Kershaw Gets His Cy Young WWE Belt from Vince McMahon

Back in mid-November, during the Baseball's year-end award season, MLB decided to tweet something interesting to the world (see it above).  With social media being a huge driver for marketing and sales nowadays, why not try to manufacture something in hopes of hitting viral gold?  Well, MLB struck it rich when they shared a WWE/WWF style championship belt they created on photoshop for recently announced CY Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw.  (They did the same for other award winners, as well)

Understandably, the twitter world was excited and hopeful that such a thing could exist.  Unfortunately, MLB was just joking around with us, but Vince McMahon, the big cheese at the WWE, never jokes around.  Within 8 hours of MLB tweeting the photo, McMahon followed up with a tweet of his own promising to make those belts a reality.  See it below.

Envious, was I.  Heck, I'm sure many MLB'ers were jealous.  After all, who wouldn't want this?

Well, this afternoon we find out that Vince McMahon has followed through.  From a screen grab of a tweet by Clayton Kershaw, we find out that he has gotten his belt.  See it below.

Unfortunately, the Cy Young belt does not look anything like the mock-up created by MLB.  That's understandable since I'm sure trademark and copyright issues surely reared its ugly head.  Still, this might be one of the coolest things ever, and I'm sure every future winner will be wondering if they will get their own.

BTW, Nick Punto's wife chimed in with her own 2 cents on twitter.

I would love to see this.  We can call him Captain Claw, and he can run around the stadium with a dish brush in hand while body-slammin' the opposition.

UPDATE:  Zack Greinke's wife also provides some hilarious commentary. 

I think were about to witness a little rumble!

UPDATE II:  Holy Moly!  The Iron Sheik just responded to the Cy Young belt on twitter.  This has just hit epic status!

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Dodgers Set Spring Dates - Pitchers & Catcher Report on February 8th

With the Spring Baseball season around the corner, Dodgers fans the world over are wondering, "so when do pitchers and catchers report?" 

Fortunately, the Dodgers released that information this afternoon.

The Dodger schedule for 2014 is complicated by the Opening Game Series in Australia in late-March, so you would expect that they would be starting their Spring a bit earlier than everybody else.  The Dodgers revelation this afternoon about their Spring schedule confirms that.  It appears that Pitchers & Catchers will be arriving about a week before everyone else.

For instance, the Yankees, A's and Royals will have their pitchers & catchers reporting on February 14th, and their first full squad workout will be on February 20th.  The Phillies, Cardinals and Mariners will have pitchers & catchers report on the 12th, and full squad workouts will begin on the 18th.

So, who's going?

Pic above via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2009

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Blog Kiosk: 12/17/2013 - Dodgers Links - Uribe, Kemp and JP Howell Coming Back?

Andre Ethier spent the day at Dodger Stadium yesterday with 10 year old Emily.  The above pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2013.  Listen to Andre Ethier at AM570 as he talks about hagin' with Emily.

• Via Mike Petriello at Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness, "The Immediate Effects of Juan Uribe’s Return".
• Peter Gammons at the Daily Gammons notes that the Dodgers wanted Uribe for "as much for what he does off the field, as on".  (Hat Tip: JP Hoornstra)

“He was a huge stabilizing force for (Yasiel) Puig,” says one Dodger official. “Puig really wants to do the right things, and he listens to and leans on Uribe. The kid might not have made it through the year without him.”

• Eric Stephen at True Blue LA has the details on the new MLB/NPB posting agreement.  We will soon find out if Japanese ace Masahiro Tanaka becomes available.  The Dodgers are rumored to be very interested in his services.
• Via Gina DiFalco at The Celebrity Cafe, "Khloe Kardashian not dating L.A. Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp, not ready to date".
• Via Gen at Yakyubaka.com, Takumi Numata finalized his contract with the Dodgers.
• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Dodgers reportedly ready to bring back Howell".

The Dodgers and free-agent reliever J.P. Howell are closing in on a contract agreement for two years plus a vesting option, according to a baseball source.

Howell would be guaranteed $11.25 million, with a $6.25 million salary in 2016 if he makes 120 appearances the first two seasons.

• Cards That Never Were starts off the holidays by making some fantasy cards of his favorite Christmas characters.
• Baseball-Reference does the holidays right!  Check out their page of future superstar prospect Rudolph.  I especially love the fantasy Baseball cards they made.  See them below.

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