tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45491818943031927022024-02-06T18:54:15.708-08:00Green MonsterExploring the rich history of baseball as viewed through baseball cards.Scott C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03046218760875404540noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549181894303192702.post-8308382001793989192009-01-21T06:32:00.000-08:002009-01-21T07:32:03.284-08:00Obsessed...<span style="font-family:times new roman;">I'm obsessed. Addicted. I can't help myself. Despite having a series of posts scheduled out, some of which I <strong>was</strong> excited to write, I haven't posted anything to Green Monster in almost two weeks. And I don't even have a good reason like being too busy with work, or family obligations. Nope. I've spent virtually all of my free time since my last post doing one thing - reading. </span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">I'll be the first to admit that once I pick up a new series it tends to occupy my attention until I've read everything I can get my hands on. It happened with the Lord of the Rings trilogy when I was in my teens, and most recently with Anne McCaffrey's Pern series. But usually I'm able to go at a normal pace and string a series out over a period of time (with LOTR for example I've slowly been reading through Chris Tolkien's History of Middle Earth series for well over a decade now). I've never felt a series almost literally take over my life to the point where I rush home from work so that I can pick up where I left off at 1 or 2 o'clock the previous morning (and then only because my wife dragged me to bed knowing I'd never get up otherwise). Man, I can't believe how pathetic I sound.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">My patheticness will only sound worse when I share what it is I've become so obsessed with. My reading preferences tend towards the Fantasy end of the spectrum. I do stray out and occasionally read other genres (I loved Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth for example) in between my forays into magical worlds of mythic creatures and daring adventure. But there are a number of genres that I've stayed away from because they just don't appeal to me - mysteries and romance being the two heavies. So when my sister-in-law and mother-in-law started raving about this pseudo-romance/fantasy series they'd been reading (finished in my sister-in-law's case) I shrugged them off, thinking I'd never be interested. But my sister-in-law kept on me and I finally gave in and took the first book home with me. Literally a day and a half later I'd finished <em>Twilight</em> and was back on my sister-in-law's doorstep begging her for the second book. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Yes, you read that right. I said <em>Twilight</em>. As in the young adult book that was written with a primarily female audience in mind; as in vampire falls in love with teenage girl and much angst ensues; as in the movie that came out this past November. I am obsessed with <strong>that</strong> <em>Twilight</em>. And I can tell you exactly why that is - her characters. More than any other literary characters that I can think of, these characters, Bella and Edward, have burrowed their way into me. I empathize with them, I feel with them, I care about them. It's a bizzare feeling to be honest. And because I want to know how it all turns out for them (actually I'm pretty sure I know how it's going to turn out for them, its not Stephanie Meyer's writing prowess that has me obsessed), I cannot stop reading. In less than two weeks, I have literally read over 1800 pages. I've certainly read more (I like to read Tad Williams after all - the three books in the Memory, Sorrow, Thorn series clocks in at over 2400 pages), but never at this kind of pace.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">So for those who were wondering where I've been for the last two weeks, I've been in Forks, Washington with Bella and Edward. I'll be back soon, I promise - I'm already a third of the way through the last book and at the rate I'm going, I'll be done before the weekend. I just hope that the withdrawl won't be too bad.</span>Scott C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03046218760875404540noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549181894303192702.post-2278424770052218522009-01-12T07:10:00.000-08:002009-01-12T11:34:06.508-08:00He Played for the Red Sox? HOF Edition<span style="font-family:times new roman;">In honor of his election to the Baseball Hall of Fame, this week’s He Played for the Red Sox player is Rickey Henderson. Rickey played for a whole pile of teams (sidebar, anyone know what the most teams a single player has played for) including the Red Sox.</span><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290428910521382258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 227px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSpLunszR453vIRyL55iUEKOqON8rilL5MG-DeQ7zpOrL-RyASP739G2usnfZotZXhc6hTFZ4jlSU5rYGCoZChTdcey3zWmluB8ZLxIykcm_NX31W9vGoC3QsLVBLWOdeBGYCML2e0HbIZ/s320/topps2002-T74F.jpg" border="0" /> <div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><div>Henderson signed as a free agent with the Red Sox in 2002 and became the oldest player to play center field in major league history with them. At age 43, he played in just over 70 games and still managed to hit 5 home runs and steal 6 bases. Henderson's arrival in Boston marked a curious statistical oddity. From his 1979 debut through the end of the 2001 season, he had stolen more bases by himself than everyone who had ever played for the Red Sox combined: 1,395 steals for Henderson, 1,382 for the Boston franchise. The Red Sox finally "passed" Henderson on April 30, 2002. While statistically, Henderson certainly didn't have a huge impact on the Red Sox, his signing marks the beginning of a critical philosophical shift in the organization. Prior to Henderson, the Red Sox were always built as a slugging team. Sure there were guys like Ellis Burks who came along every now and then who could steal a base or two, but the Sox were never built as a team who could take the extra base on a single (and we Red Sox fans now know how important that can be following Dave Robert's steal in game 4 of the 2004 ALCS). They were always built to put men on base and either score them via a home run or leave them stranded. Henderson was the first step in an evolution that is still on-going with the 2009 team.</div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290428915691736098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 228px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTWC3PwcqwbH_0LJHF3NZ6I-O1UcK17HRpf4vkh2q3Ps1wh8jfjj7d4CKuezztyWzisHGRWz_gmWxQ2HnciQ8Ds_f3-_GgLSgXedr3poYSeQ2mqIk_hxnMcpAvoZGkJ72w9eKTStGRkSKi/s320/topps2003-72F.jpg" border="0" />Here’s an anecdote I found about Rickey’s time with the Red Sox over on </span><a href="http://www.buckeyeplanet.com/"><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Buckey Planet</span></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">:</span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><br /><div>“Henderson signed a minor league deal last year with the Boston Red Sox that included an invitation to spring training and a $ 350,000 salary if he made the team. After he played his way onto the Boston roster with an impressive spring, Henderson groused that the Red Sox were underpaying him.</div><br /><div>Interim general manager Mike Port reminded Henderson of the conditions he had agreed to.</div><div><br />"Oh, that?" Henderson replied. "I canceled that contract."</div><div><br />Says Port, "It was the first and only time I've ever had a player tell me he canceled his contract."</div><div><br />Red Sox president Larry Lucchino telephoned San Diego G.M. Kevin Towers, asking how Towers had appeased Henderson during their contract squabbles in the past. "I was on the golf course late in spring training one year when Rickey called to close a deal," Towers says. "I was putting, and my wife took the call. I said to her, 'Ask him what he wants.' She said, 'He wants a living allowance.' And I did it. That's how we closed the deal."Lucchino liked that idea. The Red Sox agreed to pick up the tab on the suite Henderson was renting at the Boston Ritz-Carlton, which ran $ 10,000 a month.”</span></div>Scott C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03046218760875404540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549181894303192702.post-4527874327584957452009-01-09T10:27:00.000-08:002009-01-09T12:28:50.580-08:00Smoltz, Baldelli and Kotsay... Oh My!<span style="font-family:times new roman;">After a relatively quiet offseason, the Red Sox have announced a flurry of signings. While none of these are a big splash signing on the level of CC Sabathia or Mark Texiera, I think all three are good solid additions that will make the Red Sox a better team.</span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289390566911708338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 231px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnJpjdHcFk1hCEpMUZQwryZZDr2wUYITXlC4OWeFCtzOVmHOgbAd3cjTaTxNJg3Yh52r4AAhEnzWccqgytkGj1pQ0hUn-VRY6pYIiz246_3rczUFplSMzY0ZJ5WJ6g0r25-ibD5bagJCn2/s320/09T-Heritage_John-Smoltz.jpg" border="0" /></span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Baldelli and Kotsay are bench players with starting lineup ability, something the Red Sox have lacked of late. Kotsay proved how valuable he was in the playoffs last year, with the ability to play both the outfield as well as fill in at first base allowing flexibility at the corners with Lowell (coming off of surgery) and Youkilis. </span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289362607935820130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 231px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BhuOzxKmcbIgYMsEzNWdOBtJ7cZUGvp0R9Bov1afIMt8p1Ap8KdVVgEOBj-pDKDixpB1LRShijlvBk2L1wBunzLK9QNARoiCShysLAb10zDvvZHXxoD6MPtGYuUAKLY1tyAFL0wu9aa3/s320/09T-Heritage_Rocco-Baldelli.jpg" border="0" /></span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">As for Smoltz, how can you not like signing a guy like this. While ordinarilly I would worry about a career NL pitcher coming over to the AL and seeing a jump in their ERA (like Brad Penny), I don't have this concern with Smoltz. The NL east is about as strong a division as their is in baseball and he routinely had to face guys like Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Carlos Delgado, and the 30-HR infield the Marlins sported last year. I don't see the switch to the AL affecting Smoltz as much as it might others.</span><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289375274966259634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 233px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-O0MixDrZlbYnwMRnhfXJr242X6xdPyoKW_vDbo8_p54sr5UXP9PAx7ZUwzXsZNjtOo_elPjZUYlPbs4eIS9krfQYpIrSGWz75qWBA8vDo-q-86LFk0WxkQIvtEzIDF9iUd0FpvhEBVI/s320/09T_Mark-Kotsay.jpg" border="0" /> <span style="font-family:times new roman;">Now if they could just get someone to catch all of these pitchers (other than Josh Bard)...</span>Scott C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03046218760875404540noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549181894303192702.post-91978715483837417972009-01-09T05:29:00.000-08:002009-01-09T14:03:02.975-08:00Original Heritage - 1989 BBCM Inserts, Part 3<span style="font-family:times new roman;">The final installment of the 1989 BBCM inserts, featuring Pitchers, Rookies and a panel of combo cards.<br /><br /></span><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"></span> </div><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Pitchers - </span><br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"></span> </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidEcYc0gyO1F4sy-KB7sw3Fmsdj_uH2jcNaR2lGDH9XnO8FD-plwEch8FwH0vQa22BJxkNtzUae07F0KTKFiu5aog-PKo5bjua32BmDmdW-UMJzqmsw9FTwobaM9CSTHKbReUQwYdDpG9u/s1600-h/bbcm-1959-p.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 276px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidEcYc0gyO1F4sy-KB7sw3Fmsdj_uH2jcNaR2lGDH9XnO8FD-plwEch8FwH0vQa22BJxkNtzUae07F0KTKFiu5aog-PKo5bjua32BmDmdW-UMJzqmsw9FTwobaM9CSTHKbReUQwYdDpG9u/s320/bbcm-1959-p.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289416766011726194" border="0" /></a><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDzKhw4bCuMt93isnqbDebkOykVfioApzy1lfESstvEiy2W6nI9uhBaGow4g9LYbuwzIUQpi12aeX0FTVOiKhiB-dR-QwBCJ99l87DEdC98dDLaKrFCyaltlnt2EwQIvBRmtqu5ZbaCqp/s1600-h/bbcm-1959-p2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 276px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDzKhw4bCuMt93isnqbDebkOykVfioApzy1lfESstvEiy2W6nI9uhBaGow4g9LYbuwzIUQpi12aeX0FTVOiKhiB-dR-QwBCJ99l87DEdC98dDLaKrFCyaltlnt2EwQIvBRmtqu5ZbaCqp/s320/bbcm-1959-p2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289416773286276242" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Rookies -<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi824apd5KXbg6QfcPao_GJE6zJkReHpMuy9pCiSB-Zk-X20gSBp8xaLo2uEFiUaI1scutgf3ZIWTOD6p5QfQJDdA9oGFZqYZp-jn-P9J0Qb7KDcWSeBUbHnWbW_fT-BJiXLUpfLEF2UiBa/s1600-h/bbcm-1959-rc.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 277px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi824apd5KXbg6QfcPao_GJE6zJkReHpMuy9pCiSB-Zk-X20gSBp8xaLo2uEFiUaI1scutgf3ZIWTOD6p5QfQJDdA9oGFZqYZp-jn-P9J0Qb7KDcWSeBUbHnWbW_fT-BJiXLUpfLEF2UiBa/s320/bbcm-1959-rc.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289416771385080914" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;"></span> </div><br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Combos -</span> </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uuH9xpp4HrYMwQCacNEGAd6jMxVpmMFvb_HZmDaLtOMWjz1nrgigQE6E1YEI7bl0Ggwurnv1b__6fAZWPlzTj9Ag_jCHYu_iTCbqoBIiO8Jl8xudGJDGPm9gbGBZFcZzGwote9E9KNZc/s1600-h/bbcm-1959-cc.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 277px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uuH9xpp4HrYMwQCacNEGAd6jMxVpmMFvb_HZmDaLtOMWjz1nrgigQE6E1YEI7bl0Ggwurnv1b__6fAZWPlzTj9Ag_jCHYu_iTCbqoBIiO8Jl8xudGJDGPm9gbGBZFcZzGwote9E9KNZc/s320/bbcm-1959-cc.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289416763634636738" border="0" /></a><div> </div><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman;">I don't have a lot of the actual Topps Heritage cards, but I do have a few of the chrome versions and I have to say that I like the old BBCM inserts better. It may be the chroming process, but a lot of the images on the 2008's appear pixelated and blurry. I'll dig out the 1990 inserts soon and scan those for future posts.</span><br /><div> </div>Scott C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03046218760875404540noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549181894303192702.post-12962066568941209492009-01-08T10:13:00.000-08:002009-01-08T19:22:47.259-08:00Original Heritage - 1989 BBCM Inserts, Part 2<span style="font-family: times new roman;">The 1989 BBCM inserts are fun because they're like a snapshot in time of who the hottest players and rookies were at the time. Some of the players featured on these cards went on (or continued on) to become superstars, others not so much. In the second grouping of these insert panels we have the outfielders and catchers. Like the images in part 1, clicking on the thumbnail will load a larger image.</span><br /><br /><div style="font-family: times new roman;"> </div> <div style="font-family: times new roman;">Outfielders:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD2cga_6tRGdfWeA_r_BtKNmXnustB2w1SRt0cbG4xwh9Gr7vMKe38k8W0rrn1Xl5lcj9JhEyAHO7ZQSkTVmBpXiJv0GaqUjEYQkOUWvhSKs4GDqAZ_myv17ZMd1CRBq-Wmr8PdQzNFLaP/s1600-h/bbcm-1959-of3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 273px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD2cga_6tRGdfWeA_r_BtKNmXnustB2w1SRt0cbG4xwh9Gr7vMKe38k8W0rrn1Xl5lcj9JhEyAHO7ZQSkTVmBpXiJv0GaqUjEYQkOUWvhSKs4GDqAZ_myv17ZMd1CRBq-Wmr8PdQzNFLaP/s320/bbcm-1959-of3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289128606861297234" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0cIKVAWb2Ly3Syb4qpIDSXPMA2pHCpQboC8kf8FhfUohVXwGDlOUBGTRZdOJyvCUPATAfyZNMJk0LO1_j5FrvJlxvPQCVN9SaJPl_43F3FU6sHupMnGhLQokBne60nTtg6X8mG1fBb_o3/s1600-h/bbcm-1959-of2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 278px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0cIKVAWb2Ly3Syb4qpIDSXPMA2pHCpQboC8kf8FhfUohVXwGDlOUBGTRZdOJyvCUPATAfyZNMJk0LO1_j5FrvJlxvPQCVN9SaJPl_43F3FU6sHupMnGhLQokBne60nTtg6X8mG1fBb_o3/s320/bbcm-1959-of2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289128598813782754" border="0" /></a></div> <div style="font-family: times new roman;"> </div> <div style="font-family: times new roman;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-BvZedEpeCG21gX7tX7Fo41pF7l9wo-OuG43BO1-hQiCCxLGe2atbYcwDRfnHDLCg8LYYvTuyR9jBbIe63bDjLiiuQ3eWVPRL0hzrh0vedGuM3apm7-Zc4UMT8yfY3zOgoG5DtqQ6n4X/s1600-h/bbcm-1959-of.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-BvZedEpeCG21gX7tX7Fo41pF7l9wo-OuG43BO1-hQiCCxLGe2atbYcwDRfnHDLCg8LYYvTuyR9jBbIe63bDjLiiuQ3eWVPRL0hzrh0vedGuM3apm7-Zc4UMT8yfY3zOgoG5DtqQ6n4X/s320/bbcm-1959-of.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289128595149485042" border="0" /></a>Catchers:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZn7fa0HevhPVH1oPoUXXH10LN0Yn8-sLrUsNtqDH92x8plB1ZV5FzXZ1W3bxsPYX87QUrDk9eLulMvfxZARK22UfrXMwX6GwH1rdNQeV7v2M8kz2fSIe1ioBwMDdJB12R4v9-CLsyWuLD/s1600-h/bbcm-1959-c.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 278px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZn7fa0HevhPVH1oPoUXXH10LN0Yn8-sLrUsNtqDH92x8plB1ZV5FzXZ1W3bxsPYX87QUrDk9eLulMvfxZARK22UfrXMwX6GwH1rdNQeV7v2M8kz2fSIe1ioBwMDdJB12R4v9-CLsyWuLD/s320/bbcm-1959-c.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289128608912852066" border="0" /></a>Tomorrow I'll finish off the 1989 insert collection with the pitchers, rookies and combo cards.<br /></div>Scott C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03046218760875404540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549181894303192702.post-80107523919298215022009-01-08T08:47:00.000-08:002009-01-08T19:18:31.325-08:00Trade, the First<span style="font-family:times new roman;">I recently completed my first blog trade with Jason from <a href="http://thewritersjourney.wordpress.com/">The Writer's Journey</a>. While trading through the internet isn't new to me (I've been a member of The Bench since getting back into collecting and have completed over 50 trades there), trading with other bloggers is. Both of us had recently picked up blasters of 2007 UD Masterpieces and were a few cards short of the set (horrible collation on that set by the way - 4 blasters and almost as many doubles as cards for the set). I scanned a few of the cards that came my way:</span><br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Bobby Doerr - Doerr often gets lost in the shadow of Ted Williams and the other greats of the late 1930's.</span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-xWZrXne74PYWhOAl0lCAFE8pBPbEOY9DZsTXw4eklR53I5fSAMwZJrJml0iLiu6vqI9O3LuqjKJ_dtKoHDRQfKGJIMdJKP71hxswL9gias0a7-GneoQqI3jRD-WAFq-ck2sHF0ZlwAL/s1600-h/07UD-Master_Doerr.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 230px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-xWZrXne74PYWhOAl0lCAFE8pBPbEOY9DZsTXw4eklR53I5fSAMwZJrJml0iLiu6vqI9O3LuqjKJ_dtKoHDRQfKGJIMdJKP71hxswL9gias0a7-GneoQqI3jRD-WAFq-ck2sHF0ZlwAL/s320/07UD-Master_Doerr.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289126204174336002" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"></span></div><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Lou Gehrig - I really wish that the MLB network would show the video of Gehrig's last game. They keep teasing me with it in their promos.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6n1R0SCKVh5SDcNGN4nOjnr6i5SjQP0thO2Ay-8V35XYtxXpI7JJSG8j4LSw3Pj34KERYPmLF7nW3heK7h-fYpgdn41dWl2eAtC0n-IxVWY7MI-vkJfMPuFqhBKazekS-aPo0tSpIjf6b/s1600-h/07UD-Master_Gehrig.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6n1R0SCKVh5SDcNGN4nOjnr6i5SjQP0thO2Ay-8V35XYtxXpI7JJSG8j4LSw3Pj34KERYPmLF7nW3heK7h-fYpgdn41dWl2eAtC0n-IxVWY7MI-vkJfMPuFqhBKazekS-aPo0tSpIjf6b/s320/07UD-Master_Gehrig.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289126208577569826" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"></span></div><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">2004 World Series Champion Red Sox - Upper Deck new enough not to mess with a good team celebration card by sticking Photoshoped politicians in it. </span><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQry7AXI5CItY6jcMwb0fmLVCv2SQUlbrY-be7gzCZw72_hs-w0IQASP0yUYtxL8k1e5eKqgDNctx1PM577EWPO_2BP14boCeqrEHRBfVzfFnIImEVIDgqYK1QZR6iGmu1u2ehV6gzc34r/s1600-h/07UD-Master_RedSox.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 230px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQry7AXI5CItY6jcMwb0fmLVCv2SQUlbrY-be7gzCZw72_hs-w0IQASP0yUYtxL8k1e5eKqgDNctx1PM577EWPO_2BP14boCeqrEHRBfVzfFnIImEVIDgqYK1QZR6iGmu1u2ehV6gzc34r/s320/07UD-Master_RedSox.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289126208249026754" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;">I also sent Jason a few other cards from his want list and in return he sent me a bunch of Red Sox cards:</span></div><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">2008 Topps Opening Day Josh Beckett Flapper Card - I had little interest in collecting the Opening Day set when it came out, so I had to look this card up to figure out what it was. According to the sell sheets it's supposed to transform into other cards. Ummm.... yeah. Why not just stick it in a bicycle spoke and be done with it.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Wb6KFBEmCUAUWGT-uOrFdd5KFLNYUxIh1Aw-ff_xECof1qnDjY4AwCl6rP-Hhfz6lEPI8rNA3I7cXXaX6x8SIgLbEzs5IUfUlldiQCOxdBK3YXx4-qDfk0L77JvnVRgkgsGzUFM5OELC/s1600-h/08T_BB-ODay_Beckett.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Wb6KFBEmCUAUWGT-uOrFdd5KFLNYUxIh1Aw-ff_xECof1qnDjY4AwCl6rP-Hhfz6lEPI8rNA3I7cXXaX6x8SIgLbEzs5IUfUlldiQCOxdBK3YXx4-qDfk0L77JvnVRgkgsGzUFM5OELC/s320/08T_BB-ODay_Beckett.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289126563554931234" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Fleer Stamps- These are either from 1982 or 1983. If I had to guess I would say they are from 1982, only because one of the stamps featured Mike Torrez (he of Bucky Dent infamy) and he was traded by the Red Sox in 1983.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKa6-2AIZEeyX1reat7Wa2NSi4HrdO8vbbMUeK8zW1xcWrk-vEW1kSDNnLd0uYgu7XTlkh3pI7vTa8TQsALxgsGseiXK47oD-pFF7LPfyIsJ_8iG0MiS1Y0UWfHxog8kEmMshso4iVxAVS/s1600-h/82F_BB_Stamps.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 219px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKa6-2AIZEeyX1reat7Wa2NSi4HrdO8vbbMUeK8zW1xcWrk-vEW1kSDNnLd0uYgu7XTlkh3pI7vTa8TQsALxgsGseiXK47oD-pFF7LPfyIsJ_8iG0MiS1Y0UWfHxog8kEmMshso4iVxAVS/s320/82F_BB_Stamps.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289126765152644978" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">2001 Topps - Jason sent me a large collection of Red Sox from this set. I'll have to look at my checklists to see if it's a complete team set.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMLvWVTxlr_7pF6MZE8zW0yZu-L3NjslTJzK88U14yuoCyDgTJjYmN_bGyyn1fYDY-B7BPpCQNBn-Eor1UhW6zUZ1wXqqyuK4LxSP_Y2Z8kW4NI-yeVaHu0rpTsm7vN03ALyBl-ly7SGCl/s1600-h/01T_BB_Pedro.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 227px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMLvWVTxlr_7pF6MZE8zW0yZu-L3NjslTJzK88U14yuoCyDgTJjYmN_bGyyn1fYDY-B7BPpCQNBn-Eor1UhW6zUZ1wXqqyuK4LxSP_Y2Z8kW4NI-yeVaHu0rpTsm7vN03ALyBl-ly7SGCl/s320/01T_BB_Pedro.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289126919436498450" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">2001 Topps Manny Ramirez Hobby Masters - I'm finding that I've been able to pick up Manny Red Sox cards dirt cheap. I wonder if this is a common phenomenon when a star player changes teams. Fans of the old team no longer want his cards, while fans of his new team don't want him in the old team's uniform. This is one thick card. I have game used cards that aren't this thick.</span><br /><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip46C1s5rCjmC0H9WelhXGr0NHSzdlggxO5gSjgXF33oBtJFHTqU8vXVRbcWEH6ULZ7W94NcjdAPw6CLZHWoun5AFgr5VP_cXyWAXb_8lQuUOyld-vLU_fFpU4Wai2YnO0DeYkLsYJmd5I/s1600-h/01T_BB_Manny-HM.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip46C1s5rCjmC0H9WelhXGr0NHSzdlggxO5gSjgXF33oBtJFHTqU8vXVRbcWEH6ULZ7W94NcjdAPw6CLZHWoun5AFgr5VP_cXyWAXb_8lQuUOyld-vLU_fFpU4Wai2YnO0DeYkLsYJmd5I/s320/01T_BB_Manny-HM.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289127046319071746" border="0" /></a></p><p style="font-family: times new roman;">2000 UD Victory - I have a number of cards from various Victory sets by Upper Deck. This isn't one of my favorite designs, but hey, Red Sox cards are Red Sox cards. Trot Nixon was another player in the Greenwell/Naehring/Wakefield mold that I enjoyed watching. Good, hard-nosed, team oriented player. I was sad to see him go, even though I know it was time.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikn2Ic4yEbP3IMp28_fpiL5Q0cIxpzWmgU51aH7f6dQkA-hLzuRAq3q539U7xQktTHNoNkKVIriLt5hbXlRqnbo9q_on67lB2AW10BJyIFD1hr6jpbDU6Ffcvq3t1crkbQ5kFZOm5wJw4l/s1600-h/00UD_BB-Victory_Nixon.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 228px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikn2Ic4yEbP3IMp28_fpiL5Q0cIxpzWmgU51aH7f6dQkA-hLzuRAq3q539U7xQktTHNoNkKVIriLt5hbXlRqnbo9q_on67lB2AW10BJyIFD1hr6jpbDU6Ffcvq3t1crkbQ5kFZOm5wJw4l/s320/00UD_BB-Victory_Nixon.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289127195461261970" border="0" /></a></p>Scott C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03046218760875404540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549181894303192702.post-44570867541561675662009-01-07T18:19:00.001-08:002009-01-07T18:35:26.921-08:00Original Heritage - 1989 BBCM Inserts, Part 1<span style="font-family:times new roman;">A couple of posts ago I was reminiscing about Baseball Card Magazine and the bonus insert cards that came with every magazine. I've seen a few of these here and there around the internet and blogs, but I don't know that anyone has ever posted a complete series of these before. BBCM's inserts were organized into yearly collections, each with a similar design theme. The 1989 series used the 1959 Topps design. You might call them the pioneers of the "Heritage" movement, putting contemporary players on retro designs. Here are the first four uncut panels of the 1989 series featuring the infielders. Clicking on the panels will take you to a larger version:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">First Basemen -</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9mpP32yUMhXZCXnY-wejvtzqEVklB5LI6zMv5t0ruMUMGMJTfI_ulG97IrVmIB69m0DMcEcgWPLWfh1Jt2L1tLGGhhe2Jcfu8-a06c7LOrKcKgpFErZu88B6yG3xk6osxx_0V3LK8dLw/s1600-h/bbcm-1959-1b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 276px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9mpP32yUMhXZCXnY-wejvtzqEVklB5LI6zMv5t0ruMUMGMJTfI_ulG97IrVmIB69m0DMcEcgWPLWfh1Jt2L1tLGGhhe2Jcfu8-a06c7LOrKcKgpFErZu88B6yG3xk6osxx_0V3LK8dLw/s320/bbcm-1959-1b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288743761033448642" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Card Backs -</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2cXUqfYAUO9dJimde5aSYpeihCFSzrJZl0XwQXjG3LLPZvonLBDdPZuN8bl1NDddCYMHW4bf8D620e7kNgqJzfCO9qTnzRC_rJPZCtl_7WL_geUX3Lde6lzDpSHLxNO_D0z57ckCU0Lwj/s1600-h/bbcm-1959-backs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 275px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2cXUqfYAUO9dJimde5aSYpeihCFSzrJZl0XwQXjG3LLPZvonLBDdPZuN8bl1NDddCYMHW4bf8D620e7kNgqJzfCO9qTnzRC_rJPZCtl_7WL_geUX3Lde6lzDpSHLxNO_D0z57ckCU0Lwj/s320/bbcm-1959-backs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288744314494542290" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Second Basemen - </span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh9Enb0Bga2X0nOp40149LylMXJcTxJUVoWMw-3XhooR-DWlQRwbODHyDjTY4q03lTvXBhSnFhgjXCcMR99Z-YTgN4NLrxrGZDXNBvIEIX2aiVH4UEh9PhSGFxSsiVPv8sR2ah_Q3FZAya/s1600-h/bbcm-1959-2b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 278px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh9Enb0Bga2X0nOp40149LylMXJcTxJUVoWMw-3XhooR-DWlQRwbODHyDjTY4q03lTvXBhSnFhgjXCcMR99Z-YTgN4NLrxrGZDXNBvIEIX2aiVH4UEh9PhSGFxSsiVPv8sR2ah_Q3FZAya/s320/bbcm-1959-2b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288744549715550402" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Shortstops - </span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbMQaONPWejF_LbGCiIYPVKXTsXKtmlmTIv5-Ka4KOITD7Brx9Fu7tZMCdsz4b_XbKPk4ngKLnIPGSI68HNZHKnnbhGSzqYn7lB1OZQJchVJ5ESiayK6jxfu5Z_vytYbmgYj0S3hCp4vQS/s1600-h/bbcm-1959-ss.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbMQaONPWejF_LbGCiIYPVKXTsXKtmlmTIv5-Ka4KOITD7Brx9Fu7tZMCdsz4b_XbKPk4ngKLnIPGSI68HNZHKnnbhGSzqYn7lB1OZQJchVJ5ESiayK6jxfu5Z_vytYbmgYj0S3hCp4vQS/s320/bbcm-1959-ss.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288744756693570082" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Third Basemen - </span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuP81DnNwXwsOop2RjJEGIbRAHyIlebSY9pb_VMgzSG2FRA7pOceHCp7h9sJdspRe5dJrKFa47CStZxirJNQd2FP5PSweTp7z5cE5C50RyFHa96z5KNYyHebhWBhK2-Tly1Zjywh8epqlk/s1600-h/bbcm-1959-3b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 282px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuP81DnNwXwsOop2RjJEGIbRAHyIlebSY9pb_VMgzSG2FRA7pOceHCp7h9sJdspRe5dJrKFa47CStZxirJNQd2FP5PSweTp7z5cE5C50RyFHa96z5KNYyHebhWBhK2-Tly1Zjywh8epqlk/s320/bbcm-1959-3b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288745757759230642" border="0" /></a>Scott C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03046218760875404540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549181894303192702.post-73667700006034304032009-01-06T12:00:00.000-08:002009-01-07T18:20:17.551-08:00Blog Recognition<div style="font-family: times new roman;">Time for a quick timeout so that i can recognize a few of my fellow bloggers -<br /><br /><a href="http://goosejoak.blogspot.com/">Goose Joak</a> - For those of you who haven't stumbled across this blog yet, do yourself a favor and check it out. One of th centerpieces of Goose Joak (which is by the way my favorite blog name) is a series of great fantasy cards. A while back Dave asked for some suggestions for future fantasy cards. I suggested a <a href="http://goosejoak.blogspot.com/2009/01/tribute-to-2004-topps-bill-buckner.html">2004 Bill Buckner</a> card. In my opinion, Buckner bore too much hatred and blame from Red Sox fans for far too long. Yes it was a boneheaded play, but there were others who were equally, if not more responsible for the Red Sox loss that year (Calvin Schiraldi, this means you). 2004 wiped that all away and I thought it a fitting mea culpa to show Buckner on a card from the year that all was forgiven.<br /></div><br /><div><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://wait-til-next-year.blogspot.com/">wait till next year</a><span style="font-family: times new roman;"> - A little over a week ago I received an email from a Green Monster reader (they really do exist) asking me to check out his new blog and give it a plug if I liked it. Well not only did I check it out and like it, I added it to my daily reading list (which currently stands at 66 blogs, most of the hobby related). I find it funny how similar Cubs fans and Red Sox fans are. I can't tell you how many times I heard the phrase "wait till next year" from one of my New England relatives when talking about the disappointing end to yet another season. Hang in there Cubs fans, its all worth it.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://kytribe.blogspot.com/">Bluegrass Smoke Signals </a><span style="font-family: times new roman;">- I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Kentucky Harold and his vintage themed card blog. After all, he is the only official "follower" according to blogger. Besides his card blog, KH also writes a second blog that deals with the Euclidean Triangle. I tried reading a couple of his geometry posts and they made my head swim. I use basic geometry in my regular job (architect), but KH takes it to another level.</span><br /></div><div> </div>Scott C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03046218760875404540noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549181894303192702.post-24374923779870436622009-01-06T11:58:00.000-08:002009-01-06T19:01:11.502-08:00Monster Card of the Week - Elmira Pioneers Edition<span style="font-family:times new roman;">Last night, Jeffrey Wolfe over at </span><a href="http://apackaday.blogspot.com/2009/01/1992-topps-baseball.html"><span style="font-family:times new roman;">A Pack A Day </span></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">busted a rack pack of 1992 Topps and made some disparaging comments about one of my favorite Red Sox players, Tim Naehring. Now I'll be the first to admit that Naehring wasn't an uber-prospect and was far from a star player during his 8 year career (cut short by injury), but I gotta stick up for him none the less. And what better way to do that than to make him the subject of this week's Monster Card?</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQyfevlhHs1Bv334bXA6TmYNZAos_iuqP_gWUk4Zn1WhyphenhyphenWVnLcUfBMlGZFATPHtgpUwDwfrY6qjzIS_cRNJbEtaML3OcySx0_NdfvkHyKVtWKh8DNIxfIJ81Rnnsh6rk-_rdL8Sn0aXa35/s1600-h/88_Pioneers-Naehring.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 230px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQyfevlhHs1Bv334bXA6TmYNZAos_iuqP_gWUk4Zn1WhyphenhyphenWVnLcUfBMlGZFATPHtgpUwDwfrY6qjzIS_cRNJbEtaML3OcySx0_NdfvkHyKVtWKh8DNIxfIJ81Rnnsh6rk-_rdL8Sn0aXa35/s320/88_Pioneers-Naehring.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288370781743155522" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: times new roman;">I grew up in a small town in North-central Pennsylvania, far away from even the closest major league city. Just over the border in New York however, was the small city of Elmira, home to the Pioneers, a class "A" affiliate of the Red Sox. I attended a lot of Pioneers games when I was younger. Although I enjoyed going to the games, very few of the players I saw in Elmira (including the players on the visiting teams) ever made it to the big leagues. Tim Naehring was one of the rare few that did. I don't honestly remember much about Tim from his playing days in Elmira. But he became one of my favorite Red Sox players as a result of one of those bizarre, cosmic coincidences that I just love.</span><br /><br /><div style="font-family: times new roman;"> </div><span style="font-family: times new roman;">When I was growing up my family would take a vaccation every summer to Massachusetts to visit extended family. Most of the vaccation was spent at various relatives' houses, but at least once a trip we would venture into Boston. Some summers we went to a museum, others the aquarium, and some we would go to Fenway Park to see the Red Sox play. Such was the case in the summer of 1990, when Tim Naehring made his major league debut. The Red Sox were playing the Twins with Tom Bolton and Scott Erickson battling to a 0-0 tie through 4 innings (my memories of this game have been supplemented by the old scorecard I kept during the game). In the bottom of the inning, Mike Greenwell reached base on an error. He advanced to third via a single by Tony Pena and a fielder's choice by Billy Joe Robidoux. Then, with two outs, up strides the rookie, Tim Naehring who, in only his second game since being called up does not have a ML hit. In that at bat, one of the only players I ever saw play both in Elmira and in Boston stroked a two out single for his first ML hit and his first ML RBI. It turned out to be the only run scored in the game. I remember the atmosphere in the stands being electric during that half inning, with all of the fans standing and cheering for a kid few of them had ever even heard of. To this day it is one of the few memories I retain out of all the Red Sox games I attended. So while Tim Naehring may not have been the best player ever to grace Fenway Park, he will always be one of my favorites.<br /></span>Scott C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03046218760875404540noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549181894303192702.post-53051811216022416912009-01-05T10:01:00.001-08:002009-01-06T11:45:25.346-08:00He Played for the Red Sox? Carlos Baerga<span style="font-family:times new roman;">Best known for his time with the Cleveland Indians during the early 1990s, Carlos Baerga spent the 2002 season with the Red Sox. Baseball history is littered with players who burst into the sport at the start of their careers looking like surefire Hall of Famers, only to flame out and vanish as quickly as they arrived. Carlos Baerga is a card carrying member of this dubious club. From 1990 through 1995, as the Indians starting second baseman, Baerga was one of the hottest players on a talented young team full of future Hall of Famers (Thome, Ramirez, Vizquel). In 1992 and 1993 he became the first second baseman since Rogers Hornsby to have back-to-back 200+ hit, 20+ home run, 100+ RBI, and .300+ average seasons and received MVP votes in both seasons. </span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287871538324290962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 227px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-YonBuUgl1j1DRMUyIjhRMcwT914uIROMt_vNkv_kbEr319HHsXiQCp2w0HvsQ9RPzcq13Xv2PI9iF9qTUrOxqfq4adVsfa_thWkUaGNL9EwQTIrXVdDYfGBxpjqsNeyFQFnknb_9rco/s320/topps2003-45F.jpg" border="0" /></span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;">Baerga’s production quickly tailed off after 1995 and he spent the next several years bouncing around various teams and their minor leagues (including a stint in the Korean Baseball Organization) before landing with the Red Sox in 2002. He made appearances in 73 games for the Red Sox, mostly as a designated hitter/pinch hitter. While his numbers for the 2002 season are pretty inconsequential, his finest moment as a Red Sox may have come on May 24 in an extra-innings game against the Yankees. With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the 11th inning, Baerga hit a stinging line drive to center field. Bernie Williams caught the ball, but it was it deep enough to score the runner from third to win the game. And while it may be a relatively inconsequential hit in the grand scheme of his career, it’s the scenario that every kid in his backyard pretends and dreams about.</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287871526256734930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 227px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHnlNxaDsq59bIlgfu3EO_U3lxTS-YLzSTATWlIf4mQjYzar2GQ8Lnjowfl81JFPh2j-k0YpcOdH6YIfVUxKlaFWlJoBiDdXEEwaVLrOeK4CP_UElrjAQk02Yoh4Om7886gmLipMaMHNdE/s320/topps2002-T51F.jpg" border="0" /></span></p><p><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Baerga signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks as a free agent in 2003 went on to have his best year since 1995. He finally retired in 2005 and is currently an analyst for ESPN Deportes.</span></p>Scott C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03046218760875404540noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549181894303192702.post-81114132370206305422009-01-02T17:35:00.001-08:002009-01-02T17:36:46.383-08:00Blogging on hold tonight...<span style="font-family: times new roman;">No blogging for me tonight. My new favorite channel is running the MLB Films video of the Red Sox 2004 World Series. I've officially died and woke up in heaven!</span>Scott C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03046218760875404540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549181894303192702.post-34235426468257091732009-01-02T12:22:00.000-08:002009-01-02T17:35:02.509-08:00The Long Ball: The Summer of '75<span style="font-family:times new roman;">I love it when oddball coincidences occur. I equate them to mini cosmic practical jokes played out on us unsuspecting humans. In my answers to Dinger Corner’s New Years questions I noted that I haven’t read a lot of baseball themed books. In fact, over the years, I’ve probably only read about a half dozen baseball books, and none since Faithful was published in 2005. So it strikes me as really funny that Dinged Corners would put out their questions at the same time that I finished reading The Long Ball: The Summer of '75, by Tom Adelman (which is verbosely subtitled as, Spaceman, Catfish, Charlie Hustle, and the Greatest World Series Ever Played).</span><br /><div><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;">I bought this book on a lark for $2.99 at a discount store while on vacation in New England this summer. While the 1975 World Series took place a year before I was born, everyone knows the Fisk home run and with a picture of it on the cover, I couldn’t resist buying this book. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span> </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286794924692765730" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 204px; height: 320px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiN4oeVXMvgRDd5mQmsSDOrTtUHy1LxCooPg5GlZmfvQDkYKdTlj7s014zGPVejmujQgpe-66u68ErsF0wWwznNc1eIn71qmTHyjfc-EVU4b6w-G9mG2F2By3YpMONqT8lHCMAWifV5U60/s320/811e729fd7a095afe3270110_L.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;">The Long Ball is divided into two roughly equal length parts (though by the table of contents it technically has five). Part one describes the events of the regular season while part two details the playoffs and World Series. The first half of the book feels rushed as Adelman tries to cram 160 games into a relatively small number of pages. That combined with the frequent perspective shifts gives the first half a kind of ADHD-like schizophrenia that can be difficult to follow. The second half of the book has much better pacing to it, although it too suffers from the quick perspective shifts that can be jolting at times. Other than these couple of criticisms, I enjoyed The Long Ball. It read pretty quickly and drew me into the drama of the pennant chase and the playoffs.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;">One of the biggest praises that I can give The Long Ball is that I feel as though I learned a lot about the events of 1975 without having read a dry historical retelling of the season. For instance, I didn’t know that Catfish Hunter was the first free agent and that he was the first in a long line of players “bought” by George Steinbrenner and his Yankees (Red Sox bias, I know). I had never heard about the controversial interference play during Game 3 of the World Series that by all reckoning should be talked about equally with the Buckner play of 1986. And I had never heard the story of how a rat distracted a cameraman such that he lost track of the Fisk’s momentous ball and instead filmed one of the most famous videos in MLB history.<br /><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgse1fK2VrbBsGp_vOQKgmNaBVcc-gL38ra6y0-Tz4P4Stnn9IwNJOh-IMdFmVfe7Z6yFPxOUuNycKzLIT0txEGbqSSTWQtybPX7mm0iDyF8fsR0VFXzJceqQzGUMm3_kvNTKCVUbdQjGqE/s1600-h/fisk-armbrister.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 184px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgse1fK2VrbBsGp_vOQKgmNaBVcc-gL38ra6y0-Tz4P4Stnn9IwNJOh-IMdFmVfe7Z6yFPxOUuNycKzLIT0txEGbqSSTWQtybPX7mm0iDyF8fsR0VFXzJceqQzGUMm3_kvNTKCVUbdQjGqE/s200/fisk-armbrister.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286874474489371970" border="0" /></a><div><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">My favorite part of the book is actually Adelman’s dedication:</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;">"For my dad, Jack Adelman, who taught me to watch the game until the very end”</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Words to live by.</span></div></div>Scott C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03046218760875404540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549181894303192702.post-91275985659204249522009-01-01T18:40:00.000-08:002009-01-01T19:50:12.179-08:00Happy New Year - MLB Network Launches<span style="font-family:times new roman;">Baseball junkies received a special New Years gift today - as of 6 PM tonight, the new MLB Network is live. Fortunately for me, Time Warner Cable will be carrying this network. 24 hours of highlights, games, analysis and </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://homerderby.com/archives/3014">Hazel Mae</a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbFe6ID9rgB-tZBCbj04t8t7VJbZ15O6yA6TpBs9Kc1nY_sfzrUlYDs4pNYLg-ruNcaFq1MrCwV-ywxN5GiU9jXuEkzEcet-Po1f3l7sSdcsC5HlQpVgQxRa-UBBfPg6QE2pyx-j3_He5u/s1600-h/MLB_Network_Logo.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 194px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbFe6ID9rgB-tZBCbj04t8t7VJbZ15O6yA6TpBs9Kc1nY_sfzrUlYDs4pNYLg-ruNcaFq1MrCwV-ywxN5GiU9jXuEkzEcet-Po1f3l7sSdcsC5HlQpVgQxRa-UBBfPg6QE2pyx-j3_He5u/s200/MLB_Network_Logo.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286527511612609330" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Joining Ms Mae for the network's 24 hours coverage will be a team of six analysts who may be a bit familiar - Al Leiter, Harold Reynolds, Mitch Williams, Dan Plesac, Joe Magrane and Barry Larkin.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUIXzD9jbcBUWuMWPAO40B3givwmiX0aqC04ZGfSusi1UG_agbKAac3pgDaJ_Wowp7X5Uyt5KXWn6_9PvBLGJN8rSvudJf8GV9JhEE37uHjuKtmoPHOFmzg5rRCrXTahALVBeQxXb-CkQF/s1600-h/topps1989-659F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 142px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUIXzD9jbcBUWuMWPAO40B3givwmiX0aqC04ZGfSusi1UG_agbKAac3pgDaJ_Wowp7X5Uyt5KXWn6_9PvBLGJN8rSvudJf8GV9JhEE37uHjuKtmoPHOFmzg5rRCrXTahALVBeQxXb-CkQF/s200/topps1989-659F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286528466377387938" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2DgLpImPPpzWpMmPmK68squ6yZNiY5AwYgk5cXDbPtIbuEnUJIu-hSEHRs5KePwvcG60myCYsE2uLZxvHW0gRuq2EVVkF8KSj0gUjVOPQP8Q6G6BirsPJaWPK2zuwtMP3Gc3MtDGzbIvM/s1600-h/topps1989-580F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 140px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2DgLpImPPpzWpMmPmK68squ6yZNiY5AwYgk5cXDbPtIbuEnUJIu-hSEHRs5KePwvcG60myCYsE2uLZxvHW0gRuq2EVVkF8KSj0gUjVOPQP8Q6G6BirsPJaWPK2zuwtMP3Gc3MtDGzbIvM/s200/topps1989-580F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286528456557239298" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg16bsWHjuaMbhgivhxkKmm4wscBtwN_DzJ0EPZ1c1DPoAVySuOmXSPS1n6_A7SVUws3bfqxYeX94EU-Za1xvPVPIaQLofJ4u-enULG0R_nKqKIDxN7PmZhTCRax-OZpNFcrXhPe0bX-9tO/s1600-h/topps1989-411F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 142px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg16bsWHjuaMbhgivhxkKmm4wscBtwN_DzJ0EPZ1c1DPoAVySuOmXSPS1n6_A7SVUws3bfqxYeX94EU-Za1xvPVPIaQLofJ4u-enULG0R_nKqKIDxN7PmZhTCRax-OZpNFcrXhPe0bX-9tO/s200/topps1989-411F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286528450150649474" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_VYkLFwlmXvgmtXlw1WqSSSIz39In-HmNq_B8J0yTBW38usezzpS9RZ3AJS_Weson4_3XE0ikzIKYqAqg367XjhBDWImtd5U34KBvDAgPDA4mTHviF-7rFWdyd3QWKYiieqEYgF1-Ctei/s1600-h/topps1989-740F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 142px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_VYkLFwlmXvgmtXlw1WqSSSIz39In-HmNq_B8J0yTBW38usezzpS9RZ3AJS_Weson4_3XE0ikzIKYqAqg367XjhBDWImtd5U34KBvDAgPDA4mTHviF-7rFWdyd3QWKYiieqEYgF1-Ctei/s200/topps1989-740F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286528808421873426" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinhWRfY6f3DlXAMdDKgw9Ddfom45MgqfpH69aKps8WE1GKAopGtwiWC-oNs3KsmeThhqx1b_T7w5IKBydtBwGf8OFnWwlRtw40Zc6bFzZv2BJ1Zjdd4kPLnQEOEWRtGQz6NWyxmjg2l8q_/s1600-h/topps1989-657F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 142px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinhWRfY6f3DlXAMdDKgw9Ddfom45MgqfpH69aKps8WE1GKAopGtwiWC-oNs3KsmeThhqx1b_T7w5IKBydtBwGf8OFnWwlRtw40Zc6bFzZv2BJ1Zjdd4kPLnQEOEWRtGQz6NWyxmjg2l8q_/s200/topps1989-657F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286528462888094898" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicQx1n0I0JAsRfaBmnEA8b9LrgVbiCOeZR5Ui3DOQIVE9lPFFSpU1dAj_-1Ra3thSFiQAhQArhwenvEx9T_VtzseYcoqLkssCsmxRQLVxY5Jv2UWnyr59Rr6n5b7pL_zC15Sifz6tYB2SD/s1600-h/topps1989-515F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 142px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicQx1n0I0JAsRfaBmnEA8b9LrgVbiCOeZR5Ui3DOQIVE9lPFFSpU1dAj_-1Ra3thSFiQAhQArhwenvEx9T_VtzseYcoqLkssCsmxRQLVxY5Jv2UWnyr59Rr6n5b7pL_zC15Sifz6tYB2SD/s200/topps1989-515F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286528447182192082" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:times new roman;" >(Credit again for the images go to <a href="http://www.guitar9.com/bccm.html">The Baseball Card Cyber Museum</a>. I have all these in my 89 Topps set - which is now officially 20 years old - but why spend the time pulling and scanning them when the museum is out there. If you haven't checked it out yet, do so - it's free!)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">MLB Network kicked off their inaugural hours with a rebroadcasting of Don Larsen's perfect game. I managed only to catch the last half hour due to family obligations, but I'm glad that I did. In addition to the game footage (which would have been enough for me as a history junkie), Bob Costas had both Yogi Berra and Larsen in studio to talk about their memories of the game. I'm a Red Sox fan and I was in awe. </span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrypsraLkG4MqD7M8ebrjbjliGM1rIStGDU_ginmeFnrDmXIGe1WKcnIEh5vxztKoSbR8cKV32IEycaqlj2JI-9qZDmkrDi2YJAx4ECL1CL3RQZF_6sm6-HMMeyeKQbVCTsmEcVRexWTYp/s1600-h/JNiWTGNj.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 275px; height: 235px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrypsraLkG4MqD7M8ebrjbjliGM1rIStGDU_ginmeFnrDmXIGe1WKcnIEh5vxztKoSbR8cKV32IEycaqlj2JI-9qZDmkrDi2YJAx4ECL1CL3RQZF_6sm6-HMMeyeKQbVCTsmEcVRexWTYp/s400/JNiWTGNj.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286537435122705458" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">I don't think I can do the game or the memories justice with my meager writing skills, so I won't. I did make a few observations while watching that old black and white footage though. First, I was amazed at how small the diamond looked. I don't know if it was the fact that it was in black and white and the contrast you get with color was missing, but it looked like grown men playing on a little league field. I was also amazed at how unflattering those old wool uniforms were. Every player, even the Hall of Famers like Yogi and Roy Campanella, looked unathletic and out of shape in those baggy, heavy uniforms. And lastly, having never seen any old footage of Yankee Stadium, I was amazed at how different the stadium looked compared to what I grew up knowing Yankee Stadium to look like. I knew it had been radically renovated in the 1970's, but it never really struck me how radical the changes were. It truly is a different stadium.</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><br />Its now been over an hour and a half since I first put the new MLB Network on and I can't stop watching it. I'm already hooked. And from what they've advertised for features and amenities coming in the future, I have a feeling my wife is going to get sick of channel 100 really quickly. I've already got my DVR set up to record the next 9 Tuedays (at 8PM Eastern) when the MLB Network is going to rebroadcast Ken Burns' legendary documentary series, </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:times new roman;" >Baseball</span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">. And all of this before the season and their unlimited coverage of games and highlights starts!<br /></span>Scott C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03046218760875404540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549181894303192702.post-86347382690908456452008-12-31T09:16:00.000-08:002008-12-31T11:25:07.783-08:00New Sox for a New Year<span style="font-family:times new roman;">So the Red Sox didn't sign the big pig (Texiera) this off-season. Honestly, I'm not going to cry over it (although I might cry that it was the Yankees who signed him). While I think he would have been a nice addition to the team, something would have needed to happen in the Mike Lowell/Kevin Youkilis department and both are guys that I really enjoy watching and respect. The Red Sox have not been idle though, and as the year comes to a close we welcome two new Sox to the Nation. Well, technically one new and one returning player. According to Boston.com, the Red Sox have signed free agent Pitcher Brad Penny and Catcher Josh Bard. Since I've kind of created a custom of commemorating these signings with fictional cards, here are Green Monster exclusives of Penny and Bard in their new unis, 2009 Topps Heritage style.<br /></span><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286004958902449330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 231px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnOwOPMMzRqcPoZrDe-6bAm3GnG-IlOpbDxIoVV1zwBlibUURVcvToHKwBm5qgIThhgfIdBVselxxG6ERhuZAGC4EbTs3nAEi9lKGEqhy4qWhxecx0l-IQnEH6okeTtH8RmPoPFkFlen-R/s320/09T-Heritage_Brad-Penny.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286005025642523634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 231px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUPQBlif8aS4Ba2gtXI_jXDV1i9zWvoBDTWwobFlveeFrtdal_X6DQIriq-11w8tn6jlCL4xtQQDcFDj-bVlszpDiIsBC2Ci8aBQe7R42n7NQc2uyN-aDd68ZftgZcuYMD0tGXTofm86Cw/s320/09T-Heritage_Josh-Bard.jpg" border="0" /> <span style="font-family:times new roman;">As for my reaction to these additions, I think Penny is a pretty good pickup. He's coming off of a bad year due to a shoulder issue so The Sox got him for cheap. If his shoulder is ok and he can return to his 2006 & 2007 form, then this is the steal of the decade. When he's on, Brad Penny is an ace quality pitcher. Considering he'll be the Red Sox 4th or 5th starter (depending on where they spot Wakefield in the rotation), you can't ask for much more. If he's still ailing and isn't the same pitcher he used to be, then the Sox are only out a few million (what's a few million in the scheme of things) and have young pitchers waiting to fill the 5th spot in Buccholz, Masterson and possibly Michael Bowden.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Josh Bard is another story. For the life of me I don't understand this signing. Bard breifly played for the Sox in 2006 (he was part of the Coco Crisp trade) but his inability to catch Wakefield's knuckleball earned him a quick exit out of town and resulted in the bizzare Mirabelli police escort escapade. Now I know that Bard is likely a better hitter than last year's backup (Kevin Cash), but really, we know he can't catch the flutter-ball, why go through this again? He's not an answer as a possible replacement for Varitek (god forbid). At 32, Bard is too old to be anything but a career backup catcher. Do you hear that Theo? Unless you have some grand masterplan out there to bring in the next catcher wunderkid - go resign Tek already! The guy wears the red "C" for Christ's sake. Cash really wasn't that God-awful to watch, and in the end, I think the yearly shuffle behind the plate will only hurt Wakefield. Especially since now he knows that he'll likely be throwing to a guy who in the course of 5 games he had 10 passed balls. Yikes.</span></div>Scott C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03046218760875404540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549181894303192702.post-32036105183267877092008-12-30T06:40:00.000-08:002008-12-30T17:35:42.341-08:00Monster Card of the Week - 1959 Survivor<div><span style="font-family:times new roman;">It may be hard to believe from my almost 30 posts, but I do have non-Red Sox cards in my collection (other than in set form). This week's Monster Card is one of those "other" cards. In fact, of all the cards in my collection, this one non-Red Sox card may be one of the most special to me. This week’s Monster Card is a 1959 Topps Carl Furillo card, and it is the only card that remains of my dad’s childhood baseball card collection.<br /><br /></span></div><a href="http://i508.photobucket.com/albums/s323/starkill1138/PC%20-%20NFT/Vintage/59T_BB_Furillo_Small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 296px; height: 395px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://i508.photobucket.com/albums/s323/starkill1138/PC%20-%20NFT/Vintage/59T_BB_Furillo_Small.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">There are a million, “Mom/Grandma threw away my baseball cards” stories out there. It’s part of the reason why those old vintage cards are worth so much now. My dad’s story is no different. When he left home to go off to college, his mom cleaned out his room and threw out those old worthless beat up pieces of cardboard. I remember going to card shows with my dad back in the late 80s and he’d point out an old vintage card and tell me he remembers having it. The one I still remember to this day was the 1956 Mantle. I used to have dreams about searching my Grandma’s attic and finding that card in a dusty old shoebox in a dark corner. Unfortunately though, Mantle didn’t survive the purge. But Furillo did. Somehow, Carl Furillo managed to hide himself in an old book (I can’t for the life of me remember what book I found this card in) until I found him some thirty years later. I had no idea who Carl Furillo was, but I felt like I had struck gold. I had discovered a lost relic from my dad’s childhood – a treasured gem from the good old days.</span><br /><div><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Carl Furillo played the outfield for 15 seasons with the Brooklyn/LA Dodgers. He was an integral part of the Dodger dynasty of the 1940s and 1950s. Nicknamed “the Reading Rifle”, Furillo was noted for his strong and accurate throwing arm. He recorded 10 or more assists in nine consecutive seasons and led the National League in 1950 and 1951. As testament to his defensive prowess, he once threw out Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Mel Queen by two feet at first base after Queen had apparently singled into right field. Furillo was a decent offensive player also, batting over .300 five times and winning the 1953 batting title with a .344 average (the highest average by a Dodger since Oyster Burns hit .354 in 1894). In his 15 year career, Furillo batted .299 with 192 home runs, 1910 hits, 1058 RBI, 895 runs, 324 doubles, 56 triples, 48 stolen bases, a .458 slugging average and 514 walks for a .355 on base percentage. Sure he wasn’t Mantle (or even Duke Snider), but he was a very good major league player. Unfortunately he left baseball on very antagonistic terms. The Dodgers released him in May 1960 while he was injured with a torn calf muscle. Furillo sued the team claiming they released him to avoid his pension and medical expenses.</span><br /></div><div><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Furillo reportedly died a very unhappy ex-major league ball player, feeling that baseball had forgotten him and his accomplishments. Well I can tell you that I’m one baseball fan who will never forget Carl Furillo. He and his 1959 Topps card will always hold a special place in my collection. I wouldn’t trade my Furillo baseball card for a Mantle. Unless of course it was that Mantle I dreamed was hiding in a dusty shoebox in a dark corner of Grandma’s attic.</span></div>Scott C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03046218760875404540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549181894303192702.post-34174501285822450552008-12-29T05:46:00.000-08:002008-12-29T19:17:06.216-08:00Recess is Over - Dinged Corners Rings the Bell<span style="font-family:times new roman;">With the holidays now all but over (I hope everyone got the chance to relax and enjoy time with their family and loved ones) it means the close of another year. The girls over at </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://baseballdiamondgirl.blogspot.com/">Dinged Corners </a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">have put forth a request for bloggers to answer some New Years questions and since I’ve never been able to turn down a reasonable request from the fairer sex, here are my responses – Green Monster style.</span><br /><div><br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;">If I didn't collect baseball cards, I'd collect <strong>comic books</strong>. I’ve always considered comic books to be an underappreciated art form. They combine two of my long-time passions (writing and drawing) into a dynamic that somehow has been assigned the stigma of being the province of kids and guys who live in the basement with their parents. I collected comic books continuously from the early 1980’s (starting with Marvel’s GI Joe) up until about two or three years ago. Even when I stopped collecting baseball cards in the 1990’s I kept collecting comics. But between the demands of work and my growing family I had a hard time finding time to read a dozen or so monthly comics (some of them not so monthly) so I decided to call it quits.</span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /></span><div></div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285274540588238370" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 210px; height: 320px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsXYES5bQFhSKAhmunEAr7QNvIqhI4Rx4dq7EDQQmNSKKQ90SgZbJCYw36ZsAMa6PhzoaidA9Te7t8Kjw3ApSwxzCgWCx6-vnYPfojDq3uAG-ywXFl77vhHaknvc-xxzjJxklH_hHZ1sDb/s320/2652_4_0021.jpg" border="0" /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">My baseball heroes include one you probably wouldn't know from my blog or comments, and that person is <strong>Tim Wakefield</strong>. Yes, Wakefield plays for my favorite team, but that’s not the whole reason why I consider him one of my favorite players of all time. I count him among my favorites more for his team minded mentality that seems so rare in pro sports these days, and for his off field charitable contributions. While it seems like every pro athlete these days has a foundation in their name, I think most of them do it at the advice of their accountant as a tax shelter. I never get that feeling with Wakefield who shows up unannounced at children’s hospitals and who, while make millions less than many of his peers, supports numerous charities in Boston and in his hometown of Melbourne, Florida.<br /></span><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMMW-E2Vr4TfVc8v9la_utCqBBKF9_c94MSSSKX5tKs9zXcxhKAky3syBB6Wjvw3h7GqQ5M2-f0gUehLDXK5-CV7r2Ul5W21uNaLywk1IV61BheZTNeaVTkmtC8lfqJJg8b4CbNoQAGFpp/s1600-h/94T_BB-FINEST_wAKEFIELD-sMA.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 231px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMMW-E2Vr4TfVc8v9la_utCqBBKF9_c94MSSSKX5tKs9zXcxhKAky3syBB6Wjvw3h7GqQ5M2-f0gUehLDXK5-CV7r2Ul5W21uNaLywk1IV61BheZTNeaVTkmtC8lfqJJg8b4CbNoQAGFpp/s320/94T_BB-FINEST_wAKEFIELD-sMA.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285411988868958786" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Every New Years I resolve to <strong>complete those pesky unfinished sets in</strong> my collection. Actually, this is the first year that I’ll be making a baseball card related resolution. One of the first things I did when I decided to get back into collecting was to blow the dust off of all of the old shoe-boxes and catalog what it was I had. I discovered that I was tantalizingly close to finishing up numerous sets from my childhood and began a quest to complete them. I succeeded in completing a few through trades, but also added a few with the new products I decided to collect. So in 2009 I’m going to strive to complete as many unfinished sets as I can.</span></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><br /></span><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;">If I could spend a day with one person from baseball history, it would be <strong>Tom Yawkey</strong>. Yawkey died only months after I was born in 1976 so I have no memories of the patriarch of the Red Sox. I’d love to spend a day with him and shoot the breeze.</span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhy9hBOCG__3hyphenhyphen9J3579hgNRPprBy7eXXw5MHMYoHTFhVkr7ijJAmJyzXPa2fYVWKhWwiK1AE3tN8gOCG_M9y7UEaNkFjiU5vdmKog8c0sh1ygzxHVCoK6BITFCH3s5xjJ0zKo-5SmwO5P/s1600-h/01F_BB_Sox100-Yawkey_Small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 229px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhy9hBOCG__3hyphenhyphen9J3579hgNRPprBy7eXXw5MHMYoHTFhVkr7ijJAmJyzXPa2fYVWKhWwiK1AE3tN8gOCG_M9y7UEaNkFjiU5vdmKog8c0sh1ygzxHVCoK6BITFCH3s5xjJ0zKo-5SmwO5P/s320/01F_BB_Sox100-Yawkey_Small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285411977285458018" border="0" /></a><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;">What is your favorite kind of dog? I’ve never owned a dog, but if I was going to go out and get one today it would either be a Greyhound or a Siberian Husky. I grew up around both breeds of dog and have fond memories of both. If pressed I’d probably adopt a retired racing <strong>Greyhound</strong>. The photo is of my son with Oscar, a retired racer who is as sweet (and excitable) a dog as you'll find.<br /><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyToXtGBr2RtM0d2VDia9MOx61Cfar6IPokbPQuKj7a9b3VjQUf2krfOhnll-NWqR7_YvlhqaQ73PXOE9BwyM9OgF0fA6f-5WarSWbLiO07Jg9N2SSAzM1MQEY3NynBGvcwcekg8PTkfJs/s1600-h/casen-oscar.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 282px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyToXtGBr2RtM0d2VDia9MOx61Cfar6IPokbPQuKj7a9b3VjQUf2krfOhnll-NWqR7_YvlhqaQ73PXOE9BwyM9OgF0fA6f-5WarSWbLiO07Jg9N2SSAzM1MQEY3NynBGvcwcekg8PTkfJs/s320/casen-oscar.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285415555871244050" border="0" /></a><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Who is your favorite baseball player? <strong>Mike Greenwell</strong>.</span></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;">What is your favorite team? <strong>Boston Red Sox</strong>.</span></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;">What is your favorite baseball movie? There are lots of good candidates for this one, but it would come down to two for me – A League of their Own or Fever Pitch. For sentimental reasons I’d probably lean towards <strong>Fever Pitch</strong> (I’d love to paint the wall of my living room to look like the Green Monster, but my wife has other ideas. Oh, and if anyone knows where to buy Yankees toilet paper let me know!).<br /><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwaTD5qVy5SvYjvShPsccaFi58rx4PTrYiLa9KrCaSAj-1VT-PokWSnHlvRWPc0g7D3NP_POEsZsxxo_FP4Yg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span><br /></div><div><span><span><span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br />What is your favorite baseball book? I haven’t read a ton of baseball-themed books. Despite my love of all things history, I just find them very hard to read. I guess I’m too used to fast paced fantasy and mystery novels. One of the few I have read is <span style="font-weight: bold;">Faithful</span>, by Stephen King and Stewart O’Nan. While it’s not a great piece of literature, it is a great archive of the 2004 Red Sox season.</span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285276778217808450" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 210px; height: 320px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRV2yR2Hp2kZqjg7JoMPBXyDRZmIluRY6o8TOY4SMPojT0m5gEHxE4iRpZMirExeoUi0wuEx6Cc8cWtnRWyLN-iYGroLhJj9M5Zh-31BTioUVPY-UP2VIDaziqjRf9EZE_humEE8FRuKH/s320/cheapshot.jpg" border="0" />What is your favorite card? I featured my favorite card in my first <a href="http://greenmonster1138.blogspot.com/2008/11/monster-card-of-week-green-monsters.html">Monster Card of the Week – <strong>1991 Fleer Pro Visions Mike Greenwell</strong></a>. Ah, I can't resist. Here it is again. After all, it is my favorite!<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyWpiufnokCQJbVfeRn8XJcGbdM9zV27-SCiC51xFUmAoASCsxz4wsbeNSqU9JFchIT31c1ozgBVDflJ1PAI3b9jm-xvJ72lI6XMQSeXz4vN4kYGsmgqnW2GKsKNHErsSjYwERvqdrxfAh/s1600-h/91F_BB-ProV_Greenwell_Small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyWpiufnokCQJbVfeRn8XJcGbdM9zV27-SCiC51xFUmAoASCsxz4wsbeNSqU9JFchIT31c1ozgBVDflJ1PAI3b9jm-xvJ72lI6XMQSeXz4vN4kYGsmgqnW2GKsKNHErsSjYwERvqdrxfAh/s320/91F_BB-ProV_Greenwell_Small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285416356000121778" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Scott C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03046218760875404540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549181894303192702.post-35037397748270934042008-12-23T07:38:00.001-08:002008-12-24T06:36:31.567-08:00Remembering Baseball Cards Magazine<span style="font-family:times new roman;">Card blogs all over the internet have been abuzz lately with the latest round of Beckett bashing. Personally, I don’t see what all the fuss is about. Sure Beckett is a big name in the hobby, but would card collecting come to a screeching halt if we woke up one morning and they had vanished? I doubt it. As long as there are card manufacturers and people willing to buy their products, this hobby will continue. Beckett, along with other hobby publications like Tuff Stuff and Sports Collectors Digest, is just riding the coat tails of that essential pairing. The bottom line is that I see good points on both sides of the argument and am therefore declaring myself neutral and am not getting involved. </span><br /><div><div><br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;">That said, I have never been a Beckett guy. In fact until just this year, I never owned a single copy of a Beckett publication. When I was collecting back in the late 80’s and early 90s, I subscribed to Baseball Cards Magazine. Baseball Cards Magazine (BBCM) no longer exists (I’m not exactly sure when they ceased publication but it was sometime after I left the hobby in 1993) and I’d like to take advantage of this whole Beckett hoopla to remember, by way of comparison, what a great magazine BBCM was.</span></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuUVYS9tGmeerZBsD5wSbyyYV6rECombKkbTCtosNue6YDk61L-bXaeVds0xuq0z9ns_s36MUY2EXqBBkPPWB_pcm2G1mKoyzAmmbHzqfiI2gt8HOSL4lZ7Yfffb8wsY-Pjl8zLrTvSmx2/s1600-h/471e_1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283074741461788002" style="width: 180px; height: 245px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuUVYS9tGmeerZBsD5wSbyyYV6rECombKkbTCtosNue6YDk61L-bXaeVds0xuq0z9ns_s36MUY2EXqBBkPPWB_pcm2G1mKoyzAmmbHzqfiI2gt8HOSL4lZ7Yfffb8wsY-Pjl8zLrTvSmx2/s320/471e_1.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99ePpQl-hupuj5nsVaGm6PQOtVvsNSvo9YoX60EoQNlmX0D5uCdlKMuINwQ2hCuZsY3aaLaSSVQZww7SqTJp3RK3GuyazjWd1FlBXopz2JDNnXOp6UWFXyZu7koSlIyDd81xXMQVhK9jr/s1600-h/c9b8_1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283074747646805810" style="width: 179px; height: 246px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99ePpQl-hupuj5nsVaGm6PQOtVvsNSvo9YoX60EoQNlmX0D5uCdlKMuINwQ2hCuZsY3aaLaSSVQZww7SqTJp3RK3GuyazjWd1FlBXopz2JDNnXOp6UWFXyZu7koSlIyDd81xXMQVhK9jr/s320/c9b8_1.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div> </div><span style="font-family:times new roman;">BBCM wasn’t just a great hobby publication, it was a great magazine. Unlike a lot of the other hobby “magazines”, every issue of BBCM was loaded with articles, player interviews, reviews of products and checklists. And while every issue also featured a price guide, BBCM never felt like a price guide first with some fluff thrown in to justify the cover price. I bought the magazine just as much for the informative, professionally written articles as for the price guide. I actually still have several of the articles filed away in an old manila folder though the magazines themselves went the way of the circular file long ago (the cover images were pilfered from Ebay - I believe the Will Clark issue was the first BBCM issue that I owned). One of those articles, featuring a history of the Fleer Corporation and their battle with Topps is a perfect example of the quality of writing featured in BBCM. Although sadly, the last sentence of the article, proclaiming that "over the long haul you can be sure: Fleer will be there", was not to hold true.<br /><br /></span><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"></span> </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUJx6CHXRipucMs8NU57hUqndph9AYAXP5P48PapiAWu-4pao9u6jxii_gUdvSS4534oaJWJaWWGQDEv-79Wgx08K5RVw9h4DiWZ05q5H5fdFddboIk-F6i-eRewvuAEpJh-mG3PU5gYI/s1600-h/BBCM_Fleer_p1-Small.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 145px; height: 197px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUJx6CHXRipucMs8NU57hUqndph9AYAXP5P48PapiAWu-4pao9u6jxii_gUdvSS4534oaJWJaWWGQDEv-79Wgx08K5RVw9h4DiWZ05q5H5fdFddboIk-F6i-eRewvuAEpJh-mG3PU5gYI/s320/BBCM_Fleer_p1-Small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283361912416116242" border="0" /> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiD4w8_oVI3yrCjVqtzr03EIK5VO9wQmwWA1nX0YgAh_zoIM2mKsvwZDXqmu9HdIv_AafyxMOF3x6Euu1xIsujONa60HpDg3d2UOvk_BnWoigjTx7AKkNc0VR0oS1b3Liy5yQ_qwAO1NUY/s1600-h/BBCM_Fleer_p2-Small.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 145px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiD4w8_oVI3yrCjVqtzr03EIK5VO9wQmwWA1nX0YgAh_zoIM2mKsvwZDXqmu9HdIv_AafyxMOF3x6Euu1xIsujONa60HpDg3d2UOvk_BnWoigjTx7AKkNc0VR0oS1b3Liy5yQ_qwAO1NUY/s320/BBCM_Fleer_p2-Small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283362494398606978" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiD4w8_oVI3yrCjVqtzr03EIK5VO9wQmwWA1nX0YgAh_zoIM2mKsvwZDXqmu9HdIv_AafyxMOF3x6Euu1xIsujONa60HpDg3d2UOvk_BnWoigjTx7AKkNc0VR0oS1b3Liy5yQ_qwAO1NUY/s1600-h/BBCM_Fleer_p2-Small.jpg"> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfbstXvTpyLCmfEKIG-BXIyst732Me87DGhDnph09o44Tk9dch7yYZ26lh_KCl-dHphiEtbVRrU0f09mZxX1UEc8ZNVex8ANK9t_D4TMHSIyBrhQ2_vaLTsagocUjMA_VSwj-fjmio372_/s1600-h/BBCM_Fleer_p3-Small.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 144px; height: 199px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfbstXvTpyLCmfEKIG-BXIyst732Me87DGhDnph09o44Tk9dch7yYZ26lh_KCl-dHphiEtbVRrU0f09mZxX1UEc8ZNVex8ANK9t_D4TMHSIyBrhQ2_vaLTsagocUjMA_VSwj-fjmio372_/s320/BBCM_Fleer_p3-Small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283362503980455138" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2WnwiTQn8RLA5YoY-26hNraHp_IuEA3FBsotmgfAPDkjWEvh0K0fPa7QMOz-rD1fPH3f7j5YOhBq49vu_q_kltRjGO4Xc_Ed_b92EJi8WchUfGMtHGhu_n6XtsR54MJUNQfMscjlodeBw/s1600-h/BBCM_Fleer_p5-Small.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 148px; height: 190px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2WnwiTQn8RLA5YoY-26hNraHp_IuEA3FBsotmgfAPDkjWEvh0K0fPa7QMOz-rD1fPH3f7j5YOhBq49vu_q_kltRjGO4Xc_Ed_b92EJi8WchUfGMtHGhu_n6XtsR54MJUNQfMscjlodeBw/s320/BBCM_Fleer_p5-Small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283362515414942850" border="0" /> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfbstXvTpyLCmfEKIG-BXIyst732Me87DGhDnph09o44Tk9dch7yYZ26lh_KCl-dHphiEtbVRrU0f09mZxX1UEc8ZNVex8ANK9t_D4TMHSIyBrhQ2_vaLTsagocUjMA_VSwj-fjmio372_/s1600-h/BBCM_Fleer_p3-Small.jpg"> </a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2WnwiTQn8RLA5YoY-26hNraHp_IuEA3FBsotmgfAPDkjWEvh0K0fPa7QMOz-rD1fPH3f7j5YOhBq49vu_q_kltRjGO4Xc_Ed_b92EJi8WchUfGMtHGhu_n6XtsR54MJUNQfMscjlodeBw/s1600-h/BBCM_Fleer_p5-Small.jpg"> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogQefJiNdE3bdEvwhxdbBRjDYKlZyuyA6yjCU1N66KnFFnNQJOX8ORPEj0zTNd-R6m8lM4-RPi8oSJEZ-crUWoGGQbdWmPS_zDnWX_lVaT2ZiVEDdq5gSU_rhfznDiMfbFV4m0XTLOvl2/s1600-h/BBCM_Fleer_p4-Small.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 137px; height: 190px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogQefJiNdE3bdEvwhxdbBRjDYKlZyuyA6yjCU1N66KnFFnNQJOX8ORPEj0zTNd-R6m8lM4-RPi8oSJEZ-crUWoGGQbdWmPS_zDnWX_lVaT2ZiVEDdq5gSU_rhfznDiMfbFV4m0XTLOvl2/s320/BBCM_Fleer_p4-Small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283362511615812658" border="0" /> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehlPUEmFRGwhfT8wKbsnFa7aIo1ttZawI_ewoxXcIGjWdBRPltHHaot25aiaDOsFbCFhBIWuDN9TV4w44XqvhnXhD3GFVLfvuHWebzaw7JTjUJ8xX0-fhXTBHCqvlcTKzfP6hIJ6eBnXM/s1600-h/BBCM_Fleer_P6-Small.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 136px; height: 189px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehlPUEmFRGwhfT8wKbsnFa7aIo1ttZawI_ewoxXcIGjWdBRPltHHaot25aiaDOsFbCFhBIWuDN9TV4w44XqvhnXhD3GFVLfvuHWebzaw7JTjUJ8xX0-fhXTBHCqvlcTKzfP6hIJ6eBnXM/s320/BBCM_Fleer_P6-Small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283362519753630114" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Another of my favorite BBCM features was the bonus cards that came with each issue. These were great inserts that featured (then) current players on vintage Topps card designs. Sound familiar? BBCM was (I think) the originator of the heritage movement. It just took 20 years for it to catch on. I have two or three complete series of these that I'll feature in separate posts in the future.<br /><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGu_LRkiSBCdxS6Bt_GO_YZzYvCD4fwkz251-gVQUfhRtappehsWYQdOMOfcKvRnf_53VFT5qfOYjtB0WlATLylkb-As5AkDKFUKYp02FOMflRlUFhe0DSjvOASpK0KB9sAlV7zv3IfHUl/s1600-h/Image042.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283074748189051778" style="width: 186px; height: 246px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGu_LRkiSBCdxS6Bt_GO_YZzYvCD4fwkz251-gVQUfhRtappehsWYQdOMOfcKvRnf_53VFT5qfOYjtB0WlATLylkb-As5AkDKFUKYp02FOMflRlUFhe0DSjvOASpK0KB9sAlV7zv3IfHUl/s320/Image042.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br />Its a shame that BBCM is no longer published. Beckett may be the standard in price guide publications (again, like it or not), but in my estimation they fall short as a hobby magazine. Their articles just aren't memorable and their reviews... well I think we all know about their reviews. There's avoid in the magazine department that is just aching to be filled. I for one would be first in line if someone published a magazine on the level of BBCM again.</span><br /></div><div></div></div></div>Scott C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03046218760875404540noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549181894303192702.post-66001221155357811862008-12-22T11:10:00.000-08:002008-12-22T19:24:42.401-08:00Monster Card of the Week - 1993 Front Row/Spectrum Autographs<span style="font-family: times new roman;">In the early 1990s, card manufacturers were a dime a dozen. Among this multitude was a company called Front Row. Front Row's main gimick was limited, serial numbered print runs of their cards. While their print runs seem huge (most of the ones I have were in the 5-25,000 range) compared with the quantity of /50 or less cards available from current products, it is possible that Front Row was the first to put serial numbers on their products. Most of what Front Row offered were small 5-7 card sets of the hobby's major stars, though they also produced basketball and baseball draft sets. Front Row's cards were simple and clean in their design, however they did not have a MLBPA license so their cards didn't feature team logos. They also offered a subscription club (which I was a member of) that got you cool promo cards and first crack at their "limited" issues. At some point, Front Row became Spectrum and they started producing really gaudy gold and hologram cards as well as offering autographed versions of their cards. They still produced their staple small sets however.<br /><br />One of these sets, produced in 1993 was a 5-card Red Sox set that featured Carl Yastrzemski, Dwight Evans, Fred Lynn, Luis Tiant and Bobby Doerr. Front Row/Spectum offered autographed versions of these cards and it is a pair of these that are this week's Monster Card of the Week. </span> <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i508.photobucket.com/albums/s323/starkill1138/PC%20-%20NFT/Red%20Sox%20Collection/Auto/FR_BB_Dewey_Auto_Small.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 270px;" src="http://i508.photobucket.com/albums/s323/starkill1138/PC%20-%20NFT/Red%20Sox%20Collection/Auto/FR_BB_Dewey_Auto_Small.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i508.photobucket.com/albums/s323/starkill1138/PC%20-%20NFT/Red%20Sox%20Collection/Auto/FR_BB_Yaz_Auto_Small.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 195px; height: 271px;" src="http://i508.photobucket.com/albums/s323/starkill1138/PC%20-%20NFT/Red%20Sox%20Collection/Auto/FR_BB_Yaz_Auto_Small.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i508.photobucket.com/albums/s323/starkill1138/PC%20-%20NFT/Red%20Sox%20Collection/Auto/FR_BB_Yaz_Auto_Small.jpg"></a><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: times new roman;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i508.photobucket.com/albums/s323/starkill1138/PC%20-%20NFT/Red%20Sox%20Collection/Auto/FR_BB_Yaz_Auto_Small.jpg"></a> <span style="font-family: times new roman;">These are probably the first autographed cards I ever owned. In fact it would be 15 years before I would added another autographed card to my collection. And you know what? Despite being unlicensed cards produced by a fledgling company that no longer exists, I prefer this pair to the stickered autographs being produced now. The design is simple and the bold blue ink is striking in its matching simplicity on the card. Topps and Upper Deck take note, this is how autographed cards should be done.</span>Scott C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03046218760875404540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549181894303192702.post-2306565950227442962008-12-19T05:47:00.001-08:002008-12-22T10:47:14.668-08:00Ghosts of the Past - Rick Ferrell<span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">There are a number of players in the Hall of Fame who, unless they played for your team, are relatively unknown. Raise your hand if you knew that Earl Averill, Dave Bancroft, Jake Beckley, Jim Bottomley or Kiki Cuyler were Hall of Famers. Rick Ferrell is another one of those relatively unknown Hall of Famers, and as a former Red Sox player (though he is in the Hall as a St Louis Brown) is the subject of this installment of GotP.</span> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /></span><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282674025433496850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 192px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikXOtO1JSj53P1gHpwx2NZYjAKxR9OHHiI5K3YSW6AowOagFvJ0K3Y0p7XMcydm801UnNH2tC-Gw7HTUd9k2VYB-oqDcQM4OLT0Or8XpE3v9d-X4tfbUmF3jnn1k11BW18w-rBu3SHNAvK/s320/36gwpferrellsgc40.jpg" border="0" /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Rick Ferrell was a catcher who played for nineteen seasons with the St Louis Browns, Washington Senators and the Red Sox. His Hall of Fame plaque proclaims him as a “durable defensive standout with a fine arm.” Indeed, it is most likely this defensive prowess that earned him a spot in the Hall. Despite setting Red Sox catchers’ records in average, doubles, home runs and RBIs, Ferrell’s offensive numbers are not particularly noteworthy. He only batted over .300 four times in his career and he didn’t reach any major milestones in any other batting category. In fact, his brother Wes, who was a pitcher, hit more home runs (in significantly fewer games no less) than Rick did. Rick Ferrell was named to eight All-Star games, and received MVP votes in four different season despite rarely playing for a winning or contending team. But, his primary claim to fame was that he retired as the all-time leader in games played at the catcher position, a record that would stand for 40 years until Carlton Fisk broke it in 1988.</span> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282675074871306898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 170px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg1KQque9EQth6Ha8qcK0b5vWPCQn1zfTbuqCOo4_p8rcGuosISutzLvrKgZr6gDYXO5fcdYaGYMpugBfmUirxE9hhXwApOvqon6UNK59V4zkTYjsEU1H63BojxKBTIrvrP0wFcp0cTGjP/s320/Kelloggs-16.jpg" border="0" /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Ferrell is one of the most controversial members of the Hall of Fame. His offensive numbers are clearly not Hall of Fame caliber. There has also been speculation that his election was the result of tit-for-tat voting that resulted in Pee Wee Reese’s induction. Whether that is true or not will probably never be known, but he was elected in 1984 by the veterans committee who, prior to the 2001 rules changes that allowed all living Hall of Famers to vote, was a closed door group that had elected almost half of all players in the Hall of Fame and weathered numerous charges of cronyism. </span><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282682049915640114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 264px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC8TV7XKkzrYT6fKZ-BXuqOu4epy6eeRWwsWBXY177DTOIe03FMBOyF5DQJeN61Wl3-7qsDITmi2FJJeqqwJCV7XUtuhNMm78UfqQKE42qmZ1fDfZuSdUSfx4HWAIjCr4e-xkXG3Zr1-vT/s320/33G197_Rick_Ferrell.jpg" border="0" /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Controversy aside, Rick Ferrell was most certainly a solid catcher for the entirety of his career. He had a solid .984 fielding percentage and when he retired had recorded the second most career putouts as a catcher. This despite the dubious distinction of having to regularly catch 4 knuckleballers during the 1945 season (with the Washington Senators). There is also anecdotal evidence that suggests how respected he was by his coaches and peers. For example, Ferrell was named to the first All-Star game in 1933 and played all nine innings for Casey Stengel’s American League team despite having future Hall of Famers Mickey Cochrane and Bill Dickey, who were superior offensive players, on the bench. And if the respect of Casey Stengel isn’t enough, Bill James (he of sabermetrics fame) when asked which ten players did not belong in the Hall of Fame, did not include Rick Farrell’s name.</span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"></span> <div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282680530803992706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 256px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZxYOD3vepOSTkzKFwpDloQ0iHiPV4Q1LCGimim8XOBVLbHu0dCYaGiWXtKR48SAvUCqliIRtKQkY7_RvtZsLv5EPrri6mR7E_MMMoe6bHyQQuZ91lulcBh9tvz5vufTFl3aOkKYFNK28/s320/34+Batter+Up+Ferrell-126.jpg" border="0" /><br /><p><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><em>“You never saw him lunge for the ball; he never took a strike away from you. He'd get more strikes for a pitcher than anybody I ever saw, because he made catching look easy.”</em></span></p><p><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Wes Ferrell on his brother's catching ability.</span></p><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Image Key:<br />1. 1936 Goudey Wide Pens R314<br />2. 1937 Kellogs Sports Stamps<br />3. 1933 Goudey<br />4. 1934 National Chicle Batter Up R318</span></div></div>Scott C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03046218760875404540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549181894303192702.post-86938012393147392952008-12-18T05:47:00.000-08:002008-12-19T05:45:22.015-08:00Requiem for a Baseball Card Blog<p style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" align="left"><span style="font-family:times new roman;"></span></p><span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">For those of you who might have been living under a rock (possibly to escape the snow and ice that buried the Northeast last week) and missed Ben Henry’s epic Casey at the Bat post, do yourself a favor and check it out. It is perhaps the best blog post you will ever read. Unfortunately, it is also his last post. I’m sure I’m one of countless many who consider Ben’s writing as inspiration for starting my own blog. His was the first blog that I discovered upon returning to collecting (which is the genius of simply calling your blog, The Baseball Card Blog – it appears first on all of the major search engines), and I voraciously devoured every post both old and new. His reviews of sets from the 1980s and early 1990s were like a blast backwards in time to my childhood, and should be required reading for every collector. Ben will be sorely missed in the blogging community. Perhaps one day he will get around to publishing the book he’d been working on (aptly titled, The Baseball Card Book) and we all will get another helping of the quirky humor and keen insights that made his blog so popular. In the spirit of hoping for one more hurrah from Ben in book form, and as a way of saying thanks, here’s the sequel to Casey at the Bat, sans images. After all you can’t top a masterpiece. </span></span><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic;font-family:times new roman;" ><br /><br />Casey's Revenge </span><br style="FONT-STYLE: italic;font-family:times new roman;" ><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic;font-family:times new roman;" >by Grantland Rice </span><p style="FONT-STYLE: italic"></p><p style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><span style="font-size:100%;">Published: The Speaker (06-1907)</span></p><p style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" align="left"><span style="font-size:100%;color:#000000;">There were saddened hearts in Mudville for a week or even more;<br />There were muttered oaths and curses- every fan in town was sore.<br />"Just think," said one, "how soft it looked with Casey at the bat,<br />And then to think he'd go and spring a bush league trick like that!"</span></p><p style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" align="left"><span style="font-size:100%;color:#000000;">All his past fame was forgotten- he was now a hopeless "shine."<br />They called him "Strike-Out Casey," from the mayor down the line;<br />And as he came to bat each day his bosom heaved a sigh,<br />While a look of hopeless fury shone in mighty Casey's eye.</span></p><p style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" align="left"><span style="font-size:100%;color:#000000;">He pondered in the days gone by that he had been their king,<br />That when he strolled up to the plate they made the welkin ring;<br />But now his nerve had vanished, for when he heard them hoot<br />He "fanned" or "popped out" daily, like some minor league recruit.</span></p><p style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" align="left"><span style="font-size:100%;color:#000000;">He soon began to sulk and loaf, his batting eye went lame;<br />No home runs on the score card now were chalked against his name;<br />The fans without exception gave the manager no peace,<br />For one and all kept clamoring for Casey's quick release.</span></p><p style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" align="left"><span style="font-size:100%;color:#000000;">The Mudville squad began to slump, the team was in the air;<br />Their playing went from bad to worse - nobody seemed to care.<br />"Back to the woods with Casey!" was the cry from Rooters' Row.<br />"Get some one who can hit the ball, and let that big dub go!"</span></p><p style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" align="left"><span style="font-size:100%;color:#000000;">The lane is long, some one has said, that never turns again,<br />And Fate, though fickle, often gives another chance to men;<br />And Casey smiled; his rugged face no longer wore a frown-<br />The pitcher who had started all the trouble came to town.</span></p><p style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" align="left"><span style="font-size:100%;color:#000000;">All Mudville had assembled - ten thousand fans had come<br />To see the twirler who had put big Casey on the bum;<br />And when he stepped into the box, the multitude went wild;<br />He doffed his cap in proud disdain, but Casey only smiled.</span></p><p style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" align="left"><span style="font-size:100%;color:#000000;">"Play ball!" the umpire's voice rang out, and then the game began.<br />But in that throng of thousands there was not a single fan<br />Who thought that Mudville had a chance, and with the setting sun<br />Their hopes sank low- the rival team was leading "four to one."</span></p><p style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" align="left"><span style="font-size:100%;color:#000000;">The last half of the ninth came round, with no change in the score;<br />But when the first man up hit safe, the crowd began to roar;<br />The din increased, the echo of ten thousand shouts was heard<br />When the pitcher hit the second and gave "four balls" to the third.</span></p><p style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" align="left"><span style="font-size:100%;color:#000000;">Three men on base - nobody out - three runs to tie the game!<br />A triple meant the highest niche in Mudville's hall of fame;<br />But here the rally ended and the gloom was deep as night,<br />When the fourth one "fouled to catcher" and the fifth "flew out to right."</span></p><p style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" align="left"><span style="font-size:100%;color:#000000;">A dismal groan in chorus came; a scowl was on each face<br />When Casey walked up, bat in hand, and slowly took his place;<br />His bloodshot eyes in fury gleamed, his teeth were clenched in hate;<br />He gave his cap a vicious hook and pounded on the plate.</span></p><p style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" align="left"><span style="font-size:100%;color:#000000;">But fame is fleeting as the wind and glory fades away;<br />There were no wild and woolly cheers, no glad acclaim this day;<br />They hissed and groaned and hooted as they clamored: "Strike him out!"<br />But Casey gave no outward sign that he had heard this shout.</span></p><p style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" align="left"><span style="font-size:100%;color:#000000;">The pitcher smiled and cut one loose - across the plate it sped;<br />Another hiss, another groan. "Strike one!" the umpire said.<br />Zip! Like a shot the second curve broke just below the knee.<br />"Strike two!" the umpire roared aloud; but Casey made no plea.</span></p><p style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" align="left"><span style="font-size:100%;color:#000000;">No roasting for the umpire now - his was an easy lot;<br />But here the pitcher whirled again- was that a rifle shot?<br />A whack, a crack, and out through the space the leather pellet flew,<br />A blot against the distant sky, a speck against the blue.</span></p><p style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" align="left"><span style="font-size:100%;color:#000000;">Above the fence in center field in rapid whirling flight<br />The sphere sailed on - the blot grew dim and then was lost to sight.<br />Ten thousand hats were thrown in air, ten thousand threw a fit,<br />But no one ever found the ball that mighty Casey hit.</span></p><p style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" align="left"><span style="font-size:100%;color:#000000;">O, somewhere in this favored land dark clouds may hide the sun,<br />And somewhere bands no longer play and children have no fun!<br />And somewhere over blighted lives there hangs a heavy pall,<br />But Mudville hearts are happy now, <i>for Casey hit the ball</i>.</span></p>Scott C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03046218760875404540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549181894303192702.post-85082150949739518872008-12-17T06:20:00.000-08:002008-12-17T19:30:30.876-08:00Monster Card of the Week - 2008 DAV Kason Gabbard<div><span style="font-family:times new roman;">In addition to building sets and collecting Red Sox cards, I collect cards of two players, Mike Greenwell, who was my favorite player growing up, and Kason Gabbard. Now, Gabbard may seem like an odd choice of players to collect. After all, he’s not exactly a star player and he doesn’t even play for my team anymore (f&$!#ing Eric Gagne). But there’s a story behind Gabbard that keeps me loyal to him despite these facts.</span></div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Two and a half years ago my wife was pregnant with our second child - a boy. We were purposely avoiding common names (if it was in the top 25 of common names we weren't even considering it) and were struggling to find a name that we liked. We had actually thought of naming him Anakin, but changed our minds after everyone laughed at us and told us that everyone would refer to him as “Star Wars boy”. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><em>As an aside, did you know that George Lucas made up the name Anakin? Look it up on any of the baby name websites. It sounds so normal (compared with Obi Wan or Qui Gon) that I just assumed it was a name he’d just picked up and used in his movies.</em> </span></div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;">About two months before my wife’s due date we were visiting at my parent's house. The Red Sox were on ESPN and Kason Gabbard was making his ML debut against the Seattle Mariners. He was pitching well and I jokingly said to my wife, “we could name him Kason.” I assumed that my wife would give me one of her, “don’t be a dumb-ass” looks and that would be the end of it. Imagine my surprise when she instead told me that she liked it. Good thing too. Two days later she went into premature labor and our son Casen was born (he’s a healthy, normal terrible two now, for those wondering).<br /><br /></span></div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"></span><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> </span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRE6DBqn6YVguX8aYxxtVcsL8Aj1iAcAgxXCnRNp1m9CCWl5xCOpwUWzJrhy-CF4oX-XS5TnsWGcM4_-lXtSTGvTarQu1LZjSmEsW82KiJTXEg9YuoWXsJJkEAPQ8iD7yvU_THVramvjG-/s1600-h/08DAV_BB_Gabbard_Small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 230px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRE6DBqn6YVguX8aYxxtVcsL8Aj1iAcAgxXCnRNp1m9CCWl5xCOpwUWzJrhy-CF4oX-XS5TnsWGcM4_-lXtSTGvTarQu1LZjSmEsW82KiJTXEg9YuoWXsJJkEAPQ8iD7yvU_THVramvjG-/s320/08DAV_BB_Gabbard_Small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280962355505026402" border="0" /></a><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;">This week’s Monster card is just the second Gabbard card I’ve added to my collection (my player collections have been a lower priority of late). It comes from a relatively obscure minor league issue produced by the DAV (Disabled American Veterans). For general info on this multi-team set, check out <a href="http://aardvarktradingco.wordpress.com/2008/12/02/2008-dav-minor-league-master-set-team-checklist/">this post </a>by Cards in the Attic. Considering that it isn't produced by any of the "major" manufacturers, the design of this card isn't half bad. In fact, I like this design more than some of those by Topps and Upper Deck from this year (Artifacts, and CoSigners for example). <br /></span></div>Scott C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03046218760875404540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549181894303192702.post-40872932152931391412008-12-16T08:42:00.000-08:002008-12-16T20:36:48.570-08:00Blog Bat Around 2 - Centerpieces<div><strong style="font-family: times new roman;">centerpiece</strong><br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><em>[sen-ter-pees]<br />–noun<br />1. an ornamental object used in a central position, esp. on the center of a dining-room table.<br />2. the central or outstanding point or feature: The centerpiece of the evening was a play put on by the employees.</em></span></div><em></em><br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;">I’ve spent a good bit of time contemplating what I might consider the centerpiece of my baseball card collection. For the most part, my card collection has two main focuses – sets that I have built (or bought in a few instances), and Red Sox cards. While I am quite fond of many of the sets that I have collected over the years, and while many of them have some individual cards that are centerpiece-worthy, when taken as a whole, none of them stand out to me as centerpieces of my collection (I may change my opinion on this when and if I complete my birth year set - 1976 Topps). So that leaves me with my Red Sox collection. When I consider my Red Sox collection, there are a number of cards that spring to mind. </span></div><div><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280432223744463170" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 226px; height: 320px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzwt9b-wK4bhmaCE0T930PVgw265VeeWzSegCpffXmAQ9G0h6IeZKpfpu8TTh591fbmXjsbZSMNi5iDn7MyKvu6D8Bu0bIbplI2eiyp7Fja2pL8TezqrDLWI_x9yMwrZNI31UbHWSQuQAR/s320/topps1987-259F.jpg" border="0" />The first card that I might consider a centerpiece to my collection is Mike Greenwell’s 1987 Topps rookie card. While this card is pretty much worthless in terms of dollar value, Greenwell was my favorite player when I was younger so it has significant sentimental value to me. The 1987 Topps set is also an iconic set from the 1980’s and was the first set I completed in my earlier collecting days (by opening wax packs no less) so it has that going for it too. All of that factored in, it just doesn’t scream centerpiece to me, so I dug a little deeper.</span></div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /></span><div></div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280432226224849346" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 228px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5y2eI0hMhGME3pdARsij_8gwuX5VNNY0OHyJCS-iQm-etb1mpq9ynO_EpiPIC1vy29aOJt4sk_MvMvNLUgc0L82ORH8LuQj2NAmmKQHfojIS5lBZQsYxgzLntIhFaAkNpuTEP55mtBkX6/s320/60yaz395767a.jpg" border="0" />And arrived at Carl Yastrzemski’s 1960 Topps rookie card. To me this is a card that is definitely centerpiece-worthy. While I really don’t care for the 1960 set design, I think the Rookie Star subset design is outstanding. And Yaz looks like the quintessential all-American baseball player on this card. But, while this card has decent monetary value, it has little sentimental value to me. Don’t get me wrong, I love this card. But I bought it at a card show years ago and it has no real story to it. So I went back to my collection once more.</span><div></div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280432232067760530" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 221px; height: 320px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb0FiaFNPBsIHo_VoJDzk3E0okmZbhvb4lT6kcCzqbH2mvu7zOiEqhrwoa6YE57yuxYkWCnWIZJ72kWGch7O4BMW1NwNgR-n_nQJyren1M5buP0QU3GRfEDQa_ZGABxf15oyMLY5Kt9Cex/s320/001_Ted_Williams_f.jpg" border="0" /></span></div></div></div><span style="font-family:times new roman;">And found my centerpiece – my 1954 Topps Ted Williams #1. This card is everything that I think a centerpiece should be. It is a beautiful card from a classic vintage set; it features one of the greatest baseball players to ever step foot on a diamond; and it has real sentimental value to me as it was a Christmas gift from my favorite Aunt when I was thirteen. I spent lots of time at my Aunt’s house when I was growing up and she is almost like a second mom to me. I don’t get to spend as much time as I’d like with her now that I’m grown up and have a family of my own, and seeing this card reminds me of all those summers playing board games at her dining room table and watching Red Sox games. Of all of the cards I own, this is one of the few that demand being displayed, that is more a piece of art than a baseball card. I can’t conceive of a situation (short of being on the verge of homelessness) in which I’d want to sell this card.</span>Scott C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03046218760875404540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549181894303192702.post-59119664397945489352008-12-14T17:35:00.000-08:002008-12-16T20:35:37.416-08:001991 Upper Deck Box Break - Part 2<span style="font-family:times new roman;">Before I post images from the second half of my box of 1991 Upper Deck, I thought I'd share a few observations. First, I have to say I'm incredibly happy with this box. Short of pulling the Nolan Ryan autographed Heroes card, I think I pulled every big card from this set in this one box. The collation for the cards was superb. Out of 540 cards there were only 22 doubles in the box. When put together with the cards I had collected when I was younger, I'm only missing 166 cards out of a set of 700. The collation on the 3D team holograms on the other hand was atrocious. Out of 32 packs, I only pulled five different teams. I have 6 or 7 duplicates of the Cardinals, Cubs, Brewers, A's and Red Sox (at least my team was in this box). </span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><br />The most interesting thing about this box to me was the "Random-Sequencing" that the box proclaims. In my mind, it was anything but random and it makes me suspicious that people who bought multiple boxes ended up with piles of duplicates. There were 4 stacks of packs in the box. I opened one whole stack at a time. The cards in each stack were random within each pack, but there was a definite pattern from pack to pack in each stack. For example. here's the number sequencing for the first three packs in a stack:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Pack #1 - 453, 425, 347, 559, 502, 129, 182, holo, 249, 299, 693, 646, 41, 64, 326</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br />Pack #2 - 454, 426, 348, 398, 560, 503, 130, 183, holo, 250, 300, 694, 647, 42, 65, 327</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br />Pack #3 - 455, 427, 349, 399, 561, 504, 131, 184, holo, 201, 251, 695, 648, 43, 66, 328</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><br />See the pattern? This repeated through the whole box. And each stack was sequentially tied to the others. It doesn't take a genius to see that if you ended up with two boxes that followed an even remotely similar sequencing you'd end up with a huge stack of doubles.</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><br />Anyways, enough rambling, onto a sampling of cards from the second half of the box.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjBf-Gmqy3F-HEOcBmxtgO5kGtCCMHn83gPaYyw4cxtGyFbuFJknSguUUBwW-i1oASqeV9BoF1YEQ70SXa0FZVlieaWpslz23C7VUFCEc1dQlW5t0kK6zUnITgm-BUHjfaAfTCpbSTiwin/s1600-h/91UD_65-F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 193px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjBf-Gmqy3F-HEOcBmxtgO5kGtCCMHn83gPaYyw4cxtGyFbuFJknSguUUBwW-i1oASqeV9BoF1YEQ70SXa0FZVlieaWpslz23C7VUFCEc1dQlW5t0kK6zUnITgm-BUHjfaAfTCpbSTiwin/s320/91UD_65-F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280605821326447474" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4U8sPJjaiysotTyUWHJgzemJDFeLUYZK03TzkMj9zZFozyLjOI3f2BPmYJ9RtThyphenhyphen4pLCIpjWbNmbDe4k-z2UBzBx7JfkPJIJA1r_mAjK5u6F-AiRUDtlDFc_ZjihOJrkVtvPumbZK-8Dq/s1600-h/91UD_164-F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 194px; height: 272px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4U8sPJjaiysotTyUWHJgzemJDFeLUYZK03TzkMj9zZFozyLjOI3f2BPmYJ9RtThyphenhyphen4pLCIpjWbNmbDe4k-z2UBzBx7JfkPJIJA1r_mAjK5u6F-AiRUDtlDFc_ZjihOJrkVtvPumbZK-8Dq/s320/91UD_164-F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280605831888251826" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Let's start with a pair of opposites. A guy in Mussina who fulfilled the expectations of a "Top Prospect" and a guy in Zeile who failed to live up to even a fraction of his hype.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibyIi08jJGaivMfWwhzHjYnqxSxO5RO_0b-yhqOLOvHkdf1hyrn04eEWdIhRK2o-_pN6x8zHrjqJ1AnraKLQtSOM0NVszuvwcfJQE83-3sPV0DnGzLiNmRKD6-fKoAfZV6tYgyjGiSb5iC/s1600-h/91UD_353-F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 197px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibyIi08jJGaivMfWwhzHjYnqxSxO5RO_0b-yhqOLOvHkdf1hyrn04eEWdIhRK2o-_pN6x8zHrjqJ1AnraKLQtSOM0NVszuvwcfJQE83-3sPV0DnGzLiNmRKD6-fKoAfZV6tYgyjGiSb5iC/s320/91UD_353-F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280607339379983314" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCTikOK6niXfrBR2bF-D2Fv-N2XOQ1qL5dAZGNcSy1FJLeCwPcAZnK7mxRe6m2TPpDEuPbbfMd-_QVqAIss_DrxUGyivrfGyEHb5O_VeqyUXDkhO59yytNOSm0-EusuAiOaR3D6CRwVM1/s1600-h/91UD_692-F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 194px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCTikOK6niXfrBR2bF-D2Fv-N2XOQ1qL5dAZGNcSy1FJLeCwPcAZnK7mxRe6m2TPpDEuPbbfMd-_QVqAIss_DrxUGyivrfGyEHb5O_VeqyUXDkhO59yytNOSm0-EusuAiOaR3D6CRwVM1/s320/91UD_692-F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280607340450405778" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Here's a pair of guys who had better secondary careers than they did as baseball players. Sanders was a much better football player than he was a baseball player, and Farrell is a much better pitching coach than he was a pitcher.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBc7DWUo0m0Qfjy1hO5zmDxvobs03nTs0041ZymudE4IbNDN6WFDwfEpwkauTDPko4VpRq1plZ7tFhgfEKMsWuA79wgqMIJ_dDv79KWvWIMkot4YbGcvXSBBHZRHkIDydzt1S4sqGdqJMB/s1600-h/91UD_43-F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 196px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBc7DWUo0m0Qfjy1hO5zmDxvobs03nTs0041ZymudE4IbNDN6WFDwfEpwkauTDPko4VpRq1plZ7tFhgfEKMsWuA79wgqMIJ_dDv79KWvWIMkot4YbGcvXSBBHZRHkIDydzt1S4sqGdqJMB/s320/91UD_43-F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280608234737197538" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8eDOafHMY0-E_nsqRKu45UGsZjCiQVgvDffs_XxojzonkGbI-xKURbLOGGGWjdvD3CeKv4LacqPs6zQSd6v-kRo5_2te1YvTLkjLo1LIuY2mSVsufAfSjMjrpP6SbwIJvPi7iz0tmiXDx/s1600-h/91UD_655-F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 197px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8eDOafHMY0-E_nsqRKu45UGsZjCiQVgvDffs_XxojzonkGbI-xKURbLOGGGWjdvD3CeKv4LacqPs6zQSd6v-kRo5_2te1YvTLkjLo1LIuY2mSVsufAfSjMjrpP6SbwIJvPi7iz0tmiXDx/s320/91UD_655-F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280608255644210178" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">It's Red Sox madness!<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUMCjR-9WKEgRGI2Lw9DKVNV1m_TcDfGtKNkiPs9GlcjK6KFK_r60rmgkTs2WQLerpOvwiljc51qKkXQJzeAZ7flhpi5WgULDZiTAF0CYGl2UMQuT8_taYQ5vIwmFXksYbotf7WtWqkRSP/s1600-h/91UD_258-B.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 190px; height: 269px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUMCjR-9WKEgRGI2Lw9DKVNV1m_TcDfGtKNkiPs9GlcjK6KFK_r60rmgkTs2WQLerpOvwiljc51qKkXQJzeAZ7flhpi5WgULDZiTAF0CYGl2UMQuT8_taYQ5vIwmFXksYbotf7WtWqkRSP/s320/91UD_258-B.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280608835966752610" border="0" /> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xIcz8tCVtk17HQjhpDgwqQ5jbJ6jCPGUIn-nK2U0ikB0kZEW_lKmSLFaFqZuazno2gyOWkJLyZoI4CUXqLbuHEL6Lyyb6BmnZRb7CUdtfSif848VERfbRLC2-5-sYziy9NpQoIc4LMyz/s1600-h/91UD_435-F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 194px; height: 272px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xIcz8tCVtk17HQjhpDgwqQ5jbJ6jCPGUIn-nK2U0ikB0kZEW_lKmSLFaFqZuazno2gyOWkJLyZoI4CUXqLbuHEL6Lyyb6BmnZRb7CUdtfSif848VERfbRLC2-5-sYziy9NpQoIc4LMyz/s320/91UD_435-F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280608839262724178" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Speaking of madness... Jose lind has some serious spring in his step. And is anyone else scared of Saberhagen after seeing this photo... like serial killer scared?</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5aNB1tNcTzSGtmL9QeUNqGok50eSWBOhgNZsRq0Qj-bRDmvg_CKD1Vsd5dWqN1eSNqhKb8_L5zKx4-XpmREnrB-YW4CVyQcit4PCDJKFhIwiZI21DbOgIF8zaBHkMsnqzDEjUGplAp9GR/s1600-h/91UD_455-F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 185px; height: 263px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5aNB1tNcTzSGtmL9QeUNqGok50eSWBOhgNZsRq0Qj-bRDmvg_CKD1Vsd5dWqN1eSNqhKb8_L5zKx4-XpmREnrB-YW4CVyQcit4PCDJKFhIwiZI21DbOgIF8zaBHkMsnqzDEjUGplAp9GR/s320/91UD_455-F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280609655894552386" border="0" /> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO-rutS1dsan3VtUC-h2ceaaZi-kecsbpkv5O2Hp-BmD9UPtZQXd7qiu0nUs7HUpqAPaqXy7JBISZymq7bgSc9Zl8iodgtE2U_IBSb24wubyjdstEnLwaNb5ZEF3jOprK2IC1Tew8kKsHw/s1600-h/91UD_68-F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 193px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO-rutS1dsan3VtUC-h2ceaaZi-kecsbpkv5O2Hp-BmD9UPtZQXd7qiu0nUs7HUpqAPaqXy7JBISZymq7bgSc9Zl8iodgtE2U_IBSb24wubyjdstEnLwaNb5ZEF3jOprK2IC1Tew8kKsHw/s320/91UD_68-F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280609656322627970" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br />How about some more stunning Upper Deck photography?</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_VpnDvfOYWzzltgcBdaV-6Gc84At4BkBhezvBmhh9sLROZMQ9fgzlzKxTNcXcaOIUw3Qqh4-nXwSGCbgiNpVN_COICuY68wG-8mK4A6zxW6XRivJai6798Co-93G2gd8gXMxJF9LGZqO/s1600-h/91UD_571-B.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_VpnDvfOYWzzltgcBdaV-6Gc84At4BkBhezvBmhh9sLROZMQ9fgzlzKxTNcXcaOIUw3Qqh4-nXwSGCbgiNpVN_COICuY68wG-8mK4A6zxW6XRivJai6798Co-93G2gd8gXMxJF9LGZqO/s320/91UD_571-B.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280610206455678178" border="0" /> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguYhUwO4tfIjpA6xNUT7gZeY3IjtHktq-lecFsNRidCO3RLsLZwqcXGgbm81qXCNvKZpW0sL8HqSxrISFh_yDOK5ngcFiBKl3j0f0D7_mGQKtwOWK5ubgbOEokAp6ugv5wEzoWYBBB_93U/s1600-h/91UD_654-F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 197px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguYhUwO4tfIjpA6xNUT7gZeY3IjtHktq-lecFsNRidCO3RLsLZwqcXGgbm81qXCNvKZpW0sL8HqSxrISFh_yDOK5ngcFiBKl3j0f0D7_mGQKtwOWK5ubgbOEokAp6ugv5wEzoWYBBB_93U/s320/91UD_654-F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280610211959578226" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">How about some 1990's fashion trends... Alex Cole's goggles always bugged me. And I just love the Upper Deck self advertising.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7RKLc0dJsjvU7JqYVlixmvt3CZKUI-NX3g1VLmu_ucMcnXLkebkbDSiKxGMKG0Nz0kQ8_pBYSpeMwVEjbkdL_IBqvUDobCEdvBNFchAiFafXCB1lMbz5wWV79M994pB5koch8DNEwo0Us/s1600-h/91UD_659-F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 190px; height: 263px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7RKLc0dJsjvU7JqYVlixmvt3CZKUI-NX3g1VLmu_ucMcnXLkebkbDSiKxGMKG0Nz0kQ8_pBYSpeMwVEjbkdL_IBqvUDobCEdvBNFchAiFafXCB1lMbz5wWV79M994pB5koch8DNEwo0Us/s320/91UD_659-F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280610978143103042" border="0" /> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFc7Hm_tHbahQpKtolg1eoIOHWTY1TtVpODvZp2QZshtSL2TogD4DkeQjzNg7SSS2H3fwxxEOIDrZtGSiKCbpk-iM8agChw1miGlJQAKfcmz5A0m6VYeU0OFYYoJmtAsN42UInA4RmeaIh/s1600-h/91UD_453-F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 186px; height: 264px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFc7Hm_tHbahQpKtolg1eoIOHWTY1TtVpODvZp2QZshtSL2TogD4DkeQjzNg7SSS2H3fwxxEOIDrZtGSiKCbpk-iM8agChw1miGlJQAKfcmz5A0m6VYeU0OFYYoJmtAsN42UInA4RmeaIh/s320/91UD_453-F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280610979997801698" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">I had to post Gladden for my sister-in-law... she has a mullet fetish. And Incaviglia... well, I can't think of anything witty to say about him right now.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTQLEf_Igmi5t2MiCkBbrMIkxdGgW3NI9yFqG5AoAf6M0_dPbD08RXebqhzaVWkJwCsSviwCxGW6SdRNO5Lw7xyMrEb0gs7npOkDi2hS-qDL99JjJ4sPgnzkk79wRjBC3TKPUWxYAgkER6/s1600-h/91UD_695-F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 195px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTQLEf_Igmi5t2MiCkBbrMIkxdGgW3NI9yFqG5AoAf6M0_dPbD08RXebqhzaVWkJwCsSviwCxGW6SdRNO5Lw7xyMrEb0gs7npOkDi2hS-qDL99JjJ4sPgnzkk79wRjBC3TKPUWxYAgkER6/s320/91UD_695-F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280611835866164034" border="0" /> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-kAUJkQNBWrkNIemKOKiB-LgK9U9DjNgNIshoyjtg7NRPMpunnWCsi_gpAZObE-GTH4q14jt59uI9lsz81asRx6qFr9KAnInoAMwmlHzmUowhdklMeNguiWsctyR9ijQqOug7nDjmbqlQ/s1600-h/91UD_468-F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 195px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-kAUJkQNBWrkNIemKOKiB-LgK9U9DjNgNIshoyjtg7NRPMpunnWCsi_gpAZObE-GTH4q14jt59uI9lsz81asRx6qFr9KAnInoAMwmlHzmUowhdklMeNguiWsctyR9ijQqOug7nDjmbqlQ/s320/91UD_468-F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280611834159031682" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">And finally, how about some players with funny names. There's something ironically funny about a pitcher whose last name is Plunk. I wonder if Mr. Klink is related to Colonel Klink (Hogan!!!!)? </span>Scott C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03046218760875404540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549181894303192702.post-13350389871073625432008-12-12T06:04:00.000-08:002008-12-12T06:17:59.211-08:00Red Sox Unveil new Unis & Logo<span style="font-family:times new roman;">The Red Sox have announced some new uniform and logo designs.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW4uJ-uQ4bfJAdIABjMAreP-yBPagxxmM_XTfvRz4rZPQJxCqXvnVal-G4pL-GxUGnWAaofzS_LFXSFVa9Uoq-Shh2dJ6XW4oUPVq05vd6uLnFmnRKrlKHINsqxFGAZQHDMDwKYwJtw3Y9/s1600-h/5-ap_uni__1229042255_4672.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 330px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW4uJ-uQ4bfJAdIABjMAreP-yBPagxxmM_XTfvRz4rZPQJxCqXvnVal-G4pL-GxUGnWAaofzS_LFXSFVa9Uoq-Shh2dJ6XW4oUPVq05vd6uLnFmnRKrlKHINsqxFGAZQHDMDwKYwJtw3Y9/s400/5-ap_uni__1229042255_4672.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278904528405384466" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">These will be the new primary Road uniforms and are an updated version of the road uniforms from the early 1980's. In the background (and on the sleeve of the uniform) is the new logo for the team, referred to as the "hanging sox". This replaces the circular logo with a small version of the hanging sox in the middle:</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG96s_trxjXvCJ_tv55n8e0nY2jUvBumbq-O0qcXkRfwm-t6teGXTkQeepCgp15V2xRZ7XoLMUFL229tLH5J4IVaqlLVKi88DMmZN4ZIk-02GMvgBqInbZk1A7jeIcjOyPPzLh0u7JblHo/s1600-h/red_sox_logo.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 215px; height: 209px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG96s_trxjXvCJ_tv55n8e0nY2jUvBumbq-O0qcXkRfwm-t6teGXTkQeepCgp15V2xRZ7XoLMUFL229tLH5J4IVaqlLVKi88DMmZN4ZIk-02GMvgBqInbZk1A7jeIcjOyPPzLh0u7JblHo/s400/red_sox_logo.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278905685973394642" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">The team also announced new secondary home and road uniforms which will be worn with an alternate hat featuring the new hanging sox logo instead of the "B".</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijVrJmecnLz6iIwyRhme5XSMD-R6KkI4N_0vWd8N_FZ_xZzFPfJd_vrz3iEa_R8FeRTWR70Mqep5rOLKS5rf9kK51OqmxlAVgEq1wrz9_qN1lUiJT6m92hlYx-Y2JvLVHXn8EgI5Pc0DxH/s1600-h/8_mdc__1229042588_2520.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 330px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijVrJmecnLz6iIwyRhme5XSMD-R6KkI4N_0vWd8N_FZ_xZzFPfJd_vrz3iEa_R8FeRTWR70Mqep5rOLKS5rf9kK51OqmxlAVgEq1wrz9_qN1lUiJT6m92hlYx-Y2JvLVHXn8EgI5Pc0DxH/s400/8_mdc__1229042588_2520.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278906561893084434" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">My opinion - I like the new unis, both primary and secondary. The primary (gray) have a classic retro/modern look to them that I find appealing. I'm not sure how I feel about the hanging sox logo on the hat and am glad that it will only be worn with the alternate uniforms. To me replacing the "B" logo on the hat would be sacreligious.<br /><br />All photos courtesy of Boston.com.<br /></span>Scott C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03046218760875404540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549181894303192702.post-34675705342180932962008-12-11T19:57:00.000-08:002008-12-11T20:54:29.299-08:00Box Break - 1991 Upper Deck, Part 1<span style="font-family:times new roman;">Box breaks are not something I plan on doing very often here on Green Monster, mostly because I don't buy a lot of boxes. My card collecting budget just can't handle the price of most wax boxes. But, one of my goals when I returned to collecting this past year, was to finish up a lot of the sets that i had collected in my younger days. So when I stumbled upon a deal for a box of 1991 Upper Deck (one of those aforementioned unfinished sets) for $10, I couldn't pass it up. I'm going to approach this a little differently than most typical box breaks though. Rather than bore everyone with a card by card rundown of every pack, most of which are full of players who</span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> nobody remembers, I just selected a few highlights to scan and provide commentary for. I split the break into two parts just to keep it from getting too unwieldy.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Syby318MVXPKKm9imzMv-3K2Mla5uA6sCr8YgxL2LpbwmGo9Mp8qZZckDwbHiyuztT-gsPN9a-YBvIHT4xKeTWODSAU4HlCub3KxYL6So4SG67-UeKKflc6gJJIp5lzacZxnGkBcv4YO/s1600-h/91UD_115-F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 281px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Syby318MVXPKKm9imzMv-3K2Mla5uA6sCr8YgxL2LpbwmGo9Mp8qZZckDwbHiyuztT-gsPN9a-YBvIHT4xKeTWODSAU4HlCub3KxYL6So4SG67-UeKKflc6gJJIp5lzacZxnGkBcv4YO/s320/91UD_115-F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278749624026600594" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvnvtkQMNKXHYg1-3Izzj_2ITl2xB5gmZxnQa-Ga-7Bb4u_DcrtoUOQamd7F4cNseiY-47HtbXK16rgdwyC8yr7pN1P3lbjXJDiJTvNyQuatztEKLadhkADTCrUjTDLfUsmi4d6lP7tgZ1/s1600-h/91UD_376-F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 201px; height: 283px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvnvtkQMNKXHYg1-3Izzj_2ITl2xB5gmZxnQa-Ga-7Bb4u_DcrtoUOQamd7F4cNseiY-47HtbXK16rgdwyC8yr7pN1P3lbjXJDiJTvNyQuatztEKLadhkADTCrUjTDLfUsmi4d6lP7tgZ1/s320/91UD_376-F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278750104810958290" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">First up are a pair of cards from two of the most dominant pitchers of the 1990's. Between them they won nine Cy Young awards. Both are sure fire Hall of Famers.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBv-QBjUyq23GyvhNOtPo91kOLGAc0qSwC9lZnfKLcA36e44EQOzPsa4IKK4dAQDANh4QyZKfZImmNXuzXTqpNqM06QPqYmuh4TPrjbT3Po5yPWlbVoHdViVju5gngMVNopldIDvVYBS3M/s1600-h/91UD_554-F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 281px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBv-QBjUyq23GyvhNOtPo91kOLGAc0qSwC9lZnfKLcA36e44EQOzPsa4IKK4dAQDANh4QyZKfZImmNXuzXTqpNqM06QPqYmuh4TPrjbT3Po5yPWlbVoHdViVju5gngMVNopldIDvVYBS3M/s320/91UD_554-F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278749629391503634" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZFtETaTV5Z35i2g0UeFK98djTT9NmLOqr0TxFux05wPrckHA7MdtqIpUDh5u7K3aiyj2-vCn-Y_GABegJKq7OBaTqlZYWrpnBhYKvY1gQI9y_v2r2OkvIxmSJjbS5s83Ow8k2_hMk1rw5/s1600-h/91UD_715-F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 279px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZFtETaTV5Z35i2g0UeFK98djTT9NmLOqr0TxFux05wPrckHA7MdtqIpUDh5u7K3aiyj2-vCn-Y_GABegJKq7OBaTqlZYWrpnBhYKvY1gQI9y_v2r2OkvIxmSJjbS5s83Ow8k2_hMk1rw5/s320/91UD_715-F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278750108570056210" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">A couple more pitchers photographed doing things other than pitching. I love the photo of Jim Abbot. Everyone has seen how Abbot handled pitching and the transition to fielding. I hadn't ever seen a photo of him batting before.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixgHy6VAotLX2a9YV19A37qVhoyW202nlTkX1kszjy2pOP_BEaLcGLZPQOZUE-4D93J_Is3VgTBar2gbaZlPoPp0t9qwPIEmZwNU3_juuvYDjLvOhRc1w64Iio23W_AVGZ9GD2VVgh_qSf/s1600-h/91UD_165-F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 277px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixgHy6VAotLX2a9YV19A37qVhoyW202nlTkX1kszjy2pOP_BEaLcGLZPQOZUE-4D93J_Is3VgTBar2gbaZlPoPp0t9qwPIEmZwNU3_juuvYDjLvOhRc1w64Iio23W_AVGZ9GD2VVgh_qSf/s320/91UD_165-F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278753107818273810" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir0W1v2iP4LO7IhYDHMdMBHspy5pfM0V9f_Z5z5C3qzplNnweZY7uSW-NBwNKJ4UkEhj9r31dun87u97d5IYdobal4SwpoBqpv7BKYXEFNwZIfgZ4Mok3h1By_upNG3QgWOs00L9wGLg6N/s1600-h/91UD_382-F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 199px; height: 277px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir0W1v2iP4LO7IhYDHMdMBHspy5pfM0V9f_Z5z5C3qzplNnweZY7uSW-NBwNKJ4UkEhj9r31dun87u97d5IYdobal4SwpoBqpv7BKYXEFNwZIfgZ4Mok3h1By_upNG3QgWOs00L9wGLg6N/s320/91UD_382-F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278753108363297458" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Of course I scanned my favorite player's card. Its a pretty good action photo too. Blauser's in mid-leap after a line drive. This is the kind of photography that set Upper Deck apart from all the other card companies right out of the gate.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0AEk62rmQ1D3jliZDAg3RF0Dtzx_HdHJRMn4iWbCheHq0kUQHuiD6s5fMUeRQ2NEpfB8M3LVioQPyMvEy1yaV5o_0gCAjel3MmZJiCmzOCQLQQKdqn5kwR0pwNYtEBcIG0Rqpx2k98khd/s1600-h/91UD_175-F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 191px; height: 271px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0AEk62rmQ1D3jliZDAg3RF0Dtzx_HdHJRMn4iWbCheHq0kUQHuiD6s5fMUeRQ2NEpfB8M3LVioQPyMvEy1yaV5o_0gCAjel3MmZJiCmzOCQLQQKdqn5kwR0pwNYtEBcIG0Rqpx2k98khd/s320/91UD_175-F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278754036547216738" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ALIyodqNtZMaw12IhvBOWMMgTw-1OJuaWy99wU2UHKlBo11_CohTLs5knoarQ8fDAeAjE7oloTO_s0qlc2WJDONROObRhI3WH1S5Eo9DORmgKRq73vzYMn8mWcefyeVzZiiip07m7fDM/s1600-h/91UD_33-F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 194px; height: 272px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ALIyodqNtZMaw12IhvBOWMMgTw-1OJuaWy99wU2UHKlBo11_CohTLs5knoarQ8fDAeAjE7oloTO_s0qlc2WJDONROObRhI3WH1S5Eo9DORmgKRq73vzYMn8mWcefyeVzZiiip07m7fDM/s320/91UD_33-F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278754044788622418" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Speaking of photography that set Upper Deck apart, Fernando-mania meets patented UD triple exposure. I also appreciate Upper Decks creativity when it comes to checklist cards. This one would fit right in over at </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://nightowlcards.blogspot.com/">Night Owl Cards</a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy2LcQUcCp5K9mU7WTFaigvC_FsekEvKpqw_HLLApTsNtagLKQ7a1JpcfYXPkUioq3RlUzgSY5Uk0EMvdneaAMTASILmVKw3-tEBsGIWRyyRiz4UsJktVNYYAl1bN7Y7K582Gb-XbR0KMS/s1600-h/91UD_246-F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy2LcQUcCp5K9mU7WTFaigvC_FsekEvKpqw_HLLApTsNtagLKQ7a1JpcfYXPkUioq3RlUzgSY5Uk0EMvdneaAMTASILmVKw3-tEBsGIWRyyRiz4UsJktVNYYAl1bN7Y7K582Gb-XbR0KMS/s320/91UD_246-F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278755614075173874" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhibnsvzdQEAq-CbDP0h29-nJAtT2teM1ThaYEWMqEYsYIso2RtOG6ZvHCgFgydF_kpabfko8T-4UHiEzan22HHHTmtabZ_5z_cHHcdzcXON2IJ0AQM1wsNcH9LhcSJxTK8Btccaa45L_ol/s1600-h/91UD_55-F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 195px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhibnsvzdQEAq-CbDP0h29-nJAtT2teM1ThaYEWMqEYsYIso2RtOG6ZvHCgFgydF_kpabfko8T-4UHiEzan22HHHTmtabZ_5z_cHHcdzcXON2IJ0AQM1wsNcH9LhcSJxTK8Btccaa45L_ol/s320/91UD_55-F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278755722709952466" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Rookie extravaganza. Not a bad pair of rookie cards to pull from a box. Both have an excellent chance of being Hall of Famers.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyXWIBcNmnbZL4KxHHbJJoQdc-LHYA8hLaWXn7KqPEsf-rt5mUcj07ZGt6peKZIRteAriOYOt_DYStfjD_jo9ZFQB2La759YZJOTIFcJRmPWNF_4emX7KZYCQh5qpYO52chJiB41d1NqdY/s1600-h/91UD_SP1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 199px; height: 278px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyXWIBcNmnbZL4KxHHbJJoQdc-LHYA8hLaWXn7KqPEsf-rt5mUcj07ZGt6peKZIRteAriOYOt_DYStfjD_jo9ZFQB2La759YZJOTIFcJRmPWNF_4emX7KZYCQh5qpYO52chJiB41d1NqdY/s320/91UD_SP1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278756710115819186" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidYi_A4sCQ9Ph_wdAPCKBILuTGaCX5EjbTGA0GpZ72Joe6-Zr2sORPYQ8lfYgLj2ol39mu7s9sKRfCsKDoaJ5frSDCfzZQMhYV8w80-AlvbD7DB7bbkdRUFd5m3IFPC1-PG_9ZA6YDTQTq/s1600-h/91UD_HEROES-10.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 195px; height: 277px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidYi_A4sCQ9Ph_wdAPCKBILuTGaCX5EjbTGA0GpZ72Joe6-Zr2sORPYQ8lfYgLj2ol39mu7s9sKRfCsKDoaJ5frSDCfzZQMhYV8w80-AlvbD7DB7bbkdRUFd5m3IFPC1-PG_9ZA6YDTQTq/s320/91UD_HEROES-10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278756713519437810" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">When I pulled the Chipper, I thought I had pulled the best card out of the box. I had forgotten about the Michael Jordan insert card. This card was the shit when it first came out. I remember going to card shows and seeing this card selling for obscene amounts of money. Topps isn't the only company to indulge in a little hero worship.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehG98JypAKsVrnLSsfLKojIiydnJxnrVvfyS6KXGeJ-nsAQB3O8V4m_FtKauJb4neydi_eVmxo5XfQK6l7JxtWrrkCs4xO0zFBcmmltSeE88JGbNY75OZv9T-OXGigPP7MIzSMWRRDkj0/s1600-h/91UD_282-B.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 281px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehG98JypAKsVrnLSsfLKojIiydnJxnrVvfyS6KXGeJ-nsAQB3O8V4m_FtKauJb4neydi_eVmxo5XfQK6l7JxtWrrkCs4xO0zFBcmmltSeE88JGbNY75OZv9T-OXGigPP7MIzSMWRRDkj0/s320/91UD_282-B.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278757812761650306" border="0" /></a><br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYEzYz_5469I6khZQx_ne9mIzO0OJxQi9eNHi7_q4_XRk7vDq3asO12fqPizuCg7q6g1-6LzuCJhuLO8Bnfbgrk_uJtkkBtJ3xpBLqSR8u9LfT-IcqYKYAq_0yPbm67S4i-i9HPOtuFstU/s1600-h/91UD_488-B.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 276px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYEzYz_5469I6khZQx_ne9mIzO0OJxQi9eNHi7_q4_XRk7vDq3asO12fqPizuCg7q6g1-6LzuCJhuLO8Bnfbgrk_uJtkkBtJ3xpBLqSR8u9LfT-IcqYKYAq_0yPbm67S4i-i9HPOtuFstU/s320/91UD_488-B.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278757816604328642" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Not only was Upper Deck one of the first companies to put full color photos on the back of their cards, they put good photos on the back. In fact, I think some of the rear photos are better than the ones they put on the front.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxP380BE36nx4nQJboUcSgxoRCF6PwzHVo6gfei_SUvkATUMyV85r4-ymrOQvYkAu-J_x8FhPhUSbXHcoEyIrC1Wb1qE4SjY-Iu8Wy-0db8peE4nFrprdaORhGMV16FXpg2C1xyQRwMchg/s1600-h/91UD_313-B.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 193px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxP380BE36nx4nQJboUcSgxoRCF6PwzHVo6gfei_SUvkATUMyV85r4-ymrOQvYkAu-J_x8FhPhUSbXHcoEyIrC1Wb1qE4SjY-Iu8Wy-0db8peE4nFrprdaORhGMV16FXpg2C1xyQRwMchg/s320/91UD_313-B.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278758162290183506" border="0" /> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtWQEOv4Bp9j4UKlcQFtHAYbqKNkqy5btUfkdYpl8wqbE_UdALn5MsDnat7qxkvJa1RG476Neu8VU3g75wg1mwUZfEAvoXHOisTuAIjdlqO8pIa6RAJ0eRwlEkjMctoQ5NhW8dqK0LtaSR/s1600-h/91UD_552-B.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 190px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtWQEOv4Bp9j4UKlcQFtHAYbqKNkqy5btUfkdYpl8wqbE_UdALn5MsDnat7qxkvJa1RG476Neu8VU3g75wg1mwUZfEAvoXHOisTuAIjdlqO8pIa6RAJ0eRwlEkjMctoQ5NhW8dqK0LtaSR/s320/91UD_552-B.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278758167889198114" border="0" /> </a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">More good photos from the backs of cards. Nice visualization of the knuckleball grip. Somehow I think Mr. Parrish is done for the day (and not happy about it)!</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsvF_gP5UZ4qZZ5o8sjgTsjsMRVuXcj6eYjbDaTJTzh8HqgybmA-foOn6JwduARXlbNf1s6qVWy9u7MMkJamb5NZH0hJNvXRkeHxtsk1ww8j5HI1swfc3ZB8Ltxts-ATqeAs3ycWbCRNJI/s1600-h/91UD_127-F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 195px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsvF_gP5UZ4qZZ5o8sjgTsjsMRVuXcj6eYjbDaTJTzh8HqgybmA-foOn6JwduARXlbNf1s6qVWy9u7MMkJamb5NZH0hJNvXRkeHxtsk1ww8j5HI1swfc3ZB8Ltxts-ATqeAs3ycWbCRNJI/s320/91UD_127-F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278758159661259138" border="0" /> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnxQ9vXDDDb2hR_2-fLeZX6nnsinUhVX9TAfeDWh5F1cxlmN38B5HZ3fHxg0_akG8WeT1TYiWskmvpIJ4sHDqM2VBIISS1yfqwSzUT_14LeqMOU8Pabdme_UMBJHE3idADEdvOADGnRjUr/s1600-h/91UD_677-F.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 197px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnxQ9vXDDDb2hR_2-fLeZX6nnsinUhVX9TAfeDWh5F1cxlmN38B5HZ3fHxg0_akG8WeT1TYiWskmvpIJ4sHDqM2VBIISS1yfqwSzUT_14LeqMOU8Pabdme_UMBJHE3idADEdvOADGnRjUr/s320/91UD_677-F.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278758164721943330" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Thought I'd finish up part one with a couple of oddball photos. My memories of Dave Stewart of of this ultra-intense guy with the death ray stare. Seeing the lighter side of him is just... odd. And I'm not sure, but I think Fisk and Ventura are reinacting a scene from Field of Dreams... "if you build it..."</span>Scott C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03046218760875404540noreply@blogger.com4