More From The Mailbox

As I mentioned the other day, I still have a backlog of pictures of cards from Listia that I never got around to posting so here's another couple dozen or so. 

I know people have mixed feelings about it but I love the design of the '72 set, as pictured above. Those uniforms are understated classics as well.

Aki! All four of these were new to me but that Otsuka is my favorite of the bunch; probably because I only had one other card of him before this one. Shame on me. Also, every time I see or hear his name, I think of this.

Here's another '72 and a '74 of the Padres' first real star, Nate Colbert. Atop my list of dream cards is the "Washington, Nat'l" version of that '74.

The 1973 design is such a 180 from the '72s. So... restrained. I can't say I'm a fan of the yellow jersey over yellow pants look but thankfully that didn't last long. Also, note the terrible airbrush job on Dave Marshall; they didn't even bother getting rid of the blue pinstripes.

No, Randy Hundley isn't related to Nick Hundley... but he is Todd Hundley's dad. Something about that last name just makes people want to wear a chest protector for some reason.

Numbered cards have never really been my thing but a good deal is a good deal and you can never have enough Trevors. Or at least I can't.

The future and the past. I just hope Cory Luebke doesn't scurry off to New York first chance he gets.

I finally got a '69 Topps of a Padre! It seems like I already should have but I never stumbled across any or actively sought them out until I found this one. Selma started and won the Padres' first game in franchise history- do with that bit of knowledge whatever you will. Jose Arcia didn't do much beside looking totally serious business. Never let 'em see you smile.

Lastly for purposes of this post, here are two of my favorites. RJ and '75 Topps are both awesome so it only makes sense that this card would be double awesome. That 1980 Topps team checklist was my first card of Jerry Coleman.

That puts a ribbon on today's edition. I still have probably another post's worth of Listia picks before I can declare myself caught up in that regard. I also have pictures of what I picked up on my last trip to a card store which was about a month and a half ago so that says... something... about me. I'll try to get to those soon; enjoy your Tuesday!

PV & Tha D-O-Double-G

Jake Peavy has been having a great season so far, showing White Sox fans the form we saw back in '07 when he picked up his Cy Young Award by notching the pitchers' Triple Crown. But even better than being good at your job is having the chance to hang out with Tha Doggfather. Snoop recently threw out the first pitch at a White Sox game; both the pitch and the pitcher were high and outside.

Wednesday's Winnings

Well, I had intended on waking up and writing about Doug Brocail for his birthday but then my plans got derailed in the best kind of way. I stepped outside to partake in a filthy habit that I already know is wrong and stupid and about which I need no further lectures. Poking out of the mailbox was the corner of a ubiquitous ocher bubble mailer. My heart fluttered a bit. "Could it be?" I thought. "Nah, it's probably just some book she ordered off half-dot-com."  WRONG. It was my contest winnings from Nick at my favorite card blog Dime Boxes. To quote Peggy Hill, "Ho yeah!" I was ripping it open and reading the note before I even made it back inside. There was so much goodness inside. Minis and Tonys and Trevors, oh my! There were also several players who were unrepresented in my collection and will now get their day in the sun. Or as glowing pixels in the basements of fellow nerds' mothers. Whatever. Well, I'd write more but I'm excited to get back to perusing these. I'll be back later, writing about one or more of these cards. Sorry to Doug Brocail fans and thanks to Nick. You've got one coming!

Jake Peavy & The Glory Of Third Place

This 2009 Topps (#206) commemorates Jake Peavy finishing third in the '08 National League ERA race, one year removed from his pitching Triple Crown. He finished fourth in strikeouts in '08 and was off of the leader board with ten wins- which doesn't matter because it's a completely meaningless statistic.

Haikuesday: Peavy & Hoyt

Padres and White Sox

Each won a Cy then faded
LaMarr Hoyt and Jake

Peavy Trade Haiku

Yeah, we won that trade

Clay Dick has disappointed

But he's way cheaper

Hey, Jake Peavy Fans!

Most of my readers (meaning at least two out of all three of you guys) know I'm not a Jake Peavy fan. I liked the chance he gave us every five days but as far as a human being, ehh. I won't go into details since I've already bored you with that.
Anyway, I know a lot of you are fans of the guy so you would probably get more joy out of this than I would. Not to say I don't think it's one of the raddest bobbleheads I've seen; I'd just like to pass stuff along to those who would be happy to have it like others have done for me. So, if you if you don't have this and would like to, email me your address (wordsplusnumber[at]yahoo[dot]com) and you'll have a shoebox wrapped in brown paper on your doorstep in no time.

Rambling About Camouflage And... Wait, Harold Reynolds Was A Padre?!?!

As you know, the Padres have unveiled two new uniforms over the past two days. I've made my disdain for the new road grays well known both on Twitter and Gaslamp Ball so I won't gripe any more about that. As for the new Marines-inspired digital camo, well, I like it. I like it better than the most recent camouflage jersey but my favorite is still the original. I'm just a fan of that print; maybe it's the West Virginia in me. I've owned countless pairs of Army pants (usually cut-off) along with an Army jacket (which of course got covered in patches of punk bands) and my favorite Bouncing Souls (speaking of New Jersey!) shirt. Sheesh, that was a lot of parenthesis...
I got this card the other day (among many more and lots of other awesome stuff that will be showing up on this blog) from fellow Gaslamp Baller ABY and was pretty surprised. I had no recollection of Harold Reynolds being a Padre. Turns out, I had good reason as he never played a regular season game for the Friars. He was signed as a free agent January 28th, 1994 after one year with the Orioles and was traded two months and a day later to the then-California Angels on the eve of the season opener for the forgettable Hilly Hathaway. The more you know...

A 'n' G Lies

First off, thanks to TC, who doesn't even read this blog, for today's card. It's the first Allen & Ginter's I've owned despite the fact that I've always thought they're pretty rad cards. I love the washed-out photography and the lack of what Jim Bouton would call "technicolor gingerbread". It seems like, for the longest time, card manufacturers were in a race to see who could cram the most stupid shid on the front of a card, so it was refreshing when these came along and stripped away all the BS and got down to the essence. Kinda like when Guns 'N' Roses put out G 'n' R Lies.

I'm pretty sick of hearing about Adrian trade speculation and he could be too for all I know. I don't know though since everything that comes out of the guy's mouth is so infuriatingly Crash Davis-like vanilla. I suppose maybe that makes me a hypocrite for wishing he'd say more and Jake Peavy would say less but oh well, I'm not losing any sleep at night over it. I just don't see why everybody's flipping out about how he's gonna get traded and he's gonna get traded now. I really like Adrian and I really like him being a Padre, but if Jedi Hoyer can get a ridiculous return for him that bumps the club to the next level, it'd be foolish not to. What I do know is that there is absolutely no reason to rush into something now just because. Something better than what the White Sox may or may not be offering will come along- all we need is just a little patience.

Shut Up, Peavy

So, lately noted womanizer Jake Peavy has been spouting off about wanting Adrian to come join him in Chicago which, eh, it's not really for him to say but I'll let it slide. He goes on to talk about the Padres as a lost cause cesspool franchise like we're the god-forsaken Pirates or something. This irks me because we were only crappy for a season and a half coming off of two seasons in which we were division champions and another where it took us a 163rd game to miss out on a playoff spot. Nevermind that we were one of the hottest teams in baseball the last few months of last season- a stretch where he and his divisive attitude were not around- nope, we suck, always sucked and always will suck. Pssssh.

But what really grinds my gears with Cy Young, Dumb and Full of Cum's remarks is his insistence that Adrian wants out of his home-effin-town. I don't know if this is true; I kinda doubt it and certainly hope it isn't- but even if it is, who the hell appointed Jackass Jake as Aid's personal press secretary?

'09 Toppstown Jake Peavy

I was out and about today doing what I do when the little lady called asking me to stop by Wal-Mart to pick her up some Sleepytime tea. Naturally, the first thing I did once I got there was check and see if they had any '09s in yet. Heck yeah they did! I got a couple jumbo packs or whatever they're called and pulled this along with what are sure to be my next two posts. I don't really get the whole "virtual card" thing and certainly don't get the tagline on the front. Bring it to life? Huh? How is a "virtual card" more real than this tangible slab of cardboard?