COMC Pickups

There was some confusion for me at the switch from CheckOutMyCards.com to COMC.com.  I was certainly unaware of any major differences at first.  Did this happen to anyone else?  I bought a few cards from CheckOutMyCards then switched to COMC for my second half of purchases.  To my dismay, I discovered that there are different shipping and handling costs associated with either site.  So, make sure you are using only one site or the other when making purchases!  You can't get the $3 flat rate shipping on COMC if you have items in your order from CheckOutMyCards.  I feel like COMC could have made more of an effort to communicate their changes to their customer base.  Or maybe I just ignored them.  That is entirely possible.  Here's what I got:

I love Flair cards!  If I get a job (ugh, taking forever), maybe that will be my new collecting project - making a Flair set or two.  This is a 1995 Flair #155, Mike Piazza.  Those are quite some faces you are making there, Mike.  I met Piazza not too long ago.

Here are two MMA (mixed martial arts for the uninitiated, though I can't imagine anyone not knowing about the sport by now) autographs.  On the left: 2012 UFC Finest of Dustin "The Diamond" Poirier.  On right: 2010 Leaf MMA base auto of Gabriel "Napão" Gonzaga.  Poirier, a Louisiana native, is one of my favorite up-and-coming fighters.  "The Diamond" has an excellent ground game and technical striking, and he just had a barnburner of a fight with Cub Swanson at UFC on Fuel TV: Barao vs. McDonald.  Gonzaga is a one-time UFC heavyweight championship contender.  "Napão" has been on a tear of late because he is finally using his considerable, world-class grappling skills to finish fights.

Jordan Hill!  He was doing a meet-and-greet and signing in Glendale this past Saturday.  I originally planned to attend, but I got lazy and just drank beer and played Halo 4 instead.  Besides, I already have these two autographs of him.  I would have missed out, yes, if Hill was like, "Arno, the Earth needs us, we must take my rocket ship to space and blast some fucking asteroids."  Then, yes, I would totally have driven to Glendale for that.  Top: 2009-10 Limited #157, Jordan Hill rookie jersey auto, #'d 80/299.  Bottom: 2009-10 Timeless Treasures #107, Jordan Hill rookie auto on white ball leather, #'d 240/299.

Left: 2007 Upper Deck Inkredible, Zach Miller autograph.  The Seahawks have underutilized Miller as a receiver, mostly using him as a blocker.  Right: 2010 Panini Ceritifed, Mirror Gold Signature rookie auto of Riley Cooper, #'d 03/25.  Cooper turned down the Phillies and Rangers at different times to play football.  We'll leave it at that.

On left: 2012 Chrome Purple Refractor rookie card of Wei-Yin Chen.  Chen had a nice season last year.  Also, his arm did not fall off nor did he have some other crazy injury that Taiwanese pitchers in the MLB tend to develop.  Here's hoping Chen stays tip-top!  Seriously, these Taiwanese pitchers are already beat up and damaged by the time they hit the bigs because they are likely being handled irresponsibly with a heavy workload when younger.  I can't tell if the purple and orange combination on this card is hideous or not.  I guess it works for the Phoenix Suns?  On right: 2011 Lineage 1952 Matt Harrison autograph.  Both of these dudes will probably end up on my fantasy baseball teams this season.

Finally, more Dodgers.  Left: 2011 Donruss Elite Extra Edition, Chris Reed prospect auto, #'d 103/500.  Reed is a top-five Dodgers prospect and the 16th overall selection in the 2011 draft.  He went to Stanford, which is a shitty, garbage school (fuck Stanford, go Bears), and should be at very least a serviceable starter in the future.  Right: 2012 Heritage Minors, Joc Pederson Real One Autograph.  Top-ten prospect Joc has a cool name and should be a serviceable outfielder in the future.  Fuck Stanford.

Not pictured are the Brandon Morrow rookie autograph card (I have been trying to get one to no avail for the past two years) and Scott Baker auto I bought because they were damaged and I returned them to COMC.  My only problem with some cards from COMC is that occasionally they have damage you can only see side-on and not in the scans.  That said, COMC does have great customer service and are always friendly and patient when I make crazy requests of them.

I also purchased the second to last card I needed to finally complete 2009 Allen & Ginter, an Aubrey Huff SP #349.  I only require the Jordan Schafer RC SP, #339, to finally complete that set.  You will be mine, Schafer card.  Your fate is inexorable!  So yea... let me know if you have it.  Cool beans.

Card Giveaway and Part 3 of Dan's Other World Crazy Group Break Haul

Well, that was an unreasonably long pause between group break posts!  I have been in San Diego the past two weeks.  Here's a selection of various cards I received in Dan's The Other World group break (mostly Dodgers):

That Finest Orel Hershiser card is super cool.

Since this is the last post about Dan's group break, I will do a card giveaway!  There are five of them in total, but I will give them away in two sets.  It is easy to enter this game of chance.  I will think of a number from 1 to 100... now!  I have now written that number on a dummy card with my new surf colored Sharpie marker (yes, I am proud of it) and taken a photo of it next to the date and time - 12:40 AM on December 6, 2012 to be exact.  Simply guess the secret number that I wrote down in a comment on this post and also mention your first choice of the two sets that you would prefer to receive if you win the giveaway.  (It would also be nice, were you to follow me on Google - left side of my blog.)  Here are the cards you can win:

Set #1.  Three prospect autos from 2007 Tristar Prospects Plus!  From top left, clockwise: Eddie Kunz (heh), James Simmons, and James Adkins.  I have no idea who these dudes are, but maybe you do!

Set #2.  Two game-used jersey cards from 2008 UD Goudey.  Russell Martin and Josh Beckett.  Dan was awesome enough to throw in these two extra hits, but unfortunately I am trying to minimize my collection of relics.

So there you have it!  Have fun guessing the number between 1 and 100.  Naturally, closest number gets first pick of the card sets and next closest gets the set that is left.  I will leave entries open for a few days to a week at most.

Cut cut cut

Cut signature, that is.

2011 Upper Deck SP Legendary Cuts, Carl Furillo cut auto, #'d 4/8.  We haven't forgotten about you, Carl!  Now why'd they have to go and chop off part of the "C" though?

How 'bout that trouncing we got yesterday from the Astros?  Ow.  Too painful.  I had to go watch Detroit vs. Texas and Kansas City vs. Toronto instead.  Yankees-Rangers starts in five!

Clem Labine

On this date, sixty-two years ago, Clem Labine made his major league debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

From 2005 Topps Dem Bums Autographs.

Labine could have pitched against Bobby Thomson in the 1951 National League pennant playoff, but that duty went to Ralph Branca instead.  The shot that followed was certainly heard around the world.  You might remember that I pulled a Bobby Thomson cut auto not that long ago.  Labine was a paratrooper in World War II and a great relief pitcher as well.  Dem Bums!

*Update: Apparently also today in 1950, Vin Scully joined the Dodgers broadcast team.  Awesome!

Orthrus, two-headed monster... uh, Dodgers card

I first saw this card about two years ago on CheckOutMyCards.com.  But, it was not reasonably priced and then it disappeared from the site.  Whether someone purchased it or the seller realized how awesome the card was and decided to keep it, I know not.  Nevertheless, I finally have one!  It is also in way better condition than the one I previously tried to obtain.

Yes, indeed.  One card, two of my favorite Dodgers from when I was a kid.  1997 Stadium Club #CO7, dual autographs of Eric Karros and Raul Mondesi.

Upon close inspection the signatures themselves are not in perfect condition, but this card totally rules nonetheless.  So awesome!

Walk the plank, McCourts...

...as punishment for the excesses and insults you have perpetrated against common decency, the city of Los Angeles, and Dodger fans everywhere.  Too bad the asshole still made a profit.  Here's to better baseball days ahead!

2010-11 Certified, Magic Johnson patch, #'d 18/25.  Got this card a while back.  Might have posted it on the old "I'm Ballsy" blog.

Go Dodgers!