Topps LIVING SET...Card #102, Victor Martinez

Every Wednesday Topps releases 3 more cards in its Living Set, and this week it's cards #100, #101, and #102.

Card #100 is Babe Ruth, #101 is Sandy Alcantara, and #102 is Victor Martinez.


Featuring the 1953 Topps Baseball Card design, each card is available for just one week, and then, as with Topps NOW cards, they will no longer be available, so, however many orders Topps receives, that's all the cards that will be made.


I'm very happy to see that former Detroit Tigers Catcher/ 1st Baseman/ Designated Hitter Victor Martinez is in the set, as he just retired from baseball after 16 big league seasons with the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, and my Tigers.

Martinez is only the 2nd Tigers player to be featured in the set, after right fielder Nicholas Castellanos, in week one.


I'll definitely be ordering one, and it will be just my 3rd Living Set card, following Roberto Clemente and Cody Bellinger.

One of my regrets this year was not buying the Castellanos card, and now it's pretty much unattainable, with cards going for around $200.00 on eBay.


I ordered the Clemente card, and I'll get Ruth as well.

The Bellinger card, well, I won that on a contest on Twitter, and it's quite the FUN contest with TOPPS LIVING STATS each week as we try and guess the three cards that will be released.


I'm thinking the Babe Ruth card will set the record for the most cards sold of any of the Living Set so far, (Ronald Acuna, Jr.), so get those cards while you can.

PLAY BALL! ⚾️

Happy Halloween!

The 2018 baseball season is over now, and today the Boston Red Sox will hold their World Series Championship parade, as their fans celebrate the clubs 4th title since 2004.

It's also Halloween, the day of tricks, treats, and, for me,watching morning TV show celebrities dress up in costumes.

I like watching the Price is Right to see what theme they'll have, and, of course, what outfit the beautiful Rachel Reynolds will wear.

Besides being the best model ever on the show, Rachel is married to former big leaguer David Delucci, who played for the Orioles, Diamondbacks, Yankees, Rangers, Phillies, Indians, and Blue Jays.


October 31st also happens to be the day David Delucci was born, and five years ago we sent out Happy Baseball Birthday! wishes to the former LSU Tiger.

I posted his 2008 Topps Heritage card because of it's background color, pink, in honor of the final day of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Collecting CUTCH last of 31 days of brining all of us more awareness of the deadly disease by posting pictures of lovely ladies and his collection of awesome Andrew McCutcheon baseball cards.


In all, CUTCH will be making a donation of $195.00 this year, in part, to all those who logged on and commented on his 31 posts.

The money will go to the Susan G. Koman Foundation.

Have a safe a very enjoyable Halloween... PLAY BALL!

A BOYD Card Post, 10/29/18... Tyler Boyd

This BOYD Card Post is of Cincinnati  wideout Tyler BOYD, who had 9 catches for 138 yards and a TD catch in the Bengals 37-34 win over the Buccaneers.

Tyler is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, a 2106 2nd round draft pick by the Bengals, and is having his best year as a pro, with 49 catches for 620 yards and 5 TD grabs.

                                                   Tyler BOYD Donruss Optic Pink #197 RR

I posted the BOYD Card to remind everyone we have only 3 days left in October, and let's remember to head over to Collecting CUTCH for the few remaining days of PINK Andrew McCutcheon baseball cards... and... #SaveTheBoobies Breast Cancer Awareness Month! 

#BOYDSFOREVER 

PLAY BALL

Rich Hill Dominates BoSox, I get a Rich Hill BUNT Card

Former Michigan pitcher Rich Hill started Game 4 of the World Series tonight for the Dodgers, and he didn't disappoint. 

The former Wolverine left hander pitched 6 1/3 innings, giving up just 1 hit and 1 run while striking out 7 Red Sox hitters.

While Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was removing Rich from the game with 1 out in the 7th, I started to prepare a post on Hill's terrific start and how he was on his way to earning a victory...until....the Dodgers bullpen imploded, and a 4-0 lead turned into a 9-6 BoSox win and a 3 games to 1 lead in the best of 7 Series.

After the game was over I headed to the Topps BUNT App to see how I did in tonight's game contest, and what do I find as my prize but this beautiful card...

Usually when I play these games I don't have enough points to qualify in the top 1,000 to get an award card, but one of the cards I played was of Rich, so that helped me out.

The BoSox are headed to another championship, but I hope the Dodgers at least win on Sunday Night to extend the baseball season by one more day, as I always want the year extended as much as impossible. 

Have a great Sunday, enjoy Game 5... and, as always... PLAY BALL! ⚾️ 

World Series History...Did You Stay Up?

Of course I had to post that its now 3:38 am and I'm writing that I just witnessed the longest game in World Series History, as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Boston Red Sox in Game 3 from Dodger Stadium, 3-2.


The Dodgers finished off the 7 hour, 20 minute game with a Max Muncy walk off HR in the bottom of the 18th inning, and getting back in the Series, down 2 games to 1.

⚾️ UPDATE... You can order #ToppsNOW cards of the marathon game last night.

Game 4 is to be played just after 8pm...today.


Baseball is the BEST!


PLAY BALL! ⚾️

Rocco Baldelli will be new Twins Skipper

As I was scrolling through Twitter this morning I saw that the Minnesota Twins are set to name Rocco Baldelli their new manager this afternoon.

If you don't know who Rocco is, I understand, he's not a household name, but he happens to be my favorite Tampa Bay Rays player.

Actually, he's my favorite Tampa Bay Devil Rays baseball player.

     
                        ⚾️ Upper Deck Matinee Idols, #MI-RB, Rocco Baldelli  ⚾️

The above relic card, my favorite card of Rocco, was delivered to me in person by Paul of Scribbled Ink when we met up at a Detroit Tigers game in August with fellow blogger Dennis of Too Many Verlander's.

We had a great day, even thought the Tigers got hammered by the White Sox, but the game outcome didn't matter because you can't have a bad day at the ballpark.

                        ⚾️ Paul, Dennis, and yours truly,  Comerica Park, 8/26/18 ⚾️

If you look at my blog background you can see me ( the one with the cane), raising my arms as a Ronny Rodriguez HR flew over the right field fence... Paul is the fan standing there in his Tigers jersey... Dennis, well, he was obscured by the foul pole.


We only have a handful of baseball games left this year, so enjoy every pitch, every hit, every play, every inning that's left of the World Series. 

Have a great day, and, most importantly... PLAY BALL!  ⚾️

Happy Baseball Birthday! Michelle Beadle

I'm writing this belated #HappyBaseballBirthday! to ESPN NBA hoops host extraordinaire Michelle Beadle, who turns a young 43 years today.

I'm posting this belatedly because I didn't find out it was Beadle's Birthday until 30 minutes ago, so I searched Ye Olde Internet for a few quality photos and found exactly one picture of Michelle in a good baseball cap photo.

I'm not sure Michelle's a Dodgers fan, but this was an awesome photo so I went with it...hey, maybe we'll see her at Game 4 or 5 at Dodger Stadium this weekend.


The picture is also a reminder to continue to support #SaveTheBoobies as we continue to support National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, as well as checking in on a daily basis with Collecting Cutch for the month of October.

Beadle has been one of my favorite TV sports personalities for a few years now, and there's really two key points about her that currently apply...

... 1) I watched the new Get Up! morning sports show for one reason, Michelle Beadle, and...

...2) I'll watch some NBA coverage on ESPN because of.... Michelle Beadle. 


I am married to a San Antonio Spurs fan, so, despite that her team beat my Detroit Pistons in the NBA Finals in 2005, I still love her...and I have easily forgiven  her one blemish (ha ha).


Beadle grew up in San Antonio and therefore grew up to stories of The Ice Man, George Gervin, then moved on with The Admiral, Tim Duncan, Coach Popovich, and 5 NBA Titles .

Then there's Beadle's love of the doggies, and as a owner of three little monsters, it makes me happy to see our four legged friends loved and taken care of.

Get Up! was a really good show, but the people in charge of ESPN should've know that Beadle really belongs in California, and covering the hoops scene, or whatever else, from there, not New York, is what she's best at.


I already watch less of the show now that Beadle is gone, and I like Mike Greenberg and Jalen Rose, and the show really misses her presence.


Michelle , I know this is late, but I hope you have a magnificent Birthday, and maybe we'll cross paths at a Pistons game someday. 😁😁😁😁

2018 World Series Prediction/Cheering

Tonight the 2018 World Series begins with Game 1 at Fenway Park between the National League Champion Los Angeles Dodgers and the American League Champion Boston Red Sox.

Every year I try and pick a team to root for because that makes it much better to watch and follow, although I've watched every single Series since 1968.


The only team I refuse to root for is the New York Yankees, and well, for the 9th straight year they're not playing, so it makes for a terrific Fall Classic.


There's a second team that, once in the day I would root for, and now, well, they simply have become the one other team I can't cheer for, and that's the Red Sox.

It's a direct result of my Detroit Tigers losing to the BoSox in the 2013 A.L. Championship Series and then having Dave Dombrowski, the Tigers GM who simply couldn't put together a bullpen in Detroit, leaving the Tigers and going to Boston in 2016, throwing money at former Tigers David Price and J.D. Martinez, creating the current A.L. Champs.


That's why, even though I predict that the BoSox will beat the Dodgers...in 7 games, I'll be cheering on the Dodgers to beat Boston, and win the first World Series since 1988.


Let's hope that no matter the outcome, it all comes down to that final 9th inning of the 7th game at Fenway Park...the last baseball game of the season.

As I try to do in every post this month, let's remember it National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and no one in the blogging community is doing more than Collecting Cutch, who reminds us every day that it's our duty to Save The Boobies!



Enjoy the World Series, and... PLAY BALL! ⚾️

Happy Baseball Birthday! Jim Bunning

Today I wanted to celebrate the Happy Baseball Birthday! of the late Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Bunning, who would've been 85 today.

After graduating from St. Xavier high school in Cincinnati Jim pitched for Xavier University and after his freshman year he signed a profession contract with the Detroit Tigers.

Bunning started his career in the Motor City on July 20, 1955, after playing in the Tigers minor leagues and earning a degree in economics from Xavier.

Bunning won 100 games with the Tigers, going 118-87 in nine years, playing in five All-Star Games and throwing a no-hitter vs the Boston Red Sox on July 20, 1958.

                                               1958 Topps #115 Jim Bunning Baseball Card


Bunning was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies after the 1963 season, and in 1964 he went 19-8, including a perfect game on Father's Day vs the New York Mets.


Playing his final 8 years with the Phillies, Pirates, and Dodgers, Bunning would win another 100 games, finishing up with a record of 224-184, a 3.27 ERA and 2,855 strikeouts.


Jim would go on to become a Republican Senator from the State of Kentucky and in 1996 he was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Senator Bunning passed away on May 26, 2017, at the age of 85.


I posted a picture of Bunning's 1958 Topps card becuase of the pink background, reminding me to continue to support National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and heading over to our buddy Collecting Cutch 's blog as he continues to bring awareness each day to Save The Boobies! 


PLAY BALL! ⚾️

Win #950... Go Blue!

Today was a big day for all us Michigan Football fans as our Wolverines went into East Lansing and beat up on the Michigan State Spartans, 21-7, bringing the Paul Bunyan Trophy back to Ann Arbor. 

The Wolverines improved to 7-1 overall, and 5-0 in Big Ten play.

It was also a historic victory for Michigan as it becomes the first college football team to win 950 games! 

With Collecting Cutch posting all month to help #SaveTheBoobies and bring #BreastCancerAwarness month to the blogging community, well, I thought why not celebrate a HUGE MEEEECHIGAN VICTORY with the #1 Wolverine fan herself, the Maize and Beautiful Elle Johnson... Go Blue! 

It was a great day for football in the State of MEEEEEEEECHIGAN as my hometown Western Michigan Broncos and the Eastern Michigan Eagles both won MAC Conference games today.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend...Play BALL!