Goudey Trade-away #28: 3 for 3

This trade comes in from Nick in Ripon, California.

Giving: Ryan Howard, #102; Torii Hunter, #95; Jacque Jones, #48
Getting: Matt Cain, 2007 Bowman Chrome; Brett Myers, 2007 Topps Finest; Jimmy Rollins, 2007 Allen & Ginter

Nick offers a three-fer, and I've decided to go for it. Rollins is rockin' a mustache that makes him look like he means business. Also, the Bowman Chrome and Finest cards feel about as thick and as glossy as credit cards. I don't see the appeal of those two base sets.

Nick does, though. In his enclosed letter he writes, "Topps Finest is probably my favorite set this year, probably because it costs a fortune." Well, Nick, for my money, this Goudey set looks like it's hard to beat. Hope you enjoy these cards. And don't give Jacque Jones no guff--he's not in a very good mood.

Goudey Trade-away #27: Pendleton for Lee

The Great Goudey Trade-Away resumes!

This trade comes in from Samuel in Houston, Texas.

Giving: Derrek Lee, #35 (red back)
Getting: Terry Pendleton, 1985 Fleer

Samuel's getting a pretty great card of Derrek Lee, but let's cut to the chase: "[Terry] played in 65 consecutive games for Cards before insect bite on leg forced him from lineup..."

What, exactly, was Pendleton doing when he was attacked by Vincent D'Onofrio's character in Men in Black? Way to go, Long-Ago Fleer Copywriter, you've piqued my interest.

ToppsWorld

Yeah, I know. I haven't posted lately. But I have good reason: I've been busy. First, I moved out of my apartment. Second, I've been fleshing out the idea of 'ToppsWorld.' I've got it separated into five zones (like Disney World's 'lands' concept): HQ New York (or simply 'New York'); WizKidZone; Parallel Universe; Training Camp; and Duryealand. There would also be an open-air bus that would connect all four parts, the Bazooka Tram. Finally, the park would be rounded out by the on-premises hotel, Chez O Pee Chee.

Park Checklist for 'ToppsWorld'


HQ New York
The Haunted Vault
Brooklyn: Topps Museum & Hall of Fame
Garbage Pail Alley
Don't Get Dumped! (water ride, each car is shaped like a case of High-Series 1952 Topps)
Mr. Mantle's Wild Ride
A-Rod's Bullshit Home Run Sidewalk (500 squares of cement with a different number on each one)
Hero Parade (every day at 11am)
Heritage Cafe (restaurant)
The Warehouse (store)

Connects to other areas and Chez O Pee Chee via Bazooka Tram


WizKidZone
Push Pops Candy A-Go-Go
Dr. Shorin's Mixed-Up Wacky Package Fun House
HeroClix Something Or Other Ball Pit
Bowman Town (rides for small kids; Canadian-themed)
All Star Rookies (restaurant)
Topps of the Class (store)

Connects to other areas and Chez O Pee Chee via Bazooka Tram


Parallel Universe
Refractor Mountain
Sequentially-Numbered Experience
Escape From eTopps!
Chrome (restaurant)
Rip Party (store)

Connects to other areas and Chez O Pee Chee via Bazooka Tram


Training Camp
The Dotted Line (make your own card, sign a fake contract)
Topps Hero Village (batting cages, basketball hoop games, football pass exercises, other stuff)
Hey Mister! (get autographs from visiting sports stars and legends, live and in-person!)
Signatures (restaurant)
The Parking Lot (store)

Connects to other areas and Chez O Pee Chee via Bazooka Tram


Duryealand
Dream Street: 1) regular house filled to burst with cards, 2) Swap Meet: trade for special World of Topps cards, 3) Shorin's Candy Shop: olde timey candy shop sells reprint cards in 5 cent packs (also Duryealand restaurant), 4) Topps Factory
The Topps Factory Tour, hosted by animatronic Bazooka Joe (actually partially reprogrammed cast-off Chuck E. Cheese with blond wig, inexplicable eye patch and backwards hat)
Factory Store (largest store on premises)

Connects to other areas and Chez O Pee Chee via Bazooka Tram


Chez O Pee Chee Hotel & Convention Center
XFractor (nightclub on premises)
Mergers'N'Buyouts (store)
Greg Oden's Knee (restaurant/movie theater with lots of legroom)



You may laugh at the idea of 'ToppsWorld' (and it's okay – it's funny), but the more I thought about it this week, the more plausible it became. Especially with Eisner at the helm. Because for all the boom that the baseball card hobby has enjoyed this year, cards have yet to make the jump from 'hobby' to 'mainstream kitsch' (which is really where it should be).

On a related note, Topps has started selling t-shirts on its website. And while that's a fine start, are those same shirts available at stores like Urban Outfitters? Or even Wal-Mart? Cards may be what Topps think it sells, but of course any psychology student can tell you that what Topps sells is much larger than 2.5" x 3.5".

Just you wait and see: after a few years of smart marketing, a pipe dream like 'ToppsWorld' won't seem so far fetched.

Old News: The Topps Sale

The world is a funny place. There's a story in today's New York Times about the proliferation of mashup videos on YouTube of Soulja Boy's song "Crank That." One of the specific examples that the reporter cites is a version composed of clips from Disney animated films. The reporter begs the question if the mashup is protected by parody (and therefore is not subject to a potential lawsuit from Disney), and goes on to mention Disney's fierce history of suing for copyright infringement.

So why bring this up? Because it's funny in two ways. First, it would be funny to be in a courtroom where a judge or jury is made to watch a mashup video of Tigger and Bambi singing hiphop, and second, Michael Eisner, that old Disney attack dog, is now at the helm of Topps, a company that proudly markets at least two different products based entirely on parody (the mainstay Wacky Packages and the newcomer 'Hollywood Zombies'). I wonder if the Topps board room will still display boxes of Wacky Packages on the credenza.

Yes, the fix is in: the Topps board approved the sale to Eisner, Tornante, and Madison Dearborn, and it's my guess that the Mothership came back around to him after they got a glimpse of what life with Upper Deck would be like (sometimes money isn't the only deciding factor). So what can/should we expect from the new, privatized Topps? I'm holding out for three things to happen:

1. Packs of cards going down in price
2. Public tours of the Topps factory
3. The Wonderful World of Topps: a themepark in Lower Manhattan featuring such rides as Refractor Mountain and Mr. Mantle's Wild Ride.

Goudey Trade-away #26: Garciaparra for Barfield

This trade comes in from Dave in Wilsonville, Oregon.

Giving: Nomar Garciaparra, #159 (red back)
Getting: Jesse Barfield, 'Best Outfield Arm', 1992 Upper Deck

Dave writes, "The card is supposed to commemorate Barfield as having the best outfield arm in the AL. Shouldn't it depict him actually using it?" Well put, Dave, but like all the other hare-brained photos the editors at Upper Deck chose to use, this one does get the point across. Look at Barfield holding those arms aloft! Standing there in the batter's box, acknowledging the crowd like a sideshow strongman.

Look! Even the Yankee coach is applauding him! (Yes, I realize that he's most likely not an egomaniac, and is instead instructing a runner on third to hold up.)

Goudey Trade-away #25: Gibson for Griffey, Jr.

This trade comes in from Adam in Madison, Alabama.

Giving: Bob Gibson, #212
Getting: Ken Griffey, Jr., 1995 Pinnacle


If you're like me, this trade works for two reasons. The first is that Gibson is a base card in Goudey, and one of a handful of retired greats. Though in my box I didn't receive too many retired players (Fisk, Gibson, Gwynn, Mattingly, Ryan), I'm assuming that there will be as many (if not more) baseball greats in this set as there were in the annoying Play Ball set from a few years back.

The second reason is that the bubble gum bubble on the Griffey card looks really fake. I mean, the airbrush artists were able to match Griffey's pantomimed angle, but the bubble is way too perfect, complete with patches of reflected light. It looks like an off-spring of Kirby from those Nintendo games is eating Griffey's face.

Goudey Trade-away #24: Ramirez for Owings

This trade comes in from Christopher in New Port Richey, Florida.

Giving: Hanley Ramirez, #46
Getting: Micah Owings, 2007 UD ROY Predictors


I used to love this kind of insert set, whether it was 'Crash the Game', 'Own the Game' or whatever else, these 'predictor' cards were like the lottery, or like fantasy baseball for little kids. It was great.

Something tells me that Owings ('Ow' is right in his name) is not going to be the National League Rookie of the Year. But as the New York State Lottery's tag line says: "Hey, You Never Know." Owings could still pull this one out. All he has to do is convince the Diamondbacks manager to start him six straight days, and then go on to throw six no-hitters and/or perfect games in a row. It could happen, right?

Goudey Trade-away #23: Cordero for Burroughs

This trade comes in from Larry in Omaha, Nebraska.

Giving: Chad Cordero, #25
Getting: Sean Burroughs, 2004 Leaf


This UD Goudey set is chock full of cards of guys making goofy faces at the camera. Here, Cordero is positively elated that he knows the proper finger placement for holding a ball when pitching.

Also, I have to say that I'm enjoying receiving cards from sets I didn't collect. From the look of this Burroughs card, it doesn't look like I missed much. On the back of the Burroughs card, it calls him a 'prodigy'. This is back in 2004. Tell me, at what point does a player cease to have 'upside' and instead simply become 'mediocre'?

Goudey Trade-away #22: Lidge for Morales

This trade comes in from Jim in Pleasanton, California.

Giving: Brad Lidge, #182 (red back)
Getting: Jerry Morales, 1974 Topps


Jim writes, "How many cards do you know that have three teams on them?" Jim, good question. I also like it that 'Jerry' is not Morales' real first name; it's Julio. Also, on the back it mentions that Morales enjoys horseback riding. So who is this guy, anyways? Some kind of medieval Bourne-for-hire?

Goudey Trade-away #21: Peralta for Teixeira

This trade comes in from Ryan in Fairborn, Ohio.

Giving: Jhonny Peralta, #119
Getting: Mark Teixeira, 2006 SPx


I've heard of people misspelling their own names on the SAT, but when, in the course of human events, has anyone ever had their name misspelled on their birth certificate? I can''t think of anyone (besides Jhonny Peralta).

Goudey Trade-away #20: LaRoche for Wilson

This trade comes in from Daniel in Provo, Utah.

Giving: Adam LaRoche, #152
Getting: Preston Wilson, 2000 Upper Deck

Daniel writes: "Enjoy this card of Preston Wilson in a reflective pose. He is probably pondering over the fact that he will never hit over .300."

Daniel, you could very well be right. Either that, or he's trying to figure out if the good times will last. It's funny how some players can seem to figure the system out, but only for a very short period of time. Some guys make that period last for a year or two (like Preston Wilson), while other guys can't last for even a whole year.

Probably the most famous contemporary flame-outs are one-hit wonders like Kevin Maas and Jerome Walton. But there are others. Take this year's Red Sox. At one point they had two or three guys in Hideki Okajima, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Dustin Pedroia, who were in serious contention for AL Rookie of the Year. Now we're just looking at Pedroia, as Okajima has hit a wall as of late and whenever I watch Matsuzaka pitch, he's always working with guys on base ("Taking the Gas-pipe," as my father calls it).

By the way, do you think it would be weird if you could also call your step-dad Uncle Mookie?

Goudey Trade-away #19: Wasdin for Francoeur

This trade comes in from Pat in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Giving: Jeff Francoeur, #56 (red back)
Getting: John Wasdin, 1995 Topps

Pat writes: "One of my favorite things about baseball cards is looking back at 'future star' cards of players who turned out to be quite forgettable." I agree. There's nothing like coming upon Steve Searcy's 1989 Topps Future Star card and trying to figure out who he is. Or Mike Harkey. Or Pat Dodson, Todd Van Poppel, Jeff Juden, Earl Cunningham, Nigel Wilson, David Nied--stop me if I'm hitting nerves here. I mean, we all bought into these guys.

The only thing better, when it comes to rookie cards, is going back through old stacks and finding an overlooked star rookie. I have very clear memories of finding about six or seven of the 1986 Topps Cecil Fielder rookie during his breakout 1990 season. I also just pulled a few Torii Hunters and Derrek Lees from old stacks of 1994 Score (which, by the way, is a very clean, attractive set with a nice array of inserts. Unopened wax is also abundant and cheap, if you've got an itch for ripping old wax).

A couple fun things about Wasdin. The back of this card is just classic Topps: two photos on the back that are exactly the same. Good times. Also, although he's out of the game, he's in MLB: The Show 06, which I still play (I'm in season nine of my Red Sox franchise). And no matter how many runs I'm down, if the computer puts Wasdin in the game, I know I'll be able to tie the score or take the lead in one inning. I mean, he wasn't called Way Back Wasdin for nothing.

Goudey Trade-away #18: Oglivie for Chipper

This trade comes in from David in Vero Beach, Florida.

Giving: Chipper Jones, #27
Getting: Ben Oglivie, 1973 Topps

You know, the Red Sox have never been a bad team. Sure, they've had bad stretches, but you can't call them historically bad, like you can the Chicago Cubs or the various Seattle teams.

Let's look for a moment at the stretch between their World Series appearances in 1967 and 1975. They developed raw talent into league mainstays with Carlton Fisk, Dwight Evans, Cecil Cooper, Sparky Lyle, Bill Lee, and yes, Ben Oglivie, and traded for other guys like Luis Tiant and Ray Culp and gave them room to flourish.

And while they didn't necessarily make all the right moves in terms of keeping all their good players, they had enough talent that when the front office made a change, there were guys to pick up the slack (Rice, Lynn, Hobson, Burleson, take your pick).

Goudey Trade-away #17: Honus for Ichiro

This trade comes in from Tony in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Giving: Ichiro, #104
Getting: Honus Wagner, 1994 Ted Williams Card Company

I know I'm the one who decided to trade away all his Goudey cards, and so far I don't regret that decision, but tonight I'm a little jealous. Tony's getting a great card of one of my favorite players: Ichiro Suzuki.

Don't get me wrong, I'll take a Wagner in trade any day of the week. It's just that this Ichiro is one heck of a beautiful card. Give 'im a good home, Tony.

Goudey Trade-away #16: Maddux for Nettles

This trade comes from Ricky in Bolingbrook, Illinois.

Giving: Greg Maddux, #44 (red back)
Getting: Jim Nettles, 1972 Topps

I know a lot of stuff's been written about the 1972 set; it's kind of a tired subject to find something new in the story. But here's something: besides the Electric Company front-of-card design and the ironically action-less In Action subset, it's the first set to feature a 'Traded' subset.

And these cards are hard to find, to boot. A few months ago I bought the Joe Morgan (that he had signed across the front in ballpoint pen) for a few dollars and just last weekend I bought the Frank Robinson at a show for $20. It's such a great subset that the $20 was one of the most expensive single cards I've ever purchased (what do you want from me; I'm not a big spender on single cards).

This is kinda funny: Jim is Graig's brother; Greg is Mike's brother. Also, says here Jim was hitting a mean .368 at instructional league level before breaking his wrist in 1970. Gotta love Topps for pointing out the good times and sealing the deal with the bad.

Goudey Trade-away #15: Berkman for 2004 Postseason Highlights

This trade comes in from Kevin in Columbia, Maryland.

Giving: Lance Berkman, #72 (red back)
Getting: 2004 NL Postseason Highlights, 2005 Topps

2004 was a very good year, and though the World Series was rather anti-climactic for Red Sox fans (consider that neither Mientkewicz or Keith Foulke are with the team anymore), everyone was introduced to all of Larry Walker's rhymey-named family sitting in the stands in St. Louis, so that was worth it.

Also worth it is this card of Berkman. Not only does he look focused on the barrel of his bat, but his head and neck are gigantic. He kind of resembles Gimli the troll from Lord of the Rings. Seriously. Slap a beard on him and let him burrow into the Misty Mountains and you'll never see him again.

Goudey Trade-away #14: Kazmir for Top Prospects 1B

This trade comes in from Bob of Manchester Center, Vermont.

Giving: Scott Kazmir, #142 (red back)
Getting: Top Prospects 1B, 1992 Topps

Despite their randomness in pairing, Scott Kazmir and Ryan Klesko have something in common: first, their former teams gave them up for practically nothing, and second, they either played out the balance of their career (Klesko) or are playing currently (Kazmir) in relative obscurity. They are both also very, very good at what they do.

Just one other note about the Klesko card. I've always been intrigued by John Jaha. It's probably due to his uncommon last name, but I really bought into those rookies I would never have heard of if it weren't for baseball cards. Guys like Jaha, Matt Mieske, Chad Mottola, Midre Cummings. You can add Jermaine Allensworth to that list. Funny thing about Jermaine Allensworth...there was a skit on SNL about a hundred years ago with Tracey Morgan where Morgan kept repeating the words 'Jermaine Allensworth' until they had almost no meaning. It was a running joke that nobody got. I don't know why I remember that.

Goudey Trade-away #13: Bo Breaker for Sizemore

This trade comes in from Zach from Kokomo, Indiana.

Giving: Grady Sizemore, #43 (red back)
Getting: Bo Breaker, 1991 Score

I hope Zach and Brandon (Trade-away #12) are friends. I remember one of the best parts of collecting as a kid was that my friend Michael collected, too. I got some of my best cards from trades with him (1979 Topps Alan Trammell, I'm thinking of you), and as we got older, and our collecting obsessions took different roots, it was he who turned me from a price guide-oriented collector into someone who truly appreciated the cards for what they were, not the riches they promised.

So here's to The Card Collecting Buddy, the one who'll try to out-gun you for a card at a show, but marvel with you at that one out of both of your grasps.

By the way, thanks for the Bo Breaker card. 1991 Score is one of my favorite sets, the very epitome of the over-stuffed early Nineties. I think that set had 10,000 cards in it, right?


The Trade-away is in full swing, but it's not too late to get in on the fun! Email me if you're interested in participating.

Goudey Trade-away #12: Ortiz for Damon

This trade comes in from Brandon from Kokomo, Indiana.

Giving: Johnny Damon, #65
Getting: David Ortiz, 2007 Fleer Perfect 10

I'm convinced that Fleer's Perfect 10 insert set is one of the best inserts of the year, and this is after I've familiarized myself with Allen & Ginter and Goudey. My proclamation is based on one very simple principle: the designers at Upper Deck succeeded by limiting the use of gold foil. By restraining their foil-loving side, the gold acts more like gold leaf than a cheap foil. It makes for an elegant card. So what that the backs look like they were printed on a college freshman's free Lexmark inkjet printer?

Brandon writes: "I'm a huge yankkees [sic] fan so i was glad to get rid of one of my Red Sox cards." Gee, thanks Brandon. You know what? I'm glad to get rid of this Johnny Damon card. Enjoy.

OJ Simpson a Suspect in Sports Memorabilia Heist

I just saw this on Boston.com, the online wing of The Boston Globe. Simpson says the stuff was his, though it goes on to say that he's had to sell some of his memorabilia, including his Heisman trophy, to pay for expenses. Jeesh, some guys just can't catch a break! Oh, wait a minute ... we're talking about OJ Simpson.

O-Done

Today I feel bad: for Greg Oden, for Blazers' GM Kevin Pritchard and for the Topps Company, who made Oden their poster boy for 2007-08. Pritchard and Oden may have known about the big guy's physical problems going into the draft, but what about the embattled Mothership? It's never a good thing for your spokesman to suddenly go off the national stage, but for it to happen right after your rival backs off from hostile takeover threats? While out of their control, the timing really couldn't be worse.

Oh, sure, collectors won't be finding Oden's cards in the ten-cent bin just yet, and because he's a young player, many news media outlets are already predicting a full recovery.

Who knows? Maybe an off-year will help give more collectors opportunity to pick up his cards at a lower price. But the question at the back of everyone's mind lingers: are we looking at the next Bill Russell (as Topps would want you to believe), or the next Pervis Ellison?



More Goudey Trade-away posts coming this evening, and all through the weekend. So far we've got 62 trades lined up, but there's plenty left if you'd like to get in on the fun. Email me if you're interested.

Goudey Trade-away #11: Colon for Griffey Jr League Leader

This trade comes in from Steve in Ringwood, New Jersey.

Giving: Bartolo Colon, #14 (red back)
Getting: Ken Griffey, Jr., 1998 Topps League Leader


This card of Colon is one of my favorite from the set. Why am I such a sucker for cards where the pitcher has the ball thrust at the camera? Is it because it makes him look like a little kid with a 'Look what I've got' pose? Or is it because nobody could ever look tough in a fake pitch pose? I hope I randomly pick the Carlos Zambrano card to trade, because that guy looks like he's got a score to settle. But Bartolo Colon? Eh, he's just proud that he can still grip a baseball. Look, he'll even show you...


Get something for nothing ... Trade with me!

Goudey Trade-away #10: Rodriguez for 2004 NL RBI Leaders

This trade comes in from Frederick in Lansing, Michigan.

Giving: Ivan Rodriguez, #7
Getting: 2004 National League RBI Leaders, 2005 Topps

Topps has issued a League Leaders subset at least 25 times since 1961. In 1963, cards had upwards of five guys on a card, while during the Seventies it was down to just two, and later in the Nineties they split up the leaders by league and had just one player per card.

Frederick writes: "What is better than having three stars on a single card?" He's right. There's nothing better. Well, let me rephrase that. There's nothing better when your three stars are Orlando Cepeda, Roberto Clemente and Hank Aaron (1968 NL RBI Leaders), or your leaders card features four Hall of Fame pitchers: Gaylord Perry, Bob Gibson, Juan Marichal and Sandy Koufax (1967 NL Pitching Leaders).

But what about when you get a leaders card with six guys on it and you can only recognize one of them (1970 AL Pitching Leaders), or when you can recognize all of the players, but you don't necessarily want to?

League Leaders cards are perhaps my favorite subset Topps has ever done (the MVPs from 1975 being my second favorite). This card of 2004 NL RBI Leaders will be a great addition to my collection (even if it does feature Vinny Castilla).


Trade with me! It will be fun, dammitt!

Goudey Trade-away #9: Napoli for Crosby

This trade comes in from Andy in Akron, New York.

Giving: Bobby Crosby, #17 (red back)
Getting: Mike Napoli, 2006 Bowman

Mike's facsimile signature looks like 'Mihi Nupor.' This gets me thinking...has there ever been a sports injury suffered while signing an autograph? I know about Lionel Simmons and his Nintendo Thumb, but Auto Grip? Also, do you think ballplayers suffer from arthritis at an earlier age (ostensibly from all the signings, not the crippling wear and tear from playing a sport every day) than those of us who aren't in stellar athletic shape?

One last thing: Do you think that the Oakland A's management has it written into player contracts that they must grow some sort of facial hair? I wouldn't put it past them. I've never been to a game in Oakland, but from the hair worn by the players, I'd imagine the guys selling soda and peanuts in the stands all wear sherpa packs, use carved walking sticks and have birds living in their Rip Van Winkle beards.


If you want to get in on the fun and trade with me for a 2007 UD Goudey card, email me!

Goudey Trade-away #8: Carter for Bonderman

This trade comes in from Matt in Manchester, Connecticut.

Giving: Jeremy Bonderman, #58 (red back)
Getting: "Clutch Hitting," 1987 Fleer 1986 World Series factory insert set

Matt writes: "I chose this card to symbolize my favorite baseball moment of all time." Whether Matt knew it or not, this card symbolizes one of the very worst moments of my childhood: the 1986 World Series. I can still remember walking through the living room crying after the Red Sox lost in stunning Red Sox fashion to the Mets.

I didn't get over that series for a very long time. As they say at the trial of Ted Stryker in Airplane! II: The Sequel, when trying to determine the place of death:

Prosecutor: Over Macho Grande?
Witness: I don't think I'll ever get over Macho Grande.

The 1986 World Series will always be my Macho Grande. Thanks for bringing that one up, Matt.


If you want to get in on the fun and trade with me for a 2007 UD Goudey card, email me!

Goudey Tradeaway #7: Glavine for Schmidt

This trade comes in from Scott in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Giving: Tom Glavine, #94 (red back)
Getting: Mike Schmidt 1982 Topps All-Star (wrong back)

Man, I love wrong-backs! They're the best kind of misprints, if you ask me. It looks like a card of Mike Schmidt...but...it's really...Del Unser! And a little bit of George Foster! To quote the esteemed cultural icon Flava Flav: Yeahhhhh boi-yee!

Goudey Tradeaway #6: Utley for Slaten

This trade comes in from Dave in New York, New York.

Giving: Chase Utley, #76 (red back)
Getting: Doug Slaton, 2007 Topps Chrome (red or something)

I've been trying to keep the Goudey cards random, but when Doug wrote that he was a Phillies fan, living in New York, I thought he needed all the help he could get. The stack got a little shorter and out popped this card of Chase Utley.

Not quite sure what to make of this card I'm getting in return. I've never purchased a pack of Topps Chrome, but this one looks like the maniacal Topps pressmen put this one through the Heidelberg more times than necessary. It's also the first sequentially-numbered card I've ever received in a trade, so there's something. Shit...I've already dinged a corner putting it into a page with the other trade cards. Oh well.

Goudey Tradeaway #5: Rolen & Drew for Bird & Drago

This trade comes in from our old friend Dave in Vermont.

Giving: JD Drew, #47; Scott Rolen, #91
Getting: Doug Bird, 1983 Topps Traded; Dick Drago, 1979 Topps

The funny thing about the Red Sox from 1978 to 1984 is that they had at least five pitchers who looked exactly the same from the neck up. Let's look back together: Dick 'The Dragon' Drago: white guy with a mustache; Mark Clear: white guy with a mustache; Dennis Eckersley: white guy with a mustache; Doug Bird: white guy with a mustache; Bruce Hurst: white guy with a mustache. I'll stop at five, but I haven't even mentioned Steamer Stanley.

The Bird/Dragon twofer is countered with two Phillie malcontents (Drew and Rolen). Drew kind of looks like Bud Bundy on this card.

Goudey Tradeaway #4: Rivera for Ortiz

This trade comes in from Russell in Jacksonville, Florida.

Giving: Mariano Rivera, #160
Getting: David Ortiz, 2007 Topps Wal-Mart insert

Thanks, Russell. Gotta love getting Ortiz in a blind trade, and a Wal-Mart Ortiz at that (we don't have Wal-Mart where I live). And maybe the best part: Ortiz with bushy eyebrows and no facial hair. He looks like he's maybe fifteen years old.

If you dislike the Yankees as much as I do, you should read Buster Olney's The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty, and especially the part about Mariano Rivera's awkward pre-game speech, straight outta Airplane!. Coincidentally, Rivera is one of the last few cards I need to finish off the 2003 Topps Heritage Master Set...damn you Sand Man!

Pat Neshek Likes to Live-Blog His Pack Openings

Fiinally, there's a Twin who may be open to a trade. Everybody's favorite blogging Twins rookie is completely obsessed with baseball cards (check out those pictures of the stacks of unopened A&G). It's a nice departure from baseball rookies being completely obsessed with domestic violence. Just call him 'Baseball Card Blog West'.

Read more about Neshek's collecting habit on his site.

On the Road with Pat Neshek

Maybe he's interested in the Great Goudey Trade-away?

Goudey Tradeaway #2: Blalock for Vuckovich

This trade comes in from T in Seattle, Washington.

Giving: Hank Blalock, #45 (red back)
Getting: Pete Vuckovich, 1986 Topps

I'm having trouble determining what makes this card of Vuckovich so great. Is it the fu manchu mustache? Or that he probably got that Darth Vader mullet in order to get in free to see the monster truck rally at the Bradley Center? Or perhaps because it looks like the Topps photographer found him propped against a wall and snapped a photo from a safe distance.

No, it's Pete's windbreaker. With the snap buttons.


If you want a random card from my Goudey box break, email me for instructions.

Goudey Tradeaway #3: Eckstein & Kearns for Boone & Davis/Fernandez

This trade comes in from Chris in Bend, Oregon.

Giving: David Eckstein, #157; Austin Kearns, #131
Getting: Dan Boone, 1991 Score; Tony Fernandez/Glenn Davis, 1988 Topps Sticker

Chris was kind enough to enclose a letter, pointing out that prospect Dan Boone was 37 years old in 1990. To celebrate this, I'm sending back two veterans who still look like they can't buy beer without a fake ID.

Here's Dan Boone's 1991 Score blurb, in its entirety.

The most heart-warming story of '90 might just be the return to baseball of Dan, the seventh generation nephew of the famous frontiersman. At 142, one of the lightest pitchers ever, he had retired in '84. The Orioles signed Dan in '90 after seeing him pitch in Florida's winter Senior League. A 36-year-old knuckleballer, he ranked second in the International League in ERA and pitched a no-hitter. ("I had to fight back the tears the last three innings.") Brought up to the majors in mid-September after an eight-year absence, he threw 2.1 scoreless innings in his first appearance.

By the way, that Glenn Davis sticker is going in my moleskine notebook. That's a fact, jack.

Tradeaway #1: The Kick-Off

So far forty-one traders have lined up, including tonight's trader, Josh from Brooklyn, New York.

The Cards

Giving: Goudey Graphs Carl Crawford
Getting: Team Topps Jim Leyritz

I was originally going to hold onto this card, but my friend Josh (he helped me start The Baseball Card Blog in January 2006) and I put together this great autograph card trade. So while I'm sad to see the Carl Crawford (or 'Cl Cf' as he signs it) go, I'm excited to get this ridiculous card of Jim Leyritz.

Crawford signed the actual stock of his card, while Leyritz signed a hologram sticker that was placed on the face of the card. Also, I find it funny when ballplayers include their jersey numbers in their signatures. Leyritz includes his (#13), which begs the question: does he use this signature to pay his bills? How about when he signs birthday cards? Or when leaving notes for his friends and family? "Gone to the store. Be back by 7. - J LTZ #13" The only player who I could picture actually doing this is Reggie Jackson: "Congratulations on graduating! Your mother and I are very proud of you - Reggie Jackson #44, '77 WS MVP 3 HR's"

All in all, a good trade, and a great way to start the Great Goudey Trade-away. If you're interested in trading for a random card from my box of 2007 UD/Fleer Goudey, send me an email for instructions.

Thoughts on The Wagner Sale

What gets me the most about the card repeatedly selling for record upon record price (this time $2.8 million), is that if the selling owner had only decided to trade the card for something of equal value, they could get a mansion, or their own private train, private menagerie or Red Sox season tickets for the next twenty years. Or something like that.

And wouldn't that be more fun? I'd love to see the new owner of the Wagner put up a notice on Craigslist to barter with someone. I may have trade fever on the brain (we've got 17 traders lined up so far for The Great UD Goudey Tradeaway), but for a society obsessed with wealth (why else would movie box office reports be considered newsworthy?), it's good to throw them a curveball once in a while, don't you think?

Wagner Card Sells For A Few Gigantic Piles of Cash (Reuters)

The Great UD Goudey Trade-away

Today my product review and box break of 2007 UD/Fleer Goudey went up on Beckett.com. I wrap it up like this:

Overall, I like this set and I think it's classic enough, right away, that collectors should have at least one card from it in their collection. That's why I've decided to trade these cards away. To you.

You read that right. I'm going to keep one or two, but that leaves 190 or so to trade away—one for one, one by one. I won't be picky on what you send me; any card will do. I'll be posting the trades, with card scans, on my blog.

It's true. I think this set is great; much better than the Play Ball set UD put out a few years ago. Everybody should have at least one card from this set. To help facilitate that, I'm going to trade mine away.

Here's how it will work. If you want a randomly selected card from the box I opened:

1. Email Me

2. I will email you my mailing address

3. You will mail me your card to trade (any card at all) and a SASE

4. When I receive your card in the mail, I will pair it with a randomly selected card from the box, scan the cards side by side and post them on The Baseball Card Blog

5. Using your provided SASE, I will mail you the UD Goudey card, plus a special Baseball Card Blog card

6. Good times will be had by all

A Few of My Favorite Things: Salada Tea Coins & Sweet Caporal Pins

Being a sports fan is great, simply because someone is always trying to sell you something. And companies have been doing it since the beginning of sport. Two of my favorite product tie-ins are the Salada Tea coins from the early Sixties, and the lapel pins made by Sweet Caporal cigarettes in the early Teens. I think I like them so much because they fit a few of my criteria: 1) they're comparatively cheap and 2) they're relatively easy to find, and 3) they're listed in the Standard Catalog, so there is a complete checklist known for each set.

Additionally from a historical standpoint, both sets are accurate reflections of the stars of the league at that particular time. Today, nobody under the age of forty can tell you who Norm Siebern was, or why he warranted his own coin, but once you handle the coin, take a look at his stats and look at the KC emblazoned on his cap, you have to guess that this good a hitter had to have something to do with the New York Yankees, as the KC Athletics were basically a farm team for New York, the way they dealt with each other (much like the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Boston Celtics in today's NBA). With a little digging you'll see he was a central piece in the trade that brought Maris to New York. All this from a coin.

The SC pins were so popular (after series upon series of movie starlets, flags and comic sayings) that American Tobacco produced them over three years (1910-12), with small and large letter variations for each pin (while I don't know for certain, I would guess that the Tris Speaker pin pictured here would be a 'small letter variation', while the Hal Chase would be a 'large letter variation').

The collector has to know a lot about baseball history to understand and enjoy baseball cards, but pins and coins make you work. Whereas a baseball card set generally gives you the whole story, neither of these sets--pins or coins--provide their subjects with any sort of context. It's the collector who has to fill in the blanks. And maybe that's why I count them among my favorite things: I'm willing to put in the work.

A Pack A Day

Keeping in fashion with the recent slew of threatened mergers and takeovers, Chris Harris of Stale Gum and I are joining forces and starting a new blog, A Pack A Day.

As you may have guessed from the blog title, it's a place where we'll post pack openings. We're not done rounding out the line-up of contributors, but look for at least one new pack every day.