TTM Success - Fernando Valenzuela

Another private signing came along that helped me cross another big name off of my 1987 Topps list.  I already had the Fernando Valenzuela all star card, thanks to my good friend, Max, so I only needed to add this base card through the signing. 

The signing was very expensive but I now have both Valenzuela cards, and I can focus on other names now.

I mailed to the signing on November 3 and got the card back on December 18, for a 45-day TAT.

Christmas Gift From Max - Six 87s For The Set

My good friend, Max, hooked me up this Christmas with some tougher autos to cross off of my 1987 Topps checklist.  Max has helped me out so much with this set, and it is greatly appreciated.  I am getting closer and closer to my goal of having all of the cards signed.  I've even completed a few of the tougher team leaders cards.

Fernando Valenzuela is one of the tougher players to get from the set, and with 2 cards, that makes the effort doubled.  I'm glad I could cross one of these off of the list.

Valenzuela (b. 1960) played in the majors from 1980 to 1991 and 1993 to 1997 for the Dodgers, Angels, Orioles, Phillies, Padres and Cardinals.  He had a career record of 173-153 with 2,074 strike outs and a 3.54 ERA.  He was the NL Cy Young Award winner and NL Rookie of the Year in 1981.  He was an All Star six times (1981 to 1986) and was a 20-game winner in 1986.  His best MVP finish was 5th, in 1981.  He was a Silver Slugger Award winner in 1983.  He won the World Series in 1981 with the Dodgers.

Valenzuela appeared on the Hall of Fame ballot in 2003 and 2004, but received only a high of 6.2% in 2003 before falling under the 5% minimum in 2004.

Moose Haas (b. 1956) played in the majors from 1976 to 1987 for the Brewers and A's.  He had a career record of 100-83 with 853 strike outs and a 4.01 ERA.

Chuck Cary (b. 1960) played in the majors from 1985 to 1991 and 1993 for the Tigers, Braves, Yankees and White Sox.  He had a career record of 14-26 with 322 strike outs and a 4.17 ERA.

Thad Bosley (b. 1956) played in the majors from 1977 to 1990 for the Angels, White Sox, Brewers, Mariners, Cubs, Royals and Rangers.  He had 430 hits, 20 home runs and a .272 batting average.

Steve Yeager (b. 1948) played in the majors from 1972 to 1986 for the Dodgers and Mariners.  He had 816 hits, 102 home runs and a .228 batting average.  He won the World Series with the Dodgers in 1981 and was also the MVP of that World Series.  Yeager appeared on the 1992 Hall of Fame ballot, but received only 0.5% of the vote.

Ozzie Virgil (b. 1956) played in the majors from 1980 to 1990 for the Phillies, Braves and Blue Jays.  He had 549 hits, 98 home runs and a .243 batting average.  He was an All Star twice (1985 and 1987).  Virgil didn't appear in the World Series in 1980, which the Phillies won.

Thank you so much for the cards, Max!

I hope everyone has a great Christmas.  This year has been tough, but I am thankful for all of my friends and family.

Surprise Care Package From Adam K.

As my TTM success have been piling up (I got 10 successes yesterday, alone), I have also gotten a few care packages and trades in.  Adam K., who writes the blog "Infield Fly Rule" was nice enough to send me a care package of 90s Orioles.  The stack was pretty big, but I chose the above Fernando Valenzuela to show off.  A lot of people forget that Valenzuela pitched for the O's at the end of his career.  While it was a forgettable season for him, it still is pretty cool that he was an Oriole.

Thanks so much for the care package, Adam!  I appreciate it!

Recent Card Shop Pickup - 1981 Topps Perconte-Scioscia-Valenzuela RC

Ok, I'm guilty of something.  I bought this card several weeks ago and completely forgot about it.  I found it when I cleaned off my desk on Sunday.  That's not the only thing I'm guilty of.  I bought this card several weeks ago because I saw it as a Fernando Valenzuela RC.  I just realized not even a minute ago that this was also a Mike Scioscia RC.  It took me that long to even notice the other guys on the card.  Weird.  Anyway, yes, the real reason I bought this card was because it is a Fernando Valenzuela RC.

I got it at the Kinston card shop for a deal (the price sticker on the back says 2/$5 but I think he had a $1.00 each deal on those).  I feel like I got a steal on it.  I hardly ever hear anything about the 1981 set.  I mean, really.  When I was putting together the sets from the late 70s/early 80s, I flat out bought the 1981 set for $25.  It came in a binder and is still the only set (aside from my 52 card set of 1951 Topps Red Back) that resides in a binder.

You see, 1979 had the big RC of Ozzie Smith; 1980 had Rickey Henderson and 1982 had Cal Ripken.  1981 had Kirk Gibson and Valenzuela.  Great players in their time, but not Hall of Famers.  The 1981 design was actually really nice.  The hat with the team name and matching color.  I once bought a pack of 1981 Topps at a LCS in Winston-Salem in the mid 1990s because to me, it was an 'old' pack.  Inside that pack, I pulled a Kirk Gibson RC.  That card was lost over the years, but I replaced it not too long ago from another bargain bin.  However, I always had a soft spot for 1981 Topps.  I have even considered building that set, even though I already own a complete set.  Just for the thrill of piecing it together.  I don't know.  Maybe one day I will.

Valenzuela burst onto the scene in 1981 after appearing in 10 games in 1980.  He went 13-7 with a 2.48 ERA in '81 capturing the Rookie of the Year and NL Cy Young Awards.  Somehow, he also won the Silver Slugger award that year.  He wound up finishing 5th in the NL MVP balloting that year, too.  He won 21 games in 1986 (and also had 20 complete games!) and finished second in the NL Cy Young voting to Mike Scott.  Valenzuela finished his career in 1997 after playing 17 seasons in the majors.  He retired with a record of 173-153 with a 3.54 ERA and 2,074 strikeouts.  He was a member of the World Series Champion Dodgers in 1981 and 1988 (although he did not pitch in the 1988 postseason).

Speaking of postseason, Fernando went 5-1 with a 1.98 ERA in 9 postseason games (6 series).  That's pretty good!