I SCAMBed Him

Scott over at Sports Cards Ate My Brain (SCAMB) had expressed an interest in trading for some of the large stack of duplicate 1969 Deckle Edge cards I had acquired at a mini show last month.  I scanned his extensive trade bait list and founds some things that interested me.

Not one, but two Heritage short prints!  One each from 2001 and 2002. It has been a coon's age since I last made any progress on those two sets. I am getting very close to completing 2011 and have continued to make slow progress on 2012 (until yesterday when Heritage Minor League came out and set me back, so to speak).  But, progress on those first two has basically halted for about a year now.  My main priority on Heritage at the moment is to complete 2011 (9 more cards to complete MLB and 19 to complete MiLB).  After that, I am not sure what I am going to do. But, I probably should make an effort to complete those first two sets.  So, I am grateful to get these two cards. Not only because I need them, but because they are a well needed kick in the keister to start thinking about those two sets again.

I had never seen this card, or heard of the set it came from, until I saw it at Scott's.  It is a 2010 Topps Legends Platinum Chrome Wal Mart Cereal card.  

A&G isn't a set that I get excited about, but I just have to love relic cards of two of my teams stars.

CC hasn't been CC-like this season. Two stints on the DL and even when pitching he has only been intermittently dominating.  In past seasons, he usually goes through a multiple start stretch where he is unhittable. Not this year. He is still very good, but not like he was in the past. I just hope that we don't come to regret the big contract he got last off season, much like we do now with Alex Rodriguez's.

Robbie has been solid again this year. Started off slow, but is batting over .300 again. And, best of all, he hasn't spent any time on the DL.  Which makes him a rare player on the Yankees this year.

So, overall, a great trade for me. I hope Scott likes those Deckles (Sorry about the Staub!)

Cards from The Junkie, Part 2

So, my job interview is over. It seemed to go okay, although I am not particularly optimistic about my chances. My friend on the inside, who was part of the interview team, mentioned afterward that some of the other candidates had industry experience, which I don't. He said they those candidates had their own weaknesses, and indicated that I am still in the running. So, now I have a two week wait to actually hear the outcome. As I said, I am not optimistic, so it is back to the long, slow, humiliating grind of looking for jobs. I have to remind myself that I made a deliberate choice not to look for another job with my previous employer, and in the long run, I am better off leaving a company that is slowly dying, but it is small consolation.

What has been big consolation, though, has been the pack of cards I got in the mail the other day from dayf over at Cardboard Junkie (and another surprise package I got yesterday from Night Owl. But more on that later.) I am breaking my Junkie package into three posts, in order better milk what limited posting material I have available. Previously, I showed the sweet sketch card he sent me. Today, I am going to show the cards he sent that I needed for sets I am building. He was under no obligation to send me any cards, so I am quite appreciative that he took the time to scour through my want lists.

For my 2001 Topps Heritage set:


For me 2002 Topps Heritage set:



For my 1976 Topps set:







There was actually a number of other 1976 cards he sent, but I have put them in the binder already, and I forgot to get a count. Suffice it to say that these above were the stars of the show. Cards of star players that are in great condition. While Randy Jones isn't a huge name anymore, he did have two outstanding years with the Padres in 1975 and 1976, winning 20 and 22 games respectively and finishing second and first in the NL Cy Young race (also respectively.) That this card came between those two stellar seasons makes it extra special, even if Beckett doesn't agree. I don't give a rat's ass what Beckett says. I love this card. And, by the way, that isn't a crease up at the top, the right of Randy. That is a dog hair. I really need to clean around here.

These cards were awesome and would have made me very happy all by themselves. But, dayf wasn't done. More tomorrow.

Saved by the Mail, Part 2

The second trade pack that came in the mail yesterday was from Paul over at Carl Crawford Cards. I sent him some Rays cards, and one measly card of his 1973 want list (hopefully anyways, since I don't recall now seeing it when I packed up his cards for shipment) and I got a metric ton of 2002 Heritage in return. This really cut my want list down to size for 2002 Heritage.

I struggled to decide what cards to show and finally settled on those cards from players who, at a minimum, took a turn with the Yankees in 2011.


Okay, Millwood is a bit of a stretch,. He was signed by the Yankees during spring training, turned in 9 uninspiring innings at AAA, and was released. Not long after that he caught on with the BoSox, was similarly uninspiring at Pawtucket, and released again. He then signed with the Rockies and turned in 9 workmanlike starts with the big club at the close of the season.


Freddy was picked off the scrap heap and turned out to be a key part of the Yankees starting rotation with a 12-8 record and 3.62 ERA performance. I was pleased to see that the Yankees have signed him again for the 2012 campaign.


Though his 2011 line doesn't reflect it, Bartolo really stepped up when Phil Hughes hit the disabled list. He faded near the end of the year, but there was a stretch mid-season when he was a legitimate No. 3 starter for the Bombers. I really enjoyed watching him play. He has the endearing habit of playing catch with himself when sitting on the bench or when there was a delay in the game while he was in the mound. Just tosses the ball up over his head and lets it fall into his glove. Kinda like a Little Leaguer. I am hoping that the Yankees bring him back for 2012 as a long man, but there isn't much buzz, so I get the feeling they won't.


The Big Man. What is there to say about CC? I really think the ALDS with the Tigers might have turned out differently if the first game wasn't postponed after one and a half innings. Other than the first inning home run by Delmon Young, CC looked great. He had dealt four strikeouts and two weak ground outs in his two innings. When he took the mound again a few days later in Game 3, he just looked flat and was generally ineffective. But, that is the way it goes I guess.



Eric was solid as a backup infielder. He hasn't decided whether to retire yet and there was some interest on the Yankees part to bring him back. I can't blame them. Their other backup infielder, Eduardo Nunez, is a questionable defensive player. I wonder, though, how the Yankees winning the right to negotiate with Japanese shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima affects the 2012 roster. Who does it make more superfluous? Chavez or Nunez? Rumor has it that Nuney has been on the trade block, but nothing has happened yet. I guess time will tell.


Jones was a solid backup outfielder / platoon DH in 2011. The Yankees have shown interest in bringing him back. I would support it. He still has a little spark left in the bat and has a excellent glove.


The Captain!

In addition to the base cards, Paul sent over a near complete Classic Renditions insert set. I've included two of this set because the subjects both signed contracts with new teams this week after having played over a decade for one team: Buehrle with the White Sox and Pujols with the Cards.





Thanks, Paul. I hope your cards got to you by now and I remembered to include that 1973 card.