3 On Card Autos: The Angel Autos

It started over at Dinged Corners and has since spread like wildfire through the card blogging world. The question they posed, "What are your 3 favorite on card autographs?". I was intrigued immediately, but realized right away, I'd never be able to narrow to just 3. So, being the rule breaker that I am, I decided to break mine into categories. My 4 categories: Angels autos, Baseball outside of Anaheim, Football and non-sports.

Today: The Angel Autos

Choosing just 3 Angel on card autographs proved to be too difficult for me, so I went with 3 and an honorable mention. Even so, I could have filled up this page with another dozen. Restraint isn't exactly one the traits that come to mind when speaking of me.

We'll start with the honorable mention, Wally Joyner.

The scan doesn't do this card justice, but since it's still encased in the plastic tomb provided by Topps, this was the best I could do. In person, this card just looks so clean and the signature pops out. Speaking of the signature, would you expect anything less elegant from the Mormon slugger?

Now onto the main event. In no particular order.
1. Jim Abbott

Unfortunately, this is another card in which the scan does it no justice. For whatever reason, chrome and scanners never quite work correctly. Had I been a bit less lazy, I'd have used the camera, but oh well, this is what you get with me. Love the signature, love the uniform, love the pose. There was something about watching Abbott as he transitioned from pitcher to fielder that just left you in awe. I still can't figure out how a guy with one hand makes the decision to become a pitcher and then not only does so, but becomes a successful major leaguer.

2. Garret Anderson

I've already espoused my love for Garret Anderson, but this card is cool for more than just the player featured. The card is a commemoration of perhaps the greatest moment for us Halo fans, the 2002 World Series. If you're an Angel fan you already know why Garret is labeled as "World Series Hero" on this card, if you're not an Angel fan, well, you should be.

3. Luis Polonia

Was there really any doubt that this card and this player would end up on my list? This card was the first ever entry in my series of "Cards that Define Me". A series that never really took off and I really need to get back to. Luis signed the card for me at a fan appreciation day and instantly became a centerpiece of my collection. I could go on, but there's no need. Spend more than two minutes on my site and you'll become fully aware of my love for the man with the jheri curl mullet.

There you have it, 4 Angel on card autos for the price of 3. How could you go wrong?

Go Halos!

Halos From the Cheap Seats

Dan from Cheap Seat Saints recently contacted me about trading Halos for Indians and I'm glad I accepted. Dan sent along a number of Angels that now have a very loving home here in Southern California. Here's a small sampling of the goodies. Thanks again Dan.

The only non-Halo in the bunch, Johnny Mize.

I've already mentioned multiple times how much I like this subset from 2009 Topps, so it's nice to add another legend to the group.


A chromey Torii. I like the sorta candid feel of this card. Definitely suits the laid-back and enjoyable nature of Torii.


Dan sent along a few 2008 Topps Chrome refractors which are really nice cards in person. I didn't have any chrome from last year, so these additions were welcome. I chose the Figgins to show off because I like the uniqueness of the photo. Leaves you wondering if he made the reach or if the ball ended up 8 rows back.


The Weav. Another card from a set I never collect. This is easily the best part of the blog trading circuit. So many people collect so many different sets that you come across cards you'd never get otherwise.


What a putrid design. Percy near the end of his Halo days. A moment of sadness.


Another design I don't quite understand. "The Nationals" is plastered across the card, for what reason I don't quite know. The positive, it's Timmy Salmon.


This may be my favorite set out there. I wasn't collecting in 1999 and only recently came across the set, but i think the cards are absolutely beautiful. I really need to find a set of these somewhere. Dan sent along three Halos from the 1999 Topps Gold Label set and each one is perfection.


I bought very little 2008 Heritage and continually saw this card staring at me on eBay. Nice to actually bring it into the collection.


Topps Finest, the home of middle reliever autographs. On the bright side, Rich's wife is a blogger, Everyday Life.

Thanks again to Dan for all of the Halos, they are much appreciated. Hopefully you'll enjoy the Indians I've sent your way.

Go Halos!

The Night Owl Strikes

While some would say that Night Owl's best quality is his writing skill, which can be seen over and over through his entertaining posts, others would argue that his generosity takes the top spot. I, on the other hand, find something else to admire about the man. His penchant for pulling Halos! The man is an Angel magnet, which while unfortunate for a Dodger fan, means a windfall for this Angel fan. Greg, thank you for making me your dumping ground. I truly appreciate it.

So what exactly did Greg send along, a heaping of Halos. Here's a small sample.

A number of 1985 Fleer cards were sent along, that I can only hope were part of some Dollar Store finds.

I love everything about this Bobby Grich card. The giant mustache, the flowing mane, the bat awkwardly staged in his lap. Beauty.


1989 Donruss is one of my favorite sets. I remember open a ton of packs as a kid and I always enjoyed the borders and their fading in and out of colors. Combine that with the boyish charm of Wally World and the ostentatious use of MVP on the card and you have a winner.


Garret the Brave, still pictured as a Halo. As Garret's career winds down, it's tough seeing him with another team. When Angel fans would criticize Garret it was okay, because he was one of our own and we all still had the memories of his bases clearing double in game 7 of the 2002 World Series. It's a lot tougher to hear Braves fan railing against GA, knowing that their only memory of him will be as an aging outfielder, struggling to keep up.


Words can't describe how I feel about this. On the day after Thanksgiving, we will be putting up our Christmas tree as we do every year. The first ornament going on the tree will be Mr. Glaus.


I have no idea how this game works or what the point of it was, but I enjoy its oddball appeal.


This is my first and only 2009 Topps Finest card and getting hold of it made me really appreciate the set this year. I normally try to open at least one box of Finest each year, but budget hasn't allowed for that this year. I was okay with that, until I got this beauty.


A second shiny Saunders from the Night Owl. If Joe could just avoid ever pitching in Texas again, we might have a chance this year.


It's especially odd to see a 2008 card that still features Bart as an Angel, but Timelines had more than a few of these. I pulled a Randy Johnson "Mariners" version of this relic. I'm fine with the flashback, but then why not just put Angels on the card?


I can't imagine how disappointing it must have been for Night Owl to open a blaster of Timelines and pull Bart the Angel and a blaster of UD and pull a K-Mo relic. Sorry about your luck Greg...wait, no I'm not. I thoroughly enjoy your rotten luck.

Greg also sent a long a number of other Angels, which have found a very warm home out here. Thanks again Greg for your generosity and best of luck with your Halo radar in the future.

Go Halos!

Where Do I Go From Here?

In the comments to my last post about my love for a now Atlanta Brave Garret Anderson, Spiff from Texas Rangers Cards asked how this would effect my rooting for GA. Truth be told, I'm really not sure. I figure the best way to tackle this issue for me is to look at it from 3 different perspectives. Me as Halo fan, Me as Garret Anderson fan and Me as Garret Anderson collector.

1. How will Garret Anderson's departure effect me as an Angels fan?
While I hated to hear the rumblings all season and the actions of the off-season, I knew that last season was likely Garret's last as an Angel for quite some time. As the season went on, I began to prepare myself somewhat mentally, although it never seemed real. My loyalty to the Halos started well before Garret and it will continue well after Garret. But, he was a large part of my rooting over the years. He was the one constant that I could rely on in the outfield. The one guy I knew I'd be cheering for everytime I went to the ballpark.

In the end, his departure won't effect my Angels fan status much at all. Sure, I'll probably have some bitter feelings towards Bobby Abreu and Juan Rivera for a while, but if they begin to produce, all will be forgotten. Although some Angel fans seem to be rooting for GA to fail in Atlanta so they can prove that the team was right for dropping him, I will definitely not be in that camp. I've come to peace with their decision and hope that in the end it works out for both player and team.

2. How will Garret Anderson's departure effect me as a Garret Anderson fan?
This is probably the area where I am most unsure. I just don't know what to do about Garret in a Braves uniform. I'll still always root for the guy on a personal level and I definitely hope for a big year or at least a solid year out of him. But that being said, I can't see myself spending time watching a number of Braves games this year and rooting for their success. I know that I can root for GA independent of rooting for the Braves, but they just seem to be somewhat tied together to me.

I know that the first week of the season I'll be tuned into MLB Extra Innings and watching the Braves to see how Garret is doing, but beyond that, I'm just not sure. I'll of course be curious, but I just don't see myself following GA as a Brave as faithfully as I once did. Of course, I've never been a Braves fan, in fact I suffered from a real Braves backlash during the '90s, so that could me clouding my thoughts at this time.

3. Lastly, how will Garret Anderson's departure effect me as a Garret Anderson baseball card collector?
When I got back into collecting again a few years ago, it was my pursuit of Garret Anderson cards that hooked me in the most. I can't tell you how many thousands of GA cards I've looked at and bid on over the past few years. When money got tighter over the last year I had to scale back my collection and the search for all things GA started to slow down. As this year goes on, I'll be curious to see what Garret's Braves cards look like, but I won't go out of my way to collect them...I think. Part of the charm of collecting Garret was that he was always in an Angels uniform, whether it was California, Anaheim, or Los Angeles of Anaheim by way of the 57 freeway. Garret as a Brave just doesn't quite fit my collection.

I'll probably still look to pick up autographs and patches from his Angels days and I'll definitely be on the look out for base cards, etc. More than anything though, I think this will give me a chance to finally get caught up. So much of my GA collection has been put into binders or shoeboxes with a promise to get to them later. I think that later may be now. Without a glut of new product to chase after, I can finally start scanning my collection, posting it and discussing it. As of today, my goal over the next couple of weeks is to gather it all together and start the process of at least counting it all up. With any luck, I'll post the stats here soon.

For now, I'll leave you with a tiny peak at the collection.

Something old,


Something rare,


Something to remind me of simpler days,


Something ripped from the jersey,


And something signed by GA and the future.


Go Halos!

So This Is What It Feels Like...When Doves Cry

For me, it started in 1995. I was a junior in high school and baseball was my life. I had been idolizing baseball players since as far back as I could remember. I bought a Twins hat so I could be Kirby Puckett rounding the bases in the World Series, a Cubs batting practice jersey so I could be Mark Grace hitting doubles into the ivy, and everything Ken Griffey Jr. related so I could be the greatest player around. All of those players meant the world to me and I still look back at them with a great amount of fondness, but none of them played for my team. As I grew up in Texas, I never really had a team, it wasn't until I finally moved to California that I made it official and pledged my allegiance to the Halos.

They were awful. Dreadful. Worse than bad. But they were my team. I've chronicled my love for Luis Polonia and how much I appreciate him getting me through those tough years. Players like Mark Langston, Damian Easley and Tim Salmon kept me interested during lean times, but none of them were MY guy. That all changed in 1995, the year that Garret Anderson came into my life. I was a baseball obsessed teenager with a vehicle and a few dollars in my pocket that came from sweeping up sawdust in 95 degree weather for 9 hours a day. Almost all of that money went to the California Angels and their outfield seats.

While my Dodger friends were suffering from Nomo-mania, I was forging a relationship with an outfielder who made everything looked so easy. I never saw him strain, I never saw him look stressed, instead he was always calm and always smooth. For some Angel fans, that was his downfall over the years. He didn't hustle enough, he was too lazy, but I never thought that. To me, I saw a guy give 100% of himself, without having to bring attention to himself by diving needlessly, knocking off his helmet as he rounded first, or slamming his bat into a wall after a strikeout. Those qualities made other players fiery or intense and I'd argue that GA was just as intense, he just didn't need to prove it.


It wasn't until June of 1995 that Garret found a permanent home in the Angel outfield, which coincidentally coincided with my being out of school and spending every moment immersed in the Angels. By mid-July Garret was becoming a force and I had a new favorite player. Jim Edmonds, Tim Salmon and JT Snow were gaining popularity at the Big A, but none of them had what I wanted in a favorite player. Garret had an edge without ever trying. He did it all and he did it without seeking attention or self-promotion. And he did it all in my first summer of real freedom. I spent as many nights at the stadium as I did at home, every night with my Angel hat on my eyes fixed on number sixteen.


Over the next couple of years my love for GA continued and he was officially my guy. Ken Griffey Jr. had been my favorite player for years and to this day I remain a huge fan, but for the first time in years when I was asked who my favorite player was, I would respond Garret Anderson. He wasn't the sexy choice and my less ardent baseball fan family would often say, "Who's he play for?", but it meant something to me that my favorite player wasn't everyone else's favorite player.

In the fall of 1996 I left for college down the freeway at San Diego State. This meant I was an hour and a half away from my Angels and it wasn't easy on me. The first semester was okay because the Halos were out of it in the fall and I was too focused on the new world of college, but by the spring of '97 I was already sick of hearing about the Padres. On a number of weekends I would drive home to see my girlfriend, who is now my wife, and every time the Angels had a home game on Monday, I'd stay behind and take her to the games, gladly paying five dollars per ticket. As we sat up in the Upper View section, I'd make her watch Garret Anderson and did everything in my power to convince my girlfriend to love him too. Eventually I hooked her not by his skills or his play, but by his number. 16 was her favorite number so it only made sense that Garret should be her favorite player.

After that year I came back to Orange County and wouldn't return to San Diego until 2000 with my wife in tow and our love for the Angels brought along. I would follow the Angels on the internet, through the newspaper and whenever I could catch a game on Fox Sports West, until they eventually started blacking the games out. Any weekend that I could convince my wife to get in the truck, I'd force her up to Anaheim to watch Garret. It wasn't always about the Angels during those years. They were my team, but I missed my favorite player. It's a relationship that you build over the years. He was always there for me, in left field and hitting in the middle of the lineup. Probably the hardest part of living in San Diego during those years was not seeing my team and not seeing my player.

Everything changed for Angel fans in 2002. The Angels finished 2nd to a 103 win A's team, but they won the wild card and were finally in the playoffs again. I had my new red Angels hat and I wore it for every single out during those playoffs, along with my Garret Anderson jersey t-shirt. Garret hit .389 against the Yankees in the Divisional Round, he homered and doubled against the Twins in the Championship round and then it was the World Series. Suddenly, I wasn't that weird for wearing an Angels hat and telling people that Garret Anderson was a stud. I had no chance of getting World Series tickets, so I experienced it all on my couch with my wife. I can only imagine what the neighbors thought as they heard me screaming for joy one day and blubbering with tears the next. My love for Garret and the Angels was in full effect, but all of us were on life support during Game 6.

Game 6 was like nothing an Angel fan had ever experienced before and my guy was right in the middle of it. I went from curled up in a ball cursing the team and all of the depression they were bringing me, to huggging my wife so hard, my arms are still imprinted on her back.

Then it was Game 7, it's still a blur to me, but one play will forever be etched into my memory. Bottom of the thrid, Eckstein on third, Erstad on second, and Salmon on first. Garret's double that scored three was the biggest moment of my baseball fan life. My favorite player had come through on the biggest stage, to win the deciding game of the World Series. This hit brought a championship to my team for the first and only time in our existence.


All of a sudden, liking Garret Anderson didn't make me weird, instead I had company. During the All-Star break in 2003, Garret continued on his magical big stage run by winning the home run derby and then All-Star game MVP after going 3-4 and driving in 2 runs. Being a Garret Anderson fan was cool and I hated it. I hated having to share my favorite player with casual fans. I was okay with other Angel fans liking GA, it made me feel validated when others would agree with me about his awesomeness, but this was different. These were bandwagon fans who didn't really appreciate GA. They weren't in a 2/3 empty stadium in 1995 watching him get his start.


The bandwagoners quickly dropped off after an injury plagued season in 2004. That along with the arrival of Vladdy to southern California made Garret a forgotten man once again. By 2008, I was once again felt like I was alone in my admiration of Garret. I'd pick up his autographs on eBay for no more than a few dollars, I'd wear my GA shirt to the stadium and be overrun by Vlad shirts and Rally Monkeys. As 2008 came to an end, the writing was on the wall, but I didn't want to face it. The Angels were going to buy out Garret's contract and with that move he would no longer be an Angel. I held out hope that the team would come to its senses and bring back the team's all-time greatest player, but I knew it wouldn't happen. There was never going to be a groundswell of support for this guy because he wasn't Tim Salmon. He wasn't the golden boy, instead he was the lazy leftfielder who never showed the intensity of other players.

Now on February 22nd, I sit in my office surrounded by baseball cards of Garret and I don't know what I'll do when I show up to the stadium on April 6th. For the first time in 14 years, my favorite player won't be out there and I feel lost. I like Howie Kendrick a lot, I'm looking forward to seeing how Kendry Morales does on the big stage, and I really hope that we'll see a return of a healthy Vlad the Impaler, but in the end, none of them can replace my guy.

I'm sure it will get easier over time, but it'll never be the same for me again. I'll never be that 17 year old sitting in the outfield seats rooting for the new guy who makes it all look so easy.

Goodbye GA, I wish you all the luck in Atlanta and I hope you prove so many people wrong. As for me, Angel games will have a new flavor and I'll have new players to root for and lament about, but none of them will ever replace my guy, Garret Anderson.

Go GA! Go Halos!

Goodbye G.A., Hello Depression

It's official. My favorite Halo is a Halo no more.

Depression has officially set in. Hopefully, he'll have a great season for the Braves, although it'll be hard to see him in another uniform. The GA tribute/funeral wake will begin soon. I'll miss you #16.

The Woes of a Player Collector

When I re-entered the hobby a couple years back, I quickly found myself overwhelmed by everything that was available. I wasn't sure where to really start and I definitely floundered for some time. When I left the hobby way back in the early 90's, I didn't have the funds to ever buy a full wax box, so that was definitely my first desire. I also spent time on eBay buying cards that I was never able to unearth during my younger days.

Here I was, a couple of clicks away from owning a beauty like this:


Finally, I was collecting cards like a kid, but with an adult's wallet. What could be better than that? Well, having a purpose for one. I liked all the different stuff I was buying and being able to open packs whenever I wanted to, but there was something missing. As a child, I was definitely a player collector. I never had the money to buy a lot of packs and build sets, but I did have a number of friends to trade with and we used to lug our collections to school everyday just for the 15 minutes during lunch when we might be able to make some trades.

I had two early player collections:
Kirby Puckett


Mark Grace


The more I thought about it, the more I knew I needed this type of focus. As an Angel fan, I knew I wanted to collect one of my own, but although the answer seems like an obvious one, I still struggled with it. Should I go with a vet I've enjoyed watching for years or a young guy who could have 10 more years with the team. After some deliberation...ok not really that much, I decided to collect Garret Anderson.


So the title of this post is "The Woes of a Player Collector", but after all that blubbering, you may be wondering what my woe is exactly. Well, my favorite player, a lifelong Angel is on the verge of no longer being a member of my team.

What do you do when your favorite player, the one you collect, is no longer a part of your favorite team? I'll always be a fan of Garret, but part of his appeal has always been that over these past 14 years, he's always had a Halo on his cap. Over the last few months my collection has slowed down considerably and I think some of it is because I could see the writing on the wall. I knew GA's days were numbered and I didn't really want to face what was to come. My collection has become much more diverse over the past year and I've started to spend less and less time on my player collections, but I know that in April, there's a very good chance a part of my collecting life will be gone.

Go Halos!