 4.0 Cactus League innings. Jansen has not walked a batter this spring and has limited opponents to a .214 batting average (3-for-14).

  ● LHP Scott Rice last pitched on Friday and picked up the save with a scoreless ninth inning against the Rangers. Rice has five strikeouts in 4.0 scoreless innings this spring and has limited hitters to a .143 batting average (2-for-14).

  ● LHP John Grabow allowed one hit and struck out three in a scoreless inning of relief on Sunday against the Angels. Grabow has fanned six in 4.2 scoreless innings this spring.

  ● RHP Fernando Nieve last pitched on Saturday, allowing two runs in 2.0 innings against the Rockies. Nieve has allowed three runs in 7.2 innings in four appearances this spring (3.68 ERA)

  ● RHP Mike MacDougal set down the Angels in order on Sunday, forcing three groundball outs before the rains came. MacDougal has allowed four runs in 3.1 innings this spring, with all the damage coming during a 0.1 inning appearance last Thursday against the Royals.

  ● RHP Ronald Belisario last pitched on Saturday against the Giants, striking out one in a scoreless inning. Belisario has allowed four runs (three earned) in 3.0 innings this spring.

(Los Angeles Dodgers win against the Milwaukee Brewers Tuesday March 20,2012 at Camelback Ranch-Glendale in Phoenix Arizona. © Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

• DOWN BY THE RIVER: While the Dodgers battle the Padres in the stadium at Camelback Ranch, left-hander Ted Lilly will appear in a minor league game on the back fields. Lilly is expected to throw 5.0 innings against the Indians minor leaguers after last pitching on Friday and tossing 4.0 scoreless frames against the Rangers. Lilly has not allowed a run since his first outing, giving him 7.0 consecutive scoreless innings, and has limited hitters to a .229 average this spring. Catcher Matt Treanor will also play in the game.

• SOMETHING’S BREWING: Dee Gordon had three hits, including a double, a triple and two runs scored, as the Dodgers downed the Brew Crew 7-6 yesterday. Mark Ellis and Matt Kemp both had multi-hit games, with Ellis driving in three and scoring twice. Andre Ethier registered his 10^th extra-base hit of the spring with his two-run homer in the fifth inning, which raised his slugging percentage to 1.080 in 11 games.

  ● Los Angeles’ four draws this spring tie for the second-most all time by the club along with the 2002 and 2008 campaigns. The Dodger record for Spring Training ties was set in 2006, when the team went 15-13-5.

(Dee Gordon steps on first heading to second during game against the Milwaukee Brewers Tuesday March 20,2012 at Camelback Ranch-Glendale in Phoenix Arizona. © Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

• OH HAPPY DAY: The Dodgers would like to wish a happy 74^th birthday to Tommy Davis, who played eight seasons in Dodger blue from 1959-66. Davis just completed a five-day stint as a guest minor league instructor with the Dodgers at Camelback Ranch.

• TUCSON TUSSLE: This Friday, the Dodgers and White Sox will play a Cactus League game at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium in Tucson with all the proceeds going to the Christina-Taylor Green Memorial Foundation. The Christina-Taylor Green Memorial Fund was established by Dodger scout John Green and his family to honor the life and memory of his daughter, Christina-Taylor, through charitable and educational projects that reflect and embody her interests, values and dreams. This is the second straight year that the Dodgers have played a benefit game in Tucson to help raise funds for the victims and families affected by the tragic events of January 8, 2011.

  ● The Dodgers also play a split-squad game against the Royals in Surprise on Friday, but the majority of the club’s regulars will head to Tucson with Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, Juan Rivera, Mark Ellis, A.J. Ellis, Dee Gordon, Tony Gwynn Jr. and Jerry Hairston Jr. volunteering to play in the benefit game.

Collection: Wilton Guerrero Donruss Signatures

Here is another one of those card sets from the 90's that I know nothing about. This is a 1998 Donruss Signature Series autographed card of former Dodgers hot prospect Wilton Guerrero. I know this is a signature heavy set with numerous parallel versions of the autographed cards available.

Wilton Guerrero is an older brother (by one year) of slugger Vladimir Guerrero. Originally signed as undrafted free agents by Dodgers scout Ralph Avila and Pablo Peguero, he was suppose to be our solution at second base after the failed experiment that brought Delino DeShileds to Los Angeles in exchange for a future Hall of Famer. Wilton could field the position just fine and hit for a decent average, but couldn't do much more. Soon he would be relegated to utility work as Eric Young supplanted him as our everyday second baseman. In 1998 he was traded to Montreal and had an opportunity to play along side his brother, Vladimir. While with the Expos they became the eighth set of brothers to homer in the same game.