Dodgers Blue Heaven: Sep 16, 2014

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Welcome to the Blue, Daniel Coulombe!

Filed under unexpected, the Dodgers called up Chattanooga Lookouts left-handed reliever Daniel Coulombe to join the bullpen. He is 24-years old, 5' 10", 185 lbs. and will wear #64. Also, this is his very first trip to the "Show". Congrats, kiddo!

Coulombe was originally drafted by the Dodgers in 2008 in the 17th Round, but elected to go to college instead. He pitched at USC, then Texas Tech and had Tommy John Surgery in 2011. Then in 2012 he was again drafted by the Dodgers in the 25th Round and immediately signed up. Since then, Coulombe has quickly advanced from rookie ball to AA in less than three season. Per a Dodger press release:

Coulombe, 24, combined to go 3-0 with six saves and a 2.89 ERA in 49 relief appearances with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga and Double-A Chattanooga this year. He posted a 2.57 ERA (6 ER/21.0 IP) with 31 strikeouts and only 10 walks in 18 regular-season appearances with the Lookouts after his July 17 promotion and also helped key Chattanooga's run to the Southern League championship series with three saves during the postseason. Overall, Coulombe limited opponents to a .214 batting average in the minors with 92 strikeouts and only 27 walks in 65.1 innings, including a .204 mark against left-handed hitters (20-for-98) and a .221 average against righties (31-for-140).

Daniel Coulombe has been very good this year, and could prove to be a sleeper arm in the 'pen. He joins a left-handed bullpen that includes JP Howell, Scott Elbert, Paco Rodriguez and Paul Maholm.

Love the Daniel Coulombe promotion. Kid has some potential. Definitely a sleeper lefty reliever prospect. Low-90s FB, CB that flashes plus.
— Dustin Nosler (@DustinNosler) September 16, 2014

In celebration of Daniel Coulombe's becoming a Dodger for the first time I made the above fantasy card for him. I used a photograph taken by Ron Cervenka of Think Blue LA and the 1987 Topps Baseball card design.

Below are his career statistics, via Baseball Reference:

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2014 Topps Triple Threads Baseball - The Dodger Unity Jumbo Cards

Here is a final look at Topps 2014 Triple Thread Baseball card set. Go here to check out all of my past post on this set. Check out all of the Unity Dodger insert cards below.

BTW, according to a checklist there are three different AJ Ellis Unity Single Jumbo Relic cards, but I have only seen two different versions so far. If you have a photo of the missing third card please pass it along. I also need a better photo of the Josh Beckett card.

Unity Single Jumbo Relics Set

#UJR-AE A.J. Ellis

Celebrating Orel Hershiser's Birthday with his Ten Best Cards

This post is something that I rarely do, but for this man... this great Dodger... I just couldn't help myself.

Today is Orel Hershiser's 56th Birthday, and I figured the best way to celebrate it would be to share my list of his Ten Best Baseball Cards. Fortunately, there are plenty to choose from, and they run the gamut from the stupendous to the hilarious. So, check them out below.

If I happen to neglect a card that you believe is worthy please let me know. BTW, I did not include any cards with him in anything but Dodger Blue, so you shouldn't expect to see him in another team's uniform on this list. Also, I refuse to accept that he ever played for that team up north. Now, on to the list:

#10
I figured I would start this list with a World Series highlight set released by Fleer in 1989. There are two different Hershiser cards in this insert set, and since I couldn't decide which one I like best I've included them both to start this list.

Blog Kiosk: 9/16/2014 - Dodger Links - Magic Number is Now 9

The Dodger bats continue to be hot. They knocked out eleven runs on fifteen hits in rout to an 11 to 3 victory over the Colorado Rockies last night. Their big inning occurred in the sixth when they exploded for eight runs. Overall, every starting position player got a hit; including a homer by Kemp and doubles by six other different players.

I think the above photo explains why they continue to be on fire. As you can see above, the Dodgers treated themselves to some Popeye's Fried Chicken., pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014. Go here to check out more pics from him from yesterday.

Of note, there was a little brouhaha in the Dodger dugout between Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig in the sixth inning. It likely had to do with Puig not taking third base on a single to right field, so Kemp took exception and made sure Puig knew he wasn't pleased with his lack of hustle. Of course, nobody in the clubhouse has any comments about the incident. In fact, Mattingly called it a "family matter."

The Dodgers win and the Giants loss to the Diamondbacks last night pushes the Dodger lead in the Western Division to 4.0 games. Also, the Dodgers magic number falls to single digits, 9. Now, below are some links to check out:

Via Mark Saxon at ESPNLosAngeles.com, "Dodgers' bats as hot as their tempers."

One way to look at the dust-up between Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ dugout is as another example of what several people have called a “dysfunctional” clubhouse. That could well be true.

Another way to look at it is as a step forward for the team, with one prominent player demanding another prominent player take accountability for his actions. That also could be true.

I think there's a bit of irony to this situation. I recall when Kemp and his other younger cohorts also lacked the hustle and urgency demanded by surly veterans like Kent and Garciaparra. Now, the shoe is on the other foot.

Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Hyun-Jin Ryu has cortisone shot in shoulder, unlikely to start before playoffs." His MRI on Monday show nothing more serious than the shoulder inflammation discovered in May of this year. So, he'll rest and join the team in Chicago in a few days. I would suspect he'll not pitch til the playoffs. Personally, I'd love for him to have before the playoffs start.
Just give him the Cy Young already! Via a Dodgers press release, Clayton Kershaw has been named the National League Player of the Week for the week ending September 14. This is his second weekly award won this season (fifth overall in his career).

Kershaw was tied for the Major League-lead in wins, innings pitched and strikeouts, posting a 2-0 record with 17 strikeouts in 16.0 innings of work. The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner had a 1.69 ERA (3 ER/16.0 IP) for the week and held opponents to a .175 batting average. He allowed just three walks while scattering 10 hits across both of his starts.

Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Clayton Kershaw named Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award finalist."
Via Mark Simon at ESPN.com, "Justin Turner, Dodgers' secret weapon."

He's performed best in close games, hitting .331 in 139 at-bats in which the teams were tied or within one run of each other. His six go-ahead or game-tying hits in the seventh inning or later lead the team. Kershaw can thank him for the two-run eighth-inning homer he hit that gave the Dodgers a 2-1 lead over the Padres, netting Kershaw his 15th win of the season.