UNRAVELLED

Tigers - threads unravelled.  I hope the off-season is spent shoring up the bullpen and finding a way to keep Scherzer! There's always next year...right?  Win or lose, I expect at the very least to catch more games in person! 

 

I'm a bit behind on posting after spending the weekend in Oklahoma City. It's most fortunate having so many new trading partners to cheer me up in this bluest of times.  Please forgive me the time between posts.  I promise to do better!

A couple of days ago, I received some very cool booty from our Pirate Matey, Matthew.  


2001 Private Stock

Juan Gonzalez was a favorite for me when I began following the game in 93.  He was an RBI King in his glory days of the 90s.  I was a big Rangers fan when he was traded to Detroit. By then, he'd lost much of his charm.  I felt bad for Tigers fans who thought they were getting a star player.  I recall he was having trouble with a big toe. He played in only 115 games that year.  Juan was quoted as saying the Tigers would have to bring in the fences if they wanted to sign him as a free agent. He spent the next year as an Indian. Then as Texas is wont to do, they brought the old fan favorite back to the team for two years. He was hurt half of this time, unable to play. Juan will probably always be tainted, thanks to tattletale Jose.



2005 Donruss Champions

Magglio Ordonez: Maggs - fans affectionately called him. I wasn't paying close attention to him when he came up with the White Sox.  He managed to play with only two teams: White Sox 97-04 and Tigers 05-11.  He put up great career numbers: .309 avg., 2156 hits, 294 homers and 1236 rbi.  In 2007, Maggs won the AL Batting Title with a .363 average - the first Tiger to do so since Norm Cash won in 1961.  He retired at the end of the 2011 season.  From what I've read he was elected a municipality mayor in Venezuela.  Ordonez ran on the ticket of Hugo Chavez's United Socialist Party of Venezuela.  I wonder if he's divided his fortune to share among the people...

2006 Topps Co-Signers

 Mickey, a fellow Okie named after The Mick. I could never get past the wad of chew. So gross! I will try tho.  He began as an A in 1984, played for the Orioles 88-90, Tigers 91-94 and finally as I knew him - a Ranger 95-97.   A switch-hitter with a career BA of .241 and little pop in his bat for 245 homers (which he credits to Froot Loops.)  ??? Ok. Sure.  He was good behind the plate, retiring with a .991 fielding percentage.   

Frank began his career with the Angels in 73 and pitched for six teams. He was a Tiger from 85-92.  In his best years, he owned a fastball which regularly clocked at 100 plus mph.  This pitch wore out his arm so he added a couple of slow off-speed pitches to the mix, earning him the nickname the great tantalizer.  Frank would throw an 88mph fastball along with breaking balls which frustrated batters quite effectively.  ESPN often referred to Tanana as the guy who threw 90 in the 70s and 70 in the 90s.

Mickey Tettleton and Frank Tanana - I didn't know them as Tigers but am sure they don't know me at all so we're even-steven.  Matthew, thanks for these more than fantastic cards!

If you've read this far then behold, another round of Triple Thread offerings: base and numbered.

BASE

BASE

GOLD /99                    EMERALD/250

AMETHYST/325

AMETHYST/325

My Tigers' season is over, unravelled.  Threads yanked out by the beaks of those pretty Orioles. These Triple Threads are sharp, new cards which can be had with a comment below or email to: a cracked bat  at  gmail dot commmmm.  Thank you for reading and welcoming me into this fantastic community!

Hanging by a Thread

Post Season blues.  I shouldn't be bummed. My Tigers aren't dead yet, although playing like they've been slightly poisoned. Getting beaten up by fourth place teams and hanging by a thread with a post-season berth.  The Tigers. 

What could possibly cheer me up?  Sharing some 2014 Triple Threads with you!  Literally.  If you see a card you're interested in - leave a comment. I'll be posting more of these for trade later on.  This edition of Cracked Bat offers some base, cardboard #/325 and a handful of patch.

I grabbed a couple of nice lots off eBay.  After seeing new pricing, I'm thrilled for being able to pick these up inexpensively.  My collection grew a bit with Tigers and retired players from my list. I like the look of 2014 Threads.  The patch cards have a smooth matte finish.  Really sharp! 96 Fleer was one of my fave issues in the 90s. Matte's not for everyone.

Prince Fielder eats like a King!  Good grief!  His future cards will be postcard size issues if he doesn't lay off the chips n dip!  I'm sure this photo is cropped from a close-up.  I apologize.

Bo Jackson.  I never understood his popularity. Was it all hype?  I borrowed this chart from the resource of geniuses -Wikipedia:

Mr. Two Sport couldn't give his all to THE game
due to football interests.  No, let's not be forced to choose.  Perhaps we can make some bling by
playing both games at a mediocre level.  Funny thing tho - Reggie Jackson hit .262 and struck out a LOT over 21 years time and hit on average, the same number of HRs a year as Good Ol' Bo in his three best years. Reggie is a true HOFer! We can only wonder about Bo.  He may be the only one who knows.



Strasburg 011/325      Bumgarner 065/325   Harper  322/325

Amethyst Triple Threads #d/325.   Nice product.  I can't afford to bust these or any of the top tier offerings of Topps. One box with three cards, or one box with a card...not for the average collector.  I did  pre-buy Stadium Club.  The first full box of cards I've purchased since 2002.   $95 for 72 cards and guaranteed hits. I'm a base card collector.  A nice insert, signature or relic won't be turned down but I want a nice base set.



   Maddux  130/325                                                                  Cespedes 004/325

I have a decent Maddux collection, perhaps 200 cards or so.  Far from complete. I'm listing my duplicates on Zistle soon, along with ALL of the Arod and McGwire I still have.  Most of my steroid cards are gone, banned from my collection.  I hope to use Zistle as a trading tool for my blog friends to peruse at their leisure, mouse in one hand - cool, refreshing beverage in the other. I do this for YOU.  It has absolutely nothing to do with any perceived need to organize and make new lists.

 To be honest, I don't know too much about these four men.  Ok, I know NOTHING about them. But what great-looking cards!  I could look up their stats etc but at this point in my post, the lazy bug has kicked in.  It's past dinner time.  I should take an evening walk, a shower and a nap before bedtime.

Lest I forget: THE TONY, Greg, Adam, Jared, Robert and Nick - little packages for each of you hitting the mail tomorrow. 

Thanks for reading!  I'm outta here!