My wallet card - Joe checking out the Charlie Foxtrot

I spent just several days in Arizona when pitcher and catchers reported for spring training and was able to get just a couple of things signed at Dodgers camp - by manager Don Mattingly and Yasiel Puig.

2015 Topps Series I pack breaks

When it comes to loose packs, I'm more inclined to pick them up at my card shop, since there is peace of mind that the packs haven't been searched - even if the box isn't entirely 'new' and there have been multiple packs pulled already, I'll take my chances as opposed to a gravity feed at Target and/or Walmart.

Results vary, but I cling to the the idea hobby packs gives me a better chance to pull a card of note - regardless of actual value since flagship Topps costs $2 a pack.

Pack one
#184 Melvin Upton
#15 Joey Votto
#320 Shin-Soo Choo
#269 Jordy Mercer
#343 Shane Greene
#H-19 Mike Schmidt - Highlight of the Year insert
#237 Lucas Duda
#89 Michael Choice
#266 Brandon Phillips
#274 Ryan Zimmerman

Pack two
#178 Christian Yelich
#52 Fernando Rodney
#29 Brandon Belt
#190 Zach Britton

#CRH-FF Freddie Freeman - game used memorabilia card
#133 Daisuke Matsuzaka
#95 Junior Lake
#236 Zack Wheeler

Pack three
#37 Arismendy Alcantara
#169 Adam Jones
#197 Glen Perkins
#160 Washington Nationals team card
#288 Chris Parmelee
#50 Yu Darvish

#FP-13 Suzy - First Pitch insert
#100 Clayton Kershaw
#249 Jose Reyes
#157 Ubaldo Jimenez

Pack four
#74 Tyler Skaggs
#53 Nathan Eovaldi
#24 New York Mets team card
#38 Jordan Zimmerman
#48 John Axford
#FP-09 Tom Willis - First Pitch insert
#179 Jason Vargas
#164 Brian Schlitter
#152 Michael Pineda
#172 Didi Gregorius

Pack five
#16 David DeJesus
#252 Travis Wood - it's just a base card, but there is peeling on the upper right hand corner.
#263 Dillon Gee
#25 Jose Bautista
#9 Hunter Pence
#232 Andrew Susac
#H-18 Willie McCovey - Highlight of the Year insert
#39 Salvador Perez
#69 Justin Upton
#293 Zach Duke

2015 Topps Series I jumbo pack recap

In the last couple of years, a collecting ritual is to pick up at least one, loose hobby jumbo pack from Topps / Bowman products - it doesn't mean I won't end up buying any more hobby jumbo packs or even splurging for a jumbo box, but I've got to get that initial, hobby jumbo pack break out of the way.

#178 Christian Yelich
#52 Fernando Rodney
#37 Arismendy Alcantara
#169 Adam Jones
#197 Glen Perkins
#289 Matt Joyce
#255 James Russell
#166 Jenrry Mejia
#134 Brett Lawrie
#344 Manny Parra
#279 Coco Crisp
#1 Derek Jeter
#42 Todd Frazier
#61 Clayton Kershaw / Johnny Cueto / Adam Wainwright - 2014 National League ERA Leaders
#342 San Diego Padres team card - feat. Rymer Liriano?
#319 Derek Jeter
#43 Starlin Castro
#317 Clayton Kershaw
#314 Jackie Bradley Jr.
#298 Rymer Liriano
#215 Alejandro De Aza
#21 Brett Gardner
#38 Jordan Zimmerman
#48 John Axford
#297 Scott Kazmir
#A-15 Mike Piazza - Archetypes insert
#226 Dioner Navarro - Rainbow Foil parallel
Babe Ruth Call Your Shot game card
#FP-14 50 Cent - First Pitch insert
#CRH-DPA Dustin Pedroia - game used memorabilia card
#233 Carlos ruiz
#55 Trevor May
#216 Greg Holland
#99 Yonder Alonso
#335 Matt Barnes
#293 Zach Duke
#11 Jon Jay
#130 Mike Napoli
#27 Kendrys Morales
#198 Alexi Ogando
#47 Anthony Rizzo
#244 Bartolo Colon
#226 Dioner Navarro
#264 Tony Cingrani
#68 Lonnie Chisenhall
#46 Wilson Ramos
#118 Domonic Brown
#H-20 Fergie Jenkins - Highlight of the Year insert

2015 Topps Spring Fever pack

#SF-29 Ryan Braun
#SF-42 Adrian Gonzalez
#SF-49 Chase Utley
#SF-39 Michael Brantley
#SF-30 Billy Hamilton

My wallet card - Joe checking out the mountains

1971 Topps football Jack Snow #44

I wanted a card of former NFL player Jack Snow [passed away in 2006] to 'tie up' the bloodlines connection with his son J.T., whose career in pro baseball, I am more familiar with - since J.T. was a former Angel [though mostly a former Giant] who saved Dusty Baker's son from a collision at the plate in the 2002 World Series, was Gold Glove fielder at first base, yadda, yadda, yadda.

I moved the magazines around in my local Target's magazine section

The Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue used to be a big deal to me growing up through the early 1990's - but maybe I grew up, the Internet happened and I feel like the swimsuit issue was actually quite conservative despite SI trying to hype things up each year the issue comes out.

Because there are seemingly no actual collecting / hobby related publications anymore, I spend only a moment of my time at any magazine section these days - though not a hobby publication, the Baseball Digest of recent times looks pretty good compared to the ones I read 15-20 years ago.

Woodie Fryman - we lost

I was thumbing through some old-school/vintage cards and this 1973 Topps card caught my eye - I'm sure other card bloggers have riffed about the writing made on cards, maybe to scratch out a team name or to add some extraneous scribble [that may only have been understood by the kids who once had the cards].

I can imagine some bored knucklehead having this card in hand and drawing tears running down Fryman's face with a bubble saying, we lost - it's quaint and crude, but at the same time, it gives the otherwise forgotten card some character.

It might be cute to hunt down these 'defaced' beaters and trying to decipher the meaning behind those scribbles - whether it's something written on cards or something added to the image.

Matt Lindstrom

I just put away a couple of his loose cards last night and while he may have signed a card or two for me before - he is one of those journeymen still playing, I have at least five or six cards of that I don't know what to do with.

Now, it looks like he'll get a spring training try out after signing a minor league deal with the Angels - chances are he will not make the big league roster and might be stuck in AAA until another opportunity opens up, but who knows.

Random mail day - McKayla Maroney

These 2015 Topps First Pitch inserts are not hard to pull at all, though I picked up the Maroney outright for $0.50 - I might end up trying to complete the set for fun, since there are only 15 cards and I already have five or six.

My wallet card - Joe at In and out

In and Out Burger has been pretty ubiquitous throughout my adult life and I hold no special affinity for it - however, what I've taken for granted perhaps is how In and Out's burgers pop.

When you get your order, your burger come piping hot, almost glowing and it's kind of evidence it was put together with some care - as opposed to something just slapped together, nuked and left sitting around 'pre made' already, like other fast food burger places.

In and Out may not be fancy, but their burgers hit the spot - meant to be worshipped for a minute or so, then consumed.

2015 Topps Series I blaster recap

I still have to pick up my share of loose hobby packs and an obligatory hobby jumbo pack - but I think I got my initial retail samplings of this year's Topps flagship brand out of the way.

Commemorative patch pack
#FHRM-MM Mike Moustakas - first home run medallion card; even if they aren't going to worth much, these cards are pretty nice to have in-hand; I do wonder if the medallions are going to rust over time and it's just too bad I got a guy who killed the Angels in the Division Series last October.

Pack one
#40 Joakim Soria
#79 Starling Marte
#227 Madison Bumgarner
#277 Cincinnati Reds team card
#325 Felix Hernandez
#298 Rymer Liriano
#R-2 Alexi Amarista - Robbed in Center insert
#FHR-39 Dustin Pedroia - First Home Run insert
#191 Yimi Garcia
#267 Zack Greinke
#67 Hunter Pence

Pack two
#77 Edwin Escobar
#246 Chris Carter
#287 Everth Cabrera
#60 Michael Wacha
#271 Pittsburgh Pirates team card
#42 Todd Frazier
#215 Alejandro De Aza
#H-16 Catfish Hunter - Highlight of the Year insert
#72 Jordan Lyles
#121 Garrett Jones
#131 Edward Mujica

Pack three
#241 Dilson Herrera
#182 Devin Mesoraco
#61 Johnny Cueto / Clayton Kershaw / Adam Wainwright - 2014 National League ERA Leaders
#21 Brett Gardner
#38 Jordan Zimmerman
#7B Hank Aaron - Baseball History insert
#FHR-21 Jose Bautista - First Home Run insert
#173 Carlos Torres
#89 Michael Choice
#266 Brandon Phillips

Pack four
#183 Craig Gentry
#65 Alexei Ramirez
#342 San Diego Padres team card
#319 Derek Jeter
#317 Clayton Kershaw
#48 John Axford
#96 Sergio Santos - Rainbow Foil parallel
#I-12 Frank Thomas / Jose Abreu - Inspired Play insert
#233 Carlos Ruiz
#274 Ryan Zimmerman
#62 Nolan Arenado

Pack five
#44 Gio Gonzalez
#83 David Wright
#43 Starlin Castro
#314 Jackie Bradley Jr.
#297 Scott Kazmir
#A-5 Yasiel Puig - Archetypes insert
#FHR-22 Josh Hamilton - First Home Run insert
#55 Trevor May
#162 Drew Pomeranz
#114 Mike Zunino

Pack six
#112 Daniel Nava
#149 Daniel Murphy
#341 Felix Hernandez / Chris Sale / Corey Kluber - American League ERA Leaders
#88 Madison Bumgarner
#49 Dominic Leone
#H-7 New York Giants Shot Heard 'Round the World' - Highlight of the Year insert
#JR-4 Jackie Robinson - The Jackie Robinson Story insert
#216 Greg Holland
#91 Corey Dickerson
#218 David Buchanan

Pack seven
#82 Nick Tepesch
#201 Tommy LaStella
#200 Miguel Cabrera
#5 Josh Donaldson
#167 Matt Cain

#FHR-40 Deion Sanders - all things considered [i.e. with all the non-baseball subjects Topps' Allen and Ginter sets and even subjects in this year's First Pitch inserts], Sanders is my pick for the least likeliest guy whose card I'd expect to pull from a 2015 pack of baseball cards.

I realize he was a 'two-sport' player whose accomplishments in the NFL have him enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame - but this isn't the early 1990's [the height of Prime Time] and no one cares about his pro baseball career in 2015.

#FP-09 Tom Willis - First Pitch insert
#99 Yonder Alonso
#240 Anthony Ranaudo
#339 Austin Jackson

Pack eight
#328 Adrian Gonzalez
#36 Julio Teheran
#120 Yoenis Cespedes
#129 Jacob DeGrom
#205 Josh Harrison
#300 Mike Trout - Gold parallel serial #'d 2011/2015
#F40-9 Alex Rodriguez - Free Agent 40 insert
#335 Matt Barnes
#292 Neil Walker
#309 Maikel Franco

Pack nine
#151 C.J. Cron
#116 Vidal Nuno
#25 Jose Bautista
#206 Rick Porcello
#R-7 Ryan Ludwick - Robbed in Left insert
#FHR-03 David Wright - First Home Run insert
#39 Salvador Perez
#110 Tony Sipp
#66 Vance Worley
#310 Jake Lamb

Pack 10
#340 Carlos Gomez
#286 Trevor Rosenthal
#9 Hunter Pence
#219 Kennys Vargas
#343 Shane Greene
#H-27 Cal Ripken Jr. - Highlight of the Year insert
#JR-6 Jackie Robinson - The Jackie Robinson Story insert
#231 Andrew Cashner
#78 Yordano Ventura
#253 Gregory Polanco

My wallet card - Joe checking out the view

During a five-day road trip to Northern California with my parents - made a pit stop at the Bradbury Dam Observation Point in Santa Barbara.

2015 Topps Target $9.99 hanger box break

With the multicolored borders, I think this year's flagship Topps cards are a little more playful, so they may appeal to kids more - as opposed to a set of cards that is dissected by older, more serious card connoisseurs.

I've had no problems with Topps card designs from the last five years - though I think the designs have been a little too conservative and bland.

#197 Glen Perkins
#289 Matt Joyce
#255 James Russell
#166 Jenrry Mejia
#134 Brett Lawrie
#344 Manny Parra
#279 Coco Crisp
#1 Derek Jeter
#122 Corey Kluber
#269 Jordy Mercer
#10 Cole Hamels
#136 Manny Machado
#126 Detroit Tigers team card
#283 Chris Johnson
#123 Ben Revere
#190 Zach Britton
#288 Chris Parmelee
#50 Yu Darvish
#111 Trevor Bauer
#312 Kyle Lobstein - Rainbow Foil parallel
#A-18 Ted Williams - Archetypes insert
#H-4 Bob Feller - Highlight of the Year insert
#JR-10 Jackie Robinson - The Jackie Robinson Story insert
#R-7 Ryan Ludwick - Robbed in Left insert
Babe Ruth's Call Your Shot Game card - $0.50 off coupon
#I-15 Willie Stargell / Andrew McCutchen - Inspired Play insert

#FP-06 Agnes McKee - First Pitch insert
#337 Jedd Gyorko
#224 Bryan Mitchell
#179 Jason Vargas
#145 Jesse Hahn
#95 Junior Lake
#236 Zack Wheeler
#249 Jose Reyes
#157 Ubaldo Jimenez
#41 Chris Colabello
#324 Chris Archer
#202 Mike Minor
#185 Ricky Nolasco
#230 Jean Segura
#195 Garrett Richards
#284 Brandon League
#159 Brandon Crawford
#333 Billy Hamilton
#302 Martin Prado
#178 Christian Yelich
#52 Fernando Rodney
#37 Arismendy Alcantara
#169 Adam Jones
#127 Justin Morneau / Josh Harrison / Andrew McCutchen - National League Batting Average Leaders

#285 Nelson Cruz / Chris Carter / Mike Trout - American League Home Run Leaders
#163 Chase Utley
#265 Arizona Diamondbacks team card
#320 Shin-Soo Choo
#70 Charlie Furbush
#239 Jose Iglesias
#245 Tyler Colvin
#294 Aaron Sanchez
#281 Elvis Andrus
#14 Kendall Graveman
#235 Jeremy Guthrie
#309 Maikel Franco
#110 Tony Sipp
#66 Vance Worley
#310 Jake Lamb
#78 Yordano Ventura
#253 Gregory Polanco
#209 Daniel Corcino
#307 Mark Teixeira
#6 Jayson Werth
#FHR-06 Bryce Harper - First Home Run insert

#FHR-28 Don Mattingly - First Home Run insert; while it may not be possible to find suitable [to put on a baseball card] images from a MLB player's first home run, the picture of Mattingly could be from any point in the 1980's.

2015 Topps Series I Value Pack

I had to get to a Target somewhere to get my initial 2015 Topps fix - I picked up a Value Pack, a 72-card hanger box and a blaster box.

I like how the cards look, though the cards maybe condition sensitive - with the colored borders and thin stock.

#23 Michael Bourn

#305 Sonny Gray

#184 B.J. Upton

#15 Joey Votto

#153 Josh Reddick

#57 Lyle Overbay

#276 Conor Gillaspie

#278 David Phelps

#251 Anthony Rendon

#269 Jordy Mercer

#10 Cole Hamels

#136 Manny Machado

#126 Detrot Tigers team card

#283 Chris Johnson

#243 Al Alburquerque

#106 Pedro Alvarez

#298 Rymer Liriano

#215 Alejandro De Aza

#H-3 Babe Ruth - Highlight of the Year insert

#FHR-17 Adam Dunn - First Home Run insert

#R-4 Carlos Gomez - Robbed in Center insert

#Babe Ruth's Call Your Shot game card

#FP-04 Eddie Vedder - First Pitch insert

#348 Carlos Santana

#155 Jesse Chavez

#228 Jake Peavy

#75 Dustin Pedroia

#291 Mark Reynolds

#336 Matt Carpenter

#248 Addison Reed

#150 Giancarlo Stanton

#80 Adam Wainwright

#275 Buster Posey

#272 Matt Kemp

#138 Tim Lincecum

#318 George Springer

Sorting - doing the nerd work II

As far as getting stuff signed by random baseball players in-person, I'm always going to be one of those 'card guys,' but it's gotten to where not many get signed for the time I put into hoarding them - I dread taking the time to keep up with transactions, dig around for cards and make sure certain cards are with the right organizations for a particular period of time.

I've never had cards for every single player within a particular team, but I still end up confusing myself by the number of cards I do end up with - I get depressed when I have a horde of unsigned cards that never get ink on them and I wonder if I can just ditch the cards for the most part.

As is, collecting cardboard to be scribbled on is a 'thing' for me and sorting out unsigned cards is just one of those rituals that have to be done - so I don't lose momentum as far as being out somewhere, being prepared and actually going through the process of getting the cards autographed.

Like my post yesterday with the Dodgers, I've gone through the my 'minors' cards for the Angels this time to see if I could weed out cards of players not with the team anymore - maybe it's because the Angels' system has been more than a little thin, but there doesn't seem to be too many prospects within my brick of cards.

Eric Aguilera - I assume still with the organization
Yency Almonte - I assumed he was still with the organization just the other day, though he was just traded for the since departed Gordon Beckham.
Mike Hampton - didn't see the former MLB pitcher listed among the 2015 minor coaching staffs for the Angels, might have decided to do something else.
Pete Harnisch - I get excited when the Angels hire a former MLB player, but I never get to see guys like Harnisch or Hampton, because they usually are enlisted to work with minor leaguers.

The Angels 2015 minor league coaching staff list was posted online - it looks like Harnisch is still with the team as a special assignment pitching coach.

Roberto Lopez - free agent; he was with organization for years and I remember his buddy chiming in and saying Lopez was 'Jose Canseco,' when I tried to get him to sign a card in Rancho Cucamonga.

Patrick Lowery - gone / looks like he last played in 2013
Paul McAnulty - hitting coach at Tempe
Mike Micucci - still with the organization as the field coordinator
Pat Rice - still with the organization as the AA pitching coach
Bill Richardson - still with the organization as the AA manager
Kramer Sneed - I assume still with the organization
Michael Snyder - I assume still with the organization
Paul Sorrento - helped out with the Angels when Don Baylor was hurt, looks like he is still with the organization as a roving hitting instructor
Stephen Tromblee - gone
Jonah Wesely - I assume still with the organization
Austin Wood - still with the organization
Andy Workman - gone
Alex Yarbrough - non-roster invitee

Sorting - doing the nerd work

I don't know if I can say I was busy with it all of January, but most of what I did with my cards is sort the ones I try to get signed in-person - the cards are arranged by teams, between the MLB guys and the minor leaguers.

I try to keep the boxes I have for my cards updated, so that means trying to weed out cards of guys who are not playing for a particular MLB organization anymore - it's easier to account for moves involving big league players, though I'm always checking on MLB Trade Rumors, MILB.com or Baseball America for the obscure minor league guys whose unsigned cards still populate my 'minors' section of each MLB team.

There are always transactions I haven't accounted for though it looks like I maybe down to the Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers as far as players to check on - I went through my brick of cards featuring draft pick, prospect and minor league cards and on a piece of paper, list players' names who I figure may not be with an organization anymore [guys who are 25 or older, guys who were drafted in one of the last rounds and/or guys who weren't even drafted].

I then look them up online, jotting down where they may be, even if that means they are not playing anymore - afterwards I actually will pull the cards and file them away, whether to go towards my A-Z archive [of commons] or towards a collecting topic, mini-collection.

A small sample listed are cards I'm going through for the Dodgers' system - when going through my 'minors' cards, I just have to chuckle when I find cards of guys who are long gone, whose last stat lines came more than a few years ago.

Aaron Miller - I assume still with the organization

Hector Nelo - gone

Tyler Ogle - I assume still with the organization

Michael Pericht - gone / looks like he last played in 2012

Mark Pope - free agent

Chris Reed - still with the organization

Jordan Roberts - gone / looks like he last played in 2012

Andres Santiago - signed with the Chicago Cubs

Will Savage - gone / looks like he played in 2012

Steve Smith - I assume still with the organization

Brandon Diaz - IN THE MILWAUKEE BREWERS system / the card I have of Diaz is a 2013 Panini Perennial Picks and because the uniforms are Photoshopped out and there is no direct mention of the team a player belongs to, sometimes a random, loose card ends up in the wrong place.

Lindsay Pyc - trainer / gone