Just Shoot Me

At 8 PM

I had an odd thought today. Growing up in Upstate New York, we didn't have air conditioning until my senior year in high school.  It is days like today that kinda make we wish I still lived there.

2006 Greats - Packs 4 to 6

I'm still not feeling any love for this set,  but I must forebear for several reasons. First, it is important to me that you, my public, have an opportunity to see what came in this box and lay a claim to any cards that might interest you.  Second, I really don't have anything else to blog about at this point.  With work being busy and the weather being hell-fire hot, I haven't had the time or enthusiasm for anything hobby related.


So, let's knock this puppy out.  Again, all cards are available for trade unless explicitly stated otherwise.

Pack 4

19 - Cal Ripken, Jr - Baltimore
33 - Eric Davis - Cincinnati
96 - Whitey Ford - NY Yankees
NYY-DM - Yankees Clippings Don Mattingly

This insert set (which also includes the Dodgers, Cubs, Red Sox, Cardinals, Tigers, and Reds) seems to me to be pretty much a direct rip-off of the "Forever" inserts from the 2004 Greats set.  I am not sure if the initial conception of this set and it's inserts was done prior to Upper Deck acquiring Fleer or after (I suspect after), but regardless, it pretty much seems phoned in.

Between, the two sets they expanded the insert set from 29 to 70 cards and included game used, auto, and game used+auto parallels to the inserts (2004 only had game-used parallels). That also annoys me on several levels.  I generally think that insert sets should be limited in size.  70 card insert sets related to a 100 card base set seems ridiculous.  It goes from ridiculous to absurd when you add three different parallels to the 70 card insert set that is related to a 100 card base set (which also has two parallel sets).  Forget about ever building a master set of this.  Not that I would try, but even if someone was so inclined, it would be virtually impossible.  Click here for a checklist to see what I mean.

NG-JW - Nickname Greats - Jim "The Toy Cannon" Wynn

Now this is the one insert set I really liked. Original concept, solid design, only 33 cards and only 1 parallel (auto).

Pack 5

23 - Dave Concepcion - Cincinnati
73 - Randy Hundley - Chicago Cubs
84 - Sparky Lyle - NY Yankees
89 - Tommy Herr - St Louis

Remember about 5 seconds ago when I said the base set had two parallels? This is one. Despite what the checklist said, the base set had a green border and the parallels had, respectively, pewter and copper borders.  I think this is pewter, but I am not sure and don't care enough to find out.

DEC-TG - 90s Greats Tony Gwynn - San Diego

Pack 6

6 - Bill Freehan - Detroit
47 - Harmon Killebrew - Minnesota
72 - Ralph Kiner - Pittsburgh
CIN-KG - Reds Greats - Ken Griffey, Sr

 NG-EV Nickname Greats Ellis "Bubba" Valentine Autograph

My first of two autographs and 3rd of 4 hits.  The last nine packs are going to be a long slog to get through.   Again, I like this card. I have had a passing idea just to collect this insert set, but I my collecting focus is too spread out now so, in the end, I decided against it.  So, this is available for trade.

Hopefully, I can knock this off at a faster clip than once a week.  There is a special delivery coming soon and a show in mid-August.

2006 Greats of the Game - Packs 1 to 3

So, after all my crabbing about working to complete too many sets, I went out and  bought a box of 2006 Greats of the Game by Fleer. I shouldn't have, but I love the 2004 Greats so much, I couldn't resist.

I should have.  I really don't like this set.  What made the 2004 set great, in my mind, was the understated but attractive design, coupled with an embossed card. I am not sure if embossed is the right word, but the border on the 2004 cards was slightly raised above the center of the card.  It was, for lack of a better word, a 3D card..  The 2006 set borrowed many of the same design elements from 2004, but wasn't as attractive. Furthermore, the cards were printed on normal flat card stock.  I suppose I should have expected differences.  Between the issuance of the two sets, Fleer was acquired by Upper Deck.  2006 looks like an typical Upper Deck card, with poor use of Fleer design.

So, for what it is worth, I am not going to build this set and all the cards shown, unless I specifically note, are available for trade.  See something you want? Hit me up.

Pack 1

64 - Mark Grace - Chicago Cubs

 The image border here is similar to the card border detail from 2004.  I think the dark green color, coupled with the smaller image and larger nameplate really turn me off from this design.  It doesn't help that in 2004, the border detail was raised above the card level.  That 2006 is on card stock makes it look like a cheap knockoff of 2004. And, as I think about it, it really is a cheap knock off.  Too bad the hobby box prices for 2006 are almost double that of 2004.

82 - Rusty Staub - NY Mets
CHC-MG - Cubs Greats Mark Grace
DEC-MS - 80s Decade Greats Mike Schmidt Bat Relic

First pack and the first (of four) hits, a bat card of Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt.  This box was supposed to come with two relic and two autograph cards.  The checklist had some great names on it.  This is a pretty sweet card, but it has no emotional appeal to me and since I am not going to build this set, I'd love to put this into the hands of a Phillies fan.

Pack 2

40 - Garry Maddox - Philadelphia
99 - Willie McCovey - San Francisco
DEC-RC - 60s Greats Roberto Clemente

 
This insert set is ugly.  The "decades" part of the design doesn't appeal to me and, consequently, seems to take too much space away from the photo. The yellow shift on the back ground of the image doesn't really work either.

BOS-FL - Red Sox Greats Fred Lynn Jersey Relic

Second pack and second hit.  I sure hope I don't get all four hits right up front.  This box isn't really holding my interest.  If I pull all the hits early, I may never make it all the way through the series of posts on the box. Sort of like I did with my BOBOC series - I got bored and never finished it

Pack 3

26 - David Cone - NY Mets
43 - George Foster - Cincinnati
80 - Ron Guidry - NY Yankees

82 - Rusty Staub - NY Mets
BOS-JR - Red Sox Greats Jim Rice

I am off to a poor start. This post basically sucks, but I don't know how to fix it.

Between my ambivalence with the set, and my summer struggles (I sleep poorly when it gets hot and the longer the heat hangs on, the grumpier I get), I am just going to publish it and go take a nap. Maybe I feel better later and can knock off a better post.

Answering Fuji's Question, or Next up on Animal Hoarders

So, Fuji asked if we collect anything other than sports memorabilia.

Well.......sorta, kinda, maybe...... I live on a small farm in the country, so you might guess what we are collecting.

So here it is:

So, how long have I been at this?  Well, the cat in the very first picture was found outside a movie  theater in Columbus, OH in December of 1993.  My wife and I had a couple other pets before her, but I am only showing the extant collection. So, that was....*does math*... 19 years ago.

And, in case you were wondering about all the pictures above? No dupes!

Obligatory Allen & Ginter Post, or the story of my life as told in the medium of LOLCats

Y'all know the drill.

I had to run down to Walmart to buy eggs, milk, bread, and feminine hygiene products.

And alluvasudden I am on the card aisle.

How did that happen?  I don't know!  One minute I was lost in a sea of pink and purple boxes and the next minute I am standing in front of baseball cards!  Am I having some kinda Billy Pilgrim moment?

Well, as long as I am here.....

Hey, look is that something new since the last time I got lost and ended up on the card aisle?

Why, yes it is!  OMGWTFBBQ! It is blasters of Allen and Ginter!

Well, $19.98 is awfully expensive. I could buy a coupla big ole T-Bones for that.

Wait a minute?  That blaster comes with an extra pack? Whoa! What a deal!  That totally changes the situation.  Besides, it's taco night, so the steaks would just go to waste.

Yes.

Okay, I'm home. Probably should put the frozen stuff away first. Oh! Hello, dear, how was your day? Why, yes that is a box of baseball cards.  

Well, technically, it didn't cost $20.  It was only $19.98.

Well, I can't return it now, so let's see what's inside

Anything good?

I'll say this. A&G has some interesting insert sets.  Frankly, I like the inserts better than the base set.

When I first started blogging, I was put off by nonbaseball players in baseball card sets.  But, I think they actually complement A&Gs quirkiness.  They fit here.

I'm sorry, but this picture is fuh-reaky!  I get that 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches is a small space and any artwork intended to be reproduced in such a size will need more pronounced contrasts in the colors to translate well.  But, dang, this image is going to haunt my sleep for at least a day or two.

Oooh!  A hit!

These little suckers are selling for between $20 and $30 on EBay. So, after I pulled this I threw it up on the 'bay as an auction with the option to Buy-It-Now for $25.  Less than a day later, someone bought-it-now.  So, I made bank.  I've got some other things to put up on EBay, so I'll probably sit on the proceeds from this card now and use it later to help fill out some of my open sets.

So, that is my Allen and Ginter experience for 2012.

The End

Sigh....

So, how did I address my desire to reduce the number of sets I am working on?  By picking up a box of a set that I have wanted to start, but hadn't yet.

Yup.

2006 Fleer Greats of the Game.  In my defense, it was a killer deal.  Boxes of 2006 GOTG are available from several sellers, but all are generally selling at about $150 each box.  That is too rich for my blood.  So, when a box came available (along with the 2006 Fleer Ultra box next to it) for a Buy-It-Now of an even $100, I snapped it up immediately. My plan is to flip the Ultra, which I have no interest in, so I should make back some of what this cost me. If you are interested, make me an offer. Otherwise, it goes back on EBay in a couple weeks.

Yes, I also bought a blaster of A&G. No, I am not going to build the set.  I just decided to take a look.

I'll probably do a series of posts on the GOTG box, but after that, I may be going into power save mode for a while.  We are thinking of buying some, or all, of the property next to us and I am guessing it will take a lot of our time, and spare coin, to close the deal.

Lastly, there are a couple of you that I have promised cards to.  I haven't forgotten you, I have just been really busy lately. I'll try to get your cards out this weekend.

My Life is Boring

Whomever had my cell phone number before I did apparently leads a more interesting life than I do.

What is Wrong With Me?

It seems that I have limited capacity for discipline and organization. Like squeezing a balloon, the imposition of discipline in one area of my life invariably leads to a concordant loss of discipline in another.  On a small scale, my card collection is an example.  I keep my sets (both built and working) neatly organized in sheets and binders. Any additions are immediately checked off the want list and put in their respective pocket.  Doubles, though? Thrown in a box. Sometimes I'll sort them by set and card number, sometimes only by set, sometimes not at all. My dupes box is a mess.

On a grander scale, my new job requires a great deal of discipline and organization.  I have been making a point to stay on top of it.  But, not surprisingly, my organization at home has suffered.  I am behind on my yardwork and spent a good part of last night getting Quicken updated because I hadn't entered the checking account records for over a month(!)

My collecting has gotten out of control, as well. I currently have 9 sets in progress. I really ought to have 5 or less. So, am I focusing my efforts on those that I am closest to completing?  Or even focusing on any one specific set? No, of course not.  There is no rhyme or reason to what I have been doing recently.  My last post showing off the 2004 Fleer Greats of the Game auto cards is a perfect example.  Why am I starting working on those subsets when I am a stones throw away from completing both 2010 Obak and 2011 Topps Heritage?  I don't know. but, it is only getting worse.  I just won a lot of 16 2004 Fleer Greats blue parallels on EBay.  And this arrived today:

Now, don't get me wrong. I love this card.  But, I don't need it.  I already have a non-relic version of this card, so I am no closer to finishing the Forever subset.  But, I dropped $9 (shipped) to get it.  Why?  Well, in fairness, this is the type of relic card I do like.  But, with this new job, I have less time for hobby related activities right now and I need to make the most of it. This is not that.

But, dang, it is a sweet card.....

In Which I.....Hey! Look! A Bird!

Has it already been over a week since I last posted?

Why, yes, it has.

I swear I sometimes think I suffer from adult attention deficit disorder. I have made no secret of my desire to cut down on the number of sets I am working on. While I did manage to not start another set when I finished 1976 Topps, I have been far less disciplined when it comes to the 2004 Fleer Greats of the Game set. When I started out putting that set together over a year ago, my main goal was to finish the 145 card base set, which I did in fairly short order. Subsequent to that, though, I decided to put together the various insert sets (Glory of Their Time, Battery Mates and Forever {insert various teams}). I've made pretty good progress on those inserts, too. With some focus, I can probably finish them before the end of the year. I thought that would be it for me, even though there is a blue bordered parallel set and an auto set. I wasn't going to bother with them.

Until I did. I found a lot of 7 of the blue parallels on EBay and won it. So, now, alluvasudden, I have 16 of the blue parallels and an Ebay saved search to keep my eye out for more. I am still only looking for multi-card lots, but that isn't the point, I am looking for more of those cards! With time and patience, I should be able to work that set to completion. No biggie, right? It isn't like I am going to try and work on the auto cards from that set. Sure, I have a few from the boxes I broke, but that is a 109 card set and some, like Stan Musial and Yogi Berra, don't come cheap. So, I will forgo chasing those.

Yeah.

In my defense, I started out seeing if I could snag them on the cheap. And in most cases, I have. But, once the bug bites, perspective is lost. Some of the cards, like the Al Kaline and Don Newcombe, I paid upwards of $15 for. So, now I have 21 out of the 109 cards and am keeping my eye out for more. I am still going to try to get them on the cheap. I am currently only bidding on cards that are auctioned with a starting price of 99 cents, and have passed a lot by without a second look. Surely, I have the will power to not get the bug to finish the set.  With Stan Musial cards going for around $75, there is no way I will get that stupid.

No sir, not a chance.  Not gonna happen.  No way. No how.  Nope.