Diamondbacks Series Starts on Friday - Stadium Giveaways, Pregame Info and Other Stuff!

The next homestand starts on Friday against the Arizona Diamondbacks.   Below are some odds and ends for this upcoming homestand.

The Sonoran Dog will be available for this homestand only against the Diamondbacks at the Extreme Loaded Dog concession areas located on the field, loge and reserve levels. It features a bacon-wrapped super dog with pinto beans, mayonnaise and pico de gallo.

The eighth 2016 issue of the new Dodger Insider magazine, featuring Adrian Gonzalez on the cover, will be available at Dodger Stadium.  (see it on the left).  The Dodgers merged their previously separate Playbill and Dodger Insider magazines into one publication (at least 80 pages per issue) with a new edition available each homestand.  They are distributed at auto gates (one per vehicle) and via Fan Services for those who use alternate transportation.  

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Friday, July 29th at 7:10 PM
RHP Zack Godley vs. RHP Kenta Maeda
SNLA / AM 570 (Eng.), KTNQ 1020 AM (Span.)

AJ Ellis Gets an 2016 Topps Now Card for his First Stolen Base - #290 - I Kid You Not

No frick'n way!

Ya know... I haven't been a buyer of the 2016 Topps Now cards, but that may change.

I have just found out that Topps has decided to commemorate AJ Ellis' first career steal with his very own Baseball card highlighting it.  It says on the bottom:

"35-Year-Old Catcher Steals 1st Base Of His Career"

And it describes the event in detail on the reverse.  Go here to check it out and order.  Per Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider:

“It was just kind of one of those weird plays, he was a little bit slow to the plate, wasn’t paying much attention to me, and we’d see if we could make something happen,” Ellis said. “In all honestly, I didn’t think they’d be covering second base right there. I thought we’d just get catcher’s indifference to get to second base. He had a long leg kick — probably didn’t expect me to run. I wouldn’t have expected me to run.”

And I didn't expect to be so enamored with a Baseball card from this set.  In my opinion, this is the best Dodgers card made so far this year. 

UPDATE: the print run for this card is 261.

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2016 Topps Allen & Ginter - The Dodgers Relic Cards

Below is a look at all the Dodgers relic cards available in packs of 2016 Allen & Ginter packs.  Go here to check out all of my past post on this set.

Full Sized Relics

#FSRB-AG Adrian Gonzalez               #FSRB-CK Clayton Kershaw

Blog Kiosk: 7/28/2016 - Dodgers Links - Norris, Scully and AJ Ellis

Never mind the outcome of yesterday afternoons game (which we lost, BTW), I want to focus on an event that happened in the second inning of the game.

With two out and men at the corners, the Dodgers inexplicably tried to pull off a double steal.  I say it was unexpected because standing on first base was the slow-footed AJ Ellis.  During his nine year career, that includes 537 games played, Ellis has never stolen base.  Heck, he's only attempted it four times ever.

(pic via Alanna Rizzo on twitter)

So, when he headed for second base with two outs on the board it was a shocked everyone.  So shocking, in fact, that not only did he steal his very first base, but the runner on third, Joc Pederson, came home to score on an errant throw.  Per Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider:

“It was fun to laugh and fun to look in the dugout and see my teammates going nuts,” Ellis said. “I called Marvin Hudson, the second-base umpire, over and asked him if I could have the bag right then. He said, ‘No — you have to wait until in between innings.’

“It’s just fun to have memories with a bunch of guys you have shared history with for so long, so when something like that happens, it’s fun.”

No worries AJ.  Kershaw's got your back.  As we learned, via a tweet from Ken Gurnick, Clayton got a hold of that base and had MLB authenticate it.  You can see it on the right, as tweeted by Alanna Rizzo.  BTW, Ellis did get a steal sign from Dave Roberts.  Via Ken Gurnick and Bill Chastain at MLB.com:

"It was one of those plays where maybe you steal a run, and fortunately it worked out." Per Dave Roberts

The photo at the very top of Ellis stealing second is via Violet Herzfeld/LA Dodgers 2016.  Go here to check out more pics by Violet and Jon SooHoo from yesterdays game.  Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodger History: In 1991 Expos hurler Dennis Martinez throws a perfect game against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. It is only the 15th perfect game in Baseball history, and the first no-hitter thrown at the stadium by an opposing pitcher.
• Happy Birthday, Freddie Fitzsimmons!