2018 Topps Opening Day - All the Dodgers Base Cards

I was going to go on a mini-rant about this set, but as I looked closer I realized that Topps has made some changes - at least with regards to the Dodgers'. For the most part, the Topps' Opening Day brand is as boring as can be. They typically use not only the exact same design as their flagship, but also use the same pics. And the only difference would be a jazzy "Opening Day" logo on the front. This time around they mixed it up a bit.

Of the eleven Dodgers' in the base set only two use the exact photograph as its flagship counterpart -- Yasiel Puig and Cody Bellinger. The cards of Kershaw, Verdugo, Buehler and Wood use brand new pics. On top of that, we get a first look at 2018 Topps cards for Seager, Turner, Taylor, Jansen and Darvish (none of whom are in Series 1). This is quite a departure from years past.

Check out the Dodger base cards below. As of this posting, there are no known variations to chase after, but that could change as folks continue to open the product. Go here for a complete checklist.

Base

#1 Clayton Kershaw               #57 Yasiel Puig

Blog Kiosk: 3/14/2018 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

(Via Reddit u/TARS_CASE)

RIP, Stephen Hawking. Per BBC:

"At the time, I thought my life was over and that I would never realise the potential I felt I had. But now, 50 years later, I can be quietly satisfied with my life." 

Speaking to the BBC in 2002, his mother, Isobelle, described him as a "very normal young man". 

She said: "He liked parties. He liked pretty girls - only pretty ones. He liked adventure and he did, to some extent, like work."

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1932 the Dodgers sent 23-year old future Hall of Famer Ernie Lombardi, the still very effective Babe Herman and Wally Gilbert to the Reds for Joe Stripp, Tony Cuccinello and Clyde Sukeforth.
• Happy Birthday, Bill Holbert, Jud Daley, John Miller, Mike Strahler, Kevin Brown & Jose Nunez!