Dodgers Blue Heaven

Thursday, January 22, 2009

eBay: More Dodger Rarities

I could probably spend hours a day searching through eBay. Just about everything you can imagine can be found there. Recently, I ran across some unusual items and have highlighted them below.

What a great vintage item. Below is a 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers Holiday card. It celebrates the Dodgers first World Championship and features a drawing of the championship ring and a photo of the team.

Written inside it provides important dates during the season and finishes on October 4th with the phrase "Thanksgiving Day Comes Early." At the time of this posting it was already up to $56.55 with 8 hours to go. (Update: It closed at an incredible price of $209.12)

EBay Auction Link: 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers Holiday Card:

This collectible glass is a first for me. I've never seen this style before. It dates to probably the late 1950's (Update: 1958 is likely since the last season in stats are from 1957) when the Dodgers were still playing at the Coliseum. Outfield Gino Cimoli is featured and includes his stats on the reverse. It closed on eBay for $51.01.

eBay Auction Link: Vintage Gino Cimoli Glass:

Fernando! Here is the ultimate collectible for Fernando Valenzuela fans. It is an unopened box of Kelloggs Corn Flakes from 1983. It received 7 bids and sold for $20.50. Wow, that's some expensive cereal.

eBay Auction Link: Fernando Cereal Box:

Roy Campanella Night was a celebration that included an exhibition game against the New York Yankees, a candlelight tribute, a commemorative ticket and this limited edition game program. The cover drawing was done by famed sports artist Nicholas Volpe. This is the first time I've seen one of these. Even in rough condition it sold for a healthy $96.99.

eBay Auction Link: Program from Campanella Night 1959:

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Kent To Retire

Warholizer Link:

Future Hall of Famer, Jeff Kent, will be announcing his retirement tomorrow.

Kent spent 17 years in the Major Leagues, tying for 20th on baseball’s all-time list with 560 doubles, while ranking 47th with 1,518 RBI and 62nd with 377 home runs. His 351 career home runs as a second baseman are 74 more than Ryne Sandberg. Kent played the final four seasons of his career with the Dodgers, batting .291 with 122 doubles, 75 home runs, and 311 RBI. He ranks eighth in club history in batting average (minimum 1,800 AB), while also placing among franchise leaders with 73 home runs as a second baseman (third) and 497 games played at second base (fifth).

One of the things he will be remembered for is his public screaming match with Barry Bonds. Which, I'm sure, us Dodgers fans found immensely entertaining.

Let me add a memory I have of Jeff Kent during Spring Training from a couple of years ago in Vero Beach. Kent was signing autographs before an afternoon match. As he was signing fans started shouting questions. The usually surly and grumpy Kent was more than happy to answer back. He must have been having a great day. As you can imagine, one of the questions was about Barry Bonds and his general thoughts about him.

Kent was diplomatic. He went on to say that they have a good working relationship, but added that sometimes you have to give a guy a kick in the rear end. After all, he was the only person with the stature and willingness to confront Bonds in that manner. He finished his statement by saying, "I'll let the results speak for themselves. We went to the World Series that year."

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

No Arbitration For You

Diamond Leung lets us know that both Jon Broxton and Russell Martin have agreed to one year contracts.

The Dodgers avoided arbitration with catcher Russell Martin and reliever Jonathan Broxton signing them to one-year contracts on Tuesday before the deadline to exchange salary arbitration figures.

Martin will make $3.9 million as a two-time All-Star who turns 26 next month. He hit .280 with 13 home runs and 69 RBI while catching 149 games to tie for the major league lead, and he led all National League catchers with 87 runs scored and 18 stolen bases.

Broxton, 24, will make $1.825 million plus incentives during a season in which he is expected to become the team's closer. He had 14 saves filling in for an injured Takashi Saito in 2008, going 3-5 with a 3.13 ERA in 70 appearances.

What ever happened to a long term deal for Russell? Hopefully, this move was to just get a contract out of the way so they can spend more time hammering out a long term deal.

Blog Bat Around: Speaking to the Card Companies

The 3rd edition of the Blog Bat Around is here. Go to the Fielder's Choice blog for details.

This time around he ask a question that I will have a hard time answering. What would I say to today's card manufacturers. What kind of cards would I suggest they make in order to keep this hobby vibrant? What brands should stay and what brands must go?

To be honest with you, I do not have a clue what I would tell them. In fact, I have not been an active collector of modern issued cards for a long time- save certified autographed cards that I usually find on eBay.

Once upon a time, many moons ago, I would buy pack after pack, box after box, of Baseball cards to rip open as quickly as a gift received on Christmas morn. I was addicted. Today, I can barely lift a finger to buy a box to open.

Sure, I've stumbled into a Target and stood at the card aisle wondering if I should take a flyer on one of those mini boxes. Usually I just stand and stare, then stamper on to do my shopping. On occasion I have dipped my hand in the cookie jar and drove home with a box only to be disappointed. So, it's hard for me to believe I can lend a helpful voice to this Blog Bat Around. On the other hand, maybe I'm the perfect voice. I am the customer these manufacturers want to get back- no, need to get back.

So, considering that, I have an answer. My advice to the hobby masters is to please keep it simple.

There are far too many brands made by each manufacturer. Narrow the field down to a core handful of sets. In fact, this is one of the reason I have not been a very active modern card collector. It is too damn confusing. For instance, Topps Company made well over 10 different Baseball sets in 2008. Heck, I think it's closer to 20 different sets.

I still don't understand the whole parallel thing. If I'm putting together a set should I be chasing those too?

I love the certified autograph card inserted into packs. As I wrote previously, they are really the only cards I find myself chasing when I search eBay for modern issues. I don't see much of a difference between "on-card" or "auto-on-sticker" cards, but I do care about legible and clean autographs. What's with athletes today? Most signatures look like a 2 year old scribbled it.

Brands I do enjoy seeing are the card sets that borrow vintage card designs, like the Allen & Ginters and Cracker Jacks. Please continue to marry the past with the present.