Happy Topps Trading Card Day!

     Happy Topps Trading Card Day to all you collectors out there! Not just because it's morning, but because I'm super busy today, I have not yet gotten the goods from my local card shop. I believe that'll be the second item on the agenda in a packed day. But I will not forget to post on my spoils from the day, maybe tomorrow or the day after.

    I hope y'all get a chance to go to your card store and get the special Topps cards. This has been advertised on the Rangers broadcast for the last month. My team always looks out for me, making sure I don't miss out on free cards. 

    Have a great day, and a great weekend. Good morning, good afternoon, and goodnight, got to go for the tasks of the day. Thanks for reading!

To be Posted on July 27

     Today is pitching great Max Scherzer's birthday. Today, Mad Max turns forty and is officially old; just kidding (though for a major leaguer....)

    Scherzer was drafted 11th overall in the 2006 June Amateur Draft by the Diamondbacks. He would debut with Arizona two years later and post a 3.05 ERA in just over 56 innings.

    In 2010 Scherzer moved over to the Tigers. He pitched five years in Detroit, accumulating an 82-35 record and 3.52 ERA. He won the Cy Young award in 2013, and his team came up just short in winning the World Series in 2012. 

    Max Scherzer signed in free agency with the Washington Nationals in January of 2015. He would go on to play 6 2/3 seasons with Washington, in that time grabbing 92 wins and an ERA of 2.80. He won back-to-back Cy Young awards in 2016 and 2017, and his first World Series ring in 2019, helping the Nats to their first ever Fall Classic victory.

    At the trade deadline in 2021, Scherzer was shipped off to the Los Angeles Dodgers, where in 11 regular season starts, Max went 7-0 with a 1.98 ERA. In the 2021 NLDS, he acquired his first-ever save, striking out Giants' Wilmer Flores on an atrocious call to end the game.

    Max signed in free agency with the Mets for the 2022 season. He pitched the full season there, going 11-5 with a 2.29 ERA in 23 starts. He was 37 at the time.

    Max had a 4.01 ERA in 19 starts before being traded to the Rangers in 2023 for Luisangel Acuna (brother of Ronald Acuna Jr). He would go on to win a second World Series and help Texas to their first championship in 60+ years of existence. So far in 2024, Mad Max has a 2-3 record and 3.57 ERA in seven starts.

    There is talk of Scherzer being traded yet again this season with the struggles of the Rangers. We'll see soon enough.

   

   Fun fact, did you know that this 2024 Topps Max Scherzer card is an error card? See for yourself:

    It says Max was acquired by the Rangers from a trade with the Rangers. Subtle mistake.

    So happy birthday Max Scherzer! And congrats, for on his last start Scherzer struck out career batter 3400. He is now tenth all time on the K list. 

    And as for all of you, thanks for reading, have a great weekend and happy collecting!

    

    P.S. And Max has two different colored eyes. His right eye is blue and his left brown. I'm sure you've noticed this, but it's interesting nonetheless. And broadcasters love mentioning it too.

6 Months

    Today is the day Don Cardwell turns six months old. I must say, I never thought that the blog would last even this long, but here we are, alive and well.

    

    I used to think that all card blogs were the same; stuffy and boring, with the same old routine of showing off what you don't have. But I was eventually drawn in, and once I gave it a try I found that card-blogging couldn't be more different than I had originally thought. I found that in reading card blogs you see pieces of baseball history in the form of cardboard. You encounter the interesting lives of every individual blogger. It takes you for a ride. That's why I can't leave it just yet. 

    I've said this numerous times already, but all the fellow bloggers have been so kind. The atmosphere truly is amazing. 

    I've made a few trades among my neighbor bloggers, as well as gotten advice on requesting autographs. I've done a contest. I've gotten some really insightful and some really funny comments. I go back to them and read them regularly. 

    My friend was the one who commented 'DANCE' on my last post. He was sitting next to me at the Rangers game a couple days ago and wanted me to jump up and dance, so he pulled up the blog and commented. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!!!

    I'm a happy member of the card-blogging community. Though I haven't been commenting around as much these last couple months, I have still been reading your blogs. I am now actively following fifteen card blogs, and reading a few more that I haven't yet been able to follow. 

    To put it simply, it's been a wonderful six month experience. I've changed my initial plans and now aim to have Don Cardwell around for a long time. We'll see how it goes. But for now, have a great day, happy collecting, and thanks for all the support!

Cars in Indiana

     Gee whiz, this was a while ago by now. About two weeks ago I went to an indy-ball game with the family. Usually when you go to one of these, you can get away with at least a few autographs. Well, this particular time I ended up with two.

    One of these autographs is from a 25-year old relief pitcher named Tanner Riley, who has a 17.47 ERA this season. He signed my old raggedy baseball glove that I got when I was eight years old. Yeah, I've had it for a while now.

    The other auto that I got was one that I've been waiting for for about two years. I finally found Curtis Terry, who's actively playing for the Lake Country DockHounds. 

    

    Terry played part of a season with the Texas Rangers in 2021, which didn't really go all too well. He went 4-for-45 (.089) at the dish in his 13 big-league games. But on the bright side, he did hit two doubles. He was really good in the minors before coming up, slugging well over .500. While playing for the independent league, Curtis has a batting average below .230, but the slug is still there.

    It was really nice to get the autograph of a former major leaguer, especially one whom I have the rookie card of. He was really nice when I talked to him briefly (more of just a 'Hi, will you sign this?'), and I'm glad to finally rest knowing I got what I came for.

    Y'all have a great weekend, and happy collecting!

What to Look Forward To

     Well, to put it bluntly, the All-Star Break begins tomorrow. The actual All-Star Game is to be played on July 16th, at Globe Life Field, home of the 2023 World Champion Texas Rangers.

    While my campaign failed to bear much fruit since Jose Altuve won the starting second base role for the AL All-Stars, Marcus Semien will be starting the game anyway. It appears that Altuve will miss the game while nursing a sore hand.

    While both of the All-Star teams look really good this year (with the exceptions of a few positions), there are a few players that I am dissapointed are left out.

    I'm gonna ignore the fact that Brenton Doyle has been one of the best hitters on one of my fantasy teams since I picked him up on waivers, and head straight to the stats. Doyle is batting .276 with 15 home runs and 20 stolen bases across his 92 games this season, and is playing beyond stellar defense in center field. Why he's not an All-Star, I don't think I'll ever know.

    Trevor Megill (with the Brewers) has been ridiculously good as closer in place of the injured Devin Williams. Megill has pitched to a 2.05 ERA in his 32 appearances. He has also acquired 18 saves, 10.9 K/9, and only 2.1 BB/9. I honestly haven't the slightest idea why he's not an All-Star.

    Justin Steele has been absolutely electric across his 14 starts this season. In his 86 1/3 innings pitched, Steele has a 2.71 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 5.2% walk rate. However, his record stands at only 2-3 on the season, quite possibly the reason he's not in.

    I regret to inform all Cardinals fans that Tyler O'Neill is no longer on the team. He has, however, been raking with the Red Sox, batting .252 with 16 homers in only 68 games. Sure, the AL has a lot of good outfielders on their side. That's a definite fact. However, I would think there should be room for O'Neill on the team.

    Of course I mention Corey Seager. This is because he's batting .270 with 18 home runs in his 82 games this first half. He has also been very good in the field. And with the actual game being played in his home field, I would've thought he'd get more support.

    Though he struggled mightily his first two seasons in the Bigs (.191 batting average), Josh Smith has excelled this season in place of Josh Smith (who has a fractured wrist), batting at a nice .293 mark and reaching base at a wonderful .394 mark. He's also mashed 19 doubles and 10 home runs, while fielding like a Gold Glover at third base.

    I know that there are more snubs out there, but I'll stop with these six. I suppose it's possible that these players could get in as replacements, but I would highly doubt it by now, since the last games before the break have just finished up.

    Now then, my second order of business. Starting for the National League in the All-Star Game is the hot rookie prospect Paul Skenes. 

    Skenes has been amazing in his 11 major league starts. The Pirate has a 6-0 record and 1.90 ERA, while striking out 12.1 batters per nine innings and walking only 1.8. While 11 starts isn't a lot, the young Skenes has really earned the role as starter.

    The American League has yet to choose their starter, although I can imagine that Tarik Skubal will get the ball, with his 10-3 record, league-leading 2.41 ERA, and 10.9 K/9. He is also leading the league in Winning Percentage (.769) and WHIP (.088).

    This season proves to have an interesting All-Star Game, and I will definitely make sure to see it. Please tell me in the comments which talents you think were left out of the Midsummer Classic, and I hope y'all can get a chance to catch some of the game. As always, thanks for reading, happy collecting, and have an amazing start to your week!

The Rifleman

    I haven't posted in a week. I've been out of town, busy with family, and struggling with computer issues; the usual, I guess. Anyway, I threw this draft together a while ago, but never thought to post it. It wasn't that good. But since It's already prepared and I have nothing else to go with, well, here we are. 

    Here's something cool; I saw The Rifleman a little while back. In case you didn't know, it's a western TV show that aired from 1958-1963. A little but before my time, but MeTV is always playing those older shows in the mornings, so I'll check them out sometime. 

    Anyway, I found the lead actor really interesting. After doing my research, I figured out that he played briefly in the majors in 1949 and 1951. His name is Chuck Connors, and his nickname was, of course, the Rifleman.

    

    Here's an interesting fact; Chuck Connors is named Kevin Joseph Aloysius, not Chuck. This explains why the baseball card reads 'K. Connors.' This caught me off-guard at first, since I thought this was an entirely different person. He played first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers and then the Chicago Cubs, and in 67 games hit .238.

    Connors also played professional basketball from 1947-1948 for the Boston Celtics. I know nothing about basketball, but his Basketball Reference page says his position was as a Forward/Center.

    Since I couldn't find a basketball card of him anywhere, I'll just shoot for him in a cowboy hat from his acting days.

    Besides The Rifleman, Chuck Connors acted in quite a few other movies and television shows, but the only one I've seen is The Rifleman. He is one of fourteen people to play both MLB baseball and NBA basketball. The biggest name from baseball who played both was probablty Dick Groat, who played NBA in 1953.

Fourth of July

    Happy Independence Day!

    Let's hope that nobody encounters any aliens or accidentally burns their house down with an errant firework.

    Ah yes, on this day in 1776 our Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence and made the USA an independent country. During the baseball games today, the teams wear special hats to commemorate the event.

    If you wanna see something cool, quit reading this blog and take a look at the Fourth of July post from Wrigley Wax. If you wanna see me be a wise-guy, well then you can stay here. I'll give you a minute to check out that Wrigley Wax post.

    Now then, let's cheer for the Red, White and Blue!

    Well, I suppose the Rangers get the colors because of the colors of Texas. We can root for America as well.

    Have a great Independence Day y'all! I'll leave you all alone now so you can get back to your day. But, as always, thank you for reading and happy collecting!