Game Two of NLDS Series Against Cardinals - Scheduled Autograph Signings, Game Give Aways and Other Stuff!

Game 2 of the NLDS series starts Saturday afternoon against the St. Louis Cardinal, and several olde-tyme Dodgers will be in the house to sign free autographs for fans.  Below are the scheduled autograph opportunities and other odds and ends for this series.

Radio:
You can listen to the games on the Dodgers radio network at AM570.  Vin Scully will call the first three innings and the final three innings of each Dodger postseason game.  Steiner and Monday will call the middle three innings.   The Dodgers’ Spanish-language radio broadcast on Univision America KTNQ 1020 AM will be led by Jarrín with Valenzuela, color commentator, who will call all postseason games along with Yñiguez. The games also can be heard in Korean on Radio Korea AM 1540.  “Dodger Talk” on Dodgers Radio AM570 will also continue throughout the postseason and will feature Jorge Jarrín, Kevin Kennedy and David Vassegh.

Parking:
If you are driving to any of the games please purchase your parking tickets in advance.  Prices for advance purchase is $10 and parking at the gate is $20 for the Division Series.  The Dodgers also will offer premium parking in advance at $35 and for $50 at the gate for Division Series.  For further information on Dodger parking, visit www.dodgers.com/parking or call the Dodgers’ ticket office at 323-DODGERS.  

Dodger Express Shuttle:
As always, fans can use the Dodger Express shuttle bus to get to the games.  It will run from the usual location at Union Station and also expands to the Harbor Gateway Transit Center in the SouthBay.  Go here for more information.

Umpire Info:
In case you were curious the umpire crew chief for the series will be Dale Scott, who will be on the field with Eric Cooper, Rob Drake, regular season crew chief Jerry Layne, Jerry Meals and Alan Porter.  CB Bucknor, Chris Conroy, Ed Hickox and Brian O'Nora will serve in the Replay Center during the Division Series.

Extreme Loaded Dog:
BTW, the Extreme Loaded Dog concession stands will be making the Playoff Dog, an all-beef hot dog on a Pretzel Roll topped with Pastrami, pickle spears and Oktoberfest mustard.  It will be available Monday through Wednesday at extreme loaded dog concession stands on the Field, Loge and Reserve levels.  See a pic of it on the right.

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Saturday, October 4th at 6:37 PM

Lance Lynn vs. Zack Greinke

Tonight's game starts at 6:37 PM.  Auto gates open at 3:30 PM, and stadium gates open at 4:00 PM.  It will be televised on the MLB Network.

The first 50,000 fans in attendance will receive a blue rally towel.  See it on the left.

Dodger legend Maury Wills will throw the ceremonial first pitch. He currently serves as special instructor with the club. Wills spent parts of 12 seasons with the Dodgers and 14 in the Majors.  RCA recording artist Tinashe will perform the national anthem.

Former Dodgers Derrel Thomas (in right-field pavilion plaza) and “Sweet” Lou Johnson (in left-field pavilion plaza) will be signing autographs for fans from 4:00 PM to 6:15 PM.  Pregame entertainment will also include face painters in the right-field pavilion plaza and musical entertainment in the right and left-field reserve plazas. Dodgers Radio KLAC AM 570’s Dodger Talk with David Vassegh will broadcast live from the left-field pavilion plaza at 5:00 PM.

• The Veteran of the Game presented by Bank of America is U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Robert Warren of Palmdale. He has served deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan and is currently assigned to the Wounded Warrior Battalion Unit West recovering from injuries sustained on both deployments. Warren’s accolades include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with a Combat V device for valor and two Combat Action Ribbons.  Warren will be presented with a flag flown over Dodger Stadium by U.S. Navy Veteran Sean Gass, Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch and Co-Chair of Bank of America’s Military Support and Assistance Group.
• The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) will hold a silent auction on the Club level by the Vin Scully Press Box. The auction ends at 8:15 p.m. with more than 25 items up for bid, including a Clayton Kershaw autographed baseball, Zack Greinke autographed photo and Adrian Gonzalez autographed LA Dodger jersey. All proceeds will benefit LADF and its programs in sports and recreation, education and literacy and health and wellness which help children and families throughout the greater Los Angeles region.
• There will also be a BBQ Beef Brisket Burger (one-third pound burger topped with American cheese, Think Blue BBQ beef brisket, Stout BBQ sauce and fried onions and pickles) available at Elysian Park Grills on the Loge, Reserve and Top Deck levels and Field level Dodger Dog Stands at sections 22 and 23.   A Think Blue BBQ “Grand Slam” Playoff Platter (beef brisket, pulled pork, roasted corn, potato salad, coleslaw and corn bread) is avaialble at Think Blue BBQ at the left-field pavilion plaza.  A Gelato Ice Cream Sandwich, Lasorda’s gelato ice cream smashed between two chocolate chip cookies, will be available at Tommy Lasorda’s Trattoria located at the right-field pavilion plaza.

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It's Playoff Day

Those butterfly's are starting to stir in the pit of my stomach as this afternoon's Game 1 of the NLDS matchup between the Dodgers and Cardinals is only hours away from starting. 

I remember this feeling.  When nervousness manifest into sweaty palms and clenched fist.  I grab a cup of water, but somehow find myself unable to quench my thirst.

Am I worried or is this just the natural feeling of anticipation?

Am I confident or am I giving in to that uneasy sense of uncertainty?  I dunno.

All I do know is that this is a feeling I relish.  As a fan you go through the peaks and valleys of entire season in hopes of getting to this point - a point where you are sitting at the edge of your seat for the entire game.  You're clapping and cheering, screaming and ranting, all in the belief that your cries can actually be heard.

And through it all, you hope and pray that it will conclude with a feeling of pure elation.  And even if you don't feel that, you realize that there is another game to play in the series - until there isn't.

In hockey they call this the 'second season' and in some ways that is very apt.  Everything that was done in the past stays there, and everything that comes during these playoffs is something new.  Heroes will be made from sources you likely do not expect, so get ready to be surprised. 

In just a few hours we'll have an opportunity experience the grandeur of the postseason, and all I know is that my cup is ready to be filled. 

The photo above via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014.

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2014 Topps Stadium Club - All the Dodger Base Cards

Topps decided to bring back the legendary Stadium Club Baseball card brand this year after a six year hiatus.  This is a mid-range priced set that features borderless cards and historically has focused on great photography.  That's its bread and butter.

With its reintroduction they appear to want to recapture that old glory.  It looks like Topps went all out in trying to get some unique photos for a bunch of players.  For some others it's rather ho-hum.  I guess you can't win them all.  I will add that I love many of the photos used for the olde-tyme retired players (I've included some examples) in the set.  Check out the 13 Dodger base cards below.  Go here for a complete checklist.

#7 Adrian Gonzalez                           #42 Jackie Robinson

Here's the Dodgers Roster for the 2014 NLDS

We finally know who'll be roaming the Dodger dugout for this NLDS.  Just a moment ago the Dodgers released their 25-man roster.  Check it out below.

Pitchers (12) 
Starters:
LHP Clayton Kershaw
RHP Zack Greinke
LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu
RHP Dan Haren

Relievers:
RHP Pedro Baez   
LHP Scott Elbert
RHP Carlos Frias
RHP Brandon League
RHP Brian Wilson
RHP Jamey Wright
LHP J.P. Howell
RHP Kenley Jansen

Position Players (13)
Starters:
C A.J. Ellis
1B Adrian Gonzalez
2B Dee Gordon
SS Hanley Ramirez
3B Juan Uribe
OF Carl Crawford
OF Yasiel Puig
OF Matt Kemp

Bench:
C Drew Butera
IF Justin Turner
IF Miguel Rojas
IF/OF Scott Van Slyke
OF Andre Ethier

The only surprises to speak of is in the relief staff.  Pedro Baez, Carlos Frias and Scott Elbert make the team over Chris Perez, Paco Rodriguez, Paul Maholm, Roberto Hernandez and Kevin Correia - and thank goodness for that.  Perez has been a blight all season long, and the long-guys are just not that good.  I am a little surprised that Paco was passed over for Elbert; considering that Elbert had only recently come back from the DL and pitched in just seven games.

Furthermore, they decide to go with an extra arm in the bullpen over an extra bat/defensive replacement on the bench.  Many folks wondered if Darwin Barney would make the squad due to his strong September, but I think the Dodgers figured that if they don't carry a long-man in the 'pen then they should have an extra arm instead.  If a long-man is needed for a game you should expect Haren to take that role (or maybe Butera comes out to pitch-LOL).

Anyway, here's your Dodger team.  Overall, I can't complain. 

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Blog Kiosk: 10/3/2014 - Dodger Links - Mattingly, Kershaw and Ryu Pitching Game 3

Are you ready for some Dodger playoff Baseball?

No doubt Clayton Kershaw is; as evidenced by the photograph above.  Dodger photographer Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014 captured him running in the outfield yesterday in preparation for his start tonight.  Go here to check out more photos from the Dodgers workout yesterday.

If you are going to tonight's game go here for information about the scheduled pregame autograph signings, a game give-away and other stuff about the game.  Oh... And get there early.  Like... You should leave right now!

Below are some links to check out:

• Via Richard Justice at Sports on Earth, "Mattingly Always True To The Team."

Mattingly has had disagreements with others, and at times, he has called out the entire group. Through it all, he has never lost his team, either individually or as a whole. That's because players believe Mattingly is a fair man and that he will ask only that they play hard and put winning first.

• Via Mark Saxon at ESPNLosAngeles.com, "Five Q's: How will Kershaw fare vs. Cards?"
• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Hyun-jin Ryu named Dodgers NLDS Game 3 starter."

"He's pretty much a 100-110 [pitch] guy all year long. We don't expect him to be much different than that. We don't feel like he's lost a ton of arm strength, this is late in the year," Mattingly said. "If anything, Hyun-jin is the right guy for missing this much time."

• Interview transcripts from the postseason workouts yesterday are availble to check out now.  Go here for Clayton Kershaw's interview, or here for Don Mattingly's interview.
• Chris Olds at Beckett.com provides some early sneak peak photos of Topps 2015 Museum Collection Baseball card set.  Go here to check them all out.  To the right is a Clayton Kershaw card.
• The Dodger owners, Guggenheim, are apparently looking at purchasing an ownership stake in the Brooklyn Nets, via Net Income at NetsDaily.
• Dave Cameron at FanGraphs takes a look at, "The Strengths and Weaknesses of Every Playoff Team."
• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Dodgers give D-backs permission to talk to Bundy."

"It's exciting for me, especially being the first time for a manager's job," Bundy said. "It's a great experience to go through, a learning experience. But I'm also 110 percent focused on my job here right now."

• Wow!  You gotta check this out.  Via Dan Steinberg at the Washington Post, "Watch rare footage of the Senators beating the Giants in the 1924 World Series."
• Topps just released concert styled posters for each team in the playoffs.  They are available at their website, here.  They measure 11"x17" and are on traditional Baseball card cardstock.  The poster on the left below (the blue one) is numbered to 99 copies and the rainbow version (on the right) is limited to only 1 copy.  The rainbow version is already sold out.

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