2021 Topps - eBay blaster nearly a disaster

For the times I've searched around the Targets I can get to and have seen bupkis, maybe $27 shipped wasn’t necessarily a bad price to pay for something delivered from eBay - considering a box is about $20 and maybe the premium I’m paying for in this instance merely covers the cost to ship the item.  

On an afternoon where I actually, finally found some 2021 Topps on the shelves at my local Target and was able to buy some baseball cards - I checked the mail after I got home, it looks like my eBay blaster came in, so maybe things 'evened out' a little where I had some new cards to play with.

Unfortunately,  I saw the small box the blaster was shipped in was crushed along with the actual blaster box itself - I had second thoughts fast, but because I had suffered from a bit of FOMO the past 3 weeks, I took my chances and opened the blaster up. 

Fortunately it doesn’t seem like any of the cards got damaged - this was a basic box with no bonus inserts / parallels, only a coupon ‘book’ for future purchases throughout the rest of the year.

Topps 70th Anniversary patch card pack

#70LP-JB Johnny Bench - there are never outright duds on the checklist and the cards usually look nice, though super thick and has been some variation of these manufactured cards for the past decade or so.

Pack one

#11 Max Kepler

#186 Luke Voit

#268 Johnny Cueto

#67 Clayton Kershaw

#231 Dane Dunning

#270 Mitch White

#249 Trent Grisham

#182 Eduardo Rodriguez

#70YT-17 Gleyber Torres - 70 Years of Topps insert

#T52-30 Yadier Molina - 1952 Topps Redux insert 

#190 Sonny Gray

#158 Buck Farmer

#245 Aristides Aquino

#240 Jose Urquidy

Pack two

#302 Max Muncy

#254 Zack Britton

#237 Willy Adames

#313 Matt Shoemaker

#233 Dansby Swanson

#6 Justus Sheffield

#246 Cavan Biggio

#195 Baltimore Orioles team Card

#TC52-43 Shohei Ohtani - 1952 Topps Redux insert; Chrome parallel

#T52-15 Jacob deGrom - 1952 Topps Redux insert

#103 Daniel Johnson

#10 Daulton Varsho

#243 Santiago Espinal

#65 Isaac Paredes

Pack three

#218 Matt Olson

#51 Sean Manaea 

#157 Aroldis Chapman

#234 Lorenzo Cain

#283 Texas Rangers team card

#296 Joey Wendle

#201 Get up! - checklist feat. Pete Alonso and Michael Conforto

#86B-35 - Vladimir Guerrero Jr. - 1986 Topps insert

#T52-16 Justin Verlander - 1952 Topps Redux insert

#187 Christian Pache

#291 Miguel Cabrera

#189 Adam Plutko

#69 Gio Gonzalez

Pack four

#33 Yonathan Daza

#42 Kyle Lewis

#62 Stephen Vogt

#203 Trea Turner

#139 Humberto Mejia

#324 Nick Neidert

#55 Nick Senzel

#128 Dylan Bundy

#36 Charlie Morton - Rainbow Foil parallel

#T52-47 Sonny Gray - 1952 Topps Redux insert

#165 Willson Contreras

#38 Mitch Moreland

#27 Mike Trout - the centering on the back is is off for a handful of the cards I've pulled; that might be worth noting.

#105 Shane Bieber

Pack five

#87 Jorge Alfaro

#31 Brandon Kintzler

#95 Gerrit Cole

#133 Mitch Keller

#149 Mitch Haniger

#68 Washington Nationals team card

#318 Chicago White Sox team card

#159 Postgame Hand Wash - Clean Hands Needed - checklist - feat. Danny Jansen and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

#TTY-21 Derek Jeter - Through the Years insert - I wouldn't get fooled but I've never liked cards picturing cards.

#T52-34 Albert Pujols - 1952 Topps Redux insert

#121 Matthew Boyd

#252 Luke Voit

#289 Josh Reddick

#85 Brusdar Graterol 

Pack six

#266 Jurickson Profar

#57 Will Smith

#292 Oscar Mercado

#106 Brandon Nimmo

#216 Adam Frazier

#311 Codi Heuer 

#316 Alex Gordon

#206 Wade Davis

#101 Travis D'Arnaud

#T52-24 Manny Machado - 1952 Topps Redux insert

#53 Andres Gimenez

#197 Nick Madrigal

#167 James Kaprielian

#277 Alec Bohm

Pack seven

#36 Charlie Morton

#3 Matt Chapman

#54 Joakim Soria

#71 Randy Drobnak

#161 Lewis Brinson

#60 Yu Darvish

#196 Ryan Yarbrough

#287 Arizona Diamondbacks team card

#86B-42 Starling Marte - 1986 Topps 

#T52-19 Luis Robert - 1952 Topps Redux insert

#83 Gavin Lux

#174 Raisel Iglesias

#4 David Bote

#278 Jon Lester

Featured autographs - purchases

Off a couple of Facebook posts from the same collector [presumably a Milwaukee Brewers fan, so that's a theme here] - I saw some IP/TTM signed cards offered f/s and decided to take a couple off his hands.

I thought I was good with the pair of purchases [Jacob Barnes and Jim Ganter], but the next time I'm scrolling through my feed - but I saw another f/s post, which was more certified autographs from some 'prominent' Brewers stars of the early 2000s i.e. Ben Sheets, Richie Sexson, etc.

Barnes was an Angel in 2020 so I needed his autograph for my all-time collection - the 5-year big leaguer had a bloated ERA but struck out 24 batters and walked only 4 in a decidedly small sample size of 18 innings through pandemic 2020.

Ganter doesn’t register as a guy whose autograph I had to get, but his playing career went through the junk wax era, so at least I'm familiar with the name - the oddball Milwaukee Brewers police set issue from 1992 caught my eye and while I don't really consider it vintage [despite all the years that have passed], the yellowed top loader certainly is.

A second baseman for most of his career, Gantner spent 17 years with the Milwaukee Brewers - he wasn't the type who put up big offensive numbers like teammates Robin Yount or Paul Molitor, but was solid for the era he played in.

Maybe the scavenger in me is looking to salvage things once in a while, so while I probably didn't a Jenkins autograph in the here and now - it's a 20 year old pack pulled issue from a debut year of a set that has some tradition and history associated with it.

Jenkins was a hard hitting outfielder who had starred for the Brewers for most of his career before ending up with the Philadelphia Phillies for the their World Series championship run in 2008 - I remember where he had a little cult favorite following in Milwaukee because he resembled NFL star Brett Favre.

TTM autographs received: Reggie Smith

After putting together a paid request with $30 to Smith’s promoter, who has handful of former LA Dodgers players signing for TTM for a fee - I got my pair of cards signed in about a month.

Though he is an old-school / vintage era guy, Smith has a couple of coaching cards in sets [2004 Upper Deck USA 25th Anniversary and 2013 Panini USA Baseball Champions] - I'm still trying to get as many signed to this day.

While I wasn't familiar with Smith's MLB playing career, he was a fantastic player from the mid 1960s through the early 1980s - finishing with over 2,000 hits, slugging 314 home runs with a lifetime OPS+ of 137.

Featured autograph - Duane Ward

Off a Facebook post, I saw some extra signed cards offered f/s, presumably from a past signing with the former big league reliever - I saw there was a 1990 Leaf pictured and picked it up for $11.

It probably doesn't work for everyone, but rather than deal with the hassle of sending in a smaller item like a trading card to an organized signing - I would rather take my chances seeing if there are leftovers where I can take a look at how an autograph comes out for a card from a particular set [when available].

While I don’t think Ward has been considered a historically tough autograph to get - he seems more likely to do something for pay than for free and I don't know if there was ever a period of time [maybe over the past 15-20 years] where he regularly responded to through the mail requests.

I remember Ward as a hard throwing weapon out the Toronto Blue Jays bullpen through the early 1990s - he pitched a lot of innings in his prime and while his postseason pitching totals were a little shaky, he did his part during the Blue Jays' back-to-back World Series titles in 1992 and 1993.

I mostly forgot about him through the mid 1990s, though he missed all of the 1994 season and his MLB career was basically done the next year - he was inducted to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020.

TTM autographs received: Billy Bean

Bean signed a pair of cards, including the one shown in about 3 weeks - he was named as Major League Baseball's first Ambassador for Inclusion in 2014 and also works as Vice President and Special Assistant to the Commissioner.

TTM autographs received: Scott Fletcher and Frank Bolick

Maybe it's not reasonable to really live by the mail box, waiting on returns, especially when I'm not a 'mass TTM mailer' and most days yields bupkis - still, it is fair to anticipate something, when I have made that tiniest bit of effort to send out autograph requests to get my random card (s) signed.

Fletcher, a former big league infielder from the 1980s through the mid 1990s signed my cards in about 3 weeks - with the realistic number of cards to pick up and send out, who knows how long my interest is going to run, but it's another 1984 Donruss and 1990 Leaf pair signed.

Bolick signed my cards in about a month - in his 16-year professional playing career, Bolick spents parts of 2 seasons with the Montreal Expos and Anaheim Angels.

Though Bolick was a fringe big leaguer, it's fun looking up his numbers - especially when through his mid 30s, he put up some video game numbers during a 4-year stint in Japan 20 years ago.

TTM autographs received: Bob Kipper and Doug Sisk

After going through a 3 week drought, two successes came in which was some sweet relief - what is the compulsion about getting something in the mail box, when the cheap thrills last for the shortest time, before I start worrying about what I haven’t gotten back?

Though not entirely a mystery, whenever I see any SASE returns, it is kind of a blind box deal - I take the time to open them up and good results reaffirms the order of being able to put in the work to send requests out and anticipating a surprise.

Kipper had the briefest of cameos as a California Angel at the start of his big league career before getting traded in a package for some veteran help - the lefty signed my cards in 7 days.

Sisk was a longtime relief pitcher through the 1980s and signed my cards in about 3 weeks, including a 1984 Donruss.

Featured autograph - Masahiro Tanaka

This is a card I probably didn't need in the 'here and now,' but even though Tanaka's stardom has devolved ever since he came over as a super hyped import from Japan back in 2013 - there was still some lingering scratch the itch allure with his autograph as some thing I've never gotten.

I like the card because it looks old-school cool, but then again maybe it needs a little ‘pop’ factor - the blue ink autograph gets my stamp of approval.

When he first came over, Tanaka was one of the autographs I've had to get because of his stature overseas - he might have been considered one of the best pitchers in the world.

As it goes, despite being a successful big leaguer for the New York Yankees, he's been more of an unspectacular innings eater - who has never pitched 200 innings in a big league season.

His stuff is good enough to get big league hitters out during most outings - but perhaps not good enough to consistently dominate with the lights out stuff he possessed in his first couple of big league seasons.

I don’t know how Tanaka is ever going to gain a higher level of prominence in the United States, especially if he ends up returning to Japan - but I like the feeling of adding the autograph of big leaguer who has been a ‘pro’s pro’ to my personal collection somewhere.

TTM autographs received: Angel Pagan

Pagan personalized and signed my cards in about a month - he was a good get because I don't recall even getting a chance to see him in-person [small sample size noted] as he emerged as a contributor on World Series contending San Francisco Giants teams through the mid 2010s.

While Pagan should have been a player you maybe able to count as a success when trying for better players' autographs on a big league team - maybe he was as difficult to get as the established Giants' stars of the day like Tim Lincecum, Buster Posey, Madison Bumgarner or Pablo Sandoval.

PS: I think as long as I'm collecting something, the blog posts on this blog will simply continue - but the relative lack of engagement on my part hits a little different for me, where blogging feels a little dated and it might not be worth it to go on much further.

Featured autograph - Gordon Beckham

From a f/s listing in a Facebook group I belong to, this was 1 of 3 IP/TTM autograph cards I picked up for $2 each - while I made sure to get a certified autograph of Beckham early in his pro career, he did not seem like he was an easy player to get an autograph from IP/TTM.

Coming out of college, I thought Beckham was going to be a big league star, but despite sticking around for 12 years - he was more of an up-and-down disappointment than a player to build around.

Some assorted odds and ends

I was looking on doing something on Christmas eve and found some cards online - I ended up with these to amuse me as part of a 27-card order that was mostly 1984 Donruss base cards for my partial set build of sorts.

The holiday mail was a cluster, so I had to wait 3 or 4 weeks for these cards to come in from an online seller - these were not the most important thing in the world to fret about, but in my little space, might represent some sort of lifeline as far as having something to look forward to.

1988 ProCards Denver Zephyrs Paul Mirabella #1258 - pitchers posed in a batting position maybe a playful thing pictured through random minor league teams sets through the late 1980s.

Around this time, Mirabella was a big league veteran who had intermittently pitched in the minor leagues - when a big league opportunity wasn't quite there for him.

1989 ProCards Cedar Rapids Reds Chris Lombardozzi #935 - this was a scratch the itch card I had to get my hands on, where the 6-year minor leaguer is pictured along the dugout railing with an Arby's roast beef sandwich and a drink in his hands.

1990 Best Stockton Ports Frank Bolick #7 - I don't think the one-time late 1990s Anaheim Angel has cards picturing him with the team, but I wanted to have a pair of cards to send to him in a possible through the mail autograph request.

1990 Leaf Gary Sheffield #157 - when he really had his first superstar season with the San Diego Padres nearly 30 years ago, this may have been his best mainstream card along wish his 1989 Upper Deck rookie card.

Through the junk wax era, there might have been a distinction where if a player's rookie cards were from your typical Topps, Donruss, Fleer or Score brands - there might a premium attached to something like Sheffield's first card [but really a second year issue] from a high-end, in-demand set that came of age through the early 1990s.

1997 Fleer Terry Steinbach #540 - I tried to make sure this was the card that pictured him as a Minnesota Twin where he is signing autographs; the inking it up version is an update from his other card in the set, still picturing him on the Oakland Athletics.

TTM autographs received: Alejandro Pena

The longtime big league reliever from the 1980s through mid 1990s signed my cards in about a couple of weeks for $3 per card - unofficially I might start building the 1984 Donruss and 1990 Leaf sets minus the cards I might already have, just so I have cards I can send out for TTM requests and perhaps have a signed / unsigned hybrid in-hand.

I doubt I'll ever pay any sort of premium to get any particular card from the sets signed, but I'd like to see my progress after a couple of years - there is something 'classy' about the sets that appeal to me, even 30-40 years after the fact.

A look into my collecting goals for 2021

Like everyone else it seems, I have a yearly set of collecting goals, but maybe it gets too long winded to fully break down on a blog - I feel like a goof when I don't catch up to any of them and so maybe it is easier to keep them offline.

One thing I'd like to keep up on is picking up a year's worth of random cards [1/1/21] - I don't know if there is a distinction to be made, but while this goal was meant to be for the quirkier, off-the-wall or esoteric, it looks like it is for any number of finds for my various; out of my expected pickups, I expect to count out one card / set per month as highlights.

Maybe a theme is to pick up cards the kid in me would be proud of - I may not be able to live in the past, but see what cards can I pick up that the beginning collector me would just get a kick out or have a laugh at.

Keepers that have me irrationally animated - may not be definitive by any stretch, but certainly YOLO cards, Dime Time buys where my collection feels just a bit more rounded because I have these cards in-hand.

Dumb 'YOLO' cards - something like the Keith Comstock crotch card [have it] or the Billy Ripken FF card [got it] or the Mark Jackson Menendez card [got it]; something infamous [within reason].

Binder material cards - something shiny, something that pops, even though it cards that may not are not particularly valuable or sought after, just more decade stars fodder that catch my eye.

Other people's interests - sometimes picking up cards off someone’s else’s preferences or narrative can be interesting.

Topps Now / Topps on-demand - I got on benders 2 or 3 years where I would purchase Topps Now singles; they may have been ‘too easy’ impulse purchase then, though hardly the definitive cards of a particular player, so I've stayed away.

Holes to fill - traditional rookie cards - why do I feel like I’ve got to get some of these cards when they are from the junk wax era / junk years?

Maybe it’s because it’s a little throwback, tribute, shout out to something I think I was familiar with, even superficially - 1988 Roberto Alomar and Craig Biggio rookies, Canadian versions of junk wax era rookies [Maddux, Bonds], etc.

Personal, curated sets - I would like to have a micro-mini showcase of random cards that are listed as part of my Top 50 fun PC.

For 2021 onward, this might be my Wanted 100 / cheap-azz keepers mash-up - where the plan is to used my Wanted 100 to help build up a personally curated cheap-azz keepers collection of cards.

Maybe the possibilities are endless, but considering the ‘established spots’ in my card collection set-up already - do I really need to make more ‘cutesy’ subsets that are supposed to highlight cards, but end up redundant?

A look back into a 2020 collecting goal

Like everyone else it seems, I have a yearly set of collecting goals, but maybe it gets too long winded to fully break down on a blog - I feel like a goof when I don't catch up to any of them and so maybe it is easier to keep them offline.

Looking at my generic goals I'd written for 2020, stuff that made sense at the beginning of the year - doesn't end up ringing quite as true, like trying to add some high-brow cards for my personal collections, notably old-school / vintage rookie cards of selected Hall of Famers for example.

The ongoing pandemic makes me skittish about throwing money into something that only sounds good on paper - when values have supposedly been artificially pumped up across the board, I find myself priced out in general.

Maybe I've shifted to lower-end interests in my collections, whether talking about strictly baseball cards or anything to do with autographs - one of the listed goals I had for 2020 to see if I can pick up 10-15 autographs of one-time Angels players.

I was able to ramp things up and 82 new autographs for my collection, though I have to officially list them - to make sure they are physically in my collection or otherwise accounted for.

1. 2014 Panini Donruss The Rookies Signatures Series autograph Tommy La Stella #68 [$1.75] - COMC; listed as a ‘Atlanta’ [Braves] card

2. 2012 Topps Allen & Ginter Framed Mini Autographs Julio Teheran #AGA-JT.1 [$3.99] - COMC; listed as a Atlanta Braves card

3. 2014 Bowman Prospect Autographs Chrome Mike Mayers #BCAP-MM.1 [$1.25] - COMC; listed as a St. Louis Cardinals card

4. 2019 Bowman - Chrome Prospect Autographs Jose Suarez #CPA-JS [$3.85] - COMC

5. John Verhoeven - TTM card

6. Al Spangler - TTM card

7. Chris Knapp - TTM card

8. Dave Sells - TTM card

9. 1989 Fleer Update Claudell Washington CAS Certified Sealed auto #U-17 [$5.45] - COMC

10. 2014 Topps Pro Debut Autographs Matt Ramsey #PDA-MR [$1.99] - COMC

11. 2013 Panini Pinnacle Autographs Tony Campana #TC [$1.08] - COMC

12. 2011 Topps Pro Debut Solo Signature Autographs Thomas Field #SSA-TF [$1.14] - COMC

13. Dustin Garneau - IP card

14. Dick Lange - TTM card

15. Steve Kealey - TTM card

16. Don Kirkwood - TTM card

17. Jack Hiatt - TTM card

18. Tom Donohue - TTM card

19. Lloyd Allen - TTM card

20. Tom Egan - TTM card

21. Larry Harlow - TTM card

22. Dave Parker - TTM card / $10

23. Merv Rettenmund - TTM card

24. Roger Repoz - TTM card

25. Jason Castro - IP card from 2012 era

26. Trevor Cahill - IP card from the 2012 era

27. Steve Renko - TTM card

28. Jason Gurka - TTM card

29. Ken Oberkfell - TTM card

30. Rudy Meoli - TTM card

31. Terry Humphrey - TTM card

32. Ed Ott - TTM card

33. Tom Bradley - TTM card

34. Billy Cowan - TTM card

35. Eddie Fisher - TTM card

36. Jim Barr - TTM card

37. Don Robinson - TTM card

38. Jack Lazorko - TTM card

39. Paul Hartzell - TTM card

40. Mike Bielecki - TTM card

41. Jim Hibbs - TTM card

42. Bob Botz - TTM card

43. Ike Hampton - TTM card

44. Balor Moore - TTM card

45. Tom Griffin - TTM card

46. Doug Rau - TTM card

47. Richie Scheinblum - TTM card

48. Frank LaCorte - TTM card

49. Bob Sprout - TTM card

50. Jim Walewander - TTM card

51. Bill Grabarkewitz - TTM card

52. Dave Goltz - TTM card

53. Gary Lucas - TTM card

54. Ron Tingley - TTM card

55. George Hendrick - purchased card (s)

56. Bill Melton - TTM card

57. Steve Lubratich - TTM card

58. Syd O’Brien - TTM card

59. Jarrett Grube - TTM card

60. Ken Berry - TTM card

61. Bill Voss - TTM card

62. Dyar Miller - TTM card

63. Ed Halicki - TTM card

64. Billy Moran - TTM card

65. Rick Burleson - purchased card (s)

66. Bart Miadich - purchased card (s)

67. Rich Rodriguez - purchased card (s)

68. Skip Lockwood - TTM card

69. Leo Burke - TTM card

70. Bob Duliba - TTM card

71. Sherman Corbett - TTM card

72. Tom Murphy - TTM card (s)

73. Vic Davalillo autographed custom card [$4 plus $1 PWE plus $0.99 = $5.99]

74. Jose Lind - purchased card (s)

75. Pete Coachman - purchased card (s)

76. Craig Gerber - purchased card (s)

77. Tim Fortugno - purchased card (s)

78. Lee Thomas - TTM card

79. Ken Tatum - TTM card

80. Dave Lemanczyk - TTM card

81. Chuck Dobson - TTM card

82. Dick Drago - TTM card

Maybe it’s ‘easier’ to have a looser goal where I can cobble things together where I’m not restricted by specifics or standards - being able to add a number of random autograph cards featuring rank-and-file guys that played for a random big league team may make me more like a hoarder, but it’s fun nonetheless to see what I can nerd out on as far whose random autographs I can find and add.

Trading cards are the easiest to store in any sort of quantity so for most of the ‘rank and file’ names, that what the autographs are on - for 2021, the goal to add more one-time Angels player autographs sticks though I need to dig deeper to see if I can add old-school / vintage player content, get the 'here and now' players, while adding different players as I can through TTM requests and purchases.

TTM autographs received: Dan Pasqua

The former big leaguer from the mid 1980s through early 1990s signed a couple of my cards, responded briefly to the what I'd written him and returned my other two cards unsigned - Pasqua played through the junk wax era as more of a rank-and-file player, who didn't put up the sexiest numbers as a hitter, but had some pop in his bat.

Flipping through his early 1990s cards, the bespectacled Pasqua didn’t look like any sort of athlete - while his MLB career petered out after turning 30, to cherry pick a run of years where he was most successful, Pasqua put up a decent slash line [.251 / .337 / .455, including a 118 OPS+] through his 20s.

TTM autographs received: Nancy Faust

The longtime Chicago White Sox organist signed my three cards in ballpoint pen and send back a letter with response to what I'd written her - it doesn't happen much, but once in a while I've sent out 'oddball' non-player requests just to see what response I might get.

I found some actual cards of Faust but may not have had immediate luck in finding a mailing address for her - until someone reported a success [with an actual mailing address listed] in an autograph group I belonged to.

I mailed out [to an Illinois address], hoping for my own success and I got a response within a couple of weeks - in addition to responding to my letter, she also wrote my request was forwarded to Arizona and she would have had some extra photos to send if she was back in Illinois.

TTM autographs received: Adam Haseley

The Philadelphia Phillies outfielder signed my cards in three weeks - Haseley was a first round pick in 2017 and probably getting to the big leagues due to his lofty draft status, may end up as a useful player, who sticks around the big leagues for 10 years.

TTM autograph received: Dick Drago

I got an return to send earlier in the year even as other collectors seemed to report regular successes with the former big league righthander - there are a couple of addresses posted for him in collecting forums I belong to and I guess the one I used in my first request was the wrong one.

I waited a little bit and took another shot, using the other address and finally - got my card signed in about a month or so arriving a couple of days before Christmas.

I only had a 1970 Topps card in my collection, featuring a cleaner cut Drago, who was a dependable starter early in his big league career with the Kansas City Royals - through the late 1970s, he became a reliever who bounced around several MLB teams and had started to grow out some prominent facial hair for for his era.

2020 Topps 34-card jumbo pack recap

I ended up at a Target I don't usually go to and found some baseball cards - some 2020 Topps Update, which may not be great as far as the rookie cards found in the set, but I'll humor myself and grab some baseball card packs to bust.

I wouldn't have known Topps put out these 2-pack blister packs with one exclusive Red parallel card - so out of the loose 'leftover' blisters, I got the one that had the Angel card of reliever Ty Buttrey.

Maybe the blister 'bubble' was loose, peeling off the paper backing - so someone had messed with them at some point.

I got a jumbo pack as well because who knows what I may pull - even if we are talking about retail here.

#U-192 Ian Miller

#U-127 Ryan Weber

#U-5 Starlin Castro

#U-38 Kevin Plawecki

#U-242 Ty France

#U-228 Starling Marte

#U-266 Andrew McCutchen

#U-267 Albert Pujols

#U-104 Grayson Greiner

#U-213 Keury Mella

#U-272 Joey Votto

#U-11 Chris Owings

#U-130 Richie Martin

#U-16 Phillip Diehl

#U-222 Scott Barlow

#TR-3 Ozzie Albies - Turkey Red insert; Green parallel serial #’d 08/10

Albies has flown under the radar, but he's been a solid player for the Atlanta Braves at second base - pulling any low numbered parallel out of the most random pack break is quite the feat for me.

#U-33 Alex Verdugo - Advanced Stats parallel serial #’d 202/300; I'm probably more of an old-school baseball guy who likes the traditional counting numbers, but it's fun to figure out what the advanced numbers mean and what they actually spell out is pretty simple, giving more context to players' performances.

#DB-3 Early Wynn - Decades’ Best insert

#85TB-50 Lewis Brinson - 1985 Topps Baseball insert

#TR-13 Andrew McCutchen - Turkey Red insert

#TR-4 Hunter Pence - Turkey Red insert

#U-142 Albert Pujols

#U-206 Asher Wojciechowski

#U-170 Travis Shaw

#U-120 Stevie Wilkerson

#U-286 Chase Anderson

#U-177 Andy Burns

#U-28 Eduardo Nunez

#U-150 Ken Griffey Jr.

#U-178 Jarrod Dyson

#U-34 Justin Verlander

#U-138 Tommy Pham

#U-263 Miguel Cabrera

#U-106 Meibrys Viloria

#U-145 Ronald Acuña Jr.

#U-12 Aaron Bummer

TTM autographs received: Sherman Corbett

The former big league reliever and one time Angel from the late 1980s through early 1990s signed my cards and added a tract business card in about a month - even for rank-and-file guys like Corbett, who may not get as many requests and can take the time, I really appreciate it when cards I've sent comes back with clean, bold signatures.