Rockie Trading Post #21 - Special Returning Guest Michael S. from Nomo's Sushi Platter

Welcome to another edition of The Rockie Trading Post.  Back again by popular demand is Michael S. (aka Spiegel) from Nomo's Sushi Platter.  That's right he is no longer simply from Earth, the blogging community peer pressured him to finally join us in our drunken debauchery.  This is Michael's third visit to TRTP and for some reason he STILL collects the Dodgers along with a few other players that you can now see on his site.  This go around I sent Michael some cards he wanted from a couple of my Sunday Afternoon Blasters.  Here is his review of the trade. He sent me an eclectic mix of cards, the highlights of which are below.

A couple more 2007 "rookie cards" for our hero Troy Tulowitzki.  I hate the new rookie card designation because Tulo had cards in 2005.  Yes they are defined as prospect cards, but does anyone consider the 2007s rookies? 

A 2011 Topps (Platinum Diamond? Diamond Parallel? ugly and shiny?...not sure what they are called) of Carlos Gonzalez.  Unlike some of the shinys I have seen that had missing foil this one was double stamped...ah Topps quality control.  Michael also sent a majority of the base set Rockies for me.  I am down to 6 (plus whatever leaders I don't know about) from having all the series 1 Rox.

I just wanted to show off this 2001 Brian Bohanon.  He really does not wear that uniform very well, it looks like pajamas.  No offense to any overweight person out there as I am in the same boat, but I am not a highly paid athlete either.  This 2011 Topps Toppstown Troy Tulowitzki (a lot of capital T's in a row) finishes this 3 card team set for me.

Michael knocked out a chunk of my 2010 Topps team set.  The first example is our Todd Helton card of the day with a fine close up moment of impact shot, well near moment anyway.  The Seth Smith show him sliding into an apparent unguarded home plate.  Is this a staged shot?  Was the catcher photoshopped out?  Or was the catcher just in a odd position and thus not shown?  So many questions and in my mind that makes for good photograph.

Michael also threw in a surprise Fred McGriff, baseball superstar.  I did not have this 2004 Upper Deck card and I like it even though he is a Dodger in it, because it show his nearly full career stats on the back.  He played in 27 additional games with the 2004 Devil Rays.  Get this man into the Hall of Fame.  He deserves it.

Michael also sent me a handful of rookie cup cards which I still haven't gotten around to getting a want list for.  Surprisingly I needed every one that he sent including the 1990 Carlos Martinez (RIP) and 1991 Hal Morris.  I was surprised mainly because I had most of both of those sets covered in my cup cards.  The 1996 Nomo I knew I needed because this is the first 1996 cup that I have.

Now we come to the monstrosity that was the 2010 gray cup, which I guess meant they were all stars of the Canadian Football League.  Look at the difference between the cups from the flagship set and the Chrome set and it is obvious which is better.  I will be getting the Chromes (even with the warp) for my 2010 cups without a doubt.  I only wish there an amalgam which got rid of the gray cup and the warp, but I guess that is asking too much.

He also sent two other Chromies from 2010.  I really hope McCutchen turns out to be a great player. Long suffering Pirate fans deserve someone to cheer for.  Elvis Andrus was a part of the great con job of the Braves for Mark Teixeira.  After flipping Tex to the Angels less than a year later, Atlanta basically traded Andrus, Neftali Feliz, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and others for Casey Kotchman (shortly flipped for Adam Laroche).  Bad trade for the Bravos.


Thanks again Michael for the trade and I hope you enjoyed your latest package from me.  Check out his new blog here and give him some love for joining the community.  Michael, I am sure we will be seeing you here again soon, possibly as my Andy Richter (Ed McMahon for you older folks...*cough* Night Owl *cough*).  Well that just about wraps up another edition of TRTP.  Tune in next time for another landmark episode, the first female guest on the show.  Until then, we are officially signed off.