SportsNet LA Launches on February 25th

The channel Dodger fans have been waiting for is about to go live.  Starting on Tuesday, February 25th, SportsNet LA launches as the 24/7 home of the Dodgers.  Per a Dodgers press release, they:

will take fans behind-the-scenes of the team and offer in-depth access into the organization, providing an immersive experience with never-before-seen content and thousands of hours of comprehensive Dodger programming.

Here is what you should expect:

• The revolution will be televised.  All Dodgers Spring Training games will be on television; except for two split-squad games. That's 22 total Spring games.
• Vin Scully will call the inaugural game telecast on Wednesday, February 26 at 12:00 PM PT. 

"It is an incredible honor to have the remarkable opportunity to call the very first game on the Dodger network," said Scully. "The Dodgers' new ownership group has done a wonderful job assembling a team to make SportsNet LA what every Dodger fan deserves, a television network just for them. I'm humbled to be a part of it."

• A live daily studio show will air at 7:00 PM during Spring Training, and will be called "Access SportsNet: Dodgers".

The show will be hosted live from the SportsNet LA studios in El Segundo, CA with contributions from the SportsNet LA on-air team live in Glendale, AZ. John Hartung will lead the program, alongside longtime Dodger announcer Charley Steiner and Dodger legends Orel Hershiser and Nomar Garciaparra, with contributions from recently-retired Dodger Jerry Hairston Jr. and experienced baseball reporter Alanna Rizzo. "Access SportsNet: Dodgers" will deliver an hour of comprehensive coverage of the team, highlighting the behind-the-scenes access of the new network, while providing fans with the latest information, updates and team features.

• Another show will be called "Backstage: Dodgers", per @SportsNetLA on twitter.   It'll air every week during the season, and provide a behind-the-scenes look at the team.
• Glenn Diamond, a sports TV producer and five-time Emmy Award winner, will produce Dodger games.  He has 31 years of national Baseball production experience.

Unfortunately, Time Warner has yet to receive a go ahead from other cable or satellite networks, so there is a threat that you may not be able to watch - unless you have Time Warner already.  So, the next few weeks should be interesting as things heat up. 

I would expect a loud and visible campaign to start very soon.

(pic via @SportsNetLA on twitter)

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2014 Topps Baseball Series 1 - Some Dodgers' Insert Cards

Continuing with the parade of Dodgers' cards within the 2014 Topps Series 1 set, I now bring to you the various inserts that are available (save the relics and autographed cards).  Go here to see all of my previous post featuring this set.

Below are the silk inserts.  They are numbered to just 50 copies each.

Silk Cards

#SC-78 Hanley Ramirez                        #SC-79 Hyun-Jin Ryu

#SC-80 Yasiel Puig                             #SC-81 Zack Greinke

#SC-82 Adrian Gonzalez

Upper Class Insert

#UC-8 Sandy Koufax

The Future Is Now set is just phenomenal looking.  The photo editing done nicely captures the intensity of the game.  BTW, there are both autographed and relic cards available for both Ryu and Puig.  I'll have pics of those up in the next day or so.

The Future Is Now Insert

#FN-15 Hyun-Jin Ryu                       #FN-16 Hyin-Jin Ryu

#FN-25 Yasiel Puig                              #FN-26 Yasiel Puig

Pedro Martinez looks so goofy in the card below.

Before They Were Great Insert

#BG-11 Sandy Koufax                        #BG-13 Pedro Martinez

1989 Topps Minis Die Cuts

#TM-1 Yasiel Puig                            #TM-2 Clayton Kershaw

#TM-7 Sandy Koufax

The below Code Cards is this years digital offering.  There are specific codes on the reverse that you use online.  You can win exclusive cards and parallels, coin cards, autographed cards, memorabilia, baseball game tickets, and your own Topps baseball card.  For more details about this go here.

Power Play Code Cards

#PP-27 Onelki Garcia                          #PP-39 Adrian Gonzalez

#PP-56 Zack Greinke                        #PP-100 Hanley Ramirez

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Blog Kiosk: 2/4/2014 - Dodgers Links - Hall of Famer Tim Wallach, Haren is a Kings Fan and Puig May Bat Leadoff

Looks like some of the Dodgers' crew showed up at Camelback Ranch yesterday.  They're stocking the shelves with everything they'll need this Spring.  Pic via @camelbackranch on twitter.

• Dodger coach Tim Wallach will be inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.  Check out a story at the HOF website here. Congrats, Tim!

“I’m both surprised and honoured to be selected to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. What a great thrill to be going in with such integral parts of the Montreal Expos for such a long time, and to join many of my old teammates and manager, along with so many people that meant so much to Canadian baseball. This is a great honour for my family and myself,” said Wallach.

• Mark Saxon at ESPNLos Angeles writes, "Catching up with Dan Haren, a Q&A".  He grew up as a Kings fan.  WooHoo!

Q. You grew up in the San Gabriel Valley. Were you a crazy Dodgers fan as a kid, or what?
A. I was just a baseball fan in general. I would go to a few Angel games, a few Dodger games. Actually, my parents had season tickets to the Kings growing up, so I would go out to the Forum all the time. We were big hockey fans, too. Having played against the Dodgers for so many years and been rivals with them with Arizona and the Angels, it’ll be nice to be on this side for once. 

• Dustin Nosler at Dodgers Digest shares his list of Top 10 Dodgers' prospects.
• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Mattingly says Puig may take on leadoff role".

Mattingly said by switching Puig and last year's leadoff hitter, lefty-swinging Carl Crawford, in the order, it would provide better righty-lefty balance, with right-handed hitter Hanley Ramirez batting third and left-handed hitter Adrian Gonzalez batting fourth.

• Spring Training is around the corner.  Matt Slatus at Dodger Insider provides, "The insider’s guide to Spring Training at Camelback Ranch".
• Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA makes note that Yasiel Puig apologized to fans at FanFest.
• Go Titans!  My alma mater, Cal State University Fullerton (CSUF), is ranked #1 in various preseason national polls.  Via FullertonTitans.com.
• Via Cory DiBenedetto at the Gammons Daily, "Negro Leagues spotlight: The Pittsburgh Crawfords".

From 1932 to 1936 the Pittsburgh Crawfords were the class of the Negro Leagues. Often referred to as the greatest Negro League team of all-time, the Crawfords had a roster stacked with talent, including 5 Hall of Famers: Oscar Charleston, Josh Gibson, Judy Johnson, James Cool Papa Bell, and Satchel Paige. 

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