Hello, my name is Robert M., and I'm a parallel/serial numbered card addict

Good evening to you all, hope that your week is off to a good start.  As I've talked about in previous posts, personal experiences play a big part in blog posts, so I figured I would delve a little into my past to enhance what I want to talk about in the present.

You may or may not have figured out what the post title represents.  If you, or any one of your family members may have dealt with an alcohol or drug problem, that is how people introduce themselves at meetings.  I personally have never joined Alcoholics Anonymous, but have had a close family member actually leave home for a month to enter a center and help himself "dry out".  I do not attempt to make light of this situation, I just use it to lead myself into this post, and offer a little more background into my life.  Anybody who knows AA is familiar with their 12 step program, and I am going to incorporate this into my own 12 step program for a better blog (for me anyways).  Look for that post soon.

OK then, enough of the preaching...on to what you came for,  the cards!!

Yes, I admit it, I am an addict when it comes to serial numbered parallels.  Hence the 2nd blog I'm working on as well.  I don't know what it is about serial numbered cards that fascinates me so much.

Case in point...

Reed Johnson, Chicago Cubs.  Card # US157 from this years Topps Update.  Cards are exactly the same except for the gold border on the left card.  Oh and the "60 years of collecting", can't forget that.

The only difference on the back?

0780/2011...

That's it...

HUH?

What's wrong with this picture.  Two minor details that are different from the original, and for some reason, I love the gold one more.  Makes no sense.

I've devoted an entire blog to chasing the damn cards.


















It's because of my obsession with numbers, of which baseball over the years has done nothing but enhance.  Formulas for generating ERA, winning percentages, magic numbers, batting averages, etc.  All of these numbers did nothing but exercise my mind.

I am a numbers freak, and always will be.  Some of the new stats, such as WAR and OPS+ I still have not taken the time to digest and figure out how they are calculated and what they really mean to a major league team.  But I digress...

Here's another case in point...

maybe one of the best baseball names ever...

Another great card I received on the weekend while I was away, with arguably one of the best baseball names ever, Wesley Dodge Swackhamer.  The reason I picked it up?  Well, it's serial numbered as you can plainly see.   Sick I tell you, I'm just sick.

I could have just as easily gone on about how Wes never made it above high A ball, or played for a team with the great name of Swing of the Quad Cities in the Midwest League.   But no, it's a parallel, that's why I have it.

I am weird.  But I love it, I really do.  This is what makes me unique.

Hi, I'm Robert M., and I'm a serial numbered parallel card freak, and it's a pleasure to meet you.

thanks for reading, Robert

(words in this post, 552:  total for the month, 7625)