Blog Kiosk: 5/16/2012

Topps has been slowly unveiling some sneak peek photos of some of the autographs cards seeded into the 2012 Topps Heritage Baseball card boxes, via twitter @ToppsCards.  Above is a Brett Butler insert autographed card.

• Gibson chose not to catch Hershiser's first pitch the other night, via LA Times.  I certainly respect Gibby's reason.

"I'm a Diamondback," Gibson said. "I'm the manager of the team. I respect Orel tremendously. He knows that. It's not disrespect towards him. If I was out of baseball I would have done it, but I'm in baseball and I've got different colors on tonight and tomorrow."

• Here's a great story about former Padres Nate Colbert's brush with Jackie Robinson as a kid, via Corey Brock at MLB.

With Colbert clinging to Robinson's game-used glove in the center fielder bleachers, Jackie Robinson, the man responsible for breaking baseball's color barrier, actually used Colbert's glove during a game against Stan Musial and the Cardinals. 

• Check out Matt Kemp sporting LA Kings Black & Silver, via LA Kings Twitter.  Pic taken by Jon SooHoo/ LA Dodgers 2012.

• Dee Gordon is getting some extra tutelage, via Ken Gurnick at MLB.

Rather than in the privacy of the indoor batting cage, manager Don Mattingly and hitting coach Dave Hansen had Gordon hitting off a tee in the batting cage on the field before the Dodgers stretched for regular batting practice.

• Juan Uribe had a MRI, with Eric Stephen at True Blue LA.

Manager Don Mattingly said the MRI showed what could be arthritis or wear and tear, but trainer Sue Falsone declined to discuss specifics until Uribe met with the hand specialist.

• Check out the LA Galaxy as they meet the President, via LA Kings Insider.
• Heartbreaking Cards of Staggering Genius has a couple more pics of some incredible murals found near the Negro League Baseball Museum; including a  Kansas City Monarchs mural with Jackie Robinson.
• Go Kings!!!  Am I dreaming?  Can this possible be happening?   The Kings took a 2 games to 0 lead in the Western Conference Finals against the Phoenix Coyotes.  See game highlights below.

 
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Grey Flannel Auctions: The Orel Hershiser Collection- 1988

I always find it hard to believe a former Baseball star would sell any portion of their personal collection.  After all, the memorabilia accumulated over a career are like a photo album of your life.  How can you just let it go?

Obviously, financial issues can be a concern, but I don't that's the issue here.  Other times, the player just might not have much of an attachment to those things (i.e. the Kirk Gibson Collection sold last year).  In this case, however that's obviously not the case.  Orel Hershiser is known as active sports memorabilia collector, and the items he consigned to Grey Flannel Auctions supports that notion.  No, the reason why the Bulldog is selling has everything to do with being a collector.  Every collector, at some point, takes stock of everything they have accumulated and determines that maybe they should pare it down a bit.  Hershiser is obviously at that point in his hobby.

So, for your enjoyment check out just a handful of the items he has on auction below. There are over 60 items from his collection for sale, so I'll probably follow up this post in the next few days with more items from his collection not highlighted here.  BTW, all of the items below focus on the magical 1988 season.

Yes, this is what you think it is.  Here is Orel Hershiser's actual glove that he used during the 1988 season.  The Bulldog wore this when he broke the consecutive scoreless innings streak, and during the World Series later on that season.  From the auction description:

In 1988, Orel put together one of the best single season pitching performances in baseball history. He led the league in wins, innings, and complete games, finishing the season with a record 59 consecutive scoreless innings pitched, breaking the mark held by former Dodger Don Drysdale. (He would then add 8 more scoreless innings in his next start-Game 1 of the NLCS, but the postseason innings do not count toward the record.) He also won his first Gold Glove and was unanimously selected as the Cy Young Award winner with a record of 23–8 and a 2.26 ERA. This glove was worn during that historic record setting 59 consecutive scoreless innings streak of 1988 as well as during the 1988 postseason where Orel led his Dodgers to a World Championship.

(Auction Link)

This 1988 artifact is Hershiser's game-used World Series jersey.  Please, someone needs to buy this stuff and put it in a museum.

 (Auction Link)

This is Hershiser's 20th win Baseball from 1988.  Wow, just awesome.  Please note that this isn't the only Baseball from 1988 he has for sale.  You can also bid on a Baseball used during the game in which he broke the scoreless innings streak, here.  On top of that, as noted by Keith Olbermann, Orel had put up the actual ball used to break the scoreless streak record, but had sellers remorse and took it off the auction block.  See Olbermann's story about that, here.

(Auction Link)

This is the Bulldog's World Series batting helmet.  All of these 1988 items need to be grouped together in a nice display at a Dodger Stadium museum. 

 (Auction Link)

Here is one of the lesser awards he won during his incredible 1988 season.  Obviously, Hershiser is keeping the big awards, like the Cy Young, that he won in 1988.  This is the 1988 Sports Magazine World Series MVP Award.

(Auction Link) 

Here is something that would be absolutely fascinating to read through.  This is Orel's scouting report from the 1988 World Series.  Go here to see a handful of pages.  They have a zoom function that allows you to read a few pages.

(Auction Link)