Thursday, March 10, 2016

2016 Donruss Baseball - The Dodgers Insert Cards

Here is a final look at Panini's 2016 Donruss Baseball card set.  Below are the remainder of the Dodgers insert cards that I have yet to show.  Go here to check out my past post on this set.  As you can see, this group of pics include many of the relic and autographed cards that are available.

Studio

#5 Corey Seager

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And Your 2016 Dodgers Spring Training Ping Pong Champions Are...


Back in late February, as players were settling in for the start of spring training, the Dodgers began their annual ping pong tournament.  With the help of Clayton Kershaw and Adrian Gonzalez they randomly picked out playing-pairs and quickly established an championship bracket.
(Photo of tournament bracket via Eric Stephen on twitter)

As you know, Clayton has ruled the roost the past several years, but as you can see in the bracket above, he was matched up with a less than able player -- Adrian Gonzalez.  So, his return to the top of the hill was unlikely, and someone new would be basking in the sun.  Those other potential championship pairs include Kenta Maeda with Yasiel Puig, Alex Wood and AJ Ellis, and Julio Urias and Howie Kendrick.  None of these pairs, though, made it to the final round.

Instead of just plainly announcing the finalist for this years tournament I thought I'd let Kiké Hernandez do it, via a series of tweets by Adrian Gonzalez.

First up, from the right bracket, is Brandon Beachy and Scott Van Slyke (tweet link here):
And from the left bracket is Chris Anderson and Justin Turner (tweet link here):
Unfortunately, gameplay of the entire match isn't available, but we do have a video of the winning point.  Check it out below, via another AGon tweet:
Congrats! 

I wonder if they'll get a little trophy to commemorate the occasion.

Photo at the very top via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016.  Photo of tournament bracket via Eric Stephen on twitter.

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Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Spring Game 8/Road Game 5


Throughout Spring Training the Dodgers PR department sends out helpful daily notes from Camelback Ranch, and I am happy to pass them along.  See what they've written below.

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LOS ANGELES DODGERS (4-1-2) at Oakland Athletics (4-3-1)
Thursday, March 10, 2016 – 1:10 p.m. MT | Hohokam Park
RHP Kenta Maeda (0-0, 0.00) vs. LHP Rich Hill (0-0, 6.75)
TV: None Radio: None


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(AGon, pic via @Dodgers on twitter)

 THE TIES THAT BIND: The Dodgers collected 20 hits in yesterday’s contest, recording their second draw of Spring Training in a high-scoring, 13-13 contest against the Angels in Tempe. At the plate, Joc Pederson and Austin Barnes slugged solo shots in the first and second innings, respectively, for their first home runs of the spring, while Scott Van Slyke hit a two-run blast in the third for his second home run. Cody Bellinger went 3-for-3, with two runs scored after entering the game in the fifth inning. In his second start of the spring, Scott Kazmir allowed five runs and six hits in 1.2 innings.
  • The Dodgers dropped the season series to the Athletics, 1-3, last season.
HUNGRY HEARTS: Yesterday, the Dodgers dedicated a newly renovated baseball field at John Muir High School, of which Jackie Robinson is an alumnus. This project was made possible by the Dodgers, Baseball Tomorrow Fund, the Helen and Will Webster Foundation, Nick English, Pasadena Tournament of Roses and the Pasadena Educational Foundation, while the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) managed the reconstruction of the field.
  • A brief program was held yesterday with Stan Kasten, Dodger president and chief executive officer, Naomi Rodriguez, Dodger vice president, external affairs and community relations, Nichol Whiteman, executive director, LADF, and Kathy Robinson Young, niece of Jackie and Rachel Robinson, along with many other members who invested their efforts into this project. The program was followed by a baseball and softball clinic with members of the John Muir baseball and softball teams led by Dodger alums Kenny Landreaux (fielding), Derrel Thomas (baserunning), Dennis Powell (pitching) and Tommy Davis (hitting).
(Dedication at John Muir High School, pic via Dodgers Foundation on twitter)

CRUSH ON US: The Dodgers have already notched their first sellout of the spring, with 13,122 fans taking in their victory over Arizona Saturday, and Friday’s rematch against the Angels is already sold out! Last year, the Dodgers established team records in total (147,066) and average (9,804) Spring Training attendance, while Camelback Ranch saw a record number of fans with a combined attendance of 232,305 between the Dodgers and the White Sox. So far this season, advance ticket sales have been brisk with Camelback Ranch enjoying its best advance ticket sale in its eight-year history. Two additional Dodger games already have sold out - Saturday night, March 12 (Chicago Cubs-Dodgers) and Friday night, March 25 (San Francisco Giants-Dodgers).

THE PRICE YOU PAY: The Dodgers announced yesterday that the game on Monday, May 30 in Chicago against the Cubs is scheduled to start at 4:05 PM CT/ 2:05 PM PT. The day before, the Dodgers take on the National League champion Mets at Citi Field at 8:05 p.m. ET on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball.

TODAY’S PROBABLE PITCHERS:
  • RHP Kenta Maeda will take the mound against the Oakland Athletics for his second Cactus League start. Maeda struck out two in 2.0 scoreless innings in his Dodger debut Saturday against the D-backs. The 27-year-old right-hander was signed to an eight-year contract on Jan. 7 following eight professional seasons with the Hiroshima Carp (2008-15) in which he compiled a 97-67 record with a 2.39 ERA in 218 games (217 starts). During the course of his Japanese career, Maeda won two Sawamura Awards (2010, 2015), given to the league’s best pitcher.
  • RHP Yimi Garcia will be making his third appearance of the spring, after striking out one in a scoreless inning Monday against Cleveland. He ranked among the NL’s best relievers in WHIP (0.95, 5th), opponents’ batting average (.199, 16th), opponents’ on-base percentage (.242, 4th) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.60, 3rd).
  • RHP Jose De Leon is expected to make his second outing of the spring, after earning the win with four strikeouts in 2.0 scoreless innings Saturday. De Leon was 6-7 with a 2.99 ERA in 23 combined starts last year between Single-A Rancho Cucamonga and Double-A Tulsa.
  • RHP Chris Anderson struck out three batters and allowed just one hit in 2.0 scoreless frames in his spring debut against Arizona. He went 9-7 with a 4.05 ERA in 23 starts for Double-A Tulsa last season, before being promoted to Triple-A Oklahoma ACity at the end of the campaign.
  • LHP Adam Liberatore will appear in his third game of the spring, after allowing one run and striking out a batter in an inning of relief against San Francisco. Liberatore saw his first big league action last season with the Dodgers, going 2-2 with a 4.25 ERA in 39 games.
  • RHP Matt West will make his third Cactus League appearance, after allowing one run in 1.0 inning of work Sunday against the Giants. He tossed 3.0 scoreless innings in two relief appearances with the Dodgers after being acquired from the Blue Jays last year.
  • The Dodgers have two additional pitchers suiting up today from the minor league side: RHP Logan Bawcom (#88) and RHP Felipe Gonzalez (#89).
(Joc Pederson shooting on goalie Chris Hatcher, pic via Pederson on twitter)

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *
* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *
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Blog Kiosk: 3/10/2016 - Dodgers Links - Anderson, Hernandez and Tommy Lasorda


The Dodgers just unveiled the Don Newcombe bobblehead they'll be giving out to fans on Wednesday, June 8th against the Rockies.  This is the third of ten bobbles they've shared so far.  Go here to check out the other two: Clayton Kershaw and Dave Roberts.  The photos above via @Dodgers on twitter and the Dodgers Promotional schedule.

Below are more links to check out:
Q: How long have you been coming to Paul’s for?
A: About 50-something years. A friend of mine worked [in] produce around here, so he took me to Paul’s one day and I’ve been coming here since.

Q: I read somewhere that you brought Kirk Douglas here once.
A: I took Kirk Douglas and Jack Valenti, the head of the movie industry. Kirk Douglas looked at it and said, “Where are we gonna eat? This place?” I said, “No, we’re going to eat inside.” It’s not too nice a location.
  • Video: Clayton Kershaw discusses the competitiveness inside the team and the way he’s approaching preseason play. (Link Here)
  • Video:  Listen to Ron Cey on Clubhouse Chatter.  He talks about his career and playing at Washington State for legendary coach Bobo Brayton. (Link Here)
  • Podcast:  Listen to Justin Turner on Love of Baseball.  He talks about his family's love of the Dodgers, his transition from utility to starter, his favorite baseball memory, and about Tommy.  (Link Here)
  • Audio: Listen to Andre Ethier with David Vassegh on last nights Dodger Talk.  (Link Here)
  • Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Dodgers' Anderson confident about rehab."
"He said Randy Johnson had two surgeries in the same place and he came back and he turned out all right," (Brett) Anderson said on Wednesday. "It makes it a little easier knowing a Hall of Famer had the same surgery twice and came back and pitched successfully. We have a lot of similarities -- left-handed, disk surgeries and an affinity for loud, heavy metal."
  • Kiké Hernandez got a puppy, and it's as cute as can be.  One Nacion at ESPN has the story here.  BTW, the dogs name is Arizona.
  • Adrian Gonzalez will play for Team Mexico during the upcoming WBC games, via David Vassegh on twitter:


* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *
* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *
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