Topps Million: 1962 Al Kaline

Ok, so I didn't actually win this card. BUT, I clicked on the card name in the Topps Million home page ticker and found this: When viewing the card from your binder or from the ticker, the card page includes a Related Cards scroll feature. As not all cards for the players are listed, might it be safe to assume that these represent which cards are available for a given player? In Kaline's case the earliest card is from the 1954 set.

Office Space

OK, its not really office space per se since the person who gave me these cards works half the country away. But when I mentioned that Isaac, and by proxy his dad, had a new found interest in baseball cards, a gentleman who works for me in Shreveport gave me a small snap case for Isaac at our meetings late last summer. The case had an unsual item on top (more on that later) but peeking out underneath was a St. Louis favorite from my youth and who still has the love of the city when he returns, Willie Magee. Magee propelled the Cardinals in the 1982 World Series and came back years later to end his career in St. Louis. I still remember him strolling to the plate in the year of his retirement with the theme from The Natural blasting through Busch Stadium. The rest of the case was filled with similar treasures.

Willie Magee - 1987 Topps

Ozzie Smith - 1983 Donruss

Ozzie and Lonne Smith - 1983 Fleer

Lou Brock - 1972 Topps

Lou Brock - 1979 Topps

Bob Gibson - 1973 Topps

Bob Gibson - 1975 Topps

Keith Hernandez - 1976 Topps

Keith Hernandez - 1978 Topps

Julian Javier - Topps Coin

Topps Million: 1971 Sandy Vance

Entered our first and only code over lunch. Anyone want to trade for a Cardinal of similar vintage?

2009 Ginter Blaster Goodness

I've been catching up on all the hoopla on the hits coming out of the Ginter blasters and thought I'd throw a few more logs on the fire. We've bought 4 - 5 blasters and have a few jersey cards (including a Ryan Howard), a bunch of the SP mini's and these two Bazooka back's. Nothing major, but these are the first (and probably last now that we've posted them) Bazooka's. Nice enough to buy some mini sleeves and top loaders anyway. Maybe we can flip the Phelps in 2012 right before the Summer Games!

St. Louis Cardinals Winter Warm Up 2010 - Day Two

Day Two was just as crazy as the first. If anything the lines were even longer from the start. We only had one pay auto so we started off with the youngsters.


Lance Lynn is yet another 4th or 5th starter type at Memphis. But to his credit, Lynn moved quickly up the ranks last year and while not spectacular, he apparently has great control and manages to get people out. Shane Robinson follows in the Mighty Mite footsteps of Aaron Miles... plus he wears cool socks. How great is that pic on the Springfield Cardinals card (below)?

Mitch Boggs has been wearing out I-55 the last couple of years but did a nice job over an extended stay last summer. He's in the hunt for the 5th starter slot this year. Super nice guy and Isaac was excited to get a chrome card auto'd.

P.J. Walters, like Lynn and Boggs, is another back-end starter type. Josh Kinney was a key piece in the 2006 playoff & World Series bullpen who's been trying to make a comeback. We wish him well. We close this page with one from *my* younger years, Ken Dayley. Dayley was lights out in the 1985 bullpen by committee. One of the few second guesses in Whitey Herzog's career might be pulling Dayley early agains the Royals in the World Series.

We had a chance to get Colby Rasmus' autograph for free during last summer's All Star festivities but Isaac sister had had enough that day. We had to pay for it this time, but it was still reasonable (and goes to charity). Seconds after pulling this Chrome X-Fractor last fall, Isaac declared he would get it autographed. And he did. Isaac knows Andy Benes as Fredbird's sidekick on the Cardinals weekly kids program. Now he thinks he makes cool B's on his autograph.

Descalso may well become another in the long line of cheap, cost controlled middle infielders who field well and tasked not to hurt the team at the plate. With Skip's two year deal done and with Tyler Greene ahead of him on the depth charts, Descalso may be an injury plug-in at best this year. Scherer is a career AAA-er in his late 20's. Not sure he's ever been to the show.

And we end with Tyler Norrick. I really like the Springfield Cardinals set. They even had an "insert" set of Rehabbing Cardinals from the big club (Lohse, Glaus, etc...).

That's it until next year. I promised Isaac I'd take the Monday off in 2011 and make it a three day weekend.

2009 Topps Series 1, 2 & UH

Updated 3/7/2010

Needs:

Series 1
Complete!

Series 2
465, 510, 556, 605, 658

Updates and Highlights
1, 8, 11, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 25, 27, 28, 32, 33, 35, 37, 39, 44, 48, 52, 54, 57, 58, 65, 68, 73, 76, 81, 101, 102, 107, 116, 117, 118, 119, 121, 124, 129, 132, 140, 145, 147, 152, 155, 160, 162, 164, 167, 170, 171, 182, 184, 186, 194, 198, 209, 217, 221, 223, 224, 226, 229, 242, 243, 254, 257, 262, 269, 271, 272, 283, 289, 301, 309, 318, 319, 321, 327, 329

For Trade:
Too many to list... guess that's what happens when you go after a set with random retail packs!

Baseball cards still provide a thrill - ESPN

Jim Caple on the Hobby and a visit to Tim Lincecum's local card shop.

Baseball cards still provide a thrill - ESPN

Nice video with the shop owner. Not sure why ESPN couldn't pony up for a pack of 2010 cards for the photo. 2007? Really?