Graphing Recap of Somerset Patriots at High Point Rockers

Before Chris went off to camp for a week, he and I decided to take a mini-day trip across the state and catch a game at the new High Point Rockers stadium.  The Rockers are a new independent league team that has taken residence in High Point, just outside of Winston-Salem and Greensboro.

We saw them take on the Somerset Patriots, and I spent a good amount of time a few days prior by looking for cards of guys who we would see.  I did pretty well, and Chris even helped me search my Orioles boxes for the above 2015 Topps Update Chrome sparkle Jimmy Paredes.  I knew I had the card, and when I saw he was on the roster, that was the one card that I wanted to get signed.

 Between my box of older prospect cards and a trip to the new LCS in town (the one I have been going to for the last 10 years has been bought out and closed), I got a good many card signed at the game.

You have to pick a side at their stadium and go for one team at a time, so I made sure I hit Somerset first so I could get the Paredes done.

Luckily, I got most of the Somerset guys I needed, save for two, so I was hoping I would knock off the final two, then head to the Rockers side and grab some as well.  I saw that this idea wasn't going to work, but Chris spoke up and said he would go over to the Rockers side and try to get whatever he could done.  I didn't have his book along with us, so I had to hand him the individual players and tell him the numbers to remember.

Chris got all but one of the Rockers players taken care of, and that was because the guy wouldn't stop.  I got one of the players that I needed (Ryan Kussmaul) and the other player didn't stop for me, so he and I missed one guy each.  That isn't too bad.

The only problem I saw with the independent teams was that neither team had an updated roster posted that I was able to find online.  There were a few pitchers who were listed on each roster that I wanted to get, but they weren't there.  I don't know if there is a better way for me to figure out the rosters, but that would be nice.

Chris gets back from camp today; the week without him has been no fun, so he needs to get home.

Surprise Package From Anthony

My friend Anthony, from Instagram, surprised me with a package a few weeks ago that had this 2015 Topps Jimmy Paredes pink parallel inside it.

The card is numbered 41/50 and was one that I didn't have in my collection.  I have two of his parallels now, this one, and the Topps Update sparkle chrome.  I said before that Paredes was really fun to watch at the beginning of last season, but once the league caught up to him, he was pretty dreadful.

I'm hoping he can establish himself and become an everyday player for the Orioles.  I'll be hoarding these cards until then. Thanks for the package, Anthony!

Instagram Trade With Alexander

I completed a trade last month with a guy from Instagram named Alex.  I sent him something that I can't quite remember (I think it was a Bowman Sterling auto) in exchange for this awesome Jonathan Schoop auto from 2014 Inception.  Inception is such a good product, but the Orioles haven't really had a whole lot of major prospects come through that set, with the exception of Schoop, Hunter Harvey and Christian Walker.  I'm hoping the Orioles recent draft picks start to show up in products like this.  Also, I can't wait to see stuff of Trey Mancini and Chance Sisco in this stuff as well,

Alexander included some extras in the package as well.  They were a few Orioles cards, but the most notable was this Jimmy Paredes sparkle chrome from Topps Update.  I wish Chris Davis had one of these this year, because I would be all over it!  This card just looks so cool.  It's too bad Paredes tailed off after the All Star break, because he was on pace to have a pretty special year last year.  I hope he can bounce back.  We'll see though.

Thanks for the deal, Alexander!  I wish I could remember what I sent, but I'm sure you were happy with it.