Fun, Easy Instagram Dealing!

Hey guys, Drew back here! This month has been strictly business, which may explain why I haven't been around. The amount of wheeling and dealing with my collection has reached new heights this summer, thanks to eBay and Instagram in particular. I also have been working almost every day since I returned from Europe, so in order to keep me sane I've been putting part of my paychecks towards a card budget that has allowed me to expand and grow my collection.

Before I get into some of the higher end additions, I wanted to show off a fun trade package I got from Instagram user @ttm.autographs32. Luke and I were able to work out something simple and fun that we both benefitted from.

Andrew McCutchen is in the midst of his worst career season, which is worrisome for Pirates fans for sure. Luckily for them, Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco have picked up Cutch's slack. I'm not collecting McCutchen as much as I once did, but I'll welcome any of his cards into my collection when offered. He is one of the best players and guys in the game today regardless of his slow season, and time will tell if he will emerge as the catalyst he's been in years past.

The best part about collecting Derek Jeter is that there isn't a whole lot that could happen nowadays that would kill his value. I would never sell any of my Jeter cards, but it's nice knowing that his cards really could only increase in value with time. I surprisingly didn't have many of these cards yet, and this pushed me to a total of 236 unique cards in my Jeter PC.

Unlike McCutchen, Robinson Cano is on his way back into relevancy as he has led the Mariners offense in 2016. The former Yankees All Star is currently batting .305 with 22 home runs and 60 RBI! I'm planning on slowing down on collecting Severino, Panik, and McCutchen and placing much of my focus on my former favorite player.

It's hard to resist collecting some of the Yankees top prospects. We don't have the best farm system in the game, but there are more significant names than I can ever remember being in the system. Jorge Mateo was in the news recently for some conduct issues, but homered today in return from his suspension. Aaron Judge has been a monster up until his recent knee injury has sidelined him. Hopefully we'll see our #1 prospect in the majors by season's end.

Finally, the Yankees are giving Rob Refsnyder some fair playing time in result of the abysmal performances from Teixeira and A-Rod. This green bordered Gypsy Queen mini is numbered out of 99.

Finally, I was given these 2 Topps Big Stix sticker pages of Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano! I recently took the time to put every single Cano card I own in top loaders in his own exclusive PC box, and I put these stickers on top to add some decoration to it.

Thanks Luke for the trade. Be ready to see some pretty great stuff on this site, despite my inconsistencies with posting.

Instantly Hooked on Instagram

For a while, I didn't know how much I was into using Instagram for hobby related purposes. I didn't know how much I'd be able to trust users and besides, I hadn't done much trading in a considerably long time. I finally decided to give it a shot, and the longer I've had my new separate account (@drewshotcorner), I realized that a lot of my cards do indeed have a price tag and are not untouchable. Several trades later, I have to say I'm hooked. No offense to you guys, but the trading and selling is much more active there than it is on these sites from everything I've seen.

First, I made a trade with user @csgraphs a few weeks ago. I dealt a few autographs I didn't have any connection to for these two beauties:

2016 Topps Museum Collection Nolan Arenado Quad Patch Relic /75

2013 Topps Five Star Justin Upton Auto /333

Arenado is one of the top five all around position players in the game in my eyes, along with Trout, Harper, Machado, and Goldschmidt. He can do no wrong. This patch card I acquired more than likely will end up in Frankie's hands eventually, but for now I'm going to enjoy the dirt splattered relic chunks.

Meanwhile, it hasn't been the brightest start to Justin Upton's Tigers tenure. He is beginning to come on, which is encouraging and should have been expected. He is an example of an overhyped prospect that has come into his own over time. He was hyped to be much greater than he's been, but at least he's still an above average outfielder. I love Topps Five Star, and will struggle to unload this card because of how gorgeous his autograph looks.

Next, I worked out a trade with @cluelesscards that I didn't think I would end up doing, but lucked out with. He wanted one of my low end Troy Tulowitzki autographs, and I preferred to move the card only for a different autograph or relic. He then presented me with an alternative approach to the deal, as he had quite a few cards I needed of many of my PC guys.

Robinson Cano was the big winner once again, as I was able to add 10 new cards of his alone to my PC box. I'm starting to soften on his transition from New York to Seattle, and really have no issue with continuing to collect his stuff here and there. I think a lot of that has to do with the Yankees now having a major league caliber player at second base again in Starlin Castro; no longer having to deal with the black hole that was old Brian Roberts and Stephen Drew.

This trade also included my first Aroldis Chapman Yankees card. I've been pretty impressed with Chapman, but I must admit it's hard watching him pitch for such a non-competitive team. If he isn't moved by the trade deadline, I won't have much faith left in the organization. He has too much value to be left wasting away in this bullpen. Side note: how awful were those 2015 All Star Game hats?

Believe it or not, the Yankees boast a stronger young core than they've had in quite some time. Refsnyder has had some nice moments, Bird exceeded expectations last September, and Didi Gregorius may just be their second best hitter right now after the red hot Carlos Beltran. The Opening Day rookie card of Gary Sanchez is a total flop though. I don't think you can tell from the scan, but the photo is so pixelated. It looks like a custom card done horribly wrong. Sorry, Topps.

Because there is a Nick Swisher card included here, I guess this is the proper time to address that I have sold my 150+ card collection of his to Chris Olds, formerly of Beckett Baseball. He is a Swisher super collector, and as much as I enjoyed his stint in pinstripes it was all taking up too much space in my personal collection box. I might add a few of the cards back in time, because now I have just a few left, but I felt like it was the right thing to do and I did it.

I really like this Gypsy Queen framed parallel of Andrew McCutchen. Cutch is off to the worst start of his magnificent career, and may be considered the worst of the Pirates super talented outfield. I would never count him out though. He is no longer one of my major PC focuses, but I wouldn't pass up his cards if I were offered them. This one will be staying with me.

This was a good trade for me, despite losing an autograph from my autograph count (which is declining substantially since I first posted about it). 

The final trade I'll be showcasing in this post was with @cbbaseballcards. I gave up my Anthony Rizzo Tribute auto in exchange for these two Yankees autographs. Rizzo is one of my favorite players right now, but I want to find a card I like more than the one I had. 

Aaron Judge and Greg Bird could work out in several ways. One could pan out, one might not. Perhaps both will fly to superstardom and bat 3-4 in the Yankees order for years to come. Or both of these cards will one day be found in the dollar bin. Autograph collecting is such a gamble, and I think that is part of why it is so addicting for collectors like myself. Judge has been on a tear lately in AAA, and I hope the Yankees give him a fair chance in the majors this season after they trade Carlos Beltran for more quality prospects (which again, as much as I like Carlos; needs to happen for the good of the future).

This is just the beginning of my summer collection overhaul. I just got a new job that pays pretty well, and while most of the money I make will be allotted to recovering my abysmal bank account post-study abroad, I will have some money to put towards this hobby too. I already have a few ideas up my sleeve.

The Rest of my Commons from Just Commons!

Hey everyone, Drew back here! I can't believe how quickly my second semester of college has gone. Three weeks remain, including finals week, and then I'll be off for my first college summer vacation. I recently started working at Dick's Sporting Goods as a cashier, so hopefully after a few weeks of saving I'll be able to become even more involved with the hobby. It's nice to finally be receiving money rather than solely spending it, and I'm excited for the summer! 

Today, I wanted to wrap up my first order from JustCommons.com. On Wednesday, I shared my seven new Joe Panik PC additions, and along with those, I was able to knock off 

2004 Topps was the first set I was given for Christmas from my parents, and sure enough over the years of elementary and middle school I managed to lose pieces of it. I traded some cards away (why?) and with that I recently decided to put it back together, put the cards in a binder and store them away. I'm not a very big fan of the set, although I've always liked the little outline drawings of the players in the bottom left corner of the cards. After this purchase, I'm down to needing only three cards to complete the set (I can't seem to find which three I'm missing at the moment, but when I do I'll leave them at the end of this post). I added 24 cards, including of players I collect so I can tuck those away with my PC's while still having the cards in the set binder. Perhaps my favorite part of the set are all the Postseason Highlights cards starring the Yankees and Red Sox. Ah, the good ol' days.

I also attacked a few of my other collections, including some I rarely pay attention to anymore. I couldn't pass up an Allen & Ginter Cano card, although I'm still trying to adjust to that Mariners uniform. As for Hensley, well, it sounds like it's going to be yet another uphill battle for the poor guy. Not only was he attacked over the offseason in his hometown and brutally injured, but he also had to have Tommy John Surgery. Ty seems like a really good kid, and he was great signing for me through the mail, and I wish him all the best with his recovery; I know the TJ Surgery news was crushing to him.

Andrew McCutchen was the other player I focused on with this order, because I was missing some pretty key base cards of his from over the years. I don't ever expect to have all the 1/1's and autographs, but I'd like to at least gain most of the players I collect's base cards from their playing days. Cutch isn't off to the greatest start of his career in 2015, but he's a consistent force to be reckoned with that should not be taken lightly. 

Topps Stadium Club is such an awesome product, and as soon as I knew this card of my all time favorite pitcher existed I wanted to add it to my collection. Sure enough, I was able to add this, as well as the following card of Mo's; both of which depicted a very special night in Yankee Stadium: his final game.

This was such a fantastic baseball moment that will most likely be overshadowed forever by the way Derek Jeter went out. I don't think Mariano minds this all that much, though. I wanted to make sure I had something to remember this game by, and this 2014 Topps will certainly do the trick. Topps has done a great job highlighting all the recent Yankee retirements, and I'm excited to see who will be the next player (from this current team or in the future) to make their mark on the franchise half as much as Jeter and Mariano did.

I was very pleased with my first JustCommons.com purchase, and I hope to add more cards from their site in the future. If you haven't given it a chance yet, I highly recommend you do. While Sportlots may provide you cheaper prices, JustCommons has a universal shipping cost that probably will save you money in most cases. And don't worry Check Out My Cards, you're not going anywhere. I'm still loyal, I swear.

*UPDATE: Here are the cards I am currently missing from my 2004 Topps set: 20, 67, 98, 365, 693! Email me at yanks1996wsc@gmail.com if you have any of these and are willing to trade!*

See Ya!

2015 National League Central Preview + Predictions!

Hey guys, Drew back here! Moving right along; here is our fifth division preview of the season. Since I started this series, I've had to make two changes thanks in part to pitcher injuries that were critical to the hopes of two teams. I first moved the Rangers from third to fourth in the AL West due to Yu Darvish's impending Tommy John Surgery. Texas will still have a solid team, but Darvish would've made them a contender, and it really sucks that he won't be around in 2015. Also, I just recently decided with the tragic torn ACL young Blue Jays righty Marcus Stroman suffered to lower the Blue Jays to second in the AL East. I had them winning the division due to a breakout year for Stroman, and since this is my blog and I get to do what I want, the Blue Jays will now be a Wild Card team while the Red Sox will now take the division in my opinion. Injuries have been brutal this spring already, and I know it's drastic to move an entire team based on one player, but that just goes to show how competitive baseball should be next year.

If you've missed the beginning of this series, check out my predictions for:

AL East                    AL Central                   AL West                      NL East

2015 NL Central Standings Prediction:

Image Source

1 - Pittsburgh Pirates

X-Factors: Gregory Polanco, Pedro Alvarez, Gerrit Cole, Jung-Ho Kang

The Cardinals have barely bested Pittsburgh two years in a row now, and I don't believe they can do it again. This year will be the first time since 1992 that the Jolly Roger will be raised at the top of the division, and the first time they ever win the Central (at that time they were in the NL East). Mike Trout may be younger and slightly more talented, but that is no reason to put down Andrew McCutchen. Cutch is in the thick of his prime, and should be primed to lead his time into the playoffs for the third straight year. Their young outfield of McCutchen, Starling Marte, and Gregory Polanco has tremendous potential, and should be explosive on offensive and defense. They were able to sign back A.J. Burnett, who clearly proved that PNC Park was a great fit during his first stint with the team. Francisco Liriano was re-signed, and young fireballer Gerrit Cole will continue to prove that he's their future ace. If this team can continue to play like they have in recent time, they will only get better. And to the rest of the division; that's awfully scary.

2 - St. Louis Cardinals

X-Factors: Michael Wacha, Kolten Wong, Jason Heyward

This has been one of the most consistent teams of recent time, always doing things the right way ("The Cardinal Way"). Led by catcher Yadier Molina, the Birds will be looking to build off their division win and Championship series loss to the reigning champion San Francisco Giants. What the Cardinals have that the Pirates don't have is age, which could be viewed in two different ways. It is great to have players that know how to win, but it's not great having a group of players deteriorating and more susceptible to injury. Molina's performance has declined, but his impact on the team is far beyond his bat, but he's not the only one. Matt Holliday's performance is gradually decreasing, and ace Adam Wainwright is going into a year already with injury concern. But this isn't to say this is a bad team, their potential on paper just doesn't quite seem to top Pittsburgh's at this point. Newly acquired Jason Heyward will be worth every bit of the trade they made involving Shelby Miller and prospects. Heyward may not have reached his offensive ceiling quite yet, but he's considered the best right fielder defensively in the game, and he's only 25 years old. The return of Michael Wacha should balance the pitching rotation while Wainwright battles through what may be a difficult season, as well. Mike Matheny is a fantastic manager, and he'll find a way to get this team to the playoffs; I just don't expect them to win the Central with their stars slowly fading away.   

3 - Chicago Cubs

X-Factors: Jorge Soler, Javier Baez, Kris Bryant

Who in their right mind would bet for this team to win the World Series? Considering it's been over a hundred years since they last won, the odds are clearly not in their favor. And while yes, they did improve significantly this offseason adding Jon Lester, Dexter Fowler, Miguel Montero, and manager Joe Maddon; it's not their time yet. People aren't even sure if Kris Bryant is going to make the Opening Day roster due to money reasons, so that alone could set the team back. This core of young talent is unmatched on any other team in the game, and I do agree that they can become at least a Wild Card contender as early as this year. However, I think most of their success is still a few years away. It has to be tough on developing outfielder Jorge Soler, third baseman Bryant, and second baseman Javier Baez hearing all of these World Series talks. Vegas may think it's their time, but the average baseball fan should be able to see that there are far too many already established teams that will be more prepared this year. I'm as excited as the next guy to see these young stars make names for themselves in the big leagues, don't get me wrong. But I don't see them making the playoffs this year.

4 - Cincinnati Reds

X-Factors: Health

Choosing between the Reds and Brewers for this spot was more difficult than just about anything else I've attempted to predict this year. But, given that this Reds team is currently healthy, I can't help but put them ahead for now. If this team could stay relatively healthy this year, I can see them even making a playoff run. Even though they lost Mat Latos, they still have a lot to offer. Jay Bruce and Joey Votto were absent in the lineup for most of last season, and they should provide a spark guys like Todd Frazier, Devin Mesoraco, and Billy Hamilton needed. Johnny Cueto will most likely be pitching his final season for the Reds, and will be performing for a big contract. He will once again make a case for the Cy Young Award, and now healthy Homer Bailey and Tony Cingrani should contribute too. This team's devastating 2014 paralleled the Rangers in the American League, and like I said for them (before they lost Darvish of course)... how much worse could it get? 

5 - Milwaukee Brewers

X-Factors: Ryan Braun, Jean Segura, Adam Lind

The Brewers won 82 games in 2014, and I just ranked them in last for this upcoming season. And I do not feel comfortable with this decision at all, because this does not feel like a last place team. I just don't know how else to go about this, and thus here we are now. Ryan Braun has been going through Tiger Woods Syndrome ever since his PED scandal, and we may never see the old Braun again. This will be their third baseman and model of consistency Aramis Ramirez's final season, and he can't man the hot corner all that well anymore. Carlos Gomez and Jonathan Lucroy will provide the major spark of the lineup; both being potential MVP candidates, but it still isn't enough for me. Why is that, you ask? It all comes down to pitching, and they simply do not have what any of the other teams in the division have. They traded Yovani Gallardo to the Rangers this past winter, and it's going to hurt them not having a dependable ace in the staff. The offense can be as good as it was last year, but the other four teams here have all improved. If anything, the Brew Crew took a step back.

Division MVP: Andrew McCutchen

Division Cy Young: Johnny Cueto

Playoff Teams: Pittsburgh, St. Louis

I ended up choosing the Marlins and Cardinals as my two Wild Card choices for the National League, which means that the defending champion Giants, or the always popular choice, the Dodgers, will NOT make the playoffs at all. Stay tuned to see what I have to say about the West, and shortly after that I'll have my playoff and award predictions! 

Do you agree, disagree? Feel free to start up some baseball chatter in the comments below, I've enjoyed hearing your feedback so far and I'm glad this new series has been appealing to some people so far! I can't wait for the season to begin!

See Ya!

His Life in the Sports Card Hobby Joins Mine!

Hey guys, Drew back here! Other than the ridiculous weather, things have been starting to fall back into place lately. It's been refreshing going to school every weekday morning and coming home to relax to myself (and not having to put up with dorm mates). It's given me a chance to get more involved in this hobby and organize a lot of the mess I have scattered throughout the house. 

Recently, I had the chance to meet Frankie of My Life in the Sports Card Hobby at the Pinstripe Pandemonium in January. I've helped Frankie with some advice as he's been getting started in the blogging community, and he decided to send me a care package out of the blue! It was so thoughtful of him, especially given all the amazing stuff he sent along!

He kicked it off by sending me this little Mariano Rivera mini figure. I'm not sure what this is from or for, but fortunately hoarders like me will take just about anything with an interlocking NY and especially of guys like him.

Frankie tossed in some interesting inserts and rookie cards in the package, my favorite of these four being the Jedd Gyorko Museum Collection parallel numbered to 99. I'm curious to see how the Padres will fare this season with their completely revamped roster, and Gyorko will be a key player in that transition from pretenders to contenders.

I think Eric Jagielo is going to be a pretty good player when he is able to put it all together. I've heard a lot of positive things about the 2013 Yankees draft class; consisting of top prospects Jagielo, Ian Clarkin, and Aaron Judge. They've never been known for having a standout farm system but I think Cashman and co. are heading in the right direction.

I really didn't expect to find this 1967 Yankees team card in the package, and it was easily one of my favorites Frankie included. That bright yellow sure is hideous, but it really represents the team well during the "Horace Clarke Era". In 1967, the Yankees finished 20 games behind the Red Sox in the division. Regardless, it's a classic card and it was super cool of Frankie to send this to me!

This is kind of a cool then and now scan here with Albert Pujols and Jose Abreu. Pujols is still a respectable, productive player, but it seems like the Cuban star is ready to take his throne. I'm keeping Abreu on my fantasy team this year, and am excited to see if he can defeat the sophomore slump. (If anyone has Abreu's to spare, I'd be happy to work something out!)

These were probably my 2 favorite cards from the bunch of two of my favorite players in the game today. I've been debating whether to make Tulowitzki a mini PC on my Who I Collect / Wantlist page, and I think one of these days I'm going to do it. This Bowman insert looks incredible in person. As for the Topps Finest insert of Pirates superstar Andrew McCutchen, well, what can I say? It's a beautiful card numbered only 19 of 25! Frankie, you really didn't have to do all this!

To cap it all off, he sent me 3 "hits", the first being a TriStar autograph of Michael Ynoa. I used to have a Ynoa autograph, but traded it and thought I was going to regret it. His future has not been determined just yet, but he was recently included in the Jeff Samardzija trade, so it's possible that the White Sox may see something in him.

David Berg was selected by the Rangers in the 17th round of the 2014 MLB Draft, but instead chose to pitch for the UCLA Bruins in college. He is a sidearm pitcher and a dominant bullpen arm in the 2013 College World Series! These USA jerseys are so patriotic and appealing looking, and if he turns out to be the stud he's pitching like it'll be a nice card to own.

Carlos Gutierrez has bounced around the minor leagues since he was drafted by the Twins. He now is in the Cubs farm system around AAA, and could be a call up possibility if injuries strike the big league club. I love pinstripe relics too, and although I don't know much about this kid, I really appreciate you sending me all of this Frankie!

I had a lot of fun uncovering your package and getting a wide variety of different things. I need some diversity in my collection once in a while anyway! Frankie, you really didn't have to do all this, it was so considerate of you to think of sending all this stuff along my way! I'll have to be sure to get you back in the future for this big haul, buddy, so watch out for that.

See Ya!

Much Delayed Pickups from COMC!

Hey guys, Drew back here! I haven't had a whole lot coming in over the past few weeks, but I did get this package in a while back that I haven't gotten around to showing off to you all just yet. I ordered some cards off of Check Out My Collectibles after selling a few cards I'd been wanting to move, all of which going towards my new Player Collections box I've been building while I've been away from the blogosphere. Take a look at what I was able to add this go-round:

When I first made my list of players I wanted to collect from this point on, I made sure to look young in some cases. Obviously I love a lot of the legends of the game, and a majority of my list consists of those players, but I was also sure to pick a few new favorites such as Mike Trout, Andrew McCutchen, and Bryce Harper. Cutch has been a favorite of mine for a few seasons now while I've been warming up to Trout and Harper along the way. The Home Run Derby I attended last summer definitely made me a bigger Harper fan, because I originally labeled him as cocky and arrogant (kind of like Puig). I love the intensity each of these 3 players bring to the table; they're always willing to go the extra mile and that has allowed them to be as successful as they have been. Also, while Robinson Cano left New York, I still decided to collect his cards because I've been a fan of his from the very beginning of his career and I can't let the business part in baseball get in the way of me rooting for one of my favorite players ever. I don't like seeing him in a Mariners uniform but he is still a favorite of mine, without a doubt!

The Knicks suck. I've been so incredibly disappointed with them this season, as I came into the 2013-14 season with high expectations coming off of a very good previous season. Now, I can't even bring myself to watch them, and I think a lot of smart business moves need to be made before I can really take interest in them again. However, I don't see James Dolan making any of those smart moves, so until he's out of the franchise, I don't know if I can get my expectations up again. Amar'e Stoudemire, despite all of his injuries, is still my current favorite Knick, although Carmelo is carrying most of the load. I feel bad for his poor health even though he's making a boatload of money because I see how much he cares about being a part of the team and wanting to contribute. I picked up this relic of his for a few dollars just for the heck of it. It's out of 2012-13 Timeless Treasures and is numbered 76 of 99. 

Tyson Chandler is another favorite of mine on the Knicks during this dark period. I love the way he carries the team on defense and he does a great job in his role. Unfortunately he doesn't have much help, as the defense is basically helpless outside of his performance, so with his frequent injuries it leads to many more problems. I picked up this gorgeous dual patch autograph of Chandler's from 2012-13 Panini National Treasures numbered only to 10 for a pretty fair (while expensive) price, but it's absolutely gorgeous and I'm glad to add it to my collection, despite how pathetic the Knicks have played this season.

Finally, going back to my Cano tangent, here's a really sweet 2011 Topps Triple Threads relic numbered only to 9 featuring Robby along with Hall of Famer's Joe Morgan and Roberto Alomar! The relics spell out Second Sackers, and while sort of cheesy, the card is still amazing to look at in person and it's really cool to see a personal favorite player of mine stacked up with the all time greats at his trade! I think Cano will ultimately go down as one of the best second basemen of all time (especially offensively, while he more than holds his own defensively as well), and quite possibly a Hall of Famer as well!

So that's all I have for now everyone, hopefully I'll be getting some stuff in soon leading up to perhaps the biggest event I've attended yet coming up next month! Be on the lookout for that, but until then, see ya!

COMC Card Exchange Mailday!

Hey guys, Drew back here! A few months ago I decided it would be a great idea to send a few batches of my autographed/memorabilia cards in to Check Out My Collectibles in anticipation of making a few extra bucks. It turned out to be an awesome idea, because with the $300+ I've earned thus far I've been able to buy the Robinson Cano Bowman Heritage autograph, some cards I've used for TTM requests, and a bunch of various other cards that hold more of a place in my collection! Here's a look at some of the loot I brought in this summer from COMC:

Charlie Sheen is one of my favorite actors, and "Eight Men Out" is a classic baseball movie. Although he didn't have a leading role here, it was one of the kickstarts to his "winning" career! For under a dollar, I couldn't pass this bad boy up!

There is a slim possibility that Robinson Cano may not be a part of the Yankees after this season, but clearly I believe Cashman will pull through and resign him longterm. Of course, I wouldn't like to see anything past 6 or 7 years contract wise, but with the way these longterm contracts have panned out throughout baseball I doubt he'll get much more. I picked up this 2012 Museum Collection parallel numbered to 299 and 2013 Heritage purple refractor for a couple of cheap meaningless relics.

I really need to update my Cano PC page soon. I've been in the midst of a huge liquidation movement with my collection, but after things settle I'll try to take my current PC's to the Internet for all of you to keep up with. Here's a bland Leaf Limited logo-less bat relic numbered out of 299 along with a funky 2006 All Star Stitches jersey card!

Despite the unfortunate Fanfest turnout with Mr. McCutchen, I'm still attempting to root for him. He's a great player and a lot of fun to watch, and when I saw this 2012 National Treasures relic of his for so cheap I knew I couldn't give up on the McCutch PC!

With the last dollar I had to spend, I turned to William and asked him what I should do with it. Rather than use it towards shipping costs, I bought 1961 Golden Press Bill Dickey card! I own literally next to nothing of Dickey's, and since he was the model in which Yogi Berra used to build his playing abilities, I feel like that's a bit cruel. That said, he doesn't have much out there and his autographs cost a fortune. For under a buck, I'll stick with this cool vintage card for now!

I haven't worked on my Knicks collection in what feels like forever, so here's a Raymond Felton auto relic out of this past year's Absolute Memorabilia product numbered out of 74! I'm not the biggest Felton believer but I do think he moves the ball extremely well and I admire his toughness and ability to drive towards the basket. JR Smith recently guaranteed a championship (what else is new), but on a serious note I'm looking forward to seeing the Knickstape back in action!

Last but most certainly not least, I added this beautiful 1982 Topps Bob Bonner and Jeff Schneider rookie card! Oh, and some Ripken guy. Bummer he didn't work out, or else this card would've been a classic. Seriously though, any baseball fan should own a rookie card of Ripken's. I've now had the pleasure of saying that 9 months into 2013, I've had the opportunity to see Cal in person on 4 different days! That's a pretty easy way of saying 2013 has treated me pretty darn well!

School starts Thursday... but for now, See Ya!

2013 All Star Workout Day Recap!

Hey guys, Drew back here! I explained at the end of my last post that Mike, Vinny, Dad, and I's day was far from over as we left Fanfest. To go along with that quest, we also all bought tickets to attend the 2013 Chevrolet Home Run Derby at Citi Field in Queens! I believe that the derby is the marquee event of the All Star break, simply because the All Star Game itself hasn't been exciting since the extra inning affair in Yankee Stadium a few years back. The tickets weren't cheap, but I thought it would be a once in a lifetime chance to see some of the best hitters in baseball go deep before my eyes! The night of the derby is also the All Star Workout day, so if your favorite player isn't necessarily competing in the event, you may at least get to see them take some swings in the cage, which for some players can be more entertaining than watching them during the game the following night!

As we arrived at the stadium, a few of us bought the exclusive All Star Program for sale, which had the full All Star rosters among a scorecard and many other things. As we walked in we were also given a bag filled with pamphlets, a towel, and a few other small items. We originally wanted to try graphing at the stadium, but we were so exhausted from Fanfest that we just wanted to sit down and take it all in. I had never been to Citi Field prior to the event, so I used this event to get a taste of the ballpark and take in something other than Yankee Stadium air for once!

As you can see, it was a beautiful day, although I must say until the sun went down it was brutally hot out. Our seats were in the first row of the promenade section, and they were perfect for viewing the entire field and seeing the ball fly out of the stadium! We grabbed some food and picked up some merchandise, but spent the rest of the workout watching our fantasy players and favorite players take some cuts!

One of the first players we saw in the batting cage was someone who had earlier on been feet away from us, Andrew McCutchen. In retrospect, it was awesome getting to see "Cutch" entertain the children for the event, but I think I'll always remember getting the cold shoulder from him when I was literally standing two feet away from him. However, I'd like to say the security really interfered with the situation, so I'm going to try and forgive Andrew for their ridiculousness.

Bryce Harper jumped in soon afterwards! Originally, I wasn't a huge Harper fan, because he seemed arrogant and stuck-up. However, I've grown to love his passion and attitude for the game! He's always an exciting player to watch and I was pumped to see him in the Derby later on that night!

How can you be a baseball fan without loving Buster Posey? He's done it all already- won 2 World Series, an MVP, NL Rookie of the Year, made 2 All Star teams, and caught a perfect game! Yadier Molina may one of my favorite fantasy baseball catchers in recent years, but Posey is still my favorite all around catcher in the game. It was great to see him take BP, because I won't be seeing a Yankees-Giants game anytime soon.

I was a bit disappointed that I wasn't invited to this all exclusive VIP club in center field featuring Mike Trout, Joe Mauer, Torii Hunter, Nelson Cruz, and Adam Jones, but I guess I'll get over it. It was cool to see players of various teams interacting and having a good time, and it was a reminder that business is still a little kid's game through it all.

Speaking of kids, my all time favorite pitcher Mariano Rivera was out in the outfield playing catch with his two sons. I was a little nervous seeing Mo throw in the outfield, but fortunately his older son caught by the outfield wall, while he was closer to the infield. I'd love to see him finish his final year injury-free.

I found you, Harold Reynolds! The former second baseman and current MLB Network analyst was out roaming about the outfield interviewing numerous players, and I caught him talking to Salvador Perez and Nelson Cruz. I really enjoy Harold on the MLB Network, so it was neat to get to see him in person.

When you take several hundred pictures at an event, you're bound to find a picture or two that makes you question "what on Earth is going on?" Well, it appears that Miguel Cabrera lost his child to someone I cannot identify, and he doesn't look he's very motivated to take him back! Too funny.

I don't know which club I'd have a better shot of entering- the one earlier on, or this group of excellent young pitchers! By the warning track in center field stood Tigers aces Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, along with Boston's Clay Buchholz, the ChiSox's Chris Sale, and Tampa's last minute All Star addition Matt Moore! I could only imagine what these guys were talking about. Did you see Adam Dunn's swing on my curveball?

Mike Trout. There isn't much else to say. This guy is must-see TV.

In case Trout had a little bit of room to improve, Big Papi and Joey Bats could certainly fill up that empty space in his game. Bautista has been one of the most entertaining players in the past few years, and not even this Yankee fan can say that I hate David Ortiz. Sure, he cheated, and sure, he's murdered the Yankees many, many times, but there's something about the guy that you really have to love.

But while all of those All Stars may be pretty good, this guy in the cage stole the spotlight under the bright lights! The lone player in the Home Run Derby not on the All Star team, Yoenis Cespedes certainly went on to make his presence felt as the night went on. Tomorrow I'll wrap the night up with pictures from the actual derby! I hope you all have enjoyed this series! 

See Ya!