I need an intervention!!!!!

This was copied over from my other blog (Random Thoughts from a Random Guy - http://jccsst-random.blogspot.com/2011/04/i-need-intervention.html) but it has to do with sports cards as well so I reposted it here.

Got my tax check a few months ago, bought a few boxes of Baseball cards, and I’m addicted to them, again!! I LOVE baseball and I LOVE baseball cards. I’ve kind of always had an obsession for them. I collected as a kid, as did most of my friends, and cousins. I had thousands upon thousands of cards. I loved to watch and play baseball as well. Then, they had the strike, and I got out of baseball and got rid of my cards. I kept anything worth $5 or more in a couple of books. I think I gave all my other cards to my mom’s friends kid from work, who was just getting started. I can imagine his eyes light up when his mom came home with a case (if I remember correctly) about 36 inches wide and 32 inches tall packed full of cards.

Anyways, I got back into cards (and baseball) in 1998 with the whole Mark McGwire/Sammy Sosa HR race. I started collecting again and got thousands upon thousand again and replenished my collection. I remember having 20 or so of the card albums packed pull with the players I liked or were worth something, along with boxes and boxes of commons, labeled by years. I don’t remember how long I collected again but I did for awhile again. I ended up needing cash and decided I was only collecting for myself and nobody saw my collection anyways, so I decided to sell them. Ebay was quickly becoming very popular and I started listing and listing and listing until they were all sold. Then I got addicted to Ebay. Did I mention I have an addictive personality. I still love cards so for a long time I would buy cards on Ebay and turn around and resell them. I would try to purchase lots of jerseys or autographs to where I was only averaging a few bucks a piece and turn around and sell them. I would also buy packs and blaster boxes here and there, hoping for that great pull, to sell. The only card I ever really pulled worth anything was out of a blaster box I bought at Target. I don’t remember the year or exact card but it was a Hideki Matsui autographed rookie card. That was the 1st time I listed as shipping international as well. It ended up selling for close to $300. I would take the commons, make lots (players or teams) and list those as well. So I would satisfy my need for buying packs and cards and my need to sell on Ebay all in one. All in all, I probably lost money that way but it wasn’t a lot of money so I could keep doing it.

I got out of doing that a few years ago when the economy went to crap and I just couldn’t afford to spend the money on the cards like I wanted to. Until a few months ago that is. And I’m doing it again, only now, with this wonderful thing called internet, I’m reading all kinds of blogs about cards, getting to read or watch other people pull packs, it’s not the same, but it doesn’t help my itch to buy cards. So I started a sports blog (http://mysportsandsportscards.blogspot.com/) and have been posting some pics of cards I’ve sold and mainly talking about the White Sox at this point. I’ve even started a virtual card album (http://whitesoxcoltswolverines.shutterfly.com/ – site isn’t done yet) which I showcase any really good pulls along with all the White Sox, Colts and Michigan cards I’ve come in contact with. So I still get to collect them, without keeping them. Sounds corny to most of you card collectors but I spend less money and get to satisfy my addictions as well. I’m thinking about listing all my cards I don’t list on ebay and trade for stuff that I might list. The team lots just don’t go as well as I would like them too.

So for those of you who have noticed my lack of humor posts, that would be why, I don’t go through my bulk emails which is where I got a lot of my humor material because I’m too busy reading all the blogs and working on my cards. I’m sorry, I have an addiction and I need help! Although I don’t want the help because I enjoy my addiction.

Thornton and the Sox

I’ve been working on getting some cards ready for ebay which is why I haven’t been around much this week.  So just gonna throw out a few thoughts.  I haven’t been able to catch all the Sox games but I always follow them with tweets and ESPN updates to my phone.

Matt Thornton

As I said in my Royals/Sox recap earlier in the week.  I wasn’t worried about Alex Rios and I’m not worried about Matt Thornton.  The first blow save he got a beat with a good pitch, it wasn’t a meatball right down the plate.  He just got beat, it happens.  That ending I saw, last night’s I didn’t, but from what I gathered, he was out there a lot longer than need be.  2 errors in the inning regardless of who’s pitching, he shouldn’t get all the blame, if any.  Rios has come around and so will Thornton.

The Sox

The offense is hot, it won’t last all year, but it should definitely should be good all year.  Even with one or two players going cold here and there, there is enough offense to carry the team.  My only concern was Brent Morel coming in and he has been playing like he belongs.  I’m curious what happens when Viciado comes back because if I recall correctly, he won the starting position before he got hurt.

I’m thinking Teahen belongs as a DH because he certainly doesn’t know how to use his glove and as a DH yesterday and today, he hit well (4-7).  Beckham is the player we all thought he was and more.  Same with Ramirez.

Starters are doing ok.  There’s been some good games and some bad games, which is typical with any starting staff.  I hear Humber was impressive today.  I like hearing that as our temporary 5th starter because the better he is, the less likely Peavy will get pushed too hard, too fast.

I’ll try to get to see the game tomorrow but we’ll see how that goes.

Yankee cards

Just a quick post of some cards I sold to a guy at work. He’s a big Yankees fan, don’t ask me why. lol I didn’t get a chance to scan all the cards I sold to him but here’s a few of them.

Sox vs. Royals recap

1st Inning

• Pierre starts us off with a triple, nice.  Let’s see if we get him in, that was a big weakness last year.
• Beckham with a nice liner of the middle to bring in Pierre.  Great start
• Dunn walks, also nice to see.  I’m afraid he’ll be a Thome clone with a strikeout or a home.  He’s supposed to be better than that but I’m still waiting to see.
• YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE BOARD, YEESSSSS!!!!  Paulie jacks one to make it 4-0.  Great start to the game!!!!  Still no outs.
• Alex Rios with his first hit of the season, I said before I wasn’t worried about him.  He was just waiting to hear that I said it was ok.  lol
• Rios stayed out of the double play by Quentin by running on the pitch.  Hit and run possibly, either way, better chance of getting another run.
• AJ and Alexei fly and line out to finish the inning.

Royals are a good hitting team, especially against us but I expect a little more out of Gavin Floyd.  Gave up a single and then a 2 run homer to Alex Gordon.

2nd inning

• Beckham with another single.  2-2 so far.

And Floyd gives up 2 more.  Now tied 4-4 heading into the 3rd.

Floyd pissed me off again in the 3rd.  Let a guy steal 2nd because he wasn’t even watching him.  He got out of it though, so I guess I can’t complain.

4th inning

• Alexei draws a walk.  Let’s hope it starts us off for a few runs
• Good job by Pierre to keep the inning alive.  Beat out the double play ball to 1st.
• Pierre with his 1st stolen base.  But all for not.

Just saw a score.  Red Sox are losing to the Indians, could they be 0-4 after tonight.  That’s just so sad.  Hehehe

6th inning

• Quentin starts us off with a single, let’s build on that this time.  Or as Hawk would say “don’t stop now, boys”
• YES!!!!  Alexei hits a triple, Quentin scores.  Sox take the lead 5-4.
• Ouch!  Nice try on the suicide squeeze but Morel strike’s out with a man on 3rd.
• Pierre with an infield hit, Alexei scores.  6-4.

Love the Konerko “All in” commercial.  Searched on Youtube to post it here, but couldn’t find it.

Nice double play to end the inning for the Sox.

7th inning

• Another Rios hit.  Here he comes!

Very nice double play by Alexei and his cannon arm to end the inning again.

8th inning

• AJ leads off with a hit.
• AJ breaks up the double play, Morel beats out the throw to 1st.

Chris Sale comes out to start the bottom of the 8th.  Floyd in line for the win.

Gives up a double, and then a homerun for the Royals to tie it up at 6-6.  The woes of the bullpen continue. 

Jesse Crain in after Sale got the 2nd out (strikeout).  Gives up a single, but ends up picking off the runner on 1st.

9th inning

3 up, 3 down for the Sox.  Crain with a diving grab off the mound to throw to 1st for the 3rd out.  Extra innings.

10th inning

3 up, 3 down for the Sox.  Santos in.  Promptly gets 2 outs, then gives up a double and hits a batter.  Then gets a strikeout for the last out.

11th inning

• Finally a hit in extra innings.  Morel with a 2 out single.

Santos throws a 1-2-3 inning.  First one of the extra innings.  Heading to the 12th

12th inning

For the record, I hate extra innings on the road.  I’d rather have a walk off and not give them a chance to even it up.

• Beckham with another hit to lead us off.
• Dunn with a Fielders Choice.  Lillibridge to run for Dunn
• Paulie walks.  2 on, 1 out.
• Lilliebridge called safe at 3rd, then called off for being out of the baseline.  Which he wasn’t.  I thought he made the tag so can’t be to mad at the call, just at Lillibridge for getting caught out to dry in a crucial situation

Tony Pena to start the bottom of the 12th.  Gives up a leadoff single.  Sacrifice bunt to move the runner to 2nd.  And gives up a hit up the middle to lose the game.  DAMN IT!!!!

Our bullpen sucks.

Cards that sold this weekend

Just a quick blog of some stuff that sold this weekend while I was away.  I had some stuff ending yesterday and today which is why all of the sudden a bunch of stuff went.











As you can tell by now, I definitely made my money back on the box of 1970’s cards I bought.  Wish it was that easy to make your money back when you buy the newer card boxes but you have to get lucky and I never am.