A Sandy Koufax rookie card from 1955, and a Jackie Robinson card from the same set, are currently up for auction at LoveOfTheGameAuctions.com.
The 1955 Topps partial mid-grade set has been broken into multiple lots. Check out the Koufax rookie (current bid: $225), the Robinson card (current bid: $110), and the rest of the lots.
The auction closes Saturday at 6 p.m. Pacific Time.
More info: info@loveofthegameauctions.com
A baseball used by Sandy Koufax to throw his perfect game on Sept. 9, 1965, a Jackie Robinson bat from 1953, and Roy Campanella’s Hall of Fame induction ring are among the items being auctioned at the All-Star fan fest next week in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The Koufax ball was donated by former major league player and manager Jeff Torborg, who caught the game.
Hunt Auctions has pictures and a full description of the Koufax baseball, the Robinson bat and the Campanella ring.
Bids can be placed online or by telephone (610-524-0822). Bidding for the live auction begins Tuesday, July 15 at 10 a.m. at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
Coincidentally, the three players were the first to have their numbers retired by the Dodgers.
Jackie Robinson slides into a practice sliding pit during spring training in 1951. (Still image from historicdodgertown.com).
Full-color video of the 1951 Dodgers in spring training — including Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider, Pee Wee Reese and Roy Campanella — is now available online at historicdodgertown.com.
Highlights of the never-before-seen silent film show the training regimen of the Dodgers at Dodgertown. Included in the footage are Hall of Famers Jackie Robinson, Pee Wee Reese, Roy Campanella and Duke Snider. Aerial footage showcases the baseball fields, while the barracks used to house nearly 600 major and minor league players are also shown.
The players are seen training on the site that still exists for multiple sports activities. Robinson, who broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier in 1947, takes swings at field two, slides in the sawdust-filled sliding pit and practices double plays with partner Reese at shortstop. Campanella is shown during batting practice at field two. Pitcher Don Newcombe is also shown doing calisthenics at Field No. 2.
The video was acquired by Gus Steiger, a sports writer for the Brooklyn Times, the New York Morning World, the New York Journal-American, and for more than 30 years the New York Daily Mirror. His granddaughter recently transferred the film to digital format.
“We are pleased to share this rare footage in tribute to longtime New York sportswriter Gus Steiger, who had this original film and passed it along to his son, Joel,” said Peter O’Malley, Historic Dodgertown chairman. “I knew Gus and he had the respect of everyone in the Dodger organization.”
Joel Steiger, featured in the film as a boy exploring Dodgertown, said, “The original film is edited to four and a half minutes. Our family is happy that it is available for Dodger fans everywhere. I was fortunate to travel to Dodgertown as a boy on several occasions and visit this historic place. I have many great memories of it and the people there.”
Jarret Martin (right, with Daniel Moskos) was added to the Dodgers’ 40-man roster in November and is taking part in his first major-league spring training. (Associated Press photo)
“I didn’t want to be the guy behind in my first big league camp,” Martin said.
He isn’t behind, and the extra work hasn’t had any adverse effects on his left arm. His were short sessions, about 30 pitches max, which suits Martin’s semi-new role as a relief pitcher.
In 14 starts last season for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga, Martin went 5-7 with a 4.79 earned-run average. His control (43 walks in 71⅓ innings was subpar. The faster track to the Dodgers’ 40-man roster resided in the bullpen. There was plenty at stake, since Martin was eligible for the Rule 5 draft if the Dodgers didn’t add him to the 40-man.
Martin made the switch in June and took to the role quickly. As a reliever, his opponents’ batting average dropped from .263 to .212. Promoted to Double-A Chattanooga in August, Martin posted a 1.64 ERA in 11 appearances. He got his coveted 40-man roster spot in November.
There’s no such thing as having too few left-handed relievers in the major leagues, but once camp breaks Martin is likely headed to Double-A or Triple-A. Once there, Martin has the opportunity to define his own role.
“They said (being a reliever) isn’t permanent, but if it is I’ll accept it,” Martin said. “We’ve got a great starting rotation, so I understand that.”
Martin needs to throw more strikes; he threw 56 percent of all his pitches for strikes last season between Single-A and Double-A. He might, by his own admission, need to throw fewer changeups and stick to his fastball and slider as a relief pitcher. And he needs to learn to pace himself.
“As a starter I never really paced myself,” Martin said. “I actually threw harder as a starter late in the game.”
Some bullet points for a Gambian Independence Day:
Continue reading “Daily Distractions: Jarrett Martin is taking his first major-league camp seriously.” »
The Dodgers and Yankees have reportedly made the largest offers for free agent right-hander Masahiro Tanaka. (Getty Images)
There were two really good scouting reports published today, each a practical take on what kind of pitcher Tanaka might be in the United States. Dan Szymborski, writing for ESPN.com, concludes that “the biggest test for Tanaka will be the command on his fastball. … Tanaka doesn’t have (Yu) Darvish’s raw stuff, so he’ll need to go after hitters like Iwakuma has done. This may result in more home runs than he allowed in Japan — just six in 2013 — especially if he’s pitching in Yankee Stadium, but that’s the tradeoff that worked for so well for Iwakuma in 2013.”
That sentence should come with a caveat: Darvish’s raw stuff would probably rank among the top 10 in the world. Maybe top 5. Tanaka’s offspeed pitches are pretty good, too. According to BaseballAmerica.com, his splitter and slider would both fetch at least a 60 on the 20-80 scouting scale.
So what’s all that worth on the open market?
According to Nikkan Sports, at least $100 million over six years, plus a $20 million posting fee to be paid to the Rakuten Golden Eagles. Nikkan also reported that the Dodgers and Yankees have made the largest offer so far. Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti made the strongest statement by any interested GM on Friday: “We’ll play it for as long as we can play it until we know that we’re out.”
Remember, Tanaka doesn’t have to choose the team that offers the most money. There are other factors at play.
Some bullet points for a Martin Luther King Jr. Day:
Continue reading “Daily Distractions: Masahiro Tanaka rumors are rife; Dodgers and Yankees are interested in Japanese pitcher.” »