Check Out My Cards - trying to tie up loose ends

I don’t know what I did messing around with COMC, but I've finally had cards [around 70] I've bought over the last year finally shipped - against my best interests, I even bought more stuff, going with the worst option to pick up cards I need in the 'here and now.'

I had wondered if I was ever going to have the cards I’ve bought shipped - the longer my island of misfit toys was sitting in my account, the more I worried about forgetting them, when they should have been in-hand already.

Because of the pandemic excuse COMC has flouted, I might have gotten my shipment on some unspecified date next year if I used the economy $4.99 s/h fee - I assume they are still making like they are backlogged, but to get my cards in a seemingly more reasonable three or four week time frame [in 2020], I went with economy rushed, which is $4.99 for the first item and $0.25 for additional items.

With how this particular year has dragged on for the worst, it's hard for me to see into 2021 as being reality until the year finally changes over - despite the idea I’m being finessed by circumstances COMC has created for themselves to marginalize their Web site [as opposed to their consignment service through eBay], I paid up get to see if I get my miscellaneous cards to me sooner than never.

TTM autographs received: Gerald Young

The former big league outfielder from the 1980s through 1990s signed my cards in about two weeks - who knows whether the image was actually game action or staged, but because of the athleticism the card oozes, the 1989 Upper Deck [#135] is simply a keeper as far as random junk wax era commons go.

TTM autographs received: Richie Scheinblum

The one-time Angel from the 1970s signed my cards in about 10 days - he was the first Jewish player in Japan and had a couple of nice seasons with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp to wrap up a 13-year professional playing career.

TTM autographs received: Jarrett Grube

I had a couple of loose cards of Grube, a longtime minor league pitcher whose only big league appearance was for the Angels in 2017 where he faced three batters, gave up a home run while recording 2 outs - I dug around for a possible address to send my cards and they were signed in about a week.

One of the cards he signed appears to be a penny sleeve casualty [using penny sleeves maybe a habit I have to ditch, but it gives me peace of mind, when sending my cards off] - rather than leaving the blemished card as is, it looks Grube tried to sign his autograph again.

TTM autograph received: Lou Whitaker

Whitaker finished off my 1994 Fleer Superstar Special dual subset card with Alan Trammell - because Whitaker charges a little bit more than the usual $5-$10, maybe the stream of reported TTM successes tends to be a little more sporadic.

I probably got Whitaker through the mail 20 years ago, but had not really thought about getting him again - even though his name is thrown out as someone who should join his longtime teammate in Cooperstown.

The lure of getting a dual player card completed by an iconic keystone combination was too strong - I finally finally took a chance and sent Whitaker a request with $20.

Despite wondering if something would come back - it only took about three weeks to get a response.

TTM autograph received: Steve Lubratich

The longtime minor league infielder and one time Angel from the 1980s signed two cards in about a couple of weeks - however, the 1984 Fleer I’ve had in-hand for the last 5 or 6 years got smeared in the penny sleeve.

Fortunately the 1988 ProCards Spokane Indians #1928 [mall set card with Lubratich posing with a cardboard cutout of Whitney Houston] - looks it was able to make it back with no blemishes and will be the one used for my Angels all-time autograph collection.

Featured autograph - Derek Bell

On forums or other social media, I see other autograph collectors' 'brag posts' as far as what they get - there maybe more purchases and/or private signing stuff mixed in with the usual TTM successes.

Perhaps I want to fall in line and condition myself to accept a new reality - where I end up purchasing more autographs ‘here and there’ as a viable option to get some new scratch the itch curiosities in my collection.

I turn my nose at most of the send-in signings for the rank and file or semi-stars I've gotten TTM or in-person at some point over the past 20 years - but 'Operation Shutdown' was someone whom I never had the opportunity to get, a decent player through the 1990s, with a bunch of cards that made me familiar with him.

A promoter on Facebook was selling extras from a past signing and I thought about getting a card - I was looking for a more unique card, maybe a rookie issue and one of the cards shown in the F/S post was a 1988 O-Pee-Chee.

I realize no one really cares, but I'm vaguely familiar with the odd draft pick card only included in the Canadian version of Topps - if I had to break the bank [$10 plus $1 PWE shipping] to purchase a random signed Bell card, the OPC would the one I wanted.

Go figure, I might have actually liked to send into a Bell signing - he’s on a 2001 Fleer Tradition, a set I'm still trying to get cards signed from, in-person or TTM.

TTM autograph received: Bill Melton

The former big league slugger from the early 1970s signed my cards in about a couple of weeks - a card I wanted to pick up and get signed for my own was the 1972 Topps Boyhood Photos of the Stars subset; I like the novelty of the one-time Angel player pictured in an Angels' uniform, though as a kid from his Little League days in Southern California.

Melton would mostly star for the Chicago White Sox, though past his prime, eventually spent a season with the Angels - I had the 1976 Topps Traded to send him with an airbrushed Angels cap, so it may not be an actual Angels card, but he is depicted and identified as such, so that will be the card to go into my all-time Angels autograph collection.

The 1972 Topps In Action card looks like a nice horizontal image of Melton - though it really captures him swinging awkwardly at a ball instead of a more 'natural' follow through.

TTM autograph received: Camilo Pascual

The former big league righthander signed my 1964 Topps Giants card in about two weeks - I didn't know what result I'd get from the 86-year old, but sent a request with $10 to see if I could get a little 'time travel' action with a former player from a vintage 20th century era I would not be typically familiar with.

Awesome mail day - I can't win them all

I picked up a 1969 Topps Tom Murphy card for a TTM request and pictured is what I received - admittedly, I don't know what the seller could have done shipping a $2 card, but for the times a plain white envelope has been used safely, there is always a chance that something like this will happen.

Maybe I can try to flatten the card and send out as intended - but besides trashing everything outright, I don't want to look at this junk any more than I have to.

As is, the card and the envelope may end up as a conversation piece - a cautionary tale in my collection for years to come.

TTM autograph received: Jack Marin

Along with other random cards, I picked up a 1976-77 Topps basketball card for Marin to sign at a celebrity golf tournament three years ago - however, the guest list for the notable former pro athletes participating had gotten a little bit vague, so maybe it wasn't worth spending a day trying to catch guys on the course.

Scrolling through Twitter last month, I saw a collector post a TTM success with Marin - so on a whim maybe it was an good time to dig out my random card among stuff I’ve boxed up, find a possible working address to mail to and put together a request.

The former NBA player signed my card and returned my letter, taking the time to write a response with significant details about his life - I don't usually write to non-baseball guys, but the personal response made this success worth it.

TTM autographs received: Dave LaRoche

The longtime big league reliever from the 1970s and father of Adam and Andy signed my three cards in about a week or so - doing some digging around on the Night Owl Cards blog prompted me to pick up LaRoche's 1976 SSPC card among several other peculiar commons highlighted from the set.

I remember getting the elder LaRoche when he was a pitching coach with the Las Vegas 51s about 10 years ago - but getting the crooked hat LaRoche card in-hand was a trigger to send out a TTM request to him with a couple of other cards.

TTM autographs received: Jon Griffin

The former Arizona Diamondbacks minor leaguer signed my cards in about a month - after leaving affiliated ball, Griffin had spent the past 5 years playing in the independent leagues up through 2019.

I saw a success posted by a collector on Instagram and remembered I had some loose cards from back in the day, including at least one 2012 Topps Heritage Minor League set card - I looked up a possible address and took a chance to put together a request and send my cards off.