Cael Me Maybe

Spankee ran an "NFL Score Streak" contest this year, and while my team stunk, I won the "bonus prize" he offered.  There was no mention of what this prize would be, so I was happy to see a yellow mailer show up in my mailbox (last December).

Here's the highlights of what showed up:

This is the gold parallel chip:

Billy Butler - 2013 Topps Chipz - Gold

This one is die-cut, autographed, and #/100.

Alexis Rivera - Donruss Elite Aspirations Signature - #82

Here's my favorite:

2009 Press Pass Fusion - Cael Sanderson - Bronze - #/150 - #89.

There are very few (proper) wrestling cards out there, let alone one of my favorite wrestler from my beloved Iowa State Cyclones.  159-0.  That's all I really need to say about him.

Thanks so much! 

My Boys

Tuesday night - one game.

The first KC playoff game I've seen.

Whatever happens, Royals, you made me smile this year.

Thank you.

#TakeTheCrown

The Best Part Of This Post Is The End

In the seemingly never-ending string of packages that Wes/Jaybarkerfan has been sending to my door, he hit me with another mailer.  It was full of Royals, of course, and I finally got it all entered into Zistle and scanned here.


I liked the oddballs that were part of it, and wanted to show those off here.

Baby Billy Butler.

Bubble-Blowing Brett.

Unscannable Hal.

Jimmy Dean, the Sausage King of Kansas City.

"Tetrad?"  Never heard of this.  Lucky for me, there were ONLY 45,000 of these made, so good luck ever tracking down another.  Suckers.

Finally, it's not a JBFJ package without a little intrigue.  This internal envelope was awaiting me...

Oh man!  It's probably a George Brett Rookie - GEM MINT 10 - I CAN'T BELIEVE IT I'VE WAITED SO LONG WES IS THE BEST WES IS THE BEST WELL EVEN IF IT ISN'T THAT IT'S GONNA BE A BILLY BUTLER AUTOGRAPH OR JOAKIM SORIA OR DAVID DEJESUS OR SOMETHING TRULY GREAT!!!!!!

AND THE RESULT IS.....

I just got "Grimace"-Bipped.  There was no photoshopping involved in the above picture -- I just threw them all on the scanner.  Well played, sir.  :-)


Ken Harvey was an outstanding 1B for the Royals.  See his fielding prowess below.

Yep.  He was our All-Star.  Thanks, Wes!

Butlers, Lemons, and South Park

That's pretty much the best "Certified Auto" I've ever seen.  No, it's not actually from the 1987 set (I knew you were wondering).  It was on top of the latest trade package I received from Rosenort at the Condition Sensitive blog.  He had already posted the stuff I sent him.  However, everything he sent me wasn't just "Terrance and Phillip"-style Glamour Shots (unfortunately).  He also included some real cards, and they all hit my want-lists, too.  Among everything he sent me, I had a few favorites...

Like this.  These guys are Iowa State alumni.  That initial Skybox set was OUTSTANDING.  I remember those and the "computer generated backgrounds" so well.

This guys is an old, odd-looking, Royals manager!  Everything I am looking for!

1971 Topps Bob Lemon

A few miscellaneous cards for my burgeoning Brookens collection.

And the whole reason we kicked off the trade...the Billy Butler Gypsy Queen relic card. 

2012 Gypsy Queen Relic Jersey Card - Billy Butler

Thanks so much, Rosenort!!! 

SuperDuperTrade

I am once again WAY behind on trade posts.  These things tend to come in waves, plus I've been trying to spend more time with my little son and get to sleep at a reasonable hour.  That said, if you have sent me something in a trade....I'll get to it eventually.  :-)

Today's trade is from SuperDuperMan at the blog Fantastic Catch.

This card is Super.

This card is Duper.

This card is a Man.

 And these guys are playing a Fantastic game of Catch.

Look Out, Ruben Sierra!

Look out, Ruben!  Things are getting bad -- Giant eagles are attacking from the sky!  They are dropping huge class rings on people to capture their prey!  (I think these eagles are working for Jostens). 

Eric Hosmer has the good sense to run for cover.  Though he is encased in a bronze paper frame, he has eluded the rings and eagles so far. 

Billy Butler and David DeJesus have an alternate plan.   They are going to bash the ringed-eagles out of the sky with large sticks of wood.

They can't  hold them off with the bats for long.  Little to no assistance is coming to them from the outside.  Only one person can save them now -- the fireman!  USE YOUR HOSE OF POWER!!!

Oh no!  Something has gone horribly wrong!  The eagles have warped Montgomery's mind!  He has turned into some sort of fireball-throwing maniac. Mankind is DOOOOOOOOMED!

As he watches the apocalypse, Alex Gordon wishes he was back in Nebraska.

--------------------

If any of you have survived to read this, you will be happy to know that all these cards came from Colbey at Cardboard Collections.  Some were part of his Stadium Club Monster Group Break (Ruben got randomed to me), and others were some extras that he threw my way.  Thanks so much, Colbey!

Also, if anyone else has any of those other Ginter State Cards (particularly John Buck (WY), Brian Bannister (AZ), or Casey Blake (IA)) to trade, I'd love to have them. 

Billy Butler is in my Cardboard Collection

2012 Allen and Ginter Relic - Billy Butler - AGR-BBU

A 1-for-1 trade can be a beautiful thing.  Look at the card above from Colbey at Cardboard Collections.  I had a Gypsy Queen relic of Brian McCann that I sent his way, and this guy came my way.  Everybody's happy! :-)

Thanks again, Colbey!

Brayan and Bryan

2012 Topps Brayan Pena - # 296

Brayan Pena has the ball.  Brayan Pena made the play!  Brayan Pena is glad that the throw from the outfield did not go all the way to the backstop...

This sweet play came in a trade stack from Marcus at Backstop Cards. He and I worked out a trade last month.  Two big baggies full of Fleer, Leaf, Upper Deck, Heritage, Topps, and Collector's Choice came my way.  Here were some of my favorites:

GUBES! (times 2).  I need those shades, Mark Gubicza.

Young, Minor-League Johnny Damon and an old Frank White.

Celebratory Opening Day Billy Butler and some guy I've never heard of.  Luckily, that guy is on a purple card.  Purple is the most under-rated of all the card colors, in my opinion.

The new purple guy is Bryan Brickhouse.

You're welcome.  :-)

Baseball Dad's Refractor Pad

Baseball Dad sent me a little package in exchange for the handful I sent him. 

We've got the Billy Butler X-Fractor, and a whole mess of 1991 Topps MICRO.  How have I never seen these before?  I think he gave me the full set (didn't scan them all, obviously)....but these guys are TINY.

Happy Father's Day, Baseball Dad!

Engagement Pictures and Aquatic Exploration



1997 Fleer Metal Universe - #91 - Johnny Damon

Why is Johnny Damon being attacked?  By a MOLLUSK?!?!  The scan does not do this bad-boy justice.  This is a picture of JD with a diving helmet super-imposed over his head while the squid tries to take out his legs and drag him back to the sea.  Oh, Fleer Metal -- you were awesome. This (along with everything else in this post) came from Jaybarkerfan's last card draft. 

The main reason I had bought-into this draft was for this guy:

2002 Topps Gold Label - Frank White Relic - #ACR-FW

I was the #1 overall pick...and it was MINE!  Frank White in the baby blues.  It's a shame how the KC front-office has treated him lately.  He was always one of my favorites, and loved his commentary during the TV broadcasts. I used my next set of picks to get this one:

2004 SPx Autograph Relic - Justin Huisman - #183 - #/799

I could tell Huisman was a Royal, but I did not remember him AT ALL.  So I went to do a little research on him, and the first thing that came up were his engagement pictures:

She seems nice. 

Justin's MLB career consisted of 25 IP over 14 games back in 2004.  He's now the coach of the "Northwest Indiana Oilmen"...a collegiate team.

Ginter Minis - Rasputin, Robert E. Lee, Alex Gordon

I got 3 Ginter minis, including one of Rasputin -- Russia's greatest love machine.  I cannot make an adequate statement about the relative love machine greatness of Lee or Gordon.


1972 Topps Leo Durocher, 2002 Fleer Platinum Wheelhouse Ichiro

I picked the Durocher since he looked a little crabby.  I picked the Ichiro because it had gears on it.  Turns out that one is embossed, too.
Wes threw in some more goodies for me in addition to the formal picks.


2011 Topps Lineage - Billy Butler Mini and Base

Billy Butler was the ONLY Royal on the Lineage checklist last year, and now I've got his mini and his base card.  Sidebar Rant:  When people were doing Lineage group breaks last year, I asked a few of them how much it would be to get the Royals.  They said it was the same price as any other team.  I pointed out to them that it was only these cards, but they didn't budge.  Needless to say, they didn't sell the Royals because you would have to be an idiot to pay the same price for the Royals that you would for the Yankees or Dodgers.  Many people who run group breaks do a good job of varying the prices based on the team and the checklists of the boxes they are opening, but if you are running group breaks where you sell all single-team-slots for a flat price, you are severely under-charging some people and over-charging others.
  

1997 E-X 2000 - Jermaine Dye and Johnny Damon

Last but not least, these two are from the 1997 E-X2000 set.  The sky/clouds piece is a translucent plastic so that you see that part better when there is a light behind it.  These are super-fun.  I got the Barry Bonds from this set, too.  

I like the looks of these.  I only wonder how much more Fleer Metal could have improved these...maybe have a giant hawk in the sky shooting lasers at Jermaine?  Maybe have Johnny trying to hit a jet fighter with his bat?  Some sort of DRAGON?

I think more cards should have a dragon...or at least a leviathan.

The Yunicorn

2011 Topps Yuniesky Betancourt - #289

I don't like the Yunicorn.  HE CAN'T HIT.  I was happy when the Royals traded him (although I was less happy we had to part with Greinke to get rid of YB).  However, he's back with the Royals now as a free agent signing, and he's back in my collecting life.  I got him as part of my second successful trade on Zistle.  I picked up a bunch of 2011 Topps Royals, including the Billy Butler CYMTO I still needed:

2011 Topps CYMTO - #60YOT-113 - Billy Butler

Sewing Machine Guy HOOKED ME UP - Baseball Style

Still not the "Real" Sewing Machine Guy

Like said in the last post, Sewing Machine Guy hooked me up plural.  (Btw, stay off that ankle and Get Well Soon, man!!)  I showed off the football cards already, but there was a STACK of Royals baseball that he included, too.  I have neither time nor space to display them all, so you will get my favorites here.

First off, some oldies but goodies -- One for my managers collection and one for the KC collection:

1969 Topps #547 Billy Martin

1972 Topps #205 Dick Drago

Three Generations of Ginter:

Allen and Ginter - 2007 #34 Mark Grudzielanek, 2008 #347 David DeJesus, 2009 #337 Billy Butler

SHINIES!  Shiny Royals!!

2011 Topps Diamond Anniversary #244 Mike Aviles, #658 Mitch Maier

More Shinies!  Well....Chromies.  The purple on the Espinal is sweet.  The George Brett might be my new favorite card -- the chrome on it looks AMAZING. 

2010 Bowman Chrome Purple #BCP84 Yowill Espinal, 2001 Topps Archives Reserve Chrome Reprint #9 George Brett

SMG hit a bunch of my favorite players, too.  I love cards of Mike Sweeney when he was still a catcher (played 1B and DH for much of his career).  Billy Butler is my favorite current Royal, while DeJesus is my favorite Royal period.  The DeJesus card is a perforated parallel - designed to look like a ticket on the top and bottom.

1999 Stadium Club #178 Mike Sweeney, 2011 ToppsTown #TT-37 Billy Butler, 2009 Topps Ticket to Stardom #10 David DeJesus

SMG, these were awesome.  He included one other Royal I wanted to show off. 

Oh well.  The color scheme is still good.  :-)  I guess that one must have fallen into the trade box by mistake.