Considering he only played one season in Arlington and another in Baltimore, I don't really blame myself. But Vladimir spent six full seasons with the Angels, which is close to 40% of his career.
Well... with the help of a fellow blogger, that's about to change. A few weeks ago, Tom over at The Angels, In Order showed off a 1998 Pinnacle Mint bronze coin and card of Vladimir and I mentioned how I had quietly started collecting him. I also threw in that the majority of those cards were of him featured as an Expo.
A few days later, he emailed me and asked if he could send me some cards featuring him in his Angels uniform. I happily accepted.
Last week, I received a nice padded envelope filled with nothing but Vladimir. And with the exception of the 2008 UD Masterpieces card (lower left-hand corner), he's representing the Anaheim or Los Angeles Angels.
Obviously I appreciate each and every card he sent, but I've gotta admit... I favored some more than others based on designs and/or photographs. So without further adieu... here are some of my personal favorites:
2008 Stadium Club #61
I'll take a clear, well-cropped action shot over just about any other photograph out there.
2007 SP Authentic #73
In fact, the 2007 SP Authentic design is average at best, but when you put this awesome, well-cropped action shot on it... it becomes one helluva card.
2007 Goudey Red Back #99
When it comes to portrait shots, that's when the card's design plays a big role. 1933 Goudey is one of the best looking vintage designs around.
2008 Topps Trading Card History #TCH38
Here's another cool looking throwback. This time around it features one of the more popular 60's oddballs: 1961 Post.
2008 Topps National Baseball Card Day #5
And finally my favorite card in the stack. I'm a huge fan of the 2008 Topps baseball card design. I've already mentioned how much I enjoy well-cropped action shots. Combine these two things on an oddball giveaway and you have something truly special.
Thank you Tom for helping me boost my Vladimir Guerrero collection with these awesome Angels. More importantly... thank you for opening my eyes and reminding me that Guerrero spent six awesome seasons in sunny Southern California.
Here is today's question of the day...
When you think of the Angels, who are the first players that come to mind?
I'll answer by decades...
70's: Nolan Ryan
80's: Rod Carew and Wally Joyner
90's: Jim Abbott and Tim Salmon
00's: ?????
10's: Mike Trout
Well... that's it for today. Happy Monday and sayonara!
24 comments:
Joyner,Abbott,Devon White,Gary Pettis and Donnie Moore.Funny how Trout never even crossed my mind.I'm so stuck In the past!
I’m a ‘90’s guy, so for me it’s Tim Salmon.
In pre-modern day Angels teams, I'd there are just too many players to fit that bill. Today, 2 slam dunks.
Same here, except I'm way further in the past. I was thinking about Ryan, Carew, and even Leroy Stanton and Jim Fregosi (both part of the infamous trade of Ryan from the Mets).
I like your choices for the other decades... Now that I've seen them I can't think of any other options! LOL
How about Garret Anderson for the 00's?
Angels for me: Tim Salmon, Tim Salmon, and Tim Salmon. I think I pulled more Salmon cards as a teenager than maybe any other player.
They had a number of former Phillies and Pirates in the 80s, such as Bob Boone, John Candelaria, Johnny Ray, and Lance Parrish. I also think of Brian Downing and Bobby Grich, and Jim Fregosi. Reggie Jackson, of course, and Nolan Ryan, too.
Tim Salmon for me!
Count me as one of the many baseball fans who associate Vlad with les Expos ..on a similar note, I still think of Jim Edmonds as an Angel even though he played more games with St. Louis.
Darin Erstad was the first Angels player I thought of from the 00s. My pre-Trout Angels timeline would be: Joyner, Chuck Finley, Tim Salmon, Edmonds, Garret Anderson, Erstad, Troy Glaus, and K-Rod.
Jim Abbott is probably the first that comes to mind for me. Also David Eckstein because I grew up watching and admiring him.
I suppose I don't have any real problem with Vlad going into the HOF as an Angel (he won an MVP with them, after all), but he's an Expo in my mind, first and foremost.
Salmon, Trout, Reggie, Carew, Ryan, Edmonds, Erstad, Garret Anderson, Troy Glaus, Abbott, Finley, Guerrero, Langston, Eckstein, K-Rod.
Jim Abbott, Bo Belinsky, Albie Pierson, Jim Fregosi, and Nolan
Frank Tanana. So much cooler in the '70s than any other guy to wear that uniform.
Jimmie Reese!
Also Ryan, Grich, Carew, Pettis, Joyner, Boone, Abbott, Salmon, Langston, Eckstein (ugh that 2002 Series), K-rod (same), Trout, and Ohtani
I default to my old friend Mike who only collected Angels, and especially Nolan Ryan and Jim Fregosi. I collect Fregosi and Grich myself.
Then I think of the early 80's when Reggie, Fred Lynn, Carew and all those guys were there. Plus Lyman Bostock.
Reggie Jackson, Rod Carew, J.T. Snow, Tim Salmon, Darin Erstad, Chuck Finley and Mark Langston!
I think of all of them ;-)
Nolan Ryan all the way!
First Half of 1980s - Reggie Jackson
Second Half of 1980s- Wally Joyner
1990s- The OF trio of Salmon, Edmonds, Garrett Anderson and the pitching trio of Abbott, Langston, and Finley
2000s- Troy Glaus
2010s- Trout and Pujols
Mickey Rivers
I think of Shohei Ohtani. As well as future Phillie Mike Trout.
Angels?
Lots of players. I think of Brian Downing. Mike Trout of course. Jim Abbott. Jim Edmonds. Mike Witt and that ridiculous curve of his. Donnie Moore.
Bo Belinsky in the 60s. And Gene Autry. I thought it was cool that a singing cowboy owned a team. Also Buzzie Bavasi, his daughter in law was a secretary at my high school.
All of the great players were already chosen so I took a different angle!
big tone - 80's and 90's guy just like me.
brett alan - a little before my time, but at least i've heard of three of the guys you listed.
jeremya1um - anyone who purchased 1994 fleer should remember salmon and that insert set dedicated to him
john miller - i was kind happy that ohtani originally slipped my mind.
p-town tom - garret anderson? sure that works for me
nachos grande - must have been a big collector back in 1993 to 1995 ;)
dma - downing and grich are excellent choices. gotta throw in decinces as a bonus.
the lost collector - that's the third salmon response. go 90's!
chris - i think of edmonds as an angel too. good call on erstad.
nick - i forgot about eckstein. remember him more for his time with the cardinals
laurens - solid list. are you an angels fan?
commishbob - i'm gonna guess that belinsky and pierson are before my time
night owl - tanana didn't even pop up on my radar. but i loved your post from 2014 about him being the epitome of cool.
nick vossbrink - had to look up mr. reese and his fungo bat
gca - lyman bostock is one of the saddest baseball stories i've ever heard. he deserves a post of his own
brian - kinda embarrassed that i didn't think of langston
the angels in order - you better!
sumomenkoman - the question is... when you think of nolan ryan, which team do you think of first?
snorting bull - oh man. glaus is a good choice.
mark hoyle - when i think of rivers, i think of the yankees and the rangers
zippy zappy - didn't even think of ohtani, until your comment.
robert - moore is another sad baseball story
baltmoss68 - great stuff. never heard of bavasi, but that's cool that you knew his daughter in law
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