Repack Haiku #454 (Sidd Finch)

Oh what could have been!

Threw ball at unheard of speeds

Chose different path

 

1986 Topps #793 Sidd Finch (RC)

Finch was a former Mets prospect who wowed coaches with his incredible fastball. The reclusive pitcher eventually decided that baseball wasn't what he wanted to do and left the game before ever throwing a Major League pitch.

 

Source: The Curious Case Of Sidd Finch 

 

 

 

It's been awhile since I did something for April Fool's Day, so I thought a haiku to one of baseball's great imaginary players was in order. This was my first attempt at using ChatGPT to create a mock-up baseball card. Not bad huh?

This Day In Baseball History

Hope springs eternal in the game of baseball. One of the best things about the sport is that you don't have to be the star player to win the game. The history of the game is filled with guys who have tried and failed, only to try again. Guys who have gotten knocked down, gotten up and persevered.

One individual spent over 40 years playing the game he loved, and more often than not found himself on the losing end. On this day in 1993, the impossible happened:

 

https://www.gocomics.com/peanuts/1993/03/30

 

Charlie Brown, baseball hero.

Happy Anniversary Charlie Brown! May your never-give-up attitude and love for the game be an inspiration to all!

(...and Happy birthday to me!)

A Couple Of Small Trades

Ah...it's good to have baseball again!

 

Just doing a quick post today to show off a couple of small trades I made recently. Starting off, we have a trade with TCDB member named Mike from Kirkland, WA. My trade with Mike was initially a Time Travel Trade where he requested 2 cards from 1975. It was only after I accepted that I realized one of the cards I was sending wasn't in the Time Travel Trade stack! Turns out it was a Time Travel Trading remnant card that I had retired, put into my collection, and forgot to update in the database! Not a big deal, as I put one card in the stack and kept this one:

 

 

Next, we have a trade with another TCDB member, Dave from Cotuit, MA. In exchange for a hockey card I had, he offered up two cards from my want list:

 

 

The Benintendi is a nice bonus, but that Yaz was the key card for me. I'm now down to needing just one more Red Sox card (Carlton Fisk) from the 1975 Topps set! 

 

A big thank you Mike and Dave for the trades! 

Repack Haiku #453 (Jake Fraley)

Bigger than baseball

Fraley's daughter beat cancer!

Ring that bell sweet child!

 

2023 Topps #657 Jake Fraley

 

It is downright serendipitous. I went to create this haiku a little over a week ago, and Googled Jake Fraley. Right at the top some recent news, and I couldn't be happier for Jake and his family. Congrats to little Avery on winning a big battle!

 

Source:  Former Reds Outfielder Jake Fraley’s Daughter Rings Bell After Beating Cancer

More Than Martinez - The Rest From Johnny!

You may remember the amazing generous amount of J.D. Martinez cards sent to me by Johnny (Johnny's Trading Spot). Well, Johnny didn't just send me one player. He included a bunch more cards beyond the 6-time All-Star:

 

 

The 582 Mongomery Club parallel sets are one of those parallels that I just don't see in person unless Johnny sends them to me. It sent me most of the 2024 set, and now he's done the same with 2025 edition. Hopefully someday down the line I'll fill in the missing Red Sox cards I need and have a proper complete team set. 

 

Johnny also sent a lot of other cards from this past year. The Williams and Crochet are both amazing. While I didn't like the '25 holiday set as much as the previous year's design, I'm grateful to add theses cards as well. The gold holiday light parallel does look much better than the base design! 

  

 

As far as pre-2025 cards go, there is some amazing cards here! The Zenith cards and the sapphire Ottavino particularly catch the eye! 

 

 

I hadn't realized the 2007 Topps set had a whole insert set dedicated to Ted Williams. Maybe once I finish up the set dedicated to Fred Lynn, this insert set will be next! Another Red Sox-centric set I will one day complete, the 2001 Fleer Boston Red Sox 100th Anniversary set, allows me to appreciate Joe's little brother "The Professor" Dom DiMaggio. 

 

Amazing cards all around! Johnny, your generosity is unmatched! Thank you! 

 

Trapped In Time: Remnants Of The 181st - 185th Trades

 

Another month, another batch of cards that have thus far failed to pique anyone's interest...

 

Trade #181 - No Remnants!

Trade #182 - No Remnants!

 

Trade #183 Bo (Baseball Cards Come To Life!)

Traded 07/27/22: 1934 Goudey #20 Shanty Hogan

Received 08/01/22:

• 1910 Champions (T218) (multi-sport) #NNO Jim Stewart

For the third straight month, these remnant posts feature a card that predates WWII! Like the two before it, I'm offering a 5-for-1 deal - send me an older card, and take any four others from the trade stack. Even with the offer, I'll be surprised if someone claims it - it's currently the 2nd oldest card in the entire stack! I actually remember this trade with Bo (Baseball Cards Come To Life!) fairly well, as I had to mail out a 1934 Goudey card to him!

 

Trade #184 Bo (Baseball Cards Come To Life!)

Traded 07/27/22: 2022 Topps Opening Day - Opening Day #OD-6 Colorado Rockies, 2022 Topps Opening Day - Opening Day #OD-7 San Diego Padres, 2022 Topps Opening Day - Opening Day #OD-10 Miami Marlins, 2022 Topps Opening Day - Triple Play #TPC-3A/3B/3C Bellinger/Betts/Kershaw, 2022 Topps Opening Day - Triple Play #TPC-8A/8B/8C Hosmer/Machado/Tatis, 2022 Topps Opening Day - Triple Play #TPC-9A/9B/9C Jimenez/Robert/Abreu, 2021 Topps #220 Marcel Ozuna (LL), 2015 Topps Boston Red Sox #BRS-14 Justin Masterson, 2015 Topps (football) #138 De'Anthony Thomas, 2010 Bowman Chrome #86 B.J. Upton, 2009 Topps - Gold #177 Eric Hinske, 1994 Finest #153 Roberto Mejia, 1994 Topps Archives 1954 #23 Luke Easter, 1994 Topps Archives 1954 #59 Gene Conley, 1994 Topps Archives 1954 #211 Don Hoak, 1961 Topps #318 Danny O'Connell

 

Received 08/01/22:

• 1993 Stadium Club Toys "R" Us #36 Gerald Williams (See Trade #214)
• 1991 Topps Toys "R" Us Rookies #30 Robin Ventura (See Trade #214)
• 1991 U.S. Playing Card Co #2Spades Eddie Murray (See Trade #255)
• 1988 Topps Toys "R" Us Rookies #30 Terry Steinbach
• 1987 Topps Toys "R" Us Rookies #7 Will Clark (See Trade #192)
• 1980 Topps (football) #9 Calvin Hill (See Trade #192)
• 1980 Topps (football) #33 Herbert Scott (RC) (See Trade #192)
• 1980 Topps (football) #44 Clarence Harmon (RC) (See Trade #222)
• 1980 Topps (football) #45 Bert Jones (See Trade #197)
• 1980 Topps (football) #46 Mike Washington (See Trade #222)
• 1979 Topps #75 Steve Yeager
• 1979 Topps #203 J.R. Richard (RB) (See Trade #192)
  
• 1979 Topps #239 Willie Horton
• 1979 Topps #447 Manny Sanguillen
• 1979 Topps #577 Milwaukee Brewers (TC,CL)
• 1960 Topps #201 Larry Osborne 

 

Back to back trades with Bo! Rather than a 116-year old card, this return features a lot of 1979 Topps sandwiched between a fun store-issue and a beautiful 1960 Topps card!

 

Trade #185  - No Remnants!

 

The boxing card I'll keep in the Time Travel Trade stack since it's so old, but the rest will find their way into my collection unless someone put's in a claim. Last call!

 

 

Repack Haiku #452 (Rafael Ramirez)

Was first Braves' player

To become All-Star shortstop

Since Atlanta move

 

1988 Donruss #448 Rafael Ramirez

 

When Ramirez was selected as a reserve for the 1984 NL All-Star team, he became the Braves first shortstop to make the team in 25 years. The last Braves shortstop before him was Johnny Logan in 1959, when the team was still in Milwaukee.