Custom Card of the Day: Sabathia Edition

 

Yeah, that's definitely going on my wall.

In 20 years, Yankee fans of the future will look back on the late 00's/early 10's, and see that the ace of the Yankees was CC Sabathia, and he threw fire. They'll read that he was dominant for several years, and he made many attempts to win a Cy Young, one of which was foiled by Felix freaking Hernandez. 

They'll see that face, and they'll say "That's the guy who everybody feared when they played the Yanks." They'll be right, too.

CC Sabathia has defined the Yankees' pitching staff. Ever since we picked him up for the 2009 season, he's been a powerhouse, having spectacular seasons in pinstripes, and winning countless games. This season, thanks to an injury, has been sort of a down year, but it doesn't matter. He's still trucking along, and if he's hot in a month, whoever they play in the playoffs will be in trouble. 

CC is awesome. Everybody knows it, and everybody will know it.

Coming Tomorrow- Shifting to a darker corner of the AL East, an outfielder for a team that should be battling the Yanks for a pennant race, and is instead settling with third. 

Custom Card of the Day: Trumbo Edition

 

Okay, that's probably one of my favorites of the year. By far.

You know...I think most of the country feels really bad for the Angels. They get baseball's biggest star to play for them, and they go absolutely nowhere and end up circling third. That's incredibly sad for a team touted to win the World Series. It's kinda sad, in a way. But I digress.

The two big stories from Anaheim were the rise of Mike Trout and the slow incline of Albert Pujols' power. And yet there was no attention toward one of their bigger hitmakers, Mark Trumbo. That's also pretty sad. He hits home runs, plays his position well, and has two stellar seasons in a row...and all people care about are the aging hitter and the rookie hitter. It's a tragedy.

The good news is that next year I imagine the Angels will do much better, and Trumbo will finally get his due.

Coming Tomorrow- Ya know...sometimes I customize people because they're hip that week, sometimes I customize people because they're a favorite of mine...and sometimes I customize people because they play on my favorite team, and I need another one to put on my wall. Tomorrow is one of those. 

Custom Card of the Day: O-Hud Edition

 

Man, this should have been in Throwback Week. I was off by a few days, but nonetheless this card is awesome. Hell, it looks like a Gypsy Queen or Heritage kinda card.

Orlando Hudson isn't a Hall of Famer. I'll say that right now. He lacks the stats, the power, the longevity, the hits number. He will be remembered as a good second baseman, and that's it.

No, I lied. He'll be remembered as a good second baseman and a fun player to watch.

Lately, there's been a drought of fun players in baseball. Yeah, there's been no shortage of crazy (see: Wilson, Brian and Morgan, Nyjer), but there hasn't been a player that makes your eyes dart to them when they take the field. Nobody does backflips, or nobody does cartwheels, or anything like that.

However, Orlando Hudson comes close.

He's great at his position, first of all. With the Blue Jays and D-Backs, he was a consistent, dominating second baseman. And with the Dodgers, he was even better, having an All Star season and hitting for the cycle. I'll say that in the past few years he's become a bit of a journeyman, Juan Pierre type, but he's still an excellent player. 

The main thing is that he's incredibly fun to watch. He always looks like he's having a good time, and even when he has his game face on, people look right at him, to see what he's doing.

Orlando Hudson won't make it to Cooperstown, but he'll stick in our minds for a while.

Coming Tomorrow- The Angels have blown their pennant race, and Mike Trout has made the town his own. Too bad, because there's a guy on that team who should be getting recognition. 

Custom Card of the Day: AAAAADDRIIAAANNN Edition

The one upside of this monster trade is that I'll have some custom material for a little while. If Crawford gets healthy, I'll have even more.

I must say, when this guy was with the Red Sox, he was a hitting machine. He was the Sox' best player, this season and last, because he stayed off the DL, and he hit numerous homers, especially the first half of last season. How the Dodgers ended up with him I'll never know. The Red Sox are still...the Red Sox. They're not the Astros, and they don't have to give up their biggest star to a growing team. But they did.

A-Gon has been hitting even more bombs now that he's a Dodger, which is great for fans of the team. I want them to beat the Giants, and I want them to get to the postseason, for Mattingly, for Magic, and for the stadium's 50th anniversary.

Adrian is hitting especially well, so who knows?

Coming Tomorrow- Look up "fun player" in an encyclopedia, and you'll find a picture of this guy, a tremendous journeyman 2nd baseman, spending a season with a winning Chicago team.

Custom Card of the Day: Bumgarner Edition

I should have posted this last night, but I got busy. You're getting it earlier today.

I don't think there's been a division less constant than the NL West. I mean...sure, the last few spots have basically stayed the same, but there's been a tight battle for first between the Dodgers and the Giants. And it's getting bloodthirsty.

First of all, the Giants have this guy. When I saw him pitch back in 2010, I knew he was gonna be great. He was young, he was mowing down batters, and he made that rotation one of the most underrated ones in the bigs. Now that the star pitcher has lost his mojo, here he is commanding the rotation along with Matt Cain. This is great for the Giants, who needed him to break out. As for the Dodgers, it's another thing to be afraid of.

In all seriousness, whoever comes out on top in that division will make me happy. I admit that this blogosphere is biased toward the Dodgers, so I kinda want them to win, but if the Giants do, I'll be content.

Coming Tonight-The centerpiece of the monster Boston-LA trade, who's continuing to blast bombs. Only now, he's blasting them over the walls of a 50 year old stadium...as opposed to an 100 year old one.

Custom Card of the Day: Worley Edition

And so Throwback Week comes to a close, with a B-lister Phillies pitcher. I apologize.

The truth is, when Vance Worley is on the ball, he's really good. There were some moments last season, when Vance was pitching well, where we could have considered him a the fourth man of the Inphamous Phour. Oswalt didn't really count anymore, because his win count couldn't even reach four. Or three.

I'm not saying Vance Worley's a phenom. What I'm saying is that he's a fun pitcher that'll get you by. He's slightly more appetizing than Kyle Kendrick or Joe Blanton. Those two have the 5th starter "Who's pitching? Aw, crap." designation. Worley is a fun pitcher, one you want to see pitch.

I just hope he gets back to his A game and makes his games worth going to.

Coming Tomorrow- While I was busy customizing people in old uniforms, a young player took command of the mound near the bay, and made his team a force for first. 

Custom Card of the Day: Machado Edition

 

Two weekends ago, I made this custom. I made it for a reason. Okay, two reasons.

1. Manny Machado was the Rookie Du Jour that week. Which means he was the one rookie that came up, and an outrageous debut, and promptly settled into an incline in popularity. He was big, and if I didn't customize him, I was an idiot.

2. My Orioles-loving friend was in town. That night I'd be taking him to a Phillies game. Similarly, he'll be taking me to an O's game in a few weeks. But I needed to show Colin exactly how I spent my afternoons, most of the time anyway. And I needed and Oriole.

Of course, the fact that I would be left without wifi for a few days, and the fact that the Oriole hat kinda made the uniform a throwback, pushed the card awhile. But it's here, and it's a beauty.

I really hope Manny's career holds up, because he has so much potential.

Coming Tomorrow- The Last Installment of Throwback Week. Of course I end with a Phillie. The unofficial Phourth member of the Phillie Phour. Because Kyle Kendrick don't count. 

In which Boston falls, LA rises, and Topps facepalms

Twenty Four hours ago, the Boston Red Sox were feeling beaten. In more ways than one.

They had lost several games in a row to division rivals, and were feeling sore from it. Also, their star outfielder Carl Crawford was going on the DL to fix his lack of power since 2010. And everything that had made the team great five years ago was either traded, injured, or slowly decaying.

This was a team in a major bind. 24 hours later, they are in even deeper doo-doo.

It took an entire day, but Los Angeles has extracted the core of the Red Sox power. A star first baseman, a veteran pitcher, an injured outfielder, and Nick Punto. Nobody cares about Nick Punto. All four of those men will be donning Dodger blue tonight. And it couldn't come at a better time for LA. The Giants had been shoving the 1st place lead in everyone's face, and the Dodgers needed to reclaim the mojo they had in June.

The Dodgers, in exchange for the last bit of life from a dying crater, managed to sacrifice something Boston lacked- youth.

James Loney, Jerry Sands, Rubby De La Rosa, Ivan DeJesus Jr., and Allen Webster have been chosen to fill in the holes left by the Boston stars. Good luck to them all, for it will not be an easy task.

Sure, Loney is a star, and Sands will be great in a number of years, but Boston needs to be great NOW. They need to snap into a streak and catch Baltimore for the Wild Card. They don't need a future. They need a present. And while these players are very good, they won't be enough to airlift them out of last.

Meanwhile, Beckett and Gonzalez alone will do a lot to help the Dodgers. They needed pitching, and they needed a new first baseman. This will not only make the team stronger, it will give the Giants a huge force to contend with come September, when the playoff spot is crucial.

Still, this trade is probably the biggest of the year. It's too bad Topps won't be able to document it, because it's too &^&^%ing late to get it in the Update set.

Before I forget...

 

I made this two weeks ago, and it's so old and delayed, but it is a baseball milestone, and it did happen, and if I didn't customize it I'd be scorned. 

Of course, now that flippin' Beltre hit for the cycle, I need to do one of him. Forgive me if it takes a few months.

Custom Card of the Day: Bruce Edition

 

 This card embodies everything there is about the seventies. Cool uniforms, psychedelic colors, and a Reds team that gets first place every year. 

Interestingly enough, the 2012 Reds have also been embodying the latter trait.

The Reds this year are the ultimate story. Besides the Nationals, the Orioles and the A's, this is the real underdog story. The Reds came from a division which included the defending World Series champions, the defending NL Central champions, and a slowly growing Pirates team. Also, two teams that did nothing but lose. 

And yet the Reds have managed to come out on top, and excessively on top I might add. Only a miracle by the Pirates can stop the way-into-first Reds. 

Jay Bruce, the universal hitter, is an integral piece of the dangerous team. He's an excellent hitter, especially in the home run category. He's also very good at making throwback uni shots that can't be customized very well, but that's another thing entirely. He's probably the second best hitter on the team, only seconded to the guy that may very well snag MVP again.

All I can say is that the Reds are doing everything right. Unfortunately, so are some underdogs from Pittsburgh that are five games behind them.

Coming Tomorrow- I made this card two days after this man's debut. Then Throwback Week spawned, and it was pushed to today. A shame, too. This player is the future of a team that's enjoying an engaging present.

Custom Card of the Day: Cruz Edition

Nelson Cruz is another one of those players that, for some reason still unknown to me, is on the list of my least favorite players. I really don't know why. It might be the fact that he always hits well against the Yankees, and that he's kinda overrated.

Also, I always pull Topps cards of him.

Not much else to say tonight.

Coming Tomorrow- Another key piece of the growing-stronger-daily Cincinatti Reds

Custom Card of the Day: Wallace Edition

There are no redeeming qualities about this guy

Just look at the card.

Coming Tomorrow- Another Ranger. I know. 

Bartolo Colon- Should I be Surprised?

You know...some things in life happen out of nowhere. A year ago today, I never would have guessed that the Nationals would be leading the NL, the A's would have more of a shot than the Angels to win the wild card, and the Yankees would be propelled by home runs from Ichiro.

And I love surprises like that. They keep me tuned in. But for every thing you don't see coming, there are always one or two things you blatantly do.

I think you know where I'm taking this. I'll cut right to the chase.

Bartolo Colon tested positive for PEDs, or more specifically, testosterone. This shocked exactly one person nationwide- Jim Schneerburgershern, a blind man from Elizabeth, New Jersey, who had been living without electricity in a cave for forty years.

Aside from that, everyone saw it coming. Newborn children saw it coming. Small ferrets saw it coming. The Dalai Lama saw it coming. Even Bartolo Colon saw it coming. And that says something.

The reason for this, and the reason that it was so blatantly obvious that he was taking something, anything, even a case of Four Loko (yes folks, it's still a thing), lies mostly with his age.

Bartolo Colon is roughly 40 years old. This statement is a fact.

The following statements are also facts. In 2005, Bartolo Colon wowed many by winning the Cy Young award. This was the last time he would pitch this well. In 2006 and 2007 he was on and off with injuries and an inability to pitch. For a few years, Colon slipped into irrelevancy.

Then, last year, Bartolo Colon returned with the New York Yankees. And he began pitching EXACTLY LIKE HE DID IN 2005. Let me put this in perspective. With the exception of his pitching arm, Bartolo Colon's body was incredibly over the hill. My father is still trying to fathom the fact that he is older than Colon. Colon is overweight, runs shoddily, and is in no way a brilliant looking player.

Then, there is his arm. Bartolo Colon's pitching arm throws it's attached to a different person. He throws like he's ten years younger, which is incredibly weird. I would have said after last season he'd retire, but NOOOO...He comes back this year with the A's...and, get this, PITCHES EVEN BETTER THAN WITH THE YANKEES!

Something was up. Now everyone knew it, because, this being Oakland, Colon was starting a lot of games, and people were noticing how weird it was that a forty year old overweight man was pitching like a man Justin Verlander's age. When he played for the Yankees, no one noticed, because he didn't pitch as much, and Yankee fans are prone to saying "he's good. Who cares how he pitches?"

I developed a running joke about Colon, on and off the blog, that he used some sort of Cuban Mystery Cream on his left arm, and it made the arm 10 years younger. Whenever I'd pull a card of him, or talk about him, I'd say 'Bartolo Colon and his Cuban Mystery Cream'. Because we all knew something was up. And, as it turns out, he was using testosterone to help his arm feel younger, and to get his manliness back, or something like that.

In conclusion, what happened today was bound to happen eventually. It was as obvious as the ending of The Dark Knight Rises (to me, at least). Colon deserves the 50 game suspension he got.

Maybe next time he'll think twice before he uses his Cuban Mystery Cream.

Custom Card of the Day: Morgan Edition

 

That's a really cool throwback. I'll be saying this all week. Deal with me.

There are different levels of insanity in the Major Leagues. I should explain this is more detail.

1: Not crazy at all. Somebody like Derek Jeter.

2: Has one or two crazy traits. I'd say Zach Greinke isn't certified insane, but he's cerebral.

3: A few mannerisms under crazy. Like Bryce Harper. He isn't all clown questions...he's an onfield character.

4. Relatively Strange. I'll go with Prince Fielder on this one. Prince, while one of the best hitters in the game, is a definite character, and does some crazy things onfield.

5. Blatantly Weird. Torii Hunter is a good middleman. There's just something a bit off. Look at his 2008 Stadium Club card, or his this year's Topps card. There's something going on.

6. Basically Crazy. Ryan Roberts fits this one.  The man who earns the moniker "Tat-Man" isn't exactly peaches and cream.

7. Verging on Insane. That would be Nick Swisher. The man never turns off. He's not a baseball player, he's Jack Black's teenage brother.

8. Manny Crazy. I don't care if he's not playing at all this season, Mr. Ramirez still qualifies for the crazy chart.

9. Legitimately Insane. Who but Brian Wilson, the man who came to the ESPYs in a Sailor suit, complete with pipe?

10. Tony Plush. 

You see, when Nyjer Morgan came up with Pittsburgh in 2008, the man didn't seem remotely crazy. I believe it was during his time with Washington that the Tony Plush persona was spawned, and last year in Milwaukee it completely took over. 

The man should be committed is what I'm trying to say. He's a great player that makes a great character to watch, but his antics on and off the field make the man a bit nuts. Perfect example- last year, as the Brewers won the NLDS, Morgan was on camera, facing fans of both an old age and, especially, a young age. And what does he do?

He blurts out the f-bomb on live television. Great for all the kids that look up to you Nyjer.

And yet, for the Brewers, this display of sheer insanity has worked well. Morgan has become a star in Milwaukee, and he can play his position well. I have no idea how this adds up, but I'm kinda happy that it does. 

It's looking like Milwaukee will not repeat the glorious playoff run from last year, but Tony Plush will continue to parade around the outfield with a smile and a lack of self control.

Coming Tomorrow- One of the many survivors of the latest Astros purge.

Custom Card of the Day: Wainwright Edition

 

Not many people will believe this, but this is my first Adam Wainwright custom. 

I know.

Of course, I haven't really had time to customize him, being that he's been injured all the time and all. The last few seasons, him and Chris Carpenter have played musical chairs with the DL and the rotation. What I think is that they wake up, call each other, and decide which one of them is getting hurt, and which one isn't. And the next season they rotate.

But still, he's attempting to bounce back. The Cardinals rotation is nothing special this year, but he's the little prize inside. Wainwright is a nice pitcher, and when he's healthy, he's really good. When he's injured...the team's screwed.

Hopefully, Adam will keep that arm healthy for a while.

Also, look at that throwback. That is an awesome one, and not the last you'll see this week.

Coming Tomorrow- The Artist Formerly Known as Tony Plush.

Custom Card of the Day: Freeman Edition

 

Man, this year's Top 30 list is gonna be tough. I may have to stretch it into a Top 50. This one's really good.

This is the one guy on the Braves that gets zero credit. Chipper, McCann, J-Hey and Bourn steal all the accolades, and the pitching staff gets all the stories, while Freddie Freeman is slowly becoming one of the better Braves out there. He's a good hitter, and he can play his position well, as evidenced by the card (don't pay attention to the Astro sliding back into first. He'll be out in a second anyway). 

The one thing that sorta overshadows him is the fact that when he came up, J-Hey mania was still all around Atlanta, to the point that his rookie season wasn't at the forefront of everyone's mind. It was Kimbrel that was the real rookie star, and while he ended up with the ROY, Freeman got zilch. 

Maybe sooner or later Freeman will become a big star in Atlanta. I hope.

Coming Tomorrow- Delayed a week due to a lack of wifi, THROWBACK WEEK IS HERE! Tomorrow, a Cardinals pitcher that seems to keep getting hurt at the wrong times. 

Custom Card of the Day: RRRAAAUUUULLLL Edition

Oh yeah, that's going on the wall.

In 2009, the Philadelphia Phillies were stricken with panic. Their star left fielder left for the team they just played against in the World Series. Burrell had gone rogue. They needed a new hope, and a new star, but most of all, they needed a left fielder.

During the offseason, they signed an aging, but still powerful player. Raul Ibanez. The team would never be the same again. Raul Ibanez went on a mad dash in the first half, whopping home runs and reestablishing himself as a competator. He competed in the All Star Game, and rightfully so at that. This sudden spark was not unlike that of Matt Williams in 1994. The only difference is that Matt Williams got help from his friends at BALCO.

The world is unsure of whether Sir Ibanez used any steroids that year. Maybe he borrowed some of Bartolo Colon's Cuban Mystery Cream (tm).  But, after three seasons with the Phillies, the man sought an encore. So he signed with baseball's ultimate competator, the New York Yankees.

They needed a DH. They sure got one.

Raul has been hitting beautifully for us, giving us a homer and some hits when we need it. He's been overshadowed on DH by a roundtable of new faces, including Ichiro Suzuki, but he's still more reliable for a hit.

One never knows if Raul is bound for Cooperstown. But still, he was a consistent hitter on great teams. That's what matters.

Coming Tomorrow- In 2010, Jason Heyward came to Atlanta. In 2011, someone a lot more consistent came, and it was HE that changed the team forever. Don't listen to anything J-Hey tells you.

Custom Card of the Day: Frieri Edition

 

The uninitiated are probably confused as to the identity of the man above. Well, he's not necessarily a household name, and he's not the big Angels rookie that everybody's talking about, but rather one that isn't getting enough hype, or any at all. 

The Angels have many strengths- a bullpen, sad to say, is not one of them. Ever since the departures of the big guns at closer (KRod, Fuentes, Rodney, Chatwood), and subsequent obscurity in terms of middle relievers, there hasn't been much to brag about in the 'pen. 

Then, this season, Ernesto Frieri comes along. Not only is he a good reliever, killing batters as a setup man, but he's also a great personality, and is a little crazy. And the Angels needed a little of that.

It's not like I'm the one discovering Frieri. This year, the man was up against Yu Darvish and JJ Hardy for the All Star Game Final Man Vote. While Darvish ended up winning, there was a strong ray of support and votes for Frieri, from his loyal fanbase in Anaheim. And that speaks volumes.

If this guy totally disappears after this season, then fine. But if he gets bigger and bigger, and then gets traded to the Yankees, then look here for the guy who fished him out of the no-name pool and made a custom of him first. 

Coming Tomorrow- The man is forty years old, and plays like a man 10 years younger. No, not Bartolo Colon. Yeah, him. The man that has played for both my favorite teams, and is making one a force to reckon with.

Because I have to have an opinion on this...

 

After a few overly complicated designs in the 2000's, Topps has finally stamped out a string of basic, simple and cool designs, with the exception of this year's. Now here comes the 2013 set.

I will not lie and say I love the set, but I think the 2011 set and 2010 sets are slightly better. I love the design, and I think it's fun, and reminiscent of the early Upper Deck sets. No real problems, just not as awesome as 2010 and 2011. Those designs were solid and memorable.

I checked the inserts, and am happy with all of them. The whole 'Chase" thing is a clever theme, and a lot of the insert sets look cool, not contrived like this year's sets. And the 1972 minis I love already.

I already have very high hopes for this set, and I haven't even seen this year's Update set. It's that good.

Custom Card of the Day: Segura Edition

Gahhh, why can't I ever get the font right on this one?

This card, other than the font, is pretty awesome. Segura is doing well for Milwaukee, and was traded there in the Greinke deal. Not much else. Kinda tired.

Coming tomorrow- The Angels' Unsung Hero, one that almost made it to the All Star Game this year.

Monster Retail Card Haul Part 2- Football

I had gotten zero packs of Topps Football from this year before this. So I got two boxes worth of the stuff. And it was worth it.

Box 1-

Guaranteed Patch- Tony Homo. If anyone wants this, please ask.

Pack 1-
261- Dustin Keller.  Not bad for a first card pulled from the product.
290- Roddy White.
29- Titus Young
Jordy Nelson Topps mini. Very cool insert set
Steven Jackson...Insert Name Unidentified. It looks like a 2006 SP Authentic kinda insert.
144- John Abraham. He's still playing?
22- Melvin Ingram
250- CAM NEWTON! Nice!

Pack 2-
387- Beanie Wells
23- Charles Johnson
373- Justin Tuck. Met him. Good guy. Very good at his position
318- Dwight Bentley GOLD #'D TO 2012
Jason Babin 65 mini. I love these.
17- Brandon Lloyd. Has been everywhere, man.
339- Billy Winn
61- Brandon Gibson. Former Philadelphia Eagle.

Pack 3-
127- DeSean Jackson. NICE!
103- Damian Williams
392- Shonn Green
129- Pat Angerer.
Maurice Jones-Drew Untitled Insert.
295- D'Qwell Jackson. He's really good.
318- Dwight Bentley
160- Mark Sanchez. One of the two sucky Jets QBs

Pack 4-
177- Aaron Rodgers MVP. Well deserved.
88- Dexter McCluster
26- Antonio Gates
Jim Kelly Reprint. I like these, although didn't they already do most of them back in 2010?
397- Cedric Benson. Now on the Packers
332- Nick Perry
42- Vick Ballard
343- 49ers TC

Pack 5-
303- Devin Hester. Best kick returner in the league
74- Doug Baldwin
349- Chris Ivory
Paramount Pairs of Dalton and Benson. One is now gone. Oh well.
333- Laurent Robinson.
356- Terrance Ganaway
48- Ryan Lindley
422- Giants Super Bowl card

Pack 6-
36- Ed Dickson.
231- Aldon Smith
102- Jaguars
222- Janoris Jenkins GOLD #D TO 2012
Marcell Dareus 65 mini
196- Curtis Lofton
286- Brandon Thompson
419- Derek Wolfe

Pack 7-
170- Ben Roethlisberger. Great QB, rebounded from a scandal like no one else.
254- Ravens
361- London Fletcher. Has been playing for a while.
247- Leonard Hankerson
Vincent Jackson Unnamed Insert
258- Randy Moss. Quick work by Topps, getting a card of this guy weeks after he announced he was joining the Niners. Thank God they didn't do a TO.
14- TY Hilton
120- Maurice Jones-Drew

Pack 8-
282- Panthers
78- Joe Flacco. Ran into him at a California Pizza Kitchen once. Really tall guy.
224- Jamaal Charles. Wouldn't it be fun for Ian McKellen to say his name? "Jamaal Chaals"
Bart Star QB Immortals. This is a nice insert set.
150- Larry Fitzgerald. He's a great player on a crappy team
226- Jonathan Martin
186- Nick Foles. Philly's newest backup QB. Because Mike Kafka's shift at McDonald's isn't allowing a return
255- David Nelson.

Pack 9-
16- Brian Cushing.One of the best linebackers in the league
67- Donald Brown
86- Sebastian Janikowski. That is a long time to be with the Raiders. He began with a winning season, and then sat through all those losing ones.
Jason Witten 65 mini
Colston and Thomas Paramount Pairs
173- Michael Bush. Because all those years with the Raiders can hurt. Take it from him, Sebastian.
6- Robert Turbin
366- Markelle Martin


Pack 10-
233- Chris Long
293- Brandon Pettigrew
227- Lance Briggs
403- Cowboys
Peyton Manning reprint. Have the 2010 version
222- Janoris Jenkins
195- Keshawn Martin. Because we needed another Keshawn
53- Jermichael Finley

Box 2-
Guaranteed Patch- Matt Hasselbeck. Slightly better than Tony Homo

Pack 1-
420- Jared Allen
27- Adrian Wilson. Cards need to improve.
409- Patriots team card. Good, I needed some kindling
434- Jason Witten
Jabar Gaffney Unnamed Insert
312- Greg Olsen
115- Stephen Hill
119- Arrellious Benn. One of the many overhyped 2010 rookies

Pack 2-
267- Felix Jones
148- Von Miller ROY. Lives in a Von down by the river
137- Jermaine Gresham. Thankfully his team is rebuilding
212- Courtney Upshaw GOLD #D TO 2012
65 Mini of Robert Mathis
238- Rams tc. They suck.
401- Mike Adams. Not the Rangers' reliever
223- Antonio Brown

Pack 3-
338- Anthony Fasano
152- Matt Ryan. One of the more overrated QBs in the league. He's good, but his team never makes it higher than the first round
255- David Nelson CAMO BORDER #'D TO 399! WOW! THAT'S A REALLY NICE ONE! Sucks he's on the Bills
Bradshaw and JPP Paramount Pairs. Met them both. JPP is surprisingly down to earth
259- Cardinals tc. How exactly did THEY end up in 2nd?
279- Brian Quick. The Rams sure do hope he lives up to his name.
378- Kendall Wright. Oh good, a rookie drafted in round one. I was waiting a while for one of those
50- Tim Tebow, shoddily photoshopped into a Jets uni. Either you love this guy or you're the rest of the world.

Pack 4-
430- VICTOR CRUUUUZ! Last year's breakout star.
436- Vonta Leach
406- Ryan Kerrigan
347- Matt Hasselbeck. He's not a great QB, but he's a great character whenever NFL Network wires him. His stuff is always funny. Him and Cortland Finnegan last year were like a comedy duo.
QB Immortals of possibly the most overrated one of all, Terry Bradshaw. Yeah, he was a great player, but the fact that he's a media bulldog, combined with his abundance of ESPN gigs, makes him the John Madden of QBs
155- Paul Pozlunsky
134- Ryan Tannehill, the Yoenis Cespedes of football. Wheras he's a great player, and he should be getting a lot of attention, but those two other rookies keep hogging it all. Still think he's awesome.
362- Andre Branch

Pack 5-
191- Connor Barwin
194- Julio Jones
305- JASON BABIN, THE SACKMASTER!
Mark Sanchez 65 mini. Drama queen.
Frank Gore Unnamed Insert. I like these, but I wish they had a name
43- Giants tc. Will not happen again, at least for a while.
345- Riley Reiff
49- Eric Berry, another overyhyped 2010 rookie

Pack 6-
234- Davone Bess. Wonder how he's taking the Ochocinco thingy
288- Patrick Peterson. Awesome alliteration.
164- Vernon Davis. Kinda settling on the fact that he'll never be as big as Frank Gore.
132- Coby Fleener GOLD #D TO 2012
Joe Montana QB reprint. Didn't have this one reprinted. I have the actual one. Before you ask, no it's not for trade.
308- Michael Turner
3- Brandon Weeden. All eyes on this guy in Cleveland not to screw up like the last ten guys.
114- Jabaal Sheard. Another good Browns player. Shame they kinda suck.

Pack 7-
299- James Harrison. It is looking like this man will end up in Canton. This does not sit well with my Steeler hating mindset.
271- Austin Collie
24- Jason Avant. Another Philly unsung hero.
Bryant and Blackmon Paramount Pairs. Ohhhh, because they were buddies in College or something. Gotcha.
398- Ryan Matthews
151- Mohamed Sanu
212- Courtney Upshaw
439- Jets tc

Pack 8-
301- Mike Williams
96- Devery Henderson
101- Chargers tc. How did they end up placing higher than the Raiders?
Troy Aikman QB Immortals. Okay, that's an Immortal. He's a Cowboy legend, and Philly fans hate him, but he was a good QB. Now where's Staubach's card in this set?
123- Robert Mathis
289- David Wilson. Oh, to be the last pick of the first round...people will juuuust be tuning out by then, so the acclaim will be gone.
65- Marvin McNutt
62- Steve Johnson. Jeez, the Bills have such generic names.

Pack 9-
175- Ed Reed. It feels like most of the Ravens have been playing since the dawn of man.
98- Jon Baldwin
87- Joe Haden. Another good Brown.
163- Packers. Still wondering why the Giants kicked their ass.
Jimmy Graham Unnamed Insert
315- Mike Tolbert
149- Michael Egnew
284- Derrick Johnson. All players named Derrick have been playing for a while.

Pack 10-
168- Kyle Arrington
215- Marques Colston
302- Shane Lechler. Hey, you know which Raiders are awesome? The punter and the kicker. Too bad they never have to kick a field goal.
122- Jared Cook
337- Dre Kickpatrick GOLD #'D TO 2012
362- Andre Branch ALSO GOLD #'D TO 2012. Did I get a hot pack with 9 cards?
Percy Harvin 65 mini
64- Andy Lee
140- Andrew Luck, who was probably the largest expectations out of everyone in the league. Good luck, kid

So those were some nice boxes. The Luck and Tannehill were the highlights.

Custom Card of the Day: King Felix Edition

 

I made this custom two weeks ago, between my weeks in North Jersey. I made one simply because Felix was having a great season, and deserved a better custom. Nothing more. I push it to next week, because this week was all traded people.

I get back this weekend, and make more. The whole Throwback week idea comes up, buries the Felix custom.

The Throwback Week thing is ruined by a lack of wifi. For a reason.

Today, I get back from Lake George, and I read that Felix threw a Perfect Game, which is amazing. And I haven't even put out a custom of it. Then I realize I have one.

So yeah...I inadvertedly predicted the future. We all do.

But that's a story for another conte- I mean post. Post. You hear that. I certainly wasn't hinting at an upcoming contest or anything. Hehehh....

Coming Tomorrow- Uhhmm...I need to make more. I'll have something for tomorrow.

Monster Retail Card Haul Part 1- Baseball

I guess you could say I was a bit discouraged.

I had some money singled out especially to go to that one card shop in Lake George, and it ends up being out of business. Just my luck, really. So how do I take out my aggression? By purchasing 2 retail boxes of Topps Football and 1 Cereal Box of Series 2. I'll post the football tomorrow, because that's a long-ass post in itself.

This box of baseball cards is very special, because...well you'll find out. I pulled something in this cereal box that I'm never gonna forget, and I'll end it at that.

416- Todd Helton. It's a shame he's on the DL. I think he belongs in Cooperstown
375- Drew Stubbs
356- HAH! Endy Chavez. The dude's been everywhere. He was on the Phils for a season.
370- Lyle Overbay.
358- Jacob Turner. Now on the Marlins.
404- Jonathan Sanchez. I think this guy got traded. Suits him right.
638- Derek Lowe. Please, don't make the bleeding worse, Derek.
336- Gavin Floyd. Former Philadelphia Phillie.
599- Zach Britton
653- Jordan Walden
422- Austin Jackson. Now that he's getting good again, I admit the trade still smarts a tiny bit
618- Eric Chavez. Oh, what could have been a great career, felled by injuries. Still hits pretty well.
335- Josh Satin
482- Chris Capuano
619- Tyler Greene. I think he's on the Padres now.
622- Daniel Hudson. Good pitcher, 2nd banana to Ian Kennedy
523- Jim Johnson. Man, what a closer he's become.
582- Shin-soo Choo. Wish he was doing better.
564- Jose Valverde. Go scream somewhere else. I actually love this card, but I hate him.
421- Heath Bell. Aw, he was so good last season...what happened?
620- Trayvon Robinson
395- Rod Barajas
346- Dillon Gee. Was once the team's ace. Is now injured. Haw, haw.
552- Kyle Drabek. His papa's probably pissed at his performance right now.
631- Ryan Kalish
569- Travis Hafner. The back mentions a walk off against Toronto...that was a game I attended.
394- Bryan LaHair. Because somebody had to get an All Star nod from the Cubs this year
516- Charlie Morton
591- Aubrey Huff. He needs to stop injuring himself in trivial ways.
357- Craig Gentry
doubles
477- Edinson Volquez. Ugh
363- Fernando Salas
562- Henderson Alvarez
602- Alejandro De Aza
414- Ryan Vogelsong
408- Jonny Venters
435- Jeff Baker.
409- Greg Holland. I have never heard of most of these Royals pitchers. Maybe that's why they suck.
491- Valverde cl. Oh, go away.
595- David Carpenter
652- Grant Balfour, mate
558- Wade Miley. When I was on a cruise, I met some people who were related to Wade, and said they watched when he fanned the Phillies. Dunno if inspired or pissed.
579- Dan Uggla cl
526- Casper Wells GOLD SHINY CARD
A Cut Above of Troy Tulowitzki
Golden Moments of Ryne Sandberg. Nice.
Career Day of Miguel Cabrera
87 mini of Justin Verlander
code card. I don't wanna know.
HOLY CRAP!
It's a Golden Moments game used dual card of Johnny Bench and Buster Posey.
THIS RIGHT HERE...Is the greatest thing I've ever pulled out of a pack. I mean this. One of the greatest catchers of all time paired with one of the greatest current catchers. This will be worth so much money.
389- Alexi Casilla
449- Shane Victorino. Gahh, still kinda hurts
369- Huston Street
481- Matt Harrison
doubles
397- Hector Noesi. Bluh.
410- Jeff Locke
460- Thomas Field
390- Taylor Green.

Well, there it is. That Posey/Bench game used is really, really nice. I'm very happy with it.

Tomorrow, some nice football cards.

An Important Message about Adironpacks

I should include a little backstory on this issue, before I tear it up.

Every summer, my family goes on vacation to Lake George NY, with members of the extended family, and we rent some cabins. We've been doing this as long as I can remember, and I love it. It's a tradition that never runs dry, really.

Another tradition that never ran dry was the baseball card shop up there, which was called "Sports and More". It was basically a run of the mill sports memorabilia shop, with one exception- these little packs of mixed product, mixed set cards (that the guy made himself), that were two bucks a pop.

I loved these little mix-packs, and I loved them so much that they were a segment on the blog, called "Adironpacks". And I bought so effing many of those mix packs, like it was unhealthy for me.

In 2010, right before we'd leave for home, me and my cousin Kyle went there one last time, to get some more mix packs. Kyle didn't want his, so he gave them to me, leaving me with roughly ten of them. And I thanked the guy, severely, because I didn't know if I'd be coming back the next year.

2011 we went to Lake Winnepesaukee, New Hampshire, instead of the traditional vacation we'd be doing for years. A bunch of the elders basically said "screw tradition", and we high tailed it to Meredith that year. Yeah, there was a sports card shop there, and it sold plentiful wax boxes, but it just wasn't the same. I wanted to get back to Lake George, and get some Adironpacks, not these ungrateful ripoffs, the Lake Winnepackies.

Of course, we ended up going back to Lake George this year. I say "we" loosely, because I'm only going there for a few days, and I'm still sitting at home.

Tonight I got some pretty bad news for the old-time followers of the blog. The card shop that sold the aforementioned Adironpacks has gone out of business, much to the chagrin of its only customer, me.

I mean...yeah, I saw it coming, but I really don't know what I'm gonna do with myself now. That was the only card shop up there, and it was really one of the reasons I loved coming back there. Of course, there's the lake, and the town, and the Ben and Jerry's, BUT THAT'S NOT ON CARDBOARD!

I have yet to find out if there are any other card shops down there, or if my source who gave me the news is just screwing around, of which there is only a miniscule chance. But it's just not gonna be the same.

R.I.P. Adironpacks. 2007-2012.

Custom Card of the Day: Victorino Edition

 

I was at the Phillies game last night. The reason you did not hear more about this is because they got their behinds handed to them by one of my least favorite teams, the Cardinals. Also, my friend Colin was rooting for them. Aaaagh.

One of the reasons this game was so remarkably dim was the fact that the lineup was noticeably depleted. Sure, J-Rol, Howard and Utley were there...BUT NOBODY ELSE WAS! For starters, Ruiz had the night off.  Pence, Victorino, Ibanez, Werth, and anyone who made the team great was gone. 

Victorino's probably the one that  had the largest gap. He was a Philly star for years, and the fans loved him. When he'd dress up as a baby and taunt the Yankees, they wouldn't gasp. Hell, they'd cheer for him. He was a good player, no doubt, but he was a Philly personality. And it really smarts that LA yanked him out of here.

Nevertheless, it was still a pretty decent game. Lee pitched 8 innings, and somehow got another loss (the guy can't win, can he?). The Cards made some crucial errors that led to one run scored. They didn't whomp us that badly, but it felt kinda weird to see Jason Motte strike out Ryan Howard and not have him rip his rackin frackin smackin whackin Achilles.

Still...Philly sucks without this guy.

Coming Tomorrow- Another post tonight will explain this more throughouhly, but tomorrow I return to Lake George NY for a couple days. Still, Tomorrow marks the beginning of "Throwback Week", a not-really-timed-and-incredibly-coincidental tribute to awesome throwbacks. Tomorrow, a Cardinals pitcher who has two rings and dozens of injuries.

Custom Card of the Day: Escobar Edition

 

Another day, another really awesome custom. This one for the Royals.

I feel like this guy hasn't really broken out yet, and it's a shame. With the Brewers, he was a solid shortstop, and he was a key piece of the Greinke trade (not that one, the other one). He's been a good player so far for the Royals.

That is, until this month.

He's been knocking the ball left and right, and subsequently having a great fielding season. And for Kansas City, this is a great thing. The team's circling last, it needs serious help to get back to where it was toward the beginning of the season. Alcides is a big help for that, since he's been playing so well this month.

He's the only one on the team who's hitting. And maybe the rest of the team can take it from him.

Coming Tomorrow- Another one that hurts to make. The Flyin' Hawaiian in a uniform other than Philly red...although, at least it's a team I tolerate. 

Custom Card of the Day: Pence Edition

Oh the pain.

OHHHHHH THE PAIN.

This guy used to hit so well for my Phils...and now he's on the Giants.

It's so sickening to watch,

I mean...he was so good for the Phils. He hit monster home runs, coined catchphrases, and became a Philly hero for approximately 365 days. He was a hero of mine, even to the point of putting his framed custom on my wall. And now he's an effing Giant.

Don't get me wrong, the Giants are a good team, but...honestly, I've kinda singled out the Dodgers in that division's "team I tolerate and therefore back in playoffs" card. Also, a certain blogger cringes every time I say I don't hate the Giants, so I do, I guess. So that being said, it's incredibly painful to watch Pence stride around the outfield next to Melky Cabrera. I guess the one upside is that Cody Ross isn't with them.

Hey...either way, when the Phils got rid of Cliff Lee in 2010, they invited him back the next year, so...hoping for a repeat.

Coming Tomorrow- No, he wasn't traded last week, but last year, for a guy named Greinke. He's finally found his swing in Kansas City, when the rest of the team is failing to.

Custom Card of the Day: Maholm Edition

Isn't this card awesome?

Sorry, I don't have a lot to say tonight. But...Mahom's good. The Braves are good. Uhh...it's good all around.

Coming Tomorrow- Something worded a little better. The man whopped homers as a Phillie. Now, he's become the enemy of one of my blogging inspirations, and, inadvertedly, one of his former teammates.

Custom Card of the Day: Infante Edition

 

I think we might have an early Best Custom of the Year candidate. It's that good.

Omar Infante is very good at sneaking under the radar. He played for the Tigers for the first few seasons of his career, and didn't really sprout until his 2010 season with Atlanta. Yet Istill didn't think he was very good, because he just came out of nowhere and started being awesome. With Miami, he played really well and became a small star.

Now that he's back with Detroit, he needs to keep doing what he was doing after he left, not before. Before he left, he was an average infielder. He's returned a more-than-average one. He needs to keep that together.

Coming Tonight- The man has terrible luck. He leaves the Pirates before they get big, and he joins the Cubs at the exact moment when THEY become the worst team in the league. Hopefully his luck will turn up now that he's found his way to Atlanta.

Custom Card of the Day: Greinke Edition

 

Okay, I apologize for not posting last night. For that, you get two custom from me today.

Zack Greinke is the most cerebral player in the game.

I know, he's had some personal problems in the past, but think about it: he only pitches well when he pitches at home. That's a bit crazy. Still, he has a Cy Young under his belt, and he was pitching really well this year for Milwaukee. Yet somehow the team couldn't take his craziness, and sent him to Anahiem.

The one question: can Anaheim handle this?

The Angels right now have a chance at clinching some sort of wildcard this September. They have a soild lineup, a great outfield, and the best pitching staff in the league. Now, will Greinke help or hurt their chances? Well, I think he'll do well with the team, and while he might not be the best guy in the staff, he'll hold his own alongside Weaver, Wilson and Haren.

I guess the Angels could use a little bit of crazy right now.

Coming Tomorrow- He was never a big star to me until his All Star season with the Braves, followed by two decent seasons with Miami. Now he's a big deal, back to his roots.

Custom Card of the Day: Dempster Edition

 

First of all, I have to comment on that beard. It's almost Wilson-esque

I think that this guy was the Cubs' best pitcher for a while back there. I don't think he's as good as he was, as he's beginning to fade slightly. Matter of fact, the fact that Texas snatched him up when he did is kinda weird, seeing as how he's a bit past trade bait. He's gotten old, and while he still can pitch, he's not 30 anymore.

The Rangers need Demp to be a solid starter in a sliding door rotation. People are going in, going out, and the need a constant that can get the job done. Can Ryan fufill that? Judging by the last start, the future looks a tad rocky, but you never know.

Also, I apologize that I've never made a Dempster custom until now. Oh well.

Coming Tomorrow- I've always had a soft spot for this guy. Now, as he becomes the fifth of the most dominant rotation in baseball, this will be tested. 

Custom Card of the Day: Aramis Edition

 

I think the end is coming for Aramis Ramirez. The guy had his best days with Pittsburgh and Chicago, and obviously isn't as good as he was. He can't hit very well, he can't play the position very well, and he's old. The Brewers are circling fourth, which is really the worst they can get (because the other two positions are kinda constant), and they need Aramis to perform. If he can't, then what do they do. Then only have Ryan Braun and Corey Hart to rely on, because Weeks and Morgan are both having down seasons. 

If Aramis can't hit, then the Brewers are in for a rocky rest of the season.

Coming Tomorrow- I forget if I ever made a custom of this guy while he was on the Cubs. Now that he's joined the AL's (unfortunately) best team, he's a much bigger deal.

Custom Card of the Day: Hanley Edition

 

I am back, but I'll be going away again in two days. Still, I'll have a laptop.

This guy was part of a monster infield for the Marlins throughout the 2000's. Mike Jacobs at first base, Dan Uggla at 2nd, Miguel Cabrera at third, and Hanley at short. It was a strong infield, and it's sad that it only lasted a few years. The party ended in 2008, when Cabrera was traded to Detroit, and Jacobs would fade into obscurity soonafter. But the impact that outfield made would still last.

The Dodgers really need the well playing infielder from the Marlins, especially in the batter's box. Hanley can hit, but not as well as the 2000's. The Dodgers need this, in order to pick up the pace and sweep the rug out from under the Giants.

Hanley could help them. All he has to do is hit.

Coming Tomorrow- He was awesome for the Cubs. Now why isn't he performing in Milwaukee?

Custom Card of the Day: Harvey Edition

 

First of all, yeah, this gives the Mets their 81. And it only took a month.

Matt Harvey's rookie debut was just what the team could have asked for. He pitched a glorious game against the D-Backs, fanning numerous batters and gaining a crucial win. This granted the attention of the rest of the league. If Harvey was this good on his debut, they said, how will he do in the rest of his career? Well, it looks like he'll be a great Mets pitcher for the rest of the season.

And it couldn't come at a better time. His team, once at the top of the division, has sunk to third, without its strong pitchers. The team needs his help, and they need him now.

Will Matt Harvey become a prominent ace for Queens? Only time will tell.

Coming Tomorrow- What's that? You want yet another Dodger? Alright. This one's always been part of a great infield in history, all of which traded to other teams, except him. This changed last week. 

Custom Card of the Day: Marte Edition

 

Yeah, you can probably tell where I got the model for this card. Barry Bonds, the once marveled prospect for Pittsburgh, is a decent companion to the newest Pittsburgh star, Starling Marte, who famously hit a home run on the first pitch he ever saw. I can see why these two are being grouped together, but in reality, the two are far different.

Starling Marte has class. Barry Bonds doesn't. End of story.

Marte is probably the Pirates' #1 prospect currently, and the fact that he opened the way he did bodes well for the suddenly strong team. The 2012 season is a great success story for future historians, and if Marte becomes a part of this team, he'll only make the lead grow.

He could be Pittsburgh's future. Any future that doesn't put the team in last place is a good future indeed.

Coming Tomorrow- Speaking of rookies you need to pay attention to, this one from Flushing deserves some credit.