Vogelmonster Is In Japan!

Sometimes I get excited. This is one of those times and I'll do my best to not go all fanboy on you.

Vogelbach is second on the Mariners in plate appearances this spring and is leading ALL hitters in walks.

Vogelbach is 26 years old and out of minor league options. Kyle Seager's unfortunate hand injury, which has him out until at least mid-June, has allowed the Mariners to shift Ryon Healy across the diamond. This development gives Vogelbach a legitimate opportunity to receive regular at-bats! He'll share first base with Edwin Encarnacion a little, but mostly it sounds like he'll be plugged in as the designated hitter.

I'm excited to see how Vogelbach's new "relaxed" approach to the mental side of the game, as well as his approach at the plate translate over to the MLB level. For the first time it seems like the manager and GM of a major league club both want to see him succeed. I, for one, think it's about time and I can't wait to see Dan Vogelbach go all Godzilla Vogelmonster while in Japan versus the Athletics.

Folks, I believe this will be your last chance to jump in on the ground floor of the Vogelbach baseball card market. You have been warned!

Go get 'em, Dan!

HOF Binder: Page 9

I was mildly frustrated with myself last weekend when learning I had mistakenly forgot to delay the HOF Binder post to Wednesday. I've been writing these the weekend before and then scheduling them for some easy mid-week reading. I wound up breaking my streak of Wednesday HOF posts and burying my post from earlier in the day. Double whammy!

Let's see if I can't rebound here a bit.

This week we have another pretty solid page, all the way around, with only having to double up on TCMA's Baseball Immortals set. I like when the page starts off with a year marker, but I dislike when I'm not able to see the entire induction class from one year. In this case we're missing Ray Schalk and Dazzy Vance from the 1955 HOF class. They'll just have to wait until next week!

1983 Donruss - Hall of Fame Heroes, #26 - Bill Dickey

 The 1983 Hall of Fame Heroes set from Donruss is absolutely stunning. The artwork is masterful and the player selection is top notch. I don't own much 1983 Donruss other than Sandberg's rookie card, but I've been picking these cards, from the 44-card boxed set, out of dime boxes whenever I can find them.
Bill Dickey, played his entire seventeen year career as a catcher for the Yankees. He took time to serve our nation in WWII later in his career, but during his prime he was the best offensive catcher in the game. He was an eleven time All-Star, garnered MVP consideration during nine different seasons and he was a SEVEN time World Series Champion. Dickey walked twice as many times as he struck out in his career, swatted 200+ homers and had a career batting average of 0.313.

1980 TCMA Baseball Immortals, #72 - Rabbit Maranville

 Walter James Vincent Maranville played for five different organizations, mostly as a shortstop, during his twenty-three year career. He was all of 5'5" and was noted for his defensive prowess. He earned MVP votes during parts of eight different seasons, but that was mostly due to playing on winning teams and being an integral part of the defense. The lifetime 0.258 hitter never had an OPS register higher than 0.750 and it is said he was given the nickname of "rabbit" by a little girl who insisted he bounded around like one on the base and in the field.

1980 TCMA Baseball Immortals, #73 - Bill Terry

 Bill Terry, a middle of the order stick for some great New York Giants teams, won the batting title in 1930 with a 0.401 mark. He was a career 0.341 hitter with decent pop. He would have earned many more than the three All-Star selections he earned if the majority of playing career hadn't come before the first All-Star game in 1933.

1994 Conlon (color), #39 - Frank "Home Run" Baker

 John Franklin Baker swung a 52 ounce bat and led the AL in home runs from 1911 to 1914 with 11, 10, 12 and 9, respectively. The first seven years of his career were spent with the Philadelphia Athletics, but he sat out the 1915 season, at the age of 29, over a contract dispute with Connie Mack. Mack sold his contract to the Yankees the following year and hit 10 homers in just 100 games to finish second in the AL in homer to Wally Pipp's 12. Baker also sat out the 1920 season due to family issues. He finished his career with the Yankees as Babe Ruth was just starting to earn his homer hitting reputation. Baker was once quoted as saying, "I don't like to cast aspersions, but a Little Leaguer today can hit the modern ball as far as grown men could hit the ball we played with." 

2012 Topps Archives, #138 - Joe DiMaggio

 Everyone knows about Joe DiMaggio and his legendary hitting streak. I would like to remind you that he won three MVP awards at the ages of 24, 26 and 32 . . . and that he spent his prime, ages 28-30, serving in the Military. Also, he was an All-Star thirteen times during his thirteen year career. Wow.

2003 Upper Deck SP Legendary Cuts, #44 - Gabby Hartnett

 Gabby Hartnett, one of my favorite Cubs, hit 236 homers and batted 0.297 as a catcher over twenty seasons. He was the NL's answer to Bill Dickey for a number of years and might be better known for his Homer in the Gloaming during the 1938 pennant stretch. I can't do the story justice, so you should just go ahead and click on the link.

2005 Upper Deck Classics, #89 - Ted Lyons

 Ted Lyons was the ace of the White Sox staff for six years, but then he suffered a shoulder injury during the 1931 season at the age of 30. After his shoulder injury he became more of a junk ball pitcher, and although he never relied solely on his knuckleball it was a large part of arsenal. In 1942, at the age of 41, he led the league with a 2.10 ERA. He spent the next three seasons in WWII with the Marines. He returned to baseball at the age of 45 and pitched well, but soon retired to the dugout to manage. Lyons finished with a career record of 260-230 and an ERA of 3.67.

Again, I'm happy with the page, but I would like a couple of upgrades if possible. First, I feel like Bill Terry should have a few more cards out there, which would help the fact I had to double-dip on the TCMA Baseball Immortals set. Secondly, and this is probably more of me dreaming big, but I would love to find something older of DiMaggio. I doubt I could ever afford something from his playing days, but if it's in poor enough condition then maybe I could have a shot!

My favorite card from this page is the Home Run Baker card. Don't sleep on those colorized Conlon cards . . . they are fantastic! Plus, Baker's career is fascinating to read about. The Hall of Fame Heroes card of Bill Dickey would be a close second.

That's it for this week. Thanks again for stopping by!

Ogle That Vogel: 2012 Onyx Mojo

Young Dan Vogelbach is my favorite Dan Vogelbach. Dog tags, chin hair, intimidating shades... baseballs fear this man. 

I don't know that I will ever figure out card pricing on the internet. My newest edition to the Vogelbach collection is a 2012 Onyx autograph card, which is hand-numbered 07/10. This beauty cost me about half the price of what the autographed 2014 Onyx version, numbered to 50, is going for on Ebay. I guess sellers can ask whatever they want, but I'm not buying until it's to my liking.

I have material to blog about, but it's the end of the grading period and we're less than a week out from my high school baseball season opening up. Things are busy, but it's a good busy. 

Enjoy your weekend!

HOF Binder: Page 8

We're entering the part of the Hall of Fame Binder which I most enjoy. More familiar names like Mel Ott and Dizzy Dean start to show, but there are still some other talented chaps that the card manufacturers have seemed to have forgotten, like Chief Bender and Bobby Wallace. Also, variety! This is the third page in a row where all the cards are from different sets.

2004 Topps Tribute, #43 - Mel Ott

 I wasn't collecting in 2004... I was buying a house, getting married, and finding a new job. I feel like I missed out a beautiful set in '04 Topps Tribute. I'm a fan of shiny chrome goodness, but I'm not sure how I feel about it with old-timey photos. This Mel Ott card is gorgeous though! I could do without the large 1951 at Mel's feet, especially with there being another mention of the year he was elected to the Hall of Fame in the upper right hand corner.
If you're not familiar with Ott's career then do yourself a favor and check out the stats for this lifetime New York Giant and member of the 500 home run club. I'm most impressed with his counting stats and how many times he cracked the century mark in runs scored, runs batted in, and walks drawn.

1982 TCMA Baseball's Greatest Hitters, #20 - Harry Heilmann

 Harry Heilmann was a 0.342 hitter and logged an OPS of 0.930 during a seventeen year career spent mostly with Detroit. Heilmann's nickname was Slug, and although he may have ran like one he sure didn't hit like one. Four times in his career he batted over 0.390, each time leading the AL. 

1992 Conlon, #563 - Paul Waner

 While Ruth and Gehrig were swatting a combined 107 homers during the 1927, Paul Waner, aka Big Poison, swatted only nine, but he went on to win the NL MVP award.

Back of the Conlon card.

He and his younger brother, Lloyd "Little Poison" Waner, combined for 460 hits in that season. Paul, who was 5'8" and 148 pounds, was a 0.333 career hitter and played into his early 40's during his twenty year career, with fifteen of those years being with the Pirates.

2003 Upper Deck SP Legendary Cuts, #24 - Chief Bender

 Chief Bender, son to a white father and Native American mother, was the pitcher Connie Mack counted on to win the big game during the Philadelphia Athletics' early dynasty. Due to nagging injuries, Bender never cracked 300 innings like most star pitchers did during the Dead Ball Era, but he possessed a knack for coming through in the clutch. He was one of the early trailblazers in an all-white baseball world.

1990 Swell Baseball Greats, #6 - Dizzy Dean

 During a five year span during the 1930s there wasn't a better pitcher in the National League than Dizzy Dean. He led the league in strikeouts during four of those seasons, innings during three, and wins during two different seasons. Dean also finished as the runner-up for the MVP award twice and won it in 1934. He was known for a larger than life persona and was never at a loss for words. Dean started to have arm issues during his age 27 season and lasted parts of five more seasons, but never again cracked the 100 inning mark before retiring.

2012 Panini Cooperstown, #156 - Al Simmons

 Al Simmons was a 0.334 lifetime hitter who hit 307 home runs just when they started to become en vogue. He was a complete hitter who could hit for average and for power, which often put him in the mix for most valuable player. He never won an MVP award, but don't hold that against him as he played in the same league as Ruth and Gehrig.

1980 TCMA Baseball Immortals, #69 - Bobby Wallace

Bobby Wallace's career started in 1894 as a pitcher for the Cleveland Spiders when he was twenty years old. In 1897 he switched to third base and hit 0.335, which was his career high batting average. He would play primarily at short for the duration of his twenty-five year career. Wallace played during the Dead Ball Era and the career 0.268 hitter only belted more than four home runs in a season once.

My favorite card on this page is the colorized short print Panini Cooperstown card of Al Simmons. Black and white photos are nice, but I really enjoy a parallel of a base card that does something more than just change the border color.

The card I would like most to upgrade would be the Conlon card of Big Poison. Baseball and nicknames have been intertwined forever, but sometimes I confuse Little Poison for Big Poison. Find me a card that says "Paul Waner" on the front and I'll be happy!

Thanks for stopping by for a look at this week's page. Next week we'll take a look at Joltin' Joe and the fella who hit the Homer in the Gloamin'. Stay tuned!

The First cards of March

I really wanted to title this post "The First Cards of Spring," but that would have been a flat out lie. We had another half-inch of snow this morning which drew all the plows and salt trucks out of hiding. Tonight I need to remember to open up the cabinet doors beneath the sinks so the pipes don't freeze. March. #SMH.

I've missed out on the Heritage train, and I don't plan on trying to catch up to it. Thankfully Julie has sent me some cards to keep me happy. She lives in the Michigan somewhere and probably has 20+ inches of the white stuff in her front yard . . . On second thought, I guess I don't have too much to complain about when it comes to the weather.

Let's take a gander at those Cubbies!

 An upgrade! I have this one in my Kieschnick binder, but it's in poor condition. Good start!

Nomah! I also have a Nomar Garciaparra mini collection of him in Cubs attire. This 2005 Upper Deck Origins card is right up my alley. It features a clean design and I'm a fan of the green border.

Billy Williams and Anthony Rizzo might be two of the three best left-handed hitters to play a majority of their career for the Cubs. I would throw Mark Grace into the conversation as well.

 I'm purchasing less and less current product and I'm finding myself missing out on beauties like this 2017 Diamond King Originals card of Ryne Sandberg.

Topps Museum sure is produced on some thick card stock. Wowzers!

2008 Donruss Sports Legends. Another nice swinging photo of Ryno and I like how the background received the sepia treatment. Also, did you notice the bat boy? It's not too often you'll see a bat boy on a card.

Best for last:

 I have never thought much of the Playoff brand until now. The card stock is heavy, the texture of this card makes it like you can actually feel the brush strokes. The art work is fabulous. Great card. I may have to track down some more of Playoff Portraits.

With this little care package, my player collection of Ryno is now up to 928 unique cards. Very nice.

Julie, thank you for the cards!  Spring will be here soon!