Angels, Angels, and even more Angels

I'm pretty sure that anybody who reads baseball card blogs has come across the Dime Boxes blog, but if they haven't, they need to.  Nick has a way of connecting with cardboard of all types and enjoying the cards on their own terms.

Recently I saw a post he wrote and inquired about a card I needed to have wanted to get.  I sent along a couple blue and red parallels and a stack of the blurriest 1982 Fleer I could find.  What I got back was way more than I could have expected (which is quickly becoming a running theme for me).

This is the card I asked about.   I would have been happy with this card alone.  An Angels blogger, who I know has seen more Angel ball than I have lately, has opined that this kid has the enthusiasm that the rest team could use more of.  So I've started a player collection.  This camo version will go next to the base card and the gold parallel I have.  I only need 45 more for the rainbow (I kid...sorta.  There's 14 total I think.  14!?!)

But Nick decided to throw in a stack of Angels.  Over 50 more Angels.  I'll show some of the highlights.

 Player collection needs!  There's a Rod Carew card from his playing days.  I thought I had all those except his rookie card, and assorted OPeeChee cards.  And a Tim Salmon to add to one of my more recent player collections.  But that Bobby Grich is possibly my favorite card of the package.  Underrated player, and he doesn't seem to get much love from Topps in their recent binge of "old players on new cardboard".

1987 "1987 mini" next to 2012 "1987 mini".  And a 1987 for comparison.  1987 Topps was the second set I ever completed from busting packs, after 1986.  All these years later, I still like 1987 better.

A couple of guys who ended their careers in 2012, never having made the majors.  Both made AAA though.  I don't think I'm in the minority when I say that I would given anything to have the chance to play one season in the minors.  Castillo played 7, getting 5 games at AAA in 2011.  Auer played 5 seasons, getting 105 games at AAA in 2010-2011.

Gold parallels, and sparkly parallel.  I'm a sucker for all the parallels I've seen the last couple of years.  Sure, Topps is beating a dead horse, and the dead donkey next to it, by overdoing parallels.  But I still like them.

I have considered starting a Gary DiSarcina player collection.  He was the real reason the Angels collapsed in 1995.  He was hitting .307 in the 9 hole and made the All Star Game in 1995.  Then he gets hurt on August 3rd, missing a month and a half, and the Angels went in the tank.  The Percival and Velarde bring my grand total of 1997 Topps to two (edit - grand total of three.  There was a third one in the package).

And here's the guy the Angels let go so they could sign Josh Hamilton.  So they could pay 5 times as much for less production.  So they could sign a guy with a checkered past and ongoing recovery instead of a clubhouse leader.  (Don't get me wrong, I'm not bashing anybody in recovery and definitely not the process itself.   I'm lamenting the presence of the man that got away).


Thanks Nick.