I Won A Topps Giveaway, Again!

A couple months ago, I won a giveaway posted on Topps's Instagram page.  The giveaway was for a box of Topps Strata.  Little did I know, I would win again the last day of the National.  I was nominated this time by my little buddy, Nick C., who I have done some trades with and also met at the National.  He messaged me that Sunday night to let me know that I had won and had I seen that Topps tagged me.  I never got the notification... because they misspelled my name in the tag!  They were supposed to tag my Instagram account (wregenthal) but accidentally tagged (wregental).  So, I never got the notification.

The plot thickened, though, when Nick showed me that someone had created an Instagram account with the name, and had pulled a couple of my posts from the National and posted them on their page.  I was confused, so I messaged the person to let them know that I didn't appreciate them creating an account that was so close to my name.  My fear was that they were planning on scamming a few people based on the reputation that I had built these last few years.  I was up til 1AM messaging this kid back and forth.  I also was getting notifications from members of the card community who were tagging me in posts on Topps's page explaining that they had misspelled my name, and the person created a fake account so they could claim the prize.

Frustrated that the person wasn't budging on closing the account, I went to sleep.  I woke up the next morning to a huge apology message from the kid asking for my forgiveness for trying to deceive Topps.  It seems that they messaged him themselves and told him the he would not be winning the prize.  Worst of all, this is a 14-year old kid.  I accepted his apology and gave him a few words about how he should work to conduct himself better in the community.  We chatted for a while, and he seemed to be a decent enough person.  So, I gave him some collecting tips, checked out the card videos he posted on his card page and actually completed a trade.

It wasn't long after the trade that he disappeared from the community, but not before pretty much messaging me out of the blue and telling me he didn't want to talk or do any more trades.  I decided that I would move on, because I felt like I had done plenty to help the kid, and didn't need to extend a hand in helping him any further.  My hope is that one day, he will grow up and realize that he was really lucky that I showed him some compassion and forgiveness for his mistake.  I definitely didn't have to!

So, I did get the prize from the giveaway.  This realy cool 2016 Allen & Ginter Clayton Kershaw National Exclusive 1/1.  I have had a few people ask if it was available, but I think that I am going to hold onto it.  One, because Kershaw is a badass, and two, it will serve as a reminder that the community backed me up 100%.  I am really appreciative that so many people (and quite a few of them I had never even talked to) messaged Topps to try to fix the problem.

Meeting Matthew At The National

One of my favorite parts of going to the National is the ability to meet up with fellow collectors from Facebook, Instagram, the blogs, Skype, etc.  I have used it as an opportunity to do some in person trades with these guys, and just hand out searching boxes with guys who are just as interested in cards as I am.

One of the people I was able to meet with at this year's National was Matthew.  I met Matthew through a Facebook trading page several years ago when he was only 10.  I believe one of the first trades I ever actually completed with him was for a Jose Fernandez chrome RC (but Matthew may have to confirm that).  I helped him get his collection started by also sending him some care packages and introducing him to blogging and other Facebook card pages.  Matthew actually started a few of his own trading pages and would Skype regularly with my son, Chris, since they are really close in age.  It stuck with Chris so much, that he asks about Matthew all the time, even though the don't have the time to chat any more.

So, I met up with Matthew and his dad at the National and he had this great Hunter Harvey auto from 2015 Bowman Inception.  He gave me the card "just because" which I thought was really nice of him.  I always enjoyed how appreciative Matthew was of the care packages I sent.  I now see his instagram page and enjoy all of the super high end cards that he has acquired since our introduction.  I'm happy to see that his collection has grown by leaps and bounds, and also how he himself has grown into a well respected member of the card community.  I see articles all of the time that spell the death knell of the hobby, but with kids like Matthew, I feel like it is alive and will carry into the next generation of collectors just fine.

Thanks so much for the awesome card, Matthew!

Kevin Gausman Cards From The National

Kevin Gausman delivered in what might have been the biggest game of his career yesterday.  He held the Yankees to two runs in 7.1 innings pitched and his battery mate, Matt Wieters supplied the lumber in the Orioles 5-2 win.  The Orioles win assured them of a spot in the 2016 Post Season; before the Tigers lost to the Braves.

Gausman has seemingly turned the corner in his progression as a former top prospect into a top of the rotation starter for the Orioles.  His won-loss record isn't spectacular by any means, but he suffered from a lack of run support throughout the season.  He still managed a 9-12 record with a 3.61 ERA and 174 strike outs this season.  Not too bad, really.

I only picked up two Gausman cards from the National (I don't count the Museum Collection card since it went into th Davis PC).  The card at the top of the page is a 2013 Finest orange refractor numbered 88/99.  The above card is a mini refractor from 2013 Bowman Chrome.

I hope that the Orioles can continue their season beyond tomorrow night, but they have to go through Toronto first.  Let's go O's!

Chris Davis Pickups From The National

A couple things before I begin this post.  I passed 500,000 page views yesterday.  That's pretty significant, so I would like to thank you all, and all of the bots clicking on my blog and maybe giving it a read.  I don't respond to all of the comments, but they are appreciated and I encourage you all to continue.  Thank you so much!

Also, I dusted off my lucky 2005 Brian Roberts jersey for today's game.  I figured there may still be some magic left in there after I called his walk off homer in the June 28, 2005 game.  The Orioles need to win today to assure themselves of a playoff spot.  An Orioles win and Jays and Tigers losses would give the Orioles the Wild Card game at home.  I really hope they can win.

I still have tons of stuff to show off from the National.  I believe I will be posting about the National up until Christmas.  I lumped all of the Chris Davis PC pickups into this one post because I didn't really find too many cards of him that really stood out.  Of course, there was the one Museum Collection quad that warranted its own post.  These were just a few base and parallel cards I needed but hadn't pulled or picked up yet.  I did find the Panini America's Pastime auto at the top of the page in a discount box for $5.  It is an on-card auto and is numbered 18/75.

The above 2016 Topps Archives is nice, but I really want to find the Desert Shield parallel.  I looked around the show while I was looking for the Cal, but didn't locate one.

I liked this year's Gypsy Queen.  I wasn't sure I had Davis's base card, and I couldn't access my inventory list since my phone dropped dead at the show every day, so at a dime, I didn't mind picking this up.

Finally, 2016 Topps Chrome had just been released prior to the show, so I didn't have any of the Davis cards yet.  I found a guy who had busted a case and took his Orioles for a cheap bulk price (that included the Joey Rickard auto I posted earlier).  I was wondering a few days ago why I didn't have them listed in the inventory list.  Now I know why; I hadn't posted them yet.

National Signer - Tim Raines

The other paid signer that Andrew and I had vouchers for was Tim Raines.  His vouchers were pretty cheap, and I figure that he will eventually get into the Hall of Fame.  He was a very nice guy as we got up to him.  His line moved so fast, probably because Andrew and I had vouchers 1 and 2.

I told Raines that I hope to hear his name called in January for the Hall.  He said "Yeah, I've been hearing that a lot lately."

Raines (b. 1959) played in the majors from 1979 to 1999, 2001 and 2002 for the Expos, White Sox, Yankees, A's, Orioles and Marlins.  He had 2,605 hits, 170 home runs and a .294 batting average.  His 808 stolen bases rank 5th all-time.  He won the 1986 NL Batting Title with a .334 average.  He was a 7-time All Star and finished as high as 5th in the NL MVP voting (1983).  He won the World Series in 1996 with the Yankees.

Raines has appeared on the Hall of Fame ballot 9 times and with the new eligibility rules, next year will be his last.  He has gotten as much as 69.8% of the vote and should be able to get the required 75% next year.  If not, he will most likely get in via the Veterans Committee.

National Free Signer - Kevin Mitchell

There was only one free signer at the National that I had interest in getting on a ball.  I found this 1990 official All Star ball for a good price on Ebay and figured I would get Kevin Mitchell to sign it.  His line was pretty long, like all of the others, but this one was worth it.

Mitchell inscribed his uniform number and 89 NL MVP on the ball.  He was surprised that I wanted it on the side panel below the All Star logo, asking me a couple times "don't you want it on the Sweet Spot?"  I wanted the logo to show with the auto, and it looks good, I think.

Mitchell (b. 1962) played in the majors from 1984, 1986 to 1994 and 1996 to 1998 for the Mets, Padres, Giants, Mariners, Reds, Red Sox, Indians and A's.  He had 1,173 hits, 234 home runs and a .284 career average.  He was an All Star in 1989 and 1990.  In his 1989 MVP season, he his 47 homers with 125 RBIs and a .291 batting average.  Mitchell won the World Series with the Mets in 1986.  He appeared on the 2004 Hall of Fame ballot and received 0.4% of the vote.

Birthday Gift From Andrew - Cal Ripken Booklet

I got my first birthday present of the year at the National while I was hanging out with my good friend, Andrew.  He surprised me while we were hanging around a table with this awesome 2014 Topps Five Star Cal Ripken relic/auto.  The booklet is numbered 12/50.  I know Andrew probably paid a lot for it, but I don't want to know what he spent.  It doesn't matter, I'd be happy with a nice letter, really, but this card is an awesome addition to my Ripken PC.

I don't know what I can say about Andrew that I haven't said on this blog before, but he is a great friend.  I've known him for over 5 years now, and have enjoyed every minute of it.  I'm really lucky to be able to call him my friend.

Thank you so much for the awesome birthday gift, Andrew.

National Free Signer - Greg Luzinski

One of the last free signers that I was able to get at the National was Greg Luzinski.  I don't really remember his signing, I just remember standing in line forever.  I thought this 1983 Fleer would look cool signed, and I was right.  I wasn't able to use a Wild Card on him, which was disappointing, since I had a ton of his cards that I could have gotten signed.  By the time I was done with his signing, I was over trying to get anyone else.  The VIP signer experience at the National was rough, and I don't think I will work as hard when I go next year.

Luzinski (b. 1950) played in the majors from 1970 to 1984 for the Phillies and White Sox.  He had 1795 hits, 307 home runs and a .276 batting average.  He was a 4-time All Star and finished twice in the NL MVP voting (1975 and 1977).  He won the World Series with the Phillies in 1980.  Luzinski appeared on the Hall of Fame ballot in 1990 and received 0.2% of the vote.

National Free Signer - Ron Blomberg

One of the free signers that I was able to get at the National was former Yankee, Ron Blomberg.  I was able to get one card signed by him, so I chose this 1988 Topps Turn Back The Clock, since I didn't have any of those cards signed yet.  It turned out really nice, I think.

Blomberg (b. 1948) played in the Majors from 1969, 1971 to 1976 and 1978 for the Yankees and White Sox.  He had 391 hits, 52 home runs and a .293 batting average.  He is best known as the first designated hitter in baseball history.

Cheap Shots From The National - Nick Markakis Patch

One of the cool things about the bargain boxes at The National is that you can find some really nice stuff when you really aren't looking for it.  I had no Nick Markakis cards in my mind to check for while there, but I found this really cool patch card numbered 8/10.

It's a 2-color patch from 2013 Panini America's Pastime.  I haven't added anything significant to the Markakis PC since he signed with the Braves before last season.  This card is a really cool one, even though the patch almost goes unnoticed.

I got the card for less than $8 as part of a bulk deal, so I likely got it for closer to $5.  Not too bad for a patch of that size and that low of a serial number.

National Free Signer - Von Hayes

One of the VIP signers at the National this year was former MLB player, Von Hayes.  His line was one of the easier ones for me to get in, and I actually was able to use a Wild Card on him.  I was really happy to get this 1992 Topps Stadium Club card signed by him in blue Sharpie.  I thought the card turned out really nice.

I was also able to get this 1992 Topps signed, which will look nice as part of my Topps Autograph Project.  I only have 4 cards out of the 1992 set signed, so there won't be a lot to choose from like other years.

Hayes (b. 1958) played in the Majors from 1981 to 1992 for the Indians, Phillies and Angels.  He had 1,402 hits, 143 home runs and a career average of .267.  He finished 8th in the NL MVP voting in 1986 when he led the league in runs scored (107) and doubles (46) with a .305 average.  He was also an All Star in 1989.

National Pickup - Brooks Robinson WS Champ Coin Stamp Card

I picked this card up on the first full day of the National from a vendor who had a whole bunch of Orioles stuff.  I was hoping they would have the Chris Davis laser booklet insert from 2016 Topps, but they didn't.  I saw this Brooks, though, and paid their high price for it.  The card was $40, but I really like these coin/stamp cards, so I was ok with it.  The fact that it was Brooks, well, that made it even better!  I want to go back and get the birth year coin/stamp Brooks card sometime.  I have the Ted Williams, and it is one of my favorite cards.  This came from 2016 Topps Series 2.  I opened 3 jumbo boxes of series 2, and didn't pull any of these.  Someone on Instagram told me that the $40 I spent wasn't too bad of a price, so that made me feel better.

National Free Signer - Mitch Williams

One of the first signers that I was able to get at the National was Mitch Williams during the VIP party on the Wednesday of the show.  They were supposed to have Steve Garvey there as well, but he backed out at the last minute and was replaced by Roy White and someone else (I can't remember who).  I got White on a baseball for my good friend, Drew, but since I didn't have any cards of the other guy, I didn't bother.  I did have a bunch of cards of Mitch Williams and ended up getting three signed.  Two of them went to my friend, Max, and I kept the above 1994 Score.

Williams (b. 1964) played in the majors from 1989 to 1995 and 1997 for the Rangers, Cubs, Phillies, Astros, Angels and Royals.  He had a career record of 45-58 with an ERA of 3.65 and 192 saves.  He was an All Star in 1989 while with the Cubs and finished as high as 6th in the NL Cy Young voting in 1991.

I got this 1994 Score out of one of the boxes of cards that Mom picked up for me.  One of them (a 5,000-count box) is almost all 1994 Score.  This was a really nice set back then, but was prone to sticking together if the cards got hot.  Luckily, the cards were well taken care of, and I have been able to use some for graphing.  They look really nice with blue sharpie.

Cheap Shots From The National - Bill Lee Signed Baseball

One of the coolest deals that I got at the National was this signed baseball of Bill "Spaceman" Lee for $5.00,  The ball is a Joe DiMaggio commemorative OAL baseball.  The vendor had cases and cases of them for $10.00 but gave me  a deal for $5.00,  I figure the ball itself is worth a lot more than that.

Lee (b. 1946) played in the majors from 1969 to 1982 for the Red Sox and Expos.  He had a career record of 119-90 with a 3.62 ERA and 713 strike outs.  He was an All Star in 1973 and finished 23rd in the AL MVP voting.

Lee appeared on the 1988 Hall of Fame ballot and received 0.7% of the vote.  He is most widely known for his eccentric personality, which led to his nickname "Spaceman".

National Free Signer - Bobby Shantz

We met free signer Bobby Shantz during the Wednesday Sneak Peek at the National.  Unfortunately, the wait in line was excruciating and it set the tone for most of the other VIP free signers for the rest of the show.

Shantz, himself, was really nice, and did take the time to chat with everyone.  I was afraid I would miss out on him, so I waited in line for over 2 hours to get him.  By the time I got up to him, Andrew had given up and gave me his ticket.  I used both name tickets for my and Andrew's cards.  They both turned out great.

Andrew and I both got 1950 Bowman Shantz cards signed.  This is Shantz's rookie card.  During my chat with Shantz, he noted that this card was an old one.  I asked him if he kept any of his cards and he said no, but fans sent him cards all of the time.  He said that he rarely sees this one, though.  He seemed happy to see and sign it.  The card turned out great.

I am happy to have met Shantz.  He was a really nice, friendly guy.  I'm also glad I was able to help Andrew out and get his card signed as well.  Too bad the line was ridiculous.  I might have to approach the free signers differently next year, because those lines killed my legs and feet this year.

National Pickup - 2014 Bowman Chrome Ryan Ripken Auto

At the time I picked this card up at the National, I was excited.  I saw it in a vendor's showcase and immediately paid his price of $20 for this card and went about my business.  Unfortunately, for me, I probably should have looked a little bit longer while I was there, because on the last day of the show, I saw two of these in a bargain box for $4 a piece.  Dang.  I'm sure that the vendor I got this from saw my Orioles gear and figured he had a sucker.  Oh well.  $20 isn't a bad price to pay when you consider that my goal has been to get Ryan Ripken's autograph so that I can say that I have three generations of Ripken autos (and Bill, as well).

I really want Ryan on a baseball, but at this point, this card works for me.  I have Cal, Sr. and Cal, Jr. on baseballs.  I don't have Bill on one, either, but that shouldn't take me much longer.  Ryan is still in the Nationals system, after being drafted in the 15th round of the 2014 draft out of a Junior College in Florida.

He is scuffling so far in his MiLB career, with a .203 batting average, 3 homers and 47 RBI over 141 minor league games across 3 seasons in Rookie League, Low A and A ball.  I doubt he will pan out much more than having a famous last name, but at 23, he is still fairly young.  I was initally disappointed that he wasn't drafted by the O's (he was drafted by them in 2012 out of high school, but didn't sign), but he probably stands a better chance in DC and not living up to his dad's shadow in Baltimore.

So, I kind of wish I had waited to pick this card up out of the bargain bin, but $20 is still not bad, especially in the grand scheme of things.

Orioles Prospect Pickups From The National

As the Orioles crap the bed on this season, now is as good a time as any to look toward the future.  While I was at the National, I utilized the bargain boxes to add some O's "prospects" to my collection.  The above DJ Stewart jumbo relic/auto cost me less than $5.00, but is a pretty cool card.  Stewart hasn't really lived up to his "first round draft pick" billing, but since his promotion from Low A Delmarva to High A Frederick, Stewart's batting average has picked up by 42 points from .230 to .272.  He had 4 homers at Delmarva this year, coupled with another 4 at Frederick.  He should develop more power, but that remains to be seen.  So far, Stewart appears to be far away from reaching the Majors, but one can still hope.  The kid is only 22, so hopefully he can continue to improve.

This Chance Sisco was a dine box find.  Sisco might be the top Orioles prospect, and may see playing time in the majors next year.  He is only 22, but holds a .322 career average over 4 minor league seasons.  The Orioles desperately need a high average player who can get on base.  Compared to the dismal .230 average that Matt Wieters is showing this season, Sisco may be an upgrade over the former phenom.  Sisco isn't regarded as a plus defender, but Wieters seems to have regressed defensively somewhat, and has always been suspect as his game-calling.  I look forward to seeing what Sisco can do, but I doubt he gets a call up in September.  We may have to wait to see how he performs in Spring Training 2017.  By then, Wieters may likely be gone.

24 year-old Drew Dosch is batting .256 with an OBP of .306 at AA Bowie this season.  He has 7 homers and has struck out 87 times.  He was a 7th round pick in 2013 and hopefully will continue to move up in the O's system.  He's a third baseman who has Manny Machado to look up at in the depth chart for a couple more seasons before Manny leaves via free agency.  I got this card for less than $5 out of a bargain box.  This 2015 Bowman Chrome blue refractor auto is numbered 28/150.

I was excited to find this Cole Billingsley auto in a bargain box for $3.00.  He is currently at Short Season (A) Aberdeen and is batting .283 with 3 homers over the course of 46 games.  Not bad for his first season of pro ball.  I look forward to following Billingsley's career as he rises through the ranks.  Hopefully he will make the majors, which would be really cool for a kid featured on a 2010 Bowman card at the age of 16.

Finally, we have a 2016 Bowman Inception Trey Mancini auto that I picked up for less than $15.  I love these cards.  My buddy Robert busted two cases of Inception and actually pulled this same card.  I wanted to get it from him, but he sold it before I had a chance to make an offer.  Oh well.  This card is not numbered,  but the auto is on-card.

Mancini sports a .306 average across 4 minor league seasons.  He was promoted to AAA Norfolk, a notoriously unfriendly park for hitters' stats, but has batted a respectable .279 with 13 home runs over 118 games.  Mancini stands a chance to be called up when rosters expand on September 1.  If anything, he must be added to the Orioles 40-man roster this off season, or they risk exposing him to the Rule V Draft (where any team can draft him for the price of $50,000, but must keep him on their 25-man roster, or offer him back to the O's for $25,000).  It is a no-brainer that Mancini is added to the 40-man no later than the off season.

National Pickup - Jim Thome Signed Baseball

I believe the last transaction I made at the National was pairing up a Joe Torre signed baseball with this Jim Thome ball for a great deal ($125, I believe).  I had seen Thome balls at the show going for $125 alone, so, essentially, I got the Torre for free.

I have wanted a Thome ball for some time now, especially since I was right beside him twice at Camden Yards (back when he played for the Twins), but couldn't get him to sign.  I was running around the National during the final minutes of the show looking for a vendor who had cheap Vladimir Guerrero balls, but I found the guy with Torre and Thome instead.  Adding the Hall of Famer (Torre) cheaply won out over Vladdy.

Thome (b. 1970) played in the Majors from 1991 to 2012 for the Indians, Phillies, White Sox, Dodgers, Twins and Orioles.  He was a 5-time All Star who finished as high as 4th in the NL MVP Voting (2003).  He appeared in two World Series with the Indians (1995 and 1997), but never won a ring.  He retired after the 2012 season, one in which he was traded to the O's for the stretch run.  The 2012 Orioles would fall to the Yankees in the ALDS that year.

Thome had 2,328 hits, 612 home runs and a .276 batting average.  His home run total currently ranks 7th all time.  He will be eligible for Hall of Fame voting in 2018.

Joey Rickard Pickups From The National

It seems that every year, the Orioles are able to find usable pieces in the December Rule V Draft.  Ever since they were able to pick Ryan Flaherty up in the 2011 version, they have been active in the draft and have been able to keep the guys they have picked.  They were able to stash T. J. McFarland and Jason Garcia on the roster and now they remain in the organization (although, McFarland was designated for assignment today to make room for the return of Tommy Hunter.

I didn't think too much this year when the Orioles added a Rays far hand to the roster via the draft, but based on his strong spring, Joey Rickard really raised some eyebrows.

Rickard made the Orioles Opening Day roster out of Spring Training, and performed strongly over the early part of the season.  He came back down to Earth, then was sidelined with a thumb injury that has put him out until mid-September.

Rickard has already endeared himself to many O's fans.  He's young (25), has some speed, and has been getting on base.  Currently, he has a .268 batting average with 5 home runs over the course of 85 games.  When he gets back to the active roster, I believe he will be an important table setter for a team that desperately is trying to make the playoffs.

I picked up these Chrome cards at various vendors at the National.  They are Rickard's first Topps offerings, and they look great.  I got his auto at the top of the page for around $10, and the other two cards (his base chrome, and the prism refractor) were in dime boxes.

Jonathan Schoop Pickups From The National

A National Card Show wouldn't be complete without my picking up Jonathan Schoop cards dirt cheap.  I have continued to take advantage of him being grossly underrated, which is fine, since I can get some really nice stuff of his.

This year, I picked up some great parallels and a couple autos.  The above green refractor from 2015 Topps Chrome is numbered 7/99 and came out of a dollar box.  It was cheaper than a dollar because I got a bulk deal on it, so that made it even better.

This 2011 Bowman Platinum blue parallel was also in a dollar box.  Even worse, it was unsleeved, just floating around loose in the box.  It is numbered 9/199 and now resides in a penny sleeve and top loader.

This 2014 Bowman Chrome Mini blue parallel is numbered 112/250.  It was ALSO in a dollar box and was floating around loose.

I don't remember what I paid for this 2011 Leaf Valiant Schoop auto, but I believe it was in a $5.00 box.  Not too bad for a nice auto.  This is a cool-looking card that definitely looks better in person.  It didn't scan all that well.

Finally, here is a nice 2014 Tier One auto numbered 211/399 that was priced at $7.00, but I got cheaper since it, too, was part of a bulk deal.  I need to sit down and count how many Schoop autos I have.  I'm sure I have a bunch now.

Schoop is having a great season for the Orioles. batting .282 with 20 homers through 127 games.  He has been a solid piece for the Orioles and could very well top out at more than 30 home runs this year.  I believe Schoop will have a few big moments for the O's down the stretch.