Kenta Maeda is Unhappy, and Dodgers Fans Don't Care

Aloha, everybody,

Kenta Maeda is unhappy the Dodgers shift him to the bullpen every postseason. The Dodgers and, surprisingly, their fans, are giving Maeda the cold shoulder about it 

Dodgers Spring Training News: Kershaw and Pitching Rotation Update

Aloha, everybody, 

Here's the latest on Clayton Kershaw possibly headed to the disabled list, who the Dodgers are considering to take his place if that happens, and updates on the rest of the Dodgers' starting rotation.  

Bonus: Kenley Jansen news in my video report for LA Dodger Report. 

Aloha! 

A Surprise Zapping of Tigers from Japan

Aloha, everybody, 

I received a surprise package from Japan, and it turns out it was a Zapping from our old friend, ZZ. 

Inside was all kinda goodness, foreign and domestic (no matter which side of the Pacific you're standing on), and a bonus mini-CD. 

Let's have a look. 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! 

His Name has Two Zs because his Packages are Twice as Good

Aloha, everybody, 

The blogosphere is filled with generous collectors and traders, some more known than others. My friend, Zippy Zappy, is one of those generous guys that trades under the radar. If you've ever been Zippy Zapped before, you know what I'm talking about. If not, dig this.

Let's lead off with a World Series Hero (Rookie Cup Edition)...

A hopeful future southpaw hero...

Speaking of southpaws, look out for these three next season...

When Kershaw was out with an injury, Alex Wood was mowing down NL batters. He earned a no-doubt-about-it spot on the All-Star team...

A Saxy throwback (that didn't end up in the first base seats)

How about this cool surprise? I thought these only featured football players. More of the big man later. 

While ZZ knows I'm not a Yanks fan, he tossed this into the mix. Who wouldn't appreciate this exceptional beauty? 

ZZ and I have recently became LA Kings/NY Rangers traders. Unfortunately, I've been committing rookie mistakes - sending Islanders instead of Rangers, but there are no errors in this hockey cardboard.

There's nothing like starting off your hockey collection with cool Oh-Pee-Chee cardboard...

Hat trick card! 

 Stanley Cup goalie! This is a good choice for a future auto. 

Gretzky with the Art Ross trophy (his ninth). This goes to the league's leading scorer. 

My first hockey relic. As a fan of the old time Kings, I'm glad he's wearing the original Kings' purple and gold. 

A zippy zapping isn't complete unless there are a few Japanese cutie cards. Good ol' ZZ came through once again...

I'm not sure why these gals are on trading cards, but they sure make my day happier.  

And now, something completely different. I'll bet you never got one of these in a trade package...

Yup, it's a program from the Met. Not a Mets game - The New York Metropolitan. I think ZZ tossed this in because I show my art side in my twitter life. Thanks, ZZ. I appreciate this little something extra. If I ever get to NYC, a visit to the Met would definitely be on the agenda. 

Finally, the big zapping from the package. Big Frank Howard makes his second appearance in a beautiful 8x10 photo, with a well-placed and great auto. 

Big Frank was a Dodgers Rookie of the Year and won a World Series with LA in 1963. He later played in Japan for the Taiheiyo Lions (Maybe that's the Zippy Zappy connection?). 

THANKS ZZ. What a zapping - the best yet. It's going to take some doing for me to even things out, but I'm working on it. 

Aloha! 

One More Batch of Cardboard TTM

Aloha, everybody, 

Welcome to ATBATT 2018. I'm lucky and blessed enough to open the year's posts with a small backlog of trade packages to present. 

Right before the close of the year, I featured a bunch of cards that came to me from Paul's TTM Autograph Blog. Paul, being a generous man, actually sent two separate packages to me. Today, we'll be checking out that second batch. 

The first couple of cards represent a side story for Dodger fans. It's "the changing of the guard". One big reason the boys in blue made it to the Fall Classic was the fact the Dodgers got younger. 

This card marks the power-hitting duo (from a few years back) of young Joc Pederson and Adrian Gonzalez. It's a good representation of the Dodgers turning a page on aging veterans, and moving toward a younger core. 

Andre Ethier, the longest tenured Dodger, will be probabbly moving on as well. I've long been a fan of Captain Clutch, so this blue-bordered beauty is very welcome. 

Manager Dave Roberts blew World Series opportunities when he kept Ethier mostly on the bench against the Astros, despite Ethier almost always getting a hit (including a PH home run) whenever he got a chance. 

Paul also dropped some new Nomos into my lap...

I love these cards that show Nomo just peeking over the top...

 Here's another angle...

Press Proof alert! These always take me back to my early collecting days. I was always ripping packs with the hope of catching one of these.

And now, World Series pitching hero, Kenta Maeda about to be sucked down into shiny, colorful quicksand...

Any and all Kenley Jansens happily accepted...

Closing out this pitching-heavy package is one of my favorite Dodger southpaws, on All-Star cardboard. I'm thinking that's Wrigley ivy behind him...

THANKS for the two great packages, Paul! I'm lucky the dealers around you are stocking a whole lotta Dodgers these days, and I'm very happy that you thought of sharing that with me. 

Aloha! 

Wes' Big Ol' Cube o' Cardboard - Part 2

Aloha, everybody, 

Yesterday we saw the first part of highlights from the cardboard pummeling I received from good ol' Wes. We now commence with Part 2 - RELICS, SWATCHES and AUTOGRAPHS...


First up is a beautiful patch card numbered 1379/1430 (14-30?). I love everything about this card, including the no-name scrub who lends his likeness to it. 

This is because our scrub pitcher bookends two big trades that I remember as a Dodgers fan. First, he came to the Dodgers (along with Brian Jordan) in the trade that sent Gary Sheffield to the Braves. Second, he was quickly shipped off to Oakland for Milton Bradley. 

Speaking of ex-Dodgers who've been shipped off to obscurity...

Here's a very low edition, low numbered (7/36), well-designed, Triple Threads...

 In a bizarro reverse situation, here comes Carl Crawford, who came to LA, and THEN found obscurity...

And now, the big boys...

My first swatch from Yasiel Puig, and it's super low numbered 3/99...

I showed this one off on Twitter earlier. Number 52/99, World Series relief pitching hero, Kenta Maeda...

I absolutely love this next one. Gonzo's career may or not be over, and the haters are biting around the edges, still claiming his arrival from the Red Sox paid no dividends. Philistines! 

A-Gon was the iron man, with ironclad offensive numbers throughout most of his Dodgers career.

 Good stuff from Wes, and we're a long ways from done. Next time: Autographs. 

Aloha!