Dodgers Blue Heaven: 2017 Topps Now - #779, #780 & #781

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

2017 Topps Now - #779, #780 & #781 - Dodgers Win Game 3

I still find it amazing that of all of the young rising stars that joined LA in the late-aughts, it is Andre Ethier who still remains in Dodger Blue. He has been a survivor, like those fools stranded on an island for our enjoyment, and the results we experienced last night is a testament to his guile and perseverance. Andre Ethier is a veteran leader on this club, and I think it's fair to say that everyone on the team appreciates not only his experience, but also his ability to still affect a ballgame. Per Cary Osborne at Dodger Insider:

“Very, very happy for him, and the game honors you,” Roberts said. “And a guy like Andre who has done it the right way for such a long time and repeatedly said he just wanted to be a part of this and to prepare every single day like he’s going to play, and when that opportunity presented itself, he was ready. For him to come through and perform and pick us up the way he did is no surprise. It’s just a credit to his professionalism.”

Last night Ethier whacked a home run to tie the game up at one, so naturally Topps has issued a 2017 Topps Now card to honor it. Go here to check it out and order. Per the description on the reverse (see on right):

With Wrigley Field still buzzing from Cubs slugger Kyle Schwarber's first inning blast, Andre Ethier responded with a home run on his own. Ethier drilled a solo home run to right field to tie the game, 1-1, in the top of the 2nd inning.

The second of three Dodgers Topps Now cards focuses on the brilliant mound work of Yu Darvish. Go here to check it out and order. It also makes note of his unlikely walk with the bases loaded in the sixth inning (based on the pic on the reverse) -- which also happened to be a perfect pinch-hit situation. Per AJ Cassavell at MLB.com:

Cubs reliever Carl Edwards Jr. threw four straight balls. Darvish flipped his bat demonstratively toward the first-base dugout, then trotted to first, giving the Dodgers a 4-1 lead. In the process, he equaled his walk and RBI totals from five regular seasons in the Major Leagues.

"Facing a guy who throws 95, 96 with a cutter, he's got something special going," Darvish said through an interpreter. "I didn't think I had a chance to hit. So I just wanted to try to do something, draw a walk or maybe get hit by pitch. Anything just to score runs."

Lastly, Chris Taylor continues to prove that he is no fluke. The guy can play, and the Dodgers final Topps Now card of the day notes his second homer of the series. Go here to check it out and order. Per the writing on the reserve:

Chris Tayor remained hot, crushing a long solo home run in the 3rd inning to break a 1-1 tie and give the Dodgers the lead. Taylor's 444-foot home run was the longest hit by any player so far this Postseason.

Not only that, his homer last night also marked the first player in MLB postseason history to have hit a home run as both an outfielder (in Game 1) and as a shortstop (Game 3) in the same postseason, per ESPN Stats & Info on twitter.