You Drive 26 Miles

To the local card shop
And what do you get?

A new pack of Heritage
And nary a Met.

I made a trip to the local card shop today - Clayton's Cards in Roy, UT - to thumb through the game used and low price boxes. What did I find? Gaze upon the metallic and solid cardboard works of art and prepare to be awestruck.

Card 1 - $3.00
2006 Bowman Heritage
Pieces of Greatness Bat Card
No. PG-EE Edwin Encarnacion
This is how a game used card should be made. Thick, industrial grade cardboard. What John Wayne Toilet Paper wishes it could be. This card could be used to pry open a window that was painted shut 5 years ago.

Card 2 - $3.00
2006 Topps Heritage
Clubhouse Collection Bat Card
No. CC-AD Adam Dunn
Look at Adam smile as he knows he's gonna smash a tater out of Great American Ballpark off of Ol' Huddy. Look at that bat that drove in Kearns and Ross to win the game. Even I am smiling.

Card 3 - $3.00
2005 Leaf Certified Materials
Mirror Blue Fabric 083 / 100
No. 2 Adam Dunn
I like these cards. One more Blue and I can make my special lady a nice pair of earrings. Look at Dunn setting up to wiff on the fastball from Zambrano.

Card 4 - $3.00
2005 Leaf Certified Materials
Mirror White Parallel 089 / 250
No. 2 Adam Dunn
Look at the brilliance as the card shines. It puts the BAAAAAAMMMM! In Peanut Butter and Jammmmmmm! Marvel at Adam as he learned from the previous Zambrano pitch and hangs back to crush a deep double to drive in Encarnacion.

Now on to the Topps Heritage pack.
Can we remain Cub free?

Please let there be a God and
let Him love thy Reds fan.

Card 1
Not officaly a Mets card. He is with the Twins here. I predict that the 3 times Johan matches up with the Reds this year he will experience tightness in the chest, slight dizziness from the mind numbing hitting and possible fainting. They are all signs of looseritis.

Card 2
Rookie card of the younger brother of this guy. A former Red.

Card 3
How dumb was the joke the school photo guy told Orlando to get this face? Did the guy say he was a Cubs fan? That is all I can figure to get a look like that.

Card 4
Chrome Parallel of some pitcher. 1387 / 1959. Looks like he plays for some baseball team in New York City. Not a Red so I don't care.

Stick of Gum I left at the store for some near diabetic kid.

Card 5
This is a pretty good card. Ivan looks happy knowing he is batting in that lineup. Who would have thought that I Rod would be batting 8th in a lineup because the rest of the batters were that good to make him bat there? But still not a Red so who cares. If Joey at Squeezeplay cards wants this card let me know.

Card 6
Some kid that had a good rookie season. If he was a Red I would be able to pronounce his name.

Card 7
Tiny Surfers. Big waves. Why is this a card? What next? 1960 Presidential candidates cards?

Card 8
Let me explain how I view cards

Step 1
Holy Frejolies! I got a Red! Out of all the cards! With only buying one pack!

Step 2
They mean Edwin?

Step 3
How freekin Un Bee Live It Able is this card? Juan Encarnacion of the St. Louis Cardinals? In a Reds hat and uni? What the heck?
Juan last played for the Reds in
July of 2002
In 5 years they could not find a photo of Juan in a Cardinals outfit?
They could not do a bad photoshop job?
Not even this?
How hard is that? And I do not even go to photoshop academy
to learn how to copy and paste.
I would rather have a 1959 Ernie Banks card cut in half and taped with blue Duct Tape then gold foil stamped on the tape than this lazy card. But. It will go at the end of my Reds Team Set when I get it because of the hat. Shame on you Topps! Shame! Make me sully my Reds Team binder with a Cardinal.

Now that I have that out of my system.

It was a good trip to the store. For under four sawbacks I got 4 Game Used Cards of my Reds. 3 Dunns at that. And a pack of Topps Heritage. The pack was a good one and the Game Used are going into my Reds Game Used binder. I look forward to next week's trip as I passed up 5 George Foster G/U and some other Reds parallels and 2 autos. All GU/ are 2-3 dollars and the parallels under 2 dollars. I am gonna be stocking up on the players from the 2008 World Series Champion Reds.

Not a card

But still funny as all get up.

http://tinyurl.com/35uc7e

I had to buy one for myself and will enjoy wearing it.

Hot off the press!

That's right. A genuine press plate.
This is a 2005 Finest Magenta Press Plate
1 / 1 of Austin Kearns
This one is a little different from most press plates in that it has a cardboard wrap over it.
This protects it from scratches and chips. i also like how it adds some color to an otherwise bland looking piece of metal. When I was 12 I worked with my grandfather making plaques and we did this type of plate making. They scratch easily.
I hear a lot of grumbling from fellow collectors about press plates. They are just something else for the companies to make money off of. I would never buy that. They are ugly. It's just a piece of trash they did not throw away.
I don't care. These are fun to track down. They are unique. This is what made the piece of cardboard you just bought. What made the card you enjoy of your favorite player. They are cheap for a 1 / 1 type card.
This one shows Austin slapping a frozen rope to left off of Schilling to drive in Dunn for the win. The smooth swing. The confident release of the bat.

As we climb aboard the wayback machine

Do Do Do
Do Do Do
Do Do Do

We go back to the early days of Topps
Nineteen Hundred and Fifty Six

Jinkies! These were dark days for the nation. The New York American League Baseball team and the New York National League teams were in the World Series year after year. And winning them. Only the Braves were strong enough to defeat the dreaded New Yorkers.
Now 1956 was not a bad year for the Redlegs from 'Nati. So renamed in 1954 as to not play into the nations fear of dirty commies. The team finished with 91 wins and 63 not wins. 2 games back of the blue New York team. A new guy on the scene in Cincinnati was making a name for himself. You might have heard of him. Frank Robinson. Frank won the Rookie of the Year Award for 1956 after posting a line of 122 Runs / 38 HR / 83 RBI and a .290 Avg. Not to mention an almost error free year in the field.
Shown here in vintage 1959 gear is Mr. Robinson. Getting ready to wallop a home run. Crap. Those 1986 Topps are rubbing off. What's up with the pants? I have only seen paratroopers do their legs like that over boots. Not ball players over leggings. The small jersey swatch lets us know that this is actually a rare jersey. Not many to be found. Plus you get Frank's uni number and 1.5 Reds logos. Who does not like that? Behind Frank faded into the background are the empty Chicago baseball team home stands. The only good use I have seen of them. Providing shade for the Reds.

I Gots Some Reds Cards

And You Aint Got None!

At least none from Cardboard Junkie. I contacted Ol' Dayf (as his closest friends know him) about a certain card. I wondered what it would take to pry it from his warm, live fingers and we swapped auto cards. He also included this smorgasborg of extras.

A near complete Team Set of 1988 Topps Big
If anyone has card 167 Nick Esascky let me know.
I like this set. Just a smidge bigger than normal but cool back and good photos of both portrait and action shots on front.

No. 20 Eric Davis
No. 48 Kalvoski Daniels
No. 74 Barry Larkin
No. 96 Tom Browning
No. 144 Dave Concepcion
1982 All-Star Game M.V.P.
No. 214 Jeff Treadway
No. 232 John Franco

2 Holgram Stickers from Upper Deck

2003 SP Legendary Cuts
No. 40 Ernie Lombardi
Ernie was a Hall of Fame catcher before there was such a thing. A good hitting catcher who was great defensively. Runner did not run on him often and he was known as a great game caller. A key member of the Reds 1940 World Series team and 1938 M.V.P. The card itself shows Ernie warming up before a shutout of the Chicago National League Team on July 9, 1938 at their own field. 11 - 0. The card itself is ho hum and too dark for my liking.

1989 Topps Sticker Cards
No. 65 John Franco
No. 47 Eric Davis
Both cards have no stickers on the back.
They must be on Junkie's English notebook next to the I love (Wife's name) drawing.

A 2002 Bowman Heritage of
NOOCHIE!
Man I wanted Noochie Varner to make the big leagues. The name alone would have made him a star. Alas it was not meant to be. He was traded in 2002 to the Tigers I think and has not made it. Plus I have a friend who everyone calls Nootchie because he says Nootchie Rats instead of Nutria rats.

You down with O-Pee-Chee?
Yeah you know me!

A Hockey Stick Set Card
No. 427 Ron Oester

1983 Topps No. 554 Mike Vail.
This guy is one of the variation cards in 1981 Donruss. Good luck finding both versions.

Vintage 1987 Woodgrain Set
No. 412 Eric Davis
Is it just me or he have a look of "Who the heck does this Larkin kid think he is? Autograph a ball for is Mom?

1997 SP
No. 54 Hal Morris
Hal was born in Fort Rucker, AL.
I once drove through there. On my way to someplace nice.

1988 Topps
No. 282 Pat Perry
What kind of career have you had when after 4 seasons in the majors the highlights on the back are that you played Little League and American Legion ball, Has a wife and 2 daughters and was traded by the Cardinals?

1994 Leaf
No. 426 Erik Hanson

1994 Pinnnacle
No. 510 Bret Boone

1990 Topps
No. 176 Luis Quinones

2001 Topps
No. 570 Sean Casey
No. 593 Ken Griffey
How much does Topps dislike Griffey to give him No. 593?
Isn't that kind of card number reserved for a Cub?

Eh? You want more Canadian cards?
1986 Leaf
No. 179 Tom Browning

2003 Topps
No. 18 Jason LaRue
No. 30 Ken Griffey Jr.

2003 Game Face
No. 33 Aaron Boone

2000 Stadium Club
No. 30 Barry Larkin
Gaze in awe at the effortless Larkin Leap over Barry Bonds to complete the double play.

2004 Donruss
No. 251 Ken Griffey Jr.
I miss Donruss. They may have had 200 parallels per card but they made some nice ones

2005 Topps Cracker Jack
No. 49 Adam Dunn
Look at Dunn as he shows just how bad the Cubs sluggers are. Notice that it seems they barley get it to the outfield? OOOOOOO. It looks like Adam fears them about as much as facing Kerry wood fresh out of rehab. Again.

1986 Topps
No. 54 John Franco
Who was writing card backs for Topps in 1985?
This is the third card I have come across that says someone walloped a Home Run.
What up with that?
Might have to do an All-Time Wallop card countdown.

1996 Pinnacle Aficondio
No. 177 Steve Gibraltar

I like these cards. They are like an early 2000 Fleer Gamers with the silver textured foil and a good smooth photo on the front together. They could have done a better job of making his name fit on the front. Looks out of place and off center. Like a Cubs fan.

For Austin Kearns Cards click here. I am enjoying this blog. I have met plenty of great people. Made some good trades to rebuild the Reds collection and have had a lot of fun writing this. Thanks to all who check me out and feel free to contact me about ant trades or offers. Especially if you play for the Reds or live in the Cincinnati area. I would like to hear from you.

Who wants some?

Just a little bragging about my Yahoo fantasy team. I had to use auto draft (never good until now) because it kept giving me an error message when I tried to do live draft. I have drafted possibly the greatest team ever! In my league that is.

Starting 9 For Bay Rats

Catcher - Joe Mauer - Twins
High Avg. and a few RBIs

1st Base - Sexy Texy - Braves
What do I not get?

2nd Base - Dustin Pedroia - Red Sox
High Avg but avg everything else

SS - Khalil Green - Padres
89 RBI / 27 HR / 97 Runs / . 254 Avg.

3rd Base - Alex Rodriguez - Yankees
Who's your 40HR / 120 RBI / 120 Run guy? I got mine.

OF - Ichiro - Mariners
30+ SB / 110+Runs AND .350+ Avg this year

OF - Magglio Ordonez - White Sox
What can this guy not do with Cabrerra / I. Rod and Sheff all around and Granderson leading off?

OF - Adam Dunn - Reds
The best 40+ HR guy not named A. Rod

Utl - Grady Sizemore - Indians
KAPOW!

Bench
OF - Shane Victorino - Phillies
30+SB this year. Good trade bait for a decent 20 Saves guy.

2B - Aaron Hill - Blue Jays

OF - Austin Kearns - Nationals
Good power in a hitter friendly park? BINGO!

Pitchers
Cole Hammels - Phillies
Dan Harren - Diamondbacks
Chad Billingsly - Dodgers
Carlos Zambrano - Cubs
Aaron Harrang - Reds
Brad Penny - Dodgers
Roy Oswalt - Astros
Bronson Arroyo - Reds
Homer Bailey - Reds
Billy Wagner - Mets

My only question is:
What were the other
owners smoking before setting
their rankings to land me all this?

I traded Johan Santana to take over Dunn's contract. I think it is fair trade considering what it gave and what I had in reserve. I can pick up a decent reliever and stay in it with saves. If I do not win it all this year I will know the Tim McCarver is my Commencement Announcer curse is on.

Last but not least.....

Stats on the Back also sent something unexpected cuz dat Statsy is one heck of a guy!

A VINTAGE PACK OF 1986 TOPPS BASEBALL CARDS!

UNOPENED!!!

UNSEARCHED!!!

UNREAL!!!

So click on this before you gaze upon the freshest cardboard treasures I have seen in a long time.

Card 1
No. 68
Ed Lynch of the Mets

Stat on the Back:
A mets player WALLPOED a home run.
A Titanic Tater no doubt.

Card 2
No. 203
Record Breaker!
Keith Hernandez of the Mets

Stat on the Back:
Keith broke the record established by White Sox player Harold Baines in 1983.




Card 3
No. 771
John McNamara MGR Red Sux

Stat on the Back:
Home: Cincinnati, O.
Why did Topps get cheap on black ink all of a sudden? They could not afford to put the H after the O for Ohio's abbreviation? There are 28 cards of Red Sux but they could not print an H?



Card 4
No. 401
Turn Back the Clock of a 1981 Fernando Valenzuela

Stat of the Movie:
Fernando breaths out of his eyelids while pitching like the Fire Lizards of Guadalahara and the ancient Mayans. And once Nook LaLoosh learned it he went to the Show! And Crash was let go. Bummer.



Card 5
No. 397
Steve Buechele of the Rangers

Stat on the Back:
The first Rangers pitcher to author a no-no was Jim Bibby on July 30 of The year of our blog creator 1973.





Card 6
No. 605
Dennis Boyd of the Red Sux

Stat from me:
This guy was a local hero back in Mississippi for a while when he was throwing that stinky cheddar. And he is from Merridian, MS. Only 30 minutes fro Newton. Birthplace of former Red Joe Gibbon.



Card 7
No. 701
All-Star Keith Hernandez of the Mets

Stat of the Pack:
Two Keith Hernandez cards in one pack? And both are subsets?
Un Frickin Believe It Able! Staty gave up all these Mets cards for a non Mets fan!



Card 8
No. 279
Al Pardo of the Orioles

Stat on the Back:
Born in Spain






Card 9
Freakin filler card of a contest I never saw anyone win.

Stat on the back:
For name of winner mail a SASE addressed to:
TOPPS SPRING FEVER BASEBALL WINNER
Who actually does this? I remember when you could mail in 3x5's for a chance at cards and was actually sent a 2002 Roger Clemens Own the Game insert. Out of 150 SEPARATE envelopes I mailed.


We have reached the halfway point of the pack. So if you need to go the lavatory and release all that built up excitement I will wait.

OK. Back to the
1986 TOPPS VINTAGE UNREAL PACK BREAK

Card 10
No. 308
Ray Fontenot
(FONT UH NO) of the
Cough Cubs Cough Cough.

Stat on the Back:
Cubs Suck

Card No. 11
No. 497
JOHN STUPER
OF THE
CINCINNATI REDS

THE GREATEST
PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL TEAM
ON THE PLANET
Stat on the Back:
Cubs Suck

Card 12
No. 377
Joe Carter of the other Ohio baseball "team"

At least he did not hit a game winner off of a former Red in the World Series. That honor goes to a former Cubbie!

"I wanted to kill Mitch.
But they told me I couldn't, it was illegal."
1993 by John Martin Kruk of the Philadelphia Phillies

Card 13
No. 450
Graig Nettles of the Padres

Stat on the Back:
My name is not Craig






Card 14
No. 77
Charlie Leibrandt of the Royals

Stat on the Back:
Charlie won 10 games for the Reds in 1980.
And has the same first name as my nephew,
Charlie Breath





Card 15
No. 672
Rob Picciolo of the Oakland Athletics

Stat on the Back:
Rob had 22 RBI in 419 AB in 1977. How did he last 9 years in the Majors when that was only 5 RBI lower than his CAREER BEST ?




Card 16
No. 387
Steve Kemp of the Pirates
Stat on the Back:
Pirates cards are the best for keeping gum off the rest of the cards.

And there you have it!
A GENUINE UNOPENED PACK OF 1986 TOPPS HAS BEEN OPENED!
1986 Topps is dead! Long live 1986 Topps!