Before there were lockouts and strikes: Bob Gibson

There's a well loved Bob Gibson card for you from '75 Topps.  I'm sure that Bob also felt "well loved" by St. Louis Cardinals fans over a 17 year period between 1959-1975.

One of the most feared pitchers of all time, Dusty Baker was once warned by Hank Aaron not to dig in at the plate, because Bob "would knock down his own grandmother if she dared to challenge him".  Now that's tough.

I could easily go on and on about the dominance he showed over his career.  Striking out 250+ batters 4 different seasons, a modern day record low ERA of 1.12 in 1968, the "year of the pitcher".  In 1968, Bob started 34 times, and completed 28 of those 34 starts.  The other 6 starts that he did not complete, he was pinch hit for, meaning that Bob was never replaced during a game in the '68 season because of his pitching.  Incredible.

Scary stat:   As if there would be one particular stat or group of stats associated with Bob Gibson that weren't scary.  I would have to say that the '67 World Series may be the most statistically dominant performance from any starting pitcher ever.  3 wins, a 1.00 ERA, 3 complete games, only 14 hits and 5 walks given up while striking out 26.  Gibson received WS MVP honors, even though Lou Brock hit .414, and Roger Maris hit .385 while driving in a series high of 7 runs. 

Before there were lockouts and strikes, there was Bob Gibson

Thanks for reading, Robert

Junk wax doesn't seem so junky to me anymore

I learn more and more about the hobby, and myself, as I continue to blog about cards.  Last weekend was a prime example of this.

I spent a good portion of my free time this weekend going through the piles of Blue Jays cards that hadn't been sorted/cataloged, a pile which had grown to about 400 cards.  In order to try and expedite the process somewhat, I've split the sorting into three "eras".  77-89, 90-99, and 2000 to present.  Most of the Blue Jays that I sorted on the weekend were from the first two eras.

While sorting, I started putting my Jays cards into sheets/binders, because I wanted my Jays cards to be a little more accessible than just sitting in a 3 row card box.

As I was doing this, and the Blue Jays team sets of '88 Donruss, '89 Topps, and '91 Fleer started to come together, I thought to myself  "I really like these cards".

While a lot of you out there probably think I'm mad for saying this, but this page of '91 Fleer Blue Jays really works for me:

'91 Fleer may be a very bright yellow that a lot of people believe should never have been used on a baseball card.  But now I have 2 pages + of Blue Jays from '91 Fleer.  To me, they look great.


Here's another example, '89 Topps

Again, for a lot of people it's probably not the most visually appealing set.  Nor will '89 Topps earn you that vacation house in the Hamptons.  In this context, '89 Topps works for me.  The time I took sorting through these Blue Jays team sets helped me realize one thing.

Junk wax doesn't seem so junky to me anymore.

Thanks for reading, Robert

How trying to clean off my desk turned into 5 packs of 2013 Series 1

Pathetic.

So much for the "I won't be buying any packs of Series 1" mantra I was preaching.

I did last 11 days though!  Yes, big deal I know.

But the packs were bought with an alternative in mind.  You see, I am really in the middle of the mid-winter blahs right now.  Writing has been a little more difficult the past couple of weeks.  February has come and the number of bubble mailers that have hit my mailbox this month have dwindled to almost none. 

Understandable.  New product is out, everyone out there is buying up the latest and greatest.  I get it.

What happens to me you ask?  I go into a funk.  I went into one about this time last year I remember.  This year, I figured out what to do.  Start cleaning the disaster area I call my desk.  The biggest part of that is getting all the Jays logged on my spreadsheets.  I'm just 7 cards short of 3000 now, but with 2 large piles and the box of Ted still to go through, that number will leap at least a couple of hundred more before all is said and done. 

Part of getting things cleaned up is buying some sheets in order to put cards into binders.  Off to Wal-Mart I went (I didn't feel like driving an hour to a LCS).  Sunday was the first time I've been there since the new flagship was released.  I stood there, with two packs of sheets in my hands, and looked at the display, like an idiot, for about 10 minutes.

Back and forth.  Do I buy them.  Do I not buy them.  Is there anything else here that could steer me away from buying them  (there wasn't). 

Damn.  I couldn't resist the temptation.  But I did somewhat hold myself back, because instead of buying blasters and rack packs, I opted to buy just 5 looseys.  I figured there was less of a chance of being saddled with the blue parallels.  ( I didn't get any blues btw)

So, without further adieu, I'll give you a few "firsts" for me as far as Topps 2013 goes.

The first card:

There are certainly worse players that I could have pulled for my first card.  Topps was kind enough to mention Freddie's dry eye problem on the back of the card bio. 

The first insert:

I guess you could say that Cal is no longer chasing history, since he is the owner of the longest iron man streak.  Picky I guess....

The first Blue Jay:

Only 640 more Jays to go for 2013 Topps (you know, the 7 color parallels, the inserts, jerseys, autos, etc.)

The first parallel:

#37/99

 

The camo parallel is OK...my question is, if the Padres are wearing their military tribute unis, will the player blend into the border and disappear altogether?

The first die-cut:

Guess it's my year to pull St. Louis Cardinal cards.

The first gold card that I can't use for the serial insanity set featuring a guy who calls himself Tony Plush:

I bought a bunch of update in 2012 hoping to get a bunch of cards towards the insanity set.  Most of the gold I received was numbered over 1500.  (whine)

My first gold card this year?  Good ol' Nyjer is #1854.  Secondary market it is!!

My honest opinion of the flagship?  The design of the base cards I like (I still can't get the sea turtle image out of my head, argh!) because it doesn't dominate the card. 

Maybe I'll just let everybody send me their unwanted doubles in trades and complete the set that way.  Wait before you do that, just until I decide how I want to approach the flagship. 

I could live with myself if I only bought 5 packs of the base set this year.  I could only guess how much money that would save me.

Thanks for reading, Robert

What's the easiest way to finish a set? Win a contest!

The prognosticator of prognosticators.  The seer of all things unseen.  I'll read your palms as well if you'd like.

OK, maybe all that was a little over the top, but it's not often that I get to say that I was right about something.

I managed to predict the winner of the Super Bowl 5 weeks before it happened.  I turned my ability to see into the future into a contest win over at CB's Collector's Crack blog.  (Note:  My head is swelling to a size that currently can't be measured by any type of device...be afraid)

If you click the link, you'll see the spoils of my contest win.  CB also sent me an email later, asking me what else I would like.  Jays were naturally the spoils that I wished for, and CB took care of me as I knew he would.

For tonight, I'll show you just 2 cards...the first is my 1st card from 2013 Topps that I received from another blogger, a Target red parallel of a Blue Jay from the "sea turtle" set (yes, I've read the post, and I can't get the sea turtle out of my head)

Honestly, I do like the design of the set, and the red parallels really do work.  Well, at least this one does, for me.

Now, I'm sure you're wondering how a set got finished?  Well, '86 Topps is in the books my friends, the final card was sent to me as part of the prize package...

The puzzled look of Chuck Cottier is now in my possession, and another set is in the books.  This set is pretty much an accomplishment of the blog world, because I never bought a pack, bought a single online or at a card show.  The entire set was accumulated via trades. 

By the way, I'm not sure if you read close enough, but the Colby Rasmus isn't my first Topps 2013 card.  I'll post that shame tomorrow...

CB, thank you for the contest, and the great prize package!!  All of the cards were fantastic and much appreciated!

thanks for reading, Robert

Blue Jay Monday: The box of Ted

It's finally official.  I will never catch up with all the Blue Jays cards that have arrived at my doorstep.

The box of Ted saw to that.  I've spent the last few days attempting to go through the pile of cards that I had before I received the box of greatness.  I managed to get another 100 cards added to the spreadsheet, as well as a couple of more years added to the Jays want list. 

Tonight, I promise I will not take up much of your time.   I just want to show you the goodies, since the box is full with about 400 random cards from over the years.  I just couldn't decide which ones to show.

I'll just show you the hits instead...

First, the Adam Lind collection:

Couple of autos, couple of jersey cards, great stuff!  This next card was even better...

What the 'L'?

2007 SP Authentic by the Letters Adam Lind, #'d 60/75.  Love it.  One of the top 3 cards in the box. 

What are the other 2?  Let me show you..

Both graphs are really nice

2004 Topps Retired Signature Edition cards of Dave Stieb and Jimmy Key!  Beautiful cards.  Love the old style Topps logo in the upper left hand corner.  My only wish is that the cards weren't slabbed, but beggars can't be choosers.

Now, on to putting another dent in this massive pile of cards...

Thanks for reading, Robert

Renewed interest in SNI

4 posts last week on the insanity blog! Boy it's been a while since I've pulled that off.  Like I mentioned recently, everything that I pull in going forward for the project will not be put into a binder until it has been posted over there.

Well, there is a 100 count plastic container on my desk that is almost full of cards.   Cards that I have to scan and write about before I can put them away.

Last week I got the ball rolling.  4 posts.  I plan 4 more for this week.  I know one guy who has been a big supporter of the project since the beginning will be looking on. 

number 20

Serial #'d 185/199, David Medina came to me courtesy of Brian over at Play at the Plate.  Brian has been a big supporter of the Serial Numbered project, to the tune of 20 cards being sent my way.   Fantastic.

Now the rest of this post is going to be a bit mushy and personal, so I will not be upset if you change the channel.

For those of you that stayed, let me first say this.   Brian's blog is one of the 2 that inspired me to start writing.  I don't know about the rest of you, but the guys that inspired me to create $30 a week habit will always be favorites, no matter what happens.  They are both around my age, and are very well spoken.

This last package that Brian sent to me with a stack of Blue Jays ( to be shown at a later date...) had a brief note thanking me for the support that I'd shown him over the past few months during his personal issues that he was having. 

Believe it or not Brian, I sympathized with you more than you know.  You see, what you thought was happening to you, actually happened to me.  It ended my 1st marriage in a big hurry.  Hence the extra support.  You had someone out there that understood what you were going through.

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I had one fellow actually say that I should try and finish the SNI project this year!  Jeff, if I win this auction, I may have a chance to put a major dent into the set.   798 cards and counting.

By the way...Jeff....interested in this???

Thanks for reading, Robert

Straying off the beaten path

I generally don't make it a habit (no pun intended) of posting on how my favorite sports teams are doing.  The fact that Toronto for the past several years has been the dictionary definition for the phrase "cellar dweller", there has been no reason for any type of boasting.

Maybe tonight (maybe...) is the beginning of change for my beloved Maple Leafs.  I'm sure that a lot of you have already said "Oh God" and moved on to another blog, and that's fine.  But like I said, I'm straying off the beaten path here a little bit, and showing a little faith in the blue and white crested Maple Leaf.

Hand biting aside (yea, I think Grabovski bit Pacioretty), the Leafs beat Montreal from pillar to post tonight, 6-0.  If they could only play the way they did for the last 3 games on the road at home, I might be able to see a little something this year that I haven't seen since I was in my 30's...

Playoff hockey.

These three guys played a helluva game...

Kessel with 3 points, 2nd goal in 2 games after going the first 10 without any.  Everyone in Toronto can start breathing again.  Phaneuf scored his 1st goal of the season tonight, albeit on a 5 on 3 power play with the score already 5-0.  Hopefully that gets him going.  Bozak scored his 4th and won 83% of his face offs. 

Maybe if the Toronto media left these guys alone and let them play a little hockey, we would get more results like we did tonight.

Oh, and there was this guy...

37 save shutout.  Got him in the fantasy league!!  Too bad the St. Louis goalies have gone to the shitter...

Finally, I was shocked that Anaheim let this guy go last year...

Back when he had more hair

It's becoming obvious that his influence on this team is starting to show.  Not a whole lot of 2nd chances tonight for the Canadiens, and with the Leafs in the top half of the league in GAA, there's lot to be hopeful for those of us who root for the blue and white.

Hey, once in a while I'm allowed to let my feelings show.....remember this post???

Thanks for reading, Robert