I found a story by Grant Brisbee on SB Nation from 2013 in which the author lists the American League Bobbleheads that are the most notable misses for each American League team.  The article is both entertaining and useful for those of us who are interested.  Because it is a year old and because not all great minds think alike, I figured that I would compare my list to his.  Will have to find his NL list later, but here are his AL list and mine.

Angels - He lists Mike Trout which has since been made and uses Jim Fregosi as a backup as he figured that Trout was on his way.  Fregosi is a solid choice for the Angels but I will choose Mike Witt.  Witt was a very good pitcher in his day and tossed perfect game and a combined no-hitter for the Angels.  He was also 6'7" which would allow for some visual interest.  He was the best Angels pitcher for several years.  Not as valuable over his time as Fregosi was, but remembered by more fans at this point I would think.

Astros - Grant lists Cesar Cedeno.  I can't argue with that.

Rangers - He mentions Alex Rodriguez but admits that people in Texas would hate that.  He uses Jim Sundberg as a backup.  I have no interest in A-Rod, and Sundberg is not a bad second choice.  That said, I will go with Buddy Bell.  Either way, it must be done in the powder blue uniforms which my son wonderfully (referring to the Twins, but applicable in many cases) referred to as "nurse uniforms".

Athletics - Grant chose Dwayne Murphy, a solid but uninspiring choice.  Most of the cool A's have been done, but there are a few of the 1970s crew that I would like to see.  That list includes Sal Bando, Joe Rudi, Bert Campaneris and Gene Tenace. Its a tough call because I would like to see any of those.  Sal Bando was the best player of that group by a shade over Campy.  He also had a batter mustache.  Bando it is.

Mariners - He chose Alvin Davis.  This is a tough one because there is little to choose from among the old-time Mariners.  Anyone of note since 1995 seems to have been done.  I am reaching for someone with more pizzazz than Davis...nope, can't come up with one.

Tigers - He picked Hal Newhouser.  Wonderful pitcher from a long time ago.  I would pick Norm Cash among those that the MLB tigers never did - or perhaps Alan Trammell as a player rather than as a manager.  But the Great Lakes Loons version of Cash is solid and there is a Trammell manager version which is a pretty fair likeness. Thus, I will opt for character on this one and go with Mark Fidrych.  He was something of a bobblehead in real life and a "nod" to his nickname ("The Bird") would be fun.  Anyone who remembers him would have to enjoy that.

Indians - Grant went with Albert Belle who has since been done, and it is a pretty fun piece.  That leaves the field open. There were few great Indians from the 1960s-1990s. Andre Thornton...unexciting.  Oscar Gamble's afro would be cool except that Oakland did a Coco Crisp fro already.  Joe Charbonneau's hair?  Awesome, but obscure.  I will go old school cool on this one and take Rocky Colavito.

Twins - He took Cesar Tovar.  As a long-time Twins fan I support that.  He played every position in one game so his bobblehead could have s bunch of gloves on the ground.

Royals - He picked Amos Otis.  I have this one at 50/50 between Otis and Bo Jackson.  Otis was more valuable over his career but Jackson was more colorful.  Based on the possibilities, I will go with Bo Jackson.

White Sox - Grant's pick was Wilbur Wood over Ray Durham and (since done) Ron Kittle.  Wood is another guy who just isn't horribly interesting to me, although I was never a ChiSox fan.  He is up there in WAR for the Sox, but I will go with Luis Aparicio, an All-Star most years in Chicago and a Hall of Famer.

Yankees - He likes Ron Guidry.  There are so many great Yankees and many appear to have been done as retail pieces but not SGA.  Rather than spend a year figuring out which are which, I will nominate Graig Nettles and Roy White but settle on Guidry along with him.

Rays - Minimal history here. He likes Wade Boggs.  I will use this space to complain that all of the Rays bobbleheads have been minis (or at least much smaller than other teams).  That said, I am looking for memorable or good players with something colorful about them.  Boggs as a Ray does nothing for me (though I'd love the Red Sox to do one of him).  In a fairly bare cupboard, I will go with Carlos Pena.

Orioles - He picked Mark Belanger, a great glove who hit nothing for some outstanding teams.  The Red Cross did Boog Powell with a chef hat in honor of his barbeque business.  It is cool and so was Boog.  I would rather have a Boog Powell than a Belanger even if Belanger's defense made him very valuable to the Orioles.

Red Sox - Boston has done almost no bobbleheads.  Yaz is the obvious choice, but there is a decent piece of him that was sold through his personal web site.  Carlton Fisk is another option, but the Pawtucket Sox did him perfectly.  Bill Lee was colorful but his CCCP cap doesn't amuse me anymore.  Despite the pain that goes with knowing that the Twins released him for nothing, I will join Grant in advocating Luis Tiant.

Blue Jays-  He throws out the idea of the 1980s outfield as a three man piece including Lloyd Moseby, George Bell and Jesse Barfield.  Not a bad idea.  Barfield was the best player of the group, so I will choose him. 

Time to find his NL list and read that one.  Great work Grant.

After lots of attempts to go low on Ebay, I have managed to snag a few more off of my list. They are generally ones that are readily available and inexpensive. That is, however, just fine with me. Removed from the list were Prince Fielder (Crown SGA), Fred Patek (SGA), Lance Berkman (Original SGA), Dave Parker (Lumber Company SGA), Ichiro (2012 SGA), Nomar Garciapara (Boston SGA), Ozzie Smith (HOF),and Bill Freehan.

Here is the list update:
1  Boog Powell (Red Cross)
2  Ernie Whitt SGA
3  Andre Dawson SGA (Expos)
4  Lefty O'Doul SGA
5  Tim Raines SGA (Expos)
6  Stomper Mascot (Oakland Kids Club 2003)
7  Norm Cash (2010 Great Lakes SGA)
8  Mookie Wilson SGA
9  Ryan Zimmerman 2010 SGA
10 Dennis Eckersley SGA
11 Frank Thomas White Sox SGA
12 Eric Davis Reds SGA
13 Tino Martinez SGA
14 Rickey Henderson Stolen Base King
15 Larry Walker Rockies SGA
16 Lou Whitaker SGA (Grand Rapids)
17 Stan Musial (Cards SGA)
18 Tony Womack (Diamondbacks SGA)
19 Ryne Sandberg (Cubs SGA 2009)
20 Carlos Gonzalez (Rockies SGA)

I have left Cash on the list after getting Freehan, so I have 20 remaining. I will add four to the list now: 

21. David Ortiz (2014 SGA) 

This one is brand new and I tend to shy away from those because the initial prices are way too high, but this one is all out cool. Papi started his career as a Twin (my team) and despite his admission of using PEDs, he is a great hitter, a great character, and his love of Boston (my wife's home town) shown most notably after the 2013 Marathon attack is a great player-community bonding moment.

22.  Giancarlo Stanton (2012 Miami SGA)  

I really liked the old Marlins uniforms because they felt very old school, despite the teal color. Pinstripes, nice; fish logo, fantastic.  I still haven't completely warmed to the new orange and black or the stylized jumping marlin...but I no longer place them in the same category as the Cincinnati Bengals or Seattle Seahawks.  Stanton is a great talent who will probably be hitting bombs in St. Louis, Texas, or New York some time soon.  After a few years of that we will all be thinking back to his days in Miami.  Once I have this one, he can hang out with the Royals' Carlos Beltran bobblehead.

 

23.  Bill Mazeroski (Pirates SGA 2006)

I have the 2001 Maz SGA but I really like the look of the 2006 issue.  The earlier piece was an AGP that was among the first to be issued, but the later one has a cooler pose and doesn't look quite as generic as the 2001 version.



24. Don Mincher (Huntsville Stars SGA 2003)

Mincher was a member of the 1965 Twins team that won the AL.  He was a fine hitter who also played for Oakland and the Seattle Pilots, Washington and Texas.  I don't usually go after Minor League issues, but if I recall this one was of Mincher in a Twins uniform.  Out of the ordinary Twins bobble for sure.  Sadly, Mincher passed in 2012.  I can't locate of photo of the bobble, but I will have to keep an eye out for one.

25.  J.R. Richard (Houston SGA)

Richard was an imposing strikeout pitcher before suffering a stroke in 1980. During the second half of the 1970s he was widely regarded as the toughest pitcher to hit in the National League.  His personal story was very sad for many years, but his life apparently stabilized after becoming a minister.  This piece does a nice job of depicting a tall, rangy fireballer and features the 1970s Astros uniforms...which were hideous then, but retro cool now.  Right down to the white Adidas cleats.  It would have been fun to see how good he could have been for several more years.  If Richard were still pitching it is entirely possible that the 1986 Astros would have won the World Series rather than the bad boy Mets.

Athletics Bobblehead Resource

I found a pretty solid Athletics bobblehead web site today, entitled Mr. Kinney's Class so I am guessing that the owner is a teacher.   I am not sure that it is exhaustive or tries to be, but there are a ton of pictures and the items in his collection are arranged by year.  There is some research value here if you are interested in getting your A's items figured out and there is entertainment value if you just want to see what A's items are out there.  I didn't know that the Philadelphia A's Historical Society made and sold bobbleheads.  The two that are shown here look quite cool.

Wish List Update

Over the last few months, I have made a few trades and found a few reasonably priced items that I jumped on.  I have six wish list items that have found their way into my collections so they fall of the list:  Ernie Banks, Harold Baines, Josh Willingham, Jake Peavy NASCAR, George Scott and Todd Helton)

That leaves 19 items on the list:

1     Boog Powell (Red Cross)
2     Ernie Whitt SGA
3     Andre Dawson SGA (Expos)
4     Lefty O'Doul SGA
5     Tim Raines SGA (Expos)
6     Stomper Mascot (Oakland Kids Club 2003)
7     Norm Cash & Bill Freehan 2010 Great Lakes SGA
8     Ozzie Smith (AGP HOF)
9     Mookie Wilson SGA
10   Ryan Zimmerman 2010 SGA
11   Dennis Eckersley SGA
12   Frank Thomas White Sox SGA
13   Eric Davis Reds SGA
14   Dave Parker Lumber Co. SGA
15  Tino Martinez SGA
16   Rickey Henderson Stolen Base King
17   Larry Walker Rockies SGA
18   Lance Berkman (Original SGA and superhero)
19   Lou Whitaker SGA (Grand Rapids)

I will now post the six new additions:

20.  Nomar Garciaparra SGA (Boston)

It actually has kind of a strange facial look about it, but as far as I know it is the only SGA ever done at Fenway.  That gives Boston the shortest team bobblehead list by a mile.  There are some aspects that actually look a little primitive (i.e. big shoes, hands) which are unique.  You also have to respect the Dunkin' Donuts sponsorship.

 

 

21.  Stan Musial Cardinals SGA

 

It would be a waste of all of our time for me to say something about Musial that hasn't been said.  Based on his career, it would have been cool to work in some tribute to his greatness as a switch hitter, but I do like the old Cardinal uniform, bronze base and stance.  Some people apparently think that they can  put their kids through college by selling this item...but there are enough others to make it available for a reasonable price.

 

 

 

22.  Prince Fielder Home Run Champ SGA (Milwaukee)

 

CAPTURED (AND THE PRICE WAS RIGHT)

 

I liked Prince a lot when he played for the Brewers...much more than being just another highly-priced free agent like is became in Detroit.  Either way, he is a very good player who doesn't blend into the crowd.  Bobblehead politics require that you can't make the statue as hefty as the player is, but they actually tried to show that he is a big dude.  I really like the retro 1980s uniform, but I am leaning toward the navy and white version because it is what he actually wore.  The crown is a nice touch.

 

 

 

22.  Fred Patek Royals SGA

 

CAPTURED (AND THE PRICE WAS RIGHT

 

 

For a number of reasons, I really like the Royals franchise.  From the bobblehead perspective, they work nicely because they had one really excellent era and a number of memorable names from it.  Other than choosing condiments over a few deserving ex-Royals they have done a good job with their subjects...and most of their pieces are not difficult or expensive to acquire.  I have actually obtained a fair number of Royals, and have decided that Patek is the nect logical add.  It isn't an over-the-top likeness and has no really memorable element, but it seems like it would be possible to get the whole Royals HOF without killing myself....and if anyone is listening, I have an extra Willie Wilson to trade.  

 

 

 

22.  Tony Womack 2001 SGA (Diamondbacks)

 

I always hated the Diamondbacks purple uniforms.  Great team name - and I really like the new Sedona red.  But now that I can see the purple only in the past, I like them on bobbleheads.  I feel the same way about the 1980s White Sox uniforms.  That brings me to Tony Womack.  Historically, he is not a big deal.  However, he was a key player in their fun World Series win in 2001 and looking at this bobblehead, I really like the pronounced eyebrows, and the pose is somewhat unusual.  Add in the happily forgotten purple, and he would sit well next to Johnson and Schilling on the shelf. My only question is whether he is bunting or just standing there holding a bat.

 

 

 

 23.  Ryne Sandberg 2009 SGA (Cubs)

 

Sandberg was always one of my favorite players.  He is, of course, a Hall of Famer, and is one of the most beloved players ever for the Cubs.  This bobblehead not only depicts a great player, but it is also a great likeness.  I suspect that it will be another that won't come cheap, but he will look good next to Banks, Jenkins, Santo and Williams.  I like the blue Cubs uniform much more on the bobblehead than on the field.

 

 

 

24.  Carlos Gonzales 20th Anniversary (Rockies)

 

There was also an SGA Cargo in 2011, but after some deliberation, I like the 2013 20th Anniversary retail version better.  The purple jersey is unusual among Rocks bobbles, the face is a little less generic than the SGA (although neither is a stunning likeness) and the front leg kick with shin guard is cool.  I would jump at either one if it were at the right price, but I prefer this one.  I am very light on Rockies, and Carlos is one of my son's favorite players.

 

 

 

25. Ichiro Suzuki 2012 SGA (Mariners)

 

There are a large number of Ichiro bobbleheads out there, and a review indicates that the Mariners have given out at least four of them.  I happen to prefer this one because it looks the most like Ichiro. He is the icon of the Mariner franchise after Ken Griffey, Jr. and the teal jersey and leading off pose is solid.  I may choose another Ichiro if the right one was available, but this is the leader of the list right now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Best and Worst Baseball "Concept Bobbleheads"

I am posting my first list.  I am not posting these as any kind of authority, but to initiate some discussion among collectors and look for ideas on cool items that I may not have.

My first list is my favorite and least favorite "concept bobbleheads".  I define these loosely as bobbleheads that are not pure player representations.  I will call those that are simply a player "baseball card bobbleheads".  The lists below are those that are attempting to convey some message other than purely depicting a player.  They may commemorate an event, some attribute of a player or simply try to be creative.  My lists are five long for starters and will increase as visitors make suggestions.

My five favorite Concept Bobbleheads based on some initial thinking are:

5.  Barry Bonds counter bobblehead.  I am not a big fan of Bonds, but the idea of a counter as he chased the homerun record is creative.  To me, Hank Aaron is still the homerun king, but I love this idea.

  Image from baseballsnatcher.mlbblogs.com.

4.  Rickey Henderson Stolen Base King bobblehead.  This is one on my wish list.  There have been a handful of moments in recent times that we all recognize, and Henderson's claiming of the stolen base record is one of them.  Anyone who sees it knows exactly what it shows.  Rickey was all over the place during the second half of his career, and I am glad that he accomplished this feat with the A's.  Very good likeness of Rickey and a great moment.

 

 

3. Boog Powell blood drive bobblehead.  Another one from my wish list.  Boog was a very good player and is a fixture in Baltimore as the owner of Boog's barbeque.  Place a chef's hat on him makes this one fun, and is (as far as I know) the only bobblehead of a popular, all-star player.

 

  Image from www.bobblebums.com

 

2.  Minnie and Paul Twins mascot bobblehead.  There are two of these out there.  One was an SGA and one was sold at Twins Pro Shops. I am showing the SGA version because it has the state outline behind them with the river flowing down the middle.  The retail version was actually two separate statues with a magnetic handshake.  Anyone who has followed the Twins for a long time loves this logo.

 

 

1.  Rick Monday flag bobblehead.  While many of the newer concept bobbles are long reaches, this one is utterly brilliant.  The night that Monday grabbed the flag from the two idiots who jumped onto the field to burn it is a "forever moment" on the ball field.  Interestingly, while Monday is depicted in the Cubs uniform that he wore that night, it was actually a Dodger SGA.  Nice work LA.

 

 

AND NOW...My list of the five weakest concept bobbleheads that I have seen.

 

5.  Royals' condiment bobbleheads.  I know that many people like these and they look kind of cool, but the Royals must have run completely out of ideas.  They have some notable players who have yet to be made (i.e. Amos Otis and Bo Jackson).  The Brewers can make sausages because they mean something to the team (between innings races dating back several years and the city's ethnic history of sausage-making) but please explain to me how condiments have a special meaning to the Royals.  Last I checked, I could get ketchup or mustard on a hot dog at 29 other ballparks.

 

 

 

4.  Main Cain running bobblehead.  OK, I get that it was given out at a 5k, but it looks like some average blonde guy in running wear.  At least the Sergio Romo race bobblehead had a cap and jersey.  This one is only about baseball because the shirt says "Giants on it".  If I look at the face first, it looks more like Mike Modano to me.

 

 

 

3.  C.C.Sabathia Disco bobblehead.  Let's see, it looks like any generic black guy, has no physical resemblance to Sabathia's physical stature, and evokes a brand of music that was dead before C.C. was born.  At least he is wearing a glove (see #4 above).  The Indians should have separated these two promos and given out Indians belt buckles or leisure suit t-shirts.

 

 

 

2.  Adam Dunn/David Letterman bobblehead.  I simply don't get it.  The only common thread is that Dunn striking out has happened as often as Letterman has milked the same jokes.  I was a big Letterman fan 25 years ago when he was funny, but someone please explain to me how these two concepts align.  I suppose it could be worse.  The Yankees could have created A-Rod in a Madonna costume.

 

 Image from bleacherreport.com

 

1.  Hunter Pence Go Green bobblehead.  First of all, it doesn't look like Hunter Pence.  Second of all, while I am certainly not anti-environment, "Go Green" is a tired phrase that is empty without some specific message.  "Hey, he planted a tree. Wow!".  This could have been interesting if the shovel had a bat for the handle, or Pence's jeans were hiked way up and he was wearing stirrups.  The recently retired Astros uniforms were really bad, and look even worse in green. Worse than a yawn, its trite and boring....and it's Hunter Pence.

 

 

 

Phillies Bobblehead Site

I happened upon a nice site the walks through all of the Phillies modern bobble heads (as well as other SGA items).  The site is philliessga.com.  The site owner does a nice job of capturing all of I the SGAs as well as some limited availability retails and season ticket group leader giveaways.  Hats off to the site     owner, although I have to wonder why the Phillies have yet to issue statues of Robin Roberts, Jim Bunning or Richie Ashburn.  I realize that they have been a very strong franchise in recent years, but I'd love to see some franchise greats in addition to Bowa, Schmidt and Carlton rather than multiple issues of current stars.

Open Question About Rays Bobbleheads

Over time I have acquired two Tampa Bay Rays bobbleheads (Garza and Longoria).  In both cases they turned out to be smaller than the usual pieces.  I am wondering if anyone out there knows whether all of the Rays bobbles are undersized?