Husband, father of three, Red Sox fan and sports card collector. Member of OBC since 2005! NIU grad and current member of NIU chain gang. Cancer Survivor.
Schaumburg, IL
Joined January 2015
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TJ Valacak retweeted
Repost and reply for a chance to win this autographed Paul Skenes @Topps card!
ALT 2025 Topps Heritage Autographed card Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates (62/76)
Paul Skenes turns 24 today! Last year, Skenes became only the third pitcher to win the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young within the first two seasons of his career, following:
Fernando Valenzuela (ROY & Cy Young 1981)
Dwight Gooden (ROY 1984, Cy Young 1985)
ALT Pictured: A three-photo collage of Fernando Valenzuela, Dwight Gooden and Paul Skenes. Left - Fernando Valenzuela delivers a pitch. He wears a white Los Angeles Dodgers jersey with blue lettering, blue cap and brown baseball glove. Center - Dwight Gooden delivers a pitch. He wears a white pinstriped New York Mets jersey with blue and orange lettering, blue cap and black baseball glove. Right - Paul Skenes delivers a pitch. He wears a black Pittsburgh Pirates jersey with yellow lettering, black cap and black baseball glove.
TJ Valacak retweeted
I keep saying it. Pitching is so broken it's breathtaking. Just take a peek at the 1st pitch of the SD/LA game. Spin rate? Check! Velocity? Check! Command? Nowhere to be seen. I cannot explain how FAR from pitching this is. On the first pitch, hell the first inning, you are working your fastball around the zone to get a feel for the corners and your command. You might throw 2 of your 3-4 pitches but most nights April to September you don't show your arsenal in the first, you need to get hitters out a couple times. You hold on to the 3 and 4 pitches that you setup in the 1st AB and in the hitters ahead of a guy for later ABs. I am unsure I can explain just how far this one pitch, and the ENTIRE process behind it, is removed from pitching. Having said that I do NOT blame the pitchers. The game is to blame. When you're working on 300 million dollar deals hoping to get 150 innings from a guy, that tells ya all you need to know. It's certainly not an easy fix, nor a quick one, but from the draft to MLB there is ABSOLUTELY a process to 'fix' this crap. Not to mention fewer DL stints, fewer TJ surgeries and longer shelf life for SP.
TJ Valacak retweeted
Been a while since we gave away some cards. So here's a free Easter giveaway of mostly 1930s cigarette cards in a vintage Gallaher's cigarettes box from the UK. Includes both sports & non-sports. Simply follow & retweet / repost for chance to win. Will draw a winner on 4/8.
Might need to donate league wide survey and see what other teams/players are using the pepper. Future article!
Tested out the @RamsNFL cayenne pepper to beat the cold strategy today since it’s negative one zillion in Chicago … and it really works???
TJ Valacak retweeted
Ben Johnson is typically 4th down aggressive but last nite felt dif. bears were 2-6 on 4 down last night w/ a couple really aggressive decisions- why? because last time around GBP dominated time of possession and avg 2nd fewest drives per game in NFL
How bears stole possessions:
TJ Valacak retweeted
Cooper Criswell has been claimed by the Mets, per @AriA1exander.
Giving him more than the minimum didn’t end up working out. The hope was it would allow him to pass through waivers.
Never forgot the Coop Troopers.
TJ Valacak retweeted
Let's start things off with a Roman Anthony bobblehead! Who wants it? 🎁
#WooSoxWishList
RT for a chance to win!
TJ Valacak retweeted
We have a Marcelo Mayer autographed ball that needs a good home! 🎁
#WooSoxWishList
RT for a chance to win!
TJ Valacak retweeted
Any Sogie stans out there?! We have a Nick Sogard signed baseball for ya! 🎁
#WooSoxWishList
RT for a chance to win!
TJ Valacak retweeted
Anyone need a Roman Anthony bobblehead SIGNED by the man himself?! 🎁 #WooSoxWishList
RT for a chance to win!
TJ Valacak retweeted
EEEEEAAASY CHEESE! We have a Dennis Eckersley signed baseball up for grabs! 🎁 #WooSoxWishList
RT for a chance to win!
TJ Valacak retweeted
NIU hype video to take you into the last weekend without Huskie football #GoHuskies
TJ Valacak retweeted
Just so we're all on the same page since people seem to be taking my being over Raffy as somehow being cool with the Red Sox front office:
Breslow- Terrible communicator. Cannot handle criticism. In over his head, too arrogant to realize it. Has to be the smartest man in the room at all times. Thinks you're beneath him.
Cora- I have absolutely no idea what his job is even supposed to be at this point but I'm tired of his shit.
John Henry- Didn't become a billionaire by being a good person. Bottom line ($) is all that matters to him.
Raffy- Childish, delusional, self-centered, totally screwed over by management, lackluster teammate. Still did his job
Nomar- Living god wronged by scummy dickwad John Henry.
Hope that clears it up. All parties involved suck. The whole saga is incredibly disappointing.
Anyway, I'm excited to watch some West Coast baseball. Go Sox.
TJ Valacak retweeted
This week we tallied 207 Home Runs. That means 207 more chances for you to score some gear.
Enter for your chance to score vintage MLB merch by using #BudHomeRuns #Sweepstakes
TJ Valacak retweeted
Been a while but the next Pre-War Cards free giveaway is here. Simply follow and retweet / repost for a chance to win this vintage Gallaher cigarettes card box filled with pre-1940 sports and non-sports cigarette cards. Will draw a winner on June 7.
TJ Valacak retweeted
"'We're all team players. Anything for the team.' What has changed?"
@KMillar15 gives his thoughts on the recent developments regarding Rafael Devers.
@SieraSantos | @Dempster46
Thanks to @ShaneKatz73 for a great trade on @tradingcarddb . These are fantastic additions to my Red Sox projects. Thanks Shane and thanks for all the help!
