Trade with Dimebox Nick

Let me start by saying that if you haven't checked out Nick's blog, please go check it out; it is a really good read. You can find it at baseballdimebox.blogspot.com. He included lots great cards, and I needed most of them.

 

Some nice set needs here. Back when Topps had borders the parallels looked good; no we just have pointy colored shards stabbing players. Some nice 2017 bunt needs and some 2017 archives needs as well. I love how the horizontals look on the '92 Topps design, and I love the player selection Topps does for Archives.

 




Here are the Braves Nick sent my way. The '63 Topps Hendley is a really nice card, and I like the Spahn Old Judge a lot as well. I also really like the '59 Bazookas from this year's Archives too. I also forgot how much I like Allen & Ginter minis, and the Smoltz and Glavine Upper Deck Fun Pack (I think that's what they are) cards are fun.

Oddballs! The '75 Topps Minis are nice, and I really love the TCMA cards. Nick also sent some nice minor league cards as well. I knew who Otis Nixon was, and I had heard of Kevin Jepsen before, but I wasn't sure if he was any good and/or still in the Majors. Otis Nixon spent 17 years in the bigs and spent some time on my Braves including being on the '91 worst to first Braves. Jepsen spent 9 years in the bigs, and Maier spent 6 years in the majors. Jose Laboy never made it over A ball, but nonetheless, a nice cards.

Food oddballs including a nice Bob Knepper Kellog's, some nice Nolans, a Pepsi Canseco, and a Coke Luzinski on '81 Topps which I really like.

Some more nice oddballs. That Deion Sanders is a foldout, and the Juan Gonzalez is a Toys R' Us. I think the gem of all of the oddballs is the team card on the left. It's a 1995 Phil Rizzuto's National Pastime card. It's a chrome and it is of the 1892 New York Giants. It's just an all-around great card.

A bunch of fleer oddballs. I think I am going start collecting knuckleballers just because of how I love how random the pitch's break is. It can go left or right, it can drop, you just don't know.

 

 

A bunch of old players on new cards. I wish Panini would bring back the Cooperstown sets. My favorite cards of these are the Fleer Sports Illustraded Greats of the Game. Stadium Club is always great photography, and all of the other cards are great too. 

Overall, that was a great trade. Once again, go check out Nick's blog, and thanks again Nick!

2016 Archives Blaster Break

I stopped by my local target to try and pick up a blaster of 2017 archives, but they didn't have any. I didn't plan on buying anything after I saw they didn't have 2017 archives, but I took a look in the discount bin which never has baseball. It always either hockey or racing which I don't collect at all. Low and behold, when I saw the 2016 archives blaster discounted for $12.99, I just had to buy it. So, here is the recap.

First off, let me start by saying that the card stock from last year's archives is much cheaper and thinner than this year's, so good job by Topps for fixing that.

Base Cards

Overall, the base cards are good. I think my favorite of the three designs is the '91's. I just like the crispness and simplicity of the design, and I like team color borders. Above are the better base cards, I guess is what you would say. I also got: Aroldis Chapman, Justin Upton, Craig Kimbrel, Jorge Soler, Byron Buxton, Evan Gattis, Danny Salazar, Cole Hamels, Hisashi Iwakuma, Billy Butler, Brian Dozier, Hector Rondon, Yu Darvish, Russell Martin, Salvador Perez, Jonathan Lucroy, David Peralta, Adam Wainwright, Jay Bruce, Kendrys Morales, Chris Davis, Rougned Odor, Hunter Pence, Yasiel Puig, and Gio Gonzalez. These are all available for trade.

Inserts

I think the insert sets are OK. I really like the Topps supers (Machado and Lindor). I'm definitely going to be keeping those two because I like oddballs and I also like the type of recent inserts that are either modeled after previous oddball sets or the inserts sets that just have that retro feel. The Father-Son and 1st Pick inserts are OK, but they didn't really have players I like, so both of those are for trade if anyone wants them. The Bull Durham insert is also for trade.

Mini Collection Cards

This is the real draw to archives for me. I love how it isn't just HOFers either. For example, people such as John Franco, Bucky Dent, Bret Boone, Doc Gooden, and Jim Abbot. I also like how Topps decided to put Babe Ruth on the Red Sox.

I did get one numbered card in the box. This Satchel Paige blue is numbered /199. I'm glad its a past player instead of a present one. Though, I still think the highlight of the box is the mini collection past players on present cards.

My First Post

My First Post

This post is about what I collect and what this blog will be about.

Main Guys I Collect

Above are cards of the main guys that I collect. These aren't the only guys that I collect; I collect pretty much any braves guys. These are just base cards because I don't want to give away any surprises too soon!

Mini Collections

I also like to collect oddballs (I don't know the true definition of oddball if there even is one, but I just like to collect what looks weird or quirky to me). Here are some examples of what I call an oddball above. Feel free to ask what set they are from in the comments section.

My two newer mini collections are set building and players from the past on present cards. Above are a few past players on present cards. As far as set building goes, I am trying to set build 2017 bunt, 2017 bunt blue parallels, 2017 bunt insert sets (the more common ones), 2017 archives, and 2015 topps gold. I don't have much for any of those.

Giveaway

I'm new at this, so please have patience with me as I do not know how a lot of this blogging stuff works. I'm just doing this for fun, and to show people who it may interest, my collecting journey. The person that first comments on my first post ever will receive a card of their favorite team via PWE. If you are the first commenter, please leave your email address so I can email you and you can send me your address and favorite team, if you prefer to put your address and favorite team in the comments that is fine, or if there is a different way to do it please let me know.