Nats From 2015 Group Box Break Plus Bonus Strive Cards

This is an ancient post that has been sitting in my draft queue for several years. I was holding off on it because I wanted to post scans of the cards. Well in recent months I have been trying to declutter my apartment and trying to get my card collection in a better more organized state. That means that most of sections of cards from mail days have been moved around and are in some kind of pre-sort mode (or actually added to their respective places in the collection) and are not available to be scanned at publishing time. Plus I really need to declutter my draft queue. So there will be no card scans of this post. 

If this post were on my regular card blog it would be part of my upcoming Maildazed From The Pazt series. 

Monday 14 September 2015
I got a package of cards from 5TooSweet’s (Abel) TCC Baseball Group Box Break. [NOTE: Sadly Able passed away a few years back, I forget the cause may have been cancer] Anyway I bought my standard homie team Nationals and bought a bonus discount team Twins. It was mostly just my Nationals I might have asked not to send Twins base and they didn't get any hits. I’ll only mention a team if it is not a Nat card.

2015 Topps Baseball Chrome:
8 Denard Span
23 Stephen Strasburg
59 Kevin Kiermaier Rays (random)
81 Bryce Harper
98 Max Scherzer - minor refractor
99 Doug Fister
FUTURE STARS FSC-07 Michael Taylor

2015 Topps Stadium Club Baseball:
42 Jordan Zimmermann
137 Rondell White Expos
142 Anthony Rendon
202 Stephen Strasburg
222 Tanner Roark
251 Jayson Werth
296 Max Scherzer
CONTACT SHEET CS-22 Bryce Harper
LUMINOUS TRIUMVIRATE Die-Cut T-6A Bryce Harper

2015 Topps Allen & Ginter:
28 Jayson Werth
101 Stephen Strasburg
106 Yunel Escobar
235 Michael Taylor RC
266 Drew Storen
303 Denard Span
MINI: A World Beneath Our Feet Bug-8 Death’s Head Hawkmoth
STARTING POINTS: SP-97 Bryce Harper

BONUS CARDS:
Cards for my struggling goal “Strive For ‘65”* set build: 7 Cards
1965 Topps Baseball:
26 Bobby Knoop Angels
32 Herman Franks MGR Giants
48 Claude Raymond Houston Colt 45’s
53 Dick McAuliffe Tigers
72 Tony Gonzalez Phillies
96 Sonny Siebert Indians
97 Pedro Gonzalez Yankees

* I haven't mentioned these 1965 cards on my regular blog yet. Eventually I guess they will be when I have completed the album page they are stored in. I'm behind in doing that as well. I have an upcoming post on my regular card blog about being unorganized.

Nationals mentioned in this post:
Yunel Escobar
Doug Fister
Bryce Harper
Anthony Rendon
Tanner Roark
Max Scherzer
Denard Span
Stephen Strasburg
Drew Storen
Michael Taylor
Jayson Werth
Jordan Zimmermann

Senators Singles: Tony Two-Bags Walks It Off

2019 Topps Now: 770 Anthony Rendon

A one card post this month.One of the last of Anthony "Tony Two Bags" Rendon in a Nationals uniform Unless he does one of those "retire as a ___" one day contract with the Nats in about 10 years. I hope he does well with The Angels.

Anyway here is Tony's 2019 Topps Now card from 30 August vs The Marlins noting his 2 Run game winning single.Putting the goodguy Nats up on the bad fish Marlins 7-6.

2019 Topps Now Baseball: 770 Anthony Rendon Washington Nationals

We shouldn't be here. Should we? WILD CARD EDITION

WOW! We shouldn't be here. Should we?

WILD CARD EDITION

Tuesday 01 October 2019

The Nationals sneaked into the playoffs. They may have lost the NL East Division to the mighty Braves, but they managed to get into the Wild Card game. To be painfully honest, the Nationals should NOT be in the position they wound up in. They started off the 2019 season dismally in what looked like it was going to be another sub par season, maybe even a losing season (which they haven't had since 2011 when they went 80-81 missing a rained out game that wasn't vital to any post seasons for anyone). After 50 games and some early injuries always the injuries at inopportune times, they were a measly 19-31. Hardly a team that could make it to the playoffs. Then...

They started following skipper Dave Martinez's policy of going 1-0 every game. Don't worry about last night's loss or bask in the glory of the win the day before, don't anticipate tomorrow's win just concentrate on the here and now one game at a time and "Stay in the Fight" and have fun. From mid May to the end of the season (and into the Playoffs) the Nationals got RED Hot and finished the regular season 93-69 and got the number one Wild Card spot with a 4 game lead ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers who finished 89-73.

So they play the Brewers in the one game "win it and you're in it" Wild Card game. During the regular season the two teams met six times and the Brewers  bested the Nats 4-2. The Wild Card game would begin in a similar fashion. The Brewers scored a two run homer in the first adding another homer in the second to bring them quickly up 3-0. Bottom of the 3rd the Nats answer back with a solo homer by Trea Turner making it 3-1. The score would remain there 4 solid innings and on through the top of the 8th.

Then came the crazy bottom of the 8th. Center fielder Victor Robles strikes out swinging. Then comes in young pinch hitter Michael A. Taylor hitting for the pitcher Stephen Strasburg. Taylor gets hit by a pitch. Next batter Trea Turner strikes out swinging. One on and two out the face of the franchise Ryan Zimmerman pinch hits and gets a broken bat single, speedy Taylor reaches 3rd. Zimmerman is lifted for pinch runner Andrew Stephenson. Next batter Tony "Two Bags" Rendon draws a walk, Stephenson goes to second, bases are loaded. 20 year old Juan Soto comes to bat. On the count of 1-1 Soto hits a single. Taylor scores easily, Stephenson also scores, Rendon reaches 3rd. The Brewers fielder makes an error lets the ball get by him and boots it some, Rendon scores, Soto reaches second then gets caught in a rundown, Nats pull ahead 4-3.

Top of the 9th Brewers strike out swinging, single, foul out, and line out to end game. Nats win 4-3 and advance to the NLDS to face the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Highlights:
2019 NL Wild Card Game
Another YouTube Video

Senators Singles: Royal Rendon

A Royal Rendon

As the Nationals prepare to sneak into the playoffs via The Wild Card play-in game, I am casually hunting down purple parallels and other interesting inserts that strike my fancy.

This one I got from Sportlots I think for the 25¢ opening bid with some kind of shipping cost. It arrived early Sep (Turs 5th)

2012 Bowman Baseball: BP88 Anthony Rendon Nationals Purple Parallel

Award Time 2017 Edition

Wow the Awards for Nats this year (2017) were sort of slim pickins for what was won. The winners of a couple of this years awards are much like from last year (2016). Hmm almost exactly like last year.

NL Cy Young Award: Max Scherzer 2nd Year in a row for winning this one. His 3rd over all. His first one he won when he was with the Detroit Tigers.

2016 Topps Baseball Update: US169 Max Scherzer

NL Silver Slugger 2nd Base: Daniel Murphy this is also his second year in a row for this award.

2016 Topps Baseball Update: US125 Daniel Murphy ASG

Surprise sort of award The MLB Award for Best Performance Anthony Rendon. For his 6 hit 10 RBI day 30 Apr 2017 vs New York Mets.

2015 Topps Stadium Club Baseball: 142 Anthony Rendon

From the Player's Choice Awards: The National League Outstanding Pitcher: Max Scherzer

2016 Topps Baseball: Record Setters: RS-5 Max Scherzer

The National League Comeback Player: Ryan Zimmerman

2013 Topps Baseball: Red Parallel: 80 Ryan Zimmerman

Note: This post sat for way too long in my post draft queue it is almost irrelevant now.

Tony Two Bags: Rice Base

Some months back I made a post about a crystal parallel to this card. Today I am finally posting about the base version. OK the real reason is I needed a quick and dirty post for the end of the year since I still haven't finished a couple of posts from all the post-season hubbaballoo. I noticed I had scanned it but apparently never posted about it.

So here is the Base of Anthony Rendon's 2011 Panini Playoff Contenders Prospect Ticket. I think this type of card is officially called an "X-RC" which is a weird way of saying a pre-RC which technically since is their first card should be an "RC" but since they are a minor league prospect, or in this case shown in College Uni. Heck I don't care what the thing is called. I like it cause Tony is one of my Fave Nationals.

2011 Panini Playoff Contenders: Prospect Ticket: RT10 Anthony Rendon

Back To Back To Back To Back

Goodwin, Difo, Harper, Zimmerman WOW!

2017 Topps Now Online Card

What a Win what an accomplishment. On Thursday's 27 July 2017 home game vs the Milwaukee Brewers the Nats tied an MLB record which is also a team/franchise record. They smashed 4 back-to-back Homers, which technically is Back-to-Back-to-Back-to-Back. Making them the 8th team to have 4 consecutive HRs in an inning. Plus two batters later another Homer making it 5 HRs in one inning for a team record.

It all happened in the 3rd inning and all against Michael Blazek on his starting debut. Poor guy good thing it wasn't his Major League debut that was in Jun 2013 for the Cardinals. Having had some relief work under his belt he wasn't a totally newbie.

The Nats were leading 2-0 when starting pitcher Max Scherzer leads off the bottom half of the 3rd with a walk.

On 1-0 count Brian Goodwin knocks in a two run homer bringing in max to make it 4-0.

Next Wilmer Difo smacks in a homer on a 1-1 count 5-0.

he is followed by Bryce Harper on a full count it is now 6-0.

The Nats current Home Run King Ryan Zimmerman joins the back-to-back club on his first pitch to make it 7-0.

2011 Panini Limited Authentic Timber Lumberjacks 5 Ryan Zimmerman Nationals

Bat chip (sliver) SN# 134/299

Then Daniel Murphy... flies out ending the streaking homers to some light hearted booing from the home crowd.

Next batter Anthony Rendon launches a Homer on the 0-1 pitch and it is 8-0.

They went on to score a few more Homers breaking a team record of 8 HRs in a game. They won the game 15-2.

Oh and it was Max Scherzer's Birthday what a way to celebrate your 31st year.

The Topps Now card that I showed at the top of this post I didn't think about until checking Ebay on a previous Topps Now Card (one I have talked about before and mentioned below) I found the 4 consecutive HRs card for sale on Ebay for $5.99 free shipping. The seller (toppsnow) I think started with 10 available and I noticed 6 had sold within 24 hours so I thought I should grab it before it was gone at that price. The downside is I have to wait til they actually get the card from Topps. The small print says they buy the things during the initial Topps Now 24 hours. The cards usually arrive at the seller 2 weeks later and they ship the cards out the day they receive. So I won't see that card for a while. Ebay's estimated delivery says it ships from Sept 12 to 25. I ordered another Topps Now card from them Ryan Zimmerman's 235th career HR Franchise Record. Plus my shopping spree from two other sellers gets me the Trea Turner Cycle card (#83 the other card ODB-2 a seller has listed for $99 WTH?) and a Bryce Harper Solo homer and Grand Slam 4for4 card. Those two are expected at a quicker speed between 04 Aug and 09 Aug. Yeah yeah I know I've said horrible things about Topps Now mostly the digital online only ones. They often look very nice and the subjects will probably not get put on a card anyplace else, or at least not for sometime. I just have to be careful and make sure I'm getting a PHYSICAL copy, not a digital version.

Related Links:
WATCH: Nationals club four straight home runs against Brewers to make MLB history- CBS Sports

Washington Nationals hit back-to-back-to-back-to-back homers, and five in one inning - Federal Baseball

Record Power - Nats hit 5 HRs in 3rd, 4 in a row - MLB

The Nationals hit back-to-back-to-back-to-back home runs - SBNation
Nationals slug four HRs in row, five in one inning to tie MLB record - Sporting News
Nationals hit 8 HRs to blast Brewers 15-2 - WTOP

Nationals mentioned in this post:
Wilmer Difo
Brian Goodwin
Bryce Harper
Anthony Rendon
Max Scherzer
Trea Turner
Ryan Zimmerman

Tony Two Bags Rice Refractor

Back on my Birthday of this year (04 April) I received 3 card packages/PWEs each with one card. I had forgotten I had some "Birthday Cards" this year, since April was one of the months I had gotten really backed up on for my mail day mentioning in my usual places on the forums. Today on my regular CaptKirk42 Card Blog I will be posting about one of the other cards from one of the other packages I got that day. A Niche Name PC Card. Here I will be mentioning the lone Curly W Card that came as an unintentional Birthday Present. The card came from a contest from TCC member dlackey (Dennis) it was a "Guess the Number" contest. The number was from 1-100 but had nothing to do with the card itself, it was just a random number. The card is a very PC card both in player and team.

This lovely 2011 Panini Playoff Contenders: Prospect Ticket: RT-10 Anthony Rendon Washington Red crackly ice? Or Red refractor, regular refractor? Crackly Refractor? After looking at the dang checklists I think it is called "Crystal". So it is the "Prospect Ticket Crystal Collection" I guess. Serial number is 223/299 sort of a "jersey number" card for him since 23 is the jersey number he is wearing from his college days at Rice University.

Tony Two Bags First Career Grand Slam

On Tuesday 06 September 2016 Nats third baseman Anthony Rendon hit his first career grand slam. I was a bit surprised that this was his first. I tend to forget how many base runners are on the bags when one of our boys knocks out a homer, be they two, three runs or just solo homers. Good players hit a bunch of homers and get even more RBIs that I just assume they had gotten a Grand Slam early in their career.

2013 Topps Bowman Platinum: Top Prospects: TP-AR

Anthony Rendon Nationals

Related Links:
CBS Sports - Nationals' Anthony Rendon: Cranks grand slam

Federal Baseball - Washington Nationals 9-7 over Atlanta Braves: Anthony Rendon hits first career grand slam

MASN Sports Network - Nats rally on Rendon’s grand slam (Nats win 9-7)
MLB.com - Rendon stays hot in grand fashion with 1st slam - Durable 3rd baseman continues post-break success

Nats First Triple Play

WOW! What a play!

On Friday 29 July, 2016 in San Francisco against the Giants The Nationals made their first Triple Play in Team History*

THE SETUP: It is the bottom of the 8th The Nationals are ahead 4-1. Oliver Perez Pitching. Lead off batter Denard Span (Was with the Nationals last year) hits a single to third. Second batter Angel Pegan hits a single to center. Buster Posey at bat, Nats switch pitchers to Blake Teinen, Posey Walks. Bases loaded Span at 3rd, Pegan at 2nd and Posey at 1st.

The Nationals make a rare Triple Switch, they bring in Sammy Solis to pitch, Danny Espinosa to Shortstop and Ryan Zimmerman to First Base. Brandon Crawford comes up to bat.

THE PLAY: With one strike against him Brandon Crawford hits the next pitch. A line drive directly at first baseman Ryan Zimmerman. He catches it for out number 1, Runs to first base steps on the bag for out number 2 and launches the ball to third base.

Third baseman Anthony Rendon catches the ball and steps on third for out number 3. Base runner Buster Posey (at first) has too large a lead to get back to first base, he is still a little stunned. Denard Span base runner at third races toward home on contact, as Zimmerman is fielding the ball. Span would later say he thought the ball had one hopped before getting to Zimmerman.

I think Denard had the same expression Friday Night after the Triple Play.

The Nationals get their first Triple Play and end up winning the game with the same score of 4-1. It is also a historic play as it is the first 3-3-5 Triple Play in MLB History. Sadly the Nationals would lose Saturday's and Sunday's Afternoon Games allowing the Giants to split the four game series 2-2.

* Well since they have been in DC the Montreal Expos had made many Triple Plays in their history. At least 10 times with the last one being in 2002 vs. The Phillies.

Related Links:
Nationals Turn First 3-3-5 Triple Playin Major League History- CNSNews.com
Nats slay Giant threat with historic triple play - MLB.com
Nationals Unique Triple Play vs. Giants Was Historic For Many Reasons- nesn.com
Nationals turn first-of-its-kind  triple play to win against Giants- Yahoo.com