The Angels, In Order giveaway mail

I like being able to jump in on card blog posts basically offering freebies, like the one Tom had recently - for the price of a comment left, it allows me to claim some miscellaneous cards I might not consider picking up outright.

When I really don't do much trading back and forth, it feels like I am doing something - where I end up looking to send something back to the sender.

I cross my fingers hoping the cards from my end, get to where they need to be and can be material - that can be of use on the recipient's end, especially if it's more of a blind trade.

Maybe I feel obligated to feel a certain way about at least 10-15 'decade stars' from their respective eras - from the 1980s, a collector might be a Donnie Baseball guy, a Wade Boggs guy, a Rickey Henderson guy or a Mike Schmidt guy, but making keepers out of Gwynn's cards [even ones printed to this day] ends up being the priority before the rest.

A 1981 Donruss maybe the last card I'd expect to claim, but it's not that serious - where I probably need a card to possibly send out for TTM.

This 1992 Leaf Gold ends up being a nice parallel to tease Clark's sweet swing.

Hunter was a fun player to watch with the Minnesota Twins even before his time with the Angels - I don't know if I would have grabbed this card outright, knowing he was an Angel for 5-6 years, but the shine is mighty fine.

I was never really too big on Mussina pitching for the New York Yankees - but another shiny card like the Hunter ends up being a keeper, where it looks like Mussina is about to throw a knuckle curve.

I didn't expect to claim a Danny Tartabull card, but it teases a 'hats-off' player I can add to that mini-collection - maybe it works as TTM, if I am inclined to send it off.

Was this my favorite card out of this pile [?] - where there might be a curiosity over cards from the 1980s that came out during the years preceding the junk wax era.

I grabbed this Todd Worrell TTM/IP autograph because the visible parts of the blue ink autograph goes well with the 1994 Fleer - which may just be another forgotten baseball card set in history, but still ends up quite appealing for me.

TTM autographs received: Rollie Fingers

For about 15-20 years, I was occasionally getting Fingers to sign when he was a participant at celebrity golf tournaments - maybe the last time I saw him was back in 2014 or 2015 and my in-person autograph adventures has ceased for the most part.

I made it a mission to send a couple of loose cards to be signed by Fingers TTM [$15 per item] and they came back in 10 days - I am tempted to send the 1984 Donruss dual card off to Gaylord Perry, but perhaps old age has made him a spotty signer at best, even though he was doing TTM for a fee for the longest time.

Angels all-time team register collection

Team collecting like I've seen others do it [trying to collect card-by-card, set by set, year by year] is not quite a thing for me where I only care so much to really want to track everything and anything - but that doesn't mean I have local team interests where I'd like to play up cards featuring my home team Angels.

These non-Angel cards do not quite fit within the team related umbrella - but will likely be added into my all-time team register collection as guys who end up having these obscure stints with the team as bit players before moving on.

My team register collection is basically one more way for me to do something with loose cards that come my way and see how many different subjects I can add up - maybe completion isn't a realistic goal, but it might be good enough where I can add assorted cards of different players and see where I have 200-300 different subjects.

Maybe I'm spreading my interests too thin where this overlaps with my Angels all-time autograph collection - but maybe my all-time register is more of a side project.

Matt Duffy [2022] seems to have devolved from upstart big leaguer at the beginning of his career into basically being a replacement player - it probably will be the case where if I end up with an Angels Duffy card [he does have at least one in 2022 Topps Update], the non-Angels card gets bumped off somewhere else.

Austin Romine [2022] has bounced around in the big leagues, but like Duffy, ends up being a veteran who will still have cards made as long as they are in the big leagues and part of the MLBPA - however I don't think his three game stint with the Angels this past year will be immortalized on cardboard.

Elliot Soto [2020] ends up being the most obscure of the three, where he is more of a longtime infielder in the minors - who was basically rewarded with a big league call up during the 2020 pandemic season.

While Soto has some draft pick cards with the Chicago [Cubs] from 2011 - it was like a reward to do a random search off a seller's ebay store and find a team set card of his I made a keeper for a dollar.

Featured autographs - Jesse Barfield

On a forum I belong to, I saw a post where someone was going to helping out with a signing with the former outfielder from the 1980s through early 1990s - the idea of looking for and sending out cards to an organized, paid signing ends up feeling like too much work, but the person helping out had extra unsigned cards in-hand and I picked out a 1984 Donruss and a 1990 Leaf.

I sent out a SASE and $15 per card about a month before the signing and waited around - where I got my cards back several days after the signing was completed.

Featured autographs - Tony Armas

Through a Facebook post, I picked up a pair of extras [$12.50 each] from a signing featuring the Venezuelan slugger who peaked in the 1980s as sort of Dave Kingman / Rob Deer lite - I had to get a 1984 Donruss, where I'm trying to chase down signed cards from the set and a 1990 Score, which goes into my Angels all-time autograph collection.

Purchase fails made correct by a seller

When I pick up some cheap-o cards from an online card outlet, I usually let the incoming PWE sit loose after I open it up and briefly scan through the contents - I think it's pretty neat that I can pick up certain cards impulsively, though maybe it gets tricky getting exactly the odd cards I want, in a presentable condition.

On a whim, I took a closer look at the cards shipped to me from an order and go figure two of the cards I threw in to maximize the shipping rate were damaged - the 1991 Classic card of Will Clark I picked up for about a quarter has some residue and staining along the right side while the 1991 Classic card of Tim Salmon for a quarter was creased.

The seller even put a 1991 Classic Wes Chamberlain card as a dummy protector card on top - but both cards may have been in garbage condition even before they were shipped out.

The 2010 Topps Update Tales of the Game Joel Youngblood and 2017 Topps Update Johnny Damon that might have been the centerpiece purchases [yeah at another quarter or so each] were jammed in another semi-rigid holder [which is often the case more than not] - maybe they were subject to some of the conditions as well, but being ‘newer’ cards, they otherwise still look okay.

Assuming there were no problems with the cards in the first place, I already left feedback - I figured I basically ended up paying more for the two cards I really wanted, but ended up contacting the seller, where credit for the two damaged cards was added to my account.

Now I wonder if I'm going to use the credit to try and pick up similar copies of the Clark and Salmon cards - or will my $0.50 credit go into something else entirely.

TTM autograph received: Jim Rice

Maybe he was $10 per autograph for the longest time, but bumped his fee to $20 a couple of years ago - I sat on his 1984 Donruss for a while, but didn't want to make it where there was another hike i.e. to $30 before I relented to finally send out the card.

2022 Topps Update blaster recaps

Box one

Pack one

#US196 Hanser Alberto

#US268 Joe Kelly

#US57 Jake Lamb

#US158 Robinson Cano

#US228 J.P. Feyereisen

#US282 Alek Thomas - Rookie Debut

#US82 Taylor Hearn

#US234 Joe Perez RC

#US301 Kris Bryant

#US278 Yusei Kikuchi

#US127 Zack Greinke

#US309 Clayton Kershaw - Dodgers All-Time Strikeouts Leader checklist

#ASG-49 William Contreras - 2022 MLB All-Star Game insert

#SMLB-64 Ryan Mountcastle - Stars of MLB insert

Pack two

#US227 Anthony Bass

#US59 Andre Pallante RC

#US16 Sonny Gray

#US314 Cooper Hummel RC 

#US185 Seth Lugo

#US197 Jesus Sanchez

#US224 Bryson Stott RC

#US12 Jace Peterson

#US257 Jorge Soler

#US100 Bobby Witt Jr. RC

#US324 Avisail Garcia

#US198 Garrett Richards - Vintage Stock parallel, serial #'d 24/99

#BG-20 Oneil Cruz - Topps Black Gold insert 

#SMLB-84 Royce Lewis - Stars of MLB insert

Pack three

#US150 Brendan Donovan RC

#US323 Adam Engel

#US137 Eugenio Suarez

#US255 Bryson Stott - Rookie Debut

#US22 Trevor Story

#US229 Jake Odorizzi

#US201 Jorge Alcala

#US284 Michael Pineda

#US269 Ehire Adrianza

#US277 Jhoan Duran RC

#US251 Andrew McCutchen

#US317 Bryan Lavastida RC

#US39 Carlos Correa

#SMLB-73 Alek Thomas - Stars of MLB insert

Pack four

#US263 Matt Beaty

#US35 Brandon Marsh - Rookie Debut

#US219 Ramon Urias

#US133 Austin Nola

#US188 Connor Joe

#US198 Garrett Richards

#US288 Max Scherzer / Jacob deGrom - Aces Up / Veteran Combos

#US60 Adam Frazier

#US248 Gabriel Arias RC

#US203 Yu Chang

#US91 Brad Miller

#BH-JB Javier Baez - Commemorative batting helmet relic

#87TBU-6 Matt Olson - 1987 Topps

#ASB-1 Mike Trout - 2022 MLB All-Star Game insert

#SMLB-72 Julio Urias - Stars of MLB insert

Pack five

#US225 Felix Bautista RC

#US2 Matt Olson

#US315 Garrett Stubbs

#US261 Steven Kwan RC

#US232 Tyler Wade 

#US76 Tommy Romero RC

#US99 Tyrone Taylor

#US41 Gosuke Katoh

#US125 Travis Jankowski

#US238 Javier Baez / Robbie Grossman - Dancing in Detroit / Veteran Combos

#US49 Aaron Civale

#US67 Harold Ramirez

#US290 George Kirby - Rookie Debut

#SMLB-62 Brandon Marsh - Stars of MLB insert

Pack six

#US328 Cristian Pache

#US217 Kevin Smith RC

#US245 Yan Gomes

#US30 Camilo Doval

#US236 Jack Suwinski RC

#US84 Michael Lorenzen

#US121 Eric Thames

#US138 Drew Smyly

#US281 Steven Duggar

#US222 Joe Ryan - Rookie Debut

#US174 Alex Dickerson

#US112 Rhys Hoskins / Bryce Harper - Philly Phenoms / Veteran Combos; Royal Blue parallel

#PP-22 Stephen Strasburg - Paragons of the Postseason insert

#SMLB-88 Seiya Suzuki - Stars of MLB insert

Pack seven

#US79 Spencer Torkelson - Rookie Debut

#US123 Isaac Paredes

#US179 Maikel Franco

#US190 Tyler Anderson

#US212 Alek Thomas RC

#US47 Will Smith

#US266 Nick Castellanos

#US250 Seiya Suzuki RC 

#US243 Roberto Perez

#US153 Rene Pinto RC

#US316 Geraldo Perdomo

#US88 Kyle Schwarber

#ASG-22 Jose Ramirez - 2022 MLB All-Star Game insert

#SMLB-90 MacKenzie Gore - Stars of MLB insert

Box two

Pack one

#US219 Ramon Urias

#US133 Austin Nola

#US225 Felix Baustista RC

#US2 Matt Olson

#US215 Garrett Stubbs

#US63 Jake McGee

#US97 Julio Rodriguez - Rookie Debut

#US129 Rob Refsnyder

#UU69 Jurickson Profar

#US319 Francisco Morales

#US204 A.J. Pollock

#US3 Jesse Winker

#US267 Hunter Greene - Rookie Debut

#SMLB-87 Julio Rodriguez - Stars of MLB insert 

Pack two 

#US261 Steven Kwan RC

#US232 Tyler Wade

#US328 Cristian Pache

#US217 Kevin Smith

#US245 Yan Gomes

#US42 Wander Franco - Rookie Debut

#US180 Josh Rojas

#US80 Tyler Naquin

#US329 Andrew Knizner

#US294 MacKenzie Gore - Rookie Debut

#US306 Jake Walsh - Rainbow Foil parallel

#US266 Nick Castellanos - Orange Foilboard, serial #'d 294/299

#DGDC-22 Eddie Mathews - Diamond Greats Die-Cuts insert

#SMLB-69 Javier Baez - Stars of MLB insert

Pack three

#US30 Camilo Doval

#US79 Spencer Torkelson - Rookie Debut

#US123 Isaac Paredes

#US179 Maikel Franco

#US292 Cole Irvin

#US104 Luke Williams

#US200 Corey Seager

#US145 Miguel Castro

#US301 Kris Bryant

#US278 Yusei Kikuchi

#US309 Clayton Kershaw - Dodgers All-Time Strikeouts Leader checklist

#US127 Zack Greinke

#ASG-43 Tony Gonsolin - 2022 MLB All-Star Game insert

#SMLB-64 Ryan Mountcastle - Stars of MLB insert

Pack four

#US190 Tyler Anderson

#US29 Alex De Goti RC

#US163 Jon Gray

#US52 Bryce Elder RC

#US181 Adam Ottavino

#US110 Elehuris Montero RC

#US326 Luke Maile

#US228 J.P. Feyereisen

#US282 Alek Thomas - Rookie Debut

#US12 Jace Peterson

#US257 Jorge Soler

#US100 Bobby Witt Jr. RC

#BH-OA Ozzie Albies - Commemorative batting helmet relic

#87TBU-41 Heliot Ramos - 1987 Topps 

#SMLB-84 Royce Lewis - Stars of MLB insert

Pack five

#US308 Richie Palacios RC

#US75 Chris Paddack

#US117 Nick Allen RC

#US279 Sergio Alcantara

#US205 Drew Steckenrider

#US82 Taylor Hearn

#US234 Joe Perez RC

#US197 Jesus Sanchez

#US224 Bryson Stott RC

#US324 Avisail Garcia

#US277 Jhoan Duran RC

#US251 Andrew McCutchen

#US317 Bryan Lavastida RC

#SMLB-73 Alek Thomas - Stars of MLB insert

Pack six

#US64 Alex Faedo RC

#US169 Orlando Arcia

#US193 James Norwood

#US85 Diego Castillo RC 

#US229 Jake Odorizzi 

#US201 Jorge Alcala

#US284 Michael Pineda

#US39 Carlos Correa

#US249 Gabriel Arias RC

#US203 Yu Chang

#US91 Brad Miller

#BG-19 Bryce Harper - Topps Black Gold insert

#ASG-9 Jose Altuve - 2022 MLB All-Star Game insert

#SMLB-72 Julio Urias - Stars of MLB insert

Pack seven 

#US199 Austin Meadows

#US194 Nelson Cruz

#US102 Craig Kimbrel

#US285 Nick Tropeano

#US214 Starling Marte

#US269 Ehire Adrianza

#US188 Connor Joe

#US198 Garrett Richards

#US288 Max Scherzer / Jacob deGrom - Aces Up / Veteran Combos

#US238 Javier Baez / Robbie Grossman - Dancing in Detroit / Veteran Combos

#US49 Aaron Civale

#US67 Harold Ramirez

#US290 George Kirby - Rookie Debut

#SMLB-62 Brandon Marsh - Stars of MLB insert

TTM autographs received: Tony La Russa

The longtime manager signed my cards in about three weeks c/o the Chicago White Sox back in August - at 77, he finally got a bit long in the tooth and stepped down as a big league manager after the White Sox season ended.

TTM autographs received: Greg Luzinski

The former big league slugger from the 1970s through the mid 1980s signed my cards in about three weeks for $20 - for the longest time I thought I had a 1984 Donruss card of Luzinski to send out, but I got the probably got the card from a card show repack back in 1996 and I don't know what ever happened to it.

To finally be able to send out a fee request to Luzinski, I needed to send a copy of the 1984 Donruss - so I ended up picking another copy from an online card outlet, look for the card to arrive in the mail and eventually send it back out, with at least another card I picked up in-person.