Dodgers Blue Heaven: Blog Kiosk: 12/6/2017 - Dodgers Links

Wednesday, December 06, 2017

Blog Kiosk: 12/6/2017 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Just awesome!

Above is an original 1958 Spring Training photograph taken by the legendary Barney Stein currently on auction at RMY (auction link). As you can see, it features the entire team, and it is purported to be the very first team photo of the newly minted Los Angeles Dodgers. As you know, the club would play in LA for the first time that season.

I've personally placed a bid on this photograph, but have little hope I'll walk away with it. This auction just opened up and it already has six bids. I suspect it'll sell for far more than I am willing to pay. That said, there are a bunch of great vintage pics in the auction, so stay tuned as I highlight other favorites I run into.

Below are more links to check out:

This Day in Dodgers History: In 1960 actor Gene Autry is awarded an American League Los Angeles franchise that would be known as the Angels -- borrowing. In 1973 the Dodgers traded Claude Osteen and Dave Culpepper to the Astros for outfielder Jim Wynn. Wynn would go on to have a stellar year the following season in Los Angeles. He slashed .271/.387/.497/.884 with 32 homers and 108 RBI's, and would come in at fifth place in MVP voting. In 2006 the Dodgers signed free agent pitcher Jason Schmidt. In 2007 signed free agent outfielder Andruw Jones.
Happy Birthday, Tony Lazzeri, Tommy Brown & Dodgers broadcaster Joe Davis!
Audio: Sports Illustrated Executive Editor and Senior Writer Jon Wertheim talks about Japanese baseball sensation Shohei Ohtani with The Petros & Money Show. (audio link)
Just in case you're interested, Beckett shared a Shoei Ohtani Japanese Rookie Cards Gallery, here.
Sports Illustrated has named the Dodgers the Front Office of the Year, via Jack Dickey at Sports Illustrated.

With apologies to the Houston Astros—who would be receiving this award had they not been so extensively feted elsewhere within the SI and Sportsperson universes—the Los Angeles Dodgers are the deserved recipients of our nod for Front Office of the Year. The 2017 club finished with a 104–58 regular-season record and the National League pennant, and excepting a stretch from late August to late September, these Dodgers were among the most dazzling teams in recent memory. (41-10 in June and July, that sort of thing.) They allowed by far the fewest runs of any team in the National League and scored the sixth-most. Their pitchers had the fewest walks in the NL; their hitters had the most.

Here's a brief report on the ongoing rehab of outfielder Andrew Toles, via Rowan Kavner at Dodger Insider.

“We expect him ready in Spring Training,” Friedman said Nov. 7. “Exactly what that means and what kind of load he can take on in February and March, we’re not sure. But we’re optimistic that he’ll be ready Opening Day.”