Who are you Anonymous?

First, I would like to thank you for faithfully following my Reds Card blog that rarely updates. It takes a dedicated inividual to read and reread and rereread various posts.

Second, I would like to give you a new mission in life. Instead of coming here and asking my opinion on video games I don't play. Game systems I don't own. And VG Tournies I will never seek out to enter, I would ask that you concentrate on this guy:

Barry Larkin

See Anonymous, Barry is in his first year of elegebility for the Baseball Hall of Fame. He has a tough road ahead of him to get in on his first ballot. Hawk, Bert, Robby all have legit shots at enshrinement this year. So a measly .300 career batting avg, 2,000+ hits, an MVP, World Series ring, multiple Gold Gloves, Silver Sluggers and being a hometown icon may not matter to voters as much.

Granted I would like to see Davey get in this year with Barry this year but let's get that comment campaign going for our man Larkin! Cause I need more great cards of Barry to add to my collection like the above 2005 Donruss Signature Stars Bat / Autograph numbered to ONLY 25! As you can see Mr. Larkin is daring some schlub named Chipuh to try his luck with a hit baseball in Barry's direction. Add that to the bat used in hiting the game winning RBI and a great sig and we have a classic card.

If you need help Anonymous let me know. Just send me a great comment I can cut and paste and we can get on this!

Barry For The Hall

Go here:

http://collectivetroll.blogspot.com/2009/08/bloggers-vote-for-hall-of-fame-contest.html#comment-form

Collective Troll has a Hall Of Fame vote contest going. VOTE BARRY!
VOTE NOW!

Brads Random Red #63

2005 Upper Deck Etchings

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Etched in Time Silver Autograph

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Ken Griffey Sr. (258 of 375)

I love this Ken Griffey Sr. auto. His big sh*t eaters grin is hilarious. Whoever smelt it dealt it Ken! LOL

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Until Next Time...

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Mahalo and Aloha, Brad

Brads Random Red #62

2002 Fleer Patchworks

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Licensed Apparel Patch

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Austin Kearns (92 of 150)

Here's a beauty of a number patch. Perfect chunk from the corner! Awesome!

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And the final card tonight...

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Mahalo and Aloha, Brad

Brads Random Red #61

2008 TriStar Refractor

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Rookie Autograph

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Jay Bruce (30 of 50)

Okay, I know. This is a minor league card but its still an awesome rookie card of an awesome Reds rookie!

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Almost Done For The Night...

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Mahalo and Aloha, Brad

Brads Random Red #60

1963 Topps (RC) & 1964 Topps

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In Person Autographs

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Jim Campbell

Crazy but brief.... I am the drafter/architect/estimator for my jobsite here in Hawaii. Well the place that I order my light fixtures at so happens to be the son of Jim Campbell. I've known his son through my company for the past few years and a xmas or two ago I gave him all the cards of his father that were released (about 12). Well I get a package a week later with signed cards and 8x10s. A month later I meet this hot blonde and we start dating. Turns out her Godfather is Jim Campbell's son. Small world/smaller island. Well a couple months later the relationship dies out and things haven't been quite the same at work with the business relationship with the son. Doh! Still got these sweet cards though!

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4th Up...

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Mahalo and Aloha, Brad

Brads Random Red #59

2008 Finest Moments

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Red Refractor Autograph

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Brandon Phillips (9/25)

Here is a sweet Brandon Phillips auto. This card is so Bradass that it has no book value due to scarcity! Nothing like having a Reds card sporting a Red Refractor finish. The only thing lacking on this card would have been a red autograph.

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Next up...

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Mahalo and Aloha, Brad

Brads Random Red #58

2005 Prime Patches M.L. Materials

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Game Used Number Patch

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Aaron Boone (44/53)

Well after a long hiatus I've found myself with a little free time so I'm back to posting our good ole' favorite Random Red cards. I've received quite a few new nice Reds cards so here's 6 to get things going. First off we have this real nice Aaron Boone Number Patch. A trifecta of sorts. Its a jersey card, with a stripe, and a patch. I love this one!

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On to the second card...

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Mahalo and Aloha, Brad

Reds Make Fail Blog!

Congrats to the Reds ground crew for making sure they get some much needed love.

http://failblog.org/2009/07/13/grounds-crew-fail/

Jumpin Jay Zus on a Nuclear Powered Pogo Stick

Am I glad I am not a paying to see the Yankees play. Either this team truly sucks this year or that stadium plays SMALL.

Cleveland
	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K	LOB	Season Avg
G. Sizemore cf	4	3	3	1	1	1	0	.275
T. Crowe cf	2	0	1	1	0	0	0	.238
M. DeRosa 3b	7	2	4	6	0	1	0	.255
V. Martinez c	4	2	2	2	1	0	0	.388
K. Shoppach c	2	0	0	0	0	1	3	.286
T. Hafner dh	7	3	3	1	0	2	6	.289
J. Peralta ss	5	3	3	2	1	0	3	.333
S. Choo rf	4	2	1	3	2	2	4	.275
R. Garko 1b	6	1	2	1	0	0	1	.286
B. Francisco lf	5	3	2	0	1	2	6	.211
A. Cabrera 2b	6	3	4	5	0	1	1	.351
Totals	52	22	25	22	6	10	24

Congrats to Cleveland in this game.
That is one of the gaudiest boxes I have ever seen.
Indians 22 Yankees 4

Frank makes me happy

1958 Topps
No. 488 Frank Robinson

Just thought I would post a card of an all-time great. It's not often you see Frank Robinson smiling these days.

1958 is my second favorite set of the Fifties behind the 53 set. Bright backgrounds. Good portraits. And plenty of Reds!

Dear Topps

SCREW YOU.

I have purchased my last new product from a card manufacturer.
Over the past two weeks I have purchased
eleven boxes of your Target Series One parallel cards.

I AM STILL 69 CARDS SHORT OF A 330 CARD SET.

OUT OF 880 CARDS PURCHASED I CANNOT FIND
330 SINGLE CARDS TO MAKE A SET.

I have 7 Dusty Baker cards.
Yet I am still 69 cards short of a set.

THIS IS BULLSHIT.

There is no excuse in this day and age
for coalition as bad as late eighties products.
Two of the boxes had the exact same cards pack for pack. Even the Topps Town cards.
Three other boxes only had a packs worth of difference between them.

In the Targets I have found boxes they had no more than 3 in stock. Total. I checked. If you are going to do something like this MAKE SURE there is enough product to be sold. If you are going to only make a small amount. LET PEOPLE KNOW. The only reason I have been able to complete a Reds team set of cards is the fact that someone in another state had them and offered them.

As much as I enjoy opening packs I will no longer do so on any new product.
I have spent over $230 on boxes of this product AND DO NOT HAVE A 330 CARD SET. SCREW YOU TOPPS.

Blog Bat Around Five

After missing the past four Blog Bat Arounds due to the job I decided to join in on fifth one.
Why?

Simple:

5 is Johnny Bench's Uniform Number.

What is the best experience you have
had acquiring cards or memorabilia?

That is a simple answer for me.

Do I bore you with the story of having my photo taken with said Johnny and The Chicken as a seven year old kid? Nah.

Do you smile in awe about my meeting Cal and Eddie at a 1983 preseason game in New Orleans with Eddie messing up my hair right before Cal signed a ball "To The Squrt - Cal Ripken Jr."?
Blah, blah, blah.

Who wants to hear about the one hour limo ride talking shop with Dale Murphy?
Not Dayf.

My first post told you guys about how I started in collecting.

So hear you go:

The best experience I have ever had in collecting is the day I got the card above. A simple Fleer sticker of Johnny Bench's Uni and a Reds pennant.
Last April 20th I lost all my material things except for the clothes in my weekend pack and my keys. For the second time in just under three years I had lost it all. Another collection down the drain so to speak. What I had managed to gather in the form of Reds and sets after Hurricane Katrina were gone. Again.
It was a sick feeling.

A few fellow bloggers asked why the absence from Cincinnati Reds Cards. I sent emails letting them know. Thanks to you guys who read us and Brad's friends on The Bench, Reds cards started arriving en mass. Four cards here, twenty there. A new bat card from George Foster. A 1992 Billy Hatcher. Dave Concepcion's auto on a Fleer. Plenty of goodies that make Reds collectors all giggly as schoolgirls.

Those cards were a beacon of light as I checked the mail every few days. Seeing that this community has no problem giving (especially cards of teams they do not like) to other colllectors out of the goodness of their hearts still makes me happy. I somehow doubt you guys have a special place in your hearts for a 1979 Topps Dave Collins.

And all of the people who sent some Reds cards should smile and hold your heads high and chest puffed out knowing the cards you sent are now in a loving, happy, Cubs free environment known to me as the Salt Lake Reds Palace.

That is my greatest collecting exerience.

1979 Topps
Dave Collins
Now residing in the Salt Lake Reds Palace

1990 Topps
Chris Sabo
with a well loved corner

2000 Bowman's Best
Franchise Favorite's
Johnny Bench

Quiz Time Update

Came across this today:

http://www.sporcle.com/games/3000hits.php/

It is one heck of a quiz.
Can you name all 27 members of the 3000 hit club? I knew 25.
The hard part is getting the number of hits right.
I had 8 right. It's a lot harder than most would think.

Answers can be found here.

Good luck.

Hint *A Reds player is the first one* Hint


Looks like the quiz is no longer working. So here it is. You have 8 minutes to name all of the hitters. The date is the day they hit their 3,000th. Some are easy. Some you will have no idea. The main thing is getting the names right.

3000 9/30/1972
3007 9/24/1974
3010 8/7/1999
3020 7/15/2005
3023 8/13/1979
3053 8/4/1985
3055 10/7/2001
3060 6/28/2007
3110 9/16/1993
3141 8/6/1999
3142 9/9/1992
3152 6/19/1942
3154 9/30/1992
3184 4/15/2000
3242 9/27/1914
3255 6/30/1995
3283 7/18/1970
3315 6/6/1925
3319 9/16/1996
3415 6/9/1914
3418 7/18/1897
3419 9/12/1979
3514 5/17/1925
3630 5/13/1958
3771 5/17/1970
4191 8/19/1921
4256 5/5/1978

Happy Johnny - Mad Pudge

We haven't had a good Johnny Bench card lately so here it is:

2001 Topps
Topps Combos
TC5 Ivan Rodriguez / Johnny Bench

Every generation has two great catchers fans immediately think of. That is why this card makes sense showing Bench and I Rod together. The 1970's / 80's had Johnny Bench and Carlton Fisk. Thurmon might have had it if not for the plane crash. Both guys are icons of the game for the catcher's position. Bench for being the greatest defensive catcher ever and a master field general with strong bat. Fisk for his historic home run , a gritty, long career and a decent bat. The debate between Yogi and Johnny will always play on but Johnny Bench will always be the best in my books.
Now for Ivan. From the early 1990's until about 2005 it was clearly between he and Mike Piazza for the generations best catcher. Ivan has the edge in game calling with Piazza the edge in batting. Too even for me to call.

So tie breaker goes to Johnny Bench.
Gretest catcher of the last fourty years. Period.

A Full Reds Team Set of

2008 Topps Reds Fest

4 Brandon Phillips
This guys is a great guy.
Not only does he like The Fresh Prince of Bel Aire
he models his dives after Jazz getting thrown out of the mansion.
That's AWESOME!

6 Ryan Freel
A great bench guy.
He is like Pete Rose in that he plays almost
every position on the field well.
And he is a fan of Webster? SRSLY?

19 Joey Votto
Joey led NL rookies in Batting Avg., Hits,
Home Runs, Total Bases, On-Base Percentage and Slugging Percentage.
Plus he's got the looks of a movie star.
Yeah. Those crappy movies.

21 Chris Dickerson
Dog catcher? That's funny!
He should be able chase down some lazy pop ups
from that Chicago team in the National League.
That's as close to dogs as he should get this season.

27 Jeff Keppinger
Hopefully we will all be singing
"We're off to see the World Series Trophy"
after sweeping the Los Angeles American League representatives.
I'd even settle for "Ease on Down the Basepath"

32 Jay Bruce
Yeah. You read that right.
Braves killer.
Braves.

39 Aaron Harang
I bet he has one of those Hot Rod Magazine Visa's
with the flame job background.

He's still having some control problems this Spring.
Thanks Dusty.

61 Bronson Arroyo
I want to like this guy. But he makes it hard.
On top of being a Gator fan he like the Pats.
Then he has Scarface as his favorite movie.
Add those onto the interview he gave in Boston
this off season where he stated
the Red Sox were a better team and I just can't.
Unless he beats the Mets and Chicago NL team.

Great set of cards as you can see. They came in a little folder with some player info and Redsfest XI info. It just shows that the Reds are the best team in baseball to their fans.

FOR RILLS!

A big thanks goes out to the guys at omgReds.com. Without them I might have never known about this set. But did they send me these nope. They sent them to a Cu... C... Cub...
It hurts to type it.
Cubs fan. I like JayBee, but to send some to a Cubs fan?
That's like a Yankee fan rooting for the Red Sox.
Openly.
While wearing a Jeter jersey.
In Times Square.
Next to Stienbrener.

The shame guys. The shame.

Quote of the day

"Ha. He loves the Nationals like I love foot cramps. He loves baseball like I love one of those itches you get way up in your butt that you can’t relieve without getting out a pencil… Too personal? Sorry. It just seemed appropriate to connect Jim Bowden with anal irritation. The Nationals are, I’m sure, quite glad Bowden won’t be a pain in their backside anymore"

One of the few thing Crazy Leatherpants did not mess up while in the 'Nati was the career of Barry Larkin.

Here we have an ultra rare and
probably never seen by your eyes before
1992 Fleer Barry Larkin with guest star Kirby Puckett subset card.

Two future Hall of Famers on one card?
You betcha!
Barry wanting to sign autos and pet puppies
while Kirby is scoping the ladies? Check!

What a classy guy you are Barry! What a guy!

The Hutch

All I gotta say is what a guy.

The 1961 Topps card of
Fred Hutchinson
Manager of the 1961 National League champion Cincinnati Reds.

This guy had quite a history.
24 games over .500 as a major league pitcher.
Managed the Reds.
3.72 career E.R.A
Managed the Reds.
Stole Pete Rose's date at the ballpark when Pete was a rookie.
Learned how to get fired from the Cardinals and lead the Reds to the World Series.

Unfortunately, Fred had his baseball life cut short by cancer. He was an architect of rebuilding the Reds farm system in the early sixties that led to the days of the Big Red Machine of the 1970's.

As for the Rose story:
In "My Life Behind Bars" Pete recalls how he managed to show off the crew cut as a rookie during Spring Training to a "more experienced" woman. He brought her to the ball park the next day. Seems Fred had seen her around during the past few Spring Trainings and warned Pete about how he was young and could ruin his reputation and career with a woman like that. Young Rose agreed and promptly sent the lass away. Next afternoon Pete looks up to see a smiling Hutch with balloons on one arm and the lovely young lady on the next. Fred sees Pete staring in disbelief and yells "You're welcome. Don't miss curfew!"
That guy should be in the Hall of Fame for that alone. The only pitcher to make Pete Rose freeze in disbelief.

A Full Reds Team Set of

2008 Topps Chrome
National Convention Edition

72 Brandon Phillips

Have you seen the hair on this man's chin yet? I have a feeling it's his super power source. Able to turn triple plays on the Marlins in a single game!

92 Adam Dunn

How bad is this photo on chrome? It looks like Adam is in a silver polyester blend uni on a sunny day. Or is it a failed attempt to recreate this guys duds?

110 Aron Harang

Look at Aaron as he prepairs a serving of stinky cheese for the happless cheeseheads of Brewerland.

150 Homer Bailey

Alright Homer. Lets see that AAA throwing up in the majors this year. Please don't be a AAAA pitcher.

152 Ken Griffey Jr.

Nice power stroke from Griffey off of Lieber. Of the team that has sucked for 101 years now.

191 Edinson Volquez

Holy Volquoly! As much as I would like to see a lineup of Bruce, Phillips, Hamilton and Votto I am glad the Rangers know nothing about keeping good young talent in their system.

196 Joey Votto

This guy is gonna be on fire this season. For other Votto cards click here.

These cards are typical Topps Chrome cards. Only difference is that there were 300 sheets of the 08 Chrome set made for the National last year. Sheets were handed out to dealers and VIPs in attendance. All cards have a dark gold rough foil print on them to mark the event. These are not your typical National stamped cards in that this foil ain't comin off anytime soon.
These cards were cut from a sheet by a professional press operator and have better corners and edges than any Chrome product I have purchased. I am glad I have a subscription to SCD as that is where I found the dealer, Kevin Savage Cards, with the team sets for sale.
Hope you enjoyed the set.

Has anyone else been having trouble leaving comments with blogger's new word verification? I have wanted to leave comments on a few blogs but have been unable to because the letters never load up. Let me know if there is a way around it I am not aware of.

This person

Should be:

A. Shot
B. Gutted
C. Smighted
D. Forced to watch Yankee games between Fran Dresher and Carrot Top for eternity
E. All of the above

I present to the jury:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350166480369

It's one thing to get the team wrong. But to insult any person with an I.Q. over Vince Young's Wonderlick score is just infuriating.
This is a clear case of ebay fraud and the seller should be banished. For being a typical Cubs fan,

A Full Reds Team Set of

1987 K-Mart

10 Frank Robinson

12 Johnny Bench
19 Pete Rose

I have been hearing the grumblings.
"Look at Bay Rat and all his shiny Reds."
"All Bay Rat has are serial numbered cards. What a mo mo."
"If I see another game used Reds card........."

For those who thought I was too high puhlootin to mix it up with the lesser folk here is proof I can kick it old school and show off my mad cuhlektn sklz.

How can anyone who was collecting in the mid eighties not have these cards? 79¢ a box in '82 and then 99¢ in '87 for a box of these bad boys. Can you think of any other sets from then that have retained their values? I think not.

These glossy cards mark the celebration of 25 years of Blue Light Specials and crappy toy knockoffs. I bet that is where dayf got his first one! Nicer photos than in '82 and better printing make this a better set. At least to me.

How can you go wrong with Frank, Pete and Johnathan? You can't!

A Full Reds Team Set of

2008 Upper Deck
A Piece of History

25 Ken Griffey Jr.

27 Adam Dunn

28 Aaron Harang

111 Ryan Hanigan

112 Joey Votto

Upper Deck was juuuuuuust a bit outside with this design. The player selection is a good one for a hundred card set but whoooo boy. Did they screw up on the background.
Grey almost never looks good as a background color.
Faux marble is so early 90's
Why put the positions in an almost unreadable font on the side?

Luv's me some Reds!
That's why this is a must own set.

If you have not read

Sully Baseball

yet now is the time. Guy does great rundowns of All-Home Grown vs. All-Acquired Teams . Informative and funny. Plus he has a few thoughts on baseball goings on. Good stuff.

After a much needed two year delay

I have posted the first entry on:

WEEKLY BOX BREAK

Stop by. Check it out. And prepare to be Uhmahzed!
Or just made to smile by pretty pictures.

Da-DaDaDa-Dum

Dum Dum Dum

1993 Stadium Club
Master Photos Bip Roberts

Bip believes in Truth, Hits and Reds wins!

As you can see Bip Roberts is really SuperRed.
Faster than a speeding left fielder's throw.
More powerful legs than any Cub.
Able to leap lazy Braves catchers from third base.

This is the first Master Photo ( 5x7) I have come across of ol Bip in over a decade. Picked it up for a clam an a half (w s/h) on the collector's bank account kryptonite known as ebay. I really dig the oversize white border. It really sets off the card photo. And guess what he's got that we mere mortals will never have.
That's right. Bip's rockin the Bip Robert's Portrait Wristband / Score on any Braves Glove combo. Only one other Immortal Reds legend has been photographed wearing something us mere fans can only dream about rockin with ease.
So soak in the Bipness and enjoy the museum quality card that is Stadium Club Master Photos.