Good old eBay

Sometimes eBay is the root of all evil, and then there are times like today where you thank God for crazy people. Remember last week when Sooz posted about a Cliff Lee card with an error? Well... everyone was talking about this card this morning, apparently it was selling for around $50 on eBay.

I bought a couple of packs a week or so ago, put them in a pile and hadn't gone through them again... until this morning. I figured for around $50 I can take 5 minutes to check my stack of Opening Day. Lucky for me, I had one of the cards. I scanned it, wrote a small description, and put it on eBay. After listing it, I went to buy some lunch, ate and sat around reading the paper for a bit. When I went back to my computer before leaving for class the card sold and was paid for. Not bad for a card that came out of a dollar pack.

I figured I would share the fortune, and tell you guys to check your Opening Day cards and see if you can flip this "error" card into a hobby box of something or a bunch of singles.

Joey Votto: Before and After cards

I have been trying to clean my desk off since there are about 12 piles of 300-400 cards stacked all over it, and was putting some in boxes and others in my binders. Votto is one of the players that go in my "Rookie" binder. Players that I like start there and after a season or 3 move into another binder to call home (this is providing they don't mail it in and suck).

At any rate, I was putting a 2009 UD Series 2 Votto away when I noticed through the 9pocket sheet that the same card was behind it, or was it? This is what I was seeing, a 2008 UD Timeline SP of Votto.



Now I know I have said before that these companies use the same photo's and so have many other blogs, but I just figured it was worth pointing out. I never actually checked all my Pujols cards to see if any were blatantly obvious like this one. I think the jersey in this photo makes it even worse.

I am still trying to find the bottom of my desk. There are small patches that are clear but not enough. I want to open something here, but I feel like I should try and put away some stuff first. Collecting is messy sometimes.

2009 Topps retail (it's boring)

Let me start by saying I had no hopes of anything great for two reasons, 1. the Goudey packs I opened, and 2. because it's Topps retail. So I am not disappointed by the packs.

To go along with Sooz's last blog about bad photography, I scanned three more examples.


We know the first one is Kouz because of his shirt, not that this couldn't have been some dude playing softball down the road (poor Sooz). Next, Nelson Cruz eating dirt. Glad I don't collect him. Then David DeJesus, or is it.... ???

Here were the "hits" if you will.






I am looking at these scans now realizing I missed sending some cards in packages today. Oh well, they will go out next time.

I am also too lazy to look on Beckett and it keeps forcing Firefox to restart, but if there is a blue Pujols ToppsTown please send me one (yes, that means you). I like blue, and I like Albert so that will work out quite well.

If anyone is looking to finish off Series 2 and needs cards, almost all my base cards are available for trade.

I am watching the O's/Tigers game right now and one of the announcers had no idea that Wieters was being brought up tomorrow. Why do I know that and they don't? I can watch lots and lots of baseball and not get bored. I will probably watch the Dodgers soon and I am hoping that I get the L.A. broadcast so I can listen to Scully.

Who takes the worst photos?

We've probably all agreed that Russ Martin has the best baseball cards. It just seems that the guy can't take a bad photo. However, there's a guy out there who seemingly just can't get a good card.

Maybe it's awkward lighting or just bad photographers. Maybe he just has a weird face, but poor Ryan Braun can't win when it comes to baseball cards.

Here's a look at some of his more recent cards. I know there are crazier ones.

First up:
This is one isn't really his fault. You can't even see his face on this Bowman card. The only way you really know it's him is because of the name on the jersey. But how do we know this isn't JJ Hardy pulling a prank?

Up Next:


This one isn't bad. It's a season highlight card showing him running after a pop up. It's not the worst card, but it doesn't show any creativity at all.

Maybe on insert will help:

Oh ... um ... he just looks scary there. That could be an image from an old black and white horror film.

Perhaps more updated cards will work:

Again, this isn't bad, but boring. You really see his face, and I guess that really isn't a bad thing. But his leg looks really weird. It has a weird bend in his calf.

How about this one:

Well, apparently, the photographers don't want to show his face. It's probably because of that crazy-eyes card.

It's almost like they pulled Braun out of bed for this head shot.

They took it just after this one:

Or maybe after this one:

Poor Ryan looks half asleep in half his cards.

Good thing you play baseball because life as a model probably wouldn't have worked out.