The Trading Post: Breakdown Cards

It took a long time, but I finally managed to get a few long overdue trade packages out this month.  Gavin was the first one to hit me back with something and here (almost all of) it is!

2017 Diamond Kings Artist Proof #'ed 85/99.. 

Starting off with one of the cards I knew was coming.  I love Panini's current run of Diamond Kings, but aside from a couple blue frames from 2015 and three discount blasters worth of 2016 (where I scored that sick Corey Seager auto/patch /10 from my All-Autograph Team post), I don't have very much of it.  Money has only gotten tighter since those discount blasters, and they were hard to justify even then.  So it's nice to get a little taste like this once in awhile.

2005 Absolute Memorabilia Absolute Heroes #'ed 205/250..

These first two cards nicely highlight what I said about keeping my Fergie Jenkins collection in the Pick Five Blog Bat Around post the other day.  While the career run collection can feel like a futile, endless grind, he has tons of fun modern stuff to collect that keeps it interesting.  Though his post-career stuff is probably at least 95% Cubs & Rangers (Donruss absolutely loved him in a Rangers uni), playing for four different teams in his career helps vary it up just that much more.

2017-18 Panini Status D-Rose "Red" #'ed 190/299..

The checklist over on Cardboard Connection says this is a red parallel, but it looks way more pink or magenta to me.  But anyway, I love Status & still needed a couple more cards to complete my Rose page, so this a great addition.  I don't remember if I claimed at some point or not, but it's a really nice addition.  Seen approximately a pretty good number of people say this reminded them of early Skybox and I am 100% on board with that assessment.  These are on foilboard and all have the same background design, but the computer generated graphics on a stark white void (when the bottom half isn't mostly colored in reddish-pink) does feel noticeably nostalgic to me.

2008-09 Topps Tip-off Gold #'ed 66/99..

This is another one I'm unsure how I ended up with, but it's a worthy inclusion on the Laker page if I ever decide to go through with my idea of making binders of team pages out as a way to organize the nicer random baseball, basketball, & football cards I'm not too attached too but can't seem to and/or don't really want to get rid of.

Kris Bryant sketch card!

Of course I can't let a single post go by without sneaking a sketch card in there.  But seriously though, getting back to the baseball with this sweet Gavin original of Kris Bryant!

Prizm Draft Schwarber..

I think I have at least a couple of these already, but extra early Schwarbers are never a bad thing to have.

2006 Topps Rookie of the Week..

I have no recollection of this program at all, how hard they were to come by, or who the rest of the checklist consists of (this is card 24 of 25), but Ryno on the '83 Topps design is all I really need.

2011 BowChro Trey McNutt Prospect Auto..

I've never been much for prospecting, but even in the most meh designs with the most forgotten failed prospects, Bowman Chrome autos are always nice & clean.  McNutt topped out at AA and is currently trying to keep his career alive on the indies.

2015 BowChro Prospect Purple Refractor #'ed 225/250..

Here's a nice purple refractor. I'm not sure yet, because it's mighty tempting to keep it for myself, but I might add it to my mom's pink & purple parallel binder whenever I'm next over there.  Sands was a fairly high draft pick in 2014 and started strong, but injuries, ineffectiveness, and an influx of newer, much readier draftees lead him to being released this spring.  As far as I can tell, nobody has picked him up since.  He's only 23 though, so the clock on his career hasn't ticked down nearly as far as some of the other names in this post.

2015 BowChro Bruno Prospect Refractor Auto #'ed 199/499..

Another nice Cubs prospect auto, this one a numbered refractor version.  Bruno is closing in on 28 and seems to be struggling mightily at AAA this season, so unless he comes on strong and can catch on elsewhere, he might be independent league bound as well.

2014 BowPlat Green #'ed 128/399..

This might be another dupe, but I'm not sure.  This is from the last Platinum set before the brand went on a short hiatus, returning a couple years later as an only slightly retooled Walmart exclusive.  Alcantara made the show with the Cubs but couldn't hit enough to stick on a team that was suddenly about to start contending.

2009 BowChro Prospect X-Fractor #'ed 179/250..

I'm typically not a fan of X-Fractors, but this version from 2009 is legitimately amazing.  I wouldn't be nearly as dismissive if they all looked more like this one.  Despite putting up generally respectable numbers, Rosa has bounced around the minors, independent, and international leagues for over a decade without ever being all that close to making the show.

Inception Magenta #'ed 80/99

I've owned maybe a half-dozen (counting football) Inception cards ever because it's typically a higher end prospect product with barely any cards per box and is frequently quite hideous to boot.  But the 2017 version looks decent, at least in magenta parallel form, and I'm happy to add any new #'ed Javy regardless, especially now that he's starting to fully realize his potential.

2005 Benchwarmer AJ Almasi/Laura Davis dual auto..

Finally, closing it out with some pretty ladies in very little clothing.  This sweet dual auto is arguably the centerpiece of the package, and I am excited to finally have it my possession.  And remember what I always say about Benchwarmer cards...

Backside..

Always scan the backs, because they are the gift that keeps on giving!

Haha, anyway, thank you Gavin!  As of my June shipments, I finally have all the trade bait I picked up for you & others last year on COMC in-hand (so many Christmas cards!), so I expect we'll be trading again soon.  Hopefully it won't take me 18 months to get send stuff your way this time.

That's all for now.  Thanks for stopping by!

Until our next...