MrMopar's New Dodgers Autograph Thread (and other interesting items on a slow mailday)

[mrmopar]

I spoke of a huge pick up coming soon a few days back and that day has arrived. It's coincidental that I am nearing the end of my 3rd year highlighting Dodger additions, because its somewhat related to a subject that was one of my earliest "big hit" additions back when this started, Walter O'Malley.

I would probably be embarrassed at the cumulative amount that I've spend on my collection, not only in those three years, but in its entirety. However, I find great joy in it and that is what matters. Lots of other money is long spent with nothing to show for it, so at least I still have the cards.

This will almost certainly be my final "major" purchase of 2022. I can't think of any other significant higher priced signatures for Dodgers that are left on my wantlist that I could actually afford (or more accurately, be WILLING to spend the necessary sum of money on).

Wilbert Robinson, Jake Daubert, Charles Ebbetts, Rabbit Maranville, Tony Lazerri, Hack Wilson & Babe Ruth lead the short list of impossibly cool autos I'd love to own, but probably never will.

That said, I am welcoming Branch Rickey to the team. I picked up his son's autograph not that long ago and figured Sr would elude me, but I landed a contract that also includes Fred Toney. There is no direct Brooklyn connection, other than he was drafted by the Robins in 1914, but never appeared with the team. Louisville (American Association) bought his contract from the Cubs in 1913 and the the Robins got him in the 1914 rule 5 draft. His biggest claim to fame seems to be his double no-hitter, featured on one of the Laughlin cards. Toney died in 1953 at age 64.

 

[mrmopar]

Another Garvey Archives, this one /12. I am not sure if I have this already, it's from the 2021 issue, so with 12 copies I took a chance. I don't mind dupes, but my Garvey spending cap has come down a lot lately. Just don't have the same passion to overpay for the same stuff over and over and over. Enjoying all the new variety I am getting much more now.

 

[mrmopar]

i'll lead with this Garvey /25.

This last item is another amazing add that only i will care one bit about. This is a nearly complete 1972 Pepsi Jr Dodgers ticket booklet. I have built a pretty good run of these, with 70-72 and a few later 70s booklets. I am amazed that so many of these actually survived, but so glad they did. The other items (membership applications & cards) are the ultimate, but the stubs are a great part of this annual promotion. Eventually I am going to gather it all up in one spot and inventory what I have. Until then and beyond, I will always be on the lookout for this stuff.

 

[mrmopar]

Garvey Banty from the 52 Topps series. These are very popular, so was surprised to win this one at what is now what I'd consider a "bargain" price. This is the 3rd copy of this card that has been offered and given the production, guessing most cards will maintain relatively low runs. They are not licensed, so will always only appeal to a more limited fan base, but I love them.



Garvey base SC auto. It looks red like the /50, but that is just a reflection.

Sean McLain. He must be a scrub, as he seems to be one of the few affordable new Dodger prospect autos. This happens every damn year and every year they almost all always fall back to earth. If you miss the wrong one though, it's something you can't come back from, so I try to get them all at the lowest possible prices when they are still popping from packs at a high rate.

Snider /50.

Buehler /10.

Chris Taylor.

Bunning /25. Really wish someone would have made a Dodger auto card for him, but it probably would have been too pricy for me to buy if there was one.

 

[mrmopar]

Pair of A&G Garvey cards. I have not bothered to try to figure out all of the parallels of Garvey cards lately, but I do like the oddball size sets. The Bazooka is the mini, the other is regular size.

 

[mrmopar]

Kind of a let down for last mail day of 2022. Just this card deck of Dodgers. pretty good deal at $5 BIN. Finding the full sets were kind of hard at first, lots of people breaking them up for singles. That has become the trend, making full smaller sets harder to find these days.

 

[mrmopar]

Mail didn't arrive yesterday. That is the first time in a very long time that I recall this happening. Have to assume they were massively understaffed. I recall talking to the Postmaster one day, who was delivering on my route because the regular guy was on vacation and she said she had been delivering into the 11PM hour previously because of the shortages! It's a bummer not to get a large pile of packages when they are showing out for delivery and they never deliver, but definitely a first world problem, as they all arrived today (finally).

Good variety to start the year.

Hoffman Montgomery Auto.

Tekulve Topps Auto and a 78T design, my "rookie" year.

Lofton.

Mawae. This one I bought before the one that showed up New Years Eve. This one is /10.

Bobby Jones.

Ron Wolf, the other Raiders Executive I needed, besides Al Davis, for my Raider HOF Auto collection.

Finally another RGI set, series 4.

And, I just realized I posted this in the wrong thread!

 

[mrmopar]

Now, for "opening day" 2023 Dodger pick-ups, and I cover all 3 segments of my collection (Dodger uni, Dodger MiLB card and former/future Dodger in other team uni):

Pederson /50. I don't believe he was ever a Topps All Rookie Team member, but I do love the trophy.

Konerko.

Al Oliver /10. I am almost certain I had this card, but didn't want to chance missing it before I checked, so maybe copy #2? Great set that I wish they would build on. Maybe do a similar design and encompass other vintage year design features into one card. Do a 60s version perhaps or an 80s, since we are losing both decades players at a faster rate these days.

 

[mrmopar]

Seager Heritage, slowly knocking the lesser cards off the list, now that some have moved on as well..
Morenta.

Jake Reed. Seems the Dodgers really like this guy! 3 times in 1.5years?

June 4, 2021: Signed as a Free Agent with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

July 25, 2021: Selected off waivers by the Tampa Bay Rays from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

August 2, 2021: Selected off waivers by the New York Mets from the Tampa Bay Rays.

July 13, 2022: Selected off waivers by the Los Angeles Dodgers from the New York Mets.

September 5, 2022: Selected off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

October 13, 2022: Selected off waivers by the Boston Red Sox from the Baltimore Orioles.

November 18, 2022: Selected off waivers by the Los Angeles Dodgers from the Boston Red Sox.

This was a nice surprise, getting it for under $10 before tax & delivery. It's /25 from a set I really like.

 

[mrmopar]

Billy Buck! This is /10.

I know these off brand sets can be iffy, but I didn't recall seeing these. I got it for a "steal", based on what most Puig autos still sell for (don't ask me why, either!). I thought maybe I'd never see it, but it arrived today. It's not super exciting, but it is an early Puig auto.

Puig.

 

[mrmopar]

I have all of the singles and panels, but I like to pick up more when the prices are right. Hostess cards have seen a sharp increase in recent years, so deals are getting harder to find. Great sets that I really under appreciated when I could have found them for next to nothing.



Al Oliver. Even I chuckle a little when I post him on my Dodger thread, 35 games in his final season in MLB on his way to Toronto for Len Matuszek. He hopped around so many times at the end of his career, but the bulk of it was in Pittsburgh and Texas. I think he deserves a spot in Cooperstown and hope it gets there some day. This is not only a well liked set of mine, but a low print run. This is card 1/5. I could care less about the #1 cards, but some folks really like that.

 

[Dodgerfan74]

I have all of the singles and panels, but I like to pick up more when the prices are right. Hostess cards have seen a sharp increase in recent years, so deals are getting harder to find. Great sets that I really under appreciated when I could have found them for next to nothing.

View attachment 344788

Al Oliver. Even I chuckle a little when I post him on my Dodger thread, 35 games in his final season in MLB on his way to Toronto for Len Matuszek. He hopped around so many times at the end of his career, but the bulk of it was in Pittsburgh and Texas. I think he deserves a spot in Cooperstown and hope it gets there some day. This is not only a well liked set of mine, but a low print run. This is card 1/5. I could care less about the #1 cards, but some folks really like that.

View attachment 344789View attachment 344790

I like the Hostess cards of Garvey, Cey, Lopes, and Russell.

 

[mrmopar]

Been trying to win a copy of this Lux for a while, but kept getting outbid. I still would have liked to get it cheaper, as it will almost certainly drop soon enough, but finally nailed one. I just like the card.

Buhler /25.

Rodriguez Blue Heritage. This is quite a nice signature he has there as well. You literally almost never see anything close any more.

Last item is a postcard packet, the kind that you used to be able to get for $0.50 or $1.00 and unfolded to reveal 10-20 different images. This one was presumably sold by the Dodgers. It is fairly generic (no players shown/named), which helps keep the price down, but it does feature a shot of broadcasters Vin Scully and Jerry Doggett (it's 3rd down in 2nd image). That helps sell them on the other hand.

I can't recall if the seller mentioned Scully, but the pictures he used didn't help.

 

[mrmopar]

First Garvey autographed cards of 2023 and we are 11 days into the year. Hmmm...focus shift in action. Still probably won't even give up the Garv collecting though.

SC /25 and base Chrome.

 

[mrmopar]

Rip.

Hank.

Cannizzaro. Love the 61s and Cannizzaro would become a Dodger in the early 70s.

 

[Dodgerfan74]

First Garvey autographed cards of 2023 and we are 11 days into the year. Hmmm...focus shift in action. Still probably won't even give up the Garv collecting though.

SC /25 and base Chrome. View attachment 344867View attachment 344868

The 75 autograph looks different

 

[mrmopar]

Didn't mean to double up on the base Chrome, but they both went for about the same price around the same time.

 

[mrmopar]

Madlock, a brief Dodger later in his career.

 

[BucCollector]

Madlock, a brief Dodger later in his career. View attachment 344914

Beautiful card

 

[mrmopar]

Starting with a Garvey Archives 6/15. I still like to pick these up and will often pay a premium, but it got out of hand for a while.

This card says patch card, nothing about button. I am hoping someone didn't fake a cheap card like this. I won it for $8! It would make my 3rd button card ever, as I am just not willing to pay a steep premium, despite how cool they are. This one is /25, so hoping maybe most were patches and they tossed in a few buttons and maybe tags. I doubt the guy will do anything, given the price i got it for, but still kind of a fun card despite it being an unlicensed off brand.

Yonny Hernandez. I am trying to check myself this off season from buying a bunch of cards that are Dodger signing discards by spring training, but this seems like a better than not chance that he'll actually make the roster. We'll see. Dodgers purchased his contract from the A's, who got him off waivers from the D-Backs, who got him from the Rangers. He saw 12 games of action in 22, down from 43 games in 21. Hoping this will check one off the list before he makes an appearance.