The FoC 300th Post Low-Key Nonstravaganza

I noted the occasion in my 100th and 200th posts but for some reason 300 seems like less of a big deal. Ooh, that made me think that post #338 definitely has to be a Tony. I like numbers. I'm not sure why because I'm not really a big fan of math. I did manage to get from 2 to 300 quicker than either hundred before it. The first hundred took a year and four months. The second hundred took a year and ten months. This past hundred took a bit under three months. Anyway, thanks for reading whether it was just this or the other 299 as well.

We Have A Winner!

...of Thursday's contest and that winner is Mariner1 of  Emerald City Diamond Gems, self-described "home for all your unwanted Mariners cards". So, email me your address, M1, and I'll get that and a stack of M's cards out to you- no Coras or Buhners, though; theirs are among only a handful of non-Padres cards I collect.


Sorry I didn't post anything yesterday; I was doing stuff and didn't really think about it. I'll try to get something good up this afternoon. 'Til then, enjoy your Saturday.

Win This 1 of 1 Padres Game Worn Jersey Card!

I have a game worn Robert Fick jersey which is huuuuge. I also have a friend who is quite the seamstress. She said she'd take it in so it doesn't look like a muumuu on me. Anyway, there's a lot of leftover fabric; I have planned for most of it but that's for another time. Last night I took a small swatch of it and a few junk cards and threw together the card to the left. I didn't have a card of Robert Fick to mutilate for this so I found a card of a left-handed hitter in a Padres uniform with his face obscured. The card is five layers thick and was put together with the aid of a kitchen knife and superglue. At any rate, it was fun to do but I've probably already gotten all the enjoyment I'm going to out of it so do any of you want it? Just leave a comment saying why you want it or why you should get it or something. I'll pick a winner out of the comments in, oh, let's say a day and a half.

Alexi Archives V: 2008 Topps

Sick of these yet?

What A Win!

Man, that game had it all! The Pads got off to an early 4-0 lead in the second, aided by Carlos Quentin's fourth home run in his sixth game with the team. It should have been 5-0 as the blue blew a call at third giving the Padres runners on first and second instead of loaded with one out. San Francisco scored once in the third, thrice in the sixth to tie it and one in the seventh to go ahead 5-4. They stole another run on a terrible call; this time at first base. Just a bad day in general for the whole crew, I guess. Quentin wasn't shook so he lined an eighth inning pitch from Jeremy Affeldt 420 feet to dead central and tied things up upon touching his tenth total base of the day. After fresh-off-the-DL Huston Street worked himself in and out of a jam, The Aristocrat sprung into action. Logan drilled the second pitch into the second deck for his first Major League home run and that's all she wrote. Forsythe had already made a play for the ages an inning earlier, laying out farrrrr to his left behind first baseman Yonder Alonso and somehow gunning down the runner headed to third. Best game of the year so far? I think so.

Alexi Archives IV: '07 Heritage/ '58 Topps

Here's another "vintage" card of Alexi. This one is based on '07 Heritage which was itself based on 1958 Topps. I have a '58 Topps around here somewhere. I should post it on notpadres some time...

Fives For The Fifth

Of ten players to wear 5 for the Padres, Jose Arcia was the first; he wore it in 1969 and '70. Gene Locklear was the second, in '73 and '74, followed by Bill Almon in '74 and '75. Fred Kendall donned it in '79 and '80, succeeded by Randy Bass, who had it from 1980 through part of '82. Ron Tingley wore it for eight games, also in '82. Randy Ready rocked it from '86 until being traded in '89 and Joey Cora switched over from 4 in 1990. No player wore number five in the blue-and-orange era as seventeen years lapsed before it was issued to Kevin Kouzmanoff, Patron Saint of Grounding Into Double Plays. Kouz kept it until he was traded to Oakland after the '09 season. Alexi Amarista has worn it since being called up from Tucson this season.

Happy Birthday, Kurt Stillwell!

I almost forgot! I even made a reminder for myself to write something about Kurt Stillwell for his birthday. Seeing as how there are only 42 minutes of his birthday left, this won't be too in depth. I have other cards of him so I guess I can do a proper post about his career and life in general one of these days soon. I owe you one. Anyway, I hope he had a good cake and got a cool fishing pole or something. I don't know; I've never met the guy...

Barely There: Samuel Deduno

Before being picked up off waivers by San Diego in January of 2011, Samuel Deduno had pitched in a grand total of 2 & 2/3 Major League innings, spread out over four appearances with the Rockies. Before signing with Minnesota this past November, Samuel pitched in two games with the Padres. For the second season in a row he gave up a single run, this time over three innings. Deduno is now plying his trade for the team I spent my childhood summers watching, the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings.

Alexi Archives II: Triple Play 20th Anniversary

I've been having fun with the whole making cards of Alexi from sets before he played thing and here's another fun one I whipped up with a swiftness. It's supposed to be like '92 Triple Play. I even threw in the '20 Years' "foil" design around the logo just so we can pretend this is an actual thing.

First Padres Card Of Alexi Amarista!*

*Not really.

I was bored so I threw this "Topps Heritage" together with good ol' MS Paint. I've never tried that before but I have to say it doesn't look completely horrible. Sure, font and night game and all of that but, hey, I'm not trying to make passable currency over here...

Trade Post: All The Way To The Backstop

I haven't really felt like posting anything the last couple of days so, well, I haven't. The other night I was reading all the way to the backstop and saw my zip code among those he sent packages out to. I already had his cards packaged up but I hadn't made it to the Post Office yet. Yesterday as I was heading out to mail his cards and another batch for Dime Boxes, I checked the mailbox and the cards from Backstop were already here; that was quick! I chose the two cards for the top photo because they happen to be two cards I also sent him- hey, that's a pretty good success rate! There were a few cards I already have but most were new to me and will be finding their way here for some time to come.

At the top of the stack were six Joey Cora cards. Now here's a guy who's been paying attention! There was one of him with the Padres, one with the Mariners and four as a White Sock.

The cards spanned from 1987 until present and included both stars and unheard of players along with an array of fan favorites and historical footnotes. A great number of manufacturers were represented as were two languages (English and French). There were a few Benitos, a couple Adrians and one of each Alomar.

One of my favorite things about trading through the mail is the handwritten note. It's such a juxtaposition to everything you know about fellow bloggers; all I've seen before is the typed word and written words lend an extra element of humanity. His was no disappointment, complete with nifty lettering, an awesome illustration and words of encouragement all Padres fans must heed.

This was a blind trade so I had no idea what to expect. I'm very happy with what I got and hope he's as stoked when he gets his. I have a feeling he'll be pretty pleased.