Maybe, maybe not. What would you do??

Welcome to the opening of baseball season, ladies and gentlemen! As I'm sure everyone knows, I AM A PROUD MARINERS FAN!! I don't care that my team has been off the radar for 10 years, we are coming back to relevance. My lifelong goal has been to collect all the baseball cards for all the players to wear a Mariners uniform if they had a card. I currently am about 65 cards away from finishing this project that I thought about starting when I was about 14 during the 1985 season. All the bloggers I have met have been so generous to me in helping out, and I've done my fair share of damage in LCS's too. When I finish this thing hopefully early this baseball season, I will be a happy collector.

I have thought to myself, what would I want to do after I finish the Super Set. I have thought maybe I should work on some sets that mean something to me, or ones that I like the look of. I know that one of those sets is the second set I ever saw as a kid, in 1980 Topps. I bought plenty of 79's and finished off that beauty a few years ago and have started to blog about it, card by card. I will always love that set since it was my first, but my favorite as far as looks will always be the 1980 set. I also want to work on the 1982 Fleer set. I know it gets a bad rap because of the simplicity of the front, and the poor photography. I'm not thinking of it for the big rookie cards, but for some reason the look of the cards just is what I like.

One set that I hadn't even thought about before is calling my name lately. I recently was at one of the LCS's that I don't often frequent, they are more about Magic cards and high price autos and RC's. They had stacks and stacks of 5000 count boxes of some good cards, and a bunch of junk. I was looking through some of them so see what I could find. One of the guys said if I found something I could start to mix and match the box to my liking. My first thought was go for the vintage. There was some here and there, but wasn't to take the time to look at every card in about 25 of those big boxes. I would see some 70's here and there, and would think those are for me. If I saw anything that was before 1987 it was in there too. I still ended up with a boatload of junk wax, but all in all I was fairly happy to walk out with about 4000 cards for $10.

After hitting the dentist yesterday, I had time to stop at Target before getting to my son's first scrimmage baseball game of the season. I've seen quite a few of you talk about the $15 big boxes that that they are selling from Fairfield. I know there was going to be about three or four vintage cards. A worthless relic(Johnny Estrada in Braves uni but a Brewers logo), a Yankee Stadium patch, a ton of coins, and maybe a few cards. I went for one just to see if I could get some good out of it. After looking through it, I have found what I think will the third set I will probably end up collecting. If you get a bunch of cards from this set in two different times is it a sign? Would you build this set if you could?:

These aren't my cards, but I took it from the Internet so you could get an idea of the set I'm thinking of collecting

I haven't even figured out what I have or what cards I need, but I wanted to see what everyone think of the last set that Topps did before we hit the overproduction era of 1987. Does the black top and simple lettering of the team name do anything for you, or is it just blah? Is this a sign of fate that I should build this set? Once I have sat down and started to figure out which cards I have and need I will start put it out there. The good news for me, is if I collect this set there is already a great blog out there about the 1986 Topps set . He can do the write ups and I will collect them.

Welcome to the start of the 2013 season. I can only say GO M's!!

I'm a Fan-attic and Facebook comes through again!!

Yesterday was a productive day around my house. I was able to do a ton of yard work like mowing, and getting moss killer on the grass. My wife was cleaning the inside of the house, so I was gone to wash cars. Next comes the standard w need to go to the grocery store. Not really my favorite trip, but I do like to eat. As we come home, I stop for the mail and she starts tossing stuff at me saying "it's all for you." In all reality, only half was for me. The first thing is find is a nice little PWE from Jeff. If you don't know him, he is the new man behind the Fan-Attic Sports Card Blog. He sent me the last 1994 UD card I needed, only to find I guess I didn't need it because I can't find any Mariners on it, except on the back for stats. Don't you hate when you've needed a card for forever and then find out it wasn't one that fits your collection?

What was I thinking? I guess I need to quit trusting the internet when it tells me I need a card

 He also sent me a 94 Score of Bosio's no no to finish that year, and another 95 Score of Bobby Ayala to inch that one closer too. Thanks Jeff!!

Not to let it end there, I also got another fat package from a friend on Facebook. I have never met Thomas before, but he randomly sends me mailers that might have a couple cards, or yesterday's fat pack of want list goodness! There were all kinds of Mariners I needed for the Super Set. The best part of the big pile of goodness was the Angels in the desert he sent my way! There was a stack of 26 Angels that were all on the want list. I never really thought about this side project when I first started it, but it's getting closer too!

Just some of the Palm Springs goodness that came!!

Thanks to Jeff and Thomas, I am getting closer to finishing the Mariners. I think I can do it before the All Star break without having to buy them online with the help of so many great bloggers that I've traded with over the years who are always willing to help out! I'm down to needing 1card to finish off Score, Do you have this one to spare?:

I can't find a picture of it anywhere, but does anyone have a 1998 Upper Deck #3 of Jay Buhner?? That would be the last card I need to finish off Upper Deck too. I can't believe that those two cards would finish off two makers and leave me with Donruss and Fleer to go. I don't know why Fleer have been a thorn in my side and still needs almost 50 cards to finish them off.

Big thanks to both collectors for the help, and if you have any of the cards I need in the lists on the right side over there, let me know if you can help out!!

24 is the new 21 don't you know...

We all know that if you've ever played Blackjack you don't want to go over 21 or you bust. I'm quite glad that the trade that came to me this week has a guy who's favorite player wore #24. One of the newer blog sensations is TJ who is a Junior Junkie. I recently sent him a small box with a couple of extra Griffey's I had laying around (you get a few cards of Ken when you are a Mariners collector). He in turn sent me a small flat rate box packed with all kinds of M's cards. The most important cards were definitely these 4 babies!

The last 3 cards I needed to finish off the 1991 Upper Deck Update cards. I really thought those three might be the death of me since they seem to be ones I don't see around very often. I was not surprised to find a 98 UD Griffey I needed too. Who wouldn't think that a Junior collector wouldn't come through with some of his cards. Also in the mammoth box was some cards of my favorite current Mariner in Kyle Seager. I don't know why, but this kid is one I really like and think he might have the chance to do some good stuff.

Not to be outdone, there was a few cards that hearken back to when I first became a Mariners fan. I found the team in the summer of 1982, when I came to the Seattle area with my grandmother when she moved here. It was a nice vacation from living in the desert in the 110 degree summers. There was rarely too many games on TV back then, but I would listen to Dave Niehaus on the radio and became a Mariners fan, and some of these guys were the first ones I got to know.

Not to be outdone by putting cards to knock down the Super Set, TJ included a couple of cards from my favorite Mariner still to this day. There is a reason why he is still known as Mr. Mariner. While I have no disrespect for his favorite guy in Ken, I still believe the Mariners need to do the right thing as an organization and retire #21 for Alvin as the first number to be retired. Alvin came in to the team after Ken Phelps broke his hand in the third game of the season. All Alvin did was become an All Star and win ROY in 1984 with teammate Mark Langston finishing second. We would be with Seattle through 1991, only to be released at play a season closer to home in Riverside, CA with the Angels. I have a special place for these Alvin's.

In about the middle of all the Mariner goodness was this beauty. While I'm not a guy who goes after autos, relics or any of that stuff, It always cool to get one just to say I have in my collection. This a pretty nice one of a guy that had promise but injuries have derailed him. Adam Moore was going to be the catching savior that Jeff Clement couldn't be. We've only really ever had one good catcher in Dan Wilson. Adam showed promise in the appearances he made, but after continuing to tear parts of his knees it all went downhill. What good is a catcher if his knees are shot? Adam was let go last year, and caught on with the Royals, but is in their camp this spring as an NRI.

If you have any cards of Ken, whether they be Seattle, Cincinnati, or White Sox send them down to Louisiana way. I also know that if you have cards of players that were born in the Bayou State or the Saints he would be happy to see those too. I might have to put together some Who Dat's for him since I have a stockpile of stuff from when my cousin was a Saint for 5 seasons. Gigantic thanks again to TJ and go see him and see if you can hook him up too...

Not to end the fun there, I was the victim of the highly common PWE Bombs that are sweeping the nation. I think everyone knows the sneakiness of Wes who runs Jaybarkerfan's Junk. You open your mailbox and BOOM! there are random cards you weren't expecting. I got an envelope that contained the good, the bad, and the ugly.

I would classify Mark Lowe and Sean Green as the good. Jeff Harris was bad, he just wasn't all that great and somebody had to be the bad guy. Sorry Jeff. I won't hide my disdain for this guy and will always call him the ugly stain on the M's franchise. The Orioles gave us a worthless Erik Bedard, and got some damn good players in return. I don't even know what happen to Erik, nor do I care. I just want Adam Jones back so we could have a good center fielder. We haven't had one since this guy on his old school looking card. But Mike has to share company with an old card in Mark Langston and his spring training mesh back hat.

Big thanks to Wes for some random M's from all over the board. Keep an eye on your mailbox because you never know where he might strike next. It could be you, or any other of the great bloggers and traders out there who get free cards at any time without warning!!

Lucky 7!!

Since it has been a week since I sent them out, I hope everyone that wanted the 2013 Topps from the box break got their cards. I set aside the Pirates for Big Daddy Filth of Gravediggers, Mooses, and such fame. He was nice enough to send me back a few Mariners in return. In fact all 7 cards were of two guys that I needed for the Super Set. Victor sent these 3 beauties from Score to knock it down needing 11 cards from them. Look at Junior and Randy in all their Mariner glory:

Randy is looking at The Kid thinking why do we have to be on the same team, if he wasn't here I'd be the star of this city. We had so many good guys in the 90's that it's sad they couldn't bring it all together just once to make the Series.

Not to be out done, there was another 4 cards from Upper Deck that will be going into the binders to knock down the needed number even lower. It amazes how many cards Ken had during his heyday as the face of MLB that I have to collect as a Mariner. As you can see, Griffey won out on the numbers game against Randy again:

Thanks to Victor, that now brings me down to only needing 93 cards to bring this lifelong project to completion. I'm hoping that as the season comes, and progresses I can either trade or buy my way to making this dream a reality.

If you have anything laying around that is Pittsburgh related in any sport, go and see him and see if you can work a deal with him. I know that he will take care of you the way he helped me. Big thanks again to Big Daddy Filth, and for him I say raise the Jolly Roger for the Buccos!!



Anyone want to trade??

All you have to do is take this guy and I'll be happy!! I think the Yankees knew something when they threw in Hector as part of the deal that took Michael Pineda from Seattle. While I know that Mike has been hurt, and hasn't played we made a mistake. Everyone said we got a steal in this deal. While Jesus Montero is average at best, everyone seems to think he's the next Johnny Bench. The guy is a defensive liability behind the plate. He can't block balls, doesn't throw guys out, and can't really call a game. His offense is decent, but I've seen better and he will be our #1 catcher this year.

The Yankees sent Hector I think because they knew he wasn't that good. Just look at some of his numbers. In 22 games with us last year, he went 2-12 with a 5.82 ERA. All that came in 106 innings while giving up 71 runs and serving up 21 bombs. The spring of 2013 has been no better for him in Arizona. Before yesterday, Hector had given up 8 runs, six of them being earned in 3.2 innings. Thankfully Hector got rained out but not before giving up another six runs and two dingers in 2 innings to the A's. I think it's time for the M's to cut bait on this guy. If your team would like a bad pitcher, contact the Mariners in Peoria, AZ and I'm sure Jack Z would take just about anything for him. Send us some seeds, and a pack of gum and we will call it even.

POPS!!

In case you didn't know my favorite player has a birthday today. Willie would be 73 today. He and the 1979 We are Family Pirates are what started my love of baseball.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY POPS!!

Inching closer

As you may or may not know there is so many ways to connect via social medias in this day and age. One man that has hooked up with me through Facebook continually finds cards and sends them to my mailbox. Yesterday brought another package from Tom and held another 30 cards I needed for the Super Set.

The amazing thing is he is working off a checklist from my blog that he printed last June!! With the cards that are now in my collection, I am so excited to know that I only need 101 Mariners cards to finish off this project that I have been working on since I started collecting Mariners cards more than 25 years ago. I hope that some of the great bloggers that are receiving cards from Series 1 from me will help knock that number to double digits! Could I actually complete the 3400+ card Super Set by the end if the season or maybe the All-Star break? I know if you guys have your way it will get done and that's why I love my fellow writers!!

Just to let everyone that asked for cards from the free box from Topps, they went out today and most all should be to you on Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest. I hope everyone is ready for the regular season like I am!!