I know I'm jinxing it

I'm expecting a really big year from Giancarlo Stanton.

I know, I know. It's only been two games. Even though his two home runs have traveled nearly a combined 1,000 feet, I know I shouldn't get this excited about about how he looks early on.

It's why I picked up this card a week before the season started. Because it just seems like Stanton is primed to have a huge year.

He's been unfairly treated in NY. In 2018, coming off his 59 homer season, he hit 38 while carrying the offense for much of the summer while playing last less than 100%. Yet, somehow it wasn't enough.

Last year, he was limited to just 18 games, which is always the elephant in the room with Stanton. Not if he'll get hurt, but when.

And that sucks. By all accounts he's a likable guy and a great teammate. He doesn't want to get hurt and not be out there. The worst thing that he's ever done was sign a giant contract, then veto a trade to a place he didn't want to go. It didn't help that he joined the Yankees after Aaron Judge's 52-homer season, as some Yankee fans felt like it was with Stanton or Judge and they had to side with the homegrown star. Which is silly. There's enough love to go around for both.

It reminds me of this friend I have who refuses to watch A Christmas Story because he's all about Christmas Vacation. I keep telling him it's not one or the other. It's ok to like them both. But he can't seem to get past that it's a competition and he needs to pick a side, and it's making him miss out.

Back to the card. There aren't a ton of Stanton autographs in Yankees uniforms yet, so I opted for a lowly Marlins one. I liked that it was on-card. There were a lot of stickers that were a bit more affordable, although my best offer brought this card down significantly. Plus, I funded this mostly with eBay bucks.

So while I am enjoying the quick start by Stanton, I do keep expecting to read that he strained his calf rounding the bases or something. Because that's how it goes with Stanton.

But if he can stay healthy, his name will be up there in the MVP talk after this 60-game sprint.

Another post on patience

It's fun to get the shiny new toy as soon as it comes out. For me, that shiny toy is usually whatever new release Topps has decided to include Tino Martinez is.

Which lately, has been a lot.

It can be hard for me to not wait and to pay "new product prices," but more and more I'm finding that's just not necessary. My latest two Tino Martinez autographed cards are cases in point.

The Tino 2020 Topps Inception Dawn of Greatness are some very attractive cards. For real. Very aesthetically pleasing design. This card had a bit more of a competitive market because it is Tino's first Mariners certified autograph.

I eventually landed the /20 (which is the highest print run) and I felt pretty good about it, and didn't think I'd purse the Orange /10 or Blue /5. An orange was on eBay for $90, but I'm not paying that for a parallel when I already was content. I know some "supercollectors" feel the need for every variation, but I'm not one of them.

Eventually an Orange hit eBay with an auction, so I put in a max bid and never checked it again. Literally never did. I ended up winning it for the price of a blaster! And since blasters can't be found anymore in the real world, I thought it was a pretty good deal.

Similarly, Tino has this cool looking autograph in Topps Tribute called Iconic Perspectives. It's a thick, clearcut card. I'm a sucker for clearcuts. Always have been.

The highest print run for these are /99, and there are a few color variations with smaller runs. I made an offer on a /99 on eBay, and thankfully it wasn't accepted. The seller then reached our saying he'd give me my price shipped "off eBay", which I suppose was done to avoid fees.

I said "no thanks" and he couldn't understand it, because it was actually cheaper than my original offer since shipping wasn't included in my offer. I still said "no" and that "I'll wait for the price to come down." He still didn't understand.

As is the theme here, the price did come down. Once again for a blaster-type cost, I won won of these. This is actually a slightly rarer version Orange parallel /25.

Interestingly, his autograph looks a little sloppier and shorter here. He signed a bunch for Tribute, and I'm going to guess he was getting tired. 

You might be sick of hearing me talk about patience. These are things you already know and live by. But it's things I already know too, but don't always stick to.

So these posts are more a reminder to me to stay patient. The price will come down. It always does.

40 to go

My Tino Martinez collection now sits at 960 unique cards.

I honestly think I probably have more because of those weird 1991 Donruss variations, and other odd cards that I have not really kept track of, but am now quite aware of due to Trading Card Database.

I feel like 1,000 is really in reach right now. The number feels very legitimate, and really does feel pretty special. Tino cards aren't easy. I have about 600 Jeter card without even trying, just from various card packages and the amount of products he was in.

Tino was in a lot of products in 1997 and 1998, but other than that, I wouldn't say he has a massive run of cards. According to TCDB, he has 2,416 cards total. While that sounds like a lot, consider that Gleyber Torres already has 3,395.

While it might seem like it's only the rarest of the rare left, it's not the case. I constantly find base cards I need. Like this, from 1996 Leaf Signature:

Didn't have it! Came from from TCDB. And similar to Donruss variations, Upper Deck had all these weird hologram variations. This one is a home plate variation? WTF. Now I have to go through all my dupes and look at the backs of them. This came fro TCDB also.

The recent run of Tino ink has added some new blood to the collection, although is also costing me more money than I need to spend. But they look nice, don't they? The first two are both 04/10.

Shiny cards continue to be sexy,  and these three fit that bill.

Last but not least, oversized oddballs sponsored by the local police?! That helps get to 1,000.

The other day, Mario told me he hopes #1,000 isn't a Cardinal. I have no preference. If it happens naturally, so be it. But if I find myself sitting on 999, I might have to splurge for something rare and one I really want.

I'll worry about that in 39 cards.

I asked for this

When Tino Martinez showed up as a 2019 Bowman Buyback, I said it would be cool if he started popping up in Topps sets this year. While I have no proof, it does seem like he didn't have an active Topps contract, but that changed with him signing for the 30th anniversary of 1989 Bowman.

Well, I was right, as the Tino Martinez autographed card market has basically quadrupled in the last few months. Before then, there were only a handful of his signed cards. He was in early Topps Stadium Club Co-Signer sets. He had a few autographs in other Stadium Club products. He was most recently in some of Panini's Team USA sets.

Then 2019 happened, and Topps did what Topps does. They have a player sign and sign and sign some more.

Following the Bowman buyback, Tino was then in Allen & Ginter. While not an autograph subject, Ginter provides many parallels to chase.

Then the autographs came. First, Topps Tribute. Then, Topps Archives. Now, Topps Archives Snapshots.

As with any new product, the market starts high and begins to drop. While it wasn't easy to do, I waited out Tino's Topps Tribute autographs, and sure enough, prices dropped to be a lot more digestable. I picked up these to cards for far less than what they started off going for:

One is his standard silver autograph, and the second, a purple parallel.

And if you're counting at home, that puts me at 899 unique Tino cards. While last post I mentioned 898, I was already including the purple autograph above.

My guess is, we'll see more Tino this year. We've got Archives Retired Signature Series due out, as well as Triple Threads and Dynasty.

Pirates fans are good to me!

The two Pirates fans I regularly swap cards with - Bob Walk The Plank and Collecting Cutch - are very good to me. In fact, my last two "just because" card packages have come from them.

Last weekend, I showed off a few cards from Matt at The Plank. That same day, a bubble mailer from Brian at Collecting Cutch arrived.

Easily, the highlight was this sweet Didi Gregorius autograph from Topps Tribute. What a great card. I don't mind that he's featured as a Diamondback, as the red actually looks awesome. It's also a reminder of how well the trade has worked out for the Yankees.

Smile! You've got French's. I have 100% never seen this oddball set. It's awesome! Great looking cards, and tempting to try and get it dual-signed via TTM. Hmmm...

SI! I didn't have this Jeter cover, but remember it well. Love having it as a card. The Pettitte is cool too. I like the simulated stats on the back. In 1998, Pettitte went 16-11 with a 4.24 ERA and 146 Ks...a step down from the previous few years and his projection, but not too bad. I still get SI each week, but honestly it just goes in the trash most week. Who has time to read it?

Tino! I'll always love Collector's Choice

While I'm not the biggest WBC fan, it's hard not to love adding an additional new Jeter to the collection! Not a bad looking card, either. Nice, clean design. It's always odd seeing Jeter in another uniform. I guess I should get used to seeing him in one of those ugly Marlin hats.

Lastly, I really like this Diamond Kings Gary Sanchez. I think this set looked great.

Brian, thanks, my friend! I'll keep my eye out from some sweet new McCutchens!

Walk-ing to the mailbox

Ahh, the Bob Walk The Plank puns!

When I got back from vacation, I had an unexpected bubble mailer from Matt over at The Walk. He mentioned in a note he found something he thought I'd like, and well, he was right.

The package contained three cards, but each was pretty great.

The first is this cool Carlos Beltran relic from 2015 Topps Tribute. It celebrates one of Beltran's Player of the Week wins, as the jersey spells out "Player of the wk". It's cool that there are three pinstripes, although I would have liked to see them spaced out evenly. The card is numbered to 36, which was Beltran's number in NY.

Clint! I love this healthy-sized jersey swatch from one of Frazier's minor league stops. It's definitely my first Frazier relic of any kind. Matt sent this before Frazier got called up. Hopefully he didn't regret it once Clint homered in his first game, although he's gone a little cold since then.

Lastly, Matt found this very cool relic of AL ALL-STAR(!) Luis Severino. If you hold told me he'd be an All-Star this year after last year's messy season, I wouldn't have believed you...unless you told me he was a reliever all year. Yet as a starter, Sevy has excelled, and has given the Yanks something to look forward to for the next few years.

I'm uncertain where in the minors this relic is actually from, as I don't recognize the colors. Zippy Zappy and I both guess Charleston at some point for a minor league promotional night.

Matt, these three cards are excellent. Thanks for thinking of me.

A tribute to Big Mike

Michael Pineda is maddening. I have a love-hate relationship with him. I've been collecting him since the 2011 trade, yet, I feel like I make fun of him more than stick up for him. From pine tar to injuries, he gives us a lot to laugh at. He teases us too; with brilliant performances, swing and miss stuff, and constant two out hits leading to run-scoring innings.

Yet, I keep picking up new Big Mike cards. But with homegrown guys I've been following for years now making an impact, how much longer will I go out of my way to pick up new Pinedas?

My newest of the aforementioned Pinedas is from Topps Tribute, a blue autograph. Since it's from Tribute, here's a short tribute to Big Mike:

Big Mike.
Or is it Big Sike?

This is a tribute
To my PC guy.
With gobs of pinetar
You weren't so sly.

You were traded for Jesus
We had an ace in the making.
Then you got hurt for two years
Are you sure you weren't faking?

The first year back
You dominited when on the mound.
Then the next two years
That dominance was no where to be found.

Once you struck out
Sixteen Oriole batters.
Now your meatballs
Couldn't be any fatter.

With four weeks left
It's time to pitch like an ace.
If you still want me to PC you
It's time to make your case.

SuperTraders #4: Bob Walk The Plank

SuperTraders packages are coming in faster than I can post about them, but that's ok! I love it. I did some sorting over the weekend breaking cards out into team lots. It's a great way to get rid of excess inventory!

On Saturday, I got two beauties in the mail from my pal Matthew over at Bob Walk The Plank. While it was "just" two cards deep, they were really nice.

The first that fell out is protected by one of those thick, tamper-proof plastic cases from Topps Tribute. Rarely do I get a card from this high-end of a set, and it did not disappoint. Feast your eyes on a flawless, on-card, shiny David Cone autograph. Ooooh man, is that nice. Numbered to just /199, the signature is great. Really classy card design too. Wow, I like this.

Despite the no license issue, Panini has been putting out some nice products over the last few years. They also have a nice, Refractor-type technology they put on select cards. Sometime it feels a little off on guys from the past, but I think it works well here:

Joe D #'d to just 75. What a pretty card. So nice I don't even notice the lack of an NY on there!

Matthew, I've got some stuff set aside for you that I look forward to sending your way. Thanks for these two awesome cards!

Listia, sometimes you are my friend

I'm still pretty active on Listia. I do tend to come and go, but I enjoy turning cards I don't want into things I do. I have a decent amount of credits, but am still pretty stingy on what I buy. Over the past month or so, here's how I've done:

The below lot was for 25 2013 Bowman Chrome Yankees. I needed these badly for TTM, plus this set has some of my favorite Yankees prospects. There were some dupes, but it was a great lot that I got at way too low of a credit price. Not sure what everyone was doing passing this one up.

 

I'm always looking to add to my PCs when I can, and I did just that with this cool 1980 Cramer card of Phil Rizzuto. It's a cool looking card. I also picked up another Michael Pineda card I didn't have.

I've seen a few sellers offer up lots of nine cards, and they just fold the binder page three ways. This is interesting. This was a nice nine-card lot I snagged, complete with a Gary Sanchez (another PC guy!) Bowman Platinum Purple Refractor. I love the Jeter Prizm. It's amazing how much nicer logos make cards look.

 

Right before he signed with the Twins, this Phil Hughes jersey card set me back 900 credits, which is nothing for a Yankees jersey card on Listia. The Pinstripe is impeccable.

Here's a nice Whitey Ford from a high-end Topps product (Tribute). I was the only bidder at 200 credits.

Lastly, while I don't collect football, Ryan Nassib was one of the best QBs to ever come through Syracuse, so I felt it appropriate to grab a card of him.

A gorgeous Rizzuto from Listia

First off, I'm not even going to try and wrap my head around this Jacoby Ellsbury deal. It caught me very off guard, and I have mixed feelings. That's all I have to say about that, for now.

On to the Rizzuto. It's not vintage, but I found a high-end base card of his on Listia that I really wanted. This is a great-looking card from 2010 Topps Tribute. I don't come across this brand much. It's not usually one that's sent in trades, so grabbing a card of a player I collect in one of Topps premium brands is a must.

I'm working on documenting my Rizzuto have list, including both vintage and the newer stuff. I hope to have it up soon.

My first Jeter jersey card

One relic (and autograph!) missing from my collection is Derek Jeter. I have a card with a piece of game-used base, but no jersey card. So I finally fixed that and picked up this 2010 Topps Tribute Jeter jersey card. It’s number to /99, which is no big deal. I wish it was a home jersey, but the prices for Pinstripes are high, so I settled on road gray. Still a pretty sweet card and a good one to cross off the list.