Thursday, March 31, 2016

Brett Lawrie card #13 2012 Bowman Platinum Next in Line NIL9



  • This is the first of 2 straight Brett Lawrie insert cards.  I really like the idea on this card, showing off some young and upcoming players.  The "Toronto Blue Jays" on the card twice is kind of redundant though.
  • Sadly, neither player who was to have a great future in Toronto is no longer with the club.  
  • Game #7 for Brett this year will be career game #500.  
- Robert

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Jim Thome card #39 1994 Studio #97


  • I have Joe Sakic and Brett Lawrie jerseys,  sometime during 2016 I would like to pick up a Jim Thome jersey.   Indians of course....
  • I wasn't a fan of Studio when it came out.  Preferred baseball action on the cards.  As I've aged the Studio line grew on me.
  • The 600+ home runs made me wonder if he'll be a first ballot Hall of Famer.  Here's an interesting article with some numbers to help the baseball writers.
- Robert

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Joe Sakic card #44 1992-93 Upper Deck #36


  • The main site that I use for stats, hockeyreference.com, doesn't even list Brian Sakic.  Joe's brother was drafted in the 5th rd in 1990 by the Capitals, and had a pretty good minor pro career.  Brian never did make it to the NHL.
  • This was one of 5 "Bloodlines" cards in the 92-93 UD set.  The other brothers were the Millers (Kevin, Kelly and Kip), the Lindens (Trevor and Jamie), the Courtnalls (Russ and Geoff) and the Gretzkys (Wayne, Brent and Keith).  None of the other 4 cards featured the players in tuxedos.
  • Joe's 44th career goal came against the Maple Leafs, 1/3/90.  Joe had 2 goals and 3 points in a 5-4 loss.
- Robert

Monday, March 28, 2016

Jim Thome card #38 1994 Sportflics #98


  • I was hoping that this card might scan a little better than this.  Oh well, what can you do?
  • A sunny early spring day would be my guess as to when the photo was taken.  Eye black with the long sleeves is the reason why.
  • Career home run #38 was hit on 5/31/1995 against Jim Abbott of the White Sox.   Thome hit a homer in each of the 3 games against the White Sox, which the Indians would sweep.
- Robert

Sunday, March 27, 2016

Jim Thome card #37 1994 Donruss #523


  • Had to do a little digging to see what the patch was on Jim's right arm.  It was to honor the deaths of pitchers Steve Olin and Tim Crews during spring training in 1993. I had forgotten about the boating accident that had claimed their lives...
  • This is the 10th different set that I've featured from 1994 for Thome.  I still have 2 more to post, and yet another 2 from '94 that I don't own yet.  Anything else that I don't have for Jim from '94 is a parallel or insert.
  • '94 Donruss sets are quite reasonable if you're looking for one.  The set is 660 cards (2 series of 330 each) and lists for $30.  
  • I'm going to say that Jim hit a single just by his reaction--a homer would have meant him looking upward...
- Robert

Saturday, March 26, 2016

Joe Sakic card #43 1992-93 OPC Anniversary Series #22


  • The mini marathon of Joe Sakic 92-93 OPC cards ends with the anniversary series reprint of his RC.  OPC took the biggest RC of each of their 25 years in business and reprinted them into this anniversary series set.  Some big names such as Larry Robinson, Gerry Cheevers and Denis Potvin were part of the set.  Oh yeah, Gretzky, Lemieux and Roy were also there..
  • Not much to say about the design really, OPC took the RC and put an extra border around it.  Simple.
  • The fact that some of these cards list for what they do is astonishing after 25 years.   The Gretzky is still listed for $12!   Lemieux is $5, Yzerman and Roy are $3 apiece.
- Robert

Joe Sakic card #42 1992-93 OPC #55


  • Interesting that OPC "updated" rookie cards from over the years and put them as part of the base set in 1992-93.  The back of the card touts that the photo has never been used before.  I'm also sure that the photo is not from Joe's rookie season, since he wore #88 that year.
  • Take a look where the A or C letter would be.  It almost looks as if they cut out the letter and sewed in some kind of patch.  
  • Funny that this card featuring the RC border is worth more than the base card that I showed in the previous post.  (75 cents vs. 40 cents)
  • Yes, that is an oversized border at the top of the card.  Not sure if that was done to mimic some of the oversized borders that appeared in the 89-90 set.

- Robert

Joe Sakic card #41 1992-93 OPC #54


  • Doing a little mini marathon of Joe Sakic cards today, in an attempt to get this blog to 100 posts by the end of March.
  • Appears to be the A on his chest instead of the C, so the photo must be from the 91-92 season.  The 75th anniversary patch also gives that away as well.  Also not sure why OPC used purple on the Nordiques letters.  Any other color would have been an improvement.
  • I do like the design though; I would love to know if OPC had any horizontal cards in 92-93 to see if the design works on those as well.
- Robert

Joe Sakic card #40 1992-93 OPC Premier Star Performers #11


 
  • I had no recollection of Tim Hunter ever playing for the Nordiques so I had to look it up.  Sure enough, he played 48 games for the Nords in 92-93 before being claimed on waivers by the Canucks.
  • I never noticed until now the blurriness on the card by Joe's left arm.  Curious as to why OPC left the card that way.
  • There are 22 star performers cards listed for this insert set, Joe's card is the 2nd most expensive behind Mario Lemieux.  Interesting that he's an insert, but not in the base set.
- Robert

Friday, March 25, 2016

Andrew McCutchen card #1 2011 Topps #60


  • Born October 10, 1986 in Ft. Meade, FL.  Just about 3 hours from where I sit writing this post.
  • That swing is currently responsible for 1151 hits.  If he were to stay healthy for the next decade, and maintain his 162 game average of 180 hits per year, he'd be 49 hits shy of 3000 by his age 39 season.   I'd love to see that happen.
  • I've never much defined a guy by what his hair looked like, but I miss the dreadlocks on McCutchen.  I really do.
- Robert

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Brett Lawrie card #12 2012 Bowman Chrome green refractor #30


  • It's always interesting when I see scans like this; the actual green on the card is much darker than what you see here.  No matter, it's a great looking card in my opinion.
  • After weeks of seeing cards with photos featuring a view of Lawrie from the 1st base side, we finally get one from the 3rd base side.  Personally, I prefer these photos.
  • Notice the tats on the right arm?  That's just the start...
- Robert

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Joe Sakic card #39 1992-93 Upper Deck #255


  • Background stuff:  Not sure who the St. Louis Blues player in the background is, but the Busch beer logo on the boards is quite clear.  
  • The design of the puck on the lower right is something I couldn't really get into; it's OK, but definitely not one of Upper Deck's better efforts.
  • The Nords lost both of their games against the Blues in 1991-92, 5-2 in St. Louis and 4-2 in Quebec a couple of weeks later.
- Robert

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Jim Thome card #36 1994 Collectors Choice silver signature #624


  • Normally I try to keep base cards and their parallels close together when doing these posts.  When I saw that I already had the "1994 Collectors Choice" label used, I was surprised.  For some unknown reason, I kept this card and the base card 10 posts apart.
  • I will always have a soft spot for the mid to late 90's silver signature parallels.  Yes, I know it's just a cheap parallel, but for some reason they grew on me.   
  • Not sure why the character in the box on the lower right is batting right handed.  Jim swings left handed.  Maybe it doesn't look the same with a left hand hitter?
- Robert

Monday, March 21, 2016

Joe Sakic card #38 1992-93 Stadium Club #3


  • Back when they were first released, the Stadium Club cards for me were a take it or leave it proposition.  Over the years, the early releases have really grown on me, especially the logo.  Funny how things change...
  • I keep looking at the companies that are on Joe's equipment while writing these posts.  The gloves and stick are always Louisville, while the helmet, jersey and pants are all CCM.  I imagine the latter are due to NHL sponsorship agreements.
  • This card lists for 60 cents currently, and I was shocked to see that the entire 92-93 Stadium Club set has a value of just $25.  My how things have changed in the past quarter century, huh?
- Robert

Sunday, March 20, 2016

Jim Thome card #35 1994 Select #299


  • Select goes one better than Upper Deck did in '94, using different photos on the front of the card.  Jim waiting patiently for his turn in the batting cage is definitely a unique photo.
  • Not sure what the red triangle in the lower right hand corner is there for.  If anything, it takes something away from the card instead of adding to it.
  • Career HR #35 for Thome was hit 5/23/95 vs. Milwaukee's Steve Sparks.  The Indians would go on to win the game 5-3 and remain in 1st place.
- Robert

Saturday, March 19, 2016

Joe Sakic card #37 1992-93 Topps #495


  • I found myself trying for a couple of minutes to figure out what the advertisement on the boards behind Sakic was.  Some kind of drugs (thrift drug maybe?) I believe...
  • Joe's '92-'93 season featured 29 multi point efforts, but none were better than the 2nd game of the season against the 1st year Ottawa Senators.  Joe had 2G and 3A and was +4 in a 9-2 manhandling.
  • Not really much to the design of the 92-93 set for Topps.  For some reason, the Topps hockey set for that season featured 529 cards, kind of an odd number.
  • This card lists for 40 cents in the most recent Beckett that I own (February)
- Robert

Friday, March 18, 2016

Jim Thome card #34 1994 Score gold rush #167

  • After not showing any parallels for Thome over the first 30+ cards, this is the 2nd one in a week.  The gold border scanned a lot darker than I thought it would. 
  • While hunting for some stats for this post, I found this article about Thome.  I take the fact that Thome was a great player for granted, but it was interesting to read about the doubts he had about becoming a full time big leaguer.
  • I looked at the beginning of the '94 season, and noticed that Jim didn't even get to start the first game against Seattle.  Makes sense when you look and see that Randy Johnson was the opening day starter.  Thome vs. Johnson career--1 for 9, 6 K's and a solo HR.
- Robert

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Brett Lawrie card #11 2012 Topps Chrome purple refractor #173


  • Have there been too many colors used on parallels over the past few years?  Yes, absolutely.  Have I ever met a purple bordered card I didn't like?  Nope...
  • I get that blue bordered cards are associated with Wal-Mart and red bordered cards are associated with Target.  Those make sense.   How does Toys-R-Us get purple?
  • That might be one of the last Lawrie photos without tattoos on his arms.  When you start seeing 2013 card photos of Brett, you'll see what I mean
- Robert

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Joe Sakic card #36 1992-93 Fleer Ultra #179


  • The 92-93 Fleer Ultra set was a vast improvement over the previous years release.  It looked more like a premium set and was well worth the money you paid for packs at the time.
  • Not too many cards of Joe feature him in the home whites.  I'm not 100% sure, but it doesn't appear that Joe has the captain C on his jersey.  Makes me wonder if this is a photo from 2 or 3 years prior...
  • The 92-93 season was the start of the rise of the Nordiques.  They finished with 104 points which placed them 2nd in the Adams division.  They lost to their provincial rivals Montreal 4 games to 2 in the first round of the playoffs.
 - Robert

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Jim Thome card #33 1994 Leaf #382


  • Great shot of Jim chasing a pop-up, shades up.  Looks like a photo from another early season game because of the long sleeves and turtleneck.
  • The foil scanned OK.  The red and blue marble design on the bottom of the card is OK.  The back actually is quite good; it features a picture of Jim running the bases and the vital stats (height, weight etc.) are in the form of a ticket stub.  
  • Very hard to tell what that patch is on Jim's right sleeve.  I have another card of Jim's featuring the same patch on the right sleeve 3 posts away, but it's just as difficult to make out.  Any help on what that patch represents would be appreciated.
- Robert

Monday, March 14, 2016

Joe Sakic card #35 1991-92 Score American #366


  • Decided to wait and post this version a few cards later rather than posting directly after the bilingual version I posted last week.
  • Joe's 35th career goal was his 2nd of the game in a 4-4 tie against the Calgary Flames.  Mike Vernon was the goalie that evening for the Flames.
  • I'm almost out of 1991-92 cards for posting, and yet my list still has quite a few needs from that season.  Going to have to fix that.
- Robert

Sunday, March 13, 2016

Jim Thome card #32 1994 Upper Deck Electric Diamond #352


  • The foil lettering actually scanned a lot better than I thought it would.   To me, it looks really good.
  • First parallel card featured for Thome.  I liked the electric diamond/ice parallels back when they came out, and I still have a want list for the 94/95 Electric Ice cards...
  • Home run #32 of Thome's career was his 2nd of the 1995 season.  Kevin Brown of the Orioles was the victim.
- Robert

Saturday, March 12, 2016

Joe Sakic card #34 1991-92 OPC Premier #70


  • Definitely a poor man's version of the 90-91 OPC Premier set, 91-92 Premier was bigger and very heavily loaded with Toronto and Montreal players (15 Leafs and 17 Habs in a 198 card set)
  • Photo was taken during the 91-92 season, since Joe was wearing the 75th anniversary patch.
  • On this date in 1991, Joe had 2 goals and an assist in a 4-3 loss to the Maple Leafs.  The assist was on a goal scored by Guy LaFleur.  
 - Robert 

Friday, March 11, 2016

Jim Thome card #31 1994 Upper Deck #352


  • Turtleneck underneath the jersey?  Early season game at Jacobs Field would be my guess for this photo.
  • Good choice using the horizontal shot for this card.  I don't think that vertical orientation would have worked here.  
  • I'm not too crazy about the design for '94 UD; not sure why a black and white version of the exact same photo was necessary.
- Robert

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Brett Lawrie card #10 2012 Topps Chrome #173


  • I'm beginning to wonder if my scanner is the problem.  It turned the border from silver to a grayish black...
  • 10th card I've posted for Lawrie on the blog, and not one Topps base card yet.   Hmmmm
  • Brett's sister Danielle is an accomplished softball pitcher, and had her #15 retired by the University of Washington Huskies.
- Robert

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Joe Sakic card #33 1991-92 Pro Set Platinum #102


  • I'll never forget the uproar when this set came out.   "There's no player or team name on the front!!"  Pro Set really did fail on that regard.
  • That being said, I really like this photo.  Sakic battling with Canadiens captain Guy Carbonneau was a great representation of the battle of Quebec back in the early 90's.  With the visible whistle on the left hand side of the card, I'm thinking that this photo was taken during a faceoff.
  • Game 33 of Joe's career saw him in the middle of what was probably one of his worst scoring droughts.  For a 12 game stretch between 12/29/88 and 1/23/89, Joe only recorded 2 assists.   That period was also in the middle of a 17 game goalless drought.   Nothing's ever easy for a rookie in the NHL...
- Robert

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Jim Thome card #30 1994 Bowman # 338


  • The card did not scan very well to say the least.  The foil had a lot to do with that.  The background of the lower portion of this card is green.
  • I don't remember there being a particular reason that the MLB logo was on the player's uniforms back then.  I thought it might have been to honor the death of former commissioner Bart Giamatti, but that was back in '89, long before this photo was taken.
  • Hunting around I found this article about the 5 top Cleveland Indians players since 1990.  Thome was listed as 2nd behind Omar Vizquel.  I can live with that assessment...
 - Robert

Monday, March 7, 2016

Joe Sakic card #32 1991-92 Stadium Club #389

  • Topps made a wise decision following up the success they had with their baseball release by producing a Stadium Club set for hockey.  The cards are fabulous.
  • Definitely a pre game warm up shot for Joe on this card.   Chin strap unbuttoned is the give away on that...
  • I wonder if Joe is thinking "what have I gotten myself into".  The 1991-92 season was the best of the first 3 of his career, but 20 wins in 80 games still had to be painful to endure.
- Robert

Sunday, March 6, 2016

Jim Thome card #29 1994 Topps #612


  • Another Thome card with no eyeballs.  I wonder if I should start tracking this...
  • Upon further review, I kind of like this design.  Not the greatest, but the 1/2 home plate is kind of neat, and the multiple colors on the edge of the plate work for me.  
  • This might be the best shot of his arms yet.   Look at the forearms, rock solid and big.  No wonder he hit over 600 HRs.
- Robert

Saturday, March 5, 2016

Joe Sakic card #31 1991-92 Score #366 Bilingual


  • First horizontal card to be shown for Sakic.
  • There were 11 players listed as part of "The Franchise" subset.  Some of the other players chosen were LaFontaine, Lemieux, Damphousse and Pat Elynuik.  Yeah, I know...
  • The blue stripes on the bottom of the card really match the Nordiques blue jersey.  I also like how the background has been stripped of color to make the blue uniform stand out even more.
-Robert

Friday, March 4, 2016

Jim Thome card #28 1994 Stadium Club #257


  • This shot of Thome wiping his forehead with his glove reminds me of my youth.  Had a light brown glove and wiped so much sweat that the area turned a dark brown over the years.
  • I think Topps could have done better than the typeface style used to display the players name on the card. Not capitalizing his first name is also not a good look.
  • Jim Thome was drafted in the 13th round of the '89 draft.  The only other person in that round to make the majors?  Mike Oquist
- Robert 

Thursday, March 3, 2016

Brett Lawrie card #9 2012 Finest #65 refractor


  • I've had hit and miss success with scanning refractors, but this scan is obviously a hit.  Love how the card turned a yellow/gold color on the scan.
  • I'm definitely "refractor blind".  There are many times that the word "refractor" on the back of the card has actually helped me out.  
  • I've always wondered why it took athletes so long to return cards that they autographed to the manufacturer.  Looking at the amount of cards that Brett has had to sign, I can see why.  It's just incredible how many different versions of autographed cards that companies pump out.  I'm sure that athletes do have better things to do with their time....
- Robert

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Joe Sakic card #30 1991-92 Pinnacle #150 (French)


  • Great illustration that 80's hairstyles lived on into the 90's on this card.
  • Another great shot of Joe stick handling; it looks as if he's going to lose the puck.  Don't know if I've ever seen a photo with the puck directly over the top of a player's blade.
  • Again, paying a little closer attention to my collection would help.  This is the French version of this card, and unbelievable I don't have the English.  Something I'll have to fix soon...
-Robert

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Jim Thome card #27 1994 Pinnacle #73


  • I like this photo.  Jim putting on his batting gloves while staring at what I'm guessing is a fly ball hit by a teammate.  
  • Don't recall having seen that patch on his right sleeve before.  I wonder if our resident patch expert at GCRL might know what that one represents...
  • Interesting 1994 stat for Thome.  He had the same amount of HR (10) and RBI (26) at home and on the road.  Those #'s were in just 98 games by the way.
-Robert

Two months in the books--February review

The first two months of the blog have come to a close, and I've managed to keep on posting at least one card a day for the entire month.  If I'm going to get a solid checklist up for myself and potential trade partners, the posting must continue.


In the month of February, I gained 3 followers to get to a grand total of 4 (thank you Tony, Raz and John).   I also appreciate Raz putting me in his blog roll, every little bit of publicity helps!


I also had 208 page views in February (up from January's 145) as of this writing, which is also encouraging.  I know that this blog isn't going to get the high follower/high traffic that the popular blogs receive, but if I can provide a bit of a distraction for a few people at one point in their busy day, all the better.  This blog is still serving my goal of creating an online checklist for my PCs so I don't have to carry around a ton of paper when I go to shows. 

This will be my 65th post, and maybe with a mini marathon or two, I'll hit 100 posts in March.

I'm also still debating on adding a 4th Player PC, there are a couple of guys who I started collections for in the past that I might start up again.  I'm just not sure if I want to add a 3rd baseball player, or a 2nd hockey player.

Either way, it's more writing material....

- Robert