From Common Boxes to Collection

As a part of my baseball card collection, I collect a player's final card.  But I have a couple caveats though. The card must show his entire career stats on the back.  From his 1st season to his last.  I like having the convenience in it when I go through my collection.   Who do I want?  He doesn't have to be a Hall of Famer, he could be an All Star or just someone who I was just a fan of.
I went through my common boxes and found three to add:

1989 Topps #11

Hall of Fame closer Bruce Sutter.  His heyday was mostly with St. Louis Cardinals and ended his career with an injury marred stint in Atlanta.    I think Sutter should have used ELO's "Don't Bring Me Down" for his entrance music, then again maybe it's not good idea.

1989 Score #277

Former All Star 3B Graig Nettles played for the Expos? Guess so.. I was never a fan of  him, mostly because he played for the hated New York Yankees.  I included him because my brother was named after him.

1982 Fleer #532

Former closer and Cy Young winner Mike Marshall is the last one this time. 2 relievers added?! ugh! Will not try to that again. I added him because during his Cy Young season, he pitched 206 innings pitched in 106 games, all in relief. I don't think that record will be broken.  Then again, pitching has become so specialized nowadays, a lefty specialist could come in a pitch to one batter 107 times in a season.
Another note on Marshall, I almost added him to MSU collection.  He is alum but was only a student. He never played or was on the Spartan roster, so I excluded him from my MSU collection.

Happy Birthday Hank Aaron

Today is Hammerin' Hank Aaron's 80th birthday.  One can argue he is the greatest living baseball player right now.
Here is my two Aaron cards from his playing days. One from the Braves and one from the Brewers:

An Exception to the Rule

2013 Panini Cooperstown

In my attempt to attain at least one card of each member of the baseball Hall of Fame, I concentrate on the former players only.  I am not really interested in owners, executives, announcers and managers.  But I made an exception with Vin Scully.
Not because of my fond memories of listening to him do NBC's Game of the Week with Joe Garagolia during my childhood, but mostly because he was the Grand Marshall of the 100th Tournament of Roses Parade this past January.
This is significant to me because this Rose Bowl pitted my alma mater, Michigan State against the Cardinal of Stanford University.  One of the duties of being the Grand Marshall is that he/she flips the opening coin toss prior to the game.  When I was watching this, it gave me a hunch that MSU would win the game.  Scully called many Dodger games that involved former MSU greats Kirk Gibson, Steve Garvey and Ron Perranoski and felt this is all meant to be.  When MSU won the coin toss, it reaffirmed my feeling for the outcome.
On the back of the each card in the set, it gives the line score of a game he participated in.  For the Scully card, Game 1 of the 1988 World Series is featured.  Of course, it quotes Scully's famous call on Gibson's dramatic walk off home run.
MSU did end up winning the game.  Now whenever I look at this 2013 card of Vin Scully, I automatically think of MSU's 2013 Big Ten Championship season and 2014 Rose Bowl victory.  

Welcome to Motown, Ian Kinsler

Ian Kinsler is the newest Tiger from the trading of Prince Fielder to Texas. I like this trade overall.  It gives Detroit more flexibility on and off the field
And here is my Ian Kinsler rookie card. I was lucky enough to pull it out of a pack in 2005 while hoping to get other rookies that year. A loaded rookie class of Kinsler, Justin Verlander, Prince Fielder, Ryan Zimmerman, Troy Tulowitzki, Jered Weaver, Jacoby Ellsbury, Andrew McCutchen, Matt Kemp, Jay Bruce and others.

2005 Bowman

Latest Dime Box pickups including an absolute steal

I went to the local card shop earlier this week and pick up some nice cards from the dime boxes. Plus one absolute steal. First some normal ones I am proud of:
rookie year card that chronicles of his amazing feats:

1986 Donruss Highlights

 Rookie card of the Tigers new hitting coach:

1986 Topps Traded

Big Unit's final year card with his complete stats on back:

2010 Topps

couple rookie cards. one of a current player and one of a former player

2010 Topps

1998 Fleer Tradition

I have always been a big fan of Mike Lowell, probably because he was good player and a cancer survivor.  Or maybe just because he was Boston's no nonsense alternative to the Yankees circus that is ARod.

And for my steal of the century. I picked this up for a dime. For me, he is the second best all around  catcher in MLB right now. My Buster Posey rookie card:

2010 Topps Allen & Ginter

If I Ran Topps.....

I am going to take a break from the regular scheduled program and discuss something that has been on my mind.  I think Topps does a great job with their base Topps set, but I would do a few things differently.  I am going to preface this by stating that along with a baseball card collector, I consider myself a bit of a historian also.  So my ideas lean towards the historical side of the game.

One thing that really annoys me with the hobby is pointless insert sets.  Some oddly shaped or high glossy/crazy designed set that the collector suppose to chase.  For example, the 2013 Topps Cut to the Chase set or the tons of 1990s inserts in various sets.  The only redeeming value of these sets is that it gives an excuse to put a superstar in a chase set.  I want inserts to be more collectible and historical/information based.  Let me explain...

Do you realize that for the 2012 baseball season, we witnessed a perfect game(Felix Hernandez), a 4 home run game(Josh Hamilton) and a Triple Crown winner(Miguel Cabrera).   Not sure if this all occurred before in one season.  Regardless, Topps did nothing to celebrate this.  Each has been done around a dozen times before.  How about a chase set for each feat that includes all the players who previously accomplished it.  I know the average collector will not be excited for inserts of Len Barker(perfect game) or Bob Horner(4 hr game), but then again, if a person want a collection of all the players who hit four home runs in a game, this would be cool way to get it.  Plus, for example, Indian fans would probably like another Len Barker or a Rocky Colavito card in their collection.
Want more star power?  How about a chase set features each of the All Star game starters designed after the glossy all stars sets of the 1980s.  It is an appealing way to get another card of Mike Trout or Miguel Cabrera.  Or how about a gold bordered parallel of the base card of each Gold Glove winner and silver for the Silver Sluggers.  Either could be a separate insert set or even a shortprint version of the regular issue.  The last two chase sets would be great if you would go for a master set.  One can go back and easily see who did well that season and  won awards.   Speaking of which, how about jersey or auto inserts of the award winners and/or record breakers?

The movie "42" was released in theaters with much fanfare and praise.  Yet Topps, nor any other company, did nothing to commemorate this.  How about a set that feature Jackie and his 1947 Brooklyn Dodger teammmates?  or a set that showcases other Negro League players who debuted in MLB soon after Robinson.  It would allow a new generation of baseball fans and collectors learn about some players of the past.
One final thing I would do differently is for the update set.  I enjoy getting the new rookies and players who changed teams during the season as a part of the update series, but the all star subset can be overabundant and bit annoying. I would make them more collectible.  Instead of a bio on the back, I would include the player's career All Star game stats including that year's results.

I know I am probably a minority with my ideas.  But for me at least, I think each Topps set would be more collectible and uniquely different each year instead of a having an eyesore of chase set that features the same dozen or so superstars each year.  What are your thoughts? Intersesting to see if other collectors side with me.

Trade with a fellow blogger

I recently pulled off my first ever trade with fellow baseball card collecting blogger. Shane over at Off The Wall . I shipped him some Red Sox and Allen and Ginter minis and got some Tigers in return.

Here is a couple cards that I received back. A rookie card of one time Tiger hitting coach, Toby Harrah. Not sure if he will return under new manager, Brad Ausmus.  I think he should get some consideration.  And this has been one of the worst baseball cards ever in term pictures.  Did they do a super closeup in order to hide the Washington Senators jersey(they moved to Texas during this offseason)?

1972 Topps

And the 1997 Fleer card of Alan Trammell.  This is his last year of cards as an active player. I am collecting some star players last year cards. Another blogger calls them sunset cards.  My criteria for these cards is that the back must show all their entire career stats on the back from the rookie year to their last game.  Some players do not have any because their final cards were made during the final year playing not the year after or the card itself doesn't show all their stats.  Here is the Trammell "sunset" card.