WHAT??? I'm parting with the Jones boy? Could be a dump. Perhaps a lessening of sorts. The 90s shout duplication. So what's your best guess?
Larry Wayne Jones Jr. is joining Cooperstown this summer. How is this even possible? Were the 90s so long ago? Larry's MLB debut with the Braves happened in September 1993, just as I'd begun collecting. Thanks to TBS, I was able to enjoy the Braves in some of their best years. He was a hot prospect so naturally, I collected Chipper Jones.
There's 93 Donruss, rubbing itself in my face once more. A very clean 94 Collector's Choice!
Initially, Larry was a shortstop. Throwing errors pushed the Braves to move him to third base. Even then his defense was only average. He owns no Gold Glove awards. Among switch-hitters however, only Mickey Mantle and Eddie Murray have more home runs. Chipper will enter the Hall as an eight-time All-Star with 468 dingers, 2726 hits and a career .303 batting average.
96 Fleer featured a gorgeous matte finish. Otherworldly 97 Pinnacle Aura subset...different.
Chipper had a reputation for being cocky. The young girls loved him. Young women did too which would account for his three marriages. [Insert launch angle joke here.] His first marriage ended when his 18 month extramarital affair with a Hooters' waitress produced a son. I left him in 2002 when the hobby became for me, confusing and expensive.
These cards are moving out but to where? Time for someone to step up to the plate!
2016 GQ Power Alley - an insert set I should've assembled.
THE FINE PRINT
I’ve culled several hundred cards from my collection but what to do with them? Well that’s where you come into play. Literally. It’s game time!
Do you want these cards? If so, you must be a regular reader with a USA mailing address, be the Card Papoy or a regular Canadian reader. No contest hounds. The rules are simple: determine why I’m giving away these cards. You must comment with a correct response to have a chance via Randomizer. Your only response choices are:
- DUPE (duplicates)
- DUMP (player booted from my collection)
- DWINDLE (player collection thinned, only select cards kept)
The next edition of Dupe, Dump or Dwindle will reveal the reason for the removal of these cards from my collection, and our randomized winner. Remember, only correct responses will be randomized.
The twist? You can win only ONCE every three rounds. Cards that go unclaimed won’t be offered here again. There will be many players listed in the coming weeks but you have no way to know who’s up next. Do you need any of these cards? Leave one of the only three correct responses for a chance to win Chipper - or pass.
I'll wait at least a week to close out this edition's commentary with my own response noting the end of this round.
ROUND ONE SYNOPSIS: Don Mattingly
Of the responses left for Donnie, only six readers were interested in these cards. Of eight Dwindles, four were officially entered as guesses. Only two Dump guesses, both entered as well. No one guessed DUPE which would have been incorrect. John Miller ventured 'dwindle' as I'd mentioned two of these cards as favorites. Perhaps that was a bit misleading. They are favorite Donnies but not favorites in the sense of keepers. There may be some disappointed folks here when they read Mattingly was a dump. Forgive me Bo. It's not that Mattingly was undeserving of my collection. He just doesn't fit. I didn't have all that many Donnie's but that's not necessarily a reflection of my player collections. I do have many smaller PCs.
Our two dump guessers are defgav and The Card Papoy. Randomized by the number of correct guesses leaves us with our winner:
Kevin - Donnie is moving to France! You were first place both times. I'll hang on to these for a bit in order to fill a trade package for you. You'll have to sit out the next two rounds which includes Chipper. Gavin, thanks for making the final round!
Thanks to all of you who took time to read, comment and participate!
