Trade with Nomo's Sushi Platter

I recently completed a trade with Michael at Nomo's Sushi Platter. Michael collects the Dodgers and also has several player collections including Ryan Braun and Ichiro. I sent him a bunch of Dodgers and and pc needs he did not have in exchange for some 2009 OPC and 1989 Topps needs for my set building projects. The following cards are some of my favorites from the package he sent.

The Topps Kimball mini of Clayton Kershaw helps knock off a need from my set.

These are the first Topps National Chicle cards in my collection. These cards are really hit and miss. I have seen some cards that I really like the illustration and then seen others that leave me scratching my head as to what the artist vision was. Though overall, I do like the set, my goal is to complete the Baltimore team set. This is a product that has dried up in retail outlets and hobby boxes can be found on the online retailer sites for seventy to eighty dollars. This surprised me a bit considering the length of time the set has been out and the criticism it received in the hobby, the three guaranteed hits per box may have something to do with the price.

This card is from 2010 Upper Deck Series One, another set I did not purchase any packs of when it was released last year. The O's dropped their sixth straight game today. The better hitters on the team are really struggling, Vladimir Guerrero is currently leading the team with a .260 average. Markakis is currently batting .220 with two home runs and six RBI. These players need to start producing runs to support the young pitching staff or it is once again going to be a long season.

The presentation of this set is better executed than its 2010 brethren, The hat less players, though a nod to the original, were to numerous in the most recent set.

After a tumultuous career with the O's, Ray is currently with the Seattle Mariner organization. The 2010 Upper Deck set is very plain, which is to be expected from a unlicensed issue. This card hides the team logos a lot better than other cards I have seen from the set. This ends the trade post for today. A big thanks to Michael for the cards.

Thoughts on 2011 Heritage



Topps Heritage went live on Wednesday, so I swung by Target on my way home from work to see if they had any on the shelves. I did not expect much, this particular Target takes a long time to receive new releases, they didn't have any 2011 Topps until two weeks after the release date. So I was pleasantly surprised to see a fresh gravity feeder of loose packs, rack packs and blasters. I decided on one blaster, I'm going to a card show this weekend in Harrisburg, Pa so I wanted to limit my spending.

The 1962 Topps issue is a classic among collectors. When you look at the set from a design perspective in relation to its time period and compare it to the other sets of the 1950's and 1960 and the 61' release, the issue was a huge departure in design from what had been previously done. The dark wood borders (these cards are commonly referred to as "woodies" in OBC circles) make the cards stand out and my favourite element is the rolled corner of the photo on the bottom right corner that reveals the players name and team.

I have been excited about the newest installment of Heritage since Topps teased the product information and was not disappointed when I opened my blaster. The contents of my blaster were pretty basic, no hits, but plenty of well executed base cards in the image of the 62' design and one New Age Performers and Flashbacks insert. I also pulled three Orioles, including the best card from the box.



This might be one of the best looking Markakis cards I have in my collection, the combination of the pose and design perfectly capture the essence of the 1962 issue.

The Babe Ruth cards are a nod to the original set.



Most of the cards from this break, including two sp's, will be up for trade once I post them to my trade list.

Card of the Week

          

The card for this week is a new acquisition to my pc. I was fortunate enough to land this card from the 2011 Topps jumbo case break held by a cardboard problem.This card is not something I would normally go chase after but I am happy to add it to my collection.

I know many people don't like these manufactured cards, but I really don't mind them, especially the ones of my favorite team. I give Topps some credit for trying something new even if the execution is a little off, though the card does look better in person.

On the playing field, I'm hoping Nick has a much better season in 2011 with Vlad Guerrero protecting him in the lineup.