Call Your Shot Contest

Yesterday was a pretty good day for me. I was busy at work which is always good. I received a cool gift from my brother-in-law (will make a post about that later), had my new sweatshirt in the mail along with a couple of cards waiting for me when I got home also. The one card I received in the mail was from the contest Babe Ruth's Call Your Shot game. In this year Topps Series 1, they would have scratch off cards with a chance to win an autograph, autograph relic, or an entry to win a grand prize. I stuck to my game plan and just scratch off the autograph relics on about the ten cards I had pulled. I did get lucky and won on one card.

After redeeming the code it gave a list of potential players that you could receive in the mail. I was pretty happy with the list that was shown and even more happy when I ripped open this beauty of a card. I pulled a 2013 Topps Triple Threads of Atlanta Braves all star first basemen, Freddie Freeman. I love that the relic is part of a baseball bat and the autograph is on card instead of a sticker. Jersey relics are more common, I believe then baseball bats relics and the on card autograph is always a better deal then a sticker. Needless to say I am really impressed with what I received from Topps and even more impressed how fast this card came. I knew they wouldn't start to ship until the end of March and I received it yesterday (4/6), which anyone who has redeemed a card with Topps will agree that came quick.

Topps Heritage Part 1

Last night I received my favorite baseball card series, Topps Heritage. I really like the retro design to their cards. I purchased two hobby boxes due to the reasonable cost and the fact that each box you are guaranteed either a relic or an autograph.

My first box started pretty slow for me. It wasn't until the last pack i ripped open that I pulled this Zack Greinke game used relic. I was pretty impressed with the card. Greinke is a good pitcher coming into his contract year with the Dodgers. I remember watching him come up with the Royals and show his dominating stuff against the Tigers. He is a little bit of a head case, but still a pretty cool card to add.

My second box I pulled another game used relic of Atlanta Braves first basemen, Freddie Freeman. This is probably my favorite of the two cards just because of having the red jersey piece compared to the usual white or gray. Freeman is good young first basemen who has a great glove and I like a guy who can flash the leather.

By the time I had a chance to rip into these boxes it was a little later in the evening. I did pull a few cool parallels that I will post in part 2 and I have to go through and look to see what short prints I pulled and if I did get any bubble gum stained cards.

#TwoforTuesday

I'm going to try something new today. On Tuesday's I'm going to take the time to post about different baseball players that probably won't have any association with the Tigers. I will post about two players and I will try to do my best to talk about the actual baseball card.

Today my post is centered around two young pitchers, Matt Moore of the Tampa Bay Rays and Shelby Miller, formerly of the St. Louis Cardinals and now the Atlanta Braves. The cards are from the 2014 Topps Supreme Series. I really like the looks of theses cards. The things that I tend to look for is a nice autograph and I prefer on card over sticker. These are sticker autos but they will do for me. The other thing I like is a card printed on nice thick card stock. Topps Supreme has me covered.

Matt Moore is a young pitcher who will be making a comeback from Tommy John surgery and hoping to pitch as early as June this year. I remember first watching Moore pitch in the 2011 playoffs against the Texas Rangers. In his start he was dominating the Rangers. He went seven strong innings of two hit baseball. I was downstate visiting my sister at the time and was out at dinner when the game was on. I sat and watched his performance and thought this guy is going to be a star. Throw in the fact I am a fellow lefty, new favorite player to follow.

The first thing as a baseball card collector, when I am collecting autographs of non-Tigers players I like someone who has a nice clean signature or something special about their signature. Now Shelby Miller has a nice autograph. Great flow to his signature. This is a die cut autograph and the second oneof the Topps Supreme that I have (first being a Nick Castellanos). Outside of the Tigers I tend to follow the St. Louis Cardinals for my National League team. My brother-in-law (check out his blog here) is originally from St. Louis, so talking with him I adopted them as my other team. I am someone who also does fantasy baseball and with following the Cards I have drafted Miller in the past and have had some success with him. This off-season he was traded away from the Cards to the Braves for Jason Heyward. I will still have to keep my eye on him with the Braves