When Dodger Collectors Collide

Aloha, everyone, 

Not too long ago I wrote about Spiegel, my old collecting friend who was getting back into the trading game after retiring his own Dodgers blog a couple of years ago. 

Just as you might suspect, Spiegel isn't the only ex-Dodger blogger who was away for a while and is now back in. GCRL Jim is another. Jim and I recently turned the U.S. mails blue when we swapped fistfuls of Dodgers cardboard. 

We Dodgers collectors are blessed, as our team has historically had plenty of representation in card companies' checklists. That means no matter how large our collections are, and however much we swap among each other, the chances of receiving plenty of new (for us) product in our mailboxes are pretty good. 

Take for example, these 2007 SP Legendary Cuts cards of Roy Campanella and Maury Wills. 

 I've loved these black n' red beauties ever since I saw a dealer selling a large stack of them a couple of years ago. He wanted fifty cents a piece for them, and I wasn't convinced they were worth that, so I walked away and never had a chance to pick through that set again. 

Speaking of beautiful cardboard...

Just lookit that. I don't need a card to be selling for $100 on ebay for me to appreciate it. A grand design and good photography goes a long way with me. 

Sure I've got 2009 Dodgers, but I didn't have O-Pee-Chee versions until GCRL hit me with them. 

Sir Night Owl wrote about receiving a team set Dodger card tonight, and just like the team bag says, these are a bunch of 2012 team set Dodgers...

Just enough to make me need to complete the set. Ha! 

Here's an interesting pair, both from 2005. Playoff Prestige and Throwback Threads both used the same photo of the Penguin. The Prestige card was even lazier in its use of the same photo on the back. 

GCRL set me up with a whole lotta cards that were brothers in sets that I've never seen. Like these...

And the hits just kept on coming. Here's a string of Dodgers batsmen...

 Except Manny's bat is nowhere to be seen. 

And here's some pitching. 

Another set with amazing photography and design....

Finally, one more photographic work of art on a little slice of cardboard...

Dig that sly smile on Jackie. It's the same look Dodgers collectors have when we open packages from each other. 

THANKS for all the great cards, Jim! 

Aloha! 

Dodgers Yanks Rain Delay - So Here's the Last '97 UD Jewels

Aloha, everybody, 

The Dodgers and Yankees game went into a rain delay during today's game, and that gave me a chance to get this post started. 

So let's take a look at the last of the cool cards from my forgotten 97 UD set. 

Global Impact is a cool subset featuring foreign-born players making good in the big leagues. This is a young (and dreadless) Manny Ramirez. 

The card back for Raul Mondesi's card...

This next subset is a fun one, called Strike Force. Of course, it features the top pitchers...

These cards have a cool, emerald green shiny finish. 

Here's a very young-looking Hideo Nomo...

I mentioned abominations in my first '97 UD post - here's another. The Hawk as a Marlin in the Final Tribute subset. 

 Gimme those full-career stats! 

And now, another fun set of inserts, Ticket to Stardom...

These are die-cut to look like ticket stubs - remember those?  They have a high gloss, gold finish. Handsome cards. These were seeded 1:34 packs. 

Here's the rear...

Last, but not least, my favorite subset from '97 Upper Deck. Series One that year kicked off with cards 1-9 devoted to ATBATT's patron saint. 

 These are a very nice little set, with sepia toned photos and a slightly mirrored finish. 

There are nine cards, so we get nine different shots of Jackie, posed and in action. 

Here's a card back...

Discovering this Jackie set was a nice surprise as these cards have now come out of that forgotten box from inside the end table, and now they have their very own binder page. 

There is one drag, though. The set has nine cards - like a binder page. I have eight. Argh! I'm missing card #3. 

That's the rub, aint it? No matter how many cards we add to our collections, there's always one more card to chase. 

Aloha! 

The Best of the Rest Just got Best-erer

Aloha, everybody, 

Long time no blog, I know. I've written before about being away from ATBATT for a variety of reasons - some better than others.  But deep down, when I'm away from our collecting community for any length of time, I really miss it - and all of you. 

If there's anything that will get me to sit at the keyboard and refresh all of your blogrolls with an update from me, it's receiving some cardboard goodies in the mail, and that has happily come to pass. 

On June 1st, Zippy Zappy wrote about the "Best of the Rest", a name which he bestowed upon the both of us, (aside from the SuperTraders group) as collecting/trading/blogging representatives for our respective teams, the Dodgers and Yankees.

It's a name which was inspired by fun, but one which I wear with honor and a smile, because it's these types of connections and friendships that make our community so very cool to me, and they are the reason I miss the blogosphere when I'm away. 

OK, now let's get to checking out some of the cards that ZZ sent to me in the latest installment of our never-ending LA to NY trade-a-thon. 

Some folks include notes with their packages and PWE's. My notes on Rolling Stones paper have shown up from time to time, and anyone who has ever been Zippy Zapped, will recognize his trademark mascot. I think it's a rabbit, but who knows with art? 

One of the best aspects of trading is collectors will send different types of cards, based on their collecting habits. ZZ tends to collect a lot of young players, minor leaguers and rookies. 

That works out great for me, since I don't buy Bowman and the like, so ZZ fills in those gaps in my collection.

 Valentin is with the AA Phillies now, and putting up some decent numbers. Hopefully he can break through with them.

 Here's a purple beauty of long time minor leaguer, Zach Lee. The Dodgers gave him a shot with the big club early in the season, but he was on a very short leash, and was quickly sent down when he did not put up Hall of Fame numbers. 

The kid could be a solid innings eater, which is something the Dodgers could really use, but they don't listen to me. I'm hoping Lee gets another shot soon. 

Speaking of kids, Holmes here is a recent Dodgers signing with a ton of potential and a lot of hope surrounding him. This Bowman chrome also has a lot of shiny surrounding him.

It's a double shot of Holmes...

I love this Bowman beveled-frame-styled design. The blue on the bottom half works well with the Dodgers colors. 
 

 Verdugo here is a solid Top 10 Dodgers prospect. He's a pitcher transformed to an outfielder, and there is some talk of him moving into right field for the Dodgers, with the possibility of Yasiel Puig being traded away or jumping when he becomes a free agent. 

 Now here's a great little card that popped out of the package. It's the Dodgers teen-aged phenom...

Urias got shelled in his NY debut, but I chalk that up to rookie jitters, and an ill-advised, rushed debut in hostile territory. It was a ridiculous decision on the part of the Dodgers. 

 Urias pitched much better a couple of nights ago in his Dodger Stadium debut, and he will pitch on Sunday against the Giants - talk about hostile territory. Tune in for that one. 

Here's a cool limited edition 236/250 from Topps Finest of one of my favorites out of the Dodgers' beleagured bullpen, Yimi Garcia. I'm digging that German Expressionist background on the card. 

 Yimi is on the DL now, so I'm hoping for a full and fast recovery. 

 It just aint a proper Zippy-Zapping without one of these (and I don't mean a Manny card)...
 

 I mean one of these super cool, Japanese Sega Card-Gens. Some people get slabbed cards and don't want to remove them from the thick plastic slab. I feel exactly the same about not wanting to remove this card from its penny sleeve with a Japanese price tag on it. 

I mean, how cool is that? This time I mean a Manny card in the home whites. 

We're just getting started with the package that ZZ sent to me.

Next time: Part 2   Aloha!

Grand Salami Of Trade Bait: Cleveland Indians

As we return to ATBATT's Grand Salami Of Trade Bait offerings, I present, The Tribe...

Hows about a future manager card?

Another future manager. Neikro managed an all-female team!

Rookie Card Shield

When eye black ruled the diamond.

Shiny All-Star Rookie Cup

Thanks for stopping by!