2018 trade package #12: Sport Card Collectors

Today's post marks the third time already this year that I've received a surprise PWE filled with Tigers from Matt of Sport Card Collectors.  The Rodney Hampton enthusiast is super easy to trade with because we have a number of collections in common (Griffey, 90s stuff) and because he did a great job of going into detail about what he collects.  And the fact that I'm posting cards for him for the third time in five months means he's no slouch about keeping up his end of deals.

Here's what he sent my way this time:

Miggy has been the constant in all three PWEs this year (January, March), and he appears this time courtesy of three recent Panini and Topps cards.  Up top is a cool horizontal insert from the former's 2015 Prizm product called Passion, and its design reminds me a lot of Topps Chrome even more than others from that offering.

#2 is a 2018 Topps flagship insert called Legends in the Making that notes that Cabrera is one of just seven players to amass 500 RBI for one team and 1000 for a second club.  Barry Bonds, Jimmie Fox, Ken Griffey Jr., Rafael Palmeiro, Frank Robinson, and A-Rod are the others.  That list makes lots of sense when you think about it!

Last up, Miggy represents the Tigers in a retail-only insert also found in this year's flagship product, one called Opening Day Insert (to differentiate from their Opening Day brand).  This one notes Cabrera's proximity to 500 HR as he opened the season with 462; he's since added three but will need to get back to health and the pace he reached on 2016 to get it done this year.

Rising star on the mound Michael Fulmer makes his second PWE appearance in a row thanks to this Topps pair.  On the left is an Orange parallel from 2017 Fire (#187/299) which is shinier than it scans, and to the right is a flagship insert from the same year called MLB Awards that highlights Fulmer winning the AL ROY award in 2016.  That kind of success has eluded him this year partially due to poor run support but I still see him leading the rotation in WAR at the end of the year.

Last up is another pitcher, Daniel Norris, who returns after a one-PWE hiatus.  This 2017 Topps Gallery Canvas parallel is a nice example of what the brand can offer, featuring great artwork that includes the "Mr. 'I'" patch honoring late owner Mike Ilitch.  Unfortunately Norris is back on the shelf dealing with injury once again, but maybe in the future the stars will align and he'll get to display his talents over a full season.

Matt, thanks again for a fun PWE surprise!  I may have a return package heading your way sooner rather than later, and I'll be working on helping you tackle some of those sets from your (and my) childhood!

2018 trade package #1: Sport Card Collectors

I'm gonna take a quick break from the Sportlots stuff because the other day I received my first trade package of 2018!  It was a PWE from Matt of Sport Card Collectors and it contained plenty of Tigers goodness:

This fun quartet starts off with Miguel Cabrera's base from Panini's 2017 Donruss Optic, the chrome-ified version of the base.  As is often the case I'm a fan of the regular design and the new finish is a plus.

Next is a 2017 Topps Rainbow Foil parallel of 3B (and maybe future RF) Nick Castellanos.  His bat was good enough that I hope Detroit finds a way to keep it in the lineup this season.

The only non-2017 card was one that came out the previous year in the form of an Al Kaline 2016 Topps Allen and Ginter Baseball Legends insert.  It's always nice adding a brand new card of Mr. Tiger to my collection!

And finally, in another example that Topps can do right once in a while, there's a base card of starter Daniel Norris from 2017 Topps Gallery.  Like Stadium Club this is clearly a brand that should be available every year, and I like how the artwork here includes the "Mr. I" patch in honor of late Tigers owner Mike Illitch.

That was a nice little bunch but there were a couple more cards as well:

Wow, two autographs!  On your left is Bryan Garcia out of last year's Donruss Elite Extra Edition (a very useful brand for autograph collectors!).  I have to admit I wasn't familiar with Garcia so I looked him up and found that the pitcher was Detroit's 6th-rounder in 2016 and played at pretty much every level of Detroit's system last year.  He doesn't appear to be listed among the Tigers' top 10 prospects at this point but his quick rise in 2017 is a good sign.  Plus I'm always a sucker for an Elite auto I didn't have.

Joining him is another Tigers relief pitching prospect, Joe Jimenez, with an autograph out of Topps' 2017 Bowman Platinum.  The Puerto Rican amateur free agent had a rough go of it in his Major League debut last year but has been looked at as a potential future closer for a team that doesn't have any reason not to give him some chances to claim the job in the next couple years.  I'm hoping he succeeds where Bruce Rondon flamed out in Motown.

Matt, thanks for a fun PWE that got my year of trading started off on a high note!  I'm looking forward to sending stuff back your way once I pile up more of your favorite teams, and in the meantime I hope your Giants find a new coach that'll help turn things around.