2011 Bowman Sterling Rubby De La Rosa Autograph

I love red, white and blue Dodger hat.

The Dodgers had a handful of  youngsters make their debuts in 2011. One of the more memorable debuts was from the hard throwing Rubby De La Rosa, the Dodgers 2010 Minor League Pitcher of the Year. The 22 year-old was called up from AA Chattanooga on May 24 and  he pitched that very same day, throwing a scoreless eighth inning against Houston. He retired the side in order, striking out two Astros.


Rubby made his first career start two weeks later in Philadelphia. He walked five batters in the first two innings, but settled down  nicely to pick up the W. He would appear in 13 games for the Dodgers last year, starting ten of those games. De La Rosa's fastball regularly clocked in the high 90's, even hitting 100 MPH. He finished the year 4-5 with a 3.71 era and 60 strikeouts in 60.2 innings after suffering a tear to the ulnar collateral ligament. He would undergo Tommy John Surgery in August.


This was one of the more heartbreaking injuries in 2011 which also affected 2012. I really thought he would have a spot in the starting rotation in '12. With Ned Colletti signing Chris Capuano and Aaron Harang through 2013, a spot in the rotation two years from now seems unlikely. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Anyway, when I found out Rubby had a couple of autograph cards in the 2011 Bowman Sterling set, I knew I had to get my hands on one. As a matter of fact, I got my hands on three of them, one of which is going to Greg at Plaschke, Thy Sweater Is Argyle. If anyone is interested in the third, just comment below, I'm open for a trade.


Enjoy:

             

Bobblehead Of The Day: Steve Garvey Musical Bobblehead

Since I've posted all the Dodger Stadium giveaway bobbleheads, I'm going to start posting some of the more obscure and lesser known Dodger bobbleheads. There are many out there, and I don't have them all, but I'll show the ones I have and the ones I know about. I've already shown my Dodger Dog bobblehead and my Bob Hope bobblehead. Today I'm gonna show my Steve Garvey musical bobblehead.


This bobblehead was a Dodger Stadium exclusive and was only sold at the Top of the Park gift shop in 2004. I believe they're were only 500 made. I could be wrong about that, so if someone knows otherwise, please let me know. This bobblehead is 2 inches larger than the normal Dodger Stadium bobblehead and stands at about nine inches. There is a baseball between Garvey's feet and when pushed, it plays "Take Me Out To The Ballgame." There is also a Ron Cey version as well.


Here's Garv:

The musical bobblehead and the 2006 SGA

Although they do look a lot alike in the face, the musical bobblehead is a lot larger the 2006 Steve Garvey stadium giveaway. If anyone has anymore details on this bobblehead, please feel free to comment.

                  

Harrison Ford, Chadwick Boseman To Star In Jackie Robinson Biopic

Variety.com is reporting that Legendary Pictures has announced who will play Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey in the upcoming Robinson biopic "42."  Robinson will be portrayed by Chadwick Boseman and Rickey will be played by Harrison Ford. It was announced earlier this year that Robert Redford was going to play Rickey, but has passed the role on to Ford


From Legendary Picture's official press release:

LEGENDARY PICTURES ANNOUNCES TWO MAJOR JACKIE ROBINSON MOVIE CASTINGS: CHADWICK BOSEMAN IS JACKIE ROBINSON AND HARRISON FORD IS BRANCH RICKEY 
BOSEMAN TO STAR AS MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL ICON JACKIE ROBINSON, FORD TO PORTAY RENOWNED BASEBALL EXECUTIVE BRANCH RICKEY

Burbank, CA – December 9, 2011 – Legendary Pictures announced today that it has cast Chadwick Boseman and Harrison Ford to star in the company’s film based upon history’s most celebrated baseball figure, Jackie Robinson. 

Boseman will depict the iconic baseball star, paying tribute to the legacy and impact Robinson made when he became the first African American Major League Baseball player. 

Ford will star as Branch Rickey, the innovative Major League Baseball executive who is best known for breaking MLB’s color barrier by signing Jackie Robinson to a minor league contract in 1945. Two years later, at the start of the 1947 major league baseball season, Robinson was signed to the Brooklyn Dodgers major league baseball team with the help of Rickey. Rickey was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1967. 

Chadwick Boseman is best known for his performance in Universal Pictures’ THE EXPRESS. Boseman also just completed a lead in the independent feature KILL HOLE. On television he was a regular on the NBC series Persons Unknown. He is represented by Michael Greene at Greene & Associates, and Melanie Cook of Ziffren Brittenham. 

Ford most recently starred in COWBOYS & ALIENS and is best known for starring in the INDIANA JONES and STAR WARS franchises as well as AIR FORCE ONE and THE FUGITIVE. Ford was a Best Actor Oscar® nominee for his role in the 1985 feature film WITNESS. Ford is represented by Jim Berkus at United Talent Agency and Skip Brittenham of Ziffren Brittenham. 

Brian Helgeland (LA CONFIDENTIAL / MYSTIC RIVER) will write and direct, with Legendary’s Chairman and CEO, Thomas Tull, producing, and Legendary’s Chief Creative Officer and President, Jon Jashni, serving as executive producer. Dick Cook, former Chairman of Walt Disney Studios, will also serve as an executive producer. Legendary worked early on in development with Robinson’s widow, Rachel Robinson, to ensure the movie adaptation of the famed player’s story is authentic.

Did the studio make the right choices? I think Boseman looks a lot like Jackie and Ford looks a bit like Branch Rickey. I think he's a better choice than Robert Redford. 


"42" is scheduled to hit theaters in 2013.

Matt Kemp Wins Player Of The Year GIBBY

Congratulations to Matt Kemp for winning yet another award, the GIBBY(Greatness in Baseball Yearly) for Player of the Year.

From MLB.com's Ken Gurnick:

It's been a few minutes since Matt Kemp last won an award and ... wait ... here's another.

It was just announced that the Dodgers' All-Star center fielder was named winner of the Player of the Year GIBBY.

The Greatness in Baseball Yearly (GIBBY) Award winners were calculated based on four segments of voters that each accounted for 25 percent of the total vote: 1) millions of fans at MLB.com; 2) media; 3) front-office personnel; and 4) MLB alumni.

The ultimate honors of baseball's awards season, 2011 GIBBY trophies were awarded to Major League Baseball's top player, starting pitcher, rookie, breakout player, comeback player, wow factor, closer, setup man, defensive player, manager and executive, as well as to the 2011 Postseason MVP, with no restriction to league affiliation.GIBBY trophies also honored the year's top play, moment, walk-off, performance, oddity, fan moment and postseason moment from MLB.com's Must C highlight vault.About the only award Kemp didn't win this year was the National League MVP, which the Baseball Writers' Association of America gave to Ryan Braun, with Kemp the runner-up.

NL MVP Award winner or not, the 27-year-old Kemp batted .324 (third in the NL) while leading the league in homers (39), RBIs (126), runs scored (115) and total bases (353). The 2011 All-Star also finished among league leaders in multi-hit games (57, tied for first), hits (195, second), slugging percentage (.586, second), extra-base hits (76, second), stolen bases (40, tied for second), on-base percentage (.399, fourth) and walks (74, tied for eighth).

Kemp became the seventh player in Major League history to finish the season ranked in the top three in homers, batting average, RBIs and stolen bases in their respective league, joining Hall of Famers Ty Cobb (1907, '09-11), Honus Wagner ('08), George Sisler ('20), Chuck Klein ('32), Willie Mays ('55) and Hank Aaron ('63).

In addition, he was the first Dodgers player to lead the NL in home runs and RBIs since Dolph Camilli in 1941, and the first Dodgers player in history to lead the NL in homers, RBIs and runs scored. He is one of five players all-time to eclipse 30 homers, 35 stolen bases, 100 RBIs and a .310 average, joining Ken Williams (1922), Barry Bonds ('92), Alex Rodriguez ('98) and Vladimir Guerrero (2002).

This year, Kemp was voted by his teammates as the winner of the Roy Campanella Award, which goes to the Dodgers player who best exemplifies the spirit and leadership of the late Hall of Famer; he's received the Hank Aaron Award as the most outstanding offensive player in the NL; the Baseball America Player of the Year Award; the NL Stan Musial Award, presented by the Baseball Bloggers Alliance; he won a Gold Glove Award and Silver Slugger Award; was named Players Choice outstanding player in the NL; was named to The Sporting News NL All-Star team and received the Oscar Charleston and Josh Gibson Awards as the NL MVP and home run champ, presented by the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

                              

Dodgers Unveil Six New Bobbleheads For The 2012 Dodger Stadium Greats Series: Official Press Release

Yesterday the Dodgers unveiled six of the bobbleheads they're giving away in 2012. Here's the official press release from Dodgers.com:

As part of the 2012 promotional schedule, today the Dodgers unveiled six new bobbleheads in the Dodger Stadium Greats Bobblehead Series. The complete series includes 10 bobbleheads and now features Maury Wills with Don Drysdale on April 28 (vs. WAS), Orel Hershiser on May 15 (vs. ARI), the historic Dodger infield of Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell and Ron Cey on May 29 (vs. MIL), Mike Scioscia on June 12 (vs. LAA), Hall of Fame Manager Tommy Lasorda with Hall of Fame Manager Walter Alston on July 14 (vs. SD) and Fernando Valenzuela on August 21 (vs. SF). 

The unprecedented Dodger Stadium Greats Bobblehead Series pays tribute to some of the most unforgettable Dodgers in Dodger Stadium history. The first bobblehead in the collection celebrates the 50^th anniversary of Dodger Stadium as it pairs two stars from the year the stadium opened; Maury Wills with Don Drysdale. Following the 1962 season, the duo captured the Cy Young and NL Most Valuable Player Award, respectively, with Drysdale winning 25 games and Wills stealing 104 bases. This marks the first Dodger Stadium bobblehead for Wills and the second for Drysdale. 

Three-time All-Star and 1988 Cy Young Award winner Orel Hershiser will be featured on the club’s second bobblehead night on May 15 against Arizona. Hershiser spent 13 seasons with Los Angeles (1983-94, 2000) and keyed the Dodgers’ 1988 title run, winning MVP honors in the NLCS and World Series. This marks Hershiser’s first Dodger Stadium bobblehead. 

The record-setting Dodger infield of Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell and Ron Cey that played together from 1973-81 is reunited for the third bobblehead on May 29. The group combined for 21 All-Star appearances during their time together, leading the Dodgers to four National League pennants and a World Series championship in 1981. This is the first Dodger Stadium bobblehead for Lopes and Russell and the second for Garvey and Cey. 

The Dodgers will celebrate Mike Scioscia’s contributions to the franchise with the fourth bobblehead in the Dodger Stadium Greats series scheduled during the club’s annual Interleague series with the Angels on June 12. Scioscia is Los Angeles’ all-time leader with 1,394 games played at catcher and won two World Series during his 13 seasons with the Dodgers from 1980-92. This is the first Dodger Stadium bobblehead for Scioscia.

The sixth bobblehead brings together 3,639 wins, six World Series championships and two Hall of Famers with Managers Tommy Lasorda and Walter Alston. It will mark the third time that Lasorda has been depicted on a Dodger Stadium bobblehead and Alston’s first. 

The ninth bobblehead in the Dodger Stadium Greats series will celebrate one of the most thrilling pitchers in Dodger Stadium history, Fernando Valenzuela. Valenzuela was an integral part of the 1981 World Series Champion Dodgers. He was named Rookie of the Year and won the Cy Young Award in 1981 and remains the only player to win both in the same year. This marks the fourth time that Valenzuela will be featured on a Dodger Stadium bobblehead, the most in Dodger Stadium history. 

More Dodger legends featured in the Dodger Stadium Greats Bobblehead will be unveiled leading up to Opening Day on April 10 (vs. PIT). The full promotional schedule, which includes a Sandy Koufax bobblehead on August 7 (vs. ATL), is available at dodgers.com/promotions.

The entire Dodger Stadium Greats Bobblehead Series is included in a 10-game mini plan. Several 15-game mini plans are also available that include Opening Day and two bobblehead games from the Dodger Stadium Greats Bobblehead Series. The 25-game Pick ‘Em Mini Plan is another option in securing this collectible series. Mini plan pricing starts at $8 per seat with Field Level seats starting at only $28. Information on season ticket options including mini plans is available now at dodgers.com/miniplans. 

Dodgers Unveil The Names Of Six More Dodger Stadium Great Bobbleheads

Today the Dodgers announced six of the 10 bobbleheads they'll be giving away in 2012. From the Dodgers Twitter page:

Bobblehead #1: A dual bobblehead featuring two stars from the 1962 season, Maury Wills paired with Don Drysdale (4/28). 

Bobblehead #2: For the first time ever, three-time All-Star & Cy Young Award winner Orel Hershiser (5/15). 

Bobblehead #3: A quad bobblehead of the infamous Dodger infield of Garvey, Lopes, Russell, and Cey (5/29). 

Bobblehead #4: The Dodgers all-time leading catcher in games played, and winner of two World Series rings, Mike Scioscia (6/12). 

Bobblehead #6: Hall of Fame managers Tommy Lasorda and Walter Alston will be honored together in a dual bobblehead (7/14). 

Bobblehead #9: 1981 Cy Young Award winner and Rookie of the Year, El Toro Fernando Valenzuela (8/21).

The first thought that comes to mind is "FERNANDO AGAIN?" I guess they have to give him one if they're  doing Dodger Stadium Greats. Besides that, I think I'm pretty pleased with these choices. The great infield of Garvey, Cey, Lopes and Russell getting a quad bobblehead is a great idea. I'm happy to see Mike Scioscia is getting one, as well as Orel Hershiser. I can't argue with the Lasorda/Alston dual nodder  either. I would have loved for Maury Will to get his own bobblehead, but I'm fine with him and Don Drysdale getting paired up. 


Along with Sandy Koufax on August 7, we now know about seven of the ten. I wonder who they have in mind for the final three. 


Any thoughts?

New Marlins Ballpark Will Have A Bobblehead Museum

Sign pointing to the bobblehead museum at the Marlins new ballpark

With less than four months until Opening Day, the Miami Marlins are trying finish building their new ballpark. It's about 92% complete and it seems like they're right on pace. Today Marlins beat writer Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post showed some pictures from the Marlins Ballpark media tour he recently took. We get a glimpse of many areas of the stadium, including the club house, the press box, and even the Beer Distribution Room. But the one pic that caught my eye was one of a sign that points fans to the Team Store, the First Aid station and the Bobblehead Museum...yes, the Bobblehead Museum!


I'm not really sure what bobbleheads are going to be in there, but I am sure they'll have all the Marlins SGA's in there from Cliff Floyd to Jeff Conine to AJ Burnett. Now I really want to take a trip to this new ballpark so I can see what the Bobblehead Museum is all about. 


Maybe one day Dodger Stadium will have a bobblehead museum. Dodger fans love their bobbleheads and I know it would be a popular attraction.