krismas day triple play

One of the neatest aspects of immersing oneself in minor league baseball is that doing so affords the opportunity to follow your favorite players for a longer period of time than if you had waited to “discover” them once they become an everyday player in the majors. Of course, this argument makes the assumption that your favorite minor league players not only make that leap, but also make it stick when they do.

Josh Wilson (2006 Topps 52 Rookies – no. 45)

Born within a Bill Mazeroski moonshot of Honus Wagner’s birthplace, shortstop Josh Wilson was destined to play ball. I first met Josh during the 2004 season when he joined the Albuquerque Isotopes. A completely likable fellow, Wilson approached both games and practices with determination to perform to the best of his abilities and to improve at every opportunity, making him one of my favorite players for the two seasons he was in town. The thing I like best about Josh’s character is that he even takes his clowning around seriously. Wilson would be a positive influence in any professional baseball clubhouse.

Josh Wilson (2006 Topps 52 Rookies – chrome no. TCRC12 1752/1952)

With that having been typed, the man himself has probably been involved in as many trades as have his baseball cards. Over a span of only five years, Wilson has donned major and/or minor league uniforms for the Marlins, Rockies, Nationals, (then Devil) Rays, Pirates, Red Sox, Diamondbacks, Padres and Mariners.

Josh Wilson (2006 Topps 52 Rookies – chrome refractor no. TCRC12 305/552)

I hit the trifecta when Josh autographed all three versions of his 2006 Topps 52 Rookie card for me this past summer while back in the Duke City playing for the Tacoma Rainiers. If all goes well, he will return again in early April when the Seattle Mariners play a two-game Spring Training series against the Colorado Rockies at Isotopes Park. It will be a pleasure to watch him running, diving and making dazzling plays while wearing a Seattle uniform.

– Kris

mr. jones and me look into the future

Mitch Jones autographed his 2006 Topps 52 Rookie card for my collection during the first few days of his only season with the Albuquerque Isotopes. Over the course of the 2009 season, Jones launched 35 homers to capture the coveted Joe Baughman award and earned a $7,000 bonus in the process. You can bet that bonus was well spent on shelving to house all of the hardware Jones earned during the 2009 season including being named the Isotopes MVP, PNM Power Hitter of the Year, PCL All-Star and being added to the Topps Triple-A All-Star team. I probably forgot a few awards, but you get the idea…

Mitch Jones (2006 Topps 52 Rookies – no. 260)

In spite of the fact that Jones had a card in the 2006 Topps 52 Rookie set, he actually didn’t make his Major League debut until being called up to the Los Angeles Dodgers during June of the 2009 season. If Jones can heat up in the Florida sun this spring, chances are he will hit his first of many Major League bombs playing for the Atlanta Braves.

–  Kris

clines cornered

Although I probably owe all readers who have spent any amount of time in New Mexico an apology for the title of this posting, I just don’t see that happening. Instead, let’s check out some kool baseball cards. These are all 1975 Topps cards that I got autographed in person during the 2009 season.

Gene Clines – 1975 Topps no. 575

A hitting coordinator for the Los Angles Dodgers, Gene Clines made a few trips to Albuquerque during the 2009 season to help Isotopes hitters fine tune their approach at the plate. I was fortunate to have caught up with the “Roadrunner” after one of the games while he was hanging around outside the ballpark enjoying a smoke. Unfortunately, it was too dark for me to tell whether Gene was wearing the World Series ring he earned with the Pirates in 1971.

Glenn Abbott – 1975 Topps no. 591

I’ve gotten cards signed by Glenn Abbott before, but I never had his 1975 Topps card when I’ve seen him. One of the advantages of completing a set is having a card of every player contained within on hand in the event that you get an opportunity to meet them. I still need a few cards to complete my 1975 Topps set, but luckily, I was able to pick this one up in a trade before the Portland Beavers visited the Duke City near the end of summer. Abbott pitched a perfect inning on September 28, 1975 against the (then) California Angels in what proved to be the first four-pitcher combined no hitter in Major League history.

Don Money – 1975 Topps no. 175

Having set the major league record of consecutive errorless games at the hot corner at 86 with 257 opportunities during the summer of 1974, Don Money handled this card flawlessly after he agreed to autograph it for my collection. The four-time All-Star appeared in the 1982 World Series with the Milwaukee Brewers. Money is currently the manager of the Nashville Sounds. Don’s current signature is amazingly similar to the facsimile signature that was applied by Topps 34 years ago.

Jim Slaton – 1975 Topps no. 281

Jim Slaton served as the Isotopes pitching coach during the 2009 season, so I had a great number of opportunities to get this card autographed. That does not mean that I appreciate it any less. A teammate of Don Money and the Milwaukee Brewers, Slaton won Game Four of the 1982 World Series.

– Kris

A = g/ll + (n*r): the mathematics of blue sharpie

Try as I might, I find it difficult to believe that approximately 1.37 lunar cycles have passed since I last posted any scans of Topps Allen & Ginter baseball cards that I have gotten autographed in person. Obviously the biggest thing that has happened during that time frame was the release of their 2009 product line. Certainly by now, everyone has seen these cards in person. What remains is the possibility that you may not have seen how these wonderful baseball cards can be further transformed with the few strokes of a fine point blue Sharpie.

I would also like to state for the record before I get rolling and eventually sidetracked a number of times, that I am interested in trading for any and ALL duplicates you may have of the “Electron” card from this set. While a few collectors dislike the oddball cards included in the Allen & Ginter product, I love them. Especially the ones that can be used to obtain unique autographs of baseball players and other celebrities, such as the St. Louis Arch for players in the Cardinals organization and the Washington Monument for random political glitterati (if you are so inclined). With that in mind, I couldn’t have been happier when I saw the “Electron” card and marveled at the similarity between the image and the Albuquerque Isotopes logo. Thanks Topps!

Blake DeWitt (Electron) – 2009 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 79

Having Blake DeWitt sign my first A&G “Electron” card was a no brainer given his kool signature and magnetic personality. Besides, I had a couple other 2009 Allen & Ginter Blake DeWitt cards that needed autographed anyway.

Blake DeWitt – 2009 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 117

I honestly didn’t get very excited when I looked over the checklist of certified autograph cards that were being inserted “randomly” into the product, but I was thrilled when I read that there was a Blake DeWitt bat card. These game-used relic cards look absolutely fabulous signed.

Blake DeWitt (game used bat) – 2009 Topps Allen & Ginter no. AGR-BD

*****

Chris Davis – 2009 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 188

The Texas Rangers decided to send Chris Davis down to Triple-A to work on his hitting and to make it possible for him to autograph this card for my collection when the Oklahoma RedHawks traveled west to the Rio Grande Valley. Davis is a great guy with a monster swing. I guarantee you that even the baseballs he misses are sweatin’ each trip toward home plate while he is up to bat.

Edwin Moreno – 2009 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 120

The native Venezuelan didn’t have much to say while he autographed this card after a game with the Portland Beavers. Oh well, he still has an interesting signature, and I think it looks fantastic on this card.

Brandon Morrow – 2009 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 194

I believe I had issues with the design of the 2009 Topps Allen & Ginter cards when I first began seeing scans of them online. But after having cards like this one of Brandon Morrow in hand, I can’t recall what those issues were. This really is a stellar product. In a perfect universe, this card would be part of a 700-card set that would be chock full of rookies and minor leaguers.

Matt Tuiasosopo – 2009 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 174

Getting Matt Tuiasosopo’s autograph can be more challenging than correctly pronouncing his name. He recently passed through the Duke City with the Tacoma Rainiers.

Brandon Boggs – 2008 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 346

Speaking of “tough signatures,” check out this autographed 2008 Topps Allen & Ginter Brandon Boggs card. Even the most seasoned graphers require relatively think skin when approaching certain players for an autograph. Boggs offers a glare and a choice word or three short of a tirade with each signature that leaves you feeling grateful that he only signs one. Possibly he is a little more fan friendly for the home crowd in Oklahoma City. It would be interesting to hear from a RedHawks fan on this topic.

Allen & Ginter cards from the 2007 set that I have recently gotten autographed include the regular and mini versions of both Alejandro De Aza and Doug Mientkiewicz.

Alejandro De Aza – 2007 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 199 mini

Alejandro De Aza will sign one card per person per game, but without any attitude. If you are hoping to engage a ballplayer in an extended conversation, my advice is that you look elsewhere.

Alejandro De Aza – 2007 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 199

*****

Doug Mientkiewicz – 2007 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 241 mini

Doug Mientkiewicz is one of those baseball players I had seen play on television for years and never once considered what I would say to him if I ever met him. In fact, I never had any reason to think that I would meet him. Then he was sent to Albuquerque on a major league rehab assignment- twice this past month. Turns out he has a great sense of humor and seems to enjoy talking to baseball fans about baseball, driving, and pretty much anything else you care to bring up. Oh, and he will autograph baseball cards all night long with a grin on his face.

Doug Mientkiewicz – 2007 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 241

*****

John Koronka – 2006 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 257

John Koronka signed this 2006 Topps Allen & Ginter card recently when the New Orleans Zephyrs blew into town. As much as I like this year’s A&G product, okay… all of them, I think the 2006 series remains my favorite.

Kris Benson – 2006 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 152

This Kris Benson card gets saved for last. I will leave it for you to decide whether I did so simply because his name is spelled the same as mine, or because he went to high school just a few clips down the road from the infamous Cardboard Junkie. I also briefly considered mentioning Anna Benson’s name in this article, but decided against it.

Well, as the days become noticeably shorter, I cannot help but realize that there remains but one homestand before the end of the regular 2009 season. While I may not have many more chances to get additional Allen & Ginter cards signed, it appears that I will eventually benefit from enough free time to catch up posting my favorites from all of the other cards I have been getting autographed this summer. Lucky you!

– Kris

blame kanada

I want to begin this brief blog posting by stating that I have absolutely zero problems with Upper Deck’s 2009 O-Pee-Chee baseball cards. I like the design, the card stock and the size of the set. Since I have no intention of attempting to build the entire set, I don’t even mind the short prints or the parallel cards.

The simple truth of the matter is that there are other new and vintage cards available that I prefer to chase. With that in mind, I will be picking up cards of players from this set that I believe I will have the opportunity to get autographed in person.

Cory Wade – 2009 Upper Deck O-Pee-Chee no. 181

Cory Wade signed this card for me Monday afternoon after pitching an inning in relief as part of a Major League rehab assignment with the Albuquerque Isotopes.

Blake DeWitt – 2009 Upper Deck O-Pee-Chee no. 382

Less than an hour later, a cab pulled up and delivered Blake DeWitt and his equipment to the Isotopes clubhouse after he had been optioned back to Albuquerque for a few days. Blake has a fantastic attitude about his movements between the two clubs this season, and you can’t help but think that one of these times he gets called up will be the last time we see him around town.

While I won’t have any 2009 Upper Deck O-Pee-Chee baseball cards to trade, you shouldn’t let that keep you from checking out my ever-changing want list as you attempt to reduce the number of duplicates you have taking up storage space in your card room. I’m almost positive that I can find something to trade that you need, so drop me a line.

–  Kris

allen and ginterings

How do I prepare for the release of the 2009 Topps Allen & Ginter baseball cards? Well, for starters, I like to look back at the previous sets and marvel at what a fantastic product it is. Tired and in need of being retired? I think NOT. These cards are smokin’!

Of course, we’ve all seen them, and most even have the majority of at least the base cards. As such, plain ol’ base cards don’t merit scanning and posting here. Instead, here are scans of the various Topps Allen & Ginter cards I have gotten autographed in person over the past three months.

Jeff Weaver – 2007 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 167

It sucks that I’ve only gotten one card from the 2007 Topps Allen & Ginter set autographed in person this year. Of course, that is the main drawback to a product with a relatively small number of players included in it- most of them aren’t going to be appearing in many minor league games.

Greg Reynolds – 2008 Topps Allen & Ginter no.139

Greg Reynolds applied his fantastic signature to his 2008 Topps Allen & Ginter card recently while passing thru town with the Colorado Sky Sox. In spite of how often I rant and rave about other baseball cards that I like to collect, I would be hard-pressed to name another product that “takes” an autograph as well as the Allen & Ginter cardstock.

Jason Schmidt – 2008 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 337

Jason Schmidt has been rehabbing with the Isotopes for a short while. If you aren’t sure what he looks like in street clothes, I suggest looking for the 6’4” dude surrounded by a group of people seeking autographs.

Rich Thompson – 2008 Topps Allen & Ginter no.291

Rich Thompson was “down” with the Salt Lake Bees when they swarmed the Duke City earlier this season. Thompson is nothing short of all-serious on the mound, but an extremely pleasant player to talk to before he puts on his game face, or after his work is done for the evening. If you are wondering what the mini version of Thompson’s 2008 Allen & Ginter card would look like signed, here you go.

Rich Thompson – 2008 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 291 mini

Brandon Wood – 2008 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 312

For those of you who track such things, Brandon Wood seems to have doubled up and is now willing to sign two items per fan. I didn’t ask him why he had changed his routine when he was here with the Salt Lake Bees. I also saw him sign the sweet spot of a baseball this year. I found that significant because I once watched as he refused to sign the sweet spot for a fan during Spring Training in Tempe, Arizona, explaining that the sweet spot is reserved for the manager’s signature.

Chin-Lung Hu – 2008 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 22

Hold onto your caps, it’s a Chin-Lung Hu trifecta! First, a regular sized card signed in English then a second signed in Hu’s native Taiwanese. I’ve heard several people ask Hu to sign in Chinese, and the end result is the same. Listen, I’m a baseball card collector, not an orthograpist, so I don’t know which is correct. For all I know, asking a Taiwanese person to write in Chinese may be equivalent to calling a square a rectangle. Sure, I could ask Chin-Lung at some point, but I would rather congratulate him on a game well played while he is signing my cards.

Chin-Lung Hu – 2008 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 22 (Taiwanese auto)

Chin-Lung Hu – 2008 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 22 mini

Obviously there isn’t a heck of a lot of time for chitchat when Hu stops to sign his mini version of his 2008 Topps Allen & Ginter card!

Although I will be collecting the 2009 Topps Allen & Ginter baseball cards, I am undecided whether I will bust out of the gates with the new product, or wait and attack it with blaster boxes once they begin to filter into Target. More than likely I will invest my blaster box funds on a couple of Joel Rosario mounts at Hollywood Park Thursday in an attempt to parlay it into a hobby box.

– Kris

join the (2008 topps stadium) club

Quick… what is more fun than purchasing a whole mess of 2008 Topps Stadium Club baseball cards at drastically discounted prices?

CORRECT- getting some of those cards autographed in person!

A handful of pages have been ripped from the calendar since I last discussed these cards. As I suspected, the cards look pretty sharp after the players have signed them. I already posted scans of Blake DeWitt’s autographed Stadium Club cards, so they will not be repeated here. With that in mind, first up are the five variations of the Chin-Lung Hu cards that I pulled together while trying to understand this product this past winter.

Chin-Lung Hu 2008 Topps Stadium Club no. 133-a

Chin-Lung Hu 2008 Topps Stadium Club no. 133-a 1st Day Issue (no. 187/599)

Chin-Lung Hu 2008 Topps Stadium Club no. 133-b (no. 690/999)

Chin-Lung Hu 2008 Topps Stadium Club no. 133-b 1st Day Issue

Chin-Lung Hu 2008 Topps Stadium Club no. 133-b Photographer’s Proof (no. 44/50)

Carlos Gonzalez took a break from hitting home runs while in town with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox in order to autograph a few cards for me. Gonzalez was later called up by the Colorado Rockies.

Carlos Gonzalez 2008 Topps Stadium Club no. 128-a

Carlos Gonzalez 2008 Topps Stadium Club no. 128-b 1st Day Issue

Infielder Jonathan Herrera also visited the Duke City long enough to sign both variations of his Stadium Club cards.

Jonathan Herrera 2008 Topps Stadium Club no. 122-a

Jonathan Herrera 2008 Topps Stadium Club no. 122-b 1st Day Issue

In spite of being on the DL, Colorado Sky Sox pitcher Greg Reynolds seemed quite happy to affix his signature to both variations of his Stadium Club cards.

Greg Reynolds 2008 Topps Stadium Club no. 122-a 1st Day Issue

Greg Reynolds 2008 Topps Stadium Club no. 122-b 1st Day Issue

Slugger Sean Rodriguez visited Albuquerque with the Salt Lake Bees prior to being called up to the Los Angeles Angels. Not only did Rodriguez autograph his cards with a smile, but afterwards thanked me for coming out the to the ballpark.

Sean Rodriguez 2008 Topps Stadium Club no. 131-a

Sean Rodriguez 2008 Topps Stadium Club no. 131-b (no. 974/999)

Sean Rodriguez 2008 Topps Stadium Club no. 131-b 1st Day Issue

I am still interested in picking up the rookie card variations that I don’t have, so please check out my want list before digging through your duplicates. I do have a few, and expect to have more duplicate autographed 2008 Topps Stadium Club baseball cards to trade to graphers who are working on this set. I may not revisit this product prior to the end of this season, so feel free to contact me if you have any questions or have a trade proposal.

2009 albuquerque isotopes team set (P)review

SPOILER ALERT !!!!

If you already have tickets or otherwise plan to attend the Omaha Royals – Albuquerque Isotopes game on Thursday, June 18, 2009 and do not want to see images of the 2009 Albuquerque Isotopes team set before you have one in hand, DO NOT continue reading. Instead, you should revisit this post after the game if you are interested in my thoughts on the cards.

On the other hand, if you are in the area and trying to decide whether or not you want to go, I urge you to read on and keep in mind that team sets will be distributed for FREE to the first 3,000 fans through the turnstiles. After that, team sets will be available for purchase in the stadium team shop, or via the internet.

………..

2009 Albuquerque Isotopes team set
Official Score – COMPLETE GAME two hitter
Manufacturer: MultiAd Sports
SGA date: Thursday, June 18, 2009
Retail price: tbd

After setting the bar high with their 2008 team set, the Albuquerque Isotopes certainly delivered a first pitch strike by including a checklist on the back of the team photo card- the first of 35 cards in the 2009 team set. The team photo features a crisp, bright image with the players dressed in white uniforms.

1 – Isotopes team photo (checklist)
2 – Tim Wallach (manager)
3 – John Moses (hitting coach)
4 – Jim Slaton (pitching coach)
5 – Greg Harrel (trainer)
6 – Giancarlo Alvarado (p)
7 – Danny Ardoin (c)
8 – Henry Bonilla (p)
9 – Dee Brown (out)
10 – Nick DeBarr (p)
11 – Blake DeWitt (inf)
12 – A.J. Ellis (c)
13 – Shawn Estes (p)
14 – Sergio Garcia (inf)
15 – Charlie Haeger (p)
16 – Jamie Hoffmann (out)
17 – Chin-Lung Hu (inf)
18 – Mitch Jones (out)
19 – Hector Luna (inf)
20 – Luis Maza (inf)
21 – Brian Mazone (p)
22 – James McDonald (p)
23 – Eric Milton (p)
24 – Valentino Pascucci (inf)
25 – Xavier Paul (out)
26 – Miguel Piñango (p)
27 – Dwayne Pollok (p)
28 – Stephen Randolph (p)
29 – Jason Repko (out)
30 – Jovanny Rosario (out)
31 – Scott Strickland (p)
32 – Erick Threets (p)
33 – Jeff Weaver (p)
34 – Sophie
35 – Orbit (mascot)

The cards are non-glossy, and therefore require no surface treatment prior to autographing. The 2009 Albuquerque Isotopes team set utilizes MultiAd’s “Style O” template on the front, and “Style 4” template on the back. Card backs consist of two-color (black and red) printing over white matte, with player stats and short bios. Player headshots on the card backs are essentially a cropped, greyscale version of the image depicted on the fronts.

The light grey borders help lighten the overall appearance of the cards. The set contains one card each of the Isotopes coaching staff, trainer, mascot* and fan favorite Sophie. Manager Tim Wallach and his coaching staff are all depicted in black jerseys. I find Jim Slaton’s card the more engaging of the non-player cards. This card demonstrates that random candid shots make for better baseball cards than posed headshots.

(*There is a non-numbered variation of the mascot card that is not included in the official team set. In a nutshell, the second card was printed with the set, but will be distributed by Orbit during “personal” appearances. If you ABSOLUTELY HAVE to have one, I would recommend asking in the team shop if you can purchase an uncut sheet.)

The 28 player cards include a nice mixture of different uniforms that helps keep the team set interesting. This mixture includes nine black, eight white, six red and five Dodger blue uniforms. Uniform aficionados should note that the blue uniforms are only worn during Sunday home games. Similarly, the team set contains generous helpings of prospects and major league veterans.

Half of the player cards in the set feature pitchers. With the exception of Charlie Haeger, all were shot on the mound. That does get a little monotonous, and it would be nice to see a photo of a pitcher laying down a bunt or running the bases while wearing an Isotopes jacket. Here are three examples that best demonstrate a need for a little more variation when it comes to cards of pitchers.

The 2009 Albuquerque Isotopes team set contains two cards of catchers. Both Danny Ardoin and A.J. Ellis are featured in full gear near the plate. Unfortunately, Ardoin was sent to the disabled list soon after being forced to bend down in order to fit into his awkwardly cropped photo.

The six cards of Isotopes infielders contain the best action photography in the set. This card of Blake DeWitt is a great example of the level of play Isotopes fans are treated to game after game.

“Determination” would be an apt title for the outfielders subset. Again, excellent photography persists as is obvious in this fantastic shot of Jovanny Rosario scrambling back into first base to avoid being picked off.

Whether you are a casual fan or a hardcore baseball card collector constantly on the hunt for night cards, mid-air moments or even umpires, the 2009 Albuquerque Isotopes team set offers something for everyone. You can bet that baseball fans all across Dodgertown will show an interest in the 2009 Albuquerque Isotopes team set given that eight players included in the checklist have either already spent some time with the NL West leading parent club or are currently on board for what is proving a magical season. There is no reason to suspect that the list won’t continue to grow as the season progresses.

This is going to be a fun and challenging set to get autographed!

– Kris

at dewitt’s end

Don’t get me wrong… I’m glad that the Dodgers decided to send Blake DeWitt down to Triple-A in order to get some at bats rather than predominately riding the bench in LA. However, if they don’t call him back up soon, I’m simply going to run out of cards for him to sign.

Blake DeWitt – 2009 Topps Heritage no. 255

Regular playing time and hitting in a ballpark that favors batters slightly more so than does Dodger Stadium is proving to be as good for DeWitt as home cookin’. I believe that Blake’s .308 average, 18 runs scored and 9 driven in over 20 games with the Isotopes support this statement.

Blake DeWitt – 2008 Stadium Club no. 127-a

———

Blake DeWitt – 2008 Stadium Club no. 127-b

It is almost difficult to believe that DeWitt has been playing long enough that he even has a Topps Total card, or half of one anyway. What a fantastic product Topps Total was!

Blake DeWitt – 2005 Topps Total no. 127

Well, I do have a couple of additional minor league cards Blake can autograph while we wait patiently for the 2009 Isotopes team set to be issued in just less than a month. Don’t forget to visit my want lists on the Aardvark Trading Co. website, especially if you have a bunch of cards of players you’ve never heard of that you would like to swap for cards of big leaguers that you do recognize.

–  Kris

2002 upper deck vintage

If my memory serves me correctly, the only legitimate complaint I’ve ever had with 2002 Upper Deck Vintage baseball cards is that the 300-card base set was WAY too small. If ever a card design, be it original or rehashed, screamed “Use me to create a card for every player in Major League Baseball,” it was this one. Unfortunately, the brainiacs at Upper Deck failed to listen to their cards when they spoke to them. As a result, we are left with this underachiever of a set with so much potential, that even finding a decent storage solution was a bit of a hassle.

Of course I sidestepped that particular storage issue, and also completely freaked out my set-building friends, by alphabetizing the vast majority of my collection in an effort to increase efficiency in properly documenting players I meet in person.

I briefly considered pulling all of the 2002 Upper Deck Vintage baseball cards that I have gotten autographed to date, but realized that was simply another form of procrastination that was preventing me from blogging. Thus, I am including only scans of those cards that I have gotten signed in person this season.

I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to ask Jeff Weaver to sign his card before he was called up to pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers. I am a sucker for horizontal cards!

Seemingly poised to join Weaver in the City of Angels in the near future, Eric Milton has taken full advantage of his temporary assignment to the Isotopes to rebuild his arm strength after sitting out more than a full season following Tommy John surgery. Obviously his trademark signature is already in mid-season form.

For those of you keeping track of the nicest players in professional baseball, Dee Brown is a MUST addition to your list! Don’t just take my word for it. Come out to the ballpark and meet him yourself. Furthermore, I challenge you to try to watch Brown at the plate without sliding to the edge of your seat with each pitch.

I did fail to get Tanyon Sturtze’s signature on his 2002 Upper Deck Vintage baseball card before he asked to be released from his contract with the Dodgers organization so he could pursue other options. That’s usually what happens when you start thinking “I’ll get him next homestand…”

–  Kris