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Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Oh, No... The Horror! Kershaw had an MRI


I just received a distressing press notice from the Dodgers.  It's like my worst nightmare.

Clayton Kerskaw got a MRI today, and will officially miss his next start on Sunday.
(pic above via RealBodyWork.com)
This morning in Los Angeles, Clayton Kershaw underwent a MRI of his left upper back that showed inflammation of the Teres Major muscle.  This was a result of complaints of tightness while throwing yesterday at the workout.  He will be held out of his start on Sunday.  His next start will be determined by his progress with his throwing during the next week.
Well, at least it's not the elbow, but it is part of the shoulder.  Check out the pic at the bottom right for a point of reference.  From RealBodyWork.com:
The teres major attaches to the posterior scapula, then straight across to the anterior (front) of the shoulder, attaching to the front of the humerus. This muscle along with the latissimus dorsi, forms the back part of your armpit. This muscle refers pain into the lateral shoulder and sometimes into the lateral forearm.
Below is more pics of the teres major muscle.  On the left is from MyWeightlifting.com, and on the right from Wikipedia:


I'm sure this is all precautionary.  Still, it's got to cause a skip in your heartbeat if you're a Dodger fan.  Thankfully, Kershaw quickly notified the Dodger staff to get it checked out right away.  BTW, the photo at the very top (via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014) of Clayton was taken yesterday.

UPDATE:  Via Tim Brown of Yahoo on twitter, the Dodgers are just being extremely cautious.



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Take a Look at Your Newly Updated Dodger Stadium


For some, you are already at Dodger Stadium for the special preview and private Dodger workout.  Season ticket holders were given an opportunity to visit the stadium tonight for an early peek.

For those like myself, who are left to wish and wonder why we couldn't attend, we remain glued to social media in hopes we can get a glimpse of our new home away from home.  Thankfully, some good folks have delivered.

Via a Dodgers press release and with the assistance of some photos online, here are some of the enhancements that will be found at Dodger Stadium:
  • Expansion of the entries at the field level, enabling all fans with Pavilion, Dugout, Field, Loge and Club tickets to enter the convenient entrances on the north side of the stadium. This will lead to two new 25,000 square-foot plazas in right and left field. Each plaza will house a 5,000 square-foot new team store, tickets and concessions space, as well as memorabilia to celebrate Dodgers history.


  • Seating and lounging areas at bars and drink rails overlooking the bullpens in the outfield, giving focus to pitchers warming up, as well as infield game views. The new bars, presented and programmed by Anheuser Busch, are hexagon shaped, just like the unique Dodger Stadium scoreboards, and they will have TV monitors for keeping up with the game action. 


  • A new fenced walkway within the gates will allow fans to migrate between the new right and left-field plazas. For the first time at Dodger Stadium, fans on the field level will be able to do a 360 degree interior walk. Fans, whose seats are on the loge and club levels, by using the staircases at the far ends of the buildings, will also have the ability to navigate the entire circumference of the stadium. Not only will this allow fans to more easily access both sides of the plazas, it should also ease traffic on the concourses.
  • The new plaza area will be a great spot for fans to come to the stadium early and enjoy many activities throughout the season. Included among the activities will be balloon makers, arts and crafts tables for youngsters, face painters, airbrush tattoos, Dodger player cutouts for photo opportunities, KLAC live broadcasts, Dodger Alumni autograph signings, DJs and music.


  • New food services with outdoor grills and specialty fare will be located in the plaza area. Tommy Lasorda's Italian Trattoria, where the Hall of Fame manager and other former players will spend time with the fans, will be located on the right-field area of the plaza.
  • The hot-off-the-grill THINK BLUE BBQ will be located on the left-field area of the plaza.
 

  • The left and right-field entry ways will feature photo moments, Dodger memorabilia, five-foot diameter World Series rings, an eight-foot replica of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award, a life-size statue of the iconic Farmer John Dodger Dog and interactive replicas of the 76 ball, both Dodger partners for more than 50 years.
  • A clock in left field will greet fans with Vin Scully's signature line, "It's Time for Dodger Baseball."


  • The right-field plaza will be dotted with blue lights in homage to Tommy Lasorda's name for Dodger Stadium, "Blue Heaven on Earth." And Tommy's Italian Trattoria will also feature a life-size bobblehead of the Hall of Fame manager.


Oh... So, that's not a bobblehead.  My mistake.  So, what about the food?


How about a Canoli?  Mmmmm...


  • The Dodgers will have a new Team Store located in the left-field plaza area and a New Era Store located in the right-field plaza area. The plaza areas in left and right field will feature new Hello Kitty locations. Two other new retail stores-one on the left-field Reserve Level has been converted to an Exclusive Majestic Store and the other at the Lexus Dugout Club lobby will also be a new Majestic Store. The new stores in the plazas replace the outfield tents previously located near the pavilions in left and right field. The loge level will feature a NIKE team store on the left-field side along with an American Needle store at section 151. A 47brand store will be on the right-field Loge side along with a small NEW ERA store at section 150. The official team store located on the Top Deck now houses a custom shop where you can customize hats, bats and jerseys. Pricing on on-field merchandise is unchanged and still the lowest price place to get AC fitted Hat and Diamond ERA headwear as well as all official jerseys both blank and player specific.


  • The popular Reserve Level "LA Taqueria" stand near the kids play area at the left field Reserve entry has been enlarged to better serve fans.
  • Fans will be connected and enjoy a new state of the art wireless system throughout Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers upgraded the electrical infrastructure and added new equipment and substations in 2013. Work continued in the offseason to connect the new equipment to improve safety and provide the best technology available for fans.
  • Time Warner Cable is transforming the Left Field Pavilion to become TWC Studios Live and On Location at Dodger Stadium. In this new interactive space, fans will also have the chance to participate in photo activations, win tickets and other exciting prizes throughout the season. 
  • Three new season seat opportunities-the Executive Club Level, featuring in-seat service, the Stadium Club rail seating, including food and non-alcoholic beverages, and the Loge Party boxes with seating for six, eight or 10.   The Executive Club Level, located down the left-field line, will feature a new food and drink menu and a new bar and concessions area.
Other enhancements fans will notice on Opening Day and throughout the season include:
  • The circular displays honoring the 10 retired numbers in Dodger history have moved from the outfield pavilion overhangs to the left-field Club Level balcony, in a placement that will parallel the World Series banners on the right-field side of the club level.


  • Enhancement of the ballpark's landscaping. The palm trees known as the Three Sisters, which were temporarily moved to protect them during the renovations, are back beyond the bullpen.
More than 90 new trees are part of the new plaza area, greater than three times the number previously in this area. The 30-plus trees removed from the area have been relocated on site to the downtown Gate B entrance and along the Top Deck berms framing the views of the downtown skyline from Dodger Stadium's picturesque Top Deck.
  • The Dodgers are improving vehicular and pedestrian access to Dodger Stadium. There will be dedicated pedestrian walkways and bicycle lanes leading into the entrances formerly designed for autos only, as well as new lights, signage and circulation patterns on resurfaced parking lots. The Stadium Way Gate B (formerly Scott Avenue) will be open to assist traffic flow. Access to the gate is only from Stadium Way and will not be permitted from directly through the Echo Park neighborhood on Scott Avenue. A media campaign will encourage use of MTA buses on Sunset Blvd., the Gold Line in Chinatown and the Dodger Stadium Express at Union Station. The Dodger Stadium Express will have two stops in 2014-behind the pavilions and a new stop at the Top Deck, Lot P.
  • In an effort to improve traffic flow at all Dodger Stadium entrances, the Dodgers are encouraging fans to purchase parking passes in advance online to eliminate transaction time at each entrance. Fans purchasing parking in advance will pay $10 for general parking and $35 for premium parking, a savings of $5 and $15 over paying upon arrival, respectively.
  • The Dodgers' main entrance, Sunset Blvd. Gate A, along Elysian Park Avenue, will feature a dedicated pedestrian entrance with new lighting in an effort to encourage fans to utilize parking lots 13 and 14 along Stadium Way and the Number 2 and 4 buses along Sunset Blvd.
  • Every Sunday home game will feature live musical performances on the Reserve Level Plaza areas.
  • Phase two of a new visiting team clubhouse was completed. Additional enhancements are planned.
  • Building materials that defined Dodger Stadium in 1962 were carefully researched and used in the creation of all new construction. These included scored, patterned concrete block, corrugated metal and folded roofing similar to the outfield pavilions. 
  • The Dodgers are implementing a paperless ticket program for season and mini-plan holders. Fans will be able to utilize their smart phones to gain entrance to Dodger Stadium as all gates will be equipped with digital turnstiles.
  • The restrooms in the former 76 station in center field are being expanded and made ADA accessible for use by fans that are on site, but outside the gates.
  • The two clubs on the left and right Field Level will be the Ketel One Baseline Clubs and the area at the Top of the Park featuring the Dodgers' retired numbers is the Bank of the America Retired Numbers Plaza.

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A Last Look at the Australia Series

With the Freeway Series and the start of the regular season for the entire league quickly approaching, I thought it would be fun to take another look at the successful series of games the Dodgers played in Australia.  They made mince meat of the Diamondbacks in the two-game series, so this brief reflection is no doubt a happy one.  Below are a bunch of twitter related pics from fans in attendance in Australia.  BTW, Dodger photographer Jon SooHoo took a bunch of great photos from Australia, and you should check them out.  Go here, here, here and here.
(Opening Series bases, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014)

Now, check out what twitterer's shared on online this past weekend.

As you may recall, Vin Scully spoke a bit about a statue at Sydney Cricket Ground that honors a celebrated fan.  The fan's name is Yabba, and he is well known for being the best heckler to ever attend a game there.  Vin relayed some great yells from Yabba.  My favorite was:
"I wish you were a statue and I was a bird"
Awesome!  Below is a photo of the Yabba statue.


Now, here are some great photos from fans at the game.






I can't get enough of those old grandstands!








BTW, a bunch of the Dodger wifes got together for a group photo.


And the merchandise lines were unmercifully long.  Baseball caps sold out quickly.


Here are some pics of the food fans enjoyed.  Below is a Baseball mitt themed container holding some kind of pulled pork concoction.


Here's the infamous American Super Dog.



LA Times reporter Dylan Hernandez got to enjoy these weird things in the press room.


Here is what the stadium looks lilke from the outside.










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Weekend Autograph Opportunities: Steve Garvey, Former Dodger Jim Leyritz and Vladimir Guerrero

Here are this weekends autograph opportunities and events throughout the Southland. As always, be sure to check the Blue Heaven Calendar for other events (a link can always be found on the tab at the top of this page, just left of center), and always confirm with the establishment. Everything is subject to change.  Please email me with any tips about upcoming events in Southern California.  As the rest of the week progresses I'll update this post with other events (if there are any) as I become aware of them.  Also, I don't always list every event below, so be sure to check my Calendar.  I always try to favor free signing events over paying events.  Click on any pic to embiggen.

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Steve Garvey will be signing autographs for fans on Saturday, March 29th at Hamer Toyota in Mission Hills starting at 12:00 PM.  Go here or here for more information.
Hamer Toyota
11041 Sepulveda Boulevard
Mission Hills, CA 91345
(855) 592-7001
Hat Tip: Roberto Baly at Vin Scully Is My Homeboy

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Jim Leyritz will be in Ontario signing for fans on Saturday, March 29th from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Honabach & Sons store.  Go here for more information.  This is a pay for autograph event.
Honabach & Sons
1614 S. Carlos Ave. Suite K
Ontario, CA 91761 
909-590-3713
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Angels superstar Vladimir Guerrero will be signing autographs for fans at the OC Dugout in Anaheim on Saturday, March 29th from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM.  Go here for more information.  This is a pay for autograph event.
The OC Dugout
1238 S. Beach Blvd. Ste. K
Anaheim, California 92804

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Blog Kiosk: 3/26/2014 - Dodgers Links - 2014 Dodger Yearbook Features Vin Scully


Aboce is the cover of the 2014 Dodgers yearbook, and you have to get it.  Per Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider:
(It) celebrate(s) the legendary broadcaster with an unprecedented 21-page section entirely in Scully’s words, discussing his life and career at length, taken from a one-on-one interview conducted in January.
  • FYI, Alex Guerrero has been optioned by the Dodgers to AAA Albuquerque in order to make room for Carl Crawford on the roster, via Jon at Dodger Insider.
  • Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Ryu's injured toenail jumbles pitching plans".
"Yeah, I'm concerned," Mattingly said. "It's not a long-term thing, but it could set us back and make us change the rotation we've been talking about."
  • Ken also notes that Matt Kemp might be reactivated soon.  Holy Moly!
  • Holy Moly.  That's hilarious.  The Reddit is strong with you.  From the @Dodgers on twitter:




“I’ve always been a guy who’s seen pitches, but it’s not that I’m trying to see pitches just to walk,” Figgins said. “I’m more looking in a zone, and if I don’t think it’s in that zone, then I take it. I’m not afraid to hit with two strikes. I’m not trying to hit with two strikes, but I’m not afraid.”
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