TTM autographs received: Justin Turner

It happens once in a blue moon, but it is nice to find a straggler TTM request back in the mail box when I least expect it - the free agent infielder / DH signed returned my cards earlier this month after sending out a request c/o Boston Red Sox in May 2023.

I stopped sending out TTM requests last year and just found missing some of the TTM fuel I wanted to send out back then - it might be a thing to see whether I can restart things, just so I have some cheap thrills to look forward to.

A pair of Angels rookie buyback purchases

I don’t think stamped buybacks are remotely collectible as ‘stand alone’ cards unless they are part of some autograph insert - but even if they are low-end gimmicks, with the original copies being worthless otherwise, I actually picked these cards up for a couple of bucks and change [each].

I had my eye on these cards because they are actually rookie cards unlike many buybacks I've seen - featuring a couple of retired Angels stars who made their MLB debuts in the 1990s.

2017 Topps retail factory set pick-up

During a stop at Target, I was looking through the usual Topps factory sets on the shelves and got one with the 1997 Topps Derek Jeter reprint relic card with a pinstripe swatch - I bought a factory set last year at Walmart because it had a Mike Trout stamp card and now Topps got me again with this impulsive purchase.

I was hoping to find a reprint of Jeter's 1993 Topps card, but the 1997 Topps card has a nice image - though these factory set may be mass produced to a point where they aren't going to be hard to find, these could be something to put away because of the Jeter factor.

FWIW, I might have seen something on Twitter about the factory set cards being marked ‘complete set' on the backs to differentiate itself from the regular cards - if I wanted to pick up a complete factory set, I wouldn't want a completely different set over the cards I'd pull out out of packs.

I didn’t know if the marking was indeed something Topps had started doing, but after finding this thread on the Trading Card Database - I see, it’s just the 5-card rookie image variations that are designated and not the 700 cards from the base set.

TTM autograph received: Paulo Orlando

I sent a request to the Kansas City Royals outfielder in April and got my card back signed this month - a longtime minor leaguer from Brazil, Orlando has spent parts of the past three seasons in the big leagues, though he got hurt and played in only 39 games in 2017.

Ugh, yuck...something smells like Pujols

Go figure, the Angels are right there in the chase for an American League Wild Card spot [68-65, 1 game behind the Minnesota Twins] and while Mike Trout has recently been mired in a slump on his own - it's hard to watch another rally killing ground ball hit by Albert Pujols to the left side of the infield while he can barely run it out to first base.

Unfortunately, Pujols isn't going anywhere, but it would be nice to see him come up clutch with the bat over the last month of the season - Pujols has proven to be a 'money player' before, but his turn in the lineup has just a black hole of suck.

At times I feel like the old man that he is, still grinding it out, like the good pro that he is - but I can only take so much out of his recent performance and from fan to player, Pujols needs to put up numbers fast.

Congrats Albert Pujols on hitting 600 home runs

Go figure I was channel surfing between the Angels game and the NCAA regional baseball game in Long Beach when Pujols hit a grand slam for his 600th home run of his career - I may have missed the milestone by moments and figured something finally happened when I tuned back into the Angel game.

Maybe the coolest thing about the aftermath is when the Angels TV guys were interviewing the guy who caught the home run ball - the Angels fan was really excited and was just in awe as he was teased about asking for Mike Trout stuff [by Victor Rojas] once he gave the ball back to Pujols and then about getting a chance to breathe [by Mark Gubicza].

The 30-Day Baseball Card Challenge - Day 1

I saw this 30-Day Baseball Card Challenge floating around on other card blogs' feeds - I figure I'd do the challenge to see if I can allow myself focus as far as what I have invested into collecting cards after all these years.

My main tweak to the challenge is probably posting 'when I choose to do so' as opposed to trying to post every single day until I've gone through the list - I don't want to take three months to finish the challenge, but I'm not in a hurry and there might be some meandering going on.

Also, it maybe something I need to do beforehand, but I've scratched out a rough draft of the cards are going to be featured - so I guess I can formulate my thoughts and kind of just add to it, as needed.

Day 1: "A card from the current year with a photo you like."

I figure I could go into my mini-collection additions for the year and find a card fitting the description - Mookie Betts' 2017 Topps card [#161] was probably the first to come to mind, though at first, I kind of thought it was a 'meh' card with Betts' body facing away, where his face is kind of obscured.

What makes the card great is that it literally captures the moment - modern professional photographers may have all sorts of gimmicks at their disposal, but it still takes experience to anticipate when a great play is being made.

Considering the situation, I wonder if this card qualifies to make another blogger's favorites list - if this was the Betts card he'd actually pulled first.

2017 Topps Series I hobby jumbo pack

I picked up a jumbo pack of 2017 Topps Series I for my yearly breaking ritual of at least one jumbo pack of Series I, Series II and Update - with a nameplate eating up the lower portion of the front of the card and bright colored card backs, these flagship cards may take a little getting used to, but are otherwise passable.

#74 Brett Lawrie
#93 Matt Joyce
#9 Chris Sale
#12 Jerad Eickhoff
#286 Drew Pomeranz
#296 Tyler Clippard
#139 JaCoby Jones
#282 Tyler Flowers
#155 Jacob DeGrom
#274 Matt Strahm
#51 Jake Barrett
#151 Jonathan Villar

#20 Mike Trout
#221 Adam Wainwright
#331 Jake Lamb
#315 Carlos Beltran
#260 Stephen Piscotty
#158 Tommy Pham
#55 Mark Trumbo
#81 D.J. LeMahieu
#270 Jake Arrieta
#159 Justin Verlander
#S-61 Jackie Bradley Jr. - Topps Salute insert

#5T-16 Wil Myers - Five Tool insert; I like these cards and while maybe too radical, wouldn't mind seeing the multiple picture in a collage element be used as a Topps flagship design instead of the more pedestrian looking base cards issued like usual.

#72 Chicago Cubs team card - Negative Back and White parallel
#FP-21 Jon Lovitz - First Pitch insert
#87-53 Yu Darvish - 1987 Topps Baseball insert
#1984 Topps Don Mattingly - reprint / Topps info card
#251 Justin Turner
#253 Tucker Barnhart
#133 Jace Peterson
#272 Pat Neshek
#332 Huston Street
#173 Chicago White Sox team card
#230 Northern Highlights / Toronto Blue Jays - feat. Tulowitzki / Saunders?
#39 Aroldis Chapman
#125 Yangervis Solarte
#227 Byron Buxton
#183 Wade Miley
#150 Miguel Cabrera
#187 Sean Manaea
#126 Miguel Sano
#121 Carlos Santana
#239 Rajai Davis
#241 Chris Young

#135 Jered Weaver
#41 Paolo Orlando
#75 Carlos Correa
#115 Joaquin Benoit
#311 Tyler Chatwood