TTM Success - Greg Dobbs

I got some nice cards back signd from Greg Dobbs recently.  The above 2008 Topps was a good choice, and turned out well.  This probably isn't Topps's best effort, but the design is clean, and I like how they did the team names in alternating bubbles at the top.  The border is pretty restrictive on the photo, though.

This is a 2013 Topps mini.  I like getting these signed and out of my box.  They were able to be had cheaply back then, and I bought a couple boxes to bust with my buddy, Andrew.  I got rid of most of the base cards, but still have a small handful in my 2013 Topps box.

I really like this 2011 Topps update of Dobbs.  For some reason, I have always liked the infield dirt shown on cards.  This one just looks cool, and looks even better now that it is signed.

Dobbs (b. 1978) played in the majors from 2004 to 2014 for the Mariners, Phillies, Marlins and Nationals.  He had 548 hits, 46 home runs and a .261 batting average.  He won the World Series with the Phillies in 2008.

I mailed to Dobbs on November 16 and got the cards back on December 7, for a 21-day TAT.

TTM Success - Nick Masset

I added some fairly recent cards with this TTM success from former pitcher, Nick Masset.  The above 2011 Topps Update Wal Mart Blue was a nice parallel to add to the autograph album.

I also had this 2005 Topps Update, and went ahead and sent it along.  Both cards look nice.

Masset (b. 1982) played in the majors from 2006 to 2011 and 2014 to 2015 for the Rangers, White Sox, Reds, Rockies, Marlins and Braves.  He had a career record of 20-16 with 339 strike outs and a 4.06 ERA.

I mailed to Masset on October 23 and got the cards back on November 23, for a 31-day TAT.

TTM Success - Jeff Francoeur

I was really excited to get this TTM success back from former Braves outfielder, Jeff Francoeur.  I had sent several of his cards out, then sat and waited.  I waited a long time, but they finally came in.  The above 2008 Goudey mini turned out really well.  I don't believe I had any of these in my autograph album, so this one will look cool in there.

Francoeur signed a couple nice horizontal cards for me, and they may be the best of the bunch.  I especially like the 2013 Topps.  The blue background matches well with his signature, I think.

Finally, I put a 2008 UD First Edition Starquest to use, and it turned out really well.  I also added a 2008 Topps to the album.

Francoeur (b. 1984) played in the majors from 2005 to 2016 for the Braves, Mets, Rangers, Royals, Giants, Padres, Phillies and Marlins.  He had 1,373 hits, 160 home runs and a .261 batting average.  He finished third in the 2005 NL Rookie of the Year Award voting and won a Gold Glove in 2007.

I mailed to Francoeur on February 27, 2017, and got the cards back on March 9, 2019, for a 740-day TAT.

TTM Success - Dustin Ackley

Winston-Salem's own Dustin Ackley signed a TTM request for me.  He signed and personalized 4 cards for me, including the above 2010 Topps Pro Debut that I have been sitting on, well, since 2010.

I always try to keep an eye on fellow North Carolinians in the majors, and especially Ackley, since he is from Winston.  He went to North Forsyth High School.  I'd say they were our rivals, but they really weren't.  At least not serious ones.  Still, it is pretty cool to see that he made the majors.

Ackley (b. 1988) played in the majors from 2011 to 2016 for the Mariners and Yankees.  He has 512 hits, 46 home runs and a .241 batting average.  He was in the Angels system during the 2018 season, but didn't crack the majors.

I mailed to Ackley on May 29, via the Salt Lake Bees and got the cards back on September 18, for a 112-day TAT.

Some Christmas Packs of 2011 Topps Update

One of the Christmas presents my wife got me was a blaster box of 2011 Topps Update Series.  It was the Target exclusive version, so inside were two red variation packs (nothing really of note in them) as well as the Commemorative Logo Patch.

The logo patch I got was the above Carlton Fisk Red Sox patch.  It looks pretty cool, even thought I'm not a Red Sox fan.

I got a Roberto Alomar cognac diamond parallel, but I already had it, but the above Koji Uehara diamond parallel was pretty nice.  Rumor has it that Texas is willing to trade Koji back to the Orioles since he really wants to be back in Baltimore.  I'd love to have him back.

Finally, this mini Kimball Champions insert of Vlad Guerrero was also pretty cool.  I didn't think Vlad was a bad pickup for the O's this past season.  Even though, $8 million for a singles hitter is pretty high.  It would have been nice if Guerrero had hit for a bit more power.

Thoughts on 2011 Topps Update Inserts

My son and I had several hours to kill on Saturday so we decided to go to the card shop here in town.  After an initial purchase of some packs (especially one jumbo pack of 2011 Topps Update Series) and looking at my watch to see we still had time to kill, I made the decision to buy a box of 2011 Topps Update Series Jumbo.  I was not disappointed...

This card came out of my initial jumbo pack.  I thought the card looked amazing and it convinced me that I really wanted to bust a box of Update...  This 'Hope Diamond' Markakis looks awesome and I think it scanned really cool...

I got a bunch of the 'Cognac' parallels.  I think these are cool too.  I was really hoping for the Brooks Robinsom, but I got Roberto Alomar and Carl Yastrzemski instead.  Not bad pulls.

The Yastrzemski looks really cool.  I think, in getting a Hall of Famer, Yaz is a pretty good one (not taking anything away from Alomar, of course).

Speaking of Hall of Famers, I also got this Andre Dawson diamond parallel.  It looks really cool scanned as well...

Check out this awesome Frank Thomas legends SP.  In an A's uniform, no less.  What a cool card, especially if you like the color green.  I had to explain to my son that Frank Thomas' nickname was The Big Hurt.  Why Daddy, he asked...  "Well, son, he was big and he hurt pitchers...."

Finally, I got a sweet Kimball Champions mini, this Zach Britton.  I got a bunch of others, but I was really glad I got the Britton.  It came in the pack with the Markakis.

I didn't even discuss the Julio Teheran 'Next 60' auto, the Adrian Gonzalez All Star Relic or the Tom Seaver (Reds) Leather Nameplate...

All in all, I got a sweet box.  I'd like to pick up another at some point, especially if I can chase some of the Brooks parallels...  Anyone got any Brooks Robinson Diamond Parallels (or the base card as well), please hook me up.