Ian Desmond: Silver Slugger Shortstop Second Season

CONGRATULATIONS to Ian Desmond for winning the 2013 Silver Slugger Award (for Shortstop). This is Ian's second Silver Slugger Award two years running. Yeah Buddy!

The card shown is a 2010 Topps National Chicle Autograph card NCA-ID Ian Desmond Nationals signed on card blue sharpie. The image is from COMC.com I have this card in my collection I just haven't gotten around to scanning it. Oh here is what the back looks like:

A Nacho Blogging Contest

Christopher of Nachos Grande El Bloggo is hosting a contest that sounds like real fun. I entered and due to the nature of the contest slots could fill up real fast so check it out and sign up now. It is one of those participation ones, not a trivia answering or random card choosing. One requirement is you need to have a blog, or start one for the contest.

I just pimped this on my regular card blog and now am pimping it here it sounds like so much fun.

Frankly Friday: Milk Duds Yummy!

Moldy Milk Duds (Kidding) 1971 Slabbed Box

I have mentioned this gem from my collection before on my regular card blog but oddly not on here. I thought I had but apparently not. Some of this FF post will be a repeat.

This nice oddball gem was actually my first purchased graded card (received 15 December 2009 for $10.00). Actually it is my only purchased graded card as the other two I have were gifts, well it's more card plus memorabilia because it is a 1971 Milk Duds Baseball FULL BOX Frank Howard Washington Senators Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) Graded EX-5 The Milk Duds set is unnumbered. Alphabetically this is card #9 (69 in the set)- PSA slab has it marked #1 - the # 1 on the box is for the box code not the card number as all the boxes seem to be numbered 1.

 1971 Milk Duds Complete Box PSA Graded Ex 5
No Number Frank Howard Senators

(Front and Back)

When I was a Kid I had some of the Milk Duds cards, I don't recall which ones. I probably got rid of them because they were "hand cut" and thus "destroyed", or my mom did the stereotypical "threw them out". She did that more so with my oldest brother. Little did I know back then, whenever that was, that I would later like to get some more of these in the Complete Box. Not necessarily graded versions. Due to prices of these things, especially the big stars I can't afford to get all of them in graded form.

When Coach Was A Rookie

Well we all gotta start somewhere, managers don't appear out of thin air, well maybe the first few dozen when baseball was in its infancy. Most of them did some time in the trenches way back when. The Nats current skipper Davey Johnson began his major league career as a player starting with the Baltimore Orioles. He played from 1965-1978, then in 1984 began his managing career starting with the New York Mets. It has been announced that the 2013 season will be his last, he is the current oldest active manager at age 70, but not the oldest ever.

Anyway here is how he looked 47/48 years ago when he was a Rookie.

1966 Topps 579 Orioles 1966 Rookie Stars:

Frank Bertaina, Gene  Brabender and Dave Johnson

(Front and Back)

For those who like to hear about these things I got the card form Ebay for $7.99 + $1.95 shipping, actually this card has an interesting story of how I got it. First the Seller didn't mark it as shipped so I didn't know it was in the mail yet and wasn't sure when it would come. It came as part of a 3 package day (well 1 box, 1 package, 1 typical sportslot PWE but whatever) this came in a small 100ct card box. I didn't recognize the address and it felt real light so I knew it wasn't from one of my recent group breaks I was in (the package was some group break cards). Of course the box had tons of clear postal tape around it at first I tried just pulling it, but got a little tired and cut some of the tape away. I open the box, I really hate those small 100ct boxes because I think the opening should be on the wide side not the narrow side. Anyway there is a bunch of wadded up newspaper Sunday Comics actually and off to the left side one lone card in its penny sleeve. With a business card advertising some baseball related book from I guess the seller.

I am timing the publishing of this post to appear at noon eastern time on the day of the final game of the regular season, which is a late Sunday afternoon game in Arizona. At the time I write this the Nats are still under .500 by two games, 14 games behind Atlanta and about 8 games back in the wild card race. I'm just hoping they can finish the season at or slightly above .500. at 82-71 YAY a WINNING SEASON. They are about 8 games back of Atlanta and 5 back in the Wild Card for the second WC. They most likely will not be in the playoffs. And they didn't make the Playoffs thanks to their loss to St. Louis with 5 more games to go in the season. So much for pre-season expectations. At 84-73 (+5 more games to play) at least they have their second consecutive Winning Season.

Frankly Friday: Dual Autos UD Reflections Style

2005 Upper Deck Dual Signatures Reflections

I think the first card I'm showing in this post was one of the first "dual autograph/signature" cards I ever got, or maybe not. It may have even been the first time I got an "on-sticker" auto card. I don't recall. It was almost certainly one of the first Frank Howard autograph cards I ever got. Anyway at the time I got the first one a few years back the National player featured was one of my top five Nats players, since then there have been a few more players who have come and gone so my top five looks much different and probably has more current players on it. 

So in 2005 one of the zillions of Upper Deck sets was called Reflections and an insert set consisted of dual autograph cards and some parallels of those dual auto cards. As with many autograph cards they are "on sticker" not on the card itself, I of course prefer the on card. Many of the pairs don't make sense to me anyway, but this pair is a pair of Washington Sluggers. Frank Howard and Nick Johnson. There are a few other combinations with both these players one is Frank with Dave Kingman of the Cubs and another combo is another Nats combo of Nick with Chad Cordero. I plan on getting those someday. 

The base card of this pairing I think I might have actually gotten from a group break, I don't really recall. The second card the Blue Parallel I got from Ebay for a decent price $10 or less. I don't have the patience to look up how much I got if for exactly even though it was only earlier this year or maybe late last year. So without further adieu here are the two cards.

2005 Upper Deck Dual Signature Reflections FHNJ

Frank Howard Senators and Nick Johnson Nationals

(Front and Back)

2005 Upper Deck Dual Signature Reflections FHNJ

Frank Howard Senators and Nick Johnson Nationals

Blue Parallel serial numbered 14/35 (Front and Back)

 

Franks, Senators and Nationals mentioned in this post:

Chad Cordero

Frank Howard

Nick Johnson

Update Edit: OK so I did look a little to see how much I paid for the Blue Parallel only $8.00 + $2.50 shipping (technically a little more than $10 that is because I had to outbid someone to win LOL). Oh and it was received 25 May this year.

Suzuki Shock Shift

Thursday 22 August 2013: Chicago: Kurt Suzuki and Drew Storen celebrate 5-4 win vs Cubs after 13 innings in what would be Kurt's final game as a National.

Say What? The day after beating the Cubs 5-4 in a 13 inning game the last of a four game series that Nats took 3-1, The Nats Trade catcher Kurt Suzuki BACK to the Oakland Athletics, the team they got him from last year. I am shocked. Kurt helped the Nats with his hitting and excellent catching last year for their fantastic season that got them a small taste of what the Playoffs are like. I know that super Suzuki fan and blogger Fuji of The Chronicles of Fuji is overjoyed with the trade. The Nats get some minor league right handed pitcher I have NEVER heard of Dakota Bacus. The way he's been pitching lately I would rather that the Nats had traded their closer Rafael Soriano than Kurt. Soriano has been lazy of late, he seems to not really care about the game(s) at all. He has a tendency to loose a large lead blowing the save and often walking the winning runs. I am not pleased with this deal.

2012 Topps Baseball Opening Day 132 Kurt Suzuki Athletics

Nationals mentioned in this post:

Dakota Bacus (Minor League)

Rafael Soriano

Drew Storen

Kurt Suzuki

Classless Atlanta Fans

Friday 16 August 2013: Washington Nationals @ Atlanta Braves the game would end up a 3-2 win for Atlanta, however that is not what I'm ranting about here. This rant is about this:

And This:  (OK I couldn't find the right type of picture I was looking for exactly)

Yep Braves pitchers beaned Bryce Harper with a pitch twice in one game and with the second hit (at 91 mph) the fans in the stands CHEERED! YES That is right THEY CHEERED THAT A BATTER WAS HIT WITH THE BALL! Very CLASSLESS Braves fans. I just wish the Nats had bounced back and beaten the tar out of the Braves. OH Well Next Year, without any hijinks.

Now it is one thing to boo an opposing player as he steps up to bat, as the fans did each time Harper took the plate, but to CHEER his getting hit with the ball? What if it had been a freak pitch that knocked his helmet off, or smashed it, and gave him a concussion or killed him? Fans should NEVER cheer when an athlete is injured. Braves fans you are sick, sick, sick, SICK, I hope your team loses whatever playoff games they get to this year.

I noticed that a Red Sox pitcher got ejected from a game and suspended for five games for beaning Yankees Alex Rodriguez with a pitch. Oh and on Saturday's Nats-Braves game (the night after this Hit Harper Game) Stephen Strasburg gets ejected for pitching "behind" a batter, not even hitting him, and these Braves pitchers got NO punishment? Come on MAN the second pitcher should have at least been ejected on the spot, but no this year the Braves are the MLB's perfect little darlings.

Related Articles:
Harper on Braves fans "I love these fans. I really do"- Nationals Pastime at MASN Sports.com
Warnings issued after Harper hit twice by Braves - MLB.com
Stephen Strasburg ejected for throwing behind batter twice - USA Today
Atlanta Braves-Washington Nationals Rivalry Intensifies As Bryce Harper Is Hit Twice - Rant Sports
Bryce Harper hit twice in Nationals-Braves game - Washington Post
On Bryce Harper, Braves fans and a growing rivalry - Washington Times

Nationals mentioned in this post:
Bryce Harper
Stephen Strasburg

Stras First Career Complete Game Shut Out

I know this is a few days almost a week late, but it is Nats News. On Sunday 11 August 2013 in the final game of a three game home series vs. The Phillies, Nats ace starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg went the distance to win his first career complete shut out game 6-0. The Nats swept the Phillies, only their fifth sweep of the season, the last being in early July vs. The Padres.

 2012 Topps Heritage Baseball 221 Stephen Strasburg Nationals

Congrats Stephen! I won't give the game details since I didn't see the entire game and this blog is more about cards not team news, but I do have some links at the end of this post to articles on the game (plus one article on Stras in general).

2012 Topps Opening Day Baseball 190 Stephen Strasburg Nationals

Related Articles:
Can Stephen Strasburg Ever Be a True MLB Workhorse? - Bleacher Report
Strasburg shuts out Phillies in masterpiece - Comcast Sports Net
Stephen Strasburg With A Complete Game Shutout, Nationals 6-0 Over Phillies For The Sweep - Federal Baseball (SB Nation)
Nat's Strasburg shuts down Phillies- Fox Sports
Nats win on Strasburg's 1st career complete game - Idaho State Journal
No limit: Stephen Strasburg coming into own for Nationals - USA Today
Jayson Werth, Stephen Strasburg Gatorade baths - Washington Post
Stephen Strasburg completely dominant as Nationals sweep Phillies - Washington Times

Nationals Mentioned In This Post:
Stephen Strasburg

Frankly Friday: Classic Counterparts

CLASSIC COUNTERPARTS

OK so I missed last week and this week is only a one card Frankly Friday. Not much to tell about how I got the card, it came from Ebay (Buy It Now I think not auction) $1.30 plus $2.99 shipping. I forget what it was delivered in I didn't note that in my Forums blogs (where I try to keep up with my maildays). This card is one of those two players from different teams type of card. The common thread for this one, besides sort of being local area rivals would be both players were sluggers who lead their teams in Home Runs and RBIs and were regular All-Stars for about 4 straight years. The Duo featured on the card Frank Howard and Boog Powell (Orioles).

2005 Upper Deck Classics: Classic Counterparts - CC-PH

Boog Powell Orioles and Frank Howard Senators #d 1696/1999

(Front and Back)

The lines on the front are not a weird scanner glitch the design of the card I think was going for a wood grain effect sort of. The areas where the team logos are on the front are where the "materials" version of these cards puts the silly "Game Used" jerseys or socks or whatever, apparently there are also signatures versions.

Happy Birthday HONDO!

Hey! It's 08 August and born on this date in 1936 is #33 Your Washington Senator Frank "Hondo" Howard Outfielder/1st Baseman.*

Man I really need to find an upgraded copy of that promo photo. I think it is my fave piece of Hondo Memorabilia that I have. I probably should try to get it signed.

*Thanks goes out to blogger Contrary Guy it was on his blog that I saw it was Frank's Birthday.