Mailbag: A Don Zimmer Bargain

Man-O-Live! I've been nailing down some bargains on eBay recently.

Here is a 2004 Topps All-Time Fan Favorites autographed card of former Brooklyn Dodger Don Zimmer. I got for $2.99 delivered.

Blog Kiosk: 6/21/2011

From Tommy's Twitter feed. He writes, "I told 'em to keep their heads up. Self confidence is the 1st step to success. You gotta believe"

• Edgar visited Tony Gwynn Jr. at his free signing at St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store.
  
• Steve Dilbeck, at the LA Times, reports that McCourt may be looking to sell a minority stake of the team.
  
• Check out this story about Buck Duke, the rise of his tobacco empire and the cards he put in them at The Vintage Sportscards Blog.
  
• Bob Lemke makes a pre-rookie fantasy card of Gary Carter, using a 1974 Topps design.
  
• I just found this March Trader Crack's post featuring a bunch of Topps 2001 Series 1 sketch cards.
• Interested in seeing all of the "sparkle" cards within 2011 Topps Series 2? Then check out Craig's Baseball Card Collection site, here. (Hat Tip: abj610's)
  
• Tom Gordon and his son Dee talk about Baseball.

Video Link:

2011 Topps Series 2 Dodger Inserts

Following up on my post from yesterday featuring 2011 Topps Series 2 Dodger base cards, here are a bunch of the Dodger insert cards I received.

There are 4 different Dodgers in the Topps 60 Series 2 insert card. They are of Clayton Kershaw, Roy Campanella, Jackie Robinson and Sandy Koufax. Check them out below, both front and backs.
The below 5 mini cards are the nicest of them all. Here are all 5 Dodger Kimball Champions.
Here are a couple of Diamond Duos insert cards of a couple of Dodgers. I think that the comparison between Kershaw and Koufax is apt (time will tell, of course), but somehow comparing Kershaw with a Giant just doesn't sit well. Come on now, Madison Bumgarner? Really.

Rejected!

Per MLB Trade Rumors, MLB has told McCourt that the Fox deal will not be approved.

Dodgers owner Frank McCourt was notified today that MLB will not approve the 17-year television rights contract with Fox, reported Yahoo's Tim Brown. Bud Selig's decision comes as no surprise.

Now, McCourt's divorce settlement is off and the Dodgers are unlikely to meet payroll at the end of the month. If the Dodgers cannot meet their payroll obligation, MLB will seize and sell the Dodgers, though perhaps not without a legal battle from McCourt.

In celebration, check out this Academy Award Winning Best Animated Short Film by Don Hertzfedlt called Rejected.

YouTube Link:

UPDATE:

Hold on there. Bill Shaiken tweets that MLB has not notified McCourt of anything yet. Is this a valid leak or just a rumor that is starting to spread throughout the internet like wildfires?

UPDATE II:

I guess it is now official. Shaiken writes,

Selig rejected the contract on the first business day after the McCourts announced a settlement contingent upon approval of that contract.

Selig did not strip Frank McCourt of ownership of the Dodgers. However, McCourt has said for months that approval of the Fox contract was critical for the Dodgers' financial health.

It was not immediately clear whether Selig would publicly explain his decision. He had said earlier that he would withhold a decision pending an investigation into the Dodgers' finances and operations.

But Selig was said to be aghast over a provision in the divorce settlement that would divert almost half the immediate payment from that television contract for the benefit of the McCourts rather than for the benefit of the Dodgers.

I guess we are on to the next stage.

UPDATE III:

Here is the official Press Release from MLB.

"Pursuant to my authority as Commissioner, I have informed Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt today in a detailed letter that I cannot approve the club's proposed transaction with FOX. This decision was reached after a full and careful consideration of the terms of the proposed transaction and the club's current circumstances. It is my conclusion that this proposed transaction with FOX would not be in the best interests of the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise, the game of Baseball and the millions of loyal fans of this historic club.

"Mr. McCourt has been provided with an expansive analysis of my reasons for rejecting this proposed transaction. Critically, the transaction is structured to facilitate the further diversion of Dodgers assets for the personal needs of Mr. McCourt. Given the magnitude of the transaction, such a diversion of assets would have the effect of mortgaging the future of the franchise to the long-term detriment of the club and its fans.

"As I have said before, we owe it to the legion of loyal Dodger fans to ensure that this club is being operated properly now and will be guided appropriately in the future. This transaction would not accomplish these goals."

Thank you, Bud.

UPDATE IV:

Them are fightin' words! Here is a statement from McCourt's lawyers.

“We are extremely disappointed with the Commissioner’s rejection of the proposed FOX transaction which would inject $235 million into the Los Angeles Dodgers. As Commissioner Selig well knows, this transaction would make the Dodgers financially secure for the long term and one of the best capitalized teams in Major League Baseball.

“For weeks Major League Baseball has consistently made public pronouncements asserting that Jamie McCourt’s agreement of the Fox transaction also was needed; that the Court adjudicating the McCourt divorce grant its approval of the transaction; and the Dodger organization provide all data requested by Major League Baseball to satisfy the so-called investigation ordered by Commissioner Selig last April – the latter also being the excuse he gave at that time for delaying his approval of the proposed FOX transaction.

“All the requirements for the Commissioner to approve the FOX transaction were put in place by last Friday: Frank and Jamie McCourt entered into an agreement based on the proposed transaction; the Court ordered, among other things, that the FOX transaction is “in the best interest of the Los Angeles Dodgers and should be consummated immediately;” and all information requested by Major League Baseball under its so-called investigation has been provided by the Dodgers.

“Commissioner Selig’s letter of rejection is not only a disappointment, but worse, is potentially destructive to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Major League Baseball. Accordingly, we plan to explore vigorously our options and remedies with respect to Commissioner Selig’s rejection of the proposed FOX transaction and our commitment to protect the long-term best interests of the Los Angeles Dodgers.”

2011 Topps Series 2 Dodgers

I recently received my winnings from the case break I participated in through the "A Cardboard Problem" case break. Check out the Dodger base cards and various short prints below.

Here are the Dodger base cards in the Series 2 set.
Of the 9 cards above I really liked the card back from the Matt Kemp card. See it below. How can you go wrong with Duke Snider calling you a potential Hall of Famer, and considering the kind of season Kemp is having so far I think he is well on his way.
Here is the coolest Dodger base card. It is the Dodger team card featuring both Kemp and Andre Ethier with their Silver Slugger Awards.
This is the reverse of the Dodger team card.
In the Series 2 set there are 25 short prints of future and current Hall of Famers. I was fortunate to get the Sandy Koufax short print in the case break, but missed out on the other two Dodgers available- Pee Wee Reese and Duke Snider. I also received the Koufax Platinum Diamond Anniversary. See them both below.
Here is the back side of the Koufax card.
Other than the Platinum Diamond Anniversary parallel there are also a bunch of other parallels available; such as black border, platinum border, printing plates, canary diamond and gold border cards. Below is the gold border Hiroki Kuroda card I received.

A Topps Sketch Card Sneak Peak from Chuck Braud

Last week I featured a 2011 Topps Sketch Series 2 card of Sandy Koufax drawn by Baton Rouge artist Chuck Braud. It was his 1956 Topps card, and is up to nearly $200 on eBay. As a result of that post, he shared with me a couple more Dodger sketch cards he made for Topps that have yet to show up online. Check them out below.

Here is a 1960 Topps card drawing of Sandy Koufax.

(Pic Link)

Here is a really nice 1952 Topps card of Pee Wee Reese.

Thank you, Chuck, for passing these along.

(Pic Link)