Off topic: Birthday score

Well this is a first. I am late for a birthday. Well that is not the first though, the first comes from the fact that it is my birthday I am late for. I was hoping to get this post off before the date changed but I am too late.

Yes, yesterday the 28th was my birthday. It was not the kindest birthday I ever had but luck found a way to cut through the crap that was threatening to ruin the day completely and gave me a glimmer of happiness.

I drove to Anaheim for the free admission to Disneyland for my birthday. I drove alone. My mission was not to get the actual day free, but use the free day to get an annual pass at a discounted rate. (long story, which is beside the point).


On the return trip I stopped off at the Wal-Mart by the park and picked up two Topps Updates & Highlights packs. I have been buying these packs solely to get the Chris Speakman's Propaganda cards. Well, The first pack had the Vladimir Guerrero card (PP29).

Not bad, in Anaheim pick up the Angel card, I can go with that. I cracked the second pack and I got the Andrew Bailey card (PP15).


Wow, 2 for 2. with the odds 1:6. Another notable mention is that I also pulled the Justin Upton All-Star card (UH38).


Pretty happy with my day by this time, but when I get home I realize that I needed to run to Target to return a couple things from the Black Friday shopping trip. While there I grab one last pack of Updates & Highlights. This pack yields a third Propaganda card, Roy Halladay (PP24).


All in all, 3 for 3 of the wanted inserts and a annual pass to Disneyland amidst a pretty crappy day. I will immerse myself in the happy place that is pulling a wanted card (cubed) and go to bed happy. Sound like a plan?

Package from the Desert

DKWilson of "It's like having my own Card Shop" blog sent a fantastic package to me this week. He sent a couple '89 Topps cards that I needed, as well as almost all of my missing A&G State cards. Here are a couple of the cards that he sent.

A SPAM loving Philly from the great state of Hawaii.

Many have argued on message boards and blogs that this man should have been the Cy Young this year.

"This man can hit," - king of the obvious (2009)



Ian Snell, Scanned this card because...well, the man signed a card for me TTM. I seem to notice his cards more now.

O-Dawg! I really like this guy. A multi-gold glove winner if I am not mistaken, and quite a character on and off the field. Just an example of how much I am a fan of Hudson, he is a Dodger...and I STILL like him.


Now, the wonderful lot of cards that was sent was great, but the real treasure in this package was the DVD. He sent me a DVD that documents the first 10 years of the organization. It looks to be sponsored by Fry's a dominant grocery store (and electronic store I believe) in the phoenix area. The DVD was such a fun watch, my favorite bonus feature was on Orlando Hudson (above) wearing a jersey mike. I am assuming he wasn't hamming it up for the mike, but he was a riot. The best part was him and a couple other infielders approaching Brandon Webb on the mound.
"how ya doing?" Hudson,
"Good." Webb
"Why you breathing hard?"
Ok maybe a "you had to have been there" moment, but I found it pretty funny.

Thanks DKWilson! Sorry it took so long to post.

Finally, I am posting my Need/Want list.

I have been wanting to do this for a while, but haven't found time. Well I still don't have the time, but my wife is out. Both boys are napping. Now, instead of working like I should be, here I am.

2003 Upper Deck MVP

18, 49, 64, 80, 118, 140, 151, 162, 165, 189, 200

2003 Upper Deck MVP "Talk of the Town"

tt1,tt3,tt6,tt7,tt8,tt10, tt13-tt15

1989 Topps (only had sleeves enough for 349 cards so far so that is what this list will go to)

1, 4, 6, 8, 10, 13-14, 17-19, 24-25, 32-33, 36, 38-39, 43,48, 50, 52-54, 56, 57, 59, 61, 67-71, 73, 85, 77, 80-82, 84-86, 88, 90, 93-96, 99, 100, 102-103, 106-108, 112, 113, 117, 118, 123-125, 128, 130, 131, 135-138, 140, 143-145, 151, 156, 161, 163, 168, 171, 175, 178, 180, 181, 184, 185, 190-192, 196, 199-201, 203-206, 208, 209, 211, 213, 215-218, 221-224, 226, 228-231, 234, 235, 239, 242, 243, 245, 246, 248, 250-252, 256, 259, 262, 264- 268, 270, 271, 274, 275, 278, 281, 282, 285, 287, 289-292, 294, 296, 298-300, 302, 304-308, 314, 315, 319, 320, 322, 323, 330-334, 339, 340, 344-347.

2008 Allen & Ginter Base

131, 163, 187.


2008 Allen & Ginter State

US2, US26, US35, US 36, US 41, US 48.

More to come later. I know that is a lot of 1989 Topps, but I will be getting another vending box soon so that will go down. Thanks all.

Sending cards (week 9)

Dare I say week 9? I can't really pretend that I have been actively sending cards can I? Well, after being emboldened by a couple successes lately I got around to sending out some more cards. One of the reasons, among many, that I have not sent any out lately has been the unknown of the off season. Do players sign in the off season? Do cards sent to the team even get to the players before spring training, if then? I thought I would at least try.

Oh, and I was just reviewing my last batch of sent cards, and noticed that the week had a 100% success rate. I think that is a first.

After scouring my cards trying to see which cards to send I set aside these cards.

Jose Reyes

The Mets are a team that I have been starting to gravitate toward. They are slowly approaching "Angels status" with me. A fall back team, a team I can turn to to watch a game. Not a team that I care enough to actively follow and emotionally invest in, but a team which has my favor from time to time. As a kid sorting through my baseball cards the Mets were one of my favorite teams. At the time I was jumping back and forth between Dodgers and Giants (I know, I should have hated myself, and beat myself up in dark alleys. You can't blame me though, I was a kid with my only connection to the sport was cardboard. I knew nothing of rivalry's). But the Mets always caught my attention. To be honest, it was the colors and the logo. Hey marketing works, who knew.

Casey Kotchman

Strange, were we just talking about the Angels, because here is one. Well not any more, but he was one. Now he is with the Braves Red Sox. This actually reminds me of something I was wondering. Would you rather play your whole career with one team that is a perennial non-contender, or would you prefer to bounce around year after year to teams that may or may not play post-season ball? (Not that Casey is in either category, just a random thought from a mind full of them)

Kelly Johnson

I don't know much about Mr. Johnson. But hey, NL Player of the week in his rookie year is nothing to shake a stick at. You could, but you would look funny doing it.

Second times the charm (TTM)

Well, after getting a "Return to sender" on my first attempt for Paul Lo Duca, I tried again. Uncle Moe from My 2008 Topps Set Blog suggested via e-mail to try contacting Mr. Lo Duca through TVG Network where he was working according to Wikipedia. Well Uncle Moe, it worked.

At first I thought the signature was ball point pen, but after looking at it a little more I can tell that it is a fine sharpie. The "P" is a little smuged but other than that it looks great.

Thanks Paul!

Off topic: Back from the Card shop

I finally completed the transaction and picked up my Allen & Ginter cards to complete my set. As my luck would have it, after putting all the new cards in to my binder I found that I still need some base cards. Four to be exact #'s 84, 131, 163, and 187 (I just noticed two of those are not in my binder because my only cards of them are autographed, Bonnie Blair and Les Miles). My first reaction was that the card shop screwed me again, but after looking at my check list, three of the four cards were not on it. My fault. Darn it, I love blaming someone else. So as it ended up all in all, I got most of my set completed, plus over 30 cards I already had from them, and I am left four shy of having the complete 2008 Topps Allen and Ginter base set.


A couple noteworthy things to mention after this trip to the card shop.

The first was, I think the owner felt bad about how this deal went down. He didn't go as far as apologize right out, but he was nicer than I have ever seen him. In addition, he threw in a couple free packs and some supplies I needed. Nothing big, but a token at any rate.

Secondly, I am a sucker for the 2007 Bowman's best. The shop sells a pack for 11.00, and every time I am in there (OK the last 3 times) I have picked up a pack. I am itching for an Autograph rookie of either Mark Reynolds, or Justin Upton. So far out of three packs I have gotten one auto, that of Fred Lewis. My odds are about 3 out of 5 packs will have an auto. I am 1 for 3, and the one pack that my son picked out for me had the auto. By the way, he is 2 for 2, he also picked a pack for 2009 Ginters that had an Auto of Loren Opstedahl.




I mention the Bowman's Best, because in the pack I got a Diamondback prospect I have never heard of (Andrew Fie, #477/499), and a base of Carl Crawford. I have two blogging buddies, that may be interested in that card (Cough..Troll & Paul). I can't pick favorites so the first to comment, or e-mail that he needs it gets the card.




Lastly, I had mentioned that I was going to start collecting the 1988 Topps baseball set, but while I was there (as my luck would have it), they had vending boxes of 1987, and 1989. So instead of purchasing a 1988 vending box on ebay for 12-15 dollars, I pick up a 1989 for 5 bucks. 1989 it is. Now if I can scrounge enough money for the sleeves and the binder I will be all set.

I will create a want list in the next couple of days. It should include 1989 Topps, 2008 A&G (Base, State, and Box Toppers).

Unexpected Ginter Success

The mailbox has been quiet for sometime. I expected it to be dried up, but today we received a letter in my handwriting.

It was from Bonnie Blair, the 5x Olympic Gold Medal winning speed skater. I mentioned in the past that she was my all-time favorite Olympian. She sent the card back signed, but also included two signed postcards. On the back of the card it reads;

Bonnie Blair
500m- Gold Medal - Calgary
1000m- Bronze Medal - Calgary
500m- Gold Medal - Albertville
1000m- Gold Medal - Albertville
500m- Gold Medal - Lillehammer
1000m- Gold Medal - Lillehammer

I am most grateful for your interest and support. Thank you

Mrs. Blair has always seemed to be a class act. She is a good TTM signer, and she is extremely humble and grateful to her fans.

Thanks Bonnie!

Off topic: Learning the Joys of the Troll Part 2

Not really much to say that I haven't said in the other post. This post is just to show case a little more cards that Troll had sent over.


Again thanks Troll. Congratulations to the New York Yankees. Looking forward to the 2010 Baseball season now that we put this one to bed.

Mark Reynolds 2008 Topps Heritage

Orlando Hudson 2007 Topps Opening Day

Mark Reynolds 2009 Topps Allen and Ginter

Miguel Montero 2008 Topps Heritage

Justin Upton 2009 Topps Allen and Ginter (Black Bordered Mini)

Justin Upton 2009 Topps Heritage

Justin Upton 2008 Topps

Chris Young 2008 Upper Deck Spectrum

Chris Young 2008 Bowman Chrome (Gold Parallel #24/50)

Conor Jackson 2007 Fleer (Rookie Sensations)

In the next couple days I am going to post a want list, I am heavily considering starting to collect the 1988 Topps set.