A (bat) Barrel of Monkeys

I'm estimating here, but I think there are approximately 3 billion Rangers cards needed to have a complete team set.  I'm joking of course, but as any of you team collectors know, it doesn't matter how many cards you get, you feel like you'll never get them all.  Never, ever, ever, never.

That doesn't stop you from trying of course.  In doing so, you sometimes find yourself buying things that maybe you could get by without.  I keep saying you, but I'm talking about me. 

That's where 2 of these next 3 cards come in.

I didn't need this 2010 Topps Update Vladimir Guerrero "fake-as-hell" bat barrel #14/99.   I didn't need it, but I wanted it.

I didn't need this 2010 Topps Update Ian Kinsler "fake-as-hell" bat barrel #11/99.  I didn't neet it, but I wanted it even more than the Vladdy.

I ended up buying a third "fake-as-hell" bat barrel from the same seller.  I like the black bat better, but it's Brian McCann and it's #22/25.  I swear I need to just admit I'm collecting McCann, but I'm really not.  I might have if he'd signed with the Rangers.   I've sent a couple of the nicer ones to Captain Canuck and may do the same with this one.  Maybe.  I kinda like it and it looks sharp.

It's obvious I have a problem.   I think I need someone to knock some sense into my head.  Maybe they could do it with a manufactured bat barrel card.  

Pitching makes you ugly

Pitching requires an exertion of effort.  Sometimes when a person exerts themselves, it leads to an ugly expression on their face.  It's not just pitchers.  It can happen to anyone who is putting forth a great effort.

I know what you're thinking and I agree.  This probably isn't a pretty picture, exertion or not.

Look at Jeff Russell.  He looks like he's laughing, but that's not too bad.

Kevin Brown...ugly.

Mike Jeffcoat...a face only a mother could love.  Only when he's not pitching that is.

Scott Chiamparino isn't terrible.

Kenny Rogers...dude looks a lady.  An ugly lady.

He's even ugly on the back of the card.  I really scanned this one because I used to work in that building on the right.

If you thought Kenny was ugly on that other card, get a load of this one.

John Wetteland's expression is ugly, but the worst part of this card is the Rangers logo sharing space with the Yankee uniform.  That is wrong on so many levels.  

That's better.  A better uniform anyway.  He still looks like an angry 10 year old boy blowing out the candles on the Justin Bieber cake his mother thought would be "so cute".

The ugliness isn't confined to pitchers.  Just take a look at the "f*ck face" Billy Ripken is making on this throw to first.  That's downright ugly.

These "ugly" cards, which I think are awesome, came to me courtesy of Howard over at Wanted: Baseball Cards.  Thanks for the cards Howard!

Are you one of the 999?

I can't see it, but I know I have the word "SUCKER" written across my forehead.  I'm 100% certain that the folks at Topps can see it.

Back in 2011, Topps announced they were releasing a Limited Edition Glossy Factory Set of 2011 Allen & Ginter. It was limited to 999 serial numbered sets.  The funny thing to me is that Topps set a limit of 25 per household.  I'm guessing they questioned how many would sell if they were going to allow one household to buy 2.5% of the print run.

I recall thinking that I didn't want to buy a set for $100 plus shipping, but I wouldn't mind having a Rangers team set if I could ever find one.

Guess what I found?

Now that I have the Rangers team set in hand, I have to say that I'm not a fan.  As a team collector, I'm glad to have it I suppose, but part of the appeal of Ginter is the "vintage" feel of the cards.  The glossy card stock is a buzz kill.

Yes, I got the Ian Kinsler card with the team set, but his horizontal pic didn't play well with the others.

My team set has matching serial numbers, which is a nice thing.  I have cards #356/999.  The seller had about 5 of these for sale so I'm guessing he broke up a number of the sets to sell.  He probably made a decent profit if he sold all the team sets.

I'm curious if anyone out there in blogland has a full set of these or has purchased a team set for their collection.  Anyone?  Bueller...?

Going Batty

I'm not a professional baseball player, but...

I'm pretty sure you need two hands on the bat to be an effective hitter.  What do I know?  Julio Franco had just put up 172 hits for a .296 average so maybe he knows more about hitting than I do.

What about Jeff Frye?  He didn't even bother to use a whole bat!

These next two cards intrigue me.

This 1996 Leaf Mickey Tettleton shows Mickey holding the remains of bat.

This 1996 Pacific card shows Mickey about a millisecond later in the same at bat.  I've seen this on other blogs and I always found it fascinating when someone would find the same action on two different cards. This one even crosses manufacturers and I like it.

These cards came as part of a large package from Howard over at Wanted: Baseball Cards.  This is nowhere near all the cards Howard sent over and I do have another post or two planned for some of them.

Thanks for the great package Howard!

The Kings of Vintage vs. the President of Shiny

Have you ever traded a card away only to regret it later?  In my 4+ years around this card blogosphere, I've only made two trades I wish I could take back.  One was for a card another person really wanted and I saw them trying to sell it after I sent it to them.

The other was a 2004 Topps Chrome Presidential Pastime John F. Kennedy refractor.  I traded it to the one and only Beardy.  Much later, I decided I'd like to collect the whole set of Presidential Pastime refractors. Since I started my Ebay shop-a-thon late last year, I've periodically searched for those refractors and finally picked up one at a reasonable price.

President Van Buren didn't scan very well, but with that hairdo, we'll cut him some slack.

As with most of my Ebay purchases, I generally search the sellers other items to see if I can get a few other cards to maximize my shipping costs.  Well, shipping here was free anyway, but I found some sweet vintage to accompany the shiny President to Texas.  The seller had  a bunch of 1952 Topps cards listed and had reduced the prices 40% so I had to at least look.

I looked so hard, I ended up buying 5 of them.  I picked the lower priced cards. Only this Clint Hartung was obviously damaged.  It has a water(?) stain and and a little chunk missing from the bottom.

I love the old Cubs logo.  This Frank Baumholtz has a small crease across the top right corner.

This Ken Raffensberger is my favorite of the bunch because you can actually see another player int he background.  This one has a few minor creases along the right side as well.

I wasn't chasing Giants on purpose, but for the price I couldn't resist this Monte Kennedy.  It has very round corners, but I don't mind a bit.

The final addition was this oddly colored Wayne Terwilliger card.  The background color clashes with the Brooklyn blue cap, but again, I don't mind at all.  It's a work of art if you ask me.  This is the black back version if that matters.

For an average price just under $6 each, I'm very happy to have these amazing vintage cards in my collection.  As much as I like the Presidential Pastime refractors, I'd rather be holding a 1952 Topps card in my hand any day.

What's All the Fuss Johnny...or Where I've been for a week

It's been over a week since my last post.  I'm behind on posting trade packages, I'm behind on sending trade packages (and $$), I'm behind on sending prize packages...blah blah blah.  You name it, I'm behind on it.

I have a reason this time.  I've been pretty sick the last week.  Here in North Texas, we've had almost 40 flu-related deaths in recent weeks and I was afraid the flu was coming after me too.  Turns out I had a stomach bug, not the flu.  The discomfort and fever that accompanied that little critter still put me down for the count.

While I dig my way out of the backlog, I'll give you a taste of one of the things I love about blogging.  As you know, I hold a fair number of contests.  Sometimes I think the blogosphere pays me back by letting me win a contest now and then.

Jim over at GCRL wanted to give Steve Garvey a great big blogosphere birthday and encouraged everyone to send birthday wishes out to Steve.  He offered up a prize for doing so and lo and behold, I won.

In addition to the main prize of a 1952 Topps card, Jim included a few other cards he knew I'd appreciate.

John B. Wockenfuss.  Grizzled catcher, old-school mask and a chaw of to-baccy.  Awesomeness.

Despite Darren Daulton's sad medical diagnosis, I had to smile at this card.  What a pose!

Jim didn't forget my Rangers.  He sent this awesome O-Pee-Chee Jim Kern.  You know, the famous Lanceur!

Here was the real prize.  This is a 1952 Topps Eddie Yost.  It's almost too much vintage greatness for one card.  Jim had placed the card in a penny sleeve and a top loader.  I couldn't get that bad boy out of there fast enough so could feel the vintage.  Love it.  As a matter of fact, I love it so much, I bought a discounted group of '52s off Ebay after I received it.  I'll show them off another day.

Thanks for cards Jim and thanks to everyone for still being here after my brief disappearance!

Going Dutch

You need to go on a little trip down to see The Dutch Card Guy.  He's holding a contest with some pretty sweet prizes!

Go get one, but leave one for me!!!