When does Montero take a bat to Martin's knee cap?

I could only imagine what Jesus Montero was thinking when he learned the New York Yankees signed Russ Martin. Well, the signing probably didn't mean much to him because Martin has not been good the last two years.

So, Montero likely laughed at that. But what about when Martin came out and said he was told he would be the starting catcher?

Wait a second ...

Montero has been brandied about as one of the next best hitters.

He is always in the top 3 when it comes to Baseball America's prospect lists. If he was a better catcher, he would probably be number 1 on the list. The problem is he is terrible defensively. So, he's gotten better behind the plate? Outside of the Yankees own scouts, where has that been said?

According to a friend of mine who follows the minors religiously, Montero is best suited as a first baseman or a DH. But in New York, both of those positions are locked up right now with Mark Texieira and Jorge Posada.

Ok, so what does this have to do with baseball cards?

Plenty if you're a prospector. They have put in considerable amount of money in Montero hoping he is going to become the next Albert Pujols. Get in cheap – or as cheap as you can right now – and sell, sell, sell when he explodes onto the New York scene.

His prospect cards are not cheap.

Look at any of his 2008 Bowman Chrome autos. And forget about the refractors.

This
BGS 9.5 2008 Bowman Chrome gold refractor has an absurd BIN price.

One of my very dearest prospecting friends has a prediction for Montero's 2011. Martin will hurt his knee very early in the season, which will force Montero into the starting role. Two weeks later, no one will remember Martin and he will retire with no press attention whatsoever because Montero is on his way to hitting 100 home runs. As soon as he belts home run No. 100, he retires from the Yankees two weeks before the end of the season.

That's when the Yankees collapse and lose the AL East to the Boston Red Sox and the AL wild card. He also mentioned something about Montero signing with the Red Sox after, but I stopped listening.

eBay "Mojo"

Hi, my name is Marie and I have a cardboard problem.

(Group: Hi Marie.)

So, I was on eBay as usual browsing around for nothing in particular with my eBay bucks certificate and came across an Adam Lind card I have wanted for a while but was just waiting for the price to be reasonable. Once he got hot last year, it seems like no one has bothered to check on his current batting average which is hovering around .210-ish. I picked up the card for less than $6.

2004 SP Adam Lind/Ryan Klosterman...


I figured since I was already buying something from the seller and he had a store, why not see what else he can jam in the bubble mailer? The other card I got was in the same boat, just waiting for a good price. This one was less than $5.

2006 Future Stars Russell Martin RC
What I didn't notice about the Russ Martin card was that he is clear when you have the card in hand. From being scanned you can't tell, so that was a cool surprise. The card itself is also kind of made of plastic. I have the Adam Lind version of the Clear Path to Greatness, but I don't remember it being clear or plastic feeling....

So those are the latest cards to arrive for the PC. Sooner or later I will get the 2004 SP Adam Lind /400. I've been wanting to pick that up for a while now, and I am hoping no one else bids on that one (unless they are sending it to me).

Trip to Card Shop - LOOT!

So I went to the card shop today because one of my friends from the area dropped off a card for me a few days ago. He picked up 2 Adam Lind 2010 Heritage black refractors, and was kind enough to pass one onto me for a card to be named later. He also included a Russ Martin 2010 Finest blue refractor /599 which I didn't know about, so that was a very nice surprise. Thanks Dan.




While I was there rummaging through cards and shooting the breeze with Dave, he got a phone call and I wandered over to the case that has auto's in it just to see what was there. That is when I found my mojo, so to speak. There it was... just sitting there waiting for someone to light up like a kid on Christmas drooling. There was no way I couldn't do it, especially since he is one of my all-time favorite players.

HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY!!

2005 Topps Wade Boggs refractor auto serial numbered 11/25



It's ridiculous that he never struck out more than 68 times in a season his whole career. I know Albert is the same way so far, but that is very rare these days. For some players 68 strikeouts is about 40-50 short of where they finish.

I know that most of you didn't know that I am a huge Wade Boggs fan, but now you do. I always liked how he played the game as a kid, and I also played third base so he was like an idol growing up despite the uniform.

Special thanks to The Baseball Card Store once again for the hook up, and for being my interoffice mailbox between Dan and myself. Oh yeah, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVE!

New PC Acquisitions

Over the last two weeks or so I have received a ton of mail, from trades, for no reason from people, and from eBay bargains. While I am going to have to admit I have no idea who gave me what, or what came from where now, I love it all. In my defense, I always email people to let them know I got stuff.

First I want to thank REALjtCarter, from Twitter for sending me a boatload of Jeter, Bernie, Girardi, and others. The cards were awesome.

beardy sent me some 2004 Finest cards of Jeter, A-Rod and Albert as well as a 2009 Finest Pujols refractor. I already logged all the cards in and put them away and I am too lazy to take them out and scan them.

Two 2009 Sweet Spot cards that I traded some Ballpark relics, and something else. I remember when I opened the dual relic I had no idea why someone sent it to me for no reason... took me like an hour to remember where it came from, why and what I sent.


I believe I also traded some game used card or cards for this as well. (Again too lazy to look through my email.)

These I know came from eBay, the Unique card cost a whole 99 cents, and the Bowman's Best was $3.00. I am a big fan of getting a great card for less than the cost of the pack.

The next card I got the first time on eBay, forgot that I won it, paid for it 7 days after the auction and the guy said it's not for sale anymore. He refunded my money, and then re-listed the card (d-bag). Then, Sooz went to the card show in PA and found someone selling the card for $5 so I told her to grab it. It actually saved me a buck by him sending my money back since I would have cost about $6 or so with shipping. When Sooz brought me the card I gave her two options, cash or cardboard (even though I was going to give her both once I got change), and she took cardboard. She got a 2008 Inkredible Kouzmanoff auto and $5. The Kouz auto was supposed to be part of her Christmas gift but I didn't want her to end up buying it before hand.



Sooz also brought me this card that she got doing a box break of 2008 Upper Deck.

Between my birthday and all of these cards, my PC got a nice boost to it and that makes me happy.

Please check out the Sunday Question and let us know if you are interested in doing a group break with us. We are going to do some research tomorrow on different case prices, and then see what you guys think.

What Santa Sooz Brought To Me

Hooray!!! It was another smashing present from Sooz, even though she didn't deliver Pujols himself, it was close enough. She got me a Cardinals Pujols t-shirt, which I will wear almost daily, the 25th Anniversary Edition of 'A Christmas Story', which is pretty much one of 3 favorites, a Spongebob making muscles like I do, and BASEBALL CARDS! Really, what kind of gifts would we be exchanging if there wasn't at least one card somewhere in the mix? Here are the cards I got:

- 2003 Donruss Studio Albert Pujols Big League Challenge GU Jersey



- 2007 Topps Russ Martin All Star Game Stitches GU Jersey



She was also kind enough to bring me some YSL's, a Pujols Die Cut UDx to get me one card away from completing that set, a Pujols SP Authentic- Authentic Achievements, and a few Russ Martin's, and a Cano Stadium Club First Day Issue (which do not exist in Beckett unless they are serial numbered).

Perhaps you will soon read of what Sooz left here with, and whether or not her boyfriend is still speaking to me. Thanks Sooz for all the great stuff, and for spending some time here today.