Clearing out the Scan Folder

 Some recent additions I have wanted to post, starting with a rare purchase from everyone's favorite auction site, I have been trying to track one of these down as I believe it is the only cardboard evidence of the Bruins 2019 Winter Classic Uniform that was work after the Classic, notice the lack of a Shamrock patch on the shoulder and obviously the date. I'm a laundry guy as you can see here. 

2 Card Mailday (a.k.a. I don't buy new cards anymore)

It wasn't a conscious decision, there was just a general lack of excitement for new releases this year. Eventually these two cards peaked my interest from the online release of Topps T206, both were needed for the One of Every Rockies PC, Elias Diaz is a catcher card, and since Gypsy Queen dumped them I needed to get my mini fix elsewhere. Not a set that features in-game photos, but I like these cards anyway. Entering them into the collection I wondered how many other 2021 cards I had. The answer...

Mitchell Boggs - One of Every Rockies Misfit

A card I didn't realize existed until a bored search through ebay for Rockies. Mitchell Boggs shown as a member of my favorite team, the "Colorado Baseball Club". This was pretty easy to miss when it came out as I don't really pay attention to the unlicensed Panini stuff and Boggs only played in 9 games with the "Colorado Baseball Club", probably a case of Panini using up some stickers. After adding this to may massive saved search list, one came up located in Canada with free shipping. I was beyond happy to pay $1.29 delivered for this card.

Oddball Mailday: Venezuelan Sticker Edition

Sometimes searching for weird Rockies stuff on the bay head into interesting directions. Other than a few auctions and a partial checklist on Zistle, I can find zero info on this sticker set. Listed as "2013 ACV2 Venezuelan Stickers", these are single sided stickers, roughly 1 7/8" x 2 11/16" in size,  featuring Venezuelan major leaguers. Being a completest and sucker for oddball stuff, I ordered a couple, namely Edgmer Escalona and Felipe Paulino, two players not featured as Rockies on any North American card release. Nothing special, but something unique enough to fit into my Rockies collection.

As exicted as anyone has even been over a MLB Showdown card

Aaron Ledesma, an easy forgettable player, who played in 284 MLB games from 1995-2000, best known for being a bench player for the expansion 1998 Devils Rays. A player with 49 cards in the Beckett database with a total value of $80.15. A player who spend two months with Colorado, playing in 32 games, starting 3, before being DFA's in June of 2000. This was the player that was at the top of my want-list since I started this blog over two years ago. A card from a set that I hate, MLB Showdown with its rounded corners and generic playing card back. A card I am sure I hate for taking so long to track down, or love now that I finally have a copy.

The reason for this being so high on my list is this is the last card I needed to "finish" my "One of Every Rockies" collection, or at least be up to date until 2013 Update comes out. It's hard to call a common base card of a player no one remembers from a set that no one cares about a "white whale", but there is no small satisfaction in adding this one to the collection and striking it off the want-list.

4 Card Mailday

Just 4 cards from Sportlots, but three of them are from my most wanted list. Justin Speier and Chris Richard are pretty obscure guys for the "One of every Rockie" project, which will be down to just Aaron Ledesma once and incoming comc order arrives. Actually, Speier was a pretty valuable reliever, pitching in 177 games over three seasons with Colorado, going 12-5 with a 4.04 ERA and saving 9 games in 2003.

Rob Johnson played in parts of 2 games in 2003, the last year of the disaster that was the Steve Spurrier era. The shipping price jumped after 4 cards so finishing of the order is a random Sean Taylor I didn't have, from the 2007 Select set, produced by Score.

Deduno, who pitched last night...

 Congrats to the Dominican Republic and Rockies product Samuel Deduno who got his second win of the tournament in the final game and finished with one run allowed and 17 k's over 13 total innings. Deduno only pitched in 4 games for Colorado, but pitched in the Rockies system from 2004-2010, and is possibly best remembered for a series of bad puns.

- Who pitched last night?
- Deduno.
- No, I don't know, that's why I asked you.
- Deduno pitched last night.
- No, I seriously don't know, do you?

 Pedro Strop, who started as a shortstop in the Rockies system led the tourney with 3 wins and was a stud out of the bull-pen, but I have nothing funny to say about him.

Needed Nine (Want List Rev 3)

Just updating my most wanted cards listed on the right side bar.

Acquired October 2013 2013 Topps Pink Ramon Hernandez The quest for the rainbow started with buying the Platinum, still need the following: - Walmart Blue Border - Target Red Border - Pink - All printing plates
Larry Walker 2000 Topps Tek #23 (patterns 3, 8, 11, 20)Part of my acetate obsession, these are the last four needed to complete the Larry Walker set of 20 patterns.
Acquired July 2013 Chris Richard 2003 Topps Total #204 One of the last players needed for the one card of every Rockies player project. Not a player I remember who played in 19 games with Colorado, starting only 3. Interestingly enough he is the Durham Bulls all-time home run leader.
Acquired July 2013 Justin Speier 2003 Upper Deck 40-Man #759 One of the last players needed for the one card of every Rockies player project. A part time closer, saved 9 games with the Rockies in 2003. Had a solid MLB career with a 35-33 record and 17 saves over 613 games.
Acquired October 2013 Aaron Ledesma 2000 Showdown #49 A card that has been on my most wanted since before this blog started, I should should just stop being lazy and buy a copy.
Bobby Jones 1999 Pacific #147 Another player most people never heard of have forgotten about, Pacific was really good for giving cards to players that wouldn't usually get one, I love these kind of cards.
1998 SkyBox E-X2001 #57 Darryl Kile Another acetate card, I always loved watching Kile pitch even though his time in Denver didn't really work out.
Acquired July 2013 Rob Johnson 2003 Topps Total #254 (NFL)  The only card I know of that has Johnson in a Redskins uniform, he only attempted 7 passes in parts of two games so I imagine this is it.
Acquired May 2013 Frank Wycheck 1994 Playoff #190 (NFL) Wycheck's only Redskins card, a carry over from the last list.

Trade with Kyle D

A new trade with Kyle D bringing some high priority wants my way.

Edwin Bellorin was need for the "One of Every Rockie" collection and the last catcher I needed. One of the few players with only one card with the Rockies, no other sets, no parallels, no inserts, just this one card. I remember Bellorin for having big numbers in the hitting paradise that is AAA Colorado Springs, then in his first major league at bat in his first major league start, pulled a hamstring running out a grounder and was sent to the disabled list. He did return to the Rockies playing in 8 games, starting 2, from 2007-2009.

COMC Black Friday Order Part III: Rockies

On to the Rockies portion of the COMC order, leading it off with a 2008 Finest Jeff Francis, so far this is one of two Rockies card I have found to show the World Series patch on the jersey making this photo from Game 1 of the 2007 World Series. More cards for the recently traded Alex White collection, I expected big things from him as a Rockie no such luck there as he was just traded to the Astros. I usually don't collection jersey cards, but I needed a Pomeranz, the Nolan Arenado was more for the auto and the Iannetta was more for the fu manchu. Finished up with a Charlie Hayes card with his football style mask, a Scott Elarton for "One of every Rockie", a Pomeranz Platinum National promo numbered to 499 and a couple Andres Galarraga cards printed on wood.

Obsure Rockies Sportlots Order

Interrupting the COMC order posts is a Sportlots order that finally found it's way to my desk featuring guys you have never heard or probably didn't remember played for Colorado. Finding all these cards from one seller was nice as all 10, including an un-pictured Jose Contreras, were need for my main project and now bring me within 10 players (97% Complete) of completing the "One of every Rockie" collection. Ron Gant and Sandy Alomar, Jr. are the only real recognizable names, but some people may remember Curtis Goodwin and Dustan Mohr.

Bret Saberhagen: One of Every Rockie

Bret Saberhagen only pitched in 9 regular season games for the Colorado Rockies, but he is still the answer to a franchise trivia question as he is the only pitcher to wear a Rockies jersey that has won a Cy Young award. Saberhagen was named the best pitcher in the American League in 1985 and 1989 with the Royals and led the league in value with 9.2 WAR according to baseball-reference.com. In 1991 he was traded to the Mets and pitched for New York until being traded to the Rockies in July of 1995. When the trade was made the Rockies were leading the NL West with a 2.5 game lead on the Dodgers and looking to make their first playoff appearance. Saberhagen would make 9 starts for Colorado going 2-1 with a 6.28 ERA and while the Rockies would finish one game back of the Dodgers in the division they would make the playoffs as the Wild Card team, but would lose to the Braves in the NLDS with Saberhagen getting the loss in the final game giving up 6 runs over 4 innings. He would miss all of 1996 with an injury and would return in 1997 with the Red Sox.

2006 Rockies Topps #COL13: Jose Mesa

A one card mail-day of a card that I have not seen until it arrived in my mail box. I had written off Jose Mesa from the "One of Every Rockie" collection as the only "Rockies" cards I had seen of him had him in a Pirates uniform, the 2006 Topps, 2006 Upper Deck and the 2006 Konami from Japan all show him as a Pirate. On a whim I ordered this card from the Rockies team issued set on the off chance it was a photoshop, and to my surprise, it actually was. I usually don't get to excited by a questionable photoshop job, but this counts as a new Rockies card that I never knew existed, and for collector of obscure players from not heavily collected team, this is pretty cool.

Sportlots Mailday 11/20/2012

Another mailday from sportlots.com, more of the standard package for me. Six Rockies cards I needed bringing the "One of every Rockies" collection up to 92% complete with some harder to find 2002 Upper Deck 40-man. 13 cards from 1992 Pinnacle series 1 bringing me to withing 15 cards of the set. This seller only had three 2011 Gypsy Queens I needed so I snatched those up along with the two Redskins safeties I collect in Brad Edwards and Sean Taylor. We don't get many card shows around these parts so Sportlots is kind of like going through a dime box for me and it never fails to add something to my collection that I have been searching for.

2012 Topps Heritage High Number Rockies Team Set

You see that card of the old guy to the right, yup, that's the Rockies team set. Jamie Moyer, who was designated for assignment by Colorado on May 30th, was then signed, pitched in AAA and was released by the Blue Jays and Orioles and has been without a MLB contract since July 6th is the lone Rockies player in a product released in November. Moyer got two cards in Topps Update, which is fine, a 49 year old winning an MLB game was a good story and worthy of being recognized on cardboard, but that should have been it. Then Moyer got a card in Bowman Chrome for no good reason and now he is the only Rockies in the Heritage update set. Of the 49 players to play for the Rockies this season, Moyer was the first player to be let go by the team making him the the least current player possible for an "update" set.

Top 30 Colorado Rockies Cards (21-15)

Part two of what will be a four part series, over the long weekend there were a few autograph cards that I though of that could make the list, but I am sticking with base cards to keep things simple.

21. Ben Petrick - 2002 Fleer Ultra #109

Ben Petrick making his second appearance on the list, a shot of a catcher from the pitchers point of view, with Petrick focused in on the ball, nothing groundbreaking just a good photo of a catcher with a photo friendly card design.

Top 30 Colorado Rockies Cards (30-22)

Posts have been getting farther and farther apart on this blog so I borrowed an idea from Night Owl's "The Best Dodger Cards Ever Made" Countdown and the "The Dime Boxes Top 100" lists. Here I present my "Top 30 Rockies Cards That I Could Think Of Over This Past Week" Countdown. My only rule was to not take into account value of the card, just judge the card on it's own merits. 30 seems like a weird number, but with a team that only goes back to 1993, that is were I started to run out of cards that I thought were worthy of a list. Broken up into 3 or 4 posts, here is what I came up with for cards 30-21. 

30. Preston Wilson - 2005 Topps #53

Nothing overly special here, just a nice action photo with the ball in flight and Wilson about to make a sliding catch. Not a big fan of the 2005 design, but it's not bad enough to detract from card. Wilson set career highs in his first with Colorado in 2003 with 36 home runs and 141 RBI, but had fallen out of favor with the organization by 2005 and would be traded to the Nationals in July of 2005.

2012 Update Rockies Team Set

I might be a little weird, but I am alright with that. As a team collector and fan of obscure players on Rockies cards the Topps Update set is the highlight of card collecting calender for me. I am the kind of collector that get more excited about Matt Belisle getting a base card than collecting stars like Troy Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez or Todd Helton. My breakdown of the 2012 Update Rockies team set is as follows:

Zistle Trade #4

More Zistle trades to post, more cards off the want list. Jeff Frye and Rolando Arrojo add two more to the one of every Rockies collection putting me over 90% complete. As always more Rockies, this time with Chris Iannetta and Brent Mayne catcher cards and Roberto's nephew Edgard Clemente.  Also more random catchers, my highlight being the 1992 Score Jeff Reed either just after getting steamrolled at home plate, or just before a baby alien pops out of this guts.

Charlie Hayes: One of Every Rockie

Not so much a tribute to Charlie Hayes, but more of an excuse to feature one of my favorite cards from my youth, a 1995 Upper Deck #172 Charlie Hayes. I love the 1995 Upper Deck set, great photography, full bleed photos and a nice simple design allowing the photo to be the star of the card. The unique thing about this card is the mask that Hayes wore in 1994 after being hit with a pitch and breaking his jaw. The Football style model shown on this card is also pictured on his 1995 Pinnacle and 1995 Sportflix cards. The other model he wore is pictured on the back of this Upper Deck card as well as on his 1995 Collector's Choice SE #207 card. He is also pictured with the more conventional cheek guard with the Yankees later in his career.

Hayes came to the Rockies with the 3rd pick of the 1992 Expansion draft and held down the starting 3B job for the teams first two seasons. In 1993 he lead the National League with 45 doubles as well as leading the Rockies with 25 home runs and tying for the club lead with 98 RBI, all career highs. He probably would have been the first Colorado All-Star if it wasn't for Andres Galarraga who would go on to win the batting title with a .370 average. Hayes would leave Colorado as a free agent after the 1994 season, signing with the Phillies. He would end up playing for 7 MLB teams (BR link), including two stops with the Phillies, Giants and Yankees and would win a World Series Title with the 1996 Yankees.