Two More Additions to the J.D. Martinez PC

As you know from previous posts on this blog, I'm now focusing on the younger Astros including J.D. Martinez who made his MLB debut this past season. I think he has a bright future ahead and hopefully he'll be a long-time Astros outfielder. 

2011 Topps Update Black #'d/60

2011 Bowman Chrome Base Auto

I'm adding to his collections slowly but surely. It's an exciting time to be an Astros collector as we get so many new players to watch.

2011 Bowman Chrome Blaster

I was at Target yesterday when the blaster bug hit me. I haven't ripped any packs in a few months so I thought Bowman Chrome would be a great way to get back into things. I'm thankful I did as I got a pretty nice hit for the $20 it cost me.

I apologize for the picture quality as I'm currently without my scanner and can only use my iPhone. 

Manny Banuelos base auto!! I know people have been having luck with Bowman Chrome blasters so I shouldn't be surprised but this is still an awesome auto to pull. Yes, it is for trade.

Long time!!!

As many of you may know I'm currently splitting my time between Deer Park and The Woodlands. Living in two different places has caused me to lose focus on the blog front and I apologize for that. There's no excuse for slacking on the blog and I've done it more than once so I need to step my game up. I have a few ideas in the works to keep me posting during this time so keep an eye out for those.

I haven't received many cards lately (another reason I need to brainstorm posting ideas) but I recently picked up this beauty off eBay using my eBay bucks from the last earning period. This Bogusevic card set me back $1.25 in eBay bucks (including shipping). 

This is a 2006 Bowman Signs of the Future auto from Houston Astros OF Brian Bogusevic. If you're wondering why Bogusevic looks like a pitcher in this photo it's because he was a pitcher then. The Astros moved him to OF a little after drafting him which is why it took him a few years longer to finally make the big league roster. Now I'm no fan of sticker auto's so I deduct a point but I really love this card. 

As I may have said before, I plan on focusing a lot more on the younger guys (which is basically the entire team minus Carlos Lee) for my PC. Bogusevic, J.D. Martinez, Jordan Lyles, Bud Norris and Jason Castro just to name a few. 

Once again sorry for the delay in posting and I hope you're all doing well!

Time to plug in some contests!

I know a lot of you already know about these two contests but here's the chance for anyone who has missed out on the news. Let's start off with the MLB Postseason contest over at The Great Orioles Auto. Project. Here's your chance to make your guesses on who wins the MLB playoffs with this bracket challenge. All details can be found here.

Over at The Card Hobbyist you can win a bunch of cards just by commenting on the blog during the month of October. You can enter and find the details by hitting the jump.

As always good luck to everyone who enters and if you win any Astros cards I hope you think of me. Ha.

Two Autos and a Plate

The cards featured below are probably some of my nicer cards I've received this year. Two of them came via eBay and one was from a trade over at my favorite forum, Sports Card Arena. 

I really like the look of these 2011 A&G autos. I picked this one up awhile back for less than $4.00 shipped so I think it was a pretty good bargain. I hope Wallace improves during the off-season and comes back next year ready to take over 1st.

I am in love with this 2010 Bowman Platinum auto from my new PC guy (taking the place of Pence. Bagwell is still #1 with J.D. coming in 5th behind Biggio, Berkman and Ensberg). I looked at these autos in January and I could have paid $5.00 or so for it but I waited and now I had to pay $12.00 shipped once he got called up and got on a hot streak. Since I don't plan on flipping this card for a profit I'm okay with that investment.

This is my first printing plate and my first ASTROS 1/1. Awhile back I was fortunate enough to pull a sick 1/1 patch auto of Don Maynard from 2008 Leaf Certified but I've never owned a 1/1 for my PC until now. This was the card I traded for on SCA and I think it was pretty fair. I traded a handful of 2010 Topps Chrome refractors and a Strasburg rookie for Mr. Manzella here. 

I hope you enjoyed the read and I'll be back soon with a few Bagwell PC items to show off.

Recent eBay Pick-ups from the past few weeks...

Here are a couple of eBay pick-ups I've received over the past few weeks. I haven't been buying too 

many cards lately due to the increase in comics I've been getting each week. Once I get through September and narrow down my pull list I should be back on my normal amount of card purchases. I got pretty good deals on the following cards and used up whatever was in my PayPal.

I know I said I was done with Hunter Pence cards and I basically am but I set a goal to get all the 2011 Series 1 Astros cards and I couldn't resist this black border 13/60.

Here's another #/60 but at least this guy is still on the Astros (for now at least). I'd much rather have Pence on the team but you'll take what you can get when you're a 'Stros fan ha.

This isn't a #/60 black border but the normal Walmart black border. I am a big fan of Bogusevic and behind J.D. Martinez he is my new favorite Astros player. I got this bad boy for $0.26 SHIPPED!! Yes the card cost less than the stamp to send it.

There you have it, three pretty cool Astros cards for less than $10.00. I can't complain about that especially when the majority of that money came from the Pence card. I'll be writing another post soon about the two auto's I got off eBay and a trade with someone over at Sports Card Arena.

Trade with Section 36

I recently traded with Ron over at Section 36 after he posted some trade bait. I have a couple of Oswalt GU already but I couldn't pass up the chance to get this nice looking 2008 A&G GU. 

This is where being fairly new to card collection has an advantage. I think collecting for less than a year now I haven't become fully jaded to all the overproduction of jersey and bat cards. I still get excited getting a one color Astros/Texans jersey from trade or eBay. Heck even when I have a mail day of mostly common or insert cards I get excited. I hope to keep this excitement towards the "little things" for quite some time but I know a time may come when I lose that feeling, but for now I'll cherish it.


If you don't already follow/read Section 36 you really should. It's a very enlightening and entertaining blog that I try to keep up with daily. Today's post about giving away free tickets to games is a good one. Thank you Ron for the trade and hopefully we can do another one sometime soon.