Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Jim Thome card #202 1999 Fleer Sports Illustrated #78

  • Thumbs up baby!  One thing I love about a lot of Thome cards is the natural poses he is captured in.  
  • No bio on the back, just stats and the usual height/weight/age stuff.  Fleer had enough room to add a line or two, anything at all, but chose not to.  Disappointing.
  • Not cheap:  6 copies of this card are on COMC currently, all priced at $1.  All from the same seller.  They might sit there a while....
- Robert

Monday, May 29, 2017

Joe Sakic card #202 1996-97 SPx #9

  • I was worried when I pulled the card out of the binder about how well it would scan.  Let's just say I was quite pleased when I saw the hologram portion as clear as a bell on the scanned image!
  • I was never a big collector of SPx sets over the years.  I could probably count on one hand the number of packs I bought, but buying singles was never a problem.   For the most part they have been really nice cards and great additions to my PCs.
  • Career goal #202 for Joe came 12/29/93 against the Islanders.  It was the first of 2 goals for Joe on the night, an unassisted goal that tied the game at 3.  The Nords would score 2 more in the 3rd period for a 5-3 win.  Ron Hextall was the goalie for the Islanders on that night.
- Robert

Sunday, May 28, 2017

Brett Lawrie card #58 2014 Donruss Silver Press Proof #352

  • The first of two "press proof" parallels for Lawrie.  I'll show the Gold version next.  
  • The only differences are the press proof stamp along with the serial #.  The card stock is a little more glossy as well.  
  • I've already added this card to the trading card database.  Actually, 3 of the next 4 Lawrie cards I'll be able to add.  Would love to see the site hit 2,000,000 cards scanned before too long.
- Robert

Brett Lawrie card #57 2014 Donruss #352

  • Not a bad effort design wise from Panini.  I do know that Toronto has never used that style of number on their jersey's, so I wonder if the double lined #'s that Toronto uses are also trademarked.
  • Panini made 4 parallels of this card, 2 of which I have and will be showing next.   Gotta make that money somehow, right?
  • Saw a couple of videos on Brett's twitter account showing him still doing some tough workouts, hoping that someone will give him another shot.   I hope he does get another shot...
- Robert

Friday, May 26, 2017

Andrew McCutchen card #57 2015 Topps Gypsy Queen #34

  • I really don't mind this GQ design.  I prefer it much more than the 2017 version.  
  • It almost looks like Cutch has a measuring tape in his back pocket.  The photo is also missing his trademark armband with the cross on it.  
  • Bio on the back:  "Finishing five points short of the 2014 NL batting title at .314, McCutchen topped two other percentage categories--OBP at .410 and OPS at .952."  A damn good season if I do say so...
- Robert

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Andrew McCutchen card #56 2015 Topps Heritage #300

  • Cartoon on the back:  the Night Owl has been big lately on the cartoons on the back, and I can see why he appreciates them.  This card's cartoon back describes Andrew's inside the park home run vs. the Phillies on 9/10/14.
  • I never cared a great deal for the '66 set, so this Heritage set was an easy one to pass by.  
  • Home run #56 for Andrew was the 2nd of the game off of Jordan Zimmermann of the Nationals, 5/17/12.  Both of the homers were solo shots and helped the Pirates to a 5-3 win.
- Robert

Monday, May 22, 2017

Joe Sakic card #201 1996-97 Leaf Preferred Steel Power #1

  • Pretty sharp looking card, love the lightning bolts which are actually die cut and not just foil on the card.  It's a little hard to see, but the lower right hand corner commemorates his 51 goals from the previous season.  
  • Card is serial #'d 2355/2500 which back then was somewhat limited.  Now for a lot of sets, that's more of a base parallel (a la Topps Gold parallels).
  • Bio on the back:  Joe got off to a great start in the 95-96 season, winning Player of the Week honors for the week ending 10/21/96.  That included a 6 point effort against the Oilers (1G, 5A).
- Robert

Sunday, May 21, 2017

Jim Thome card #201 1999 Fleer Ultra RBI Kings #11

  • I don't remember a whole lot of inserts from the Ultra brand over the years.  I was strictly a gold medallion chaser when I did chase Ultra cards.  
  • Having said that, this RBI Kings insert is not all that bad.  Reminds me of a tie-dyed T-shirt from the 60's.
  • Good company:  the back of the card describes Jim's 96 & 97 seasons with 35+HR and 100+RBI's being the first back-to-back from an AL left handed hitter since the great Carl Yastrzemski in '69& '70.
- Robert

Saturday, May 20, 2017

Andrew McCutchen card #55 2015 Topps Opening Day blue #66

  • I like that you're able to tell that the card is the blue parallel without the blue taking over the card.  
  • Another card added to the Trading Card Database.  Trying to do my part to get the site to 2 million images (just over 132,000 to go).
  • I was surprised that there wasn't any of these for sale on COMC when I looked earlier today.  Don't look on ebay either, because I didn't find any there.  Can't be that limited, can they?
- Robert

Andrew McCutchen card #54 2015 Topps Opening Day #66

  • This picture is OK,  but the on deck variation of this card is something that I'd love to get a hold of.  Has a great shot of the Pittsburgh skyline and the right field bleachers of PNC Park in the background.
  • Have the blue parallel of this card (which I'll show later today), but would also like to have the black and purple versions as well.
  • 66 copies of this card on Sportlots right now, all but 5 of them priced at 18 cents.  One seller has his priced at COMC levels (38 cents).  
- Robert

Thursday, May 18, 2017

Brett Lawrie card #56 2014 Topps Heritage #38

  • It's a bird, it's a plane!!  OK, we're not exactly sure what Brett happens to be looking at while this photo was taken.  
  • Full stats on the back:  Love what Heritage did here; to me it's interesting to read about the journey that Brett took before hitting the majors full time.  Brett tore up the PCL in 2011, hitting .353 with 103 hits in just 69 games before being called up to the Jays.  48 of those 103 hits were for extra bases, including 18 round trippers.
  • About as common as commons get:  as a follow up to the earlier post from today, there are 196 copies of this card available on Sportlots.  Just one seller has his priced at more than the minimum 18 cents.  His 2 copies will be on hand for a long time at 30 cents.
- Robert

Brett Lawrie card #55 2014 Topps #448


  • The Lawrie jersey I own is the same dark blue that is featured in this photo.  I prefer it before any of the other variations that the Jays wear.
  • Even though this is the same old throwing pose that is used on several of Lawrie's cards, this one actually captures the ball in the top of the frame, which is rarely seen on Brett's cards.  I like it.
  • There are 175 copies of this card currently on Sportlots, 11 of which are priced above the 18 cent minimum.  1 of them is at 50 cents.  I hope that seller is willing to sit on the card (and probably most of his inventory) for a long time.
- Robert

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Brett Lawrie card #54 2014 Topps Gypsy Queen black mini #176

  • I think I picked this card up for around $3, and I remember being very happy about getting it for that cheap at the time.  
  • Serial #'d 29/199, this is another card I was able to add to the Trading Card database.  
  • The one big thing that really detracts me from getting a lot more of Brett's cards is the same throwing pose that is used repeatedly.  Would have loved to see companies use something different for the base cards for Brett.
- Robert

Brett Lawrie card #53 2013 Topps Chasing the Dream #CD-24

  • Not sure if Brett is still chasing the dream, as he is still without a contract.  At 27, he's still young enough to get a few more years in the bigs should the right situation present itself.
  • I've missed about 4 days this month, so I'm going to try and get some 2 a day posts in to try and catch up.  I'm also trying to push forward and get my entire Lawrie and McCutchen PC's posted so I can concentrate on Sakic, Thome and Potvin.
  • Not a bad design on the card, I especially like it because the Jays had switched back to the old style logo.  I never was a huge fan of the logo from the early 2000s, it just never sat right with me.
- Robert

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Andrew McCutchen card #53 2014 Panini #202

  • Scanned just like a refractor would scan, with that yellowish gold border.  Looks great!
  • Bio on the back:  "...,besting the Arizona first baseman by snagging 28 of 30 first place votes."  The other two first place votes didn't go to Paul Goldschmidt, who finished 2nd in the voting.  They went to Yadier Molina, who finished 3rd.
  • This was another card I managed to find at the monthly card show on the weekend.  Only today did I find out that it is a SP card from the 2014 set.  The common SPs run about $3, so getting this for $1.67 (3 for 5 bucks box) was a fairly good deal.
- Robert

Monday, May 15, 2017

Andrew McCutchen card #52 2014 Topps Chrome Orange Refractor #105

  • Convenience > Price:  Bought this at the monthly card show this past week out of a 3/$5 box.  Lowest card right now is 74 cents on COMC, but seeing this at the show and knowing I needed it for the Cutch PC won out.
  • Also was able to add this card to the Trading Card Database.  Having luck with a few of Andrew's cards, which is surprising.  
  • May have to chase down the Blue and Purple variations, which are a little more pricey but the look of them will win out in the end.
- Robert

Sunday, May 14, 2017

Andrew McCutchen card #51 2015 Bowman Silver #115

  • The silver foil on the logo and Andrew's name scanned out very black.  But I guess that's how Bowman justified the silver designation for this parallel.
  • One thing I noticed once I had this card on screen is Andrew's helmet.  Don't know if that is pine tar or some other kind of gripping element on the right side, but it looks very yellowish/gold, which would be appropriate for the team's color scheme.
  • Card is serial #'d 47/499.  There are several other colors for this Bowman rainbow, but realistically I'd like to have the Purple (/250), Blue (/150) and Green (/99).  
  • I was also surprised that this wasn't already added to the Trading Card Database.   That situation has been rectified.
- Robert

Friday, May 12, 2017

Andrew McCutchen card #50 2015 Bowman #115

  • One of my favorite Bowman designs, clean, nothing fancy.  Even the parallels look really nice (have the silver border coming up next for Cutch).
  • Bio on the back:  Led NL in OBP and OPS (.952) in 2014.  How the mighty have fallen over the past couple of years.   Still hoping that Andrew turns it around this year.
  • One of the cheapest cards for McCutchen on COMC right now.  The lowest price on this card is just 37 cents.  Spring cleaning on the site I'm sure is helping that right now.
- Robert

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Brett Lawrie card #52 2013 Topps MLB Sticker #40

  • Don't have very many stickers at all for my PC's, so it's a nice change to be able to show off something a little different.
  • Love the photo on this sticker, you can actually see the dirt flying in the air on the left hand side.
  • Nothing on the back save for the various licensing statements.  Not much you really can put back there with the smaller size anyhow.
  • Back also doesn't really need to have anything on it if you're going to peel and stick into the book as it's intended.
- Robert

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Andrew McCutchen card #49 2015 Topps Update #US100


  • Pretty cool shot of then rivals McCutchen and Todd Frazier high fiving each other at the ASG.  It was sad that the Reds tore down most of their team; it was a pretty good rivalry going for a few years between the Reds and Bucs.
  • Bio on the back details how McCutchen was actually a replacement for the injured Giancarlo Stanton in the '15 ASG, garnering Cutch his 5th straight all star appearance.  Sadly, it appears that this is going to be the 2nd season in a row that Cutch won't be going, unless he turns things around quick.
  • In his 5 ASG's, Andrew is 3 for 11 with a solo home run to his credit.  The HR was off of Tampa's Chris Archer.
- Robert

Sunday, May 7, 2017

Joe Sakic card #200 2014-15 Upper Deck Game Jersey #GJ-JS

  • Similar to yesterday's Jim Thome bat card, I wanted to show something jersey related for Sakic's 200th card.  I know that the jersey swatch is white but...
  • I love this card for the simple fact that Joe is wearing the black team Canada jersey, which became an instant favorite for me.  One day I'd love to have one with Sakic and #91 on the back.
  • There are a pair of these cards on COMC right now, one with a black swatch, the other with a red one, both priced at $7.25.  A reasonable price indeed for Sakic jersey cards, although I believe I paid right around $5 for my copy.  
- Robert

Saturday, May 6, 2017

Jim Thome card #200 2001 SP Game Bat Milestone Edition #M-JT


  • As this as the bat piece is on this card, I'm sure that UD must have been able to make thousands of these cards from just one bat.  I may have had a splinter or two back in the day bigger than this. 
  • Never the less, I like that they "burned" the Indians logo into the bat piece.
  • The good and bad of the game that is mentioned on the front.   The good is Jim hit both homers off of Roger Clemens.   The bad is the Indians lost 9-4 to the Yankees.
  • I still have a few more Thome bat & jersey cards to show.  I'm thinking of showing them every 50 cards to mix them in.
- Robert

Friday, May 5, 2017

Andrew McCutchen card #48 2014 Topps Chrome #105

  • It amazes me how a silver foil card once scanned turns black.  Never will I understand how that happens.   At least with the Pirates color scheme, the card looks that much better.  
  • No arm band on Cutch's right arm with the cross.  Wonder if that was airbrushed out by Topps.
  • It's surprising how cheap this card is on COMC right now.  For as little as 41 cents, this card can be yours.  The refractor version is even cheaper at 40 cents.   Hmmm, wonder if I need the refractor...
- Robert

Thursday, May 4, 2017

Andrew McCutchen card #47 2014 Topps Chrome Chrome Connections die cut #CC-AM

  • Was shocked to find that this card hadn't been added to the Trading Card Database.  That has been taken care of...
  • Love how this scanned.  I've had a lot of luck the past couple of weeks with Chrome cards scanning really well for me.  Not sure what I'm doing differently.
  • The connection that Topps does on this card are the 20HR/20SB seasons that Cutch and Barry Bonds attained.  Bonds had 4 of those as a Pirate, while Andrew is stuck at 3 because he failed to hit 20 steals each of the past 2 years.
- Robert

Tuesday, May 2, 2017

Joe Sakic card #199 1996-97 Flair #21

  • I was kind of worried how this card would scan when I saw the kind of grainy background.  Amazed that it scanned as well as it did, even Joe's name and the Flair All-Star at the top are visible.
  • Back is unfortunately kind of plain, just career stats and your standard height/weight birthplace info.  Had plenty of room on the bottom for a couple of write up lines.  Oh well.
  • Kind of a tight range on the 11 copies currently for sale on COMC, ranging from $1 to $1.75.  The blue ice version (which I need) has just 1 copy at $24.25.  A little extreme if you ask me, even if it is only 250 copies total.
- Robert

Monday, May 1, 2017

Jim Thome card #199 1999 Topps Finest #268

  • This shall forever remain in its protective coating.  One bad experience has killed my curiosity for life.
  • Bio on the back:  "Thome calls himself a very simple, very average guy."  Probably one of the big reasons that I collect him.  Nothing flashy, just a steady career with 600+ home runs as part of a few very potent hitting teams.
  • Checked out prices on COMC, relatively cheap for the base version of this card, ranging anywhere from 55 cents to $1.50.  Refractor, well the only copy of this refractor will set you back almost $6.
  • Looking forward to spring cleaning on COMC, hoping to add some good cards to my Thome and Sakic collections on the cheap.
- Robert