Finally A Card Show- part 2

While I started the journey through box after box of dime cards. The daughter was still spending time in one of her favorite stores Claire's. The only problem is you can only kill so much time in one store before boredom sets in. Her exact quote was ' I saw everything in that store four times'. Afterwards she spent probably another one to two hours following me, and pushing me out the door. During that time more cards made it into the card collection.

Sadly only one Rockies player was added

Juan Nicasio

Juan's had a tough start that will hopefully start in an upward trend in 2013. While in the minors Juan was a strikeout machine. Much like the Rockies and all us fans. We'd love to see him capture that greatness only in the majors.

Another of my player collections is Mark Teixeira. I was excited to find four cards of the Yankees first baseman, and snatched them up. If you ever read my post early on in the start of 'The Prowling Cat'. I am far from a Yankees fan, and seeing him wearing pinstripes kills me. I deal with it though, and cheer him on.

My last player if you want to call him that additions were of the driver variety. If you didn't know we are huge NASCAR fans in my house. Our big three sports are baseball, college football, and NASCAR. The driver we root for is Kyle Busch. With him being one of the huge stars of the sport I was pleasantly surprised to find these three cards in a dime box.

Ending my additions to the collection were some cards that I had bought hoping they were needed for sets I've been working on. Unfortunately all but one of the cards were doubles. Luckily these were all bought from a nickel box so I'm not to upset.

Going with all these cards were a couple that I plan on trading away at some point.Throw in two cards that will make an appearance in a future post, and it was an awesome show. This show from what I can tell rotates monthly between two spots. Overhearing a conversation between a buyer, and seller this seems to be the more preferred show. There was still stacks of boxes I was unable to go through but time just killed me. I live an hour and a half from where it was held so we had to leave. My eyes were starting to hurt as well so it was for the best. Hopefully I can get back up there before summer's end. It's going to be a jam packed summer, but I'll do everything I can to make it happen.

Finally A Card Show- part 1 Mariners

Since coming back into the baseball card collecting. I have done a few things that haven't seen my presence in many a years. First was going into a baseball card shop to purchase baseball cards. Saturday that list had another item added to it. For the first time in probably twenty years I went to a card show.

The daughter wanted to head up to Salem, and spend her Claire's gift card. After reading on another blog about COMC having a person at a Saturday card show in Beaverton. Thinking it sounded like fun, I mentioned it to the wife. She wasn't going to go either way so it didn't matter to her. The daughter though didn't realize how this was going to end. The offer was made to go with me, and visit Claire's after going to the card show. As luck had it, the mall holding the show had a Claire's in it. Talk about killing two birds with one stone.

My first real stop was at a table loaded with Mariners. Figuring this would be a great place to maybe add some new cards inot the player collections. I hit the guy up for two Kyle Seager cards, a Danny Hultzen, and a Dustin Ackley.

Excited about what I thought was a great purchase I had to move on. Seeing all the cards there had me worried about spending all my money at that one stop. He had a great selection of Ackley's, Seager's, and Montero's that could have gotten me in a ton of trouble. So I had to go while I still had cash left. Next up was another table with some Montero's.

While it doesn't show very well. One is a chrome, and the other is a prism. Both cards look really great, and will be happily added into the Montero collection. The one problem with this purchase was it started to get me nervous on whether I'd have enough money. Two stops into the show and I was getting close to half of my money gone. Not to worry though as from this point on all purchases would have made Nick from 'Dime Boxes' proud. I never spent more than one dime per card, and got some great stuff.

Finishing off the Mariners additions was two last Dustin Ackley's. Both were buried deep in a dime box. Being we live in Mariners territory adding two current players cards for a dime is huge. Throw in that player being considered one of the three players expected to be the future of the franchise. I was thrilled to see them for a dime.

I Came Late To The Party

Reading blog after blog of people all sharing their adventures into the land of 2013 Topps. On Friday after a tough day. I came home, and needed to make a run to the local Walmart. While there I was able to get a jumbo pack of 2013 Topps. As seems to be the ritual the first card I pulled was...

As some of these cards have already been shown a hundred times I'll cut to the highlights.

--Chasing History--

#1 Roy Halladay

#37 Derek Jeter

#46 Hanley Ramirez

--Mini--

R.A. Dickey

--blue parallels--

#64 Will Middlebrooks

#125 Matt Holliday

#196 Ryan Vogelsong

 Matt Holliday Emerald Parallel. The reason I'm showing this card is if you look closely it fits into my 'This Is Going To Hurt' postings. While he isn't running over the catcher they are colliding, and that is the idea of those posts. Who knows, maybe this card might make a later appearance as I plan on keeping those going.

 Seeing pictures of these beauties was cool. Getting one in my pack was sweet. It's a great looking picture of a great play.

Finishing off the pack was a card that is going directly into the player collection.

I was thrilled to get this card as I'm rooting for Pomeranz to have a great 2013. The purple colors, and Rockies logo in the background makes this card truly sweet.

I am one of the guys who loves the look of this set. As of right now I am thinking about putting it together. If possible I'll try for as many of the shortprints as well. The subsets are something I don't plan on doing as most don't do anything for me, and would just be a huge hassle to complete.

The Godfather Dream, Or Is That Toddfather?

I just completed a trade with Tim who run the blog The Toddfather. Tim has been posting unwanted cards that are looking for homes. While I love a good trade post full of eye candy. This isn't going to be one of those posts. With a name like The Toddfather, this trade post screamed Godfather style.

It's been a wild week going through card after card organizing the collection. Then it hit me that something was missing. Needing to fill that hole I paid a visit to the Toddfather.

Entering what was a dark room with very little light. A huge oak desk sat in the middle with two huge men on both sides standing at attention. Stack after stack of what looked to be baseball cards sat on the left hand side of the desk. Todd Helton was behind the desk, and waved two fingers on his left hand in an enter motion.

TODD:: What can I do for you son?

PC:: I have an empty spot in one of my binder pages. It needs to be filled, but not with just any card. I need a Mark Teixeira.

TODD:: I think I have what you are looking for. It will cost you though.

Helton starts looking through the stack of cards sitting on the desk. Halfway through his third stack Todd raises a card.

TODD:: This is exactly what you are looking for.

Not willing to argue with the Toddfather I shake my head in a slight yes motion.

PC:: What's the price?

TODD::  YOU EMBARRASS ME WITH THIS QUESTION!

A slight second of fear runs through my bones as I realize that I have now crossed the Toddfather, and what comes next might not be to my liking.

TODD:: We had an agreement already, and now you ask the price?

PC:: Four 2012 Topps Update cards right?

TODD:: That was the deal.

PC:: I had to protect myself so I didn't bring the goods.

TODD:: Come over here!

Slowly I walk to the man fearing this could get ugly fast. Once to the desk Todd comes across my side. With a tough hand he grabs my should before whispering in my ear.

TODD:: Take the card son. Remember though if you cross me you will be swimming with the fishes.

The thought wakes me up from my sleep. Realizing this was all a dream about a great trade, I head to the mailbox. Opening the box a PWE is inside with the name Tim as the mailer. Excited to know that my card is here I opened the envelope to reveal...

That's right kiddies. Tim hit me with the Mark Teixeira we had agreed upon and three silver signature cards for my 1995 set. Thank you so much for the trade Tim. Look forward to doing another in the future.

Sad part is I doubt that trade post will be as cool as this one. We can always hope though.