tradin'

I have updated my wantlist and 'what I collect' pages to the right. In the 'what I collect' area, I have added a few players that I have decided to start pulling out of my collection and add them into my personal collection.

These are:

Kirby Puckett, Tony Gwynn and Frank Thomas for retired players.
Josh Hamilton, Danny Valencia and Chris Coghlin for active players.

Why Coghlin? Well, I have a few nice hits of his plus he was the 2009 NL Rookie of the Year, that has to count for something right?

I have also updated my 2011 Topps Chrome list. I still need a decent amount to finish it off and maybe you can help. I have a plethora of 2011 cards over here and perhaps you need some. I am willing to trade up to ten cards per one card you send me off my want list.

I have a bunch of these sets available:

(all 2011)
Gypsy Queen
Allen & Ginter
Chrome
Series 1 and 2 (tons of 1, decent amount of 2)
Update (a small stack)
Lineage (limited)
Stickers (unstuck, obviously)
Pro Debut


If you are trying to finish off a set, send me a want list and I'll see what I can do to help out your set. All I ask in return is something off my want list (not what I collect list, although those I will trade for too). Say you have two cards from Chrome I need and you need some in return, I would be willing to send up to 20 Chromes for those two (or any number lower, if I have only say, 13 of them). It works for any set I just named though so if you need something, let me know and we will work something out. I will have my Update want list up shortly too, probably after I post this.

the good side of ebay (for me)

Remember last post when I was talking about the Triple Threads I had ripped? Do you also remember the post I had before that one talking about that seller on eBay that expected too much for his card? Well, this post will sort of tie them both together.

I had mentioned that I had grabbed some Triple Threads and Marquee singles and that I would show them when they came. Well most of them have so I may as well show 'em off.

First up some Triple Threads Unity relics and two Marquee autos:


Some Triple Threads Unity auto/relics:


Marquee Titanic Threads and a lone Finest auto/relic:


Some Marquee Gametime Mementos and Acclaimed Impressions:

Note the Drabek. This was the card I was chasing from the seller who wanted too much (he relisted btw, with a $19.99 buy it now and it didn't sell, now he has it up again with a $29.99 buy it now or best offer, whatever dude). Like I had mentioned this cards patch wasn't as nice but it is a little more unique. I can't tell what its from but maybe a fellow Jays fan (or even a non-Jays fan) could tell me where the left patch comes from. The Danny Valencia is also my new player to collect. This card is absolutely sweet with the left patch being the Majestic logo. I'm watching a triple relic/auto of his from Threads this year too.

Finally some Drabeks and a triple relic:

Yeah, I went a little nuts but at least they are parallels! Well, one is numbered to 99 and the other two to 75, so technically I do have a duplicate. The Smith/Jeter/Rollins seems like its a huge card but it really doesn't go for much on the 'Bay. See? Thats why eBay is great. I snagged all these for super great deals. Now sure some of these aren't great players but they are nice hits from super premium products. Some I looked for, some I caught them right before they ended and got lucky with a really low bid. I took the stance 'if I win, I win cheap, if I lose, no biggie'. There are still a few on the way but nothing big. If I come across something big, I'll be sure to post it here.

the big gamble and the burning question

Topps puts out many sets throughout the year. I'm willing to bet Triple Threads is the one that gets the least amount of attention around here, and with good reason too. It's hobby only (try finding a hobby shop these days), its definitely not cheap and sometimes the risk isn't worth the reward. I've always had a tough curiosity with this product. Sure we've all seen cards online or at shows and maybe even we've bought some cheap online (I know I have) but it isn't the same. There is something about busting a box and pulling the cards yourself, hoping for the best to appear in your grubby hands.

Well this years set comes out and the curiosity got the better of me. Its not hard to see why most of us don't bust this set. $200 for 14 cards is really tough to swallow and even harder on our wallets. At my local shop, after some cash (well, a credit card), some trade fodder and some hours owed at a later date, I found myself with a box of 2011 Triple Threads. Thankfully he was able to work out that trade/work/cash deal, otherwise this is WELL out of my price range for a box of cards. I've seen these busted at the store last year but not this year. If you aren't familiar with how its packaged, it's a small box, with two smaller boxes inside. Inside those are a blank, shiny silver pack holding your cards. Each 'pack' has three base cards, two parallel base cards and two relics/autos or combination thereof. We all know the base cards are numbered to 1500 and the parallels get smaller numbers from there. Here are the base cards:

Nothing to blog about but NO ONE is buying this set for the base cards. They don't look bad, just too much border going on. I should note that the Pee Wee Reese was traded to me for an Adrian Gonzalez by the shopkeep (Sox sell better than Dodgers 'round here). The Jackie is going to the PC. Here are the parallels:

I did pull a Derek Jeter numbered to 99 but that was also traded to the shopkeep. I like the green of the Stanton and think they probably should have went with that color for the base set. Now onto the hits:

I really can't complain here. I really can't. Two relics of guys I collect (Cobb and Tulo), a great up-and-coming player (Gonzalez) and....Hank Conger. The Cobb and Conger came in the same pack and the Tulo/Gonzalez were in the first pack. I did manage to trade for this too:

Don't know much about him except that it wouldn't sell in the shop so I got it for a good deal (thats where Jeter went towards).

Overall, was the risk worth the reward? Did I end up winning in the end? Did I beat Topps?? Probably not but this did produce one of the best pulls I've ever pulled from a pack of cards. This Cobb certainly rivals the 2009 T206 Ruth bat relic I pulled and may even be better due to it being numbered so low. How do you think I did? I did even better online for stuff I was actually seeking out from both Marquee and Triple Threads, which I'll show once it all gets here. Some up and coming Jays, a new guy that started a new PC for me, and some other various (a Met, a Phille and two Cubs and a few others) cards I got almost embarrassingly cheap.

Oh and two things: The dope I was going to get that Marquee Drabek from reposted the card but this time with a starting price of $19.99. Second; when someone sells a Triple Threads relic card, it only has three pieces in there. I have no idea why they feel the need to point out that it has 27 windows or whatever. Its three damn pieces! I guess my Cobb is an eight piecer! (if periods count)


The burning question stems from this very card:

Sure its possibly my best pull ever but how am I to know thats bat in there? How do I know its not Patty from accountings desk in there? Now, I'm not one to call Topps a liar or to say that they are just screwing us with these relics. How am I to tell that this was once part of a bat that Ty Cobb once used to probably hit one of his 4189 hits? How are we to tell that they aren't just chopping up old office furniture and calling it a bat piece? I mean sure it's a long shot and certainly they could be in a heap of trouble if found out but one has to think, "How many bats do they have from guys like Ruth, Cobb, Wagner, etc?" Eventually they have to dry up right? I mean a current player all they presumably have to do is say "Hello, Ken Griffey Jr, we are making trading cards with bat pieces, please hold and swing each of these 12 bats for us." and call it a day. Is it right? No but far cheaper. I don't know maybe I'm just being a conspiracy theorist but its just something I think about here and there when I get an old timer relic. I'm willing to bet that relics are the real deal but somewhere in the back of your mind you have to doubt it even for just a little.

sometimes card people are the worst...

Not you guys. The eBay guys. You know the type, rip n' flip, not a real collector but someone who buys up cards and packs and cases just to make a buck. More than likely uses Beckett as the be all end all of pricing? Yeah, those guys. I feel that eBay is the best type of forum to determine a cards real value. Sure auto/relics of semi-stars and no name players go for five bucks and they probably shouldn't. If it's not a hot rookie, a player from the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers or Braves or an old timer, that card probably won't go for much. Thats where we step in. When we can grab our favorite players at a steal of a deal, it's just plain awesome.

Now here is what spurred this. I was trolling the 'Bay for some high end, just released autos/relics of Jays. Stuff from Marquee and Triple Threads, you know. I had came across a sweet Kyle Drabek auto dual patch from Marquee. Problem was, the auction was over. I checked the other ended items just for ha-has (more on that in a second) and found that this seller had listed this card twice. It didn't sell either time, so I decided to send him a message.

Dear XXXXX (seller),
Just curious if you still had the Drabek from 2011 Marquee. I didn't see it until tonight and the auction had already ended. If you're willing to sell, I'd be good for $14.00 including shipping. Let me know, thanks.
- XXXXX (me)

Now, keep in mind that this card was listed at a starting bid of $12.99 and $3.00 shipping, which I would totally be willing to pay (its a sweet card) and it didn't sell twice so I figured $14 was reasonable. Here was his response:

Dear XXXXX (me),

Yes still have the Drabek... I will sell it for $25 shipped.

TY,
----

- XXXXX (seller)

Huh? What happened here that doubled the cards value? I know that Marquee isn't cheap but a card goes for what it goes for. Here is what I responded back with:

Dear XXXXX (seller),

Are we talking about the same card? You had it at $12.99 starting bid, it ended twice with no bids. I figured if I caught it before it had ended I would have gotten it for $16 after shipping, so I thought $14 was a fair offer seeing as how it didn't sell twice.

- XXXXX (me)

Am I being out of line? I don't think so but here is his response:

Dear XXXXX (me),

Oh damn...sorry I am going to hold onto that card...He might turn out to be awesome.

Thanks though,

----

- XXXXX (seller)

So....you're willing to potentially sell for $12.99, until I show a little interest? Now, I checked the completed items. This exact card, not a parallel or anything, went for as low as $2.25. The last six that ended went for this (that sold, that is):

$12.99
$7.99
$7.50
$2.25
$3.25
$12.07

The two that ended around $12 were just as nice, if not nicer than his. Meaning one window had a multi-color patch and the other a white swatch. The other four were white swatch/grey swatch combos. This guy clearly wants too much for his stuff as soon as a little interest is shown. Looking at his other items, he has other cards up for way too much (all buy it nows). Its guys like this that kill this hobby, that follow Beckett's every word and whim and sell for as much as they feel a card is worth as opposed to true market value. Hey, whatever, I'll gladly buy from someone else once the opportunity arises. I just figured he may want the sale. Sure he may someday sell the card for $25 but after relisting it so many times, eBay gets their cut each time, thus lowering his overall profit. Good luck with the $25 dope!

Here is the card (but not his):

See, its awesome. His has a black/blue/silver patch on the left. Something will come up and I'll grab it for the right price.

patterns and updates

Man, I really wish I could get this scanner/printer to work right. I'd really love to have pictures accompany my thoughts on 2011 Update. I haven't purchased much. A few racks, a $9.99 Target box and some loose packs. With $$$ being a bit tight I'm forced to cut back a little. It's entirely alright though and I'll explain why (I'll get to Update in a second).

This being the second year that I have come back into collecting, I have noticed a pattern with my buying habits. First off, I have cut out a lot of the impulse packs and such that I bought so much of early on in 2010. When I got back into collecting, I had nothing, so naturally buying up anything and well...everything, seemed right. To see what I had missed. It was certainly a good lesson in past years of sets and players and so on but it left me with a mountain of cards. Thankfully I found blogging and fellow collectors on here that were willing to trade for their favorite teams and players. Or maybe they just wanted to finish off a set and I was more than glad to help. Topps flagship is a different story though. I have noticed that in both 2010 and 2011 a pattern has definitely made itself apparent. What I do is buy up a TON of series 1. Probably because it is a new year and the lack of baseball has be frothing for some cardboard goodness. Then series 2 hits and I buy a bunch but it is always significantly less. I'd say about half of what I did for series 1. Maybe it is due to the glut of products Topps puts out in between that kills my wallet and I'm a little burnt on cards at the moment. Or in the case of this year, little work=little money. Then Update hits around now and I end up buying even less than series 2, roughly half of that I'd say. I finish off the sets but then in the case of series 1, I kept buying. I have no idea why but I did. I know that last year in the case of Update, I knew it was hitting in mid-October and I was getting married about a week later. Little time for cards. This year its the summer lack of cash hitting again. So is my pattern due to circumstance or is it just how things work? I would say a little of both. Circumstance certainly has more to do with it but by the time Update hits I'm burnt on collecting and just want to finish off the set and be done with it. Topps releases so much during the year and I try to sample it all (high end not withstanding) so it just kills my drive. I did buy less this year than last year, which is good. Less stuff I don't need and more of what I set out to collect, which is something I wanted to focus on in the 2011 collecting year.

Anyway, enough of my silliness, how about some Update?

Again, I would love to have pictures but I almost don't need them because its Update and we've all seen them. When the set hit eBay I scoured to see if they had added any more legends variations and found that they had. 25 more to the fray, bringing up the total to 74 for all three series. If you need the list, I added them to the checklist on baseballcardpedia. I would like to collect them all again, so If you come across any, I'll definitely trade for them. I did manage to pull one, Paul O'Neill. I will trade for any of them but I won't be actively chasing the parallel versions just the regular white border ones.

Speaking of parallels, Update is FILLED with them and I don't mind. The congnac parallels are pretty nice and the Target red border are really cool too. Wal-Mart has a blue border (of course) and the Hope Diamond blue I haven't seen in person yet but I'm sure they look nice too. Speaking of Wally and Target, did anyone buy an blaster from either place? Do they still have the throwback and all black parallels? I hope not. As cool as the throwbacks are I think the red/blue borders are much nicer and I hope that blasters replaced the old parallels with the new ones.

As far as inserts go it seems that there are only Topps 60, Kimball Champions, and Diamond Duos, which are numbered the same as series 2 and have NO distinction as to which set it comes from. No idea why Topps did this but if you get a DD-22 from series 2 and DD-22 from Update, they look identical save for the players, making set building that much harder...if anyone even bothered collecting them. Sure ToppsTown are there but no one cares and thankfully are a little harder pull. I will be collecting the Kimballs too and will have a list up soon on my wantlist page.

Other than that Update is filled with some great action shots from the summer, All-Stars and some new rookies and is pretty much what you expect from series three at this point. I would like to finish off a set and if you find yourself with some extra Update you don't mind donating over, I'll gladly take 'em.

now that all the cranky fans are gone...

We can finally get back to some baseball. Around here I usually have to listen to Red Sox fans complain about the Yankees and Yankee fans gloat about how they're so much better than Sox fans. While I do lean to the Yankee side of things, I still don't need to constantly hear about it. Now that both teams have been eliminated it's almost as if no one cares what is going on with the playoffs over here. Damn them. This is the most exciting postseason I've witnessed. No, it hasn't been many but I'm sure if I had seen others and paid attention to them they way I am this year, I am positive this year would still be best.

When the wild card race was winding down and that night where there were four very important games deciding who was going and who went home, I was glued to MLBNet (the channel) until well into the midnight hour. The greatness just wouldn't end. The Cardinals won their game easy, so as long as the Braves lost, they were in. The braves did lose but not before going to extra innings and giving it all they had. Well played Braves. Same thing with the American League. I was SURE I would see the Sox as the wild card but they couldn't get it done and the "never-count-us-out" Rays beat the Yankees in an EPIC comeback for the ages. Just incredible.

When it broke down to there being eight teams, I was sure it would end up like this:

Rays over the Rangers
Yankees over the Tigers
Phillies over the Cardinals
Brewers over the DIamondbacks

Well, I got one right, although I thought the Brewers would take them in three. I am glad that all of these series (except the Rays/Rangers) went to five games. So much more excitement when the series is tied and everything is on the line down to the final game. Man were we all sure around here that it would be a Phillies/Yankees rematch in the World Series. You know what? I actually glad it's not. The Rangers, Brewers, Cardinals and Tigers all worked really hard to get here and they all really deserve to be. The interesting thing about the NLCS this year is that it is a rematch of the Brewers and Cardinals from the 1982 World Series, that the Cards won. The Brewers know this and I'm sure would LOVE to stick it to the Cards and go all the way. They're who I'm rooting for. All the way too. I'd love to see a Tigers/Brewers series.

Well, we will see what happens over the next couple of days and heres hoping these series go to seven games as well. It just shows that all four teams are playing there best and want it that much more. The worst is seeing a team get there and lose all four of the first four games to then be eliminated. With all that said, let's go Brewers!

finals

Final rounds. For these next three, pic three cards from each picture.

Matt- Morgan, Baylor, Hunter
Dan- cullen, bando, alomar


Dan- Fregosi, Gamble, Spikes
Matt- roberts, rodriguez, sudakis


Matt- Petrocelli, Santo, Patton
Dan- jarvis, fiore, mcmullin

And for our finale, pick any one of these.

Dan- Snider
Matt- Ford

A big thanks to you two for participating. I hope you had fun choosing your cards. I should have them out to you soon (Matt I still need your address).

rounds 8, 9, 10

For this round, pick two:

Dan- lane, rivera
Matt- thies, wright

For these next two, pick four cards from each picture.

Matt- boozer, alley, crandall, williams
Dan- richert, valespino, gardner, chance


Dan- wynn, northrup, conigliaro, brown
Matt- knoop, santiago, ortega, mcloghlin

After this, only four rounds left, which I'll probably do tomorrow!

rounds 5, 6, and 7

For these first two, pick one from each picture.

Matt- Bailey
Dan- Harrison


(the horizontal hard to read one is Andre Dawson, in case you can't tell)
Dan- Carter
Matt- Dawson

For the vintage cards pick three each. At the end of the break, you'll both end up with 20 pre-1976 vintage cards each.

Matt- Williams, Piche, Jackson
Dan-Phillips, Walker, Daley

rounds 1, 2, 3 and 4

Let's begin. First off, I went through a computer issue about a month ago and I had to wipe my hard drive and install a new copy of OSx. In that process I did lose everything (which wasn't much) but I also lost the ability to connect my scanner/printer to my computer. I tried to get it to work but I have to trick the comp into letting it install (it worked before but won't now). So for all the pictures in this break I am using my phone camera and sending them to my email and posting them here. I apologize if they come out not so great but if you can't make something out let me know and I'll let you know what it is.

Now, for each of these rounds, pick one card you'd like. Actually with the Legends Variations you can pick from either picture, I just split them up between the verticals and horizontals for the pictures but you can pick any two you like.

Dan- Schmidt
Matt- Roberts


Matt- Smith
Dan- Robinson


Dan- Santana
Matt- Simpson


Matt- Carter
Dan- Braun

I'll try and keep the rounds quick, happy pickin's!

break is closed

The break is closed. Matt and Dan will start taking their picks tomorrow, once I post the first batch of cards. Now would be the time to send the payment (Paypal, krustytheclown138ATyahooDOTcom, gift option) if you have not done so already. Each post will have X amount of cards and I'll let you know how many to pick. Since there are only two of you I imagine this to go rather quickly.



Oh and for those of you who grabbed some of those teams in the team break, I have shipped them. I shipped on Thursday and I imagine they should be arriving this week. A couple of things about those:

The bad news: I couldn't really fit the multi-team cards into any of the boxes.

The good news: I couldn't fit them into said boxes because I stuffed those boxes so full of teams you picked that I simply ran out of room. It looks like I underestimated the amount of cards on some of the teams (especially on teams I've never traded away before) but thats only better for you guys.

I do still have a bunch of teams left and if anyone is interested, let me know and I'll see which teams I have left and we'll go from there.