In Case You Missed It: 2013 Snorting Bull Blog Contest

One of the coolest things about having a baseball card blog is holding contests.  I have toyed with different contests during the past year and have decided to settle on holding a single contest every year centered around the launch date of my blog of March 8th.  This year's addition will be starting this afternoon and running through March 8th.  I have enjoyed my time blogging and do not plan on stop anytime soon, so this will be an annual event.  The rules and actual contest are going to be fairly simple.  I have learned that simple is better.  So, here goes:

1st Annual Snorting Bull Baseball Card Blog Contest

On March 8th I will be giving away one copy of a 2013 Stan Musial Commemorative MVP Trophy card to one lucky contest winner.  To enter the contest, you must simply follow the Snorting Bull blog,  like or friend my Facebook page, or follow our Twitter account.  You may enter up to four times if you follow my blog in all four places.  There are no trivia questions or crazy partial pictures of baseball cards to track down.  Pretty simple stuff.  On March 8th, I will randomly draw one follower from one of the sites to win the fantastic baseball card below.  

1998 Donruss Signature Sandy Koufax Autograph

I am always in the market to add a great Hall of Fame signature to my collection, while at the same time try to balance value and finding new autographs of players that I do not have in my collection.  Last spring I was able to pick up an autograph of Sandy Koufax for my collection.  At the time it was my second Koufax autograph and represented a significant upgrade over my other Koufax autograph which was a 1998 Donruss Signature.  I was able to trade this other Koufax autograph for a bundle of cards and fill in some other holes, needs, and wants in collection.

1998 Donruss Signature Significant Signatures Sandy Koufax Autograph

and we've come full circle in a little less than a year.  Why acquire another copy of this card?  One of the best things about the late 90s Donruss Signature Series cards is that they were completely overproduced.  Overproduction means that they often cannot be traded or sold for nearly as much as the depicted player's autograph may otherwise sell.  For example, this Koufax autograph has a print run of 2000.  Most recently issued Koufax autographs are print runs of 100 or less.  They both feature autographs of Sandy Koufax, but this card can be found a little more than $100 if you are patient and in the right place at the right time.  For collectors walking a line between owning great cards and staying within a budget, the Donruss Signature Series cards a great set to check out.

2012 Topps Skip Schumaker Squirrel Short Print

I waited a long time this past year to pick up the imfamous "Squirrel Card".  I was excited when I the 2012 Topps cards dropped and saw that such a card existed, but a little bit skeptical when the first first couple prints to sell on Ebay crossed $500.  I love the Cardinals, love that they won the World Series in 2011 after the squirrel ran on the field, but not sure that I love Skip Schumaker for $500.  I am not sure that I love Stan Musial or Albert Pujols for $500.  Luckily, the card came down in value and I was able to secure a copy about a month and a half ago.

2012 Topps Skip Schumaker Squirrel Short Print

Last week, I ran into another copy of the Skip Schumaker squirrel variation and was able to swing a trade for the card.  The card is a little bit gimmicky, but is a really cool card that will continue to remain popular and valuable.  I kind of think about it being in the same class as the 2006 Topps Alex Gordon card.  Another pretty ridiculous card, but still really popular and still highly sought after.  I was also able to pick up another sweet card in the trade too.  

2010 Topps Triple Threads Ivan Rodriguez Relic/Autograph

I was also excited to get my hands on this card.  I have used the word "dry" on my blog before in describing a card and been asked questions about it, so I will take a few minutes to explain it here, since this card is definitely a "dry" card.  Anytime you are buying, selling, or trading a card there are different reference points a collector can use to help determine the value of a card.  The least valuable is Beckett. It is archaic and dated, further the information is at least thirty days old.  Many times older, which is bad for newer cards which are often initially inflated in value.  The second place reference point is searching for completed sales.  You can ask a dealer or store owner, check out a website like Check Out My Cards, or hunt the completed listings on Ebay.  So, what happens when you cannot find the card? 

That's when you can say a card is dry.  Ivan Rodriguez currently has three Triple Threads cards on Ebay that are for sale or have sold and one on Check Out My Cards.  The completed listing on Ebay was for a triple autograph with Johnny Bench and Carlton Fisk and sold for $180.  The current two listings are for a simple three piece jersey for $24 and this card for $90.  COMC has one jersey card for just south of $20.  Find an Ivan Rodriguez collector and they will tell you that you can find lots of different autographs, but the Triple Threads are almost all gone and rarely come up for sale.  As a Matt Holliday collector I can tell you that the same thing happens with his Triple Threads autographs too.  Always nice to add a card like this to your collection.  

2013 Topps Cy Young Award Chris Carpenter

I've been working on putting the finishing touches on my 2013 Topps Series 1 collection by picking up a few manufactured pieces.  Topps has really done a great job with this set and I have enjoyed picking up a few patches and Silver Slugger awards during the past week.  Yesterday, I added my third different type of manufactured card from Series I with the addition of a Chris Carpenter Cy Young Award.

2013 Topps Cy Young Award Winner Chris Carpenter

This card is a really sweet find and very well done piece by Topps.  I was surprised at the thickness of this card, which is actually thicker than the Silver Slugger Award cards.  The Cy Young Award on the right hand side of the card is a nice thick metal replica, not plastic.  The best part of all is the fact that the card features Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter.  Topps has not put out a lot of cool Carpenter cards, but I guess he has only really pitched one full season since the company has landed the exclusive licensing rights for Major League Baseball cards.  I have one more Cy Young award card en route and a Silver Slugger to finish out my manufactured pieces for Series 1.  

My Two Cents on Scrubbing Charlie Hustle

Much has been made this week surrounding a Yahoo Sports Blog regarding the fact that Topps has scrubbed Pete Rose off of their baseball cards.  To summarize: Topps recently issued the 2013 Topps Series cards.  On the back of each players cards there is a line in between their personal information and career stats which highlights a career chase statistic showing the distance the featured player is away from a great baseball milestone.

In particular, much as been made out of the cards that highlight the distance players are away from the all time hits record.  The A.J. Pierzynski card shows that he is 2,611 hits away from the record.  However, other cards featuring other records name the player that holds the record.

For example, Matt Holliday is 533 home runs away from Barry Bonds all-time home run record.  Throughout the set pitchers are compared to Cy Young's win total and Nolan Ryan's strikeout record.  Hitters are compared to Bonds, Tris Speaker, Rickey Henderson, and other all-time career holders.  It appears that Rose was deliberately snubbed by Topps.  However, the article does point out a card that Rose appears on:

The 2006 Topps Update set features a Shawn Green card with a Pete Rose cartoon in the upper left hand corner.  This card has lead many collectors to the conclusion that the decision to snub Pete Rose has been a recent decision.  However, I think that this card is more likely a product of lax quality control on the part of Topps.  Let's face it, quality control and attention to detail happens some of the time at Topps, but not all of the time.  My guess is that the cartoon on the back of the Shawn Green card simply slipped through the cracks.

Topps has not issued a single Pete Rose card since he was banned from baseball.  His last regular issue card was this 1989 Topps card.  Since this card, they have not produced one single card of the all-time hits leader.  Since Rose is banned from Major League Baseball and they issue a license to Topps to print and manufacture baseball cards, it's easy to see why the Reds great has been absent for the past 24 years.  Topps ability to keep and maintain their license would probably take a turn for the worst if the issued a Pete Rose card.  They are kind of walking on egg shells.  It also hasn't stopped other companies and Pete Rose from still cashing in on his name.

Leaf and Rose have been issuing a set of cards together for the past several years.  The cards are all about Pete and feature tons of autographs.  Frankly, the move has helped Leaf stay afloat without having a full licensing agreement, you can imagine it will never get one now, but cheapened the signature of Pete Rose.  This card can be found for around $25 or less on Ebay.  Way cheaper than standing in line to get Pete to sign something.  

Really, the whole Pete Rose thing is awkward and weird at this point.  After the Pete Rose gambling investigation ended he was banned from baseball and the former commissioner of baseball, Bart Giamatti died shortly afterwards of a heart attack.  Many blamed Rose.  Rose on the other hand has gone into walking a bipolar line between thumbing his nose at Major League Baseball and pleading with Bud Selig for reinstatement.  Really, at some point I think that Rose will be recognized by Major League baseball and be reinstated.  Even Elect to the Hall of Fame.  However, I also am not going to be surprised if Major League Baseball does not let Rose get to see himself in the Hall of Fame.  Until then most in baseball will pretend that Rose never played, while others will tip toe around the issue.  I can't really blame Topps for dodging the Pete Rose name on the back of their cards this year, but perhaps they could find a subtle way to give Charlie Hustle a shout out.  The Reds walk this line every year.  Do you see the nod to Charlie Hustle in this picture?  

2010 Topps Sterling Andre Dawson Six Piece Relic

I am thinking that this card could possibly be the greatest Montreal Expos card in my collection.  It depends if we are counting the Nationals, or if the Nationals are claiming the Expos.  I've been intrigued during the past two years with the emergence of Nationals fans springing up around central North Carolina, along with a MASN appearance on several local cable carriers, to hear their take on the world of baseball.

Growing up a Cardinals fan I know that I have had it really good.  The Expos, on the other hand, made one playoff appearance in 1981, which I do not remember, and should have made another in 1994 when the strike derailed their season.  The other thirty some years that I have followed baseball, the Expos/Nationals have been pretty irrelevant.  Worse is the fact that many of the other professional baseball teams that have called Washington home have also been terrible.  The city's streak of playoff futility is rivaled by only the Chicago Cubs.

However, the irrelevance is now starting to change around the team.  They have several great young players and seem poised to be a very good team for the next several seasons.  The team has also created a Ring of Honor, kind of football like, to recognize past players from the Expos and other Washington baseball teams.  One of the players appearing on the Ring of Honor is Expos great Andre Dawson.

2010 Topps Tribute Andre Dawson Six Piece Relic

Dawson was recently elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame as an Expo becoming the second player to do so.  The first was Gary Carter.  Despite his direct connection to the franchise along with his Hall of Fame credentials, I am often disappointed when Nationals fans, or worse the team's broadcasters, scoff at the teams history.  There are two takes: The Nationals started in 2005 and Ryan Zimmerman is currently the greatest National until Bryce Harper or Steven Strasburg can pass him for the honor.  Or... The Nationals greatest player is Walter Johnson or Andre Dawson or Harmon Killebrew or Josh Gibson or Gary Carter depending on the day and whether or not we are counting the Expos or not.  Somedays we count the Senators, somedays not.  Somedays one of the Senators teams, but not the bad one.  Oh, they were both pretty bad?  

I was encouraged when the Nats created the Ring of Honor and was hoping that they would do a great job of marketing the direct past history of the franchise by honoring some of the great Expos players I watched growing up like Andre Dawson, Tim Raines, Pedro Martinez, and Larry Walker.  I would also love to hear about some of the great players that have played for Washington baseball teams like Walter Johnson and Josh Gibson.  

I think that many fans understand that the franchise history of the Expos/Nationals has not always been great, nor has the history of many of the Washington baseball teams.  However, it would be nice if the franchise and fans were more consistent in honoring the players featured in the Ring of Honor by not claiming that your 19 year old right fielder is the greatest right fielder in the history of the franchise.  Or knowing that before Steven Strasburg pitched in Washington, Walter Johnson was one the greatest pitchers in the history of the game. 

So to clarify my statement from the first line.  This card is the greatest Montreal Expos card that I own and I consider it to be one of my better Washington Nationals cards too.  Now, if we can get the Nationals to start selling some Expos shirts, or at lease a Senators shirt, we would be in business.  

2002 Topps Gold Label MLB Awards Ceremony Joe Torre Jersey

I've spent the past six months doing a 30 Year Top 50 countdown were I picked out the best sets of that time.  I almost thought about turning my countdown into a year long celebration of cool cards from the past thirty years, but settled for the countdown format instead.  If I had picked out a few sets every week to write a blog post on the 2002 Topps Gold Label set would have definitely made an appearance somewhere along the line.  The base cards in the set are alright.  Glossy and high end in appearance.  The relic card set is really cool though.  

2002 Topps Gold Label MLB Awards Ceremony Joe Torre

Meet the latest addition to my collection, which comes from the 2002 Topps Gold relic set.  The whole concept behind the relic set revolves around former MLB Award winners.  Hence the name of the set, MLB Award Ceremony.  Topps actually ran this same set in the 2001 Gold Label release, but greatly improved the set the following year by adding in older players from the 60s, 70s, and 80s.  I own several other cards from this set including a sweet Bill Buckner and Bill Madlock, so I was happy to add this copy of Joe Torre.  The card recognizes Torre as the 1971 National League MVP and features a piece of grey polyester jersey.  

The cards can be condition sensitive so be sure to check the card over carefully before plunking down good money or cards for one of these in purchase or trade.  The left hand side of the card has a silver metallic finish that is often scratched on these cards.  The relic pieces are also held in place by a thin, flexible piece of plastic (it almost feels like plastic wrap) and can also wear.  Lots of great names in this set and cool cards.  Be sure to check them out and add a few to your collection.