Every fan has bad dreams, this one may be a nightmare...

It has been much to long since my last or any post on this blog. I have more catching up to do than I would like to admit. None-the-less this isn't cards, this isn't games, beer or music. The post is about my favorite team and the nightmare that may be lurking at the July 31st deadline.

We are on a count down to July 31st and it is coming fast! Today is July 17th, that is exactly 2 weeks from the dead line. Rumors are abounding and are plentiful. What I am about to post is what I do not want to see, but have a piercing pain in my gut that tells me I may be on to something.

I will preface this with, no one has mentioned this and I have no "source" or "connection". Though, I can be quite the "palm reader" if you will.

Names like Price, Hamels and such have been thrown around and associated with the Dodgers. Corey Seager, Joc Pederson and Julio Urias have also been associated with each mentioned trade.

The Dodger Brass would love to and whole heartedly wants to build a ground up system. A grass roots system is a much better word. Yes, big trades and free agent pick up can and will still be a thing of the present and future. Though giving up raw, high quality talent is something Stan Kasten and Ned Colletti said would be a thing of the past.

Now, all of this brings me to said nightmare. Yes, a trade of Joc (and cash) for Price would be horrible and maybe detrimental. However nothing could prepare you for the said nightmare that has been haunting me.

Okay, this brings me to the what I see as an "elephant in the room", Dee Gordon. The kid has been, possibly the best player on the Dodgers squad this year (offensively). We all know Clayton Kershaw is our best player and maybe the best player in all of MLB.

However Dee is and has been a beast in 2014. His number are that of a video game. His 2014 line: 91 games (his career high), 392 PA (plat appearances), 359 AB (At-Bats), .292 AVG (Average), .344 OBP (On Base Percentage), .398 SLG (Slugging), 742 OPS (On Base Percentage + Slugging), 27 BB (Base on Balls), 43 Stolen Bases (MLB leader), 25 RBI (Run Batted In), 52 Runs, 14 Doubles, 9 Triples, 105 hits and 2 Home Runs.

After all that being stated, what team wouldn't want this guy? After all, he is now proven, he is a bonafied lead-off hitter, 2B (.983 FLD%) and all around club house boost.

Joc, Corey and Urias are all amazing talent and may be raw as hell, but are as proven as string theory.

Alex Guerrero and his $28 million contract looms over all of this as well.

Dee has a rough start to his career and now has taken the Dodgers and all of MLB by storm. He is a fan favorite, a nice guy and as if he needs to add anything to his resume an All-Star. See here and here.

You can speculate and downplay any or all of this. The fact is: this game is a HUGE stage and counts for home field advantage.

The kind of developed/natural talent that Dee has is just silly. It seems almost unreal. Even more unreal is the fact that a team wouldn't be shopping/shopping for him as the deadline approaches.

While I believe the brass for the Dodgers has more brains than to give away proven talent to pick up a starter and/or a reliever. Especially a talent as proven and as special as Dee Gordon. Stupider things have happened.

If you ask me, Dee is our 2B for MANY years to come. Guerrero can move to his natural SS position, Seager can replace Uribe when his contract expires and Joc is an OF of ours for the future.

Price, Hamels or anything close is a fun idea and may work on paper, but to give up Pederson, Seager, Urias, Guerrero and most importantly Dee (alone or as a package) would be a move we would all be regretting more than the Andruw Jones diabolical.

A contest to help an artist. The Dikran Samarjian project

My buddy Alex over at ( Chavez Ravining ) is having a contest to get his buddies Dikran Samarjian music out there. Here is a link to the page. even if you don't want the prizes, just follow the instructions and let's help an artist out, yeah?

Have a rad night and lets git 'er done!

My first Kemp rookie card

There is a first for everything, and today I am here to share with you, my first Matt Kemp Rookie card. It is of the 2005 Topps Chrome variety and according to Beckett. It is worth between $25-50. I am not sure which I actually have, as both have the same #169. Whatever the case, I love it and I REALLY want to get it signed by Kemp one of these days!

I also found a 2013 commemorative patch of the card pictured above, pretty neat as well

I have so many more cards to post and share with you. Working on that and hopefully my next post will be much sooner than 2 weeks from now, like the last one. 

The one with the video games...

My affinity for all things nerd is widely known. I was quoted by Gabe Connor of the famous Goodie Two Sleeves as; "The most socially un-awkward nerd, I have ever had the pleasure of knowing." That being said. I have picked up a couple of awesome NES games. Here are the few I have received so far.


First up, one of my all time favorites. The Legend of Zelda (Gold edition)

Second and ironically the second in the aforementioned series Zelda 2: The Adventures of Link (Gold edition)

Both have completely different styles and completely different game-play. Yet both are classic and hold true to The Legend of Zelda, VERY appropriately.

Next up is the first installment of TMNT on NES brought to us by Ultra!

This one is a bit more dinged up. I believe from the looks of it, this one was a rental. But it plays just like I remember it when I was a kid. Very interesting genre. An action RPG, meets side scroller. None the less, it is a joy to own and play!

As I get more titles in the mail, I will post and if you have any NES games you do want, I am willing to trade cards or other stuff for them, just let me know!

Alex Markle of Chavez Ravining is having another wicked awesome contest!

Ok, my buddy Alex Markle over at Chavez Ravining is having an AWESOME contest! Head on over to his blog for the rules on how to enter and win the contest.

Above are the winnings for placings 1-3. Good luck!

My first article, Andy Van Slyke, beer review and some music for and/or to the ears

First off, wow, what a week. Work has been crazy, family life has been crazy and my mailbox has been blowing up!

My first article is up thanks to Alex ( Chavez Ravining ) for the opportunity! You can read it here! http://bit.ly/1cZiwlX

Here is the card of the day! It is a '95 Topps "Finest" Andy Van Slyke. Picked this guy up for my AVS collection for less than a dollar. Don't know what the "TOPPS *SOMETHING* PROTECTOR PEEL AND REMOVE COATING" is all about. Weird.

Second, it is that time of year again, thank the Lord! Lagunitas has released their "Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale" seasonal and I couldn't be happier! One of my favorite limited yearly releases and it is a BEAST of a strong ale. Weighing in at an O.G (original gravity) of 1.085, 66.6 (creepy) I.B.U. (International Bittering Units) and a whopping 9.7 A.B.V. (Alcohol By Volume). This dude packs a punch to the face and all I am left saying is; "Please sir, may I have another...And another?" Here is my Beer Advocate review, as follows;

"A 4.53 out of 5

Tasted May 13th 2011 (from notes)

A - redish/copper transparent, one finger off white head and some lacing

S - sweet yeast, fruity, bright malt, alcohol, sweet hops, slight bitterness and a slight grass, weed and citrus

T - alcohol, hoppy, sweet yeast, citrus, floral, sweet malt and a caramel or molasses

M - chewy, huge profile, medium low acidity and a long finish

D - goes down like water even at almost 10%. big sweet and medium bitter. Well balanced

Final thought - got to get a sixer or four every year this seasonal comes out"

Above is the six pack case for the ale. One of my top 100 for sure. Well, that is about it. See you next time!

Corrections and retractions...

One of my posts the other day had a "complete set" of Babe Ruth Baseball Heroes (Upper Deck '95). I am not usually wrong, but man, was I ever. The set is listed "73-81", there is however an un-numbered card. This card completes my set and it may be the best one yet!

I am really stoked on this. I bought this on ebay and I must have not been paying attention, because I don't remember doing so. REALLY excited for the actual complete set.

I also picked up this guy for a few cents. Part of my Mark "The Bird" Fidrych personal set. Love some of these old cards and it may be just me, but who is John Denny?

Ok, so, I promise if I am wrong, I will correct it. I will not go one pretending I know better, if I really don't!

Mark Fidrych and the unknown hero of my blog

I LOVE me some Mark Fidrych, no idea why. Maybe because he reminds me of myself, eccentric, weird, misunderstood and awesome?

All that, is besides the point. An unknown someone sent this card to my work and I couldn't be happier. I already found a parallel and I am super amped!

Lastly, this is my FIRST this number/that number card.

Feel free to send me any MF cards you have, don't like or have repeats of!

A bit jaded around the edges, but I'll take it for one of my all time favs!

Babe Ruth Baseball Heroes Complete set (Upper Deck '95)

Wow, almost 20 years in the making. In 1995 I was 12 years old and all I wanted for my birthday was LOTS of cardboard. My parents bought me 1 or 2 boxes of Upper Deck '95. I went to town, got a lot of my Dodger favs, had tons of trade bait and then I stumbled upon the "Babe Ruth Baseball Heroes" numbered 73 - 81. I had 75 and 81.

I don't exactly know why I liked these so much. I heard the stories about him, read up on him and I was definitely a Babe Ruth fan (if for no other reason than 'Sandlot'). In any case, Babe to me wasn't Karros, Mondesi, Piazza, Green, Nomo, Orel, Fernando, Pedro, Gagne (at the time, don't like him much now), Ripken, Van Slyke, Clark or any of my then baseball heroes. I was however drawn to them. I even put them in hard plastic cases and refused collections of cards for the 2, yes, that is right the 2 that I had. Something was different about them

Life got crazy and I moved around a lot, some good and bad things happened and I was no longer into baseball or any other form of cardboard. I packed up my cards and didn't open them for quite sometime.

I grew up and each time I moved I'd find them and reminisce. Smile here and a laugh there, but still didn't care.

Now, forward to Dec. 2013. I made a new twitter account, followed some eccentric and professional baseball writers, Found some dudes who were into what I had been into, what was almost 20 years ago and I felt like a kid again. I started buying cards, collecting, trading with some local friends and then, I stumbled on the darn Babe Ruth cards I had again.

I had lost hope though, I mean 20 year old cards, who is going to hold onto those? Alex ( http://chavezravining.blogspot.com/ ) and Greg ( http://plaschkethysweaterisargyle.blogspot.com/ ) are always tweeting their "gots" on buying cards on ebay.

I hadn't used ebay since the early 2000's (I used to buy and sell with the best of them) so, I started on the journey of finding these numbers 73-74 and 76-80.

Fast forward March 10th 2014. I received the final 2 pieces to my collection ( #79 is lacking my ideal condition, so if you have this card and want to trade, I'd be much obliged.)

I present to you, my first EVER completed collection of cards. The 1995 Upper Deck Babe Ruth Baseball Heroes #73-81.

Not really sure why I am posting the back, but here it is!

The entire collection in one pic and than each individual card

The cards are plastic within plastic (each card in a plastic sleeve inside of a card guard 9 card page), so if they look scratched or off, this is why.

I'll tell ya, I haven't been this excited in a while. What a great day!

Two posts in one day? I am on a roll!

Something about this being my first post, cardboard and other obsessions Part Deux (ish)

Ok. I seriously intended to be more up on this but just haven't found the time. 70+ hours a week makes little free time for anything and being a husband and father of 3, doesn't make it any easier! None the less, here is part 2.

I got Alex's ( http://chavezravining.blogspot.com ) generous package in the mail for my what seems measly 4 or 5 cards. I was super pumped on this! I never saw to many cards like these ( in '96 ) cardboard has really stepped it's game up.

Here is just some of what he sent:

I know everyone seems to hate Becks, but I love this card and have always been a big fan of his, so this one is really special to me, because now he is a Dodger, for good or worse.

Ah, Carl Crawford, loved this guy since he broke into the majors. This Bowman is epic. Much thanks for this gem.

These futures cards are sexy. I have a LOT, but HAD zero Dodger ones.

This was my second favorite. No idea why I love Paco so much, but this one is a beaut!

The only card I actually asked Alex for. I have tons of Yasiel Cards, but none had an RC or Rookie tag, this one I want to get signed and cased. If Yasiel flames out, he will still be the Modesi of the 2000's for me, huge fan.

This guy reminds me of Mark "The Bird" Fidrych (at little less eccentric), which is one of my all time favs.

Lastly, he sent me what seems to be the entire CC 2014 Topps Dodgers collection. So, all in all, this made my weekend. Thanks Alex!

Something about this being my first post, cardboard and other obsessions

So, this is my first post. Welcome to the world that is my mind and the things it creates, likes, loves and everything in between.

I started this blog because; I have really been into fancy cardboard again, as of late.

All thanks to none other than Alex over at: http://chavezravining.blogspot.com, Matthew over at: http://dodgerpenguin.blogspot.com and last but certainly not least, Greg at: http://plaschkethysweaterisargyle.blogspot.com .

These 3 have been my cardboard obsession resurrection-ists.

With little time and me not knowing what "should" be my first post. I wanted to post a few of my favorite cards from my collection of some 18 years ago.

Leave any comments and or suggestions. I feel as though I am just treading water in this inaugural post.


Andy Van Slyke, what can I say? One of my favorites. You can imagine how I reacted when I found out his son was playing and for the Dodgers none-the-less.

The Baseball heroes are a set of 9, I need 7 more to complete this. These have been my very favorite since I first opened these, YEARS ago. Funny thing, I am not even a big Babe fan. Something has always just caught my eye with these cards.

Want to get this one signed. Bulldog was my grandpa's favorite.

Cal is one of the Goats and always loved him and this card.

This blog won't be all cardboard. My other obsessions including Beer, Wine, Spirits, Video games, Memes, of course the Dodgers, Red Wings, Chargers, Bama, USC and general nerd/geek stuff. Stay tuned, stay warm and have some damn fun!

I will put up more of my favorites from decades past later tonight and or tomorrow. I have more to say but need to close, so, bye for now.