Blog Bat Around: My All Autograph Team

I had something else ready to go and then saw Zippy Zappy's very cool Blog Bat Around idea and decided to participate in that instead today.  It's a fun topic for a post, I haven't done one of these yet, and it's also a great way to show off some of my best cards!

I'm sticking with his format of all eight field positions, a DH/Utility guy, starter, two RPs, and a closer, while also adding in a manager because I can.  While his "rules" allow for non-card items, which would have given me a few other options, I was able to find enough cards to be satisfied with my group.  You'll see that I also mention other players I considered, plus to make things more interesting I'll try to remember how I acquired each item you see.

On to the cards!

Catcher:  Joe Mauer

Hall of Fame?:  Possibly!

Career bWAR (as of 4/21/18):  54.5

Card:  2002 Bowman's Best auto RC

Acquired:  Online forum trade

Also considered:  Bill Freehan

I only have a couple other autographs of catchers handy, with former Tiger Lance Parrish being a runner-up.  But Mauer's the easy choice, even if he's no longer behind the dish.  I do wonder if he'll be able to do enough in his last few years to make it to Cooperstown.

First base:  Stan Musial

Hall of Fame?:  1969

Career bWAR:  128.2

Card:  2004 Donruss Leather & Lumber Leathercuts auto (#84/96)

Acquired:  Blowout forums purchase

Also considered:  Miguel Cabrera

With apologies to Miggy, there's no better 1B (for about half of his career games anyway) in my PC than "The Man".  His career bWAR is good for for 11th all-time on the strength of three MVPs and World Series titles each, plus seven batting titles!

Second base:  Charlie Gehringer

Hall of Fame?:  1949

Career bWAR:  80.7

Card:  2005 SP Legendary Cuts Autograph Cuts auto (#76/97)

Acquired:  eBay

Also considered:  Lou Whitaker

You all know I love me some Whitaker but "The Mechanical Man" was an easy choice as the #5 overall 2B according to JAWS.  The 1937 AL MVP was a key player in Detroit's 1935 World Series victory over the Cubs, and hopefully he'll be joined in Cooperstown by "Sweet" Lou someday!

Third base:  Brooks Robinson

Hall of Fame?:  1983

Career bWAR:  78.4

Card:  2002 Sweet Spot Classics Classic Signatures auto

Acquired:  At a show, maybe?

Also considered:  Nobody

I really have a dearth of good 3B autographs, but that's because it's feast or famine at the position.  Schmidt, Boggs, and Brett have never been guys I've chased plus their stuff is generally high-end.  Chipper Jones' stuff is similarly pricey, and Adrian Beltre's another guy whose signature isn't in any of my PCs.  That's ok, though, because the "Human Vacuum Cleaner" is more than worthy to represent the position here thanks to 18 All-Star games, 16 Gold Gloves, an MVP, and two rings, including a Series MVP nod.

Shortstop:  Cal Ripken Jr.

Hall of Fame?:  2007

Career bWAR:  95.9

Card:  2008 Sweet Spot Signatures Red Stitch Blue Ink auto (#062/275)

Acquired:  eBay

Also considered:  Alan Trammell, Barry Larkin

I mean, you all know all the stats and accolades.  The "Iron Man" was a revolutionary player at his position and is considered #3 overall there by JAWS.  Tram and Larkin are also HOFers with excellent resumes, but there's no topping one of the most important players of his generation in Ripken.

Outfield:  Willie Mays

Hall of Fame?:  1979

Career bWAR:  156.4

Card:  2001 Fleer Platinum Rack Pack Autographs auto (#13) (#068/115)

Acquired:  Pulled from a pack by me

Also considered:  Tony Gwynn

The "Say Hey Kid" was simply one of the greatest ever; his career bWAR is fifth in history, behind just Babe Ruth, Cy Young, Walter Johnson, and Barry Bonds.  And his CF-leading JAWS score trails only Ruth and Bonds.  One of the golden era's greatest players and a five-tool threat, he's perhaps the current greatest living player.  Gwynn and the two other OF that didn't make the cut are excellent, no doubt, but they pale in comparison to one of the best ever.

Outfield:  Frank Robinson

Hall of Fame?:  1982

Career bWAR:  107.3

Card:  1999 SP Signature Edition Autographs auto

Acquired:  I dunno, maybe a show?

Also considered:  Carlos Beltran

"The Judge" had a career that puts him 24th overall in bWAR and fifth among RF in JAWS (12th overall in the outfield).  He smacked 586 homers, fell just shy of 3000 hits, won two MVPs and a Triple Crown, and picked up two rings (one Series MVP) among numerous other accolades.  Oh yeah, he was also the game's first black manager.  So how's Milt Pappas working out for you, Reds fans?  Beltran is one of the game's better recent outfielders, but the third of four Orioles in this post easily earns this nod.

Outfield:  Ken Griffey Jr.

Hall of Fame?:  2016

Career bWAR:  83.8

Card:  1999 SP Signature Edition Autographs auto

Acquired:  Pulled from a pack by me

Also considered:  Lou Brock

I would have included Junior even if I had several better options just because he was one of the best, most exciting players of my lifetime.  Injuries and a lack of playoff success kept him from an even more impressive, Mays-like career, but what he did do was still astonishing.  A top-100 player by bWAR, his sweet swing and backwards hat will forever be remembered by anyone who watched the game in the 90s.  Brock, meanwhile, is another great backup thanks to his excellent speed over his HOF career.

DH/Utility:  Al Kaline

Hall of Fame?:  1980

Career bWAR:  92.8

Card:  2001 Donruss Classics Significant Signatures auto

Acquired:  Trade with Bob Walk the Plank

Also considered:  everyone else that didn't make the cut, plus Edgar Martinez

"Mr. Tiger" is another top-50 player in this group, and top-10 at his position as well.  The kid who would win a batting title at just 20 went on to 3000 hits, 399 HR, and a ring with the '68 Tigers, plus 18 All-Star games and 10 Gold Gloves.  His impact as the greatest living Tigers player is on display every year as he continues to advise the team and help the club's outfielders, as he did tutoring a young Kirk Gibson.  There was no way I was leaving him out of this group and I'm grateful for the utility spot as it allowed me to include him and Griffey too.

Starting pitcher:  Greg Maddux

Hall of Fame?:  2014

Career bWAR:  106.7

Card:  2014 Topps Strata Autograph Relics bat auto (#02/25)

Acquired:  eBay

Also considered:  Warren Spahn, Justin Verlander

I would have taken "Mad Dog" over Spahn due to recency bias anyway, but fortunately for me Maddux eclipses him in career bWAR (#26 out of pitchers and position players) and JAWS (#9 pitcher overall).  You'll never see anyone like him again, winner of four straight Cy Youngs, 18 Gold Gloves, and a World Series title, plus 355 victories.  As a reminder, he set a record with 17 straight seasons of 15+ wins.  One of the greatest of his generation, he's definitely my favorite pitcher at this point in my life (keep working at it, Verlander!).

Relief pitcher:  Kerry Wood

Hall of Fame?:  Nope

Career bWAR:  27.6

Card:  2001 Studio Private Signings auto

Acquired:  Card shop purchase

Also considered:  J.J. Putz

Another textbook Cubs pitching phenom that had arm trouble, Wood transitioned to a relief role later in his career, and while most of his value came as a starter, he had a couple good years closing for Chicago and Cleveland.  Honestly this position is another one that's weak in my collection since it's not terribly exciting to collect, but I'm following ZZ's lead and he obviously valued it more thanks to a couple players in his collection!  Putz is a personal favorite of mine as a Michigan guy and PC player, but Wood is the best fit here.

Relief pitcher:  Mike Henneman

Hall of Fame?:  Nope

Career bWAR:  12.9

Card:  1996 Leaf Signature Extended Autographs auto

Acquired:  COMC

Also considered:  Steve Howe

Like I said this position isn't deep at all when it comes to my collection, but this does give me another opportunity to plug Henneman, formerly the Tigers' career saves leader.  He was good to great as the ace of the 'pen for eight-plus seasons.  At this point I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel and literally just have Steve Howe left, a guy who could have been amazing if not for drug abuse.

Relief pitcher:  Mariano Rivera

Hall of Fame?:  Soon!

Career bWAR:  56.2

Card:  1998 Donruss Signature Autographs auto

Acquired:  A show, I think?

Also considered:  I suppose the two guys above?

Mo is simply one of the greatest closers in history, second only to Dennis Eckersley in career bWAR and JAWS.  Then again, some of Eck's value came as a starter whereas the "Sandman" plied his trade exclusively as the guy to shut the door.  Five rings (one MVP) and 652 saves (#1 all-time) later the imposing 'pen ace will surely be up on a stage speaking in Cooperstown next year.

Relief pitcher:  Earl Weaver

Hall of Fame?:  1996

Career record:  1480-1060, 4 pennants, 1 World Series

Card:  2004 Topps Retired Signature auto

Acquired:  Trade with Baseball Card Breakdown

Also considered:  I have a Sparky Anderson IP/TTM of unknown provenance, I guess?

The famously fiery if diminutive Weaver managed Baltimore for 17 seasons, reaching 100+ wins five times and the postseason six, with the 1970 champs a career highlight.

Players I could include if counting autographed memorabilia (all of which I obtained myself and is certified):

• OF:  Willie Stargell (ball, 8x10)
• P:  Sandy Koufax (ball), Bob Feller (ball, hat, 8x10, HOF program)
• Mgr:  Walt Alston (ball), Tommy Lasorda (ball)

Thanks again for the fun idea, Zippy Zappy, and I'm looking forward to seeing what other folks come up with!

Earl and Stan

Yesterday was a very sad day for MLB fans as Hall-of-Famers Earl Weaver and Stan Musial both passed away.  I realize that this has been covered fairly comprehensively by bloggers better than I already, but I wanted to make sure I also did something to honor two of baseball's greatest men and the impact they had on the game we all love.

Weaver was a manager who knew how to win, as his 1480-1060 record, including one World Series title in four appearances, would attest.  But just as importantly, he became a fan favorite thanks to his fiery temper, something you just don't see enough nowadays, especially with Bobby Cox no longer part of the game.  If you were watching the Orioles from the 60s into the 80s, this was a very common sight:

I guess 94 career ejections are enough to become part of your legacy.  But old Earl probably knew what he was doing--he'll also be remembered well as one of the game's greatest strategists.  Apparently he was the person who led the charge in terms of measuring pitching velocity with radar guns.  Just as significantly, he was one of the earlier managers to realize the usefulness of statistics in optimizing matchups, something some teams STILL struggle with today.

Weaver was a pioneer, a spitfire, a proven winner, and ultimately, a fan favorite and legend.  Major League Baseball and Orioles fans will miss him dearly.

While I don't have any significant items of Weaver in my collection, I do want to make sure people are aware of a pretty good book in which he features:  Jim Palmer's Together We Were Eleven Foot Nine.

It's definitely worth a read, so make sure to check it out if you get a chance.

Stan Musial, of course, is the other legend we lost yesterday, though his passing wasn't quite so unexpected as he'd been dealing with health issues for quite a while.  It was no less tragic for baseball fans, however, because he was possibly baseball's best living player, with Willie Mays as part of that conversation.  But more than Mays, and perhaps more than almost any other player, Stan was extremely well-liked by his peers and fans alike.  A supremely talented by humble and friendly player, Musial was notably never ejected from a single game in his career.

Much has been said about his conversion from pitcher to slugger, his military service and the seasons he missed in the prime of his career, and his transcendent statistics.  For some reason, he's still managed to remain fairly low-profile despite a legendary career and his welcoming personality.  If nothing else, hopefully his death brings his name back into consideration as one of the greatest the game has seen.

In my collecting experience, I've been a bit more fortunate when it came to "The Man," as you can see above.  I grabbed the Topps 3000th hit card at a show some time last year, then added the autograph, a coup as far as I was concerned, for just $30 in late October.  At an upcoming show I may do my collection a favor and see if I can score any more vintage gems of a guy who's criminally underrepresented in my PC, not to mention the discussions of baseball's greatest.

Like Weaver, I can also recommend a pretty good book about Musial:  George Vecsey's Stan Musial:  An American Life.  It's an outstanding biography that does a great job of documenting the amazing life of an unassuming kid from Donora, PA.

Those two greats will be missed by many, and that certainly includes myself.  Given that fans suffered those two significant losses in the same day, I hope the baseball gods give us a long reprieve so we can remember to enjoy those who are still with us.  RIP Earl and Stan.

Stan in the place where you blog (now face north)

As they sometimes do, a golden opportunity presented itself to me late last week:  a Blowout forums seller was listing an incredible card at a bargain basement price.  The catch:  it was slightly damaged--not in a major way that would seriously detract from the overall awesomeness of the card, but enough that the purists and grading-obsessed of the world would probably shy away.

I ended up being second in line, and I waited patiently to find out if the first deal would fall through.  Luck was a lady that afternoon, and $30 later I had one of the highest-end cards in my PC on the way to my mailbox.  Judge for yourselves if that $30 was wisely spent on a card that arrived in my mailbox this very afternoon:

Stan Musial 2004 Donruss Leather & Lumber Leathercuts auto (#84/96)

Um, wow.  And you only want $30 for this?  Are you sure?  So, the obvious flaw is the peeling going on starting from the middle of the front left edge.  The scan actually does a pretty good job of showing just how minor of a flaw it really is.  And whether you can get past that or not, let me reiterate that this is AN AUTOGRAPH OF A HOFer WHO WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST PLAYERS OF ALL TIME.  Yeah, I'm pretty excited.

This will simply fit in beautifully with my collection of baseball HOF autos (some are duplicated due to their showing up in multiple albums) and easily becomes one of the best cards in my collection period.  In terms of autographs, he's neck-and-neck with Willie Mays for best player, ahead of Juniors Ripken and Griffey and the Baltimore Robinsons, not to mention Warren Spahn and Tony Gwynn.

I'm still in shock because you just can't get a Musial autograph this cheap these days, and rightly so.  A member of the Hall of Fame class of 1969, he was a .331/.417/.559 hitter in 22 seasons, compiled an amazing 3,630 career hits and 475 HR, and won three MVPs and World Series rings.  Oh yeah, and every one of his Baseball-Reference Similarity Scores players is also in the Hall except noted cheater Rafael Palmerio.  For an entertaining read about his career and life, check out Stan Musial:  an American Life by George Vecsey.

Well, I can't imagine I'll be able to top this one for a while, but regardless, it's 100% awesome to have something like this appear out of the blue and jump right into my collection.  I hope each of you have had a similar experience, and if not, will soon.  You just never know what might show up in your mailbox tomorrow--maybe even The Man!