Making progress

 After deciding to input all of my cards into TCDB a month or so ago, I've found some ways to make the process easier. I've decided to just input my Topps cards from each team in so I can see what I need from each set. It's been a love and hate situation so far, finding that I need just a few cards from sets like 1991 Topps, but other sets like 2012-2014 Topps I am missing a good handfull of cards (or in some cases, a whole entire series) from some of the teams. Other sets, like 1986, 1988, 1989, 1993, and 2001 Topps are missing a few more than I should because I got a number of cards from those sets autographed after having complete sets of them, so I need to re-acquire the missing ones. Inputting all of my Topps cards will help me get a master list of missing cards from each set. I'll then probably list the cards from each set on a piece of paper in numerical order and try to put team names with most of them. Then I'll take the list with me if I am at a card shop and see if I can knock off any commons I can and get some of these sets completed so I can have a nice run of Topps cards. 

If you are wondering, with the stuff I've gotten from eBay in the last few months and what I have in my collection currently, I have:

1985 Topps Traded

1986 Topps (partial)  

1986 Topps Traded

1987 Topps (missing like 4 cards)

1987 Topps Traded

1988 Topps (partial)

1988 Topps Traded

1989 Topps (partial)

1989 Topps Traded

1990 Topps

1990 Topps Traded

1991 Topps (I think I'm probably 50-100 cards short)

1991 Topps Traded

1992 Topps

1992 Topps Traded

1993 Topps (partial)

1993 Topps Traded

1994 Topps (missing Juan Gonzalez All-Star)

1994 Topps Traded

1995 Topps

1995 Topps Traded

1996 Topps (partial)

1997 Topps

1998 Topps (Inaugural Rays version, and I'm counting it as complete)

1999 Topps

1999 Topps Traded

2000 Topps

2001 Topps (partial)

If I can somehow fill in the gaps of those, as well as everything from 2002-2018, I'll have a complete Topps run from 1986-2022. Then it will maybe be time to look at 1983 (my birth year) through 1985, and after that, just looking for cheap and damaged cards for any earlier sets. I'll probably input all my non-Topps cards into TCDB after every Topps card is logged and see what trade interest any of those draw up. After I feel like I've gotten prettymuch every card I can reasonably get, then I'll go through the process of putting all of the loose ones in binders. Maybe by then we'll also have decent credit and a new house with a little more room (and if I'm lucky, a little further away from parents and in-laws) where I can have a few decent bookshelves in my mancave. 

I'm really excited for the Inaugural Rays 1998 Topps set. Should arrive to the house today. I went to about 5 Rays games in 1998, and close to 50 games in my lifetime. I've been through the bad and the good with that team, and I'm just sad that I was living in Alabama in 2008 when they made the World Series and that Covid wouldn't allow me a chance to go to a Rays World Series game in 2020. That '98 set just brings back memories of being a teenager, chasing autographs, and finally having a MLB team close to me and watching the team suck but also seeing some players who could've been decent if not for injuries (Tony Saunders, Quinton McCracken). 

I'm so excited for the Rays 25th anniversary season in 2023. I convinced Karen to splurge and get us some tickets to the Opening Day Rays game this year. Just like 25 years ago, their opponent will be the Detroit Tigers. Don't quite know who to root for, but it's just going to be great to (hopefully) see a number of former Rays players back at the ballpark, and see some 25th anniversary events for Opening Day. I'm going to be sure to bring my 1998 Topps Rays Inaugural Season Rays cards to the game, as well as any noteable former Rays and the current roster in hopes of getting autographs. Our seats are right by the Rays bullpen and near the Rays dugout, so hopefully it will give us a chance to get a few. It will be fun to see how Kyler does with trying to get some autographs now that he is a little older. 

I have 4 teams input into TCDB so far, the Diamondbacks, Braves, Cubs, and Reds. I can get a team put into the site in about half a day, so maybe by April or May with a few days off I can get the NL and AL teams finished. Then, it will be onto my other special notebooks, like favorite players, Rays, Tigers, Highlights, rookie cards, and sunset cards. I can't wait to see the totals and finally see how close I am to completing some of these sets. Just wish I hadn't waiting until after COVID, cause I could've probably got some of the common cards I'll need for .10 cents instead of a dollar. Die, you card-flipping profit hungry brahs!!!!!!

*Update* The set arrived and aside from some cards sticking, I’m happy. Some of the highlights. 

Set number 326 of 5,000 (the cards themselves aren’t serial numbered). 

The stack on the left are NL teams. Center are AL teams. Right are favorite players, Tigers, Rays, highlights, rookies, and sunset cards. Compared to other sets, I did considerably well with the stack on the right. Yep, guess that means I’m a ‘90’s boy. 

Some of my favorite cards are the David Ortiz rookie. This card also contains 3 favorite players of mine (Ortiz, Richie Sexson, and Daryle Ward). I also like the Kerry Wood rookie because this was one of his hot cards in 1998, and I could never pull it. I got 2 Quinton McCrackens to add to my favorite player binder. The Tony Saunders is a double (just need his Inaugural Diamondbacks version of this card), so it will go in the Rays binder. Big Mac was great for the sport in 1998. People blame him for steroids, but it is Selig’s fault for letting them in and not testing. The last card on the page is Darren Daulton’s sunset card. 

Can’t wait for the last 2 sets I ordered to come in (1995 Topps & Topps Traded). After sorting them it will be back to login cards into TCDB. Only 26 more teams (about 3 binders each) and about 10 special binders left!

Thanks for checking out my latest post. 

-Jeremy