Good bye, Farewell, So long

The faces, they are a changin'.

Rumour has it that the Braves have finallized a deal with Arizona to acquire left fielder, Justin Upton.

In exchange, Atlanta sends personal favourite Martin Prado...

young stud starter Randall Delgado....

and three prospects. Atlanta also receives 3rd baseman Chris Johnson in the deal.

I can't say as I'm thrilled with the deal. As a LF last year, Prado hit over .300 and was runner up for Gold Glove.
Upton hit .280 and was not in the running for Gold Glove.

Rumour has it that Atlanta was not going to pay Prado his 10-11 million asking price after this year. He makes 4 mil this year.

Upton makes 10 mil this year, and 14.5 mil for each of the next two seasons.

And we give up Delgado.

Now, I'll readily admit, these people are smarter than I am, but someone needs to explain this one to me.


In another deal I'm not too thrilled about that happened a month ago, the Braves swapped Tommy Hanson to the Angels for a reliever.

I'm not happy about it, but I do understand it. Injuries, $$$, too many starters, etc.... I get it. Even with these deals, the Braves still look to have the best pitching in the NL. And that bullpen is nasty good.

I'd show off cards of our new acquisitions, but I don't think I have any. None that I can find, anyway.

Cardboard quality over quantity...

not too far back I decided, conciously or subconciously, to veer away from my normal buying habits at card shows. Oh sure, I still pick up cards that aren't on my lists, (always bring your lists kids!) and I tend to buy too many cards with other people in mind.(that's my greedy alter ego talking) But I wanted to try and 'upgrade' my player collections. At every show, pick up at least one high end card, instead of just dozens of cards from the dollar box.
So at the last two card shows, I have done just that. I'll show a baseball related one here, and later a hockey item on my other blog, Just A Bit Offside.

From this year's Topps Tribute, Mr Tommy Hanson.

Tommy is smiling because he's about to strike out the side with one pitch. This shiny beauty set me back $15. That may not be high end for some of you.... but for someone like me who spends their time scrounging through quarter boxes... it's high end.

Nice to have you home Tommy.... now if I could only touch it......

They tried naming a street after Tommy Hanson in Atlanta, but they had to change it because nobody crosses Tommy Hanson and lives.

Tommy Hanson....

Tommy Hanson once threw a no-hitter... with a bowling ball.

Tommy Hanson can win a game of Connect Four in three moves.

Behind tommy Hanson's beard is not a chin, but a 102 mph fastball.

Tommy Hanson is the reason Waldo is in hiding...

there once was a street named Tommy Hanson, but they had to change the name. No one survives after crossing Tommy Hanson.

And for the ladies....

Edward can't read Bella's mind because Bella is always thinking about Tommy Hanson.

from out of the Blue, some Orange!

now that blogger is working and I can actually post images again, we'll try this posting thing again.

One of the things that really sucks about the horrible crap that Topps is putting out baseball wise is that I haven't bought much of any baseball cards in over a year. And what really sucks is that means a massive cutdown on trades. I trade a lot of hockey, but most of you are baseball only.

But a few days ago, I got a package from an address I remembered. Inside were about 25-30 Braves, including Mr Hanson Orange border refractor

 A Yunel orange refractor (one of the worst trades we've made btw)

 Brandon Hicks RC super xfractor thingie

 and one of our CF by comittee members, also a superXfractor thingie.

there was no note or anything, but I knew the address to be of Marie from A Cardboard Problem. Apparently these Braves were just gathering dust on one of her shelves.
Thanks Marie! I love this hobby! Troll out!

oh.... wait... wrong blog....

Generousness... a good start to the new year.

One thing you will not see here is the obligatory new year 'state of the blog' address, nor any resolutions, look backs, recollections, top 10 lists of 2010, or any other review type post. There are enough of those out there right now. Not to say that they aren't interesting, but I've never been one to follow the crowd. And I'm a wee lazy too... so when you combine those, you get what we have here. A post that barely even acknowledges that we are in a new year. Just another day. I remember the biggest pain in the butt of the new year was remembering to write the correct year on your cheques. But I don't think I've written a cheque in over 10 years. Do they still even have cheques? Whatever. I digress.

The title of this post in Generousness. I thought I made it up. It's a great word to describe most of the great bloggers out there. Turns out I didn't make it up. It's a word. Look it up. I did.

 Before xmas I posted about a package I received from Darkship aka Todd. He sent over one of the last two stickers I need for the 2010 Panini World Cup sticker book. Not being satisfied with just sending a sticker, Todd ran throughout his house, frantically looking for something else to send with it. He did. I can picture him doing it. Lord knows I've done it dozens of times. It's almost a dance.

A dance Todd does well. He sent over one of those fancy, only available in the U.S. Orange refractor thingies of Braves phenom Tommy Hanson. 

 and an auto of perhaps the greatest race car driver of all time, David Pearson.

A very cool on card auto of a former moon shine runner. What a country!

Thanks Todd!!! And let's have a great next 365.

it's Tommy Time

Tommy Hanson is so feared, sharks have a week named after him.

Tommy Hanson walked into a Las Vegas brothel with an erection. There were no survivors.

Tommy Hanson is the life of the party.... that he's never been to.

Braves win.

You may call him Sir...

Tommy Hanson wouldn't be afraid to show his feminine side.... if he had one.

Tommy Hanson's mom has a tattoo that says "Son"

Tommy Hanson once had a staring contest with his own reflection. After the fourth day, he won.



he's Tommy Hanson....... and you're not.

a little T206 help if you please...

awhile back in one of Joe Collectors group breaks, I was fortunate enough to acquire a Tommy Hanson Cyan Printing Plate. Behold. Glorious.
Now, T206 was a product that I basically ignored when it came out. I wasn't going to collect the set, and I knew I'd get a pretty good chunk of the Braves team set in Joe's break. Here's where I need the help... this is the back of the Tommy Printing Plate.

That there is the actual Printing Plate for card 262 Tommy Hanson.

Here is the back of the card that the plate printed. Card 262.

Now here is the front.

WTF? I get a picture of Tommy in mid raspberry? (BTW, how many pitchers are confident enough to raspberry the batter as they are about to be struck out?)

How did this.....

become this?

I'm sure there are many of you who can help me. Dayf and his master cranial checklist.... maybe even Night Owl. He works in the newspaper industry. I'm sure he's run through the plant screaming "STOP THE PRESSES" at least once.

How do we go from "The Staredown"

to "The Raspberry"

oh, and for those of you who have Braves in this set, and are just dying to share, I have Tommy, Jair Jurrjens, Kris Medlin, Yunel Escobar, Casey Kotchman, Jordan Schafer, Nate McLouth, Derrick Lowe, Brian McCann, Garrett Anderson, Javy Vazquez, Chipper Jones, and Kenshin Kawakami. I also have a McLouth Piedmont mini, and a Kawakami Gold/Bronze/Brown border thingy...

Am I missing anyone?

Better Late Than Never

a lot of you have seen the Secret Santa postings that Sarah from A Rookie Card Collector organized. I received mine today. You'd think that it was really late, but when considering the source (beardy), it's not. He decided to mail a package, destination the other side of the continent and a different country, on the 18th of December, expecting it to get here in 6 days. That's beardy for you. Now yes, it was supposed to be a "Secret" Santa, but if the return address of Admantium Maryland, or Strontium Maryland, whatever the hell it was didn't give it away, there's always the tag.
That and the 47 emails consisting of "Did you get it yet?" "How about now?"

Whatever. Let's rip it.

First up, a Jeff Francoeur A&G back mini

I'm not sure if this is the only random Brave card he had laying around, or rather a gentle reminder to me of how we got raped in the trade with the Muts. Knowing beardy, the latter.

Next, a Napoleon Bonaparte mini. Rather random you'd think. But again, it's beardy. He's rather protective of a certain dead president. And I take great delight in slighting him at any opportunity. This card is a reminder that it's not over. It's never over.

Now we're getting somewhere. A bue bordered '09 Topps Chrome Marion Barber. Sweetness.

An '08 Topps Chrome Super Califragilistic XFractor of said beast of a running back.

and the grand finale.

Words need not apply.

A huge thanks to my Secret Santa. And remember kids. James Polk is a pussy. Good night.

It's here! It's finally here!!!

Tommy Boy!

'Icy-Hot' is too weak for Tommy Hanson. After a workout, Tommy rubs his muscles down with liquid-hot MAGMA.

Tommy once ordered a Big Mac from Wendy's. And got one.

Tommy Hanson recently had the idea to sell his urine as a canned beverage. We know this beverage as Red Bull.

Tommy Hansons testicles do not produce sperm. They produce tiny white ninjas that recognize only one mission: seek and destroy.

once again...

Tommy Hanson, let the dogs out.

Tommy Hanson once lost two games in a row to find out what everyone else felt like.

Tommy Hanson shaved off his beard, so that 5000 homeless people would be warm this winter.

Stay thirsty my friends.

4-0

Matt Wieters wears Tommy Hanson pajamas

If they let Tommy Hanson play the role of Jack Bauer, the show would be called "12"

Tommy Hanson, as a rookie, has won baseball's Lifetime Achievment Award. Twice.

When urinating, Tommy Hanson can weld titanium

Tommy Hanson doesn't play God. Playing is for children.

Tommy watch

The days are possibly numbered.... We are getting to that point in the year when players can be called up without losing a year of eligibility, or becoming a "Super Two" player.
That means that Tommy Hanson could be called up any day to begin his Hall of Fame career.
Last night Tommy made his 10th start for AAA Gwinnett, leaving in the 8th inning of a 1-1 game.
Tommy is now 3-3 in 10 starts. 1.48 ERA 60 2/3 IP 82 K's 17 BB's

Nasty Boy

The Braves are calling up rightie Kris Medlen to take over the 5th starting spot until Tom Glavine is healthy enough to join the active roster.
This leaves young phenom Tommy Hanson still in Gwinnett. After his win tonight, Tommy is 2-3 with a 1.70 ERA 47 2/3 IP 64 K's and 14 BB's 0.90 WHIP

Awesome.

But Medlen's numbers are even better. 5-0 1.19 ERA 44K's 10 BB's 0.80 WHIP

This is gonna get good.

Overly underrated?

I just read a really good article on Jair Jurrjens. This follows up an artilce I read last week on Kris Medlin. And the world knows about Tommy Hanson.

Jurrjens, Hanson, Medlin = Maddux, Smoltz, Glavine?????

I've been a big fan of Jair since last season. The kid is good. He's proved himself. Now we wait on the other youngin's...

dear lord Frank, don't screw this up.

A Nasty Update...

Tommy Hanson, in his second start, took the loss as he gave up one run in 5 2/3 innings with 7 K's and 2 BB's.

That gives him a season total of 10 IP 0.90 ERA 17 K 4 BB

Rough outing.... hopefully he can bounce back in the next one.

More cards we want to see...

the latest in my Goose Joak creations.....

Nasty Boy Tommy Hanson
Raffy (non traitor version)

Home

you like?

Prospect watch...

The Future, otherwise known as Tommy Hanson, pitched his first game today for the brand new Gwinnett Braves.
Tommy struck out 10, walked 2 and allowed one hit in 4 1/3 shutout innings in a 9-1 win over the Charlotte Knights. (White Sox affiliate) Both of the walks and the lone hit occured in the 1st.

Then Tommy got nasty.