Tuesday, June 30, 2009

All-SCUM Team 1 - Sidney Ponson

I was inspired by the blog-created cards that are found at Badwax and the amazing Lebowski cards at Achiever Card Blog (and many others), so since I had a few moments, I dashed off a card to write about my most hated players . There are many little personal gripes and grudges I have against players (including an insignificant slight by Patrick Chewing that makes me hate him to this day) but I'm going to try to focus on players who I hate not just for their terrible attitudes and general personality terribleness, but also for their ineptitude on the field. Introducing the 2009 TMYH All-SCUM team.

A bit about the SCUMs. At first, I thought I'd try to be all clever by making it an acronym (you know, something like So Can't Use in the Majors), but scum is a good word to describe these guys. They're the guys who are unsightly on a roster, terrible space fillers who's every action irritates a fan. They're also hard to get rid of and end up staying with a team or in the bigs FOREVER.

So who better to inaugurate the SCUMs than my own personal Oriole scum-bucket, Sir Sidney Ponson (stats here). At first, he was an underachieving, potential star pitcher with a plus-four ERA. Then the tubby schmuck had a pretty good 2003 where he was dealt to the Giants at the trade deadline, for the awesome load of Kurt Ainsworth, Damian Moss, and Ryan Hannaman (nobodies), and then, like a true cancer, returned to give two years of terrible pitching and controversy. Knocked around on the ball field (6.21 ERA in his final season with the O's, 7-15 in the years since he's left the O's and sticking inconceivably with four different teams), he also knocked a judge in Aruba, DUI'd in Florida and in Baltimore, and was banned from international play for testing positive to a banned substance. He's fat, he's always had a terrible work ethic, he's a douche... Sidney Ponson is our first All-SCUM.

Manufactured Patches / By The Letter

So, I've got a few of the manufactured patches at home, both of the letter w/ auto variety and the commemorative patches made by Topps for this year's Series 1 and 2, and I'm pretty sure I hate them. Yes, everyone has their well documented reasons to like or dislike manufactured patches, but my principle reason for disliking them is that there is an arbitrary connection between the item and the player represented on the card. The main attraction to game-used jersey and patches is that the item included in the card was actually used in the game we love and collect, with the added knowledge that the item was worn by the player. A small swatch of fabric is nothing without the certified knowledge that the fabric had been worn by our favorite players and used in during a game. This limits the product to a specific usage and to a specific time period...thus, making it somehow rare or special.

You can extend that a manufactured patch that was on-patch autographed is also special because it was physically touched by said player. These cards tap into our hero worship/iconography, thus the patch is simply just another vehicle to get an autograph/personal connection from our heroes.

However, what about those silly patches that are just patches that were sewn by someone somewhere and has absolutely no connection to the event or person that it commemorates? I really think these are offensive. What is the value of a patch commemorating an All-Star game from 50 years ago? I understand that there are collectors who like the design or like the commemoration of those events, much like there are fans who love re-issues and buybacks. I, however, think these are bogus products made by cynical profiteers looking for another way to sell their blasters of junkwax. Where's the actual tie-in to the game? I think that we're doing a disservice by collecting these manufactured patches...thereby rewarding the card companies for being lazy. They just embroider away these worthless patches and collectors think of them as additional hits. They're terrible, but then again, they're here to stay, so I'm just shouting into the wind.
Saw this on eBay...I have a few of these auto/manu patches of Hanley...do you think it's worth the price to collect all the letters?

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Tradebait for Jimthomefan500

Tradebait: Jordy Nelson

2008 Donruss Threads Rookie Collection #RCM-3 (#d 4/10)

Tradebait for Hanleys

So, here's how this trade bait works. I need Hanley cards that I don't have...best offer gets the following cards (each are individual trades).

2009 Topps Finest Ian Kinsler Refractor for any Hanley base card that I don't have. TRADE PENDING



2009 UD A Piece of History Adam Sandler shirt relic for any serial numbered insert/parallel of Hanley that I don't have. TRADE PENDING



2005 Prime Patches Wade Miller Auto and 3x relic (44/85) for any Hanley game-used and/or auto that I don't have.

Tradebait: Tom Brandstater

2009 Donruss Elite #194

It's What I Got: The Hanley List

Here is the updated list of what I have...not bad for mostly eBay work. Total, I have 219 cards with 151 unique cards. All doubles are available for trade.

Year Company Set Card # Serial # # of cards
2002 Just Minors Just Minors 6
1
2005 Donruss Zenith RC-1
1
2005 Topps Bowman BDP153 65/435 1
2006 Fleer Tradition 98
1
2006 Topps Allen & Ginter 260
1
2006 Topps Allen & Ginter 260
1
2006 Topps Bowman 204
1
2006 Topps Co-Signers 107
1
2006 Topps E-Topps 64 /999 1
2006 Topps Topps 620
1
2006 Topps Topps '52 77
1
2006 Topps Topps '52 TCRC20 181/1952 1
2006 Topps Topps '52 DD4
1
2006 Upper Deck Series 1 83
1
2006 Upper Deck Series 2 927
1
2006 Upper Deck Upper Deck F/X SM-HR
1
2007 Fleer Fleer RS-HR
1
2007 Fleer Fleer 2
1
2007 Fleer Ultra DM-HR 149/160 1
2007 Fleer Ultra FG-HR
1
2007 Fleer Ultra 70
3
2007 Topps Allen & Ginter 11
1
2007 Topps Allen & Ginter 95
1
2007 Topps Allen & Ginter 95
1
2007 Topps Allen & Ginter AGR-HR
1
2007 Topps Bowman 1
1
2007 Topps Bowman Chrome 1
1
2007 Topps Bowman Heritage 96
1
2007 Topps Bowman Heritage 96
1
2007 Topps Chrome 255
1
2007 Topps Chrome 196
1
2007 Topps Co-Signers 22
2
2007 Topps Moments & Milestones 70 88/150 1
2007 Topps Moments & Milestones 70 2/150 1
2007 Topps Moments & Milestones 71 85/150 1
2007 Topps Moments & Milestones 72 98/150 1
2007 Topps Moments & Milestones 72 149/150 1
2007 Topps Moments & Milestones 71 24/29 1
2007 Topps Topps HA-HR
1
2007 Topps Topps GN305
1
2007 Topps Topps GN330
1
2007 Topps Topps GN322
1
2007 Topps Topps GN319
1
2007 Topps Topps WM29
1
2007 Topps Topps 255
1
2007 Topps Topps 324
2
2007 Topps Topps 655
1
2007 Topps Topps 655
1
2007 Topps Topps 467
1
2007 Topps Topps 467
2
2007 Topps Triple Threads 148 68/99 1
2007 Topps Turkey Red TRR-HR
1
2007 Topps Turkey Red 170
3
2007 Upper Deck Artifacts AF-HR
1
2007 Upper Deck Artifacts 45
1
2007 Upper Deck Elements CCE-HR 165/314 1
2007 Upper Deck First Edition LO-HR
1
2007 Upper Deck First Edition 211
1
2007 Upper Deck Future Stars 37
2
2007 Upper Deck Goudey 46
1
2007 Upper Deck Goudey GG-HR
1
2007 Upper Deck Masterpieces CC-HR
1
2007 Upper Deck Masterpieces SG-HR
1
2007 Upper Deck Masterpieces 56
3
2007 Upper Deck Series 2 715
1
2007 Upper Deck SP Authentic AS-24
1
2007 Upper Deck SP Authentic 17
3
2007 Upper Deck SP Authentic BL-33 3/25 1
2007 Upper Deck SP Authentic BL-33 36/50 1
2007 Upper Deck SP Rookie Edition 17
3
2007 Upper Deck Spectrum SR-HR 11/99 1
2007 Upper Deck Spectrum SSW-HR 24/75 1
2007 Upper Deck SPX WM-HR 17/199 1
2007 Upper Deck SPX WM-HR 12/25 1
2007 Upper Deck SPX WM-HR 24/25 1
2007 Upper Deck Sweet Spot Baseball SW-HR
1
2007 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection PM-HR 48/50 1
2008 Topps Allen & Ginter 80
1
2008 Topps Allen & Ginter 80
4
2008 Topps Bowman Chrome 63
2
2008 Topps Bowman Sterling BS-HR
1
2008 Topps Chrome 111
2
2008 Topps Co-Signers 45 172/300 1
2008 Topps Co-Signers 45 337/400 1
2008 Topps Triple Threads 20 1168/1350 1
2008 Topps Co-Signers 45
3
2008 Topps E-Topps 13 /749 1
2008 Topps Finest 90
1
2008 Topps Finest FM-HR
2
2008 Topps Finest FMA-HR
1
2008 Topps Heritage 233
2
2008 Topps Heritage 317
2
2008 Topps Moments & Milestones 91 57/150 1
2008 Topps Moments & Milestones 92 115/150 1
2008 Topps Opening Day 125
2
2008 Topps Opening Day 125 949/2199 1
2008 Topps Stadium Club 37
1
2008 Topps Topps AR15
1
2008 Topps Topps AS-HR 12/50 1
2008 Topps Topps TCHC41
2
2008 Topps Topps UH35
3
2008 Topps Topps 425
2
2008 Topps Triple Threads TTRC-7 22/27 1
2008 Upper Deck A Piece of History CSC-RR 51/99 1
2008 Upper Deck A Piece of History FH-23 195/699 1
2008 Upper Deck A Piece of History TM-22 17/25 1
2008 Upper Deck A Piece of History TM-22
1
2008 Upper Deck A Piece of History 38
3
2008 Upper Deck Baseball Heroes 192 10/200 1
2008 Upper Deck Baseball Heroes 192 7/25 1
2008 Upper Deck Baseball Heroes 192
2
2008 Upper Deck Baseball Heroes 68
3
2008 Upper Deck Documentary 3035
1
2008 Upper Deck Documentary 1612
1
2008 Upper Deck Documentary 712
1
2008 Upper Deck Documentary 3575
1
2008 Upper Deck Documentary 4295
1
2008 Upper Deck First Edition 121
1
2008 Upper Deck Goudey 259
1
2008 Upper Deck Goudey 77
6
2008 Upper Deck Masterpieces CC-HR
1
2008 Upper Deck Masterpieces 37
3
2008 Upper Deck Series 1 147
3
2008 Upper Deck Series 1 365
4
2008 Upper Deck SP Authentic MM-21
1
2008 Upper Deck SP Authentic 76
5
2008 Upper Deck SP Legendary Cuts GEN-AR
1
2008 Upper Deck SP Legendary Cuts 66
3
2008 Upper Deck Spectrum 38
2
2008 Upper Deck Spectrum SS-HR 92/99 1
2008 Upper Deck SPX Limited WM-HR 20/50 1
2008 Upper Deck Sweet Spot Baseball S-HR 213/300 1
2008 Upper Deck Sweet Spot Baseball SS-HR
1
2008 Upper Deck Sweet Spot Baseball 44
2
2008 Upper Deck Timeline 6
2
2008 Upper Deck UD Premier PSTI-HR 71/75 1
2008 Upper Deck X 43
2
2009 Topps Heritage 10
3
2009 Topps Series 2 450
1
2009 Topps Toppstown TTT7
1
2009 Topps Toppstown TTT7
4
2009 Upper Deck A Piece of History BSM-HR 30/180 1
2009 Upper Deck Goudey 75
2
2009 Upper Deck Series 1 141
2
2009 Upper Deck Series 1 475
3
2009 Upper Deck Series 1 442
2
2009 Upper Deck SP Legendary Cuts GM-BR
1
2009 Upper Deck Spectrum 38
3
2009 Upper Deck Spectrum 38 18/50 1
2009 Upper Deck Spectrum SS-HR 35/35 1
2009 Upper Deck SPX GJ-HR
1