"I found a Tino for you"

"I found a Tino for you."

Music to my ears. Given my Tino Martinez collection, I know I can be hard to shop for. More often than not, someone shoots me a batch of Tinos, and they end up being dupes..or trips...or quadrupes.

And I always appreciate the thought!

But then there are times when someone checks my 'have' list, notices one they have isn't there, and sends it my way.

This just happened with good-guy Daniel of It's Like Having My Own Card Shop. He shot me a DM on Twitter and said that he found a 2002 Topps Gold Label Tino Martinez. Sure enough, I didn't have it. And no sooner did I say that that he sent it over in a PWE.

These are some of the best kind to me. There are always going to be big-time autographs from current products I don't have. But a random card from 2002, when Tino was a Cardinal? I've missed a lot of these in my collection.

It arrived safely and is a beauty. Thanks, Daniel!

The Baseball Card Olympics (A Contest Entry)

Daniel over at "It's like having my own Card Shop" is holding a contest with quite a few ways to enter yet. It's entirely possible I missed it, but I'm not sure if anyone has taken him up on "create at least five events for a baseball card Olympics, so I decided to enter his contest under that topic.

Here's what I have, although I'm sure you all might have others and feel free to leave more ideas in the comments:

1. Timed set collating and bindering

Each Olympian will have a 792-card Topps set dumped in front of them. The participant who can not only correctly order there set, but then binder it, will be crowned the champion of this maddening event!

2. Spot the SP

A few days ago, I was flipping through some 2012 Topps card, and I found a Pablo Sandoval SP that I didn't know was in that pile. I probably missed it the first time around. Spotting an SP can be a skill, especially if one doesn't take the time to check those itty bitty number codes on the back. This would test a contestants eye, as well as knowledge of a product.

3. Card stacking

Stacking is always a fun event. There's such things as cup stacking, and even Oreo stacking, so why not card stacking? Highest stack takes the gold.

4. Name that player

A referee will open packs of junk wax cards, and without seeing the names, each Olympian must correctly guess each player. Last person standing wins.

5. Card flipping

Going back to the roots of what our dads all did with their Mickey Mantle cards, some good old-fashion card-flipping for Olympic glory.

6. Identify the autograph

Exactly how it sounds! Without being given any other hints, contestants much correctly guess from a series of autographs, with each one become harder...and scribblier...than the previous.

So what awesome events did I miss for the Baseball Card Olympics?

It's like having my own micro card shop!

A few weeks ago, Daniel from It's Like Having My Own Card shop posted a few vintage card lots he was giving away. They were beat up, but I love any and all vintage, so I claimed one.

Daniel wasn't lying. They are beat up, but they are also awesome. There were a lot of fun vintage cards in the lot.

But wait, there's more. Daniel also was nice enough to send some SWEET 1992 Topps Micro cards! I won't lie, I've ALWAYS loved Topps Micro. My friend used to have the complete sets, and I was so damn jealous. They are literally the exact cards as the regular sized ones, just very teeny tiny. How tiny? Check it out.

There was also this sweet Mattingly micro gold, which I think a few came with each complete factory set.

And if that wasn't enough, Daniel also added a Tino that I didn't have! Great package all around. Thanks, Daniel!