Brian Roberts Card of the Day

Well Brian Roberts is probably out till mid-May. Felix Pie is sitting on the DL with him. Miguel Tejada strained a hip muscle and has missed this past week, but should return tonight. The Orioles have won 2 games this season. 2 games and today is April 23. Not much for the Orange Faithful to be excited about. I for one thought that adding Garrett Atkins, Kevin Millwood and bringing back Tejada were the moves that would push this team up into the upper echelon of the AL East. Boy was I wrong. That said I don’t think this is the year that B-Rob will get his shot at a ring. Anyway, today’s Card of the Day comes from 2005 Donruss. Not that the Orioles were contenders in ’05, but B-Rob is rocking the orange uni with the high stirrups so it has the look of a successful O’s team at least.

Card of the Day...

As Brian Roberts is on the DL I thought I would substitute one of his teammates for the Card of the Day post. Since they all seem to suck these days, I figured I would go with the Oriole Bird. This is card #M3 in the 2010 Topps Opening Day Mascot insert set. I have professed my love for cards of mascots before and I think the O Bird deserves some credit. It ain't easy cheering for a team that is 2-11 and has yet to win a game at home...

Brian Roberts Card of the Day

Brian Roberts is on the 15 day disabled list because of his back. He got his second epidural shot this week and is set to visit Doctor Lee Riley on Monday. Prior to going on the DL he was batting .143. In the few games I watched him bat-he didn't look like himself at the plate. He didn't have his normal patience, control, bat speed, power or timing. He did look just fine in the field and on the basepaths. More news will come on Monday. Till then here is today's Card of the Day. On my other blog, the Collective Troll, I have been posting about my Tampa Bay Rays team set quest. Last night I finished off the 2007 Topps set including series 1, series 2 and Updates and Highlights. I was pretty psyched! In celebration I wanted to show a Roberts card from that set. This is card #UH267 and the back celebrates Brian Roberts' second All Star Appearance. He was a Player's Choice on the 2007 All Star team. At the midseason point he was batting .326 with 25 steals. He finished the year off batting .290 for the Orioles, but he did double his steals total and led the AL with 50 stolen bases in 2007. His 258 steals is 17th among active players. This is another of the many cards that Ryan AKA Orioles Magic from the Great Orioles Autograph Project sent my way. Thanks to Ryan for the card and here's to a positive visit to the doc for Mr. Roberts. For those interested in helping with my Rays Topps team set needs, the list is HERE. I am also trying to finish off the 2010 Topps set with inserts. I am getting close and I am building up doubles. My have/need list for that set is here if you are interested in trading. A few notes on the O's... They are in last place in the AL East with a 1-10 mark. Brian Roberts' 2 steals leads the ball club. Ty Wigginton is leading the club with 3 homers and Miguel Tejada is tops with 7 RBI. Julio Lugo is playing second base in Roberts' absence. He is batting just .118 with 6 strikeouts and no extra base hits in 7 games. Things can only get better. Thanks for reading, gotta run!

The Brian Roberts Home Opening Day Card of the Day!

It probably would have been appropriate if I had posted this on Opening Day, but since today is their home opener, I thought it would work and I made this today’s Brian Roberts Card of the Day. This little gem came to me from Wicked Ortega from My Past Time…I Love It! as part of a gigantic package full of all kinds of cardboard goodies. The card is from 2010 Topps Opening Day, card #182 of the Orioles All Star second baseman. Senor Ortega set me up with a bunch of Opening Day cards, all of the Rays I could ask for plus this card of B-Rob. I really don’t care for the pose that Topps picked for this one, but I will say that I love the Opening Day product. One of the things that I hate about the hobby right now is that kids can’t afford to buy packs of cards. At 2 bucks a pack for 12 cards, Topps isn’t too bad, at just 99 cents per pack Opening Day is perfect! Its basically the same base set as regular Topps, but without most of the inserts. That is why I don’t chase this set, but it is perfect for younger folks or people on a budget who aren’t concerned with inserts. It does inserts that are unique to TOD like the mascots series. If anyone has any cards from any year of Raymond the Rays mascot, I want them!
Anyway, yesterday I made a comment that I wished that Brian Roberts started the year on the disabled list so he could get his swing back before he returned to the Orioles lineup. I want to officially rescind that remark. Roberts had 2 hits last night including his first double of the year and a stolen base. I think he has found his timing. Roberts and the Orioles will open their season at home tonight. Roberts batting average stands at .143 as the O’s return to Maryland.
To go with the Opening Day theme I included a shot of Roberts’ first at-bat of the season and first time on-base when he reached on a fielder’s choice in the 9th. Thanks as always for the great card Wicked! Thanks for reading. I really need to think of a way to sign-off and conclude my posts here. Roberts fan out just doesn’t sound right…

Brian Roberts 2009 Topps Total Domination!

With the Orioles in town for the Rays home opener I have seen plenty of Brian Roberts these past two days. I am back at work tonight, but naturally I didn’t bring the flash drive with any of the photos that I took. Those will have to wait for another day. I will say that even though I was thrilled that Roberts was here for the first pitch of the season, as bad as he has looked at the plate, I wish he took a rehab assignment to get his timing down. I watched closely as he took batting practice on Tuesday night. He took all of his hacks from the left side and looked very weak. He didn’t look in pain and he was pulling the ball well, he wasn’t connecting with any force at all. He was hitting the ball, but not pounding the ball. Facing Shields on Opening Night Roberts wasn’t overmatched or outsmarted; he just didn’t have his normal control at the plate. His hands were still quick, but he wasn’t working the count, fouling off pitches or making solid contact. That happens when you miss all of spring training…
Well, even though I did forget the photos, I have some cards scanned, so I can make this 2009 Topps and Topps Chrome parallel the Brian Roberts Quadrafecta of the Day. Shown are the Topps Chrome refractor, X Fractor and blue refractor along with his Topps Gold parallel. I have the base Topps and Topps chrome as well. If I had scanned them this could be a Septafecta which sounds really cool. I am wondering what other parallels there are from 2009 Topps that I need to gather to have total Roberts domination. I know there is a 1/1 platinum version, but is there a black parallel of Topps and are there other colors of Chrome refractors out there? Everything I thought I knew about Topps Chrome I learned from this blog post earlier this month. I am worried I might be misled. Go Roberts! Tonight would be a great night to get your first hit of the year to give your team a tiny bright spot on a wasted road trip. By the way, I am implying that the Orioles are gonna get swept… Oh, and I think I have a dupe of the '09 X Fractor if anyone wants to deal for it...

Opening Day Brian Roberts Card of the Day!

This will likely be my lone post today as I am off to Tropicana Field to watch The Tampa Bay Rays entertain the Baltimore Orioles to open both of their seasons. Its a total win-win for me as I get to watch my favorite player play my favorite team. To celebrate, here is a great new B-Rob card that came to me from Beardy of Beardy and Mojo's Fantastic Card Blog. He and Beardy are running an awesome tribute and contest to Kurt Cobain and Nirvana. CHECK IT OUT!!! Anyway, Beardy sent me a great lot of stuff including this 2006 Bazooka Fielding Basics relic card of Brian Roberts. I don't care for the DMV style photo, but I love the design of the Bazooka brand. The only bad thing about this card is that there is no cartoon, otherwise it could be perfect... Thanks to Beardy for this great card! There is only about 10 hours left to vote for the best second baseman ever, so do it now! Hopefully tonight Roberts will have the only 5 hits for the Orioles in a 5-hit shutout loss to the Rays, we will see...

My Peeps Pink Brian Roberts Card of the Day

Happy Easter Orioles fans and card collectors! For my Easter post I wanted to show off something sweet and shiny, so here we go! This is one of many, many cards that my good friend Wicked Ortega from My Past Time...I Love It! sent my way. It is a 2009 Bowman Chrome REFRACTOR of B-Rob, card #46. I LOVE REFRACTORS and we all know that they scan pink like peeps, so it seemed like a no-brainer for the card of the day. Happy Easter Orioles fans! Its less than 48 hours until the first pitch of Opening Day at Tropicana Field, Tampa Bay Rays versus the Baltimore Orioles. His back willing, Roberts will be the one standing at the plate when the Rays season officially opens. I will be the one who is 9 rows behind the dugout on the first base line. I CAN'T WAIT! Thanks for the great card Wicked! Thanks to all who have stumbled across this blog. I will do my best to get a fresh and new Roberts card up here at least 3 times a week. Oh, PLEASE vote for the best second baseman of all time while you are here. 60 people voted for the top shortstop on my other blog, we need some more votes for second base!

Brian Roberts Card of the Day-Topps SI For Kids!

Today's Brian Roberts Card of the Day is from the 2006 Topps Sports Illustrated for Kids Funny Photos subset. It is card #24 of 25 and shows Roberts on the front with a balloon caption that says: "As fast, as fast as can be, you'll never catch me...". This is something that Roberts generally repeats aloud as he runs the bases. It helps. On the back of the card is a photo of Richie Sexson sitting down by the batting cage and it has AN EMPTY CAPTION!!! This means that you can make your caption and make Richie Sexson say whatever the heck you want him to! Have at it... This card entered my collection courtesy of some blogger kindness from Kevin of the 1965 Topps Project Blog. He sent a good sized stack of B-Robs that will keep this blog fueled... Thanks Kevin! PLEASE vote for top second baseman of All Time while you are here... Leading off and out.

Leading Off With 2003 Donruss Century Legends of Summer Jim Palmer Certified Auto

Although I do have MANY Brian Roberts cards to post here, I thought I would push the Orioles theme and post one of the only certified Hall of Famer autographs that I still have in my collection. I have started Cakes collections several times in my life. The dude had an amazing career and he did it all in orange and that type of loyalty still means something to me... Anyway, I don't think I have ever posted this little gem before and this seemed like the place to do it. It isn't up here as trade bait, although I would consider the right offer, but the right offer for me would involve a certified auto of Steve Carlton, Larry Doby, Buck O'Neill, Ray Dandridge or Willie Stargell... The card comes from the 2003 Donruss Signature Series, the Century Legends of Summer subset. The card is number LS-20 in that set. Anyway, the card uses the space well with a shot of Cakes in delivery with a nicely framed sticker autograph to his side. The card is numbered 082/100 on the back. Brian Roberts cards will return soon, hope no one objects to a little Jim Palmer every now and then... While you are here, PLEASE cast a vote for the top second baseman, okay?

Bearded B-Rob From My Bearded Buddy…

Last week I received a pretty big and pretty amazing package from everyone’s favorite bearded blogger, Beardy from Mojo and Beardy’s Fantastic Card Blog. They are currently running a contest which involves bloggers trying to rap. It is awesome and amazing and must be checked out. Anyway, I will post the total package shortly, but I wanted to tease it by making one of the cards the Brian Roberts Card of the Day. It is card #8 from 2008 Upper Deck Spectrum. It aint your standard garden variety Spectrum, oh no, this is the real deal, serial numbered 230/399 and all. The best part is that its bright and foily and has the perfect orange background that an Orioles card should have. Beardy is pretty much the ultimate Orioles collector and my little collection will never come close to rivaling his, but I certainly don’t mind scooping up his leftovers. The back of the card shows a further connection between the Bearded One and the O’s second baseman… Look close, is that a beard??? Thanks for reading and a huge thanks to Beardy! Please vote for best second baseman of All Time while you are here. Check out my other blog, the Collective Troll for the full Bearded Trade Post coming soon! With all of the generous bloggers out there spoiling me with Roberts cards, laziness is the only thing standing between a different card being posted here every day this season. I think I can do it!