Saturday, February 25, 2017

2017 trade package #3: Bump and Run Football Card Blog

In posting today's trade package I'm thrilled to add another new trade partner to the growing list of those with whom I've swapped cards.  Trevor from the Bump and Run Football Card Blog originally contacted me earlier last year letting me know he could help me with some of my PCs, then claimed some of my fall cleaning/giveaway lots, which finally spurred me into trading with him.

While the majority of the stack was an awesome pile of Wolverines (check them out on TMM this evening!), Trevor hit me up with some excellent Tigers and other PC guys as well:
This first part of the Tigers stack comprises guys I actively collect, including a great 90s Big Daddy insert, a nice addition to my J.D. Martinez collection, and a new Verlander!  While I had JV's 2015 Topps Chrome Refractor I didn't possess the base card until this trade.  Another current Tigers pitcher, Jordan Zimmermann--whose health and performance will hopefully improve in 2017--rounds out the group.
Here's a few more Tigers, starting with Heilmann, a Detroit legend and HOFer you don't really see too often on cardboard these days, out of Panini's excellent Cooperstown product.  It's weird to realize that 2017 will be the fourth MLB season of swingman Buck Farmer.  Gerbe's a Michigan native and a 2006 draft pick that never panned out.  Neither did Schotts, a 2012 third-rounder who warranted an appearance in Panini's Elite Extra Edition set.
Last up for the Motown Kitties is this 2015 Topps Chrome Refractor (yay Refractors!) Rookie auto (#091/499) of Kyle Lobstein, a surprisingly well-traveled pitcher.  According to his BBR page, the 2008 Rays second-rounder has been selected in the Rule 5 draft (Mets, 2012), purchased by another team (Tigers, 2012, and Pirates, 2015), traded (Pirates to Orioles, 2016), and signed as a free agent (Marlins, 2016).  Eventually, though, he's gonna run out of teams in the east and have to head westward!
Besides Verlander's, one of my other PCs Trevor hit was that of Jim Abbott thanks to this '91 Fleer base card.  While the photo of Abbott isn't as interesting as they can sometimes be in depicting his unique delivery, I like the shot of the SS in the background (as well as the large number of empty seats!).  
The other collection he hit is an even better one, Cal Ripken Jr.'s.  When I first saw these I figured I had some doubles on my hands, but all four ended up being new.  For one thing, I managed to overlook the O-Pee-Chee logo in the lower-left corner of the first, and I definitely didn't have that version of Cal's '87 issue.  

Next was one I knew I didn't have, from the oddball-ish '87 Topps Mini Leaders, which notes that Cal finished tied for first in game-winning RBI the previous year with 15.  

From the following year, I figured I had both of Ripken's '88 Score issues, but I figured wrong, so that gap in my collection has been filled.  

Finally, I have a card that was made 20 years ago, an East Meets West subset from '97 New Pinnacle, celebrating some MLB stars touring Japan back then.  I'm happy I was wrong and needed all four of these!

Trevor, thanks a lot for a fantastic first trade, and I'll be happy to do this again soon whenever I can pile up more of your favorite teams!

2 comments:

  1. I have always loved that East Meets West subset

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    1. It is pretty cool, and I'll admit that I'd totally forgotten about it since New Pinnacle was an afterthought for me.

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