Goose Joak Originals: Josh Kroeger

Check out the full set here.

A "Little" Pack Of Cards From Andy

There are a few people that just send me random cards whenever the mood strikes them. One of those people is Andy of the fantastic blog Traded Sets.

I received an envelope the other day that was addressed to "Little Stevie" and had a familiar return address. My immediate reaction? When did I join the E Street Band? And will I get to meet LaBamba because of my new found Max Weinberg connection?

All of these are pipe dreams of course. The reality is that I have a better shot at singing the National Anthem at U.S. Cellular Field as a really far fetched fringe celebrity than showcasing my not quite up to E Street level guitar playing. For those of you who now believe that I'm a far fetched fringe celebrity... I'd like to know what color the sky is in your world. Maybe you see everything as a world of puppets, like Kenneth on 30 Rock.

Anyway, that's a tangent built for a lazy Sunday afternoon, which this is. Before I go off track any further, let's see what Andy sent over.

2009 Topps
30 - Ken Griffey Jr.
255 - Joe Crede

2009 Topps Heritage
200 - Ken Griffey Jr.
316 - Wilson Betemit

2009 Upper Deck
80 - Jermaine Dye (2)
435 - Carlos Quentin, Gavin Floyd, Javier Vazquez (TL)

Thank you, Andy! Those cards get me a little bit closer to some 2009 set completion! At some point, you will find an unexpected package in your mailbox.

Catch Me On Baseball Digest

I have agreed to write posts for Baseball Digest online. It pays nothing and most of the content will originate on this blog first. I will be doing a White Sox "Card Of The Week" column. Today's selection is word for word, the Card Spotlight from earlier.

I will be highlighting past Card Spotlights and feature different cards as well. It should be a healthy mix of the two. It should bring a few readers over to this blog and vice-versa.

Here is a link to the main page. Here is a link to the White Sox section. Here is a link to my profile, which features all the posts that I will write.

I have been asked to expand, eventually, into other baseball cards. I'm all for that! I'm not one to limit myself to just White Sox cards. I only limit myself in my collection. A man's got to know his limitations.

Card Spotlight: 3-27-09

1955 Bowman #213 - George Kell

While George Kell is most associated with the Detroit Tigers, he was with the Chicago White Sox for parts of three seasons. May 23, 1954 was the date that he was traded from Boston. May 21, 1956, George was traded from the White Sox to Baltimore. In between, he was selected to one All-Star game, but did not play due to injury.

There are very few cards that show George Kell in a White Sox uniform. In fact, there are only three vintage cards that fit the criteria. 1955 Bowman, 1955 Red Man and 1956 Topps. The 1955 Bowman and the 1956 Topps are fairly common, but the 1955 Red Man is a later variation that came out after the trade to Chicago.

Each card is beautiful in its own way. The 1955 Bowman is unique because of the design. The fake television set design is instantly recognizable. This was also the last Bowman set during the golden age of baseball cards. Topps bought out its competitor in January 1956.

Bowman may be a recognizable brand in today's market, but the history is not one that every collector knows. Bowman was in danger of becoming a forgotten fringe set until Topps resurrected the brand in 1989. It's true that Topps turned Bowman into something unrecognizable. The recent sets have put an emphasis on rookie cards and draft picks. That's fine in its own right, but it doesn't resemble anything of the original product.

I can appreciate George Kell's 1955 Bowman card because it's the type of card that we will never see from Bowman again. I can imagine kids being blown away by the television design aspect in 1955. Television was still a newer medium and it was what every child wanted in their home. Bowman capitalized on that and became an immediate threat to Topps.

The designs that were in place for the 1956 set was later used in the 2003 Bowman Heritage set. The collector of today will recognize this as the knothole set. The knothole was one of the three prototypes that have seen the light of day.

With George Kell's passing this week, this seemed like the perfect opportunity for a history lesson using George as the subject. Rest in peace, George.

Goose Joak Originals: Jim Thome

See the full set here.

The Rare "C" Version

This missing toe card (and the two that came before it) are obviously modeled after the Garbage Pail Kids sets of the mid eighties. I grew up with them and I collected them until the sixth series. On a rare occasion, I would run across a third version marked with a "c" after the number. This is in recognition of that childhood memory.

The Missing Toe

That toe had to come from somewhere! The unidentified woman gave up her toe in a failed extortion scheme. Maybe they would have had more luck with a Ponzi scheme.

Goose Joak Originals: Brent Lillibridge

See the full set here.

Want Lists Updated

The 52nd thing that I've had to do after coming back online was to update the want lists. They have been woefully neglected since January. Everything should be up to date, for the years that are on the list.

I have also added a 2009 list. It's hard to believe that without trying, I've managed to back my way into almost the entire Topps team set and the Wal-Mart and Target variations. Dumb luck, I guess. It certainly wasn't planned that way!

You may start seeing asterisks on the want lists. This will happen when I have the card for the particular set, but I still need a card for a player collection. Hopefully, this will result in less confusion on everyone's (especially mine!) part.

White Russian

Where would a card set about The Big Lebowski be without a card of the White Russian drink that The Dude favors? It would be a pretty sad set indeed! So here's a tasty adult beverage card based on a 1915 invention set.

WSC Birth Years: Mark Buehrle

Card #4 - Mark Buehrle

Born: March 23, 1979

Well, well, well. Happy birthday Mr. Buehrle! Let's celebrate by featuring you on a card from your birth year.

Mark is the very definition of a team ace. He may not come out smelling like a rose, but he does his job when it counts. This results in a so-so record, but an amazing number of key moments that keep the Sox in the game.

It also helps that Mark is a fun guy to be around. Before he was banned from doing so, Mark used to use the tarp as his personal slip n' slide during rain delays. Among the highlights of Mark's career (so far) are a near perfect no-hitter to the minimum amount of batters and an unlikely save after a win in the 2005 World Series against the Astros.

I hope you have a great 30th birthday today.

Mailbox Joys: Grand Old School

Here we go again with another blaster team break brought to you by Grand Cards. This time, the culprit is 2009 Topps Target Retro. On the surface the cards don't look radically that different from the regular 2009 Topps issue. The only difference would be the use of the retro Topps logo.

Ahh, but that's where you'd be wrong. In an effort to truly go retro, the cards are the same consistency as pre-1992 Topps cards. And yes, it does feel right. It feels similar to the cards I enjoyed purchasing at the drug store, when I was a kid. The only difference would be the use of foil on the front. The foil actually doesn't distract as much as I though it would. I'm still not a fan of foil on retro products, but it kinda works here.

Let's see what the blaster break produced.

2009 Topps Target Retro
70 - Jermaine Dye
149 - Juan Uribe (2)
154 - A.J. Pierzynski
255 - Joe Crede
306 - Javier Vazquez

2009 Topps Toppstown
TTT19 - Carlos Quentin

2009 Topps Turkey Red
TR29 - Carlos Quentin

Overall I'm very pleased with this box break. The Turkey Red is especially welcome! I have four cards that I received in the Wal-Mart Black group break. It's nice to get a good chunk of these variation cards off the checklist.

For those of you wondering, the 2009 checklist should be up shortly. I am currently working on deleting the cards that I have received since January, off the checklist. That three weeks that I was offline has put me further behind than I could have ever imagined.

WSC Birth Years: Josh Fields In Action

Card #3 - Josh Fields In Action

Born: December 14, 1982

Since the 1982 set had a subset of "In Action" cards, Josh gets an extra card depicting that. The original 1982 set had cards of Fisk and Luzinski "In Action", so anyone with a birth year in 1982 will get this little bonus after their original card.

It's just another way to have a little extra fun.

NIHILISTS!

I'm having too much fun with these Lebowski cards. This one is based off of a movie card set that I collected when I was a kid. I think it fits with the nihilists.

Pettitte Pursuit's Big Box Bonanza

Just when I thought that I had seen the big box of the week, someone had to send me something to top it. This latest box comes from Eric of The Pettitte Pursuit.

While this pales in comparison to some packages that he has sent me, this one contained enough riddles to keep an entire CSI team busy for a week. It kept me busy for most of the week and I still haven't unraveled all of the box's mysteries.

Let's start with the White Sox cards. There were plenty of them. They ranged from one of a card to five of a card. Interesting collation to say the least. I'm always fascinated by what cards people seem to pile up and what ones elude them.

In the White Sox cards, there were plenty of junk wax to go around. 1989 Topps made its presence known very loudly. So did 1988 Topps. A slew of 1988 Score? Check. 1990 Topps? Oh yeah. But in the same sense, there were plenty of awesome oddballs and less celebrated sets, like the 1988 Pacific card of Early Wynn.

The most abundant cards came in the form of 2008 Topps Heritage. Holy smokes! It took up a fourth of the box, at least! Almost every card was one that I needed to get me closer to completing my master set. There were a few White Sox doubles thrown in for good measure.

Then, it got weird. A few Red Sox cards of Roger Clemens. A 1989 Fleer Tom Brookens card with a Mike Heath back. Tito Francona. Warren Spahn!The Jose Canseco homoerotic Score card! Terry Pendleton! Then the football cards and the hockey card popped up!

This box certainly kept me on my toes! I had a blast discovering what new adventure would turn up at the flip of a card. Let's see the total.

1982 Topps
721 – Greg Luzinski IA

1984 Fleer
655 – Brewers/Indians CL

1984 Topps
409 – Juan Agosto

1986 Topps
531 – Tony LaRussa

1987 Hygrade All-Time Greats
Warren Spahn

1987 Topps
273 – Gene Nelson (3)
299 – Joel Davis
318 – Jim Fregosi
356 – White Sox Leaders
421 – Jose DeLeon

1988 Donruss
87 – Donnie Hill
124 – Richard Dotson
285 – Jerry Hairston (2)
306 – Bill Long
370 – Gary Redus
383 – Floyd Bannister
409 – Jim Winn (2)
429 – Ray Searage (2)
493 – Fred Manrique
507 – Bob James
552 – Dave LaPoint (2)
580 – Ron Hassey

1988 Fleer
658 – White Sox/Cubs/Astros/Rangers CL

1988 Pacific Baseball Legends
95 – Early Wynn

1988 Score
93 – Greg Walker (2)
112 – Ken Williams (3)
139 – Fred Manrique (2)
462 – Jim Winn (2)
572 – Donnie Hill (2)
582 – Daryl Boston (3)
589 – Dave LaPoint
590 – Harold Baines
592 – Carlton Fisk

1988 Topps
70 – Roger Clemens
209 – Richard Dotson
232 – Bob James
321 – White Sox Leaders (5)
334 – Dave LaPoint (3)
409 – Joel McKeon (3)
437 – Fred Manrique
458 – Ron Hassey (2)
486 – Pat Keedy (2)
634 – Jose DeLeon (2)
657 – Gary Redus (2)
714 – Jim Fregosi
788 – Ray Searage

1989 Donruss
135 – Greg Walker
253 – Steve Lyons
294 – Dan Pasqua
337 – Ken Williams
455 – Daryl Boston
573 – Bill Long
606 – Lance Johnson

1989 Fleer
130 – Tom Brookens (Mike Heath back)
496 – Dave Gallagher
502 – Steve Lyons
506 – Kelly Paris
507 – Dan Pasqua
510 – Jerry Reuss

1989 K-Mart
7 – Dave Gallagher

1989 Pacific Baseball Legends
133 – Tito Francona

1989 Score
145 – Rick Horton (2)
384 – Dave LaPoint (2)
542 – Mark Salas (2)

1989 Topps
21 – White Sox Leaders
34 – Ken Williams
122 – Lance Johnson (4)
133 – Bill Long (3)
142 – Mike Diaz
156 – Dave Gallagher
162 – John Davis
209 – Jeff Bittiger
247 – Shawn Hillegas (2)
334 – Steve Lyons (2)
357 – Jerry Reuss
384 – Mark Salas
408 – Greg Walker
414 – Jim Fregosi (2)
434 – Ken Patterson
512 – Donnie Hill
616 – Steve Rosenberg
786 – Melido Perez

1989 Upper Deck
243 – Melido Perez
496 – Daryl Boston
499 – Bill Long
628 – Fred Manrique

1990 Donruss
101 – Melido Perez
176 – Dan Pasqua
219 – Dave Gallagher
371 – Ken Patterson
606 – Donn Pall
651 – Steve Lyons (2)

1990 Fleer
532 – Dave Gallagher
535 – Shawn Hillegas
538 – Ron Kittle
541 – Tom McCarthy
543 – Donn Pall (2)
545 – Ken Patterson
546 – Melido Perez

1990 Score
354 – Greg Walker
617 – John Pawlowski

1990 Topps
79 – Ron Kittle (2)
219 – Donn Pall
326 – Tom McCarthy (2)
461 – Carlos Martinez (2)
499 – Bill Long
565 – Scott Fletcher
612 – Dave Gallagher (2)
621 – Melido Perez
717 – Ron Karkovice (2)
786 – Eric King (3)

1990 Upper Deck
69 – Ron Karkovice
286 – Dan Pasqua
310 – Scott Fletcher (4)
347 – Carlos Martinez
350 – Greg Walker
386 – Donn Pall (3)
390 – Steve Lyons (2)
522 – Steve Rosenberg

1991 Donruss
103 – Dan Pasqua (2)
164 – Melido Perez
220 – Ron Karkovice (3)
457 – Tim Raines
634 – Jerry Willard

1991 Fleer
130 – Donn Pall
133 – Melido Perez

1991 Leaf
331 – Ozzie Guillen
488 – Roger Clemens

1991 Score
66 – Wayne Edwards
441 – Jose Canseco DT
705 – Melido Perez NH
749 – Jerry Kutzler
751 – Matt Stark
763 – Rodney McCray (3)

1991 Topps
243 – Lance Johnson
364 – Dan Pasqua
499 – Melido Perez (2)
523 – Rodney McCray
568 – Ron Karkovice
751 – Wayne Edwards

1991 Upper Deck
484 – Terry Pendleton

1992 Bowman
672 – Damion Easley

1992 Donruss
19 – Roberto Hernandez

1992 Leaf
344 – Craig Grebeck

1992 Stadium Club
329 – Mike Huff
654 – Bo Jackson

1992 Triple Play
75 – Felix Jose

1992 Ultra
341 – Steve Sax
548 – Curt Schilling

1994 Classic 4 Sport
186 – Mark Johnson

1994 Collector’s Choice
415 – Julio Franco
652 – James Baldwin

1994 Fleer Award Winner
1 – Frank Thomas

2003 Topps Opening Day
99 – Frank Thomas

2005 Topps Total
162 – Chris Widger
493 – Carl Everett
658 – Damaso Marte/Cliff Politte

2007 Fleer
257 – Jon Garland
332 – Josh Fields

2007 Sweet Spot Sweet Swatch Memorabilia
SW-JD – Jermaine Dye

2007 Upper Deck First Edition
9 – Chris Stewart

2007 Upper Deck First Edition First Pitch Foundations
FPF-RS – Ryan Sweeney

2008 Allen & Ginter Mini
136 – Javier Vazquez

2008 Allen & Ginter Mini Black
151 – Orlando Cabrera

2008 Goudey
39 – Luis Aparicio (2)
43 – Jermaine Dye

2008 Topps Heritage
45, 176, 286, 337, 407, 429, 437, 446, 456, 463, 464, 468, 474, 491

2008 Topps Heritage Black Back
5, 45, 62, 69, 94 (2), 127, 177, 415

2008 Topps Heritage Chrome Refractors
C243 – A.J. Pierzynski 436/559

2008 Topps Heritage Flashbacks
2, 10 (2)

2008 Topps Heritage High Numbers
513, 515, 519, 526, 547, 564, 569 (2), 571, 589, 600, 603, 604, 606, 608, 611, 616, 618, 625, 640, 645, 656, 660, 669, 671, 706, 716

2008 Topps Heritage High Numbers Black Back
514, 542, 581, 655

2008 Topps Heritage Flashbacks
6, 7

2008 Topps Heritage New Age Performers
6

2008 Topps Heritage Rookie Performers
11, 12

2008 Topps Heritage Then & Now
4, 5, 9

2008 Topps Opening Day
129 – Paul Konerko

2008 Topps Updates & Highlights
UH205 – Octavio Dotel

2008 Yankee Stadium Legacy
448, 5375

Football

1990 Pro Set
28 – Tom Landry

1991 Pacific
7 – Tony Casillas
8 – Shawn Collins
9 – Darion Conner
13 – Tim Green
14 – Chris Hinton
15 – Houston Hoover
19 – Jessie Tuggle
23 – Kent Hull

1991 Pro Set
Jimmy Johnson

1992 Topps
6 – Joey Browner

Hockey

1991 Pro Set
183 – Jaromir Jagr

I'm impressed! I never thought I'd see a box this eclectic. It was a thrilling adventure ride that kept me on the edge of my seat as I sorted through each card.

Thanks, Eric! This was truly a great box to discover! And thank you for being so generous with the Heritage cards. I'm down to 45 card for the original set and the 2 variations. I'm down to 84 cards on the high numbers set. I don't know how I can repay you for your generosity. Suffice to say, you should be receiving a nice package in the summertime.

Card Spotlight: 3-20-09

2008 Topps Heritage Chrome Refractor #C243 - A.J. Pierzynski (436/559)

Behold the glory of the most hated man in professional baseball, decked out all in shiny reflective chrome!

As usual, the scanner turns the shiny goodness into bright white. The scan makes the card look washed out and faded. To see this card in hand, is to gaze upon the wonderment of chrome technology. I couldn't dream of a card like this when I was a kid. It was far beyond the grasp and scope of pitted cardboard.

The back of the card tells the story of why A.J. is beloved by teammates and fans and hated by everyone else.

For durability and steady production, catchers don't come much more reliable than A.J. He's gone at least .250-10-50 every year since 2003 - rare stability for his position.

A.J. also exceeded those numbers again in 2008. He blasted out of the gate with a hitting performance that rivaled teammate Carlos Quentin last year. Even the cartoon on the back had an amazing statistic for an everyday catcher.

A.J. had a 100-game errorless streak, 2007-2008.

That's pretty impressive, no matter who did it. I'm a sucker for these chrome refractor cards. I was initially disappointed by the lack of White Sox cards in the first batch of chromed 2008 Topps Heritage cards. White Sox players didn't start showing up until later releases.

A vintage design. Chrome. Refractor technology. Everything you'd need for a truly great modern card!

The Big Lebowski Card Fest Is On!

We must have all the time in the world lately.

The battle of fake cards inspired by "The Big Lebowski" is on!

Examples of previous entries by other bloggers are here and here.

I chose Donny as my card because I've had a platonic love affair with Steve Buscemi since Reservoir Dogs. He is one of the few actors that I will watch just about anything he is in.

Anyone else care to dabble in this? The Lebowski Card Fest is running right now!

Goose Joak Originals: Ehren Wassermann

See the full set here.

Generosity Is... Tribe Cards

You see, David has been battling a problem for awhile now. It's called giveaway addiction. No, David isn't addicted to entering giveaways. It's much more serious than that. David is addicted to giving away cards. And we are all the beneficiaries of that addiction.

David, of Indians Baseball Cards. And Then Some..., regularly gives away cards without asking anything in return. He is definitely one of the most generous bloggers in this community.

I had signed on late to this latest giveaway, but I was given the OK by David to participate, because he's cool like that. When the big recap post was online, I didn't see my name among everyone else. I saw someone else with White Sox cards and decided that I must not have made the final cut after all. I was alright with that. Why should I hog all the White Sox card giveaways? There are other fans of the team that deserve a turn at it.

When I received a decent sized box in the mail, I was clueless. I looked at the return address label and started to grin. I was in the giveaway after all! I think the experience of reserving myself to not being in the giveaway made me appreciate the package even more.

Let's see what goodies came in this box!

1981 Donruss
280 – Rich Dotson (2)

1982 Fleer
352 – Greg Luzinski

1984 Topps
667 – Vance Law

1985 Topps
78 – Scott Fletcher
221 – Ron Reed
543 – Mike Squires
749 – Julio Cruz

1986 Topps
64 – Floyd Bannister
364 – Reid Nichols

1986 Topps Mini Leaders
10 – Britt Burns

1987 Donruss
306 – Russ Morman
507 – Neil Allen
552 – Joe Cowley (2)

1987 Topps
299 – Joel Davis
685 – Jerry Hairston
737 – Floyd Bannister
772 – Harold Baines

1987 Topps Tiffany
149 – Ray Searage

1988 Donruss
409 – Jim Winn
532 – Steve Lyons
580 – Ron Hassey

1988 Donruss Rookies
7 – Dave Gallagher
21 – Melido Perez
48 – John Davis

1988 Fleer
396 – Richard Dotson

1988 Score
462 – Jim Winn
539 – Bill Long
582 – Daryl Boston
589 – Dave LaPoint
590 – Harold Baines

1988 Topps
158 – Tim Hulett
511 – Joel Davis
613 – Bobby Thigpen

1988 Topps Big
105 – Greg Walker

1989 Donruss
101 – Carlton Fisk
371 – Ivan Calderon
384 – Dave Gallagher

1989 Score
67 – Ken Williams
177 – Gary Redus
289 – Jack McDowell
331 – Ivan Calderon (2)
489 – Jerry Reuss

1989 Score Rookie & Traded
47T – Scott Fletcher
97T – Ken Patterson (2)
102T – Donn Pall (2)

1989 Topps
156 – Dave Gallagher
162 – John Davis
486 – Jack McDowell
512 – Donnie Hill
558 – Dan Pasqua
585 – Harold Baines

1989 Upper Deck
151 – Jerry Reuss
628 – Fred Manrique

1990 Bowman
306 – Bobby Thigpen
317 – Daryl Boston
318 – Craig Grebeck

1990 Donruss
28 – Robin Ventura
101 – Melido Perez (3)
135 – Ozzie Guillen
294 – Ivan Calderon
413 – Ron Karkovice
455 – Scott Fletcher
503 – Jerry Kutzler
606 – Donn Pall (2)
619 – Shawn Hillegas
651 – Steve Lyons

1990 Fleer
531 – Scott Fletcher
540 – Carlos Martinez
543 – Donn Pall
551 – Greg Walker

1990 Leaf
438 – Carlos Martinez

1990 Score
22 – Ron Karkovice
152 – Barry Jones
311 – Melido Perez
354 – Greg Walker (2)
369 – Greg Hibbard

1990 Score Young Superstars II
20 – Greg Hibbard
25 – Sammy Sosa

1990 Topps
79 – Ron Kittle
169 – Richard Dotson
243 – Barry Jones
524 – Daryl Boston
717 – Ron Karkovice
751 – Steve Lyons
786 – Eric King

1990 Topps Debut ‘89
109 – Jeff Schaefer

1990 Upper Deck
543 – Greg Hibbard
651 – Eric King

1991 Bowman
342 – Bobby Thigpen
353 – Bob Wickman

1991 Classic Best
418 – Larry Thomas Jr.

1991 Donruss
103 – Dan Pasqua
589 – Shawn Hillegas

1991 Donruss Highlights
BC-13 – Melido Perez

1991 Fleer
117 – Alex Fernandez

1991 Leaf
340 – Jack McDowell
375 – Joey Cora
413 – Tim Raines
428 – Dan Pasqua
515 – Ron Karkovice

1991 ProCards
43 – Johnny Ruffin

1991 Score
27 – Jack McDowell
69 – Craig Grebeck
115 – Barry Jones
132 – Donn Pall
157 – Lance Johnson
401 – Bobby Thigpen AS
560 – Phil Bradley
749 – Jerry Kutzler
751 – Matt Stark

1991 Stadium Club
199 – Lance Johnson
311 – Scott Radinsky
382 – Matt Merullo (2)
579 – Charlie Hough

1991 Studio
31 – Alex Fernandez

1991 Swell Baseball Greats
121 – Wilbur Wood

1991 Topps
278 – Alex Fernandez
420 – Bobby Thigpen

1991 Topps Debut ‘90
59 – Craig Grebeck

1991 Topps Traded
58T – Bo Jackson (2)

1991 Ultra
84 – Bobby Thigpen
86 – Robin Ventura

1991 Upper Deck
75 – Len Brutcher
321 – Scott Fletcher
323 – Jack McDowell
601 – Steve Lyons
645 – Alex Fernandez (2)
679 – Greg Hibbard
697 – Wayne Edwards
773 – Tim Raines

1992 Bowman
282 – Greg Perschke
380 – Donn Pall

1992 Classic Best
253 – Jason Bere
259 – Glenn DiSarcina

1992 Donruss
56 – Donn Pall
374 – Ron Karkovice
457 – Ken Patterson (2)
495 – Wilson Alvarez HL
509 – Melido Perez (2)
543 – Carlton Fisk (2)
546 – Craig Grebeck
579 – Mike Huff (2)
630 – Wilson Alvarez (2)
658 – Ramon Garcia (2)
668 – Warren Newson
708 – Bobby Thigpen (3)
743 – Steve Wapnick (3)

1992 Front Row
4 Tim Moore (2)

1992 Leaf
149 – Ozzie Guillen (5)
217 – Steve Sax
237 – Lance Johnson (5)

1992 Pinnacle
178 – Tim Raines
291 – Jack McDowell SL
535 – Esteban Beltre

1992 Score
517 – Rodney McCray
532 – Ron Karkovice
570 – Bobby Thigpen
734 – Brian Drahman
745 – Ramon Garcia (2)
760 – Wilson Alvarez
770 – Jeff Carter (2)
806 – Scott Ruffcorn
863 – Steve Wapnick (4)
874 – Roberto Hernandez

1992 SkyBox Pre-Rookie AAA
281 – Chris Cron

1992 Stadium Club
224 – Bobby Thigpen

1992 Studio
151 – George Bell
153 – Greg Hibbard (2)
155 – Kirk McCaskill
158 – Bobby Thigpen (2)

1992 Topps
57 – Donn Pall

1992 Ultra
34 – Craig Grebeck
39 – Ron Karkovice
42 – Melido Perez

1992 Upper Deck
285 – Bobby Thigpen
440 – Ken Patterson
575 – Tim Raines
592 – Donn Pall
743 – Steve Sax

1993 Donruss
433 – Jack McDowell
491 – Dan Pasqua
519 – Carlton Fisk (2)
535 – Robin Ventura
595 – Este Beltre
672 – Brian Drahman

1993 Leaf
173 – Bobby Thigpen
252 – Ellis Birks

1993 Pinnacle
108 – Frank Thomas (3)

1993 Stadium Club
330 – George Bell

1993 Triple Play
26 – Frank Thomas
82 – Kirk McCaskill
179 – Robin Ventura

1993 Topps
41 – Alex Fernandez
94 – Lance Johnson
230 – Carlton Fisk
344 – Jack McDowell

1993 Ultra
181 – Frank Thomas
527 – Jason Bere

1993 Upper Deck All-Time Heroes
21 – Don Buford

1994 Fleer
91 – Dan Pasqua

1994 Fleer Atlantic
23 – Frank Thomas

1994 Leaf
300 – Darrin Jackson

1994 Score
541 – George Bell

1994 SP
190 – Alex Fernandez

1994 Stadium Club
118 – Mike LaValliere
434 – Scott Radinsky

1994 Stadium Club Team
133 – Craig Grebeck

1994 Studio
207 – Jack McDowell

1994 Topps
270 – Frank Thomas (2)
356 – Scott Ruffcorn (2)
392 – Jack McDowell (Maddux) AS (3)
500 – Bo Jackson
538 – Ellis Burks

1994 Topps Archives 1954
216 – Al Sima
218 – Fred Marsh

1994 Upper Deck
468 – Roberto Hernandez
549 – Eddie Pearson

1994 Upper Deck Minors
59 – Ray Durham
245 – James Baldwin

1995 Classic Phone Cards
13A – Frank Thomas (2)
14 – Robin Ventura

1995 Fleer
113 – Joey Cora
124 – Norberto Martin

1995 Fleer Update
U-36 – Tim Fortugno

1995 Pacific
95 – Tim Raines

1995 Stadium Club
420 – Roberto Hernandez
457 – Jason Bere
480 – Scott Ruffcorn

1995 Topps
343 – Craig Grebeck
444 – Jason Bere
605 – Mark Johnson

1995 Ultra
31 – Ron Karkovice

1995 Upper Deck Michael Jordan One On One
4 – Speed
8 – First Homer

1995 Upper Deck Minors
36 – Jimmy Hurst
193 – Mark Johnson (3)

1996 Collector’s Choice
507 – Mike Cameron

1996 Collector’s Choice Silver Signature
499 – Dave Martinez
510 – Harold Baines

1996 Dannon
2 – James Baldwin
3 – Harold Baines
7 – Alex Fernandez
8 – Ozzie Guillen
14 – Darrin Lewis (2)
20 – Jose Munoz
27 – Larry Thomas
28 – Robin Ventura

1996 Pinnacle
133 – Jason Bere

1996 Score
499 – Chris Snopek

1996 SP
59 – Alex Fernandez

1996 Topps
272 – Tim Raines
310 – Robin Ventura
405 – Roberto Hernandez

1996 Upper Deck
42 – Alex Fernandez
231 – Chris Snopek
304 – Roberto Hernandez

1997 Circa
123 – Mike Cameron
215 – Tony Phillips

1997 Donruss
97 – Danny Tartabull (2)

1997 Leaf
114 – Ray Durham

1997 SP
47 – Roberto Hernandez (2)
49 – Harold Baines

1997 Stadium Club
27 – Tony Phillips
43 – Robin Ventura

1997 Topps
81 – Ron Karkovice
232 – Roberto Hernandez

1997 Ultra
500 – Jeff Abbott

1998 Pinnacle
56 – Robin Ventura

1998 Score
99 – Lyle Mouton

2000 SP Authentic
36 – Magglio Ordonez

2000 Upper Deck MVP
205 – Mike Sirotka

2001 Pacific
102 – Mike Sirotka

2001 Topps
130 – Mark Johnson
256 – Greg Norton (2)

2002 Upper Deck Victory
202 – Jose Valentin

2005 Donruss
145 – Magglio Ordonez
276 – Jose Contreras

2005 Upper Deck Flyball
64 – Paul Konerko
182 – Aaron Rowand
193 – Jermaine Dye

2006 Topps Heritage
358 – Dustin Hermanson

2006 Topps White Sox
CWS10 – Bobby Jenks

2006 Ultra
169 – Tadahito Iguchi

2006 Upper Deck
566 – Pablo Ozuna

2007 Allen & Ginter
70 – Jermaine Dye

2007 Bowman
220 – Josh Fields

2007 Fleer
331 – Josh Fields

2007 Topps Opening Day
175 – Josh Fields

2007 Upper Deck First Edition
11 – Ryan Sweeney
74 – Bobby Jenks

2007 Upper Deck Masterpieces
39 – Frank Thomas

2006/2007? White Sox Kids Club
Rob Mackowiak

Wow! That's a lot of punch for a smaller box! I even came across cards that I did not know exist. If they happened to be on any part of my want list, it was because I saw the text referring to that particular set.

I had not heard of the White Sox Dannon cards until David mentioned them on his blog. Now, I have many of them! The mystery card is the Rob Mackowiak. It figures that it would be of someone I knew. The card is part of some Kids Club set, but I have no idea which one. I've narrowed it down to 2006 or 2007, but honestly, I couldn't find any info on the set. The card doesn't even have a date on it. It only says that Rob is signed through 2007.

Thanks, David! Sorting through these cards the past few days has been a blast. There were many that I didn't have. The phone cards are something unique that I will cherish for years. There has been mystery and intrigue in every part of this box. For that, I am grateful.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

While some celebrate this holiday by downing green beer or eating Irish foods, some celebrate by donning green uniforms and auctioning off said uniforms for charity. Some of the names change year to year, but the uniform remains.

Now, we only have to wait until September before the green uniforms reappear for Halfway to St. Patrick's Day. Rarely seen, like leprechauns themselves, these green uniforms are supposed to bring luck to the White Sox team that wears them.

Today brought a loss of 7-6 in 10 innings to the Diamondbacks. Luck comes with two sides. The upside and the downside. There are two sides to every bit of luck. Just like The Schwartz.

Will the White Sox find the upside of luck when the green uniforms reappear during the season? Let's hope so!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

BBA 5: Tony Carrasquillo

While I have had many experiences in card collecting (some amazing, some mediocre), the best experience I've had was with a card shop owner named Tony Carrasquillo.

I first met Tony in early 2007. I had just gotten back into collecting again and I was looking for card shops in the area. I was very unhappy with the shop I had started to go to and I was looking for an alternative, so I wouldn't have to deal with the two-faced owner.

I wandered into Tony's shop, RBI Sports, and was browsing the selection when he came up to me and struck up a conversation. We must have talked for at least a half hour during that initial meeting. Topics ranged from the state of the card industry to new product I might be interested in. He even showed me homemade blankets featuring each local sports team that he had for sale.

In getting to know Tony and his store, I learned that he opened up his shop around the same time I was exiting the hobby, in the mid nineties. He stays loyal to his regulars and wowed me with tales of kids who would come to his shop in the nineties, who would bring their children in to meet Tony and to purchase cards.

This display was in stark contrast to the shop I had been going to previously. This was a warm, friendly environment that welcomed everyone who stepped in. I had not experienced that feeling since I was a kid.

Tony was instrumental in keeping me in the hobby, with his attitude and graciousness. I was new to relics and thicker cards at that time. During our discussion of that, he offered a few different top loaders for me to try when I got home. I asked him how much he wanted for them. Tony just waved at me and told me not to worry about it. All he hoped was that one of them would fit the card properly.

"You want a fit that's not too loose, but you don't want to force it in there either", Tony explained. It's advice that I've tried to live by, in the hobby. I know it sounds silly, and it seems like common sense, but that bit of advice uplifted me and washed over like a serene and gentle wave. It's funny how the simplest gestures make the biggest impact on lives. This one sentence told me that I could trust Tony with any hobby needs that I might have.

Since then, I've been out of work a good deal of the time. I haven't been able to stop in and purchase packs or cards as much as I would have liked. When I do find myself with some money to burn, I try to stop in and purchase something.

Tony sold me my first few hobby boxes. Each time, as I left, he would shoot me a smile and wish me good luck with whatever box or pack that I had purchased. I have always gone into the store with a smile on my face. The prospect of getting new cards will do that to a collector. I always leave with a bigger smile.

If I would have known about Tony's shop when it first opened, I may not have left in the first place. Hindsight is 20/20 though. The positive influences that I have gotten from going into his shop have kept me going. This was the first real spark in a move that was long overdue. I have Tony to thank for that.

Goose Joak Originals: Wes Whisler

See the full set here.

WSC Birth Years: Josh Fields

Card #2 - Josh Fields

Born: December 14, 1982

Here we have the strongest candidate to win the third base position coming out of Spring Training. Josh put in the extra work this winter and it's paying out already.

1982 Topps had a lot of inactive action shots, so I found a shot of Josh that fit that mold. More than likely, this was due to the "In Action" cards that littered the set. While I love the idea behind the "In Action" cards, I think the action pictures would have been more utilized in the regular cards. It was no longer 1972. Fleer and Donruss were churning out product as well.

Most people refer to this set as the hockey sticks set. I always thought of this as the racing stripe set. Now, Josh Fields has his own card with racing stripes.

Happy 50th Harold!!

I've been under the weather most of the day, so I didn't get to this earlier.

Happy Birthday Harold!!

Although, some other blogger beat me to it.

The First Topps Heritage Pack Of 2009

OK, I broke down and actually bought a pack of 2009 Topps Heritage. I have yet to complete the 2008 set. I don't have any intentions of collecting anything but the White Sox cards out of the 2009 set, but I feel compelled to purchase a pack.

I don't have to feel guilty about it though because I found a White Sox card in my first, and so far only pack of 2009 Heritage.

Rather than play Sox Or No Sox today, I'll just post the results of the pack here. It will show the great lengths the pack gods went to tease and belittle me.

Card 1: 207 - Aubrey Huff - Orioles
Aubrey was once coveted by the White Sox GM. Alas, it was never meant to be.

Card 2: 253 - Alex Cintron - Orioles
Alex Cintron gets a card!! A former backup utility player for the White Sox.

Card 3: 317 - Joey Votto - Reds
I know a few people who would like this card. It also mentions him hitting 3 homers against the Cubs. I know who this will be earmarked for.

Card 4: 408 - Carlos Lee - Astros
Another former White Sox!! If the Sox didn't get rid of him, there would be no World Series championship in 2005.

Card 5: 367 - David DeJesus - Royals
He's a Royal. He's been rumored to be on Kenny Williams radar. He will be in a White Sox uniform after his prime.

Card 6: 316 - Wilson Betemit - White Sox
Woo hoo!! A White Sox card!! A card of a newly acquired player who may not make the Opening Day roster. Um... woo hoo!!

Card 7: 136 - Matt Tuiasosopo - Mariners
I don't even want to tell you the vile and disgusting things that immediately popped into my head while trying to sound out that last name. He got a double off of Andy Pettitte for his first hit. Not bad!

Card 8: 99 - Lastings Milledge - Nationals
Lastings led the Nationals in home runs, RBI and stolen bases last year. 14, 61 and 24, respectively, if you were curious. You know you were.

Not a single short print or gimmick card. I did get a White Sox card, so I'm happy. I bought the pack at Target, so I'm bummed I didn't get a Mayo card, but what are you gonna do about it?

Card Spotlight: 3-13-09

1988 Topps #132 - Donnie Hill

I know what you're thinking. Why this card??!!

Why not this card? To me, it screams eighties. The aviator glasses. The not quite mullet. I can remember good times and bad in this card. Personally, because I wore aviators too and baseball wise, because the White Sox of the late eighties were exciting and frustrating.

No matter what I say about this card cannot compare with what has already been said. Check out this post from the 88 Topps Cards blog.

Like I said in the comments, try as he did, no one rocks a pair of aviators like Kittle. Although, it's a valiant attempt.

My New Favorite Toast

An old Irish toast.

For those of you who don't already know the genius of Carl Skanberg, get to know him. Every year, since 2006, he has taken the White Sox on a season long journey of hilarity. Palehose 9 started a few weeks ago and it looks like it's going to be quite a ride this season.

Goose Joak Originals: Ozzie Guillen

See the full set here.

Mailbox Joys: When Grand Cards Go Black

"Goodbye, everybody!"

"Goodbye, Jr. Ken!"

I was reminded of a variation of Dr. Nick Riviera's famous line and the Pavlov audience response, when I saw this Ken Griffey Jr. card. Was it all just some horrible, wonderful dream? Apparently so.

As the years go by, the White Sox will be an impossible trivia answer to one question. What team was Ken Griffey Jr. on between the Cincinnati Reds and the Seattle Mariners? Or the second question. What team did Ken Griffey Jr. play on that didn't have a double letter together in the city's name? I guarantee that even a few White Sox fans will get that one wrong in a few years.

I participated in a group box break for Topps Wal-Mart black variation blasters that Dan of Grand Cards put together. I was worried after the first of three boxes produced no White Sox cards. Did I just kiss five dollars (six with tip) away without getting a single thing for my money? Maybe I had a better chance at hitting the lottery.

Just then, divine intervention came into play. The second and third boxes were littered with White Sox cards. Yay!! Let's see what blackened Topps cards came out of the three blasters.

2009 Topps Wal-Mart Black
30 - Ken Griffey Jr.
70 - Jermaine Dye
149 - Juan Uribe
154 - A.J. Pierzynski
306 - Javier Vazquez

2009 Topps Toppstown
TTT19 - Carlos Quentin

Not bad! I think I made out pretty decently, considering the first box was a complete bust for me.

But wait... there's more. A note was thrown into the bubble mailer.

Thanks for participating! I tried to find some extras to throw in, but White Sox are hard to come by! Enjoy.

I wasn't expecting this! That just shows how great Dan really is. It takes a special kind of person to throw in extras as a thoughtful gesture. Here's what extras tagged along.

1982 Topps
521 - Billy Almon

1987 Topps
718 - Steve Carlton
756 - Carlton Fisk

1988 Topps
132 - Donnie Hill

1992 Topps Kids
99 - Frank Thomas

2008 Topps Chrome
14 - Orlando Cabrera

While I had most of them, I needed the Frank Thomas card. Plus, any free White Sox card is welcome in this household, regardless if I have it or not.

Thanks, Dan! That was a grand idea and it worked out beautifully!

Goose Joak Originals: Gordon Beckham

See the full set here.

Brian McCall

September 30, 1962 was quite a day for Brian McCall. Just two days earlier, he had appeared in his third Major League game and had gotten a hit in his only at-bat. That feat was in his first game at Yankee Stadium, which was also his first road game.

On September 30th, which was a Sunday, Brian went on a tear in the first game he ever started. In five at-bats, he managed to hit two home runs and collect three RBI. In the final game of the regular season, Brian managed to give White Sox fans something to think about over the long winter.

The impact of that day in 1962 might have had fans excited, but not many in the White Sox organization were impressed. Brian wasn't called up again until September 1963. He played in three games, starting one, and went hitless in all three. McCall did manage to sneak on base with a walk and score a run against the Senators on September 28, 1963, exactly one year from his first hit. The next day would be his last for playing in the majors.

Brian retired from professional baseball in 1966, after a bad start to the season and severe pain when throwing from the outfield. He moved on to an art college and became an artist who has dabbled in a little bit of everything. Brian was even named Virginia Artist of the Year. He is now known for his sculptures and unique sign making.

There is life after baseball and it can take a person in directions that they couldn't begin to imagine.

WSC Birth Years: Paul Konerko

Card #1 - Paul Konerko

Born: March 5, 1976

For the card set this year, I've decided to initiate a project that has had a long gestation period. Cards designed using the birth year of the player. Since Paul Konerko was born in 1976, he will enjoy the 1976 Topps design.

Since Topps has been designing baseball cards since 1951, I've decided to stick with the Topps main set for each year. If there is anyone that was born before 1951, like coaches, a Bowman card will be substituted in it's place or a design that is owned by Topps. On the rare occasion that a subject is not covered by those parameters, I will try to find a design from the birth year.

With the Konerko card, I studied many photos of him and many cards from the 1976 set. I tried to pick a photo that would fit within the vibe of the original set. In this case, I diluted the original photo slightly to mimic the washed out, yet vibrant style of photos from the mid seventies.

A new card should pop up every week. This set will focus on members of the White Sox who have played in a Major League game for the White Sox in 2009.

The Rest Of The Aparicio Card

When I reported on a stadium seat relic of Luis Aparicio's being pulled from a box of 2009 Topps Heritage, I had no clue that an anonymous poster would take so much offense to a card of Luis Aparicio commemorating a moment from Briggs Stadium.

Well, the card came today and the rest of the story has been revealed.

Aparicio's final appearance at Briggs Stadium before it's name was changed to Tiger Stadium in January 1961, came during a doubleheader on September 18, 1960. Playing for the visiting White Sox, he delivered 4 hits in 8 at-bats, including an RBI single that gave Chicago the lead in the sixth inning of the nightcap. Luis would hit 11 home runs there in his career - his most at any road ballpark.

The White Sox lost the opener, but prevailed in the nightcap. As for the rumor that Aparicio tripped rounding third base, in 1972 as a member of the Red Sox, in a game that clinched the division for Detroit... I cannot find any evidence to suggest that scenario ever happened. The Tigers did clinch against the Red Sox in 1972. Aparicio did play in that game, but never made it past second base.

Fly By Night Owl Delivery

Sometimes, the smallest pieces of mail yield the biggest joys. Sometimes, the thought behind a simple gesture makes the greatest impact.

With that in mind, I'd like to present a package from Greg at Night Owl Cards. There were only three cards in the envelope. All three were 2009 Upper Deck cards. All three 2009 Upper Deck cards brought smiles to my face.

My first, and so far only, purchase of 2009 Upper Deck was a 10 pack blaster. Each pack had eight cards, except for one pack which had a relic card. That pack had three or four cards due to the thickness of the relic card.

The entire box produced one White Sox card. That card was Juan Uribe, a player who is no longer with the White Sox. I like Juan Uribe and I like any card featuring a player depicted in a White Sox uniform, so it was still a win for me. I was a bit disappointed because of the lack of White Sox cards in the box. Every other team seemed to get its fair share. I'm used to that though. The White Sox aren't on the top of everybody's list of must have cards. I made my peace with that a long time ago.

These cards got me excited about the new cards again and got me excited about the upcoming season. Let's see what Greg sent over.

2009 Upper Deck
77 - Alexei Ramirez
84 - Jim Thome
91 - Jose Contreras

Alexei got me excited because of the great rookie season he had last year. It's still a rush to see a new Alexei card. The Thome card was great because it featured Jim in a classic home run swing at the plate. He just finished his drive and the motion of his swing started him out of the batter's box. The Contreras card was a sigh of relief. It features him in the middle of his delivery. Normally, that wouldn't elicit much reaction, but it was just announced that he would probably be ready for the start of the season. No one was expecting him back until around July, due to the nature of his injury.

Thank you, Greg! That package perked me up and made me appreciate the start of the 2009 season even more than I already had.

Quirky

3-6-9-12-15

Card Spotlight: 3-6-09

1959 Topps #385 - Sherm Lollar

What exactly is Sherm looking at? Did someone hang his underpants from the flagpole? Is he contemplating the meaning of life? Or why we are here? Or did he just think a side pose would make a cool photograph?

Perhaps we will never know the answers to these questions. Perhaps he was looking at some demonry in the sky.

Although he played for the Indians, the Yankees and the Browns, Sherm came into his own with the White Sox. New York wouldn't have worked for him anyway. Yogi Berra was blocking him. He played for six of his seven All Star appearances as a representative of the White Sox. He also won the first three Gold Glove awards, after the award was introduced in 1957.

It's no secret that the 1959 Topps series is one of my favorite vintage sets. The symmetry and the photos like this are a few reasons why this remains a sentimental favorite for me, to this day. I am close to completing the 1959 White Sox set. So close that I can feel it! I think that I can get everything together this year. If I do, expect a showcase of the complete master team set.

Until that moment, this will always be a standout card on my way to completion.

An Eclectic Stats On The Back Package

One of the best things about having an extensive list is the amount of oddball cards I get on a regular basis. Sometimes people go off the list and just send over stuff. That's great too! Half the fun, sometimes, is not knowing what to expect when you open a package.

Mark, over at Stats On The Back, recently sent over a package of great cards. There are reprints, oddballs and a whole lotta awesome! Let's see what Mark sent over.

1911 Mecca Double Folder Dover Reprint
Ed Walsh/Fred Payne

1980-1987 SSPC Baseball Immortals
96 - Red Faber

1984 Topps
712 - Greg Luzinski (Reggie Jackson, Graig Nettles)

1983 Donruss Hall Of Fame Heroes
8 - Luke Appling

1985 Fleer
507 - Harold Baines

1986 Fleer
214 - Reid Nichols
215 - Luis Salazar
217 - Dan Spillner
218 - Bruce Tanner
219 - Greg Walker

1989 Baseball Talk
151 - Carlton Fisk

1989 Donruss Rookies
14 - Carlos Martinez
37 - Ken Patterson

1991 Studio
34 - Greg Hibbard
35 - Charlie Hough
36 - Jack McDowell
39 - Bobby Thigpen

1994 Conlon Burgundy
1309 - Larry Rosenthal

1997 Collector's Choice
329 - Albert Belle

Thanks, Mark! I think that marks many firsts. My first Dover Reprint. My first Baseball Immortals. My first Baseball Talk card. That's a lot of firsts for one package! I wasn't sure what to expect when I found the package in my pile of mail. It was so well packaged, that I was stumped until I was able to open everything.

Frankly, I don't know who has a better shot at the playoffs, the Mets or the White Sox. I think they both have a good shot at making it. I wouldn't mind another Mets championship... that is unless the White Sox face them in the World Series. Then I'd have to root for my Sox. In only a few short months, we will both find out. I guess the only real difference this year is that when the playoffs start, I'll be married.

Goose Joak Originals: A.J. Pierzynski

See the full set here.

Aparicio Heritage Stadium Relic Pulled

Usually, there's nothing that special about relics anymore. The luster has worn off. The excitement has died down. They are passe.

There's a special type of excitement surrounding this card, for me at least. One, it's a vintage Hall Of Famer. Two, the design is supposed to mimic the 1960 Topps set. Three, it features the less used stadium seat relic. Four, the relic comes from a stadium that no longer exists.

The seat relic comes from Briggs Stadium, as it was known from 1938 until 1960. In 1961, it became known as the more familiar Tiger Stadium. Tiger stadium last hosted Major League Baseball in 1999. The stadium itself was partially demolished in 2008.

I wasn't fortunate enough to pull this card. I haven't even purchased a pack of Heritage this year. That will come later. This was pulled by Three Of A Kind Cards on eBay. They have a blog called Extra Innings, where they showcase their box openings for the eBay store. I was, however, fortunate enough to win this in the eBay auction. Sometimes you've just got to treat yourself.

At least someone is getting these things right from the packs! They also pulled a Wayne Terwilliger red ink card from the Heritage boxes. Of course, I immediately thought of Sideshow Bob on the Simpsons. Yes, I immerse myself in way too much pop culture.

Goose Joak Cards

By now, most of you should be familiar with the Goose Joak cards for 2009. A good number of bloggers have agreed to take on teams and create cards using the Goose Joak design.

I have agreed to do the White Sox. I will take on a different approach to this year's crop of cards. Anyone who plays in a game, including Spring Training, will be included in the set. This means that if Jack Egbert doesn't make the team out of Arizona, he will be on a card eventually, even if he never gets called up during the season. I hate to single out Jack, but there had to be an example somewhere.

In addition to these cards, I have been encouraged to continue plans with my own set. This set will include a special twist that should radically separate my set from the Goose Joak set. I won't reveal what that twist is right now, but you will notice it on the very first card.

There will likely be a day set aside for each set and the cards will come out throughout the season, instead of once a day. There will be exceptions to that particular format, but for the most part, each set should be on its own schedule.

Lance Broadway and Gavin Floyd were done prior to my involvement in the project. I like the design of the Goose Joak set. It made me want to jump on the bandwagon instead of making my own design.

I will try to use a combination of the most unique photos and the best available to portray each set. I've enjoyed the cards that have been rapidly coming out and this week, my own cards will start to find their way on the blog.

The complete set is here.

More Interesting Maildays

Now it's an official mystery. I received a package by UPS today containing a wooden bat holder from "Cooperstown Bat Company". I scratched my head and just figured it was some promotional thing that I didn't remember signing up for.

Then, I saw this. It seems that I'm not the only one who got a mystery package containing a wooden bat holder today. I get a lot of mail concerning this blog and I just don't remember every single one off the top of my head. I went back in my e-mails and couldn't find anything regarding this.

I appreciate the gift, but I'd love to know where this originated. I'm sure that information will come to light soon that will reveal everything, but in the meantime, it's a mystery.

I've never been to Cooperstown and I only own one bat, signed by Aaron Rowand, that I received as a gift, a few years ago. So, let the plot thicken!