I Think I See A Pattern Forming Here....

It's getting harder and harder to find Matt Harrison cards that I don't already have. I don't really look for Nick Martinez cards anymore, and I rarely buy a Rusty Greer card on eBay (I just can't bring myself to pay $3 to have a 25 cent card shipped to me...I need Greer cards in lots!). 

I've also stopped buying boxes. My budget just won't allow it. 

However, I still have the itch to add cards. And I have added a few. When I look at them, I think I see a pattern. My last post showed off a sweet Joey Gallo auto. This post is going to share a few more Gallo cards.

See the pattern?

Gallo is the Rangers' best prospect, and he didn't do too shabby when he was called up this year. Keep in mind - he really hadn't played above Double A when he was summoned. However, when you come up the same year that Kris Bryant and Carlos Correa do, you may be judged unfairly. It sucks, but it makes his cards affordable.

For instance, I snagged this guy for less than $3:

This is Gallo's photo variation rookie card. I like it quite a bit.

I was also able to snag this card:

Look strange? Here, compare it:

That is the standard base card from 2015 Heritage High Number on the right. The card on the left is the reverse print: the front is a matte finish, the rear is glossy. Now, I tried to get a copy of Mitch Moreland's reverse print and the card sold for more than $30. Rumor is that each card is limited to 10 or fewer copies, hence the reason for the price.

That being said, the seller had this card listed as "2015  Topps Heritage Joey Gallo RC #647 Rangers Reverse 1/1?" I felt that he had no idea what he had and contemplated sending him a message to let him know what the card was exactly. However, I checked his profile and saw that he was an experienced seller...he should know exactly what he is going to sell if that's the route he wants to take. Sounds kind of prickish, but I think it's fair to expect that of a high-volume seller.

Anyway, the card is pretty freakin' sweet. I'm happy to add it. And I think I'll get back to actively collecting Gallo cards. So, help me out and send me what you got!

An Introspective -OR- Where I Am Today

Just about 11 months ago, I decided to make a serious life change. I decided to quit my well-paying job and return to school to work on my PhD, which doesn't pay terribly well while you are in school. 

This meant that my card budget would be cut back. It was hard for me to do that. I didn't have much of a social life while I was working, so baseball cards were my "thing" - that thing I do that is just for me, to give me an escape. My social life - and budget - were cut drastically when I came back to school. 

Along the way, I was able to save up and buy a few boxes, clearly breaking my new year's goal of only buying one box of three different products. I also got rid of some of the less-essential parts of my collection.

I also noticed that a few blogs threw in the towel during the last eleven months. There were times when I thought I should be one of them. I have only been able to post five or six times a month. I would wonder if anything I wrote was of any value to anyone. 

But I kept stepping forward. Here I am today, writing about my recent journey. I don't know where I am going with my collection, but this blog has been rather cathartic for me. I love reading about other people's adventures, and I love communicating with other bloggers as well. 

So enough of that. Let's look take a look at a card that I didn't know if I would ever get:

This dropped with 2015 Topps Update. When I saw Gallo was on the list, I expected that his card would be through the roof. I put this card in my search on my eBay app and waited as I saw it regularly sell for nearly $20. That was a bit rich for my blood...that kind of money is generally reserved for Matt Harrison cards.

However, this one was listed for $9 buy it now and free shipping. I was more than okay paying that price for the card. So, after pressing the button and waiting about a week, I received this card. 

If I had one problem, it would be that it's a sticker auto. But it is what it is, and I'm glad I have it. 

Are there any cards from Update that you absolutely have to have?

Four Down...One To Go

In June, I noted that I had yet to add any of my Top 5 Most Wanted cards to my collection. Shortly thereafter, I added the Jon Daniels auto from the 2012 General Managers autograph subset.

Shortly thereafter, I added another card from the list in this 2013 Topps Heritage Matt Harrison mini.

A couple months passed. I swung a huge deal with an eBay seller and was so excited about the deal, I forgot to mention that the #1 card from the list was included.

Well, it's time to add another. This one...I was afraid I would never find this one.

Feast your eyes on....

2014 Topps Matt Harrison acetate parallel numbered 10 of 10!

I've been watching for this card since well before it was put on the list. Never saw one. Was pretty sure I would never see one.

Until last week. It hit eBay at 99 cents, so I put in a max bid that I knew would cover it - when you think you will only have one chance at a card, you make sure you don't lose.

So, with about an hour to go, the auction was still at 99 cents. I got my hopes up that I would sneak this one out for cheap. Then reality kicked me in the shin and bidders started running it up, all the way past....$16. Still not a bad deal. 

Sometimes, you just get really excited for a card. You know that no one else will probably give a damn, but that card means the word to you. For me, right now, this is that card.

On Trajectory To Another Project

Ah, the forced title created to make a pun on part of my collection...never gets old.

I was looking through my trade bait a few days ago, and I noticed something. I had seven cards from the 2014 Topps Trajectory relic set listed. I located them in my trade box and took them out to look at.

Short story: I decided I really liked the cards. 

I don't what it is about them, but I like them. I know that Topps refuses to verify what game or event the jerseys were worn at, but that doesn't mean the cards can't be cool, right?

There's just something about them. So I decided that I needed to have a copy of every one!

<Drum roll, please>

Introducing, my new project: the 2014 Topps Trajectory Relic set!

This set boasts more than 80 cards. Naturally, I need to have every one of them! However, my collection is currently set to the base set, not including gold parallels numbered to 99 or the jumbo relics (though those would be sweet!). 

Here's what I am beginning with (pictures only):

It's late, so I'm not going to go through the trouble of detailing all of these. However, if you have a card that will fit in this project and you are wondering if I need it, you can check my project needs page! 

So what do you think? Like the cards? Love 'em? HATE 'em? Lemme know!

PS - Nick over at Dime Boxes is going dark for a bit. In case you haven't already, go give his blog a read. It is infinitely cooler than mine and has all kinds of cool stuff. After you've read, leave him a note to let him know you were there. Hopefully, he won't leave us permanently! 

Is This Thing On????

I'm just checking because I haven't heard much from anyone after my last post. Sure, Brian left a comment, but until he starts blogging again, he's on my sh*tlist.....I'm so mad at him right now, I haven't even taken a moment to tease him about is love of softball (you didn't think I forgot, did you Brian?).

So here's the deal. In my last post, I said that I wanted to start trading for the remaining Matt Harrison cards I need. I even went so far as to say that anyone who traded with me would get one entry per Harrison card sent my way to my upcoming contest.

What's the contest, you ask? Well, I am working on it. Not sure what all will be included, but one thing that will definitely be an autographed baseball with TriStar verification.

But I decided to expand the game a bit. Matt Harrison is clearly my number one PC. However, I am going to add Rusty Greer to the mix. So for every Matt Harrison and/or Rusty Greer card you send me, you will receive one entry until December 1, which is when I will draw a winner! All I ask is that you send me cards I don't already have! That simple!

Now take a look at my trade bait (frequently - it's still a work in progress!) and let's make a trade!

Disaster (Somewhat) Averted...So Let's Look At Some Cards!

Last you heard from me, I was typing a late night post from my office because my computer crashed.

Well, I am officially typing from home now. But not on the same computer. It's officially dead.

Nope, the old computer is gone. And it isn't a bad thing. I hated that thing. So, after having someone look at it, laugh, and then tell me in computer nerd jargon (no offense) that it was dead, I just went and bought another one. A cheap one - I have a nice desktop in my office, so I wasn't about to spend a ton of money on a new one.

Anyway, I was lucky enough to have recently moved almost everything blog related to an external hard drive, so I didn't to do much recovery.

So here we are, typing away on a new machine. But no one cares.

Let's look at some new cards!

I sold off a few more cards that I didn't have a place for and added some that fit better. First up:

Not really collecting Yu, but I snagged this card for 99 cents. Can't beat that, so I happily added to the collection.

This Refractor-y relic numbered to 25 is of the future of the Ranger's franchise, Joey Gallo. He didn't have a ton of success a the major league level this year - a lot of strikeouts but a few MONSTER home runs - but he hadn't played above Double A before he was called up. Some players need to progress to develop their eye at the plate. No worries there.

But here's the belle of the ball, in terms of my most recent pickups. This is the 2008 Blue Refractor Auto of Matt Harrison from 2008 Bowman Chrome. In terms of autos, this leaves me needing only the red, superfractor and printing plate autos.

Which leads me to something I think can be very interesting. I need quite a few Harrison cards. However, most of them are base cards or parallels (many of which are non- or high-numbered). I'm tired of having to buy all of my needs - I want to trade for some. So I'm going to have myself a little contest.

If you have a Matt Harrison card that I need (and don't have), take a look at my trade bait and let's make a deal. For every card you trade me, you will receive one entry into my contest. On December 1, I will draw a name as the winner of the contest. What will you win? Not sure yet. A blaster, cards from my trade bait - anything is possible. However, I will make one guarantee. The winner will receive one autographed baseball that is certified.

So that's all you have to do! Send me Harrison cards and get entered to win a prize pack that includes an autographed ball!

Ready....set.....GOOOO!!!!!!

DISASTER STRIKES!!!!

Well, a disaster for me. 

This week has been horrible for me. I had to have a "Come to Jesus" meeting with my students because they, as a whole, were not performing to even the most basic standards. Then, yesterday, someone keyed my truck. The truck is black, so the scratch really jumps out at you.

But Murphy was really waiting for me today....

I was finishing up a paper for one of my midterms when my computer gave me this screen:

From here, it just continually loops from the black and white startup screen to "Windows is starting..." 

So here I sit in my office, nearly midnight, just submitted my midterm (just in time!).

So what exactly does that mean?

Well, first it means that I need to figure out a way to salvage all of my photos. I had everything neatly organized on my computer's hard drive.

Second, it means that I may be out of commission for a bit until I can find a new computer. I hope I can find a cheap one because it is going to cost about $400 to get my truck fixed in the areas with the scratches. 

So, anyone care to donate to a Go Fund me page?! Hahaha