Strata !!!

Quick post today with my latest Sabathia card. My Sabathia PC has been less of a focus in the last 2 years, clearly impacted by his disappointing performances (of course it shouldn't have too much of an effect on my collection habits but I do see a much stronger focus/drive on Glavine, Rizzo and Kershaw on my end). Well, let's have a look at the new addition !

Here it is, Topps Strata ! Actually a pretty cool card !!

How about you guys, do you notice that performance of the players you collect has an impact5 on your efforts that your our putting in for that specific collection ?

Another Dutch Trade !!

I don't know many Dutch Baseball Card Collectors but one of the new ones in town is Milan. He reached out to me last as he had a nice pile for my Want List. Here's a few cool cards from the pile that Milan send me !

First up, Stadium Club Luminous, cool puzzle cards, Castillo and Puig !!

Next up, more Stadium Club inserts ! Really like the Legends inserts !

Milan send me some base cards as well as I am still trying to complete the base set as well. Here's Sale and Marte !

Two more ! Arenado and Mesoraco !

Thanks Milan for a cool trade, a return package is one its way and should arrive next week !

A pile of Ginter from the Dimwit !!

A while back I pulled a cool Astros Allen & Ginter card. Of course I think we all know only one Astros collector hence this card was destined to go to him. Who's him, our Daily Dimwit of course ! He send me a huge pack of cards in return, almost completing me base set and taking a huge dent out of my inserts and mini needs !!

Let's see what Sam send me ! Let me check over the huge pile of base cards and jump right into the minis !!! Sam send me a ple of minis inserts !!!

Some animals were present as well !! Love the Birds of Prey set !

More Minis including a cool Sabathia !!

Might get boring but more inserts to see here, a dinosaur !!

And then some !!

All in all a huge pile of A&G so thanks very much Sam, hope you enjoy the Astros card !!

I like it !! This Relic is real !!

The idea of relic cards is in essence a good one. It is awesome to get a piece of history that was worn by your favourite player (jersey), was used during an at bat (like a piece of bat) or even played a role in a cool baseball game (like pieces of a used baseball).

The problem of course is that companies like Topps started using phrases such as "The Memorabilia contained on this card is not from any specific game, event, or season" while Panini now states "The enclosed game-used material is guaranteed by Panini America, Inc", I mean "guaranteed" in what sense ?? Clearly, both Topps and Panini don't give us any clue as to when the relic was used and/or in which game it was used and therefore one can get nervous and heavily doubt the authenticity of the relic.

That's why I love the following 2015 Topps Tribute card that recently arrived at my doorstep.

On the back Topps now states: "The Relic embedded in this card is from the milestone event described above". The milestone event described on the back of the card is clear and is the game from May 3, 2007 during which Glavine reached his 2,500th strike-out. I love this level of detail (although if you want to stay sceptic they could have made this up but I would have a hard time believing this).

I hope Topps really continues with giving these specific details, this makes it so much cooler. What do you guys think ? Love it or staying sceptical ?

Topps Series 2 Arrives !! Plenty to trade !

With a bit of delay and a holiday in between I finally was able to open up some packs of Series 2 ! As the blogosphere has already been swamped by all the base cards let me focus on the more interesting stuff for you guys and girls !

First up, my first ever pull of a "framed" card (these are numbered to 20). Not one of my PC guys but still a fun card to pull, meet Jon Niese !

Next-up a few of the numbered parallels: Michael Morse (/64), Gavin Floyd (/64), Jay Bruce (/99) and Delmon Young (/50).

I also pulled my first "Acatete" cards as I think they are called (or simply look-through cards). These are numbered to only 10 so pretty hard to find I guess. Have a look-through Elian Herrera !

Two relic cards found their way to me, Hamilton and Gonzalez !

In addition to the cards above I pulled loads of gold-parallel cards and rainbow variations. The last "hit" of the box was an auto card ! Meet Yordano Venture !

That was Topps Series 2 for me this year. Like every year I will chase the full set including all the inserts so let me know if you have anything lying around collecting dust !! Always happy to trade in case you are looking for stuff or are interested in any of the cards above. My Series 2 Want List is up as well !!

Thanks for visiting my blog today !

Free Codes !!

Just back from holiday with a quick post. Free MLB The Show 15 codes for $4.99 in-game currency. I don't play this game so hopefully some of you will enjoy these !

4HDG-4PN4-QJ57
TEAR-RBN5-2GD6
FC5N-KPN9-2HPA
QGGF-F6N8-L9D8
3EG8-6GNA-EB69
LNLC-RENL-QTPR
4F3B-A3N5-352F
7EGD-TRN7-PNBT
2B4Q-3RNN-AAK4

As every post needs a card meet my latest Flying Dutchman card !

Thanks for visiting my blog today !

Allen & Ginter, Final Part

Quick note today to mention to everyone that my 2015 Allen & Ginter Want List is up. So I opened 3 boxes this year, three hobby boxes and I had never had this before but they all contained roughly the same base cards.....so the bad news is that I still needs loads of base cards....the good news is that I have also plenty of base cards to trade !!

So if you want to trade let me know !!

Given that every post deserves a card here is one of my latest Glavines !!

Thanks for visiting my blog today !!

Allen & Ginter box 3 !!

After the huge hit in the last Allen & Ginter box, i.e. the George Springer booklet, I am looking forward to box 3, my final box of this year's A&G ! This one will be a quick overview so not much comments, just sit back and enjoy the pictures !

First-up, the box topper, here's Castillo !!

Minis, more minis !!!

More minis !!!

Here's a cool, bird !!

The two "hits" of the box, Pederson and Pujols !! Not bad at all !!

Two of the 10th Anniversary cards, as said, I like the framed ones but couldn't care less about these others...

A rower's relic !!

More inserts !!

Two more inserts, Jetpacks and the Gaunlets !!

Last card of the box, the Fall of the Berlin Wall !!

That's it for this year's A&G ! Hopefully my Want List will be up already or up soon so do reach out for a trade !!

Allen & Ginter box 2 !!

After breaking my first A&G box of 2015 today it's time for Box 2 !! The first box started as an average one with not much special. Let's see of box 2 is any better !

First-up, a few 10th Anniversary cards...I have made up my mind....I like the framed ones and really don't care about the unframed, simply stamped, cards to be honest.

The first "hit" of the box, a guy named Rovell ?!? don't have US TV so no clue who he is I am afraid. Utley was also present.

Now comes my best "hit" of the year !!! A George Springer Booklet !!! Looks amazing although a shame about the sticker auto...why does Topps do that....anyways even with the sticker it's an awesome card !!!

The box topper came from Russia !!

Let's move to the minis of the box and as you know: I love minis !!

More minis including a Great Horned Owl !!

Couple of inserts, a Sphinx and a Unicorn !!

More inserts, strange but interesting !!

To finish of box 2 let's have a look at a cool old house !!

All in all the booklet made this box a great one !! Be on the look-out for box 3 in the coming days !!