Play at the Plate Contest!

So my man B-Snide over at Play at the Plate has a groovy contest going on right now, named after Groundhogs Day, I suppose, but this has nothing to do with PETA's latest ridiculousness.

Over at Play at the Plate, 30 packs were opened of new 2010 Topps, and 66.7% of the set (220/330) was completed. Now, 25 more packs have been purchased, and you have to guess what percentage of the set will be completed...the prize? More 2010 Topps packs! And extra goodies involving whoever your favorite team is.

I suggest ya'll act on this one, its open until Wednesday I believe. Also, Play at the Plate is a fantastic trader and all around solid gentleman. Follow his blog and try and work out a trade!

Bonus: I just turned my calendar over to February, only to a smiling Dachsund staring back at me. Good start to the month right there.

Ultimate Wish List Card #1

2009 Bowman Sterling
Black Refractor
Dexter Fowler /25

What Bothers Me About Topps Unique

This.
Here we have the Joakim Soria "Game Used Button!" relic, serialed to only /6. My first thought, of course, was: "I can haz button shirt cardz?". At the time, it was affordable. I am probably watching it, but lost faith in the card after some good thought.

First off, this is anything but Unique. Why? The usual reasons: Sticker Auto, bland Topps design. Of course, Joakim could sign a cantaloupe and I would throw down some bills for it. [By the way, Google Image Search "Hits until porn" game revealed pornography on the first page of images. Beware, kids.]

Also, a button is part of a uniform. Why completely remove the button from the jersey and make them two different cards? Thickness, obviously, is one concern. This card would probably be 3x as thick and a regular relic card. The only other reason I can think would be that they never thought to use the buttons until this year, and for some reason, besides the reason that Joakim "Blue Flame" Soria wore them, so they were kept.

On a side note...anyone who was ever a hard-nosed player in high school or American Legion baseball will realize buttons are readily losable when diving. When you think of how many jersey cards are out there, or at least when I do, I think 'why so many'? I figured it's probably because of instances like losing buttons, or ripping the ass out of the back right leg of your uniform stealing second. One of the fiercest competitors I ever had the pleasure of sharing a uniform (not literally, we were teammates for 2-3 years) with would go through 4-5 pairs of pants in a season - which brings me to my next though. So many cards say "game-used/worn Uniform" on them...some say "jersey", and rarely do they ever say "pants". Why not? Jersey implies a top, pants is explanatory, but "uniform", I believe, is intentionally left vague.

Tangent number #18 for this post: New Idea for Topps Unique.





Game used pants zippers. Eh?

Holyhellofalotofhockernews = Maple Leafs Acquire Dion Phaneuf

Alexander Steen - Gone
Nik Antropov - Gone
Alexei Ponikarovsky - Still Here?
Matt Stajan - Gone
Ian White - Gone

Well. 80% of my favorite Leafs, all time, gone. Alexei is next, and probably within the afternoon.

It's rough being a Toronto fan right now. Maple Leafs now have the devastating pair of Phaneuf and Kaberle on the blue line, but there is no longer any more front line. Kessel is in trouble up there right now without Stajan...and Bozak is hot but is he ready? We'll have to see. Christian Hansen will be a force soon enough.

Who's next?

Jason Blake? I sure hope so. Overpaid albino...

Hagman is gone, Ponikarovsky might not make it to dinner time.

Fredrik Sjostrom? I remember him from the Rangers, but he's not worth losing White and Stajan, even if we do get Phaneuf. This looks purely like a getting something for nothing, in terms of long contracts versus impending free agents.

My thoughts are all over the place right now, I appologize and promise better writing in the future. I'll leave you with this, my favorite card of all time, which has just lost a ton of meaning to me:


UPDATE 1:17PM

YESS! BLAKE IS GONE!! REJOICE!!

Toskala too?! No shit!

What?

We got a warm body in return? No way! He was a Stanley Cup winning goalie?! Hot damn!

New Guys:

Dion Phaneuf
Fredrik Sjostrom
Jean-Sebastien Giguere
Keith Aulie

Old Guys:
Vesa Toskala
Ian White
Matt Stajan
Jamal Mayers
Jason Blake

Good. Blake and Toskala are gone. We've got someone to protect the Monster along with Kaberle. But we may never score a goal for the rest of the season...


...playoffs!

Custom Base Card Attempt #1 - Brandon League

So, some of you may have seen the JD Salinger custom I showed the other day. Some of you may have not, but how would I know, there were no comments.

I decided, since there are hardly any cards of possibly one of my favorite all-time players, I would just go and make one me derned self.

So here it is, 2010 APC #1 - Brandon League.

Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

And by the way, I like the Mariners, but it killed me to put that "S" logo on there. I did it to spite Upper Deck. I'm sure they'll notice.

Trade with Reader Jon (And, "It Was Bound to Happen")

So the mail came in today, and I saw what every collector loves, the beautiful goldenrod packet which can mean one thing (well, it can mean many things, but these "things" are much better than other "things".) New cards! I noticed right away that the package was from reader Jon, and ripped in. (The only other pieces of mail was a credit card app from Chase and a W-2. Those were quickly ignored.)

Right away, I noticed a note in the bag...and knew exactly what it was going to say. Protecting the inner contents sandwiched between two top loaders were what could only be late-80's brown-edged Topps. You know, h said he had some '88 Jays minis to send...but these cards are standard sized....Hmm.... A Cubs player to boot...I don't have any Cubs on my "Want" lists...uh...uh....oh no.

No.

Say it ain't so, Jon!

I open the note...

"Roy, Hope you enjoy the cards. I also Bipped you..."

This is where the embarrassment sets in. Doug Dascenzo. Bipped. Descenzo'd. Chicago Cubs. I had to look this guy up. It's kind of funny. With all the '89er Topps I have, no Dascenzos. I've never seen this card nor even heard of the player in my life. And I know wayyyy too many players.

So Dascenzo facts (KNOW YOUR BIPPINGS!):

Career AVG of .234
5 HR, 90 RBI and an OBP of .293 (who the hell walked this guy?!)

Kind of sounds like 3 average Gregggggg Zaun seasons rolled into one career.

But here's what makes Dascenzo a gem of a bipping:

5.0 IP, 2 K, 2 BB and a zero ERA. This guy was LIGHTS OUT when it comes to relief pitching. Maybe he'll get a call this year from the lowly Cubbies.

Another fun fact, from Wiki, of course:
Dascenzo began his Major League career by playing in a then-National League record 241 consecutive games without making an error. The streak spanned from his debut in 1988 to the 1991 season when he committed his first error in a game on August 25. Very Nice.

Now, on to the object of the trade... Jon had a Tulo Jersey card to send me in return for an Adam Dunn jersey card. Sounds like a fair deal, my favorite for your's, and it went down smoothly.

Here's the Tulo:

Bonus Tulo! Triple Play Tulo!:

A Joakim Soria Piedmont Mini from '09 T206:

I'll get up to posting my Soria have list eventually, but the past three online trades have pumped my PC so much I'm totally lacking (Yes, I believe she said something like that...)

'88 Tom Henke Mini, but Bigger than the Soria:

And the Griffey '08 UDX:

This is by far the best looking card in this set. Something about the Red/White/Black (err...let's ignore that those are Nazi party colours for now) scheme makes this Griffey particulary eye-catching.

Thanks for the awesome cards, Jon. Your's will probably get into the mail Tomorrow morning (hopefully). You should have a healthy Adam Dunn boost soon enough. Other readers: I also have two more packets that will probably go out. A 500 Clubber caught in a Webb, and some Te-xas Rangers that I don't have a good pun for. Also, payment for Collective Troll's Group Break and Carl Crawfords "TBNLs" are still being put together, so remain patients, Rays fans.

And for those of you sick enough to want to see this:

Double Take

2009 Bowman Draft Picks & Prospects #BDP18 Mat Latos

2009 Topps T206 #296 Mat Latos

WIN.

So why do I love this one and not the Eatons? Well, for one, the others were Adam Eatons. Curious how all four were Padres cards....Padres games must be so entertaining that they cannot keep a photographer there for more than one shot. Reason two: Mat Latos. I'm a big fan, and this Bowman DP+P was my third RC logo card of Latos. He killed for me down the stretch in fantasy ball, so that helps.

I've had the T206 for MONTHS but never noticed that sick wrist tat. It is more evident in the T206 than in the Bowman. But still, he's got nothing on my main man Brandon League, and never will.

JD

Don't ever tell anybody anything.
If you do, you start missing everybody.

JD Salinger, dead today at 91 years old.

Super Awesome Autos - Rinku Singh

In 2008, Indian television (not exactly Baliwood or Slumdog Millionaire) ran a Reality/Contest TV Show aptly named "Million Dollar Arm". The program, brainstormed by JB Bernstein, was aimed to find the one Indian who could throw the hardest and most accurate fastball. Rinku won the contest out of 37,000 contestants by throwing 87 MPH. Singh later tried out for 20 MLB teams and was eventually signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates while reaching 92 MPH on the gun.

Singh struck out one batter on July 13th, 2009 and became the first Indian-born baseball player to win a professional baseball game.

Fellow Indian Dinesh Patel also was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates, and was runner-up in the MIllion Dollar Arm contest.

Spelunking along on ebay for a Dinesh Patel auto, I came across Singh's 2009 Bowman Auto. I thought it was one of the greatest autos in a long time, mainly because:

• Singh's first language, and script, is not English. Most International free agents that speak foreign languages usually have to learn just the language, however for Singh and Patel, they had to learn to write the language as well.
• All of the letters are printed and rarely touch.
• Some letters, such as the "g" in Singh, are above other letters, very cool.
• Originality! Probabl moreso due to Singh's language and script, but this auto is very refreshing and original, more enjoyable than the cursive letter-LINE cursive letter-LINE autos so many baseball players feature now.

Disturbing, Disappointing...49 more chances.

You know, I love what eBay has done for the collecting community. Beautiful cards like this that "Book" for probably around $15-$20 are easily attainable at reasonable prices. Like this 2000 Skybox Star Rubies Extreme parallel of my main man, Carlos Delgado. Opening bid: $0.99 green American money.

Awesome.

Being a typical sheisty eBay buyer I skimmed it, and decided to wait until it was almost over to bid (when it rises to the top of my 3-15 page long watch list). This morning I check it out with 11 hours remaining and...what the f...$4.50 shipping?! No way. This is what really bothers me deeply about eBay. There is in no way justification for this card costing $4.50 to ship.

Example: Ed from Roll out the Barrel stuffed three (3) team bags full of Rockies for me sometime in the last two weeks. We're talking 30+ cards here, and not light-weight '88 Donruss. The total shipping for the package, I believe, was less than $1.75. For three team bags filled!

Could this Delgado possibly cost more than $2.00 to ship? Like most sellers, this one probably will arbitrarily stuff it into a scotch-taped-to-shit-beyond-recognition-destroyed top loader and stuff it in a letter to Grandmother white envelope.

Maybe he'd put it in a top-loader and bubble envelope. Still $4.50? I doubt it. A few weeks ago a I bought a 10-pack of #00 bubble-mailers...for $4.44. So those are $0.44/package.

Let's do some Sunday math (or college math, since I always waited until Sunday nights to do Calculus and Statistics last year):

$0.44 (Package)
+
$0.05 (Top Loader)
+
$0.01 (Penny Sleeve)
+
$2.00 (Shipping, being Very Generous)
=
$2.50 Maximum.

I guess there's a $2.00 "handling" fee here or something.

And I look a little further to find the item location is Seoul, South Korea. What in the hell is a 2000 Skybox Star Rubies Extreme Carlos Delgado doing in Seoul?

Answer: Topps gimmick.

Thanks Long Overdue

I've been a bad blogger. In the past 1+ week I have received two packages from Play at the Plate and Roll out the Barrel. Both packages were initiated by the others, really just looking for a place to unload some sexy Rockies cards and some pure kindness to help out with my 2007 Ultra set.

What both ended up sending the said Rockies and Ultras...but both went above and beyond, and just go to show how amazing the readers of A Paper Chase are.

We'll start with Brian from Play at the Plate's package.

First off, there was 10 or more great cards I needed from the Ultra set, including some rookies. Much thanks goes out there. Also included was a 30+ card 2007 Ultra fat pack...with a Gold Miguel Montero showing! This was a decent pack compared to what I have ripped most recently, and I added I believe 2-3 more cards from this pack including the Montero.

Also included, I am sure out of sheer kindness, was a Carlos Delgado SPx Relic and a Todd Helton jersey card as well.

Awesome. We gotta good man over there at Play at the Plate...go check him out.
________________________________________________________________________________

Next up was Ed from Roll Out the Barrel's astounding package of Rockies. After three team bags and multiple "holy shi....'s" later, I found myself the proud new owner of these beauties.

2009 Bowman Dexter Fowler

2007 Goudey Troy Tulowitzki MINI RC

2008 Stadium Club First Day Issue Troy Tulowitzki (Parallewitzki!)

2008(9?) Allen & Ginter's Jeff Francis Auto
Once again, extremely generous one here.

And:
2009 Topps Propaganda Posters Todd Helton

You know, I voted for these on Stale Gum's Insert Set of the Year without even holding one in my hands. I didn't make a mistake. These are amazing, and it's my first one. Best of all, I had never even seen it, so it was a complete surprise. Amazing card, amazing insert.

I was amazed at the loot that was waiting me in this package. Tons of nice Rockies cards, included one of my most wanteds:

An amazing amount fo thanks Gentleman. Please do not sit back and think these deeds will go unanswered. And if I mixed up who sent me what cards I apologize to the end of the Earth as I had six packages the day these came in and got myself good and confused writing it. I am putting together what I hope will be equal contributions to your respective collections...but it'll be hard to do. Thanks so much.

Back to my defense. I have been "busy" I guess. Work finally picked back up. Some visiting went on as well. My applications are sent in to Graduate school, so I have that to worry about. Still trying to get health insurance finalized. Have a letter of recommendation to write for my undergrad adviser and a life to plan. So I apologize if there is a slight lull in posting lately, but hey, sometimes life gets in the way.

Oh, and I want to start writing a "Blook". "What's a blook?" you may ask. In my hopes it will be a blog/book combination. It will chronicle life working in an anonymous CNY amusement park during summer tourism written with blogger-type style. It'll be a fun project, and I'll let everyone know about updates. However, I must warn you - mature audiences only.

Fail.

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:



These things annoy me.

Plain Beautiful Cards: Volume 10 - 2009 Bowman #73

In the past, I've despised Bowman flagship. 2009 changed this. In my opinion these are the best new era Bowman set, with a sick dose of improved photography, card composition and design. This is the only Bowman set I've ever seen and though: "I wouldn't mind collating the whole set." But really, it's all about #73. I really wish Johjima would have stayed in the US for at least the remainder of his contract, but at least that means I can chase down a defined set of cards rather than a never-ending crusade for all things Kenji.

On to the card. What's not to love? Action Shot - Check. Horizontal - Check. Play at the Plate - Check. General badassery - Checkmate.

Trade Bait: Relics

2009 Allen & Ginter's Jersey Relic
AGR-YG Yovani Gallardo

2004 Fleer Genuine Insider
Genuine Article Insider
GI-AD Adam Dunn #/250

2009 Playoff Absolute Memorobilia
NFL Rookie Jersey Collection
21 Mike Thomas

2008 Topps Relic
TR-CC Chris Capuano

2008 Topps Relic
RR-FL Fred Lewis

2009 Upper Deck Game Jersey
97-DO David Ortiz

Syracuse Collectorsfest #53!!!

COLLECTORSFEST 53
"Sports Memorabilia, Racing, & Toy Collectible Show"
Sunday, January 31, 2010
New York State Fairgrounds
Horticultural Building

Up to 125 Dealer Tables * 10am to 4pm * FREE Parking
Admission: Adults $3 - 10 and under FREE
FREE admission for up to 4 adults with a copy of this page.

The LARGEST one-day show in New York State SPORTS MEMORABILIA SHOWS

Our shows are the biggest shows in upstate New York and consist of Sports Memorabilia, Race Memorabilia, Sports and Non-Sports Cards, Autographs, Beanie Babies, Comics, Starting Line Up, Toys, and a whole lot more. Our Syracuse shows usually have up to 125 vendor tables with vendors from all over the Northeast and Canada.

My goal: Boost personal collection by 20 cards, hopefully bargain bin priced ones.
Goal #2: 10 Joakim Soria, Troy Tulowitzki, Carlos Delgado cards, trade bait.

Singles I'll have my eye on:

2007 Fleer Ultra Lucky 13 Troy Tulowitzki, Ryan Braun

2009 Topps T206 Andrew McCutchen SP Rookie

2009 Triple Threads Joakim Soria Jersey (Common version, not 1/6 or 1/10)

Player Collection boosts: Roy Halladay, Soria, Tulo, etc.

Anyone else going? Maybe I'll see you there.

Paper Chase Fantasy League Update

So far, there's four interested. I want to get this thing going as soon as possible. Here's what it looks like so far:

1. Roy / A Paper Chase
2. Carl Crawford Cards / Carl Crawford Cards
3. SpastikMooss / Great Sports Name Hall of Fame
4. Wicked Ortega / My Past Time...I Love It!
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

So there are still six slots open. If there is higher demand by april, we can definitely expand, but as of now these are my proposed league details:

• 10 Teams
• KEEPER League - get to keep a certain amount of players every season (between 5-10)
  
• Head-to-Head Scoring (unless everyone else wants rotisserie...mmmm rotisserie)
• H, 3B, HR, RBI, SB, AVG, OPS hitting statistic (subject to change)
  
• IP, W, K, WHIP, ERA, SV, HLD pitching statistics (subject to change)
  
• 4 team Playoffs (two rounds, 3 weeks)
• Live, Online Snaking Draft - Standard. No auction format.
• Fees: None. Everyone throws in a few solid cards at the end of the season for the winners - 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishers
  

Hope to see more sign up. Should be a great league and after one week already looks pretty strong.

Mail! [+ Trade Post #1!]

So Daniel from It's Like Having My Own Cardshop mentions about a week ago his love of X-Fractors, and we all know his love of Diamondbacks, so we started talking, and due to the mutual love of all things refracting, a trade was thrown down.

Best of all, it was my first throughout the blargospheroid, and I have to say I'm pretty pleased by what Daniel sent over. Here's my shiny/rainbowy half of the deal:

Mmm. Refracted Blue Jaysssss.....

In case you're wondering, I am trying to collect the ENTIRE 2008 Topps Chrome Refractors set. It's a tough task, but I've already got over 40, so I feel goof about it. Daniel thankfully knocked three off of the list, and added something that makes me very, very happy:

2007 Fleer Ultra Ultra Rookies #215 Mike Rabelo.

What a great looking card. The Orange font on the white/blue contrasting bacground is amazing. These was such a great rookie subset, just wish this is what the Lucky 13's looked like instead.

2007 Fleer Ultra Ultra Rookies #221 Jay Marshall. Who?!

The one thing I don't love about this set was the rookies selection. Jay Marshall? Kory Casto? Gustavo Molina? Seriously? There were no better players in one of the top tier farm systems in the majors? What about:

• Andrew Bailey?
• Carlos Gonzalez?
• Joey Devine?
  

Anyways, sorry about the quick rant. Thanks a million Dan - the X-Fractory Diamondback goodness should be in sunny Arizona before long! It may have taken me a while to send 'em out but I kept checking your want/need lists for Diamondbacks you did not yet have. Take the X-Fractors outside where they can get better light than they would here in overcast, rainy, snowy Central New York.

_______________

Also, got a few cards from eBay, all for my personal collection. They include these young bucks:

2003 Bowman Chrome #BDP110

2007 Bowman Gold #BDPP61

And this established gentleman:

2002 Fleer Premium International Pride
Carlos Delgado #NNO

And they all cost less than $5, shipped. Maddy and Dusty Mc were about $2.50 for the pair and Delgado matched them.

The Rookie Rainbow Part I: Dustin McGowan

Dustin's True Rookie Card is that of 2003 Bowman Draft Picks & Rookies Subset #BDP110 and it's parallels.

Bowman Flagship:

Bowman Gold:

Bowman Chrome:

Bowman Chrome Refractor:

Bowman Chrome Refractor Variations:

Progress: 1/6

Great First Lines: MLTR on Alex Anthopoulos

This thought-provoking first line from MLBTR' rumo(u)rs list today made me giggle a little bit. Now, I don't think that Ben Nicholson-Smith intended for the double entendre, but I still enjoyed it.

He makes good points, though. Jays scored some serious trade loot this year, and aside from questionable signings of Alex Gonzalez (not the good one) and Johnny Mac (I'm happier about this one), there is some serious prospect porn in Las Vegas and New Hamsphire right now.

Will Ben Sheets be the next Blue Jay? Sure, why not? Alex has some serious bills to throw at him now that $8,000,000 left with Halladay, that Sheets could be a decent, one-year reclaimation project if no one else is interested (Plus I would LOVE to actually love all my Ben Sheets commons). Someone needs to be the ace of this staff - Rookie Romero (RR Cool Jay) is at least a year off, Richmond is a great story but will never be above a #4 and Drabek is at least two years from being an ace.

Why not give Richy Rich Harden a look too? Oh wait. Dammit Rangers! You'll still finish behind Seattle, that team will be something ferocious this season.