2015 Panini National Treasures College - The Dodgers Insert Cards

Here is a final look at Dodgers players found within packs of Panini's 2015 National Treasures College (4-sport) packs.  You can check out the base cards here.  Below are the various inserts that are available.  The notable Dodgers rookies are Phillip Pfeifer and Walker Buehler - both of whom attended Vanderbilt. 

College BB Materials Signatures

#407 Philip Pfeifer                         #420 Walker Buehler

Weekend Autograph Opportunities: Guerrero, Ferrara, Brito, Williams and Johnstone

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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Pedro Guerrero, Al Ferrara and super-scout Mike Brito will be signing autographs at Ultimate Pastime Sports Collectibles in Ontario.  Go here for information.  As you can see in the flyers below, there is a limited edition Brito bobblehead available.  Also, Al Ferrara is signing for free.

Ultimate Pastime Sports Collectibles 
1614 South Carlos Avenue, Suite K 
Ontario, CA, 91761

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On Sunday in La Mirada is an event featuring former Dodgers Stan Williams and Jay Johnstone.  Go here for information.

Sporting News Grill (inside Holiday Inn)
14299 Firestone Blvd
La Mirada, CA 90638

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Blog Kiosk: 2/17/2016 - Dodgers Links - Urias, De Leon and Kenta Maeda

Let's hope we see something like this in 2016... And more!

Featured above is a vintage October 2, 1949 ACME press telephoto of the Brooklyn faithful in the midst of some celebratory revelry.  The photo was taken during the last game of the season against the Phillies.  The Dodgers were clinging on to a one game lead in the National League, and would go on to prove these fans right.  They defeated Philadelphia to take the pennant.  Photo via an eBay auction I say this morning.

Below are more links to check out:

• You can now follow former Dodgers pitcher Dennis Powell on twitter: @coachpowell48.
• Here is a brief look at Baseball Prospectus' PECOTA projections for the MLB, here.  It predicts the Dodgers will have a banner year.  Like all projections, of course, you should take it with a grain of salt.
• David Schoenfield at ESPN; "Ranking the teams: 6 through 1."  The Dodgers are at #6.

The final word: With an estimated $242 million payroll, the largest in the game, the Dodgers really have only one big star. Oh, Seager is going to be one, Puig still has the potential to play like one and Gonzalez used to be one, but this is a team built on the depth of its 40-man roster. 

• Tim Brown at Yahoo Sports unveils his first Power Ranking list of the season.  The Dodgers are at #6.

For the first offseason in a while, they do not appear to have traded away an immediate All Star and batting champion. So, that.

• Kenta Maeda appears to be on track.  Via a translation from Dylan Herrnandez on twitter, he threw a 30-pitch bullpen session yesterday.
• Via Dave Defreitas at 2080 Baseball, "Scouting the Pacific Rim: The Progression of Kenta Maeda." (Hat Tip: Dustin Nosler on twitter)

I first picked up on the newly-signed Los Angeles Dodger Kenta Maeda in 2008 during his rookie season with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of the Nippon Professional Baseball League (NPB), while scouting for the Cleveland Indians. He was a highly touted 20-year-old, coming out of the high school baseball factory that is PL Gakuen, and being dropped into a Carp system with a reputation for drafting and developing players better than any team in the NPB. He was blade thin, but the athleticism was obvious; with fast-twitch muscle to burn, he just moved differently than most in everything that he did. He had the velocity, the command, and the secondary, so check those boxes; but what was more intriguing was the way the ball would leave his hand – the stuff really stood out and you could tell that there was more to come.

• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Knapp gives notes on Dodgers' young arms."

"I can't be more excited, and not just with the pitchers in Major League camp, but the state of our Minor League pitching as well," said organization pitching coordinator Rick Knapp. "It's an exciting time to be me."

Knapp provides his thoughts on several Dodger pitchers; including Urias and De Leon below:

Urias: "He got a wake-up call struggling at Triple-A last year and learned he has to pitch on the plate more. He's always been ahead of the curve. Now, if we have any concern, it's to build up the innings cautiously. It's a balancing act. I was [Major League pitching coach] with Rick Porcello when he was with the Tigers at age 20. It might mean five-inning starts. We will manage Julio accordingly."

De Leon: "It seems he's come out of nowhere because he made a big change in his delivery, not throwing across his body, and he lost a lot of weight. Now he's on a mission. He has the makeup, intensity, competitiveness and he's figuring out the strike zone. Nothing he does will surprise me."

• Fast Company ranks, "The Most Innovative Companies of 2016: Top Companies by Sector" and it includes the Dodgers.  They are at #6 for their Accelerator program that focuses on incubating a crop of sports startups.

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