Sit Your Bum Down Right Here

Unless you're sitting in the outfield pavilion at Dodger Stadium -- which amazingly still uses benches -- there isn't much of a demand for a seat cushion.  Most folks seem quite settled in those contoured pull-down seats, and with games expected to get shorter with every new rule change folks don't have to rest their behind on that hard plastic for long.  I, on the other hand, hardly find those seats comfortable, and I know I'm not alone in that thinking.  So, why not use a seat cushion, and why don't the Dodgers give one away every year as a promotion?  They are, after all, the kind of thing that would go to good use.

Unfortunately, the marketing folks at the team don't appear to agree with me, and we'll have to go another year without this obvious win-win giveaway.  In their obvious lapse of judgement I thought I would take a moment to troll the online swap meet that is eBay for some suitable cushions for your bum, many of which appear to have been past freebies at the stadium, and share them with you here. 

At the very top is a circa 1997 cushion with a basic logo on the front (link here).  Below left is another cushion that, based on its logo, is from the following season (link here).  The round Baseball-shaped cushion on the bottom right looks like an oldie (link here). Could it be a pre-80's ittem?

Here are a couple more.  The green ones on the bottom left is said to be from Vero Beach (link here), and I have to wonder if it was a giveaway at Holman Stadium on St. Patrick's Day.  The cushion on the right is definitely a giveaway; given the Chevrolet ad on the front (link here).

This last one, though, is my absolute favorite.  It not only works as an in-game seat cushion but may also provide relief for those with a painful hemorrhoid (link here).

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2016 Topps MLB Sticker Collection - All the Dodgers

Stickers seems to be the theme for collectors the past couple of weeks.  Along with the MLB Wacky Packs brand (which is filled with stickers), Topps also released their 2016 MLB Sticker Collection.  Go here for a complete checklist.  At top is the front cover of the Topps sticker album, and as you can see Clayton Kershaw is on the cover.  Also, with each album you instantly receive a Kershaw sticker to add to your collection.  Check out the six -sticker sheet below.

Dodgers Notes from Spring Training: Spring Game 14/Road Game 8

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 (9-2-2) at Chicago White Sox (6-6-1)
Tuesday, March 15, 2016 – 1:05 p.m. MT | Camelback Ranch - Glendale
RHP Kenta Maeda (1-0, 0.00) vs. LHP Jose Quintana (1-0, 4.15)
TV: None Radio: None

Today's Dodger lineup:
Hernandez SS
Kendrick DH
Gonzalez 1B
Van Slyke RF
Ethier LF
Utley 3B
Ellis C
Pederson CF
Barnes 2B
(Maeda P)

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 15, 2016

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(Mike Bolsinger, pic via @Dodgers on twitter)

WINNING TIME: Los Angeles takes on the White Sox today as the designated “road” team at Camelback Ranch after winning its fourth consecutive game yesterday, 6-2, over the Brewers. Micah Johnson had three hits to raise his batting average to .370 and Trayce Thompson blasted a three-run homer in the Dodgers’ five-run first-inning rally. Mike Bolsinger tossed 4.0 scoreless frames to pick up the win and J.P. Howell, Pedro Baez and Louis Coleman each tossed a scoreless inning of relief.

• The Dodgers beat the White Sox, 6-1, in both teams’ Cactus League opener on March 3.
• Scott Kazmir pitched 5.0 simulated innings in a “B” game against the White Sox yesterday, with Cody Bellinger, Yasmani Grandal and Kyle Farmer also seeing action against Chicago starter Chris Sale.

(Joc beat Puig again, pic via Puig on twitter)

GETTING OFFENSIVE: The Dodger offense has been clicking on all cylinders this spring, ranking second among NL clubs in batting average (.296), on-base percentage (.366) and slugging percentage (.492), behind only Arizona. Individually, Scott Van Slyke (.409, 3rd), Austin Barnes (.381, T-4th) and Micah Johnson (.370, 6th) rank among the NL leaders in batting average, while Van Slyke, Barnes and Rob Segedin are tied for fourth with three spring home runs apiece.

HAPPY DAYS: The Dodgers would like to wish a very happy birthday to Trayce Thompson, who turns 25 today! Thompson, who is in his first season with the Dodgers after being acquired from the White Sox in an offseason trade, celebrated his big day with a three-run homer in the first inning yesterday against the Brewers.

HOPEFULLY A SCREWBALL: On Thursday, Dodger great Fernando Valenzuela will throw the ceremonial first pitch prior to Team Mexico’s game vs. the Czech Republic in its World Baseball Classic qualifier in Mexicali. Valenzuela served as a pitching coach for Team Mexico in the 2006, 2009 and 2013 World Baseball Classic tournaments.

• Adrian Gonzalez will play for Team Mexico and will leave Dodger camp tomorrow for the WBC qualifiers March 17-20.

(Big Heads, pic via Camelback Ranch on twitter)

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Blog Kiosk: 3/15/2016 - Dodgers Links - Kazmir, Ryu and Justin Turner

That is some sweet looking leather.

Yesterday afternoon the Dodgers shared a pic of Kiké Hernandez's new glove on twitter, and made note that it features his twitter handle.  I would rather make note of the awesome blue leather straps.

Below are more links to check out:

• Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider provides the details on the first "cuts" of spring, here.  Eight players were sent to minor league camp; including right-handed pitching prospect Jharel Cotton.
• Eric Stephen at True Blue LA has a complete roster listing of Dodgers' minor league ballplayers here.
• Eric also writes, "Scott Kazmir finds rhythm in 'B' game." 

"I was working on a couple pitches, but was just trying to get that catcher-pitcher relationship down where we were in sync and had a good rhythm going," Kazmir recalled. "There were some things we tried in the first few innings that made it a little more difficult. We changed it a little bit, then by the third or fourth inning we were right there thinking with each other."

• Hyun-Jin Ryu finally got back onto the mound yesterday afternoon, and threw twenty pitches.  Via JP Hoornstra at Inside the Dodgers:

“It was very good,” Ryu said through an interpreter. “It wasn’t all about the speed. It was more about location and how I felt.”

• Justin Tuner is on the mend.  Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Turner 'still standing' after quite the workout."

"I'm still standing," Turner said. "Everything is a test to see how I feel on both sides of the ball. I had a little extra adrenaline with the fans in the stands. I was anxious to get back out there in a real game. Playing on the back fields is good to get the work in, but it's not the same adrenaline and intensity with the fans in the stands. I felt great. Ran, slid into home, dove for a ball. Everything felt fine."

• An WBC Qualifier series will begin this coming Thursday, and Adrian Gonzalez will be playing for Team Mexico.  Also, via Yvonne Carrasco at Dodger Insider, "Valenzuela to throw first pitch at WBC qualifier."  Go here for a schedule of games being played in Mexicali, Mexico and Panama City, Panama.
• Those rare Ty Cobb cards found in a paper bag have been selling briskly.  Rich Mueller at Sports Collectors Daily informs us that a fourth card (and its highest graded example) of the seven found sold for in excess of $1Million.  That's for that one card.  Wow!  It is believed that the first three cards reported to have been sold was for an accumulative value of over $1Million.  Check out what the million dollar card looks like on the right.
• Wow!

Well, the stitches are out but I still have to wear a cast for 2 wks. Can't wait to get some @Dodgers to sign it! ;) pic.twitter.com/DKfS8Icq1l

— Josh Ravin™ (@FreshSqueezed22) March 14, 2016

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