Baseball playoffs always remind how we're getting closer to the end of the year.
Also, as I sit here in the glow of the Yankees moving on to the next round, I have nothing to do but think.
That being said, what set do you think is the front runner of Set of the Year? It could be from any sport, but I know there are a lot of baseball collectors out there.
I think in baseball, Bowman is currently in the lead. Raise your hand if you didn't go out and buy a box or, even, just one pack of that this year.
- On another note, I wrote an article the other day that I am really proud of and would like you guys to read it.
October 10, 2010
October 9, 2010
Halladay's no-hitter a moment that will last forever
It’s been 48 hours since I witnessed the greatest game I’ve ever been to and I haven’t stopped thinking about it.
I have been to spectacular games. I was at the Aaron Boone game. I saw a scoreless game go to 15 innings. I watched Roger Clemens get his 300th career win. I saw my favorite team win the World Series - more than once.
But watching Roy Halladay
throw a no-hitter was bigger than them all.
Normally, throughout a baseball game I’m busy writing copy. I have to work on notes and sidebars, typing up blogs and tweets. By the seventh inning, my typing had mostly stopped (though I’m sure there were some tweets).
I had to stop because my hands were shaking. My heart sped up and by the ninth inning, I could fell my heartbeat in every part of my body right down to my toes.
I’ve seen so many special games, but knew I was witnessing something amazing the more Halladay pitched.
On the last at-bat, when Brandon Philips hit a small dribbler in front of the plate, I’m pretty sure my heart completely stopped. This was the toughest play any fielder had to make the entire game.
The ball was tipped off Phillips’ bat and hit the bat again as he got out of the batter’s box. There is no out here because intent has to be established for the batter to be called out.
Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz dropped to his knees to field the ball and my hands jumped to my mouth. I was holding my breath.
Ruiz threw the ball to first and Ryan Howard squeezed it tight.
The capacity crowd erupted and I slumped back into my chair.
Wow.
The first no-hitter I have ever seen and I got to do it with about 47,000 other people. And it was just the second one in postseason history.
Two days later, the Phillies were still talking about it, but how can you not?
I’m still thinking about it.
The interesting thing about Halladay is his work ethic. Many people would relive the accomplishment even if it’s just in private. However, I feel like when Halladay says he’s just focused on the postseason right now, he means it. He turned down Letterman, the Today Show and CNN on Thursday because he didn’t want the no-hitter to distract from what he and his teammates are trying to do. Plus, it was his son’s birthday.
After his 1:15 p.m. press conference on Friday, which was over an hour earlier than when the press conferences start, Halladay took to the field to start his daily routine. At that time of day, more than five hours before the start of Game 2, the only other people on the field were the grounds crew.
Halladay works harder than any pitcher I’ve ever seen, which made Wednesday a treat, but not a surprise.
Halladay is one of the best pitchers to ever play and I was lucky enough to witness the second-best game he ever pitched.
I love baseball.
I have been to spectacular games. I was at the Aaron Boone game. I saw a scoreless game go to 15 innings. I watched Roger Clemens get his 300th career win. I saw my favorite team win the World Series - more than once.
But watching Roy Halladay
Normally, throughout a baseball game I’m busy writing copy. I have to work on notes and sidebars, typing up blogs and tweets. By the seventh inning, my typing had mostly stopped (though I’m sure there were some tweets).
I had to stop because my hands were shaking. My heart sped up and by the ninth inning, I could fell my heartbeat in every part of my body right down to my toes.
I’ve seen so many special games, but knew I was witnessing something amazing the more Halladay pitched.
On the last at-bat, when Brandon Philips hit a small dribbler in front of the plate, I’m pretty sure my heart completely stopped. This was the toughest play any fielder had to make the entire game.
The ball was tipped off Phillips’ bat and hit the bat again as he got out of the batter’s box. There is no out here because intent has to be established for the batter to be called out.
Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz dropped to his knees to field the ball and my hands jumped to my mouth. I was holding my breath.
Ruiz threw the ball to first and Ryan Howard squeezed it tight.
The capacity crowd erupted and I slumped back into my chair.
Wow.
The first no-hitter I have ever seen and I got to do it with about 47,000 other people. And it was just the second one in postseason history.
Two days later, the Phillies were still talking about it, but how can you not?
I’m still thinking about it.
The interesting thing about Halladay is his work ethic. Many people would relive the accomplishment even if it’s just in private. However, I feel like when Halladay says he’s just focused on the postseason right now, he means it. He turned down Letterman, the Today Show and CNN on Thursday because he didn’t want the no-hitter to distract from what he and his teammates are trying to do. Plus, it was his son’s birthday.
After his 1:15 p.m. press conference on Friday, which was over an hour earlier than when the press conferences start, Halladay took to the field to start his daily routine. At that time of day, more than five hours before the start of Game 2, the only other people on the field were the grounds crew.
Halladay works harder than any pitcher I’ve ever seen, which made Wednesday a treat, but not a surprise.
Halladay is one of the best pitchers to ever play and I was lucky enough to witness the second-best game he ever pitched.
I love baseball.
October 6, 2010
Buyer of Harper superfractor adds to his collection of rare refractors
Then came Bryce Harper
The Washington Nationals drafted Harper as their top overall pick in June out of junior college. His 2010 Bowman Chrome USA Baseball
A tremendous price for a baseball card no doubt, but the buyer Aaron Marcus of Long Island, N.Y., had no problem putting out that kid of cash.
He became interested in Harper when he read about him in a Sports Illustrated cover story.
“He has been referred to as a once-in-a-generation talent and a more talented high school baseball player than Alex Rodriguez, Justin Upton and Ken Griffey Jr.,” Marcus said in an email. “I feel as though the sky is the limit with him. He also has a tremendous work-ethic, and is a hard-nosed baseball player that plays with intensity.”
As a New York Mets fans, Marcus started collecting his favorite players in the early 1980s and continued his collection with some of baseball’s best players. But like many young collectors, he left the hobby for a while before he came back in 2007 when he started a collection of Mets prospect Fernando Martinez.
Marcus owns other rare Harper cards not just the 1/1. He has a 2010 Bowman Chrome red refractor BGS 9.5, orange refractor, gold refractor BGS 9.5, blue refractor BGS 9.5 and a regular refractor BGS 9.5.
Marcus says he has no plans on grading the super.
“I really do not see the point in getting it graded as it is the only one that exists,” Marcus said. “I know that some people would probably disagree with this logic. I generally buy graded cards, but I don't send my cards in for grading.”
Here’s some more from Marcus:
Are there any other players, teams or sets you collect?
I mostly collect high-end Mets cards, as I am a huge Mets fan. I also collect Miguel Cabrera, Hanley Ramirez, Albert Pujols, and top prospects. I am also a fan of football cards, as well as UFC cards.
What made you want to get back into collecting?
I left the hobby for about 14 years. One day I started to look into collecting baseball cards again in 2007 when Fernando Martinez's cards came out (as I am a big Mets fan). I discovered all of the changes that took place in the hobby (as far as rare parallels being manufactured are concerned).
Besides the Harper superfractor, is there another card you're happy to own?
I have a bunch of cards that I am quite fond of. I have a few 2000 Topps Traded Miguel Cabrera Auto RCs that are graded BGS 9.5, a Bowman Chrome Albert Pujols Auto RC PSA 9, and a 2002 David Wright Gold Ref Auto RC.
October 5, 2010
Want 2010 Topps Chrome - hit up your retail merchants
We all know we see cards on eBay before the official release date. 2010 Topps Chrome
has come out even earlier than usual because it is one of those sets that hit retail before hobby.
The hobby version releases tomorrow.
Let’s see what we can expect to find.
- Jason Heyward auto
- Stephen Strasburg xfractor
- Stephen Strasburg T206 Topps Chrome
- Starlin Castro auto
- Austin Jackson blue refractor auto
The hobby version releases tomorrow.
Let’s see what we can expect to find.
- Jason Heyward auto
- Stephen Strasburg xfractor
- Stephen Strasburg T206 Topps Chrome
- Starlin Castro auto
- Austin Jackson blue refractor auto
October 4, 2010
Anyone need a gift idea?
A gift for my birthday that is, of course.
In my usual daily Robinson Cano search on eBay, I stumbled across a 2010 Triple Threads Robbie Cano 1/1
that I would LOVE to have. While normally the game used jersey part is quote boring (read: all gray), this one really stands out as a 1/1 with some cool patches/writing going on in there.
December 10th.
Maybe a bunch of people chip in a dollar.... I'll even chip in. =)
But seriously, this is a really sweet card and I like that the 1/1 has a different game used area than all the others I have seen. Kudos to Topps on this one.
In my usual daily Robinson Cano search on eBay, I stumbled across a 2010 Triple Threads Robbie Cano 1/1
December 10th.
Maybe a bunch of people chip in a dollar.... I'll even chip in. =)
But seriously, this is a really sweet card and I like that the 1/1 has a different game used area than all the others I have seen. Kudos to Topps on this one.
October 3, 2010
Sunday Question
Your favorite baseball team makes the playoffs.
As a wild card.
Do you buy league wild card champ t-shirts?
As a wild card.
Do you buy league wild card champ t-shirts?
2010 206 Mickey Mantle cards
Today I went to the White Plains card show and the first thing I noticed aside from it being not crowded at all was that there were about 20 less vendors than normal. I got there about an hour before they closed, but still was pretty sad for a Saturday.
I made it to 2 tables before spending my allowance. They were both within 20 feet of the entrance... However, one of the guys I buy from on a regular basis had an interesting piece of fabric on his 2010 206 Mantle game used warmup jacket card.
Now if you click on the above link, that auction shows 3 colors on the jacket. My question is what kind of jacket were these taken from with such odd color combination's? The one the vendor had was teal, white and black. This picture may not be clear enough to tell, but that's what it was.
I learned a little bit about how Topps goes out of their way and spends good money to get game used items so I honestly don't doubt the authenticity (that much), but I find it curious where this jacket was from or if this was a coat he wore when he retired to the gym.
I made it to 2 tables before spending my allowance. They were both within 20 feet of the entrance... However, one of the guys I buy from on a regular basis had an interesting piece of fabric on his 2010 206 Mantle game used warmup jacket card
Now if you click on the above link, that auction shows 3 colors on the jacket. My question is what kind of jacket were these taken from with such odd color combination's? The one the vendor had was teal, white and black. This picture may not be clear enough to tell, but that's what it was.
I learned a little bit about how Topps goes out of their way and spends good money to get game used items so I honestly don't doubt the authenticity (that much), but I find it curious where this jacket was from or if this was a coat he wore when he retired to the gym.
October 2, 2010
Game Used... Underwear?
I know there have been jokes about what part of the pants they choose to cut and put into game used pants cards, but this is a little goofy.
It seems as though someone took the time to custom make a custom card of Jay Bruce using his underwear... at least I am assume they are his underwear. Or he could be cutting up Hanes tighty whiteys and gluing them onto cards.
Maybe you are a Phillies fan and would prefer Ryan Howard's drawers.
Or.... Joe Mauer's drawers...
I guess everyone in baseball is a briefs kinda guy.
It seems as though someone took the time to custom make a custom card of Jay Bruce
Maybe you are a Phillies fan and would prefer Ryan Howard's drawers
Or.... Joe Mauer's drawers
I guess everyone in baseball is a briefs kinda guy.
October 1, 2010
Shout out Baseball Card Come to Life
Over at the blog, Baseball Cards Come to Life, Bo caught up with Noah Lowry, who is currently rehabbing.
Lowry shared his thoughts on collecting and baseball cards.
Pretty neat post. You should check it out.
In my first year on fantasy baseball with my Bleacher Creature friends, Lowry helped win the crown in stellar fashion. I will forever be grateful. :)
Lowry shared his thoughts on collecting and baseball cards.
Pretty neat post. You should check it out.
In my first year on fantasy baseball with my Bleacher Creature friends, Lowry helped win the crown in stellar fashion. I will forever be grateful. :)
Hockey is almost here. Let's celebrate with cards
The NHL is almost back, if you can believe it.
It didn’t feel that long ago that I watched the Flyers crumble to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Finals (sorry, I took a shot). But, the season starts next week.
Want a fun way to kick off the start of the season, let’s take a look at some of the newest hockey cards to hit the market. Upper Deck’s (remember them?) 2009-2010 The Cup Hockey
officially released today.
There are some pretty nice card to come out of this set, which is a reminder of Upper Deck’s quality set designs and come pretty cool redemptions
that hockey fans will enjoy.
- Joe Thornton patch auto /10
- Evander Kane patch auto /50
- Ryan Miller patch auto /50
- Steve Yzerman patch/auto /19
- Bobby Hull/Jonathan Toews dual auto
It didn’t feel that long ago that I watched the Flyers crumble to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Finals (sorry, I took a shot). But, the season starts next week.
Want a fun way to kick off the start of the season, let’s take a look at some of the newest hockey cards to hit the market. Upper Deck’s (remember them?) 2009-2010 The Cup Hockey
There are some pretty nice card to come out of this set, which is a reminder of Upper Deck’s quality set designs and come pretty cool redemptions
- Joe Thornton patch auto /10
- Evander Kane patch auto /50
- Ryan Miller patch auto /50
- Steve Yzerman patch/auto /19
- Bobby Hull/Jonathan Toews dual auto
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