Fan Favorites & Buybacks

Tonight's post is just the latest example of the kindness and generosity that you seem to encounter at every turn in this hobby.  A few weeks back I got an email out of the blue from a man named Andrew Shafer.  Andrew mentioned that he enjoyed this blog, as well as a few others, and wanted to send a few cards my way.  What a stand-up guy!

Fast forward a couple of weeks and I arrived home from work to find a nice little bubble mailer in my mailbox.  I had no idea what to expect since this was really just a blind package, but Andrew certainly came through with some very solid additions to my Red Sox collection!

This Jason Varitek, from 2006 Fleer Tradition, is actually a sepia parallel.  Seems obvious now, but I had no idea until I went to go add it to my collection on The Trading Card Database.

This delivery starts out strong with a couple of fan favorites from the 2000s in Varitek and Dustin Pedroia.  I was collecting in 2009 and certainly remember these "Ticket to Topps Town" inserts from the flagship set.  I've never been big on "virtual" cards and probably never will be, so I never redeemed a code from one of these or anything, but I'll take a new "physical" Pedroia insert any day.

As all Red Sox collectors know, any package that contains a "Smoky" Joe Wood card is an automatic win.  Seriously, you could just send a single card and if it were this one any good Red Sox collector would be pleased.  Someday a copy of Wood's original Cracker Jack card will be mine!

Here's a Bowman Heritage card from 2005, which pays homage to the 1951 Bowman release.  Jeremy West was a Sox prospect who never made the big leagues, rising as high as AA before calling it a career.

Andrew may not have guessed it when he tossed it into the stack, but this one was a big hit with me.  We collectors each have those particular sets that hold a ton of nostalgic value, and for me 1994 Topps Stadium Club is absolutely one of them.  I really need to get off my butt and either build or just buy a copy of this set someday.

I got a couple of new additions from the 2006 flagship set.  I didn't really collect at all between 1997 or so and 2007, so cards from my dark period like these are greatly appreciated.

A nice shot of a very young-looking Kevin Youkilis here.

Here's a triple prospect card from Donruss Elite.  Let's check on where these three guys are at a few years later here... 

Williams Jerez is still at it, pitching for AAA Pawtucket this year but has yet to crack the Major League roster.  Kendrick Perkins (the baseball player, not the basketball player) never rose above A-ball, and finished up his pro career back in 2014.  Alex Hassan's career would seem to be over as well; he's been a free agent for almost a year now.  He did get into three games with Boston in 2014 though!

Next we have a few cards of some of the more successful pitchers in team history.  From 2006 Fleer Ultra, a "Midsummer Classic Kings" insert of the great Pedro Martinez.  Is there such a thing as a bad Pedro Martinez card?  Don't think so.

Joining Pedro in the envelope were a pair of cards of The Rocket, Roger Clemens.  His base 1997 Score card...

...and a 2017 Allen & Ginter base card.  Sweet, I received the same number of 2017 A & G Red Sox cards in this trade package as I did in the lone blaster I purchased this year.

Remember 2011 Topps Lineage?  I'll always remember this release as being one that was so hyped up when it was first announced and details were still foggy.  Unfortunately, poor execution on Topps' part (including arguably the most dull card back design in history) led to most collectors considering this one a bust.  To me this card will serve as a reminder of what could have been.

A very cool 2010 Topps National Chicle card of Big Papi here.  This set had a few examples of artwork that made you cringe, but overall I thought it was great.  Much of the artwork was very original and well-done, I'd take a set like this over 90% of what is being churned out these days.

There was one non-Red Sox Ortiz card in the package, from the 2006 Topps '52 release.  This is actually an insert.  The 1952 set may be overdone, but I don't recall many David Ortiz cards on this design, and certainly not from his tenure with the Twins.

There were a handful of Sox dupes included, but the majority of what Andrew sent (including every card shown in this post) was new to me.  The Red Sox cards were cool enough, especially for a random out-of-the-blue "just because" package, but there were a few buybacks to be found as well!

1984 Topps #727 - Joel Youngblood

First up is the man most remembered for becoming the first (and still only?) player to record a hit for two different teams in two different cities on the same day.  This one's a winner too because I was missing a #727 buyback, and 1984 Topps isn't very well represented in the binder at this stage of the project either.

2006 Topps #561 - Miguel Olivo

Miguel Olivo caught with seven different franchises over the course of his career.  While he hasn't officially retired yet to my knowledge, he also hasn't played in a Major League game for three years now.  Once again, this card makes the binder uncontested as my first #561 buyback.

1993 Topps #474 - Ozzie Guillen

Up next we have the man who is just as much remembered for his contributions as manager of the White Sox as for those as a player, Ozzie Guillen.  Is it just me, or has this guy just flat out dropped off the planet after his stint in charge of the Marlins a few years ago?  Anyway, another cool buyback and once again a number that I was missing previously.

1993 Topps #611 - Tom Gordon

Last card for tonight, a nice intimate portrait shot of the great Tom Gordon.  I wish Topps would mix some photographs like these into the flagship set instead of the gluttony of zoomed in, awkwardly-cropped action photos that bloat the modern day flagship releases.  Oh well, at least my franken-set binder can't face that same criticism, as this card is in!

Andrew, you must have checked my franken-set spreadsheet before sending these right?  If not it's flat out amazing that you went 4/4 in terms of new card numbers at this stage of the project!  These four took me past the 60% mark with the franken-set overall, which is a nice significant round milestone.

I really appreciate your generosity, and even moreso your readership Andrew.  It was very cool of you to hit me up with some cardboard, I truly appreciate it!

Franken-set Progress:  476/792 (60%)
"Rejected" Buybacks:  314
Total Buybacks in Collection: 790

Buyback Franken-set: Labor Day Edition

I'm fortunate enough to be among the many who are celebrating a nice Monday off today in honor of Labor Day.  Having my morning free, I figured it was a good opportunity to pluck ten singles from a large buyback lot from eBay that I've been slowly plodding my way through...

1989 Topps #400 - Alan Trammell All-Star

We start off with a nice All-Star subset card of a member of the Hall of Very Good, Mr. Alan Trammell.  Alan's impressive career includes multiple Gold Glove and Silver Slugger wins, as well as that World Series championship in 1984.  I really enjoy the design of the All-Star subset in 1989 Topps, so I was pleased to see that this one makes the binder uncontested.  Nice to knock off #400!

1988 Topps #347 - Joe Johnson

Next one is kind of bland.  Joe Johnson actually never pitched at all in 1988, or any season thereafter.  His 3-5 record with a 5.00+ ERA in 14 starts in '87 was the end of the line.

This fantastic Royals team card courtesy of 1973 Topps is already in pocket 347 of the franken-set binder.

Very easy call there.

1974 Topps #401 - Elliott Maddox

Pretty random that by just grabbing random cards from the box I pulled both a #400 in the Trammell and a #401 in this Elliott Maddox.  I needed a #401 too, so Elliott is currently sitting immediately to Trammell's right in the binder.  1974 was actually the best season of Maddox's career too, he even received some MVP votes that year.

1988 Topps #659 - Bobby Meacham

Bobby Meacham served as a shortstop for the Yankees for six seasons during the '80s, with 1988 actually being the final year of his career.  I'm not terribly excited about this particular buyback if I'm being perfectly honest, and it's matched up against another Yankee when it comes to inclusion in the binder:

Yes, Topps put a Yankee in spot 659 on the checklist for two straight years.

Obviously I'm going with Al Leiter over Bobby Meacham.

1989 Topps #526 - Wes Gardner

Wes Gardner lasted a few seasons in Boston.  He briefly served as the team's closer (before they acquired Lee Smith), and was later converted to a starter.  The best thing I can say about this one is that I was missing a #526 buyback in the binder previously.  Always nice to welcome a new Red Sox card to the franken-set pages.

1989 Topps #589 - Dave Meads

Here's an obscure one.  Dave Meads lasted just two seasons at the MLB level, both served in the pen for the Astros (he did make two starts in 1988).

Geno Petralli's 1988 release is already in the binder in slot 589...

...and there it will stay.

1985 Topps #157 - Tug McGraw

I haven't seen too many 1985 buybacks at this stage of the project, so this one adds a bit of variety at least.  Great shot of McGraw mid-delivery as well.  Tug's last MLB appearance came in the 1984 season, so this is a sunset card too.  Normally I'd be more than happy to include this one in my franken-set, but as it so stands McGraw gets a brutal match-up against another Phillies player:

Wes Covington at the bat rack is about as tough a draw as you're going to get when it comes to this project.

Tug never stood a chance.

1990 Topps #659 - Greg Cadaret

That's right, it's another Yankee vying for spot 659.

Does Greg Cadaret have what it takes to oust Al Leiter?

He does not.  In fact, the "silver foil" version of this buyback (this is the bronze) already lost to the Leiter in a previous post.

1979 Topps #585 - Hal McRae

Back to the '70s here with a smiling Hal McRae.  1979 wasn't his best season, but he enjoyed a nice career overall that included five seasons where he earned at least one MVP vote.  I'm digging the shoulder patch here as well.  Didn't have a #585 buyback yet, so Hal is in.

2014 Topps #531 - Dylan Bundy

Final card for the day, and it's one of the more recent buybacks I've evaluated to date.  Dylan is a definite bright spot in the O's rotation.  He's already reached 13 wins this year, currently has an ERA under 4.00, and has improved in most statistical categories over his rookie season.

Another tough match-up though, as he's pitted against this '74 Expos coaches card.  I mean, this card has Larry Doby on it.

Dylan comes up short.  Maybe if this kid keeps trending upward for another couple of seasons I'll revisit this one at a later date, but for now the Expos coaching staff wins out.

Four new numbers today, which is pretty damn good at this stage.  More buybacks coming soon, with the next set provided by a reader of the blog.  Thanks for stopping by and have a safe and happy Labor Day!

Franken-set Progress:  472/792 (59%)
"Rejected" Buybacks:  314
Total Buybacks in Collection: 786

Tall Hall

This blog seems to naturally drift towards baseball cards during the summer months, which I guess isn't that surprising.  As I mentioned the other day though, I have picked up a few very nice hockey cards over the past few months that deserve to see the light of day here on the blog.  Today I've got the first of them:

1964-65 Topps #12 - Glenn Hall

I just adore these '64-65 Topps tallboy hockey cards.  It's easily my favorite hockey set of the '60s.  At just 110 cards you'd think it might be one to go for, but some of the prices are just brutal.  Still, it's a set that I'm always passively keeping an eye out for, and I was watching this Glenn Hall here on eBay for a good couple of months before the seller lowered the price to well below a blaster and I bit.

For those who aren't hockey fans or may not recognize the name, Hall is one of the most successful goaltenders in the history of the game.  His accolades include a Calder Memorial Trophy (1956 Rookie of the Year), a record 7 First Team All-Star selections, multiple Vezina Trophy and Stanley Cup wins, and a Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP).  He also holds the record for most consecutive games played by a goalie at 502, which I would argue will absolutely never be broken.  Glenn was a lock for the Hall of Fame, and was inducted in 1975.

Here's the back, with a nice plus-sized cartoon referencing Hall's Rookie of the Year season.  It's hard to display this one any larger due to my current blog format and its extra-long horizontal layout, but you can click the scan for a larger image if you'd care to read the write-up.

What an awesome card, indeed.  The first couple of times I quickly looked it over online before buying it I completely missed the fact that he's holding a kick-ass old-school goalie mask in his glove hand.

I just sorted Glenn away and found that I now have 14 cards from this release in my collection.  Not bad at all.  I'll certainly be on the hunt for some new additions during hockey season here.  Thanks for stopping by and reading, and I hope everyone is enjoying a nice holiday weekend.

Buyback Franken-set: Childhood Favorites

I don't typically pick up single buybacks on eBay, as shipping costs are prohibitive, but recently I found a seller offering flat $3 shipping regardless of how many cards you won.  I took the opportunity to pick up some childhood favorites in buyback format.  I ended up with 9 in total, let's see how they fare in terms of the franken-set...

1990 Topps #224 - Delino DeShields

For whatever reason Delino DeShields' card is one I remember fondly from my days of hand-collating a 1990 Topps set as a kid.  Maybe it was Delino's odd look?  Perhaps that three in the background?  Or the folks walking away in the background between his arms?

Unfortunately, as fondly as I remember that card it does not stand a chance when it comes to the franken-set, as this lovely '72 Topps World Series subset buyback is already resident in slot 224.

Sorry Delino.

1990 Topps #2 - Nolan Ryan 5,000 Ks Mets

I picked this one up due to the free additional shipping, and the fact that my winning bid was just a hair over a buck.  I didn't really need it, since I already had a copy from last year's buyback program:

(Already present in slot 2)

The thing is, I might just be crazy enough to start a 1990 Topps buyback set someday, so I'll be glad to have the extra copy at that point.

1990 Topps #3 - Nolan Ryan 5,000 Ks Angels

Ditto for this one.  Once again though, a shade over a dollar isn't bad for a Nolan Ryan buyback given how many rabid Ryan collectors are out there.

Already had this copy.

But at least when the time comes to binder a separate '90 Topps buyback attempt my first page will be off to a good start.

1990 Topps #407 - Mark Davis All-Star

This one's kind of cool, in that Mark Davis was the most dominant closer in all of baseball in 1989.  His 65 games finished and 44 saves (both league highs), combined with a 1.85 ERA were good enough to win him the National League Cy Young Award.

Another tough match-up here, as Davis faces off against this '79 Pete Vuckovich.  Pete won a Cy Young Award of his own (though not until 1982 with the Brewers).

A tough call here, but I really enjoy that Vuckovich card so Davis loses in a close one.

1990 Topps #380 - Dave Winfield

A nice 1990 Topps HOFer here in Dave Winfield.  Dave had missed the entire 1989 season due to a back injury, and didn't last long in New York in 1990.  His ongoing feud with owner George Steinbrenner ultimately resulted in him being shipped out of town to the Angels early in the season.

Already had this Joe Magrane in the binder for card #380.

This one's no match for the great Dave Winfield, however.  Just can't pass up a chance to get a new player who's enshrined in Cooperstown into the binder.

1990 Topps #300 - Bo Jackson

Here's one I was pumped to win.  Bo Jackson was quite simply the man in the early '90s.  The "Bo Knows" craze was in full effect.  I know a lot of folks can't stand 1990 Topps, and I totally understand that I'm heavily biased, but I think that's a nice looking card!  Even better, I was lacking a #300 buyback so this "hero number" makes the project.

1990 Topps #757 - Larry Walker

Here's another cool one, a rookie card of slugger Larry Walker.  Of all the Walker RCs released in 1990, and there were quite a few, I think Topps may have done the nicest job.  Upper Deck or Leaf would be a close second.  This is a nice high number too at 757, so high in fact that it lacks competition and thus makes the cut for the binder.

1990 Topps #7 - Rickey Henderson Record Breaker

I think this might be my favorite card from this lot.  Bonus points for this card due to the fact that Rickey had arguably the best season of his prestigious career in 1990, batting .325 with 28 home runs and 65 steals.  He led the league in both runs scored and OPS en route to the only MVP Award of his HOF career.  Amazingly, #7 has been an empty gap on the first page of the binder up until now.  Rickey is in!

1993 Topps #701 - Mike Piazza/Brook Fordyce/Carlos Delgado/Donnie Leshnock

The last card I won from this seller is the lone non-1990 Topps buyback in the group.  Just couldn't pass up a multi-player rookie card featuring a pair of players as solid as Carlos Delgado and Mike Piazza.  A great card for this project, especially since it is also a nice 700+ high  number.  This one makes the cut as well, and I'd imagine it will be holding down its spot in the binder for good.

For me, that was a fun grouping that really reminded me of the good old days of collecting as a kid.  More than half the cards forced their way into the binder too, really enhancing my set quite a bit.  Plus I provided a solid bump for my eventual '90 Topps buyback set.  All in all, a win.

Franken-set Progress:  468/792 (58%)
"Rejected" Buybacks:  308
Total Buybacks in Collection: 776