Blog Bat Around: What I Collect

I was supposed to be coaching a pair of games in a tournament in Galesburg right now, but Mother Nature has decided that winter is not over, although the calendar states otherwise.

Above is a picture of our high school baseball diamond about eight hours ago and since then we've received another three or four inches of snow. <Sigh.> I should know better by now, but weather like this always shocks me once baseball season starts.

Since I have a bit of unexpected free time on my hands, I think I'll attack the latest Blog Bat Around.

Let's take a gander at what I collect in order of importance:

1. Dan Vogelmonsterbach

I'm a super collector of his concerning anything in Cub blue. But what about Mariner blue?
I went all in on Vogelbach's 2017 cardboard offerings, but I haven't decided to take the plunge on 2018 yet. 2017 sapped my budget, but I added 177 different Vogelbach cards, 66 of which were autos. Yes, 66. It was fun, but it left me very little to spend on my other collection interests.
Above is The Vogelmonster's Mariners Team Card from this year, which I plucked from Ebay. I really like the photo, and I figure I'll see this card in Series 2 at some point. If Topps doesn't overdo it on the Vogelbach autograph cards, like they did last year, then maybe I'll add as many of 2018's cards to the binder as I can.

2. Cards for My Blogging Friends
I'm not going to show off anything here, because I like things to be a surprise. I've noticed something about my purchases when I visit a card shop or show: the majority of the cards I buy are for other people. Granted, they're mostly of the dime box variety, but you can find some pretty cool stuff in dime boxes these days. I enjoy shopping for others.

3. Cubs World Series cards

Look, much of the core from 2016 is still on the roster, but that doesn't guarantee success in the playoffs. As a result, I'm still focusing on trying to track down an auto or relic from every major contributor from the 2016 team. You know, because the Cubs may not when their next one for another 108 years. Also, I've been adding any card that makes mention of the team winning the World Series to my World Series Binder.

4. My Cubs FrankenSet

  Chris, The Collector, sent me this John Jay card, which filled one of the last two holes in my my 671 card Cubs FrankenSet. I'm still missing card #661 if you have one laying around. Even once I fill that hole the set won't be finished. I love updating/improving the set by adding new and unique Cubs cards.

5. Hall of Fame Binder

The players are sorted by year of induction within the binder and my goal is to add one card of every player in the Hall of Fame. I'm struggling with some of the Negro League guys, but I'll zero in on them before too long. Chris sent me the above three cards and they all have a chance to be added to the binder. Vintage trumps everything, but modern day cards serve as acceptable place holders until I win the lottery. Wait, I don't play the lottery. ... Modern day cards RULE! 
Yes, I know Ichiro isn't in The Hall yet, but the fact this card celebrates his 3,000 hits is definitely appealing. A card of him in a Mariner jersey would be nice too...  I have at least a handful of years to figure out what to do with him, but I'll hold onto this card until then.
For the record, one of my (hopeful) summer projects is to post/list my HOF binder on the blog.

6. Cubs

 Heck. Yeah.  I'll take 'em all. I love oddballs like this skinny Kyle Schwarber. The mini Cracker Jack Andre Dawson came from Chris, as did the Justin Steele card below. 

Prospects?  Yes, please.     Autos, sure!

I haven't been actively accruing cardboard as of late, but when I do it's gems like this Doug Dascenzo auto. Three bucks from Ebay for an autographed card of an outfielder pitching? Yeah, that was a steal. 

7. Other Player Collections: Ryno and Kid K

I don't seek out Ryne Sandberg and Kerry Wood cards, but they sure do have a knack for finding me.

They seem to be included in every other trade package and they are much appreciated. Again, this one came from Chris.

8. Sets
I consider myself a set builder, but I've gotten away from that lately. I'm working on adding some want lists to my Set Needs page, but it probably won't happen until the summer.

That about does it for what I collect.

I'd like to thank Chris, The Collector, for the trade package he sent me. It proved to hit many different areas of my collecting interests!