Thanksgiving is tomorrow and I just want to write a little of all the things I am thankful for.. First and most important to me is my family, my two brothers who are also my best friends and for my parents. I am also thankful for being able to go to college on my parents dollar and hope I can make them proud. I am also proud to be an American. America is the greatest country in the world and we need to defend it from people who dont see it that way. I am also thankful for the wonderful game of baseball and my Mets, even though they tore my heart out the last 2 seasons. I have a lot to be thankful for, I am very fortunate that I do not have to worry about things that a lot of people have to. I was born on thanksgiving back in 1987, and turned 21 this year. I hope this next year will be greater than this last one, but it will be hard to top

I know I havnt been writing much lately, but with baseball season over and a slow done on autos there has not been much to write about. Over the last 2 weeks I only got 3 returns ttm and I bought 4 autos at the card show. Here is what I got recently

Mark Ellis,, 2nd baseman for the Athletics signed 2 cards ttm

Akinori Iwamora,, of the Rays signed 1 card ttm

Mackey Sasser, former Met signed 1 card ttm

Whitey Ford, Auto 3 by 3 card. Cert by JSA, I paid $15 for it at the card show

Ralph Kiner signed 8 by 10, cert by JSA, Paid $10 for it

Warren Spahn, signed 8 by 10. Cert by JSA. Paid $15 for it

Early Wynn, signed 3 by 6 card. Cert by JSA. Paid $10 for it

So now I have 691 baseball autographs, and I need baseball, I am going nuts. I miss those July nights when I could switch on the Mets game. I even miss Joe Morgan

Not much to report from the last 3 weeks. I got a few good autos back, but not too many. Here is what I got.

Brian Anderson, outfielder from the White Sox signed 2 cards ttm.

Alvin Davis, former Mariner, signed 2 of my cards and also sent a card of his own ttm. This took 2 1/2 years to get back

Gabe Gross, Outfielder for the Rays signed two of my cards and sent one of his own ttm.

Brandon Morrow, pitcher for the Mariners signed 1 card ttm

Joey Votto, 1st baseman for the Reds signed 1 card ttm

 

It has only been 4 weeks since the Mets last game and I am already going crazy, I need baseball, and not the World Series that is goin on the the rain and everything, My next entry will consist of the World Series and how it is much different from 35 years ago

   

 

 For the entire postseason the entire talk has been about Manny and the Dodgers. The Dodgers stormed by the gutless Cubs in the NLDS, The Cubbies of Chicago had no idea what happened. Before Lou Pinnella made his lineup card it was over. Now the Dodgers look as though their magical year is over. The Phillies look unstopable and the only question left for the Phillies is can they beat the Rays or Red Sox in the World Series. I say they can and will give Philadelphis their 2nd ever baseball World Series championship and this will also be the first title for the city of brotherly love since 1983 when the Sixers won the NBA finals with Julius Erving.

  Being a Mets fan I am very well up to date with the Phillies and what a productive team they are, even when Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, and Chase Utley  not hitting, guys like Shane Victoriano, Pat Burrell, Jayson Werth and yes, even Brett Myers pick up the slack. The Phillies are not getting the respect they deserve however. I had the Cubs making the World Series in the NL, but at that point I told everyone to watch out for the Phillies, not only are they a good team but they had a pretty easy first round against the Brewers. I feel that the MVP for the Phillies is Shane Victorino, even though Ryan Howard will probably get league honers, The flyin Hawaiian makes this team go.  

The other player for the Phillies that they couldnt do without is Brad Lidge. Everyone thought that Lidge would never be the same again pre 2005, after he gave up that home run to Albert Pujols, Lidge has saved every game for the Phillies this year. Lidge was given the National Leagues Come Back player of the year. Even though a lot of his saves involve a lot of high pitch innings and men on base, he did not blow a save for the entire season.

The Phillies know how to win, and their pitching has been great even in that pinball machine of a ball park, Cole Hammels, Jamie Moyer and lately Brett Myers have really carried this team. I was at a game late this year and saw Brett Myers go 8 innings of shutout baseball vs the Mets and at that time the Mets were up by 3 games, that 3-0 win cut the lead in the division for the Mets down to 2. This was on September 5th and in the last 3 weeks of the season gained 5 games on them to win the division by 3 games with 92 wins vs the Mets 89 victories.

Now that the season is over and there is not much to right about my blog might take a bit of a break from November to February. I still will post all the autographs I get and and something big happens I will write about it. All I can say is I am ready for next season and will be and the new Citi Field, Home of the Mets for the first game in the 2009 season (hopefully a great one for the Mets)

This week was strange getting the autos back. I got 6 ttm returns this past week and 5 of them came all in one day, so the rest of the week was slow. So I got a total of 8 autos this week. Here is what I got.

Bill Bray, a relief pitcher for the Reds signed 2 cards ttm, I traded one for a double my brother had of Aaron Miles (Below)

Brian Buress, Lefty for the Orioles signed 1 card TTM

Glen Gibson, a prospect in the Rays system signed 2 cards ttm, his Dad was a pitcher for the Tigers in the 80's

John Hiller, a pitcher for the Tigers signed 1 card TTM. He was a member of the 1968 World Series Tigers

Braden Looper, pitcher for the Cardinals signed 1 card ttm

Aaron Miles, member of the 2006 Cardinals world series team, got this in a trade from my brother

Ricky Nolasco,, starter for the Marlins (who I hate) signed 1 card ttm,, This was the first auto I got back after the Mets lost, 2 days later

And on a sad not,, Ed Brinkman who was a slick feilding shortstop passed away on Sept 30, from complications of lung cancer, he was 66, He signed this card for me ttm back in 2005.

This week I got back 5 autos from 3 different players. They are all from current players and now that the regular season is over I expect that some of the current players will start signing their mail during the off season. So I expect to see those coming back any day now and up to February. Here is what I got

Juan Pierre,, of the Dodgers signed 1 card TTM.

Jeremy Guthrie,, starting pitcher for the Orioles signed 2 cards ttm,, he personalized them.

Ian Snell, a starting pitcher signed 2 cards ttm.

 

I cannot believ that for the second year in a row there will be no Baseball for the Mets in October. For the second straight year, they lost a playoff birth on the final day of the season. This is going to be a tough offseason for me but I know they will be back next year with their new stadium and I can say that I will be at the first game at the new Citi Field.. Go Mets in 2009

The final weekend of the 2008 regular season is upon us. The thing is we have no idea what National league teams will be in it. The Dodgers have clinched but the Brewers, Mets, and Phillies are fighting for 2 spots. With 3 games left, the Phillies lead the Mets in the division by one game and the are tied with the Brewers for the wild card. Luck has never been on the side of any of these teams in the past 20+ years, The fans of all 3 have had their hearts pulled out of their chests a number of times .

Among these 3 teams only have produced 3 World Series winners. 1969 (Mets) 1980 (Phillies) and 1986 (Mets) All three have had a rough time finishing off these playoff seats. It is very possible that all 3 teams could be tied at the end of the regular season. Then we will need playoff games to see who goes to the playoffs. As a fan, all those loses at the beginnig of the year come back into your mind and you say to yourself if they only won 2 of those games then they would be in. Anyway it is safe to say that by Tuesday there will be one team that will be done and their fans will be crushed. I find it funny that the only team to clinch a position in the National League is the Dodgers, but they have a worst record than the other 3 teams. O well, that is how baseball is now a days. I dont think any Mets fan can take another September slide, The Brewers on the other hand this might be the last year they can compete with losing Sabathia and Sheets next year to free agency (most likely) and the Phillies have always found a way to lose with the exception of 1980. I say being a fan of these teams is the greatest, We live and die with these teams. When they do win we feel a high that is uncompariable to any other team. Hell it is easy to be a Yankees fan and recently a Red Sox fan. You give me a losing team and you will see true fans. Anyway this weekend is for all the marbles. Too bad it has to come to an end for one of these teams. 

This week was a lot better than the past two weeks, This week I got a total of 10 autographs from 7 different players. Here is what i got this week.

Ubaldo Jimenez,, starting pitcher for the Rockies signed 1 card ttm.

Nate McClouth,, center fielder for the Pirates signed 1 card ttm.

Jim Hickman, an original met signed 1 card and a picture of Shea Stadium ttm

Daniel Moskos, a top prospect for the Pirates signed 2 cards ttm

Edwin Encarnacion, 3rd baseman for the Reds signed 1 card ttm

Gerald Laird, Catcher for the Rangers signed 1 card ttm

Jon Gilmore, a braves prospect signed 2 cards ttm

So now i have 660 autographs (Tied with Willie Mays) lol,, I want to write an entry about Yankee Stadium, that will be my next one,, I want to think a little about what I am going to write.

 

   I remember the first time walking into Shea Stadium. The Green grass, the tan colored dirt, and the white ball. (I had never played with a white ball in my life). The first time to a major league game for anyone is a religious experience. The first game with your Dad and your little brother will always hold a special place in your memory. No you dont remember every play of the game, but you do remember your Dad telling stories of his first time at a game with his father. And of course he talks about Mickey Mantle or Hank Aaron, how tickets were only $3, and how a complete game was the norm. Then your brother getting mustard on his shirt and spilling that $5 soda. Then you have those special connections with players, getting an autograph before a game will stand out more in our mind than almost any other event in your life. That quick 10 seconds stays with you forever. For that moment some player that you have watched in amazement is doing something for you.

   Baseball is the sport of sound and silence. They say that a blind person will have sharper hearing than a seeing person. This does not count in baseball. The crack of the bat as it connects with the ball is a sound that will forever resinate with you. That might be one of the only things that never change.

Ray Liotta in Field Of Dreams

 I've heard that old men wake up and scratch itchy legs that been dust for over fifty years. That was me. I'd wake up at night with the smell of the ball park in my nose, the cool of the grass on my feet... The thrill of the grass. 
 

  Baseball is really the sport that connects generations. Baseball is played more in the past then in the present. Players being compared to the ghosts that came before. And how a player, after years and years have past will become legend. At this point, I dont think Babe Ruth ever struck out. Of course he did, but for the most part players become more enshrined in our minds after time has passed.

  Baseball can be a very deseptive, in a second, the game can be turned upside down. It aint over til its over. That is why baseball is unlike any other sport. There is no time, you have to give the other man his at bat. In Baseball no lead is safe and second guessing is what we love to do.   

This week was a little better than last week, but not by much. This week I got back 6 autos from 3 different players. Here is the last of guys I got this week:

Jim Morris,, signed 2 cards ttm, most known for the movie The Rookie that was based on his life

Ron Kittle,, signed 2 cards ttm, he was a big slugger in the 80's

Max Scherzer,, a rookie for the D-Backs signed 2 cards ttm