2001 Bowman CCs

This is the first card that shows CC doing what he does best: stealing bases. As you can tell, though, it's not the most heroic card, and it gives you the impression he's sliding in after a pick-off attempt or looking up to the ump only to realize he was thrown out. 

Unsurprisingly, I guess, it's the weakest year of my early 2000s CC collection.

Top left: Bowman; top right: Bowman gold

Bottom left: Bowman Chrome; Bottom left: Bowman Chrome Xfractor

Need: Bowman Chrome refractor; Bowman Chrome Gold Refractor

Have a good one everybody and goodnight Pumpsie Green, wherever you are!

Eric Young Jr., Master of Levitation: More 2011 Topps Photography

Here's another shot I love from the 2011 Topps rackpacks I grabbed the other day.

Judging from this photo the game comes too easily to Eric Young, Jr. (despite the career OPS+ of 54, but bear with me).  We've all seen the "turning the double play" shot, but this one is far from mundane. The Phat Panda has taken time out from his ruinous campaign with my Chingones team in Goose Joak's Fantasy League, apparently, to roll into second base and "try" to break up the double play. I say "try" because with effort like that there's no chance he "will."  

Young Jr., with the visiting Rockies, easily avoids the Panda. What kills me is he's not even paying attention to the Panda. He's suspended in the air, arms straight down, leaning over as if to look in and see if the runner at first is out. Usually the 2B or SS is upended, sprawled out, more dramatic about things, but not Young. He's  down on the field, about 5 feet in the air, watching the game with the rest of us.

And THEN we've got the iconic Yahoo! signage on the OF wall at corporate-owned AT&T Park, almost nostalgic and yet undeniably modern. And THEN the blurry fans in dead centerfield---have we ever seen the CF fans in a double play card before?

In short, a brilliant card. Again, Topps, well done!

Have a good one everybody and goodnight Pumpsie Green, wherever you are!

Yet Another 2011 Topps Post: In Praise of the Photography

Compa is laid up with a neck cramp which means I was flying solo to the Target for groceries. Of course I swung by the card aisle and you can guess what happened next.

But before I go there, why do folks buy blasters versus jumbo packs? The blasters get you 80 cards, a manupatch, and a diamond giveaway card for $20. For the same cash I got 4 jumbo packs which netted me 144 cards and three diamond giveaway cards. No CC (curses^%#^%$#) but I did get some cards that'll be popping up shortly.

In the meantime: anyone else notice Topps REALLY stepped up its game this year, photowise?

Exhibit A:

Oh man, this card is nice. It's not just the great "OF stealing a HR" shot, either. We've got the empty seats, the sweatshirts hanging over the rail, the OF suspended in the air about to crash into the team logo. And Saunders is a young OF cutting his teeth on a team trying to find its way.  Is there any better summary of Mariner baseball at this moment, from the franchise in transition to the hope of its minor league prospects, than this card? It's gotta be one of the best cards I've seen in a while, and I pulled several cards in ONE AFTERNOON I like as much as this one. Well done, Topps! 

I like the photography so much I might even consider collecting this set. ("Might" being the key word, of course.)

Have a good one everybody and goodnight Pumpsie Green, wherever you are!

Woodie Fryman passes (1940-2011)

Per the AP.

A country boy from KY, Fryman had an 18-year career with the Pirates, Phillies, Detroit, and Expos, among others. He was a rubber-armed SP and RP, and a two-time AS.

As more guys from the '50s and '60s pass, the baseball community loses a little more of its history. And when guys like Woodie pass, I'm reminded of the mortality of my own parents, who not only grew up watching baseball during that era but are also of that same generation.

RIP Mr. Fryman.

And now, the Swamp Fox

It's funny. I'm assuming that Al Dark was known as the Swamp Fox because he was from the Louisiana bayou or some such, but he currently lives in South Carolina, home of the "original" Swamp Fox. Coincidentally, he resides in Easley in the SC upstate, where a good number of my people are from and many still reside.

This arrived the same day as the 1950 Bowman from Mr. Shantz. It's the only mgr.-card ttm I've done and it came out pretty well. The red, white, and blue background with a portrait is nice, clean, and classic. The signature has to be the shortest name in existence: 6 full letters. Very cool. 

This 1961 is a strange card for Mr. Dark. If cards usually commemorate the previous season's accomplishments, this one is about the coming season. 1960 was Mr. Dark's last year an active player (with the Braves and the Phillies) and 1961 was his first as a manager (with the Giants). So technically he's not really the manager of the Giants yet but is instead a member of the Braves, hence the light, barely noticeable airbrushing of his hat. In short, Dark's switching over to managing saved the Topps folks a lot of work.

Thanks Mr. Dark!

Have a good one everybody and good night Pumpsie Green, wherever you are!

Rhymes with "pants": Classic ttm from Mr. Shantz

I've posted before about Mr. Bobby Shantz, so I'll spare you about how awesome I think he is. And I'm not alone. Mr. Shantz is real tolerant of us ttm aficionados and his praises are all over the blogosphere. In fact, every day I'm a bigger fan of mid-20th century because of guys like Mr. Shantz, Mr. Trucks, and Mr. Sievers (and there are tons more!)

Last December I bit the bullet and grabbed this 1950 Bowman Shantz RC with the intention of sending it off. I sent it to Mr. Shantz a few weeks ago and got it back within 10 days.

As a card this thing is AWESOME. It's one of the "knothole-gang" type portrait cards from the 1950 Bowman that reminds you of wooden fences and apple pie baseball. Mr. Shantz loos 12 and the wood-plank wall looks, well, GREEN. 

And then there's the sig: ^%$^ that's nice, even better than I'd pictured it or could have reasonably expected.

Of course, the backs of these things speak for themselves.

Thanks again Mr. Shantz and goodnight Pumpsie Green, wherever you are!

Ramblin' man: the Travelin' Lee comes to town

I needed to get rid of some cards a while back. I sent some Mannys over to the Brooklyn Met at Clear Cut Cards and ended up with this guy:

Should I be offended? Scared? Overjoyed? Lee himself looks pretty pensive, like he's not sure either.

Anyway, Travelin' Lee is pretty awesome and make me wonder: whatever happened to Cy Seymour? Anyone seen him?

These Prices tagged along with Lee, making this a lefty-centri package:

Thanks again Met and goodnight Pumpsie Green, wherever you are!