TCDB 2 for Tuesday #145

 It was nice to have things back to normal yesterday after the busy weekend.  I was able to sit down and watch most of the Cardinals game.  Dustin May almost threw a Maddux in his complete game shutout.  While watching, I opened a couple of packages that provided content for today's post.  The first batch of Cardinals came from user SMSiegell.

It has been hard not grabbing a blaster of 2026 Bowman at my local Walmart, but so far I have held off.  The more Cardinals I get from trades, the less tempting it will be.

I love the Top 100 insert set.  If I ever get a chance to meet the player, I try to get these autographed.  Not sure I will get that chance with Doyle.

The second package came from member Sloedog.

I was thrilled to cross off a 2011 and 2003 Topps Gold cards off my wantlist.

The 2011 Cognac Diamond Anniversary was just as nice.  Any card from the 2011 World Series year is a great add to the collection.

Bench Trade

It was a long weekend in my household.  My daughter got married on Saturday.  From the time pictures started at 10 in the morning until we finished cleaning the dance hall at 11:30, it was a long day.  Everything went great though, and I would not trade it for the world.  I spent a good portion of Sunday napping on the couch.  I had some spare time in the evening to go through Saturday's mail.  It contained my first trade from The Bench website this year.  I received a nice trio of Cardinals from member desertdogg.

It is great to see Walker finally living up to his potential.  Saturday he hit his 18th home run with an exit velo close to 117 mph.  He will most likely be the Cardinals All Star selection this year.  Nice to add a 2024 Heritage Chrome numbered to 375.

Wetherholt is also having a good year.  He should be in the top 3 Rookie of the Year voting at this point.

Victor Scott is on the opposite end of the performance spectrum.  After not hitting above .200 for the better part of the year, he was sent down to Triple A last week.  I hope he can get his swing worked out and come back as the starting centerfielder in a few weeks.  So far he has 6 hits in 4 games including 3 for extra bases.  Maybe it will be easier to add his cards to my collection for awhile. 

 
    

TCDB 2 for Tuesday #144

The first June 2 for Tuesday will be short and sweet.  Most of them are anyway.  First up is a four pack of Cardinals from member Orry04.

It has been a long time I have added any 2025 Bowman Draft cards to my collection.  Glad to know a few off.  Now I have to find the Chrome versions.

Second trade package came from member RParsons17.

It was a colorful lot of Topps cards including 3 2025 582 Montgomery Club cards, a 2026 Holiday parallel, and a 2026 Holiday Polka Dots card.

Three more various Topps brand cards.  Hard to go wrong with a red parallel of a Cardinals Hall of Famer like Hornsby.

The Panini portion of the trade features the 2 newest members of the Cardinals Hall of Fame.  Pujols and Molina will be inducted before the September 12th game.  Might have to make a trip to St. Louis for that day.

 

2026 Card Show #4 Recap

Saturday brought another opportunity to attend my local card show.  The last one was held the first Saturday in April.  This one did not have as many dealers, I was able to find a few good ones.  Due to the lack of vintage, I only spent $26 in the three hours I was there.

The first dealer I bought from had plenty of $1 boxes.  The 1959 Topps is not centered, but not as bad as my scanner cut it off.  The autograph is a refractor numbered to 499, while the Mathews is numbered to 75.

The next dealer is one that always has quarter boxes sorted by team.  It was nice to see he restocked his Cardinals section.

The third dealer also had multiple $1 boxes.  I love finding older serial numbered rookie cards and Topps gold cards I need.  

The fourth and final dealer I bought from was running a 40% off sale.  He had everything sorted by quarter, 50 cent, $1, and higher boxes.  His table was busy from the moment I walked in.  I waited two hours before I could find a spot.  It was worth the wait.  I spent $15 on a nice stack of Cardinals and trade bait.

My first 2026 bowman cards along with a nice Heritage red parallel.

2023 Topps Hall of Fame Gallery foil parallels and 2 2002 Topps Gold cards.

Some miscellaneous Cardinals.  Love the red cards.

Only 2 Altuve cards in all the boxes.  My son needed the spring training parallel, but not the Museum Collection.

Found quite a few Pirates and Yankees for my trading friend Ron B.

My colorful trade bait along with a photo variation and some numbered cards.

I was shocked to find these 2026 Bowman parallels listed for 50 cents each.  After the discount the cost me 30 cents apiece.  

Best part of this deal was talking to the dealer as I was searching.  He is buying out 2 collections close to St. Louis at the end of the month.  He took my email address and will let me know where he will be setting up after he gets them sorted.  Fingers crossed I will be free at this first show.

  

TCDB 2 for Tuesday #143

It was a lot quieter at my house this past weekend.  My son graduated high school on Sunday afternoon, but the rest of the weekend was quiet and raining.  I spent most of Saturday cleaning up the card room by scanning a few trades, updating my spreadsheets, and filing cards away.  Only one small stack of cards remain.  Part of the cards I filed away are from today's two trades.  First trade came from member ILLRIMESAYA.

It is hard to keep up with all the variations of the Topps base set.  These 2024 All Star Game cards are the first in my collection from the set I did not know about.  

DeJong is still bouncing around the majors, signing a deal with the Tigers earlier this month.  At 32 years old, he can still provide a little pop off the bench as a backup infielder.  He is far removed from his best days as an All Star in 2019.

I remember watching Ian Bedell in Peoria a few seasons ago in Peoria thinking he would be in the St. Louis rotation sooner or later.  His career has stalled out in Triple A as he has been moved to the bullpen. 

The second trade came from member utvolsfan77.

I am still a sucker for minor league cards.  Just when I think I have seen every Classic set, a new one like the 1990 Draft Picks set pops up.  

I knocked off a few set wants from a variety of years, 2024 Chrome Update, 2009 Bowman Draft Chrome, and 1997 Donruss Preferred.

I also add a nice 2024 Topps Holiday Tree insert and a 2009 Update black parallel.  Although I hate to say it, Victor Scott's playing time may be reduced once Lars Nootbaar returns from the DL in a week or two.  Hard to justify playing time when you are not hitting above .200 .

  

  

  

EBAY Win

If you have ever ordered a Topps Now card from the website or EBAY, you know it takes a few weeks before you receive the card.  That is not factoring in the wonderful postal service time.  On March 27, I won an EBAY auction for a JJ Wetherholt card highlighting his opening day home run.  If Topps makes a Cardinal card from a game I attended, I will always buy a copy.  

The auction stated I would receive the card withing 40 days, or May 7th.  Long story short, 40 days went by with no card and worse yet, no communication.  Having seen these cards live on EBAY for two weeks, I messaged the seller for an update.  He blamed Topps for only sending part of his order, and that he would mail the card on Monday.  Yesterday it finally showed up.

Great looking card.  I chose not to leave any feedback for the seller although he requested it.  I did receive my card, but the lack of communication left a sour taste in my mouth.  Who knows when it may have shipped if I did not message him.  
  

TCDB 2 for Tuesday #142

It has been an exhausting past few days in my house.  Saturday night my daughter graduated from college with her Bachelor's Degree.  Sunday was Mother's Day and my wife's birthday.  Yesterday my son's baseball team won their game and the conference title. Needless to say I have had little time for baseball cards.  Good thing I had some already scanned for today's post.  First up is a pwe full of Cardinals from member millrat99.

It is crazy how difficult in can be to trade for MLB Showdown cards.  They are not the easiest to find, and when you do, some traders put a premium on them.  Glad to knock out these 4 from 2000.

Funny how I always need one card to finish a set that is of a player most people have never heard of.  My 2006 Bowman Chrome team set is now complete.

The second package came from member JustinBobo77.

Miura is my first card from 2025 Bowman Draft Chrome.  I have lost track how many times I thought I had all the non shortprints from 2026 Heritage.  This is definitely the last one.  

McGreevy has been the Cardinals best starter so far this season.  He is a poor man's Greg Maddux.  Does not throw overly hard, but throws a ton of strikes.  Mathews will most likely be the first starter called up this season if someone gets hurt.  He would be up already if he did not walk so many batters.