Better than a blaster - does this count?

I found this card in the $20 pile off a card show table and figure it's a vintage Mickey Mantle card, right [?] - even if it's an odder card where it's harder to make out Mantle's image.

There is really nothing much to the card - but it's old and it's a keeper where vintage cards tend to be more intermittent teases in my collections, rather than something I feign to collect in any sort of way.

1998 Topps Focal Point Vladimir Guerrero #FP14

I don’t know if I’ve ever seen these inserts before, but an eBay listing for a Ken Griffey Jr. caught my eye - I found a Guerrero that cost about $2, which works for me since Vladdy is apparently a favorite of card bloggers and is certainly one of ‘my guys’ too.

I realize this isn't any sort of rare late 1990s insert, but I’m focused more about the aesthetics - compared to simply being a UV coated glossy card, the surface might have a matte, textured finish that I anticipate being able to feel in time, hopefully sooner than never.

Maybe the cards don’t have that late 1990s insert ‘pop’ to them but to Topps' credit, they look pretty classy - while the typical Topps insert tended to be a little more juvenile, like they were designed to grab the attention of younger collectors [go figure], these cards look a little more understated.

TTM autograph received: Mark Whiten

The former MLB outfielder personalized and signed my trading card in about 4 weeks - Whiten's most memorable big league game was when he slugged four home runs against the Cincinnati Reds in 1993.

TTM autograph received: Goose Gossage

When I pulled the 2017 Topps Bunt Programs insert, I knew I had to get ink on the jazzy looking card - as an in-person/TTM autograph/card collector, the problem with pulling a nice [if low-end] insert is the fact there is no means to get any particular one signed if the card features an active big league star or a prominent retired player.

In some instances however, there maybe a window to get something signed, where the player pictured does sign in-person/TTM - on SCN, I saw Gossage was fairly consistent in sending back returns and it took just about a month to get a successful response.

2016 Topps Archives Mike Trout Super

Inspired by a stand alone Topps oddball set from 1969, this is a cutesy Topps insert from 2016 Archives - I like the minimalist design with the rounded corners and facsimile autograph, so I added the card on the cheap.

Trout has to be 'the guy' among my list of players to collect, but Topps and whomever else can make baseball cards picturing big leaguers will be making up Trout inserts for a long time - so there may not be any real rush to add any new Trout cards unless I stumble upon them.

2015 Topps Archives Will Ferrell #WF-3

I picked up the Angels themed insert card of a comedian who can probably buy an island or two because he makes a living acting like an imbecil plenty of times over - I'm not completely oblivious about his career as an entertainer, but maybe Ferrell is just one of those 'fan favorites' whose fandom may seem inexplicable at times.

2015 Donruss Yasmani Tomas Preferred

I guess I've been on sort of a Donruss kick - the base cards are bland and seem like filler, but the parallels and inserts give the product a little bit of life.

If Tomas plays, he'll have his share of cards, ones that will actually picture him in an Arizona Diamondbacks uniform - but I figured to pick one this VIP Reserved insert, serial #'d to 99, just to put away for now.

There have been rumblings that Tomas isn't going to be a particular great player especially if the Arizona Diamondbacks are insistent he stick at third base - he could have a season like fellow Cuban Jose Abreu in 2014 or might find himself with no immediate place to play, despite his immense power potential.

2015 Donruss Dominator Joc Pederson #23

This doesn't really fit into my collection but I picked up to complement a 2012 Bowman Chrome autograph I pulled several years ago - even though the card is unlicensed, it's nice and shiny.

Turning it over though, I see one big mistake - the highlights listed are not about Pederson at all, but Kennys Vargas of the Minnesota Twins.

2014 Panini Prizm Perennial Draft Picks Minors Gold Sean Newcomb

I picked this up for a buck and change - it maybe worth $0.50 at the same time next year, but it's a nice and shiny insert of the 2014 Angels first rounder.

Albert Pujols pick ups

Where was my man Pujols, who I hoped would have a big postseason - he hit one lousy home run and one other RBI base single in the American League Division Series, but nothing else.

As is, he played in 159 games in 2014 and posted decent offensive numbers - even though his on-base/slugging wasn't up to par with what he has done before.

The small lot of Pujols cards features his 2014 Topps Chrome Topps Shelf insert - his base 2014 Topps Chrome, a 2014 Topps Chrome 1989 Topps reprint refractor and also a 2014 Topps Red Hot foil parallel.

Featured autograph - Tyler Austin

Austin was pretty accomodating otherwise in the three times I ran into him at the Arizona Fall League - I had this 2013 Topps Heritage Minors insert, which is just a little bigger than a postage stamp and another card signed the final time I saw him.

It's a temptation for me to get oddball sized [either a little larger or maybe a little smaller] trading cards signed, though I try to stick with only standard sized cards for uniformity - I had everything else I brought for Austin signed, so I wanted to see if he'd be able to fit any sort of autograph onto such a tiny card.

After four games and 12 at-bats, Austin was injured and didn't play in any more games at the AFL before going home - he is only 22, but Austin maybe one of those players who may fall short of having long term success [presumably when he reaches the Major Leagues] because of various injuries.

Card show finds Part IV - 2010 Topps Ryne Sandberg insert

The highlight of my $4 / 20 card splurge at a random card show booth last Saturday was finding a 2010 Topps Ryne Sandberg Cards Your Mom Threw Out insert #CMT32 - original back.