Trading Time - Bringing in Some New Cards

Sometimes I set goals just so that I can't meet them and then feel somewhat crappy about it (trade 5,000 cards in a year). Other times I set goals that are easy to meet so that I can feel good about it (create a list of things to do that starts with “create a list”). Most of the times I pick something in the middle.

This summer I'm looking to crack 100 trades on Zistle. I started at 79 so it's not inconceivable that I can knock out 20 over the next couple of months. In fact, in the span of about 2 weeks I've completed 4. Let's look at trade number 83:

I reached out to user Sdre31 looking to unload some extra 2015 Topps base cards I had sitting around. In exchange he sent the following:

2000 Topps Will Clark

Yes, Will the Thrill played parts of two seasons with the Birds. Over 156 games he hit .302 with 19 home runs. I really enjoyed the Topps 2000 set. It was simple yet effective.

2010 Topps Randy Wells and 2010 St. Louis Cardinals

Two more base cards for a set I have a looooong way to go before completing. As in, almost the entire series two portion. Not sure why I choose this set to complete as I really don't care for it that much.

1989 Topps Joe Orsulak

That's right, another Smokin' Joe O card. A somewhat interesting note about this card. The action portion shows Orsulak wearing the 1988 uniform with the cartoon bird on the helmet. The superimposed head shot is of him wearing the ornithological correct bird which was introduced in 1989. I was never a fan of that hat.

2008 Upper Deck Documentary Orioles Cards

Perhaps one of the most ambitious sets ever created. The 2008 Documentary set totaled 4,890 cards. Each team had 163 cards depicting each game they played in 2008. That was not the best year to document the O's as they finished 5^th in the AL East with a record of 68-93. The best thing that happened in 2008 happened before the season started when they dealt Erik Bedard to the Mariners for Adam Jones, George Sherrill, Chris Tillman (forgot he was in the trade), Tony Butler and Kam Mickolio in what has to be the greatest non-Frank Robinson trade in club history.

The cards I received kind of play out the fact that they weren't that good. Of the 5 cads, 4 of them documented losses:

Game 84 –5-2 Win against the Royals. Danial Cabrera with the complete game win! So why is Jeremy Guthrie pictured?  Who knows?  That was part of the fun of the set.  The cards didn't always match the games described.

Game 85 – 10-7 Loss to the Royals. Who gave up those 10 runs? Why it was Garret Olson, Adam Loewen (actually pictured on the card), Chad Bradford, Lance Cormier and Fernando Cabrera. Look the O's pitching staff has been a disaster for years!

Game 98 – 5-1 loss to the Tigers. Justin Verlander scattered 3 hits in working 8.2 innings against the O's. Nick Markakis did not get one of those hits (but someone named Guillermo Quiroz did).  When you talk about the doldrums of the major league season, this is the type of game you're referring to as the teams went into the game with matching 48-49 records and well out of the playoff hunt.

Game 103- 6-5 Loss to the Los Angeles Angels. Look it's Melvin Mora! Mora played a decade in Baltimore. Over those 1,256 games he hit .280 with 158 home runs. He really was a solid player for some very bad teams. In 2015 he was inducted into the team's Hall of Fame.  Well deserved I think.

Game 140- 11-2 Loss to Athletics. Adam Jones is pictured with the caption “Rookie is one of few bright spots for the Orioles”. On the back of the card the rookie referenced is – Lou Montanez! A month earlier Montanez had hit a home run in his major league debut

There was some actual talk of Montanez being a prospect for the team based on his play at the end of 2008. Sadly he was never able to duplicate the success and after two more seasons with the O's organization he signed as a free agent with the Chicago Cubs. He spent the 2011 season in the Windy City and hasn't been seen in the majors since.

Thanks for the trade!