First Trade in Two Years

...and it's a good one.

When I returned to card blogging....12 posts ago or so, I knew I wanted to get a quick trade off and maybe attract some new readers into trading and taking away some cards others may love more than I.

Once I saw Daniel from It's Like Having My Own Card Shop was still around, I knew he'd be a great counterpart for trade number one.

I sent an email his way about a Brandon Webb relic he may be interested in, and he countered with the final card in this post. However, he sent the package out, and it arrive here (across the entire country, almost, before I finished packaging his side of the loot.

So Daniel, sorry your package may be a bit lagging, but it's on it's way, and thanks for these beauties:

Sparkly Dotel

Believe it or not, this is my first Diamond Anniversary card. First! I left blogging and collecting at the end of 2010, so I pretty much missed everything from 2011. Here is an Octavio Dotel in full gaudy glory, sporting a truly dreadful photoshopping from a Pirates(?) Spring Training uniform to Blue Jays in-season away drag. Giveaways: undershirt, #35, cap. 

AlvaRED

Another example of Topps Photoshopping, or as I may begin to start calling it: PhotoToppsing. This is a Red parallel, which I am clue less to it's origin, I just know it's not a regular Topps card. I dig Alvarez, though, and the black undershirt actually looks kind of awesome. The Nue Jays logo on the black cap, however...well, they could have tried a little harder.

Bowman's Best, Travis d'Arnaud

This doubles (embarassingly) my Travis d'Arnaud collection, and it's a doosey. I would have accepted this outright for everything I plan on sending in return. Next up: refractor rainbow!

Goldmember YEScobar

I love me some Yunel Escobar. He's slick, streaky, moody, but really looks like he enjoys the game. He's like a diet Robinson Cano. And here he is, in gaudy Topps gold enshrinement. For some reason, Topps didn't PhotoTopps this uniform. So it goes. Yunel rocks the new digs, for what it's worth. Just ignore the eye black.

 K'dro Relic

From the golden age of overproduced jersey cards, nameless rookie autos and parallels out the backside comes what we decided one for a trade centerpiece. In my return to blarging, I decided to pursue Expos cards rather than Rockies as before (except Dexter Fowler) and this is the first fruit of that labour, and a good one. This card is thicker than a Chicago pizza, and when I turned it over I was stunned to see that it was #ed/45! Thanks for digging this one out, Daniel!

If you're reading this, and are looking for someone to trade with, send some Brandon Webbs and miscellaneous Diamondbacks over to Daniel at It's Like Having My Own Card Shop. It's totally worth it.

Dave Stieb. Hipster.

Deep V-Neck: Check

Beard - Unkempt yet immaculately groomed: Check

White-panel Jays Cap, Snapback: Check

White undershirt: Check

Veins and rugged arm hair: Check

Dave Stieb: The Original Hipster

2012 Allen & Ginter's Baseball Checklist

Need:
4, 11, 12, 80, 88, 93
126, 140, 145, 188, 193
207, 238, 247, 283
302, 306, 308, 312, 318, 322, 326, 327, 328, 331, 332, 334, 337, 342, 349

Murder in Willow Cove:
Need a check list, but have: Bruce Klugman, Trudy Givens x2, Joey Furts, Klugman Residence, Skudlow Park Gazebo, Bloody Rag.

Minis

For trade:

Sketches:
BH-14

Base Set SPs:

316

Base Set:

39, 67, 70, 83, 84, 218, 258

World's Tallest Buildings:

1, 3, 3, 6, 9, 10

Historical Turning Points:

9, 10, 15

What's in a Name:

8, 12, 15, 23, 24, 28, 35, 39, 40, 42, 49, 53, 60, 61, 63, 83, 94.

One spot remains!

...in "O" No!!! Antoher Orioles Blog's October cheapo box break.

Zenith.

Topps Finest.

Sports Illustrated.

It's so nineties it might as well be sponsored by the Fresh Prince.

So go get that final spot, and take a read of the blog. It's a good one.

Epic Mail Day (Volume I)

When I am expecting cards in the mail, I have a tendency to compulsively check order tracking on ebay, Sportlots, COMC, wherever throughout the day.

Today was no different, as after a staff meeting, a small morning job and a dead afternoon, I probably checked my shipping statuses on ebay roughly 25 times.

From what I was reading, one card had been delivered, 2-3 were sitting in Rochester sorting facility purgatory, and a few others had no tracking information.

What I saw when I got back to the house was astounding. We pay our bills online, sometimes get family party invitations and fliers, and thus rarely get mail. However tonight, in the light of the early evening, our mailbox was stuffed.

Stuffed to the point that the lid couldn't close...likely due to the box which contained my new (read: old) Washington Redskins belt buckle and a total of five manilla envelopes and packages.

In card blogger-speak, cards.

Now that I've whet your little card-devouring mouths, on the the good stuff: pictures!

2012 Bowman Platinum

Adeiny Hechavarria Autograph

Refractor

I'm really glad this card scanned in the yellow-pink range. You never know what you're going to get scanning refractors, and this one came out quite unique. Hechavarria will probably never tear the cover off the ball, but I like him. This is my first card of him at all, and a refractor auto to boot. All for ~$5 shipped. A little of an overpay.

2012 Topps Heritage Minor Leagues

Travis D'arnaud Clubhouse Collections

Red "Jersey?" Swatch

This is  another firstie. I've been putting off going hard on D'arnaud for a few reasons. One, JP Arencibia is my favourite active player, and D'arnaud is his direct competition. I'm afraid D'arnaud's emergence will mean the end of days of JPA (who just had a passed ball in Baltimore) in Toronto. Which would be devastating. Also, many of his cards are Phillies. Phillies annoy me. Red pinstripes remind me of the worst uniforms I ever wore while playing, and the gross #14 on my back at the time. However, D'Arnaud is likely going to be a great catcher and batter for the Jays in the future. And it's not a gray or white swatch, but a nice deep red from a New Hampshire Fisher Cats jersey, one of the best jerseys in ALL of the minor leagues (Montgomery Bisquits, you're on notice.) This was a ridiculous steal @ $1.80.

2012 Bowman Chrome

Brandon Morrow 

Red Ice Refractor 20/25

I wanted to pad my morrow collection a bit, and truthfully, nice Morrows are difficult to find. He's super awkward and had beady eyes. But damn, he's a good pitcher. And I wanted a sweet Red Ice Refractor, so back off. $4.

2011 Topps Chrome 

J.P. Arencibia Autograph

Blue Refractor 088/199

What a beauty. JPA's autograph is kind of boring, but recognizable. The Blue in the Jays uni is accepted by the blue border and lovely refractory-ness. Just a glorious card overall, and contribution #2 of 8 to my Magical JP Arencibia Autograph Rainbow Crusade. This was almost offensive how much of a steal it was. Ready? $5.88. SHIPPED.

And now...

For what may possibly be the best relic card.

Ever.

Wait for it.

Here it is:

2005 Donruss Prime Patches

Ivan Rodriguez Past & Present

Shoe, Glove, Chest Protector, Jersey Patch Relic 008/128

Deep breath. This one came all the way from Pudge-land itself, Puerto Rico. This card leaves me kind of speechless. I mean come on. 

Jersey  patch of Pudge? Awesome.

Fielding glove? Super awesome, couldn't ask for more.

CHEST PROTECTOR? FOR REALZIEZ?

Shoe? Sure, why the hell not at this point.

You cannot really ask for a better relic card. And I probably won't try and top this one. It's the pinnacle of my Pudge collection. Envy it.

Where is Carlos?!

Click to embiggen.

This is a young, strapping Carlos Delgado. Look at that handsome smile. It's a beautiful sunny day. Carlos has his catcher gear, his team-provided equipment, and a major-league debut under his belt.

It's 1994, the big Club just won another World Series, and Carlos is about to embark on his first Spring Training invite, 39 games in the 'Bigs in the coming year, splitting time at Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs in front of the bright eyes of an 8-year old little league catcher, having the time of his life at MacArthur Stadium along the train tracks in Syracuse, New York.

But...Carlos is lost. This isn't the familiar turf of Toronto's Skydome. Nor the wrinkled, sea-foam carpet loosely piled edge-over-edge at MacArthur Stadium.

No, something is amiss. There's no scoreboard. No cut-out basepaths or hot dog vendors or anyone else in sight.

There's a barn. A hedgerow.

Carlos doesn't care. Carlos is happy. He loves baseball, and that is all he needs at this time.

But seriously...where is Carlos?

Baseball Cards are Awesome (I)

Seriously. Awesome.

Challenge Accepted: The $200 JP Arencibia Rainbow

You know what's great? Autographs.

You know what else is great? Chrome refractors.

I collect Jays autographs. And Chrome refractors. So when my #1 boy JP Arencibia (A fellow catcher, to boot!) showed up in the 2011 Topps Chrome Update set, the rainbow was a must-have. And he inked some of them? An even more definite must-have.

There are seven cards in the picture you see above from a (nearly) complete '11 TC Refractor Auto rainbow. There's also an XFRACTOR out there, too, which I believe is #ed to /10. It will definitely be the most difficult to obtain.

But back to the picture. This eBay auction is currently listed for $210 plus $2.99 (why bother?) shipping. Two-hundred dollars...for seven cards.

That's $28/card. You'd think lots were a better deal, but sometimes they're just not.

Thus, I view the auction as such:

I have already obtained two cards from my rainbow.

The original chrome autograph (unnumbered) and the blue refractor (#/199).

I have spent $14.31 on those two cards in well-timed eBay auctions, and am currently looking into Zistle and COMC for more deals. The gold refractor (#/50), red refractor (#/25) and the possible atomic refractor (#/10) will be very, very difficult.

But not only do I plan on completing this rainbow with the Atomic Refractor...I plan to do it for less than this auction.

So to you, eBay JPA autograph hoarder, I say:

Challenge Accepted.

2012 Allen & Ginter's Available

I'll be putting this set together, and while I am working my way towards 100% (I am only at a mere 25%!), I will surely be encountering doubles and inserts which I am not interested in.

So here they are, claim them, and I am sure we can work something out. Or I'll just send them out. we'll see.

Doubles:
67 | Desmond Jennings
135 | Michael Morse
178 | Wei-Yin Chen
218 | John Danks
258 | Doug Fister

Murder in Willow Cove:
Trudy Givens

Relics:
AGR-DO | David Ortiz, Red Jersey Swatch

What's In a Name?:
11, 12, 23. 24, 28, 35, 39, 42, 60, 63, 83, 94.

Historical Turning Points:
7, 15, 18

World's Tallest Buildings:
1, 3, 6

World's Greatest Military Leaders:
1, 6 (2)

People of the Bible:
15



...And I am sure I will be accumulating more. So check back.

Want List: 2007 Fleer Ultra Baseball

Need:

59, 94, 121, 137, 192

Short Prints:

207, 209, 213, 216, 224, 228, 233, 234, 236, 237

Lucky 13 SSP:

240, 245, 246.

What is in store.

Boxes of card. Junk in plastic sleeves. Gems out in the elements. It's going to be a slog getting my collection back up to date, but here we go. Enjoy the ride.



Also, if you have traded with me in the past, send me a message. Or if you'd like me to link to you on here, let me know that as well. I'm a nice guy, help me back into the cardblogospheroid. 

Comeback Blogger of the Year

Hi everyone, I am back.

I have patched up a few miss-doings in my life.

I have a freshly minted Masters degree in Geological Sciences.

And I am ready to start talking/trading/forgetting/losing/bitching about baseball cards all over again. Let's go.