Jose Bautista on Twitter

And what was not my big surprise this morning when I saw I had a Twitter notification stating that here, Mister Jose Bautista (@JoeyBats19) was now following me.

I confess he's not a player in my radar, but I know he's good. Just not stating nothing obvious for me to follow his career or collect his cards.

But I think after this follow, random or not, I'm starting to pay more attention to his cards.

A bunt is always a bunt - Chone Figgins

Wow...specially when you get a horizontal bunt card with the frame right after the ball connected with the bat.

How to damage a card

Putting Fuji's idea in action I'm posting today about a damage card I have.

The thing is that it got damaged on the top left corner because of me.

It's Sam LeCure Rookie Card.

I even hide his face to prevent you all seeing him cry for what I did to his card.

Even the protection sleeve got turned a bit.

I tried my best to get it straight and flat as possible but I cannot get ride of the wrinkles.

And how did it end that way...?

It was the moment I put the deck box near the cards that the box opening got caught on the card corner.

The thing is that I only saw it a few weeks later.

The damage was strongly done.

I have a few doubles from the 2010 Topps US set but none of them were of Sam LeCure RC.


I think I really have something against Reds cards...

New action collection - Get your seat on the Front Row

While getting through my cards something caught my eye.

Of course you have the bunt cards that usually draw a person to them.

Myself included.

But also some other type of cards made me stare and decide they deserve a binder.

I'm talking about the Front-Row cards!

And what are these cards!?

I can give you an example.

You have a great Brandon Morrow card not only because you get to see the ball traveling its way to the batter or catcher nor for the commemorative cap.

Nops.

It's really because you get to see the batter.

You feel like your in the front row of the action.

An other example is this.

Rich Harden making the swan figure plus the ball and the batter right there!

These are just two examples that I found in my cards. One for vertical and other horizontal. There might be more out there but you get the preview.


Meanwhile I'll be adding a new tab on the top bar and will list them like the dust collection.

Jonathan Lucroy - Woman Perspective post

It's time for an other post in this so beloved category.

I was remembered by BASEBALL DAD comment that I haven't made a Woman Perspective post in a while.

Shame on me!

And then I started to think about who this posts might be.

And then again shame on me!

Why!?

Because I haven't made a post about one of the first players that made me stare at his card.

So the post is about Jonathan Lucroy.

And it's my first catcher!

The card that made me stare is this pretty thing.

Me who likes those clouds of dust and see the uniforms got all dirty during the games had a blast with this card.

Catchers gear all dirty and a pretty face on top is something to make my day.

It's like gold!

And that's why I also got this card.

He's my Golden Dusty Boy.

(If I said 'Dirty' it would sound R rated and I want to keep the blog PG13.)

And that's why I checked to see if I had more cards of me.

I found I have his Rookie Card!

Wow!

Catcher in action!

That umpire there is blocking my spectacular view!

Topps photoshop a lot of things, even eyebrows! And they let that umpire to block the pretty thing that is Lucroy!?

I'm preparing some voodoo...I just don't know if for the umpire, the photographer or Topps.

But I'm also thinking about Lucroy's hairdresser.

What is that!?

It's a 'no no no'!

Thank baseball gods that Lucroy saw the light and changed the hairstyle.

That and keep showing in cards wearing the helmet.

And there is an other update.

The Beard!

That 2/3 days beard!

See!?

Ahhh the Beard...

Unfortunately there are few cards of Lucroy and I only have 4.

And if Topps has the exclusive for the next 2 years or so, I think I'll go ahead with the voodoo thing.

How to wear the cap

Even in the other side of the Atlantic we are dealing with that fashion that put everyone wearing hip-hop-caps.

I don't know how can someone use a cap like that.

But I'm too old school maybe to reach that...upgrade.

Other thing beside wearing those caps is wearing them a bit to the side.

While you might get it for people casually walking down the street, for professional baseball players I don't get it and don't like it at all.

See Fernando Rodney example.

That card on top is from 2002 Upper Deck 40-Man set.

He wears a normal cap in a normal way.

His 2006 Topps Updates & Highlights card you can see that the cap is getting a bit to the side.

But in most recent years like in the 2011 Topps set you see that the cap kept a bit to the side but nothing to worry so much about.

But then came 2012 Topps Update card and it's ridiculous.

Fernando Rodney is a good closer but that cap makes me do not respect him that much. Why? Because I think it is not respectful of him to wear the uniform like that.

Yes.

The cap is part of the uniform in baseball.

Imagine seeing someone in the Army, Navy or Air Force wearing the hat like they wanted?

I know is a bit far fetched the comparison but if they use the cap even at night games it's because it's part of the uniform.

If they put the shirt inside the paints to wear the uniform why do they use the cap like some boy band?

Sorry but I don't like.

But Fernando is not alone.

Feliz Hernandez might have a Perfect Game in the stats but he also uses the cap a bit to the side.

But Hernandez is less evident.

He follows more the style of other player.

CC also likes to be a bit different. But you have to pay a bit more attention to see the cap detail.

I see that the pitchers tend to be quite the hipster ones.

At least Romo didn't follow that trend and only kept with the beard.

A home run is always a home run

Yesterday my Yankees swept the Blue Jays. So much for the money and great sounding names.

Phil Hughes pitched well and Boesch and Overbay did the rest.

So lets see if I have some cards of the trio.

2007 Topps Turkey Red RC

Great rookie card. This is an SP being the most common one. But I think I like this photo better.

2008 Upper Deck

The '08 Upper Deck had such a great photos! And I have a thing for the second year cards, were the stats line for last year is equals to ML totals.

2008 Topps Allen and Ginter's

This is my favourite Hughes card. I don't quite like the too much white in this year A&G design but Hughes make it go away.

2008 Goudey

I had to double take this card to see Hughes in there. He seems a bit Asiatic. Or perhaps is just that I cannot see the eyebrows.

2010 Topps Update

The last card I have of him is shared with David Price. Price is like an Ace in Tampa but Hughes had some dificult to impose himself in this past years. Hope this will be the season for him.

2010 Topps Update RC

Brennan Boesch had me yesterday! I think he might be one of the best acquisitions Yankees did this season.
His rookie card now has an highlight place in my collection.

2011 Topps

After a good looking RC his second year card has a tremendous photo. Glad to see him in pinestripes and hopping ot get his Yankee card.

2004 Upper Deck First Pitch

For Overbay I don't have a RC but I count this Star Rookie card as so.
Here wearing Arizona uniform but already traded to the Brewers

2009 Topps Heritage

Looking confindent in his Heritage photo. And playing for Toronto whom he helped to overcome yesterday.
I always wonder if the players that play for a bunch of teams during their major league career feel like belongging to a team in specific.

2011 Topps

My favourite Overbay card is the 2011 release.
In '11 Lyle played for 3 teams. Oh well, usually it happens when the player is old or not that good. ut his stats don't look bad and yesterday Overbay was useful and that's what the Yankees need with all the injuries in the rooster.

Being #1

Once again I'm overwhelmed by work.

Lots of milestones in the horizon and the time doesn't stop.

And we always have to try and be #1 or else somebody else is eager to take upon our job.

And since there is always a fight to be *the* #1 lets see how many #1 cards I have and who is featured in them.

It seems I have a few. Not bad.

1991 Fleer Ultra

And I start with Barry Bonds insert card in the '91 Fleer Ultra set.

In contrast with the other common card this have a lot of text to read!

Am I complaining!? No! I like reading and knowing trivia things.

And it's an extra that the front of the card have 3 Bonds photos! But that happens in all cards in this set and in the base set.

1992 O-Pee-Chee Premier

I only have Boggs cards for the Boston times. And around this days, Boston is #1 trend around the globe for the worst reasons. Keep it going Boston.

2009 Topps Update and Highlights

Next is Ivan Rodriguez helping someone (cannot get who is he nor even the team. Help!?) who is choking with some baseball.

That or he is breaking his knees in half.

Or even other possibility..he is helping closing the fly.

2009 Topps Heritage

This is a cute #1 card.

Not only the back shows a cartoon of 'father and son' but on the front they are also facing each other.

These combos sometimes look a bit off but in this I think they got it right.

Yep. Cuteness all over the card.

2010 Upper Deck

An insert in the last Upper Deck baseball release.

I like black and white photos. But that is only true because I always knew stickers and cards in full colours.

This insert set were dedicated to DiMaggio so I was happy with any of the cards. But I got #1.

2010 Upper Deck

And an other insert set #1 card.

And this #1 card is also a die cut. Probably from hell. But a die cut.

2010 Topps Opening Day

My favourite #1 card! Ohh how I liked Prince Fielder while with Brewers. It felt real, authentic..

Nothing against Tigers but Fielder for me will always be remember as a Brewer.

2010 Topps

I tend to get a lot of insert set #1s. Way more that base set #1s.

In those old days they really looked like wearing pajamas for playing baseball.

Mathewson, I have a couple of cards of him. All commemorative or reprints. But I like it none the same.

It's good that we never forget.

2010 Topps Update Series

Maybe it's easier to get card #1 in Update sets because it's smaller.

Vladimir is always smiling. Join him with Torii Hunter and Brandon Phillips and the stadium would not be big enough to handle the 3 smiles.

And they play/played always well.

2010 Topps 206

I think T206 were the first set that I completely fall in love with no restrictions.

And the HE minis are simply gorgeous!

And I have this  infatuation for History. So its a bonus everytime a cards company decide to throw some historical cards in the middle of a sports card set.

2011 Topps Opening Day

I like D-Backs. But I must thank the baseball gods that they have a cat as mascot during the games instead of a snake.

Even if the cat need to cut the nails. Is it legal to play baseball with that long nails? He sure doesn't need a glove...

2011 Topps Opening Day

I first noticed Gonzalez because I got a relic card of him in Archives last year. And then even more after getting this OD #1 card. And even more when I noticed he tends to show up in the League Leaders cards too.

I really need to rec more Colorado games.

By the way...he seems to have just scored an home run.

2011 Topps

This card i not only the #1 in the insert set but Ryan Howard also ranks 1 in 'Most Home Runes With Team Trailing, 2006-10'.

I say this because some of the set cards show players who rank second or third.

2011 Topps

And to complement the Fielder card I already shown here is his partner for the kung-fu-dance after home runs.

I think that Braun only tried steroids because he misses Fielder that much.

The vintage uniform is a plus. Even more because Braun wearing this uniform reminds me of Paul Molitor.

*sigh*

2011 Bowman Platinum

I got a pack of Bowman Platinum in a repack box. I've never saw that before. But they sure look good!

Of course they only bring 3 or 4 cards which reduced the possibilities but here I got card #1. And it's Ryan Howard again. The first player here to duplicate his #1 cards.

2012 Topps

As a Yankees fan I should not like this card at all. But I'm a good fair play fan and when the others play better than us I don't have a problem.

And really, this was a huge moment in history. Somehow I'm glad it was the Yankees out there to be bitten by this great Pirates team.

2012 Topps

Ryan Braun is again card #1 for consecutive years. And in both cards he's wearing a throwback uniform.

How sweet is that!

2012 Topps Update Series

Liriano in this photo looks like the Fantastic Four Mister Fantastic. How malleable can be his arm!?

It always fascinated me how can pitchers do those things to the arm. But perhaps that's why they have a lot of elbow injuries and so.

It's a bit of a gray #1 card. Would have been better if it was one of those photos with a throwback red and white White Sox uniform!


I might have a few more #1 cards but these are the ones I already have listed.

Now I'm interested in the 'Card not Found' cards. Also known as the #404 cards.