My first Kemp rookie card

There is a first for everything, and today I am here to share with you, my first Matt Kemp Rookie card. It is of the 2005 Topps Chrome variety and according to Beckett. It is worth between $25-50. I am not sure which I actually have, as both have the same #169. Whatever the case, I love it and I REALLY want to get it signed by Kemp one of these days!

I also found a 2013 commemorative patch of the card pictured above, pretty neat as well

I have so many more cards to post and share with you. Working on that and hopefully my next post will be much sooner than 2 weeks from now, like the last one. 

The one with the video games...

My affinity for all things nerd is widely known. I was quoted by Gabe Connor of the famous Goodie Two Sleeves as; "The most socially un-awkward nerd, I have ever had the pleasure of knowing." That being said. I have picked up a couple of awesome NES games. Here are the few I have received so far.


First up, one of my all time favorites. The Legend of Zelda (Gold edition)

Second and ironically the second in the aforementioned series Zelda 2: The Adventures of Link (Gold edition)

Both have completely different styles and completely different game-play. Yet both are classic and hold true to The Legend of Zelda, VERY appropriately.

Next up is the first installment of TMNT on NES brought to us by Ultra!

This one is a bit more dinged up. I believe from the looks of it, this one was a rental. But it plays just like I remember it when I was a kid. Very interesting genre. An action RPG, meets side scroller. None the less, it is a joy to own and play!

As I get more titles in the mail, I will post and if you have any NES games you do want, I am willing to trade cards or other stuff for them, just let me know!

Alex Markle of Chavez Ravining is having another wicked awesome contest!

Ok, my buddy Alex Markle over at Chavez Ravining is having an AWESOME contest! Head on over to his blog for the rules on how to enter and win the contest.

Above are the winnings for placings 1-3. Good luck!

My first article, Andy Van Slyke, beer review and some music for and/or to the ears

First off, wow, what a week. Work has been crazy, family life has been crazy and my mailbox has been blowing up!

My first article is up thanks to Alex ( Chavez Ravining ) for the opportunity! You can read it here! http://bit.ly/1cZiwlX

Here is the card of the day! It is a '95 Topps "Finest" Andy Van Slyke. Picked this guy up for my AVS collection for less than a dollar. Don't know what the "TOPPS *SOMETHING* PROTECTOR PEEL AND REMOVE COATING" is all about. Weird.

Second, it is that time of year again, thank the Lord! Lagunitas has released their "Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale" seasonal and I couldn't be happier! One of my favorite limited yearly releases and it is a BEAST of a strong ale. Weighing in at an O.G (original gravity) of 1.085, 66.6 (creepy) I.B.U. (International Bittering Units) and a whopping 9.7 A.B.V. (Alcohol By Volume). This dude packs a punch to the face and all I am left saying is; "Please sir, may I have another...And another?" Here is my Beer Advocate review, as follows;

"A 4.53 out of 5

Tasted May 13th 2011 (from notes)

A - redish/copper transparent, one finger off white head and some lacing

S - sweet yeast, fruity, bright malt, alcohol, sweet hops, slight bitterness and a slight grass, weed and citrus

T - alcohol, hoppy, sweet yeast, citrus, floral, sweet malt and a caramel or molasses

M - chewy, huge profile, medium low acidity and a long finish

D - goes down like water even at almost 10%. big sweet and medium bitter. Well balanced

Final thought - got to get a sixer or four every year this seasonal comes out"

Above is the six pack case for the ale. One of my top 100 for sure. Well, that is about it. See you next time!

Corrections and retractions...

One of my posts the other day had a "complete set" of Babe Ruth Baseball Heroes (Upper Deck '95). I am not usually wrong, but man, was I ever. The set is listed "73-81", there is however an un-numbered card. This card completes my set and it may be the best one yet!

I am really stoked on this. I bought this on ebay and I must have not been paying attention, because I don't remember doing so. REALLY excited for the actual complete set.

I also picked up this guy for a few cents. Part of my Mark "The Bird" Fidrych personal set. Love some of these old cards and it may be just me, but who is John Denny?

Ok, so, I promise if I am wrong, I will correct it. I will not go one pretending I know better, if I really don't!

Mark Fidrych and the unknown hero of my blog

I LOVE me some Mark Fidrych, no idea why. Maybe because he reminds me of myself, eccentric, weird, misunderstood and awesome?

All that, is besides the point. An unknown someone sent this card to my work and I couldn't be happier. I already found a parallel and I am super amped!

Lastly, this is my FIRST this number/that number card.

Feel free to send me any MF cards you have, don't like or have repeats of!

A bit jaded around the edges, but I'll take it for one of my all time favs!

Babe Ruth Baseball Heroes Complete set (Upper Deck '95)

Wow, almost 20 years in the making. In 1995 I was 12 years old and all I wanted for my birthday was LOTS of cardboard. My parents bought me 1 or 2 boxes of Upper Deck '95. I went to town, got a lot of my Dodger favs, had tons of trade bait and then I stumbled upon the "Babe Ruth Baseball Heroes" numbered 73 - 81. I had 75 and 81.

I don't exactly know why I liked these so much. I heard the stories about him, read up on him and I was definitely a Babe Ruth fan (if for no other reason than 'Sandlot'). In any case, Babe to me wasn't Karros, Mondesi, Piazza, Green, Nomo, Orel, Fernando, Pedro, Gagne (at the time, don't like him much now), Ripken, Van Slyke, Clark or any of my then baseball heroes. I was however drawn to them. I even put them in hard plastic cases and refused collections of cards for the 2, yes, that is right the 2 that I had. Something was different about them

Life got crazy and I moved around a lot, some good and bad things happened and I was no longer into baseball or any other form of cardboard. I packed up my cards and didn't open them for quite sometime.

I grew up and each time I moved I'd find them and reminisce. Smile here and a laugh there, but still didn't care.

Now, forward to Dec. 2013. I made a new twitter account, followed some eccentric and professional baseball writers, Found some dudes who were into what I had been into, what was almost 20 years ago and I felt like a kid again. I started buying cards, collecting, trading with some local friends and then, I stumbled on the darn Babe Ruth cards I had again.

I had lost hope though, I mean 20 year old cards, who is going to hold onto those? Alex ( http://chavezravining.blogspot.com/ ) and Greg ( http://plaschkethysweaterisargyle.blogspot.com/ ) are always tweeting their "gots" on buying cards on ebay.

I hadn't used ebay since the early 2000's (I used to buy and sell with the best of them) so, I started on the journey of finding these numbers 73-74 and 76-80.

Fast forward March 10th 2014. I received the final 2 pieces to my collection ( #79 is lacking my ideal condition, so if you have this card and want to trade, I'd be much obliged.)

I present to you, my first EVER completed collection of cards. The 1995 Upper Deck Babe Ruth Baseball Heroes #73-81.

Not really sure why I am posting the back, but here it is!

The entire collection in one pic and than each individual card

The cards are plastic within plastic (each card in a plastic sleeve inside of a card guard 9 card page), so if they look scratched or off, this is why.

I'll tell ya, I haven't been this excited in a while. What a great day!

Two posts in one day? I am on a roll!

Something about this being my first post, cardboard and other obsessions Part Deux (ish)

Ok. I seriously intended to be more up on this but just haven't found the time. 70+ hours a week makes little free time for anything and being a husband and father of 3, doesn't make it any easier! None the less, here is part 2.

I got Alex's ( http://chavezravining.blogspot.com ) generous package in the mail for my what seems measly 4 or 5 cards. I was super pumped on this! I never saw to many cards like these ( in '96 ) cardboard has really stepped it's game up.

Here is just some of what he sent:

I know everyone seems to hate Becks, but I love this card and have always been a big fan of his, so this one is really special to me, because now he is a Dodger, for good or worse.

Ah, Carl Crawford, loved this guy since he broke into the majors. This Bowman is epic. Much thanks for this gem.

These futures cards are sexy. I have a LOT, but HAD zero Dodger ones.

This was my second favorite. No idea why I love Paco so much, but this one is a beaut!

The only card I actually asked Alex for. I have tons of Yasiel Cards, but none had an RC or Rookie tag, this one I want to get signed and cased. If Yasiel flames out, he will still be the Modesi of the 2000's for me, huge fan.

This guy reminds me of Mark "The Bird" Fidrych (at little less eccentric), which is one of my all time favs.

Lastly, he sent me what seems to be the entire CC 2014 Topps Dodgers collection. So, all in all, this made my weekend. Thanks Alex!