Trade Me Anything XVIII: #6

Trades like the one I'm about to share are actually my favorite.  A few cards sent, a few cards gained, and I get to delete a little bit from my want list.  (Don't get me wrong, I love getting books and Brewers and stickers and gadgets and everything else, but a want list trade is a fastball over the plate for me.)  This one is from Daniel. 

 

Giving:

#US49 Jared Jones, #US12 Jon Berti, #US134 Cade Smith, #US163 Clayton Andrews / Josh Maciejewski 

Getting:

1983 Topps #770 Dave Winfield

When typing out want list numbers, it's always a little disconcerting to see a Topps cards that you need that ends in a zero.  I'm glad to have Dave become a part of my still-incomplete set.

1980 Topps #110 Fred Lynn, #663 Ralph Botting / Bob Clark / Dickie Thon

Ditto on the Lynn.  I don't remember having any other Botting cards (only pitched in 18 games in his career), but Clark pops up from time to time in stacks of Brewers, and Thickie Don is a legend in his own right (and a short-time Brewer).

1987 Fleer #328 Tim Raines, 1987 Fleer All Star Team #8 Todd Worrell

I swear you could insulate a 3,000-square-foot home with 1987 cards and stickers featuring Worrell.  Decent career, but three cards in 1987 Topps was some overkill.  This insert is cool, though.

1997 Pinnacle Denny's #8 John Jaha

Jaha is kind of the face of the dark years between Yount's retirement and the emergence of Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun in the late 2000s.  He's what passed for a good player in Milwaukee.  If he was several years older or younger, he would have been a great companion piece to a pennant winner, but wasn't the guy to carry a team.

Thanks, Daniel!  I always appreciate help crossing a few cards off the list.

Trade Me Anything XVIII: #5

A little bit of background here.  This package actually arrived in mid-to-late December.  I always post these in the order in which they are received, and when this trade was up next on the docket, we were in the week between Christmas and New Year's.  During that time, first my wife, and then I, got really sick.  She was diagnosed with type A influenza.  For four days it was mostly body aches and feeling like doing absolutely nothing, even sleeping, since that was usually when I felt the worst.  She felt better by New Year's Eve and was out with the kids doing some round robin drinks and merriment with some of the neighbors.  They got home a little after midnight, and I had already been in bed for a while, feeling like garbage.  Then I woke up around 1:15 in the morning and felt great all of a sudden.  Within that hour it finally went away.  School started up again on January 2nd, and there's been a lot going on otherwise, so that's why I'm just getting to share this trade today.  In a strange way, the delay makes this one so much better.  You'll see.

This one is from Patrick (aka Zpop).

Giving:

#T89CU-60 Pedro Martinez 1989 Topps 35th Anniversary Refractor, #AT-35 Stephen Strasburg Autumn Tales

Getting:

1997 Upper Deck Collector's Choice Sealed Factory Set

Wow!  I think that's the first time something like this has ever been traded to me for TMA.  That's overly generous and greatly appreciated.

1995 Brewers Police Bob Uecker

I wish I had the words for this one.  When this card was sent and received, Bob was still with us.  I'm still going back and forth on whether I should write a tribute post.  There's not much I could say that would properly honor his legacy.  In short, the team didn't deserve his talent.  He was the best ever at what he did.  You can argue with that, but you'd be wrong.  He made a horrible,  miserly franchise fun to listen to.  He deserved better.

Thanks for the trade, Patrick!  The single card you sent was oddly prescient.  You should go do some gambling with that skill of yours.

Packs That Just Showed Up #7

Forty-three posts in 2024?

Unacceptable.

That was the lowest annual total since this blog began.  Things are going to change in 2025, and that change starts today.

This is the final pack that just showed up, and it's from the set with the earliest release date of all the packs.  Fleer released its 2007 Ultra set that July.  That's over 17 years ago, a few months after I started my card blog.  It's a small pack, only five cards, so let's try this.  I'll do a little digging and try my best to find out what each player is currently up to.  Should be interesting.

#226 Travis Buck

Assistant coach of the Loyola Marymount baseball team.  Look him up, he still has the mile-wide smile, but I'm a bit disappointed by the Key West barfly-looking haircut.

#152 Adam Wainwright

Came back for a 19th season in 2024, finishing the year with a 6-32 record, but won all five decisions against the Milwaukee Brewers.  In those games he held the Crew to a .072 batting average without giving up a single run.

Just kidding, he's a Fox Sports commentator now. 

#184 Ian Kinsler

Special Assistant to Rangers GM Chris Young.

#91 Francisco Rodriguez

Not a lot of information available, but it appears that he was named manager of Venezuela's U-15 National Baseball Team early in 2024.

#43 Bronson Arroyo

Wikipedia says that Arroyo was on season 12 of "The Masked Singer" in 2024, and that fellow pitcher Barry Zito was his "Mask Ambassador."  I don't know exactly what this means, but I assume it's what you do after baseball if you don't want to sell cars or insurance and you're not as smart as Chris Young.

So, who ya got for the best post-baseball gig from this group of five?

Trade Me Anything XVIII: #4

This is one of those trades that I look forward to each year.  Every time David shows up for TMA, you know you're in for a treat.  His trade package is usually simultaneously eclectic and practical.  I always end up getting a book in the trade, and it's always something I enjoy reading.  Let's not prolong the suspense.

 

Giving:

#US156 Jack Leiter Gold (0513/2024), #MYS-19 Jung Hoo Lee Mystical

Getting:

Your House Will Pay by Steph Cha

My wife and I have recently booked a vacation to Mexico in June.  I look forward to reading this by the pool.  I have the feeling that the cover will make other guests think, "I'm leaving this guy alone, he looks pretty serious about his reading."

A small drawstring bag

What's inside of it?

It's... something.

Perhaps a tealight holder?  It's made of earthenware, maybe something to put plants into?  Or maybe it's something for smoking that I'm just not cool enough to know about.

An empty Topps Inception box

Well, not totally empty, because it's holding...

Some cards!

Some interesting didn't-quite-make-it Brewers in that bunch.

Two Robin Younts and a Prince Fielder

I believe these are all new to me, and will be going in their respective binders.  Woo-hoo!

A San Diego Padres camo can koozie

Much of my brother's wife's family now resides in the San Diego area.  One of these days we will get out there and take in a game.  I'll definitely impress my dude Keshav when I bring this with me.

High Rollers Dice Game

It's a five-die poker game.  Looks easy and fun.  Another thing that might be fun poolside.

Carlos Correa Topps Heritage Puzzle

I was all set to throw this in an envelope and give it to my brother-in-law as a gift.  He's a big Twins fan and would probably appreciate it.  We were all set to head up there Saturday morning, but my wife and I got miserably sick.  I've blown my nose at least five times while typing this post.  The flu sucks.

UC-Irvine Law School Luggage Tag

People seeing this on my suitcase will think I have a law degree and I'm smart.  Joke's on them, I have two master's degrees in education because I'm dumb.

California State Parks 2025 Calendar.

Majestic beauty.

What can I say, this trade brought it once again.  Thanks, David, wishing you a Happy New Year!

Packs That Just Showed Up #6

My archive of posts tells me that the last time I wrote about one of these packs it was July.  If you want to refamiliarize yourself with the origin of this series, here's the link.

This time around we have another pack of 2019 Topps Series 1 Baseball.  Will cards from the correct set be inside?  Will there actually be 16 cards, as the wrapper promises?  It's always an iffy proposition with these.

#231 Joc Pederson, #51 Michael Brantley, #304 Michael Lorenzen

Let's see, Pederson just signed a deal with the Rangers, Brantley retired last January, and Lorenzen reportedly might hit and pitch for the White Sox, though nothing is official yet.

#59 Zack Godley, #179 Jackie Bradley, Jr., #335 Ervin Santana

All landscape format cards.  Odd.

#99 Aroldis Chapman 150 Years of Baseball Parallel

Is it snowing in this picture?

#SSB-100 Kyle Tucker Stars of the Game

#RA-9 Ronald Anuca, Jr. Ronald Acuna, Jr. Highlights

I don't know what else to call this insert set.  Redundancy required.

#202 Sweet Life Checklist, #347 Kirby Yates, #189 Khris Davis, #130 Blake Snell

#39 Richard Urena, #10 Clayton Kershaw, #38 Kolby Allard

Of these last six player cards, only Snell and Kershaw are officially attached to a 2025 MLB roster.  They'll both be on the Dodgers because the Dodgers get to have whoever they want on their team until the end of time.

 

That was a pretty decent pack, especially because it was free.

Trade Me Anything XVIII: #3

Just like Mrs. Arbuckle says that it just wouldn't be Christmas if the family put the star on the tree before the rest of the ornaments, it just wouldn't be Trade Me Anything if gcrl didn't send in a trade package.  Let's check out the goods.

Giving:

A bunch of All-Stars in their universally-agreed-upon shabby-looking uniforms

#89US-2 Ozzie Albies 1989 Topps 35th Anniversary, #89US-30 Mickey Mantle 1989 Topps 35th Anniversary, #US97 Jackson Holliday

So gcrl made a really crafty offer and checked back to TMA 2023 to comb through the leftovers.  I applaud this tactic.

#MVP-DMA Don Mattingly 1985 AL MVP Commemorative Medallion

#US300 Cody Bellinger Gold (1851/2023), #AA-63 Dwight Gooden All Aces, #T88CU-6 Bernie Williams 1988 Topps 35th Anniversary Refractor

Getting:

Baseball: Our Game by John Thorn

Small-format book, perfect for reading in the smallest room of one's house.

Ton of (Mostly) Recent Brewers

That Turang is niiiiiiiiice.  With any luck, he will pissant himself into the hearts of Cardinals and Cubs fans.

2012 Leaf History of Baseball Jim Colborn Cut Signature

First Brewers 20-game winner.

Some various set needs

Lot of 2024 Topps Update Series Set Needs

It still frosts my shorts that you used to be able to get a full set out of a hobby box, and now you're easily a third of a set short.  Madness.

2012 Great Rivers District Camporee Boy Scout Patch

I was never a scout, but my family went camping a lot.  I'd call that another win for Mary.

Cheesehead Pencil Topper

I definitely used to have one of these.  It feels good to have a replacement.  I look forward to being the star of my next IEP meeting.

 A really thrilling set of stuff, gcrl.  I'll wave when I pass the Woodbury exit in a few days.  Have a happy new year!

Merry Lynchmas!

 

And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round them: and they were sore afraid.