Tekky Tino & TJ

I have a bunch of TCDB trades to catch up on, as well as a big old Zapping to share, but for now I need to clean out my non-TCDB scan folder, so he's a bit of a photo dump.

I'll start with two new Tinos I got. I have this crazy idea to go after all 25 copies of this card. I'll never get there, but right now I have 3 of the 25, or 12% of the print run. There are currently two on eBay as well, with one being affordable and one being vastly overpriced.

I won't go hard after this, but I'll definitely keep an eye on them.

I also recently picked up this version. I guess it's the Refractor? I am always a fan of Hi Tek because of how cool they look and I'm a sucker for clearcut cards. The variations and parallels are annoying, but the cards look awesome. No denying that.

And while I recently picked up the "cheaper" Bowman's Best auto, I really wanted a TJ Sikkema Bowman Chrome auto, so was happy to snag this.

Otherwise, card-life is a bit boring now. Series One is out and I've said my piece. My Topps Yankees Project TTMs have been sent. Not much else going on.

The cheaper brand is sometimes the Best brand

I've never shied away from the "store" or "generic" brand. Sometimes, it works out. Things like bottled water, hydrogen peroxide, cornflakes. Usually you can get away with going a little cheaper without suffering much quality.

Other items, not so much. Batteries. Ketchup. Peanut Butter. Nope. Stick with the name brand!

When it comes to prospect autographs, the name brand, and really the only brand, is Bowman Chrome.

However, there is a cheaper alternative. The store-brand Rice Krispies, if you will. And while still "Bowman," these cards run significantly less. And sometimes, they even look better. That is what Bowman's Best is all about.

I went down an eBay rabbit hole a few weeks back and picked up three prospect autographs that would have cost me significantly more if I went with the name brand BoChro. Yet, I'm a discount shopper, and am happy to have these.

The one I'm most pumped about is top Yankees pitching prospect Deivi Garcia. His Bowman Chrome is a no-go for me. Just too much. But this one? For under $10. Sign me up. Maybe I'll regret not getting the real one, but I'm happy to have this one for sure.

Garcia, as long as he stays healthy, should find his was to the Bronx this year. He's MLB Pipeline's #1 Yankee prospect right now, although Jasson Dominguez is getting ready to de-throne him.

Another guy who should move fast is lefty TJ Sikkema. He was taken 38th overall by the Yanks last June, coming from Missouri University. He only appeared in 4 pro games after a heavy college workload. MLB Pipeline has him at #16.

Last but not least, Luis Gil, MLB Pipeline's #4 Yankees prospect. The Yankees got Gil from the Twins after Jake Cave was DFA'd. It's fun to see a prospect rise this high after trading someone to make roster space.

These are good-looking cards, and all the autos are on-card. Sometimes the cheaper brand isn't a bad alternative at all. In fact, it can be the (Bowman's) best option.