OK. So I didn't actually go to the
National Sports Collectors Convention. It was in Cleveland. I've
been to Cleveland twice and I think I've hit about all I need to see
(except for the “Christmas Story house”. Besides, next year's
NSCC is back here in Chicago and if I put in my request for days off
now, I should be able to go (unless I'm paddling a kayak through some
remote waterway like I was the last time it was in the Windy City).
However, I was so jealous of everyone
posting their loot from the NSCC that I went online and bought some
cards. A healthy PayPal account and a couple of hours to spare led
me to pick up 17 new cards from COMC.com. For roughly the price of a
blaster I added 17 cards to my shoeboxes. Here, presented with
commentary are those 17 newest cards.
2011 Topps Finest Refractor Rookie
Autographs Zach Britton
It's
an Oriole. It's shiny. It has an on-card autograph. Winner Winner
Winner. Britton has taken over as the closer for the first place O's
and not doing a bad job of it. Say what you will about the O's front
office, but they saved themselves some money by letting Jim Johnson
($10 million) walk and finding a way out of the Grant Balfour ($4
million) contract.
Instead
they installed former starting rotation savior Britton in the closer
role and he's thrived. He's converted 24 saves while striking out 51
batters in 58 2/3 innings. All for the low, low sum of $522,000.
Which once again proves that teams that spend more than $4 million on
a closer are insane.
2008 Topps Sterling Eddie Murray
One
for the personal collection. For some reason I never know what to
make of these Sterling cards. I like the fact that they frame the
action, but the serial numbering seems excessive. Is there any
reason to only make 250 of these cards? Other than artificially
driving up the value of course.
2012 Topps Heritage Dee Gordon
I
have a deal with myself. Anytime I buy cards on COMC I have to knock
at least one card off of my “Wanted” list. I'm pretty sure that
I had this Gordon card at one point and then traded it away because I
am bad at keeping track of things. Oh well.
2010 Bowman Platinum Jake Arrieta
I've
been in Wrigley for two of Arrieta's starts this year. Both times
he's taken a no-hitter past the 5th
inning. I've never been to a professional game where a no-hitter has
been pitched. Much like knocking down a hole-in-one,I would like to
attend a no-hitter before I die. I should put together a
sports-related bucket lists of things I'd like to see that are out of
my control. I'd also like to catch a foul ball, just once. My niece
is five and she already has a foul ball. Life isn't fair.
2012 Topps Heritage Aroldis Chapman
He
throws really, really hard. I like the fact that there is someone
who just brings the heat. I also like the fact that he doesn't have
any wins this year. If you're a closer you should either get the save
or the loss. When I see a closer that has 5 or 6 wins I think, “He's
probably blown a lot of leads only to get bailed out by his offense
in the bottom of the inning.” That's not cool. Don't be a wins
poacher.
2013 Bowman Dylan Bundy
The
price was right for a rookie card of the O's best prospect. I'm glad
that they made it through the deadline without parting with any of
the big three young pitchers in the organization. While the pressure
to make a big deal to WIN NOW there is something to be said for
holding on to your prospects. Especially pitching prospects since
projecting their success is pretty much a crap shoot. Bundy is
working his way back from Tommy John surgery and it isn't
unreasonable to think he might make it back to the majors in time to
help the O's in September.
2012 Topps Chrome Wei-Yen Chen
If I
was to tell you Chen is 12-4 this year would you believe me? No, you
would probably go look it up and say, “huh – how about that”.
On a staff without a true ace Chen is at least the most consistent of
the starters. He goes out there every start and gives the O's about
6 innings of solid work. He doesn't dazzle nor does he get knocked
around. He's only had one start where he's gone less than 5 innings
(June 28th
against the Rays) and has only one start where he's gone eight
innings.
2013 Topps Manufactured Rookie Card
Patch Eddie Murray
Card
number two for the personal collection. Normally I'm not a fan of
the manufactured patch card, but at least it's not a fake jersey
letter. I kind of like the reprint of the rookie card on a cloth
background. I also like any card that says “Congratulations” on
the back. Thanks for the inspiration Topps!
2008 Razor Signature Series Bobby
Bundy
And
Justin G. goes WAY off the board for this pickup. Honestly, at this
point I was just looking for an on-card autograph at a reasonable
price. The older of the Bundy brothers, Bobby is also working his
way back from elbow surgery. After showing some success in the A
level, Bundy has struggled a bit over the last few years. If he can
work his way back from the elbow issue, maybe he can find a spot in
the organization as bullpen arm.
2009 Bowman Draft Picks and
Prospects Chris Tillman
I
guess Tillman is the “ace” of the staff. Or at least the number
one starter. Well, he was the opening day starter. It's kind of weird
to think that he is only 26 years old. Oriole fans have been on the
phenom/bust/phenom/bust roller coaster with him for what seems like a
decade.
He
has nine wins on the year which is boosted slightly by the 4.76
average in run support he gets during his starts. Come stretch
run/playoff time he's going to have to turn it up a notch as he won't
be seeing that type of support against quality teams.
2014 Bowman Blue Kevin Gausman
2014 Topps Kevin Gausman
2013 Bowman Draft Picks and
Prospects Blue Refractor Kevin Gausman
2013 Topps Finest Refractor Kevin
Gausman
Yeah,
I kind of went on a Gausman run there didn't I? When I went back to
Baltimore this summer for a wedding (Congrats Little Cuz!) it was in
the midst of the Jeff Samardzija trade talks. It kind of surprised me
that the popular consensus in the Charm City was that if the O's were
going to pull off the trade it would be better to ship Dylan Bundy to
Chicago instead of Gausman. Now granted some of that could have been
due to the “what have you done for me lately” syndrome. With
Bundy on the shelf and Gausman contributing it would be easy to
forget that Bundy is the top-rated prospect.
Luckily,
Oakland went all in for the Shark and O's fans can look forward to a
future rotation with both Gausman and Bundy starting. It'll be
interesting to see how much Gausman pitches down the stretch. He has
been bounced back and forth between Norfolk and Baltimore quite a bit
(12 starts in the majors and 11 in AAA) and is at about 112 innings
pitched between the two. In 2013 he threw about 129 innings.
In
spring training it looked like he would have an innings cap around170 innings, but since his last call up it seems like Buck Sholwalter
might be removing that limit. I could see him moving to the bullpen
once Miguel Gonzalez is recalled from the minors. Granted, I would
rather see Ubaldo Jimenez sitting out beyond center field eating
sunflower seeds, but you don't pay someone $11 million to pitch in
blowouts.
2000 Skybox Matt Riley
Speaking
about blowouts. Hey it's former prospect Matt Riley! I bought this
card more because of the photo than of the player (Motion Blur-Jo!). The former 3rd
round pick was a hard-throwing, left-handed prospect during the lean
years for the Orioles at the turn of the century. He lasted parts of
three seasons before injuries and a lack of discipline derailed his
chances of being the next Brad Pennington.
He
was shipped to Texas for the legend that was Ramon Nivar (one career
RBI for the O's) and then quietly faded away. Not before I stocked up
on a few of his rookie cards, though.
2008 Bowman Draft Picks &
Prospects Jake Arrieta
Another
early card of the Cubs current ace. Arrieta was the opening day
starter for the O's in 2012. By 2013 he was on the Cubs. The 2013
opening day starter for the O's was Jason Hammel. By 2014 he was on
the Cubs. The 2014 opening day starter for the O's was Chris Tillman.
Will he keep the streak going?
2013 Bowman Draft Picks &
Prospects Chrome Draft Picks Hunter Harvey
The
last card in the bunch has the longest set name in the history of
baseball cards. Also, in keeping with the Justin G. curse the day I
selected this card, Harvey was shut down for the season with an elbow
injury.
Seventeen
cards at an average of $1.44 per card. The most expensive card was
the Britton and the least expensive was the Dylan Bundy Bowman. The
card I feel like I overpaid the most for was the Matt Riley. The card
that looks better in person than online was the Britton. The best
value I thin was the Gausman Finest refractor.
