Bret Barberie, 1995 Upper Deck #126

That’s some bad mustache, Bret.

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When you think about baseball players going straight from the amateur draft to the big leagues, you might think of legendary names like Dave Winfield, or inspirational stories like Jim Abbott. But one of the few players to make that jump was Mike Morga…

Continue reading about Mike Morgan, 1988 Topps Traded #73T »

This is most probably my favorite Andy Etchebarren card. I love the angle, which makes it look like’s rearing back to fire the ball right through the frame at me. The block-lettering “Orioles” doesn’t even look bad, and the juxtaposition with the yello…

Continue reading about Vintage Fridays: Andy Etchebarren, 1967 Topps #457 »

I’m sick with what I’m hoping is just a cold, so while I’m couch-bound and feeling sorry for myself I’ll leave you this spiffy card featuring a young Jim Palmer in a Rochester Red Wings uniform. Interestingly enough, “Cakes” actually went straight from…

Continue reading about Jim Palmer, 2010 Topps Hall of Fame Stars #HOF-9 »

This has long been one of my favorite Cal Ripken, Jr. cards, and finally the truth behind the photo is known. ESPN.com’s Jim Caple featured the card in an entertaining article about “The Weird, the Bad, and the Ugly” of baseball cards. He went straight…

Continue reading about Cal Ripken, Jr., 1994 Upper Deck Collector’s Choice #240 »

You’ve probably noticed that I use player birthdays as a convenient topic for a blog entry whenever I’m lacking for inspiration. If it seems like it’s happening a lot lately, well…let’s just say that baseball season can’t start soon enough….

Continue reading about Baltimore Orioles, 1985 Fleer Stickers »

Pop quiz: Is Daniel Cabrera still an active player? I consider myself fairly plugged in when it comes to baseball news. I’m subscribed to Hardball Talk and Baseball Nation’s blog feeds, I follow baseball writers and fans by the dozens on Twitter, and M…

Continue reading about Daniel Cabrera, 2006 Fleer #234 »

Thoughts and prayers to Brooks Robinson, who is recovering in a Florida hospital after falling six to eight feet off the back of a stage at a charity event in Hollywood on Saturday night. He broke two bones in his rear shoulder area, but is reported to…

Continue reading about Brooks Robinson, 1987 Hygrade Baseball’s All-Time Greats #36 »

Forgive the wonky scan. I guess my scanner isn’t very keen on round items. Anyhow, this is the most outta-sight card to come from a package of various O’s cards that Max recently sent. Nothing beats a surprise mailing, especially when it arrives on Fri…

Continue reading about Eddie Murray, 1988 Jiffy Pop Discs #13 »

I’m counting on you, dear readers, to keep me honest on this blog. When I go nearly two years between John Lowenstein posts, someone has to tell me! Fortunately I can use today to set things to rights, as it is Brother Lo’s 65th birthday. Unreal, isn’t…

Continue reading about Vintage Fridays: John Lowenstein, 1980 Topps #287 »

Gary Roenicke had a big game earlier this week.No, I haven’t gone completely out of my gourd. I’m referring to the game results from the Statis Pro 1984 blog, a new project from Rob, a fellow O’s fan. He’s replaying the entire 1984 season using a compu…

Continue reading about Gary Roenicke, 1985 Topps #109 »

I’ve done my share of mockery when it comes to Topps Gallery, so it’s only fair that I commend the cards that got it right. This is a photo-realistic portrait of Jerry Hairston, Jr. gunning a throw to first base, with just enough artistic touches to ke…

Continue reading about Jerry Hairston, Jr., 2002 Topps Gallery #111 »

I still love seeing the distinctive 1993 All-Star Game sleeve patch on Orioles cards from that era. It especially stands out on the black alternate jersey that Jack Voigt is modeling. This seems timely, since the O’s have thrown their hat in the ring t…

Continue reading about Jack Voigt, 1994 Fleer Ultra #10 »

Last Saturday marked the third consecutive year that I’ve attended Orioles FanFest. Why would I do such a thing, wondered nobody in particular? It’s simple. Winter is long and cold and gray. It’s about to get a lot duller, what with football season dra…

Continue reading about Jake Arrieta, 2010 Topps Chrome Refractor #213 »

Let it never be said that Brooks Robinson couldn’t grow himself a pair of sideburns.

Continue reading about Brooks Robinson, 2001 Upper Deck Decades: 1970s #125 »

I’m back home and resting my tired bones after putting in five hours at Orioles FanFest. You might remember that I had bought a voucher for an autograph session with Troy Patton, Buck Showalter, and Brian Roberts. Of course, Roberts is still struggling…

Continue reading about Buck Showalter, 2011 Topps Heritage #121 »

Don’t even act like you didn’t know that today was Gene Stephens’ 79th birthday. I poke fun, but the Arkansas native hung around the big leagues for a dozen seasons as a part-time outfielder, primarily with the Red Sox. He spent 364 days as an Oriole, …

Continue reading about Vintage Fridays: Gene Stephens, 1961 Topps #102 »

It’s been a big week for Brady Anderson. Yesterday was the former outfielder’s 48th birthday (that’s not a typo), and today he’s been officially named Special Assistant to the Executive Vice President for Baseball Operations. Whew, that’s a mouthful. A…

Continue reading about Brady Anderson, 1999 Skybox Premium #120 »

I don’t know about you, but when I was a kid it sure was a drag to see cards like this, with any hint of team logos and wordmarks scrubbed clean to avoid copyright violations and threats of legal action by Major League Baseball. While it’s plenty reaso…

Continue reading about Cal Ripken, Jr., 1993 Kraft Singles Superstars #12 »

Here’s a fun little trifle from the High Heat Stats blog: on July 16, 1991, the Orioles played a road game against the Angels. Dwight Evans (age 39 years, 255 days) started in right field for the O’s and batted cleanup. He went 0-for-4. Dave Winfield (…

Continue reading about Dwight Evans, 1992 Upper Deck #248 »

Here’s one for the previous generation of O’s fans: how many of you owned this exact jacket? I distinctly remember my uncle wearing one for much of my childhood in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It was a nice-looking jacket, plenty of color without be…

Continue reading about Doug DeCinces, 1981 Fleer Star Stickers #90 »

Orioles fans will be seeing and hearing a lot more of Mike Bordick in 2012. The former shortstop, who returned to the Baltimore organization as a minor league instructor last year, has replaced the late Mike Flanagan as a TV analyst for roughly 80 game…

Continue reading about Mike Bordick, 2002 Upper Deck Victory Gold #108 »

Today is a very Mike Oquist day, wouldn’t you agree? I mean, yesterday was downright Steve Kline, but at least it wasn’t as Radhames Liz as Tuesday. All in all, it was a pretty Mark Williamson week. But today is perfectly Mike Oquist, and it already lo…

Continue reading about Mike Oquist, 1995 Collector’s Choice #343 »

Thirty years ago today, Hank Aaron and Frank Robinson were both elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility. Talk about your no-brainers. At the time, they were #1 (Aaron) and #4 (Robinson) all-time in career home runs, whic…

Continue reading about Vintage Fridays: Frank Robinson, 1966 Topps #310 »

He’s BAAAAAACCCCCCKKKKK. Alan Mills is the new pitching coach of the New York-Penn League’s Aberdeen IronBirds, working for former teammates Billy and Cal Ripken, Jr. I sure hope he’s still rocking the horseshoe mustache, especially now that Ravens QB …

Continue reading about Alan Mills, 1992 Fleer Update #U-2 »

Goodbyes never get any easier. When a bum shoulder limited Luke Scott to 64 games and a cruddy .220/.301/402 batting line last year, it didn’t bode well for his return in 2012*. He was still arbitration-eligible, so renewing his contract would have c…

Continue reading about Luke Scott, 2009 Topps 206 Bronze #152 »

A quick check of the archives tells me that it’s been nearly three months since I posted an Eddie Murray card. This will not stand.Fortunately, Eddie’s name is sorta in the news. (As if I needed a concrete excuse to feature #33 on this blog.) Orioles G…

Continue reading about Eddie Murray, 1997 Fleer Golden Memories #6 »

Javy Lopez will not be returning to the Hall of Fame ballot in 2013, but some misguided soul gave him one lonely vote. Let’s not miss out on those kind of important details in the midst of the foofaraw about Jeff Bagwell failing to convince some grands…

Continue reading about Javy Lopez, 2005 Fleer Patchworks #28 »

I’ve actually owned this card for several years, but never looked at it closely enough to notice what Tim observed when he included a copy in the package he sent last week. From the angle shown in the photo, it looks as if Armando Benitez’s right arm i…

Continue reading about Armando Benitez, 1995 Upper Deck Collector’s Choice #4 »

Someday I’ll get Jim Palmer’s autograph.Last night the Orioles announced the autograph session schedules for the FanFest convention, which takes place two weeks from today. Because I’m just that hard up for baseball activities, I’m planning on attendin…

Continue reading about Jim Palmer, 1983 Fleer #69 »

One of the great things about getting packages of Orioles cards in the mail is that I have a much easier time sifting through a small stack for material for this blog, rather than digging through the much larger boxes that house the rest of my O’s coll…

Continue reading about Vintage Fridays: Tommy Davis, 1974 Kellogg’s #43 »

When I got home from work today there was an unexpected – and much appreciated – package waiting for me on my porch. It was from Tim, who comments frequently around these parts as Rounding Thirty 3rd. Inside this box, as you may have guessed, was a sta…

Continue reading about Jose Mercedes, 2001 Upper Deck Vintage #72 »

There are weird baseball cards, and then there are ugly baseball cards. There are even plenty of horrifying cards out there. But this is that rare card that is just so unsettling that my first instinct is to kill it with fire. David Segui isn’t my favo…

Continue reading about David Segui, 2001 Topps Gallery #77 »

It’s a Tuesday that feels a little like a Monday. Link roundup time!-Bill at The Platoon Advantage paid brief tribute to each of the 42 MLB veterans who retired in 2006 with at least a decade of experience and did not make it onto this year’s Hall of…

Continue reading about Scott Erickson, 1998 Topps #416 »

This card was part of a weekly hobby giveaway from 2006, and I’m not so hot about it. While the design is meant to mimic Cal’s 1982 rookie card, the photo is clearly from the 1989-1991 era. Oh well, it’s not like Topps has an enormous photo archive and…

Continue reading about Cal Ripken, Jr., 2006 Topps Rookie of the Week #14 »