I've Come To A Decision...

Greetings All 2 of my readers! LOL

Well, there has been plenty of thought put in about this and I think the only thing I can come up with is to end this blog. I have too many things to keep updated and too many responsibilities outside of my hobby. I love collecting and will continue to do so but keeping up this blog is too much. I've decided to stick to Twitter(@cpuJesse) and Instagram(@dodgerdadscards) as they don't require as much upkeep. I appreciate any and all who were following this blog. Please don't hesitate to message me or comment at the above accounts. I will keep the blog active for 30 days prior to this message.

Thank you, readers!

As always,
#GoDodgers
#GoPorts


#DodgerDad

A Little Baseball Experiment - Part 2

Yesterday I added 6 different pens to each of the baseballs that I had planned to use. Admittedly, a few of them I was very shocked, initially, at how nice they look and a few I was disappointed with.

 

I think everyone has seen how 'nice' a Sharpie felt pen looks on a brand new ball but the sad fact is that this will change in a few months. The Sharpie 'Pen.' that I used looks surprisingly good on either ball. I am very curious to see what this will look like after some time. The Papermate Eagle, what i would consider a standard ballpoint, looks awful on either of the two baseballs. Both the Pilot Precise and the Staples Sonix are gel pens and aren't expected to hold up well considering the ink seems to set on top of the ball and doesn't soak in at all. I inadvertently smudged the Sonix ink on the Cal League ball which is not good since the leather generally soaks up the ink better.

So far, I like how the Papermate Kilometrica Plus 1.0 pen looks and writes on both baseballs. Time will tell how all these pens will stand the tests that I plan to put them through.

I have a few more pens to try and will be adding them as I find them.

Thanks for reading!

#DodgerDad
#GoDodgers

A Little Baseball Experiment

How many times have you seen youngsters, and sometimes older ones, at games trying to get OMLB's signed with sharpies? It is a pet peeve of mine and I'm sure everyone has their own opinions on this subject. However, my issue with it is the quality and durability of the pens used on each specific media.

SO, I've decided to do a little experiment. Unfortunately, this may be drawn out a little based on the subjects involved. Please use my experiment as the guinea pig before you decide to have something autographed. Send me your suggestions on which pens to use and I will attempt to find them and use them.

I want to utilize the complete scientific method in this experiment so, first, their are the Questions:
What pens are the best to use for signings on OMLB's? How long will they last? For example, (The Sharpie, as most of us in the hobby know, should NEVER be used on a baseball..ANY baseball) What about having giveaway balls and logo balls signed? Why not get these signed?

Hypothesis:
I suppose that ball point pens are the best for signing baseballs. Brand, color and media will be in question. I will test all pens suggested for the experiment.

Prediction:
I believe that some pens will soak immediately into the ball and begin to fade out and most ball point pen brands will stand out on top of the ball.

Testing:
I have 2 donor baseballs that I had laying around. One is an Official California League Baseball. It is made with the same materials(white leather, red cotton laces) as the Official Major League Baseball. It already has some scribbling on it, as I was using it to test out pens before signings.(or how I got the idea for this)
The other ball is from a giveaway a few years ago from Banner Island Ballpark, Home of the Stockton Ports. It is the type of ball that has the imitation leather and green lacing. These balls you would not want to get autographed on anyway but I want to explain why.
I will take each pen and sign each ball with the brand it is, leaving room for further brand names.
Due to the time it takes for some inks to penetrate the ball, I am giving a generous amount of time to conduct this experiment. I am hoping that a full year will be enough time to prove my hypothesis.

My Analysis will come at the end of the year and we will see which pens held up the best and which pens we will never use again!

Please send me your ideas for pens to try and will make the attempt to get them and add them to the baseballs.

Card Of The Week - Sonny Gray 2015 Topps Museum Archival Autographs 070/399

My card of the week continues my fascination with unique pitchers with Oakland's ace, Sonny Gray.

This young kid has a long, bright future ahead of him. This year he showed what he is truly capable of, making his first All-Star appearance this year and becoming a finalist for the Cy Young Award.

He isn't going to overwhelm hitters with power, even though his fastball can get up in the 94-95mph range. His keys are all the pitches he has the ability to throw. He can throw not only a wicked, arching curve but a cutter, a slider and a changeup to add to his 4-seam fastball.

I hope Mr. Beane knows what he really has in this kid and gives him the money he deserves, otherwise, there will be plenty of teams that will be willing to offer him the cash.

Card Of The Week - Dusty Baker

My card of the week is a little different this time. This card is an original 1981 Topps Dusty Baker in Dodger Blue. This one is signed by Mr. Baker himself that I personally acquired at a grand opening of a Dick's Sporting Goods store in Sacramento, CA. Fortunately for me, this one came out in good shape, as there were two other cards that did not fare so well since, his his felt pen(not a sharpie) was failing.

Dusty Baker, although not the greatest Dodger to ever play, had his best years in Los Angeles. He was part of the Dodger team that took the 1981 World Series. He also was an All-Star that year and received the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Awards for his 1981 performance. Mr. Baker, known more for his managerial stats, has never managed in LA but as most remember, for the rival orange team in San Francisco. An interesting and often controversial figure in baseball, he has a knack for saying and doing some odd things. (ie. "blacks and Latinos work better in the heat")

Although an odd personality, he remains a fan favorite and is a throwback to managers of the old days.