Good Folks in The Hobby

Sidenote: Google's Picasa is goofing up today so certain scans on the site might not be viewable at present.

A couple of weeks ago, I received an email from a collector who had been out of The Hobby for a few years and had just gotten back into the game. He had mentioned that he had quite a few cards of players that I collect and we talked about working out a trade or two in the future. The next thing I know, I receive a package in the mail with nearly 100 cards of current and former Rockies, Dan Uggla and of course Troy Tulowitzki. I was completely shocked to find this ridiculous package in the mail, obviously, but more than that, it's great to see that there are some really great people in this hobby. This new friend will be finding something nice in the mail come the beginning of August, but in the meantime I'm going to show off some of the goods he sent my way.

This first card is from 2007's UD First Edition and is of the First Pitch Foundations insert set. Though The Deck's '07 flagship series (and subsequent First Edition set) pales in comparison to 2008's, but the inserts aren't half bad from last year's set. This is the only First Pitch Foundations card that I've actually gotten my hands on, but I'm a fan. UD has had the upper hand (pun intended) over Topps in the photography game for the past couple of years and this is just another example.

Also, this is another card to feature Tulo in the 14 jersey from early in his MLB career. This photo might even be from the same game where UD's 2008 base card featuring Tulo was taken.

Again, many thanks to Eric who provided me with these cards... that was above and beyond anything I could have expected.

That's all I got...

- J.C.F.

Sickened...

EDIT: I butchered this post originally. I have since updated it (8:50pm, 7/7)

As you all know by now, Tulo's out again.

Some call him an idiot, some call him immature, but no one can deny the fact that this guy is the leader of this team and is something more than special. His heart and determination are second-to-none in this league which are welcomed attributes in these "cleaning-up-the-game" years that are exposing not only the corrupt methods used in the game but also the unethical lives some of today's players are living.

I don't blame ol' T-Roy for this, but it's unfortunate. At least he wasn't going after his pitcher in a fit of rage.



Hey, doesn't that guy look familiar? Yeah, that's right, he was the guy who...


(Pictured Left)

Yeah, he touched it...



... and I can always find a way to sneak something about 163 into every post/conversation/aspect of life.

That's all I got...

- J.C.F.

Honestly, What's Wrong With This Picture?

Am I an idiot? Please tell me what's so obvious that I am overlooking:

2007 Topps #135a [Troy Tulowitzki (RC)]


2007 Topps #135b [T. Tulowitzki Throw (RC)]

I've been trying to wrap my head around this for weeks.

WHAT IS THE VARIATION?!?

That's all I got...

- J.C.F.

What's Wrong With This Picture?

I've said it before and I'll say it again... I like a good retro set, and one of my favorite Tulo cards happens to be in this category. The '07 Bowman Heritage collection is a good looking retro set which hosts a couple of Tulo short prints and variations. Today's featured card (left) is Tulo's '07 Bowman Heritage #248b as opposed to #248a that Mario sent over to me last week (below).


As you can see, the original base card has the 'Rookie Card' logo located on the lower right corner of the card and also features the facsimile signature, while the #248b variation has the logo on the right and does not feature a signature. This is a great addition to the library and tomorrow I'll be featuring a parallel straight from the '07 Bowman Heritage.

That's all I got...

- J.C.F.

The Man That Keeps The Hobby Alive

Everyone in The Hobby knows of Wax Heaven and its proprietor, Mario Alejandro. Mr. Wax Heaven himself has yet again outdone himself, but the favor will most definitely be returned.

Mario designed the Tulo Trader logo/banner while assisting me in a number of other things from blogging to dealing with the card companies. I sent over some Jose Cruz Jr's, Canseco's and various Marlins to him last week along with a couple of Jeter's for Tatiana to show my appreciation... and what do I find today in the mail?


'07 Bowman Heritage (RC)


'07 Upper Deck (RC)


'07 Upper Deck SP Rookie Addition


Matt Holliday, '07 Bowman


Matt Holliday, '07 Bowman Chrome


Matt Holliday, '07 Upper Deck Spectrum

Yes, that's right... he thanked me for thanking him (and apparently a few other folks as well). There are some good people out there that are involved in The Hobby and I thank Mario for reminding us all of that fact while piquing our interest and keeping us involved. Unfortunately, the most genuine collector around is gaining first-hand experience with the scum of our hobby in truly upsetting fashion.

I'd like to wish him the best of luck with U.D. and thanks again for all of your help.

More Tulo's to come tomorrow, so check back in!

Boom... outta here.

- J.C.F.

Tulo, and his card, on the DL...

Some of you might have read my review of Upper Deck Series 2 over at Wax Breaker that was posted earlier today, and for that I thank you.

Unfortunately, I hit a speed bump a little later in the day when busting my second box of UD Series 2. You can read my reaction to that box on Wax Breaker as well. You will find that I busted a box of nothing but damaged cards and duplicates and my frustration cannot be expressed at present.

I happened to pull Tulo's [damaged] base card in the set along with a damaged dupe.



I'm happy to see Tulo represented not once, but twice in this set. Both are great shots, however my only qualm is that his base card in '08 UD Series 2 has him pictured wearing No. 14. Not a big deal (mostly because it's a sick photo), but let's catch up with the times UD.

Either way, I'm just happy he's got some new product out there.

That's all I got...

- J.C.F.

Soon-to-be Brothers-in-law R-O-C-K

Too many hyphens? Yeah, I thought that too. But that's aside the point.

Last week, I checked out the new local card shop that would be calling my name on a daily basis and happened to leave with a box of '08 Upper Deck Series 2 for myself as well as one of '08 Topps Series 2 for my future brother-in-law, Grant (proprietor of Beginner's Wax). I left the unopened Topps wax on his bed with a note that simply read, "Merry Christmas".

A few minutes later, Grant said the same to me and handed me a couple of early Christmas presents of my own:


'08 Topps Opening Day Blank Back (Front)


'08 Topps Opening Day Blank Back (Back, obviously)


Certificate of Authenticity

Not bad, eh? I was pumped G snagged this for me and felt good going into our first box break together in the new apartment.

But wait... there's more:


'08 UD Spectrum Yellow Parallel Printing Plate (Front)


'08 UD Spectrum Yellow Parallel Printing Plate (Back)

I knew I was marrying into a good family! Many thanks to Grant and his eBay success. I really appreciate acts of kindness like this, especially when I'm in a card slump. Needless to say, I was a little on tilt going into the UD Series 2 break, but good things were to come of that as well. A detailed review of the box will be up on Wax Breaker soon, but I was fortunate enough to pull the Rockies' team checklist with Mr. Tulowitzki's mug gracing the front:


'08 UD Series 2 Team Checklist

Hooray! A new picture! Hey Topps... earn your paycheck! I'm a little sick of the purple jersey, tongue in cheek and shades flipped (see above).

Three great Tulo's in a week ain't too shabby. Thanks again to Grant and I hope to be back soon with some more new Tulo pulls. I'll have a Rockies throwback sesh later this week.

That's all I got...

- J.C.F.

Tu-day's the Day

After a long period of pinching pennies due to the 2,000 mile move from Denver to Orlando, the bank balance is back in the 'safe zone' and I can get back in the game.

Grant and I have had to say goodbye to our card shops in Missouri and Colorado, respectively, but we have found a local shop and are hoping it's the start of a beautiful relationship. We stopped in yesterday for some supplies and saw that both '08 Topps and Upper Deck Series 2 were available [and had been a few days prior to the released date]. Intentionally, we only walked in with about $20 on hand as we knew that the summer was beginning and some exciting released were on the horizon, however I got that itch again and will be returning in a few short hours.

With that said, these are my goals for the near future:

1) Get the train rolling and complete the 2008 UD Set. Series 1 was a blast and I'm looking forward to a few hundred new pieces of gorgeous photography to add to my favorite collection of '08 wax.

2) Continuing to stay true to my roots and scouring the new shop for some old school wax. Sometimes you just can't beat the quality (or hilarity) of the throwbacks. Spud at Wax Breaker has been swamped as of late and I'm looking to hold up my end of the bargain as a contributor and get some quality posts on there in the very near future focused on old school wax.

3) Give my old school individual player collection some online love. Most folks that read this blog think that Tulo is my favorite player of all-time and the only individual that I collect. Well, he's a close second, but doesn't take the cake. One Mr. Calvin Edwin Ripken, Jr. will forever be my favorite ballplayer of any era. The truth is that I've been collecting Cal (albeit with less intensity) since the start, and though he's been out of the game for some time now, my collection seems to grow more than I realize. I grew up an O's fan in Northern Virginia and this guy set the bar for all players competing for my obsession and fanaticism. Sorry to the rest of you that felt like taking a day off was a good idea... your legacy is irrationally criticized and tarnished in my spoiled and distorted view of 'how to play the game'. Tulo gets a free pass.

and last, but not least...

4) Acquire every single card that pictures, mentions, looks like, or masquerades as Troy Tulowitzki or his likeness... past, present and future.

On my way to the shop for some UD goodness and hopefully some hidden gems in the commons boxes. Welcome back and thanks for sticking out the wait!

That's all I got...

- J.C.F.

Tu-Long

This evening's news update on FM 104.3/AM 950 The Fan, the best sports radio station in at least the Mountain Time Zone, brought some terrible news along with the Avs/Red Wings pre-game show. It seems as though the MRI on Troy Tulowitzki's leg came back with evidence of a torn tendon in his quadriceps and he's likely out at least until the All-Star break.

Tracy Ringolsby from the Rocky Mountain News broke the story earlier:

'Tulo might be out until July' [Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News]

That's all I got...

- J.C.F.

4 Days of Tulo: Day 4... Finally

It's been a hectic few days to say the least. I'm extremely behind schedule on packing for the 1900mi move from Denver to Orlando and many of my online accounts were hacked during day one of the NFL Draft.

Now that the catastrophe has come and gone, I'm back to blogging. Thanks to those of you who have been bearing with me (and the blog) during this time of transition.

I made a steal on eBay last week and purchased a great short print for $1.25 with S&H included! This little puppy is a great addition to the collection:


'07 Topps Allen & Ginter Mini Black Bordered Short Print

As the regular readers already know, I'm a huge fan of solid retro sets. TA&G '07 is one of those sets that I really admire.

Here's the back of the card for ya with '06 stats and bio:



Unfortunately, this evening Mr. Tulowitzki 'strained' his quadriceps and had to leave the game. It was extremely painful to watch as he injured it while charging a routine chopper up the gap. This injury caused 3B Garrett Atkins to shift to second, 2B Clint Barmes (The Tulo Before Tulo) to shift to his natural position of short and backup C Chris Iannetta to move to third. Between Jayson Nix being designated for assignment to work on his swing (but more importantly to call up another pitcher to aleviate the workload on the bullpen) and Jeff Baker dinging up his finger in BP today, the bench is looking quite shallow. Iannetta, however, started the following inning batting for Tulo and went yard on his second pitch of the game and first AB as a third baseman.

However, I digress. The card is a great addition and in amazing shape. I've been dealing with card withdrawals on an epic level recently so it was nice to see this guy in the mailbox yesterday.

In addition, I'll be beefing up the blog in the coming weeks with more content and less time wasted to you, the reader. This might be the last post for a couple of weeks, but until then, happy collecting.

Signing off... for now...

- J.C.F.

4 Days of Tulo: Day 3

On the third Day of Tulo my hobby shop gave to me:



an '08 Topps Rockies Collection base card.

Standard Topps Operating Procedure on this one. I'm not sure if this will be the same card used for Tulo in Series Two, but I'm assuming it is.

The Fourth Day of Tulo might not come around until Monday or Tuesday. In between the NFL Draft tomorrow (I mean today) and the Postal Service taking the day off on Sunday, I might not have anything new for ya until then.

I will let you know that an SP is on the way, however. Thanks for checking in.

That's all I got...

- J.C.F.

4 Days of Tulo: Day 2

Technically it's Friday, however it's been a mere six and a half hours since the '4 Days of Tulo' started. I'm saving money for the move back south and I'm guessing this my is way of coping with card withdrawal. I couldn't tell you the last time I set foot in a hobby shop...

First, I wanted to state something I forgot to mention in the previous post. I was reminded of these sentiments when perusing Wax Heaven this evening and came across a great essay originally posted on SportsCardFun.com (what would we do without you, Mario?). 'Premium'/'Parallel' sets are out of control and inflating the hobby. Yeah, Tulo's UD Spectrum card is pretty dope, but come on. The kid's [technically] a second year player that was called up in '06 and the fact that I have 20+ base cards of him is absurd. I'm not complaining about the amount of cards available of a player, and in this case [clap clap, clap clap clap, clap clap clap clap] TU-LO, but it is a little ridiculous. However, I digress (while using way too many parentheses and brackets).

So for Friday, my random Tulo card of the day is another Upper Deck Product:


'07 UD Artifacts

The photograph says, 'Go ahead... make my day'...

The card says, 'I'm trying really hard to be a wanted poster in a spaghetti western'...

[What the card literally says on the back]: 'After collecting 123 hits at Double-A Tulsa in 2006, Tulowitzki was called up to the Rockies and banged out four knocks in his fifth ML game (9/3).'

Cheesy card, cheesy product, but one helluva player looking BA.

Sorry for wasting your time...

That's all I got...

- J.C.F.

Slumpin...

A three-run jack and a couple of huge RBI this year (emphasis on 'a couple') is less than stellar for this stud.

A .167 BA, however, makes me think...



DESPERATELY NEEDS


(Thanks Mario!)


That's all I got...

- J.C.F.

4 Days of Tulo: Day 1

What better way of taking a break from packing your endless amounts of possessions than getting a little blogging done?

Well, I've added a couple of cards to my collection this month and I'm going to take the next four days, or so, to throw up some scans and show off the additions. I'll do a card a day over the weekend in an effort to show I'm not a complete slacker. These might be the last four posts before the big move back home to the 407 (Orlando, FL).

I'll keep it simple today with one of Tulo's most recent cards. This little joint is from '08 Upper Deck Spectrum:


'08 Upper Deck Spectrum (Base)

I like this card, but then again I tend to like anything with a snapshot of this guy on the front. He's sporting the 'Good Luck in September' black uni with the road pants. I like to think this picture came from Game 1 of either the Philly or Arizona sweeps from last season... man, what a month.

That's all I got... for today. Check back in tomorrow for some RC action.

- J.C.F.

Latest Additions...

It took a couple of days, but here are the scans of the latest additions:


'07 Bowman Chrome Refractor (RC)


'07 Topps '52 Dynamic Duo Jimenez/Tulowitzki (RC)


'08 Topps Moments & Milestones (RBI #7) [#ed 129/150]

I also lucked out when picking up a random pack of '06 Bowman Heritage:


Matt Holliday - '06 Bowman Heritage Refractor

That's all I've got heading my way anytime soon, but this is what I am quite excited for.

That's all I got...

- J.C.F.

Mail Day Preview (04/12/08)

It's been a few days since the last update to the collection, but yesterday I received/purchased a couple of cards that will go nicely in the Tulo set. They are the following (scans to come):

2007 Topps '52 Dynamic Duos: Ubaldo Jimenez/Troy Tulowitzki (RC)
2007 Bowman Chrome Refractor (RC)

I'll get the scans up later this evening.

Again, if anyone has anything not in my collection that you're willing to trade/sell, shoot me an email or leave a comment. My non-Tulo collection is growing daily and I just might have something that you're interested.

That's all I got...

- J.C.F.

Monday Mail Day (04/07/08)...

Monday tends to be my least favorite day of the week, but a Rockies win and a full mailbox made this one a little sweeter. I made some eBay purchases over the last couple of weeks and they all happened to come on the same day. I picked up some more base cards, an SP, and a pretty solid auto and will have scans below.

First of all, however, I wanted to give a shoutout to Mario over at Wax Heaven. He has helped me publicize the site over the last week and even offered to send a serial numbered refractor my way. It's great to see the continued respect and courtesy being shown among collectors and it's been nice to get to know some of you.

So, here's the scan of the Topps Turkey Red refractor Mario sent over this weekend (scan doesn't do it any refractor justice):


'07 Topps Turkey Red Refractor (RC) [#'d 676/999]**

Second on the docket is the first Tulo auto I've gotten my hands on. I don't like going for anything too fancy on eBay as I'm perpetually worried about getting burned... and I was 90% sure this card was either fake or would refrain from showing up in the mail, but to my delight neither were true...


'07 Upper Deck SPX Auto (RC)

I finally got my hands on the following card and am pretty pumped. This card isn't particularly rare, but it is one of my favorites. I'm kinda of a sucker for the retros:


'07 Upper Deck Goudey (RC)

My goal in purchasing the previous card was to keep the cost under $1.00 (which is hard to do in Denver)... and I succeeded by only spending $0.99. Yeah, yeah... shipping put me over $1.00, but I picked up two cards from this seller and got a decent discount. The second card wasn't a Tulo, but pretty decent to say the least:


Todd Helton: '06 Bowman Heritage Pieces of Greatness 'Relic'

No goatee, but it's a classy card. My one qualm, though, is T-O-Double-D laying down the bunt. Whateva...

I also snagged these two cards:





On top is the '07 Topps '52 Base (RC) and below it is the short print of the same set (both no. 5 on the checklist). I didn't know about this short print and saw the two available for $1.99 combined on eBay and took a shot.

Last, but not least, is the [hideously ugly but must-have] A&G Dick Perez from 2007:


'07 Topps Allen & Ginter Dick Perez Sketch

All-in-all it was a great walk down to the mailbox and an even better one on the way back. The collection is growing, but I'm still waiting for the big Tulo hit that I pull for myself. I'm staying off of eBay and out of the hobby shop for the next couple of weeks, but let me know if you have any Tulos not in my collection that you'd be interesting in trading (or selling for a reasonable price).

Thanks again for checking in.

That's all I got...

- J.C.F.

**Thanks again to Mario at Wax Heaven!

Retro Sets...

As a collector coming out of an extremely long retirement, I was wondering what some of your favorite 'retro' sets have been over the years. I'm a big fan of many of the retro sets and am trying to catch up on some that I have missed over the years.

A couple of my favorite sets of the last few years:

2006 Topps '52

- I love the quality of these cards. Great gauge cardboard, great 'photos'...



2007 Bowman Heritage

- Same as above...



Topps Allen & Ginter (all)

- Find me one player that doesn't look like a total B.A... I'm sure there's one out there, but these cards came out well. I like '06 over '07, but they're both solid...



Least favorite (in retrospect):

2008 Topps Heritage

- I wanted to love this set, but the overall quality of the cards was sub-par in my mind. Some of these photos are just ridiculous while some came out well. Topps went overboard on some players' photos to give them the authentic 'retro' look, but the 'graininess' on some of these is way too much. Great idea, poor execution...


**Credit photo to intelliracer at Sports Card Forum

So, share with me your favorites... especially the good ones that I don't know much about. Yes, I'm aware of the Goudey and Turkey Red product, but don't own enough to get a good feel.

Oh, and if you have any Rockies (especially Tulo's) from any recent retro sets, let me know. I'm always willing to trade!

That's all I got...

- J.C.F.

A 'Sooner Than Expected' Addition...

I added to my collection today with no cost of my own, and am quite appreciative of my boy over at Wax Breaker. This afternoon, Spud picked up a box of 2008 Topps Finest (review at Wax Breaker coming soon) and kindly sent his Tulo pull my way:


Tulo '08 Topps Finest Base

He also pulled dupes of the Helton 'Finest Moments' (300th HR @ Mile High Stadium 09.16.2007) which he also handed over:


Helton '08 Topps Finest Base

**Sorry about the scan quality. Dust + Foil = No Bueno**

The Finest set is priced a little high for my liking, but the product is pretty decent. Again, Spud will review the product in the next few days over at Wax Breaker.

For now you can check out Mario's product preview as well as a new post on the product at Wax Heaven.

That's all I got...

- J.C.F.

Mail Day (03/31/08)

From time to time I'll drop a few dollars here and there on eBay to expand my collection of Tulo cards. I'm yet to get burned, unlike many collectors out there, however I know it's bound to happen... probably sooner than later.

But for the time being, I'm still batting 1.000 and was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the last batch I snagged and received in the mail today. Nothing overly-snazzy, but a few additions nonetheless. Scans below:


'07 Allen & Ginter's (RC)


'07 Topps Heritage (RC)


'07 U.D. Masterpieces (RC)

I also decided to pick up the '07 Topps Turkey Red (RC)... these cards don't do much for me, but hey... it's Tulo.


'07 Topps Turkey Red (RC)

And last, but not least, a card in a 'promo' pack that I received when making a purchase from TulsaDrillers.com a few months back:


Drillers Promo

That's all I got... Thanks for checkin' in!

- J.C.F.