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Preview: 2026 Topps Holiday Football
13 hours ago
Apr 17, 2009
It's Almost Like They Felt Guilty About Something
I recently opened a box of 1995 SP and while the entire break was fun for me, having never opened a pack of this in my life, a couple of things stood out to me. I'll get some of the other cards later, but the most interesting thing was the number of cards that had shots of players signing autographs.
Hmmm, 1995. I wonder what could possibly have taken place around 1994 or 1995 that might lead players to be a bit more generous with their time and sign autographs for the fans. Maybe it was just an outbreak of kindness amongst these young gents. Maybe they had some time off that caused them to realize the importance of getting into the good graces of the fans. Maybe the roid rage hadn't quite kicked in yet.
I give you, the signers of 95.
Of course the rookies were signing, it's their chance to feel like a big leaguer, until they actually become big leaguers and want nothing to do with us.
Another young fella trying to make good with the people. I hear this guy had a decent career.
Guys who joined new teams wanted to make a mark as well.
Lefty pitchers got in on the act as well.
Imagine the effort it would take to sign your entire name if it was Heathcliff Slocumb. No small task my friends.
One hand? Not a problem. That's dedication.
And it wasn't just the young guys signing.
This guy's a frickin' president...I'm assuming. His nickname is afterall El Presidente. I'm not fluent in espanol, but I'm giving it a shot.
Where are the sluggers you ask?
This guy hit a kinda famous home run.
The Yankee I actually like.
The Hawk is even intense when he signs autographs.
Yup, the man of juice even got in on the act.
They were truly magical times in 1995. Players going out of their way for the fans, signing cards, balls, shirts, whatever you put in front of them. I just can't quite put my finger on why they were so generous and obliging. Must have been something in the juice.
Go Halos!
Hmmm, 1995. I wonder what could possibly have taken place around 1994 or 1995 that might lead players to be a bit more generous with their time and sign autographs for the fans. Maybe it was just an outbreak of kindness amongst these young gents. Maybe they had some time off that caused them to realize the importance of getting into the good graces of the fans. Maybe the roid rage hadn't quite kicked in yet.
I give you, the signers of 95.
Of course the rookies were signing, it's their chance to feel like a big leaguer, until they actually become big leaguers and want nothing to do with us.
Another young fella trying to make good with the people. I hear this guy had a decent career.
Guys who joined new teams wanted to make a mark as well.
Lefty pitchers got in on the act as well.
Imagine the effort it would take to sign your entire name if it was Heathcliff Slocumb. No small task my friends.
One hand? Not a problem. That's dedication.
And it wasn't just the young guys signing.
This guy's a frickin' president...I'm assuming. His nickname is afterall El Presidente. I'm not fluent in espanol, but I'm giving it a shot.
Where are the sluggers you ask?
This guy hit a kinda famous home run.
The Yankee I actually like.
The Hawk is even intense when he signs autographs.
Yup, the man of juice even got in on the act.
They were truly magical times in 1995. Players going out of their way for the fans, signing cards, balls, shirts, whatever you put in front of them. I just can't quite put my finger on why they were so generous and obliging. Must have been something in the juice.
Go Halos!
Apr 16, 2009
Fave 4: Florida Marlins
When I wrote about the Padres, one of the problems I had was that they seem to always be a team of transition and outside of Tony Gwynn, it's hard to associate too many players with that franchise exclusively. If that's true of the Padres, it's even more so for the Marlins. A team known for "buying" its championships and then selling off the players that made it happen, the Marlins are the ultimate group of vagabonds.
Even so, I was able to think of a decent number of players that I really liked during their time as a Marlin. I feel like every season I'm hoping that the Marlins will topple the Mets or Braves, but often they seem to fade towards the end. This season they've jumped out to another hot start with a lot of good young talent, but I keep asking myself how it will fall apart this year.
1. Hanley Ramirez
I am thrilled that the Red Sox traded this guy to the Marlins so I can actually root for him. Can you imagine the kind of hype and ridiculous over the top talk we'd hear about this guy if he played in Boston. A Red Sox/Yankees game would cause my TV to explode with praise for Ramirez and Jeter. Instead, I get to flip over on the Extra Innings package and watch this guy play without worrying about all that. I can't think of another player that I'd choose to start a franchise with today other than Hanley Ramirez.
2. Mark Kotsay
When I moved out to California, we would often go down the street to Cal State Fullerton to watch Titans games. This became an event during the mid 90s when Mark Kotsay was college baseball's best player. Sure he could play a good center field and hit with the best of them, but then he'd trot in as the closer as well. As well-rounded a player as you could possibly be. I was certain that Kotsay would continue to star with the Marlins, and while he wasn't amazing, he was a pretty solid player for the Marlins, Padres, A's and more. So while Kotsay should probably be #1 on the Fave 4: Cal State Fullerton Titans, he'll have to settle for #2 with the Marlins.
3. Charles Johnson
CJ was one of the best defensive catchers in the game and I first remember him in a couple of uniforms other than the Marlins teal. Johnson starred for both Team USA, above, and the Miami Hurricanes. He was another guy who I had such high hopes for out of college, after watching him in the CWS, but Charles could just never seem to hit with any consistency. Even so, CJ was a great catcher and caught all but one of the Marlins no-hitters and I was actually in attendance for the one AJ Burnett threw against the Padres. Needless to say I was one of very few in attendance that night. Kotsay, incidentally, was playing center for the Pads that night.
4. Jeff Conine
If there's a Mr. MArlin, I'm pretty sure it has to be Conine. Twice he was an all-star for the Fish and he was just a likable guy. My memories of Conine are few, but I just always felt like he was the face of the Marlins in their early years since he began his career (rookie season, I know he played a handful of games with the Royals) with the Marlins as they were starting out as a franchise. I can still remember that Orestes Destrade was getting all the hyp to begin that season for the Marlins, but Conine was the true star.
Honorable Mentions:
Juan Pierre
Pierre has seen better days as he is currently stuck behind all the young talent in LA and is the butt of many jokes due to his contract, but I really liked Pierre in Florida. He was a huge part of the 2003 championship and I was constantly rooting for him to get on base and cause havoc against the Yanks.
Josh Beckett
Recent head throwing snafu aside, Beckett is one of the dominant pitchers of this era. He has proven to be amazingly clutch in the postseason and his starts seem to almost assure the Sox a win in the playoffs. The Marlins made out extremely well with Beckett, getting a championship out of him in 2003 and then being able to trade him for Hanley Ramirez who stars for them today. Well done.
Mike Lowell
I prefer a Marlin Lowell over a Red Sox Lowell, but even so he's tough to root against. Another guy who seems like a genuinely good person, not to mention a heck of a hitter. I was shocked that he was essentially a throw in as part of the Beckett trade.
Gary Sheffield
Sheff is definitely a man without a home as far as major league teams go, but I remember my best friend having a "Sheff" poster on his wall in which Gary was pictured wagging his bat for the Marlins. He's surly, he's almost certainly a roid-aided player, but he's also a lot of fun to watch up at bat.
The expansion teams are done and were left with only a few more teams to go. The
Brewers, Reds, Cubs, Dodgers and Angels. Let the anticipation ensue.
Go Halos!
Even so, I was able to think of a decent number of players that I really liked during their time as a Marlin. I feel like every season I'm hoping that the Marlins will topple the Mets or Braves, but often they seem to fade towards the end. This season they've jumped out to another hot start with a lot of good young talent, but I keep asking myself how it will fall apart this year.
1. Hanley Ramirez
I am thrilled that the Red Sox traded this guy to the Marlins so I can actually root for him. Can you imagine the kind of hype and ridiculous over the top talk we'd hear about this guy if he played in Boston. A Red Sox/Yankees game would cause my TV to explode with praise for Ramirez and Jeter. Instead, I get to flip over on the Extra Innings package and watch this guy play without worrying about all that. I can't think of another player that I'd choose to start a franchise with today other than Hanley Ramirez.
2. Mark Kotsay
When I moved out to California, we would often go down the street to Cal State Fullerton to watch Titans games. This became an event during the mid 90s when Mark Kotsay was college baseball's best player. Sure he could play a good center field and hit with the best of them, but then he'd trot in as the closer as well. As well-rounded a player as you could possibly be. I was certain that Kotsay would continue to star with the Marlins, and while he wasn't amazing, he was a pretty solid player for the Marlins, Padres, A's and more. So while Kotsay should probably be #1 on the Fave 4: Cal State Fullerton Titans, he'll have to settle for #2 with the Marlins.
3. Charles Johnson
CJ was one of the best defensive catchers in the game and I first remember him in a couple of uniforms other than the Marlins teal. Johnson starred for both Team USA, above, and the Miami Hurricanes. He was another guy who I had such high hopes for out of college, after watching him in the CWS, but Charles could just never seem to hit with any consistency. Even so, CJ was a great catcher and caught all but one of the Marlins no-hitters and I was actually in attendance for the one AJ Burnett threw against the Padres. Needless to say I was one of very few in attendance that night. Kotsay, incidentally, was playing center for the Pads that night.
4. Jeff Conine
If there's a Mr. MArlin, I'm pretty sure it has to be Conine. Twice he was an all-star for the Fish and he was just a likable guy. My memories of Conine are few, but I just always felt like he was the face of the Marlins in their early years since he began his career (rookie season, I know he played a handful of games with the Royals) with the Marlins as they were starting out as a franchise. I can still remember that Orestes Destrade was getting all the hyp to begin that season for the Marlins, but Conine was the true star.
Honorable Mentions:
Juan Pierre
Pierre has seen better days as he is currently stuck behind all the young talent in LA and is the butt of many jokes due to his contract, but I really liked Pierre in Florida. He was a huge part of the 2003 championship and I was constantly rooting for him to get on base and cause havoc against the Yanks.
Josh Beckett
Recent head throwing snafu aside, Beckett is one of the dominant pitchers of this era. He has proven to be amazingly clutch in the postseason and his starts seem to almost assure the Sox a win in the playoffs. The Marlins made out extremely well with Beckett, getting a championship out of him in 2003 and then being able to trade him for Hanley Ramirez who stars for them today. Well done.
Mike Lowell
I prefer a Marlin Lowell over a Red Sox Lowell, but even so he's tough to root against. Another guy who seems like a genuinely good person, not to mention a heck of a hitter. I was shocked that he was essentially a throw in as part of the Beckett trade.
Gary Sheffield
Sheff is definitely a man without a home as far as major league teams go, but I remember my best friend having a "Sheff" poster on his wall in which Gary was pictured wagging his bat for the Marlins. He's surly, he's almost certainly a roid-aided player, but he's also a lot of fun to watch up at bat.
The expansion teams are done and were left with only a few more teams to go. The
Brewers, Reds, Cubs, Dodgers and Angels. Let the anticipation ensue.
Go Halos!
Apr 15, 2009
Fave 4: Arizona Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks have barely existed for a decade and in those 10+ years I haven't found a whole lot to root about in regards to this team. I despise the Yankees which led to me "rooting" for the D-backs in 2001, but even so I didn't really like team. I liked one player on that squad and it was only because he was one of my baseball heroes as a kid.
Really the highlight of the Diamondbacks for me came a couple of years back when I went to Arizona for Spring Training. Before we left for home, we stopped by the Bank One Ballpark and at the T.G.I. Friday's overlooking the field. Of course, it was the off-season and we were only entertained by construction crews working, but I like to think that may have been better than watching the team.
1. Orlando Hudson
I was really surprised when the D-backs decided to let him go, that turned into happiness when I saw the Dodgers were going to sign him, that then turned to giddy excitement watching him hit for the cycle on Monday. The guy seems to always be on base, always talking and always making great plays in the field. Why more teams weren't clamoring for his services I'll never know.
2. Travis Lee
Travis is a San Diego State boy, which automatically puts any player in contention for one of these lists. Combine that with an interesting story about his drafting and he becomes more intriguing. Lee was picked 2nd overall in the 1996 draft by the Twins, who failed to offer him a contract within, I believe, 15 days and he was granted free agency. He then went on to sign with the D-backs for over 10 million dollars. This was before I was really aware of Scott Boras, so it didn't really bother me. Now, it makes my stomach turn a little. Even so, Travis burst on to the scene in '98 and looked to be a legitimate star in the making. Unfortunately, that would not be the case. At least Arizona was able to package him for Curt Schilling.
3. Steve Finley
Defensively, Steve Finley was as good as it gets in center field. I enjoyed watching Finley in San Diego, but it seemed like he got much more attention in Arizona for his exploits. The only stain for me was his time as a Halo. Uggh. He absolutely robbed the Angels of 6 million dollars. Subsequent years Finley was followed by Edgardo Alfonzo and Shea Hillenbrand, so my hatred of Finley has transferred on.
4. Justin Upton
I must admit that much of my interest in Upton is due to baseball cards. In 2006, I pulled a Justin Upton refractor autograph that is probably one of my best pulls ever. Due to monetary reasons I have rooted for Upton ever since. Thanks to that interest I've actually come to appreciate Upton as a pretty solid young player. The D-backs are known for their young nucleus and this guy may end up being the best of all of them. Time will tell.
Honorable Mention:
Mark Grace aka The Man Who Would Be #1
Mark Grace is one of my all-time favorite baseball players, however he can only make one list and this WILL NOT be the one. I was happy to see Gracey get his ring with Arizona, but other than that I wasn't all that fond of his days with the D-backs. I like my Grace as a Cub, no substitutions.
So there's the meager list of Favorite Diamondbacks. I'm sure their fans have plenty more players to root on, but I just can't muster up the enthusiasm. One more expansion team to come, the Marlins. I'm not a Marlin fan either, but I have rooted for a heck of a lot more of their players.
Go Halos!
Really the highlight of the Diamondbacks for me came a couple of years back when I went to Arizona for Spring Training. Before we left for home, we stopped by the Bank One Ballpark and at the T.G.I. Friday's overlooking the field. Of course, it was the off-season and we were only entertained by construction crews working, but I like to think that may have been better than watching the team.
1. Orlando Hudson
I was really surprised when the D-backs decided to let him go, that turned into happiness when I saw the Dodgers were going to sign him, that then turned to giddy excitement watching him hit for the cycle on Monday. The guy seems to always be on base, always talking and always making great plays in the field. Why more teams weren't clamoring for his services I'll never know.
2. Travis Lee
Travis is a San Diego State boy, which automatically puts any player in contention for one of these lists. Combine that with an interesting story about his drafting and he becomes more intriguing. Lee was picked 2nd overall in the 1996 draft by the Twins, who failed to offer him a contract within, I believe, 15 days and he was granted free agency. He then went on to sign with the D-backs for over 10 million dollars. This was before I was really aware of Scott Boras, so it didn't really bother me. Now, it makes my stomach turn a little. Even so, Travis burst on to the scene in '98 and looked to be a legitimate star in the making. Unfortunately, that would not be the case. At least Arizona was able to package him for Curt Schilling.
3. Steve Finley
Defensively, Steve Finley was as good as it gets in center field. I enjoyed watching Finley in San Diego, but it seemed like he got much more attention in Arizona for his exploits. The only stain for me was his time as a Halo. Uggh. He absolutely robbed the Angels of 6 million dollars. Subsequent years Finley was followed by Edgardo Alfonzo and Shea Hillenbrand, so my hatred of Finley has transferred on.
4. Justin Upton
I must admit that much of my interest in Upton is due to baseball cards. In 2006, I pulled a Justin Upton refractor autograph that is probably one of my best pulls ever. Due to monetary reasons I have rooted for Upton ever since. Thanks to that interest I've actually come to appreciate Upton as a pretty solid young player. The D-backs are known for their young nucleus and this guy may end up being the best of all of them. Time will tell.
Honorable Mention:
Mark Grace aka The Man Who Would Be #1
Mark Grace is one of my all-time favorite baseball players, however he can only make one list and this WILL NOT be the one. I was happy to see Gracey get his ring with Arizona, but other than that I wasn't all that fond of his days with the D-backs. I like my Grace as a Cub, no substitutions.
So there's the meager list of Favorite Diamondbacks. I'm sure their fans have plenty more players to root on, but I just can't muster up the enthusiasm. One more expansion team to come, the Marlins. I'm not a Marlin fan either, but I have rooted for a heck of a lot more of their players.
Go Halos!
Apr 14, 2009
Fave 4: Colorado Rockies
This will most likely be the least interesting of all the Fave 4 posts and that's mainly because I'm just not that interested in the Colorado Rockies. They've made the playoffs a couple of times and even to the World Series recently where they laid an egg, but spurts of success just don't do it for me. Outside of the wacky 18-15 games that were once a staple of Coors Field, the Rockies just don't do it for me.
In fact, almost none of the expansion teams of the last couple of decades interests me, the one exception being the Rays who seem to have figured out how to bring up young talent and seem able to sustain their threat to topple the Yanks and Sox again this year. The Rockies just can't seem to find an identity. Is it going to be sluggers and rarified air, or speedy outfielders running down flies in a cavernous stadium with humidified balls? Well, whatever they eventually go with, you can be pretty sure I won't be around to watch.
1. Eric Young
If EY has ever played for a team you root for, chances are you're a fan. Outside of a few lame years at the end of his career, Eric Young has always been an exciting guy to watch. During the middle of his career when he played for the Rockies, Dodgers, Cubs and even the Brewers for a season, EY was likely to be on base and running at almost every opportunity. He also seemed to play with a real joy for baseball that I always appreciate in the players I watch.
2. Matt Holliday
The face-first, bloodied up slide he made in game pictured above, is probably the only Rockies moment that stands out in my mind. I'm not exactly a Padre fan and so I was rooting hard for the Rockies to pull this one-game playoff out and put the Padre fans I deal with on a daily basis out of their misery. With this slide he did just that and brought a tiny bit of joy to my life. Now, Matt is playing for the A's and promises to be a thorn in the side of the Angels, until the A's either trade him or let him go via free agency. God forbid if they actually sign him to a long-term contract.
3. Troy Tulowitzki
Troy is one of the players that my daughter has latched onto as a favorite. I think it's just because she likes trying to say "Tulowitzki", but whatever gets her interested is fine by me. Tulo seems to have all the skills to make him a star, but injuries last year really hampered him. Hopefully he will be able to overcome the curse of Clint Barmes and become the star the Rockies desperately need.
4. Todd Helton
I've never really been a Helton fan, but I always respected how he played the game. One of the few Rockies from the late 90s era who seemed like he would succeed no matter what stadium he called home. His gigantic goatee that took root a couple years back only strengthened his resume with me and landed him a top 4 spot.
Honorable Mention:
Larry Walker
The first ever Canadian born MVP, that should count for something right? Well, it did get him the only spot in the Honorable Mention category. Not quite the MVP, but I'm sure Larry would be proud.
I wish I had something inspired to say about the Rockies and this group of players, but I'm at a loss. The Rockies will forever be that purple team who played their first game in Mile High Stadium and turned their pitchers into such headcases that they had to start tampering with the balls to make people sane. One hell of a legacy.
Go Halos!
In fact, almost none of the expansion teams of the last couple of decades interests me, the one exception being the Rays who seem to have figured out how to bring up young talent and seem able to sustain their threat to topple the Yanks and Sox again this year. The Rockies just can't seem to find an identity. Is it going to be sluggers and rarified air, or speedy outfielders running down flies in a cavernous stadium with humidified balls? Well, whatever they eventually go with, you can be pretty sure I won't be around to watch.
1. Eric Young
If EY has ever played for a team you root for, chances are you're a fan. Outside of a few lame years at the end of his career, Eric Young has always been an exciting guy to watch. During the middle of his career when he played for the Rockies, Dodgers, Cubs and even the Brewers for a season, EY was likely to be on base and running at almost every opportunity. He also seemed to play with a real joy for baseball that I always appreciate in the players I watch.
2. Matt Holliday
The face-first, bloodied up slide he made in game pictured above, is probably the only Rockies moment that stands out in my mind. I'm not exactly a Padre fan and so I was rooting hard for the Rockies to pull this one-game playoff out and put the Padre fans I deal with on a daily basis out of their misery. With this slide he did just that and brought a tiny bit of joy to my life. Now, Matt is playing for the A's and promises to be a thorn in the side of the Angels, until the A's either trade him or let him go via free agency. God forbid if they actually sign him to a long-term contract.
3. Troy Tulowitzki
Troy is one of the players that my daughter has latched onto as a favorite. I think it's just because she likes trying to say "Tulowitzki", but whatever gets her interested is fine by me. Tulo seems to have all the skills to make him a star, but injuries last year really hampered him. Hopefully he will be able to overcome the curse of Clint Barmes and become the star the Rockies desperately need.
4. Todd Helton
I've never really been a Helton fan, but I always respected how he played the game. One of the few Rockies from the late 90s era who seemed like he would succeed no matter what stadium he called home. His gigantic goatee that took root a couple years back only strengthened his resume with me and landed him a top 4 spot.
Honorable Mention:
Larry Walker
The first ever Canadian born MVP, that should count for something right? Well, it did get him the only spot in the Honorable Mention category. Not quite the MVP, but I'm sure Larry would be proud.
I wish I had something inspired to say about the Rockies and this group of players, but I'm at a loss. The Rockies will forever be that purple team who played their first game in Mile High Stadium and turned their pitchers into such headcases that they had to start tampering with the balls to make people sane. One hell of a legacy.
Go Halos!
Apr 13, 2009
Fave 4: San Francisco Giants
To put it bluntly, I don't like the Giants. In fact, watching them get demolished by the Dodgers right is what prompted me to post my list today. At least if I'm going to show any Giants some love, I'll make it on a day when it's not so fun to be a Giant fan.
The Dodgers were always my team in the National League, as they were my grandfather's favorite team and he would listen to Vin Scully every single night on the radio. When we would come out to visit he'd always take me to see either the Angels or Dodgers and he instilled a healthy hatred for the Giants at an early age. On top of that, Barry Bonds is the most unlikable player of my generation and my Halos made a great comeback against the Giants in the World Series to finally win it all. So, my history with the Giants goes back, but very little of it is positive, but I'm able to see through that fog of hatred and at least show love for a few players.
1. Steve Scarsone
The magic of baseball cards is responsible for my love of Steve Scarsone, the only Giant I will truly admit to liking. Scarsone was born in Anaheim, CA and I know this fact because I read it on the back of Steve's baseball card. Why is this important? Well, in the summer of 1995 my best friend and I had tickets at the left field foul pole at Dodger Stadium to see the Giants battle the Dodgers. Our reason for purchasing tickets at the pole was our desire to yell at Barry Bonds every second of the game for 9 innings straight.
We got there early for batting practice and only fans with tickets in the front row were allowed to stand against the wall to try and grab batting practice balls. With great luck I was able to snag not one, but two baseballs. On the second, which I must admit was an amazing grab, Steve Scarsone made his way over to congratulate me on the grab and taunt the Dodger fans by grabbing grounders that came close to the fans and then toss them into the infield. Steve was having a lot of fun with it as were the fans. After talking to Scarsone for a few moments I asked him to sign one of my baseballs and he told me he couldn't sign for a Dodger fan. That's when the magic of baseball cards came into play.
Scarsone wsn't exactly the most well-known player on the field, but I knew a nugget and I went with it. "Come on Scarsone, we're both from Anaheim. (I'm not incidentally) You gotta show some love for a hometown boy." Apparently this impressed the man and he signed my ball, with a ballpoint pen I borrowed from another fan, and continued to talk baseball and mess with the fans for the rest of batting practice. For this reason, Steve Scarsone is not only my favorite Giant, but one of my favorite baseball players ever.
2. Kevin Mitchell
Seriously, is there another player who ever had a Diamond King card that featured his gold tooth prominently? That alone secured Kevin Mitchell this spot on the list. Combine that with a somewhat chunky/muscular frame, his 47 home run MVP season in 1989 and that barehanded catch he made on the run, make Kevin Mitchell a Giant you can kinda root for. His bizarre behavior including leaving to play in Japan in 1995 after a 9th place MVP season and Dwight Gooden's accusations that Kevin once decapitated his girlfriend's cat make Kevin Mitchell even more of a legendary figure.
3. Robby Thompson
During my freshman year of college, my roommate brought his Sega Genesis and we would play World Series Baseball for hours, not like 2 or 3, more like 8 to 10. He was a huge Giants fan and since it was his system, I would play games with the Giants in an attempt to complete the entire 162 game season, playoffs, etc. For whatever reason, I could absolutely rake with Robby Thompson. By the all-star break I had over 60 home runs with Robby. He was an absolute beast. It was as close to Bo Jackson in Super Tecmo Bowl that I've ever seen out of a virtual athlete. I don't recall if I ever saw the real-life Robby Thompson hit a homerun, but his Sega counterpart was amazing.
4. Rod Beck
Big, surly, great stache, one of the first great closers I remember watching as a kid. Rod Beck went on to play for other teams, but to me he's a Giant and while I enjoyed watching him more when he played for teams other than the hated Giants, he was still a pretty amazing reliever during those days. His unfortunate death after his playing days seemed almost destined, as he had many problems with alcohol, etc.
Honorable Mentions:
Chili Davis
The Jamaican Sensation who I only recently discovered was Jamaican, was one of my favorite Angels and I remember him first coming up with the Giants. His name was Chili, what was a chubby kid in Texas supposed to do other than root for this guy?
Jose Uribe
Uribe is one of those guys who I'm not sure why I like them so much, I just know I do.
Tim Lincecum
One of the only bright spots on the Giants these days. His delivery alone makes him a ton of fun to watch on the mound. Couple that with the fact that he has such great stuff and isn't afraid to throw all 9, makes Lincecum one of the really bright young stars.
The "I just don't like this guy" category:
Will Nuschler Clark
His middle name is Nuschler and as evidenced above, he needs another man to apply his eye black. Lame. I don't like you one bit Nuschler!
I finsihed this post as the Dodgers recorded the final out in an 11-1 blowout. Sweet poetry.
Go Halos!
The Dodgers were always my team in the National League, as they were my grandfather's favorite team and he would listen to Vin Scully every single night on the radio. When we would come out to visit he'd always take me to see either the Angels or Dodgers and he instilled a healthy hatred for the Giants at an early age. On top of that, Barry Bonds is the most unlikable player of my generation and my Halos made a great comeback against the Giants in the World Series to finally win it all. So, my history with the Giants goes back, but very little of it is positive, but I'm able to see through that fog of hatred and at least show love for a few players.
1. Steve Scarsone
The magic of baseball cards is responsible for my love of Steve Scarsone, the only Giant I will truly admit to liking. Scarsone was born in Anaheim, CA and I know this fact because I read it on the back of Steve's baseball card. Why is this important? Well, in the summer of 1995 my best friend and I had tickets at the left field foul pole at Dodger Stadium to see the Giants battle the Dodgers. Our reason for purchasing tickets at the pole was our desire to yell at Barry Bonds every second of the game for 9 innings straight.
We got there early for batting practice and only fans with tickets in the front row were allowed to stand against the wall to try and grab batting practice balls. With great luck I was able to snag not one, but two baseballs. On the second, which I must admit was an amazing grab, Steve Scarsone made his way over to congratulate me on the grab and taunt the Dodger fans by grabbing grounders that came close to the fans and then toss them into the infield. Steve was having a lot of fun with it as were the fans. After talking to Scarsone for a few moments I asked him to sign one of my baseballs and he told me he couldn't sign for a Dodger fan. That's when the magic of baseball cards came into play.
Scarsone wsn't exactly the most well-known player on the field, but I knew a nugget and I went with it. "Come on Scarsone, we're both from Anaheim. (I'm not incidentally) You gotta show some love for a hometown boy." Apparently this impressed the man and he signed my ball, with a ballpoint pen I borrowed from another fan, and continued to talk baseball and mess with the fans for the rest of batting practice. For this reason, Steve Scarsone is not only my favorite Giant, but one of my favorite baseball players ever.
2. Kevin Mitchell
Seriously, is there another player who ever had a Diamond King card that featured his gold tooth prominently? That alone secured Kevin Mitchell this spot on the list. Combine that with a somewhat chunky/muscular frame, his 47 home run MVP season in 1989 and that barehanded catch he made on the run, make Kevin Mitchell a Giant you can kinda root for. His bizarre behavior including leaving to play in Japan in 1995 after a 9th place MVP season and Dwight Gooden's accusations that Kevin once decapitated his girlfriend's cat make Kevin Mitchell even more of a legendary figure.
3. Robby Thompson
During my freshman year of college, my roommate brought his Sega Genesis and we would play World Series Baseball for hours, not like 2 or 3, more like 8 to 10. He was a huge Giants fan and since it was his system, I would play games with the Giants in an attempt to complete the entire 162 game season, playoffs, etc. For whatever reason, I could absolutely rake with Robby Thompson. By the all-star break I had over 60 home runs with Robby. He was an absolute beast. It was as close to Bo Jackson in Super Tecmo Bowl that I've ever seen out of a virtual athlete. I don't recall if I ever saw the real-life Robby Thompson hit a homerun, but his Sega counterpart was amazing.
4. Rod Beck
Big, surly, great stache, one of the first great closers I remember watching as a kid. Rod Beck went on to play for other teams, but to me he's a Giant and while I enjoyed watching him more when he played for teams other than the hated Giants, he was still a pretty amazing reliever during those days. His unfortunate death after his playing days seemed almost destined, as he had many problems with alcohol, etc.
Honorable Mentions:
Chili Davis
The Jamaican Sensation who I only recently discovered was Jamaican, was one of my favorite Angels and I remember him first coming up with the Giants. His name was Chili, what was a chubby kid in Texas supposed to do other than root for this guy?
Jose Uribe
Uribe is one of those guys who I'm not sure why I like them so much, I just know I do.
Tim Lincecum
One of the only bright spots on the Giants these days. His delivery alone makes him a ton of fun to watch on the mound. Couple that with the fact that he has such great stuff and isn't afraid to throw all 9, makes Lincecum one of the really bright young stars.
The "I just don't like this guy" category:
Will Nuschler Clark
His middle name is Nuschler and as evidenced above, he needs another man to apply his eye black. Lame. I don't like you one bit Nuschler!
I finsihed this post as the Dodgers recorded the final out in an 11-1 blowout. Sweet poetry.
Go Halos!
Apr 12, 2009
Fave 4: San Diego Padres
The Padres seem destined to be a team known more for the talent they produced and lost than the talent out on the field. When trying to come up with my favorites for the Pads it became clear that I don't identify that many players as being purely Padres. This is true for almost every team, as free agency has made every team a mish-mash of parts, but the Padres take it to another level. So missing from this list are guys like Roberto Alomar, Fred McGriff, John Kruk, Joe Carter, Tony Fernandez, and Sandy Alomar Jr.
A couple of my first little league teams in Texas were named the Padres, so from an early age, I've always followed the boys from San Diego. In an odd twist of fate or maybe just a coincidence, I ended up attending college in San Diego and still find myself living in the area today. SO the Padres, despite my misgivings, have become a bit of a home team to me. Although I rarely root for them, I do find that I see about as many padre games as I do any team other than the Angels. So this is my look at the guys who've become a part of my favorite Padres, no matter how hard I might have tried to avoid it.
1. Bip Roberts
If you've read this blog for any length of time, you may be aware that I have a bit of an obsession with Mr. Leon Roberts aka Bip. So you would think he would be a no-brainer as my number 1 Padre, but I struggled with just where to put him. In the end, the Padres edged out the Reds because San Diego is where I first witnessed the greatness of Bip and of course there's the card below. That pretty much cemented it.
For more on the genius of Bip, click here, here or here.
2. Tony Gwynn
Mr. Padre. I'm sure that on 99 out of 100 Padres fan's lists he'd be #1, but for this guy he's a run away #2. Gwynn was one of the great singles hitters of all-time and I remember spending many hours reading Tony Gwynn's Total Baseball Player. A serious bonus to Tony for being my alma mater's best baseball player of all-time, one of the best basketball players of all-time and the current head coach of the team.
3. Benito Santiago
If you grew up during Benito's formative years in the majors, you had to be obsessed with the way that Benito would throw out runners from his knees. My friends and I would spend half the afternoon just trying to throw each out by doing this. Inevitably the majority of our throws sailed into center field or bounced in front of the pitching mound, but that only made the arm of Benito even more awesome!
4. Jake Peavy
One of the main reason to watch a Padre game these days is the opportunity to see Peavy on the hill. He is one of the best pitchers today and is certainly not getting the exposure he deserves because he's on the West Coast in San Diego. I was really hoping Peavy would be traded to the Angels this off-season and maybe with any luck it'll still happen as we near the All-Star break. Of course the Pads will need to start losing a few more games.
Honorable Mentions:
Adrian Gonzalez
If Peavy is the reason to watch the Padres on defense, Gonzalez is the reason to watch them on offense. It makes no sense for a team to give him any pitches to hit, but he makes the most of his opportunities and continues to rake, even in Petco.
Carmelo Martinez
From one Latin first basemen to another. I can't even tell you why I'm a Carmelo fan, but I'm pretty sure it has a lot to do with the name Carmelo and my love of Caramello candy bars.
Andy Benes
Benes looked huge out on the mound. As the first overall pick in the 1988 draft, Benes was one of the first "prospects" that I was infatuated with as a young kid.
Josh Barfield
I really thought this guy was going to be a solid second baseman for a decade with the Pads. He's never been able to live up to his promise and hype, but I still look back fondly on his rookie campaign.
Quilvio Veras
Another guy that I can't quite put my finger on why I like him so much. He was a key, although minor, part in the 1998 NL championship squad. He always seemed to be diving for a ball up the middle or in the hole, and often making the play.
So after much delay, the Fave 4 Padres have finally made their appearance. I probably should have just traded this list away to another blogger for a few other quality posts, but chances are in true Padres spirit I would have received something promising that I would have bungled or traded away a few weeks from now.
Go Halos!
A couple of my first little league teams in Texas were named the Padres, so from an early age, I've always followed the boys from San Diego. In an odd twist of fate or maybe just a coincidence, I ended up attending college in San Diego and still find myself living in the area today. SO the Padres, despite my misgivings, have become a bit of a home team to me. Although I rarely root for them, I do find that I see about as many padre games as I do any team other than the Angels. So this is my look at the guys who've become a part of my favorite Padres, no matter how hard I might have tried to avoid it.
1. Bip Roberts
If you've read this blog for any length of time, you may be aware that I have a bit of an obsession with Mr. Leon Roberts aka Bip. So you would think he would be a no-brainer as my number 1 Padre, but I struggled with just where to put him. In the end, the Padres edged out the Reds because San Diego is where I first witnessed the greatness of Bip and of course there's the card below. That pretty much cemented it.
For more on the genius of Bip, click here, here or here.
2. Tony Gwynn
Mr. Padre. I'm sure that on 99 out of 100 Padres fan's lists he'd be #1, but for this guy he's a run away #2. Gwynn was one of the great singles hitters of all-time and I remember spending many hours reading Tony Gwynn's Total Baseball Player. A serious bonus to Tony for being my alma mater's best baseball player of all-time, one of the best basketball players of all-time and the current head coach of the team.
3. Benito Santiago
If you grew up during Benito's formative years in the majors, you had to be obsessed with the way that Benito would throw out runners from his knees. My friends and I would spend half the afternoon just trying to throw each out by doing this. Inevitably the majority of our throws sailed into center field or bounced in front of the pitching mound, but that only made the arm of Benito even more awesome!
4. Jake Peavy
One of the main reason to watch a Padre game these days is the opportunity to see Peavy on the hill. He is one of the best pitchers today and is certainly not getting the exposure he deserves because he's on the West Coast in San Diego. I was really hoping Peavy would be traded to the Angels this off-season and maybe with any luck it'll still happen as we near the All-Star break. Of course the Pads will need to start losing a few more games.
Honorable Mentions:
Adrian Gonzalez
If Peavy is the reason to watch the Padres on defense, Gonzalez is the reason to watch them on offense. It makes no sense for a team to give him any pitches to hit, but he makes the most of his opportunities and continues to rake, even in Petco.
Carmelo Martinez
From one Latin first basemen to another. I can't even tell you why I'm a Carmelo fan, but I'm pretty sure it has a lot to do with the name Carmelo and my love of Caramello candy bars.
Andy Benes
Benes looked huge out on the mound. As the first overall pick in the 1988 draft, Benes was one of the first "prospects" that I was infatuated with as a young kid.
Josh Barfield
I really thought this guy was going to be a solid second baseman for a decade with the Pads. He's never been able to live up to his promise and hype, but I still look back fondly on his rookie campaign.
Quilvio Veras
Another guy that I can't quite put my finger on why I like him so much. He was a key, although minor, part in the 1998 NL championship squad. He always seemed to be diving for a ball up the middle or in the hole, and often making the play.
So after much delay, the Fave 4 Padres have finally made their appearance. I probably should have just traded this list away to another blogger for a few other quality posts, but chances are in true Padres spirit I would have received something promising that I would have bungled or traded away a few weeks from now.
Go Halos!
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