1st Blog Contest of the Year - Win a Mint Graded Frank Thomas Rookie Card!

Following up on yesterdays announcement, I thought it would be the perfect time to start the new year with a Blog Contest featuring a graded rookie card of one of the newest members of the Baseball Hall of Fame.  Check it out above.

I will give away a Mint SGC 96 graded 1990 Bowman rookie card of Frank Thomas to one lucky reader.  Yes, it's as close to Gem Mint as you can get, and it features one of the 90's most intimidating sluggers. 

So, what do you have to do to win it?  Well, I thought long and hard about that.  I think what I'll do is give folks entry tickets based upon certain task, and then randomly choose (via a randomizer) a winner.

So, how do you get a entry ticket.

Well, below are the ways:

• You get (1) one ticket for posting a comment on this blog post.
• You can get another (1) one ticket for liking Dodgers Blue Heaven on Facebook.  Go here to do that, and be sure to comment on this blog post to let me know you did that.  If you've already "liked" the page then please comment here to let me know and I'll give you an extra ticket.
• You can get another (1) one ticket for following Dodgers Blue Heaven on Twitter.  Go here to do that, and be sure to comment on this blog post to let me know you did that.  If you already "follow" the page then please comment here to let me know and I'll give you an extra ticket.
• You can get another (2) two tickets for posting a link about the blog contest on your own blog or tumblr.  Again, please let me know you've done this by posting a comment here, and please give me a link.  You are eligible for only these 2 additional tickets once per day-until the contest ends (Wednesday, January 15th).
• You can get another (2) two tickets for posting a link about the blog contest on your facebook wall.  Again, please let me know you've done this by posting a comment here.  You are eligible for only these 2 additional tickets once per day-until the contest ends (Wednesday, January 15th).
• You get get another (2) two tickets for posting a link about the blog contest on your twitter.  Again, please let me know you've done this by posting a comment here, and provide a link.  You are eligible for only these 2 additional tickets once per day-until the contest ends (Wednesday, January 15th).

I will run the contest until Wednesday, January 15th.  So, for instance, you can get 14 extra entry tickets for tweeting about the contest once a day, starting today to Wednesday.  Again, please be sure to comment here to let me know what you've been doing, and if you can post a link to your tweets that would be very helpful.

If you have questions please let me know.

Good luck, and thank you for reading Dodgers Blue Heaven!

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Mailbag: A 2007 UD Black Lustrous Autographed Card of the Best Defensive Catcher in the Game

I've been on a buying rampage of late.  Over the past month, I've picked up over 40 different Dodgers autographed cards, and I just don't have the time or inclination to scan them all.  So, instead I'll focus on some of my favorites.

Check out this 2007 Upper Deck Black Lustrous Russell Martin autographed card.   It is super thick and made entirely of plastic.  The autograph and portrait photo on the card look like they float above some open space.  The white background is actually clear plastic.

I remember when this set first came out in 2007.  The Upper Deck Black Baseball card product was a high-end set, so cards that sold on eBay at the time sold for huge premiums.  If I'm not mistaken, the above Russell Martin card sold for upwards of $20 to $30 bucks in 2007.  Jump forward six plus years and I was able to purchase it for just $8, delivered. 

This card also begs me to make note a recent article by Evan Kendall at Beyond the Box Score that focuses on how great Russell was defensively last season.  Heck, it's fair to say that his play behind the plate was the main reason the Pirates made the playoffs - which leads me to point out that offense from a catcher is oftentimes the least important statistic.  Russell batted just .226, but was arguably the leagues best defensive catcher.

Martin was an integral part of the Pirates' success in 2013. Still, considering everything -- Martin's seemingly paltry offensive numbers compared to both Molina and Posey, juxtaposed with his elite defense at one of the most important positions in baseball -- it's hard to conceptualize just how important Martin was to his team.

Although Martin's 4.1 fWAR was a far cry from NL MVP Andrew McCutchen's 8.2, it still ranked him third on the team, just behind the speedy centerfielder Starling Marte, who posted a 4.6. Remember, that's better than Pedro Alvarez, who smashed 36 home runs with a .473 SLG% and 111 wRC+; A.J. Burnett, who posted nearly 200 innings of 76 FIP- ball; and Francisco Liriano, who had a team-leading 16 wins with an 80 FIP- over the span of just over 160 innings.

At this point, it's clear that statisticians are finding it difficult to quantify the defensive value of a catcher. Maybe it will always be difficult to quantify one of the most cerebral parts of the game. But, one thing is for sure: Russell Martin is one of the best catchers in the game, and he has put himself in that conversation almost entirely with his glove.

AJ Ellis naysayers should take note.  Offense isn't everything.

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A Koufax Vintage Childs Game and Pics of Ruth as a Dodger from Hunt Auctions

Here's another edition of Hunt's monthly internet auction of Baseball memorabilia.  This time, they have a unusual children's game sponsored by a former Dodger ace and some vintage negatives showing a Baseball great in a Dodger uniform. 

Below is a vintage children's game featuring Sandy Koufax called "Strike-Out with Sandy Koufax".  It is likely from the 1960's.  From what I can tell, you set up the strike zone target (the item on the right) and throw some little Styrofoam balls at it.  Wherever the ball lands tells you the result of the pitch. This game is rarely seen, and the Styrofoam balls that are included here are extremely scarce.  It is expected to sell for several hundred dollars.

(auction link)

This next auction item features the great Babe Ruth in a Dodger uniform.  In fact, the auction also includes Ruth in a Boston Braves uniform.  There are a total of 7 different negatives in this one auction.  Below are pics of Ruth as a Dodger.

(auction link)

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Blog Kiosk: 1/9/2014 - Dodgers Links - the New 2014 Dodgers BP Jersey's, Colletti's Conference and the Fan Bobblehead Vote

Check out a pic of the new 2014 Dodgers batting practice jersey above, via Josh Tucker at Dodger Insider.  It pays homage to the BP jersey's the Dodgers wore from 1995 to 2002.

• Peter Gammons wonders if the Dodgers will retire #31, Mike Piazza's number.
• The Dodgers now have up their Fan Bobblehead Vote mechanism.  Go here to check it out.   There are four choices; Juan Uribe, Brian Wilson, AJ Ellis and Carl Crawford.  Sadly, longtime organist Nancy Bea Hefley is left out.  Boo!
• Chris Olds at Beckett shares some preview pics from 2014 Topps Chrome that will come out in late August 2014.  See a Puig and Jackie cards below.

• Alexander Guerrero is still delayed, via a tweet from Eric Stephen.

Ned Colletti said he is still waiting on visa paperwork for Alexander Guerrero to come to U.S.
— Eric Stephen (@truebluela) January 8, 2014

• Via Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider, Ned Colletti on Yasiel Puig: ‘There are boundaries you’ve got to stay in’

“It’s a very interesting dynamic,” Colletti said. “I see a lot of different sides to it. I don’t condone what he’s done. I don’t know if it’s ironic, but it’s interesting to me that since the offseason began, he’s spent a lot of time in L.A., and he’s really spent a lot of time with kids. … He’s setting this great example and doing stuff I don’t see many big-league players do within the community. At the same time, there are boundaries you’ve got to stay in. Whether it’s how you drive or other things in your life, it’s part of growing up. That’s part of being responsible. That’s a key thing for us, and a key thing for him.”

• Jon then shares more from Ned Colletti's from his press conference yesterday. 
• Via Cary Osborne at Dodgers Insider, "Joc Pederson on deck". 
• Via Josh Jackson at MiLB.com, "Notes and quotes from around camp".  He has a great roundup of the days activities from teh Dodgers Development Camp.
• Via Austin Laymance at MLB.com, "Kemp among injured Dodgers on the mend".
• Via Mark Saxon at ESPN, "Dodgers pursuit of Masahiro Tanaka advances (slowly)".  In fact, per Joey Nowak at MLB.com, Tanaka has just arrived in America to meet with clubs.
• On twitter, Paul LoDuca on Tom Glavine's enshrinement into the Hall of Fame.

Congrats to @Tom_Glavine for his HOF selection. Honor to catch his 300th win...honor to be his teammate and friend.
— Paul Lo Duca (@paulloduca16) January 8, 2014

• This might be the best story I've read so far on the greatness of Greg Maddux, via Thomas Boswell at the Washington Post.

Then he explained that I couldn’t tell his pitches apart because his goal was late quick break, not big impressive break. The bigger the break, the sooner the ball must start to swerve and the more milliseconds the hitter has to react; the later the break, the less reaction time. Deny the batter as much information — speed or type of last-instant deviation — until it is almost too late.

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