TCDB Trade Recap: Cards From Loveland, CO

Just a small trade today, courtesy of a TCDB member named Harrison:

 

 

1 card for an insert set build, 1 for a team set build, plus two recent Heritage rookie cards!

 

Favorite Card: 2026 Topps Heritage #386 Payton Tolle (RC)  - He's such a joyful player and his interviews are entertaining!

 

Thanks for the trade Harrison! 

 

TCDB Trade Recap: Cards From Minneapolis, MN

Time to catch up on some little trades. A recent one came from Tim via the TCDB. What made this particular transaction stand out was the envelope itself:

 

I recognize these as the stickers from Fleer's 1988 set. I'm not sure if there was a particular reason for choosing Expos or if he was just randomly decorating the envelope. Still, it was amusing to see!

 

As for the contents within, the Montreal theme continued with some bonus cards:

 

I didn't set out to trade for Expos though. This trade was made with the intent to whittle down some cards for a particular set build:

 

I'm in the home stretch! Only 6 more cards until the 1977 set is complete! If time permits, I'll try to scroll through the TCDB and try and trade for them. Then again, with just a half dozen to go, I may just buy the final ones and be done with it! 

 

Thanks for the trade Tim! 

TCDB Trade Recap: Cards From Clark, NJ (AKA The Collector)

Chris (The Collector) was quite a busy person on the TCDB. He posted on the forum that he was attempting to get 60 trades completed in 30 days. That's a lot of postage! I had a few cards he needed, so I did my part to help him reach his goal. Although he didn't have any specific needs of mine, I had no trouble finding cards for him to send my way:

 

The 1986 set is one of those "someday" sets that I'm in no rush to complete, but will pick up cards from when the opportunity strikes. There's some good cards here - a couple of Hall of Famers, plus some underrated minor stars from the 80's.

 

Favorite Card: I have always liked the Team Leaders cards in this set, and the Cubs happen to feature a Hall of Famer!

 

Thanks for the trade Chris, and congrats on reaching your goal! 

Catching Up

I'm back! Did you miss me? Alright, first things first - my wife is doing excellent! The surgery went smoothly and she was home the following day. The pathology report came back clean, meaning the cancer didn't spread past her uterus. She's feeling a lot better too, even though she is still under some restrictions and has to be careful not to overdo anything. Everything is trending it the right direction! I appreciate all the kind thought and words from you guys. It meant a lot! 

 

Now that I'm back to blogging, I decide to wrap up a whole bunch of incoming cards that have been sitting around waiting for their moment in the sun. My camera roll needed a bit of a photo dump.

 

Back in February, Jeff (Wax Pack Wonders) included a bonus card in one of our Time Travel Trading dealings:

 

 

Kerry Wood's historic rookie season made this a sought after card back in 1998. As far as multiplayer rookie cards go, this one was pretty good, as all three pitchers eventually made the All-Star team.

 

I also got some free cards recently from Stuart (S.R. '75 Cards). He was kind enough to help with my 1977 Topps set build, as well as add a few Red Sox needs my way:

 

 

Bob Boone giving us that smoldering look that drove all the ladies wild...

 

Next, a TCDB trade with Kurt from Butler, PA. I was able to acquire two more Red Sox from the 1976 set, leaving me just 3 short of the team collection!

 

That Fred Lynn was one of the bigger cards remaining from my quest to obtain all the Red Sox cards from the 1975-current Topps base sets.

 

Last but not least, Greg (Night Owl Cards) was kind enough to send a couple of Red Sox cards along with his most recent Time Travel Trade (which is set for Monday!)

 

 I'm not a huge fan of parallels, but the tree border does add a nice subtle touch to the holiday set.  

 

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming!

 

 

TCDB Trade Recap: Cards From Mt. Juliet, TN

Another simple and easy trade to show off today! This is my second trade with TCDB member Brian, and like the first one I sent along some set needs while receiving some team needs of my own.

 

 

For some reason, complete the 2025 Topps Red Sox team set gave me "Fitts" (or a lack thereof), but now I can say that year is done! I can also say that year's Holiday edition is complete as well outside of the short-prints. Updates, Archives, and Big league needs fill out the trade.

 

Favorite Card:  Put some respect on the man's name! It's spelled Y-A-S-T-R-Z-E-M-S-K-I! If I could learn it in middle school, Topps quality control should have no excuse!

 

Thanks for the trade Brian!

TCDB Trade Recap: Cards From Aurora, CO

Nothing like getting hit with another round of Covid right after one's birthday. April Fools on me! Fortunately, this was a mild one with no fever or symptoms outside of a cough. Still, it did make it so I didn't feel like doing much, including post. I'm back now, and hopefully I can finish up all the posts I had intended to have published already.

 

This is a nice small trade with a TCDB member named Chris. He's always looking to complete some sets and I was able to help him a little bit in exchange for some Red Sox needs:

 

Favorite Card: I just adore that high leg kick on Crochet! 

 

Thanks for the trade Chris! 

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! 

TCDB Trade Recap: Cards From Wintersville, OH

Another quick and easy TCDB trade, courtesy of a member named Dave. he helped me knock out a few more Red Sox from this years Series 1. Just five more to go!

 

Favorite Card: Glad to have Roman Anthony's rookie card! I have high hopes for him and feel the value of this card is just going to go up!

 

Thanks for the trade Dave! 

TCDB Trade Recap: Cards From Nacogdoches, TX

Kicking off March with a quick post here. I was proposed a trade on the TCDB by Wayne, who offered up three cards in exchange for just one that he needed. Sounded like a good deal to me!

 

The 2002 and 2012 Topps cards knocked off two more cards from my Missing Sox list, with the Active Leaders card being the last Red Sox card I needed from that set (not including the corrected versions or short print). The Craig Hansen was on my want list only because Johnny from Johnny's Trading Spot gifted me almost the entire team set of 2006 Fleer last Autumn.

 

Favorite Card: Nomah!

 

Thanks for the trade Wayne! 

TCDB Trade Recap: Cards From Hanover, MD

Sometimes someone on the TCDB will offer a post looking for trades, and while I happen to have a bunch of cards they need, they won't have much that I could use. If I can help someone complete their set and decrease the amount of cards in my doubles box, then I'll find something to trade for, even if it's not exactly a want at the moment. That was the case with a member named Ian. Most of the Red Sox cards he had on his trade list were from the junk wax era, and cards I was pretty sure I had. However, that didn't stop me from making an offer for some cards:

 

The 1986 Topps set is a set I plan on completing someday, but right now it's not a high priority and something for down the road. When I do circle back to it, I'll be a little bit closer than I was before.

 

Favorite card: I always liked the Team Leaders cards from this time period, and liked how they mentioned the longest tenured player for each team. Bring back the deans!

 

Thanks for the trade Ian! 

TCDB Trade Recap: Cards From Staten Island, NY

I got a nice little trade offer through the TCDB recently from a gent named Paul. In exchange for some hockey cards I had, he helped me with some Red Sox needs:

 

 

After this trade, I need just 4 more Red Sox cards from the 2009 Topps set. 

 

Favorite Card: Jason Bay has a great action shot with the Fenway scoreboard as a backdrop!

 

Thanks for the trade, Paul! 

A Little Something Extra

The majority of trade I make nowadays revolve around my Time Travel Trading Project. Occasionally, some cards from those trades aren't a part of the project and end up in my main collection.

 

For example, Jeff (Wax Pack Wonders - how about a new post for old time's sake?) could have just sent some cards to complete our most recent Time Travel trade. He's a generous guy though, and included a bunch of Red Sox cards for me:

 

 

*Sigh* Raffy... I've gone back and forth about writing a post centered on his insane trade to the Giants. It's hard to compose a piece when you simultaneously agree with the trade (not a team player!) and disagree with the trade (pretty much sinks any chance of reaching the playoffs this year!). What sucks about the trade for me as a Red Sox collector is that this Heritage card makes the 6th different Devers rookie I now own. With that many rookies, I was kind of hoping the guy would go on to be a Red Sox legend. In other news, that Drago means I only need Yaz and Fisk to complete the 1975 Topps Red Sox team set!

 

Another Time Travel Trade I recently completed was with Evan through the TCDB. Along with those Time Travel cards was a swap of cards from outside the project. I was able to whittle down another Red Sox base card need from 1998!

 

 

Finally, I have trade from Gavin (Baseball Card Breakdown).  You won't see the Time Travel Trading card until next month's update, but Gavin included some extra goodies for me. Starting off with a trio of serial numbered cards:

 

 

I always appreciate the gold parallels, but the eye catcher here is that sharp black parallel of (ironically) the man who just traded away Raffy Devers!

 

But wait, there's more! Readers of Gavin's blog know he a custom card mad scientist extraordinaire, and it wouldn't be a gift from Gavin without a couple of his customs!

 

 

Man, those are sweet! If you can't figure out the left card, it's Carlton Fisk and his famous wave from Gavin's latest custom project, glow in the dark silhouettes! I also received one of Gavin's white bordered 1991 Fleer modifications! Dewey looks a lot better surrounded in white instead of bright yellow!

 

My enthusiastic thanks to Jeff, Evan, and Gavin for these great additions to my Red Sox collection! You guys are awesome!

TCDB Trade Recap - Cards From Austin, TX

I made a trade with TCDB member Steffan recently. It's our second trade this year after first swapping cards back in February. 

 

 

With this trade, I finished up all of the Red Sox cards from this year's Series 1 portion of the set. The Dozier is yet another card in my slow progress towards completing the 2016 Topps Archives set - just 8 more cards to go (not including the short-prints!).

 

Favorite Card: Tough call between Devers, Wong, and Houck. I'll give the nod to Houck just for the Raffy cameo in the background.

 

Thanks for the trade Steffan!

TCDB Trade Recap: Cards From Napersville, IL

Today is officially the 8th Anniversary of this blog! What a wild ride it's been. I had planned to do something bigger in terms of a celebratory post, but time has gotten away from me. Perhaps down the line I'll have the time to wax poetic on the past 8 years, but for now, a simple trade.

This particular TCDB trade comes from a gentleman named Vern. He only wanted a single card, but offered up these 4 needs in return:

 

The 2018 Topps Big League AL Saves Leaders card and the 2015 Topps David Ortiz are both the final cards needed to complete the Red Sox portion from both of those particular sets. Foulke of course is the underrated off-season acquisition that helped the Red Sox break the curse. Grady Little, despite being given a lot of grief for his management of Pedro Martinez in the 2003 ALCS, was the last Red Sox skipper to win Manager of the Year.

Favorite Card: A big smile from Grady as he holds a kid makes for one fantastic card!

 

Thanks for the trade Vern!

Another Trio Of Tiny TCDB Trades

I'm catching up with three more small 1 or 2 card trades that I've done on the TCDB...

 

Gino from Franklin, TN was another collector that was working on the 2024 Topps set. I had a few extras he needed, and picked up a couple of Heritage cards I needed. Not going to lie, I kind of wish the Red Sox had retained Eovaldi. He's been nothing but solid for Texas.

 

Next up is a trade with Justin from Pembroke, MA. Thanks to this trade, I just need 3 more Red Sox cards from the 1996 Topps set. I'm excited to have this great card of Tim Wakefield throwing his knuckle-ball.

 

Finally, I have a trade with a guy named Mark from Wellington, FL. You'll actually see most of the cards he sent in the next Time Travel Trading Update. In addition to those yet unrevealed cards was a single card that I was particularly interested in acquiring:

 

I've had all but 2 cards from this 20-card 1996 Fleer Boston Red Sox set since 2021. I picked up the Roger Clemens I needed two years ago, but Jose Canseco was always a tough one to find in trade. I finally have him, meaning this set is now complete! (My third one this year! I'm on a hot streak!)

 

Thanks to Gino, Justin, and Mark for the trades!  

***BONUS CONTENT!***

 

One of the web sites I frequent for my fantasy baseball news posted a great article the other day taking a behind the scenes look at one of the more memorable photos from this year's base set. It's worth checking out: What’s Happening On This Baseball Card? Minnesota Twins Take A Selfie (PitcherList)

TCDB Trade Recap: Cards From Wakefield, MA

Another day, another trade through the TCDB! This time, I was pry some cards from deep in the heart of Red Sox nation, thanks to a fellow collector named Evan.

 

This trade also included a 1963 Topps Bob Schmidt that was shown in my last Time Travel Trade Update. 

 

Favorite Card: Collin McHugh is one of those cards where a player is depicted with a team he never suited up for. He signed a one-year contract with the Red Sox in 2020, but thanks to injuries and the shortened season he never pitched for them. He signed with the Rays the following year.

 

Thanks for the trade Evan!

TCDB Trade Recap: Cards From Monument, CO

Now that I've got the 2024 Topps base set done, it's time to to work on the 2025 one! No, not really (maybe?), but I do plan on getting all the Red Sox cards in the set. Thanks to a TCDB trade with Ryan, I'm a bit closer to that little project.

 

Not a ton of star power here, unless you count Casas's soon-to-be star turn in the upcoming Netflix documentary about last year's Red Sox team. (It comes out April 8th!). Plus, no City Connect uniforms in this lot! 

 

Favorite Card: The team cards are always nicely done. This one isn't as eye catching as others, but solid.

 

Thanks for the trade, Ryan!

Two In The Hand - A Set Completed!

 

1990 Topps.

 

It may seem incredible to think, especially among you set collectors out there, but this is the most recent Topps base set I have ever completed. Heck, even if I expand it to any of the big base sets of the time, that would only take me to 1991 (Donruss - although I do have an unopened set of 1991 Upper Deck as well). It's easier to believe that this 35 year gap has occurred when you factor in that I stepped away from the hobby for roughly 25 of those years. Still, for as long as I've been back collecting, 1990 is still quite a ways back. 

That is no longer the case.

 

I'm happy to say that for the first time since I was in high school, I have completed a Topps base set! The last time I checked in, I was 2 cards shy of completing the 2024 Topps set. Thanks to a TCDB member from Round Rock, TX named Shane, those last two cards are now in my possession!  

 

 

There's some nice symmetry going on there with two identically uniformed Reds hitting from opposite sides. As is often the case, one of the last cards was also one of the hot rookie cards of the set, Elly De La Cruz. I was expecting it to take awhile to get that card, but it only took three trade proposals to get someone to accept. 

Thanks for the trade, Shane! On to the next set! (whichever one that ends up being...)

A Trio Of Tiny TCDB Trades

Sometimes when I do small 1 or 2 card trades, I feel like they aren't enough to warrant their own blog post. I've done a lot of these trades since the calendar flipped to 2025, so in an effort to catch up a bit, I decided to bundle some together.

 

First, I have a TCDB trade with Samuel from Stromsburg, NE. It was a small 2 card trade, but one of those cards ended up in the Time Travel Trading stack. The one card I got for myself was this great Yaz from the 2016 Topps Bunt set. I can't help but look at the positioning of the catcher's mitt and think he's holding Yaz up!

 

 

Next was a trade proposed to me by Steffan of Austin, TX. I still haven't seen any of the 2024 Topps Update set locally, so I've been picking up the Red Sox from the set when I can. I also knock off the old desired list a card of World Series MVP Steve Pearce!

 

Our final trade of the day comes from John over in Lumberton, NJ. His original trade proposition was a very lopsided trade where I sent two cards and he would have sent 10 needed cards from my pursuit of the 2024 Topps set. Unfortunately by then I had those cards coming in from elsewhere, but I was able to counter with these two cards from the 1st Series of the 1980 Cramer Baseball Legends set. These are the only 2 Red Sox in Series 1, so that's one more team set complete!

 

 

My sincerest thanks to Samuel, Steffan, and John! These cards may not have been worth the stamp you used to send them, but they are greatly appreciated!

Plugging Along, Down To Just Two!

I'm getting there. Slowly but surely (Don't call me Shirley!), I'm still working on that 2024 base set, and have made lots of progress thanks to some great people!

 

Greg (Night Owl Cards) generously sent along some extras he had, saving me from hunting down  a couple of extra trade partners on the TCDB:

 

 

One of those trade partners was Brian from Mt. Juliet, TN. It was just a small trade that took out 3 cards from the set, but I did get a couple of Red Sox from the Update Series as well!

 

 

Tim from Charles Town, WV also had a few cards I needed, including the last 3 cards I needed for the 2000 Topps Red Sox team set.

 

 

Max from Hartsel, CO is up next, with a half dozen more cards I needed for last year's set, as well as one of the remaining non-SP cards I needed for the 2016 Topps Archives set. (I haven't done much with that set at all!)

 

Although not part of the set build, I also have to give a big shout out to Johnny (Johnny's Trading Spot) who sent along most of the Red Sox from the 582 Montgomery Club parallel set.

 

 

It's still a parallel set many of us don't see a need for, but at least Topps tried to make it stand out for this year's edition.

 

Thanks to all of these wonderful people, I'm down to just TWO cards left to complete the set! Granted one of the key cards from the set, the Elly De la Cruz rookie, is one of those cards... There are over 100 TCDB members with that card in their For?Sale Trade list, so I'm hopeful I'll eventually find someone I can match up in a trade.

 

Will I get this set done by Opening Day? I'm hopeful!

 

Thanks again to Greg, Johnny, and my trio of TCDB traders! You guys are awesome!