It’s Official – I’m Collecting Players!

A few posts ago, I asked for your feedback and guidance as to whom I should collect.  At heart, I’ve always been a player collector.  I’m trying my hands now at being a set collector, but SPs sure ain’t making that transition the smoothest it could be.  I had been out of the card game for so long, that my player collection allegiance was no longer tied to anyone.  This was an opportunity for a fresh start.

I presented you with a bevy of Cubs players to choose from.  I gave you my thoughts and then you gave me yours.  I commend everyone who made it to the end of that rather long post, and special thanks to the people who commented.

The majority of you responded saying I should collect Ryan Theriot.  He was one of my Top 3 choices going in.  Since I can’t relate the big, burly guys, I tend to admire the smaller players – the ones with hustle and gusto and always give it their all.  I think that personifies Theriot pretty well.  Riot puts his head down and plays the game and plays it well.  So, let me introduce to you the newest member of my personal collection.

Action shot!! This is not how he usually uses his bat.

Don’t forget that I’m trying to collect Ginter.  Let me know if you want to trade.  But, wait there’s more.  Because if you act now and buy one Ryan, you’ll get a second Ryan…free!

Evidently, I'm all aboot players named Ryan

C’mon.  You saw that list.  115 names in my heyday and you think I’m going to stop at one now?  If I’m doing this thing, I’m doing it.  Tell you what.  Let’s throw something else in there to spice it up.  What’s that over there!

The Professor is about to drop some Knowledge with a capital K.

I bet none of you expected that.  And truthfully, I kind of didn’t either, but here we are.

Okay, first the Ryans.  Here’s what I’m looking at to build my collection (according to Beckett.com -not sure how complete some of their information is).

For Theriot, since he’s a lifelong Cub and only has a few minor league cards, I decided to throw those into the mix as well.  Self-imposed restrictions are simply that I’m not actively seeking/purchasing anything serial numbered lower than /50.  I will still gladly accept them and be ecstatic if I pull one on my own, but there are enough here otherwise.  Maybe once I have all of the “otherwise,” I’ll expand.

Theriot:
255 total cards
106 unnumbered cards
69 1 of 1 (not actively seeking, also f’ing ridiculous!)
40 #’d/49 or less (not actively seeking)
40 #’d/50 or higher
59 Autographs (majority of them are #’d/49 and lower)
146 cards to collect

For Dempster, I’m only collecting him in a Cubs uniform for now.

Dempster:
247 Cubs uniform cards (I think….tough to verify on Beckett and I found some that they attributed to wrong teams)
92 unnumbered cards
94 1 of 1 (again, that’s freaking crazy.  Most are printing plates and are bunches of four, but still)
12 #’d/49 or less
49 #’d/50 or higher
Zero Autographs (those all come on Reds or Marlins cards in his earlier years)
141 cards to collect

This seems very manageable to me.  And the great thing is that both players are extremely cheap and won’t provide too much collector competition.  That also means there isn’t much of a challenge, which is where Maddux comes in.

I chose to add Greg Maddux for a couple reasons.  First, the challenge.  I wanted to collect a higher caliber player that will take a long time.  Let’s be honest.  If I wanted to, I could pretty much be up to date on Ryans with a couple quick purchases online.

I also wanted to pick someone that would make it more fun to open up a lot of the products I missed during my decade long hiatus.  I know a lot of bloggers are talking about how they’re bored, but I’m the opposite.  I want to go back and revisit stuff I didn’t get to experience when it came out.  Chasing a player in those packs will add some extra excitement.

At first I wanted this person to be a Cub for the entire period (say around ’95 to ’07).  I realized the best option there was Sosa and I already described how I feel about the burly guys.  Plus I still imagine him as a White Sox player for some reason.  I could also pick Kerry Wood, but that didn’t thrill me.  I wanted a superstar.

Then I looked towards other teams.  I thought about Griffey.  I thought about Griffey a lot, but then Maddux came to me.  I briefly toyed with the idea of going for the trifecta with Maddux, Smoltz and Glavine, but nah…maybe if I made more money.  I’m sticking with Maddux.  He’ll cover the dead zone, and although he was a Brave, he also was a Cub during two different periods, currently holds an office position with the team, and had his number retired.  I will collect any and all Maddi in any and all uniforms.

I didn’t pull his checklist off of Beckett, because I don’t have the time to format it the way I want.  It has to be massive.  Should be fun!

Oh, and one last thing.  Everyone has their little quirky collections, right?  I don’t have an example to show off hand, but I want to start a collection of pitcher’s batting.  I’ve seen a couple out and about the past couple months and regret not picking them up.  If you have cards of a pitcher playing the game the NL way (laying down a bunt, bat over the shoulder ready to strike, breaking it over his knee, etc.), let me know.

Okay, another long post, but I feel good!  Who wants to open some packs?