Hot Stove - 2011 Top Free Agents

Time for hot stove to start as players renegotiate their contracts. Here are the top 2011 potential free agents if their teams don't resign them in the next few days. Expect most to test the free market. They are:

1. Joe Mauer

2. Cliff Lee

3. Brandon Webb

4. Derek Jeter

5. Carl Crawford

6. Jason Werth

7. Victor Martinez

8. Josh Beckett

9.Carlos Pena

10. Adam Dunn

Congratulations - 2010 World Series Champions!!!

This is a tribute to some of the great Giant players that came close, but never got to realize a world championship since the Giants moved to San Francisco (check out Sully Baseball for a blog listing additional great Giants from past years). My dad was a dedicated Giants fan and followed them after their move to the coast until he passed away in the early 70's. Even to this day, I still have painful memories of the 1962 World Series. From my San Francisco Giants collection, clockwise from the upper left, 2002 Topps Pristine #141 Willie 'Say Hey' Mays, 1965 Topps #176 Willie 'Stretch' McCovey, 1970 Topps #425 Bobby Bonds, 1966 Topps #132 Orlando 'Baby Bull' Cepeda, 2001 Topps Noteworthy #TN7 Barry Bonds, 1967 Topps #320 Gaylord Perry, 1987 Topps #420 Will 'The Thrill' Clark, 1970 Kelloggs #13 Juan Marichal, the logo in the center is a 1974 or 1975 Fleer cloth logo sticker (according to The Fleer Sticker Project).

Congratulations to Edgar Renteria, Tim Lincecum and the rest of the 2010 San Francisco Giants!!!

2008 Stadium Club

Recent trades help me add these Stadium Club cards from the 2008 set. I was never really interested in the entire set, but I find the photography of the retired players subset very interesting. I recently received the Roberto Clemente card from a fellow collector, K.C._Royals on The Bench to add to the Mantle card. The entire subset includes: 91 Jackie Robinson, 92 Mickey Mantle, 93 Ty Cobb, 94 Joe DiMaggio (cut-out *), 95 Honus Wagner, 96 Babe Ruth, 978 Nolan Ryan, 98 Roberto Clemente, 99 Ted Williams, 100 Tom Seaver * the DiMaggio picture was removed when a contract was signed with Upper Deck. If anyone has any cards from the subset please contact me.