Friday, December 31, 2010

Happy New Year! drewscards Year in Review

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Hey guys, Drew back here. 2010 has been a pretty good year, but its time to move on from it and begin 2011! Happy New Year everybody!

My 2010, was fairly good. It went very fast, but I enjoyed it. I started High School, I got through my Confirmation, I was elected into the National Junior Honor Society, and I was on a great baseball team. I got so many new great cards, and met a bunch of great players, and traded with a bunch of great bloggers. Unfortunately, I couldn't host any awards this year; for that matter, I could barely post in December. I also got a new sponsor in TriStar, and I was able to review 2 of their products and give some product away.

So, I figured I would do a quick month by month recap of this blog:

January 2010:
- I attempted to start a trend and create the idea of a Trifecta, which means to own a player's rookie card, game used, and autographed card.
- I met one of my favorite former Yankees, Don Mattingly!
- I created a new TTM design, one that you fans would see a whole lot more of in the future.
- Pop Popps gave me an awesome rookie card!

February 2010:
- The Saints won the Super Bowl
- The shortly lived "Pointless Pieces of Cardboard" segment began
- My First 2010 Upper Deck Blaster.. well.. was missing something important
- I posted my Robinson Cano collection

March 2010:
- I bought one of my favorite cards.
- I posted my Nick Swisher collection.
- I hit the jackpot with an amazing TTM success from Buster Posey!

April 2010:
- I checked out Strawberry Fields and ESPN Zone
- The Worst Autograph Tournament Began
- I bought one of the most iconic cards to exist.
- I got my first custom card signed, by Hall of Famer Bobby Doerr!
- The Topps Round Table was calling my name.

May 2010:
- TriStar let me review TNA The New Era
- I picked up quite a few nice hits at the May Card Show
- I met former All Star Dale Murphy at the May White Plains Show
- My friend, dad, and I hit jackpot on the White Plains Show's Door Prizes!

June 2010:
- School was out for summer, and I picked up a sweet HOF auto!
- Strasburg Mania?!?!?
- I went to my 1st concert, seeing Ringo Starr and his friends
- I got a gift for my Confirmation, and hit big! Big HOF Rookie!

July 2010:
- I remembered Yankees Legends George Steinbrenner and Bob Sheppard
- I bought the highlight of my card collection for a big Confirmation Gift!
- I announced the winner of the Worst Autograph Tournament
- Dad and I went to the Yankees vs. Rays game on July 18th, 2010, and witnessed Andy Pettitte's season ending injury.
- A birthday tin of 2007 Sweet Spot Classic had a redemption that I'm STILL trying to get from Upper Deck.
- Pop Popps gave me another awesome Hall of Fame Rookie Card!

August 2010:
- I got an amazing box of 2008 UD SP Legendary Cuts, featuring 2 sweet hits!
- A TTM came back from the best quarterback playing right now!
- I paid some $ for it, but Whitey Ford signed and inscribed my picture for me TTM!
- My Uncle, Grandpa, and cousin went to the Yankees game on August 17th, my 1st night game.
- August White Plains Show Recap Part 1: Some Pickups and Meeting Kiner
- August White Plains Show Recap Part 2: More Pickups and Meeting Roy White, Doc Gooden, and Mel Stottlemyre
- August White Plains Show Recap Part 3: A Bunch of Sweet Pickups!
- August White Plains Show Recap Part 4: Stuff from Dad

September 2010:
- My friend and I went to a Hudson Valley Renegades game and we hunted down Derek Dietrich
- The late Bob Feller signed a custom beautifully for me
- TriStar gave me a box of 2010 OBAK and I reviewed it and gave it away
- A card I always dreamed of owning arrived in my mailbox
- I got a TTM back from Lil Wayne while he was in jail! Wow!
- I might have received the ultimate collector's dream piece, if the autographs are real, Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig anyone?
- Two huge celebrity TTMs came back, one was much better than the other.

October 2010:
- I gave a tour of my basement card cave
- I created my next big custom set
- A box of 2010 Topps 206 from my grandma landed me a HUGE PULL! Strasburg?
- Two great successes TTM, one of a now beloved man in our hobby, who even wrote me a letter explaining his appreciation for me writing to him!
- I picked up an auto of a deceased Yankees Hall of Famer!
- I questioned whether to keep my big pull or let it go for an autograph of a consistent player.
- Yankees Hall of Famer Goose Gossage signed an 8x10 for me through the mail!
- A Hall of Famer signed a custom for me, and another former player had to write me a letter explaining how much he doesn't like or trust the fans.
- A TTM from the Jets coach? Sweet!
- Two amazing football Hall of Fame successes!

November 2010:
- The Giants won the World Series
- I payed my respect to Hall of Fame Manager Sparky Anderson after his passing.
- I shared my Top 10 Favorite Through the Mail successes
- I went to the Thanksgiving Night Jets Game!
- I picked up a "perfect" Yankees autograph card

December 2010:
- An awesome TTM from a basketball star came in
- I payed my respects to the late Bob Feller, a true hero of the game.
- The Godzilla of cards was pulled, and it looked awfully nice!
- Jack Black signed a card for me! Say what?
- My best blogging friend gave me an unbelievable Christmas gift!

So, I didn't want this post to be all about me, but it kinda turned into a tribute of my blogging year. All I can say is that none of those things could have been possible without you readers, you mean so much to me and I wanna thank you for the amazing year I had in the hobby! Let's hope and pray that 2011 will be just as great for me, and for all of you too!

Thanks so much everyone, have a good day, and for the first time in 2011, See Ya!

TTM #36- Yankee Champion!

Hey guys, Drew back here. A few days ago, I received my 36th Through the Mail success! And, this is the final one I will receive in 2010, unfortunately. But, it was a nice one!





Yankees former All Star second baseman Bobby Richardson signed 2 cards for me, one being my custom! "Bobby Richardson was the best .260 hitter to ever play the game," said by manager Casey Stengel. Richardson was elected to 8 All Star Games, and won 5 Gold Glove awards in his 12 seasons. He won 3 World Series Championships with the Yankees, and he won the 1960 World Series MVP, although the Yankees didn't even win it that year. The greatest part about Bobby was that he played his entire career with the Yankees. I like him!

He took a few months if I can remember correctly, I sent this in August some time, but better late than never! Both cards look fantastic, and the 1960 WS MVP inscription on the custom looks it look even more beautiful. I'll definitely be on the lookout for this guys cards, as I always seem to do with players I've gotten through the mail.

See Ya!

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

An Amazing Christmas Gift from an Amazing Friend!! Must Read!



Hey guys, Drew back here. I've blogged here for over 2 years (yes I always miss the anniversary, whoops), and I've met a lot of great people in the hobby. I have over 100 subscribers and have achieved thousands of views, but above all, this guy has always been one of my top followers. He and I have traded a countless amount of times, and we exchange comments on our respective posts an awful lot. His name is William, from the blog foul bunt.

Outside of our card hobby, William has given me so much great advice and help over the past year or so. We have become great friends, even though we live hundreds of miles away. Cards bring us together but both of us have a unique passion for the game that can not be taken away from us. Anyway, this Christmas, we both got each other gifts. Me, being the lazy person I've always been, haven't shipped it yet but don't worry I will! Well, I got his gift yesterday and I was amazed at the stuff waiting inside this Lou Gehrig Sweet Spot Classic Tin.



He first included a bunch of mixed Yankees cards and 2010 Topps cards. The Heritage Chrome cards are really nice, as seen on the AJ Burnett card. Also, some sweet Canos and Hughes for the player collections.



It's Swish overload! Here are 7 Swisher cards he gave me, the big one being the Co-Signers insert numbered to 250. I know I have a few of these, and I know I needed some of these, but I love any and all Swishers!



Lastly were these 3 2010 Topps Pro Debut Hudson Valley Renegades cards! When him and Max (Knuckle Ball Blues) opened some boxes of this product, I asked them if any Renegades were found. Derek Dietrich, Jake Thompson, and Chris Murrill were found. Of course, over any of them, I was most excited about Dietrich, considering my friend and I hunted him down at a game this year to get his autograph, and we succeeded.



The first of the two final, big cards, was this 1959 Topps Virgil Trucks card! This is my 1st Trucks card, outside of the custom I made of him a while ago, so I was really excited to find this card! Also, its his only Yankees Topps card, which is awesome. It's in nice shape, and is a beautiful looking card of a great man. If you don't remember, I received multiple autographs and a hand written letter back from Mr. Trucks just a few months ago, and I got both him and I into his cards and career. So, this card means a lot to me and it's a sweet addition to my small Yankees vintage collection.



The big gift, was certainly big to say the least! HOLY COW!!! It's a 1953 Bowman Color Phil Rizzuto card! This card is the second card I own from this set, and this and that card (Larry Miggins RC) are the two oldest cards I own! The card displays Rizzuto bunting, which was a specialty of his throughout his career! Rizzuto won 7 World Series with the Yankees, and made 5 All Star teams. He's been regarded as one of the top Yankees shortstops ever, well until Jeter came into baseball. The card is not in mint condition, there are some creases, and some corner damage, but it is in good enough condition for me for sure! It's a very valuable card, and books over 200 dollars, but can be found for a little cheaper.

All I know is dude, you did too much! This is unreal! Thank you so much for the gifts, I really appreciate it. What I want the rest of you to do is PLEASE go check out and subscribe to his blog if you haven't already. If you love baseball history, then that is a place to go!

Thanks again dude, you're the best!

See Ya!

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Merry Christmas!

Hey everyone, Drew back here. Just wanted to wish you all a happy and merry Christmas! If Christmas isn't your holiday, then happy holidays! I hope you all get yourselves a nice box of cards like I did, and had a good time with your family and friends! Sorry about this month, I haven't even posted 10 times this month, an all time low. Unfortunately, don't expect a whole lot in the next few months, but I'll try to stay around as much as I can. Hopefully I'll have some stuff to show you all within the next few days, so be on the lookout for that!

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See Ya!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

TTM #35- Really Unexpected!

Hey guys, Drew back here. I came home sick today, just days before Christmas, and I don't feel very well, but anyway, I got a TTM yesterday and it was extremely awesome! Check this out!



Yes, I did get Jack Black TTM! This was one I never knew I'd get back. I took a shot in the dark after seeing one success from him that took around a year, and I had no intentions on ever seeing my custom again! I find it hard to believe that this would be real, and wouldn't be surprised if it was autopen, but this is still sweet! Jack Black has always been a pretty good actor in my opinion, and I enjoyed him most probably in "Nacho Libre", though I definitely need to see "Tropic Thunder". He's never done a whole lot for me, but I think he's a fun actor and very entertaining, and now I'm a fan.

Jack took about 3 1/2 months to return this to me, and signed it nice and big covering most of the front of the custom. He drew a little planet above the J in his name, and it really tops off the awesome autograph!

Overall I'm so psyched to own this, and it'll be a cool little part of my collection! See Ya!

Saturday, December 18, 2010

The Godzilla of Baseball Cards Has Been Pulled!



Hey guys, Drew back here. A few months ago when 2010 Topps Tribute was first released, a collector in Missouri pulled one of the best redemptions imaginable. He recently received the 1/1 card, and since he is not a Yankees fan, he decided to put it up for sale. Beckett Select Auctions took over the auction for him to ensure security and trust in the buyer's mind. Well enough about the pull, take a look at this card!






Yes, that would be ONE card! This booklet cut autograph features 9 autographs, of the entire 1927 Yankees team lineup! So this means, that there are autographs of Yankee legends Earle Combs, Tony Lazzeri, Bob Meusel, Waite Hoyt, and oh, I forgot, Babe Ruth, and Lou Gehrig! No modern day card can top this baby, as I'm sure that it is the best card of 2010, and maybe of the 21st century!

The opening bid for the card is $20,000, so if you have thousands of dollars just sitting around, you may be able to own one of the most valuable cards ever produced! I would expect the card to sell for close to $50,000, as Ruth/Gehrig dual cuts have sold for about $15,000 alone. Throw in 7 other greats, and make a beautiful 1/1 booklet card and this thing will be one of the highest selling modern day cards.

A huge congrats to the person that pulled the card, I am EXTREMELY jealous! Here is the link to the auction, which started last night, and will end by around the 23rd.

See Ya!

Friday, December 17, 2010

A True Gentleman of the Game..



Hey guys, Drew back here. On Wednesday night, a lot of you guys heard about the unfortunate news in baseball, but I just wanted to add my perspective on the wonderful life of Cleveland Indians legend Bob Feller. Feller passed away on Wednesday night at the age of 92, after being diagnosed with leukemia in August, and suffering other health setbacks along the way. He was the longest tenured living Hall of Famer, after being inducted in 1962. He played 18 seasons in the majors, and began his first full season at the age of 17!

Bob Feller was not only a baseball hero, but he was also an American Hero. He was the 1st baseball player to enlist in the military after Pearl Harbor. He was a Gun Captain for the Navy, and missed 4 seasons right in the middle of his prime just to fight for his country. He won 5 campaign ribbons and 8 battle stars, and is the only Chief Petty Officer in the Hall of Fame!

Feller still managed to record 266 career wins, a career ERA of 3.25, and 2581 strikeouts. He could've had managed around 80 more wins, and approx. 800 strikeouts more, giving him close to 350 wins and over 3,000 strikeouts on his career.

But what good is it to talk about Mr. Feller without mentioning some of the remarkable things he's done off the field. He has always been one of the greatest Through the Mail signers of all time, and he was one of those players that would sign anything you gave them! I had the opportunity to get him TTM twice, the first time, he signed my custom, and a seperate card, but the custom came back very damaged. I sent him a picture of my custom and mailed him another one, and that one came back much nicer. I also bought an 8x10 autograph of his from Anthony, as you can see above. I've gained an awful lot of respect for Mr. Feller throughout the past few months, so it was very hard for me to hear the news of his passing.

So, I guess all else I can say is R.I.P. Mr. Robert William Andrew "Bob" Feller. You will truly be missed.

See Ya.


Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Some Super Red Hot Rookie Came In..

Hey guys, Drew back here. Yesterday I got a mini package from "Tristar", which apparently is Topps' undercover corporation that produces redemptions, missing hits, NPNs, and damaged cards. I got this red hot rookie redemption in my jumbo box of 2010 Topps Series 2, which was for the 3rd card in the set. This card happened to be...



of Tigers rookie outfielder Brennan Boesch. I had Brennan on my fantasy team for a majority of last season and I was really impressed, even though his stats went down as the season progressed. Overall he hit a poor .256, but he had a monster May and June, batting in the upper .330's and hitting 11 home runs. For a rookie, I was extremely impressed, and I hope he's not a one year wonder!

The card looks fantastic, better than any of the past Red Hot Rookie cards. This year they actually added a refractor touch, and the chrome cards also don't have a bend to them! I was extremely impressed when I opened this package, and I probably will keep this!

Did you get your redemption? What did you think?

See Ya!

Monday, December 13, 2010

Cardboard from the Midwest Mailday!

Hey guys, Drew back here. Yesterday I got my first package in weeks, coming from Todd of MidWest Cardboard. It sure has been a while, but maybe I can get on track a little coming up. Here's the nice cards that my buddy Todd traded me:



First, some sweet refractors from 2010 Topps Chrome. A Mark Teixeira refractor, AJ Burnett Xfractor, and a Derek Jeter Orange Refractor. All 3 cards really pop and are absolutely awesome looking. However, when I take them out of the toploaders, they have an extreme bend, which is definitely a problem! It seems to be a major problem with this set, hopefully it gets fixed by next year.



2 Legends of New York for sure right here. Jeter has always been my favorite baseball player until Nick Swisher came along, and that card just sums up how great of a man he is. The Namath card is sooooo nice, by far the nicest Namath card I own and one that I will continue to love!



Lastly, an autograph from 2009 National Chicle of Hakeem Nicks, one of the Giants top wide receivers. I hear a lot in school about the Giants, being in New York, and as a Jets fan I felt it was necessary to add his autograph to my collection. That means the player has to be awesome, considering I won't trade it to my friend and I'll keep it myself! This is a sweet painting and an amazing card, definitely a job well done by Topps.

Overall I'm really pleased with this trade, thanks so much Todd, enjoy your cards! Be sure to check out MidWest Cardboard when you get a chance! See Ya!

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Trip to the Shop.. Nice Pull!

Hey guys, Drew back here. While I'm on the weekend I figured I'd catch up and post a little more. Last weekend after some shopping I stopped at a card shop, not the usual one, and got 3 packs and some supplies. I got 1 pack of 2010 Topps Update, 1 pack of 2010 Topps 206, and 1 pack of 2010 Panini Threads Football. Here are the results:

2010 Topps Update Baseball:



- Marco Scutaro
- Milton Bradley
- Ryan Church
- Lance Zawadski RC
- John Lackey
- David Freese
- Jonathan Lucroy RC
- Adam LaRoche Gold /2010
- Million Card Giveaway (Redeemed 1980 Barry Foote)
- David Wright Topps Attax

Not exciting at all, moving along.

2010 Topps 206:



- Alex Rios
- Yogi Berra
- Brian Roberts
- Nick Johnson (:P)
- Rick Porcello
- Rickie Weeks
- Matt Kemp
- Julio Borbon Bronze Border
- John Maine American Caramels Mini

Other than Berra, this was another waste of 4 bucks. But, maybe the last pack will be good?

2010 Panini Threads Football:



- Carnell "Cadillac" Williams
- Heath Miller
- Chris Johnson
- Jay Cutler
- Mike Sims-Walker
- Tony Romo
- Visanthe Shiancoe
- Dallas Clark

But thats not all!



- Dexter McCluster Letterman "U" Rookie Auto /450!

Pretty happy about this pull. McCluster seems fairly popular in the hobby, this card selling for around $20. He was a 2nd round pick by the Chiefs in the 2010 NFL Draft, and he is a great athlete. This year he's caught 15 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown. Hopefully he gets more touches in the future and this card can go up in value!

See Ya!

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Recent MLB News

Hey guys, Drew back here. I was going to plan on posting some other recent additions today, but I thought I should cover some of the latest baseball news.

NEW YORK - OCTOBER 19:  Derek Jeter #2 of the New York Yankees bats against the Texas Rangers in Game Four of the ALCS during the 2010 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium on October 19, 2010 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Rangers won 10-3. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

First off, Derek Jeter will return to the Yankees after supposedly agreeing to a 3 year, between $45 and $51 million dollar deal with the team today. He will make approximately $15-17 million a year, which seems fitting considering he deserves to make $ but should not be the highest paid player on the team due to his recent performance. I'm glad Jeter finally woke up and realized that he wasn't worth $25 million a year for the team anymore, and even though he technically should be the highest paid player on the team, after last years performance, he doesn't deserve that kind of money. Jeter will most likely collect his 3,000th hit this year with the Yankees, becoming the 1st Yankee to ever achieve 3,000 hits or more in their career!

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In the bad news category (at least for me), the Red Sox are about ready to pull off a blockbuster deal with the Padres to land prized 1st baseman Adrian Gonzalez. According to ESPN, a deal is in place, pending a physical that Gonzalez is taking in Boston. The Red Sox hope to boost their lineup with a power bat that produced 161 home runs for San Diego in 5 seasons. This is awful news for any Yankees, Rays, Orioles, and Blue Jays fans, adding a new superstar into a rival's lineup. This news really disappoints me, but whats done is done and hopefully our pitchers will be able to contain the beast!

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And I'll end by remembering 2 great players, who both passed away within the last week. First, legendary Cubs 3rd baseman Ron Santo died due to complications of bladder cancer and diabetes. Santo had 2,254 hits, 342 home runs, 1,331 RBI, and a lifetime batting average of .277 in his career, and is regarded as one of the best retired players not in the Hall of Fame. Santo was one of those players that I found a whole lot more about after his passing, which is unfortunate for sure. His diabetes and cancer forced him to have his legs amputated at the knees, and he lived in a lot of pain throughout his short life. He will be remembered as one of the best Cubs to ever play, and a baseball great.

Also, former Yankees infielder Gil McDougald passed away on November 28th at the age of 82. McDougald played 10 seasons throughout the 1950's with the Yankees, winning 5 World Series championships. He made 6 All Star Teams, and was the 1951 AL Rookie of the Year.

May Mr. Santo and Mr. McDougald rest in peace...

See Ya!

Friday, December 3, 2010

TTM #34- First Basketball Success!

Hey guys, Drew back here. It's another one of those bad phases for me, the ones where I have close to no interest in cards. I get them a lot, especially lately, but I think it's just because of my personal life, track, and schoolwork really amounting into close to no time or interest in writing more than I already had. Thankfully, my awful drought of about 4 RTS' in like 2 weeks ended, and today I got a success! Check it out:



None other than Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki! I'm not a huge fan of basketball, but I do have many favorite players, and this guy is definitely one of them now! He didn't sign my custom, but he did sign my StarQuest insert card for me! He inscribed his number, and took 23 days to return it!

Dirk is a 9 Time NBA All Star, the 2006 NBA 3 Point Challenge Winner, and was the 2007 league MVP. He has always been a powerful player, but a very skilled shooter as well. I'm very happy that he signed this card for me, and I wish him and his team the best of luck this season! Thanks Dirk!

See Ya!