Card Buzz

Last 2011 Topps Update Value Box recap

2012-01-28T18:14:00.001-08:00

Bought one at Target for $14.99 and it was devoid of anything - since the Topps site was down, I had to enter my code cards on vacation and I ended up with 1987 Topps cards of Don Sutton and an Ozzie Smith All-Star subset card.

Featured autograph - Prince Fielder

2012-01-25T09:00:00.000-08:00

It's great that Prince Fielder finally signed with a team - as a baseball fan who likes to read the occasional baseball forum or Web site, I was tired about reading the doubt generated by skeptics about how the free agent market had shrunk for the fat slugging first baseman and how agent Scott Boras' tactics had finally been dismissed as bunk.

By landing a 9-year, $214 million deal with the Detroit Tigers - Fielder gets the contract that pays him like a superstar and his agent proves once again to be the grand wizard of professionals who can negotiate contracts for these pro athletes.

After having Ryan Braun in left field and Prince Fielder at first base as sort of their power core in the middle of the lineup through the last four seasons - I'm sure the Milwaukee Brewers are looking forward to having new Japanese import Norichika Aoki in left field [maybe for the first 50 games of the 2012 season, maybe not] and someone like Mat Gamel at first base.

Featured autograph - Domingo Ayala

2012-01-22T21:45:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure what to make of Ayala's talents as a baseball player but I guess his routine works - and maybe a guilty pleasure as he spoofs the gestures of Latin American ballplayers in professional baseball.

He appeared at a home run derby to benefit former Arizona State baseball player Cory Hahn last Saturday afternoon in Placentia California - I saw him walking around and I was going to have him sign a dummy card, but he had promotional pictures to give away, which he personalized, inscribed 'pop the chain' and signed.

He seems a little smaller in person but the thing about his 'gimmick' is he does resemble a baseball player[if even just a little bit] - he hit a home run in the derby and it was kind of cool seeing him go deep.

With a little bit of identity theft going on with at least couple of players from the Dominican Republic - I would love to see a scenario where Ayala is exposed to have a different name and age...that maybe where the 'natural progression' of his 'career' goes.

Autograph request through the mail received: Mike Lieberthal

2012-01-19T21:18:00.000-08:00

Mike Lieberthal c/o home - the former Philadelphia Phillies and Dodgers [for one lone season] catcher signed my cards in blue ink and kept one in about two weeks.

The 2006 Topps Allen and Ginter's, 2005 Topps Turkey Red and 2004 Topps Cracker Jack are 'setters' to add to my collection - from these sets I collect, I have no misconceptions of the cards I can or can't get signed, but it is nice to be able to get three more out of the way.

I've always liked the 2001 Topps HD because I didn't have many of the super premium quality cards printed on thick glossy card stock - unfortunately the autograph is sort of obscured because it was signed in a dark area.

Autograph request through the mail received: Johnny Groth

2012-01-18T04:35:00.000-08:00

Johnny Groth c/o home - he signed my card in blue ink for $5, though the autograph was smeared, so it was sort of a waste of a request to send.

I guess the $5 is just pocket change and if I was going to send an autograph request to an 85-year old guy to sign my card - I should temper my anticipation since who knows if someone like Groth can still do day-to-day things in his life such as respond to autograph requests.

2011 Topps Update Value Box recap - a couple more #2 of 2

2012-01-16T15:10:00.000-08:00

2011 Topps Update Value box - I don't know if I'll try and keep on picking these up [if I even find more] since it seems like I've come up with bupkis, but can I really complain not pulling 'OMG, super mojo cards' with these little mediocre retail breaks?

BCE-1 Bryce Harper bonus card - red refractor version; I think I pulled one 'silver' but no 'gold.'

#TDG-20 Kevin Youkilis Topps Diamond Giveaway code card - I redeemed a 1959 Topps Jim Brosnan #194.

2011 Bowman Chrome hobby pack
#BCP 124 Luke Jackson
#BCP 116 Jose Casilla

#2 Manny Machado - 2021 Future die-cut insert
#220 Aaron Crow

2011 Topps Update eight-card packs

Pack one
#US-213 Louis Coleman
#US-96 Ryan Hanigan
#US-148 Alex Presley
#TTU-22 Stephen Drew - ToppsTown

#US-42 Frank Thomas - SP
#US-273 Miguel Montero - The Beard lurks
#US-105 Joel Hanrahan
#US-254 Dustin Ackley

Pack two
#US-129 Brooks Conrad
#US-46 Angel Sanchez
#US-157 Reed Johnson
#US-211 Dustin Moseley
#DD-2 Andre Ethier / Matt Kemp - Diamond Duos insert

#US-258 Monte Irvin - Platinum Diamond Anniversary parallel
#US-59 Matt Kemp
#US-163 Adrian Beltre

Pack three
#US-158 Darren Oliver
#US-224 Bill Hall
#US-56 Ryan Adams
#US-155 Eric Hosmer
#US-178 Jason Bourgeois
#US-216 Takashi Saito - gold parallel serial #'d 0187/2011
#KC-112 Cole Hamels - Kimball Champions insert
#US-230 Miguel Cabrera

Pack four
#US-212 Pat Neshek
#US-284 Laynce Nix
#US-215 Michael Dunn

#US-56 Ryan Adams - Liquorfractor
#T60-103 Alex Rodriguez - Topps 60 insert
#US-207 Jay Bruce
#US-188 Eric Hosmer
#US-84 Pablo Sandoval

Pack five
#US-107 Brandon McCarthy
#US-301 Tom Gorzelanny
#US-220 Adam Dunn
#US-117 Michael Stutes

#US-152 Julio Teheran - Platinum Diamond Anniversary parallel
#510 Hank Aaron - Liquorfractor
#US-85 Roy Halladay
#US-140 Clayton Kershaw

2011 Topps Update Value Box recap - a couple more #1 of 2

2012-01-16T09:17:00.000-08:00

2011 Topps Update Value box [$10.98 each x2 at a Walmart] - I found two more of these and decided to pick them up.

BCE-1 Bryce Harper bonus card - this one looks like another red refractor version.

#TDG-17 Ryan Braun Topps Diamond Giveaway code card - I redeemed a 1991 Topps Randy Johnson #225.

2011 Bowman Chrome hobby pack
#3 Edwin Jackson
#BCP 119 Jose De Paula
#BCP 165 Nathan Eovaldi - refractor serial #'d 332/500
#30 Ian Kinsler

2011 Topps Update eight-card packs

Pack one
#US-235 Charlie Morton
#US-126 Adrian Gonzalez
#US-209 Rubby De La Rosa
#US-232 Miguel Tejada

#US-43 Carlos Quentin - Platinum Diamond Anniversary parallel
#640 Dan Uggla - Liquorfractor
#US-174 Jacob Turner
#US-62 Jason Marquis

Pack two
#US-324 Melvin Mora
#US-35 Eduardo Nunez
#US-191 Andy Sonnanstine
#US-211 Dustin Moseley
#US-185 Orlando Hudson

#US-8 David Robertson - Platinum Diamond Anniversary parallel
#US-38 Josh Hamilton
#US-193 Lonnie Chisenhall

Pack three
#US-32 Matt Stairs
#US-67 Miguel Olivo
#US-101 Scott Downs
#US-25 Tim Stauffer

#US-23 Chance Ruffin - Liquorfractor

#T60-102 Hank Aaron - Topps 60 insert
#US-305 Carlos Beltran
#US-21 Prince Fielder

Pack four
#US-298 Yorvit Torrealba
#US-139 Rafael Soriano
#US-240 Blake Tekotte
#US-279 Trevor Plouffe
#US-322 Fernando Martinez

#T60-136 Bert Blyleven - Topps 60 insert
#US-316 Justin Upton
#US-114 Lance Lynn

Pack five
#US-79 Chris Dickerson
#US-148 Alex Presley
#US-200 Vladimir Guerrero
#US-7 Nate Schierholtz

#DD-19 Justin Verlander / Max Scherzer - Diamond Duos insert

#544 Justin Masterson - Liquorfractor
#US-131 Jeff Keppinger
#US-319 Corey Patterson

Autograph request through the mail received: Ron Hansen

2012-01-15T21:00:00.000-08:00

Ron Hansen c/o home - signed my card in blue ink with '1960 A.L. R.O.Y.' inscription in about a week.

For a card I picked up randomly, I really how this particular card turned out - maybe Hansen had to sign over part of his face and perhaps the facsimile autograph gets in the way, but the actual autograph on the card is nice, bold and clean.

Autograph request through the mail received: Phil Niekro

2012-01-15T18:00:00.000-08:00

Phil Niekro c/o home - I sent $10 and my card was signed in blue ink with a 'H.O.F. 97' inscription and he responded to my letter.

I was worried about this request because I mailed it in a regular envelope and when I take to a person at the post office - I have to see my outgoing envelope squeezed to see if I have to pay the surcharge [$0.20] for additional ounces.

Maybe it is a problem I'm just being petty about, but it pisses me off because by the way my envelopes are being felt up - card (s) I'm sending out [I'm probably more concerned over cards from the last 10 years] are probably bent up and creased before I pay for my postage.

Maybe about a week later I get my request back from Niekro- I was pretty relieved that all the squeezing at the post office apparently didn't damage my card at all as I see no visible creases.

Autograph request through the mail received: Jim Nash

2012-01-15T16:00:00.000-08:00

Jim Nash c/o home - personalized and signed my card in black Sharpie in about a week.

I looked at his stats before putting together my letter and discovered he was a pretty good starting pitcher - I would guess for every 'old school' MLB guy who took pride in throwing 250-300 innings for 10-15 years, there were pitchers like Nash who had success early on, but whose playing careers effectively ended towards their late 20s.

It seems like present-day starting pitchers have the ability to prolong their careers - even though it seems like they don't throw as many innings and at times, they seem to be 'babied.'

2011 Donruss Elite Extra Edition recap #4 - the finale

2012-01-14T20:00:00.000-08:00

Pack 17
#61 Nick Fleece
#184 Albert Cartwright
#152 Shawon Dunston Jr.

#8 Danny Hultzen / Jed Bradley / Tyler Anderson - Building Blocks insert
#4 Albert Pujols

Pack 18
#57 Hudson Boyd
#167 Charlie Leesman
#179 Mike Walker

#10 Cristhian Adames - certified autograph serial #'d 093/594
#14 Justin Verlander

Pack 19
#19 Erik Johnson
#68 Dean Green
#187 Jake Dunning

#16 Williams Jerez - Yearbook insert
#16 Andrew McCutchen

Pack 20
#44 Neftali Rosario
#25 Angelo Songco
#82 Corey Williams
#88 Jake Floethe - certified autograph serial #'d 20/25
#1 Josh Hamilton

2011 Donruss Elite Extra Edition recap #3

2012-01-14T17:35:00.000-08:00

Pack 13
#86 Brandon Parent
#9 Jeff Ames
#162 Joe O'Gara

#8 Zach Cone - Yearbook insert
#3 Clayton Kershaw

Pack 14
#67 Cavan Cohoes
#174 Red Patterson
#158 Tyler Cloyd

#159 Pierre LaPage - die-cut Aspirations parallel serial #'d 006/200
#15 Danny Espinosa

Pack 15
#42 Johnny Eierman
#99 Greg Bird
#182 Ryan Tatusko
#50 Taylor Guerrieri - die-cut Aspirations parallel serial #'d 036/200
#2 Adrian Gonzalez

Pack 16
#45 Kevin Comer
#3 James Harris
#156 Adam Jorgenson

#12 Tyler Collins - Elite Series certified autograph parallel serial #'d 47/99
#18 Adam Jones

2011 Donruss Elite Extra Edition recap #2

2012-01-14T09:45:00.000-08:00

Pack seven
#16 Blake Snell
#73 Adam Conley
#164 Dan Osterbrock
#19 Abel Baker - Elite Series insert
#10 Brian McCann

Pack eight
#97 Bobby Crocker
#55 Mitch Walding
#155 Chris Heston

#95 James Baldwin - certified autograph serial #'d 445/575

#9 Jordan Walden

Pack nine
#30 B.A. Vollmuth
#93 Chris Wallace
#176 Pedro Villareal
#160 Brett Jacobson
#21 Michael Pineda

Pack 10
#29 Jake Sisco
#13 Kyle McMillen
#183 Dan Meadows
#6 Blake Swihart / Andrew Susac - Building Blocks insert
#20 David Freese

Pack 11
#27 Josh Osich
#51 Dillon Maples
#178 Chris Hanna
#3 Dan Vogelbach / Dillon Maples / Matt Szczur - Building Blocks insert
#17 Dustin Pedroia

Pack 12
#87 Roman Quinn
#10 Cristhian Adames
#172 Jeremy Cruz
#3 James McCann / Jason King / Brian Flynn / Jason Krizan - Building Blocks quad insert

#7 Curtis Granderson

2011 Donruss Elite Extra Edition recap #1

2012-01-12T09:45:00.000-08:00

2011 Donruss Elite Extra Edition hobby box [$110 each at a card shop] - my biggest problem with EEE is it tends to be a little pricey even with six autographs per 20 pack box.

It's an unlicensed baseball product for the sport that probably weeds out more 'never has beens' than produces guys - who become multiple All-Star perfomers at the highest level.

I realize box prices may fluctuate, but I've got to pay if I want to play right now and ultimately everything is tied into the autograph pulls - I'm probably be stuck with autographs of players I have to wait on as far as getting their professional baseball careers going [not to mention the other players who were drafted / signed during the last several years].

Pack one
#100 Bryson Miles
#169 Danry Vasquez
#168 Adam Davis
#8 Jake Sisco / Jake Lowery - Building Blocks insert
#13 Trevor Cahill - Donruss / Panini doesn't get 'extra credit' for updating 'Oakland' with 'Arizona' as far as listing Cahill with his new team.

Pack two
#26 Jordan Akins
#83 Brian Flynn
#163 Mariekson Gregorious
#3 Gerrit Cole / Trevor Bauer - Building Blocks insert
#25 Jay Bruce - these base cards are sort of refreshing to see even if they are only licensed by the player's association and not Major League Baseball.

Pack three
#70 J.R. Graham
#151 Anthony Meo
#166 Alan DeRatt

#122 Aaron Westlake - certified autograph serial #'d 415/826
#6 Jeremy Hellickson

Pack four
#58 Granden Goetzman
#36 Carlos Sanchez
#180 David Herbek

#7 Justin Bour - certified autograph serial #'d 185/784
#24 Troy Tulowitzki

Pack five
#15 Brad Miller
#72 Riccio Torrez
##175 Jamaine Cotton
#1 Josh Hamilton - die-cut Status parallel serial #'d 077/100
#12 Ichiro

Pack six
#40 Taylor Featherston
#159 Pierre LaPage
#171 Hernan Perez
#2 Josh Bell - Elite Series insert
#23 Andy Dirks

Featured autograph - Barry Larkin

2012-01-08T19:01:00.000-08:00

Barry Larkin - I got the autograph card signed through the mail 'via venue' c/o the Atlanta Braves during the 2000 All-Star break.

I remember writing to Larkin and then Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star catcher Jason Kendall - Larkin responded with my card signed in blue ballpoint pen.

If I had a vote in the 2012 Hall of Fame ballot - I'd only vote for Larkin to be inducted with Ron Santo into the Hall of Fame this year.

While I've assumed he was a very good player, I don't think I've seen him as anything but a borderline Hall of Famer - however, Larkin was a 'one-team' guy who spent his entire 19-years as a MLB player for the Cincinnati Reds.

Looking at the shortstop position, Larkin was as good as you were going to get before guys like Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Nomar Garciaparra came onto the scene in the late 1990s - Larkin got on-base, hit for average, hit for some pop, stole bases and play pretty good defense.

2011 Topps Update Value Box recap

2012-01-06T18:45:00.000-08:00

2011 Topps Update Value box [$10.98 each at Walmart] - a break from the 'featured autographs' I've posted in the last several days.

These are popular on the Blowout Cards forums since they were marked down to $10.98 - these maybe of good value if you resell the code card(s), the Bryce Harper bonus card and maybe pull a decent card in the packs.

BCE-1 Bryce Harper bonus card - I'm not sure how many variation of the Harper card are out there, but this one looks like the red refractor version.

#TDG-12 Mike Schmidt Topps Diamond Giveaway code card - I redeemed a 1978 Topps Randy Jones #56, which was redundant because I got another copy of the exact same card signed through the mail four or five years ago.

2011 Bowman Chrome hobby pack
#BCP 138 Tyler Moore
#BCP 132 Melky Mesa

#36 Miguel Cabrera - refractor

#17 Curtis Granderson

2011 Topps Update eight-card packs

Pack one
#US-221 Jamey Carroll
#US-295 Wilson Ramos
#US-9 Jose Iglesias
#US-150 Adrian Beltre
#US-178 Jason Bourgeois

#KC-123 Bert Blyleven - Kimball Champions insert
#US-62 Jason Marquis
#US-53 Koji Uehara

Pack two
#US-135 Grant Balfour
#US-69 Gerald Laird
#US-190 Alexei Ogando
#US-168 Bruce Chen -
#US-105 Joel Hanrahan - gold parallel serial #'d 1779/2011
#US-271 Eric O'Flaherty - Platinum Diamond Anniversary parallel
#US-316 Justin Upton
#US-20 Adrian Gonzalez

Pack three
#US-48 Scott Hairston
#US-213 Louis Coleman
#US-171 Matt Lindstrom
#US-149 Omar Infante

#TDG-27 Victor Martinez - Diamond Giveaway code card; got a 1971 Topps Woody Woodward #496
#T60-133 Tris Speaker - Topps 60 insert
#US-18 Robinson Cano
#US-259 Andre Ethier

Pack four
#US-182 Ronny Paulino
#US-183 Carlos Peguero
#US-209 Rubby De La Rosa
#US-240 Blake Tekotte
#US-110 Edgar Renteria

#US-296 Bobby Jenks - Platinum Diamond Anniversary parallel
#US-299 Robinson Cano
#US-75 Gio Gonzalez

Pack five
#US-11 Jason Pridie
#US-217 Elliot Johnson
#US-286 Rich Thompson
#US-279 Trevor Plouffe
#US-317 Craig Counsell - Liquorfractor

#T60-121 Pee Wee Reese - Topps 60 insert; looks like infield practice perhaps with Jackie Robinson lurking near him.
#US-154 Cliff Lee
#US-268 Yadier Molina

Featured autograph - Tim Raines

2012-01-05T10:00:00.000-08:00

Tim Raines - I got this autograph in-person as he signed a couple of cards for me as a Chicago White Sox coach back in 2005.

I don't think he is getting into the Hall of Fame anytime within the next few years but he's getting more support from the numbers guys and for Raines - it means he is getting another opportunity for baseball pundits to evaluate his playing career in a positive light and expose the similarities between his contemporaries [already in the Hall of Fame] like Rickey Henderson and to a certain extent, Tony Gwynn.

Featured autograph - Edgar Martinez

2012-01-04T19:04:00.000-08:00

Edgar Martinez - I got this autograph in the mail four or five years ago.

I have my issues with him being inducted in the Hall of Fame any time soon, but he probably became Seattle's Tony Gwynn - there were bigger superstars who may have overshadowed Martinez' playing career, but he was also the one All-Star who stayed with the Mariners from start to finish, building up a lot of goodwill in the community.

Featured autograph - Jeff Bagwell

2012-01-04T09:00:00.000-08:00

Jeff Bagwell - I got the autograph card signed in-person at the Big League Home Run Challenge in Las Vegas back in 2002, where he was a commentator.

I wouldn't be surprised if he gets inducted into the Hall of Fame sooner than later - his stats probably make him one of the best players of his era, but maybe the people who claim to care about cheating and PED use should scrutinize Bagwell's career more instead of give him a Hall pass.

Bagwell played in the steroid era and just by looking at his cards, his body changed as much as Barry Bonds did over the course of their playing careers - at his peak, Bagwell put up some [figuratively, maybe literally] juiced up numbers and I just don't buy the fact that he is being persecuted as harshly as portrayed by the majority of 21st century baseball pundits believe.

Featured autograph - Dale Murphy

2012-01-03T09:05:00.000-08:00

Dale Murphy - I got this autograph card and probably one more signed through the mail about nine years ago. I have to dig it out somewhere, but I think he also responded to my letter that I sent to him.

From what I've read about him and from the cards I've flipped through over the past 20 years - I do know Murphy was an early to mid 1980s 'superstar' whose Major League career started to careen off course in his 30s.

Maybe if he'd maintained some of the numbers he'd put up in his peak - he'd be a Jim Rice sort of Hall of Fame inductee without receiving the 'hate' from 21st century baseball pundits, since by all accounts Murphy was a 'nice guy' during his playing career.

2011 Topps USA box retail set recaps

2012-01-02T22:45:00.000-08:00

Topps made retail versions of the USA box sets they've produced over the last couple of years - unlike the 'hobby' version, the retail only features the complete base set of collegiate, 18U and 16U national teams without any autograph or game-used 'hits.'

However for the 2011 sets, Topps did add a wrinkle and added an autograph hit in retail each box [still $9.99] - I bought two boxes at Target last weekend and pulled on-card autographs of Keegan Thompson from Cullman High School in Alabama and Deven Marrero from Arizona State University.

Happy new year - my 2012 autograph collecting goals

2012-01-01T19:15:00.000-08:00

1.) Players to get on baseballs - Sandy Koufax, Carlos Gonzalez, Mark McGwire, Clayton Kershaw, Matt Kemp, Roy Halladay, Omar Vizquel, Adrian Gonzalez, Matt Holliday, Felix Hernandez, Nolan Ryan, Miguel Cabrera, Andrew McCutchen, Prince Fielder [specialty baseball], Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, Elvis Andrus, Tim Lincecum [specialty baseball] and Yu Darvish.

2.) Get about 15-20 in-person fu oh-yeahs! - these are basically 'achievements' depending on the subject [in most cases], the item signed, the quality of the autograph and the story behind getting the autograph.

3.) 2012 'autograph set' goals - get close to the number as possible.

2001 Fleer Tradition - 50 cards
2001 Upper Deck Minor League Centennial - 25 cards
2004 Bowman Draft - 25 cards
2004 Upper Deck USA 25th - 25 cards
2004 Topps Cracker Jack - 25 cards
2005 Bowman Draft - 25 cards
2005-2006 Topps Turkey Red - 30 cards
2006 Topps Allen and Ginter - 50 cards
2007 Topps Allen and Ginter - 50 cards
2008 Topps Allen and Ginter - 50 cards
2009 Topps Allen and Ginter - 50 cards
2010 Topps Allen and Ginter - 70 cards
2011 Topps Allen and Ginter - 70 cards

4.) Hammer out detailed checklists of my autograph cards sets - to find out what I have signed, what I still need to get signed, what may need an 'upgrade' and unsigned cards I maybe missing.

2001 Fleer Tradition - done
2001 Upper Deck Minor League Centennial - done
2004 Bowman Draft
2004 Topps Cracker Jack
2004 Upper Deck USA 25th Anniversary
2005 Bowman Draft
2005/2006 Topps Turkey Red
2006 Topps Allen and Ginter
2007 Topps Allen and Ginter
2008 Topps Allen and Ginter
2009 Topps Allen and Ginter
2010 Topps Allen and Ginter
2011 Topps Allen and Ginter

5.) Be able to cross off three or four subjects from my so-called list of top players - I want to get...Albert Pujols, Robinson Cano, Mariano Rivera, Miguel Cabrera and Yu Darvish.

6.) Angels autograph collection - make it a point to count out at least 100 different autographs and be able to add at least 15-20 new autographs.

7.) Get at least 200 autograph subjects [mainly baseball] for the first-time split between the Major Leagues, the minors and everything in-between; from the beginning of the year to the end - jot down the names down as achievements.

A.) I don't count subjects who I may have gotten in the mail first - I do count getting subjects for the first time, if the only autographs I've gotten were purchased [either certified or not].
B.) Notable non-players working around Major League Baseball count - media, broadcasters, umpires, journalists, bloggers, public address announcers, personalities, etc.
C.) Amateur players count - players in high school / college.
D.) Any subjects unrelated to baseball now count - such as athletes from other pro sports, celebrities, etc.

8.) See at least six baseball teams I didn't see in 2011 - Arizona Diamondbacks, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Colorado Rockies and Chicago Cubs in addition to other teams like the St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers I might normally want to see.

With the Angels having Albert Pujols presumably in the lineup for most of their home schedule - it maybe a better choice to watch the Angels in-person instead of go to San Diego for autographs, if their games are played at the same day/time.

9.) Go find and be at 10-15 events, such as a organized public appearances/paid autograph signings/book signings/et al - hopefully there are three or four opportunities I can mark down as far as non-baseball events.

A non-baseball [other sport athlete/non-sport] subject would probably be a bigger score - depending on who it is than a star baseball player I've gotten multiple times.

10.) Take at least 20 photo ops with various players - see if I can print out the images and get them signed.

11.) Be able to pick up around 60 different images between Photofile images/Future Star photos and other images - to get them inked up.

12.) Send at least 100 requests through the mail and re-establish a way to get something in the mailbox on a somewhat regular basis - send requests to five or six players who sign through the mail, but charge a small fee otherwise like Phil Niekro, Dave Parker, et al.

13.) Be able to account for all autograph outings and total number of autographs collected - jot down exact time an autograph was signed by somebody [I maybe sort of kidding or I may not], types of cards signed and be able to total up autographs for the day, month and the year

14.) Take photographic evidence of all the signed baseballs I have - list the baseballs in a database as best as I can.

15.) Create an archive of autographs received over the last three or four years from spring training, regular season and the Arizona Fall League - it isn't rocket science to create 'scrapbooks,' to show what I got, minus the set cards I separate and maybe some of the 'better' autographs I've gotten on cards. I should have an idea of when I got a set of autographs and no cards should be missing otherwise.

Happy new year - my 2012 baseball card collecting goals

2012-01-01T09:45:00.000-08:00

My interests is split between collecting cards and chasing after autographs - between the two, I may have 10-15 related interests and maybe sometimes I have to 'reset' things to get things back in order...

I'm committed to collecting but sometimes I feel like I'm thinking about too many things - maybe I need to focus and reel things in a little bit.

1.) Doing something with my favorite players collection - basically count up and listing all the cards I have for particular players in a database and for this year picking up five to 15 'interesting' cards for my Top 10 favorites as well as 10 other players I'm interested in on a 'rotating' basis.

2.) Personal collection cards - I'd like to be able to count out a Top 30 list, tally up another 25-30 'alternative' PC cards and create a binder of PC cards for more sentimental purposes.

3.) Regional focus - establishing a Top 30 personal collection of cards, building an 'A-Z' singles collection [interesting cards of various players] and maintaining an Angels 'shoebox collection' under team boxes [featuring more rank-and-file cards / inserts].

4.) A-Z singles stored in top loaders - I want to store various singles in top loaders in a box, list in a database and file away by player in 'ABC' order and maybe by card type i.e. basic rookie cards, parallels and certified autograph cards.

5.) Collecting topics cards - add about 500 different ones with 250 either old-school [pre-1980] and/or vintage [pre-1973] cards.

6.) Pick up 15-20 first-year autograph cards and 10-15 first-year Angel autograph cards.

7.) Pick up a 'PC' rookie card or two - something like a PSA graded 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson RC or a PSA graded 1983 Topps Tony Gwynn RC and so forth.

9.) Bust about three to five 'full' boxes every three months - I want to bust boxes on a somewhat regular basis, but the cards I will need are probably base cards, more common parallels. I'll try to see if I can bust mostly current-year product with a mix of some 'oddball' stuff that maybe fun if now relatively worthless.

10.) Finish my Topps team runs [except for any expansion teams that may apply, a 1978-current year card for each of the 30 MLB teams] and my Topps sampler runs [a card from 1978-current year] - I'd like to get these out of the way sooner than never as sort of 'side projects' I work on when I stumble upon appropriate year Topps cards.

11.) Pick up 10-15 blasters and/or various retail offerings and maybe 20-25 assorted retail / hobby packs - I don't really pull anything of significance but the hunger to bust something never ceases.

12.) Do 10-15 impulsive card related things - point being is to have some fun.

Autograph request through the mail received: Jose Cardenal

2011-12-27T19:00:00.000-08:00

Jose Cardenal c/o home - signed my three cards [1975 Topps, 1977 Topps and 1978 Topps] in blue Sharpie in about three weeks; I remember him mainly for being a coach with the New York Yankees through the late 1990s, but played 18 seasons in the Major Leagues as well.

Looking at Cardenal's stats, he had his most productive seasons in the mid 1970s with the Chicago Cubs - he also played for the Angels from 1965-1967.

Autograph request through the mail received: Max Scherzer

2011-12-27T15:41:00.000-08:00

Max Scherzer c/o Detroit Tigers [spring training] - personalized [To: Lauren] and signed my card in blue ink.

This was mailed on February 24 and arrived in my mailbox on December 27 - this request took a while to get back to me but it is always nice to get a somewhat unexpected TTM autograph success.

Featured autograph - Chris Iannetta

2011-12-22T01:48:00.000-08:00

Got this card of the Angels catcher signed - when he was a visiting Colorado Rockies player back in 2010.

Autograph request through the mail received: Bob Locker

2011-12-19T22:22:00.000-08:00

Bob Locker c/o home - the former Major League relief pitcher from the 1960s through early 1970s signed my card in blue Sharpie in about two weeks.

Collector's Cache Box recap

2011-12-19T18:00:00.000-08:00

I was browsing the card section at Target when I saw this plastic card 'container' of baseball cards with various stuff for $14.99 - this thing was heavy and it 'clanked around' because of the coins I saw inside.

This isn't the latest or the greatest offering from an actual trading card company like Topps and it's probably designed for much younger collectors - however I decided to pick one up Sunday night since I maybe able to use the durable looking plastic card container after I picked up a similar one at Walmart in the mid 1990s for about $6.

I'm not sure if these are repackaged and sold through retail stores by Fairfield or by a new player in the trading card repack game - maybe Collector's Cache?

Inside the plastic trading card container - was a various number of things that I rummaged through.

10 top loaders - thrown into the box, I'm not sure if I use these to hold my valuable cards...
2 Ultra Pro one-touch card holders - one was with a sticker priced $1.99 and I figure these were probably closeouts from a retail store.
1 Ultra Pro screw down

A set of 1990 Topps coins [60 coins] and one dupe - I don't particularly care about odd sized or oddball baseball items like these, though this set is somewhat attractive and features 'stars of the day' including Nolan Ryan, Ken Griffey Jr., Cal Ripken, etc.

300 assorted cards - including a lot of 192 cards 'on their own' and various 'junk wax' packs; with no expectations, I went through card after card like the card hoarder I am.

A 1989 Topps half a jumbo pak with 51 cards - the company repacking these things couldn't have included the 23-year old stick of gum or the glossy insert card?
A 1990 Upper Deck pack with 15 cards
A 2007 Upper Deck Series 1 and 2 combo pack with 32 cards
A 2008 Upper Deck Documentary pack with 10 cards

Autograph request through the mail received: Bill Sampen

2011-12-17T15:18:00.000-08:00

Bill Sampen c/o home - signed my cards in blue Sharpie in little over a week.

Looking back at his Major League career, Sampen managed to find success as a relief pitcher for two or three years in the early 1990s - by the time he spent his last MLB season with the California Angels in 1994, it looked like his arm was toast.

Japanese baseball imports - the cards

2011-12-17T09:41:00.000-08:00

I've ended up with various Japanese cards over the years and found cards of the imports looking to come over to play Major League Baseball in 2012 - after a stellar pitching career in Japan, Yu Darvish is the most coveted player coming over and there is a lot of hot stove buzz as to which team he'll end up with.

Pitcher Tsuyoshi Wada signed a two-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles and looks to be a candidate for a spot in the starting rotation in 2012 - supposedly as a Dallas Braden clone of sorts.

Norichika Aoki is supposedly as gifted a hitter as Ichiro was - though let's be real here and hope that if he plays in the Major Leagues next year, is at least a bit better than the Ichiro that showed up for the Seattle Mariners in 2011.

Munenori Kawasaki is looking to sign with the Seattle Mariners - I don't know too much about him, though I vaguely recall referring to him as the 'fake Ichiro' when I attended a World Baseball Classic workout several years ago and saw him signing autographs.

Autograph requests through the mail received: Willie Aikens and Josh Hamilton

2011-12-16T19:00:00.000-08:00

Willie Aikens c/o home - signed my three cards in blue Sharpie in about a week. He also returned my letter with a note saying his book is coming out next year and it will answer the questions I had for him in my letter.

Josh Hamilton c/o Texas Rangers [spring training] - signed one card in black Sharpie; I thought I was glad to get this one back but I chose a card with too dark of a background and only the streaky part of the autograph is sort of visible.

Random prospect mailday - Travis Harrison

2011-12-16T17:38:00.000-08:00

I am vaguely aware of Travis Harrison as a local county kid [Tustin High School, Orange County California] who has good power potential - though it will probably take another four or five years before he progresses through the minor leagues and if things work out as planned, reaches the Major Leagues for the first time.

I was pretty eager to pick up this 2011 Bowman Draft Chrome first-year autograph card up - particularly without having to pull it in a pack or a box.

Autograph request through the mail received: Floyd Bannister

2011-12-15T16:15:00.000-08:00

Floyd Bannister c/o home - signed my three cards in blue Sharpie in about a week.

Bannister's 'bread and butter' years were before the time I started seriously watching baseball and his stint with the California Angels in 1991 seemed forgettable at best - however, despite a 134-143 overall W-L record in the Major Leagues, he was a solid starting pitcher through the mid 1980s and pitched in 200 or more innings in 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1987.

Featured autograph - Mark Trumbo

2011-12-13T19:02:00.000-08:00

I was able to get this 2011 Topps Allen and Ginter signed in-person by Angels first baseman Mark Trumbo recently - it maybe the best looking autograph I've gotten from him, though it is still sort of rushed, since he had to sign for a scrum of people.

Autograph request through the mail received: Carl Warwick

2011-12-13T17:12:00.000-08:00

Carl Warwick c/o home - the 1964 World Series hero personalized and signed my card in blue ink in about a week.

Featured autographs - Mark Gubicza

2011-12-12T13:55:00.000-08:00

The affable Angels TV broadcaster Mark Gubicza signed these two cards for me in-person several days ago - I haven't gotten him in a couple of years and while my memory maybe a little fuzzy, it looks like 'Gubi' may have shortened his autograph.

The 1989 Topps is OK, but I like the 1990 Fleer card in particular - they look sort of similar with pretty straightforward designs with white borders, but the Fleer looks better in-hand and features an action shot.

Featured autograph - Bill Stoneman

2011-12-12T13:18:00.000-08:00

I ran into former Angels general manager Bill Stoneman this past Saturday and got him to sign the card I pulled from this break - he still works for the Angels as a consultant after stepping down from the GM position.

His claim to fame as a former MLB player was throwing two no-hitters for the Montreal Expos - despite a losing career record of 54-85, he pitched over 200 innings four years in a row and seemed to develop into a quality starter before breaking down in his late 20s.

Autograph request through the mail received: Tony Womack

2011-12-12T02:12:00.000-08:00

Tony Womack c/o home - signed a 2005 Topps Turkey Red set card and a 2005 Topps card in black Sharpie in about two weeks.

He returned my third card unsigned and didn't bother to keep it - even though I wrote he can have it for his personal collection.

Featured autograph - C.J. Wilson

2011-12-11T23:57:00.000-08:00

I got this in-person autograph of C.J. Wilson in 2010 - he was a very good signer during his time with his old team and I've always been able to get what I've needed signed when the Rangers came to town.

I think I'll end up waiting for his first Angels cards or something Angels related before I try and get his autograph again in 2012 - I don't think he'll be any tougher than he was before and I hope this will be the case.

Ryan Braun - 2011 National League MVP busted for failed PED test

2011-12-10T19:24:00.000-08:00

I liked Ryan Braun as much as I did any superstar in the MLB - sucks he apparently tested positive for PEDs, but now I'll have one less reason to collect his cards for practical purposes and it's off the Brauny bandwagon for me.

A quick apology and a probably 'one and only' presser regarding whatever he did or didn't do that set off his positive test - maybe the most likely course of action for Braun and the Milwaukee Brewers.

The worst thing would be to deny and challenge - he was entrenched as the Brewers 'face of the franchise' and he is still has a 'lifetime' contract with the organization.

If Braun lets it be and owns up to his supposed mistake, the 'white knights' of the media will have no choice but to bury his story - he can be back playing without much scrutiny after his 50-game suspension is over.

Featured autograph - Albert Pujols

2011-12-08T19:50:00.000-08:00

I never would have imagined in my wildest dreams I'd be counting this Albert Pujols autograph as part of my all-time Angels autographed collection - it is a magazine I got signed in-person back in 2002.

Thanks for the early birthday presents Angels!

2011-12-08T09:07:00.000-08:00

Pack one
#15 Albert Pujols - we all are waiting to see where he'll end up [HE ENDED UP ON THE ANGELS ALONG WITH FREE AGENT PITCHER C.J. WILSON], how much he'll be getting paid [PROBABLY $250-$260 million] and for how many years [1O YEARS].

Featured autograph - Ozzie Smith

2011-12-07T21:33:00.000-08:00

I ended up with an 1979 Topps Ozzie Smith rookie card when I was at a card shop [probably some time in 2005 - can't seem that long ago...] and picked up one of their 'grab bags,' which consisted of a lunchbag for $2.

I thought I'd be getting an assortment of loose cards, but instead I got a pack of 1979 Topps - I ended up pulling the Smith and was thrilled by the pull, but not the centering of the card.

I kind of suspect the pack was resealed and an off-condition Smith card was placed in the pack as sort of a 'bonus' to people who don't know any better - but it is hard to complain about pulling a rookie card of Hall of Famer from a 'grab bag' sort of deal.

I decided to get the card signed since it wasn't in the greatest condition and some autograph collectors like signed rookie cards - I got card signed by Smith in-person three years later at a golf tournament.

Diving into the quarter bins at the card shop

2011-12-06T13:32:00.000-08:00

In addition to the loose 2011 Bowman Draft packs I busted from a card shop in my previous post - I picked up a lousy 14 cards out of the quarter boxes; I can't get too worried about spending a few bucks but I remember the days when I'd find 20-25 cards for a buck at certain card show booths.

Got these from the quarter boxes - where most the Angels / Dodgers cards are.

1973 Topps Jeff Torborg #154 - I have a couple of Torborg cards, though not an Angels card.
1974 Topps Joe Lahoud #512 - I actually have this card in my Topps Diamond account but picked it up since I get to have it in hand and maybe able to trade the redeemed Topps Diamond card for something else.
1984 Fleer Steve Lubratich #524
1985 Fleer Fred Lynn #307 - my memories of Lynn are mostly from glancing at his 1990 cards, which picture him as a 'washed up' San Diego Padres bench warmer.

Over the last 10 years, I've sort of come around as far learning about him - he was a very good player - winning the 1975 American League Rookie of the Year and 1975 American League MVP with the Boston Red Sox.

Lynn also represented the California Angels in the 1983 All-Star game - hitting the first and only grand slam in All-Star game history.

Was able to find these from the quarter boxes - where many of the card shop's newest cards are and the place where I actually go to first when I walk into the card shop.

2011 Topps Chrome Danny Espinosa #33
2011 Topps Chrome Matt Young #185
2011 Topps Chrome Vinnie Pestano #201
2011 Topps Update Jose Altuve #US 132
2011 Topps Update Dustin Ackley #US 30
2011 Topps Update Anthony Rizzo #US 55
2011 Topps Update Dustin Ackley #US 254
2011 Topps USA Baseball Scott McGough #USA-34 - x3

2011 Bowman Draft four pack recap

2011-12-05T18:30:00.000-08:00

2011 Bowman Draft [$3.00 each x4 at a card shop] - after busting approximately two hobby boxes and these loose packs, maybe I'm a little underwhelmed.

I grabbed these packs on impulse and pulled bupkis - maybe I don't know what I was expecting when this product came out a week or so ago; maybe I was hoping to be able to find some easier to pull pull refractors or colored parallels in every other pack?

It seems like for sheer entertainment value 2011 Bowman Draft is sort of a snooze fest - I realize they are two completely different products, but why can't something like 2011 Bowman Draft be more like 2011 Topps, where I sort of feel like I can pull at least a couple of OK looking inserts / parallels out of a multiple pack purchase.

Pack one
#7 Charlie Blackmon
#17 Andrew Brown
#59 Zack Cozart - Chrome
#BDPP 70 Lance Jeffries - Chrome
#BDPP 59 Anthony Meo
#BDPP 101 Hunter Mercado-Hood
#BDPP 38 Taylor Guerrieri

Pack two
#15 Ezequiel Carrera
#8 Brian Broderick
#82 Henderson Alvarez - Chrome
#BDPP 55 Brandon Martin - Chrome
#BDPP 71 Matthew Budgell
#BDPP 33 Tyler Goeddel
#BDPP 76 Josh Parr

Pack three
#39 Graham Godfrey
#30 Rubby De La Rosa
#32 Jarrod Dyson - Chrome
#BDPP 67 Henry Owens - Chrome - he was a pretty big deal coming out of an Orange County high school in 2011 and while he's been in various USA releases over the last couple of seasons, this is first base card as a pro.
#BDPP 5 Pratt Maynard
#BDPP 30 Michael Fulmer
#BDPP 46 Adrian Houser

Pack four
#75 Josh Rodriguez
#50 Craig Kimbrel
#27 Tony Cruz - Chrome
#BDPP 27 Alex Dickerson - Chrome
#BDPP 89 Keenyn Walker
#BDPP 19 Harold Martinez
#BDPP 68 Joe Panik

Featured card: 2010 Topps Heritage Dan Haren Clubhouse Collection jersey

2011-12-05T16:25:00.000-08:00

I received this jersey card of the Angels No. 2 starting pitcher from Greg at Plaschke, Thy Sweater is Argyle - in exchange for the Panini Matt Kemp 'promo card' I pulled from this pack break.

When Greg expressed interest in the Kemp card - I think the Haren was the first card that caught my eye off his trade bait page that I thought might not be too hard to trade for.

Even though the card still pictures Haren in an Arizona Diamondbacks uniform - it is a nice looking card, even if Haren sort of looks unkempt rockin' the facial hair.

A Halo 'swing and a miss' - Jeff Mathis

2011-12-05T09:14:00.000-08:00

I wish Jeff Mathis nothing but the best as he was finally traded from the Angels - I have nothing against him personally though it is disappointing he never really was able to develop into anything but a glorified bullpen catcher [who probably got playing time because he was a favorite of Angels manager Mike Scioscia].

The Angels get a catcher

2011-12-01T01:41:00.000-08:00

The Angels traded for catcher Chris Iannetta and while he has shown spurts of offensive potential with the Colorado Rockies - the 28-year old catcher has sort of had an underwhelming Major League career and as a hitter hasn't done particularly well away from Coors Field during the past three years.

It is weird to go and talk about Mike Napoli as some kind of star, but he has sort of become one in Texas - I think the Angels are hoping Iannetta can mimic Napoli's success and sort of emerge as a catcher who knows what he is doing with the bat.

Going to the Rockies is Tyler Chatwood, who may have been rushed to the Major Leagues, in his first and only season with the Angels in 2011 - he has shown a 'live arm,' but is probably more of a project at this point, striking out only three more guys than he walked in a decidedly uneven rookie season.

Card show trip #3 the finale - 2011 Bowman Draft hobby box recaps

2011-11-30T19:00:00.000-08:00

I wanted baseball cards of young professional players, guys drafted or signed this past year by Major League teams I've never heard about before - I think I got a stampede of them in the 2011 Bowman Draft boxes I picked up for $58 each as my 'main' hauls from my card show trip.

It remains to be seen which various base prospect cards I'll be able to get signed and which ones I'll be stuck with for a while - hopefully for the guys that do 'wash out,' I'll be able to get their cards signed sooner than never.

There are also cards of 2011 MLB rookies and USA players featured in this set - I think the USA players are from the U16 team, so it maybe a couple of years away before we find a particular guy is either going to play professional baseball out of high school or go to college of some sort.

The black borders on the non-Chrome prospect cards remind me of the black bordered wrapper redemption cards from 2010 Bowman Chrome - I like how these prospect cards came out for 2011 BDP, though they maybe more condition sensitive than the plain ole' white border prospect cards from regular Bowman.

I don't know if the stated odds really bear it out - but I was expecting to pull more 'color' as in various refractors. There is no sugarcoating the fact that the refractors / colored parallels I pulled were a bit 'lackluster.'

My two autographs were two Chicago Cubs - Javier Baez [9th overall] and Dan Vogelbach [68th overall]; I didn't realize Baez was picked within the first 10 overall picks and I've seen Chris Farley lookalike Vogelbach from his Power Showcase highlight video.

Box one
#14 Matt Carpenter - Chrome refractor
#BDPP 91 William Abreu - blue parallel serial #'d 217/499
#BDPP 108 Dany Toussaint - Chrome refractor
#BDPP 99 Jake Jarvis - Chrome refractor
#BDPP 35 Todd Frazier - Chrome refractor
#BCAP-DV Dan Vogelbach - Chrome refractor certified autograph; serial #'d 187/500
#6 Bruce Billings - Chrome refractor
#BDPP 8 Matt Barnes - Chrome refractor
#85 Everett Teaford - Chrome blue parallel serial #'d 095/199

Box two
#BCP-JBA Javier Baez - Chrome certified autograph; not numbered
#39 Graham Godfrey - Chrome; blue parallel serial #'d 052/199
#13 Mark Hamburger - Chrome refractor
#BDPP 33 Tyler Goeddel - Chrome refractor
#21 Henry Sosa - Chrome refractor
#BDPP 49 Scott Woodward - blue parallel serial #445/499
#BDPP 42 Nick De Santiago - Chrome refractor
#BDPP 81 George Springer - Chrome refractor
#5 Pedro Beato - Chrome refractor

2010 Donruss Elite Extra Edition box break recap

2011-11-30T13:30:00.000-08:00

#79 Ross Wilson - Status parallel autograph serial #'d 2/5.

I ended up picking a box of 2010 Donruss Elite Extra Edition baseball for about $70 at a card shop 15 minutes away from my house - I haven't been to the shop during the last three months since the shop had opened and wanted to see what they had during Black Friday.

It was a typical card shop with overhead costs [rent and everything else that makes the store look good / attractive] to worry about - so the 'wax' in the shop probably reflects those costs, though it looks like they may have a little better prices for online consumers [as opposed to guys who randomly walk in from the cold like I did].

I settled for box of 2010 EEE on impulse and busting through the boxes on my way to work, these were my autograph pulls - I also pulled some inserts, maybe a parallel of little consequence.

#151 Jason Mitchell - certified autograph serial #'d11/50

#111 Mike Kvasnicka - certified autograph serial #455/530

#7 Bobby Doran - certified autograph serial #'d 523/644

#98 Tyler Holt - certified autograph serial #260/694

#10 Nick Castellanos - certified autograph serial #191/699

#190 Erick Goeddel - certified autograph serial #'d 521/810

Card show trip #2 - random vintage / old school cards

2011-11-28T21:23:00.000-08:00

I normally don't dig around for vintage / old school cards and after deciding decided to make my own mix of 24 out of the 12 for $2.50 box - I shoved them back in the box to go look for supplies instead.

After getting a box of plastic sheets, a plastic card box and three packs of penny sleeves, I had some money left and decided to pick the 24 random vintage Topps cards up and an additional dozen from 12 for $1 box - I figure it is easier picking up a handful of old cards this way, than trying to find them in repacked jumbo packs at Target and/or hoping I redeem one from the Topps Diamond Giveaway.

Card show trip #1 - random singles

2011-11-28T10:00:00.000-08:00

I was looking to score some new cards and decided to take a trip to the only card show I know to go - I've been on a self-imposed exile since early in the year, so I was hoping to make this particular trip worthwhile.

I got myself jammed up at one boss' booth, flipping through a bunch of cards out of his $0.50 junk boxes - I picked up 20 including some Marquee / Tier One base cards and some numbered parallels; most of the shiny stuff [2010 Bowman Chrome prospects, 2011 Bowman Platinum, 2011 Topps Finest, etc] were scratched up so I didn't bother.

I think it was hard to put down the Marquee / Tier one cards once I started finding them - considering they come out of premium priced products.

2011 Bowman Chrome Best Anthony Ranaudo #BBP 70
2011 Bowman Chrome Futures Jonathan Singleton #12 x2
2011 Bowman Platinum Jake Marisnick #BPP 45 - refractor
2011 Bowman Platinum Leon Landry #BPP 46 - refractor
2011 Bowman Platinum Jimmy Paredes X-Fractor parallel #BPP 19
2011 Bowman Platinum Matt Harvey X-Fractor parallel #BPP 66
2011 Bowman Platinum Allen Webster X-Fractor parallel #BPP 68
2011 Topps Marquee Jered Weaver #9

2011 Topps Marquee Josh Hamilton #88

2011 Topps Marquee Brett Anderson #92

2011 Topps Marquee Joe Morgan #40 - serial #’d 79/99

2011 Topps Marquee Shin-Soo Choo #71 - serial #’d 45/99

2011 Topps Marquee Johnny Mize #84 - serial #’d 131/199

2011 Topps Marquee Miguel Cabrera #53 - serial #’d 203/299

2011 Topps Tier One Jim Palmer #22 - serial #’d 012/799

2011 Topps Tier One Dustin Pedroia #31 - serial #’d 200/799

2011 Topps Tier One Robinson Cano #75 - serial #’d 793/799

2011 Topps Tier One Brian Wilson #76 - serial #’d 005/799

2011 Topps Tier One C.C. Sabathia #77 - serial #’d 507/799

Panini Black Friday pack recaps

2011-11-26T10:26:00.000-08:00

Pack one
#15 Albert Pujols - we all are waiting to see where he'll end up, how much he'll be getting paid and for how many years.

#201 Terrelle Pryor - serial #'d 173/199 - this one looks like a card from 2011 Donruss Elite; I'm vaguely aware Pryor as more of a 'project,' considering how his college career at Ohio St. ended and how he profiles more as an athlete than quarterback; needless to say he is now Cam Newton...

Pack two
#18 Matt Kemp - the typical modern day metrosexual baseball player exemplified on a trading card.

I didn't pull anything special in these two-card packs, given as promotional items when I made a Black Friday box purchase at a local card shop - I didn't realize Panini inserted cards of baseball players in these packs, giving baseball cards collectors a sneak peek of what the cards look like out of their non-MLB [but MLBPA] licensed baseball product.

NNO Terrelle Pryor - this one looks like a subset card from Playoff Prestige.

Featured autograph - Greg Halman

2011-11-22T09:41:00.000-08:00

Learning about Seattle Mariners outfielder Greg Halman's death, it kind of hits close to home when I learn his brother may have been a suspect - my younger brother and I still live at home with our parents and at times there are petty feelings that sort of linger over the most mundane things.

There have been times over the years when things have escalated into arguments and while we obviously play for the same team - my brother and I haven't been particularly close and it seems like it has quite a while when we've seen each other eye-to-eye.

R.I.P. Greg Halman

2011 Bowman Chrome blaster recap

2011-11-19T21:43:00.000-08:00

I was sort of excited to find this 2011 Bowman Chrome blaster [$19.99 each] at the card aisle of a Target in Brea, California - I want to mention this is the first time I've visited a two-story Target with a parking garage like a mall.

However even with an apparent insert or a parallel lurking in each retail pack - there is just something lacking about only having three cards per pack / eight packs per blaster for a total of 24 cards. I was hoping against all odds to pull some 'ink,' though no autographs were pulled from this particular blaster.

I do like the inserts though it's probably better to purchase them individually or a set - rather than looking to pull random ones through loose pack / blaster box purchases.

Pack one
#BCP 155 Chase Whitley
#24 Jacob Turner - Futures die-cut insert
#173 Mark Trumbo

Pack two
#BCP 162 Brody Colvin
#188 Mark Rogers - refractor
#63 Carlos Beltran

Pack three
#118 Mike Minor
#BCP 148 David Rohm - refractor serial #'d 091 / 500
#145 Brian Roberts

Pack four
#218 Ivan De Jesus Jr.
#BCP 219 Fernando Abad
#BBP 65 Jacob Turner - Bowman's Best insert

Pack five
#BCP 216 Andy Dirks
#BCT 13 Anthony Rizzo - Bowman Throwbacks insert
#35 Jon Lester

Pack six
#8 Hanley Ramirez
#BCP 209 Mariekson Gregorius
#22 Mike Montgomery - Futures die-cut insert parallel

Pack seven
#BCP 203 Cameron Garfield
#15 Brandon Phillips - refractor
#116 Clay Buchholz

Pack eight
#107 Jayson Werth
#BCP 153 Miguel Velazquez - Purple refractor parallel serial #'d 794/799
#6 Carlos Santana

Fairfield red jumbo pack recap

2011-11-19T09:53:00.000-08:00

Fairfield red jumbo pack of 100 cards [$4.99 each at Target] - these repacks guarantee three 'vintage' cards from the 50's, 60's and 70s, though I'm not holding my breath.

I thought I was over these things but I'm fascinated with just wanting a brick of cards to flip through - I'd probably buy four or five of these at one time if I knew there was a real good mix of cards from over the years.

However, pulling cards from the 'junk wax years' get redundant quickly - how much more 1987 Topps, 1989 Topps and 1990 K-Mart Superstar cards can I really take in without just wanting to hurl the cards against the wall?

I say this tongue firmly planted in cheek - but I just don't think it's fair that a company can prey on the hoarding aspects of this baseball card collector.

Top section
1989 Topps Glossy Rookies Ron Gant #9

1989 Topps Steve Peters #482

1989 Topps Jeff Blauser #83 - my opinion on a 23-year old set may not matter, but these cards have no redeeming quality; the images lacked a certain sharpness, were often dark and drab.
1989 Topps Oddibe McDowell #183
1989 Topps Doyle Alexander #77

1989 Topps Steve Curry #471
1989 Topps Larry Owen #87
1989 Topps Jim Leyland #284
1989 Topps Terry Kennedy #705
1989 Topps Wayne Tolleson #714
1992 Leaf Ramon Martinez #297
1992 Leaf Jose Offerman #322

1996 Upper Deck Collector's Choice Joey Hamilton #701
1996 Upper Deck Collector's Choice Pete Schourek #114
1994 Upper Deck Gregg Jefferies #265
1993 Upper Deck Phil Plantier #774
1996 Upper Deck Felipe Lira #71
1989 Donruss Rick Honeycutt #328
1990 Score Bobby Rose #604
1987 Donruss Mike Moore #70
1992 Donruss Scott Sanderson #227
1991 Donruss Kevin Elster #304
1990 Topps Willie Fraser #477
1991 Upper Deck Greg Blosser #70
1991 Donruss Tim Crews #294
1999 Topps Carl Pavano #264
1990 Donruss Jack Armstrong #544
1989 Fleer Bryn Smith #394
1999 Topps John Jaha #307 x2
1999 Topps Kerry Ligtenberg
2000 Topps Chrome Francisco Cordova #171
1992 Fleer Bobby Bonilla / Will Clark #699
1987 Donruss Jimmy Key #244

1991 Topps Larry Andersen #761
1992 Pinnacle Gregg Olson #61
1991 Topps Juan Agosto #703
1994 Upper Deck Ryan Klesko #64
1990 Donruss Jeff Reardon #119
1992 Upper Deck Kirk McCaskill #128
1987 Donruss Glenn Braggs #337
1989 Topps Terry Blocker #76
1990 Topps Jeff Reed #772
1992 Upper Deck Kurt Stillwell #705
1991 Leaf Pat Borders #23
1990 Fleer Luis De Los Santos #105
1991 Fleer Ultra Jerome Walton #70
1992 Score Jerome Walton #457
1997 Upper Deck Collector's Choice Chris Snopek #77
1988 Topps Benito Santiago #7
1987 Topps All-Stars Wade Boggs #18

Bottom section

2001 Upper Deck David Ortiz #129

1969 Topps Bill Stoneman #67 - this card is the 'vintage one,' though I have it already and I got it signed through the mail.

1977 Topps Carl Morton #24

1977 Topps Jerry Koosman #300
1981 Topps Ron Reed #376
1985 Topps Greg Minton #45
1990 K-Mart Superstars Wade Boggs #19
1990 K-Mart Superstars Mickey Tettleton #24
1990 K-Mart Superstars Dennis Eckersley #29
1990 K-Mart Superstars Tony Gwynn #5
1987 Hygrade Baseball's All-Time Greats Bob Feller NNO

2005 Upper Deck ESPN Mike Piazza #56
1991 Donruss Dave Righetti #275
1991 Donruss Geno Petralli #137
1993 Donruss Jeff Brantley #100

2003 Upper Deck Sweet Spot Classic Chris Chambliss #13
2003 Upper Deck Sweet Spot Ivan Rodriguez #49
2003 Leaf Certified Materials Richard Hidalgo #74
1991 Donruss Ivan Calderon #203
1993 Leaf Jose Mesa #374
1980 Topps Bill Stein #226
1994 Fleer Ultra Randy Myers #462
1993 Topps Daryl Boston #399
1993 Topps Terry Pendleton #650
1995 Donruss Tom Gordon #494

1993 Topps Stadium Club Jeff Bagwell #384
1989 Donruss John Dopson #392
1989 Donruss Rick Aguilera #526
1993 Topps Albert Belle #635
1993 Topps Stadium Club Brian Harper #95
1988 Fleer Bill Long #404
1988 Fleer Shawon Dunston #419
1988 Fleer Mike Campbell #372
1988 Fleer Dan Gladden #12
1988 Fleer Bruce Ruffin #313
1988 Fleer Mike LaCoss #86
1988 Fleer Wally Joyner #493
1988 Fleer Rob Mallicoat #452
1988 Fleer Mario Diaz / Clay Parker #649
1988 Fleer Keith Hernandez #136
1987 Topps Bill Swift #67
1987 Topps Dan Schatzeder #789
1987 Topps Astros Leaders #531
1987 Topps Chuck Tanner #593
1987 Topps Ronn Reynolds #471
1987 Topps Ted Simmons #516
1987 Topps Dave Gumpert #487
1987 Topps Scott Bankhead #508
1987 Topps Scott Sanderson #534
2004 Upper Deck Morgan Ensberg #136

Featured autograph - Brandon Wood

2011-11-18T10:55:00.000-08:00

One of the things I do is try and keep up with the off-season Major League Baseball transactions so I can update the collection of cards I try and get autographed in-person - as well as build a 'small set' of about 100 cards reflecting various players moves up through the end of spring training.

After spending parts of last season in-between the minors, Anaheim and Pittsburgh - I guess Brandon Wood is going to spring training next year with the Colorado Rockies.

He's still relatively young and may turn it around in a place like Colorado - but as a professional baseball player, it looks like he's bound to take Mike Hessman detour or the Wily Mo Pena one.

Angel insert mailday - Scott Downs

2011-11-18T09:59:00.000-08:00

Card blogger Justin from Justin's World was interested in a 2011 Topps Update Matt Stairs Gold parallel I'd pulled from a break and I ended up mailing the card out in exchange a 2011 Topps Update Gold parallel card of Scott Downs - I think he said he still had to actually to get the Downs card from another trade he was working on and I had to wait about two weeks before I could actually get the card in-hand.

The Downs card arrived safely in the mail a couple of days ago - it is a nice looking card and regardless of the delay, I was glad to have traded for it.

Angel prospect mailday - Jean Segura

2011-11-16T22:50:00.000-08:00

Jean Segura is probably the best position player coming through the Angels system not named Mike Trout - the shortstop wasn't healthy for much of the season in Single-A Inland Empire in 2011 and his ability to stay on the field will probably dictate how far he goes in 2012.

Angel prospect mailday - C.J. Cron

2011-11-16T17:55:00.000-08:00

I'm primarily an in-person autograph collector and while I'm so happy to get a certified autograph of the Angels top draft pick in 2011 for the price of a Subway sandwich - it almost ruins the anticipation of trying to meet the player and get his autograph for the first time.

With only 'hits' in Leaf Metal Draft, I don't think I'll touch any Leaf baseball product until the company can produce a set with actual base cards - if I just wanted a certified Cron autograph for my personal collection however, I probably couldn't do any worse than having picked up this shiny card that sort of has an 'insert' feel to it.

Autograph request through the mail received: Danny Tartabull

2011-11-16T16:36:00.000-08:00

Danny Tartabull c/o home address - signed my cards in black Sharpie and kept one [1989 Sportsflics] in about a week.

Tartabull was never quite a 'superstar' for the teams he played for but was quite a productive player in his prime years - I haven't really been keeping up with mailing any autograph requests to players since the beginning of the year, but seeing recent Tartabull successes posted on message boards / forums / Web sites piqued my interest.

2011 Rookies of the Year - some random thoughts

2011-11-14T23:54:00.000-08:00

So Craig Kimbrel and Jeremy Hellickson were named Rookies of the Year in their respective leagues - I think my autographed in-person Hellickson card is already in a toploader somewhere and I had to go hunt down my autographed in-person Kimbrel card in my '2010 rookies' box.

I have no real problem with Kimbrel being ROY since it seems like he blew everyone away until the end of the season - when he showed some wear and tear.

I think in the American League, Mark Trumbo should have won even though I'd conceded - his .290 on-base percentage was simply too much of a black mark on the 25-year old.

Looking at it objectively, maybe Eric Hosmer was the best rookie position player in the American League and if he'd come up just a bit earlier in the season - would have been the guy going neck-and-neck against Hellickson for the award.

Topps replacement mailday - meh

2011-11-14T18:21:00.000-08:00

I sent in two damaged 2011 Topps Update parallels from this break and got a bubble mailer in the mail from Topps this afternoon - the Andy Sonnanstine Topps Update Liquorfractor got replaced, though I was SOL on the Washington Nationals Topps Update Hope parallel serial #'d 03/60.

My replacement for the Nats team card [featuring Stephen Strasburg and Ryan Zimmerman] was a Ian Desmond Topps Update Hope parallel serial #'d 55/60 - with a form letter saying the replacement for the card I'd sent it was not available and the card I got back was of equal or greater value.

Rambling on about vintage cards - pardon my ignorance

2011-11-09T04:54:00.000-08:00

I'm showing of a 1973 Topps Billy Grabarkewitz, a 1964 Topps Charlie Dees and a 1967 Topps Roger Repoz - all three Angels cards included in my trade package from Dayf several days ago.

I may have had some fascination with cards before my time but maybe less superficial interest in recent years - when I'm worrying about trying to hoard the newest cards of guys who haven't even made it to the upper levels of the minors, much less the Major Leagues [so I can eventually get them autographed].

I see collecting random vintage cards as broadening my broaden my interest in the history of the modern baseball card - as well learning about the professional baseball players from the 1950's, 1960's and through the early 1970's.

I wanted look for qualities to associate the old cards with - maybe at a card shop I go to there maybe off-grade cards available for a dollar or so, but the cards feel so dated, so anachronistic compared to the cards I'm collect for.

Maybe I'm trying to convince myself in dabbling in the vintage cards seemingly available to me - there maybe something cool having something in-hand printed at least 30, 40, 50 years ago and I'd like to get some trading card 'relics' into my collection.

I do worry the cards I may pick up are tampered with - even if they aren't in the best condition.

Ultimately, I wouldn't know where to start, but besides cards of particular players, maybe I could add - notable vintage 'funny cards,' cards of 'cult players', cards of 'minor stars' and cards that just stick out like a sore thumb or I can even add an 'old-school' element to my various collecting topics collections.

2011 Topps Update Value Box recap #2

2011-11-07T10:05:00.000-08:00

2011 Topps Value box [$14.99 each at a Target]

It probably isn't due to the cards themselves being hard to find but I have not seen any blasters and / or racks of 2011 Bowman Chrome - so far, the Value boxes seem to be my only fix to get anything with 2011 Bowman Chrome in it and while it isn't even worth the trouble, I tried another box.

#BCE-1 Bryce Harper bonus card - I didn't even bother looking at the number of the other Harper bonus card I pulled from my other value box; this card is a red refractor version while the other looks more like silver.

Topps Diamond Giveaway code card - I got stuck with a 1993 Topps John Franco, which wasn't great but there was an immediate trade offer for it [something like three 'early 1980s' commons].

However, the 'trade manager' gave me a couple of error messages and I tried logging off - after about 10-15 minutes, I tried to execute the trade again [two more times], but it didn't go through either time and the offer ended up disappearing.

2011 Bowman Chrome hobby pack
#BCP 215 Eduardo Nunez
#BCP 202 Chris Owings

#BCP 206 Scott Maine - refractor serial #'d 024/500; sported a 10.29 ERA as a rookie in 2011; looks like a LOOGY otherwise.
#183 Desmond Jennings

2011 Topps Update eight-card packs

Pack one
#US-176 Xavier Nady
#US-54 Jerry Sands
#US-164 Hector Noesi
#US-205 D.J. LeMahieu
#US-250 Zack Greinke
#US-TTU-27 Neil Walker - ToppsTown
#US-218 Victor Martinez - Liquorfractor
#US-42 David Ortiz

Pack two
#US-153 Matt Gurrier
#US-266 Jason Isringhausen
#US-194 Jason Kipnis
#US-178 Jason Bourgeois
#TDG-25 Adrian Beltre Diamond Giveaway code card - revealed a 1986 Topps Brad Wellman
#KC-138 Rogers Hornsby - Kimball Champions insert

#US-175 Mike Trout
#US-131 Jeff Keppinger

Pack three
#US-285 David Purcey
#US-300 Carl Crawford
#US-223 Arthur Rhodes
#US-267 Sam Fuld
#US-149 Omar Infante

#US-169 Ezequiel Carrera - Platinum Diamond Anniversary parallel
#US-319 Corey Patterson
#US-58 Tim Lincecum

Pack four
#US-187 Bobby Wilson
#US-311 Drew Butera
#US-239 J.J. Hardy
#US-159 Alex Cobb
#US-298 Yorvit Torrealba - gold parallel serial #'d 0738/2011
#KC-131 Adam Dunn - Kimball Champions insert
#US-172 Jonny Venters
#US-294 Edwin Jackson

Pack five
#US-93 Matt Downs
#US-283 LaTroy Hawkins
#US-281 Mark Melancon
#US-280 Kyle Farnsworth

#US-205 D.J. LeMahieu - Platinum Diamond Anniversary parallel
#US-78 David Ortiz
#US-118 Michael Pineda
#US-309 Paul Konerko

2010 Upper Deck pack break recap x2

2011-11-07T01:15:00.000-08:00

2010 Upper Deck [$1.59 x2 each from a Target] - I got these from the 'Power Pack' bin and while these aren't actually bad looking cards, these don't make me exactly nostaglic for the days when Upper Deck actually made cards of Major Leaguers.

Pack one
#40 Madison Bumgarner
#41 Chris Young
#392 Brandon Moss
#371 Trevor Cahill
#101 Hideki Okajima
#412 Everth Cabrera
#52 Doug Davis
#380 Jimmy Rollins
#SB-68 Roy Halladay - Season Biography insert
#CP-9 / #CP-10 Gwyneth Paltrow / Chris Martin - Celebrity Predictors insert
#389 Chad Durbin
#120 Sean Marshall
#214 Emilio Bonifacio
#515 Lyle Overbay
#260 Kendry Morales
#578 Cleveland - Team checklist
#161 Matt LaPorta
#569 Toronto - Ballparks

Pack two
#39 Justin Turner
#322 Jon Rauch
#21 Adam Moore
#269 Ervin Santana
#315 Glen Perkins

#235 Roy Oswalt

#540 Jason Bergmann
#SE-40 Torii Hunter - Portraits insert
#SB-105 Brandon Phillips - Season Biography insert
#462 Skip Schumaker
#243 Mike Aviles
#70 Kenshin Kawakami
#191 Jason Hammel
#499 Taylor Teagarden
#96 Clay Buchholz
#144 Laynce Nix
#567 Tampa Bay - Ballparks
#576 Chicago - Team checklist

Dayf trade post

2011-11-05T19:00:00.000-07:00

I've been a fan of this renaissance man of cardboard blogging for the longest time and looked forward to trading when he expressed interest in my 2011 Topps Update Julio Teheran liquorfractor parallel - I ended up shipping out several more Braves inserts in addition to the Teheran in exchange for a 2011 Topps Update Mark Trumbo and Tyler Chatwood parallels, a 2011 Topps Update Gold Hisanori Takahashi and a couple of Topps Heritage minor league Angels [Jean Segura and Garrett Richards].

Dayf also sent a bounty of bonus Angels cards which was an unexpected bonus - though the most interesting one maybe the bunny sketch I'm tempted to say was inspired by Jean Segura's card.

Thanks, Dayf!

Featured autographs - Scott Servais and Yoshinori Tateyama

2011-11-05T14:00:00.000-07:00

Though neither one actually are pictured on the card, I got newest Angels assistant general manager Scott Servais and Rangers relief pitcher Yoshinori Tateyama - to sign this 2008 Texas Rangers team card this past year when the Rangers played the Angels in Anaheim.

I got Tateyama as players entered the stadium and Servais when I was bored waiting for players after the game - I have my 'extra cards' for Servais in my Rangers box, but didn't think he'd show up.

When I did see him, I actually bothered chasing after him, to get him to sign what Tateyama signed earlier - he asked me what it was I wanted him to sign and told him it was a "generic [Rangers] team card."

I also told him I had his cards at home and he said, "they must be old ones, huh."

Angels off-season - wishing for Prince and bracing for realistic moves

2011-11-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

Under new management, the Angels have to start somewhere, with moves to be made and hoping for better fortunes in 2012 - I'd love to see the organization go out and sign Prince Fielder, since it would like when Vladimir Guerrero fell into their laps back in the 2004 off-season.

Getting an impact bat like Fielder's in the middle of the Angels lineup may not be realistic but a Fielder changes the Angels middle of the lineup immensely - right now the Angels don't really have that intimidating presence and they need more offense.

Other moves the Angels may make maybe to fill holes here and there - the Rangers maybe the class of the American League West, but the Angels maybe able to close a bit of the gap, at least on paper by doing the following:

1.) Signing Aramis Ramirez - if the Angels could sign him, he'd be a legitimate power-hitting third baseman to build on for the next few years. He's getting older and just maybe he has gotten somewhat of a bum rap in Chicago, but Ramirez isn't done.

In reality for the Angels, a stop gap like Casey Blake [even at 38 or 39] could be an answer the team maybe willing to consider - maybe re-sign Alberto Callaspo and splitting duties with 24-year old prospect Luis Jimenez.

2.) Sign Heath Bell - even after making the All-Star team in 2011 and picking up 32 saves, maybe Jordan Walden isn't quite ready to be the late-inning guy for the Angels yet. Having Bell as a mentor for the next couple of seasons allows Walden to step back just a little and not be overused at a relatively young age.

3.) Sign or trade for a catcher that can hit .250 with moderate power - the options aren't great but maybe a Ryan Doumit, Chris Snyder or Kelly Shoppach could be given an opportunity, with the idea you can't afford Jeff Mathis earning playing time behind the plate when he has shown no ability to hit Major League pitching.

Ramon Hernandez maybe a better idea - though he might be past his prime to command the salary he might be asking for.

4.) Sign a No. 4 or No. 5 pitcher - Hiroki Kuroda hasn't been spectacular but he has been serviceable and doesn't have to leave Southern California to continue his MLB career. If the Angels could give Joel Pineiro $16 million for two-years once upon a time, then it should have a problem trying to sign Kuroda to a similar deal.

2011 Topps Update Value Box recap

2011-10-31T09:03:00.000-07:00

2011 Topps Value box [$14.99 each at a Target]

I wasn't impressed when it seemed like I went through the break in about five minutes - in these latest value boxes, there is a hobby pack of 2011 Bowman Chrome, five eight-card retail packs of 2011 Topps Update along with a code card and a Bryce Harper bonus card exclusive to these boxes.

The Topps Value boxes earlier this year were put together a little differently - featuring two hobby packs of 2011 Topps Heritage, five 12-card retail packs of 2011 Topps, a Diamond Giveaway code card and a bonus card exclusive to these value boxes.

Bryce Harper bonus card - finding a Harper card out of a Topps product this year hasn't become too hard to find; this is a nice card though I doubt it is going to be worth more than a few bucks and as much as I'd like to pull an autograph of his, the player isn't really too high on my list right now. It seems like Topps is hyping him up as a Major League star when he hasn't had one Major League at-bat yet and maybe it is just a little premature.

Topps Diamond Giveaway code card - revealed a 1967 Topps dual rookie card of Sal Bando which isn't too bad; a rookie card of a star from the Oakland Athletics World Championship teams of the 1970s.

2011 Bowman Chrome hobby pack
#BCP 219 Fernando Abad
#BCP 162 Brody Colvin

#55 B.J. Upton - refractor
#131 Nelson Cruz

2011 Topps Update eight-card packs

Pack one
#US-272 Jorge Cantu
#US-182 Ronny Paulino
#US-183 Carlos Peguero
#US-328 Kevin Gregg
#KC-134 Miguel Cabrera - Kimball Champions insert
#US-22 Randall Delgado
#US-174 Jacob Turner
#US-297 Chase D'Arnaud

Pack two
#US-235 Charlie Morton
#US-298 Yorvit Torrealba
#US-177 Rene Tosoni

#US-152 Julio Teheran - Cognac parallel; the foil on the banner seems a little imperfect.

#T60-129 Ty Cobb - Topps 60 insert
#US-4 Brian McCann
#US-82 Mark Ellis
#US-49 Rickie Weeks

Pack three
#US-139 Rafael Soriano
#US-90 James Russell
#US-39 Eduardo Sanchez
#US-264 Alex White
#US-255 Allen Craig
#TTU-27 Neil Walker - ToppsTown
#207 Angel Pagan - Cognac parallel
#US-304 Hunter Pence

Pack four
#US-11 Jason Pridie
#US-217 Elliot Johnson
#US-39 Eduardo Sanchez
#US-264 Alex White
#US-320 Russell Martin
#US-267 Sam Fuld - Platinum Diamond Anniversary parallel
#US-96 Zach Duke - Cognac parallel
#US-62 Jason Marquis

Pack five
#US-286 Rich Thompson
#US-307 Casey Coleman
#US-317 Craig Counsell
#US-126 Adrian Gonzalez
#US-53 Koji Uehara - gold parallel serial #'d 1341/2011
#T60-143 Lance Berkman
#US-316 Justin Upton
#US-20 Adrian Gonzalez

Featured autograph - Chris Carpenter

2011-10-29T16:15:00.000-07:00

At least one more post featuring an in-person autograph from a player from the 2011 World Series champs - I just wish 'shiny cards' would scan cleaner, so the image looks as good as the actual autographed card does in hand.

Featured autograph - Julian Tavarez

2011-10-29T13:11:00.000-07:00

I probably got journeyman Julian Tavarez to sign this card [I thought I had him sign two of this particular card but have only one in-hand] back in the early to mid 2000s - does the hiring of former MLB pitcher Jerry DiPoto as the Angels new general manager mean I'm that much closer to completing this dual card?

Featured autograph - David Freese

2011-10-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

I probably didn't think much of David Freese when he signed for me back in 2010 - he came over to the railing about 10-15 minutes before a San Diego Padres / St. Louis Cardinals game at Petco Park and must have signed at least three cards for me.

I thought he was pretty accomodating but saw him only as a player who broke into the Major Leagues as an older rookie - who had been busted up with injuries several times over and at one point was also arrested for DUI.

I would have never guessed he'd seize the second chances afforded to him as a Major League player and become a folk hero in St. Louis for his 2011 postseason heroics - particularly in the 2011 World Series where he was named the MVP of a team seemingly panned as probably not being good enough to battle it out against the Rangers for a championship.

2011 Topps Update Walmart blaster recap

2011-10-25T21:38:00.000-07:00

2011 Topps Update blaster box [$19.98 each at a Walmart]

Throwback Patch pack
TLMP-JMO Joe Morgan

Pack one
US-234 Brandon Crawford
US-174 Jacob Turner
US-5 Josh Willingham
US-176 Xavier Nady
US-62 Jason Marquis
US-92 Hunter Pence
DD-17 Craig Kimbrell / Julio Teheran - Diamond Duos insert
US-243 Chris Denorfia

Pack two
US-255 Allen Craig
US-85 Roy Halladay
US-329 Dee Gordon
US-120 Bobby Parnell
US-33 Jayson Nix
TDG-21 Mickey Mantle - Diamond Giveaway code card
T60-132 George Sisler - Topps 60 insert
US-131 Jeff Keppinger

Pack three
US-201 Hisanori Takahashi
US-250 Zack Greinke
US-278 Jacoby Ellsbury
US-300 Carl Crawford
US-28 Adam Kennedy
374 Washington Nationals - this maybe a Hope parallel card, serial #'d 03/60 but the surface is peeling though...
US-102 Sean Burnett - Platinum Diamond Anniversary parallel
US-150 Adrian Beltre - looks like someone took a corner and bent it on purpose

Pack four
US-214 Matt Daley
US-262 Javy Guerra
US-315 Carlos Pena
US-140 Clayton Kershaw
US-145 Bartolo Colon
US-32 Matt Stairs - gold parallel serial #'d 1477/2011
KC-145 Eric Hosmer - Kimball Champions insert
US-193 Lonnie Chisenhall - looks like someone took a corner and bent it on purpose.

Pack five
US-115 Kerry Wood
US-223 Arthur Rhodes
US-255 Allen Craig
US-58 Tim Lincecum
US-87 Clayton Mortensen
TTU-48 Ian Desmond - ToppsTown
22 Barry Zito - Cognac parallel
US-33 Jayson Nix

Pack six
US-183 Carlos Peguero
US-11 Jason Pridie
US-251 Justin Turner
US-249 Starlin Castro
US-252 Derek Jeter
US-301 Tom Gorzelanny
US-8 David Robertson - Platinum Diamond Anniversary parallel
US-62 Jason Marquis

Pack seven
US-63 Doug Fister
US-27 Joey Devine
US-198 Kevin Jepsen
US-273 Miguel Montero
US-105 Joel Hanrahan
TDG-30 Prince Fielder - Diamond Giveaway code card
KC-141 Andre Dawson - Kimball Champions insert

US-316 Justin Upton - looks like someone took a corner and bent it on purpose; maybe I can find a few more cards this way but the damaged of cards of Beltre, Chisenhall and Upton are the most pronounced.

Pack eight
US-220 Adam Dunn
US-51 Andruw Jones
US-291 Andrew McCutchen
US-42 David Ortiz
US-271 Eric O'Flaherty

US-191 Andy Sonnanstine - Cognac parallel; the foil on the banner featuring the player's name and position is sort of scratched out.
T60-145 Michael Pineda - Topps 60 insert
US-5 Josh Willingham

Pack nine - Walmart blue parallel pack #1; I didn't really care for the black parallels found in previous Topps Walmart blasters, but they seemed to be a little more unique than slapping a blue border on the Update base cards.

US-89 Sean O'Sullivan
US-97 Cody Eppley
US-328 Kevin Gregg
US-197 Brandon League
TDG-25 Adrian Beltre - Diamond Giveaway code card
T60-146 Freddie Freeman - Topps 60 insert
US-249 Starlin Castro
Us-252 Derek Jeter

Pack 10 - Walmart blue parallel pack #2
US-46 Angel Sanchez
US-157 Reed Johnson
US-161 Connor Jackson
US-288 Eric Thames
US-32 Matt Stairs - Platinum Diamond Anniversary parallel
20 Honus Wagner - Cognac parallel; this is a parallel of a short print variation, though I believe these are made in the same quantities as the other non-SP Cognac parallels.
US-323 Jhonny Peralta
US-310 Scott Rolen

PS - there were three Diamond Giveaway cards in the box and I unlocked a 1980 Topps Francisco Barrios #107, a 1979 Topps Paul Mitchell #233 and a 1984 Topps Jim Clancy #575.

Featured autograph - Chris Cron

2011-10-25T02:07:00.000-07:00

Another former Angel autograph to add my collection - Cron is the hitting coach for the Salt River Rafters in the Arizona Fall League and I was able to get a couple of cards signed in-person before a game several weeks ago.

Featured autographs - Angels instructional league

2011-10-23T22:34:00.000-07:00

Jim Gott - from a Pinnacle subset from the early 1990's.

Gary DiSarcina

Nathan Haynes

I took a trip to arizona to catch a week of Arizona Fall League games and to try to get autographs of Major League Baseball's top prospects - a wrinkle was seeing Angels minor leaguers work out at their facility for the instructional league, which consists of young players drafted in the past year and other players in the minor league system looking to get more work in before [I assume] they finally shut it down for the year.

Though I wondered what kind of ~~nuts~~ baseball fans my friend and I were to be hanging around watching mostly obscure minor leaguers taking batting practice and working out otherwise - I guess it all comes down to getting the handful of cards I have for Angels minor leaguers signed, after the unsigned cards have been sitting in a box all year long.

It was my first time trying to get autographs at instructs, so my friend and were not actually quite sure where to go - during the day we planned to see the Angels minor leaguers, we they would be working out at Tempe Diablo Stadium and the main Major League complex.

After not seeing anything the morning we got to Tempe Diablo Stadium and twiddling with our thumbs - some desperate driving around led us to find a neighboring actual minor league complex for the Angels.

My friend was ready to go and get his cards signed, even though he didn't know any of the players' faces and was hoping to get help - I was a little more hesitant in going down to the practice fields where players worked out, seeing we might be stepping on some sort of restricted area.

I think my friend and I spent two mornings at the minor league complex - we saw a handful of coaches and staff from the organization including current Angels manager Mike Scioscia, current Angels hitting coach Mickey Hatcher, minor league coach Jim Gott, minor league coach Nathan Haynes, former Angel Mark Langston, former Angels shortstops Dick Schofield and Gary DiSarcina.

Ryan Bolden - he was the 40th overall pick in the 2010 draft but has struggled in the minors so far.

Chevez Clarke - like Bolden, he was a first round pick in 2010 [30th overall] who looks like he needs more work on becoming a proficient baseball players at the professional level; it seems obvious but he also needs to work on signing a better autograph.

Kaleb Cowart - he was pretty accommodating about signing otherwise.

Randal Grichuk - got my 2009 Tristar Prospects Plus dual card finished with Grichuk's autograph after getting 'Michael Trout's' autograph on the card in 2010.

Wes Hatton - it looks like he is listed as a second baseman in the card I got signed, but he is listed as a pitcher in the roster my friend had found, so I assume he is being converted to be in the mound after spending parts of three seasons in the minors as a position player.

Taylor Lindsey - he had an impressive season in 2011 and he maybe the guy to keep an eye on as far as an offensive-minded second base prospect in the Angels system.

Donnie Roach - I actually got this card signed after the Angels / Chicago Cubs instructional league game at Fitch Park, where the Cubs minor league complex is.

Featured autograph - Terry Clark

2011-10-03T16:00:00.000-07:00

Former Angel Terry Clark was the Texas Rangers AAA pitching coach in 2011 and I was able to get his autograph on three cards [one goes to my 'All-Time Angels' collection] when the Rangers played the Angels on Sept. 27 - he spent parts of six seasons as a journeyman pitcher in the Major Leagues from 1988-1997.

Looking at his numbers, it looks like he Clark had a much more respectable career grinding it out through the minors - starting out as an 18-year old in 1979 and pitching through his mid 30s.

Featured autograph - Ivan Nova

2011-10-03T13:00:00.000-07:00

I got the autograph of the New York Yankees rookie star pitcher Ivan Nova before the Angels / Yankees game on Sept. 11 - he has really come through big at times for the Yankees in 2011, though I keep remembering he spent spring training with the San Diego Padres in 2009 and didn't stick with that team.

Fast forward to the 2011 American League Division Series and Nova maybe the most reliable starting pitcher - the Yankees have after C.C. Sabathia.

Featured autograph - Mitch Moreland

2011-10-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

I got this card originally signed in 2010 but the card didn't take the Sharpie very well and I ended up cleaning off the autograph - I had to wait about a year later before I was able to run into Moreland again and get him to sign a couple of cards before an Angels game on Sept. 27.

Featured autographs - Rod Carew and Ken Forsch

2011-10-02T21:00:00.000-07:00

As the case with being an autograph collector, I had another Angels Leaders card that needed Rod Carew's autograph - a 1982 Topps card featuring Carew and Ken Forsch.

After getting him on the 1983 Topps Angels Leaders card in the previous post - I didn't think I'd get an opportunity to get Carew's autograph again and in my last Angels game of the 2011 season on Sept. 27, I nearly didn't.

Apparently it was Angels pitching coach Mike Butcher throwing out the first pitch before the game against the Texas Rangers - I kept thinking it was going to be former Angel Ricky Adams [a utility man for the team in the mid 1980s] making an appearance, but unfortunately his battle with cancer still continues.

The acquaintance that told me it was Carew signing on Sept. 26 said it might be the Hall of Famer appearing again - I didn't quite believe him this time, so I disregarded the information.

Another acquaintance said it was worth the gamble to sneak away during batting practice and try and get a wristband, but I still didn't listen - apparently the usher giving the wristbands out wasn't telling anybody the 'surprise guest,' except to say it wasn't Nolan Ryan.

The biggest speculation about the Angels 50th Anniversary 'first pitch' signers probably revolved around whether Ryan [couldn't make it out to Anaheim due to an illness], Reggie Jackson [who signed] or Dave Winfield [who signed] - would actually throw out the first pitch before the game and sign during the game.

By the time I bothered to try and get a wristband just for the heck of it, there was no more to be passed out - I asked one of the ushers who it was going to be and he said it was Carew.

After getting Mike Trout [8x10 print] and Bobby Abreu [2011 Topps Allen and Ginter] before the game, I wanted to stay away as possible from where Carew was signing - I was bummed out, knowing all the 'autograph regulars' in 2011 were in line to get Carew and I wasn't thinking things through.

During the game I was literally just chilling out when I saw a guy, his son and another guy [I've seen as a regular 'ballhawk' and autograph collector] running past me out by tables near the Carl's Jr. stands on the first base side - I knew they were collectors otherwise and I just grabbed my stuff and tried to follow, hoping they knew something I didn't.

They ran past Gate 5 and towards the Field Level Concourse near the right field corner - I think they lost someone and I sort of held off, thinking they maybe chasing after something else or were completely clueless.

If it was Carew they were after, he'd probably going out the team offices - I asked the usher at Gate 5 if there was re-entry, in case I had to go out and chase after Carew.

He said there was re-entry but, "not at this gate."

From where I stood inside, I saw Carew walking from the offices to the parking lot and decided to take my chances with him outside - I try to get out of the stadium and catch him as he is opening the door of his car.

I try to keep some space between us as I ask him to sign - he agrees and signs my 1982 Topps Angels Leaders card with Ken Forsch.

I asked him how he was and he asked me how I was - a simple greeting back-and-forth and I was relieved I had no real problem getting him, even though an hour before I felt like sulking by myself because I thought I had missed out.

Featured autographs - Rod Carew and Mike Witt

2011-10-02T19:12:00.000-07:00

Rod Carew was signing for former Angels player Jim Eppard [the Angels AAA hitting coach at Salt Lake] throwing out the first pitch before the Angels game on Sept. 26 - I thought it was Eppard signing [I did realize as a coach called up after their season is over, Eppard still had to be in the dugout during the game] so I didn't bother to get an autograph wristband at the start of batting practice until an acquaintance came up and told me it was Carew doing the chore.

With a couple of other acquaintances, we hustled to get where the usher was handing out wristbands for the autograph signing - there was actually no problem getting an wristband because no one expected it would be Carew to show up.

During the game, I got my 1983 Topps Angels Leaders / checklist card with Carew and Mike Witt signed - though I wondered why I didn't have a better 'non-card' item to get signed.

I didn't want to be holding onto the card for while - knowing I still needed to get Carew on it in case he showed up to make an appearance somewhere.

Maybe if I hadn't gotten Carew before and/or was paying for his autograph - I'd think twice about getting just a card signed, but I was committed to finishing a multiplayer card already signed by Witt earlier in the season.

Cards for trade - updated 10/2/11

2011-10-02T18:01:00.000-07:00

2011 Topps Martin Prado #MGL-MP - Personalized Leather Nameplate card

It is just a lone card but I'm hoping to put together a list of cards I'm hoping to showcase - in order to possiblly trade for cards I'm interested in...Angels anybody?

The end of the 2011 MLB season - Longo comes up big

2011-09-29T15:31:00.000-07:00

This quote from Joe Posnanski describes it all - he seems to capture what I've thought about the game, particularly with the four teams chasing for the Wild Card on the final night of the season.

"I've written this before: I never argue with people who say baseball is boring, because baseball is boring. And then, suddenly, it isn't. And that's what makes it great."

Baseball Night in America

Featured card: 2011 Topps Chrome Jordan Walden Orange refractor #183

2011-09-29T15:11:00.000-07:00

I was able to pick up this Orange refractor of the Angels closer from Brian at Play at the Plate - in exchange for a Mason Tobin X-Fractor from this pack break.

Walden was thrown into the fire in 2011 and his season went from being impressive as a rookie closer making the All-Star team - to a guy who has some things to work on after two rough outings to end the year.

Unlike the last two great Angels closers [Troy Percival and Francisco Rodriguez] - I don't know if Walden has had a 'mentor' to allow him to develop, like Percival did when Lee Smith was a closer for the Angels back in 1995 and like 'K-Rod' who watched Percival close out games, before taking over closing duties for the Angels in the mid 2000s.

Walden is still a young guy and perhaps the Angels can go out and sign at end of the game reliever that sort of helps Walden out - if not really as a 'mentor' type, someone who can close out games as Walden figures things out.

As much talent as Walden has, I don't want to see the Angels burn him out because they don't have any other closing options - instead of hitting his prime in his mid 20s, you might find a guy like Walden bottoming out like the seemingly sad case of Jonathan Broxton, circa 2010-2011.

Featured autograph - Mike Napoli

2011-09-29T05:35:00.000-07:00

I don't think Mike Napoli was ever going to be the solution at catcher for the team he once played for - but obviously it is his power bat that plays on, not his ability to catch and throw.

After going ape-sheet on the Angels in the last two regular season games in 2011 - he has finished off his season in style and looks to carry his hot hitting into the American League Division Series.

The 2011 Angels - a season recap perhaps...

2011-09-25T18:00:00.000-07:00

I'd been hoping the Angels would still have some life in them but after losing 6-5 to the Oakland Athletics on Sunday - their opportunity to sneak into the playoffs through the Wild Card seems to have been obliterated.

Even if they sweep the Texas Rangers in their last three games - the Angels would still have to hope Tampa Bay and Boston lose the rest of their games to make things interesting.

I can't look past the fact the Angels are not making the playoffs but manager Mike Scioscia has done a credible job in leading his 2011 Angels - rebuilding with young kids who emerged as team stars and seemingly overachieving, winning nearly 90 games despite not having what seemed to be a 'championship caliber' team.

The team to beat in the American League West is obviously the Texas Rangers - they are the ones who ended up with former Halos fan favorite Mike Napoli, while the Angels got a broken down VW.

Featured autograph - Pablo Sandoval

2011-09-18T16:00:00.000-07:00

I was able to get a 2010 Topps Allen and Ginter Bobby Abreu card autographed for an acquaintance and from his list of extras - I picked out a 2010 Topps Allen and Ginter autographed card of Giants slugger Pablo Sandoval, which I received after I'd mailed out the Abreu card.

A 100 card repack jumbo pack recap - or how I got suckered in again by the Fairfield Company

2011-09-18T10:10:00.000-07:00

Generic Fairfield black jumbo pack of 100 cards [$4.99 each at Target] - these repacks guarantee three 'vintage' cards from [either] the 50's, 60's and 70s.

I didn't think it was unreasonable to hope for one or two cards at least 40 years old - but all I got was four s[crap] cards from the late 1970s, cards I really would throw away otherwise, but are my supposed 'prizes' from repacks like these.

Top section
1988 Donruss Will Clark #21 - Diamond King subset
1987 Topps Bob Grich #677
1987 Topps Ted Power #437
1987 Topps Keith Hernandez #350 - I've stumbled upon this card a few times.
1987 Topps Sid Bream #35
1987 Topps Mario Soto #517
1987 Topps Reds Leaders #281 - features Pete Rose
1987 Topps Bip Roberts #637
1987 Topps Randy Myers #213
1987 Topps Mike LaValliere #162
1987 Topps Pete O' Brien #17
1986 Topps Bob Grich #155
1994 Leaf Pat Listach #420
1990 Donruss Damon Berryhill #167
1990 Donruss Jeff Russell #284
1995 Score Jeff Frye #269
1990 Donruss Jose Gonzalez #314
1988 Topps Cal Ripken Sr. #444
2000 Fleer Tradition Jason Kendall #OD 14 of 32 - Opening Day insert
1989 Fleer Steve Jeltz #573
2002 Fleer Showcase Luis Gonzalez #20 - Baseball's Best jersey card insert
1989 Donruss Rick Honeycutt #328
1989 Donruss Scott Sanderson #629
1989 Donruss Marvin Freeman #631
1989 Donruss Mike Henneman #327
1989 Donruss Nelson Liriano #627
1988 Topps Bob James #232
1988 Topps Steve Ontiveros #272
1990 K-Mart Superstars Mark McGwire #32
1991 Topps Herm Winningham #204
1991 Topps Mike Perez #205
1991 Donruss Mike Morgan #182
1990 Classic Draft Picks Donovan Osborne #13
1991 Donruss Bill Sampen #351
1991 Donruss Brian Barnes #415
1991 Donruss Terry Steinbach #329
1988 Topps Jose DeLeon #634
1988 Topps Kal Daniels #622
1990 Score Dave Schmidt #30
1991 Topps Stadium Club Dome Shawn Curran #30
2009 Upper Deck First Edition Jeff Kent #153
2009 Upper Deck First Edition Conor Jackson #304
1990 K-Mart Superstars Bret Saberhagen #26
1990 K-Mart Superstars Jeff Ballard #27
1990 K-Mart Superstars Mark Davis #14
1990 K-Mart Superstars Tony Gwynn #5
1984 Fleer Chris Bando #534

1985 Topps Tony Gwynn #717 - All Star subset
1977 Topps Freddie Patek #422

1977 Topps Tony Solaita #482
1979 Topps Checklist #241
1989 Cap'n Crunch Roger Clemens #18 of 22

Bottom section
1989 Topps Glossy '1988 Rookies' Brady Anderson #2 of 22
1989 Topps Mark Gubicza #430
1989 Topps Gary Sheffield #343
1989 Topps Bob Welch #605
1989 Topps Kevin McReynolds #7 - Record Breakers subset
1989 Topps Jim Adduci #338
1989 Topps Scott Bankhead #79
1989 Topps Dave Palmer #67
1989 Topps Jose Canseco #500
1989 Topps Dave Johnson #684
1989 Topps Dwight Gooden #661 - Turn Back the Clock subset
1988 Topps Ed Romero #37
1987 Topps Ron Roenicke #329
1987 Topps Bob Grich #677
1987 Topps Hal McRae #573
1988 Topps Terry Francona #686
1987 Topps Joe Sambito #451
1988 Donruss Marvell Wynne #237
1988 Donruss Storm Davis #595
1989 Topps Joe Price #217
1987 Donruss Jim Adduci #495
1989 Fleer Greg Harris #570
1989 Upper Deck #448
1983 Donruss Gary Woods #631
1988 Donruss Jose Guzman #136
1987 Topps Tiffany Ted Power #437
1987 Topps Tiffany Terry Kennedy #540
1994 Leaf Jose Valentin #50
1991 Leaf Dave Henderson #232
1991 Leaf Carmelo Martinez #160
1991 Leaf Jerald Clark #265

1977 Topps Elias Sosa #558
1981 Fleer Burt Hooton #113

1979 Topps Enos Cabell #515
1993 Donruss Bret Boone #188
1991 Donruss Studio Juan Samuel #188
1996 Donruss Studio Carlos Delgado #57
1994 Donruss Jeff Reboulet #85
1988 Topps Donell Nixon #146
1988 Topps Bert Blyleven #295
1992 Leaf Jim Eisenreich #295
1989 Score Benito Santiago #4
1982 Topps Wayne Krenchicki #107
1981 Topps Lenn Sakata #287
1980 Topps Bob Apodaca #633
1988 Score Herm Winningham #142
1990 Fleer Dave Magadan #210
1991 Line Drive Bobby Rose #169
1992 Topps Stadium Club Ron Gant #730
1991 Toys R' Us Rookies Frank Thomas #27 of 33

Featured autograph - Torii Hunter

2011-09-17T09:59:00.000-07:00

Torii Hunter has had a fine season despite a midseason slump dragging his overall numbers a little bit - it is tough to say whether or not the Angels will catch the Texas Rangers, though I hope Hunter finishes the 2011 season strong with the bat and the glove.

After their 'dud' game against the Baltimore Orioles Friday night - the Halos need a swift collective kick in the butt.

2011 Topps Chrome Value Pack recap #2

2011-09-15T17:02:00.000-07:00

2011 Topps Chrome Value Pack #2

Pack one
#71 Colby Rasmus
#VC 25 Josh Hamilton - Vintage 1996 Topps Chrome insert
#205 Chris Sale
#195 Craig Kimbrel

Pack two
#80 Joe Mauer
#89 Gaby Sanchez
#99 Kendrys Morales - refractor; with the emergence of some Angels rookie at first base, Morales has been a 'non-factor' for the Angels since the middle of the 2010 season.
#179 Marcos Mateo

Pack three
#97 Ubaldo Jimenez

#37 Mike Leake - x-fractor
#172 Brandon Belt
#164 Jered Weaver

Orange refractor pack
#49 Jonathan Papelbon
#36 Billy Butler
#199 Pedro Beato

2011 Topps Chrome Value Pack recap #1

2011-09-15T09:33:00.000-07:00

2011 Topps Chrome value pack [$8.99 each x2 at Target] - comes with three packs of 2011 Topps Chrome and a three card pack of Orange refractors.

Pack one
#25 Adrian Gonzalez

#C152 Jay Bruce - Heritage Chrome insert / parallel, serial #'d 0946/1962
#139 Clayton Richard - Purple refractor serial #'d 266/499
#137 Chris Young

Pack two
#36 Rafael Soriano

#138 Jose Reyes - refractor
#121 Chris Carpenter
#114 Carlos Beltran
Checklist 1 of 2

Pack three
#44 David Price
#56 Gio Gonzalez

#194 Mason Tobin - x-fractor
#159 Paul Konerko

Orange refractor pack
#37 Mike Leake
#190 Ivan DeJesus Jr.
#220 Aaron Crow