Happy New Years!

May the New Year be filled happiness, joy and a championship.


YouTube Link: supARGH: The 2009 Australian Celebration!

Hunt Auctions: New Years Auction

The New Year means new auctions and Hunt is here to please. They are currently running one of this coming years earliest auctions that will close a bit over 2 weeks into 2009.

Below is a great vintage National League Baseball that celebrates the leagues 50th anniversary. Unfortunately, this offering only includes one of two Baseballs that were given away as presentation gifts to VIP's. The ball below has photos of 4 of the 8 previous National League Presidents which is displayed on a mahogany plaque. The league was founded on February 2, 1876. This ball comes from the estate of former NL President Charles Feeney.

Auction Link: 1926 Golden Anniversary NL Ball:

It's 1957 and you are a 10 year old kid. You stroll down the aisle with your fingers rubbing against boxes of gum, toys and comic books. Then, you catch a glimpse of the object of your desire. Hanging on a rack are Baseball cards safely displayed in a Mylar pack. Mom looks lovingly as she watches the exuberance of her young child pointing to the cards. It's the perfect stocking stuffer.

Below is a unopened 1957 Topps Christmas rack pack with Dodger fire-baller Don Drysdale, should-be Hall of Famer Gil Hodges and the Brooklyn Dodgers team card on front. These rack packs were not manufactured by Topps, but by an outside company. No doubt to take advantage of the holidays. How this pack survived unopened after all of these years, I will never know? All I do know is that if I were to win this I could not help from opening it up.

Auction Link: 1957 Christmas Rack Pack- Drysdale:

Below is a fairly simple Dodger memorabilia item. It is a circa 1960's LA Dodgers silk handkerchief.

Auction Link: Scarf:

Any child would be proud to wear this. Below is c.1950's souvenir Brooklyn Dodgers children's t-shirt. Possibly sold at the stadium or near Ebbetts Field, it still has its' original tags.

Auction Link: 1950's Souvenir Child's Shirt:

Welcome Back to the Table

Colletti's little ruse to court Dunn and Abreau appears to have paid some dividends. Manny's agent has gotten a hold of the Dodgers to re-open discussion.

Scott Boras... said he contacted the Dodgers Tuesday, one day after General Manager Ned Colletti told The Times that Ramirez remained "our first choice." The Times also reported the Dodgers had begun exploring possible alternatives in Bobby Abreu and Adam Dunn.

Just sign already, Manny. It's not like the Dodgers low-balled you. The two year $45 million contract offer was more than fair.

New Years Questions From Dinged Corners

I guess Dinged Corners recent post asking some New Years Questions for hobbyist has turned into a unofficial Blog Bat Around. Below are my answers.

Round I
1. If I didn't collect Baseball cards, I'd collect _________.

• My first inclination was to say memorabilia or autographs, but those items are really in the same class as Baseball cards. So, my answer would probably have to be coins or, maybe, toys. I'm a collecting pack rat at heart.
  

2. My baseball heroes include one you probably wouldn't know from my blog or comments, and that person is __________.

• Robin Yount. He ranks as one of my all-time favorite players. In fact, as a kid I had my collection of Dodger stuff, but Yount was the only individual player I collected. It all started in little league as the Brewers became the first team I played for. As a result, I naturally wanted to find out everything about the Milwaukee Brewers, and back in the early to mid 80's they were a colorful bunch. The team was filled with characters like Cecil Cooper, Ben Oglivie, Moose Haas, Gorman Thomas and future Hall of Famer Paul Molitor. The leader of this motley crew was Robin Yount. He was a scrappy blue-collar type of player with big hair and a mustache. He exuded hard work and leadership- all qualities I gravitated towards.

3. Every New Years I resolve to ____________ my collection.

• Every year I tell myself that I will organize and then sell/trade off things I no longer want. Somehow, I never find the time.

4. If I could spend a day with one person from baseball history, it would be ________.

• If I had my choice to spend some time with one person from Baseball history it would be Branch Rickey. He was the former Dodger GM who signed Jackie Robinson that ushered in a new beginning for Baseball. Mr. Rickey bucked society by doing what he knew was right. On top of that, his past experiences show this consistent view towards his fellow men. Check out this previous post to see what I mean. An iconoclast like that is a man I can learn a lot from.

Round II
1. What is your favorite kind of dog?

• My favorite dog is a Shepard/ Chow mix. In fact, her name is Miko and she has been with me for over 10 years now.
  

2. Who is your favorite baseball player?

• In terms of a current ballplayer I would have to say Andre Ethier.
  

3. What is your favorite team?

• This answer took no thought at all- The Dodgers!
  

4. What is your favorite baseball movie?

• Bull Durham.
  

5. What is your favorite baseball book?

• The Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn.
  

6. What is your favorite card?

• My favorite card is my reprinted 1950 Toleteros Cuban card of Negro League star and Hall of Famer Josh Gibson. Why, you ask? Well, one of these days I will have a real one in my collection.
  

Dunn in the Outfield?

Since Manny prefers to wait, the Dodger decide that they can't let time waste away. They have apparently made calls about slugger (and strike out machine) Adam Dunn.

The Dodgers contacted Dunn's agent, Greg Genske, over the holidays, according to an executive of a team interested in Dunn... The Dodgers, meanwhile, need to infuse power into a lineup that finished 14th in the National League in home runs last season. And with no certainty that they can re-sign Ramirez, they seem to have decided that Dunn represents their best alternative... Dunn also would require no draft-pick compensation because his former team, Arizona, didn't offer him arbitration.

I like his power, but fear his gift at striking out.

Pic Link: The Nasty Boys:

UPDATE:
I also found a website that is running their 2nd Annual Douchie Awards and Brad Penny is in the running for a prize. Penny had emptied out his locker at Dodger Stadium and disappeared without telling a soul before the playoffs started this past October. What a Douche! Go here to check it out and vote.

UPDATE II:
In some additional free agency news, Bobby Abreu appears to be in our sights as well and the Mets are thinking trade for Andruw Jones.

Blog Kiosk: 12/28/2008

The cold weather has me longing for the days of Summer.

• Josh Rawitch of the Inside the Dodgers blog shares an early sneek peek photo of the new Dodger Spring Training stadium in Arizona.
• I would love to get this card. Topps is producing a 1 of 1 dual autograph card featuring both Jackie Robinson and Barack Obama in its upcoming American Heritage set. (Hat Tip: The Beckett Blog)
  
• Your right Passan, it is embarrassing.

  The United States should win the WBC. Of the 1,188 players who played in a major league game last season, 864 were born in the United States. That’s nearly 73 percent. To have an almost three-quarters monopoly on talent in the best league in the world and not cruise to victory is embarrassing.

• Speaking of embarrassing, Andruw Jones is playing in the Dominican Winter Leagues and he still can't hit. On the positive side he looks more fit. (Hat Tip: 6-4-2)

  Jones is hitting .188 through five games with three singles and eight strikeouts in 16 at-bats. Jones has twice struck out three times in a game and has yet to collect more hits than strikeouts in the same game.

• Chris Jaffe of The Hardball Times really dislikes Garvey. So much so, he titles his story "Hitler. Stalin. Garvey." Now that's harsh. (Hat Tip: MSTI)
  
• Wow. Erin at Robots Took My Medicine had a spectacular day at Dodger Stadium recently. She stepped on the mound, slid into second base, got photos with Tommy (Lasorda) Claus and got some autographs. On top of that, there were bobbleheads and other stuff available at discount prices. I'm envious.
  
• The 1983 Fleer Project gets another autographed Dodger card for their collection.
• REA is offering a $1 Million reward if all 9 T206 Joe Doyle, N.Y. Nat'l, error cards (the non-error only says "Doyle, N.Y." on the bottom) graded by PSA are found. They seem pretty confident that PSA's population report is wrong and that this card is much rarer than the hobby thinks.