2021 National Signer - Mike Piazza

The signers list this year at the National was kind of light.  I think it was because they weren't sure about the event even happening until June 1, then Tristar had to scramble to get guys lined up.  Even past free signers like Marty Cordova were on the paid list this year.  Still, there were a few guys I needed for my Hall of Fame collection.  Speaking of, the collection has been neglected lately with the signed 1987 Topps set taking up a lot of my time.  I picked a couple guys off of the list who I still needed; and I missed one that I thought I had (Larry Walker).

I paid the fee to meet Mike Piazza, and got him on this baseball Saturday at the show.  He was really cool; we talked about him getting in trouble with Axl Rose years ago when Piazza leaked some new GNR music to an LA radio station.  I had asked Piazza if he had any new ones he could leak for me, since I'm a huge fan, and he said "Man, I got into so much trouble over that..."  I said "With who, Axl?  Did you make him angry?" and Mike replied "Well, when is he not angry?"  That was a cool shared moment right there, albeit brief, since we were moving through the line quickly.

Piazza (b. 1968) played in the majors from 1992 to 2007 for the Dodgers, Marlins, Mets, Padres and A's.  He had 2,172 hits, 427 home runs and a .308 batting average.  He was the 1993 NL Rookie of the Year and a 12-time All Star (1993 to 2002, 2004 and 2005).  His best MVP finish was 2nd (NL, 1996 and 1997).  He was a 10-time Silver Slugger Award winner, as well.  Remarkable, he hit over .300 9 times in his career.  His .308 batting average ranks 126th all-time and his home runs rank 51st.

Piazza was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2016, his 4th time on the ballot.  He is my 152nd Hall of Famer on a baseball, and the first that I have added since October of 2020.  Glad to cross a new name off of the list.

TTM Success - Mike Piazza

Yeah, not the Mike Piazza you were thinking, but still a nice TTM.  This Mike Piazza didn't get out of the minors, but still signs, which is nice.  The 2013 Pro Debut that he signed turned out really well.  I didn't open many packs of 13 Pro Debut, and I found this card in a box of random stuff at the LCS, but it was still nice to add this to my album.

Piazza (b. 1986) is a distant relative to Hall of Famer, Mike Piazza.  He was a player in the Angels and Rockies systems from 2009 to 2014.  He had a career record in the minors of 14-19 with 339 strike outs and a 3.45 ERA.

I mailed to Piazza on June 10 and got the card back signed on June 20, for a 10-day TAT.

Welcome The Two Newest Members of the Hall of Fame

Today is one of my favorite days of the year, the day when the BBWAA announces the newest members to be enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

While I had hoped that four names would be announced, only two made it this year.  It was a foregone conclusion that Ken Griffey, Jr. would make it on his first try.  He will be joined in Cooperstown by former slugger, Mike Piazza.

Jeff Bagwell and Tim Raines narrowly missed the cut, so it is highly likely that those two will be among the group called next year.

I had hoped that Bagwell would make it, since I already have a baseball signed by him; it would have made my HOF total go up.  I had a chance to pick up a Griffey at the National for a ridiculous price, but I passed because I felt it was too good to be true.

With tonight's announcement, that gives me two more guys I can pursue for my collection, which is nice.  This beats the Veterans Committee (or whatever they are calling it these days) because those guys are a lot harder to find.

Griffey received the highest voting percentage in history, with 99.3% after being named on all but 3 ballots.  He breaks the record that was held by Tom Seaver who had 98.84% in 1992.  I want to know who the three idiots are that felt that Griffey wasn't a Hall of Famer.

Next year, Bagwell and Raines will be on the ballot along with newcomers Vladimir Guerrero, Ivan Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez.  I'm interested in seeing what happens with Ramirez, since he was pegged twice for PED use.  Ivan Rodriguez is a Hall of Famer in my mind, but he was named in Jose Canseco's book as a user and deflated once MLB started testing.  I would like to see him get in, but we shall see.

Overall, I am please with how the vote turned out today.  I'm glad the BBWAA took votes away from folks (about 100).  I think they should continue to do so to the people who use the voting process as a means for attention.  I think the changes made to the process, though, have worked.  You're still seeing the right guys get in, I feel.  There are a few over the last several years that I kind of question (Larkin being the most obvious one), but in the end, I like the process.

Trade with The Brooklyn Met

 I completed a trade recently with 'The Brooklyn Met' who writes Clear Cut Cards.  I sent him some Cubs and Mets from 2011 Topps Update Series in exchange for some Orioles and a few assorted Mike Piazzas.

The above Piazza comes from 1995 Topps and is a pretty cool shot.  It looks like it came from spring training, based on the activity going on behind Piazza.  I like the clouds forming behind him.

 Here is a 1995 Upper Deck Piazza.  I like the shot of the catcher's mask.  I've always thought catcher's mask shots were pretty cool.  Another good one being Ramon Hernandez out of 2009 Topps.

 Here is a 1995 Topps card showing the 1994 All Star shortstops, Cal Ripken and... Wil Cordero?  Where was Ozzie Smith?  I would have never guessed Cordero as starting shortstop on any All Star team, but 1994 was the year in which the Expos were very good and just might have won a World Series, had that pesky work stoppage not happened....

Among all the Orioles stuff was this awesomely blue Gypsy Queen of Brian Matusz.  I think the card scans very well and looks pretty sharp.  I sure hope Matusz has a bounce back year for the Orioles next year.  We'll see. 

So, thanks for the trade, Jason.  I'll be sure to put more Cubs and Mets aside for you in the future so we can do this again.

That being said, I don't think I trade enough.  If anyone out there wants to try a trade, let me know.  Shoot me an email of the team(s) you like and I'll send you something in exchange for some Orioles or other players that I like.  I definitely need to get more mail in my mailbox.

Hidden in my Collection - 1973 Topps Willie Mays

As far as I know, this is the third different Willie Mays card that I have in my collection. I have his 1955 Topps, 1962 Topps and this one. I think. Maybe. You see, this is one of the huge drawbacks with moving from a 2-story house to a 2-bedroom apartment, you kind of lose track of where you have things stored. Anyway, I have another copy of this card in my 1973 Topps set, which I completed maybe 2 years ago. Seems like forever ago.

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I really like this card, not because the '73 set is a favorite of mine. Lets face it, it is not the best looking set that was produced, I'd even rank it in the bottom 10 of Topps flagship offerings. The set is good in that you can get Mike Schmidt's rookie card, and the above shown Willie Mays, which is his last Topps Flagship card.

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We all know and love Mays as a Giant. He won the World Series with the Giants in 1954 and moved west with them to San Francisco after the 1957 season. This card, to me, could be a shining example of a player who may have held on too long. I'm a huge fan of identifying a player with one team (Gehrig with the Yankees; Ted Williams with the Red Sox; Brooks Robinson with the Orioles), but it is always strange to me seeing some of the legendary players' last (or close to last) cards which feature them in a different uniform. I had no idea until I looked at his stats that Frank Robinson played a season for the Dodgers. How many of you remember that Mike Piazza played 8 games for the Marlins? Or that Hank Aaron finished his career as a Brewer?

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The look on Mays' face on this card tells a story as well. If you look, you don't see the face of the Giant amongst men who amazed the masses in Center Field at the Polo Grounds or Candlestick Park. You see the face of a man who is just about done. Holding on for one more season as the glory days of the past fade. I see the face of a man who knows that his time in the game is just about through.

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I really like this card. It is by far one of my favorites, because I can look at the card and Willie Mays' weathered face; the odd-looking uniform and see much more than a guy holding a bat. The card and the photo depicted on the front tells an awesome story.