You've Got Mail

Ok I know I've been telling some of you I would be getting packages out to you but with the holiday I have been a little busy. Just wanted to let you know I have a bunch set to go in the mail on the earliest as of tomorrow or at the latest on Monday. The following people can expect an early Christmas gift in their mailbox shortly. White Sox Cards, Trader Cracks, and Night Owl. I also have packages for Stale Gum, Cardboard Icons, House of Cardboard and the Cardboard Junkie as soon as I get their mailing addresses. I will be posting more want lists as time goes by so please feel free to get back to me with whatever you can. Thank you all.

Happy Thanksgiving

Just wanted to wish all my readers a Happy Turkey Day!!!

2008 Topps Updates and Highlights

Picked up a blaster the other day. For the most part it was fairly disappointing. I did however get two cards that made me really happy. We'll start first with a Tim Lincecum All Star Gold.


This was in one of the first packs open so I was thinking this was gonna be a great blaster but aside from that the only other great card, at lease in my mind, was the Ray Knight Ring of Honor. I like the look of these cards and the fact that its Ray Knight just makes it that much better. Ray was a major part of one of my first baseball memories, the 86 World Series. Here is the card and a scene from the good ol days of the NY Mets






Also while searching for this great scene above I came across this great video. Any Met fan no check that any baseball fan should get a kick out of this.

TTM - Kent Anderson

Just got another autograph back in the mail. This time its Kent Anderson. No matter how many searches I do for this guy I cannot find any information on his career other than this. Kent made his major league debut with the California Angels on 4/15/89 and played his final game on 9/6/90 also with the Angels. Thats it. If anyone has any information about this guy feel free to comment becuz I certainly couldn't find any but its another autograph to add to the collection.

2008 Goudy Day 2 Part 2 - The Finals

And we're down to the final 4. We have a tie going right now so lets see whats gonna happen with these final 4 packs

Pack 5

Austin Kearns
Carl Crawford
Jack Morris
Nick Markakis
Felix Hernandez
Justin Morneau
Brad Hawpe
Janet Evans Sport Royalty

Score: 0. Theres the first 0. I would give the pack a point or 2 for Morneau but who gives a damn about Janet Evans. Lame

Pack 6

Bill Mazeroski
Chad Billingsley
Johnny Bench
Goudy Presidents John Adams Mini
Phil Niekro
Alex Rios
Billy Butler
Yankee Stadium Legacy George Pipgras

Score: 0. Wow two 0's in a row. A president and a stupid yankee stadium card in one pack? Its lucky its not in the negatives. Double Lame!

Pack 7

Phil Rizzuto
Clayton Kershaw (Rookie)
Manny Ramirez
Jay Bruce (Rookie)
BJ Upton
Magglio Ordonez
Nolan Ryan
Misty May Treanor Sport Royalty

Score: 0. To quote PTI "TRIPLE SQUADUSH" Now don't get me wrong there's some quality cards here but Misty May??? Come on. Plus I just wanted to mis-spell Squadush!

Pack 8

Russell Martin
Tony Perez
Scott Kazmir
Tim Lincecum
Jeremy Guthrie
Ralph Kiner
Andruw Jones
Sparky anderson

Score: 3. There are some good cards here but they're almost all doubles so no love second time around.

Ok this brings us to a tie with blaster 1 pack 8 and blaster 2 pack 4. Blaster one was by far the better box and therefore it takes the win. Regardless of that stupid Rollins card! Damn you Jimmy Rollins........DAMN YOUUUU!!!!!!!!!

2008 Goudey Day 2 Part 1

Here we go again. Day 2 of my Goudey experience. The first blaster box was great. Lets see what box 2 has in store.

Pack 1

Larry Doby
Brandon Webb
Jorge Posada
Ian Kinsler
Hideki Matsui
Prince Fielder
Michael Young
Goudey Presidents James Buchanan

Score: 1. Well this box didn't start off to good. One point for Prince Fielder and minus a million for these stupid president cards. What is it about all these card sets doing President cards?

Pack 2

Joe Blanton
Roy Oswalt
Jonathan Papelbon
Magic Johnson Mini
Graig Nettles
Jeremy Hermida
Bobby Doerr
Yankee Stadium Legacy Urban Shocker

Score: 7. Gets points for top top heavy pitching and the Magic Johnson Mini. But the real reason this gets a 7 has got to be Urban Shocker. Wow thats a name. Who the hell names their kid Urban Shocker?!?!?

Pack 3

Ben Sheets
Aaron Harang
James Shields
Bob Gibson Mini
Trevor Hoffman
Brandon Phillips
Adrian Gonzalez
David Wright B&W SP

Score: 7. The David Wright card is really sweet and I like the Bob Gibson mini, more good pitching but still cant go higher

Pack 4

Derek Jeter
Hanley Ramirez
Andruw Jones Game used bat
Ken Griffey Jr
Randy Johnson
Hank Blaylock
Don Larsen

Score: 8. This pack has a potential 300 game winner in Randy Johnson, potential hall of famer Derek Jeter, Don Larsen and a man who if it wasn't for injuries we could be talking about having the homerun record in Ken Griffey Jr. Heck the only reason its not higher is because Andruw Jones forgot how to play baseball.

So right now we have a tie. Pack 8 from blaster 1 and pack 4 from blaster 2. 4 more packs to go. Which pack will prevail? Tune in tonight to find out.

1986 Topps

I recently read a post at Night Owl Cards that said these cards were ugly. This is one of my favorite sets. I do have to admit I am slightly biased. This was not only the last time the Mets won the World Series but I was 6 years old at the time and these were the first baseball cards I ever saw. The funny thing is, even as a kid I never owned any. I didn't actually start collecting until 87. But these cards always held a soft spot in my heart. (Tear) Anyway, earlier this year I bought about 20, if I remember correctly, rack packs for $1 each. I got really close to the set, however I also ended up with tons of doubles and triples. I will be sending a bunch over to Night Owl but I still need a few more. Please help if you can.

3, 5, 6, 51, 53, 171, 267, 270, 300, 305, 350, 377, 389, 390, 455, 485, 506, 580, 610, 683, 790

So what do you all think? Are these cards ugly?
**Update**

Got a Christmas gift today in the form of 1 card off this list. It was Darryl Strawberry, a man with one of the most fluid swings i've ever seen. Big thanks to Mark at Stats on the Back for the help. Almost there.

2008 Goudey Day 1 Part 2

Ok we're back for the second half of blaster #1.

Pack 5

David Wright
Troy Tulowitzki
Tom Glavine
Shane Victorino
Chone Figgins
Mark Buehrle
Wladimir Balentien (Rookie)
Sport Royalty Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Score: 5. I really wanted to give this pack a higher score. Really! I mean with David Wright and Tom Glavine, as well as Mark Buehrle. (Got the White Sox on the Brain. Been working on some cards for White Sox Cards for a trade) But Jackie Joyner???? Come on I just cant give a pack with her a good score. Sorry.

Pack 6

Ryan Braun
Eric Byrnes
Jarrod Saltalamacchia
Ian Kennedy (Rookie)
Pedro Martinez
Matt Holliday
Dmitri Young
Yankee Stadium Legacy Tony Lazzeri

Score: 7. Looks like we have a tie going so far. This pack gets points for Braun, just cuz he's Braun. Gotta give points for the regular Pedro and I have Matt Holliday on my fantasy team. Also we have the six syllable wonder Saltalamacchia so he gets points but it falls just short of taking the lead because of the Yankee Stadium Legacy card. F*ck the Pinstripes, I bleed Orange and Blue!!!!

Pack 7

Josh Willingham
Clay Buchholz (Rookie)
Khalil Greene
Edwin Encarnacion
Justin Verlander
Chad Cordero
Jason Bay
Ken Griffey Jr B&W Sp

Score: 5. I like the Buchholz rookie, Bay and the Griffey sp but this pack loses points because I had Verlander on my fantasy team this year and he pissed me off.

Pack 8

Jimmy Rollins
Aramis Ramirez
JJ Putz
Tom Seaver (Mini)
Torii Hunter
Paul Konerko
Scott Rolen
Billy Wagner

Score: 8. I hate to do it I REALLY hate to do it, but this pack will take the lead for multiple reasons. First and foremost not only do I get Tom Seaver, possibly the best pitcher in Mets history but its a Mini, that make me want to give this pack a 10 right there. I also had Hunter and Ramirez on my fantasy team, and even though Wagner was somewhat of a disappointment for the Mets he's still a Met, well sorta. The only reason this pack loses points is because of Jimmy F'n Rollins. I absolutely hate this guy. I hope he gets abducted by aliens and is repeatedly sodomized with anal probe after anal probe. Jackass!!!

And on that note, I will leave you with that image dancing in your heads. So far Pack 8 blaster 1 is in the lead, regardless of that stupid Rollins. Dick!

Be back tomorrow with Blaster #2.

Goudey Trifecta

To be honest when I first saw these cards I was not a big fan. I like the way the 08 Goudey's look but I do not like the Derek Jeter/Ken Griffey Jr says at the bottoms of the cards. However I recently picked up 2 blaster boxes for this set. After much deliberation I decided with My Buddy Steve over at The Easy Life collecting them we could help each other out with the set so what the heck. I will run through blaster #1 today, blaster #2 tomorrow and have a want list for the remaining cards up on Tuesday. I will score each pack as I see fit. I do this because I can. Mwahaha!!!

Pack 1

Johnny Bench
Phil Rizzuto
Clayton Kershaw (Rookie)
Manny Ramirez
Brad Hawpe
Phil Niekro
Alex Rios
Sport Royalty Emmitt Smith

Score: 4. Not much I really care for here but I will give it points for the old guys and the Emmitt Smith w/o the stupid Griffey/Jeter says

Pack 2

Jay Bruce (Rookie)
Russell Martin
Tony Perez
Scott Kazmir
Billy Butler
BJ Upton
Magglio Ordonez
Jeremy Guthrie
Yankee Stadium Legacy Babe Ruth

Score: 2. I give this pack points for the Babe. Other than that it loses points because of the Kazmir. Just reminds me of one of the stupidest trades in NY Mets History!!!

Pack 3

Tim Lincecum
Larry Doby
Brandon Webb
Jake Peavy (Mini)
Ralph Kiner
Andruw Jones
Sparky Anderson
Vladimir Guerrero Black & White SP

Score: 7. I like this pack. Pitcher heavy at the top with some great pitchers. Love the Peavy Mini. I love mini cards! We got Ralph Kiner, as a Mets fan need I say more? Sparky Anderson. I got a TTM autograph from him so that helps and I like these B&W SP's.

Pack 4

Hideki Matsui
Prince Fielder
Michael Young
Pedro Martinez Game Used Jersey
Craig Nettles
Jorge Posada
Ian Kinsler

Score: 10. I hate to say it but we already have a winner Ladies and Gents! For me to not give this pack a 10 would be crazy. Pedro game used......please wait while I change my shorts. Ok i'm back and while I was gone I decided this pack will be disqualified. Score: 0. I cannot in good conscience include this pack it just would not be fair. (Don't worry it knows in its mind it really won. And isn't that what matters?)




Ok, thats all for now. Will post the second half of this blaster later today. So far in the lead we have Pack 3

Fleer 1986

Ok back to the important stuff. Cards. Thought I'd throw on another old set that I need to complete. Fleer 1986. These cards are horrible looking but 1986 was one hell of a year. Lets Go Mets!!! I bought a box of 5000 cards from a local shop and got quite a bit of this set as well as the Fleer 1986 Updates so now I gotta finish it. Once again any help would be greatly appreciated. Here's the run down:

31, 46, 75, 77, 78, 80, 96, 97, 108, 113, 145, 175, 191, 226, 238, 241, 284, 291, 297, 310, 323, 340, 341, 345, 350, 401, 408, 438, 450, 453, 465, 467, 490, 495, 499, 520, 535, 536, 566, 586, 626, 627, 628, 633, 634, 636, 637, 638, 639, 641, 649, 653

Fleer 1986 Updates

14, 15, 20, 25, 76, 105

Even Rickey Henderson looks pissed to be on this card.

**Update**

2 more cards to add to the list. Thanks go out to Mark at Stats on the Back for his help with this and many other want lists i have up. And I know theres a lot. Unfortunately I have a lot more where that came from.

And now for something completely different

Alright to be honest I can't believe I am typing this, but that is the exact reason that I am typing this. Ok, here goes. Tonight I was convinced to go see Twilight with a couple female co-workers of mine. Now I know this is a teeny-bopper chick flick but 3 women all asking me to go to movie, how could i turn that down. Anyway I went there expecting the absolute worst. I was going straight from work, after working a 10 hour day thinking I would fall asleep. But here it is. The movie was fantastic. I don't want to ruin anything but I will say this Vampire baseball rocks!!! I do recommend this movie to everyone. That brings me to a question for the few readers I have. This, to me anyway, was a very enjoyable chick flick. What other chick flicks are there out there that you hate to admit you enjoy? Come on guys suck up the pride and admit it. Hell if I can do a whole post about it you can admit to a movie you liked. Man, I feel so dirty.

What type of collector are you?

Its a very interesting question. There are those who collect for fun. There are those who collect for money. People who collect single teams, whole sets, autographs, people with 6 sylable last names. It goes on and on. Alright so I made that last one up. I'm sure if it were true it would make Jarrod Saltalamacchia really happy. But its a very good question. What type of collector are you?

I love buying blasters and boxes of cards. Just going through the packs, organizing them, writing out checklists, it's just so much fun. Don't get me wrong I have more partial sets than I can count but thats all part of the fun, completing them. Sure some of them i've had for 20 years and I haven't completed but I'm working on them. I can't resist buying a box from the late 80's where I pay more for the box than the entire set is worth. To sit down and break em open just gets me going.

Now this does not mean thats all I collect. I am constantly mailing my doubles off to both former and current players for autographs. I just started doing this a couple months ago but I have a pretty good collection going at this point. After I get those blasters and boxes we all love so very much we are constantly left with more doubles and triples than we can imagine. What do we do with them? I send mine off and if I'm lucky i get em back with a nice sharpie signature on them. If I don't oh well I didn't really need that extra Keith Atherton anyway. Though Keith was nice enough to sign for me, You da man Keith.

I'm a die hard New York Mets fan. Have been since birth. Thats no lie. I have pictures of me in a high chair with a "lil Mets Fan" bib on. I've been to Shea Stadium more times than I can count. I hate to see it go but I guess it is time for a new one. And like my mother, who took me to Shea a million times hopefully I will be lucky enough to take my kids to Citi-Field someday. Or whatever they happen to be calling it by then. Because of this I am always trying to get as many Mets cards as I can, past and present. Just recently I pulled a Pedro Martinez game used from a 2008 Goudey blaster and I had to change my shorts.

So, what type of a collector am I? It's really a hard question to answer. Personally I can't decide. I just started collecting again after a long absence from the hobby. And right now I have my sets I collect, my autographs I cherish and my team and I know I wouldn't "trade" any of them for the world!

TTM - Frank Castillo

My latest acquisition through the mail is Frank Castillo. Frank made his MLB debut in 1991 for the Chicago Cubs. He has also played for the Rockies, Tigers, Blue Jays, Red Sox and the Marlins. After getting these back I was shocked to learn that he is still pitching. He pitched last year for the York Revolution of the Atlantic League. Live the dream

buddy.

Old Stuff

As I said previously I have a lot of older sets that I have that I'm trying to complete. I thought I'd start off with one of them. We'll start with 1989 Donruss since I'm fairly close to finishing this one. I don't know how many cheap boxes i've bought to get this $5 set completed but the fun of going through them is definitely worth it. Here's what I still need:

26, 96, 101, 232, 238, 245, 250, 408, 458, 590

Any help would be greatly appreciated and I have plenty for trade. Let me know what you need and I will be more than happy to help.

**Update**

I received the 2 remaining 1990 Donruss I need so that set is now complete. A big thank you goes out to Jim over at Taste Like Dirt for finishing that one off for me.

**Update**

Got a Christmas gift from Mark at Stats on the Back, 2 more cards towards the 89 Donruss set. Thanks again Mark. Lets Go Mets!!!

My turn

Well now its my turn. You may have seen me mentioned a couple times on The Easy Life as Steve's buddy Joe. We've been known to trade autographs and help build each others sets. Now that I am noticing there are even more of us out there I decided to join up and help some other people out there and just maybe get a little help myself along the way. Steve and I started collecting again at pretty much the same time. And I have him to thank for it. Its a great hobby and my wallet is the proof. Currently I'm working on some new sets but I am constantly finding myself buying boxes from when I was a kid. I have so many partial sets its driving me crazy. And a ton of doubles to go along with them. I will be posting some of my want lists as time goes by and I will keep my eyes open for others that I can help as well. I will also post my autograph cards as they come back to me. So think of this as Steve's site but unfortunately not nearly as funny. But hey, I try.