Pack Break: 2008 UD Masterpieces Baseball (Retail) II

Pack no. 2 of my eventual set completion of 2008 Upper Deck Masterpieces. I’m a junkie for this stuff.

Here we go:

78 - Barry Zito

Reverse text:

With a Cy Young Award and three MLB All-Star Game selections on his side entering 2007, Zito was an obvious choice to become the third pitcher in Giants history to make his first start with the squad on Opening Day.

I was pretty scared to see Zito join the NL ‘Worst’ in 2007, but his first year with the team was less than stellar. It’s unfortunate to see an individual with such great talent fall off like Zito did. The curveball he had in 2006 was absolutely disgusting.

9 - Brooks Robinson

Reverse text:

The honors piled up for Robinson during the 1966 campaign as he was named the MLB All-Star Game MVP, earned a Gold Glove Award and was also the recipient of the prestigious Lou Gehrig Memorial Award.

I grew up an Orioles fan and to pull Baltimore greats like Brooks Robinson and Jim Palmer in back-to-back packs is fine by me. Keep ‘em comin’!

38 - Lance Berkman

Reverse text:

It’s extremely common for Astros fans to witness Berkman jogging around the bases on his way to home plate. After all, the first baseman had 259 HRs through 2007 - the third highest total in Astros history.

30 - Matt Holliday

Reverse text:

There wasn’t much the opposition could do against Holliday from 9/9-9/20/2007 as with his 11 roundtrippers in that 12-game span he joined Alex Rodriguez as the only other player to have that many HRs in 12 games.

I wrote a little bit about this card on Thursday when paying homage to ‘Big Daddy.’

8 down, 112 to go! Love this stuff.

That’s all I got…

- J.C.F.

Continue reading about Pack Break: 2008 UD Masterpieces Baseball (Retail) II »

One retail pack of ‘08 Upper Deck Masterpieces. Four cards per pack at $2.99, straight from Target to the blog:

36 - Miguel Cabrera

Reverse text:

After spending five star studded seasons with the Marlins, Cabrera made his much-anticipated debut with the Tigers on Opening Day 2008 (3/31), and he immediately responded with a big fly in Detroit.

8 - Jim Palmer

Reverse text:

Making his first Fall Classic start at the age of just 20 in 1966, Palmer didn’t display signs of nerves in Game 2 as he had a complete-game 6-0 shutout against the Dodgers. Baltimore went on to a World Series title sweep that year.

51 - Justin Morneau

Reverse text:

With Joe Mauer taking home the AL batting title in 2006, Morneau was just as impressive on the year with the first baseman posting a .559 slugging percentage with 37 doubles and winning the Most Valuable Player Award.

37 - Hanley Ramirez

Reverse text:

Ramirez continued to excel throughout 2007 as he clubbed a career-high 29 roundtrippers with 81 RBI, and the native of the Dominican Republic provided an assist to the Marlins by suiting up for 151 games at shortstop.

Yankee Stadium Legacy, Game 2938 - Yogi Berra

Reverse text:

Berra not only appeared in a record 14 different Fall Classics but also played in the most World Series games (75) and has the most World Series hits (71). Twelve of those hits were Hrs, which also helped him accumulate 41 runs and 39 RBI.

It’s always nice getting the bonus of a Yankee Stadium Legacy card. Four cards down, 116 to go!

That’s all I got…

- J.C.F.

Continue reading about Pack Break: 2008 UD Masterpieces Baseball (Retail) »

It officially sunk in today:

It’s just so strange to see him in green and white. In loving memory of ‘Big Daddy,’ I’ve decided to post a few of my favorite cards of Matt Holliday.

This first card is from the 2008 Topps Chrome Trading Card History subset (TCHC44). This particular card is modeled after the 1971 Topps set and shows the slugger stoically modeling the Rockies’ home-alternate uniform.

Reverse text:

In the closest vote in years, Matt was nosed out in the 2007 National League MVP vote. Holliday didn’t miss much else, though, and his fourth consecutive season of steady improvement resulted in some monster stats. Among his numerous career highs were NL-best marks in batting average (.340), hits (216), RBI (137) and total bases (386). Holliday kept swining into the postseason, earning NLCS MVP honors.

This next card is #746 from 2008 Upper Deck Series 2 and displays Matt holding his 2007 NLCS MVP trophy tight following the dramatic win over Arizona in game four of the championship series. With the grin of a fifth grader on his face and the fresh Rockies on-field hat emblazoned with 2007 World Series logo on his dome, you can tell how happy this guy is. I happened to be at the game on this evening, sitting down the third base line in the outfield with my brother. Not only was this one of the best games I had ever been to, it was quite amusing to listen to the fans in the left field seats heckle Eric Byrnes over his comments following game two of the series:

“I think we’re a good team, I also don’t think the Rockies have outplayed us, because they haven’t.”

Reverse text:

With the Rockies on the brink of their first ever appearance in the Fall Classic, Holliday made sure Colorado would achieve its goal in 2007 with an eye-popping performance in the National League Championship Series. He was tabbed the MVP of the event after he crushed a pair of homers and hit .333 in the Rockies four-game sweep of the Diamondbacks.

The next card up is just a beautiful shot which exemplifies the effort put into the ‘08 series by Upper Deck. This is card #483 from Upper Deck Series Two which features Matt Holliday representing the Rockies and the National League in the 2008 Home Run Derby.

Reverse text:

Holliday was a monster at the dish in 2007 and has now cemented his spot as one of the most feared hitters in the National League. Last season, he led the NL in batting average, hits, RBI, extra-base hits, total bases and doubles. Whenever the Rockies were in need of a timely run, Holliday delivered as he posted a season-high four RBI in a game on four separate occasions.

Another favorite of mine is this card from 2008 Upper Deck Goudey. This is a card from the 1936 Goudey subset which is in a black and white color scheme. I like this one a lot because of the ‘old-school’ feel of the black and white photo and because of the determination seen in #5’s eyes.

Reverse text:

Matt Holliday - With Holliday wrapping up the 2007 season with a National League best .340 batting average and 137 RBI, it’s no surprise that the Rockies were able to finish with their first National League pennant in club history.

A new addition to the collection is this 2008 Upper Deck Masterpieces base card featuring ‘Big Daddy’ rounding the bases and trotting home after what must have been a 650-foot homerun. I’m a big fan of the Masterpieces product by Upper Deck as they do such a great job creating a vintage feel while portraying the players in a great light. I’d like to at least complete the Rockies portion of this set if not the whole darn thing.

Reverse text:

There wasn’t much the opposition could do against Holliday from 9/9-9/20/2007 as with his 11 roundtrippers in that 12-game span he joined Alex Rodriguez as the only other player to have that many HRs in 12 games.

After typing that, I had to re-read the back of the card a couple of times to make sure I didn’t miss any punctuation. Not the most stellar summary, but at least the card is nice.

Saving the best for last, this card is also from 2008 Upper Deck Series 1. I absolutely LOVE this card. The photo gracing the front of the card is from arguably the greatest moment in Colorado Rockies’ history which pictures Matt Holliday making the infamous head-first slide into home plate in the 163rd regular season game of the 2007 season (he touched it). As regular readers of Tulo Trader know, I was at that game with my brother and some friends, including Spud from Wax Breaker, and we were fortunate enough to have a suite for the event. I’ve written enough about that game as it is, so I’ll save you the redundancy, but this was the greatest sporting event and one of the greatest moments of my life that I have ever experienced.

Reverse text:

The National League leader in hits, doubles, batting average and RBI in 2007, holliday put the Rockies on his back down the stretch to force a one-game playoff with the Padres for the NL Wild Card. After cranking 12 HRs and driving in an unbelievable 30 runs in September, Holliday plated two more and scored the winning tally in the bottom of the 13th inning on 10/1 as Colorado defeated San Diego 9-8 to reach the postseason for the first time since 1995.

We’ll miss ya, ‘Big Daddy.’

The Rockies will face the A’s in the 2009 regular season as they visit Oakland in a three-game interleague series from June 26-28.

That’s all I got…

- J.C.F.

Continue reading about Time to Celebrate the Hollidays »

I had just finished lunch and was about to start scanning some cards when I heard the local news interrupt regularly scheduled programming to announce that the remains of a young child were found a quarter of a mile from the Anthony residence here in Orlando.

It hasn’t been confirmed that the remains are those of Caylee Anthony’s, but it’s more than apparent that they are. When I can pull myself away from the TV, I’ll put up some long-awaited cards that I’ve received through trades.

Hope this Thursday finds you well.

That’s all I got…

- J.C.F.

Continue reading about Whoops! »

Day three of the MLB Winter Meetings has come to a close and the big news of the week so far is C.C. Sabathia’s move from the Brew Crew to the Bronx. As I’m sure many of you are already aware, Sabathia is set to sign a deal with the New York Yankees worth roughly $166 million and seven years. As Tim Brown and Gordon Edes with Yahoo! Sports have reported, the contract includes an opt-out clause after Sabathia’s third year of service with the Yanks.

So, have the Yankees secured a playoff spot and/or AL East division crown with this acquisition? Though this is a huge move, and statement, only time will tell.

The Colorado Rockies haven’t made a splash at the meetings quite as significant as New York’s (who has?), but they have been somewhat active. Rumors have been swirling around about the club since the Holliday trade to Oakland, but few have come to fruition.

Today, however, the Rox agreed to a one year deal in principle worth $2.5 million with thirty eight-year old reliever Alan Embree. Embree will join former A’s teammates Carlos Gonzalez, Greg Smith and Huston Street in Colorado in 2009 barring any other transactions involving the players mentioned. This move clearly makes the statement that the Rockies’ focus this offseason is on revamping the pitching staff rather than increasing offensive production.

A report that is raising eyebrows this evening involves the rumored trade of Rox center fielder Willy Tavares to Washington for a starting pitcher in Tim Redding. When the trade was all but finalized, word leaked out that one of the players involved in the transaction failed their physical.

Surprise, surprise… it wasn’t Redding.

With the addition of Carlos Gonzalez to the team, I’m not quite sure what to make of Willy T’s future with the Rockies, especially with the stress fracture that plagued him in the 2008 season. The trade for Redding isn’t completely dead as some have mentioned, however. Word that first baseman Joe Koshansky was discussed in an alternative straight-up trade has surfaced, though I would absolutely hate to see the Virginia native go. I’ve always been a big fan of his and I see him playing a large role with the team once Todd Helton rides off into the sunset. Though losing Koshansky and possibly another player could be worth the benefit of acquiring Redding, I’m too stubborn to lose yet another player that I like.

As of right now, the Rockies 2009 starting lineup appears to be the following:

Chris Iannetta, C
Todd Helton, 1B
Clint Barmes/Jeff Baker, 2B
Troy Tulowitzki, SS
Garrett Atkins, 3B
Ryan Spilborghs/Carlos Gonzales, LF
Carlos Gonzales/Ryan Spilborghs/Willy Tavares, CF
Brad Hawpe, RF

Rotation: Aaron Cook, Jeff Francis, Ubaldo Jimenez, Greg Smith, Jorge De La Rosa
Bullpen: Manny Corpas (SU), Huston Street (CL)

A big bat and a slightly above average starter would make me feel a lot better about ‘09, but we’ll have to wait and see on that.

That’s it for today, but I’ll have some cards up tomorrow.

That’s all I got…

- J.C.F.

Continue reading about MLB Winter Meetings »

The scanner is back up and running. Plenty of content to come this week starting tomorrow. Wax Breaker will be updated tomorrow as well.

Thanks for bearing with me.

In the meantime, check out my personal blog over at JamesCFoote.blogspot.com!

- J.C.F.

image h/t: MLB.com, Getty Images

Continue reading about Empty Promises.. »

I’d like to preface this post by reassuring any readers of Tulo Trader that I really am not dead. As I have said before, I am working for a candidate running for Florida State Senate and free time comes my way sparingly. Once November 4th comes and goes, I’ll be back with some more relevant content, but for now that will have to wait.

I write to you all today to congratulate the Colorado Rockies, err… Tampa Bay Rays on a great run to the Series. I’m just happy they won’t have 9 days to sit prior to going into Game 1 of the Series like my Rox did last year and even more happy that the Sawx are out of the run to repeat.

As a baseball fan, I’ve been high on this team all year. Going into the ‘08 season, I was heard saying “look out for the Rays in ‘09.” I thought they were missing that one piece on the hill to get the job done and figured that David Price could be that answer after honing his skills for a full year in the minors.

So I was a year off… oh well.

Looking at this Rays squad, I can’t help but be impressed at how well it is built. Yeah, they’ve had some great draft picks over the course of the last decade or so, but they drafted to near perfection. Every player on this team is a role player. They all have their strengths, each of which pick up for the weaknesses on the team. This is a team that’s hard not to fall in love with.

I must say that the most underrated component of this team is, well, me. I think it’s quite apparent that I was given some sort of power prior to the 2007 MLB season as my proximity to certain ballparks seems to help the most unlikely of teams get to the Show. In ‘07 it was Colorado… in ‘08 it’s Tampa. If this post ever makes it to any of the screens in the Rays’ front office, I’d like for them to know that they can send some sort of compensation to my PayPal account.

All joking aside, congratulations to the Tampa Bay Rays on a great showing in their first postseason and best of luck versus the Phightin’ Phils in the Series.

Also, in most counties nation-wide (outside of New York), early voting polls open today and will be open 7-days a week through November. No matter your politics, get out and vote early as November 4th is sure to be one of the most chaotic days in election history. Miss the lines and awkward conversations while waiting to cast your vote and get out to your local library or other polling place and get it done! Check out your local county’s elections commission website for specific early-voting polls. You’ll be thanking me later.

That’s all I got…

- J.C.F.

Continue reading about Congrats to Tampa! »

It’s been a crazy couple of weeks. The job interview that I alluded to a couple of weeks ago went great and I’m working full time for a candidate running for Florida State Senate and having a blast. I’ve picked up some cards, but I’ll have to get those scanned sometime soon to put up on the site.

Last night’s softball game got rained out, unfortunately, so no exciting updates in the world of men’s slow pitch.

I’m not dead and I’m not out of the game. I hope to have some cards up soon.

That’s all I got…

- J.C.F.

Continue reading about Life Happens »

The night started well. We had nine of our ten batters take the plate in the first inning and took a 6-0 lead entering the bottom of the 1st. I took the mound again this evening and allowed one run through the 4th inning while we watched our lead grow to 10-1. However, the 5th inning was another story. We scored 5 runs in the top of the inning with the 10-run rule waiting in the balance. All we had to do was keep them to four runs and the game was over. Unfortunately, our opponents shelled me in an 8 run 5th, but we weathered the storm and left the field with a 18-14 win after 7 innings.

To tell you the truth, we got a little lazy this evening after the strong start, but Team Pita Pit has improved to 2-1. No broken nose tonight, so that was a positive, but my dog headbutted me after the game and cracked the nearly set cartilage… ouch.

The job interview this morning went great and I am now assisting the Darius Davis State Senate campaign for Florida’s District 9. All in all it was a great day.

Cards to come tomorrow.

That’s all I got…

- J.C.F.

Continue reading about Team Pita Pit Softball Update (9/23): »

Every day is a great day to receive cards in the mail, but sometimes it seems even more enjoyable at the start of the week when you’re having a case of the Mondays. Today I was stricken with the aforementioned illness, but not one… not two… but three packages came in the post. Two of the packages contained cards I paid for, but one of them was jam packed with free cards from my good friend Eric.

My plan was to do a post on the absurd amount of cards he sent over, but I received a call late this afternoon informing me that I will have a job interview tomorrow at 9:30am. Not expecting that phone call, let alone with an interview opportunity less than 24 hours away, my priorities shifted to updating my résumé, buying a new suit and getting a haircut. Add that to Brett Favre playing on MNF and my night is shot with no chance of scanning cards coming into play.

I will have a review of this particular package up in the next day or so. Tomorrow will be the longest day I’ve had scheduled in the recent past (out the door at 8 and home by 9) so I might have to shelve the post until Wednesday. But, Eric sent over a slew of Rockies, Redskins and a ton of AWESOME Cal Ripken Jr. cards… enough that I could drag out a review for nearly a year.

Thanks again to Eric and I’ll have something up for you in the next couple of days. Big softball game tomorrow… I’ll try to keep my nose from breaking this week.

That’s all I got…

- J.C.F.

P.S. - I’m currently writing this while the Jets are going for two with 3:09 left in the 4th quarter. I’m just wondering how many times San Diego will get called for holding/interference on this two-point play. Hmm… add offsides to that list. Dang… unsuccessful. I’m not Jets fan, but Brett the Jet is my man.

P.S.S. - Horatio Caine lives on.

Continue reading about Trade with Eric (Preview) »

The Rockies are officially out of playoff contention this season and many changes will be seen in the upcoming offseason. Though the Rockies didn’t experience any of the magic witnessed in 2007, this season might have led to the best possible outcome for the team. It became quite clear over the course of the year that 2007 was something special and the team wasn’t built to repeat that success. In order for the Rockies to get back to the postseason, changes undoubtedly need to be made and the ‘08 season just might be the catalyst for that face lift.

As biased as this thought might be, I think the Rockies have the skeleton of a team only a few steps away from recurring seasons of success. But, as I said, changes need to be made. What might those changes be?

I think that the managerial position is a great place to start. As much as I respect Clint Hurdle for the person that he is and the way he managed the team in the second half last year, I think the Rox need to part ways with him. One name that sticks out as a possible replacement would be former Brew Crew skipper, Ned Yost. Though there might be other candidates already on the list with a small few possibly to added, hiring Yost might be a good selection. I don’t know much about his career, but I understand that anyone in Milwaukee is on a short leash due to the quarter-century playoff drought the team is enduring. We’ll see what happens, but look out for a new manager in Denver next season.

Pitching in Colorado isn’t easy. The humidifier is overrated. The ballpark is spacious and the thin air is the ultimate foe in each of the 81 home games in Denver each year. The only extended success on the hill at Coors Field will be found from guys with sinkers and similar pitches in their repertoire. Aaron Cook is the best we have and might be the best in Rockies history when it’s all said and done. We’re two Cookies away from a solid rotation, but then the bullpen needs to be addressed. Brian Fuentes likely won’t return to the Rockies next season, though he’d like to continue his success in the purple pinstripes rather than sign elsewhere. I’m no GM and am far from energized enough to dive into this particular topic, but pitching needs to be addressed.

I couldn’t be happier with the Rockies infield. If Garrett Atkins and/or Helton get moved in the offseason, the infield should look like this in ‘09:

C Chris Iannetta
1B Joe Koshansky
2B Clint Barmes
SS Troy Tulowitzki
3B Ian Stewart

Though Tulo might be the only player on that list that fans outside of Denver know about, the four other names have great upsides and showed their ability this year. Helton will likely return, but the club needs to realize that he is done hitting for power. His defense, average and discipline at the plate are all something special… and so is his ability to sell tickets.

The outfield will most likely look like this next season:

LF Matt Holliday
CF Ryan Spilborghs
RF Brad Hawpe

Holliday is, well, Holliday… Spilly is a cult favorite in Denver and one of the most talented ball players I’ve ever been fortunate enough to watch play… he will also be playing winter ball in Mexico to prepare for next year… Hawpe is a great five-hole hitter with the most underrated outfield arm in baseball.

The farm system is in great shape which helps maintain hope for Rockies fans. An arsenal of young pitchers are seeing success in the likes of Colorado Springs and Tulsa, but a veteran hurler is desperately needed.

This winter should prove to be exciting as moves are made and new faces appear. The Rockies will be fighting the payroll once again, but it’s time to part ways with the cheap tendencies of the front office. They’ve got some cash… it’s time to spend it on guys not named Corpas, et. al.

Best of luck to all of your teams that have or will make the playoffs. I’ll be rooting on the Rays and hopefully catching some more postseason ball in person this year.

That’s all I got…

- J.C.F.

UPDATE: Just ran across this article on MLBTradeRumors.com

Continue reading about Exiting Stage Left »

As I mentioned yesterday, I picked up a 111 card lot of Todd Helton cards on eBay last week.

The item description:

111 Card Todd Helton Lot Including 8 Inserts Rockies

The item details:

Up for bid is a 111 card base card lot featuring Colorado Rockies star Todd Helton…includes 8 inserts as shown in the photo…there are some doubles in this lot, but there is a good assortment of cards here[...] thanks for looking and good luck!

The Price:

Buy It Now, $14.99, or Best Offer. I put in an offer of $8.50 and won the lot.

As the item description states, there are a ton of doubles, which is fine by me. What it doesn’t state is that 99% of the cards in the lot have dinged corners. Lucky for me, I’m not one to get upset over that in an auction/purchase like this. They’re still cards and I like them for the picture on the front and the stats on the back… and at $8.50 I’m completely happy.

I took the time to examine each and every card in this lot and I found some things that just cracked me up. Let’s take a closer look.

First, we have the 2005 Topps Opening Day card. Why do I love it? One word… mullet. I forgot about the days when the best hair on Helton’s head were the wavy brown locks protruding from underneath of his cap as opposed to the epic goatee he now keeps on his face.

Second, we have the 2000 Topps card. Why do I love it? Well, upon flipping this card over and taking a look at the back we find this:

The photograph on the top portion of the card is straight up hilarious. Is Todd in the process of running to his left to get under a pop fly to first? Is he raising his hand to call off another player or to shield his eyes from the sun? We will never know, but I like to think that he’s preparing to karate chop a large stack of 2×4s to set a Guinness World Record.

Last of all, we have the 1998 Donruss ‘Spirit of the Game’ insert. I’m not sure what series it is from, but that is irrelevant at this time. What caught my eye was also on the back of the card:

If you did not already know, Todd Helton played quarterback up on ol’ Rocky Top and lost his starting job when he went down with a knee injury. Some guy named Peyton Manning came in following the injury and played pretty well I guess. But the point of showing the back of the card is the fact that the text is confused. Last time I checked, there is no College World Series of football in the NCAA… and I’m pretty sure there isn’t a quarterback position on the baseball diamond.

That’s it for now. Through-the-mail autographs to come tomorrow.

That’s all I got…

- J.C.F.

Continue reading about A Ton of Helton »

Here’s an updated slideshow of one of my top three favorite player collections in Ben Petrick. Hope you enjoy and please let me know if you have any cards of his looking for a good home!

Ben is in the process of starting up a baseball video instructional website which you can check out at BaseballMastery.com

That’s all I got…

- J.C.F.

Continue reading about Updated Petrick Collection »

Finally, some cards! I’ll dub this ‘Part I’ of my latest low budget eBay binge. Though I only spent thirty-three dollars and change, I picked up over 150 cards. My kind of splurge! Featured in the scan above are the following cards from top left to bottom right:

2008 Bowman Chrome #132 (Refractor), Troy Tulowitzki
2002 Topps 206 #231, Ben Petrick
2003 Upper Deck #513 (Star Rookies), Clint Barmes
2001 Bowman Heritage #78, Todd Helton

Also included in the same purchase were:

2001 Bowman Chrome #300, Ben Petrick
2002 Topps 206 #253, Todd Helton
2008 Bowman #300, Troy Tulowitzki

These guys are some of my favorite all-time Rockies players so I consider this purchase a success. Quite frankly, any Ben Petrick pick-up is a moral victory for me. His terrific career was cut tragically short due to Parkinson’s Disease and it’s hard to find any of his cards outside of the ones that were produced in large numbers. If any of you collectors have any of his cards in your collection, please let me know. I would love to work out a trade with you for any of them, whether I already have them or not. Shoot me an email if you happen to come across any.

Tomorrow I’ll feature some of the TTM autos that I picked up on eBay from an autograph collector. I also have a 111 card lot of Heltons to share among other up-and-coming Rockies cards.

Thanks for checking in.

That’s all I got…

- J.C.F.

Continue reading about Sittin’ on the Dock of the eBay »

I’d love to post some of the great cards that I’ve received this week, but I have absolutely no motivation with this broken schnoz. I’d like to thank Dinged Corners for the package they sent over. I’ll get those cards and a package sent out in return ASAP.

But for now I’m injured… injured bad.

In other news, I’m looking to put my Political Science degree to use here in the near future. Some great opportunities have come my way, so I might be pushing my future career as a high school teacher to the back burner for a bit while I gain some experience in the world of politics. A move back home to Washington D.C. might even be in the cards…

That’s all I got…

- J.C.F.

Continue reading about Injured… Injured Bad »

I’ve got a lot to say, so I’ll just get right into it. The cards I have promised will be scanned and reviewed tomorrow, however I have an important announcement to make.

I am playing men’s softball this fall with some friends and we just wrapped up our second game of the season. One of the team members owns a Pita Pit location in downtown Orlando and he went ahead and sponsored the team, so we are creatively called ‘Team Pita Pit.’

Last week we got shelled by a sub-par squad. Lots of errors, poor hitting and, quite frankly, a few jitters helped us get 10-run-ruled at 14-4 in the final inning. Following the game, we realized that we needed to pick up a bat and hit the cages; especially me. I went 0-3 in the season opener… yes, 0-3… don’t ask.

This week I traded in my spot at the hot corner to take the mound as we were pretty weak there this year. My theory: if you are good at corn-hole toss, you can pitch in softball, though you do need some skills on the mound (like myself). The nerves of pitching for the first time clearly had an affect on my game as I allowed three runs in the first inning, but I settled in after that giving up 0 earned runs through the fifth inning… (am I taking this too seriously? Probably, but I don’t care). Two runs were scored on a throwing error due to the muddy infield and slick ball, but we retained our lead of 12-5.

In the sixth inning of the game, I roped one to left-center and was quickly moved up to second base with the following at-bat on a shallow single. The ensuing play, however, ended my night.

On a base hit to short, I started my run to third. The opposing team’s shortstop knocked down the chopper and threw to second for the first out of an almost guaranteed double play… but I broke up the play… with my face. Homeboy threw the ball right at my head and nailed me in the nose.

Result:

Yeah, it’s broken. That brings the broken nose tally to three. Once from a lacrosse ball, once from my Golden Retriever getting a little excited and now once from a softball. At least all that was broken this week was my nose and not our spirits. Team Pita Pit has rebounded to a record of 1-1 and I have improved my batting average to .333. Still pathetic for slow pitch softball, but it should will be in the .500’s by this time next week. It also looks like I’ll retain my spot on the bump for at least another week.

Well, that’s the softball update for all of you that care… hmm… I guess that means just Spud… maybe. We’ve had some great photos taken so far this season so I might have some decent Team Pita Pit ‘cards’ to show off in the future.

Take care, be safe and happy collecting.

That’s all I got…

- J.C.F.

Continue reading about Team Pita Pit Softball Update »

Some of you might have seen my post on September 8th about my $33 binge on The Bay. Well, the first leg of the packages have arrived and I have plenty of cards to review. Check back in this evening to check out the newest additions to the Rockies collection.

That’s all I got…

- J.C.F.

Continue reading about Weekend Mail »

You don’t need me to remind you of today’s date and what it signifies, but seven years ago today our generation was defined. We will always remember where we were at 8:53 a.m. on September 11th, 2001 as the cameras turned on and the North Tower of the World Trade Center gripped for its life. We will always remember the minutes and hours to follow as one of the most terrifying days in our nation’s history unwrapped before our eyes.

I was in high school in Orlando, FL when we heard the news. As my teacher turned on the television in our room, the South Tower was struck and our hearts stopped, stomachs dropped and our lives stood still. As a tragic accident turned into a deliberate attack, dismay, fear and confusion set over all thirty of us in that classroom and each and every American within this fine country and abroad.

You know as well as I how hard it is to put those feelings and memories into words. What made that day even harder for me was seeing the distant camera shot of smoke rising from the Washington, D.C. area. I am originally from Virginia and spent a large part of my youth growing up in Northern Virgina. My father, a retired Naval Captain with 34 years in the service, still lived in Alexandria, VA and worked for a defense contractor in Crystal City, VA. I had spoken to him the night before following the Monday Night Football game and he informed that he had a meeting at the Pentagon, his old stomping grounds, the following day.

It was nearly 3:00 p.m. on September 11th before I heard from my father. He couldn’t talk long, but he let me know that he was fine and that I needed to buy as much gas as I could before the day ended. My father was a wise man and I did what he said.

I came to find out that he was in a meeting at his office that morning with his scheduled visit to the Pentagon to follow a little after noon that day. He told me that the first meeting of the day was excruciatingly boring and he was gazing out a window looking down onto Army Navy Drive in Crystal City. His office building was situated just south of the Pentagon on the other side of Interstate 395. He watched as the plane clipped light posts on the interstate and flew directly into what was once his office in the ‘E’ ring of the Pentagon. I was fortunate enough to have not lost anyone close, or even an acquaintance that day; my father and many others were not.

On this seventh anniversary of 9/11, let’s remember those lost and those who continue to fight for our cause. Take care on this day and remember what is truly important in this life.

- J.C.F.

Continue reading about In Memoriam »

Jon Heyman of SI.com reported on this, but I don’t think it’s much of a story. However, I certainly think it’s in the early stages of being blown entirely out of proportion, but then again, I’m just a blogger.

From Heyman’s ‘Daily Scoop’ on SI.com, posted Monday, September 8th:

Rockies outfielder Brad Hawpe, who was given a big deal by GM Dan O’Dowd after showing surprising early success, apparently felt emboldened enough to take a shot at O’Dowd. After the Rockies GM suggested that one big problem this year has been a lack of execution by the Rockies (which should be obvious), Hawpe was offended enough to respond, “I don’t think we put any concern in what somebody from the outside says about us.”

I respect his comments. You don’t go out onto the field to play for the GM… you play for your team, you play for your fans and you “play.. to win… the game.” Brad deserved every cent of the contract for his cannon from right field alone. Though you may disagree or are unaware of the fact, but Brad’s in a league with Vlad Guerrero when it comes to arm strength in the outfield.

And, oh yeah…O’Dowd’s lack of execution has been a thorn in the side of the Rockies and their fans over the years. I’d leave the coaching to the man paid to do so.

That’s all I got…

- J.C.F.

Continue reading about Hawpe/O’Dowd Feud? »

Well, it’s not technically a trade yet as I’m waiting to send out my A’s, but Jim at TasteLikeDirt send over a package of Rockies and ‘08 Goudey’s which I received today. There were some great cards in the package, most notably (in my mind, anyway) Greg Reynolds’ ‘08 TA&G rookie card. Greg is a super talent with substantial size at 6′7 225lbs out of Stanford University. Though his 2008 campaign in The Bigs has been sub-par and hampered by arm soreness, look for this guy to make some waves as he gains experience in the MLB. This is my first Greg Reynolds card and I’m hoping to add many more in the future to my collection.

Also in the package were a few Hawpes, Heltons, Hollidays and Walkers, all of which are high in my book.

Thanks again to Jim for the kind gesture. I’ll have some A’s out to you in the near future.

That’s all I got…

- J.C.F.

Continue reading about Trade with TasteLikeDirt »

Just another question marks within the Rockies organization. Though Fuentes would like to stay in Denver, it’s not looking good for the All-Star closer.

Courtesy of Tim Dierkes of MLBTradeRumors.com:

Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post takes a look at Brian Fuentes’ impending free agency. The 33 year-old closer would prefer to return to the Rockies, but he hasn’t heard from the team and expects to explore the open market.

You can continue reading the story at MLBTradeRumors.com

That’s all I got…

- J.C.F.

Continue reading about Foregoing Fuentes »

This past Friday I wrote a post about the package that dayf sent over from Cardboard Junkie. Included in the package was a huge stack of Todd Helton cards that I looked over more closely today. There were some real gems in here, but I came across one card in particular that blew me away.

This is a 2002 Fleer ‘Franchise Players’ subset card featuring the ToddFather. To me, this card captures the essence of why we collect cards. I see it as an ode to the days of spitballs and wool caps, Ford’s Model-T and spectators in three-piece suits. This card looks anything but contemporary with the high socks, classic away uniforms, ’rounded’ batting helmet and the pose of the player photographed. The more and more I look at it, black and white images of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Earle Combs and the rest of Murderer’s Row are conjured up in my imagination. Card number 10 of the 2002 ‘Franchise Players’ subset has easily become a top card in my collection and I would again like to thank dayf for his generosity.

Here’s the text straight from the back:

While Helton made a dramatic run at .400 in 2000, he became only the fifth player, the first in 63 years and the first ever in the National League, with at least 200 hits, 40 home runs, 100 RBI, 100 runs, 100 extra-base hits and 100 walks. The 2001 season was more of the same, as he placed in the top five in no less than nine hitting categories. He’s one of the great all-around hitters in the game.

Todd Helton was voted to the All-Star team and earned a Silver Slugger award in 2000 as well as finishing fifth in the MVP voting behind Jeff Kent, Barry Bonds, Mike Piazza and Jim Edmonds. Though his power numbers have decreased as his career has gone on, he continues to be the face of the Colorado Rockies franchise and will undoubtedly be a candidate for the Baseball Hall of Fame following his retirement.

That’s all I got…

- J.C.F.

Continue reading about An Ode to the Good Ol’ Days »

My weekend began last Thursday at 3:45pm and came to a crashing halt at some point last evening. The Redskins came out weak, confused and poorly managed against the Giants in the NFL Season Opener Thursday evening as though they were playing their fifth preseason game of the year. Clearly the boys were still adjusting to Jim Zorn and his west coast offense, though I saw very few glimpses of said system. Terrible play calling and even poorer clock management made this game unbearable to watch. “Whatever,” I thought to myself, “They’re the defending Super Bowl Champs and we’re running a new system. At least you still have UCF/USF on Saturday.”

Then I hear word of this… which saddens me deeply. I’ve rarely been embarrassed to be a UCF Knight, but this story broke my heart.

As of last Tuesday, I am now officially a University of Central Florida football season ticket holder. The last time I watched the [Golden] Knights play in person was during my first campaign as a student at this fine university in 2004 when they played at the not-too-soon forgotten Orlando Citrus Bowl. The Knights now play on campus at the one-year-old Brighthouse Networks Stadium which is a great facility. After recovering from the terrible game played by the ‘Skins on Friday, I quickly changed focus to the festivities a mere matter of hours away on campus prior to the ‘War on I-4′ between my Knights and the South Florida Bulls. The Knights looked equally as lost as the ‘Skins through three and three-fouths quarters, though the final minutes were quite exciting as the squad scored two touchdowns to force OT.

South Florida 31
Central Florida 24

Now I find myself with a collage of bad tastes in my mouth.

As the first official weekend of NFL football begins on Sunday, I found myself casually watching games, doing my best to forget about my ‘Skins and even my fantasy football players. I refuse to root for players on my teams because, well, I’m not that guy. I live by three rules in fantasy football.

Rule #1: Never, ever under any circumstance draft a Dallas Cowboy. This makes football season more enjoyable for me, no matter what the outcome.

Rule #2: Don’t be that guy begging the football gods on Sunday afternoon for the Colts to call nothing but run plays to Joseph Addai for 15 straight plays.

Rule #3: Set your best players with the best matchups, flip on the TV and don’t even worry about it.

Well, I didn’t violate any of those rules when hearing that Tom Brady, my number one overall draft pick in both of my leagues, went down with a serious knee injury.

“Unbelievable…”

I’ve never taken a QB first overall in fantasy football. I never would have imagined doing so, but running back-by-committee has killed the draft strategy of yesteryear (RB, RB, WR, QB/WR, RB/QB/WR). But, I had the 7th overall pick in both leagues and you can’t tell me that Frank Gore or Clinton Portis are going to do the damage that Brady would have. Just to note, I dislike the Boston sports scene for a couple of reasons, mainly because of the bandwagoneers that have never visited the town who love to rub in how great their Sawx are and how they swept the Rockies out of the World Series. Thanks, never-been-to-Boston Sawx fans… I was there. I got the memo. Congrats. You’re superior human beings for that. Keep up the good work.

But I’m no dummy. Brady is a good pick at #7…

I’m licking my wounds today, to say the least. Now that I have gone on for far too long, I’ll get to the point of this post. Yesterday, my fiancee went to Target and picked up some things for the apartment. After showing off what she purchased, she said “I have surprises for you!” I think you all see where I’m going with this one.