Official Mike Napoli Home Run Count In Cards #17

Contest At Fantastic Catch

Go here and enter, there are prizes!

Michael Kohn Return

Michael signed this card via the Salt Lake Bees in 52 days.

Sweet Mike Napoli! (From Justin)

2012 Topps Golden Moments Giveaway Die Cut Mike Napoli GMDC-98

Justins World reached out with this sweet Mike Napoli card knowing that I'm a Mike Napoli guy.

We quickly set up a trade and away we went.

These cards were "unlocked" on the Golden Moments Giveaway website via a code card randomly inserted in Topps packs.

Apparently they come with a clear plastic peelable film on the front to protect them, that's why some lines appear on the scan.

To peel or not to peel, that is the question.

Thanks Justin.

Bible Card Sunday - Bill Sampen

Bill Sampen stormed MLB his rookie season in 1990 going 12-7 with a 2.99 ERA for the Expos.

Numbers that should have gotten him consideration for AL ROY voting.

He spent 4 more seasons in the Majors ending up with a 25-21 record.

Bill added Ephesians 2:8-9

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast."

Official Mike Napoli Home Run Count In Cards #16

Angels Get Greinke For Segura +

Angels get prized pitcher Zach Greinke

for

Number 1 Angels Prospect Jean Segura

Number 4 Angels Prospect John Hellweg

and 

Number 9 Angels Prospect Ariel Pena

I'm good with that trade.

Go Angels!

Kool Kards from Kerry

A few of the Angels cards Kerry sent me for my Collection.

2003 Topps John Lackey #400 Black Refractor #130/199.

I wish I could get my scanner to refractorize better.

2012 Topps Gold Futures #GF-37 Jordan Walden.

A local boy from here in Mansfield, Texas.

2012 Topps Gypsy Queen Mini #176 Howie Kendrick.

2009 Topps Heritage Chrome #C33 Ervin Santana #1392/1960.

2009 Topps Gold #367 Bobby Abreu #0089/2009.

Ooh, nice low number.

Official Mike Napoli Home Run Count In Cards #15

Juan Pizarro Signed '65 Topps

Juan Pizarro signed my 1965 Topps and an IC in 30 days from his home in Puerto Rico.  Very nice of Juan to use blue thin sharpie on the card and blue ballpoint on the IC.

he knows what collectors like.

Juan played 18 seasons (1957-1974) for the Braves, White Sox, Pirates, Red Sox, Indians, A's, Cubs, and Astros.

1995 E-Motion Winner Announcement

Thanks to all who participated and who are following both blogs, I sure appreciate it.

I'm always willing to trade for Angels so if you're looking to part with any contact me.  I'm also still short a few 1995 E-Motion cards so check out my want list and see if you can help.

I put all entrants names in a hat, shook them up, and pulled one out that read...

Skroeker is owner of the blog Cards For Free a simple blog to promote free cards and blogosphere contests, such as this.

Way to go.  Email me your mailing address and I'll get these 1995 E-Motion cards out to you.

2006 Topps Crappy Discount Rack Pack

OK so I fell for it again.

But how can anyone pass up a $1.59 rack pack!?

The promise of 3 VINTAGE Topps cards keeps suckering me.

I just KNOW that I'm bound to get something really good like a star card from the 50's, or at least decent common from pre-1968 right?

Don't you all think that?

It NEVER HAPPENS.  NE-VER!

Of the 2006 Topps cards inside, this is the best one.  Seriously.

And only because just last night I watched for the billionth time my MLB 2002 World Series DVD and enjoyed the Game Two segment where the Angels shelled Russ Ortiz for 7 runs in 1.2 innings.

Typical inserts.  Lame

Ok so I made it to the pack with the vintage Topps cards.

Ready for this?

In order:

Can someone explain how a 2006 checklist IN A 2006 RACK PACK is a VINTAGE CARD!!

SCREWED YET AGAIN!

Bible Card Sunday - Randy Velarde

Randy Velarde had a pretty good 16 year career in the Majors playing mostly for the Yankees (87-95, 01) followed by the Angels (96-99), A's (99-00, 02), and Rangers (01).

His best year was 1999 with the Angels and Oakland when he led the AL in singles (152), games at 2B (156), and assists at 2B (493) all while hitting .316 with 16 HR, 76 RBI and 24 SB.

Superman numbers for him.

Randy added a cross the his autograph.

Official Mike Napoli Home Run Count In Cards #13 and #14

Solo shot in the 2nd inning at Angel Stadium off Ervin Santana making it 2-0 Rangers.

Its been 27 days since his last home run.

Then in the 3rd he hit his second shot of the day this time off of David Carpenter to make it a 7-0 Rangers lead.

Trum-Bomb #27

No slowing this kid down.

Trumbo blasted #27 of the season on a line drive to left-center off Rangers starter Derek Holland in the bottom of the 6th to make the game 5-1 on Friday night.

New Blog Contest To End Sunday Night

I'll put the wraps on this Sunday midnight, so you'll have until then to get your entries in.  Then I'll do the drawing on Monday.

Again, it's just gonna be a names in a hat type drawing.  Good luck to all.

I sure do appreciate the good response I've gotten for this my first contest, and for all the encouragement about the new blog.

Ryan G from This Card Is Cool will get a special prize as well for being my 100th follower on The Angels In Order.  Thanks Ryan!

Was Joe Tipping His Pitches?

I was sorting some Angels cards and came across these two.

Look how identical Joe's form is in both photos.

Except for the angle of the glove.

Was Joe tipping his pitches?

(I know these cards are a year apart and his delivery may have actually changed.

I'm just funnin'.)

New Blog Contest

I started a new blog surveying the 1995 Fleer/Skybox E-Motion baseball set.  Nothing fancy just a walk through the set, but I thought this would be a good time to promote both this (angelsinorder) and the 1995 Skybox E-Motion blog.

Here's all you have to do to get an entry (the usual):
1. Become a follower of THIS blog (angelsinorder).
2. Become a follower of the 1995 Skybox E-Motion blog.
3. Add me to your favorites (if you have a list on your blog).
4. Create a post on your blog about the new E-Motion blog and about this contest.
5. Comment below that you've done all the above and include a link to your post.

Additional comments about enhancing the blog are always welcome.

Names go in a hat (I'm old-school) and winner will receive the following cards from the 1995 Fleer/Skybox E-Motion set.

A-Rod, Chipper and Nomo rookie cards, and Ripken and Gwynn inserts.  Not bad.  Not super great, but not bad either.  I hope you'll all participate anyhow.