Ketchup Mailday

Hey guys, Drew back here. Well, since I'm kinda back, I might as well get caught up in trades. But first, I am going to the card show on Saturday as usual, and I will probably meet Billy Williams and Scott McGregor (free). I'll probably make a custom for Williams to sign so he can be in the Hall of Fame Heroes set. One other thing. R.I.P. Robin Roberts and Ernie Harwell, sorry I couldn't get to it I've again been very busy. Winning 20 games 6 straight years is ridiculously incredible, I didn't know how good he was until he died.

Ok, on that note, here are the 3 maildays that I hadn't posted yet, 2 being from bloggers and 1 from eBay. Let's start with Scott of Mr. Scott's Baseball Cards. Scott has been VERY generous in sending me cards, and this was a huge set helper. His side of the trade should be going out in the mail soon. Here's my part:

Well, thanks to Mr. Scott I completed the Legendary Lineage set. One less set to chase at the show, and it looks very nice next to each other. The Ford and Sabathia is really nice and I also really like the Rickey Henderson/Carl Crawford.

Here are 6 Tales of the Game. I really like the unique cards in this set, not often you find a card of the Pesky Pole, the Yankees digging up an Ortiz jersey and Topps dumping 52 Topps in the Hudson river. I only need 2 more of these now, 10 and 23, if you have them let me know before Saturday, as well as the rest of the stuff I'm posting here.

With these 4 When They Were Young inserts, I now only need Justin Verlander. Shoot me an email if you have one. As for as Cards Your Mom Threw Out, check my wantlist, I need about 20 of them still so help is much needed. And for History of the Game I need only Card #19, which is Johnny Bench.

Also, Mr. Scott sent me 14 Peak Performances, including Babe, Lou, and Roger Maris, a pretty good group of players. This leads me to need only 10 more of these to complete the first 50. I do want all these sets mostly complete by Series 2's arrival, which is very soon.

The last 6 cards he sent were all needed Cano's. He owns 145 of Cano's cards, and I now have 122 so I'm slowly catching up. I'm not a fan of 2008 UDX or First Edition or 2006 Upper Deck, but the 08 Chrome is nice, the Unique is pretty nice, and the Finest is incredible looking. Can't wait to get some of those refractors.

Thanks Mr. Scott! Now on to Wicked Ortega of My Past Time... I Love It. Wicked and I had a small little fight back in 09 but we quickly resolved and are great buddies now. We made a trade a few weeks ago and he sent more my way for nothin just a few days ago. Here are the cards:

First are just some TTS and Heroes. There is a Pettitte perforated parallel too so that's cool, don't have many of those, although I do think that those should have been the base cards since it IS a ticket set.

The Tex Icons completes that Icons team set, and as I receive loads of doubles of the same players, I finally get the Tex. Nice Joba parallel too. I didn't have either of the Burnetts and they are both awesome looking, and I always appreciate Jesus Montero!

I love those Murderer's Row cards, that makes 5 total for me and I no doubt want to complete that insert set. It's part of that 2000 Yankees Legends set I think, and they have a really cool look to them.

Again, I can't stand 06 Upper Deck but I did need it. A lot of Mantle as usual, Topps really used a pointless idea on the home run cards, yet I still want some of them. I would like at least number 536, his last homer, and maybe the tape measure shot too.

Some Jets were included too and they are really nice, especially the Keyshawn on the bottom row and all 4 of the top row cards have a sweet design.

2007 Artifacts is nice, but some of the cards can get boring. The Jeter is really nice though. I also needed the top Swisher, very nice. The Rudy Giuliani card is hilarious too, part of the 2008 Presidential Predictors set.

The last picture from Wicked, has some cool cards. First, the Tino is really cool, a Topps Gallery card, and the Thurman is a book, which is really cool. He also threw in a Vernon Gholston auto, which makes the 3rd auto of his that he has sent me. Gholston certainly isn't anything special, but as the Jets are making him a defensive end again like he was in college, he may be better than before. I needed the Cano card, I don't get why his name isn't on the front of the card though. The best card in this package though has to be the Ron Guidry refractor from Topps Archives Reserve 2002. My mom gave me the original 1978 card a long time ago since her brother collected some cards and must've given it to her or something, so it's cool to have a reprint of it.

Thanks Wicked! Lastly, I got a card off eBay recently for like $4, from the new National Chicle product.

Nick Swisher relic /199. Swisher has been lighting it up lately, so far with 5 home runs in MAY! Go Swish! The only problem on this card other than Swisher being stuck with the manly colors pink and purple is that the C over the game used and the border too is really dirty. I think I've seen more like this. Have you? Here's a pic of the back:

Well that's all for now, I hope you enjoyed that long post of trades (Thorzul in particular). See Ya!

My Card Company Awards

Hey guys, Drew back here, I felt like sharing my thoughts on the 2009 products with you. Very soon the nominees for the blog awards will be announced, but for now, here are my standings on some of the awards based on card companies & products from 2009, baseball and football:

Card Company of the Year:

5. Other: Not really much other than the 4 big companies to pick.

4. Tristar: Obak was a big hit, and of course Projections is a big seller with the prospectors.

3. Panini/Donruss: These guys kinda came back, it looks like they have done well in football & basketball thus far.

2. Upper Deck: The folks at Upper Deck didn't have a stellar year like 2008 but some big products were released, Goodwin Champions, O-Pee-Chee, and I really like Ballpark Collection.

1. Topps: Let's just say that Topps outdid themselves this year, almost every product this year came out on top. Their flagship set was the best in forever, including Turkey Red and Legends of the Game inserts certainly helped that. Products like Allen & Ginter, Triple Threads, 206, Unique, Finest, Heritage, Topps Chrome, and I don't know about you but I liked Ticket to Stardom too! Other than Topps Attax, all the products were thought out really well and Topps deserves an A for effort this year!

Baseball Product of the Year:

5. O-Pee-Chee: This set didn't have big expectations, but going to Target to find a nice, well designed 1.59 pack made me happy. Some of the cards looked a little scary but I think it gets in my Top 5.

4. Upper Deck Ballpark Collection: One of the best high end products available, because you will get at least one good hit in the box, unlike taking chances at Triple Threads or Sterling. Although the players paired on the same card have no meaning to be with each other, I must say that it helps with player collectors, more cards of their player in the set. I haven't bought the product at all but have bought 2 Cano dual jerseys, a 6 swatch with Cano, a Swisher Auto jersey, and I traded with Beardy for a Swisher 8 swatch.

3. Topps 206: Although I have been at Target/hobby shop 1 time in the past like, 3 months, and haven't purchased any packs of this stuff, I bought a Cano jersey and it is really nice. The design is untouchable and although it has it's flaws, we can't expect perfection. The photography is hit or miss but the hit's look incredible. The SECOND best retro set this year for me.

2. Topps Chrome: Hopefully, at some point in the future I can complete this set. (Speaking of completion, I'm gonna have a set completed very soon) I haven't put up a wantlist yet, but haven't really bought enough yet to try. The design is sweet and although most of us hate the World Baseball Classic kindling, the refractors are SWEET! And on card autos, how can you go wrong?

1. Topps Allen & Ginter: One word to describe this product: Wow. This was by far the best release of this product so far, and Topps hit a walk off, grand slam, out of the park home run on this set. Beautiful photography and the design can not be denied. Add in a nice relic/autograph design plus the possibility for rip cards and red ink autos, and wood cards, wow.

Football Product of the Year (so far)

gotta go a little faster now...

5. Topps Mayo: Sweet old school design and great relics. Plus the inclusion of NFL legends makes the second year in a row release a hit. But, the reason it isn't higher is the horrible autograph design, but let's not talk about that now.

4. Absolute Memorabilia: The high end product everybody wants. Again, it's hit or miss, but it is way popular with the collectors and is a best seller, so why not.

3. Topps Flagship: Yeah, I should've put this in baseball too, but, the football design was pretty nice this year, glad they didn't use the same design as baseball, it would get old. Great job again Topps!

2. Upper Deck Philadelphia: Sweet set, bought one pack only so far, but pulled a D-Bowe auto, now in the hands of the bearded wonder. The design again is very cool and there are some very nice on card autos.

1. Topps Chrome: Now, this is how to make a product kiddies! I love the chromified design of the base, plus the great refractors, this is a hit!

Baseball Insert of the Year: Propaganda Posters, from Topps Updates and Highlights

Very unique set, I don't think it's ever been done before.

Football Insert of the Year: National Chicle, from Topps

Again, cool retro design, I think 2009 was the year of the retro(ness)

Baseball Autographed Set of the Year: Allen & Ginter framed autographs

Simply.... amazing

Football Autographed Set of the Year: Gridiron Gems from Gridiron Gear

These are case hits in this product, and the autograph pulls out, and they are really cool. I managed to pull one of Dexter Jackson in last year's version, and it is sweet!

Ok, those are the product awards we will be running. These may not be our nominees, they're just my votes. I'm gonna have some mail up from Saints of the Cheap Seats tomorrow or Tuesday, we'll see. See Ya!