Social Distancing With Baseball Cards

Aloha, everybody, 

It's been a while since I've been down here, but the c-virus outbreak and the national "holding in place" strategy has offered opportunity for me to get back in the game. 

This is the first of a series where I dig out my baseball card binders of my favorite cards and share them with you. 

Hope you enjoy, and be safe out there...IN there? 

Aloha! 

Opening Packages from Bob Walk the Plank & Baseball Card Breakdown

Aloha, everybody,

I recently received a package from retired blogger Matt, from Bob Walk the Plank fame, and a PWE from still going strong, Gavin, representing Baseball Card Breakdown. There certainly was no breakdown in the quality of cardboard within both.

Check out this video as I receive my first uniform swatch with a chunk of jersey number and a verrrrrry sweet, very rare custom from Gavin. Enjoy!

Card Show Provides Great Start (and some goodies for my buddies)

Aloha, everybody, 

The card show gave up some good stuff this week. As many of you know, I'm chasing vintage World Series subsets, and this week's trip to Walnut gave me a great start on the 1970 Topps 6-card World Series subset, which commemorates the 1969 Amazin' Mets victory over the Orioles. Let's check 'em out:

Card #305 

Card #306

Card #307 (my fave)

Card #308

These four are a great head start. I only need two more, cards 309, 310 to complete the subset. 

I also picked up a bunch of cards for some of you out there. Before I show those off, I just wanna say if I've promised some cards to you to finish your 2018 Topps teamsets, or for other trades - hang tight, please. I haven't put together packages yet bc I was hoping to pick up some extra things and make one trip to the PO. I should be packing everything up over the next week. Thanks for your patience. 

Now for some pics of cards. These aren't everything I grabbed at the card show, but I just wanted to show a couple because, why not? 

I think you'll know who these are for, and I hope these will be nice additions to your collections...

Aloha!

Cardboard Santa Has Lifted Off

Aloha, everybody, 

Operation Cardboard Christmas is in full effect. 

You are all big boys and girls. You know Santa doesn't really use a sleigh anymore. This is the 21st century! Santa drops all his cardboard gifts off at the post office, and that's exactly what happened this afternoon. 

The first batch of PWEs and packages went out last week, and from Mark H.'s tweet this afternoon, I gather they have started arriving at doorsteps. 

Today was the drop off for the last batch. Check the zip codes below to see if you have something coming your way. 

A quick note for my fellow Dodger collectors: Don't fret if you don't see your zip code in this post. I've been sorting a whoooooole lotta Dodgers cards, and I haven't made your packages yet. I may miss the Christmas deadline (sorry bout that), but rest assured, there are goodies coming your way soon. 

One last note...The first zip is for Canada. It's the Secret Santa gift from Bob Walk the Plank's Secret Santa game. Every year I play, I get someone in Canada. Go figure. lol...

Aloha! 

Matt Takes Number 12

Aloha, everybody, 

We're coming into the final picks for the Lucky 13 game. My friend Matt from Bob Walks the Plank has chosen number 12...(there's that basketball lot)...

A couple of cachets, a bunch of promos, and a Vince Carter relic. 
That leaves the final pick of the game to Night Owl. 

N.O., I remember when you signed up, you suspected Dodgers goodness. I wonder if you spotted any Dodgers goodness in an earlier prize that caught your eye, or if you want to take your chances with the final prize remaining. 

You can choose Number 3, or possibly steal...
Prize 1: 50's Vintage 
Prize 2: Wheaties Boxes
Prize 4: Clemens, Schmidt, Ripken
Prize 5: Football Lot
Prize 6: Young Stars, Rookies
Prize 7: 70's Vintage
Prize 8: Autos, Relics Lot
Prize 9: Dodgers Figurines
Prize 10: Inserts Lot
Prize 11: Mixed Packs Lot 
Prize 12: Basketball Lot
Prize 13: 60's Vintage (Locked) 

Aloha! 

The Other March Madness

Aloha, everybody, 

If you read the most excellent Pirates blog Bob Walk the Plank (but of course you do, because who doesn't?), you probably read about the beer trade that Matt and I pulled off. 

I sent Matt some beer crafted at my local brewery (here in sunny Southern Cali), and he sent me a whole buncha beers from the land of the ice and snow. 

Look at that bunch. Most of these beers I'd never seen in my life, and I would probably never get to taste, except for the fact that Matt and I put this trade together. 

I said "most of these beers" because I'm familiar with one of the twelve Matt sent. More on that later. 

As you can see, that's a lot of different beers to sample and review. It's going to take me some time to taste them all. So I'm going to break this trade review into a couple of posts (or three).

I decided to be systematic about the project, so I chose a side of the box, and I'm going to just go down the line, one by one. Matt asked me to be brutally honest in my reviews, and so I shall. 

Here's how the first beers went down...

Victory Storm King Imperial Stout. This beer hails from Pennsylvania and it packs a punch with a 9.1% abv. 

This one's very much like some of the stouts I'm used to. By that I mean, it's the usual. I'm not saying it's a bad beer, but it's that middle of the road flavor that you or I have had in every middle of the road stout. 

There's a sharp taste that overwhelms what should be this beer's distinct flavor. Seems the brewers couldn't find a way to tame that big abv punch. 

Next! 

Santa's Cookies is an Imperial Oatmeal Stout from Champion Brewing. These folks are closer to Matt's neck of the woods, in Virginia, and THEY know how to make an Imperial Stout. 

This bad boy (8% abv) is slightly bittersweet, like a quality dark chocolate. I didn't taste much oatmeal, but that's not a knock. The flavor blankets the top of your tongue like liquid velvet. 

Man, it's good. Savor this one. 

I drank those first two myself (on separate nights), but today I brought out a few more to taste with family around the BBQ. 

Here's a WOW beer. Blackout Imperial Stout from Great Lakes Brewing, over in Cleveland Ohio. Do you want to taste a beer that takes a 9% abv and does it right? You found it. This one has a creamy smooth finish. Highly recommended. 

Next up was The Mad Elf  from Troegs Brewing in Hershey, Pennsylvania. This one delivers a double digit, 11% abv. As the bottle says, it's brewed with honey and cherries. 

  Our BBQ weather was somewhere in the low 80's, but this winter warmer still hit the spot. The bottle says it's an ale brewed with honey and cherries, and you can sure taste that yummy blend.

This one is a keeper. Another smooth finish, but this one lingerrrrs. It tastes like cherries dipped in velvet beer. Thumbs up!

The final taster we tried was...

Pale Joe from Founders Brewing in Michigan. This one's a Pale Ale brewed with coffee (5.4 abv). 

Sorry Michigan, this beer is quite pedestrian. Not much to distinguish itself from other pale ales. I rate this a solid...meh. 

There you have it. Five beers down and a lucky seven more to go. It's been a real blast tasting these beers so far, and that big box tells me there's plenty of beer goodness yet to come. THANKS, MATT!

Join me next time when we review the next batch of beers.

Aloha! 

Surprise Kershaws and Assorted Dodgers Walk the Plank to LA

Aloha, everybody, 

It's late on the east coast now, but not so much here in Los Angeles, so I'll take advantage of me-time and drop a few lines about some wonderful surprise Dodgers that arrived on my doorstep, courtesy of my good friend and trading partner Matt, from Bob Walk the Plank fame. 

Our trade partnership recently established a new "plank" when we traded some beers. Matt, being the kind of guy he is, wouldn't just settle for a beer for beer swap...he dropped some cardboard on me to hold me over until his side of the beer trade arrives here in California. 

Boy, did he drop some primo cardboard on me! 

Let's start off with the guy any Dodgers fan wants to see pop out of his cards package, Mr. Clayton Kershaw...

It's an immaculate hunk of Kershaw's home whites from 2016 Allen and Ginter. 

That would have held me just fine, but Matt included a bombardment of 1981 Fleer Dodgers that just obliterated my wantlist for that year's team set. 

Matt didn't just send over some chewy leftovers from the bottom of a dimebox. These are pristine cards that look like they came right out of the pack - only it's been more than 35 years since that happened. 

There's Bobby Castillo, the unsung Dodgers pitcher who taught Fernando Valenzuela the pitch that became his signature knock out punch - the screwball. 

If only Vin Scully had a buck for every time he said, "Screwball! Got him looking!" 

Here's one for Gavin and the other Padre fans out there (ZZ perhaps?) ...

Dig those throwback Padres uniforms. Get-ups only their madres could love. 

Here's the rest of the Fleer bunch...

Matt really whittled down that checklist. I only need Tommy Lasorda and Rick Monday to complete the set. 

Finally, the beauty of this bunch...

From 2016 Panini National Treasures, numbered 49/99, one more magnificent Kershaw. This time he's pictured with the home whites scuffed and dirtied. Wow! 

What a fantastic surprise these were, Matt. THANKS! (I picked up a couple of treats for yoou at the card show on Saturday.) 

Aloha! 

Cardmas Continues Walking Right On Down The Plank

Aloha, everybody,

So many packages of Cardmas cheer arrived at ATBATT HQ over the past couple of weeks that I find myself scrambling to ensure I cover them all here before the year's end. 

Up next is another package that shattered the winter calm with the excitement of awesome Cardmas cardboard inside. This one came from my longtime trading partner and good friend (from Bob Walk the Plank), good ol' Matt . 

It was a small package in terms of quantity, but boy it loomed large in quality. What to lead off with?

Let's go with a 2014 Topps High Tek (not cardboard, but acetate) Sandy Koufax, Spiral Brick insert, numbered 27/75. Sweet!
 

Looks like Topps cropped the photo from the front and gives us Koufax's face, which is all that remains as he is apparently being beamed up to pitch on another planet - Tatooine perhaps?

Let's follow that opening act with an autograph from another Dodgers legendary hurler...

While my Sutton collection holds a few swatches and even a bat slice, it is now well-rounded with its first Sutton autograph. Panini doesn't get to use logos, but nevertheless, this card rocks because of the Cooperstown Hall of Fame references. The black and white photo and classic framing are nice touches, and of course, the on-card autograph wraps everything up nicely. 

But Matt wasn't done yet. He slipped in one more awesome auto, from the Toy Cannon.
 

Man, this card is the shite! 

The venerable Night Owl featured a Jimmy Wynn Fleer Sports Illustrated card on one of his posts earlier in December. It was the first time I had ever seen that card, and I commented that I had to get my hands on one of those for my collection as well. 

I don't know if Matt saw that exchange and then made a point of seeking out this autographed version, or if the Cardsphere Force simply worked its magic to bring him to auspiciously choose that card for me. 

Either version makes for a great Cardmas miracle story that I highly appreciate. THANKS so much for the awesome card gifts, Matt. They're grrrrrrrrrr-eat!!! 

Aloha! 

Maybe Second Place In The World Series Aint So Bad

Aloha everybody,

During the World Series Gavin from Baseball Card Breakdown held a contest with First Prize being one of his world-famous custom cards, and of course, a fistful of cards with which to fill the collecting binders of the winner. 

I didn't win first place (Matt from Bob Walk The Plank won that), but Gavin held a second place runoff, and I was lucky enough to win that one. 

OK, I'll admit winning second place in Gavin's contest isn't exactly like coming in second in the Fall Classic, but when my prize package arrived, it was certainly World Series-sized! 

My prize package was so large, that I really didn't think stuffing everything into just one post would pay proper respect, so in keeping with the World Series theme, I've decided to break this prize homage up into five posts, thus mirroring the 5-game World Series. 

That said, long before the World Series arrives, Spring Training begins every baseball season with....pitchers and catchers. So let's use those cards and begin. 

If you're going to think of the World Series and a Dodgers pitcher,  you can't go wrong by handing the ball to this guy in Game One...

-

 An extra bonus on this Bulldog card is the 1984 Olympics patch on his uniform sleeve. I remember the Olympics happening in Los Angeles like it was yesterday. 

Next up is one of my all-time favorite Dodger pitchers. A man who never got to pitch in the Fall Classic, but whom I would equally be comfortable handing a Game One ball to as well....

"I'm Pedro's brother."

 Next up is another Dodger with a World Series ring, El Toro...

"I'm the first pitcher to win the ROY and Cy Young awards in the same year."

Next up is the Dodgers' (and MLB's) first try with a Korean pitcher, Chan Ho Park....
 

The Dodgers are once again experimenting with a Korean pitcher. After sitting out the 2015 season with a bum arm, I'm hoping to see this southpaw roar back next season...
 

RC badge!

 Next is one of my favorite all-time Dodger closers, looking very different without his trademark Game Over goggles...

 How about a few catcher's cards...and let's lead off with a very cool All-Star, game used, swatch card...

 Finishing out the Game One post is a former Dodgers catcher who six degrees us into a World Series connection with the second-place New York Mets...

Piazza in action on a Sunday afternoon at Dodger Stadium...

"Check out my golden locks."

Closing out pitchers and catchers and Spring Training is some ROY sweet cardboard... 

  THANKS for the great cards, Gavin. More are coming up. 

 Next post: Game Two

Aloha!

Super Awesome Contest Winnings From Super Awesome Bob Walk The Plank

Aloha readers and trade partners,

Ever since the Dodgers were bumped from the playoffs, it's been getting colder and colder around here. I might actually have to stop wearing shorts pretty soon! 

My last post centered around vintage cards and the joyful memories of past baseball seasons that they bring to me. Old cardboard really hits the spot when I'm feeling nostalgic - but I don't always pine for the past.

Modern, contemporary cards work equally as well to inspire me with feelings of the awesomeness of today. That's exactly what happened when I opened my package of contest winning cardboard from Matt over at Bob Walk The Plank.

Sure, some bloggers throw around the superlatives like they're cheap popcorn, but I gotta tell you, the cards Matt sent to me are absolutely AWESOME! At first I thought there was some kind of mistake; heck, I won Fourth Place in the contest, not First. 

Anybody who's traded with Matt knows he sets the standard for most excellent trades and now he's raising the bar for contest winnings. I'm going to reveal the cards to you in the same order that I first saw them out of the package.

Leading off are the Japanese pitchers. The first two cards look a little scratchy, but that's because they sit within sealed protective cases.  I don't want to break the seals (yet), so we'll enjoy them like Mona Lisas of cardboard, behind the glass. Besides, the scratchy surface works like the cracks in an aged oil paining...

Dodgers SP RC !!! That's always a nice way to start things off. I remember poor ol' Kaz for getting struck in the face with a hit ball. It was pretty horrible as you might imagine, but he recovered pretty quickly and got back on his horse to pitch again. 

Kaz is still pitching over in Japan for the Saitama Seibu Lions. Boo! Go Tigers! 

Next up is my favorite Japanese pitcher in a serial numbered 245/250. (Surface imperfections from the plastic slab)
 

This card rocks its simplicity. Flat cathedral borders quietly frame the action shot, which itself is free of background visual noise. We simply catch a glimpse of the master practicing his craft, as though we're watching through an elegant knothole in the fence. 

 Some collectors are over the serial numbered niche - not me, no way. I totally dig the fact there are only a limited amount of these cards around, and now I've got one. 
 

Dodger fans can't get enough blue and this sweet blue swatch fits the ticket exactly. Love the way the jersey swatch is broken up by the black number one, a number certainly fitting for Nomo-san.

Usually  a short print Rookie Card, serial numbered Nomo and a swatch card would be enough for some cool prizes, right? Not for Matt. He was far from being done.  He then proceeded to dial it up to 11.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet the RBI leader for all of Major League Baseball in 2014...

My jaw just about dropped when I saw this baby. Adrian Gonzalez!!!! Triple Threads!!! Autograph !!! Jersey!!!! Serial numbered under 100 !!!!! Wow !!! 

Beautifully designed and simply stated with the same kind of quiet power that El Jaguar brings to every game.  And the topper, I mean the cream on the top...did you notice the serial number? 

Yup, Jackie's number 42. Excellent! 

That wasn't all. These contest winnings weren't done with me yet. Once I finished amazing at the Gonzo card, I peeked at the final one, ready for an anticlimactic finish.  I mean, what could top an autographed, serial numbered jersey card of the Dodgers' and major league's RBI leader?

How about a trip to the Dodgers' roots in Brooklyn?

KAAAAAAAAAAAAAA - BLAAAAAAAAMMMMM !!!!

Are you kidding me !!!!????!!!!!  Johnny fricken World Series Hero Podres!!! 

As the A-gon card nearly dropped my jaw to the floor - this Johnny Podres autograph finished the job. I absolutely couldn't believe it then, it's still hard to believe now. 

Matt went the extra mile and sought out cards he knew I would personally appreciate and would hold high places in my collection. Now that's Contest Prize Bad-assery! 

Those are fantastic prizes. THANKS and THANKS again, Matt. Wow! 

On a personal note: Some of you might have noticed I haven't been posting a lot these days. That's because I've been working on another personal net-project on the side. It's coming along, but not yet ready to be revealed to all of you. Look for an announcement in the coming 2 or 3 weeks. Until then, if you notice me missing in action sometimes...I'm over there...working on that project.  

Aloha!

Walking The Plank Is Very Cool Indeed

One of my newest friends and trading partners is Matt from Bob Walk The Plank fame. 

A couple of weeks ago I received a package from Matt, right out of the blue.  As everybody knows things out of the blue are definitely fantastic when they're Dodger Blue.  Let's take a look at that cool surprise...

This is my first Hundley swatch, and I'm digging the red and blue striped design. Hundley wasn't a great catcher per se, but one great accomplishment he did have as a Dodger was becoming the first visiting player to hit a home run out of Giant Soda Bottle Stadium and right into McCovey Cove.

Gimme more Hideo, all the time.  The Tornado is one of my all-time favorite Dodgers.  

Fleer inserts tend to be creative and busy, and this card exemplifies that standard.  There's a lot going on here with text, baseball seams, logos, a mini Nomo, lines, globes and a swatch of the home whites -  but it all works. Great card.  

Just receiving the Hundley and Nomo would have made my day, but good ol' Matt had one more awesome card up his sleeve, and it was a real beaut...

Matt mentioned in his note that he thought this card would be perfect for me when he saw it - and he was SPOT ON CORRECT! This is absolute cardboard coolness.

I will probably never get my hands on a real Koufax RC, at least not one where the image is in any way legible, and even if I do, this card will proudly hold a place right next to it in the binder.

THANKS for these great cards, Matt! I can't wait to come across some cool Pirates to send your way.  

Have a great weekend, everybody! 

I'd Walk The Plank For Cool Cardboard

Hey everybody,

This might be my favorite trade of all that resulted from ATBATT's recent "Grand Salami of Trade Bait" campaign - at least up to this point.  I posted up a fistful of Pirates cards, and through a plug from Zawkin of Plashke fame, I met super cool Matt from Bob Walk The Plank , and a fantastic trade was born.

One of the cards I offered up was a beautiful bat relic, numbered to 99, of the great Willie Stargell. Matt said that got the ball rolling for him to trade, and the final card we'll see later, is the one that sealed the deal from my end.  If you've got some Pirates stuff, I highly recommend trading with Matt.  

Let's check out the highlights of the awesome Dodgers cardboard that came from deep in Pirates country over to me...

My son and I were huuuuge Shawn Green fans during his stint with the Dodgers.  He put up incredible power numbers while wearing Dodger Blue and more than held his own against the steroid freaks that surrounded him all around the leagues.

The coolness factor of this card is upped when you flip it around and see the rear of the bat slice as it's encased in a clear window on both sides.  Did I mention the card is numbered 5/10?!  

Some like-a the bat cards, some like-a the jersey cards.  One jersey card, coming up!

How about this Rafael Furcal bat card....

I loved when Rafi was with the Dodgers.  He played solid defense, always got on base, and almost always stole the next base. I especially dig this card because Furcal's in a bunt posture.  Nobody could pull off the drag bunt for a base hit like good ol' Rafi.

From past Dodgers to the everyday second baseman, Dee Gordon, in a beautifully designed card featuring my favorite color...

PUUUUUUUUUIIIIIIIGGGGGG!!!!!!!

 I'm seeing the words "the most hated man in baseball" being attached more and more to Yasiel.  Really?  I guess being inside the Dodger bubble I really don't hear too much about that hate business.

Sure, we get frustrated with his wyld stallion style on the basepaths and in the outfield, but we don't hate the guy.  What makes him so hated?  Is it the batflips when he should be running out off-the-wall doubles?  I prefer to think he's just giving the other team a chance to try and get him out before he bolts all the way to home on an off-the-wall double.

Matt sent over a slew of these beautiful Prizm cards.  The above Kershaw is my favorite of the bunch.  What's better than a chromed up, shiny card of the best pitcher in baseball wearing the Red, White and Blue for Team USA ?

Better or not, this next one is very cool also.  Opening Day did a great job with the 3-D effect... 

 Almost finished, here's the star card of the deal for me. When I saw this baby, I knew this trade hadda happen. 

This guy is one of my heroes from the Brooklyn days, and even though most other Dodger collectors probably have multiple autos from him, and his auto can be found pretty easily on the Bay, I still didn't have one in my collection.  This was my chance...

Presenting Johnny Podres, World Series Hero, on a beautiful, refractory, well-designed card.  The auto is clean and easy to read, and it's numbered to 199. Awesome.

Podres was the World Series MVP in 1955.  He mowed them evil Yankees down and pitched a shutout in Game 7, to lock down the only championship the Brooklyn squad ever won. 


But that's not all! Beyond the cards, even the trade package had something cool...

Sweet baseball stamps of some great HOFers.  Nice touch. 

THANKS for the great trade, Matt.  Looking forward to the next one.