March 28, 2008: Trade with White Sox Cards.
October 18, 2008: Trade with The Pursuit of 80's(ness).
November 6, 2008: Trade with Cardboard Junkie for Chipper Jones cards.
September 24, 2010: 2010 Summer Clearance Trade with Community Gum for Cubs.
March 31, 2011: Blog featured on Phungo.
November 12, 2011: Trade with Plaschke, Thy Sweater is Argyle.
March 18, 2012: Blog mention on Can't Have Too Many Cards.
June 19, 2012: 2012 Summer Clearance Trade with Once A Cub for Cubs.
June 26, 2012. 2012 Summer Clearance Trade with Chip 'n' Dale.
June 23, 2012. 2012 Summer Clearance Trade with Canadian Cardboard.
July 9, 2012: 2012 Summer Clearance Trade with Cards on Cards for Cardinals.
July 12, 2012. 2012 Summer Clearance Trade with Starting Nine for Mets.
July 15, 2012: 2012 Summer Clearance Trade with all the way to the backstop for Padres.
July 24, 2012: 2012 Summer Clearance Trade with 1979 Topps for Mariners.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Monday, March 18, 2013
Random Cards from My Collection #41
The random machine threw up a lot of Astros this time.
Card #1582
2001 Studio #68 Richard Hidalgo
Comments on the card: An OK design for 2001 but very similar to prior years. I think the brand was getting a bit stale.
When acquired: Don't know
How acquired: Don't know
Player's season: Doggy was an inconsistent player. In 2000, he hit .314 with 44 home runs. In 2001, he only hit .275 with 19 home runs.
Card #2266
2004 Ultra #55 Alex Rodriguez
Comments on the card: Typical Ultra design. Good action shot of A-Rod.
When acquired: 2005
How acquired: Paid $.38/card for repack containing card packs
Player's season: In the last year of a 4-year $22 million/year contract, the Rangers traded Rodriguez to the Yankees in February 2004 for Alfonso Soriano. The Yankees turned around and gave him an even bigger contract after the 2004 season.
Card #35453
1991 Fleer Team Logo Stickers
Comments on the card: Topps had gum, Donruss had puzzle pieces, Fleer had team logo stickers. Some cards had one large sticker
When acquired: 2012
How acquired: Acquired during the 2012 Great Summer Clearance Trade, although I'm not sure why.
Card #20685
1991 Donruss #156 Glenn Wilson
Comments on the card: The last of the odd designs from Donruss from the middle of the 1980s. The second series was green. The card backs hadn't changes for years.
When acquired: 2010
How acquired: Acquired during the 2010 Great Summer Clearance Trade. I don't really collect Astros from prior to 1995 but people send them anyway.
Player's season: Glenbo spent 1991 in the minors with the Braves but only appeared 29 games. He didn't play at all in 1992, but was back in the majors with the Pirates for 10 games in 1993.
Card #34670
2012 Topps Allen & Ginter #130 Madison Bumgarner
Comments on the card: Allen & Ginter card fronts have gotten a little busy in the past few years. This design seems a bit too similar to 2012 Gypsy Queen
When acquired: 2012
How acquired: Paid $0.42/card for a 180-card hobby box on ebay.
Player's season: Bumgarner was 16-11 in 2012, as the Giants cruised to another World Series title.
Card #12988
2007 Topps #297 Brad Ausmus
Comments on the card: Yet another card from the dreadful 2007 Topps set. As much as I hate this set I sure have a lot of them.
When acquired: 2009
How acquired: Trade with Thorzil Will Rule blog
Player's season: Ausmus, mainly known as a great defensive catcher, stole 6 bases for the Astros in 2007, including the 100th of his career. Only 20 other catchers have stolen 100 bases.
Card #21799
2001 Topps #523 Marlon Anderson
Comments on the card: 2001 was among only a few years when the Topps flagship brand didn't have white borders. I rather like this set.
When acquired: 2001
How acquired: Paid $0.15/card for a Series 2 hobby box on ebay.
Player's season: Anderson had about the best season of his career in 2001, hitting .293 with 11 home runs. He was 4th in the league for putouts at second with 270 and 3rd for assists with 387 but he was also second in the league at the position with 12 errors.
Card #22489
2003 Topps 205 Tim Salmon
Comments on the card: Topps 205 had 6 different designs. 4 were variations on this design, one was a plain front with a head shot and facsimile signature and a 6th, separate design for rookies.
When acquired: 2010
How acquired: Paid $0.39/card for a hobby box on ebay.
Player's season: 2003 was Tim's last full year before knee and rotator cuff surgeries ended his career.
Card #23617
1999 Bowman #225 Ken Caminiti
Comments on the card: 1999 was the third straight year that Bowman would feature a black and red design. And the second year featuring facsimile signatures. The design trend continued through the 2011 set.
When acquired: Don't know
How acquired: Don't know
Player's season: After 4 years with the Padres, Caminiti came back to the Astros as a free agent for 1999 and 2000. He was injured for much of this time.
Card #23714
2000 Bowman #290 Carlos E. Hernandez
Comments on the card: Bowman used the black and red theme for established players. Rookie cards featured blue instead of red.
When acquired: September 2000. In those days, Bowman came out pretty late in the season.
How acquired: Paid $0.23/card for a hobby box on ebay.
Player's season: Carlos had been signed by the Astros in 1997 and didn't get called up until 2001. He spent 4 years (one injured) with the Astros as a started, compiling a 9-8 record.
Card #1582
2001 Studio #68 Richard Hidalgo
When acquired: Don't know
How acquired: Don't know
Player's season: Doggy was an inconsistent player. In 2000, he hit .314 with 44 home runs. In 2001, he only hit .275 with 19 home runs.
Card #2266
2004 Ultra #55 Alex Rodriguez
When acquired: 2005
How acquired: Paid $.38/card for repack containing card packs
Player's season: In the last year of a 4-year $22 million/year contract, the Rangers traded Rodriguez to the Yankees in February 2004 for Alfonso Soriano. The Yankees turned around and gave him an even bigger contract after the 2004 season.
Card #35453
1991 Fleer Team Logo Stickers
Comments on the card: Topps had gum, Donruss had puzzle pieces, Fleer had team logo stickers. Some cards had one large sticker
When acquired: 2012
How acquired: Acquired during the 2012 Great Summer Clearance Trade, although I'm not sure why.
Card #20685
1991 Donruss #156 Glenn Wilson
When acquired: 2010
How acquired: Acquired during the 2010 Great Summer Clearance Trade. I don't really collect Astros from prior to 1995 but people send them anyway.
Player's season: Glenbo spent 1991 in the minors with the Braves but only appeared 29 games. He didn't play at all in 1992, but was back in the majors with the Pirates for 10 games in 1993.
Card #34670
2012 Topps Allen & Ginter #130 Madison Bumgarner
When acquired: 2012
How acquired: Paid $0.42/card for a 180-card hobby box on ebay.
Player's season: Bumgarner was 16-11 in 2012, as the Giants cruised to another World Series title.
Card #12988
2007 Topps #297 Brad Ausmus
When acquired: 2009
How acquired: Trade with Thorzil Will Rule blog
Player's season: Ausmus, mainly known as a great defensive catcher, stole 6 bases for the Astros in 2007, including the 100th of his career. Only 20 other catchers have stolen 100 bases.
Card #21799
2001 Topps #523 Marlon Anderson
When acquired: 2001
How acquired: Paid $0.15/card for a Series 2 hobby box on ebay.
Player's season: Anderson had about the best season of his career in 2001, hitting .293 with 11 home runs. He was 4th in the league for putouts at second with 270 and 3rd for assists with 387 but he was also second in the league at the position with 12 errors.
Card #22489
2003 Topps 205 Tim Salmon
When acquired: 2010
How acquired: Paid $0.39/card for a hobby box on ebay.
Player's season: 2003 was Tim's last full year before knee and rotator cuff surgeries ended his career.
Card #23617
1999 Bowman #225 Ken Caminiti
When acquired: Don't know
How acquired: Don't know
Player's season: After 4 years with the Padres, Caminiti came back to the Astros as a free agent for 1999 and 2000. He was injured for much of this time.
Card #23714
2000 Bowman #290 Carlos E. Hernandez
When acquired: September 2000. In those days, Bowman came out pretty late in the season.
How acquired: Paid $0.23/card for a hobby box on ebay.
Player's season: Carlos had been signed by the Astros in 1997 and didn't get called up until 2001. He spent 4 years (one injured) with the Astros as a started, compiling a 9-8 record.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Movie Review - Iron Sky
You may remember this clip from "The Daily Show".
It turns out that there was a whole movie made about moon Nazis, called "Iron Sky".
This was a German-Finnish-Australian collaboration released (although not in the US) in 2012. It is available today on Netflix.
In 1945, Nazis, somehow, escaped from earth and built a colony on the far side of the moon. The colony is accidentally discovered by two American astronauts in 2018. Why were astronauts on the moon in 2018 you ask? To bolster the reelection campaign of the US president. It was all a publicity stunt, sending a white and black (who is actually a male model chosen for his looks) to the moon (the slogan "Black to the Moon!").
With a theme like this, the movie could only be an arch comedy. It was pretty painful to watch although the special effects were surprisingly good for a movie that only cost about $10 million to make. Also of interest, to me at least, was the attitude toward Americans.
The President of the US was unnamed but clearly based on Sarah Palin. And not meant to be flattering. When she learns that the Nazis are attacking she immediately sees the advantage it gives her in winning reelection as a "war-time president". Her campaign manager is a Michelle Bachmann look-alike, who before the invasion, adopts the Nazi message to the President's campaign. By the way, the Nazis attack in giant Zeppelins filled with flying saucer like fighter aircraft.
To fight off this menace, the US reveals that it has a nuclear armed space craft named the George W. Bush. Turns out all the other advanced nations also had secret space craft. The battle between the Earth forces and the moon Nazis ends with the Earth forces turning on each other and finally with missiles launched and nuclear explosions across the globe. Hugh laughs. Fortunately, the chief woman Nazi (in the poster above), who has learned that Nazis were actually bad guys, and the black astronaut (to her right) survive, with a handful of others in the bombed Nazi stronghold on the moon.
I'm not sure I'd recommend this but it had it's moments.
It turns out that there was a whole movie made about moon Nazis, called "Iron Sky".
In 1945, Nazis, somehow, escaped from earth and built a colony on the far side of the moon. The colony is accidentally discovered by two American astronauts in 2018. Why were astronauts on the moon in 2018 you ask? To bolster the reelection campaign of the US president. It was all a publicity stunt, sending a white and black (who is actually a male model chosen for his looks) to the moon (the slogan "Black to the Moon!").
With a theme like this, the movie could only be an arch comedy. It was pretty painful to watch although the special effects were surprisingly good for a movie that only cost about $10 million to make. Also of interest, to me at least, was the attitude toward Americans.
The President of the US was unnamed but clearly based on Sarah Palin. And not meant to be flattering. When she learns that the Nazis are attacking she immediately sees the advantage it gives her in winning reelection as a "war-time president". Her campaign manager is a Michelle Bachmann look-alike, who before the invasion, adopts the Nazi message to the President's campaign. By the way, the Nazis attack in giant Zeppelins filled with flying saucer like fighter aircraft.
To fight off this menace, the US reveals that it has a nuclear armed space craft named the George W. Bush. Turns out all the other advanced nations also had secret space craft. The battle between the Earth forces and the moon Nazis ends with the Earth forces turning on each other and finally with missiles launched and nuclear explosions across the globe. Hugh laughs. Fortunately, the chief woman Nazi (in the poster above), who has learned that Nazis were actually bad guys, and the black astronaut (to her right) survive, with a handful of others in the bombed Nazi stronghold on the moon.
I'm not sure I'd recommend this but it had it's moments.
Friday, March 15, 2013
Card Show: 1948 Bowman
Earlier in the week I posted about the 1949 Phillies Bowman cards I found at a recent card. I also acquired a 1948 Phillies Bowman card as well. I had posted it on my Facebook page and someone (thanks Paul!) commented that I now had half of the 1948 Bowman Phillies set. Sure enough. I found the other card on eBay. I also had picked up some 1950 Bowman Phillies cards which I'll post on next week.
1948 Bowman #28 Emil Verban
This is the card I bought at the show. You can see it's pretty beat up, but I only paid $4.00. The card back says his nick name was "The Antelope". baseball-reference.com says he was also called "Dutch". He had a seven-year career (1944-1950) playing for the Cardinals, the Phillies (1946-1948), the Cubs and the Braves. He was a second baseman with a career BA of .272. Here's a quote from Wikipedia about him:
"In 1975, a group of Chicago Cubs fans based in Washington DC formed the Emil Verban Society to honor him. Verban was picked as the epitome of a Cub player, competent but obscure and typifying the work ethics. Verban initially believed he was being ridiculed, but his ill feeling disappeared several years later when he was flown to Washington to meet President Ronald Reagan, also a society member, at the White House."
1948 Bowman #24 Emil (Dutch) Leonard
This card I got on eBay. It's in much better shape. The corners a a bit rounded but it has no creases. Dutch was a knuckleballer who pitched from 1943 to 1953, for the Dodgers, the Senators, the Phillies (1947-1948) and the Cubs. He had a career 191-181 record with a career ERA of 3.25. He made the All-Star team 6 times.
He has a few interesting claims to fame. In 1947, while with the Phillies, he came in to a game in the ninth, with the Phillis clinging to a 1-run lead over the Dodgers. The bases were loaded with no outs. He succeeded in retiring Jackie Robinson, Gil Hodges and Roy Campanella, and got the save.
He apparently had a wicked knuckleball. According to Wikipedia Jackie Robinson was quoted as saying, "I am glad of one thing, and that is I don't have to hit against Dutch Leonard every day. Man, what a knuckleball that fellow has. It comes up, makes a face at you, then runs away."
After the 1948 season, the Phillies traded him to the Cubs for Eddie Waitkus, the player who was the inspiration for the novel (and movie), "The Natural".
It's also interesting to me that the Phillies had two guys named Emil, nicknamed "Dutch" playing for them at the same time. Must have caused some confusion in the clubhouse.
1948 Bowman #28 Emil Verban
"In 1975, a group of Chicago Cubs fans based in Washington DC formed the Emil Verban Society to honor him. Verban was picked as the epitome of a Cub player, competent but obscure and typifying the work ethics. Verban initially believed he was being ridiculed, but his ill feeling disappeared several years later when he was flown to Washington to meet President Ronald Reagan, also a society member, at the White House."
1948 Bowman #24 Emil (Dutch) Leonard
He has a few interesting claims to fame. In 1947, while with the Phillies, he came in to a game in the ninth, with the Phillis clinging to a 1-run lead over the Dodgers. The bases were loaded with no outs. He succeeded in retiring Jackie Robinson, Gil Hodges and Roy Campanella, and got the save.
He apparently had a wicked knuckleball. According to Wikipedia Jackie Robinson was quoted as saying, "I am glad of one thing, and that is I don't have to hit against Dutch Leonard every day. Man, what a knuckleball that fellow has. It comes up, makes a face at you, then runs away."
After the 1948 season, the Phillies traded him to the Cubs for Eddie Waitkus, the player who was the inspiration for the novel (and movie), "The Natural".
It's also interesting to me that the Phillies had two guys named Emil, nicknamed "Dutch" playing for them at the same time. Must have caused some confusion in the clubhouse.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Random cards from my collection #40
Card #27915
2010 Topps 206 Bronze #257 Ryan Howard
Comments on the card: Thicker parallel to 2012 Topps 206. I was disappointed in this set. It was better than the 2009 version but still not as good as the previous issue in 2002.
When acquired: 2011
How acquired: Acquired in trade during the 2011 Great Summer Clearance Trade
Player's season: Ryan hit for average in 2012, .276, but his HR total was down (31). He was an All-Star. The Phillies went to the playoffs, beating the Reds in the NLDS but losing to the Giants in the NLCS.
Card #3175
1989 Donruss #396 Don Carman
Comments on the card: Yet another crazy 1980s Donruss design.
When acquired: Don't know.
How acquired: Don't know.
Player's season: Carman led the National League in losses with a 5-15 record. The Phillies didn't have many good pitchers in 1989.
Card #15353
1990 Topps #673 Joey Meyer
Comments on the card: In just 16 years we'll see this design on Topps Heritage. Can't wait.
When acquired: 2010
How acquired: Paid $0.04/card in a Fairfield repack.
Player's season: Meyer hit .251, with 18 home runs in 156 games in 2 years (1988 and 1989) with the Brewers. One of a handful of Hawaiian players in baseball.
Card #23616
1999 Upper Deck #107 Sean Berry
Comments on the card: Too much silver foil although I think the design actually works better on a horizontal card.
When acquired: Don't know but probably in 1999.
How acquired: Don't know.
Player's season: After hitting .314 for the Astros in 1998, Berry was signed as a free agent by the Brewers for the 1999 season and promptly hit .228.
Card #2812
1983 Topps Traded #77 Joe Morgan
Comments on the card: As was common in the 1980s, the Topps Traded set was printed on white card stock.
When acquired: Don't know but I did not get it new.
How acquired: Don't know.
Player's season: The Phillies got Morgan and Al Holland in a trade with the Giants in December 1993. Joe only hit .230 for the season but helped lead the 1983 Wheeze Kids to the 1983 World Series.
Card # 7094
1987 Fleer #638 Don Mattingly/Darryl Strawberry
Comments on the card: The last few cards in 1980s Fleer sets were these "Superstar Specials" which typically pictured 2 or 3 players, usually not from the same team who had good years.
When acquired: Don't know.
How acquired: Don't know.
Player's season: In 1987, Mattingly was an All-Star, hit .327, had 30 HR and 115 RBI. Strawberry was also an All-Star, hit .284, with 39 HR and 104 RBI. Superstars, indeed.
Card #19511
2010 Topps Vintage Legends Collection #8 Walter Johnson
Comments on the card: An insert card in 2010 Topps. A player from the first quarter of the 20th Century on a card with a 1954 design. Why not?
When acquired: 2010
How acquired: Paid $.19/card for packs of Topps Series 2
Player's season: The Big Train played 21 years for the Senators (1907 - 1927) with a 417-279 record and a career 2.17 ERA. He averaged 282 innings/year for his career.
Card # 7471
2001 Topps HD #75 William Smith
Comments on the card: This 2001 set featured full bleed printing on thick card stock with a hard plastic coating. Very nice cards.
When acquired: 2001
How acquired: Paid $1.20/card for a hobby box
Player's season: Smith was the Marlins #6 draft pick in 2000. He had a 9-year career in the minors but never got the call.
Card #10682
2000 Topps HD #59 Scott Rolen
Comments on the card: The 200 version of Topps HD. I only have 3 cards from this set.
When acquired: 2008
How acquired: Acquired in trade with fellow blogger The Cardboard Junkie
Player's season: In his 5th season with the Phillies, Rolen batted .298 with 26 HR.
Card #14075
2009 Topps 206 #102 Hanley Ramirez
Comments on the card: 2002 Topps 206 is one of my favorite sets. This second Topps 206 set was very disappointing. I really didn't like the fake smudges on the back of the cards, especially since the smudges were identical on each card.
When acquired: 2009
How acquired: I paid $0.44/card for a hobby box and a couple of blasters.
Player's season: Ramirez was an All-Star in 2009 and lead the league with a .342 batting average.
2010 Topps 206 Bronze #257 Ryan Howard
When acquired: 2011
How acquired: Acquired in trade during the 2011 Great Summer Clearance Trade
Player's season: Ryan hit for average in 2012, .276, but his HR total was down (31). He was an All-Star. The Phillies went to the playoffs, beating the Reds in the NLDS but losing to the Giants in the NLCS.
Card #3175
1989 Donruss #396 Don Carman
When acquired: Don't know.
How acquired: Don't know.
Player's season: Carman led the National League in losses with a 5-15 record. The Phillies didn't have many good pitchers in 1989.
Card #15353
1990 Topps #673 Joey Meyer
Comments on the card: In just 16 years we'll see this design on Topps Heritage. Can't wait.
When acquired: 2010
How acquired: Paid $0.04/card in a Fairfield repack.
Player's season: Meyer hit .251, with 18 home runs in 156 games in 2 years (1988 and 1989) with the Brewers. One of a handful of Hawaiian players in baseball.
Card #23616
1999 Upper Deck #107 Sean Berry
Comments on the card: Too much silver foil although I think the design actually works better on a horizontal card.
When acquired: Don't know but probably in 1999.
How acquired: Don't know.
Player's season: After hitting .314 for the Astros in 1998, Berry was signed as a free agent by the Brewers for the 1999 season and promptly hit .228.
Card #2812
1983 Topps Traded #77 Joe Morgan
When acquired: Don't know but I did not get it new.
How acquired: Don't know.
Player's season: The Phillies got Morgan and Al Holland in a trade with the Giants in December 1993. Joe only hit .230 for the season but helped lead the 1983 Wheeze Kids to the 1983 World Series.
Card # 7094
1987 Fleer #638 Don Mattingly/Darryl Strawberry
When acquired: Don't know.
How acquired: Don't know.
Player's season: In 1987, Mattingly was an All-Star, hit .327, had 30 HR and 115 RBI. Strawberry was also an All-Star, hit .284, with 39 HR and 104 RBI. Superstars, indeed.
Card #19511
2010 Topps Vintage Legends Collection #8 Walter Johnson
When acquired: 2010
How acquired: Paid $.19/card for packs of Topps Series 2
Player's season: The Big Train played 21 years for the Senators (1907 - 1927) with a 417-279 record and a career 2.17 ERA. He averaged 282 innings/year for his career.
Card # 7471
2001 Topps HD #75 William Smith
When acquired: 2001
How acquired: Paid $1.20/card for a hobby box
Player's season: Smith was the Marlins #6 draft pick in 2000. He had a 9-year career in the minors but never got the call.
Card #10682
2000 Topps HD #59 Scott Rolen
When acquired: 2008
How acquired: Acquired in trade with fellow blogger The Cardboard Junkie
Player's season: In his 5th season with the Phillies, Rolen batted .298 with 26 HR.
Card #14075
2009 Topps 206 #102 Hanley Ramirez
When acquired: 2009
How acquired: I paid $0.44/card for a hobby box and a couple of blasters.
Player's season: Ramirez was an All-Star in 2009 and lead the league with a .342 batting average.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
The moods of 2013 Topps Heritage
It's amazing the moods you can capture with just head and shoulder shots.
Some are happy
Some are a little mean
Some are bearded (is that thing even real?)
Some are really happy
Some are wistful
Some are unkempt
Some are disgusted
Some are belligerent
Some are surprised
Some are bald
And some are just sleepy
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