2015 Topps Stadium Club: I Have To Chime In

Well, so much for that unplanned vacation from the blog. I'm pretty sure it has been less than a month since I posted my "good-bye" post, yet I'm back here checking in. I promise I won't make a habit of this, but I have some time to kill and I happened to pick up a pack of Stadium Club while I was at Target today. So let's get down to the contents of my first pack in a few months!

Well, I couldn't think of a better first card to pull than the one above. I'm usually bombarded by Giants and Yankees when I open packs, but it looks like the card gods were on my side today. 

As we all know (probably), Stadium Club is Topps' photo focused brand (that assonance!), and I think they did a wonderful job this year. The "name plate" -- or whatever you wanna call the whole name, position, etc... on the bottom -- is unobtrusive and allows the photography to shine. I don't have a problem with the foil "name plates" -- again, call them what you wish -- though they don't necessarily come through so great in pictures. Too bad I don't have my scanner anymore. 

Oh, and darn you Topps for figuring out a way to get that picture onto a baseball card. I spent a few hours trying get that picture onto the custom cards I was making at one time, but I could never figure out a way to crop it correctly. Meh, guess that's why I don't work for Topps. At least we both had the same game in mind...

The rest of the pack was rather unexciting in comparison to the Kersh on top. 

Meh. I like Tyson, but Padres cards are always just a little bleh to me. I think the organization should take Marcus' advice and revert to the brown and yellow unis. 

David Ortiz is a decent pull. I enjoy the image; there is just something about these low angle shots that grab my attention. Just to think, I used to PC Big Papi only a few months ago...

It feels a little weird to say, but I got a little unlucky with this pull. I'm not totally positive, but I think inserts are seeded every few packs or so. I'm not generally a fan of inserts, though I kinda like this design. I think it loses a little of its luster being mixed in with some fantastic photography, but I'll take it nonetheless. I think I may have liked this card better if I pulled it out of Flagship or something. Context. 

Finally, I happened upon the sunset card of one of the better (and probably a little underrated) sluggers of the past generation. It feels weird to see Dunn in an Athletics jersey -- okay, maybe not as weird as Will Ferrell in an Athletics jersey -- but it's a cool card nonetheless. 

Other bloggers are saying packs are a little overpriced, but I just think they under filled. I don't have a problem spending three bucks on a pack of cards as nice as Stadium Club, but I would like the dollar to go a bit further. Maybe seven cards a pack would be better, especially considering the 300-card set list. That said, I'm just glad these cards were available in retail this year. 

Overall, I think Stadium Club is one of the best products of 2015. The pictures are fantastic. The checklist has a good mixture of legends and current players. Oh, and I pulled Clayton Kershaw in my first (and probably last) pack of the product. That alone is good enough to crown it Set of the Year in my book. 

That's All, Folks

About a year and a half ago I started this blog with the intention of ranting about the Dodgers. And I did. For all of one post. In fact, it was less of a rant and more of me predicting how the off-season would go. I did pretty damn good if you were wondering. But I digress...

To be honest, I didn't think this whole blogging thing would last. I had started numerous blogs over the years, all with varying lifespans. I always wanted to write about the Dodgers, but could never find a reason to post consistently. And then I started getting back into cards. 

I started to pick up packs here and there and even a card on eBay from time to time. I posted some of my favorites here on the blog in posts I called 'Card of the Day'. Eventually, I moved on from that and started writing more about the cards, rather than just posting a picture of them with a line or two of how much it cost me. Pretty soon I was pumping out posts daily, running contests, and reading other blogs whenever I had a free moment. But, as it happens to most of us, life got in the way, and now I am stepping back from the hobby.

I'm not sure how long my sabbatical will last. I imagine I won't collect again until at least after college, so like another 4-5 years. And even then, who knows if the desire wills till be there. Hopefully by that time, however, I'll be making so much money, I can just flat out buy Topps (yea, not gonna happen). 

I'll still be checking out blogs from time to time, and I may even pick up a card or two over the next few years, but my time blogging is done. 

That said, I'd just like to thank a few people in this community that have been especially kind to me. Greg, Matthew, Nick, Austin, Andrew, and William, you guys are all exceptionally awesome, and I wish you nothing but the best with your collections going forward. 

Thanks again everyone!

Update On Chavez Ravining Fantasy Baseball

I've been incredibly busy over the past few weeks which is evident from my lack of blog posts. I have a ton of awesome cards to show off still, but other than a pair of blasters I bought when 2015 Flagship came out, I haven't bought much. 

Anyway. I just wanted to give a quick update on the Chavez Ravining Fantasy Baseball league. I have been slow to putting it together, but everyone who is interested should be added to the league by the end of the week. I am still accepting sign-ups as well, so feel free to comment if you'd like to join.

Here are some of the basic rules of the league: 

• Dynasty League (Will go for more than one year)
• Mixed league (both NL and AL)
• 6X6 rotisserie scoring
• Batters: R, HR, RBI, SB, AVG, OBP
• Pitchers: K, W, SV, ERA, WHIP, K/9
• Hosted on ESPN
• Free to play (No entry fee)
• About 50% of the roster will be kept year-to-year

As far as the rules go, it is pretty much the same as it was last year. I didn't really notice any problems, but if you have any suggestions just let me know. Also, we will talk more in detail about the league specifics as I add you to the league as well as the blog I have set up for the league. 

Here is a list of who is currently signed up for the league:

• Dodger Penguin (Matthew)
• Mets Cardboard (Justin)
• Frankie M.
• Tim B. 
• Yadier Molina Baseball Cards (Brady)
• Kyle B.
• Need More Cardboard (Andrew)
• Brandon L.
• Chavez Ravining (Me!)

I have also heard from Tony L. and Greg Z., but I'm not quite sure if they are joining or not. We currently have nine members for sure (including me), but that number may jump up to eleven if both Tony and Greg join. EDIT: Brandon had to bow out, but we still have plenty of members. Eight for sure. 

Let me know if I inadvertently left you off the list. I double checked the comments and my email, but I seemingly always forget people in things like this. I have contacted most of you about the league already, so  I will start adding people to the ESPN page today. I'll also be adding all of the members to the Chavez Ravining Fantasy Baseball blog I started last year. This blog will be the place to contact other members of the league, as well as make announcements, talk about trades, etc.. Everyone in the league will have full admin rights to the blog, so feel free to post as often as you'd like. 

That's it for now. Hopefully I will be able to get some actual cards posted soon, but we'll see. Thanks!

A Quick Trade With William

I completed my sixth trade with William of Foul Bunt recently. Well, I'm not sure completed is the right term. William sent me some cool cards, but I have yet to send a care package back his way. Don't worry, William. A pile is going for you and it will be sent out the next round of shipping. 

Anyway. Let's get to the cards William sent me this time around. 

This particular package was relatively small, but I picked out a few of my favorites to highlight her on the blog. First we have a fantastic Dusty Baker card, unlicensed of course. 

I'm not the biggest fan of these Golden Age cards, or Panini products in general (they do have some cool hits though), but I like the overall design of the cards. Too bad there is no LA logo. 

William also tossed in a trio of Chris Davis cards for my buddy Dikran. I passed these cards his way a few weeks back and he was excited for the new additions. If anyone has any extra Davis cards laying around, feel free to send them to me or William. I'm sure we'd both appreciate them.

Thanks again for the trade William. Expect some cards in your mailbox soon. 

Chavez Ravining Fantasy Baseball

I've been waiting to write this posts for months. After the success of last year's league, I've been chomping at the bit to start up again. Although the league as a whole was a success, there were a few improvements that can be made for 2015 (including a few things I could have done better); but we'll talk about tweaking the rules/points a bit further down the line.

Let's talk about some of the format and some of the basic rules for 2015 before we get to the signups.

1. This will be a dynasty league. This means that we will carry this league on for as long as people are willing to stay in it. But don't worry, owners will have the chance to leave at the end of the year if it just isn't working for them.

2. It will be rotisserie scoring. This means that points will be scored by counting stats, and there will be no head-to-head match-ups. We will be using ESPN to play. 

3. Please, please pay attention and keep up with the league if you are apart of it. I understand that life gets in the way and we can all get busy at times, but the league doesn't work unless all of the participants are active. If you can spend at least ten minutes a week keeping up with trade offers etc. it would be greatly appreciated.

That is pretty much the extent of it right now. I have a good idea with where we will head going into the season, but I'd rather have that discussion on the Fantasy Baseball blog itself. 

If you are interested in participating, simply leave me a comment or send me an email.

You are not locked into participating by doing this, so even if you are unsure if you want to participate you should still contact me. 

Also, I am more than willing to here suggestions about the league in the comments section. Don't want to do the dynasty format? Think we should do something else? Just let me know.

Looking forward to another great year!


EDIT: Here is some more info about the league. These are the thoughts I've had, so all the rules, format is up for discussion. 

• Mixed league (both NL and AL)
• 6X6 scoring
• Batters: R, HR, RBI, SB, AVG, OBP
• Pitchers: K, W, SV, ERA, WHIP, K/9
• Hosted on ESPN.
• Last year was free to play, may consider a small buy-in with prizes at the end of year.  Open to both options.
• About 50% of the roster will be kept year-to-year.
• Tenative Roster Limits. Depends on how many people participate. 

Catcher (C)	1	No Limit
First Base (1B)	1	No Limit
Second Base (2B)	1	No Limit
Third Base (3B)	1	No Limit
Shortstop (SS)	1	No Limit
Middle Infielder (2B/SS)	1	N/A
Corner Infielder (1B/3B)	1	N/A
Left Field (LF)	0	No Limit
Center Field (CF)	0	No Limit
Right Field (RF)	0	No Limit
Outfield (OF)	5	N/A
Designated Hitter (DH)	1	No Limit
Utility (UTIL)	2	N/A
Pitcher (P)	10	N/A
Starting Pitcher (SP)	0	No Limit
Relief Pitcher (RP)	0	No Limit
Bench (BE)	4	N/A
Disabled List (DL)	2	N/A

An Attempt To Clean Up The Scans Folder

Whew. It's been a long week. A loooooong week. In fact, this was probably the busiest week of my life. I figured school might get a bit busy toward finals, but I was welcomed aboard the struggle bus in just week five. When I wasn't in class or working at the tutorial center, I was doing homework. A ton of homework. Like a lot of homework. So much homework that I've only slept for about 12 total hours since Monday night. I'm still not sure why I'm at my computer rather than in bed.

Anywho. Let's get to some recent additions.

I'll start with a sweet pull from a pack of 2015 Topps -- pulled by my father of course. That man rarely ever buys cards, but he always manages to get something cool. I threw this up on eBay, but I'd be more than willing to swap it for a similar parallel of a Dodger. It's limited to just 99 copies, so we'll see what kind of interest it gets.

If this card looks familiar it is probably because I posted it back in October. Well, not the same exact card, but one of the other twenty-five. My buddy Dikran picked this up on the bay last week thinking that I could add it to the PC. I already have one, but I don't mind adding another beauty to the PC. Eight percent of the print run down; bring on the other twenty-three cards!

I also picked up a pair of fantastic new Kemp patches recently. I actually bought the top one, while my buddy ran across the bottom one right before the auction ended. We ended up walking away with both of them for just under ten bucks. 

I really enjoy the look of these cards, as well as the colorful patches. However, the thing that stands out just might be the description on the back. Panini tells us a little story about a game Kemp had back in 2013; but, it's what is in parentheses right under that which stands out. 

The enclosed game-worn (worn July 3, 2013) material is guaranteed by Panini America, Inc.

I have been a bit skeptical about the authenticity of relic cards for quite some time, but never enough to stop buying them. I do think the addition of the game-worn date does make the card feel much more authentic. I'm hoping we see this more in the hobby moving forward. 

Finally, we move on to yet another piece of cardboard that is in my possession thanks to a friendly tip from Greg. Seriously, if I were to ever become a billionaire, I would hire him to go and buy me some art. He really knows how to find a deal. 

Greg suggested I purchase this way back in December, and I believe I got it for about a buck or two. Initially, there is not much that stands out with this card. A closer inspection of the back, however, reveals that this is the no-number SSP. I'm not sure how limited these are, but I'm happy to finally add one to my ever-growing Matt Kemp PC. 

2015 Topps Is Here, Am I Late To The Party?

Well, it's that time of the year again. 2015 Flagship is out, and if you are lucky a Target near you has it. Dikran and I picked up a pair of blasters earlier this week, so let's take a look. 

Eww. This was my first card of 2015. (Hint: It's a sign of things to come...for me at least)

The box may have started with a Giant, but I was lucky enough to pull a pair of Dodgers a couple packs later. Overall, I enjoy the look of the set. I'm digging the colorful borders, especially considering we get the team color treatment. So much beautiful blue. 

Let's take a look at another shade of blue: Rangers blue. I pulled this sweet card just moments after Dikran pulled it from his blaster. Typically I'm not upset with a pair of cards for my PC, but the collation on these cards was horrific. Two blasters comes to around 200 cards and they yielded 26 dupes. Not Topps' best day. 

I did, however, enjoy the return of the team card. They've been absent the past few years, but they are back in 2015 and I'm digging the look. This happens to be one of those rainbow foil variations (another great idea). It's currently set aside to go to Bob Walk The Plank, but I have an inkling to keep it for myself. 

On second thought, I'll just keep this one. It features three players (Denard Span, a former Dodger, and a future Dodger) and, it is destined for my Harper binder. 

Inserts are pretty dull (again), but I did manage to nab a Harper from one of my packs. Dull or not, I'll take any cards from my PC guys. 

Now here are some decent looking inserts. They're not the greatest looking cards you'll ever find, but the idea is pretty cool. I'm always down to add new Robinson cards to the collection, so I'm excited to go after this subset. 

I'm getting pretty tired of these to be honest. They just seem too cramped. Also, it would have nice to see a different A-Gon photo considering we see the same one on his base card. But hey, a new Kershaw!

Other than that gold foil Pirates card, this was the only other parallel in either blaster box. I'm digging the look of these parallels so far, so I'd like to get my hands on some Dodgers. This is headed to Tony L. 

That was pretty much all of the excitement as far as the base cards go. Each blaster did promise a relic though, so let's take a look.

Dikran managed to pull that aptly colored Goldschmidt, whereas I pulled that awkward Cespedes card. Topps must have produced these a while back because Cespedes has now been on two different teams since he was last on the A's. But, I guess these are commemorating the player's first homer, so it make a bit of sense. 

Both of these are on eBay for the time being. I'd typically trade these away, but the good ol' bank account could use a gift right about now. 

Overall, I liked the set. Definitely the best of the past ten years or so. The design is great. The inserts are dull. Collation is still a problem. Lack of Dodgers always stinks. Excited to see what parallels look like, especially when Chrome comes out.The good definitely outweighed the bad, and I am excited to get my hands on more. Especially the last Matt Kemp card as a Dodger. 

Life and Baseball Cards: A Trade

I recently completed my first trade with CC of Life and Baseball Cards. He contacted me way back at the end of December, but I am just getting around to posting about the trade. YOu can check out what I sent him here. 

This trade package was awesome all the way around, so picking a favorite was tough. But, if I had to pick a favorite card, I'd pick this one. For whatever reason, I am a big fan of the "back to the camera" shots, even more so considering the beauty of '42' on the back of the jersey. 

I mistakenly scanned the card with the penny sleeve which left a large number 51 in the upper right hand corner of the scan, but it is too late to go back and re-scan it now. 

CC also sent over this sweet bronze framed Jackie from Gypsy Queen. I already filed the card, so I'm not positive what year this bad boy comes from, but my gut is saying 2013. I guess I'll have to look that up.

CC also added some cool new Beltre's in the package. First up we have this cool relic card featuring Beltre as a Mariner. The overall design on this card is decent, but I still don't like seeing Beltre in those Mariner unis. 

Last but not least, we have a pair of fantastic Beltre cards that are bit odd-ballish. Again, I filed the cards already so I cannot remember the exact details about the cards, but CC mentioned what they were in our email.  

2005 Throwback Threads  Adrian Beltre Polo Grounds PG-69 (#’ed 54/65)
2005 Throwback Threads Adrian Beltre Polo Grounds PG-69 (#’ed 44/60)

For the life of me, I cannot remember which company made these cards, but I am leaning towards Donruss. These just seem like something Donruss would produce in the mid-2000's. 

Thanks again for the trade, CC! I look forward to the next one!

A Smudged Matt Kemp Auto Is Still A Matt Kemp Auto

At one point in my blogging career I would post new autographs the day I got them. Especially if they were Matt Kemp autographs. However, times have changed and so have my posting habits. 

I picked this card up way back in the early part of December for a mere seven bucks. The auto is quite smudged, but that is okay with me. It isn't like I am planning on getting this card graded. 

This is officially my 15th Matt Kemp auto, though I do have a few others in hand waiting to be posted. One of these days I'm going to catch up with Greg and surpass his masterful Kemp PC. 

Parks and Recreation Autos are LITERALLY Amazing!

I developed a relationship with Netflix shortly after I graduated high school back in 2011. Since then, Netflix and I have established quite a close bond. Seriously, Netflix is the ultimate investment for college students. 

One of the many numerous shows that I've grown attached to over this time has been Parks and Recreation. I've professed my love for it many times before (like here, here, and here) and I'm back at it again today. 

I've been on the lookout for this card for quite some time now, but I was never able to secure it for a price I was comfortable with. Hours before I got this one, I nearly spent twice as much for a different copy that I thankfully lost. Luckily, Greg (once again) sent me a message on twitter with a link to this card with a stellar BIN price. I jumped at the opportunity, and secured one of the more difficult autos from the set. 

I figured I might as well take a look at some of the other cards the seller had up for grabs and walked away with another much needed auto for the set. 

Surprisingly, this was one of the hardest ones to track down for a good price. I ended up spending a little bit more than I was initially anticipating for this card, but I still got it for a good price. Not to mention, I saved on combined shipping. 

With these two additions, I am quickly approaching the completion of the autograph set. I recently acquired another card from the set, so I am left with only three cards needed to finish it off. Considering one of my 2015 goals was to finish this autograph set, I am pretty excited that I have completed as much as I have in only a month. 

Crush Davis

As I have mentioned a time or two on here, my best friend Dikran is a big fan of Chris Davis. At one point, Dikran had a blog going, but it was short lived. Due to his inability to keep up with his blog, I figured I would show off some of his newest additions from time to time. 

I actually purchased this card as sort of a late Christmas gift for him. It was had for only a couple bucks cheaper than a blaster, and features a sick three-colored patch of the O's away jersey. The patch and low-numbering are sweet, but the lack of color on Davis' jersey is a bit disappointing. For a team as colorful as Baltimore, going with a black and white photoshopped jersey color is unsatisfying. Nevertheless, it is still a cool card overall and a welcome addition to my buddy's PC. 

Let's Do Some Housekeeping

I was browsing the blogs last night when I came across a fantastic post by Zippy Zappy over at Torren' Up Cards. I have not had the pleasure of dealing with him yet, but perhaps that will change one of these days.

Anyway. In spite of some recent events, Zippy Zappy went over his trading Code of Conduct. It was definitely a good read, so I encourage you all to go and check it out. 

In the post, ZZ discussed building trust with trading partners. The post made me think about how I go about trades, contests, and other blog related dealings, but most importantly, it reminded me of all the people I owe cards to. 

In an effort to make things right with some of the fantastic people out there in cardboard land, I am posting this as a reminder to myself , and to those I have dealings with, to make things right.

If I owe you cards, or if we have a deal in place that hasn't been completed, please comment on this post. 

A combination of school and work has taken up a ton of my free time, and I am getting forgetful in my young age. 

Below is a list of people I know I owe cards to. If you aren't on this list, and we haven't spoken in the past few weeks, please contact me. 

• Ruben Lipsyzc (USA Relics from Contest)
• Matthew Wilson (K-Mart Set)
• Bo Rosny (K-Mart Set)
• Fantastic Catch (Bowman Minis + Cardinals)
• Nomo's Sushi Platter (Dodgers) 
• Nachos Grande (Set needs + more)
• Night Owl (Dodgers Needs)

I'm pretty positive that those are the only people I owe cards to. I double checked my email and Twitter inbox and can't find anyone else. However, I am human and I may have missed someone. 

By the way, here is one of my more recent Kemp pickups. Shiny blue cards are fun. 

Dodger Penguin is Holding a Wallet Card Contest

The title says it all, really. 

Head on over to Dodger Penguin to get in on his latest season long contest. I believe there is something like seven autos up for grabs, including an auto from Clayton Kershaw. 

Go for the contest, stay for the awesome new site design. 

CHECK OUT THE CONTEST HERE

Crème de la Crème

The crème de la crème. The best of the best. The cream of the crop. The pick of the litter. Whatever you wanna call it, I have it. 

"What is is it?" you might ask. Well, I'll show you. 

That's right. I got my hands on a 2005 Bowman Chrome Matt Kemp rookie auto. 

This card has been atop of my want list ever since my want list was a thing. With an influx of Christmas money, I finally ponied up the money and bought one shortly after the holiday. 

This is (at least for me) the card that any serious Matt Kemp collectors need to acquire. The crappy scan does not do this card justice at all. It looks truly phenomenal in person. 

I'm still not sure what to say about this card. I absolutely love it. It wasn't cheap, in fact it is the most expensive card I've purchased to date. I'm sending it off to get graded, and hopefully I'll have more to say when it gets back. I have my fingers crossed for at least a 9 overall. We'll see. 

Let's Go Colts!

I am a big fan of the Indianapolis Colts, yet my collection rarely delves into football. I do have some Colts cards, but I simply don't have enough space or money to really get into another realm of collecting. I do appreciate the Colts cards that I have been able to pick up though. Check out some of my favorites below. 

Good luck, Colts! Beat the Patriots!!!

A Burt Reynolds Auto!

I have been amigos with Greg over at Plaschke, They Sweater is Argyle for quite some time now. I read his blog long before I got back into collecting, and ultimately his blog is the reason I decided to start my own. 

Greg has also been a big influence my television show viewing. His post on quite possibly the greatest TTM return ever got me to watch Parks and Rec. Which, in turn, led me to start collecting all of the Parks and Rec autos. A goal I am still attempting to complete. 

Greg also suggested I watch Archer. I took him up on this suggestion and instantly fell in love with the show. Of course, I had to go out and pick up some of the cards from the set, which you can see here. However, it wasn't until recently that I actually began my pursuit of the 15-card autograph set. 

Thanks to Greg's magic powers in finding crazy good deals on eBay, I am now the proud owner of my very first Archer autograph. 

I was able to secure this bad boy for the price of a blaster, simply due to the smudged autograph. While it would be nice to have a perfect autograph, I cant complain abut the imperfection or the price of the card. 

There isn't much out there in terms of Archer/Burt Reynolds videos, so I would suggest that you just watch the entire series on Netflix.

Thanks again for the heads up, Greg! 

Chad Billingsley, You're My Hero

I mentioned my overflowing scans folder in one of my last posts, and I am feeling pretty thankful for that at the moment. I have only attended three of my six classes so far, but it looks like the work will be piling up. Of course, if you add in my time spent working at the tutorial center and my other job, my schedule looks like hell. 

The problem with my scans folder is that it is filled with Matt Kemp related posts. Shortly after he was traded to San Diego, I went on an eBay binge, and I am now left with a ton of posts on the dude. But, in an effort to spare my readers of so many consecutive Kemp posts, I am going to bounce around to some of the other subjects in my scan folder. 

One of those subjects is Chad Billingsley. I recently started an official PC for him, so I naturally fled to the bay to snap up any good deals. I found plenty, but this may be my favorite one. 

As the slab shows, this stunning card comes from 2003 Bowman Chrome Draft Picks. It features a great on-card autograph from C-Bills, and even warranted a 'Mint 9' grade from PSA. 

Injuries have plagued Bills for the past few years, and the value on his cards has declined tremendously. While that sucsk for some people, it is a great advantage for me. The beauty that you see above ran me less than six bucks shipped. A phenomenal price for an autographed rookie card, and a graded one at that.