I've Got The Ball - a Q&A Session

Q:  Is Jose Rosado intimidated by big-name hitters?
A:  "They've got the bat, and they've got the name, but I've got the ball." --Jose Rosado


1997 Circa Jose Rosado - #11

Q:  What does Juan Gonzalez think of Kevin Appier?
A:  "To me, he's the best right-hander in this league." --Juan Gonzalez
(Juan Gonzalez has apparently never heard of this "Roger Clemens" fellow.)


1997 Circa Kevin Appier - #158

Q:  How does Chili Davis feel about being traded?
A:  "At my age...it's nice to know that someone wants you.  I've told young guys it's not an insult to be traded."  --Chili Davis


1997 Circa Chili Davis - #248

That's right, Chili, it's not an insult to be traded.  In fact, I've been trying to get people to trade me Chili Davis for months now.  I put him on my "Most Wanted" list and everything.  I had given up hope of getting him, until this card arrived in my mailbox.


1997 Fleer Ultra Chili Davis - #432

CHILI HULK SMASH!!!!

All of these (and even more Circa cards) came to me via "reader of blogs, writer of none" Steve.  He found me on Zistle. Another benefit of Zistle -- only on there will people who want your old MLB Showdown cards know that you want their old Circa cards.  It's like the Millionaire Matchmaker for card collectors.  It was a super-easy trade. You can check out all his stuff on his Zistle profile. 
Thanks again, Steve!

Support Your Local Minnow

Why is the above card more than just a random 1978 Topps card?  I'll let you stew on this for a moment.

All of the cards in this post came to me courtesy of Trevor, proprietor of a new blog I found last month...."Supporting the Minnow."  I saw he had made a trade with $30/Week Habit and clicked on through to Trevor's blog.  A few post comments later and we had a trade in the works.

In case you are wondering...he has access to a baseball card vending machine at his local tire shop (LTS?). 

Trevor buys miscellaneous lots of cards, mostly keeps the hockey, then has the other stuff to trade away.  So why is trading with him a good idea?  Because that card at the top is not a random Topps card.  It is a random O-PEE-CHEE card.  Trevor is Canadian.

Dear readers in New York, Michigan, and Minnesota, you may have ready access to Canadian cards, but here in SoCal, they don't show up at the garage sales I go to.  So the only way I get OPC is in trade. 

Frank White has a 2nd-BUT, just in case he loses his first one.  I am always glad to add another Voltigeur to my collection.

Amos Otis is au jeu (not au jus).  Dennis Leonard is a Lanceur (I remembered that from my Orel Hershiser OPC card). 

Additionally, he tossed in a George Brett "Pre-Production Sample" from 1994 Topps.  You can see the full story on this card here. 

Thanks again for a great trade!

Be The Swing Vote

Hey all -- I need your vote!!  I'm currently locked in a fierce battle with BA Benny in the Nachos Grande Contest - Round 2.  It's his Chipper vs. my Chipper.  Please go there and VOTE FOR MY POST by 6 PM Pacific on Saturday.

You could be the swing vote.  Just like Kevin Costner.  I never saw that movie, but I presume it's about baseball.  Every Costner movie is about baseball.  Or assassinations.  One of those two. 

Summation

2001 Topps Stadium Club - Chipper Jones

Some things in life (and the card collecting world) cannot exist by themselves.  Like this Chipper Jones card, they can only exist as the sum of their component parts.  It can help your understanding of the world to separate those pieces out.

Here are some examples (click each set to embiggen):

(If you like this post, please go vote for "Josh D." in Nachos Grande's contest - Round 2)

Obak at ya'

2011 Obak Football - Morten Andersen - Green Parallel - #/25

Contests.  I love 'em. 

I love entering them.
I love hosting them (keep an eye out for the return of the "BIG PILE" contest this fall).
I especially love WINNING them.  My online luck hasn't been great, but I have managed to win a few contests here and there...This is one of those stories.

Drew from Drew's Cards (naturally) had busted a box of 2011 Obak football, and was giving most of it away.  He split the box into 5 chunks and randomed each one off separately.  Not only did I win a chunk, I won THE CHUNK I WANTED -- "American Heroes and Best of the Rest."  Why did I want this piece?  Well...my main collections for football involve Kurt Warner and Kickers/Punters (see sidebar ----->), and this set netted me the Morten Andersen parallel above (#'d to 25), TWO Kurt Warners (regular and mini), and a Ray Guy.  Yep...that hits almost everything I like.  Too bad there wasn't a Tebow in this set.  :-)

2011 Obak Football - Kurt Warner Mini

2011 Obak  Football - Ray Guy

This was a set focusing more on the history of the game rather than current players.  Here's a sampling of the other stuff I got.

Running Backs with great nicknames and huge shoulder pads.  I remember learning how to do the "Ickey Shuffle" when I was little.  Man I was a cool kid.

A few modern guys.  Dennis Byrd is the "Rise and Walk" player.  They thought he would be paralyzed after a freak spinal injury, but he overcame that to walk again.

Quick question...which linemen would you rather face? 

These guys?

Or these guys?

Yes...those are US Presidents...but they all played football in college (and/or the big screen).


So thanks again, Drew, for the awesome contest.  These will all find a great place in my collection.

Doon Discs

Now for your collecting pleasure, DOON DISCS!  My shipment of Doon Discs just arrived.  They are good for healing vertigo, jock itch, sore thumbs, and uncontrolled ennui.  I can really feel the Liquid Napkin (TM) Technology doing its work -- my blogging has never been better!!*

*Better is a subjective term.  No guarantees of increased quality are implied.  Side effects of Doon Discs include dry mouth, toe cramps, and receiving lots of awesome Minor League cards of guys named Michael.  Thanks, Napkin!

Card Draft Drawing Winner

Thanks to all who commented on my card draft post.  I have already started acquiring some cards for it, so I will definitely be running a draft sometime this fall.  I'm hoping to price it at cost (in the $19-$22 range) to make it attractive to more people and help fill it up.  That will probably be for 12 hits, rather than the 10 I was thinking originally.

I had said everyone who commented would be entered for a drawing for something good...

The winner is Matthew from  TENETS OF WILSON. You lucky duck, you were one of my "Big Pile" winners last fall.  :-)  Please email me your current address (to josh dot denhartog AT gmail dot com) -- I'll see if there is anything on your want list that I have...or you might just get some random stuff from me. :-)

Thanks.
-Josh D.

Team Picture Day

(To see the rest of the entries/prompts in this contest, go here.  Reminder: You have until 8/10 to comment on my card draft post for a chance to win....something.)

Scene:  The last Padres exhibition game before the regular season begins.

Upper Deck Photographer (UDP):  Hi guys, thanks for showing up on time.  We're here to shoot the team picture.  I'm gonna need the tall guys to line up in back, "scrappy" guys in the front, coaches on the ends.

Tony Gwynn (TG):  Bochy ain't here!

UDP:  Who?

TG:  Bruce Bochy!  Our skipper!

UDP:  I didn't know you guys had a yacht.

TG:  Don't go getting sassy on me, picture-man.  He's the manager.  What were you going to do - take a team picture without the manager?

UDP:  Ideally, no...

TG:  Exactly.  So put your camera down, sit down there in the on-deck circle and we'll wait for him to get here.  <yelling at team>  Y'ALL CAN RELAX - SKIP AIN'T HERE YET!

Trevor Hoffman (TH):  <walking over> Let me see that giant camera, picture-man.

UDP:  I'd prefer if you didn't.

TH: <snatching camera away>  Look at me!  click-click-click   I'm the picture-man.

UDP:  Very funny, sir.  I can tell the heat of wearing a rubber jacket in the sun isn't getting to you at all.

TH:  click-click-click  I just took a picture of Wally Joyner.

UDP:  No you didn't...

TH:  click-click-click Yes I did!  I'm the picture-man!  Are you getting worried that I'm gonna steal your cushy, full-time job?

UDP:  Well, it's mostly freelance work.  There aren't benefits, or vacation days, or corporate picnics, or...

TH: <interrupting> I wish I could set my own schedule.  I've gotta bust my hump pitching in 50, maybe 60, games a year.  It's a total grind, let me tell ya.  click-click-click   Hey....I think you're out of film, picture-man.

UDP:  I suppose that's for the best.  Well...this has surely been quite the aggravating experience.  I'll take my camera now.

TH:  Gimme some more film.

UDP:  Why the heck would I do that?

TH:  So I can take more pictures.

UDP:  <screaming to crowd>  IS BOCHY HERE YET??!!

TG:  Skip says he'll be a few more minutes.  He's filling out the lineup card and can't decide whether Quilvio Veras should hit 7th or 8th.  It's a real mental quandary.

TH:  I want to hit 8th!

TG:  Ain't nobody gonna let you hit, closer.  So just get that through your thick, redneck skull.

TH:  No problem.  Hook me up with some more film, picture-man.

UDP:  <sighs>   Fine.  We're gonna be waiting awhile. <tosses roll of film to Trevor>

TH:  <miraculously loads film correctly>  Oh man...a fresh roll.  I can't wait for digital cameras to be commercially available so that we never run out of pictures!

UDP:  You and me both, but it is still 1997.  What are you taking pictures of now, sir?

TH:  I'm taking a picture of the Friar. click click

UDP:  Oh, that's good.  We can use that in our "Mascots" inserts.  What else?

TH:  I'll take a couple of Alyssa Milano -- she's standing over there. click click click Looks like she just came from the team store.

UDP:  I suppose that can be part of the "Fans of the Game" subset.  Keep going, Trevor...what else?

TH:  I'm gonna take some of Oscar Azocar.  He's always romancing his bat. 

UDP:  Umm....that's more of a Topps thing.  Bochy will be out here any minute -- I'm gonna need my camera back.

TH:  click click click.  Check this one out!  I just took a picture of Brian Giles grabbing some guy's butt and crotch at the same time!

UDP:  Firstly...poor guy.   Secondly, how is that even possible??  Brian Giles plays for Cleveland now!

TH:  Maybe you gave me the time machine camera, picture-man.  I've got a good feeling that he'll be coming over here in 6 or 7 years -- Mark My Words.

UDP:  Yeah, right.

<Bochy emerges from the dugout>

Bruce Bochy (BB):  Alright, I want the infielders running sprints and the pitchers shagging fly balls while the outfielders and catchers take BP.

UDP:  Excuse me, sir, but it's team picture day.  I'm the photographer from Upper Deck.

BB:  Where's your camera?

UDP:  Oh, Trevor Hoffman has it.  He's been helping me take some pictures.  I was worried at first, but I really think he got some good shots.

BB:  Get over here, Hoff.  <Trevor jogs over>  Good shots, eh?

TH:  Yeah, skip.  I'm a veritable Annie Liebovitz.

BB:  I'm shocked you know who that is.  Do you know what else you gotta do to get good shots, Hoff?

TH:  What, skip?

BB:  YOU'VE GOTTA TAKE THE LENS CAP OFF, YOU IDIOT!!!

<Trevor shrugs and jogs away>

Orel Hershiser and George Brett got in a fight...

...but not with each other.  George Brett gets into fights with Jack Morris.  Orel Hershiser gets into fights with Darryl Strawberry.  Apparently, they have each been in /2499 fights...or so the numbering on the back appears to say.

Donruss Leather and Lumber - #10 and #37

These all came from "Rhubarb Runner" at "e rayhahn, rayhahn."  He had the right answer in my "Awesome Card" contest, and I sent him some Twins from his wantlist.  He mistakenly (awesomely) thought this was a trade and sent me all these Royals inserts back. 

2003 Fleer Genuine Longball Threats - Mike Sweeney

2004 Playoff Prestige Achievements - George Brett

2004 Awesome Honors - Angel Berroa

2005 Leaf Alternate Threads - Ken Harvey

I wish everyone I came into contact with made such awesome mistakes.  Thanks, RR!

I Don't Give a Hoot

...but Night Owl does.  I sent a pile of '77s his way, and he hooked me up with some offbeat recent stuff and a few oldies.  Here were my faves.

Jeff Francoeur with a mouthful of shiny dirt in the slide. 

2011 Topps Update Diamond Anniversary - Jeff Francoeur

Sean O'Sullivan with the liquorfractor...More like Sean O'Douls.

2011 Topps Update Cognac Refractor - Sean O'Sullivan

 I posted this Brayan Pena that I got awhile back...but here's the Wal-Mart version.  I don't have a Wal-Mart close enough to me to go there, so I like getting these parallels in trade.

2012 Topps Wal-Mart Blue Parallel - Brayan Pena

Cheslor Cuthbert was a big Latin American signing for the Royals two years ago.  He's still only 19 and is playing in High-A ball. 

Bret Saberhagen looks like he is making some Communist Vietnamese propaganda. Willie Wilson is just golden, baby.  Like Barry White's voice.

Thanks, Night Owl for another great trade.  But next time let's get Saberhagen saying U-S-A! U-S-A!

Joey Furts - Full Bio

(See more takes on Joey here.)

2012 Allen and Ginter - Joey Furts

Topps didn't have room to write all of Joey Furts's attributes on one small card.  I called their customer service # and asked for his full bio.  Here is what they gave me:

Name:  Joey Furts
Sex: M
Age: 31
Hometown: Willow Cove
Occupation: Poker Player and Hustler
Sign: Virgo
All-around sleazy character and not to be trusted in the least
Anagram of Name:  Joey's Turf
Boxers or Briefs?:  Boxer-Briefs
Favorite Movie:  Terms of Endearment
Has many enemies
Last time he cried:  Little sister's wedding
Banned from Guttman's Gutters for life
Favorite Snack:  Rolo
Has been involved or implicated in many shady dealings
Favorite Drink:  Shirley Temple on the rocks
Twitter Handle:  @AllIn4theWin
Baseball Idol:  Craig Counsell
Education:  MFA in Studio Art from Columbia University
Guilty Pleasure song:  "Total Eclipse of the Heart"
Caught running a three card monte scam
Best friend in the poker world: Annie Duke
Home PC:  Compaq Presario
Favorite Olympic Event:  Skeleton
Childhood Dream Job:  Secret Service Officer
Least Favorite President:  Zachary Taylor
Poker Bluff %:  11.4%
Twilight Allegiance:  Team Edward
Time at Current Residence:  19 months
Number of Cats:  11
Girlfriend:  None