Relic Collection: Tim Hudson 2007 UD Artifacts Antiquity Relic #AA-TI

Here's the fourth relic that Derek sent my way. (Yeah, I owe him big.) Most of my Huddy relics I got in a trade a few years ago with Wicked and most of them are A's. Once I get a substantial number of Braves relics of Huddy, I think I'll get rid of the A's relics.

Smoltz Collection: 2008 Topps Allen & Ginter Relic #AGR-JS

Another thanks to Derek for another awesome Allen & Ginter framed relic. I'm now starting to catch up with my Smoltzie collection. If I could just find about 20 or more cheap relics ...

Glavine Collection: 2008 Topps Allen & Ginter Relic #AGR-TG

Another card that Derek sent my way recently. I dig the A&G framed relics, even if they might seem a little boring. I'm not sure I get the design on the frame though.

Smoltz Collection: 2007 Upper Deck Game Materials #UD-JS

Thanks to Derek of Tomahawk Chopping for this AWESOME Smoltzie relic. My Smoltz collection is way behind my Glavine and Maddux collections. I'll have to put some time into it next year. It shouldn't be difficult since I don't see myself buying much new Topps at all next year. 

Relic Collection: Bobby Cox

Of all the awesome relic cards I won in Thorzul's Mondo Summer break, this was easily my favorite. I really didn't have any idea that a Cox relic card even existed. This will take an especially proud place in my collection.

Braves Collection: Triple Threads, Triple Relic, The Big 3

Well, here's my latest pickup and I can't really say that it's one of my favorite cards of my favorite three players. In fact, I'd say it just looks off. There's just something weird looking in the faces of all the players. I'd go as far to say it's off-putting. That's not really a surprise because Triple Threads sort of Triple Sucks.

On the other hand, it's a card of my three favorite players. I like the Maddux patch and the Glavine bat. It has a nice home in my collection, even if I won't be pulling it out to show off.

Braves Collection: Terrell Wade

Wade would make 59 appearances with the Braves from 1995 to 1997. He was primarily a "long man" out of the bullpen but would get the occasional spot start. That might not seem like much of a career, but I bet he loves baseball.

After all, despite pitching just 4 innings for the Braves in 1995, and not making the post season roster, he got a World Series ring.

In 1996, he would spend most of the year in Atlanta and would pitch in the NLCS and the World Series.

After leaving the Braves for Tampa in the expansion draft in late 1997, Wade would spend years in the minors before hanging up his spikes in 2000. He would return and play independent ball for parts of the 2003, 2004 and 2006 seasons.

Sounds like a cool career to me.

Thanks to Derek at Tomahawk Chopping for the card!

Braves Collection: Roberto Kelly

Remember this guy? Me too.

Remember anything he did as a Brave? Not me either.

Was he the lead off hitter between Otis and Grissom?

Thanks to Derek for the card!

Braves Collection: Reid Gorecki

Does anyone know of Gorecki is still playing in the Yankees minor league system? I like the guy a lot. He played well in the Braves minor league system in both 2008 and 2009 earning himself a cup of coffee in 2009. He signed with the Yankees and spent the 2010 season in their system.

I know ... I could look it up myself but I'm much too damn lazy to do that.

Thanks, again, to Derek at Tomahawk Chopping for this card.

Braves Collection: Quilvio Veras

One of the forgotten players of the Braves run of 14 straight division championships. Well, I forgot him anyway. He was actually pretty great that first season with the Braves. The second year? Not so much. The Braves would cut him ... the Red Sox sign him ... and he would never be heard from again.

Thanks to Derek at Tomahawk Chopping for the card. 

Braves Collection: Mike Gonzalez

I love weird players and this guy was WEIRD. I found his stretch to be fascinating, and perhaps, a little ridiculous. I wanted him to be great. I wanted him to be the closer. He did OK for a bit. Injuries saddled him.

He's now stinking up the joint in Baltimore.

Thanks to Derek for the card!

Braves Collection: Damon Hollins

Damon was an Atlanta Brave for a short time in 1998. He was then traded to the Dodgers and would bounce around the minors for the Reds, Brewers and Twins, before finding his way back to the Atlanta minor league system, and returning to the big league club in 1994. Briefly though. Just briefly.

Amazingly, he would get significant playing time in Tampa during the 1995 and 1996 seasons, before again returning to the minors with the Royals and the Phillies along with a stop in Japan.

Damon Hollins ... we salute you!

Thanks to Derek at Tomahawk Chopping for the card.

Braves Collection: Tony Cloninger

1968 Topps

How do you go 24-11 with a 3.29 ERA and not get even a single vote for the CY Young Award? Well, you do it in 1965. As good as Cloninger was that year, and he was very good, this guy was better. Historically better.

Braves Collection: Hoyt Wilhelm

1970 Topps

Well, here's one you can add to the list of things I did not know: Holy Wilhelm and Phil Niekro pitched together for the Braves. I've got to say, Wilhelm does not look like a man pushing 50 in the picture. Plus, looking at his career stats, you have to wonder why after 1959 and 1960, he never really got a chance as a starter. Putting a knucleballer in the bullpen seems like a bad practice to me. Or perhaps I've just read Ball Four one time too many?

Braves Collection: James Parr

2009 Topps Heritage

Not to be critical of Parr himself, but Topps really outdid themselves on the back of this card. It reads, "What a debut he had with the Braves: 14 1/3 innings over a trio of starts before he was scored upon." Totally true, but it sort of seems pointless when you consider that over the  remaining 8 innings of his 2008 season, including the remainder of his third start, and his fourth and fifth start, Parr gave up 13 earned runs.

Dog hair once again makes an appearance on one of my scans.

Thanks to BA Benny for the card!

Braves Collection: Gene Oliver

1967 Topps

I wonder is a player like Gene Oliver was happy with the Braves move to Atlanta? For one thing, he was from Moline so being in Milwaukee would seem to be a more natural place for him. Additionally, he was a good (not great) major league hitter before the move, but after the move, well, he was NOT.

I keep thinking I need to try and build a set from the 60s. I always lean towards the 1964 set, but I gotta say, the more I see of the 1967, the more I like it.

Braves Collection: Jung Bong Redux

The return of Mr. Bong. I first featured Mr. Bong in this post, but I decided to replace that card in my Atlanta Braves binder with this one (thanks Derek), because it doesn't, you know, feature some irrelevant Astro never-was. No, I prefer my cards only feature an Atlanta Brave never-was. (The usage of the English language in this post is brought to you by 8 years of schooling in Columbus, Georgia.)

Braves Collection: Jose Oliva

Rest in Peace (1971 - 1997)

Braves Collection: 1964 Topps Giant Warren Spahn

A few years ago, I picked up my father-in-law the Mickey Mantle from the 1964 Topps Giant set as a Christmas present. For a while afterwards, I thought about picking up a few cards from the set. Those thoughts went by the wayside.

Back in February, at the FCB National Card Show, this one guy had a three dollar table. Late in the day, it became a two dollar table. He had this card on the table. What the hell, right? It is, at the moment, the only card I have of Spahn from his playing career, and I like it. I like it a lot.

Braves Collection: Jimmy Kremers

1991 Upper Deck

I assert that Jimmy Kremers, who only hit .110 in his 1990 cup of coffee with the Braves served an important role in the surge the franchise would begin in the 1991 season. How you ask? Easy. He was one of the players traded for Otis Nixon right before opening day 1991.


Thanks to BA Benny for the card.