2019 Topps Now -- #683 & #684 -- Kershaw's Fantastic Start and Rios' Two Homer Day

I've been reading for weeks about how Clayton Kershaw is on a steep decline. Fortunately, Kershaw doesn't care what the prognosticators say. He's on a mission -- a journey to prove that he's still got it. And I think last nights effort is a clear indication that he's on the right road. Clayton struck out the first seven batters he faced. Per Christina De Nicola at MLB.com:

"That first time through, he was rolling pretty good," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "Actually, all the way through. He had eight out of first nine [strikeouts]. Giving a guy like that three early, give him a lead, he kind of slams that door on you."
...
"Early on, just spotting the fastball up and going to the curveball early, and then had the shape and the depth that we like to see," Roberts said. "And then the slider. When you have that mix early ... it was really encouraging. You knew something special was brewing."

2019 Topps Tribute Baseball - Most of the Dodger Cards

Last week Topps released their Tribute Baseball brand, and I've got pics of many of the Dodgers' found within packs. Unfortunately, I have yet to find any of the autographed Dodger cards that are available, so I'll update this post as they emerge. In the meantime, take a look at the base and relic cards. BTW, a box will cost you about $275 and you'll get six packs consisting of three cards. You are  also guaranteed three autographed and three relic cards per box. Go here to check out a complete checklist.

Base

#3 Duke Snider               #24 Clayton Kershaw

Blog Kiosk: 8/15/2019 - Dodgers Links - Seven Straight Strikeouts

Kershaw was gold last night. He pitched seven shutout innings, allowed just two hits, walked none and recorded ten strikeouts. Best yet, he started the game by fanning seven consecutive Marlin batters. Per Cary Osborne at Dodger Insider:

“Sometimes you just get in that groove early, and we scored three runs in the top of the first, so I just wanted to make that hold up,” Kershaw told SportsNet LA’s Alanna Rizzo. “You don’t really care how you get the outs as long as you’re efficient with it, and tonight I was able to get ahead, did a decent job with fastball command. I thought Russell (Martin) did a great job mixing locations back, going out and in. Both off-speed (pitches) have been better than in the past.”

Photo above via Manny Fernandez/MLB.com at Dodger Insider. Go here to check out more pics from yesterdays game. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1914 Brooklyn Fav Jake Daubert set a National League record with four sacrifices in one game (boxscore). In 1926 a daffy play happened to the daffiest of Brooklyn's Daffiness Boys. Outfielder Babe Herman, during the seventh inning with the bases loaded, hit a double off the right field wall and attempted to stretch it to a triple. Unbeknownst to the vacuous hitter, the two runners ahead of him had failed to advance beyond third base (Why? Because they were all daffy). So, he cruised into third while two other Dodgers were standing there. Per the rules, the lead runner is entitled to the base, so Herman and the man who was on first (Chick Fewster) were called out. So, Herman doubled into a double play. In 1951 Willie Mays made an extraordinary catch in centerfield at the Polo Grounds, off the bat of Dodger outfielder Carl Furillo. He then twirled and fired a strike to home plate that nailed thirdbaseman Billy Cox to complete a doubleplay. This play is consider by many to be the event that began the Giants surge from a 11.5 game deficit to steal the National League Pennant from the Dodgers. Dan Fields at SABR writes all about it here. BTW, Furillo said this about the catch:

“Luck. That was the luckiest throw I ever saw in my life. He can try that 50 times and he won’t come close again.”

This was three years before his famed over-the-shoulder catch during the World Series in 1954.