Card of the Week: 2001 Upper Deck Pinstripe Exclusives Joe Dimaggio/Ken Griffey Jr. Dual Jersey #20/50

I don't really know what I can say about this card other than that it will never be leaving my possession. I don't just mean I won't ever sell it; I mean that I will take it with me everywhere I go. I was thrilled to pick up this amazing card for a song ($60) and it instantly became one of the best cards in my Griffey collection. The dual pinstripes looks great and the DiMaggio jersey clearly shows its age (the seam at the bottom of the swatch really caps it off nicely). WOW! WOW! SHAMWOW! WOW! What else can I say?

Thanks for looking! Sorry for the non-existent posting. I recently got a new job (a great one at that) which is much more time demanding than my previous gig. I'll do my best to post from time to time and will be reading all of your blogs, even if I don't comment on them. Have a great week!

Happy Ken Griffey Jr's Jersey Number Day!

In honor of of the incredible accomplishment that is my 24th birthday (I think I'm being sarcastic, but I'm not sure) I proudly present some of my favorite cards of the greatest #24 ever (yes I know he isn't wearing #24 in all of thse cards, deal with it) Mr. Ken Griffey Jr. Feast yo eyes on the following:

There's more, but I'm too lazy to scan them right now. It is my birthday after all. Thanks for looking! Stay tuned for some birthday box breaks coming soon!

Card of the Week: 2004 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. Super Patch Name Plate SP/15

I won this beauty in a hotly contested auction on eBay last week and couldn't wait to show it off. There's quite a few nice Griffey patches on eBay, but the majority of them are set at ridiculously high Buy It Nows, so I wasn't about to let this one get away when it came up for auction. The super patches from 2004 Upper Deck fell at 1:7,500 packs and this particular card is short printed to just 15 copies. Needless to say, it will be a centerpiece of my Griffey collection for a long time, and is a card that I hope to one day pass on to Bud Jr. Thanks for looking!

Stay tuned for another great Griffey pick-up coming soon!

Box Break: 2009 UD Signature Stars (Hobby)

I found this box at a local Shopko for $59.99 (not terrible considering Blowout Cards has the boxes for $45-50) and bought it on a whim after getting some good news. I wasn't expecting much from the box with it being one of Upper Deck's last baseball products but I was pleasantly surprised with my pulls and the quality of the product. Here's the goods:

Rick Hague Team USA Jersey: The basic jersey cards are well designed and it's always nice to get a something other than the standard white swatch. I'd never heard of Rick Hague before but he had a pretty good season in the minors after being drafted by the Nationals in the third round of the 2010 draft, hitting .327 at Single-A Hagerstown.

Andy Wilkins Team USA Winning Materials #156/499: It's almost impossible to tell in the scan, but the left swatch of jersey shows some dirt from game-use, which is always a plus. Wilkins was a 5th round pick of the White Sox in last year's draft and hit .307 with more walks (33) than strikeouts (31) at Rookie League Great Falls.

Kavin Keyes USA Future Watch Jersey/Auto #620/899: The auto/jersey cards fall approximately one per box and I was (un)fortunate (we won't know for a few more years) enough to pull Kavin Keyes of the 18U squad. The card looks crisp and although the autograph is on a sticker it blends nicely into the background. Keyes is attending college at Oregon State and hopefully this card will one day pay for a meal...at a sit down restaurant!


Kevin Gausman Team USA Jersey Patch #20/25: I opened one pack and was greeted by a card thicker than most Red Robin hamburgers--it turned out to be a patch variation of Kevin Gausman. Yes it's the dreaded one color patch, but at least it wasn't white, and the red completed the American Flag (red, white and blue) in jersey cards. Gausman was drafted in the 6th round by the Dodgers but didn't sign and will instead pitch for LSU. He seems to be fairly highly regarded so this might not be a bad pull at all.

David Price Top Prospects Auto RC: I had already received my four promised hits with a few packs remaining, so I was very surprised when I pulled this card. He's no Bryce Harper, but David Price was one of the top autos from the rookie subset, and I'll never complain about an extra hit. The upper right hand corner is a bit dinged but it's a great card nonetheless.


Overall Thoughts: I got pretty lucky on this box with an extra auto and a likely case hit (the patch) but for $40-45 dollars this is a fun product with an insert in nearly every pack and a decent shot at a big hit (Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Matt Weiters). If you get the urge to open something other than 2011 Topps Blasters this is a great, albeit more expensive, way to go.

Thanks for looking!

A Rainbow of Griffeys on a Black Friday

Yes, I realize that this is two Fridays in a row that I've used color(s) in the title of my post...is that a crime? Anyway, I recently finished a project I've been working on for close to a year--the 2008 UD Heroes Ken Griffey Jr. rainbow. It's the first rainbow I've completed (two more are in the works) and it's fitting that it would be of my favorite player. It looks great in person (you can get a better look at it by enlarging the picture) and I've got to give a big shout out to Ed at Roll out the Barrel who traded me the purple variation (I haven't seen a single one on eBay since) way back when. Thanks Ed! Now, marvel in beauty of a Griffey rainbow:

Brian and Bud's Box Busting Bonanza: Results!

I busted the two boxes of 2010 Topps Chrome for Brian and I today and was fairly pleased with the results. We received the promised number of autographs with two decent prospects (Wilson Ramos and Jon Jay) and a very tough to pull red refractor (1:370 packs). The cards were in pretty good shape, but the base cards had some centering issues and the some of the refractors had a strange thin powder coating on them. At only $35 a box, 2010 Topps Chrome isn't a bad gamble, although the autograph checklist is weak and colored refractors are hard to find. Still, I had a lot of fun busting the boxes, and I hope that the Killer B's (Brian and Bud) will reunite soon for some more box breaks.

Brian's Spoils:

--> Refractors (9): Wandy Rodriguez Red Refractor #21/25,
--> Inserts (3): Dustin Pedroia Heritage Chrome #/1961, Martin Prado Heritage Chrome #/1961, Pablo Sandoval t206 Chrome #/999
--> Autos (2): Wilson Ramos and Cole Gillespie

Refractors

Pedroia Heritage Chrome, Kung Fu Panda t206, Martin Prado Heritage Chrome

Cole Gillespie RC Auto

Wilson Ramos RC Auto

Wandy Rodriguez Red Refractor #21/25

Bud's Spoils:
--> Refractors (8): Stephen Strasburg RC, Ken Griffey Jr., Jay Bruce, Brandon Webb, Rick Porcello, Adam Jones, Hiroki Kuroda, Akinori Iwamura
--> Inserts (3): Phil Hughes Chicle Refractor #/499, Hanley Ramirez t206 Chrome #/999, Wandy Rodriguez Heritage Refractor #/561
--> Autos (2): Jon Jay Refractor #/499 and Drew Butera

Base Refractors

Hughes Chicle, Hanley t206, Wandy Heritage Chrome

Drew Butera RC Auto

Jon Jay RC Refractor Auto #/499

A Playoff Swap with the Pride of Texas (PATP)

Since joining the blogosphere I've completed more trades with Brian from Play at the Plate than anyone else. We cheer for division rivals (Seattle and Texas) so swapping cards is cinch. Here's the lastest batch he sent my way:

2002 Pacific Joey Harrington RC: I'm not sure whether Brian sent this as a joke or not but I was always a fan of Joey Harrington during his college days at Oregon. Harrington was considered a bust by most, but given his surroundings (the Detroit Lions) he performed admirably. According to Wikipedia is a now a commentator for Oregon Ducks football games but is open to a return to the NFL. I'm not holding my breath.

2002 Topps Reserve Ken Griffey Jr: I never bought more than a few packs of Topps Reserve so I still needed this card to add to the Griffey collection. I'm not sure of the exact number of cards but I think it's nearing 600. Thousand.

2001 Upper Deck Ichiro RC: I don't know if Brian intended to send me an Ichiro rookie because it was in the middle of a bunch of other 2001 UD Mariners, but I certainly won't complain. I admire Ichiro more every season--a beautiful flower in a crappy pot.

2010 Topps Cliff Lee Orange Refractor: Brian was kind enough to throw in a card of the player who might help his team win the World Series. Cliff Lee is so, he doesn't even seem real. The orange refractors look great and were a nice addition to retail.

Thanks Brian! Go Rangers!

Another Great Pacific Northwest Trade

If you haven't made a trade with Kerry from Cards on Cards yet--what are you waiting for? My neighbor to the south has provided me with many of my favorite Mariners and Griffey cards, and this trade package was no exception. This is what he sent in the latest installment:

2009 UD Spectrum Rick Ankiel: Yes I know there aren't that many UD Spectrum fans out there, but I'm a sucker for anything shiny. It's nice to see Ankiel get the chance to play for a contender in Atlanta--if he could top off his amazing transition with a World Series it would truly be story book quality.

1992 Arena Holograms Ken Griffey Jr.: Kerry sent me two of these, one opened and another unopened in the original pack. I'm not quite sure what ever happened to Arena Holograms, but anyone who makes Griffey cards is okay in my book.

2010 Topps Chicle Stan Musial: For the most part, Topps Chicle was an utter abomination--an affront to the beautiful world God created. But, a few cards did turn out well. This is one of them.

1997 Fleer Ultra Ken Griffey Jr.: The baseball card world is a lesser place without Fleer Ultra just as baseball is a lesser sport without Ken Griffey Jr. This card may make me cry.

2002 Upper Deck Game Swatches Edgar Martinez: It seems like Kerry is a magnet to Edgar jersey cards, because I think this is around the 3rd or 4th he's sent me (not that there's anything wrong with that). I wish I was a magnet to Albert Pujols or Matt Holliday cards so I could return the favor.


Thanks for the great cards Kerry! Good luck Ducks!

Card of the Week: 2008 UD Heroes Ken Griffey Jr. Jersey Logo Patch #24/25 (Shamwow!!)

Trying to say anything about this card is worthless. It's beyond description...but feel free to tell me how cool it is.

Gint-a-Cuffs II: Packs 10-12 (Hitting the Doldrums)

Pack 10 (+9):
Nick Jacoby (Code Breaker +1)
Rich Harden
Daniel Murphy
Ken Griffey Jr. (+4--favorite player!)
Victor Martinez
Dan Runzler RC
Lords of Olympus Eros (+3--God of Love and Fertility)
Pablo Sandoval TDIH (+1)

Pack 11 (+6):
Franklin Gutierrez (+1--favorite team)
Sig Hansen (Deadliest Catch)
Billy Butler
Daniel McCutchen RC
Mark Buehrle
Ryan Howard (+2--favorite player list)
Lords of Olympus Helios (+3--God of Sun)
Alex Rodriguez TDIH (+1-1=0)

Pack 12 (+4):
Travis Snider
Gary Stewart (looks like the lead singer of Men at Work)
Ubaldo Jimenez (not as good as Josh Johnson--just saying)
Miguel Montero
Andre Ethier
Kyle Blanks
Monsters of the Mesozoic Diplodicus (+3--100 year lifespan!)
Zack Grienke TDIH (+1)

Packs 10-12: (19) Unfortunately for those of us not named Beardy, scoring a box of Allen & Ginter can become a bit of chore when the hits and desirable minis are few and far between. Such is life for me, when the best card out of a series of three packs is a Ken Griffey Jr. base card. Halfway through my box I sit at a measly 91 points, though there are still two hits waiting to be unearthed. Stay tuned--or not.

Total: 93 points

A Wild and Wacky Trade with Cards on Cards

I'm finally starting to get caught back up in the trade winds and one of my best trade partners of all-time, Cards on Cards, came through with another solid assortment of Griffey's and other goodies. Here's a gander at what Kerry sent my way:

1995 Leaf Limited Ken Griffey Jr: Did anyone else see that Ken Griffey Jr. Nike ad during the HR Derby? Nearly brought me to tears--and I only wish I was joking. Solid looking mid-90's card of the Kid in his prime. Goodbye baseball. Hello Cooperstown.

2007 UD First Edition Kevin Durant RC: With all the prima donnas in today's NBA (here's looking at you LeBron) it's refreshing to see a player like Kevin Durant who works hard and find's the spotlight for the right reasons. I was lucky to enough to see the Durantula play in the NCAA Tournament in Spokane and knew he would be a star--but never expected him to be so good so soon. Feel free to send any cards you pull of him my way.

2009 UD First Edition Ken Griffey Jr. Starquest: Yes it seems sacrilegious to see Griffey in a White Sox uniform, but I needed this card to fill out a page of the Kid playing for the North Siders. I still need one more, so a take a look on my Zistle page when I update it.

2007 Topps Finest Saer Sene RC Refractor Auto: I'm not quite sure what to make of this card. I was always a Sonics fan, and still feel drawn towards the Zombie Sonics, but Saer Sene isn't exactly a household name; in fact, he isn't even in the NBA anymore (shocker--a center drafted by Seattle that didn't pan out). Hopefully Kerry wasn't take a dig at me because his Trail Blazers are doing so good. Whatever the case, it's quite the unique collectible.

Gint-a-Cuffs II: Box Topper + Packs 1-3 (First Hit)

Although it's hardly worth scoring my break after Beardy's momentus pulls, to maintain the integrity of this contest, I must press on. This is my first crack at Gint-a-Cuffs so please excuse any scoring mistakes--it's not like they will really effect anything though. Well, let's get started with the box topper and first three packs:

Box Topper: Great Engineering Achievements "Hoover Dam" (+8)

I only hope this isn't a sign that the box will suck...

Pack 1 (+11):
Avery Jenkins
Rickie Weeks
David DeJesus
Jim Thome
Jake Peavy Mini A & G Back (+2)
Aramis Ramirez Framed Bat Relic (+8)
Kosuke Fukudome This Day in History (+1)

Pack 2 (+4):
Anthony Gatto
Ian Desmond RC
Andrew McCutchen
Jorge Cantu
Nick Swisher (-1)
Akinori Iwamura
Tyler Colvin Mini A & G Back RC (+2)
Adrian Gonzalez This Day in History (+3--favorite player list)

Pack 3 (+7):
Lucy (Skeleton)
Wade Davis RC
Delmon Young
Kanekoa Teixeiria RC (+1)
Tyson Ross RC
Ricky Romero
Javier Vasquez Mini (+1)
Ken Griffey Jr. This Day in History (+5--favorite player!)

Packs 1-3: (28) Not a great start to the break, although it was nice to see that Topps got around to including Ken Griffey Jr. in the set this year. My first hit was a bit of a dud--even for Cubs' fans with the way that Aramis is playing this year. Let's hope a slow start doesn't doom me to a last place finish. More to come soon!

Total: 30

Out of the Blue Generosity from Wicked Ortega

I was happily surprised to find a package from Wicked Ortega in the mail the other day. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, he is one of the most generous people in the blogosphere, but it was still unexpected because I haven't sent any cards out in a long time (please read note at bottom of post if you've traded with me before). Here's a look at the great cards he sent me:

1997 Topps Gallery Edgar Martinez: I loved Edgar Martinez and Topps Gallery. Everyone loved Topps Gallery. Not everyone loves Topps Chicle. Your move Topps.

1995 Sportflix Ken Griffey Jr. Detonators: My Griffey collection has grown a bit stagnant so it was nice to get some new cards of the Kid. This was my favorite of the bunch; you can never go wrong with Sportflix and missiles on one card.

1989 Topps Traded Ken Griffey Jr. PSA 9 RC: WOW! I was shocked to see a rookie of Griffey in the package, and a graded rookie just made it that much sweeter. This card is definitely going on my Ken Griffey Jr. mantle above the fire.

2007 Sweetspot Ryan Rowland-Smith Rookie Auto: Despite his early season struggles (then again, who on the Mariners isn't struggling) I'm still a big fan of Aussie Ryan Rowland-Smith. He's a very down to earth guy and he even tweeted at me once, for what it's worth. This rookie auto is a nice addition to my M's collection, even if it is thick as a cinder block (I'm not even joking).

Thanks for the sweet cards Wicked! I'll have some Marlins headed your way soon!

EDITOR'S NOTE: IF I'VE TRADED WITH YOU BEFORE PLEASE EMAIL ME YOUR MAILING ADDRESS SO I CAN START TRADING AGAIN! THANKS AND GODSPEED!

Box Break: 2010 Bowman Retail Box (24 Packs)

I hadn't planned on buying an entire retail box of 2010 Bowman, but when after two blasters and half a box of cards yielded nary a single Strasburg, I let my stubborness get the best of me and took the plunge for the rest of the box. I just wanted to pull one Strasburg (I would have settled for a Bryce Harper) before calling it quits, and my Captain Ahab-esque obsession wouldn't let me leave empty headed. Here's what the box yielded:

Steve Lombardozzi Refractor #/777: Well, he plays for the Nationals and his name is Steve, but it's not quite the Steve we were looking for. Regular refractors are a tough pull in retail at 1:32 packs and, as always, are solid looking cards.

Ken Griffey Jr. Base Card: Probably the only non-rookie card I wanted from the set. I still don't believe that he's retired.

Zach Simons Retail-Only Autograph: Though the autograph is a beauty, there's not too much else to get excited about with this card. Simons is a 25-year-old pitcher in Double-A--Strasburg will be in the Hall of Fame by the time he is 25.

Alexis Oliveras/J.R. Murphy/Caleb Brewer Purple Refractors #/999: The purple refractors are a retail-only insert that are inserted 1:8 packs. While I didn't pull any big names, they're great looking cards and the addition of the serial number is a nice bonus. Hopefully, one of these youngsters turns into a solid major league player.

Stephen Strasburg Chrome Rookie: Alright! I breathed a sigh of relief when I finally pulled this card, knowing that my quest had finally come to an end. It's not perfectly centered, but it's certainly better than some of the other Strasburgs I've seen out of retail. Of course, after all this work I'm just going to put the card on eBay to make back some of my money, but at least I won't have to buy any more Bowman. Stubbornness is not cheap.