Early Morning Card of the Day

2007 Goudey #210 Alan Trammell (SP)

One of the nicest cards of Tram that has been made since he retired, from one of my favorite sets of the last ten years. This card does something that I have learned is exceedingly difficult to do: Make Alan Trammell look cool.

Listen, I love myself some Alan Trammell. Phenomenal baseball player, stand-up guy, should-be Hall of Famer. But very rarely do you think Alan Trammell and think "cool," am I right? Well he is. And this card proves it.


Please allow this card to mitigate your mondays.

A Small Bonus

2007 Goudey may be one of my favorite sets since I re-started collecting. There's something about the small, yet larger-than-tobacco-sized cards that is incredibly appealing for your base set. Personally, I think that the quality of the Goudey sets diminished in 2008 and 2009 when they went to full-sized cards, and that the "minis" from those years were where all the fun was.

However, I didn't actually collect Goudey in 2007. I was just dipping my toe in the water, and was still blissfully ignorant of the dozens of product options out there. It wasn't until 2008, with my Granderson collection in full swing, that I started picking up the previous year's set. One thing that I'll often do is start collecting just a team set (base set) for a particular release. If I like it, I might go after minis (A&G), parallels (Topps Gold), or inserts or autographs or master sets. Usually I'll begin these quests opportunistically, like when a bargain rears its head or I find that I already have a card that can serve as the lynchpin of the set.

That's kind of what happened to me at the National. I was looking for some cheap game-used cards to see if I could kick off any other side-sets that I wasn't really working on before. Turns out that I can:

2007 Goudey #58 Jeremy Bonderman Game Used

It's in that great Goudey-mini size, and comes with a small bonus, a mini-swatch of jersey inside a mini-G on the front. Is the card absolutely amazing? Well, no. But it's pretty good, even better for $1 at the National and even better because it gives me something to post about today, with Jeremy Bonderman taking the hill against the Yankees tonight.

With this and some of the other minis that have made their way to me recently, I'm starting to ask the question: does anybody make pages for cards this size? It seems like such a waste to fit them in slots made for full sized cards.

Eye Exam

I got a pair of shiny new autographs in the mail over the course of the last few weeks. They are both pretty great, although one is obviously better than the other. My question for you isn't which card you think is better, but how you, the reader, prefers to consume images of fine cards like these.

So,

Better 1:

Or Better 2:

Do you like your blow-ups normal sized or super-enormous? Please let me know in the comments.

Thanks!

(I'm pretty sure you need to go to the actual page for this to work--the RSS feed itself won't cut it, sorry)

The Grand Scheme Feels Like A Giant

The Little GuysI don't know if you're one to peruse the comments around here, but if you were you may have noticed this snippet:

I like the tiny ones the best. I enjoy holding them between my thumb and forefinger and pretending that I am a giant.

That was my wife's partial response to the Anniversary note. Of course, these tiny cards were at the forefront of her mind, because I've recently been blessed with a constant flow of A&G Minis in the mailbox. I decided I needed to backfill some collections, and 2006 and 2007 mini cards were high on the list. When all was said and done I had 22 new minis to call my own. Here's a taste:

I'm this close to being completely caught up with those sets.

The Big Guy A few weeks ago when Ernie Harwell passed the Tigers held a brief ceremony before the game. They also provided fans with a commemorative card--the specifics of which were very unclear when it was announced. Well, my family was at the game, saved one of the cards and sent it my way, where it arrived yesterday. Thanks Dad! I feel like this would look very nice in an understated frame.





For the record, this is roughly cabinet card size. It's pretty big.

The Empire Strikes Back This blog's arch nemesis has struck again, this time infuriating a professional, grizzled blogger to the point of italicizing his frustration for extra emphasis The offending paragraph:

Once upon a time it was Michigan State that got into all the trouble. It was East Lansing where there were stability problems. …

Michigan State is now the regional example for how a Big Ten athletic program should be run. There was a bad mess with November's dormitory fracas. But between Mark Dantonio's reconstructed football program and Tom Izzo's spotless work in making MSU basketball an elite and ongoing force, MSU has become the Michigan of 20 and 30 years ago, while Michigan has taken MSU's unenviable place as the campus where too much bad sports news originates.

...and the italics:

"Fracas"? The number of kids kicked off the team reached double digits! It was the second consecutive year a large group of Michigan State football players descended upon a group of innocent bystanders and heard the lamentation of the women! Just the most recent incident has outstripped the entire Rodriguez era when it comes to player arrests… by a factor of five! Dantonio was directly responsible for the second incident because he let Glenn Winston walk out of jail and directly on to a practice field! This is brushed off in a single sentence!

This is MGoBlog, the blog by which all blogs should balance their blog-scales for awesomeness. The offending writer is none other than everybody's favorite...

Lynn Henning.

Topps Series 2 Series 2 is out and I'm excited. There really seems to be some good stuff in there. Also, not so good stuff:





These are all basically the same card. One is cool. Ten(!) is lame. Dial it down Topps, you've already ruined a good idea.

Also lame: the fact that Justin Verlander (2006) and Rick Porcello (2009) are featured in the "Cards Your Mother Threw Out" insert set. No she didn't. There is no reason that anything after 1980 should be included in this set, much less cards that are less than 5 years old. Another decent idea that went way, way too far.

There's good stuff too, but I'm still wrapping my head around the whole set. I hope to have cards trickle into my possession over the next week or so so that I can give a more complete evaluation.

Misc. I thought, since it's been a long time since a Grand Scheme, that I'd have a lot to say. Not so much, I guess. In links, how about funding a good cause by buying this wrong on many levels Kirk Gibson Kansas City Royals Card? Come on. Do us all a favor.

The Break Up Has Begun

Liberation.

I'm not sure if that is exactly the right word, but my feelings have alternated been that and regret. Maybe not regret per se, something a little less strong. How about a nostalgic pang of some sort. I have officially begun the break-up of my Granderson collection.

I joked about this at the start of the month, but I really was serious, to a degree. Recall "The Plan," if you're so inclined. Late last week, I overcame the barrier that was having never sold a card on eBay and listed this little guy for sale:



It sold last night.

I also decided to play around with some things as "BIN/OBO" listings. I put together a complete set of 2008 Triple Threads Autographed Cards. For the moment, it is still listed up there. I also tossed up an Autographed Printing Plate from 2007 UD Black, that I took a shining to at the time despite the fact that it is, in fact, ugly.



That 1/1 sold between the time I went to bed on Saturday and woke up on Sunday.

And with that, the selective dismantling of everything that I've built over the past three years has begun. There goes that nostalgia again. But I do think that it is a good thing. It is nice to see a paypal account with something greater than $0.00 in it, for one. It's nice to feel like I have the freedom to look around eBay and actually buy *gasp* other cards that I might like or could be used to expand the rest of my collection.

So far, I haven't made the leap to list any cards that I really like or have a major attachment to. Maybe I never will. For now, I've just dipped my toe in the pool, but I've got to say, I'm getting used to the temperature.

Flashing Some Green

For no reason whatsoever, I felt compelled to show off all the Green cards that I have in my still-intact Granderson collection:

2008 Triple Threads #187a Curtis Granderson Emerald (#/50)

2008 Triple Threads #187b Curtis Granderson Emerald (#/50)

2008 UD Heroes #60 Curtis Granderson Emerald (#/499)

2008 UD Heroes #60 Curtis Granderson Emerald Relic (#/25)

2008 UD Spectrum #SS-GR Curtis Granderson Green Relic (#/50)

2008 UD First Edition #SQ-39 Curtis Granderson Starquest

2008 Goudey #69 Curtis Granderson Green Mini (#/88)

2007 Triple Threads #129a Curtis Granderson Emerald (#/50)n

2008 Topps Co-Signers #33a Curtis Granderson Green (#/200)

2009 Topps Finest #102 Curtis Granderson Green (#/99)

2009 Topps #CBQR-CG Curtis Granderson Career Best Quad (#/20)

Now please continue to enjoy your otherwise nondescript Wednesday.

On The Destruction of Wantlists

I've never been a big fan of creating wantlists. I much prefer creating enormous checklists and seeing the spots slowly checking off until I have a whole page of entries with a big "x" next to all of them. But I may be coming around. I am not about to preach about destroying your wantlists. Oh, no. I'm here to sing the praises of DESTROYING your wantlist.

That's right. I've got a "Big Ten" wantlist on the sidebar with the 11 cards that I want the most for my collection. In two quick packages, my list was chopped into little bits.

First, reader Barry, who goes by Los Gatos on the Detroit Sports Collectors Forum decided to play the role of generous benefactor and sent me this:

2008 Topps Updates & Highlights #UH318 Kyle Farnsworth

It's a sad day when you look at your wantlist and see "Kyle Farnsworth" staring back at you. How did I not have this card? Well I do now, thanks to Barry, thereby completing my 2008 team set (Finally!). I now longer have to face the humiliation of a wantlist that includes Kyle Farnsworth as a member

One package in and one card off the Big Ten down. But wait! A trade with Dean-- another friendly reader--for some extra Granderson Moments & Milestone cards yielded the motherload. Not 1, Not 2 but 3 cards off the wantlist! And these were no shlubs either, but cards in the top half! Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Card #8:

2007 Topps #GN285 Justin Verlander "Generation Now"

That's right, this is the last of Verlander's Generation Now cards that I needed for my set. I now have all 17 of his rookie year wins, and a near-2 pages full of these shockingly forgettable cards. Burden: lifted.

But it only gets better with Card #5:

2009 Topps #CBR-MO Magglio Ordonez

Not only was Ordonez blazing hot to end the season, but this is the last of the regular "Career Best" relics that I needed from the 2009 set. I now have the regular and "silver" versions of all three players. Outstanding!

Of course, as is the way with these things, I'll save the best for last. Number 2 (!)

2007 Topps Updates & Highlights #TRC40 Cameron Maybin Refractor (#279/415)

"Ooh, great Dan. You have a Topps Chrome card. This was #2 on your wantlist? Your wantlist is lame."

Did that cross your mind at all? Maybe a little? Well, you stink. This is not just a regular Topps Chrome card (no, not because it is a refractor, wise guy), this is a Chrome Box Topper found in boxes of 2007 Topps Updates & Highlights. This fella, Cameron Maybin, happened to be the hottest rookie from that release and this card has been SO HARD to find, even though Maybin is still stuck in the minors. This card has been on my wantlist for a long, long time and I am thrilled to be able to check off that box. Thanks Dean!

So there we have it, 2 packages, 4 cards and 4 new open spots on the wantlist. I couldn't be any happier.

Mail Day!

-edit- I had mistakenly credited Mark of Mark's Ephemera for this first package, but he graciously emailed me to let me know that I was mistaken. Sure enough, I looked through the comments and realized that it was Baseball Dad! So sorry!

It has been some time since a good ol' fashioned mail day, and I've actually got a backlog from a couple. The first two come from Baseball Dad, who fortunately got these cards in the mail before the Tigers came in and swept them this week. as well as reader Mike, for whom I need to find some extra Granderson cards to send his way.

Small packages both, but full of punch. They help shrink that needlist down! Baseball Dad was the first to come through on knocking off a card from my Big Ten wantlist:



Indeed, this is card #5 on the list: 2007 Topps Updates & Highlights #UH215. I guess this means that I need to find another card to add to the list! Thank you so much! But that's not all, there were extras!


No complaints about an extra Pudge, that's for sure. Sure fire Hall of Famer? Full Catcher's Gear? Numbered Parallel? Yes, please.

In 2009 Fu-Te Ni was featured in many, many sets including this Bowman, thanks to his participation in the WBC. At the time, he was a recently signed Tigers farmhand. Since, he has been called up and been a key lefty specialist for the Tigers down the stretch. With Bobby Seay out for a while, we're going to need Ni to step up as we desperately try to stave off the Twins.

Mike sent some cards off the wantlist as well, helping to fill some ever-diminishing set holes:


A 1994 Ivan Cruz Prospects card! I can tell this guy is going to be a star.


Everybody's favorite Mustache, Tom Brookens. Here in 1981 form.


Finally, a 1983 Lance Parrish, one of the most underrated catchers of his era. Parrish was a great player for the Tigers and had a long, productive career.

Thank you to Baseball Dad and Mike for the great cards--now I need to think of something to fill in on my Big Ten list in the sidebar! More great packages to go through as well, hopefully I'll have pictures and a post ready for tomorrow.

Curtis Granderson Tees Off in Tiger Stadium West

Last night, with The Ballpark at Arlington's Tiger Stadium-esque right field, Curtis Granderson performed like the Tigers mashers of old.

2009 Bowman #26 Curtis Granderson Gold

2009 Bowman #26 Curtis Granderson Blue (#003/500)

He hit a Home Run to lead-off the game in the first inning. Then he followed it up with a 2-run shot in the second.

2009 Topps #CBR-CG Curtis Granderson "Career Best" Silver (#08/99)

Those two home runs tie his career best for most home runs in a game, something that he had only done one other time.

The most interesting note actually came after the first home run. According to John Lowe over at the Detroit Free Press, the leadoff home run was Granderson's 20th of his career. This puts him second on the All Time list for Detroit Tigers leadoff home runs. Second! This is only Granderson's 4th full season! The only man in front of him is none other than this guy:

That's some pretty select company, considering that Lou played for the Tigers for 17 full seasons and was on the hall of fame ballot (and was inexplicably snubbed by not staying on the ballot after his first year). How many leadoff home runs did Sweet Lou have? 23. That's only three more than Granderson has in his 4th season! Pretty impressive if you ask me, or can read into what excessive bolding of words in this post implies.

All of this happened in a game in which Justin Verlander also tied his career high for strikeouts in a game with 13. I'll bet he was pretty pleased about that.

2007 Goudey #286 Justin Verlander "Heads Up"

Yep.

All of these cards (except the Whitaker) are recent and previously unposted-about acquisitions that seemed perfectly appropriate to showcase after last night's game.

This Just In: Topps Co-Signers with Curtis and a Yank

I've never been a big fan of Topps Co-Signers. In fact, the 2008 iteration drew considerable ire in my Ultimate Checklist review last year. So many parallels! So little difference! Of course, there is one thing about Co-Signers that kind of works and is free from the parallel bug --the whole reason that the set is called Co-Signers in the first place:

2007 Topps Co-Signers #CS-GC Curtis Granderson/Melky Cabrera

First of all, in 2007 this pairing made a lot of sense. Two up-and-coming centerfielders destined for stardom, or at least solid MLB careers. This is Granderson's only pairing with a non-Tiger in this set. His other two cards feature Jeremy Bonderman, who used to be a pitcher, and Craig Monroe, who used to play in the Major Leagues.

Secondly, let me speak for a moment about the use of sticker autographs. Yesterday, Dinged Corners put together a wonderful piece on autograph collecting which included a hierarchy of autograph desirability. Using their list, which I highly recommend become the accepted standard industry-wide:

Best: meet and talk with the player in a pleasant interaction

2nd best: Player signs and says a few words but doesn't make eye contact

3rd best: Player signs but looks like he'd rather be swimming with alligators

4th best: Through the mail with a personal note from player

5th best: Through the mail, autograph only

6th best: "Certified" autograph pulled unexpectedly from a pack

7th and STINKY: Sticker autograph

Boy, those sticker autographs don't come in highly. I understand why--there is no player interaction--the player didn't even touch the card--they are impersonal, they throw off the aesthetic of the card etc. I wholly agree with this from an autograph collecting point of view. From a card collecting point of view, I'm less of a stickler. In this sense, I can get on board with sticker autographs. For one, they allow more cards of my player of choice to be autographed. For two, they can allow for interesting combination autographed cards. Three, the much maligned cold shininess of the Topps sticker can work, especially in a product like Co-Signers, which is already rather cold and much too shiny. This set was discontinued for a reason, people.

In all, the design of the card can accentuate the problems of sticker autographs--far too much attention is given to the sticker and not enough to the players--as is the case with these Co-Signers offerings. Still, all of these flaws make cards like this eminently affordable, and who doesn't like the opportunity to add a signed Curtis Granderson card to their collection for the same amount as a low-numbered hyper-plaid, X-Shininator Co-Xtreme parallel with no signature at all?

Mail Day! (Encore Edition)

Another day, another pair of bubble mailers in the mailbox! Greg at Lake Effect Cards sent me a surprise package of "things off my wantlist" that he had come across recently. I've anxiously waited wondering what that could mean. So when I opened the package, how pleased was I to see...
A 1989 Upper Deck Detroit Tigers Team Set!

Somehow, I had ONE of these cards, despite 1989 being the start of my career as a young collector. I have a bunch of 89 Topps, Donruss, Score, Fleer etc., but very few Upper Decks--maybe because the packs were so expensive at the time. I've been slowly and casually trying to put together sets of Tigers base cards from Upper Deck, but I still only had one from 1989 Upper Deck. Now, thanks to Greg, I have a legitimate starting point for my Upper Deck binder, instead of a haphazard page of random cards from sets that I didn't have enough of to justify a full page. Also, this set features the wonderful card of Gary Pettis looking at HIS OWN BASEBALL CARD FROM THAT SET! See?
Awesome.

Thanks Greg!

The other package was also awesome, but for very different reasons.

2007 eTopps A&G Milestones #10 Curtis Granderson (#/999)

This is the first eTopps card that I've ever seen in person. The pictures that are available online, both through eTopps and eBay belie how shiny these cards are. Good lord! These are really reflective in the way that Topps Co-Signers parallels were reflective and even the smallest bit of light casts a huge refractor rainbow all over the card. All of that makes the card really stand out and is an interesting departure from a normal A&G card. As a whole, I like the card alot--and it uses one of my favorite Granderson shots, the same one from his 2008 Topps Finest Moments card, just Allen & Ginterized. A+ job on this one, even if it is a touch too shiny. It also comes encased in a sealed eTopps container, which is fine, I guess (especially considering I don't have any mini binder pages), but it kind of rattles around in there and will have to go in the box with all of the autos and relics that I have in toploaders instead of in a binder.

The back of the card features a description of his 2007 20/20/20/20 feat, has the serial number and the Topps Hologram for authenticity sake. All in all, a very nice card to add to my collection, and I am much happier that I have it in-hand instead of in the eTopps Vault.


So that's it for packages! What a way to end the week with a flourish. That, and I'm all caught up on sending packages on my end, so I can just sit back, watch some basketball and enjoy the weekend. Maybe while continuing to do some behind the scenes cleaning on checklists etc.

By the way, my Tigers Wantlist, Tradelist and Granderson Checklist are perpetually being updated for those of you interested in Trading with me, although for any pre-2008 Granderson card, glance through my collection first, as my checklist for those is in the process of being updated.