A couple of TTMs and a couple of trades

I have a lot of good stuff to report for this week!  Let's get to it!

First up, my favorite return, but, at the same time, my most disappointing return.  If you pay any attention at all to my blog, the Cubs are my favorite team.  When I got this back, I was super excited, but then when I looked at the cards, the signature did not come off well, on either card, with the Pro Debut card looking like it was hardly signed at all!  :(  It's probably my own fault; I only prepped the area of the card where players usually sign, not the top of the card (ie the Pro Debut card).  You can hardly see the signature on the Pro Debut, but it's up by his elbow.  The signature on the 2011 Topps also didn't come off great; I'm really surprised because, again, I prepped both cards.

Wellington Castillo
Signed 2/2
Sent c/o Chicago Cubs
??? days

Next up, Walt Terrell.  I targeted Mr. Terrell because I don't have many Yankee TTMs.  I know Walt Terrell is not someone who you automatically associate with the Yankees, but it helps fill up the page in my TTM book!

Walt Terrell
 Signed 4/4
Sent c/o Home address
 ??? days

This next return was a nice surprise; I thought it was long gone!  Scott Coolbaugh is currently the hitting coach for the Rangers!

Scott Coolbaugh
Signed 3/3
Sent c/o Texas Rangers
140 days

My first trade came via this blog.  Thanks to Tom from The Angels, In Order for hooking me up with some of the 2012 Bowman Platinum I needed.  I still need quite a few, and they are listed on the right of this post, if anyone has any dups they want to trade!  I was able to hook Tom up with some cards he needed from his want lists, as well as a few I hope were a nice addition to his collection.

 

These three cards are a sample of what I received.  I love the  Mets rookie, especially the "KID 8" patch the Mets wore this year!  I also have a soft spot for Jarrod Parker; he helped lead my fantasy baseball team to an almost playoff birth, but team Sponge Babe fell a game or two short.  Lastly, I couldn't overlook Pablo Sandoval; he must be a very talented player to be able to blow a bubble and bunt all at the same time, something I know I could not do!

Second trade came via Zistle, and it helped fill some of my player collections.  Thank you to Rosenort for helping me out!  Check out his blog at:  http://condition-sensitive.blogspot.com/.  This was the first time I had send cards to Canada!

A nice way to end the week

After my spreadsheet debacle, this week's TTM's helped me fill in some of the holes that I had.  Unfortunately, I still have some cards that I can't estimate the days it took to get the TTM.  It was a good football day today, as Iowa beat UNI.  Iowa had to have the "next man in" again at running back, but it has always worked that way for the Hawkeyes.

First up is Greg Gagne.  He was the shortstop for the Twins for many years.  Loved seeing him play in the 1987 & 1991 World Series.

Greg Gagne
Signed 4/4
Sent c/o Home address
??? days

Next up is a return from the NFL.  There is a slight marker smear on the Fleer card.  Thanks Joe Jacoby!!

Joe Jacoby
Signed 2/2
Sent c/o Home address
??? days

An exciting return from Terry Collins, current manager of the Mets.  The Mets are one of my all time favorite teams, so I like collecting Met autos.  Plus, I love the 2011 Heritage design!

Terry Collins
Signed 1/1
Sent c/o New York Mets
??? days

Finally, I had a success earlier this year with Tom Foley, so I decided to try again.  I love the old Expos uni's, especially the red jerseys!

Tom Foley
Signed 4/4
Sent c/o Tampa Bay Rays
??? days

My spreadsheet was deleted! :(

I was out of town most of last week and I was working on my TTM spreadsheet prior to leaving.  I tried to open it Sunday to work on it, since I had gotten several TTM's while I was gone.  I was upset because I noticed that it was MIA.  I had a back-up, but I was stupid and haven't saved it since the beginning of July.  D'oh!  So, I have about 6 TTM's out that I can't remember who I sent them to, and many more out that I don't know the date I sent them, so I can't calculate how many days it took.  It's really a bummer because I have worked really hard at it! 

Also, I am becoming very frusterated with Blogger.  I can see everyone's comments, but I can't reply to them, unless it's through e-mail!  I can't get it to leave my comment on the blog after someone's posted.  If anyone has any suggestions on how to fix this, please let me know!

First TTM while I was gone I got back from Jay Bell.  He's currently the hitting coach for the Mobile Bay Bears, AA minor league team of the Diamondbacks.

Jay Bell
Signed 4/4
Sent c/o Mobile Bay Bears
??? days

Next up is Brett Butler, who is currenlty the manager of Reno Aces, the AAA team for the Diamondbacks.

Brett Butler
Signed 3/3
Sent c/o Reno Aces
109 days

I also recieved mail from Rex Hudler.  He's currently a broadcaster for Fox Sports Kansas City.

Rex Hudler
Signed 3/3
Sent c/o Kansas City Royals
??? days

One back from the minors.  Thanks Trystan Magnuson!!!  He's currently in the Blue Jays minor league system.

Trystan Magnuson
Signed 2/2
Sent c/o New Hampshire Fisher Cats
??? days

I also had two returns, which seems odd, and they both came back the same day.  One was from Joe Oliver, the former catcher from the Reds, and Paul Abbott, who was a former pitcher for the Twins, and the current pitching coach for the Lowell Red Sox.

Gregg Olson, Jeff Reed, Dan Pasqua, and unexpected mail

I was fortunate enough to receive 3 TTMs today, and an unexpected bubble package.  Needless to say, I opened the bubble package first.  It was a Shane Victorino Gypsy Queen mini.  I know I did buy this or trade for this, so I think someone sent me a card on accident.  I only have one package that I'm expecting, and its coming from Canada, and this was postmarked PA.  Weird.

First up, Gregg Olson.  Former ROY and Baltimore Oriole.  Awesome return.

Gregg Olson
Signed 3/3
Sent c/o Home address
25 days

Next up, one I thought was long gone from Dan Pasqua.  I had actually written this one off!

Dan Pasqua
Signed 1/2
Sent c/o Home address
509 days

Finally, Jeff Reed.  He's currently a hitting coach in the Twins minor league system.  I love the grey signature!
Jeff Reed
Signed 4/4
Sent c/o Elizabethton Twins
15 days

2012 Bowman Platinum

I have decided to *try* and collect the main set of 2012 Bowman Platinum.  If anyone has any up for trade, let me know and we'll see what we can work out!

Mike Bielecki and this weekends card purchases

I got just one TTM back this weekend, but it was a good one!  I really wanted to get Mike Bielecki; I have one card signed by him.  It was in-person at a exhibition game in Des Moines, IA back in 1989; Chicago Cubs vs. Iowa Cubs.  Great game, great memories!

Mike Bielecki
Signed 4/4
Sent c/o Home Address
9 days

I typically don't purchase "chrome" cards.  However, I have seen the reviews, posts, etc. on the Internet, and I became intrigued.  Today, I purchased a rack pack of Topps Chrome and Bowman Platinum.  First, I'll review Topps Chrome.  4 cards per pack, at almost $4.00 a pack, so I opted for the rack pack, which is $10.00 and you get 3 packs, and 3 bonus cards, which were orange refractors.  I don't care for Topps Chrome.  I only received 1 refractor card, on top of the 3 orange refractor cards.  They are all up for trade.  See my Zistle link to the right to check out everything I got.

This Lucas Duda card was the only card I was "excited" about.  Notable cards I did get were CC Sabathia and Matt Holiday.  The refractor card was Jose Valverde.

Out of the 3 orange refractors I got, this was the one I liked the most.  The other two were Ricky Romero and Y. Gallardo from Milwaukee.

Bowman Platinum...I HEART YOU!  These cards are awesome!  I love them!  I love the design and the picture quality is phenomenal!  Here's what I got:

I don't really like Kevin Youkilis, but the picture says it all.  You can see the dirt on his elbow pad, batting gloves, and helmet.  This is an awesome set!  Where have I been all these years!  I did receive a few Bowman Platinum cards in a trade, but I didn't care for the 2011 design.  I did pull a ruby Ryan Braun.

X-factor.  This card is awesome!  My second favorite card I pulled.

My favorite card I pulled.  My first Bubba Starling card, and it's a refractor, no less!

Since the single packs were $4.00, I also purchased a rack pack of the Bowman, which was $10.00.  Included in the rack pack were 3 refractors, which were purple. 

Aaron Sanchez and Matt Harrison

A couple of TTMs back this week.  Pretty exciting to get these back.  Aaron Sanchez is a pitcher in the Blue Jays minor league system.  I really like the design of the 2010 Pro Debut and Bowman.

Aaron Sanchez
Signed 2/2
Sent c/o Lansing Lugnuts
21 days

Matt Harrison sent me mail back.  It was a huge surprise getting a TTM back from the All Star this year!  I offered for him to keep a card, and he sent all 3 back!

Matt Harrison
Signed 3/3
Sent c/o Texas Rangers
33 days