Game 2 Preview - Eagerly Awaiting Ryu

Can we actually expect the Dodgers to outdo yesterdays masterpiece?  Well, with the MLB debut of Korean wonderkid Hyun-Jin Ryu slated to start for the Dodgers tonight, I think that may be a distinct possibility.  Furthermore, both starting pitchers pitched well this Spring, so we might be in for another pitching duel.  On the other hand, I'm hoping that the Dodgers' bats wake up.

To wet your whistle, there are a couple of articles focused on Ryu's debut that are worth a read.

• Via Baek Byung-yeul at the Korea Times, "Ryu Makes MLB Debut Today."

Ryu, 26, has done his part to spur expectations with a solid preseason performance. Over seven games, he went 2-2 with a 3.29 ERA, striking out 27 batters and scattering 10 runs over 27.1 innings. He couldn’t have ended on a better note, striking out Los Angeles Angels slugger Albert Pujols. 

•  From after his last Spring start against the Angels, via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Hyun-jin Ryu perfect in spring training finale."

"There was a lot of talk in the very beginning (of spring training) about how I would perform. I was actually anxious and nervous at first, but after the games went on I got more comfortable," Ryu said. "I'm just happy to end camp on a good note."

• Mike Oz at Big League Stew is geeking out on Ryu's debut. Oh... Since we're geeking out, check out the photoshopped pic I made at the very bottom, or at this link.

If you're a child of the '90s, there's a good chance you can't read the name "Hyun-Jin Ryu" and not think of Ryu, the fireballing, upper-cutting "Street Fighter" favorite.

(pic credit: Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2013)

San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers 

Madison Bumgarner vs. Hyun-Jin Ryu

Game Start: 7:10 p.m., April 2
TV: Prime Ticket, MLB Network
Radio: 570 AM (English), 1020 AM (Spanish)

BTW, All-Star Clippers point guard Chris Paul will throw today’s ceremonial first pitch prior to the game.

You will also notice that Carl Crawford will be on the bench for this game.   The Dodgers have decided to let him take a seat since Giants' pitcher Madison Bumgarner is a left hander.

Dodgers Lineup:

(twitter link: @Dodgers)

 Giants Lineup:

(twitter link: @truebluela)

(I made this several months, and I'm very proud of it. LOL)

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Jackie Robinson Triple Play Day at the Sports Museum of Los Angeles on April 13th

This sounds like a great cause, and you get to visit (in my opinion) the best sports museum in Southern California.  Heck, it's likely the best sports museum this side of Cooperstown.  Check out details of this charitable event below- from a press release:

The Zimmer Children’s Museum is proud to announce Jackie Robinson Triple Play Day on Saturday, April 13th, 2013. This exclusive family-friendly event celebrates Jackie Robinson Day, which is observed nationally on April 15th to commemorate the day he broke the color barrier in American baseball. The event will be held at The Sports Museum of Los Angeles (1900 S. Main Street Los Angeles CA 90007), which is viewed by invitation only and features a 32,000 square foot private collection of unique and rare sports memorabilia. For a limited time, the museum is featuring an exquisite collection of Jackie Robinson and Negro League memorabilia in honor of Jackie Robinson.

Jackie Robinson Triple Play Day will consist of a two-part engagement; a VIP Tour, Panel and Lunch and an Afternoon Community Viewing Party:

• The mid-day VIP program (11:00am-2:00pm) includes an exclusive VIP tour hosted by museum owner and collector Gary Cypres, as well as a speakers’ panel of baseball legends past and present.
• In the afternoon (2:00pm-6:00pm), the museum will be accessible to the greater Los Angeles community for self-guided tours with activities for youth, food and fun.

All proceeds from the event go to support youTHink, a program of the Zimmer Children’s Museum, which empowers young people to find their voice, be leaders and take action in their communities.

Tickets for the VIP Tour, Celebrity Sports Panel and Lunch are $350 for adults and $150 for children. General admission tickets are $50 for adults and $25 for children. For more information and to purchase tickets visit sports.zimmermuseum.org.

BTW, The Sports Museum of Los Angeles is closed to the public, so this is a great opportunity to check this place out.  Frankly, it's a must see.

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Huggins & Scott Auctions: Koufax's Last Pitched Game Stub and Other Dodgers' Vintage Memorabilia

With the season is full bloom, you should expect to see the Baseball auction market heating up.  Over the next several months there are some incredible collections that will see the light of day for the first time, and I am very excited about it.  I'll have more on that later on.

For today, I wanted to focus on a Maryland auctioneer Huggins & Scott and a couple of great Dodgers related collectibles. 

First up (which by the way is very timely) is a 1966 World Series ticket stub from Game 2.  Unfortunately, the Dodgers would get sweeped by the Orioles.  Nevertheless, this game is very notable.  Sandy Koufax happened to pitch in the game, and it was the very last appearance he made on the mound in his career.  Soon afterwards he would announce his retirement.

(Auction Link)

You gotta love a giant lot of Dodgers memorabilia items.  Right here is a 15 item lot of Dodgers vintage goodness.  Heck, there's even some vintage Opening Day items, as well.  Check out the auction here.

No “Bums” in this group of (15) vintage 1960s LA Dodgers memorabilia items featuring a collection of (3) 1962 Opening Day souvenirs plus yearbooks, World Series programs, stubs, pins, pennants and sundries. The (3) 1962 items are a handsome full size pennant, a high grade 3-1/2” pin and ticket stub (G, creased). Additional highlights are: 1968 Yearbook signed (“9”) by Drysdale with PSA/DNA COA; 1963 Yankees vs. Dodgers WS program from Yankee Stadium; 1963 WS Game 3 stub graded (VG-EX) by PSA; 1965 WS Dodger Stadium Press Pass. 

(Auction Link)

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Blog Kiosk: 4/2/2013

Yesterday was Magical.  Via a pic tweeted yesterday by the @Dodgers, check out Magic Johnson and Sandy Koufax during a 1st pitch embrace.

• Check some more great photos from Dodgers' photographer Jon SooHoo from Opening Day here.
• Manuel Guerrero at LA Blue Crew shares a bunch of his photos from Opening Day.
• Sax at Sons of Steve Garvey has his own photos to share.
• Cora at Sons of Steve Garvey discovered a little issue with pricing for the Doyer Dogs at Dodger Stadium.  Check out his post to see what I mean.
• Jon Weisman writes about Opening Day over at Sports On Earth.  Check it out.

The point is not to suggest that Kershaw's peak will match Koufax's. The point is to express wonder that we're even having this conversation, punctuated by the fact that thanks to saner treatment of his arm than Koufax received in the 1960s, Kershaw might extend his life on the mound long past the age when Koufax was forced into premature retirement.

• AJ Ellis is an eloquent guy.  Via twitter:

(twitter link)

• Are you looking for an official Dodgers' browser theme?  Do you want to spice up your web browser (whether it's Explorer, Firefox or Chrome) to represent your favorite team.  Well, then you can download a free browser theme from MLB right now.  Go here to check it out.
• Jay Mohr spoke with Don Mattingly on AM570 -  spoke about the importance of the young players.  Listen to it here.
• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Aaron Harang: A man without a role in Dodgers bullpen."

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