I collected baseball cards from the late '80s through 2002. Then I went to college and when I came out, I was lost. There were too many brands, sets, choices, relics, autos, parallels, variations. It was a turn off. However, I slowly made my way back.
So here is my attempt to venture back into the hobby. I'll buy a few packs of cards here and there, comment on some cards I have, send out some TTMs, and follow the progress of my Topps Yankees Project.
I hope all you Brady Bunch fans got my "George Glass" reference.
This post has nothing to do with George, buy everything to do with Glass. Leaf Trinity has once again put out their Pure Glass cards in 2014 Trinity. I know very little about the set, but what I do know is that these cards are sweet.
I don't believe they are real glass, but rather a thick, acetate card that gives the illusion of glass. Does anyone know for sure? What was cool is that the card was FREEZING cold from being in mailbox, so it felt a lot like glass when I pulled it out of the envelope. I assume real glass would be too risky for Leaf. What if a card shattered in the pack, and then cut the collector as he opened it? That wouldn't go well.
Featured on this Pure card is an auto of Yankees prospect Jacob Lindgren. He'll have a chance to win a spot in the Yankees pen out of spring training, although with Andrew Miller, Justin Wilson, and Chasen Shreve, he might have to wait to get his turn. However, he should be in the show at some point in 2015. The Yankees didn't take a reliever with their first pick in 2014 to let him sit in the minors. If they were in it last year, he probably would have been called up.
That's my second Lindgren auto. I'm still waiting for a Bowman, which I'll grab sometime soon.
This card arrived, and I groaned. Oh man, I bought another
Tino relic on eBay that I already had! Just to make sure, I flipped the card
over.
Boom. This was #’d to 50. I was sure my other one wasn’t.
Indeed I was right. This was a “red hot” parallel, somehow
rarer than a card it looks exactly like. It was lucky, but a parallel is a
parallel, and one I didn’t have. Add that one to the Tino ‘have’ list.
I picture the 2014 Bip Awards being held at a Chili's, just like The Dundies:
I hope this is the case.
On Sunday night, I was browsing through the blog roll when I noticed that Sooz of A Cardboard Problem has posted the 2014 Bip Award nominees. Cool! So I checked them out...
Somehow this little blog of mine was one of the 10 nominated for Blog of the Year. Wow! Very cool to be in that category with all the amazing blogs out there. And then I thought, well, if I didn't vote for myself, who the heck nominated me? It wasn't my mom, either. She has no idea (nor does anyone in my family or that I've met in real life) that I run this little Lost Collector operation.
Or maybe someone is playing a joke on me? Like when the cool kids nominate a dork for homecoming king?
Regardless, it's incredibly cool to see my name up there. I know I don't put as much thought or effort into my daily(ish) postings like many of the other nominees, but the blog is mine and it means something to me. It's one of the main reasons I still collect. It adds to each and every one of my collecting experiences, no matter how small. Whether it's a single-card eBay win or a big padded envelope of cards from another blogger, it lengthens and personalizes the collecting process for me. Cards that arrive aren't just catalogued and quietly stuffed into a box or binder. They are scanned. They are written (loose term) about. They are shared. They are appreciated. I get to show off cards to other people who actually like cards too. And that is pretty damn awesome in its own right.
I won't do any campaigning. I can't hang with the top of the crop nominated, nor do I feel the need to. Everyone runs his or her blog their own way, and I'm happy with mine. I squeeze out whatever posts I can in between changing poop diapers and threatening my son that if he gets out of bed once more that I'm taking away all his firetrucks.
But maybe I'll grab a few votes, the way that Darin Erstad or Jacque Jones did on their HOF ballots. You know, when a BBWAA writer leaves someone deserving off of his ballot because he knows everyone else will vote for that person, just so he can vote for the little guy that meant something to him.
Good luck to everyone nominated in all categories. There are some very tough calls. I have no idea myself, as asking me to pick between JBF and Zippy Zappy for "most generous" is a horrifying thought. I guess I'm just glad, in this instance, that Mark Hoyle wasn't eligible...
Finally, a shout out and THANK YOU to Sooz for running this. I'm sure it's a huge pain, but I can't think of anyone better to run this. Remember to thank her, and hopefully there is no unnecessary drama that ensues. She's doing this on her own time.
Oh yeah, and here's a baseball card since I didn't have one in this post. It's new to my collection, and it features a guy I'm really pulling for: Slade Heathcott. He has all the talent to be a regular at the MLB level, but just can't stay healthy. He's overcome a lot in his life, including living out of his truck his senior year of high school. He was squeezed off of the 40-man roster this winter, but luckily re-signed with the Yanks and has a chance to re-establish his career in AA or AAA this spring. Go get 'em, Slade.
I just got back another TTM request, this time from Yankees
prospect Ian Clarkin. As you’ll recall, I got back Aaron Judge just a few days
ago. These guys were picked 32nd and 33rd overall by the
Yanks in 2013, so that’s pretty cool.
I’m not sure if the Yanks sent these guys a bunch of their
fan mail recently, or if these guys are trying to finish up fan mail
because…THEY ARE GETTING READY FOR SPRING TRAINING! Oh yes, it’s getting closer
and closer. And that is a very happy thought.
Thank you to Mr. Ian Clarkin for this great auto, and best
of luck in 2015 as your climb the ranks.
Back in the 1990’s, every year the Yankees won the World
Series, they also had a no-hitter. In 1996, Dwight Gooden no-hit the Mariners.
In 1998, David Wells threw his infamous perfect game versus the Twins. Then,
just one year later, David Cone pitched a perfect game against the Expos.
In the year 2000, I actually got nervous entering the
playoffs. The Yankees didn’t no-hit anyone this year, I thought. I was young,
and just figured these types of things went hand-in-hand. Well, the Yanks went
on to win World Series titles in both 2000 and 2009 without a no-hitter, so
certainly my theory proved incorrect.
In fact, David Cone was the last Yankee to throw a no-hitter
back in 1999. Somehow, it’s been 15 years! It just goes to show how hard it is.
Many teams wait far, far longer than that. I’m sure I’ll see another Yankees
no-no, I’m just not sure when. Will a healthy Masahiro Tanaka or Michael Pineda
be the next? Will CC find a few late-career bullets left to throw one well
after his prime? What about someone no one would think of, like Nathan Eovaldi?
That’s the fun part about no-hitters. They can come from someone you least
expect.
That’s why I love this dual relic of Doc Gooden and David
Wells. These two are forever linked by no hitters in May, just two years apart. Dwight
was not the Doctor K from the mid-80s when it would have been no surprise if he
threw a no-hitter. He was a guy who overcame a lot to get back on the mound,
figuring out how to pitch without the stuff that made him a Cy Young Award
winner. Wells, on the other hand, while a very good pitcher, but had a rough
start to his Pinstripes career. Just as it was dubbed for Don Larsen, Wells
pitched a perfect game by the imperfect man.
Two pitchers, neither the ace of their staff, unhittable for
a day.
Happy 26th birthday, Big Mike! Let's hope year #26 includes over 150 innings and clean health. Sticky substances, when properly hidden, are fine. Go have a year in 2015!
The Yankees haven't had a homegrown star outfielder in a long time. Brett Gardner has been a fantastic regular, but he's not a superstar. Aaron Judge could be that guy.
Drafted as one of the Yankees three first round picks in 2013 (32nd overall), Judge had a terrific first full year in pro ball. He played in both Low A and A+, splitting nearly equal time between the two. Overall, he hit .308/.419/.486 with 17 HRs and 78 RBIs. Most of the scouting websites are listing him as the #1 or #2 prospect in the system (Luis Severino is the other #1/2).
He'll most likely begin 2015 in AA Trenton, and hopefully we'll see him succeed quickly and head to AAA. I'd love to see him in the Bronx at some point, but we shall see. Either way, I'm excited to have an upper level OF prospect like Judge.
Mr. Judge was nice enough to sign this card for me, although I'm not sure if this is the card that was sent to him in Charleston or the AFL. I'm not too worried about it. I now have a personalized autograph from the Yankees top position prospect, and I'm damn happy about it.
