BA Benny Trade Post #[insert_number]: [insert_noun] Boogaloo

My completed trades section on your right over there tells me this is trade #4 I've done with Mike over at BA Benny's Ridiculously Large Group Breaks and Compulsive Yankees/Mets/Jets/Giants/Saints Trading Plus Pictures of My Dogs Blog (later shortened to Baseball Card Buffet so it would fit on a bumper sticker when he sold out).  It sure seems like more, but that's probably because I've sent about 33% of my inventory his way over the course of just a few months.

Anyway, for the fourth straight time I was thrilled by a huge package from Mike--

THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!

--which included all the stuff you see up there at the top:

• Sweet-ass bumper sticker and business card courtesy sponsor #1
• Pile 'o Tigers, group break and trade package-related (more below)
• Pile 'o Rays from the group break (no scans, nothing thrilling)
• Pile 'o birthday contest winnings (scans below) and a couple bigger pulls selected from the group break
• Pile 'o Wolverines (below)
• Pile 'o Dolphins, group break charity since I didn't have them (no scans, except for the Wolverines)
• Pile 'o Patroits, group break (some scans below)
• One hit from the group break along with a ton of hits from the trade package
• Pile 'o Lions from group break (highlights below)
• Not pictured:  1989 Fleer Fernando Valenzuela, included either just because, by mistake or due to brain damage caused by several years of close proximity to Rudy Giuliani

Ok, that's a lot to get through, so let's get started.

Some Tigers favorites, including an AJax Refractor, an old Gene Lamont and a JV Gold!

More Tigers faves.  The minis are great and I won the Fernandez/Ripken/Tram in a randomization during the break, which was sweet.  As for the Diamond Duos, I keep singing in my head, "They're Racist and the Drunk / They're Racist and the Drunk / One is from Georgia / The other's a punk...."  Finally, at least your name isn't Tom Bolton.  There was nothing wrong with it until that no-talent ass-clown joined the Tigers and started losing games!  (With apologies to Tom Bolton, who, in reality, was adequate and has nothing to do with "Office Space".)

The first six here are winnings from Mike's blog birthday contest thing.  Not bad considering I got the leftovers, I think.  The other three were picks from the group break randomization draft thing.  W00t Manny Machado!

Some Wolverines, including some charity Dolphins, since I didn't actually have them (Lions + Pats).  I can always use more of the '08 RCs, even if I have a ton.  MOAR!

Some Pats and Lions.  A nice group of Chrome RCs and a couple Bradys for New England, and a nice sampling of the best Lions stuff he sent.

A 2009 Team USA By the Letter patch/auto of Brian Ragira, my pick in the hit randomization draft portion of the break.  This may find its way back to Mike, stay in my collection or get sent elsewhere, I don't know, but for now, it's pretty cool.

And now, my favorites of the package (none of which were break-related):

A JV 2008 UD APOH Stadium Scenes jersey.  Here's the start of me breaking some of my trading rules because Mike's cool and sent me so much great stuff (I usually don't go for single-color jersey swatches, especially white, but I need all the JV I can get).

A 2008 UD Spectrum Swatches jersey of Miggy:  This one doesn't even picture him in a Detroit uniform, but it lists him as a Tiger, and I definitely needed a Cabrera hit.  A nice start and another good reason to make an exception.

Lou Whitaker and Sparky Anderson in-person autographs:  Mike found these at his LCS, and I'm not one to question authenticity in a deal like this--I'd like to believe both are real, and therefore I'm thrilled to get not just one, but two Tigers legend signatures, especially Sparky, now that he's gone.  These were the highlight of the package for me and I can't see getting another chance at something like these anytime soon.

A 2008 UD Baseball Heroes Black jersey of Rich Hill, which I finally acquired after Mike accidentally poached it from me during Tim's trade bait draft.  I guess I wasn't clear enough that I'm a fan of UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ATHLETES while writing on this here blog.  Anyway, it's another step towards a potential Hill rainbow, a fool's errand I took over from Tim thanks to this generous donation from him a while ago. 

And we close things out with a pair of Michigan football jerseys--Chris Perry's RC from 2004 Bowman's Best and a Dolphin Green swatch of Jake Long from 2008 Stadium Club.  I'd actually been after the Perry for a while so this was a great opportunity to snag one.  And all I can say for the Long is one more on the pile!

The preceding was a a fraction of what I got from my favorite New York trader but I hope you enjoyed a look at what still took me a couple hours to present.  Because three times wasn't enough, I'll remind you to trade with Mike, especially before he acquires even more sponsors and turns into Skynet (just connect the dots, people) or at least starts ignoring the little people like us.  Thanks again, Mike, and I hope you enjoy your swag enough to put this much effort into blogging about it or I'm never trading with you again.

Coming soon, the much-hyped set completion post of celebration and exultation.