Spring Cleaning #3

Back to the scan folder for some more cleaning. And since at the point this posts I'll be somewhere in Iowa or (dread) Nebraska, the rest of the posts this week are all scheduled.

This is the 2nd oldest item in the scan folder. The oldest is a monster box I am STILL sorting through. I'm almost done with that, so John - I haven't forgotten your generosity. It's just that your generosity was huge.

Are we still doing phrasing?

Zach from Underdog Card Collector dropped a #Supertrader envelope on me that was wonderfully hockey heavy. Not all of it was hockey, but most was, as you will see in a moment.

While I have all the base sets of Cooperstown done, I still need a few singles for the Sox box. As well as the base cards for this year's Heritage (I think I have the set now, but I have to double check with the list). This year's flagship colored parallels....I'm not sure how I feel about them. Yeah, it does make use of the wasted smoke space, but they are still kind of weird.

But like I said, it was hockey heavy. Starting with the entire Blackhawks series 2 Young Guns representative. Of the 3, I think Hinostroza is the best talent, though the other two are nothing to shake a stick at. With the unfortunate departing of Teuvo, Kero or Hinstroza have a fighting chance to make the club next season.

Speaking of Hinostroza, I became a super collector of him with one envelope. I had no clue he had so much cardboard out there already. I really need to step up my hockey card purchases. Svedberg did a decent job on the back line, but at times he seemed out of his element this past season. Hopefully that was just a learning curve and his sophomore year will be better.

Series 2 canvas. I hope COMC has the crazy prices they had on series 1 canvas so I can build the entire set. I also hope if UD decides to do Masterpieces again they remember the greatness that is UD Canvas before they work on the design.

Your future Hart trophy winner. He deserves it - all you Penguins fans know that to be true.

And your future Calder trophy winner. I know the argument - he played in the KHL and has too much big league experience and should be excluded from the race. Here's the deal - he started in the KHL at 17. Seventeen. Yes, he is 24 years old, but you only need to be under 26 for the award. And while McDavid played well, he was injured. This is not an award to who is projected to be the biggest star. If so. a certain Eric Lindros would have his name on it. The Bread Man earned it.

Thanks for the mailer, Zach.

Ode to #SuperTraders

As I was going through my scan folder, cleaning up the images, when I got to the final scan of a package from Wes over at JBF, one song jumped into my head. So I went back over the other cards I had scanned and fairly quickly was able to put a song to each scan.

It's been a while since I have done a musical PWE, so let's look at Wes' scan from a musical standpoint, shall we? Sure, it's just an excuse to post more videos, but who doesn't like music?

With your I-Poos, Twiffer and Snip Snap!!!

 

Going with the Vogues for the new Paulie additions, him being down with work and all. I first thought of "Baby Come Back", but with one of the best records in baseball currently, we're doing pretty well.  Both are serialed and fine additions to my Konerko binder.

For some shiny, but never scan well cards, how about Collective Soul? Though, that Wells on the right looks really good off the scanner. Buehrle on the left, not so great. Magglio in the middle? Completely impossible to see. Whomever has a scanner that does foil well, let me know. I think I need to replace this sucker anyway.

No brainer. LOVE English Beat (or The Beat as their proper name is), as well as the spinoffs from that band - General Public and Fine Young Cannibals. While Rodon and Montas are shiny, and thusly scanned like total crap, I happened to pick them for the mirror image of the cards side by side. Even the badging at the bottom gives a mirror effect. I wish the Sox would go back to the secondary logo on the road sleeves, though.

It's a diecut that looks like a CD. This was the only scan I was a struggling with, but being a card that talks of greatest hits for 1992, I hit the Billboard list of the best songs for that year. With Frank wearing the black tops and white pants, picking MJs song from that year was a no brainer. Also, 90s - amirite?

This is the song that jumped in my head when I cleaned up the image of the two fine relics Wes sent. And it's just because of the first line: "You take the good you take the bad". Because Sale - he's good. And Conseco with the White Sox - he was very bad. But I will take gifts like these two cards as they are fine additions to the binder. Most of my Sale relics are gray, so black is a nice change. Plus it's from Tribute. Those packs are out of my price range usually.

Thanks again for the cards, Wes.

One last thing: Lisa Whelchel. Am I right????

Here, there and everywhere - part 1

When I was thinking of this post, I started with the subject. But before I started typing, I looked to my left and noticed I had a 2nd mailing that technically could qualify for the exact same post title, so I added the part 1. But when you get down to brass tacks, there is only a part two in the sense that the title applies. See - part 1 and part 2 are from two different mailers, so they are not joined together in the way one might normally think of when presented with two parts.

It's like the final Hunger Games movies, Mockingjay Part 1 and 2. They were the last book split into two movies - continuation from the first movie to the second. However, my part 2 is not a continuation per se, but a sense of similarity. Does any of that make sense?

And while you ponder that, does "when you get down to brass tacks" make sense? I just typed that as it came off the top of my head, and what in the hell does that really mean? Google searches seem split on where it came from, though they have a general sense it derived from the mid 19th century. It either refers to hardware counter top or upholstery and deals with measurement. Or the idiom could just exist because it plays well with rhyming and.....wait, what the hell was I talking about?

Have a seat and try to remember.

Oh yeah - cards. Ultimately, every post is about cards, right? Around all the blogs I read, I've been seeing mailing posted of cards sent by Tony from Off Hiatus Baseball. I'm joining that group as Tony dropped a nice smattering of cardboard on me a couple weeks back. Each mailing appeared to be a copy of the next, but perfectly suited for the team collection of the recipient. Which means I got White Sox.

Yup! Lots of wonderful, glorious White Sox. I got all the cards from the return of Donruss in 2014, but I never got any of the inserts, so a Sale Diamond King made for a fine addition to the Sox box. As does a black bordered '09 OPC Anderson. I wonder where Tony got all the Drake's Big Hitters cards, since I have been seeing a load of them in the other posts. I am just glad that the Bull was part of the group.

Before Tony's mailing, I had 3 cards from this Frank Thomas Front Row set. Tony included the entire thing, along with a certificate. Now I feel official. Even if the cards are pre Panini clones with no logos anywhere to be found.

Oddballs. Got a little of everything here with these reprints, from Cracker Jack to Goudey and Delong. I own an actual Goudey (not Appling), T206 (not Walsh) and Diamond Stars (not Dykes). Someday I add a real Cracker Jack and Delong Gum.

Goals, kids. Remember to set goals. So thanks Tony for the #Supertraders mailing.

I have started my own mailings to the group, but still working on filler for yours. Pretty soon my mailings will be everywhere.

SuperTraders week: Bob Walk The Plank

Somehow I got wrapped up into Wes' SuperTraders group as the White Sox dumping point. I feel honored, but I feel like I will be on the low end of the totem pole in the giving aspect (much as the Sox have been the past few years in MLB and in Chicago in general - World Series Champs 2005 (suck that Cubbies)). But it is amazing the generosity from the blogging world, both in SuperTraders and with everyone in general. Some of the packages I have received over the past few years have blown me away in their kindness and amazing content. SuperTraders seems like that will ramp up, and I have started to see these coming in already. With 5 separate packages from members of the ST group, I thought I would highlight them this week.

But have no fear - there are other amazing gifts in the scan folder. Don't think that you have to send high end stuff or huge quantities of cards to touch my collecting heart. Every envelope, manila padded package or even a huge priority box (yeah - I got one of them to sort through, and the address wasn't Wes) is prized when received. So if you have something you think I would like, trust me - I would more than like it. And if I am slow getting something back, I'll get to you.

Someday, someway.

Anyhow, I think this was 2nd official mailing from a SuperTrader - Matt from the cool Bob Walk The Plank. Matt really didn't need the ST idea to show kindness. I have received some incredible cards from him in the past. But he stepped up his game with a single rectangle. I'm thinking he must have scored some sweet deal recently, as I am seeing cards from the same set being dropped on bloggers by Matt. I am just thankful that he thought of me and this card in particular.

I have the most wanted on the side, and while I have mentioned in the past a desire to add this player to my collection, I never added him to the list. Matt either has a good memory, or a good heart. Either/or, I have a good addition to my White Sox autographs.

Encased cards scan like hell. Forgive me if I don't go back to snap a picture. I think you get the idea. Matt has been dropping encased Tributes the way my router has been dropping wifi connections lately. This is such a pretty card. No sticker, large signature - just great all around.

Thanks a ton, Matt. Maybe I can keep pulling Pirate printing plates to send on a return trip.