Throwback Thursdays - 10.31.2013

Every Thursday, I post a card showing a ballplayer wearing a throwback uniform from my collection. Hopefully, he will be wearing it well, with proper pants blousing. I'll try not to duplicate a uniform. The picture may be from the front of the card, or the back. Enjoy the uniforms from years past.

Jake Peavy - 2008 Upper Deck - San Diego Padres

Getting the job done

I had planned to put up a quick post yesterday highlighting one more small trade package I received, but I just didn't have the energy. I was plum tuckered out. See, I had to do some auto work yesterday. Major work at that.

I always wonder what I look like to the guy (or girl) on the other side of the counter when I walk into the shop. I don't think I carry the whole "do it yourself" vibe. I don't dress that way. I don't have the working man hands of a DIY-er. I have worked in corporate America a good 20+ years. But I do my own auto repairs when possible because I just cannot afford to pay for them. Oil changes, belts, A/C recharge, brakes and rotors, water pumps, alternators - you name it. When I am only paying for the parts, the cost drops.

My project yesterday was my daughter's car. She got into a minor fender bender. On a car we purchased for her not 3 months ago.

Not pretty. When the car was towed home, the wheel was resting on the underside of the fender. While the impact was pretty light, and no one was hurt, the other car caused the axel to break apart, and broke the knuckle, which was why it was riding so low.

Needless to say, this would be my hardest repair ever. Oh, I could take it in and spend about a grand or more to get it fixed, but I decided to do it myself with $55 worth of parts from my local junkyard, along with a little neighborly help in the form of tools. I ended up having to put another $25 on the tab, as the outer tie rod was pretty shot and needed to be replaced, but after about 7 hours, we have this.

Still need a new fender and bumper cover, but the headlamp is totally destroyed. I am looking at another $200 or so. It test drove fine for me, and my daughter just went over to her friend's house, so I think I pulled off a minor miracle. It's amazing what a lot of energy and hard work will reward you.

Kind of like my 2011 Kimball Champions set (nice story transition, eh)? Paul from the little too quiet Baseball Card Snob (get blogging, dude) emailed me with a few needs he could help me with. I was able to find a fair amount to knock off his needs and the USPS did the rest, as in they got his package to me undamaged. I hope the same is true for mine. He hit my 2013 Topps needs, and 9 Kimballs.

Yes, that is only 8 of them - my OCD wouldn't let one blank space be shown. However, when I posted the Kimball needs to my want list, I never thought I would be getting as close to finishing the set as I am. Still have 26 cards to go, and hopefully a few of you are sitting on some you are willing to part with.

Piles

Let's get back to the rest of the scans from Wednesday's post. I had a flurry of energy with the cards that I have received, and turned the stacks of cards...

.....into more stacks of cards. See, I finally tackled the last vestige of the Big Sort - duplicates. I took the time to sort the ChiSox I had broken down by year into Sox I had by set. Which means a lot of dupes, especially 2006 forward. Trust me - that's cool. I'll find places to get them. Worst case, I donate. I am not bothered in the least. In the end, though - I still got piles of cards just begging for an errant elbow. Sure, they are not on my desk, but their mere existence, their towering height, and the force known as gravity tempt me to knock them over.

I do believe thou can sucketh on it.

However, no matter the cards within, each trade I make is always filled with something good and awesome. Take Kerry from Cards on Cards. Now, we know he's in a much better mood than 90% of the rest of us this time of October. I hope that mood is what had him choose the cards he sent me a week or so ago. I think this is a trade, but heck if I remember what I sent him. I am sure it was cool stuff.

Yummy Topps Chrome. I have bought a grand total of one rack pack. And then I learned no Beckham card for my raindow, so I didn't bother to pick up anymore. Kerry hit we with ex-Sox Peavy, Konerko and a sweet x-fractor of Sale. He also threw in some throwback cards. Yes, AJ is in a throwback. You can see it better on the 1st base coach in the background. He also included about 20 cards towards a couple 2013 set want lists, so that made for good page editing.

Another '13 Heritage SP off the list, along with a Topps ad card. I need all the teams, folks, so check them before you pitch them! The Fleer Gamer Thomas is an interesting die cut, and a sweet addition.

That is MOSTLY double you are seeing. I don't think the scan shows it, but these are different cards. The foil logo in the upper right is a different color on each - green on the left and silver on the right. I have no idea the ratio of each color (I have another with black foil). More parallels created to drive us all frigging crazy. 

Hop on.

Thanks a bunch for the cards, Kerry. The other blogger I need to thank is Spiegel from Nomo's Sushi Platter. I while back, I pulled a Ethier relic from a 2013 pack of A&G. Plaschke Greg directed me towards Speigel as a Ethier collector. I hate holding cards that don't fit my collection, so a few emails and we had addresses to mail back and forth. Spiegel did a great job hitting some needs.

The Kimball minis, when I decided to chase the set, was a bit of a crazy idea. I figured it would be pretty tough. However, I have slowly knocked off the needs via blogger trades, and here are two awesome old timers to knock off the list. Hey GCRL - check out the double play on the Rizzuto.

Zero desire to get a single pack of these, so I appreciate these two cards in the package.

What a difference 20 years makes in regard to a ""gold" card. Unfortunately, I couldn't flip that Ethier relic into either of the Sox relics in 2013 A&G. And frankly, I am pretty cool with that, when I get this:

That is a mighty fine auto from Tank. I am guessing you got this TTM, Speigel. I just know having this saves me a few stamps. Thanks for the great trade, Speigel!

So there you have it. I am all set to receive and sort any ChiSox card dumps you readers can drop on me. Which, I am sure, I will end up dropping on the floor. Thanks a lot, Isaac.

Throwback Thursdays - 10.24.2013

Every Thursday, I post a card showing a ballplayer wearing a throwback uniform from my collection. Hopefully, he will be wearing it well, with proper pants blousing. I'll try not to duplicate a uniform. The picture may be from the front of the card, or the back. Enjoy the uniforms from years past.

Luis Avilan - 2013 Topps Update - Atlanta Black Crackers

Nothing left but the organizing

It's been a flurry of packages coming in at Lodge 2x3. The past week I think I have received about 15 mailings of cards, whether PWEs or envelopes with padding. For a while it was stacks on my desk - one, two or 12 piles of that are just waiting to get knocked over. Until you scan, there they sit. Well, inbetween periods of last night's Hawks win, I got the last of my scanning done. Trades I need to post along with 5 packs to display at APTBNL. The only thing left to do is go through the myriad of ChiSox cards and get them in their respective years. But we have five great evnvelopes I have received from bloggers that are due some love from me, so let's show three today and the other two on Friday (Throwback Thursday post tomorrow). And who knows what will show up in those two days.

Robert runs the fun $30 a Week blog. I believe I saw a few cards on his want list, and I am always matching any serialed cards to his needs. Robert sent a small package (just 9 cards) but nine pieces of needs.

Along with the 6 cards Robert knocked off my 2013 A&G base set needs, he included an insert card for Curious Cases, a SP for the 2013 Heritage and a super sweet OPC retro of Captain Serious. Thanks!

Next up is Chris from Nacho Grande, a daily visit for me. I am going to jump on his trade stacks one of these days, but until then, I shoot Chris any Larkins I find, along with other Reds via PWE. Chris was kind enough to also beat on my '13 A&G list with about 25 cards. Here's a 3 card highlight.

Another insert card. I just love the bat barrel shot of Harmon, and the windbreaker under Whitey's uniform. Don't see that look anymore. Thanks Chris!

Last up today is Matt from Once a Cub. Matt and I pretty much have one of those vacuum tubes between our two houses. I rip packs and pull Cubs, and Matt seems to pull White Sox. At least we have someone to send them to. Matt did a bit of a ChiSox dump on me along with some special cards inserted.

I really REALLY like this set from Upper Deck. You see a far amount of images you don't see often on cards, though I think that Lopez was shown on this year's GQ. Doesn't matter because this is a nice trio of cards, and for the few I have of this set, all new additions.

For a Pale Hose collector, it may be a shock I don't have a desire to start a Frank Thomas collection. That's not to say I don't want his cards. It's just that there are SO MANY that collect him, it's hard to get his cards at a reasonable price. But I will take these three, as I don't have any of them. The Buehrle is just a great card, only a little too close. Take it out 10 feet and that would be perfectly framed. Never seen the Belle predictor card. I should scratch it just to see what is revealed.

The one thing you can count on from Matt is his TTM cards, or for a bunch of his - in person. Matt has sent me some great autographs he has secured in person, and this package was no different.

Best part of the Bowmans are the ability to match the autograph. I guess Topps isn't forging. Sanchez is working his way up quickly in the minors. Arroyo might get a chance to compete for a bullpen spot in 2014. Blanke is still developing. The Hudson on the bottom is a Lineage autograph. Let's see if he can come back from a 2nd Tommy John arm surgery next season. Thanks as always, Matt.

That's all for now. I gotta go help my wife finish dinner.

A lotta sports

I did it. I finally broke down and did it. I ordered from Sportlots.

Ever so often, a blogger talks about getting this or that from Sportlots, and I would roam over, look at a few things, but never really pull the trigger. But recently, I had reason to make a purchase. More later.

Now, I didn't go big. My cart did have over 100 cards in it at one time, but I had to do this purchase on the cheap - there was one card in my cart that needed to be purchased before it disappeared. I had only seen this card one other time, at 3 times the price it was listed at Sportlots. A price difference like that is a no brainer. I still had to maximize my purchase, shipping-wise, and wish I could have gotten 5 cards instead of 4, but the final card that got voted off is one I can find fairly easily on the site.

Here are the three that made the trip in the envelope.

The final two base cards for the 2012 Panini Cooperstown, so it's nice to mostly have that set complete. And the Aaron at the bottom leaves me just one card (#1 in fact) to mostly finish the first set ever added to the Want list here at 2x3 Heroes. It was the other card (Jackson) that missed the cut. But why did I finally take the plunge at Sportlots?

COMC is the only other place I have seen this parallel. This card set me back a buck. That brings the rainbow total to 8 cards. I have seen the gold, cammo and silver slate on eBay, so I should be able to slowly pull those in.

Oh, the vintage you'll get!

Let's not waste time and get back to the rest of a trade box I received from Shane at Off The Wall. Yesterday I went through some of the highlights from recent cards back to the 90's. Today, we are going to go farther back in the calender.

As is probably the case with a fair number of us, vintage cards are low in my collection. Everyone has their own interpretation of "vintage". For me, pre 80 is vintage. I haven't figured what to call the early and mid 80s until the junk wax.

The leading name in the polls is really Kajagoogoo?

Shane put a nice stash of vintage in the box, all needed. Let's work our way back. Starting with...

...a nice 1977 Hostess of Rickie Zisk. Zisk is one of a few players to launch a home run onto the roof of old Comiskey. Here he is during his single year with the Sox. 141 games - not really a short term, Nick.

Here's your standard bad shop jobs from the '76 Topps traded cards. Quite the radical change in uniforms with the jump from pinstripes to the old timey dark blues.

The 70's were also represented with a nice 75 Fireman card (Forster lead all of MLB with 24 saves in 1974). Shane also tossed in two 1970 Topps. I would love to see the blue uniforms used as throwbacks sometime soon. 

Late 60's showed up with an All Star of Horlen and a Boyer card from the 1968 set. And the Beltin' Bill Melton from 1969 just happens to be his rookie card. 

I hated last year's Heritage. It didn't feel right when based against the original from 1963. I have more Sherm Lollar cards than I ever paid attention to - I should start a Lollar Project. This trio increases the number of 1963 cards in my collection to 4. 

And we wrap up the vintage with this dang near pack fresh 1961 Fleer of Nick Altrock. I enjoy this set a lot, but this in the very first '61 Fleer I have added to my collection. Why is it when you enjoy a set, you desire it but don't actively pursue, until you get one? Then it suddenly becomes your main focus. Thanks a lot for adding another obsession to my life, Shane!

As you know, last image is usually the best of the package. Guess what - I still have four cards to show off. Along with the already displayed greatness were four - yes, 4 - autograph cards. 

Kip Wells had a couple okay seasons, but he never panned out during his MLB journeyman career. Fordyce was supposed to be the catcher of the future for us, but never really lived up to his potential. Corwin was a career minor leaguer that never got the call up to the show. While that all sounds negative, the cards are anything but. It's nice to add three former White Sox to my autograph binder.

And yeah - I said four autographs. The last card to showcase?

Current manager (if he gets his act together next year), 6 time Gold Glover and 2 time All Star Robin Ventura. I had scored a Five Star auto of Robin many months ago, and love adding more of Ventura to my collection.

You all should work out a trade with Shane. He still needs A&G minis from this year, so shoot him and email and make it happen - don't be shy.

The other Pandora's Box - part one

Who remembers the story of Pandora's box? From Greek mythology, Pandora's box was a container given to Pandora, the first woman on Earth. As woman #1, commanded by Zeus, she wore the finest clothes and had the voice of an angel, along with other gifts wrapped in a package of pure beauty.

(artist conception of Greek mythological beauty)

However, Pandora got dragged into the middle of a Greek god battle royal and as such, received a box with the instructions to not open no matter what. Well - you know you can't do that and think it won't happen. She opened it and all evil escaped and spread across the land. 

Well, the box I am referring to is the opposite of evil. Here at 2x3 Stadium,  I received a box from Shane over at Off The Wall. I caught one of Shane's post in the blogroll and noticed he needed minis. Hey - I got a whole page of them I want to trade! So after a few emails, I shot Shane a large stack of minis for his want lists, and Shane did some damage to my needs. And then some. I don't even know where to start, and with so much amazing goodness to take in, I have to break this over two posts. So I have decided to keep incredible remakable items for tomorrow, and show the super duper stuff today. And we start small.

MINIS!!! I missed the whole 2011 GQ, but I really like the set. Until someday arrives, I will take those great ChiSox minis, along with the T206 of Dye. Shane took about ten off of my 2010 mini set needs. And the Shakespeare (along with a non-show Apollo) completed a couple 2010 min insert sets.

MORE MINIS-ish!!! Reprint of a Goudey - yes please. Reprint of a Play Ball - yes please. Crede Goudey - yes please. And how about some late 80's Topps mini stickers - yeah....you know.

Great group of Big Hurt cards in the box. There is the Fleer All Star card that I had featured a week or so ago with other White Sox. The Heading for the Hall - # to 5000. The SI Extra Edition - # to 500! The star, though, is the Hamburger Helper in the middle. That is some pure awesomeness right there. 

From the Big Hurt to Pudge. The Fleer Tribute on the bottom is a nice simple, but stellar card.

Conlon made a nice appearance in the box, too. I have but a few Conlons, so any I get are great additions.

Who wants short prints? How pretty is that Yogi? And Troy - red border and SP. 

Here is the way to do a landscaped card. Great framing on the Buehrle. The Baines is a set I have never seen before. I prefer my Raines cards featuring "Rock" instead of "Tim". But baby - that One Dog at the lower right. I love that card. And it reminded me of the great AJ card from this years Topps.

Here they are side by side. You can see the changes in the park between the roughly 20 years from one cardboard to the other. New advertisers, Jumbotron change, new outfield wall & batter's eye. Oh, and a little 2005 championship banner. You forget the little changes that are actually big changes. Thanks Topps.

We are going to end part one with this T205 booklet. I have been very jealous of other bloggers that get these, and now I can have that green beast rage about something else. 

Ok - tomorrow, we go old school. Yes - vintage. And I will have at least the same if not more images. I told you the other section is duper le super.

Throwback Thursdays - 10.17.2013

Every Thursday, I post a card showing a ballplayer wearing a throwback uniform from my collection. Hopefully, he will be wearing it well, with proper pants blousing. I'll try not to duplicate a uniform. The picture may be from the front of the card, or the back. Enjoy the uniforms from years past.

Fred Lewis - 2010 Topps - Toronto Blue Jays

Repack Wars: HEAD TO HEAD!

A good week or 10 days ago, I picked up an 18 pack box of repacks from Walmart. About a week later, I grabbed a similar box of 18 from my local Meijers. When I opened box #2, I realized I had almost an exact duplicate, in regard to packs, of the first box. There were a few differences, but for the most part I ripped all the same stuff. So, instead of a regular repack war, let's put the two boxes in the arena and have them battle it out for the best repack.

So like Keno, but with colorful pictures? I'm in!

Best card in the pack. Walmart repack is the left image - Meijers is the right. And...DODGEBALL!

This was the pack I opened from Meijers where I knew I had a copycat box. This are Upper Deck Red Sox fan packs. Basically, 25 assorted BoSox cards in one pack. I never new the UD Masterpiece cards came glossy. These do not have the matte finish with the texture like the other Masterpiece cards I have. And this was such a tough call, I'm calling it a push.

Walmart - 1 / Meijers - 1

I did the best to match up the couple non-similar packs. Here is a pack of 2012 Chrome vs an '09 T206. Going to have to go with the die cut. T206 just doesn't do it for me.

Walmart - 2 / Meijers - 1

Last battle between different packs until the end of the post. '09 UD Spectrum against a pack of Leaf Pete Rose. I was shocked to get this Rose pack in a repack box. Since you don't see an autograph, you can bet I didn't pull one. And as much as I despise the guy, Rose gets the win.

Walmart - 2 / Meijers -2

2012 Topps Series one. The Walmart pack was a bore. Gotta love Polanco's derp face. Meijers.

Walmart - 2 / Meijers -3

2012 Topps Opening Day. Meijer pack has that stellar ChiSox celebration card, up against the Walmart Prado sporting the zipper front Braves throwbacks. Walmart takes this round.

Walmart - 3 / Meijers - 3

These two packs are close enough to be the same in my book - 12 Bowman Chrome on the left and regular Bowman on the right. All-Stars vs. stirrups. I am not a Bowman fan, so even with the stirrups, I will have to choose the Franchise All Star card as the better piece of paper.

Walmart - 4 / Meijers -3

2010 Upper Deck series one. I so want to love this set. More of the beautiful St. Louis stirrups, with a turn at second too from Meijers. Walmart has a well framed broken bat shot. In a close vote, I have to give this to the sawed off bat barrell.

Walmart - 5 / Meijers - 3

'12 Series 2. Yup - Cut Above inserts in both. A quick side bar - I randomly matched up the packs before I picked the best for each, so this head to head of the same insert is pure chance. So who does it better - Halladay or Linececum? Even with those dreadful flag caps, Roy takes it.

Walmart - 6 / Meijers -3

Two packs of 2007 Topps series 2. Base of second basemen (and personal collection) Iguchi against an insert of Junior. Oh - who to send that Junior card should it survive this fight? Well, I best decide, cuz it's hard to beat a card of the Kid.

Walmart - 6 / Meijers - 4

09 US Documentary. Dig that rookie card on the right. Now, for you non-Cubs fans - who is it? I would tell you, but the reverse of the card doesn't even list his name. Well done, UD. Doesn't matter - Wakefield takes it. I wonder what pitch he is about to throw? HMMMMMMM....

Walmart - 7 / Meijers - 4

Crappy 2009 OPC. Kemp wins. That's enough about these. 

Walmart - 8 / Meijers -4

More 2012 series two. Great concentration from Mike Stanton, but you cannot beat the king of the hot corner, and certainly not when he is wearing those great Baltimore threads.

Walmart - 8 / Meijers - 5

Yeah - I had more packs of '09 Topps T206. The Meijer pack had another Mantle checklist card like above, but it also had this sweet Mize. However, Walmart sported this rookie of McCutchen.

Walmart - 9 / Meijers -5

Topps series 1 from 2012. That Thome is nice. So is the double play card of Aybar. But Thome has the dreaded Twinkie threads on. Gotta go with the DP card.

Walmart - 9 / Meijers - 6

And again with the '10 UD series one. I had never heard of the Celebrity Predictors insert set. Basically, the two celebs are dating, and the idea is will they stay together. The card is perforated so you can split them apart. Cute idea. But come on - Megan Fox or not, can you see that amazing throwback worn by Wuertz?! I just wish you could see it all. Still, Fox or no Fox, throwback wins.

 What if I battled against a throwback?

Errr.....um......Walmart - 10 / Meijers - 6

2010 Topps Update packs. Couple throws across the diamond - one from 2nd and the other from 3rd. I am going to vote yet again for the not DP card. Good framing on the Blum image. I think the Jays logo did in the look of the other card this round.

Walmart - 11 / Meijers - 6

Quick side vote. Both of the packs happened to have these Million Card giveaways in them. So it's Campy up against Schmidt. No brainer - gotta be the Campy. But it doesn't factor into the score.

Walmart - 10 / Meijers - 6

One more time with some 2007 Topps series 2. If not for the crappy black borders, that Shelton card might vie for the card of the post. Amazing image. Then again, he had to go up against a Joltin' Joe streak card. Sorry Chris.

Walmart - 10 / Meijers -7

And we come to the end with two rack packs: 2011 series 2 from Walmart and 2012 Heritage on the right. How creepy are the floating head stickers? Even with the 60 Years of Topps card back, Murray wins simply for the better facial hair.

Walmart - 11 / Meijers -7

So, with all said and done, the numbers don't lie: Walmart takes the first head to head battle in Repack Wars. Now I have 36 packs to go sort. Sigh....