A Scribbled Sunday Night Post

Aloha, everybody, 

I recently received a very nice surprise package from Scribbled Ink. Paul sent over an assortment of past Dodgers and a very cool tchotske that I absolutely love. 

Let's start out with a couple of oddball Orels...

Huge bread conglomerate, Wonder Bread, had to airbrush the LA on Bulldog's cap, but not regional Revco, who apparently paid for the blessings of Topps. 

Here's another oddball that I've never seen before...

World Series co-MVP, Paaaayyyyydroooooo...

Eric Karros on a police issue, wearing the Tim Crews death patch...

After enjoying this card for a bit, I'll probably send this casual-looking Strawberry off to my friend, Peter...

And now a break for a couple of BOOOOOOOOS...

Lousy manager BOOOOOOOO!! (But I like the schedule)

Ex-Giant BOOOOOOO!!! (But I like these Electric Diamond cards)

I loved Nomah in his short stint as a Dodger. I haven't heard him on any of the Dodgers Spring Training broadcasts. I wonder if they dumped him as a color man? 

I liked his insights as an expert batter, and he has genuine personality behind the mike. The Dodgers didn't seem to know how to use him. They even tried some horrible segments last season with Nomar bouncing around Dodger Stadium sampling different food and drinks. It was ridiculous. I miss you, Nomar! 

Finishing out the cardboard portion of the package are these two little beauties, which celebrate the Boys of Summer winning it all back in 1955.

In this one we can see Jim Gilliam, a young Sandy Koufax, Campy, Jackie and Gil Hodges. 

Here's Duke Snider being met at home by Pee Wee Reese and Jimmy Gilliam. I'm not sure who the guy on the right is. 

And finally, that tchotchke I talked about at the top of the post. How sweet is this mini Eric Gagne? 

Gagne looks more like he's wearing a bandit mask than his trademark goggles, but I'm not going to nitpick this puppy. 

The base makes me think it's some kind of game piece, but I don't have a clue about its true context. 

No matter, this piece is very cool. THANKS, Paul. Great stuff! 

Aloha! 

Kenley Jansen is the Dodgers' Best Closer Ever. He may be Pitching for Your Team very Soon

Aloha, everybody,

Last night Kenley Jansen wrote his name into Dodgers history. He nailed down the 162nd save of his career, passing Eric Gagne to become the all-time saves leader for the Dodgers. 

This mini golden-framed beauty is limited 47/62. 

The man who's record Jansen broke is Monsieur Eric Gagne. 

Here's Gagne before his signature goggles and goatee.

 I'm torn over the legacy of Gagne. Torn because I witnessed - and cheered on - his incredible, super-human feat of 84 consecutive saves. Before Gagne, nobody had ever put together a string any bigger than 54. I loved the entire "Game Over" era at Chavez Ravine.

Goatee sans goggles.

 But here's the rub - Gagne admits to achieving his record numbers through substance enhancement. I didn't know it at the time, and perhaps my Dodger blue glasses just wouldn't allow me to see it.  I always figured it was guys on the other teams who cheated, it wasn't my beloved Dodger heroes! 

As a matter of fact, Gagne later estimated 80% of his teammates were juicing up with him. I'm thinking about expanding on that thought later, on the Dodgers site I write for, LADodgersReport.com. 

I suppose it should have been 85% of the team on the stuff, because if Gagne's allegations are true, 80% sure wasn't enough to win a World Series. 

Limited 17/40

 In the end, I fall on the side of Eric Gagne still being a helluva player, and I'll never forget the thrills I felt seeing those bullpen gates swing open to Guns n Roses "Welcome to the Jungle" every time Gagne sprinted to the mound. 

Besides all that, he's a great ex-Dodger, and participates in Dodgers festivities. He's throwing out the first pitch tonight. 

All of that said, Gagne is no longer the beholder of the Dodgers' saves record. Kenley Jansen is, and until I hear different, I'm believing Jansen earned the record juice-free. 

I mentioned Jansen may be coming to your team soon because the sabremetric boneheads who control the Dodgers' personnel decisions only gave Jansen a one-year contract. 

He'll be a free agent at the end of the season, and although I'm sure the Dodgers will want to sign him to a real contract then ( the dopes), he might go mercenary, run up the bidding, and jump teams. 

However, today is not for being cynical. Today Kenley Jansen stands atop Dodgers Mountain. All hail the Saves King! 

Aloha!

Inspired By A Night Owl...Kinda

Hey everybody,

When you're blogger of the year, you don't just write cool stuff that your blogger brethren love to read.  Heck, if that were enough to win, I might just take that title myself next year - or the year after that - or the year after that one.

No, you've gotta do way more than write stuff we like to read.  You've gotta write cool stuff that helps us see our hobby through a new filter and through refreshed eyes.  And if you're good -  i mean, if you're really good, you inspire other bloggers to write yet even more cool stuff about our hobby.  That's what B.O.Y. Night Owl did with his offbeat, but definitely interesting new "thing".  Over at N.O's blog, he's matching up albums and song titles to cards.

So here's my take on it, my "thing", if you will.  I'm offering up my top 20 movies represented by cardboard.  Two rules to be included:

1. It must be a movie I can watch 100 times or more. 
2. The card must be in my collection (and a Dodger card whenever possible).  Check 'em out...

20. BOOGIE NIGHTS
A movie chock full of young actors just bursting on the scene, Marky Mark Whalberg, Don Cheadle, William Macy, John C. Reilly, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and veterans Julianne Moore and Burt Reynolds.  The story of a young man's rise and fall in the California porn industry, circa 1975-80, and the group of actors, actresses, camera people, hangers onners and the director who become his supportive "family".

"I never take my skates off." 

Karros and Piazza were rumored to love the night life during thier heyday, basking in the glory of being a rich, young baseball player in LA.  Back in those days, whenever we heard a car driving by blasting loud marengue or salsa music, we used to joke, "There goes Raul Mondesi."

19. GHOST DOG: WAY OF THE SAMURAI
Director Jim Jarmusch's  smart, funny and violent study of an African-American hit man (Forrest Whitaker) who follows the ancient ways of the samurai in modern-day Brooklyn, New York.

"If a warrior's head were to be suddenly cut off, he should still be able to perform one more action with certainty." 

When Jackie broke the color barrier in baseball, even if unwittingly, he followed the way of a quiet and serious samurai, silently enduring hardship and defeating countless enemies with his physical prowess and the weapons of his chosen art.

18. RAISING ARIZONA
The first true comedy in my countdown.  A quirky and at times, hilarious baby-kidnapping film starring Holly Hunter and Nicholas Cage.  Also, in a brilliant bit of casting as a bounty hunter, 'Tex' Cobb.

"Well, it aint Ozzie and Harriet."

I couldn't for the life of me find anything connecting to the film, so here's a backdoor reference to the All-Star game that was played that year in Arizona.

17. GOODFELLAS

I think we all know this one.

" You're really a funny guy!"

Dodgerdom's first Goodfellas - the 1955 Brooklyn squad.  The first team to bring home the World Series Championship.

Our last Goodfellas - The 1988 Los Angeles squad.

16. ANIMAL HOUSE
Hands down, the absolute funniest college comedy, ever.

"See if you can guess what I am now."
 

The Dodgers have had a few "animals" over the years.  First we had a Toro.

Then we had a Bulldog.

Now we have a Bison.

15. SAVING PRIVATE RYAN

Wow. The storming of Omaha Beach scene alone was worth the price of the ticket.

"I was a schoolteacher."

If you were a Dodger pitcher needing a 9th inning save, watching Eric Gagne take the mound meant Game Over! 

Hope you enjoyed the first installment as much as I enjoyed writing it.  Thanks for reading!

Next Post: Part 2