Cobras in the mailbox

I added a few more Dave "The Cobra" Parker cards to my collection recently through the world wide web.  First up...

2005 Donruss Prime Patches AUTO PATCH 52/72

A stunning auto and patch card from 2005 Donruss Prime Patches.  This lil piece of cardboard has everything I want in a Cobra hit.
photo of Parker in striped Pirates hat? check
AUTO? check
Yellow Fabric? check
Nameplate letter? check
Under the price of a blaster? check
I managed to grab this for only $19.99.

Next.........................................

2012 National Treasures Signature Materials 

While not as nice as the 2005 Prime Patches, this card is a nice grab for the $13 price tag I paid for it.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, Dave Parker deserves more consideration for the Hall of Fame.  If not for the cocaine charges against him in the 80s, his on field and off field contributions to the Steel City were beaten by only one other team mate (Stargell).  He was considered one of the top outfielders in the 70s and early 80s and posted 2,712 career hits despite 7 seasons which he played in less than 125 games.  He was in the MVP top 10 for voting 7 times through out his career and won it in 1978 while also winning a batting title, 3 gold gloves, 3 silver sluggers.

Happy 4th Of July

I saw this Garrett Jones 4th of July Manupatch from 2010 Topps on ebay a few months back and had to have it for the $4 price tag.  I wasn't much of a fan of manupatches and am still not, but I think this looks nicely displayed with my collection.

Happy 4th Everyone!!!

#Let'sGoBucs!

2013 Goal Update: Pirates Partner Project

I've been trying to collect 38 unique players pictured on a relic or auto of Jason Bay for well over a year now.  I'm going to add a few more players that I would like to add to this theme along with their Pirates jersey numbers.  The rule for this partner project though is that the player must have appeared in at least one official game so my Bill Rowell autograph with Cutch doesn't count.

I may add players like Jameson Taillon and Gerrit Cole to this list one day, but in the meantime I am going to stick with Jason Bay, Andrew McCutchen, Willie Stargell, and Roberto Clemente.

Bold, italic, and yellow indicates that I have both a relic and auto of the player
Yellow indicates just an auto

Andrew McCutchen -22 (currently at 19)
Jose Tabata
Adam Jones
Alex Presley
Lorenzo Cain
Cole Hamels
Jason Heyward
Gio Gonzalez
Daniel Moskos
Ralph Kiner
Pedro Alvarez
Hunter Pence
Justin Upton
Matt Kemp
Curtis Granderson
Ryan Braun
Mike Trout
Willie Stargell
Roberto Clemente
Andy Van Slyke

Willie Stargell - 8 COMPLETE (currently at 9 players)
Dave Parker
Bill Madlock
Roberto Clemente
Manny Sanguillen
Al Oliver
Johnny Bench
Ralph Kiner
Andrew McCutchen
Barry Bonds

Roberto Clemente - 21 (currently at 8)
This is the one I need to work on the most.

Willie Stargell
Manny Sanguillen
Al Oliver
Barry Bonds
Honus Wagner
Ralph Kiner
Andrew McCutchen
Vladimir Guerrero

McCutchen Mondays: 2010 Allen & Ginter N43 box topper

My current favorite player in baseball today is Andrew McCutchen.  Quite honestly, he might be my favorite player I've ever gotten a chance to see play. I currently own almost 300 unique cards of Cutch and hope to get that number closer to 400 by the end of the year.  Amongst my cardboard collection of Cutch are many autographs, over a dozen 1/1s, and almost enough jersey material to put his jersey back together.  Back in 2011, I created Morton Mondays, but with the lack of Charlie Morton cards available, I changed it to McCutchen Mondays so each Monday I will show off one new card from my Cutch collection.

To see all my Andrew McCutchen relics, autos, printing plates, manupatches, etc ... check out this link.

2010 Allen & Ginter N43 box topper

My local card store recently had a 2010 Allen & Ginter box topper N43 on display in their case.  I asked if they would be willing to trade it for an Albert Pujols.  Sure enough, it was a done deal.  Granted Pujols seems more likely to go to the HOF one day and be remembered as one of the greatest 1B of all time, BUT he killed Pirate pitching for 11 years.

I don't get a chance to look at my predreadlock Cutch cards too often, but he looked a lot different 3 years ago.

Back in Black: Gerrit Cole Bowman Black AUTO/25

We all know that baseball players are very superstitious.  For the 7th game in a row, the Bucs have worn black uniforms.  The Pirates also won their 7th game in a row.  Coincidence? Probably.

Last night Gerrit Cole became the first Pirates pitcher since Nick Maddox in 1907 to win his first 4 games he appeared in since making his debut.

I love Bowman Black signed in silver sharpie.  The silver paint pens just look so nice displayed in the Treasure Room.

2012 Bowman Black Gerrit Cole Autograph 12/25

The above card was picked up last year for around $150 I believe.  Prices on these have skyrocketed since.
I still have 2 more Gerrit Cole cards that I haven't uploaded yet but plan to get them scanned in the near future and show off.

BTW...how about them 1st Place Bucs!!!!

2 PWE filled with blues

I have 2 main player collections.

One is of the Pirates All-Star MVP candidate and face of the franchise Andrew McCutchen

2013 Topps Anderw McCutchen Wal Mart Blue

The other is of a sinkerball pitcher who has born in my town and has had to reinvent himself over the past couple years, Charlie Morton.

2012 Topps Charlie Morton Wal Mart Blue

I enjoy adding new cards to my collection of both players, but enjoy when I get packages in the mail of similar cards for both players.  Such was the case today.

Each of these was purchased for just over the price of a stamp.  Inside each was something blue.  Now I don't feel so blue.

Future Ace Autos: Big Arms, Big Sigs

The beauty of having two arms with future ace potential come up through the minors together is something Pirates fans have never had before.  The last time the Pirates got excited about a pitcher coming up through the minors was Brad Lincoln and that was more out of not wanting him to fail than truly being excited.  As much as I liked Lincoln professionally and personally, he was never a top 10 prospect in baseball.

The Pirates have 2 top 10 prospects pitching in the upper minors right now.  Both will likely be in the starting rotation by next year.  While many view Gerrit Cole as the better pitcher, I personally think that Jameson Taillon will be the stronger of the two aces.

I grabbed a 2009 Upper Deck USA Big Sig of each player to further get excited for the future right handers.

2009 Upper Deck USA 18U National Team Jameson Taillon BIG SIGS  GOLD AUTO 21/25  

I was stoked when the seller accepted my best offer for nearly 50% off this card, getting for $35.  The only problem was that it took forever to get to me.  The seller on ebay had provided tracking and everything, but the package got lost in a New Hampshire post office for about a month.  I was pretty much starting to freak out as it got closer to 45 days with no card.  Fortunately the seller kept hassling the post office and eventually it made it's way to me in lovely NJ.

2009 Upper Deck USA National Team Gerrit Cole BIG SIGS SILVER AUTO 31/75

The Gerrit Cole Big Sigs ran me $35 also with free shipping.  Cole Autos typically go for $40+ now that he's on the doorstep of becoming a big leaguer.  While I would have liked to pay less, I've actually seen this card sell for upwards of $75.  I've also recently seen one sell for only $20 shipped so who knows.  Either way, it's a nice silver ink auto that I'm happy to add to the Future Ace collection.

There's currently some trade rumors that Taillon might be sent away as part of a trade package to land someone like Giancarlo Stanton. No! Just no! I have no desire to send away elite (while unproven at major league level) pitching for a head case who's often injured.