Welcome to my blog!!!

I have collected baseball cards and autographs over the years. I still have boxes full of cards (as well as newer cards) that are just sitting there. So, I have decided to see how many of them I can get autographed. I use through the mail as my preferred route for this adventure. I also have an account on Zistle and The Trading Card Database for trading purposes (stevienicks77).



Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Top 5 TTM's of 2013...#1

Number 1 is Andre Either.  This was one I thought I would never get back.  I got this back shortly after the first of the year.  It took almost 500 days to get it back!

Andre has started the Dodgers' opener in right field for five consecutive seasons. That streak appears over, barring injury to Yasiel Puig.  That could leave Ethier in center field, or in left field, or left out, or on another team. The Dodgers say they have no plans to trade any of their four outfielders Puig, Crawford, Ethier, Kemp) at this time. 



Monday, December 30, 2013

Mark Kelso

I got a quick return over the holidays from Mark Kelso.  He appearing in four consecutive Super Bowls with the Bills from 1990 to 1993. He was well known for wearing a "pro cap" on his helmet which was used to reduce the risk of concussions.

Remember these?


Mark Kelso
Signed 1/1
Sent c/o Home address
10 days
























I know the auto is hard to read, but it says, "God Bless You, Mark Kelso, #38."  It's not signed in ball point pen, but a thin blue marker.

Top 5 TTM's of 2013...#2

Number 2 is Alex Meyer.  I wanted to add him to my TTM collection because I had two of his Bowman Platinum cards from 2013, and I wanted to see how a Platinum card would look with a TTM on it.  It looks great!  I was worried that it would smear.

Alex is one of my two responses I have received from the Arizona Fall League this year.  I'm still waiting on the others.  Alex was 2-1, 3.12 ERA, and 20 strike outs in 26 innings/7 games in the AFL this year.


Sunday, December 29, 2013

Top 5 TTM's of 2013...#3

Number 3 is Matt Dominguez.  I wanted to add him to my TTM collection because I wanted to add him to my Marlins collection, even though he isn't with the team anymore.

Since receiving his TTM, Matt was named Astros' recipient of the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award.  He finished the season with a .241 AVG, 21 HR, and 77 RBIs.



Saturday, December 28, 2013

Top 5 TTM's of 2013...#4

Number 4 is Brent Mayne, former catcher for the Kansas City Royals.  This took almost a full year to get back!  This added another catching TTM to my collection, as well as some Royals cards.

Brent has his own website, The Art of Catching.



Friday, December 27, 2013

Top 5 TTM's of 2013...#5

Number 5 of 2013 is Pratt Maynard.  I wanted to add him to my collection because I really liked this card because he was in his catcher's gear.  I sent this to Rancho Cucamonga, the Class A Advanced Affiliate of the Dodgers.

Since receiving this card, Pratt was selected for the Arizona Fall League and played for the Glendale Desert Dogs this year.  He only played in 9 games, hitting .115, with 1 home run and 3 RBIs.





Thursday, December 26, 2013

Top Debbie Downer's of 2013



This year on my TTM adventure, I didn't get many cards back that weren't signed, unlike last year.  This year, I decided to do my Top 5 TTM Debbie D's as cards that I haven't gotten back through TTM this year.

5.  Tim Laudner - former Twins catcher.  I was really hoping to add him to my collection as a catcher and as a former Minn. Twin.

4.  Adam Dunn - I sent some cards to his home address in Texas.  I had read that he doesn't sign during the year, but will sign in the off season.  Not so much.

3.  Peter Bourjos - I had read that he was a pretty good signer.  Yup, nope.

2.  Adam Jones - I sent him a card during Spring Training, again, this year.  I had gotten him during Spring Training 2012, but not 2013.

1.  2013 Arizona Fall League - I usually send out about 6-7 cards to the AFL, and only have one not respond.  This year, I only have 2 responses, and 4 still out.

Here's to no Debbie Downer's in 2014!

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Zistle trade with zac247s

zac247s over on the Zistle page has been a frequent trade partner of mine.  This time, we did a small trade, but we both got some things that we needed.

Chrome player collection cards:


Old Miss alumni:


David Wright player collection:



Royals collection:


Monday, December 9, 2013

Troy O'Leary

I haven't had much time to devote to trades or TTM requests lately; seems that life keeps handing me rotten eggs.  Anyway, I received this TTM from Troy O'Leary over the weekend.  I remember when the Brewers switched logos to this one, and to this day, I still think it's ugly.  How could they have gotten rid of the ball and glove?

Troy O'Leary
Signed 1/1
Sent c/o Home address
45 days
   
(I have been trying to get this posted for over a week!  I'm not down with Google+)

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Zistle trade with hpennington22

I've done quite a few trades with hpennington22.  This was a big one!

Hawkeye football.  This year's team is bowl eligible with 6 wins.  Hopefully we can get two more W's against Michigan and Nebraska.  LGH!!
 

Royals collection:


Royals player collection.  A lot of goodies here!



Player collections:


I love the Heritage Walker in his catcher gear.  I also really wanted that Cut To The Chase Machado.  Finally, a CTC card of a player I collect!


Some old dudes:


Cubs collection:


Cubs player collections:


Monday, November 18, 2013

Zistle trade with jkgrice

I hadn't done a trade with jkgrice in a while, but he had some 2011 Heritage cards that I needed.  He helped inch me a little closer to getting it completed!

Cub player collection!  The Mark Grace card is a Topps HD card.  I have never seen one before.


Royals collection:


Gordo player collection:


Some of the Heritage I got.  Almost done with the regular set, now just need to work on the SPs.


Cubs player collection.  That Micah Bowie card is cool!


Other player collections:


Monday, November 11, 2013

Alex Meyer

Another one in from the Arizona Fall League.  I've never tried to get Bowman Platinum cards autographed before, but it looks like they came out pretty good...no smudges!

Alex Meyer
Signed 2/2
Sent c/o Glendale Desert Dogs
23 days

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Joe Wendle

My first return from the Arizona Fall League.  I was surprised to get this one back!  I had done some research, and couldn't find any thing on whether Mr. Wendle signs or not, but this is a great success, and on one of the 2013 Heritage Minors cards I had.  He's in the Indians minor league system.

Joe Wendle
Signed 1/1
Sent c/o Surpirse Saguaros
9 days

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Mike Stanton

WOW!  I had written these cards off!  Nice return from Mike Stanton yesterday!

Mike Stanton
Signed 3/3
Sent c/o Home address
371 days

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Zistle trade with sorphan10

More goodies from a Zistle trade!

One closer to completing 2011 Heritage:


Also, one closer to completing 2012 Bowman Platinum:


David Wright PC:


I just got this one in a trade, but I'll take another since he's a Creighton alumni:


Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Does this happen to anyone else?

I have a gift certificate to my local LCS, and I've been waiting for 2013 Topps Update to come out to use it.  However, I saw some hanger boxes the other day, and I decided to buy two of them.  Now, when I pick out boxes, packs, etc., I am superstitious (if that's what you want to call it), and I don't like to pick two that are next to each other.  Bad decision.  There are 72 cards in each box, so I purchased a total of 144 cards.  33 of the cards were duplicates!  Plus, three cards were damaged.  Ugh!  Topps, way to ruin my new product high!  Should I be mad?  Because I am!

Damaged cards:  Left corner on the Puig(!) emerald.  I love the emerald cards.  Right corner on the other two.  The scan doesn't do it justice, but no one should be getting damaged cards out of the pack!  The Puig corner is minimal compared to the other two.


Here are the 33 (!) duplicates.  All are for trade on Zistle or through here, excpet the Cubs, Royals, and the Jaso card (catcher collection).




Monday, October 21, 2013

Zistle trade with shoebox

I recently completed a trade with shoebox over at Zistle.  He was needing some Gyspy Queen's, and I helped him out.  Here is what I got in return:

Another one for my catcher collection:
 

Two closer to completing 2013 Topps Series 2:


Player collections:


Cubbies:

Maybe new player collections or trade bait:


Mini's:


Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Zistle trade with Rsgreen55

Another trade I recently completed on Zistle was with Rsgreen55, whom I have traded with before.

Royals player collection:


2012 Royals Team Set:


Player collections:


Creighton baseball collection:


Monday, October 14, 2013

Zistle trade with hiflew

I recently completed another trade with hiflew on Zistle.  I got some great stuff for my collections!

Gary Carter collection:


Another one checked off the 2011 Heritage checklist:


More player collections:


Cubs player collections: