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Cost of Collecting is High

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                                     I collect a couple of things, baseball cards, blu-ray discs, dvd’s, music CD’s and bobbleheads. When I first started with baseball cards, they were 5 cents a pack. You got 6 cards and a pack of gum. Gum was awful. The first pack I ever bought in 1956 I got a Roy Campanella card. He was the only one I recognized since I had watched the series on TV with my uncle. The other players I had no clue about. There was no big-league baseball in LA at that time.  Only AAA with the Hollywood Stars and the Los Angeles Angels of the PCL. I had only been to one game at Wrigley Field in LA. 

                                   When the Dodgers moved to LA in 58, my interest in watching and playing the game grew. I never really played until I was in the fourth grade. But I got to love it. I went to my first Dodger game in July of 1958. I forget who they were playing, but wow, the coliseum was huge. We were way down the rightfield line in the “knothole seats.” I remember it well because the players were very small and very far away. The TV actor, John Russell was sitting not far from us. He was the star of the show, The Lawman. I bought my first souvenir, a 20 pack of Dodger photos. Cost just 50 cents. Not very long ago, I went on Ebay and bought a pack of those from 1962, and they cost me 12.00.  All black and white, no fake autographs, just the players’ names under the photo. 

                               A pack of baseball cards today can range from 2.99 a pack to hundreds of dollars for the specialty cards. I have watched videos of people at card shows paying as much as 500.00 for a specialty card and not knowing who was in the box. Basketball and Football, and even some hockey cards can cost a ton too. A Jordan rookie could send your kid to college. Of course, the Holy Grail in baseball used to be the T-206 Honus Wagner. Wayne Gretzky and former King’s owner, Bruce McNall once paid 4 million dollars for one. 

                              But not long ago, according to Wikipedia, the most ever paid for a single card was 13,118,672.00 for a 1952 Mickey Mantle which was graded at MT9.5. The most paid for the Wagner card is 7.25 million. It was graded VG 3.5.  A 2003 LeBron James Upper Deck Exquisite collection rookie patch card went for over 6 million. Most for a basketball card. A Wayne Gretzky 1979) O-Pee-Chee went for over 4 million. O-Pee-Chee is a Canadian card company. All of these sales have been since 2021. 

                              My interest in this subject was piqued not only by my collecting, but a photo I found of Babe Ruth and the kid who had his 700th HR ball. Babe got the ball from the kid in return for an autographed ball and 20 dollars! Ohtani’s 50th home run ball is expected to fetch 300,000 or more at auction. Wow. Mark McGwire’s 70th HR ball was purchased by Todd McFarlane for 3 million dollars. Just a tip of the iceberg. Babes 1932 called shot jersey……hold on to your hat, 24.12 million dollars earlier this year. Unreal. 

                             1998 Michael Jordan finals jersey, 10.1 million, Diego Maradona Hand of God jersey from the 1986 World Cup. He used his hand to score a goal, and the ref did not see it. 9.3 million.  Probably one of the oldest pieces of memorabilia sold is the original 1892 copy of the Olympic Games Manifesto. It was hand-written by Pierre du Coubertin. It sold for 8.8 million in 2022.  If you are going to go after the rare stuff, you had better have a serious stash of cash. By comparison, the most I have ever paid for one of my cards is the 25.00 I paid for my 1959 Sandy Koufax. I paid 15.00 for my 59 Duke Snider. 59 is the only year that I have every original Topps Dodger card. 

                             That same Koufax card sells for about 7500 in near mint condition. The Mantle on Ebay in EX-6 is 600,000. Collecting cards is a big business. Some of the more well-known shops are gone now. There was a place across from the old Yankee Stadium that used to advertise in the Sporting News and Baseball Digest, and you could buy vintage cards there. A 1914 Babe Ruth rookie recently sold for 7.2 million. Ali’s Rumble in the Jungle belt from 1974 sold to Colts owner Jim Ersay for 6.2 million in 2022. 

                             Believe me, CD’s, bobbleheads, blu-rays and dvds are a lot cheaper!  I did pay 40 dollars once for a VHS tape. It was the only copy I had ever seen of John Wayne’s The High and the Mighty. This was years before discs and then blu-rays came along. I am pretty sure it was a bootleg tape. The quality was not the best. But it was and is one of my favorite Wayne movies. To this day, it has still not been released on blu-ray. 

                           Most of my bobbleheads are Dodgers. I do have several my brother Steve gave to me that he got tired of. I have one of Pujols celebrating his 3000th hit. I have Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle, Berra, Piazza as an A, Ryan, Aaron, and several others. I probably have more Kershaw’s than any other player. I have a Snider, two Hodges, one Koufax. They have made a Jackie Robinson statue and one of his bronze at the Stadium. The only Reese or Campanella is one that commemorates his night at the coliseum. There is also a small statue that features Camp, Jackie and Newk. 

                            Several Dodgers you would think might have been honored in such a manor never have been. Jim Gilliam was supposed to be one of the 2018 giveaways, but instead, they replaced him with Manny Machado and have never rescheduled a Gilliam. I actually wrote the promotions department and complained that Gilliam deserved on a hell of a lot more than Machado. Willie D, Moon, Osteen, Neal, guys who were part of championship teams, no bobbleheads.D. Snider, Dodgers career home run leader 379

                           Might be sour grapes, but you can have only so many Kershaw’s. They gave away another one the last series of the season. Steve likes the legends of Dodgers baseball series. He just picked up the new Dusty Baker. One I really liked was the one they made of Trea Turner featuring that slide he made at home plate.  I gave my brother the one I had commemorating Sandy’s 4 no-hitters. I still have the one that depicts the scoreboard for his perfect game. 

                         Music CDs are easy to find, although some older ones can be pricey. One of my favorite country singers and writers is Ed Bruce. Bruce wrote Mama’s Don’t Let Your Baby’s Grow up to be Cowboys and several other hits. He also did the theme song for the new Maverick series when it came out with James Garner, and played a sheriff on the series. He also had parts in several movies including Public Enemies with Christain Bale and Johnny Depp. His best of album that contained 17 songs including the Maverick theme was rare and at one time could only be found on Ebay for around 600 dollars. I went to Amoeba record store in Hollywood with Steve and found one for 3.99. Steve, who has well over 7,000 CDs, mostly country, really wanted it bad, so I let him buy it then I burned a copy for myself. 

                       When I was in the Army, I collected record albums. When I left Germany in January of 1973, I had 4500 albums, a stereo system consisting of 5 tape decks, 2 turntables a receiver and power source, and 6 speakers. As you could tell, I loved my music. Some of those albums would bring some serious cash today if you were collecting and could find them. Elvis’s Moody Blue album, issued in blue vinyl was the main one distributed, but if you had one that is black vinyl, that is rare, and would bring upwards of 600 dollars. 

                       Kids who collect today are not so much into full sets, although you can buy a box of Topps year by year relatively cheaply. They like the specialty cards containing a shard from a bat, or a piece of a uniform from players jerseys. There are so many different styles of cards today, and they are made in huge numbers, so the specialty stuff is worth more. Topps also lost its contract with MLB, so some of their cards are going to be even more valuable. 

                    So here we are on the verge of game 3 between the Dodgers and the Mets.  Walker Buehler vs Luis Severino. Let us hope Striker brings his A game tonight. 

Born June 14th, 1948, in Los Angeles California. AKA The Bear

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dodgerram

Great blog, Bear! Nice writing.
Where were you stationed in Germany ?
We live near Augsburg, Bavaria. At some time until the mid 90s there were up to 15000 American soldiers stationed here. Good for me because they provided AFN radio and television service in our region. That was before the internet came and up until then it was the only way to follow the Dodgers and Rams for me. If there was a game on TV once a week we were fortunate. I remember many sleepless nights /due to the time difference of 6 hours to EST) listening to Vin .
Good times , cause we were young and life was a lot easier than now.

Go Ddogers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SandyAmoros

Bear great nostalgia’s my favorite cards are the Topps 56 Brooklyn Dodgers. Thanks for the memories and go Dodgers

Tom1946

Jeff –

Thanks for your in-depth article yesterday on the Dodger injury problems with their pitching staff. It was very informative and I think it presents a major issue for the Dodgers moving forward. I don’t know if it was brought up in the chat yesterday, but I think that Mark Walter and the Guggenheim Group are going to have real concerns about how this situation impacts their long-term Dodger investment. To have so many Tommy John casualties should raise concerns about how pitching is viewed and developed organizationally. I believe there will be real pressure on Dodger executives to address this “crisis” in the off season. IMO it has major “bottom-line” implications for them.

Last edited 1 month ago by Tom1946
Jeff Dominique

The Dodgers are apparently doing research into this topic. They are concerned. Whether they find a potential strategy I do not know. But I think Badger and Phil (and yes, others) believe that cutting back on the velo and spin rates will go a long way in helping. It used to be SP would always hold something back so they could get a complete game in. Now the mantra is go as hard as you can for as long as you can. They seem to have taken the reliever’s mentality to the rotation. Dustin May personifies that mentality.

Again using Phil and Badger comments, location is more important than velo…or pitching is better than throwing. The way things are going, it will not be that uncommon for high school freshman and sophomores to have TJ surgery. When I was involved in Little League, we did not allow kids to throw curve balls, and that was often true with most Little Leagues. Today, with the number of traveling youth baseball programs, the winningest programs have no such restraints. And traveling youth baseball programs is BIG BUSINESS, so winning is a must for these programs.

The Dodgers draft strategy has been max velo for pitching and hitting. Will they back off that? Two of the best pitching development organizations have been Cleveland and Houston. And yet they are two organizations with the most oft injured pitchers in MLB, along with the Dodgers. They just keep bringing more up.

I agree with Phil’s assessment…who will be the contrarian and change the pendulum to going back?

Phil Jones

Fun post Bear on collecting. Like Badger, I lost a shoebox full of baseball cards that were at my parent’s place while I was off playing ball somewhere. I looked everywhere after they passed knowing they were somewhere in the house as they didn’t discard much (see what I did there Diss-card?) But the box never turned up. But since I played game with them, never in bike spokes however, they were likely in less then pristine condition.

Jeff D. – thanks for the shout out for my thoughts on pitching. I believe that something has to be done for the future of the game. S Tom1946 points out, there are business and “bottom-line financial concerns”. Fans want to watch the best players on the field.
I also look at it from the player’s perspective. It’s a crying shame that the top pitchers in the world are following a path to destruction. Everything they are now encouraged to do from a very young age leads into pro ball is self-destructive. If you max-out with velo and are taught how to maximize spin, you are likely to break down. And young pitchers have little choice. You have to drink that Kool-Aid to sign and to get to the Big Leagues. Young pitchers do what they are taught and roll the dice. Sometimes twice. And the best ones are highly compensated to go as hard as they can, for as long as they can.
This may be the future. Young gifted, disposable athletes. What a shame.

Scott Andes

What about increased chase rates and pitch sequencing causing rising pitch counts?

Last edited 1 month ago by Scott Andes
Jeff Dominique

Certainly possibilities, but I do not have the band width to do those studies. Every indication the Dodgers are doing a thorough study. Whether those are two precepts under review, I have no knowledge.

dodgerram

Some nostalgia here too. Just if some inspiration is needed (fans or players , coaches).

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=Dodgers+vs+Mets+1988+game+4#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:e4175dcb,vid:bbY0_7IqvJ0,st:0

Watch how Tommy came running out of the dugout after Orosco walked Hernandez to set him straight, urging him to go after the hitter. Urgency.

Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cassidy

Betts, Buehler and Ohtani. Step up or go home

Jeff

Done!

dodgerram

Classic Tommy.
That f…g is what Roberts should have done with Knack after that f…g double. 😀 

Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!

Badger

I had a shoebox of my favorite cards I had been collecting for years disappear while I was in Vietnam. My folks cleaned out the garage and had a huge garage sale and they thought maybe someone bought them then. Maybe?

I also had a collection of record albums, many of them only played once or twice because I taped all my music on a reel to reel. My soon to be ex-wife sold them all for a dollar a piece at a garage sale while we were separated.

I don’t actively collect anymore. I have a few cards that might be worth something. I also have boxes of cards my step son collected, all from the 80s and not worth much. Also Bear has been very generous in sending me several Mickey Mantle memorabilia and I have them all displayed in my office. He was my favorite player when I was quite young and though I do have favorite Dodgers over the years, non surpassed Mantle.

Jeff

Being a Brooklynite never prevented a baseball fan from loving Mantle & Mays. They were beloved by Dodger fans. I don’t think I’ve loved any players as much as I loved those two. But we were all kids back then and we needed heroes. I was hoping Mookie would fit into that mold when we got him, but I don’t believe that will happen.Could Ohtani be the first real superstar since Koufax and Drysdale?

Jeff Dominique

While you can never go wrong with Duke, Mantle, or Mays, I have always sided with Mantle as being the best. There are arguments for all three, I just favored Mantle.

rodgerdodger

Two years in the 3rd Infantry Division, Airborne Medic. Schweinfurt, Germany.

Used to follow street sweepers grabbing pennies/dimes/nickels to get the 25 cents I needed for a pack of Topps baseball cards in the 70s. Fleer got into the game. Then Donruss. Then the market was flooded with crap all over the place.

My core collection is 70s/80s Topps. Mostly baseball with football and basketball sprinkled in. I would say my collection is somewhere in the 15-20,000 card range. All going to my kids. But I still sort through them once in a while.

Last edited 1 month ago by rodgerdodger
Rodgerdodger

Nice! I miss opening up old wax packs and the terrible gum lol.

Jeff Dominique

A pregame decision to trust his instincts rather than strictly adhere to the team’s scouting report played a role in Kiké’s home run against Yu Darvish, NLDS Game 5.

“I was talking to the hitting guys and I was like, ‘I think we gotta be on the fastball against Yu — he’s got way too many pitches to cover, and if you’re sitting off-speed, he’s got like five off-speed pitches,’ ” Hernández said. “They were pretty strongly disagreeing with me. I’m glad I proved them wrong.”

We need more instinctual thinking. Kiké has been there before and succeeded. I trust his instincts more than the guy who had trouble hitting high school pitchers.

Another statement that I truly believe from Doc about Kiké:

“We’re in Los Angeles with some of the greatest athletes of all time, and those great ones aren’t afraid to fail,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Everyone knows Kiké loves the spotlight. Some people love it. Some people run from it.”

I have been steadfast in my opinions that it is more than luck and getting hot at the right time, but finding those players who do not run from the spotlight. Give me Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant every day over Lebron James. Give me Kirk Gibson. Tom Brady was certainly not the most gifted QB, but he sure did not run from the spotlight. The same is true with Terry Bradshaw.

Other than Kiké, the last LAD to not run away from the spotlight? Corey Seager (IMO). Maybe Walker Buehler is able to resurrect that trait for himself tonight. Jack Flaherty has a chance of also being that guy. Freddie is also proving to be that guy. Reminiscent of Jack Youngblood playing the Super Bowl XIV with a broken leg. Well, maybe not quite to that extreme.

Finding that guy and holding onto him is not easy.

Bumsrap

Joc’s a free agent for next year. Maybe the league will allow 2 DH’s in the lineup.

Jeff Dominique

Joc is another who did not shy from the spotlight.

Bobby

Joctober is a real thing

Badger

Joc will likely be able to hit til he’s 40. He gains about 5 pounds a year but he can still hit. Will Ohtani be playing outfield next season? I assume he will, so…..

Badger

Great post Jeff.

There’s a good reason pitchers from yesterday year were able to throw 200+ innings year after year. Some threw 300 year after year. How did they do it? I think it would be a good idea to ask them.

I still believe some old school pitching strategies would work.

Starters: fastball, slider/cutter, curve and change up. Guys like Jim Palmer would throw the fastball and varying speeds. A lot of pitchers did. But they had the really hard one that they would throw only on occasion. Maddux got hitters out by mixing spinners all over the edges. Hershiser didn’t throw that hard, but he could spot two seamers like nobody I’ve ever seen. Koufax had two pitches but flamed out at 30 because he just too hard too often. One thing all of them did was work to avoid the middle of the plate.

It’s my opinion the change up is the most underrated pitch in baseball. Ask any good hitter and I’ll bet they would agree.

All hitters have to guess on occasion but most go up hunting fastballs over the plate. Pitchers would be better served backing off a 99 over the middle (and soon be facing TJ surgery) and use a 96 on the edge .

Strike zones were considerably larger back then. Arm pits to the bottom of the knee in youth baseball. Even ML had a larger zone, letters to bottom of the knee. The strike zone has gotten smaller and smaller over the years. But the plate is the same size. Find the black and be able to hit it whenever you want.

Another good reason for developing superior control these days is you can pitch to the varying strike zones from umpire to umpire.

The point is I believe it’s time to start teaching pitching instead of throwing. If you can throw 100 mph, terrific, do it now it now and then, But more importantly, look at the strike zone as a real estate purchase. Location, location, location.

Phil Jones

Yup………….what he said.

As I pointed out yesterday, there are other areas to review like philosophies on innings and pitch management, 6 man rotations, side work and training between starts and changing expectation on pitchers.
Necessity is the Mother of Invention.

tedraymond

What a fantastic post Badger. While I was reading it I was thinking exactly what you included in the last paragraph. They call it pitching for a reason. Occam’s Razor question

Jeff Dominique

The Phillies have extended Rob Thomson as manager for another year (thru 2026). Read the comments. They sound awfully familiar with comments about Dave Roberts.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/10/phillies-extend-manager-rob-thomson-through-2026.html

Bumsrap

I think I have missed some stuff happening here lately. Shucks.

I don’t read Erik’s or Scott’s comments. It’s not that they don’t make cogent comments, it’s just that I don’t like the vibe. I also only skim through longer comments that don’t have white space between paragraphs or don’t bother to break up different thoughts with paragraphs.

Paragraphs should relate to one main topic or point. The paragraph itself often contains multiple points spanning several sentences, but they should all revolve around one core theme.

Everybody comes here for different reasons. Some want to read only and some want to get into the weeds. Myself, I toss out thoughts knowing they are sometimes (often?), just me humoring myself. I’m rarely negative but when I tire of something I throw out a trade concept rather than slam someone. We are an eclectic group.

I have two websites. I have never had trouble with one of them and the cost of it is minor. The other one that has a shopping cart has cost me because I have had to add costly security packages.

Last edited 1 month ago by Bumsrap
Singing the Blue

I try to watch my spacing between paragraphs Fred. Turns out the white spaces are usually the best part of my comments.

Bumsrap

They are mine for sure. Cram too much into a tight space and it creates more noise than communication.

Badger

The white spaces are often the most interesting.

Phil Jones

Not to beat a dead horse here, but I just picked up this nugget from a post this morning .
“From Joe Posnanski – 10/16/24 – *Jon Roegele, the grand chronicler of Tommy John surgeries, offers this heartbreaking statistic: In 2024, 38.8% of pitchers had undergone the surgery at some point in their career. This is the highest number in baseball history, three percentage points higher than in 2023, and it seems likely that the percentage will only grow. We will probably get to the point where half the pitchers in the big leagues—and remember, there are A LOT MORE pitchers in the big leagues than ever before—will have had TJ. Obviously, something has to give: You can’t have 40% of your workforce getting hurt at work.”

Bumsrap

There are times when watching Ohtani hit that I think for a DH that is about to earn MVP honors, he sure looks like a pitcher up there with the bat.

Jeff Dominique

Very Good!!

Jeff Dominique

A couple of looks at Zyhir Hope’s latest (3rd) HR in the Arizona Fall League.

dodgerram

Lineupw are out. Lux playing, batting 6th.Smith batting 7th. Muncy clenaup, Teo 5th.

Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!

OhioDodger

Really need Smith to heat up.

Make Mine Blue

Ah, so glad they moved Smith down in the order, he has been killing us batting (well standing in the batter’s box at least). I would have moved him to 8th and taken a bunch of pressure off him, maybe it would help him get it going. If he does get it going I hope they leave him alone and let him stay down in the order.

I’ve said it before but expect good things from Buehler tonight. He has to get some help early from his offense so he can throw a little freer. Dodgers should win this one tonight.

I hope Mookie did what he did in LA after what had been a terrible series against the Padres, gets in the cage and stay there until he has it figured out.

Last edited 1 month ago by Make Mine Blue
OhioDodger

Today in Dodgers History
October 16th

1949 Brooklyn does not renew Branch Rickey’s contract as president of the Dodgers. The ‘Mahatma’ will join the Pirates as the team’s executive vice president and general manager, with his son, Branch Jr., assuming the post of Pittsburgh’s vice president and farm system director.

1985 In Game 6 of the NLCS, Cardinal first baseman Jack Clark’s dramatic come-from-behind two-out, three-run home run in the ninth inning stuns a sold-out Dodger Stadium. St. Louis wins the game, 7-5, and captures the National League flag.

1988 At Dodger Stadium, Don Baylor becomes the first player to participate in three consecutive World Series for three different teams when he pinch-hits in the eighth inning of the A’s 6-0 loss to L.A. in the second game of the Fall Classic. The 39-year-old veteran played with the pennant-winning Red Sox in 1986 and the World Champion Twins in 1987.

2020 The sixth inning of Game 5 of the NLCS was the best and worst of times for Will Smith, the Dodgers catcher, who smacks a three-run homer off Will Smith, the Braves reliever. The Globe Life Field matchup marks the first time in postseason history that a hitter faces a pitcher with the same first and last name.

Bobby

I recall 9th grade me punching the wall (the only time I actually did that in my life) after Jack Clark’s home run.

OhioDodger

I don’t recall if the fans were calling for LaSorda’s head after that. Now days he would be crucified.
Neidenfuer was never the same after that.

Last edited 1 month ago by OhioDodger
tedraymond

Walker looking very good so far. Fingers crossed it will continue.

Cassidy

That’s what happens when you don’t strike out. Sometimes you get lucky!

Bobby

This umpire better give Buehler the same strike zone.

Bobby

With a night game tomorrow, and a day game Friday, we may see Barnes in one of those games, ESPECIALLY if we win today and have a lead in the series.

Badger

Come on Kiké, you told everyone you’re looking for a fastball, you get two of them and you stand there looking. (one looked maybe outside) Mookie got robbed (ABS please) and Ohtani now 0 for 20 with bases empty.

Box score says 2 earned. Ok.

tedraymond

Walker and Will are doing a great job through three innings. This is what a “pitcher” looks like. A couple of clutch hits are needed. Letting too many center cut FB go by or missed swings.

Cassidy

Smith is just an anchor. Nine more years of this? Time to give Barnes a shot

Cassidy

Buehler gave us what we needed! Stuporstars need to wake up and deliver!

Badger

He doesn’t look right. Like maybe he’s tired.

I can’t help it, I just don’t have any confidence in Lux.

Betts snd Ohtani need to show up and do it soon.

Last edited 1 month ago by Badger
Keith

Nobody was saying that when he was the hottest hitting catchers in the first half

Cassidy

Saith had a great April and hasn’t hit since then. Averaging about .200

Keith

Well he’s hitting .265 in September and October, I’ll take that, plus every Dodger interviewed, after the game, praised the job Will is doing with the pitching staff.

Last edited 1 month ago by Keith
Wayne

Point!

Norcaldodgerfan

Nice job Walker.

Norcaldodgerfan

Ohtani and Betts have to deliver if the Dodgers hope to win. Waiting for that big moment.

Cassidy

MR OCTOBER!!!!!!
Ohtani and Betts should sign over half their salaries to Kike!

Jimbo

Amazing foreshadowing by Davis on the Kike homer.

Bobby

that was huge. so huge.

Keith

Carry us home bull pen

Badger

Kiké and Edman look present. Ohtani, Betts, Smith and Teo don’t.

That could change at any moment.

Cassidy

And Lux!

Norcaldodgerfan

Shohei has to be the best guess hitter in MLB because when he Ks he is swinging at pitches that are often not even close to strikes. Looks all out of sorts and flailing wildly and looking and like a very undisciplined hitter this post season.

Now Kike in the post season, that’s a completely different offensive performer.

Bobby

It is truly amazing.

It’s like half the time he goes to bat with his contact lenses in, and the other half, he goes to bat without the contact lenses.

Bobby

I think he wore his contacts that time

Bluto

Controversial take:

God bless America should be our national anthem.

Note: I’m a Canadian by birth

Cassidy

God bless Japan!

Norcaldodgerfan

I take it back maybe he’s not a guess hitter just needs base runners on base. Wow Shohei

Ron Fairly fan

I’m not one to put a lot into what Harold Reynolds’s has to say but last night on the MLB Network he had an interesting theory on Ohtani. Ohtani will rest his bat on his shoulder until the pitcher gets set he then brings his bat and hands up, he said it’s a relaxation technique. He then showed video of Ohtani resting the bat on his shoulder and hitting the ball hard. Then they showed Ohtani against Darvish and with the base empty and he was taking his hands right to the ready position and struggling to hit. Tonight his first three trips to the plate bases empty his hands were in the ready position and he looked bad. His last at bat he started with the bat on his shoulder then moved to the ready position and crushed the pitch. Now Reynolds’s my be full of crap but it was interesting seeing it actually happen during the game

Bobby

That is interesting. I’m going to look for that tomorrow.

I also wonder if the Dodgers heard that and are working with Ohtani.

Last edited 1 month ago by Bobby
tedraymond

Kiki, Ohtani, Buehler, and the BP…..lights out for the Mets. Mid of 8th. Let’s hope so.

Dodgerfan

If lux is going to be the Dodgers starting second baseman he’s going to need to build up arm strength.

Cassidy

And bat strength

OhioDodger

Gonna be interesting to see what happens if Mookie is moving back to 2B.

Bluto

Maybe I’ve been living in an alternate reality , but in my world Lux is and has been the 2B man all year.

Last edited 1 month ago by Bluto
OhioDodger

Got the hands team in. Expecting the on side kick.

Down by a touchdown with time running out.

Jimbo

Took Freeman out to save the ankle.

OhioDodger

Good plan.

Cassidy

Casparius is my favorite Dodger pitcher-in the 9th inning!

OhioDodger

Caspernicus getting another inning. Must be thinking that the world revolves around him.

Last edited 1 month ago by OhioDodger
Bluto

Heliocentric humor is awesome

Jeff

Ohtaniism lives!!

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