Shlabotnik Cards (and Picasa is dead) (and my scanner hates me)

Recently I received a nice group of cards from 'Joe Shlabotnik' and I quickly scanned them for posting. I was in a hurry because my window of opportunity to upload them to Google's Picasa online photo service was closing. I loved Picasa. But it's gone now. I have alternate plans, none of which I like. Meanwhile I'm just loading all my scans on a flash drive and toting them around.

But back to the cards I got from Joe. They were almost all Orioles cards and that's good because the only way I seem to get the O's from contemporary sets is by having them sent my way by fellow bloggers. I get some decent stuff from the few packs I buy but I have terrible luck when it comes to snagging Orioles.

Couple of Brooksies to kick things off. Up top we have the '16 Archives and below it's a Topps World Series Heroes from the 2014 set. I really need to count up my different cards of Brooks. I read posts all the time that state how many of a certain player are in the blogger's collection. I need to do that with Brooks, Mike Cuellar and a few others.

Next, Manny Machado 2014 Opening Day. I've had the concept of the Opening Day set explained to me but I still wonder why it exists. Same cards with an extra logo? Is that it? But either way this card took it's place in my fantasy binder because 2014 was the year I had Manny on my team.

I like cards with borders. I wish Topps would do borders on every set except Stadium Club. But you will note the 'trimmed' look of the Machado card. Very bright white borders give my scanner fits. And I'm too lazy to re-scan with a dark sheet of paper over the card and then crop the card. So Manny lives on in this post sans border.

Zack Britton lost his border and most of his position. I read an article the other day suggesting that the reliever has a case as the AL Cy Young Award. And yes, he's that good.

Joe's envelope turned into a JJ Hardy hot pack. here is his Heritage from 2016.

His (non-bordered...grrr) Archives from last year.

And his 2015 Heritage.

Joe warned me that there was back damage to this one. Looks like Topps had tried a new faux-damage variation. White Out staining joins 'gum' and 'wax' stains as chase cards.

Caleb joseph from last season's set show the Orioles back-up at a not too flattering angle. It's an unusual action shot but I'm not sure what the action actually is.

An Honest Abe for my presidential binder. Shows him with Secretary of War Edwin Stanton. Bruce McGill played Stanton to Daniel Day Lewis' Lincoln. He was a dead ringer for him, too. Bruce McGill is awesome.

Joe sent along two SSPCs. I have the Orioles from the set and a few scattered others but bot of these were new to me.

It's me! Well, no it isn't but it's close. Same first and last name and we were born 6 days apart. I have one of his regular Topps cards but I wasn't aware he was in this set. That's Shea Stadium and those hideous behind-the-box seats barricades they installed. And the patch on Andrews' sleeve is for Don Wilson the Astros' fireballer who has passed away in January of 1975.

And then there is Terry Crowley. He's with the Reds here but he spent 12 seasons with the Orioles as a player and many more as a hitting instructor. I'm not sure what he's up to now but as recently as 2014 he was still semi-involved in coaching as he was working with Chris Davis that year. 

'Cro' won rings with the O's ('70) and Reds ('75) and very nearly another one in 1983 but he was released by the Orioles before the season. He also was in several more post season series with Baltimore and Cincy. 

Thanks again Joe, and thanks for all the great posts you do on TSR. I enjoy each and every one.

Cards from Jedi Jeff...ok, I don't have a meme-like title for this

OK, I haven't completely abandoned the ship but I've certainly been neglecting the helm lately. I've been involved in a non-sport project lately that's kind of taken over my collecting focus and I'll post some of that next. Today I want to show off some cards that Jeff of 2x3 Heroes sent my way awhile back but I haven't acknowledged until now. Sorry about that, Jeff.

I'll break these into two posts as Jeff sent cards for fill two needs. Today I'll post Orioles cards he sent and in my next post I'll feature NY Rangers. I still need some time to get past the pain of the Rangers' lame, gutless and pathetic and whimpering exit from this year's NHL Playoffs. 

Anyway here are the Birds!

Frank Robinson shows off some hardware in a Topps History of the Game card. never seen this picture of FRobby. He was the 1966 MVP. Heady days indeed.

This is a sticker from a Wacky Pack-sort of insert set.

I really miss having Nick Markakis in B'more. Last I checked he's back to wearing the 'scruffy' look. But he was clean and classy in this Upper Deck card.

Gregg Zaun was 38 years old when this card hit the market. He looks 60.

A Panini Brooks. Not a bad no-logo card. Oh, btw....Happy 79th Birthday to my baseball idol. Brooks stands for everything right about sports.

JJ Hardy fills an open slot in my 2015 Stadium Club binder.

Big Lee Smith. His only year with the Orioles was 1994, the strike/walkout/lockout year. That was the last year I followed baseball prior to my own 'walkout' that lasted about 15 years. '94 was a really good season for Smith as he led the league in saves and made the All Star team.

Arthur Rhodes, another larger than life Orioles pitcher. He was better in other places.

Assorted 90s era Birds and other things. I must have been asleep when Vlad Guerrero was an Oriole. EDIT: I just looked him up and see it was 20111 and his last season. He hit .290 so there ya go. the other three had some memorable moments in Charm City, both good and bad.

Kevin Gausman reminds me of NASCAR driver Bobby Labonte in this one.

And finally a couple of guys who had interesting tenures with the O's. Mora's days with Baltimore were winding down when I started to pay attention again. He and Brian Roberts were established and popular and the attention they got made me feel like I had missed something.

Thanks again, Jeff. I really do have some stuff for you. It's just taken me some time to get it together.

I Know, I know

I get it. Posting cards of your fantasy players to some is the blogging equivalent of a co-worker showing you his pictures of the family trip to Branson, or the cute shot of her cat sleeping under the table. But I've got nothing else so you get to see what showed up in the mail on Saturday.

And besides, my team, Ted's Frozen Head, is rocking along in second place at the moment. This in a big money league in which I am the 'fish' to the other nine 'sharks'. Two huge weeks vaulted me from 7th to 2nd. So let me wallow in it while I can.

I added Jon Singleton to my team in a Not Active slot. I figure one of these days the 'Stros are going to get tired of Chris Carter's .000000078 batting average and bring this guy back up.

Carlos Frias was a nice addition to my staff...right up until he got shelled relentlessly earlier this week. (UPDATE..he pitched like a boss last nite!) I don't know who the other guy is. This is Frias' only card at the moment so I'm stuck using it.

Last Sunday my regular catchers, Brian McCann got dinged up during a long night game against the Red Sox. On Monday I figured "gimpy catcher, day game after night game" and I sat him for this other McCann. Of course Brian McCann hits a homer, scores twice, etc. The Tigers dude did squat (pun intended). Figures.

I already had a card of Melky Carbera. That means I have twice as many cards of his as days he spent on my roster. I can be very impatient.

That Cabrera replaces this Cabrera in my Ted's Frozen Head binder.

I like this card better but the new one has him on the Sox which is who he's playing for during the very brief moment I had him.

I know others play the 'Does it make the binder? game. I do, too. I like getting a new card of a guy and agonizing over whether or not it's 'cooler' than the one already in place. For example:

This was my JJ Hardy card.....

then I got this one from the Nachos Grande group break.....

Yes, Hardy's name is hard to read, and yes, I don't care much for baseball players wearing softball shirts but I like this card much more. So into the page slot it goes!

Go Ted's Head!!