Holy $h!+, what did he do!?!

Man, how do you title a post in only so many words to describe the contents of the best package of baseball cards you've ever received?  I'm not one for swearing in public, but this post title reiterates exactly what I said once I opened the team bag from the author of Jaybarkerfan's Junk.  Yep, the PWE bombs were just the tip of the iceberg.

Wes, my friend, you have outdone yourself.  So much so, that I've traveled more miles than I'd like to admit during the last two weekends in an effort to track down some cards to send your way.  You know, something worthy of your generosity.   Which, in all honesty, has not been easy.  The looks I've been given have been pretty humorous:

"Gary Redus?  Don't you collect someone else?"

"Josh Willingham?  Seriously?  Sorry, I can't help you."

"University of Alabama.  Huh.  No, I don't get much call for the Crimson Tide.  Sorry." 

Thank goodness vintage is everywhere and TBS played its part in mainstreaming the Atlanta Braves back in the 1990's.

Moving on...

Let's break down the 50-count team bag.  There were twenty-three cards of only three different players.  In all, there was one autograph, nine relics cards, and thirteen parallel/numbered cards.

On with the first player: Kosuke Fukudome!  Hey, if Wes can be Gary Redus super collector than I can try to corner the market on Fukudome cards.

2012 Allen & Ginter's framed mini jersey card.  (Jaw drops.)

This is my first framed relic card.  I didn't even know this card of Fukudome existed.  That, my good friends, is one sweet looking card!

2011 Topps Lineage mini jersey card and a 2011 Topps Top 60 jersey card.

I pulled a mini jersey of Vernon Wells when I was trying to build my Lineage set.  Ugh.  Kosuke is so much better in my mind's eye.  The Top 60 card highlights the fact that Fukudome lead all #2 hitters in batting average during the 2010 season (0.353).  Random, but noted!

 2009 Topps Triple Threads, #761/1350, and 2011 Topps Heritage Chrome, #199/1962.

 I've never bought a pack of Triple Threads, because they're a little out of my budget.  So, this is definitely a nice get.  The chrome Fukudome is shiny.  We all know how I feel about shiny.  Score!

A pair of Bowman Blue Parallels.  The 2010 edition on the left is #423/520 and 2011 on the right is #423/520.

 That sums up the Fukudome additions to my collection.  If you're scoring at home, Wes batted a thousand here, going 7 for 7 with new additions!

Next, Kerry Wood!  This first one is my favorite jersey card from the package.  It's an under-sized Cracker Jack card produced by Topps with a blue pinstripe.  I'm even toying with the idea of making a new blog header and having this card in the mix.

Wood as an Indian?  Meh.  But, hey, it's another jersey card and this time it's from a 2009 issued Upper Deck set.  I miss Upper Deck, but nearly as I miss watch Kid K buckling opponents with that nasty curve of his.

 This Fleer 2003 Authentix card is pretty sweet.  It has a piece of road jersey and part of a ticket stub from Wrigley Field.  Hmmm.  Pretty sure the two weren't from the same game.  This card is under-sized as well, and the bottom has a ticket stub type or perforation to it.  Very creative!

 The card on the right is from a 2005 Upper Deck set.  What a nice design: blue border, drawn equipment around the name at the bottom, and a jersey swatch that matches the one pictured on Wood.  Nice.

The card on the left is a gold parallel (#825/2011) of my favorite card from 2011 Topps Flagship.  I don't know if Wood will get a sunset card in the 2013 edition, but if he does I hope it's from his last game when he was hugging his son. (#stupidtearducts) 

The card on the right is from 2005 Donruss Elite and is numbered #60/750.  Ohhhh, shiny!

Speaking of shiny, more 2005 Donruss Elite (#473/1500).  This one is from an insert set titled, "Career Best", which highlights his stellar 2003 campaign.

  Another insert from 2005 Donruss Elite (#1160/1500) that features Wood and Shawn Green.

 The card talks about Wood's 20 strikeout game in 1998 and Green's four homer game in 2002.  For the record, Green owned Wood to the tune of an 1.418 OPS in 15 career plate appearances.  Yeah, let's not talk about that.

Saving the best of the Wood cards for last.  Literally.  This one is an authentic autograph from the 1998 Best card company.

No, Kerry didn't pitch for Tampa Bay.  But he did play for the Orlando Rays in Double-A back in 1997. Man, I wish we had that kind of pitching talent down in the Cubs' farm system right now. 

Again, all of the cards are new to me.  Can Wes continue the hot streak through the last player?

Let's see!  Drum roll, please!  Hall-of-Famer, Ryne Sandberg!

A 2010 Panini Century Collection bat card.

This one has a little too much white space for me.  Possibly a sticker auto was supposed to go there in the original design?  The back also makes no mention of him and his high school, the North Central Indians in Spokane, WA.  Nope, no comment about his high school basketball playing days either.  C'est la vie.  It's still a pretty cool card.

Sandberg with a mustache!  Bwahahahaha!  Man, he tried to pull this off for a season is the middle '80's and boy am I glad he shaved it off.  The card on the left is from Upper Deck's 2009 Goodwin Champions set. I love the ivy in the background. 

The card on the right is a 2011 bronze framed parallel ((#517/999) from Gypsy Queen.  Both of the above pictures appear to be something other than the traditional photo.  And I must say, it works for both cards.

2009 Triple Threads (#1199/1350) on the left and 2011 Triple Threads (#1078/1500) on the right.  Again, high end cards that I have no business buying packs of.  Oh Topps, why don't you understand me?

 

Two more numbered cards/parallels to finish off the team bag.  The card on the left is 2003 Donruss Timeless Treasures card numbered 304 out of 900.  The card on the right is a 2004 card produced by Donruss called Playoff.  It's numbered 693 out of 1990 and has a championship trophy underneath the Cubs logo.  Huh, must be an error card. Zing!

 

 Yep, Wes did it!  23 for 23!    What a sweet haul!

Sorry for the length of the card post folks.  But I couldn't split this one up.  All the awesomeness had to shown together so you can get the full effect of the package!

I'm still in the laborious/tedious process of posting the cards I own of each player.  This package alone set me back a day or so all by itself, because I try to knock out a couple of dozen cards each night.  Before long though I'll have my player collections posted on my humble little blog.  Until then, I'm on the look out for more cards of Redus and Willingham. <sigh>

Thanks again, Wes!  And thanks for reading!