Seven Nation Army of Cards in My Mailbox!

Hey everyone, Drew back here! About a week ago, my best buddy William surprised me with an excellent package of Yankees cards, new and old. I was not aware of this coming in, and needless to say it easily made my day. Let's take a look at what came my way:

We begin with some 2014 and 2015 Bowman; the one set I never seem to buy any of no matter how nice they may be. I must admit, this year's product is the best I've seen in years, and I'm not sure what it is that I love about it. The photo choices are atypical of the average Bowman product, and I particularly like the Michael Pineda card (although this copy is missing the foil "Mi" in Michael). Foil isn't always a plus, but Topps did a good job of making it work with this year's design.

My favorite of the Bowman cards happened to be of recently celebrated center fielder Bernie Williams. Bowman celebrated a 25th anniversary of the 1990 rookie class, which included Williams, Frank Thomas, Moises Alou, among others. There are regular variations, and also autographed versions, which our fellow blogger The Snorting Bull has already fully assembled (Beautiful set, by the way)!

I missed Bernie's best years in pinstripes, but have always had a high level of respect for his career(s). He was one of the more under-appreciated stars of the Steroid Era, and while it may seem off to retire his number with the Yankees, he deserves it thanks in part to others who have also had their numbers retired. It was a nice ceremony, and if you haven't heard his emotional speech, check it out.

2015 Topps Heritage hasn't done too much for me, although I have generally been a fan of the product over the years. I think a lot of it has to do with never being a fan of the 1966 Topps set, especially considering it followed up perhaps the most beautiful years of baseball card history, 1965. I do enjoy manager cards, as you saw recently with my TTM successes from this set of Buck Showalter and Ned Yost. 

I know I recently bashed Gypsy Queen for the random loopy thing on the front of each card, but the more I see of the set, the more it's growing on me. It almost reminds me of a keyhole, which as far as I know hasn't been done yet. As always, Gypsy Queen honors the legends they use, and boy, those Gossage, Parker, Cone, and DiMaggio cards are gorgeous.

... but nothing beats this one. Forever my all time favorite player. I miss you Derek.

There was quite a mixed variety of stuff in this package, as there usually seems to be. I don't know how William ends up with all these Yankees cards, but I'll always be glad to take them off your hands. I know it's hard for Panini to do without logos, but the Thurman Munson Diamond Kings card is flawless. I really hope they get an MLB license within the next few years, because I think a lot of what took me out of buying packs and boxes had to do with Topps receiving exclusive rights; crumpling Upper Deck in the process. A little competition is never a bad thing.

I've been waiting for this card for a loooooong time. The second I knew Jack White was getting a card in this year's Series 1, I wanted it in my collection. The former White Stripes lead singer and guitarist, as well a member of the talented Raconteurs, Dead Weather, and a fantastic soloist; has become one of my all time favorite musicians in a very quick timespan. I saw him perform live this past January at Madison Square Garden, and it was perhaps the greatest performance I've ever seen. White has been seen at many baseball stadiums in the last year, and a meme was even created for his dull expression at a Cubs game. I was even at a Yankee game last year that he (and Kate Upton) were at; and in retrospect I really wished I stalked him down and got a chance to shake his hand. Oh well. At least I finally have one of these beautiful cards, honoring his First Pitch at Comerica Park last summer!

Thank you so much again William! Please go check out foul bunt, but who am I kidding; who hasn't? See Ya!

I Am Here to Discuss the Past!

Hey guys, Drew back here! On February 15th, Andy Pettitte's son Josh informed the world that his dad's number would be retired by the Yankees at some point during the 2015 season! It was a shockwave to all Yankee fans, and for the most part the reception was positive.

Heard it here first. @Yankees are making August 23rd Andy Pettitte day. Retiring #46 and honoring him with a plaque in Monument Park!!
— Josh Pettitte (@JPettitte21) February 15, 2015

Shortly after, it was also revealed that the team also planned to retire Jorge Posada and Bernie Williams' #'s 20 and 51, respectively, as well as awarding a plaque in Monument Park to former captain and second baseman Willie Randolph. Now, I know most of you in this hobby have more experience seeing players you've grown up watching receive special honors like these, but I must say it's a weird feeling when you first see this. It makes you feel rather old, I must say. I learned recently that only 2 active MLB players began their career before I was born: LaTroy Hawkins and Jamey Wright. I'm not saying I'm heading to my retirement, but it still feels like just yesterday when I first fell in love with baseball, and that was a decade ago.

With all of this mind, I figured I would share my two cents on these four greats players who have a legendary honor awaiting them over the course of this upcoming season. 

Jorge Posada

A born leader. This guy knew what it took to win, and he was as gritty as they get. I'll never forget when he came to the plate in a pinch hitting situation on September 22nd, 2011. We were sitting in our favorite seats we had ever had in the new Yankee Stadium; front row, field level in right field. Jorge came to the plate and broke the 2-2 tie with a two run single to not only win the game, but also the division! I always liked him, but after that moment I was forever a fan of his. I loved how much he defended the team over the course of his career with his fiery passion. People wonder why the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry is no longer what it was, but I think much of that hatred dissipated when Posada retired.

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Bernie Williams

The forgotten member of the Core Four. Call him Pete Best, because he really got the ball rolling for the Yankees until Jeter & co. took them to the next level (Beatles anyone?). I missed most of Bernie's good years but I've seen some footage and numbers that easily warrant this accomplishment. He was a quiet presence in the locker room, but could play a mean guitar. I got goosebumps when he played "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" at Fenway Park for Jeter's last game in 2014. He did a lot of things right during those championship seasons, and was fantastic in the playoffs. He may get shorted of recognition when people discuss the impact of the Core Four, but Yankee fans will never forget their best centerfielder since Mantle.

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Willie Randolph

Obviously Willie was way before my time, but nevertheless you can see his influence every year at Old Timer's Day and beyond. When I first started following baseball he was stepping into his role as Mets manager, and although it didn't necessarily end well in Queens, he's as much of a baseball guy as anyone else. Willie has been heavily involved in the game almost every year since 1975, whether it be as a player, manager, or coach. I had the opportunity to meet him once at a card show and he was such a nice man. One of few people alive today who could say they were captain of the Yankees; Randolph helped anchor those great late 70's teams to 2 World Series titles.

Andy Pettitte

Finally, Mr. Andrew Eugene Pettitte himself. PED's or not, Andy will forever be one of my favorite pitchers of all time. I really believe he got caught up in the wrong crowd with Roger Clemens when rehabbing the infamous elbow injury he suffered in 2002. But enough about that, because surely one mistake can be forgiven from the very apologetic and sincere Pettitte. Much has been said about the lefty's chances at making the Hall of Fame one day, and while I didn't quite see a Hall of Famer while watching him pitch, he was pretty darn close. With 256 victories and several other feats under his belt, Pettitte was the guy you wanted on the mound on a cold October Bronx night. His intimidating glare was enough to blow away batters for 18 seasons, and I had the pleasure of getting to see a solid portion of those games.

I'm really glad that these four are all getting their due this upcoming season, although it does bother me how many numbers are being retired at this point. Sure, they have the most championships of any major professional sports team spanning over 100 years of excellence, so there should easily be 20 players deserving a number retirement. Joe Torre and Mariano Rivera's numbers were forever locked away recently and obviously Jeter's will be coming soon as well. After that numbers 1-10 will never be used again, which I find strange. 

The problem now is that they went overboard in the first place, retiring numbers of great Yankees but nowhere near legends. Ron Guidry was a spectacular pitcher in his prime and pitched perhaps the best season for the team in the modern era, but I don't know if I agree with his number retired alongside Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Mantle, Berra, and Ford. Billy Martin was a true Yankee at heart and devoted a majority of his life to pinstripes (when Steinbrenner let him), but again it may have been a bit much to retire his number. But now, with their numbers retired, it's only fair that new generation stars like Bernie, Jorge, and Andy get theirs. There's nothing you can do about it, and people will continue to make the "Yankees are going to run out of numbers" jokes for the rest of time, but that's okay. Monument Park provides a true celebration of baseball history as a whole, spanning decades of excellent stars that we will never forget.

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Welcome home once again boys. You're officially here to stay!

See Ya!

January 19th White Plains Card Show Recap!

Hey guys, Drew back here! I literally just got home from my SAT test, and boy do I feel relieved! It wasn't easy, but even if I didn't fare all that well I still have two more chances to make up for it. Hopefully I won't be taking it for at least a few more months. Anyway, getting back on track, last weekend Dad, my good friend Schuyler, and I took the trip down to the Westchester County Center for our first card show since August! As most of you know, my collection thrives off of many great sources, but none can reach the amount of opportunities that JP's Sports & Rock Solid Promotions have provided me over the years! However, none of those shows brought anticipation quite like this one. But before I get to who I met, let me show you all the few cards I added at the show:

Dad bought me two cards towards my 1961 Topps set, the above Yankees team card and the Dick Groat MVP card! Any bit helps, as we approach the half way point of the entire set. I've been considering dropping the high numbers and just finishing the regular set, and worrying about the high numbers at a later time. The older sets are a lot of fun to work on, but the high numbers really seem to drag them out, especially when you're dropping $20 plus on cards of Rollie Sheldon and Ron Perranoski, for example. The Yankee team card is beaten up a bit, but it's definitely one of the cooler cards from the 60's considering how great they were in the 1961 season! They were certainly one of the best teams to ever take the field!

I find it pretty funny that of the money I put towards cards, all of it (with the exception of one card) were bought off of my good friends Rich and Hunter! They put out a nice affordable bargain bin, with prices half off on all of the cards, which are mainly relics and autographs from the mid 2000's. I feel like it's almost obligatory to buy a few Yankee relics once in a while, and I certainly did so at this show, without even realizing it. This Bernie Williams bat card was just something I couldn't pass up. I don't think I have enough of Bernie's in my collection, but then again, I don't think many people do, as he was one of the most underrated players of his era!

Billy Martin was another one of the Yankee's more underrated members. He wasn't the best of players, however he did outplay Jackie Robinson in the 1952 World Series, which has to say something. Through his life he was a gritty, tough-as-nails type of guy, but most of all, he really seemed to love the game of baseball. This is my first relic of his, back from his playing days with a beautiful pinstripe right across it. For 10 bucks, I couldn't pass it up.

I guess I really was sympathetic towards the underrated players last Saturday, considering I also picked up this beautiful dual patch of Vladimir Guerrero! Patches still intrigue me, which is sort of strange considering lately I've really ventured away from relics. There's just something so cool about a nice low numbered three color patch of one of baseball's quietest but most dangerous sluggers in history! I really enjoyed watching Vladdy play; chasing pitches in the dirt and still knocking them out of the ballpark. With the way prospects are being brought up today, I think it'll be a while before we see another player like Vlad.

The final card I bought at this month's show was this beautiful Yankee Stadium Legacy relic of who else but Yogi Berra! Two posts in a row topped off with a beautiful card of Yogi is something I know most collectors would be more than happy to do. Come on now, I know most of you hate the Yankees; but there's something seriously wrong if you don't like Yogi. I've been trying to expand my Berra collection a lot lately, taking advantage of any nice prices I see. Patches and wool swatches seem to really get my collecting gears on, and boy did they kick off what ended up being an incredible day!

Over the next few days, you'll see just what made this show experience above and beyond all the past shows we've been to! Thanks Dad for the 61 help, and to the rest of you, See Ya!

Upcoming Card Show

Hey everyone, Drew back here. Sure, I wish I could've went to the National, but, the "East Coast National", as they call it, is coming up soon, and I will be attending. The show is in White Plains, the place I always go. All 6 Grading services will be there, including PSA/DNA, JSA, and Beckett.

The show is hosted by JP's Sports and Rock Solid Promotions, and will feature a lineup of multiple Hall of Famers and former stars.

Friday, August 20th
Joe Pepitone: $15 (Free Inscription)
J.R. Richard: $20 (Free Inscription)
Jim Lonborg: $15 (Free Inscription)

The show technically begins August 19th, that Thursday, but no players/former players are scheduled to attend. Friday's lineup is solid, 3 former good players, but it gets much better as the weekend moves along.

Saturday, August 21st
Ron Kittle: Free ($5 Inscriptions, $10 Additional Signatures)
Scott Hall (Wrestling): Free ($5 Inscriptions, $10 Additional Signatures)
Juan Gonzalez: $30 (Free Inscription)
Jesse Orosco: $35 ($10 Inscription)
Sid Fernandez: $35 ($10 Inscription)
BILLY WILLIAMS: Flats/Balls/Over/Equipment: $30, Bats/Jerseys: $50, ($10 Inscriptions)
GARY CARTER: Flats/Balls/Cap/Over: $50, Bats/Jersey: $75 ($20 Inscriptions)
JOHNNY BENCH: Flats/Balls/11x14: $60, other equipment goes up to $105 ($20 Inscriptions)

Saturday may arguably have the best lineup, with 2 free guests (Hall/Kittle), Juan Gonzalez, Orosco and Fernandez, and 3 Hall of Famers, Billy Williams, Gary Carter, and Johnny Bench. Prices aren't overly ridiculous this day too, Billy Williams is at a nice price.

Sunday, August 22nd
Roy White: Free ($5 Inscriptions, $10 Additional Signatures)
Dwight Gooden: $25 ($10 Inscriptions)
Mel Stottlemyre: $35 ($5 Inscriptions)
RALPH KINER: Flats/Balls/Cap/Equipment: $25, Bats/Jerseys: $50 ($10 Inscriptions)
ROBIN YOUNT: Flats/Balls/11x14: $75, others go up to $135 ($30 Inscriptions)
Bernie Williams: Flats up to 16x20/Balls: $159, rest goes up to $229 ($50 Inscriptions)

Well, the prices didn't look ridiculous, until Bernie came along. And no, that is not a typo, he costs $159 for any single autograph with a $50 inscription. Very ridiculous, they say it's his 1st card show appearance in NY, and I have a good feeling not many people will be in line for that guy. I would love to meet him, but my $159 doesn't want to! I'm debating whether to meet Yount or not, $75 is an awful lot too, should I? This is the day I'm going, and I'm meeting White, Gooden, Stottlemyre, Kiner, and maybe Yount. Nice lineup! It's no National, but sure is one of the better shows in the country!

Not only are the lineups stacked with stars, but there are 450+ Tables full of a good mix of memorabilia, vintage, and modern cards. This will make for a great show! My Grandpa Roy, Dad, and friend Mike will all be with me, and it should be an awesome time! I can't wait to go! See Ya!