Upper Deck's SP Signature Really is a Failure

I think the collector blogoshpere has been loud and clear about this product.   Upper Deck's 2012 SP Signature Baseball is a dog.  I've read plenty of complaints, and don't disagree with any of them.  In fact, I want to add another criticism.

Check out the card above that is for sale on eBay.  It is a Pittsburgh Pirates Prospect autographed card of pitcher Dinesh Patel, and it should not exist in this or any other future Baseball card set.

You see, Dinesh Patel is effectively out of the game, and as far as I know is now living in India- a Baseball hotbed.  He, along with Rinku Singh won a reality show contest in India called "The Million Dollar Arm".  This show was an attempt to find raw talent in a country where Baseball is totally foreign.  Eventually, both game show winners won contracts within the Pirates organization.  Rinku thrived (and still pitches in their system today) while Dinesh was released in 2010 and went home.

As a novelty card I could be happy with Patel's autograph, but as a prospect card I find it insulting.  What is Upper Deck trying to do here?

-----------------------

Anyway, I read another commentary on the set at Pack War and suddenly became enthralled with a custom card Corky made at the end of his post.  He wonders aloud, "what if."

What if they added photos to the cards?

So, he made his own Edgar Martinez card by taking out the center portion of the card and inserting  his own photo.  All in one swoop, Corky turned something ugly into something desirable.  It was like watching the ugly duckling bloom into a princess.

I had to do the same thing myself.  Check out the Ron Cey autographed card I made below.  I love how the B&W photo gives the card a more distinguished look.

Here is a Chad Billingsley card I made using a Jon SooHoo photograph.  I thought this one turned out really nice.

I am really proud of these next two cards.  I tracked down the Kemp and Ethier autographed cards and inserted a photo that features both of them.  It's almost like a puzzle card.  Put them together, side-by-side, to make one large horizontal card.

Behind-The-Scenes: Matt Kemp for Forbes

Remember that Forbes magazine cover from April featuring Matt Kemp? 

Well, photographer Robert Gallagher just shared a "Behind the Scenes" video of the Kemp photo shoot.  Check it out below.

Video Link:

eBay: Vintage Frank Howard Dodgers Pin

I thought I would start this All-Star Game week with this vintage 1960's era pinback of former Dodger Frank Howard.  He won the Rookie of the Year as a Dodger in 1960, but never earned an All-Star nod as a Dodger.  Instead, he became a 4-time All-Star selection as a member of the Washington Senators from 1968 to 1971.  For the first three years he was on the starting lineup.

This style of concession sold memorabilia is rare and tough to come by.  It sold for an impressive $162.59 on eBay- even with a ribbon that is frayed.

(eBay Auction Link)

Sunday Dodgers Videos:

Here are Sundays Dodgers Videos.

Pep Fernandez of the Press Enterprise reports on Matt Kemp's first day of rehab with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes earlier this week.

Video Link:

Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers and Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers designed Custom Gloves that will be used by teams in the 2012 Celebrity and Legends Softball Game in Kansas City.

Video Link:

Mick Gillispie of the Smokies Radio Network interviews Baseball Hall of Famer and Los Angeles Dodgers ambassador Tommy Lasorda in Chattanoga, Tenn., on July 3, 2012.

Video Link:

Hello Kitty and the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated Japan Night on Sunday, July 1 at Dodger Stadium.

Video Link:

In case you missed it, check out the 2012 Dodgers Fourth of July Firework show.

Video Link:

Dodgers Blog Kiosk: 7/7/2012

Here's a pic from Charlie Sheen as he takes in a Dodgers game earlier this week, via twitter @charliesheen.

"The hottest part of the night. Dodgers put it on my Reds tonight. well done blu crew. Jobu needed to wake up bats"

• Welcome home, Roberto!
• Vote for Greg!  Greg Zakwin of the "Plaschke, Thy Sweater is Argyle" blog is one of 3 finalist to win an autographed Sandy Koufax Topps Tier One Baseball card.  Beckett blog pulled one in a video break and was running a contest to see which one of its readers gets to take it home.  They are down to 3 contestants. 
• At Dodger Thoughts John Klima writes about , "The Untold Saga of the Milwaukee- Brooklyn Rivalry".

I wanted to introduce Jon’s readers to the greatest rivalry they don’t know about – that of the Dodgers and the Milwaukee Braves. And the book lets it be known that the Braves’ move from Boston to Milwaukee in 1953 paved the way for the Dodgers and those guys up North I am smart enough not to mention by name on a Dodger blog, to change cities.

• Kemp sounds like he is on track.  Bill Skaikin shares a quote from Matt in a recent story.

"It's not sore when I wake up in the morning," Kemp said. "It feels just like a regular old leg, thank God."

• This is the best post ever!  Erik Malinowski of Deadspin has an animated gallery of every MLB umpire's strike three call.  Check it out here.
• Sons of Steve Garvey points to a great collection of story links on delicious focused on Dodgers draft picks from 2012.  Go here to see them all. 
• Tom Hoffarth at the Daily News speaks with old friend Nomar Garciaparra about his experience with Home Run Derby's and an ailing hamstring.

" I've been in a situation where I was on the DL going into the All Star Game back in '99, and I was scheduled to come off right after the game. So it was one where it was almost like my little rehab game being in that All Star Game. I also knew it was only going to be a few innings, and I was careful about it."

• Congratulations to Peter O'Malley and his group for winning the Padres. Via Ken Rosenthal at Fox Sports.

The deal — valued at $800 million, including $200 million for a portion of the team’s equity stake in Fox Sports San Diego — is pending approval by baseball and completion of contractual terms within the next two weeks, the source said.

New Video-- Between Two Palm Trees: All-Star Edition

The battery of Ellis and Kershaw come back with a brand new episode of "Between Two Palm Trees: the All-Star Edition".  This is the longest one yet.  It is almost 8 minutes long.

Video Link: