Blind Trading With Trader Crack's

Ryan from Trader Crack's proposed a blind trade a few weeks ago. It sounded like a fun prospect, so I said OK. When I received Ryan's package yesterday, I immediately opened it up to see what mysteries were waiting inside. I was not disappointed at the discoveries I made.

An autograph, a game-used material (with stripe!), and surprises ranging from 1992 until 2008. I even got a thumbs up from Javier Castillo smiling coyly at me from his 2008 Bowman Prospects card. It was a good little haul.

Let's review the package!

1992 Upper Deck Homerun Heroes #HR8 - Frank Thomas
1993 O-Pee-Chee Premier Star Performers #1 - Frank Thomas
1994 Collector's Choice Silver Sig #85 - Joey Cora
1994 Stadium Club Rainbow #100 - Joey Cora
1995 Collector's Choice Silver Sig #244 - Melido Perez (Yankees)
1995 Score Gold Rush #428 - Ozzie Guillen
1995 Score Gold Rush #449 - Roberto Hernandez
1997 Score Showcase Series #214 - Tony Phillips
2001 Topps White Sox logo sticker
2003 Topps 205 Triple Folder Polar Bear #TF7 - Paul Konerko/Magglio Ordonez
2005 Topps Gold #456 - Dustin Hermanson 1404/2005
2007 Topps Home Run Derby Contest - Jim Thome 285/999
2007 Topps Opening Day #OD6 - Indians vs. White Sox
2007 Topps Trading Places Autographs #TPA-FG - Freddy Garcia
2007 Upper Deck Game Materials #UD-JU - Juan Uribe
2007 Upper Deck Masterpieces Green #62 - Luis Aparicio
2008 Bowman #31 - Javier Vazquez
2008 Bowman Prospects #BP46 - Javier Castillo

Plus, there were a few cards to feed my 2008 Topps Heritage completion project!

13 - Billy Wagner
271 - Andy Phillips
317 - NL Hit Kings (Holliday/Ramirez)
390 - Ryan Braun

Outstanding! Thanks so much Ryan! I'm still pouring over your want list. Once I've found enough to satisfy my sending urge, I'll mail it out.

Trading With Eric

People continue to surprise me. Everyone is so nice, that I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Call my cynical or whatever, but the law of averages seems to be tipping in my favor trade-wise. Mind you, I'm not complaining one bit! I rather like it.

This latest trade comes from Eric, who was brought here by Tulo Trader. Eric included some real gems in his package. I was especially impressed by the number of 2008 cards that have been escaping me as of late. In fact, the oldest card is only from 2003. Am I disappointed? Hardly! I've got holes in all years of my collection. Some of the hardest cards to get are from the past ten to fifteen years. I'm not sure if this was because I was away from the hobby for the majority of this time or these cards have just disappeared of the face of the Earth. Either way, I love any cards that come my way and this is no exception.

Let's see what Eric sent over.

2003 Upper Deck
52 - Ryan Sweeney

2006 Upper Deck Diamond Debut
DD-5 - Pedro Lopez

2006 Upper Deck First Pitch Diamond Stars
DS-9 - Mark Buehrle

2007 Topps
121 - Alex Cintron
165 - Mark Buehrle

2007 Upper Deck First Edition
8 - Josh Fields
10 - Jerry Owens (2)
67 - Jermaine Dye

2007 Upper Deck First Edition Pennant Chasers
PC-PK - Paul Konerko

2008 Bowman Chrom Prospects
BCP83 - Sal Sanchez
BCP97 - Matt Inouye

2008 Bowman Gold
82 - Mark Buehrle

2008 Spectrum
21 - Paul Konerko
67 - Nick Swisher

2008 Spectrum Retrospectrum Swatches
RS-AR2 - Aaron Rowand

2008 Topps
284 - Lance Broadway
565 - A.J. Pierzynski

2008 Topps Game-Worn Relics
TR-OG - Ozzie Guillen (with stripe!)

2008 Upper Deck
281 - Mark Buehrle
284 - Matt Thornton
285 - Ryan Bukvich
290 - Jermaine Dye
779 - Nick Swisher (CL)

2008 Upper Deck Starquest
SQ-26 - Jim Thome (Common)
SQ-26 - Jim Thome (Rare)

2008 Upper Deck First Edition
234 - Mark Buehrle
235 - Jon Garland
236 - Jose Contreras
237 - Matt Thornton
240 - Jerry Owens (2)
241 - Jermaine Dye
258 - Lance Broadway
275 - Donny Lucy (2)

2008 Upper Deck First Edition Starquest
SQ-26 - Jim Thome (Common)

Those were a great selection of cards! The Ozzie jersey was very unexpected to see. The Rowand swatch just goes to show that you can take the player out of the Sox, but you can't take the Sox out of the player. One of my favorites is actually the Upper Deck First Edition Starquest card of Jim Thome. Oh, did I mention that green was my favorite color? No. Well, that would be close enough to my favorite shade of green to qualify as one of the awesomest cards in my collection.

But wait... there's more! In addition to feeding my White Sox addiction, Eric also fed my stupid decision to try to complete the 2008 Topps Heritage set. The first set that I actively tried to complete since around 1991.

2008 Topps Heritage
28 - Ivan Rodriguez
49 - Bill Hall
75 - Cole Hamels
121 - Dave Davidson
134 - Donny Lucy
145 - Eugeno Velez
148 - Hunter Pence
168 - Rafael Furcal
192 - Akinori Iwamura
302 - Wily Mo Pena
342 - Matt Chico
462 - Kyle Kendrick

2008 Topps Heritage Black Back
49 - Bill Hall
126 - Dan Giese
267 - Xavier Nady

2008 Topps Heritage News Flashbacks
9 - In Cold Blood Murders Committed

There's nothing like the feeling of finishing an envelope full of cards with a serial killing. Kind of gruesome. But I need it for the set, so a little blood must be shed in order to preserve the integrity of the set. OK, maybe that's a little creepy to include in a card set, but I guess it was news from 1959.

Eric, don't worry. I am waiting on a few cards that I acquired specifically for you. Once I get those cards in my hands, I will send your package out. I think you'll be happy with the package coming to you. Thank you for all the cool White Sox cards and for getting my Heritage set closer to completion.

Ozuna DFA

Ozzie Guillen likes the way DeWayne Wise plays and has stopped short of saying that he will stay with the team for the time being. Juan Uribe is being shopped around, but no one wants to take him on, just yet. With Paul Konerko coming off the DL and completing his minor league rehab assignment, someone has to go.

The odd man out would be super-sub, Pablo Ozuna. Third base is taken up by Joe Crede, shortstop is home to Orlando Cabrera and second base belongs squarely to Alexei Ramirez. Juan Uribe is now the main backup for all three positions. That leaves Pablo Ozuna in an expendable position. So, the Sox designated Pablo for assignment.

Maybe Pablo will fall back to AAA, if no one stakes a claim. If not, he may get a chance to play more regularly with another team. If this is the end for Ozuna, then I have to say it has been a pleasure watching him play for the White Sox. They could use him and abuse him and Pablo would come out smelling like a rose. Need someone to pinch run in the ninth? Put in Pablo. The shortstop tweaked his hamstring? Ozuna will take over. Crede's back is stiff? Pablo will take over.

Pablo was versatile enough to sit on the bench for days and enter the game strong. He could spot start or move around for ultimate flexibility. You will be missed on the Sox roster. I hope everything works out.

Charles Comiskey eBay Autograph Find

Check out this 2/2 autograph of Charles Comiskey from the 2004 SP Legendary Cuts set. If you have $3,450.00 to spend, plus $2.50 shipping and handling, then this is for you. If you have that much to throw away, then I accept presents.

Charles Comiskey has a unique looking signature. It's almost as if he tried to write everything out longhand and then skimped on a few of the letters in his name. He may want to be perceived as being fancy, but it looks like he's trying to hide something.

A very interesting signature from a very interesting man. It's just not at a price that produces my full interest. Although, those "C"s look very unique, it shouldn't take a ton of "C" notes to get that.

July 3 - 6, 2008: Athletics @ White Sox

July 3 - 6, 2008 - Chicago, Illinois

July 3: A's 3 - White Sox 2
July 4: A's 7 - White Sox 1
July 5: A's 1 - White Sox 6
July 6: A's 3 - White Sox 4

The White Sox win streak has been camouflaged.

The fireworks were out in full force on Independence Day. The ones on the field were brought by the Athletics though. The White Sox hid in their camouflage uniforms and their bats couldn't find them.

Gavin Floyd stopped the bleeding with a great performance in game three. John Danks continued that with a near no-hit performance in game 4. The Sox ended up splitting the series by salvaging the last two games in the four game series.

The good:
Gavin Floyd pitched another gem in game 3.

Nick Swisher had a grand slam in game 3.

The bad:
Scott Linebrink almost blew another game in game 4.

Javier Vazquez pitched a complete game but it wasn't enough for the win in game 1.

The ugly:
Mark Buehrle did not have his best stuff in game 2.

Quentin, Swisher and Ramirez each went 0 for 4 in game 1.

The series started heartbreaking, then got rough, but fell into place by the last two games. The Sox should have taken three games in the series, but those are the breaks. At least they didn't lose the series. They didn't win it either, though.

June 30 - July 2, 2008: Indians @ White Sox

June 30 - July 2, 2008 - Chicago, Illinois

June 30: Indians 7 - White Sox 9
July 1: Indians 2 - White Sox 3
July 2: Indians 5 - White Sox 6

An extra special sweep.

Adam Russell must have an angel on his shoulder. After rotting away in the bullpen for what seemed like an eternity, he steps into two consecutive games in the tenth inning and earns the win for both games. It helps that the White Sox decided to wake up the bats in the late innings of those two games.

The good:
Adam Russell earns two wins.

Alexei Ramirez homered in the second game.

The bad:
Nick Masset was lit up for 3 runs in relief in game 1.

Carlos Quentin struggled at the plate.

The ugly:
Two errors in game 2.

Scott Linebrink's blown save in game 3.

A. J. saved the day in the third game with two home runs, including the game winner. These were close games, even though a couple didn't have to be. This makes it seven in a row! The Sox look like they can do no wrong. It would be nice if the winning streak would last forever, but it will end sometime. When one ends, another will start at some point.

They Tried To Make Me Go To Rehab. I Said No, No, No!

A little while ago, Ben Henry of the Baseball Card Blog, decided to "kick the habit" of collecting. Mainly focusing on sets that were from the mid-seventies and earlier. Everything later was up for grabs supposedly. All Ben wanted in return was a few cards from the mid-seventies and earlier. I have a few of those to spare, so I e-mailed him and we arranged a blind trade.

I sent off a few cards that met the specifications and awaited my return. Ben wanted no more than 15 cards in return. I came close to that, but I forget the exact number I sent his way.

A week or so later, I received a box in the mail filled with cards. I couldn't wait to see what was in it. I spent my free time sorting the cards and now will share those results with you. Beware of doubles and memories.

1978 Topps
361 - Chris Knapp
574 - Bob Lemon

1979 Topps
527 - Lerrin LaGrow

1981 Donruss
401 - Wayne Nordhagen
402 - Tony LaRussa

1982 Fleer
342 - Ed Farmer
352 - Greg Luzinski

1982 Topps
44 - Britt Burns (2)
76 - Greg Pryor (3)
140 - Ron LeFlore (2)
176 - Dewey Robinson (2)
206 - Tony Bernazard
237 - Rusty Kuntz (2)
299 - Steve Trout
328 - Ed Farmer (2)
363 - Bob Molinaro (2)
461 - Rich Dotson (4)
493 - Chet Lemon (2)
563 - Ross Baumgarten (2)
622 - Dennis Lamp (2)
714 - Jerry Koosman (2)
720 - Greg Luzinski (2)
721 - Greg Luzinski (In Action)
736 - Jerry Turner (2)
748 - Marc Hill (2)
778 - Kevin Hickey (2)

1983 Topps
98 - Vance Law
153 - Jerry Koosman
177 - Harold Baines (2)
278 - Kevin Hickey
362 - Bill Almon
409 - Marvis Foley (2)
461 - Steve Trout
487 - Jerry Hairston
514 - Rudy Law
560 - Ron LeFlore
669 - Mike Squires
693 - Sparky Lyle (2)
705 - AL Victory Leaders LaMarr Hoyt (Steve Carlton)
772 - Jim Kern

1984 Donruss
58 - Harold Baines
379 - Julio Cruz
452 - Scott Fletcher
609 - Greg Walker

1984 Fleer
649 - Checklist (Tony LaRussa)

1984 Topps
47 - Rudy Law
72 - Mike Squires
97 - LaMarr Hoyt
257 - Julio Cruz
280 - Floyd Bannister
311 - Jerry Koosman
382 - Chris Nyman
409 - Juan Agosto
459 - Kevin Hickey
518 - Greg Walker
541 - Dennis (I love...) Lamp (2)
619 - Jerry Dybzinski
664 - Dave Stegman
698 - Marc Hill
716 - AL Active Career Strikeouts - Jerry Koosman (Don Sutton, Bert Blyleven)
777 - Tom Paciorek

1985 Fleer
530 - Greg Walker

1985 Leaf
231 - Harold Baines

1985 Topps
351 - Juan Agosto
520 - LaMarr Hoyt
572 - Tom Paciorek
725 - Floyd Bannister

1986 Fleer
211 - Rudy Law
630 - 300 Career Wins - Tom Seaver (Phil Niekro)

1986 Fleer Baseball Feats
16 - Eddie Collins (with White Sox sticker back)

1986 Topps
187 - Scott Fletcher

1987 Donruss
617 - Steve Carlton

1988 Fleer
391 - Harold Baines

1988 Pacific Baseball Legends
220 - Joe Jackson

1988 Pacific Eight Men Out
27 - Sport Sullivan

1988 Score
443 - Gary Redus
462 - Jim Winn
592 - Carlton Fisk

1988 Topps
321 - White Sox Team Leaders (Baines & Fisk)
585 - Ozzie Guillen

1988 Topps Big
27 - Ozzie Guillen

1988 Topps UK Mini
83 - Greg Walker

1989 Bowman
60 - Jeff Bittiger

1989 Donruss
101 - Carlton Fisk
337 - Ken Williams
455 - Daryl Boston
531 - Jack McDowell (3)
573 - Bill Long

1989 O-Pee-Chee
46 - Carlton Fisk
101 - Ivan Calderon

1989 Score
145 - Rick Horton
384 - Dave LaPoint
489 - Jerry Reuss
542 - Mark Salas

1989 Topps
133 - Bill Long
334 - Steve Lyons
695 - Carlton Fisk (3)
764 - Robin Ventura

1990 Donruss
58 - Carlton Fisk (2)
489 - Sammy Sosa

1990 Score
290 - Carlton Fisk (2)
558 - Sammy Sosa (2)

1990 Score Young Superstar
27 - Ken Patterson

1991 Fleer
118 - Carlton Fisk (2)
125 - Ron Karkovice
136 - Sammy Sosa
139 - Robin Ventura
712 - Top Game Savers - Bobby Thigpen (John Franco)

1991 Score
132 - Donn Pall

1991 Upper Deck
261 - Bobby Thigpen
265 - Sammy Sosa
773 - Tim Raines

1992 Donruss
579 - Mike Huff
658 - Ramon Garcia
668 - Warren Newson
740 - Sammy Sosa (2)
743 - Steve Wapnick

1992 O-Pee-Chee Premier
59 - Frank Thomas
76 - Warren Newson
182 - George Bell

1992 Score
29 - Melido Perez
62 - Jack McDowell (2)
122 - Robin Ventura (2)
203 - Scott Fletcher
361 - Bo Jackson
428 - Wilson Alvarez (No Hit Club)

1993 Flair
183 - Alex Fernandez

1993 Studio
200 - Jack McDowell

1993 Studio Frank Thomas Collection
3 - Frank Thomas

1993 Toys R Us
58 - Robin Ventura

1993 Score
276 - Scott Radinsky
633 - Jack McDowell (Cy Young Award)

1994 1954 Topps Archive
57 - Luis Aloma
146 - Don Johnson
173 - Jack Harshman

1994 Upper Deck Minors
245 - James Baldwin

1995 Topps
314 - Lance Johnson

1995 Upper Deck
199 - Scott Ruffcorn
201 - Robin Ventura
203 - Darrin Jackson

1996 Collector's Choice
509 - Matt Karchner

1996 Collector's Choice Silver
97 - Lance Johnson

1996 Score Diamond Aces
3 - Ray Durham

1997 Upper Deck Premier Power
PP4 - Albert Belle

1999 Topps
423 - Frank Thomas
425 - Prospects - Carlos Lee (Mike Lowell, Kit Pellow)
434 - Prospects - Jeff Liefer (Jose Fernandez, Chris Truby)

2001 Topps Archives
361 - Ted Kluszewski (1961)
414 - Carlton Fisk (1993)

2001 Topps Through The Years Reprints
43 - Sammy Sosa (1990)

2002 Topps Heritage
133 - Joe Crede

2005 Upper Deck First Pitch
46 - Juan Uribe

2006 Topps
149 - A.J. Pierzynski
363 - Jermaine Dye
399 - Joe Crede
435 - Paul Konerko
446 - Dustin Hermanson
560 - Jim Thome
579 - Javier Vazquez

2006 Topps Opening Day
OD-WI - Cleveland Indians vs. White Sox (April 2, 2006)

2006 Upper Deck
345 - Jim Thome
983 - Boone Logan

2007 Topps Updates & Highlights
UH72 - Darin Erstad

2007 Upper Deck
10 - Jerry Owens
81 - Tadahito Iguchi
88 - Jose Contreras

2008 Topps
224 - Mark Buehrle
248 - Jose Contreras
274 - Jermaine Dye
284 - Lance Broadway

2008 Topps Gold
284 - Lance Broadway 1953/2008

2008 Upper Deck
290 - Jermaine Dye

That's quite a box! It's thoughtful and varied in its contents. It spans almost every year from 1978 until 2008. That's what I call variety! I feel a bit overwhelmed with the amount of White Sox cards in this box, but I am truly grateful for the experience of sorting these cards.

Thanks, Ben! I hope you enjoy the cards that I sent over. I'm sure they pale in comparison to what you sent over to me. You have made a White Sox fan very happy!

Mailbox Joys: Tracey's Auto

In the mail today, I received an eBay purchase of a 2005 Donruss Classics card. By the picture, you can tell that it's a card of Sean Tracey. The card is numbered 1089/1200. Besides the obvious reason of being a White Sox card, why would I feature this card as a mailbox joy? There are three reasons.

The first has to deal with time. I've waited patiently for this card to come to auction on eBay. There is a seller offering this card in their store for $5 plus shipping. I wouldn't bite. There were a few times where I was tempted, but I held my ground. I waited until I saw it up for auction at 99 cents. That turned out to be the final price, plus $2.50 shipping, because who really wants an autographed card of Sean Tracey besides me? There aren't that many.

The second reason has to do with the psyche. Sean Tracey is best known, so far, as being the pitcher that Ozzie Guillen made cry. That's a harsh, probably inaccurate assumption. Ozzie's words were probably the last straw that made Sean break down, but I highly doubt it was the main reason.

My guess would be that the pressure of the major leagues was too tough for Sean Tracey to handle as a rookie. Some players have the proper mentality to handle the adjustment of being a rookie in the majors, a few can't handle it their first few times up. The pressure of being a rookie after the White Sox ended an 88 year World Series drought has to be just a little tough. There are new expectations that come with being on the team now.

My third reason is probably the closest to my heart. Sean Tracey has the same last name as my fiancee's first name. Normally, that wouldn't mean that much, but his last name is spelled the exact same way as my fiancee spells her first name. Call it sentimentality, but that makes me want to seek out his cards. It's hard to find things with Tracey's name spelled correctly. When an item comes along that's also attached to another passion of mine, it's a no-brainer.

Get Dye To The All-Star Game

Don't forget to vote for Jermaine Dye for the final pick on the American League All-Star roster. Ex-White Sox players Aaron Rowand and Carlos Lee are in the mix for the National League's final spot too.

We voted Scott Podsednik in and punched A.J. for the final spot in seasons past. Let's get Jermaine there. He is batting .308 with 19 home runs and 52 RBI. Jermaine has been on fire the past month and actually deserves to be on the roster.

Don't let the final spot go to the usual East Coast suspects. Vote Jermaine Dye!

#70 - Rich Sauveur

The White Sox have been wearing uniform numbers since the 1931 season. In all that time, only one player has appeared in a major league game wearing number 70. That would be Rich Sauveur.

Rich pitched ever so briefly for the White Sox in the 1996 season. He appeared in three games and pitched exactly three innings. Rich gave up three hits, including one home run, five runs, five walks, one strikeout and one hit batter.

Even though he was with six different teams in six different years between 1986 and 2000, he only appears to have one card. A 1993 Topps Gold card. Not a regular card, mind you, a gold card. This was one of Topps brilliant ideas of replacing the checklists in the gold parallel with players. Great idea, but not everyone knew they were doing this.

Alas, there is no White Sox card, that I'm aware of, of Rich Sauveur. That's a shame. On the other hand, if there is one lurking somewhere in the shadows, I'd hate to see it turn out like this adventure for his 1993 Topps Gold card.

By sheer fact that Rich is the only one to wear number 70, makes him the best to ever wear number 70. One of these years, a new number 70 will emerge victorious and eliminate the footnote of Rich Sauveur.

June 27 - 29, 2008: Cubs @ White Sox

June 27 - 29, 2008 - Chicago, Illinois

June 27: Cubs 3 - White Sox 10
June 28: Cubs 5 - White Sox 6
June 29: Cubs 1 - White Sox 5

Sweep revenge.

For a number of years, the last Crosstown Classic series was a benchmark for how the teams would do the rest of the year. It always seemed that whoever won that final series would do well the rest of the year. Whoever lost that series would start their downward spiral. I don't really wish the Cubs any ill will, but they might want to watch their step in the upcoming weeks.

The good:
A clean sweep!

Jermaine Dye continues to be on fire.

The bad:
Crede's error in Game 3.

Jenks was a little shaky in Game 3.

The ugly:
Javier Vazquez gave up five runs in 4.1 innings in Game 2.

DeWayne Wise was a rare 0 for 4 in Game 1.

This could vault the Sox into a great July. Maybe this is exactly the series that the Sox needed to lift them out of their on again off again funk. Stranger things have happened.

June 24 - 26, 2008: White Sox @ Dodgers

June 24 - 26, 2008: Los Angeles, California

June 24: White Sox 6 - Dodgers 1
June 25: White Sox 0 - Dodgers 5
June 26: White Sox 2 - Dodgers 0

Two out of three ain't bad.

The sweep from the Cubs doesn't seem to have a lasting effect on the White Sox. Although there are weaknesses found in the armor, for the most part, the Sox seem to be back on track.

The highlight of the series is probably one of the most low-key moments. Mark Buehrle recorded his 1,000th strikeout. That was almost unimaginable when he was drafted. I doubt that he will be a threat to the strikeout record, but it's nice to know that he reached a milestone that some pitchers never come close to.

The good:
Mark Buehrle's 1,000th career strikeout in Game 1.

Jermaine Dye is on fire at the plate and on the field.

The bad:
Two errors in Game 3.

Joe Crede's back stiffness kept him out of the first two games.

The ugly:
Only four hits in Game 2.

Three errors in Game 2.

This turned out to be a good series for the Sox. It doesn't look spectacular on paper, but they won the series. Any series win is better than a series loss. Things are looking up for the South Side.

Card Spotlight: 7-4-08

What can be better on the Fourth of July than baseball? Sure, there are family, friends, food and fireworks... the big four Fs. But the National Pastime deserves some recognition too.

What better way to spend the United States' birthday than with baseball cards celebrating a slice of Americana. A concept that may or may not involve Donruss.

I chose to spotlight this card of "Jungle Jim" Rivera. He was part of the 1959 team that went to the World Series. Plus, I just won this off of eBay for 99 cents. It should be here sometime next week.

In this card, Jim seems to be celebrating his independence from the field of play by leaping into the stands. He is also shown looking majestically at something in the distance. Perhaps a flag? It's hard to tell what someone was doing 20 years before you were born. Overall, this is a great card from an overlooked set.

This was the last regular set made by Topps before the standardized size came into play in 1957. So, in a way, this is a piece of American history right here. All things aside, I just like the card.

Madonna Says "In Rod We Trust"

While I've enjoyed all the coverage today of the Madonna "baseball" story, I originally thought of this pairing when I heard the news. It would seem to make the most sense. I hear the inanimate carbon rod is not selfish in intimate matters.

Kudos to Cardboard Junkie for his take on the subject. The only way this is news for this blog is if Madonna suddenly developed an interest in Carlos Quentin. Somehow, I don't think that's likely to happen.

It's probably a sign that "Piece Of Your Action" by Motley Crue just popped up on the iPod.

Random Card #26

I tried collecting these cards when I was a kid. They all ended up in the garbage can after being demolished by the elements. They were too big for a normal 9 pocket page and I didn't have the resources back then to obtain the proper pages to store these. I do now, so I think I'll give them a shot.

I've received two different Topps Big Ozzie Guillen cards in the past few weeks. I received this one, the 1989 card, from Beginner's Wax. Today, I received the 1988 card in a package from Ben Henry. I have yet to fully dissect that package, but plan on doing just that very shortly.

Since there were two weekend series pitting the White Sox against the Cubs recently, I've heard more "Ozzie is a jerk" stories than I can shake a stick at. All of them from misinformed Cubs fans. I had a friend of my future mother-in-law's yell at me about Ozzie Guillen. I had never met the woman, but when she found out I was a Sox fan, all hell broke loose. I said nothing and smiled politely. I'm not about to start a yelling match over something so stupid with someone I never met before. I took the high road.

What were her complaints? He doesn't care about his players. Well, I'd like to disagree with that assessment. I can't remember a manager for the Sox that was more involved with his players. He makes sure that they are on the right track. He jokes with them, but there is an understanding that the work needs to be done. If you weren't doing your job, what would your boss say to you? It works the same in the baseball world.

She also said that he is abusive to his players and drags everything out in the media. In reality, Ozzie rarely drags anything out into the media. It's just the world we live in today. The media usually drags it out first and Ozzie has to deal with it. As for his comments, Ozzie doesn't sugarcoat anything. He will be honest with you, if you ask him a serious question. That type of honesty frightens some people. Ozzie also has a nasty habit of thinking out loud. This is usually what gets him in trouble.

Does this mean that Ozzie is an innocent victim? Hardly. He is his own worst enemy sometimes. But that is what you get with Ozzie. He has been the same outspoken man since he was the AL Rookie of the Year in 1985. Why mess with success?