2013 MLB Tournament Prizes #16 through #20

I'm over the shock of yesterday, and I've done my part by observing a moment of blog silence for most of the day.  The shop is open a few more days, so that gives me some anxiety filled time to decided whether or not I want to do something completely insane...

Anyways, it's time to return to our regularly scheduled programming and reveal the next batch of potential prizes for the 2013 MLB Tournament!

As noted previously, there will be 30 prizes available, however, only the tournament winner will receive a prize.  The prizes consist of one card from my collection for each of the 30 teams. Seeds are not open for claiming, and the prizes are based on a sliding scale using Las Vegas' odds for winning the 2013 World Series.

For further information, check out the original 2013 MLB Tournament announcement, as well as the reveals of Prizes #1 through #5, Prizes #6 through #10 and Prizes #11 through #15. 

This week the prizes begin to get down to the nitty gritty.  These prizes just may make you take a long-shot underdog over picking your favorite team.  Wait, is that a 1950s card of a Hall of Famer???  Let's take a look!

#16 - Odds 35/1 - NL Seed #7	1976 Topps Hank Aaron
#17 - Odds 40/1 - AL Seed #4	1965 Topps Brooks Robinson
#18 - Odds 40/1 - AL Seed #8	1959 Topps Luis Aparicio
#19 - Odds 45/1 - NL Seed #9	2002 Topps Gold Label Randy Johnson Jersey Relic
#20 - Odds 50/1 - AL Seed #11	1976 Topps George Brett

PS - Seeds are not open for request, and will not be opened until all 30 prizes have been announced.

PPS - Here is the bracket...

A Moment of Silence

My Local Card Shop is Dead

BREAKING NEWS

I am interrupting tonight’s scheduled post about the 2013 MLB Tournament Prizes to announce that my Local Card Shop is dead.

I had to run to the post office during lunch today, and just around the corner is my Local Card Shop.  Having some free time, I dropped in and was immediately taken aback.  There were people in the shop.  A lot of people…I counted five.  The store was packed! 

I waved at the co-owner and she waved back since she was on the phone.  I surveyed the crowd again and wondered what was happening.  Is the 2013 Topps release that popular?  Maybe, I thought.  Then I saw one of the men had a camera.  Odd.

I glanced at another man and he had a measuring tape.  Strange.  A third man caught my eye because he was pointing around the room and talking on the phone in Arabic.  Surreal.  

The co-owner put down the phone and said to one gentleman, “No, I need the register until next week.”  Then it dawned on me, my Local Card Shop was dying.  “$50,” hollered one guy while pointing at the display case.  The co-owner bowed her head, seemingly studying her shoes, and then she acquiesced, “Alright,” she mumbled.

This is a nightmare, I thought.  I stood by the singles box, fingering the stacks in a daze, half-heartedly searching for a 1987 Topps Eric Davis to complete my set.  Before long, the co-owner was in front of me.  “I guess you figured out we’re going out of business,” she said.  I looked at her, and she had a tear in her eye.  Oh, no.  “Yes, I gathered as much,” I mumbled, motioning at the kettle of vultures.  

“He got a full-time job,” she said referring to the other co-owner, “An extra dollar and a quarter an hour.” “That’s great!,” I replied while thinking that wasn’t much, not near enough to cover the loss of the store.  She was called away to succumb to another insulting offer.

A few minutes later, she came back to me and said she’d miss my monthly visits.  From 2004 until last year, I worked one block away from the shop.  I’d stop by once a month, mainly just to talk cards with the owners and sometimes I’d buy a pack, or a couple Gwynn singles.

We made more small talk, knowing this was the end, until the moment teetered on uncomfortable.  She put up her index finger and walked away.  She came back with three empty 3,200 count boxes.  “Here,” she said, handing me the boxes.  “Fill them up with whatever you want, and I’ll charge you $10 a box.”

I paused.

“Go on,” she prodded, “We’ve got to get rid of the cards, and I would rather you get what you want,” while she eyed the vultures.  Hesitantly I took a box and stood there like a confused puppy.  “Anything I want?” I asked.  “Anything,” she said.

I spent the rest of my lunch hour completely overwhelmed.  I thumbed through countless boxes, and eventually filled all three 3,200 count boxes to the gills.  I could have been more thorough, I could have been greedy, but I just went for what I needed to complete sets.  

“Is that all you need?” she asked, as I left the store for the last time.  “It’s more than I could have hoped for,” I said.  As I was getting into my car, I heard the familiar chime on the shop's door, looked up and saw the co-owner coming out.  “Here you go,” she said, “I think you needed this.”

She handed me a 1987 Topps Eric Davis.

Redefine the Design - 2013 Topps

Today is the BIG day (for some of you), and Topps is releasing Series One of the 2013 flagship.  Growing up, this day never existed.  One day you went to the local pharmacy, and they were selling 1986 Topps.  The next day, the pharmacy had 1987 Topps on the counter.  There was no countdown, there was no hype.  It just happened.

Call me old fashioned, but I liked it that way.  There was no build-up for the inevitable let down.  I wasn't dreading TOO MANY INSERTS, or the thought of chasing Short Prints to ruin my day.  Back then, cards changed like seasons, one day it was winter, then next it was spring, and we survived.

I never saw the newest release until I opened a wax pack or caught a glimpse of the new cards on the display box.  When 1990 Topps came out, I didn't have time to freak out over the design.  Before I knew it, I'd bought 10 packs for $5 and 150 cards were in my hands and ten sticks of gum were in my mouth.  I was happy and didn't care that the cards looked like 1975 Topps on acid.  I was HAPPY dammit!

Now, 2013 Topps rolls out today, and we've seen the design for what 14 months? I kid, sort of.  I was alright with the 2013 design sometime back in 2012, but now I'm not sold.  I'm already over the set before I've even held the cards!

So, on the first official day of the 2013 Topps release, I'm releasing my own redesign.  I think these changes are appropriate and suitable for the uninspired design.  There is something isometrically 1989-ish about this design, what is missing to tie it all together????

Before

 

After

PS - I'm sure I'll collate a set out of OCD tendencies...

This is Why I Should Only Collect Vintage...

Now that Phase I of Uncle Doc’s Card Closet is completed, I am now in the process of beginning Phase II which is to organize each card by manufacturer, year, card number, etc.  Each box has a label sticker on it with a designation, say A1 through A8 for the first shelf, B1 through B8 for the second shelf, etc.  Within each box, I make a divider that has the year, manufacturer name, set name for each different type of card.

Looking above, you’ll notice a clipboard hanging on the wall.  Here I plan on having a paper directory of card types in each box.  I’m doing this because it’s much easier to print out a new directory than having to redo stickers on the box when I get new cards that aren’t already in the catalog.  You get it?

 

Anyways, one massive side effect/pain-in-the-ass with newer cards is all the freaking variations, inserts, etc.  Check out the directory so far for Boxes A1, A2 and A3.  Box A2 takes up TWO PAGES and has 75 different dividers for a 3,000 count box that isn’t even full!!!

This is just sad.  I know it will happen again when I get to Donruss, Fleer, Nu-Topps and Upper Deck.  Imagine if it was just vintage, the box would just read E2: 1979 Topps.

No 1979 Topps Golden Diamond Refractor Cognac Variation.  No 1979 Topps Mini Parallel Chrome Prospect Sticker.  No 1979 Topps Cards Your Step-Mom Threw Out Because You Wouldn’t Clean Your Room. 

IT WOULD JUST SAY 1979 TOPPS.  Ahhh…

Background Noise - 1989 Topps Jeff Ballard

I am finally upright after a hellacious weekend of back pain.  I’ve had a trick back since I broke it back in 2001, and usually once, maybe twice, a year it will give out like it did on Friday.  Usually my back will give out when I’m doing macho things like moving sand bags or picking up lumber, but no, not this time.  This time my back gave out while I was bending over to take a clean plate out of the dishwasher.  How macho is that?

Anyways, the pain meds have done their job and I’m no longer in a cloud of opiates.  I think I posted yesterday, but I’m not quite sure.  Let me check… Yeah, Mariano Duncan post, eh?  Must have been high out of my mind.

Well, I won’t lie to you, this post isn’t much better.  I was searching through some cards looking for a Background Noise card to post, when I saw this Jeff Ballard card…

Pretty bland card, right?  Not much going on (like most cards in 1989 Topps) except for some spring training crowds, a dugout and a cop.  Then it hit me.  Is that a gun on a Topps card?

First off, breathe.  I’m not turning this baseball card into a 2nd Amendment debate, and I strongly encourage no comments about that either.  But, seriously, when is the last time you’ve ever seen a gun on a baseball card?  And why is there a police man standing at the top of the dugout in spring training game?  That sparse crowd does not seem unruly.  This card seems so odd.

Granted, Stephen Spielberg might have gotten a hold of this card, and that may be a walkie-talkie on this right hip, but since most officers are righties, I’m betting that is a service revolver.

I’ll keep an eye out for officer’s in future cards, but as of now, I’m naming this the one and only baseball card to feature a gun on it.  Has anyone else seen a gun on a baseball card before?

Cameo Cards - 1991 Topps Mariano Duncan

For today's Cameo Card, I'm venturing into the ever popular 1991 Topps set.  Unlike the previous two, three, oh eight Topps releases, the 1991 set features some spectacular photography.  While most of those awesome photos are staged, think Benito Santiago, Roger Clemens, Wade Boggs, etc., this card features some action!

Yet, something is totally amiss in this card.  Granted, it's a cool cameo of Ozzie Smith, but check out Duncan's silhouette.  His jersey is black-lined.  On top of that, why are both Smith and Duncan wearing red jerseys?  

Either the depicted game is a spring training game, or Duncan has been airbrushed for some reason.  I mean, just look at his cap.  Well, it could be me and all the pain killers I'm on for tweaking my back.  Look unicorns...

So all you Ozzie Smith collectors out there, you might want to go land yourself a 1991 Topps Mariano Duncan to round out your player collection!

What do you think?  Spring training game or subtle air-brush?

Trade Bait - California Angels Button

A side effect of cleaning out, building and organizing my new card closet, is that I have some interesting trade fodder.  Since I designed the closet solely for wax, sets and super shoes, I am left with a big box of odds and ends that need a new home.

Today I'm offering for trade a California Angels button.  Angels in Order has already claimed one of the large buttons and the small orange button.  If you're interested, please leave a comment and then I will email you.  Also, my want list is on the right side of the top menu.  Out of what's listed, I'm mostly interested in knocking off the 2011 Topps Series 2.

I also still have a 1982 Fleer Sticker Album and three All-Star ballots left for trade...

Oh, Wow...

The Trifecta!!

 

Just for you, Hoo!

Pwn3d - Tony Gwynn

It’s Saturday, and I no longer have a backlog of posts ready, so I’m going to try out something new today.  If you look at my top menu, you’ll notice that I have eight running serials.  Seven of those serials have a specific day to be posted, while the Spot the Ǝrror serial fills in the blanks when I need a break from writing, researching, etc. 

When I came back to the blogging world after my hiatus, I decided that I needed structure in order to keep this blog viable.  Otherwise, I’d post sporadically about a current whimsy and then the next thing I know, I’m posting once a week and losing interest quickly, which causes readers to lose interest compounding the spiral effect.  That’s why I’ve created a programming schedule of seven serials and one floater.

While this may sound strange, I like it because it keeps me active.  I even keep track of page views for each serial to determine what’s working and what isn’t.  In essence, I’ve become the writer, director, producer , PR man and CEO of my own blog “channel.”  I’ve even decided to let each serial run at least 13 “episodes” with a full season run being 26.  Yeah, I know, nerdy, but it’s my blog.

Knowing that some of these serials will not stand the test of time, or will just run their course, I keep a list of potential serials to fill in the time slots.  So today, I’m going to run a pilot named Pwn3d, and your feedback is appreciated…

***********************************************************************************************************************

Pwn3d is a series that highlights players who either dominated or were dominated by an opposing pitcher/batter.   A minimum 20 Plate Appearance limit is required.

During Tony Gwynn’s career, he amassed 3,141 hits and hung his cleats with an amazing .338 lifetime batting average.  What is even more impressive is when you dig into his numbers you find that Gwynn had the number of a lot of pitchers, while only a handful had Gwynn swinging in stitches.

Using a 20 Plate Appearance limit, Gwynn batted above .400 against 45 pitchers.  We will call this the Williams Line, since Teddy Ballgame was the last player to break this magical barrier.  At the other end of the spectrum, Gwynn battled below .200 (Mendoza Line) against a mere six pitchers.  This gives us a W/M (Williams to Mendoza) ratio of 7.5.  I just created a new SABRmetric!!!  

Of Gwynn’s over .400 victims, the list includes Hideo Nomo (.560), John Smoltz (.444), Kevin Brown (.423), Jamie Moyer (.417) and Greg Maddux (.415!!!).  Some impressive pitchers were destroyed by Gwynn, but as one would expect, most of the pitchers he brutalized were not well known.

As for those who Gwynn apparently forgot to video tape and scrutinize, it is a veritable list of Who and Huh?  The likes of Shane Rawley (.182), Mike Remlinger (.182), Mel Rojas (.167), Omar Olivares (.120) and Dan Schatzeder (.111).  Not exactly a five-ace rotation.

While these insights are amazing, I have left off the #1 most abused and #1 least hit pitchers on the list.  Envelope please…The winners are:

Gwynn Pwn3d You!	You Pwn3d Gwynn!
11 for 19 (.579)	1 for 20 (.050)

***********************************************************************************************************************

So what do you think?

Trade Bait - 1982 Fleer Sticker Album

A side effect of cleaning out, building and organizing my new card closet, is that I have some interesting trade fodder.  Since I designed the closet solely for wax, sets and super shoes, I am left with a big box of odds and ends that need a new home.

Tonight I'm offering up for trade an unused 1982 Fleer Sticker Album.  All of the pages are blank and in good condition.  If you're interested, please leave a comment and then I will email you.  Also, my want list is on the right side of the top menu.  Out of what's listed, I'm mostly interested in knocking off the 2011 Topps Series 2.

I also still have three All-Star ballots left for trade...

Spot the Ǝrror - 1991 Score Kent Anderson

This is the eighth in a series comparing error and corrected card versions.  If you spot the error, leave a comment.  First one to correctly identify the difference between the two cards and what's the error, wins the round.  Standings will be updated continually with an eventual prize.

No cheating, the honor system applies!
 

Standings:
Fuji (1)
Wilson (1)
Jeff Wilk (1)
JayBee (1)
Fleerfan (1)
hh99 (1) 
Carl Crawford Cards (1)

Trade Bait - 1989, 1991 and 1992 All-Star Ballots

A side effect of cleaning out, building and organizing my new card closet, is that I have some interesting trade fodder.  Since I designed the closet solely for wax, sets and super shoes, I am left with a big box of odds and ends that need a new home.

That is why tonight I'm offering four three un-punched All-Star ballots.  All four three are in good shape and free of hanging chads.

If you're interested, please leave a comment.  Also, my want list is on the right side of the top menu.  Out of what's listed, I'm mostly interested in knocking off the 2011 Topps Series 2.

* Angels in Order has claimed one of the 1989 All-Star Ballots

Name the Game - 1973 Topps Steve Garvey

This card has always cracked me up because Steve Garvey appears to be making a cameo on his own card.  The frame is practically absorbed by Wes Parker with Garvey peaking out of the shadow of Mr. Steady's right shoulder.  Another quirk to this card is how much Wes Parker towers over Garvey.  While part of it is perspective, I find it funny that the official listed height for Wes Parker was 6' 1", and Garvey's was 5' 10".  Sure doesn't look like a 3-inch height discrepancy to me!

Anyways, I do love this card because it is one of the first home run celebrations portrayed on a Topps card.  Garvey is finishing his trot, while Parker is waiting with bat in hand to congratulate Popeye.  I also like the lurking catcher at the left of the card with his shin guards peaking out.  Is that orange I see...?  Let's dissect this card to Name the Game!

In 1972 Garvey hit nine home runs in 317 plate appearances.  Since the Dodgers are in their road greys, those nine dingers are whittled down to four.  One in Montreal, one in Pittsburgh and two in San Fransisco.  

Looking at the orange seats in left field, I could automatically knock off Montreal and Pittsburgh, but we'll do this scientifically.  Of the four games noted, Wes Parker batted in the order behind Garvey in only one game, the July 1, 1972 meeting between the Los Angeles Dodgers and their dreaded rival San Fransisco Giants (The peaking orange shin guard tells all!).

In this game, Garvey was batting clean-up with Parker in the 5-hole.  In the top of the first, Bobby Valentine (ugh) reached base on a walk, and then Garvey hit a home run off of Sam McDowell to jump the Dodgers out to a 2-0 lead that they eventually let slip away...

So, the featured card is the July 1, 1972 game between the Dodgers and Giants at Candlestick Park, and the play is Steve Garvey smacking a home run in the Top of the 1st off of Sam McDowell.    

2013 MLB Tournament Prizes #11 through #15

Tonight I bring you the Week 3 reveal of the next batch of potential prizes for the 2013 MLB Tournament.  As noted previously, there will be 30 prizes available, however, only the tournament winner will receive a prize.  The prizes consist of one card from my collection for each of the 30 teams.

Seeds are not open for claiming, and the prizes are based on a sliding scale using Las Vegas' odds for winning the 2013 World Series.

For further information, check out the original 2013 MLB Tournament announcement, as well as the reveals of Prizes #1 through #5 and Prizes #6 through #10. 

This week the prizes are beginning to considerably step up in quality.  Let's take a look!

#11 - Odds 16/1 - NL Seed #8	1960 Topps Robin Roberts
#12 - Odds 22/1 - AL Seed #5	2011 Topps Lineage 1975 Mini Relic
#13 - Odds 25/1 - AL Seed #12	1972 Topps Carlton Fisk RC
#14 - Odds 25/1 - NL Seed #5	1968 Topps Bob Gibson
#15 - Odds 30/1 - AL Seed #2	1970 Topps Reggie Jackson

PS - Seeds are not open for request, and will not be opened until all 30 prizes have been announced.

PPS - Here is the bracket...

Topps Cards That Never Were - 1960 Ted Williams

As promised last week, I am in the midst of releasing a trio of Topps Cards That Never Were for arguably the greatest hitter to ever play the game, Ted Williams.  Previously, I featured a 1959 Topps version of Williams that received little fanfare and was largely ignored.  Oh well, I’m not in it for the adulation.

This week is a 1960 Topps card representing Williams’ 1959 season, the one and only season he hit under .300!  The release of this card is also special because it is my Dad’s birthday, and Ted Williams was his favorite player.  So what better gift than to present a 1960 Topps Williams’ card that never was?  Enjoy!

I enjoyed making this card.  Adding the black and white photograph was fun, and I like the approach I took of showing his number instead of his face like most 1960 Topps cards.  The number nine is synonymous with Ted Williams and it should be shown on a card!  The lettering did give me fits.  I was almost done when I realized I had the black/red alternating sequence messed up.  Oops.

As always, let me know if you have any requests, and I’ll start working on a card for you.  I have one more Williams to show, and a request for a 1972 Topps Fisk RC.

My Wife's Reaction...

...to the Uncle Doc's Card Closet.

God bless her soul, how I love her so.

Uncle Doc's Card Closet Comes to Life!

As a collector, I have long had a dream to have all of my cards neatly organized and accessible.  Ever since I left the nest, my collection has been either separated in multiple States, boxed-up, or completely disheveled in a state of disarray…until now.

When I moved into my current house, the room above the garage was unfinished.  The room was 20 feet by 21 feet, but had a weird nook that was roughly 2 feet by 9 feet.  Before I started laying insulation, flooring and installing drywall, I framed this 18 square foot nook to become a closet.

 Long, narrow and empty.

Over the years, this closet held my cards, but it also held my wife’s scrapbooking materials, toys, musical instruments, etc.  In essence, this closet was a huge junk drawer, and due to its narrow nature, made accessing my cards impossible.  I’d have to move a ton of stuff just to get to my cards, and then I might have to move 20 card boxes just to locate the box I was looking for, which was highly inefficient and maddening.

To add to this, my wife detests baseball cards.  Ok, I’ll be fair, she doesn’t mind the cards, just the sheer number I have and the fact that they’re unorganized.  She is a clutter freak (like me), so I thought it was high-time that I do something about it.

A few months ago, I did a massive overhaul on the bonus room.  Gleaned toys, reorganized the room, and emptied the closet.  Around the same time, I decided to get back into the blogging world; redid the blog format, came up with new ideas and got a custom url.  So, the next logical step was to actually create Uncle Doc’s Card Closet in the flesh, or make that cardboard, wood and metal.

The original closet held lots of boxes...

...and even more boxes!
 

I realized that if I was going to utilize this narrow closet, all of my existing storage boxes had to go.  The 2,000, 3,200 and 5,000 count boxes are not dimensionally sized properly to maximize my storage capacity.  I measured the closet and found the width to be 23 inches, which led me to realize that I needed 3,000 count boxes that are 11 inches wide.

Now knowing the boxes I needed, I hit the local card shop to find out they’re charging $4 a box.  Uh, no thanks.  Next up was the internet, and Amazon was a joke, as was eBay.  Eventually I landed at Blowout Cards, and they had awesome prices and free shipping for orders over $150.  After a few days of hemming and hawing, I finally pulled the trigger last Thursday and ordered fifty 3,000 count boxes, fifty 800 count boxes, fifty 660 count boxes, fifty 200 count boxes and 200 penny sleeves to break the free shipping barrier.  Nothing like free shipping on 80+ pounds of supplies that arrives the next day!

So, beginning Friday night, I began folding boxes, and folding boxes, and folding boxes, and folding boxes until I thought my mind would fold in on itself.  On Saturday, I began merging my cards by manufacturer.  On Sunday, I went to the hardware store, armed with a paper full of dimensions and a tape measure.

This all led to yesterday, where I installed two sets of custom shelving, and moved my entire collection from the old boxes to the 50 brand new 3,000 count super shoes.

Shelving on the left side of the closet

Shelving on the right side of the closet

The left side of the closet holds all my sets and wax, while the right side has all my loose cards in the 3,000 count boxes that are arranged eight boxes to a shelf.  I even had a place for my binders and supplies.  All of the cards are now accessible and neatly organized, and the most boxes I have to move is three in order to get to a box.

Left side: Wax, sets and 10 super shoes!

Right side: Binders and 40 super shoes! 

After seven long years, Uncle Doc’s Card Closet finally exists!  But wait, there will be more to come!