Sunday, January 3, 2010

2 Cards Already In My Personal Collection

One of my 2010 card collecting goals is to add 100 cards to my Personal Collection. Here are 2 cards that are already in my personal collection that I haven't yet featured on my blog.

2004 Donruss World Series Playoffs Souvenirs - Card features Jeff Kent of the San Fransico Giants and a piece of a ball used during Game 3 of the 2002 World Series between the Anaheim Angels and the San Fransico Giants. It is numbered on the back 016/100. I picked this up on ebay a few years ago. I love game specific game-used cards and thought that this was an awesome card. I love the fact that it has part of the stitching on it.



2001 Leaf Rookies & Stars Great American Treasures Magglio Ordonez All-Star Game-Worn Hat  - This insert set features some pretty amazing stuff. This is just about the only card from the set that I could afford. I picked it up on ebay a few years back. This card features a piece of the hat that Magglio Ordonex wore during the 2000 All-Star Game.





Usually roadkill is a bad thing ...

... but not when it is Duane of the blog Democratic Roadkill. Duane had put up some trade bait on his blog a few weeks back. One card that he didn't particularly want to get rid of, but he put it up anyways, was a 2005 Zenith Brandon Webb Auto numbered on the back 086/100. I responded to his post and offered a couple of Blue Jay jersey cards and some cards off his need list for sets. While we were arranging the trade, he mentioned that he would alos be sending a 2008 Sweet Spot Sweet Beginnings autographed rookie card of Alex Romero numbered 412/499. Wow! Duane I owe you big time! Both of these cards are going straight to my Personal Collection. 2 more down and only 97 to go for one of my 2010 card collecting goals. Thanks Duane and I'm keeping my eyes open for some Blue Jay autos to send your way!

2005 Zenith Brandon Webb Auto 086/100 - This is my first numbered Brandon Webb Auto!



2008 Sweet Spot Sweet Beginnings Alex Romero Autographed Rookie Card 412/499


And Then There Was One

Yesterday's mail contained an package from David of the blog 2008 Allen & Ginter Card-scape . The package contained 7 cards that I needed for my 2009 Topps Updates & Highlights set. Now I only need 1 more card to complete my set. Card # 146. However, David emailed me to tell me that these cards were on their way and I responded by saying that I would now only need 1 card to complete the set. He asked which one and I told him. He then emailed back and said that he has it and that he would be sending it soon. Thanks David! Can't wait to finish this set. The names don't show up with my scanner because they are foil but take a look at the cards that David sent. My favorite is the one at the bottom, the Adam Jones All-Star card. I'll save my reason for a different post, but if you are real curious, email me and I will tell you why.

Nick Johnson and Andruw Jones



Lastings Milledge and Matt Stairs



Cliff Floyd and Blake Hawksworth



Adam Jones All-Star


Saturday, January 2, 2010

Trip to the Card Shop

I went to the card shop today with the hopes of working on my 2010 card collecting goals. I only had $8 cash though, and the card shop is sort of picky about running a credit card for smaller purchases, so I was somewhat limited on what I could get. I picked up a 2008 Stadium Club Elliot Johnson autographed Rookie Card for Paul of Carl Crawford Cards and then I picked up a numbered Carl Crawford card with The Collective Troll in mind. I also needed a package of top loaders, so I didn't have much to money to spare, but I was able to pick up this card to add to my personal collection. Now only 99 more to go for one of 2010 card collecting goals.

2008 Stadium Club First Day Issue Max Scherzer RC numbered 093/599



I've started to accumulate a nice little Max Scherzer collection and I thought this would be a nice addition, even though he's no longer a Diamondback.

19-year old cardboard from 30-Year Old Cardboard

Brian over at 30-Year Old Cardboard posted some of his needs for his Greg Maddux and Darryl Strawberry player collections. He was offering a pack of 1991 Upper Deck in return for each card off his want list. I sent him a 1990 Fleer Darryl Strawberry card and today in the mail I got my 1991 Upper Deck. But wait, I didn't just get one pack,

or two packs,


but three packs of 1991 Upper Deck! Thanks Brian!


These 1991 Upper Deck packs really brought back some memories. I was 10 years old in 1991 and bought a ton of 1991 Upper Deck, but I haven't seen it in years. Here are some of the highlights of my 3 packs.

Benito Santiago - The photo makes it look like the bat is bending.

Chris Sabo - Remember when Sabo was good.


Curt Schilling - A very young Curt Schilling


Danny Tartabull - This is when the backs of cards had pictures and sometimes the picture on the back was better than the picture on the front. Here is one example.


Frank Tanana - Is he posing for a Blue Blockers infomercial?


Geno Petralli - All of the cards were vertical, but Upper Deck made an exception for this one.


"Ground Beaking" - Posed shot, but cool in 1991.


Jeff M. Robinson - When was the last time you saw a middle initial on the front of a baseball card?


Karl Rhodes - This kid was supposed to be good. What happened?


Mark Grace - A young Mark Grace


Marquis Grissom - Just an awesome photo.


"The Bashing Years" - Mark McGwire in his prime, but yet before his prime.


Todd Van Poppel - He was suppossed to be the next Nolan Ryan.


Friday, January 1, 2010

My 2010 card collecting goals

1. A card of every player who has ever played for the Arizona Diamondbacks - The Diamondbacks have only been around since 1998, so this shouldn't be too tough. I'm guessing maybe around 300 players. I just need to get a complete list. I have a list right now, but I'm sure it's not complete. If anyone can help out with a complete Diamondbacks team list or knows where I can get one it would be much appreciated.

2. A bat card of every member of the 500 Home Run Club - Currently the 500 Home Run Club only has 24 members (carlos Delgado will probably join in 2010) and I already have 7 bat cards of 500 Home Run Club members (Griffey Jr., Thome, Ramirez, Thomas, Sosa, Sheffield, and Jackson) so I only need 17 more, 18 if Delgado makes it. This is an impressive list of players, but their bat cards are plentiful. Ruth and Mantle will be the hardest for me to get just because of the cost. 2001 Sweet Spot has quite a few of these players in their bat insert set and so I am trying to get as many as possible from that set.


3. The Rookie Card of every player that has won the Rookie of the Year Award - This will be a daunting task because one player in 1947 and 1948 won and at least 2 players (1976 and 1979 3 players won) from 1949 on have won the award. It's surprizing but the majority of Rookie of the Year winners have not gone on to have stellar careers. Sure their have been a few Hall of Famers who have won the award (Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, Frank Robinson, Tom Seaver, Rod Carew, and Johnny Bench to name a few) but honestly do you even know who Walt Dropo, Jack Sanford, Gary Peters, Stan Bahnsen, and John Castino are? I am working on a list and will get it on my blog soon so that I can enlist the help of the blogging world on this task. I currently only have a handful of these cards. My goal for 2010 will be to collect half of these cards. (I have to leave something for 2011)

4. Cards of players holding more than one bat. - I only have 4 of these cards right now and my goal for 2010 is to have 50 of them. I have seen some older cards featuring players holding more than one bat, so I know that they are out there. i just have to track them down.

5. Complete the 2008 Topps Trading Card History set. - This set consists of 75 cards. I have about 30 of them currently. I need to get a list together and complete the set.

6. Complete the 2004 Topps Derby Digs Jersey Relics set - This set features pieces of jerseys worn during the 2003 Home Run Derby. I currently only have one card from this set, Garret Anderson but would like to get the entire set.

7. Add 100 cards to my Personal Collection - My personal collection will consist of game used, autographs, numbered, rookies, etc. that I want to keep for my personal collection. My focus will be on game used and autographed cards of Diamondback players.

8. Grow my Brandon Webb collection to 200 cards - Webb is by far my favorite Diamondbacks. I'm not sure how many Webb cards I currently have, but it's got to be over 50 different cards. My 2010 goal will be to increase that to 200 different Brandon Webb cards. I need to get some sort of checklist going.

9. Organize my Ken Griffey Jr and Mike Piazza collections - I collected Griffey and Piazza heavily from 1989 to 2004, but really haven't done anything since. I probably have about 500 different Griffey cards and about 300 different Piazza cards that I need to decide what to do with. Will I keep them and add to them or will I trade/sell them to focus on my other collecting goals.

10. 50 TTM autographs in 2010 - Growing up I had sent out a few autograph request here and there, but in 2009 I discovered TTM. It has been a lot of fun. I sent out a few dozen cards and have only recieved a handful back, but I am determined to get 50 TTM autographs in 2010.

So there you have it. My 2010 card collecting goals. I look forward to working on each one of these and checking back to see how I have done on December 31, 2010.

Happy New Year! (plus 1 of my 2010 collecting goals)

Happy New Year everyone! I'm going to try to put together a post with my 2010 collecting goals, but I thought I would give you all a sneak peak at one of my goals.

In addtion to a favorite team and favorite players, lots of collectors focus on what is pictured on the card regaurless of the player or team. Some collectors collect night cards, players wearing sombreros, plays at the plate, or players using old technology. I have wanted to do something like this for a while but could never decide on what exactly to collect. But now I have decided. I want to collect cards of players holding more than one bat. Sounds pretty silly, I know, but I really like the way they look and I don't think that they are very common. So far I have only come accross 4 in my current collection. My goal for 2010 will be to increase that number to 50. To do that I will need your help. If you come accross any cards featuring players holding more than one bat, please let me know so that we can work out a trade. Thanks!

1993 Upper Deck - Carlos Delgado



1998 Skybox Dougout Access - Matt Williams



1999 Fleer Ultra - Brad Fullmer



2008 Yankee Stadium Legacy - Dave Winfield