Bet You Don't Have One of These...or One of These...or These

Aloha, everybody, 

Last week I ran the Lucky 13 Game. Thanks to those who participated, from the first try at joining the 13, and to those who played along to the end. 

I hit the post office today with the first load of packages and a box. Keep your eyes open out there for your prizes. There are just a couple remaining that need to be packaged up and sent out. 

As I mentioned when I started the game, I was influenced by a couple of games before mine. The first being run by the Big Daddy of Traders, JayBarkerFan, my friend and brother, Wes. 

As if to underline the fact he's the Big Daddy, Wes announced today the World Cup of Trading, coming soon to his blog, Willinghammer Rising. 

But I digress....I won a big box o' fun in Wes' Big Fun Game, and as promised, I'm here to show off some more of the loot from my prize. Have you got one of these...

I've got autographed balls from Tommy Lasorda, Sandy Koufax, Nolan Ryan, and a couple of others, but this ball is going to take its place right alongside those storied names. JBF is just as much a legend in our community, and this was the favorite thing to come out of that box. 

That said, there was a whole lotta other stuff (here's the link to the first peek at that big box). Have a gander at this...

Inside was a couple of brand new vintage boxes of 1986 Topps Baseball Champion Superstars - with gum! 

The cards are slightly curved after sitting for 30 years in the boxes, but once freed, you can see they are pristine and glossy. Mint and surprisingly beautiful. 

Pete Rose is wearing the same face he probabbly made when the Hall of Fame turned down his petition to be on the ballot this year. How about The Kid flashing his Million Dollar Smile?

Check out Madlock as a Dodger, and Reggie as an Angel. 

Classic Scmidtty, Mattingly wearing the same blank look he had as the Dodgers manager, and the gum! Even that's in mint condition. This is a very cool box of cards. 

I have two boxes, so check out the checklist, and maybe someone out there wants to trade for the other box. 

I'll be showing off more goodies from this big box prize as the days go by. 

Aloha! 

The Cubs Won the WS, and I Won a New Cub Trade Partner

Aloha everybody, 

Back in September I was contacted through email by Chris, an ATBATT reader, who wanted to get a trade going. 

Chris collects Nomar, Dan Haren, Jeff Samardzija,and those ever-lovin' World Series Champion Cubs. My Cubs trade bait pile was running slim, but happily, we were able to put a trade together. 

When I received Chris' package in the mail, it contained a hefty fistful of cardboard! 

 Chris said he had a lot of Dodgers for trade, and he wasn't kidding! Here are some of the highlights; we begin with Masterpiece...

 Since the WS just ended, why not drop in a Dodgers World Series moment?

I just cannot have too many from these sets. Even players from other teams look great in Masterpiece. 

The one below is one of my all-time favorite post-career Koufax cards...
 

How about this gem from the 80's...

Fernando and Gary Carter were the starting battery for the 1981 All-Star game. The big question is, who's that lurking?

Keeping with the 80's, one of my favorite Dodger catchers, in action, at home...

Speaking of Dodgers pitching for the all-Stars, here's the most underrated closer for the modern day team. Saito was lights out as the Dodgers closer. 

I loved to watch him play. His pitches had wicked movement that left batters with bats on their shoulders while umpires called them out. I can still see it like yesterday. 

I'm a big fan of the Dodgers' Japanese imports, and Chris included a good amount of those to really fluff out my collection.

 Of course, when you get a fistful of cards, they're not all golden. Here's an example of a sweet card, wasted on a Dodgers dud...

Pierre is striking a glorious home run pose here, but the trouble is, he never was able to figure out he's not a home run smasher. 

He would hit one out, and then hit weak fly balls the next 35 at bats. Not healthy for a lead off batter. 

Pierre shoulda had a card that more accurately reflected his overhype and showed the look of a man who will only deliver underperformance. Like this one...

This was a fun card to discover...

Olmedo Saenz, pinch hitter extraordinaire, AKA, The Killer Tomato. You could count on ol' Olmedo to get the job done when you needed a clutch pinch hit. 

Finally up, another favorite Dodger, on a very attractive, mirror-finish card...

It was a great first trade. Here's hoping the cards I sent were just as good for you, Chris. Looking forward to the next one. 

Aloha!

Trade Me (Almost) Anything: Montreal Expos

Hey everybody,

Yesterday, reader Chris Ross reminded me that the Washington Nationals were once the Montreal Expos.  So let's add some Expos to the National's trade pile:

Remember when these two were Dodgers?

Here's "The Big Cat" in the less common 1987 Donruss Opening Day set.

Have a great night, everybody!