Max Awards 2016

2015 Topps Stadium Club 296 Max Scherzer

Well there were a few Nats up for some of the big end of the year awards. 2nd Baseman Daniel Murphy was up for NL MVP but came in second. He did, However, pick up a Silver Slugger award (his first) and the Player's Choice "Outstanding Player" Award. Catcher Wilson Ramos also got a Silver Slugger award a surprise first. Rookie Outfielder Trea Turner was up for the "Rookie of the Year" (ROY) but came in second and Skipper Dusty Baker was up for the "Manager of the Year" (MOY) but came in 3rd. UGH. Golden Boy Pitcher Max Scherzer came through with the NL Cy Young Award his second he won his first back in 2013 while with the Tigers. He is the 6th player to win it from both Leagues.

Here are some cards to look at starting with the back of the 2015 Stadium Club Max Scherzer card that is featured at the top of this short post.

2015 Topps Stadium Club 296 Max Scherzer (back)

Since it is his second Cy Young award here is another Max card this one is his 2015 Gypsy Queen

 2015 Topps Gypsy Queen 93 Max Scherzer

(Front and Back)

Silver Slugger Catcher Wilson Ramos.

 2011 Topps Update US295 Wilson Ramos

(Front and Back)

I don't recall the exact location of any of my Daniel Murphy cards so I didn't get a chance to scan any. I also didn't scan any Dusty Baker cards. I don't recall if I've gotten one of him as the Nats Skipper yet. Anyway the last card I'll show is the almost ROY Trea Turner. Here is his 2016 Gypsy Queen card.

 2016 Topps Gypsy Queen 64 Trea Turner

(Front and Back)

2016 Award Nominations for Nationals:

MVP - Daniel Murphy - 2nd

Cy Young - Max Scherzer - Winner!

ROY - Trea Turner - 2nd

MOY - Dusty Baker - 3rd

Silver Slugger: 

2nd Base - Daniel Murphy

Catcher - Wilson Ramos

Player's Choice Awards:

Outstanding Player - Daniel Murphy

Congrats Nats for the nominations and the actual wins. I was really hoping for Trea to get the ROY. Oh well he came in 2nd like Ryan Zimmerman did 10 years ago.

FRANKly Friday: Dodging in 1960

[This is not the final logo just a fill-in while I work on a better one.]

I think I will try this new feature that will hopefully I'll do regularly every week. I am calling it "FRANKly Friday" it will prominently feature my all time fave SeNator Frank Howard (and occasionally Frank Robinson, and maybe a few other Franks* who have played ball, or managed in DC). It will mostly just be a regular showing off of cards and memorabilia like many of my posts here. It is an attempt to get motivated to do more posting around here. This is my least active blog of the three I do. Not sure how in depth I'll get with this feature.

So I'll start things off by Showing Mr. Howard's Rookie Card:

1960 Topps Baseball 132  1960 Rookie Star Frank Howard RC Dodgers

(Front and Back)

I also have a reprint in the chrome style:

 2001 Topps Archives Reserve 34 Frank Howard Dodgers

(Front and Back)

There seems to be a straight 2001 Topps Archives Reserve that is not chrome I need to find one of those.

*Not 100% sure how many Franks have appeared in a DC uniform. My DC Ballpark Franks list below gives the years they appeared in a DC uniform. I may have missed a Francis or two, if I have missed a DC Frank, Francis or variation of Frank please let me know so I can add him to this list. If anyone has cards of these guys, especially some of the earlier ones I'd like to acquire them if possible.

Senators/Nationals Named Frank:
Frank Barron 1914 (Played 1 game 19 August 1914)
Frank Bertaina 1967-1969
Frank Brower 1920-1922
Frank Campos 1951-1953
Frank Coggins 1967-1968
Frank Croucher 1942
Frank Ellerbe 1919-1921
Frank Hemphill 1909
Frank Howard 1965-1971
Frank Huelsman 1904-1905
Frank Kelliher 1919 (Played 1 game 19 September 1919)
Frank Kitson 1906-1907
Frank Kreutzer 1964-1966, 1969
Frank LaPorte 1912-1913
Frank Loftus 1926 (Played 1 game 26 September 1926)
Frank Mancuso 1947
Frank McGee 1925
Frank Oberlin 1907, 1909-1910
Frank O'Rourke 1920-1921
Frank Ragland 1932
Frank Robinson MGR 2005-2006
Frank Sacka 1951, 1953
Frank Shea 1952-1955
Frank Schulte 1918
Frank Trechock 1937
Frank Woodward 1921-1922

Bryce Harper Cover Boy

Hey lookie who is on the cover of the current MLB Insiders Club Magazine!

I haven't read the article yet, but I will when I get the chance. In the past the Nats didn't get too much national press, but since last year's breakout season they will start getting some. The large white area on the cover image is the address label which in reality has all my subscription info and address, but I cutout, deleted, whited-out, wiped out intentionally to keep scammers and identity thieves away.

Speaking of Bryce I recently purchased a couple of sketch cards from Ebay. The artist/seller only does 1/1 cards he doesn't make multiples of his work. It looks like he uses mostly color in several mediums. I will give more details of the cards when I receive them and have gotten a chance to scan them. They are pretty cool they aren't real great, but they are very well done.

Nationals mentioned in this post:
Bryce Harper

A Pay It Forward Card

On Monday 22 April, 2013 I received a single card from Troy a member of the online card forum Trading Card Zone (TCZ) as part of a "Pay It Forward" honor system. Basically there is a post there were you post what you collect and other members check out the lists and check their piles of trade-bait then get your mailing address either directly or by surprise tactics and send you some cards. Then you are honor-bound (by honor only) to send something to someone else who posted in the thread to gift and "Pay It Forward".

The card is very similar to a card I already have, at least as far as the design style and the back is concerned because it is a Topps Archives card that pays homage to earlier cards and card styles.

To keep you in a little bit of suspense let me show you the card that is being honored:

 1971 Topps 620 Frank Howard Senators

(Front and Back)

Now here is the back of the card I received: Notice it is very similar, of course they use modern glossy cardboard stock added all the modern copyright info and trademark symbols as per the legalities of the trading card business now-days. The card number of course is different since this is not a true "reprint", well since it is an Archives Fan Favorite it is more of a facsimile of a reprint.

2012 Topps Archives Fan Favorites Certified Autograph FFA-FH Frank Howard Senators

Based on the 1971 Topps Original - Signed with Blue Sharpie
 (Front and Back)

For the front of the card (as par for the course) they used a different photo. Added the modern "TM" trademark logo and for Frank's position they used "1st base" instead of sticking with the 1971 abbreviation of "1b" and they dropped the "of" (outfield) although they used it on the back since the back seems to be a fairly faithful reproduction although slightly smaller due to the side copyright lines. The green text is a bit brighter.

Frank's signature is plainly basic he often will add "1960 N.L. R.O.Y." or "1968 1970 A.L. HR 'King' " to his signature sometimes his #33. I guess it depends on how much time he has to sign stuff. For these card company signing sessions he (or Topps) probably wanted to keep things simple since he had to sign who knows how many of the dang things.

Senators mentioned in this Post:
Frank Howard

Tis The Season: Awards 2012

Wow Congrats to the Nats on the very cool individual awards that have been received for the 2012 season. I'm getting to this about a week late or so because I was lazy with the scanning (plus I didn't have some 2012 cards of some of the players so I had to improvise) So without further ado and little pomp here they are:

First Baseman Adam LaRoche received his first Golden Glove Award:

 2011 Topps Allen and Ginters 167 Adam LaRoche Nationals

Adam also received his first Silver Slugger Award for NL first basemen:

Adam is the second National to double-dip the Golden Glove with the Silver Slugger. Back in 2009 3rd baseman Ryan Zimmerman double-dipped. Z-Man also got a Silver Slugger in 2010. This year for 2012 he was awarded the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award.

2012 Topps Heritage 494 Ryan Zimmerman Nationals

LaRoche wasn't the only Silver Slugger for DC this past season:

Shortstop Ian Desmond won his first Silver Slugger despite the injuries that kept him out for part of the season:

 2012 Topps Heritage 149 Ian Desmond Nationals

So they thought they'd shut him down huh? Well even with having a September Shut Down - September is supposed to be for Call Ups - Right-handed bullet slingger Stephen Strasburg won the Silver Slugger for Pitchers and yep it's his first ever.

2012 Topps Heritage 291 Stephen Strasburg Nationals

Hey even an Ex-Nat won his first Silver Slugger. Josh Willingham who is now on the Twins.

2010 Upper Deck Baseball Series 1 Season Biography

SB-132 Josh Willingham Nationals

The Nats also received two big big awards:

Not only did 19 year old Bryce Harper end up being a Rookie All-Star he won the coveted NL Rookie Of The Year Award:

2012 Topps Update WalMart Blue Variation 

US183 Bryce Harper Nationals

And Skipper Davey Johnson got the NL Manager Of the Year Award. It is his second MOY Award his first was 15 years ago for the AL when he was skipper for the Orioles.

2012 Topps Heritage 402 Davey Johnson Nationals

The 2012 Season saw the Nationals win First Place in the NL East sending them to their First Ever Playoffs in the NLDS (OK so back in 1981 The Expos went to the Playoffs and went as far as the NLCS but lost that one). Unfortunately they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals.


Related Links:
Two from MASN Sports Nationals Pastime Blog
Five Nationals Receive MVP Votes
Gonzalez finishes third in NL Cy Young voting


Nationals mentioned in this post:
Ian Desmond
Bryce Harper
Davey Johnson
Adam LaRoche
Stephen Strasburg
Josh Willingham
Ryan Zimmerman