Mail From Cam

I got a package in the mail the other day from Cam over at "The Bullpen Cardboard".  He is a nice kid whom I have traded with on occasion.  He got wrapped up in school, so this package was some 3-4 months in the making, but that wasn't too big a deal to me.

Cam sent me a bunch of early to mid 90s Oriole cards.  One of which was this 1991 Topps Billy Ripken.  1991 Topps doesn't get the praise it deserves in the annals of Topps history.  The 2009 set (where Topps vastly improved their photo quality) appeared to be a throwback to the 1991 set; a minimalistic border and fantastic photos and action shots.  I really like the 1991 set.  I might build it again, just for fun, since I see 1991 boxes all over the place, and cheap!

Cam was nice enough to include a Bowman Chrome blue parallel of Tim Lincecum for my son, Chris.  It is too bad that Timmy is having such a terrible year.  Chris doesn't quite understand that, yet, but even if he did, I doubt he would leave as a Timmy fan.

Finally, Cam included this 2000 Topps Alex Gordon auto.  No, not THAT Alex Gordon.  This Alex Gordon was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Orioles in 1998 at the age of 18.  He displayed decent power potential in the minors hitting 54 homers in 356 minor league games.  He never got any higher than High A ball before his career ended in 2004.  I wonder what he is up to now?

Thanks for the package Cam!  I mailed something off to you today.

June 24, 2012 Frederick Keys Vs Carolina Mudcats

My son Chris and I decided to make the hour drive to Zebulon, NC to try to get Dylan Bundy's autograph.  We also wanted to catch our second minor league game of the year.

We had no problem meeting Bundy; Steven Bumbry made sure I knew when Bundy was on his way out.  I also feel like Bumbry told Bundy we were waiting for him.  Bumbry also helped me in 2010 by sending Matt Hobgood out to meet me when I was looking for him by the bus in Greensboro.  I think I owe Steven something, haha.

Bundy was really nice to Chris and I.  He signed both of our baseballs on the sweet spot.  Bundy also signed Chris' team ball.

I was upset when the Kinston Indians left town and moved to Zebulon to take the place of the AA Mudcats who moved to Pensacola, FL.  Get all that?  Kinston was left without a team for the first time in forever, and I am left to having to drive an hour to watch some minor league ball.  I pretty much have 5 Coutny Stadium figured out, as far as which seats to get and have the best chance at getting autos, however, nothing will replace the nostalgia and feel of historic Grainger Stadium in Kinston.  Man, I hope they find a team soon.

 The Keys won, 5-0.  Keys pitcher Tyler Wilson threw 7 innings of 3-hit ball and the Keys' Aaron Baker (obtained by the Orioles in the Derrick Lee trade from the Pirates last year) hit a 3-run home run in the top of the 6th.

Here is Chris after running the bases with the bat that was given to him by Keys player Garabez Rosa.  Rosa just walked up to Chris and handed him a bat.

Here is my ball that was signed by Dylan Bundy.  This is definitely going in a protected cube in the china cabinet.  I've got all of the Orioles' #1 draft picks dating back to 2003 (Nick Markakis).  Since the Orioles didn't sign Wade Townsend in 2004, I don't count him, but after that, I have them all (of course I haven't gotten Kevin Gausman yet, since he hasn't signed).

Here is Chris' team ball.  He had it signed by 15 Keys players.  I'm going to put this ball up for him along with a copy of the roster so he will know who alll signed the ball for him.

Here is Chris waiting for players to walk by so he can have his ball signed.  We waited out the heat and spoke with a bunch of the players.  He high fived a lot of them and got some free stuff.  Chris said that he enjoyed his day out with his daddy, so that was the most important part of all.

June 23, 2012 Trip to The Card Shop

My son and I went to the Kinston card shop today, mainly because it had been since April since I had been there and I thought I'd see if he had anything new.  I was able to find some good stuff for myself and some of my friends (Andrew, Drew, Scott, Nick, Dustin).  One of the best cards I found, for a mere 5 bucks, was this Jason Hammel 2005 Leaf Limited auto.

Hammel is having an awesome season so far, and to be able to add this sweet auto was really nice today.  I didn't even realize until I got home and was showing it to Andrew on Skype that the card is numbered 1/50.  Very nice!

I found this 1981 Fleer Jim Palmer in the 50 cent box.  The card is off center, but I don't care.  It is a Palmer that I didn't have, so I grabbed it.

I really liked this 2008 Donruss Threads Joe Jackson.  You don't see Shoeless Joe card a whole lot, so I picked this one up, especially since I am reading Eight Men Out right now.

The fellow who runs the shop gave me 2 copies of this Frank Robinson Home Run Heroes card.  I had hoped it would be Frank in an Orioles uniform, but oh well.  It is still a Frank card, and I'll take it.  Plus it was free.

Finally, I added this 2012 Topps Tribute Eddie Murray that is numbered out of 199; I believe it is the blue parallel.  Just a nice card.  I always enjoy Topps Tribute, so I had to grab this Murray when I saw it.

I hope you all enjoyed seeing these cards.  The shop has a nice bit of relics and autos fairly cheap.  I have packages ready to mail Dustin, Nick, Andrew and Cam, so you guys will have those headed your way on Monday.  Tomorrow, I hope to post about a trip to see the Mudcats play the Keys, weather permitting.

Get Well Soon Nolan!

Orioles outfielder and one of my favorite players ever, Nolan Reimold, is set to undergo surgery to remove the bulging disc in his neck that is pressing on a nerve.  The issue has sidelined Nolan for a long time with numbness and tingling in his fingers and a loss of strength.

The surgery is pretty much the same as the one that NFL star Peyton Manning underwent last year.  There is a possibility that Nolan could be back by the end of the season (just in time to help the Orioles in the playoffs :) ).

Nolan reads this blog from time to time, so feel free to leave some well wishes to an all around great guy.  Good luck Nolan, I hope you come through ok and get better!

TTM Success - Bill Virdon

I got my 61st TTM success when I got home from work yesterday.  I would have posted it then, but I had been up since 4AM, so I decided to be lazy and put it off a day.

Bill Virdon (b. 1931) played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates from 1955 to 1965 and 1968 amassing 1,596 hits, 91 home runs and a .267 batting average.  He won the World Series with the Pirates in 1960 and also took home the 1955 NL Rookie of the Year award.

I mailed to Virdon on June 13, 2012 and got my ball back signed yesterday, June 20, 2012.  That made him a 7-day TAT.  He signed the ball for free. 

I've gotten several signed balls from members of the 1960 World Series Champion Pirates:  Dick Groat, Vern Law, Bob Skinner and Bill Virdon as TTM successes, and Bill Mazeroski as one of my Hall of Fame signed baseballs (got that one in a trade, along with Don Drysdale for a 3 piece, auto Albert Pujols card).  I also have Virgil Trucks, of course, who was one of the coaches for that team.

TTM Success - Vern Law

After a long day of work, I came home to a nice padded mailer in my mailbox which could only mean that I had a TTM waiting for me.  Inside my package was this ball, signed by former Pirate pitcher, Vern Law.

Law (b. 1930) played from 1950, 51, 54-67 all for the Pirates.  He won the Cy Young Award in 1960, when only one award was handed out, instead of one per league as it is now.  He also won the World Series with the Pirates that same year.  Law retired with a record of 162-147, 1,092 strikeouts and a 3.77 ERA.

Law is my 60th TTM success.  I mailed to him on June 13 and got my ball back signed today (June 19) making him a 6-day TAT.  He charges a fee of $8.00 for a signature on a ball, which I feel is well worth it.

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all you Dads out there.  I was lucky enough to become a father on November 18, 2005 to the best little boy in the world.

I have spent the weekend hanging out with him; he had his first non-family member sleep over when his friend Nikolas came and slept over Friday night.  Then, I took the boy to Aurora, NC to dig for shark's teeth yesterday.  Finally, last night, Chris and I watched the Orioles one-hit shutout of the Braves, followed by a scary movie.  What a nice weekend.  Would have been even better if my wife was able to get off of work, but she was able to relax while we were out yesterday, treating herself to a movie.  Now, the three of us are going to grill out (it is a beautiful day outside).  I hope you all have had a great weekend, as well.