Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Repack Haiku #396 (Sergio Romo)

In last career game
Paid tribute to Giants fans
Wore cap signed by kids
 
2019 Topps Update #US164 Sergio Romo

A 3-time World Series winner with San Francisco, Romo ended his 15-year career in 2023 by signing a minor league contract with the Giants. Throughout Spring Training, every time a kid asked him for his autograph, he asked for them to sign his hat first. When he made his final appearance at an exhibition game at Oracle Park, he wore that hat as a thank you to fans that supported him.
 

Monday, February 3, 2025

Red Sox Frankenset: Choosing Cards #19-21

It's been a long time since I completed page 2 of my Red Sox Frankenset! Seems like a good time to start the 3rd page. Just a refresher, I'm going through my Red Sox doubles and picking the best at each number for the Frankenset. Let's roll! 
 

#19


Favorite Card: 1992 Post #19 Wade Boggs
My Choice: same

A happy Boggs wins by default! At least it's a relatively nice food issue card, despite the lack of an MLB-licensed logo and a bat that strangely disappears behind his neck.

#20

 
Favorite Card: 2008 Topps #20 Daisuke Matsuzaka
My Choice: same

As much as I liked Gator as a player, this is not his best card (that one already made it to the Frankenset!). He looks like he smelled something unpleasant. Dice-K gets the win!

#21



Favorite Card: 1987 Topps - 1986 All-Star Game Commemorative Set (Glossy) #21 Roger Clemens
My Choice: 1992 Ultra #21 Jody Reed

Finally, some real choices! I love me some All-Star Glossy cards, especially if it features the Rocket and some cars in the background. However, this spot goes to Jody and the great action shot of him hurdling an Athletics runner.
 
With these selections, Here's how the top line of Page 3 looks:


Not bad, given the lack of choices for the first two spots. No standout amazing cards, but solid all-around. 

What say you, good readers? Did I make the right choices?

Friday, January 31, 2025

Trolled By A Box Of Stadium Club

When you are primarily a team collector, opening packs is pretty hit or miss. Some days the cardboard gods smile upon you, other days you get shut out.

I think this is the first time where the powers that be actually pointed and laughed at me.

I had an opportunity around Christmastime to purchase a hanger box of Stadium Club. I've become a little more selective when cards happen to show up in my local stores, having only purchased the base set and holiday sets. Stadium Club has always been a good rip, so I bought it.
 

8 packs, each with 10 cards. I had hope that maybe one or two cards would be feature Red Sox players, and would have considered the purchase to me an resounding success even if my lone Red Sox card happened to be the Greatest Red Sox card of 2024. Alas, I did not get any Boston players. What the box did provide in abundance was Yankees:
 

Oh, and each of the 8 packs contained one red parallel. Yeah, you can guess how well that went!
 
 
16 Yankee cards, an average of 2 per pack. Really, Stadium Club, you could collate the box just a little? It's bad enough when 20% of the cards are of one team, but it's 10 times worse when it's your favorite team's rival!
 
The cardboard gods did make it up to me again somewhat. Despite the wicked burn, just before the year ended I once again had the chance to pick up a trio the smaller hanger packs. Again, no Red Sox base cards, but the included pink parallels look pretty:
 

Here's hoping I'll have continued good luck ripping cards in 2025!

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Repack Haiku #395 (Tony Fernandez)

Last Yankee player
To wear 6 on his jersey
(Went to Joe Torre)
 
1993 Topps #465 Tony Fernandez
 
Fernandez spent the 1995 season with the Yankees, and in doing so became the last player to wear that number for the team. The following year, the number was given to their manager Joe Torre. The Yankees retired the number in 2014.

Monday, January 27, 2025

The Lingering Threads Of 2024

It's hard to believe we are almost a month into 2025 already. As for me, I'm still thinking back to 2024. Well, at least I am when it comes to baseball cards. Awhile back, I mused about completing the 2024 base set. Thanks to two of my fellow bloggers, I'm incredibly close to finishing off the set!
 
The first boost of cards came from Johnny (Johnny's Trading Spot). He sent me 145 cards from the set, which left me with just 35 to go!


Shortly thereafter, I received a package from Fuji (The Chronicles of Fuji)!


He sent 86 cards my way, and between him and Johnny I am now down to needing just 23 cards! 

#76 Sal Frelick (RC)                
#141 Elly De La Cruz (RC)             
#162 Matt Waldron (RC)        
#166 Zack Gelof (RC)        
#180 Anthony Volpe (FS)
#242 Gavin Williams (RC)
#281 Jared Triolo (RC)
#308 Reese Olson (RC)
#309 NL Leaders Wins (Strider/Gallen/Steele) (LL)
#310 Abner Uribe (RC)
#321 Trey Cabbage (RC)
#335 Ryan O'Hearn
#352 Trea Turner
#364 Nick Pratto
#391 Forrest Wall (RC)
#480 Masyn Winn (RC)
#538 Kody Funderburk (RC)
#548 Noelvi Marte (RC)
#571 John McMillon (RC)
#624 Austin Wells (RC)
#628 Junior Caminero (RC)
#668 Colin Selby (RC)
#691 Jung Hoo Lee (RC)
 
My enthusiastic thanks to both of these great guys! Of course, with both packages coming in close to each other, I ended up with a lot of extra doubles. The least I can do for the generosity I have received is to pay it forward. If anyone else is working on the set, I have the following available:

136, 142, 185, 208, 225, 231, 277, 289, 297, 303, 323, 332, 338, 345, 355,
366, 368, 379, 387, 393, 404, 411, 415, 417, 418, 420, 439, 453, 454, 455, 
459, 475, 486, 489, 490, 492, 501, 510, 515, 519, 521, 528, 532, 535, 540,
552, 554, 560, 565, 569, 570, 578, 579, 581, 589, 590, 595, 596, 609, 614,
626, 633, 640, 641, 655, 657, 669, 675, 677, 689, 692, 697
 
 
It's not just the base set I'm working on however! I managed to grab a couple boxes of Topps Holiday recently, putting me roughly 4/5 of the way towards completing that set too!
 
#H2 Austin Wells (RC) - PENDING!
#H4 Lawrence Butler (RC) - PENDING!
#H6 Zack Wheeler - PENDING!
#H11 Sandy Alcantara - PENDING!
#H19 Edwin Díaz - PENDING!
#H21 Blake Snell - PENDING!
#H36 Francisco Lindor - PENDING!
#H43 Trea Turner - PENDING!
#H51 Jordan Hicks - PENDING!
#H52 Eury Pérez
#H53 Curtis Mead (RC) - PENDING!
#H61 Jeff McNeil
#H74 Sonny Gray - PENDING!
#H81 Willson Contreras - PENDING!
#H91 Trey Lipscomb (RC)
#H96 Lars Nootbaar - PENDING!
#H98 Manny Machado
#H113 Wyatt Langford (RC) - PENDING!
#H114 Byron Buxton - PENDING!
#H118 Osleivis Basabe (RC) - PENDING!
#H132 Davis Schneider (RC) - PENDING!
#H133 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. - PENDING!
#H138 Randy Arozarena - PENDING!
#H143 Owen White (RC) - PENDING!
#H147 Jared Jones (RC) - PENDING!
#H153 Julio Rodríguez - PENDING!
#H155 Jack Leiter (RC)
#H162 Juan Soto
#H168 Luis Arraez - PENDING!
#H174 Edouard Julien - PENDING!
#H179 Bryce Harper - PENDING!
#H184 Francisco Alvarez - PENDING!
#H186 Everson Pereira (RC) - PENDING!
#H187 Henry Davis (RC) - PENDING!
#H188 Jared Triolo (RC) - PENDING!
#H193 Bryan Woo (RC) - PENDING!
#H195 Nick Castellanos - PENDING!
#H197 Emerson Hancock (RC)
 
As you can see, I've been actively working the TCDB trade wire on this one! I have a ton of doubles for this set too if anyone looking for any to trade!
 
Both sets are now listed on my "So Close!" page. I have a feeling the base rookie card of Elly De La Cruz will be the last card standing between the two sets, but hopefully I can work my way towards completing one if not both sets before the 2025 base set launches! 

I've never been one for New Year's resolutions, but I have these goals in place for right now! Wish me luck!

Friday, January 24, 2025

Trapped In Time: Remnants Of The 113th And 114th Trades

It's time once again to put a few more unwanted Time Travel Trading cards on the proverbial chopping block and see who could be saved from a potential lifetime of servitude in my personal collection!
 
Trade #113 Jon (A Penny Sleeve For Your Thoughts)
Traded 07/27/21: 1962 Topps #474 Frank Lary (AS) 
 
Received 08/12/21: 
  • 1958 Topps #124 Bobby Usher (See Trade #287)
  • 1958 Topps #208 Cal McLish
  • 1958 Topps #336 Bert Hamric
 
Our first pair of remnants come from Jon and his recently on sabbatical blog (A Penny Sleeve For Your Thoughts). Only one of a trio of 1958 Topps cards ended up generating trade interest, and these two gents have languished in the TTT box for over 3 years unclaimed.
 
Traded 07/27/21:  1984 O-Pee-Chee #342 Tim Foli
 
Received 08/13/21:
  • 1978 Topps #601 Gene Mauch (MGR)
  • 1978 Topps #631 Danny Ozark (MGR) (See Trade #161)
 
The next Time Travel Trade remnant comes from Greg (Night Owl Cards), who sent a pair from the best manager cards ever produced. (Seriously, if Heritage doesn't recreate these in a few years, I think it justifies a massive protest at the Fanatics headquarters.)  Poor Mauch, it's sad enough he's the winningest manager to never lead his team to a World Series, but now his card sits in trade box purgatory.
 
Only you can save these cards from their Time Traveling tailspin! Just an older card will put them in gentle hands!

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Repack Haiku #394 (Dale Sveum)

Shot by Robin Yount
During a quail hunting trip
Small ear injury
 
1989 Donruss #146 Dale Sveum

Sveum had just finished his first season as manager of the Chicago Cubs when he went hunting with the Hall of Famer. Yount's errant shot struck Sveum in the right ear, and the two friends actually laughed it off.

Source:  https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1434465-dale-sveum-cubs-manager-accidentally-shot-by-brewers-legend-robin-yount