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Monday, March 25, 2013

Daniel Hudson’s not happy with baseball card

Why back in my day…there was nary a peep from Alfalfa Anderson!

Imagine that you’re right-hander Daniel Hudson of the Arizona Diamondbacks, in the midst of rehabbing from Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery, and you take a break. You head over to the drug store where you find a pack of Topps baseball cards, buy them and open them — just like when you were a kid. Except now you’re a major leaguer, and there’s your card! A head shot. And ... the pained expression on your face looks all too familiar. You remember what day this is from: June 26, the day you tore the UCL in your right elbow. No wonder you look like you want to throw up:

Thank @toppscards for using a close up of me right after my elbow blew out! Card will be around forever as areminder!

...I’m not sure Hudson was being grateful when he said thank you to Topps (Twitter should get a universal sarcasm font), but let’s look at it from their viewpoint for a moment. It’s authentic. It’s certainly the most important moment of the season for Hudson, who otherwise is one of the up-and-coming pitchers in the NL. And it’s not that different — obviously — than the photos taken by USA Today at the moment of truth.

But I get what Hudson (might be) saying. Newspapers and websites are one thing; They run upsetting or even disturbing photos all of the time because that’s what happened. Your baseball card is like your school yearbook photo. It’s one thing to have that wacky photo of you making that regrettable face in shop class, but that’s not going to be your class portrait. That’s of you in the sky blue ruffled tux and parted-down-the-middle-and-feathered hair.

Repoz Posted: March 25, 2013 at 12:33 PM | 52 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: d-backs

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1. Esoteric is back in black Posted: March 25, 2013 at 12:48 PM (#4395889)

Meh. I was about to agree with Hudson until I clicked through to see the photo -- he doesn't look all that agonized or unhappy. Looks pensive, really. I mean, HE knows when that picture was taken, but the average schmoe (and who buys baseball cards anymore, anyway?) isn't going to be able to tell from the photo.

2. McCoy Posted: March 25, 2013 at 12:54 PM (#4395894)

It actually isn't a bad natural photo of a player. Much better than some picture of a ballplayer staring at the camera and smiling during some spring training exercise. Those were always the worst.

3. zack Posted: March 25, 2013 at 12:56 PM (#4395895)

That John Anderson card is awakening some kind of latent OCD in me.

4. Jose Can Still Seabiscuit Posted: March 25, 2013 at 12:57 PM (#4395897)

Forget about the why, is that really the best picture they could get of the guy? I haven't bought baseball cards in probably 25 years so I'm not sure what the pictures are like but that seems an odd one. It's not an "in action" photo and it's not a posed head shot. It is pretty insensitive of Topps to use that shot. I have no doubt it wasn't intentional but I can understand Hudson being a bit bothered.

And I can't stress enough what an odd photo to use that is. I'd love to see the other pictures they had available to them that they decided "yeah, let's grab the one of the guy sweating like a demon with an expression of a guy who just gave up a three run homer."

5. gef the talking mongoose Posted: March 25, 2013 at 12:57 PM (#4395898)

More like John Slanderson, from appearances.

6. puck Posted: March 25, 2013 at 12:58 PM (#4395899)

I always wondered what was the story behind the 1980 Bert Roberge card.

7. esseff Posted: March 25, 2013 at 01:00 PM (#4395902)

Why back in my day…there was nary a peep from Alfalfa Anderson!

That's his personality!

8. Voros McCracken of Pinkus Posted: March 25, 2013 at 01:05 PM (#4395905)

I'm guessing Hudson was being more tongue and cheek than actually upset.

9. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: March 25, 2013 at 01:12 PM (#4395910)

Jeff Bagwell has a bigger beef.

10. Nasty Nate Posted: March 25, 2013 at 01:15 PM (#4395913)

I'm guessing Hudson was being more tongue and cheek than actually upset.

Yeah... there's probably some over-parsing of a 2 sentence tweet going on here. C'mon guys, we're only a week away from the regular season - we can make it!

11. Rowland Office Supplies Posted: March 25, 2013 at 01:16 PM (#4395914)

Jeff Bagwell has a bigger beef.

Steroids!

12. Hang down your head, Tom Foley Posted: March 25, 2013 at 01:17 PM (#4395915)

He responded to somebody with an "itwasajoke" hashtag, and you can't lie in hashtag form.

@garygramson: Console yourself with the salary you get for playing a game..” Original. Never heard that one before #itwasajoke

13. Tulo's Fishy Mullet (mrams) Posted: March 25, 2013 at 01:27 PM (#4395926)

Would he prefer to be wearing a hat that said #### Face?

14. Tulo's Fishy Mullet (mrams) Posted: March 25, 2013 at 01:29 PM (#4395931)

Or the back of his batting helmet?

Gwynn 87 Topps

15. Greg K Posted: March 25, 2013 at 01:32 PM (#4395935)

I've always liked the 1991 Bert Blyleven Upper Deck.

16. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad) Posted: March 25, 2013 at 01:33 PM (#4395936)

I always wondered what was the story behind the 1980 Bert Roberge card.

He was rooming with Oscar Gamble.

17. just plain joe Posted: March 25, 2013 at 01:33 PM (#4395937)

Or the back of his batting helmet?

Seeing Tony Gwynn today it is difficult to imagine him being that thin.

18. Greg K Posted: March 25, 2013 at 01:35 PM (#4395938)

And for reasons lost to time, my 1990 Donruss Dennis Rasmussen has been defaced with the words "Deflater Mouse" written in sharpie over his face.

19. Tom Nawrocki Posted: March 25, 2013 at 01:37 PM (#4395941)

I always wondered what was the story behind the 1980 Bert Roberge card.

I've seen lots of cards where they airbrushed in a new hat, but never one where they airbrushed in a new face.

20. Hang down your head, Tom Foley Posted: March 25, 2013 at 01:44 PM (#4395948)

Bert Roberge reminds me of the bat boy who stood in for Aurelio Rodriguez.

21. The District Attorney Posted: March 25, 2013 at 01:49 PM (#4395957)

LOL, the Roberge card is like that Seinfeld where George inadvertently gets Kruger airbrushed out of his family picture and the photo place guy draws him back in.

Or, I suppose, this.

Good stuff.

22. Esoteric is back in black Posted: March 25, 2013 at 01:50 PM (#4395958)

Man, I really love the "freaky/weird" random baseball card pics. Post more!

23. JoeHova Posted: March 25, 2013 at 01:50 PM (#4395960)

That Bert Blyleven photo really needs him to be holding a King Kan of Miller High Life in his right hand.

24. OsunaSakata Posted: March 25, 2013 at 01:51 PM (#4395962)

How about being photographed with old tech? Rob Murphy.

25. Dale Sams Posted: March 25, 2013 at 02:02 PM (#4395971)

I loved Anderson as Kennesaw Landis.

26. Hang down your head, Tom Foley Posted: March 25, 2013 at 02:02 PM (#4395972)

How about being photographed with old tech? Rob Murphy.

Or Brian Harper.

27. Tulo's Fishy Mullet (mrams) Posted: March 25, 2013 at 02:09 PM (#4395980)

Jim Gantner sure loved to look at himself in the mirror.

28. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: March 25, 2013 at 02:11 PM (#4395985)

Big hat!

Big glove!

Big hair!

29. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: March 25, 2013 at 02:13 PM (#4395991)

I always wondered what was the story behind the 1980 Bert Roberge card.

Mike Laga wants to know too.

30. Crispix reaches boiling point with lackluster play Posted: March 25, 2013 at 02:17 PM (#4395996)

I noticed that Moose Skowron is squinting in every one of his baseball cards throughout his long career. I guess it was a combination of
- pictures taken during spring training, in the sunny south, somewhere around 11 AM
- boozing it up every night
- very pale eyes, probably means light sensitivity

31. Greg K Posted: March 25, 2013 at 02:36 PM (#4396018)

The late 80s/early 90s Donruss Diamond King cards were good examples of animated baseballing fun.

Chris Sabo.

32. puck Posted: March 25, 2013 at 02:39 PM (#4396029)

Different sport, but I always like this Greg Pruitt card, which doubles as a Mean Joe Greene card.

33. Voros McCracken of Pinkus Posted: March 25, 2013 at 02:42 PM (#4396033)

Mike Laga wants to know too.

"Grandpa, what was life like before Photoshop?"

34. just plain joe Posted: March 25, 2013 at 02:43 PM (#4396036)

[29]

That's easy; someone washed his white uni with the red Cardinals' socks. The same thing happened to me in 9th grade; nothing like having to wear a pink tee shirt to gym to improve one's self-esteem.

35. Tom Nawrocki Posted: March 25, 2013 at 02:46 PM (#4396041)

As long as puck brought up other sports, John Block can't have been too thrilled with this shot of his armpit.

36. Tulo's Fishy Mullet (mrams) Posted: March 25, 2013 at 02:53 PM (#4396048)

John Block can't have been too thrilled with this shot of his armpit.

At least he appears to be blocking a shot.

37. Howie Menckel Posted: March 25, 2013 at 04:37 PM (#4396213)

Somebody once did a great blog post describing this Don Mossi card (someone can blueline that link if you'd like to make it easier for people to look)

http://www.amazon.com/Mossi-Topps-Athletics-Pre-Cert-Auction/dp/B00AN8EROE

38. Coot Veal and Cot Deal's cols=“100” rows=“20” Posted: March 25, 2013 at 04:50 PM (#4396227)

Topps didn't do Carl Willey, a reasonably normal-looking guy, any favors with his '58 card... here's a comparison photo.

39. gef the talking mongoose Posted: March 25, 2013 at 04:51 PM (#4396229)

The Mossi card.

I've got one of these at home (minus the autograph).

40. Coot Veal and Cot Deal's cols=“100” rows=“20” Posted: March 25, 2013 at 04:52 PM (#4396232)

41. esseff Posted: March 25, 2013 at 05:07 PM (#4396250)

Carl Willey, a reasonably normal-looking guy,

Normal-looking until Gates Brown shattered his jaw.

42. Leroy Kincaid Posted: March 25, 2013 at 07:14 PM (#4396339)

The last photo that photographer ever took.

43. Bruce Markusen Posted: March 25, 2013 at 07:21 PM (#4396342)

Here's what I think happened with the 1980 Bert Roberge. At that time, Topps did not always have color photographs of younger players who were just coming up. They probably had only a black-and-white, which they then colorized (ala Ted Turner).

I know that's what happened with the 1978 Mike Paxton and the 1977 Rick Jones, which both have the same colorized effect. And yes, they do look like drawings.

44. Howie Menckel Posted: March 25, 2013 at 07:40 PM (#4396360)

This is the 1969 Aurelio Rodriguez card that is actually the batboy, not Aurelio.

http://www.comc.com/Cards/Baseball/1969/Topps/653/Aurelio_Rodriguez_UER_RC_(Photo_is_Angels_batboy_Leonard_Garcia)/1832511

I have this card here at home.

Meanwhile, weird fact on wiki: "There have been three players in major league history named Aurelio (two of whom played for the Detroit Tigers), and all three were killed in car accidents between the ages of 44 and 53. See also Aurelio López and Aurelio Monteagudo."

oh, and for those who never heard about the blind pitcher..

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QHHAVJPj-xc/UMP_3Cq9hSI/AAAAAAAAFjQ/-47a46NHlb4/s1600/1970+Lowell+Palmer+(f).jpg

45. Jay Z Posted: March 25, 2013 at 08:09 PM (#4396375)

I've seen lots of cards where they airbrushed in a new hat, but never one where they airbrushed in a new face.

They did a few colorized B&W photos on the rookie cards around that time, but I don't remember any others on a full card.

46. gef the talking mongoose Posted: March 25, 2013 at 08:31 PM (#4396395)

That's not Lowell Palmer.

That's Graham Parker.

47. Howie Menckel Posted: March 25, 2013 at 08:39 PM (#4396403)

Toby Kimball basketball card, 1974-75

http://www.comc.com/Cards/Basketball/1973-74/Topps/37/Toby_Kimball/1386428

looks more like the strongman in the circus than a basketball player

48. Guapo Posted: March 25, 2013 at 08:52 PM (#4396419)

Joe Pettini

versus

Groucho Marx

49. Voros McCracken of Pinkus Posted: March 25, 2013 at 09:09 PM (#4396423)

Pettini doesn't look like Groucho, he looks like Father Guido Sarducci.

50. Jeff Francoeur's OPS Posted: March 25, 2013 at 10:35 PM (#4396469)

It could have been worse, Daniel.

Much, much worse.

51. puck Posted: March 25, 2013 at 11:39 PM (#4396482)

I have a a Milk-bone complete set somewhere. They should bring those back; it would be perfect for Mark Buehrle.

Brett Butler's Milk Bone card is pretty funny.

52. Leroy Kincaid Posted: March 26, 2013 at 06:09 AM (#4396515)

Nietzsche as a Pirate.

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Monday, March 25, 2013

Daniel Hudson’s not happy with baseball card

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