HERE COMES THE SUN...

Cards haven't been a priority the past few weeks. Our cardboard hobby has changed a lot in the past year and in turn, so has my collecting. I haven't read the blogs since Topps was released and have yet to see a single card. I'll be around of course, to check out your opinions. The early previews had my head spinning. Toppruss. That's all I can can come up with for a description. We are a short time away from the Heritage for which I'd waited years and it makes me sad to say, I no longer care. 

While I've spent less time and no money on cards this year, I'm not throwing in the towel just yet.  There are older cards I'm still searching for and have actually received recently, including a few set finishers.

Tom - Waiting til Next Year   

    1992 Heritage = complete

(3) 1992 & (1) 93 Heritage

    1997 UD SP - missing one card for completion, 155 Gwynn.

    1995 Ultra Power Plus - done!

    1991 Fleer Pro Visions. All of these cards passed through my hands over the years. I waited until 2020 to build the set. Still need 3, 4, 5, 9 and 10.

Gavin - Baseball Card Breakdown

    1994 Studio Heritage: need 1, 5 and 8

    1998 UD Wonder Years - done!

    1996 UD Lovero:  still need 3, 4, 7, 8 and 10

How is it even possible this card wasn't part of my collection long ago, for the bat alone????

     2000 Fleer Greats of the Game - complete!

Jeff - Wax Pack Wonders

    1991 Score Dream Team, subset complete

    1992 Studio Heritage - one of the last cards needed! Complete.

    1993 Stadium Club - a beauty

    from my TCDB want list

    Hey Pardner - a new Dutch!  1993 Cardtoons

Cards like these keep me tied to the hobby. Outside of trading, only a few ebay purchases have been added to my collection. This month makes two years since I've been to a card show. I had plans to attend one a few months back but tougher covid restrictions were reinstated keeping me home. Trips to the card tables allowed me stock cards I've offered on pickpockets, a supply which won't run out any time soon. 

Sorting and checking cards off the old W/L is still fun so I won't disappear entirely. Spring is nearing which means a return to outside chores. Warmer weather will allow time with friends too, sitting on the back deck with coffee or around the firepit. I have missed the sunshine but missed my friends more. It was July the last time I had a group gathering. 

I've been doing a little reading. Naturally, I catalog all books read. Here's a snippet of the past few months:

There are a few heavy titles in there, eh? Still found time for some baseball though. "Wax Pack" was a Christmas gift and a fun read. The book jacket feels like an old Topps wrapper. The cover itself has a waxiness to it, missing only the sugary sweet scent of bubblegum. The author shares his personal struggles with a stutter and obsessive compulsive disorder with the story of road-tripping to meet the players found in a random pack of 86 Topps baseball cards. 

I've also taken up an old love of mine: acoustic guitar. I played regularly until I moved to Michigan. I found myself busy exploring life here and dealing with a ridiculous commute. Combined with overtime, there wasn't enough  time to do everything. Here's a peek into my quiet space:

Ibanez [Ibby] on the left, and a crazy little Luna travel guitar [Vinnie] on the right but my favorite [Carter] is a sweet solid mahogany Crafter, my newest addition joining the family only last month. Woods make a difference in tone. Spruce on the Ibanez gives off a bright tone while mahogany is more mellow and warm with a midrange voice. 

Guitar was always important to me. I was afraid too much time had passed but that old rhythm is still in my bones.  Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot, Beatles, Eagles, Van Morrison, Neil Diamond, Indigo Girls and so many other singer/songwriters - all part of my playlist. I may be a little rusty but the dog has yet to howl at me. 

Right now, I'm sitting in the hobby room enjoying a moment to catch up the blog. I promised a round of pickpockets which is now a couple weeks overdue. If  you and I have traded, I implore you to pick, pick, pick. Please keep this in mind should you want to bless me with 2021 Tigers or any cards from my want lists. You'll see some 2020 Update Turkeys within these pages, given to me by a friend. Nothing like some hand-me-downs to share with you. Maybe by the time Stadium Club comes around, I'll feel differently. I'm not opposed to future trading but please understand for the immediate future, cards from me will be found via picking my pockets. My needs can be found on the tabs.

Thanks for stopping by to knock a little dust off this blog!

                   

Cards From The Coach

Put me in coach. I'm ready to trade. Today.  In truth, it was mid-July. Coach Tom needed Big League help - or was it biggly help? Well he got Big League. Desperate for anything baseball, a  friend and I opened a stack of packs. I helped a couple of pals knock some cards off their wantlists and they each rewarded me generously. I shared my goods from Shlabby last week. 

P-Town's thank-you included a card from a set I'd never seen. This insert is from 2000 Pacific Invincible, Kings of the Diamond:

I won't go off on my regular rant about Juan Gon. His was one of my first player collections when I followed the Rangers in the early 90s. By 1999, I was over him and so were the Rangers. He was traded to Detroit. Baby Juan wanted the Tigers to bring in the fences so he could knock his balls out of the park. They did not and he left, taking his balls with him. This is a cool card and fits nicely into the Tiger collection.

How about this 1978 Hostess Milt May, a fix for my sweet tooth - cut out with loving care. The black still shows around three sides of the card.

Big League help was in store for me too. Orange parallel Tigs and a Tuve;

I was so disappointed the day I learned Shoop was a Shcope.  The 2020 baseball season is what it is and for him, that was 44 games. Schoop suffered a wrist injury ending his season early. What IS early in a 60 game season? I never saw the Tigers play this year. My only source for baseball is satellite tv. No cable out in these here woods. Satellite innernets allow no quality streaming options. Watching a box break can be painful.

Tom pulled a special card from his Big League and teased me with it on his blog. I assumed it was me but it could've been any Tiger fan who also enjoys catchers. Can you spot the card?

That's a fun little autograph on Jake's first Big League card! I'm sure his parents are proud.  He didn't make an appearance this MLB season but there's always next year. 

Tom, thank you for a fun swap! 

I have to be honest with you, my reader friends. This has been a tough year for me and the game. The sting of the Astros scandal hurt a lot this spring. The Tigers had little to offer, during another year of their life-long [my life] rebuild.  The season shut down before it began and then, the waiting. By the first of July, I really didn't care anymore. The ginormous salaries have disgusted me for sometime. Trout signs yet another ridiculous contract. Talent is one thing but come on - no athlete is worth these sums of money. I look at the world we are living in right now and realize none of this truly matters. 

How is my collecting and an occasional hoarding mentality making the world a better place to live? The hobby is fun and more so when shared. I find less joy collecting new players. I narrowed my focus to four players - and two of these fellows are deceased. The living are Posey and Altuve. I enjoyed a little Stadium Club this past month but new cards haven't meant much to me this year. I can tell you what has made the difference for me. You.

My fellow collectors - readers and bloggers alike - you have made my year better. Generosities have been many with freebies everywhere. I put up my Pick Pockets tab in January. It took sometime for folks to find it but you did. That made me happy. I love sharing and giving. This blog has given away over 1000 cards this year. I know because I've kept a spreadsheet - who picked and when, and how many cards. And the year isn't over. So many of you have used this opportunity to return the favors, knocking cards off my wantlists. Thank you for this. Maybe giving away a few cards is making your day a little brighter. Perhaps that matters.

So about those Pickpockets. The tab is down for a couple of days while I update the page and add new cards. You'll see it this weekend, probably Sunday afternoon/evening. I have the cards ready to scan and upload. I am still offering cards to anyone who stumbles across this blog for the first time. Cards have been designated for trade pals and regular readers. This will not change. I think it's important to reward my trade pals first. Going forward, trade partners get first picks. For the first 7-10 days, it's trade pals only. After that, I'll open the page up to regular readers too with an announcement on the page for "open-trading season".  I have 3000+ cards to choose from every time we have a new round. As long as I can afford the postage, your virtual dime box will be here - and free.

Thank you for keeping the hobby fun and for supporting this blog. And with that...

***************************************************

It's Round Six! Your candidates are factory sets!  

1987 Sportflics offers a complete 200 card base set with an additional 136 Team Logo Trivia Cards, more aptly named 'trivial' cards. Many of these little buggers find their way to file 13. Trivialities aside, this set is full of star cards. I believe this set is also known for the first use of a color player photo on the card back. Feel free to correct me on this...and risk having your ballot voided. LOL.

CANDIDATE A:

Not a fan of the 'flics? Well Candidate B is vying for your vote! In fact, it's been pining for acceptance since 1989.  Bowman is back! With it's annoying, slightly oversized design, 89 Bowman has been filling dime boxes since 19...89.  [?]  But - and there always is one - what about that Griffey Jr rookie card?  This factory box is still sealed. Junior is likely as minty fresh today as he was upon insertion. One thing this box offers you - storage for the 484 card set.

CANDIDATE B:

Are you whining? This is a serious election. Faced with candidates that may not appeal to you, will you vote anyway?  Every vote counts at the end of this election. Consider these cards trade fodder or add them to your collection. Per usual, a rule recap is in order:

This prize package is growing. Mail in votes count too. Cards from Tom and Shlabby netted them each a vote. Any cards received on or before November 3rd  count.  November 4th = too late.

Now get to votin'!  Please?

Who Needs A Catchy Title: a P-Town Post

This blog would never stoop to puns and word play. I don't have it in me. It would require effort on my part. Dang. I'm lazy. So lazy that I quit my job Friday, three days early. I still gave a full two weeks notice with Feb 1 as my last day.  I plan to spend the next couple of weeks with my feet propped on the desk, nail file in hand.

True story: A new hire with previous experience joined my group the week before Christmas. We had a team meeting to discuss what her responsibilities would entail. Right there in front of her co-workers and our manager, she actually said - and I quote: that's not convenient for me.  Pin drop. WHO DOES THIS?  Manager smiles and keeps talking. How does this go without a comment of some sort? Not even  'we can talk about this later'?  Well...working with you is not convenient for me. Three different team members at three different times have told her to remove the staples before running a copy. Her document kept jamming. Really? Just what is it she has experience doing?

I'm leaving gracefully, on my terms with a little help from Cubbie man, P-Town Tom.

The good Mr. Olson has always kept me stocked with my birthdate-mate Mark and the forever young Sandberg. Ryne is no help here however, in action as I sit pondering my upcoming unemployment. Such a showy second baseman. A tux Ryno? Who you tryin' to impress?

Tom picked up these shiners from a local fire sale. Bragging of his limited availability, Altuve says he's numbered out of 99.  Be humble, little man.  

P-town packages include a nicely written note on a page from a HOF daily calendar. I've wanted one of these for a couple years but wouldn't you know I'd find out about them just when they're no longer in print. Supplementing the note are the team of 61 Post Yost and Burnside. Never heard of this Ty Cobb fellow. 

I'm not sure why I ever began collecting backstops in gear, dressed in their Sunday best. Looking over their cards, I'm severely overcome with the need to nap. Exhausting. Go get that ball guys . I'll just watch from here.

This is just too much. Back in the binder boys. Enough exercise for one day! 

Tom, thanks for these fanatic catcher additions. I'm topped with backstops 1980 and later.  The boys on 92 Score made the design pop. I had to seek out a complete set. 

Keep sending those positive vibes my way! I'm soon without a job, no health insurance. I've been applying around the web. Perhaps I'd improve my chances by taking 'lazy' off the resume. That would require some effort on my part so, nah.

Walkin' and Waitin'...

I love trading and sharing cards all around.  When shipping 20 or so mailers in December, I wasn't expecting to receive nearly as many in return - within the same month!

 I do my best every day, to live life in the moment.  It's something I've preached for years.  We truly only have right now - this breath, this heartbeat - for living. Work is a given, so there's 45-50 hours gone plus the two to three hours I spend commuting everyday. I could read, blog, enjoy music or cards, eat, sleep, exercise, visit friends etc.   Time only spreads itself around so far and then it's bedtime.  If I could keep my eyes open longer, I'd be writing more often. So given this, I am behind on blogging/sharing the great trades that came my way over the holidays. 

 

P-town Tom, always waiting -  and thanks for that!  Here are some of the great and colorful beauties he sent my way at the end of December:

 

Tom wrote a nice note on the back of this calendar intro.  This is more of a note to myself - GET THIS CALENDAR NEXT YEAR!
 

From Diamond Kings, one of the best unlicensed products of 2015.

 

Minis from 87 and 88, next to a 2011 Mud Hen!

Colorful and odd

2015 A&G featuring one of my least favorite pics of Miggy.  Nice looking design overall.

Topps 2000 - already 15 years old.  A bit freaky.

Tom is always great to share his extra Sandbergs.  Along with Mark Grace, Sandberg is a favorite Cubbie.  I have PCs of both boys.

1979 Topps.  Fly Bird, fly.  A career ended too soon.  He passed much too early as well.  What a wonderful card!  Tom, thanks for these.  Packages from Peoria are always packed with surprises!

That said - written? -  a package from Matt, BWTP  contains nothing less than a surprise or two or six:

  2006 Turkey Red pinstripe; 2003 Finest Refractor Oswalt

 

2008 shiny Spectrum /75;  2011 A&G mini pinstripe

 

2015 Museum big fat card /99 sweet!

 

All great additions to my growing Astros collection but wait for it...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BAM!

 

Sticker, schmicker.  who cares?  It's ALTUVE!  2014 Prizm, all mine! 

 

 Surprise?!?!  Matt, wow!  You knocked me over with this one. 

 

I am so fortunate to trade with the best guys around the blogs.  I have so much more cardboard to share.  Thanks for being a patient bunch too!

 

No Trades Left Behind - final edition PLUS THE CLAW

Is it possible to be caught up?  If I can post this before the next mail delivery, then YES! 

Earlier this month, I shared some great cards and announced the most recent prize winner.  Cynical Buddha, your cheesy 90s set shipped yesterday.  In the meantime there are a few more trade partners to thank, in no particular order. 
 

Playah at the Plate, Brian sent a welcome package which arrived at my new address before I did.  He included a number of 2008 Upper Deck Documentary cards - some are shown here.  I do appreciate these cards which are from an issue I didn't purchase, nor ever intend to purchase even at a tremendously discounted price.  For all of the many good things from Upper Deck, there were an appalling number of releases.  This may be the bane of them all!  With a 4890 card BASE set, Upper Deck attempted to document every single game of the 2008 season.  I'm not sure I'd want to meet the persons who completed this set, all likely serial killers.

 

A few cards from Pacific, a company who could not compete for my 90's collecting dollars:

. 

Nice Chrome additions:

 

 

Blue and green parallels:

Brian, thanks so much for thinking of me!  I'll round up some Rangers and send 'em your way!  Hope you are safe from the current flooding in DFW!

P-town Tom, always waiting til next year - well, maybe next year.  I was rooting for those fellas!  A young Cub team will surely give us another reason to believe in 2016.  Tom sent a nice lot of cards my way too:

Kinsler grinding his palm down:

 

 AUTOS AND RELICS!

That last card #/99 features Ordonez - and a World Series bound Granderson - from a nicely designed 2008 Upper Deck's A Piece of History. It bears a strong resemblance to recent Triple Threads issues.

Tom included breakfast cards - always the most important of the day:

 

A deckling of Willie Horton from 1969 Topps.  Sah-weet!   Tom included a nice note welcoming me to the Midwest.  Thanks so much!!


Matthew not a scurvy dog Scott dropped a pwe in the mail recently containing these fellas:

Knebel is knice itself but Matt included Fan Favorites, always-on-card autos of  Fryman and Tettleton.  Totally awesome from Bob Walk the Plank - thank you!


And finally, John Miller from Johnny's Trading Spot also sent a welcome package:

I always do what I'm told...

Playing Hardball with Higginson and Stuck on Sparky - both Fleer fun!

Gold?  GOLD!



Studio produced many gorgeous issues over the years but blew it in 1995.  A charge card design? 

There's gold in them thar Topps! Black gold. Maybe even a little fools gold for those who completed these parallel sets.  

I completed my first parallel set with 94 Donruss.  Did someone say fool?  Ok, I completed two sets. Now that's off my chest... Confessing my foolishness always makes me feel a bit better about myself.

As you can see, John sent a big helping of Fielders my way, putting a large dent in my pc.  Several of these are cool oddball issues. What is it with Fielder and food?  Probably a contract including sausage and cereal for life.

1993 SP featured an early die cut insert with Platinum Power, inserted on average one in nine packs.  These were super hot cards upon release.  Pricey enough that I never attempted to complete the set.  High BV now is $12 on the most popular of the 20 card set.

If these cards weren't sweet enough, John managed to send one more item - personalized for me:

The current VP and Asst GM for the White Sox personalized an older photo with a trophy signature.  John, I'm not sure how you pulled this off but this is one of the most unique items I've received from a trade pal. Perhaps a little card show magic?  You went all out for this auto and I more than appreciate the time you took.  This gem will always be special!  Thank you again - and a stack of Braves will be looking for a new home very soon.

 

Wow - there it is.  Whoop!!  If I've forgotten anyone at all, please let me know.  Cards were coming in while I was packing to move, during the move, and while unpacking.  It became rather difficult to keep up.  I want to share the generosity of all my blog pals with others out there. 

NOW FOR THE PLUS!
This leads us to the giveaway portion of my post:

THE CLAW HAS CHOSEN....

 

If you want a chance to win Mark T the B'head you must be resident of the USA and comment  below to enter.  Schmoozing is always good  ;)  but not required.   Wow, isn't that just easy?  Sometime next Saturday Oct 31st, I'll randomize FOUR times and the new owner will be announced.

 

Thanks for reading!