Full Circle

Last week, I made a pretty big trade on Instagram with user @ttmcollector25. At first, I had planned to accept a trade I wasn't too high on. But, just before I pulled the trigger, I found this card scattered on his page and quickly countered:

2000 Upper Deck Legends Reggie Jackson Auto Graded 8.5 w/ 10 Auto

It took a little extra on my end, but it wasn't too difficult to come to an agreement. I haven't added an autograph of Reggie's since he screwed over my Mickey Mantle 16x20 and signed in the darkest spot intentionally. I haven't been his biggest fan since then, but this was too nice a card to pass up. And the most ironic part of it all is that it originally belonged to a fellow blogger in our community, Frankie!

It's crazy how some things come full circle like this. I think Frankie may have moved the card because of the somewhat disappointing grade. However, I've never really been one to critique (or have much interest in) graded cards, so I'm comfortable with the score this received.

So, thanks Frankie for giving this up so it eventually would join my collection!

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.

Didn't Ya Know I Still Love Cano?

While I was gallivanting throughout Europe, I really didn't put in the time or effort to keep up with the hobby. The best part about collecting is that you're not on a set schedule; you can come back to it whenever you feel like it! I think a majority of us collectors are too passionate to ever quit this hobby altogether as long as we are financially stable enough to carry on. 

Sure enough, when I landed home I quickly rushed back to my collection and have been more active with trading and selling than I have been in several years. And the first deal I made was with my good friend Andrew, of Everyday Holliday fame. Andrew ended up with something I really wanted, but couldn't commit to trading for until I got home. And now, after a little wheeling and dealing, it is in my possession.

But first, no trade with Andrew seems to come without some extras. The Stars & Stripes Peter O'Brien feels really appropriate with the Fourth of July right around the corner. The Bowman green parallel of Dermis Garcia is numbered to 99, which was a pleasant surprise too.

Here are two of the Yankees most heralded young stars, both of whom you know I am big fans of. Both Severino and Bird have been anointed as potential saviors of the team's youth movement, though if this is true, fans will likely have to wait until the end of the 2016 season at the earliest to see them become factors in their quest for a 28th World Series title.

I really didn't expect this as a bonus card. Legendary Cuts used to provide collectors with some of the best relics in the business, and this is no exception. Jorge Posada never quite was up to par with the Red Sox great Fisk, but he more than held his own. 

Behold, the card(s) at the center of the deal; a 2015 Topps Supreme Scope tri-fold patch autograph of Robinson Cano numbered 6 of 10! Andrew got a really good deal on this card, and we were able to negotiate something fair for both sides that I have zero regrets over. Cano has returned to MVP caliber form in 2016 for the first time in a Mariners uniform, leading the team in all three major offensive categories. Despite leaving New York, I am still collecting the future Hall of Famer, though to a lesser extent than I did when he wore pinstripes.

This is my first tri-fold style card, and I have to say it's an interesting way to design a card. Topps seems to really enjoy its new laser engraving technology, but I think this is a case where the experimentation pays off. I have no idea how I'm going to display the card, because I believe it would need some sort of custom framing job. One of these days, I'll find a way to make it happen.

Andrew, thank you so much as always. You're a heck of a good guy, and I look forward to our next deal! If you don't know of Everyday Holliday, please go give it a look. I promise you won't be disappointed if you're as passionate a collector as Andrew or myself!

Mailday: Trade with Mr. Baseball (Scott)

Hey guys, Drew back here. On Christmas Eve, I opened a blaster box of 2014 Topps Updates & Highlights, and the hit of the box was a David Ortiz Commemorative patch card. As soon as I pulled the card, I thought in my head "Scott", and immediately texted him to see if he was interested. A few years ago I pulled a Stadium Club Ortiz Triumvirate auto, and as much as I didn't like Ortiz I was reluctant to move it until I saw my friend Scott starting to collect any and all of his cards. I traded him the Ortiz for a Michael Pineda blue Chrome refractor rookie auto out of Topps Chrome, and well, I'm still hoping the deal pans out for me! This year I didn't take as big of a risk, but sent him some cash and considerations along with the Ortiz for a 65 card lot of Yankees base/inserts over the past few years. Take a look at some of what I came home with:

Nothing overly spectacular, but that's exactly what I was hoping for in this move. I haven't bought nearly enough packs/boxes in recent years, so with moves like this I feel almost rejuvenated in a sense. I'm looking forward to adding these to my card boxes and sorting through them all, and I really appreciate the move, Scott! Best of luck in school next semester!

For any of you that haven't gotten the chance to check out Scott's blog or YouTube accounts, please do yourself a favor. He's got a very impressive Ortiz collection, and since a good majority of baseball fans don't like the Red Sox, perhaps you guys may want to work out something with this poor guy ;) Thanks again for the deal Scott!

In other quick blog news, I'm currently working on finalizing a few things to display my personal collections. I'm one player away from unveiling my Google Docs spreadsheets containing every card I own of all of my PC players, and also working on a Flickr account that will show the highlights of each of those collections. Be on the lookout for that, and also in the future I should have a trade/sale album on there too. I'm still selling on COMC.com, and if any of you want to look at my store, click this link here. I'm willing to negotiate on nearly everything so I can buy cards of players to send out TTM next season and for future endeavors as well. Lastly, I've been on Twitter for a little while now, and I'd love to be more involved in our community on social media, so I'd love to connect with any and all of you guys on there, just give me a follow!

Anyway, that will do it for now, stay tuned for plenty more to come this month, but for now, See Ya!

East Coast National Card Show Trade!

Hey guys, Drew back here! I'm sorry it's been so long since I've posted, especially since I told you I'd have something to share. I still do, but it's been pushed aside because I'm now in my second week of college! It's been an enormous transition for me, but so far everything has worked out relatively well, and my classes don't seem to be too over demanding for my first semester. I'm studying Sport Management here at my school, so that one day I may have a role in a professional organization (that's the goal)!

A few weekends ago, my Dad and I spent a day at the White Plains "East Coast National" meeting players and buying all sorts of things for my collection! I mostly added some supplies, and I bought a few cards that I don't have scans of on my laptop, but it was nothing overly notable. But, I did make a big move. If any of my long time readers may recall, way back at one of my first card shows I won a signed and framed Tom Seaver photo, and ever since I've had it framed in my closet. Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of respect for Mr. Seaver, but the piece had never quite fit into my collection. I said in the blog post over 4 years ago that I'd be keeping thepiece for a "lllllllonggggggg time!" I think 4 years would be considered a long time, and I finally realized I could get something I'd prefer in exchange for the piece.. and I did just that. But I got two great pieces for the price of one!

My dad and I have worked out a lot of deals with a man named Joe at the shows in the past. Joe is a big collector around our area, and actually doesn't live far from us, but he deals at the White Plains shows and even the Cooperstown show we went to last year with the Regenthal clan! He made me a great offer, and was able to trade me these two signed baseballs for the Seaver photo:

First off, he filled in an enormous hole in my collection with this Goose Gossage signed baseball! I have a bunch of items signed by Goose, but for some reason I never thought of adding a ball to my PC! He has a beautiful signature, and the HOF 2008 inscription is the icing on the cake!

I also got this sweet "Lousiana Lightning" Ron Guidry autographed baseball in the exchange! Guidry inscribed "Yankee Captain 1986-88" below his signature, and it looks really good despite his sloppy handwriting! Getting these two baseballs saved me a lot of money I'd wind up spending to meet them in the future, and I can now focus on getting them on other items (I really need Guidry on my Mantle photo)! 

Thank you so much Joe for being such a great business partner and friend over the years, and I hope the Seaver photo has served you well! I'll have more to report on this show in the near future, but for now, See Ya (college edition)!

Mail Catchup!

Hey guys, Drew back here! For the second day in a row, we have a snow day here in "upstate" New York, which has been nice for me as I'm trying desperately to get somewhat organized before the holidays. I think it's about time I get some of these cards off my desk and loaded into binders, so take a look at some of what I've gotten in from my buddies William, Scott, and Andrew over the past few months!

We'll kick things off with William, who; although I've had a hard time keeping in good touch with this year, still treats me better than anyone else in this hobby. I can't begin to express my gratitude for his friendship and I always appreciate the random care packages! He always catches me up on the products I don't buy (which is basically every product at this point) and sends me the Yankees, and once again he came in clutch and really helped me out. I really like the Panini Cooperstown product and I like how they chose some pictures that aren't used as commonly. It's a nicely designed product and maybe one day I'll buy a pack or two!

I always have checked out Allen & Ginter, so it really says something about my interest in investing in packs that I hadn't bought a single pack this year. The Berra & Cano's were really appreciated, as well as the Jeter insert! It's going to be weird remembering Cano isn't a Yankee anymore but I'm still going to recognize and honor the 9 great years he put towards the Yankee organization and highlight him in my collection.

He also sent me all of the Topps Update Yankees he pulled, which was awesome of him too! I hardly opened any of the flagship product this year, and I actually really liked it. I've been spending my hobby money elsewhere, such as improving my Mickey Mantle 16x20 project and I've also had to allocate that money towards real world stuff such as gas and food. I've always enjoyed the update product though, because I'm the type of fan that really enjoys seeing how GM's can upgrade their teams and a majority of the cards in this set are the small names that Brian Cashman needed to make the most out of what was a pretty bad 2012 season. Lyle Overbay was solid all season, however Kevin Youkilis was injured most of the year. You win some, and you lose some, I guess.

Andrew surprised me one day with a PWE containing this sweet Mariano Rivera 2013 Bowman purple refractor numbered out of 199! I really appreciated that he went out of his way to give me this card for nothing other than being a good friend. Everyone go give his blog some love if you haven't already!

But that wasn't all that Andrew had to offer. I also recently participated in his group break of a box of Topps Update, and I ended up with the Yankees and Mets. I got all of the big base cards from each team including the Mariano Rivera inserts, the Home Run Derby cards, the Harvey card, and the Wheeler rookie card!  

On top of that, I got a few nice inserts, my favorite easily being the Mariano green parallel. While this past year wasn't very good for the baseball team, honoring Mo's legacy did make the season somewhat more of a success than it would've been! I also really like the Mussina "Chasing History" insert. I really hope he does well on the Hall of Fame ballot this year, because I think if he can survive the heavy classes of the next few years, he'll eventually get in.

Last but certainly not least, I made my first trade in the past century with my good friend Scott over at Mr. Baseball. He and I have made some trades in the past, but nothing major was ever moved between us, until now. I finally gave up my David Ortiz Stadium Club auto in exchange for all of these goodies, because while it held a significant memory in my hobby experience, it fit much better in Scott's Ortiz PC. I got a bunch of nice inserts in the deal, including the Jeter red parallel and the Cano silver ice out of Bowman. 

In addition to the inserts, I managed to pick up this Andy Pettitte relic with a pinstripe out of 2008 Upper Deck Timeline. Many people overlook the fact that Andy didn't play his entire career in New York, but he had some of his best seasons for Houston in the mid 2000's. He capped off his brilliant career last year, and he'll certainly be missed in the Yankees rotation next season. However, as Pettitte exits, enter a possible new era, as this guy could be vying for a spot next year:

Numbered out of 199 from 2011 Topps Chrome, the newest big addition to my collection is this Michael Pineda blue refractor autograph! Pineda has a ton of potential, some of which he's already shown in the majors during his rookie season. He played very little last season, all in the minors where he was recovering from his shoulder surgery he underwent. He currently has an opportunity to take a spot in next year's rotation, but Yankee fans haven't gotten their hopes up. He's still only 24, so there's a lot of time left before considering the near 2011 Rookie of the Year a dud. If he ends up working out, I'll be very proud to have this card, but if he doesn't, that's part of the risk you have to take with cards like these.

So, I want to thank all three of you for everything, you all went out of your way to improve my collection and it means a lot to me!

See Ya!

William Strikes Again- Signed Ball Exchange!

Hey guys, Drew back here! Although it isn't Friday yet, the week is already over for me, because due to the impending huge snow storm here in the Northeast, school's already been cancelled for tomorrow, and there's also a good chance we'll miss Monday! Talk about a great way to kick off the weekend!

A week or so ago, I received probably the largest package I've ever gotten from my closest hobby friend, William! I wasn't exactly surprised, since he's been so generous to me along with several other bloggers over the years. Plus, part of what was inside I knew would be there, as it was part of our recent autograph trade. However, although he mentioned a few small things here and there, I didn't see any of this stuff coming! Take a look:

First and foremost, recently William helped his family make some custom shirts for his dad Ken Regenthal, who's basically raced most of his life. William was kind enough to make a few spare shirts, and he sent one over for me, which I thought was really thoughtful! It may be a bit much to wear to school, however I'll certainly make great use of it, as I normally do with T-shirts.

Second, he also promised to save me one of the programs from the Pirates game he attended during last season (you can read about his experience here)! He forgot to send it for a little while, but I was really in no rush to receive it, since he was doing me a favor anyway. Boy, were the Pirates a great story in the beginning of the season. They've become my favorite National League team by a long shot, so I'll be rooting for a nice rebound season, and hopefully a little playoff baseball for once!

Next, he threw in a few Yankees extras, all being from products that I haven't gotten much (if any) opportunity to check out yet. Bowman Chrome is great for purchasing singles, but I mean come on, 3 cards a pack is a ripoff unless you pull a superfractor autograph of Mike Trout. However, the design is very sharp, and I really like the way the Banuelos insert looks. As for the Thurman Munson out of Panini Golden Age, it just seems like you could make many celebrity lookalikes using it. It's a great card though.

Also, he tossed in an opened pack of Topps Prime football, probably because he didn't really have any interest in any of the cards. I'll take them though! I've really slacked off collecting football cards lately, and to be quite honest I didn't even find the Super Bowl all that exciting to be honest. Baseball season is right on the way though!

All of the preceeding stuff was really awesome and appreciated, however this item here was the core of our most recent trade:

In exchange for the Harold Baines baseball I got signed during my recent card show, William sent me this Jim Palmer signed baseball, with the 'HOF 90' inscription and all! It was a sad day for the Orioles organization the day the ball was signed, as Palmer's former manager Earl Weaver passed away. I never got to write a tribute for Mr. Weaver (nor Stan Musial for that matter) because I was knee deep in midterm exams, however I offer my deepest condolences for their families and their organizations.

Even though it was a tough morning for Orioles fans, Fanfest proceeded, and Palmer signed the ball for William. You can read all about it here! I really appreciate William getting this ball signed for my new and growing signed baseball collection!

Thank you so much William for all of this, as well as all of the other great things you've done for me over the years! I hope you enjoy the Baines ball when you eventually get it!

See Ya!

Recent Mail from Around the Blogosphere!

Hey guys, Drew back here! I know I haven't been around in a while, but I hope all of you had a nice Thanksgiving! I've been trying to savor my holiday break, but unfortunately tomorrow will be the start of the pre-Christmas school stretch. It won't be fun, but hopefully if I keep it up, I'll have more money to spend on the hobby! Around a month from now, I'll be beginning to sell pieces of my collection on Check Out My Cards, and I'll be sure to provide a link when my store goes live. I'm just trying to get rid of stuff that I don't personally have a connection with, so I can buy a few higher end cards for my collection. 

Anyhow, for now, check out the mail I've recently received from a few awesome members of our blogosphere:

William just never seems content with the amount of cards he's sent me over the years. A few weeks ago, he sent me a nice small box filled with mixed cards of the players and teams I like. Most of the cards were from the late 80's, and I probably have all of these laying around somewhere, but I'd prefer not to hunt through binder after binder for them. This is much easier, so thanks man.

As usual, he also caught me up a little bit with what I've been missing since I've basically given up buying products. The cards are awesome, however I prefer buying cards for my PC's over spending $20 on a blaster box or $10 on a rack pack. Money doesn't grow on trees for me, and I think I finally realized that. With that said, I love the All Star cards from 2012 Topps, which I finally got to see courtesy of my good friend. And nothing is cooler than getting my first Ichiro card in a Yankees uniform, although it's most likely photoshopped. He was a great asset to the team last year, and I would love to see him back this upcoming season.

Next, I received a small package from Larry of My 2008 Topps Set Blog, which I have to admit is one of my favorite blogs to read these days! He included his blog card in the package, which was really cool as well (I need to do that one of these days). 

A few weeks ago Larry posted this Topps Update SP card of CC Sabathia to his blog, asking if anyone was interested in it. He wasn't asking for a whole lot in return, so I decided to put an offer in, and we agreed to a nice small deal. CC sat out this year's All Star Game, as did Matt Kemp, so they had plenty of time to talk. 

Lastly, my buddy James (or Chunter as many of you know him by) of Chipp 'n' Dale felt it was necessary to hook me up with a nice addition to my collection, out of the kindness of his heart! He emailed me recently telling me he had a nice card to help me out with a trifecta collection, which completely shocked me considering I've been as close as dead on this website as possible the past few months. Sure enough, a small package came in, with these nice extras on top of the main event:

Out of 1977 Topps, a very nice Rick Cerone rookie card to add to my Yankees collection. Sorry, bad joke. The Dale Murphy rookie card has been a card I've pursued ever since I met him in person a couple of years ago! Finally, thanks to a Dale Murphy collector, I have my own copy of his rookie card to put towards my Murphy trifecta! I may need to go get a relic, because when I met him I had him sign a relic card, which looks fantastic by the way. A trifecta should consist of three cards, so I'll have to fulfill that, but for now, I want to thank James for doing this for me! It takes a lot for me to give up my Yankees cards for other people, so I know it couldn't have been all that easy for him. But, it means a lot, and it's in good hands.

A big thank you to William, Larry, and James for all of the awesome stuff! I'm glad to see that I'm still in the back of some collector's heads even though I'm knee deep in the most difficult year of my life.

Have a nice Sunday everybody! See Ya!

Mail from Brian of 30 Year Old Cardboard!

Hey guys, Drew back here. I am very proud to say that my interest in this hobby has increased more and more as this summer has gone on, and with that said, I've got a heck of a lot of stuff to share with you all! I still don't really trade a whole lot anymore, but I did recently work out a deal with fellow blogger Brian from 30 Year Old Cardboard! If you don't know Brian either from his terrific blog or his inclusion into last month's Beckett Sports Card Monthly, the best guess is that you live under a rock. In case you do indeed live under a rock, please, go check it out.

Anyway, Brian and I just made a small trade involving Yankees and Marlins cards for each other's collections, and this is what I walked away with:

I started talking about this trade with Brian after he posted a bunch of Topps Archives base he had up for trade. At the time, I didn't have a whole lot of the Yankees from the set, so I figured I'd contact him about a simple trade to benefit both of us. Sure enough, I landed these 8 Archives cards, all absolutely awesome looking! My favorite has to be either the Ruth or Mantle, but you can't go wrong with any of these guys!

Brian included a bunch of extras as well, including the Cano Topps 206 Bronze parallel that I didn't have yet!  It's always nice to add another unique card to my collection of his! 

However, he also went the extra mile by sending me some even older Archives cards, being of Roy White and Hank Bauer. I've never seen these two reprints before so I'm more than happy to knock them off the list. Lastly, I feel pretty embarrassed to say this, but I did not own a single Finest card from the mid-90's until now. Not 1. So thank you Brian for filling that hole out too.

Thanks again for the trade man! I'll be sure to get your package out ASAP! See Ya!

Mail from my buddy Andrew!

Hey guys, Drew back here! It's been a very busy month for me, maybe not so much on this website but in all other aspects of my life, time is flying. Sophomore year is coming down the home stretch, and before I know it I'm going to be awaiting junior year while soaking up the sun on a cruise over summer vacation! All is going well here, and I'd like to once again thank each and every one of you readers for taking out the time to check what I've got to say. I just received surpassed 100,000 page views (not including my own), and it is something that really does mean a lot to me, not because of the number, but because I'm proud of how I've made somewhat of an impact towards other collectors. The goal all along was not only to show off what I've been able to add to my personal collection, but to share my love of the hobby in hopes to spread the love of the game of baseball.

One thing I've always enjoyed doing in this hobby is trading, and although I haven't been on top of my trades very well of late, my new good friend Andrew has certainly tried to bounce me back into my flow. We worked out our second trade a few weeks ago, and this was what I got in exchange for a Cardinals autograph:

Here are a few of my favorites of the Yankees cards he sent. I love the 2012 Dellin Betances Topps rookie, and I'm definitely going to have to pick up a few more to stockpile up on him. He's not doing very well in the minors from what I've heard, but he has a heck of a lot of potential. I didn't have the A-Rod starquest surprisingly enough, but I'm glad Andrew sent it my way. Also, that Eric Chavez gold parallel is pretty nice as well. 

Next are a few well known Yankee prospects, in Gary Sanchez and Ben Gamel! Sanchez has perhaps the most potential in their entire farm system right now, and because of that, they thought dealing Jesus Montero would be a smart move. I understand that thought process, but I really think we could've done better than Michael Pineda with what we have to offer. I'm very disappointed in Pineda thus far, but he's extremely young with a lot of potential so I'm just going to give him some time first before making final decisions. Gamel, on the other hand, has bounced around quite a bit in his few years in the Yankee system. He had a very good 2011 season in the Staten Island, so hopefully he can carry that into his 2012 campaign.

Finally, some Kimball Champions topped off the deal! I've made this very clear on here before, but I'll say it again: I LOVE these inserts. Why? I really don't know, they're just appealing to me. I probably have these same three minis somewhere in my basement, but I'll take every single one you guys have! Maybe one day I'll go after the whole set. For now, here are the Ruth, Berra, and Sabathia minis.

So, thank you so much for the trade Andrew, I really appreciate all the attention you've given towards my collection the past few weeks. Everyone please go out and give his site a look, because believe me, everyone loves a new blog to read, right?

See Ya!