Thursday, September 30, 2010

An Idea Stolen From Night Owl

I have decided to put up ten cards on the sidebar that I am looking for.  I am down to about a dozen Bip Roberts cards that I need.  About 6 of them are expensive and there is even a 1/1.  I hope that someone out there can help me out.  As cards are filled I will add others to the list.  I would like to thank Night Owl for giving me this great idea. 

Murrell and Muser

 Ivan Augustus (Peters) Murrell was an undefeated middleweight boxer and was also invited to play on Panama's 1963 soccer team for the Pan Am games.  He was signed by the Colt .45's as an amateur free agent in 1963.  He made his major league debut that same year and was chosen by the Padres in the expansion draft in 1968.  He played for the Padres through 1973 and then played for the Braves in 1974.  He played for the St Lucie Legends in 1989 in the Senior League.  He passed away in 2006.  I got this signed 1974 card from eBay.  Anthony Joseph Muser played from 1969-1978, managed the Royals from 1997-2002 and was Bruce Bochys' bench coach from 2003-2006, he is now a roving instructor in the Padres minor leagues.   I got this Upper Deck stadium giveaway card signed through the mail, I like the look of the throwback uniform, is Dusty wearing a throwback also.   

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Murphy and Murray

 Daniel Lee Murphy pitched a total of 7 games in the major leagues.  He pitched those 7 games during 1989.  He was originally drafted by the Brewers in 1983.  I think he may have pitched overseas for a while because the years 1992-1994 are missing on baseball-reference.com, he pitched in the minors in 1995.  I got this signed through the mail after several failed attempts. Heath Robertson Murray pitched in 39 games for the Padres in 1997 and 1999.  He was granted free agency a couple of times and pitched with the Tigers in 2001 and the Indians in 2002.  I think I got this signed through the mail.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Mumphrey and Mura


 Jerry Wayne Mumphrey made a season long stop in San Diego in the middle of his 15 year major league career.  The Cardinals traded him to Cleveland, who basically turned right around and traded him to San Diego.  The day before the 1981 season started the Padres traded him to the Yankees. During the 1980 season the Padres were the first team to have 3 players steal 50 or more bases in a season, Mumphrey, Gene Richards and Ozzie Smith. I got this signed 1981 Topps card from eBay.  Stephen Andrew Mura is the player that I probably have, every time I buy a lot of Padres autos, there are usually multiple of Mura.  Mura was drafted by the Padres in 1976 and made his debut in 1978.  He pitched for 4 seasons for San Diego before being traded to the Cardinals.  I got this card signed through the mail.

Monday, September 27, 2010

George Blanda 1927-2010, RIP

This is a bit off the beaten path for Padrographs.  One of the first sports personalities that I was ever aware of was George Blanda of the Oilers and Raiders.  I remember when my Dad was stationed at Big Sur, California one of the other officers was a friend of Georges' and I remember going over to the Littles' house and watching home movies of George at Oilers training camp.  The Raiders used to be the team I rooted for and I first remember watching them in 1967 with George as the quarterback. Heroes from my childhood are starting to pass away.

George Blanda
September 17, 1927-September 27, 2010

Mouton and Mujica

 James Raleigh Mouton played in 723 games over 8 seasons for the Astros, Brewers, Padres and Expos between 1994 and 2001.  He came to the Padres in 1998 in a trade for Sean Bergman.  He played in 55 games for the Padres in 1998 and after the season was granted free agency.  I believe I got this signed Pacific Online card off of eBay.  Edward Jose Mujica is a relief pitcher for the Padres, he is not a started or a part of the final three in the bullpen, so he is one of the middle relievers that bridge the gap between the starters and closing team.  He pitched for the Indians for three years before being sent to the Padres as part of a conditional deal last year.  I got this signed through the mail earlier this year. 

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Colt and Jose

 Kristopher Colt Morton played 10 games for the Padres in 2007 and 2008.  He was drafted by the Padres in 2003 and worked his way up to the majors in 2007/08.  He was traded to the Mariners as part of a conditional deal.  He played in the minors in 2009 and couldn't find any record of him playing in 2010.  I picked up this card at the LCS.  Jose Manuel Mota played for the Padres and Royals. He played in 17 games for the Padres in 1991 and 2 games for the Royals in 1995.  He has been a bilingual announcer since 2002 for Fox and the Angels.  His father is former major league legend Manny Mota.  I think I got the card signed through the mail.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Keith and Edwin

 Bobby Keith Moreland is a player that I remember best as a Cub.  He played 6 seasons with the Cubs after playing with 4 seasons with the Phillies.  He was part of a trade that sent Hall of Famer Goose Gossage to Chicago.  After a year in San Diego he split the 1989 season between Baltimore and Detroit.  I think I got this signed through the mail but I am not sure.  Edwin A. Moreno has pitched in 9 major league games, all for the Padres in 2009.  He had played in the minors for 9 years before that.  He played in Portland for two years and is playing AAA ball in Mexico.  My friend Greg Wibe got this signed for me at PGE Park in 2009.

Friday, September 24, 2010

A couple of Morales

 Julio Reuben (Torres) Morales was drafted from the Mets in the 1968 expansion draft.  He was a semi-regular with the Padres from 1969-1973.  He was traded to the Cubs for Glenn Beckert giving us two weird cards in the 1974 Topps set.  Beckert is in a Cubs uni in a Padres frame and Morales in a Padres uni in a Cubs frame.  I have both of them signed somewhere.  After Morales was traded to Chicago he played there for seven years, then played with the Mets, Cardinals and Tigers. After he finished playing in 1983 he started coaching and was seen coaching in the Mets organization. I picked up this signed rookie card on eBay.  Richard Angelo Morales played in the majors from 1967-1974 with just two teams.  He played 7 seasons with the ChiSox and 2 with the Padres, then became a coach in the minors.  I also got this card off eBay.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Current Owners



John Jay Moores bought the Padres in 1994 from Tom Werner.  He and his wife filed for divorce in 2008 so he had put the team up for sale.  Jeff Moorad who is part owner of the Diamondbacks is buying out the Moores over 5 years is currently seem as the owner.  He is actually part of an ownership group that includes Troy Aikman among others, they are also owners of the Hall of Fame racing team in NASCAR. 

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Moore Players

Daniel Tyler Moore was drafted by the Padres in 2003.  He pitched in Eugene at A in 2003, in 2004 he pitched in AZ and Ft Wayne.  Then he vanished from the radar.  I did manage to get this signed through the mail after a couple of efforts.  Vincent Craig Moore was drafted by the Braves in 1991, in 1993 he was traded to the Padres as part of the trade for Fred McGriff.  From 1993-1997 he played in the Padres organization and then from 1998-2004 he played in an Independent league in Texas, then from 2004-2010 he has managed the Edinburg Roadrunners of the Central League.  I believe that I got the card on eBay. 

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

The Count of Monty

John Joseph Montefusco, Jr. was one of the few pitchers to hit a home run in his first at bat.  He threw a no-hitter in 1976 for the Giants, which was the last no hitter for the Giants until Johnathon Sanchez threw one in 2009 against the Padres.  He played in 63 games for the Padres in 1982-1983.  I picked up the signed card from eBay.  Steven Lewis Montgomery played two years for the A's, a year each for the Phillies and Padres. He came to the Padres in a trade with Carlton Lower and Adam Eaton for Andy Ashby.  He played in 2000 for the Padres and in 2001 at AA for the Padres where he had an 21.60 ERA and then he was done.  I got him to sign this Keebler card through the mail.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Sid and Willy

Isidro Pedroza Monge is probably best known as a Cleveland Indian, having played half of his ten year major league career there.  He came to the Padres from the Phillies in a trade for Joe LeFebrve.  He played for the Padres in 1982, '83 and '84 and was traded to the Tigers before the World Series, but doesn't seem to have played in the Postseason for the Tigers.  This was signed at a national convention where Sid was signing.  Guillermo Naranjo Montanez 128 games in San Diego during his 14 year career.  He played in San Diego in 1980 before moving on to Montreal, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.  I got the signed card off of eBay.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

KnuckleBall and Barehanded Catchers

Douglas Anthony Mirabelli played a whopping 14 games with the Padres.  He had been acquired from the Red Sox for Mark Lorretta.  The Sox had acquired Josh Bard, but he couldn't handle Tim Wakefields' knuckleball.  So the Sox reacquired Mirabelli to be Wakefields' personal catcher.  I got this card from eBay. Kevin Darnell Mitchell started for the Padres on Opening Day 1987 but before the season was half way over he was up the coast in San Francisco. He had come to the Padres in a trade involving 4 guys named Kevin, Armstrong, Brown, McReynolds and Mitchell.  Kevin may best be known for a barehanded catch he made in San Francisco in 1989.  Kevin also played for the Reds, Mets and Mariners.    I have tried multiple times to get Kevin to sign a card through the mail, but I eventually bought this one on eBay. 

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Mieske and Miller

Matthew Todd Mieske never actually played for the Padres but has one of the worst airbrushed cards of all time. He only made it to A with the Padres before being traded to the Brewers for Gary Sheffield and Geoff Kellogg.  In a 8 year career he played with Milwaukee, the Cubs, Houston, Seattle and Arizona.  He played from 1993-2000 and then retired.  I got this signed through the mail. Andrew James Miller was drafted in the 37th round of 2006.  He has worked his way up to AA Ft. Wayne, he did not play in 2009, but I am unable to figure out why.  I got the certified card off of ebay.