Blog Bat Around - All Autograph Team Part 2: Pitchers and Assorted Cogs

Aloha, everybody, 

Let's conclude the All Autograph Team (Starting Nine with DH are here) with the pitching staff and a couple of others tossed in for fun. 

Starting Left-Handed Pitcher:

I happened to show this beauty off on Twitter the other day; mentioned that my good luck brought this baby right out of a pack. 

Starting Right-Handed Pitcher: 

Bullpen: Kershaw and Podres

Oh yeh, the ATBATT all-auto team's got some pretty decent pitching. 

Pinch Hitter: Manny Mota

Bench: The Toy Cannon, LoDuca and The Butter and Eggs Man

Finally, what team is complete without a manager...and whom else would I choose?

Tommy Lasorda, autograph obtained walking around Dodger Stadium, back in the days Tommy was more mobile. 

There you have it folks. I'll stack my ATBATT All Autograph team against any other. We'll bet a bag of peanuts on it. 

Aloha! 

I Went to Walker Buehler's Debut Game. Wanna See Some Pics?

Aloha, everybody, 

I got invited to the ballgame last night to see the Dodger Stadium debut of Dodgers phenom Walker Buehler. The seats were just as awesome as the kid. 

The bonus was I got to see an incredible game by Kike Hernandez. He made two brilliant plays on the field, hit a home run and laid down a crucial eighth inning bunt single that directly led to the game winning run scoring. By the way, Buehler pitched five scoreless innings. What a game! 

Here are a few pics from my night at Chavez Ravine. Leading off is the kid, Buehler. His fastball is so fast, the ball's already in Grandal's mitt while the batter is still waiting for it to arrive. 

Here's Yasiel Puig giving the ump his opinion of the generous strike zone (which wasn't so wide for Buehler). 

The most excellent view from my seats! A special shoutout and THANKS to my friend Naomi for sharing her ticket with me. They were the best seats in the house. 

Chris Taylor in action. 

Hey! It's Tommy Lasorda! 

Buehler staring in at the signs. I think this was his last (or second to the last pitch of the night). Note the "Big K" scoreboard showing his five strikeouts. 

The kid bringing the heat. 

Here's me in my homemade Buehler jersey. It says Bradley under there. 

There's Nomah! See the schnozz? 

Here's Joc Pederson with his strange "pitch this" batting ritual. I sure hope the Dodgers' marketing team uses this pose for his bobblehead. 

Here's Kike Hernandez laying down his brilliant bunt single, which advanced Chris Taylor to third base. 

That was followed by Cody Bellinger's sac fly to bring home the winning run. 

The seats were fantastic, the Dodgers won, and I had an awesome time. THANKS, Naomi! 

Aloha! 

Blog Bat Around - All Autograph Team

Aloha, everybody, 

My buddy Zippy Zappy started a Blog Bat Around that consists of a team lineup that's made from autographs. It doesn't matter if the auto is on cardboard or any other memorabilia (like a signed Penguin lamp, for example), the only caveat is: the auto has to be in our possession. 

While it sounds like a fun idea, I thought for sure I didn't have enough autos to put together a nine-man lineup, including relief pitchers and PH/DHs. Once I got into my binders, I was surprised that I had just enough to field an auto-team alongside those you all are putting up. However, I did have to place one player out of position, and you'll see how that played out soon enough. 

Without further ado, I give you the ATBATT All-Auto All-Stars:

Batting leadoff, and playing second base: Maury Wills

Maury is third on this triple-autographed card I received through trade - the other two are Manny Mota and pitcher Claude Osteen. 

Batting second, and playing right field: Tony Gwynn. 

I got this Gwynn auto TTM. I originally had two, but traded one away. 

Batting third, and playing center field: The Duke of Flatbush

The Duke came to me through trade with mi hermano, JBF. 

Batting cleanup, the DH: Paul Molitor 

Molitor is a TTM auto. 

Batting fifth, in left field: The Straw (He's out of position, but I don't have any left fielder autos, and I figure Daryl can handle LF better than Gwynn) 

My only Strawberry auto came to me in trade. 

Batting sixth, and at third base: The Penguin

While I don't have an autographed lamp, this traded Cey will do. 

Batting seventh, the backstop: The Boomer

I got this Yeager auto (and another) in person at a local pizza place. The second auto I sent off to the guy with the Penguin lamp.

Batting eighth, and at shortstop: Alan Trammell

I got two Trammells TTM. One is traded away. 

Batting ninth, and at first base: Big Mo

Mo Vaughn is a TTM auto. Isn't this a great one? I dig the way Big Mo wrote his name on that monster arm. 

We'll close the starting nine with that awesome auto and save the pitching staff, PH, and also-rans for Part Two. Stay tuned. 

Aloha! 

It's Gypsy Queen, French Beer and Pack Searchers on my Latest Youtube Video

Aloha, everybody, 

I made a Target run today, and you know what that means - Baseball cards are coming home with me. 

In today's video we'll rip a value pack of 2018 Gypsy Queen, get greased by a pack searcher, and review a French IPA. That's right - a French IPA. 

Join me below for all the fun. Aloha! 

A New Youtube Video - This Dodgers-Padres Series is the Most Important Yet

Aloha, everybody, 

Just a quick Youtube video talking 'bout the upcoming Dodgers v Padres series that begins tonight. 

Inside I talk about what makes this the biggest and most critical series of the young season fr the Dodgers, and I deliver a beer review of a big coffee porter from Pizza Port Brewing outta Carlsbad, CA. 

Enjoy and Aloha! 

Hail the Holiest of Days for ATBATT - Jackie Robinson Day

Aloha, everybody, 

As many of you already know, the patron saint of ATBATT is the man whom I consider the greatest ballplayer of all time. 

Not because he hit the most home runs, or because he was the best fielder at his position. I chose Jackie Robinson to bless my humble little corner of the blogosphere and I reference him in my nom de blog (Stealing Home) because Jackie revolutionized the game of baseball. 

He played the game darn well, well enough to have an MLB award created because of his talents (Rookie of the Year), he played a key role in the only World Series championship the Brooklyn Dodgers ever won, inspired thousands - nay, millions - to succeed despite long odds, and he did it all with a target on his back, segregated from his own teammates, hated by his peers because of his skin color, and was required to take it. 

The only response his unimaginable task allowed was to be done with the tools of his trade: his bat, his glove and his cleats. 

"After the game, Jackie Robinson came into our clubhouse and shook my hand. He said, 'You're a helluva ballplayer and you've got a great future.' I thought that was a classy gesture, one I wasn't then capable of making. I was a bad loser. 
What meant even more was what Jackie told the press - 'Mantle beat us. He was the difference between the two teams.' 
I have to admit, I became a Jackie Robinson fan on the spot. When I think of that series, his gesture is what comes to mind. Here was a player that without a doubt suffered more abuse and more taunts and more hatred than any player in the history of the game. And he made a special effort to compliment and encourage a young, white kid from Oklahoma." - Mickey Mantle 

Robinson was important to all blacks. To make it into the majors and to take all the name calling, he had to be something special. He had to take all this for years. Not just for Jackie Robinson, but for the nation." - Willie Mays 

 "Give me five players like Robinson and a pitcher, and I'll beat any nine-man team in baseball." - Manager Chuck Dressen

"I liked Jackie Robinson because he was cooll to watch, not because he was black. Every time you turn around, he was hitting a triple or making a great play in the field, or best of all, stealing home." - Cheech Marin

"Jackie was speaking at a drugstore, and I said, 'I'm not going to get this opportunity again, so I better take my chances and listen to Jackie now.' Little did I know, I got front row seats, and next to me was my father." - Hank Aaron

Thanks for everything, Jackie. 

Aloha! 

My New Twitter Trade Partner is All Hero

Aloha, everybody, 

Time to get caught up on trade posts. The good news is I made a new trade connection through Twitter. The better news is Basecard Hero sent over a fantastic fistful of cards from a set I don't usually buy, so all of these cards are new to my collection. 

That's a very shiny, good thing. We'll lead off with some inserts...

The cards are well-designed, with great photos and an unimposing abstract background, topped off with a slick, shiny surface. 

The surfaces are so slick, the cards wanted to slide all over my scanner from the slightest touch. 

On to the base cards. They switched up the background to a half and half mix of abstract design and the team logo. Again, it works.

How about some Hanley? 

Some very attractive cards, and great new RCs of Corey Seager, Maeda and Urias. Thanks, Basecard Hero!

I've got your cards in a pile. I'll be hitting the post office soon. 

Aloha! 

Forget About Pace of Play, How About the Pace of Discipline?

Aloha, everybody, 

Do you remember last year's World Series, when Yuli Gurriel made a racist gesture towards Yu Darvish after hitting a home run? 

MLB agreed it was racist and offensive enough to suspend him for five games, but was hesitant to impose the suspension during the WS. They put it off until this, the new season. 

What played out is a travesty of baseball justice and an insult to anyone who was awaiting that disciplinary measure to take place. 

Here's my take on a short Youtube video:

Aloha!