So, of course I had a great time checking out the Rays vs. Marlins with Scott from the Smed's Cards blog... My wife worked a split double while I was hanging out at the ballpark... It didn't seem fair that I was off having a good time while she was hard at work, but I don't think she was too upset because when she finally got home from her second shift (after midnight) she shared this surprise with me... Two excellent tickets to tomorrow nights ball game, the Pirates hosting the Baltimore Orioles!
Since the Pirates added lights at McKechnie Field they have had ONE night spring training game each year. The Wifey and I have attended ALL of them. It gets better - after the lone night game of the spring there is a fireworks display, so its gonna be super special and romantic, ha!
Oh, for today's shipping update: Packages were sent to the following zip codes - 30101, 92234, 23666, 23320 and 60586. At the beginning of March I purchased 30 padded envelopes and silently set a goal for myself - to send out 30 trade packages within the month of March. 30 trades in 30 days you could call it. Well, I am officially out of bubble mailers and I have sent out several packages in Priority flat-rates mailers, so I have sent out AT LEAST 30 trades in 30 days! And hey, even better, I am going to my second baseball game in as many days...
Gosh, I love my Wifey! Thanks Darling! Go Rays! Stories to follow... troll out.
His last game in the big leagues was in September of 2002 and he was with Cleveland. He did play in 18 games for the Indianapolis Indians (AAA) in 2003 before officially retiring, but those Indians are a Brewers affiliate. Maybe he got a non roster to spring training with Tampa Bay in 2003? Who knows? Anyway, Topps gave him a card, #541 in their set and I needed it and now I have it. 
Another name I can knock off my list is from 2005 Topps Updates, a Futures Game card of Delmon Young. I don’t know why or how I still need so many cards from ’05 Topps, it seems like I have 100s of dupes, but I still need 4 more cards. Huh. 
He included a few other CC Bowmans from the past few years that I might need as well. 
I have my box of CC cards next to my bed and I swear I am going to sort it soon! The thing about this package that I was most excited about was the 2010 Bowman stuff he sent. People are going apesh…t over this stuff. Mainly because Stephen Strasburg cards are selling for more money than a three bedroom fixer upper does in my neighborhood. For that reason I probably won’t buy any 2010 Bowman myself, but I am super fascinated by this product. I have seen most of the Rays cards on the ‘Bay, but now I own a few of them. I really like this shot of CC sliding in safe at home in Florida against the Fish. 
I think that was from the same series where both Aki and Bartlett were injured last year. Anyway, I have admired this one from a far. With so many people trying to pull a million dollar Strasburg card they are peddling the other “hits” from this set for next to nothing. As SS has yet to throw a pitch in the big leagues CC is a proven All Star and you can find his cards very cheap. I am on a mission to collect one of EVERY single 2010 Bowman there is of Crawford. This includes the one of ones, printing plates, EVERYTHING! I know that sounds a bit crazy especially considering that Ryan sent me the three coolest cards in the set already, but I never claimed to be a sane collector. I really like this Bowman throwback of CC styled after 1992. 
I never ripped a single pack of that either, but people went crazy after that as well. I did not like the rookie cards of guys in street clothes. Didn’t like them then, still don’t. 
I honestly don’t own a single 1992 Bowman card, but still I think this one; card #BT24 is super rad! The last CC from 2010 Bowman is super rad as well.
It is card #BE 14 from the Bowman Expectations set and has CC on one side and the centerfielder of the future Desmond Jennings on the flip side. 
I think DJ is going to do big things in Tampa Bay, probably starting next year. He rounded out the 2010 Bowman fest with a couple of Rays starters who have a shot at being first time All Stars. I like the Price, the Garza is bland. 
I need to find a checklist to see who else I need. The last card I will show is probably my least favorite. I HATE variation backs; I am with the Night Owl on this one. Just don’t like em. As a super player collector I have to deal with them though and I can now scratch 2007 Topps Red Back off of my CC needs list. 
Thanks for all the great cards 
By 1949 he was playing left field beside Joltin Joe DiMaggio. Woodling, a left handed batter, platooned with righty Hank Bauer, but the two managed to get a number of at-bats each. Over his 17-year career in the Majors Woodling topped .300 five times and represented the Washington Senators in the 1959 All Star Game. He was a member of the Original Mets under his old manager Casey Stengel, but left because of issues with their front office. From there he used his energy as a champion for former players and is largely responsible for the quality of the pension plan today. Woodling died in June 2001 and is buried in Granger Fairview Cemetery in Granger, Ohio. His complete major league statistics can be viewed
He had a 3.30 ERA in 11 starts in AAA in ’09 prior to his call-up to the Orioles. Some believe that he was rushed along and wasn’t quite ready for the big leagues. He features a 93-MPH fastball with a slider and a changeup. In 101 innings last year he struck out 68 batters. In the minors he showed serious promise as a strikeout pitcher whiffing 166 in 141 innings at Bowie in 2008. Over 534 innings in the minors he struck out 601 batters. I think that Chris Tillman is the most exciting young starter on the Orioles, but I am excited to see how Hernandez does in 2010 over a full big league season with a little experience under his belt. For those curious, Hernandez’ major league stats can be viewed 
According to the back of the card Earl had contract offers from 16 different pro-ball clubs. It also says that Gil Hodges was the one who convinced Earl to sign on with LA. He did sign with the Dodgers and the following season he had a cup of coffee with the big league club, starting 5 games at third base, a position that he had never played before. He managed 3 hits for Los Angeles, but didn’t see the big leagues again until he made the Orioles out of spring training in 1961. To say the Orioles were stocked full of outfielders at that time was an understatement. Their regular starting three was Dick Williams, Jackie Brandt and Whitey Herzog and on the bench fighting for playing time were Robinson, Jim Busby, Dave Philley and a teenager named John Powell. Earl Robinson managed to start 53 games that year at all 3 outfield spots. He had a career high 222 at-bats and batted .266 with 8 homers and 30 RBI for the 3rd place Orioles. This was enough to earn him a card in the next year’s Topps set, (1962 Topps, card #272) in an Orioles uniform. It wasn’t enough to earn him a full-time spot on the team. According to the back of the card: "The Baltimore management feels Earl will fit in nicely with their youthful team." He did, they just had too many other youthful and talented outfielders in the organization. Robinson spent the next 3 seasons splitting time between the Rochester Redwings (AAA) and the Orioles. 
1964 would be Robinson’s final season in the big leagues with the Orioles; he played in 37 games, hit .273 with 3 homers and 10 RBI. He spent the 1965 season with the Salt Lake City Bees of the Pacific Coast League (Chicago Cubs affiliate) and retired from baseball after that. He had returned to the University of California in 1963 as their assistant basketball coach and remained there for 3 seasons. He also returned to Berkeley University to earn his doctorate degree in education. Robinson worked as a teacher and a basketball coach several different colleges in California after his baseball playing days. This 1961 card would be Robinson’s rookie; the ’62 is his only other Topps card. Mr. Robinson is retired from sports and living in Louisianna and was kind enough to answer all of my questions about his rookie card via mail. I love this hobby! Troll out.
Each one of those starters pitched more than 290 innings in 1970 and Cuellar and McNally each won 24 games. Palmer chipped in 20 wins himself. Those three accounted for 54 complete games, 10 shutouts and 68 of the Orioles 108 wins that year. They beat the Reds in the World Series for their only Pennant as a group. The pitching led them there, but Brooks Robinson took home the WS MVP after batting .429 with 2 homers and 6 RBI. With 3 pitchers on the team having outstanding seasons they split Cy Young votes and didn’t win. Minnesota’s Jim Perry (24-12 3.04) took home the award. McNally (24-9 3.22) placed 2nd, Cuellar (24-8 3.48) was 4th and Palmer (20-10 2.71) was behind him in 5th place. That is my take on the card, here is what the writer’s at Topps Baseball said on the back:
“Four starting pitchers give the Orioles one of the most respected pitching staffs in the league. Tom Phoebus, a 14 game winner in his rookie year, rang up 15 wins in his sophomore campaign in ’68. Don’t forget this righthander also pitched shutouts in his first two appearances in the AL. Jim Hardin was another improved sophomore for Baltimore last year. As a rookie 1967, Jim won 8 games but last season he notched 18 victories. The ace of the staff is southpaw Dave McNally who was the #2 man in the AL in 1968 with 22 victories. Mike Cuellar joined the Orioles last winter via the deal that sent Curt Blefary to the Astros. With Houston last year, the righthander was their top starter with a fine 2.74 ERA.”
Mike Cuellar to the Orioles may have had more influence on their Dynasty than any other move. I really love these group cards, I really love Topps card of the 60’s, I really love going back and seeing how true the card companies predictions were. I really like the pose here, too. The 4 four aces sitting on a park bench showing off their dangerous (except for McNally) right arms. In the case of this card, these 4 (plus Palmer) got the job done in ’69 and ’70, as advertised. Well done Topps! Today will probably be the final day of voting for my 
Initially, when I declared myself a B-Rob collector, I was nervous that I would be stepping on Beardy’s toes, I had a long argument prepared, but when I sent him an e-mail nervously telling him I wanted to chase Roberts-his reply was along the lines of “Cool, good luck” and soon thereafter he sent me package with 11 new B-Rob cards including my first bat card of the All Star second baseman. My reasons for collecting Roberts are abundant. I have had a long history with him, from playing in the same organization, playing with him in amateur leagues, knowing his father as a coach for many years and also interviewing him on numerous occasions as I broke into journalism and he climbed the ladder with the Orioles organization. I can remember driving to North Carolina to watch him play in college when he was a shortstop; he was an amazing talent then and the hardest working amateur athlete that I had ever watched. When the Orioles grabbed him in the 1st round of the 1999 draft (50th overall) I was excited that we would be in the same organization. In 2000 he began his pro career in the Gulf Coast League with the Sarasota Orioles for 9 games before being bumped to their high A team. The next year he would be promoted to the Major Leagues and has been a staple of the Orioles infield ever since. 
He has represented the Orioles in the All Star Game twice and has twice paced the AL in doubles, this past season he set a record for most doubles by a switch hitter with 56. Despite playing for a last place team, Roberts continues to turn in all star numbers. Aside from leading the league in doubles this year, he was third in runs scored with 110, in the top-10 with 30 steals while batting .283, hitting 16 homers and driving in 79 runs as a lead-off hitter. Even more impressive to me is that he has spent the last 9 seasons with the same ballclub; he has been the only thing that Orioles fans can count on this past decade. Anyway, those are a few of the reasons why I am collecting B-Rob and here are some of the cards that Beardy sent me to get that collection going…Shown above (in order) are 2009 SPx #77, 2009 A Piece of History #8 and 2005 Topps #178. There are 10 years worth of Roberts cards out there in the World and I am making no effort to try and collect him with any type of completion, 10 years worth of cards probably translates into over 1000 different cards. Once the last 3 trades are binder ready, I should be up to 25 different cards. I would like to continue to add more, I would even like to chase some of his fancier cards, but by no means do I intend to be a completist and he will not be overtaking Carl Crawford, Akinori Iwamura, Jason Bartlett or Roberto Clemente as my primary target. Part of the appeal is that with potentially 1000 cards out there that I don’t have-many traders have more Roberts cards lying around than they have Rays cards and I am all about the trading! Anyway, back to the cards that Beardy sent… This postage stamp looking card is from the 2009 SP Legendary Cuts set, card #1 of Roberts who wears #1. 
I always like it when a leadoff hitter leads off a set. Next is another 2009, this one from the Upper Deck Icons set, card #13. 
Next is another Topps regular issue, from 2006, card #15. 
The back of the card talks about his evolution from “smurfish” leadoff hitter to an improbable power hitter in 2005 when he hit 18 homers. I have never been a fan of 2008 Topps, I think it is one of the most boring designs ever, but make the white background red
(like they did for Opening Day) and it looks a whole lot better, this is card #157. I think I may have posted this one before, but I did it when I needed this card to finish off the base set of 2009 Heritage. 
Now I have an extra for the PC, card #419, horizontal…Here is another fancy card that I really like, from one of my favorite sets to get in trade, 
2009 Topps Finest, card #29-it makes me really want the refractor now. That was the last of the base cards, so that means there is one card left and it is just a little bit thicker than the rest. From the 2008 Allen and Ginter set (which I absolutely love!) this is card #AGR-BR2, a game used bat relic card of the All Star second baseman. 
Nice! Thanks so much for all of these great cards Beardy! I always seem to come up ahead when we trade and I really appreciate it. My little collection is well on its way now. Hope y’all enjoyed the momentary break from Rays central and enjoyed some pics of another star from the American League East. I doubt there is anyone who reads this blog but doesn't read his, but just in case, check it out! 
I missed one of Andy Sonnanstine’s better performances of the year. He last 5-2/3 innings, striking out 2, walking 2 and allowing only 3 hits and 1 earned run. 
Carl Crawford was 2 for 4, but was thrown out trying to steal both times. This was the 1st time he was caught stealing twice in one game since April of 2007. Chris Tillman (who really impresses the Troll) started for Baltimore and lasted 6-2/3 innings and only gave up one run, a solo home run to Greg Zaun. The relievers had been perfect so far and the score was Orioles 2, Rays 1 going into the ninth. I almost didn’t believe it, but Balfour, Shouse and JP Howell combined to pitch 2-1/3 innings of shutout relief. Wow. I was psyched that the game was still on and I took a seat with my fingers crossed hoping the Rays would find a way to win their second game in a row. Jim Johnson started the 9th for the Orioles and had to face the Rays 3-4-5 hitters. We have a shot! He got Longoria to ground out 6-3 for the first out. Crap. 
Ben Zobrist came up batting left handed. Johnson served him up a fat pitch and the hungry slugger got his first hit of the night and sent it into the centerfield stands for his 24th home run of the year! ZORILLA! Score is tied up at 2 each and there’s only one out! Unfortunately Johnson wasn’t flustered by blowing his fifth save of the year. Either that or the next two batters didn’t care, but either way, he got both Pat Burrell (0-4) and Willy Aybar (1-4) to pop out to end the inning. Okay, score is tied, if JP Howell can shut down the Orioles 6-7-8 hitters, we’re going into extra innings. Only problem is that JP wasn’t walking out to the mound, Dennis Springer was. Okay, if Springer can shut down the Orioles 6, 7 and 8 hitters, we’re going to extra innings. Springer’s first task was to get Luke Scott (.258) out. He didn’t. He walked Scott to bring up rookie catcher Matt Wieters. Wieters had already had a big day throwing out CC twice in steal attempts and driving home a run in the 2nd with a sacrifice fly. Springer gives him a fast ball over the plate and Wieters sends it into the left field stands. Walk-off home run for Wieters, game over, Orioles win. It was Wieters 7th homer of the year and I am not sure, but I think at least 3 have come off Rays pitching. It was the 9th home run that Springer has allowed in 53 innings. His record is 0-4. The loss was the Rays 13th in 14 games and they dropped to .500 for the first time since June. With 16 games left this season, they are now 14 games behind in the Wild Card. I am an optimist, but I think you can officially say that the Rays season is over. There are still personal achievements to go for. Crawford still has a chance to catch Ellsbury for the stolen base title. CC, Longo, Bartlett, Zobrist and Pena will all probably get a few votes for MVP and Jeff Neimann is still in the thick of the AL ROY chase, but their chances of the postseason are over. They do have 12 home games before the season is officially done, that’s cool. There are a few members of the 2008 American League Champs that have a shot at making it back there. Best of luck to Scott Kazmir, 
Edwin Jackson and even Rocco Baldelli. Rays fans, we’ve still got hope for 2010! Go Rays! Troll out.
He missed hitting for the cycle by a double, going 3-4 with 2 RBI including a solo home run (his 8th) in the 6th inning which proved to be the game winner. Reid Brignac got the start at shortstop to give Jason Bartlett a day off. Reid batted 9th and went 0-4 with 2 Ks. 
David Price was good, but not great. He was not very economical with his pitches and hasn’t been all season. He has phenomenal stuff, but he topped 100 pitches in just 5 innings, again. That is not enough for a starting pitcher in a pennant race. Until that changes, he’s just a really good long reliever, but that is just my opinion. I do love the guy, I am glad he’s on the Rays and I think he will have a very long and very successful career IF he can learn to throw less than 20 pitches an inning. I had walked (slowly) past the TV in the office at work, wishing I could be there for this game. I have seen Price win (in-person) five times this year, I wanted to be there for number 6 and I wanted it to be tonight. 
Anyway, Prices night ended after 5 innings, with him striking out 5 and yielding 2 runs on 7 hits, while walking (this is my biggest issue with young Mr. Price) 3 batters. Of the 7 hits, only one, a double by Adam Jones (his 22nd) went for extra bases. Fortunately the Rays were coming off of a night off and the bullpen was ready, because they were needed. Lance Cormier, Russ Springer and Grant Balfour each got credit for holds, pitching 1 shutout inning each. Springer had just finished off the 7th inning when the last customer left and we started turning the lights out to head home. When I got in my car, I decided that I didn’t want to go home, even though Price had already hit the showers, I NEEDED to be there to witness his 6th victory. I turned the key and put the gas pedal to the floor. There was no traffic heading over the Sunshine Skyway into St. Petersburg and I was parked two streets away from the Trop by the top of the eight inning. I had been listening to the game on the radio. Kam Mickolio had come in for Baltimore in relief and shut the Rays down in the bottom of the 7th. Veteran lefty Randy Choate was starting the 8th for the Rays. He had allowed a leadoff single to Luke Scott when I shut the car off and starting running (literally) towards the Trop. The parking lot was near empty, the ticket windows were closed and there were no security guards anywhere near the entrances, so I waltzed right in just in time to see rookie catcher Matt Wieters taking the grand tour. Sometime between parking the car and entering the stadium, Randy Choate had served up a two-run home run to Wieters making the score 5-4. Joe “Ring of Fire” Maddon wasted no time pulling Choate and bringing in Grant Balfour to finish the 8th and preserve the lead. He allowed a hit to pinch hitter Michael Aubrey (not Huff) in his first at bat of the year, but he struck out Adam Jones to end the inning with no more scoring. Kam Mickolio stayed in to pitch the bottom of the 8th for Baltimore and he was nearly perfect. He went 2 full innings tonight, striking out 4 without allowing a hit. The 25 year-old right-handed reliever has not given up a run in 5 games this year. With the Rays clinging to a 1 run lead going into the ninth, and me clinging to my unpaid for $60.00 seat, JP Howell took the ball and the mound to start the ninth. He served up a lead-off single to Nick Markakis who was 3-4 on the night with a couple of great catches in right field. Not a great way to start off the inning. Howell’s style of pitching is in great contrast to Price and Balfour who both live in the mid-90s. Howell stays below the mid 80s more often than not and changes speeds in that range and also has a huge curveball. He struck out Nolan Reimold and Melvin Mora consecutively, leaving Markakis standing at first. Mora had an awful (typical?) night, going 0-5 with 3 Ks, stranding 7 base runners. Luke Scott, who back in his familiar DH role, stepped in next against Howell. He was the Orioles final hope and could put them ahead with one swing of the bat. He never did swing; he watched 3 quick balls without even thinking about it. Howell dropped in a perfect curve for called strike one. He followed with another breaking pitch in roughly the same location, but Scott took that one and was awarded first base. Felix Pie came in to run for Scott, who was exhausted after trotting to first base. In stepped Matt Wieters (.264/4/20), the Orioles catching phenom who brought them to within 1 run with his 8th inning homer. He had the chance to truly be the hero now, there were two runners on and two outs. It was a quarter past 10, I had been out of work for less than an hour and now I was at the Trop along with about half of the 16,000 (pathetic!) fans who paid to be there. We were all holding our breath, shaking our cowbells and standing on our feet. JP started the rookie off with an 81 MPH change, belt high and right over the plate. Wieters swung and missed, about a half second early. Howell followed with a 78 MPH sweeping curve that ended up in the dirt and Wieters again swung and missed. Two on, two outs, two strikes… Howell from the stretch, he delivers an 80 MPH curveball that dropped into the dirt and Wieters swings and misses, right over it for strike 3. That’s the ball game, say hello to victory, Rays win!!! Matt Wieters saw 3 pitches, none faster than 81 MPH and his bat didn’t come close to touching any of them. Around a hit and a walk, JP Howell struck out the side en route to his team leading 13th save. Jason Berken took the loss, his record falling to 2-11 in 16 starts. David Price notched the victory, improving his mark to 6-5 with a 5.03 ERA. Not terrific, but he is getting better. It still amazes me how different a pitcher he is at home compared to on the road. 
With tonight’s win, his record at Tropicana Field improves to 6-1 with a 2.82 ERA in 8 starts. Those are GREAT numbers. He’s averaged just under 6 innings a start, striking out 43 batters in 44 innings. Unfortunately, he is Dr. Jekyll on the road with an 0-4 record and an 8.07 ERA, serving up 9 home runs in 32 innings. Horrible! If Price continues to pitch every 5th day, he will have 9 more starts this season. The only problem is that 5 of them come on the road and they will be in New York, Boston, Baltimore and Texas. Things could get ugly. That’s another blog for another day. Right now it’s past 4 AM and I need to get some sleep. I am glad that I got to witness (the tail end) David Price’s 6th victory, I am glad the Rays won. I am glad that we (the Rays) are within 3 games of the wildcard. I am really glad that I don’t have to work tomorrow and I will be at the game for the first pitch. This makes 3 in a row for the Rays, let’s go for four! As a Ginter related side note: I got home from the game to be greeted by an e-mail from Brian in Texas. Although he is a Rangers fan and is my mortal wild-card enemy, he did agree to send a few more Ginter cards my way! That brings me up to 92% completion. Check out the list at 
One of my favorite guys to interview was Moe Drabowsky. I learned from Ryan’s site that Moe had passed away. I wish I had kept in better touch with him and his family, its sad when you’re so busy that someone you call a friend dies and you don’t realize for 3 years. Another great player and good friend that I got to spend time with was former Rookie of the Year, Curt Blefary. He passed away 3 months after our interview. He had his ashes sprinkled over the Yards. Thats a true Oriole righ there.
#65 Jason Giambi, which I had 9 copies of with a black back, but no green backs. Card #283 of Miguel Cabrera 
(which I had traded away not realizing I didn’t have doubles) and card #371 of (potential future Rays pitcher) Pedro Martinez. This is another that I have a slew of black backs of. When I first put the set into a book, I used black backs as spot holders for greens, then got all confused and figured since the space was full, I didn’t need it. I think I traded away a few Pedros before noticing. Anyway, Ryan corrected that problem for me, thanks! I thoroughly checked the book and yanked out the last black back. Anyone have a copy of card #201, JJ Putz 
they can send me? Or card #211 of Mike Sweeney and card #337 of Lyle Overbay? After that, I need just 8 short prints and the low number set will finally be done!
I have taken a different approach for the high number set. I am going to rely on the kindness of strangers, err fellow bloggers, cuz I don’t have the $$$ to spend a thousand dollars ripping packs anymore, (yeah 350 packs, $1,000+, crazy!) so I bought 2 blasters and called it a day. Thanks to people like Ryan, Stephen from the Easy Life and Ed from Roll Out the Barrel, I only about 70 cards to finish it up.
