Blog Kiosk: 3/16/2020 - Dodgers Links & News - Some Odds and Ends

I love this pic that I ran into on eBay (auction link). Per the descriptor:

Yankee Stadium - Oct 3 -- Celebrate Winning Ways -- Tommy Davis, left fielder; Johnny Podres, winning pitcher; and Bill Skowron, first baseman, left to right, are shown in Dodger dressing room at New York Yankees Stadium today after Dodgers second straight win over the New York Yankees in the 1963 World Series. Davis contributed two triples and Skowron, a homer in the Dodgers 4-1 victory.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 2010 Dodger Stadium hosted a memorial service for Willie Davis, who had passed away a week prior. Per an AP story at the Spokesman:

“I like to believe the president saw the news and felt a little sadness,” his daughter, Kim, said in an hour-long service, “as did the mailman, the man at the doughnut shop, the drug addict downtown, and the 45-year-old who remembers the lightning speed of the 3 Dog.”

...
“He was the only man I’ve ever seen who, when he hit a ball in the gap, the opposing team watched him run,” (Lou) Johnson said.
...
“He was one of the most likable Dodgers,” O’Malley said. “The fans liked him. Members of the press liked him and respected him. Management liked him. He was just a likable person. He was the best, and I’m going to miss him.”

• Happy Birthday, Patsy Donovan, Jake Flowers, Lloyd Waner, Hee-Seop Choi, Curtis Granderson. Brian Wilson & Brandon League!
• Go here for Spring Training refund policy at Camelback Ranch.
• Awesome! Via Howard Cole at Sports Illustrated -- "Architecture Student Creates To-Scale Model of Dodger Stadium."
• Per Dustin Nosler at Dodgers Digest -- "2020 Dodgers Top 100 Prospects: No. 3, RHP Josiah Gray."
• Per Dustin Nosler at Dodgers Digest -- "2020 Dodgers Top 100 Prospects: No. 4, RHP Tony Gonsolin."
• Via Ryan Watt at FanGraphs -- "Will Smith Leads L.A.’s Bargain Catching Crew."

In fact, not a single likely Dodgers’ starter at catcher will be paid more than $1.1 million in 2020. Last year’s starting duo of Russell Martin ($20 million, $16.4 million of which was paid by the Blue Jays) and Austin Barnes ($575,000 in 2019, and $1.1 million this year) morphed, over the course of the 2019 season, into Will Smith and Friends. Although Martin and Barnes caught more games overall last year (61 and 52, respectively), 38 of Smith’s 45 starts came in the Dodgers’ last 57 games of the season, and he enters 2020 — whenever that begins — as the favorite to start the lion’s share of games this year. At 25, with less than a year’s service time under his belt, he’ll make $555,000 in 2020.

• Rich Mueller at Sports Collectors Daily shares some preview pics from Topps 2020 Archives Signature Retired Player Edition brand. Check out the Koufax signed card on the right. As you know, this set consist of only autographed buyback cards of retired ballplayers. Go here to check out more pics.
• Via Matt Borelli at Dodger Blue -- "History Of MLB Season Being Delayed Or Interrupted."
• Via Doug Padilla at the Press Enterprise -- "Frustrated Dodgers, Angels fans make the most of spring-training trips – no thanks to coronavirus."

“I took a baseball bat to a trash can just like the cheatin’ (expletive) Astros,” Donat said. “And then I raged some more when I realized we couldn’t cancel the hotel room. Then I said, ‘What the hell.’”

Donat and his wife Roxana decided to make the best of an unfortunate situation and took their getaway anyway, all the way from Seaside. The drive was so long they broke it into two days, visiting a relative in Oxnard along the way.

• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA -- "Enjoy these 12 Dodgers Hallmark Christmas movies."
• Thank you, Ken Burns. Via a tweet from him:

With events canceled & so much closed, I asked @PBS to stream BASEBALL for free so we can participate in the national pastime together. Watch at the link below or on any streaming device. And please look out for those with greater needs. Play ball. @MLB https://t.co/WaQLSpeYkF pic.twitter.com/QYp1XE0SLC

— Ken Burns (@KenBurns) March 15, 2020

• Here's a funny exchange between Clayton Kershaw and Dan PAtrick, via a tweet from 2020 Astros Shame Tour.

“And when the Astros use the garbage can....”

“I think they might get caught this time.” pic.twitter.com/fCxpjYErju

— 2020 Astros Shame Tour (@AsteriskTour) March 12, 2020

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