Punto Gets Snipped - AJ Ellis Worries for his Future

Sometimes, folks just share way too much on twitter.

For example, check out what Nick Punto recently wrote.

(twitter link)

Come on now, Nick.  Did we really need to know that?

For those who don't understand the terminology, Punto had a vasectomy.  He got neutered, spayed, what have you.  His fish don't swim anymore.

Well, Dodger catcher AJ Ellis got wind of this and expressed some worry that he might be next.

(twitter link)

Like lambs to a slaughter, the wives line up their men, one after another.  And AJ knows he's about to get an earful from home.  Ellis knows the peer pressure is coming.

Fortunately, it's a painless procedure (well mostly terribly uncomfortable) and your performance on the field shouldn't suffer.  As Punto relays an important note for other men, "I should be able to shred per usual."  So, AJ... Don't worry.  You should be fine if your wife decides it's your time.

(twitter link)

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Hiroki, Come Home!

As you may know, old friend Hiroki Kuroda was set to decide today whether to accept the Yankees' qualifying offer for a one-year contract at $13.3Mil.  If he declined, then he would become a free agent.

Well, it has just been reported that Kuroda will test the market, once again.

(twitter link)

What does this mean?

Whatever MLB team that signs Kuroda to a free agent contract will have to do it at a cost.  They will lose their upcoming 1st round draft pick.  Additionally, the Yankees will gain (I think this is the right term) a supplemental 1st round draft pick as compensation.  This would not be the draft pick the new team loses, but it is a draft pick made available to the Yankees after the initial 30 teams make their 1st round draft picks.

So, is signing Kuroda worth the loss of that 1st round draft pick.

I say YES!  Although it's likely that Hiroki Kuroda will only stay stateside for another couple of years the stability he provides to the starting rotation today makes it worth it.  That man is a warrior, and a desirable piece to the puzzle that has been the Dodgers.  Sure, he's not an ace, but no pitcher in the market today brings the experience and consistency that Kuroda brings.

Some have argued that the loss of that 1st round draft pick is far too costly.  That the future potential we lose is a significant financial and talent loss in the future.  Overall, I tend agree with that, but draft picks aren't entirely risk free.  In Baseball (unlike other sports) it is very difficult to accurately forecast whether any one player will succeed.  Heck, most early pitching draft picks do not come close to being as good as Kuroda.  So, why hope that we potentially might have a star pitcher a few years down the road when you can assure yourself of that high performing pitcher today.

On top of that, with the Dodgers expanding their scouting overseas, they can easily compensate that draft pick loss by upping their efforts in Asia and Latin America.  And if I'm not mistaken, the Dodgers are already doing that.

So, sign Hiroki Kuroda and let him come home to the Dodgers.  He never should have been allowed to leave anyway.

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Collection: 1972 Topps US Presidents Posters

Following up on my post from yesterday featuring my vintage 1956 Topps US Presidents card set, I bring to you another US Presidents themed set from 1972.

Featured here are US Presidents Campaign posters that were inserted within packs of 1972 US Presidents cards.  The card set (which I'll feature this weekend) looks exactly like the 1956 set I showed yesterday; with a couple of exceptions.  First, they are a little smaller and are of the same size of modern sports cards.  Two, they include new portrait paintings of the Presidents elected after 1956, and cards of the Democratic candidates expected to face off against Richard Nixon.  Anyway, you'll see those card shortly.

In this post are the mini posters featuring 15 notable Presidents.  These posters are blank backed and measure approximately 5"x7".

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Dodgers Blog Kiosk: 11/9/2012

Shane Victorino recently shared a pic on twitter of a couple jersey's he had made for the Bob Marley family.  I love the fact he got them Dodgers uniforms.

• RIP, Lee MacPhail.  Via The Sporting News.
• Via Jayson Stark at ESPN, Dodgers Spending Like Yankees.

"Everything is totally different now," said general manager Ned Colletti, who was hired by McCourt, back in rosier times, in November 2005. "Now we can think bold thoughts. Now we can do bold things. We can think progressively and aggressively. Obviously, we've got to be wise with our choices. We can't be reckless. But now we're encouraged to think big, to think global -- if we see a toothpick, to think redwood tree.

"That's how [Guggenheim CEO] Mark Walter, Stan Kasten and Magic Johnson think. That's how they became successful in their lives. And that's how they've encouraged us to think. So it's totally different now than the first seven seasons I was here. Now we can have discussions on players we could never discuss before."

• The LA Kings share an interview with Dodgers broadcaster Charley Steiner about Baseball, hockey, and broadcasting.
• JP Hoornstra updates us on Lilly and Billingsley.

(twitter link)

• Mike Petriello at Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness writes about another Asian target for the Dodgers- Korean starting pitcher Hyun-jin Ryu.
• Matt Klaassen at FanGraphs ranks the worse bunts of 2012 and starts it off with a Dodgers miscue against the Giants.
• Dodgers honor veterans this weekend with several events, via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com.

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Collection: Pedro Astacio 1996 Leaf Signature

In 1993, Pedro Astacio was looking like a perfect addition to a starting staff that included Hershiser, Candiotti, Ramon Martinez and Kevin Gross.  After spending 4 years rising through the Dodgers minor league system, he quickly established himself as the teams newest pitching star.  He won a team high 14 games that season and recorded a 3.57 ERA.  Unfortunately, he would not prove to be the answer the team was looking for.  Before long, new Dodger pitchers came into the fold to push him down the depth charts.  Ismael Valdez, Hideo Nomo and Chan Ho Park would come into town and would soon flourish in Blue while Pedro floundered.  By 1997, Pedro Astacio be the odd man out and be traded to the Rockies for Eric Young.  While in Colorado, he would reestablish his footing and become a reliable innings eater in a stadium known to become a pitchers graveyard.

Here's a little tidbit about Pedro Astacio I'm sure you didn't know.  Via Wikipedia:

Pedro is an amateur Jai Lai player and has recently applied for Pakistani citizenship so he may compete in the annual National Jai Lai Championships (NJLC).

Ya know, Wikipedia isn't always the best source, so take that with a grain of salt.  Still, this is kinda cool if true.  I have not been able to find any other sources confirming this.

Featured in this post is a 1996 Donruss Leaf Signature Series autographed card of Pedro Astacio from my collection.

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