Monday Morning Autograph - Johnny Field

 

Today's Autograph: 2014 Bowman Chrome Johnny Field 

Why Do I Own The Card: I first saw Johnny Field play at USA Baseball while he was a college baseball player at the University of Arizona. I ran into him again a few years later after he was drafted by the Rays and ended up playing with the Durham Bulls. In fact, beyond owning a bunch of Johnny Field baseball cards, I also own a game-used Johnny Field baseball bat.  

It's autographed.  

Back of the Card: 

Johnny Field's Career In A Haiku:

U of A Baseball 

Team USA, Tampa Bay Rays

Real Estate Agent (seriously) 

This Is Not A Taj Bradley Blog

For the second time this week, I am posting more cards of Taj Bradley. I won't start giving each new Taj Bradley autograph it's own post at this point, like I do Blake Snell, but it's under consideration for the future. Since this blog post is also part of an afternoon long procrastination from lesson planning for class next week, it's going to be somewhat short.  

Ten minutes on the timer.  

Two new Taj Bradley autographs, first up......

This is from the 2023 Donruss Optic set, which I think is the Panini equivalent to Topps Chrome.

The card is essentially the same as his 2023 Donruss card, outside of the Chrome finishes on the card. Perhaps Chrome is not the right word. Glossy? Let's use that word instead.  The Optics card has a high gloss finish and a slightly different photograph with tighter cropping.

Both cards are photographs from Bradley's time with the Durham Bulls. 

The scratches and dust bunny looking things on the Optics card are on the sleeve or on my ancient printer scanner, not on the card. 

Next.  

This is Taj Bradley's Signature Series card from 2024 Donruss. I did not even realize that there was a 2024 Donruss set until I found this card. I thought Panini had completely vanished from baseball after last year.  

Maybe not. 

That only took seven minutes.  

Still Bullish

My Taj Bradley collection started two years back after the impressive right-handed pitching prospect appeared on the Durham Bulls roster. I have quietly posted a few of his cards on here during that time, two to be exact, but stayed relatively under the radar with my Taj fandom.  However, with his performance with the Rays this season, I am going to be a little more aggressive with collecting his cards.  

In case you have been sleeping on the Rays mediocre season, I will admit they're not very exciting, Taj is posting more than a strikeout an inning and had a first-half ERA under 3. He's run into a bit of a rough patch after the All-Star Break, but at just 23 years old, I think the future is really bright for this pitcher.  

I have added 4 new Taj Bradley autographed cards in the past month and not spent more than $10 on any single signature. Quite the bargain for an All-Star caliber pitcher.  

Here are the four cards: 

This is a 2023 Donruss card. Yes, it's unlicensed and seems rather self-explanatory why nobody would spend much money on this card. However, if you look closely, this is actually a picture of Bradley in a Durham Bulls uniform.  Note the orange sleeve trim and the Rawlings patch on the sleeve. While the Major League Uniforms are made by Nike, the Minor Leagues jersey tops are made by an assortment of different manufacturers. The Bulls jersey tops are Rawlings.  

Love this card and was happy to see Bradley on what is essentially a Durham Bulls card.

Next.   

Another "2023" card, even though these were released in 2024.

This is from the Topps Chrome Platinum Anniversary set.  It's another rehash, but it's got on-card autographs, so I am going to spare you the snarky comments about Topps reusing their previous card designs excessively.  I will just tell you that I like the card and was happy to add it to the collection of Taj Bradley cards.  

Next.  

Tier One is a $300 box of cards.  Imagine opening a box and getting a Taj Bradley autograph.  You know I am always here to soften collector's financial missteps by purchasing their $10 autographed cards. Now, someone is only out $290 and I have a high-end card with a Taj Bradley autograph.  

Print run of 99, that's a lot of buyers regret.  

Last one.  

This is from last year's Topps update set. I had to get the rookie autographed card before working on his cards in this year's set, but that's next.  

More Taj cards coming soon.  

104

This is the 104th Blake Snell autograph in my collection. I crossed 100 while I was gone, maybe there will be a recap post coming at some point in the future. You could also check out my Instagram account where Blake Snell autographs 99-103 are all posted.  

My latest Snell follows my more recent pattern of buying older Snell cards with low serial numbers that I missed the first time around. Many are available on Ebay at much lower prices these days. 

Today, a Snell rookie autographed card from Prime Cuts that is serial numbered out to 25 copies.  

Here is the front of the card.....

That's a really young Blake Snell in the photograph, which is way too small for the front of the card. I know this is an unlicensed card and that Panini could not show Snell in a Rays uniform. Still, the word "PROSPECT" should not be the overwhelming design feature over a photograph of the player.  

In positive news, the card is older and features Snell's full signature. He only signed every letter of his name for a short period of time at the beginning of his career. The signature more than makes up for the fact that this a sticker autograph. 

Back of the card......

The back of the card is better. I like the write up about his decision to play professional baseball over college. There are plenty of high school kids that get drafted into professional baseball who are also committed to play college baseball somewhere. Kind of nice knowing the back story.

 More Snell autographs to come....

Is That You, Junior?

My favorite player on the Durham Bulls this year is third baseman Junior Caminero. He's one of the best hitting prospects in all of Minor League baseball and a name that everyone is going to know sooner than later. Junior hits the ball hard.  

Junior Caminero (@RaysBaseball) smokes his 12th Triple-A homer at 112.4 mph 🔥

MLB's No. 2 prospect has five extra-base knocks through nine games this month for the @DurhamBulls. pic.twitter.com/WXBqoKmzq8

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 11, 2024

I have been slowly working more Junir Caminero cards into the collection, but it has taken some time due to their high cost. This is one of those rare moments when my collection aligns with an expensive prospect, which kind of stinks. Most of his autographs are $100 and up, so I have been chasing some of his nice looking inserts instead of his autographs. The inserts are much more reasonably priced for a guy who has played only a handful of games in the Majors.  

My latest is an All-Etch Rookie card out of this year's Topps Chrome set.  

Topps originally made the All-Etch cards back in the late 1990s, but they've brought them back for this year's Chrome set. Really nice looking cards. I love that they've kept the 1990s vibe with the background design of the card.  This card has some long odds, but still cost less than a Chrome box at Wally World or Target.  

Here is the back of the card.  

Nice write up on the back of the card with an interesting factoid about Caminero and blog favorite B.J. Upton. While Junior made his Major League debut last season, he has spent all of this year with my Durham Bulls up to being called up last week following the trade deadline.  

I have a few more cards of Junior in the works, hoping he becomes a player I regular blog about.  

Around The Card Room, Take 18

I am here this evening to talk about one of my biggest blogging fails.  

It all started when I decided I would live blog a Durham Bulls game ten years ago. 

I hung out at the American Tobacco Campus before the game and it got a short blog post.  

Love the water fountains, so relaxing after a long day at work. 

I bought dinner at the ballpark. It was a Pepsi and a hot dog. That dinner was a short blog post.  

The Bulls wore pink uniforms. That was a short blog post. Pictured is pitcher Alex Colome.  

Then the game started and disaster ensued. I thought I was going to see a loaded Durham Bulls team battle a loaded Syracuse Chiefs team. Each team scored a run in the first inning, but Syracuse than put up 11 runs in the second with Steven Souza collecting 5 RBIs.  

Kind of hard to blog about this kind of game.  

The live blogging came to a grinding halt and has not been attempted since.  

It was one of my bigger fails as a blogger.  

What am I left to show for this attempt at live blogging?  

Two things. 

First, I have a healthy collection of Steven Souza cards. He had a great 2014 season in Triple A, One of the better ones I have witnessed in the two decades I have followed Minor League Baseball. Souza was also a solid Major Leaguer for the Nationals, Rays, Diamondbacks, Cubs, Dodgers, and Mariners.    

Second, there was a bobblehead giveaway the night of my live blog attempt. The box and ticket were featured on the live blog, but the bobblehead was never shown.    

The bobblehead of Bulls outfielder Wil Myers has since left the box and resides in the baseball card room. Myers is a North Carolina native and was the top prospect in baseball at the time he was in Triple A, so it was a big deal that he was playing in Durham, 

Here is the front of the bobblehead.  

and the back of the bobblehead.  

I really like this bobblehead, even if it reminds me of my failed attempt to live blog a baseball game.  

Monday Morning Autograph - Joc Pederson

 

Today's Autograph: 2015 Bowman Chrome Rookie Autographs 

Why Do I Own This Card: I first saw Joc Pederson at the 2014 Triple A All-Star Game, which took place in Durham. The Bulls hosted. Joc Pederson is somewhere in this picture in the visitors lineup. Maybe third from home plate?    

It was not the best night for many of the Pacific Coast League players, but Pederson stood out.  

In particular, he hit a really long home run, which do not happen often in Durham. The ballpark is much more pitcher friendly. Here is a look at the blast.  

Anyway, Pederson had a good night and I decided to purchase one of his autographs.  Just in case.  

Back of the Card: 

Joc Pederson's Career In A Haiku

Dodgers, Cubs, and Braves 

Where He Won A Series Ring 

Giants, Diamondbacks