Check Out My Success, Part IV: Colors Ca-lore...and an A&G

Welcome to another addition of my COMS series! Hope you've enjoyed so far. If you haven't, I'm sorry, I guess. Don't worry. There is only one more post in the series. Hold your applause, please.

Time to delve into the 2013 Topps parallels. No discrimination is this post as the only retail color not represented is everyone's favorite...Toys R Us Purple. Hate those things...

How about we start with these, huh?

Not sure who's with me on this one besides this guy, but I like the Walmart Blue on 2013 more so than 2012. Just looks more natural. Here we have a former active PC and one of my smaller PCs. I really like what Pacheco brings to the table for the Rocks and hope they can find a way to work his bat into the lineup. Second base, maybe?

Pacheco number two, followed by the Baby Bull. Not sure if you knew this, but Pacheco came up through the Rockies farm system as a catcher and is the third option behind Rosario and Torrealba last year.

 Wow. I literally just realized all of these inserts are Rockies. Hopefully, that's a good sign. Keeping score Jeff Probst's Survivor-style. That's one for Troy, two for Wilin, two for Dexter and Jordan in the lead with three.

What!?!?! A non-Rockie parallel? And a...non-parallel parallel??? This Trumbo is one of the few from Gold I actually have, with two incoming. As for the A&G Goldschimdt insert, well, it didn't fit in any other category. You win some. You lose some.

By the way, I like the Trumbo acquisition for the D'backs, not so much for the Rockies. Chase Field, and Coors at that, will be witness to many Trum-bombs in 2014 and for years to come.

Hope everyone has a great Friday night, and remember. I still need lots of help with my 2013 Player Collection project. Anything will be appreciated.

Check Out My Success, Part III: Chrome/Finest Congregation

Time to bust out the shiny stuff! Last year's bout with 2012 Topps Chrome reeled me into the shiny, reflectory goodness that Topps has to offer.

The 2013 design is growing on me, and the Chrome versions are helping that along.

Yes, it's almost 2014, and I'm still talking about 2013 design. Leave me alone.

No base. Only refractors this go around. Apparently, my scanner thinks these should be purple, especially the Cargo. I'm actually only missing #42 J.P. Arencibia refractor.

If you've been keeping track, I've inadvertently been doing a countdown of my favorite 2013 sets.

3. Pinnacle

2. Bowman Platinum

Now for number one...I freaking love Finest!!!!!!!!!!! 

Great design. Awesome photos. Base, Refractor and X-fractor are visibly different. (Sometimes I can't tell unless I read the back.)

Two Refractors: Freeman and Tulo

Two X-fractors: Freeman and Tulo

Oh and one base: Freeman. (Already had the Tulo.) Two more purples, an X-fractor and a Die Cut. Can't get much better than that...unless, I got all the cards I needed, of course. But I digress.

Half way home in this five-part COMC series of posts. Any favorites so far? No favorites yet? Me either. I love them all!!!

Have a great night, friends.

Check Out My Success, Part II: Panini Palooza

As I'm sure most would agree, Panini just misses the boat for me. Last year, Triple Play was a creative alternative to not being able to use MLB logos, but everything else just leaves me thinking, "Nah."

This year, Panini has really tried to step its game up. This time not just with Triple Play either. I love the throw back to Studio for the Father's Day promotion, Pinnacle, even the idea behind Hometown Heroes.

So I decided to give Panini another shot with my 2013 Player Collection binder. Wanna see?

The Prizm design is pretty similar 2012 but with better photography (personal opinion, of course). The Fowler is the only one I purchased because of the low price. CarGo, Hosmer and Longo all made it to the Byrd household for one reason...the colored jerseys. Gotta love the Rockies purple and the baby blue KC and Tampa support. Definitely winners in my book.

Although it's not the flashiest of set, Pinnacle is probably my third favorite set of 2013. It's the nostalgia, I guess. Takes me back to childhood in the mid-90s. So if you keeping track at home:

3. Pinnacle

2. Bowman Platinum

1. ???

Anyway, I even love the Tulo Prizm Fearless. Sweet idea and design. Maybe next year, Prizm will have a totally different design (we can only hope).  

Keep up the good work, Panini. Studio...Pinnacle...Next year, Score??? Please, oh please, oh please...

Have a great night!

Check Out My Success, Part I: Bowman Bonanza

Not another COMC Black Friday post?!?!

Yes, my friends. COMC has brought me out of my shell. Free shipping on my order, which is always above any kind of minimums? I will take that all day long. Especially once you see what has gotten me all giddy.

It's actually the first time I've order from COMC since last Black Friday. Shame on me!

Anyway...Check out my cards! (Ha! I made a funny. What? Overdone? My bad.)

"I'll have a Blue Christmas..." with these awesome Bowman Blues. Cheesy? Yes. Awesome. Heck yes!

I literally knocked out all of my Bowman Blue PC needs but two. I had none before my order. Even more awesome? Of course!

I would like to say that I was disheartened to know that the Rockies had traded away ol' Dexter Fowler for a couple Astro chumps. I wish Dexter the best and will have a proper sending away for him and Drew Pomeranz next week.

Back to your regularly scheduled post...

I'm not sure about the Bowman International/Hometown parallels, and honestly, I don't think I've met anyone that was ecstatic to pull one. I'd love to know where everyone stands on these.

Bowman Platinum is my second favorite set of the year, and the cracked ice Gold, Ruby and Sapphire are amazing. 

Only missing Paul Goldschmidt from the Gold set if anyone has an extra laying around. 

Goldy in Gold. Figures.

These Silver Ice and Orange parallels are extremely hard to come by for a good price, which for me is less than a dollar. (Yes, I'm cheap.) Don't forget that sweet-looking Trumbo Die Cut from Platinum.

We're off to a good start to my COMC Madness. Hope you decided to come back a see what else I was able to wrangle up.

Have a great night, everyone!!!

What I've Been Up To...

As you may (or may not) know, a while back I had a quandary of whether or not to separate any 2013 sets out of my Player Collections and start a binder just for them.

You see, this year I decided to go a different, and actually cheap route with my collecting. Unlike last year when I had my proverbial eggs in too many baskets (sets in this case), I have decided that outside of 2013 Series I and II I am collecting only certain players. The list of my needs can be found here.

So after reading the responses I got, I've decided to...START A NEW BINDER!

I am almost done fixing the pages and loading the cards. I'm still in search of an affordable 3 in. or bigger binder.

Anyway, to celebrate this new mini collection, let me show you the newest additions.

I own only a handful of 2013 A&G. Really like the design, but the only edition of A&G I've completed (2011) cost me an arm and leg to finish. I can deal with just a few, though.

I absolutely love this year's Chrome. The Purple Refractor is even better.

Noticing the Kimbel/Hosmer theme yet? In addition to them, you also see the newest member of my Rockies Player Collection, Gold Glove-winning third baseman Nolan Arenado. If Nolan's batting average can catch up to his Web Gems, my Rox should be sitting pretty on the left side of the infield for a while. As long as Tulo stays, that is.

Another Arenado and Jay, this time in the Chrome base joined by the 2013 Home Run Derby Champ.

Three Jays in a row, with two Fowlers and a Jay, the blue variety. For once, my scanner caught the absolute brilliance of the Bautista Platinum Gold. The Longo Sportsdisc is my second card from Panini's Hometown Heroes set. The first you ask? Homegrown Heroes Todd Helton, of course.

Have to show some Update love. These were actually my first chance to see this years rendition. Not too bad. Topps really stepped up its game with the Making Their Mark insert. By the way, I've not officially added El Oso Blanco to my player list. Just kinda starting a mini collection. Most of his stuff is out of my price range currently.

The Moose and Cargo are helping me close in on completing the Walmart Blue from Series I. Speaking of parallels, I hate Toys R Us Purple! That is all.

So, during my short absence, this is what I've been doing. Adding to my seemingly never-ending mini 2013 Player Collection. I will be posting pictures of my creation soon. In the meantime, I still need some help. Go to my PC tab up top or click here for the Google Doc containing my needs.

Have a great night everyone!!!

Can I Have Your Opinions, Please?

In addition to the continuing saga of my 2012 Topps Chrome Purple and 2013 Topps Series II and Insertst set completions, I have been working on the completion of a different kind of project.

You see, I have documented almost every card of every player that collect that came out in 2013, excluding SSP, Mid-High End, and low number parallels. Once a card is in-hand, it is marked off the list, and goes into my PC binder.

This is the first time I've tried anything of this sort since this is the first time I've collected more than two players, Todd Helton and Dan Uggla, in at least five or six years. So far so good...I guess.

Since this is a different type of project for me, I was thinking of separating the cardboard a little differently, except Helton and Uggla.

Here is my thought. I would like to make a binder strictly for the 2013 PC cards, placing them in the book by set and ordering the cards by which they appear in the set. Base, insert, parallel, etc. Each cardholder in the sheet would be labeled with you is supposed to be there.

I have already bounced the idea off of Ashley, and she doesn't see the point if I'll eventually put them back with the other cards for whichever player. I can see her side, but at the same time, it is some different I've tried this year and could be a cool project.

My question for you guys, then, is obvious. What do you think of my idea? I know the decision is mine in the end, but I'd like some thoughts from my blogger friends. Feel free to comment different ideas if you have any as well.

Have a great day, everyone!

The Purple Just Keeps Trickling In

Obviously, if you scroll down to the prior post, you'll see that I have turned my "Set Focus" to completing my 2012 Topps Chrome Purple Refractor set. And I'm inching ever closer to calling that set fin. 

I took a gigantic step forward with the Mike Trout. Now meet giant step two.

Yickety!!! (Or however he spells it.) I am so excited to mark Chipper off my list, and while it may not be Miguel Cabrera or Clayton Kershaw or BRYCE HARPER, it's a dang good place to start. 

Note: Did you know Chipper delete his Twitter account? He was getting pretty good at it. Also, don't ask Chipper for the truth (i.e. telling Braves' players they would lose to the Dodgers), or else you'll get it.

Anyway, not only was I able to secure a future Hall of Fame third basemen, I picked up some of the future "stars" of Major League Baseball. I use the word "stars" loosely (hence the quotation marks).

These three pitchers (Hendriks, Surkamp, Wada) combined for a 1-8 record with a 5.59 ERA in 2012. The funny part is that all those numbers were Hendriks'. Wada and Surkamp missed the 2012 season.

Adrian Cardenas was less than stellar as well batting .183 in 45 games with 6 2Bs and 2 RBI in 2012.

You maybe asking, "Why are you using 2012 numbers?" This are 2012 cards, duh.

Five steps closer! Five steps, five steps, five steps, five steps, five steps. Kudos to whoever gets that reference. Anyway, have a great night everyone!!!