Happy Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for each and every person who takes a minute or two out of their day to read my random ramblings about the New York Mets, the Newark Bears, baseball cards or autographs. I hope that you’re all going to have a great Thanksgiving and get to spend time with family and friends.

And just to keep this from getting completely off-topic, here are a few Mets cards I am thankful for this year.

 

Omir Santos

Congratulations to Mets catcher Omir Santos, who was named to the 2009 Topps MLB Rookie All-Star Team.

I’m not quite sure how he beat out Matt Wieters, but I’m happy that a Met finally won a post season award.

Plus, now I know Omir will have a few 2010 cards for me to collect.

 

‘Tis the season to reflect on the things we are thankful for, though maybe the biggest for Mets fans is that the disasteriffic 2009 baseball season is over.

Fortunately, the Daily Stache reminded us last week that there are quite a few other reasons for Mets fans to be thankful. It’s a good list. Mine is somewhat similar:

Johan Santana

1) Johan Santana. Though he may finally be starting to show some signs of age, Johan Santana is still one of the best pitchers in baseball. I watched him try to carry the Mets into the playoffs during the last week of the 2008 season, and he almost pulled it off. After the season, we found out that he was doing it with a bum knee. I will always respect him as a ballplayer for that. When Johan Santana pitches, it is still an event. It may not quite live up to the experience of seeing a young Dwight Gooden, but it’s still pretty special. I’m thankful for the chance to enjoy it.

BMW Sportscards is selling six cartes de visite that feature members of the 1866 Unions of Lansingburgh, billing them as the oldest known baseball cards. With an asking price of $250,000, all most of us can do is look. But the cards offer a fascinating glimpse of a different era.

[eBay auction link]

cartes de visite

Who is this? Benny Ayala, an outfielder for the 1974 & 1976 Mets

What is this? An autographed card from the 1991 Wiz All-Time Mets stadium giveaway set

Where’d I get it? I purchased it from autograph dealer Bill Corcoran

How much did it cost? $15

Benny Ayala was the first Mets player to hit a home run in his first major league at-bat. Since then, Mike Fitzgerald, Kazuo Matsui and Mike Jacobs have accomplished the same feat, but Ayala will always be the first.