TTM Thursday

I haven't sent out many ttm requests recently, so I haven't gotten many back recently. I did send out a one recently to Dave Dravecky and got it back earlier this week.

Dave had a great career and is an even better person. Very happy to add these to my collection!

TTM Tuesday

I haven't gotten a lot of ttms recently, but I am really happy with the two that have come in over the past few weeks.

I sent Brooks Robinson two cards and a few index cards as well as a donation.

He signed both cards and added the "HOF 83" inscription.

The turned out great!

I asked that he personalize each index card to my boys and add his nickname "Human Vacuum Cleaner" and he did! 

My second return was a 4 x 6 photo that I had gotten signed earlier this year by Buck Showalter. I sent it to Jason Alexander (George from Seinfeld) and he signed it as well. If you remember, George worked for the Yankees during a couple of seasons of the hit tv show.

TTM Tuesday: (Doerr and Virdon)

I got two returns back this past week.

This 2013 Allen & Ginter card of Boston Red Sox and Hall of Famer Bobby Doerr came back in about a month and a half.

Doerr was born April 7, 1918. He will turn 99 years old next month and is currently the oldest living Major League baseball player.

I also got a two card return from Bill Virdon. Virdon was the 1955 Rookie of the Year winner with the St. Louis Cardinals and won a World Series as a member of the 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates. He also managed 4 different clubs over a 13 year period (1972 - 1984), twice winning Manager of the Year.

I didn't realize it until writing this post, but the two cards I sent are from his first year as a manager and his last. 

I picked up a trifecta without even realizing it!

Yesterday I stopped at my local card shop, AZ Sports Cards. The owner had recently bought a collection and had some nice vintage stuff at good prices. He also had a dealer that he had not heard from in over a year, so he decided to liquidate his stuff, with lots of rookie cards, jersey, and auto's for a buck each. There was another case that had just reduced their prices as well, so I took advantage of the current situation and picked up three cards. I didn't realize until this morning that I had picked up an auto,a relic, and a rookie card: a trifecta. The trifecta though is not of the same player. I'll start by showing the auto. It's a 2008 UD Goudey Kelly Johnson Goudy Graphs Auto. Kelly spent the 2010 season and most of last season with the D-Backs before being traded to Toronto. I'd really like an auto lic of Johnson as a D-Back but I'm not sure if one exists. He does have a few D-Backs jersey carrds from this years Triple Threads and Marquee though, so if anyone out there has a Kelly Johnson D-Backs auto or jersey cards and wants to trade for this one of him in a Braves uniform, let me know. I'll show you the relic (3000 Hit Club Bat Card) and the rookie card (HOF) that I picked up over the next couple of days.

2008 UD Goudey Kelly Johnson Goudy Graphs Auto



2011 Allen & Ginter - Daniel Hudson Auto

I picked up this 2011 Allen & Ginter on eBay this past week from fellow blogger and Ginter Codebreaker Nick Jacoby.  I didn't realize that it was Nick before I bought it and saw the name on the invoice. I'm looking to purchase or trade for the D-Backs auto's and relics in this years Allen & Ginter for less than the cost of a blaster. Daniel Hudson is the only auto and there are only two jersey cards (Hudson and Xavier Nady) and 1 bat card (Justin Upton) so it shouldn't be too hard. With shipping, the Hudson auto $7.24. I'm watching a lot with the three D-Backs relic cards on eBay right now and I think I'll be able to get them for under $10 shipped.

4 packs of 2007 SP Rookie Edition (Auto)

I stopped by the card shop today and picked up 4 packs of 2007 SP Rookie Edition. Don, the owner of AZ Sports Cards, opened up a fresh box and offered them to me for $1.50 a pack. Each pack contains 8 cards, 4 of the 8 are rookies. Autographs are 1 in 7 packs. I got 1. Take a look at what I got. Not bad for $6 bucks.

Don't forget to make me an offer on my Jeff Bagwell cards. Thanks!

Derek Jeter base card

Hunter Pence RC

Adam Lind RC

Phil Hughes RC

Tim Lincecum RC

Michael Bourn AUTO

TTM Success: Bill Virdon

I recently sent Bill Virdon a TTM autograph request. He responded in just over a week. Because I didn't have any cards for him to sign I sent a couple of index cards and asked for some inscriptions. He obliged and even sent back an autographed card of his own. Thanks Mr. Virdon!

Bill Virdon played in the Majors from 1955 - 1965 and then 6 games in 1968 (not sure why the gap). He won the 1955 National League Rookie of the Year Award as a St. Louis Cardinal but after a slow start to the 1956 season he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates. An excellent defensive player, Virdon made several spectacular catches during the 1960 World Series and earned a Gold Glove award in 1962.

After his playing career ended, Virdon became a coach and then a manager. He managed the Pirates (1972-73), the Yankees (1974-75), the Astros (1975-82), and the Expos (1983-84). For his efforts Virdon won the American League Manager of the Year Award in 1974 and the National League Manager of the Year Award in 1980.

More recently Bill has spent time as a coach for the Pirates.

Trade with Wicked Ortega

I got a package Thursday from Wicked Ortega of the blog My Past Time ......., I Love it! ! I know he is the 2009 Trader of the Year and all, but Wicked really outdid himself this time. He had claimed some Cracker Jack mini cards that I had put up for trade and we agreed on him sending me some D-Backs. He sent me a stack of D-Backs including a By The Letters Carlos Quentin Autograph. It's my first By The Letter Auto and my first Quentin Auto, so thank you so much Wicked! I'm on the look out for something that you might enjoy.

2010 Topps Chrome Edwin Jackson

2010 Topps Chrome Mark Reynolds

2005 Topps Cracker Jack Mini Shawn Green

2009 UD Goodwin Justin Upton

2010 Allen & Ginter This Day in History Justin Upton

2010 Allen & Ginter Adam LaRoche

2010 Allen & Ginter Brandon Allen RC

2007 SP Authentic By The Letter Carlos Quentin AUTO

TTM Success: Bobby Shantz

I sent Booby Shantz a TTM autograph request the day after Thanksgiving and 7 days later this showed up in my mailbox. I asked him to add "1952 AL MVP", if it wasn't too much trouble. I guess it wasn't because he also added "3" x All-Star, "3" World Series, "8" Gold Gloves, 1958 World Series Champs, and AL ERA Leader - 1957 Yankees. Thanks Bobby!

TTM Success: Gonzo

I sent out seven TTM requests the day after Thanksgiving. I recieved this one back from Luis Gonzalez this past Tuesday, just 5 days later. Gonzo has always been one of my favorite D-Backs. I sent him 3 cards and told him to keep one for himself or his kids, which he did. He signed these two and sent them back. Thanks Gonzo!

*** I am falling behind on posts. I need to post a Wicked trade, an eBay pickup, and 4 more TTM successes, so look for those in the next few days.

eBay Pickup

I picked up this 2010 Topps 206 CHRIS YOUNG Auto recently on eBay, using the "Best Offer" function.

TTM Success: Virgil "Fire" Trucks

I recieved my TTM request back from Virgil "Fire" Trucks last week. I didn't have any cards of Virgil so I sent him an index card. Mr. Trucks signed my index card and sent along a few other goodies. Thank you very much Mr. Trucks!

Don Mattingly Autograph

The first Little League team I ever played on was the Yankees. Since we didn't have a team where I lived, the New York Yankees became my favorite team and Don Mattingly became my favorite player. My room quickly became adorned with a Mattingly picture and pennant. I sent him a fan letter and recieved autopen signed photo back in the mail. I tried to get all of his cards. I was a big Mattingly fan! Today I took the day off in hopes of meeting Donnie Baseball and getting him to sign a ball. Mission accomplished! Mattingly manages the Phoenix Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League and today they were in Peoria, Arizona taking on the Peoria Javelinas. After batting practice I was able to get Mr. Mattingly to sign my ball. I couldn't be happier!

TTM Success: Drew Stubbs

I saw this 2010 Topps Heritage card of Cincinatti Reds centerfielder Drew Stubbs and thought that it would look awesome signed, so I sent it to Drew a few weeks ago. Today I got it back, signed. I was right, it does look awesome! Thanks Drew!

Free Stuff Wednesday - My Beckett Prize

I won this 2009 Bowman Sterling Dan Hudson Gold Auto card numbered 29/50 a week and a half ago off The Beckett Blog in one of their Free Stuff Friday contests. This card arrived today in my mailbox. I was super excited about winning this card for two reasons. Number 1 - because it's fun to win stuff and Number 2 - because Hudson was part of the deal that sent Edwin Jackson from the Diamondbacks to the Chicago White Sox. Hudson has been impressive in Arizona going 4-1 with a 1.85 ERA in 6 starts.

Box Break: 2010 Allen & Ginter Retail Blaster (Auto)

This past Thursday I purchased a retail blaster of 2010 Allen & Ginter plus an additional single pack at Target. I usually moan and complain about my box breaks. I vow never to buy a box again. However, I won't be doing that with this box, as I pulled an auto. Here are the highlights of the box.

Most of the base cards are posed shots. Here are a couple of examples.

ERIC YOUNG JR. - ROY HALLADAY

These are the only two "action" shots from the entire box.

NOLAN REIMOLD

JOSH JOHNSON

Here are the minis. The Billingsly and the X-ray are A&G backs.

Here are the shortprints. 7 in 9 packs is not too bad. 2 of the packs had 2 shortprints in them, which I thought was kinda odd.

Baseball Sketches - DEWAYNE WISE - A great card of a great play!

Autograph - REGIS PHILBIN - As soon as I opened the pack it was obvious that I had gotten either a relic or an auto because of the red frame. I just knew it was going to be an auto and was pleasently suprised to see that is was of Regis Philbin.

Trade Bait - Jersey/Auto/Bat/#'d

If you are interested in trading for any of the cards you see below, send me an email at daniel24303 at gmail.com and we can work out a trade. I collect the D-Backs. I am also trying to collect bat cards of members of the 500 Homerun Club and Topps Rookie Cards of Rookie of the Years.

2003 Fleer Spledid Splinters Knothole Gang Jersey card of Alfonso Soriano

2008 Topps Moments & Milestones Alex Rodriguez 039/150

2008 SP Legendary Cuts Destination Stardm Jersey card of Alex Rios

2001 Upper Deck Retro Bat card of Hal McRae

2003 Fleer Platinum, Platinum Portraits insert of Albert Pujols

2003 Fleer Platinum, Platinum Portraits Jersey card of Chipper Jones

2003 Fleer Platinum Heart of the Order Jersey card of Edgar Martinez

2002 SP Authentic Future Watch card of Cliff Lee 1555/1999

2002 SP Authentic USA Future Watch Jersey card of Bob Zimmermann

1998 Team Best Autograph of Brent Butler

2008 Topps Moments & Milestones C.C. Sabathia 097/150

2004 Leaf Certified Red Jersey card of Eric Hinske 040/150

1996 Leaf Mark Parent Autograph - Detroit Tigers

2004 Upper Deck National Pride Jersey card of Jason Stanford

2008 Topps Moments & Milestones Frank Thomas 108/150

2004 Upper Deck Awesome honors Jersey card of Eric Gagne

2004 Leaf Certified Gold Parallel of Kazuhisa Ishii 02/25

2008 Topps Allen & Ginter Jersey card of Tom Gorzelanny

2008 Topps Allen & Ginter Jersey card of Delwyn Young

2008 Topps Allen & Ginter Jersey card of Carlos Zambrano

2004 Donruss Diamond Kings insert card of Ichiro 078/159

2008 Topps Moments & Milestones Alex Rodriguez 070/150