An Ode to Clayton Kershaw

#16: Clayton Kershaw - Los Angeles Dodgers

A (Crappy) Ode to Kershaw

Oh, Clayton!

How I miss Uncle Charlie

When the count's 0 and 2.

How I miss you on the hill

In that clean Dodger Blue.

And, Clayton!

When you no hit the Rox,

Boy that was great

And when you relieved Kenley

and racked up your first save. 

Oh, Clayton!

Now you're all broken,

You're on the DL,

But all of us fans

Need you to get well. 

(Seriously. I want you to win the World Series.)

The Digital Revolution: Revisiting Some Old Cards and Planning for the Future

So I run a baseball card blog. Yet I kind of no longer collect baseball cards. So what am I doing?

Well, that's a good question, and one I hope to answer in this post. 

As I mentioned in my return post a couple of days ago, collecting is not really a viable option at this point in my life. I'm moving to NYC in a month, money is tight (as is space), and I'm not even able to take my current collection with me. But that doesn't mean I still can't have fun with baseball cards.

Before I took my sabbatical from the blogging community, I spent a ton of time working on my own digital baseball card set. Here are a few of my favorites. 

You may or may not remember these (I never did get around to posting all of the cards I created), but I definitely enjoyed making them. Of course, many of the cards I created are outdated (#trades), but that doesn't mean they're not cool.

Considering the ostensible move toward digital everything, digital baseball cards seem to make too much sense for me. Topps seems to be putting a lot of time and effort into the digital card market, with Topps Now digital cards flooding my Facebook timeline and ads for MLB Bunt (the digital card trading app) making a home alongside them. I previously used MLB Bunt a few years ago but spent most of my free time with real cards and ended up deleting the app, but I've re-downloaded while writing this paragraph. 

Digital cards are not as fun as the real, tangible cards you used to see on this blog and many others, but digital cards will help me reengage in this hobby and allow me to stay involved in the baseball card community. 

So what can you expect from this blog moving forward? 

For starters, I'll gradually post the custom cards I created a few years ago. That should be fun (and maybe nostalgic) and will help me provide content as I work on my new project for this blog -- a new digital card set. 

I plan on putting a ton of work into this (partly as an excuse to practice my Adobe skills), though I'm not sure exactly what this card set will include. It will probably be small in its first iteration (a handful of players from every team, probably voted on by you).  I plan on creating my own card design, but I will also throw it back to designs of old. Beyond that, the possibilities are wide open. I encourage you all to throw ideas my way if you have any, and hopefully I can get cracking on these soon. 

The new digital card set will be my primary focus, though I also plan on diverging into larger researched posts about the card industry, especially from a digital collector's perspective. And, of course, I'll do my best to post about any real cards that make their way into my hands. 

With this blog's renewed focus on digital cards, I'm feeling like the blog could use a redesign. Expect some small changes in the coming weeks and larger changes in the coming months. 

I may no longer collect (real) baseball cards, but that won't stop me from running a baseball card blog. 

Custom Winners: Cole, Miller, Torres

Week One Winners

I kind of threw this post together at the last second. The first week of customs was okay, but it could definitely use a few improvements. A good start would be for me remembering to update the polls. I am in the midst of writing a 3500-word essay, so I won't do a write up on each player or card, but you can expect that next week. 

New battle will appear tomorrow at 10am. Thanks again!

Battle of the Customs: Alex Torres

#15: Alex Torres - San Diego Padres

I've decided to take a different approach to the rest of the customs I post here. They will no longer be daily posts, more like 2-3 a week. Each card will have two versions. It is up to you to decide which one you like better. The polls will be posted in the sidebar on the right. At the end of the week, the winners will be revealed and the cards will receive their own post. Happy voting!

Poll closes on 11/21 at 11:59 pm. 

New battle will appear on Saturday at 10:00 am.

vs.

(Photo Credit: Not found)

(Photo Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports)

Battle of the Customs: Andrew Miller

#14: Andrew Miller - Baltimore Orioles

I've decided to take a different approach to the rest of the customs I post here. They will no longer be daily posts, more like 2-3 a week. Each card will have two versions. It is up to you to decide which one you like better. The poll should automatically pop up on your screen. At the end of the week, the winners will be revealed and the cards will receive their own post. Happy voting!


Okay. Maybe this time I will remember to actually post a poll to my blog. Should work now.

Poll closes on 11/18 at 11:59 pm. 

New battle will appear on Wednesday at 10:00 am.

vs.

(Photo Credit: Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

(Photo Credit: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images North America )

Battle of the Customs: Gerrit Cole

#13: Gerrit Cole - Pittsburgh Pirates

I've decided to take a different approach to the rest of the customs I post here. They will no longer be daily posts, more like 2-3 a week. Each card will have two versions. It is up to you to decide which one you like better. The polls will be posted in the sidebar on the right. At the end of the week, the winners will be revealed and the cards will receive their own post. Happy voting!

Poll closes on 11/15 at 11:59 pm. 

New battle will appear on Sunday at 10:00 am.

vs.

(Photo Credit: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images North America)

(Photo Credit: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images North America)

#12: Josh Hamilton

#12: Josh Hamilton - Anaheim Angels

Josh Hamilton is the first Angel in this set. You may notice I went a different route with the Angels, compared to every other team/card I have displayed so far. I still call them the Anaheim Angels. I cannot think of any sane reason as to call them the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and that is too long to stick on a card anyway.

That said, I believe this is the first 'walk-off' card in the set so far. The picture came out particularly blurry this time around, but I still dig it. Hopefully you do as well.

(Photo Credit: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images North America)

#11: Jon Lester

#11: Jon Lester - Oakland Athletics

I don't know too much about Jon Lester. I know he is an excellent pitcher and should command top dollar this winter. Some say he will go back to Boston. Others say he will wind up in Los Angeles. I'm not confident either of those would happen, but it does make for an interesting off-season.

(Photo Credit: Ed Zurga/Getty Images North America)

#10: Paul Molitor

#10: Paul Molitor - Milwuakee Brewers

The following passage comes from the great Tony L. of Off Hiatus Baseball Cards

Molitor spent only 64 games in the minor leagues in 1977 after being drafted in the first round out of the University of Minnesota by the Milwaukee Brewers with the 3rd pick overall in the 1977 June Draft. In 1978, while Robin Yount either was holding out or was honestly deciding whether to become a professional golfer instead of a baseball player, the Brewers needed a player to start at shortstop. As a result, Molitor jumped directly from the Midwest League to the major leagues and never returned except for injury rehab.  As a Brewer, Molitor racked up nearly 2300 hits over 15 years with a .303/.367/.444 slash line. After the 1992 season and in the wake of acrimonious contract dealings when he signed his previous contract, Molitor left and went to Toronto where, at the age of 36, he won his only World Series Title and won the World Series MVP award. After three seasons in Toronto, Molitor finished his career with his hometown team, the Minnesota Twins.  He finished his career with 3,319 hits and a .306/.369/.448 slash line in 21 seasons, and he was deservedly inaugurated into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004, the first time he appeared on the ballot, with 85.2% of the vote.

(Photo Credit: Not Found)

#9: Ben Zobrist

#9: Ben Zobrist - Tampa Bay Rays

We're moving on from one of my least favorite cards to one of my favorites - so far. The first Rays card from the set features the man that plays all over the field: Ben Zobrist. It didn't take me long to settle on the picture for this card, I mean, it has it all. Throwbacks. A sweet action shot. There is actually a baseball present. I really, really, dig this card. Hopefully you do as well.

(Photo Credit: J. Meric/Getty Images )

#8: Joe Mauer

#8: Joe Mauer - Minnesota Twins

I've been cruising right along making these customs, yet I have been unhappy with one. The Joe Mauer custom you see below would be that one. I have been meaning to go back and edit a few things, mainly the picture, but I though I had some more time. It's currently half past midnight and I don't have the energy to go back and make any adjustments. As such, we are left with a card that I am not incredibly happy with. But hey, at least I made sure I noted that he was a first baseman, not a catcher. Still gonna have to get used to that.

(Photo Credit: Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

#7: Justin Verlander

#7: Justin Verlander - Detroit Tigers

I imagine this was somewhat close to Verlander's initial reaction when few raunchy photos were released of him sometime last month. Well, the pictures were released because they featured his gorgeous girlfriend Kate Upton, but enough about that.

I have always been a fan of Verlander, though he did deny Kershaw the title of best pitcher on the planet for a year or two. Verlander has since declined and is now a middling pitcher in a dominant Detroit rotation. I guess you can say the card also depicts his reaction after his fall from grace.

(Photo Credit: Tom Hagerty)

#6: Tanner Roark

#6: Tanner Roark - Washington Nationals

It may have taken me six cards to realize this, but talking about every player in this set is going to be difficult. Here is what I know about Tanner Roark.

• He throws right-handed
• He plays for the Nationals
• He solidified my Fantasy Baseball team after I lost Jose Fernandez for the year

That's pretty much it. Glad you made an appearance Mr. Roark. 

(Photo Credit: USA Today Sports Images)

#5: Paul Goldschmidt

#5: Paul Goldschmidt - Arizona Diamondbacks

I promise there will be posts with real cards soon. Until then, enjoy another custom. 

I despise the Diamondbacks. I love Kirk Gibson (at least the 1988 version of Kirk Gibson), but I hate the Diamondbacks. Maybe it's because they always seem to give the Dodgers trouble (not so much in 2014). Maybe it's because they use opposing teams players for human target practice. Maybe it's because they have a pool in their outfield. It's probably a combination of those things, but it certainly isn't their first baseman. 

As much as I dislike the D-Backs, I enjoy watching Paul Goldschmidt play. Here's to many more years of watching you kill Dodger pitching. 

(Photo Credit: NorthJersey.com)

#4: Anthony Rizzo

#4: Anthony Rizzo - Chicago Cubs

Let me be straight with you. I'm pretty scared of the Cubs. 

Well, I will be in about two years. They have an excellent GM in Theo Epstein, an excellent young core of players in Anthony Rizzo and Starlin Castro and an excellent farm system full of guys with superstar potential. I don't want to think about the Cubs right now. Let me just Rizzo out of the way early. 

(Photo Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel/USA TODAY Sports)

#3: Giancarlo Stanton

#3: Giancarlo Stanton - Miami Marlins

There are few players out there that I would trade Yasiel Puig for if I were the Dodgers GM. Giancarlo Stanton is one of them. The dude can flat out rake. As such, he is deserving of a nice home run trot around the bases. Get well soon, Giancarlo!

(Photo Credit: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

#2: Derek Jeter

#2: Derek Jeter - New York Yankees

I'll be honest. I got quite annoyed with the amount of coverage that was devoted to Derek Jeter in 2014. Jeter is one of the greatest Yankees of all-time, and perhaps one of the greatest players of this generation, but it just went a little overboard for me. That said, I still have tremendous #Re2pect for the guy, no matter how cheesy the hashtag. The Yankees won't be the same without Jeter, and baseball will lose an icon. 

Thanks for all of the great memories you've supplied us Derek. Enjoy your retirement; you know you've earned it. 

(Photo Credit: The Associated Press)

#1: Bryce Harper

#1: Bryce Harper - Washington Nationals

Card number one in the set goes to one of my favorite players in the game: Bryce Harper. The cards lose a little bit of their quality during the upload to the blog, but I still feel they look solid. I am a big fan of the "back" shots, so you may want to get used to them. 

(Photo Credit: Alex Brandon, AP)

Chavez Ravining Customs: 2014 Base Set

I hinted at it yesterday, but I will spill the beans today. I am creating my own set of custom cards, and I will release them here on the blog. 

Each team will have a unique coloring and logo scheme, dependent on the era they played in and etc. I have created both horizontal and vertical designs, though the cards are still a work in process. I currently have about 25 customs completed.

You may see a bit of a resemblance to 1963 Topps, and rightfully so. My custom set is largely based off of one of my favorite sets of all-time. Rather than incorporate a B&W photo of the player in a circle, I opted to go with the team logo. I also decided to do away with the borders that are the norm for Topps Flagship. Basically, you are looking at a crappy version of 1963 Topps Stadium Club. 

Anyway, I currently have a 240-card checklist including cards from every team, and. unlike Topps, I will have more than one or two cards from teams like the Padres and Brewers. (Marcus and Tony rejoice!)  

I also have a few insert/subsets in the works, though I will probably end up releasing those a bit later.

There is also the question of what to do with all of these custom designs. Chances are the cards will be posted here and never seen again, though I am considering printing them out. Of course, I would take a trip down to Kinko's to get them done right. If I go that route I will be looking at 240 "true 1/1's" to disperse throughout the blogosphere. We'll see. 

The first card in the set will be released tomorrow, with cards being released at least once a day after that. I will still continue to do my regular posting of real cards (time permitting), so don't think that the blog just turned into one of those custom blogs. Please leave me some feedback on the cards. They won't all turn out as beautiful as I'd like, but I'd like to do as best as I can. If you have any suggestions for players that should be added to the set just let me know. Thanks again for reading!

The Bubble Machine

I've been quiet over the past week or so. School is a big factor in my posting ability, but I've been spending most of my time working on a new project for the blog. 

In honor of the fantastic Dodger win the other night, take a sneak peak of that project. 

There will be more info on this project later in the week, but I'm interested in hearing what you guys think so far. Can you guess what the project is?