2023 Topps Chrome Update value box pack 4

 Lets see what we get tonight:

Anthony Volpe hot pack.  Brutal box break so far.  Enjoy tonight's Christmas song selection:

Its short and sweet.  Ernest Saves Christmas is a top 3 Christmas movie in my book.  Rip Jim Varney, a true class act.

TTM Success: Gregg Olson

Another TTM came back from my magical December 17th, 2014 TTM blitz.  Gregg Olson can probably be considered among the best, if not THE BEST, reliever in Orioles history.  He was the last Orioles player to win the Rookie of the Year (1989) until Gunnar Henderson this year.  He still holds the Orioles record for saves with 160.  Zach Britton got close with 139 saves for the team.  "Otter" moved onto the Braves and became a Baseball Reference Immaculate Grid cheat code bouncing around to a bunch of other teams to round out his career.  He never had the same success he did as an Oriole.

1991 Donruss Diamond King

I enjoy getting Diamond Kings autographed as I enjoy Dick Perez's baseball artwork.  I'm currently working on completing his run of Diamond Kings from 1982 thru 1996.  I mostly need cards from 1992 thru 1996 when they became proper inserts.  I'd love to get more Diamond Kings signed but you can see that endeavor would get really expensive after a while.

I Sent the card out on December 17th, 2014 and I received it back on January 30th 2015 for a 44 day TAT.  Thank You Mr. Olson!

2023 Topps Chrome Update Value box pack 3

Another night, another pack from the 2023 Topps Chrome Update box.  Its been a somewhat snorefest of a box so far.  Lets see if my luck changes tonight.

I sleep.

Pink refractors are 2 per box. I've never been a fan of "light red" refractors... Aren't there better colors to associate with baseball?

This box has got me blue... Enjoy tonight's oddball Christmas song:

 

TTM Success: Bob Saverine

Here's another recent TTM I received back.  Bob Saverine was a utility player for the Orioles in the early 60's and then moved on to play for the Senators to finish out his career.  He debuted in the major leagues at the age of 18 in 1959 and was the youngest player to play in an American League game that season.

1965 Topps

1965 Topps is one of my favorite Topps sets of all their designs.  I might get around to trying to work on the complete set at some point.  I know it won't be a high grade set but more of a "beater".  Just having the cards would be good enough for me.  Plus, I already have the "big one" (I need to show it off at some point) from that set so I already have a good jump on it.

1964 Topps

 I do have a lot more of the 1964 and 1963 Topps sets (also in "beater" condition).  I'd probably try to trade the 64's and 63's to try and complete the '65 set.

I send these cards out on Halloween, October 31st, 2023 and got them back on November 13th, 2023 for a 13 day TAT.  Thank You Mr. Saverine!

2023 Topps Chrome Update Value box pack 2

 Back with pack number 2 of my 2023 Topps Chrome Update Value box.  

This is turning into a Dodger fest as the Heyward is a refractor.  Not much else to get excited about.

The special Sepia tone refractor of Ryu ( a former Dodger nonetheless) drops out of pack two as one of our promised two Sepia tones.  Enjoy the off-color Christmas song of the night:

TTM Success: Jamie Moyer

    These two cards came back signed by Jamie Moyer not long after the new year in 2015.  Its been very interesting looking back at these old returns and seeing how signing habits of some players have changed since then.  Around the time I sent these out, Jamie was a pretty reliable signer with about a 14 day turn around time.  Not long after I got these returned, the turn around times started getting longer and longer up to about a 2 year wait.  Then in 2017ish, it seemed like he just quit.  Now we signs for $25 a card on Past Pros.  Nothing against that, because I will pay for certain players, but I just thought it was interesting to point out.  I'm happy to have sent and saved money.  I probably would not have gotten both of these cards for fifty bucks.

1994 Upper Deck Collector's Choice

1995 Score

I sent to him on December 17th, 2014 and got these back on January 17th 2015 for a 31 day TAT.  Thank You Mr. Moyer!

2023 Topps Chrome Update Value box pack 1

 I like to dip my foot into nearly every product that Topps releases on the retail side.  It gives me some good trade bait and also you never know what you'll hit.  Anyways, here's pack 1 followed by my off-color Christmas song of the night.  Enjoy!

Nothing crazy in the first pack but a decent Yoshida '88 Topps and Gallen ASG insert. Now please enjoy this soon to be yuletide classic:

TTM Success: Davey Johnson

 Another recent TTM request came back to my mailbox in the form of this signed 1969 Topps Davey Johnson. 

Davey Johnson was the solid second baseman for the Orioles during their golden years.  Not quite a power hitter (at least not while with the Orioles) he was a 3 time All Star for the Orioles.  He added another All Star appearance with the Braves in his career season in 1973 when he hit 43 homers.  Davey Johnson also played in Japan for the Yomiuri Giants in 1976 and 1977.  He later became the manager of the Mets leading them to the World Series trophy in 1986 and then had stints in Cincinnati, Baltimore, LA, and Washington.  He famously resigned from the Orioles managerial job a mere two hours before he won the AL Manager of the Year in 1997.  He resigned before Peter Angelos could fire him because Johnson directed Roberton Alomar to pay a fine to a charity in which Dave's wife worked. Angelos took exception to how Johnson handled the situation and was likely to fire him.  Seems petty to me but that's how the Angelos ownership group handles business.

I sent to Dave Johnson on November 2nd 2023 and got this return on November 13th 2023 for an 11 day TAT.  Thank You Mr. Johnson!