New Baseballcardland - State of the Collection

This is the 249th post in the history of Four Baggers. 

Might as well talk about this pile of crap on my basement shelf...

Tending to the out of control mess in the basement room housing my collection, doesn't happen near as much as it needs to. We've lived in this house for almost five years now, and I've never had my stuff anywhere near organized. My office is a still a disaster of unsorted folders, notebooks and boxes of stuff I don't even remember. But that office will be tackled at some other undetermined point in the future. 

First, I have to make a significant dent in shaping this room up, before moving onto any other project. Between January and April of 2023, my efforts into card sorting, was all of the new acquisitions from between 2020 and 2022. 

Three years worth of ripped boxes and packs. Some of the hits, rookies and stars were already removed when I opened them. But there we're plenty of surprises popping out of those previously opened packs.

Totally forgot I had this one, and now it's actually quite a relevant card...

2021 Elite Extra Edition - Elly De La Cruz - Prime Numbers - Red Die-Cut

After scanning this die-cut card, I made a couple attempts at coloring the cut out areas black, to match the background of this page. But after making those couple attempts, it looked only slightly terrible. Rather than spend the required time to make it look good, I opted to just leave it alone. I may have to dig up a sheet of black paper to place over die-cut cards, when I try to scan them.

One more Cincinnati Red before moving on.

2021 Stadium Club - Johnny Bench - Black

Yes, it's a grainy colorized black and white newspaper photo, but this instantly became my favorite Johnny Bench photo I've ever seen. Don't know the occasion for the party, but Bench doesn't exactly look thrilled to be there.

Clearly not dead...

Knowing there was going to be a whole lot of searched pack searching going on, I have to give a brief acknowledgement to Ultra Pro, for making these great and reasonably price multi-packs of card sleeves. Reluctantly thanking both the WalMarts and Targets for keeping them in stock, when little-to-no baseball cards sit on the shelf. As you can tell, walking away from the retail card aisle with only a pack of penny sleeves, happened a lot during 2020 and 2021.

Sure wasn't a lot of fun dealing with big box retail and not being able to reward myself with a blaster of whatever, but I haven't had to worry about low inventory or purchase limits at the LCS, since!

Top Loaders are another story...

With all of the 2020-2022 singles sorted by team, stars and inserts weeded away from the commons, sleeved, then boxed up until I'm ready to deal with them again. For now, attention had to shift to the room those boxes would be stored inside. 

A room named New Baseballcardland.

Honoring the travels these immigrating cards have gone through, over a 30+ year journey, looking for a permanent home.

In late April of this year, I began straightening up this mess. The boxes all over the floor were arrivals to this room after the initial wave of my stuff in 2018. The pile in front of this picture came from my parents house. In waves, both before and after the May 2020 fire, that forced them out of the house they spent almost 50 years living in.

One day after starting, I'd emptied all of these boxes. They'd been filled with baseball books, magazines, memorabilia and all sorts of random stuff. Most of that was given a temporary home on the newer plastic shelf, wedged between the wire shelving on both walls. Once I free up space elsewhere in the room, that stuff will get a much more thorough going through.

The plan for much of the bulk is to be photographed and/or scanned, then recycled. Unless I deem it worth keeping. But I'd conservatively estimate at least 70% of that printed stuff will go. I can easily whittle a 100 page magazine down to a loose leaf story or two, placed in a folder, if it was something I'd use in a story later. Much space saved.

One day after starting, I'd cut the boxes from my parents house, down to this pile. Which was done by condensing mostly, only a small bag of trash at this point. I'm not going to start on those until I've got the cards at a decent stopping point. There's still more stuff in the garage that needs to come inside once I've made room down here.

The small box with the smoke damage on top, behind the white bucket, has already starred in it's own story, Abandoned Choo Choo. It's one of my favorites I've written.

The western half of New Baseballcardland, was home to the collectable toys. Hastily arranged in 2018, shortly after moving in. Which didn't take into account all of the stuff I hadn't even unpacked yet. Even further down the road, this area will be completely re-done. Named the Home Of Happy Playthings, after a box of plastic kites, that was delivered to the 99 Spillihp (parts one and two), in 1996. 

Presiding over the Home Of Happy Playthings, is: "Action Figures!" The greatest generic toy name you could ever have. Dollar store Rambo came along as a donation from the namer of the blog, about 15 years ago.

Featuring twistable waist with weapon accessories!

In typical fashion, after making significant progress on this room, over the course of a weekend in April, I stopped and did other stuff for three months. Meanwhile, in other rooms of the house, we finally had our new TV, unboxed and attached to the wall. It had only been sitting in that box since we bought it, back in February... 

This caused a small chain of television promotions. Our old TV room TV moved downstairs to my office, replacing that TV, which moved to New Baseballcardland. Who never had a TV before. Or even a stereo. It did have MP3's, if I brought my phone in there with me. There was also no cable TV to attach to the TV, in there. So I bought a cheap DVD player to hook up to the TV.

Since my old DVD player burned up in the fire at my parents house. 

The first DVD to air in New Baseballcardland? 

Ren & Stimpy!

Seemed appropriate given one of my prized pieces in all of the Home Of Happy Playthings, is Log.

Doktor John, on his first visit to Basement World, post Crapids Perkins Boothrotting, in July 1993: 

"Holy shit! YOU HAVE LOG!!!"

Yes I do.

"Hey kids! Start jumping up and down like idiots!"

"It's better than bad, it's good!"

After two days of work in New Baseballcardland, I slowed the pace. Then I worked on setting up smaller areas. I was pretty happy it looked like this on April 29, 2023. The floor was clear. I'd soon set up that green table behind the shelf, along with the rickety shower chair, I commandeered for the room. Then do some sorting under the smoked Rondell White autographed Twins jersey. 

******

For over 30 years now, Bowman has been the set I look the most forward to, each season. But the Bowman set is not like it used to be 30, or even 5 years ago. A combination of presentation, price, demand and production, has cut me down to usually buying one Hobby box each year, and calling it good. 

However, unlike in recent years, I’ve been able to find a decent amount of it for sale at the normal retail outlets. In 2020 and 2021, I did not find a single blaster or pack of Bowman at the retail level. (With the exception of five 2021 Bowman Mega Boxes I shockingly found at a nearby Walgreens.) I have found a little bit of 2022 Bowman here and there, but in 2023, I’ve finally run into a decent amount at various Targets and Walmarts. Including more Mega Boxes.

Guess that means production has now Toppsed demand?

Ha. Ha. Ha...

Unlike in recent years, Mega Boxes are now available at hobby shops, instead of being exclusive to retail. Which means another good thing for hobby shops, quick and easy access to singles, from packs already opened by customers. Easier and far cheaper to get cards you want, compared to buying a Mega Box blindly.

But that's fun too... 

2023 Bowman Mega Box - Brooks Lee

God I hate the Twins new uniforms...

2023 Bowman Mega Box - Nolan Gorman - ROTY Green

It could be argued this green parallel (numbered 79/99) could be the biggest hit I've pulled from a Mega Box. Gorman is doing well at the major league level, and it's a very nice looking card, so it's definitely a keeper.

Another contender?

When I bought a Mega Box at the LCS, I was told the autographs were rather scarce. He hadn't seen any come out of the boxes that were opened in the shop, and only heard that someone got one. But he didn't know what player it was.

Getting an autographed card would be nice, but not the goal of the product. I was perfectly satisfied with the promised 10 Mega Box base cards. Anything else was a pure bonus.

2023 Bowman Mega Box - Eric Brown Jr. - Autograph

Cool!

2022 First Round MLB Draft Pick (27th overall), 22 year old college shortstop, so there's potential. While he's not lighting the league on fire, the speedy shortstop may find a role in the Majors down the road. I've definitely pulled worse autographs out of Bowman products.

And it's a great looking card!

2023 Bowman - Matt Olson - Gold

Here's a nice hit pulled from a WalMarts Blaster, numbered 2/50.

Make's me feel bad.

Super A's Fan Rob does not like this card.

2023 Bowman Chrome - Lazaro Montes - Spotlight

Another nice hit, this one from the hobby box I overpaid for, when 2023 Bowman first hit the streets.

I absolutely can't complain about my guaranteed autograph in that same hobby box:

2023 Bowman Chrome - Samil De La Rosa - Autograph Refractor

Serial numbered 18/499, if he becomes something, this becomes something. A smaller infielder, De La Rosa probably wont develop into a big power hitter, but his numbers suggest he could develop into a starter at second base. Only 19, he could go either way. At least there's potential. Not a soft tossing 24 year old relief pitcher in AA... 

All of those 2023 Bowman cards are currently sitting on various shelves in New Baseballcardland. 

Not these shelves. These are for the magazines that will soon be ravaged and recycled.

Next to them, on the other side of the Montreal Expos jerseys, is the Shelves of the Three Teams I Collect.

The Montreal Expos shelf, as it was on April 29th, 2023

Consisting of seven albums of Expos cards, and assorted pieces of Expos swag I've accumulated over the years. It's a mess and needs attention. Still it provides a good home to such cards as little Jose...

2001 Topps Stars - Jose Vidro

The LCS recently brought in several boxes of 2001 Topps Stars. Haven’t seen many of these around over the last 22 years. Packs were more expensive than I’d prefer to pay. Thankfully, there was a small bin of sleeved and priced singles.

Like Vidro!

2023 Topps Silver Pack - Vladimir Guerrero

Again, Topps, thank you for continuing to make Vladimir Guerrero cards, to keep the Expos (at least somewhat) alive. But there are other stars and Hall of Famers that played in Montreal. Give some shine to Gary Carter, Larry Walker, Andre Dawson, Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson, Bill Lee and Archi Cianfrocco.

After some minor clean-up, here's the Montreal Expos shelf on August 1st, 2023. Not a final product by any means, but it's a better landing spot for new additions, as they're unearthed from whatever I find.

The shelf above it will definitely be redone at some point in the near future. However, that 1988 Kenner Starting Lineup Darryl Strawberry figure will always be prominently displayed. It was far too important in writing the Darryl Strawberry story that you should not read.

Well, here's an Expo that Topps forgets, and at least Panini remembers...

2023 Donruss - Tim Raines

I was so happy to pull this card from a pack. The photo timed so Panini didn't have to alter it much for logos. Bonus points awarded for it coming from the Expos spring training camp, in West Palm Beach, Florida. They used to share the training complex with the Atlanta Braves, back in the 1980's. You could always recognize photos taken in that ballpark, and they were in every set, back in the Junk Wax Era.

Nice to see it here, once again.

And I have to mention how much I've enjoyed packs of 2023 Donruss. Due to the Fanatics/Topps/MLB licensing agreement, Panini lost their contract with the Major League Players Association. Meaning that not only could they not use any logos of team names on the cards, now they couldn't make cards of current major leaguers. 

In order to still have a product to sell, Panini went with a mixture of baseball legends and minor league prospects. As it turns out, 2023 Donruss Baseball is a really fun and low cost rip. The set is very colorful even without logos. I like it so much, that I'm actually going to put the set together and keep it in an album. As on this writing, I'm only missing 22 cards. 

All thanks to those cheap retail packs and blasters, filled with a decent quantity of cards!

2023 Donruss - Nolan Ryan - Locked and Loaded - Rapture

I don't care that there isn't a red and white capital T on Nolan's hat.

This card is awesome and I hate the Texas Rangers.

2023 Donruss - Kirby Puckett - Orange Foil

Always love stuff like this from a pack, to add into the binders on the Twins shelf, at a low cost.

2023 Donruss - Termarr Johnson - On Fire

Pittsburgh's First Round Draft Pick (4th overall), in 2022. Johnson made quite an impression at last year's draft, while being interviewed by MLB Network after being drafted. Saying how he would work harder than everyone and make the other teams regret not taking him (paraphrasing somewhat). Again, he went 4th overall, so that's only 3 teams, but I immediately liked him. 

So, how's he doing a year later? The .236 batting average, with the Low A Bradenton Marauders isn't great. But his On Base Percentage is an eye popping .413. If he has that kind of plate discipline as a 19 year old, that batting average will absolutely grow as he learns the game. Depending on how all of those players that all of those teams drafted before him -all three of them- perform, Termarr looks like he could prove his statement. I know I'm interested in seeing what he does.

And the Pirates are still an interesting team. While their ownership has been inexcusably focused on only the wrong parts of owning an MLB franchise. (Raking in the financial benefits of revenue sharing, without spending it on his on-field Major League product.) Years of terribleness have resulted in a lot of their prospects starting to reach the majors. A brief success at the start of the 2023 season shows there is something developing in Pittsburgh. Injuries have affected things as well. But in another year or two, the Pirates could be a contender.

Of course that would take some patience and smart thinking by management, to not screw things up in an effort to save a few nickels today. Something they've not quite shown a track record of. So I propose trading Pirates owner, Robert Nutting, to the Arizona D-Bags, for... Let's say shortstop Jordan Lawlar! The Pirates can then move O'Neil Cruz to right field (or first base), where his body will hold up longer. 

As far as for what the D-Bags would do with Nutting?

Who cares! 

2023 Donruss - Harry Ford - Press Proof

I did buy a few hobby packs of 2023 Donruss and hit this nice Harry Ford Press Proof, numbered 2/5. Remember like 25-30 years ago, when Press Proofs were numbered out of 2000? I guess the presses have improved significantly in that time?

You'd think I'd know that...

2023 Donruss - George Brett - Cooperstown - Rapture

George Brett is a player I've never specifically collected, but he's one of the rare players on teams I don't collect, that I will often buy a single card of it I like it. This came from a pack, along with a couple other nice 2023 Donruss Brett inserts. 

2022 Stadium Club Chrome - George Brett - Blue Refractor

Case in point, I saw this for $5 and bought it without a second thought.

Serial numbered out of 50, yeah, I'll keep this.

Last month, the LCS introduced "The Farm". A bulletin board with cards of hot rookies and prospects. Featuring many new arrivals from various Bowman releases. A good amount of the freshly released Bowman Mega Box singles pinned to the board. Good deal for the store, since they were likely bought back from customers who ripped the packs and were unhappy with what they got.

I was told they had just put it together the night before, and I felt kind of bad in buying 7 cards off it right away. Would have taken more, but this unexpected new feature blew out my budget. I'm a sucker for prospect cards, and have been since my earliest days of collecting. Great stuff on the board though!

2022 Bowman Saphire - Pedro Pineda - Green

A $10 pick off The Farm. Serial numbered 16/50, I probably wouldn't have bought it had it been any other colored parallel. But a Green Saphire of an Oakland A's prospect? That just seems right. Of course, Pedro Pineda is several years away from playing in the Major Leagues. When he gets there, his employer will likely be the Las Vegas Athletics.

And that's the stupidest thing I've seen Major League Baseball allow, since it's slow murder of the Montreal Expos. 

What say you, Super A's Fan Rob?

Yeah... He's worse than ol' Bobnuts...

Not quite sure where he ranks amongst the all time worst, like Jeff Loria...

Whatever...

All this talk of poorly run teams brings to mind the Miami Marlins. (Previously owned by Jeff Loria, also the previous owner of the Montreal Expos.) I've been watching them collect prospects over the last few years and I find the team rather intriguing. Zero fan support. They play in an ugly stadium that no one wants to go to. Their ownership cares more about the bottom line than winning, and blames the fans for the lack of both.

There's a whole lot of similarities there...

2022 Topps ProDebut - Kahlil Watson - Pink

The same afternoon the LCS introduced me to the farm, one of the employees was ripping a box of 2022 Topps Pro Debut. This was one of the cards in the box, and it was quickly sleeved and placed on the Farm. And it was quickly added to my buy stack. Only $4, for a nice parallel of Miami's 2021 first round draft pick? Sure...

Then he gets traded to the Cleveland Guardians at the deadline (for Josh Bell). So much for that...

About 20 minutes later, finished with the Pro Debut box, his attention shifts to the 2023 Bowman Jumbo packs on the shelf. $55 a pack, tempting, but the odds are not in your favor... So he hits this card:

2023 Bowman Invicta - Jacob Berry - Autograph

Miami's 2022 first round draft pick (6th overall), serial numbered 97/99. Considered to be a polished hitter coming out of college, his production as a professional has been pretty lackluster. He is playing in AA despite just now completing a full year after signing, but you'd like to see more than a .234 batting average and a .660 OPS, over your first 500 minor league at-bats. 

After inquiring, I was told I could buy the card for the price of the pack. I debated for a moment, then agreed. It's too soon to label a highly regarded 22 year old a bust, after his first year of not so great numbers. And had I paid $55 for a pack and pulled this card, I would have been quite happy. 

So why didn't I ask for the other 31 cards?

As I said, I'm finding myself cheering for the Miami Marlins to succeed. I like the young core they've built with Bryan De La Cruz, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and others. Of course the trade with Minnesota to bring in this guy...

2023 Topps Big League - Luis Arraez

Bonus points to Topps for firing up the Photoshop to make an Arraez Marlins card, much quicker than I'd expected. 

I don't see Arraez hitting .400. It's a great story, and is bringing a lot of excitement to the Marlins (and the 27 people watching them), but no one is hitting .400 again. No knock on Arraez. Unfairly, it's a very unpopular trade up here in Minnesota...

Pablo Lopez has been every thing he was advertised to be, when he came to Minnesota. I cannot find anything to gripe about related to his performance. He made the All Star team, pitched like an ace, and quickly signed a four year contract extension with the Twins. 

We may need Arraez's hitting today, but look back in five years to see how this trade went. Nothing against Arraez, but I'm thinking Lopez will prove more valuable. I could easily be wrong. This can and will be debated forever in Minnesota, as Arraez was a huge fan favorite. But you've gotta give something to get something. And we needed what Lopez brings to the table over the next four years.

2023 Topps Silver Pack - Matt Wallner

Another pick off The Farm!

2023 Topps Silver Pack - Simeon Woods-Richardson - Autograph

(Note: I wrote the following when I was planning a separate 2023 Bowman story. I scrapped that, but still liked the Simeon Woods-Richardson piece. So here it is...)

I was really disappointed by Topps choice of photo for his Bowman rookie card. First off, I was hoping a card maker would have taken a photo from his lone Major League game (against Detroit) in 2022. Preferably one that included the back of his Twins jersey, that shows the "Woods-Richardson" arching around from the base of his jersey number, to the opposite side. Minnesota's new uniform theme includes a much smaller font for the letters and numbers. So when Woods-Richardson briefly appeared for the Twins in 2023, his jersey didn't look nearly as cool.

Oh, and second, I've already seen this photo...

I know, the Bowman card was first, but I didn't get a copy of it until after I picked up the 2023 Series 2 Silver Pack cards. Both regular and autographed. (Base was $1, and the auto was a steal at $3!) Cropped slightly different, but the same photo. 

2020 Bowman Mega Box - Royce Lewis - Green

Serial numbered 30/99. Lewis returned from a year long injury absence, to quickly become the Twins best player over the course of a month. To then get hurt for two months. Minnesota needs him back from injury yesterday...

At this point in the 2023, I fully expect the Twins to bumble themselves to the American League Central title with an 82-80 record. Just so they can go to the playoffs and lose in the first round. More importantly, continuing their losing streak of post-season games well into the 20's. This team is so disappointing to watch on a daily basis. 

I've been a big fan of Royce since the day the Twins drafted him, first overall in the 2017 MLB Draft. I believe he has all the potential in the world, and am going to collect his cards.

But I can't do this...

The baseball case at the LCS has some nice stuff on the top shelf, and that Royce Lewis is a card I dream of. Sure, the price even dropped by $600 recently, but I still can't do this...

Sure is a beautiful card...

Speaking of...

2022 Leaf Metal - Brooks Lee - 1st Round Gems - Blue Crystal - Autograph

Featured smack dab in the middle of The Farm, directly above another Panini Leaf autographed Brooks Lee card. Much uglier, but the same price. I looked closely at this fine specimen 

Hmmmm... ENHANCE!

Wow! That looks terrible!

But serial numbered 2 of 4!

For the Minnesota Twins Top Prospect. Only $40? 

That's not even a choice.

Brooks Lee was recently promoted to the AAA St. Paul Saints, after a very solid season with the AA Wichita Wind Surge. Still only 22 years old, and holding his own at shortstop, now just 11 miles from Target Field. Comparing Lee to the rest of the 2022 MLB Draft first rounders, the only pick that looks to be a better prospect at this point, would be the guy who went first overall last year...

2023 Bowman Chrome - Jackson Holliday - Autograph

Between a gift card and 30% off sale on The Farm, this set me back less than $100. More than I'd typically spend on a prospect that doesn't play for a team I like, but there's a lot to like about his potential. There's also a slight bonus because I watched his father toil away for many years in left field for the Colorado Rockies. 

Even though this isn't his autographed First Bowman Card, which I'd never spend what it took to buy, I wanted this one. If I were to have pulled this from a 2023 Bowman Hobby box, I would have been ecstatic. And that box would have likely cost 2-3 times what I paid for this card. Making this a no brainer purchase.

2023 Topps Heritage Chrome - Adley Rutschman - Black Refractor

Now this card was pulled from a pack.

And would likely sell for significantly more than what I paid for the box it came in...

On June 12th, 2023, I stopped by the WalMarts for a few things on my way home from work. They had a couple of 2023 Topps Heritage Mega Boxes on the shelf, and I was interested in three Blue Speckley Refractors promised on the box. Two of them sucked (Alex Bregman... booooooooo!), but the other one was Mike Trout. So awesome. Then the pack with Alex Bregman (booooooooo!) Blue Speckley Refractor, also had this gorgeous Adley Rutschman Black Refractor, serial numbered out of 73. 

I didn't expect anything like this from that box, and am in shock to have pulled a top rookie card in the set.

In that low of quantity.

2023 Topps Heritage - Emilio Pagan - Black

Similar, yet different, I found this 2023 Topps Heritage Black parallel of much maligned Twins pitcher, Emilio Pagan, at the LCS for $1. The Black parallels are supposed to be limited to only 100 copies of each card, though they are not serial numbered. And finding one on sale for $1 is a no brainer. Even if it is a card of Emilio Pagan.

And I will still cringe when he comes into the game.

2023 Topps Heritage - Kyle Farmer

God I really hate the Twins new uniforms. 

Especially when displayed via a Photoshop job THIS BAD!

Wow Topps, this should embarrass you...

Okay, that's enough about Expos, Marlins, Farms and bad Photoshoppery, we demand to know what's going on today, in New Baseballcardland!

Let's go back to March 19, 2022, to look at the Twins memorabilia shelves.

Piles on top of piles falling on top of piles. And in March 2022, there were so many piles of books, magazines and smaller boxes, spilling out onto the floor, I couldn't easily access these shelves to figure out what all was even on them.

Fast forward to August 1st, 2023. The first Twins memorabilia shelf is taking shape.

The shelf below it is looking a lot better.

Both shelves underneath them are just a temporary resting spot for some mostly empty boxes. And that Beckett Almanac that scored me a solid B-, on my book report a few years back.

Just across the shelving gap, is the shelf of Twins albums. Which looked like this on March 19, 2022. There is one of those MacFarlane Toys Joe Mauer figures on the shelf between the stacks of Twins albums. Not because I'm some big Joe Mauer fan, just that those figures were usually nice and detailed. And Mr. Spawn did an awesome job with recreating the catching pose and gear.

As I was writing this, the TV in the background was airing his induction into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame (Mauer became the 38th member). A few years ago, his jersey number 7, was retired by the Twins.I'd always assumed that he was already in the Twins Hall of Fame. After all, as far as team honoring's go, I would venture to say having your jersey number retired is a much bigger honor than the team's Hall of Fame. The numbers back me up...

Mauer in Cooperstown?

Not happening...

However, I did a Hall of Fame job lining up the Twins albums, shortly before this picture was taken on August 1st, 2023. Something I need to do is make more of those custom team album labels. Luckily I did save all of the InDesign templates and supporting art, when I made then about 8 years ago. I will not be updating the Twins labels for those awful new uniforms. Any further labels made will look like this. Only the numbers will have changed. 

One of the things I did after cleaning up New Baseballcardland, was to update all three sets of these albums. I had at least 800 new Twins cards to add into these albums, plus an additional 700 Rockies cards and about another 75 Expos cards. Clearing out a large "holding tank" box on another shelf that needs work at a much later date.

A holding tank that's already seeing new non-2023 visitors...

2022 Mosaic - Joe Ryan - Blue Prizm

The Targets has been stocking a few 2022 Mosaic jumbo packs, here and there. Now ringing up at $9.99 for 15 cards, instead of $14.99 for 15 cards. Excellent value when 4-6 of them look all colorful and trippy like this Joe Ryan rookie card.

2021 Topps Triple Threads - Ryan Jeffers - Autographed Triple Jersey Swatch

The same LCS that recently planted The Farm (in bulletin board form), also brought in this beautiful Ryan Jeffers rookie and a bunch of nice Byron Buxton serial numbered parallels.

This card is NOT waiting for a permanent home in the albums. It has already been moved from a thick Top Loader into a thick One Touch. Being 50 of 50 is a nice bonus, and Jeffers is developing well behind the plate for the Twins. I was happy for pay the serial number to buy this card.

2023 Topps Heritage Chrome - Byron Buxton - Refractor

From the few samples I've seen of these particular flavored Refractors, they look more pewter than silver. Still nice, but the silver seems different from previous years. Good photo for this one, instead of the typical Buxton head shot, Heritage offers up every year.

2023 Bowman - Byron Buxton - Neon Green

Except this one. Which came from a WalMarts Blaster.

Always cool to get a nice PC hit off a retail gamble.

2022 Topps Triple Threads - Byron Buxton - Emerald

Not a fan of this particular shade of green on this card.

2022 Optic Diamond Kings - Byron Buxton - Green Dragon

There was a recent run on lime-flavored Buxton inserts around these parts...

Green Dragon?!?

You know, I can't even make fun of that after Topps announced the "Tacofractor".

You can't imagine how much I wish I made that up.

Oh why not, one more from The Farm...

2022 Bowman Sterling - Lars Nootbaar

Japanese sensation, Lars Nootbaar, doesn't appear anywhere in 2023 Bowman. Guess there's no Mega Box card for me to chase... But a Bowman Sterling rookie card is a good thing. I actually bought a pack of 2022 Bowman Sterling. My autograph was meh... But there was Jasson Dominguez Gold Refractor in the pack, numbered out of 50. So I feel okay about it. 

Not okay enough to scan either of those cards apparently...

Back to New Baseballcardland and it's most pressing area of concern. The empty Wax Box Recycling Yard...

April 27, 2023. The Wax Box Recycling Yard has spilled over onto the floor. This is the result of at least four years of tossing empty boxes onto a shelf. Only reason they stopped here before going into the recycling is because I wanted to get photographs of, and/or scan them for possible use in future stories.

So I set up a staging area on my table and placed a paper bag for disposal next to it.

Some of the  boxes were set up in a display. 2021 Stadium Club Chrome was bought in bulk and discounted at the LCS, for some reason. I bought a lot of it, as it was a favorite of mine from 2021.

In case I may want to scan the box art later, I cut the box apart and set the panels aside. Box Art Pile will be sorted by year and set, then stored flat in envelopes. 

Because I said so.

Everything else was then torn down and bagged up for recycling.

This was a time consuming process. Good thing Ren & Stimpy were along for the mission. After about six hours of this, I'd done as much of the 2022 and 2021 boxes as I could find. I'm sure there's more under there, but these are mostly 2020 and earlier. They can wait until I can scrape up a chunk of time to do more of this.

And I'm bad at getting back to things... Back in March, I finally entered all of my redemption codes I've been sitting on for the last couple of years. Five with Topps and Eight with Panini.

Not even a month of waiting, Topps notified me that four of the five were shipping. Sweet! A few days later, the Fedex guy hands me an envelope with these redemption cards inside.

Including a nice 2021 Stadium Club Chrome Jarred Kelenic, 2022 Topps Heritage Wander Franco and the 2021 Bowman's Best Emmanuel Rodriguez. The number 3 prospect in the Twins system. Unfortunately that card goes to my mom, since she pulled the redemption and utilized me to deal with Topps website.

I was less optimistic about what Panini owes me. Their reputation for filling redemptions isn't great, and of the codes I entered, there was one I really wanted. one I wanted, and if the rest ended up being replacements... I really don't care about the players on those so much. So I'll wait them out until I'm told otherwise. Then I'll roll the dice on whatever they choose.

Oh good! Four months in, I am notified that the card I REALLY wanted was indeed shipping.

Panini Spectrum Deep Space - Aaron Judge - Autograph - Redemption

This card also belongs to my mom, so she's had good luck over the last year. Chronicles is one of her favorite sets, and it's been good to her in return.

Okay Panini, thanks a lot for the Judge.

Please send me my Jasson Dominguez autograph and I don't care what you send for the other six...

But Topps, I really really really really really really really really really really want this sent to me...

2022 Topps Update - Shohei Ohtani - All-Star Stitch - Autograph 

As I was writing this, I checked the status, and it said: Request Sub. No, I will not be doing that Topps. I want this card. I read through the last months worth of redemption reports, and it seems like Ohtani is signing a few cards, but just a few, each month. Understandable. I'm sure he's a busy guy. Maybe he'll catch up in the offseason. I'll wait as long as it takes. 

Because I really really really really really really really really really really want this card...

Not like Shohei Ohtani is going to sign with the Rockies next year, and I'd have to add a whole new wing to this shelf.

As of April 29, 2023, the Rockies shelf was in serious need of attention.

This just not a suitable home for the likes of Todd Hollandsworth...

2001 Topps Stars - Todd Hollandsworth

I barely remember former Los Angeles Dodgers Rookie of the Year, Todd Hollandsworth, playing for the Rockies. Even though I was living in Denver at the time. He sure doesn't look too thrilled about it. Maybe that capital H in his armpit is chaffing?

2019 Bowman Platinum - Riley Pint - Purple

Purple card parallels look strange for any team that's not the Rockies. 

Poor Riley Pint... One of the top pitching prospects going into the 2016 MLB Draft. Colorado had the 4th overall pick, and I was happy the Rockies had him available and took him. An absolute flame thrower out of high school, Pint never did master his control problems. Which even led him to retire for a brief time, in the middle of the 2021 season. He came back in 2022, then in May 2023, the Rockies called him up to the major leagues.

To date, he pitched one third of an inning, walking three and giving up a single and an earned run. He reappeared for 2 days in July, but went back to AAA without appearing in a game.

Well this is definitely an improvement.

The shelf underneath that one is reserved for Twins magazines and other baseball printed media, that I plan on keeping. It does need to be sorted, and will be factored in with the more disposable stuff next to it. That sorting mission will likely start after I finish the more pressing ones. Like that Wax Box Boneyard...

So there you have the State of the Collection at New Baseballcardland.

Progress is underway and very slow moving. 

But with Ren & Stimpy's help, oh wait, I'd moved onto 1985 Transformers cartoon on DVD... Well, they can help too... That progress will continue and not fade out as so many other projects have. I'd love to have this room organized. Something tells me it never will be...

And since I have nothing special to end this story with, here's another nice Brooks Lee card, from 2023 Bowman.

Lee appears in 2023 Donruss as well.

So that's... A good thing...

******

Since my next Four Baggers story will be #250, I have something special and different planned...

Number 250 sounds like a good time to look at this set of cards.

Which was picked up from the merch table at the best concert I've attended in over a decade!