My first redemption... finally delivered!!!!!

My saga started early last year when I bought my one and only box of 2007 Bowman Draft Picks and Prospects as the previous year. Back then I was still heavy hitting breaking boxes of new products, specially BDPP and SPLC. Overall it was a decent break until I hit my redemption so I immediately knew no autograph was on board cause I'm not that lucky and collation wouldn't smile at me, at least not that day. That was it, I would have to pay outrageous shipping from my country and then wait forever to get my deserved auto.

April 8th, 2008: I Found a cheaper way than FedEx (USD$35) and send it through IMPOSDOM (Dominican Postal Office) for USD$2. On a regular day I would have never sent that or any decent card/redemption by Imposdom but with that pricing I had no choice. 

February 20th, 2009: Went to my local courier company to pick up a vintage goodie I'll blog about later, and when Jessie (the clerk) said I had 2 pkg's instead of 1... 

Payback was around the corner:

Finally!!!

Winter ball now shading.

Winter baseball used to be a great time of the year when Dominican MLB stars played for their local teams and proudly dressed in either:

• Blue (Tigres del Licey). By the way, my team. Legendary guys like Alonzo Perry and young stars like Anderson Hernandez and Ronnie Paulino are just a few.

• Red (Leones del Escogido). Our enemies, antithesis, etc, etc,  for more than 99 years and counting. Sosa, Big Pappy and so on. But nowadays they reeeeeeally suck. 

• Yellow (Aguilas Cibaenas). Ruled the 90's and part of the early 00's. They just can't stand loosing. Not that anybody enjoys loosing but you have to see this guys loosing a game specially when they're home team; just get that hell out of ballpark quick, preferably by the 6th inning

• Green (Estrellas Orientales). Our Dominican version of the Cubs

• Orange (Toros del Este). I don't care much about them

• Red and whatever they feel like and the league allows them to wear (Gigantes del Cibao). The new kids on the block. The best team during this past season but started whining and complaining about umpires during the finals and you know how that story always ends

But now is not as simple as "when it was a game" because of all the restrictions by MLB Teams that don't allow their big guns to participate in winter ball cause THEY COULD GET HURT... and I'll add: taking a shower, driving, eating mangu, filling a W2 form, and you name it.

And because I need to show off a card and not because I like this next one, here's my Leones del Escogido Sammy "mustache" Sosa

1992 Topps Kids knew some some

For the first time since I started writing this blog I'll break the "vintage only" rule and help Sen. George Mitchell write page 410 of his "Report to the Commissioner of Baseball of an Independent Investigation into the Illegal Use of Steroids and Other Performance Enhancing Substances by Players in Major League Baseball"  A.K.A. "The Mitchell Report".

Sorting my collection and taking pics (I dont have a scanner) of my cards I found this:

 

• First thing:
  

Brian McNamee didn't send me this card. I actually own one copy. 

What did Topps Kids 1992 knew about all this mess? 

How did they came up with the "idea, just an idea" of this HGH version of Clemens?

Dave "underrated" Parker

What ta hell is The Cobra doing out of Baseball HOF? 

Can someone please tell me how in the world did Jim Rice got in with 412 votes and Parker just got 81?????? 

Just FYI you voters, Dave has more runs, hits, doubles, RBI's, SB, BB, gold gloves, silver sluggers, and batting titles than Jim (please don't tell me Dave had more at bats cause I don't care).

Don't get me wrong Bsox fans cause I can yell the same rant about why Lee Smith, Jack Morris, Alan Trammel also got more votes than Dave.

Doesn't having a baseball card hugging Richard Gere a.k.a Gary Carter counts?

 What about wearing that "lovely" vintage Pirates cap:

Anyway, here's the rest of my PC:

George Howard Brett

These Brett's need no intro and were part of the biggest vintage lot I've ever purchased. There were Ryan's, Ripken's, Murray's, Parker's and many other great stars but only a 1971 Ryan felt better than these 4 Brett's. All of them stacked in a shoe box IN A LIBRARY VINTAGE STORE!! A LIBRARY!!

My second Marichal on the way, and he's not alone

Today I feel like talking about the best Dominican pitcher who has ever thrown from a MLB mound and our only HOF so far, none other that Juan Marichal. During my FMA I've been able to pick only 1 card from " el Monstruo de Laguna Verde" (The Green Lagoon Monster) town where he was born. 

Don Juan is not a difficult person to spot here in the DR and he happens to be a nice guy. A couple of years ago he served as Sports Minister for the country but that's another story. 

You wouldn't imagine Mr. Barry Bonds coming to the DR for Marichal's charity golf tournament every single year but even BB never skips this event. 

Yesterday I purchased on Fleabay my 2nd Marichal car and guess what, he's not coming home alone because his long time rival W. Spahn will be joining. I'll blog about it next week when the baby has been delivered.

Vintage knees

What's the rocket science behind the sacred baseball guideline that dictates: "the fattest and chubby kid among your group of friends will always be catching"?

During my lifetime, catchers have never been among my favorite players; Gary Carter, Mickey Tettleton don't make the cut and not even older legends like Bench, Fisk and Munson. They all have my respect as a baseball enthusiast but that's about it. 

So far, the only one I collect from time to time is Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez of whom I even own 2 PSA graded RC bought on fleabay. But I'm already starting to cheer for Mauer, Saltalamacchia and McCann if they keep representing because you do have to be a tough guy to sit behind the plate for so long. It took me a long time but after washing my dog on my knees for 12 minutes, I love first base more than ever. 

Anyway, here are some pics from my PC and according to my Fisk Topps 1973, his nickname is "Pudge" which I thought was a registered trademark for I-Rod