Blogged But Not Blogged: Redemption Freed From Fed-Ex Prison

This is the type of post that I have probably done many times before, I call this type of post "Blogged, But Not Blogged". Long story short since Aug 2007 I have been blogging about my card mail days over at TCC on my blog over there, and since July 2012 duplicating those posts in a mail day thread at the TCZ forums. There are many cards I have mentioned in detail at those sites that I have never blogged about here on what I consider to be my official trading card blog. A few times, mostly in the early days, I mentioned a card in my mail day and even scanned it (at least the front) but never blogged about it over here.

This is the story of one such card:

16 Feb 2009:
From TCC Mail Day Forum Post "Finally From Fed-Ex Foulball: A Redemption":

This is quite a story. From the Official TCC Baseball Box Breaking Group I had gotten a redemption card from 2007 SWEET SPOT BASEBALL I don't recall when I logged in the request for it online, but here is it's story.

Back of redemption card

The thing was being delivered via FedEx with SIGNATURE REQUIRED Delivery. Well long story short FedEx attempts to deliver it 3 times when I'm not available.

So about a week or two ago I contact FedEx and take a day off of work (since I had to accept a UPS package with the same sort of deal) and wait. FedEx didn't try delivering that day. The package didn't get on the truck or something. I arrange for a special delivery to my Apartment's Management office on a Friday (which would screw things up some more) only to find that my Management office doesn't sign for any packages, when they had told me on the phone they did.*

I arranged another delivery and take off Monday to wait. Their operator calls in the morning to verify that they will be sending it out and it was on a truck. I wait and wait and wait. When I finally go out to check my regular mail I notice a door tag that says they had attempted to deliver it at 10:00 AM (the other times they had attempted to deliver it was afternoon times 1:30 PM,3:00 PM etc) well I was really really PO'd. I had taken off of work and they try to deliver in the morning around the time I was in the bathroom showering (I should have not showered until after getting the dang thing).

Well I contact them and get directions to their station where they are holding the package. I get there about 15 minutes before they close and they can't find the thing. The system says it's still on the truck. They said they will call me when they find it. Um yeah sure. As it turns out that particular time it was a Manager who had tried to deliver it so it didn't go into the system as it normally would (I found that out today)

Finally today (16 Feb 2009)  I get a call saying the package is waiting and I can pick it up anytime. Fortunately I had the day off for Presidents Day and FedEx was open, that surprised me. OK so I went back out to their station and sprung the package from it's FedEx prison.

I don't have a scan of the card (Not sure when I'll get my scanner hooked back up**) but it is a:

2007 UD Sweet Spots Baseball Dual Signatures of Alex Gordon Royals and Cal Ripken Jr. Orioles Glove Leather black sharpie 4/5.

This puppy ain't going anywhere (Cal Ripken Jr PC) so don't ask to trade for it. Not sure what it's BV is or if it is even listed as having one.

UPDATE: 26 NOV 2009 Added the scan. Hadn't gotten round to posting the scan here (meaning TCC as this is a cut/paste copy of my original post there), but it has been in my Photobucket# for a few months.

From TCC Blog post "Redemption Freed From Fed-Ex Prison":

After a long game of cat and mouse with FedEx delivering the package with "REQUIRED SIGNATURE" I finally got my redemption. In the mail day page  I gave most of the horrid details of trying to get the thing. (as reposted up above) Anyway it is:

2007 UD SWEET SPOT BASEBALL Sweet Spot Dual Signatures

ALEX GORDON (Royals) and CAL RIPKEN JR (Orioles)

Glove Leather Black Sharpie #4/5

Not bloody likely for trade at anytime. If I ever get around to finding a price for it, I might consider selling if I like the price, or if someone offers a really ridiculous amount for it.

Notes:
* When I first moved into my Apartment 01 Aug 2008 the management office would accept and sign for packages for tenants and then notify them of the package. I think by a notice shoved onto your door. They quickly stopped sometime within my first few months of living at the apartment complex. Looks like I was in my apartment for just 6 months when this package arrived. Update since around the holidays of last year (2017) the leasing office accepts some FedEx packages on behalf of residents now.

** Wow I had forgotten I had gone a while (several months it seems) without my scanner hooked up. I probably hooked it up shortly after this mess. I still don't have a printer hooked up, or my regular stereo set up. I have been in my apartment for nearly 10 years (come Aug 01). Yeah 10 years without a printer and a stereo. I print stuff at work when I need to and scan papers there. The lack of stereo only means I can't play vinyl records. I have portable and other tape and CD players to use. I don't listen to music as intently or as often as I used to several years ago. Those are stories for another time if at all.

# Photobucket has banned free 3rd party hosting. So any attempt at linking images at PB look like this:

This image is intentional this time only. If it appears anyplace else on my blog it is not intended.

Booty From A Baseball Group Break In The Zone

Back in January of this year (2014) I got my Booty from a Baseball Group Box Break over at TCZ. My chosen team was the Nationals. I used to have the Orioles in the group as well, but finances (mostly frequent major car repairs) have made taking two teams in groups difficult. This was one of those breaks were unfortunately I didn't get much from my own team. The only card I did get was a two player card, both players prospects fortunately the other team was unclaimed. I'm not a big fan of prospect cards, many of the guys never make it to the bigs. The rest of the cards I got were random base from unclaimed teams and a randomized hit. I think that card almost makes up for the lack of my homie team. It is from one of my PC 1970s childhood HOF guys.

2012 Panini Elite Extra Edition Baseball: (These 6 cards are for trade/sale/giveaway)

14 Brian Johnson Red Sox
23 Tyler Gonzales Blue Jays
65 Kolby Copeland Marlins
73 Dario Pizzano Mariners
77 Rio Ruiz Astros
100 Andrew Lockett Padres

Next the only Nationals card from the break:

Building Blocks 16 Richie Shaffer Rays and Spencer Kieboom Nationals

Next a HOFer from the Golden Oldie age:

2013 Topps Triple Threads 82 Jimmie Foxx Red Sox

Special Randomized HIT:

2013 Topps Tier One: Legends Relics TORL-GB George Brett Royals GU Bat #d 49/99

Nachos Grande Blogger Bracket Challenge: Round 1

And so it begins... ROUND 1 of the Nachos Grande Blogger Bracket Challenge in 3-D. Now the chips (Nacho of course) are for real, the tough get tougher and the rest fall by the wayside. Eliminations are now real and I am in one of those three person brackets which means the one with the highest score moves on and the other two fall to their doom. To my left is Backstop Cards to my right is gcrl OH Great that's it I'm doomed these guys are pros (like about 90% of the competition). Oh well Its been fun. Vote for me just in case UMK?

OK now on to the C prompt:

C:\>

NO NO not the "C" Prompt, the "Card" Prompt (this one):

↓

Subject: Craig Paquette (pronounced Paw-Ket) MLB Outfielder, 1st and 3rd baseman - 10 year career 5 different teams. Seen here with his second team the Kansas City Royals. But wait this is no ordinary action shot. It appears to be some sort of pregame shirt test during batting practice shot. A jersey resilience test? A screen test for a new deodorant?

Craig's jersey/shirt looks to be some kind of mesh jersey not your ordinary polyester or cotton blend. Kevlar maybe? Is that dirt? Or is it a new fingerprint type pattern? No we'll go with the mesh theory. Look there is one hand tugging at his left sleeve. Is it his own or some awestruck fan wanting to get a piece of their favorite player? I hope it isn't a zombie, but since we know Craig played some six years and three teams after this photo session it isn't a zombie hand. Then there is the right hand coming in for a firm handshake, or maybe it is the second shirt inspector from Nike, or Under Armour? Or ANOTHER ZOMBIE? NO we ruled out the zombie theory since Craig survived this encounter. Besides zombies don't often wear watches and if they do it wouldn't be shiny anymore, unless it was recently turned. That is a debate for another post some other time some other blog. What is with all this zombie stuff?

Geez for cryin' out loud would somebody get rid of that zombie conspiracy theorist? There are NO ZOMBIES IN BASEBALL!

UM OK maybe there are a few, or were.

Ah found the back of the secret shirt test card:

On the back of the card Craig is seen at bat in his road grays so I guess we can safely say that the whole invincible mesh jersey test was a wash. Oh well I guess it was just the final game of the season and the  "Take the jersey off the players back" day. Craig you are supposed to wait till the game is over to give it away and then sign it, maybe.

Now about this Zombie thing...

2012 Topps Opening Day Baseball Set

On Saturday 07 April (yeah I keep on focusing on the stuff I got from this post. So what? Its my blog and it was a huge mailday, and I am way behind on tons of stuff.) I got a sportlots order of the 2012 Topps Opening Day set of 220 cards. I got the set for 25¢ + 17.00 shipping (only cost the seller $5.10 to ship). So not a bad price even though the shipping is THE price of the set. Then about a week and a half later, from Ebay I got the Mascots subset of 25 cards on Wednesday 18 April for $22.99 + $3.50 shipping. I'm going to blog about the cute Mascots soon as well as the 2010 Mascots subset I got the following day. I love Mascot cards. I need the 2011 Mascots set.

OK now for some select cards from this set.

I suppose I should mention that the last card in the set card Number 220 Carlos Lee Astros has no number on it. I think this is an UER (Uncorrected ERror). I noticed other people in the blog universe have been questioning this and it seems every Lee card on Ebay is unnumbered. So NO it should not be sold or bought for tons more than the rest of the individual cards from this set.

 2012 Topps Opening Day Baseball 220 Carlos Lee Astros

(Front and Back) - NNO UER

2012 Topps Opening Day Baseball 33 Nick Markakis Orioles
(Front and Back)

2012 Topps Opening Day Baseball 95 Victor Martinez Tigers
(Front and Back) - Chose this card for the cool play at the plate picture

 2012 Topps Opening Day Baseball 51 Prince Fielder Brewers
(Front and Back) - Now with Tigers but you'd never know it with this set

 2012 Topps Opening Day Baseball 59 Alcides Escobar Royals
(Front and Back) - Cool sliding picture "Look Ma No Hands!"

 2012 Topps Opening Day Baseball 201 Jose Reyes Marlins
(Front and Back) - New Miami Uniform (Airburshed)

 2012 Topps Opening Day Baseball 132 Kurt Suzuki Athletics
(Front and Back) - Cool catcher in his gear action photo

The seller included some "Diamond Giveaway" Code cards. even if I wanted to use the codes they expired 31 Jan 2012. I got numbers: TDG 3, 4, 15, 17, 22, 23, 24, 27 I think I will try to get this little novelty set.

 2011 Topps Baseball Diamond Giveaway Code Card TDG-23

(Front and Back)

Note: The code shown on the back of this card has long expired.

I will also try to get the rest of the 2010 Million Card Giveaway Code cards I don't have. Actually for those I'd like to get some duplicates of them because I have an idea for them. I don't care that all these code things are expired the cards themselves (like some of the Toppstown cards) are fun to collect.

Topps 2010 Million Card Giveaway Code Cards I still need the ones I mentioned needing in this post. As I said I'd like to get some dupes of them for a project.

Note: The Jayson Werth Nationals card shown at the top of this post I have already talked about at my Curly W Cards blog in this post.

2007 Fleer Ultra Baseball 5 card pack

  A while Back  (WOW back on 20 May) I had gotten some packs of cards from Target that I mentioned in this post Target Fairfield Value Pack Box This package consisted of 4 packs of baseball cards, 100 random baseball cards and a bonus of an additional pack of cards. I already mentioned the cards I got, but I decided I would show some of them. The few from the packs anyway, the 100 card deck I might only show a few choice ones. I haven't decided on that yet. I like getting these boxes/packages from time to time but I had forgotten that they "super" glue (it's not really the super-glue brand but the glue is really tough) the packs on the box supporting cardboard, making it nearly impossible to pull the packs off totally intact for those collectors who like to keep the pack wrappers.

2007 Fleer Ultra Baseball

(5 card pack)

2007 Fleer Ultra pack break contents

I like Fleer Ultra most of the time and this one I kind of like. This series I sort of like the no borders full picture, but the tiny silver font for the player name/team/position sucks. The fancy script for the players last name also rubs me a bit wrong. Some names it is OK to read, others it is a little hard (maybe those are not in English).

The backs are pretty standard and are similar to the 2007 Upper Deck cards  with the standard stats and a head shot of the player. These headshots are in full color though. The "Ultra Rookies" cards don't have a headshot.

2007 Fleer Ultra - Sample Back of card

2007 Fleer Ultra - Back of Ultra Rookies card

38 Mark Buehrle - White Sox

"Tip the pitcher over."

83 Mark Grudzielanek - Royals

"Go ball go go "

131 Huston Street - A's

Why am I reminded of Monty Python's Twit Olympics?

150 Chris Carpenter - Cardinals

"Ah there it is"

234 Levale Speigner -  Nats RC

Flashback to 1980s Music Videos