Dumbest MLB headline ever

Okay, that’s obvious hyperbole.  But it did wake me out of my posting slumber, so that’s something, right?

Here it is:

Classic requires drama, not biggest, best teams

I think I understand what Gammons is trying to get at with this headline:  great games don’t require great teams.  And I’ll agree with that one.  I don’t know who wouldn’t.

But he’s writing this about the World Series, which is supposed to be baseball’s two best teams squaring off for the mantle of “best in baseball,” right?  And while I’ll fully agree with the implication that the Cardinals are not one of baseball’s two best teams this year (their record places them 8th), I think there’s a problem with a championship series that doesn’t involve the two best teams.

Gammons goes on to state the following:

The World Series has never been about the best team in baseball winning; it wasn’t in 1960 or 1988, 1985 or 1987.

And that’s funny, because I always thought that’s exactly what the World Series was about.  It was supposed to be the definitive point of argument on the best team in baseball. I realize that it doesn’t always work out this way, but if the system for determining a champion isn’t about the best team in baseball winning, then I’ll say again that something should be done about the system, or we should reclassify what to call the winner of the World Series.

Joe Posnanski has a longer, and admittedly more thought out post on a similar subject which shows the winner of the World Series since the wildcard was introduced averages the fourth or fifth best record in baseball.  It’s not longer about finding the best team, but finding the team that gets hot at the right time.  He calls it “the spark of surprise,” and the Cardinals certainly qualify for that one.  And I guess if that’s what you want the postseason to celebrate, then you loved the 2011 World Series.

I love baseball.  Maybe not as much as Posnanski does, but I do love the game and envision a time when my son and I sit and watch the World Series together.  Even with his rooting interest in the Cardinals this year (don’t ask, ’cause I don’t know), he still chose to watch Yo Gabba Gabba when given the choice.  And while I love the idea of different teams and different fans getting their taste, I’m not sure how I feel about the watering down of the meaning of World Champion.

BRUUUUUUUCE!

So this is probably every Reds fan’s favorite card from this year,right?  Ah, happier times.

Bruce made the Padres pay tonight after they decided to intentionally walk the go ahead run named Joey Votto.  Shortly after Padres announcer Dick Enberg said “that’s trouble” I was off the couch and jumping around the room.  The Reds remained ten games back after the victory.  They took sole possession of third place.  And I was jumping around the room like a schoolkid on a snow day.

Thanks Jay.  I missed that feeling this year.

Oh, Ryan…

Dropped the ball, dropped 7.5 games back.

2011 doesn’t appear to be the year of the repeat in Cincinnati.  I’m not giving up hope, but it is being stolen away from me while I sleep in the middle of the night.

And if you’ve been wondering where I’ve been, the answer is sick, watching kids, sick, and catching up with Wilfred, Louie, and Breaking Bad.  And did I mention sick?

2011 Bowman wantlists

Here you go.  I’ve had this pending to post for quite a while, but simply failed to get to it until now.

And even though there seems to be an abundance of awkward card choices in this year’s Bowman set, this Trumbo is one of my favorites. It has the hopeless dejection of a strikeout mixed with the quiet determination of his next at bat.  I’m not sure which moment it captures, which is part of what makes it so great.

I think I’ve seen one other person chasing this set out there, but if interest demands, I’ll make a trading post like I did in the days of old.  For you newbies, that’s when I sticky a post to the top and encourage you to post your wantlists in the comments with the idea that people who follow will not only help with my set, but with yours.  I’m planning one for series 2 in another week or so, so get your lists ready…

And without further ado, here my 2011 Bowman wantlists:

2011 Bowman

1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 11, 13, 15, 20, 21, 23, 24, 27, 32, 35, 39, 41, 43, 49, 52, 55, 59, 68, 69, 73, 75, 76, 78, 79, 83, 85, 87, 94, 96, 97, 100, 103, 107, 110, 111, 114, 127, 128, 131, 132, 137, 140, 143, 148, 153, 158, 163, 165, 167, 169, 172, 176, 180, 184, 190, 191, 192, 199, 200, 201, 203, 204, 208, 210, 212, 214, 215, 218

2011 Bowman Prospects

1, 3, 8, 10, 15, 17, 19, 20, 23, 25, 26, 29, 31, 34, 37, 40, 42, 43, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 53, 54, 57, 58, 60, 61, 62, 64, 66, 69, 71, 73, 78, 80, 82, 83, 86, 88, 89, 92, 94, 97, 99, 100, 103, 105, 106, 109

2011 Bowman Chrome Prospects

1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 12, 19, 22, 23, 25, 29, 33, 36, 37, 38, 40, 43, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 53, 57, 61, 62, 65, 66, 71, 73, 75, 78, 81, 82, 86, 89, 92, 94, 96, 97, 100, 101, 109, 110

Trade-a-cuffs

So I thought with the looming Gint-a-Cuffs posts that would soon blanket the blogging world like a heatwave in the midwest I would take a break and return when the dust had settled and the champion had been crowned.  Everyone else would be so excited about framed relics, black bordered minis, and unannounced inserts like those face flatulence minis and the carnival cards that they would hardly notice I was gone.

But as it turns out, the commish of Gint-a-Cuffs played it smart with the release of his rules and delayed them so there would be no surprises.  This caused a delay in  people posting their breaks, which means my break accomplished nothing other than a break for me.  Oh well.  Not the first plan I’ve had that’s gone awry, and it won’t be the last, either.

But in honor of the whole Gint-a-Craze, I’m going to attempt to score five cards from a trade package I received from Buckeye State’s Trading Post about a month ago back using the parameters of the Gint-A-Cuffs rules.  ‘Cause, you know, it’s a timely thing to do.

When I finish this set, I’m going to wonder if Topps really needed to have it feature 180 different cards.  I think that Brooks Robinson is one of Beardy’s favorite players.  If he’s not, he certainly should be, so I’m giving myself +2 for this card.  Because Franklin and Bash here should be worth something, right?

This card also scores a +5 because Frank was a Fortune for the Taking from the Redlegs back in 1966.  It’s arguably the worst trade in the history of baseball.  Try and name another trade that gives up an MVP for almost nothing.  I’m waiting.

That’s what I thought.  +7 so far.

I know Night Owl had a theory about Russell Martin not being able to take a bad photograph on his cards.  If he never offered this as proof, he should have.  But Martin’s decline has been somewhat mysterious, so that’s a +3 for this one.  And were this any other year, it’d be another +2 for the favorite player rule.  This year, however, he’s a dirty rotten Yankee and not worth a thing in that regard.  Not since the end of April, anyway.

+10.  There’s no stopping me now…

Hooray, a Yankee.  Actually, two of them.  -2, right?  This appears to be the same image as the bottom of the Rivera’s Kimball card from a different angle.  But he’s also second on the all times save list, making him by Topps’ definition, the penultimate closer in history.  So that’s a net +1.  Maybe those Yankees aren’t so bad after all.

I’m surprised to see Comeback Cardinal of the Year Lance Berkman on the favorite person list, but no Albert Pujols there.  The Cardinals this year are an animal in peril due to the aggressive front office of the Brewers, the surprising surge of the Pirates, and to a lesser degree the lifeless mediocrity that has been the Reds.  I don’t see St. Louis coming out on top as they stand now, but I’ll try and revisit the NL Central once the trade deadline is complete.  Until then, it’s a +3 points.

Another Yankee?  Oh no.  Why would I do such a thing?

Well, it’s Gehrig’s card that really made me understand how good Albert Pujols is.  4th all time in career slugging percentage.  4th.  That’s pretty awesome, and even though I get tired of hearing how great this guy is, he’s one of those guys I’ll be telling my kids about when they get older and take an interest in baseball.

As for the Iron Horse, sounds like a ship name to me.  So does Biscuit Pants, for that matter.  That’s a +2.

If my math is correct, that’s a +13 for those five cards.  A decent average that should put atop the Gint-a-Leaderboard.  If only I could play with handpicked cards I received in trade and then judge them by my own rules.  I’d be a cinch for victory!

Ginter can wait

Yeah, I know.  It’s an exciting time in the card collecting world.  Ginter will arrive soon, the code will be broken a week from now by the same guy that’s won the last two years, and we will all be up to our eyeballs and bored with it all in a fortnight.

Except for me.

In case you missed it from my last post, my card collecting wallet is empty.  Which means my ability to procure some Allen and Ginter myself is reliant on the kindness of strangers and trades.  So keep me in mind for your left over base cards, okay?

Anyhow, before Ginter hits, I thought I’d give it a go to finish off the first release of the season, Topps series 1.  I’ve had the three cards you are about to see in my draft folder since March of this year, so this will also be a chance to clean up the mess I have made there, too.

Initially this was going to be a post highlighting the collecting choices I had made for 2011 Topps, but those choices have since been replaced with the decision to go all out and collect just about everything.  Except the History of Topps.  That just feels like a waste of perfectly good time.   Back then however, it was a quaint look at my conservative collecting goals for the year.

Obviously there was the base set, which I am dangerously close to completing. For a brief moment, I thought I’d have this one knocked out before Series 2 arrived, but then the whole nomentum occurred, so instead I stood a handful of cards away when the new series hit the shelves.

Here’s all that’s left of my needs for series 1: 6, 39, 72, 96, 280.

I’m resisting the temptation to look and find out who they are. If you can help surprise me, drop me an email.

Then there’s the Topps 60 set which we’ve all seen, and should now be called Topps 120.  By the end of the Update set, we’ll be at Topps 180.  Which could also reflect on my feelings for these cards by then.  I’m actually kinda close to the end of this one, too.

Here’s what’s left of these:  3, 9, 10, 11, 15, 17, 22, 26, 27, 29, 30, 32, 34, 35, 40, 42, 44, 47, 48.

Expect a whole bunch more soon.

And finally, the much coveted minis.  Pujols, I suppose, is a Champion Base Ball Batter in the truest sense.  He’s also a champion at getting on my nerves.  I get tired of watching the guy grandstand after hitting a home run, or his team thinking that getting him getting plunked on an 0-2 pitch is intentional.  It’s even more frustrating because the Reds are still trailing this guy’s team.

I still need about half of these: 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 18, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 34, 35, 37, 41, 43, 47, 49

And, of course, I’ll need a whole lot more for series 2.

I’m also needing some Diamond Duos, the 60 Years of Topps set, the lost Cards, and CMG reprints, and everybody’s favorites, the Tickets to Toppstown.

I realize that this and other posts will be swept up in the Gintermania that’s about to unfold.  But this blog will not kowtow the pressure of a new release, oh no.  Especially when I am still enjoying Series 1.  And flat broke, too.

(Topps, if you are reading this, how about sending me a free box or two of A & G for review, okay?)

Late night eBaying strikes again, and a discussion question for free

Is everyone tired of me posting just Reds lately?  Obviously I’m a fan and all, but I never thought this blog would get so Cincicentric like it has lately.

I’m not going to lie to you – posts like this bore the hell out of me.  Reading them on other blogs, I mean, not typing them.  I don’t mind posting them because hey, they’re my cards and they’re of my favorite team.  But most of the time seeing a post full of Rockies or Yankees will have me waiting until your next post.

Will this revelation mark me as an outcast in the blogging world?  Dunno.  I’m sure there are others who feel the same way though.  And that’s the bit I’d like to see discussed – do large posts of team cards just bore you, or can good writing save them and make them great?  Does the fact that I don’t like them make me less serious of a blogger and collector?  I should enjoy most things card related, right?  And you know what I just did to take a break?  Read a team focused blog post.  So go figure.

But  if they do bore you, then you can skip the rest of thist.  After you comment, of course.  Cause it’s me showing off a number of Reds.

I’m puzzled as to why I waited this auction out.  I’m sure I spent more than I wanted to, because I usually do.  I’ll reach my limit and then go one more bid which usually wins me whatever I bidding on.  So it’s nice to know that I’m not overvaluing things, just overspending on them.  This lot didn’t break the bank, thought, but I have drained the rest of the gift card money since then and a few extra bucks from the checking account to boot.  That means that my purchasing power is all but gone.  I’ve got one other card in mind at this point, and I’ll be pleased as punch if I can find it for a fair price.  So all but a few of the posts from here on out will be cards I’ve gotten from trades.  At least until the household economy picks up.

So, you wanna see what I got?  Okay…

I always have to double-check the name of this stuff.  It’s 2010 Bowman Chrome Draft Picks and Prospects, and there’s probably one of the more important prospects for the Reds from last year, Drew Stubbs.  After failing in 2010 at the lead off spot, Drew took off when he was dropped lower in the order.  Without a true leadoff guy this year, Drew was asked to take the role back, and he’s currently sporting a .185 batting average when leading off the game.  That’s just not good at all.  Looking over his splits, he also suffers in close and late games and anytime the score is within two runs.  Hopefully as Stubbs matures, the pressure situations will become less tense and he can just hit the ball rather than strike out all the time.  But he’s still pretty young, so I’m not worried about him yet.

Without looking at stats, I’mma bet Mike Leake is the 2nd best starter on the team right now.  Behind Cueto.  Then Bailey, Arroyo, and finally, the disappointing Edinson Volquez.

At the beginning of the season I would have taken Wood over Leake, but Mike has really started to steal my heart over the course of his last few starts.  I wouldn’t say it’s criminal what he’s done since his return, but his June featured a 2.63 ERA and a WHIP below 1 (now I looked).  All this from a guy the league appeared to have figured out at the end of last year.

The fact that Leake is the Reds second best pitcher (if the shirt fits…) seems a perfect reason as to why the Reds are in the spot they are in – muddling around the .500 mark.  That still leaves them only a few games out of first, and poised to make a run, I suppose, but I’ve been thinking that since early June.  It’s been a frustrating season, to say the least.

Since his demotion to the bullpen, LeCure has given up two runs in twenty innings of work.  And while he wasn’t awful as a starter, he certainly didn’t inspire confidence when he went out and pitched.  And remember what I’ve said about ballplayers with twitter feeds?  Here ya go.  Enjoy the mustache.

How serious are the Reds about having Travis work things out in AAA?  Well, Dontrelle Willis is getting the call this Sunday to pitch in place of Volquez.  Yep, the D-train is making a stop in Milwaukee with battle the Brewers and help the Reds take three of four from those beer makers.  I hope.

Travis is still one of my favorites, and the results have been good since his demotion to AAA.  I imagine he’ll be back sometime, or part of a trade package that brings the Red that last piece to start their run.  Some of his shine comes from being a Red, I’m sure, but for now I do love me some Wood.  Wait, that doesn’t sound right…

Also not pictured, because I have nothing really to say about them are Juan Francisco (who seems to have hit his ceiling at AAA) and Jordan Smith (injured?  Louisville?  I don’t quite know anymore).  I believe that’s a full set of Reds rookies from the 2010 BCDPP release.  I’m not sure who else would be there.

The good news is, this should be the last post of just Reds cards for a while.  I guess I shouldn’t make that promise, but I’ve got nothing planned at this point, and I’ve still got five stacks of cards just sitting on my scanner waiting to be dealt with.

Unless you’d like more team-centric posts, that is…

Welcome to the bigs…

I yoinked this off of eBay because I have none.  It’s newly called up rookie and now a starting SS Zack Cozart!

Why did I pick the gold version?  Because I’m hoping he’s as good as gold of course.  Duh.

Time for a Zack Attack!

Nomentum

It’s not that I don’t have anything to do.

I still have about eight or nine stacks of cards to blog about on the old scanner most of which are about two weeks old, but they don’t seem to be going anywhere.  I have a bunch of series 2 cards that I bought two weeks ago, but have yet to sort them and now have more coming.  I am still working on finishing two trades, one of which I just need to mail and the other which I’m almost done pulling, but haven’t touched in two weeks.  In fact, lately when it comes to collecting in general, I seem to have fallen flat on my face in the last two weeks.
So while I lament the fact that Scott Rolen and I are the same age (and I’m actually older than Tim Hudson, pictured in one of the worst 2011 Bowman cards I’ve seen this year), it’s not really the age thing that gets to me.  What’s caused this crippling lack of momentum here at Hand Collated headquarters is the aforementioned move to the night shift and the need to sleep because of it.

Right now half of my week is work and sleep.  Twelve hours of work at night, nine hours of sleep during the day, three and four days a week.  That leaves three hours of “free time,” one of which I have to remain quiet for while the kids sleep.  One of which, if I’m lucky, translates into family time.  The other hour involves things like showering and driving to work.  That’s half a week where I get absolutely nothing done.  It does not make me feel like an MVP.

Even days off don’t offer much free time for me, because sleeping during the day isn’t the same as sleeping at night.  My body still struggles to catch up.  And if there’s any deviation in that nine-hour sleep schedule it can actually wear me down.  I am now forced to nap by my body almost anytime I end up close to a sleeping position.  I sat on the couch the other day, turned off my phone to reboot it, and fell asleep before I could restart it.  I’ve fallen asleep reading bedtime stories to the kids.  While at work it’s easy to stay awake, at home you can gear up for a big day and end up lasting the equivalent of  four innings and give up seven runs.  All you can do is shake your head and tweet “Tough one last night. Another chance at that line-up in five days.”

At times like this, I often think about the younger days.  And I remember that, except when I was living with my parents and working two jobs, I really didn’t have the money or time for baseball cards then, either.  I was too busy wooing my now wife with dinners and studying at school.  Oh, and beer, too.  And now I’ve got much more important things to worry about than pieces of cardboard with baseball players on them.  Like starting a letter writing campaign to bring back these Padres jerseys.  These things make even Yorvit Torrealba look like a bad ass.

So what does the future hold?  Well, I’ve got this night shift for another two months.  I may or may not get a vacation in there somewhere, which would end up being time spent on catching up on all the things around the house that I haven’t had a chance to do.  I would make sure to squeeze more card time in there, too.  But until then, readers, well, things are going to be hit and miss  for a while.  I’m hoping that by posting this now, I won’t feel guilty about not posting things and feel obligated to force some of these trade posts.

Speaking of trade posts , all these cards and more came in the deal I made with the Dog Faced Gremlin.  He knocked out about half of my Bowman wantlists, which means I should have them posted for the general public in the next few days.

As long as I get some sleep.

Gypsies, Potch Wheeler, and Me

I started writing a post light night about my trade with Potch Wheeler.  It was a simple kinda post since I remain limited on time.  Still am.  But something struck me as I started to write about Scott Rolen and his drop off in production from the start of last year:  He’s the same age as me.

Scott Rolen was born two weeks before I was.  And to his co-workers and fans, Scott Rolen is old.

I mentioned this fact to my wife in the morning, and she was more than kind.  She pointed out that while thirty-six was old for a ball player, it was still pretty young for the rest of the world.  I countered with the fact that while Rolen will probably retire at the end of next year, I’m still going to have to work.  That’s a different issue altogether.

But it kept nagging at me as I was typing out more and more last night about how closely the Reds record paralleled that of games that Scott Rolen started (it’s true, I swear).  Scott Rolen has kids and other players that look up to him.  Former teammates such as Travis Snider of the Blue Jays mention him as an example on how to do things. And he serves as a role model to his teammates and other budding third baseman all the way down to the little leagues.

And I am the same age as him.

I’m not sure where I’m going with all this.  I don’t want to sound wistful at what could have been, because I was pretty awful when it came to little league.  I’m not maudlin about the fact that people aren’t looking to emulate me and what I do.  But maybe I can be better just in case there’s someone who does.

I think I’ve made this sound more overwrought than it is.  But it is a little sobering that someone you’ve heard referred to as “old man” is the same age as you.  Even if you don’t feel it yourself.

So thanks, Potch, for a little bit of a look at myself.  And for help with my set.