Have a great weekend!

I haven't posted much lately. Same excuse as always...busy times at work plus life = not many new blog posts. I've gotten a few great packages in lately, so I have some new material to show off. It's just a matter of scanning and then finding time to actually write.

Speaking of which, I have about five trade packages I need to send out. If you are expecting something from me, I haven't forgotten...I'm just slow these days. Everything is sorted though.

Anyhow, I'm going to take the last weekend of summer to relax with with my family and hopefully watch some of the Syracuse-Penn State football game tomorrow. Hopefully next week I'll find much more time to blog and actually send out the cards I've been meaning to send.

So just to show something, here is a random sampling of cards for no reason at all. Just a bunch of cards from past posts. Hope you all are able to enjoy the weekend.

Injuries = card prices go down

With Manny Banuelos missing this season due to an injury, the prices of his cards have fallen quite a bit. I picked up my third Banuelos autograph for just $3 shipped this past week. It's from 2011 In the Game. It's a decent enough looking card.

I have faith that Manny is going to bounce back big time in 2014.

Another Pineda Pickup

I have no idea if I'm ever going to see Michael Pineda in Pinstripes. That's not stopping me from picking up his cards. I feel like I'm getting close to the rainbow for 2012 Topps Chrome. I have no idea what other colors exist, but I have have the regular, the X-Fractor, Blue Refractor, and Orange Refractor. I think I have the regular Refractor too, but I have to look.

A Night Owl Connection

I bet you didn't know Night Owl and I went to the same high school. Different years, but still. So yeah, I'm bragging about that.

Recently, he sent me a nice stack of Yanks. I owe him a cool Dodgers Fan Favorites Refractor, but I stink at sending cards when I intend to, and it's sill sitting on my desk with a bunch of other cards I need to ship out. What's wrong with me?

Since he's getting a Fan Favorites card from me, here are my favorites from the batch he sent.

First and foremost, my second 1975 Topps Mini. This time, Mr. Bobby Bonds. These cards are just plain cool, and I think I only own one other Bonds card as a Yankee. Maybe I'll chase down a mini team set one day.

Next, the current Dodgers manager on an unlicensed card. I need to count my Mattingly cards. I'm sure I have around 200 of them, which is decent for not really trying. I really need to count my Jeters, Riveras, and Canos too.

I love diecuts, even with ARod on them. I can't imagine he'll be featured in too many more insert sets after this year, but knowing Topps, they'll keep running him out there. The Yanks do.

And the heir apparent to Mo, David Roberston on a great looking blue parallel. I may be in the minority, but I'd rather have Robertson keep his 8th inning role and bring in a new closer. He lives on the edge a little too much for me. I'm sure he'll be given every chance to close, but then you have to replace two spots overall - 8th inning and closer, as opposed to just one.

Thanks, Night Owl. Hope you like the Clem Labine...whenever I send it.

O No!!! Not Another PWE! (said no one ever)

First off, I've been awful at updating my blog. Since my return to regularly blogging, I think I've done a decent job of at least posting something 4-6 times a week. It's never much, but it's something in an attempt to stay relevant and remind you guys that I'm always here to take your unwanted Yankees.

Recently, Ryan of "O No! Not Another Orioles Blog" showed off some Bowman Platinum cards, and was nice enough to set aside this Gary Sanchez for me. Sanchez is the Yanks top prospect, and has advanced to AA this year. Overall, his year hasn't been great, but he's still a decent prospect. He's only 20, and in 13 AA games he's hitting .269 with a .406 OBP.

 Sadly, this is the same photo Topps/Bowman has used in a bunch of his cards.

TTM Success: Eric Jagielo (Yankees '13 First Rounder)

The Yankees selected 3B Eric Jagielo (Notre Dame) with the 26th overall pick in this month's draft. Jagielo is a polished 3B who will hopefully move through the Yanks system quickly. He's playing just down the road in Staten Island, so I figured I'd shoot him a TTM request. He doesn't have any cards yet, so I send this Yankee Stadium card. I don't like those "Signature" cards, so felt like this was a pretty good alternative.

TTM Success: Jim Mason

Former Yankee Jim Mason signed two cards for me in about 10 days. I sent this 1975 Topps as a possible upgrade in my Topps Yankees Project. Currently, I have a beat up Ron Blomberg signed in pen. While I like Blomberg a lot more, I always cringe when I see this card in my binder.

I also sent a creased Rangers card I had laying around, and Mason signed it as well. I'll send that one to 'ol Napkin Doon.

Here is the Blomberg I was referring to:

TTM Success: Shane Spencer

I love getting TTM success from the Yankees of my childhood teams...mostly 1995-2001. Shane Spencer was a hero in 1998. He came up in August and went out and won a starting job on a team that won 114 regular season games. No easy task. I feel like it's rare these days...when a player comes up and refuses to be sent down.

Shane was in the new the past two days for an unfortunate reason. A caller impersonating him called into an Albany sports radio show and admitted to dabbling in PEDs. Jeter actually heard the interview when someone played it for him and called BS. He called Shane Spencer's cell phone (he is currently coaching for Somerset in the Patriot League), and he said he felt sick after hearing it. Spencer issued a statement saying that it wasn't him, and I hope people believe him. It was certainly irresponsible of the radio station to air, especially because the call came from a number that wasn't associated with Shane's contact info.

Regardless, I was thrilled to get these to cards back signed!

Another vintage Mantle from Listia

I've been in a little bit of a blogging lull. It's not for lack of inspiration or interest, I've just been sick plus very busy at work. I've gotten a few good TTMs in lately though, so I have some stuff to show off.

Better than any TTM, I picked up my second vintage Mickey Mantle card from Listia. It's my fifth vintage Mantle (of some sort) overall. I spent way too many credits on this one, but I feel like it's better to overspend on a Mantle than maybe buy four or five cards that are not Mantle. Know what I'm saying?

Anyways, the card certainly has some soft corners and a slight crease, but overall it's not too bad at all. It's very tempting to send this to Bobby Richardson for a TTM signature, but I'll probably leave it intact.

Here are my other Mantles, just for the hell of showing them. I need more.

TTM Success: D'Angelo Jimenez

Anyone remember D'Angelo Jimenez? He was a decent Yankees prospect in the late 1990s. He made a quick cameo in 1999 for the Yankees and hit .400. He ended up being traded to Pads for relieve Jay Witasick, who predictably sucked after being really good for the Pads. Jimenez bounced around for a buit with a few teams, his best years probably coming in Cincy. He never played in the majors after 2007.

As it turns out, he's still playing independent ball! A few times per season, I check out a lot of team rosters in the various independent leagues, as you can never quite tell who you'll stumble across. Turns out, Jimenez is playing for the Camden Riversharks. He signed the card for me in about two weeks time.

TTM Success: Horace Clarke

I'm not sure what took me to long to send to Horace Clarke, but I finally sent him my 1972 Topps card, and he kindly returned it signed. It was an interesting way to sign the card, but some players do try to avoid signing over their body.

I had to send this card to Horace in this US Virgin Islands, and he returned it in just 13 days. Not too bad, eh?

One cool thing about Horace is that in 1970, he broke up three no hitters in a one month! All of them were broken up in the 9th inning as well. Must've been a very pesky hitter.

P(WE)-Town Tom delivers

P-Town Tom of the blog Waiting Til Next Year is quickly becoming PWE-Town Tom. I think this is the third PWE he has sent me in the past month or so. I saw a card that Tom had won on Listia asking if it was for trade. Indeed it was. I shot him an email that said "PWE trade?" and he replied, "I already shipped it out in a PWE this morning, so yes." Classic.

Here is the card that started it. I love holograms, especially holograms of Yankees. They are such an early '90s Upper Deck thing. I would love to see them as in insert in a newer Topps release (like Opening Day??), but that would be a lot to ask, of course. You know, issuing cards that are fun.

Tom stuffed the PWE with four cards. The Yankee Stadium card is awesome. I've been using these types of cards for TTMs when I don't have a card of a player, like a prospect or a retired player from way back. I like it better than the generic "Signature" cards.

A cool oddball Mattingly from 1990 Statline.

 Miller Huggins! Maybe this will go in Joey's HOF binder. I like these cards a lot. Very nice cardstock and texture.

Lastly, Michael Kay! I actually have this card signed my Kay from a TTM I sent him, but I didn't have a second copy. Luckily, I do now.

Thanks, Tom!

TTM Success: Robert Refsnyder (Yankees Prospect)

In just 10 days, Yankees 2B prospect Robert Refsnyder returned this Panini USA Champions card signed. I actually pulled this card out of the lone pack I bought, so it's cool I was able to turn it into an autograph of a promising prospect. He was the Yankees 5th round draft choice in 2012. Refnsyder plays a great 2B, and can swing a big stick. He should steadily move up the ladder, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him in the bigs sometime in 2015.

Scoop-ing up a vintage Rizzuto

I’ve been staying far away from eBay recently. It’s too easy to spend money on things I don’t need. I’ve turned to Listia because it still gives me the same rush of bidding on and winning cards, and I don’t spend money (other than a few stamps on cards I "sell"). Sure, there aren’t many good cards nowadays and credits are jacked up, but for me I’ve found it’s just the addiction being fed…it doesn’t matter where it comes from. So might as well go to the most cost-effective place.

Anyhow, probably annoyed with the crap on Listia, I checked out eBay and scored this Phil Rizzuto for $2. I had never seen it or heard of the set. It’s from 1961 Nu-Card Baseball Scoops. No clue. But hey, a vintage Rizzuto is pretty cool regardless of the make.

From what I read, there were sets in 1960 (larger cards) and 1961. They weren’t fully appreciated and didn’t really compete with Topps and Fleer to a lesser extent. They were fine alternatives, but the set was a bit moring compared to the color photography of the other sets.

Do any of you have some sweet old Nu-Cards?

Repack remorse

A few days ago, the wifey and baby and I hit up Target. I decided to treat myself to some cards. I was hoping for either a Bowman or Archives blaster, but they had neither. Boo. I settled on a few of those repack boxes, figuring I could get 10-14 packs and still spend less than I had budgeted. Plus, I always read about nice scores from a lot of bloggers from repacks.

Well, these sucked. I was so disappointed. Most of the packs were from 2010-2012 Topps, which is fine, but we’ve all had our fill of those. I was hoping for a few more mid-00s Upper Deck or Fleer Ultra packs.

I still busted the packs of course, but really got nothing interesting. I won’t lie, here are the three best cards I got:

Do you ever buy a repack box, and then immediately regret it?

Part 2 of the Zippy Zappy package

Here is part two of the epic package sent by Zippy Zappy. There were a bunch of cards, and I figured this was a nice sampling:

I really like these mini Chrome Refractors. I’m not a huge fan of mini cards at all, but I’ve been all for these so far. I can’t wait for Hensley to get back on the mound next season. I expect big things from him.

 

 Hold the phones! I’m pretty sure this is a 2012 Bowman Chrome Blue Ice card. I expected the pattern to be the same as the Silver Ice, but they are definitely different. This reminds me of an old Upper Deck HoloGRFX card. Either way, a stop-in-your-tracks card.

Orange! I love Orange Refractors. Love them. I need to aggregate them all because I must be getting close to having at least one full team set. 

This card brings back a lot of memories. When we were five or six, my sister and I used to fight over this card. See, I had this version of the card, but Reggie was an Oakland A. She had the version with the Yankees. And she would never, ever let me have it. 

These cards always amused me because of the blue fabric. 

I really need to get Eduardo to sign this. It’s begging for his autograph.

 

My first 2013 Topps Pro Debut! Love these sets even though the logic behind “Pro Debut” is off.

Kenny, it’s all gold (or orange or blue ice). Thanks again, my friend.