I Won! - Bob Walk Contest Haul

I won the Bob Walk 2 year anniversary contest recently and got a package from Matt recently containing my winnings. 

I did not know what to expect, as most of you know trading with Matt is no joke.  Let's just say I felt like I won the cardboard Power Ball upon opening this particular bubble mailer.

Tom Glavine auto folks. On card, an acetate card slab no less and hand numbered to 25... wow that's pretty much all the words I have. Thanks a ton man, you could've just sent this card and dropped the mic but wait there's more. 

Crime Dog! Again on card, I absolutely love Five Star cards but avoid searching for them because of the premium price they command. I had actually been watching a few McGriff autos recently so this was more than welcome to the old collection. 

Another sick card. Nice to have an auto to remember Miller's fantastic single season in Atlanta, thanks for the memories but most of all thanks for the great return you brought in trade!

This may look like a normal 2015 A&G mini of Kimbrel but flip it over...

Again hand numbered to 25. Thanks a bunch for all the great cards Matt you continue to amaze.

Closing this one out with a photo I took today at Braves batting practice of McGriff and the center piece of the Shelby Miller deal Dansby Swanson. I'll be back tomorrow with more pictures and my autograph haul. Thanks for reading. 

Farewell Shelby, Hello Dansby! - Hot Stove Special

The Braves pulled off a true Blockbuster trade last night,  sending Shelby Miller and Gabe Speier to Arizona for Dansby Swanson,  Aaron Blair and Ender Inciarte.

I like Shelby Miller, I just got this card in the mail yesterday a few hours before this trade went down.  But the Braves made a great deal, a steal even according to most national writers: 

the price the Diamondbacks paid was “comically high.” - Keith Law

The deal “looks like a clear, obvious mistake” for the Diamondbacks,FanGraphs’ Jeff Sullivan writes.

The Diamondbacks don’t care that executives around the game think the Braves won the trade in a rout,Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes. (“Worst trade I’ve ever seen,” said one.)

Swanson is the prize of this deal, he was the first overall pick in June's Draft. "Swanson is a polished and very talented college player who could move through the minors quickly, the way Michael Conforto and Kyle Schwarber did." He's also a local boy from the same town as me - Marietta, GA. I ordered this card and it's Chrome counterpart last night from a seller that had Bowman Draft (releases today) listed already. I can't wait to chase this guys other cards and watch him develop in the minors. 

Also the Braves get a rare thing in a No. 1 Overall Pick without having to completely tank. "Swanson joins Adrian Gonzalez and Shawn Abner as the only first overall draft picks to be traded while still in the minors by the teams that drafted them, MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo writes. "

Aaron Blair was a first rounder in 2013 and may be major league ready. "Blair gets plenty of ground balls and has “a hint of Brandon Webb” to him. And Law writes that he would rather have six years of Blair or five years of Inciarte for the three years of Miller the Diamondbacks will receive."

"His 2015 season was his best by ERA. In 13 games with AA Mobile he went 6-3 with a 2.70 ERA in 13 games, and he didn't show much of a drop off with his move to AAA. In 13 games with the Reno Aces he went 7-2 with a 3.16 ERA in 13 games." - Talkingchop.com

Let's not forget the major league outfielder in the trade,  Inciarte hit .303 in 132 games last year with a 3.3 WAR. He is a contact-hitting plus defender that should start in CF. 

Sorry for the long winded, heavily quoted post but I'm really excited about this deal and for the future of the Braves. Thanks for reading.  

Update Chrome - The Easy Way

I see you blogosphere, I watched with awe as you all opened box after box of the shiny fancy Topps Update Holiday Boxes with the 2 exclusive Chrome Update packs. But I couldn't do it, I even went to Target and had one in my hands but settled for a rack pack of Update instead. I went the 2015 route and went to eBay and for $4 total I got both Braves base cards from the set.

Shelby Miller - he of terrible luck and many trade rumors. The Royals haven't even been Champs for a month and the Braves have traded 2 starters from last years lineup. Shelby and Julio Teheran are apparently being discussed with the Cubs in regards to a young bat hopefully that means Soler or Baez if the right package can be put together. We'll see the Braves new regime sure loves making trades.

Speaking of trades Folty here was just acquired last offseason for Evan Gattis.Hopefully this kid can harness his easy 96mph fastball and be the next deGrom or Synndegard.

Picked up this one /499 for $3 of the Braves 2015 2nd round pick.

Love how American this card is of 2015 1st round pick and high school teammates with Lucas Herbert. Pretty crazy...

Here's a link to the article with a quote from the story.

''
The Braves did indeed pull the trigger on drafting both Herbert and Allard, an effective pitcher-catcher combo and among the more sought-after high school prospects for their positions in this year’s draft. Both players had commitments to UCLA but eagerly await their chance to sign their big league contracts once they graduate.

''

What have I done!? This huge card is awesome if you don't have any of these new fangled giant cards I don't know what to tell you other than that needs to change.

Sorry have to make it Extra Large because it's another huge card, I grabbed these 2 together for $6 both #/99.

My first new hockey cards of the year. hopefully they have some UD S1 at the card show tomorrow. Not a huge fan of the huge borders in this set but hey it's new Lightning cards.

My first 2015 Valor cards, these are pretty good looking like the mysterious tree thing in the background and as always i'm a sucker for filtered/arty cards. 

My first framed rookie from '15 GK

I pulled a pretty awesome framed card in my GK pack but it got shipped off last week. Party on Wayne....

July Card Show with extra pigskin

So apparently there was some big card show in the midwest this weekend.. well I'm still in shock from the trade deadline. So i'll post some cards from my local monthly card show at the flea market.

Still mad at John Hart for trading this guy along with a top prospect for Hector Olivera $300K party bus!? This guy has ZERO MLB at bats... hope he works out as he's 30. Anyways I picked up 2 copies of this Wood card along with the rest of the Series 2 team set out of a 5/$1 box.

Switching subjects to something i'm actually excited about WHO'S READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!? Grabbed this mini of Julio another PC guy from my favorite local vendor who had a ton of new football stuff so I stocked up.

This purchase caused me to go out and buy a blaster box of 2015 Panini Contenders. Of course I got zero Falcons so it's a good thing I stocked up at the show.

My first cards of the 2015 first round pick, hopefully he can give us the pass rush we so desperately need. This was my biggest football purchase as far as volume of cards in a long time and I didn't even know Leaf was still making cards..

More Contender goodness, these of fourth round pick and the all time NCAA receptions record holder Justin Hardy. Hoping he can learn from Roddy and Julio and fill in for Harry Douglas.

Also got my first cards of 3rd round pick out of Indiana Tevin Coleman who should get plenty of looks in Kyle Shannahan's zone blocking system.

Only found one card of 2nd round pick Jalen Collins who could start, at least at nickel. A few other rookie cards here as well.

Sorry for going so Football heavy but had to pick up this insert of the Ice Man.

Matt needs to get us to playoffs this year in what looks to be another down year in the NFC South. 

Still my favorite player on the Falcons been there since the Vick days, Roddy might still get 1,000 yards this year.

Found a football nickel box and grabbed pretty much every Falcon I didn't have out of it. Can't get enough nickel cards, ever.

Told ya I got alot of football cards, that Gronk Camo is top notch. Decided that day i'm starting a Gronk PC. My favorite non-Falcon in the league right now.

I guess i'll post some baseball cards too, just bummed about the odd trade we made and pretty much waving the white flag losing six in a row before today...

Some parallels of the best defensive player in baseball and a refractor of maybe the second.

Lastly in that same box I grabbed all the Series 2 cards I found this Bowman Chrome without and Chrome or foil..are these rare or just a mistake?