2015 Heritage the Originals: Manager Cards 1966T #411 Gene Mauch

Topps elected to include Mangers in 2015 Heritage. I have mixed opinions on this. Heritage only has 500 cards (425 if you don't count SPs). Not sure how many of those are used for Managers. I did a spot check and not all 30 managers are on the checker - I didn't see Joe Maddon or Mike Methany on the list.

1966 Topps #411 Gene Mauch

The Phillies were led by Gene Mauch from 1960 through 1968. Their peak was 1964 when the Phils won 92 games. Mauch went on to manage the Expos Twins and Angels Winning 102 games. Every Manager that has won more games is in the Hall of Fame.

The 1964 Phils are one of three teams that Mauch took to the edge of the World Series. Mauch led two Angels teams in the mid-80s that lost winner take all ALCS games. The 1982 versus the Brewers the Angles took a 2 games to none lead in the then 5 game series. They lost the subsequent 3 games including a 1 run loss in game 5 which they led at the top of the 7th. They then lost game 5 to the Brewers after leading 3-2.

Four years later the 1986 Angels faced Boston in a 7 game ALCS. The Angles were set to clinch with a three run 9th inning lead in a crazy game 5, but things didn't work out.

Don Baylor and Dave Henderson each hit 2 Run homers for the Red Sox. The Angels tied the game in the bottom of the inning sending it to extras. In the top 11th Henderson hit a sac fly for the game winner. The series returned to Boston and the Angels never recovered - losing games 6 and 7 by scores of 10-4 and 8-1. 

2015 Heritage

2015 Topps Heritage #411 Ryne Sandberg

One of the few Phillies cards Topps matched up with the 1966 checker was the Ryne Sandberg manager card. Although they didn't do much to match up the shot. I have always liked the shot of Gene Mauch - not sure if what is in the foreground with the Phillies logo, perhaps a practice jersey stretched over a seat back or a bag. Regardless it is a bit different then your typical manager card of the era.

If you look closely, as the Phillies Room Noted,  Topps neglected to match up the capitalized font on 'Manager'. There is a big 'M' on the original, while Heritage goes with the little 'm'. The non-capitalized position is the format used throughout the set outside of the manager cards.

Ryne Sandberg is about to start his 2nd full season at the helm of the Phillies, No matter how successful he is here, I doubt he gets to manage the squad as long as Mauch's 9 seasons. Times have changed and the Phils just don't appear to have the talent that will get the team turned around soon enough for Sandberg to hold on for a long tenure.

Sources and Links
the Phillies Room
2015 Heritage Originals
1964 Phillies @ 50
Baseball-ref

2010 Pull N Junk Playoffs: Best Pull - First Quarter Final

Ok now that the Junk Playoffs have reached the Finals We will start up the Best Pull Playoffs.  These aren't quite as much fun, and I will hopefully run through them much quicker then the Junk Playoffs.

We have four cards from the first quarter of 2010

January

2009 Topps T206 #138 mini Elvis Andrus (SP)

The first mini is the SP, the latter card is the Base, shown here for reference.  I like Andrus and this SP mini is even cooler after the Rangers got into the World Series. 

For more information on these cards click:

2010 January

February

1963 Topps #318 Gene Mauch

I actually just traded this card away MCG tradeathon over at Play at the Plate.  I still have 2 codes to redeem - and meant to prior to the tradeathon closing but haven't gotten around to it.  

The 63 Mauch is a great vintage card from my favorite team, but in the end I couldn't justify the cost of shipping the card.  

PATP running the Tradeathon is a great idea.  To me this is what the cardblogosphere is about - We share a common interest and can join together and get a couple of really great cards rather than a walking away with nothing.       

For more information on this cards click:

2010 February

March

2010 Topps Opening Day #13 Shane Victorino (#d 0782/2010)

2010 Topps Heritage #61RM-13 Maris Chase '61 13th Homer

For more information on these cards click:

2010 March

VOTE

There you have our four contenders for the first quarter of 2010.  Please vote in the comments.

February 2010 Pull of the Month and Million Card Give Away Dilemma

The dilemma is what should I do with my pull of the month?


It is one of the best cards I could of asked for - It is a Philllies Card. It is aVintage Card. and it is on Phils 1963 Topps Want List - Check, Check, Check.

Unfortunately somebody posted that the shipping is $2.92 per card + 53 cents for each additional card.

As much as I love this card - $3 to Topps is over the limit for me. Mauch is considered a great tactical manager, but he never reached the World Series - He was the Phils skipper who helmed the team during their historic 1964 collapse.

And his cards are basically commons. A quick study found that a 63 Topps Mauch card did recently sell for over $6 shipped on ebay - it was in EX-MT condition though. There were also over 50 commons that sold for under $2 shipped. I consider Mauch a common and can't see the 3 bucks.

For those of you that keep track of such things - my pull of the month came from a Mantle Card:


Meh of the Month


I could of just randomly selected almost any card that I got in my two rack packs of 2010 UD. And honestly the lamest card was probably the one of Target Field featured in my previous post - although I have started to see some better looking stadium cards from this set recently.

Instead I decided on this triumvirate of rather unflattering photos. I know Carlos Lee is a big man, and ditto for Kung Fu Panda - never thought of Marlon Byrd that way. But I think all three of these photos make these guys look a little chunky.

For a look back at January's Phungo Pull of the Month click here.

A look back at the Originals - 1961 Topps Phillies

It is Topps Heritage Week all over the across the TradingCardBlogs (TCB) and I thought we would take a look back at the original vinage 1961 set. I am sure that somebody else will have a more comprehensive look at the set - Here I will focus on some Phils cards from the 1961 set.


1961 Topps #20 Robin Roberts

Robin Roberts is the only member of the 1961 Topps Phillies that would eventually enter the Hall of Fame. I am not particularly fond of the 1961 set, but the minimalist design has grown on me recently. The bulk of the 61 Phils cards in the Phungo collection have the same blue and yellow color scheme within the name and team sections as the Roberts card above. Some of the cards have the colors reversed (yellow player name/ blue team), while others are Yellow Green and Yellow Red.

Landscape

#491 Philadelphia Phillies Team (click to enlarge) #259 Dallas Green (b-side) (click to enlarge)

I do like the team cards in 1961 Topps. Posting the flip side of Dallas Green's card - I severely doubt that the Fightin' Blue Hens getting any props in the 2010 Heritage set.


Rookie Cards

#202 Al Neiger #144 Jim Coker

This is what the rookie cards look like sans annoying new MLB rookie card logo.

Special Cards
#479 Jim Konstanty MVP #219 Gene Mauch

1961 Topps has quite a few special cards sprinkled throughout the set.

In 1961 Topps issued a subset of the last 10 MVP winners from each league. From what I have seen Heritage augments this concept a little by including Post Season Series MVPs in this years set. This is probably a good idea, or else Topps ran the risk of producing a subset dedicated to steroid use (Bonds, A-Rod, Giambi, Tejada)

Gene Mauch is featured on one of the Manager cards which have their own design. Other subsets included World Series Cards, All-Stars, League Leader Cards and a highlights series similar to "Baseball Thrills" from the 1959 Topps set.

etc...
#522 Dick Farrell

In his review of 2010 Topps Heritage, Dave over at Fielder's Choice has come out with the most positive endorsement of photoshop on baseball cards. Personally I find it phony but do enjoy spotting the continuity errors that crop up when cards are modified.

With the advent of Photoshop gems like this Dick Farrell card, which is about 99% Phillies card with a smidgeon of Dodger influence accenting a bottom corner could be "a thing of the past".