Christmas in July, Celebrated in September

Back nearly two months ago, my Gator loving friend John from Johnny's Trading Spot sent out a ton of packages to people around the card-collecting world to celebrate "Christmas in July." I was one of the recipients of one of those packages, and I now am here to celebrate the autumnal equinox with Christmas. It's just over 90 shopping days until Christmas, after all.

Just proving that it really was Christmas in July. John sent a massive package of cards, so I'm going to share some of them. In the past with cards from John, I've written them up with everything from a comparison to the local cougar lounge (Johnny's Hideaway) to comparisons to old cars to music drawn from John's blog.

How about I just show the cards and talk about them?

Let's start with Orlando Arcia's coin from 2017 Topps Archives. I like the coins from the original issue back in 1987 through 1990, which themselves were throwbacks to the 1971 coins, which themselves were throwbacks to the original 1964 coins. Each and every one of those issues is a great oddball that needs those cardboard and plastic cases to be able to display them properly.

Arcia has improved greatly this year. He might be a cornerstone. His OBP has improved this year, though he has not hit for as much power in the second half as he did in the first half (which was driven by his excellent June). He obviously needs to continue developing, though he seems to have the right attitude and his fielding is already among the best in the league.

Next up, we have some 2003 Fleer Hardball discs. I'm pretty sure this set was created by a Fleer card designer who wondered to himself or herself what those MSA discs would have looked like if MSA issued 200 of them and had licensing and had parallels. The answer: not bad, but oddballs should be kept as oddballs for a reason. Weird shapes and sizes of cards are best kept in small doses for fear of overdose.

Parallels? Really? Come on. I mean, it's cool if it was a "parallel" that was exactly the same except for the fact that, instead of "Fleer Hardball," the disc said, "Donruss Superstars" and another said "Upper Deck Dandies" and another said "Topps Lemons" or something like that.

According to Baseball Card Pedia, 1997 Pinnacle Inside came "inside one of 24 collectible player soup cans."

If that happened today, I'd have the same look on my face as Dave Nilsson has on his face on this card.

I have not paid any attention to what Panini has been doing this year in cards. Should I?

Based on this card, I'm thinking I'm okay with being a collecting version of Joe Barry Carroll a/k/a Joe Barely Cares when it comes to Panini. I'll pick up Diamond Kings and the like at card shows if I see them cheap. Otherwise, I'm not going out of my way to find them.

As for Ray, 2016's #1 pick for the Brewers struggled in the Carolina League this year, hitting just .238/.311/.367 in 503 plate appearances with 7 HR and 24 SB in 34 attempts. He struck out too much too. That said, he still is his toolsy self...we'll see what happens.

Out of these two cards, let's talk about Kevin Barker. He made it to Milwaukee at the age of 23 in 1999 and performed decently in 127 plate appearances -- .282/.331/.385. In 2000, he hit similarly -- .220/.352/.330. But, in their infinite wisdom in 1999, the Brewers played Mark Loretta and Sean Barry instead of Barker and, then, traded for Richie Sexson in 2000. That led to his eventual trade to San Diego in spring training in 2002 (where he got 7 games and 20 plate appearances). From there, he bounced around yearly -- to Detroit, to Florida, to Philadelphia, to Toronto (where he got into 12 games with 18 plate appearances) for two years, to Cincinnati (29 games, 36 plate appearances in 2009). 

I mean, he grinded out 323 plate appearances across 11 years with four teams. There's something to be said for that sticktoitiveness.

These test proof cards that Panini put out last year are just plain awful. Other than photo comparison, I couldn't tell you from this scan that this is Orlando Arcia. Combine a single color with no logos and discolored uniforms, and you have what should otherwise be thrown away except for that serial number and the hint of it showing a baseball player on it.

UGH.

It wouldn't be Christmas without 1995 Fleer. It really wouldn't. It's like the bow on the present. The star on the tree. The asbestos substituting for snow on the tree.

No, really.

Pure, white, fireproof asbestos snow. 

It's weird packaging for baseball cards, but I'm not surprised that Fleer used it in 1995.

John -- many thanks for the great cards. I hope that your home and your family are all safe after Irma.

Junkie Man, Tell Me What Your Story Is

I've been going with a lot of theme posts lately.  They are more fun for me to write than the usual "thanks for the cards" posts, and I hope they haven't been too over the top. Of course, I'm an obnoxious lawyer from Milwaukee, so "over the top" is part of my DNA.  It is part I've suppressed being in the South for the better part of 25 years between college, law school, and life, but it's still there.

My post title, though can only mean one thing: the Junior Junkie bestowed a bubble mailer on me. 

Well, I suppose it could just mean I'm a big fan of the band Rancid too.  There was a time back in law school where I listened to the album ....And Out Come the Wolves on a very regular basis, so that is part of it too.  With the title being "Junkie Man", how about a link to that song:

I do love me some mid-1990s ska/punk/grunge music. But, I don't think I have a theme post in me today -- sorry TJ -- so a simple review of the great cards that came my way from Louisiana will have to suffice.

STICKERS!

I remember buying some of these packs of Fleer team stickers back in about 1980 or 1981. The gum tasted funny -- almost that fake sweet that sugarless gum had back then -- and it was disappointing then not to see pictures of real baseball players.  It was also disappointing that Fleer stickers believed that the centerfield fence was 480 feet from home plate.  Who wants to see that?

These stickers, though, now make me feel nostalgic for a far simpler time.  

LOGOLESS ELITE EXTRA EDITION MINOR LEAGUERS!

I talked about Lara in a post fairly recently as the kid who might move quickly up in the system because of his talent -- but he is incredibly young.  DeMuth was a 4-year player at Indiana University who was pushed upwards fairly rapidly in the Brewers system. He struggled in the Midwest League last year, but at age 23, he'll need to keep progressing quickly.  Kole was drafted in the 8th round last year out of Villanova.  He got knocked around pretty good in rookie ball last year -- a 7.64 ERA and 48 hits in 35-1/3 innings, which isn't good even if the league ERA was 4.72 -- so, well, good luck JB.  Sneed wasn't much better -- a 5.92 ERA in 38 innings -- so, once again, work on that stuff, Cy.    Stokes spent last summer in the Arizona rookie league and showed good speed and OBP but no power at all.  We'll see about these guys.

SHINY SEGURA!

You can't tell it, but I think this Segura was one of those Foil parallels.  Add it to the PC!

1973 Originals!

As a team collector, I like different cards like this. But, I can't treat this as anything other than an oddball. I don't know what to chase here, because Topps doesn't tell us how many of each card exist, which cards have the "original" stamp, etc.  So, it's stick it with the cereal box cards from the 1980s and add it to the Brewers database, but otherwise, I view these with some disinterest.  If I get them, fantastic -- I love them when I have them.  But, without a set list, I don't know what I'm missing.  

GLOSSY Gallardos!

A Chrome Refractor and a Topps Tribute card for a pitcher whose time in Milwaukee put him 6th all-time in WAR for pitchers, 5th in ERA, 5th in wins, 3rd in Win-Loss Percentage, 7th in fewest hits per nine innings, 1st in strikeouts per nine innings, 7th in innings pitched, 1st in strikeouts, and 6th in games started in his career.  In other words, he's all over the leaderboard.  That's why he's a PC for me, and these both go right into the PC.

THE ONES WHO NEVER MADE IT

I remember Barker.  He came in with all kinds of promise, but his career with Milwaukee consisted of 78 games in 1999 and 2000 with very little power but decent OBP skills.  That didn't cut it for a first baseman.  

Bausher?  His biggest claim to fame was that the Brewers signed him in 2003 out of an Independent league after seeing him pitch in just one game.  Bausher got all the way to Triple-A -- in 2005 with Boston and in 2006 with Boston and then Cincinnati.  Then the trip back down happened.

Then, there was this one:

What in the heck is this? Some weird cross-promotion between Topps and some card graders, I guess?  Belcher got as far as Double-A for Milwaukee and Montreal in 2004 and then 2005 (with Washington, the erstwhile Montreal, of course), but then found himself in the Independent leagues from 2006 on.  He was an OF and C whose bat couldn't carry him past Double-A.  

Too bad, because this strange looking presentation actually is kind of cool and includes his certified autograph!

Thanks, TJ, for these great cards -- especially the Gallardos and the Segura!