2013 trade package #15: TOO MANY JEFFS

So yesterday I learned how a trade package could both make me look like a total dumbass and prove to me how generous online traders could be.

Among the various deals I've been working on is one with Jeff Wilk of 2x3 Heroes.  He has a couple Red Wings cards I want (which you'll be seeing here soon), and in return I picked up a bunch of stuff for him on COMC (and found some nice throw-ins as well).

Around the same time I was getting ready to ship those to him, Jeff Wiltse, a reader with whom I've traded before, let me know he was sending me something, so I asked for his address so I could return the favor.  He promptly did, and then I promptly got him confused with the OTHER Jeff whose last name starts with "Wi."  As it turns out, I hadn't yet swapped addresses with Wilk, and unfortunately I totally brain-farted and sent Wilk's cards to Wiltse.  Therefore, I'm a dumbass, QED.

When I let both guys know about it, though, I got a great reaction from each.  Wiltse was kind enough to let me know he'll pass Wilk's package on to the correct address, meaning they'll have traveled to Illinois via South Dakota.  And Wilk was nice enough to understand how I could have confused both guys, despite the fact that

"They spell and pronounce their names differently."

Rest assured that I'll be making it worth Wiltse's time and money to have gone out of his way to help out a dumbass trader (and I owed him for what he sent me below anyway!), and maybe I can even convince Wilk to trade with me again if I promise to route his cards through somewhere less remote.  Or direct, I guess I could send them directly to him next time.  Whatever.

ANYway, here's the awesome thing that Jeff Wiltse sent me:

If you haven't seen one of these before (I sure hadn't), it's a 2010 Topps Heritage stamps panel.  Like some of the other panel-type cards you may have seen, it's the size of three cards lined up horizontally, and in this case it features three images of Tigers stars on stamps.  I like the player selection here:  Verlander and Cabrera are no-brainers, and I think Porcello could become a staff stalwart very soon, today's performance against Minnesota notwithstanding.  Hey, what's the worst that could happen if the Tigers keep trotting him out on the mound--they've already given up on the season by having Don Kelly on the roster and re-signing Jose Valverde!

The back is very cool and brings to mind some of those old Topps team leader cards.  In this case, you get some team vitals, including stadium info, Pennant and World Series title years (of course it doesn't include 2012, which would have been two years in the future at the time), and all-time single-season batting and pitching leaders.  It's fun to see just a couple players like Cobb and Greenberg dominate most of the categories, and the devastating '68 duo of McLain and Lolich nearly duplicates that feat below.

Thanks again, Jeff Wiltse, for a fantastic and unique piece to add to my collection, and of course for saving my butt because I cain't read good.  I'll get some goodies out to you very soon!

Merry Christmas! Please help with unknown trade packages!

First of all, I hope everyone had an amazing Christmas like I did.  I had a great time with my family and remembered why that's always my favorite holiday each year, even if it's my least favorite season weather-wise.  I didn't get any cards, but I didn't ask for any because I can get them without asking from good folks like you!

Speaking of which, I received five awesome trade packages over the last week or so.  Unfortunately, things kind of got mixed up on my desk, and I didn't think to do something logical like keep the stacks near the envelopes that they came in.  Therefore, I'm asking if those of you who sent me either of the following packages will please identify yourselves, either in the comments or by emailing me:

• Unknown package 1:  football wantlist cards, almost all 2009 Topps baseball I needed, a few Tigers inserts and two Tigers relics
• Unknown package 2:  all Tigers:  a nice mix of current players and vintage, some inserts, and a surprise auto of a former Tiger great  EDIT:  confirmed that this one was from Spiegel

I apologize to the two of you who sent me those packages, and once I can give proper attribution, I'll make sure to get trade posts up soon.  For what it's worth, I'm an idiot and I learned my lesson.

Now, to all five of you who sent me this great stuff, thank you very much!  I promise to give each package all the attention it deserves in upcoming posts, plus it sure looks like I owe each of you some nice stuff in return, which is something I'll be working on next month!

Besides a few more trade posts, I plan on a couple more posts soon which I already described a bit:  a look at my spending for the year and a summary of how I did with my 2012 resolutions.  Considering how much snow got dumped on us the last few days up here, I may have a lot more time for posting than I thought, so stay tuned!