Kerry Christmas

It's always great when post titles just fall into your lap.  I had forgotten that I sent some cards to Kerry over at the Cards on Cards blog a little while back, the product of Kerry commenting on my "not a spring cleaning" post.  I sent Kerry a few colored parallels, along with a framed paper GQ card, all Cardinals of course.  In return, I received a healthy stack of Update, a few Jays, and a little insanity (which for me goes a long way).

Among the update, I found 3 photos that I really like.  The common element being the baseball.  Jose Bautista about to make a great semi-diving catch.  That blue glove is awesome.  The shots of Cano and CarGo making contact with the baseball are what intrigue me the most.  The timing on these photographs is incredible, although I'm sure that today's camera technology makes it a lot easier to catch these moments.  The Gonzalez on the right is the image I like better, the ball having just made contact with the bat and ascending to its flight path is a great photo.

Poor Eddie Zosky looks like he was photographed right after a workout.  Come on Score, if you're going to show the guy in a sweat, give him an action shot or something, not a posed head shot. 

Check the eyes on the "Crime Dog", love the concentration on this photo.  McGriff always amazed me, the power he could generate for being as skinny as he was.  McGriff is another player that I would have loved to see longer in Toronto, but hey, he brought a couple of the key pieces in the World Series teams, so I really shouldn't complain.

Naturally, I was intrigued by the diamond sparkly parallel of Jon Rauch.  I knew that he only spent a short time in T.O., so I decided to take a look at his career.  The guy is a workhorse.  88 appearances in 2007, 85 in 2006, 3 other seasons that he had 70 or more.  Damn.  Honestly, and I'll probably be damned for saying this, but $3.5 million a season is probably a steal for someone who can throw in a lot of games, and can be a spot closer when needed (he's saved in double digits 4 times in his career).  Just the intimidation factor alone standing 6'10" on the mound should be reason enough to get him into a game...somebody give this guy a contract. 

Let's finish with a little insanity, shall we?  Yes, it is Russell Branyan, then of the Seattle Mariners.  But how cool is a card where the player is wearing sunglasses on the Chrome technology.  The scan really doesn't do the card justice, it looks really good in hand.  Russell is still looking for a contract for 2013.  If he could turn last years brief stay in Scranton-Wilkes Barre into a full season somewhere, he would have people talking.  11 HR in 110 ABs...project that out over 550 ABs...not too shabby. 

Kerry, thank you for the cards, they are very much appreciated!!

I hope that all of my friends, along with the entire blogosphere, are having a Merry Christmas.

thanks for reading, Robert