The Mighty Quinn

I'm blessed with great trading pals and don't always feel deserving of the awesomeness that arrives in mailers and boxes.  Does this mean I feel deserving at times??  Why certainly, at least around the holidays.  

Quinn has been sending packages with great regularity, easily identified among other items in the mailbox.  They've been covered in small 'fatheads' and glow star stickers but on this occasion, the mailer was plain. The contents held another package containing a unique box topper, truly one of the highlights of this trade. 

Underneath was yet another box which at first glance I thought might be a happy meal.

No - it's taffy!  Except it wasn't taffy.  {Where do you find these boxes Quinn?} Right on top were a couple of graded 90s Pudge:

Along with a couple of homemade fat packs hitting up my player collections.  Here's a sampling of these paper goods:

Two of my favorite Yankees.

Altuve, Posey and Scherzer.  

Cards with interchangeable player heads!  Finally, something new and refreshing from Topps!  I gave Marichal a little makeover.

I'm among the crowd happy for Ivan's election to the Hall and was fortunate to attend many of his games in Arlington.   I find it somewhat odd that he and my all time favorite catcher Daulton, both won their only rings with the Marlins.  Obviously Pudge had the better career.  He is currently the all time leader in putouts as a catcher. 

Quinn included Topps Tek for Pudge, Miggy and Fulmer.   These are super cards to find within a trade.  I'll never purchase them. Lots on ebay aren't cheap either.  It takes special kind of insanity to assemble this set with its variations from hell-o!   Fess up  - how many of you are that crazy?

Fulmer in high-numbered black attire.

As much as I liked GQ base this year, the green parallels are even sweeter.  Old Ty is numbered/99

Q has taken to finding new Piazzas for my growing hoard.  I do have a couple of these.  The 93 Ultra will move to my catcher collection.  93 Donruss starts my new mini-collection of floating bats.  I can't resist this urge any longer.  There is something magical within a photo that captures a bat suspended mid-air. 

In all, there were 25 different Piazzas.  I mentioned the box-topper only to save it for last.  This card is gorgeous and all mine! 

1997 Score Reserve Collection #501 Mike Piazza GY Artist Proof

I had a good time going through this package.  Every time I see Quinn in the return address, my thoughts always go to the classic Manfred Mann recording of the Bob Dylan song...

 

                                              

Birthday Cards - from Kids and Pirates

My birthday is rapidly approaching, just days away.  I've never been one to celebrate biggly but friends got together this past week to bless me with their company - along with Bumpy cake and a few gifts. My favorite quads were there with cards made especially for me.  I have to share my favorite. This little 8 year old boy loves baseball and is into card collecting.  [I like to take a little credit for this!]  But more than that, he loves ME!

This was a good surprise indeed, and very clever.  He included a few picked from his collection and placed in a special pocket made within the card.

My many gifts included two hats - Tigers and Astros:

and a couple of good books:

I'm looking forward to Macho Row in particular.  1993 was the year I fell in love with the game for good, thanks to this team!  It didn't hurt that Darren Daulton was a prominent feature behind the plate. 

Yesterday, the postman delivered another package which nearly blew me away, literally.  During my temporary trade ban, incoming packages have been few.  This has allowed much needed time to organize my cards.  I still can't say how many dupes I have or what cards are needed for sets but all my thousands of cards are officially sorted by either player, set or binder mini-collections.   

In April, Matt found himself at Target, staring down new GQ blaster boxes.  He wasted zero time picking the right box, something I can't pull off.  After reading his post, and hearing elsewhere these retail blasters were loaded, I tried my luck.  Failing miserably, I then purchased two hobby boxes and failed again.  Matt had that old blaster magic.  From the same box, he pulled an auto and a 1/1 - both Tigers.  YNWV???   Why in West Virginia?   Hello Topps - over here!  Michigan!

Matt held onto these cards until this past week.  He did not know my birthday was only days away. He does know that I'll do my very best to put a great package together for him as soon as I am able. So imagine my surprise upon opening a package from this man:

The very cards he pulled in April!  Jaw-dropping!  How he felt I deserved these beauties I will never know.  I am humbled and nearly hysterical!  Numbered out of 35, an auto from the 2016 ROY Michael Fulmer...AND  a 1/1???  J.D. Martinez is becoming one of the hottest players in the game.  I've collected his cards for five years now.  This is beyond wild!  A true beauty!

We all know Matt!  And if you don't, you'd best get yourself acquainted with him!  He is generous and doesn't give a second thought to sending the rare pull to a trade pal. 

What more can I say?  Thank you Matt!