COMC haul #4: AJax and Detroit's World Series Odyssey

(Note:  all COMC haul posts can be accessed here)

Please feel free to skip down to the picture, but the impending Game 1 has me waxing lyrical tonight.

Ajax was one of those mythical mighty Greek warriors you hear about sometimes.  He was apparently extremely strong (though I don't know what the Greek equivalent of Rod Allen's "country strong" is) and also very intelligent, especially when it came to battle.

Fast forward some number of centuries and you'll find another AJax--Austin Jackson--as a top New York Yankees OF prospect.  A couple years after he bursts onto the scene, he's part of a deal that sends former blog favorite and face of the Tigers Curtis Granderson to the Evil Empire in a three-way deal that also includes the Diamondbacks.  Joining Jackson in the deal are fellow Yankee Phil Coke, a pitcher, and Max Scherzer, a fireballing starter for Arizona.  The deal is universally panned by the writers of this blog, and many Detroit fans are equally angry, while some take a "wait and see" approach.

Jackson's 2010 debut performance earns him second place in the Rookie of the Year voting, and it looks like he may after all live up to his potential and swing the deal back to the Tigers' favor.  Then 2011 occurs, and while his power increases slightly, his batting average and OBP take a nosedive, partially thanks to and even larger number of strikeouts.  His performance in the postseason isn't much better, and although Scherzer shows some flashes, Granderson puts up numbers that make this look like a steal for the Bombers.

But then something interesting happens:  2012 rolls around and Jackson begins to do more than just show progress:  he has a breakout season in which he improves all of his key stats, including cutting down on strikeouts, and plays a key role on a team that for a while was eking out a playoff spot.  Meanwhile, despite Phil Coke's meltdown, Max Scherzer becomes a crucial part of an outstanding rotation.  And although the Yankees surely appreciate Granderson's power surge, they apparently don't realize that he's become their team's Rob Deer.

This story continues with a nice postseason so far for all three Tigers that were part of that deal, not the least of whom is Jackson, who put up big numbers as the Tigs swept his former team back to the nursing home they came from (with some nice performances from a newly-confident Phil Coke as well).

What I'm trying to say here is that it's taken me this long, but I finally appreciate that that deal that cost my favorite player has been a bigger boon to my team than I could have realized.  Thus, Jackson is a guy whom I've slowly been collecting in the last few months.  However, back in June when I first began piling up cards for this epic haul, Jackson's excellent regular and postseason were still a ways down the road, so it's just dumb luck that I picked up a couple nice things of him when I did.  And now that the Tigers are set to face off with the Giants tonight in Game 1, here's one of those pickups to get myself and fellow Tigers fans in the mood:

Austin Jackson 2010 Topps Update Manufactured Rookie logo patch (#378/500)

Insert comments about how awesome/terrible manu-relics are here.  For my part, I don't pretend that they have anything to do with actual relics, and my only criteria for picking them up (besides player and price, of course) is design.  In this case, I think we've got a fun manupatch design commemorating Jackon's rookie year, which, again, went quite well numbers-wise for the Tigers.  As for whether or not the card meets my other criteria, obviously I like the player, and the price was surprising, even for a manu-relic:  a measly $4.

Win or lose, I'll be showing off a few other Tigers pickups during the Series, (good luck to you, Giants fans, I hope for a great Series for both of our teams!) and I'll tease you guys a bit by mentioning that I picked up one other Jackson that's way better than this one, so stay tuned!  As for tonight, GO TIGERS!

e-'dres I bought with PadrePal

Late last week I was hot on the trail of a PC card and another hit I wanted to pick up for another blogger.  Both were from the same seller, and while I was at it I went ahead and won another of his auctions because, hey, free shipping.  Well, I didn't win either of the two I was hoping for, but I was damned if I was going down like that (and paying $3 shipping for one card).  So I nabbed two others, also at minimum bid, steal-level prices:  one for me and one I'll be using in a trade very soon.  Here's the two I picked up for me:

Dave Winfield 2002 Topps Archives Reserve bat

I loves me some Topps Archives/Reserve relics.  Don't believe me for some reason?  Well then, friend, feast your eyes on this, this, this, this, or this.  I just love the Refractor-y look plus the combination of reprint card and relic.  And I really am a fan of Winfield, a HOFer whose career spanned long enough for me to enjoy part of it.  He was simply an amazing athlete in sport that's now become heavy on one-dimensional players.  By the way, that's Dave's 1979 Topps reprinted next to the slab of bat.  This card allows me to get rid of a Yankee and send it to a collector who'll appreciate it--BA Benny will be getting the Yankees jersey of Winfield I pulled way, way back!  And the winning bid, you ask?  $1.76.

Tony Gwynn 2002 Topps Reserve jersey

Ordinarily this isn't a card I would make a fuss about, but Gwynn is a guy I enjoy collecting very much, and since I was after a small combined-shipping splurge, $1.56 didn't exactly threaten to break the bank.  I now have five relics (and an auto) of the former face of the Padres, so this cheap relic pickup was certainly a coup for me.

Add in another $1.79 for the third card, a dual relic, plus $3 combined shipping, and you get three excellent hits for just a hair over $8.  I guess you could call this purchase a Win-Gwynn!

I know my calculus: Tigers + me = us

+

+

=

1 more...

A great time to be a sports fan in Michigan?

Who else would I start with?:

Michigan pantsed Minnesota 58-0 (and that was being charitable thanks to some field goals, a couple punts and, of course, finally getting some backups in) and my Wolverines are 5-0.  While I'm sure an undefeated season is just about out of the question, this is still a very encouraging start.  As always, IT'S GREAT TO BE A MICH-I-GAN WOLV-ER-INE!

In other college football news...:

Not only did the Buckeyes lose again, once again in embarrassing fashion--the team that beat them, Michigan's little brother Michigan State, was embarrassingly bad as well.  Please to enjoy this gem from the always hilarious EDSBS.  Excerpt:

Matt: Dantonio can't coach, but he hates humanity with a burning passion and that's what makes him the moderately successful and extremely lonely person he is.

In other college sports news:

Defending second place-finisher (damn you, Minnesota St.!) Michigan hockey kicks off their regular season tomorrow night against Niagara.  I'm hoping for another Frozen Four appearance, but since it's too early to be thinking about that, here's an example of the best college sports intermission tradition IN THE WORLD: (suck it, Badgers with your "jumping around") 

The Lions don't have a word for "winning" yet, so for now we're calling it "unlosing":

Well, I guess I covered it yesterday, but what a great comeback by the Lions.  Bonus genius response to a post entitled "Things Rob Ryan can eat":  "He can't eat his foot...that's already on his brother's menu." (courtesy of hiflew)  Johnny, for that comment you get

RESPEK KNUCKLES, my friend.
Yay Tigers, yay Curtis/boo Curtis:

The Tigers split with the Yankees in a water-logged pair of games.  Good ol' Grandy sure made a statement in the Bronx, but Miguel Cabrera and Papa Grande had the last laugh.  Valverde then made a tongue-in-cheek guarantee that the Tigers had this thing in the bag, inspiring me to create this guy:

Because of the weather weirdness, game three will be tonight, sans off day, in Detroit, with the Hamburglar facing Jesus Verlander. (for reals this time, we promise)  Go Tigers, and for the love of God, Leyland, DON'T SCREW THIS UP FOR US!

Does this blog still talk about cards?  I wanna talk about cards:

Careful what you ask for--I have major shipments from COMC and SportLots, plus something from eBay and maybe even from Blowout on the way.  Expect to see a nice uptick in card-related content in the next week to 10 days!

Michigan gameday: vs. Minnesota; plus Tigers game 1 (STILL?!)

New York is unfamiliar with this thing they call a "weather forecast":

Thanks to a ton of rain last night, game one of the Tigers-Yankees ALDS series was halted after the top of the second with the score tied at 1.  That was really a shame because both teams had their #1 pitchers going for those brief 1 1/2 innings.  Hopefully the weather cooperates today (and hopefully it's warmer than it is here, sheesh) and we get the rest of the game in so the series can continue with minimal interruption.  Go Tigers!

Let's Go Blue:
Michigan plays a terrible Minnesota team in what will hopefully be the blowout Wolverines fans have been waiting for so the backups get some snaps.  Not too much to say about today's game other than to mention the historic trophy that goes with it:  the Little Brown Jug.  Hit the link to read up on it if you're interested.  Otherwise, please to enjoy the following--the trophy's namesake song and a look at one of the most memorable games in its history, the epic 2003 Michigan comeback:

As always, LET'S GO BLUE!

2011 MLB playoff predictions: not-at-all-biased, semi-wishful thinking edition

Well, the MLB playoffs are upon us. (or just about, since they start tomorrow)  For the first time since I was four, the Tigers won their division, and for just the first time since that insane finish, they'll be in the playoffs.  Will Fister prove to be the 21st century Doyle Alexander?  Will Kirk Gibson revel in postseason glory once again?  Will the world yawn as the Yankees buy another World Series?  I don't know, but this seems like as good a time as any for some predictions:

NL:

Diamondbacks (94-68, West champs)
vs.
Brewers (96-66, Central champs):
Arizona manager Kirk Gibson likes the playoffs--

At first I was like...

And then I World Series'd.  Again.

Arizona is the NL team I'm most rooting for because of two Michigan connections:  Gibby and comeback stud closer J.J. Putz.

Oh look, he mentioned a Michigan player again, how surprising...

Breakout star Justin Upton and former Yankee prospect Ian Kennedy, a Cy Young contender, headline this team.

But Milwaukee has a motivated Prince Fielder, Hebrew Hammer Ryan Braun, and an excellent playoff-caliber pitching staff led by Yovani Gallardo and Zack Greinke.

Prediction:  Brewers in 5--the Brew Crew pitching holds the D-Backs offense at bay and Cecil the Younger puts up big numbers in his final season in the Cheese State.

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Cardinals (90-72, NL wild card)
vs.
Phillies (102-60, East champs):

The Cardinals squeaked into the playoffs on the final day of the season thanks to a major collapse by the Braves.  Still, they finished with 90 wins in a decent division that also included the playoff-bound Brewers, so nobody should write them off.  Most of their offense is this guy, whom you might've heard of,

and their pitching is a bit of a grab bag compared to other teams.  Still, this group includes some guys that won rings the last time the Tigers made the playoffs.

Meanwhile, the Phillies steamrolled their way to baseball's best record by a whopping five games, and they were the only 100-win team this year.  Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Shane Victorino headline a potent offense, though in the postseason there's no denying this guy's credentials:

I often come up big, like the size of my enormous head

MAN I wish we still had Polanco.  Fortunately, since their entire rotation has won the last 30 Cy Youngs, it might not matter who else is on the field.

Prediction:  Phillies in 4--Pujols supplies enough offense to win one game and keep at least one other close, but the Phillies' dominant roster is too much for the happy-to-be-here Cards.

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AL:

Rays (91-71, AL wild card)
vs.
Rangers (96-66, West champs):

Tampa took a path similar to the Cardinals to get to this matchup, but in many ways they're a better team.  That they needed the wild card to sneak in isn't a huge surprise in a division that includes the Yankees and Sawx, plus one other .500 team, a resume no other division can match.  The Rays boast an offense featuring superstar Evan Longoria, who'll win at least one game in this series with his bat, plus former Tiger Matt Joyce, the lesser Upton brother Justin and playoff stalwart Johnny Damon.  A star-studded pitching tandem of James Shields and David Price bodes well for the Rays.

Texas is a bit more balanced in several ways, with its offense spread among Michael Young, Josh Hamilton, Adrian Beltre,

Am I a free agent after this season?  No?  Screw it, I'm just gonna hang out over here then...

Nelson Cruz and Ian Kinsler.  The pitching isn't a one-man show either, with C.J. Wilson, Matt Harrison, Derek Holland, Colby Lewis and Alexi Ogando all owning double-digit win totals this year.  The Rangers are likely starving for another shot at a title after falling short against the Giants last year in the only successful playoff campaign in the team's history.

Prediction:  Rays in 3--yep, I'm predicting an upset AND a sweep. Tampa comes in with a ton of momentum, still flying high over stealing the last playoff spot, and Evan Longoria dominates this series, allowing Shields, Price and stud pitching prospect Matt Moore to shine.

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Tigers (95-67, Central champs)
vs.
Yankees (97-65, East champs):

I spent most of the year bitching about Jim Leyland.  I still don't like him and no matter what happens, I still don't want him back.  But the fact is, he's got an excellent team, in many ways an improvement over the '06 version. (with the exception of POLANCO GODDAMMIT WHY DID WE LET HIM GO?!)  Fister was the cream of the trade deadline crop, Victor Martinez was the best free-agent signing, and the existing cast of Cy Young dominator Justin Verlander,

MVP-caliber batting average/blood alcohol champion Miguel Cabrera,

Giant Potato and off-balance sky-pointing closer of unshakable certainty Jose Valverde,

and a very good supporting cast make this a team to watch.

New York, in addition to its overpriced, aging, star-studded roster, has benefited from the presence of one Curtis Granderson,

who would be an extremely good non-Cabrera choice for the MVP.  But he's got plenty of help in a lineup that features an aging but you still know he'll make a ridiculously important play and stock prices for smelling salts will skyrocket thanks to all of ESPN fainting from delight Derek Jeter.  Equally impressive second baseman Robinson Cano, slugger Mark Teixeira and some guy shopping for purses

will help score a bunch of runs for a rotation anchored by CC Sabathia,

Actual photo of Sabathia

excellent rookie Ivan Nova, and...um...I guess Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon?  Those guys are about 100 years old combined, but they have that important quality often found in Yankee fan favorites--they're not A.J. Burnett.  Should the offense and pitching produce a lead going into the ninth, Greatest Closer Ever Yes I Said It So You Can Shut Up Now Mariano Rivera

will be there to shut the door (a large door, if it's one Sabathia and Colon can fit through) assuming the Tigers don't bring back Luis Gonzalez.

Prediction:  Tigers in 4--in a prognostication that in no way could be construed as wishful thinking, I just can't see Detroit losing games one and two started by Jesus Verlander and Doyle Fister.  I predict that the Yanks pull off a laugher against Max Scherzer, who gets his terrible start out of the way early, then looks more serviceable in the latter rounds.  I couldn't pick against Detroit if I wanted to, but I really do have good justifications for thinking they'll win this series comfortably, and that doesn't even include karma, so we got that goin' for us.

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NLCS:  Phillies over Brewers

ALCS:  Tigers over Rays

World Series:  Tigers over Phillies

We're due, so let's bring a title back to Motown, boys!

Good news (again), everyone!

Mr. Play At the Plate may have some interest in the following...

So, yeah, about that good news:

To summarize this news in one picture:

Aw hell, why not one more?

YANKEES SUCK! YANKEES SUCK! YANKEES SUCK!

Congrats, Texas, on your first World Series berth!