Two Completed Sets

I'm kind of embarrassed about this, but that trade I made with Nachos Grande actually finished off my 2008 Allen & Ginter set. That Randy Johnson card I mentioned? The only one in the package I didn't scan? Well, that was the last one I needed. I was thrown by a couple of empty slots in the binder at first which is why I thought it wasn't completed. One of those holes was an AJ Burnett card I pulled to scan for a Hot Stove League post. The other was a Joey Votto card that I pulled out of my doubles box for someone in a trade, promptly lost the thing and ended up sendint them the one out of my set instead. I found the two cards in a box of stuff and now the set is officially complete. Time to work on filling holes in my 2006 set.

That's not the only set I completed this week, the past package from my Masterpieces begging post came in the mail yesterday. I now have the complete 90 card base set and the only short print I wanted, Warren Spahn. My '07 and '08 Masterpieces sets are now safely in their binder and I've got a year to wait for an '09 version. I don't mind the wait, just keep the quality up and ease up on the impossible short prints and I'll be happy. Each of the five readers who finished off my set sent soem extra stuff with them, so this is a good time to show 'em off. I picked 2 cards from each package to showcase.

grcl - sent Jake Peavy

1973 Topps Dave Lopes rookie

I'm honored that someone with Davey Lopes in their handle would send me one of his rookie cards! I've got it already, but I'm going to pass it on to someone in the Xmas giveaway. '73 had some neat triple rookie cards, the best of which has to be the Cey/Schmidt.

2002 Topps Super Teams Warren Spahn

2002 Super Teams was a one off set that featured cards from a handful of World Series winning teams. The '57 Braves were one of those teams. I tried to get a team set, but I'm not sure if I have the Spahn already or not. I kind of wish I had collected the entire set now. The cards are on an Archives-style clay card stock and it's sort of a retro precursor to the '04 Timeless Teams I'm so interested in now.

2008 Legendary Cuts Jeff Francouer

I really like the way the SP Legendary Cuts sets looks this year. I hate the way they short printed all the legendary players to hell. It's too damn expensive to boot. Luckily, I think I have the complete non-short printed Braves team set thanks to Jim. I included three cards from this package because it's pretty huge. Here are the rest:

23 1990 Topps cards including Glavine, Smoltz and Avery
28 more Glavines
3 more Smoltz
3 more Avery
12 Chippers
3 Lemmers
2 Murph (in Phillies and Rockies unis, ugh)
3 more McCanns
3 Andruws
5 Javys
4 Kleskos
4 Great Justice
6 Galarragas
and 46 more Braves that I'm not going to list out

Dan Wood - Jay Bruce

2008 Topps Updates & Highlights Brian McCann jersey

I really like this insert set. The foil Yankee stadium facade is neat and the oval design is different. I've got both Braves now so I'm feeling good.

2005 Topps Updates & Highlight Jair Jurrjens rookie card

I probably have at least a half dozen of this card, one of which I recently pulled out of a penny box. I'll take 'em all though, Jurrjens is the closest thing we have to an ace and I'm optimistic about his future. Sophomore years scare me for young pitchers though. I've seen too many Horacio Ramirez and Chuck James flops. I think he'll turn out all right though.

Also:
7 Chippers including: 08 UDX die cut (with notches intact), 08 Chrome trading card history, 08 Topps Stars, 07SP Authentic Power, 07 Fleer Perfect 10, 06 Bowman Heritage jersey and foil parallel.
08 Donruss threads Murphy & Aaron
06 '52 Rookies Tom Glavine retro
93 Upper Deck Strike Force Maddux Glavine Smoltz and Avery
89 Fleer Zane Smith
4 extremely crisp 1986 Fleer cards of Horner, Smith nad two combo cards featuring Murph. These must have come straight out of a pack!

jacobmrly - Gary Sheffield & A-Rod

2006 SP Authentic Chipper Jones #618/899

Ah, parallel cards. Simultaneously the bane and joy of player collectors. A bane when you're hunting 'em down, a joy when they fall in your lap. This one is from 2006 SP and it quite frankly is lazy. The card is the exact same as the base cards just with a serial number stamped on it. I always saw SP as a signature brand for Upper Deck, but they're really mailed it in the past few years. If they're going to abuse the brand like that UD should just discontinue it. I likey getting a Chipper I didn't have for the collection though.

2004 Playoff Prestige Chipper Jones Stars of MLB #70/100

Speaking of parallels, here's some Donruss. I'm not sure what flavor insert this is, but it's numbered to 100. I'm almost positive it's a parallel. I'm sure glad I'm not obsessive compulsive about having every one of Chipper's cards or these weirdo inserts and parallels numbered to a hundred or less would drive me to drink. It's a nice looking card though, even though the scan does not do it justice.

Max sent 15 other chippers including:
2007 UD Jersey, 07 Moments & Milestones black #7/29, 00 Finest Dreamcast, 98 SPX Star Force #2204/6500m 97 Finest uncommon, 03 Fleer Lumber Company, 98 Gallery auction card, 98 Pacific Crown Royale Pillars of the Game, 99 Powerdeck, 97 UD Predictor and five base cards.

Scott - Michael Young

2008 Upper Deck SP Chipper Jones .400 batting average

Scott send over some extra goodies with my spoils from the Updates and Highlights blaster break. I still think the SP set from this year is kind of boring, but this Chipper insert commemorating Chipper's run at .400 is pretty sweet. I'm looking forward to a few more of those kind of inserts next year.

Legends Masterpieces jersey of Joey Freaking Mullen!!!

I drooled over this card when it was first pulled in his Legends Masterpieces box break. The Flames, as you may know, were originally stationed in Atlanta before they were cruelly stolen by invading mounties. Man, it killed me when they won the Cup in '89. Joey, MacInnis, Otto, Gilmour, Fleury, Vernon... they should have been winning that cup for Atlanta! Now Atlanta has a new team whose terminal ineptness is killing my love for the sport. I need to buy a blaster of Legends, pull out the Super Nintendo and my EA Hockey cartridges and play a Stanley Cup tourney while ripping packs in between games to get me a good hockey fix.

Also: 08 SP Frenchy, 08Topps U&H gotay, Gold Ridgway

Chris - Warren Spahn SP

While there are other Masterpiece short prints I wouldn't mind having (Fisk for one) but Spahn is the only one I had to have. If I can just find a Chipper framed parallel I'll be golden.

2006 Ultimate Brian McCann 778/799

You know, Ultimate is one of those products I'd never give a second look to, but I have to admit the cards are really nice. Super thick, clean design and just a little bit of shiny. McCann in the catcher's gear is pretty cool too.

1997 Upper Deck Memorable Moments Andruw Jones

These die cut cards scan interestingly and were inserted into special packs of Collector's Choice back in '97. I got quite a few of those packs but I don't think I pulled this Andruw card commemorating his two World Series home runs. How the hell did we win two games in Yankee Stadium and then get swept? Why? How? Ugh.

Thanks everyone for the cool schtuff, some cards care coming back your way too. For the record the last card needed for the sets was a Randy Johnson and Warren Spahn. Not a bad pair of lefties.