Tuesday, February 14, 2006


Mail Day
A 1989 Donruss Baseball's Best Ken Griffey Jr. [$9.95 BIN plus $3.95 s/h on Ebay] made its way onto my mailbox on Monday. This was a card that a childhood friend once had, but never had in my grasp. The rookie year card from a 'boxed set' represents a 'modern-era flashback' card for me.

Still, I'm disappointed - check out the centering on the back of the card. It doesn't seem that visually attractive, especially considering the fact that the card is given a 'BGS 9' grade.


Also arriving in the box on Monday was a 2005 Bowman Heritage Cesar Carrillo box topper variation [$1 plus $1 s/h off Ebay]. I was going to get the card signed at a card show last Saturday, but it didn't arrive in time. I ended up not going to the show, where 2005 top amateur draft prospects Carrillo, Ricky Romero and Ryan Braun were scheduled to sign for free.

Friday, February 10, 2006


Mail Day
A 2005 Topps Chrome Update Trevor Bell autograph [$5.99 BIN plus $2.25 s/h on Ebay] made its way onto my mailbox on Thursday. This card wasn't a bargain and he is a pitcher as opposed to a hitter, but I figure to pick this card up of Bell's status as the top draft pick of the Angels in 2005.

FYI: He is also Bozo the Clown's grandson - that has to count for something.

Saturday, February 04, 2006


Mail Day
A 2003 Fleer Showcase Sweet Stitches Barry Bonds jersey card [$5.50 plus $2.00 s/h on Ebay] arrived today. It was more of an impulsive pick-up and another Bonds material card [x3] to 'denote' three [2002, 2003 and 2004] of his seven MVP seasons.

Also, a 2005 Topps Rookie Cup Chuck Knoblauch autograph [$4.99 BIN plus $2.00 s/h on Ebay] made its way onto my mailbox. I was looking for an Knoblauch autograph, since I sold the autographed card that was signed through a mail request back in the late '90s.

That autograph was on the card [a 1991 Upper Deck], this autograph is certified and on a holographic sticker affixed onto a card.

It ends up being another addition [or upgrade] to my award winners collection - 1991 American League Rookie of the Year style.

Friday, February 03, 2006


Mail Days
A 2005 Upper Deck Sweet Spot B.J. Upton autograph card [$7.99 plus $2.50 s/h on Ebay] arrived today while a 2005 Bowman Draft set [$12.00 BIN plus $3.00 s/h on Ebay] and a 2005 Topps Update Chris Young [not the 2005 Futures Game subset] gold card numbered to 2005 [$2.99 plus $1.50 s/h off Ebay] arrived on Thursday.

I remember last month, wanting to spend so much time later into the night, the early next morning [1/10/06] just looking for another certified Upton autograph that I had purchased. I ended up finding it in a random bubble mailer that I use for storing various cards.

I think he is going to be a star though and I wanted a Sweet Spot Signatures autograph insert of Upton. Unfortunately, the card I received was crammed into a semi-rigid card holder and it has a nicked corner with a little paper loss. I'm not sending this back to UD - I lost a 2004 Sweet Spot Signatures autograph insert of Delmon Young because I felt I needed to send it back to Upper Deck because it was damaged a little bit. So far, I have not received it back...

The image of the Upton is from the Ebay auction I won.


Picking up the 2005 Bowman Draft set ended up to be pretty good - shipping was only the price of a single card [$3] as opposed $5 or more [and the actual amount the set was shipped for was $5.33].

It came with a 2005 Bowman Draft AFLAC redemption and the seller also included bonus fillers cards consisting of 2005 Bowman Draft gold. Out of the blue, I was possibly looking for Andrew McCutchen, D.J. Houlton, Cesar Ramos and Travis Buck cards and all four were among the bonus filler cards...

Picking up a card of Young was pretty expensive [close to $5 shipped], but I think his Topps Update card was a rookie card and a rookie-year card [confused?] may be a 'prudent, low-end' purchase for the near future [if he develops into a star].