A Vin Scully Auto For My Birthday!!!

I turned 26 yesterday. It was a fun day as I worked at the card shop, pigged out at lunch with some pizza and wings, had the best gelato in town with my wonderful mom, and treated myself to a birthday gift I had been looking forward to for months.

From my Instagram account -- hey, give me a follow -- that's my bearded mug on the right marveling at the latest addition to my collection and probably the coolest or second coolest thing I own (depending on your personal sports preference): a sweet-spot autographed baseball from the GOAT, the legendary Vin Scully! My bosses were kind enough to order me the ball and their help in acquiring it will be something I am forever grateful for (thanks Matt and Zack!!!).

A Vin Scully Interview.

There's a tremendous interview with the legendary Vin Scully in the latest issue of Westways, the Auto Club magazine. It's well worth a few minutes of your time.

The Ducks At Dodger Stadium, Tonight!

I'm fortunate enough to be able to attend the Stadium Series game tonight at Dodger Stadium between the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings. With that in mind, it's only appropriate I post some new Ryan Getzlaf cardboard to celebrate the once in a lifetime opportunity.

First up, my ninth Ruby Auto /50 from the inaugural release of Panini Dominion. I'll continue to pick these up every time I can find one that's within the price limit I don't want to go past on these beauts. This copy is numbered 41/50.

Next up, a fantastic patch/jersey combo I picked up on the cheap from my former LCS owner's eBay store. I believe it was less than $2.50 if memory serves, and it's numbered 04/35. That patch piece is just fantastic.

Dodger Stadium is going to be incredible tonight. If you're there, I'll be somewhere near the left field reserve area in a Getzlaf sweater and my Dodgers' hat.

CONTEST GIVEAWAY: Win a Ticket To The #NHLDucks-#LAKings #StadiumSeries Game at Dodger Stadium!

I'm pleased to be holding a really fun and unique contest that will end Thursday (1/23/14) at 12:00 P.M. PST. To enter, leave a comment on this post with your e-mail so I can contact you should you win (if your e-mail is not easily accessible through your blogger profile or some other avenue of social media you want to link to in your comment). Also, please head to Twitter, follow me, and RT the contest Tweet that will be up shortly for another entry. I would appreciate it greatly.

Is this real life, you might be asking yourself. Yes, it's real, and one of you lucky guys or gals will be heading to Dodger Stadium this Saturday night to witness the Stadium Series match-up between the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings. Tickets are still available for what will be a phenomenal night of hockey and SoCal sports on display.

Two of the biggest names ever in Los Angeles sports will be on-hand as Vin Scully (!) and Wayne Gretzky will participate in the fun and games. Gretzky will be honored during the game for his vital role in helping to embed and grow hockey in Southern California, and Vinny will be in attendance and will surely have some role considering his importance to the Dodgers.

The National Anthem will be performed by Jordin Sparks of American Idol fame. John Ondrasik, lead singer of the aptly named Five For Fighting, will take the stage during the second intermission. The USC Marching Band will go to work as the players enter the rink.

The biggest musical name to grace Dodger Stadium will be KISS, who will play both before the game and during the first intermission. This is the first hockey game ever to be played at Dodger Stadium -- and the first of its kind in Southern California -- and it will certainly be the first of many to come.

The only requirement for those that enter is pretty obvious: you have to actually be able to attend the game. While that does eliminate some that read this blog, if those of you who wouldn't be able to attend can still promote this contest on your blogs, Twitter feeds, and the like, I'll gladly hold a separate and smaller contest with a cardboard-related prize as a way to say thanks.

Again, to recap the ways you can earn entries into the Great Randomizer of Fate:

-- Comment below.
-- ReTweet what will be an obvious contest Tweet. You have to be following me for that RT to count. Yes, I'm that kind of person.
-- Promote this contest on your blog or Facebook page or MySpace page or MyFace page and leave a link to that promotion in the comments section of this post.

The winner can get the ticket on Saturday at the game or meet me somewhere in the L.A. area on Friday or Saturday if they prefer.

Click to embiggen any of the images below of the press release and a great article by Helene Elliott on the event and the festivities surrounding it.

For more information on the game, you can check out the NHL website as well as their Twitter feed for updates on the #Ducks and #Kings facing off in the #StadiumSeries (@NHL).

The winner will be announced Thursday night or Friday morning at the latest.

Good luck to all! And remember, if you're interested in attending, there are still tickets available through the NHL website!

An Ultimate White Whale Is Caught: John Wooden PSA/DNA Auto. (#UCLA)

I randomly came across a cool card on eBay and though I didn't win it I was inspired to check around for similar items of this iconic figure. One stood out from the rest and I decided I couldn't let the opportunity pass me by. Win or lose, I would try. When the dust settled, the below AMAZING autograph was mine and an all-time White Whale was secured in my collection.

John Wooden, one of the greatest, if not the greatest, coaches to ever lead a team and the preeminent figure at my Alma mater of UCLA. Seriously, I'm still surprised I landed this beauty, complete with PSA/DNA Certification. The photo is fantastic, showing the Coach teaching young minds; the picture of Wooden in the small oval near "UCLA Bruins" is just icing on this sweet cake. I began my studies at UCLA in 2009 and graduated in 2011 but never had the pleasure of meeting Coach Wooden before he passed in 2010. Owning his John Hancock was actually something I never really thought about, mostly because I assumed it would be crazy expensive. However, this cornerstone of my collection ran me just a paltry $16.05 delivered. Now, if I can only get a signature from Vin Scully to pair with The Wizard of Westwood....

The Dodgers Sent Me A Pair of Free Tickets For 2013!

I checked my mailbox a couple of days ago and found a most welcome surprise, with a return address of Elysian Park Avenue. Inside of the unassuming plain white envelope resided vouchers for two free tickets to a Dodgers' game in 2013!

I had filled out a survey at the end of 2012 with the possibility of two free tickets coming my way. I actually had completely forgotten about them so it was a nice find and I couldn't be more excited to take in an extra game this season. There are a few restrictions on when the vouchers can be used so it's off to the 2013 schedule to pick out a game. Many thanks to the Dodgers for the free tickets and to Roberto from Vin Scully Is My Homeboy for alerting me to the ticket opportunity.

Meeting Mike Piazza and My Collection Of My Childhood Hero.

I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Mike Piazza at a book signing last night in Pasadena. Piazza was appearing and putting pen to paper on copies of his just-released autobiography, Long Shot. I purchased one copy and headed out to meet my childhood hero.

I met up with Arno from I'm Ballsy and also met Martin from True To The Blue for the first time. Only copies of the book were in play for Piazza's John Hancock and no pictures were allowed in order to keep the line moving. Well, they said no pictures but Mike was posing for quick photos. An employee took my camera and snapped a photo which was blurry as could be.

Oh well, I'll meet Piazza again some day in the future and get a nice photo with him. Though I would have loved to get a good photo and shake the man's hand, I was just happy he was on the West Coast and signing to begin with. I thanked him for signing and told him I appreciated his time, and Mike said "take it easy man." Or something along those lines.

While the event marked the first time I've met the former Dodger backstop and one of the greatest players to ever wear Dodger Blue, it is not the first Piazza auto in my collection. I've never posted what I have before so I figured what better time than the present and post-book signing.

Above is a sweeeeet bat signed by the 62nd-round pick in the 1988 MLB Draft. My pops picked it up for me when I was a young lad and it's been one of my prized possessions ever since. It does come with a COA which is cool.

My youth was also blessed by the presence of this fantastic sweet-spotted Piazza ball which was also acquired by my father. I may have the COA lying around somewhere, or it might not have even come with one, it's been so long. I choose to believe all Piazza memorabilia I have that was acquired by others to be legit.

Mike's John Hancock finds a home in my PC of the future Hall of Famer in the form of an 8x10 mounted on a pretty rad plaque. Regardless of what people say about Piazza or what he believes Vin Scully to have done, he'll always be my childhood hero as well as the favorite player of my youth and one of my all-time faves.

Finally, another bat, this one a team bat from the '97 squad that was yet another gift from my dad. I need to take pictures of the whole darn thing and get it posted.

A big thanks to Mike Piazza for signing a copy of his book for me - I need to find a second copy so I can actually read it - as well as to Vroman's bookstore in Pasadena for putting on the event and Vin Scully Is My Homeboy for the heads-up on said event.

The Dodgers' Steve Lyons Is The Worst Announcer In Baseball.

Particularly now that Joe Morgan is out of the announcing game. And hey, at least Morgan was an all-time great, and either the best or second-best second baseman ever. Lyons was, shall we say, less than terribly atrocious.

Here's what Lyons is most well-known for: not his announcing, not his baseball insights, not his witty commentary, but this display of hilarious ineptitude. Thanks to Chad for the .gif:

It's not just that Lyons was an atrocious player: a .301 OBP, .286 wOBA, and 3.1 career WAR will take care of anyone's potential legacy. It's that he doesn't even realize what makes a good baseball player today. Clearly, he's not the venerable Vin Scully, but he's so bad he's dragged down whatever potential Eric Collins once possessed.

He has a complete misunderstanding of on-base percentage and its value and places far too much importance on RBIs while failing to see that statistic's irrelevancy and the connection between that and OBP. He also clearly has failed to master the art of fact-checking, or getting someone more knowledgeable than he to carry out that simple task for him.

When I first penned my ode to Lyons' stupidity back on August 28th of 2009, here is some of what I wrote about Lyons and his belief that HRs are "rally killers":

Why? I'll tell you why, because that's baseball to the old-school, gritty, against statistics, pants-dropping, racially-insensitive* Steve Lyons: playing the game illogically because you can't comprehend the correct way to play.

But, if we're being honest, guys like Babe Ruth (good thing he pitched regularly/semi-regularly for 6 years, saved him from absolutely demolishing about 100 rallies) and Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds were really assholes, pure, selfish assholes, with all those rallies they killed. Jerks.

Steve Lyons, the epitome of not killing rallies! 19 career HRs, but 100 doubles. That's how you keep rallies alive and get that oh so beautiful career OPS+ of 77. 77! What an offensive dynamo. And I'll go out on a limb and surmise he also believes walks clog the bases.

The man is so out of touch that he even suggested a player of the stature of Albert Pujols - you know, one of the ten greatest players to ever step on the diamond - needed to be signed because the previous face of the franchise was close to croaking at the time of his comments. As opposed to, you know, him being a phenomenal player and one of the ten greatest ever.

Lyons makes me want to watch the game with the mute button on and broken off of my remote so I can't even possibly turn the sound back on. He makes a sea of vuvuzelas sound like serene ocean noises, a symphony of great classical music, or a beautiful serenade. When Lyons opens his mouth, I think gun, brain, bliss.

Scully Falls, Injury Not Serious

Vin took a spill at his home and bumped his head.

He should be fine.

Spring Training Games Come To A Television Near You

14 of them in fact, more than ever.

Vin Scully gets the call for 3, and there's even a Steve Lyons sighting. Oh boy, tell me more about statistics Steve!

I also expect Lyons to give us his rendition of pants on the ground.

The song of course.

Of course.

Scully To Call Games In 2010

Vin Scully will return for the 2010 season, his 61st season with the Dodgers.

Happy Happy Birthday Part Three

Vin Scully turned 82 today.

Notes From Tuesday's Game

1. Randy Wolf was solid (7 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 5 K, 2 BB, 1 HR Allowed, 95 pitches - 62 for strikes), especially considering he was coming off of an injury to his left elbow.
2. Bullpen: 6 IP, 1 Run [o ER], 3 Hits, 8 K, 2 BB [both IBB].
3. Andre Ethier hit his 30th HR and 40th double of the season. He now has 73 XBH (30 HR, 40 Doubles, 3 Triples). The franchise record for doubles in a season is 52, set in 1929 by Johnny Frederick. The franchise record for XBHs in a season is 94, set in 1930 by Babe Herman.
4. Ethier is the first Dodgers' lefty to hit 30 HR in a season since Shawn Green in 2002 , and his HR gives him a major-league high 6 walk-off hits this season, both per Vin on the broadcast.
   
5. Matt Kemp (Double, Single), Ethier (HR, Double), Casey Blake (Triple, BB), and Rafael Furcal (Single, BB) each reached base twice.
   
6. Jonathan Broxton struck out the side in one inning of work. He now has 106 Ks on the season in 69.2 IP (13.79 K/9 IP), and has surpassed his innings total from 2008.
   
7. James McDonald struck out 3 in 3 innings of relief.
   

Keep Kershaw Away From Walls At All Times

Just heard Vin say Clayton Kershaw will have his next start skipped, scheduled for Friday in San Francisco. I assumed they were just skipping him to limit his innings, but lo and behold we find out he crashed into the outfield wall shagging balls during batting practice.

I can thankfully report he suffered nothing more than a bruise, and it was to his RIGHT shoulder. Whew.

Note to Dodgers' brass: Clayton Kershaw should never again shag balls in the outfield. Ever. If he is ever in the outfield again, he should be in this position and not move an inch.

Links On A Thursday Night

Vin Scully is the most talkative announcer in baseball. But don't take my word for it. Science says so. Sort of. [Vin Scully Is Chatty]

Keith Law's ESPN Chat from earlier today. Multiple questions regarding the Dodgers and Dodger players. [Chat With Keith Law]

Someone who actually watched Billingsley's last start and realizes that the 5th inning was one of one bad pitch and terrible luck for Chad. Though the second commenter seems like he belongs over at LA Dodger Talk. [Billingsley Makes Strides]

The Dodgers need to draw more walks. Like now. Go. Right now guys. Do it. [True Blue L.A.]

Charlie Haeger To Start Monday? (UPDATE)

According to what Vin said in the top of the second inning about 10-15 minutes ago, Haeger looks like the probable starter for Monday's night home game against the Cardinals.

Vin also said Billingsley looks ready to return for Tuesday's game.

I hope he's right on both accounts. Haeger should have already been used in either the Weaver/Lincecum game or Kershaw's start last night. Even if Torre planned on him pitching Monday, being a knuckleballer, he could have appeared last night. But I suppose I'll give Torre a pass on not using him last night. I suppose.


UPDATE: Torre announces Haeger Monday, Billingsley scheduled for Tuesday. Let's hope he sticks to that announcement.

Notes From Saturday's Game

Matt Kemp batted 4th.

• How often should Kemp bat 4th or higher: 100% of the time.
• Odds that Joe Torre moves him down, most likely as soon as Sunday: 100%.

1. Clayton Kershaw dominated the Braves (7 IP, 10 K, 1 BB, 2 Hits, 104 pitches - 71 for strikes). Clayton struck out the side in the 5th, had at least 2 Ks in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th innings, and had streaks of 10 and 9 consecutive batters retired. His Game Score was an outstanding 82.
   
2. Russell Martin should have pinch-hit for Brad Ausmus in the 7th. My reasoning here.
3. That called 3rd strike to Ausmus in the 5th that resulted in a strike-em-out-throw-em-out looked like a ball to me, though the home plate ump had a big strike zone all night long.
   
4. Tony Abreu got his first start since 2007, giving Casey Blake a rest.
5. Ronald Belisario returned. Scott Elbert goes back to AAA.
   
6. I've never seen Vin Scully wink before tonight.
7. Kawashima? Come on Vin, say it with me. KAWAKAMI.
   
8. One more thing concerning our fantastic announcer: Since when is Garret Anderson an "outstanding player"? G.A.'s career looks like this (he surprisingly has 824 career XBH):

PA: 8818
OBP: .327
SLG: .467
OPS: .794
OPS+: 105
BB: 414
Most BB in a season: 38 in 141 Games (2006-Age 34)

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I've been listening to this song a lot recently.