April Pickups
 

http://www.t206blog.com/wp-content/u...0-GEM-Mint.jpg
http://www.t206blog.com/wp-content/u...0-GEM-Mint.jpg

Nice Harpers! I'm starting to warm to the Allen and Ginter cards. I might just have to pick up a few of those.

remember when the '90 leaf was untouchable and this justice card was white hot?

http://i370.photobucket.com/albums/o...ps3ad99476.jpg

Strasburg
 

Who knew my April 1 pickups would be of two guys who had great opening day games today...

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Nothing flashy, but I've wound up with Morse the last 2 years on my fantasy team. So he's a fun add for my collection..

Nothing I can really post scans of, but I've been working on collecting unopened wax packs with HOFers showing, trying to get a pack with each HOFer showing for every issue I attempt. Lately, I've been ripping boxes of 1989 Donruss Canadian. There's nothing different about the cards themselves but the packs and boxes are different in that the packs have only 10 cards in them compared to the US packs with 15 cards and the back panel on the boxes mention that they were distributed in Canada.

Here's an example of a Canadian pack:

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/...ps5b3a71bb.jpg

I was able to find a Griffey, Jr. pack, a Smoltz pack and a Biggio pack, amongst other lesser names. No Schilling or Randy Johnson though, which I was bummed about. It's nice to be able to collect some variant of the cards I collected as a kid and still have it be somewhat of a challenge. The Canadian stuff can get very difficult to find.

Here's the Griffey pack. You can make out the name at the top.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4ace547d.jpg

Got another case of a tough Canadian issue sitting in my closet so will probably get to work on that set at some point too.

April
 

Surprisingly, I was able to acquire full sheets of Desert Shield cards with solid provenance.

ZWheat

Desert Storm
 

Great pick ups Zach

A handful more of "less flashy" modern cards... The Quentin is the certified AUTO... Dude hits a ton, if his knees can hold up...

Another Harper & Strasburg
 

From Chantilly show:
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From eBay:
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yankees are old and horrible

http://i370.photobucket.com/albums/o...ps496d4190.jpg

A case of 1990 Fleer Canadian wax boxes. Not factory sealed but I'm quite happy with it nonetheless.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/...ps33578d0d.jpg

used to be an iconic card, with his new styled sig.


http://i370.photobucket.com/albums/o...psad296b1c.jpg

How would you ever authenticate that signature?

I guess maybe there appears to be a "G" in it, but I can't make out any other letters.

At first glance, it looks very similar to the signature he signed on a ball for me in 1989 when I saw him play in Oakland.

he's been signing this big G style for a few years now. it's his quick in-person signature.

Smoltz Rookie
 

Some new cards this month:

http://imageshack.us/a/img254/5059/2...gurabluere.pnghttp://imageshack.us/a/img20/1990/20...iteemerald.pnghttp://imageshack.us/a/img442/6317/2...erbraunraw.png
http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/7...sryountpsa.jpghttp://imageshack.us/a/img543/9161/2012chromemfried.pnghttp://imageshack.us/a/img802/1606/2...ometaustin.pnghttp://imageshack.us/a/img51/8400/2007bdpptfrazier.png

got this cool card for the collection. you know he was doomed from the start with those glasses


http://i370.photobucket.com/albums/o...ps52504ad8.jpg

I can hear him now.

Walking back to the dugout after another strikeout: "Gosh darn-it coach, I just can't seem to pick up the spin on the ball"

2010 Harrisburg Senators Grandstand Stephen Strasburg
 

Old player, new card.

http://photos.imageevent.com/ltsgall...20Williams.jpg

Williams
 

And a great item Chuck

Thanks, Al. Hope to pick up a bold Mantle from that issue someday...

Some more Harpers
 

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http://www.t206blog.com/wp-content/u...0-GEM-Mint.jpg

I've gotten a couple really nice cards in the last few days.

Two raw, the Kemp being the one I've wanted for a while now:

http://imageshack.us/a/img690/2568/2005chromemkemp.png http://imageshack.us/a/img521/4618/2...gennettref.png

And three graded, though I'm going to have to try and clean the slabs. They're a little scratched up, and not making for good scans.

http://imageshack.us/a/img267/6574/2...smillerbgs.png http://imageshack.us/a/img577/1864/2...emmoorebgs.png http://imageshack.us/a/img708/619/20...wheelerbgs.png

That Miller took six months to get. There are only 8 Beckett Graded 9.5 base autos, and that's one of only two with all 9.5 subs. I'm very happy to have it!

nice kemp, altho following the team closely i've held off buying his card because imo his power hasn't recovered and he's due for a down year

http://i370.photobucket.com/albums/o...psa82e4265.jpg

http://i370.photobucket.com/albums/o...ps50d18711.jpg

Nice autos, Quan. In person, or ttm?

I've been watching Matt, and ya, he is struggling. I think he'll rebound at some point, and his power will return. And I figured knowing that, best for me to buy it at a price a little lower than normal. It's a gradable card, so I said what the hell.

It's a coincidence that we're talking about Kemp with that Eric Davis card. Davis is the closest recent player I can think of with the same skill set (save for Bonds). He was a great fielder, fast as hell, and he could destroy the ball. 27 home runs (in 415 at bats), and 80 stolen bases in the same season is...mind boggling. Then he hit 37 bombs, drove in 100 (in 474 AB's), hit .293, scored 120 times, and stole 50 bases, while winning the Silver Slugger and Gold Glove. Yet he only finished 9th in the MVP.

If he'd been healthy later in his career, there's no telling what his numbers could have been. 282 home runs and 349 stolen bases is still pretty impressive in only 1626 games.

davis was a signing, boggs ttm.

eric davis or darryl strawberry same skill set. being a dodgers fan i was elated when they were reunited in la in the early 90's...just too bad their enormous potential went unfulfilled because of injuries and in strawberry's case drug problem. i'm often frustrated with kemp also because i expect so much from him.

the kemp has a strong auto for the card. i often see this card with a faded auto, and that's always a turnoff.

i participated in a profar signing. in the end it costed me about $45 between the refractor card/sig. i could've bought the base certified one for $80-$90 but where's the fun in that? :) plus here i got a big sig.

i do think taveras will probably have a more distinguished career between these 2 "can't miss" prospects.

http://i370.photobucket.com/albums/o...ps60cd5827.jpg