Milsurp After Hours

One hell of a post my friend the detail is amazing.

Well done and thanks for taking the time.

Like I said, doing this relaxes me in an otherwise pretty-hectic time. And while of course I enjoy sharing my collection, I enjoy sharing the knowledge about that collection even more.

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-2005 Fleer Flair Showcase Cuts & Glory Johan Santana autograph/game-used patch. The unquestioned ace of the New York Mets, left-hander Johan Santana is almost certainly the best pitcher in baseball over the past five years and I do not say that as a Mets fan, but rather as a baseball fan. He came up in 2000, which is when the Minnesota Twins acquired him from the Florida Marlins for AAA pitcher Jared Camp. The Marlins had just made one of the best Rule V Draft selections (where a player is left off a team's 40-man roster, has played at least five professional seasons, and must be returned to said team by the team that drafts himk if he doesn't stay in the Majors the entire year) from the Houston Astros and wasted him. At first, he seemed an unlikely candidate to be starting baseball games at all. He had no breaking pitch. He threw an incredible fastball, an incredible changeup, and nothing else. The Twins soon taught him how to throw a slider, although he didn't really grasp how to mix it in well with the fastball and changeup until about 2002, which is when he starts breaking out. He went 8-6 that year with a 2.99 ERA in 27 games (14 starts) and struck out 137 batters in only 108 1/3rd innings. The following year, he went 12-3 with a 3.07 ERA, though was still being used as a swingman (18 starts, 45 games pitched). He K'ed 169 in 158 1/3rd innings. In 2004, he was shifted to the rotation full-time. He responded by going 20-6 with a 2.61 ERA in 261 innings pitched with an incredible 265 strikeouts. Not too surprisingly, he won the AL Cy Young Award. In 2005, he dropped to 16-7 with a 2.85 ERA and 238 strikeouts in 231 2/3rd innings pitched. In 2006, he improved to 19-6 with a 2.77 ERA and 245 strikeouts in 233 2/3rd innings pitched. Because he had led the American League in wins, strikeouts, and earned run average, he'd just won the pitching triple crown. In mid 2007, Johan cracked the nail of his left thumb, making it impossible for him to throw his slider. Still, using just the fastball and changeup, he went 15-13 with a terrible Twins team, had a 3.33 ERA, and struck out 235 batters in 219 innings pitched. This year, after he was traded to the New York Mets for right-handed pitcher Philip Humber (been a bust), right-handed pitcher Kevin Mulvey (not lived up to expectations), outfielder Carlos Gomez (he's been good), and righty pitching prospect Deolis Guerra (he's been extremely erratic), he's only gone 15-7 for the New York Mets. However, he pitched SIX quality starts in which he was given a no-decision. I believe that's the most of the decade in the National League. In 225 1/3rd innings, he's "only" struck out 197 batters. However, the reduced K/9 ratio has largely been from throwing the slider a lot less. A high-stress pitch, he got comfortable throwing just the fastball and changeup down the stretch in Minnesota in 2007 and realized he didn't need to constantly throw it. He's also posted a sparkling 2.64 ERA. Over his 9-year MLB career, Johan has gone 108-51 with a 3.13 ERA and 1,578 strikeouts in only 1,534 innings. If he continues his pitching like this, he'll be remembered with Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, and Dwight Gooden at the very least.

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-2004 Topps Cracker Jack Ty Wigginton, signed. Ty Wigginton was a fan favorite of the New York Mets during their down years from 2002-2004. A scrappy ballplayer, he could hit for some average and some power, plus he had a good batting eye. In his only full season with the Mets, "Wiggy" batted .255 with a .318 on-base percentage, 11 homeruns, 71 runs scored, 73 RBI's, and 12 stolen bases. However, with David Wright on the way up, Wiggy was dealt to Pittsburgh with then-promising pitching prospect Matt Peterson and infielder Jose Bautista for clubhouse poison starting pitcher Kris Benson and throw-in Jeff Keppinger in mid 2004. After he had lackluster performances the latter half of 2004 and in 2005 with Pittsburgh, they inexplicably released him. Picked up by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, he hit well during the 2006 and early 2007 seasons before being traded to the Houston Astros. He finished out 2007 with them and did well and has played the entire 2008 season with them and done very well. Over his 7-year career, Ty Wigginton has batted .271 with a .331 on-base percentage, 732 hits, 109 homeruns, 383 RBI's, and 343 runs scored. He's also done well in the field, playing every position except shortstop, center field, pitcher, and catcher. He'll be around a while longer.

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-2000 Upper Deck Team USA A Touch of Gold Jon Rauch autograph. Originally drafted by the Chicago White Sox, Jon Rauch is the tallest player in Major League history, standing 6'11" tall. He throws a good fastball, a curve that looks like it drops out of the sky, and a good slider that also breaks downward. Originally groomed as a starter, Jon struggled in the role and was traded with Gary Majewski to the Montreal Expos in mid 2004 for Carl Everett, by then a useless clubhouse cancer. The Expos converted Rauch into a reliever, where he immediately shined. He pitched very good middle relief with the Washington Nationals in 2005 and in 2006 and 2007, he set up Chad Cordero with ERA's below 3.75 in all three seasons. In 2008, posting a 2.98 ERA, the Nationals sold high on him and traded him to the Arizona Diamondbacks for their top infield prospect, second baseman/shortstop Emilio Bonifacio. Rauch immediately started struggling and has so far posted an ERA of 6.56 (and also gone 0-6 with regards to won/loss record). He'll likely bounce back, but probably needs a change of scenery. He's 24-23 in his 6-year career in 281 career games (including 11 starts) with an ERA of 3.83.

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-Jerrod Riggan signed 8x10. A much-ballyhooed relief pitching prospect with the New York Mets, Jerrod Riggan had a good fastball in the mid 90's, a very good changeup considering he was a one-or-two-inning relief pitcher, and a plus slider. However, his lackluster arm action contributed to a quick demise. In 2001, his only full and healthy season, he went 3-3 with a 3.40 ERA in 35 games (47 2/3rd innings). He struck out 41 and allowed only 42 hits. The next year, in 2002, he was part of the big deal that sent Roberto Alomar, Mike Bacsik, and Minor League journeyman Danny Peoples to the Mets for outfielder Matt Lawton, Riggan, top prospect Alex Escobar, first base prospect Earl Snyder, and pitching prospect Billy Traber to the Indians. Although the Indians slotted him in as a set-up man, arm problems prevented him from being anywhere near effective and he was shelled to the tune of a 7.64 ERA. The next year, in 2003, he pitched briefly with the Indians (2 games, 4 innings), posted an ERA of 9.00, and was out of the Majors for good.

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-Mark Hendrickson signed 8x10. Also an NBA basketball player, Mark Hendrickson is a 6'9" left-handed pitcher who has pitched for a variety of teams. He pitched with Toronto for two years (2002-2003), Tampa Bay from 2004-mid 2006, the Dodgers from mid 2006-2007, and this year with the Florida Marlins. Originally drafted as a starter, he's seen a lot of action out of the bullpen the past three years. He throws two fastballs (a two-seam sinking fastball travelling at 86 mph and a cut fastball travelling about 88 mph), a changeup, and a slider. A highly erratic pitcher, he's pretty much either feast or famine. Over his career, he's posted a 2.78 ERA in wins and an 8.08 ERA in losses (compare this with a guy like Johan Santana, who more closely reflects the average ERA differential with a 1.72 ERA in wins and a 5.49 ERA in losses). If he's able to find consistency, he'd make a devastating long reliever or spot starter; his pitches DO move pretty well. Over his career, he's 50-63 with a 5.08 ERA in 214 games (including 154 starts).

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-2008 TriStar PROjections Bobby Parnell autograph. A starter in the Minors, Bobby has been truly invaluable to the Mets this year as a reliever during the bullpen's September meltdown. He throws a 98 mph fastball with good movement, a plus slider, and a solid changeup. And he'd only going to get better with those pitches regarding location. I'm a little worried about his arm action (which is somewhat max effort during scapular load), but if they keep him as a reliever, I'll be a lot less worried. Not surprisingly, Bobby is a strikeout pitcher, though he can also generate groundouts with his sinking changeup. Because he's handled a heavy workload as a starter from 2005-2008 in the Minors (where he was very good), I'd be surprised if he WASN'T in the Mets' bullpen mix for next year. Should he be able to stay healthy, he's got a very bright future ahead of him.

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-Rick Porcello signed 8x10. By far the top pitching prospect in the Detroit Tigers organization, Rick Porcello can best be compared to Boston Red Sox ace Josh Beckett. He has similar (although better) mechanics, a similar build, a similar pitch repertoire, and similar expectations. However, I like Rick's approach to pitching a little better. He throws a four-seam fastball in the mid 90's, a terrific circle changeup (the pitch you see him throwing in the picture), a great curve, and an MLB quality slider. But unlike Beckett, he works more on changing speeds with the fastball and circle changeup, whereas Josh Beckett concentrates more on mixing his fastball and curve up, sometimes throwing the changeup in to left-handed hitters. I tend to like guys with the speed-changing approach (it worked for Johan Santana...), so I like Porcello a lot as a pitching prospect. I expect to see him in the Majors next year with Detroit as a September call-up. He's only 19 years old and in his first professional season (this year), he went 8-6 with a 2.66 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 125 innings pitched. Once he learns to mix his pitches a little bit better, I think you'll see those strikeout numbers go up. Barring injuries, I think he's an ace.

More later!

After the Mets lost yesterday, collapsing for the second straight year, there was some shouting at the TV, much stewing, and I ripped a newspaper in half. However, I'm calm now.

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-2005 Upper Deck USA Baseball National Team Signatures Black Ink Ian Kennedy autograph. Part of the "Generation Tre" pitching prospect trio for the New York Yankees (you've got to sit back and wonder why the New York Yankees not only ripped off a Mets pitching prospect trio's nickname, but ripped off a FAILED Mets pitching prospect trio's nickname...) Ian was a highly touted first round draft pick out of USC in 2006. In 2007, he made his MLB debut. In three games pitched (all starts), he went 1-0 with a 1.89 ERA. However, the Yankees overlooked Kennedy's lack of experience and slotted him into the rotation for 2008. It didn't work. At all. Kennedy went 0-4 in 10 games (9 starts) with a terrible 8.17 ERA. He struggled with arm problems (his arm action is relatively flawed and involves poor timing) as well as "the jitters." He's supposedly going to be back in 2009, regardless. He throws a 91 mph four-seam fastball, a knucklecurve, a slider, and a changeup. He's struggled to locate both the knucklecurve and slider for strikes and the fastball is starting to get pounded since he doesn't have pinpoint control of it. I almost wonder if the Yankees wind up trading him instead of giving him another shot.

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John Lannan signed 8x10. The de facto ace of the Washington Nationals, left-hander John Lannan is only 23 years old. A sinkerball pitcher, John also throws a sharp-breaking slider and good changeup for strikeouts. He came up in 2007, where he went 2-2 with a 4.15 ERA in 6 games, all starts. This year, 2008, was his first full season. John responded to a regular spot in the rotation by going 9-15 in 31 games, all starts, with a 3.91 ERA and 117 strikeouts in 182 innings pitched. He also surrendered only 172 hits, though he walked 72. Right now, his future looks pretty bright after posting the lowest ERA of any pitcher to start a game for the 2008 Washington Nationals. He'd still be a number three starter on a strong pitching staff, too.

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-Hugh Mulcahy signed custom index card. Nicknamed "Losing Pitcher Mulcahy" because of his unenviable job as ace of the horrible 1930's-1940's Philadelphia Phillies, the right-handed pitcher was in actuality the victim of terrible luck. He posted a career record of 45-89 over nine seasons (and was the first baseball player drafted into the US military when the draft was reinstated, missing the 1941-1945 seasons). However, his career ERA was a fair 4.49, and it would have been better had he not attempted a comeback after WWII (as well as removing his 1939 season, when he pitched through a leg injury). A fair representation of both his abilities and luck would be the 1940 season. He went 13-22 with an ERA of 3.60 and pitched three shutouts over a span of 280 innings pitched. Had he pitched with a better team, his record would have looked much better and he'd not have been nicknamed "Losing Pitcher."

-Raul Sanchez signed custom index card. Nicknamed "El Salavito," Raul Sanchez probably had the best spitball in the history of Cuban baseball (well, him or Manuel Garcia). He supposedly developed the spitter after being unable to throw anything but a fastball and a flat slider. The spit gave his slider movement and also gave him a third pitch, thrown with a changeup grip. Like many Cuban ballplayers in the 1950's, he played with both the Washington Senators and Cincinnati Reds organizations, since both had Minor League affiliates in Havana. In the Cuban Winter League, he played with the Marianao Tigers. He debuted with the Washington Senators in 1952, but inexplicably only pitched in three games, despite hurling a shutout in one of those three. In 1957, he came back up with Cincinnati and pitched 38 games in relief. Although he did okay, he was sent back to the Minors and didn't get another chance until 1960. He only pitched 8 games in relief and was gone for good. It's highly likely that the Senators and Reds simply didn't want Sanchez's spitter (and his reputation for so brazenly throwing it in the Cuban Winter League; he'd spit on the ball as the umpires were watching, but they just didn't enforce ball-doctoring) and that's why he never really got much of a chance.

-Connie Johnson signed custom index card. A right-hander who threw a very good fastball and curve, a solid slider, and a so-so changeup, Connie Johnson got his start in Negro League baseball, pitching for the Indianapolis Crawfords in 1940 and the more famous Kansas City Monarchs from 1941-1942 and then after doing his stint in the Army, 1946-1950. In 1951, he joined integrated baseball with St. Hyacinthe of the Canadian Provincial League. After going 15-14 with a 3.24 ERA, the Chicago White Sox signed him to a Minor League contract. After going 18-9 with a 3.38 ERA and having a league-leading 233 strikeouts with Colorado Springs in the Western League, he was promoted to the Majors. Despite seeing very limited action his first two seasons (1953 and 1955; he played all of 1954 in the Minors), he did very well, going 4-4 with a 3.56 ERA and 7-4 with a 3.45 ERA, respectively. The latter season finally earned him a shot at regular play in 1956. Splitting the season with the White Sox and Baltimore Orioles, he went 9-11 with a 3.44 ERA in 31 games, including 27 starts. The next season, 1957, would prove to be his best. He went 14-11 in 35 games, including 30 starts, with a 3.20 ERA and hurled three shutouts. He had arm problems in 1958, limiting him to a 6-9 record with a 3.88 ERA in 26 games, including 17 starts. He pitched in the Pacific Coast League in 1959, then pitched a single game in the Mexican League in 1960 before retiring altogether.

More later!

Maybe next year in the new stadium things will take a turn for the better.

Anybody not from the US wonder what the last game at Shea means take a look here.

http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=nym

The move to CitiField and a near-complete overhaul of the bullpen (I would keep Brian Stokes, Luis Ayala, Joe Smith, and Pedro Feliciano), a new second baseman, and one or two new starting pitchers (all of which the Mets have promised) should do the trick. Anyway, onto more autographs...

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-Art Shamsky signed 8x10. A platoon outfielder with very good plate discipline and some power, Art Shamsky flourished as a pinch-hitter and fourth outfielder for the 1968-1970 New York Mets. Prior to that, he'd played with the Cincinnati Reds (1965-1967). Unlike most Mets trades of the time period, Shamsky was actually a pretty good acquisition. All they had to give up was utility infielder Bob Johnson. He instantly became a fan favorite with the Jewish community because he was the first halfway decent Jewish Mets ballplayer (to say that Joe Ginsburg was washed up in 1962 is an understatement). Shamsky's problem was that he wasn't that good vs. left-handed pitching. In that first season with the Mets, where he a faced a lot of lefty pitchers, he batted only .238 with a fair-for-his-average .292 on-base percentage and 12 homeruns. When manager Gil Hodges started playing him more against the righties in 1969 (the championship year), he batted .300 with a sparkling .375 on-base percentage, 14 homeruns (in only 303 at-bats!), 47 RBI's, and 42 runs scored. He continued hitting well in 1970, batting .293 with a .371 on-base percentage, 11 homeruns, 49 RBI's, and 48 runs scored. He likely suffered some kind of injury that slowed down his bat speed in 1971; he hit just .185 with a .299 on-base percentage (pretty good considering his batting average, actually...), 5 homeruns, 18 RBI's, and 13 runs scored. That was his last season with the Mets. In 1972, he was traded first to the Chicago Cubs, where he only played 15 games, and then the Oakland A's, where he played just 8 games. He retired after the 1972 season.

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-Nelson Figueroa signed 8x10. I wrote about Nelson, the Mets' long reliever/spot starter/Cinderella story of 2008 in a previous post.

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-1979 Diamond Greats Tony Freitas, signed. A short left-hander who did well in limited action in the Major Leagues (1932-1933 with the Philadelphia A's, 1934-1936 with the Cincinnati Reds), he just may have been the Tom Glavine of his time. Pitching for the 1934 Cincinnati Reds, Tony once dueled Hall of Famer Dizzy Dean for 17 innings before surrendering a homerun to lose the game. That year, he pitched 152 2/3rd innings in the Minors. It was his career high. Pitching for the weak Cincinnati Reds ballclub, he went 6-12 despite a good-for-the-era 4.01 ERA. The only time he pitches for a good team, in his rookie year with the '32 A's, he goes 12-5 with a 3.83 ERA (which was very good for the time...the 1930's was a period of inflated hitting stats). All in all, he went 25-33 in the Majors with an ERA of 4.48 (skewed by a terrible 1933 season). So, why the comparison to Tom Glavine? Well, before Major League Baseball made it out to the west coast, there existed the Pacific Coast League. Technically, throughout its existence, it was a Minor League. However, it had the highest caliber of play of any Minor League, ever. Many players were signed to contracts that Major League clubs wouldn't match. Tony Freitas is one example. He won 342 games in the Minor Leagues with an ERA of 3.11, mostly with the Pacific Coast League Sacramento Solons. That included an incredible NINE 20-win seasons (plus two 19-win seasons). He pitched in professional baseball from 1928-1953, missing 1943-1945 after volunteering for military service. In 1938, St. Louis Cardinals General Manager Branch Rickey offered to give him a return to the Majors as a full-time starter. Tony turned it down, saying he liked the weather in CA and also pointing out that Rickey, who had Lon Warneke and Curt Davis on his team, couldn't afford to pay Tony like an ace pitcher (the Sacramento Solons could). By 1948, he was pretty much done as a Major League caliber pitcher, but he simply went down a a few levels and kept on pitching. In 1953, his final season in pro ball, Tony went 22-9 with a 2.38 ERA for the Class C (equivalent of today's Class A Short Season) Modesto Reds. He was 45 years old. He only threw about 87-88 mph with a sinking fastball throughout his career. He also threw a wide-breaking curveball (which he relied heavily on), screwball (which he relied heavily on late in his career), and changeup. One wonders how he'd have done if there had been Major League baseball on the west coast.

-2003 Donruss Champions Rookie Autographs Xavier Nady autograph. Currently a corner outfielder for the New York Yankees, Xavier Nady started out with the San Diego Padres. There, he was originally a third base prospect, though he only played three games at third base in the Majors. He had one at-bat in the year 2000, hitting a single and scoring. He wouldn't play again until 2003. He did okay in limited action (.267 BA with a .321 OBP and 9 homeruns in 371 at-bats), though split the 2004 season between the Majors and AAA ball. 2005 was Nady's second full Major League season. He batted .261 with a .321 on-base percentage, 13 homers, 43 RBI's, and 40 runs scored in 326 at-bats. In 2006, Nady was dealt to the New York Mets fellow outfielder Mike Cameron. He seemed destined to be the everyday right fielder, but then set-up man Duaner Sanchez was out for the season after a drunk driver slammed into the taxi cab he was riding in. The Mets needed another reliever and a trade was the only way to go. They got rental reliever Roberto Hernandez and project-turned-future star Oliver Perez in trade for Nady. Splitting the season with the Mets and the Pittsburgh Pirates, Nady batted .280 with a .337 on-base percentage, hit 17 homeruns, and drove in 63 runs. With the 2007 Pirates, Nady batted .278 with a .330 on-base percentage, 20 homeruns, 72 RBI's, and 55 runs scored. In 2008, he split the season between the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Yankees, dealt with left-handed reliever Damaso Marte for a bunch of prospects. His combined numbers for the 2008 season were a .305 batting average, a .357 on-base percentage, 25 homeruns, 97 RBI's, and 76 runs scored. Although Nady is 29 years old, he merely seems like the kind of player that's a late developer.

-2008 Topps Co-Signers Rookie Signatures Blue Willie Collazo rookie autograph. A left-handed sidearm pitcher, Willie Collazo (pronounced "Co-YA-zo") is a journeyman pitcher who pitched 6 games for the New York Mets during the 2007 season at age 27 and whose career looks like it's probably done for the foreseeable future. But he did have one brief moment of fame, coming on September 29, 2007, which turned out to be the last game he ever pitched. After 7 2/3rd innings of 1-hit ball against the Florida Marlins, Mets starter John Maine came out of the game after having thrown 115 pitches (he'd thrown 122 the start before, IIRC). To finish the inning, because they were leading 12-0 at the time (they won 13-0), they called on Willie Collazo to get one batter, Marlins centerfielder Alejandro de Aza, out. I can still see de Aza lofting the ball to right center, and Carlos Beltran camping under it to make the catch. Carlos Muniz pitched the final inning for the Mets. It was the last 1-hitter in the history of Shea Stadium, even if it took three pitchers to get it. Collazo himself throws a two-seam fastball, a curve, a slider, and something that he calls a changeup but that is gripped like and honestly looks like a screwball (this would make him the first and probably last sidearm screwball pitcher in a while). I wish the guy luck, but honestly, I don't think he'll catch on anywhere.

-2000 Bowman Draft Autographs Barry Zito rookie autograph. If you or anyone else can figure out what's wrong with Barry Zito, once a stalwart pitcher for the Oakland A's and now a sputtering wreck for no apparent reason for the San Francisco Giants, then you'd probably make a few million dollars. The A's top draft pick (9th overall) in 1999, Barry Zito was a left-hander who threw a 95 mph fastball, a solid changeup, and an odd, 12-to-6 breaking curveball that was thrown with a pronated release. That is, most curveballs are finished with the thumb pointing upwards after the pitcher releases the ball/snaps his wrist. Zito's thumb faces downwards after he almost completely turns his hand around while throwing the same pitch. The New York Mets have a pitcher named Jonathon Niese who seems to throw a similar pitch, Greg Maddux throws a similar pitch, and Roger Clemens did the same thing with his curve and slider even before he was on steroids, but it is on the whole quite rare to have a curve or slider thrown like that. Although tough to master, it's considered very easy on the arm. Anyway, Zito came up just one year after hee was drafted, in the middle of the 2000 season. He went 7-4 with a 2.72 ERA in 14 starts. The next year, he went 17-8 with a 3.49 ERA. In 2002, he went 23-5 with a 2.75 ERA to win the AL Cy Young Award. It was also his first of three AL All-Star Team apparences. He dropped to 14-12 the next season, but suffered due to poor run support and still posted an excellent 3.30 ERA. He made the All-Star Team that year, too. In 2004, he had his first down year, going 11-11 with a 4.48 ERA. However, he rebounded in 2005 to go 14-13 with a 3.86 ERA. He went 16-10 with a 3.83 ERA in 2006, making his way back onto the AL All-Star Team. And that's when the wheels fell off. In the off-season, Zito signed a huge contract with the San Francisco Giants and was billed as San Francisco's next ace. "Zito and [Matt] Cain and Pray for Rain!" became the Giants unofficial (and unoriginal...it originated with "[Warren] Spahn and [Johnny] Sain and Pray for Rain!" in the 1940's) rally cry of the off-season. But Zito entered Spring Training with barely any movement on his fastball or changeup. By the time the season started, he was throwing an 85 mph flat fastball, vs. a 91-92 mph moving fastball. His changeup was flat, too, and his curveball command had disintegrated. And frankly, no one has any idea why. Not even former pitching coach/mentor Rick Peterson then pitching coach of the New York Mets, had any idea why Zito was falling apart. He finished the season 11-13 with a 4.53 ERA, which was just below league average. In 2008, he really fell apart, going 10-17 with a 5.15 ERA. His views on life are interesting, and actually quite funny. Despite being an amateur folk singer, a guy who burns incense and does Yoga, believes in left-brain and right-brain eastern philosophy, and is fascinated by eastern philosphy, he is ardently conservative, has donated over $5,000 to the Republican Party, and is a registered Republican. He donates $200 to the Freedom Alliance for each strikeout he gets. I like the guy. I hope he finds a way to come back.

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-2003 Topps Jason Simontacchi rookie card, signed. Right-handed pitcher Jason Simontacchi had a rather interesting journey to the Majors. After pitching parts of three seasons in Class A ball (1996, 1997, and 1998), he pitched 1999 and part of 2000 in the Independent Leagues and the rest of 2000 in the Italian Serie A1, which is Italian Major League Baseball. It's extremely low quality, so naturally, he dominated. He even played in the 2000 Olympics on the Italian National Team. But it gave him the confidence boost he needed to turn it up to the next level. when he came back to the US in 2001, he pitched very well in AAA ball. He started off repeating AAA in 2002, but did so well that he was quickly called up. He went 11-5 with a 4.02 ERA in 143 innings pitched, finishing third in NL Rookie of the Year voting. Unfortunately for Jason, that would be his best season. Though he went 9-5 the next season, it was with a poor 5.56 ERA. After 13 games in 2004 with a 5.28 ERA, he was sent back down to AAA, presumably never to return. However, in 2007, the Washington Nationals picked him up because they were so desperate for starting pitching. He made the Major League club and went 6-7 with a 6.37 ERA. To put things in perspective, that's the worst ERA of a starting pitcher with ten decisions since WWII (at least). He wisely retired after that season. As best I can find, Jason seems to be interested in muzzleloading firearms, though I can't back that up with anything more than anecdotal evidence. If he is, then I certainly hope he's better with a .50 caliber cast lead ball than he is with a baseball...

-2008 Upper Deck Premier Adam Dunn autograph. The slugging left fielder formerly of the Cincinnati Reds and Arizona Diamondbacks (he's now a free agent) is certainly a unique ballplayer. He's a power-hitter who doesn't hit for average, but probably has the best batting eye in Major League baseball despite striking out 150+ times a season. A typical season for Adam would be his 2005 season. He batted .247, but had an incredible .387 on-base percentage, hit 40 homeruns, drove in 101 runs, and scored 107 runs. He walked 114 times and struck out 168 times. He's a baseball ultra-traditionalist's bugaboo, but you can't argue with the incredible success he's had. Since coming up in 2001, he's batted .247, had a .381 on-base percentage, belted 278 homeruns (in only 8 seasons...), driven in 672 runs, and scored 699 runs. He's gotten just 955 hits, but also 797 walks. Those that look at Dunn based on his batting average and dismiss him give him an unfair shake. He's a very productive ballplayer who frankly gets a bum rap. He'll succeed wherever he goes, however. I should also add that Adam Dunn lists "shooting" as among his favorite hobbies.

-2008 Topps Moments & Milestones 2008 Rookie Autographs Jonathan Meloan rookie autograph. Jonathan Meloan is a hard-throwing closer prospect for the Cleveland Indians (the Dodgers traded him away as part of the deal to get third baseman Casey Blake at this year's trade deadline). His four-seam fastball has touched 98 mph and he's not even completely filled out yet. He also throws a halfway decent slider and changeup, but that fastball is going to be his out pitch in the 9th inning as a door-slamming closer. Though he struggled with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2007 as a September call-up, he did much better with Cleveland this past season and showed better command of his fastball and secondary pitches. Though the Dodgers briefly tried making him into a starter before his trade to Cleveland, he's been put back in the closer's role by the Indians, which is right where he belongs. I frankly think he'll be coming out of the Cleveland bullpen next year as either a set-up man or middle reliever; he's not a closer yet. He's got the stuff and finally seems to have the command, so I think 2009 will be Jonathan Meloan's breakout year.

-1996 Leaf Signature Series Moises Alou autograph. The son of Felipe Alou, brother of Felipe Alou, Jr. (never made the Majors), nephew of Jesus and Matty Alou, and cousin of Mel Rojas, Moises Alou comes from a baseball family. Despite chronic injuries causing him to miss significant parts of his career, Moises can probably still hit pretty well. Although a natural power hitter, Moises adjusted his swing for whatever spot he batted in his team's batting order and also on the situation when he was up at the plate. For example, he'd give a homerun swing if he batted fourth and there was nobody on base. He's give a hard, level swing if there were guys in scoring position and he was batting third. If he was batting anywhere else, he'd just swing inside-out to get the ball out of the infield and get a hit. He was the definition of a professional hitter. He's probably done after playing this season (and 2007) with the New York Mets, but he was still impressive, even at 40 and 41 years old. Over his 17-year career, he batted .303 with a .369 on-base percentage, 2,134 hits, 332 homeruns, 1,287 RBI's, 1,109 runs scored, and appearences on six NL All-Star Teams. I'd call him VERY borderline as a Hall of Fame candidate, and he doesn't quite cut it for me, though I'm sure some people would probably be in favor of putting him in.

-2000 Upper Deck Ovation Japan Kosuke Fukudome Japanese rookie card. The popular right fielder that came to the Chicago Cubs this season had his real rookie card printed with his Nippon Professional Baseball team, the Japan Central League's Chunichi Dragons back in 2000. He was a shortstop back then, but shifted first to third base and then to right field (following very closely the career path of his manager in Japan, Hiromitsu Ochiai). He batted .305 in Japan with an on-base percentage of .397. With the Cubs, he's batted .257 with a .359 on-base percengate. Though his walk rate has translated well, he needs to hit a bit more. His power numbers are also WAY down, though this is typical of most Japanese ballplayers, who play with a much springier, "juiced" baseball. He should have a future as the Cubs' everyday RF for the next few years.

-1964 Topps Jay Hook, signed. Jay Hook was a guy who got his masters degree in mechanical engineering from Northwestern University. He was also the number three starter for the pitiful 1962 New York Mets and actually got the first win in Mets history (9-1 over the Pirates, pitched a complete game). Hook was extremely intelligent, writing an article in Popular Science on the dynamics of how a curveball curved. Well, Jay Hook threw a mid 90's fastball, a solid changeup, and a slider. This prompted his manager, Casey Stengel, to remark that "Jay is the only pitcher in baseball who can explain a curveball but can't throw one." He'd originally pitched with the Cincinnati Reds (1957-1961), but the Reds gave up on trying to have him control his fastball, thus leaving him unprotected to the Mets in the 1961 expansion draft. Although 1962 was arguably his best season (8-19, but with a fair 4.84 ERA that gets lower if you adjust for the Mets' awful defense), he hurt his arm in 1963 and posted an ERA of over 5.00. In 1964, he gave it one last try as a long reliever before being traded to the Milwaukee Braves. Hook would never pitch for the Braves, instead languishing in AAA for one year and then retiring to work for Chrysler. Before retiring, he managed six companies for Masco Corporation.

-1998 Team Best Autographs Kerry Wood autograph. Kerry Wood, currently the closer for the Chicago Cubs, began his career as a starting pitcher. In 1998, he went 13-6 and K'ed 20 batters in his fifth Major League start. During that season, he pitched 166 innings and struck out 233. But it was just the beginning in a series of arm injury-plagued seasons that would give him the somewhat derogatory moniker Kerry "Balsa" Wood. Wood's arm timing is VERY poor and his mechanics in general aren't very good. He spent all of 1999 on the disabled list and then came back in 2000. Again, he pitched very well in limited action, but then missed part of the 2001 season due to yet another arm injury. He was healthy in 2002 and 2003 (12-11 with a 3.66 ERA and 14-11 with a 3.20 ERA, plus an incredible 266 strikeouts in 2003), but manager Dusty Baker, who didn't believe in pitch counts, basically ruined his arm. In 2004, he strained his triceps. In 2005, he needed arthroscopic surgery on his shoulder. He tore his rotator cuff in 2006. He reinvented himself in 2007 as a set-up man, pitching despite soreness in his elbow. In 2008, he was converted to the closer role and finally pitched a full season. In 65 games, he went 5-4 with 35 saves, a 3.26 ERA, and 84 strikeouts in 66 1/3rd innings pitched. The fastest ever pitcher to reach 1,000 career strikeouts, Kerry Wood's career record is 77-61 with a 3.65 ERA in 276 games, including 178 starts. In 1,219 1/3rd innings, he's struck out 1,407 batters.

-2005 Bowman Ender Chavez rookie card, signed. The younger brother of Mets utility outfielder Endy Chavez, Ender was also initially signed by the Mets. Although he has some of his brother's sparkling defensive abilities, Ender has never hit well enough to make it past the low minors. He retired after the 2007 season. And yes, the two brothers' real names are "Endy" and "Ender." Those are not nicknames.

More later!

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-1992 Classic Best Brien Taylor, signed. Brien Taylor, a left-handed pitcher who played in the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians systems, is perhaps a prime example of why there's no such thing as a can't miss prospect. Coming out of high school, he could throw 98 mph and was expected to top off at 100 by most scouts. He threw a vicious slider, a moving changeup, and a good curve that dropped off the table. When he was drafted in 1991 by the New York Yankees, he was the best talent available. He signed as a "draft-and-follow;" that is, he signed in 1991, but started professional play in 1992. He debuted in Class A Advanced, pitching for the Fort Lauderdale Yankees. He went 6-8, but with a 2.57 ERA, 187 strikeouts, and only 121 hits allowed in 161 innings pitched. The following year, he was promoted to Class AA Albany-Colonie and went 13-7 with a 3.48 ERA. He had some control problems, walking 102 in 163 innings, but he still struck out 150 and gave up only 127 hits. Then came the off-season. He, his brother, and a friend got involved in a bar fight with some other guys. Who threw the first punch and who started it isn't clear. What is clear is that Brien Taylor was thrown halfway across the room, landed on his pitching arm, and suffered a torn labrum and torn capsule. Dr. Frank Jobe, the same man who had performed the first ever Tommy John Surgery, completed the procedure on Taylor and was medically successful. But something went psychologically wrong with Taylor. Simply put, he couldn't throw strikes. In 1995, playing in the Gulf Coast League, he walked 54 in 40 innings. In 1996, he got even worse, walking 43 in only 16 innings with an ERA of 18.73. In 1997, he walked 52 in 27 innings. He played in an instructional league in 1999. The Seattle Mariners invited him to Spring Training in 2000, but he did poorly and was released. The Cleveland Indians picked him up and assigned him to the Class A Columbus RedStixx. In only 3 innings, he walked 9 and gave up five hits. He would never pitch professional again, washed up at age 28. To this day, Taylor isn't sure why he couldn't throw strikes, although both he and his former pitching coaches have concluded that it was some kind of mental block. He remains one of only two inactive number one overall draft picks not to play in the Majors (Steve Chilcott, whom the Mets drafted over Reggie Jackson, is the other).

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-2007 New York-Penn League Top Prospects Dylan Owen, signed. Drafted by the New York Mets in 2007, Dylan Owen really came out of nowhere to become one of the organization's top ten prospects at any position. Standing 5'10" and only throwing 88-89 mph with his four-seam fastball, Dylan fell very far in the draft (20th round, 633rd overall). He also threw a curve and a changeup, both with terrific control. Considered short for a right-handed pitcher and considered to possess unimpressive velocity, Dylan bucked the stereotype of a successful pitcher by going 9-1 with the Class A Short Season New York-Penn League Brooklyn Cyclones in 14 games (13 starts), giving up just 51 hits in 72 1/3rd innings, walking 12, striking out 69 and posting a 1.49 ERA. In 2008, he was promoted to the weak Class A Advanced St. Lucie Mets. On a team that went 53-81, he went 12-6 with an ERA of 3.43 in 24 games (all starts), walked 33 in 133 1/3rd innings, struck out 116, and gave up 135 hits. He pitched two complete games, including a shutout. Near the end of the season, he made three starts for Class AA Binghamton. He got knocked out of the box in one of them, which skewered his ERA to 5.51, but pitched well in his first two starts. He'll likely repeat AA ball next year, pitch in AAA in 2010, and if all goes well, he'll make the Majors around 2011.

-2008 Upper Deck Premier Premier Rookie Signatures Jonathan Albaladejo rookie autograph. Jonathan Albaladejo (pronounced "all-buh-la-DAY-ho") is another highly unorthodox pitcher considering the era he pitches in. However, unlike Dylan Owen, the 6'5", 250 pounder's oddity comes not in size, but in his delivery and pitch repertoire. Jonathan is one of only a handful of professional pitchers that do not throw a breaking pitch. No curve, no slider, no screwball. He throws a good, 91-92 mph fastball and a diving splitter. Possessing impeccable control, debuted in the Majors in 2007 with the Washington Nationals. Pitching coach Randy St. Claire enocuraged Jonathan to discard the slider he'd been relying on for the past six years in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. Called up in September to help the beleaguered Nationals bullpen, he went 1-1 in 14 games (all in relief) in 14 1/3rd innings pitched, struck out 12, walked 2, and gave up 7 hits. Naturally, with the Nationals having a chronically flawed general manager in Jim Bowden, they traded him to the Yankees for one-game wonder Tyler Clippard in early 2008. With the Yankees, Albaladejo appeared in 7 games, pitched 13 1/3rd innings, gave up 15 hits, struck out 13, and walked 6. However, he still posted a pretty good 3.95 ERA. He had some arm problems in the middle of the season and wasn't called back up, despite an ERA of under 1.25 in the Minor Leagues. With that said, the Yankees bullpen is so weak that I can't imagine him NOT pitching as their long reliever in 2009 (barring acquisition of a washed up starter whom they convert into a reliever).

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-Tim Beckham signed 8x10. Tim Beckham, seen in this photo during his appearance at the 2007 AFLAC All-American Classic (which, as I mentioned, is sort of a mixture of World Series and All-Star Game for high school players), was the number one overall draft pick of the 2008 season, taken by the Tampa Bay Rays. A shortstop, Tim has played in 48 games, batted .246 with a .309 on-base percentage, hit 2 homeruns, driven in 14 runs, scored 35 runs, and stolen six bases. Although that may seem unimpressive, Tim is just now adjusting to regularly using a wooden bat. Taken out of high school, most high school players take a little while to develop. Still, he seems to be a five-tool player, posessing good raw plate discipline, raw power, good speed, terrific range, and a strong, if wild arm. He'll take a while to develop, but he will regardless develop.

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-Destin Hood signed 8x10. Here's another one where the photo was taken at the 2007 AFLAC All-American Classic. Drafted by the Washington Nationals, Destin Hood is a speed prospect who needs to develop his fielding skills. In 25 games, he batted .256, but had a very good .333 on-base percentage. He also stole 5 bases (he reached base 30 times, so that is a lot). Although he didn't hit a homerun, he doesn't seem to profile as a homerun-hitting prospect. But he did hit 6 doubles and 1 triple. He also scored 18 runs and drove in 14, batting leadoff with the Rookie League Gulf Coast League Nationals. He has a long way to go and isn't yet 19 years old, but he certainly has the tools to become a good Major League corner outfielder.

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-Tim Melville signed 8x10. This one is another taken at the AFLAC All-American Classic, and it's a bit misleading because Tim Melville is a pitcher. There's no designated hitter at the game, and as such Tim got to swing a bat (something I doubt he'll be doing any time soon, considering the American League Kansas City Royals drafted and signed him). He's not actually played professional baseball yet; he signed right at the deadline and will only play in the Fall Instructional League this year. His professional career will begin in 2009. That said, he's got a few things going for him. A right-hander, Tim throws a 93-94 mph fastball that pretty much everyone thinks will only get faster. He also throws a knucklecurve and a good changeup. What makes this so good is that he throws these for strikes in the mid 70's. When he's on, he has a 20 mph speed differential between his fastball and changeup, which is pretty incredible. Although he has a somewhat risky arm action, employing a scapular loading technique known as "the M," his arm timing is pretty good for a pitcher who makes the M and I do wish him well and hope he doesn't get injured. Because if he doesn't hurt his arm, he'll truly be something.

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-1977 TCMA Warren Spahn, signed. Warren Spahn was one of the greatest left-handed pitchers of all time; in my opinion, second only to Lefty Grove. The winner of 363 games over 21 seasons, he'd have easily won 400 had he not missed almost all of 1942 and then 1943-1945 and most of 1946 to military service. During the Battle of the Bulge, "Spahnie" was a sergeant. By the time he fought during the Battle of Remagen, he'd been promoted first to staff sergeant and then got a battlefield comission to second lieutenant (thus becoming the only Major Leaguer ever to have gotten a battlefield commission), had been awarded the Bronze Star (I'm pretty sure with V), and had received a Purple Heart. He was promoted once again to first lieutenant before WWII ended. He briefly considered making it a career, but after WWII ended, he changed his mind and went back to the Boston Braves. In 1947, he went 21-10 with a 2.33 ERA and pitched 7 shutouts. It was his first of nine twenty-win seasons and his first of an incredible 17 All-Star Game selections. Though it was hardly his best season, 1957 saw him get the Major League Cy Young Award (before they were awarding it to two leagues). His 363 wins are the most of any left-handed pitcher in history, as are his 5,243 2/3rd innings pitched. He finished his Major League career in 1965, splitting the season between the hapless New York Mets and the pretty good San Francisco Giants. But he pitched in the Mexican League in 1966 and the Pacific Coast League in 1967, hence why he wasn't elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility; the voters were worried he'd try and stage another comeback! He was well-known for employing an extremely high leg kick and had a superb arm action. He threw a fastball in the low 90's, a curveball, straight changeup, a sinker, a circle changeup that behaved exactly like a screwball, a slider, a palmball, and even a knuckleball. His pick-off move to first base was probably the best of all time. Often overlooked is that he was also the first American pitching coach to work extensively in Japan. Definitely one of the best autographs I have in my collection.

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-Yonder Alonso signed 8x10. Shown with the Brewster Whitecaps in this photo (Cape Cod League; college players, wood bats), Yonder is a slugging first baseman who was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds this year. He only played in 6 Minor League games, going 6-for-19 with a double, a run scored, 2 RBI's, 5 walks, and 5 strikeouts. He has superb plate discipline and while he didn't hit a homerun this year, great power. He bats left-handed and throws right-handed. He's not much of a fielder, though isn't a liability who needs to be moved to DH or anything like that. Yonder's father, Luis Alonso, was a utility catcher, first baseman, and hitting coach for the Ciudad Habana Industriales in Cuba. He defected with his wife, Yonder, and Yonder's sister when Yonder was 9 years old. He seems likely to have a good, long career.

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-Craig Anderson signed 8x10. Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals out of Lehigh University in 1960, Craig Anderson looked like a can't miss prospect. While with Lehigh, he struck out 289 in 189 innings and pitched a no-hitter. Zooming to the Major Leagues in 1961, Anderson was judged to be best suited as a middle reliever, with the Cardinals thinking he'd eventually be a closer. In 25 games (all in relief), he went 4-3 with a very good 3.26 ERA. He threw a good four-seam fastball, a two-seam fastball, and a solid curve, though lacked the changeup necessary to cut it as a starter. Because St. Louis had so many pitching prospects, they left Craig Anderson exposed during the 1961 expansion draftheld by the New York Mets in hopes that the Mets would overlook Anderson. Unfortunately for Anderson, they did anything but overlook him. Encouraged to throw his two-seam fastball more than his higher-quality four-seamer and to learn a changeup (what were they thinking, if anything?), he struggled mightily. He went 3-17 in 50 games, including 14 starts, with an ERA of 5.35. He struggled to control his changeup and curve and wound up walking 63 batters in 131 1/3rd innings while striking out just 62. Interestingly, he went 0-11 with a 7.64 ERA as a starter, yet 3-6 with a very good 3.03 ERA as a relief pitcher. His control was also far better out of the bullpen. Not seeming to take the hint, the Mets instead modified his armslot in 1963 and kept him as a starter. Not only did he struggle, but he also blew his arm out. That year, he started the last ever game in the Polo Grounds, too. By the time he came back in 1964, he couldn't repeat his delivery and was a complete trainwreck. He retired in 1966 after pitching two more years in the Minors. He deserved better, though he went back to Lehigh and became their pitching coach for over 25 years.

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-Marv Throneberry signed 8x10. "Marvelous Marv" was one of the most unforgettable members of the original, horrible 1962 Mets and also one of the most typical. He had good power, finishing second on the team in homeruns with 16. However, he batted just .244 with a poor .308 on-base percentage. He swung at everything and if he made contact, it would go pretty far. He also somehow managed to commit 17 errors in only 97 games at first base, too. But aside from the legendary 1962 season, Throneberry had more of a career than just that. He came up with the 1955 New York Yankees, which was perhaps the antithesis of the 1962 Mets. He went 2-for-2 with a double, but was sent down and would only return in 1958, after he'd hit 40 homeruns in the Minors. He showed some power in 1958, though also next to no plate patience at all. In 1959, he did even worse. Dealt to the Kansas City Athletics in 1960, he lasted just a season and a half with them before being traded to the Baltimore Orioles in 1961. He only played 9 games with Baltimore in 1962 before the Mets traded catcher Hobie Landrith to get him. Outside of the famous 1962 season, Marv played only 14 more games with the Mets, all in 1963. He retired after that season. Over his 7-year career, he batted just .237 with a below-average .311 on-base percentage, 53 homeruns, 170 RBI's, 143 runs scored, and just 281 hits. Though Marv certainly wasn't much of a ballplayer, he was a great entertainer who will be well-remembered by those who saw the original Mets play.

More later!

...so I'll post a few more.

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-2007 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection America's Pastime Rickie Weeks autograph. The number two overall pick of the 2003 draft, Rickie Weeks was seen at the time as a five-tool player. He could hit for average, hit for power, run, field, and had a good arm. Unfortunately, he was rushed to the Majors so fast that he never quite developed correctly. Though he spent 2004 in the Minors, he actually played in the Majors in 2003, the year he was drafted. In 2005, he came up to the Majors again, this time as Milwaukee's full-time second baseman. In 96 games, he batted only .239, despite a very good .333 on-base percentage, 13 homeruns, and 15 stolen bases. In 2006, it looked as though he'd finally broken out, batting .279 with a terrific .363 on-base percentage, 8 homeruns, and 19 stolen bases. However, despite having great plate patience, the mechanics of Weeks' swing got messed up in 2007 Spring Training. That year, which he split between the Majors and AAA, he batted .235 despite an excellent .374 on-base percentage, hit 16 homeruns, stole 25 bases, and batting as the leadoff man, scored 87 runs. Spring Training, 2008 was spent working on his swing and trying to bring him back to 2006 levels. However, his 2008 was nearly identical to his 2007: .234 batting average, lesser-though-still-good .342 on-base percentage, 14 homeruns, 19 stolen bases, 89 runs scored. I figure if he can keep working walks like he does and focus on slapping the ball rather than hitting for power, he could increase his batting average and on-base percentage exponentially. He's also struggled in the field, making 72 errors in 426 career games at second base. Perhaps if he were moved to third base, he'd do better. He's got a load of talent. He just needs to be taught how to utilize it better.

-2007 Upper Deck Team USA National Team Signature Black Ink Jemile Weeks autograph. Yep, Jemile Weeks is Rickie Weeks' younger brother. His game is very similar to Rickie's, but he has less power and more speed. He was drafted and signed by the Oakland A's as their first round draft pick of the 2008 amateur draft. Depending on how he's developed (Rickie was developed terribly and the A's farm system right now is far better than the Brewers farm system in 2003), Jemile has the chance to be significantly better than his brother. A more patient hitter, Jemile tends to strike out less than Rickie, too. In 19 games in Class A ball, Jemile batted .297 with a spectacular .422 on-base percentage, 1 homerun, 8 RBI's, and 11 runs scored, as well as 6 stolen bases. The A's place a high value on middle infielders that walk a lot and get extra-base hits, so I'd not be surprised to see Jemile batting leadoff for the A's in three years or so.

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-2004 Fleer Greats of the Game Autographs Ray Knight autograph. The catalyst and sparkplug of the 1986 New York Mets, he was also the 1986 World Series MVP. However, long before that, he was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds, coming up for a brief cup of coffee in 1974. He went 2 for 11 and then got sent back to the Minors. In 1977, he returned and became the Reds' go-to righty pinch-hitter. He hit .261 with a solid .324 on-base percentage. He struggled offensively in 1978, and was used far more as a defensive replacement at third base, second base, and the outfield. 1979 was Ray's biggest chance and while he didn't live up to expectations, this was because the Cincinnati fans pretty much expected him to perform like outgoing third baseman Pete Rose (who had gone to the Philadelphia Phillies via free agency). Still, he batted a career high .318 with a career high .360 on-base percentage, 10 homeruns, a career-high 79 RBI's, and 64 runs scored. He started going downhill in 1980 (despite his first of 2 NL All-Star selections) and by 1982, he found himself traded to the Houston Astros for Cesar Cedeno. He did well in 1982 and 1983 with Houston, and made the NL All-Star Team in 1982. There were questions about his complete lack of power, but he played well enough as a fielder to be tolerated. In 1984, however, he totally fell apart, hitting .237 with a horrid .279 on-base percentage. The New York Mets, always in search of a third baseman, traded prospects Gerald Young and Manuel Lee to get him, figuring he couldn't possibly be that bad. He was a fixture on the 1985 Mets bench, though was mainly utilized for his defense; he only hit .218 with a .252 on-base percentage. In 1986, manager Davey Johnson helped him work on a completely different batting stance and swing. It worked, as Knight batted .298 with a .351 on-base percentage, 11 homeruns, 76 RBI's, and 51 runs scored. After the season, the Mets granted him free agency to make room for slugging Howard Johnson to take over at third. However, Knight took it the wrong way and ever since, has refused to to appear in the 1986 team reunions, to associate himself with the Mets in any way, and for a while there, he wouldn't even sign baseball cards or photos with him pictured on the Mets (until in the 1990's somebody convinced him that he was just screwing the fans by doing that). He played well with the 1987 Baltimore Orioles, though lost some of the plate patience that Davey Johnson had taught him before 1986. In 1988, he was traded to the Detroit Tigers, where he finished his career as third baseman Tom Brookens' defensive replacement in late innings. Over 13 seasons, Knight batted .271 with a .321 on-base percentage, 1,311 hits, 84 homeruns, 595 RBI's, and 490 runs scored.

-2008 Upper Deck Inkredible Jorge Sosa autograph. Jorge Sosa was originally signed by the Colorado Rockies as an outfielder. Unfortunately for Jorge and the Rockies, he couldn't hit at all. However, he did have an extremely strong arm. The Seattle Mariners picked him up and converted him into a spot starter. He learned two pitches: a four-seam fastball that at one point he hit 100 mph on a radar gun with and a plus slider that dropped 12-to-6 and acted more like a sinkerball. In 2002, the Milwaukee Brewers claimed him in the Rule V Draft, but after he demonstrated poor control, let him go after Spring Training of that year. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays, desperate for live arms, picked him up and used him as a Major League swingman. Jorge went 2-7 that year in 31 games, including 14 starts. He gave up 16 homeruns in just 99 1/3rd innings pitched, resulting in a 5.53 ERA. The next year, in 2003, he was radically inconsistent, going 5-12 with an okay 4.62 ERA. He appeared in 29 games, starting 19 of them. He pitched a shutout and lowered his homerun rates, but struggled with his control. After an awful 2004, he was traded to the Atlanta Braves for utility infielder Nick Green. Cerebral Braves pitching coach Leo Mazzone finally got him working and to trust his stuff. In 44 games (including 20 starts), Jorge went 13-3, struck out 85 batters in 134 innings, and had a superb 2.55 ERA. However, Mazzone left the Braves in 2006 to coach with the Baltimore Orioles. Jorge Sosa, in the words of one of my friends, "turned back into a pumpkin." Splitting the season with the Braves and St. Louis Cardinals, he went 3-11 with a 5.42 ERA and surrendered a mind-boggling 30 homeruns in only 118 innings. In 2007, he signed as a free agent with the New York Mets. They too possessed an intellectual pitching coach in Rick Peterson. Peterson modified Sosa's arm angle slightly and got him to throw his slider using the same technique Mazzone had used. In 2007, Jorge Sosa was just about the Mets only reliable relief pitcher, also doing a bang-up job filling in as a starter. He went 9-8 in 42 games (14 starts) with a 4.47 ERA. He unravelled in 2008. Despite a 4-1 record in 20 games (all in relief), he had a horrible 7.06 ERA and surrendered 4 homeruns (including a grand slam) in only 21 1/3rd innings. Peterson noted that he all of sudden became easily distracted on the mound, and this is likely what happened in 2006. Without a clear reason as to why he'd let certain things (such as his shirt tag sticking out) distract him, the Mets were forced to release him. He signed on with first the Astros and then the Mariners before testing positive for "greenies" (amphetamines so a player can rebound quicker, supposedly) and being suspended for the rest of the 2008 season. Although one might be inclined to say his career is in doubt, almost any team will take a flier on a guy that throws 96 mph with regularity.

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-Danys Baez signed 8x10. Originally a fireman reliever with the Pinar del Rio Green Sox in Cuba, Danys Baez defected in late 1999. Signed by the Cleveland Indians and converted to starting pitching in 2000, he regardless debuted as a middle reliever in 2001. He went 5-3 in 43 games (all in relief) with a great 2.50 ERA. In 2002, he was moved to the rotation, although it was clear he was better out of the bullpen. He went 10-11 in 39 games (including 26 starts) with a 4.41 ERA and saw his strikeout rate take a significant drop. Moved into the closer role in 2003, Danys went 2-9, but saved 25 games and had a pretty good 3.81 ERA. Signing as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays the next season, he became their closer in 2004. He pitched well enough to make the AL All-Star Team the following year in 2005. Danys struggled with arm problems in 2006, drifting from the Dodgers (who had acquired him to be their closer) to the Braves. In 2007, he signed a three-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles, though the Orioles overpaid for him immensely and the move was almost certainly in response to Cuban expatriates threatening to boycott the Orioles due to owner Peter Angelos' numerous pro-Castro statements. Baez himself criticized Angelos in public while a member of the Orioles, though he struggled through arm problems in 2007. In 2008, he opted to have Tommy John Surgery, missing the entire season. He should rebound relatively well, considering he relies more on his two breaking pitches (slider and curve) more than his fastball. He also throws a pretty good changeup. He should return to the Orioles weak bullpen for 2009, and probably keep pitching after that.

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-Ray King signed 8x10. Initially drafted in 1995 by the Cincinnati Reds as a starter, the hulking Ray King (nicknames "Ray King Size" and "The Manatee"; he's 6'1" listed 230 lbs, closer to 300+) instead became arguably the best left-handed specialist reliever of the early 2000's. He reached the Majors in 1999 with the Chicago Cubs, but was quickly dealt to the Milwaukee Brewers in 2000. There, he went 3-2 in 36 games, but only pitched 28 2/3rd innings. That being said, he had a 1.26 ERA. He also dominated the next year and in 2002 with Milwaukee before being traded to the Atlanta Braves in 2003. There, Ray served as the primary left-hander out of the bullpen and pitched in four of the five playoff games against Chicago Cubs. He only totalled one inning, but had an ERA of 0.00. The next year, Ray was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals, where once again he did very well for two years running. In 2006, he was traded to the Colorado Rockies. Despite pitching in pitcher-unfriendly Coors Field, he managed an ERA of 4.43 (excellent considering ballpark conditions). He seemed to go downhill in 2007, when he signed as a free agent with the Washington Nationals. He'd lost most of the bite on his fastball and slider by then and his weight problems were really starting to catch up with him (some Nats fans estimated his weight as over 310 lbs). Traded to the Milwaukee Brewers for a Minor Leaguer, he did even worse with Milwaukee. In 2008, he rejoined the Nationals and managed to get his weight all the way down to around 295 lbs. However, by now he'd lost a lot of pitch movement and velocity and was released after pitching 12 games. He pitched in AAA that year for the affiliates of Houston and the Chicago White Sox. At age 34, Ray may seem done, but never underestimate a lefty specialist's longevity. Over his career, he's 20-23 in 593 games (despite pitching only 411 innings!) with a very good 3.46 ERA. It was always kinda fun and funny watching Ray waddling out to the mound to get one out and then making the lefty hitter look silly with his sharp slider.

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-Joe Azcue signed 8x10. Originally part of the Cincinnati Reds' efforts to seemingly sign the entire country of Cuba in 1956, Joe developed in the Cincinnati farm system but only played 14 games in the 1960 season with them in the Majors. The Milwaukee Braves then purchased his contract, but he never played in the Majors with them. Instead, they traded him to the Kansas City A's in 1962. Kansas City was really desperate for anyone who could swing a baseball bat, so they gave Joe the starting job at catcher. It was then that scouts took notice that Joe was one of the finest game-callers in the American League. The higher-quality Cleveland Indians discarded even weaker-hitting catcher Doc Edwards and cash so they could obtain Azcue. From 1964-1969, Joe caught some truly fine Cleveland pitching staffs and was the personal catcher of both "Sudden Sam" McDowell and Luis Tiant. He split the 1969 season between Cleveland, Boston, and the Anaheim Angels. He was complimented by GM Dick Walsh for his handling of the pitching staff after a successful 1970 season and offered an incentive-based raise. In other words, Walsh (a notoriously cheap and despicable character who earned the nickname "The Smiling Python") slashed Azcue's salary unless Azcue started hitting better. Enraged, Azcue sat out the entire 1971 season. However, he struggled in 1972, playing only 14 games between the Angels and Milwaukee Brewers before retiring after the 1973 season (which he spent in the Minors). He was nicknamed "The Immortal Azcue" after he went on a tear in 1964, batting .436 in the month after he was traded from the Kansas City A's. However, he proved quite human and the nickname was used quite jokingly after that. As a fielder though, he was no joke. He had among the best range factor of any catcher that played during the 1960's and committed only 44 errors over 11 seasons. Over his career, he hit .252 with a .304 on-base percentage, 50 homeruns, 304 RBI's, 201 runs scored, and 712 hits.

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-Davis Romero signed 8x10. A hard-throwing left-hander who plays in the Toronto Blue Jays organization, Davis Romero is shown here with Team Panama for the 2006 World Baseball Classic. He throws a very good fastball, slider, and curve, but hasn't seen much action in the Majors due to his lack of a changeup. In 7 games (all in 2006), Davis went 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA in 16 1/3rd innings pitched and struck out 10. He missed 2007 with Tommy John Surgery, but rebounded in 2008, going 5-9 with a 3.71 ERA and 29 walks and 88 strikeouts in 106 innings with the Blue Jays' AAA affiliate in Syracuse. He should be part of the Blue Jays' bullpen mix for 2009.

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-Ray Dandridge signed Perez-Steele postcard. Ray Dandridge, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1987, is one of two Negro League third baseman in the Hall of Fame. The other is Judy Johnson (see an above post). "Dandy" regularly batted in the .340's in league competition and was a terrific contact hitter as well as a spectacular fielder. In 1940, having only played 8 years in the Negro Leagues (mostly with the Newark Eagles), he jumped to the Mexican League, playing with the Veracruz Blues. Once again, he was a perennial .300 hitter and became a fan favorite. Because he learned Spanish, he also started playing Cuban Winter Ball for the Marianao Tigers. That's where National League and American League scouts started taking notice of him. In 1947, Bill Veeck offered him a contract with the Cleveland Indians. It was slightly less than what Veracruz was playing their star player and Dandridge turned it down. Unfazed, Veeck turned around and signed Larry Doby to integrate the Indians; Doby made it into the Hall of Fame too. In 1949, after he'd started declining in the field, he agreed to sign a contract with the New York Giants, who assigned him to AAA Minneapolis. There, he played three years, winning the American Association MVP Award in 1950. After that season, the Giants were willing to call him up, but then along came a young ballplayer signed off the Birmingham Black Barons by the name of Willie Mays. Both Dandridge and the Giants thought it better that "Dandy" stay at Minneapolis and help tutor young Willie. In 1952, at age 39, he played his last season with Minneapolis. He was then traded to the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League. At 40, he somehow transitioned to second base. Though he actually fielded well, he failed to hit well and retired after the season.

More Later!

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-2004 Bowman's Best Kevin Kouzmanoff rookie autograph. If he learns better bat control, Kevin Kouzmanoff (nickname "Kouz," which is what he signed on the card) could be a poor man's Garrett Atkins (who is the star third baseman for the Colorado Rockies). He initially came up with the Cleveland Indians, but was traded after the 2006 season to the San Diego Padres for second base prospect Josh Barfield (son of 1980's Blue Jays slugger Jesse; he wasted no time falling apart as soon as he got to Cleveland). He'd only played 16 games in Cleveland. With San Diego, he won the third base job out of Spring Training. He hit a respectable .275, had an okay .329 on-base percentage, hit 18 homeruns, drove in 74 runs, and scored 57. However, he had problems in the field and a lot of his throws sailed past first base. Regardless, they were seen as nothing more than adjusting to playing the position full-time on a Major League level. In 2008, he improved in the field markedly, cutting his errors in half. But his plate discipline also disintegrated. Though he hit a respectable .269, his on-base percentage was an extremely weak .299. He walked only 23 times and struck out 139 times. He did hit more homeruns (23), drove in more runs (84), and scored more runs (71), but that was largely due to getting about 140 extra at-bats. He needs to learn better plate discipline, take more walks, and if necessary, lower his power numbers. Even though homeruns are great, I'd rather see that OBP up above .325 with 15 homeruns than a .290's OBP with 20-25 homeruns. Still, he's only 27 years old this upcoming season and has time to learn.

-2002 SPx Prospect Autographs Earl Snyder rookie autograph. Earl Snyder was a tenth round draft pick in 1998 by the New York Mets who seemingly had both an inexplicable rise and an inexplicable fall. There weren't too many high expectations with Earl, but in his first professional season, he hit 11 homeruns in only 71 games. He swung at everything, but the next year, he learned far better plate discipline and with the Class A Capital City Bombers, he batted .267 with an excellent .342 on-base percentage, 28 homeruns, 97 RBI's, and 73 runs scored. It was more of the same in 2000 and 2001 and it looked like Earl was heir apparent to Todd Zeile at first base. However, in the 2002 trade for Roberto Alomar, Earl was one of the top prospects sent to the Cleveland Indians (with whom he appears on this card). Although he was 26 years old, he still posted a .263 batting average with a solid .334 on-base percentage, 19 homeruns, 66 RBI's, and 69 runs scored. He was also briefly called up by Cleveland, with whom he batted .200 with a .279 on-base percentage, hit 1 homerun, and drove in 4 runs in 18 games. Selected off waivers after the season by the Boston Red Sox, Sabermetrics-oriented General Manager Theo Epstein was primed to give him a chance at the Major League level. But then came 2003 Spring Training. What happened to him we may never know, but his plate discipline disappeared completely. He was just swinging at everything. Though he played for a single game in Boston the following year in 2004 (after hitting 38 homeruns in AAA), he was done in the Majors after that. In 2005, he was on the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 40-man roster, but was never called up. In 2006, the Cincinnati Reds signed him and sent him to AAA. He split the 2007 season between the AAA affiliates of the Reds and Chicago White Sox before finally retiring. In professional baseball, he'd hit 221 homeruns.

-2001 Topps Team Topps Legends Ralph Branca autograph. Signed as an 18-year-old in 1944, Ralph Branca came up as a reliever that very year due to wartime player shortages. In 21 games (including a single start), he went 0-2 with a horrid 7.04 ERA. However, Ralph would get better. Converted into a starter in 1945, he went 5-6 in 16 games (including 15 starts) with a very good 3.04 ERA. Used as a swingman in 1946, Ralph went 3-1 in 24 games (including 10 starts) with a 3.88 ERA. Developing a better curve that was easier to control (he always threw a fastball, curve, and changeup), he improved to 21-12 in 1947, posting a 2.67 ERA and throwing four shutouts. He was a National League All-Star. Despite dropping to 14-9 the next season, he posted a solid 3.51 ERA and was again named to the NL All-Star Team. In 1949, he went 13-5 and was named an NL All-Star for the third and final time, but struggled down the stretch with arm problems, leading to a 4.39 ERA. In 1950, he was used as a swingman while recuperating. He went 7-9 with a 4.69 ERA in 43 games, including 15 starts. 1951 saw Ralph rebound from his arm problems. Pitching both as a starter and a reliever, he went 13-12 with a 3.26 ERA, including three shutouts. His career would effectively end on the final day of the 1951 season, however. The Brooklyn Dodgers looked like they were running away with the 1951 pennant until the rival New York Giants surged near the end of the season, tying the Dodgers. This necessitated a best-of-three playoff series. The Giants and Dodgers split the first two games. Game 3 was tied 1-1 going into the 8th. That's when the Dodgers, playing on the road, scored 3 runs. Dodgers pitcher Don Newcombe shut down the Giants in the bottom of the 8th. In the top of the 9th, Giants pitcher Larry Jansen set down the Dodgers 1-2-3. All Don Newcombe had to do was get the Giants in the bottom of the 9th and Brooklyn would head to the World Series. Giants shortstop Alvin Dark led off with a single. That brought good hit/no field right fielder Don Mueller to the plate. Mueller poked a base hit, moving Dark to second. Number three hitter and centerfielder Monte Irvin fouled out for out number one. Giants first baseman and cleanup hitter Whitey Lockman then drove the ball into the vastness of the Polo Grounds' center field for a double. Dark scored, but Mueller hurt his ankle sliding into third. Clint Hartung, the legendary busted prospect, replaced him as a pinch runner. By now, Dodger manager Chuck Dressen had two pitchers warming up in the bullpen: number two starter Carl Erskine and Ralph Branca. Erskine was Dressen's first choice, but he was having trouble getting his arm loose. As such, Ralph Branca came into the game to face power-hitting left fielder Bobby Thomson. With runners on second and third, there was no force play. Branca expected he would intentionally walk Thomson, but because he was a right-handed pitcher and Thomson was a right-handed hitter, Dressen signalled Branca to pitch to him. Thomson took the first pitch, which was a curveball that dropped low and outside, but caught the black for strike one. Branca then fired a fastball high and in, which just happened to be Thomson's wheelhouse. He turned on the pitch and slammed into the left field bleachers. Even in the pitcher-unfriendly Polo Grounds, he hit a huge homerun. With Hartung on third and Lockman on second, Thomson circled the bases with the winning run. Here's New York Giants broadcaster Russ Hodges on the call...

http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/exhib ... _sound.mp3

Sadly, Branca went to pieces emotionally. Although Don Newcombe had been the pitcher who was laboring and gave up all the hits and Branca had pitched to just one batter, he took it personally. He never won more than four games in any single season after that and his strikeout rate sank like a stone. He drifted from the Dodgers to the Tigers to the Yankees and back to the Dodgers. Though originally the Brooklyn fans blamed Branca, they eventually realized that it was Dressen's inept managing and leaving in an exhausted Don Newcombe that contributed just as much if not more to the loss than Branca. He finished his career in 1956 with Brooklyn, retiring professionally in 1957. He finished his career with a record of 88-68, had an ERA of 3.79, and pitched in 322 career games, including 188 starts.

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-Adam Bostick signed 8x10. Initially hyped as the next Dontrelle Willis, left-handed pitcher Adam Bostick came up in the Florida Marlins organization. In 2007, the Marlins traded him along with project left-hander Jason Vargas to the New York Mets for extremely brittle reliever Henry Owens and flame-throwing closer prospect Matt Lindstrom (who ironically threw the last pitch ever at Shea Stadium while a member of the Florida Marlins). Although Vargas was Major League-ready, Bostick was seen to have more upside, despite having severe control lapses at times. Throwing an 89 mph fastball, Bostick relies far more on his breaking pitches, a slider and a curve. Both move extremely well, but are "effectively wild" pitches that rely on the hitter to swing at a pitch that half the time is completely out of the strikezone. At first, it was thought that Bostick would be a relatively easy fix for either Major League pitching coach Rick Peterson, AAA pitching coach Mark Brewer, or Minor League instructor (and current Mets pitching coach) Dan Warthen. All three quickly found that Bostick's mechanics were relatively consistent. His problems were coming from somewhere else. In 2007, he'd been pitching through an arm injury, with New Orleans manager Ken Oberkfell eventually taking him out of the game after he physically could not lift his arm. He came back later in the season and had a stretch where he pitched 19 scoreless innings. Then he started having problems with dead arm/tired arm. In 2008, he once again battled control problems for the month of April before finally seeming to put it together. The Mets had enough faith in Bostick that he was to be moved to the starting rotation. However, less than a week before he was to make his Major League debut, he blew his arm out and required Tommy John surgery, ending his 2008 season. I'm not worried about him being able to come back, frankly, considering he relies far more on his breaking pitches than on his fastball. However, some pitchers will struggle with breaking ball control after TJ surgery, and judging from Adam Bostick's track record, I wouldn't exactly be shocked if he did just that.

More later!

And also a quick correction to the above post...Adam Bostick had surgery on his knee for a hairline stress fracture, not Tommy John surgery. The SNY broadcasters said he had TJ surgery, so I never bothered double-checking. And that gives me a little bit of relief, considering Bostick relies on his fastball to at least throw hitters off balance for his slider and curve. Anyway...

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-1996 Leaf Signature Series Al Leiter autograph. Al Leiter was the penultimate "late bloomer" as a pitcher. Drafted by the New York Yankees in 1984 at age 18, he won just 33 games in the Major Leagues before the age of 30. At age 30 and after, he won 129 games. Leiter was taught the cut fastball in 1995 during his last season with the Toronto Blue Jays (he spent 1987-1989 with the Yankees and 1989-1995 with Toronto), aged 29. The cut fastball, or cutter, is similar to a regular fastball but you release it like a slider. The result pitch rides in hard on a batter of opposite handedness from the pitcher. In the case of Leiter, he threw left-handed and thus the pitch bore in on righties. It's called a cut fastball because it has so much movement that it's been known to break bats. Jerry Koosman was the first pitcher to rely on it and at the same time have a successful career. Like Koosman and unlike Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, Leiter threw his cutter relatively softly, relying on the pitch's movement. He went 11-11 that 1995 season with Toronto, had a 3.64 ERA, and the Blue Jays thought it was a fluke. They let him go via free agency, and he signed on with the Florida Marlins. He went 16-12 with a 2.93 ERA in 1996, the ERA being remarkable considering it was the height of the steroid era and Leiter was such a soft-tosser. He was named to the NL All-Star Team that year. In 1997, when the Marlins won the World Series, he won a game and lost a game and struggled with his control. Despite a solid 11-9 record that season, he had a 4.34 ERA. The Mets, hoping to buy low on him, made one of their few good moves of the era when they traded top prospect A.J. Burnett (who turned out good) and middling prospects Jesus Sanchez and Robert Stratton (who did not). Leiter went 17-6 with a 2.47 ERA with the 1998 Mets, 13-12 with a 4.23 ERA the next year, and in 2000, when the Mets made the World Series, he went 16-8 with a 3.20 ERA and was named to his second NL All-Star Team. He started showing his age in 2001, and his walk rate went up that year. He did well...11-11 with a 3.31 ERA...but down the stretch, you could tell he was starting to get tired. In 2002, he went 13-13 with a 3.48 ERA and fewer innings pitched and he started pitching less and less after that. 2003 saw him go 15-9 with a 3.99 ERA. In 2004, his last year with the Mets, I remember him laboring to get through five innings and having thrown over 100 pitches by the sixth. He went 10-8 with a still-very-good 3.21 ERA. But he was on such a short leash in 2005 with (at first) Florida that he couldn't pitch effectively. They sold him to the Yankees mid-season and it got to the point where he couldn't even start games. Between the two teams, he went 7-12 with a 6.13 ERA. He retired in early 2006, pitching in Spring Training but not the regular season. He is the only pitcher in MLB history to have won a game against all 30 MLB teams. His career record was 162-132 with a 3.80 ERA in 419 games, including 382 starts. He's currently a broadcaster with the New York Yankees.

-2007 Bowman AFLAC Ethan Martin. Initially a third base prospect before he was drafted, the Los Angeles Dodgers surprised everyone when they took him as a pitcher in the top 20 picks of the 2008 draft. As a hitter, he was compared to Matt Williams (which is rather impressive), but the Dodgers thought he had a great fastball/splitter/curve combination and took him as a pitcher. He's yet to play professional baseball/has only played in the instructional league, but he's really not a known quantity. I've not seen video or even stills of his pitching mechanics, so it would be impossible to say whether he has a low risk or high risk arm action. I will say this, though...Tanner Scheppers, another converted-to-pitcher in this year's draft, blew his arm out despite relatively solid mechanics (poor and abrupt finish, though I wouldn't think it would cause arm problems in a seasoned pitcher). Martin barely pitched at all before this year. As a pitcher, he's a very risky draft pick. They could always go back and develop him as a third baseman if he experiences arm trouble early, though. I also have a signed baseball of Ethan Martin I didn't scan.

-2007 Bowman AFLAC Tim Beckham. The Tampa Bay Rays' first selection in the 2008 Draft and first selection overall. See above post.

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-2005 Upper Deck USA Baseball 2004 Youth Junior Team Jonathon Niese autograph. Jon Niese is actually a left-handed pitcher, though you wouldn't know it from this baseball card. He's the top pitching prospect in the New York Mets organization and his pitching coach as a kid was Jim Palmer. However, mechanically, he looks nothing like Palmer. If you ever saw Tom Seaver pitch (my father did, a lot), you could probably say he's the mirror image of how the right-handed Seaver pitched. His arm action is very low risk; I doubt he gets injured. His four-seam fastball tops off at 90 mph, usually sitting around 88-89 mph. He also throws a solid changeup and a terrific, looping curveball that drops straight down. If you've seen Barry Zito pitch, it's that same type of curve and in fact thrown with a very similar (and unorthodox) grip. He sparingly used a two-seam fastball, a splitter, and a slider, as well, but Mets pitching coaches deleted the slider simply because no pitcher can take the mound trying to throw six different pitches. He cut down on using the two-seamer and splitter himself. Jon debuted in the Majors this year, struggling with nerves in his first start. In his second start, he threw 8 shutout innings against the Atlanta Braves. In his third start, he didn't have good control and after giving up a grand slam homerun to opposing pitcher Jason Marquis (fastball right down the middle and Marquis is a very good hitter for a pitcher), he completely melted down. That said, I think after he gets maybe half a season's worth of AAA ball, I think he's ready for the Majors full time.

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-2007 Topps '52 Rookies Ehren Wassermann rookie card, signed. Ehren Josef Wassermann was signed by the Chicago White Sox while selling knives, so that's gotta be unique. I believe his ethnic background is a first generation German father and a mother from rural Alabama, though I could be wrong. A soft-tossing righty relief pitcher, Ehren throws a fastball, changeup, and slurve. He has an incredibly odd delivery which you can check out on youtube by searching for "Ehren Wassermann." Basically, he starts out looking like he's about to throw submarine, but then pops his arm up and throws straight across sidearm. He only throws about 85 mph, but his unique delivery has kept right-handed hitters off-balance. Like Chad Bradford, a true submarine pitcher, Ehren is a right-handed specialist, facing very few lefty hitters. In 2007, Ehren had an ERA of 2.74 in 33 games, all in relief (though only pitched 23 innings). In 2008, he struggled the first half of the season with an astronomical 14.13 ERA. However, he rebounded after a stint in the Minors and posted a 4.15 ERA after the All-Star Break. A groundball pitcher in the extreme, Ehren has never surrendered a homerun in the Major Leagues.

-1995 Topps Traded Mark Sweeney rookie card/George Arias rookie card/Richie Sexson rookie card/Brian Schneider rookie card. Mark Sweeney is a pretty good pinch hitter. Richie Sexson is a power-hitting first baseman whose best years are behind him and who can't hit for average. George Arias went nowhere. Brian Schneider is the reason I got this card. The regular catcher for the New York Mets, he was acquired with right fielder Ryan Church for then-top prospect Lastings Milledge from the Washington Nationals. He'd been a mainstay with the Montreal Expos from 2000-2004, when they moved. A good field/minimal hit type of player, Brian avoids being a liability at the plate by taking a lot of walks. Though his career batting average is .253, his on-base percentage is a very good .325. He has a reputation as a superb game-caller and is an excellent defensive catcher with good range, soft hands, good blocking abilities, and a strong arm.

More later!

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-1996 Leaf Authentic Signature Tony Pena autograph. Well-known as one of the best game-callers in baseball when he was an active player, Tony Pena had one of the strangest catching styles I've ever seen (and that Dad's ever seen, for that matter). Most catchers squat down behind the plate and if they need to throw a runner out, they stand up quickly and throw. Not Tony. He'd kneel on one leg with the other sticking out to one side (If a left-handed hitter came to the plate, he'd kneel on his right leg and stick his left leg out and vice versa when a right-handed hitter batted.). He also had a very strong arm and wouldn't stand up to make his throws to second or third. Despite its unorthodox nature, it did work for him and he caught 18 seasons from 1980-1997, a five-time NL All-Star. He was not a particularly disciplined hitter; his .260 lifetime batting average vs. his lifetime on-base percentage of .309, which is subpar for a .260 average, is actually skewed to look BETTER because there were a few years where he posted flukishly high walk rates. He had some power, hitting 108 homeruns in his career, but it was mostly near the beginning of his career when he hit 10 homeruns or more six times from 1982-1988. Tony was also very fast for a catcher, stealing 80 bases over his career. He also piled up 1,687 hits over his long career. But as I said earlier, he was remembered for his defense. He won four Gold Gloves in an era where there were a lot of good defensive catchers. He had terrific range for a catcher to the point where he was played a bit in right field and first base (where he held his own). He had soft hands and great blocking skills. Like a lot of catchers, Tony became a manager. He took over the struggling Kansas City Royals in 2002 and started turning them around. In 2003, he somehow motivated his players (well, that combined with a statistical fluke) to win 83 games; the Royals haven't finished over .500 since then. But in 2004, the Royals fell to an ugly 58-104. Pena handled problems relatively poorly and resigned without naming a replacement in 2005 after the team started 8-25. He's currently a coach for the New York Yankees. His sons, Tony Pena, Jr. and Francisco Pena, both play professional baseball.

-2007 Bowman Sterling Devin Mesoraco autograph. Drafted in 2007 out of high school, Devin Mesoraco is a catcher prospect for the Cincinnati Reds. A "toolsy" catcher, Devin can hit for average and power, can run well for a catcher, fields pretty well, and has a good arm. He's also a perfect example of why I think a lot of fans these days don't really understand the draft well. The draft became a national media event in 2007, which is when Mesoraco was drafted. Because he was picked in the first round, most Reds fans assumed he would start hitting immediately. They were wrong. Like a lot of high school players (especially catchers), Devin couldn't quickly adapt from the aluminum bat to the wooden bat. He maintained relatively good plate disicpline, but only hit .219 (with a .310 on-base percentage). Not realizing a lot of high school players can take as much as three years to reach their professional potential, Reds fans really complained about the pick and deemed him a busted after he'd played all of 40 games in Rookie League ball. That worked for me, I guess, since I was able to get this signed card for $3.99 + shipping. This year, Devin naturally improved, hitting .261 with an okay .311 on-base percentage and 9 homeruns in only 80 games. He's expected to hit for even more power (9 homers in Class A Ball in your second professional season is equivalent to about 15-20 Major League homeruns) and the low OBP is likely the result of one year's worth of a new, more aggressive plate approach. Despite the initial and unwarranted negative reaction to him, I think Devin is definitely a player to watch.

-2008 Upper Deck SPx American Legend Babe Ruth 1/1. No, this is not an autograph of the Sultan of Swat. If I were to buy a Babe Ruth autograph, I'd have to spend around $5,000-$10,000. But what it is is what's known as a "1 of 1," or one of a kind card. I only have two "1 of 1" cards, and this one portrays probably the most famous baseball player in history. The other one features sure-fire Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez. Yet, that card is actually worth more. Why is that? Simple: because the Pedro Martinez is a TRUE 1/1 (and easily the best non-autographed card I've ever pulled out of pack). The Ruth? Not quite. Allow me to explain. As you may have noticed, there's a little stat line for August 28, 1923. What happened that day? The Bambino went one for three with a single. Yes, Upper Deck made one of these for every game that Ruth ever played, including World Series games and All-Star Games. In other words, they made 2,546 cards, and this is one of them. Granted, if you found one of the two All-Star Game cards or his first game, or his last game, or the one where he hit his 60th homerun or 500th or 600th or 700th or 714th and final homerun, you'd probably have a real find. But not so much here. That said, I do really like how the card looks and the concept is pretty neat. And if you're interested in Ruth's truly amazing stat line, well...

http://www.baseball-reference.com/r/ruthba01.shtml

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-Carlos Pascual signed custom index card. See a few posts up and I mentioned Carlos "Potato" Pascual. If you're a Twins fan, you've probably heard of his younger brother, Camilo Pascual. But if not for Carlos, you'd probably not have heard of Camilo. Signed out of Havana, Cuba at age 18 by the Washington Senators in 1949, Carlos was a diminutive right-handed sinkerball pitcher who also threw a wide-breaking curve. He tore through the Minors in 1949 and 1950 well enough to be inserted into the regular starting rotation. He started two games, went 1-1, completed both games, gave up only 12 hits, and despite 8 walks and 3 strikeouts, had an ERA of 2.12. And he never pitched in the Major Leagues again. He had no arm injuries, was not considered to be clubhouse poison, and didn't request to stay in the Minors. No one is sure why he wasn't given a second chance; his control improved markedly in the Minors the next year. He pitched very well in AAA ball until the Seattle Rainiers of the Pacific Coast League bought his contract after the 1952 season. From 1948-1957, the Pacific Coast League had an "Open Classification." It was better than AAA ball, but nobody wanted to say it was a Major League, despite Coast League president Pants Rowland trying desperately to gain Major League status. However, for all intents and purposes, it was equivalent to a Major League. Pascual pitched well in the PCL, but even after they lost their Open Classification in 1958 when the Giants and Dodgers moved to the West Coast, he garnered no interest. He later managed the Aragua Tigers in the Venezuelan Winter League to multiple championships. During the summer, he scouted for the Twins and Orioles up until 1981. Wait, what about Camilo Pascual? Well, Carlos kept telling the Senators to take a look at his younger brother. He was signed more as a favor to Carlos than anything else, right before the 1952 season began. And as I stated above, that "favor" won 174 games in the Major Leagues with a whole host of crummy teams mixed in.

-1967 Topps Ruben Gomez, signed. Some pitchers have their careers destroyed by arm injuries. Some can't throw an effective breaking pitch or change speeds well. Others get a bad case of the jitters. Ruben Gomez was none of the above. Nicknamed "el Divino Loco" (The Divine Crazy) in his native Puerto Rico for his love of pitching in games where a lot was on the line and "no one sane would want to pitch," scouts weren't sure what to make of the more-than-slightly-flaky Gomez at first. He came up with St. Jean of the Canadian Provincial League. How he got there from Arroyo, Puerto Rico is anyone's guess, though the Canadian Provincial League WAS known to sign a lot of former Negro League players. It's been theorized that Gomez, a dark-skinned Puerto Rican, had a friend or relative that played Negro League baseball and told him this would be a much better, higher-paying job. In any event, the first team to sign him was the Washington Senators. They sent him back after he cartwheeled off the mound following a complete game. The New York Yankees picked him up the next season, and they released him in June for his refusal to stop throwing a screwball. However, the third time was indeed a charm for Ruben Gomez. The New York Giants signed him on the recommendation of Minor League veteran pitcher turned scout Tom Sheehan, who himself had thrown a screwball and said it was no risk on Gomez's arm. Without pitching one inning in the Giants' Minor League system, Gomez shot to the Majors and went 13-11 with a 3.40 ERA despite some pretty serious control problems. The next year, he improved to 17-9 with a 2.88 ERA and threw four shutouts. However, he still battled control problems, walking 109 batters in 221 innings to lead the National League. He only struck out 106, although that was good enough to put him 10th in the National League. 1954 also marked Ruben Gomez pitching both in the World Series (where he became the first Puerto Rican ever to appear in a World Series...he turned in a quality start and won the game) and also pitching for the hometown New York Giants in the first game my Dad ever saw in person. We still have the scorecard. Giants won 9-1, beating the Brooklyn Dodgers' Erv Palica. My grandfather scored the game. In 1955, Ruben had a bit of a setback when he tweaked his forearm. He couldn't throw his screwball or hard curve without some pain, and mostly threw fastballs and sinkers. The result was a 9-10 season with a subpar 4.58 ERA. However, he appeared well on his way to recovery in 1956 when fate stepped in. Facing the Milwaukee Braves in early July, he allowed a homerun to hulking Braves first baseman Joe Adcock, who dug in on him during the next time he faced the Braves. The response was fairly standard for the era: he threw at Adcock. Adcock, enraged, charged the mound. All 6'4", 220 lbs of him. And he brought his bat along. Gomez was 5'11" and weighed about 160 lbs. Adcock chased Gomez off the mound and into center field before Giants outfielders Willie Mays and Dusty Rhodes tackled Adcock to the ground. Giants manager Bill Rigney pulled Gomez for reliever Marv Grissom. Grissom pitched five shutout innings and allowed only two singles in what was perhaps in his finest relief outing of the entire season. But Gomez instantly regretted both hitting Adcock and failing to stand his ground. Sure enough, the media criticized Gomez for not standing his ground. And, unfortunately for Gomez, he let it get to his head. He pitched extremely erratically for the rest of the 1956 season, finishing 7-17 with a 4.58 ERA. He managed to pitch one more good season in 1957, going 15-13 with a 3.78 ERA, since a lot of players really didn't know what would cause him to fall apart. He followed that up with a 10-12 season with a sub-par 4.38 ERA in 1958 after the Giants had moved to San Francisco. By now, most of the players and opposing fans had caught on. The wheels fell off completely in 1959, after a trade to the Philadelphia Phillies. He went 3-8 in 20 games, including 12 starts, with a 6.10 ERA. In 1960, he went just 0-3 in 22 games, including 1 start, with a 5.33 ERA. By now, people started to realize that he was more deserving of pity than being chided. He spent all of 1961 in the Minors, finally overcoming his mental block. In 1962, he split the season between the Indians and Twins as a swingman, pitching mediocre ball with an ERA of 4.58 and an arm that started feeling sore. In 1963, he abandoned his hard curve, throwing the fastball, sinker, and screwball alone. His arm healed up, but again, it was too late. He was sold to the Monterrey Sultans of the Mexican League after turning in a solid season at AAA. The Veracruz Blues traded for him the next year. He pitched well there; well enough for the Phillies to eventually buy back his contract in 1967. Now aged 39, Gomez pitched 7 solid games in relief. They were the last games he pitched in the Major Leagues. However, he was hardly done as a professional. He kept pitching for the Santurce Crabbers of the Puerto Rican Winter League, with whom he'd been playing winter ball continuously since 1950. Finally, in 1977, he could no longer get his arm loose at the age of 50. He pitched an unlikely-to-be-equalled record 28 seasons in Puerto Rican Winter Ball, relying on his screwball and a sinking changeup at the very end. One wonders how he'd have done in the Majors had he not fallen apart every time the Joe Adcock beaning was brought up during what should have been his prime.

-2000 Upper Deck Ovation Japan Ichiro Suzuki. Although printed before his first American market card (that would be 2001), this is not the rookie card of the Seattle Mariners' Japanese right fielder; rather it's his last Japanese card. He's depicted with the defunct Orix BlueWave of the Japanese Pacific League. Often referred to as merely "Ichiro," (a few Japanese ballplayers will only go by their given name), he holds the Major League record for hits in a single season, with 262. A specialist at getting hits, Ichiro Suzuki has over 3,000 if one is to combine his Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League numbers. A lifetime .331 hitter with a relatively low (though acceptable considering his hitting ability) .377 on-base percentage, he's also stolen 315 bases in the Majors. He's only hit 73 homeruns, but that's not the 5'9" 160 lb Ichiro's game. He's also been an 8-time American League All-Star. In other words, he's been on the All-Star Team every year of his career, something which no other player has done. He's also the first man since Fred Lynn in 1975 to win a Rookie of the Year Award and an MVP Award in the same season. Considering MLB's increasing attempts to cash in on the Japanese market, I'd be shocked if he wasn't inducted into the Hall of Fame after he retires, despite the lower quality of play in Japan (though with due respect, he would most likely be a solid Hall of Fame candidate based on peak value if one looks at his Major League career alone).

-2005 Topps All-Time Fan Favorites Howard Johnson autograph. Better known by his nickname of "HoJo," Howard Johnson was probably the most well-liked third baseman in Mets history until David Wright came along. Originally drafted by (ironically) the New York Yankees, Johnson turned them down. The second team that drafted HoJo, the Detroit Tigers, he signed with. He played three years with Detroit (and went 0-for-1 as a pinch hitter in the 1984 World Series) before they traded him to the New York Mets for pitcher Walt Terrell (And because everyone remembers HoJo as a clutch hitter, they tend to forget that Terrell was a pretty good pitcher in his own right; the Mets won the trade, but the Tigers didn't get hosed, either). In 1985 and 1986, HoJo platooned with Ray Knight at third base (which made sense; HoJo was a lefty-dominant switch hitter and Knight was a right-handed hitter). He appeared in the 1986 World Series, but went 0-for-5. When Knight departed in 1987, Johnson became the everyday third baseman and rocketed toward stardom. That year, he batted .265 with an excellent .364 on-base percentage, 36 homeruns, and 99 RBI's. He also stole 32 bases and I believe he was the first 30-30 man for the New York Mets. Though he only hit .230 in 1988, he posted a .343 on-base percentage and slugged 24 homeruns. He turned it back up in 1989, batting a career-high .287 with a .369 on-base percentage, 36 homeruns, and 41 stolen bases (30-30 again). He was also named to his first of two NL All-Star Teams. In 1990, he batted .244 with a low .319 on-base percentage and "only" 23 homeruns. He worked dilligently on his plate approach for 1991 and batted .259 with a very good .342 on-base percentage, 38 homeruns (a career high), and 30 stolen bases, thus making the 30-30 club for a third time. In 1992, Johnson broke his wrist early in the season, and unfortunately he never really recovered from that. His bat speed slowed down and while he could still work walks, he could no longer drive the ball with the authority he had in, say, 1991. He made it worse by coming back too early. He batted .223 with a .329 on-base percentage, but hit only 7 homeruns. He battled the same injury in 1993 and was perhaps the only well-liked player by the fans that was still on the team. He batted .238 with a very good .354 on-base percentage, but again hit only 7 homeruns, his power basically gone. He signed as a free agent in 1993 with the brand-new Colorado Rockies. In the thinner air of Coors Field, he was able to hit 10 homeruns, but his batting average was only .211 despite a solid .323 on-base percentage. He finished his career with the 1995 Chicago Cubs, batting only .195, though with a .330 on-base percentage and 7 homeruns. He came back to the Mets in 1996 and played Spring Training with them simply to be able to say he'd retired with the team, but that was it. Kind of. The Mets brought HoJo back as a Minor League hitting coach in 2001. There, he tutored young David Wright, who credits HoJo with teaching how to become such a successful hitter. In 2007, the Mets brought HoJo up to the Majors as the hitting coach, where he works very well to this day with left-handed hitters, especially (although David Wright is right-handed). When you watch David Wright's big uppercut in his power swing, Dad says that was exactly like HoJo in his prime from the right side of the plate.

-2008 Bowman Prospects Joseph Martinez. At 25, right-handed Joseph Martinez is somewhat old for a pitching prospect, especially on the pitching-starved San Francisco Giants. That said, he should be ready for next year and has worked very hard on his changeup to face left-handed hitting better. Why is he here? Well, imagine completing the entire 2008 Bowman Prospects set after opening only two boxes...the odds are REALLY against you, it's 110 cards and a box only has about 60 cards (and you have to factor in duplicates)...except one card. For me, that one elusive card was Joseph Martinez. I just bought his card rather than fish through a third box to complete my set.

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-2005 Just Justifiable Minors Nick Evans, signed. A promising first baseman/outfielder with the New York Mets, Nick Evans made the Majors this year. A power-hitter with good plate discipline in the Minors, Nick batted .257 with a .303 on-base percentage and 2 homeruns in 109 at-bats over the course of fifty games for the 2008 Mets. Although there's talk of trading Nick to get relief pitchers (partially due to the superior performance of Daniel Murphy, Evans' left-handed platoon partner), he might wind up staying. If he does, great; he'd make a nice in-house option for first base and is a solid hitter who will develop better numbers in the Majors.

-1998 Team Best Scott Schoeneweis, signed. Scott Schoeneweis was initially billed as a starter by the Anaheim Angels, but was converted into a long reliever when he hit the Majors in 1999. He struggled against righties, but did well against lefties. Nevertheless, the Angels moved him back into the starter role in 2000. After seasons of 7-10 with a 5.45 ERA and 10-11 with a 5.08 ERA, the Angels converted him into a swingman for the 2002 season. He went 9-8 in 54 games, including 15 starts, with an ERA of 4.88. Converted into a long reliever in 2003, he split the season with the Angels and White Sox. In 2004, he was again used as a starter by the White Sox, making only one relief appearance. He went 6-9 with a 5.59 ERA before hurting his arm. However, he healed in time for the 2005 season; remarkably quickly. As it turned out, he was named in the Mitchell Report as doing steroids in 2004-2005. He signed as a free agent with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2005, where he was finally correctly used as a lefty specialist reliever. He went 3-4 in 80 games with a 3.32 ERA. In 2006, off steroids, he split the season with Toronto (with whom he did horribly) and Cincinnati (with whom he did well, being converted into a sinkerball pitcher). Signing with the 2007 New York Mets, Schoeneweis tore a tendon in his left leg. He tried pitching through it, but did horribly, posting a 5.03 ERA. Interestingly, he turned out to be the only truly reliable reliever in September of 2007. His tendon healed up the next season, but he basically flipped the 2007 season on its head. From April to August, he pitched lights out with only a few exceptions. Then he collapsed with the rest of the bullpen in September, 2008. His ERA that month was 5.40. On the final day of the season, Schoeneweis was brought in to protect a tie game against the Florida Marlins. Veteran pinch-hitter Wes Helms, a right-handed hitter, came up to face the southpaw Schoeneweis. I can still see the first pitch he threw sailing into the left field stands. "Scho" took the loss at the final game ever played at Shea Stadium and will likely be traded this off-season.

-2001 Royal Rookies Futures Ramon Soler autograph. Ramon Soler was a really hyped prospect with Tampa Bay who never made the Majors, had poor plate discipline, and couldn't really hit for average. He could run very fast and was a slick fielder, but that was about it. Tampa Bay cut him in 2002 after they found out he'd faked his age and was three years older than they thought. The Mets picked him up and I remember he played in three different levels of baseball that year (A Advanced, AA, and AAA). He played a little in 2003 with the Giants before they cut him and he retired at the age of 25. He stole 146 bases in 5 years of professional baseball.

More later!