Help Anyone ?!?

Need some tips today. In the past I was always easily able to copy-paste the Beckett checklist into Excel including characteristics like AU, MEM, SER for Auto, Memorabilia, Serial numbered etc. I was planning to update my excel file to add 2014 to it for my key players like Glavine and Blyleven but I struggle to get the data.

Anyone have the same problem or any tips how to solve this ??

And as every post needs a card, here's my latest Blyleven, Crusade !!

Thanks !!

Trading with the Brits !

I have a couple of baseball card contacts and trading partners in the United Kingdom, always cool to be in contact with collectors in Europe as we don't have many ! Recently one of them, John from the blog Pursuit of 80s contacted me as he had some nice cards for me in store so a trade was quickly born ! His package arrived a few days ago.

John helped me put a dent in my Topps Flagship 2013 and 2014 insert needs. Still not complete but I am now nicely on my way ! First up, the best insert set in 2013, Cut to the Chase ! Curious to see if A-Rod will ever play for the Yankees again. I never really liked him so fine with me if he doesn't show up anymore and the Yankees give other people a chance !

Next up, the best insert set of Topps 2014, Before they were great ! Love this Ryan card !

John send me even more inserts. Here's Wacha and Rizzo !!!

More inserts ! Saberstars and a mini !!

Let's finish with another cool insert, Jackie Robinson

All in all a very cool package, thanks so much John !! A return package will soon be on its way !!

The Latest Dutch Yankee !!

So we all noticed Jeter retire from the game last year. But did you all notice who is likely going to try to fill his shoes (unlikely but he can try!), it's Dutchman Didi Gregorius !!

It doesn't happen everyday that a Dutchman plays for the Yankees so it's only appropriate to get one of his cards :-))

So here's my first, still in Diamondbacks gear !

Hope he does well and succeeds at the Yankees this season !! And of course hope to get my hands on one of his cards in Yankees gear !!

Thanks for visiting my blog today !

My first Dynasty !

Topps does make my life diffcult, being a Glavine collector and all. I bet they know I have the irresistable urge to collect all Glavine cards hence they apparently feel the urge to include Glavine cards in every high-end set that comes out these days !

Anyways, here comes Topps launching Dynasty with 8 different Glavine cards, all numbered to only 10. So my quest started to get my hands on some of them. Here's my first succes, meet Glavine card number  7 !!

Anyone else chasing the Dynasty cards or too high-end for your liking ?

Here's Some World Series Winners !

Quick post with two "vintage" Yankee autos. Well to be honest, the autos are not old but ther players are !! Both were fairly cheap but I think it's awesome to get my hands on an auto by players from the 50ties (depsite not having seen them play :-)).

First up, Tony Kubek who played for the Yankees between 1957 and 1965 as the short-stop. I love the America's Pastime set that Panini did last year, although I would have prefered the absence of the sticker ! Tony was Rookie of the Year in 1957 and won 3 world series !

Next up, Don Larsen, a cool addition to my Pitchers PC !! Don played for a stream of different clubs in the 50ties and 60ties and played for the Yankees between 1955 and 1959, winning two world series and even becoming a world series MVP !!

That's it for today, hope to add some more oldies to my collection !!



Thanks for visiting my blog today !

2003 Donruss MasterpieceSet ?

It's always fun to add a 1/1 to one of one's player collections. These situations don't happen that often but recently I was able to pick up a cool Glavine 1/1 !! However, browsing the internet a bit I am still not sure if this is a "real" 1/1 or that someone put on a nice 1/1 stamp to sell it for some nice money. Here's the Glavine I came across:

It's a 2003 Donruss Champions card. One the left side there is a clear "stamp" saying "MasterpieceSet 01/01". However, I have been trying to find some detail on this "MasterpiecesSet" but for now have been unsuccessful.

Anyone of you ever came across this set ?

Thanks !

What a huge difference 2 years make !

Two years ago I decided to make my Kershaw collection a more important part while I also decided to let my Verlander collection take a back seat. Why you may ask ? Did I know that Kershaw would be awesome in the next two years and Verlander would disappoint after hooking up with a certain someone (or the latter was maybe a coincidence).

Nope, no perfect foresight on my end. It was simply the costs of their cards. Getting my hands on a Verlander Auto or Relic card was way too expensive after he trew a couple of no-hitters. At the same time it felt like I was the only Kershaw collector around as I could get my hands on a cool Kershaw auto for around $25, sometimes even less.

As a result, I was able to have a lot of fun building my Kershaw collection until 6-9 months ago, ending up with 461 different Kershaw cards of which 117 different Auto cards and 105 Relic cards. Although this is still a mere 20% of his total cards (According to the Beckett database) it still feels like a great accomplishment that I have enjoyed a lot.

Although Kershaw remains my most favourite pitchers in the MLB today the prices for his cards have gone through the roof. Even a fairly simply auto card still sets one back at least $50, if not more, while any of the higher-end cards now easily go for $100+. Recent Dynasty auto cards even go for over $200-$250 (vs around $100 for HoF-er Tom Glavine). So out of my league for the moment and I have to face reality and start focus on singles (although even numbered cards have become really expensive). Here's my latest "high-end" Kershaw card, although some will claim it's crap given it's an unlicensed Panini card. I love the Americas Pastime set so I am very happy with this one !

How different is the world now for Verlander cards. I remember his auto's easily go for $100+, his printing plate the same ball-park with me skipping his relic cards as well. In the last few months I started noticing, on the back of a difficult year for Verlander, that his cards dropped off sharply. Printing plates are now like $15-20 while I feel I am often the only bidder for relic cards. Therefore, I have been picking up some Verlander cards. He will probably never be the centerpoint of my collection but I am happy to chase some of his cards for now ! Here are a few I was able to pick up in recent months ! A 2013 Relic card and 2014 Triple Threads printing plate.

I really am a bit disappointed that I have to take a back seat when it comes to chasing Kershaw cards. Luckily I have my Glavine, Blyleven and Rizzo focus as well as my other stuff, including Verlander, continuing.

Any of you ever had this experience with one of your favourite players ?

Awesome package from William !

Some of you might remember that I pulled a A&G RIP card (or actually two last year) and from one of them came a Chris Davis high-numbered mini. Clearly this card was something for William at Foul Bunt. Due to the fact that I was swamped with a lot of (work) stuff I contacted William only recently but of course in the end a great trade was born ! Here's a few cards that William send me.

The trade was mainly around a pink mini. Yes, today pink is my favourite color !! Meet my favourite, still active, pitcher, Clayton Kershaw !! All in pink and numbered to only 25 !!

It's getting harder and harder to (super) collect Kershaw, more on that in a future post, so this is a great addition to my Kershaw Collection !!

William also send me a bunch of extras, awesome extras !! Here's are two cool Blyleven cards !

First one is a 1981 Topps card and the second one some kind of stamp ? Any hint on the origin of the second one is very welcome as the back is simply blank !!

William also included my favourite (ex) Yankees pitcher, Rivera ! This one from Topps Update if I am not mistaken. He also included a bunch of Tom Seaver and Nolan Ryan cards, probably the two pitchers I would more seriously collect if I weren't so busy with my Glavine, Blyleven, Kershaw and Rizzo collections !

A few more Kershaw cards were included, these two are new additions so very happy with those. Both from Topps Update if I am not mistaken.

Although a bunch more cards were included in the pack let's finish with two more Blyleven cards, the Flying Dutchman !!

Many thanks William for an awesome package. Hope you like the return package and I am already looking forward to a future trade !!

Contest Pimping !!

It's Contest time. This time not on my blog (wait for that a couple of weeks !!) but over at Dodger Penguin so check out his Contest Post. Contest seems simple enough with future HOF-ers prices !!

Given that each post deserves a card, here's a recent addition to my Rizzo PC !! One of my Power Players !!

Thanks for visiting my blog today !

More Gypsy Queen !

Quick post today with the latest 2011 Gypsy Queen addition, Beckham !! One of the more lower-end additions but still !! I am gradually making my way to completion as you can see on my dedicated GQ page. At the same time, still missing a few more high-end (read expensive) ones so not sure if I will be able to complete it but it's a fun ride !! If you have any for trade do let me know of course !!

I also noticed the "relic" cards below and decided to add it to my collection. I own a few now, not sure why but fun to complete !

 Thanks for the visit today !

Japanese anyone ??

A while back I came across a cool Rizzo card from Topps Supreme. I think this was the first Topps Supreme (early 2014) which was only released in Japan and/or Asia at that time before the launch of the more recent set in the US (4Q2014).

An awesome card, in my book, but I could use some help with the translation on the front !! Interestingly the back is all in English so the use of the Japanese language was sporadic. Also, note that it is my guestimate that it's Japanese, it might as well be another Asian language !

Thanks for your help or simply your visit to my blog today !

More Redemptions !!

I love Topps' Redemptions. Probably I have been lucky given the fact that a lot of people complain about it (yes, it is disappointing to not pull the card right away and having to wait for it for a while). Almost all cards have always been nicely delivered and for my in Europe it's actually freee delivery as well which is awesome !! Recently I pulled another redemtpion card when breaking a box of Stadium Club. I only put it in the system two weeks ago and it already arrived on my doorstep a few days ago. Meet Chris Owings !!

To be honest, I had never heard of the guy. Apparently his debut was in 2013 as a short-stop competing with Didi Gregorius (yes, the one "replacing" Jeter!). Anyways, the card is for trade so if you are interested make me an offer I can't refuse !!

Panini also does an oke job when it comes to redemptions. I picked one up a few months ago as I wanted to at least own one auto of Jurickson Profar, one of the players of the Dutch National team. This one was cheap enough (and rightly so given it's Donruss and a sticker!) so I went for it. Meet Profar !

That's it for today, thanks for visiting my blog !

Happy New Year !!

Happy New Year everyone !! I wish you all a great and healthy 2015 for you and your family ! Of course 2015 should be another great collection year as well with a lot of fun, great trades, some contests and great new cards to add to a never ending collection. Key focus for me will be on Glavine (what's new) with a key focus to complete the 80ties and early 90ties in 2015 (luckily a time period with little parallels, numbered cards or let alone 1/1s). More on that later because I am planning some kind of contest around that for you all to enjoy !!

For now a quick new Glavine card to start the year well !! A 2014 Topps Supreme !!

Thanks all for visiting my blog today, let's make it a great 2015 together !!