Autograph request through the mail received: Max Scherzer

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.

2008 Topps Stadium Club pack break recap

2008 Topps Stadium club retail [$1.59 x1 at Target] - this was the only pack that interested me out of the cheap-o "Power Pack" box I find at Target.

I'd like to say nearly all the packs out those "Power Pack" boxes are junk - there non-sport packs, a handful of packs from other sports and 'full priced' loose packs collected randomly from the shelves.

Still, if there was more baseball packs - maybe I would look through those boxes a little bit more for that elusive $1.59 discarded baseball pack [or two].

#103 Nick Adenhart - R.I.P.
#20 Jorge Posada
#8 Mark Teixeira
#19 Jason Bay
#84 Daisuke Matsuzaka - First Day Issue stamp

Featured pickup: 2008 Topps Stadium Club Gary Sheffield Beam Team autograph BTA-GS

I probably didn't need this card - but I had to prove to myself I could pick up one, lousy single from a recently released product for less than the current average pack price.

I guess I'm a sucker for $10 singles and this card was something to put away in my pocket - though I am fully aware Sheffield is unpopular [and uncollectible] for a number of reasons.

The nephew of Doc Gooden, Sheffield was once young and dumb enough to say at one time - he was booting balls on purpose to somehow get traded from his Milwaukee Brewers team.

While he inches towards 500 home runs and has had an all-star career - he has never been happy anywhere and has grumbled one way or the other with how he is treated.

Sheffield called out Barry Bonds for treating him like dirt [during their off-season training sessions] and for getting him involved with BALCO - Sheffield also called out Joe Torre for basically getting in his face as opposed to other teammates with typically lighter complexions during their time with the Yankees.

Sheffield also called out the establishment of Major League Baseball and lamented its practices in finding young talent in South America - compared to finding talent in the inner cities of the United States.

Sheffield also called out super agent Scott Boras - because Boras has claimed he had a hand in negotiating Sheffield's contract with the New York Yankees and wants his due bonus.

Sheffield always speaks his truth, which may not be how others see it - because the media often portrays athletes of his ilk a certain way, many of the things he has said are often mocked.