2014 trade package #16: Bengals Walk the Plank

I'd say it's about time we heard from Matt over at Bob Walk the Plank again, and fortunately he obliged with yet another trade package a week or so ago.  Matt included a note mentioning he was "on a Tigers hot streak" which is kind of like saying Clayton Kershaw isn't allowing very many runs these days.  He's become one of my top trade sources for Tigers hits, and that continued into this package, as you'll see here:

Card #1 is this 2010 Bowman autograph of former prospect Zach Simons.  A 2005 second-round pitcher originally with the Rockies, Simons was in Detroit's system from 2008-2011, making it as high as AAA Toledo before heading to a couple Marlins affiliates, then ultimately back with Colorado.  I haven't decided if I'll hold onto this just yet, so it may be available in a trade, but I do have to say that the guy has a cool signature!

Second is this very thick, high-end base card of starter Rick Porcello from 2009 Topps Sterling.  The border's a bit too exaggerated, but the shiny image is very cool, as is the serial-numbering, and this one has the bonus of being #50/50.  The back notes that Porcello was the first AL pitcher to win at least 14 games in a season before turning 21 since HOFer Bert Blyleven did it way back in '71.  Rick went 14-9 in both his rookie season of 2009 as well as 2011, and 14 wins has remained his career high, although he already sits at 11-4 this year before the All-Star break!  It's fun to see a young guy really start to put it together like this, especially one as talented as Porcello, and I'll happily continue to collect his stuff while I can reasonably afford it.

Alex Avila 2014 Panini Prizm Prizm Signatures auto

My favorite card of today's trio is this Avila autograph from 2014 Panini Prizm.  Sometimes Panini is successful at producing a great looking card that's unaffected by the lack of logos, and this is a great example as you get a beautiful shot of Alex wearing the tools of ignorance excellence.  I don't think the photo needed to be limited to half of the card, but I do like the image used, and Alex's signature looks great.  This is actually my first autograph of the backstop to go along with three jersey relics and now has a place of honor in my Tigers PC.

Thanks as always for a fun blind trade, Matt, and I look forward to more now that you're back on the mend.  Readers, if you're not already doing so, get in contact with Matt if you like working with generous traders, and check out Bob Walk the Plank while you're at it!