This is the blogging of the card of A. Arias
The card of A. Arias
A. Arias!
A. Arias!

Alberto Arias (2007 Topps 52 Rookies – no. 82)

– Kris

Josh Wilson (2006 Topps 52 Rookies – no. 45)

Born within a Bill Mazeroski moonshot of Honus Wagner’s birthplace, shortstop Josh Wilson was destined to play ball. I first met Josh during the 2004 season when he joined the Albuquerque Isotopes. A completely likable fellow, Wilson approached both games and practices with determination to perform to the best of his abilities and to improve at every opportunity, making him one of my favorite players for the two seasons he was in town. The thing I like best about Josh’s character is that he even takes his clowning around seriously. Wilson would be a positive influence in any professional baseball clubhouse.

Josh Wilson (2006 Topps 52 Rookies – chrome no. TCRC12 1752/1952)

With that having been typed, the man himself has probably been involved in as many trades as have his baseball cards. Over a span of only five years, Wilson has donned major and/or minor league uniforms for the Marlins, Rockies, Nationals, (then Devil) Rays, Pirates, Red Sox, Diamondbacks, Padres and Mariners.

Josh Wilson (2006 Topps 52 Rookies – chrome refractor no. TCRC12 305/552)

I hit the trifecta when Josh autographed all three versions of his 2006 Topps 52 Rookie card for me this past summer while back in the Duke City playing for the Tacoma Rainiers. If all goes well, he will return again in early April when the Seattle Mariners play a two-game Spring Training series against the Colorado Rockies at Isotopes Park. It will be a pleasure to watch him running, diving and making dazzling plays while wearing a Seattle uniform.

- Kris

Mitch Jones (2006 Topps 52 Rookies – no. 260)

In spite of the fact that Jones had a card in the 2006 Topps 52 Rookie set, he actually didn’t make his Major League debut until being called up to the Los Angeles Dodgers during June of the 2009 season. If Jones can heat up in the Florida sun this spring, chances are he will hit his first of many Major League bombs playing for the Atlanta Braves.

-  Kris

“Cease to ask what the morrow will bring forth, and set down as gain each day that fortune grants.” – Quentis Horatius Flaccus (translated, of course)

Brandon Morrow (2007 Topps 52 Rookies – no. 59)

I was fortunate to have gotten Morrow’s 2007 Topps 52 Rookie card gotten autographed in person this past season while the Tacoma Rainiers were in the Duke City for a three-game series with the Isotopes. A huge fan of the Topps 52 product line, I particularly enjoy the cards that feature images captured during Spring Training. In this case, Morrow’s photo appears to have been taken at the Mariner’s Spring Training complex in Peoria, Arizona.

- Kris

Gene Clines – 1975 Topps no. 575

A hitting coordinator for the Los Angles Dodgers, Gene Clines made a few trips to Albuquerque during the 2009 season to help Isotopes hitters fine tune their approach at the plate. I was fortunate to have caught up with the “Roadrunner” after one of the games while he was hanging around outside the ballpark enjoying a smoke. Unfortunately, it was too dark for me to tell whether Gene was wearing the World Series ring he earned with the Pirates in 1971.

Glenn Abbott – 1975 Topps no. 591

I’ve gotten cards signed by Glenn Abbott before, but I never had his 1975 Topps card when I’ve seen him. One of the advantages of completing a set is having a card of every player contained within on hand in the event that you get an opportunity to meet them. I still need a few cards to complete my 1975 Topps set, but luckily, I was able to pick this one up in a trade before the Portland Beavers visited the Duke City near the end of summer. Abbott pitched a perfect inning on September 28, 1975 against the (then) California Angels in what proved to be the first four-pitcher combined no hitter in Major League history.

Don Money – 1975 Topps no. 175

Having set the major league record of consecutive errorless games at the hot corner at 86 with 257 opportunities during the summer of 1974, Don Money handled this card flawlessly after he agreed to autograph it for my collection. The four-time All-Star appeared in the 1982 World Series with the Milwaukee Brewers. Money is currently the manager of the Nashville Sounds. Don’s current signature is amazingly similar to the facsimile signature that was applied by Topps 34 years ago.

Jim Slaton – 1975 Topps no. 281

Jim Slaton served as the Isotopes pitching coach during the 2009 season, so I had a great number of opportunities to get this card autographed. That does not mean that I appreciate it any less. A teammate of Don Money and the Milwaukee Brewers, Slaton won Game Four of the 1982 World Series.

- Kris

Tim Johnson – 1975 Topps no. 556

Tim Johnson is the manager of the abovementioned Tucson Toros that are part of the independent Golden Baseball League. It is worth noting that Johnson was the everyday shortstop for the Milwaukee Brewers until a young whippersnapper named Robin Yount moved in and forced him into a utility role. I am happy to have this card autographed in my collection, but it would have been nice to have met Johnson in person and traded a few war stories.

That same game resulted in the addition of Pete LaCock’s signature on his 75 Topps card from my collection. LaCock served as the Toros’ hitting coach during their inaugural season in the Golden Baseball League.

Pete LaCock – 1975 Topps no. 494

Any kid growing up in the 70s would be hard-pressed to claim that they never heard the name Pete LaCock. In reality, Pete’s true name is Ralph Pierre LaCock. As far as I know, Pete was the only major league ballplayer whose father was on television across the country on a nightly basis. In case you aren’t aware, LaCock’s father, Peter Marshall, was the host of the extremely popular game show Hollywood Squares. In “fact,” Hollywood Squares rivaled Match Game for bragging rights as the craziest game show on television at the time.

I am nearly positive that Pete was backstage during the videotaping of the episode when Paul Lynde went off on a tirade about how he believed that shoddily researched articles written by individuals and groups of people who share common interests would one day replace newspapers. When pressed for details on how these articles would be distributed amongst the population, the voice of Templeton the rat from Charlotte’s Web squinted his eyes and chuckled “…by carrier pigeons.”

I am typing under the assumption that if you are willing to watch the Game Show Network on cable nonstop between now and the next time I manage to crank out a blog posting, you will see that episode for yourself. You will not be disappointed when you observe Lynde’s outburst while a blizzard of Rip Taylor’s confetti dances like the Northern Lights on Lonesome George Gobels’ flatus rising up from the lower left corner.

Yes, I am still actively trading to complete my set of 1975 Topps baseball cards! My want list continues to shrink, so do not hesitate to make a trade offer soon to help me finish off this beast!

- Kris

In “my day,” we didn’t have penny sleeves, top loaders, or fancy screw-down acrylic cases, but any self-respecting baseball card collector had a decent supply of sturdy Velveeta cheese cardboard box bottoms to store cards in. Regular old shoeboxes were also commonplace, and the kids who lived in houses with garages even had these plastic boxes designed to look like gym lockers… but everybody used Velveeta cheese box bottoms for cards that were being sorted. Smokey used them. So did Pete. Mudnuts did as well. Joel had so many boxes we all thought that his family must have subsisted on mac and cheese (and baseball card bubble gum). The one exception was Mike, who stored all of his cards in a large paper sack. Mike was a Phillies fan, so we didn’t hold him to the same standards as the rest of our localized trading society.

Obviously if you are reading this blog, you already have an understanding of the myriad trading card storage solutions available at your local hobby shop or the many trusted online dealers. Like you, I have all sizes and counts of white cardboard storage boxes, plastic cases, binders of archival storage sleeves and on and on and on. I am also willing to wager that every now and again, a situation will arise in which you will find yourself having to improvise, and that need is what this post is intended to address.

I have a space on top of my CPU next to my scanner where I temporarily house cards that require my attention. These include autographed cards that I have already included in a blog post that are in need of proper filing, autographed cards received TTM that I have neither scanned nor written about, autographed cards that I am going to blog about (some scanned – some yet to be scanned) at some point when I find the time, and some 700-800 cards that I have gotten autographed in person this season that may never be featured in a blog post, but are awaiting proper sorting and filing. While the space is wide enough for a row of Velveeta cheese box bottoms, those won’t work because they are not wide enough to hold cards that are in plastic sleeves. Doh! Leaving such a large number of unorganized cards in stacks is a dangerous idea that can only end in frustration.

Well, leave it to my dear old friends at Kraft Foods to make sure my belly is happy and my cards are stored upright in the proper sorting position with a couple of fantastic products. First, Nabisco’s Oreo Cakesters [135mg of sodium per serving] boxes are ideal for storing baseball cards in protective penny sleeves. Makes absolutely no difference which flavor you choose- regular, Golden Oreo, strawberry crème or peanut butter, as each box will hold around 400 to 450 cards without overcrowding. The sides are not super strong, so you may choose to reinforce them with a ring of packing tape. I do not.

Sometimes I find that nostalgia is fun simply for nostalgia’s sake. While you MAY find a better storage box for your Topps Allen & Ginter mini cards, I prefer to keep mine in Kraft Velveeta Shells & Cheese [940mg of sodium per serving] boxes that are cut to size. Once I have obtained the majority of the set, those cards are transferred to sheets and binders.

Of course these are only a couple of trading card storage options that you may choose to employ while dealing with your collection. The important item to take away from this posting is the reminder that the next time you find yourself thinking that you need to run to the hobby shop to pick up a box for that stack of cards on your desk that isn’t going to file itself like you thought it would, a more convenient and delicious solution may be as close as your kitchen pantry.

-  Kris

I would also like to state for the record before I get rolling and eventually sidetracked a number of times, that I am interested in trading for any and ALL duplicates you may have of the “Electron” card from this set. While a few collectors dislike the oddball cards included in the Allen & Ginter product, I love them. Especially the ones that can be used to obtain unique autographs of baseball players and other celebrities, such as the St. Louis Arch for players in the Cardinals organization and the Washington Monument for random political glitterati (if you are so inclined). With that in mind, I couldn’t have been happier when I saw the “Electron” card and marveled at the similarity between the image and the Albuquerque Isotopes logo. Thanks Topps!

Blake DeWitt (Electron) – 2009 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 79

Having Blake DeWitt sign my first A&G “Electron” card was a no brainer given his kool signature and magnetic personality. Besides, I had a couple other 2009 Allen & Ginter Blake DeWitt cards that needed autographed anyway.

Blake DeWitt – 2009 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 117

I honestly didn’t get very excited when I looked over the checklist of certified autograph cards that were being inserted “randomly” into the product, but I was thrilled when I read that there was a Blake DeWitt bat card. These game-used relic cards look absolutely fabulous signed.

Blake DeWitt (game used bat) – 2009 Topps Allen & Ginter no. AGR-BD

*****

Chris Davis – 2009 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 188

The Texas Rangers decided to send Chris Davis down to Triple-A to work on his hitting and to make it possible for him to autograph this card for my collection when the Oklahoma RedHawks traveled west to the Rio Grande Valley. Davis is a great guy with a monster swing. I guarantee you that even the baseballs he misses are sweatin’ each trip toward home plate while he is up to bat.

Edwin Moreno – 2009 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 120

The native Venezuelan didn’t have much to say while he autographed this card after a game with the Portland Beavers. Oh well, he still has an interesting signature, and I think it looks fantastic on this card.

Brandon Morrow – 2009 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 194

I believe I had issues with the design of the 2009 Topps Allen & Ginter cards when I first began seeing scans of them online. But after having cards like this one of Brandon Morrow in hand, I can’t recall what those issues were. This really is a stellar product. In a perfect universe, this card would be part of a 700-card set that would be chock full of rookies and minor leaguers.

Matt Tuiasosopo – 2009 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 174

Getting Matt Tuiasosopo’s autograph can be more challenging than correctly pronouncing his name. He recently passed through the Duke City with the Tacoma Rainiers.

Brandon Boggs – 2008 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 346

Speaking of “tough signatures,” check out this autographed 2008 Topps Allen & Ginter Brandon Boggs card. Even the most seasoned graphers require relatively think skin when approaching certain players for an autograph. Boggs offers a glare and a choice word or three short of a tirade with each signature that leaves you feeling grateful that he only signs one. Possibly he is a little more fan friendly for the home crowd in Oklahoma City. It would be interesting to hear from a RedHawks fan on this topic.

Allen & Ginter cards from the 2007 set that I have recently gotten autographed include the regular and mini versions of both Alejandro De Aza and Doug Mientkiewicz.

Alejandro De Aza – 2007 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 199 mini

Alejandro De Aza will sign one card per person per game, but without any attitude. If you are hoping to engage a ballplayer in an extended conversation, my advice is that you look elsewhere.

Alejandro De Aza – 2007 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 199

*****

Doug Mientkiewicz – 2007 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 241 mini

Doug Mientkiewicz is one of those baseball players I had seen play on television for years and never once considered what I would say to him if I ever met him. In fact, I never had any reason to think that I would meet him. Then he was sent to Albuquerque on a major league rehab assignment- twice this past month. Turns out he has a great sense of humor and seems to enjoy talking to baseball fans about baseball, driving, and pretty much anything else you care to bring up. Oh, and he will autograph baseball cards all night long with a grin on his face.

Doug Mientkiewicz – 2007 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 241

*****

John Koronka – 2006 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 257

John Koronka signed this 2006 Topps Allen & Ginter card recently when the New Orleans Zephyrs blew into town. As much as I like this year’s A&G product, okay… all of them, I think the 2006 series remains my favorite.

Kris Benson – 2006 Topps Allen & Ginter no. 152

This Kris Benson card gets saved for last. I will leave it for you to decide whether I did so simply because his name is spelled the same as mine, or because he went to high school just a few clips down the road from the infamous Cardboard Junkie. I also briefly considered mentioning Anna Benson’s name in this article, but decided against it.

Well, as the days become noticeably shorter, I cannot help but realize that there remains but one homestand before the end of the regular 2009 season. While I may not have many more chances to get additional Allen & Ginter cards signed, it appears that I will eventually benefit from enough free time to catch up posting my favorites from all of the other cards I have been getting autographed this summer. Lucky you!

- Kris

Now that I have the cards in hand, I’ve decided to share scans of the autographed ones with you fine folks.

Wayne Causey – 1965 Topps no. 425

Picking up this card was quite interesting since I had just written Wayne a few weeks ago- when this card was still on my 1965 Topps baseball want list. Also, I had just gotten this embossed card back TTM this past week, so they make for a super combination.

Wayne Causey – 1965 Topps embossed no. 21

Ed Charles – 1965 Topps no. 35

Ed Charles has some absolutely fantastic baseball cards. This is but one of them. Possibly better known as being a member of the Miracle Mets, I believe I prefer Ed in his colorful Athletics uniforms. No stranger to writing instruments, “The Glider” was writing poetry long before fans began asking for his autograph.

Mike Hershberger – 1965 Topps no. 89

The comic on the back of Hershberger’s 1965 Topps baseball card includes a sketch of a player sliding head first into third base with nary a defender in sight. Given that he hit 21 triples in the minors in 1959, I have to believe that he wouldn’t have been sliding into a base unless a play was being made. Mike was traded to the Athletics in January of 1965 with Jim Landis. These cards provide an interesting mini study of the mid-60s baseball card manufacturing process as Hershberger is still shown as being with the White Sox, while Landis is depicted with the Athletics in a later series- though still wearing a White Sox uniform.

Jim Landis – 1965 Topps no. 376

One of the things I enjoy most about autographed baseball cards is where the player chooses to place his (or her) signature. While many just slap it on haphazardly, most appear to give it some thought. Some players (current and retired) sign every card in more or less the exact same spot. While I tend to use a blue Sharpie for the majority of my autographs, I have to admit that the use of the black Sharpie by Landis really works well with this card.

Bill Monbouquette – 1965 Topps no. 142

The surface of this Bill Monbouquette card suffers from either wax or gum residue. It also appears that Bill used some random blue marker instead of a Sharpie, resulting in an autograph that has either faded, or has bled into the card to some degree. Nevertheless, the card is a welcome addition to my collection- especially considering that Monbouquette reportedly charges to sign memorabilia sent to his house. Regardless of that, I probably would not be sending him any autograph requests, as I understand that he suffers from leukemia and probably has better things to be doing.

Tommie Reynolds – 1965 Topps no. 333

Well-wishers should make note that former Major League outfielder/pinch hitter Tommie Reynolds has a birthday coming up on August 15th.

Pete Ward – 1965 Topps no. 215

Named The Sporting News Rookie of the Year in 1963, Pete Ward seems to be the type of guy who would be a blast to have a beer with, eh? This is a beauty of a baseball card! Aren’t they all?

- Kris