You pay your money, you take your chances

The push was on for me a couple of weeks ago.  I was getting serial numbered cards in at a decent clip from the blogosphere, and I decided to do a little eBay hunting to see if I could land some more. 

Armed with some extra money from a couple of bonus checks, I decided to see if I could find a couple of larger gold parallel lots online.  Using my self-imposed "50 cent per card" ceiling, I was able to snag a couple of lots, large ones at that.  The only caveat to purchasing these lots were that I had no idea what the serial numbers were.

You pay your money, you take your chances.  These 2 lots totaled 111 gold parallels, and naturally the first thing I did when I received both lots is separate the cards, those with serial #'s above 1500 and those below.

Naturally, what do the cards numbered above 1500 become?  Trade bait.  I've already sent a couple of them off to a pair of regular trade partners, but now I have a bunch more that some of you might be looking for...

First the 2003 lot:

Next up are the 2011's,  there's a few more in these scans than the '13s:

Now there's sure to be more once I go through all the lower serial numbered cards, but I figured that this would be a good start for anybody that might be looking for a particular card or team. 

I'm trying to avoid the serial insanity posts this week, because they will likely be the staple of the blog next week while I'm back home visiting my family. 

One thing I am looking forward to while home next week is my first opportunity to visit the westTOcardshow on Sunday.  With the recent releases of A&G and OPC hockey, along with other sets and PCs I'd like to work on, the show will hopefully be a fruitful experience.

Just let me know if you're looking for any of those above, I'll be sure to set them aside for you.

Thanks for reading, Robert

For educational and trade purposes only

The pack ripping jones got me again.  I was at the big blue superstore on the weekend, and hoping for some inspiration in aisle 21, I got desperate and came home with a blaster box of Topps Archives.

I have absolutely no intention of collecting the set, but I figured I'd see what was what and maybe get a few cards worth trading to fellow collectors.

The cards aren't all that bad, replicating some cool sets from the past (not including 1990....I won't go there).  I also pulled a handful of inserts and a couple of SPs that might be on someone's want list, so without further adieu, let's have a look see...

Let's start with the SPs, guys with the nicknames Dewey and Bruno:

I will give Topps some credit here.  They've finally started using some other decent players, instead of the same old players that they seem to put into vintage/archives sets each year.  There are dozens of other names that have had decent careers that could be put into sets like this.  Names such as Fred Lynn, Dave Parker and Jose Cruz are 3 guys that instantly come to mind (without seeing the checklist for the '13 Archives set, I don't know if they are in the set this year).

How about a couple of NL All Stars:

Both the Hawk and the Straw man are earmarked for other bloggers, but these cards are pretty cool.  I'm wondering where the Dawson photo was taken (was spring training the time of year for the pic?) 

Here's some more inserts.  I will say that I also like the idea that Topps reached out to other designs from other sports to give a little variety to the different insert sets:

I really like the tall boys inserts, and the 72 basketball design could definitely grow on me as well.  I can't see how anyone would want those 4 particular Yankees on the same card.  Maybe some more famous pinstripers next time?   I don't think the Reds use the sleeveless unis like Rob Dibble is wearing, but that's something I wouldn't mind seeing come back.

Need particular cards to finish your set?  Here's a list of what I pulled that might help you out:

72 variation :  3,4,11,16,17,19,21,25,27,28,29,33,45,47
82 variation:  52,53,56,60,65,72,78,81,84,88,95,96,97,100
85 variation:  102,104,106,111,119,124,125,127,132,136,137,140,141,146
90 variation:  151,154,162,164,165,167,168,169,181,189,190,193,194,199

Comment or email if you're looking for any or all of these singles for your set building needs.

OK, now I'm educated.  This might be the first time I've ever attended summer school....

Thanks for reading, Robert

Serial Insanity cards 901-905

Keep them coming guys!!  I suspect that the "900s" might be one of the fastest group of cards to come in, I have at least the next 50 cards ready to be scanned and displayed for your viewing pleasure (if you could call it that).

5 more coming at you...

Card # 901:  Detroit Tigers team card

Serial Number:  536
Team:  Detroit Tigers, card # 23 out of 50

This is another team that I"m surprised I don't have more of already.   No matter, I do like this particular card showing their ALDS celebration.  It's a good thing the Tigers didn't have more days off in September 2011, because they went 20-6 for the month, including a 12 game winning streak, and they didn't lose twice in a row for the entire month.  Sounds like a playoff team to me..

Card # 902:  Jose Iglesias

Serial Number:  1115
Team:  Boston Red Sox, card # 30 out of 50

Got traded to the Tigers just in time as Miguel Cabrera appears to be injured.  Wonder if he'll be able to replace Miggy's production?

Card # 903:  Mike Leake

Serial Number:  1240
Team:  Cincinnati Reds, card # 29 out of 50

How about this for a weird correlation...in the seasons that Mike's WHIP is over 1.3, his batting average is .295 or higher.  In the seasons that his WHIP is 1.175 or lower, his batting average is .200 or lower.  Guess he feels that if he's letting his opponents get on base, he has to make up for it at the plate, and vice versa.

Card # 904:  Rick Ankiel

Serial Number:  239
Team:  Washington Nationals, card # 41 out of 50

The Nats become the 4th team to hit the 41 card plateau.  While I would have loved to see Rick Ankiel's career turn out a little better than it has, I will give a great deal of credit to the man for having persevered the way he did. 

Card # 905:  David Price

Serial Number:  1054
Team:  Tampa Bay Rays, card # 33 out of 50

2013 so far has netted David the most complete games in a season during his career (3).  Price is also leading the AL in SO/BB ratio  (5.93) and BB/9 (1.2).  Those numbers unfortunately don't translate into wins for him so far, as his record is only 6-5.   Maybe wins is an antiquated stat after all....??

Thanks for reading, Robert

Colors aplenty, but no blue tape

I've been fortunate to receive plenty of envelopes from fellow collectors over the 2+ years since I started this blog.  In those envelopes, there have been a whole lot of notes.  Some humorous, some complimentary, and all of them appreciated.

But the latest note I received from Brian at the fantastic Play at the Plate blog struck me as quite unusual.

Brian apologized for having run out of blue tape.  I don't think I'll ever see that again in an envelope.  No worries however, because what arrived in the envelope was still packed safe, and is more than welcome here.

Let's start with a couple of cards from sets that I didn't buy any of this year...

The first color will be white, as in a white framed paper card of Jose Reyes from this year's Gypsy Queen

I would not object to getting a few more of these in Blue Jay form.  I think they look really good.

This next card doesn't really have a color, and I didn't know that Archives had created an insert set of these this year, but this tall boy of Fred McGriff is really great.

How about some assorted blue, green and gold?

Not good enough?  Ok, maybe platinum isn't a color, but for me these do just as good!

OK, one more color for ya, a Bowman black border card.

Brian has been one of the biggest supporters of my serial numbered quest, and he didn't disappoint me in this envelope.  Now normally I don't show serial numbered cards in regular posts, but I have a couple of other colors that go with the theme of this particular post.

Let's start with purple.

It's too bad that the purple refractors from Topps Chrome weren't numbered to 1500, because I wouldn't object to having a bunch more of these as part of the 1500 card set.

Finally, how about a little bit of brown framed paper.  Oh, and a legendary player to boot...

hey Babe

No blue tape?  No problem, there was more than enough color in this envelope that I didn't notice!

Thank you Brian, another great envelope!!!  Much appreciated...

thanks for reading, Robert

2013 Topps Series 1: My top 5

I've wanted to do this post for the past 10 days now, but I kept putting it off when other ideas came to my mind.

Since I finally own all the cards in the set, I can honestly give my opinion as to what my top 5 are. 

Remember, it's not the top 5, these are the 5 cards that I like the best.  The one thing that I did notice while leafing through the 330 cards is that there is a lot of generic pitching and batting photos.  I finally managed to whittle down the 330 to 12, and then from those 12 I chose my 5 favorites.

Best of the rest?  Danny Espinosa (card 97), Didi Gregorius (296) and A.J. Pierzynski (12).  Those cards were good, but for me, my top 5 was just a bit better.

5.  David DeJesus (card # 209)

Any card showing a great catch in the ivy at Wrigley Field will be a part of one of my countdowns.  The only catch better than this?  Check out this commercial...

4. Matt Holliday (card # 207)

Nothing like a great photo featuring a hard nosed play at the plate.   Even better??  Check out where the tag was made.  No wonder Holliday was grimacing.  You don't see that on a card very often.

3.  Daniel Descalso (card # 190)

Now, you may be saying "what about the Daniel Murphy card?"  I did have the Murphy in my top 12, but for some reason, I prefer the head on shot of Descalso flying through the air more than the side view shot of Murphy.   The look on Descalso's face as well is one of determination, a great shot all around.  The striped socks don't hurt either...

2.  Jon Jay (card # 224)

With 3 cards in the top 5 showing outfielders committing a heinous crime, I'm sure you can guess that I'm slightly partial to those kinds of photos.  For me, there's 3 things that stand out on this card.  One, Jay is airborne.  Two, the photo of Tony LaRussa on the wall is a great secondary image on the card.  Three, the look on the face of the fan with the Washington Nationals jersey.  I wonder if the baseball in that guys hand was the one that Jay was going after....

1.  Josh Reddick (card # 316)

You can argue all you want about any other card in the set.  This photo in my opinion is just fantastic, because the larceny that Reddick is about to commit is well documented.  Glove over the wall, ball about to land in the glove, right at the foul line.  Fantastic.

Begin the disagreements....

Thanks for reading, Robert