No good deed goes unpunished.....

A little over a week ago I contacted a fellow Reds collector about working on the blog with me. It has been great seeing his cards. It was great that he answered the Cubs Suck question with enthusiasm. But he crossed the line when he tried to out Larkin this collector. I was the guy who watched Larkin help the Reds to the 1990 World Series. I was the guy who stated collecting Larkin in the 90's. Then he tries to show up a Barry Larkin collector.

Brads55
(His trade page is the top link on the right)

You have been called out onto the REDS carpet.

I shall start of with this little cardboard treasure:
2004 Leaf Certified Materials
Card No. 17 Barry Larkin
Mirror Red Parallel
011 / 100

That's right! The parallel is numbered to Barry's jersey number. And if you look over the jersey number you see the Captain's C. And the card is the RED parallel. This card shows Mr. Larkin beating out a fielder's choice of of Ben Sheets on July 11, 2003 in Brewerland. Yep. But I ask you Brads55 - What is missing from this photo on shiny cardboard?

2004 Leaf Certified Materials
No. 17 Barry Larkin
Mirror Emerald Bat
1 / 5

That's right Brad. The bat he used to hit that screamer to Center Field is what I was talking about. Well here is a piece of that bat. And it is 1 of 5. Another question Brads55. What is the cleanest part of the photo on the card?

2004 Leaf Certified Materials
No. 17 Barry Larkin
Mirror Gold Fabric
22 / 25

Barry Larkin's uniform. He is still fast enough to need not slide in the dirt. Smooth enough in the field to not need to dive. And as a reminder. He is No. 11 in your program.

Well Brad. Does Barry Larkin sign off on this post about what he did on July 11, 2003? Let us see.

2004 Leaf Certified Materials
No. 17 Barry Larkin
Mirror White Autograph
08 / 10

It seems Mr. Larkin has signed off on this posting. He agrees you should never try to out Larkin a Larkin collector.

Just kidding man. I am enjoying your postings and everyone else is also. Keep up the good work and remember what happens when you try to out Larkin me :)

A Late Thank You

Thank you to the people at Topps

Thank you to the people at Donruss

On August 29, 2005 my life changed.

At about 10 AM I watched as white caps formed on the road in front of my mother's home. For those who do not know what white caps are it is a term used to describe the white foam on top of a wave as it crests and breaks. Why is this unusual? I was one mile from the shore and 28 feet above sea level. That is what it was like when Hurricane Katrina came through. In under 10 minutes it went from water on the road to 6 foot in the home. I managed to get the six people there to safety quickly and save some artwork but all else was lost. My mother was lucky.

My home of two weeks that I had wanted to buy for as long as I remember was washed away. Along with 25 years of collecting and a lifetime of mementos. All the Reds cards, photos, autos and stuff I had made a special room for (I was single) were gone. It was tough but you move on. About two weeks later various card companies had sent packages. Topps and Donruss had sent cases of baseball, football and basketball. I have scanned in some of the better pulls from the boxes I was able to crack open in the midst of the uncertainty.

2005 Topps
No. 645 Reds Team Card
The Greatest Professional Baseball Team

2005 Donruss
No.151 Barry Larkin

2005 Donruss
Power Alley Insert
Ken Griffey Jr.
Sereil Numbered 572 / 2500

2005 Topps Bazooka
4 - in -1 Sticker Insert No. 3
Austin Kearns / J.D. Drew - A former Brave for certain blogger / Torii Hunter / Juan Pierre
How often do you have a card with 4 players all on other teams so soon?

2005 Topps Heritage
No. 57 Adam Dunn

2005 Finest
No. 95 Adam Dunn
Green X-Fractor 11 / 50

Home Run Dunn is watching the ball fly off of a Clemens mess up into the bleachers at Minute Maid Park. A fantastic ball park if you ever get the chance. And hot dogs are waaaaay less expensive that Turner Dogs.

2005 Topps Total
No. 53 Cin 5 Paul Wilson
Remember when this guy was on the Mets and was supposed to be the next Maddux? He did a good job with the Reds and was a good coah for the younger guys.

2005 Donruss Diamond Kings
No. 75 Danny Graves
Autograph 93 / 100
The autograph is well placed and the artwork is great! This is my favorite DK set. The card layout, the colors blend well and the portraits are the best of any set. The sticker is recessed in the card and not on the surface. I am beggining to like this way of doing it.

2005 Donruss Studio
No. 80 Bubba Nelson
Private Signings Autograph Silver 72 / 100

This was one of the best gifts someone like us collectors can receive in such circumstances. It was a very bright spot in my life at the time. The great feel of the packs in the hands and to hear the rip of the foil.

Notice the one company not mentioned (Fleer was bankrupt). They wrote a form letter to Matt that had in it "Sorry we cannot help with your project/charity" and "Good luck with your project/charity and remember us in your purcahsing future." I understand they cannot answer to everyone but that is cold. And I have never purchased another UD product new again. I am not saying never buy new Upper Deck, just letting you know why I do not.

Just who might this be?

Why it is none other than:
Dustin Mosley
Pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Bet you thought I was doing a Reds player huh? It would be nice if we still had Dustin. He was traded in 2004 for starting pitcher Ramon Ortiz. Ortiz provided a lackluster and below average season for the Reds. That is probably why Bowden picked him up as soon as he could.
Dustin put up solid numbers as starter in AA and AAA ball. He has been used as a setup man for the Angels and has been pretty good at the job. We could defiantly use him back in our pen.

The card is a 2003 Bowman's Best autograph. This is the same year as the Ryan Howard and the New York American League Baseball Team Japanese pitcher autograph cards that have caused prices to skyrocket for this issue. I like the design as it has a little of that 50's nuclear style. The stretched circles (ovals if you like) and the large signing area. The picture of Dustin leaning as if ready to shake off the first two signs so he can throw some stinky cheddar. The cool looking hat. The Reds Running Man patch. The silver of the card. It all works in a retro / modern mix. I can see why these cards are so popular. And not easy to find.

Today I am Upset

I feel like the Mets just won the N.L. Championship Series.

Against the Reds.

In the Seventh Game.

Bottom of the Ninth.

Two outs.

Grand Slam by Pedro Martinez.

Then are swept by Tampa Bay in the World Series.

Going through cards to scan I came across this card:

2004 Leaf Certified Materials
No. 16 Austin Kearns
Mirror Red Autograph Parallel
Numbered 13 / 200

Not a bad card overall. An action photo on front of Austin slapping a double off of Glavine to drive in Griffey Jr. The design of the front is cool. Plenty of bling to shine in kids eyes to get them hooked on collecting. Two cards and I can make earrings for my special lady. As the card says Reds fans had optimism for Austin. Great makings as a hitter and proven fielder. But he is gone.
Here is what makes me (Cue Charlie Brown Do-Do-Doooo Music) sad.



Not sure what I am talking about? Here is a closer look.


The sticker is coming apart. It is flaking and breaking off. Why? This card has seen the light of only six or seven days. It's not as noticeable but it is breaking off just under the autograph. This has me dismayed. I have never cared if the autograph was on a card or sticker. It was an autograph. I have autographs on paper, balls, bats, helmets and jerseys. Who cares what it is on?

Now I do. There is no reason for this sticker to be breaking apart. Now I want to find another card to replace this one. Where? Looking closely at other stickers I have some things came to light. The ends are starting to pull up. Dust is collecting on edges of the clear stickers.

This is not happening on all stickers. There are stickers such as 2004 Skybox LE History of the Draft were the sticker is inside the card and not on the top. There are no problems with these stickers. No peeling. No dirt. No cracking. I would say it was just Leaf stickers but it is not. I found this on SP and other Upper Deck products. But not Topps products. I do not have as many Topps to compare with but those are holding up well.

So take a look at yours. Make sure down the road they are not breaking apart. I know I will be more careful in the future.

What Parallel is This?

Today we have a card from the Parallel King of baseball card companies. In 2005 Donruss produced Leaf Certified Materials. Not satisfied with 5 parallels per base card they upped the ante in this release with a base card and way too many parallels.

Mirror White Base, Auto, Fabric, Bat.
Mirror Red Base, Auto, Fabric, Bat, Fabric/Bat Dual.
Mirror Gold Base, Auto, Fabric, Bat.
Mirror Black Base, Auto, Fabric, Bat.
Mirror Blue Base Auto, Fabric, Bat

All of the cards have the same design and picture, just a different background color. Well today I present to you:
2005 Leaf Certified Materials
No. 12 Austin Kearns
Mirror Black Parallel Autograph
1/1

That's right! The only one made. I was lucky enough to win this card on ebay for $17 and shipping. I was glad to get it because it was the last card I needed from the autograph version to have one from each Mirror set. This is not a great card to scan but a nice card to see. The reflective surface holds up well and the design is not cluttered. For some reason I like when cards use lines and geometric shapes that blend well. Austin has a small signature overall and fits well on cards or stickers. The photo of Austin looks to be him getting ready to pounce on a line to right off the bat of Chipper. That was a sure out. Only right fielder better in the field is that Frenchy guy on the Braves. The cardboard junkie will be able to say more on that as I refuse to.

This Week's Closer

Danny Graves
Relief Pitcher

The only Major League Baseball player born in Saigon, South Vietnam.

Danny was one of those players you root for. Not because you know anything about him. In fact it was because the only thing I knew about him was he was one of the best the Reds had for a few years in relief. He was not flashy. Come in. Get 3 outs. Go back to the bullpen for the next game. But he had some good stuff. His slider truly slid. The curve would bend and his fastball would sometimes break. Danny never really put up great numbers but he did his job for the most part. You were never quite sure if he would get the save and always sure after he did. His best year (2004) was good, great, good. Slow start. 14 saves and one win in April. All-Star selection. 14 saves the rest of the season. Good enough to hold onto the job until Spring Training.

Today's Reds Card Review is of a 2005 Donruss Classics.
Signifigant Signatures
Silver Parallel No. 167
Serial Numbered 28 / 50

This is not a bad sticker autograph card. The sticker does not take away from the overall design and the silver background blends with the foil. The font is a favorite of mine. I believe it is ITC Anna for the Sig. Sigs on the bottom. and Broadway for the names. The design of the card has an art deco feel to it with the lines and spacing. The photo shows Danny Graves throwing in a save against the Rangers in June. That slider comin atcha Teixeira! For a popout.

This time it's real

I teased you in an earlier post. I claimed my 2007 Topps Chrome Refractor of Ken Griffey Jr. was autographed. It's a facsimile signature. But today I have the first card I purchased after Hurricane Katrina. The card that restarted my collection. I give you:

2005 Artifacts
Autofacts No. JR
Numbered 414 / 699

This card has it all. Good design. Great photo. Clear signature. This is a grand slam of autograph cards. I found this card on ebay and it was won for around $80. It was the first time I ever bought a Ken Griffey Jr. autograph. I know. I know. A life long Reds fan and no Griffey Jr. autograph. But I have a great card now (have added three more since) and am proud to show it to all today.
The card itself has a nice, crisp photo of Ken Griffey Jr. smacking Home run 500. The crowd rising and the thunderous cheers raining down. The look on his face as he follows the ball out of the park and begins his trot around the dirt. Touching all four. The colors of the card work well with the photo. I am no fan of the color brown and its derivatives. But, this works well when added all together. The whatever smeared in the back is actually interesting. It offsets and makes the photo stand out even more. The blue ink used for the signature looks great. A black or red would have blended too much or just clashed with the design. The big signing area is great. Now for the back. Most cards nowadays with autographs or relics just have a congrats blurb.
Not this baby!


How cool is it to hit your 500th home run to join that club? How much cooler is it to do it on Father's Day? With Dad and your kids watching? I still remember that homer. I was listening to Reds on the Radio on my xm radio and actually clapped for him. I doubt he heard my claps from 800 miles away but I know he thanked me for them. The card back is well laid out also. Easy to read and lets me know that the autograph is actually certified and authentic. The fact about his 500th home run is a great touch. And Richard McWilliam actually wants me to write him. He gave his address.

So envy me all you want for having this or copy the photos. Print them out. Paste them together and have your own Ken Griffey Jr. autographed card. Just put a new serial number on there so we don't have any confusion in the future.

Congratulations!

The card you have just received
contains an authentic signature from


Dane Sardinha

Catcher for the Cincinnati Reds



On an official Major League
Baseball Jersey.


This is actually a cool card in my book. Not only did I pay 50¢ for it but I got a proven backup catcher. The card has a good looking photo. And I guess there was no photographer at the 3 games he caught so we get a portrait. It's easy to read and the logo is minimal.
2002 Fleer MLB Hot Prospects is the set.
Jerseygraphics is the insert set.

Not Enough Diamond King Parallels

So I present to you 2004 Diamond Kings No. 78 Ryan Wagner. Signature Framed Bronze. Which is a parallel of Signature Bronze. Serial numbered 14/25. The card has a very well done illustration by Dave Kramer. The front has a raised border and bronze foil over the front.The sticker is inside the card and not placed on the front which is something I am not sure why they did. Looks nice compared to most sticker autos. But Ryan has one of those modern quick signatures. The large R then a line. A large W and a large T? Not sure were the T comes into play but it's not my name. Ryan is one of those fireballers that just could not make the transition from Triple A to the majors. He wanted a non fat green tea latte instead of a cup of coffee from the Reds. Expectations were high in 2003 when he had that sub 2 E.RA. But then came the 4.70 and 6.18 over the next two full seasons. Not good for a middle reliever.

Another Mayorial Documentation

Here we have another 1999 SP Signature Edition Autograph card. This one is signed by The Mayor - Sean Casey. Mr. Casey is obviously fixing to run out a single he just slapped between the shortstop and 3rd baseman. Probably hit number 28 against Curtis Leskanic of the Rockies. That would be in Denver (great stadium if you ever make it out there) during a 4 for 4, 5 run, 6 RBI outing. A great day in Reds history!

This is a typical Sean Casey signature. A big S and squiggle. A large C and that's it. But it's a Reds player auto. And it matches well with the card layout. The ink matches the blue pixels in the background well. The overall design is crisp. I like it. This is a card that makes collecting autographed cards fun. It displays well and has a great photo.

1999 SP Signature seems to be an underrated autograph set in my opinion. Sure the cards are worth more for the larger stars. But to pick up a Casey auto for under four dollars with shipping is low. I found 7 cards at a card shop in Nebraska. The big name was Jeremy Giambi. Paid four dollars plus tax. Other cards I have found are a Harmon Killebrew for nine dollars total, Mike Piazza for fifteen! The most I have paid is sixty five for a Bonds. And I think that is a steal. I have gathered over the past 2 months over 40 cards from the set and I am still under $200. Find a 100+ card autograph insert set and try to do that.

The Immortal Rob Bell

Obviously not a Reds fan if you have never heard of Rob Bell. That's Right : Rob Bell. Stolen in a 1998 trade from the Braves along with Denny Neagle and Mike Tucker for Brett Boone and Mike Remlinger. Not sure who got taken on that deal. After posting a 13W 18L record along with a ho-hum 5.83 era in one and a half seasons he was traded to the Rangers. Where stars are made on the mound.

Ol' Rob was a high end prospect and good things were expected from him. I remember in 2000 trying to find his cards like this 1999 SP Autograph for under fifteen dollars. Not happening. I was able to pick this one up for $2.99 with shipping from an ebay store. That's what's happening nowadays. This is a good example of on card autos that work with the design. This was before stickers became prevalent and card manufactures created cards with a designated signing area.



Rob's signature is a bit of a mystery signature. I can make out there is supposed to be an i in the name. That is about it though. It is smooth and not jumpy and clustered like most autos, but not legible. The graphics on the card are cool in my view. These geometric patterns work on the card way better than 07 Topps squares. A nice clear portrait with an award winning smile. The hand showing how he gripped before he threw pitches he never mastered. And most importantly - the Reds logo. I cannot imagine a more important aspect of a card than that logo. It stands out. Is clear and crisp. Is what Devil Rays fans (all 800) wish they had. Overall. I give the card 2 bases out of a 4 bagger.

Sean Casey 2001 Fleer Autographics

The Mayor.
Sean Casey.

This is how autograph cards should be. On card autograph. Clear signing area. Sharp and good looking photo of the player. You know exactly who made this card and what set it is from as soon as you see it. If you bother with such sets.

2001 Fleer AutoGraphics Sean Casey is one of my favorite autograph cards. It shows Sean in the process of scooping up a short hopper from Mike Piazza for an easy out at first. The gold "I Got Religion and Money" chains jumping of the neck. Mr. Redleg smiling cause he knows Piazza just messed up hitting to Casey. I was disappointed to see Mr. Casey leave for the Pirates. But things have worked out for him. An A.L. Championship ring with the Tigers. A .529 Avg. in the World Series is nothing to sneeze at. Sean was an All-Star caliber player for the Reds from the Trade (theft) from the Indians in 1998 until his departure for Pittsburgh. He made the N.L. Squad in 1999, 2001 and in 2004. How he did not make it in 2000 is beyond my little head. It was his best stat season after 2004.

Good luck this season in the job search Sean! Looking forward to seeing you in action.