Saturday, November 5, 2016

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!

4 comments:

  1. Man, those Masterpieces cards are gorgeous.

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    1. Yup, I love em. Unfortunately, I hardly see them around, so I mostly rely on trades to get my hands on them.

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  2. Your juan Pierre rant also applied to wilton guerrero. Also, that's Jaime jarrin on the 82 fleer card

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    1. Ha - I remember Guerrero.
      Great call on Jaime Jarrin. My first guess was that was Fernando's translator, because he hardly spoke any English at the time. If my Dodgers history is correct, Jarrin was Fernando's first translator, right?

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