Enter Sandman !!

At the start of my baseball card collecting career, collecting Mariano rivera cards was one of my key focus areas. In time this has moved to the background, focussing more on my own "core four", being Glavine, Blyleven, Kershaw and Rizzo.

In all these years I was never able to get my hands on a cool Rivera auto card as these were always way over-priced, especially in his going away season. With Rivera a bit out of sight, out of mind for most people, or so it seems, prices have been coming down gradually and I was finally able to pick something up.

Enter Sandman !!!!

 A cool Topps Finest, Generations, card finally hands me my first Rivera auto !!

Thanks for the visit today and enjoy the weekend !!

Trade package from Italy !!

I have been sending packages back and forth with Riccardo from The Italian Completist for a while now. When I returned from holiday another package from Italy was at my doorstep !!

Riccardo found me some more cards for my main player collections. Here's two cool new Glavine cards from Stadium Club and Upper Deck !

The Flying Dutchman was also included !! Here's some 80ties ones !!

Some Sabathia cards are also included, Starquest and 2002 Absolute Memorabilia !

The package even included a 3rd new Glavine card !!! A cool Rivera card was also in the pack !!

The last few were an awesome Profar Tribute card for my "Dutch" collection and a cool Bowman Platinum Kershaw card !!

Thanks a bunch Riccardo for some cool cards, a return package will be on its way soon !!

Rivera & Sabathia !!

Quick post today with my two latest Yankees additions, Rivera and Sabathia, my two favourite pitchers !!! Let's start with Immaculate Swatches, a cool thick card from Panini's Immaculate Collection.

In my view they did a good job on these !! Next up my latest Rivera ! 2014 Triple Threads !!

Rivera cards are slowing a bit but still included in most sets. I assume this will die down a bit in future sets but for now plenty of cards to chase !!!

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

A 2x3 Heroes PWE !!

Last week a PWE arrived at my doorstep, always a lot of fun !! It was from Jeff at 2 x 3 Heroes !! Like always he send me some cool cards, here they are !!

First up, Sabathia !! Here's a cool Triple Threads card and Gypsy Queen !!

More Sabathia and a Rivera !!

Sabathia's Opening day !!

Let's finish with another number 42, Mariano Rivera !

Thanks Jeff for these cool cards and luckily no-one jacked my wallet :-))

A Home Run Trade !

Recently I set up a cool trade with Mets fan Keith at The Home Run Apple blog. He had a bunch of 2009 Allen & Ginter for me while I had some cool Mets cards on my Want List that he was looking for so a trade was quickly born !! To be honest, this wasn't a bunch of A&G cards, he almost killed my full A&G 2009 Wants !!! Here's a small selection of what Keith send me !

Let's start with the base cards ! Here's Wright and Masterson, whom I only know because I drafted him in my Fantasy baseball by accident :-)

Keith also send me some of the inserts, here's Jeter and Griffey !

There's Jair Jurrjens, who I count as a Dutch player given he's from Curacao !

Cut to the Chase !! Still need a few so theses are very welcome !!

Triple Threads was included !! Here's Glavine and Sabathia !!!

To finish here's two Prizm's ! Rivera and Verlander !

Thanks Keith for an awesome trade, looking forward to the next one !!!

Gypsy Queen Want List is up !!

The last few days I showed you the "hits" of my three 2014 GQ boxes. Still, with breaking three boxes this still does not mean I have even the base set complete. At the same time, I have a pile of extras including a bunch of inserts for trade, even 3 minis. I am chasing the full set including inserts and minis so if you want to trade do let me know ! You can find my Want List here !

As every post need a card in my view please have a look at my cool new Rivera card !!

Thanks for visiting my blog today !

Opening a Pinnacle Box

I recently came across Pinaccle. Apparently, Panini decided to bring this brand to life and I decided to follow their lead and break one box. Are you curious yet...here we go !!

Each box has two "hits", here are mine, John Axford and Miguel Montero, not sure if I have seen them play, don't really know them...

The base cards are pretty plain, here's Kershaw and Rizzo !

Two more base cards, Rivera and Profar (playing for the Dutch team).

Let's have a look at some inserts, here's Kershaw again and Dickey !

Four more inserts ! These clear vision cards are cool. Slugfest and the Naturals aren't bad either !

I like the Swing for the Fences inserts as well, pretty cool cards !

Two more inserts to finish the box overview !

All in all I think Panini did a pretty good jump revamping Pinnacle ! Got a bunch of them available for trade !

Sandlot loot !!

Joe at the Sandlot has been one of my regular trading partners since I started collecting a few years ago. Whenever I have excess Piazza cards or Mets in general I know how to get rid of them ! Earlier this week a nice return package from the Sandlot arrived with some cool cards, thanks Joe ! Here they are !!

First up, new Panini cards !! Despite the missing logos I think Panini is doing a good job trying to get some new fresh cards into the market. One of the few negatives these days is still their lack of any response on my redemptions which have been sitting there for over a year now. Anyways, Joe send me a couple of cool Panini cards including the Captain !

Some more Paninis were included ! My favourite Yankees Catcher and Closer !

I was very happy that Joe included 4 Yankees Stadium Legacy cards, helping me in my quest to complete the set. I think I have a few hundred now so "only" 5,000 or so more to go :-)

Some Bowman Chrome was also included, meet Sabathia and newbie Tyler Austin !

Mantle was also present and a cool Canseco card. Really a nice shiny Fleer Showcase !

 Let's finish with two more pitchers, another Rivera and Clemens !

Thanks again Joe for a cool package of Yankees cards !!