A Trade with a Troll

A week or so ago I got an e-mail from the Collective Troll asking if he could assist me with some of the wants from my 2013 Topps Allen & Ginter want list.  The e-mail was rather long, but amusing.  Anytime someone offers to help me with cards off a want list I'm all ears...no matter the situation.

Yesterday I got a used bubble mailer (I see more and more collectors "recycling" bubble mailers) full of 2013 A&G base cards and a few inserts.  He was even nice enough to toss in a few Braves inserts for good measure.

While I didn't have time to scan anything, I did want to make it public of the Troll's generous offer.  In return he'll be getting a Desmond Jennings card that I hope he doesn't have yet (hint: it's a 2014 card) plus a few other Rays treats.  Thanks bud!

"New" pick-ups

Please tell me someone that I'm not the only one that has fallen behind on scanning new card acquisitions! With the exception of the 2014 Donruss Evan Gattis auto, the rest of the cards have been sitting in a stack on my desk at home waiting to be scanned for who knows how long!  The getting caught up work continues!

New Jeff Taylor auto pick ups

The 2013-14 will be the last season the Charlotte Bobcats take the court.  What, you didn't hear the Hornets are coming back to Charlotte?  As excited as I am, I just can't bring myself to buying packs of basketball cards in hopes I'll get one or two Hornets (or Bobcats for now) cards I want...so I just stick to buying team sets and singles.

Jeff Taylor has been great off the bench for the 'cats, but recently he's been hurt.  That hasn't stopped me from grabbing a few new autographs of his.  One of the things I love about collecting Taylor are his autos usually are cheap.  I don't think I paid more than $4 shipped for anyone of these!

12-13 Panini Preferred Choice Award Silver #19/25

12-13 Panini Preferred Choice Award Blue #45/49

12-13 Panini Preferred Choice Award Red #25/99

13-14 Panini NBA Hoops Signatures auto

12-13 Panini Brilliance Brilliant Beginnings auto

13-14 Panini Totally Certified auto #39/99

12-13 Panini Innovation RC auto

12-13 Panini Absolute #218/299

12-13 Panini Preferred Crown Royale  #17/99

13-14 Panini Pinnacle

12-13 Panini Crusade

2013 Topps Update

2013 is the year my interest in cards started to wane a little.  Or perhaps it was because my hobby funds in 2013 started to dwindle.  For whatever reason I didn't buy one single pack of 2013 Topps Update.  I only recently went back and grabbed a Braves team set for a buck twenty nine.  Of course it was a worthy purchase for a few of the rookies alone.

Terdoslavich, Gattis and Wood lead the way in the RC department, got the nifty All-Star logo on the Kimbrel card.  Topps even through in some players that often get overlooked.  In this case we get another Reed Johnson and Luis Avilan!  And the image on Jordan Schafer's card is great.

2014 Topps Heritage

So Topps Heritage has been released upon the masses already.  It quitely snuck in under my radar.  While I did grab a rack pack from Walmart to appease my pack ripping addiction, I had decided going into 2014 that I wasn't going to build (many) sets this year.  While I like the look of Heritage more this year than in years past, I figured it would be easier to acquire the cards I wanted versus buying packs.  Cue the Braves team set...well minus the stupid SPs.

Starting off with the 2014 Rookie Stars card, Christian Bethancourt is the guy that essentially made Brian McCann expendable.  My guess is that if Evan Gattis continues to excel, then Gerald Laird's time backing up Gattis will be coming to a close with Bethancourt stepping up.  David Hale looks like a promising young arm as he had a chance to show off his stuff in the majors on a late call up last year.

I'm glad to see players included in the set that usually are skipped over such as Venters and Pastornicky.  We also get our first Braves card of former Twins player Ryan Doumit.  Not sure what to expect of him this season, but surely he'll be a better outfielder than Gattis was!  With Medlen and Beachy already undergone Tommy John surgery, I have high hopes that Alex Wood can step in and light up the opposing batters.

Just a few days left before Opening Day is finally among us!  I can't wait!

Card Show Pick-Ups

I haven't been to a card show in ages.  A few weeks ago I was set up as a toy dealer at a hybrid sports cards/toys/comics show in Charlotte, NC.  While I wanted to browse the huge area of card dealers and thumb through the "el cheapo" boxes, I just didn't have time.  My wife only helped me out one day (Saturday) so Sunday I was chained to my table.  Well not literally, but you get the idea.

I did find a quick moment to run over to a table a few aisles over from me that had a big yellow banner hung advertising his huge dime box assortment.  Surprisingly he had all of the cards either in order by set for older commons or in order by team or player.  I quickly ran through the Braves of course and a few other players I collect on and off again.  While time wasn't on my side I had to hurry through, but walked away with these:

I probably already have both the Sheffields in the top row, but I love Finest and the early Upper Deck SP cards were nice.  The Ripken appears to be from some big set (or subset) by Pinnacle.

Clayton Kershaw pissed me off during the Playoffs last season, but the more I find out about the player removed from the field the more I like him.  I can acknowledge his pitching excellence as well, I just wish he would have faltered a little bit last season against my Braves!  Gwynn is a HOF I respect greatly.  His patience at the plate was something to marvel at.  I particular love the Duracell odd ball card.

I have to walk away with at least a few Braves cards.  Found a Tristar minor league of Craig Kimbrell, a subset card of Chipper and a sparkly insert of Glavine.  Was even happier when I got home and checked my list to see that I had the regular version of the Star Power insert of Glavine, but not the thick sparkly version!

I had grabbed one other Chipper insert that I ended up having, but all in all I was happy w/ the dollar I spent.

Panini delivers Lemke ink!

I guess you could say I'm coming off a "Panini high" after hosting last month's Affordable Group break featuring Panini's newest baseball product, 2014 Donruss.  While I still wish Panini would be offered a full license so they could really go toe to toe with Topps, I appreciate most of their baseball efforts.

I recently stumbled across a checklist for last year's Hometown Heroes autograph set and was surprised to see a lot of the names included.  I always find it refreshing with you have players that have signed that aren't usually included in other sets.  Maybe that's why I loved the old Leaf Signatures set from the 90's.  After skimming the list I immediately stopped when I saw this card:

Mark freakin' Lemke!  This 2nd baseball of the Braves was all about hustle and grit.  Growing up watching the '91 Braves I loved watching Lemke sniff out ground balls and pull of double plays.  Sadly though I only have a handful of his cards...and none of them are autographs...until now!  I've managed to get several nice Braves auto in my collecting time, but there is nothing better than getting your first auto of one of your favorite players.

On a somewhat releated note, I filled out my online redemption quest for my first Evan Gattis auto as well from 2014 Donruss.  Too bad I won't be enjoying my first auto of Evan anytime soon. ) =