Sunday, October 28, 2012

Tiger Mania!


I have always been a Tigers fan.  I remember the 1984 series, I read every page of  Bless You Boys at age 6, I am a die hard Alan Trammell fan, I was there was they lost almost every game in 2005 and have been reaping the benefits of the last few years.

I loved the Cabrera trade, so what if we had to ear Dontrelle's salary!  We got the best player in baseball for Cameron Maybin, Andrew Miller, and two others ( two top prospects, but have now became average players for different teams)

I was disappointed initially with the Granderson trade, but look at the pieces we have now because of it...Coke, Scherzer, Jackson.  Ask the Indians if they could hit three quality starters out of a trade for an All-Star Centerfielder rather than TWO CY YOUNG WINNERS!



That is why the Turner deal, I didn't fret about it.  Sanchez has been tough down the stretch and Infante is a clear upgrade from the carousel of Raburn, Santiago, Worth and others since Polanco went to Philadelphia.

I have almost 1,400 Tigers cards!  Which makes about 10% of my entire collection, about double of any other team.   It's the history of the Tigers unfolded into cards across time.  Chet Lemon, Frank Tanana, Walt Terrell, Dave Bergman, Mike Heath and countless others make up the team and collection.  Can't get enough of those Tigers.

I am going to make a bar in my man cave with all of my extras around the entire deal.

The upcoming series is going to be great --- no matter if it is the Cardinals or Giants.  I hope we can get another crack at the all-time rival Cardinals.

UPDATE: 

As I sat down to draft this blog before the series, I was at an all-time high...the Tigers in the World Series!

We had our pitching all set up and all we had to do was score runs.

And that is what has not happened Games 1, 2, or 3.

Game 4 is tonight and I am going to cheer for my hometown team, win or lose...we have had a great season.

Eat 'em Tigers!

Keep it hot on the corner.

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Trading Tuesday

I went out to another hobby store in the greater Lansing area for "Trade Night".  I really didn't know what to expect but I was pretty excited to see what it was all about.

When I got to the store, there was only two workers and two customers huddled around the counter.  The kid had just pulled an RG3 auto!  I introduced myself and announced I was willing to trade.  I have been combing through my football cards and trying to get rid of them.  The older customer pulled out a Molson Canadian soft pack cooler filled with autos and relic cards.  Unfortunately, mostly football and only one Tiger.

I searched through it all and he piled up the football that he wanted.

So I found  a 2011 Topps Chrome Trevor Bauer Auto Refractor Blue RC....


...and this Denny McLain Limited Auto



I gave up 2002 Topps Football Michael Vick, Drew Brees, and (2) LaDainian Tomlinson Rookies.
I wrestled with the trade, please comment on the deal.

My very first auto that I got in person was from Denny McLain back in the late 1980s or early 1990s at a card show (possibly the Detroit Auto Show), so coming full circle back to the hobby Denny is aquired in my first adult trade.

I am going to make a regular habit of getting out to the Lansing Mall and make more trades, who knows, maybe I will get back into football.

Speaking of other trades I sent about 300 Blue Jays to Robert at $30 Habit a week and looking forward to what he sends back my way!

Keep it hot on the corner.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Down & Out


I have struggled being consistent with this blogging experience.

First, I am too distracted with the MLB playoffs to keep up with my cards & thoughts on collecting.

I have been putting together this set of 1986 Topps baseball for maybe two weeks and was down to the last 20 some cards, then 10, then 5, then 3.  The particular three I was looking for were the Turn Back the Clock of Fernando Valenzuela and Tom Seaver, and the Record Breaker Tony Perez that I had set aside to keep crisp when I opened the first 500 cards from the vending box.  I know of I have them, I got to finish this set.

Additionally, I read out in the blogosphere that the 1986 set is the worst!  Come on, completley original, lots of great stars, maybe a little tough to keep in good condition with the Black top border, but still the worst?  I may be biased as this was the first set I collected as a kid.

I have wrote before on how I just mindlessly will set things down and the minutes, hours, days later have a desperate search for the missing items.  Where could they be?

So I stay up all night Wednesday to watch the Tigers lose.  Bummer.

I am so nervous (or wiped out from a 1 AM finish the night before) for Game 5, I fall asleep a half hour before game time.  I wake up to find Verlander is epic.

Last night, staying up until midnight to see Papa Grande, Big Potato blow another tough game, I fall asleep.

I awake to find that indeed the Tigers did win in 12, Delmon Young sure is growing his Free Agent share for this off-season!  Not only that but the The Captain, Number 2, Derek Jeter, has broke his ankle and is out for the playoffs.  Not that I would cheer for anyone to get injured, but this helps out the Motown Kitties in more ways than one.

Feeling a little better, I look down on my desk, and right there are the three cards: Perez, Valenzuela and Seaver.  

Set complete!  This week wasn't so bad after all.

Monday, October 8, 2012

While you were out...

I have been using my free time to put together a 1986 Topps set.  Out of a possible 2,000 card vending box, I am down to 8 cards in need (really 5 as I set them down somewhere and cannot find them...see this blog)

Stacked with all kinds of Hall of Famers (Ripken, Ryan, Henderson, Seaver, Carlton, Murray, Brett, Schmidt, Reggie, Sandberg, Dawson, Molitor, Yount, Rose...wait not Rose)  This was a good set to have, tough to keep mint with the black top border.  Again it was important to me as this was the first year I started collecting. 

But even the guys who had great careers in the 1980s and 1990s.  Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, Joe Carter, Tim Raines, Ozzie Guillen RC, all kinds of semi-stars in this batch.  

This is why I am also in favor of the Topps Archives, I am hopeful that Topps will include more 1986 style next edition.

By the way, Game 1 in Detroit was awesome.  Verlander was filthy and the playoff atmosphere downtown was electric.  Too bad MLB Network had Game 2 for another outstanding game.

Let's get some trades going!

bp_weber5@hotmail.com



Saturday, October 6, 2012

Topps Update Series...Wow!

I must have addiction problems, I walk in to the Lansing Mall with my youngest and we wait around for the card shop to open, we just want to look.  My son terrorizes the store.

I was wanting to get some Topps Update this week to check it out and so I decided to get 2 Jumbo packs.

Some great pulls for a baseball freak.

Justin Verlander All-Star and a Drew Smyly RC, perfect start for the Tigers fan.  Ichiro in a new uniform, nice.  Chris Sale, Mike Trout, McCutcheon, Darvish, Trumbo All-Stars, nice. Mike Trout All-Star Gold Paralel, even better.  I may be re-entering the hobby and this may just an average day for some, but I was completely satisfied with these packs.

I want to thank Richard at $30 A Week Habit for being the first to comment on my blog.  I am hoping to set up a big Jays for Tigers trade with him in the future.
The other nice thing is he gave some big love to Miguel Cabrera in his latest blog.

The wife and I are headed to Motown this afternoon to catch the Tigers v. A's.

Check some things off the bucket list tonight


  • Home playoff game for Tigers
  • Justin Verlander pitching
  • Miguel Cabrera first appearance as the triple crown winner




UPDATE: see what others had to say about Update here

Friday, October 5, 2012

A Salute to Chipper

When I was just entering my teens Chipper Jones began his MLB career with the Braves.  At the time the Braves were the best team in the NL and had a brilliant pitching staff and exciting hitters.  They were my favorite team outside of the Tigers for two reasons:

1) John Smoltz was from nearby Waverly and Michigan State
2) they won

I stumbled across my Chipper Topps Rookie this summer and remember what an exciting time it was for baseball. It is remarkable that he stuck with the Braves for his entire career.

Speaking of rookies.  I am really enjoying the 2012 Topps Heritage Minors set.  I purchased the entire Tigers farm system, notably Nick Castellanos and Avisail Garcia.  In addition, I picked up Jurickson Profar and Gerrit Cole, along with the Lansing Lugnuts' (Toronto Low A) two stars.  Not only is this set fun, but it is stacked with future stars: Machado, Bundy, Profar, etc.



Just as Chipper's career provided promise, these cards provide the same type of emotion.  These guys are (hopefully, please) the future of your favorite team and carry on that tradition that you cherish the most of that team.

My wife and I are headed to Game 1 of Tigers v Oakland tomorrow and we are equally geeked for the experience.  But equally exciting is to take a look at players coming up like Castellanos and Avi, man, I hope they play their whole careers with the Tigers.

Thank you Chipper!



Thursday, October 4, 2012

Leave it on the counter...

I have this tendency to forget the obvious. Call it absent minded, forgetful, Attention Deficit, whatever. Ask my wife, siblings, in-laws, co-workers, relatives, it is real.  Keys, wallet, glasses, money, tickets, bottle slips, the list goes on and on. On three occasions this fall I have purchased multiple items at card stores and left them some behind on the counter.  In Traverse City it was 4 boxes of top loaders.  In Mason it has been loose cards.  I am sure these owners don't mind holding on to these items because they know more than likely I will just be back to spend even more money and possibly, leave something on the corner.

I am really excited about these Vending Boxes of 1986 Topps and putting my set together.  1986 Topps was my first set of packs I collected and I can't think of one player that stood out or as to why this particular set is important, but nonetheless, I am very pumped to put it together.  I am pretty sure this was the first team set that I ever had and that we got at a card show, most likely at the one John Smoltz used to appear at for St. Gerard's in Lansing.

Reluctantly, I bought the new November Beckett with Mike Trout on the front.


Miguel Cabrera for MVP!


Wednesday, October 3, 2012

The Great Debate

As many of our political leaders prepare for night one of the debate series as to whom should run the free world, many other scholarly men are debating as the baseball season winds down who should reign as the Most Valuable Player.

Just as in politics, there are two camps.  You have Miggy versus Trout.  Angels v Tigers, West v East, Sabremetrics versus RBI, HR, AVG, old school versus new school.

Here is my take...it should be Cabrera.  It should have been Cabrera in 2010.   Cabrera is the best baseball player on the planet.  He will have the first triple crown in almost 50 years, his team made the playoffs amid horrendous scrutiny, he plays almost everyday, he has a bad ankle, all he has done is get to game 162 and stands atop all the MAJOR categories, and still played this well after a position change.

Is Mike Trout amazing? Yes.

Did he energize the Angels season in May? Yes

Is he the MVP?  No

Here is my other take....why can't Cabrera get the love from Beckett?  Beckett has had Trout on the last two covers (OCT & NOV), no love for Miggy.  Trout is listed everywhere.  For the most part Cabrera is listed at the end as an UNLISTED STAR.  Holy smokes! What does this guy have to do to get some love from Beckett?

This is what is great about sports and our country is that it brings out the best arguments and ideas.  So tonight, check out the debate and make decisions for yourself.




Tuesday, October 2, 2012

This Just In...


Headed up to my favorite (and only) card shop today and came home with:

  • 1986 Topps vending 500 count box
  • 28 (.25) cards (Curtis Granderson 2008 A&G, )
  • a Justin Thompson Detroit Tigers card for a dime
  • 1991 Bowman SLUGGERS set w/ Rod Carew 5 card set
I pulled a Roger Clemens, Pete Rose, Tony Gwynn, Cal Ripken, Tom Seaver, Cecil Fielder (RC), and several Tigers out of the vending box. Cards were really sold out of vending machines?  What a great deal!
  
This summer I sorted out all my Topps from boxes and found that most of 1986 ( a hard card to keep mint anyway with those black top border) all rounded off.  As I recall, I was about six when I started collecting cards and sure enough that is probably why these cards took such a beating, but I am sure I got my (or my parent's) money's worth in entertainment.

I would say that of the 1980s sets my favorite would be 1984, 1985, and 1986.

Should you want to build a team(s) set out of the 1986 set let me know to set up a trade.

Heritage Purchases

So, today I got in the mail my recent purchase from eBay:

  • 2011 Topps Heritage base set
  • (5) Jurickson Profar 2012 Topps Heritage Minor League
  • (2) Geritt Cole 2012 Topps Heritage Minor League
  • (20) Prince Fielder SP 2012 Topps Heritage
I really enjoy what Topps is doing with the Heritage collection. Taking a page from Charles Dickens and just selling what has already been published it is slick, provides an alternative and gives collectors what they have possibly hoped for is their favorite current player on an old-fashioned card.