A bunch of Chrome, and Yankee Elimination Day!

 I think things are finally getting back to normal here at the DeJong headquarters. The flooring has been installed for a few weeks, most of the totes are unpacked, and really the only room that needs anything is our master bedroom, which just needs a few pictures hung up. That might get done on Friday when I have a day off. Another thing that I hope to get done that day is to finish the master 2022 Topps and Topps Update missing players checklists. As you might know, Topps released the ‘22 Topps Update checklist a day ago, and sadly for me, no Brody Koerner card. I guess I’ll have to hope he catches on with a team in 2023 and makes it to the Bigs. He does, however, have a 2022 card in the Charlotte Knights team set, and I’ll be ordering that in a few weeks. I should get a bonus from work the first week or so of November, and I should be ordering some cards from COMC, and I hope the card pops up on the site by then. If not, I’ll just buy the single online. 

Speaking of buying cards online, I saw one of those junk wax monthly subscription things a week or so ago which had a pack of 1994 Topps Finest on the top. 1994 Finest is one of my favorite Finest designs, if not, one of my favorite designs of any set. I just love the home plate shape, the green color around it, and the classy blue ribbon at the bottom. The All-Star subset was classy as well, with the yellow swirl in the middle and the rainbow behind it. The best part is the early ‘90’s Chrome technology. I thought about getting the box for 30 bucks, but the other 2 packs on top were ‘94 Stadium Club (I purchased a box of Series 2 & 3 of that set, so a good chance of dupes), and ‘94 Collector’s Choice, which I have the complete set of. With the rest of the packs guaranteed to not only be junk wax, but also from sports other than baseball, I decided to take a look on eBay for cheap ‘94 Finest packs. I found a lot of 2 Series 2 packs (probably taken from a box where the refractor had already been pulled), with a 9.99 minimum bid and 1 day left and zero bids. I put in a bid with 10 minutes left and won. I’ll let you guys know how I do. I’m just hoping for a Tiger or 2 and maybe a favorite player, but not expecting much. It will still be a fun break. 

I also got another blaster of 2022 Topps Chrome after having so much fun with the first one. I don’t know if I can do another one with the price, but I didn’t pull a Wander Franco base card, which was the one card I wanted, but I did find some decent ones, including the best card of the blaster, an autograph. 

If you were the average flipper brah, you would be laughing your butt off at me right now. Well, Patrick Mazeika went to Stetson University, which is 5 minutes away from my house. I’m actually hoping to add more Mazeika cards to my collection with my COMC purchase, and now I don’t have to pony up for an autograph. 

Refractors weren’t anything too special, but I might be going after a Max Fried rainbow after getting the Sepia one in the last blaster and now the regular one (unless Johnny wants them). 

Only 2 rookies were the Beer and another Sheets insert (which is Gavin’s if he needs them). I got a Chrome sunset card of Ryan Zimmerman. Only Rays were Arozarena and a Franco insert. I would rather have the base card though, so if you have one and are willing to work out a trade, let me know. Favorite players were deGrom and the previously mentioned Mazeika. 

I recently won one of Johnny’s almost daily contests, and he hooked me up with 9 Rays cards, many of the Chrome variety. 

I think all of these are needs, as I didn’t really buy much from 2012-2014, and haven’t been able to get too much of non-flagship stuff over the past 3 years. I love the Glasnow Fishfractor, and I look forward to what he can do in 2023.  I also love the McKay refractor from the ‘52 set (can’t think of what it’s called). I’ve always had a soft spot for McKay. He was a pitcher/position player before Ohtani was even a blip on the radar. If he can stay healthy, he could be a dual threat for the Rays. Thanks for the cards, John. 

If you haven’t heard of Yankee Elimination Day, you probably haven’t been reading this blog long. Yankee Elimination Day is the day the Yankee$ are either eliminated from getting into the playoffs or eliminated from the playoffs. It happened on my wife’s birthday this year, which made it even sweeter. I figured I’d make a custom celebrating it in the 2023 Topps design. I don’t know about you, but I can’t picture Topps being able to make highlight or combo cards with the new design. I wouldn’t miss the combo cards, but I can’t go without highlight cards. 

I thought the 62 HR quote was a nice touch, along with the photo of him turning around watching the Astros celebrate. Added with the Astros colors since they won, and this card is a winner for me. I should’ve put the game # instead of the position, but that’s an easy fix. Between the Yankee$ and ‘Bama (who also lost recently) I don’t know who I would rather have eliminated, but I’m happy the Yankee$ lost because they looked scary early this year. I’m also happy the bat flipping money throwing Padres are out as well. This should be a great World Series in my opinion. I don’t care for Philly since they somehow beat the Rays in the ‘08 Classic, but I’d be ok with Harper winning a ring. I’d also be ok with the Astros sweeping them to go 11-0 in the postseason. It would give Dusty a ring as a player and a manager, and shut up all of the haters that say their only title in 2017 was tainted. I saw that team play the Rangers in Houston that season, and they just tore the cover off of the ball that game. They batted around, and I didn’t hear one trash can bang. They just have awesome hitters. I also have become a Kyle Tucker fan and would love to see him win a ring. We saw him play at Corpus Cristi that year, and he signed some cards for me, plus he’s a Florida boy who went to school in Gainesville where my wife has had all her surgeries at. 

Whoever wins, I’m just happy it’s not a big spender (Yankee$, Dodgers, Padres), someone who’s been there lately (Dodgers, Braves, Cardinals), or a team with punks who flip bats or are loud (Padres-Machado & Tatis, Dodgers-Justin Turner, Cardinals-Molina, White Sox-Tim Anderson, Yankees-Bader, Cole). Harper can get a little loud at times, but it’s not 24-7 like Machado, Tatis and say what you want, but he was the face of the sport for almost a decade. We’ll know in a week or so who will get a ring. 

I’ll post what I get in the ‘94 Finest packs seconds after they arrive at my door. 

Thanks for checking out my latest post. 

-Jeremy