2018 College World Series Contest

It's that time again! It is time for my ninth annual College World Series Contest.

Today, the NCAA announced the 64 teams that will be competing for the 2018 College World Series championship. To commemorate it, I am holding the ninth annual College World Series contest here at Autographed Cards. It is going to be a couple of weeks before the main phase of the contest starts, but you can earn some bonus points here that could make a difference when the main portion gets going. All you have to do right now is pick the eight teams that are going to be playing in Omaha. Here are the teams to choose from.

Slot One
1. Florida
1. NC State
2. Jacksonville
2. Auburn
3. Florida Atlantic
3. Northeastern
4. Columbia
4. Army

Slot Two

1. Texas Tech
1. Georgia
2. Louisville
2. Duke
3. Kent State
3. Troy
4. New Mexico St
4. Campbell

Slot Three
1. Arkansas
1. East Carolina
2. Southern Miss
2. South Carolina
3. Dallas Baptist
3. Ohio St
4. Oral Roberts
4. UNCW

Slot Four
1. Texas
1. Ole Miss
2. Indiana
2. Tennessee Tech
3. Texas A&M
3. Missouri St
4. Texas Southern
4. St. Louis

Slot Five
1. Stanford
1. Coastal Carolina
2. Baylor
2. UConn
3. Cal St Fullerton
3. Washington
4. Wright St
4. LIU Brooklyn

Slot Six
1. Clemson
1. Florida St
2. Vanderbilt
2. Mississippi St
3. St. Johns
3. Oklahoma
4. Morehead St
4. Samford

Slot Seven
1. North Carolina
1. Stetson
2. Purdue
2. South Florida
3. Houston
3. Oklahoma St
4. NC A&T
4. Hartford

Slot Eight
1. Minnesota
1. Oregon St
2. UCLA
2. LSU
3. Gonzaga
3. San Diego St
4. Canisius
4. Northwestern St

All you have to do is pick one team from each slot for a total of eight teams. In the past, for every team that you picked that made it into the College World Series, you got one point. I mixed it up a bit a few years ago and I am going to stick with this format. Now, any team you pick that makes it to Omaha gets as many points as their seed. So, if you make the safe bet and pick the one seed correctly, you get one point. But, if you pick the dark horse four seed and get lucky, you get four points for that pick. If you don't feel like participating right now, that's fine. You can enter the second phase without participating in the first, but you will have some ground to make up.

This blog has been in the doldrums of late since I am lucky to post a card twice a week. So, to get a few extra contestants in the contest, you can get one bonus point just by pimping this contest on your blog and by retweeting my link on Twitter (@zmills40). Just leave a link in the comments and I will chalk you up a point. Yes, you can get two free points just by pimping and retweeting.

Here is the format that your entry (comment) should look like.

Slot 1: Army
Slot 2: Duke
Slot 3: ECU
Slot 4: Indiana
Slot 5: Baylor
Slot 6: Clemson
Slot 7: Stetson
Slot 8: LSU
Link to your blog (which can be left on a separate comment, but must be submitted by Thursday night)

Keep in mind that the main portion of this contest is filling out a College World Series bracket when that field is determined in a couple of weeks. Every year, there are a couple of people that enter the first phase of the contest that never end up filling out a bracket. Those people have yet to win this contest.

As for the prize of this contest, I will be giving out a blaster of 2018 Topps Series 2. I used to give out signed photos that I got at the CWS, but they have quit bringing guys in to sign. But, at least you know what the prize is up front instead of waiting to see what I come home with.

All entries have to be left as a comment on this blog. Also, all entrants need to have a blogger profile to enter. No anonymous entries.

If you have any questions, ask in the comments or email me at zman40 at hotmail dot com (or message me on Twitter). The deadline to enter the first phase of this contest is 11:00 AM (central) Friday and the retweet and link must be posted by midnight Thursday. Good luck and thanks for playing.

1998 Topps, Pete Rose, Jr.

#240 Pete Rose, Jr.

Here is the third and final card that I got Pete Junior to sign for me at a Wingnuts game in 2016. Pete was the manager of the Wingnuts at the time and he signed all three cards for me before an early season game. You can see the first card he signed for me here and the second one here.

After spending nearly a decade playing in the minor leagues, Pete Junior got a cup of coffee with the Reds in 1997. He was a September call-up and he made his first start on September 1st against the Royals. He batted seventh and played third base. He finished the day 1-3 with a single and two strikeouts. He got one more hit two games later and was 2-5. He then went hitless the rest of the season and finished 2-14 with two runs and two walks. That was the only time he would play in the Majors.

Pete managed the Wingnuts for two seasons and he lead the team to two division championships and a 122-77 record. But, for whatever reason, the Nuts wanted to go a different direction this year and Pete's contract was not renewed.

While there are a lot of cards of Pete Junior, this is the only one from his time in the Majors.

1998 Pacific Online, Rex Hudler

#562 Rex Hudler

I believe that this is tenth card of Rex Hudler that I have posted on here. Rex took over the Royals color commentator role in 2012 and I seem to get him to sign at least once a year. But, I am slowing running out of cards of him. And, at this point, he is not a priority anymore. I got the cards signed by him that I wanted signed. But, I still take cards of him to games just in case he might be the only autograph I get.

This card was first Phillies card that I got signed by Rex. I got it signed at a Royals game two years ago. I thought it would be the only Phils card of him that I would own, but I picked one up from a former co-worker last year and got that one signed at Spring Training this year. I posted that card last month and it can be seen here.

Rex spent his last two seasons in the Majors with the Phillies. He saw limited playing time and had less than spectacular results. He got 175 at-bats with the Phils and he hit .196 with 5 home runs and 12 RBI.

On the Royals broadcast last night, Rex was telling a story about how he once ate a June Bug at a game on a dare. Plus, he made $800 by doing so. It tasted like bacon he said.

1998 Multi Ad Sports, Wichita Wranglers

#1 Jamie Bluma
#24 Dan Reichert

A few years back, I came across this Wranglers team set at the oldest card shop in Kansas, Rock's Dugout. It was only a dollar, so I could not pass it up. There are no big names in it, but I am always needing cards of Jamie Bluma.

I got Bluma to sign his card at Royals Fanfest in 2016. Even though Jamie only pitched 20 innings with the Royals, he is always at Fanfest and showing up for alumni events. That is why I am always on the lookout for cards of him.

I got Dan to sign this card at a Lincoln Saltdogs game last summer. We stayed in Lincon when we went to the College World Series last year and decided to take in a Saltdog game the night before the Series started. We only stayed three or four innings before a massive storm rolled in, but I was able to get this card signed before the game started.

I finally attended my first Major League game of the year this weekend. I went and saw the Yankees whoop up on the Royals. I took cards to get signed, but came home empty-handed. It has been a while since that has happened. Turns out the Yankees aren't great signers. Who would have thought? Aaron Judge signed for a bit, but he was on the opposite side of the dugout that I was on. Clint Frazier signed for some people that had on-field passes. And Neil Walker signed two autographs for some kids in the $500 seats. That was the only signing I saw. I even called for Reggie Willits and Marcus Thames to come and sign. Reggie just waved at me and Marcus told me he had to get to a meeting. Oh well, it was worth a shot.

1998 Mother's Cookies, Donne Wall

#27 Donne Wall

Here is the second card from the 1998 Mother's Cookies Padres set that I referred to in the last post. For me, Donne Wall is not nearly as big a name as the guy in the last post, Greg Vaughn. But, it is a signed Mother's Cookies card, so it is cool regardless.

Donne pitched in the Majors for eight seasons with the Astros, Padres, Mets, and Angels. After beginning his career as a starter for the 'Stros, he pitched out of the bullpen for the last five years of his career. Over that time, he racked up a 31-28 record with 2 saves and a 4.20 ERA.

Donne's best season was probably during the Padres pennant winning 1998 campaign. That year, he was 5-4 with a save in 46 outings and had a career-best 2.43 ERA. He pitched in all three of the Padres postseason series that fall and he was 0-1 with a save and a 5.40 ERA in 6.2 innings of work. That was Donne's only postseason action during his Major League career.

1998 Mother's Cookies, Greg Vaughn

#7 Greg Vaughn

Here is a cool card that was given to me by Rod, from Padrographs, when we met up at a Hillsboro Hops game in 2015. You never know what you are going to get when Rod gives you a care package. You know there are going to be signed Padre cards, but who or what kind are always a mystery. It is mostly standard issue stuff, but every once on a while you get a gem like this.

This is a Mother's Cookie card that was a Stadium Giveaway in 1998. From what I can tell, Mother's Cookie made at least five teams sets in 1998. All of the sets were for California based teams except for one, the Astros. Naturally, I did not go to any Padres games in '98, so it is really cool to get a signed one to add to my collection. Rod actually gave me two signed cards from this set, but this is my favorite of the two.

Greg was a monster hitter that played for 15 years with the Brewers, Padres, Reds, Devil Rays, and Rockies. Over that time, he hit .242 while mashing 355 homers and driving in 1072 RBI. He made two All Star teams, going 2-2 with a run and 2 RBI in his Mid-Summer Classic appearances. He played in the postseason twice, both with the Padres, and helped the team to the 1998 National League pennant.

His best season was with the Pads in 1998. That year, he hit .272 and had career highs with 50 home runs and 119 RBI.

1998 Donruss, Miguel Cairo

#320 Miguel Cairo

This is the first Devil Rays card I have posted on here in over two years and is only the third Devil Ray on here to feature the team's inaugural uniforms. Needless to say, but I bet there are not too many Rays fans that check out this blog.

I got this card, and two others, signed by Miguel last year at Spring Training. At the time, he held a front office title and I was able to find him in the back fields helping out the minor league players.

Miguel was an original D-Ray and he spent three years with the club after being taken from the Cubs in the expansion draft. Despite being a utility player for most of his career, he was the Rays everyday second baseman while he was there and he never played any other defensive position. Over those three years, Miguel would hit .275 with 9 home runs, 116 RBI, and 69 stolen bases. His 48 RBI for the inaugural Rays were a single season high for him.