Thursday, March 14, 2013

Check Out Tommy Reading WBC Tweets

Tommy Lasorda loves the WBC.  So much so, he was willing to read some tweets for the cameras.  Unfortunately, he wasn't his typical grumpy self, but we still get to enjoy some laughs.

Video Link:


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Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Spring Game 18/ Home Game 9


Throughout Spring Training the Dodgers PR department sends out helpful daily notes from Camelback Ranch, and I am happy to pass them along.  See what they've written below.
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Chicago Cubs (7-11-1) at LOS ANGELES DODGERS (6-8-3)
Thursday, March 14, 2013 – 1:05 p.m. | Camelback Ranch - Glendale
LHP Chris Rusin (1-0, 1.13) vs. LHP Chris Capuano (0-0, 10.80)
TV: None | Radio: None
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(pic link: twitter @Dodgers)

BACK AT THE RANCH: The Dodgers play their ninth Cactus League home game this afternoon, taking on the Chicago Cubs for the third time this spring. Previously, the Dodgers knocked off the Cubs, 7-6 at Camelback Ranch - Glendale on Feb. 25 and, 11-7, in Mesa on Feb. 27. The two teams will also square off on March 21 during a special charity game in Tucson to benefit the Christina-Taylor Green Foundation. When the regular season begins, the Dodgers and Cubs will meet seven times, beginning Aug. 1-4 at Wrigley Field and then from Aug. 26-28 at Dodger Stadium. Los Angeles won the season series, 4-2, last season and according to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Dodgers hold a slim, 1,028-1,023-14, advantage in the franchises’ 2,065 all-time meetings. In case you were wondering, there are just 17 days until Opening Day!

TURN IT AROUND: The Dodgers fell to the Reds in Goodyear on Tuesday night, 6-2, before enjoying an off day Wednesday. The club has lost two straight after going unbeaten in its previous four contests.
  • The Dodgers still lead all National League teams with a .292 batting average this spring and rank second with a .360 on-base percentage. The club’s 21 stolen bases lead all National League teams and are tied for second in baseball. The Dodgers are paced by Dee Gordon’s six steals, which lead the NL this spring. 
  • Today, Dodger outfielder Carl Crawford will be the designated hitter in a game against Japan’s Meiji University Baseball Club.
THE WORLD IS WATCHING: Congratulations to Dodger infielder Nick Punto on Italy’s successful and surprising run in the World Baseball Classic. Unfortunately for Punto, Puerto Rico’s come-from-behind victory yesterday knocked the Italians out and he will be back in camp tomorrow. Punto hit .421 (8-for-19) with two doubles and five runs scored in five WBC games. 
  • Hanley Ramirez is 2-for-11 with five walks and a .412 OBP in four tournament games for the Dominican Republic thus far. Today at 4 p.m., the D.R. will take on the United States with the winner qualifying for the semi-finals in San Francisco. 
(pic link: The Kersahw's @ellenkershaw)

MEET THE HURLERS: LHP Chris Capuano will make his third official Cactus League appearance and second start this afternoon. Capuano has given up six runs in 5.0 innings of work and last pitched on March 2 according to the books. However, the southpaw did pitch 4.0 innings against the Reds on March 8 (allowing one run) before the contest was cancelled due to rain.
  • Dodger reliever and the most interesting man in baseball, Matt Guerrier, will toe the rubber for the fifth time this spring today. Guerrier has posted an ERA of 4.50, allowing two runs in 4.0 innings while striking out five.
  • RHP Mark Lowe is set to make his team-high sixth appearance vs. the Cubs today. Lowe has allowed four runs in 5.0 innings and the opposition is hitting .364 against him.  
  • Also making his team-leading sixth appearance will be RHP Kevin Gregg, who has been lights out thus far in the Cactus League. Gregg has tossed 5.0 scoreless innings and yielded just one hit without walking a batter.
  • Dodger reliever Ronald Belisario is back in Spring Training action today as he is scheduled to make his first appearance since leaving for the WBC on March 2. Belisario has given up two runs in 2.2 innings over three Cactus League games this spring.
THE FUTURE IS NOW:  Registration is now available for the 2013 Dodgers Youth Baseball Camp, benefiting the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, which will be held June 25-28 (Session 1) and August 9, 12-14 (Session 2) at Dodger Stadium. Register your child today at www.dodgers.com/camp. The camp will feature instruction by Dodger coaches and alumni with special visits by current Dodger players. Enrollment is open to boys and girls, ages 7-12.


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Blog Kiosk: 3/14/2013


Hey look folks.  No more pee troughs in the cheap seat sections of Dodger Stadium.  Yeah!!!  These also appear to be those waterless urinals that exist at the Staples Center.  That alone will save thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of gallons of water a year.  My one complaint is that there should be a little ledge in front of the urinals for patrons to place their drink on.  Pic via twitter @Dodgers.
"He's slowly learning English," Federowicz said this week (of Hyun-Jin Ryu). "Soon enough, we're going to put together words that he needs to learn, because there's stuff that we're going to be telling him. Not so much a cheat sheet, but stuff he needs to learn first before he learns everything else."
The musicians wore Dodgers baseball caps to signify the Los Angeles Symphony earns more than San Francisco musicians. The publicity event preceded new negotiations between musicians and management scheduled for the afternoon with a federal mediator.
  • David Schoenield of ESPN points out "20 potential problems wit the Dodgers".
  • Hey, I get the hankering for Yasiel Puig to make the Opening Day roster, but let's face the reality that more seasoning in the high-minors can only help to bolster his chances at being really great.  Please have patience.  Fortunately, cooler heads within the Dodgers will prevail as demonstrated by skipper Don Mattingly.  Via Eric Stephen on twitter.
(twitter link)
  • Take a look at 9 US Maximum Security Prison Baseball Fields, via an Exercise is Easy Tumblr.  From top to bottom: Leavenworth, Folsom, Sing Sing, Rikers, ADX Florence SuperMax Prison, San Quentin, USP Atlanta, Attica, USP Marion.  Hat Tip: briligerent on Reddit.
  • Yeah, science!  Higgs Boson has been confirmed, via John Heilprin at the Huffington Post.
  • Via the Financial Post, AEG is no longer for sale and  CEO Tim Leiweke is leaving the company.  This is unfortunate.  After all, I was just beginning to like the guy.  I count him as one of the principle reasons the Kings won the Stanley Cup last season, and I will never forget his efforts.


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A Rarity - 1952 Tip Top Bread Labels Including 5 Brooklyn Dodgers


Collectible bread labels from the 50's are some of the more scarce memorabilia items in the hobby.  Not only was it rare for fans to keep them with their cherished piles of Baseball cards, but they are very thin so you rarely see them in decent shape.  As I wrote a couple of years back:
These labels were affixed to the ends of a loaf broad that would typically be wrapped in some sort of paper or cellophane. So, they would constantly be peeled off and put back on over the lifetime of the loaf. As a result, surviving examples are creased and well worn. Sure, I can see a kid begging mom to give him the prized label right away, but considering the flimsy paper it was printed on, it too would likely be damaged.
Well, imagine my surprise when I came across a near set of 1952 Tip Top Bread Baseball labels at Goldin Auctions.  It features 47 of 48 labels, missing only the Andy Pafko label.  Unfortunately, he was a Dodger that season, so we don't get to see what that label looks like.  Nevertheless, the rest of the set is available for viewing online.  Click any pic to embiggen.  Above you can see the Campanella and Snider labels.  Below are the Ralph Branca, Carl Furillo and Gil Hodges labels.  With 22 days left in bidding it current sits at $5,500 for the entire group.  I actually had a chance to view these labels last month at the Long Beach show, and I have to say that they are beautiful.  See my brief story about that here.
(Auction Link)

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