I've Got the Blues

I picked up a lot of 4 2013 Topps blue variation cards for a grand total of 31 cents on eBay.  These cards are only available at Walmart apparently.  I like the blue color.  It’s a nice looking parallel to collect.  I could also see a base set with a similar design though.  The four players on these cards are Devin Mesoraco, Mat Latos, Jordan Zimmermann, and Tommy Milone.  Those aren’t exactly no name players. 

My First Topps Chrome of the Season

I was fortunate enough to acquire not one, not two, but three 2013 Topps Chrome cards of Matt Cain on eBay for a grand total of 11 cents.  (Photo of the back for contrast!)  These are my first Chrome cards of the year.  I usually don’t buy packs because they are overpriced.  These are decent looking cards though of a legitimate star pitcher.  I will likely pick up a few more Chrome cards here and there.  But I won’t be wasting my money on packs or boxes. 

More 2007 Topps Cards

I bought a small lot of 2007 Topps Cardinals cards on eBay for 12 cents shipped.  I don’t know why I did this.  I guess the price tempted me.  2007 is probably my least favorite Topps set.  I hate the black borders.  Yet I have purchased and continue to purchase the product.  Go figure.  I got one card of Kip Wells, one of Juan Encarnacion, and two of Todd Wellemeyer.  Not exactly an All-Star Team, but at least I didn’t overpay. 

Remember Carlos Zambrano?

I picked up this 2009 UD Spectrum card for just a few cents on eBay.  It’s a cool looking card of a guy whose stock has fallen sharply over the past few years.  Zambrano was most recently in the Phillies minor league system and is currently a free agent.  I didn’t even realize he was gone.  I would have to believe that some team will take a flyer on him this year. 

eBay Mailbag: Nick Swisher

I picked up a 2009 Upper Deck card of Nick Swisher for just a few cents on eBay.  The photo is a cool staged shot of Swisher that must have been taken right after he came to the Yankees.  I can’t help but to be a Nick Swisher fan despite the fact that he has left the Yankees.  He just always seemed like a cool guy. 

Mini Cards

I bought a lot of 5 Topps mini cards from 2012 and 2013 on eBay for just 30 cents.  Two cards feature the 1972 design.  The other three feature the 1987 design.  I grew up during the junk wax era, so I can appreciate that wood grain design.  Plus, we all have a ton of this stuff in our collections somewhere.  The 1987 cards feature Hanley Ramirez, Mike Stanton, and Giancarlo Stanton who is the same person as Mike.  The 1972 cards feature Carlos Santana and Ian Kennedy.  The design is a little too funky and colorful for my tastes.  I still prefer the familiar look of 80’s junk wax. 

Bring me your ARod Cards

There are quite a bit of Yankee haters out in the blogosphere.  There are a few Yankee fans though, including myself.  However, I think it is fair to say that almost everyone hates Alex Rodriguez.  I am not a huge fan of the guy.  But he is a Yankee and thus I must collect his cards.  I have a number of ARod cards but there is no such thing as too much.  So if any of you Yankee haters are about to burn your ARod cards, please leave a comment with your team/player.  I am sure I can send you something nice in trade.  And yes, I do feel a little dirty. 

Happy Veterans Day

I am not much of a fan of baseball cards that do not show baseball players.  But this particular card is relevant on Veterans Day.  This card highlights President George H.W. Bush’s service in the U.S. Navy.  Happy Veterans Day to all of those who have served our nation. 

eBay Mailbag: Kelly Johnson

I picked up a 2012 Topps card of Kelly Johnson on eBay.  I have been accumulating 2012 Topps for some reason.  I didn’t buy much back in 2012.  Johnson is a bit of a journeyman.  I forgot that he was a Blue Jay.  I mostly remember him as a Diamondback and Brave.  Johnson was a Ray this year and will probably play for other teams before he retires. 

Discounted Relic Card

I picked up a 2010 Topps Heritage game-used jersey card of Jeff Francis on eBay recently.  Don’t let that $8.00 price tag fool you.  I only paid $0.65 for this card.  Francis used to be the best pitcher on the Rockies, but his stock has fallen in recent years.  It’s a nice card with a nice black swatch of jersey. 

Trade with Cards on Cards

I recently completed a trade with Kerry from Cards on Cards.  He posted the 2013 Topps Aaron Hicks red parallel on his blog and I knew I had to have it.  After some intense negotiation, I sent out a bunch of Cardinals cards.  In turn, I received a bunch of Twins cards.  I only scanned a few, but there were a lot more cards.  I received a blue parallel of Trevor Plouffe and a Gold Sparkle of Brian Dozier.  The other card that I scanned is a nice insert of Rod Carew.  Thanks for a great trade!

Advice to eBay Sellers

I picked up a few random cards from 2013 Topps from three different sellers on eBay.  The cards cost less than 50 cents in total.  However, each of the three sellers shipped the cards to me without a penny sleeve, top loader, or any other protection inside of a bubble mailer.  That is a strange and dangerous way to ship baseball cards.  As luck would have it, all 7 cards arrived in great condition.  The Cahill card looks slightly twisted, but there is no crease so I can fix it.  I got lucky this time.  But would it kill eBay sellers to use a penny sleeve every now and then?

eBay Mailbag: Liam Hendriks

I bought a 2012 Topps card of Liam Hendriks on eBay for just a dime.  Hendriks is probably best known for his through the roof ERA.  He had a 6.85 number in 2013.  I best remember Hendriks for getting hit in the head with a line drive in a spring training game in Fort Myers in March of this year.  It looked worse than it was but Gardenhire still took him out of the game. 

I've Been Bipped!!!

I purchased a rather large lot of baseball cards at a garage sale recently.  Most of the haul consisted of junk wax, which I was fully aware of when I made the purchase.  I was very happy with the purchase overall.  I ended up with about 25,000 to 30,000 cards, so I expected some duplication.  However, I did not expect such an epic Bipping.  Actually, Bip Roberts was not involved, but Randy St. Claire and Ken Howell certainly were involved.  I found 65 cards of Mr. St. Claire from 1986 Topps in my boxes.  But wait, there’s more.  I also found 325 cards of Mr. Howell also from 1986 Topps.  I am fairly confident that I am now the world’s largest holder of 1986 Topps Ken Howell cards.  It goes without saying that these cards are all for trade. 

Listia Mailbag: Alexei Ramirez

I picked up this 2010 Topps Game Used Jersey Card of Alexei Ramirez on Listia for just 707 credits.  I caught a break because the seller did not upload a picture of the card.  So I took a bit of a risk but it paid off.  The jersey swatch is plain white, but it looks really good. 

Going for the Gold

I picked up a pair of 2013 Bowman Gold cards on eBay for a dime each.  One is Yonder Alonso and the other is Cody Ross.  I am a sucker for gold parallels.  For some reason, I have very few base cards of Alonso and a bunch of his inserts and parallels.  But at least I have him sporting the camo jersey on this card.

Opening Day Bargain

I picked up this 2013 Topps Opening Day card of Albert Pujols for just 15 credits on Listia.  That’s not bad for a Pujols card.  I know it’s Opening Day, but still.  Viva Opening Day!

What To Do With Cano

I picked up a 2011 Topps card of Robinson Cano for a dime on eBay.  I already own a few copies of this card.  I really didn’t need another one.  But I couldn’t turn down a Robinson Cano card at this price.  Now that the season is over, the question is whether Cano will be a Yankee next year.  Losing Cano would be a big blow.  Resigning Cano will be an expensive proposition.  But I could not imagine Cano in any other team’s uniform. 

2008 Upper Deck Pickups

I bought 2 2008 Upper Deck cards on eBay of two of the worst pitchers in New York: Daisuke Matsuzaka and Phil Hughes.  Both pitchers have gone from the penthouse to the outhouse.  The Red Sox paid over $100 million for Dice-K.  He spent most of the year in the minors for the Indians and Mets.  Hughes has been terrible this year.  He has been relegated to the bullpen.  I doubt that the Yankees will re-sign him this winter.  So I figured that both cards couldn’t be worth less than they are right now. 

eBay Mailbag: Adam Wainwright

I bought this 2006 Bowman rookie card on eBay for just 6 cents shipped.  That’s a bargain for a pitcher of this caliber.  It always seems like Wainwright is injured.  But when he’s healthy, he is a stud.  I already had a Fleer Tradition rookie card from 2006 and this card is a nice addition. 

Teixeira Times Five

I don’t have many cards of Mark Teixeira wearing a Yankee uniform.  I now own 5 more and they are all identical.  I won 5 copies of Teixeira’s 2012 Bowman Platinum card for just 45 credits on Listia.  The card is quite a beauty.  And it was a good deal for a recent Yankee card.  Maybe I will put one of the cards up for bids on Listia to get some of my credits back. 

Exit Sandman

The Yankees held an outstanding ceremony before today’s game to honor Mariano Rivera.  I was surprised to see so many of Rivera’s past teammates in attendance.  I was even more surprised to see that Metallica was in attendance to perform Enter Sandman.  Rivera was showered with tons of gifts and love.  Fellow retiree Andy Pettitte started and was excellent.  Rivera pitched 1 2/3 innings.  However, the Yankees lost a tough game.  Hopes of a playoff berth look bleak. 

I've Struck Gold

I won 2 2013 Bowman Gold cards on eBay recently.  The cards of Yonder Alonso and Cody Ross cost me a dime each.  I don’t buy many Bowman products in any given year.  I probably own about 5 cards from this year’s base set.  But I like Gold parallels cards no matter who the player is on the card.  I am probably finished with my Bowman shopping for this year. 

Play at the Plate (Not the Blog)

I picked up this 2012 Topps card of Jacoby Ellsbury on Listia for just 12 credits.  It has such a great photo on it.  It shows a play at the plate against the Mariners.  The catcher’s helmet has already been knocked into the air.  The dirt is still flying.  It looks even cooler in landscape format.  I think the catcher is Miguel Olivo.  This card was certainly worth the credits. 

Upper Deck Icons Lot

I picked two cards on Listia from the 2009 Upper Deck Icons set.  These are just base cards of Nate McLouth and John Lackey.  I never bought any packs or boxes of these cards.  I only own a few base singles as a result of minor trades and purchases.  I have nothing against the set.  In fact, I rather enjoy the design and photos.  I think it was more of a value issue.  I could spend that money on other products. 

X Marks the Spot

I won a Listia auction for this 2008 Upper Deck X card of Cole Hamels for only 12 credits.  Not bad for a three time All-Star.  Hamels is quite the rich man.  He is in the middle of a 6 year, $144 million contract.  I never thought of Hamels as an elite pitcher deserving of that kind of money, but I don’t sign the checks.  He certainly isn’t deserving this year with such a terrible record.  In fairness, the team is terrible and Hamels has otherwise maintained decent numbers.  The Upper Deck X set consists of the player photo in front of a wacky “X” background.  It’s OK, but nothing great.  I can tolerate a few of these cards, but I am glad I didn’t purchase tons of this stuff back in the day.

Penthouse to the Outhouse

A few years ago, Alex Rodriguez was the first pick in my fantasy league.  I didn’t get him though.  This year, he was selected in the late rounds due to injury.  Today, something that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago happened.  I acquired A-Rod as a free agent after nobody made a claim for him on waivers.  How the mighty have fallen.  I love the Yankees, but I wish they could just dump A-Rod. 

Where is Cristian Guzman?

I bought a 2009 Topps Game Used bat card of Cristian Guzman on Listia for just 499 credits.  I would prefer the jersey over the bat, but the price was right.  Guzman has not seen Major League action since 2010.  I don’t think he is retired.  He just doesn’t play baseball anymore. 

Shiny Chrome Cards

I picked up a pair of Topps Chrome cards on Listia recently.  I don’t invest much money in Topps Chrome and even less in Bowman Chrome.  The first card is a 2009 Jeff Samardzija.  The second card is a 2012 Jon Lester.  I like shiny cards but Chrome can be condition sensitive.  Also, they don't scan well.  Anyway, these two cards set me back a total of 24 credits, so I still haven’t invested much into my Topps Chrome collection. 

Unlicensed Goodies

I picked up a game used jersey card of Brett Anderson on Listia recently.  This card has a couple of things working against it.  First, it is an unlicensed card with no mention of team names which I find to be quite cheesy.  Second, it has a crease between the jersey swatches.  Third, Anderson is on the DL with foot problems.  In fairness, this is a pretty good looking card and I got a good deal on it. 

Remember Dice-K?

I picked up this Starquest insert of Daisuke Matsuzaka on eBay for 10 cents.  It’s not much of an insert since these came one to each pack.  This is a common rather than an uncommon or rare.  Matsuzaka’s contract was certain rare when he came to the states.  However, he has gone from the $51 million man to a AAA pitcher for the Indians.  By the way, he is 2-6 so far this year.  In short, he stinks. 

Green With Envy

I picked up this very green parallel card of Fernando Perez on eBay for just a dime.  I bought it for the unique green color and the serial numbering of 57/150.  Perez played a couple of years with the Rays.  He was one of the pieces in the Matt Garza trade.  He hasn’t seen big league action since 2009.  But at least it is a pretty good looking card. 

It's an Insert Card!!!

I don’t make a habit out of buying Red Sox cards, but it happens from time to time.  I picked up this 2010 Upper Deck Baseball Heroes insert card of Jon Lester recently.  It cost me 6 cents on eBay.  I bought it because it’s an insert card.  I don’t know if that means anything these days.  Inserts used to be a big deal.  Now, it seems like every other card is an insert.  Just the same, I couldn’t resist. 

Ballpark Fun with Miguel Cabrera

I purchased this 2013 Topps Opening Day insert card of Miguel Cabrera on eBay.  It only cost a dime.  There is little selection when it comes to Opening Day inserts.  But I like the insert that are offered.  I bought the card because Cabrera is my starting third baseman on my fantasy team.  He has been amazing this year.  He hits a home run every other night.  If Cabrera doesn’t win the AL MVP, he will have been robbed.

Carlos Gonzalez Dime Card

I picked up this 2012 Bowman Chrome card of Carlos Gonzalez on eBay for just a dime.  I combined shipping with another auction, so I figured why not.  Gonzalez is a stud and it only cost a dime. 

The Red White Sox

I bought the base card of Chris Sale from 2013 Topps Opening Day from an eBay seller recently.  I won’t be buying Opening Day packs, but I am not against buying individual cards.  It’s much cheaper anyway.  I really like the throwback uniform.  It’s tough to design the White Sox uniform.  Most teams take the dominant team color and put it on a white home uniform.  The White Sox should have a white on white uniform. 

Kyle Drabek Insert Card

I bought this 2011 Gypsy Queen card of Kyle Drabek on eBay for only 10 cents.  I have a couple of Drabek cards already, so I decided to add to the collection.  Also, I really like the shade of blue on the front of the card.  Drabek was and still is a prospect for the Blue Jays and being traded by the Phillies.  He is on his way back from Tommy John surgery.  This card is an insert called Future Stars.  Maybe I got this card at a discount since Drabek is currently on the shelf.  

Listia Loot

I picked up this 2007 Bowman Autograph of Chris Seddon on Listia for just 499 credits.  Why did the card sell so cheaply?  Seddon was originally a Rays prospect but never played for the big league club.  He had a couple of cups of coffee elsewhere but is currently playing in Korea.  Now that’s obscure.  One of his teammates is Jo-Jo Reyes, another former MLB player. 

Chris Davis - The All-Star?

I purchased this 2012 Topps card of Chris Davis recently.  It cost a dime on eBay.  Davis was just named as a starter in the All-Star game.  I was shocked that Davis was named a starter.  But I was even more shocked to see that Davis is batting .324 at present.  Davis is well known for his home runs.  However, I expected to a batting average closer to .250.  In past years, Davis has batted in the .260-.270 range.  This year his stats have really gone crazy.  It appears that Davis is indeed worthy of his All-Star start. 

Texas Rangers Lot

I won four 2012 Topps Texas Rangers cards on Listia recently for just 31 credits.  The cards include Colby Lewis, Mike Adams, Josh Hamilton, and Michael Young.  I bid on this auction for the Hamilton card.  It has a really cool landscape shot with Victor Martinez.  Plus, I really never purchased many 2012 Topps cards.  So, I am making up for lost time. 

2012 Topps Heritage: Jed Lowrie

I purchased this 2012 Topps Heritage card of Jed Lowrie on eBay for 6 cents with free shipping.  I only bought this card for the purpose of sending it out through the mail to get signed by Mr. Lowrie.  He appears to be a pretty good signer through the mail and I only owned one other card of Lowrie.  That card is a 2008 Topps Heritage card. 

From Majors to Double A in Three Years

I picked up a 2010 Topps rookie card of Tommy Manzella for only 6 cents on eBay.  Manzella had a brief stint with the Astros in 2009 and 2010.  He has not been heard from in the majors since that time.  He spent some time on the Rockies AAA team earlier this year.  He is currently on the Blue Jays AA team and barely hitting .200 for the year.  It doesn’t look good.  The Long Island Ducks may be next. 

There's Gonna Be a Play at the Plate

I purchased a 2011 Topps Update card of Henry Blanco on eBay for 6 cents shipped.  I wasn’t really looking to buy a card of a career backup catcher.  I bought this card for the photography.  The Topps base set isn’t usually known for great photos.  Blanco is about to make a play at the plate and photo was taken almost directly overhead.  Safe or out?  Also, can anyone make out the Cincinnati runner?  Also, shameless plug for Play at the Plate. 

Yankee Game Used Relic

I bought a 2007 Upper Deck game used jersey card of Johnny Damon on Listia.  It only set me back 804 credits.  The card has a small crease in it but on the plus side the jersey swatch has a Yankee pinstripe through the center. 

A Quarter Well Spent

I picked up a lot of 4 cards on eBay for less than a quarter.  That’s not too bad considering the players in the lot.  I received a 2011 A&G Ryan Howard Sketch card, 2012 Topps Opening Day Carlos Gonzalez card, 2012 Topps Ryan Braun card, and a 2012 Topps Cut Above card of Hanley Ramirez.  Unfortunately, the Howard card came with a small ding to the corner.  Otherwise, it was a great lot.