Blog Bat Around- Alphabet Challenge

Here's my entry into Nacho Grande's Blog Bat Around.

J- Jon Jay

O- Orestes Destrade

H- Hank Aaron

N- Nellie Fox

S- Sandy Koufax

 

B- Brennan Boesch

I- Jose Iglesias

G- George Sisler

L- Chet Lemon

E- Earl Averill

A- Tony Armas

G- Charlie Gehringer 

U- Cecil Upshaw

E- Eldon Auker

B- Matthew Boyd

A- Jesus Alou

S- Sixto Lezcano

E- Luke Easter

B- John Boccabella 

A- Aaron Judge

L- Buck Leonard

L- Larry Sheets

B- Bill Freehan 

L- Lamarr Hoyt

O- Ed Ott

G- Hank Greenberg

Really had fun with this, and I hope you'll join in.

Have a wonderful Wednesday,  and, as always,  Play BALL! ⚾️

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hope ya'll are having a terrific Valentine's Day!

     From the Detroit Tigers                 Twitter Page...Yeah, BOYD! 

Happy Baseball Birthday! The BOYD is back!

HappyBaseballBirthday! wishes go out to my favorite big league pitcher, Matthew Boyd! 

4️⃣8️⃣ Matthew has resigned with my beloved Detroit Tigers, after spending a year away in the San Francisco Giants organization and then pitching for the Seattle Mariners on September of 2022.

🐅⚾️ As Matthew is my favorite big league hurler, I certainly didn't stop collecting his baseball cards, and last month I hit the 2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ unique card mark on Trading Card Database.

🐅⚾️  A special shout out to my friend Michael Miller, for surprising me in January with the above autographed photo of Matthew...thanks, again, appreciate you thinking about me.

⚾️ I'm not sure what to expect when 2023 Topps is released in a couple of weeks, but I'm sure hoping that Matthew has a Mariners card, because I'm hoping that means he gets in Topps Update at the end of the year. 

Here's to hoping the winter wisks by fast, so we get the 2023 season off and running! 

Happy Birthday, Matthew! 

Play BALL! 

Tigers Card Tuesday- Topps Living Set Cecil Fielder

Wednesday is Topps Living Set Day, and so I thought I'd make a quick post for Tigers Card Tuesday! on the last Detroit Tigers player to be added to the set.

Cecil Fielder, a.k.a. BIG Daddy! 

Cecil is the-

19th different Tigers player in the set, and my 19th Tigers Card.

The 14th different Tigers position player//batter in the set. 

The logo in the bottom left is the 3rd different Tigers logo to be used in the set.

As February arrives, we're just a few weeks away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Tiger Town Spring Training in Lakeland, and I'm hoping we'll see another Detroit player in the Living Set.

Have a great week! 

Play BALL! 🐅⚾️ 

2023 Hall of Fame Ballot

Another year has passed, an that means another Hal 9f Fame announcement.

For me, if I could vote, these are the ballplayer that I believe belong in the hallowed halls of Cooperstown. 

• Todd Helton

• Jeff Kent

• Scott Rolen

• Jimmy Rollins

• Gary Sheffield

• Mark Buehrle

Happy Hall of Fame Day....Play BALL! 

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all you great bloggers put there.

Here's a Turkey Red card of Matthew Boyd, because, well, why not.

Have a great day of food, family, and football, Play BALL! 🦃

Tigers Card Tuesday- 2022 Topps Archives- 500 Miggy Card

I haven't been able to purchase any 2022 Topps Archives, so I went to eBay to get today's pick for Tigers Card Tuesday! 

           2022 Topps Archives #308, 

           Miguel Cabrera 500th HR

        
🐅⚾️ Miguel Cabrera hit his 500th big league HR in Toronto, last August, and the photo of him coming back out of the Tigers dugout...on the road, to a cheering crowd is one of my favorite images from what was another dismal season in the Motor City. 

🐅⚾️ Miggy was the Tigers best player in the first half this season, but another injury slowed down the future HOFer...2023 will be his last year in the big leagues. 

3️⃣0️⃣8️⃣8️⃣/5️⃣0️⃣7️⃣ Miggy sits at 3,088 career base hits, and 507 HRs after the 2022 season. Id like to see the big fella get to 520 dingers in his last go around, and he'll be well over 3,100 base knocks. 

Have a great week! 

Tigers Card Tuesday- Go Vote!

Today is Election Day across America, and I hope that you're going to exercise your Right To Vote!, no matter if you're a Blue, Red, Purple, or Green voter.

🗳 The Contemporary Era ballot was released yesterday, and once again, I really don't understand how these ballots are made up.

The Contemporary Era is supposed to consist of players from 1980, and after, yet, Lou Whitaker, the 1978 American League Rookie of the Year, isn't on the ballot. 

🐅⚾️ Lou played for the Tigers from 1977-95, was the best 2nd Baseman in the A.L. during the majority of the time, and his record setting teammate 

Alan Trammell, is already in the HOF.

The HOF/BBWAA continue to infuriate, baffle fans, but at least voters got it right in voting for Whitaker as the ROY in 1978.

🎖 Lou received all 21 First Place votes, beating out some guy named Paul Molitor, who got 3 votes, and is also in the HOF.

Topps certainly got it right when they came out with card #704, 1978 Rookie 2nd Baseman, however...

...why is Lou's 1979 Topps card missing the Rookie Cup logo?🏆

As far as the 2022 ROY, I'd go with Mariners Rookie CFer Julio Rodriguez.

⚾️ Well, I'll be heading out soon to vote, and, as I mentioned at the start, no matter what your opinions are, please go out and vote, it's very important that our voices are heard! 

🌞 It's a beautiful day here in SW Michigan, high in the mid 50s, and I hope you are having a good weather day were you are.

It's officially Hot Stove time in baseball, and, remember, it's always gonna be a great time to go out and Play BALL! ⚾️

Updating Matthew Boyd TCDB Page

I've been lacking in posting on ye Olde Baseball Blog, and I need to be much better at it.

Life seems to always throw big league curveballs my way health wise, so the blog suffers because it takes me a while to type on my phone...blame my arthritis and fibromyagia, that's what I do.

⚾️ Today I was able to work a bit on my Matthew Boyd collection, including putting cards in the ever growing BOYD Binder, and actually entering a few new cards into TCDB.

⚾️ 1️⃣6️⃣7️⃣ different/unique cards of Matthew Boyd, still hanging in the top spot.

⚾️ Matthew pitched for the Mariners after being called up on September 1st, and even made an appearance for Seattle in the Wild Card round vs the Houston Astros.

🔱 I'm looking forward to seeing Matthew in cards as a Mariners player.

⚾️ I haven't been able to buy many cards lately, just a few here, and there, but I'm hoping to add a few more cards of Matthew in the next month.

Until next time, thanks for taking time out of your day to read my blog. 

Play BALL! ⚾️ 

Tigers Card Tuesday- Happy Baseball Birthday, Willie Horton

Today is a milestone in Detroit Tigers fandom, as the legendary "Willie the Wonder," World Series Champion, Willie Horton , turns 80.

🐅⚾️ Willie Horton is a local legend, born in the Motor City on October 18, 1942.

🐅 Willie would go to games at old Briggs Stadium, sit with his friends in the left field Bleachers, telling his buddies that, one day, he, Willie, would be playing left field for the men wearing the Olde English D. 

🐅 Of course, when it comes to Willie Horton, there's no better highlight than his throw to Bill Freehan in Game 5 of the 1968 World Series.

🐅 Freehan blocked the plate, Lou Brock was out, and the Tigers rebounded from a 3-0 deficit, winning Game 5, and then, in St. Louis, win Games 5&6, and the Series, shocking the Baseball world.

🐅⚾️ Willie's #23 has been retired by the Tigers.

📖 Willie has a book out, and I definitely need to read it.

🐅⚾️ If you get to a game at Comerica Park, head out beyond centerfield and look for Willie's statue amongst some of the Tigers greats.

🐅 Happy Baseball Birthday, Willie! 

Play BALL! ⚾️