Pieces to the Panik Puzzle

I'm beginning to notice a trend with my two main player collections. Whenever I type "Joe Panik" into eBay, I typically sift out all of the parallels and focus primarily on autographs and relics. Meanwhile, I'm collecting any licensed cards I can find of Severino. I've made an effort to add some of his lower numbered parallels when products first hit eBay, because they wind up costing much less if you buy them early. I was a little late to collecting Panik, and he was a part of just about every set Topps released last year. In an effort to make up for time lost, I've been grabbing some of his higher end cards and waiting to fill in the remaining cracks later. Here are two recent examples of such:

2014 Topps Heritage Real One Autograph RC

I've wanted this card for over a year now, and I finally made it mine after Frankie's amazing Christmas gift allowed me to sell my Bowman Panik base autograph. I simply don't have the budget to have multiples of higher end issues, so it made much more sense to sell my duplicate and replace it with a card I needed. I believe the base version of this Heritage card is considered Panik's official "rookie card", although that whole concept is extremely tough to comprehend these days. Heritage is one of my favorite Topps products, and the 1965 set the design is based on may just be my all time favorite card design. This pickup was as much of a win-win scenario as it gets.

2015 Topps Allen & Ginter Framed Autograph

Allen & Ginter has worn out its welcome. I remember being so excited to buy a hobby box every year of it, but now I only seek out singles of my team and player collections. I always enjoyed doing the annual Gint-A-Cuffs contest within the community, but the product felt so recycled that my ambition drew thin. I'll grab some of the obscure cards and try to get them signed TTM. But the excitement A&G once brought feels like its worn away. Then again, my box breaking days are just about behind me. I've taken too much interest in collecting specifics and liquifying my collection that it simply does not make sense to budget my collection around ripping wax. Stadium Club was the lone exception to this position I've taken, and that was courtesy of my Dad and undoubtedly the product of the year in 2015.

Regardless, I got a steal for a deal on this framed autograph and it looks awfully nice to me. I know if I pulled this card, I'd be satisfied, but there are very few names in the checklist I would've been happy with. I guess that's just part of what comes with getting older and taking a budget seriously.

Where do you all stand as far as buying and breaking boxes of cards go? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below! And please, keep spreading the word about the new site if it all possible. I appreciate every last bit of your help!

TTM: "What Happened to the Nationals?" Edition

Hey everyone, Drew back here. I was shocked to find a TTM return in my mailbox a few days ago; my first and only success in the past month. I've had a lot out in the mail at this point, but I don't expect much of it to come back. Either way, here's a look at my latest autograph!

Doug Fister: 1/1 (c/o Washington Nationals)

What the heck happened to the World Series favorites this year? Yesterday, as most of you saw, the Nationals hit a new low, with midseason acquisition Jonathan Papelbon starting a dugout brawl with MVP favorite Bryce Harper. Papelbon yelled at Harper for not running out a fly ball, which was valid to an extent, but gave him no reason to start a physical fight. Just another reason why the egotistical closer is my least favorite player in baseball.

I picked the Nationals to go up against the Seattle Mariners in the World Series prior to this season, and with the Mets' recent clinching of the NL East that officially became impossible. I went out on a limb with Seattle, as many others did, and came out seriously empty. But Washington was the heavyweight favorite after acquiring Max Scherzer for over a decade's worth of salary. Scherzer joined an elite rotation that had six starters capable of being at least a third starter for just about any other team in the game. Doug Fister was one of them.

Fister was coming off a 2014 in which he recorded 16 wins and a 2.41 ERA. He was becoming one of the National League's elite pitchers after several underrated seasons between Detroit and Seattle. This year was a different story, as a slow start wound up pushing him out of the mega rotation and into the bullpen. As of today, he has a 4.19 ERA with only 15 starts to his name. Disappointing, to say the least.

Hopefully next year goes better for the Nationals, as they do have some of the more likable young players in the game. Doug Fister will be a free agent, and I have a hard time believing Washington will want to hold on to him with Jordan Zimmermann leaving as well. This was supposed to be their year, but usually that sentence never means anything by season's end.

But anyway, thank you Mr. Fister for signing my 2014 Topps Heritage. All the best to you in 2016 and over the rest of your career! 

See Ya!