The Sax Family Got The Shohei / Decoy Bobbleheads

Had to share the photos!

Apparently, a friend opened one of them up and had pulled a special gold one! Big night for Shohei Ohtani, as well, leading off the game with a HR en route to a 6-4 victory.

This Mookie Bobblehead Ad Rocks

"Nice catch, little Mookie. Thanks, big Markus."

Come to Dodger Stadium on 5/15 to get your Mookie Betts Bobblehead presented by @budweiserusa! Get your tickets now at https://t.co/36IUWLzvoH. pic.twitter.com/AOXGDxcnj8

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 8, 2023

Series Thread (Games 125-127), Aug 23-25 vs. Giants

Make sure to talk really slowly the next three days, when near any giants.

8/23, 7p: Kenta Maeda (12-7, 3.29) vs. Ashley Madison (12-7, 2.25)
DODGERS 9, GIANTS 5 Toles, Segedin both get their second HRs

8/24, 7p: the mythical Rich Hill (9-3, 2.25--IF he actually exists) vs. Johnny Cueto (14-3, 2.90)
DODGERS 1, GIANTS 0 Turner solo HR; Rich Hill done good (6.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 3 Ks, 0 BB)

8/25, 7p: TBD Ross Stripling (3-4, 4.04) vs. Matt Moore (7-10, 4.18)
GIANTS 4, DODGERS 0 Matt Moore fell short of a complete-game shutout. That's all the history books will say.

The Dodgers enter this series with a meager one-game lead over the Giants in the NL West, yet our playoff odds are 94% vs. only 78% for our opponents. (We also have a 8.1% WS win percentage; SF has a 3.0% projection.) Looking at our starters for this series, however, you can't feel good about those playoff odds, especially with two of our three named starters currently sitting in the "vaporware" category.

But who knows, maybe the offense will pick up from yesterday's pummeling of the Reds. But just in case it goes pear-shaped and we get bludgeoned at home, the Dodgers have wisely scheduled a Health Care Appreciation Night on Wednesday (in between Dodgers headphones and Corey Seager bobblehead giveaways), just to make sure that medics will be on staff.

Now let's go get some giants.

Pretty generic face on this bobblehead (sorry, Corey!)

UPDATE 8/24: I'm usually not a fan of reporters making themselves the story, but if it's about slumping Giants, I can make an exception. Dylan Hernandez of the LAT caused the Giants' downward spiral, according to Brandon Belt.

Series Thread (Games 101-102), July 26-27 vs. Rays

Tuesday night's stadium giveaway.

7/26, 7p: Bud Norris (5-9, 4.50) vs. Chris Archer (5-13, 4.56).
DODGERS 3, RAYS 2. Norris: 6.1 IP, 0 R

7/27, 12n: Brandon McCarthy (2-0, 1.61) vs. Matt Moore (6-7, 4.31).
RAYS 3, DODGERS 1

A quickie two-game series against the Rays followed by another day off. Will Chris Archer be a Dodger by series' end? LANA!

My Three Sons

Picked up Little Dusty at Wednesday night's game. (And yes, I left early, irate over another Pedro Baez dinger and needing to get a tired Gnomes Jr. home. I hate myself enough as it is. Please don't make me take the Cersei Lannister walk of shame.) Now I just need Sax, Cora, Stubbs, and Delino to round out the current lineup. Make it happen, Dodgers promotion department!

What? Why are you laughing?

Game 74 Thread: June 22 vs. Nationals, 7p

Julio Urias (0-2, 4.50) vs. Joe Ross (6-4, 3.13)

The Dodgers have won five in a row! You might say it's a HIGH five. And speaking of high fives, the Dodgers are celebrating the co-inventor of the high five with a Dusty Baker bobblehead. So, break out your toothpicks and grab yourself a little Dusty. Not our Dusty. Though, he's open to you grabbing him too.

I will be at the game tonight (thanks to our Dusty...I'm saving a bobblehead for him), hoping to see Julio Urias get his first win. Beat the bobblemanager for the kid, Dodgers!

Reminder: Steve Garvey Autograph Appearance 6/25

Post-Game 20 Thread: Dodgers Honor Rick Monday's Flag-Saving Anniversary By Flaming Out To Miami

MARLINS 3, DODGERS 2

On a night where Rick Monday was honored for saving the American flag, and Clayton Kershaw was honored with a one-legged "in-action" bobblehead,...the Dodgers took the field with an Adrian-Gonzalez-less, all-righty lineup, and proceeded to lay an offensive egg against the Marlins.

Yasiel Puig and Trayce Thompson (?) both went yard for the Dodgers, but that was it for the offense. Wei-Yin Chen hadn't gotten a win since joining the Marlins, but that was because he didn't see a lineup as flat as ours as of yet. Ross Stripling gave up three earned runs and five hits in his 5.1 innings.

Dee Gordon went 0-for-5.

And Rick Monday did not make a great play today.

photos swiped from here

Game 20 Thread: April 25 vs. Marlins, 7p

You don't think I have any on-camera charisma?

Momentous night at the Stadium tonight: Clayton Kershaw has another bobblehead giveaway; Don Mattingly returns to Dodger Stadium in day-glo colors; and the Dodgers return from the roadtrip first in the NL West by 2.5 games. What a perfect night to have Ross Stripling take the mound, where we can watch the #5 and see if he pitches like a Ross or like a tosser (literally).

We also welcome Dee Gordon back to Dodger Stadium.

My aunt has been all over me about Dee Gordon, whom I was fine to let go from the Dodgers two years ago, only to have both of us watch him flourish in Miami last year. So Gordon is back to Dodger Stadium tonight as well, to make sure my aunt is vindicated this four-game series.

Gordon art swiped from here

Pops Garvey Is Coming to Bakersfield

Dodger Blogger Luncheon

Getting the field ready - even the top of the foul pole

Shock top Brat

My favorite the Kings Hawaiian Dog

The Dodger organization kindly invited the various bloggers to preview the changes in the stadium, taste the new menu items, and preview the promotional items.  I was mostly intrigued by the new menu items especially with my obsession with baseball and food (see Blue Plate Specials).  Some of the rookies coming up to the plate are:

Levy Restaurants Menu Items

·      King’s Hawaiian Dog

o   All-beef quarter pound dog topped off with a pineapple salsa, served on King’s Hawaiian bread

o   Locations: Extreme Loaded Dogs: 248, 421, 736

·      Gouda Kobe Burger

o   1/3 lb. premium wagyu burger (“Kobe” beef) topped off with caramelized onions, pickles and special dressing (1000 Island)

o   Locations: Elysian Park Grill: 222, 223, 422, 747, 748

·      Chicken Verde Sandwich

o   Grill marked chicken breast on telera bread with jalapeno aioli, lettuce, tomato and tomatillo verde sauce

o   Locations: Healthy Cart: P420, P738; AMPM: 201; Marketplace: 205; Tony’s Stand: 420

·      Shock Top Bratwurst

o   Spicy pork bratwurst link infused with Shock Top beer served on a buttered and grilled lobster roll with caramelized onions and spicy brown mustard

o   Locations: Think Blue BBQ: 251 (Grill Area Only)

·      Specialty Nachos Verde

o   Crispy tortilla chips with tomatillo verde sauce, pickled jalapenos and fresco Cotija Queso

o   Locations: TBD

·      Smoked BBQ Wings Bundle

o   15 smoked chicken wings tossed in a BBQ sauce served with fries and veggie sticks with two soft drinks

o   Locations: Think Blue BBQ: 251

BBQ Wings

Salsa Verde Nachos

I really enjoyed the King's Hawaiian Dog and the Shock Top Brat.  The salsa verde chips got a little soggy and I thought that the BBQ wings were good, not great.  But everyone else was raving about the sauce.  The Kobe burger was nice as well.

They also had some promotional items that were on display.  Of course the bobbleheads were a big hit.  The AGon bobblehead and the replica stadium were neat to see and they look great.  Other items were the Turner Chia Pet and the Vin Scully Avenue T-shirt.  There was also a spacious cooler bag.  I always thought that a clear dodger bag would be a nice promotional item.  I think that fans would use them with the additional benefit of the security lines would be much faster as bags could be “searched” without opening them up.  I mentioned my idea, and hopefully they will act on it. 

Mock up of the Vin Scully Avenue shirt

Anon celebrating

Nice cooler bag

Replica stadium

More pins!

Dodger Promotional Items

www.dodgers.com/promotions

·      Adult Hooded Sweatshirt

Presented by Bank of America

April 13 vs. ARI, 7:10pm

·      Adult Replica Jackie Robinson Jersey

Presented by Bank of America

April 15 vs. SF, 7:10pm

·      Knit Cap

Presented by The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

April 16 vs. SF, 6:10 pm

·      Clayton Kershaw Bobblehead

Presented by Security Benefit

April 25 vs. MIA, 7:10pm

·      Fleece Blanket

Presented by LG

April 27 vs. MIA, 7:10pm

·      Justin Turner Chia Pet

Presented by Cedars-Sinai

April 30 vs. SD, 6:10pm

·      Kids Corey Seager Replica Jersey

Presented by Hi-Chew

May 1 vs. SD, 1:10pm

·      Dave Roberts Bobblehead

Presented by State Farm

May 11 vs. NYM, 7:10pm

·      Replica Stadium

Presented by Farmer John

May 14 vs. STL, 6:10pm

·      Kids Batting Gloves

Presented by Kellogg’s Rice Krispies

May 15 vs. STL, 5:05pm

·      Welcome Mat

Presented by Farmer John

May 17 vs. LAA, 7:10 pm

·      Neck Pillow

Presented by Emirates Airline

May 23 vs. CIN, 7:10 pm

·      Adrian Gonzalez Bobblehead

Presented by Time Warner Cable

May 25 vs. CIN, 7:10 p.m.

·      Don Newcombe Bobblehead

Presented by United Healthcare

June 8 vs. COL, 7:10 pm

·      Cooler Backpack

Presented by Your SoCal Honda Dealers

June 20 vs. WSH, 7:10pm

·      Reusable Tote Bag

Presented by MLB Network

July 30 vs. ARI, 6:10pm

·      Retired Numbers Pin Series (10 pins)

Presented by 76

May 9: Pee Wee Reese #1

June 4: Don Sutton #20

June 16: Duke Snider #4

July 5: Roy Campanella #39

July 7: Walter Alston #24

July 31: Jim Gilliam #19

August 8: Jackie Robinson #42

September 4:  Sandy Koufax #32

September 7: Don Drysdale #53

September 22: Tommy Lasorda #2

We then got to go on a tour of the stadium, from the Top Deck to down on the field.  We saw all of the awards and got to sit in the dugout.  It was a very windy day, but that made for clear pictures.  Seems like they were doing a lot of sprucing up the place from washing the seats to fixing up the dugout club.  They were also installing new palm trees along Elysia-- I mean Vin Scully Avenue.  It looks really nice.  

Hi Dad!

I thought that the pictures on the newer gold gloves looked pretty lame

I guess they fixed Ethier's rage dent

Old visitor's locker room

No more Nancy Bea (cries)

From the Vin Scully Press Box

In all it was a great time, and got me excited to get the season started.  Remember, Dodger opening day is on April 12^th!  Go Blue!

Attack of the Fernando Valenzuela Bobblehead (Sept 16, 2015)

Like last time, video from SoSG AC.

At-Game Recap: Attack of the Uribe Bobblehead (July 11, 2015)

Video by SoSG Alex Cora! Remember, tonight's Game Thread is here.

Game 84 Thread: July 6 vs. Phillies, 7p

Maury Wills bobblehead!

Philly Cheesesteak Dog!

Yimi Garcia (3-2, 3.82) vs. Sean O'Sullivan (1-6, 5.76).

Let's see...playing a last-place team, facing a struggling pitcher. The Dodgers may actually have a chance...of scoring a run tonight!

At-Game Recap: 2015 Blogger Night, Part Deux

My view for the evening. Not bad at all.
After a year off in 2014, the Dodgers reinstated Blogger Night with a special 2-night affair on June 8th and 10th, 2015. The team continued their streak of being incredibly generous to this here site by allowing us to split our four invitations and attend both nights. SoSG Alex Cora and Franklin Stubbs attended the first night (read AC's recap here, if you haven't already) and I attended Wednesday night's festivities. (SoSG Dusty was sadly and unavoidably detained.)

This was a different experience from past Blogger Nights I have attended, but still a very enjoyable event. The evening kicked off with a presentation in the Hall of Fame conference room on the Club level. It's always interesting to see areas of the ballpark that the general public does not have access to. The presentation was two-fold: To introduce us to the extensive lineup of summer promotions and to show off some of Dodger Stadium's new culinary options for 2015. In attendance from the Dodgers front office were Steve Brener from Public Relations, VP of Ticket Sales David Siegel, VP of Marketing and Broadcasting Erik Braverman, Director of Advertising and Promotions Shelley Wagner, Director of Digital and Print Content (and Godfather of Dodger Bloggers) Jon Weisman, Social Media Coordinator Matthew Mesa, Marketing and Broadcasting Coordinator Claire Miller, and Assistant Director of Public Relations (and Blogger Night mainstay) Yvonne Carrasco.

Siegel started off by walking us through the very strong lineup of upcoming Dodgers promotions and giveaway items. He mentioned always wanting to give the fans "added value" for their ticket dollar. He promised that the fireworks show after the July 4th game will be the "best fireworks show in Los Angeles." That game will have a 4pm start, and Siegel indicated that there will be entertainment for the fans in the downtime between the end of the game and the 8:45 (or 9pm) start of the fireworks show. There was a huge assortment of the upcoming giveaway items laid out in the conference room, ranging from beach bags to barbecue tongs to hampers(!) to, of course, bobbleheads. The prize piece, in my opinion, was this absolutely gorgeous Sandy Koufax perfect game bobblehead, which will be given away August 13th.


Here are a few of the other items coming later this year.


Dodger Headphones. Siegel said (jokingly?) that they got special permission to make them look Beats by Dre-ish.

Father's Day BBQ Set. I'm guessing this will be a post-game giveaway. (Also, unless I misheard, the Father's Day Catch returns this year.)

A great-looking Maury Wills bobblehead, though the angle of the slide is perplexing. Is he sliding *back* to first?
Also on display (but my camera failed me) were the Juan Uribe Bobblehead (which appeared to be staring at me the whole time, making me sad), a new Yasiel Puig bobblehead, where he's making a diving catch, and the rest of the Cy Young pin collection. Also mentioned, but not on display, was a new Vin Scully bobblehead.

The second part of the presentation revolved around Levy Restaurants' new food options at the stadium. (AC covered this pretty well in his post, but we did get a couple of items that the Monday group did not.) Unfortunately, head chef Jason Tingley was not available this evening, and I did not get the names of the people who talked to us about the food. I enjoyed everything I got to taste (everything tastes better when it's free, but I would actually pay for all this stuff). The wings and sweet corn nachos AC mentioned were indeed great. I also sampled a full slice of the pepperoni pizza from Lasorda's Trattoria, which I found surprisingly great. Far better than standard stadium or theme park pizza. I washed it all down with my first taste of a Dodger Stadium michelada, which I didn't think I was going to like, but I really, really did. The most, let's say, "interesting" option of the night was a "concept" that the chefs are working on for the Extreme Loaded Dogs stand, the Pop Fly Dog.


It's a hot dog with "beer cheese" and popcorn, on a pretzel bun. I'm going to be brutally honest here. This one is a miss, at least in its current incarnation. The pretzel bun isn't pretzel-y enough, the popcorn doesn't really add anything except the sensation that you spilled other food on your food, and the beer cheese, while actually quite delicious, is visually off-putting (to put it politely). I get that the current stadium food climate calls for attempts to out-weird one another, but this one needs more time on the drawing board.

Here are a few more photos of the food items. I am still cursing myself for not partaking in the gelato cookie sandwiches from Lasorda's.




L.A. Street Dog, St. Louis Dog (with brisket) and the Pop Fly.






The presentation wrapped up there, and there was a brief time to mingle (which I kind of missed out on, due to continuing to eat and take pictures) before moving on to watch the game. All of us in attendance were given tickets on the Club level (a first for me, other than having been in a suite before) and wristbands that gave us unlimited food and non-alcoholic beverages from the Club level concession stand. (Wait, what's a non-alcoholic beverage?) I took FULL advantage of the free food. I'm still full two days later.

I kind of fell in love with the Club level Wednesday night. It's a great, intimate environment with a really good view and a full bar. Plus, its proximity to the Dodgers' offices make for fun people-watching. I spied Andrew Friedman milling about a few times during the night, but never worked up the nerve to bother him. I did work up the nerve to talk to Molly Knight and Lana Berry, though, so that was cool. Two of the nicest people you'd want to meet at a game, those two.

All in all, it was a spectacular evening, accentuated by the late-inning drama and walk-off heroics. Yes, it wasn't quite the same as past blogger nights (less socializing amongst the bloggers in attendance), and David Siegel was transparent (his word) enough to tell us that the team sees bloggers and social media people as promotional assets, but it was still special to be included in this great event. Thank you so much to the Dodgers front office for always being so kind to us Sons.

Game 54 Thread: June 4 vs. Cardinals, 7p

Head bobbles much better at sea level.

Carlos Frias (4-2, 4.29) vs. Michael Wacha (7-1, 2.27).

What's ailing Kenley? Hopefully just some altitude sickness.

What's gotten into Joc? He's putting on the best power exhibition by a Dodger rookie since Piazza.

It's a four-game series, so...splits are possible!