A Raven Visited My Mailbox

At least a couple of weeks back now, I came home to a bubble mailer awaiting me in my mailbox.  Looking at the address I knew it was from one of my favorite new card bloggers, Michael aka The Card Raven.  I enjoy reading his blog, and I think he and I have a lot in common when it comes to cards and many other things in life.  Inside the package were some really great Red Sox cards.  I won't show them all (I'm saving one for a future post) but here are a few favorites...

We'll start off with one off of my official want list.  My published list consists of mostly complete sets I'm chasing, there are a million Red Sox cards I need to add but working on a want list seems to always fall towards the bottom of my hobby priority list.  Anyway, I liked the 2011 Topps Diamond Anniversary parallels enough when they came out to try to track down all the Red Sox.  I nearly completed Series 1 (still need Marco Scutaro), but had lost enthusiasm by the time Series 2 was released.  Hideki here gets me one step closer!

There were quite a few Bowman cards.  I don't ever buy Bowman and like many collectors am usually befuddled by it given that the sets all look so similar.  I like any Red Sox card I didn't have though, and this one is especially nice.  My first Jackie Bradley Jr. card actually!  I can't wait to see this kid get some MLB at-bats someday (assuming he's not dealt) to see if he lives up to the hype.

I realized when scanning in the cards for this post that this is the first 2011 Topps Chrome in my organized, scanned and inventoried collection.  That seems strange to me, I must have at least a few of these floating around that I just haven't scanned in yet.

This Will Middlebrooks insert was perhaps my favorite card in the package.  He is without a doubt a bright spot on the roster and I'm hoping he can turn in a full, healthy season in 2013.  15 HR and 54 RBI in less than half of the team's games last season makes you think he could put up some really nice numbers if he can manage 140+ games.

I like this shot of Kevin Youkilis.  I had the standard Topps version but this Chrome card is new to me.

Here's another new Beckett, this one an insert from 2011 Topps Update.  David Ortiz also has a card in this set that I'd like to track down.

Another first, my first Wal-Mart Black parallel from 2011 Topps.  JD may be gone, but we'll see how his little brother Stephen fares in Boston this season.  Most fans are unfairly skeptical at this point.  I hope he doesn't get off to a slow start, or there will be some pretty comical taunts coming from the Fenway faithful.

I didn't buy any 2011 Allen & Ginter, not so much as a single pack.  I have accumulated a handful of cards, but this is my first code card.  I like this one, even if Daniel Bard did forget how to throw the ball over the plate.

Last but certainly not least, a 1958 Topps George Susce!  Any package that contains a Red Sox card from the '50s that I didn't have is an automatic winner, no matter what else is included.

This is my 9th 1958 Topps Red Sox card, so I'm about 1/3 of the way to a complete team set.  Sure it's been gently loved, but that's actually perfect because it fits right at home with some of my other cards condition-wise, like this one:

Thank you for the fantastic package Michael!  Believe it or not I needed every single card you sent, and your package went a long way towards my goal of 2,000 Red Sox cards by the end of the year.

I look forward to reading The Card Raven and sending you Mets cards for many years to come!  Already have a pile ready to go for you that includes some 2013 Mets...