Holiday trade package #5: My Cardboard Mistress

My last trade package of 2012 (not chronologically, necessarily--I kind of did these randomly) came from Spankee, a.k.a. Adam, of My Cardboard Mistress.  Adam's an outstanding blogger and a guy I've traded with many times already, mainly due to the fact that we both collect cards of our fellow alumni, as well as Justin Verlander.

Adam actually didn't claim anything from my fall cleaning lots like just about everyone else in these posts, but that's because I had already sent him pretty much all I had of his guys...at least at that time.  Adam--I have a nice stack of stuff for you that'll be heading your way as soon as I have some nicer hits to throw in as well, but for now, rest assured it's stuffed with a bunch of 2012 Topps football you need!

Here's what Adam sent my way this time, in what was easily the largest package of the five Holiday trade packages (and these are only the highlights--there was lots more to enjoy!):

Five many Verlanders!  I think at least a couple of these are new to me, and I'll have a better idea once I get on scanning my JV PC.  New Tiger Prince Fielder also joined in the fun this time.

Shop smart:  Shop V-Mart.  I think all four of this Martinezes are new, and better yet, all feature him as a member of the Tigers.  I sure hope he actually gets to, you know, PLAY for the Tigers this year.  Joining him are five minor league cards of Tigers prospects, including playoff star Avisail Garcia.  Both Topps minors sets look pretty cool, and if they included more of the guys I collected I'd probably chase at least one of them.

A bit of Tigers randomness.  Avila, of course, is the current Tigers catcher and a guy I hope sticks around for years.  The UD Cobb is definitely new to my PC and serial numbered, which is even better.  And the Kaline mini is awesome--I've been fortunate to pick up a few new Kalines thanks to these trade packages.

SWEET!  TWO many Grandersons!  I'm pretty sure there were multiples of each of those cards, as well as the other guy in this scan, Cabrera, which makes me assume Adam nabbed some of these in group breaks.  The Cabreras are all nice adds to my PC of him for sure.

For some reason I simply have a ton of Magglios, but I don't think I had more than one or two of these, and he's a fun guy to collect either way.  Though he played a good chunk of his career with the White Sox, I think I'll always associate him more with Detroit.  I believe the trio of Jacksons are all new as well, and I might not have had the Morris either.  A trio of excellent Tigers for sure.

And now, the outstanding hit portion of the package:

Chris Shelton 2006 Artifacts Auto-Facts Signatures auto (#726/750)

I laughed as soon as I saw this one because I also got one from Screaming Line Drive.  This is obviously a ploy to get me to rename my blog "Too Many Chris Shelton Auto-Facts Signatures" so more people will send Adam their Verlanders, but it's not gonna work, o illegitimate son of Jefferson Burdick.  Nice try, but this is heading over to the baseball trade bait album posthaste. 

Cameron Maybin 2007 Bowman Draft Future's Game Prospects jersey

And why shouldn't I have a hit of one of the Tigers' better first-rounders of the last decade, even if he's no longer with the team?  Maybin's largest contribution to the Tigers was being a part of the package that brought Miguel Cabrera to Detroit, but all the same, he's been a solid Major League contributor, especially due to his speed.  I also happen to like the Future's Game jersey cards, so this was easily a win-win.

Curtis Granderson 2009 Upper Deck X Memorabilia jersey

People still remember that I collect Granderson?!  Seriously, this jumps to the top of the heap (a small heap, I suppose) of Grandy relics I own thanks to the pinstriped swatch and spiffy design that incorporates the team's colors.  All told, it's my fourth relic of the former face of the Tigers.

 Magglio Ordonez 2009 Upper Deck Spectrum Spectrum Swatches Blue jersey

This purdy jersey becomes my surprising sixth relic of the former Tigers OF and batting champ.  Magglio is a guy I don't necessarily seek out, but I'm always happy to add new stuff of him to my PC, and as I mentioned, I somehow have a ton of his stuff.  Well, if you guys wanna send me more, then bring 'em on and I'll take them!

Miguel Cabrera 2012 Topps Update Blockbusters Commemorative Hat Logo manupatch

Well now, HERE's something I didn't expect, especially with all the other nice stuff this package included.  I never had any intent to purchase any of the Tigers from this set, but I did think it was actually a fairly cool concept among Topps' many hits and misses on the manurelic front.  It's simply cool to get a normal looking team logo that looks like it belongs on a hat in a manufactured relic card, not to mention one that focuses on star players changing teams.  So this was definitely way more than I expected when I was flipping through everything in the package.  Then again, raise your hand if you're traded with Adam before and he HASN'T gone above and beyond.  Anybody?  Didn't think so.

Thanks once again to Adam for a ridiculous trade package to close out another great year of collecting!  I promise you'll have some stuff you like in your mailbox before too much longer.  And as I mentioned yesterday, congrats again to your Hokies on their bowl win the other day--it was easier to pull for them when they weren't playing my favorite team ever.

To everyone else reading, you're probably already following My Cardboard Mistress, so consider this post a reminder to head over there again soon.  Otherwise, crawl out from under your rock and start following today.  COLLECT.