Reviews (1)

Rafael Palmeiro, member of the 500 homer run club
Be aware that there are two versions of this MLB Series 10 Figure of Rafael Palmeiro, who just finished third in the home run hitting contest at the All-Star game tonight. One shows the future Hall of Famer in the white jersey of the Texas Rangers while this updated 6" figure has him wearing the black home jersey top of the Baltimore Orioles, the team he signed with as a free agent for the 2004 season.

Last year Palmeiro made headlines both on and off the field. On the field last year, his 18th season in the majors, he had 38 home runs including his 500th, the 19th player to reach that mark. As of today Palmeiro has 539 home runs, which makes him 11th on the all time list (Mike Schmidt is waiting at 548 in the 10th spot), and 3rd among active players behind Bobby Bonds and Sammy Sosa, but still ahead of Ken Griffey, Jr. (for now).

Palmeiro also made news off the field when he appeared in a series of ads and commercials for Viagra as part of a campaign to market the drug to a younger and supposedly virile audience. The player got major props, not just because he was an active major league baseball player following in the footsteps of former Senator Bob Dole to endorse the product, but because he was also a Latino (born in Cuba) talking about a topic that would be considered taboo in a culture whose men pride themselves on machismo. So 2003 was a pretty good year for Palmeiro.

I have tried to confirm my suspicion that this 6" McFarlane Toys figure is based on Palmeiro's run around the bases after hitting his 500th home run last year (a two-out blast off the Indians' Dave Elder on May 11th), but aside from confirming that this took place at Texas with Palmeiro wearing the Rangers white jersey I have not been able to do this. But it makes sense; Palmeiro would not show this sort of emotion while rounding the bases because he is too much of a professional, so I stand by my hunch.

So while this Orioles version of this figure is correct in terms of the team that Palmiero is currently playing, but for fans who do not care what team he is playing with and what to remember he became a member of the 500 home run club, you would want the Rangers figure. Of course, if you get both of them then you will certainly have yourself covered in terms of having the one that will match up with his Hall of Fame plaque. ... Read more

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Dontrelle Willis does his high leg kick for the Marlins
The MLB Series 9 action figures from McFarlane Toys has several players who have had to wait years to get their first shot at this elite series of baseball figures, such as Mariano Rivera and Todd Helton (Normar Garciaparra gets his second figure, third if you count the Big League Challenge one). But since Dontrelle Willis helps the Florida Marlins to the World Championship last year in his rookie season, he gets a figure for his sophomore season.

Willis started the 2003 season in Double-A ball where he had a 4-0 record was called up in May after the Marlins made fired their manager. The "D-Train" went 1-1 in his first three starts and then won eight decisions in a row, including seven consecutive starts, good enough to get named o the National League All-Star team. For the season Willis went 14-6 with a 3.30 E.R.A. and 142 strikeouts in 160.7 innings. With his big leg kick, reminiscent of Luis Tiant, Willis was a big draw for the Marlins and was named National League Rookie of the Year. However, Willis' success did not translate to the post season where he was pulled from the Florida starting rotation but included three World Series appearances in which he did not give me a run for a 8.53 E.R.A. in the post season.

This 6" figure shows Willis the left-hander at the top of his windup, where he looks skyward before peering at his catcher and then delivers the ball amidst flailing arms and legs. The option on those pitches are a mid-90s fastball, a slider, and change up. There is usually some great detail on these McFarlane figures and with Willis it is how he is holding the ball inside his glove. Willis was originally drafted by the Cubs in the 8th round of the 2000 draft (for a moment think of him pitching behind Wood and Pryor) before being traded to the Marlins in the spring of 2002 and ended up compiling a 27-5 record in a minor league career of only two years and four games. Now the question is whether he can have a good enough major league career to justify getting a second McFarlane figure. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A save situation for John Smoltz in the top of the 9th
I was a bit surprised that this is the first figure of John Smoltz put out by McFarlane toys, because I was thinking that they had done a nice job of making him look like a relief pitcher than a starting pitcher by having him pitch from the stretch (I know, starting pitchers pitch from the stretch too, but it was an idea). Smoltz is part of the MLB Series 8 set, which has McFarlane scrambling in post production because of all the fun trades the Yankees made this winter. Ironically the set has Alex Rodriguez and Alfonso Soriano BEFORE the blockbuster trade, so they are both in the "wrong" uniforms for the 2004 season. This Smoltz figure comes in both the home White Braves Jersey and the road Gray Braves Jersey, so you have a choice (although I think clearly the white jersey is the way to go).

Once upon a time, not so very long ago, John Smoltz was part of the big three starting rotation for the Braves along with Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine. In 1996 he went 24-8 with 276 strikeouts and a 2.94 E.R.A. Now Glavine is with the Mets, Maddux is back with the Cubs, and Smoltz is still with the Braves but now he is one of the best relief pitchers in baseball. After getting hurt and sitting out the entire 2000 season, Smoltz came back in the 21st century as a relief pitcher. In the last two years he saved 59 and 49 games respectively. Will he become the next Dennis Eckersley and have a hybrid career that gets him into the Hall of Fame? Stay tuned.

As always, the details are what are the most fun with this McFarlane sports figure (hard to call them action figures when they sit on their base and peer down as whatever batter figure you have standing waiting at home plate). With the Smoltz figure what I like is the way the top of his jersey is unbuttoned so it is hanging out a bit and showing more of his blue undershirt. I also like the way Smoltz has his mouth slightly open, as he usually does when he is in that position. The gloves on these figures in the field are always a treat as well. For those of us who remember how laughable sports figures were two decades ago when you could switch the heads because nobody looked like anybody, these are such a big improvement and now I am at the point where figures are "retired" as they end up with another team and no longer sit on top of the television. Of course, having the players who are on your favorite team wearing the right uniform is a big treat too. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

argh =-(
his hands don't go together so it looks like the bat is floating. also, i can't get the nob end of the bat into his right hand. this wouldn't be too bad if his back leg wasn't hanging over the end of the dirt. i'm really sad. i guess you're not supposed to take them out of the box. on a good note he looks great detail wise. and he is very sturdy and heavy, not cheaply made.

Jim Thome
This figure is very realistic looking with great detail! I have about 10 McFarlane sports figures, and have like all of them........McFarlane is doing a great job providing high quality figures at a good price........they are much, much better than the old Starting Lineup figures I used to collect. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great looking figure, but not very durable
Having recently decided to once again start collecting figures, McFarlane's Spawn was of course one of the first franchises to pop into my head. McFarlane's figures have always been great. Curse of the Spawn lives up to that criteria, but isn't devoid of problems.

The Spawn: Reborn line, which is a collection of previously released figures with new details/modifications and paint jobs is a great new line of figures. Curse of the Spawn is a menacing, vile and yet awesome piece to display. Everything from the detail of the skin and armor to the tattered and worn cape flowing from the back just give the figure a distinctive look. There's peg holes in the back of the fig, probably from the previous sculpt, where you could actually put the wings from the 'Wings of Redemption' figure.

Unfortunately, as i've stated before, McFarlane toys have a severe problem: durability. This figure broke before I even got it out of the packaging. The spines on Spawn's left arm caught the edge of the plastic and tore right out, and had to be super-glued back in. The axe weapon that it comes with had a small piece break off after being dropped no more than a foot. The axe also does not fit into the hand, and im utterly afraid of forcing it in there because of what else might happen to the figure if I do.

As is usual with almost all McFarlane figures, these are meant as display pieces, and they are great display pieces at that. The problem is that its just not a very durable figure. Once you have it set up the way you want, touching it is basically out of the question. This is in no way a bad figure...its a great piece and one of my favorites all around, but im just disappointed at how quickly it broke. It wasn't anything that couldn't be fixed, but it was irritating, to say the least.

Collectors, by all means, pick it up. Its a great fig. Don't let my negative experience scare you off! ... Read more