MLB Trade Deadline Recap and Thoughts

Hey guys, Drew back here! The trade deadline has once again come and gone, and despite a surprisingly quiet final day, the past week has been complete and utter mayhem across Major League Baseball. Over 30 trades were made, sending players and prospects all over the country to places we couldn't even fathom. The only team that didn't make a move was the Arizona Diamondbacks, who flirted with making a trade for Reds closer Aroldis Chapman all week but couldn't get anything done.

So, with all this, I'm going to jump in my mini Time Machine and take you back a little over a week ago, where July's big moves began to take place. Along the way, I'll offer my thoughts on the most impactful acquisitions and where I feel like some teams went wrong.

July 23rd

1. Pittsburgh Pirates acquire Aramis Ramirez and cash from the Milwaukee Brewers for prospect Yhonathan Barrios.

2. Houston Astros acquire Scott Kazmir from the Oakland Athletics for prospects Daniel Mengden and Jacob Nottingham.

Houston, we have a problem. The Astros are leading the AL West in shocking fashion thus far into the season by 2 games over the Angels, and with their addition of the Texas native southpaw, they only got better. Kazmir has not allowed a run yet over his first 14 2/3 IP in his new digs, and is ready to build on what has been a remarkable career turn around.

July 24th

3. New York Mets acquire Juan Uribe, Kelly Johnson, and cash from the Los Angeles Dodgers for prospects John Gant and Rob Whalen.

4. St. Louis Cardinals acquire Steve Cishek from the Miami Marlins for prospect Kyle Barraclough.

Cishek could use a change of scenery after collapsing early on in 2015, and might be a rebound candidate in the 2nd half with the great pitching personnel St. Louis provides.

5. Los Angeles Angels acquire Conor Gillaspie from the Chicago White Sox for cash.

July 26th

6. Kansas City Royals acquire Johnny Cueto from the Cincinnati Reds for prospects Brandon Finnegan, John Lamb, and Cody Reed.

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This could be the biggest game changer of all deadline moves this year. Last season, the Royals' pitching got by with their incredible bullpen, but their starting pitching wasn't close to as dangerous. With James Shields gone and Yordano Ventura struggling immensely in his sophomore season, it was critical for last year's pennant winners to add someone of Cueto's caliber for a postseason run. The righty is set to become a free agent after the year concludes, and it seems hard to believe that Kansas City will hold onto him for years to come. But, if he helps to bring a World Series title home to Kansas City, this trade could never look bad on their part.

This reminds me of the Brewers move in 2008, bringing CC Sabathia in for a rental run. Sabathia pitched phenomenally, not only bolstering his contract value (that the Yankees are now suffering through) but leading them further into the playoffs than expected. This is a win-win-win. A win for the Royals, gaining an ace. A win for the Reds, gaining some solid pitching prospects knowing they won't be able to resign their ace next year. And, a win for Cueto, who, with a big second half, could end up with a huge reward this offseason.

Cueto gave up 3 runs on 7 hits over 6 innings in his Royals debut against the Blue Jays last night.

July 27th

7. Los Angeles Angels acquire Shane Victorino and cash from the Boston Red Sox for Josh Rutledge.

8. New York Mets acquire Tyler Clippard and cash from the Oakland Athletics for prospect Casey Meisner.

Clippard should become an important piece of the back end of the Mets bullpen, and is next in line for the closer role if Jeurys Familia continues to struggle. He has become one of the more dependable relievers in the game in recent years and will most likely lower the risk of manager Terry Collins having a heart attack mid-game.

July 28th

9. Los Angeles Angels acquire David Murphy and cash from the Cleveland Indians for prospect Eric Stamets.

10. Los Angeles Angels acquire David DeJesus from the Tampa Bay Rays for prospect Eduar Lopez.

Over a two day span, the Angels added 3 decent outfielders in Victorino, Murphy, and DeJesus. You can't help but wonder what their thought process was behind this. Matt Joyce has been offensive in left field, batting .178 at the moment, and maybe their hope is that either one of the 3 new players will be good enough to sustain a starting role.

11. Washington Nationals acquire Jonathan Papelbon and cash from the Philadelphia Phillies for prospect Nick Pavetta.

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Oh, it's so nice not having to hear Papelbon complain any longer. The All Star closer is one of my least favorite players in baseball, however, I must give credit where credit is due. Despite crotch grabbing, a bad temper, and not being afraid of saying what's on his mind (a scary thought), Pap is has been one of the top closers over the past decade. Drew Storen got the raw end of this deal, losing his closer role despite saving 29 of 31 games with a miniscule 1.64 ERA (sorry to all of you Storen fantasy owners out there). Papelbon wouldn't take the deal unless he knew he would have the closer role, and sure enough, the man got his way.

A critical part of why the Nationals most likely made this move was because of Papelbon's excellent postseason reputation. He has allowed 3 runs over 27 innings pitched in October, pitching to a 1.00 ERA and has had the honor of closing out a World Series victory in his past. Storen, meanwhile, in 5.1 IP, has allowed 5 runs, and was known for blowing a key save in Game 5 of the 2012 NLDS against the Cardinals that sent his Nationals home for the winter. Experience is behind this move, and it should be interesting to see how Papelbon will perform when the Nats need him most.

12. Kansas City Royals acquire Ben Zobrist and cash from the Oakland Athletics for prospects Aaron Brooks and Sean Manaea. 

Ben Zobrist is an extremely nice fit in Kansas City. While I disagree with Brian Kenny and the folks at MLB Network who view him as one of the biggest star players in recent memory (I don't care how high his WAR is), he is a consistent, versatile option that will come in handy in the postseason. It's difficult to say anything bad about the guy today, since he has two home runs against the Blue Jays right now and is making the right kind of impact on a fantastic fanbase that will be fully supportive of him in no time. And, if Kansas City does decide to bring him back next year, he'll have an almost guaranteed chance of starting in the All Star Game!

I am seeing several people online debating whether the Royals gave up too much young talent for these players they may not necessarily need to make the postseason. It appears as though they would have already run away with the AL Central title without Cueto and Zobrist, but I think having these players will be a decision they will not regret. As much as I want to see my Yankees make the World Series this year, their biggest challenge would've been Kansas City before the moves and even more-so now. GM Dayton Moore and Manager Ned Yost are back for blood, and are poised to come home with the World Series trophy this season. For their sakes, let's hope Madison Bumgarner isn't on the mound again.

13. Toronto Blue Jays acquire Troy Tulowitzki and LaTroy Hawkins from the Colorado Rockies for Jose Reyes and prospects Miguel Castro, Jeff Hoffman, and Jesus Tinoco.

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While the Johnny Cueto move was probably the most important for any of this year's contending teams, this move was clearly the most fun. Tulowitzki would have never admitted it, but he was unhappy as ever in Colorado. Heck, last year he even was spotted at a Yankees game on an off day. He didn't see this move to Toronto coming, and Canada was exactly where he dreamed of heading off to, but I have a feeling he's going to grow to love playing at Rogers Centre in the most dangerous right handed lineup the game has to offer.

At the moment, I was confused as to why the Blue Jays would make this move when their clear objective at the deadline was to add a top notch starting pitcher. Also, Tulo has had bad hamstring and leg history, and the turf in Toronto may not be helpful to the length of his career. Plus, moving a still more than capable offensive cog in Jose Reyes, while declining defensively and still as big of an injury threat as anyone, didn't click for me. Reyes is a switch hitter who was supposed to and has gotten on base for their big bats to drive him in. Tulowitzki is not an ideal leadoff hitter, but later on we'll see how Toronto overcame this deficit.

There were rumors surrounding Reyes being moved from Colorado following the deal, but it appears that he will be staying put at Coors Field for now. On an interesting and strange side note, I lucked out with my main fantasy team this year and had Tulowitzki and Reyes as my 2B and middle infield positions. It was bizarre that they were flipped for each other!

July 29th

14. Cleveland Indians acquire prospect Jayson Aquino from the Pittsburgh Pirates for cash.

New York Mets (almost) acquire Carlos Gomez from the Milwaukee Brewers. More on that one later.

July 30th

15. Toronto Blue Jays acquire David Price from the Detroit Tigers for prospects Daniel Norris, Matt Boyd, and Jairo Labourt.

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This was the move I was terrified of seeing after the Blue Jays added Tulowitzki. No GM in baseball would have been done after not addressing the main focus at the deadline, and I knew either Hamels or Price had a great chance of being the next to travel across the border. Price is possibly my favorite pitcher in the game at the moment (always subject to change), and he appears to be an excellent addition to a team with playoff desires. He will not only eat innings, but he will eat them better than a majority of pitchers in the American League. Toronto has not made the playoffs since their World Series victory in 1993, and a Wild Card spot looks promising after these two moves.

But after losing Jose Reyes in the Tulowitzki trade, what is their plan for the top of the lineup? Read on. And, what if this year doesn't go as planned for GM Alex Anthopoulos? Price becomes a free agent after this year, and Daniel Norris has the potential of becoming a fantastic pitcher within the next couple of seasons. I understand attempting to win while Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion are towards the end of their prime, but within these two moves alone they lost a majority of their top prospects. It will be interesting to see if they will be able to add Price next year, who, along with Cueto, could seek a contract totaling over $200 million.

16. Houston Astros acquire Carlos Gomez, Mike Fiers, and a pick in the International Pool from the Milwaukee Brewers for prospects Josh Hader, Adrian Houser, Brett Phillips, and Domingo Santana.

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So, does Carlos Gomez actually have a bad hip or not? I mentioned when recapping the previous day that the Mets came very close to adding their former center fielder and now All Star in exchange for Zach Wheeler and Wilmer Flores (who has since become a fan favorite after hitting a walkoff home run in his "return" to the Mets). It turns out the Mets decided against the trade at the last minute because they were afraid of a hip injury that came up in a medical report. Gomez has not produced at the same level as he did in 2014 for the Brewers, so a hidden injury could have been kept under wraps, though he has denied any sort of health issue.

I thought Gomez would be a great fit for the Mets, but it appears that he'll fit even better patrolling center field in Houston. The Astros were able to add Scott Kazmir and Gomez for a slew of prospects, bettering their chances of not only making the playoffs but making a run for the World Series. The scariest thing about this team is that they are just getting started.

Love him or hate him, Carlos Gomez has played his entire career with his heart on his sleeve. His Brewers teammates and coaching staff loved his compassion and spoke of him much more highly than you would expect of a player whose tirades and fights on the field have made him a tough character to like. A player of his caliber can be a make or break addition to a team, and the Astros were right to have taken this risk.

17. Pittsburgh Pirates acquire Joakim Soria from the Detroit Tigers for prospect JaCoby Jones.

18. Chicago White Sox acquire Justin Sellers from the Pittsburgh Pirates for cash or a PTBNL.

19. Three Team Deal between Dodgers, Marlins, and Braves.
Dodgers acquire Mat Latos, Michael Morse, Alex Wood, Jim Johnson, Luis Avilan, Jose Peraza, Bronson Arroyo, and cash
Marlins acquire prospects Victor Araujo, Jeff Brigham, Kevin Guzman
Braves acquire Hector Olivera, Paco Rodriguez, and prospect Zach Bird.

This was a weird trade, but after a few days of negotiating, it finally came to be. The Dodgers appear to be the heavy winners on paper, but it appears that the other two teams accomplished their goals of clearing some salary while gaining some young players. GM John Hart of the Braves has done a nice job reloading the Braves organization for the debut of their new stadium, set to arrive in 2017. Hector Olivera is a highly regarded Cuban prospect, and could have the most upside of anyone in this deal.

As for right now, Los Angeles stocked up on starting pitchers to fill out the back end of their rotation. Following the dynamic duo of Kershaw and Greinke, they will now have Brett Anderson, Mat Latos, and Alex Wood round things out. Latos is my personal favorite talent-wise of the three, but all five pitchers are more than capable of helping them down the stretch.

20. New York Yankees acquire Dustin Ackley from the Seattle Mariners for prospects Ramon Flores and Jose Ramirez.

I was intrigued by the Yankees' plan for this year's deadline. GM Brian Cashman made it clear that he wasn't willing to move any of these four prospects: Aaron Judge, Luis Severino, Greg Bird, and Jorge Mateo. I certainly agreed on the first two, and while it would be convenient to have the latter two players as well, I wouldn't have been too upset to see them moved for assets they could use right now. Heck, they are in first place, but with the Blue Jays now breathing down their neck, you would think they would push for a little extra.

After flirting with every possible pitcher, starter or reliever, they ultimately only ended up moving two prospects for Dustin Ackley. Ackley was a highly regarded prospect several years ago who never really worked out in Seattle. About the only awesome thing about him was his beard, which of course now ceases to exist thanks to the Steinbrenner way. I can't say there's a whole lot I'm looking forward to with this move.

21. St. Louis Cardinals acquire Brandon Moss from the Cleveland Indians for prospect Rob Kaminsky.

I had to double take when I saw this trade. I'm no prospect connoisseur, but when I saw "Cardinals top prospect Rob Kaminsky" involved in a straight up trade for a struggling Brandon Moss, I was confused. This may end up being the worst trade of the entire deadline, unless St. Louis knows more about their prospect than we do.

22. Pittsburgh Pirates acquire Joe Blanton from the Kansas City Royals for cash.

July 31st

23. San Francisco Giants acquire Mike Leake from the Cincinnati Reds for prospects Adam Duvall and Keury Mella.

Mike Leake was the most underrated starter on the market, and the Bay Area welcomed him in for a couple of prospects. I love that despite winning 3 of the past 5 World Series', the Giants aren't letting this even numbered season go to waste. Leake is 9-5 in 2015 with a 3.56 ERA, and has been particularly hot this summer. He is a rental, but even for a few months he appears to be worth the small haul.

24. Baltimore Orioles acquire Gerardo Parra from the Milwaukee Brewers for prospect Zach Davies.

The Orioles found themselves a leadoff hitter having the best season of his career. Parra is batting .328 this year with 9 home runs and 9 stolen bases. This allows Buck Showalter to move Manny Machado down the batting order, where he will drive more runs in for a team that is in need of an extra offensive boost.

25. St. Louis Cardinals acquire Jonathan Broxton and cash from the Milwaukee Brewers for prospect Malik Collymore.

26. Texas Rangers acquire Cole Hamels, Jake Diekman, and cash from the Philadelphia Phillies for Matt Harrison and prospects Jorge Alfaro, Nick Williams, Alec Asher, Jerad Eickhoff, and Jake Thompson.

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Who is the idiot for waiting so long now? GM Ruben Amaro may have taken absolutely forever to deal his ace and officially begin Philadelphia's rebuilding process, but he got back six players in return for him! Four of the Rangers prospects were part of their top 10 best prospects, and the biggest name in the deal outside of Hamels is catching prospect Jorge Alfaro. A scout told ESPN's Jayson Stark last week that Alfaro reminded him of a bigger Pudge Rodriguez, which is about the highest praise you could receive as a young catcher. The Phillies now have a lot to look forward to, but will miss Hamels, who has been a part of their organization since he was first drafted in 2002.

It will be an uphill battle for the Rangers to make the playoffs, currently 7 games out of first place in the AL West and 3 games out of a Wild Card spot. With Hamels, however, there may be a sliver of hope that they can make that late season run. Up until his recent no-hitter, Hamels has struggled in 2015 more than usual, but a lot of that could have been attributed to being miserable in Philadelphia.

The best part about this deal for Texas is that he is far from a rental. Not only will they have their lefty for the remainder of 2015, but they will also have him for 4 additional years for a little over $90 million dollars. For a pitcher of his caliber, they are getting a bargain. Next season, their rotation will begin with Hamels and recovering Yu Darvish, and it will be hard-pressed to find a better one-two punch in the American League.

27. Minnesota Twins acquire Kevin Jepsen from the Tampa Bay Rays for prospects Chih-Wei Hu and Alexis Tapia.

28. Oakland Athletics acquire Felix Doubront from the Toronto Blue Jays for cash.

29. Toronto Blue Jays acquire Ben Revere and cash from the Philadelphia Phillies for prospects Alberto Tirado and Jimmy Cordero.

Ben Revere was the final piece necessary to complete the Blue Jays puzzle. After losing their lead off hitter in Jose Reyes and creating some confusion regarding their very right handed heavy lineup, it was critical for them to find someone capable of starting a rally. Also, Bautista, Encarnacion, and Tulowitzki can all hold their own defensively, but they needed a Ben Revere to balance out all of their strength. He is one of the better contact/speed hitters in baseball, batting .298 this year with 24 steals.

30. Toronto Blue Jays acquire Mark Lowe from the Seattle Mariners for prospects Nick Wells, Jacob Brentz, and Rob Rasmussen.

31. Chicago Cubs acquire Tommy Hunter from the Baltimore Orioles for Junior Lake.

32. Chicago Cubs acquire Dan Haren from the Miami Marlins for prospects Ivan Pineyro and Elliot Soto.

33. Boston Red Sox acquire Ryan Cook from the Oakland Athletics for cash or a PTBNL.

34. San Diego Padres acquire Mark Rzepcynski from the Cleveland Indians for Abraham Almonte.

35. Texas Rangers acquire Sam Dyson from the Miami Marlins for prospect Thomas Telis and Cody Ege.

36. Pittsburgh Pirates acquire J.A. Happ from the Seattle Mariners for prospect Adrian Sampson.

37. New York Mets acquire Yoenis Cespedes from the Detroit Tigers for prospects Michael Fulmer and Luis Cessa.

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As the clock struck 4:00, the final major deal of the deadline was revealed: The Mets, who earlier escaped from trading for Carlos Gomez, went and grabbed a different bat. Two time Home Run Derby champion and All Star caliber outfielder Yoenis Cespedes was the final rental player moved. This will now be Cespedes' fourth team in 2 years, and there have been rumbles in the past that he isn't the best teammate. However, coming from his background, I can easily envision having a difficult time fitting into any big league locker room.

The Mets may have surrendered a bit much for a rental, as Fulmer has been regarded to be a good right handed pitching prospect. They have plenty of pitching in my eyes, and being able to add an impact bat as big as Cespedes' without surrendering any of Harvey/deGrom/Syndergaard/Matz is an impressive feat. He may not save all of their hitting woes, but he can't hurt, can he?
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After reviewing all of the deadline, here are my biggest winners and losers:

Winners
Toronto Blue Jays - Now a big time contender for a Wild Card spot and could possibly chase the Yankees down and out from the AL East if they don't play their cards right. And if they make the postseason, watch out for their new ace.

Houston Astros - Kazmir and Gomez made a good team even better. They have a young enough team where they can afford to surrender good prospects and still have a bright future.

Kansas City Royals - The American League's best team now has a bonafide ace. There is nothing scarier than that.

Jonathan Papelbon - He couldn't have possibly asked for a better situation to move into from a team he seemed to hate playing for.

Philadelphia Phillies - This year may end as a disaster, but it will soon be sunny in Philadelphia once more.

Wilmer Flores - Because, c'mon man. We live for moments like this.

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Losers
San Diego Padres - Yesterday's biggest storyline was where current Padres Justin Upton, James Shields, Tyson Ross, Andrew Cashner, and Craig Kimbrel could go. Their offseason strategy has been a failure thus far, as Fangraphs currently gives them a 4% chance of making the playoffs. Four percent is apparently enough for GM AJ Preller to continue to hold on, as he kept all of his players in hopes that they can make a run this year. Power to you, AJ, but good luck with that.

New York Yankees - It isn't necessarily anyone's fault, as they did try to make a move with a majority of the big names. In nontypical Yankee fashion, they couldn't pull through with anyone but Dustin Ackley. Craig Kimbrel appeared to be close to coming to New York to make the nastiest bullpen combination of this era, but Preller's decision to keep things the way they are kept that from happening. After the Blue Jays did everything they did, Cashman may regret not pushing a little harder for top pitchers, considering how much of a revelation Teixeira and A-Rod have been for what could be the final time.

There you have it everyone. I hope you enjoyed my full recap of this year's Trade Deadline, and I would love to hear all of your opinions in the comments below!

See Ya!

2015 National League West Preview + Predictions!

Hey guys, Drew back here! After a bit of a delay, we are back on track with my 2015 Baseball Preview! We have covered each of the first five divisions thus far in our series, and following this post I will conclude it with Playoff Predictions and Award Predictions! I may be completely wrong with this picks, but I like to have a little fun with my choices while making sure to look into each team's strengths and weaknesses.

If you've missed any of my prior rankings and wish to take a look, click on the links below:

AL East          NL East

AL Central          NL Central

AL West

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1 - Los Angeles Dodgers

X-Factors: Joc Pederson, Brett Anderson, Yasmani Grandal

The Dodgers have been the talk of baseball ever since Magic Johnson and Co. took over the reins in 2012. But with all the talk of the Washington Nationals super pitching staff, they have flown a bit under the radar going into 2015. This past offseason, they rebuilt their front office, hiring former Rays GM Andrew Friedman, and his impact was immediately felt. They rebuilt their middle infield, bringing in Jimmy Rollins and Howie Kendrick; two established veterans to improve their clubhouse environment. They also traded longtime Dodger Matt Kemp to the San Diego Padres, opening up the center field position to mega prospect Joc Pederson. Adrian Gonzalez and Yasiel Puig will remain the threats of the offense, but the real danger of the Dodgers is their lethal pitching staff. Clayton Kershaw is the best pitcher in baseball, and Zack Greinke is the best #2 starter in any pitching staff around. I don't see how this team misses the playoffs; how deep into the playoffs they'll get another story. (PS: Happy Birthday Kershaw!)

2 - San Francisco Giants

X-Factors: Casey McGehee, Matt Cain, Angel Pagan

Uh oh, it's an odd year season, which is about the worst thing the Giants could ask for. San Francisco has won each of the past three even year World Series, despite being overshadowed by the massive payroll and superstars with the Dodgers. They've got three reasons to feel better than the Dodgers, but in 2015 they're already off to a scary start. Hunter Pence fractured his forearm and will miss the start of the season. Casey McGehee will be replacing fan favorite Pablo Sandoval, who left the team not because of money considerations but of some sort of "disrespect". Madison Bumgarner hasn't looked great in Spring Training, and yes, I understand the "it's only Spring Training" thing. I expect last year's hero to have a good 2015, as long as he doesn't feel too much wear from the excessive amount of innings he pitched. The Giants have become my second favorite team after visiting San Francisco last season, and I'll be rooting for Joe Panik to build off his successful rookie season at second base. However, I see them just missing the playoffs, because so many teams have improved around them. But if anyone embraces negativity, it's this team, and if they can make the playoffs, perhaps they could conquer the odd year!

3 - San Diego Padres

X-Factors: Wil Myers, Jedd Gyorko

I will credit San Diego for their great overhaul this past winter. It was a lot of fun watching their new young GM AJ Preller completely start over with one of the more embarrassing franchises in recent history. He was able to add Matt Kemp, James Shields, Wil Myers, Justin Upton, and Derek Norris to a team in desperate need of leadership and star power. Shields will bolster the rotation into one of the National League's finest, as he will join Andrew Cashner and Tyson Ross; two extremely promising right handers. My biggest concern is chemistry. There hasn't been a team rebuild of this caliber that has worked since the 2009 Yankees, showing that it takes so much more than name value to create a winning team. Wil Myers has been traded twice now and is 24 years old. For a player with as much potential as he is said to have, it makes you wonder if there's something about his game that other teams don't want to bother with. He will be taking his talents to center field, where he has played 9 games in his career. And what's a baseball without worrying about Matt Kemp, who this time goes into the year with two arthritic hips. If they don't win this year, will they try to sign Justin Upton long term, or will this be a one year colossal failure? We have yet to see, and until we do, I can't say they'll be making the postseason.

4 - Colorado Rockies

X-Factors: Carlos Gonzalez, Young Pitching Staff

Will the Rockies ever solve their pitching conundrum? It is so rare to see a pitcher succeed at Coors Field, which is especially scary for big name prospects Eddie Butler and Jon Gray, who will be at an unfair advantage from the get-go. But luckily for them, they won't have to worry about run support, as this team is chock full of productive hitters. Last year brought Nolan Arenado, Corey Dickerson, and Charlie Blackmon to the forefront, and they should be expected to bring much of the same to the table in 2015. The key to the Rockies is the health of their two superstars, Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez. With big seasons from each of them, they could be a surprise team surviving the stretch run. Unfortunately, too much would have to go right for that prediction to make any sense.

5 - Arizona Diamondbacks

X-Factors: Yasmany Tomas, Archie Bradley, Jeremy Hellickson

A few years ago, this would not have been a last place team. The Diamondbacks have acquired some pieces over the years to help advance the rebuilding phase, yet they still are a little bit behind the rest of the West. A healthy season from one of baseball's best, Paul Goldschmidt, could catapult this time in a few years with other players stepping up alongside, but he appears as if he'll have to carry much of the load in 2015. Yasmany Tomas, the recent Cuban player to become part of Major League Baseball, does not seem to have an established position. It will be difficult for him to make strides at the plate until he is comfortable in the field, because frustration does carry over to different parts of the game. Overall though, the D-Backs are not yet relevant, but give it a few more seasons and I feel like they could contend once again.

Division MVP: Troy Tulowitzki

Division Cy Young: Clayton Kershaw

Playoff Teams: Los Angeles

The NL West has potential to be one of the more interesting divisions in 2015, but I feel like it will be a bit underwhelming. Can the Giants, and even the Padres make the playoffs? Probably, if things go their way more often that not. But instead, I chose the Marlins and Cardinals to beat out these teams as Wild Cards. My predicted division MVP was Tulowitzki, but it could easily be Paul Goldschmidt, Buster Posey, or even Kershaw as well. Tulo is one of the more fun players to watch when healthy, and I would love to see him make a run for NL MVP, although it will be hard to win on a poor Rockies team.

That will conclude the division by division previews for you all. I hope you enjoyed reading each blurb about your favorite team(s) and be sure to leave a comment with your thoughts on how I did with these and if you would like me to try to do them next year as well! Playoff and Award predictions are coming soon to drewscards, and I hope to see you all there!

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!

TTM Time w/ Tulo!

Hey guys, Drew back here! Another school week is in the books (see what I did there?) and it's time to kick back and take a little break to show off a sweet new TTM I got back at the beginning of the month! I also was able to get some 2015 Topps yesterday at Target, and I'll be able to show those off relatively soon. But first, check this out:

Troy Tulowitzki: 1/1 in 165 Days (Received February 2nd)

The scan doesn't do the autograph much justice, but this is indeed a Troy Tulowitzki signed 8x10! I've been a big Tulo fan over the past several years, as he has been a tremendous fantasy asset of mine. He does get injured about once a year, but usually seems to make up for it by smacking about 15 home runs in one month or something absurd of that nature! He is easily the best shortstop in the game when he's healthy, and I took full advantage of the Rockies autograph charity system. Last season, if you were to send any item and $25 to the team you could have Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez, or Justin Morneau sign for you! I'm a fan of the other two players, but I wanted something nice to display of my new favorite shortstop in the game (god, that's a weird thing to say).

I don't know if Tulowitzki will be around in Colorado for much longer, but it seems like their asking price is a bit high. The Rockies should try to get younger and give this guy a chance to contribute to a championship team before he breaks down even further, because most people can see that his all around talent is generational. I'd personally like to see him on the up and coming Mets, but if they were to have to shed a good portion of their young pitching it really wouldn't be worth it.

Regardless, I'm very happy with how this turned out. If any of you are interested in the Rockies autograph system, here's the link from last season. I would recommend to send during the season and not to Spring Training just to be safe. This success took much longer than I thought it would, but sure enough I came back with a nice autograph from a fantastic, 5 tool player.

See Ya!

2013 Fall Classic Card Show Recap! Pt. 1

Hey guys, Drew back here! So, last weekend was certainly filled with highs and lows. I worked two very busy nights at the restaurant I've been working at, and I had to take the SAT again. Fortunately, my Dad and I had arranged a trip down to White Plains to relinquish some of that stress afterwards, and we headed down to JP's Sports' "Fall Classic" the next day! Before I get into who I got the chance to meet, take a look at some of what I picked up!

First, out of 2007 Fleer Ultra, here's a "Swing Kings" relic of Gary Sheffield! Sheffield is one of my favorite all time Yankees, so I think it's about time I add some more of his stuff into my collection. After all, he was my first favorite player. I love the way the pinstripe looks on this card.

Also of Sheff, here's a 2004 Ultimate Collection patch card of his numbered only 45 of 75! I got this card for about $7 since it was in my friends Hunter & Rich's bargain bin, and I'm really glad I found it! It's a pretty solid patch for a Yankees card, and I can guess the patch is from the interlocking NY. 

I ended up also adding this Troy Tulowitzki Ballpark Collection auto relic for less than $10 as well! I'm eventually hoping I can start a mini-PC of Tulo's, since I always seem to end up with him on my fantasy team. Despite his frequent injuries, I still believe he is the best current shortstop in all of baseball.

My dad also picked up a few things for me to open up on the ride home. The first of which was only of these relatively new blaster boxes:

 

Ever since my Dad & I got to shake Pete Rose's hand in Cooperstown this summer, we've been big fans of his. This blaster contains a set of entirely Pete Rose cards, a set that you will most likely get all of just by opening one of them. While the set isn't as exciting as Charlie Hustle was on the basepath, it's still a nice tribute to one of the most electrifying players to ever grace the diamond.

 

Oh, and did I mention that each blaster comes with a Rose autograph? You can get an autographed variation of any of the cards in the base set, and I ended up with this fitting photo of him sliding into second. Although these don't go for a lot, it's still a Pete Rose autograph and you can't go wrong with one of those (unless you're Bart Giamatti)!

One thing I've learned over the course of countless trips down to White Plains is that my Dad loves taking a gamble on mystery boxes. I really enjoy opening boxes, but I always am cautious about it due to the prices. Normally I would take buying something I like instead, just because I know I'm not going to be let down, but once in a while you have to say what the heck and take the plunge. With that in mind, my Dad also picked up one of these 2011 Just Minors Mystery Balls!

The potential was certainly there in one of these. I mean, for example, take a look at who is in the base set:

Price, Santana, Craig, Teheran, Robertson. I mean, these sets are loaded with stars, and future stars! Well, we didn't get as lucky, but we could've done worse.

We ended up with Cubs prospect Josh Vitters. Josh has been bouncing around in the Cubs farm system since 2007 now, and after a solid AAA stint this season he was promoted to the big leagues. He struggled mightily in over 100 at bats, hitting .121 with 2 HR and 33 strikeouts. Hopefully he'll be able to put it all together in the future and expose all the tools he showed off in the minors!

If anyone is interested in the ball please comment below and we can try to work something out! Despite the pull not being who we wanted, it was still fun to give one of these Just Minors products a chance! Thanks Dad for everything, you're the best! Stay tuned for the really good stuff...

See Ya!

2013 MBL Fantasy Baseball Draft Recap!

Hey guys, Drew back here! Last night was really cool for me, as I got the chance to host my 1st ever Fantasy Baseball draft party! I had my entire league (with the exception of one person) over my house, and we sat around the big board I constructed eating pizza and picking players the way fantasy was meant to be done. It was an extremely fun experience and I'm very happy with not only the party turnout but my team as well. My ESPN Fantasy league has 8 teams in it, and after drawing out of a hat, I landed the second pick of 8. It was a Snake Draft, so after picking 2nd, I had to wait all the way until Pick #15 for my second round choice. Despite the long wait, I was pleased with the way my team came out. Take a look:

Round 1, Pick 2: Miguel Cabrera, 3B, Detroit Tigers

Despite the recent allegations, Ryan Braun was taken 1st overall. I was a bit surprised that Cabrera wasn't taken first, so I jumped at the chance to add the Triple Crown winner to my team! My original plan was to take an outfielder such as Trout, McCutchen, or even Kemp, but I think I was better off with Cabrera, even despite the strong amount of fantasy caliber third basemen.

Round 2, Pick 15: David Price, SP, Tampa Bay Rays

Over the past few years, I've tried to make pitching my team strength in fantasy, and clearly this year I was going for the same idea with Price being selected in Round 2. Verlander, Kershaw, and Strasburg were already taken, so I went with my gut and chose the reigning AL Cy Young winner. This year should show whether Price will be a perennial ace or if he reached his peak last season.

Round 3, Pick 18: Jose Bautista, OF, Toronto Blue Jays

Boy, does Toronto look scary or what this season? I don't quite think they'll live up to the hype, however I still think they'll be a tremendous improvement from last year. With a fresh lineup of top notch hitters, I thought taking Joey Bats would be a safe choice, even though he missed a good majority of 2012. 

Round 4, Pick 31: Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Boston Red Sox

One key factor in my league's drafts is that Red Sox never get any love. Maybe that could be because most of them haven't lived up to the hype lately, but I think the bigger reason is that most of us can't stand them. I don't like Dustin a whole lot, but I have a lot of respect for the way he plays, and he was the best second baseman available at the time.

Round 5, Pick 34: Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Colorado Rockies

I talked pretty poorly about Tulo going into this draft. I said how overrated he is and that I didn't understand why he was ranked so high. Well, I didn't expect him to sit on our draft board for as long as he did, and by Round 5 he was easily a great value pick. I couldn't pass him up, and I was able to fill 2 of the most difficult positions relatively quickly.

Round 6, Pick 47: Cliff Lee, SP, Philadelphia Phillies

Cliff Lee was another guy I wasn't very high on leading up to the draft, but again, when you let someone as good as he is drop around 3 rounds later than he should, there isn't much of a choice to me. Lee was easily the top pitcher available, and I think people passed on him because of the low amount of wins he had last year. Few realized that he actually had a great season, but just couldn't put a lot of 'W's' on his stat sheet. 

Round 7, Pick 50: Jason Heyward, OF, Atlanta Braves

Just like the past two players, I really wasn't interested in Heyward either. However, sitting in the draft room looking at bargain value players is like watching eBay auctions at extremely random times. When you see a ridiculously low price with seconds left on the clock, instinct tells you that you need him on your team. As a #1 outfielder, I'd be a little concerned personally, but I'm more than happy to have him as my #2.

Round 8, Pick 63: Austin Jackson, OF, Detroit Tigers

Austin Jackson has really grown on me over the past year. I had him in my outfield for most of the second half of last season, and he was as productive as it could possibly get. He does a little bit of everything, and is becoming more and more of a threat to be a 20/20 player. This could be a breakout year for the former Yankee prospect, so I was glad to take a chance on him here.

Round 9, Pick 66: Johnny Cueto, SP, Cincinnati Reds

Cueto has got to be one of the most underrated pitchers throughout all of baseball, so I was pumped to make him my 3rd starter! He's matured a lot over the last few seasons, and he's turned out to be a threat for 20 wins on a year to year basis! Plus, he has the chance to be on a contending team for the next years to come, which really won me over with the choice.

Round 10, Pick 79: Martin Prado, 3B/OF, Arizona Diamondbacks

I didn't honestly have a clue who to choose with this pick, so I went with the versatile Prado, who could turn out to be an X-factor for my team. He should fit in nicely with the Diamondbacks lineup, and if he bats around .300 I'll be content to have him in my outfield.

Round 11, Pick 82: Aroldis Chapman, RP, Cincinnati Reds

Let it be known that I was the guy who started the closer picking spree in this year's draft. Sure, Kimbrel went a few rounds earlier, but everyone knows he's above and beyond all of the others. Once I took the Cuban Missile in Round 11, they began to drop like flies. I'm not normally an advocate of picking closers early on, but after dealing with Heath Bell and John Axford last year I needed to feel assured with Chapman.

Round 12, Pick 95: Adam LaRoche, 1B, Washington Nationals

I may have waited a bit too long to choose my first baseman, but with strengths at other positions I should make it out alright with LaRoche. He had an awesome year last year, but he's struggling in Spring Training and he isn't exactly a young guy at this point either. He could potentially end up as a 2009-2011 Mark Teixeira type player, or a 2008-2010 Adam LaRoche. I guess I'll have to wait and see.

Round 13, Pick 108: Josh Willingham, OF, Minnesota Twins

Essentially; I chose the same type of player on back to back picks. Two power bats coming off breakout seasons that in my mind are still high risk type guys. However, Willingham really seemed to find his groove last year in Minnesota so I figured it was worth giving him a shot.

Round 14, Pick 111: Anibal Sanchez, SP, Detroit Tigers

If Anibal Sanchez didn't dominate to the extent that he did during the playoffs last season, I don't know if he'd even be considered in this draft. He showed a lot of people up during that time, and I feel like coming off the fresh contract he could have a really nice, possible break out year.

Round 15, Pick 124: Torii Hunter, OF, Detroit Tigers

I'm not a Tigers fan, I swear. In fact, I didn't even realize how many of them I took until the draft was over! Hunter was another guy who did wonders for me at the end of last season, so I was glad to give him a shot again this year. He'll most likely hit second in the Tiger's order, behind Jackson and ahead of Cabrera, so he should see a lot of great pitches to hit! 

Round 16, Pick 127: Hanley Ramirez, SS/3B, Los Angeles Dodgers

I don't buy the hype in the Dodgers at all. I don't like Hanley Ramirez. And to top it off, he's missing 2 months of the season. However, he could be a potential keeper for me if he comes back strong (I'll be able to keep him if my team stays relatively healthy). I'm not always right, and I would love it if Hanley made me look bad by dominating when he comes back. For now, I'm a fan.

Round 17, Pick 140: Brandon Morrow, SP, Toronto Blue Jays

I don't much of anything about Morrow, other than that he's an injury prone strikeout machine. I've never had him on any of my teams, so this should be interesting. He was the top starter on the board, and was sitting there for a good 4 rounds at that point so I figured I'd put him out of his misery and into my lineup.

Round 18, Pick 143: Nick Swisher, 1B/OF, Cleveland Indians

New team for Swish? Don't care! Nick is still one of my favorite players although he left my beloved Yankees this offseason. He's been on a tear this spring, and Cleveland is shaping up to be another much improved American League team. What I love most about Swish, other than his love for the game, is his consistency. You know what to expect out of him year in and year out. Glad to finally have him aboard.

Round 19, Pick 156: Jeremy Hellickson, SP, Tampa Bay Rays

Hellickson is definitely one of the more underrated pitchers in baseball, and I thought this was a really smart pick on my part because his low ERA should correspond well with the higher ERA strikeout pitchers I'd already chosen. He isn't a star fantasy pitcher, but I believe this could potentially be a breakout year for him as only as he stays off the shelves.

Round 20, Pick 159: Brett Gardner, OF, New York Yankees

It took me 20 rounds to take my first Yankees player, after Cano, Sabathia, Kuroda, Jeter, Granderson, Ichiro, and Rivera were already taken. Seven of the 8 kids in my league are Yankees fans, so they tend to be a bit overrated. However, I found a hidden gem in Gardner towards the bottom of the spreadsheet, which could turn out to be the best low risk-high reward move I made on that night. If Gardy can hit enough to get on base a good amount, he should finish high in the steal categories this season!

Round 21, Pick 172: Wade Miley, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks
Much like Hellickson, I chose Miley to try and balance out my pitching styles. It's nice to have a bunch of guys who will blow hitters away, but strikeouts are only one category, with two others relating to how few runs and hits they allow. Miley could regress from his solid rookie season this year, but I figured he was worth a shot at that point.

Round 22, Pick 175: Joel Hanrahan, RP, Boston Red Sox
Closers were running thin around this round, but I still found a pretty solid option in Hanrahan. I've always liked the Hammer, but I have a funny feeling that the pressure in Boston could be too much to handle. I didn't have many other options though, so I'm hoping he can give me more than I expected!

Round 23, Pick 188: Dan Uggla, 2B, Atlanta Braves
This was by far my least favorite pick of the draft. I really lost interest in Dan Uggla's playing style, along with all of the other low average high home run hitters. I actually dropped Uggla immediately following the draft for Erick Aybar to fill my middle infield spot that Hanley Ramirez will eventually inhabit. I already had a power heavy team, so the drop was probably for the best.

Round 24, Pick 191: Matt Harvey, SP, New York Mets
At this point, I was hoping for a needle in a haystack, and I went with the Mets young gun Harvey. I liked what I've seen out of him so far, and who knows, maybe he could have a Rookie of the Year level season!

Round 25, Pick 204: Salvador Perez, C, Kansas City Royals
Yeah, that's right. I waited until my final pick to take a catcher. Why? It's simple, each team needs 1 catcher, and it's really out of the ordinary for someone to take multiple backstops. The first 7 came in and went, but I figured Perez could be an underrated option, and saved him for the end. Miguel Montero is also a free agent, so worst comes to worst I could pick him up if need be, but for now I'm liking what I see out of Perez.

Overall, I was pretty happy with the way my team came out. Obviously, an 8 team league delivers some star studded teams, but there can only be one winner in the long run! How do you think I did?

See Ya!

Trifecta Collections

Hey guys, Drew back here. If you read one of my posts a while back you know about the trifecta of a player. I think it is the easiest way to start off a PC, or the easiest way to know that you are the owner of 3 big parts of a player's card inventory, the rookie card, the game used, and the autograph. Whether the game used is bat, jersey, helmet, ball, batting glove, it is considered a game used. Whether it is through the mail, in person, certified on card, or certified sticker (:p), it is still an autograph.

A new task in my card collecting life is to pursuit all 3 parts of the trifecta for as many players as possible. I've always loved rookie cards, and most definitely the autograph. Game used can be fun to own, but I do get bored of the boring white jersey. There are a few rules in my book for the trifecta though:

1. It can be an entire baseball, bat, or anything else that is signed, or maybe even a full game used jersey or bat, they all count because they fit under the category.
2. They need to be 3 seperate cards, you can't have a rookie jersey autograph of Evan Longoria and say you have the trifecta, although technically you do, "tri" means three and is short for triple, so it needs to be 3 cards.
3. The jersey can not be from an event outside of All Star Games and Pro Bowls (no Rookie Premiere jerseys here!)

This is where I'm going to track who I have it of and picture evidence, I will write if any is for trade but most likely I'm keeping them all for PC. So, here is the ones I have the trifecta for now:

COMPLETED TRIFECTAS

Robinson Cano

2003 Bowman Heritage Rookie Card- Picked this up at a card show at a local Holiday Inn a few years ago, I want to upgrade to the regular Bowman RC though.

2009 Topps Allen & Ginter Short Printed Bat Relic- Although I have many more Cano relics from all you generous guys here, this is the one that is the most rare, it's one of the short printed ones and is a beautiful card. Picked it up on eBay recently for $15 shipped.

2007 Topps Co-Signers Solo Sigs Autograph- This card is now mine thanks to a old trade with William, from foul bunt. Although it's a sticker auto, I went against using Triple Threads for this picture because I just wanted the single autograph.

Nick Swisher

2004 Upper Deck Star Rookies- I do need an upgrade on this one, especially since it's one of my PC's, and this isn't a true RC, but it will do for now. I pulled it out of a pack long before Swisher became a Yankee, out of one of those boxes of mixed packs from Toys R Us. I was addicted to those things!

2007 Fleer Ultra Hitting Machine Relic- There are a few reasons I chose this one for my relic. First of all, my good buddy Mr. Scott practically gave the thing to me (but is getting something very soon), second of all the design is awesome, and third of all the relic is green! Awesome! No white or gray swatches in this house!

2009 Topps Ticket to Stardom Jersey Auto- Again, from a fellow blogmate, Derek from "Hey, That's Mine!". We made a trade for this a little while ago, and even though I have the Goudey on card auto I decided to choose one that was not obtained through buying, instead from a blogging buddy! The relic on this card is from an undershirt I believe too.

Melky Cabrera

2006 Topps Turkey Red RC- I have the Topps rookie card from 2005 too, so that may be a better one to show off, but I like this card better. I got it in a trade at some point, forgot who it was but it sure is nice! I really like the look of the card!

2007 Bowman Sterling Bat Relic- I just recently got this in a trade with someone on the Blowout Cards Forum, and it sure is nice. Unfortunately Melky is a Brave now, but I really like the bat relic.

2007 Topps Co-Signers Dual Autograph Nick Markakis/Melky Cabrera- I could soon get the Markakis trifecta but I'm not sure when. This card was nice, and I got it off eBay for I think $15 a while back. It has a simple design, and it looks nice, other than the dreaded stickers!

Troy Tulowitzki

2007 Topps Rookie Card- The most original you can get, the Topps RC. I have a few other Tulo RC's, but decided to choose the basic one. I'm assuming I pulled it out of a pack at some point.

2008 Topps Allen & Ginter Jersey Relic- Again, not a white or gray jersey swatch! I pulled this out of a blaster sometime last year, and I really didn't want to trade it. He's turned out to be a good player, and he was on my fantasy team last year!

2009 Topps Allen & Ginter Autograph- Yay! On Card, yet encapsulated inside some plastic that I don't think tobacco companies used back then! I got this sweet card from again, William, foul bunt. He has a nice auto and I sure have a heck of a card! Thanks again dude!

Chipper Jones

1992 Topps Top Prospects Rookie Card- I might look for the 1991 Topps one at the card show. I have like 4 of these cards, thanks to my dad because he got me a couple big lots of old (80's and 90's) cards from Craigslist. Pretty cool card though.

2008 UD Goudey Jersey Card- Darnit, the streak of non white/gray jersey cards has ended at 3. I have 2 different Chipper jersey cards, one is from 2008 Piece of History too. Pulled this in a pack from Target.

2008 UD Baseball Heroes Patch Autograph #ed/15- I remember pulling this card like it was just yesterday. It is possibly my most valuable card in my collection so you never could go wrong with something this sweet! He should be a first ballot hall of famer and is probably the second greatest Brave of all time, to Hank Aaron. I love having this trifecta complete, definitely one I'm gonna keep.

Don Mattingly

1984 Topps Rookie Card- Look at Donnie Baseball! Such a cool card and I'm glad to own it. My dad got this one for me a little while back, along with a 63 Topps Maris Postseason Highlights and a Strawberry RC. Dad loves giving me cards and I am happy to have a great dad like him.

2007 UD Sweet Spot Classic Jersey- Gray jersey but what are you gonna do? I have 3 game used cards of Mattingly and I certainly have some awesome ones. I bought this one at the card show in August in White Plains. These relics are really nicely designed.

2008 Donruss Threads Baseball Americana Autograph /25- Well, I gave it away. You guys I'm hoping were dying to see my big pull out of Threads, and this is it! I sorta wanted to wait for the review but I couldn't, it's not possible to keep a card this awesome from you guys. My dad opened the pack and he said to me, "Drew, I think you might like this one". We have this on video too actually, just on the PC. When I looked at the card my jaw dropped. Well, I'm still gonna spend the 70 bucks at the show to meet him, unfortunately it's a sticker auto. I wanna get an 8 x 10 signed so that's why, maybe I can get him to sign a card too, you never know.

Dave Parker

1974 Topps Rookie Card- I got this card and a few other copies of it from Pop Popps, my grandpa. He gives me so many nice cards that my collection is intensely growing every day. I have another version of this card autographed when I met Dave at one of those White Plains shows. I really like the card and I like Dave too.

2007 SP Legendary Cuts Jersey Card /199- I got this in a Blowout Cards Forum trade, and it's nice. I'm not a fan of the 3 blank relic spots on the card though, but it's ok. I'm thinking about looking for a Sweet Spot Classic relic of him. Kinda boring with the gray jersey, but still, he wore it and that's all that matters.

1978 Topps In Person Autograph- I didn't say much to Dave when we met him, but he was cool. I got 2 cards signed, and 1 was his rookie card. I didn't want to choose the same card twice for the trifecta so I decided on including the other one he signed. It's a pretty nice old school card and it looks great with a signature on it!

Kevin Kouzmanoff

2007 Topps Rookie Card- Again, very original, but it's all I have of the guy. I don't open products before 2007 but if I opened a box of Bowman when he was in the set I'd probably pull a super fractor 1/1 autograph. The guy stalks me! He's an ok player at least.

2008 UD Baseball Heroes Relic /200- Well, the boring things about this card are hmmm.... the fact that Heroes has way better players in the checklist... that this is the highest numbered out of any relic parallel in the set, oh yeah, and it's a white jersey!!! Pulled this in a box and I have no clue how they can count this as a hit. Again, I don't want this guys cards but they all just come to me!!!

2007 Bowman's Best Rookie Autograph- This card is lucky because it's in Bowman's Best. Since there are very few good rookie autos in the set, he is considered one of the better autos. But he is not good enough to get game used cards yet, so Upper Deck, just stop it. But Bowman did a good job with this set (it'd be better on card). I pulled this in a box of it that I opened, the most high end I've ever been.

Mike Mussina

1991 Upper Deck Rookie Card- A very cool rookie card of the Moose, I do have his more popular rookie card and it's signed, but for display I'd rather have 3 different cards. Very cool card with the minor league uniform, awesome!

2003 Playoff Piece of the Game Jersey Relic- We got a pinstripe on this one! I love getting pinstriped cards, not when they aren't Yankees though. No other team should be wearing pinstripes. None. Anyway, I bought this one on eBay right after he retired, I love how on the back it shows a picture of the jersey it was cut from.

2006 Topps TTM Autograph- I sent out to Mike in the past year and he signed a few cards for me, and I was psyched to get them! I won another one in a 30 Year Old Cardboard contest, along with a John Kruk auto and a Bobby Bonilla auto. He has a sweet signature, and although I have 3 of his autos already I may send out more, and I'd sure love to meet him. He seems like a great guy!

ALMOST COMPLETED TRIFECTAS- NEEDS

Here are a few cards I need of seperate players to complete their trifectas:

- 1976 Topps Ron Guidry RC
- 1997 David Ortiz RC (would love if it had the Arias last name on it, any set though is fine)
- 1969 Topps Al Oliver RC (it has two players, him and Rich Hebner)
- Any Ramiro Pena Game Used
- Any Shonn Greene Autograph

I'll try to find a few more soon. Thanks for looking, and I'll see you all later!