Mail Call from Fielder's Choice

It has been a busy few days in my mailbox. Today saw another package from Dave at Fielder's Choice, one of my five favorite blogs. I sent Dave a bunch of his beloved Rays from the late 90's, and he sent me a bunch of cards from my sets and some Indians as well. My favorite, of course, is of Grady Sizemore:

For some reason, the picture on this card creeps me out! I'm not sure what it is...wait...I think I've got it. Remember the scene in Star Wars Episode VI, in Jabba's lair. One of those dancers. Maybe Grady and Lyn Me were separated at birth:

That's it! I knew those weren't actually baseball bats!

Dave also sent a variety of other Indians, including Victor Martinez on the UD Baseball Heroes card, the now-departed Casey Blake from 2007 Topps Heritage, and Eddie Murray during his brief stay with the Indians from 1994 to midway through 1996 on an Upper Deck Special Edition.

Thanks, Dave.

Renew Interest in Trading

I'd like to thank dayf at Cardboard Junkie for collating the Trade Lists of everyone in one place. It is important to keep the cards flowing so that we can all achieve our goals. Geez, that is sounding a bit Socialist, don't you think? Scary! 

One of the reasons I started this blog was to make my tradelist more accessible to others in the Card Collecting hobby. I have found that I am taken more seriously and given a certain amount of respect from those who have long-standing, shout-out-loud, industry-leading blogs. I may not write as much as Dave at Fielder's Choice, or Gellman at Sports Cards Uncensored, but I put in my two cents, and hopefully someone will be happy with the fact that I am here doing this. 

I have made a significant dent in my collection, but would like to do much more. I am hoping that all the traders out there will make a renewed effort to keep up the good work and take a look at everyone else's Want Lists. 

Also, it would help if everyone would put the date of the last update on their lists. I try to even highlight the new cards on my Trade list and grey out the ones that have been traded, in order to keep order and let people know what is no longer available. Hmmm, sounds like we need a Trader's Code of Conduct.

Rants and Raves

Congratulations to Dave at Fielder's Choice for his Rays coming through to go to the World Series. I know how he feels (see Indians, Cleveland, 1995-1997) and how he could have felt had they lost the last three games of the series (see Indians, Cleveland, 2007). The Rays are a fun team to watch, and they are sincerely having a good time just playing the game. The Rays remind me of a sandlot team that wins the neighborhood championship, and the Sox are beginning to look like the Yankees: a Big Business with lots of bluster and seriousness, with very little enjoyment from succeeding as if it were just another day at the office. This may not be the most interesting World Series for the rest of America, but for purists who enjoy watching the game played for fun, it will be great.

Congratulations to Mario and Chris on extracting a sweet deal from Upper Deck. I have no problem with either one getting "free" product. They excel at their avocation, and deserve credit and props for giving us honesty, information, controversy and a bit of comedy along the way. Mario, don't give it ALL away. Keep a card or two for all the hard work you've done to get to this point. And Chris, don't be so modest and apologetic about it! (The "Joke" sign is lit.)

Sour apples to Jose Canseco (sorry, Mario) for being a big ol' crybaby. Maybe he did something good, unintentionally, by writing the book "Juiced" and its silly little sequel, but now he is whining that no one will play tiddlywinks with him anymore, so he is apologizing for writing all those nasty little things about everyone. Does he really think that anyone is willing to forgive him for tarnishing reputations, sullying the game and bringing shame on himself and baseball for taking drugs in the name of performance? He may not have been the first, nor will he be the last, to try to game the system, but he is certainly one of the three or four most infamous, and almost certainly one of the original over-juiced neanderthals to ever stick a needle in his posterior. The need to excel, whether self-directed or externally influenced, has permeated our athletics subculture and tacitly authorized anyone to use performance-enhancing drugs in order to be "The Best." Too many kids and young adults are now either dead or damaged from using PEDs, and much of it can be attributed to Mr. Canseco.

Open Letter to Kellen Winslow: SHUT THE F- UP! Us Browns fans are sick of all your crap that you have pulled, and the team has stuck by you through that stupid motorcycle stunt and the broken leg. Maybe they didn't sit by your bedside and pat your hand and say "Everything will be alright, my wittle angel!" but maybe they expect you to be grown up and take responsibility. I say "TRADE HIM" while his value is still moderately high. Heiden is a much better team player, and as the Giants game showed, he is more valuable than Winslow will ever be.

Open Letter to the Cleveland Browns and the Cleveland Clinic: You better find out NOW what is going on that six Browns have contracted staph infections in the past few years. This is not normal, especially not for healthy, athletic people. It appears to be a staph cluster, or maybe the new carpeting in the headquarters is a breeding ground. Fix it. NOW!

Shout out to Fielder's Choice

I got a package yesterday from Dave at Fielder's Choice yesterday. This was part of a trade where I sent him a bunch of 08 Topps Heritage, 08 Topps Chrome, 08 Finest, 08 Upper Deck and 08 A&G. In return, I got some 08 Heritage, 07 Goudey, and one of the two 07 UD Masterpieces that I needed. Now, all I need is #21 Walter Johnson.

So, if you have this and would feel terribly guilty keeping it while knowing that I only need this one little card to complete my set, let me know so I can give you a prize in return. Thanks.