My Braves Collection - 2013 Panini Evan Gattis "Home Town Heores" RC

El Oso Blanco!

I can't wait to see what Gattis has in store for us this season.   He smashed his was through an amazing April and May last year while McCann and Freddie battled through various injuries and recoveries.....he won me over instantaneously as I observed during the first time Is aw him bat - "hey, he's not wearing any gloves?!"

Much respect.   My hands sweat like a....well, I would have to wear gloves.

Gattis' journey from everyday working man to big league star is a lot of fun and keeps some hope alive for lots of young aspiring ball players.   His potential every-day contributions also keep the hope alive that the Braves might, might one day make it back to the Series and bring another title home to Atlanta.   Lord knows they are well overdue and nothing would send me into a baseballgasm faster than another Yankee-Braves Series.

Oh, you didn't know the Yanks were Series-bound this year?

Sorry - back to Gattis.  And this Panini Home Town Heroes card.   It's simple but I like it.   It's not licensed but I like it.  I like the card stock, which I am a weird sucker for (see Heritage of old).   I dig the retro-looking Atlanta pennant design.    OH!   A cute little "RC" logo, too?   Why, yes, please!

Here's the back.   At first glance, it's a little "meh".....but then the diamond incorporation starts to entrance me like Scarlett Johanssssson......the name banner centered over a simply stated 'Gattis: Origins' write-up is a great way to bring it together.   Any card back that uses the term "hulking presence" is a winner, as I have often been referred to in the same fashion - just not as a batter in the major leagues....or in baseball in general.....or in sports.......dammit.

Hit one for 'hulking' dudes everywhere, El Oso Blanco!!!

Thanks for reading,

Ryan

My Braves Collection - 2011 Topps Chrome Julio Teheran Certified Autograph

I'm a Braves fan.   And a Yankees fan.   This confounds most people.   I grew up 5 hours from Atlanta - they were the home team.   I grew up idolizing Don Mattingly and learning about the legend of Mickey Mantle and the Yankees - they were the dream team, far away.

At the time (mid 80's to EARLY 90's), both teams were awful, as any Dale Murphy or Mattingly fan can attest.   Is it my fault that both teams have been relatively successful, one or the other or both, almost every year from that fateful year in 1991?   Nope.   Have I enjoyed every single inning of it?   Yep.

SO, the Braves.   They break my heart and then quickly build it back up every spring.   Craig Kimbrel and Freddie Freeman are two of my Player Collections (BOY, do I need to update THOSE lists.  I mean.....start them).   Being in the Fox South Sports network area....I usually catch at least SOME Portion of most of their games.   My wife is from Atlanta.   Yes - we're Braves fans, and that carries over into my collecting habits beyond Freddie and The Kimbrel - I'm up for just about ANY Brave you can throw at me, including Julio Teheran.

I love this card.   In fact, in a lot of ways, the TOPPS-CHROME-RC LOGO-AUTO card is quickly becoming the standard card for me to pursue or seek out for any player that I am a fan of or want to collect in any way (not necessarily a PC).   Does this hold true for you guys, too?

But yes, this card is great.   Julio is a hard-throwing pitcher (nearly 9 K's / 9 IP last year) and this picture captures him in a great follow-through that fills the card.   The proverbial RC logo shield is there - so, despite the official rules, this is a Rookie Card for me, even though the RC shield doesn't always make it so.   The Braves logo is great in the lower right hand corner, with a wrap-around assurance of the signature's authenticity (not so sure I needed THAT on the front, but whatever).

Most of all, I like the space provided for the autograph and Mr. Teheran's perfectly proportioned and slanted John Hancock across said space.   It works and looks very, very sharp.   Here's the back of the card:

He was Baseball America's #1 Prospect - I did NOT know that!? Thank you, card back! 

I am hopeful for an improvement by Teheran on the VERY SOLID 14-8 record from last season.  He is still VERY young but has a full vote of confidence from the club's front office, as he was never on the table  during trade talks for Justin Upton, amongst others.   His young gun colleague Randall Delgado was not so lucky and, I dare say, has yet to achieve the same big league success as Julio.

Braves win.

I look forward to cheering for Julio and the Braves throughout the coming season - CHOP! CHOP!

Thanks for reading!