2011 Mike Schmidt Cards

I mentioned in a recent post that there were only 161 Mike Schmidt cards issued this year. Still way too many to realistically acquire. I've got 13 of them, all but a couple of which I had to acquire on eBay.  Here's the lot.

Topps #50

One of the veteran short-prints. I kind of like this idea. eBay for $10.65.

Topps 60 Years of Topps Original Backs #23

eBay $4.99

Topps 60 Years of Topps Reprints

I pulled this version from a blaster.

Topps Kimball Champions #62

Another card pulled from a blaster. I really like these Kimball Champions cards.

Topps Manufactured Glove Leather Nameplate 

I think these are kind of goofy but I only paid $1.25 for it including shipping.

Topps Prime 9 Player of the Week Refractors #5

This is from a series that was available as part of a redemption through dealers. I got it with the Nameplate card, paid $1.25 for it as well.


Topps Diamond Anniversary HTA #16

I featured this recently. I got it from Padrographs. I didn't know these cards existed until I saw this one.

Topps Lineage #53

Another $1.25 special in the same purchase as the Nameplate and the Player of the Week.

Topps Stickers #290

The first card from this set I acquired. $3.49 on eBay.

Topps Tribute #75 (Base and Blue)

I got these on eBay in one lot for $4.49 each.

Topps Tribute Relics Dual Green

Probably my favorite Schmidt acquisition this year. Numbered 62/76, $10.61 on eBay.

Upper Deck Goodwin Champions #112

Song of the Week: When The Day Is Short by Martha Wainwright

Martha's parents are Louden Wainwright III and Kate McGarriggle. Her brother is Rufus Wainwright. She's got plenty of talent of her own. This is from her 2005 eponymous album Martha Wainwright.

Baseball Birthdays: November 20-26

November 20

Jay Johnstone - 1975 Topps #242

Jay had a 20-year career in baseball. He was with the Phillies from 1974-78 but also played for the Angels, White Sox, A's, Yankees, Padres, Dodgers, and Cubs. He was known as a big clubhouse prankster. I remember when he was in Philly, that he used to wear an umbrella hat during pre-game workouts.

November 21

Stan Musial - 2003 Topps Shoebox #23

This week was Stan the Man's 91st birthday! Wow.

November 22

Greg Luzinski - 2001 SP Legendary Cuts Debut Game Bat

Greg was the Phillies #1 draft pick in 1968. He played 11 years with the Phillies and another 4 for the White Sox. He hit 307 career home runs.

November 23

Jonathan Papelbon - 2009 SP Legendary Cuts #58

The newest Phillie.

November 24

Ben McDonald - 1990 Donruss Rookies #30

The Orioles #1 pick in 1989, he was one of the hottest names in the hobby in 1990.

November 25

Joe DiMaggio - 1992 Score DiMaggio

Joltin' Joe DiMaggio. 56-game hitting streak. Once married to Marilyn Monroe. Shilled for Mr. Coffee.

November 26

Hugh Duffy - 2011 Tri-Star Obak #13

Sir Hugh set the single season batting average record in 1894, batting .440. He also hit 18 home runs, and batted in 145 runs that year to win the Triple Crown.

2001 Topps Update trade success

Last week I posted that I had all by 16 of the cards from this set. Three trades later and I'm down to only needing three. A link to what I need is on the right sidebar. I've still got plenty of duplicates. Or make me an offer and I'll see what I can do.

So thanks to Greg (the Night Owl), Rich (dawgbones), and Ryan G. my unplanned set collection of 2011 Topps Update is nearly complete. Here's what I got. See if you notice something unusual.

Very cliche pose. Only sluggers are allowed to use it. Fielder qualifies.

I always like a card which features another player in a back-up roll. That's Willie Bloomquist of the D-Backs.

The missing card I was most coveting. My only Pence as a Phillie card.

Got one out in the NLDS, gave up 4 runs.

Not the AL Rookie of the Year.

I never really understood the deal with this guy when he was a Cub. Still don't.

Matt with two of his buddies.

He looks like he forgot to put in his dentures.

Did you notice that 9 of the 11 cards are horizontally oriented? I don't know what the percentage of cards in the set are horizontal but I sure it's nowhere near 82%.

Cards from Padrographs

I've been writing this blog now for almost 4 years. There have been two unexpected pleasures from doing this. One is the opportunity to make trades with other collectors. Really, that hadn't occurred to me when I started. Since card shops are near to non-existent here in the Houston area, I never meet other collectors. The other is that sometimes, someone will just send me some cards in the mail. I got a package from Rod at Padrographs the other day. He's in the midst of a Card Givaway. You should check it out. Rod didn't take part in my 2011 Summer Clearance Trade (my way of clearing out cards I don't want) so I've got a pile of Padres cards to send him. Here are my favorites from what he sent.


2010 Topps Turkey Red #23 Mike Schmidt

I love the Turkey Red cards and I long for all cards Schmidt so this was particularly nice to get. If Beckett.com is to be believed, there were 222 Mike Schmidt cards issued in 2010. Way to many to keep track of. Now I've got 10 of them.

2003 Donruss Estrellas #37 Jeff Bagwell

Jeff Bagwell is another one of my vary favorite players. I had 3 Phillies cards from this set but no Astros. Back in 2003, we still had Donruss, Fleer, Topps and Upper Deck making cards. Although there was a bewildering amount of choice, on retrospect, it was better than today when there is no choice. It's Topps or the highway. There were 634 Bagwell cards in 2003, but I've got 23 of them.

2011 Bowman Chrome Futures #12 Jonathan Singleton

2011 Bowman Chrome Refractor #77 Hunter Pence

Hunter is, of course, now a Phillie. One of the players that the Phillies gave to the Astros in return was Singleton.

2011 Topps Gypsy Queen Mini #47 Jimmy Rollins

Gypsy Queen was one of my favorite releases in 2011. I only had one other Phillie Gypsy Mini and I don't have the regular sized Rollins, so this card is perfect.

2011 Topps Diamond Anniversary HTA #16 Mike Schmidt

Another Schmidt card! I'm doing slightly better on Schmidt cards this year. There are only 161 of them and I've got 13. Still a long way to go.

Song of the Week - Midnight Cowboy by Ferrante & Teicher

This is a bit of a departure from what I usually feature but this is a great song (the theme song from the 1969 movie with Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight). F&T were a great piano duet who released almost 100 albums over a 60+ year span. They did a lot of albums of movie music. I own one of their records, 1967's The Piano Artistry of Ferrante & Teicher. It is one of the oldest records I own, probably bought it in 1968 or 1969. I don't remember now why I bought it, but I'm sure I'd seen them on TV many times. I used to play the record all the time. A couple of years ago, my wife bought me a USB turntable which allows me to digitize old LP records. This was one of the first ones I did because I hadn't listened to it for probably 20 years. I still like it.

Baseball Birthdays November 13-19

November 13

2011 Bowman Topps 100 #25 Arodys Vizcaino

I did a post earlier in the week on young players and missed this guy. He made his debut on August 12, 2011 and went 1-1 in 17 appearances for the Braves. He was born in 1990.

November 14

1995 Score Platinum #163 Curt Schilling

Curt was born in Anchorage Alaska in 1966. A sure Hall of Famer.
 

November 15

2006 Bowman Heritage Mini #221 Craig Hansen

You would think, with as many baseball players that have been born over the years, that there would be at least one big name player born on each day of the year. Not so, which is why I'm using Craig Hansen, Red Sox 1st round pick in 2005 for today.

November 16

1984 Topps Traded  #42 Dwight Gooden

Born in 1964, the Mets #1 Draft Pick in 1982, was 17-9 with a 2.60 ERA in his debut season with the Mets in 1984.

November 17

1971 Topps #72 Tom Seaver

Tom Terrific was born in 1944. He was 311-205 in his 20-year career and elected into the Hall of Fame in 1992.

November 18

1987 Topps #518 Gene Mauch

Skip was born in 1925 and was an infielder from 1944 to 1957 appearing in only 304 games. He started his 27-year career as a manager in 1960 with the Phillies. He also managed the Expos, Twins, and Angels. His career record as a manager is 1902 wins vs. 2037 loses. He passed away in 2005.

November 19

1994 Upper Deck All-Time Heroes #11 Roy Campanella

Born in 1921 in Philadelphia Campy graduated from Simon Gratz High School. All the cool cats went to Simon Gratz, or so I heard when I lived in Philly. Campy played for the Dodgers from 1948 to 1957. His career was cut short on 1/28/58 when he was paralyzed as the result of an automobile accident. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1969. He died in 1993.

League Realignment

It pretty much looks like a done deal. The Astros will be moving to the American League West.  In 2013, the alignment would look like this:

The Astros finished the 2011 season 40 games out in the NL Central. If they'd been in the AL West, they still would have been 40 games out.  I've been a National League man all my life but I can accept one of my two favorite teams moving to the AL, as long as it isn't the Phillies moving. This past season, with the Phillies doing so well, and Phillies games available on MLB.com, I hardly paid any attention to the Astros.

Watching them on TV will be a bit easier. Now, all 5 teams in the NL West are 1 to 2 hours behind. In the AL, only 3 teams will be west of the Astros. For me, the novelty of seeing the Astros play American League teams I hardly ever see will probably be enough to keep me interested for awhile, but the team will have to be better to sustain any interest.