Open For Business

Pic Link: Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers 2009

The season is just about to start. Pitchers and catchers have reported. The smell of Spring is in the air. Our temporary respite has ended as the glory of Summer begins anew.

Rare Card Found by California Couple Now on Auction

As I'm sure most of you have heard, a California couple found a rare 1869 Peck & Snyder Cincinnati Red Stockings trade card that they tried to sell on eBay. As the flurry of inquiries mounted they yanked it off the online auction house and went on a national tour to show it off; including a stop at Jay Leno's tv set.

Well, they have finally consigned the card to Memory Lane Auctions and it is currently available for sale in their auction. Go here to check it out. At the time of this post it is already at $31,573.00 with over 4 days remaining.

Boras Speaks About Manny

I don't like this guy one bit.

Video Link: ESPN:
Hat Tip: underdog from Dodger Thoughts:

Dodgers Make New Offer to Manny

The Dodgers have made a new offer to give Manny some options. He has been offered

"a one-year, $25 million offer Monday, according to a baseball source, a substantial departure from the two-year, $45 million offer they extended in November at the general manager meetings."

He can't say he feels unloved now. Colletti has decided to bid against himself.

Blog Kiosk: 2/1/2009

The Game I Love

The days I miss of the game I love,
early Spring, my Mazeroski glove,

-John McCluskey (read the rest of the poem here)

• A Must Have for Any Dodger Fan! Jon Weisman, proprietor of the Dodger Thoughts blog, has just written a book that should be coming out soon. It is called "100 Things Dodgers Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die."
• On Saturday, February 7th check out these Baseball themed fundraisers to benefit the surviving members of the Ortega Family- they were involved in the Christmas Eve slayings in Covina. It includes a Baseball camp in Ontario and a University of La Verne alumni game in Upland.
  
• Tommy Lasorda has had a very busy Winter. Check out his blog to read all about it.
  
• Dinged Corners discovers the Dodgers 100th Anniversary Baseball card set from 1990 that was made by Target. I've been meaning to get this set for years, but, for whatever reason, have never gotten it. It consist of 1144 cards and features every player to ever wear a Dodger uniform.
• The father of Reflections of Blue reminisces about the early days of the Dodgers in Los Angeles. Go check out his vintage fan pictures from Fan Appreciation Day.
  
• Both Upper Deck and Topps lose their license to produce NBA Basketball cards. Now, Panini, an Italian company and maker of sports sticker albums, will be the lone producer of officially licensed NBA Basketball cards. This seems to be a major blow for the two American companies. Look out though, Panini may be working on making a big splash in the American collector market.
  

  The NBA have had two substantial Trading Card producers involved as their licensees over recent years but from the new 2009/10 season Panini will take worldwide responsibility for Trading Cards and Sticker Album collectibles on an Exclusive basis.

  In the USA Panini will create a program of activity which will focus attention on the NBA brand through an unprecedented Marketing Campaign which will re-create the domestic trading card market. To enable this strategy Panini is proud to announce that a new subsidiary business will be set up immediately entitled "Panini America, Inc".

• The Baseball Hall of Fame has been featuring some great items within their collection in their weekly emails. I would highly suggest getting on their mailing list. This week they tell us about a pre-Civil War homemade Baseball.

  J.J. idolized his brother and kept the baseball. He wrote on it: "This Ball was made by David Edgerton Wheeler the last one he made and used the last term of school he attended."

  Hart believes the ball was made in 1859, when David finished eighth grade in his one-room country school. It is the only artifact in Hart's collection that David made.

• The rivalry doesn't die because of snow. Taken at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. (Hat Tip:Home Run Derby)
• FBI is watching for autograph forgers.

  “The system of buying and selling over the Internet depends on trust,” said acting U.S. Attorney Laurie Magid. “This defendant abused that trust to enrich himself. Hundreds of collectors thought they were purchasing valuable books bearing the signatures of renowned authors. In reality, their appreciation for the book or the author was being exploited to satisfy one man’s greed.”

Manny Gets Another Offer

After all of the rumors, the suspected other suitor for Manny is not who you might expect. The Worchester Tornadoes of the Can Am League have made a contract offer to Manny.

The Worcester Tornadoes Professional Baseball Team has offered a contract to free agent outfielder Manny Ramirez for two years worth $24,000. The deal would pay the 12-time Major League Baseball All-Star approximately $3,000 during each month of the Can-Am Baseball Season. Unlike Major League Baseball, the Can-Am League operates with a salary cap, and the deal for Ramirez would be on par with other veterans in the league.

I guess all of the vitriol aimed at Boras for being a suspected liar has been unfair. He really is talking to another team.

Pic Link: wahleworld.com:

Tornadoes personnel express some optimism.

“I feel Manny would really enjoy playing in Worcester and hitting in our ballpark. Although I would be concerned about the cars traveling on I-290 during his at bats, it’s a risk worth taking,” said General Manager, Jorg Bassiacos. Director of Player Personnel Brad Michals added, "Manny certainly has the stats to be amongst the leaders of the league next season. Although issues regarding health have surrounded him in the past, I think he will find that the shorter schedule will boost his performance to a new level and serve as the ultimate showcase for his natural skill."

Hat Tip: LA Times: