Monday, December 31, 2007

Collecting In the New Year

It's the eve of the New Year and I'm going to mention a few things that I'm looking forward to in the new year:

Getting An Autograph Hit
I didn't get one autograph hit out of all the cards I opened this year. Not even some signature from a 10th round draft pick.

Buying My First Box Of A Super-Premium Product
I really want to buy a box of high-end stuff. So lets hope I have the funds to do so.

1959 Topps Heritage
Love this design. Now if Topps doesn't screw it up...

The end of the A-Rod HR crap cards
The series ended with Bowman Sterling. Thanks goodness.

Mark Teixeira in a Braves Jersey on a card
Not one of him wearing what looks like a photoshopped pullover.

What's everyone else looking forward to?

Sunday, December 30, 2007

Card of the Week for 12/30: 1991 DC Comics Cosmic Cards #115 Black Racer

If you look on the box of the 1991 inaugural edition of DC Comics' Cosmic Cards, you'll see the Flash, Green Lantern and Superman. At least one, if not all, are recognized by most people. However the gems of this set come in the lesser known superheros and villians that they put in. Thus ladies and gentlemen, I give you Black Racer!























I think I don't need to write anything comical because this card writes the comedy by itself.

Forgotten Set: 1996 Topps Laser and Tom Glavine

While going through some cards this weekend back at my parent's house, I came across some of the 1996 Topps Laser set. I had totally forgotten about this set. 1996 was right at the peak of when die cutting cards got really big. Most of them, like the ones in the Upper Deck SP set, would have a scallop at the top, or a side taken out. My favorite would be one of the mid-90's (I can't remember the year right off hand) EDGE football sets where the cards either were made out of plastic or just seemed like it. The die-cut inserts in that set had a whole side taken off by what looked like a drunk man with a knife. However in 1996, Topps took die-cutting to a whole new level with 1996 Laser Baseball. Topps wants the collector to think that each card was cut by a laser to make the intricate patterns and they probably were. I don't think there is a die cutter that can do the detail that was on these cards and still have the cards be in mint to near-mint condition right out of the pack. I have no idea on the set details although I do know there are 2 series and a few inserts but nothing to write home about. Topps used 4 cutting schemes for the laser set: The ball on fire, the batter at the plate, the runner and the fielder. There might have been one more for the base set, but that's all that I know of. Anyway, this brings us to Tom Glavine because this was the card I found the other day.Now a few months ago, I had posted a little rant about Tommy Two-Timer in my blog due to a refractor that I recieved in a pack. Yesterday, there was a long article posted about my rant over at The Cardboard Junkie. Now I feel like this will probably get me more readers and I thank dayf for that very much. But my stance on Glavine will not change. I do have less hate due to the re-signing of Glavine and probably think hate is too strong a word right now, more like disdain. I'm totally with dayf on this. Am I glad he's a part of the team? Of course. Am I glad he came back for less money? Sure. Do I think this was a good move for the Braves? I think he's the best veteran pitcher they could have signed for the money that they got him for and he can chew up innings which the Braves need desparetly (that is IF he gets out of the first inning). But I'm not coming back and bowing to the man like the 2nd coming (Tex has that honor and Frank Wren and whoever it is that owns the Braves now better pony up the money to resign him after this year). I'll probably get to meet him at spring training and I'll take my autograph, say thanks and that'll be it. I really feel in 2002 we had Winson Churchill, Joseph Stalin and FDR and one of them saying at the Yalta meeting "I think I'll play with Germany for awhile". You think they'd let him back in the club? I mean really. That's something that you just don't get over. He'll get into the Hall of Fame with a Braves cap and he'll probably have his number retired by the Braves. But that doesn't mean I'll like it. However if his face shows up on the Turner Field or whatever stadium the Braves will be playing in in 10-20 years outfield wall, security better watch for a man with a spray can trying to break in. His leaving was much different than that of other Braves during the run of the 90's and early 00's. Every Braves fan felt like they had something invested in Tom because he had been brought up through the system and never left. The same goes with Smoltz, Chipper and Frenchy is getting there.

Now the interesting thing is why don't I feel that way with Andruw? He was in the system, he might have gotten a World Series MVP (I'd always hoped Jim Leyritz would get his, but this is a little much even for me), and was always compared to Willie Mays as the next center field phenom. So why the apathy about his leaving? Well first, he's become lazy in center field over the past few years and he's packed on some pounds that arn't muscle. If the Dodgers want to pay him as much as they did to hit .222, let them.

I think the thing with the other players is that they have performed consistantly and have given the Braves noteriety and helped them win a World Series (save Frenchy). It also doesn't help that Scott Boras is involved. But for all the good Tom has done for the team, I just can't get over he went to the Mets. I might forgive him if he goes 22-5 with a 1.98 ERA this year, wins the Cy Young and we win the World Series. Maybe I'll forgive him. Maybe.

1988 Topps Yearbook Stickers



I went to Wally World to make a return and purchased a box of that "Find The '52 Topps" thing. Basically I've grown tired of opening the new stuff and there really wasn't anything to pique my interest so I got this. Among other things, I had a pack of '88 Topps Stickers. I thought this would be fun to blog. Now each card is a "Super Star" card and a sticker. So both will be listed
















Super Star #48 Jose Canseco (tainted with gum residue...or HGH, can't tell)/Sticker #213 Joe Carter
Super Star #11 Shawon Dunston/Sticker # 253 Bruce Hurst
Super Star #44 Cal Ripken/Sticker #214 Mark Langston
Super Star #51 Rickey Henderson/Sticker #64 Lee Smith and #313 Devon White
Super Star #56 Matt Nokes/ Sticker #10 Joe Carter and #256 Dan Quisenberry


While this pack was great and included an HOFer, a future HOFer and the Jim Bouton of the 1990's, I can't get over the fact that I have no idea who's on these stickers with there being no names on them.. I know #214 is Mark Langston, but that's only cause I can see the name on his jersey. #256 may or may not be Dan Quisenberry. I'm sure that if I had the 1988 Yearbook that topps produced to go along with this, I could find who was who, but it's almost 2008 so 20 years later, I don't have the yearbook at my fingertips. If anyone can help me on who the players are that are depicted, that would be great.


UPDATE:  Thanks to dayf to filling in my nameless stickers.  



Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Lack of Posts

Sorry about the lack of posts guys. I've had a lot on my plate recently, but hopefully in the new year I'll get somethings going.