Smokies vs. Lookouts

Monday evening I had an opportunity to attend a Smokies' home game with my family. We were guests of Caroline's cardiolgist and it was fun.

The weather was warm. I took the family up to the veranda / patio where the festivities were being held. Plenty of burgers and hot dogs, chips and chili awaited, as well as a tub of cold soda and a platter of cookies that were as big as your head.

I got them settled and headed down towards the first base dugout where a line had formed for autograph seekers of Ryne Sandberg. I waited in line for about 15 minutes before he arrived and then the line moved along. I guess I was there for about 35 minutes or so. When it was time for him to sign my card I offered him my new pointy Sharpie. He picked up one that he'd been using. The point was dulled, but it doesn't really matter in the long run. I said something like, "Thanks, Mr. Sandberg. Good luck tonight." He sort of grunted back. Not in a Get away from me kid, you bother me tone, but more of a It is in the mid '80s, I've been signing for 20 minutes, there's another 20 people that want things signed and my team is about 10 games out of first place type of grunt.

I let the ink dry, secured the card in a top loader and headed off to get some photos. Papelbon was pitching for the Smokies. Jeremy, not Jonathan.

Overall, I wasn't watching the game super close. I couldn't tell you who popped up when, which player made that great sliding catch or which pitcher couldn't catch the soft toss from the umpire.

I was taking some photos, talking with friends, corraling Caroline, explaining errors to Edison, enjoying the evening.

We left at the end of the ninth. The score was tied at 2. It was after ten o'clock and Caroline was fading fast.

This is what a full day of playing, reading, watching Dora the Explorer and nine innings of baseball looks like...

We had fun. So did this runner...

The Smokies won, 3-2 in the tenth. Here's the boxscore and the local newspaper writeup.

I'm going back.

Before, During, After

Before

During

After

Tonight the family and I attended the Tennessee Smokies game. They ended up beating the Chattanooga Lookouts, 3-2, in the tenth inning. And I got Mr. Ryne Sandberg to sign a card. He was very generous with his time, signing for about 25 minutes before the game.

I'll do another post about the game (including photos), but tonight I shall go to sleep with a smile on my face.

Vermont Lake Monsters

Here's the team photo of the 2008 Vermont Lake Monsters.

Who?

The Vermont Lake Monsters are the single A team for the Washington Nationals. Their home is in Burlington, Vermont.

Okay, but why should I care about single A ball?

Because most everyone has to start somewhere. Notable Lake Monsters alumni include: Jason Bay, Orlando Cabrera, Milton Bradley, Michael Barrett and Justin Maxwell. And they've got a cool name.

Yeah, cool name. Whatever. But the Nationals?

Everyone has to start somewhere. And yes, the name is cool. Better than the Vermont Tatoskoks, which is what the Abenaki Indians call the monster that lives in Lake Champlain. Actually, the Vermont Lake Monsters used to be called the Vermont Expos. You do the math.

Here are some newspaper clippings from the Plattsburgh Sentinel from 1887 which help explain their name.

I visited their office in March of this year, when I flew into Burlington to attend my grandmother's funeral. The front office guy, Denny Madigan, was very nice, talking about the team, showing me the gift shop. I didn't pick anything up. I really don't need another baseball cap.

I took some photos, but I seem to have misplaced them on the computer.

I hope that they do well this season. The Nats need some help.

Ryno caught signing on film

There's hope for me.

Photo lifted from KnoxNews.com

Smokies stumble out of the gate

The Tennessee Smokies, the Cubs' AA minor league team, has their home field about 10 miles from my house. I was very excited a few months ago to learn that Ryne Sandberg was their new coach.

This last Tuesday was supposed to be their preseason exhibition game. Generally they play a local college for a 7 inning game. Loosens the players up and give the fans a quick look see.

The weather forecast was grim. They even called off my daughter's school. They didn't play.

That means I didn't attend to get this signed...

2008 Upper Deck Masterpieces, Ryne Sandberg (card #19)

There will be more games this season. I intend to get it signed by year's end.

The Smokies started their season off with a loss at Jacksonville, where the Suns beat them 7-4. They return to Tennessee for a stand against the Birmingham Barons starting on April 15th.

As I look at this post's title, I wonder why I (and many others) mix sports metaphors.

Out of the gate is a horse racing term. As you watch or listen to baseball this season, keep your ears tuned to different sports-isms. You will hear them.

White Sox ticket stub

May 24, 1994.  Yep, last century.  26,677 other fans went to see the White Sox beat the Twins.  I don't remember much about the game, except that Frank Thomas lifted one in the first inning and I walked to the top of the new Comiskey Park.  I only needed one oxygen bottle after I left the base camp.

 

Autograph Day (2008)

This was a blog entry I did on my other blog, about a year ago. I have not edited it, save to add a scan of the actual autographs.

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At the end of March, Edison and I went to Tucson to be with my mom (and dad) as she went through a knee replacement surgery. The day after we arrived (and the day before the surgery) we went to Hi Corbett Field to see the Chicago White Sox play the Colorado Rockies.


It was a warm, sunny day. We got there before the gates opened, because it was Autograph Day. Who would be signing? Who knew? Not us. We rushed in with a sea of fans. Mom, not wanting to stand in line, went and found our seats behind home plate. We saw the small table where the Rockies players would be signing. After standing in line for about 30 minutes, Edison decided that it wasn't worth it. Dad and I toughed it out and had Eric Young, Jr. and Micah Bowie sign our ticket stubs. Micah commented on my Nationals hat.


Then we made our way to our seats. We watched the Rockies warm up and the grounds crew finish their preparations. The White Sox arrived in a bus, a left field gate opened and they ambled to their dugout. Edison tried to get one of them to sign his ticket, but not many were signing. Even few acknowledged their fans.

Shortly before the game started Clint Hurdle, manager of the Rockies, was behind home plate talking with some of the fans. Edison and I managed to get our tickets signed. Clint was very generous with his time.


We got to see some good players, including Todd Helton (UT alum) in a 5-2 Sox win.

Sunburns and nachos during spring training. Now that's baseball.

What I didn't get

Two weeks ago I had plans to attend the opening game of the 2009 University of Tennessee Baseball season. The Vols were playing the Oregon State Beavers. It was a cold day. Very cold. But, it was baseball and they were giving away a statue of Todd Helton to the first 1,000 attendees.

My coworker Matt (who is a UT alum and faithful supporter of UT sports) and I were all set to go. But then, a few days before the game, my daughter came down with croup. My son got sick with head flu type stuff and then my wife did. I missed a day and a half of work due to staying home with the sickies and a school snow day. I didn't feel that I could really cut out of work early, ignore my family and go freeze while watching baseball in mid February.

So, I stayed at work, then came home and tended to the sick.

UT won the game without me. Matt came home with a Todd Helton statue. I took photos.

This is Todd, swinging away. Strike one.

This is Todd again. He connected on this one.

This is Matt. He's holding Todd. He just became a grandfather. Matt, not Todd.

Best player in Baseball in 1988?

 

vs.

Mario, over at Wax Heaven, posed the question and gave an answer...

Who I ask, was a bigger star in baseball in 1988 than Jose Canseco? No one.

I'll counter with...

Orel Hershiser

According to baseball-reference.com, in 1988 Jose Canseco:

* was an All-Star

* was the American League MVP (all 28 first place votes)

* led the AL in Slugging Percentage (.569) - also led ML

* led the AL in Home Runs (42) - also led ML

* led the AL in RBIs (124) - also led ML

* had the best OPS+ (170) - also led ML

* led the AL in extra base hits (76)

* had the best AL Power/Speed Number (41.0) - also led ML

* led the AL in At Bats per Home Run (14.5)

Very impressive.  Now let's look at Orel Hershiser, same source, same year:

* was an All-Star

* National Leauge Babe Ruth Award winner

* NL Cy Young Award winner (all 24 first place votes)

* Major League Player of the Year

* NL Championship Series MVP

* NL The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year

* ML World Series MVP

* Golden Glove winner

* led the NL in Sacrifice Hits (19)

* led the NL in Wins (23)

* led the NL in Innings Pitched (267)

* led the NL in Complete Games (15) - tied ML (with Jackson - Cin.)

* led the NL in Shut Outs (8) - tied ML (with Clemens - Bos.)

* led the NL in Batters Faced (1,068)

He also had that 59 inning scoreless streak thing happening.  And he was Sports Illustrated's "Sportsman of the Year."

Mario admits that Mr. Canseco is his favorite player.  I admit that Mr. Hershiser is my favorite player.

It is kind of hard to directly compare a batter to a pitcher.  Both were very good at what they did.

Oh yeah, who has the World Series ring for 1988? 

1989 Topps cards #401 (Canseco) and #394 (Hershiser)

 

If I had lots of money

Looking through the Robert Edward Auctions 2007 catalog, I decided to play a bit of a game. If I had some money to spend, what would I bid on?

I decided to set a few price points. I based them on Reserve Prices. My understanding is that the Reserve Price is the minimum that the current owner will accept for the item. It is generally understood that it is only a guide for what the auction house and consignor guess (hope) it will sell for.

I know nothing about high-end auctions. I've been reading about record sale prices, so I made the assumption that Reserve Prices would be rather high, so I set my price breaks at:
* $1,000 or less
* up to $10,000
* over $10,000

Little did I know that there isn't much in the 2007 catalog that the Reserve Price is over $10,000. A few, but not many.

After looking through the lots, I reset my breaks at below $1,000 and over $1,000.

What would I select? I thought I'd go with something that pleased me. Did I like it? Was it appealing to my eye? I think I avoided some of the lots because I thought that they were trendy. Things like T206s. Mantle rookies. Anything modern (read: Jeter items).

Low Reserve Price Lots :

Lot 67

1888 N28 Allen & Ginter Hall of Fame PSA-Graded Collection (3)

Starting Bid - $500.00, Sold For - $3,818.75

Lot 95

1888 "Scrapps" Collection Including 3 HOFers (7)

Starting Bid - $200.00, Sold For - $2,115.00

Lot 96

Circa 1888 R.T.S. Artistic Series Baseball Complete Set (10)

Starting Bid - $200.00, Sold For - $822.50

Lot 387

1888-1970 Unusual Baseball Card "Shoe box" Collection (214)

Starting Bid - $500.00, Sold For - $5,581.25

Lot 976

Cartwright Family Genealogy Archives (1,000+ Documents)

Starting Bid - $200.00, Sold For - $1,410.00

High Reserve Price Lots:

Lot 244

1911 T3 Turkey Red PSA-Graded Hall of Famers Collection (13)

Starting Bid - $2,000.00, Sold For - $12,925.00

Lot 250

1911 T3 Turkey Red PSA-Graded Hall of Famers Collection (7)

Starting Bid - $5,000.00, Sold For - $26,437.50

Lot 453

1941 Play Ball Complete Set: #7 PSA Registry (72)

Starting Bid - $10,000.00, Sold For - $21,150.00

Notes about two other Lots:

Lot 159

T206 Mad Magazine Alfred E. Newman

Starting Bid - $50.00, Sold For - $1,292.50

Could this be an error card? The Mad Magazine's mascot's actual last name is Neuman. Or it could just be a joke on us all.

Lot 6

1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth Rookie Card

Starting Bid - $10,000.00, Sold For - $199,750.00

I read the description for the Ruth Rookie Card and I had to laugh. REA catalog descriptions are a delight to read. How many ways can one say, "A fine example of a rare card. Corners are sharp, with only the slightest surface wear. Offset by about 10 %, but a better example can't be found." Or something similar. They drop in a reference to Monty Python here, a bit of lyrical whimsy there.

But after reading this description, I started thinking about it (semi) literally.

Presented is a newly discovered example, only the tenth example known to exist in the universe, of the card many consider to be the single most important and miraculous baseball card in the world: the 1914 Babe Ruth rookie card.

Mark's addition to the catalog...

Important Press Release from REA

Watchung, New Jersey. - REA announced today that they have just found another copy of the Babe Ruth rookie card on the planet formerly known as Pluto. This brings the known examples in the universe to eleven. It was hidden under a rock, just beneath a signed letter from Abner Doubleday stating that the whole 'Inventor of Baseball' story was just a practical joke. Astronauts from the space craft Wagner brought the news to a hopeful staff.

REA verified that the card is still miraculous. Having been transported back to Earth (where it is still very important) it was said to have healed four young crippled girls and a man blind since birth. The girls left their crutches at the shrine to the card based in the Bronx, in the shadow of both of the Yankee stadia. The healed blind man was able to avoid the crutches, but turned to the new stadium and muttered words that are not fit to print.

The Yankees are rumored to be considering purchasing the card, but anonymous sources inside the organization say that they would have to cancel the contract of William Nusbaum, a promising popcorn and peanut vendor, to pay for it. Nusbaum's contract is rumored to be in the $18M for 3 years. That includes a $3M signing bonus. Nusbaum's agent is working to secure a "no hot dog" clause, allowing the vendor, who is a vegan, to stay true to his convictions. Nusbaum is a right hander, having worked at Shea Stadium and also in the minors, mostly the independent leagues.

Should the Yankee deal not come to fruition, REA management expects that the card will be presented for auction in the near future. Further explorations will continue in joint missions between REA and NASA.