My Favorite 9 (Right Now)

First off,a special thanks to Junior Junkie , the inspiration behind this post .I had fun.Oh,and thanks for the quick and  quality cut and paste job (butchered Kris Bryant aside) with the card pics I sent over . Homie Is pretty damn fast!Initially ,this wasn't as hard as I thought It would be,but In retrospect ,some very cool cards In my collection got overlooked.Not that the 9 I chose aren't "Favorite 9" worthy   ,because they most certainly are.In fact I think I was pretty honest with myself about It,even though I could have easily added to the list.It's kind of like when someone says something and then asks you to say the first thing that comes to your mind.Well,these were the first 9 that came to my mind.I love the 9 cards I chose.These cards get stared at a little longer than the others when I'm rummaging through my  collection.The level of admiration I have for some are based on star power,while others,like the Canseco,Jefferies and Jones, are just childhood favorites.So without further adieu,  my favorite 9 right now....

Night Owl Covers All The Bases!

A little while ago,Night Owl dropped a post on some 2015 Topps Update he had just acquired.The Syndergaard and Matz rc's really caught my eye as I had no idea they would be featured In the set.I haven't been In pack buying mode lately,so I figured why not cherry pick on Ebay or try to acquire the Syndi and Matz through a trade.Night Owls next post touched on   World Series night games , and how a collection of World Series night game cards was In order.I just so happened to have what he was looking for as well as some cards on his want list,so an E-Mail was sent and a trade initiated.Night Owl covered all the bases , sending me the meat and potatoes part of the trade (Syndergaard and Matz),as well as some other much needed cards on my want list.

I love  It when bloggers take the extra time to add little thank you notes to their trade packages.It's something I rarely do.Shame on me.The face card was totally unexpected but a welcomed addition.A Mets fan can never have too many Degroms In his/her collection.

Now this was the card I drooled a little bit over when catching a glimpse of It on N.O. blog.My first thoughts were - "Man, now I gotta go see If our local Wal Mart has any '15 Update stocked because I desperately need that Syndergaard!" My second thoughts were - "Man, now I gotta leave the house just to go see If our local Wal Mart has any '15 Update stocked because I desperately need that Syndergaard!" My third thoughts were "Fuck that,I'm not going anywhere I'll just Email Night Owl and see If we can work out a trade or something". Next thing you know-"BAM!"

The Boy Wonder ,Steven Matz!

I don't have alot of contemporary stuff,so anything from 2010 to 2013 Is pretty much non existent In my collection.Hence the appreciation of this awesome Panini Hometown Heroes Puig rc!

While I'm not crazy about the original Topps Rookie Cup design,I welcome any of  Dee Gordon's  baseball cards Into my collection .I hope to one day see him leading off for the NY Mets. 

1988 Topps Jose Canseco!This was the card that started It all.1988 marked the beginning of my baseball card collecting ways.This was the card that lit the fuse.So anybody out there holding onto a surplus of this particular card,let me know!I will gladly take them off your hands.

Another card on my want list,this 89 Topps Jefferies Is a personal favorite of mine.It's just a great looking card and one I wouldn't mind having multiples of either.

A new Yadi!By far my favorite Catcher with Salvy Perez coming In 2nd.I'd love for  Molina to come over and platoon with Darnaud at some point In his career.Could you imagine how much more dangerous Degrom ,Syndergaard and Harvey would be with this guy sitting behind the plate?!? 

Night Owl must have read my catcher collection post as he threw In a couple of  gems ,especially the Mayne.

WHEN I SAY ROOKIE,YOU SAY CUP-"ROOKIE!CUP!ROOKIE...."

  

Thanks again for the trade N.O.Now I don't feel as obligated to go out and get any Update ;)  

A Package From Junior Junkie

A couple of weeks back,Junior Junkie had to take out a small loan in order to cover his post office expenses , mailing out packages to the entire baseball card blogosphere.It makes you wonder If post offices should start offering discount shipping on multiple parcels.Buy one - mail one free coupons would be nice.If anybody deserves It,It's Junior Junkie.Thanks to him,I am now well over ,or at least inching closer to  the 150 Canseco card mark!I also received a nice Cespedes Refractor and Serial Numbered Bowman Platinum Reyes!Thanks alot Junior,I'll be setting a couple things aside for you as soon as get the chance ;) BTW-Loved the artwork on the other side of the padded envelope!

Just a few of the Cansecos from the nice lot Junior was nice enough to send over! 

Picking Up Where I Left Off

My card collecting days pretty much  ended  the night Jose Canseco was traded to Texas.I was an avid Canseco card collector as well as an A's fanatic,and right around that time (early 90's)the magic In Oakland had subsided along with my cardboard obsession. I still watched my Met games and kept up with Texas to see how J.C. was doing,but baseball cards would ultimately take a back seat to video games,sports,girls and video games ;) I wouldn't pick up another pack of baseball cards until '05-'06.The game had changed significantly and young studs like Prince Fielder and Ryan Zimmerman were just breaking into the league.Not to mention a switch hitting,fleet footed Dominican SS named Jose Reyes who had managed to make me a Met believer again.I was back In baseball mode ,and once again enamored by the on field antics and  dominance of a player named Jose!Reyes quickly became a personal favorite ,which meant that I was going to have to own his RC along with any other cardboard releases of New York's newest speed demon.Reyes along with guys like Fielder and Verlander made me want to "watch" baseball again.Collect again.I became a RC hound,searching them out online as well as In local card shops.I still bought the occasional pack but mostly enjoyed rounding up rookies.Flash forward to 2008.Much like Oakland In the early 90's ,Mets baseball had reached a low point.Reyes couldn't shake the injury bug ,much like Canseco In the tail end of his tenure In Oakland,and after a Madoff scheme ,a couple of losing years  highlighted by a N.L. batting title,Reyes was off to Miami.Again,my interest In the game and collecting had faded. Fortunately things are on the up and up these days for N.Y. and once again I enjoy watching the game.Matt Harvey ,Degrom and Lagares have sparked my interest  as far as collecting goes and It seems like I'll be looking to add some of their cards to the old collection.I don't see myself getting too deep into the hobby,though,just cherry picking players that I like and picking up a pack here and there.I'm not a huge "Auto" or "Game Used" collector but do enjoy running into one every now and then when opening packs.Maybe this will snowball out of control at some point but for now It's all about fun  In moderation.Below are some of the Reyes cards I picked up at the height of his career In N.Y.