1989 Topps Greg Maddux

Is this the best looking Greg Maddux card ever made?  One would find it hard to argue against it, that’s for sure!!!

With a classic and basic design that would have worked decades prior to its release, the 1989 Topps issue has the look and feel of a vintage baseball card set.

And this Greg Maddux card is one of its treasures!!!

With Wrigley Field’s wall of ivy as the backdrop, Maddux’s image leaps off of the card.  The action shot has been frozen at the highest point of his pitching motion capturing him in a way that only hitters, catchers, and umpires had seen prior.  The color scheme and old-school script work well together and both elements scream Chicago Cubs!

I am so happy to finally add this card to my Greg Maddux player collection!!! 

The Barves are going to sign Billy Wagner who still has a year or so left in him.  He think his velocity could be down from last yewar and he will need some time to regain how good he is but it isn’t a terrible signing.  He isn’t the best fit but he is a veteran closer and that’s whta the Braves need to try to get a playoff berth.  He still has the stuff to get hitters out but don’t expect a whole lot out of him.  If he doesn’t close he might actually be better but closing is best for him right now.  Wagner should keep striking out hitters and he should get the job done for the Braves this year.  He won’t blow a lot of saves.  Wagner still has a little bit of what he used to have so he should go through some good stretches.

Pitcher Phil Niekro holds the record for having the most wins without ever appearing in a World Series(318).  He played 24 seasons, mostly with the Braves.

**factoid courtesy of ‘Armchair Reader – Grand Slam Baseball’

My take - I am pretty sure that this is a records that Mr. Niekro is not proud to own…

I am a follower of the site “mlbtraderumors.com” during the offseason and when it becomes closer to the trade deadline of the baseball season. Usually, I am very interested and agree with a lot of what the site says. However, they posted their Top 50 Free Agent Predictions, and I throughly disagree on many. Here is my list:

Matt Holliday (above) watches the game from the dugout.

1.  Matt Holliday – Mets.   The Mets need offense, plain and simple. They have the money, and want to add the big bat.

2.  John Lackey – Red Sox. Boston’s rotation was almost a sure thing prior to last season. Now, Beckett and Lester are the only two definite starters, so signing Lackey is a top priority.

3.  Jason Bay – Red Sox.  Boston is the only place Bay has won, and he fits in very nicely there. I expect him to wait until Holliday signs, but after realizing Boston is his best spot, he will resign.

4.  Chone Figgins – Cardinals. A bit of a surprise here, as most believe Figgins will either sign with the Phillies or return to the Angels. However, the Cardinals struggled with solidifying the top of their lineup all season, and Troy Glaus is no longer a sure thing at the hot corner.

5.  Randy Wolf – Dodgers. L.A. is in the same situation as Boston, and have no idea what their rotation will look like next season. It’s highly unlikely that the Dodgers could acquire Roy Halladay, so Wolf is a must to bring back.

6.  Andy Pettitte – Retirement. Yes, Pettitte is finally going to walk away. After winning a World Series in 2009, who wouldn’t want to go out on top?

7.  Jose Valverde – Yankees. This will be the biggest splash of the offseason in the Bronx, as the will sign Valverde to set up Rivera, and possibly be his replacement.

8.  Marco Scutaro – Red Sox. The Sox let SS Alex Gonzalez walk, and Scutaro fits nicely. He can bat at either the top or bottom of the lineup, and will help SS Jed Lowrie stay fresh throughout the season.

9.  Adrian Beltre – Angels. They will need to fill the void that Figgins leaves, and I don’t think that they are ready to hand over the job to minor leaguers yet. This signing makes much more sense if the Halos are unable to bring back OF Vladamir Guerrero.

10.  Rich Harden – Mets. I believe the Red Sox will get Halladay, and that is why I have Harden going to the Mets. In desperate need of starting pitching and a winning club, look for New York to go on a spending spree to try and fill the stands at Citi Field.

11.  Mike Cameron – Royals. Kansas City already declined Coco Crisp’s option, and they need a center fielder. Frankly, the need elsewhere for Cameron’s services is limited.

12.  Johnny Damon – Giants. The Giants need to add offense, and Damon would fit nicely by the bay. Damon would also be the final piece of an outfield that includes Aaron Rowand and Nate Schierholtz.

13.  Orlando Hudson – Diamondbacks. It was a mistake letting Hudson walk in the first place, and Arizona was a dreadful team last season. They need to make improvements, and second base is one of the many holes on this club.

14.  Miguel Tejada – Orioles. I think Tejada would be good for the Phillies,

Miguel Tejada (above) could dawn that same Orioles' uniform again.

 but I just can’t see that happening. After the relationship soured between Baltimore and Melvin Mora last season, a hole at third base opened up for Tejada to step right back into.

15.  Joel Pineiro - Mets. New York needs rotation help, and its no secret that GM Omar Minaya likes the idea of building a latin oriented team.

16.  Nick Johnson – Orioles. Baltimore let 1B Aubrey Huff go at the trade deadline, and can afford to offer an incentive laden deal to the oft-injured Johnson.

17.  Aroldis Chapman - Reds. This could be the surprise of the offseason. After all the hype, when teams actually see him throw, I believe that his value will fall in the eyes of GMs, and will join the Reds rotation of the future, Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto, and Micah Owings.

18.  Marlon Byrd – Rangers. It is the only place where Byrd has had success in his major league career, and there is not much of a market for center fielders, prompting the Rangers to keep Marlon.

19.  Vladimir Guerrero – Twins. This is another surprise pick here, but Minnesota needs to add a bat to help MVP Joe Mauer and 1B Justin Morneau. Guerrero would be the perfect DH to open a new ball park in the Twin Cities.

20.  Felipe Lopez – Dodgers. With Orlando Hudson leaving the Dodgers, Lopez fits right in as a bat in the No.2 hole of the line up, or down at the bottom.

21.  Adam LaRoche – Braves. LaRoche has spent most of his big league career in Atlanta, and the Braves can’t afford to lose too much offense. Look for LaRoche to get a pay raise to ensure that he doesn’t leave Georgia.

22.  Rafael Soriano – Angels. Adding this right-handed late inning reliever will give L.A. the ability to play the numbers, and put in either Soriano or closer Brian Fuentes based on matchups.

 23. Jon Garland - Twins. Minnesota would like another arm to go in their rotation, and Garland would be a nice addition. He is one of the lower pitchers of this year’s crop, so his price will not be outrageously high.

24.  Carl Pavano - Nationals. Pavano was given a shot by the Indians last season, and was then traded to Minnesota. While Carl could still return to Cleveland, the Nationals are in need of a veteran starter, and a stop gap until all their young pitching talent arrives.

25.  Brad Penny - Diamondbacks. Arizona needs everything, and Penny would give the D-Backs a deeper rotation, as well as a veteran starter.

26.  Erik Bedard – Dodgers. Bedard is often injured, and this could lower his price. However, price isn’t much of an issue in L.A. Bedard is also rumored to be a pain in the clubhouse, in which he would fit right in with Dodgers OF Manny Ramirez.

World Series MVP Hideki Matsui (above) won't leave the Bronx.

27.  Hideki Matsui – Yankees. Believe it or not, the Yankees need the Japanese media in New York. Not to mention, Matsui was just World Series MVP, and there is no way that he is let go.

 28.  Bengie Molina – Mets. The Mets need bats, and their offseason spending frenzy will continue with the signing of Molina. Acquiring one of the best hitting catchers in baseball will help New York build a deeper line up.

29.  Mike Gonzalez – Braves. A possible destination is in the Bronx, but if Soriano leaves Atlanta, Gonzalez may like having the closer’s role all to himself.

30.  Jason Marquis – Rockies. Marquis had a stellar first half in Denver, but struggled down the stretch. I believe that he will hold out in hopes of a bigger deal, but the market will not play in his favor and force a return to the Rockies.

31.  Placido Polanco – Rays. Money isn’t a plenty down in Florida, but after trading 2B Akinori Iwamura, the Rays could use a stabalizing force at the top of their line up. CF B.J. Upton was inconsistent last season, which is why signing Polanco could happen.

32.  Tim Wakefield – Red Sox.  Boston’s rotation is very uncertain, and Wakefield has only ever played for one team. If Wakefield doesn’t return to Boston like I believe, look for retirement.

33.  Ben Sheets – Rangers. Sheets has taken a year off to recover from shoulder surgery, and looks to mount a comeback. Not many teams will be willing to offer him a contract, but the Rangers are always in need of starters, and could offer him an incentive laden deal. Not to mention, Sheets is the same kind of pitcher that owner Nolan Ryan used to be, so that must make him attractive.

34.  Doug Davis – Brewers. Davis has already played for the Brewers, and Milwaukee doesn’t have the money to sign a top-notch starter. Davis’s signing looks even more likely since the Brewers claimed him on waivers in August but couldn’t work out a deal.

35.  Jarrod Washburn – Mariners. There were no bitter feelings between the two sides after trading Washburn to Detroit, and the pitcher said that he would like to return to Seattle. The Mariners aren’t deep on pitching, so bringing back Washburn makes perfect sense.

36.  Russell Branyan – Mariners. I don’t believe that any other club will take the chance of signing Branyan, for he very likely could be a one year wonder. Also, Branyan has the desire to stay in Seattle, so why would he leave?

37.  Billy Wagner – Nationals. Wagner has questions about his health and age, which makes him an unreliable option in the late innings. However, he has stated that he wants to close for the Washington Nationals, and they have no one better. There is no reason that this deal shouldn’t get done.

38.  Juan Uribe – Mariners. Uribe had a good season in San Francisco last season, but not good enough to demand a crazy amount of money. The Mariners will need a third basemen if Adrian Beltre opts to leave, making Uribe a fit in Seattle.

39.  John Smoltz – Retirement. Smoltz’s attempt to come back from shoulder surgery failed last season, and there is no reason to believe that he would be able to make it through a full season. I don’t believe any club in contention would take a chance on Smoltz.

40.  Jermaine Dye – Royals. Dye is in the last stretch of his career, and being a former Royal may appeal to him. His market is not that big, therefore Kansas City would be able to afford him.

41.  Mark DeRosa - Phillies.  The Phillies have tried to acquire DeRosa for years. It makes perfect sense for both sides, as Philadelphia will need a third basemen going into next season.

42.  Coco Crisp – Padres. Money is an issue for San Diego, and it helps that Crisp can’t demand a ton of it. The Padres need an outfielder, and Crisp would be a nice addition to the top of the line up.

43.  Carlos Delgado – Blue Jays. Delgado is another aging superstar, and

Carlos Delgado (above) could also be returning to Toronto.

may want to return to his old stomping ground in Toronto. The Jays are totally devoid of power, and could bring back Delgado at a low price.

44.  Orlando Cabrera – Twins. Both sides have interest, as Cabrera was the emotional leader of last season’s squad. I don’t see Cabrera going any place else.

45.  Gregg Zaun – Rays. The Rays need a backup catcher, and Zaun is cheap. Perfect fit.

46.  Jim Thome – White Sox. Thome has had a good run in Chicago, and the only other place I could see him landing would be Cleveland. I think the issue here will be money, and Thome will not get what he want, but Chicago will offer a little more than Cleveland.

47.  Fernando Rodney – Phillies. Rodney is a good fit in Philadelphia because of his versatility. He can close, set up, and pitch in middle relief. If Brad Lidge struggles again next season, Rodney would be the best insurance policy.

48.  Xavier Nady - Diamondbacks.  Nady provides corner outfield depth, and can play first base. He’s not an all-star by any means, but a decent player that could help out in Arizona.

49.  Kiko Calero - Rays. Calero would be cheap, and as I have previously said, that makes him a fit as a reliever in Tampa.

50.  Rafael Betancourt – Rockies. Betancourt was one of the Rockies best relievers last season, and there will be interest in him. However, I think Colorado will offer some decent dollars to Betancourt, and keep him around.

There is one thing that I did agree with on the site, and it is that this is a difficult puzzle. If one player signs with one team, it ultimately could effect another team’s interest in another player, and all sorts of mayhem in which is the MLB offseason. Although, I thoroughly believe that my predictions will prove more accurate.

1991 Score Greg Maddux

Ah, the good old Black bordered cards….  A true thing of beauty!!!

And these cards from the 1991 Score set held up so much better than the other cards issued prior with the same colored borders…

The card’s borders are sharp and clean.  This allows for the image to be the focus and this picture of Greg Maddux in mid-windup really jumps off of the cardboard!!  The picture is obviously taken from Wrigley Field as you can see the Ivy growing on the outfield walls behind him.  And since he is wearing long sleeves and the Ivy looks thick, I am going to estimate that this picture was taken pretty late in the baseball season.

Another great looking Greg Maddux card to scratch off my ‘Needs List’ – YES!!!

Bills' owner Ralph Wilson

A team a few bricks shy of a load. Small in stature at positions where that matters most. Week after week unable to finish close games.

That sounds an awful lot like the current Buffalo Bills football squad. But not so long ago that scouting report also summed up the Buffalo Braves basketball team. And, unfortunately, such organizational faults helped speed the team’s departure from Western New York.

In following the Bills’ ineptitude in recent seasons, I’m reminded of conversations I had with Bob McAdoo while writing Buffalo, Home of the Braves. The Hall of Famer, now in his 15^th year as an assistant with the Miami Heat, talked at length about being patient. Having a plan and believing in it.

“Several times the pieces we had the pieces in our hands for a championship team,” McAdoo says, “and we let them go.”

Of course, one of the pieces that the Braves gave away was McAdoo himself – peddled to the New York Knicks in a Judas deal for John Gianelli and $3 million.

But there are plenty of other examples:

• Trading away a young Moses Malone.
• Firing Hall of Fame coach Jack Ramsay
• Drafting Tom McMillen when Ricky Sobers, Lloyd Free, Gus Williams and Kevin Grevey were available.
• Showing Jim McMillian, Gar Heard and Jack Marin the door.
• Allowing John Y. Brown to turn the franchise into “ABA North.”

“Good teams know when to stand pat,” McAdoo told me. “With bad ones, things get too fast, too crazy. Before you know it, you look up and see you’ve lost what’s really important.”

With the Bills going through such uncertain times, here’s hoping they’ve learned a lesson from the old Braves. The fans in Buffalo are among the most knowledgeable I’ve ever come across. They know when team ownership has a real plan and when it is just another shell game.

1990 Donruss Greg Maddux

Another card has been added to my Greg Maddux player collection!!

Typically when I see a card, especially one that I have not seen in a while, I take a few moments to quickly analyze the overall design before I make my final decision and form my opinion of the card.

For this one, the jury is still out.  And I got this card a few weeks ago…

I like the action photo, but the background draws my eye away from Maddux.  I  like the Red border, but the odd confetti-esque elements running down the side of the card look  strange.  The only part that I definitely love about this card is the script used for the player’s name – what a great change from the normal and boring fonts used in previous issues!!

So  while I decide if I am going to give this card a thumbs up or down, tell me your opinion…

As I surfed through a few 3200 count boxes labeled $0.25 on the outside, I became a little nostalgic.

While not letting my emotions take control of my wallet, I did manage to pull these three rookie cards from the 1980’s of guys that left a lasting impression on me during my youth.

Dave Stewart – One of the most intimidating guys I have ever seen on the mound.  His look of concentration, mixed with intimidation, left me shaking in my Nikes when I was watching him pitch for the A’s.

Bret Saberhagen – Saberhagen won the Cy Young award in both 1985 and 1989.  I distinctly remember him winning the award in 1985 and when he did it again in ‘89, I was surprised and a little shocked that he was that good.  This of course was before Maddux, Clemens, and Randy Johnson became elite pitchers and set a new standard…

Julio Franco – That batting stance stood out like a sore thumb in the mid-80’s and I can still picture it vividly today.  Before Jerome Walton and Junior Felix and Chris Sabo, it was Julio Franco that I was impersonating in the street when the neighborhood kids got together to play ball.

1992 Fleer Ultra Greg Maddux

When Fleer debuted its ‘Ultra’ set, the card’s image quality and cardboard quality raised the bar in terms of product presentation.

With a much thicker and more hefty cardboard stock, you really felt like you were holding something precious when you got your hands on these beauties.  And when you look at the quality of the images they used compared to other card brands and even Fleer’s base cards, Ultra quickly elevated itself as being the premier card.

I love this card of Greg Maddux!!!

Although 1992 was Maddux’s last year during his first stint with the Cubs, it was also the start of his incredible 4-year streak of winning the Cy Young award.  In that ‘92 season, Maddux started 35 games while going 20-11.  He threw 9 complete games, including 4 shutouts.  ‘Mad Dog’ struck out 199 batters that season while giving up just 70 walks.  He also established a career low 2.18 ERA, which would amazingly be surpassed just two seasons later.

This is a great addition to my Greg Maddux collection!!!  One more for the ‘Good Guys’!!! 

According to FOX Sports the Braves are after five-second tier sluggers.  Here they are with analysis

 Marlon Byrd- Here is the guy, right here.  He fits into the offense and is what they need plus he is underrated and will do more things than your average slugger.  Byrd could be very good on the Braves especially ahead of the right guy.
Xavier Nady- Nady is right behind Byrd, he would do the same just not as good but wouldn’t be bad back-up plan.  He would do well as a Brave
Mike Cameron- Bad guy to go after, not very good at offense, on the downside of his career, will only play well for a number of teams.  Cameron won’t do good for many teams and this would be bad all around.
Dan Uggla- Another great guy but at the wrong position you want Prado.  Uggla would do a lot of good for them but I just wouldn’t sacrifice a good player.  They should wait a few and snag him when Chipper retires though.
David DeJesus- I don’t think he would cut it, DeJesus could do good but it probably wouldn’t.  He has to many cons and I think the Braves would be disappointed in him.  DeJesus would never be good to pursue.

BEST CHOICE: Marlon Byrd, almost all the way

The Braves would be a good team with a first tier sslugger so watch for them to go after Bay or Holliday.

Where’s the Big Bopper?

by Voice of Reason Raisins

JEFFERSON, GA – Unicorns, Bigfoot, UFO’s, Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, free lunch, government intelligence, affordable power hitting outfielder…

It’s gonna take more that a ride on the Polar Express to make me believe.

This years Free Agent crop is headlined by two premier outfielders, Jason Bay and Matt Holliday. Do I really have to go into deep detail as to why the Braves cannot be considered serous contenders in the bidding for either of these two Rolls Royces? I don’t think I do.

Past the luxury models, we can move to the more affordable, practical sedans.

For Left Field, you’ll find names such as Marlon Byrd… uh, Marlon Byrd. That’s about it. C’mon… does Marcus Thames really excite you? How about Joey Gathright? David Delucci? Folks, it ain’t there. Garret Anderson is one of the better names on that list. Really…

OK, what about Center Field? OK, there we can find Mike Cameron. Past that there’s Rick Ankiel, Andruw Jones (ugh), and Corey Patterson. Bleh!

Maybe Right Field. Maybe not. Austin Kearns? Brian Giles? Jermaine Dye? Do you really want Dye in left field? Do you remember some of the misadventures we endured with Anderson? No thanks!

Um, First Base? There you will see Adam LaRoache, Russell Branyan, Nick Johnson and a bunch of scrap. Johnson has a nice OBP, but isn’t a bopper. Branyan? Hmmm… maybe, but he wants two years guaranteed. If I’m doing that, I’m doing it for Adam and keeping him at home. That said, none of those is guaranteeing you 30+ HR’s. Branyan comes close, but there is that back thing…

Bottom line: The Big Bopper isn’t there.

What about the trade market? Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham immediately come to mind, but why would the Nationals trade their core offensive players to their division rival? Answer: they won’t. Not happenin’. Carlos Lee? Contract is too prohibitive. Delmon Young? We just traded our version of Delmon Young to the Mets. Cody Ross? See Dunn and Willingham. Brad Hawpe? Nick Swisher? Not enough power to be a bopper. Maybe Ryan Ludwick? I don’t see St. Louis trading him since Holliday is likely to sign elsewhere. The one guy who might be out there and fits the description is Adrian Gonzalez, but it is not yet determined if he’s actually going to be available, and the Padres would gut the farm system of just about everything leftover after the Tex trade. Uh, no.

Much has been said recently as to the candidacy of Dan Uggla. I’m not buying. First, he’s never logged one inning in the major leagues outside of Second Base. And he didn’t do that particularly well. Why would you take the absolute strength of your team, being pitching, and reduce it with sub-par defense? Answer: you won’t. Also, see Dunn, Willingham and Ross. The Marlins do not particularly want to make the Braves any better, and likewise the Braves do not particularly want to make the Marlins any better. That is what you call “not a match”.

And that is what Frank has to find in the trade market… a match. Who will take our surplus (pitching, KJ) and give us our need (LF, 1B, ‘pen)?

So, what can we take from all of this blather?

There isn’t a Big Bopper out there and available. We probably have a better chance of seeing the real Big Bopper rise up and sing <i>Chantilly Lace</i> as we have of landing a Big Bopper for the lineup.

So, how do we overcome that obstacle? Well, is it really an obstacle?

Three mid-level signings give you a pretty darn good team, in my view. Mike Cameron, as I have said over and over, can be had on a one year deal for around $7MM, plays stellar defense, and will give you 20-25 HR’s and 70-80 RBI. Re-sign Rochey and Gonzo, and you have a team to compete with anyone in the NL.

And we can afford that.

We need to take a step back and realize that after the acquisitions of Nate McClouth and Rochey, we played as well as anybody in the league. And that was with Chipper tanking and Garret Anderson in left field. I’ll take a whole season of both Rochey, an outfield of N8, Cameron and Diaz (and/or JHey, but that’s a separate topic).

Add that to the best starting rotation in the National League, and maybe in either league, and we have a winning team.

The best part? We still have a starter to trade… we still have ammo to fill the gaps.

And we won’t have Greg Norton.

~Raisins~

Comments and articles herein are the intellectual property and opinions of the writers and may not be copied without permission of the writers.

The oldest player to ever hit a Grand Slam was Julio Franco, who, on June 27, 2005, accomplished this feat at the age of 46 years and 10 months.

**factoid courtesy of ‘Armchair Reader – Grand Slam Baseball’

Tigers reportedly shopping Edwin Jackson, Curtis Granderson

The Detroit Tigers might be looking to shed some of their key players, if rumors coming out of the general mangers’ meetings in Chicago are true. First, foxsports.com reported that the Tigers are looking to deal right-handed starter Edwin Jackson. Then the New York Post reported that they’re offering centerfielder Curtis Granderson for the right deal.–Detroit Free Press

Red Sox interested in Matsui?

A Japanese sports web site has reported the Red Sox may have interest in signing World Series MVP Hideki Matsui.

Nikkan Sports reported that the Red Sox are prepared to offer a multi-year deal to Matsui, who was the Yankees’ designated hitter this season. Matsui, 35, has battled knee problems that have kept him from playing outfield, but his hitting has been solid and timely. –Boston Globe

Wren gets ball rolling on potential trades

Before Frank Wren caught a flight Wednesday from Chicago to Phoenix to see Braves pitching prospects in the Arizona Fall League, the Braves general manager met with teams interested in some of his team’s older pitchers. –The Atlanta Journal and Constituion

• Annouce extension with SP Tim Hudson.  3yr/$28 mil

• Hudson Returns To Braves’ DL With Three-Year Deal






• Quinn Loses QB Controversy, Will Start For Browns






• Guys We’ve Heard Of That Stayed Healthy Sweep Gold Gloves






• Mariners Ecstatic To Bring Back DH Who Hit .214






• Yankees Inquire On Halladay To Piss Off Three Remaining Dudes Not Complaining About Them Buying The World Series

1990 Score Greg Maddux

 What a great picture!!!

Here we have one of the game’s elite pitchers hurling another pitch to a batter that most likely has little chance of producing offense.  The photographer that shot this picture was able to catch the ball just milliseconds after it left Maddux’s hand – nice work!!! 

1990 was a decent year for Maddux.  He started 35 games and finished the year at 15-15.  He threw 8 complete games in ‘90 while also compiling a 3.46 ERA.  1990 was also the first year that Greg Maddux would capture the Gold Glove award; his first of eighteen!!! 

After seeing the parade day pictures that I knew would just piss me off, something hit me.  New York fans are the luckiest in the world right now (well except for Mike and all the other Met and Jet fans).  Just two years after seeing their beloved New York “Football” Giants make probably the greatest play in Super Bowl history to beat arguably the greatest team of all-time, New York fans have it all again.  This time, it was the Yankees who took a 9 year hiatus after winning back-to back- to back world series titles (as if that wasn’t enough).  Of course congratulations are definitely in order, but at the same time this just angers me.  The Yankees have just won their 27th, yes 27th, World Series and had their parade yesterday morning.  Damn, I’m jealous.  I guess it’s just more of a reason for me to root against them next year.

This looks fun...

Yes my team did win it all back in 1995, but I was only six years old then and barely remember it.  I want to see the Atlanta Braves win NOW.  What I would give to see Chipper Jones and Bobby Cox hoist up that trophy one more time?  Very close to anything.  This championship makes me hate New York even more than before, although I’m happy it made Jimmy Rollins shut up a little bit (Although he still claims that Philly is the better team haha).  This is my plea to the Braves to win a final one for Bobby.  As their current team stands, there is only a small chance that the team can beat out the Phillies, and some moves need to happen.  These are realistic moves of what I want to see happen this offseason for the Braves.

1. Trade Javier Vasquez (Last year of his contract and coming off of career season) for a power hitting right handed batter.  Maybe someone like Dan Uggla or a Left Fielder.

2. Re-sign Mike Gonzalez for the closer role, and use Peter Moylan as set up.

3. Re-sign LaRoche for only a 1 or 2 year deal, because we have #1 prospect Jason Heyward in the wings…

4. If we don’t land a starting power hitting LF via trade, bring Jermaine Dye back to Atlanta.

I honestly believe if the Braves can make their lineup more potent with a true cleanup hitter to follow Jones, this team will contend with Philly next season, and hopefully win a championship not only for Bobby, but for me and all Braves fans.  Man what I would give…

My buddy the Troll hooked me up with this little package that i wasn’t aware that it was coming…… He helped my player collection with that Timmy Hudson and set help with the Bo Jackson…. Thanks so much Troll!!! Good looking out,homie!!!

Tim Hudson of the Atlanta Braves is close to signing a three-year extension contract, according to MLB.com. The Web site stated that while “financial specifics weren’t provided…it’s believed that this three-year offer is worth $24-27 million.” The article also mentioned that Hudson’s current contract included a $12 million option for the 2010 season.

Hudson returned from elbow reconstruction surgery in September, and made it clear that he didn’t believe an extension contract would be offered. However, sources say that there are only a few minor details left before he should receive an official contract.

To view the original article and Tim Hudson videos, click here

For the AJC article, click here

1989 Fleer Greg Maddux – For The Record

This is a very interesting card.

There are design elements that I like, and then are ones that I don’t…

First, the positives.  I love the scoreboard background that Fleer used for this card.  It works well and instantly adds a great baseball feel to the design.  Adding this player’s image on top of the scoreboard really makes them pop, and this action shot of Maddux looks great!!

And now the negatives.  I really don’t care for the font used for the headline of this card.  It screams bubble gum card to me, and seems very childish.  The Red, White, and Yellow coloring really doesn’t do anything for the card – Fleer should have tried to continue with the scoreboard theme and maybe put the player’s name and card headline in similar color and font styles to make the card gel.

Overall, I like this card.  It looks very nice and will instantly make a nice addition to my Greg Maddux player collection!!

Sun Bear Press publisher of Buffalo, Homes of the Braves, has completed an upgraded of its web site. The new look focuses on the Buffalo Braves, Western New York’s NBA team that played its formidable years in Buffalo’s Memorial Auditorium.

The new site features a collection of Buffalo Braves articles, a full chapter excerpt from Buffalo, Home of the Braves, book reviews, and a list of retail outlets selling the book in the Buffalo area. Buffalo, Home of the Braves is available in a limited quantity for $89.

I like to share the new additions I pick up for my player collections.  But it is very rare that I would showcase the back of a card…

For the 1989 Upper Deck Greg Maddux card, I will make an exception!!!

In ‘89 these cards overwhelmed collectors with its high quality, glossy cardboard and great photography.  And adding a large photo on the back sealed the deal as the hobby’s best looking brand.

The front of the card features Maddux in the beginning stages of his wind-up…. 

 … while the back of the card shows his follow-through as he delivers another pitch toward home plates…

During my collecting days as a kid, I had a few of the ‘89 Upper Deck sets.  Today those days are just memories… 

I wonder if anyone ever put these cards in boxes or in plastic sleeves with the card backs being the feature.  Something tells me the set could still hold it’s weight…

@RobertWooleyPhotography

This week we will focus on some sports shots I have taken.  This is the Atlanta Braves versus New York Yankees game  in Atlanta.  My sister is a huge Derek Jeter and Yankee’s fan so most of my shots from the game were of the Yankees.  The game was not very close and as a matter of fact, neither was I.  Most of the game I was at least 50 rows from the field.  I was able to sneak down the field level where she was as she got tickets from a friend for her birthday and oddly enough I was in town for business so I met her there.