Renaissance Swap With Democratic Roadkill...

One of the reasons why I haven’t been putting up multiple posts in one day is because people generally read the current post only and don’t scan down. When I post, it is in part for self therapy, but I also want people to have the chance to read/react/respond or just laugh at them. I know very few people read this, but even if there are only two of you, I want both of you to be able to have the option of reading all of my posts; therefore I don’t like to bury them. That said, I have a tiny bit of time today, so I will probably keep on posting. There is a Roller Derby bout tomorrow. I spent the afternoon hanging up last minute flyers, selling tickets and gathering raffle prizes. My lovely wife is out at a wedding. I really wish I was able to take a picture of her on her way out the door. It is a themed wedding, the theme being Renaissance, slash Medieval Fair. That isn’t exactly our normal style, but the wife found a bustier and a long skirt and she was in business. Her friend picked her up so they could carpool and her friend appeared to be wearing a Snow White Halloween costume. I really couldn’t help but laugh and I kind of wish I was working this Wedding (as a photographer) because I think I would get a kick out of everyone’s get-ups. Anyway, perhaps when she gets home I can trick them into posing for a photo…Back to cards…
Today at the Post Office, something happened that has never happened before. I had a package so massive that the clerk didn’t leave a key in my mailbox; no this was too large for even the largest box. Instead of a key in my otherwise empty box, there a note declaring that I had a parcel that was “too large for any box” and it would have to be claimed at the counter. This was good news, but bad news as well. Good news because bigger is better, but bad news because it was past noon on a Saturday and the Post Office was closed. Waiting till Monday to get this package was not an option. I would most certainly die of suspense in the mean time. Fortunately in this case it was only a half hour past closing and everyone was still there. I am an addicted shipper and I spend about a hundred bucks a week at this Post Office and I actually have two of the clerk’s numbers in my phone. I used one and called in a favor. It worked and she let me in to get the package! Thanks Cherri!!! The box was gigantic and it had come to me via Priority Mail which is far classier than I am accustomed. The gracious sender of said package is Duane, who comes from the Republican highway of Central Ohio. He of the legendary Democratic Roadkill blog. This package will get its own very special post, very soon. This is easily one of the coolest packages I have ever received and I am not even gonna hint what was in it…The smallest item in the package (okay, there were a bunch of small cards) was the final 2009 Allen and Ginter Rays mini that I needed to finish off my team set. The player selection is this 350 card set was pretty good for the Rays-I’m sure some teams got the shaft, but the Rays had 11 players represented. That is pretty cool. It’s too bad that they missed out on giving cards to of their All Stars-Ben Zobrist and Jason Bartlett. I would guess that those two will be all over the 2010 offering, though. Almost all of these cards came from trades and most have been posted already, but never as a group. I’ve been worried that I haven’t been posting enough Rays cards and since this is somewhat of a Rays fan site, I can’t let that happen. Now I will say that it isn’t too easy for me to get too pumped up over a card of this particular player, but since it is a short print, he is a Ray and it is the final card I needed for the 11-card team set, I am pretty thrilled to own it. Here he is: The Sultan of Striking Out, the Legend of runners Left on base, the DH who is “all glove, no bat”, Mister Pat the Bat Burrell! He is joined by 10 of his teammates making the fun sized Rays set complete! Included are Evan Longoria, Dioner Navarro and Carl Crawford. Also, Akinori Iwamura and Scott Kazmir. Cycle hitter BJ Upton and the AL Home Run King Carlos Pena. Last, but not least, a trio of starting pitchers: Matt Garza, James Shields and David Price. I have the whole set in standard back form and have about the half the team in Ginter back style. I do not have a single black bordered mini and I am okay with that. I really would like to add at least on Bazooka back to the collection. Carl Crawford would be my preference, but I would really be thrilled to have any of them. I am excited to have the whole team together in miniature form. I still don’t have the full team in full sized cards… I am missing Aki, Kazmir and Navi. Okay folks, that’s all for now… The rest of this package is pretty f-ing jaw dropping. I couldn’t believe it myself. I will probably start posting it next week. Thank you so, so much Duane! I owe you big time and you rock out loud my friend! Here is a clue to one of the cool things that may have been in there…Much more to come! Check out Duane’s blog at http://abshokie.blogspot.com/ and help him out in his pursuit of Goudey as well as Allen and Ginter. More to come. As a final question, does anyone know if three ring binder pages exist that are sized for mini cards? I am running into storage issues as I get more of these... The card at the top of the post is from the first trade I did with DR back in May... Its still one of my favorite cards. Aki rules! Troll out!