Card(s) of the Day - 2013 Bowman Chrome : (2) Corey Seager Rising Thru The Ranks Mini Refractors Insert . . . AKA eBay Bucks Purchase Number 3

And now on to the final acquisition using my quarterly eBay bucks certificate. I look to the Dodgers future with it and acquire a couple of cards of Corey Seager.

Still scouring for the new Bowman Chrome cards and I saw that Corey is featured on a few and wanted to get my hands on them. With a little left in my account I was seeing what auction I could get the most bang for my buck. Came across this one and the seller had not just one copy but two copies of Corey. I didn't need two but if I could get them at a low price I could use one for trade bait down the road. Zero action on the auction until the last day until someone put a bid on with about a hour left. I put mine with a few minutes left in the auction and won them both for a $2.50 delivered. Or nothing if you factor in the certificate funds.

Since the close of the auction I have already ear marked one for fellow blogger GREG . So with nothing out of pocket I was able to add one for my collection and trade the other for some other good card to be determined at a later date. Woo Hoo.

Card(s) of the Day - 2013 Bowman Chrome : Clayton Kershaw Fit The Bill Die Cut X-Fractor Insert ( 4 / 24 ) and Base Blue Refractor Variant ( 102 / 250 ) . . . AKA eBay Bucks Purchase Number 2

Onto the second of three eBay bucks purchases. Let the "free" cards keep on coming. Unlike the last quarter I decided to get some non autograph cards this time as the new release of Bowman Chrome just hit the street. I wanted some Kershaw cards and these are the ones I focused on.

For those that read this blog constantly you know I just love me the blue variants from all sets as the Dodger players look great surrounded by a blue border. A seller had the blue bordered variant of Kershaw for his Bowman Chrome base card but the real draw was that the Fit The Bill Insert card which was included in the auction as well. These specific versions have a print run of only 24. While it's possible I could come across one down the road why not get it now if I could since it was coupled with another card I wanted. At the end of the auction I ended up getting these for $13. Of course with the bucks involved that would lower my price to . . . $0. Love that total. Great looking, limited Kershaws added to the collection.

Pretty blue and die cut cards

Die Cut 4 of 24 and Blue Variant 102 of 250

Happy Birthday To Me . . . A Year In The Making

Not my biological birthday (which is later this month) but this blog's 1st birthday is today. A lot has happened in that time from my first post. The Kings are no longer Champions (1st non introductory post pertained to the Stanley Cup), I started and stopped collecting bobble heads. Those were fun at the time I was pursuing them but in the end they didn't hold my interest for the long haul. Most I have sold off or are selling off as we speak. My two favorites where my gold glove variant of Matt Kemp which I got signed and this one, the Eric Gagne pewter variant.

My collection of autographed balls has grown at least two fold in the past year which thrills my wife I'm sure (love you) and I have taken up the pursuit and collecting of baseball cards again. This was a hobby that I was neck deep back in the 90's but got out of in early 2001 for various reasons. With me selling off the collection of bobbles and clearing out my paperback inventory I was flush with cash to acquire more autographs and what better way than to take a look back into trading cards. I was hooked once again.

Went to yet another Opening Day at Dodger Stadium and I was a witness to Kershaw's first home run of his career. It was the start of a historic year for him as he should win the 2nd Cy Young award next month. Should have been 3 in a row but he was hosed last year. Took in one new ballpark in the form of Oakland Stadium. Met a lot of players as I attended many public signings and more importantly I met a lot of new Dodgers fans that I can now consider friends.

The past year has had its many ups and downs but here I am a year later. I like to think I learned some new things and I am better for it and to a point I think I am. The Internet can be a very bad place but if used properly it can enlighten your life and make it more entertaining. I am glad I decided to try this blog thing once more. I can say it has brought me new connections in the world while finding new friends and enjoying collecting more autographs and just being a venue to speak my mind.

One year in with hopefully more years to come. To all that read this and the blog in general thank you for taking your time to read about my autograph entries, recaps or even just tolerating my rants. It is appreciated. To all, God Bless you and may your lives be blessed as mine has.

GO DODGERS !!!

Countdown To World Series Champions : Six

 

The tightrope walk continues for the boys in blue. One loss and their season is over and yesterday was gut check time. They live for another day. Dodgers won a heart stopper of a game with the score of 6-4. Now it's back to St. Louis for games 6 AND 7 as they have lined up Kershaw and Ryu against a Cardinal team that has issues with left handers this year. We are now closer to the World Series than anytime in the past 25 years. This will not be easy but with Kershaw going in game 6 I like our chances to at least force a game 7. Go Blue !!!

 

 

 

Steve Garvey : 1981

 

 

Ron Fairly : 1963, 1965

 

 

Carl Furillo : 1955

 

 

 

Signed Ball of the Day : Mike Witt ( ROMLB Sweet Spot w/Perfect Game Inscription ) . . . AKA eBay Bucks Purchase Number 1

It's that time of the year once again. Every 3 months I get to use eBay bucks that I have accumulated over the previous 3 months from purchases for the family and myself. Usually I am able to get 3 different auctions/items with the bucks and this quarter is no different. The first item to make it to my doorstop, and the priciest of the 3, is a JSA authenticated signed baseball by former pitcher Mike Witt.

Normally I would never pursue an autograph of a player like this. He is a former Angel and had a very average career with a record of 117-116 and an ERA of 3.83. But his claim to fame is why I wanted this specific ball. On the last day of the season in 1984 he threw a perfect game. With me meeting Dennis Martinez, Don Larsen and acquiring other signed balls from perfect game pitchers I am on the lookout for all the other pitchers from this elite group. The one hitch is that I want the inscription of "perfect game" on the ball. That makes it more pricey to acquire though.

I lost out on a few auctions as I was unwilling to spend what the auctions closed for but this ball came up for bid right when the eBay quarter was ending and I knew I would have those funds sitting there for me to use. Most of the auctions for a Mike Witt ball closed at over $50 but I was able to snag this beauty for a tad under $46. A bargain if it came out of pocket but a steal since I was able to acquire it without putting any money out of pocket into the transaction. Added another signed ball by a perfect game thrower and happy on all levels. That's one eBay bucks transaction down, two more to go.

Mike Witt with his perfect game inscription

Movie Review : Machete Kills

The inevitable sequel to Machete is upon us in the cleverly titled " Machete Kills . . . Again ".

Before the movie even starts there is a preview on the next Machete film in the form of "Machete Kills Again . . . In Space". After that the movie jumps right into the mayhem and doesn't stop until the end 100+ minutes later.

The "plot" of the movie is just a reason to show violence and beautiful women running around with minimal clothes on. President Rathcock ( Charlie Sheen ) recruits Machete ( Danny Trejo ) to go down to Mexico to take out Mendez ( Demián Bichir Nájera ) who has a bomb aimed at America which will go off if his heart stops due to the trigger being surgically attached to it. On the way to Mexico, Machete meets up with his appointed handler Ms. San Antonio ( Amber Heard ) who takes him over the border and is dropped into the heart of enemy territory. He goes to the local whorehouse run by Madame Desdemona ( Sofia Vergara ) to meet up with an informant and is soon engaged by Desdemona and her girl posse. Once face to face with Mendez, Machete is able to capture him and proceed to take him back over the border to hopefully get the bomb defused but things get more complicated as there are now 10+ million dollar bounties on both him and Mendez which brings out all sorts of characters including "El Camaleon" who is played by various actors.

With a little help Machete makes it back to the US and meets up with the maker of the bomb, Luthor Voz ( Mel Gibson ) who happens to have his own plans which he lays out to Machete. The climatic battle includes clones, Star Wars and Trek weapons, Che ( Michelle Rodriguez ) who accompanies Machete after tracking him down to help him out. Some beheadings, a little fire, rockets blasting and all sorts of other forms of violence are showcased.

VERDICT : This type of movie isn't really reviewable per se. The purpose of the film is to cram as much visual violence that you can get away with and add some story with large dosages of pretty women. Danny, once again with his non smiling face, is fun to watch. You can tell that Sofia is just having a blast as she is the best among the supporting characters and I hope she returns for the sequel. Amber and Michelle are nice eye candy but don't add much to the film other than a girl fight late in the film. Having seen the downfall of both Charlie and Mel the past few years in real life there seems to be something in their eyes that just screams "unhinged". The characters they play on screen seem more real life than make believe and I am sure it wasn't a stretch for them to "act".

In the end while I enjoyed the flick for the most part but it felt longer than the first film and towards the end my interest was not being held by what I was watching. A slight THUMBS UP to watch but even though the special effects were impressive on the big screen I wouldn't have minded if I watched it all on the small screen. Hopefully the planned trilogy goes out with a bang and not a whimper when Machete is up in space in a couple of years.

Countdown To World Series Champions : Seven

 

 

Finally a W in the NLCS for the Dodgers. With their backs against the wall and season on the line their 2 main rookies put on a show. Ryu threw 7 strong scoreless innings and Puig broke out of a series long slump to club a bat flipping worthy triple. One win is great but they NEED to win tonight as well to even up the series or yesterday basically was for naught. 4 down with 7 to go. This whole season has been a tight rope so I expect no less in this series. Let's Go Blue !!!

 

 

 

Alfredo Griffin : 1988

 

 

Steve Yeager : 1981

 

 

Lee Walls : 1963

 

 

 

Card of the Day - 2003 Sweet Spot : Duke Snider Blue Ink Autograph

Man do I love these Sweet Spot cards and my collection of them is starting to pick up some steam. This card has a lot going for it as first it is a Sweet Spot card, second it showcases an old timer in the form of Duke Snider and thirdly it shows him in Brooklyn gear which I always love.

This is my first Duke signed card as I have lost many of auctions pertaining to him as he is still popular and I didn't want to overspend on the card. Saw this beauty come up on eBay one day and it was in the familiar 7 day auction mode so I added it to my watch list. The seller had a starting bid of just $10. With the card booking at $40 I expected it to close at least somewhere in the $20 range. I was wrong and couldn't be happier. Last day of the auction had arrived and not a single bid on it which I found very surprising. Minute left and still nothing going and with time winding down I put my bid in and expected to be sniped at the last minute but instead I won the card for the original asking price of $10. A great find and buy. Looks great and even came with an acrylic case to boot.

Card of the Day - 1997 Bowman : Todd Hollandsworth Autograph

Sitting at my desk at work and taking a break and I ran a list of Dodgers that I could think of at that time through my head and up popped Hollandsworth. Todd was a Rookie of the Year for the boys in blue back in the 1990's when they had a streak that consisted of Karros, Nomo, Mondesi, Piazza and Todd. Obviously of the 5 Todd was the weakest of the bunch. All those ROY's and no playoffs wins to show for it. Shameful.

I realized that I hadn't acquired a Todd autograph as of yet so I went on to eBay and didn't expect to find much and wasn't disappointed in my assumption. Did come across this card and a seller had it listed for $7 which there was no way I going to pay that but I sent him an offer for $3 and within 30 minutes he responded and took the offer. Thought that $3 is a small enough amount that I wouldn't feel bad that I spent it on Todd. With the age of the card I could tell there was some yellowing on the border and when it came in my suspicion was confirmed. Nonetheless it is a nice card to have and add to my collection as the autograph is crisp and blue.

Card of the Day - 2011 Bowman Chrome : Nathan Eovaldi Autograph

Another card of a former pitcher that we could have used this year but at least this pitcher yielded us a great player in one Hanley Ramirez. Still, I wanted to have an on card autograph of this former player. Nathan Eovaldi come on down.

Nathan had a decent little run with our team and since has started to pick up some steam with the Marlins which is saying something as they have a very crappy team other than Stanton. I was never able to get Nathan's autograph while he was here and have since bought a pre authenticated signed ball as seen here but wanted a card to compliment the ball. Set my eyes out on Bowman Chrome as that has always been my favorite set to through the years and came across his 2011 rookie card. In the end there were 5 different bids but I came out on top at the small amount of just $4 and some change. Bargain hunting at it's best.

Card of the Day - 2008 Topps : Hong-Chih Kuo Autograph

More and more I am becoming less and less of a fan of these sticker autographs and I am redirecting my efforts to acquiring on card autographs unless something comes up that I find unique or just want for some other reason.

Kuo and other Asian baseball players have always been a favorite of mine when it comes to autographs in their language. If I can get an English one to display next to their Asian one that is just a great bonus. Even though this is a sticker autograph I still love that it has Kuo's signature in characters and not in English letters.

I never see much action on Kuo auctions on the bay and this one was no different. Auction had one bid on it from the beginning and 7 days later it stood pat. I put my bid in and won the card for a little over $4 delivered. Nothing overly special about the card other than it being Kuo but I just wanted it and was able to accomplish that.

Upcoming Appearance / Signing : Robbie E

 

Baseball season is almost over but sports appearances don't stop at Harry's Dugout. Next Thursday the 17th TNA Wrestling Superstar Robbie E is making an appearance in Whittier. If you are a wrestling fan then come on down and even if you are not drop on by and experience the shop and look around and mingle with fans.

 

• Photo and Autograph : $10
• "You're Not On The List Bro!" Inscription : $5

Upcoming Appearance / Signing : Jose Canseco @ Harry's Dugout

 

 

Jose will be making another appearance at Harry's Dugout in Whittier on Saturday the 26th. I met him back in March as seen HERE . Hopefully at the time of signing the Dodgers will be playing that night in the World Series and we can all talk about it in the store with Mr. Canseco. Ah, 1988

= )

Either way, drop on by and acquire an autograph from the former Bash Brother and enjoy the atmosphere of fellow fans and the shop. Always a great time.

 

• Baseball Cards : $20
• Baseballs and Flats Up To 11x14 : $30
• Larger Flats, Mini Bats, Mini Helmets, Caps, Figurines and Equipment : $35
• Bats, Jerseys, Helmets and Artwork : $45
• Inscriptions : $10
• Autographs limited to just 300

Card of the Day - 2008-09 Upper Deck Trilogy : Jonathan Bernier Autograph

Back to Canada I go to acquire another hockey card. That country has been the hotbed for me in getting my King cards for my set. Finally a very difficult one to get for me is my hands. Former back-up goalie Jonathan Bernier.

Jonathan has since been traded to the Maple Leafs but when he was with the Kings he was a very good back up to Quick. Both Jonathans have been difficult to acquire on eBay as I have lost many of auctions on both of them. I am still searching for Quick at a reasonable price.

Most of Bernier's auctions I have been losing out on have closed at above $15 and that was too rich for my blood. Yet again another copy of this card went up for bid and surprisingly there were no bids up to the last hour of the auction. With a few scant seconds left I put my bid in and won it for a little over $11 delivered to my house. Considering all the auctions I have lost on that is a great price in my eyes. One goalie checked off my list with one more to go.

Hard plastic case came with it. Bonus !

Card of the Day - 2012 SP : Chad Billingsley / Ethan Martin Dual Signatures

In between other auctions that I have locked myself into I continue to scour the bottom of the eBay "barrel" to see if I can come up with a good deal here or there. I nabbed one a couple weeks ago with this card.

With Chad on the shelf for the year while recovering from Tommy John surgery and Ethan moved on from the Dodgers last year in a trade and is still in the minors this card has little to no interest to most people. Perfect opportunity for me to try to acquire it for pocket change and indeed that is what I did. Auction had a starting bid of a penny and with the seller having another card I wanted I thought I could group them together. I didn't get carried away with my bid on this card as I didn't want to get stuck with this one at a higher price in case I lost the other one (which I did) so I put in a minimal bid in and even with that I won which was still a little surprising. The damage to me for the card was a mere $1.51. Or 75 and half cents per autograph. Not too shabby. Won't ever turn my nose up at a low cost like that for a card especially with two autographs.

Movie Review : Gravity

Sandra Bullock plays a medical specialist named Ryan Stone who is up in space with fellow astronaut Matt Kowalski played by George Clooney. Dr. Stone's mission is to make some adjustments to the Hubble telescope while Matt is the commander who is on his final mission and is trying to break the all time record of spacewalking.

While making her final adjustments to the telescope, she and the rest of the crew are alerted by Houston control that a Russian satellite that was destroyed and fragmented now has its debris headed toward them at a high speed and will damage their shuttle if they do not get out of there at that precise moment. The message was too little too late as the debris takes out the ship and the whole crew other than Matt and Ryan who was still attached to the Hubble and is spun out so far from the crash site she is but a blip among the stars. Matt ends up rescuing Ryan but they now have to figure out how to get home with no shuttle. Option one is the International Space Station (ISS). Miles away they have to figure out how to get there with Matt's jet pack that is running out of fuel and Ryan's oxygen tank running low.

With option one not working out they have to figure out another way to get home and now have to concentrate on a Chinese station over 60 miles away from the ISS. Even if they make it that far the debris that destroyed their ship will be making another pass along its orbit once they would reach the Chinese station. Even if they make it that far they don't know if someone is there to help them or if not if anything is functional that could help get them home.

VERDICT : A hard movie to review without given away plot lines that would spoil the movie and its ending. The one word I would give it though is T E N S E. With the rest of the crew perishing at the beginning of the movie Sandra and George are the only ones left of the screen for the rest of the movie. And they make it work. Dr. Stone is also dealing with the loss of her daughter and her wanting or not wanting to live and must come to a decision on that matter. Matt or whatever role George pays is charming and gives the only "humor" that the film has to offer. Sandra and George work well together on the big screen and would love to see them together again on another collaboration. The special effects are top notch and like most movies I did not chose to watch it in 3D and for this one I think I made a mistake as I have heard that added another layer to the film.

This film definitely is not for everyone as people going in thinking they will see an action film in space will leave disappointed. This film is more about human spirit and the will to live or not live. Sandra gives a very good performance for the material she is given and George is fun as always. A for sure THUMBS UP to this movie with a slight leaning towards watching this on the big screen and not waiting for the small one if you are so inclined to watch it as well.

Countdown To World Series Champions : Eight

 

 

What a game. Last night the Dodgers wrapped up the NLDS with a thrilling 4-3 come from behind win in the 8th. The power and non ability to bunt of Uribe was the difference. In hindsight having Kershaw pitch on short rest was the right call even though I was not a fan of the decision in the beginning. He brought his A game even though the defense behind him let him down.

 

Maybe with the heroics of Uribe in the 8th will make Don see that bunting is not a good thing most of the time. We can only hope. We now wait for either the Pirates to come to town on Friday or if we have to head out to St. Louis to play the Cardinals. I'm confident we can beat either team but the Pirates probably would be the more desired opponent for the Dodgers. Either way, bring on the NLCS. Go Blue !!!

 

 

Reggie Smith : 1981

 

 

John Roseboro : 1959, 1963, 1965

 

 

George Shuba : 1955

 

 

 

Card of the Day - 2011 Panini : Alyssa Milano Fans of the Game Autograph

I've had this card for quite some time ( a few months if not closer to 4 ) but even though I associate Alyssa with the Dodgers more than the Kings I held if off until today. Home game number 1 for the Kings for the 2013-14 season. I have never seen her depicted in Dodger gear on any card but I have seen this card numerous times hence why I waited until today to post about it. As with her I am a Dodger fan first but Kings come in a close second.

I met Alyssa years ago at a book signing but was not able to have her sign any memorabilia at that time so I have always looked for a card or ball with her autograph on it. I finally was able to acquire one in the form of this card. From a visual point of view the card is very plain looking with her in a Kings sweater. Nonetheless I had to get this card.

The card number is 7 in the series which is my good luck and marriage number so that had to be a good sign. It has Alyssa's autograph with her representing my second favorite team the Kings. I would not be denied this card and I was not. Money out of pocket, zero. Enjoyment of acquiring card, a lot.

Forever blue and Go Kings Go!!!

Countdown To World Series Champions : Nine

 

 One more for the NLDS. The Dodgers clobbered the Braves last night and are now one win away from the NLCS for the first time since 2009. They can close it out tonight and hopefully they do as they and all us fans sure don't need the stress of a game 5 in Atlanta on Wednesday. Let's Go Blue !!!

 

 

Mickey Hatcher : 1988

 

Jerry Grote : 1981

 

 

Wally Moon : 1959, 1963, 1965

 

 

Card of the Day - 2011 Finest : Dee Gordon Refractor Autograph ( 241 / 499 )

A slight overspend for me on this acquisition. I am trying to complete the "rainbow" set for the 2011 Finest for Dee and Jerry Sands. I had already acquired the green version of this card of Dee and then I saw this one. The seller originally had this at $10 on a buy it now on eBay but had a sale which dipped the cost to $8.50. Both prices for me were still too high so I sent out an offer to him and we settled on $6. Considering that is a little more than I spent for the "rarer" green version that makes this purchase not really a bargain but I wanted to get another notch on the belt for this project and I just went with it. Card arrived a few days later and I now have 2 parts of the collection with a few more to go.

Card of the Day - 2013 Bowman : Corey Seager Top 100 Insert Die Cut Variant ( 43 / 99 )

Finally.... another project is done from this year's Bowman set.

I have been collecting the Top 100 Insert set of the Dodgers which are included in the Bowman series and have had all of them for awhile but I still needed the die cut variants where there are only 99 of each player produced. Puig, check, Ryu, check, Pederson, check and then there was Corey Seager. I just couldn't get my hands on one at any reasonable price until now and then it was a steal for me.

There have not been many die cuts available on eBay and most have been going for over $10 for a card that books at $15. I just couldn't pull the trigger once it double digits so I just had to remain patient and finally it paid off. One day there were two different cards being sold by two different sellers so I was going to be in on both. The first one was ending and I put my bid in and low and behold someone over bid me with the auction closing at over $11. Ugh. Again. Next up was this card and it ended sometime around 9:30 PST so that might have been the deciding factor for me as I won it for a paltry $4 delivered to my house. Not going to complain and just going to be happy that I finally have completed another small project at a great cost. Look forward to seeing Corey up with our team sometime in the near future.

43 / 99 and man it seems like I saw at least 30 of these pass through my hands on eBay.

Card of the Day - 2011 Finest : Dee Gordon Green Refractor Autograph ( 158 / 199 )

Well with me trying to acquire the "rainbow" collection for Jerry Sands my eyes are also set on trying to do the same with Dee Gordon from the same 2011 Finest set. His cards are pricier than Jerry's so I think this project will take longer to complete but I did get my hands on the first piece to the set.

Most of the cards for Dee in the 2011 Finest set are closing too high for my taste or are set at buy it now's which are also too high. This one was a rarity in that it was done as an old fashioned auction with a starting bid of .99 cents. Gave myself a little higher price ceiling for Dee I set out to get this card hopefully at a relatively low amount. Some action to be expected happened as the auction wound down to it's end and with a few seconds left I put my bid in and won the card for a nickel over $5. So I spent a little green to acquire this green and happy it came at a low amount.

158 of 199.

Countdown To World Series Champions : Ten

 Dodgers draw first blood last night and win the first of 11 games needed to win the World Series. Tonight they go for a commanding lead in the series while sending Zack Greinke to the mound.

Dave Anderson : 1988

Ron Cey : 1981

Jeff Torborg : 1965

Al "Rube" Walker : 1955

State of the Dodgers : Fans Piss Poor Reactions / CommentsTo / About Matt Kemp

The image above is the one that seems to be stuck in most Dodger fans this year. While it was more commonplace than usual or wanted I can't believe how fast fans turn on a player that has contributed so much good for this team and town for years to let some injuries fog their mind. Yes, he has been injured for the most of two years now. But one of the main reasons he keeps getting hurt is that he wants to come back so bad to help this team win that he is not at 100%. He is probably 80% at best when he is activated from the DL each time but that 80% is better than 3/4 of the league.

This was the pose we saw for most of the 2011 season and for brief moments this year but it seems that people forget that. He strives to be the best of the best and with that determination it has affected his play due to him coming back not at full strength. Fans and critics alike have been hounding Matt for getting hurt repeatedly the last two years but when he does come back then they knock him for not performing at 2011 levels. Matt can't seem to catch a break on or off the field.

I was at the game on Saturday and this was the first time in all my times that I have been at the baseline seats that he did not sign for me or other fans and seemed peeved at the autograph seekers. He did give his bat to a kid, yet another act of generosity that he doesn't have to do but does willingly. I was shocked but understand that sometimes players are just not in the mood to sign. A few minutes later it was revealed that he was taken out of the line-up due to issues with his ankle. Then the next day he was on crutches and shut down for the season. I would have been frustrated as well if this happened to me yet again. It explains why he was "irritated" prior to Saturday's game.

Then you have this Matt Kemp. The one that went into enemy territory ( San Francisco ) and literally stripped down and gave his jersey, shoes etc to a dying young man. To top it off a couple weeks later he flew him and his family down to Los Angeles to attend a game courtesy of Matt. This young man died a short time later but I am sure he died with a smile on his face and great memories.

This is the Matt that I respect the most and the reason why I will never turn on him. He has gone out of his way to make people happy and loved and there are too many fair weather fans out there that just because he isn't hitting like he did in 2011 they chose to boo and hate on Matt. Am I happy that he hasn't had a great year since 2011? No, but I look at the whole picture and not just the negative aspects from the past two years. Here is a man that on the baseball field is giving 150% for his team even when he should be resting and healing so his production can meet his heart and hustle but a lot of people just see the end result and not the actions that cause those same results. I see a man that above it all gives his time and heart to these same fair weather fans that want his autograph yet will return to their seat and boo and hiss and call him a bum when he strikes out. 

If he didn't try or didn't seem to care or was just plain lazy then by all means boo him. I would join in too but that is not in his make-up so I don't see that day coming anytime soon. If Matt can really shut it down and come back in March of next year healthy, we should get the 2011 Kemp or someone really close to it and not the one we have watched the past two years. But either one we get I will support 100% and realize that there is more in his life than baseball and he does what he does because he cares.  

Card of the Day - *** Another Update *** 2013 Bowman inception : Yasiel Puig Silver Signing Autograph ( 25 / 25 ) Beckett Raw Grade Gem Mint 9.5

As stated from my last Inception Puig post seen HERE I was going to take the card to BGS for a raw card grade (RCR). BGS happened to be in my neighborhood this past Saturday at South Bay Cards in Lomita. This made it so much easier than me going out to Walnut for the Frank and Sons show to submit the card and wait 2 weeks minimum to know the grade. With a RCR I would know within a couple of hours what the grade is and afterwards if I wanted to I could do a full submission and get the card slabbed.

Arrived at the store around 9:45 and dropped off the card and was told that by noon I should have an answer. Killed some time by doing some shopping and headed back to the store a little after 12 and picked up my card. And, damn I still have a decent eyesight. When I received the card from Topps the card to me looked like it would grade out to a gem mint 9.5 and that is exactly what BGS thought as well. On top of acquiring my first on card, non-sticker autograph of Puig the card also is now been graded a 9.5. Obviously I wanted it fully slabbed so I submitted for the procedure and now wait a couple more weeks to complete the whole journey to getting a great looking, gem mint autographed card of Yasiel Puig added to my collection. I'm stoked and you know there will be a final entry when it comes in.
= )

Movie Review : Don Jon

Porn. 24/7 whether visual or just thinking about watching it. That is what Jon ( Joseph Gordon-Levitt ) does everyday of his bachelor life. He does have other loves such as his family, his car, his friends but the visual stimulation of porn is his one true love. Jon is a bartender and uses that position to his advantage to take women home for one night stands but he his not fulfilled as he prefers watching it on the screen. The screen women offer and do more than what actual flesh and blood will do for him or so that is what he believes.

One night he meets Barbara Sugaman ( Scarlett Johansson ) at a club and he tries to pull his usual charm but is not able to close the deal and goes home alone. He finds out about her via the Internet and invites her to lunch for a meet and greet where they size each other up. The animal attraction plays out over numerous dates with Jon catering to her wants with him even going back to school to better himself in her eyes. All is well until she finds him one night attending to himself while watching porn on his laptop. To say she was upset is an understatement.

Even though Jon is "happy" to be with her and his family is beyond ecstatic that he might have found his "true" love he feels empty inside. While at school he becomes friends with a fellow and older classmate named Esther ( Julianne Moore ) who while mentally fragile offers a different type of friendship and helps him see another side to "love" and her reasoning for his love of porn. A yang to Barbara's ying.

As the film reaches its climax Jon figures out what women and love can give him and what porn does and does not. Barbara shows how her "love" can be destructive while Esther shows an option of a different love that Jon is not accustomed to. In the end he must decide which is more fulfilling to him.

Verdict : This is Joseph's first time out as a director and he tackles an uneasy topic to make a movie about. Porn, while more in our face than ever is still taboo for a wide release, major studio production. I enjoyed the non-typical popcorn flick as we see how women view certain types of love such as porn, meaningless sex and tragedy. Joseph as an actor does a fine job as Don Jon and though Scarlett fills her role as the sexpot to perfection her accent is a little off putting. The supporting characters are well cast with Jon's parents and especially his father Jon Sr. ( Tony Danza ) standing out amongst them. This is fun escape from the usual smash em up, kill em and car chasing films that litter the theaters. A THUMBS UP for me but unless you need to go the theater to watch this you can just wait for the home viewing as the big screen does not add anything special. The story and the characters are the selling point for this flick not special effects.

Signed Ball of the Day : Rick Honeycutt ( ROMLB Sweet Spot )

Rick was an average pitcher during his playing days but he did when a World Series ring with the Oakland A's back in 1989. He played for the Dodgers from 1983-1987 but his real claim to fame now is how he has handled the Dodger pitching staff for the past 7 years. I will admit that up until last year I was not a fan of his coaching but this year he has really helped mold a great staff. Yes, you need the talent to produce results but you do need a co-captain and Rick has been that man as we have had the best staff in baseball the whole year. Now hopefully that translates to the post season as we will need our pitching more than ever as our hitters are fending out injuries left and right.

Rick was the final autograph that I acquired this past Saturday at Dodger Stadium. He was on the field with what looked to be his grandson. He was showing this young man around the place and taking pitchers with people. Another fan and I were in the baseline section and were able to call Rick over to acquire his autograph. I haven't really searched out Rick's autograph before but with no other action going on at the time this was the perfect opportunity to finally get his autograph. Rick was cordial and nice as always. He signed a ROMLB for me but he smudged his name a tad. At least I had him sign a ball that already had a defect so I don't feel as bad. Thank you again Rick and great luck in the playoffs with our pitching staff.

Smudgy Rick.