2022 World Series - some thoughts

The Houston Astros have probably been declared the favorites where their excellence over the past 8-9 years will be rewarded with another World Series trophy - while MLB fans still consider the organization and practices shady, where they are still probably cheating one way or the other, another championship will have to be seen as a less unsavory accomplishment than one in 2017.

On the other hand, it wouldn't surprise me to see the Philadelphia Phillies bludgeon their way into a World Series title - I couldn't even watch most of the games because my streaming service didn't have FS1, but Rhys Hoskins was on fire and NLCS MVP Bryce Harper delivered on cue.

With their 'band box' of a ballpark, no lead was ever safe - in their National League Championship Series against the San Diego Padres.

Back in 2019, I enjoyed what would become a World Series championship run by the Washington Nationals after Harper bolted for the Phillies - maybe it was a big [statement] for the Nationals to win despite not having this hot shot superstar lead them.

If Harper had continued to put up numbers and the Phillies continued to flounder, maybe that would be ideal where I didn't always like the player [who may be cocky, arrogant, and gave people reasons to hate on him] - but perhaps it's time for Harper to come full circle, from his Sports Illustrated cover in high school to all the years he has starred in the major leagues, with some great years and kind of up-and-down seasons.

If he wins the World Series, maybe he vaults up to just a higher sentiment than certain other guys who haven't won it yet - it's the case already I guess, but Harper wouldn't have anything more to prove in his MLB career if he ends up hoisting the WS trophy above his head.

Maybe it's sort of the perfect situation for Dusty Baker to finally be a manager of a World Series championship team - where for all the thunder the Phillies have shown, the Astros are considered the best team in baseball.

On the other hand, this World Series could be another close, but no cigar set-ups for the long respected professional baseball lifer - where things happen [during in game situations, in these postseason matchups] and his 2022 Astros ends up being another great Baker led team that doesn't take the final step to a World Series championship.

I think I expect another glum, post series interview with some national baseball writer at the end of this - but cautiously optimistic, where Baker's Astros play well enough and follow through with a championship celebration instead.

2021 Topps Home Run Challenge - Kyle Schwarber and Yordan Alvarez

I added Home Run Challenge codes for Kyle Schwarber and Yordan Alvarez for their Thursday games - Schwarber has been on a Ruthian home run tear through the past week but I felt like I’ve slept on that one lousy code card I had in-hand.

I considered adding the Schwarber HRC code for Wednesday, but figured the Washington Nationals slugger wasn't going to hit a home run in every game and didn’t in a Nationals 15-6 rout over the Tampa Bay Rays - if he’d hit another one then, that would have really been crazy.

Yesterday might have been the start of a new home run thing for Schwarber against righthander Tony Gonsolin of the Los Angeles Dodgers - however he hadn't homered in a couple of bats and worst yet, the game ended up being a rain shortened 6-2 win for the Dodgers.

The hulking Alvarez has been solid with the bat all year and checking the probable pitching matchups - all I knew was he going up against a rookie [J.C. Mejia] pitcher for the Cleveland baseball team, so it might be worth adding a code [I have one more unused Alvarez code].

I figured Alvarez might be able to size up the inexperienced starting pitcher and that's what happened as he hit his 14th home run - so at the very least, that's a winner for me.

TTM autograph received: Jose Cruz

I got the former big league outfielder to sign my card in about a couple of weeks for $5 - he started to charge to sign TTM in 2020 and while I've probably gotten him to sign something years ago, I wasn't worried sending a particular card signed.

Featured autographs - a certified quartet

These aren't the greatest big league players, but to quench my thirst for new autographs featuring current guys I don't expect to see - I picked these up so I can say I have their scribbles squirreled away somewhere.

Austin Hayes - the outfielder had a breakout minor league year in 2017, fell back a bit in 2018 and has spent the past couple of years trying to stick in the big leagues for good.

Dakota Hudson - the righthander gave the St. Louis Cardinals another good, young starter to build on besides Jack Flaherty until he needed Tommy John surgery towards the end of the shortened 2020 season.

Sean Reid-Foley - Foley might have been the No. 1 pitching prospect in the Toronto Blue Jays system before the emergence of Nate Pearson as that No. 1 guy in recent seasons.

Parker Markel - I wouldn't have noticed he already made his big league debut in 2019, but the Angels signed him last off-season and I jumped the gun, hoping he would make a big league appearance with the Angels in 2020.

Maybe I was inspired to put this post up when I saw Markel had moved on and was just signed by the San Diego Padres - to show I buy my share of random things for reasons that don't actually play out in reality.

TTM autographs received: Gerald Young

The former big league outfielder from the 1980s through 1990s signed my cards in about two weeks - who knows whether the image was actually game action or staged, but because of the athleticism the card oozes, the 1989 Upper Deck [#135] is simply a keeper as far as random junk wax era commons go.

Featured autograph - Derek Bell

On forums or other social media, I see other autograph collectors' 'brag posts' as far as what they get - there maybe more purchases and/or private signing stuff mixed in with the usual TTM successes.

Perhaps I want to fall in line and condition myself to accept a new reality - where I end up purchasing more autographs ‘here and there’ as a viable option to get some new scratch the itch curiosities in my collection.

I turn my nose at most of the send-in signings for the rank and file or semi-stars I've gotten TTM or in-person at some point over the past 20 years - but 'Operation Shutdown' was someone whom I never had the opportunity to get, a decent player through the 1990s, with a bunch of cards that made me familiar with him.

A promoter on Facebook was selling extras from a past signing and I thought about getting a card - I was looking for a more unique card, maybe a rookie issue and one of the cards shown in the F/S post was a 1988 O-Pee-Chee.

I realize no one really cares, but I'm vaguely familiar with the odd draft pick card only included in the Canadian version of Topps - if I had to break the bank [$10 plus $1 PWE shipping] to purchase a random signed Bell card, the OPC would the one I wanted.

Go figure, I might have actually liked to send into a Bell signing - he’s on a 2001 Fleer Tradition, a set I'm still trying to get cards signed from, in-person or TTM.

TTM autographs received: Bill Virdon

I don’t know if Virdon was on my scratch the itch list, but I had a 1978 Topps [#279] buried under other cards, laying around loose for the longest time - I might as well send it out as long as the 89-year old [!] is still signing.

I may have gotten Virdon at least once before in the mail, though maybe not in-person - I vaguely remember being at the Pittsburgh Pirates team hotel when the team played an Interleague series in Anaheim in 2002 and saw him about to walk to the ballpark [maybe a mile or so away] instead of taking a shuttle.

It won’t be the case all the time, but I try to send at least a couple of cards out when putting together a through the mail request - so I figure to double up and send him a 1983 Topps [#516] as well.

Featured autograph - Jason Castro

The former Houston Astros and Minnesota Twins catcher homered in his debut with Angels - despite unimpressive career batting numbers, hopefully he is a guy to kind of provide stability behind the plate.

Featured autograph - Pete Harnisch

Harnisch signed my two cards in blue Sharpie, though this I didn’t realize this MIA request was out for the longest time - until I got it back earlier in the year as part of the mail that piled up when I wasn't home for 5 months.

I might have sent this when he was working for the Angels back in 2012, but dating the stamps - this request might have been sent out in 2007 or 2008.

For what it's worth, I remember sending to him 20 years ago when he was still an active player [I think the cards were a 1991 Topps Traded and 1997 Fleer] - but presumably, I got those back within that time frame.

Featured autograph - Yordan Alvarez

He might not have had many cards back when he played in the Arizona Fall League in 2017, so I had Alvarez sign a 2015 Topps Pro Debut Fragment of the Farm Round Rock Express seat relic I'd bought at a card shop - I thought I'd turned a non-player relic into something unique even if I had to wait a couple of years before Alvarez would presumably be playing his home games at the stadium where the relic was from.

As it goes, I didn’t actually look to see which big league team Round Rock was affiliated with at the time and what level [Round Rock had been the Texas Rangers’ Triple-A farm team since 2011, when I thought it was Houston's Double-A affiliate] - it's just not a big deal, but now I had this 'weird, phantom' in-person autograph card signed by a player whose relation with the subject featured on-card was non-existent.

Alvarez reached the Triple-A level in 2018 with the Fresno Grizzlies [when the Grizzlies were affiliated with the Astros] - but was in playing in Double-A when the Fresno made its only trip to Round Rock, so I couldn't say he at least played at the ballpark as a visiting player.

Go figure, after the completion of the 2018 season, the Astros ditched Fresno and had a new agreement with Round Rock to be their Triple-A affiliate - I could finally show off this card, signed by a Cuban slugger tearing up the Pacific Coast League so far as opposed to stashing it away in a box of fails.

1995 Topps Traded Carlos Beltran RC #18T

This rookie card was on my ‘holes to fill’ list and I randomly decided to finally pick a copy up for my PC - even though Beltran’s rookie card is messed up because it isn't his picture on the card.

The card pictures Juan LeBron, who was the Kansas City Royals' first round pick [19th overall] in 1995, but failed to reach the major leagues - Beltran, who was the Royals’ second round pick [49th overall] from the same draft class is pictured on LeBron’s card, though the card listed with Beltran’s name / bio should still be the one that commands any interest [regardless of the goof].

After a player retires like Beltran did in 2017, there maybe an extended period of time where you are just out of sight, out of mind - though as a borderline Hall of Fame player, Beltran may gain support for his eventual induction in Cooperstown.

TTM autographs received: Phil Garner

The longtime MLB player and manager signed my trading cards in about three weeks - I didn't know where I expected to see Garner in-person, but I've had his cards in my Oakland Athletics box for the past five years or so.

He was a special advisor with the A's, but I don't think he is working for the team anymore - because I was never able to get the chance to approach him in-person to get him to sign some cards, he became a 'scratch the itch' guy for me TTM.

Beyond the glory addition - Don Wilson

I didn't know who Wilson was until I probably stumbled upon a YouTube video of him pitching in the 1971 MLB All-Star Game - as much as I think I soak up baseball history like a sponge, my focus when talking about old-school [pre 1980] and vintage [pre 1974] players are mostly devoted to the legends / icons.

Wilson may have starred for the Houston Astros, compiling a 104-92 won-loss record in 9 seasons with the team - but due to a fatal accident in his car, he never did build on the promise he had shown at various points of his career.

Featured autograph - Brad Peacock

Peacock was part of the Houston Astros World Series team this past year and while he didn't pitch well in his outings during the American League Division and Championship Series - he appeared in 4 games during the World Series and struck out 8 batters while allowed 2 runs in 7 innings.

Featured autograph - Mark Appel

Designated for assignment by the Philadelphia Phillies, Appel seems destined to be a first round pick who maybe a failed prospect - still, as I see Appel as a baseball player who may not reach the big leagues, I'll always look at this clip as something to digest and really think about.

TTM autographs received: Xavier Hernandez

The former big league reliever signed my cards in about 10 days - rather than just being some sort of chicken scratch scrawl, I like how his autograph is a little more distinctive.

TTM autographs received: Gary Pettis

The former Angels outfielder signed my cards in black Sharpie in about three weeks c/o Houston Astros - where he is the third base coach.

Pettis as an all-world center fielder and while he didn't hit much - he got on base at a decent enough clip, was a speedster and in his prime, no one matched his prowess as a defender.

Like Devon Whyte, I saw at least one TTM success posted on Instagram this year and figured I might as well send off a letter to see - if I could get ink on four of my random junk wax era cards.

Pettis was a long time coach with the Texas Rangers, where I probably got his autograph in-person at least a couple of times - he wasn't really a tough guy to get, but it still felt like a chore to actually try and get him

He just didn't care for signing and didn't pay much attention to signing his autograph - when he did sign, the autograph on your item might be upside down, sideways, over his face, but never upright and neat.

The 30-Day Baseball Card Challenge - Day 22

A card of a common player that always seems to elude you.

1967 Topps Claude Raymond #364 - I don't know if this card has eluded me in a traditional sense [maybe fruitlessly busting pack after pack, never to pull it] since it was printed long before I was born.

Maybe I don't really have a story behind my interest in this card - but this is the only card left on my first list of my Top 10-15 most wanted cards [like I've seen other card bloggers have] I made up a couple of years ago.

I just haven't taken the time to spend the $3 or so online to find a copy of this card - there is weird, juvenile draw to cards that have quirky qualities like Raymond pictured with his fly open.

Raymond strikes nearly a similar look for his 1966 Topps card [#566], with his zipper faux pas a little more noticeable - it would be nice to pick up the 1966 and 1967 Topps cards as a pair, though the 1966 is short printed and is a little more costly than the 1967 card pictured.

2017 Topps Opening Day pack breaks

It looks like a fresh box was open on the counter and while I really turn my nose at this more cutesy, 'flagship-lite' alternative - I wanted to bust some packs and for a dollar each, was there anything to lose?

Pack one

#189 Todd Frazier

#98 Lorenzo Cain

#8 Victor Martinez

#M-25 Brewers Mascot - Mascots Checklist

#70 Jay Bruce

#39 Aledmys Diaz

#95 Kyle Seager

Pack two

#106 Xander Bogaerts

#96 Anthony Rizzo

#116 Chris Sale

#ODB-1 Opening Day in Pittsburgh - Opening Day insert

#134 Miguel Sano

#186 Julio Urias

#32 Aaron Nola

Pack three

#161 Brian McCann

#73 Joe Mauer

#SC-14 Troy Tulowitzki - Superstar Celebrations insert

#MA-O Orbit - Mascot Autographs; it’s a friggin autograph of a mascot but I’ll comfort myself in seeing it’s supposedly seeded at a rate of 1:747 packs.

#90 Matt Strahm

#158 Carlos Carrasco

#176 Teoscar Hernandez

TTM autographs received: Jed Lowrie

The Oakland Athletics infielder signed my two cards in blue Sharpie and kept the third card I sent - I saw he was pretty good about signing TTM, so I wrote to him c/o the Athletics [spring training] last year and eventually got a response back in January.