2009 Scavenger Hunt Reminder

It’s just around the corner! Red Sox pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training on February 18^th. That’s TOMORROW! The Scavenger Hunt will end, therefore, at NOON Eastern Time TOMORROW! That means you have exactly 24 hours left to get your pictures in! I’ve had several people e-mail me to let me know they were scoping out items. You’re running out of time. I can’t wait to see all the pictures. If you can’t remember the items you needed to find, or any of the rules click here or on the link to the right to find them.

So, keep taking those pictures. Remember, even if you’re a fan of another team, you can enter!

Happy Picture Taking!

Collecting the Sox: 2010 Baseball Card Releases

Not too long ago, baseball card companies were a lot like car companies. Even though that Ford Focus is a 2010 model, it might have been made in 2009. Similarly, you could buy your 1987 baseball cards in time for Christmas, 1986. You would usually have enough time to complete your entire set before the calendar turned to the correct year. That changed a few years ago. In an attempt to make their baseball cards less confusing, the MLBPA set a few new rules for it licensees. One of them stated that cards for a specific year couldn’t be released until it was actually that year. A pretty simple concept, really.

What does that mean for Red Sox card collectors? Depends on what kind of collector you are. There are still plenty of cards to buy. My local Target still has boxes and boxes of 2009 cards on the shelves. (I think I saw some 2008 boxes not too long ago) It’s not like the decision deprived anyone of buying cards. What it did do is create a little excitement. When the calendar changes, it’s time for the new releases! The baseball card blogs out there have been going wild posting their reviews of the new products, and which cards they have been able to get. So from that end, I’m a bit behind the times. (That’s ok though, since from the beginning I’ve promised that I wouldn’t be breaking any news. There are a lot better places than here to get that stuff.) But, the new sets have a lot to look for from a Red Sox fan. Personally, I’ve always been a Topps fan. I’ve always liked their family of brands. It worked out well for me, since they were the only company given an MLB license this year. They released their standard base set (2010 Topps) not too long ago, and it looks sharp. Really, as I’ve mentioned in the past, there’s not a lot you can do with a baseball card design. So, as long as it has all the information on it, and isn’t annoying, I’m happy.

As with any base set, the checklist contains many of the players on the Sox you’d really want to see. The standard cards, like the Youkilis, are nice and clean. They have the basic info… name, team, and position. There are also attractive looking inserts that can enhance variety in a collection. The “ToppsTown” Kevin Youkilis is an example of those. In this case, there’s a code on the back that you can use online. It makes surfing the web a little bit more fun. There are even special cards displaying players from years gone by. The Fisk card shown depicts his most famous moment. (I do think it’s odd that the card is titled ‘The Wave” but the picture shows him after he was done waving.) So, whether you’re a fan of Red Sox teams of the past, or the current crop there are cards out there for you. There really is a little bit for everyone. Now that the releases are out, it’s time to start buying.

Now, if they’d just make more sets without Yankees.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

For all of you scrambling for last minute gifts, remember…we have it easy. Red Sox items are RED…perfect for the Holiday. So, run out and grab your red jerseys, red hats, and red socks. Fold them up into a heart shape, and you’re good to go! If you’re not great at the folding…if you tilt your head just enough, you could convince yourself that the “hanging sox” logo looks just like a heart on its own! So, no excuses.

Isn’t that better than flowers and candy?

Team Sets: 1988 Topps

Players Included: Marty Barrett, Todd Benzinger, Wade Boggs, Tom Bolton, Dennis Boyd, Ellis Burks, Roger Clemens, Steve Crawford, Dwight Evans, Wes Gardner, Rich Gedman, Mike Greenwell, Sam Horn, Bruce Hurst, John Marzano, Al Nipper, Spike Owen, Jody Reed, Jim Rice, Ed Romero, Joe Sambito, Calvin Schiraldi, Jeff Sellers, Bob Stanley, Marc Sullivan, John McNamara (mgr)

Best Picture: Roger Clemens. Something about this picture has always said “wow” to me. The white border of the card and the red team name call out the white uniform with red lettering. The whole thing just pops. It’s one time where I think the baseball card would look better than the picture would look alone.
Hall of Famers: Wade Boggs, Jim Rice
Future Hall of Famers: Roger Clemens

Reason to buy the set: This was a very hot set at the time. It has the three superstars in Clemens, Boggs, and Rice. It has Mike Greenwell, who was having an MVP type season in ’88. It was also chock full of rookie cards of the group of youngsters that would lead the Sox to several titles. Obviously, it didn’t pan out that way. But, the rookie cards of Benzinger, Burks, Horn, Marzano and Reed were quite the pull. It’s also interesting to have the John McNamara manager card included. 1988 was, of course, the season that McNamara was replaced by Joe Morgan. Morgan Magic took the Sox right into the ALCS.
Overall Reaction: I love the design of the 1988 Topps. The banner with the player name, and the floating team name seem less intrusive than other designs. There’s not a lot to get in the way of the photos. It’s a great set to have, if for no reason other than to remember Morgan Magic, and the amazing run.

Born to Play - By Dustin Pedroia with Edward J Delaney

Despite being generously listed at 5’9” and 180 lbs, Dustin Pedroia

has become a young superstar in Major League Baseball. In only two full seasons, he has collected a Rookie-of-the-Year award, a Most Valuable Player Award, a Gold Glove Award, and a Silver Slugger Award. Not a bad trophy case for a 26-year old second baseman. In Boston, and most everywhere else he’s been, his bravado is legendary. He has turned a chip on his shoulder into an attitude that screams success. As you could imagine, a personality like that must have an interesting story to tell. This book follows his life from his younger years growing up, through college, the minor leagues, and his seasons in Boston. It explores how a kid who knows he can play convinces everyone else he’s right.

As with most sports autobiographies, it’s a good thing that Dustin Pedroia can hit a baseball because he’ll never make it as a novelist. On the other had, the writing closely follows the way you’d expect him to talk. The book is full of laser shots, and Pedroia is pumped to tell you all about them. That’s a good thing. It would be flimsy if Pedroia became a modest guy in the book. If he’s not telling you how great he is, it wouldn’t be Pedroia. The book also has several guest writes talking about various things in Pedroia’s life. People like Dave Magadan, Ben Cherington, and Kelli Pedroia add insights into Pedroia’s life that enforce what Pedroia is saying. It changes the pace a bit as you’re reading it. I liked the book a lot. I love stories of college teams and minor leagues. I love how all the future stars mix and match as they come up through the systems. What must it have been like to be on a college team with Dustin Pedroia and Ian Kinsler? The stories were genuine, and gave a lot of background on the Red Sox, and their second baseman. It was well worth picking it up.

Rating: 3 bases