And so it begins...

Last night at 11 PM, The Yankees were winning and the Sox were in position to clinch. Then I went to bed. I woke up 15 minutes ago. Irony set in.

The Rays had clinched the Wild Card, and the Yanks had lost the last game of the season. I was also overjoyed that the Red Sox had lost, because any team that has a big lead during a rainstorm...might wanna kiss it goodbye.

But it was a strange feeling. Tonight, for the first time since July, no games will be played. Sunday, the shenanigans will begin. I'll recall each team still in the running, and their odds to make the World Series.

AL:

New York Yankees:
Pros- The team has some of the best hitters in baseball. With Granderson, Teixiera and Cano alone, they would have gotten to this point. Also, the bullpen is a nice solid one, with one surefire Hall of Famer, and two former All Stars. Of course, CC Sabathia is the huge pitcher for other teams to worry about.
Cons- CC's pretty much all they've got in terms of pitching. They have CC, Nova, and that's basically it. Burnett'll stink up the place, Colon and Garcia will be loose cannons, and the Killer B's might not be ready yet.
Odds to make the world series: 1:3.

Detroit Tigers:
Pros: Justin. Freaking. Verlander. It always helps to have the best pitcher in baseball on your team, and with 24 wins and an obvious CY Young on the way, the incoming batters best not look afraid of the ace. Aside from that, they have some good hitters in Cabrera, Jackson, Avila and Martinez. And of course, they have Jose "How the hell do I have more saves than Rivera" Valverde to sweep the floors.
Cons: Similar to the Yankees, Verlander is the only real pitcher they have, unless you count Rick Porcello. Other than that, the staff is kinda a mixed bag, with Phil Coke, Brad Penny and Max Scherzer rounding it out. And while the hitters are awesome, most of them tend to strike out a lot. And with people this good at hitting, is defense a liability?
Odds of making it: 1:5.

Texas Rangers:
Pros: Like last year, they have some of the best hitters in the game. Also like last year, they have Hamilton, Kinsler, Young and Andrus. Adrian Beltre has become the team's secret weapon this year, changing his status from "overrated" to simply "rated". CJ Wilson has surprised me a lot, becoming the team's top ace.
Cons: The same thing that killed them last year- not a reliable enough defense. You got big strong guys roaming around, and they may not be speedy. Kinsler and Andrus maybe, but Beltre's probably slow. Also, CJ Wilson may be their only reliable pitcher. Maybe because the guy they signed to be a reliable pitcher (Brandon Webb) is still hurt.
Odds of making it: 1:8

Tampa Bay Rays:
Pros: The hitting. Evan Longoria, Johnny Damon and BJ Upton are all rocking the plate. Upton's been a fixture at center, and David Price is one of the best pitchers in the game. Meanwhile, James Shields, Desmond Jennings and Jeremy Hellickson are taking notes.
Cons: Not enough hitting, not enough pitching, unreliable defense, the fact that they only squeezed past the Yanks to get through last night. Also, there's a huge chance that one of the other teams will kick their ass in the ALDS. Just saying. No offense toward anybody.
Odds of making it: 1:15

NL:

Philadelphia Phillies:
Pros: Uhhh...well, they have the best pitching staff in baseball. And with the absense of Roy Oswalt, they have somehow maintained the Philly Phour with Vance Worley. Lee, Halladay and Hamels are throwing smoke, and Madson is also throwing fire in the ninth. Also, the offense isn't bad either. Howard, Pence, Mayberry and Ruiz are all hitting well. It's a very solid team overall.
Cons: Defense. A lot of these players are getting old, and don't get joy in running for a ball. Also, this aging factors into offense too. Ibanez and Rollins are indeed getting old, and they're still hitting, but they might not be Phillies by next season.
Odds of making it: 1:2.

Milwaukee Brewers:
Pros: A wild offense. Fielder, Braun, Hart, Weeks and Morgan are all mashing the ball at the plate, and all five of them will do serious damage in the postseason. Pitching is also solid. Zack Greinke may not have had the greatest season, but he still did damage, and he will do damage. He'll be backed up by Marcum, Gallardo and Wolf just in case.
Cons: The fact that despite their dominance, they might not be as good as the Phillies. And their pitching may be depended on at the last minute. Also, the bullpen isn't as strong as the team hopes. Axford and K-Rod can't do everything for you.
Odds of making it: 1:5

St. Louis Cardinals:
Pros: Pujols, Berkman, Holliday. Those three hitters have been providing some major damage at the plate this season. Carpenter, Garcia, Jackson, Westbrook. Those four have been a stellar pitching rotation this season.
Cons: Well, they only got into the playoffs because Atlanta lost. I was heavily expecting the Braves in the playoffs, but we got the Cards. Oh well.
Odds of making it: 1:8.

Arizona Diamondbacks:
Pros: If the Dodgers don't sweep the NL MVP and Cy Young awards, then the D-Backs will. Ian Kennedy, who I feel stupid now that the Yanks gave him away, is throwing some great games, and Justin Upton's having a monster season too. Chris Young and Daniel Hudson provide backups.
Cons: Aside from those guys, it's a lackluster team. There aren't too many huge names in the lineup, and in the bullpen. It's hard for this team to succeed with this.
Odds of making it: 1:20

Greatest Baseball Movie: The Debate has Resurfaced

Up until very recently, if you asked a casual sportsfan what his favorite baseball movie was, he would give you a choice from four or five answers. 1- He would take the easy way out, and say Bull Durham. 2- He would tell you that he's passionate about the game, and say Field of Dreams (Which used to be my answer). 3- He would come out of left field and say Major League. 4- He'd be a film-lover, and add The Natural. 5- She'd have no choice but A League of their own. And those five movies, with the exception of one obvious choice, are very good.

But what happens when a new movie comes into the mix? And yes, blogosphere, you know which one I'm talking about.

I saw Moneyball the first time this past Saturday night, with my parents. Not only did I think that it was an excellent baseball movie, it was also an excellent film period. The attention to detail, the dialogue by Aaron Sorkin, the performances of Brad Pitt, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, hell even Jonah Hill- and that says something.

After that first time, I thought it was one of the greatest baseball movies ever. Was it as good as Field of Dreams? Possibly. Was it as good as Bull Durham? Definitely. Was it as good as Major League? No, it was a billion times better than Major League. Major League's like the Police Academy of Sports Movies.

Of course, the next day was one of relaxation for me...until my friend called me up, and said he and another friend were seeing Moneyball, and asked if I wanted to join them.

I then searched my mind for a reason to refuse. After not finding one, I accepted.

So now I've seen Moneyball twice. And yes, I agree with what I said about it the first time. Because some people might say it's better than Bull Durham, and better than A League of their Own. And I would agree with them, with no disrespect toward Kevin Costner and Tom Hanks. Come on guys. There's no crying in baseball movies.

But the debate still rages on for other casual sportsfans, most of which have recently seen the movie. I swear, if the rest of the went to see The Lion King this weekend, they shouldn't be a sports fan. But anyway, these other fans have different levels of judgement in terms of baseball films than I do. They could still think Bull Durham's better, they could say Moneyball's the best, because it's really an Oscar movie about Baseball. Hell, they could even still say Major League's the best...to that, I would respond "Mr. Sheen, what the hell are you still doing here?"

But if they can't all agree that Moneyball isn't the greatest baseball movie of all time, they'll still think it's a great movie. Which is really all that counts.

The Playoff Clinches so far

So the playoff races are coming down to the wire in most divisions, while three have already been conquered. And as Rafael Soriano above proves, the Yankees clinched the AL East for the umpteenth time. And that's a good thing. But I'll go over, division by division, who I wanna see in the playoffs, or I'll dish on who's already there.

AL East: Yankees. They had an up and down season, but at the end of the day my team was ahead of Boston. I'll be seeing them in the World Series, hopefully.

AL Central: Tigers. I'm slightly worried about these guys. True, they have one amazing pitcher, and third stringers like Doug Fister, Brad Penny and Phil Coke. But they have hitting. People like Victor Martinez, Miguel Cabrera, Austin Jackson and Alex Avila all can hit. They might hit their way into the World Series for all we know.

AL West: Not yet clinched. It's probably going to end up being the Rangers. The Rangers do not seem like a very big deal this year. True, the hitting's still there, and they have most of the guys from last year, but not much has changed. I don't think they'll get past the first ring of the playoffs.

AL Wild Card: Not yet clinched. Hoping it's Tampa. I really don't wanna go against the Red Sox in the playoffs. Sure, they had a downfall, but they're still the Red Sox. Tampa isn't much better, but we can hopefully beat Tampa.

NL East: Phillies. They have pitching, they have hitting, they have defense. They should have a chance at a ring.

NL Central: Not yet clinched. I would be happy if the Brewers won it, because of the season they're having. Also, Zack Grienke has never been to the postseason, and I feel it's about time.

NL West: Not yet clinched. The Giants are probably going to take it. I don't think they'll get as far as they did last year. They have offense, but it's like a Celebrity Apprentice offense. And the pitching's great, but can pitching speed a team ahead.

NL Wild Card: Not yet clinched. Might be Arizona. Crap.

Custom Card of the Day: Price Edition

I'm beginning to slow down my custom making, due to lack of good photos, and free time. Also, because of the looming postseason. Around when the playoff teams are announced, I'll just make a bunch of customs from those teams, and posts them at random points if they win or lose. Of course, it was very recently when I realize that I hadn't made a David Price card all year. He's one of the most dominant pitchers in the league, and I had to wait until September to make one of him. That's cold.

Price is one of the Best pitchers in the AL, and on a team whose pitching isn't exactly their strength, he's still racking up wins for Tampa. The only problem is that the Yankees have to play either the Rays or the Red Sox, if they defeat Texas/Detroit. And Price's Rays are looking pretty okay this time of year. Still...better them than Boston.

Coming Tomorrow- Gotta make some more. Of the teams I think will make the playoffs, there'll be a few people.

602

Thanks Mo. Now that you're the top saves leader- and you will be for a while- the rest of the country can finally accept you as the greatest closer of all time.

Take a bow, Sandman. You deserve it.

Custom Card of the Day: Wakefield Edition

Knuckleballers, like Rodney Dangerfield, never get any respect. Sure, Phil Niekro and Hoyt Wilhelm get all the attention, for being a long lasting knuckler playing into old age. And even names like Charlie Hough come up, and while he's no Hall of Famer, he was one of Florida's first big stars back in the 90's. But nowadays, when knucklers are mentioned, Tim Wakefield is obviously the first man that comes to mind. Because he's been pitching consistently since 1993, and he's been doing things well.

Now granted, he's been on the Red Sox since 1994, and he's been through a lot. From the crappy days of the mid-90's, to the even crappier days of the late-90's, to both World Series wins. He's 44, he's still pitching, and his name does not rhyme with Shamie Shoyer. Also, he just achieved his 200th career win. While that comes nowhere near 300, or any of the great pitchers, it's all well and good for Boston fans. Because even if Wakefield comes nowhere near Cooperstown, they'll still remember him for his 2 decades with the team.

Coming Tomorrow- Once again, I have to make some more. Any requests?

Custom Card of the Day: Helton Edition

Is Todd Helton one of the most underrated players in baseball today? Possibly. Sure, it's a known fact that the early 2000's are over for him, but his power hitting days are not. He can still hit pretty well, mixed with the occasional injury. Still, the Rockies aren't doing the greatest this season, but players like Helton are helping them rise above mediocrity (read: The Padres), and stay out of last. And while Todd isn't having the greatest season, he's still a borderline Hall of Famer.

Also, I'm beginning to like these "New teams on Old Designs" customs more and more.

Coming Tomorrow- One of today's best knuckleballers (And before you all ask, I am NOT making an RA Dickey custom), who just achieved a huge milestone.

Custom Card of the Day: Pierre Edition

A lot of you may not have heard, but the guy above just notched his 2000th hit. And I'd say that's pretty cool. But the fact that not too many people heard proves what kind of star this guy is. True, Juan Pierre's a speedy outfielder, and he can bunt and steal bases, but he's not one of the greatest ballplayers ever. And yes, I also realize the man has a World Series ring (Wait...does he? 2003 Marlins, right?) but he never made a huge impact with the teams he was on. I still think he's a great player, but he won't be a Hall of Famer.

Coming Tomorrow- I have to make more. Any requests?

Custom Card of the Day: Aroldis Edition

There not many people who can throw faster than Aroldis Chapman. Sure, they can claim to have a 105 mph pitch, but no one can live up to it, other than Chapman. I've seen the man pitch, and he does so flawlessly. He fans batters every night. He throws hard and strikes people out. These facts offer up two questions. One- Why is this guy only a middle reliever, and Two- How come the Rookie of the Year talks are scarce?

The first question can be answered easily, mainly because the other spots are filled, and they rely on an aging slob to close games. But the second? If he's the fastest pitcher in the league, and this is his first season, how is this guy not even being talked about by ROY enthusiasts. Sure, Danny Espinosa this, and Craig Kimbrel that- what about the elephant in the room, here? And before you all ask, yes this is his rookie season. Is it maybe just the fact that he hasn't gotten many innings- is he just not pitching well? The world may never know.

Coming Tomorrow- A speedy outfielder in his early 30's, recently reaching a milestone in Chicaaaaago.

Custom Card of the Day: RAAAUUUUULLL Edition

Ever had one of those situations where you just can't make a good card of somebody? That's been the last three years with me and Raul here. Back in 2009, when I started customs, I started off just making my favorite players. Of course, all I did to the customs back then was just use an unrelated font, and not do anything to the picture. So it was kinda shoddy. Then last year, I did one, but it was during the week where I felt like I had to texture every single card. So this year, Raul's getting older, on and off the DL, and I need to make a custom of him before he retired. Luckily, I found a good shot. So here you go. This'll probably be hanging on my wall, soon.

Coming Tomorrow- One of the fastest pitchers in the league, narrowly avioiding losses, batters, and NL Rookie of the Year talks.

Custom Card of the Day: Lee Edition (Yes, again)

When people who were traded during the offseason get traded again during the regular season, it's a bit tedious. For one thing, just as you're getting used to someone in one uniform, he winds up going somewhere else. This must be especially hard for Topps. Last year when Miguel Tejada was traded to San Diego, they were probably smacking their heads with blocks of wood, because they had a card of him in Baltimore prepared.

But then, there's Derrek Lee. Derrek Lee hasn't been gotten right on a base card since 2009. In 2010, Topps made a Cubs card of him, but then toward the end of the season, he was traded to the Braves, via a waiver deal. And Topps had no Braves card of him. If I'm right, they made up the Derrek Lee Braves card earlier, in the 2011 set. By this point, Lee was already in Baltimore. So now that Topps was already working on an Orioles card, Derrek Lee was traded yet again to Pittsburgh. I know. So now, Topps might finally put out a Pirates card of him. Keyword- might.

Coming Tomorrow- His career's on the decline, his hitting has diminished and he can't run like he used to, but he's still RAAAAUUUUUUULLLL.

Custom Card of the Day: Montero Edition

He's one of the biggest catching prospects in the Bronx since Posada- how could I NOT make a custom of him? I was watching the game he had against Baltimore, where he decked two homers over the wall, giving him his first two career home runs. I was thinking "Man, he's going to be huge". Hopefully I'm right. No offense to Russell Martin, All Star and solid defensive catcher, but Jesus Montero can hit. And you cannot.

I hope this guy ends up being huge for the Yanks...and that he lives up to his potential.

Coming Tomorrow- Here's where I'm stumped. Should I even post a custom tomorrow, being that it's the 10th anniversary of 9/11? Would it be breaking the moment if I did?

Custom Card of the Day: Strasburg Edition

Is there much to say about Stephen Strasburg that hasn't been said already? Methinks not. The guy is only in his second year, and Topps has beaten collectors over the head with him. And look, he's a good pitcher. He throws strikes, he's dominant, and he gets wins. But it really isn't looking like he's going to be...Stephen Strasburg. The comparisons to Todd Van Poppel are endless, whereas everyone thought that he'd be huge...then he wasn't. Still, Strasburg has potential, but if he keeps getting hurt, this potential will cease.

Also, if Topps does to Bryce Harper next year what they did to Strasburg last year, I'm swearing off Topps cards. Because it isn't fair, it isn't cool, and it's not the way Topps was 30 years ago.

Coming Tomorrow- Speaking of rookies with potential, this guy hit two home runs in one of his first games for his team. Naturally, he's playing for the Yankees.

Custom Card of the Day: Morgan Edition

How do I follow up one of the most inspirational posts I've ever written? Sheer insanity, that's how. The guy above has been bringing the crazy for Milwaukee for the year. It's pretty nice too, being that the last two teams he's played for were the worst in the NL. Now, his team's heading the division, and this guy might be headed to the playoffs. Am I the only one getting the Cody Ross vibe? The guy adds comic relief for a serious team, yet he still scores runs. Sounds like Cody Ross to me. Only Nyjer's a little more likable than Cody Ross. At least I hope so.

Coming Tomorrow: Yeah yeah, he made his return to the majors, had a buncha strikeouts, blablablablablaahh...yeah, he's getting a custom.

Custom Card of the Day: Lillibridge Edition

Alright, folks. This is a story I'll never forget, because of many huge points that I'm about to get to. Part of it eminated from this post. So I'll just share the original post, before I get into the mind-blowing stuff.

I have already mentioned the fan of mine, who occasionally sends me suggestions for customs, which I gladly create. Before this one, he was requesting a lot of Dodgers, mainly because he's a Dodger fan. But he came to me, about a week before I left for New Hampshire, and he said he wanted to see a card of Brent Lillibridge. And the reason behind this, is not only the fact that he's been getting a bunch of plate appearances this year, but because of the fact that Mr. Lillibridge knows this fan- they spend some time together during the offseason. And he has also helped the world, helping the Dominican Republic and South Africa. The first thing that popped into my head was "Isn't this the greatest idea?"

Then another thought popped into my head. And this one was more important. You see, if the fan knew Brent so well, he could show Brent the card. And if he likes it, and he shows it to his team, I could have an entire ballclub asking me for customs. And it's be equal parts rewarding and chaotic. I'd have to fend off weekly offers from players I've never heard of, like Dayan Vicedio, and I'd get swarmed by requests from everyone else. I'd have to explain to some people that they're on the DL and I can't make it, or I can't find any photos of them, or "Ozzie, I'm not making any manager cards."

It was just a thought. But I still thought it'd be awesome for a MLB player to see one of my customs of him. And I got an email back later from the fan, asking permission to show Brent. And I agreed. I haven't heard back from him, but I'm guessing things went well.

Before you ask, no I did not make this up. This story is just too good to make up. And I hope that encourages people, that I do not deny custom requests. If anyone has any players they wanna see on a card (Nyjer Morgan and Derrek Lee are on the way), just ask in the comments. And I hope that Brent likes this card as much as this blogosphere does.

I posted that at 10 to 7 this morning, because I had to leave for school 30 minutes later. Actually, I was a bit nervous sharing a lot of this, but I figured it's be fine. So I post the custom, and the anecdote, I go to school, get bored out of my mind for most of the day, and come home.

Already sitting in my email inbox are two emails. One is from Captain Canuck, about the contest he just won. The other is from, you guessed it, the fan. And he brings good news. I will recount the awesome parts of his email word for word. Seriously, for a guy who makes custom cards on his spare time, this is epic:

"Jordan,

So sorry I never followed up with Brent's reaction to your custom card of him! He really liked it. In fact, quoting him, he emailed me and said, "Wow, he's got some mad skills.""

So that's awesome on its own. Brent Lillibridge loved the card I made of him. And at first, I didn't know what to think. I thought it was crazy that someone I made a card of loves my work. Then of course, he said this:

"He liked it enough he put it as the picture on his Twitter account."

Now my jaw was on the floor. Because Brent Lillibridge loved my card, and now it's his Twitter Picture, and now other people around the world can see my work. And the whole "White Sox badgering me for customs" thing I joked about? That might actually happen.

So let me reinforce this once again. Requests are golden. If I never accepted that request from the fan, I would have never had a guy who I made a card of post it as the picture on his Twitter account.

So, uh...thanks Brent, if you're reading this. And I hope the White Sox do MUCH better next season. Seriously, I'm not just saying that. I hope their 2012 season outdoes everyone's expectations. And again...thanks for liking the custom.

Coming Tomorrow- There's the power hitting outfielder, the power hitting first basemen, and then there's this guy, a man in Milwaukee with a speedy pace and a need for sanity.

Stadium Club Contest: LAST THREE PACKS!

Well folks, we've reached the end. There are three packs left out of the 1996 box. I know a lot of people haven't been mentioned, but the Braves did most of the card hogging in this contest. So I apologize to all who chose the Angels, Astros, A's, Cardinals, Dodgers, Expos, Giants, Indians, Mariners, Mets, Orioles, Padres, Phillies, Pirates, Reds, Red Sox, Tigers, Twins and White Sox. As for everyone else, the game is still winnable.

Marquis Grissom of the Braves. A decent running shot. 3 points.

Ryan Thompson of the Mets. A nice swing. 3 points

Don Wengert of the A's. Got it. 1 point

Frank Thomas of the White Sox. Any doubt in anyone's mind that this guy's the greatest White Sock ever? Didn't think so. 5 points.

Shawn Green of the Blue Jays Team TSC. One of the Greatest Jewish Ballplayers, only fourthed to Koufax, Greenberg and someone else that's better than Shawn Green. 4 points. Mazel Tov!

Tony Gwynn of the Padres. The regular version. So...I say it's a double. 1 point.

WOW! A Raul Mondesi BASH AND BURN Insert for the Dodgers. That works. He certainly bashed, and afterwards, his career burned. I keed, I keed. This is a 5 pointer, definitely.

Albert Belle of the Indians. Double, 1 point

Alex Fernandez of the Yankees. Forgot he played for the Yanks. DH most likely. 4 points cause it's a cool shot.
Terry Steinbach of the A's, Great shot. Nice way to capture a catcher. 4 points.

Kurt Abbott of the Marlins. Nice stance. 3 points

Bobby Thigpen (?) of the White Sox. A decent pithcer shot. 3 points

Joey Lawrence Team TSC of the Padres. Never made it. 3 points

Roger Bailey of the Rockies. Nice horizontal. 3 points

Paul O'Niell of the Yankees. The Warrior. 4 points

Fernando Vina of the Brewers. Have it, 1 point

Last Pack:

Guy from the Astros whose name I can't make out. Awesome vertical shot. Great play. 5 points.

Jason Isringhausen of the Mets. Would later become a star for St. Louis. Good closer. 4 points

Jose Viscaino, Dave Martinez- doubles

Mike Henneman of the Astros. Double, 1

Randy Johnson of the Mariners Team TSC, Double, 1.

Mo Vaughn of the Red Sox. Double. 1 point

Will Clark of the Rangers, 1 point.

Alright. The ripping is over. After 48 packs of cards, the winner of all his team's loot, plus some extras from me...is...

CAPTAIN CANUCK!!!

The Braves ended up with 96 points. Before any of you ask, no I was not bribed by the Captain. It just turned out that way. The Braves had a lot of stars in the 90's. The closest team to the Braves was Ryan LaMonica's Yankees, who has 77. (It's hysterical, how both teams ended up in a score that was a year they were in the world series. Heh).

Alright. Captain, send me an email with your info, and I'll get your prizes sent out this week. As for everyone else, thanks for playing. Who knows, I might pull another contest sometime soon. And hopefully, it'll be shorter, and less complicated.

Custom Card of the Day: Stanton Edition

I must say I'm liking the whole "New Teams in Old Designs" shops I've been doing a lot lately. They're very fun to make, and I always like exploring new possibilities. For example, this 87 one was a tad bit harder, being that I needed a team logo, but thanks to Google Images, that problem was solved almost instantly. Of course, the man on the card has been doing his best to solve things as well. I think that if Hanley Ramirez gets traded next season, Mike Stanton will lead the team. The guy can definitely hit, and if he's healthy all 162 games, he'll possibly lead the team far. Unfortunately, that's hard to do when the Phillies and Braves are in your division.

Coming Tomorrow- Another custom that was requested by a fan...only there's more of a story to this one.

Stadium Club Contest: 1996 Packs 17-20

It's coming down to the wire in this epic contest. Questions are swirling around. Can anyone stop Captain Canuck's Braves, leading with 86? Will the Brewers, being led by no one, catch up to the Braves, having 65 points at the moment? Will the Yankees, the undisputed dark horse of the contest, speed ahead, having 63 points right now? Who can explain playattheplate's Rangers' fight for the lead, with 61? And will the defunct Marlins, with 57, Spiegel83's Royals, with 56, and hiflew's Rockies with 52, ever catch up to the herd? All will be answered tonight and tomorrow night. But for now, the penultimate four packs (And unlike Topps, I acutally mean penultimate as in "the next-to-last").


Rafael Palmiero of the Orioles. Would be a Hall of Famer if he didn't take steroids. 4 points.
John Wasdin of the A's. Failed prospect, but decent shot. 3 points
Ed Sprague of the Blue Jays. Got it. 1 point
Cal Ripken of the Orioles. Got it. 1 point
Scott Servais of the Cubs. Hi. Got it, 1 point
Frank Castillo Team TSC of the Cubs. Got it. 1 point
Wil Cordero of the Expos. That's a nice way to capture a double play. 4 points
Mark Portugal of the Reds. Got it. 1 point

Jeff Fassero of the Expos. Pretty nice horizontal shot. 4 points
Jeff Fassero of the Expos. Unnnnghhh. 1 point
Frank Rodriguez of the Twins. Got it. 1 point
Juan Guzman of the Blue Jays. A good pitcher shot. 3 points
Jim Eisenrich of the Phillies. A nice swing for Eisenrich. 4 points
Roger Pavlik of the Rangers. Nicely shot card, with a good pitcher shot. 3 points
Derek Jeter of the Yankees Team TSC. Pretty close to a rookie for this guy, which is awesome. 5 points. Cause he's Jeter.
Brian Barber of the Cardinals. got it. 1 point

Fred McGriff of the Braves. CRIME DOG! 4 points.
Fred McGriff of the Braves. That's not funny. 1 point
Troy Percival of the Angels. Decent shot for a decent closer. 3 points.
Randy Johnson of the Mariners Team TSC. The Big Unit, in all his glory. 5 points.
Chris Hoiles of the Orioles. Got it. 1 point
Pitcher guy for the Pirates whose name I can't make out. Okay shot. 2 points.
Pat Kelly of the Yankees. Got it, 1 point.
Ivan Rodriguez of the Rangers. Got it, 1 point.

Mark Lemke of the Braves. Double. 1 point

Scott Leius of the Twins. Double. 1 point

Jeff Frye of the Rangers. Watching it sail...3 points

Alex Fernandez of the White Sox. Double, 1 point

Jason Jacome of the Royals. Double, 1 point.

Tom Glavine of the Braves Team TSC. Double. 1 point

Steve Finley of the Padres. A NICE SWING. 4 points

Some guy I can't make out for the Brewers. Nice swing, 3 points.

With four packs left to go, the Braves still have a lead with 93, the Yankees have 69, the Brewers and Rangers have 68, and everyone else is trying to catch up. Tomorrow night, the winner will be decided, and they will recieve all the cards for their team, plus a few extra cards for their team. It all ends tomorrow night.

Custom Card of the Day: Delmon Edition

Let's face it, we've been doing terribly with out #1 Draft Picks as of late. With the exception of David Price and possibly Bryce Haper, none of them have been the stars that we expected. Strasburg was injured all season, Hochevar never became the huge starter, Beckham never made the majors. And then there's this guy, who's hitting pretty well despite not meeting everyone's expectations. People were comparing Delmon Young to Ryan Howard when he was a rookie, although I think now a more apt comparison would be Chili Davis. The guy gets traded around a lot, is supposed to be big, and might wind up on a World Series winning team sometime in the near future.

Coming Tomorrow- The Marlins have been tanking this season, but this guy might be their future.

Stadium Club Contest: 1996 Packs 13-16

At the end of last night's pack ripping, Captain Canuck's Braves still held the lead with 80, while Ryan LaMonica's Yankees have caught up with 63, and Play at the Plate's Rangers and the defunct Brewers have 61. Also, Spiegel83's Royals have made a comeback with 56. With 12 packs to go, anyone can win it, and everyone will try.

Mike Stanton of the Red Sox. Have it. 1 point

Jose Viscaino of the Mets. A decent swing. 3 points

Shane Andrews of the Expos. A potential steal. Of course, after that his weight made stealing difficult. 3 points

Steve Avery of the Braves. And the Braves make a return, albiet in double form. 1 point

Raul Mondesi of the Dodgers. RAAAUUULLL was a huge star back in the 90's. 4 points.

Mark Carreon of the Giants. A decent play shot. 3 points

Mark Portugal of the Reds. That's a good way to get a pitcher shot done. 4 points

Frank Castillo of the Cubs. Never made it. 3 points

Scott Leuis of the Twins. Got it. 1 point

Joe Oliver of the Brewers. Nice shot. 4 points

Alan Trammell of the Tigers. A Detroit Legend, shown in his final season. How could that NOT get 5 points?

Mark Langston of the Angels. The hard-throwing pitcher in action. 4 points

Jose Rijo of the Reds. Got it

Brian Hunter Team TSC of the Astros. Got it.

Curtis Leskanic of the Rockies. A decent shot. 3 points

Ron Karkovice of the White Sox. A brilliant catcher shot. 5 points

Karim Garcia of the Dodgers. Never made it. 3 points

Alex Fernandez of the White Sox. A good pitcher shot. 3 points

Kenny Lofton of the Indians. What a basestealer. Borderline Hall of Famer. 4 points

Albert Belle of the Indians. Boy, did this guy have power. 4 points

Mark Smith of the Orioles. Decent Horizontal. 4 points

Norm Charlton of the Mariners. That is a nice shot. 5 points

Jeff Bagwell of the Astros. Hall of Famer definitely. 4 points

Dave Martinez of the White Sox. A nice swing shot. 3 points

Tommy Greene of the Phillis. How a pitcher shot should be done. 4 points

Esteban Loiaza. Got it. 1 point

Jeff Conine of the Marlins. That's a funny one. The little James Woods grin ecquipped with a tennis racquet. 5 points

James Mouton of the Astros. A decent running shot. 3 points

Kevin Foster of the Cubs. Pitcher shot, blah. 2 points

Jody Reed of the Padres. A good swing. 3 points

Tom Glavine Team TSC of the Braves. He was for Atlanta what Cliff Lee is now for Philly- a very good pitcher, dwarfed only by the guy who starts the day before him. 5 points

Luis Aliciea of the Red Sox. Running, bleah. 2 points

Ed Sprague of the Blue Jays. A nice shot of the guy warming up. 4 points

Mike Lansing of the Expos. Got it. 1 points

With 8 packs left to go in the contest, the Braves lead with 86, while the Brewers have 65, the Yankees still have 63, the Rangers still have 61, the Marlins have 57 and the Royals still have 56. It was a slow round, but hopefully a lot more will happen when the contest continues tomorrow night.

Custom Card of the Day: Furcal Edition

I don't really have too much to say about Furcal. He's overrated, he's always injured, yet he somehow gets All Star Nominations casually.

Coming Tomorrow- A former #1 Draft Pick traded to Detroit.

Stadium Club Contest: 1996 Packs 9-12

This contest, that was first spoken of when I was in New Hampshire, has been still rolling even as I ready myself for school. But who cares about school. Captain Canuck's Braves are leading with 80, and the closest team is the playattheplate's Rangers with 61, and the defunct Brewers with 60. But still, anything can happen.

Pack 9:

Chris Hoiles of the Orioles. A decent swing. 3 points

Mike Stanton of the Red Sox. Sadly not the power hitting outfielder for Florida. 3 points.

Ron Gant of the Reds. Now that is a great card. Just the look on his face alone says it all. 5 points.

Johnny Damon of the Royals Team TSC. Yes folks, this is pretty close to his rookie. For that, it's a 5 pointer. If the Royals lose, I get something close to a Johnny Damon rookie.

Scott Servais of the Cubs. Hi again. 1 point

Mo Vaughn of the Red Sox. A shame what happened to this dude. 4 points for the shot.

Tony Tarasco of the Expos. A nice basepaths shot. 3 points

Estaban Loiaza of the Pirates. An average pitcher shot. 2 points

Jason Jacome of the Royals. Again. 1 point

Scott Leuis of the Twins. Simple yet effective. 4 points

Danny Tartabull of the Athletics. Whenever I think of him, 2 things come to mind. 1- how his foul ball off the finger led to his retirement, and 2- That Seinfeld Episode. 4 points

Brian Hunter of the Astros Team TSC. Never made it. 3 points

Orel Hershiser of the Indians. Fun Fact: Orel graduated my High School. Seriously, there are articles on the wall of his playing time. Also, he was a great pitcher. 5 points

Andy Pettite of the Yankees. Pretty close to his rookie card. Also, great pitcher. 5 points

Mike Lansing of the Expos. A nice play. 4 points

Keith Lockhart of the Royals. Got it. 1 point

Bobby Jones of the Mets. Memories of Counting Crows over the Shea Loudspeakers come to mind. 3 points

Ruben Sierra of the Yankees. He had such potential...4 points

Turk Wendell of the Cubs. (Not actually Turkish). 3 points

Al Lieter of the Blue Jays Team TSC. Got it. 1 point

Michael Tucker of the Royals. Waiting to steal. 4 points

BJ Surhoff of the Brewers. Got it. 1 point

Brian Barber of the Cardinals. A nice tight shot. 3 points

Jim Edmonds of the Angels. What a cool photo. 5 points

Orlando Merced of the Pirates. A nice swing. 3 points

Larry Walker of the Rockies. A nicer swing. Is he a Hall of Famer? 4 points

Kevin Ritz of the Rockies. A good pitcher shot. 3 points

Scott Brosius of the A's. Again. 1 point

Mariano Rivera of the Yankees. Greatest. Closer. Ever. 5 points

Cal Ripken of the Orioles. When I grow older, and have children, I can tell my kids I saw this guy play. 5 points.

Brian Barber of the Cardinals. Again. 1 point

Wilson Alvarez of the White Sox Team TSC. Never made it. 3 points

Not a single Braves card was pulled tonight, but they are still in the lead with 80. Somehow, of all teams, the Yankees caught up tonight, and are the closest with 63, while the Rangers and Brewers have 61, and the Royals have caught up to them with 56. So it's still anyone's game, and the contest will continue tomorrow night.

Two $10 Boxes of 2011 Topps Football

School will begin for me on Tuesday, and this fact absolutely sucks. Once Tuesday starts, my free time is shot, and I won't have as much free time to post, except for my Custom of the Day posts. But of course, there is always packs. And today, I found 2 formally cereal boxes of Football, and I had no choice but to bite. I have been liking the football set a lot this year, so I snapped at the chance to get more packs.

Box 1:
153- Curtis Lofton. A member of the team Sports Illustrated predicts will win the Super Bowl. My response: Yeah, right.
359- Andre Gurode.
191- Dwight Freeney.
92- Dexter McCluster. This guy had a lot of preseason hype last year.
389- Rob Gronkowski. So did this guy.
358- Robert Meachem.
180- Peyton Hillis. Great player, I can see that, but Madden cover boy? Him over Rodgers?
76- Donald Brown.
51- Rob Housler.
146- Dontay Moch
427- Von Miller Rookie card. Sure, it's no Cam Newton, but people will be chasing this card.
337- Anthony Castonzo
238- Christian Ponder. Sadly, he'll be demoted to backup now that McNabb's on the field. A shame, too.
143- Bilal Powell
275- James Carpenter. The Seahawks' 1st rounder. Which means, the Seahawks' first 2012 release.
165- Edmond Gates
103- Karlos Dansby.
117- Titans tc. Both their QB's are now gone. I feel for them...
226- Dolphins tc
53- Ravens tc. Slightly better than the last two.
428- Owen Daniels
152- Julius Peppers.
49- DeMeco Ryans
162- Mario Manningham. His team's toast now, thanks to the Eagles.
360- Tony Romo. I cannot make fun of this guy, because a certain blogger that likes his team is in first place in my contest. So uhh...he's okay.
93- Tramon Williams.
314- Mike Williams
87- Asante Samuel. Oh yeah.
104- Ndamukong Suh, ROY. Lions have been getting marginally better lately.
216- Steelers. Have won the most Super Bowls. As of now.
363- Donte Whitner
338- Kyle Orton. 79- Keith Brooking
106- Lee Evans. Not the British guy from There's Something About Mary
439- Lions
48- Vonta Leach
116- Fred Jackson
224- Brandon Jackson. 352- Pierre Garcon
57- BenJarvis Green-Ellis. What a name
211- Chris Ivory
430- Jake Locker. The newest Vegas pool: When will Jake begin the obvious endorsement for Foot Locker?
397- DaQuan Bowers
15- Brandon Harris
424- Mikel Leshoure
386- Dwayne Harris
395- Ryan Williams
251- Justin Houston
357- Martez Wilson. Now that's a lot of rookies
198- Jimmy Graham GOLD #'D TO 2011
Calvin Johnson Toppstown
Joe Namath Super Bowl Legends Insert. Will the Jets ever get back to February? Signs point to no.
Andy Dalton mini. Good luck, kid.
Ed Reed Game Day.Still liking this Insert Set better than Peak Performance
Suh/Fairley Faces of the Franchise
GIVEAWAY CARD! Let's see what I get:
A Los Angeles Rams Retro Ring. That's pretty nice. Especially since I'm a fan of the Rams old unis.
Blaine Gabbert Bowman Insert. That's nice.
253- Tony Moeaki
280- Antonio Gates
22- Austin Collie
2- Rams.
440- MICHAEL VICK!!!! YEAAAHHH!
131- Hines Ward, Ballroom Dancer
38- Mike Tolbert
392- Clay Matthews
1- Aaron Rodgers. Wow.
12- Demaryius Thomas. Last year I pulled a relic of this guy. Is he any good?
273- LeGarrette Blount
291- Greg Olsen
227- Anquan Bolden
177- Ahmad Bradshaw
63- Vernon Davis
307- Cortland Finnegan

(By the way, since I had redeemed three things on Legends Giveaway, I got a free code, which gave me a Super Bowl III Jets Jersey for the site. It's a Namath. Awesome. No, I don't actually get the Jersey, which sucks, but it's nice for the site).

Box 2:
135- Brian Hartline
234- Devin McCourty
20- Eli Manning.
391- John Carlson
4- Reggie Bush, now on the Dolphins
189- Jahvid Best. I own an on-card auto of this guy.
5- Lance Briggs
35- Bucaneers
19- Titus Young rookie
349- Cameron Jordan
215- Denarius Moore
413- Colin Kaepernick
418- Aldrick Robinson
256- Marcell Dareus
112- Nathan Enderle
59- Cameron Wake
123- BRIAN DAWKINS! Former Eagle.
407- Giants
401- Juaguars
375- Cardinals
141- LaMarr Woodley
71- Alex Smith
185- Stephen Tulloch
334- Patrick Willis. Great player.
383- Mike Williams
419- Darrelle Revis
84- Packers tc
324- Lance Moore
111- Michael Crabtree
364- Jason Snelling
297- Jordan Shipley. I have a relic of him as well. Is he any good?
86- Matthew Stafford. The funniest moment of the game where he threw a game-winning pass with an injured arm, is when players went to hug him, and the "AHH!" sound they recieved. It was like something out of a Farrelly Brothers movie
195- Jahri Evans
318- Matt stinking Cassel
343- London Fletcher
236- Mohamed Massoquai
203- AJ Hawk
157- Rashad Jennings
255- Chad Henne. Wimpiness to the 10th power
158- Aaron Hernandez
347- Brandon Jacobs
426- Mark Ingram Rookie. Oh yeah
46- Dion Lewis
155- Kendall Hunter
214- Curtis Brown
51- Rob Housler again
146- Dontay Moch again
427- Von Miller again
348- Allen Bailey
265- Brandon Lloyd GOLD #'D TO 2011
Antonio Gates ToppsTown
Troy Aikman Super Bowl Legends
David Garrard Mini
McFadden/Allen Faces
Greg Jennings GameDay
Giveaway Card, lets see who I get:
A Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl 28 Coin. Just great...
Kyle Rudoplh Bowman.
303- Steve Johnson
372- Louis Murphy
125- Bills
81- Current Eagle Steve Smith
152- Peppers again
49- Ryans again
162- Manningham again
440- MIKE VICK Again
56- Mike Thomas
96- Lofa Tatupu
99- Ryan Torain
420- Matt Ryan
244- Arrellious Benn
110- Sam Bradford
312- Jacoby Ford
411- Willis McGahee

Well, that was pretty nice. A lot of nice cards, and come good code cards. I might be picking some more up soon.

Custom Card of the Day: Mayberry Edition

Has anything been constant in this year's Philadelphia Outfield? The answer- no. Since the beginning of the year, there have been so many changes in the outfield, that it's simply become a game of musical chairs, and whoever gets down first every night gets to play. Sure, Pence has become a fixture, mainly because he's the quickest to sit down. Ibanez usually covers the left fielder spot, but then there's the matter of center. The question every night is will it be Victorino or will it be Mayberry? And while Victorino has been a Philly idol for years, Mayberry has been quite popular this year. Why? He can hit.

Mayberry has been hitting well this season, mainly in place of Victorino when he was injured. Of course, when Victorino came back, things got awkward. It's sad to see Mayberry playing less often, but when he does play, he whacks the ball into the outfield. I hope he'll get a lot more playing time in the future...without the assistance of a trade, please.

Coming Tomorrow- He was an overrated superstar for the Braves, then he was an overrated superstar for the Dodgers. Now, he plays occasionally for St. Louis.

Stadium Club Contest: 1996 Packs 5-8

When we last left this contest, Captain Canuck's Braves were STILL in the lead with 67, while the closest anyone has gotten to them has been the defunct Brewers with 54, and hiflew's Rockies and Play at the Plate's Rangers with 51. But still, it is anyone's race. No one is counted out yet, although anything can happen.


Pack 5-
Jose Rijo of the Reds. Double, 1 point
Carlos Perez of the Expos. Just a casual pose with a was of bubblegum behind the cheek. 4 points
Mike Piazza of the Dodgers. If the steroid rumors are silently put down, Piazza should be a Hall of famer. Besides, I enjoyed watching him back before I became a diehard Philly fan. 5 points.
Mark Lemke of the Braves. Insert your own dayf reference here. 3 points.
Chipper Jones of the Braves Team TSC. And the Braves' luck continues to get better. 5 points.
Todd Zeile of the Braves. He's dialing up 911, looking for where his career went. Ha. 4 points, cause that's a funny shot.
Power Packed Insert of Juan Gonzalez of the Rangers. This was a one-per box hit, and while I could have done slightly better, this was a pretty nice hit back in the day. 5 points.
Jacob Brumfeld of the Pirates. A fairly basic shot. 3 points

Pack 6:
Manny Ramirez of the Indians. Despite the fact that I hate him now,he was okay back in Cleveland. 4 points
Pat Kelly of the Yankees. Ah, a refresher of how terrible our team was in the 90's. 3 points.
Mark Grudzielanek of the Expos. A nice capture of Grudzy running the bases. 4 points
Steve Ontiveros of the A's. This card answers the question "Is it possible for a card to be boosted by a beard alone?". 4 points. What a goatee.
Garrett Anderson of the Angels Team TSC. This was before he started popping up in every pack ever. 4 points.
Kevin Appier Silver Extreme Insert, of the Royals. Another insert that was kinda cool. 5 points.
Eddie Murray of the Indians. Sheer greatness. 5 points
Rico Brogna of the Mets. A reminder of how bad BOTH New York teams were in the 90's. 2 points.

Darren Fletcher of the Expos. Now THAT is a nice shot. From behind him. 5 points.
Jeff Blauser of the Braves. A decent play. 4 points. WHY DO THEY HAVE SO MANY CARDS???
Ivan Rodriguez. Have it. 1 point
Frank Rodriguez of the Twins. A nice dugout shot. 4 points
Jason Jacome of the Royals. A standard pitcher shot. 2 points
Ruben Rivera of the Yankees Team TSC. Even are prospects were kinda bad...except for four glaring omissions. 4 points.
Mike Lansing of the Expos. Another nice play. 4 points
Will Clark of the Rangers. He's not a hall of famer, but he was very good. 4 points

Don Wengert of the A's. Blah. 2 points

Barry Bonds of the Giants. Good shot, but steroid abuser. 4 points cause of the shot.

Jim Thome of the Indians. Another surefire hall of famer. 5 points. The Indians could catch up.

Fernando Vina of the Brewers. A team full of excellent shots. Why didn't anyone want this team. Or, as Ollie Williams would say, 'WHO WANTS THIS TEAM?" 5 points.

Al Lieter of the Blue Jays Team TSC. Was a great player in his early years. 4 points

Mike Henneman of the Astros. The fury! 5 points, cause that's a great horitzontal.

Kurt Abbott of the Marlins. A nice batter's shot. 4 points

Jeff Suppan of the Red Sox. Okay shot. 3 points

Chipper Jones Team TSC. Got it. 1 point

Tom Candiotti of the Dodgers. A decent shot. 3 points

Mickey Mantle Insert of the Yankees. This is also 1 per box, commemorating the Mick's career. This was the first and only time Topps would do this...not. 5 points.

We've got 16 packs to go, and the Braves are still leading with 80. Catching up are the Brewers with 59, the Rangers with 61, and the Marlins with 52. It's still anyone's game. The contest continues tomorrow.

Custom Card of the Day: Jackson Edition

For all of 2010 I was complaining that the Yankees were absolute idiots to give up Austin Jackson. For one thing, I'd thought he'd be the centerfielder of the future. He could hit homers, he could field well, and he seemed like the next big thing. Of course...you know what happened next. He was traded to Detroit for another guy who was cited as the next big thing by his team, Curtis Granderson. So a year later, I have yet to determine who was the victor. Until now.

The Yankees recieved a power hitting outfielder, that got an All Star nomination this year, and rightfully so. The season Granderson is having rivals only one other batter this season, and that's Adrian Gonzalez. But Granderson is fighting with Gonzalez and Bautista for the leader in home runs this season, and I sure hope he wins. He deserves an MVP award this season.

Jackson has had a unrightfully less awesome two seasons. He started out having an epic rookie season, but this season just wasn't as good. He's been striking out waay too much, and his hitting has diminished. It's safe to say that I was wrong in thinking that Jackson was the ultimate outfielder, and I'm happy to deal with Granderson.

Although if we trade Jesus Montero, then I'll have beef.

Coming Tomorrow- During the game of Musical Chairs for the third outfield spot in Philadelphia, this guy has been the quickest, and has shown the most potential.

Stadium Club Contest: 1996 Packs 1-4

It's taken me a few days to get this up, but I've had a busy life. School's starting soon for me, and I wanna get my last few days in before the boredome hits. But back to the contest. Captain Canuck's Braves had 59 points after 1 box. Nobody else was even close. We can't proclaim him the winner until we rip another box. 1996 Stadium Club has less cards per pack, but a 1 per pack Team TSC insert. Also, a lot more stars, and a lot better collation.



Pack 1:
Rusty Greer of the Rangers. A typical run to 3rd. 3 points
Tim Raines of the White Sox. He looks so badass. 4 points
Jay Buhner of the Mariners. A nice hit, apparently. 3 points
Steve Wojoschekcjdosopdj of the A's. A decent shot of a guy on the mound. 3 points
Pete Harnisch of the Mets. Nice windup. 3 points
Mike Matheny of the Brewers. THAT is how you do a studio shot. 5 points
Carlos Delgado of the Blue Jays. He was an awesome player. 4 points
Jose Rijo of the Reds. A nice shot. 3 points
Alan Benes of the Cardinals. A cool closeup. 4 points
Jeff Brantley of the Reds Team TSC. 4 points, cause it's an okay person on an insert.
Kevin Foster of the Cubs. A cool shot. 3 points

Pack 2:
Tony Phillips of the Angels. A nice slide. 5 points
Kenny Lofton of the Indians. Doing what he does 2nd best- bunting. 4 points
Keith Lockhart of the Royals. Weilding the bat like a samurai warrior. 4 points
Ray Lankford of the Cardinals. A potential steal. 3 points
Marty Cordova Team TSC for the Twins. 4 points, sterioid abuser.
Tony Gwynn Extreme Bronze Insert. This was a hard to find insert back in the day, and it's Tony Gwynn, so 5 points.
Charlie Hayes of the Phils. A nice swing. 3 points
Scott Brosius of the A's. HA! 3 points

Jeff King of the Pirates. Decent swing. 3 points
Jeff King of the Pirates. DAAAAMMNN First double. 1 point
Sammy Sosa of the Cubs. Run, Sammy Run (From the law). 4 points
Jose Valentin of the Brewers. When he was "young". 3 points.
Greg Maddux Team TSC. Automatically another 5 points for the Braves.
Erik Hansen of the Red Sox. An okay shot. 3 points
Keith Lockhart of the Royals. 1 point
Mike Matheny of the Brewers. 1 point

Steve Avery of the Braves. There is such thing as 4th Banana, kids. 3 points.

Thomas Howard of the Reds. Decent swing. 2 points.

Gary Sheffield of the Marlins. 4 points for sheff.

Jon Nunnally of the Royals. Never made it. 3 points

Scott Servais of the Cubs. Hi. 3 points.

BJ Surhoff of the Brewers. Not as good as his 1993 one. 3 points

Brady Anderson of the Orioles. A decent shot for an okay player. 4 points

Ivan Rodriguez of the Rangers. 1st Ballot Hall of Famer. 5 points

After 28 packs, the Braves still lead with 67. But The Brewers have 54, the Rockies have 51. Still the contest will continue tomorrow.

Custom Card of the Day: Konerko Edition

It's common knowledge that the White Sox aren't doing the best this season. And while the reason might just be that the other teams have gotten hot, it'll never be about lack of good players. Look at Paul Konerko here. With 10+ years with the Sox, he's developed a solid career as a hitter, and was an All-Star this year. And the team has so many other players that are this good, like Carlos Quentin, Gordon Beckham, Mark Buehrle, Jake Peavy, Alexei Ramirez and so on. It's a team filled with good performers, including Konerko. It's just a shame the team isn't doing so well.

Coming Tomorrow- For a year and a half, I've been fuming that the Yankees were nuts giving up this guy. Tomorrow, I will analyze if I was right or wrong, about the trade that sent him to Detroit, and gave us a little outfielder named Curtis Granderson.