From Rags to Riches

Many of us who collect TTM autographs seem to have a guy that eludes us, but seems to sign for everyone else. From a long time, for me that was Dave Righetti. Luckily, after a year and a half, these finally arrived:

Rags was a Yankees fixture when I was growing up in the '80s, so I'm happy to finally add these to my collection. The 1991 Fleer looks awesome. The 1989 Topps wasn't the best card choice, as it's so dark any marker other than silver wouldn't have looked great.

Thanks, Mr. Righetti!

Christmas in May and posting in June

I was also on the receiving end of Johnny's Trading Spot's generous Christmas in May offerings. With Johnny currently running a Big Fun Game, I felt like I should try and post from the great package he sent me before more cards from him show up on my doorstep.

I forgot to get a picture of it, but I enjoy how John wraps his card packages in newsprint.

I'll start with two Tino Martinez cards. I needed both of these. The Topps 2000 is an HTA version...Home Team Advantage, which I guess was exclusive to Hobby. The Upper Deck Amazing Greats is an awesome clearcut. I thought I had it, but I only had the more rare silver diecut version, so this was a very welcome surprise. Plus I love clearcuts.

And these two equal Tino cards #849 and 850! Nice, round number.

I don't even know where to start with the rest of the cards, so I'll show an adorable Pacific Card-supials Alfonso Soriano.

Zippy Zappy showed some of the minor leaguers John sent, so here's the lot included in my package.

Bernie Williams is pretty underrated in the hobby, but he had a LOT of cards in the late 90s and early 00s. John sent no shortage of Bernie cards, many of them very bright and shiny.

The Crown Royale proof card was interesting. It's paper thin!

I had never seen this card from Fleer - a Grassroots insert. The lemon-line green and yellow look awesome in person. Great color combo.

This card stuck out to me as interesting. First, I love that "Flash" Gordon was used. Then Topps photoshopped him into his new Phillies uniform, but then didn't change the team name from Yankees. Oops!

Here is a great minor league Righetti at its finest. Remarkable card!

And a few other fun cards.

John, thanks so very much!

Rags auto from the Dime Box master

This took me forever to post, mostly out of sheer laziness. Nick from Dime Boxes pulled this sweet 2012 Archives Dave Righetti auto. Now, he didn't get it from a dime box, although I wouldn't put it past him. I saw the card and wanted it. One, I love 1986 Topps, and two, I didn’t have a Rags auto, so I contacted Mr. Dime Box himself about it. We hammered out a trade, and I could not be happier with the card.

I like Rags' signature. It’s a little goofy and loopy, but so is the name Righetti, so it fits in perfectly.

Nick also sent me an awesome assortment of Yanks, some I’m certain coming for hapless dime boxes all over the Chicago area that don't know what hit 'em.
 

Here is an assortment of cards he sent, including some oddballs that I haven’t seen before, and a large assortment of 1988 Pacific Legends cards.

Thanks for a great deal, Nick!