Wax Heaven

Jacksonville Police have begun an investigation into the dealings of TradingCardCollectibles.com, a company that sold trading cards and ripped off customers in the amount of “$200,000-$300,000 range”. That site has since been removed and has re-spawned as WholesaleTradingCards.com.

If you are a sports collector, or even spend your evenings playing ‘Magic: The Gathering’ at the comic shop, beware of this business & find somewhere else to get your cards. Here are some first-hand accounts into transactions made by collectors. It’s scary how many people Eual Brent Hallford ripped off.

The Jacksonville news story can be found HERE.

Just got home from a hectic work day and found a package from this trade. In return for my three autographs I receieved 12 Derek Jeters for the Infamous Tatiana, 29 Jose Canseco cards, and 4 Andrew Miller cards. Not bad, eh? This brings my Jose Canseco count to 755 different cards. Thanks to “CalicoJones”, Steve G., & J.T for adding to my collection. To the latter, your thank you gift will be sent out this weekend.

The biggest news of the year for me is a possible trade with a guy at the Blowout Cards who was once a Canseco collector and is unloading all his cards. So far he has put together a lot of Canseco cards that include two autographs & 16 game-used. If he can add a couple more Canseco base cards and a few cheap Jeters for the ball & chain he will be getting my best card (at the moment), the SP Authentic ‘By The Letter’ short-print gold ink autograph Ryan Braun, plus a few extra cards. Man, I am so excited at the possibility of my first Jose Canseco autograph!!!

Who is your favorite Baseball Nomad?

You know, the one player that comes out of nowhere after playing 5-7 seasons, puts together M.V.P-like numbers and then vanishes into obscurity once more? For me, that player is Geronimo Berroa, a sometime slugger who played on nine different clubs over an eleven year career. I will do the unthinkable and suspend disbelief for a moment. Yes, the guy played with McGwire/Giambi/Canseco in the late 90’s but something tells me that he did not take Steroids. Look at the guy, from his name to his demeanor. I just don’t think he ever fit in with popular guys like Jose and Jason. He was probably an outsider looking to keep his job, putting in extra hours in the batting cages while guys like Jose & Jason were probably out getting tanked and looking for women to spend the night with. Big Mac? He was busy working on his curly mullet.

I apologize for being so blunt but having not watched baseball since 2002 I have a lot to catch up on. Now that it’s been about 7 months I have come across Adam Dunn of the Cincinatti Reds. I’ve pulled a good 8-10 of his cards, maybe even a Refractor but never did I think of looking at his stats until today. The man has put together the most quiet back to back to back to back 40 home runs seasons in Major League history! It’s not just in the Hobby that he gets no love either. He hit 46 home runs and 100+ RBI in 2004 and came in a laughable 28th in the M.V.P voting that year. In those four seasons, he’s only been an All-Star one time. That’s pathetic, America. Where is the love for Adam Dunn?

His rookie card, a 1999 Bowman Chrome can be found for $5 or less scattered all over eBay and the parallels can be found for under $20. Meanwhile, the Hobby is drooling over Joba Chamberlain, a glorified future closer and his 2007 Bowman Chrome rookie card. There has to be some conspiracy here. What does Adam have to do in 2008 to get some attention from the Collector World? Hit 60 home runs? He’d still get over-looked by Ken Griffey’s 35 for Cincinnati.

One last stat to look at. In the last four seasons Adam has only two home runs less than Albert Pujol’s of that same period. Pujols is considered a Baseball God, while Adam is looked at as a better version of Matt Stairs. What’s this world come to?

Man, I love looking through stats of players long gone from the game. You know, I use to look at a player like Jose Canseco and marvel at his home runs out puts; 42 in ‘88, 44 in ‘91, 46 in ‘98. Do you notice something about those stats? He could never do 40+ home runs back to back due to one injury after another. I know that he could have hit 500+ home runs if he could have stayed healthy but that is just a fantasy. How about a guy who put three seasons in a row of 40+ home runs way before the Steroid Era but does not get ANY of the Hobby love Canseco got in his heyday and even still today?  His name is Ted Kluszewski and he was one hell of a slugger for Cincinatti.

You know, come to think of it, “Big Klu” and Jose had a very similar career! Ted only played in four full seasons in a fifteen year career due to injuries. From 1953 to 1955 he hit 40, 49, and 47 home runs, while driving in over 100 runs each time.  He was also had a lifetime career average of .353 but because of his weak outputs in other categories he never landed in the Hall of Fame.

Here is a great excerpt from Wikipedia about “Big Klu”;

Soon after the 6′-2″ (1.89 m), 240-pound (108.8 kg) Ted Kluszewski joined the Reds, he cut off the sleeves of his uniform, much to the chagrin of the Reds front office. He did it because the tight sleeves constricted his large biceps and shoulders and interfered with his swing. “They got pretty upset, but it was either that or change my swing - and I wasn’t about to change my swing”, said Kluszewski. 

You can find some of “Big Klu’s” game-used and autographs in 2005 Upper Deck Legendary Lumber.

To most bloggers, this news is ancient but I have been so swamped with other projects I did not get a chance to cover it until today. First of all, why?

1994 - Was commissioner while the strike drove away fans, some that never returned and canceled the World Series for the first time since 1904.

2001 - Charged with racketeering and conspiracy along with fellow scumbag Jeffrey Loria (settled out of court for big $$$).

2002 - Called the All-Star game a tie in the 12th in fear of risking the arms of pitchers on the mound, killed All-Star game ratings for years to come.

2005 - Faced Congress for long-ignored Steroid issue that made owners rich and made players the scapegoat.

2008 - Selig’s contract extended until 2012!!! WHAT?!?

Bud will forever be known as the “Steroids Commisioner“. Here’s to another 5 years of concealing the truth and destroying America’s pastime. Thanks, Bud! Keep diggin’ and you might find some integrity.

Damn, you would think that with a miraculous 50-home run season under his belt, bad-ass side burns, and a six-pack that would put T.O to shame, former big-league “slugger” Brady Anderson would have women crawling all over him, fighting to get a look at his Baltimore Oriole, but I guess not. TMZ.com is reporting that Anderson has resorted to online dating. All I can say is, be careful Brady. You could be chatting away with a TMZ detective, or worse yet….Andres Galaragga!

Anyways, here is the awesome video for anyone interested.