Hey baseball fans! The 2020 World Series is here, which means that it's time for me to give you a historical look on the matchup, which pits the Rays against the Dodgers! The Tampa Bay Rays are making their second World Series appearance in franchise history and their first since 2008. This marks the second time that a 1990s expansion team is making its second World Series appearance, joining only the Marlins. Having lost that 2008 World Series to the Phillies, the Rays are one of ...
From Baseball with Matt
| about 5 years ago
| 3 reads
Hey baseball fans! The World Series is only about a series away, so it's time to start imagining how the 2020 edition of the Fall Classic will be entered into the history books! Personally, I'm a big fan of the walk-off home run and hope we see some crazy game-winning dingers during the final stage of the MLB postseason. To honor this, let's run through my top five World Series walk-off home runs of all time. Number Five: Derek Jeter, Game Four, 2001 The game-tying home run by Tino...
From Baseball with Matt
| about 5 years ago
| 0 reads
Hey baseball fans! The 2020 playoffs are officially here, with a few notable curse-breakers in the bracket. The Marlins, White Sox, and Padres all snapped massive playoff droughts when they clinched playoff berths this season, with the Marlins and Padres going from last place in their respective divisions in 2019 to the postseason in 2020. Worst-to-first teams have become more common in baseball with the popularity of free agency and the rise of analytics, but I want to talk about the first wo...
From Baseball with Matt
| about 5 years ago
| 3 reads
Hey baseball fans! Myself and two of my college friends have started a baseball podcast. It's called "Baseball for Breakfast," with new episodes releasing every Monday morning for the foreseeable future. Click here to access all our episodes so far. We're really excited for you to listen! So, why did we start a podcast? Well, me and my friends, Brendan and Logan, love baseball, but as you could probably guess, have different opinions going across all topics relating to America's Pa...
From Baseball with Matt
| about 5 years ago
| 3 reads
I missed this recent release from Topps yesterday. Featured here is a Topps 2020 Turn Back the Clock online exclusive card made available yesterday, and it celebrates Clayton Kershaw's complete game shutout ten-years ago. Per the description on the reverse:
September 14, 2010 -- In a game where the Dodgers only mustered one run, 22-year-old Clayton Kershaw gave the team a much needed dominant performance. The left-hander fired a complete-game shutout. allowing just four hits and leading the...
From Dodgers Blue Heaven
| about 5 years ago
| 1 read
Is this the turning point to Gavin's season?
Lux has had a poor start to 2020 -- first, not making the teams roster and batting below the Mendoza Line when he finally came up to Los Angeles. But last night he put up the kind an results that can lead to something good.
Prior to yesterdays game he was slashing a woeful .148/.258/.222/.480 in just eight games played. Now, after last nights three hit effort he is slashing a much improved .219/.324/.469/.793 while also walloping his first two...
From Dodgers Blue Heaven
| about 5 years ago
| 2 reads
Hey baseball fans! From 1946-2015, the Chicago Cubs failed to win the National League pennant. We can blame their struggles on a plethora of factors, but the Cubs actually sported some great players during that span. Here are my top five Chicago Cubs Hall of Famers during their grueling World Series appearance drought. Honorable Mentions: Greg Maddux and Andre Dawson The one major rule for this post is that the player has to go into the Hall as a member of the Cubs. Maddux and Dawso...
From Baseball with Matt
| about 5 years ago
| 0 reads
The Sandy Koufax Grotesk Project 2020 card is now available through Topps and it follows a similar minimalist design he used for the Jackie Robinson card released just a couple of weeks back -- check out that card on the left.
Grotesk uses a pictograph of two persons holding up a portrait of the ballplayer -- while using a font resembling Hebrew writing. No doubt an homage to Sandy's Jewish heritage.
The graphic design itself is reminiscent of a poster you might see in a bus stop o...
From Dodgers Blue Heaven
| over 5 years ago
| 0 reads
I think we all knew this day was going to come.
Yesterday afternoon came word that the Dodgers had dealt right-handed pitcher Ross Stripling to the Toronto Blue Jays for two players to be named later -- one of which we now know is 20-year old right-handed pitching prospect Kendall Williams (more on him later).
As you'll recall, Stripling had seemingly been traded to the crosstown Angels (along with Joc Pederson) over the winter, but that was thwarted by the Anaheim ownership -...
From Dodgers Blue Heaven
| over 5 years ago
| 2 reads
You knew this card was coming.
On Sunday the Dodgers set a new National League record for home runs as a team for the month of August, so Topps issued a new Topps Now card to celebrate the achievement. Check it out above and below. Per Rowan Kavner at Dodger Insider :
“It’s just a byproduct of swinging at good pitches,” manager Dave Roberts said after his team’s 7–2 win and another series victory. “I don’t know how well the ball’s carrying compared to the last couple years, but it’s amaz...
From Dodgers Blue Heaven
| over 5 years ago
| 2 reads
It was Jackie Robinson weekend. As you know, ballplayers throughout the league wore #42 to honor the great Dodger. Take a look at the cap the Dodgers wore on the right, via Chris Creamer at Sportslogos.net .
BTW, this weekend was not entirely celebratory. Chadwick Boseman, the fantastic actor who played Jackie in the 2013 film ‘42,’ died of colon cancer at the age of 43 on Friday -- on Jackie Robinson Day.
Photo above via @Dodgers on twitter . Below are more links to check out:
This ...
From Dodgers Blue Heaven
| over 5 years ago
| 1 read
I am playing catch-up with some recently released Topps Now cards. First, there are two Dodger cards available right now, following their sweep of the Giants yesterday. After that, three additional cards had been released by Topps over the past week -- that I failed to write about -- so I'll share those at the bottom of this post.
First, Mookie Betts recorded his 1,000th career hit during the first game of yesterdays doubleheader. Check out the Topps Now card created by Topps above and bel...
From Dodgers Blue Heaven
| over 5 years ago
| 2 reads
As you surely know by now, Vin Scully has consigned a whole bunch of his personal memorabilia to Hunt Auctions, and frankly it's overwhelming. There's a ton of stuff, and bids are starting to reach lofty heights -- after being open for just a day or two.
I have yet to go through the entire catalog, but so far I think the cream of the crop might be his 1955 World Series ring. That's right folks! His championship ring is on the block and right now it sits at $13,750.00 -- with the possibly it...
From Dodgers Blue Heaven
| over 5 years ago
| 2 reads
Hey baseball fans! Even in a shortened 2020 season, we are sure to see some crazy home run numbers across Major League Baseball, a trend that will only continue to pick up as we advance deeper into the 21st century. But with an emphasis on power comes the slow demise of one of baseball's most underrated and exciting statistics: the stolen base. Most baseball fans like to think that base-stealing was always as common as it was right before the new millennium, but that's actually inc...
From Baseball with Matt
| over 5 years ago
| 0 reads
On Sunday the Dodgers honored the memories of Gianna and Kobe Bryant on what would have been his 42nd birthday. In addition to the pregame ceremony, Gianna and Kobe’s uniform numbers were painted on the pitchers mound for today’s game against the Rockies. See it above. Pic via @Dodgers on twitter :
Below are more links to check out:
This Day in Dodgers History : In 1960 Vin Scully famously had fans at Dodger Stadium wish third base umpire Frank Secory a happy birthday durin...
From Dodgers Blue Heaven
| over 5 years ago
| 2 reads
Just another Dodger victory.
Last nights win was brought to you by Clayton Kershaw. He went seven strong innings, struck out a season high eleven batters and allowed just one run to lead the Dodgers in their 6-1 ( boxscore ) victory over the Mariners. On top of that, Clayton now has the second most strikeouts in Dodger franchise history -- leaping over Don Drysdale's mark of 2,486. Kershaw's 2,493 strikeouts is just 203 short of Don Sutton's record as a Dodger. Per Rowan Kavner at Dodg...
From Dodgers Blue Heaven
| over 5 years ago
| 2 reads
Here is a look at all of the Dodgers found in packs of Topps 2020 Bowman Sterling brand. Go here for a complete checklist .
Many of the Dodgers top prospects are a part of this set; including Dustin May and Gavin Lux. It is also notable that Andy Pages, the ballplayers who had been traded to the Angels as part of the Joc Pederson trade that was cancelled, also has an autographed card available here.
As you know, this is a mid to high-end product that will cost you about $300 for a box of...
From Dodgers Blue Heaven
| over 5 years ago
| 1 read
Grotesk, AKA Kimou Meyer, is a Swiss-born graphic designer who burst onto the New York art scene in 1999. A decade later he would help start a creative art agency, Doubleday & Cartwright , and work with companies like Nike, Apple, EA Sports, ESPN, Red Bull, Mercedes Benz and others. Today, he takes his minimalist sensibility and wood sculpture aesthetic and applies it to Topps Baseball cards. Featured here is his Project 2020 card of Jackie Robinson. Per Zio at The Hundreds :
I th...
From Dodgers Blue Heaven
| over 5 years ago
| 0 reads
A couple of weeks back Topps released their Topps Chrome brand of Baseball cards, and I now have pics of all the Dodgers available in packs. Check them all out below. Go here for a complete checklist.
Base
#13 Max Muncy #77 Cody Bellinger
#91 Brusdar Graterol #95 Edwin Rios
#100 Mookie Betts #104 Walker Buehler
#114 Tony Go...
From Dodgers Blue Heaven
| over 5 years ago
| 1 read
Seven in-a-row, Baby!
Last night Tony Gonsolin not only extended his scoreless innings streak (14.2), he also helped the Dodgers win their seventh consecutive game. Per Rowan Kavner at Dodger Insider :
“I think I’m just feeling a lot more comfortable up here,” Gonsolin said. “I’m trying to go out there and take advantage of every opportunity that I get.”
Photo above via Tony Gonsolin on twitter . Below are more links to check out:
This Day in Dodgers History : In 1983 t...
From Dodgers Blue Heaven
| over 5 years ago
| 2 reads
I really hate Leaf sometimes, and this set is an example of why. Featured here are cards from their recently released Trinity brand of baseball cards -- except it's not designated as a set from 2020. Instead, Leaf is calling this their 2019 Leaf Trinity baseball set. Considering that we are already in the eighth month of 2020 makes Leaf's dating absurd. Nevertheless, I've got pics of the three Dodger prospects in the set. Check them all out below. Go here for a complete checklist .
Clear ...
From Dodgers Blue Heaven
| over 5 years ago
| 0 reads
Last night the Seager brothers trotted out on the field to play each other for the first time in their careers, and their play didn't disappoint. They both had multiple hits, including home runs that no doubt impressed the other. Unfortunately for them, only one team can win the game. Per Alden Gonzalez at ESPN :
"You're still trying to win a game," (Corey) Seager said Monday, "but when you got around him, it was hard not to see your brother in the opponent."
...
"He only got thr...
From Dodgers Blue Heaven
| over 5 years ago
| 2 reads
A couple of weekends back was Topps annual National Baseball Card Day, and as you know free packs of an exclusive set were handed out to collectors at local card shops. The set consist of a 30-card base set and only one Dodger was included -- Cody Bellinger. There are also randomly inserted autographed cards, of which two are Dodgers'. Check them all out below. Go here for a complete checklist.
Base
#14 Cody Bellinger
Autographs
#AU-GL Gavin Lux ...
From Dodgers Blue Heaven
| over 5 years ago
| 1 read
As you surely know by now, the Seagers -- Corey and Kyle -- played against each other for the first time in their career last night. Better yet, they both homered in the game -- becoming the first brothers to do so for opposing teams in the same game since 2001. Per Ken Gurnick at MLB.com :
“It was hard almost to stay focused with him out there, you want to go talk to him,” said Corey. “And he’s a talker, he wanted me to go over there. You try to be in the moment as much as possible. Y...
From Dodgers Blue Heaven
| over 5 years ago
| 1 read
Is Keibert Ruiz the future at catcher for the Dodgers?
Only time will tell, but for the moment he is the cat's meow. Yesterday afternoon he collecting his first career hit by whacking a solo home run in his first career at-bat. Hilariously, his teammates decided to have a little fun with him afterwards. Per Ken Gurnick at MLB.com :
Dugout ribbing about how “baseball's easy” could barely wait until Ruiz finished his first home run trot.
“They also said it’s downhill from here,” said ...
From Dodgers Blue Heaven
| over 5 years ago
| 1 read