Baseball card stories from Kevin Sweeney

Kevin Sweeney was one of the original members of the Arizona Diamondbacks organization, playing in their minor league system between 1996 and 1998. He is now a Financial Advisor at Smith Barney's Biltmore Group in Phoenix. He sent me some great answers to my questions about baseball cards.

- Do you have any stories about cards of yourself or of other players?

The photo of my 1997 Topps card, shared with Nick Bierbrodt, was taken in front of the outside wall of a motel in Idaho Falls, ID.

- Do you have a favorite card of yourself or of another player?

My favorite of myself is the 1997 Bowman international, with the US Flag background.

- Do you collect baseball cards?

Yes. One of my best friend's dad opened a shop in 1983 in western NY (Bases Loaded Sports Collectibles). He was my little league coach. His son is still one of my best friends. They have expanded to the largest in western NY. I used to help out there growing up and was paid in baseball cards. I still visit them when I am in town.
In 1989 I bought a Nolan Ryan rookie card for $150. A year later I sold it for $750. Though I loved Nolan Ryan, I could not pass up that profit!

Growing up, my favorite player was Steve Carlton. I have all his cards, including his 1965 rookie year...in perfect condition. I will never sell them.

I have been working on a 1964 Topps set since I was in high school. I started buying all the stars, one card at a time. I have all the majors...Mantle, Rose, Niekro rookie, Clemente, Koufax, Mays, Aaron etc. I am slowly working on the "common cards, high number commons and checklists." In fact, I visited Bases Loaded in WNY last month to review my checklist. They just got a big collection in, so my friend Jeff is going through my list as we speak.

Thanks! Readers in the Buffalo area may want to check that store out.

A dangerous philosophy

The Yankees' most recent World Series victory was pretty amazing. But it is especially incredible given Joe Girardi's philosophy as revealed on the back of his 1992 Donruss Triple Play card. Presumably, he was disabused of this sacreligous notion before being hired as Yankees manager.

Just in case...

In the 1980s and early 1990s, Topps used to list the names of the player's kids. Perhaps the best name belonged to the son of San Diego pitcher Dave Leiper.


What's so great about the name Justin Casey? According to the April 11, 1988 Sports Illustrated, he got his name because Dad was always warming up in the bullpen "just in case" they needed him.

Yankees Card o' the Day

Here's Paul O'Neill, winner of four World Series with the Yankees and now a YES commentator, in action on his 1996 Donruss card.

It's part of a great batch of cards I got in a trade with Kevin of Orioles Card "O" the Day, where we filled some needs we had in various sets.

To give equal time, here's my favorite of the Orioles in the package, Brady Anderson and his six-pack of bats.

LINE DRIVE BASE HIT!

Recently completed a great trade with SpastikMooss, curator of the Great Sports Name Hall of Fame. I sent him some 1997 Circas for his collection, and he sent me back some great Line Drive brand baseball cards.

I love the goofy minor league logos, like this one for the Arkansas Travelers - "A-Travs, The Greatest Show on Dirt."

And how about these two players, whose hats seem to imply that they play for Great Britain? Looks like the photographer had a one-track mind.

If you are curious about the title, it refers to Chip Caray's blown announcing call in the one-game Detroit-Minnesota playoff, where he called a fly ball out a base hit. MLB had the guts to replace the umpires who did such a bad job in the playoffs. Hopefully they'll do the same with the announcers.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There is no greater feeling than your favorite team winning the World Series!

Interview with Joe Siddall

Joe Siddall played thirteen years of professional baseball, including major league stints with Montreal, Florida and Detroit. He is now a coach for the Windsor Stars, a Canadian team, and kindly answered my questions about baseball cards.

Do you have a favorite card of yourself or of another player?

Getting a major league baseball card of yourself is quite a thrill. I have two, one from the Montreal Expos and one from the Florida Marlins. Unfortunately, I did not get one with the Detroit Tigers.

He attached scans of his two cards:

Do you collect baseball cards?

I did as a kid, but not anymore. Collecting cards was the way we learned all the players (and their batting stances). Of course, we imitated them when we were up to bat playing with our buddies.

Do you have any stories about cards of yourself or other players?
I won't mention any names, but it is quite funny when a pitcher's card is made up and he is posing as a hitter. Or, when a batter is posing his opposite hand. This occurs occasionally in the minor leagues because I'm sure the photographers have no idea of who a player is.

Thanks!

Ugh-ley

The Yankees loss last night was ugly. It was also Utley, who is treating the Yankee pitching staff like it's batting practice.

Speaking of Utley and ugly, why does FOX keep showing him in the dugout with his hat off, showing off his slicked-back Pat Riley hairdo?

Let's hope Pettitte on three days rest is better than Burnett on three days rest was. Girardi may have painted himself into a corner with his pitching staff. If the Yankees do blow this, he could go down as one of the worst postseason managers ever.

So close, and yet so far...

The Yankees can win the World Series tonight. Or they can still blow the whole thing. The fourth win in a series, like the third strike of a batter or last out of a game, can be the hardest one to get.

Still, what a great game last night. I never saw someone steal two bases in one day, like Johnny Damon did last night.

Another huge hit for A-Rod last night. When asked after the game if he was excited to be so close to a world champion, he replied that he and the Yankees have "been down that road before," and they can't take anything for granted. Good attitude.

Up 2-1

Well, the Yankees stopped hitting like the Royals and started putting some runs on the board. The Yankees remain the only team to win a game that started on Halloween, after Game 4 of the 2001 World Series. Let's hope they turn around their 1-2 franchise record in games that actually start in November.

DH? Andy Pettitte don't need no stinkin' DH, driving in the tying run in the fifth and pitching a solid six innings, continuing the remarkable run by Yankee starting pitchers.

Go Yanks!