Matt Wallach, 2012 Chattanooga Lookouts #28

Review: C- I'm not a fan of this card design.  Too much packed into it.  Even the "Hardees" logo looks bad on this card.  That's not to say it's the worst looking card ever designed, but as a follow up to a decent 2011 effort, it leaves a lot to be desired.

Matt Wallach, 2011 Chattanooga Lookouts #29

Grade: A-  Had this card gone with a different photo on the back I would have given it an "A."  Sure it's a bit of an '84 Fleer knockoff, but I'm ok with that.  In fact, I'd go so far as to encourage every minor league team to use a knock off design of a well known set from the 70's or 80's.  For whatever reason, I really like the "Hardees" logos on the front and back.  I'm pretty sure I've never eaten in the Hardees, nor do I have any plans of ever doing so, but I like the logo on the card.  It adds to the minor league feel.

Matt Wallach, 2008 Ogden Raptors

Card Review: B+  This is another card design that looks like it very well could have been a late 80's early 90's Score or Fleer set.  I'm so tired of Topps continuously pumping out bland white bordered sets year after year.  It's ok to swing and miss on occasion.  I like that I can immediately recognize a card year and brand for cards from 1952 to around 1991.  Yet despite buying a lot of cards the over last six years, I usually have to flip one over to tell what year it's from.  This particular card is kind of ugly, but it's different, and if Topps went with this design in 2016, I wouldn't complain.

Matt Wallach 2010 Inland Empire 66ers

Card Review: B This card is a bit up in your face, but the catcher's gear makes it a little more interesting than your standard portrait card.  The "Inland Empire" 66ers are the high A affiliate of the Dodgers.  Matt hit 8 home runs in 67 games for them in 2010 before being promoted to AA Chattanooga.  The "Inland Empire" is located in San Bernardino, California, and the 66ers play in the California League.  Nick "Chili" Buss, Scott Van Slyke, and Manny Ramirez also played for the 66ers during the 2010 season.

Matt Wallach 2008 Ogden Raptors

Card Review: B
As far as minor league cards go, this one isn't too bad.  This is from Matt's 2nd year of professional ball and 2nd year with the Ogden Raptors, a rookie league affiliate of the Dodgers.  Matt would hit 10 home runs with Ogden in 2008.  The Raptors made the Pioneer League playoffs  in 2008 but lost to the Orem Owls in the Semi-Finals.

Matt Wallach Dodgers Jersey

In addition to cards, readers have sent and offered a variety of other items.  From the very cool (old laser wire photos), to the very odd (a Youppi toy), to the just plain weird (recently a well intentioned gentleman offered a bat along with a long detailed story about how sentimental the bat was to him and he didn't want to part with it, I suggested he just keep the bat).

This jersey is easily the coolest thing to be sent by a reader.  It's a Matt Wallach Dodgers jersey from a Spring Training game in 2012 played on St. Patrick's Day against the Rockies at the Salt River Complex in Scottsdale, Arizona.  It's not technically game worn, as Matt didn't get into the game.  He did get his name on the scoreboard line-up though, as he was sent in to pinch hit only to see the third out made from the on-deck circle.  I know all of this because I was at the game.

Last week, Austin from Redondo Beach, California (who has previously sent cards) contacted me and said he had a Matt Wallach jersey and wanted to know if I was interested in it.  Austin had been at Dodger Fan Fest recently and bought one of the "mystery bags" they were selling.  This was what was inside his.  So I thanked him and immediately took him up on his offer.

I'm not quite sure what to do with it now that it's in hand.  I have backlog of jersey's I want to get framed, and no disrespect to Matt, but this isn't at the front of the line.  It's my exact size, and would probably fit me great, but I'm a little hesitant to do so since it's autographed.  Here are some more photos of it:

I mentioned this earlier on this blog, but Tim Wallach was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame last week.  As a result, he's done a couple of radio interviews, and been on the MLB Channel talking about the induction.  During one of the interviews he mentioned that Matt has decided to move on from professional baseball and start the next phase of his life.  I was disappointed to hear this.  I can't begin to imagine how difficult a decision it has to be to walk away after getting as close a Triple-A and Spring Training games without ever breaking through.

That line of thought led me to another question, "how much stuff are players allowed to keep?"  If I'm Matt Wallach, or any other young player trying to reach the majors, I'm hanging on to souvenirs like this.  A St. Patrick's Day Dodger Jersey from a Spring Training game, it's going in my take home duffel bag, not a Dodger Fan Fest "mystery bag."  I don't think doing so makes you a hoarder or narcissist either.  Chances are every school, team, league you've ever played in wants stuff for their trophy cases, not to mention friends and family.  Perhaps having a father who was a 17 year MLB vet raises the bar on what is worth keeping and what isn't.  I don't know.  But if Matt Wallach ever happens to stumble across this and wants the jersey, just ask, it's yours.  Literally.

Photos I took at the game this was worn, I would have taken more had I known someone was going to send me the jersey two years down the road.

Matt Wallach 2013 Albuquerque Isotopes #18

Card Review: A+  This is my favorite card (at least of the ones I've seen) of any of the Wallach kids.  Due in no small part to the uniform.  I went to a good number of Isotope games this year and saw Matt play a few times while he was up with them.  It's also sort of cool, because it lines up neatly with the cards of Tim in an Isotopes uniform from when he managed them.  On a side note, Brad Ausmus played for Wallach as an Isotope while Wallach was winning awards as Manager of the year in the PCL.  I'm sure Ausmus learned some things that will help him manage in Detroit next year.  Nice hire Tigers!

Matt is the oldest of the Wallach kids, and the only one to reach the AAA level.  He's been a regular at Spring Training in Scottsdale the last few years.  Two years ago I saw the Dodgers play an exhibition game on St. Patricks day at the Salt River Complex.  I was disappointed to find Wallach didn't make the trip, but to my surprise Matt was up with the team, green jersey and all.  He spotted me wearing an Expos #29 jersey, and said "Nice jersey."  He didn't get to play, but made it onto the scoreboard and on-deck circle only to see the batter in front of him make the third out.  He never actually got into the game.  Some pics from that game are below.

(not my "martini" glasses, which really have no place at the ball park)

I just find this to be really cool.  Too bad it didn't happen the same season, but there's still a chance it'll happen on a regular Topps card down the road.

If that does happen, I wouldn't expect to see a recreation of this card:

1994 SP Die-Cut #81

Card Review: 5.1 These die-cuts remind me of a scene from Oliver Stone's "Born on the 4th of July."  Tom Cruise is getting a tour of the burger joint is friend has started.  The marquee burger is in the shape of a ring.  The friend is bragging that his idiot customers are actually paying for less meat.  That's kind of how I feel about die-cuts.

Here's a link to the regular un-cut card.

Number of this card in my collection: 2
2013 update: 3
2014 update: 10 
2016 update: 15
2017 update: n/a
2018 update: 16

2019 update: n/a

2020 update: n/a

2021 update: n/a

2022 update: 18

2023 update: 19

2024 update: n/a

2025 update: 20

1994 SP

Card Review: 8.7  It's a bit of an unusual photo for a baseball card.  In the early 90's that was sort of a trend, thanks in no small part to the 1992 Bowman set.  It was kind of a big deal in my mind for Wallach to be given the attention getting photo, and be one of the cards people were talking about.  The back photo is pretty cool too, and would have made for a great card as well.

Coach Wallach has cited this card as his favorite.

Fun Facts: *All three of Wallach's sons have been selected in the MLB Draft.
*Matt Wallach was a 23rd rd pick of the Yankees in 2005.  He went to Cal-St. Fullerton instead, and was drafted by the Dodgers in the 22nd rd in 2007.  He reached AAA ball before retiring.
* Brett Wallach was a 3rd rd pick of the Dodgers in 2009. He was subsequently traded to the Cubs and is currently playing independent ball while rehabbing from arm surgery.
*Chad Wallach was drafted by the Dodgers in the 43rd rd in 2010.  He chose to attend Cal.-St. Fullerton and was drafted in the 5th rd by the Miami Marlins.  He currently plays in the Reds organization.

Number of this card in my collection: 1
2012 update: 4
2013 update: 22
2014 update: 29
2015 update: 31 
2016 update: 32
2017 update: n/a
2018 update: 40
2019 update: 42

2020 update: n/a

2021 update: n/a

2022 update: 57

2023 update: 59

2024 update: 61

2025 update: 66

2026 update: 67