Blog Kiosk: 7/22/2019 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Thank you, Fernando! Per Cary Osborne at Dodger Insider:

“It’s very special. It’s a great honor, because the Dodgers have the history of tremendous ballplayers for many years. To be part of this, it’s a great honor,” Valenzuela said. “When the Dodgers mentioned I was going to be in with these two great ballplayers … that means a lot. Steve Garvey, he was my first baseman when I came up as a rookie. He supported me. He helped me a lot for my first couple years. To now be part of the same group, to be selected for this honor, is tremendous.”

Photo abvoe via Jon SooHoo at Dodger Insider 2019. Go here to check out more pics from Saturday's ceremony. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1966 DodgerVision at Dodger Stadium relays a message to Mets outfielder Ron Swoboda during the game. It says, "Congratulations, Ron Swoboda. Your new son is born tomorrow morning". Cecilia Swoboda gave birth to Chipper, the couple's first child, at 1:05 a.m. EST, making it the next day on the West Coast. In 2005 Yhency Brazoban breaks Steve Howe's Dodger rookie record for saves when he works a perfect inning against the Mets to record his 18th save. He would finish with 21 saves during the season.
• Happy Birthday, Sheldon Lejeune, Elmer Knetzer, Lindsay Brown & Kevin Pasley!
• For a good rundown on this past weekends Hall of Fame ceremonies go here, via a story by Blake Schuster at Yahoo Sports.
• BTW, tomorrow the Dodgers and MLB will unveil the official logo of the 2020 All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium. They will also reveal the upcoming stadium renovations (including a new centerfield entertainment plaza) that will be ready for the upcoming All-Star Game.
• Jon Weisman shares Part 2 of recent trip to Cooperstown. Per Jon Weisman at Dodger Thoughts -- "Visiting the Hall of Fame: Part 2: On to Los Angeles."
• Video: Gavin Lux talks about growing up in Wisconsin and what he's looking forward to in the Futures Game on Cespedes Family BBQ (Video Link).
• You should prepare yourself for Lux's eventual promotion to Los Angeles. Per Rowan Kavner at Dodger Insider -- "A deluxe season for Gavin Lux."

“It’s about as good as you could hope for.” says Dodger director of player development Will Rhymes. “Each level he goes up he just seems to get better, which is not easy to do. … He has followed up last year, which was a tremendous step forward for him, with another great campaign so far and growing into more power. At this point, it’s hard to put a limit on his ceiling.”

• Here's a big promotion. Per Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA -- "Ruiz Promoted to Triple-A OKC."
• 2demeter2 at LA Dodger Talk put together a nice recap of the signed 2019 Dodger draft picks -- "It Feels a Bit Drafty in Here."
• Via Danielle Dwyer at OKC Fox -- "Zach Reks Goes From Not Playing Baseball to Dodgers Prospect."

That opportunity was playing a simple game of "catch" with one of his former teammates.

"Playing catch and next thing you know I walk off the field and I'm getting on my moped and Rick Eckstein comes up to me, David Eckstein's brother, and he just came up to me and said, 'hey, you ever play baseball before?' and I was like, 'yeah'," Reks said. "So that's just how it all started." 

It was another chance at baseball, and one Reks didn't foresee coming when he left Air Force and enrolled at Kentucky.

• Later this week Panini will release their 2019 Immaculate Baseball brand, so they have release some preview pics to wet your whistle. Go here to check them out. Featured below is a look at a Cody Bellinger and Steve Garvey cad found in packs.

• Once again Union 76 gasoline stations is having a Dodgers pin giveaway. With the purchase of 8 gallons of more you can receive a Dodger pin. There are two different pins available this year. Go here for more information. The pic on the right is via Alanna Rizzo on twitter:
• Former Dodger Matt Magill is now a Mariner. Per Anthony Franco at MLB Trade Rumors -- "Mariners Acquire Matt Magill."
• Via Bill Gutman at Baseball History Comes Alive -- "Cal Erskine - Last of the "Boys of Summer". 

At 92 years of age, Carl Erskine still has vivid memories of his Dodgers days – the Dodgers of Brooklyn – a team that played in the cozy confines of Ebbets Field in front of adoring fans. It’s the only team ever named for a borough in a large city. It was the Golden Age of Baseball in New York, when it seemed the Yankees, Dodgers, and Giants were in the World Series every year, the two National League teams always striving to beat the mighty Yankees, while also having baseball’s fiercest rivalry when playing each other. And Carl Erskine was a big part of it.

• Video: Here's a interesting video (hat tip: u/LazybutCrazy on Reddit) featuring Jesica Beaty, Matt's wife, talking a bit about Matt's debut a couple of months ago and his subsequent return to Triple-A.

Youtube Video Link:

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