Woo Hoo! Dodgers Win!

On the back of stellar pitching by Hyun-Jin Ryu and some timely hitting, the Dodgers win their first game of the NLCS.

And boy... did we need this game. 

Ryu went 7 strong innings, giving up just 3 hits and 1 walk.  He struck out 4 Cardinals.  Ryu was masterful out there.  He established his fastball by placing it wherever he wanted, then mixed in his off-speed pitches to great effect.  The Cardinals just couldn't muster a rally against the Korean left-hander.

As for the Dodger offense, they finally got on the board in the 4th inning. 

Mark Ellis doubled to start the inning, and moved to 3rd base on Hanley's sacrifice fly to right field.  Then Adrian Gonzalez came up to bat.

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1 to 0, Dodgers.  Soon, Adrian found himself on 3rd base as Yasiel Puig came up to bat.

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Dodgers up 2 to 0. 

That was all the Dodgers would need. 

They would eventually tack on another run in the 8th inning off a Hanley Ramirez single to make it 3 to 0, but this only added a little bit of insurance.  Below is the final out of the game.

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Tomorrow's game starts at the same time, 5:07 PM PST.  Ricky Nolasco is scheduled to start for the Dodgers.

Pic at the very top via Dodgers on tumblr

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Hanley Will Play!

Don't you ever say that Hanley is soft.

As I'm sure you know, the biggest news of the day had to do with the health of Hanley Ramirez.  After getting plunked in the ribs during Game 1 on Friday, he has sit on the bench and had various medical reviews performed.  His latest test included a CT scan yesterday afternoon, and those result have just come in.  Per a @Dodgers tweet:

The CT scan Hanley Ramirez took yesterday showed a fracture on the 8th rib. He is a game time decision. #Dodgers
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 14, 2013

This news confirms the findings first reported on twitter earlier this morning, with a slight difference.  The break is a hairline fracture rather than a complete break.  Furthermore, as Beto Duran of ESPN notes, Hanley is "not in danger of hurting self any further. It's just a painful thing".  So, Hanley Ramirez could play tonight's game.

Well, after performing various defensive drills on the field before the game and batting practice soon thereafter, we find out that Hanley will play this afternoon.  Per a tweet from Bill Shaikin at the LA Times.

Hanley; "I'm going to play"
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) October 14, 2013

Hanley also says that he owes us.

Hanley says he owes it to #Dodgers to play, since they have shown him so much respect since trade.
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) October 14, 2013

It's no wonder he has become a fan favorite.

"I owe too much to this team and this city (not to play)." -Hanley Ramirez
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 14, 2013

UPDATE:  Take a look at the armor he will be wearing, via a tweet from the @Dodgers.

A look at the armor @HanleyRamirez will be wearing. #ITFDB pic.twitter.com/yjUhBiq0Tw
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 14, 2013

Pic the very top via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2013

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2013 Topps Finest Baseball - the Dodgers Base Cards

Last week, Topps released their popular Finest set.  Check out a complete checklist here.  There are 5 different Dodgers' in the base set.  See them all below.  I'll have the Dodgers insert cards to share tomorrow.

#10 Clayton Kershaw                          #23 Adrian Gonzalez

#25 Matt Kemp                                  #47 Hyun-Jin Ryu

#91 Yasiel Puig

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Collector Spotlight: Fred's Dodger Collection and Incredible Garage of Dreams

Over the weekend I received a great email from a reader that included some photos of his Dodger room.  As you can see in the photos here, this place is a wonder to behold.  Thank you Fred for allowing me to share your pics.  Above is his ever faithful dog, Dodger, posing for the camera.

Fred from Florida has been a longtime fan, and being located in Florida meant that he had easy contact to the Boys in Blue during Spring Training.  You'll notice a ton of photographs with Fred and some Dodgers all over his wall.

He's got everything from game-used uniforms to batting helmets  Click on any pic to embiggen.

His favorite items are his Duke Snider collection.  He got them all personally singed in Vero Beach during a fantasy camp.  Although he didn't participate in the camp, he was able to meet his favorite player.

He also had Clayton Kershaw sign a jersey during his rookie season and has numerous signed bats; including Koufax, Green, Strawberry and Valenzuela.

His next group of photos absolutely blew me away.  Fred has his very own Dodger Garage of Dreams. 

Wow!  I am beyond envious.

I love how he has Dodger Blue everywhere and the requisite rake and broom you always find on the side of the garage.

Over the years I've had a chance to share other fans Dodger collections.  See those post here (label: Collector Spotlight).  If you are interested in sharing your collection please drop me a line.  I would love to hear from you.

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Bad News Starting to Percolate on Hanley Ramirez

This is just horrible.

Unconfirmed reports have started to spread indicating that Hanley Ramirez's CT scan yesterday was not good.  Per GrandesESPNRD on twitter (ESPN Radio in Spanish):

NOTICIA: Hanley Ramírez tiene dos costillas rotas y no jugará el resto de la postemporada.
— GrandesenlosDeportes (@GrandesESPNRD) October 14, 2013

This translates as:

Hanley Ramirez has two broken ribs and will not play the rest of the postseason.

Ugh!!!!

This is not the best way to start a Monday. 

At this point it is just a rumor.  We should hear more about whether it's true over the next coming hours.  Let's hope this tweet is just the rantings of an overzealous crazy man.

On a side note, my confidence in the Dodgers has not waned, and will not even if this news is accurate.  We have more than enough tools still left in the box to win this series.  You just have to believe.

UPDATE:  Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times says Hanley has not been completely ruled out of the game, via twitter:

Contrary to what was reported in DR, I'm told Hanley Ramirez hasn't been ruled out for rest of playoffs. Will be game-time decision today.
— Dylan Hernandez (@dylanohernandez) October 14, 2013

UPDATE II:  Hanley has arrived at Dodger Stadium.  He looks to be in good spirits.

UPDATE III:  JP Hoornstra tells us that it's a hairline fracture, via twitter:

#Dodgers clarify that Ramirez has a hairline fracture of the 8th rib.
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) October 14, 2013

Pic above via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2013

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Blog Kiosk: 10/14/2013 - Dodgers Links - Donnie Baseball, Free Parking Tonight and Hanley Ramirez is Still Questionable

Tonight we have an opportunity to set things right.  The game begins at 5:07 PM PST.  Please be loud and proud this afternoon.  During Don Mattingly's press conference yesterday he said:

"We're a couple of hits away from being up 2-0."

I do not disagree with Donnie Baseball's statement.  Pic above via @Dodgers on twitter and pic below is of Puig, Lopes and McGwire via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2013.

• I might be in the minority here, but I like Steve Lyons.  Via his twitter:

I will not return with the Dodgers in any role in '14. Shattered, but not broken. I still LOVE this team.
— Steve Lyons (@SteveLyons12) October 12, 2013

Bill Shaikin of the LA Times also mentions that Eric Collins will also not be coming back.

• Remember, fans attending tonight's game with 4 or more riders get free parking.  Also:

Fans who carpool with four or more people will be allowed to use the bus lane approaching Dodger Stadium during the Postseason. #ITFDB
— Dodgers PR (@DodgersPR) October 11, 2013

• "Hanley to have CT scan on ribs after X-rays negative," via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com.

"It hurts and we want to make sure we don't put anything at risk," Ramirez said of Sunday's scheduled test in Los Angeles. "We decided at the last minute [not to start]. I tried all day, did everything we can to play, but it hurt when I tried to hit and it didn't work the way we thought so we decided to get an X-ray.

"I want to make sure I'm able to swing. It was really painful. I took a swing off the tee and it hurt bad. It was getting worse and worse."

He received that CT scan yesterday, but we have yet to hear its results.

• "Dodgers need to take a page from their hated rivals’ book," via Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA. 
• "Andre Ethier day-to-day with ankle injury," via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA.
• The season isn't even over yet.  Dylan Hernandez at the LA Times writes, "Could Tony La Russa replace Don Mattingly as Dodgers manager?"
• True to the Blue recaps the Shawn Green and Paul LoDuca signing this past Saturday.
• Bob Nightengale at USA Today mentions in a story today that Don Mattingly will get an extension.  He also mentions that some players are grumbling about his managerial abilities, but I'll say that anonymous sources are a load of BS.  I consider this nothing more than a reporter satisfying a theme he's built into his story using conjecture.  Folks, this kind of crap happens all the time - just watch cable news, it's filled with it.
• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Dodgers express confidence before Game 3".

"This is a very confident group inside this clubhouse, a very tight-knit group," Punto said. "Inside that clubhouse we're extremely loose. I feel like we're about to break out."

• Jodes0405 at Gaslamp Ball tells us about the opening of Sullivan Family Baseball Research Center in San Diego.

With the opening of the new Central Library in downtown San Diego also came the opening of the Sullivan Family Baseball Research Center, home of the second largest baseball library collection in the world.

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